Question

Difficulty: EasyInferential Comprehension and Deduction

Read the passage below carefully:

For decades, the agricultural community of Kura in Kano State relied exclusively on diesel-powered pumps to pull groundwater for dry-season farming. Although these engines initially boosted crop yields, soaring fuel prices and frequent mechanical failures eventually crippled local farming operations. To address this crisis, an agricultural cooperative introduced solar-powered irrigation pumps three years ago. The new solar units require no fuel and run quietly throughout daylight hours, allowing farmers to cultivate high-value off-season vegetables across expanded plots of land. Consequently, household incomes in the community have increased significantly. However, environmental monitors recently reported a continuous drop in the local water table. Because running solar pumps incurs no daily fuel expenses, many farmers now allow the systems to discharge water continuously, regardless of actual crop needs. Community leaders are now urging the cooperative to implement regulated watering schedules to prevent complete exhaustion of the underground aquifer.

Based on the passage, what can be inferred about the primary cause of the declining groundwater table in Kura?

  1. A
    Solar-powered pumps consume substantially more water per minute than fuel-powered generators.
  2. The lack of ongoing fuel costs led to unchecked usage of solar pumps beyond actual agricultural requirements.Answer
  3. C
    Household earnings plummeted because local farmers spent their savings repairing solar pump components.
  4. D
    Rising fuel prices prevented farmers from switching to regulated watering schedules recommended by leaders.

Answer

The primary cause of the declining groundwater table is that the elimination of daily fuel expenses prompted farmers to run solar pumps continuously, pumping water unnecessarily.
The passage explains that because solar pumps incur no daily fuel expenses, farmers frequently allow them to run continuously even when watering is unnecessary. This unmonitored and continuous extraction directly accounts for the declining groundwater table.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the reported problem in the passage.
Environmental monitors detected a continuous decline in the local water table.
Locating the central environmental issue mentioned in the text.
2
Examine the behavioral shift described after introducing solar pumps.
Because solar pumping incurs no daily fuel expenses, farmers keep the systems running continuously regardless of crop needs.
Determining the direct cause of excessive groundwater extraction.
3
Deduce the logical link between financial incentive and resource depletion.
The absence of daily operational costs leads directly to wasteful water usage, depleting the aquifer.
Selecting the option supported by logical textual deduction.

Key Concept

Inferential Comprehension and Deduction
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