Question

Which sentence from the article helps the reader to understand that a rise in population might have been a factor in the crisis?

A) "The city's infrastructure was unable to handle the sudden surge in demand for resources."
B) "Experts believe that the strain on resources was exacerbated by the growing number of inhabitants."
C) "The crisis was a result of various factors, including increased demand due to population growth."
D) "The article highlights the correlation between the population increase and the strain on resources."

Answer 1

Sentence B) explicitly connects the strain on resources to the increasing population, revealing a causative relationship.

Step-by-step explanation:

The sentence that helps the reader understand that a rise in population might have been a factor in the crisis is B) "Experts believe that the strain on resources was exacerbated by the growing number of inhabitants." This sentence directly links the strain on resources to the increase in population. It makes clear that the experts' belief is that the population growth has made the resource scarcity worse, indicating a causative relationship between the rising population and the crisis.