Summarize Argument
Adobe—a type of clay—is a great building material for desert environments because heat takes a long time to pass through it, meaning the clay heats up and cools down slowly. As a result, adobe houses stay warm during cool evenings and remain cool during hot days, keeping the temperature comfortable. In contrast, houses made of other materials allow heat to pass through quickly, so they become hot during the day and cold at night.
Identify Conclusion
Adobe the perfect material for building homes in the desert.
A
Adobe is a suitable substitute for other building materials where the heat-conduction properties of the structure are especially important.
This is a necessary assumption of the argument. The argument concludes that adobe is better for building houses in the desert than other materials. This implies that adobe can replace other materials in deserts where controlling heat is important.
B
In the desert, adobe buildings remain cool during the heat of the day but retain the warmth of the sun during the cool evenings.
This is a premise. The passage explains how adobe keeps houses cool during the day and warm at night to support the conclusion that adobe is a great material for building homes in the desert. Since this claim supports the argument, it can’t be the argument’s main conclusion.
C
Because adobe conducts heat very slowly, adobe houses maintain a pleasant, constant temperature.
This refers to two premises. The passage explains that adobe conducts heat slowly, which helps keep houses at a steady temperature. This fact supports the claim that adobe is an ideal building material for desert environments. As it supports the argument, it isn’t the conclusion.
D
Ideally, a material used for building houses in desert environments should enable those houses to maintain a pleasant, constant temperature.
This is a necessary assumption. The argument concludes adobe is ideal because it helps desert houses stay at a comfortable, steady temperature. This means the argument assumes that a good building material for desert houses should help keep the temperature pleasant and constant.
E
Adobe is an especially suitable material to use for building houses in desert environments.
This accurately states the main conclusion. The passage says that adobe is an “ideal” material for building in the desert, meaning it’s especially good for that purpose. It specifies that adobe is ideal for constructing desert homes because it regulates house temperature.
"Surprising" Phenomenon
Why did the second study report a smaller percent of plants as having patterned stems than did the earlier study, even though the two studies covered approximately the same geographical area?
Objective
The correct answer should help differentiate the second study from the first in a way that could lead to a smaller proportion of the plants being reported to have patterned stems.
A
The first study was carried out at the time of year when plants of the species are at their most populous.
How populous the plant was during the study doesn’t impact the proportion of those plants with patterned stems. In the 1st study, 70% were reported to have patterned stems, and in the 2nd, that % went down. The number of plants in each study doesn’t impact % with patterned stems.
B
The first study, but not the second study, also collected information about patterned stems in other plant species.
We’re trying to explain the decrease in % reported to have patterned stems in a particular species of plants. What happened with other plant species has no impact.
C
The second study included approximately 15 percent more individual plants than the first study did.
The comparative number of plants in the studies doesn’t impact the proportion of those plants with patterned stems. In the 1st study, 70% were reported to have patterned stems. In the 2nd, that % went down. The number of plants in each study doesn’t impact % with patterned stems.
D
The first study used a broader definition of “patterned.”
A broader definition of “patterned” in the first study means that in the first study, any given plant was more likely to be considered “patterned” than in the second study. This could explain why the % reported to have patterned stems decreased in the second study.
E
The focus of the second study was patterned stems, while the first study collected information about patterned stems only as a secondary goal.
Whether counting patterned stems was a primary or secondary goal doesn’t explain why the % reported to have patterned stems decreased in the second study. We have no reason to think the focus of the study would change the likelihood a given plant would be counted as patterned.