PrepTest 58, Section 3, Question 7
Farmer: Because water content is what makes popcorn pop, the kernels must dry at just the right speed to trap the correct amount of water. The best way to achieve this effect is to have the sun dry the corn while the corn is still in the field, but I always dry the ears on a screen in a warm, dry room.
Farmer: Because water content is what makes popcorn pop, the kernels must dry at just the right speed to trap the correct amount of water. The best way to achieve this effect is to have the sun dry the corn while the corn is still in the field, but I always dry the ears on a screen in a warm, dry room.
Farmer: Because water content is what makes popcorn pop, the kernels must dry at just the right speed to trap the correct amount of water. The best way to achieve this effect is to have the sun dry the corn while the corn is still in the field, but I always dry the ears on a screen in a warm, dry room.
Farmer: Because water content is what makes popcorn pop, the kernels must dry at just the right speed to trap the correct amount of water. The best way to achieve this effect is to have the sun dry the corn while the corn is still in the field, but I always dry the ears on a screen in a warm, dry room.
Which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy between the farmer's theory and practice?
The region in which the farmer grows popcorn experiences a long, cloudy season that begins shortly before the popcorn in fields would begin to dry.
Leaving popcorn to dry on its stalks in the field is the least expensive method of drying it.
Drying popcorn on its stalks in the field is only one of several methods that allow the kernels' water content to reach acceptable levels.
When popcorn does not dry sufficiently, it will still pop, but it will take several minutes to do so, even under optimal popping conditions.
If popcorn is allowed to dry too much, it will not pop.
Explanations
This farmer's telling us fun facts about popcorn, but I see no argument here.
Instead, I see a problem needing solved: if the best way to dry popcorn is to let nature do its work in the field, then why does the armer always dry their corn in a controlled environment?
I need to find an answer choice that resolves this paradox. I'm predicting something like the best way to do a certain thing isn't always repeatable or consistent.
Let's go find it.
Yeah, this would do it. Not exactly what I predicted, but along the same lines. If a natural phenomenon like the cloudy season mentioned here prevents the popcorn from drying properly, then it would make sense why the farmer chooses to dry their corn via different means.
Nah, this makes the problem worse. This would make it an even dumber idea to dry your corn in a controlled environment in that it's also more costly to dry it this way.
Nope. Even if this is true, drying it in the field is still the best means according to the passage. This doesn't help us.
No way. This is irrelevant information. Remember, our job on this question is to explain why the farmer would opt for the controlled-environment drying when they have the better option to dry corn in their field.
Nope. Similar to E, this does nothing to help us understand why the farmer is opting to dry their corn in the controlled environment as opposed to in the field.
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