Homing Pigeons

Answer choices

1. A

   Unrelated to Goal1% picked this

   Even pigeons that have been raised in several different lofts in a variety of territories can find their way to their current

   This doesn't say anything that relates to sense of smell. It just reiterates that pigeons are good at finding their way home (but gives us no clues as to how they do that).

   1%
2. B

   Strengthens4% picked this

   Pigeons whose sense of smell has been partially blocked find their way home more slowly than do pigeons whose sense of

   If smell is their means of getting home, as Papi believes, then impairing their sense of smell should impair their ability to get home. That's exactly what this answer choice is saying.

   4%
3. C

   Unclear Impact5% picked this

   Even pigeons that have been raised in the same loft frequently take different routes home when

   This doesn't say anything that clearly relates to sense of smell. In order for this answer to perform the function we need it to, we'd have to be thinking, "if they were really finding their way home by smell, then they would all take the same route home". That's not a common sense expectation. If you're trying to figure out your way home, starting from a random unfamiliar spot, you're likely to use a little trial and error early on to get your bearings. So it wouldn't be surprising if different pigeons, using the same method, end up taking somewhat different routes.

   5%
4. D

   Correct73% picked this

   Even pigeons that have been transported well beyond the range of the odors detectable in their home territories

   Why this is right

   This has the most weakening strength, because it makes Papi's theory sound deeply implausible. If pigeons can still make their way home, even when it's impossible to smell their way home, then we would assume that "smelling their way home" is not their usual means of getting home. It defies common sense that they would have two different methods for finding their way home, i.e. 1. use the smell map, if we're still in range of the smell map 2. use method B, if we're off the grid Since the pigeons in this answer choice are clearly not using a smell map (it would be impossible for them to do so, since they're beyond the range of their map), then it's very unlikely that pigeons more broadly find their way home using a smell map.

   Skill tested: Weaken · how this choice captures the passage's function is the move to repeat next time.

   73%
5. E

   Weaker Impact17% picked this

   Pigeons’ sense of smell is no more acute than that of other birds who do not have

   This hurts the plausibility of Papi's theory a little bit. It feels like pigeon's sense of smell is "nothing special". Meanwhile, Papi is saying the pigeon's smell map explains their "remarkable" ability to find their way home. It's not very plausible that a "nothing special" sense of smell would result in a "remarkable ability" to find the way home. But it's not strongly undermining the theory. To make a smell map, you don't necessarily need an exceptionally detailed sense of smell. You just need a special ability to keep track of smells in some directional way. Our reaction to this answer is like, "Hmmm. If pigeons did have a better sense of smell than animals that don't have this homing ability, it would probably make me more inclined to believe they use a smell map to find their way home. So hearing that their sense of smell is normal, makes it feel a little less likely." Meanwhile, our reaction to (D) is like, "Oh, sorry, Papi, you're wrong about the whole smell map thing."

   17%