Question

Difficulty: MediumInferential Comprehension and Deduction

Read the passage below carefully and evaluate the statement that follows:

For generations, smallholder yam farmers along the floodplains of Ogbaru in Anambra State faced severe post-harvest losses caused by seasonal river flooding during the annual harvest peak. Traditional wooden storage barns erected on dry land frequently collapsed or became submerged as the Niger River overflowed. In response, local agricultural cooperatives recently introduced elevated bamboo-reinforced silo platforms constructed above the historic high-water mark. Unlike conventional mud-walled structures, these elevated platforms permit continuous horizontal airflow, which significantly reduces humidity and delays tubers from rotting. Furthermore, farmers began applying a fine coating of neem leaf ash to the stored yams prior to mounting them on the platforms. Although the ash coating does not prevent physical moisture loss, it effectively repels subterranean termites and burrowing beetles that previously breached wooden barn walls. Consequently, participating cooperatives have recorded a forty percent decrease in seasonal tuber spoilage, enabling them to withhold yams from the market until supply drops and prices stabilize during the dry season.

Statement: The application of neem leaf ash to stored yams is intended primarily to prevent moisture loss from the tubers.

Answer: Answer

Answer

False
The statement is false because the passage explicitly notes that neem leaf ash does not prevent physical moisture loss, serving instead as a natural repellent against termites and beetles.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the claim made in the statement regarding neem leaf ash.
The statement asserts that neem leaf ash is used primarily to prevent moisture loss from stored yams.
Establishing the specific assertion that requires textual verification.
2
Scan the passage for explicit details about the function of neem leaf ash.
The passage states: 'Although the ash coating does not prevent physical moisture loss, it effectively repels subterranean termites and burrowing beetles...'
Locating textual evidence regarding what the ash coating accomplishes and does not accomplish.
3
Compare the statement's claim with the textual evidence to deduce its truth value.
Since the passage explicitly discredits moisture loss prevention and attributes pest deterrence to the ash, the statement is logically false.
Drawing the correct deductive conclusion based on textual constraints.

Key Concept

Inferential Comprehension and Textual Deduction
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