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#22858
Complete Question Explanation

Must Be True. The correct answer choice is (C)

The key to answering this question quickly and efficiently is to focus solely on those facts that can be put together to form a logically valid inference. Much of the information here is redundant and merely meant to delay you. Quite simply, since tubular and vase-shaped sponges are only adapted to slow-moving waters and cannot thrive in strong currents, it is reasonable to infer that any period during which such sponges are particularly widespread must be characterized by slow-moving waters:
  • Tubular/Vase Sponges → Slow-Moving Waters
Given that both varieties of sponges were prevalent during the late Jurassic period, we can conclude that many areas of the ocean floor during the late Jurassic period had weak currents. Answer choice (C) is therefore correct.

Answer choice (A): The stimulus provides no evidence as to what variety of sponges lived before the late Jurassic period. This answer choice is incorrect.

Answer choice (B): The stimulus provides no evidence as to what variety of sponges lived after the end of the Jurassic period. It is entirely plausible that succeeding geological eras had even weaker currents. This answer choice is incorrect.

Answer choice (C): This is the correct answer choice. See discussion above.

Answer choice (D): Just because tubular and vase-shaped sponges only inhabit areas with weak currents does not mean that all other varieties of sponges inhabit areas with strong currents. It is entirely possible that some types of sponges can live anywhere, regardless of how strong or weak the currents are. This answer choice is a Mistaken Negation of the conditional relationship between tubular/vase-shaped sponges and weak currents.

Answer choice (E): Whether the colonies in which sponges live are large or small is not a fact that is easily inferable from the stimulus. It is entirely possible that some waters contain virtually limitless amount of food that cannot be depleted of nutrients no matter how many sponges are filtering it.
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 landphil
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#102197
Hello,

I put E instead of C.
Is it ridiculous to think that when the stimulus says
1) tubular and vase-shaped sponges are adapted to slow moving, quiet waters
2) They do not survive in strong currents

that these sponges could survive in medium currents? And if they could survive in medium currents then there would not need to be many areas of the ocean floor where the current was weak.


Thanks for any help!
 Rachael Wilkenfeld
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#102217
Landphil, we can't read into the stimulus what isn't there. The stimulus doesn't give us information on medium currents. It's just as likely that the sponges can't live in medium currents than that they can. However, we know they are well-adapted to weak currents, and they were widespread in the late Jurassic. Therefore, there must have been an environment that was suitable for them, aka weak currents.

Answer choice (E) is something that we cannot prove based on our stimulus. We don't know how close the sponges can be to avoid filtering another sponge's water. We don't know anything about where sponges succeed other than the tubular or vase-shaped varieties. To say that there are NO sponges in large colonies is something that is not supported by the information in the stimulus.

Hope that helps!
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 landphil
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#102240
Rachael Wilkenfeld wrote: Tue Jun 27, 2023 6:02 pm Landphil, we can't read into the stimulus what isn't there. The stimulus doesn't give us information on medium currents. It's just as likely that the sponges can't live in medium currents than that they can. However, we know they are well-adapted to weak currents, and they were widespread in the late Jurassic. Therefore, there must have been an environment that was suitable for them, aka weak currents.

Answer choice (E) is something that we cannot prove based on our stimulus. We don't know how close the sponges can be to avoid filtering another sponge's water. We don't know anything about where sponges succeed other than the tubular or vase-shaped varieties. To say that there are NO sponges in large colonies is something that is not supported by the information in the stimulus.

Hope that helps!
Hi Rachel, that helps a lot, thank you! I did not realize how much I was having to help out answer choice E outside of the stimulus to make it work. Thank you!

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