12. Suncorp, a new corporation with limited funds, has been clearing large sections of the tropical Amazon forest for cattle ranching. This practice continues even though greater profits can be made from rubber tapping, which does not destroy the forest, than from cattle ranching, which does destroy the forest.
Which of the following, if true, most helps to explain why Suncorp has been pursuing the less profitable of the two economic activities mentioned above?

A、 The soil of the Amazon forest is very rich in nutrients that are important in the development of grazing lands.
B、 Cattle-ranching operations that are located in tropical climates are more profitable than cattle-ranching operations that are located in cold-weather climates.
C、 In certain districts, profits made from cattle ranching are more heavily taxed than profits made from any other industry.
D、 Some of the cattle that are raised on land cleared in the Amazon are killed by wildcats.
E、 The amount of money required to begin a rubber-tapping operation is twice as high as the amount needed to begin a cattle ranch.

【正确答案】 E

【答案解析】 Argument Construction
Situation Suncorp is a new corporation with limited funds. It has been clearing large sections of the tropical
Amazon forest for ranching, even though rubber-tapping would be more profitable.
Reasoning What would explain why Suncorp is clearing sections of the rain forest for ranching, even though rubber
tapping would be more profitable? Because Suncorp has limited funds, if rubber tapping has much
higher start-up costs, Suncorp might not have enough money to start rubber-tapping operations.
If cattle ranching has much lower start-up costs than rubber tapping, Suncorp might be able to
afford such an operation.
A This statement gives a reason why cattle ranching in the Amazon might be more profitable than one might otherwise think it would be. However, we already know from the passage that rubber tapping would be more profitable than cattle ranching. So, this answer choice does not help explain why cattle ranching might be preferable to rubber tapping.
B The comparison between the profitableness of cattle ranching in tropical climates and in cold-weather climates is irrelevant. The passage only covers cattle ranching in the tropical Amazon forest. This answer choice would at most explain why Suncorp is undertaking cattle ranching in the Amazon rather than in some cold-weather location.
C This statement makes what needs to be explained harder to understand, for it indicates that cattle ranching in the Amazon might be less profitable than one would otherwise think.
D Like answer choice (C), this statement indicates a disadvantage of cattle ranching in the Amazon. So, it does not explain why cattle ranching would be preferred to some other economic activity.
E Correct. Because it costs less to begin cattle ranching than it does to begin rubber tapping, Suncorp—which has limited funds—would have a reason to pursue cattle ranching over a potentially more profitable activity.
The correct answer is E.