DSAT R&W Practice Question-Information and Ideas-Command of Evidence - Medium
DSAT R&W Practice Question-Information and Ideas-Command of Evidence – Medium
DSAT R&W Practice Question-Information and Ideas-Command of Evidence – Medium is part of Expression of Ideas : This section evaluates students’ ability to identify main ideas in a passage and the ability to make inferences about what the text implies, not just stating the obvious facts. Interpreting, evaluating, and combining different pieces of information from multiple sources is tested
Weightage : 26%
Subtopic: Information and ideas
Question
Although many transposons, DNA sequences that move within an organism’s genome through shuffling or duplication, have become corrupted and inactive over time, those from the long interspersed nuclear elements (LINE) family appear to remain active in the genomes of some species. In humans, they are functionally important within the hippocampus, a brain structure that supports complex cognitive processes. When the results of molecular analysis of two species of octopus—an animal known for its intelligence—were announced in 2022, the confirmation of a LINE transposon in Octopus vulgaris and Octopus bimaculoides genomes prompted researchers to hypothesize that that transposon family is tied to a species’ capacity for advanced cognition.
Which finding, if true, would most directly support the researchers’ hypothesis?
A. The LINE transposon in O. vulgaris and O. bimaculoides genomes is active in an octopus brain structure that functions similarly to the human hippocampus.
B. The human genome contains multiple transposons from the LINE family that are all primarily active in the hippocampus.
C. A consistent number of copies of LINE transposons is present across the genomes of most octopus species, with few known corruptions.
D. O. vulgaris and O. bimaculoides have smaller brains than humans do relative to body size, but their genomes contain sequences from a wider variety of transposon families.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans. A
Correct Answer: A
Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The text says that LINE transposons are important in the human hippocampus, which supports complex cognition. If the LINE transposon found in octopuses is active in a similar part of their brain, that would suggest that LINE transposons support complex cognition in octopuses too, which in turn supports the hypothesis that LINE transposons are linked to advanced cognition in general.
Choice B is incorrect. This choice doesn’t support the hypothesis. It doesn’t include anything about how LINE transposons function in species other than humans. Choice C is incorrect. This choice doesn’t support the hypothesis. It doesn’t include anything about how the LINE transposon in octopuses might support advanced cognition. Choice D is incorrect. This choice doesn’t support the hypothesis. It doesn’t include anything about how the LINE transposon in octopuses might support advanced cognition
Question
The Jordanelle Dam was built on the Provo River in Utah in 1992. Earth scientist Adriana E. Martinez and colleagues tracked changes to the environment on the banks of the river downstream of the dam, including how much grass and forest cover were present. They concluded that the dam changed the flow of the river in ways that benefited grass plants but didn’t benefit trees.
Which choice best describes data from the graph that support Martinez and colleagues’ conclusion?
A. The lowest amount of grass cover was approximately 58,000 square meters, and the highest amount of forest cover was approximately 75,000 square meters.
B. There was more grass cover than forest cover in 1987, and this difference increased dramatically in 1993 and again in 2006.
C. There was less grass cover than bare soil in 1987 but more grass cover than bare soil in 1993 and 2006, whereas there was more forest cover than bare soil in all three years.
D. Grass cover increased from 1987 to 1993 and from 1993 to 2006, whereas forest cover decreased in those periods.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans. D
Correct Answer: D
Rationale
Choice D is the best answer because it describes data from the graph that support Martinez and colleagues’ conclusion that the Jordanelle Dam led to changes that benefited grass plants but not trees. The graph shows characteristics of the banks of the Provo River downstream of the Jordanelle Dam in three different years— 1987, 1993, and 2006. Specifically, the graph shows the amount of grass cover, bare soil, and forest cover in those years. The text indicates that the Jordanelle Dam was built in 1992, meaning that the data from the graph for 1987 reflect conditions before the dam was built, whereas the data for 1993 and 2006 reflect conditions after the dam was built. The data show that grass cover increased substantially from 1987 to 1993 and again from 1993 to 2006. The data also show that forest cover declined over those periods. Together, these data support Martinez and colleagues’ conclusion that the dam was beneficial for grass plants but not for trees —grass cover increased significantly after the dam was built, while forest cover declined.
Choice A is incorrect. Although it is true that, in the graph, the lowest value for grass cover is approximately 58,000 square meters and the highest value for forest cover is approximately 75,000 square meters, both values are from 1987, before the Jordanelle Dam was built in 1992. Therefore, this information alone cannot support Martinez and colleagues’ conclusion about changes in grass and tree cover following the construction of the dam. Choice B is incorrect because it presents an inaccurate description of data from the graph. The graph shows that there was more forest cover than grass cover in 1987, not that there was more grass cover than forest cover that year. Choice C is incorrect because, while it accurately reflects data from the graph when it compares grass cover and forest cover to bare soil, these data alone cannot support Martinez and colleagues’ conclusion that the dam led to changes that benefited grass plants but not trees. An increase in grass cover relative to bare soil following the construction of the dam might indicate that the dam benefited grass plants, but the fact that there was more forest cover than bare soil in all three years doesn’t indicate that the dam failed to benefit trees.