Researcher: Dinosaur fossils come in various forms, including mineralized bones and tracks in dried mud flats. However, mineralized dinosaur bones and dinosaur tracks in dried mud flats are rarely found together. This isn’t surprising, because creatures that scavenged dinosaur carcasses most likely frequented mud flats to find food.
Summarize Argument: Phenomenon-Hypothesis
The researcher concludes that it isn’t surprising that dinosaur bone fossils are rarely found near fossilized dinosaur tracks in mud flats. This observation is explained with the hypothesis that animals that scavenged dinosaur carcasses often searched for food in mud flats.
Notable Assumptions
The researcher assumes that dinosaur bones could have been moved away from the dinosaur tracks by the activity of creatures that scavenge dinosaur bones in mud flats. The researcher also assumes that there isn’t an alternate explanation for dinosaur bones and tracks often being separated in mud flats.
A
Dinosaur tracks are also found in locations other than mud flats.
This is irrelevant, since the the researcher’s hypothesis only aims at explaining dinosaur tracks that are in mud flats; no conclusions are being drawn about other types of locations.
B
Scavengers commonly drag a carcass away from the site where it was found.
This strengthens the argument by providing a mechanism for the separation of dinosaur bones from tracks by scavenger activity. This affirms the researcher’s assumption that scavenger activity can lead to tracks and bones being separated.
C
Researchers have found more fossil dinosaur tracks than fossil dinosaur bones.
This is irrelevant, since the hypothesis doesn’t depend on the relative frequency of tracks and bones, only the observation that they are rarely found together in mud flats.
D
Dinosaur fossils other than mineralized bone or tracks in dried mud flats are quite common.
This is irrelevant, since the researcher doesn’t make any claims about other types of dinosaur fossils, and only seeks to explain why bones and tracks are rarely found together in mud flats.
E
It takes longer for bone to mineralize than it takes for tracks to dry in mud flats.
This is irrelevant, because how long bones take to mineralize has no bearing on whether or how those bones can be moved away from their original location by scavengers.
A
Electric stovetop burners would cause fewer fires if their highest temperature were limited to 350ºC.
B
A maximum temperature of 350ºC provides more than enough heat for efficient and effective cooking.
C
The lowest ignition temperature for cooking oil and most common fibers is 387ºC.
D
Electric burners on high go well above 700ºC.
E
Electric stovetop burners cause fires because they go well above 700ºC when set on high.
Question 22
Why is (D) wrong?
For (D), Passage B is saying "Look, you're misunderstanding progressive taxes. By that I mean you have a factually inaccurate conception of what progressive taxes are. Let me use the remaining paragraphs to give you an accurate understanding of what progressive taxes while additionally showing you why as a tax regime it's superior to flat taxes."
I think there's got to be a distinction b/t "you've stated or characterized progressive taxes inaccurately" v. "you've raised an objection to the progressive tax regime".