The female earless seal has a gestation period that usually spans nine to eleven months, depending on the classification. Each female carries and gives birth to and nurses only one pup at a time. The mother fasts while she is nursing the pup, due to the distance between the breeding ground and the area where the seals feed. As a result, the earless seal mother burns a considerable amount of energy during lactation. During a bad season, as many as three earless seal mothers in a colony will die around three months after giving birth. It is not uncommon, however, for all of the seal pups to survive.Which of the following, if true, most explains the discrepancy between the number of deaths among the earless seal mothers and lack of deaths among the pups during a bad season?a)Female earless seals can nurse two pups at a time, thus ensuring that at least two pups will live.b)During a good season, no female earless seals die, and marine biologists note that there have been more good seasons than bad in recent years.c)Some of the female earless seals do not give birth during breeding season.d)The earless seal pups nurse only for a brief period of time, with the longest nursing period being one month.e)Some of the female earless seals will live as long as six months after giving birth, thus guaranteeing that their pups have a better chance of survival.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?

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Which of the following, if true, most explains the discrepancy between the number of deaths among the earless seal mothers and lack of deaths among the pups during a bad season?

a)
Female earless seals can nurse two pups at a time, thus ensuring that at least two pups will live.
b)
During a good season, no female earless seals die, and marine biologists note that there have been more good seasons than bad in recent years.
c)
Some of the female earless seals do not give birth during breeding season.
d)
The earless seal pups nurse only for a brief period of time, with the longest nursing period being one month.
e)
Some of the female earless seals will live as long as six months after giving birth, thus guaranteeing that their pups have a better chance of survival.

Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?

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The female earless seal has a gestation period that usually spans nine...

In this question, the student is given information about the female earless seal and the events surrounding gestation and breeding. According to the passage, the female earless seal gestates for anywhere from nine to eleven months (depending on the variety of earless seal) and gives birth to and nurses only one pup at a time. The passage notes that during a bad season up to three female earless seals in a colony will die three months after giving birth, although all of the pups usually survive. Considering that other female seals cannot nurse orphaned pups – since each lactating female can nurse only a single pup – a natural expectation is that the pups would die with their mothers, since they have no one to nurse them. However, the pups all survive. The question asks the student to select an answer choice that best explains this discrepancy.

D Answer choice (D) indicates that the mother seals nurse the pups only up to a month at the longest, suggesting that after a month the pups are capable of locating food for themselves. This answer choice thus provides a sufficient explanation for why the mother seals might die three months after giving birth, while the pups survive: the pups are finished nursing by this point and can find their own food. Answer choice (D) is correct.

(A) contradicts the statement in the passage that the mother seals give birth to and nurse only one pup at a time and then use most of their energy to nurse that single pup, often fasting while she is lactating. Answer choice (A) cannot be correct.

(B), although interesting, is irrelevant to explaining the discrepancy. The question asks for a reason that the pups survive although the mothers do not; answer choice (B) simply diverts from this point to say that very often the mothers do not die. Moreover, answer choice (B) ignores the statement in the question about the reason for mothers dying during a bad season. Answer choice (B) is clearly incorrect and can be eliminated immediately.

(C) does not explain why seal pups survive even when their mothers die. It is not surprising that some female seals do not give birth (for instance, because they are not sexually mature). The existence of such seals alone does not explain why more pups survive (there is nothing in the passage to suggest they would nurse the orphaned pups, for example).

(E) As with answer choice (B), answer choice (E) ignores the central question by offering interesting but irrelevant information. The question asks for a reason for the discrepancy between mother seals dying three months after giving birth while the pups survive. Answer choice (E) merely provides information about some of the mothers living up to six months. Because this is unrelated to why pups live when mothers die, answer choice (E) is incorrect.

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The female earless seal has a gestation period that usually spans nine to eleven months, depending on the classification. Each female carries and gives birth to and nurses only one pup at a time. The mother fasts while she is nursing the pup, due to the distance between the breeding ground and the area where the seals feed. As a result, the earless seal mother burns a considerable amount of energy during lactation. During a bad season, as many as three earless seal mothers in a colony will die around three months after giving birth. It is not uncommon, however, for all of the seal pups to survive.Which of the following, if true, most explains the discrepancy between the number of deaths among the earless seal mothers and lack of deaths among the pups during a bad season?a)Female earless seals can nurse two pups at a time, thus ensuring that at least two pups will live.b)During a good season, no female earless seals die, and marine biologists note that there have been more good seasons than bad in recent years.c)Some of the female earless seals do not give birth during breeding season.d)The earless seal pups nurse only for a brief period of time, with the longest nursing period being one month.e)Some of the female earless seals will live as long as six months after giving birth, thus guaranteeing that their pups have a better chance of survival.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?

