Researcher: Dinosaur fossils come

Answer choices

1. A

   Out of Scope: other locations2% picked this

   Dinosaur tracks are also found in locations other than

   This argument is only about why we don't find bones near mud flat tracks. Talking about other areas isn't going to help us assess this causal mystery.

   2%
2. B

   Correct91% picked this

   Scavengers commonly drag a carcass away from the site where it

   Why this is right

   This doesn't give either of the two scavenger-stories I was considering (scavengers eat the bones / scavengers ruin the fidelity of the dinosaur's muddy footprints), but it could still help connect scavengers in the mud to why we don't find dinosaur bones near dinosaur mud tracks. If scavengers were dragging a dinosaur carcass away from the mud flats, then that would help explain why we don't find dinosaur bones in the mud flats where we find dinosaur tracks. This answer is helping us picture this chronological story: 1. Dinosaur walks into the mud flats, leaving behind tracks. 2. Dinosaur dies in the mud flats. 3. Scavenger drags the carcass away, so therefore we usually don't find dinosaur bones near tracks in the mud.

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

   91%
3. C

   Irrelevant Comparison1% picked this

   Researchers have found more fossil dinosaur tracks than fossil

   It doesn't matter in the slightest which of these two things we've found more of. We're just trying to solve the causal mystery of why we don't seem to find these two things in the same place.

   1%
4. D

   Out of Scope2% picked this

   Dinosaur fossils other than mineralized bone or tracks in dried mud flats

   Out of Scope: other types of fossils The fact that other types of fossils are common was kind of covered in the opening clause, "Dinosaur fossils come in various forms". We're focused on only two forms -- mineralized bone / tracks in dried mud. And we're trying to solve the causal mystery of why we don't usually find dinosaur bones near dinosaur tracks in dried mud. Pointing out that other types of dinosaur fossils exist does nothing to help us assess this causal mystery.

   2%
5. E

   Irrelevant Comparison4% picked this

   It takes longer for bone to mineralize than it takes for tracks to dry

   This is similar to (C), in that it provides a difference between bones and mud tracks that is completely useless when it comes to solving our causal mystery. It doesn't matter to us that it took longer for the bone to become mineralized than for the muddy footprints to dry. They've both had ample time (over 65 million years) to do their thang. They're both fossils now. We're just trying to figure out why we don't find them near each other.

   4%