EXXCEL

Digital SAT Reading and Writing Test 5 Question 4

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
Answer:
C

Explanation

Some scientists have believed that pollen-carrying insects were not very prehistoric, but according to paleoentomologist Alexander Khramov, insects were carrying pollen between plants long before the advent of mammals. Six of 425 Tillyardembia fossils studied by Khramov’s team in Moscow, contained pollen grains inside the insects, a finding that pushes back the oldest fossil record of pollinators by 120 million years.

Choice C is the best answer. According to the text, Khramov's finding places the pollen-carrying insects much further back in the timeline than previously believed. The word "prehistoric" means before recorded history, and it correctly denotes how long ago these insects were pollinating plants.

Choice A: "ferocious" means savagely fierce, or violent. The text does not mention anything about the nature of pollen-carrying insects.

Choice B: "elusive" means difficult to find. The text does not suggest that pollen-carrying insects were difficult to find.

Choice D: "contemporary" means belonging to the present. This would contradict the finding of Khramov's team that pollinators are much older than first believed.

✨ Expert's Tip ✨

Identify Khramov's claim that goes against some scientists’ belief about pollen-carrying insects.

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