Forests are among the world's most valuable resources, both in a narro

Question

Forests are among the world's most valuable resources, 
both in a narrowly economic sense and in a broader, 
ecological sense. Besides yielding over 5,000 
commercial products that contribute some 2 percent to the
  (5)   world's total economic production, forests provide 
recreation, reduce flooding, and prevent soil erosion 
that clogs rivers with silt. However, if well-grounded 
policy decisions are to be made concerning which 
forests must be preserved and how much forest 
  (10)   must be preserved, policy makers should have a 
comprehensive understanding of the arguments for 
and against the use of forests for economic gain. Two 
claims often made—one about the oxygen-renewing 
capacity of forests, the other about the role of forests 
  (15)   in preserving biodiversity—merit special scrutiny.

Some consider the tropical rain forests of the 
Brazilian Amazon region "the lungs of the earth,"
claiming that the foliage absorbs so much carbon 
dioxide and produces so much oxygen that the 
  (20)   atmosphere would be depleted of the latter if these 
forests ceased to exist. But this belief is largely a 
myth. Trees do produce oxygen by photosynthesis, 
but when trees die, the decomposition process 
consumes as much oxygen as the trees produced. In 
  (25)   net terms, therefore, forests neither produce nor 
consume oxygen.

Another claim made is that the preservation of 
biodiversity, the globe's profusion of plant and animal 
species, requires a stricter policy to conserve forest, 
  (30)   especially tropical rain forest. For one thing, many 
scientists believe that some tropical rain-forest plant 
species yet to be discovered may contain agents with 
unique disease-fighting properties. These plants can 
offer crucial clues, as well as basic materials, for 
  (35)   research on new medications. But even if one does
not think this indicates that biodiversity is a significant 
resource, one could agree with the view, widely held 
by some, that there is a moral imperative to preserve 
species diversity—or, at least, that to do so would be 
  (40)   a noninstrumental, that is, an intrinsic, good.

Actually, careful review of official statistics 
suggests that tropical deforestation is not occurring as fast 
as has often been claimed. Some existing forests, 
however, do consist of commercial plantations, of 
  (45)   which some people are highly critical. Such plantations 
tend to contain significantly fewer plant and animal 
species than natural forest. However, since plantations 
are designed to produce large quantities of wood and 
wood pulp, they reduce the economic pressure on true 
  (50)   forests, increasing the latter's capacity to support 
biodiversity. In addition, the size of such plantations is 
often overstated by environmental activists. While the 
World Wildlife Fund claims that plantations make up 
"large tracts of current forest area," review of official 
  (55)   data shows that plantations make up just 3 
percent of the world's forest area.     1 
 1. Which one of the following most accurately states the main point of the passage?

(A) Arguments concerning the economic use of forests must be carefully examined before reasonable policy decisions can be made. 
(B) The dangers posed to biodiversity by deforestation, although considerable, are insignificant when compared to those posed by ill-considered attempts at stricter regulation of forest usage. 
(C) Careful review of official statistics shows that neither deforestation nor displacement of natural forest by commercial plantations is proceeding as rapidly as has been feared. 
(D) While there is some hope that tropical rain forests might yield information that will result in new medicines, the primary reason for preserving them is their noninstrumental good. 
(E) Assuming biodiversity is an instrumental good, imposing stricter regulation on the establishment of commercial plantations is an ineffective way to preserve such a good.

2 
 2. It can be inferred from the passage that many scientists believe which one of the following about rain-forest plants?

(A) Only a tiny proportion of rain-forest plant species actually have disease-fighting properties.
(B) Rain-forest plants are likely to produce medicines effective only against diseases that are endemic to tropical regions.
(C) The value of rain-forest plants derives in part from their providing basic materials for medical research.
(D) Rain-forest plants derive their medicinal properties from their capacity to absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen.
(E) Rain-forest plants that have disease-fighting properties are almost completely extinct.

3 
 3. The information in the passage answers which one of the following questions?

(A) What percentage of the world's tropical rain forest is located in the Brazilian Amazon region?
(B) How many products are derived from plants grown on commercial plantations?
(C) By means of what process do plants produce oxygen?
(D) What measures, if any, could be taken to help existing forests produce more oxygen than they currently do?
(E) Do trees in tropical rain forests absorb more carbon dioxide than do other types of vegetation?

4 
 4. The stated relationship between the production of oxygen through photosynthesis and the consumption of oxygen in the process of tree decomposition (lines 22-26) is most analogous to which one of the following?

(A) Pay increases in a growing economy lead to increased purchasing power, but this increase is partially eroded through inflation if there is not a corresponding increase in productivity.
(B) Endangered species of plants are genetically modified in order to shorten their reproductive cycle as well as to enhance their resistance to natural parasites.
(C) Energy is expended in fertilizing and harvesting farm crops, but the cash return on the crops more than pays for the energy expended.
(D) An increase in the value of the shares of a company in a given production sector can spur an increase in the share values of other companies in that sector.
(E) Water evaporates from the ground during hot weather, and this water eventually condenses in the atmosphere and falls on the ground as rain or snow in the same region or elsewhere.
 
