PREP2012-Pack1-RC-007-01 VRC000416-01 Medium
It can be inferred from the passage that geologists today would be most likely to agree with which of the following statements about Wegener's The Origin of Continents and Oceans?
A. It was a worthy scientific effort that was ahead of its time.
B. It was based on evidence that was later disproved.
C. It was directly responsible for the acceptance of the theory of plate tectonics.
D. It has been disproved by continental drift theory.
E. It misrepresented how horizontal displacements cause the formation of mountain chains. PREP2012-Pack1-RC-007-02 VRC000416-02 Medium The author of the passage suggests that the most likely explanation for the geological community's response to continental drift theory in its day was that the theory
A. was in conflict with certain aspects of plate tectonics theory
B. failed to account for how mountains were formed
C. did not adequately explain how continents moved through the ocean floor
D. was contradicted by the geophysical data of the time
E. was based on a kind of evidence that was considered insufficiently convincing
PREP2012-Pack1-RC-007-03 VRC000416-03 Hard
The author of the passage refers to the “considerable overlap” (see highlighted text) between continental drift theory and plate tectonics theory most probably in order to
A. suggest that plate tectonics theory is derived from Wegener's work
B. introduce a discussion comparing the elements of the two theories
C. examine the question of whether continental drift theory was innovative in its time
D. provide a reason why it might seem surprising that continental drift theory was not more
widely embraced by geologists
E. cite an explanation that has been frequently offered for Wegener's high standing among
geologists today
PREP2012-Pack1-RC-007-04 VRC000416-04 Hard
The author cites Hallam (see highlighted text) on the ice ages primarily in order to
A. provide an example of a geologic phenomenon whose precise causes are not understood
by geologists today
B. criticize the geological community for an apparent lack of consistency in its responses to
new theories
C. offer evidence held to undermine a common view of why Wegener's theory was not
accepted in its day