Question

Sharks have a higher ratio of cartilage mass to body mass than any other organism. They also have a greater resistance to cancer than any other organism. Shark cartilage contains a substance that inhibits tumor growth by stopping the development of a new blood network. In the past 20 years, none of the responses among terminal cancer patients to various therapeutic measures has been more positive than the response among those who consumed shark cartilage.

If the claims made above are true, then each of the following could be true except:


A. No organism resists cancer better than sharks do, but some resist cancer as well as sharks.

B. The organism most susceptible to cancer has a higher percentage of cartilage than some organisms that are less susceptible to cancer.

C. The substance in shark cartilage that inhibits tumor growth is found in most organisms.

D. In the pas 20 years many terminal cancer patients have improved dramatically following many sorts of therapy.

E. Some organisms have immune systems more efficient than a shark's immune system.

Answer 1

The only claim provided in the question that cannot be true is that the substance in shark cartilage which inhibits tumor growth is found in most organisms, as this would contradict the unique cancer resistance observed in sharks.

Step-by-step explanation:

If the claims made about sharks having a higher ratio of cartilage mass to body mass and a greater resistance to cancer are true, we can assess the options provided to determine which one cannot be true. Given that shark cartilage contains a substance that inhibits tumor growth, the logical deduction should align with the biological properties of cartilage and the relationship to cancer resistance as described.

The only option that cannot be true is C. The substance in shark cartilage that inhibits tumor growth is found in most organisms. This is because if that substance was common to most organisms, the exceptional resistance to cancer observed in sharks would not be unique, and we would expect to see a similar level of cancer resistance across many species.

Options A and E do not directly conflict with the information given - other organisms could potentially resist cancer as well as sharks or have more efficient immune systems in different respects. Option B is possible since having a high percentage of cartilage doesn't necessarily correlate with cancer susceptibility. Option D is also possible as it only states that many terminal cancer patients have improved over the past 20 years, which doesn't negate the claim about shark cartilage's unique benefits.