BB 2nd edition pg 646 #10 (critical reading)

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1

<p>I can’t figure out why the answer is B, and not D. It seemed to me that the purpose of adding an example of a human-like primate roaming the earth 2 million years ago was so that the author could establish a connection in the reader’s mind as to just how long ago 2 million years is, and thus understand just how old the light from the galexy was.</p>

<p>I realize that a “human like primate” isn’t exacly human, making answer choice D technically wrong, but the correct choice B looks horrible! The opening paragraph seems confusing, because it would be impossible to see exactly what was happening on a planet 2 million light years away… all that we can see is the light. This seems very disconnected with “time travel” in the sense of looking at the earth exactly as it was 2 million years ago. Am I reading this section of the passage too literally?</p>

2

<p>It’s clearly emphasizing how different the world, Africa, was two million years ago. Your interpretation of the first paragraph is way off.</p>

<p>The author says, “When astronomers point their telescopes to the nearest galaxy, Andromeda, they see it as it was two million years ago. That’s about the time Australopithecus was basking in the African sun”. </p>

<p>In water-downed English: “If you look at Andromeda you will see what it looked like 2 million years ago not what it looks like today. This is the same time period when Australopithecus roamed the Earth”.</p>

<p>For answer choice D. When does it ever mention the discovery of the Andromeda galaxy? When does it ever mention when Africa was first inhabited?</p>