1. Which of the following best describes the organization of the first paragraph?
(A) A suggestion is made and arguments in its favor are provided.
(B) A criticism is levied and an alternative proposal is suggested.
(C) A generalization is advanced and supporting evidence is provided.(D) An example is analyzed and general conclusions are derived from it.
(E) A position is stated and evidence qualifying it is provided.
The best answer is C. The first paragraph begins by making a generalization about long-term technological solutions to the problem of world food shortages: the "promise of finding" such solutions "seems difficult to fulfill." The remainder of the paragraph provides evidence to support this generalization. The author notes that many once-promising innovations, like fish-protein concentrate and protein from algae, "have since fallen by the wayside." More recent innovations, like opaque-2 maize, Antarctic krill, and wheat-rye triticale, are also mentioned and their potential contribution deemed "promising," but largely unknown. Of the other choices, A can be eliminated because the author does not suggest any course of action, B because no criticism is made or alternative proposed, D because no specific example is analyzed and the author begins with a generalization rather than by drawing a conclusion, and E because the author attempts to support, not qualify, the initial observation.
2. It can be inferred from the passage that the author was unable to assess the truth of which of the following statements about opaque-2 maize?
(A) It is a more recent innovation than the use of fish protein concentrate.
(B) It can be stored as easily as other varieties of maize.
(C) It is more popular than the wheat-rye hybrid triticale.
(D) It produces tortillas of greater protein content than do other varieties of maize.
(E) It is more susceptible to insects than are other varieties of maize.The best answer is E. The question asks you to determine which characteristic of opaque-2 maize is left in doubt by the author. The author states that "opaque-2 maize will be of only limited benefit ... if the new maize is not culturally acceptable or is more vulnerable to insects." The author's use of the conditional "if' implies that opaque- 2 maize had not been definitely assessed in regard to two characteristics: its cultural acceptability and its vulnerability to insects. Of the five answer choices, only E focuses on one of these two characteristics: opaque-2 maize's susceptibility to insects.
3. The passage mentions all of the following as factors important to the success of a new food crop EXCEPT the
(A) practicality of storage of the crop
(B) security of the crop yield
(C) quality of the crop's protein(D) cultural acceptability of the crop
(E) costs of production of the crop
The best answer is C. This question requires you to evaluate each answer choice and to judge which is not mentioned in the passage as an important factor contributing to the suc- cess of a new food crop. Choices A, B, and E are mentioned as factors "much more significant than had previously been realized" in the success of a new technology. Choice D is mentioned as one of the factors critical to determining whether a new crop, opaque-2 maize, will be beneficial. Choice C is mentioned, but only in the context of opaque-2 maize, and only as a benefit of this type of maize, not as a factor that may contribute to the success of a new food crop.
4. According to the passage, the use of Antarctic krill as a food is an innovation whose future is
(A) basically gloomy but still uncertain
(B) somewhat promising but very tentative (C) generally bright and virtually assured
(D) tied to the success of opaque-2 maize
(E) endangered by certain technical problems
The best answer is B. Antarctic krill is described as an innovation that seems "more promising" but whose ultimate fate "it is too early to predict." Thus, the possibility of future use of Antarctic krill, though promising, is still very tentative.
5. The author suggests that, in most developing countries, extensive government intervention accompanying the introduction of a food innovation will
(A) usually be sufficient to guarantee the financial success of the innovation
(B) be necessary to ensure that the benefits of the innovation will be spread throughout the society(C) provide the incentive necessary to convince landowners to try the innovation
(D) generally cost the country more than will be earned by the innovation
(E) normally occur only when the innovation favors large landowners
The best answer is B. Government intervention accompanying the introduction of a food innovation is mentioned in lines 30-32 and lines 49-59. Lines 30-32 indicate that governmental policies can strongly influence an innovation's success. Lines 49-59 suggest that those with little economic power lose out on the benefits of technological innovation unless government intercedes on their behalf. In particular, lines 52-54 state that a government policy is required "that takes into account the needs of all sectors of the economy," and lines 55-57 emphasize the importance of equalizing economic power. Thus, the author strongly suggests that spreading the benefits of technological innovation throughout a society is an important goal that can best be achieved through government intervention.
