GWD-23-Q14

40. GWD-23-Q14

Plantings of cotton bioengineered to produce its own insecticide
against bollworms, a major cause of crop failure, sustained little bollworm
damage until this year.  This year the
plantings are being seriously damaged by bollworms.  Bollworms, however, are not necessarily
developing resistance to the cotton’s insecticide.  Bollworms breed on corn, and last year more
corn than usual was planted throughout cotton-growing regions.  So it is likely that
the cotton is simply being overwhelmed by corn-bred bollworms.

In evaluating the argument, which of the
following would be most useful to establish?

A.      Whether corn could be bioengineered to produce the insecticide

B.       Whether plantings of
cotton that does not produce the insecticide are suffering unusually extensive
damage from bollworms this year

C.      Whether other crops that
have been bioengineered to produce their own insecticide successfully resist
the pests against which the insecticide was to protect them

D.      Whether plantings of
bioengineered cotton are frequently damaged by insect pests other than
bollworms

E.       Whether there are
insecticides that can be used against bollworms that have developed resistance
to the insecticide produced by the bioengineered cotton

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