Thanks for the question! So we’re being asked here for a statement most strongly supported by the passage. (E) tells us that this statement is that the usefulness of lichenometry for dating earthquakes is limited to geographic regions where factors that disturb/accelerate lichen growth generally don’t occur. But take a look at the last lines of the passage. There we’re told that, for example, we need to factor in conditions like shade and wind that promote faster lichen growth. It doesn’t say that we can’t use lichenometry there, we just have to make sure we’re accounting for those factors when we do use it. So (E) is actually proved wrong by the passage, which means that it’s not the right answer.
Hope this helps! Feel free to ask any other questions that you might have.
