Increased carbon dioxide levels are known to increase plant growth. For example, a recent study of wheat has shown that...

GMAT Two Part Analysis : (TPA) Questions

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Two Part Analysis

Verbal - RC

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Increased carbon dioxide levels are known to increase plant growth. For example, a recent study of wheat has shown that increased carbon dioxide results in a greater crop yield per acre of land. The study controlled for differences in watering, the use of fertilisers, and soil type and quality. The study also found that the increased yield resulting from increased carbon dioxide had a strong negative correlation with the amount of protein and nutritional value of each kilogram of wheat. The researchers hypothesised that the reason for this was because the growth was not accompanied by a similar increase in nutrient intake. In essence, they argued that the yield increased and diluted the protein and nutritional content for each kilogram.

Consider the following incomplete sentence: As wheat yields increase because of increased carbon dioxide, the 1 decreases because the 2 has not increased. Select for 1 and for 2 the options that create the sentence that most accurately states the main point of the passage above. Make only two selections, one in each column.

the entire yield

nutritional and protein content for each kilogram

amount of nutrients that the plants take in

amount of carbon dioxide that the plants receive

dilution of protein and nutritional content

Solution

Phase 1: Owning the Dataset

Argument Analysis Table

Passage Statement	Analysis & Implications
"Increased carbon dioxide levels are known to increase plant growth"	Core Fact: \(\mathrm{CO_2} \uparrow \rightarrow \mathrm{Plant\ growth} \uparrow\) Visualization: If CO2 goes from 100 to 150 units, plant growth increases Logical Connections: Sets up the basic cause-effect relationship What We Can Conclude: More CO2 directly stimulates growth
"Study of wheat has shown that increased carbon dioxide results in a greater crop yield per acre"	Core Fact: For wheat specifically, \(\mathrm{CO_2} \uparrow \rightarrow \mathrm{Yield/acre} \uparrow\) Visualization: 1 acre with normal CO2 = 100kg wheat; with high CO2 = 150kg wheat Logical Connections: Confirms general principle applies to wheat What We Can Conclude: More wheat mass is produced per acre
"The study controlled for differences in watering, the use of fertilisers, and soil type and quality"	Core Fact: Other variables were held constant Visualization: All plots had same water, fertilizer, soil - only CO2 varied Logical Connections: Isolates CO2 as the sole cause What We Can Conclude: Yield increase is due to CO2 alone
"Increased yield...had a strong negative correlation with the amount of protein and nutritional value of each kilogram of wheat"	Core Fact: As \(\mathrm{yield} \uparrow, \mathrm{protein/nutrition\ per\ kg} \downarrow\) Visualization: Normal yield wheat = 15g protein/kg; High yield wheat = 10g protein/kg Logical Connections: More wheat quantity means less quality per unit What We Can Conclude: There's a trade-off between quantity and quality
"Researchers hypothesised...growth was not accompanied by a similar increase in nutrient intake"	Core Fact: Plant grows more but doesn't absorb proportionally more nutrients Visualization: Plant size increases 50% but nutrient intake only increases 10% Logical Connections: Explains the quality decrease What We Can Conclude: Nutrient absorption doesn't scale with growth
"Yield increased and diluted the protein and nutritional content for each kilogram"	Core Fact: Same nutrients spread across more wheat mass Visualization: 100 units of protein in 100kg vs 100 units in 150kg Logical Connections: Mathematical dilution effect What We Can Conclude: Per-unit quality decreases due to dilution

Key Patterns Identified

Established Facts: CO2 increases yield, but protein/nutrition per kg decreases
Causal Chain: \(\mathrm{CO_2} \uparrow \rightarrow \mathrm{Yield} \uparrow \rightarrow \mathrm{Nutrients\ spread\ thinner} \rightarrow \mathrm{Quality/kg} \downarrow\)
Critical Limitation: Nutrient uptake doesn't increase proportionally with growth
Core Mechanism: Dilution effect due to disproportionate growth vs nutrient intake

Phase 2: Question Analysis & Prethinking

Understanding Each Part

We need to complete: "As wheat yields increase because of increased carbon dioxide, the [1] decreases because the [2] has not increased."

Part 1 Focus: What decreases when yields increase?
Part 2 Focus: What hasn't increased, causing the decrease in Part 1?
Relationship: Part 2's lack of increase causes Part 1's decrease

Valid Inferences (Prethinking)

For Part 1: The passage explicitly states that protein and nutritional value per kilogram decreases
For Part 2: The researchers hypothesize that nutrient intake/uptake hasn't increased proportionally

Phase 3: Answer Choice Evaluation

Let's evaluate each option:

"the entire yield"
- What it claims: Total wheat production decreases
- Fact Support: Contradicts passage - yield increases
- Logical Validity: Invalid - directly contradicted
- Part Suitability: Neither part
"nutritional and protein content for each kilogram"
- What it claims: Quality per unit mass decreases
- Fact Support: Directly stated - "strong negative correlation"
- Logical Validity: Necessary conclusion from facts
- Part Suitability: Perfect for Part 1
"amount of nutrients that the plants take in"
- What it claims: Nutrient absorption quantity
- Fact Support: Researchers' hypothesis about lack of proportional increase
- Logical Validity: Valid inference explaining the dilution
- Part Suitability: Perfect for Part 2
"amount of carbon dioxide that the plants receive"
- What it claims: CO2 levels
- Fact Support: CO2 is increasing, not staying constant
- Logical Validity: Invalid - contradicts premise
- Part Suitability: Neither part
"dilution of protein and nutritional content"
- What it claims: The process/effect itself
- Fact Support: This is the result, not what decreases
- Logical Validity: Describes the phenomenon but doesn't fit grammatically
- Part Suitability: Neither part (grammatically incorrect)

Answer Selection

Part 1: "nutritional and protein content for each kilogram" - This is what decreases
Part 2: "amount of nutrients that the plants take in" - This is what hasn't increased proportionally

Verification

Completed sentence: "As wheat yields increase because of increased carbon dioxide, the nutritional and protein content for each kilogram decreases because the amount of nutrients that the plants take in has not increased."

This perfectly captures the passage's main point about the dilution effect caused by disproportionate growth versus nutrient uptake.

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