Question

Passage 1 suggests that the Fermi Paradox depends most directly on which assumption ?

• A. Extraterrestrial civilizations may not wish to be discovered by human beings.
• B. Extraterrestrial civilizations would most likely have discovered technology at about the same time human beings discovered it.
• C. Extraterrestrial technology would develop at roughly the same rate as human technology.
• D. Extraterrestrial civilizations would inevitably use technology for aggressive ends.
• E. Science is a more powerful form of human knowledge than are art and literature.

Answer 1

The correct option is C Extraterrestrial technology would develop at roughly the same rate as human technology.

"Fermi's argument maintains that it is extremely unlikely that many other civilizations discovered science at exactly the same time we did. Had they acquired science even a thousand years earlier than we, they now could be so much more advanced that they would already be colonizing our solar system." - this statement from the first passage implies that the basic assumption Fermi Paradox makes is that extraterrestrial technology would develop at the same rate as our technology has. Assuming that extraterrestrial technology would develop at the same rate as human technology, Fermi's argument maintains the above quoted claim. Thus C is the best answer.