Question 41·Medium·Cross-Text Connections
Text 1
Dr. Chen monitored 20 high-elevation plots where the endangered Blue Star Lily grows. Her soil tests showed sharply reduced nitrogen and phosphorus compared with tests from 30 years ago, and the lily population in each plot had dropped by more than half in the same period. On the basis of these findings, Dr. Chen concluded that soil nutrient depletion is the primary driver of the species’ decline in the highlands.
Text 2
Conducting a separate study in the same region, Dr. Morales compared paired plots: one half of each pair was fenced to keep grazing goats out, while the other half remained open. After three growing seasons, fenced plots—even those with poor nutrient levels—contained three times as many Blue Star Lilies as their unfenced counterparts. Morales agrees that nutrient loss can stress the lilies, but he argues that heavy goat grazing is the more decisive factor in their recent decline.
Based on the texts, what would Dr. Morales in Text 2 most likely say about Dr. Chen’s conclusion in Text 1?
For cross-text questions asking what one author would say about another’s conclusion, first summarize each author’s main point in a few words (e.g., “Chen: nutrients are main cause,” “Morales: goats more decisive but nutrients still matter”). Then decide whether the second author would mostly agree, mostly disagree, or partly agree but shift the emphasis. Finally, eliminate answers that contradict either text or add unsupported claims (like new facts or extreme statements), and choose the option that best captures that specific relationship between the two views.
Hints
Start with Dr. Chen
Look at the end of Text 1: what does Dr. Chen say is the primary driver of the lilies’ decline?
Now examine Dr. Morales’s evidence
In Text 2, what did the fenced vs. unfenced plots show about the impact of goats compared with soil nutrients?
Compare their views
Does Dr. Morales completely reject Dr. Chen’s idea, fully agree with it, or partly agree but adjust which factor he thinks is most important?
Step-by-step Explanation
Clarify Dr. Chen’s conclusion
Focus on the last sentence of Text 1: Dr. Chen concludes that “soil nutrient depletion is the primary driver of the species’ decline in the highlands.”
So, in her view:
- There is a real decline in lily populations.
- The main cause (primary driver) is loss of nitrogen and phosphorus in the soil.
Clarify Dr. Morales’s conclusion
Now look at Text 2. Morales’s study compares fenced vs. unfenced plots:
- Fenced plots (no goats) have three times as many lilies as unfenced plots.
- This happens even when nutrient levels are poor.
Then, Morales’s interpretation:
- He agrees that nutrient loss can stress the lilies.
- But he says “heavy goat grazing is the more decisive factor in their recent decline.”
So he thinks goats are more important than nutrients in explaining the current decline.
Figure out how Morales would respond to Chen
Put the two views together:
- Chen: nutrients are the primary driver.
- Morales: nutrients matter, but goat grazing is more decisive.
That means Morales would:
- Not say Chen is completely wrong.
- Acknowledge that nutrient depletion is a real problem.
- Argue that she is missing an even more influential cause: goat grazing.
Match this relationship to the answer choices
Now compare that relationship to the options:
- One choice should say that Chen is right to identify a real problem, but wrong about what matters most, because something else has an even greater effect.
- Choice A says exactly that, so A) It focuses on a genuine problem but overlooks an even more influential factor affecting the lilies. is the correct answer.