Beat The GMAT

gmatmachoman · Sat Nov 14, 2009 7:16 am

A primate jawbone found in Namibia in southern Africa has been identified by anthropologists as that of an ape that lived between 10 million and 15 million years ago. Researchers generally agree that such ancient primates lived only in dense forests. Consequently, the dry, treeless expanses now dominating the landscape in and around Namibia must have replaced an earlier heavily forested terrain.
The argument assumes which one of the following?
(A) Modern apes also tend to live only in heavily forested terrain.
(B) The ape whose jawbone was found lived in or near the area that is now Namibia.
(C) There were no apes living in the area that is now Namibia prior to 15 million years ago.
(D) The ape whose jawbone was found was adapted to a diet that was significantly different from that of any modem ape.
(E) The ancient primates were numerous enough to have caused severe damage to the ecology of the forests in which they lived.

IMO : B

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dare2dream · Sat Nov 14, 2009 7:46 am

IMO B.

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brick2009 · Sat Nov 14, 2009 10:52 am

The answer is B

A:Modern Apes--> Its is extra information..not part of the orginal argument

D- Same as A

E-> the conslusion is about current vegetation is dry..which may have replaced the earlier veg of ..Destruction of ecology by apes does not help tie the argument together

C: Out of scope of the que...

B: is the last one remaining..hence the ans.
Also: Primate jawbone --> found in Namibia
(research) Primates--> lived in dense forest

Conclusion: Dense --> replaced by DRY

So..logically we can assume that the dude must have lived in the neighborhood.. Wink