Economic historians usually assume that the size of animal herds maint

Question

Economic historians usually assume that the size of animal herds maintained by medieval European farmers was inversely related to medieval cereal production: land devoted to crop farming could not be used for pasturing animals, and vice versa. Thus,  one historian  has postulated a pastoral crisis in thirteenth-century Europe, arguing that the amount of pasture land, and hence herd size, must have diminished during the period, since cereal harvests are known to have increased. However, the rising costs of pasturage in the thirteenth century, which this historian cites as evidence of a shortage caused by declines in pastureland acreage, could have resulted instead from increased demand for pasturage as wool prices rose and sheep flocks grew. In fact, although one study did find high volumes of cereal production together with low ratios of pastureland to cropland in some regions in the thirteenth century, these higher cereal yields could have resulted from new institutional arrangements governing agricultural work rather than from increases in cropland acreage. Furthermore, even a decrease in pastureland acreage may be an ambiguous indicator of herd sizes—for example, as the medieval economy became increasingly oriented to markets, farmers may have expanded production of cereals such as oats to feed the working draft animals (oxen and horses) they needed to haul their crops to market.
   1 
 1. The passage suggests that, in the view of most economic historians, which of following was true of medieval farmers who devoted the larger part of their land to pasturing animals?

A. They were encouraged by rising wool prices to increase the size of their sheep herds.
B. Their farms produced a proportionately smaller amount of cereal grains.
C. The allocation of their lands was typical of that of farmers in the thirteenth century.
D. They had less access to markets than did farmers who produced mostly cereals.
E. They did so in response to diminishing prices for cereal grains.

2 
 2. The historian mentioned in the highlighted text cites which of the following as evidence for the existence of a pastoral crisis in the thirteenth century?

A. The diminishing size of animal herds
B. Farmers' decisions to devote less land to pasturage
C. Increases in cereal harvests
D. Changing institutional arrangements governing agricultural work
E. Rising wool prices

Source: Skills Insight

VipinGupta · Answer

Please Give Official Answers I think they should be 
1-B 
2-C

Soumanti Roy · Answer

Please explain why B is not the right ans for Q1.

cjhyou700 · Answer

I got "D" for question 1 from:
"Furthermore, even a decrease in pastureland acreage may be an ambiguous indicator of herd sizes—for example, as the medieval economy became increasingly oriented to markets"

decrease in pastureland acreage  --- indicator of herd sizes --- example: economy became  increasingly oriented to markets

FarahE · Answer

but that is not the "view of most economic historians", is it?

cjhyou700 · Answer

FarahE

Hi, thank you for reaching out. I am not really good at RC, but I will try to explain my thoughts.
 
The passage started with "economic historians usually assume that ", so in my understanding the whole passage is about describing historian's opinions.

I didn't pay attention on your point, because otherwise I cannot choose an answer.

I eliminated B because "one study did find high volumes of cereal production together with low ratios of pastureland to cropland in some regions in the thirteenth century, these higher cereal yields could have resulted from new institutional arrangements governing agricultural work rather than from increases in cropland acreage"
The passage provided another reason that could explain the amount of cereal yields.

I guess I got it right with a bit of luck.

LXIII63 · Answer

GMATNinja  Why is Question 1 answer D?

DaneBrettJoubert · Answer

Economic historians usually assume that the size of animal herds maintained by medieval European farmers was inversely related to medieval cereal production: land devoted to crop farming could not be used for pasturing animals, and vice versa . Thus, one historian has postulated a pastoral crisis in thirteenth-century Europe, arguing that the amount of pasture land, and hence herd size, must have diminished during the period, since cereal harvests are known to have increased. However, the rising costs of pasturage in the thirteenth century, which this historian cites as evidence of a shortage caused by declines in pastureland acreage, could have resulted instead from increased demand for pasturage as wool prices rose and sheep flocks grew. In fact, although one study did find high volumes of cereal production together with low ratios of pastureland to cropland in some regions in the thirteenth century, these higher cereal yields could have resulted from new institutional arrangements governing agricultural work rather than from increases in cropland acreage. Furthermore, even a decrease in pastureland acreage may be an ambiguous indicator of herd sizes—for example, as the medieval economy became increasingly oriented to markets, farmers may have expanded production of cereals such as oats to feed the working draft animals (oxen and horses) they needed to haul their crops to market.
Question

The passage suggests that, in the view of most economic historians, which of following was true of medieval farmers who devoted the larger part of their land to pasturing animals?

A. They were encouraged by rising wool prices to increase the size of their sheep herds.
 B. Their farms produced a proportionately smaller amount of cereal grains.
 C.The allocation of their lands was typical of that of farmers in the thirteenth century.
 D.They had less access to markets than did farmers who produced mostly cereals.
 E.They did so in response to diminishing prices for cereal grains.

If you read the question it asked for the opinion of most historians not the opinion of the author or 1 historian but most the highlighted part is the only part cited as the opinion of most historians. 
And only B falls part of the opinion of most historians as the passage states that the cereal production and pasturing animals are inversely proportional.

