Question 22·Medium·Central Ideas and Details
In 2019, engineers proposed using fleets of autonomous drones to plant seeds in areas affected by wildfires. The drones would fire biodegradable pods containing seeds and nutrients directly into the soil, theoretically speeding up reforestation. Supporters argue that the method could plant trees ten times faster than human crews and reach terrain that is difficult to access on foot. Some forestry ecologists, however, urge caution: while they acknowledge the drones’ speed, they point out that successful reforestation depends less on how quickly seeds are distributed and more on whether seedlings receive ongoing care, such as protection from competing vegetation and grazing animals.
According to the text, on what main point do some forestry ecologists base their caution about the drone-based reforestation method?
For “According to the text” questions that ask about someone’s main point or concern, first locate the exact sentence or short section that mentions that person or group (here, “some forestry ecologists”). Paraphrase that part in your own words, focusing on what they see as most important, then compare your paraphrase directly to each answer choice. Eliminate any options that introduce new topics (like cost, damage, or specific technical details) that the passage never mentions, and choose the one that most closely matches the stated idea without adding or changing anything.
Hints
Find who is cautious and why
Reread the part of the passage that mentions “Some forestry ecologists… urge caution.” Focus especially on the sentence that follows this phrase.
Notice what they accept versus what they question
Ask yourself: What do the ecologists agree the drones do well, and what do they say is actually more important for successful reforestation?
Focus on the phrase after the comma
In the sentence about their caution, pay close attention to the part after “they point out that…” What condition do they say matters more than how quickly seeds are distributed?
Eliminate answers not supported by the passage
Check each answer against the text. If an option mentions cost, damage, or specific seed types, verify whether that idea appears anywhere in the passage before choosing it.
Step-by-step Explanation
Locate the part of the passage that shows caution
The question asks: “on what main point do some forestry ecologists base their caution?”
Look for where “some forestry ecologists… urge caution” appears. This is in the final sentence of the passage, so that sentence will contain their main reason.
Understand what the ecologists accept and what they question
Read the key sentence carefully:
“Some forestry ecologists, however, urge caution: while they acknowledge the drones’ speed, they point out that successful reforestation depends less on how quickly seeds are distributed and more on whether seedlings receive ongoing care, such as protection from competing vegetation and grazing animals.”
So they agree that the drones are fast, but they question whether speed alone leads to successful reforestation.
Paraphrase the ecologists’ main point
In your own words, the ecologists are saying:
- Reforestation success is not mostly about how quickly you can plant or spread seeds.
- It is mostly about what happens after planting: continuing care for the seedlings, including protecting them from other plants and animals.
Their caution is based on this difference between speed and ongoing care.
Match the paraphrase to the best answer choice
Now compare that paraphrase to each answer:
- A) talks about drones damaging existing plant life — not mentioned.
- C) talks about cost — not mentioned.
- D) talks about unsuitable seed varieties — not mentioned.
- B) states that seedlings need maintenance after planting, which the drone method does not provide.
Only B matches the idea that successful reforestation depends on ongoing care after planting, not just on fast seed distribution, so B is the correct answer.