For those of us who wish to preserve the planet’s diversity of species, high-tech, chemically assisted agriculture is an environmentalist’s best friend. That’s right. Soaring growth in human population threatens to destroy most of the world’s remaining rainforests, wetlands, and mountain ecosystems, drastically reducing species diversity. Despite advances in chemical-free farming techniques, overreliance on these practices will result in the plowing down of forests to feed a global population that is estimated to reach 9.6 billion people by 2050. Environmentalists must face the fact that unless high-yield crop varieties, pesticides, and fertilizers are widely used in developing nations, the world’s food supply will be outstripped by spiraling demand. This will mean more forests falling under the plow. I couldn’t agree more that it’s crucial to step up agricultural productivity to feed a spiraling global population. My quarrel is with how to intensify agriculture, not whether it should be intensified. The paramount concern must be to increase crop yields in environmentally sensitive ways that protect human health and the soil and water that are agriculture’s very foundation. Heavy use of agrochemicals can bring high yields in the short run, but the cumulative damages may be considerable. Those of us whose research demonstrates that resource-conserving farming practices can be just as productive as the chemical-intensive kind contend that the goal should be efficient use of chemicals, not wide use.
Both authors indicate that meeting the world's food needs should not come at the expense of:
- A. innovative farming practices
- B. environmental integrity
- C. humane treatment of animals
- D. economic development
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: B
Meeting the world’s food needs should prioritize environmental integrity, as it ensures sustainable practices that protect ecosystems for future generations. If environmental health is compromised, long-term agricultural productivity is at risk. Option A, innovative farming practices, while important, can still be pursued without sacrificing environmental integrity. Option C, humane treatment of animals, is critical but may not directly relate to the broader environmental concerns outlined by the authors. Option D, economic development, is essential for food security, but it should not overshadow the imperative of maintaining ecological balance.
Meeting the world’s food needs should prioritize environmental integrity, as it ensures sustainable practices that protect ecosystems for future generations. If environmental health is compromised, long-term agricultural productivity is at risk. Option A, innovative farming practices, while important, can still be pursued without sacrificing environmental integrity. Option C, humane treatment of animals, is critical but may not directly relate to the broader environmental concerns outlined by the authors. Option D, economic development, is essential for food security, but it should not overshadow the imperative of maintaining ecological balance.
Other Related Questions
In context, the statement that the woman is 'draped from brow to ankle in gold and wind-crushed linen' (sentence 10) primarily:
- A. reveals the narrator's assumptions about the woman's income
- B. explains why the woman might be uncomfortable in the cold weather
- C. shows how different the woman's clothing is from the narrator's clothing
- D. emphasizes how out of place the woman seems in the surrounding environment
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: D
The description of the woman being "draped from brow to ankle in gold and wind-crushed linen" emphasizes her opulent attire, suggesting she is out of place in her surroundings. This stark contrast highlights her distinctiveness compared to the environment, reinforcing her isolation. Option A misinterprets the focus on income rather than the visual impact of her clothing. Option B incorrectly assumes discomfort from the cold, which is not the primary focus of the imagery. Option C, while noting a difference in clothing, fails to capture the broader context of the woman’s disconnection from her environment, which is central to the statement.
The description of the woman being "draped from brow to ankle in gold and wind-crushed linen" emphasizes her opulent attire, suggesting she is out of place in her surroundings. This stark contrast highlights her distinctiveness compared to the environment, reinforcing her isolation. Option A misinterprets the focus on income rather than the visual impact of her clothing. Option B incorrectly assumes discomfort from the cold, which is not the primary focus of the imagery. Option C, while noting a difference in clothing, fails to capture the broader context of the woman’s disconnection from her environment, which is central to the statement.
Which of the following, if true, would most challenge the 'implication' mentioned in the fourth sentence? 'Some experts reject the implication that Çatalhöyük’s farmers cultivated distant fields, since large quantities of grain would have had to be transported.'
- A. Çatalhöyük's farmers obtained through trade the wheat and barley that Rosen analyzed.
- B. Çatalhöyük's farmers understood the impact of soil conditions on crop productivity.
