PrepTest 103, Section 4, Question 15
Between June 1987 and May 1988, the bodies(454 more words not shown)
Which one of the following(19 more words not shown)
- Athe release of(7 more words not shown)
- Bthe date on(9 more words not shown)
- Cthe presence of(7 more words not shown)
- Dthe synthetic pollutants(10 more words not shown)
- Ethe effects of(6 more words not shown)
Reading the passage
Which explanation? The one in the final paragraph: a sudden increase in exposure to synthetic pollutants. The clearest support is the symptom match. PCB poisoning causes certain problems, and the dolphins had those problems.
What we’re looking for
We need evidence actually mentioned, not something that would strengthen this explanation if we learned it was true.
Working the answers
- A
The stored substances released from blubber are synthetic pollutants “such as PCBs,” not brevetoxins. This swaps the substances; the described release of stored brevetoxin never occurs.
- B
A known dumping date could be useful evidence, but we aren't given one. October is the date of the algal bloom. Offshore dumping is suggested only as a possibility.
- C
We aren't told about any dumping sites. Like B, this could support the theory if supplied, but the question asks for evidence we actually received.
- D
The route through fish concerns brevetoxin: fish accumulate that toxin and dolphins eat the fish. The writer doesn't report finding synthetic pollutants in those fish. We can't substitute a different substance just because that route sounds plausible for it too.
- ECorrect
PCB poisoning is known to damage immune and liver function (paragraph 4), and the next sentence says the listed problems were observed in the dolphins. That match supports the pollutant explanation. It doesn't prove dumping occurred; it supplies evidence for the proposed cause.
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