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The female earless seal has a gestation period that usually spans nine to eleven months, depending on the classification. Each female carries and gives birth to and nurses only one pup at a time. The mother fasts while she is nursing the pup, due to the distance between the breeding ground and the area where the seals feed. As a result, the earless seal mother burns a considerable amount of energy during lactation. During a bad season, as many as three earless seal mothers in a colony will die around three months after giving birth. It is not uncommon, however, for all of the seal pups to survive.Which of the following, if true, most explains the discrepancy between the number of deaths among the earless seal mothers and lack of deaths among the pups during a bad season?a)Female earless seals can nurse two pups at a time, thus ensuring that at least two pups will live.b)During a good season, no female earless seals die, and marine biologists note that there have been more good seasons than bad in recent years.c)Some of the female earless seals do not give birth during breeding season.d)The earless seal pups nurse only for a brief period of time, with the longest nursing period being one month.e)Some of the female earless seals will live as long as six months after giving birth, thus guaranteeing that their pups have a better chance of survival.Correct answer is option 'D'. 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 The female earless seal has a gestation period that usually spans nine to eleven months, depending on the classification. Each female carries and gives birth to and nurses only one pup at a time. The mother fasts while she is nursing the pup, due to the distance between the breeding ground and the area where the seals feed. As a result, the earless seal mother burns a considerable amount of energy during lactation. During a bad season, as many as three earless seal mothers in a colony will die around three months after giving birth. It is not uncommon, however, for all of the seal pups to survive.Which of the following, if true, most explains the discrepancy between the number of deaths among the earless seal mothers and lack of deaths among the pups during a bad season?a)Female earless seals can nurse two pups at a time, thus ensuring that at least two pups will live.b)During a good season, no female earless seals die, and marine biologists note that there have been more good seasons than bad in recent years.c)Some of the female earless seals do not give birth during breeding season.d)The earless seal pups nurse only for a brief period of time, with the longest nursing period being one month.e)Some of the female earless seals will live as long as six months after giving birth, thus guaranteeing that their pups have a better chance of survival.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for GMAT 2025 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for The female earless seal has a gestation period that usually spans nine to eleven months, depending on the classification. Each female carries and gives birth to and nurses only one pup at a time. The mother fasts while she is nursing the pup, due to the distance between the breeding ground and the area where the seals feed. As a result, the earless seal mother burns a considerable amount of energy during lactation. During a bad season, as many as three earless seal mothers in a colony will die around three months after giving birth. It is not uncommon, however, for all of the seal pups to survive.Which of the following, if true, most explains the discrepancy between the number of deaths among the earless seal mothers and lack of deaths among the pups during a bad season?a)Female earless seals can nurse two pups at a time, thus ensuring that at least two pups will live.b)During a good season, no female earless seals die, and marine biologists note that there have been more good seasons than bad in recent years.c)Some of the female earless seals do not give birth during breeding season.d)The earless seal pups nurse only for a brief period of time, with the longest nursing period being one month.e)Some of the female earless seals will live as long as six months after giving birth, thus guaranteeing that their pups have a better chance of survival.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?.

