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Directions: After reading the passage, read and respond to the questions that follow by selecting the best choice for each one.
(1) The Opium Convention of 1912, where a treaty was signed by China, Britain and ten other countries to prohibit opium use and trade, marked the start of the still-ongoing international effort to control the consumption of addictive-drugs through prohibition. The idea that opium was dangerous to both individual and societal well-being was a consequence of the popular but erroneous perception that unrestrained opium trade by Britain in the nineteenth-century had reduced the once-great Chinese civilization to an emaciated and hopeless population of opium addicts smoking themselves to death.
(2) Opium was the most effective painkiller known to mankind before the discovery of modern medicines and had been imported into China for this medicinal property since the seventh century. With their better means of production that resulted in higher yields, the British traders supplied much more opium to China than the country had hitherto imported, thereby bringing the price of opium down to where even the poor Chinese could afford its regular consumption. This facilitated opium becoming a commonly-used panacea against the symptoms of a wide number of ailments and diseases. Medicinal use of opium also increased concurrently in Asia, the Middle East and Europe and the drug remained popular till modern medicines became cheaply available in the twentieth century. During the nineteenth century, the per capita consumption of opium was much greater in Britain than in China, but the British users did not suffer adverse effects on either their health or longevity. Moreover, there is ample evidence that most users of opium, including the Chinese, used it in moderation and only occasionally, such as when in pain.
(3) The implementation of the 1912 treaty in China led to the public humiliation and imprisonment of tens of thousands of ordinary opium users. As most of these users were already ill, some with contagious diseases, the crowded prison cells became the breeding grounds of epidemics and had high mortality. Further, opium could now be obtained only in black market; scarcity and illegality made it expensive. A search for cheaper alternatives led most opium users to morphine and heroin, psychoactive substances that were much more addictive and were deleterious to health. The prohibition thus proved to be a cure that was worse than the disease.
Q. The author of the passage is primarily concerned with
  • a)
    explaining the problems in the first international attempt to control drug use
  • b)
    clarifying a common misconception about the impact of prohibition on drug use
  • c)
    explaining how the British effort to eradicate opium triggered a worse crisis of addiction
  • d)
    discussing the factors that may decrease the effectiveness of prohibition in decreasing drug use
  • e)
    describing the consequences of a pandemic of opium addiction in the nineteenth-century China
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?
Most Upvoted Answer
Directions: After reading the passage, read and respond to the questi...
Explanation:

Primary Concern:
The author of the passage is primarily concerned with explaining the problems in the first international attempt to control drug use.

Supporting Points:
- The passage discusses the Opium Convention of 1912, which aimed to prohibit opium use and trade.
- It highlights the misconception that the unrestrained opium trade by Britain in the nineteenth century had devastating effects on Chinese society.
- The passage goes on to explain the historical background of opium use and trade, emphasizing its medicinal properties and widespread consumption.
- It also describes the unintended consequences of the prohibition, such as the public humiliation and imprisonment of opium users, leading to epidemics and increased mortality rates.
- The passage concludes by pointing out that the prohibition of opium led users to seek more harmful alternatives like morphine and heroin.

Conclusion:
By detailing the history of opium use, the impact of prohibition, and the unintended consequences of the 1912 treaty, the author aims to explain the complexities and challenges of international efforts to control drug use. The passage provides a comprehensive analysis of the issues surrounding the first international attempt to regulate opium consumption, shedding light on the difficulties and pitfalls of such endeavors.
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Community Answer
Directions: After reading the passage, read and respond to the questi...
To answer a primary purpose question, it's a good idea to have an overview of the passage before looking at the option. This is how the passage is organized
Para 1 states that the 1912 treaty to ban (prohibit) opium trade was based on a wrong perception (of the effects of opium use on the Chinese).
Para 2 explains why that perception was wrong.
Para 3 describes the ill-consequences of prohibition.
The conclusion drawn is that the cure (prohibition of opium) proved more harmful than the disease (supposed ill-effects of opium addiction). The author shows in Para 2 that there was no disease in the first place.
