The seasoning and kiln-drying of wood is such an important process in

Question

The seasoning and kiln-drying of wood is such an important process in the manufacture of woods that a need for fuller information regarding it, based upon scientific study of the behavior of various species at different mechanical temperatures, and under different drying processes is keenly felt. Everyone connected with the woodworking industry, or its use in manufactured products, is well aware of the difficulties encountered in properly seasoning or removing the moisture content without injury to the timber, and of its susceptibility to atmospheric conditions after it has been thoroughly seasoned. There is perhaps no material or substance that gives up its moisture with more resistance than wood does. It vigorously defies the efforts of human ingenuity to take away from it, without injury or destruction, that with which nature has so generously supplied it.

In the past but little has been known of this matter further than the fact that wood contained moisture which had to be removed before the wood could be made use of for commercial purposes. Within recent years, however, considerable interest has been awakened among wood-users in the operation of kiln-drying. The losses occasioned in air-drying and improper kiln-drying, and the necessity for getting the material dry as quickly as possible after it has come from the saw, in order to prepare it for manufacturing purposes, are bringing about a realization of the importance of a technical knowledge of the subject.    1 
 1. According to the passage, which of the following could be a difficulty involved in the seasoning of wood?

(A) Seasoning involves the removal of moisture from wood.
(B) The wood that contains moisture cannot be used for commercial purposes such as making furniture.
(C) The timber can get damaged in the process.
(D) Unseasoned wood is susceptible to atmospheric conditions.
(E) The process can get prohibitively expensive.

2 
 2. What is the primary purpose of the passage?

(A) To advocate the use of kiln drying process for seasoning of wood
(B) To evaluate the different processes available for the seasoning of wood 
(C) To explain the renewed interest in the seasoning of wood 
(D) To discuss the importance of and the difficulties involved in the seasoning of wood 
(E) To recommend further research on the subject matter of seasoning of wood

3 
 3. Which of the following can be inferred from the information in the passage?

(A) Extensive scientific data is available about the process of seasoning of wood.
(B) Kiln-drying is cheaper than air-drying.
(C) Wood readily gives up moisture.
(D) With reference to the seasoning of wood, practical knowledge is more important than technical knowledge.
(E) Kiln-drying is more popular now than it has been in the past.

RC Butler 2022  -  Practice Two RC Passages Everyday.   
Passage # 121 Date: 24-Mar-2022
 This question is a part of RC Butler 2022 .  Click here for Details

yaminih · Answer

Why is E not the correct answer to the second question? I felt the passage starts and ends with the need for a proper study regarding the subject.

2. What is the primary purpose of the passage?

(A) To advocate the use of kiln drying process for seasoning of wood
(B) To evaluate the different processes available for the seasoning of wood
(C) To explain the renewed interest in the seasoning of wood
(D) To discuss the importance of and the difficulties involved in the seasoning of wood
(E) To recommend further research on the subject matter of seasoning of wood

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

2. What is the primary purpose of the passage?

Difficulty Level:   650

Explanation

(D)  summarizes the contents of the passage the best and should be the correct answer.

(A)  The author never advocates anything in the passage.

(B)  While the author does mention some of these processes, the passage is not concerned with evaluating these processes.

(C)  The renewed interest mentioned in P2 of the passage is not in the seasoning of wood but in the operation of kiln drying.

(E)  The author does not recommend anything in the passage.

Answer: D

rickyric395 · Answer

I will take a shot at it.

Q1) It asks us to find difficulty involved in seasoning of wood.

From passage we know: - Seasoning does involve removing moisture from it, but it's not the difficulty, the issue is that timber can get damaged in doing so.
 Everyone connected with the woodworking industry, or its use in manufactured products, is well aware of the difficulties encountered in properly seasoning or removing the moisture content without injury to the timber, and of its susceptibility to atmospheric conditions after it has been thoroughly seasoned.

A: - As explained above.
B: - Yes commercial usage require moisture to be removed, but its not the difficulty concerned with seasoning.
C: - Yes, this is correct.
D: - Yes, it too is an issue but not associated with seasoning.
E: - Not mentioned in passage.

rickyric395 · Answer

Q2) Question asks us to find primary purpose of the passage.
Let's look at what each paragraph is trying to portray.
P1: It talks about seasoning and kiln-drying, the difficulties involved in such processes.
P2: It talks about such processes are coming in fashion again and their importance.

Now looking at options
A: - Nowhere in passage seems like author is advocating such processes.
B: - Author only mentions seasoning and kiln-drying, he doesn't mention any other processes, hence this option can't be true
C: - Only partly summarises 2nd para
D: -  This encapsulates both 1st and 2nd para  
E: - Nowhere in passage seems like author is recommending more research on seasoning of wood.

rickyric395 · Answer

Q3) It's an inference question
Let's directly dive into options.

A: - kind of oppostite of what is mentioned in passage
 The seasoning and kiln-drying of wood is such an important process in the manufacture of woods that a need for fuller information regarding it, based upon scientific study of the behavior of various species at different mechanical temperatures, and under different drying processes is keenly felt

B: - There is no mention of cost of processes.

C: - Quite opposite of what passage says.
 There is perhaps no material or substance that gives up its moisture with more resistance than wood does

D: - Practical vs technical knowledge aren't compared anywhere.

E: - Yes. This is correct.
 Within recent years, however, considerable interest has been awakened among wood-users in the operation of kiln-drying.

The seasoning and kiln-drying of wood is such an important process in

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GMAT Reading Comprehension (RC) Questions

The seasoning and kiln-drying of wood is such an important process in

Prep Toolkit

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