Question

It can be inferred from the passage that the isotope record taken from ocean sediments would be less useful to researchers if which of the following were true?

• A. It indicated that lighter isotopes of oxygen predominated at certain times.
• B. It had far more gaps in its sequence than the record taken from rocks on land.
• C. It indicated that climate shifts did not occur every 100,000 years.
• D. It indicated that the ratios of oxygen 16 and oxygen 18 in ocean water were not consistent with those found in fresh water.
• E. It stretched back for only a million years.

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

It had far more gaps in its sequence than the record taken from rocks on land.

The given passage talks about the ice ages and how these are formed. The isotope record is a continuous record than that taken from rocks on land. Option B is the correct answer as it can be inferred from the passage that if the record was not continuous then it would have been less useful to researchers.