So overall, the author is concerned with explaining why the decision to prohibit opium use and trade was wrong. It was wrong because opium use by the Chinese was benign (Para 2) and because of the bad things that happened as the result of this decision (Para 3).
Let us analyze the options one by one.
A. This option is correct. From the first paragraph of the passage, we know that the first international attempt to control drug use was the international treaty signed in 1912 to ban opium use and trade. As discussed in the analysis above, the author is indeed focused on explaining the problems with this treaty’s decision of prohibition.
B. This option is incorrect. The third paragraph gives an example of how prohibition can make the contraband drug expensive and increase the use of other, perhaps more dangerous, drugs. Thus, this paragraph can be said to talk of "the impact of prohibition on drug use." However, no "common misconception" about this impact is discussed in the passage, nor does the author clarify any misconception.
C. This option is incorrect. The efforts to eradicate opium were made by multiple countries acting together. Therefore, the phrase "British effort to eradicate opium" is not supported by the passage.
D. This option is incorrect. The author's argument in the third paragraph is that prohibition was a harmful measure. He does not discuss the factors that impact the effectiveness of prohibition.
E. This option is incorrect. In the first paragraph, the author rejects the perception that there was a "pandemic" (widespread disease) of opium "addiction." His contention in the second paragraph is that the use of opium in the nineteenth-century China may have been common but it was benign.
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Directions: After reading the passage, read and respond to the questions that follow by selecting the best choice for each one. (1) The Opium Convention of 1912, where a treaty was signed by China, Britain and ten other countries to prohibit opium use and trade, marked the start of the still-ongoing international effort to control the consumption of addictive-drugs through prohibition. The idea that opium was dangerous to both individual and societal well-being was a consequence of the popular but erroneous perception that unrestrained opium trade by Britain in the nineteenth-century had reduced the once-great Chinese civilization to an emaciated and hopeless population of opium addicts smoking themselves to death.(2) Opium was the most effective painkiller known to mankind before the discovery of modern medicines and had been imported into China for this medicinal property since the seventh century. With their better means of production that resulted in higher yields, the British traders supplied much more opium to China than the country had hitherto imported, thereby bringing the price of opium down to where even the poor Chinese could afford its regular consumption. This facilitated opium becoming a commonly-used panacea against the symptoms of a wide number of ailments and diseases. Medicinal use of opium also increased concurrently in Asia, the Middle East and Europe and the drug remained popular till modern medicines became cheaply available in the twentieth century. During the nineteenth century, the per capita consumption of opium was much greater in Britain than in China, but the British users did not suffer adverse effects on either their health or longevity. Moreover, there is ample evidence that most users of opium, including the Chinese, used it in moderation and only occasionally, such as when in pain.(3) The implementation of the 1912 treaty in China led to the public humiliation and imprisonment of tens of thousands of ordinary opium users. As most of these users were already ill, some with contagious diseases, the crowded prison cells became the breeding grounds of epidemics and had high mortality. Further, opium could now be obtained only in black market; scarcity and illegality made it expensive. A search for cheaper alternatives led most opium users to morphine and heroin, psychoactive substances that were much more addictive and were deleterious to health. The prohibition thus proved to be a cure that was worse than the disease.Q. The author of the passage is primarily concerned witha)explaining the problems in the first international attempt to control drug useb)clarifying a common misconception about the impact of prohibition on drug usec)explaining how the British effort to eradicate opium triggered a worse crisis of addictiond)discussing the factors that may decrease the effectiveness of prohibition in decreasing drug usee)describing the consequences of a pandemic of opium addiction in the nineteenth-century ChinaCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?
