Question ID:PT8 S4 Q11 Passage:A distemper virus has caused two-thirds of the seal population in the North Sea to die since May 1988. The explanation for the deaths cannot rest here, however. There must be a reason the normally latent virus could prevail so suddenly: clearly the severe pollution of the North Sea waters must have weakened the immune system of the seals so that they could no longer withstand the virus. Stem:Which one of the following, if true, most strongly supports the explanation given in the argument? Correct Answer Choice:AChoice A:At various times during the last ten years, several species of shellfish and seabirds in the North Sea have experienced unprecedentedly steep drops in population. Choice B:By reducing pollution at its source, Northern Europe and Scandinavia have been taking the lead in preventing pollution from reaching the waters of the North Sea. Choice C:For many years, fish for human consumption have been taken from the waters of the North Sea. Choice D:There are two species of seal found throughout the North Sea area, the common seal and the gray seal. Choice E:The distemper caused by the virus was a disease that was new to the population of North Sea seals in May 1988, and so the seals’ immune systems were unprepared to counter it.