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Difficulty: MediumArgument Analysis and Evaluating Claims

Read the passage below:

[1] Botanists studying inter-plant communication long posited that airborne volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by damaged flora serve primarily as an intentional warning signal to neighboring conspecifics. [2] However, recent evolutionary models suggest that this signaling mechanism may actually be an incidental byproduct of a plant's internal systemic defense response. [3] In a controlled study, researchers observed that unwounded leaves on the same damaged plant reacted to VOC emissions faster than adjacent neighboring plants did. [4] This rapid intra-organismal response indicates that airborne signaling evolved to circumvent the slow internal hydraulic transport between distant branches of a single organism. [5] Consequently, the observed activation of defense genes in neighboring plants is best understood as ecological eavesdropping rather than an altruistic adaptation.

In the passage, which sentence presents the empirical observation offered to support the alternative explanation of VOC signaling?

Answer: In a controlled study, researchers observed that unwounded leaves on the same damaged plant reacted to VOC emissions faster than adjacent neighboring plants did. / In a controlled study, researchers observed that unwounded leaves on the same damaged plant reacted to VOC emissions faster than adjacent neighboring plants did / Sentence 3 / [3] / 3

Answer

Sentence 3 ('In a controlled study, researchers observed that unwounded leaves on the same damaged plant reacted to VOC emissions faster than adjacent neighboring plants did.')
Sentence 3 presents the empirical observation because it details specific findings from a controlled study showing that unwounded leaves on the damaged plant responded faster to VOCs than adjacent neighboring plants did. This empirical data directly grounds the alternative explanation proposed in Sentence 2.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the passage structure to locate the alternative explanation of VOC signaling.
Sentence 2 introduces the alternative explanation: VOC signaling may be an incidental byproduct of a plant's internal systemic defense response rather than an intentional signal to neighbors.
Identifying the target hypothesis is necessary before assessing which statement serves as its supporting evidence.
2
Differentiate empirical findings from theoretical hypotheses, logical inferences, and conclusions.
Sentence 3 describes a specific experimental finding ('In a controlled study, researchers observed...'), establishing it as an empirical observation.
Empirical observations report concrete data or observed phenomena gathered through research rather than deductions or broad claims.
3
Confirm that this observation supports the alternative explanation.
The observation that unwounded leaves on the same plant react faster than neighboring plants provides evidence that the signaling functions internally, supporting the alternative claim in Sentence 2.
The differential reaction time provides the empirical basis for arguing that internal defense, not neighbor communication, is the primary evolutionary driver.

Key Concept

Evaluating Argumentative Function of Evidence in Reading Comprehension
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Argument Analysis and Evaluating Claims

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