Q25

[ohthatpatrick]

ca_teran asked "how is it b and not c"

Analogy questions can be ROUGH. We gotta start by figuring out what as noteworthy about "the discovery of fossil hominids" in the 1st P, so we know what important point the correct answer will emulate.

The author brings up the fossil record to show how it has DISTORTED the correct picture of history (it's reinforced the misconception held by Darwin and many others).

We initially discovered recent fossils, and the creatures who left those fossils genuinely resembled modern humans. Later we discovered more ancient fossils and made the mistake of assuming that they, too, resemble modern humans.

So we need something that works like
i. discovering something in the recent past makes us think "recent past = present"
and then
ii. when we discover something in the distant past, we mistakenly think "distant past = present"

(B) gives us that.
We first find paintings done "a few years prior" (matches up w/ recent past) to the most recent, "the late paintings" (matches up w/ present). We see similarities and think "recent past = present"

Then we make the assumption that the artist's first paintings (matches up w/ distant past) must resemble the late paintings (present).

It's obviously a little different because this doesn't involve the present. But it's the same general idea. We have support that the recent past matches the most recent. We then extrapolate that the distant past matches the most recent.

(C) doesn't capture any of the same elements. First of all, we only have two time periods here: 1st manuscript and 2nd manuscript. We're looking to match up with something that has 3 time periods: most recent, recent past, and distant past.

Furthermore, nothing here relates to "inferring similarities". This is only about 'revising timelines', which doesn't relate to the first paragraph.

Hope this helps.

[katl]

Here's my reasoning process:

A) Not about short period of time v. long period of time; doesn't extrapolate common trait between two groups to third group
B) Correct
C) Not about initial estimate v. revised estimate of age; doesn't extrapolate common trait between two groups to third group
D) No third group (equivalent of distant forebears)
E) No extrapolation to third group