Question Description
Directions: After reading the passage, read and respond to the questions that follow by selecting the best choice for each one. (1) The Opium Convention of 1912, where a treaty was signed by China, Britain and ten other countries to prohibit opium use and trade, marked the start of the still-ongoing international effort to control the consumption of addictive-drugs through prohibition. The idea that opium was dangerous to both individual and societal well-being was a consequence of the popular but erroneous perception that unrestrained opium trade by Britain in the nineteenth-century had reduced the once-great Chinese civilization to an emaciated and hopeless population of opium addicts smoking themselves to death.(2) Opium was the most effective painkiller known to mankind before the discovery of modern medicines and had been imported into China for this medicinal property since the seventh century. With their better means of production that resulted in higher yields, the British traders supplied much more opium to China than the country had hitherto imported, thereby bringing the price of opium down to where even the poor Chinese could afford its regular consumption. This facilitated opium becoming a commonly-used panacea against the symptoms of a wide number of ailments and diseases. Medicinal use of opium also increased concurrently in Asia, the Middle East and Europe and the drug remained popular till modern medicines became cheaply available in the twentieth century. During the nineteenth century, the per capita consumption of opium was much greater in Britain than in China, but the British users did not suffer adverse effects on either their health or longevity. Moreover, there is ample evidence that most users of opium, including the Chinese, used it in moderation and only occasionally, such as when in pain.(3) The implementation of the 1912 treaty in China led to the public humiliation and imprisonment of tens of thousands of ordinary opium users. As most of these users were already ill, some with contagious diseases, the crowded prison cells became the breeding grounds of epidemics and had high mortality. Further, opium could now be obtained only in black market; scarcity and illegality made it expensive. A search for cheaper alternatives led most opium users to morphine and heroin, psychoactive substances that were much more addictive and were deleterious to health. The prohibition thus proved to be a cure that was worse than the disease.Q. The author of the passage is primarily concerned witha)explaining the problems in the first international attempt to control drug useb)clarifying a common misconception about the impact of prohibition on drug usec)explaining how the British effort to eradicate opium triggered a worse crisis of addictiond)discussing the factors that may decrease the effectiveness of prohibition in decreasing drug usee)describing the consequences of a pandemic of opium addiction in the nineteenth-century ChinaCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? for GRE 2024 is part of GRE preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the GRE exam syllabus. Information about Directions: After reading the passage, read and respond to the questions that follow by selecting the best choice for each one. (1) The Opium Convention of 1912, where a treaty was signed by China, Britain and ten other countries to prohibit opium use and trade, marked the start of the still-ongoing international effort to control the consumption of addictive-drugs through prohibition. The idea that opium was dangerous to both individual and societal well-being was a consequence of the popular but erroneous perception that unrestrained opium trade by Britain in the nineteenth-century had reduced the once-great Chinese civilization to an emaciated and hopeless population of opium addicts smoking themselves to death.(2) Opium was the most effective painkiller known to mankind before the discovery of modern medicines and had been imported into China for this medicinal property since the seventh century. With their better means of production that resulted in higher yields, the British traders supplied much more opium to China than the country had hitherto imported, thereby bringing the price of opium down to where even the poor Chinese could afford its regular consumption. This facilitated opium becoming a commonly-used panacea against the symptoms of a wide number of ailments and diseases. Medicinal use of opium also increased concurrently in Asia, the Middle East and Europe and the drug remained popular till modern medicines became cheaply available in the twentieth century. During the nineteenth century, the per capita consumption of opium was much greater in Britain than in China, but the British users did not suffer adverse effects on either their health or longevity. Moreover, there is ample evidence that most users of opium, including the Chinese, used it in moderation and only occasionally, such as when in pain.(3) The implementation of the 1912 treaty in China led to the public humiliation and imprisonment of tens of thousands of ordinary opium users. As most of these users were already ill, some with contagious diseases, the crowded prison cells became the breeding grounds of epidemics and had high mortality. Further, opium could now be obtained only in black market; scarcity and illegality made it expensive. A search for cheaper alternatives led most opium users to morphine and heroin, psychoactive substances that were much more addictive and were deleterious to health. The prohibition thus proved to be a cure that was worse than the disease.Q. The author of the passage is primarily concerned witha)explaining the problems in the first international attempt to control drug useb)clarifying a common misconception about the impact of prohibition on drug usec)explaining how the British effort to eradicate opium triggered a worse crisis of addictiond)discussing the factors that may decrease the effectiveness of prohibition in decreasing drug usee)describing the consequences of a pandemic of opium addiction in the nineteenth-century ChinaCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for GRE 2024 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for Directions: After reading the passage, read and respond to the questions that follow by selecting the best choice for each one. (1) The Opium Convention of 1912, where a treaty was signed by China, Britain and ten other countries to prohibit opium use and trade, marked the start of the still-ongoing international effort to control the consumption of addictive-drugs through prohibition. The idea that opium was dangerous to both individual and societal well-being was a consequence of the popular but erroneous perception that unrestrained opium trade by Britain in the nineteenth-century had reduced the once-great Chinese civilization to an emaciated and hopeless population of opium addicts smoking themselves to death.