Critical Reasoning

The following excerpt from a fictitious popular science journal discusses the discovery of fossil remains of a fictitious animal genus called Edruciraptor.

Paleontologists have made an exciting find on the coast of the Baltic Sea. A nearly complete skeleton of what appears to be a previously unknown miniature theropod dinosaur has been excavated and subjected to rigorous analysis. Like other theropods, the newly discovered genus, for which the name Edruciraptor has been proposed, was bipedal and lacked the ability to pronate its forelimbs. Like the dromaeosaur, Edruciraptor displayed highly inflexible fingers but good wrist mobility. However, while the dromaeosaur walked on only two of its three hind toes, reserving the third for brandishing an imposing curved claw (essential for tree climbing), Edruciraptor walked on all three toes and lacked the characteristic dromaeosaur sickle claw. The limited fossil evidence also indicates that Edruciraptor had feathers, a rapid gait (all small theropod dinosaurs could run), and possibly an omnivorous diet.

Based on what can be inferred about Edruciraptor as described in the previous paragraph, which of the following must be a characteristic of this fictitious dinosaur?

a.Tree climbing
b.Omnivorous diet
c.Ability to fly
d. Ability to run
e. Ability to swim

OA is D.

Source- Kaplan Practice Test 3

[email protected] wrote:Hi pareekbharat86,

Many IR questions can be beaten with tactics that are similar to beating CR and RC questions: note-taking and the logical connection of ideas.

Here, we're told a variety of "facts" about Edruciraptor:
-Bipedal (meaning 2 legs); can't pronate its forelimbs
-Inflexible fingers, good wrist mobility
-Walked on all 3 toes, did NOT have a sickle claw
-Had feathers, could run, had omnivorous diet

The question asks us to find an answer that must be a characteristic.

[spoiler]We're told that it could RUN, so D is the only answer that makes sense.[/spoiler]

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

Hi Rich.C,

Where in the stimulus is it given that the creature could run? Is it an inference you are drawing from 'bi-pedal'?

The stimulus also mentions that the creature has feathers. Shouldn't I logically infer that since it had feathers, it could fly too?

Bharat -

I think that on this one the official answer is correct. Check out the two portions that I quote below.

The limited fossil evidence also indicates that Edruciraptor had feathers, a rapid gait (all small theropod dinosaurs could run), and possibly an omnivorous diet.

and

A nearly complete skeleton of what appears to be a previously unknown miniature theropod dinosaur has been excavated

All small theropods could run and this is a small theropod. As for feathers...we don't know if it could fly.