While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:Traditional industrial farming expanded rapidly after World War II.It relies...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- Traditional industrial farming expanded rapidly after World War II.
- It relies heavily on synthetic fertilizers and chemical pesticides to maximize crop yields.
- This approach produces high quantities of food but often degrades soil quality over time.
- Sustainable agriculture emerged as an alternative approach in recent decades.
- It emphasizes natural fertilizers and biological pest control methods.
- This approach typically yields less food per acre but maintains long-term soil health.
The student wants to contrast the long-term environmental effects of traditional and sustainable farming. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
Traditional farming relies on synthetic fertilizers and chemical pesticides to maximize crop yields.
Sustainable agriculture emerged as an alternative that emphasizes natural fertilizers and biological pest control.
While traditional farming often degrades soil quality over time, sustainable agriculture maintains long-term soil health.
Traditional farming expanded after World War II, but sustainable agriculture typically yields less food per acre.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Traditional industrial farming expanded rapidly after World War II.' |
|
| 'It relies heavily on synthetic fertilizers and chemical pesticides to maximize crop yields.' |
|
| 'This approach produces high quantities of food but often degrades soil quality over time.' |
|
| 'Sustainable agriculture emerged as an alternative approach in recent decades.' |
|
| 'It emphasizes natural fertilizers and biological pest control methods.' |
|
| 'This approach typically yields less food per acre but maintains long-term soil health.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Traditional and sustainable farming represent two different approaches with opposite long-term environmental effects—one degrades soil over time while the other preserves it.
Argument Flow: The notes first establish traditional farming's post-WWII expansion and methods, then reveal its environmental cost over time. They then introduce sustainable agriculture as a recent alternative with different methods that prioritize long-term environmental health over maximum production.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The right answer needs to present both farming approaches and specifically focus on how they affect the environment over time
- From our analysis, traditional farming 'often degrades soil quality over time' while sustainable agriculture 'maintains long-term soil health'
- The correct answer should highlight this direct environmental contrast—one approach harms the environment over time, while the other preserves it
Traditional farming relies on synthetic fertilizers and chemical pesticides to maximize crop yields.
- Only describes traditional farming's methods
- Doesn't mention sustainable agriculture at all
- No contrast is presented
- Focuses on methods rather than environmental effects
Sustainable agriculture emerged as an alternative that emphasizes natural fertilizers and biological pest control.
- Only describes sustainable agriculture
- Doesn't mention traditional farming
- No contrast is presented
While traditional farming often degrades soil quality over time, sustainable agriculture maintains long-term soil health.
- Directly contrasts both farming approaches
- Focuses specifically on long-term environmental effects
- Uses clear contrasting language
- Perfectly matches what the question asks for
Traditional farming expanded after World War II, but sustainable agriculture typically yields less food per acre.
- Does present both farming approaches but focuses on timing and yield rather than environmental effects
- Misses the 'long-term environmental effects' focus entirely