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Birds have been said to be descended from certain birdlike dinosaur species with which they share distinctive structural features. The fossil record, however, shows that this cannot be so, since there are bird fossils that are much older than the earliest birdlike dinosaur fossils that have been found.

Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument relies?
  • a)
    The birdlike dinosaurs have no living descendants.
  • b)
    There are no flightless dinosaur species that have the distinctive structural features shared by birds and birdlike dinosaurs.
  • c)
    There are no birdlike dinosaur fossils that are older than the bird fossils but have not yet been unearthed.
  • d)
    It could not have been the case that some birds were descended from one of the birdlike dinosaur species and other birds from another.
  • e)
    Birds cannot have been descended from dinosaur species with which the birds do not share the distinctive structural features.
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?
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Most Upvoted Answer
Birds have been said to be descended from certain birdlike dinosaur sp...
Assumption:
The assumption on which the argument relies is that there are no birdlike dinosaur fossils that are older than the bird fossils but have not yet been unearthed.

Explanation:
The argument presents a contradiction between the theory that birds are descended from birdlike dinosaur species and the fossil record, which shows that bird fossils are older than the earliest birdlike dinosaur fossils found. In order to conclude that birds are not descended from birdlike dinosaurs, the argument assumes that there are no older birdlike dinosaur fossils that have not yet been unearthed.

If there were older birdlike dinosaur fossils that have not been discovered, it would be possible that these fossils could bridge the gap between the older bird fossils and the earliest birdlike dinosaur fossils found. In this case, it would still be possible for birds to be descended from birdlike dinosaur species.

Why the other options are incorrect:
a) The argument does not rely on whether birdlike dinosaurs have living descendants or not. This information is irrelevant to the argument.
b) The argument does not rely on the existence of flightless dinosaur species with distinctive structural features shared by birds and birdlike dinosaurs. This information is also irrelevant to the argument.
d) The argument does not rely on the possibility that birds could be descended from different birdlike dinosaur species. This information is not relevant to the argument.
e) The argument does not rely on whether birds can be descended from dinosaur species without sharing distinctive structural features. This information is not relevant to the argument.

