Read the following passage and answer the questions given after it. The giraffe is the tallest land mammal alive, its long legs and neck contributing to its impressive stature. Males can be up to 18ft (5.5m tall), females a little less. In the wild, these beautiful creatures stretch their necks beyond those of antelope, kudu and even elephants to strip leaves from the untouched upper reaches of trees. The French zoologist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck is usually credited as the first person to suggest that long necks have evolved in giraffes because they allow them to get to the parts other herbivores cannot reach. As the giraffe lives "in places where the soil is nearly always arid and barren, it is obliged to browse on the leaves of trees and to make constant efforts to reach them," he wrote in his 1809 book ‘Philosophie Zoologique’. "From this habit long maintained in all its race, it has resulted that the animal's forelegs have become longer than its hind legs and that its neck is lengthened." The English naturalist Charles Darwin also thought the giraffe's extraordinary legs and neck must have something to do with foraging. "The giraffe, by its lofty stature, much-elongated neck, fore-legs, head and tongue, has its whole frame beautifully adapted for browsing on the higher branches of trees," he wrote in ‘On the Origin of Species’ in 1859. In short, giraffes' long necks are the result of generation upon generation of repeated stretching and inheritance. During the dry season when feeding competition should be most intense giraffe generally feed on low shrubs, not tall trees. What's more, giraffes feed most often and faster with their necks bent. Male giraffes often fight for access to females, a ritual referred to as "necking". The rivals stand flank to flank, then start to whack each other with their heads. The top or back of the well-armoured skull is used as a club to strike the neck, chest, ribs, or legs of the opponent with a force capable of knocking a competitor off balance or unconscious. The largest males usually win these battles and do most of the breeding, says zoologist Anne Innis Dagg of the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, who has been studying giraffes since the 1950s. "The other giraffes don't get much breeding opportunity." There is also evidence that females are more receptive to advances from larger males.
Which statement is NOT true according to the passage?
A giraffe’s hind-legs are longer than its fore-legs and help it to bend.
Analyzing the Giraffe Passage
The question asks us to identify the statement that is NOT true based on the provided passage about giraffes. To answer this, we need to carefully read each statement and compare it with the information presented in the text.
Evaluating Each Statement Based on the Passage
Let's break down each statement:
- Statement 1: Giraffes' long necks are the result of repeated stretching over the years.
- The passage mentions Jean-Baptiste Lamarck's theory: "From this habit long maintained in all its race, it has resulted that the animal's forelegs have become longer than its hind legs and that its neck is lengthened."
- It also summarizes Darwin's view on this specific adaptation: "In short, giraffes' long necks are the result of generation upon generation of repeated stretching and inheritance."
- Based on these sentences, this statement is presented as a summary of evolutionary theories discussed in the passage. Therefore, according to the passage's description of these theories, this statement is considered true within that context.
- Statement 2: The largest male giraffe usually wins the battles and does most of the breeding.
- The passage explicitly states: "The largest males usually win these battles and do most of the breeding, says zoologist Anne Innis Dagg..."
- This directly matches the information given in the passage. So, this statement is true according to the passage.
- Statement 3: A giraffe’s hind-legs are longer than its fore-legs and help it to bend.
- The passage discusses Lamarck's theory about the effects of stretching: "...it has resulted that the animal's forelegs have become longer than its hind legs..."
- This statement claims the opposite: hind-legs are longer than fore-legs.
- The passage also mentions giraffes feeding with their necks bent but does not attribute this ability to the length difference between hind and fore-legs.
- Therefore, this statement contradicts the information given in the passage regarding the relative length of forelegs and hind legs.
- Statement 4: The giraffe can eat leaves from the upper reaches of a tree where other animals cannot reach.
- The passage states: "...these beautiful creatures stretch their necks beyond those of antelope, kudu and even elephants to strip leaves from the untouched upper reaches of trees."
- This directly confirms that giraffes can reach leaves from high parts of trees that other animals cannot. So, this statement is true according to the passage.
Identifying the False Statement
Comparing our findings, Statement 3 is the only one that contradicts the information provided in the passage. The passage indicates that, according to Lamarck's view presented, the forelegs became longer than the hind legs, not the other way around.
Therefore, the statement that is NOT true according to the passage is: A giraffe’s hind-legs are longer than its fore-legs and help it to bend.
| Statement | Information in Passage | True/False (According to Passage) |
|---|---|---|
| Giraffes' long necks are the result of repeated stretching over the years. | Supported by description of Lamarck and Darwin's views. | True |
| The largest male giraffe usually wins the battles and does most of the breeding. | Explicitly stated in the passage, quoting a zoologist. | True |
| A giraffe’s hind-legs are longer than its fore-legs and help it to bend. | Passage states forelegs became longer than hind legs (Lamarck's view). No mention of leg length helping bending. | False |
| The giraffe can eat leaves from the upper reaches of a tree where other animals cannot reach. | Explicitly stated that they strip leaves from untouched upper reaches beyond other animals' reach. | True |
Conclusion
Based on our analysis of the passage, the statement that is not supported by the text is that a giraffe’s hind-legs are longer than its fore-legs and help it to bend.
Revision Table: Giraffe Passage Facts
Here is a summary of key facts about giraffes mentioned in the passage:
- Tallest land mammal, males up to 18ft (5.5m).
- Long legs and neck contribute to height.
- Feed on high leaves inaccessible to other herbivores.
- Lamarck suggested long necks evolved from stretching for leaves.
- Darwin also linked long necks and legs to browsing high branches.
- Giraffes often feed on low shrubs, especially in the dry season.
- They feed faster with necks bent.
- Males fight ("necking") for access to females.
- Largest males usually win fights and breed most.
- Females may prefer larger males.
Additional Information: Giraffe Adaptations and Theories
The passage touches on two historical theories about giraffe neck evolution: Lamarckism and Darwinism. While the passage presents a simplified view, modern understanding combines aspects of natural selection (Darwin) with genetics.
- Foraging Hypothesis: This is the traditional view, supported by the passage, suggesting long necks evolved primarily to access high foliage, reducing competition.
- Sexual Selection Hypothesis: The passage mentions male "necking" and how larger males win and breed more. This suggests that longer, stronger necks might also be advantageous in male-male competition for mates, contributing to the evolution of neck length through sexual selection.
- Thermoregulation Hypothesis: Another less common theory suggests the large surface area of the neck and legs helps giraffes dissipate heat in hot climates.
Real-world giraffe behavior, like feeding on low shrubs and bending their necks, adds complexity to the simple foraging hypothesis presented by Lamarck and in the initial part of Darwin's description in the passage.
Important Questions from Reading Comprehension
Why, according to the writer can't people be motivated to use a resource prudently?
1. They feel that others may overuse the resource
2. It is possible to substitute the resource
3. Abundance of the resource availability
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
When do people use resources exhaustively?
The self-interest of people affects the use of renewable resources
People rooted in a locality
Which among the following is closest in meaning with the word 'deplete'?
