Leatherbacks, the largest of the sea turtles, when subjected to the conditions of captivity, are susceptible to a wide variety of fatal diseases with which they would never come in contact if they lived in the wild. It is surprising, therefore, that the likelihood that a leatherback will reach its theoretical maximum life expectancy is about the same whether that animal is living in captivity or in the wild.

"Surprising" Phenomenon
Why do leatherbacks in captivity have the same likelihood of reaching maximum life expectancy as leatherbacks in the wild, even though leatherbacks in captivity are susceptible to fatal diseases they don’t get in the wild?

Objective
The correct answer should tell us about harmful things that wild leatherbacks face that captive leatherbacks don’t face, or healthy things about being in captivity that wild leatherbacks don’t benefit from.

A
Fewer diseases attack leatherbacks than attack other large aquatic reptiles.
This doesn’t differentiate between leatherbacks in the wild and those in captivity. So it’s not going to explain why the two kinds of leatherbacks have the same chance of reaching max life expectancy despite the extra threat from fatal diseases to captive leatherbacks.
B
The average life expectancy of sea turtles in general is longer than that of almost all other marine animals.
This doesn’t differentiate between leatherbacks in the wild and those in captivity. So it’s not going to explain why the two kinds of leatherbacks have the same chance of reaching max life expectancy despite the extra threat from fatal diseases to captive leatherbacks.
C
Most leatherbacks that perish in the wild are killed by predators.
This points out a threat faced by wild leatherbacks that captive leatherbacks don’t face. Although captive leatherbacks might face certain fatal diseases, the wild ones face predators. This could be why the overall likelihood of reaching max life expectancy is about the same.
D
Few zoologists have sufficient knowledge to establish an artificial environment that is conducive to the well-being of captive leatherbacks.
This presents a reason that captive leatherbacks might face additional harm compared to the wild leatherbacks. But this leads us to think captive leatherbacks should have a lower chance of reaching max life expectancy.
E
The size of a leatherback is an untrustworthy indicator of its age.
This doesn’t differentiate between wild and captive leatherbacks. So it’s not going to explain why the two kinds of leatherbacks have the same chance of reaching max life expectancy despite the extra threat from fatal diseases to captive leatherbacks.

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City council member: Despite the city’s desperate need to exploit any available source of revenue, the mayor has repeatedly blocked council members’ attempts to pass legislation imposing real estate development fees. It is clear that in doing so the mayor is sacrificing the city’s interests to personal interests. The mayor cites figures to show that, in the current market, fees of the size proposed would significantly reduce the number of building starts and thus, on balance, result in a revenue loss to the city. But the important point is that the mayor’s family is heavily involved in real estate development and thus has a strong financial interest in the matter.

Summarize Argument: Counter-Position
The city council member argues that the mayor is disregarding the city’s interests in order to pursue her own financial interests. To support this, the city council member says that the city desperately needs to take advantage of any source of revenue, but the mayor is blocking real estate development fees that would provide this much-needed revenue. The city council member then implies that the mayor’s family’s investment in real estate is influencing her decision to block the development fees, thus putting her own financial interests above the interests of the city.

Identify Conclusion
The city council member’s conclusion is that the mayor is betraying the city’s interests: “the mayor is sacrificing the city’s interests to personal interests.”

A
Imposing real estate development fees is the best way for the city to exploit the available sources of revenue.
This is not a claim made in the argument. We know that the development fees would provide revenue, but we do not know if this is the best way to do so.
B
The city would benefit financially from the passage of legislation imposing real estate development fees.
The council member seems to believe this, but it is not his main conclusion. In fact, he never actually claims this. At best, this is an assumption that supports the main conclusion.
C
In blocking council members’ attempts to impose real estate development fees, the mayor is sacrificing the city’s interests to personal interests.
This is the main conclusion that the argument is trying to support. This claim is supported by the fact that the mayor has personal interests in blocking real estate tax, while the city has an interest in imposing the tax, and the mayor is siding with her own interest.
D
Significantly reducing the number of building starts would not, on balance, result in revenue loss to the city.
This answer is a rejection of the claim made by the mayor. However, the argument does not attempt to directly reject this claim by the mayor, so this answer is not supported by the argument. The argument of the city council member does not address this topic.
E
The mayor’s family has a strong financial interest in preventing the passage of legislation that would impose real estate development fees.
This is a sub-conclusion. This AC is supported by the fact that the mayor’s family is involved in real estate development. However, it is not the main conclusion, because this AC provides support for the overall conclusion that the mayor is favoring her interests over the city’s.

