alimad wrote:
The population of desert tortoises in Targland's Red Desert has declined, partly because they are captured for sale as pets and partly because people riding all-terrain vehicles have damaged their habitat. Targland plans to halt this population decline by blocking the current access routes into the desert and announcing new regulations to allow access only on foot. Targland's officials predict that these measures will be adequate, since it is difficult to collect the tortoises without a vehicle.
Which of the following would it be most important to establish in order to evaluate the officials' prediction?
(A) Whether possessing the tortoises as pets remains legally permissible in Targland.
(B) Whether Targland is able to enforce the regulations with respect to all-terrain vehicle entry at points other than the current access routes.
(C) Whether the Red Dessert Tortoises are most active during the day or at night
(D) Whether people who travel on foot in the Red Desert often encounter the tortoises
(E) Whether the Targland authorities held public hearings before restricting entry by vehicle into the Red Desert.
- Tortoise population in desert in decreasing - because people capture them and ATVs have damaged their habitat
- It is difficult to collect tortoises without a vehicle.
Plan: Block the current access routes into the desert and announce new regulations to allow access only on foot.
What will be useful to evaluate whether the plan will work
(A) Whether possessing the tortoises as pets remains legally permissible in Targland.
Doesn't matter. If it is hard to procure them, the plan might work.
(B) Whether Targland is able to enforce the regulations with respect to all-terrain vehicle entry at points other than the current access routes.
Yes. An important part of the plan is that vehicles will not be allowed inside. If they are unable to enforce no vehicle entry at all points, the plan may not work. If they are able to enforce no vehicle entry, the plan may work. So this is useful to evaluate whether the plan will work.
(C) Whether the Red Dessert Tortoises are most active during the day or at night
Irrelevant
(D) Whether people who travel on foot in the Red Desert often encounter the tortoises
Doesn't matter. Even if they encounter, they may not be able to collect without a vehicle.
(E) Whether the Targland authorities held public hearings before restricting entry by vehicle into the Red Desert.
Irrelevant
Answer (B)