#11 - Concept Reference, Must Be True

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

The correct answer choice is (D).

Answer choice (A):

Answer choice (B):

Answer choice (C):

Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer choice.

Answer choice (E):


This explanation is still in progress. Please post any questions below!

[alex.r.berson@gmail.com]

Hi there,

Can you please explain why D is correct? I choice B :/

[Chandler H]

Hi there,

Can you please explain why D is correct? I choice B :/

Hi Alex,

In line 35, the author writes that the Draft Articles are inadequate because they "do not provide satisfactory ways of dealing with possible future environmental changes." The author then goes on to say that the treaties that allocate fixed amounts of water, as suggested by the Draft Articles, "will not be flexible enough to respond to these large fluctuations in river flows."

Answer choice (D) mirrors this language by telling us that stipulating specific quantities of water use, though it might seem fair now, could potentially be inequitable later.

Does this make sense?

[alex.r.berson@gmail.com]

Yes it does - not sure why I chose (B).

Is there any advice on tackling these inference/principle questions in RC?

[Dana D]

Hey Alex,

Line (35) is pretty straightforward in saying what the author thinks the flaw in the Draft Articles is, so hopefully answer choice (D) was at least a contender answer choice for you when looking at the options. If you overlooked this line and chose answer choice (B) because it references something in the passage (namely, the 'customary principles in international water law' in lines 19-20), you should ask yourself if answer choice (B) is really describing what the author thinks the flaw in the Draft Articles is. The Draft Articles themselves are the attempt to codify these customary principles - the issue is not that they have overlooked principles, it is that (as line 35 says) they fail to provide ways of dealing with future environmental changes.

As you read an RC passage, briefly recap the main point of each paragraph in your own words - this should help you keep track of what paragraphs to look for answers in as well. For example, the big idea of paragraph 2 is what the Draft Articles actually are. The main point of paragraph 3 is that although they are a positive step, they are inadequate. Now when you get to a question like this one, you know to look at paragraph 3 for the flaw, which should let you easily identify answer (D) as the correct answer.

Hope this helps!