Increased Atmospheric Concentrations of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) in the Atmosphere can have a Fertilizing Effect on Certain Crops

Reading Passage Question

Increased atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere can have a fertilizing effect on certain crops, provided that it is possible for farmers to provide adequate water and fertilizer for the plants to grow more quickly. For this reason, many non-scientists have long held that increases in global atmospheric carbon dioxide will also lead to increased agricultural production, offsetting any shortages due to shifting water availability and increased temperature. This in turn, these individuals argue, will lead to decreased global malnutrition and undernutrition as the increased supply of food drives down its cost.

However, research on the nutritional content of crops grown at Free Air CO2 Enrichment - or FACE - sites suggests that while crops may grow more quickly in elevated concentrations of carbon dioxide, increased growth comes at a price. Crops grown in elevated levels of carbon dioxide have lower levels of protein and of micronutrients such as zinc. Since the world’s population gets the majority of its protein and other micronutrients from plant-based sources, such a shift could have dire consequences. Scientists estimate that by 2050 an additional 175 million people could become zinc deficient, and an additional 120 million could become protein deficient as the nutritional content of staple crops falls between 5 and 17 percent.

“Increased atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere can have a fertilizing effect on certain crops” - this is a GMAT reading comprehension passage with answers. Candidates need a strong knowledge of English GMAT reading comprehension.

This GMAT Reading Comprehension consists of 4 comprehension questions. The GMAT Reading Comprehension questions are designed for testing candidates’ abilities in understanding, analyzing, and applying information or concepts. Candidates can actively prepare with the help of GMAT Reading Comprehension Practice Questions.

Solution and Explanation

1. The author uses the word “non-scientists” in paragraph 1 to:

a) criticize those who make predictions without sufficient knowledge of a topic.
b) highlight the expertise of the researchers at Free Air CO2 Enrichment.
c) call into question the inferences discussed in the first paragraph.
d) demonstrate that the farmers mentioned in the previous sentence did not make the predictions that follow.
e) imply that their predictions were made without any evidence.

2. The passage suggests that the nonscientists mentioned in paragraph 1 fail to consider whether or not the growth rate increase mentioned in paragraph 1

a) will also lead to an increase in the amount of edible material that the plants produce.
b) is associated with any phenomena that would affect its ability to decrease global malnutrition.
c) will require better distribution systems in order to mitigate zinc deficiency.
d) can offset the deleterious effects CO2 related warming will have on water availability.
e) will occur in actual crops to the same extent as it has occurred at FACE sites.

3. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

a) If carbon dioxide levels do not increase, there will not be an increase in the number of people who are zinc deficient.
b) Increased carbon dioxide levels will not, despite what many non-scientists predict, cause crops to grow more quickly.
c) It is possible for farmers to provide adequate water and fertilizer for crops to grow more quickly in an increased-carbon environment.
d) There are currently some people who are considered to have a zinc deficiency.
e) Most micronutrients are only available via plant-based sources.

4. It can be inferred from the passage that increased atmospheric carbon dioxide

a) can decrease the nutritional content of plants.
b) increases the rate at which most plants grow.
c) will lead to increased agricultural production.
d) is the biggest threat to global nutrition that the world faces today.
e) will cause millions of people to become zinc deficient by 2050.

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