- C. Çatalhöyük's farmers shared wheat and barley fields with neighboring villages.
- D. Çatalhöyük's farmers used wood that deteriorated in the damp environment.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A
Option A directly challenges the implication that farmers at Çatalhöyük cultivated distant fields by suggesting they obtained the grains through trade instead. This undermines the need for transporting large quantities of grain from faraway locations, thus supporting the idea that local cultivation was not necessary. Option B focuses on soil conditions but does not address the transportation issue, leaving the original implication intact. Option C implies shared resources with neighbors but does not clarify whether these fields were local or distant, failing to challenge the transportation concern. Option D discusses environmental factors unrelated to the cultivation and transport of grain, making it irrelevant to the implication.
Option A directly challenges the implication that farmers at Çatalhöyük cultivated distant fields by suggesting they obtained the grains through trade instead. This undermines the need for transporting large quantities of grain from faraway locations, thus supporting the idea that local cultivation was not necessary. Option B focuses on soil conditions but does not address the transportation issue, leaving the original implication intact. Option C implies shared resources with neighbors but does not clarify whether these fields were local or distant, failing to challenge the transportation concern. Option D discusses environmental factors unrelated to the cultivation and transport of grain, making it irrelevant to the implication.
Which of the following results is LEAST compatible with the goal expressed in the third sentence of Passage 2 ('The paramount concern must be to increase crop yields in environmentally sensitive ways that protect human health and the soil and water that are agriculture’s very foundation')?
- A. An international ban on the use of agrochemicals drives several multinational corporations out of business
- B. A species of bird becomes extinct after forests in which these birds nested are cleared to create farmland
- C. A rural community shows an increased rate of disease after local farmers adopt chemical-intensive techniques
- D. Government subsidies to farmers encourage overproduction of certain crops to the detriment of others
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C
Option C is least compatible with the goal of increasing crop yields while protecting human health and the environment. An increase in disease rates due to chemical-intensive farming directly contradicts the aim of safeguarding human health. Option A, while it may harm businesses, reflects a move towards environmentally sensitive practices by banning harmful chemicals. Option B highlights the negative ecological impact of deforestation for agriculture, which undermines environmental health. Option D addresses overproduction and its ecological consequences, aligning with the need for sustainable practices. Thus, C is the option that most clearly opposes the stated goal.
Option C is least compatible with the goal of increasing crop yields while protecting human health and the environment. An increase in disease rates due to chemical-intensive farming directly contradicts the aim of safeguarding human health. Option A, while it may harm businesses, reflects a move towards environmentally sensitive practices by banning harmful chemicals. Option B highlights the negative ecological impact of deforestation for agriculture, which undermines environmental health. Option D addresses overproduction and its ecological consequences, aligning with the need for sustainable practices. Thus, C is the option that most clearly opposes the stated goal.
In sentence 13, the narrator most likely uses the image of 'a tightly woven fruit basket' to suggest that the rain is:
- A. a physical challenge that must be endured
- B. falling so heavily that she can barely see through it
- C. a reminder of the weather in harvest season
- D. important because it allows crops to survive
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A
The image of "a tightly woven fruit basket" conveys the idea of resilience and endurance, suggesting that the rain is a challenge that must be faced. This metaphor implies that just like a tightly woven basket holds its contents together despite external pressures, the narrator must endure the rain's intensity. Option B misinterprets the imagery; while heavy rain can obscure vision, the metaphor focuses more on endurance than visibility. Option C incorrectly links the rain to harvest season, which is not implied in the context. Option D, while true about rain's importance for crops, does not capture the struggle suggested by the basket imagery.
The image of "a tightly woven fruit basket" conveys the idea of resilience and endurance, suggesting that the rain is a challenge that must be faced. This metaphor implies that just like a tightly woven basket holds its contents together despite external pressures, the narrator must endure the rain's intensity. Option B misinterprets the imagery; while heavy rain can obscure vision, the metaphor focuses more on endurance than visibility. Option C incorrectly links the rain to harvest season, which is not implied in the context. Option D, while true about rain's importance for crops, does not capture the struggle suggested by the basket imagery.