Within the last few decades, scientists have begun to pay much closer

Question

Within the last few decades, scientists have begun to pay much closer attention to the dangerous effects of ground-level ozone, which occurs when strong sunlight combines with nitrous oxide and volatile organic compounds. Scientists in Los Angeles have long since believed that the location of the city, sitting in a natural basin with little circulation and receiving large amounts of sunlight, has made it vulnerable to high levels of ground-level ozone. Scientists in Chicago, however, have found that the Windy City also has high levels of ground-level ozone although it sits on a flat, open plain. These scientists believe that advective heating, which is caused by winds drawing in large amounts of warmth but not circulating them out, is the cause of the increased amounts of ground-level ozone in Chicago. Los Angeles receives strong winds off the Pacific Ocean.

The passage above implies which of the following statements?

(A) It is possible that advective heating from ocean winds and not the location of Los Angeles is what makes Los Angeles so vulnerable to ground-level ozone.

(B) Since it is known as the Windy City, Chicago receives an amount of wind comparable to Los Angeles.

(C) Ozone is a necessary element when it occurs naturally in the upper regions of the atmosphere, but it is very dangerous when at ground level.

(D) The combination of chemicals that creates ground-level ozone creates dangerous respiratory concerns.

(E) Chicago receives a large amount of wind, but because the city is on a flat-open plain the wind is able to circulate out more easily.

ash124 · Answer

Break the Argument: 
 Background: 
Within the last few decades, scientists have begun to pay much closer attention to the dangerous effects of ground-level ozone, which occurs when strong sunlight combines with nitrous oxide and volatile organic compounds.

Scientists in Los Angeles believed that due to the location of the city, the ground level of oxygen is increasing.

Scientists in Chicago, however, have found it is not the location but circulation is the issue.

Los Angeles receives strong winds off the Pacific Ocean.
 
Question:  Inference

(A) It is possible that advective heating from ocean winds and not the location of Los Angeles is what makes Los Angeles so vulnerable to ground-level ozone.
 Matches with our understanding.

(B) Since it is known as the Windy City, Chicago receives an amount of wind comparable to Los Angeles.
 The name(wind city) doesn't affect the amount of wind received by a city.

(C) Ozone is a necessary element when it occurs naturally in the upper regions of the atmosphere, but it is very dangerous when at ground level.
 Out of scope.

(D) The combination of chemicals that creates ground-level ozone creates dangerous respiratory concerns.
 not mentioned anywhere

(E) Chicago receives a large amount of wind, but because the city is on a flat-open plain the wind is able to circulate out more easily
T he passage says otherwise.

Answer : A

Bunuel · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

Overview:

Question references a passage discussing the recent scientific focus on the dangers of ground-level ozone. According to the author of the passage, ground-level ozone “occurs when strong sunlight combines with nitrous oxide and volatile organic compounds.” This has been known to scientists in Los Angeles for some time, and they believed that the specific geophysical situation of that city in a basin-like setting has made it vulnerable to ground-level ozone. But scientists in Chicago have recently discovered that Chicago experiences high levels of ground-level ozone as well, although that city has a geophysical setting totally unlike Los Angeles.

The author of the passage concludes by noting that the scientists in Chicago now believe that advective heating—occurring when a strong wind pulls in heat but does not circulate it effectively—is the real cause of large amounts of ground-level ozone. The author finishes with a comment that Los Angeles receives a great deal of wind off the Pacific Ocean, and the question asks the student to determine which answer choice is implied within the passage. This is an inference/implication question, so the student must read carefully, particularly since the implication is not connected to a certain section of the passage but may come from any part of it.

The Correct Answer:

A The author of the passage does not directly explain the reason for mentioning advective heating in the fourth sentence and then mentioning that Los Angeles receives strong ocean winds in the final sentence, but the student may deduce from this that the author is pointing to advective heating as the source of ground-level ozone in Los Angeles and not the city’s location “sitting in a natural basin with little circulation.” Answer choice (A) is correct.

The Incorrect Answers:

B The author does reference Chicago as the Windy City, but this alone does not necessarily guarantee that Chicago receives the same amount of wind as Los Angeles (or vice versa). This expression is simply a common colloquial usage in referring to Chicago, and the author utilizes it while discussing wind in that city. It might be true that Chicago and Los Angeles receive comparable amounts of wind, but the passage does not clearly imply this, so the student cannot infer it. Answer choice (B) is incorrect.

C The author of the passage focuses only on ground-level ozone and makes no comment on ozone in the upper levels of the atmosphere. The student might know from prior knowledge that the statement in answer choice (C) is, in fact, true: ozone in the upper regions of the atmosphere is both safe and essential. But the passage itself does not imply this, and there is no sentence that clearly points to such a comment. Answer choice (C) infers too much, so it cannot be correct.

D While the author of the passage does mention that ground-level ozone can have “dangerous effects,” the author does not specify what these effects might be. Although  respiratory problems  seems like a logical explanation for the problems that might occur, there is nothing in the passage to suggest this directly, so the student cannot infer answer choice (D). As a result, answer choice (D) is incorrect.

E Far from suggesting the statement made in answer choice (E), the passage seems to contradict it implicitly. The author does say that Chicago sits on a “flat, open plain,” but this is only to contrast the location of Chicago with the location of Los Angeles. The author also indicates that Chicago experiences advective heating, with winds that are not circulating well, so answer choice (E) cannot be correct. It may be eliminated immediately.

unraveled · Answer

Within the last few decades, scientists have begun to pay much closer attention to the dangerous effects of ground-level ozone, which occurs when strong sunlight combines with nitrous oxide and volatile organic compounds. Scientists in Los Angeles have long since believed that the location of the city, sitting in a natural basin with little circulation and receiving large amounts of sunlight, has made it vulnerable to high levels of ground-level ozone. Scientists in Chicago, however, have found that the Windy City also has high levels of ground-level ozone although it sits on a flat, open plain. These scientists believe that advective heating, which is caused by winds drawing in large amounts of warmth but not circulating them out, is the cause of the increased amounts of ground-level ozone in Chicago. Los Angeles receives strong winds off the Pacific Ocean.

The passage above implies which of the following statements?

(A) It is possible that advective heating from ocean winds and not the location of Los Angeles is what makes Los Angeles so vulnerable to ground-level ozone. - CORRECT. Winds not location is responsible for high level of Ozone.

(B) Since it is known as the Windy City, Chicago  receives an amount of wind comparable  to Los Angeles. - WRONG. Not inferable.

(C) Ozone is a  necessary element when it occurs naturally in the upper regions  of the atmosphere, but it is very dangerous when at ground level. - WRONG. Not inferable.

(D) The combination of chemicals that creates ground-level ozone  creates dangerous respiratory concerns . - WRONG. Anything can happen but this is not inferable from the passage.

(E) Chicago receives a large amount of wind, but because the city is on a flat-open plain the  wind is able to circulate out more easily . - WRONG. Exactly the opposite of what is mentioned in passage. Had this been the case there would not have been high level Ozone in Chicago.

Answer A.

Within the last few decades, scientists have begun to pay much closer

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Within the last few decades, scientists have begun to pay much closer

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