Conclusion:
The assumption that there are no birdlike dinosaur fossils that are older than the bird fossils but have not yet been unearthed is necessary for the argument to conclude that birds are not descended from birdlike dinosaur species.
Community Answer
Birds have been said to be descended from certain birdlike dinosaur sp...
A) The birdlike dinosaurs have no living descendants. This option suggests that the birdlike dinosaurs have no living descendants. However, the argument does not address the issue of living descendants. It focuses on the relationship between bird fossils and birdlike dinosaur fossils in the fossil record. Therefore, this option is not the assumption the argument relies upon.
B) There are no flightless dinosaur species that have the distinctive structural features shared by birds and birdlike dinosaurs. This option states that there are no flightless dinosaur species that possess the distinctive structural features shared by birds and birdlike dinosaurs. However, the argument does not specifically discuss flightless dinosaur species. It is concerned with the relationship between birds and birdlike dinosaurs, not flightless dinosaurs. Therefore, this option is not the assumption the argument relies upon.
C) There are no birdlike dinosaur fossils that are older than the bird fossils but have not yet been unearthed. This option suggests that there are no birdlike dinosaur fossils that are older than the bird fossils but have not yet been discovered. The argument claims that the fossil record shows bird fossils that are older than the earliest birdlike dinosaur fossils found. This assumption supports the argument's conclusion by asserting that there is no missing evidence of older birdlike dinosaur fossils that could potentially challenge the conclusion. Therefore, this is the assumption the argument relies upon.
D) It could not have been the case that some birds were descended from one of the birdlike dinosaur species and other birds from another. This option proposes that it is impossible for birds to have descended from one birdlike dinosaur species while other birds descended from a different birdlike dinosaur species. However, the argument does not address the possibility of multiple birdlike dinosaur species contributing to bird ancestry. It focuses on the comparison between bird fossils and birdlike dinosaur fossils in the fossil record. Therefore, this option is not the assumption the argument relies upon.
E) Birds may have descended from dinosaur species with which the birds do not share the distinctive structural features. This option suggests the possibility that birds may have descended from dinosaur species without sharing the distinctive structural features with birds. However, the argument is specifically concerned with the relationship between birds and birdlike dinosaurs, which are characterized by the shared structural features. Therefore, this option is not the assumption the argument relies upon.
In summary, the correct assumption on which the argument relies is option (C): There are no birdlike dinosaur fossils that are older than the bird fossils but have not yet been unearthed. This assumption supports the argument's conclusion that birds did not descend from birdlike dinosaur species.
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Birds have been said to be descended from certain birdlike dinosaur species with which they share distinctive structural features. The fossil record, however, shows that this cannot be so, since there are bird fossils that are much older than the earliest birdlike dinosaur fossils that have been found.Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument relies?a)The birdlike dinosaurs have no living descendants.b)There are no flightless dinosaur species that have the distinctive structural features shared by birds and birdlike dinosaurs.c)There are no birdlike dinosaur fossils that are older than the bird fossils but have not yet been unearthed.d)It could not have been the case that some birds were descended from one of the birdlike dinosaur species and other birds from another.e)Birds cannot have been descended from dinosaur species with which the birds do not share the distinctive structural features.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?
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Birds have been said to be descended from certain birdlike dinosaur species with which they share distinctive structural features. The fossil record, however, shows that this cannot be so, since there are bird fossils that are much older than the earliest birdlike dinosaur fossils that have been found.Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument relies?a)The birdlike dinosaurs have no living descendants.b)There are no flightless dinosaur species that have the distinctive structural features shared by birds and birdlike dinosaurs.c)There are no birdlike dinosaur fossils that are older than the bird fossils but have not yet been unearthed.d)It could not have been the case that some birds were descended from one of the birdlike dinosaur species and other birds from another.e)Birds cannot have been descended from dinosaur species with which the birds do not share the distinctive structural features.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? for GMAT 2025 is part of GMAT preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the GMAT exam syllabus. Information about Birds have been said to be descended from certain birdlike dinosaur species with which they share distinctive structural features. The fossil record, however, shows that this cannot be so, since there are bird fossils that are much older than the earliest birdlike dinosaur fossils that have been found.Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument relies?a)The birdlike dinosaurs have no living descendants.b)There are no flightless dinosaur species that have the distinctive structural features shared by birds and birdlike dinosaurs.c)There are no birdlike dinosaur fossils that are older than the bird fossils but have not yet been unearthed.d)It could not have been the case that some birds were descended from one of the birdlike dinosaur species and other birds from another.e)Birds cannot have been descended from dinosaur species with which the birds do not share the distinctive structural features.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for GMAT 2025 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for Birds have been said to be descended from certain birdlike dinosaur species with which they share distinctive structural features. The fossil record, however, shows that this cannot be so, since there are bird fossils that are much older than the earliest birdlike dinosaur fossils that have been found.Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument relies?a)The birdlike dinosaurs have no living descendants.b)There are no flightless dinosaur species that have the distinctive structural features shared by birds and birdlike dinosaurs.c)There are no birdlike dinosaur fossils that are older than the bird fossils but have not yet been unearthed.d)It could not have been the case that some birds were descended from one of the birdlike dinosaur species and other birds from another.e)Birds cannot have been descended from dinosaur species with which the birds do not share the distinctive structural features.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?.
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The fossil record, however, shows that this cannot be so, since there are bird fossils that are much older than the earliest birdlike dinosaur fossils that have been found.Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument relies?a)The birdlike dinosaurs have no living descendants.b)There are no flightless dinosaur species that have the distinctive structural features shared by birds and birdlike dinosaurs.c)There are no birdlike dinosaur fossils that are older than the bird fossils but have not yet been unearthed.d)It could not have been the case that some birds were descended from one of the birdlike dinosaur species and other birds from another.e)Birds cannot have been descended from dinosaur species with which the birds do not share the distinctive structural features.Correct answer is option 'C'. 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The fossil record, however, shows that this cannot be so, since there are bird fossils that are much older than the earliest birdlike dinosaur fossils that have been found.Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument relies?a)The birdlike dinosaurs have no living descendants.b)There are no flightless dinosaur species that have the distinctive structural features shared by birds and birdlike dinosaurs.c)There are no birdlike dinosaur fossils that are older than the bird fossils but have not yet been unearthed.d)It could not have been the case that some birds were descended from one of the birdlike dinosaur species and other birds from another.e)Birds cannot have been descended from dinosaur species with which the birds do not share the distinctive structural features.Correct answer is option 'C'. 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The fossil record, however, shows that this cannot be so, since there are bird fossils that are much older than the earliest birdlike dinosaur fossils that have been found.Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument relies?a)The birdlike dinosaurs have no living descendants.b)There are no flightless dinosaur species that have the distinctive structural features shared by birds and birdlike dinosaurs.c)There are no birdlike dinosaur fossils that are older than the bird fossils but have not yet been unearthed.d)It could not have been the case that some birds were descended from one of the birdlike dinosaur species and other birds from another.e)Birds cannot have been descended from dinosaur species with which the birds do not share the distinctive structural features.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? theory, EduRev gives you an ample number of questions to practice Birds have been said to be descended from certain birdlike dinosaur species with which they share distinctive structural features. The fossil record, however, shows that this cannot be so, since there are bird fossils that are much older than the earliest birdlike dinosaur fossils that have been found.Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument relies?a)The birdlike dinosaurs have no living descendants.b)There are no flightless dinosaur species that have the distinctive structural features shared by birds and birdlike dinosaurs.c)There are no birdlike dinosaur fossils that are older than the bird fossils but have not yet been unearthed.d)It could not have been the case that some birds were descended from one of the birdlike dinosaur species and other birds from another.e)Birds cannot have been descended from dinosaur species with which the birds do not share the distinctive structural features.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? tests, examples and also practice GMAT tests.
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