Digital SAT Reading and Writing Practice Question #233

Text 1 Studies of the Tyrannosaurus rex skull suggest that its olfactory bulbs were exceptionally large relative to its brain size. Paleontologist Sarah Jenkins argues this indicates T. rex was primarily a scavenger. A highly acute sense of smell would be necessary to locate decaying carcasses across vast distances, a trait Jenkins argues is far less critical for an active predator that relies on sight and speed. Text 2 While a strong sense of smell is undeniably beneficial for scavengers, modern predatory birds and mammals demonstrate that exceptional olfaction is equally vital for tracking live prey over long distances. Furthermore, biomechanical models of T. rex jaw musculature reveal an immense bite force optimized for subduing large, struggling prey, an evolutionary adaptation that would be entirely wasted on a strict scavenger.