 5 
 5. The author is primarily concerned with

(A) making policy proposals for the solution of a contemporary problem
(B) identifying and describing scientific solutions to contemporary environmental problems
(C) suggesting new ways in which an economic resource can be exploited
(D) mobilizing public support for the preservation of an important natural resource
(E) counterbalancing different points of view regarding an important topic being addressed by policy makers

6 
 6. Which one of the following statements about critics of commercial plantations is most consistent with the views of the author as expressed in the passage?

(A) Critics of commercial plantations should consider more carefully the relationships between commercial and noncommercial forests.
(B) Critics of commercial plantations do not recognize the medical potential of rain-forest plants.
(C) Critics of commercial plantations generally are well versed about photosynthesis and the effect on total biomass of a noncommercial forest.
(D) Critics of commercial plantations possess an adequate understanding of the economic and biological impact of restricting such enterprises.
(E) Critics of commercial plantations often demonstrate a broad understanding of global environmental issues.

7 
 7. Which one of the following statements is most strongly supported by the information in the passage?

(A) Some diseases that affect plants also affect human beings.
(B) Deforestation can have negative effects on water-based transportation.
(C) There are more commercial plantations than any other type of forest.
(D) There are more species of plants and animals internationally recognized as endangered in tropical rain forest than in nontropical forest.
(E) Commercial plantations produce goods that are rarely used in the countries where the plantations are located.

RC Butler 2023  -  Practice Two RC Passages Everyday.   
Passage # 45 Date: 03-Mar-2023
 This question is a part of RC Butler 2023 .  Click here for Details

Source:   LSAT Official PrepTest 82   
 Difficulty Level:   600-650

PriyankaKommu · Answer

I'm so glad I found this RC Butler series to help me practice RC and keep track of my progress, really appreciate this

I was hoping someone could help clarify something for me: In reference to the 7th question, where exactly in the passage does it say/imply that deforestation can have negative effects on water based transportation?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Since the passage said forest  "prevent soil erosion clogs river" , so without forest, the soil might clog river, and by imagining river being clogged, the river bed could be raised and any boat or things transporting through the river could be stuck into the mud. Or a single part of river being clogged that blocked in the middle of a river. No additional information outside the passage needed to get to this answer choice.

B  hinges on your understanding of the word  "clog,"  which indicates a complete or near-complete stoppage of the flow of the river. If the river is clogged, nothing will move on it, or if it does move it will do so slowly and inefficiently. The water isn't just cloudy thanks to the silt, but effectively impassable. One dictionary definition of "clogged" is "filled up or crowded so as to obstruct passage," and that's all the support we need to select an answer about  "negative effects on water-based transportation,"  even though such transportation was never mentioned in the passage.

asmba · Answer

Sajjad1994  can you please share OE for Q4 & Q6 ?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

4. The stated relationship between the production of oxygen through photosynthesis and the consumption of oxygen in the process of tree decomposition (lines 22-26) is most analogous to which one of the following?

Explanation

In order to choose the correct answer choice for this question, we need to be able to accurately parallel the situation described in the passage. That situation is one in which forests are a net-zero sum for oxygen: they produce oxygen when they are alive, but when they die and decompose, that same amount of oxygen is used up. So we're looking for a net-zero situation in the correct answer choice.

Option (E)  describes the water cycle, where water evaporates from the ground during hot weather and eventually condenses in the atmosphere and falls back to the ground as rain or snow. This analogy is appropriate because just as the water cycle involves a continuous process of evaporation, condensation, and precipitation, the process of oxygen production and consumption in trees is a continuous cycle. Trees produce oxygen through photosynthesis, but the same amount of oxygen is consumed during the decomposition of trees. Therefore, the net amount of oxygen produced is relatively small, similar to how the net amount of water in a region does not change significantly over time due to the water cycle.

The other options are not appropriate analogies for the relationship between oxygen production and consumption in trees.

Option (A)  describes the relationship between pay increases, productivity, and inflation, which is not relevant to the passage.

Option (B)  discusses genetically modifying endangered plant species, which is not mentioned in the passage.

Option (C)  describes the relationship between energy expended in farming and the cash return on crops, which is not directly related to the passage.

Option (D)  describes how the value of shares in a company can affect other companies in the same sector, which is also not relevant to the passage.

(E)  works because it describes a net-zero (all evaporate from the ground eventually comes back down as precipitation) without any conditional statements or other logical differences.

Answer: E

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

6. Which one of the following statements about critics of commercial plantations is most consistent with the views of the author as expressed in the passage?

Explanation

In the given passage, the author argues that commercial plantations can help to reduce the economic pressure on true forests and thereby increase the latter's capacity to support biodiversity. This suggests that the author is not entirely critical of commercial plantations. However, the author also notes that such plantations tend to contain significantly fewer plant and animal species than natural forest, which could be a concern for critics of commercial plantations.

