Q21

[tzyc]

When did the author say which is superior? Is it because of the 1st 3 sentences of the last para?
But the author says "To such a local observer, however, large avalanches would remain unpredictable because they are a consequence of the total history of the entire pile...", so there is shortcoming as well.
How do we know which is better when both theories have good points and bad points?

Thank you

[maryadkins]

When did the author say which is superior?

Lines 23-26 and lines 46-49. Now it's been discovered that a grain of sand can trigger an avalanche. (D) is supported.

(A) is contradicted. The author supports abandonment of the traditional approach.

(B) is too extreme. Radical?

(C) is unsupported. The author doesn't reconcile points of view.

(E) is unsupported. There isn't anything about reconsidering an unfashionable explanation here.

[AnnaC659]

I thought (E) was the answer because the passage gives more weight to the new theory implied that the old one is no longer of use and hence "unfashionable." Can you elaborate on this answer choice?