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Current maps showing the North American regions where different types of garden plants will flourish are based on weather data gathered 60 years ago from a few hundred primitive weather stations. New maps are now being compiled using computerized data from several thousand modern weather stations and input from home gardeners across North America. These maps will be far more useful.

Summarize Argument
The author concludes that the new maps will be far more useful. No evidence is provided for her claim.

Notable Assumptions
The author assumes that maps compiled using computerized weather data are more useful than maps based on primitive weather data gathered 60 years ago. In truth, this isn’t much of an assumption.

A
Home gardeners can provide information on plant flourishing not available from weather stations.
Home gardeners fill in the picture in the computer-assisted maps. The other maps don’t feature any home gardener input.
B
Some of the weather stations currently in use are more than 60 years old.
We have no idea if these weather stations are used in the new maps. Nor do we have any idea how the age of a weather station affects its ability to provide useful data.
C
Weather patterns can be described more accurately when more information is available.
The newer maps have more data than the old maps. Thus, they can more accurately describe weather patterns.
D
Weather conditions are the most important factor in determining where plants will grow.
These maps are designed to show where plants will grow. Since the new ones have better weather data, they’ll be more helpful.
E
Weather patterns have changed in the past 60 years.
Weather data from 60 years ago, which is what the old maps have, isn’t very helpful.

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Detective: Because the embezzler must have had specialized knowledge and access to internal financial records, we can presume that the embezzler worked for XYZ Corporation as either an accountant or an actuary. But an accountant would probably not make the kind of mistakes in ledger entries that led to the discovery of the embezzlement. Thus it is likely that the embezzler is one of the actuaries.

Summarize Argument
The author concludes that the embezzler is like one of the actuaries at XYZ Corporation. This is because the embezzler must have had specialized knowledge about financial records, and the author believes this proves the embezzler was either an accountant or an actuary at XYZ. And, the author believes the embezzler was unlikely to be an accountant, because the ledger mistakes that led to the discovery of the embezzlement probably wouldn’t have been made by an accountant.

Notable Assumptions
The author assumes that only accountants or actuaries at XYZ would have had the specialized knowledge necessary to do the embezzlement. The author also assumes that an actuary isn’t just as unlikely as an accountant is to make the kind of mistake that led to the discovery of the embezzlement.

A
The actuaries’ activities while working for XYZ Corporation were more closely scrutinized by supervisors than were the activities of the accountants.
This provides a reason to think actuaries are less likely than accountants are to have committed the embezzlement. If actuaries’ activities were more closely scrutinized, that suggests it was more difficult for them to cheat.
B
There is evidence of breaches in computer security at the time of the embezzlement that could have given persons outside of XYZ Corporation access to internal financial records.
This questions the assumption that only an actuary or accountant at XYZ could have had the specialized knowledge to commit the embezzlement. If someone outside XYZ could have had that knowledge, then the suspects don’t have to be limited in the way the author assumes.
C
XYZ Corporation employs eight accountants, whereas it has only two actuaries on its staff.
Maybe each accountant had only a 49% chance of making the mistake that led to the discovery. But if there are 8 accountants, collectively the chance of one of those accountants making the mistake might be higher than the chance one of the two actuaries made the mistake.
D
An independent report released before the crime took place concluded that XYZ Corporation was vulnerable to embezzlement.
This doesn’t provide any reason to think the embezzler isn’t one of the actuaries. (D) helps establish that XYZ was vulnerable to embezzlement, but doesn’t suggest anything about what kind of person could have been the embezzler. (Correct because this is an EXCEPT question.)
E
Certain security measures at XYZ Corporation made it more difficult for the actuaries to have access to internal financial records than for the accountants.
This provides a reason to think actuaries are less likely than accountants are to have committed the embezzlement.

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