Question
S1: Some psychologists believe that fairness is a concept exclusive to humans. S2: However, recently conducted research shows that fairness can evolve in not only human societies but also animal societies. S3: In studying the behavior of seven groups of banded mongooses in Uganda, zoologist Harry Marshall determined that, within a group of these small, cat-like animals, there exists a remarkable birth synchrony; most of the expectant females give birth to their pups on the same night, creating what zoologists call a “veil of ignorance” — because all of the pups have almost identical looks, smells, and vocal frequencies, parents are unable to determine which pups belong to which parents and therefore cannot choose to provide them with extra care on that basis alone. S4: Therefore, whereas, in most of the natural world, parents favor their own offspring, these mongoose parents care for all of the pups equitably, giving the litter a better chance of survival than they would otherwise have. S5: For example, by providing extra care to pups born with low birth weights, including allowing these pups the opportunity to suckle greater amounts of milk than heavier pups, female mongooses are able to provide a fairness calibration, with the result that within a few weeks after birth, any disparities in weight among pups have been greatly reduced.
The passage suggests that Harry Marshall’s work provides evidence for which of the following views?
No banded mongoose within a group gives birth to pups on a night when others do not.
Fairness can evolve in animals other than banded mongooses.
Banded mongoose mothers are aware that they give the litter a better chance of survival by caring for all of the pups equitably.
Only banded mongooses experience the phenomenon of birth synchrony.
The veil of ignorance results in mongoose parents’ not providing extra care to their own offspring.
Question
S1: Some psychologists believe that fairness is a concept exclusive to humans. S2: However, recently conducted research shows that fairness can evolve in not only human societies but also animal societies. S3: In studying the behavior of seven groups of banded mongooses in Uganda, zoologist Harry Marshall determined that, within a group of these small, cat-like animals, there exists a remarkable birth synchrony; most of the expectant females give birth to their pups on the same night, creating what zoologists call a “veil of ignorance” — because all of the pups have almost identical looks, smells, and vocal frequencies, parents are unable to determine which pups belong to which parents and therefore cannot choose to provide them with extra care on that basis alone. S4: Therefore, whereas, in most of the natural world, parents favor their own offspring, these mongoose parents care for all of the pups equitably, giving the litter a better chance of survival than they would otherwise have. S5: For example, by providing extra care to pups born with low birth weights, including allowing these pups the opportunity to suckle greater amounts of milk than heavier pups, female mongooses are able to provide a fairness calibration, with the result that within a few weeks after birth, any disparities in weight among pups have been greatly reduced.
The passage suggests that Harry Marshall’s work provides evidence for which of the following views?
No banded mongoose within a group gives birth to pups on a night when others do not.
Fairness can evolve in animals other than banded mongooses.
Banded mongoose mothers are aware that they give the litter a better chance of survival by caring for all of the pups equitably.
Only banded mongooses experience the phenomenon of birth synchrony.
The veil of ignorance results in mongoose parents’ not providing extra care to their own offspring.
Scott Woodbury-Stewart
Founder and Expert GMAT Instructor
Solution:
The focus of this Inference question is Harry Marshall’s work. So, to find the information we need for supporting our choice, we’ll look in the area of the passage where Harry Marshall and his work are mentioned.
In evaluating each choice, we’ll carefully consider whether it’s supported by what the passage says about Harry Marshall’s work.
Any choice that could be true or is likely true in reality but isn’t supported by information in the passage will be an incorrect Speculation choice.
(A) No banded mongoose within a group gives birth to pups on a night when others do not.
Trap: Stretch
In reading this choice, we see that it uses the extreme marker “no” to convey an extreme meaning. In fact, in saying that NO banded mongoose gives birth on a different night, this choice implies that ALL of the banded mongooses give birth on the same night.
Of course, that extreme meaning is a red flag indicating that this choice may be incorrect. So, we go back to the passage to see whether it says something as extreme as what this choice says about mongooses giving birth.
Scanning the passage, we see that S3 says, “most of the expectant females give birth to their pups on the same night.”
Since “most of the expectant females” is not as extreme as what this choice implies, which is that all of the expectant females give birth on the same night, this choice is not correct.
(B) Fairness can evolve in animals other than banded mongooses.
Trap: Speculation
Scanning the part of the passage that mentions Harry Marshall and his work, we see that it is very specifically about the birth habits of banded mongooses and says nothing about animals other than banded mongooses.
So, while this choice could be true, it’s not supported by what the passage says about Harry Marshall’s work.
(C) Banded mongoose mothers are aware that they give the litter a better chance of survival by caring for all of the pups equitably.
Trap: Speculation
By starting where the passage mentions Harry Marshall and scanning what follows, we can find in S4 “these mongoose parents care for all of the pups equitably, giving the litter a better chance of survival than they would otherwise have.”
However, nowhere in the passage is there any information indicating what “banded mongoose mothers are aware” of. In other words, the passage does not say what’s going on in the minds of banded mongooses. It describes only their actions.
So, while this choice could be true, what it says about what banded mongoose mothers are aware of is not supported by the passage.
(D) Only banded mongooses experience the phenomenon of birth synchrony.
Trap: Speculation
If you picked this choice, you may have noticed that the passage says that the birth synchrony of banded mongooses is “remarkable,” which means “notable” or “unusual.” So, we could perceive “remarkable” as indicating that banded mongooses are the “only” animals that experience birth synchrony.
However, the truth is that the fact that banded mongooses’ birth synchrony is “remarkable” does not necessarily mean that “only banded mongooses experience … birth synchrony.”
So, while what this choice says could be true, the passage does not support this choice.
CORRECT ANSWER(E) The veil of ignorance results in mongoose parents’ not providing extra care to their own offspring.
Finding in the passage information on Harry Marshall and the “veil of ignorance,” we see that, in S3, the passage says the following:
‘Harry Marshall determined that … most of the expectant females give birth to their pups on the same night, creating what zoologists call a “veil of ignorance”’
The passage then goes on to say the following about the “veil of ignorance”:
“because all of the pups have almost identical looks, smells, and vocal frequencies, parents are unable to determine which pups belong to which parents and therefore cannot choose to provide them with extra care on that basis alone.”
We see that the passage conveys that the “veil of ignorance” causes the effect “parents are unable to determine which pups belong to which parents and therefore cannot choose to provide them with extra care.”
Since what this choice says, which is “the veil of ignorance results in,” means “the veil of ignorance causes,” this choice is supported by the passage.
