Question 39 Answer and Explanation _ACT December 2009 Form 68A English Section

Passage III

The Three Sisters

The following paragraphs may or may not be in the most logical order. Each paragraph is numbered in brackets, and question 45 will ask you to choose where Paragraph 1 should most logically be placed.

[1]

Three plants together known collectively as the "Three Sisters" have long been an important source of sustenance for many Native American nations. Being experienced and effective horticulturists, it was indigenous peoples who knew that planting corn, beans, and squash together made good nutritional and agricultural sense.

[2]

The technique is ingenious. Several kernels of corn are planted in a circle in a hill of soil. (34) When the corn is about six inches high, pole bean and squash seeds are planted around the young stalks. As the three plants grow, the corn stalks support the bean tendrils, while the beans fix nitrogen in the soil, which fertilizes the corm. The broad leaves of the squash plants provide shade for the other two plants' root systems and help retain soil moisture while discouraging weed growth.

[3]

Eaten together, the three foods provide balanced nutrition. Com, in particular, is high in carbohydrates. Although com and beans are both good sources of protein, each food provides two essential amino acids that the other lacks. Squash yields both vitamins from the fruit and healthful, delicious oil from the seeds is yielded also.

[4]

Equally and equivalently important is the moral lesson that the Three Sisters impart. (39) Many Native peoples see the three plants as a model of cooperation and harmony, each plant benefiting from their growth. What the early horticulturists knew, the three grow best when they grow together. Many tribes have legends of three intertwined sisters who can never be parted, siblings who live together, eat together, and celebrate together. At harvesttime, ceremonies are held to thank the sisters for growing abundantly and feeding the people.

[5]

(44) And as sustainable agriculture becomes more widely recognized as a necessity, the Three Sisters provide one example of how food can be grown with very little strain on natural resources—an ecosystem of plants that thrive when they are grown together.

39. At this point, the writer is considering adding the following true statement:

The name Three Sisters has also been used to refer to a range of mountains in the Canadian Rockies.

Should the writer make this addition here?

A. Yes, because the concept of the Three Sisters is a central theme of the essay, and this statement elaborates on that theme.

B. Yes, because the names of crops and the names of mountains both evoke a sense of the importance of nature in our daily lives.

C. No, because it does not explain why the mountains are known as the Three Sisters, which readers would want to know.

D. No, because it distracts the reader from the focus of the essay and does not logically fit into the essay at this point.

Answer and Explanation

Your Answer is

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

Add a sentence meaning "The name of the Three Sisters is also used to name the Canadian mountains. This sentence has nothing to do with this paragraph. This article introduces the relationship between corn/bean/squash, not only as a planting method, It can better reflect the cooperative and mutually beneficial relationship between the three. Therefore, this sentence is not added. The reason for item C is wrongly explained.