Geologist: The dominant view that

Answer choices

1. A

   Very Weak / No Impact27% picked this

   Fossils have been discovered that are devoid

   This seems to have almost nothing to do with our goal (explain why petroleum that is supposedly from the time of Earth's origin would have biomarkers in it). Maybe LSAC was thinking we'd try to argue, "Hey man, if life-stuff like fossils sometimes lack biomarkers, than you shouldn't be surprised that non-life stuff like petroleum sometimes has biomarkers". But that's a very, very weak line of attack.

   27%
2. B

   Strengthens16% picked this

   Living organisms only emerged long after the

   This is something the author presumably is already recognizing and counting on. Since life came way after Earth's formation, the presence of life on petroleum makes it seem like petroleum didn't originate at the same time as Earth's formation.

   16%
3. C

   No Impact6% picked this

   It would take many millions of years for organisms to

   This answer feels like it's trying to weaken the other theory, that petroleum comes from living life forms. But it doesn't weaken that theory at all. The dominant view is that petroleum came from plants and animals, like from the era of dinosaurs, which was more than 65 million years ago. So the fact that it takes millions of years for dead organisms to become petroleum is no problem for that theory.

   6%
4. D

   Correct36% picked this

   Certain strains of bacteria thrive deep inside the

   Why this is right

   This allows us to defend the idea that petroleum was formed when Earth was formed, in deep deposits. oh, yeah? then why are there biomarkers on it?! Well, there are lifeforms (bacteria) deep inside the earth's crust, where the petroleum is pooled. When we suck up petroleum from the depths of the Earth's crust, we're pulling some of that bacteria up with it, hence you see biomarkers in the petroleum.

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

   36%
5. E

   Too Weak / Strengthens a Bit15% picked this

   Some carbon deposits were formed from the fossilized remains

   "Some" is almost always wrong on Strengthen, Weaken, and Paradox. This sounds more like it's helping the other theory, that petroleum (liquid carbon) was formed from plants and animals.

   15%