(2) Opium was the most effective painkiller known to mankind before the discovery of modern medicines and had been imported into China for this medicinal property since the seventh century. With their better means of production that resulted in higher yields, the British traders supplied much more opium to China than the country had hitherto imported, thereby bringing the price of opium down to where even the poor Chinese could afford its regular consumption. This facilitated opium becoming a commonly-used panacea against the symptoms of a wide number of ailments and diseases. Medicinal use of opium also increased concurrently in Asia, the Middle East and Europe and the drug remained popular till modern medicines became cheaply available in the twentieth century. During the nineteenth century, the per capita consumption of opium was much greater in Britain than in China, but the British users did not suffer adverse effects on either their health or longevity. Moreover, there is ample evidence that most users of opium, including the Chinese, used it in moderation and only occasionally, such as when in pain.(3) The implementation of the 1912 treaty in China led to the public humiliation and imprisonment of tens of thousands of ordinary opium users. As most of these users were already ill, some with contagious diseases, the crowded prison cells became the breeding grounds of epidemics and had high mortality. Further, opium could now be obtained only in black market; scarcity and illegality made it expensive. A search for cheaper alternatives led most opium users to morphine and heroin, psychoactive substances that were much more addictive and were deleterious to health. The prohibition thus proved to be a cure that was worse than the disease.Q. The author of the passage is primarily concerned witha)explaining the problems in the first international attempt to control drug useb)clarifying a common misconception about the impact of prohibition on drug usec)explaining how the British effort to eradicate opium triggered a worse crisis of addictiond)discussing the factors that may decrease the effectiveness of prohibition in decreasing drug usee)describing the consequences of a pandemic of opium addiction in the nineteenth-century ChinaCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?.
Solutions for Directions: After reading the passage, read and respond to the questions that follow by selecting the best choice for each one. (1) The Opium Convention of 1912, where a treaty was signed by China, Britain and ten other countries to prohibit opium use and trade, marked the start of the still-ongoing international effort to control the consumption of addictive-drugs through prohibition. The idea that opium was dangerous to both individual and societal well-being was a consequence of the popular but erroneous perception that unrestrained opium trade by Britain in the nineteenth-century had reduced the once-great Chinese civilization to an emaciated and hopeless population of opium addicts smoking themselves to death.(2) Opium was the most effective painkiller known to mankind before the discovery of modern medicines and had been imported into China for this medicinal property since the seventh century. With their better means of production that resulted in higher yields, the British traders supplied much more opium to China than the country had hitherto imported, thereby bringing the price of opium down to where even the poor Chinese could afford its regular consumption. This facilitated opium becoming a commonly-used panacea against the symptoms of a wide number of ailments and diseases. Medicinal use of opium also increased concurrently in Asia, the Middle East and Europe and the drug remained popular till modern medicines became cheaply available in the twentieth century. During the nineteenth century, the per capita consumption of opium was much greater in Britain than in China, but the British users did not suffer adverse effects on either their health or longevity. Moreover, there is ample evidence that most users of opium, including the Chinese, used it in moderation and only occasionally, such as when in pain.(3) The implementation of the 1912 treaty in China led to the public humiliation and imprisonment of tens of thousands of ordinary opium users. As most of these users were already ill, some with contagious diseases, the crowded prison cells became the breeding grounds of epidemics and had high mortality. Further, opium could now be obtained only in black market; scarcity and illegality made it expensive. A search for cheaper alternatives led most opium users to morphine and heroin, psychoactive substances that were much more addictive and were deleterious to health. The prohibition thus proved to be a cure that was worse than the disease.Q. The author of the passage is primarily concerned witha)explaining the problems in the first international attempt to control drug useb)clarifying a common misconception about the impact of prohibition on drug usec)explaining how the British effort to eradicate opium triggered a worse crisis of addictiond)discussing the factors that may decrease the effectiveness of prohibition in decreasing drug usee)describing the consequences of a pandemic of opium addiction in the nineteenth-century ChinaCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? in English & in Hindi are available as part of our courses for GRE. Download more important topics, notes, lectures and mock test series for GRE Exam by signing up for free.
