A number of natural disasters in recent years such as earthquakes, ma

Question

A number of natural disasters in recent years—
such as earthquakes, major storms, and floods—that
have affected large populations of people have forced
relief agencies, communities, and entire nations to
  (5)   reevaluate the ways in which they respond in the
aftermaths of such disasters. They believe that
traditional ways of dealing with disasters have proved
ineffective on several occasions and, in some cases,
have been destructive rather than helpful to the
  (10)   communities hit by these sudden and unexpected
crises. Traditionally, relief has been based on the
premise that aid in postdisaster situations is most
effective if given in the immediate aftermath of an
event. A high priority also has been placed on the
  (15)   quantity of aid materials, programs, and personnel, in
the belief that the negative impact of a disaster can
be counteracted by a large and rapid infusion of aid.

Critics claim that such an approach often creates
a new set of difficulties for already hard-hit
  (20)   communities. Teams of uninvited experts and
personnel—all of whom need food and shelter—as
well as uncoordinated shipments of goods and the
establishment of programs inappropriate to local
needs can quickly lead to a secondary “disaster” as
  (25)   already strained local infrastructures break down
under the pressure of this large influx of resources. In
some instances, tons of food have disappeared into
local markets for resale, and, with inadequate
accounting procedures, billions of dollars in aid
  (30)   money have gone unaccounted for.

To develop a more effective approach, experts
recommend shifting the focus to the long term. A
response that produces lasting benefit, these experts
claim, requires that community members define the
  (35)   form and method of aid that are most appropriate to
their needs. Grassroots dialogue designed to facilitate
preparedness should be encouraged in disaster-prone
communities long before the onset of a crisis, so that
in a disaster’s immediate aftermath, relief agencies
  (40)   can rely on members of affected communities to take
the lead. The practical effect of this approach is that
aid takes the form of a response to the stated desires
of those affected rather than an immediate, though
less informed, action on their behalf.

(45)   Though this proposal appears sound, its success
depends on how an important constituency,
namely donors, will respond. Historically,
donors—individuals, corporations, foundations, and
governmental bodies—have been most likely to
  (50)   respond only in the immediate aftermath of a crisis.
However, communities affected by disasters typically
have several long-term needs such as the rebuilding
of houses and roads, and thus the months and years
after a disaster are also crucial. Donors that
  (55)   incorporate dialogue with members of affected
communities into their relief plans could foster
strategies that more efficiently utilize immediate aid
as well as provide for the difficulties facing
communities in the years after a disaster.    1 
 1. Which one of the following most accurately expresses the main point of the passage?

(A) The most useful response to a natural disaster is one in which relief agencies allow victims to dictate the type of aid they receive, which will most likely result in the allocation of longterm rather than immediate aid.
(B) The quantity of aid given after a natural disaster reflects the desires of donors more than the needs of recipients, and in some cases great quantities of aid are destructive rather than helpful.
(C) Aid that focuses on long-term needs is difficult to organize because, by its very definition, it requires that relief agencies focus on constructing an adequate dialogue among recipients, providers, and donors.
(D) Disaster relief efforts have been marked by inefficiencies that attest to the need for donors and relief agencies to communicate with affected communities concerning how best to meet not only their short-term but also their long-term needs.
(E) Though the years after a disaster are crucial for communities affected by disasters, the days and weeks immediately after a disaster are what capture the attention of donors, thus forcing relief agencies into the role of mediators between the two extremes.

2 
 2. Which one of the following examples best illustrates the type of disaster response recommended by the experts mentioned in the third paragraph?

