PrepTest 134, Section 4, Question 16
Passage A  Evolutionary psychology has taught us to(499 more words not shown)
Passage A(246 more words not shown)
Passage B(261 more words not shown)
According to passage A, certain(10 more words not shown)
- Ahelped spread the(6 more words not shown)
- Bprompted individuals to(2 more words not shown)
- Cimproved the physical(7 more words not shown)
- Dmade individuals who(8 more words not shown)
- Eprompted early humans(6 more words not shown)
Reading the passage
A's opening gives us the chain: behavior contributes to reproductive success, which spreads the genetic material responsible for that behavior. So my prediction is about passing on genes. Something that happens to benefit an individual isn't automatically the particular evolutionary explanation we're asked to identify.
Working the answers
- ACorrect
The opening connects reproductive success to the spread of genes underlying the behavior (Passage A, paragraph 1). The empathy example applies that same idea: helping relatives can promote genes associated with the capacity to identify with and help them. That explains how those behavioral tendencies could spread.
- B
Apparently unselfish behavior is what A is trying to explain. Simply calling a behavior unselfish doesn't explain why evolutionary processes favored it; the genetic benefit supplies that missing link.
- C
A doesn't identify improved physical health in the person acting as the explanation. Its example can involve helping someone else, and its focus is on genetic propagation.
- D
No increased ability to find food is described. That is a possible-sounding benefit added by the choice, not A's stated account.
- E
A says early humans lived in small kin groups and explains how helping could operate within them. It doesn't say these behaviors evolved because they caused humans to start living in mutually dependent groups.
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