Despite its 1989 designation as a threatened species under t

Question

Discussed in detail at the below mentioned link
despite-its-1989-designation-as-a-threatened-species-under-153806.html

Despite its 1989 designation as a threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act, the desert tortoise, Gopherus agassizii, has declined in numbers by ninety percent since the 1980s. Although federal protection made it illegal to harm desert tortoises or remove them from the wild of the southwestern North American deserts, this measure has been insufficient to reverse the species’ decline, and further intervention is required.
Recovery has been slow, partly due to the desert tortoise’s low reproductive potential. Females breed only after reaching full size at fifteen to twenty years of age, and even then may only lay eggs when adequate forage is available. Although the number of eggs in each clutch varies, and each female might lay a few clutches in one season, the average mature female produces only a few eggs annually. From these precious eggs, hatchlings emerge wearing soft shells that will harden slowly into protective armor over the next five years. The vulnerable young are entirely neglected by adult tortoises, and only five percent ultimately reach adulthood.
Predators are blamed for most tortoise deaths; ravens, specifically, are estimated to cause more than half of the juvenile tortoise deaths in the Mojave Desert. Tortoise eggs and juveniles, with their delicate shells, can fall prey to many birds, mammals, and other reptiles. For protection from predators, as well as from desert temperature extremes, tortoises of all ages burrow into the earth. However, if rabbits and rodents are scarce, larger mammalian predators may dig tortoises out of their burrows, devouring even mature tortoises despite their hardened shells.
Even with current protections from human interference, the desert tortoise faces a tough recovery, so additional measures must be taken. First, the limited habitat of desert tortoises, with soil suitable for their burrows, must be protected from development. Next, urban expansion often has the unintended effect of increasing raven populations, so aggressive measures to control the birds are necessary to increase desert tortoise hatchling survival rates. Finally, released captive tortoises typically perish, and can pass upper respiratory tract disease into the wild population with devastating consequences, so continuing education of pet tortoise owners is essential.

Previous efforts to protect the desert tortoise are regarded by the author with

weary skepticism

complete satisfaction

implied opposition

qualified approval

overt disdain

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h2polo · Answer

ANSWER: weary skepticism

What is the OA?

bsv180985 · Answer

weary skepticism  seems the best

complete satisfaction  the tone is negative

implied opposition  there is no opposition

qualified approval  the tone is negative

overt disdain  too extreme

urchin · Answer

weary skepticism

wats the answer ????

burnttwinky · Answer

According the Manhattan GMAT Cat exam, the OA is qualified skepticism

burnttwinky · Answer

Honestly, I would disagree with this, but here is the explanation why:

The previous measure to protect the desert tortoise mentioned in the passage is the designation of the species as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act. The author certainly agrees that the desert tortoise is a threatened species: the second and third paragraphs discuss several problems faced by the species. However, the author believes that the previous efforts have “been insufficient to reverse the species’ decline” (last line of the first paragraph) and that “even with current protections…the desert tortoise faces a tough recovery, so additional measures must be taken” (first line of the last paragraph).

(A) The author is not skeptical of the previous efforts; rather the author agrees with them but feels that they have not gone far enough.

(B) The author feels that the previous efforts to protect the desert tortoise have been insufficient, so while the author may have regard for those efforts, “complete satisfaction” is too strongly worded.

(C) The author does not imply opposition to the previous efforts to protect the desert tortoise; the author agrees with those efforts, but feels that they have been insufficient.

(D) CORRECT. The author does approve of the designation of the desert tortoise as a threatened species, but qualifies that approval with the assertion that “additional measures must be taken.”

(E) The author is not disdainful of the previous efforts to protect the desert tortoise; the author supports those efforts, but feels that they have been insufficient.

11MBA · Answer

I went with A when I was doing the practice test, too, and I'm not satisfied with the explanation either. In my opinion to be skeptical of something means that you don't really believe in its validity. The author clearly shows that he doesn't believe the previous laws are sufficient to protect the turtles. Just look at the second sentence, "Although federal protection made it illegal to harm desert tortoises or remove them from the wild of the southwestern North American deserts, this measure has been insufficient to reverse the species’ decline, and further intervention is required." I don't really think the author really conveys a tone of approval at all.

In my experience only the real GMAT practice exams have really concrete, good explanations for all the questions. The other practice exams should be used as a guide. So don't stress if you don't really agree with some of the explanations.

In my experience only the real GMAT practice exams have really concrete, good explanations for all the questions. The other practice exams should be used as a guide. So don't stress if you don't really agree with some of the explanations.

burnttwinky · Answer

11MBA, I completely agree. They claimed this to be a 700-800 level question. On the real GMAT, i dont think we would have this problem. I dont know anyone who would choose qualified approval, but then again, that is the manhattan gmat.

siddharthisback · Answer

The previous measure to protect the desert tortoise mentioned in the passage is the designation of the species as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act. The author certainly agrees that the desert tortoise is a threatened species: the second and third paragraphs discuss several problems faced by the species. However, the author believes that the previous efforts have “been insufficient to reverse the species’ decline” (last line of the first paragraph) and that “even with current protections…the desert tortoise faces a tough recovery, so additional measures must be taken” (first line of the last paragraph).

(A) The author is not skeptical of the previous efforts; rather the author agrees with them but feels that they have not gone far enough.

(B) The author feels that the previous efforts to protect the desert tortoise have been insufficient, so while the author may have regard for those efforts, “complete satisfaction” is too strongly worded.

(C) The author does not imply opposition to the previous efforts to protect the desert tortoise; the author agrees with those efforts, but feels that they have been insufficient.

(D) CORRECT. The author does approve of the designation of the desert tortoise as a threatened species, but qualifies that approval with the assertion that “additional measures must be taken.”

(E) The author is not disdainful of the previous efforts to protect the desert tortoise; the author supports those efforts, but feels that they have been insufficient.

gmatfighter12 · Answer

I picked A and even though D does make sense, I am not quite sure if I can reach the similar conclusion if GMAt test has this.

mbaiseasy · Answer

The author claims that the current measures are insufficient and we need to add more steps to really save the tortoise.... Is the author saying we need to eliminate the existing measures? No! The thought of adding something to it means that it is sill needed but just not enough.

Weary skepticism : this is wrong because the author thinks it is still needed and need not be done away. There are just additional measures that must be taken. This means the author believes the old measures plus his suggestions will be both helpful.

Complete satisfaction: false

Implied opposition: if this is true, then the author would rather eliminate the current measures.

Disdain: the author is speaking in a rational manner and not attached to emotions...

Answer: qualified approval... It works but insufficient.. We need to add some more measures...

Simply because the author did not suggest the elimination of measures means that he believes the measures have brought some good even little...

btg9788 · Answer

I have no doubt about  qualified approval . :-D

The last lines of the first para and the first few lines of the last para suggest that the author is okay with the current protection measures. But, the author also hints at adding stronger measures to ensure that the species is preserved.

The author would have been "disdainful" or "skeptical" had he criticized the protection efforts. But, the overall tone suggests that he only intends to suggest that these efforts were insufficient, not counterproductive..

Despite its 1989 designation as a threatened species under t

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