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Here you can find the meaning of The female earless seal has a gestation period that usually spans nine to eleven months, depending on the classification. Each female carries and gives birth to and nurses only one pup at a time. The mother fasts while she is nursing the pup, due to the distance between the breeding ground and the area where the seals feed. As a result, the earless seal mother burns a considerable amount of energy during lactation. During a bad season, as many as three earless seal mothers in a colony will die around three months after giving birth. It is not uncommon, however, for all of the seal pups to survive.Which of the following, if true, most explains the discrepancy between the number of deaths among the earless seal mothers and lack of deaths among the pups during a bad season?a)Female earless seals can nurse two pups at a time, thus ensuring that at least two pups will live.b)During a good season, no female earless seals die, and marine biologists note that there have been more good seasons than bad in recent years.c)Some of the female earless seals do not give birth during breeding season.d)The earless seal pups nurse only for a brief period of time, with the longest nursing period being one month.e)Some of the female earless seals will live as long as six months after giving birth, thus guaranteeing that their pups have a better chance of survival.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? defined & explained in the simplest way possible. Besides giving the explanation of The female earless seal has a gestation period that usually spans nine to eleven months, depending on the classification. Each female carries and gives birth to and nurses only one pup at a time. The mother fasts while she is nursing the pup, due to the distance between the breeding ground and the area where the seals feed. As a result, the earless seal mother burns a considerable amount of energy during lactation. During a bad season, as many as three earless seal mothers in a colony will die around three months after giving birth. It is not uncommon, however, for all of the seal pups to survive.Which of the following, if true, most explains the discrepancy between the number of deaths among the earless seal mothers and lack of deaths among the pups during a bad season?a)Female earless seals can nurse two pups at a time, thus ensuring that at least two pups will live.b)During a good season, no female earless seals die, and marine biologists note that there have been more good seasons than bad in recent years.c)Some of the female earless seals do not give birth during breeding season.d)The earless seal pups nurse only for a brief period of time, with the longest nursing period being one month.e)Some of the female earless seals will live as long as six months after giving birth, thus guaranteeing that their pups have a better chance of survival.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?, a detailed solution for The female earless seal has a gestation period that usually spans nine to eleven months, depending on the classification. Each female carries and gives birth to and nurses only one pup at a time. The mother fasts while she is nursing the pup, due to the distance between the breeding ground and the area where the seals feed. As a result, the earless seal mother burns a considerable amount of energy during lactation. During a bad season, as many as three earless seal mothers in a colony will die around three months after giving birth. It is not uncommon, however, for all of the seal pups to survive.Which of the following, if true, most explains the discrepancy between the number of deaths among the earless seal mothers and lack of deaths among the pups during a bad season?a)Female earless seals can nurse two pups at a time, thus ensuring that at least two pups will live.b)During a good season, no female earless seals die, and marine biologists note that there have been more good seasons than bad in recent years.c)Some of the female earless seals do not give birth during breeding season.d)The earless seal pups nurse only for a brief period of time, with the longest nursing period being one month.e)Some of the female earless seals will live as long as six months after giving birth, thus guaranteeing that their pups have a better chance of survival.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? has been provided alongside types of The female earless seal has a gestation period that usually spans nine to eleven months, depending on the classification. Each female carries and gives birth to and nurses only one pup at a time. The mother fasts while she is nursing the pup, due to the distance between the breeding ground and the area where the seals feed. As a result, the earless seal mother burns a considerable amount of energy during lactation. During a bad season, as many as three earless seal mothers in a colony will die around three months after giving birth. It is not uncommon, however, for all of the seal pups to survive.Which of the following, if true, most explains the discrepancy between the number of deaths among the earless seal mothers and lack of deaths among the pups during a bad season?a)Female earless seals can nurse two pups at a time, thus ensuring that at least two pups will live.b)During a good season, no female earless seals die, and marine biologists note that there have been more good seasons than bad in recent years.c)Some of the female earless seals do not give birth during breeding season.d)The earless seal pups nurse only for a brief period of time, with the longest nursing period being one month.e)Some of the female earless seals will live as long as six months after giving birth, thus guaranteeing that their pups have a better chance of survival.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? theory, EduRev gives you an ample number of questions to practice The female earless seal has a gestation period that usually spans nine to eleven months, depending on the classification. Each female carries and gives birth to and nurses only one pup at a time. The mother fasts while she is nursing the pup, due to the distance between the breeding ground and the area where the seals feed. As a result, the earless seal mother burns a considerable amount of energy during lactation. During a bad season, as many as three earless seal mothers in a colony will die around three months after giving birth. It is not uncommon, however, for all of the seal pups to survive.Which of the following, if true, most explains the discrepancy between the number of deaths among the earless seal mothers and lack of deaths among the pups during a bad season?a)Female earless seals can nurse two pups at a time, thus ensuring that at least two pups will live.b)During a good season, no female earless seals die, and marine biologists note that there have been more good seasons than bad in recent years.c)Some of the female earless seals do not give birth during breeding season.d)The earless seal pups nurse only for a brief period of time, with the longest nursing period being one month.e)Some of the female earless seals will live as long as six months after giving birth, thus guaranteeing that their pups have a better chance of survival.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? tests, examples and also practice GMAT tests.

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