In order to withstand tidal currents, juvenile horseshoe crabs frequently burrow in the sand. Such burrowing discourages barnacles from clinging to their shells. When fully grown, however, the crabs can readily withstand tidal currents without burrowing, and thus they acquire substantial populations of barnacles. Surprisingly, in areas where tidal currents are very weak, juvenile horseshoe crabs are found not to have significant barnacle populations, even though they seldom burrow.

Which of the following, if true, most helps to explain the surprising finding?


Tidal currents do not themselves dislodge barnacles from the shells of horseshoe crabs.

Barnacles most readily attach themselves to horseshoe crabs in areas where tidal currents are weakest.

The strength of the tidal currents in a given location varies widely over the course of a day.

A very large barnacle population can significantly decrease the ability of a horseshoe crab to find food.

Until they are fully grown, horseshoe crabs shed their shells and grow new ones several times a year.

考题讲解

情景:为抵御涨潮的水流,小马蹄蟹在沙中挖洞。挖洞可以阻止藤壶缠绕它们的壳。然而,长大后,大马蹄蟹不挖洞也能抵御水流,但因此而缠上了大量藤壶。令人惊讶的是,在水流很小的地方,小马蹄蟹不挖洞,也没有缠上藤壶。

推理:本题是一个“现象解释型考题”。按照正常逻辑来说,即,结论应该为:在水流很小的地方,小马蹄蟹不挖洞,应该会被缠上藤壶。仔细阅读推理文段可以发现,推理文段的前提和结论讲的事情基本相同,所以本题为类比推理。推理结构为:
前提:大马蹄蟹不挖洞也能抵御水流,所以他们缠上了藤壶。
结论:生活在水流很小的地方的小马蹄蟹也应该会缠上藤壶。

选题方式:类比推理一共具有两个评估方向,简而言之,即,要么提到“长大的时候”或“水流很小的地方”,要么给出与这两个案例相平行等价的案例C。

选项分析:

A选项:并非水流把藤壶从蟹壳上冲走的。本选项讲的是藤壶是如何离开螃蟹的,没有提及案例名称。

B选项:在水流最小的地方,藤壶都能缠上马蹄蟹。推理文段中的案例是“水流很小的地方”,并没有说是最小的地方,所以本选项没有提及案例名词。

C选项:一天中同一个地方的水流强度变化很大。本选项没有提及案例名称。

D选项:
藤壶过多会导致马蹄蟹寻找食物的能力下降。本选项讨论的是藤壶引发的后果,没有提及案例名称。

E选项:
Correct. 直到长大为止,马蹄蟹每年都要换几次壳。本选项给出了“长大后”和“生活在在水流很小的地方的小马蹄蟹”的一个区别,即,长大后不换壳了,小螃蟹依然要换壳。

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