Reading Comprehension

Until recently, Ascaris azure, known as the Diaz blueworm, and Ascaris tropica, known
as the Costa Rican heatworm, were thought to be different species of roundworm. The
heatworm is about 0.5 centimeters long, and lives within the bark of huge cecropia
trees in Southeast Asian rain forests. The blueworm, barely visible with the naked
eye, is found in frigid seafloors. Despite these apparent differences, the Institute of
Helminthological Studies has officially stated that "both" species are actually Diaz
blueworms.
Dr. Ginny Bolton, examining roundworm samples collected in Borneo, noticed that the
heatworm's tiny cilia (hairlike organelles) appeared to beat in a single direction, aiding
in the expulsion of food. Dr. Bolton later determined that the cilia also made it much
easier for the heatworm to live in the stifling confines of tree bark. The cilia project
from a cuticle that is made of keratin, a protein that protects the worm's epidermis from
drying out and overheating. The cilia help regulate the proliferation of the keratin, and
the force of the cilia's movements varies as the external temperature changes, allowing
for a highly responsive thermostatic system, constantly adjusting the amount of keratin
so that the worm would be neither overexposed nor stifled.
Knowing that the only other roundworm with directional cilia is the blueworm, Dr.
Bolton consulted with several blueworm specialists. The thermostatic system that
served the heatworm so well proved to be identical to the one used by oceangoing
blueworm. However, the blueworm, which has been known to colonize methane ice
mounds, uses the keratin to protect itself from frigid temperatures. The cilia sensed
when the temperature was high enough to allow the production of keratin to slow
down. Without the surrounding wall of keratin, the worm can more easily graze on
bacteria.
Genetic testing showed that the blueworm and the heatworm were not merely
structurally similar; to the scientists' surprise, the worms were identical. This was
startling, not only because of their vastly differing habitats, but also because of the
difference in size. The answer again was to be found in the keratin, a tough substance
that normally inhibits growth, keeping the hydrostatic pressure very high within the
worm. The relatively large worm found in the rainforest molts as it grows, allowing the
worm to increase its volume a very small amount each time it does, but the smaller
worm cannot afford this much exposure. The freezing temperatures trigger the
production of keratin so quickly that the worm has little chance to grow, thus keeping
its volume approximately one-fourth that of the larger worm.


11. It can be inferred from the passage that, compared to blueworms found in the
sea, heatworms found in rainforests ___________.
(A) do not graze on bacteria
(B) do not have high levels of hydrostatic pressure
(C) cannot survive in water
(D) have little chance to grow because of extreme temperature
(E) replace keratin more slowly

As per me answer should be B as

"keratin, a tough substance that normally inhibits growth, keeping the hydrostatic pressure very high within the worm."

and keratin is more in small i.e. blue worms so they have high pressure -

so heat worms don't have higher pressure.

But OA is E as it is given in last statement of passage.

nikhilgmat31 wrote:As per me answer should be B as

"keratin, a tough substance that normally inhibits growth, keeping the hydrostatic pressure very high within the worm."

and keratin is more in small i.e. blue worms so they have high pressure -

so heat worms don't have higher pressure.

But OA is E as it is given in last statement of passage.

I agree B can be true according to the passage.

The answer again was to be found in the keratin, a tough substance that normally inhibits growth, keeping the hydro-static pressure very high within the worm. The relatively large worm found in the rainforest molts as it grows, allowing the worm to increase its volume a very small amount each time it does, but the smaller worm cannot afford this much exposure.

from the above lines, we can deduce that keratin inhibits growth keeping the hydro-static pressure high within both the worms. While large worm get exposure to expand while small one does not.
So we cannot deduce that hydro-static pressure is relatively less in large worm.

And if you observe below lines from the passage

The freezing temperatures trigger the production of keratin so quickly that the worm has little chance to grow, thus keeping its volume approximately one-fourth that of the larger worm.

It is very clear that Keratin production is very fast in small worm while it happens much slower in big worm.
That is the main reason due to which the small worm is small in size and does not grow while it is vice-versa on the other case.

I think it is clear.