Question

Rabbits were introduced to Tambor Island in the nineteenth century. Overgrazing by the enormous rabbit population now menaces the island's agriculture. The government proposes to reduce the population by using a virus that has caused devastating epidemics in rabbit populations elsewhere. There is, however, a small chance that the virus will infect the bilby, an endangered native herbivore. The government's plan, therefore, may serve the interests of agriculture but will clearly increase the threat to native wildlife.The argument above assumes which of the following?A) There is less chance that the virus will infect domestic animals on Tambor than that it will infect wild animals of species native to the island.B) Overgrazing by rabbits does not pose the most significant current threat to the bilby.C) There is at least one alternative means of reducing the rabbit population that would not involve any threat to the bilby.D) There are no species of animals on the island that prey on the rabbits.E) The virus that the government proposes to use has been successfully used elsewhere to control populations of rabbits.

Answer 1

The correct answer to the question: The argument above assumes which of the following? Would be, B: Overgrazing by rabbits does not pose the most significant current threat to the bilby.

Step-by-step explanation:

The argument here states that there is a problem with a species of animal, a rabbit, which was not indigenous to Tambor Island and which has become a real threat, especially to agriculture. The government´s idea to deal with the issue is to use a virus to infect the rabbits and eliminate most of these invaders from the habitat, but with the least possible impact on other aspects of the life on the island. However, there is a problem that ensues from the proposed solution and that is that wildlife in the island may be placed in danger with the chance that the virus may infect it, particularly an endangered species called the bilby. From all the arguments given in here, the one that is assumed does not pose a real problem, and therefore does not have a negative impact given the situation, is the overgrazing by rabbits, as this does not affect either agriculture, nor the survival of the bilby. The only thing that does pose a threat to the survival of this endangered species, and a direct one, is the solution proposed by the government.