(A) After a flood, local officials reject three more expensive proposals before finally accepting a contractor’s plan to control a local river with a dam.
(B) Following a plan developed several years ago by a relief agency in consultation with donors and community members, the relief agency provides temporary shelter immediately after a flood and later helps rebuild houses destroyed by the flood.
(C) Immediately after a flood, several different relief agencies, each acting independently, send large shipments of goods to the affected community along with teams of highly motivated but untrained volunteers to coordinate the distribution of these goods.
(D) At the request of its donors, a private relief agency delays providing any assistance to victims of a flood until after the agency conducts a thorough study of the types of aid most likely to help the affected community in the long run.
(E) After a flood, government officials persuade local companies to increase their corporate giving levels and to direct more aid to the surrounding community.

3 
 3. The author of the passage would be most likely to agree with which one of the following statements?

(A) Disaster relief plans are appropriate only for disaster-prone communities.
(B) When communities affected by disasters have articulated their long-term needs, donors typically have been responsive to those needs.
(C) Donors would likely provide more disaster relief aid if they had confidence that it would be used more effectively than aid currently is.
(D) It is not the amount of aid but rather the way this aid is managed that is the source of current problems in disaster relief.
(E) Few communities affected by disasters experience a crucial need for short-term aid.

4 
 4. The author discusses donors in the final paragraph primarily in order to

(A) point to an influential group of people who have resisted changes to traditional disaster response efforts
(B) demonstrate that the needs of donors and aid recipients contrast profoundly on the issue of disaster response
(C) show that implementing an effective disaster relief program requires a new approach on the part of donors as well as relief agencies
(D) illustrate that relief agencies and donors share similar views on the goals of disaster response but disagree on the proper response methods
(E) concede that the reformation of disaster relief programs, while necessary, is unlikely to take place because of the disagreements among donors

5 
 5. It can be inferred from the passage that the author would be most likely to view a shift toward a more long-term perspective in disaster relief efforts as which one of the following?

(A) a development that would benefit affected communities as well as aid providers who have a shared interest in relief efforts that are effective and well managed
(B) a change that would help communities meet their future needs more effectively but would inevitably result in a detrimental reduction of short-term aid like food and medicine
(C) an approach that would enable aid recipients to meet their long-term needs but which would not address the mismanagement that hampers short-term relief efforts
(D) a movement that, while well intentioned, will likely be undermined by the unwillingness of donors to accept new methods of delivering aid
(E) the beginning of a trend in which aid recipients play a major role after a disaster and donors play a minor role, reversing the structure of traditional aid programs

6 
 6. Which one of the following inferences about natural disasters and relief efforts is most strongly supported by the passage?

(A) Although inefficiencies have long been present in international disaster relief programs, they have been aggravated in recent years by increased demands on relief agencies’ limited resources.
(B) Local communities had expressed little interest in taking responsibility for their own preparedness prior to the most recent years, thus leaving donors and relief agencies unaware of potential problems.
(C) Numerous relief efforts in the years prior to the most recent provided such vast quantities of aid that most needs were met despite evidence of inefficiency and mismanagement, and few recipient communities questioned traditional disaster response methods.
(D) Members of communities affected by disasters have long argued that they should set the agenda for relief efforts, but relief agencies have only recently come to recognize the validity of their arguments.
(E) A number of wasteful relief efforts in the most recent years provided dramatic illustrations of aid programs that were implemented by donors and agencies with little accountability to populations affected by disasters.

PrachiMaloo · Answer

Can someone explain questions 1,3 and 6?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

1. Which one of the following most accurately expresses the main point of the passage?

Difficulty Level:   Hard

Explanation

Clearly, the author is out to promote a far-sighted, more efficient approach to disaster relief, and only  (D)  fits the bill, bringing in all the key elements: past inefficiency, the need to involve donors, and a long-term strategy.

(A)  sounds like a summary of the passage’s preferred approach, but actually distorts the passage severely. The author favors consultation with local aid recipients, but to call that “dictating” is going too far. Moreover, it is not recipients’ dictates but donors’ preferences  (paragraph 4)  that will result in the allocation of more long-term aid.

(B)  The second clause is more or less accurate if a bit narrow in scope  (lines 8–10 only) , but the first clause is not. Donors’ desires are not set against recipients’ needs.

