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- mic_a_chav87
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Re: Q23
Michelle5 Wrote: we can assume that the new topsoil will not be heavily fertilized? Thank you!
Unless we replace it with heavily fertilized soil! The passage states that the problem is when heavily fertilized soil is left unplanted, thistles proliferate. Well, we know that we are not going to plant this land, because we want it to grow naturally, so to make it heavily fertilized would be counter to our goals.
Last edited by mic_a_chav87 on Thu Jun 07, 2012 5:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- rinagoldfield
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Atticus Finch
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Re: Q23
Here's my solutions.
23. (D)
Question type: Inference
This inference question directs us to line 13, where the process of replacing topsoil is described. The author writes about this process as a solution to the problem that heavily fertilized land tends to support problem weeds such as thistles. We can infer that replacement topsoil is probably less heavily fertilized, and provides less support to problem weeds such as thistles.
(A) is tempting, since the reader can infer that fresh topsoil would not support thistles or other problem weeds. However, this answer choice goes to the extreme of suggesting that thistles cannot grow in this soil at all. This answer choice can be eliminated based on degree issues.
(B) is unsupported. While the author does refer to fungi in paragraph 3, she does not clearly connect this fungi (or a lack thereof) to the over-fertilized land described in paragraph 1.
(C) is unsupported. The passage offers no evidence to suggest how many or few seeds would be contained in fresh topsoil.
(D) Yes! Since the new soil is laid as a corrective to the problems caused by excessively fertilized soil, the reader can safely infer that this new soil would contain less fertilizer. This is the correct answer.
(E) is unsupported.
23. (D)
Question type: Inference
This inference question directs us to line 13, where the process of replacing topsoil is described. The author writes about this process as a solution to the problem that heavily fertilized land tends to support problem weeds such as thistles. We can infer that replacement topsoil is probably less heavily fertilized, and provides less support to problem weeds such as thistles.
(A) is tempting, since the reader can infer that fresh topsoil would not support thistles or other problem weeds. However, this answer choice goes to the extreme of suggesting that thistles cannot grow in this soil at all. This answer choice can be eliminated based on degree issues.
(B) is unsupported. While the author does refer to fungi in paragraph 3, she does not clearly connect this fungi (or a lack thereof) to the over-fertilized land described in paragraph 1.
(C) is unsupported. The passage offers no evidence to suggest how many or few seeds would be contained in fresh topsoil.
(D) Yes! Since the new soil is laid as a corrective to the problems caused by excessively fertilized soil, the reader can safely infer that this new soil would contain less fertilizer. This is the correct answer.
(E) is unsupported.
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- isaac.botier
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Vinny Gambini
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Re: Q23
23. (D)
Question Type: Inference (8-12)
This question requires that we use information in the text to make an inference about soil that would be used to replace damaged topsoil. We’re told in the first paragraph that there is farmland that has been in constant agricultural use and is lacking in nutrients. A lot of that farmland has been heavily fertilized, which leads to problem weeds like thistles if the land is left unplanted. It’s most likely to be true that if we were to replace topsoil the new soil would not contain large amounts of fertilizer since we would want to avoid those bothersome thistles. Answer (D) is the best answer.
(A) is too extreme. While we would want to avoid the proliferation of thistles by using soil that hasn’t been heavily fertilized, we cannot infer that the new soil would completely eliminate the possibility of thistles growing.
(B) is a unsupported interpretation. Fungi are not mentioned in the first paragraph and when they are mentioned, they are discussed as a beneficial microorganism.
(C) is an unsupported interpretation. Native grasses and herbs are not mentioned in the first paragraph and when they are mentioned they are described as helpful in eliminating thistles.
(E) is a unsupported interpretation and is too extreme. We have no indication that the new soil could not have ever been used for growing corn or other commercial crops. This answer choice may be tempting because we know that land that has been in constant use is lacking in nutrients, however it is too much of a jump to go from it not having ever been used for growing corn or other commercial crops to it constant use.
Question Type: Inference (8-12)
This question requires that we use information in the text to make an inference about soil that would be used to replace damaged topsoil. We’re told in the first paragraph that there is farmland that has been in constant agricultural use and is lacking in nutrients. A lot of that farmland has been heavily fertilized, which leads to problem weeds like thistles if the land is left unplanted. It’s most likely to be true that if we were to replace topsoil the new soil would not contain large amounts of fertilizer since we would want to avoid those bothersome thistles. Answer (D) is the best answer.
(A) is too extreme. While we would want to avoid the proliferation of thistles by using soil that hasn’t been heavily fertilized, we cannot infer that the new soil would completely eliminate the possibility of thistles growing.
(B) is a unsupported interpretation. Fungi are not mentioned in the first paragraph and when they are mentioned, they are discussed as a beneficial microorganism.
(C) is an unsupported interpretation. Native grasses and herbs are not mentioned in the first paragraph and when they are mentioned they are described as helpful in eliminating thistles.
(E) is a unsupported interpretation and is too extreme. We have no indication that the new soil could not have ever been used for growing corn or other commercial crops. This answer choice may be tempting because we know that land that has been in constant use is lacking in nutrients, however it is too much of a jump to go from it not having ever been used for growing corn or other commercial crops to it constant use.
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