The following passage is adapted from an article about the history of paleontology.
Paragraph 1
For nearly a century after the first dinosaur fossils were classified in the nineteenth century, scientists viewed these creatures through a strictly reptilian lens. Dinosaurs were reconstructed as slow, lumbering ectotherms—cold-blooded animals reliant on external heat sources to regulate their body temperature. This consensus was largely based on structural similarities between dinosaur skeletons and those of modern lizards. Because modern lizards have low metabolic rates and exhibit sluggish behavior in cold conditions, early paleontologists assumed that dinosaurs must have operated under similar physiological constraints.
Paragraph 2
This paradigm shifted dramatically in the late 1960s with the discovery of Deinonychus, a small, bird-like predator. Paleontologist John Ostrom pointed out that Deinonychus possessed a highly specialized skeleton designed for speed, agility, and active hunting. Ostrom argued that such high-energy behavior would be impossible for an ectothermic animal, suggesting instead that dinosaurs possessed a warm-blooded, endothermic metabolism. This discovery sparked the "Dinosaur Renaissance," a period of intense scientific debate that fundamentally reevaluated dinosaur biology.
Based on the passage, which of the following best describes how Paragraph 2 functions in relation to Paragraph 1?
- It introduces a specific discovery that challenged the long-held scientific assumption described in Paragraph 1.Answer
- BIt provides detailed anatomical evidence that supports the traditional classification system introduced in Paragraph 1.
- CIt outlines a historical timeline of fossil discoveries that occurred prior to the events described in Paragraph 1.
- DIt focuses on the behavioral traits of modern lizards to explain the physiological constraints mentioned in Paragraph 1.