Question

Difficulty: MediumSelecting Concluding Sentences and Transitions

Deep within a sandstone mountain on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen lies the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, often referred to as the "Doomsday Vault." Designed to withstand natural and man-made disasters, the facility serves as a safety net for the world's agricultural biodiversity. It stores millions of seed samples from across the globe, preserving them in sub-zero temperatures. In the event of a global catastrophe or localized crop failure, these seeds can be retrieved to restart agricultural production.

While some critics argue that the resources spent on the vault would be better utilized in supporting active farming communities, proponents emphasize its long-term security benefits. Indeed, the vault has already proved its value. In 2015, researchers from the Middle East withdrew seeds to replace a gene bank destroyed by conflict. __________

Which of the following sentences, if added at the placeholder, would provide the most effective conclusion to the passage by reinforcing its main theme?

  1. A
    This successful retrieval showed the vault is a functional safety net, it highlighted the importance of preserving agricultural history.
  2. This successful retrieval demonstrated that the vault is not merely a precautionary concept, but a crucial safeguard for the future of global food security.Answer
  3. C
    By restoring these lost crops, the researchers stabilize the local food supply and helped rebuild the region's agricultural economy.
  4. D
    Ultimately, the vault is located in a permafrost zone that keeps the seeds frozen at a temperature of 18C-18^\circ\text{C} even if the electricity fails.

Answer

The sentence stating that the successful retrieval demonstrated that the vault is not merely a precautionary concept, but a crucial safeguard for the future of global food security.
The sentence that describes the retrieval as demonstrating the vault's role as a crucial safeguard is the most effective conclusion. It directly links the specific evidence in the second paragraph (the 2015 seed withdrawal) back to the main thesis established in the first paragraph (that the vault serves as a global agricultural safety net). It is also grammatically correct.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the main idea of the passage.
The passage discusses the purpose of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault as a safeguard for global agricultural biodiversity and food security, and provides a real-world example of its success.
An effective conclusion must reinforce the primary theme without introducing unrelated details.
2
Evaluate the grammar and structure of each choice.
One option contains a comma splice, another contains an improper tense shift, one contains a weak conclusion with minor technical details, and one is grammatically sound and rhetorically appropriate.
The correct answer on the ACT must be both grammatically correct and rhetorically effective.
3
Select the sentence that summarizes the main thesis and maintains grammatical integrity.
The statement emphasizing the vault as a crucial safeguard for food security successfully ties the real-world example back to the global security thesis.
This choice resolves the passage's discussion with a strong concluding thought.

Key Concept

Selecting Concluding Sentences and Transitions
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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