Critical Reasoning

5. Planetary bodies differ from one another in their composition, but most of those in the Solar System have solid surfaces. Unless the core of such a planetary body generates enough heat to cause volcanic action, the surface of the body will not be renewed for millions of years. Any planetary body with a solid surface whose surface is not renewed for millions of years becomes heavily pockmarked by meteorite craters, just like the Earth’s Moon. Some old planetary bodies in the Solar System, such as Europa, a very cold moon belonging to Jupiter, have solid icy surfaces with very few meteorite craters.
If the claims above are true, which one of the following must, on the basis of them, be true?
(A) The Earth’s Moon does not have an icy surface.
(B) If a planetary body does not have a heavily pockmarked surface, its core does not generate enough heat to cause volcanic action.
(C) Some planetary bodies whose cores generate enough heat to cause volcanic action do not have solid icy surfaces.
(D) Some of Jupiter’s moons are heavily pockmarked by meteorite craters.
(E) Some very cold planetary bodies have cores that generate enough heat to cause volcanic action.


OA is e

Lets look at each of the answer choices:

A. The Earth’s Moon does not have an icy surface. Need not be true. The text mentions that Earth's moon has a heavily pockmarked surface but nothing about the same being icy or not.
B. If a planetary body does not have a heavily pockmarked surface, its core does not generate enough heat to cause volcanic action. Contradicts the fact cited in the arguement.
C. Some planetary bodies whose cores generate enough heat to cause volcanic action do not have solid icy surfaces. Similar error as A. The characteristic in question is heavily pockmarked surface.
D. Some of Jupiter’s moons are heavily pockmarked by meteorite craters. Maybe, may not be. Although the example of Europa contradicts this statement.
E. Some very cold planetary bodies have cores that generate enough heat to cause volcanic action. Aligns with the example of Europa also giving an explanation about why Europa does not have a heavily pockmarked surface (because it gets renewed by volcanic activity).

E is the answer.

my drill is as follows:

if the planet not generating enough heat, its surface will not get renewed, but rather pockmarked

reversely, if planet is not pockmarked, then the planet is renewed, and therefore, generated enough heat.

So let's look at E, the planets have few craters, and this phenomenon implies that the planet is renewed, also it generated enough heat-proved by the the above chain of reasoning. Hope i get it right.

I will Go with option E in this case