Here you can find the meaning of Directions: After reading the passage, read and respond to the questions that follow by selecting the best choice for each one. (1) The Opium Convention of 1912, where a treaty was signed by China, Britain and ten other countries to prohibit opium use and trade, marked the start of the still-ongoing international effort to control the consumption of addictive-drugs through prohibition. The idea that opium was dangerous to both individual and societal well-being was a consequence of the popular but erroneous perception that unrestrained opium trade by Britain in the nineteenth-century had reduced the once-great Chinese civilization to an emaciated and hopeless population of opium addicts smoking themselves to death.(2) Opium was the most effective painkiller known to mankind before the discovery of modern medicines and had been imported into China for this medicinal property since the seventh century. With their better means of production that resulted in higher yields, the British traders supplied much more opium to China than the country had hitherto imported, thereby bringing the price of opium down to where even the poor Chinese could afford its regular consumption. This facilitated opium becoming a commonly-used panacea against the symptoms of a wide number of ailments and diseases. Medicinal use of opium also increased concurrently in Asia, the Middle East and Europe and the drug remained popular till modern medicines became cheaply available in the twentieth century. During the nineteenth century, the per capita consumption of opium was much greater in Britain than in China, but the British users did not suffer adverse effects on either their health or longevity. Moreover, there is ample evidence that most users of opium, including the Chinese, used it in moderation and only occasionally, such as when in pain.(3) The implementation of the 1912 treaty in China led to the public humiliation and imprisonment of tens of thousands of ordinary opium users. As most of these users were already ill, some with contagious diseases, the crowded prison cells became the breeding grounds of epidemics and had high mortality. Further, opium could now be obtained only in black market; scarcity and illegality made it expensive. A search for cheaper alternatives led most opium users to morphine and heroin, psychoactive substances that were much more addictive and were deleterious to health. The prohibition thus proved to be a cure that was worse than the disease.Q. The author of the passage is primarily concerned witha)explaining the problems in the first international attempt to control drug useb)clarifying a common misconception about the impact of prohibition on drug usec)explaining how the British effort to eradicate opium triggered a worse crisis of addictiond)discussing the factors that may decrease the effectiveness of prohibition in decreasing drug usee)describing the consequences of a pandemic of opium addiction in the nineteenth-century ChinaCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? defined & explained in the simplest way possible. Besides giving the explanation of Directions: After reading the passage, read and respond to the questions that follow by selecting the best choice for each one. (1) The Opium Convention of 1912, where a treaty was signed by China, Britain and ten other countries to prohibit opium use and trade, marked the start of the still-ongoing international effort to control the consumption of addictive-drugs through prohibition. The idea that opium was dangerous to both individual and societal well-being was a consequence of the popular but erroneous perception that unrestrained opium trade by Britain in the nineteenth-century had reduced the once-great Chinese civilization to an emaciated and hopeless population of opium addicts smoking themselves to death.(2) Opium was the most effective painkiller known to mankind before the discovery of modern medicines and had been imported into China for this medicinal property since the seventh century. With their better means of production that resulted in higher yields, the British traders supplied much more opium to China than the country had hitherto imported, thereby bringing the price of opium down to where even the poor Chinese could afford its regular consumption. This facilitated opium becoming a commonly-used panacea against the symptoms of a wide number of ailments and diseases. Medicinal use of opium also increased concurrently in Asia, the Middle East and Europe and the drug remained popular till modern medicines became cheaply available in the twentieth century. During the nineteenth century, the per capita consumption of opium was much greater in Britain than in China, but the British users did not suffer adverse effects on either their health or longevity. Moreover, there is ample evidence that most users of opium, including the Chinese, used it in moderation and only occasionally, such as when in pain.