Q27

[LSAT-Chang]

I didn't choose (B) because I didn't get a feeling of the author being "surprised" by this disparity.. I was debating between (D) and (E) and ultimately ended up choosing (D) although I really like (E) as well. I guess (D) is a little too strong in that the author isn't "arguing" that polarity must occur in all life forms (though it has to?) but rather "explaining" and so that is why I liked (E) as well.. But now that I look at it, I guess there is no mention of "WHY an embryo must establish early polarity"?? I'm really lost...

[timmydoeslsat]

The author is surprised how dissimilar the processes are genetically for organisms to establish early polarity, yet they are so similar once they are past that point.

The embryos look so similar across these organisms, yet their processes of establish polarity are so different across these organisms.

However, once you get to processes like establishing a visual system or limbs for an organism, the genetic processes are so similar.

[LSAT-Chang]

Did you come across words/sentences that express the author's surpriseness? I didn't get that "tone" and that is why I didn't circle it.

[timmydoeslsat]

In the last paragraph the author says in line 51 that a paradox seems to arise.

This question isn't so much a tone question, but rather that the author shows a paradox existing between genetic mechanisms that determine polarity, in how different they are among all organisms, while the genetic mechanisms that determine things after that are so similar.

[andrea.devas]

Hi,
Just to clarify, is (C) incorrect because of the word " life forms" ?
I initially crossed off (B) as well due to the " surprising" in the answer choice but now I see how that fits in. Thankyou

[flo.chen]

(A) The passage describes different examples of how early polarity is established but there is no overarching theory on how early polarity is established and no data is presented to support that theory

(C) A key point of the passage is that the mechanisms for establishing early polarity are highly variable. They are not being classified into different types

(D) The argument focuses not on whether a certain genetic process must occur, it focuses on how the genetic mechanisms for a development phase of organisms varies among different life forms even though other genetic mechanisms in other development phases are very similar

(E) The passage does not focus on explaining why early polarity must be established, it focuses primarily on how different the mechanisms for early polarity are, in stark contrast to how similar the mechanisms for other development phases are

Therefore, (B) is the best answer among the answer choices.

[deedubbew]

I don't understand how "genetic mechanisms" can refer to the ways that early polarity are formed. Nowhere does the passage mention that polarity is formed via a genetic mechanism. In fruit flies, the polarity is already established before the sperm even contributes genetic material for any genetic mechanism to occur. Also, how is one to decide that the author finds it surprising? The author only mentions that there is a paradox. That is not that same as saying it's surprising.

[maryadkins]

Well, if genetic mechanisms aren't just dependent on the sperm's genes. The egg itself also contains genetic material that can generate activity ("mechanisms" doesn't only refer to the blending of genes via reproduction), and since in all of the species discussed, automatic and early-phase biological activity is present, it's not a stretch to call them genetic mechanisms.

As for support for "surprising," see line 48 ("astonishing"), line 51, as you note (a "paradox"), line 57 ("remarkably").

Hope this helps...