Verbal Ability – Summary – Brown et al. (2001) suggest that ‘metabolic
Slot – 3 – VA
Q. The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.
Brown et al. (2001) suggest that ‘metabolic theory may provide a conceptual
foundation for much of ecology just as genetic theory provides a foundation for much
of evolutionary biology’. One of the successes of genetic theory is the diversity of
theoretical approaches and models that have been developed and applied. A Web of
Science (v. 5.9. Thomson Reuters) search on genetic* + theor* + evol* identifies more
than 12000 publications between 2005 and 2012. Considering only the 10 most-cited
papers within this 12000 publication set, genetic theory can be seen to focus on
genome dynamics, phylogenetic inference, game theory and the regulation of gene
expression. There is no one fundamental genetic equation, but rather a wide array of
genetic models, ranging from simple to complex, with differing inputs and outputs,
and divergent areas of application, loosely connected to each other through the
shared conceptual foundation of heritable variation.
Genetic theory has evolved to spawn a wide range of theoretical models and
applications but Metabolic theory need not evolve in a similar manner in the field of ecology.
Genetic theory provides an example of how a range of theoretical approaches and
applications can make a theory successful.
Genetic theory has a wide range of theoretical approaches and application and is
foundational to evolutionary biology and Metabolic theory has the potential to do the same for
ecology.
Genetic theory has a wide range of theoretical approaches and applications and Metabolic
theory must have the same in the field of ecology.
Answer: 3 Solutions:
Option 1 contradicts the passage. Just as genetic theory has spawned a wide range of theoretical models and applications, a similar diversity is expected for metabolic theory in the field of ecology.
Option 2 does not mention metabolic theory at all. It can be eliminated.
Option 4 has the very strong word “must.” It is expected that just like genetic theory, metabolic theory will have many theoretical approaches and applications but it is not a must.
Option 3 summarizes the passage correctly by stating the similarities between genetic theory and metabolic theory.
Hence, the correct answer is option 3.
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