PrepTest 151, Section 2, Question 11
The goal of reforesting degraded land is to(27 more words not shown)
Which one of the following,(13 more words not shown)
- ATree species that(10 more words not shown)
- BAn area with(21 more words not shown)
- CThe reforestation of(22 more words not shown)
- DThe growth of(19 more words not shown)
- EThe process of(9 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
Maybe planting one kind of tree is how they get the forest started, not how they intend to finish it.
The goal is variety: a forest with different thriving species. Planting only one fast-growing species initially looks odd against that goal. But perhaps the first trees establish quickly and make it easier for other trees to fill in later. Or perhaps starting with one species saves time, money, or effort. Those are possibilities to investigate, not benefits the passage has established.
What we’re looking for
To resolve the discrepancy, we want to understand why an experienced manager would use this strategy while seeking a diverse forest. The strongest explanation would connect the apparently narrow starting step to that broader goal.
Working the answers
- A
Fast growth in abundant sunlight could help get trees established. But A doesn't explain why planting one species makes sense when the aim is many species. We still need a connection between this growth and eventual diversity; simply restating an advantage of fast-growing trees leaves that gap.
- B
An attractive diverse forest gives another reason to want the stated goal. It doesn't explain the apparently conflicting strategy of planting only one species. Telling us why variety is desirable leaves us asking how the managers intend to get it.
- C
This concerns whether the planted species are native, not whether they are varied. One native species or several native species could satisfy that condition. C doesn't explain why planting just one species could produce the desired variety.
- DCorrect
The first trees attract wildlife, and the wildlife brings in seeds from many other tree species. Picture the initial trees growing quickly, animals moving through the area, and those animals dispersing seeds from surrounding land. The managers don't have to plant every eventual species themselves. Starting with one species can begin a process that brings the others in naturally, so the strategy can serve the diverse-forest goal.
- E
A generally demanding process might make a shortcut attractive, but E doesn't show that this strategy saves work or still produces multiple species. It describes a difficulty common to reforestation without explaining the particular choice we need to understand.
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