Is (E) wrong because of the word "skepticism?" I could not find anything indicating that there was skepticism; the closest match was "challenged" in line 10. Could we also say that there wasn't skepticism because the last paragraph (lines 48 on) elaborate on how the latest theory takes into account the pre-1980s theory?
For (A) it was not directly mentioned that the last theory was the best.
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- rinagoldfield
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Atticus Finch
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Re: Q4
Hey Magnusgan,
This is a synthesis question, and synthesis questions are best approached by:
1. considering your passage map and/or scale
2. working from wrong-to-right.
The passage begins by outlining two theories of why dinosaurs became extinct (the non-catastrophic geological processes theory and the meteor theory). It then offers a third theory (the volcano theory). The author is in favor of the third theory (see lines 19-21, 35-37, and 47-49 for support).
The right answer should capture these big points.
(A) seems possible. It describes the three theories and the author’s position in favor of the third theory; the author argues that "currently available evidence offers more support" for the new theory than for the old ones (lines 19-21). Hold onto (A) for now.
(B) is narrow. The author disagrees with the pre-1980s theory (lines 10-13), but this disagreement is only one teeny facet of the passage as a whole.
(C) is unsupported. The author argues that the third theory is quite good (lines 19-21, 35-37, 47-49).
(D) is unsupported. The author thinks the third theory is supported by current evidence (lines 19-21, 35-37, 47-49), and never implies that all three theories need revision.
(E) is narrow and unsupported. The author only writes about the pre-1980s theory in the first paragraph. She also never "confirms" any "skepticism" on the part of geologists, just suggests that the evidence of iridium caused geologists to reconsider their position.
We’re left with (A), which is the correct answer.
Does that make sense?
This is a synthesis question, and synthesis questions are best approached by:
1. considering your passage map and/or scale
2. working from wrong-to-right.
The passage begins by outlining two theories of why dinosaurs became extinct (the non-catastrophic geological processes theory and the meteor theory). It then offers a third theory (the volcano theory). The author is in favor of the third theory (see lines 19-21, 35-37, and 47-49 for support).
The right answer should capture these big points.
(A) seems possible. It describes the three theories and the author’s position in favor of the third theory; the author argues that "currently available evidence offers more support" for the new theory than for the old ones (lines 19-21). Hold onto (A) for now.
(B) is narrow. The author disagrees with the pre-1980s theory (lines 10-13), but this disagreement is only one teeny facet of the passage as a whole.
(C) is unsupported. The author argues that the third theory is quite good (lines 19-21, 35-37, 47-49).
(D) is unsupported. The author thinks the third theory is supported by current evidence (lines 19-21, 35-37, 47-49), and never implies that all three theories need revision.
(E) is narrow and unsupported. The author only writes about the pre-1980s theory in the first paragraph. She also never "confirms" any "skepticism" on the part of geologists, just suggests that the evidence of iridium caused geologists to reconsider their position.
We’re left with (A), which is the correct answer.
Does that make sense?
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