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- Posts: 8950
- Joined: Feb 02, 2011
- Wed Jun 28, 2017 1:09 pm
#36492
Complete Question Explanation
Point at Issue. The correct answer choice is (A)
The dialogue between Sam and Meli deals with how to handle one protected species’ preying on
another protected species; mountain lions are preying on bighorn sheep, and Sam believes that the
best thing to do is to let nature take its course and hope for the best. Meli disagrees, asserting that
something must be done to save the bighorn sheep, even if that means limiting the population of
mountain lions.
The question asks for the point at issue between the speakers, who clearly disagree about what to do
in response to the situation. Sam believes that Nature should decide, and Meli believes that humans
should intervene on behalf of the bighorns.
Answer choice (A): This is the correct answer choice—it is the statement with which one of the
speakers would agree, and the other would disagree. Sam believes that we should simply let nature
take its course, in agreement with this choice, and Meli would disagree, asserting that we should do
what is necessary to protect the bighorns.
Answer choice (B): While Meli might agree with this statement (she mentions that the bighorn sheep
must be saved even if that means “limiting” the mountain lion population), we cannot be sure that
Meli would take such a broad stance about animals in general. Since the speakers’ statements do not
commit them to taking either side of this issue, this is not the correct answer choice.
Answer choice (C): Neither speaker discusses the ease of ensuring the preservation of one species
over another, so this cannot be the issue over which the speakers disagree.
Answer choice (D): Neither speaker asserts or even suggests that the mountain lions would be wiped
out by any measures that might be taken to limit the population, so this must not be the issue over
which they disagree.
Answer choice (E): This choice might be distracting because it looks a bit like Meli’s statement, but
Meli’s assertion is rather different. Meli says that something must be done to save the bighorn sheep,
even if that means limiting the mountain lion population.
Point at Issue. The correct answer choice is (A)
The dialogue between Sam and Meli deals with how to handle one protected species’ preying on
another protected species; mountain lions are preying on bighorn sheep, and Sam believes that the
best thing to do is to let nature take its course and hope for the best. Meli disagrees, asserting that
something must be done to save the bighorn sheep, even if that means limiting the population of
mountain lions.
The question asks for the point at issue between the speakers, who clearly disagree about what to do
in response to the situation. Sam believes that Nature should decide, and Meli believes that humans
should intervene on behalf of the bighorns.
Answer choice (A): This is the correct answer choice—it is the statement with which one of the
speakers would agree, and the other would disagree. Sam believes that we should simply let nature
take its course, in agreement with this choice, and Meli would disagree, asserting that we should do
what is necessary to protect the bighorns.
Answer choice (B): While Meli might agree with this statement (she mentions that the bighorn sheep
must be saved even if that means “limiting” the mountain lion population), we cannot be sure that
Meli would take such a broad stance about animals in general. Since the speakers’ statements do not
commit them to taking either side of this issue, this is not the correct answer choice.
Answer choice (C): Neither speaker discusses the ease of ensuring the preservation of one species
over another, so this cannot be the issue over which the speakers disagree.
Answer choice (D): Neither speaker asserts or even suggests that the mountain lions would be wiped
out by any measures that might be taken to limit the population, so this must not be the issue over
which they disagree.
Answer choice (E): This choice might be distracting because it looks a bit like Meli’s statement, but
Meli’s assertion is rather different. Meli says that something must be done to save the bighorn sheep,
even if that means limiting the mountain lion population.