LSAT 109 | Section 2 | Reading Comprehension: Q19

RC Question 19 Explanation

DISCUSSION: This is subtle. The author disagrees with one of the predictions made in the first paragraph. He doesn’t think that increased plant growth will lower CO2 growth.

Make no mistake. The author does think some plants will grow faster. But this will overshadowed by the release of CO2 from the permafrost.

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1. CORRECT. The author agrees some plants will grow faster (thanks to photosynthesis), and absorb more CO2. But, this effect will be overcome by the release of CO2 from the permafrost. 
2. The author uses the second paragraph to disagree with this. Unfortunately, weed growth will likely reduce agricultural output. 
3. This is wrong twice. First, the author uses the third paragraph to disagree that plant growth will slow CO2 growth: more CO2 will be released from the tundra. Second, nobody argued that plant growth would reverse global warming. The first paragraph just argued that plant growth would slow the increase in CO2. 
4. The author argues in the second paragraph that more plant growth will lead to an abundance of some plants: weeds!
5. The author agrees with this (lines 53-55), but CO2 release from the tundra will offset any decrease in the growth rate of CO2 that comes from plant growth.