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Difficulty: HardInferring Vocabulary and Idiomatic Expressions in Context

An economic and environmental dispatch analyzing agrarian resilience in the Bolivian Altiplano highlights the following observation:

«A pesar de que las comunidades andinas recurren a técnicas milenarias de captación de agua pluvial para mitigar la aridez, la prolongada anomalía térmica ha comenzado a hacer mella en los rendimientos de los cultivos y en la solvencia comunitaria.»

Based on the passage, which of the following best captures the meaning of the idiomatic expression «hacer mella» in this context?

  1. A
    To physically notch or leave mechanical indentations on harvesting equipment
  2. To cause significant damage and steadily weaken overall resilienceAnswer
  3. C
    To prompt the complete and immediate abandonment of ancestral traditions
  4. D
    To foster remarkable adaptation and improve agricultural yields

Answer

To cause significant damage and steadily weaken overall resilience
The correct interpretation captures the figurative sense of 'hacer mella,' which means to exert a corrosive, weakening, or damaging effect over time. In the excerpt, the prolonged drought is overcoming ancestral water catchment efforts and actively impairing crop yields and financial stability.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the syntactic structure and contextual clues surrounding the target phrase
The sentence begins with the concessive clause 'A pesar de que...' (Even though / In spite of...), establishing an opposition between ancient protective techniques and the adverse impact of prolonged thermal anomalies.
Concessive connectors signal that the outcome contrasts with the protective intent of the community measures.
2
Determine the semantic valence of the affected elements
The direct objects affected are 'rendimientos de los cultivos' (crop yields) and 'solvencia comunitaria' (communal solvency). A prolonged heat anomaly would realistically diminish or undermine these elements.
Contextual meaning must align logically with the negative consequences of sustained environmental distress.
3
Synthesize the contextual definition of the idiomatic phrase
In Spanish, 'hacer mella' figuratively signifies having a damaging, wearing, or undermining effect on something. Therefore, it translates to causing significant harm and eroding resilience.
Distinguishing the figurative expression from literal definitions resolves the intended meaning in journalistic discourse.

Key Concept

Inferring Vocabulary and Idiomatic Expressions in Context
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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Inferring Vocabulary and Idiomatic Expressions in Context

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