Which one of the following can be most reasonably inferred from the two passages taken together, but not from either ...
Katie10May 24, 2014
Why not A?
I understand why B is the answer (L17 and L55). However, I don't understand why A is incorrect.
Passage A tells use that barite is the largest ingredient by weight in drilling (L14-16). However, it makes no mention of its specific impact on the environment. Passage B tells us that it is harmful (L52-55). However, it only tells us that there is MORE barite in OBMs than WBMs, not that it is the OVERALL largest ingredient.
I know I'm splitting hairs here, but could you tell me what I'm missing here? Should I assume from Passage B that barite is the largest ingredient?
Thanks,
Katie
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So we are looking for the answer choice that can be inferred from the two passages together, but not from either individually. We can get the first part of answer choice (A), "Barite is the largest ingredient of drilling muds by weight" from Passage A (lines 14-16): "By far the largest ingredient of drilling muds, by weight, is barite, a very heavy mineral of density 4.3 to 4.6."
However, the issue comes with the second half of answer choice (A) "and also the most environmentally damaging." Though passage B tells us that OBMs have a greater potential for negative environmental impact (lines 52-53), we are never given any information to infer that they are the MOST environmentally damaging. The last paragraph of passage B tells us that OBMs are potentially more toxic than WBMs, and we are told that Barite may impact some organisms toxically, but we are never told that Barite is THE MOST ENVIRONMENTALLY DAMAGING.
Hope that was helpful! Let us know if you have any more questions.
