Explanation

If crop yield per planted acre was less in the Soviet Union than it was in the United States, yet crop yield per total (planted plus fallow) agricultural acreage was greater in the Soviet Union than it was in the United States, the percentage of the total acreage that was left fallow must have been lower in the Soviet Union than in the United States.

Therefore, Choice A is the correct answer. Since the information provided in the paragraph is given in terms of yield per acre, no conclusion can be drawn about actual acreage, so Choices B, C, and D are all incorrect. Similarly, it is impossible to determine the total volume of crops produced in the Soviet Union, so Choice E is incorrect.

Can anyone give the reason why A is correct . i feel very difficult to comprehend the exp

Please explain in details. It is very tough question indeed.

1)
A ten-year comparison between the United States and the Soviet Union in terms of crop yields per acre revealed that when only planted acreage is compared, Soviet yields were equal to 68 percent of United States yields.

Here, we are focusing on the crop yielded PER acre. However, it is crucial to keep in mind that we are comparing ONLY the planted land
For instance, US cultivate 1000 acreage and from these, it yields 100 kg of brocccoli.
Russia of the same extension has 6.8 kg of broccoli


2)
When total agricultural acreage (planted acreage plus fallow acreage) is compared, however, Soviet yield was 114 percent of United States yield.

From the information above, which of the following can be most reliably inferred about United States and Soviet agriculture during the ten-year period?

A A higher percentage of total agricultural acreage was fallow in the United States than in the Soviet Union.

This is the correct choice. From what I have highlighted above is the only thing we can infer. For russia to have 114% means that the acreage it cultivates is almost if not in its entirety exploited

B The United States had more fallow acreage than planted acreage.

This is information is only partial if any

C Fewer total acres of available agricultural land were fallow in the Soviet Union than in the United States.

The total acres area can not be inferred because we do not have enough information

D The Soviet Union had more planted acreage than fallow acreage.

We do have only information about % not quantities of planted land

E The Soviet Union produced a greater volume of crops than the United States produced.

The volume is out of scope

Hopèe now is more clear than before to you

Hi, Thanks for the explanation.
I have once concern.

I understood the 1st part that if we compare 100 planted acreage(PA) from Soviet Union and USA we will get, 68% yield and 100% yield, respectively.
PA(Soviet)=0.68PA(US)
But in the 2nd part Soviet has 114% of the Total Acreage(TA) of that of US.

and TA=PA+fallow
Hence TA(Soviet)=114/100[TA(US)]
[PA+fallow](Soviet)=114/100[PA+fallow](US)
0.68PA(US)+fallow(Soviet)=1.14PA(US)+1.14fallow(US)
fallow(Soviet)=0.46PA(US)+1.14fallow(US)
Hence, by this logic
fallow(Soviet)>fallow(US)

Please tell me where I am wrong and what could have been the proper method

I have the same doubt about it. I think the question the better method to answer this is using elimination (B to E options don't talk about percentage but about total and this is not possible to infer from the argument. Because if we analyze the question I think is wrong.

It seems like the catch is YIELD - if the yield is more, then the fallow area will be less.
In the first look, it seems like A is incorrect. But, when we consider yield, it is correct.

I didn't think this was a great passage. The answers assume that US and Soviet agricultural practices are the same. We do not know that. US could have better farming technologies or better crop strains. Inferences about fallow land seemed presumptuous.

My Understanding.

Per acre - US - 100 KG Wheat SU - 68 KG Wheat.
Per 10 acres - US - 1000 KG Wheat SU - 680 KG Wheat.

Add x Acres fallow (Zero yeild) for US , y Acres for SU - Then - As per passage US - 100 SU - 114 Meaning - The number of Fallow acres added for soviets is lesser than that of the us. If it was the same then US Yield should have been more. Hence Answer A - Hope this helps.