The interior Western United States is sinking. The area of the U.S. be

Question

The interior Western United States is sinking. The area of the U.S. between the Sierra Nevada mountains and the Colorado Plateau is known as the Basin and Range. This area has been sinking for millions of years due to expansion of the Earth’s crust. The lowest point in North America, Death Valley, California, is part of the Basin and Range. Since the southern portion of the region is sinking much faster than the northern portion, places like Phoenix, Arizona, at just over 1,100 feet of elevation, are very low, and places farther north, like Reno, Nevada, at almost 4,500 feet of elevation, are higher. The fact that the elevation of the southern part of the region is getting progressively lower allows more moisture from the Gulf of California to bypass places like Phoenix and penetrate farther into the northern part of the region.

Which of the following is the most appropriate conclusion to the premises above?

(A) Therefore, the region known as the Basin and Range will continue to expand into areas currently part of the Colorado Plateau.

(B) As the northern portion of the region continues to sink, the southern areas of the region will receive more moisture.

(C) Therefore, the drier climate of places like Phoenix is attributable to the compression of the Earth’s crust.

(D) The southern portion of the region includes areas that are very dry and well below sea level.

(E) As the area continues to sink, Phoenix, Arizona, will become drier and drier, while areas to the north will receive more moisture.

Sources:   GMAT for Dummies  
Difficulty Level:   700

sobby · Answer

E is the conclusion :
1. southern part sinking.
2. Moisture will penetrate to North.
 as moisture will penetrate to north , southern part will become dry to some extent , and the same process will continue.
l

ShashwatJha · Answer

Although the passage is dense and convoluted, the answer is easy. E can be easily derived from the last sentence. Had E been the answer choice A, the question could have been solved quicker.

syedazeem3 · Answer

Any insight on why A is incorrect?

Posted from my mobile device

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

You’re asked to draw a conclusion from the premises. An appropriate conclusion covers all the information in the premises and doesn’t include any outside information. The argument isn’t about the expansion of the region but rather its sinking, so  A  isn’t right.

Choice C  addresses the compression of the Earth’s crust, while the passage says that expansion causes the region to sink, so  C  can’t be a conclusion. There isn’t enough information in the paragraph to draw the conclusion in  D . It says Phoenix is low but still states that its elevation is 1,100 feet, which is more than 1,000 feet above sea level.

Choices B and E  come up with opposite conclusions, but the one that’s supported by the passage is  E , so eliminate  B . Passage  E  implies that the sinking will continue in the southern area and that sinking makes the climate drier; therefore, you can conclude from the premises that the southern area will continue to get drier.

Answer: E

Akp880 · Answer

The interior Western United States is sinking. The area of the U.S. between the Sierra Nevada mountains and the Colorado Plateau is known as the Basin and Range. This area has been sinking for millions of years due to expansion of the Earth’s crust. The lowest point in North America, Death Valley, California, is part of the Basin and Range. Since the southern portion of the region is sinking much faster than the northern portion, places like Phoenix, Arizona, at just over 1,100 feet of elevation, are very low, and places farther north, like Reno, Nevada, at almost 4,500 feet of elevation, are higher. The fact that the elevation of the southern part of the region is getting progressively lower allows more moisture from the Gulf of California to bypass places like Phoenix and penetrate farther into the northern part of the region.

Which of the following is the most appropriate conclusion to the premises above?

(A) Therefore, the region known as the Basin and Range will continue to expand into areas currently part of the Colorado Plateau.

(B) As the northern portion of the region continues to sink, the southern areas of the region will receive more moisture.

(C) Therefore, the drier climate of places like Phoenix is attributable to the compression of the Earth’s crust.

(D) The southern portion of the region includes areas that are very dry and well below sea level.

(E) As the area continues to sink, Phoenix, Arizona, will become drier and drier, while areas to the north will receive more moisture.

Dear friends,
Read carefully the last sentence of the passage which has all the inferences-

More sinking>>>>more moisture bypassing the southern places>>>>more drier areas in south

Hence E is the correct answer choice.

VerbalBot · Answer

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The interior Western United States is sinking. The area of the U.S. be

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The interior Western United States is sinking. The area of the U.S. be

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