Desertification in the arid United States is flagrant. Groundwater sup

Question

New Project RC Butler 2019  -  Practice 2 RC Passages Everyday   
Passage # 464, Date: 20-Nov-2019
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Desertification in the arid United States is flagrant. Groundwater supplies beneath vast stretches of land are dropping precipitously. Whole river systems have dried up; others are choked with sediment washed from denuded land. Hundreds of thousands of acres of previously irrigated cropland have been abandoned to wind or weeds. Several million acres of natural grassland are eroding at unnaturally high rates as a result of cultivation or overgrazing. All told, about 225 million acres of land are undergoing severe desertification.

Federal subsidies encourage the exploitation of arid land resources. Lowinterest loans for irrigation and other water delivery systems encourage farmers, industry, and municipalities to mine groundwater. Federal disaster relief and commodity programs encourage aridland farmers to plow up natural grassland to plant crops such as wheat and, especially, cotton. Federal grazing fees that are well below the free-market price encourage overgrazing of the commons. The market, too, provides powerful incentives to exploit arid land resources beyond their carrying capacity. When commodity prices are high relative to the farmer’s or rancher’s operating costs, the return on a productionenhancing investment is invariably greater than the return on a conservation investment. And when commodity prices are relatively low, arid land ranchers and farmers often have to use all of their available financial resources to stay solvent.

The incentives to exploit arid land resources are greater today than ever. The government is now offering huge new subsidies to produce synfuel from coal or oil shale as well as alcohol fuel from crops. Moreover, commodity prices are on the rise; and they will provide farmers and agribusiness with powerful incentive to overexploit arid land resources. The existing federal government costshare programs designed to help finance the conservation of soil, water, and vegetation pale in comparison to such incentives.

In the final analysis, when viewed in the national perspective, the effects on agriculture are the most troublesome aspect of desertification in the United States, for it comes at a time when we are losing over a million acres of rain-watered crop and pasture land per year to  “higher uses” — shopping centers, industrial parks, housing developments, and waste dumps— heedless of the economic need of the United States to export agricultural products or of the world’s need for U.S. food and fiber. Today the arid West accounts for 20% of the nation’s total agricultural output. If the United States is, as it appears, well on its way toward overdrawing the arid land resources, then the policy choice is simply to pay now for the appropriate remedies or pay far more later, when productive benefits from arid land resources have been both realized and largely terminated.    1  
 B 
 1. The author is primarily concerned with

(A) discussing a solution
(B) describing a problem
(C) replying to a detractor
(D) finding a contradiction
(E) defining a term

2  
 C 
 2. The passage mentions all of the following as effects of desertification EXCEPT

(A) increased sediment in rivers
(B) erosion of land
(C) overcultivation of arid land
(D) decreasing groundwater supplies
(E) loss of land to wind or weeds

3  
 E 
 3. The author most likely encloses the phrase “higher uses” ( Highlighted ) in quotations marks in order to

(A) alert the reader to the fact that the term is very important
(B) minimize the importance of desertification in non-arid land
(C) voice his support for expansion of such programs
(D) express concern over the extent of desertification
(E) indicate disagreement that such uses are more important

4  
 D 
 4. The passages mentions all of the following as economic factors tending to contribute to desertification EXCEPT

(A) price incentives for farmers to use arid lands to produce certain commodities
(B) artifically low government fees for use of public grazing lands
(C) government subsidies for fuels that are manufactured from a variety of crops
(D) worldwide demand for the food and fiber produced in the United States
(E) lack of effective government financial incentives to conserve soil, water, and vegetation

5  
 A 
 5. According to the passage, the most serious long-term effect of desertification would be the reduced ability of

(A) the United States to continue to export agricultural products
(B) municipalities to supply water to meet the needs of residents
(C) farmers to cover the cost of producing crops
(D) the United States to meet the food needs of its own people
(E) the United States to produce sufficient fuel for energy from domestic sources

6  
 E 
 6. The passage leads most logically to discussion of a proposal for

(A) reduced agricultural output in the United States
(B) direct government aid to farmers affected by desertification
(C) curtailing the conversion of land to shopping centers and housing
(D) government assistance to develop improved farming methods to increase exploitation of arid land
(E) increased government assistance to finance the conservation of arid land

7  
 E 
 7. The author’s attitude toward desertification can best be described as one of

(A) alarm
(B) optimism
(C) understanding
(D) conciliation
(E) concern

Source:  Master GMAT 
Difficulty Level:   700

Hea234ven · Answer

I am confused in Q7. I am confused between choice A and E.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

7. The author’s attitude toward desertification can best be described as one of

Explanation

This is a tone question. We can surely eliminate  (B), (C), and (D)  as not expressing the appropriate element of worry. Then,  between (A) and (E), (A)   overstates the case.  The author says we solve the problem now or we solve it later (at a higher cost). But that is an expression of concern, not alarm.

