Question

What do clays, sulphates and other minerals found near the rover's landing site suggest? 

(a) They suggest that huge volcanic eruptions might have taken place in the remote past.
(b) They revealed that Mars once had favourable conditions for life.
(c) The evidence of clay suggests that once water flowed through the area.
 

• A. All (a), (b) and (c)
• B. Only (b)
• C. Only (c)
• D. Only (b) and (c)

Hint:

Always cross-check if the option is explicitly mentioned in the passage. Avoid adding assumptions like "volcanic eruptions" when not stated.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

The passage states that "analysis of clays, sulphates and other minerals shows they are all key to life" and that they are evidence of water flow in the past. This supports (b) and (c). No mention is made of volcanic eruptions. \[ \Rightarrow \boxed{\text{Only (b) and (c)}} \]

Answer 2

Instead of restating the passage, check each sub-statement (a), (b), (c) individually against what the passage explicitly attributes to clays, sulphates and minerals, then match the surviving combination to the answer choices.

1. Sub-statement (a): the passage never links these minerals to volcanic activity; this connection is simply not present in the text, so (a) cannot be included.
2. Sub-statement (b): the passage directly states these minerals are "key to life," directly supporting favourable conditions for life, so (b) is valid.
3. Sub-statement (c): the same minerals, especially clay, are explicitly tied to past water flow in the passage, so (c) is also valid.
4. Matching options: since (a) is unsupported while (b) and (c) both hold, "All" and "Only (c)" and "Only (b)" are each incomplete or wrong, leaving only the option that combines exactly (b) and (c).

The combination of validated sub-statements (b) and (c), without (a), matches exactly one answer choice.

Hence, the correct answer is Only (b) and (c).