Both adult ducks and adult geese protecting their nesting young will sometimes use a strategy that consists of staying in...

GMAT Two Part Analysis : (TPA) Questions

Source: Mock

Two Part Analysis

Verbal - RC

HARD

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Notes

Post a Query

Both adult ducks and adult geese protecting their nesting young will sometimes use a strategy that consists of staying in the nest and using loud vocalizations to frighten predators away. However, in attempting to draw predators away from the nest, ducks use a slightly different strategy than geese use. For ducks, the strategy consists of feigning injury and flying awkwardly away from the area where predators can threaten the nest. This makes the ducks appear to be easy prey, though the predators have very little chance of catching the uninjured ducks. For geese, the strategy consists merely of flying out of the area where predators can threaten the nest. Because the geese do not feign injury, they are less likely than the ducks to induce predators to follow.

Statement: While employing their respective strategies of flying away from the nest, both an adult duck and an adult goose are sacrificing the opportunity to use the strategy of 1, though the duck, by feigning injury, is more likely to be successful at 2. Select for 1 and for 2 the options that complete the statement so that it is most strongly supported by the information provided. Make only two selections, one in each column.

preventing predators from threatening the nest

using vocalizations from within the nest to frighten predators

hiding from predators

avoiding being caught by predators

causing injury to predators

threatening the nest

Solution

Phase 1: Owning the Dataset

Argument Analysis Table

Passage Statement	Analysis & Implications
"Both adult ducks and adult geese protecting their nesting young will sometimes use a strategy that consists of staying in the nest and using loud vocalizations to frighten predators away."	Core Fact: Both species have a vocalization-from-nest strategy Visualization: Picture a duck/goose sitting in nest, making loud noises when predator approaches Logical Connections: This is one defensive strategy available to both species What We Can Conclude: Both species have at least two strategies available
"However, in attempting to draw predators away from the nest, ducks use a slightly different strategy than geese use."	Core Fact: Both species fly away from nest but differently Visualization: Both leave the nest area, but execution differs Logical Connections: Sets up contrast between duck and goose flying strategies What We Can Conclude: Flying away is another strategy for both species
"For ducks, the strategy consists of feigning injury and flying awkwardly away from the area where predators can threaten the nest."	Core Fact: Ducks fake injury + fly awkwardly when leaving nest Visualization: Duck pretends to have broken wing, stumbles away Logical Connections: This makes duck appear vulnerable What We Can Conclude: Duck's strategy involves deception to lure predator
"This makes the ducks appear to be easy prey, though the predators have very little chance of catching the uninjured ducks."	Core Fact: Ducks look catchable but aren't actually catchable Visualization: Predator thinks "easy meal!" but duck escapes Logical Connections: The injury is fake, so duck can escape What We Can Conclude: Ducks remain safe while drawing predators away
"For geese, the strategy consists merely of flying out of the area where predators can threaten the nest."	Core Fact: Geese just fly away normally, no injury feigning Visualization: Goose takes off and flies away from nest area Logical Connections: Simpler strategy than ducks What We Can Conclude: Geese don't use deception
"Because the geese do not feign injury, they are less likely than the ducks to induce predators to follow."	Core Fact: No fake injury = less likely to be followed Visualization: Predator sees healthy goose fly away, doesn't bother chasing Logical Connections: Injury-feigning is what makes predators follow What We Can Conclude: Duck strategy is more effective at drawing predators away

Key Patterns Identified

Both species have two defensive strategies: (1) stay in nest + vocalize, (2) fly away from nest
When flying away, ducks feign injury but geese don't
Duck's injury-feigning makes predators more likely to follow
Both species can't use both strategies simultaneously (it's either/or)

Phase 2: Question Analysis & Prethinking

Understanding Each Part

The question asks us to complete:
"While employing their respective strategies of flying away from the nest, both an adult duck and an adult goose are sacrificing the opportunity to use the strategy of [Part 1], though the duck, by feigning injury, is more likely to be successful at [Part 2]."

Part 1 Focus: What opportunity are both species giving up when they fly away?

Since they're flying away from the nest, they can't stay in the nest
The passage explicitly mentions they could "stay in the nest and use loud vocalizations"
So Part 1 should identify this vocalization strategy they're sacrificing

Part 2 Focus: What is the duck more successful at due to feigning injury?

The passage states geese "are less likely than the ducks to induce predators to follow"
Therefore, ducks are MORE likely to induce predators to follow
Following means being drawn away from the nest area
This achieves the goal of preventing predators from threatening the nest

Valid Inferences Generated

For Part 1: When flying away, both species give up the vocalization-from-nest strategy
For Part 2: Ducks are more successful at drawing predators away from the nest area

Phase 3: Answer Choice Evaluation

Analyzing Each Option

"preventing predators from threatening the nest"
- This is the ultimate goal of drawing predators away
- Ducks are more successful at this through their injury-feigning
- Could work for Part 2
"using vocalizations from within the nest to frighten predators"
- This is explicitly what both species can do when staying in nest
- Can't do this while flying away
- Perfect for Part 1
"hiding from predators"
- Not mentioned in the passage
- Neither strategy involves hiding
- Not supported
"avoiding being caught by predators"
- Passage says ducks have "very little chance" of being caught
- But this isn't what they're "more successful at" - both avoid capture
- Not the best fit
"causing injury to predators"
- Not mentioned anywhere in the passage
- Not supported
"threatening the nest"
- This doesn't make logical sense - the birds wouldn't threaten their own nest
- Not supported

Answer Selection

Part 1: "using vocalizations from within the nest to frighten predators"

This is exactly what both species sacrifice when they choose to fly away
Directly stated in the passage as an alternative strategy

Part 2: "preventing predators from threatening the nest"

Ducks are more successful at drawing predators away (explicitly stated)
Drawing predators away prevents them from threatening the nest
This is the logical outcome of the duck's more effective strategy

Verification

Let's check if our complete statement makes sense:
"While employing their respective strategies of flying away from the nest, both an adult duck and an adult goose are sacrificing the opportunity to use the strategy of using vocalizations from within the nest to frighten predators, though the duck, by feigning injury, is more likely to be successful at preventing predators from threatening the nest."

✓ Both parts are directly supported by passage facts
✓ The statement is logically coherent
✓ No speculation beyond what's given

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