The correct answer is (E).

Hope it helps

Rashigarg7 · Answer

In Q-3 i chose D over E 
Can someome please explain Q-3?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

3. The author most likely encloses the phrase “higher uses” ( Highlighted ) in quotations marks in order to

Explanation

This is an inference question. The author places the phrase  “higher uses”  in quotation marks. In essence, this is similar to prefacing the phrase with the disclaimer  “so called.”  This impression is reinforced by the final entry in the list of examples of  “higher uses” : waste dumps. This is not to say that the author would argue that such uses are not important. Rather, this is to say that the author does not believe that those uses are more important than agricultural uses.

(A)  is incorrect since this term is no more important than other terms used in the passage.

(B)  is incorrect since the author is talking about the conversion of non-arid land to higher uses.

(C)  is incorrect since the author is clearly opposed to such expansion.

Finally,  (D)  is a sentiment expressed in the passage, but that is not the reason for placing this phrase in quotation marks.

The correct answer is (E).

Hope it helps

saishivapriya · Answer

Can someone please post official answer explanations for all the questions

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation 1. The author is primarily concerned with Difficulty Level: 600 Explanation This is a main idea question. The author’s primary concern is to discuss the problem of desertification. So choice (B) is correct. A natural extension of the discussion would be a proposal to slow the process of desertification, but that is not included in the passage as written, so (A) must be incorrect. (C), (D), and (E) are each incorrect because we find no elements in the passage to support those choices. Even admitting that the author intends to define, implicitly, the term “desertification,” that is surely not the main point of the passage. The author also dwells at length on the causes of the problem. The correct answer is (B). 2. The passage mentions all of the following as effects of desertification EXCEPT Difficulty Level: 700 Explanation This is an explicit idea question. In the first paragraph, the author mentions (A), (B), (D), and (E) as features of desertification. (C) , however, is one of the causes of desertification mentioned in the second paragraph. The correct answer is (C). For question #3 click on below link https://gmatclub.com/forum/desertificat ... l#p2411404 4. The passages mentions all of the following as economic factors tending to contribute to desertification EXCEPT Difficulty Level: 700 Explanation This is a specific detail (explicit idea) question with a thought-reverser. The correct answer is (D). The author mentions world demand for U.S. products in the final paragraph, but “mention” alone does not make this a correct answer to the question. The right answer to a specific detail question must not only be mentioned; it must also answer the question asked. In this case, global need is mentioned as a reason to avoid desertification (feeding people is important) and not as a cause. The other choices are mentioned as causes: (A) and (B) in paragraph 2 ; (C) and (E) in paragraph 3. The correct answer is (D). 5. According to the passage, the most serious long-term effect of desertification would be the reduced ability of Difficulty Level: 700 Explanation This is an explicit idea question, and the answer is found in the last paragraph . There the author states that the most serious longterm effect of desertification will be on the United States’ ability to export agricultural products. This will be harmful to the United States economically and to the rest of the world in terms of meeting the demand for food and fiber. As for (B) and (C) , though these are plausible as effects of desertification, the author does not mention them specifically, and he certainly does not describe them as the most serious effects of desertification. (D) is incorrect because the author’s concern is over the ability of the United States to continue to export agricultural products, not the ability of the United States to meet domestic demand. Finally, (E) fails for the same reason that (B) and (C) are incorrect. Though it might arguably be one result of desertification (and that is an issue we need not address), the author never mentions it as a possible effect. The correct answer is (A). 6. The passage leads most logically to discussion of a proposal for Difficulty Level: 600 Explanation This is an application question. In the passage the author indicates that government programs which encourage exploitation of arid land are in large measure responsible for the rapid rate of desertification. A natural extension of the discussion would be a proposal for government spending to conserve arid lands. And this receives specific support in the third paragraph, where the author mentions that government conservation incentives are inadequate. With regard to (A) , the author seems to believe that it is necessary for the United States to continue to export agricultural products to meet the world demand. (B) is surely incorrect, for the author argues that aid to farmers is one cause of the rapid rate of desertification. (D) is incorrect for the same reason. As for (C) , the conversion of land to “higher uses” is mentioned as a factor complicating the process of desertification. It is not a cause of desertification. The most natural extension of the passage would be a discussion of how to combat desertification. The correct answer is (E). For question #7 click on below link https://gmatclub.com/forum/desertificat ... l#p2410636 Hope it helps

auradediligodo · Answer

Hi everyone,
Got 6/7 correct in 12:10 minutes, including 5 minutes to read and 7:10 minutes to answer the questions.

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P1

In the first paragraph the author talks about the consequences of desertification. All the drawbacks are here presented.

Purpose:   To present all the drawbacks related to desertification

P2

In paragraph 2 the author describes the effect of the current federal policy. Such effects lead generally to overexploitation, overgrazing and so on and so far.
Then the author proceeds by describing how commodity prices affect the investments done on arid lands.

