Q16 - A favored theory to explain

[shariferguson]

I honestly cannot see why E is the correct answer. I can see why the others will not fit but I didn't think twice about E. It actually seems like it supports the fact that there was an asteroid impact. But then when I looked at it again it seems like it may be correct because there was still a diminishing of species on top of the layer of extraterrestrial dust. It just throws me off.

Someone please help. Thanks sooo much.

[giladedelman]

Thanks for your question! Wow, this is a pretty zany problem.

We're looking for the answer choice that most strongly suggests that the theory that the asteroid impact caused the dinosaurs' extinction is no good. How does (E) fit the bill?

Well, what (E) suggests is that dinosaur species were dying off precipitously before the asteroid hit (because layers of dust beneath the asteroid dust would have to have been formed earlier than the asteroid dust), and continued to do so afterward. The most important part here is that the lion's share of species extinctions occurred, according to (E), before the asteroid impact! If that's the case, the asteroid couldn't have been the main cause of the extinctions.

Does that make sense? Remember, the theory we're seeking to undermine is not the theory that there was an asteroid impact. Whether there was an impact is not in question. The issue is, did the impact cause the dinosaurs to go extinct?

As for the other answers:

(A) is way out of scope. How does this affect the asteroid theory?

(B) is tempting, but we're told that the asteroid impact was "globally catastrophic." So we don't care whether dinosaurs could escape some local catastrophes.

(C) is going, going, gone! Way out of scope!

(D), yeah, it's out of scope. Who cares about climates in the Gobi desert?

[shariferguson]

Thanks, that makes complete sense. I was undermining the wrong idea, as you stated. So it makes sense to me now. Than You!!!!

[dean.won]

Was I wrong to assume the answer had to weaken the volcano thoery while at the same time had to somewhat support the asteroid thoery?

The answer makes sense now if I had to ONLY weaken the volcano theory

[ManhattanPrepLSAT1]

I think you had the theories backwards, but I get your question. Notice the question stem is very clear in the task it sets forth, "indicates that the asteroid-impact theory is at least incomplete..."

No need to support the support the volcanic activity theory!