Logical Reasoning

PT12 · S4 · Q3 Insectivorous plans, which unlike other plants

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Insectivorous plants, which unlike other plants have the ability to trap and digest insects, can thrive in soils that are too poor in minerals to support noninsectivorous plants.

Statements

contrasts (Two Differences)

Insectivorous plants have the ability to trap and digest insects. Noninsectivorous plants can't.

Insectivorous plants can thrive in soils that are poor in minerals. Noninsectivorous plants can't.

pivot (yet)

The two types of plants have similar mineral requirements.

Evaluate

We know that most Most Supported questions are testing us on cause/effect relationships. Sometimes the causality is presented explicitly, and sometimes it is implied via Two Differences.

This looks like a classic setup for "One Difference Explains Another".

The fact that insectivorous plants can trap/digest insects is probably why they can survive in mineral-poor soil.

Goal

Let's look for an answer rewarding us for understanding the suggested causal gist of the paragraph: even though insectivorous plants need as many minerals as noninsectivorous plants, the insectivorous plants can survive in mineral-poor soil because they're getting some of their minerals by eating insects?

3.

The statements above, if true, most strongly support which one of the following hypotheses?

  1. The insects that insectivorous plants

    Unsupported Comparison (especially abundant)

    We don't need to believe that insects are especially abundant in mineral-poor soil. Even if they're there in regular numbers, the fact that insectivorous plants could potentially get some of their mineral requirements by eating the insects could explain how those plants are able to live in mineral-poor soil.

    3% picked this

  2. Insectivorous plants thrive only in

    Too Strong (only)

    This is a classic "only thing mentioned = only thing" trap answer. The passage only mentioned them thriving in mineral-poor soil, but that doesn't mean it's the only place where they thrive. If I say "the soldiers in the Army are brave", that doesn't mean that "only soldiers in the Army are brave".

    0% picked this

  3. The types of minerals required

    Contradicted (if anything)

    The final sentence makes it sound like insectivorous and noninsectivorous plants have very similar mineral requirements. This answer makes it sound like they need different types of minerals.

    4% picked this

  4. The number of different environments

    Unsupported Comparison

    This is a little bit tempting, because we might assume that when it comes to mineral-rich soil, both insectivorous and noninsectivorous plants can thrive. And since insectivorous ones can also thrive in mineral-poor soil, they would end up having more environments where they can thrive. But we have no idea how many environments with mineral-rich soil are conducive to insectivorous plants. Given their unusual adaptation of being able to trap / digest insects, they may have evolved in very specific environments. Most plants are noninsectivorous, so that category of plants is probably found in more places throughout the world.

    10% picked this

  5. Correct

    Insectivorous plants can get some

    Why this is right

    This is spelling out the causal suggestion of the text, that One Difference Explains Another. Only insectivorous plants can trap / digest insects, and only insectivorous plants can live in mineral-poor soil. So it's probably because they're digesting insects that they can still make do in mineral-poor soil. The insects are providing the missing minerals that the soil is lacking (meanwhile, noninsectivorous plants are screwed in such soil).

    Skill tested: Most Supported · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

    82% picked this

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