A government agency released results showing that the average lead

Question

A government agency released results showing that the average lead content in many wines sold in the U.S. exceeds the Federal government's standard for drinking water. According to the results, domestically produced wines tested in the bottle often had lead contents lower than the amount allowed for drinking water; however, when the wines were poured, both domestic and imported wines contained lead levels higher than the standard for drinking water. Italian wines were found to contain some of the highest lead levels.

Which of the following, if true, contributes most to an explanation of the increase in the lead levels of domestically produced wines?

A. Pipes soldered with lead are often used in the wine production process.
B. The grapes used to make wine are often exposed to the automobile exhaust produced by leaded gasoline.
C. Leaky corks may allow the wines to react with the lead foil caps commonly used to cover the corks.
D. Deposits from the lead foil caps commonly used to cover corks may accumulate on the lips of the bottles.
E. Domestic wineries often use contaminated ground water in the wine production process.

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ajay0520 · Answer

option d  
this looks like a paradox question where the paradox is, 
wine when tested in bottle have low lead content than the same wine when tested outside. 
what do you think? can it be that while pouring wine out, some lead has been mixed from somewhere?

option d explains that

Dereno · Answer

Government agency recently published a result :  average lead content in many wines sold in the U.S.    exceeds    the Federal government's standard for drinking water.

Average lead content EXCEEDS fed government standards for drinking water .

According to the results, domestically produced wines tested in the bottle often had lead contents lower than the amount allowed for drinking water;

Domestic produced wines  tested in bottle has  LEAD CONTENTS LOWER THAN  the amount in drinking water.
 
 However  , when the wines were  poured , both domestic and imported wines contained lead levels higher than the standard for drinking water.

Italian wines were found to contain some of the highest lead levels.

During pouring, or prior to that the amount of lead content could have increased significantly to elevate the levels of lead. But, how do pouring wine increase the lead levels beyond general permissible limits. If while we pour the wine, the wine in glass has more lead compared to wine in bottle. Then something at the lips of bottle might have been the causative agent for lead level increase.

let’s look into the options:

A. Pipes soldered with lead are often used in the wine production process.

This does not explain why after pouring the lead levels have increased. Hence eliminated.

B. The grapes used to make wine are often exposed to the automobile exhaust produced by leaded gasoline.

During preparation itself the levels will be elevated . Hence out of scope.

C. Leaky corks may allow the wines to react with the lead foil caps commonly used to cover the corks.

This mentions the presence of leaky corks that interact with lead foil caps, and thus increasing the lead levels. This could explain a higher concentration of lead when the wine is poured, as it would be in contact with the lead.

D. Deposits from the lead foil caps commonly used to cover corks may accumulate on the lips of the bottles.

The lead accumulation might be a concern, but this doesn’t seem to directly affect the wine’s lead content after pouring. Deposit at lips of bottle vs increased lead content in lead.

E. Domestic wineries often use contaminated ground water in the wine production process.

It is completely contradictory to the question stem. Hence, out of scope.

Bunuel · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION:

Identify the Question Type:

The words “contributes most to an explanation” indicate that this is an Explain question. Expect there to be a paradox or apparent contradiction in the stimulus, and the answer to explain how both parts of the apparent contradiction can be true at the same time.

Untangle the Stimulus:

Untangle the stimulus in an Explain question by paraphrasing the two parts of the apparent contradiction. The two are often separated by a contrast word, such as “but,”“yet,” or, in this case, “however.” On the one hand, domestically produced wines tested in the bottle often had lead contents lower than the amount allowed for drinking water. On the other hand, when the wines were poured, they (along with imported wines) had lead levels higher than the standard for drinking water.
 
Predict the Answer:

As with most Explain questions, it’s difficult to predict an exact answer here. There are many possible reasons for the surprise difference in test results. However, it is important to note that the lead levels were lower in the bottle, and only high after the wine was poured. Expect the correct answer to show how lead levels would increase during the pouring process.

Evaluate the Choices:

(D) provides a perfectly reasonable explanation for both results, and is the answer. Lead from foil caps may collect on the lips of bottles, so that the wine inside the bottle is low in lead, but then the wine picks up lead as it passes the bottle lip.

(A) explains why there might be lead present in wine, but not why the lead level would increase when the wine is poured from the bottle.

(B) at most explains why there might be lead present in wine, but not why the lead level would increase when the wine is poured from the bottle.

(C) explains how lead deposits might build up inside the bottle, but once the bottle is opened, the leaky cork no longer matters. This fails to explain why the lead level would be higher when the wine is poured.

(E) doesn't say what kind of contamination is present in the groundwater. Still, at most this might explain high lead levels in domestic wine, but not the reason for the lead increase when wine is poured.

TAKEAWAY: The answer to an Explain question must show how both parts of the apparent contradiction can be true at the same time. Watch out for choices that deal with only one part of the contradiction.

Vibhatu · Answer

It says "wines were poured".. so option D
A. Pipes soldered with lead are often used in the wine production process.
B. The grapes used to make wine are often exposed to the automobile exhaust produced by leaded gasoline.
C. Leaky corks may allow the wines to react with the lead foil caps commonly used to cover the corks.
  D. Deposits from the lead foil caps commonly used to cover corks may accumulate on the lips of the bottles.  
E. Domestic wineries often use contaminated ground water in the wine production process.

A government agency released results showing that the average lead

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A government agency released results showing that the average lead

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