Reading Comprehension

PT123 · S1 · P3 · Q20 Renewable Energy Resources

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The following passage was written in the mid-1990s.

Topic

Electricity demand, environmental impacts of fossil fuels, and the effectiveness of renewable energy projects in different countries (Brazil and India).

Framework

Theme / Example (with touches of Problem / Solution)

Main Point

Renewable energy sources can help meet rising electricity demands without the environmental harms of fossil fuels, but their long-term success depends on building local production capacity—as illustrated by failed efforts in Brazil and successful ones in India.

Most Valuable Sentence: The end of paragraph 2 and throughout paragraph 3: and

P1: The Problem with Rising Electricity Demand and Fossil Fuels

Many countries expect their electricity needs to rise dramatically, which could result in severe environmental and health problems due to more air pollution from fossil fuels. Renewables like solar, wind, and water are cleaner alternatives, but there are challenges in successfully implementing these technologies.

P2: Example of a Stalled Renewable Project in Brazil

In Brazil, a U.S.-backed project brought solar electricity to rural homes, but by ignoring local production (and going with cheaper, foreign-made parts), they missed a chance to build local expertise and manufacturing. As a result, the project could only sustain itself at a small scale, stalling further growth.

P3: Example of a Successful Renewable Project in India

In India, a Danish-supported wind energy project focused on training local people and building local manufacturing ability. This led to a booming wind power sector because local firms could produce equipment and expand the market, showing that involvement at all levels is key to long-term success.

20.

Which one of the following, if true, would most call into question the author's assertion in the last sentence of the passage?

Correct
The profitability of the India
Why this is right
This seems to work. The Indian wind turbine project is not going to remain competitive and profitable in the long run, because ... it was only profitable in the short term because of temporary subsidies from the Indian government. Once those subsidies stop, the project will probably not be profitable anymore.
Skill tested: Weaken · how this choice captures the passage's function is the move to repeat next time.
71% picked this
The Danish energy agency invested
Strengthens
This seems like a positive thing about the wind turbine project. It would make any sense to say, The Indian wind turbine project is not going to remain competitive and profitable in the long run, because ... it is very well funded by the Danish energy agency. We might be thinking, "The wind turbine industry isn't really profitable; it's just propped up by deep Danish investments", but this answer doesn't really give us any direct way to impugn profitability based on investment. Sometimes, having more funds invested in a company can lead to it being more profitable. Investment funds can allow a business to set up a successful infrastructure that allows it to thrive long term. For (B), we would have to invent our own idea that "the current profitability of India's wind industry is really due to the glut of investment funds, not to its actual viability as a business". For the correct answer, we don't have to invent that idea. They directly tell us that current profitability is tied to a fleeting, soon-to-disappear factor.
21% picked this
Indian firms are not required
Unclear Impact Strengthens, if anything
Does it make any sense to say, The Indian wind turbine project is not going to remain competitive and profitable in the long run, because ... Indian firms are not required to limit user fees charged to consumers? It would make more sense to say that "it's unlikely to be profitable in the long run because they have to limit the fees they charge to customers". The fees charged to customers are the revenue side of profitability. If there's a limit to what they can charge, then maybe the revenue won't be able to outpace expenses in order to remain profitable. But since this is saying that Indian firms aren't limited in terms of what user fees they can charge, that means they have leeway to charge high fees and thus have a profitable business.
3% picked this
Environmental pollutants are produced in
No Impact
This sounds vaguely negative in relation to the wind turbine project, but the negative thing doesn't directly relate to profitability or competitiveness. And it's a super weak idea because it's just saying "some equipment used in wind turbines involves environmental pollutants in the manufacturing process". That's probably true of almost every manufacturing process in the world. Most of them produce some environmental pollutant, so it's not persuasive to say that "because the manufacturing process for some turbine parts involves producing some environmental pollutants, this wind turbine industry won't be profitable in the long run". Its competition (i.e. the fossil fuel extraction and refining industry) certainly produces its share of environmental pollutants, so this doesn't show a comparative disadvantage of wind turbines.
3% picked this
New technology is poised to
Strengthens, if anything
Like (D) this is more about the environment than it is about "profitability / competitiveness", so it's not quite in scope. Can we say, "the wind turbine project is unlikely to remain competitive and profitable in the long run because fossil-fuel energy will soon be able to sharply decrease its level of pollutants"? We'd have to tell ourselves a pretty involved off-the-page story: Wind energy is currently profitable in India because customers are choosing it over fossil fuels due to the high level of pollutants associated with fossil fuels, but if new technology could make fossil-fuel plants less environmentally nasty then customers would shift back to using fossil-fuel energy, making wind no longer as competitive or profitable. We're adding too many ideas there (more than we need to in order to justify the correct answer). We were never told that the current profitability of wind energy was contingent on consumers' worrying about the pollutants from fossil fuels, so we have no reason to think that when fossil fuels become less polluting it will affect the profitability of wind energy.
2% picked this

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