Hi John,
Thanks for your question. We have two points of view on the issue of deforestation and its effect on the well-being of the koala. Your understanding of both viewpoints is correct:
- Biologist: Forest disappears Koala approaches extinction
Politician: Forest does NOT disappear Koala does NOT become extinct
It is imperative to understand the nature of the task at hand. The correct answer choice must contradict the politician's claim, but not the biologist's. This is precisely what (B) does: deforestation is stopped, and the koala still becomes extinct. This goes against the politician's claim, according to which stopping deforestation should be sufficient to save the koala. This claim is also consistent with the biologist's claim, who never promised that stopping deforestation would be enough to save the koala. Thus, answer choice (B) is correct.
Answer choice (A) is consistent with both claims. The politician argues that stopping deforestation would be enough to save the koala. So, is it possible that deforestation continues and the koala becomes extinct? Of course! This claim does not contradict either speaker.
Answer choice (C) is also consistent with the politician's claim, because it would be reasonable to assume that if "reforestation" occurs, then deforestation has indeed stopped.
Answer choices (D) and (E) propose outcomes when deforestation is "slowed." According to the politician, survival is guaranteed if deforestation is stopped, but if it's slowed down - who knows? Neither answer choice contradicts his position. Once again, the politician does not believe that stopping deforestation is
necessary to save the koala. Rather, it is
sufficient for saving it (stopping deforestation is
all we need to do to save the koala).
Hope this clears it up!