Desertification, the creation of desert-like conditions where none had

Question

New Project RC Butler 2019  -  Practice 2 RC Passages Everyday   
Passage # 236, Date : 29-Jul-2019
 This post is a part of New Project RC Butler 2019 .  Click here for Details

Desertification, the creation of desert-like conditions where none had existed before, is the result of the vagaries of weather and climate or the mismanagement of the land or, in most cases, some combination of both. Such ecological deterioration in the Sahel has been linked in several ways to the increased size of livestock herds. During the fifteen years preceding 1968, a period of extremely favorable rainfall, the pastoralists moved into the marginal regions in the north with relatively large herds. However, with the onset of a series of dry years beginning at the end of the rainy season in 1967, the pastoral populations found themselves overtaxing very marginal rangelands, with the result that the nomads viewed themselves as victims of a natural disaster. The mistaken idea that drought is an unexpected event has often been used to excuse the fact that long-range planning has failed to take rainfall variability into account. People blame the climate for agricultural failures in semiarid regions and make it a scapegoat for faulty population and agricultural policies.

Deterioration and ultimately desertification in the Sahel and in other ecosystems can be combated only if an ecologically realistic carrying capacity for the rangelands is determined. Although there appears to be widespread agreement that such a determination would be significant, there has been little agreement on how to make operational the concept of carrying capacity, defined as the amount of grazing stock that the pasture can support without deterioration of either the pasture or the stock. Should the carrying capacity be geared to the best, the average, or the poorest years? Which combination of statistical measures would be most meaningful for the planning of long-term development of rangelands? On which variables should such an assessment be based, vegetation, rainfall, soil, ground and surface water, or managerial capabilities? Such inconclusiveness within the scientific community, while understandable, creates confusion for the land managers, who often decide to take no action or who decide that all scientific suggestions are of equal weight and, therefore, indiscriminately choose any one of those suggested. Given the downward spiral of land deterioration, it becomes essential that an ecologically acceptable carrying capacity be established and enforced.

It will also be crucial that land managers know what statistical and quasi-statistical measures actually mean: no single number can adequately describe the climate regime of an arid or semiarid region. Land managers must supplement such terms as the “mean” with more informative statistical measures to characterize adequately the variability of the climate. The understanding of this high degree of variability will serve to remove one of the major obstacles to resolving the perennial problems of the Sahel and of other arid or semiarid regions.   1 
 1. The author is primarily concerned with

(A) criticizing a social attitude
(B) suggesting an approach to solving a problem
(C) explaining the mechanics of a process
(D) defending the theories of ecological scientists
(E) establishing criteria for an experiment

2 
 2. According to the passage, which of the following contributed to the desertification of the Sahel?

I.  The size of the livestock herds grazing on the land
 II.  The quality of the land in the Sahel
 III.  The amount of rainfall after 1967

(A) I only
(B) II only
(C) III only
(D) I and III only
(E) I, II, and III

3 
 3. It can be inferred from the passage that the nomadic tribes who moved into the marginal regions of the Sahel did NOT

(A) enlarge the size of their livestock herds
(B) conserve water after the drought began
(C) live in the Sahel after 1968
(D) expect a drastic change in weather conditions
(E) seek governmental aid in overcoming drought conditions

4 
 4. It can be inferred from the passage that the concept of the carrying capacity of land is

(A) still hypothetical rather than practical
(B) basically political rather than ecological
(C) independent of climatic conditions
(D) relatively unknown among ecologists
(E) generally misrepresented by ecologists

5 
 5. Which of the following best states the author’s view concerning the relationship between the ecological scientist and the land manager?

(A) The scientist has not provided the manager with clear guidelines that can be used in regulating the productivity of land.
(B) The scientist has provided theories that are too detailed for the manager to use successfully.
(C) The scientist and the manager, in attempting to regulate the use of semiarid land, have ignored the traditional behavior patterns of pastoral communities.
(D) The manager has misunderstood and hence misapplied the suggestions of the scientist.
(E) The manager has chosen from among the scientist’s suggestions those that are economically rather than ecologically safe.

6 
 6. With which of the following statements concerning desertification would the author be most likely to agree?

(A) It is the result of factors beyond the control of science.
(B) It is a problem largely affecting arid regions.
(C) It could be prevented if land managers understood statistics.
(D) It is not always the result of drastic climate changes alone.
(E) It is not attributable to faulty agricultural policies.

7 
 7. According to the passage, a statistical description of the climate regime of an arid or semiarid region would probably be

(A) misleading
(B) impossible
(C) complex
(D) meaningless
(E) abstract

8 
 8. The tone of the passage can best be described as

(A) flippant
(B) objective
(C) aggressive
(D) apologetic
(E) unconcerned

mallya12 · Answer

GMATNinja ,  workout ,  GMATNinjaTwo ,  u1983 ,  SajjadAhmad ,  Gnpth

5. Which of the following best states the author’s view concerning the relationship between the ecological scientist and the land manager?

(A) The scientist has not provided the manager with clear guidelines that can be used in regulating the productivity of land.
(B) The scientist has provided theories that are too detailed for the manager to use successfully.
(C) The scientist and the manager, in attempting to regulate the use of semiarid land, have ignored the traditional behavior patterns of pastoral communities.
(D) The manager has misunderstood and hence misapplied the suggestions of the scientist.
(E) The manager has chosen from among the scientist’s suggestions those that are economically rather than ecologically safe.

