PT142.S1.Q23 > Analytics

SECTION 1 · lr

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SECTION 2 · lr

SECTION 3 · rc

PASSAGE 1

Question 1 Question 2 Question 3 Question 4 Question 5 Question 6 Question 7 Question 8

PASSAGE 2

Question 9 Question 10 Question 11 Question 12 Question 13 Question 14 Question 15 Question 16

PASSAGE 3

Question 17 Question 18 Question 19 Question 20 Question 21

PASSAGE 4

Question 22 Question 23 Question 24 Question 25 Question 26 Question 27

SECTION 4 · lr

The author concludes that petroleum did not form from deep carbon deposits dating from the formation of the earth. This is based on the fact that petroleum contains biomarkers, which indicate the past or present existence of a living organism.

The author assumes that if petroleum formed from deep carbon deposits, then we would not find biomarkers in it. This overlooks the fact that there might be reasons that biomarkers could be found in petroleum, even if the petroleum formed from deep carbon deposits (as opposed to forming from living things).

Presence of biomarkers indicate past/present life. But that doesn’t mean no biomarkers indicates no past/present life. This doesn’t suggest fossils aren’t connected to life. Also, (A) just means some fossils don’t have biomarkers; the vast majority could have them.

Petroleum could have formed after those living organisms emerged. The stimulus never suggested petroleum dates to the formation of the earth. It could have come about billions of years afterward.

Petroleum could have formed many millions of years after organisms emerged. The stimulus doesn’t suggest petroleum dates to the formation of earth. It could have come about billions of years afterward.

This shows how petroleum might come to contain biomarkers even if it formed from deep carbon deposits. Some bacteria, which is a living organism, could be the origin of the biomarkers. This bacteria is “deep inside the earth’s crust,” which is where “deep” carbon deposits exist.

The scientists think petroleum formed from “deep carbon deposits dating from the formation of the earth.” There may be other deep carbon deposits that came after life, such as what (E) describes, but those are different deposits unrelated to the scientists’ view.

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39% of people who answer get this correct

This is a very difficult question.

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Score of students with a 50% chance of getting this right

25% 158

169

75% 180

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Stimulus Tags

Causal reasoning

Popularity Avg. score

24%

161

13%

161

158

39%

167

19%

164

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PrepTest 142 - Section 1 - Question 23

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