Practice Test: Reading Comprehension- 1 - Agriculture Exams MCQ

The author’s main purpose in the passage is to discuss different approaches to addressing the problem of national parks being affected by activities outside their boundaries.

• Several methods have been suggested, like federal legislation to give the National Park Service more power over nearby lands.
• Legislation has faced challenges, passing the House but not the Senate.
• Another idea is to involve states in creating federal park management policies, though this has its own limitations.
• Local involvement is crucial but must align with existing federal laws.

The passage highlights the complexity of balancing local and national interests in protecting park ecosystems.

The solution suggests that state efforts have often not been effective in promoting national park wildlife. This is supported by the following points:

• State legislatures have not always dealt with key policy issues, such as protecting park wildlife.
• There is a lack of coordination in planning by state environmental agencies, limiting legislative impact.
• State solutions are limited to adjacent lands, as they lack jurisdiction within the parks themselves.
• Federal laws override state actions if there is a conflict, restricting state influence further.

The phrase external degradation refers to the threats to national parks caused by activities and policies outside their boundaries. This includes:

• State involvement in park management, which can conflict with federal laws.
• Activities such as timber harvesting, ranching, and energy exploration that compete with park wildlife.
• Lack of coordinated planning by state environmental agencies.

These factors highlight the complexity of aligning state and federal policies to protect national parks effectively.

The passage explains potential outcomes if environmental cooperation between federal and state governments does not improve. Here’s why the loss of species is the likely consequence:

• National parks are affected by external activities like timber harvesting and energy exploration, which compete with wildlife.
• Without improved cooperation, these activities could continue unchecked, harming the local ecosystem.
• Current laws don’t adequately protect wildlife from these external pressures.
• Therefore, without better state-federal cooperation, there is a risk of further species loss in national parks.

Solution:

• The passage suggests that Americans generally supported the development of the railroad.
• Railroad promoters, like Henry Varnum Poor, used the railroad as a metaphor for American progress and character.
• Promoters and writers referred to locomotives as "iron horses" to make them less intimidating and more relatable.
• Ralph Waldo Emerson viewed the railroad as a force for domestic harmony, helping to unify the country.

The passage focuses on the early railroads and their link to the American character of the time. Here's a refined explanation:

• Henry Varnum Poor used railroads as a metaphor for American progress, highlighting their speed and power.
• In the 19th century, Americans saw railroads as symbols of national character and progress.
• Railroad promoters likened locomotives to American traits—youth, power, and ambition.
• Despite the excitement, some feared the railroads, viewing them as dangerous and unknown.
• Iron horse metaphors were used to make the technology more relatable and less threatening.
• Ralph Waldo Emerson saw railroads as unifying forces that helped bind the nation together.

The passage suggests that Ralph Waldo Emerson believed technological progress would help unify Americans.

• He saw the locomotive as an agent of domestic harmony.
• Emerson noted that the locomotive and steamboat connected various parts of America.
• He believed these technologies helped assimilate diverse groups, preventing local hostilities.
• Emerson viewed this technological advancement as a political aid for maintaining national unity.

In the early nineteenth century, Americans were generally supportive of technological advancements like the railroad. This suggests that they would likely embrace a new invention that made it easier to build multi-storey buildings. Here’s why:

• Progressive Attitude: Americans saw technology as a way to improve life and society.
• National Character: The traits of power and speed associated with the locomotive were admired, indicating a positive view of innovation.
• Economic Growth: New inventions were seen as opportunities for economic advancement and wealth.

Overall, the enthusiasm for the railroad and the desire for progress suggest a positive reception to new construction technologies.

The author would most likely disagree with statement A. The passage criticises the media for damaging policy discussions through leaks, implying that feeding the public misinformation is not justified.

Key points from the passage include:

• The media's distrust of the government hinders effective policy-making.
• Leaks prevent serious discussions by making officials hesitant to speak freely.
• The media, like any institution, must earn public trust and be accountable.

Thus, supporting misinformation contradicts the author's emphasis on accountability and trust.

The author argues that leaks result in limited and unreliable policy discussions with foreign leaders. This implies certain ideas:

• Foreign leaders may fear that their discussions will not remain private, leading to less open dialogue.
• The presence of media leaks creates a cautious environment, inhibiting the free exchange of ideas.
• Trust is crucial, and the fear of leaks undermines this trust, affecting international relations and policy-making.

Ultimately, the author suggests that the fear of public reaction to the real state of affairs leads to restricted communication.

The passage argues that media leaks negatively impact foreign policy and the media's credibility. It suggests that leaks:

• Damage the ability to formulate good policy due to a lack of serious discussion.
• Create an environment where foreign leaders are reluctant to speak freely.
• Are often used as tools in the political power game, benefiting individual agendas.

Overall, the passage emphasises that the media must be held accountable and earn the public's trust as they become instruments in political processes.

Based on the passage, the public's perception of the media has evolved. Here’s a refined explanation:

• The media was once viewed as more credible than the government.
• Over time, the media's reputation has declined due to scandals.
• The public now sees the media with similar skepticism as other large institutions.
• As a result, people assume that the media may be wrong when they challenge public officials.

This reflects a shift in public opinion, where neither the media nor the government is fully trusted.

American workers are often seen as:

• Less content due to dissatisfaction with working conditions and wages.
• Less efficient compared to Japanese workers, impacting their competitive edge.

This perception stems from issues like:

• High labour demands.
• Lower productivity rates.

These factors contribute to the challenges faced by American corporations in competing with Japanese and European firms.

The solution to the problem can be enhanced as follows:

• The author suggests that American businesses have suffered from a lack of long-term planning.
• The belief that cutting production costs always leads to increased competitiveness is mistaken. This is the option the author would most likely not agree with.
• American consumers are not seen as the primary cause of the decline in American business.
• Initial analyses of the decline in American business provided only partially accurate conclusions.
• Mergers and acquisitions have not improved the situation for American firms.

The argument is about whether American businesses have focused too much on high-technology products at the expense of broader success. To weaken this argument, consider the following:

• High tech vs. low tech manufacturing: If manufacturing high tech products is a completely different process than low tech goods, then skills and strategies from low tech might not easily transfer to high tech.

This suggests that focusing on high tech might require unique expertise that foreign firms cannot easily replicate, challenging the idea that starting with low tech is a better strategy.

The decline in American business competitiveness is primarily attributed to corporate management's strategic errors.

• Mismanagement of labour costs led to difficulties in recruiting skilled workers.
• Poor production choices and a focus too much on high-technology products.
• Inadequate growth strategies, such as prioritising quick profits over long-term planning.

These missteps overshadow other factors like government restrictions, labour costs, and consumer behaviour, which were not the main causes of the decline.

• Although businesses have made huge gains 65 percent from the mechanization of manufacturing, the average worker’s wages had only increased 8 percent.
• So, from this, we see that the 65 percent is related to the businesses which had made huge gains and the wages of the workers had increased by 8%.

• It is stated in the passage that African Americans suffered more than whites because they were discriminated against and their jobs were taken and given to the whites.
• Hence, they were the most affected by the Great Depression.
• There is nothing mentioned in the passage about Native Americans, immigrants or tourists.
• Therefore, the correct answer is ‘African Americans’ Option B.