SAT Reading & Writing · Command of Evidence (textual)
Certain sacoglossan sea slugs ingest algae and retain the algae's chloroplasts within their own tissue for weeks or months, and these…
Certain sacoglossan sea slugs ingest algae and retain the algae's chloroplasts within their own tissue for weeks or months, and these stolen chloroplasts continue performing photosynthesis inside the slug. A blog post claims this makes the slugs fully self-sufficient organisms that never need to eat again once they've acquired chloroplasts. Which finding would most directly weaken this claim?
Answer and explanation
Answer: D: Many species of these sea slugs still require regular feeding on algae to survive, even after acquiring functional chloroplasts, indicating the photosynthesis supplements instead of fully replacing…
The blog's claim is an absolute one, "never need to eat again," and D directly supplies the counterevidence: many species still need to feed regularly despite the retained chloroplasts, meaning photosynthesis alone doesn't sustain them. A confirms the chloroplasts keep working, which is consistent with the setup but doesn't address whether feeding becomes unnecessary. C and B are general background facts unrelated to the self-sufficiency claim.
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