While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:In the late 1890s, over 14,000 unique varieties of apples...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- In the late 1890s, over 14,000 unique varieties of apples were grown in the US.
- The rise of industrial agriculture in the mid-1900s narrowed the range of commercially grown crops.
- Thousands of apple varieties considered less suitable for commercial growth were lost.
- Today, only 15 apple varieties dominate the market, making up 90% of apples purchased in the US.
- The Lost Apple Project, based in Washington State, attempts to find and grow lost apple varieties.
The student wants to emphasize the decline in unique apple varieties in the US and specify why this decline occurred. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish these goals?
The Lost Apple Project is dedicated to finding some of the apple varieties lost following a shift in agricultural practices in the mid-1900s.
While over 14,000 apple varieties were grown in the US in the late 1890s, only 15 unique varieties make up most of the apples sold today.
Since the rise of industrial agriculture, US farmers have mainly grown the same few unique apple varieties, resulting in the loss of thousands of varieties less suitable for commercial growth.
As industrial agriculture rose to prominence in the mid-1900s, the number of crops selected for cultivation decreased dramatically.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'In the late 1890s, over 14,000 unique varieties of apples were grown in the US.' |
|
| 'The rise of industrial agriculture in the mid-1900s narrowed the range of commercially grown crops.' |
|
| 'Thousands of apple varieties considered less suitable for commercial growth were lost.' |
|
| 'Today, only 15 apple varieties dominate the market, making up 90% of apples purchased in the US.' |
|
| 'The Lost Apple Project, based in Washington State, attempts to find and grow lost apple varieties.' |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The rise of industrial agriculture dramatically reduced apple variety diversity in the US from over 14,000 varieties to just 15 dominant ones today.
Argument Flow: The passage presents a historical decline narrative, starting with the impressive diversity of the late 1890s, explaining how industrial agriculture caused this diversity to collapse by eliminating commercially unsuitable varieties, showing the stark current reality of just 15 dominant varieties, and ending with efforts to recover what was lost.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? We need to select information from the notes that accomplishes two specific goals for the student.
What type of answer do we need? A sentence that both emphasizes the decline in unique apple varieties AND specifies why this decline occurred.
Any limiting keywords? N/A
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
The right answer should tell us:
- It must show the dramatic decline in apple variety numbers
- It must specify that industrial agriculture was the cause of this decline
- It should connect these two elements clearly rather than just mentioning them separately
The Lost Apple Project is dedicated to finding some of the apple varieties lost following a shift in agricultural practices in the mid-1900s.
✗ Incorrect
- Focuses on the Lost Apple Project mission but does not emphasize the scale of decline with numerical comparison.
While over 14,000 apple varieties were grown in the US in the late 1890s, only 15 unique varieties make up most of the apples sold today.
✗ Incorrect
- Effectively shows the decline by contrasting 14,000+ varieties with today's 15 dominant varieties, but completely ignores specifying why the decline occurred.
Since the rise of industrial agriculture, US farmers have mainly grown the same few unique apple varieties, resulting in the loss of thousands of varieties less suitable for commercial growth.
✓ Correct
- Specifies the cause with 'Since the rise of industrial agriculture' and emphasizes the decline by mentioning 'thousands of varieties' being lost, connecting cause and effect clearly in one coherent sentence.
As industrial agriculture rose to prominence in the mid-1900s, the number of crops selected for cultivation decreased dramatically.
✗ Incorrect
- Mentions industrial agriculture but is too broad, talking about crops generally rather than focusing on apple varieties specifically.