The practice of terrace farming, often associated with ancient

Question

The practice of terrace farming, often associated with ancient civilizations, has been rediscovered in modern agriculture as a potential solution to soil erosion and water management challenges. Traditionally, terracing involved creating stepped levels on slopes, enabling crops to grow on otherwise inhospitable terrain. Recent studies suggest that this technique could also play a crucial role in combating the effects of climate change on farming.

Agronomists have noted that terraces can reduce water runoff, a major cause of soil erosion, by slowing the flow of rainwater down slopes. This allows water to seep into the ground, replenishing aquifers and increasing soil moisture. However, implementing terracing on a large scale presents significant logistical and economic challenges. Constructing terraces is labor-intensive and requires precise engineering to ensure stability and proper drainage.

Moreover, researchers have discovered that terracing can inadvertently alter local ecosystems. For instance, in regions where terracing has been introduced, certain plant and animal species have struggled to adapt to the modified landscape. These ecological shifts raise questions about the long-term sustainability of the practice.

Despite these concerns, proponents argue that terracing remains one of the most effective methods for improving agricultural resilience in hilly regions. Ongoing experiments aim to integrate modern irrigation technologies with traditional terrace designs to enhance their efficiency and reduce environmental disruption.    1 
1 The passage most strongly suggests that certain plant and animal species have struggled to adapt to terraced landscapes because

A. terraces disrupt the natural flow of rainwater by slowing it down
B. the construction of terraces alters the physical environment of plant and animal species
C. terracing eliminates the natural habitats of most plant and animal species
D. traditional terracing methods do not affect the natural habitats of plant and animal species
E. terraced farming creates steep slopes that are difficult for species to navigate

2 
2. Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument that terracing improves agricultural resilience in hilly regions?

A. Terracing increases the risk of landslides during heavy rainfall resulting in additional crop losses.
B. Certain regions have found it too expensive to implement large-scale terracing projects.
C. The use of terraces has been shown to reduce water runoff but sometimes does not prevent droughts during prolonged dry seasons.
D. Modern irrigation technologies are less effective on terraced landscapes.
E. Terracing has been shown to improve crop yields in only a small percentage of cases.

3 
3. In the context of the passage, the main function of the first paragraph is to

A. introduce a subject and highlight its relevance to a broader issue
B. provide evidence supporting the main argument of the passage
C. summarize competing viewpoints on a topic discussed later in the passage
D. describe a historical practice and evaluate its long-term effectiveness
E. present a problem that the remainder of the passage seeks to resolve

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RamJirastogi · Answer

1.B 2.A 3.A ANSWERS TO ABOVE QUESTION

lakshyaJangid · Answer

ANSWER WILL BE

1 - B
2 - A 
3 - A

Whoisdmx15 · Answer

1 The passage most strongly suggests that certain plant and animal species have struggled to adapt to terraced landscapes because

A. terraces disrupt the natural flow of rainwater by slowing it down  Eliminated  This has not been coited as a cause for lesser adaptation.
B. the construction of terraces alters the physical environment of plant and animal species  Suitable  "    Moreover, researchers have discovered that terracing can inadvertently alter local ecosystems. For instance, in regions where terracing has been introduced, certain plant and animal species have struggled to adapt to the modified landscape"  
C. terracing eliminates the natural habitats of most plant and animal species  Eliminated  Extreme position "eliminates"
D. traditional terracing methods do not affect the natural habitats of plant and animal species  Eliminated  Inverse of what is stated in passage
E. terraced farming creates steep slopes that are difficult for species to navigate  Eliminated  Inverse of what is stated in passage

2. Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument that terracing improves agricultural resilience in hilly regions?

A. Terracing increases the risk of landslides during heavy rainfall resulting in additional crop losses.  Suitable  This is the only fact, which attributes reason of crop loss as Terrace Farming 
B. Certain regions have found it too expensive to implement large-scale terracing projects.  Eliminated  This does not explain agricultural resilience, only financial viability
C. The use of terraces has been shown to reduce water runoff but sometimes does not prevent droughts during prolonged dry seasons.  Eliminated  This is a tricky option. This does show the inability of Terrace Farming. But, such droughts would had been occurring even prior to introduction of Terrace Farming. TF at least improved the agriculture in rainy seasons.
D. Modern irrigation technologies are less effective on terraced landscapes.  Eliminated  This does not pertain to agricultural resilience, only technological viability
E. Terracing has been shown to improve crop yields in only a small percentage of cases.  Eliminated  This if anything supports the view point that TF increases agri resilience.

