The Existence of Mammals on the Earth can be Traced back to at Least the Triassic time GMAT Reading Comprehension

Reading Passage Question:

The existence of mammals on the earth can be traced back to at least the Triassic time. The rate of development was retarded, till evolutional change suddenly accelerated in the oldest Paleocene. This resulted in an increase in average size, larger mental capacity, and special adaptations for different modes of life, during the Eocene time. Further improvement was seen during the Oligocene Epoch, with the appearance of some new lines and the extinction of others. The Miocene and Pliocene times are especially significant as they mark the culmination of various groups and a continued approach toward modern characters. It is in the Miocene time that the mammals reached their peak with reference to variety and size.

The ability of the mammals to adapt to various modes of life finds a parallel in the reptiles of the Mesozoic time, and apart form their greater intelligence, the mammals apparently have not done much better than the corresponding reptilian forms. Undoubtedly the bat is a better flying animal than the pterosaur, but at the same time the dolphin and whale are hardly more fish like than the ichthyosaur. Quite a few of the swift-running mammals inhabiting the plains, like the horse and the antelope, must excel any of the dinosaurs. Although the tyrannosaur was a more weighty and robust carnivore than perhaps any carnivorous mammal, the lion and the tiger, by virtue of their superior brain are far more efficient and dangerous beasts of prey. It is significant to note that various species of mammals gradually adapted themselves to various kinds of lifestyles, some took to grazing on the plains and were able to run swiftly (horse, deer, bison), others started living in rivers and swamps (hippopotamus, beaver), inhabiting trees (sloth, monkey), burrowing underground (rodent, mole), feeding on flesh (tiger, wolf), swimming in the water (dolphin, whale, seal), and flying in the air (bat). Human beings on account of their superior brain have been able to harness mechanical methods to conquer the physical world and adapt to any set of conditions.

Such adaptation to different conditions leads to a gradual change in form and structure. This is a biological characteristic of the youthful, plastic stage of a group. It is seen that early in its evolutional cycle animals possess the capacity for change, but as the animal progresses in its cycle becoming old and fixed, this capacity for change disappears. The generalized types of organisms retain longest the ability to make adjustments when required, and it is from them that new, fecund stocks take origin-certainly not from any specialized end products. With reference to mammals, we see their birth, plastic spread in many directions, increased specialization, and in some cases, extinction; this is a characteristic of the evolution of life, which can be seen in the geologic record of life.

‘The existence of mammals on the earth can be traced back to at least the Triassic time’ is a GMAT reading comprehension passage with answers. Candidates need a strong knowledge of English GMAT reading comprehension.

This GMAT Reading Comprehension consists of 7 comprehension questions.

The GMAT Reading Comprehension questions are designed for the purpose of testing candidates’ abilities in understanding, analyzing, and applying information or concepts. Candidates can actively prepare with the help of GMAT Reading Comprehension Practice Questions.

Questions and Solutions

1. From the following, choose the most appropriate title for the above passage.

1. From Dinosaur to Man
2. Adaptation and Extinction
3. The Superior Mammals
4. The Geologic Life Span
5. Man, the Vanquisher of the Physical World.

2. According to the passage the chronological order of the geologic periods is:

1. Paleocene, Miocene, Triassic, Mesozoic
2. Paleocene, Triassic, Mesozoic, Miocene
3. Miocene, Paleocene, Triassic, Mesozoic
4. Mesozoic, Oligocene, Paleocene, Miocene
5. Mesozoic, Paleocene, Eocene, Miocene

3. From the above passage, we can infer that, the pterosaur

1. resembled the bat
2. was a Mesozoic mammal
3. was a flying reptile
4. inhabited the seas
5. evolved during the Miocene period

4. As inferred from the passage, the largest numbers of mammals were found in which of the following periods?

1. Triassic period
2. Eocene period
3. Oligocene epoch
4. Pliocene period
5. Miocene period

5. Among the following statements, which statement, if true, would weaken the argument put forth in the first sentence of Paragraph 1?

1. It has been found that the tyrannosaur had a larger brain, than was previously known.
2. Within the next thousand years, mammals will become extinct.
3. Recently certain forms of flying ichthyosaurs have been discovered.
4. It has now been proved, that the tiger is more powerful than the carnivorous reptiles.
5. It is now possible to double human mental capacity, by the use of certain recently developed computers.

6. It is clear from the passage, that the evidence used to discuss the life of past time periods

1. was developed by Charles Darwin
2. was unearthed by the author
3. has been negated by more recent evidence
4. was never truly established
5. is based on fossilized remains

7. As inferred from the passage, which of the following proverbial expressions is the author most likely to agree with?

1. It's a cruel world.
2. All the world's a stage.
3. The more things change, the more they remain the same.
4. Footprints in the sands of time.
5. A short life, but a merry one.

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