(3) The implementation of the 1912 treaty in China led to the public humiliation and imprisonment of tens of thousands of ordinary opium users. As most of these users were already ill, some with contagious diseases, the crowded prison cells became the breeding grounds of epidemics and had high mortality. Further, opium could now be obtained only in black market; scarcity and illegality made it expensive. A search for cheaper alternatives led most opium users to morphine and heroin, psychoactive substances that were much more addictive and were deleterious to health. The prohibition thus proved to be a cure that was worse than the disease.Q. The author of the passage is primarily concerned witha)explaining the problems in the first international attempt to control drug useb)clarifying a common misconception about the impact of prohibition on drug usec)explaining how the British effort to eradicate opium triggered a worse crisis of addictiond)discussing the factors that may decrease the effectiveness of prohibition in decreasing drug usee)describing the consequences of a pandemic of opium addiction in the nineteenth-century ChinaCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?, a detailed solution for Directions: After reading the passage, read and respond to the questions that follow by selecting the best choice for each one. (1) The Opium Convention of 1912, where a treaty was signed by China, Britain and ten other countries to prohibit opium use and trade, marked the start of the still-ongoing international effort to control the consumption of addictive-drugs through prohibition. The idea that opium was dangerous to both individual and societal well-being was a consequence of the popular but erroneous perception that unrestrained opium trade by Britain in the nineteenth-century had reduced the once-great Chinese civilization to an emaciated and hopeless population of opium addicts smoking themselves to death.(2) Opium was the most effective painkiller known to mankind before the discovery of modern medicines and had been imported into China for this medicinal property since the seventh century. With their better means of production that resulted in higher yields, the British traders supplied much more opium to China than the country had hitherto imported, thereby bringing the price of opium down to where even the poor Chinese could afford its regular consumption. This facilitated opium becoming a commonly-used panacea against the symptoms of a wide number of ailments and diseases. Medicinal use of opium also increased concurrently in Asia, the Middle East and Europe and the drug remained popular till modern medicines became cheaply available in the twentieth century. During the nineteenth century, the per capita consumption of opium was much greater in Britain than in China, but the British users did not suffer adverse effects on either their health or longevity. Moreover, there is ample evidence that most users of opium, including the Chinese, used it in moderation and only occasionally, such as when in pain.(3) The implementation of the 1912 treaty in China led to the public humiliation and imprisonment of tens of thousands of ordinary opium users. As most of these users were already ill, some with contagious diseases, the crowded prison cells became the breeding grounds of epidemics and had high mortality. Further, opium could now be obtained only in black market; scarcity and illegality made it expensive. A search for cheaper alternatives led most opium users to morphine and heroin, psychoactive substances that were much more addictive and were deleterious to health. The prohibition thus proved to be a cure that was worse than the disease.Q. The author of the passage is primarily concerned witha)explaining the problems in the first international attempt to control drug useb)clarifying a common misconception about the impact of prohibition on drug usec)explaining how the British effort to eradicate opium triggered a worse crisis of addictiond)discussing the factors that may decrease the effectiveness of prohibition in decreasing drug usee)describing the consequences of a pandemic of opium addiction in the nineteenth-century ChinaCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? has been provided alongside types of Directions: After reading the passage, read and respond to the questions that follow by selecting the best choice for each one. (1) The Opium Convention of 1912, where a treaty was signed by China, Britain and ten other countries to prohibit opium use and trade, marked the start of the still-ongoing international effort to control the consumption of addictive-drugs through prohibition. The idea that opium was dangerous to both individual and societal well-being was a consequence of the popular but erroneous perception that unrestrained opium trade by Britain in the nineteenth-century had reduced the once-great Chinese civilization to an emaciated and hopeless population of opium addicts smoking themselves to death.