PREP 19 Gortland Assumption

[RonPurewal]

I got it! My understanding of the word 'necessary' was not right! Thank you Ron! Thank you for the correction~!

This is OK if you're just getting started.

On the other hand, this is the sort of thing that shouldn't be happening after a short while. If you're still misapprehending these sorts of words (which describe fundamental tasks) after you've seen them more than once or twice, then that's too much "doing" and not enough reviewing.

[AsadA969]

Does the sentence ("it takes several pounds of grain to produce one pound of meat") play any role in the argument? i want to mean that if i remove this part from the argument, will it hamper the correct answer option E? Actually, I'm not removing anything from the original question; I'm just doing that to convince myself that i've understood the question or not.

also, in answer option E, the word "radically" means what? Could you explain it please, Ron?
Thanks...

[RonPurewal]

Does the sentence ("it takes several pounds of grain to produce one pound of meat") play any role in the argument?

we're told that people in this country are starting to eat more meat.
if we didn't know that fact ^^ then we might think "ok, that means the country can decrease its production of grain."
but, since we're given that sentence, we'd know it would be incorrect to think such a thing. in fact, if people start eating less grain and more meat, then this will NOT necessarily ease the country's demand for grain (since the cultivation of 1 pound of meat requires several pounds of grain).

[RonPurewal]

also, in answer option E, the word "radically" means what? Could you explain it please, Ron?
Thanks...

"radically" = "by a huge amount"

remember, for each extra pound of meat that gortlanders consume, they would have to reduce grain consumption by SEVERAL pounds in order to "cancel out" the overall effect on the national grain economy.
if that's possible at all, it's definitely a "radical" (= huge) reduction.