After 1950, in response to record

Answer choices

1. A

   Doesn't Explain8% picked this

   Since 1985 the rate at which the world’s population has increased has exceeded the rate at which new arable land has been

   This seems to just underscore why we would be seeking to increase farmland's productivity even further, but it does nothing to resolve the mystery of why we're now using less fertilizer.

   8%
2. B

   Deepens Paradox2% picked this

   Several varieties of crop plants that have become popular recently, such as soybeans, are as responsive to fertilizer

   We're looking for answer to give us a reason why they aren't using fertilizer as much, and this gives us a reason why they would continue to use fertilizer at least as much: a new popular crop responds just as well as the crops that responded well in the 1950-1985 period.

   2%
3. C

   Reiterates Background Doesn't Help Explain2% picked this

   Between 1950 and 1985 farmers were able to increase the yield of many varieties

   This just talks about the background. We already know that fertilizer was successful. That's why we're confused by the fact that farmers aren't using as much of it anymore. We're looking for an answer to tell us why they aren't using it as much anymore.

   2%
4. D

   Correct82% picked this

   After fertilizer has been added to soil for several years, adding fertilizer to the soil in subsequent years does

   Why this is right

   This supplies a reason why they would be using less fertilizer in the post-1985 era. Since they used it for 35 years, according to this answer choice, adding more fertilizer wouldn't actually do much to improve productivity. In reality, since it only takes "several years" for this phenomenon to kick in, it's possible that by the late 50s they were already seeing less gains from fertilizer, and that as the 60s and 70s went on, they kept seeing fewer and fewer boosts in productivity from adding fertilizer, so by 1985, they had pretty much learned the lesson that adding more fertilizer was not actually doing anything good for productivity anymore.

   Skill tested: Paradox · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

   82%
5. E

   Wrong Timeframe5% picked this

   Between 1975 and 1980 fertilizer prices temporarily increased because of labor disputes in several fertilizer-exporting nations, and these

   A hike in the price of fertilizer certainly could have worked as a reason why farmers are using less fertilizer in the post-1985 era. However, this answer is saying that the price temporarily went up (and then back down) between 1975-1980. So it's not giving us any reason why there's less fertilizer use in the 1985-present timeframe.

   5%