Q26

[esthertan0310]

The correct answer is "E" but I could not find the supporting lines showing that "Maize C-4 photosynthesis is an evolutionary adaptation". What/which evolution?

Thanks!

[ohthatpatrick]

Lines 36-38, mention evolution.

The passage map here goes like:

P1: Some plants are especially good at photosynthesis. We just figured out why.
P2: Let me tell you about photosynthesis. Part of its process involves this stupid reaction between oxygen and rubisco, which impedes the process of photosynthesis.
P3: But some plants evolved a solution for that stupid reaction. We call them C-4 plants because they keep the rubisco in a secret cave that keeps the oxygen out and they turn carbon dioxide into C-4 so that it can get inside the cave.

== other answers ===

(A) “cannot be understood without cultural influence” is too extreme and unsupported. We could probably understand maize’s productivity just by reading paragraphs 2 and 3.

(B) Oxygen is still released. The oxygen distinction for maize is that oxygen can’t mess with rubisco, because rubisco is hiding in a secret cave.

(C) “produce large quantities of rubisco” was never talked about. Maize is good at maximizing the efficiency of its rubisco, since oxygen doesn’t muck with it. But maize doesn’t PRODUCE extra rubisco.

(D) UNTIL maize, Europeans LACKED techniques … too strong, not supported.

[deedubbew]

What part of the text mentions that it has come to benefit humans? The 1st paragraph only mentions the effects of population growth after it's introduction and shaping of cultures (i.e. agrarian and urban lifestyles). The author seems to have a neutral stance in this passage and is more concerned with why maize is so productive rather than whether or not it benefitted humanity. I think it's too much of a jump to assume that the process has ultimately benefitted humans.