Hope this explains it. This is a very good trick question where the reader must distinguish the different parts of the argument coming from different opinions and not take the information as a whole.

Niayesh99 · Answer

Bunuel  could you explain in question 1 why D is correct?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

OA to question #1 is updated.

JeenaTreesaJames · Answer

Could someone please tell me ideally how many minutes should I take to solve short rc passages?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Three minutes to read a short passage additionally at average one minutes per question.

Sreepriya. · Answer

Q1.

The historian argues that there was a  pastoral crisis  (reduced pastureland and herd sizes) and uses the following logic:
 
  Cereal harvests increased , which suggests more land was allocated to cereal production. 
 Therefore, less land was available for pasturage, causing a reduction in herd size.  
The historian treats  cereal harvest increases  as evidence of the supposed decline in pastureland and herds.
 
 Option Analysis 
 
  A. The diminishing size of animal herds 
Not directly cited as evidence. The historian  assumes  herd size declined but does not present it as evidence. 
  B. Farmers' decisions to devote less land to pasturage 
This is an inferred conclusion rather than direct evidence cited by the historian. 
  C. Increases in cereal harvests 
 Correct.  The historian uses the known fact of increasing cereal harvests as evidence that pastureland (and therefore herds) must have decreased. 
  D. Changing institutional arrangements governing agricultural work 
This is the author’s alternative explanation, not something the historian cites. 
  E. Rising wool prices 
This is another alternative explanation offered by the author.  
 
 Correct Answer: C. Increases in cereal harvests

Q2. 
 The passage states:

This means that if farmers used more land for pasturing animals, they would have less land available for growing cereal grains, resulting in smaller cereal production. This is the core assumption of most economic historians.

Option Analysis

A. They were encouraged by rising wool prices to increase the size of their sheep herds.
Incorrect. Rising wool prices are mentioned as an alternative explanation provided by the author, not as a general assumption by economic historians.  
  B. Their farms produced a proportionately smaller amount of cereal grains.
Correct. This aligns with the assumption that more land for pastures meant less land for cereal production, as noted in the passage.  
  C. The allocation of their lands was typical of that of farmers in the thirteenth century.
Incorrect. The passage does not suggest that farmers who focused on pasturing were representative of most farmers.  
  D. They had less access to markets than farmers who produced mostly cereals.
Incorrect. The passage doesn’t compare market access between these groups.  
  E. They did so in response to diminishing prices for cereal grains.
Incorrect. The passage does not discuss cereal grain prices influencing farmers’ land allocation.   
 
 Conclusion
The passage supports B because the economic historians assume that more land for pasturing animals meant less land for cereal farming, resulting in proportionately smaller cereal production.

Sreepriya. · Answer

Q1.

The historian argues that there was a  pastoral crisis  (reduced pastureland and herd sizes) and uses the following logic:
 
  Cereal harvests increased , which suggests more land was allocated to cereal production. 
 Therefore, less land was available for pasturage, causing a reduction in herd size.  
The historian treats  cereal harvest increases  as evidence of the supposed decline in pastureland and herds.
 
 Option Analysis 
 
  A. The diminishing size of animal herds 
Not directly cited as evidence. The historian  assumes  herd size declined but does not present it as evidence. 
  B. Farmers' decisions to devote less land to pasturage 
This is an inferred conclusion rather than direct evidence cited by the historian. 
  C. Increases in cereal harvests 
 Correct.  The historian uses the known fact of increasing cereal harvests as evidence that pastureland (and therefore herds) must have decreased. 
  D. Changing institutional arrangements governing agricultural work 
This is the author’s alternative explanation, not something the historian cites. 
  E. Rising wool prices 
This is another alternative explanation offered by the author.  
 
 Correct Answer: C. Increases in cereal harvests

Q2. 
 The passage states:

This means that if farmers used more land for pasturing animals, they would have less land available for growing cereal grains, resulting in smaller cereal production. This is the core assumption of most economic historians.

Option Analysis

A. They were encouraged by rising wool prices to increase the size of their sheep herds.
Incorrect. Rising wool prices are mentioned as an alternative explanation provided by the author, not as a general assumption by economic historians.  
  B. Their farms produced a proportionately smaller amount of cereal grains.
Correct. This aligns with the assumption that more land for pastures meant less land for cereal production, as noted in the passage.  
  C. The allocation of their lands was typical of that of farmers in the thirteenth century.
Incorrect. The passage does not suggest that farmers who focused on pasturing were representative of most farmers.  
  D. They had less access to markets than farmers who produced mostly cereals.
Incorrect. The passage doesn’t compare market access between these groups.  
  E. They did so in response to diminishing prices for cereal grains.
Incorrect. The passage does not discuss cereal grain prices influencing farmers’ land allocation.   
 
 Conclusion
The passage supports B because the economic historians assume that more land for pasturing animals meant less land for cereal farming, resulting in proportionately smaller cereal production.

Economic historians usually assume that the size of animal herds maint

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GMAT Reading Comprehension (RC) Questions

Economic historians usually assume that the size of animal herds maint

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