Q24

[lhermary]

How is the answer not E here? It's stated in 29-34.

Thanks

[demetri.blaisdell]

This is a tough question and it requires some very close reading. You are right to look at lines 29-34. According to the cooling theory followers, the circumpolar vortex (whatever the heck that is) will increase when the temperature differential increases between the unusually cool middle/upper latitudes and the warm tropics. The key thing to realize is that the middle and upper latitudes are lumped together. They get cooler together and it's the difference between them and the tropics that causes the expansion.

(E) says that the increase in difference comes between the middle and upper latitudes but that's not right! Lines 31-32 tell us that the increased temperature differential comes between the middle/upper latitudes (taken together) and the tropics.

(D) has the right relationship. We wanted the relationship between the tropics on one hand and the more Northern latitudes (middle/upper latitudes).

This is a very tough question that requires close reading. I hope this explanation helps. Let me know if you have any more questions.

Demetri