(C)  is actually a 180, in that the author believes that short-term, not long-term, aid is  “difficult to organize.”  Moreover, the author is high on having the dialogue go on among donors, providers, and recipients, and expresses no qualms about its difficulty.

(E)  makes it sound as if the donors are the principal actors in the passage, when in fact they figure only in the caveat paragraph  (paragraph 4) . Furthermore,  (E)  makes no mention of the time preceding a disaster, and makes up a phony clash between  “two extremes,”  between which someone must mediate.

Answer: D

3. The author of the passage would be most likely to agree with which one of the following statements?

Difficulty Level:   Medium

Explanation

(A)  To be sure,  lines 36–41  make it clear that fruitful dialogue should take place in disaster-prone communities, but that’s not to say that only those communities prone to disaster should have potential aid donors and recipients sit down together, as  (A)  would have it. The natural disasters enumerated in  line 2  could readily afflict communities that have never suffered from them before, and surely the author would argue that those communities, too, would benefit from plenty of advance discussion about aid. Eliminate.

(B)  This choice is contradicted by  lines 47–50 : what’s typical is for donors to offer aid only in the wake of a disaster, not before, as  (B)  would have it. Eliminate.

(C)  Donors’ concerns about the effectiveness of disaster relief are never discussed. We don’t know whether they share the concerns laid out in  paragraph 1.  Eliminate.

(D)  From the beginning, the author describes a  “reevaluation”  of  “the ways in which  ,”  which means that it’s the management and not the amount of aid that is the problem. And indeed, the passage makes it clear that there’s plenty of stuff getting sent to those in need, but the stuff just isn’t being distributed properly. So  (D)  is correct. For the record:

(E)  The author doesn’t deny the need for short-term aid, as is clear from  paragraph 2.  What he denies is that short-term aid (the typical approach) is the only type needed.

Answer: D

6. Which one of the following inferences about natural disasters and relief efforts is most strongly supported by the passage?

Difficulty Level:   Medium

Explanation

The inferences in questions 3 and 5 were broad-based, but here we are to focus specifically on the narrow relationship between natural disasters and relief efforts. This must send us to paragraphs 1 and 2, which deal with that relationship’s history prior to paragraph 3’s introduction of the new proposal. A quick review of  paragraphs 1  and  2  lays the groundwork for our reading of the choices.

(A)  actually counters the author’s idea that it’s management of aid, not the amount of aid, that is problematic. Nowhere are we told that resources are inadequate these days. Eliminate.

(B)  oddly implies that donors and agencies are unaware of problems, when the passage’s very first sentence tells us that their cognizance has already prompted them to  “reevaluate”  relief efforts.  (B)  also implies, with no foundation, that local communities have had no interest in shaping their own futures. Eliminate.

(C)  paints a portrait of general success marked by some glitches, which is a sharp contrast to the portrait of chaos and waste described in  paragraph 2.  Eliminate.

(D)  There is no evidence that the local communities have made any such arguments, and even if there were, it’s the blatant evidence of chaos and waste that have made the relief agencies rethink their approach, not any appeal from the locals. Eliminate. So  (E)  must be right.

(E)  sums up the gist of the first two paragraphs, namely hugely wasteful relief efforts imposed from without—by the relief agencies, uninvited and without consultation—rather than shaped from within. An excellent summary and the correct answer.

Answer: E

KabxW · Answer

Anyone please explain Q5 of this and why E is wrong in that

Sajjad1994 · Answer

(E)  is not justified as to be the true answer, it is pulled out of thin air. What won’t change is that the donors will continue to write checks and the recipients will continue to receive the value.

AKukreja · Answer

sajjad  Hey, Sajjad! Why can't D be the answer of Question 4?

siddhantvarma · Answer

Took 14mins 30 sec and got 5/6 correct. Too much to read both in the passage as well as questions, otherwise not a difficult passage.

