Purple Loosestrife

Answer choices

1. A

   Unsupported Disagree Position2% picked this

   Purple loosestrife spreads more quickly in disturbed habitats than in

   Passage A talks about this and agrees with this, but Passage B never addresses any comparison between disturbed and undisturbed habitats, so we have no grounds to think Passage B would argue, "No it doesn't -- It spreads at the same rate or slower in disturbed habitats."

   2%
2. B

   Correct67% picked this

   The threat posed by purple loosestrife to local aquatic furbearer populations

   Why this is right

   This is a very specific detail, but it's a good proxy for the central disagreement: is, or isn't, purple loosestrife a serious problem? One of the ways in which Passage A was selling the threat of purple loosestrife was by saying, "serious reductions in waterfowl and aquatic furbearer productivity have been observed". Passage B was downplaying the threat of purple loosestrife. Does she talk about aquatic furbearer populations? Yes, she says "The impact of purple loosestrife on furbearing mammals is discussed at great length, though none of the species highlighted can be considered threatened in North America."

   Skill tested: Author Opinion · how this choice captures the passage's function is the move to repeat next time.

   67%
3. C

   Too Strong24% picked this

   Most people who advocate that eradication measures be taken to control purple loosestrife are not genuine in their

   Too Strong: most people Unsupported Disagree Position Passage B would presumably agree with this, although "most" people might be stronger than anything in the text. But she is definitely portraying the general uproar about purple loosestrife as a disingenuous fear. They say they're looking out for nature, but they're really looking out for the welfare of the fishing/hunting/camping industries. But do we have any support in Passage A for the idea that, "most people who want to eradicate purple loosestrife are genuine?" No, Passage A would probably say that they are being genuine (because who wants to admit to being disingenuous). But they make no comment on whether the majority of people who agree with them are genuine in their concerns. This is just like when we do LR Agree / Disagree: an answer that mentions something that only appeared in the 2nd speaker is almost always wrong.

   24%
4. D

   Out of Scope: generally thought4% picked this

   The size of the biomass that has been displaced by purple loosestrife is larger than

   Neither passage compares how much biomass has been displaced to how much biomass most people thought had been displaced. So we can't support an Agree or Disagree position on this answer.

   4%
5. E

   Out of Scope: other invasive species3% picked this

   Measures should be taken to prevent other non-native plant species from

   Neither passage discusses other non-native species, so we can't support an Agree or Disagree position on this answer.

   3%