1 more question:
Q4: With which of the following statements would the
author of the passage MOST likely agree?
a. The United States will soon have to replace lost
Mexican labor with labor provided by other immigrant
groups.
b. It is difficult for a country with a large population to
develop a healthy middle class.
c. Many Mexican immigrants who work in the United
States believe that they are taken advantage of by
American employers.
d. Most rapidly growing countries should institute a
family planning campaign to limit population growth.
e. Mexico does not currently have the infrastructure to
develop a healthy middle class.
OA
OE:
A keen understanding of the main idea of the passage, in combination with a well
developed sketch of the passage to help you quickly access the pertinent
information, will help you to accurately eliminate incorrect answer choices.
(A) In both the first and fourth paragraphs the author indicates that the supply of
Mexican labor to the United States might diminish over time if certain conditions in
Mexico continue to change. The author does not believe this to be a foregone
conclusion. Moreover, the author never hints that this hypothetical labor vacuum will
have to be filled by other immigrant groups.
(B) The author speaks only of Mexico and its challenges. It is beyond the scope of
the passage to assume what the author might believe, in general, about countries
with large populations. Additionally, the passage never quantifies the definition of a
“large population.”
(C) In the first paragraph, the author says Mexican immigrants are “more than willing
to work for wages well below both the U.S. minimum wage and the poverty line.”
Thus, the workers themselves seem not to feel taken advantage of.
(D) Similar to answer choice B, this answer choice asks about the author’s attitude
toward countries other than Mexico. The passage, however, discusses only Mexico
and its policies and challenges.
(E) CORRECT. In the final paragraph, the author indicates that "the growth of a
healthy middle class is far from a foregone conclusion. The critical challenge for
Mexico is what it does with the next 20 years.” Then, the author indicates the steps
that Mexico must take. Thus, the author obviously believes that Mexico does not
currently have the infrastructure to develop a healthy middle class. The key, for the
author, is whether Mexico is willing and able to build this infrastructure.