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- Thu Jul 31, 2025 12:13 pm
#113787
Hi miriamson,
The word "cumulative" means "increasing in quantity by successive additions." In other words, in Answer D it means that the effects of acid rain are caused by all of the acid rain that has ever occurred (including the recent decades). Since the damage is due to all of the acid rain that has ever occurred, even if the amount of acid rain has decreased in recent decades, that will not reduce the damage due to acid rain because the damage from the prior years is still happening. In other words, each year any acid rain will just add to the damage that is already being caused (even if only by a little bit).
I would consider "the past few decades" to be described as "recent" when talking about weather trends rather than "current," but Answer D still weakens the argument regardless of whether the word "current" does or does not refer to the past few decades. The word "cumulative" is the key to understanding Answer D, as explained above. If the effects are cumulative, then the effects come from all of the years of acid rain and changes year-to-year are minor compared to the total amount of acid rain from all of the years of acid rain.
The word "cumulative" means "increasing in quantity by successive additions." In other words, in Answer D it means that the effects of acid rain are caused by all of the acid rain that has ever occurred (including the recent decades). Since the damage is due to all of the acid rain that has ever occurred, even if the amount of acid rain has decreased in recent decades, that will not reduce the damage due to acid rain because the damage from the prior years is still happening. In other words, each year any acid rain will just add to the damage that is already being caused (even if only by a little bit).
I would consider "the past few decades" to be described as "recent" when talking about weather trends rather than "current," but Answer D still weakens the argument regardless of whether the word "current" does or does not refer to the past few decades. The word "cumulative" is the key to understanding Answer D, as explained above. If the effects are cumulative, then the effects come from all of the years of acid rain and changes year-to-year are minor compared to the total amount of acid rain from all of the years of acid rain.
