Logical Reasoning

PT147 · S1 · Q8 While studying a large colony

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While studying a large colony of macaque monkeys, scientists interacting with baby monkeys under a week old found that the babies would imitate some, but not all, of the scientists' actions.

Break the argument into its conclusion and evidence, then do exactly what the question stem asks with that structure.

Answers that sound relevant to the topic but don't connect to the argument's actual reasoning.

Predict what a right answer must do, then test each choice against the conclusion-evidence gap.

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

Baby macaques under a week
Contradicted (if anything)
The babies did NOT imitate two of the behaviors they saw from the scientists.
1% picked this
Baby macaques under a week
Too Speculative: can't control muscles
While this could explain why they didn't imitate the hand gestures, so could many other hypotheses. We have no support for this specific hypothesis, so it's too speculative.
2% picked this
Adult macaques use lip smacking
Unsupported Causality: to entertain
This is speculating the causal backstory on why adults smack their lips and stick out their tongues. Maybe it's to entertain. Maybe it serves a different function. We have no way to support one theory over another.
5% picked this
Baby macaques under a week
Opposite (if anything)
If the babies thought the scientists were their parents, they'd presumably imitate ALL the things the scientists did. The fact that the babies only imitated stuff their true parents did suggests more that babies could tell the difference.
6% picked this
Correct
Baby macaques under a week
Why this is right
While "only" feels strong, this is still the best available answer. It matches the available data.
Skill tested: Most Supported · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.
85% picked this

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