The International Team of Scientists, Whose Research was Conducted under the European Commission

Reading Passage Question

The international team of scientists, whose research was conducted under the European Commission-funded CARBO-Extreme Project, contends that extreme climate events, such as droughts, heat waves and storms, weaken the buffer effect that terrestrial ecosystems have on the climate system. The researchers discovered that drought has a particular capacity to reduce the amount of carbon that is absorbed by forests, meadows and agricultural land. Their findings suggest that by diminishing the natural environment’s ability to absorb carbon, extreme weather simultaneously results from, and perpetuates, climate change. During the course of their study, the CARBO-Extreme team, headed by Dr Reichstein, examined how extreme weather affects forests, bogs, grassy landscapes and arable areas across the planet.

The team, whose findings have been published in the latest issue of the journal “Nature”, enlisted the help of complex computer models to calculate the global effect of extreme climate events on the carbon balance. They discovered that drought, as opposed to heat, has the most pronounced effect on an ecosystem’s ability to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. As climate change continues to gather pace, many experts believe that extreme weather events will occur more frequently than they do at present. If the CARBO-Extreme team is correct and extreme weather is a significant driver of climate change, this relationship could turn out to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Unfortunately, it is very difficult for scientists to categorically state whether or not extreme weather is becoming more frequent. Whilst there is a great deal of evidence to suggest that heat waves and droughts will increase in frequency over the course of the next century, data pertaining to other extreme climate events remains inconclusive.

‘The international team of scientists, whose research was conducted under the European Commission’ 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 the purpose of 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 of this passage is primarily concerned with

A) providing a list of evidence that suggests a correlation between drought and climate change
B) resolving contention between two schools of thought regarding a perceived natural occurrence
C) arguing for a change in National policies to incorporate a more ecologically conscientious view to the use of natural resources
D) evaluating a theory put forth by a team of scientists regarding a possible phenomenon
E) detailing the research findings of the CARBO-Extreme team

2. Which of the following can be best inferred from the passage?

A) Increase in droughts is the cause for extreme climate changes.
B) Extreme climate changes are the sole causative factors for drought and other extreme climate events
C) Accumulation of carbon-dioxide in the environment can cause climatic changes that are deleterious
D) Apart from droughts, other extreme climate events have no apparent connection with climatic change.
E) Aquatic ecosystems have a less pronounced mitigatory effect on climate change than do terrestrial ecosystems

3. The journal “Nature” is introduced in the 2nd paragraph primarily to

A) cite the source used by the CARBO-extreme team to substantiate their hypotheses.
B) forestall potential criticisms that might call into question the authenticity of the team's findings
C) provide a recorded instance of the team's work from which information about the team's findings could be obtained.
D) show the magnitude to which the team's research findings have had an impact.
E) highlight the fact that - extreme climate change is an issue that even the common-man has become concerned about.

4. Which of the following best describes the organisation of the passage

A) An opinion is discussed; evidence suggesting the fallaciousness of the opinion is then provided.
B) A phenomenon is discussed, this phenomenon is then compared to another to understand the similarities shared.
C) A team's perspective about a natural occurrence is discussed; some evidence suggesting the validity of the theory is provided.
D) An explanation to a phenomenon is provided; evidence provided to substantiate this explanation is evaluated.
E) An assumption is put forth and the validity of this assumption is analysed in light of new scientific findings.

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