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Difficulty: EasyInferential Comprehension and Deduction

Read the passage below carefully and answer the question that follows:

In the coastal fishing settlement of Badagry, fishmongers traditionally relied on wood-fired smoking kilns to preserve their daily catch before transporting it to inland markets in Lagos. However, the high cost of mangrove firewood and the rapid depletion of local coastal forests posed growing economic and environmental challenges. Last year, a local cooperative introduced solar-powered cold storage hubs where members could store surplus fish for a small daily fee. Within six months, the community observed a significant decline in timber cutting along the creeks, alongside a notable increase in the profit margins of participating fishmongers who no longer had to sell their fish at throwaway prices before sunset.

Based on the passage, what can be deduced about why fishmongers previously sold their fish at throwaway prices before sunset?

  1. They lacked affordable and reliable preservation options for fresh fish before the cold storage hubs were established.Answer
  2. B
    The price of mangrove firewood dropped drastically every evening in the Badagry market.
  3. C
    Buyers from Lagos markets only purchased fresh fish during early morning hours.
  4. D
    Local environmental regulations strictly prohibited fishmongers from operating kilns after dark.

Answer

The fishmongers previously sold their fish at throwaway prices before sunset because they lacked affordable and reliable preservation options for fresh fish before the cold storage hubs were established.
The correct option is supported by the text, which explains that before solar cold storage hubs existed, fishmongers struggled with the high costs of mangrove firewood needed for smoking. Without an affordable way to keep unsold fish fresh, they had to reduce prices sharply before sunset to avoid complete spoilage loss.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the cause-and-effect relationship in the passage regarding fish sales and preservation.
The passage shows that fishmongers relied on wood-fired kilns, but high firewood costs made preservation expensive, leading to selling unsold fish cheap before sunset.
Inferential comprehension requires synthesizing stated context to deduce unstated underlying causes.
2
Evaluate the impact of introducing solar cold storage.
Having solar cold storage eliminated the need to sell fish at throwaway prices before sunset.
This contrast confirms that the lack of affordable preservation was the main reason for reduced evening prices.

Key Concept

Inferential Comprehension and Deduction
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Topics

Inferential Comprehension and Deduction

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