Re: The fight against the drug trade in Country X should focus f
[#permalink]
17 Mar 2021, 10:02
The first boldface sentence states that the fight against the drug trade in Country X should focus for the time being on tightening the country’s borders and targeting its major smugglers. The second boldface sentence states that the United Nations and the government of Country X should eventually replace the poppy fields with other farming ventures ("agricultural infrastructure"). We need to find a choice that describes the relationship between these two sentences.
(A) This choice states that the first sentence is the conclusion and that the second sentence is an alternative to that conclusion. This misrepresents the relationship. The first sentence is a shorter-term conclusion and the second sentence is a longer-term conclusion of the argument.
(B) CORRECT. This choice states that the first sentence is a short-term solution to a problem and the second a long-term solution to the same problem. This accurately describes the relationship. The first sentence states that the fight should focus "for the time being" on borders and smuggling while the second sentence states that the United Nations and the government of Country X should work to replace the poppy crop with something else.
(C) This choice states that the first sentence presents a problem. According to the text, however, the first sentence is not a problem but a solution to a problem.
(D) This choice states that the first sentence presents a popular solution to a problem. Since we have no way of knowing whether the solution is popular, this cannot be correct.
(E) This choice states that the first sentence presents an argument and that the second sentence provides evidence to support that argument. Though the first sentence does present an argument, the second sentence, rather than providing evidence, presents a second argument.