PrepTest 109, Section 3, Question 3
The most common bird in Stillwater Marsh is(44 more words not shown)
Each of the following, if(8 more words not shown)
- AThe coloration of(16 more words not shown)
- BThe marsh hen's(17 more words not shown)
- CUnlike many small(21 more words not shown)
- DMany marsh birds(16 more words not shown)
- EAlthough many small(26 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
“Most common” doesn't necessarily mean easy to find. My first thought is that perhaps there just aren't many birds in this marsh.
Imagine a place with only a handful of pandas. Even the most common kind there could be very hard to spot. Likewise, being the most common bird wouldn't by itself guarantee frequent sightings if the entire bird population were tiny.
But the last sentence pushes us past that explanation. People see other marsh birds more often, even species that are smaller and less abundant. So we need to explain why these particular hens are harder to see than the other birds. A general shortage of birds won't account for that difference.
What if the hens blend into the grass? What if they're active at night, or spend their time where bird-watchers can't easily look? Having more birds doesn't help us see them if their behavior or surroundings keep them hidden.
What we’re looking for
This is an EXCEPT question. Four choices will help explain the surprising lack of sightings; the answer will fail to help. Keep the question precise: why are the most abundant birds seen less often?
Working the answers
- A
This helps explain the sightings. A hen whose colors blend into the grass can be present without being noticed. It matches our camouflage prediction, so eliminate it in this EXCEPT question.
- BCorrect
A harsh, repetitive call doesn't explain why bird-watchers rarely see the hen. Nor does a pleasant call establish that another bird will be easier to see. The contrast concerns the sounds the birds make, while our puzzle concerns sightings.
Don't add a story that bird-watchers avoid the unpleasant sound and therefore never look for these hens. The passage expressly includes experienced observers who seek them, and the choice doesn't say the call discourages those searches. B gives us no explanation of the visual difference.
- C
Movement can draw attention. A small bird dashing along the bank may be easier to notice than a larger bird sitting motionless. This gives a difference in behavior that helps explain why the abundant hens could still be overlooked.
- D
This fits the nighttime prediction. If the hens are most active at night while other birds are active in daylight, there is a reason the other birds would be easier to see. Their numbers needn't determine how often observers spot them.
- E
A group flying between feeding areas creates repeated chances to notice several birds together. A solitary hen that rarely flies doesn't create those same opportunities. That contrast helps explain the different sighting rates, even though there are more hens overall.
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