Summary: The passage discusses the inefficiencies and negative impacts of traditional disaster relief methods, prioritising immediate aid in large quantities. It critiques this approach for causing additional problems in already affected communities. Experts suggest a shift toward long-term planning and community involvement in defining aid needs to improve disaster response effectiveness. The success of this proposed approach hinges on the willingness of donors to support long-term relief efforts.

Passage Breakdown: 
 
  P1:  Traditional disaster relief methods, which prioritize immediate aid in large quantities, are often ineffective and sometimes harmful. 
  P2:  Critics argue that these traditional methods create additional problems, such as infrastructure breakdowns and mismanagement of resources. 
  P3:  Experts recommend a focus on long-term aid and community involvement in planning to ensure more effective disaster relief. 
  P4:  The success of this new approach depends on donors’ willingness to support long-term efforts, despite their historical focus on immediate post-disaster aid.  
 1. Which one of the following most accurately expresses the main point of the passage?

(A) The most useful response to a natural disaster is one in which relief agencies allow victims to dictate the type of aid they receive, which will most likely result in the allocation of longterm rather than immediate aid. 
The passage emphasizes the shift to long-term aid determined by the needs of the affected communities (Paragraph 3). However, this is not the main point of the passage.   A is out.

(B) The quantity of aid given after a natural disaster reflects the desires of donors more than the needs of recipients, and in some cases great quantities of aid are destructive rather than helpful. 
This is incorrect because, while the passage discusses the problems with traditional aid, it does not state that aid quantity solely reflects donor desires (Paragraph 2).   We can rule out B.

(C) Aid that focuses on long-term needs is difficult to organize because, by its very definition, it requires that relief agencies focus on constructing an adequate dialogue among recipients, providers, and donors. 
This is incorrect because the passage emphasizes the potential benefits of long-term aid, not its organizational difficulties (Paragraph 3).   We can eliminate C.

(D) Disaster relief efforts have been marked by inefficiencies that attest to the need for donors and relief agencies to communicate with affected communities concerning how best to meet not only their short-term but also their long-term needs. 
This is correct because the passage highlights the inefficiencies of traditional methods and suggests a need for better communication and long-term planning (Paragraphs 2 and 3).   Let's hold onto D.

(E) Though the years after a disaster are crucial for communities affected by disasters, the days and weeks immediately after a disaster are what capture the attention of donors, thus forcing relief agencies into the role of mediators between the two extremes. 
This is incorrect because it misinterprets the role of relief agencies and the passage’s main argument about the shift to long-term aid (Paragraph 4).   E is out.

2.Which one of the following examples best illustrates the type of disaster response recommended by the experts mentioned in the third paragraph?

(A) After a flood, local officials reject three more expensive proposals before finally accepting a contractor’s plan to control a local river with a dam. 
This is incorrect because it does not involve community-defined needs or long-term planning (Paragraph 3).   A is out.

(B) Following a plan developed several years ago by a relief agency in consultation with donors and community members, the relief agency provides temporary shelter immediately after a flood and later helps rebuild houses destroyed by the flood. 
This is correct because it illustrates a long-term approach with community involvement and immediate and sustained aid (Paragraph 3).   Hold onto B.

(C) Immediately after a flood, several different relief agencies, each acting independently, send large shipments of goods to the affected community along with teams of highly motivated but untrained volunteers to coordinate the distribution of these goods. 
This is incorrect because it describes the traditional, criticized approach of immediate, uncoordinated aid (Paragraph 2).   We can rule out C.

(D) At the request of its donors, a private relief agency delays providing any assistance to victims of a flood until after the agency conducts a thorough study of the types of aid most likely to help the affected community in the long run. 
This is incorrect because it does not align with the passage’s recommendation for both immediate and long-term aid (Paragraph 3).   D is out.