6. It can be inferred from the passage that the author would be most likely to agree with which of the following statements concerning the solution to food shortages in developing countries?
(A)The introduction of technological innovations to reap profits might alleviate food shortages to some degree, but any permanent solution can come only from effective governmental intervention in the socioeconomic system.(B)Innovations in agricultural technology will be of little help, and perhaps even harmful, in combating food shortages, no matter how well designed they are to suit local circumstances.
(C)Long-lasting solutions will not be found until large landowners adopt improvements that will make production more efficient and thus more profitable.
(D) In order to achieve a meaningful solution to the problem of food shortages, the tastes of the general population must be educated, to accept the new food products of modern agricultural technology.
(E) Although a short-term solution to food shortages can be achieved by importing food from other countries, a long-term solution requires a restructuring of the countries' socioeconomic systems.
The best answer is A. In lines 54-59, the author gives an overall assessment of the ways in which food shortages can best be met in developing countries. Although technological innovations are acknowledged as "perhaps" being necessary to ensure food availability, the author argues that "meeting food needs will depend much more on equalizing economic power." To equalize economic power, as the author indicates in lines 42-54, government intervention in the socioeconomic system is required, because only government is able to appreciate "the needs of all sectors of the economy" and to challenge those who are economically most powerful. Thus, for the author, the solution to food shortages is much more a matter of effective government intervention in the socioeconomic system than of technological innovation.
7. The first paragraph of the passage best supports which of the following statements?
(A) Too much publicity can harm the chances for the success of a new food innovation.
(B) Innovations that produce culturally acceptable crops will generally be successful.
(C) A food-product innovation can be technically feasible and still not be economically viable.(D) It is difficult to decide whether a food-product innovation has actually been a success.
(E) Triticale will not be a success as a food source for most developing countries.
The best answer is C. Lines 6-8 state that a number of innovations "were technically feasible" but "economically unviable." Choice A can be eliminated because no connection is made in the paragraph between publicity and success or failure. Choice 8 can be eliminated because innovations must be technically feasible as well as culturally acceptable. Choice D can be eliminated because the paragraph does not discuss the difficulty of determining the success or failure of a food innovation. Choice E can be eliminated because the author states that "it is too early to predict" the fate of triticale.
8. The author provides a sustained argument to support which of the following assertions?
(A) Profitability is neither necessary nor sufficient for a new technology to be adopted.
(B) Profitability is the key factor guiding technological change.
(C) Economic factors and governmental policies strongly influence the ultimate success of any innovation.(D) Opaque-2 maize is of limited benefit to poor families in developing countries.
(E) Innovations carrying high rewards for big agribusiness groups harm the poor.
The best answer is C. In the third paragraph, the author argues that "economic factors and governmental policies also strongly influence the ultimate success of any innovation." Lines 32-49 discuss the importance of profitability and show that innovations are generally adopted only if they provide greater profits for large landowners. Lines 49-59 discuss the role of government and argue that government intervention is crucial to ensure that a new technology is successful for all segments of the population. The other four choices can be eliminated because they are directly contradicted by the passage- A in lines 37-41, B in lines 34-36, D because the fate of opaque-2 maize is still unknown (lines 12-13), and E because lines 42-45 say that innovations can hurt the poor, not that they must do so.
9. The primary purpose of the passage is to discuss the
(A) means of assessing the extent of the world food shortage
(B) difficulties of applying technological solutions to the problem of food shortages(C) costs of introducing a new food technology into a developing country
(D) Anglo-American bias of those trying to alleviate world food problems
(E) nature of the new technological innovations in the area of food production
The best answer is B. The passage begins by stating that the "promise of. ..technological solutions to the problem of world food shortages seems difficult to fulfill." The rest of the first paragraph goes on to give examples of promising technologies that have failed, or whose ultimate fate is still unknown. The second paragraph continues to examine the problem of innovations by analyzing one type of difficulty that many failed technologies have encountered: improper fit with the intended sociocultural system. Finally, the last
paragraph discusses two major factors, economic considerations and governmental policies, crucial to the success of new food technologies. It also points out some ways in which these factors can impede straightforward technological solutions to the problem of food shortages.
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Updated on: 20 Aug 2019, 02:04
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