Wildlife biologists conducted a multi-year reintroduction program, relocating wolves from established populations in Canada to a protected wilderness ...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Wildlife biologists conducted a multi-year reintroduction program, relocating wolves from established populations in Canada to a protected wilderness area in Colorado. The program involved careful monitoring of pack formation, territorial establishment, and hunting success rates during the first two years after release. Lead researcher Dr. Maria Santos found that relocated wolves not only successfully formed stable packs but also demonstrated strong territorial behaviors and effective hunting strategies. Based on these initial findings, Santos predicts that the reintroduced wolf population will establish a self-sustaining breeding population within the next decade.
Which finding, if true, would most strongly support the researcher's prediction?
Genetic analysis shows that the reintroduced wolves maintain their hunting skills and territorial behaviors as they mature, with no decline in these critical survival traits over successive breeding seasons.
Wolves relocated from other regions typically require two full years to adapt to new terrain and establish effective hunting territories.
The protected wilderness area contains sufficient prey species to support the current wolf population at stable numbers.
Local wildlife officials report that the reintroduced wolves show similar pack formation rates compared to wolves in their original Canadian habitat.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Wildlife biologists conducted a multi-year reintroduction program, relocating wolves from established populations in Canada to a protected wilderness area in Colorado.' |
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| 'The program involved careful monitoring of pack formation, territorial establishment, and hunting success rates during the first two years after release.' |
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| 'Lead researcher Dr. Maria Santos found that relocated wolves not only successfully formed stable packs but also demonstrated strong territorial behaviors and effective hunting strategies.' |
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| 'Based on these initial findings, Santos predicts that the reintroduced wolf population will establish a self-sustaining breeding population within the next decade.' |
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Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Visual Structure Map: Program Setup (Wolf relocation: Canada to Colorado) leads to Methodology (Monitoring: pack formation, territory, hunting for 2 years) leads to Results (Stable packs plus territorial behavior plus effective hunting) leads to Prediction (Self-sustaining breeding population within decade)
Main Point: A wolf reintroduction program in Colorado has shown early success, leading researchers to predict the wolves will establish a self-sustaining breeding population.
Argument Flow: The passage presents a straightforward research narrative: scientists relocated wolves and monitored their adaptation, found positive results in key survival behaviors, and based on this success, predict long-term population sustainability.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? We need to identify which finding would most strongly support Dr. Santos's prediction about establishing a self-sustaining breeding population.
What type of answer do we need? Evidence that would make the prediction more likely to come true - something that addresses the key requirements for long-term population sustainability.
Any limiting keywords? 'most strongly support' means we want the choice that provides the best evidence for the prediction, not just any relevant information.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- For a 'self-sustaining breeding population' to develop, we need evidence that the wolves will continue to thrive and reproduce successfully over multiple generations
- The key concerns would be: Will their essential survival skills remain strong over time? Will they maintain these critical behaviors as they reproduce and raise new generations?
- The strongest support would show that the wolves maintain their critical survival abilities (like hunting and territorial behavior) not just now, but across breeding generations without decline
- This would directly address whether the population can truly sustain itself long-term
Genetic analysis shows that the reintroduced wolves maintain their hunting skills and territorial behaviors as they mature, with no decline in these critical survival traits over successive breeding seasons.
✓ Correct
- Shows that hunting skills and territorial behaviors are maintained as wolves mature
- Specifically addresses 'successive breeding seasons' - exactly what we need for a self-sustaining population
- Confirms no decline in critical survival traits across generations
Wolves relocated from other regions typically require two full years to adapt to new terrain and establish effective hunting territories.
✗ Incorrect
- Simply states that adaptation typically takes two years
- This is general background information about wolf relocation
- Doesn't address whether the population will sustain itself over a decade
The protected wilderness area contains sufficient prey species to support the current wolf population at stable numbers.
✗ Incorrect
- Shows the area can support the current wolf population
- Only addresses present conditions, not future breeding population growth
- Doesn't tell us if there's enough prey for an expanding, breeding population
Local wildlife officials report that the reintroduced wolves show similar pack formation rates compared to wolves in their original Canadian habitat.
✗ Incorrect
- Compares pack formation rates to the original Canadian habitat
- While positive, it only shows one aspect of behavior similarity
- Doesn't address the key concern about maintaining behaviors over multiple generations