PT152 S4 Q19 ExplanationEuropean wood ants incorporate large quantities

Answer choices, explained

1. A

   Too Strong: very long8% picked this

   whether conifer resin retains its disinfectant properties over very long periods

   There's no way to answer this and get a big Objection. We could say, "I doubt they're using it as a disease-protection measure. After all ... resin doesn't retain its disinfectant properties for very long periods of time." The author would be like, "cool, but it retains its properties for a long time, and that's long enough. Also, they might continually replenish the supply of resin".

   8%
2. B

   Unclear Impact3% picked this

   whether the nests of European wood ants generally contain more conifer resin at some times of the

   This fact could be useful if it were associated to the rise and fall of the strains of bacteria, but on its own it does nothing. A better version of this answer would sound like, "whether the nests generally contain more resin at times of the year when the bacteria is most prevalent".

   3%
3. C

   No Impact8% picked this

   whether any ant species other than European wood ants use conifer resin

   Even if other ant species do also use resin in their nests, that would tell us nothing about whether or not they use it for disease-protection purposes, and that's what we're here to assess.

   8%
4. D

   Correct72% picked this

   whether the use of conifer resin affords structural benefits to European

   Why this is right

   This presents an Alternate Explanation. We can object to the argument by saying, "The ants aren't using it as a disease-prevention measure. They're just using it because it's sticky and helps their nests to be more structurally stable". The most common way to weaken any Curious Fact / Explanation argument is with an Alternate Explanation.

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

   72%
5. E

   No Impact9% picked this

   whether the disinfectant properties of conifer resin evolved as a disease-protection measure

   If this were true, then it adds a little plausibility to the idea that resin has a disease-protection function for at least some species. But if resin didn't evolve as disease-protection for trees, it wouldn't in any way weaken the plausibility that ants are using the resin for that purpose.

   9%