The United States government generally tries to protect valuable natural resources. But one resource has been ignored...

Naz May 20, 2014

The main point of the argument is that the United States has for too long ignored the valuable resource of topsoil by keeping soil conservation programs at ridiculously low levels.

How do we know this? Well the argument tells us that the government usually tries to protect valuable natural resources, but it has ignored soil for very long. It tells us that for each bushel of corn produced, as many as two bushels of topsoil can be lost. Moreover, in the last 100 years, the topsoil in many of the states used to be 14 inches thick, but has been reduced to merely six or eight inches. We are then told that federal expenditures for nationwide soil conservation programs have continued to be at very low levels and that the total federal expenditures for nationwide soil conservation programs have been less than the allocations of some individual states. So, in order for the government to stop ignoring the resource of topsoil, it must spend more than it is.

Answer choice (E) states "the federal government should spend much more on soil conservation than it has been spending." This is the main point of the argument. We are told that the United States has for too long ignored the valuable resource of topsoil by keeping the soil conservation programs at ridiculously low levels. Thus, it is clear that the argument advocates increasing the spending on topsoil so that the government will cease ignoring it.

Answer choice D is incorrect because the stimulus never discusses the federal government's expenditures in the various states. The stimulus discusses the federal expenditures nationwide and the expenditures of some states, but never how much the federal government spends in the individual states. Remember, there are two criteria for the correct answer on Main Point questions: (1) the answer choice must be true and (2) the answer choice must be the main point.

Hope that was helpful! Let us know if you have any other questions.

AnkitM February 3, 2016

Hi, still confused on why answer choice E is correct. E states that the fed. government should spend more, while the passage states that the fed spending has remained at low levels. Why would answer choice E fill the Must Be True requirement? Isn't it more like a Could Be True? Isn't the point of the argument that fed. spending is at low levels, not that the government should spend more to fix that issue?
Thank you!

Mehran February 3, 2016

@AnkitM The main point of this argument is, "But one resource (topsoil) has been ignored for too long."

Or stated another way, the United State government should stop ignoring the valuable natural resource of topsoil.

(E) states, "The federal government should spend much more on soil conservation than it has been spending," which is the main point of this argument.

Hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any other questions.

AnanyaK July 11, 2018

I still don't understand how we can pick answer choice E. E says that the fed gov "should" increase spending but although the premises may support this statement, I don't see anything that advocates for the fed gov to actually increase spending. How can we make the jump to say that they "should" increase spending

Christopher July 28, 2018

@AnanyaK, main point questions are tricky for that very reason. When the question asks for the main point, it will not have been explicitly stated within the preceding text. As Mehran pointed out, the main point as written in the paragraph is that "one resource (topsoil) has been ignored for too long." Taken another way, the US government should start paying attention to this valuable natural resource of topsoil.

How would they pay attention? Throughout the passage, the author is talking about how "ridiculously low" US funding for topsoil conservation is and that the total US governmental expenditure on preserving topsoil is less than that of several states. This would all suggest that the way to "pay attention (not ignore)" to topsoil conservation is to spend more money on it. Thus, you get to (E).

I hope that helps.

taramarielee14 October 14, 2018

I am understanding how the answer to E is correct, but can you please explain how D would be incorrect in a little more detail? Thanks!