Examkin

Question

Difficulty: Very hardEvaluating Relevance for Adding or Deleting Content

[1] In the mid-twentieth century, geologist Marie Tharp set out to map the ocean floor, utilizing sonar data to draft the first comprehensive three-dimensional representation of the seabed. [2] Barred from research vessels due to her gender, Tharp relied entirely on depth profiles collected by her colleague Bruce Heezen. [3] By painstakingly plotting these profiles by hand, she identified a deep, continuous V-shaped valley slicing through the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. [4] Initially, Heezen dismissed Tharp's drawings as "girl talk," fearing that the existence of a central rift valley would lend credibility to the then-marginalized theory of continental drift. [5] It was not until independent photographic evidence of the rift was obtained that Heezen and the scientific establishment accepted Tharp's map as accurate.

The writer is considering adding the following sentence to the paragraph (placed after Sentence 4):

"Continental drift, first proposed by Alfred Wegener in 1912, suggested that Earth's continents had once been joined as a single landmass before drifting apart."

Should the writer make this addition?

  1. A
    Yes, because it provides historical context that connects Tharp's twentieth-century work to earlier earth science discoveries.
  2. B
    Yes, because it defines a key term in Sentence 4 that is necessary to explain why Heezen initially dismissed Tharp's drawings.
  3. No, because it interrupts the paragraph's narrative flow by introducing biographical and historical details about a different scientist.Answer
  4. D
    No, because it introduces a theory that contradicts Tharp's discovery of the V-shaped valley in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

Answer

No, because it interrupts the paragraph's narrative flow by introducing biographical and historical details about a different scientist.
The correct answer is the option stating that the sentence should not be added because it interrupts the paragraph's narrative flow by introducing biographical and historical details about a different scientist. The paragraph's focus is on Tharp's role in mapping the ocean floor and the discovery of the rift valley; adding information about Alfred Wegener and the definition of continental drift shifts the focus away from Tharp's narrative.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the main focus of the paragraph.
The paragraph centers on Marie Tharp's scientific work, specifically her efforts to map the ocean floor, her discovery of the rift valley, and the scientific community's eventual validation of her work.
Understanding the paragraph's primary focus is essential to evaluating whether any proposed addition is relevant or represents a digression.
2
Evaluate the relevance of the proposed sentence.
The proposed sentence defines continental drift and attributes it to Alfred Wegener in 1912. This information shifts the subject to a different historical figure and theory, which is not the main focus of the passage.
Determining the function of the proposed sentence reveals if it contributes to or disrupts the development of the paragraph.
3
Select the option that correctly identifies the addition as irrelevant and provides the appropriate rhetorical justification.
The correct option states that the sentence should not be added because it interrupts the narrative flow by introducing details about a different scientist.
Only one choice correctly advises against the addition and identifies the correct rhetorical reason for doing so.

Key Concept

Evaluating Relevance for Adding or Deleting Content
Rate this question

Topics

Evaluating Relevance for Adding or Deleting Content

More questions from this topic