Examkin

Question

Difficulty: EasyInferences from the Text

In benthic marine ecosystems, certain deep-sea glass sponges construct intricate skeletal frameworks made of silica. While most filter-feeding organisms in shallow waters rely on turbulent currents generated by surface winds to supply organic particulate matter, glass sponges inhabit abyssal zones where ambient water currents are exceptionally weak. To compensate, the physical geometry of a glass sponge's lattice structure passively modifies the sluggish ambient fluid flow, accelerating water through the sponge's internal cavity and allowing it to filter nutrients without expending metabolic energy on active pumping.

The passage provides the strongest support for which of the following statements regarding glass sponges?

  1. A
    They inhabit abyssal zones primarily because the absence of turbulent surface currents prevents structural damage to their silica frameworks.
  2. They are capable of acquiring nutrient particles from water without relying on metabolic energy to pump fluid internally.Answer
  3. C
    They require a significantly higher concentration of organic matter to survive than shallow-water filter feeders require.
  4. D
    Their physical lattice structures alter abyssal water dynamics by generating surface-level turbulent currents.
  5. E
    They consume more metabolic energy during skeletal framework construction than shallow-water organisms consume during feeding.

Answer

Glass sponges are capable of acquiring nutrient particles from water without relying on metabolic energy to pump fluid internally.
The passage explicitly concludes that the structural geometry of the glass sponge accelerates ambient water through its internal cavity, enabling nutrient filtration without requiring metabolic energy for active pumping. The correct answer is a direct, accurate paraphrase of this textual fact.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the question stem to identify the task.
The stem asks for an inference that is most strongly supported by the passage text.
LSAT inference questions require finding a statement that is directly entailed by or strongly derived from explicit text premises without introducing unstated assumptions.
2
Locate relevant textual evidence regarding glass sponge nutrient acquisition.
The final sentence explicitly states that the lattice structure modifies fluid flow, 'allowing it to filter nutrients without expending metabolic energy on active pumping.'
This establishes a direct causal mechanism for non-metabolic passive nutrient intake.
3
Evaluate the choices to find the statement that paraphrases the textual facts without overreaching.
The statement expressing that glass sponges can acquire nutrient particles without expending metabolic energy to pump fluid matches the text precisely.
It accurately reflects the exact scope and certainty of the concluding sentence.

Key Concept

Direct Entailment in Reading Comprehension
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Rate this question

Topics

Inferences from the Text

More questions from this topic