The accumulation of scientific knowledge regarding the environmental impact of oil well drilling in North America has tended to lag behind the actual drilling of oil wells. ββββ ββββββββ ββ ββββββββ βββ ββββββββ ββββ ββββββ ββ ββββββββββ βββ ββββ βββ ββββββββββ βββββββ ββββββββ ββββ βββββ βββββββββββ ββββββ ββββββ βββ
Problem Β·Knowledge of environmental impact lags behind oil drilling
Regulation is retrospective (occurs only after something bad has happened), as opposed to prospective.
Initial Solution Β·Seal off groundwater with protective barrier
I'm imagining something like a huge straw that can suck the oil up past the groundwater layer without the oil leaking through the sides of the straw and hence no contamination.
Example of Problem Β·Existing regulations cannot accomodate unknown risks
A recent major disaster revealed poor understanding of west coast geology that resulted in widespread contamination. Passage fits Problem Analysis but also fits Critique. Author critiques the current solution as inadequate.
Passage Style
Problem-analysis
Single position
2.
The passage states which one ββ βββ βββββββββ βββββ βββββββββββ βββ βββββββββββ
Question Type
Stated
The author discusses βreservoirsβ in P3, so the correct answer is likely to be supported by this paragraph.
a
They are usually βββββββ ββ βββββ βββββ ββββββββββ βββββββ ββ ββββββ βββββββββββ
Not stated. The comments about poorly understood subsurface geology are brought up in P4 in connection with a specific well in North America. That doesnβt support any claim about what is βusuallyβ the case.
b
They are generally ββββ ββββββ ββ βββββββ ββββββββ
Not stated. The coast is brought up in P4 in connection with a specific well in North America. That doesnβt support any claim about what is βgenerallyβ the case.
c
They are usually βββββββ ββ ββββββββ ββββββββββ βββββββ ββ βββββ ββ βββββ βββ ββ ββββββ
We donβt know where gas reserves are usually found. Gas reserves are mentioned in P2, but weβre never told anything about where theyβre usually found.
d
They are often ββββββββββββ ββ βββββ ββ ββββββ ββββββ
P2 indicates that efforts were made to protect oil reserves from contamination by fresh water. But we donβt know whether such contamination often occurs. Perhaps the efforts to protect oil from water work? The passage just doesnβt say.
e
They are generally βββββ ββ βββββββ ββββββ ββββ βββββββββββ βββββββββββ
Stated.
Difficulty
89% of people who answer get this correct
This is a slightly challenging question.
It is slightly harder than the average question in this passage.
CURVE
Score of students with a 50% chance of getting this right
25%128
139
75%150
Analysis
Stated
Problem-analysis
Science
Single position
Answer Popularity
PopularityAvg. score
a
2%
155
b
1%
156
c
3%
157
d
5%
156
e
89%
164
Question history
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