gwd-24-29

24-29: Plant scientists have been able to genetically engineer vegetable seeds to produce crops that are highly resistant to insect damage. Although these seeds currently cost more than conventional seeds, their cost is likely to decline. Moreover, farmers planting them can use far less pesticide, and most consumers prefer vegetables grown with less pesticide, therefore, for crops for which these seeds can be developed, their use is likely to become the norm.

Which of the following would be most useful to know in evaluating the argument above?

A)    Whether plant scientists have developed insect-resistant seeds for every crop that is currently grown commercially?

B)    Whether farmers typically use agricultural pesticides in large amounts than is necessary to prevent crop damage?

C)    Whether plants grown from the new genetically engineered seeds can be kept completely free of insect damage?

D)    Whether seeds genetically engineered to produce insect-resistant crops generate significantly lower per acre crop yields than do currently used seeds?

E)    Whether most varieties of crops currently grown commercially have greater natural resistance to insect damage than did similar varieties in the past.

答案是D，可是这讨论的是这种改造过的种子和害虫，杀虫剂之间的关系，不明白怎么突然跑出来个产量呢？这相关吗？郁闷阿。。。。。

Hi, in my point of veiw, the question is of evaluation type, POE should be cautious, some elements seem to be irrelevant, but are key to choose the right answer. the concern of this question is the cost, if the applying cost of the new seed is lower than the that of the existing seed. then the new seeds will be possible to become the norms.

According to Choice D, if the genetically engineered seeds generate lower crops per acre than the do the current seed,  then the engineered seeds will not  become the norms. however, it will be possible otherwise.  For the new seeds, if with higher cost of seeds but lower production realize  , then obviously there is no economic profit.

am I right? look forward to comments.

E   Whether most varieties of crops currently grown commercially have greater natural resistance to insect damage than did similar varieties in the past.

又把题目读了一遍，想明白了E是无关比较，比较对象是过去和现在的农作物抗病虫能力，而提干要求的是基因改良后的种子和现在种子的比较

这题刚看到D时觉得就是答案了，结果再看到E的时候一犹豫就选了E。

E确实是不能构成最直接的评价。除非再补充，目前种植的作物改善的抗病能力已经超过了基因方法改善的抗病能力。