Passage

A bat’s wings may look like sheets of skin. But underneath, a bat has the same five fingers as an orangutan or a human, as well as a wrist connected to the same cluster of wrist bones connected to the same long bones of the arm. What can be more curious than that the hand of a man, formed for grasping, that of a mole for digging, the leg of the horse, the paddle of the porpoise, and the wing of the bat, should all be constructed on the same pattern?

QUESTION

CSAT

Easy

Comprehension

Prelims 2019

Which one of the following is the most logical, scientific and rational inference that can be made from the above passage?

Select an option to attempt

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect. Biodiversity refers to the variety of life forms, ecosystems, and genetic differences within species. While the passage discusses structural similarities (homology) in limbs, it does not focus on the diversity of species or ecosystems.

Statement 2 is incorrect. This option emphasizes functional diversity (e.g., grasping, digging, paddling, flying) and relates it to biodiversity. However, the passage highlights how structurally similar limbs perform these functions—not the diversity of the species themselves.

Statement 3 is incorrect. : Coincidence in evolution would imply that the similarity in structures happened randomly, without a shared cause. However, evolutionary biology explains these similarities through the concept of common ancestry, not coincidence.

Statement 4 is correct. The passage describes structural similarities in the limb bones of humans, bats, moles, horses, and porpoises. These homologous structures are evidence of a shared evolutionary origin, as explained by the theory of evolution. This is the most logical and scientifically accurate inference, as it aligns with the evidence provided and the principles of evolutionary biology.

Trusted by 2L aspirants