Question

Like the grassy fields and old pastures that the upland sandpiper needs for feeding and nesting when it returns in May after wintering in the Argentine Pampas, the sandpipers vanishing in the northeastern United States is a result of residential and industrial development and of changes in farming practices.
Which of the following, if true in the Sordellian Mountains during the 1980s and 1990s, most helps to explain the decrease?

• A. Avalanches were most likely to happen when a large new snowfall covered an older layer of snow.
• B. Avalanches destroyed at least some buildings in the Sordellian Mountains in every year.
• C. People planning new ski slopes and other resort facilities used increasingly accurate information about which locations are likely to be in the path of avalanches.
• D. The average length of stay for people visiting the Sordellian Mountains increased slightly.
• E. Construction of new ski resorts often led to the clearing of wooded areas that had helped to prevent avalanches.

Hint:

When analyzing environmental data, look for changes in behavior or planning that directly address the problem at hand.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the situation.
The argument presents a situation where avalanches have decreased in the Sordellian Mountains. To explain this decrease, we need evidence that shows the planning changes that helped prevent avalanches.
Step 2: Analyzing the options.
- (A) This provides a scenario for avalanche timing but doesn’t explain the decrease.
- (B) While this is true, it doesn’t explain the reduction in people caught in avalanches.
- (C) This is the correct answer. Better information about avalanche-prone areas would help prevent construction in those areas, leading to fewer people being caught in avalanches.
- (D) This doesn’t address the core issue of safety and avalanche prevention.
- (E) This might increase avalanche risk, but doesn’t address how planning led to fewer people being caught in avalanches.
Step 3: Conclusion.
The correct answer is (C), as it explains how better planning and information could have reduced the risk of avalanches.