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Carotenoids- a family of natural pigments

Expert replies
by arora007 » Tue Jul 27, 2010 9:44 am

Timer

00:00

Answers

A

B

C

D

E

Stats

Difficulty—

Carotenoids, a family of natural pigments,
form an important art of the colorful signals
used by many animals. Animals acquire
carotenoids either directly (from the plants
(5) and algae that produce them) or indirectly (by
eating insects) and store them in a variety of
tissues. Studies of several animal species
have shown that when choosing mates, females
prefer males with brighter carotenoid-based
(10) coloration. Owens and Olson hypothesize that
the presence of carotenoids, as signaled by
coloration, would be meaningful in the context
of mate selection if carotenoids were either
rare or required for health. The conventional
(15) view is that carotenoids are meaningful
because they are rare: healthier males can
forage for more of the pigments than can their
inferior counterparts. Although this may be
true, there is growing evidence that carotenoids
(20) are meaningful also because they are required:
they are used by the immune system and for
detoxification processes that are important
for maintaining health. It may be that males
can use scarce carotenoids either for immune
(25) defense and detoxification or for attracting
females. Males that are more susceptible to
disease and parasites will have to use their
carotenoids to boost their immune systems,
whereas males that are genetically resistant
30) will use fewer carotenoids for fighting disease
and will advertise this by using the pigments
for flashy display instead.

Information in the passage suggests that which of the following is true of carotenoids that a male animal uses for detoxification processes?
A. They were not acquired directly from plants and algae.
B. They cannot be replenished through foraging.
C. They cannot be used simultaneously to brighten coloration.
D. They do not affect the animal’s susceptibility to parasites.
E. They increase the chances that the animal will be selected as a mate.


OA is C

Can somebody explain why E cannot be an answer. Which words/lines indicate the answer ??
Last edited by arora007 on Tue Jul 27, 2010 10:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Source: — Reading Comprehension |

by birlaka82 » Tue Jul 27, 2010 6:58 pm
I also got this wrong, but after a closer look I realised question was asking something else.

Question asks- Information in the passage suggests that which of the following is true of carotenoids that
a male animal uses for detoxification processes?

It is specifically asking a Q about Carotenoids used for Detoxification purposes.

Whereas information about the mating things which is given in the passage is "Studies of several animal species
have shown that when choosing mates, females prefer males with brighter carotenoid-based coloration"

Carotenoids used for Detoxification purposes do not increase chances of mating. they at best strengthen body's immune system.
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by adi_800 » Tue Jul 27, 2010 9:15 pm
Got wrong... explanatn needed..
I too donno where whatever mentioned in option C is present?
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by paddle_sweep » Tue Aug 03, 2010 7:32 am
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by debmalya_dutta » Tue Aug 03, 2010 2:56 pm
I went for C...


Note that we are interested in the carotenoids used for detoxication

The conventional
(15) view is that carotenoids are meaningful
because they are rare: healthier males can
forage for more of the pigments than can their
inferior counterparts. Although this may be
true, there is growing evidence that carotenoids
(20) are meaningful also because they are required:
they are used by the immune system and for
detoxification processes that are important
for maintaining health. It may be that males
can use scarce carotenoids either for immune
(25) defense and detoxification or for attracting
females.
Males that are more susceptible to
disease and parasites will have to use their
carotenoids to boost their immune systems,
whereas males that are genetically resistant
30) will use fewer carotenoids for fighting disease
and will advertise this by using the pigments
for flashy display instead.

So C says "They cannot be used simultaneously to brighten coloration" But its either or ....

E- "They increase the chances that the animal will be selected as a mate" - This is applies generally for all carotenoids. The question stem helps us to narrow down on C
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What we see: a Reading Comprehension inference question about one small group of pigments: the carotenoids a male uses for detoxification. The poster asks why (E) is wrong and which lines point to the answer.

Step 1. Find the line about detoxification.
What we see: lines 23 to 26 say that "males can use scarce carotenoids either for immune defense and detoxification or for attracting females."
What it means: two words carry this line. "Scarce" means the male has a limited supply. "Either... or" means each bit of pigment goes to one job or the other.
What we do and why: we keep this line as our answer, because an inference question usually restates one line in new words. We do not need to add any outside biology.

Step 2. Check that the next sentence agrees.
What we see: males who are prone to disease "will have to use their carotenoids to boost their immune systems," while resistant males use fewer for fighting disease and use the pigments "for flashy display instead."
What it means: "instead" confirms the either/or. Pigment that goes to health work is not available for display. Display is the bright coloring, since the passage opens by saying females prefer "brighter carotenoid-based coloration."
What we do and why: we restate our answer in plain words: a carotenoid busy with detoxification cannot also be brightening the male's color at that time. One choice says exactly this.

Step 3. Rule out the others.
What we see:
(A) says these pigments did not come directly from plants and algae. The passage says animals get carotenoids directly or indirectly, and never ties detoxification to one source.
(B) says they cannot be replenished through foraging. The passage says healthier males "can forage for more," so this goes against it.
(D) says they do not affect susceptibility to parasites. The passage links these pigments to maintaining health, and nothing says they have no effect.
(E) is the poster's question, covered below.
What it means: none of these has a line behind it.
What we do and why: we drop them, because a right answer on an inference question must have support we can point to.

The trap: (E) tempts us with a chain of reasoning: detoxification makes a male healthier, healthy males attract females, so these pigments help him get picked. But the passage says females respond to bright coloring, and it puts detoxification and attracting females on opposite sides of the either/or. A pigment used for detoxification is exactly the pigment not being used to attract a mate. So (E) has the passage backward, and it needs a step the passage never gives.

Faster way: find the word "detoxification" in the passage. It appears only twice, and the second time sits in the either/or line that gives you the answer.

Takeaway: words such as "either... or" and "instead" tell you two things cannot happen together. When you see them, look for the answer choice that says so, and be careful with any choice that needs a chain of your own reasoning.

Answer: C
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