Why is A right?? "creates confusion for the land managers, who often decide to take no action or who decide that all scientific suggestions are of equal weight and, therefore, indiscriminately choose any one of those suggested." I choose D.

Q7 confused between c vs E.

ssd123 · Answer

1. The author is primarily concerned with 
(A) criticizing a social attitude => The author has a suggestive approach, incorrect
(B) suggesting an approach to solving a problem =>  The author mentions in the 2nd para: Deterioration and ultimately desertification in the Sahel and in other ecosystems can be combated only if... this signifies a suggestive approach. Moreover the last para states a number of suggestions from the author, hence correct 
(C) explaining the mechanics of a process => No process is explained, incorrect
(D) defending the theories of ecological scientists => the passage does not contain theories from ecologists, incorrect
(E) establishing criteria for an experiment => out of scope, incorrect

2. According to the passage, which of the following contributed to the desertification of the Sahel? 
I. The size of the livestock herds grazing on the land
II. The quality of the land in the Sahel
III. The amount of rainfall after 1967
The OA is not provided, but i chose D on the basis of the following:
The 1st para states:
1) the pastoralists moved into the marginal regions in the north with relatively large herds => as per point I above
2) the pastoral populations found themselves overtaxing very marginal rangelands => as per point I above
3) However, with the onset of a series of dry years beginning at the end of the rainy season in 1967 => the same is mentioned in point III above

3. It can be inferred from the passage that the nomadic tribes who moved into the marginal regions of the Sahel did NOT 
(A) enlarge the size of their livestock herds=> cannot be inferred, incorrect
(B) conserve water after the drought began =>water conservation not mentioned, cannot be inferred, incorrect
(C) live in the Sahel after 1968 => cannot be inferred, incorrect
(D) expect a drastic change in weather conditions  => However, with the onset of a series of dry years beginning at the end of the rainy season in 1967, the pastoral populations found themselves overtaxing very marginal rangelands, with the result that the nomads viewed themselves as victims of a natural disaster => we can infer that the tribes did not expect the change, hence, correct 
(E) seek governmental aid in overcoming drought conditions => Out of scope, incorrect

4. It can be inferred from the passage that the concept of the carrying capacity of land is 
(A) still hypothetical rather than practical  => Para 2 states: Such inconclusiveness within the scientific community, while understandable, creates confusion for the land managers who often decide to take no action or who decide that all scientific suggestions are of equal weight - hence, we can infer that it is still hypothetical rather than practical => hence correct 
(B) basically political rather than ecological => political is out of scope, incorrect
(C) independent of climatic conditions => passage states that it is dependent on climatic conditions like rainfall => incorrect
(D) relatively unknown among ecologists => it is a known concept, but with inconclusiveness=> incorrect
(E) generally misrepresented by ecologists => out of scope

5. Which of the following best states the author’s view concerning the relationship between the ecological scientist and the land manager? 
(A) The scientist has not provided the manager with clear guidelines that can be used in regulating the productivity of land.
Para 2 states:
Such inconclusiveness within the scientific community, while understandable, creates confusion for the land managers, who often decide to take no action or who decide that all scientific suggestions are of equal weight and, therefore, indiscriminately choose any one of those suggested.

6. With which of the following statements concerning desertification would the author be most likely to agree?
 (D) It is not always the result of drastic climate changes alone.
In para 1, the author mentions :
Desertification, the creation of desert-like conditions where none had existed before, is the result of the vagaries of weather and climate or the mismanagement of the land or, in most cases, some combination of both

7. According to the passage, a statistical description of the climate regime of an arid or semiarid region would probably be 
(A) misleading
(B) impossible
(C) complex  => the last para states : no single number can adequately describe the climate regime of an arid or semiarid region. Land managers must supplement such terms as the “mean” with more informative statistical measures to characterize adequately the variability of the climate- hence, correct
 (D) meaningless
(E) abstract

8. The tone of the passage can best be described as 
(A) flippant => The author infact has a serious and suggestive tone, this is opposite => hence incorrect
(B) objective  => Correct 
(C) aggressive => the author is not aggressive, rather suggestive. Incorrect
(D) apologetic => The author has a suggestive tone, not apologetic, incorrect
(E) unconcerned => The author has a suggestive tone, he is not "unconcerned", incorrect

09173140521 · Answer

#2 OA is E !!!!!!!!!!! I could not understand why not D ?! it is strange ! could sb explain.

but good passage .... source 1000rc i think 700 level

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Hello all

This is a good piece of writing, All questions are logically supported by the passage except question #2, i am not satisfied with OA of question #2, I should be D in my point of view as i am unable to find any clue which supports that Desertification is the due to  "II. The quality of the land in the Sahel" .This could be a typo for Putting E instead of D. I would request Sir  GMATNinja  to please spread some light on this one.

Thanks

Sajjad1994 · Answer

650   is a justified level of difficulty for this passage.

Thanks

KunjP · Answer

I understand your concern. Let's reevaluate the passage to see if there is any indication of the quality of the land in the Sahel contributing to desertification.

Upon reevaluation, the passage does mention that pastoral populations moved into marginal regions in the north with relatively large herds, and they overtaxed very marginal rangelands during a period of dry years. This implies that the quality of the land may have been marginal, contributing to its vulnerability to desertification.

Therefore, upon closer inspection, we can infer that all three factors mentioned in the options (I, II, and III) contributed to the desertification of the Sahel. Hence, the correct answer should indeed be (E) I, II, and III.

Desertification, the creation of desert-like conditions where none had

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Desertification, the creation of desert-like conditions where none had

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