Answer option (B)  is incorrect because the passage does not discuss the views of critics of commercial plantations on the medical potential of rain-forest plants.

Answer option (C)  is incorrect because the passage does not provide any evidence that critics of commercial plantations are well-versed in photosynthesis or the effect of noncommercial forests on total biomass.

Answer option (D)  is incorrect because the passage does not provide any evidence that critics of commercial plantations possess an adequate understanding of the economic and biological impact of restricting such enterprises.

Answer option (E)  is incorrect because the passage does not provide any evidence that critics of commercial plantations often demonstrate a broad understanding of global environmental issues.

Answer option (A)  is correct because the author argues that commercial plantations can help to reduce the economic pressure on true forests and thereby increase the latter's capacity to support biodiversity. This suggests that critics of commercial plantations should consider more carefully the relationships between commercial and noncommercial forests.

Answer: A

RahulJain293 · Answer

Sajjad1994  - I got Q3 wrong given the option mentioned about 'Plants' but the passage talked about 'trees.

3. The information in the passage answers which one of the following questions?

(C) By means of what process do plants produce oxygen?

Could you please help with solution?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

3. The information in the passage answers which one of the following questions?

Difficulty Level:   700

Explanation

(C) By means of what process do plants produce oxygen?  
This is the correct answer. The passage directly addresses the process by which plants produce oxygen. It states that trees produce oxygen through photosynthesis, which is the biological process that allows plants to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen using sunlight, water, and chlorophyll. The passage discusses this process and its relationship to the oxygen-renewing capacity of forests. Therefore, option (C) is accurately answered in the passage.

(A) What percentage of the world's tropical rainforest is located in the Brazilian Amazon region? 
The passage mentions the tropical rainforests of the Brazilian Amazon region but does not provide specific information or statistics regarding the percentage of the world's tropical rainforest located there. The passage does not focus on the distribution or percentage of tropical rainforests. Thus, option (A) is not directly addressed in the passage.

(B) How many products are derived from plants grown on commercial plantations? 
The passage mentions that forests yield over 5,000 commercial products contributing to the world's economic production. However, it does not provide specific information on how many of these products come from plants grown on commercial plantations. The passage does not focus on the specific number or types of products derived from commercial plantations. Therefore, option (B) is not directly answered in the passage.

(D) What measures, if any, could be taken to help existing forests produce more oxygen than they currently do? 
The passage does not discuss measures or strategies to help existing forests produce more oxygen. It primarily challenges the claim that forests produce a significant amount of oxygen and emphasizes that in net terms, forests neither produce nor consume oxygen. Therefore, option (D) is not directly addressed in the passage.

(E) Do trees in tropical rainforests absorb more carbon dioxide than other types of vegetation? 
Option (E) is not addressed in the passage. The passage does not provide information or comparisons about the carbon dioxide absorption capabilities of trees in tropical rainforests versus other types of vegetation. Thus, option (E) is not directly answered in the passage.

Answer: C

AkankshaUniyal · Answer

Please explain question 5

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

5. The author is primarily concerned with

Difficulty Level:   500-550

Explanation

(A)  This option suggests that the author's primary concern is to propose solutions to a contemporary problem. While the passage discusses the need for well-grounded policy decisions regarding the preservation of forests, the author does not explicitly propose specific policies. Instead, the focus is on presenting different arguments and perspectives related to forest preservation.

(B)  This option suggests that the author's primary concern is to identify and describe scientific solutions to contemporary environmental problems. While the passage touches on scientific aspects, such as the oxygen-renewing capacity of forests and the potential medicinal value of undiscovered plant species, the primary focus is not on proposing scientific solutions but on providing a comprehensive understanding of different perspectives on forest use.

(C)  This option suggests that the author's primary concern is to suggest new ways to exploit an economic resource. While the passage discusses the economic value of forests, it does not advocate for new ways of exploitation. Instead, it presents arguments for and against the economic use of forests and emphasizes the need for comprehensive understanding for policy decisions.

(D)  This option suggests that the author's primary concern is to mobilize public support for the preservation of a natural resource. While the passage highlights the importance of forests and discusses arguments for their preservation, it doesn't focus on mobilizing public support. Instead, the emphasis is on presenting various viewpoints for policymakers to make informed decisions.

(E)  This option suggests that the author's primary concern is to counterbalance different points of view on a topic being addressed by policymakers. This aligns well with the passage's emphasis on presenting various perspectives on forest use, debunking certain claims, and providing a nuanced view to inform policy decisions. Therefore,  (E)  is the most accurate characterization of the author's primary concern in this passage.

Answer: E

Forests are among the world's most valuable resources, both in a narro

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GMAT Reading Comprehension (RC) Questions

Forests are among the world's most valuable resources, both in a narro

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

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