Two lobsters in a confined space will approach each other fearfully at first, and may leap backward when they come into initial contact. But their caution doesn’t last. The lobsters circle and slash at each other with their antennae. This fencing match emboldens them and they slice their claws through the water, from a widespread position to a crossed position and back out again. Next they press their claws together and shove each other back and forth, like a pair of prizefighters caught in a belligerent embrace. If one of the lobsters is larger than the other, and the smaller one can find no escape and no place to hide, the contest often ends with an abject 1 display of groveling by the weaker animal. But if the two lobsters are evenly matched, then the shoving settles nothing. The fight escalates to a new level of tension and danger: claw lock. Lobsters begin life ambidextrous, 2 their two claws identical in shape and size. During their first year or two they start to favor either the right or left claw for crushing and the other for seizing and cutting, thus becoming either right- or left-“handed.” The lobster’s body also develops two basic types of muscle—fast fibers, which produce rapid contractions but tire quickly, and slow fibers, which produce gradual contractions of greater strength and longer duration. The lobster’s tail, for example, contains fast fibers, useful during the escape reflex of swimming in backward bursts. The walking legs, which are used to jog at average speeds for long periods, develop slow fibers. Similarly, the seizer claw fills with fast muscle and remains streamlined while the crusher claw fills with slow muscle and becomes bulky, like a bodybuilder’s bicep. To test each other’s brawn and slow-muscle stamina, the dueling lobsters desist from their shoving match and grip each other’s crusher claws. If the lobsters are both right-handed, they reach across to grip each other as though shaking hands. If one of them is right-handed and the other left-handed, instead of reaching across they hold hands on the same side. And then they squeeze. By entering claw lock the lobsters have traded their showy bout of shoving for a calmer but more consequential contest. It is a battle of endurance and a game of chicken — each of the lobster’s shells straining under the pressure but neither combatant willing to ease up. After fifteen to twenty seconds, one of the lobsters will usually attempt to retreat before its shell shatters, and the winner releases its grip. The lobster’s repertoire of escalation helps avoid unnecessary injury. Most fights in the wild are settled without actual violence and end when one of the lobsters runs away. However, if both lobsters are similar in size and equally aggressive, even claw lock may be insufficient to settle the contest. If the fight escalates further, the claws become terrible weapons of destruction. One or both of the animals is bound to lose an antenna, leg, claw, or eye. If one lobster gets a grip on an appendage 3 of the other, the trapped lobster may jettison 4 its compromised claw or leg by means of a special muscle at the base of the appendage designed to slice off that lobster’s own limb. This capability, called autotomy, serves as an escape mechanism. But autotomy, like amputation, is also a kind of field-hospital first aid. Lobsters have open circulatory systems, meaning that their blood flows through body cavities rather than inside veins. A leak in a lobster’s shell, such as that caused by a crushed or punctured leg, can cause the animal to bleed to death unless it cuts off the limbs and seals the joint. A blood leak is a liability for another reason. Generally lobsters are not cannibalistic 5 , but the scent of an injured lobster’s blood can inspire them to kill and consume their unlucky comrade. With time, lobsters are able to regenerate most appendages, although the energy required to do so slows their overall growth. An eye, unfortunately, will never grow back. But other appendages may appear grotesquely in the eye’s place—an unwanted foot, for instance. If one of the lobsters capitulates before being destroyed, it may receive mercy. A generous victor will pursue the loser to ensure that it assumes a submissive posture by folding back its antennae, lowering its claws, and curling its tail, and backing into a corner. The winner will strut away, satisfied that it has achieved dominance.

Question

Two lobsters in a confined space will approach each other fearfully at first, and may leap backward when they come into initial contact. But their caution doesn’t last. The lobsters circle and slash at each other with their antennae. This fencing match emboldens them and they slice their claws through the water, from a widespread position to a crossed position and back out again. Next they press their claws together and shove each other back and forth, like a pair of prizefighters caught in a belligerent embrace. If one of the lobsters is larger than the other, and the smaller one can find no escape and no place to hide, the contest often ends with an abject 1 display of groveling by the weaker animal. But if the two lobsters are evenly matched, then the shoving settles nothing. The fight escalates to a new level of tension and danger: claw lock. Lobsters begin life ambidextrous, 2 their two claws identical in shape and size. During their first year or two they start to favor either the right or left claw for crushing and the other for seizing and cutting, thus becoming either right- or left-“handed.” The lobster’s body also develops two basic types of muscle—fast fibers, which produce rapid contractions but tire quickly, and slow fibers, which produce gradual contractions of greater strength and longer duration. The lobster’s tail, for example, contains fast fibers, useful during the escape reflex of swimming in backward bursts. The walking legs, which are used to jog at average speeds for long periods, develop slow fibers. Similarly, the seizer claw fills with fast muscle and remains streamlined while the crusher claw fills with slow muscle and becomes bulky, like a bodybuilder’s bicep. To test each other’s brawn and slow-muscle stamina, the dueling lobsters desist from their shoving match and grip each other’s crusher claws. If the lobsters are both right-handed, they reach across to grip each other as though shaking hands. If one of them is right-handed and the other left-handed, instead of reaching across they hold hands on the same side. And then they squeeze. By entering claw lock the lobsters have traded their showy bout of shoving for a calmer but more consequential contest. It is a battle of endurance and a game of chicken — each of the lobster’s shells straining under the pressure but neither combatant willing to ease up. After fifteen to twenty seconds, one of the lobsters will usually attempt to retreat before its shell shatters, and the winner releases its grip. The lobster’s repertoire of escalation helps avoid unnecessary injury. Most fights in the wild are settled without actual violence and end when one of the lobsters runs away. However, if both lobsters are similar in size and equally aggressive, even claw lock may be insufficient to settle the contest. If the fight escalates further, the claws become terrible weapons of destruction. One or both of the animals is bound to lose an antenna, leg, claw, or eye. If one lobster gets a grip on an appendage 3 of the other, the trapped lobster may jettison 4 its compromised claw or leg by means of a special muscle at the base of the appendage designed to slice off that lobster’s own limb. This capability, called autotomy, serves as an escape mechanism. But autotomy, like amputation, is also a kind of field-hospital first aid. Lobsters have open circulatory systems, meaning that their blood flows through body cavities rather than inside veins. A leak in a lobster’s shell, such as that caused by a crushed or punctured leg, can cause the animal to bleed to death unless it cuts off the limbs and seals the joint. A blood leak is a liability for another reason. Generally lobsters are not cannibalistic 5 , but the scent of an injured lobster’s blood can inspire them to kill and consume their unlucky comrade. With time, lobsters are able to regenerate most appendages, although the energy required to do so slows their overall growth. An eye, unfortunately, will never grow back. But other appendages may appear grotesquely in the eye’s place—an unwanted foot, for instance. If one of the lobsters capitulates before being destroyed, it may receive mercy. A generous victor will pursue the loser to ensure that it assumes a submissive posture by folding back its antennae, lowering its claws, and curling its tail, and backing into a corner. The winner will strut away, satisfied that it has achieved dominance.

using this context answer this

In line 27, why is claw lock described as a “more consequential contest”? A It can result in serious injury. B It can lead toa shoving match. C It can draw other lobsters into the fight. D It can result in low lobster population.

Answer 1

A. It can result in serious injury.