#1 - Global Reference, Main Point

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

The correct answer choice is (D).

Answer choice (A):

Answer choice (B):

Answer choice (C):

Answer choice (D):

Answer choice (E):

This explanation is still in progress. Please post any questions below!

[mkarimi73]

Is (A) wrong because it is out-of-scope?

[Luke Haqq]

Hi mkarimi73!

I can see why answer choice (A) looks compelling. It starts off, "Deep-well injection of hazardous wastes is unsafe," which sounds like it's on the right path in terms of the main point of the passage.

The second part of the sentence, however, renders it problematic: "Deep-well injection of hazardous wastes is unsafe when expensive precautionary measures are not taken." The italicized part suggests deep-well injection can be made safe, namely, if expensive precautionary measures are taken. The passage conveys that there are several problems with deep-well injection and then spells out those problems. But it doesn't say that money can fix all of these problems.

[smithduke]

Could I have an explanation as to why (B) is incorrect? Thanks.

[Luke Haqq]

Hi smithduke!

Answer choice (B) states, "Although deep-well injection of hazardous wastes can be unsafe, it is generally safe when proper procedures are followed and sites are carefully selected." This answer seems problematic because it suggests the main point is that deep-well injection is "generally safe."

In contrast to that, a central takeaway should be that deep-well injection is problematic. The stimulus states at the end of the first paragraph that "there are three serious problems" with this method. The next paragraph discusses the first two problems (mechanical failures like leaks, and human errors). The following paragraph discusses the third problem (uncertainty). Finally, the passage's last sentence indicates that "unfortunately" this method will be increasingly relied on--unfortunate because of its problems delineated in the previous paragraphs. The author's view is not that deep-well injection is safe but rather that it is problematic.