creativeminddu wrote:
The solidity of bridge piers built on pilings depends largely on how deep the pilings are driven. Prior to 1700, pilings were driven to “refusal,” that is, to the point at which they refused to go any deeper. In a 1588 inquiry into the solidity of piers for Venice’s Rialto Bridge, it was determined that the bridge’s builder, Antonio Da Ponte, had met the contemporary standard for refusal: he had caused the pilings to be driven until additional penetration into the ground was no greater than two inches after twenty-four hammer blows.
Which one of the following can properly be inferred from the passage?
(A) The Rialto Bridge was built on unsafe pilings.
(B) The standard of refusal was not sufficient to ensure the safety of a bridge.
(C) Da Ponte’s standard of refusal was less strict than that of other bridge builders of his day.
(D) After 1588, no bridges were built on pilings that were driven to the point of refusal.
(E) It is possible that the pilings of the Rialto Bridge could have been driven deeper even after the standard of refusal had been met.
Premise 1: Bridge solidity depends on how deep pilings are driven.
Premise 2: Prior to 1700: pilings driven to refusal level.
Premise 3: In 1588 inquiry:Builder met the contemporary standard of refusal: he had driven until additional penetration was no greater than 2 inches.
Pre phrase: Premise 1, 2 and 3 all talk about refusal level. And how a builder ensured he meet the refusal level, meaning that he could have driven deeper than refusal level.
A. No information in the passage.
B. No information in the passage.
C. Opposite information. It had met the CONTEMPORARY standard for refusal.
D. Out of scope. No information is provided "after 1588."
E. Correct. After the point of refusal the builder ensured that the additional penetration into the ground was no greater than two inches after twenty-four hammer blows.
Hence, E