Verbal questions from any Manhattan Prep GMAT Computer Adaptive Test. Topic subject should be the first few words of your question.
philanderer.lover
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CR-- Dolphins, Dogs and African Grey Parrots

by philanderer.lover Sun Mar 07, 2010 6:56 am

Some animals, such as dolphins, dogs, and African grey parrots, seem to
exhibit cognitive functions typically associated with higher-order primates
such as chimpanzees, gorillas, and humans. Some parrots, for example, have
vocabularies of hundreds of words that they can string together in a
comprehensible syntax. This clearly shows that humans and primates are not
the only animals capable of using language to communicate. One parrot,
named Alex, has been known to ask to be petted or kissed and will exhibit
aggression if the gesture offered is not the specific one requested. Which of
the following, if true, would most strengthen the conclusion above?
- Dolphins can be trained to assist divers in ocean rescues.
- Gorillas in captivity often learn hand signals for food and water.
- Dogs are capable of sensing their owners’ moods and often exhibit concern if
they sense sadness.
- Chimpanzees can memorize long sequences of key punches on machines that
dispense food.
- Alex does not exhibit aggression when offered a gesture that he specifically
requested.

i am completely lost on this one....i mean i dont understand where is this communication happening....Choice E says that alex express no aggression but again how does it show that alex is communicating and with whom???/.....I am completely bowled....Please explain....

Regards,
Phil
sarfrazyusuf
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Re: CR-- Dolphins, Dogs and African Grey Parrots

by sarfrazyusuf Thu Mar 11, 2010 6:42 am

Alex is communicating with humans of course, probably its master.

Option E is correct because among other things it's the only option that talks about communication.

Options B & D can be left out since chimps and gorillas come under the primate categories according to the argument.

Among the other three options, in C dogs are sensing or perceiving which is not the same thing as communicating.

In A dolphins are being trained but training is a one-way process whereas communication is a two-way process.

In option E suppose Alex asks you to pet him and no matter whether you pet him or not he gets aggressive, then it is not communication. But the option E, together with the evidence in the argument implies that he only gets aggressive when he doesn't get the desired response. This means that he can communicate and also comprehend the response - a two-way process.

Ideally you shouldn't have to think this far - the fact that none of the other options involve communication except E should get you to the answer.

Cheers!
ranjeet1975
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Re: CR-- Dolphins, Dogs and African Grey Parrots

by ranjeet1975 Thu Mar 11, 2010 7:28 am

Very Good Explanation to very good question
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Re: CR-- Dolphins, Dogs and African Grey Parrots

by tim Sun Apr 18, 2010 5:27 am

E provides evidence of an ability on the part of the bird to recognize the connection between the words it uses and the behavior it elicits, something that if true certainly provides support for the bird's ability to communicate effectively..
Tim Sanders
Manhattan GMAT Instructor

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gaurav.chauhan619
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Re: CR-- Dolphins, Dogs and African Grey Parrots

by gaurav.chauhan619 Sun Oct 27, 2013 5:25 am

I see showing care as a kind of a communication .. I marked C. E is correct but C is better. E just tells a little more about an example cited in argument ...
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Re: CR-- Dolphins, Dogs and African Grey Parrots

by RonPurewal Mon Oct 28, 2013 8:49 am

gaurav.chauhan619 Wrote:I see showing care as a kind of a communication


It's not language. The conclusion deals specifically with language, so (c) is irrelevant.

E is correct but C is better.


No.
(e) is correct, and (e) is better.
arushigupta712
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Re: CR-- Dolphins, Dogs and African Grey Parrots

by arushigupta712 Tue Jul 29, 2014 12:35 am

Dear Instructors,

Isn't the first line the conclusion:

"Some animals, such as dolphins, dogs, and African grey parrots, seem to exhibit cognitive functions typically associated with higher-order primates such as chimpanzees, gorillas, and humans. "

And as this line is talking about 'cognitive functions' in general, another case (note: case of parrot already discussed in argument) of cognitive function by dogs (i.e. option C) further strengthens the conclusion.

Looking forward to your comments on this line of thinking.

Thanks in advance!
RonPurewal
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Re: CR-- Dolphins, Dogs and African Grey Parrots

by RonPurewal Mon Sep 01, 2014 4:47 am

Since that statement is something that (according to the passage) "clearly shows" something else, it's not the conclusion.

The conclusion is not used to prove further things. That's the point of calling it the "conclusion"; it's the logical endpoint of the argument.
RonPurewal
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Re: CR-- Dolphins, Dogs and African Grey Parrots

by RonPurewal Mon Sep 01, 2014 4:52 am

Also, conclusions to formally written argument will not contain words like "seem".

In spoken communication, "seem" is often used to soften statements that could otherwise offend someone. (E.g., "This diet plan doesn't seem to be working for you" is much more polite/diplomatic than "This diet plan isn't working for you".)

In written communication, though, "seem" is NOT used in this way. It's used completely literally—to state things that actually appear to be true.
Conclusions don't do this sort of thing, because, at the end of the day, "X seems to be true" is basically a non-conclusion: it still allows the possibility that X is not true! (For the same reason, it's not possible to strengthen or weaken a statement that something "seems to" be true.)

Instead, conclusions are definitive statements (... or, at least, statements that look definitive). They will be statements about what is or isn't true.