Question 16·Easy·Cross-Text Connections
Text 1
Electric cars are quickly becoming the flagship of sustainable transport. They are completely free of greenhouse-gas emissions, from the moment they leave the factory to every mile they drive on the road.
Text 2
Life-cycle analyses show that electric vehicles produce far fewer emissions while in use than gasoline cars because they lack tailpipes. However, the mining of metals for batteries and the generation of electricity used for charging can still release significant amounts of carbon dioxide. As battery technology and power grids improve, the total emissions associated with electric cars are expected to fall even further, but for now they are not zero.
Based on the texts, how would the author of Text 2 most likely respond to the underlined claim in Text 1?
For cross-text questions asking how one author would respond to another, first restate in your own words the key claim or attitude in Text 1, then do the same for Text 2. Identify whether Text 2 would agree, disagree, or partially agree with that specific claim, and note any reasons or evidence given. Finally, eliminate answer choices that either contradict what Text 2 says, add new ideas not in the passage (like cost or extreme claims), or ignore important qualifications, and select the option that most closely matches Text 2’s actual position and reasoning.
Hints
Focus on the absolute language in Text 1
Look carefully at the underlined sentence in Text 1. What does the phrase “completely free of greenhouse-gas emissions” say about how much pollution electric cars produce after they leave the factory?
Compare Text 2’s overall view
In Text 2, find the sentence that mentions how emissions from electric cars are expected to change in the future and what is true about those emissions “for now.” How does that compare to the absolute claim in Text 1?
Look for sources of emissions mentioned in Text 2
Text 2 lists specific stages where emissions can still occur for electric cars. Which answer choice mentions those stages rather than repeating an absolute “no emissions” idea or introducing a new topic like cost?
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the underlined claim in Text 1
Focus on the underlined sentence in Text 1: “They are completely free of greenhouse-gas emissions, from the moment they leave the factory to every mile they drive on the road.”
This is an absolute claim. It says electric cars create no greenhouse-gas emissions at any point after leaving the factory—zero emissions while driving and zero total emissions associated with them in use.
Summarize the main point of Text 2
Now look at Text 2.
Key ideas:
- Electric cars produce far fewer emissions while in use than gasoline cars because they lack tailpipes.
- But the mining of metals for batteries and the generation of electricity used for charging can still release significant amounts of carbon dioxide.
- It ends by saying that as technology improves, emissions are expected to fall, “but for now they are not zero.”
So Text 2 agrees that electric cars are cleaner while driving, but clearly says there are still some emissions overall.
Decide how Text 2 would respond to Text 1’s claim
Compare the two:
- Text 1: electric cars are “completely free” of emissions after leaving the factory.
- Text 2: electric cars have lower emissions while driving but still cause emissions from battery materials and electricity production, and “for now they are not zero.”
So the author of Text 2 would disagree with the “completely free” / zero-emissions claim, and would point out the remaining sources of emissions.
Match that response to the best answer choice
Check each option against what Text 2 actually says:
- A) Says the author would affirm the statement and say electric cars never emit pollution. Text 2 says the opposite: there are still emissions, so this cannot be right.
- B) Says only gasoline cars generate emissions during driving. Text 2 never says electric cars have zero emissions in use; it just says far fewer. Also, Text 2 emphasizes emissions from manufacturing and charging, which this option ignores.
- D) Talks about electric cars becoming more expensive to produce. Text 2 never mentions cost or price, just emissions, so this is off-topic.
- C) Says the author would caution that electric cars still create some emissions during manufacturing and charging, so their total emissions are not zero. This directly matches Text 2’s points about battery-metal mining, electricity generation, and the statement that their emissions “are not zero.”
Therefore, the correct answer is C) By cautioning that electric cars still create some emissions during manufacturing and charging, so their total emissions are not zero.