Read the following passage and answer the given questions. Providing stable…
2017
Read the following passage and answer the given questions. Providing stable freshwater supplies is a priority for every country in the world. Yet stable supplies are increasingly hard to come by in many countries, as water - related risks increase. For example, recent droughts threatened GDP growth in the United States. Monsoon floods killed hundreds and displaced thousands in India. Increased competition for water may impact energy production in China, and the list goes on.
Worlds Resource Institute’s Aqueduct project recently evaluated, mapped, and scored water risks like these in 100 river basins and 180 nations - the first such country - level water assessment of its kind. We found that 36 countries face “extremely high” levels of baseline water stress. This means that more than 80 percent of the water available is withdrawn annually by agricultural, domestic, and industrial users leaving businesses, farms, and communities vulnerable to scarcity. Such situations severely threaten national water security and economic growth - especially if a country does not have adequate water - management plans in place. This information is highly relevant for a country’s economy, environment, and communities.
It’s also important for countries to understand the underlying natural factors that drive their water - related risks and respond accordingly. Extremely high levels of baseline water stress, for example, don’t necessarily mean that a country will fall victim to scarcity. Armed with the right information, countries facing extremely high stress can implement management and conservation strategies to secure their water supplies.
Singapore, for example, has the highest water stress ranking. The country is densely populated and has no freshwater lakes or aquifers, and its demand for water far exceeds its naturally occurring supply. Yet the country is consistently held up as an exceptional water manager. Singapore invests heavily in technology, international agreements, and responsible management, allowing it to meet its freshwater needs. Advanced rainwater capture systems contribute 20 percent of Singapore’s water supply, 40 percent is imported from Malaysia, grey water reuse adds 30 percent, and desalination produces the remaining 10 percent of the supply to meet the country’s total demand. These forward - thinking and innovative management plans provide a stable water supply for Singapore’s industrial, agricultural, and domestic users - even in the face of significant baseline water stress.
The main purpose of the passage is to:
- A.
Warn the water stressed countries to take necessary steps to manage water scarcity
- B.
Stress why it is important to analyze water risk at the country level
- C.
Report the baseline water stress study on 180 countries
- D.
Show that extremely high water stress can be managed
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Concept
A "main purpose" question asks for the single overarching reason the whole passage was written — the central idea that every part serves, not any one supporting detail. The right choice must cover the passage as a whole: it should fit the opening, the body, and especially the point the author builds toward at the end. A choice that is true of only one paragraph, or that is narrower or broader than the actual sweep of the text, is not the main purpose.
Application
Tracing the arc of this passage in order:
It opens by establishing that water-related risks are rising and that stable freshwater supply is a worldwide priority, citing droughts, floods, and competition for water.
It then reports the Aqueduct finding that 36 countries face "extremely high" baseline water stress — setting up the problem.
It pivots: "Extremely high levels of baseline water stress... don't necessarily mean that a country will fall victim to scarcity," and says countries can implement management and conservation strategies to secure supply.
It closes with the Singapore example — the highest water-stress ranking, yet an exceptional water manager that meets all its needs through rainwater capture, imports, grey-water reuse, and desalination. This is the climax and the longest section.
The whole text is built to demonstrate that even extremely high water stress can be managed; the Singapore case exists precisely to prove that claim. So the answer is "Show that extremely high water stress can be managed."
Contrast
"Warn the water stressed countries to take necessary steps to manage water scarcity" — the passage is reassuring and solution-oriented, not a warning; it argues stress need not lead to scarcity, so reading it as an alarm misses the author's positive thrust.
"Stress why it is important to analyze water risk at the country level" — country-level analysis is mentioned only while introducing the Aqueduct study; it is a supporting detail, not the goal the entire passage serves.
"Report the baseline water stress study on 180 countries" — reporting the study is just the early set-up; the passage moves well beyond reporting numbers to make a case about management, so this is too narrow.