3. In the context of the passage, the main function of the first paragraph is to

A. introduce a subject and highlight its relevance to a broader issue  Suitable 
B. provide evidence supporting the main argument of the passage  Eliminated  No evidence has been presented in 1st paragraph
C. summarize competing viewpoints on a topic discussed later in the passage  Eliminated N o summary has been presented in 1st paragraph
D. describe a historical practice and evaluate its long-term effectiveness  Eliminated  No evaluation of long term effectiveness done in 1st paragraph 
E. present a problem that the remainder of the passage seeks to resolve  Eliminated  No problem has been presented in the 1st paragraph

ravi1522 · Answer

Answer for passage is :
1 - B
2 - A
3 - A

Bunuel · Answer

Official Solution:

1 The passage most strongly suggests that certain plant and animal species have struggled to adapt to terraced landscapes because

A. terraces disrupt the natural flow of rainwater by slowing it down
B. the construction of terraces alters the physical environment of plant and animal species
C. terracing eliminates the natural habitats of most plant and animal species
D. traditional terracing methods do not affect the natural habitats of plant and animal species
E. terraced farming creates steep slopes that are difficult for species to navigate

A. Incorrect:  The passage does not mention that the flow of rainwater affects plant and animal species.
  
B. Correct:  The passage states that terracing "can inadvertently alter local ecosystems," causing struggles for some species to adapt to the " modified landscape. " The keyword here is modified landscape and that matches up with B - altering of the physical environment.  
 
C. Incorrect:  While the passage mentions changes to ecosystems, it does not claim that terracing eliminates most habitats.
 
D. Incorrect:  There is no mention of chemicals or harmful substances being used in traditional terracing methods.
 
E. Incorrect:  The passage does not suggest that terracing creates steep slopes; it refers to terraces as leveled platforms designed to reduce slope challenges.

2. Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument that terracing improves agricultural resilience in hilly regions?

A. Terracing increases the risk of landslides during heavy rainfall resulting in additional crop losses.
B. Certain regions have found it too expensive to implement large-scale terracing projects.
C. The use of terraces has been shown to reduce water runoff but sometimes does not prevent droughts during prolonged dry seasons.
D. Modern irrigation technologies are less effective on terraced landscapes.
E. Terracing has been shown to improve crop yields in only a small percentage of cases.

A. Correct:  This option weakens the argument by showing that terracing could increase risk of landslides, which would contradict the argument that terracing improves agricultural resilience in hilly regions. This is the only choice that appears to weaken the argument.  
 
B. Incorrect:  While the expense of terracing is a logistical challenge, it does not weaken the argument about its effectiveness in improving agricultural resilience.
 
C. Incorrect:  Although terracing may not prevent droughts in all cases, this does not undermine its benefits in managing water runoff and preventing soil erosion.
 
D. Incorrect:  The reduced effectiveness of modern irrigation technologies on terraces is a limitation but does not weaken the claim that terracing improves overall resilience.
 
E. Incorrect:  Limited improvement in crop yields does not directly contradict the argument about resilience, which focuses on soil and water management rather than yield.

3. In the context of the passage, the main function of the first paragraph is to

A. introduce a subject and highlight its relevance to a broader issue
B. provide evidence supporting the main argument of the passage
C. summarize competing viewpoints on a topic discussed later in the passage
D. describe a historical practice and evaluate its long-term effectiveness
E. present a problem that the remainder of the passage seeks to resolve

A. Correct:  The first paragraph introduces terrace farming and connects it to the broader issue of agricultural challenges, making this the most accurate description of its function. 
 
B. Incorrect:  The paragraph does not provide evidence; it sets up the topic.
 
C. Incorrect:  There are no competing viewpoints discussed in the first paragraph.
 
D. Incorrect:  The paragraph does not evaluate the long-term effectiveness of terracing but introduces its rediscovery.
 
E. Incorrect:  The paragraph does not present a specific problem to be resolved; it highlights the broader relevance of terracing.

The practice of terrace farming, often associated with ancient

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GMAT Reading Comprehension (RC) Questions

The practice of terrace farming, often associated with ancient

Prep Toolkit

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

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

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Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards