Question

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12. The writer is considering deleting the underlined subordinate clause in sentence 1 (reproduced below), adjusting the punctuation as necessary.

Given the failure of global corporations to clean up their palm oil supply chains so far, and the resulting massive devastation this has caused to tropical rainforests, there is no reason to believe that companies will amend their ways, especially since the demand for palm oil is expected to increase sixfold by 2050.

Should the writer keep or delete the underlined text?
A. Keep it, because it contains the writer’s personal conclusions about the future of palm oil.
B. Keep it, because it balances the writer’s assumption that companies have failed in the past.
C. Keep it, because it provides support for the writer’s lack of faith in global corporations.
D. Delete it, because it contradicts the writer’s assertion that the future of palm oil is grim.
E. Delete it, because it interrupts the writer’s line of reasoning about tropical rainforests.

13. The writer wants to add a sentence before sentence 1 to provide factual support for the introductory claim and focus the audience on the argument of the passage. Which of the following sentences best accomplishes this purpose?
A. In 2020, the World Wildlife Fund issued a scorecard rating 173 of the largest food brands on their progress toward making palm oil deforestation-free, noting that some have made limited progress.
B. In a landmark report, Greenpeace, the Rainforest Action Network, and Mighty Earth have revealed that four hundred companies, including the biggest brands, have broken their commitment to switch to deforestation-free palm oil by 2020.
C. In response to the growing concern over the deforestation wrought by palm oil harvesting, the Consumer Goods Forum formed a global coalition of four hundred consumer goods retailers and manufacturers, including some of the largest in the world.
D. According to the Rainforest Action Network, corporations that use palm oil in their products have increased transparency about their supply chains since 2010, but transparency should be improved to indicate the exact source of the palm oil.
E. The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil was formed to monitor palm oil production and to certify compliant harvesters, but in 2018 it was denounced as a “con,” creating a global backlash.

14. In context, which version of sentence 4 (reproduced below) most effectively explains why oil palms are "an efficient and lucrative crop,” as mentioned in sentence 3?
The trees grow year-round, which means their oil can be harvested year-round.
A. (As it is now)
B. The trees grow year-round and have the highest yield per acre of any oil seed, thus allowing growers to maximize land usage and produce more saleable product.
C. Since palm oil has become an increasingly popular commodity, it has also become an increasingly profitable crop to produce and sell.
D. Palm tree growers can capitalize on year-round palm oil harvests, so it is surprising that palm oil production has only recently seen this rise in popularity.
E. Palm tree growers avoid the seasonal fluctuations that other growers face, which means they face fewer production obstacles.

Answer 1

Answer: 12. C. Keep it, because it provides support for the writer’s lack of faith in global corporations.

The subordinate clause in sentence 1 provides additional evidence to support the writer's lack of faith in global corporations. It explains the reason for the writer's conclusion that there is no reason to believe that companies will change their ways in the future, even though they have failed to clean up their palm oil supply chains so far. The clause helps to build a stronger argument by providing specific details about the negative impact of the failure of these corporations on tropical rainforests.

13. B. In a landmark report, Greenpeace, the Rainforest Action Network, and Mighty Earth have revealed that four hundred companies, including the biggest brands, have broken their commitment to switch to deforestation-free palm oil by 2020.

The purpose of the added sentence is to provide factual support for the introductory claim and focus the audience on the argument of the passage. The sentence selected (B) does this effectively by presenting the results of a landmark report that highlights the failure of companies, including the biggest brands, to switch to deforestation-free palm oil. This information sets the stage for the writer's argument that the future of palm oil is grim.

14. B. The trees grow year-round and have the highest yield per acre of any oil seed, thus allowing growers to maximize land usage and produce more saleable product.

The most effective version of sentence 4 (B) explains why oil palms are "an efficient and lucrative crop" by specifying the reasons why they are so profitable. The sentence explains that the trees grow year-round and have the highest yield per acre of any oil seed, allowing growers to maximize land usage and produce more saleable product. This information provides a clear and specific explanation for why palm oil is such an efficient and lucrative crop, which supports the idea mentioned in sentence 3.