Multiple choice

To control marine pollution in Chilka Lake, India, the state government had decided 30 years ago to regularly release a certain chemical Vianzone into Gahirmatha where the turtles abound. The marine pollution was controlled considerably ever since the release of the chemical was begun, but the Olive Ridley turtle inhabiting the lake has started reproducing excessively. So much so that now the population of turtles has crossed the manageable mark and it has resulted in overcrowding. Scientists hypothesize that marine pollution must have been responsible for the lack of enough reproductive capacity among the turtles and the chemical must have been responsible for the increased fertility.

Which of the following, if true, would lend the most support to the scientists' theory?

  1. The Olive Ridley turtles in other marine locations reproduce at the same rates as they did before.

  2. The Olive Ridley turtle has experienced an exponential rise in its population in the past 30 years.

  3. The Olive Ridley turtle is not native to the area and in fact, it was introduced here only 100 years ago.

  4. The presence of a major marine pollutant called D-Methyl Acromane, earlier at 20 parts per million, has declined to 8 parts per million in Gahirmatha after the introduction of Vianzone.

  5. The Olive Ridley turtles in other, polluted marine locations in the state still reproduce at the same rate as they did in Gahirmatha before the release of the chemical Vianzone.
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E Correct answer
Explanation

As turtles are still reproducing at the old rate in other polluted marine locations, it follows that Vianzone has facilitated their increased reproduction.

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