#5 - Global Reference, Must Be True

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

The correct answer choice is (D).

Answer choice (A):

Answer choice (B):

Answer choice (C):

Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer choice.

Answer choice (E):

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

[betagirl]

What makes the correct choice D? Is it because of the word "can"? I chose the correct answer because of the second paragraph explanation on the benefits of diversity.

But I was still confused between A and D. Basically, the reason I rejected A was because of the word "essential"? I could not find support for it, although I am not sure if that was the right reason to reject that option.

Hoping for someone to clarify!

[Robert Carroll]

betagirl,

The point of the passage is that more diverse varieties of a crop, rather than the single variety normally seen in commercial agriculture, have advantages. So, even more strongly, it can be advantageous.

There seems to be nothing in the passage about preserving traditional indigenous culture as a goal. Preserving that culture insofar as it preserves crop diversity is good - so traditional culture may be preserved as a means to preserve the true goal, crop diversity. But answer choice (A) seemingly reverses that relationship, acting as if the passage thought preserving indigenous culture was a goal in its own right. I also might object to the "will" language in that answer choice.

Robert Carroll

[katnyc]

I chose A for this. Would someone please explain where I can find support for answer choice D. I crossed it out because I assumed that A - meant the support was in the first sentence of the last paragraph. Talking about oral traditions.

[katnyc]

betagirl,

The point of the passage is that more diverse varieties of a crop, rather than the single variety normally seen in commercial agriculture, have advantages. So, even more strongly, it can be advantageous.

There seems to be nothing in the passage about preserving traditional indigenous culture as a goal. Preserving that culture insofar as it preserves crop diversity is good - so traditional culture may be preserved as a means to preserve the true goal, crop diversity. But answer choice (A) seemingly reverses that relationship, acting as if the passage thought preserving indigenous culture was a goal in its own right. I also might object to the "will" language in that answer choice.

Robert Carroll

Is there another way you can explain why it is not A?

[Rachael Wilkenfeld]

Hi katy,

The first paragraph is talking about how geneticists are recently recognizing the value of the agricultural knowledge held by the indigenous communities. It does not make any statements about what impact the revitalization of seed networks would have on the indigenous communities. The revitalization is something that might even hinder traditional indigenous culture by using methods that are not traditional. But overall, the reason answer choice (A) is incorrect is that it isn't something that the passage addresses at all. We just don't know what revitalization of the seed exchange networks will have on traditional indigenous culture.

For answer choice (D), I would look to the middle paragraph. Several advantages are listed for using a variety of plants instead of a single genetic strain. The passage lists the increased ability of the variety of plants to resist pests and disease. It also said that using these varied seeds resulted in increased yields for the farmers. Finally, the passage lists the fact that these heirloom plants required less irrigation than the non-heirloom plants.

Hope that helps!

[lounalola]

Is E wrong because of the strong language in the answer choice?

[Luke Haqq]

Hi lounalola!

I can see what you're suggesting, as (E) uses the strong language "must rely." Ultimately, there's nothing in the passage requiring that crop geneticists "must rely on North American farmers' long-standing knowledge of local environments when developing new varieties." Since this is a must be true question but (E) isn't required by the passage, it can be eliminated as an answer choice.