Purpose:   To present the drawbacks related to the current federal policies on arid lands.

P3

In this paragraph the author compares the measures taken to exploit the arid lands with the measures taken to save such lands form exploitation. Per the author the latter are very scarce and the incentives used for arid lands are at their highest.

Purpose:   To claim that the efforts done to save lands are much weaker compared to the ones to incentivize exploitation.

P4

In this paragraph the author claims that the agricultural sector, and consequently the export sector, is the most affected by desertification. Moreover the author presets two possible scenarios: pay now or pay later more.

Purpose:   To present the most affected sector from desertification and to present two possible scenarios.

Main point

To claim that desertification is leading to very bad situation, that federal policies are working in favor of desertification and that economic consequences will inevitably come.

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1. The author is primarily concerned with

Pre-thinking

Purpose question

To claim that desertification is leading to very bad situation, that federal policies are working in favor of desertification and that economic consequences will inevitably come.

(A) discussing a solution  no solution is presented 
  (B)   describing a problem
(C) replying to a detractor
(D) finding a contradiction 
(E) defining a term

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2. The passage mentions all of the following as effects of desertification EXCEPT

Pre-thinking

Detail question

Effects of desertification are discussed mainly in P1.

Desertification in the arid United States is flagrant.  Groundwater supplies beneath vast stretches of land are dropping precipitously .  Whole river systems have dried up ; others are choked with sediment washed from denuded land.  Hundreds of thousands of acres of previously irrigated cropland have been abandoned to wind or weeds.  Several million acres of natural grassland are  eroding  at unnaturally high rates as a result of cultivation or overgrazing. All told, about 225 million acres of land are undergoing severe desertification.

(A) increased sediment in rivers
(B) erosion of land
  (C)   overcultivation of arid land  Not mentioned 
(D) decreasing groundwater supplies
(E) loss of land to wind or weeds

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. The author most likely encloses the phrase “higher uses” (Highlighted) in quotations marks in order to

Pre-thinking

Inference question

Clearly the author does not believe that building a mall is more important that cultivating lands. Beware that whenever you see something in brackets, the author probably means the opposite

(A) alert the reader to the fact that the term is very important
(B) minimize the importance of desertification in non-arid land
(C) voice his support for expansion of such programs
(D) express concern over the extent of desertification
  (E)   indicate disagreement that such uses are more important

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. The passages mentions all of the following as economic factors tending to contribute to desertification EXCEPT

Pre-thinking

Detail question

We need to evaluate P2 and P3

(A) price incentives for farmers to use arid lands to produce certain commodities  Mentioned in P2 
(B) artifically low government fees for use of public grazing lands   Federal grazing fees that are well below the free-market price encourage overgrazing of the commons.  
(C) government subsidies for fuels that are manufactured from a variety of crops   the government is now offering huge new subsidies to produce synfuel from coal or oil shale as well as alcohol fuel from crops.   
  (D)   worldwide demand for the food and fiber produced in the United States  Mentioned in P4 but in another context. Such demand would not contribute to desertification. Au contraire. 
(E) lack of effective government financial incentives to conserve soil, water, and vegetation   The existing federal government costshare programs designed to help finance the conservation of soil, water, and vegetation pale in comparison to such incentives.

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5. According to the passage, the most serious long-term effect of desertification would be the reduced ability of

Pre-thinking

Detail question

From last paragraph:   In the final analysis, when viewed in the national perspective, the effects on agriculture are the most troublesome aspect of desertification in the United States,

And this statement leads to:   heedless of the economic need of the United States to export agricultural products or of the world’s need for U.S. food and fiber.

(A)   the United States to continue to export agricultural products
(B) municipalities to supply water to meet the needs of residents
(C) farmers to cover the cost of producing crops
(D) the United States to meet the food needs of its own people
(E) the United States to produce sufficient fuel for energy from domestic sources

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. The passage leads most logically to discussion of a proposal for

Pre-thinking

Inference question

The passage as whole tries to communicate that something should be done to prevent the effect of desertification to deteriorate

(A) reduced agricultural output in the United States
(B) direct government aid to farmers affected by desertification
(C) curtailing the conversion of land to shopping centers and housing  yes, but this statement is a little too specific as we are asked what the passage as a whole leads to. 
(D) government assistance to develop improved  farming methods  to increase exploitation of arid land
  (E)   increased government assistance to finance the conservation of arid land

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7. The author’s attitude toward desertification can best be described as one of

Pre-thinking

Tone question

The author is concerned

(A) alarm  I was tempted but I found this option a little extreme. 
(B) optimism
(C) understanding
(D) conciliation
  (E)   concern

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Desertification in the arid United States is flagrant. Groundwater sup

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Desertification in the arid United States is flagrant. Groundwater sup

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