Bunuel wrote:
Scientists used to think that pepper plants had the ability to produce an unlimited number of peppers. So long as the plant was properly fertilized and pollinated, and temperature, water and sunlight controlled, they believed pepper plants would continue to produce indefinitely. However, scientists have now learned that a pepper plant will not produce more than 200 peppers in its lifetime. If a pepper plant goes dormant due to a deficiency of light or water, for example, when reinvigorated, it will start producing peppers where it left off. But a normal pepper plant will produce no more than 200 peppers.
Assume the information in the passage is true, and assume that a pepper plant has been discovered that has produced 225 peppers and is still producing. If so, the still-producing pepper plant CANNOT fit which one of the following categories?
(A) An abnormal pepper plant flourishing under ideal temperature, humidity, water and light conditions.
(B) A normal pepper plant that went into a dormancy stage and then was revived.
(C) An abnormal pepper plant grown organically.
(D) A normal pepper plant grown from the seed of an abnormal pepper plant.
(E) A abnormal pepper plant grown in the lab without soil.
Official Explanation
The question asks us to find the category that COULD NOT APPLY to the plant. So if the passage could describe the high-bearing pepper plant, then it is not the correct choice.
(A) No. If the pepper plant has already produced 225 peppers and is still producing, it is not a normal pepper plant. So the high-bearing plant could be an abnormal pepper grown under ideal conditions.
(B) Yes. The high producing plant cannot be a normal pepper plant, even one that went into a dormancy stage and then was revived. The passage tells us that normal plants cannot produce more than 200 peppers, even those that go through a dormancy period. We know that the plant will “start producing
peppers where it left off” and produce no more than 200 peppers.
(C) No. We know from the passage that no normal pepper plant can produce more than 200 peppers. If the plant is abnormal in any way, it cannot be a normal
plant. So the high-bearing plant could be an abnormal plant grown organically.
(D) No. This plant was grown from the seed of an abnormal plant, so it could have produced the abnormal results reported.
(E) No. Again, we know that a plant that produces more than 200 peppers is abnormal. Therefore, the high-bearing plant could be an abnormal plant grown
in the lab without soil.
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