(2) Opium was the most effective painkiller known to mankind before the discovery of modern medicines and had been imported into China for this medicinal property since the seventh century. With their better means of production that resulted in higher yields, the British traders supplied much more opium to China than the country had hitherto imported, thereby bringing the price of opium down to where even the poor Chinese could afford its regular consumption. This facilitated opium becoming a commonly-used panacea against the symptoms of a wide number of ailments and diseases. Medicinal use of opium also increased concurrently in Asia, the Middle East and Europe and the drug remained popular till modern medicines became cheaply available in the twentieth century. During the nineteenth century, the per capita consumption of opium was much greater in Britain than in China, but the British users did not suffer adverse effects on either their health or longevity. Moreover, there is ample evidence that most users of opium, including the Chinese, used it in moderation and only occasionally, such as when in pain.(3) The implementation of the 1912 treaty in China led to the public humiliation and imprisonment of tens of thousands of ordinary opium users. As most of these users were already ill, some with contagious diseases, the crowded prison cells became the breeding grounds of epidemics and had high mortality. Further, opium could now be obtained only in black market; scarcity and illegality made it expensive. A search for cheaper alternatives led most opium users to morphine and heroin, psychoactive substances that were much more addictive and were deleterious to health. The prohibition thus proved to be a cure that was worse than the disease.Q. The author of the passage is primarily concerned witha)explaining the problems in the first international attempt to control drug useb)clarifying a common misconception about the impact of prohibition on drug usec)explaining how the British effort to eradicate opium triggered a worse crisis of addictiond)discussing the factors that may decrease the effectiveness of prohibition in decreasing drug usee)describing the consequences of a pandemic of opium addiction in the nineteenth-century ChinaCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? theory, EduRev gives you an ample number of questions to practice Directions: After reading the passage, read and respond to the questions that follow by selecting the best choice for each one. (1) The Opium Convention of 1912, where a treaty was signed by China, Britain and ten other countries to prohibit opium use and trade, marked the start of the still-ongoing international effort to control the consumption of addictive-drugs through prohibition. The idea that opium was dangerous to both individual and societal well-being was a consequence of the popular but erroneous perception that unrestrained opium trade by Britain in the nineteenth-century had reduced the once-great Chinese civilization to an emaciated and hopeless population of opium addicts smoking themselves to death.(2) Opium was the most effective painkiller known to mankind before the discovery of modern medicines and had been imported into China for this medicinal property since the seventh century. With their better means of production that resulted in higher yields, the British traders supplied much more opium to China than the country had hitherto imported, thereby bringing the price of opium down to where even the poor Chinese could afford its regular consumption. This facilitated opium becoming a commonly-used panacea against the symptoms of a wide number of ailments and diseases. Medicinal use of opium also increased concurrently in Asia, the Middle East and Europe and the drug remained popular till modern medicines became cheaply available in the twentieth century. During the nineteenth century, the per capita consumption of opium was much greater in Britain than in China, but the British users did not suffer adverse effects on either their health or longevity. Moreover, there is ample evidence that most users of opium, including the Chinese, used it in moderation and only occasionally, such as when in pain.(3) The implementation of the 1912 treaty in China led to the public humiliation and imprisonment of tens of thousands of ordinary opium users. As most of these users were already ill, some with contagious diseases, the crowded prison cells became the breeding grounds of epidemics and had high mortality. Further, opium could now be obtained only in black market; scarcity and illegality made it expensive. A search for cheaper alternatives led most opium users to morphine and heroin, psychoactive substances that were much more addictive and were deleterious to health. The prohibition thus proved to be a cure that was worse than the disease.Q. The author of the passage is primarily concerned witha)explaining the problems in the first international attempt to control drug useb)clarifying a common misconception about the impact of prohibition on drug usec)explaining how the British effort to eradicate opium triggered a worse crisis of addictiond)discussing the factors that may decrease the effectiveness of prohibition in decreasing drug usee)describing the consequences of a pandemic of opium addiction in the nineteenth-century ChinaCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? tests, examples and also practice GRE tests.
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