how to complete this sentence (UDS Science December 2005)

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Mamger

#336651 Wed, 07 Mar 07 03:41 PM

31. ---- because it affects the average rate of material loss across a landscape.

A) More moisture also promotes the growth of vegetation
B) Wetter conditions favour faster rates of erosion
C) Mountains in polar latitudes are the least vulnerable to erosion
D) Climate is inextricably linked with erosion
E) Mountain glaciers aggressively attack surface rock

The question was taken from UDS, an official language proficiency exam for Turkish Academicians in Turkey. The test is supposed to assess only reading comprehension of the testee, not the science itself.

After this brief info, what do you think abut the answer. Which choice is proper and why? What the meaning of this complete sentence is?

Please rephrase, if possible.

PS: No official answer was provided fpr the test by tester.

PS: You can reach the whole test via [link], ÜDS Fen 2005 Aralik

Mamger

Joined on Mon, Dec 19 2005

Adana / Turkey

Junior Member (71)

Down the blue mountain in the evening, Moonlight was my homeward escort.

nona the brit

#336654 Wed, 07 Mar 07 03:44 PM

It is easy to exclude A as the rest of the sentence is talking about loss of something, not an increase of something.

BCE - the verb tenses don't match with a singular 'it' affecting something. Mountains=plural. Conditions=plural.

nona the brit

Joined on Wed, Sep 22 2004

England

Veteran Member (11,438)

The name says it all.

Verbs, Plurals, Tenses

Mamger

#336655 Wed, 07 Mar 07 03:47 PM

Nona The Brit wrote:

D.

It is easy to exclude A as the rest of the sentence is talking about loss of something, not an increase of something.

BCE - the verb tenses don't match with a singular 'it' affecting something. Mountains=plural. Conditions=plural.

What do you think about B?

Mamger

Verbs, Plurals, Tenses

nona the brit

#336665 Wed, 07 Mar 07 04:24 PM

Wetter conditions does not match with 'it'. 'it' would need to be replaced with 'they'.

nona the brit

Mamger

#336759 Wed, 07 Mar 07 09:02 PM

Nona The Brit wrote:
Wetter conditions does not match with 'it'. 'it' would need to be replaced with 'they'.

But EROSION can match with "it", can't it?

Mamger

Mister Micawber

#337246 Thu, 08 Mar 07 11:59 PM

Yes, but then it makes no semantic sense, MM-- I think that it is necessary to understand the general meaning of a test question, even if the scientific details elude us-- in e.g. SAT, TOEFL, one is expected to have a basic general knowledge of the world about one.

B) Wetter conditions favour faster rates of erosion because it affects the average rate of material loss across a landscape??

1-- 'Erosion' is material loss; 'affects' hardly makes sense here.
2-- 'because...landscape' can hardly 'affect' the effect of wetter conditions; it is a result, not a cause.

Mister Micawber

Joined on Wed, Aug 4 2004

Yokohama

Veteran Member (22,347)

'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.'

TOEFL

Mamger

#337529 Fri, 09 Mar 07 07:58 PM

Mister Micawber wrote:

Yes, but then it makes no semantic sense, MM-- I think that it is necessary to understand the general meaning of a test question, even if the scientific details elude us-- in e.g. SAT, TOEFL, one is expected to have a basic general knowledge of the world about one.

B) Wetter conditions favour faster rates of erosion because it affects the average rate of material loss across a landscape??

1-- 'Erosion' is material loss; 'affects' hardly makes sense here.
2-- 'because...landscape' can hardly 'affect' the effect of wetter conditions; it is a result, not a cause.

Thank you MM, "1-- 'Erosion' is material loss; 'affects' hardly makes sense here." is quite convincing. Smile [:)]

Mamger

TOEFL