(E) After a flood, government officials persuade local companies to increase their corporate giving levels and to direct more aid to the surrounding community. 
This is incorrect because it does not involve community-defined needs or a long-term strategy (Paragraph 3).   We can rule out E.

3. The author of the passage would be most likely to agree with which one of the following statements?

(A) Disaster relief plans are appropriate only for disaster-prone communities. 
This is incorrect because the passage suggests that disaster relief should be improved in general, not limited to certain areas (Paragraph 3).   A is out.

(B) When communities affected by disasters have articulated their long-term needs, donors typically have been responsive to those needs. 
This is incorrect because the passage indicates that donors have historically focused on immediate aid (Paragraph 4).   B is out.

(C) Donors would likely provide more disaster relief aid if they had confidence that it would be used more effectively than aid currently is. 
This is incorrect because the passage does imply that donor behaviour is influenced by the perceived effectiveness of aid, however we aren't told directly that more relief aid will be provided due to it. This is more like a losely tied inference.   Let's eliminate C.

(D) It is not the amount of aid but rather the way this aid is managed that is the source of current problems in disaster relief. 
This is also correct because the passage criticizes the traditional approach’s management rather than the quantity of aid (Paragraph 2).   Let's hold onto D as well.

(E) Few communities affected by disasters experience a crucial need for short-term aid. 
This is incorrect because the passage acknowledges the need for immediate aid but advocates for a balanced approach (Paragraph 3).   E is out.

4. The author discusses donors in the final paragraph primarily to

(A) point to an influential group of people who have resisted changes to traditional disaster response efforts 
This is incorrect because the passage does not state that donors have resisted changes (Paragraph 4).   A is out.

(B) demonstrate that the needs of donors and aid recipients contrast profoundly on the issue of disaster response 
This is incorrect because the passage focuses on aligning the interests of donors and aid recipients (Paragraph 4).   B is out.

(C) show that implementing an effective disaster relief program requires a new approach on the part of donors as well as relief agencies 
This is correct because the passage highlights the need for donor involvement in long-term planning (Paragraph 4).   Let's hold onto C.

(D) illustrate that relief agencies and donors share similar views on the goals of disaster response but disagree on the proper response methods 
This is incorrect because the passage does not discuss shared views or disagreements in detail (Paragraph 4).   D is out.

(E) concede that the reformation of disaster relief programs, while necessary, is unlikely to take place because of the disagreements among donors 
This is incorrect because the passage suggests possible changes if donors adopt a long-term perspective (Paragraph 4).   We can eliminate E.

5. It can be inferred from the passage that the author would be most likely to view a shift toward a more long-term perspective in disaster relief efforts as which one of the following?

(A) a development that would benefit affected communities as well as aid providers who have a shared interest in relief efforts that are effective and well managed 
This is correct because the passage advocates for effective and well-managed relief efforts that involve both communities and aid providers (Paragraph 3).   A sounds good.

(B) a change that would help communities meet their future needs more effectively but would inevitably result in a detrimental reduction of short-term aid like food and medicine 
This is incorrect because the passage suggests a balanced approach, not a reduction in short-term aid (Paragraph 3).   B is out.

(C) an approach that would enable aid recipients to meet their long-term needs but which would not address the mismanagement that hampers short-term relief efforts 
This is incorrect because the passage implies that better management overall would result from community involvement (Paragraph 3).   C is out.

(D) a movement that, while well intentioned, will likely be undermined by the unwillingness of donors to accept new methods of delivering aid 
This is incorrect because the passage suggests that donor support can be garnered (Paragraph 4).   D is out.

(E) the beginning of a trend in which aid recipients play a major role after a disaster and donors play a minor role, reversing the structure of traditional aid programs 
This is incorrect because the passage does not suggest diminishing the role of donors but rather enhancing collaboration (Paragraph 3).   E is out.

A number of natural disasters in recent years such as earthquakes, ma

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A number of natural disasters in recent years such as earthquakes, ma

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