According to the generally accepted theory of plate tectonics, the earth's crust consists of a dozen or so plates of solid rock moving across the mantleβthe slightly fluid layer of rock between crust and core. ββββ βββββββββββ βββ ββββ ββ βββββββββ ββ β ββββββ ββ βββ ββββββββ ββ βββββ ββββββ βββββββ βββ βββββββ ββ ββββ ββββββββ βββ
Phenomenon & hypothesis Β·Earthquakes explained by plates colliding
Regions with little subduction (plate collision) could still cause earthquakes, depending on collision type (collision type 1 causes greater risk)
Passage Style
Phenomenon-hypothesis
Single position
25.
Based on the information in βββ ββββββββ βββββ βββ ββ βββ βββββββββ βββββββββ βββββ ββββ βββββββββ ββββββββ βββ ββββ ββββββββββ
Question Type
Implied
Letβs keep in mind the point made at the very end as well as the overall point of the passage. The point at the very end is that the scientistsβ theory described in P2 offers a βwarning.β Places with low levels of subduction might in fact be a significant risk of earthquakes, depending on the type of subduction. Notice that the author hasnβt connected the dots on exactly why these areas might be at significant risk of earthquakes. One way to logically complete the passage would be to articulate why these zones are at risk. For example, βIf these zones have plates that collide in the opposite direction, their risk of earthquakes is increased despite a low level of subduction.β
a
Depending on the ββββββββββββ βββββββ βββββ ββββββββ βββ βββββββ βββββ ββ ββββββ βββ βββββββββββ ββββ βββββ ββββββββ βββββ βββββββββ
This doesnβt fit, because we have no reason to think thereβs βalways a possibility plate velocity could increase.β The author never suggested anything that implies plate velocity can always increase. Since (A) isnβt supported, it wouldnβt be a logical completion.
This doesnβt fit, because itβs unsupported. The author never suggests that lower levels of subduction imply higher chance of shallow subduction angles. The author never presents a correlation between amount of subduction and angle of subduction.
c
Any region where ββββββββββ ββββββ βββββ ββββββ ββ ββββββββ ββ βββ βββββ ββ ββββββββββ βββ β ββββββββββ ββββββββ ββ βββββββ βββββββββ
This doesnβt fit, because the authorβs emphasis at the end is on the βnature of the subductionβ taking place β the direction of the plates that collide. The author doesnβt suggest that subduction might always increase and that this is why there might be risk in low subduction zones.
d
Even at low βββββββ βββ βββββββ βββββ ββ ββββββββββ ββββββββββ βββββββ ββ β βββββββββββ ββββββ ββ βββββββ βββββββββ
This doesnβt fit, because itβs not supported. The author doesnβt suggest that subduction at low levels βinevitablyβ (always) results in a lot of seismic activity. The angle of subduction matters.
e
Even in such β βββββββ β βββββ ββββββββββ ββ β βββββββ βββββ ββ ββββββ ββ βββββ β βββββ ββββ ββ ββββββββββββββββββββ βββββββββ
This fits at the end, because this helps explain why regions with low levels of subduction may be at risk of earthquakes. If a plate in a collision descends at a shallow angle β meaning, the plates collide in opposite directions β then thereβs a lot of earthquake-producing friction that results.
Difficulty
50% of people who answer get this correct
This is a very difficult question.
It is slightly harder than the average question in this passage.
CURVE
Score of students with a 50% chance of getting this right
25%153
161
75%169
Analysis
Implied
Phenomenon-hypothesis
Science
Single position
Answer Popularity
PopularityAvg. score
a
4%
156
b
12%
159
c
24%
158
d
11%
155
e
50%
164
Question history
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