For over a millennium, the Alps have stood as a solid rampart inhibiti

Question

For over a millennium, the Alps have stood as a solid rampart inhibiting European travel and trade. Before the European Union (EU) effectively erased the economic borders between the European nations, this wall did not much matter, as the trade routes were primarily localized. However, with the opening of the continent's economy, Switzerland began to see heavy truck traffic taking a major toll on its delicate highway passes roads intended more for tourism than for commerce. The solution was a constructive one-figuratively and literally: Dig a tunnel. Not just any tunnel would do-only the deepest, longest, most technically difficult hole ever bored: the Gotthard Base Tunnel.

At 35 miles long, this new tunnel is four miles longer than Europe's next longest contender: the Channel Tunnel between England and France. However, the real achievement of the Gotthard Base Tunnel has not been its length as much as its impressive depth. The Channel Tunnel is relatively shallow, while the new Swiss tunnel lies 1.2 miles below the mountain range's surface. Adding to the challenge presented by the necessary length and depth of the tunnel, the Gotthard massif, the rock formation through which the builders had to drill, is a geological jigsaw puzzle of  folded and refolded layers of rock.  The effort, although singularly demanding and expensive, will have a greater payoff economically than most such endeavors. Trucks will no longer need to burn gas grinding over the summit in low gear, as they will be replaced by fast, direct-route freight trains. high-speed electric passenger trains, outfitted to carry massive tons of cargo, will zip across the level tracks at 155 miles per hour. Also important for the Swiss economy, the road that snakes over the remote Gotthard Pass will once again be the province of tourists, preserved forever from the heavy trucks that once posed such a threat to this unparalleled scenic attraction.    1 
 1. It can be inferred from this passage that

A. the tunnel may help reduce consumption of fossil fuels in trade traffic.
B. the Swiss will profit from this tunnel more than the rest of Europe.
C. digging through a mountain is easier than tunneling under a body of water.
D. tourism is a very small part of Switzerland's economy.
E. the European Union forced Switzerland to build the Gotthard Base Tunnel.

2 
 2. The author most likely mentions the mountain's "folded and refolded layers of rock" ( Highlighted ) in order to

A. discourage others from attempting similar feats.
B. provide one example of a factor that facilitated construction.
C. describe in detail how the geology of the Gotthard massif was formed.
D. underscore the difficulty of this engineering achievement.
E. explain the techniques employed in drilling the Gotthard Base Tunnel.

3 
 3. Which statement, if true, would most strengthen the author's argument that the Gotthard Base Tunnel solution was "a constructive one-figuratively and literally"?

A. Polls indicate that tourists miss driving over the scenic mountain passes-although not enough to avoid taking the trains through the tunnel instead.
B. The tunnel will require the same level of upkeep as the highway passes.
C. A study shows that improving the roads of the Gotthard massif would have been cheaper than digging the tunnel.
D. The tunnel has generated an explosion of new revenue from increased tourism and commerce.
E. Research suggests that in 50 years, the highway passes will need to be improved anyway, despite the presence of the tunnel.

RC Butler 2021  -  Practice Two RCs Daily.   
Passage # 39 Date: 28-Jan-2021
 This question is a part of RC Butler 2021 .  Click here for Details

debjit1990 · Answer

answers;
1>A
2>D
3>A

junii · Answer

Please explain why A is incorrect for Q3?

Kuanl · Answer

i got the answers write but was confused with other choice can expert explain options

Sajjad1994 · Answer

This is a CR-type strengthen question, It asks to strengthen some particular part of the passage. In the first paragraph lines say that:

"Switzerland began to see heavy truck traffic taking a major toll on its delicate highway passes roads intended more for  tourism than for commerce.  The solution was a constructive one-figuratively and literally: Dig a tunnel".

Concentrate the conclusion of the above lines and starts eliminating the answer choices.

Option a cover one side but not the other it only considers the tourism but not the commerce's point of view. Although traffic passes by more for tourism purpose than it does for the commerce but ignoring commerce altogether is wrong, So option A only covers a portion of the conclusion which strengthen the sentence specifically discussed and is wrong.

Thank you

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Hi Kunal

Welcome to GMAT Club! Can you specify the question number you are talking about?

AnirudhaS · Answer

Hi  Sajjad1994 
think the answer to Q2 should be D (OA=C). 
 D. underscore the difficulty of this engineering achievement.

The underlined portion of the text explains this - 
  Adding to the challenge presented by the necessary length and depth of the tunnel , the Gotthard massif, the rock formation through which the builders had to drill, is a geological jigsaw puzzle of folded and refolded layers of rock.

The underlined portion pretty much says that this is an additional problem which the builders had to deal with.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Hello  Akarshkhan86

There is no need to report a post when you want an explanation of a particular question. You simply need to post your queries in the reply to the concerned post/question.

ZahidPavel · Answer

Around 5:30 minutes. All correct.
A, D, D

dhamsha2 · Answer

3. Which statement, if true, would most strengthen the author's argument that the Gotthard Base Tunnel solution was "a constructive one-figuratively and literally"?  
 
According to Author, tunnel is an effective solution of problem described in first few lines of Ist para.

Strengthen the Author:  D. The tunnel has generated an explosion of new revenue from increased tourism and commerce. 
  
that tunnel not only resolve the problem but also add more revenue in economy.

HarshZsssh · Answer

im not able to understantd q1 ans passage is not talking about consumption of ofssil fuels can any exlain why option A is correct

For over a millennium, the Alps have stood as a solid rampart inhibiti

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For over a millennium, the Alps have stood as a solid rampart inhibiti

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

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From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

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