There is, perhaps, no part of the world where the early geological periods can be studied with so much ease and precision as in the United States. Along their northern borders, between Canada and the United States, there runs the low line of hills known as the Laurentian Hills. Insignificant in height, nowhere rising more than fifteen hundred or two thousand feet above the level of the sea, these are nevertheless some of the first mountains that broke the uniform level of the earth's surface and lifted themselves above the waters. Their low stature, as compared with that of other more lofty mountain ranges, is in accordance with an invariable rule, by which the relative age of mountains may be estimated. The oldest mountains are the lowest, while the younger and more recent ones tower above their elders, and are usually more torn and dislocated also. So it is known the Alps, Rockies, and Himalayas are considerably younger than the Appalachian mountains.
Which of these can be most reasonably inferred about the author based on the passage?
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Correct Answer: E
From this passage we can reasonably infer that the author has worked in the United States. This is because he says “There is, perhaps, no part of the world, certainly none familiar to science, where the early geological periods can be studied with so much ease and precision as in the United States.” It might be reasonable from this statement to also conclude that the author “is an American citizen” or “has studied mountain ranges around the world.” But, each of these answer requires more inference than the correct answer. Just because he has worked in the United States does not necessarily mean he is an American citizen, and just because he considers mountain ranges in the United States to be the easiest to study does not necessarily mean he is familiar with mountain ranges around the world—he might simply not be as familiar with other mountain ranges.