In response to the increasing environmental damage wrought by poachers, authorities placed a
ban on ivory in the 1980s. Although the ban resulted in an initial decrease in the sale and trade
of illegal ivory and a concurrent increase in the elephant population, more pressing needs
caused most Western nations to withdraw funding for poaching prevention programs. Without
significant financial support, poorer countries were unable to effectively combat poachers. The
resulting explosion in the ivory trade has seen prices increase to nearly 10 times the $45 per
pound price at the beginning of the decade.
Unfortunately, the countries with the worst poaching problems have also tended to be the ones
least able to combat the problem due to unstable political systems, corruption, lack of
comprehensive enforcement programs, or some combination of all these factors. One primary
hindrance to better enforcement of the ivory ban came from an inability to definitively identify
the country of origin of illegal ivory. Countries used this uncertainty to avoid responsibility for
curbing illegal poaching in their territories by attempting to blame other countries for the
oversights in enforcement.
Now, though, zoologists have perfected a new DNA identification system. First, scientists
gathered genetic data from the population of African elephants, an arduous effort that
ultimately resulted in a detailed DNA-based map of the distribution of African elephants.
Then, the researchers developed a method to extract DNA evidence from ivory, allowing them
to match the ivory with elephant populations on the map. Zoologists hope this new method
will pinpoint the exact origin of poached ivory and force countries to accept their responsibility
in enforcing the ban.
Questions
1. The passage suggests which of the following about the ivory ban?
(a) It will be successful now that the DNA-based map has been developed.
(b) It has been mostly unsuccessful in reducing the trade of illegal ivory.
(c) It will continue to be ineffective unless the problems of political corruption are solved.
(d) Western monetary support was a major factor in its success.
Answers
Answer:
In response to the increasing environmental damage wrought by poachers, authorities placed a
ban on ivory in the 1980s. Although the ban resulted in an initial decrease in the sale and trade
of illegal ivory and a concurrent increase in the elephant population, more pressing needs
caused most Western nations to withdraw funding for poaching prevention programs. Without
significant financial support, poorer countries were unable to effectively combat poachers. The
resulting explosion in the ivory trade has seen prices increase to nearly 10 times the $45 per
pound price at the beginning of the decade.
Unfortunately, the countries with the worst poaching problems have also tended to be the ones
least able to combat the problem due to unstable political systems, corruption, lack of
comprehensive enforcement programs, or some combination of all these factors. One primary
hindrance to better enforcement of the ivory ban came from an inability to definitively identify
the country of origin of illegal ivory. Countries used this uncertainty to avoid responsibility for
curbing illegal poaching in their territories by attempting to blame other countries for the
oversights in enforcement.
Now, though, zoologists have perfected a new DNA identification system. First, scientists
gathered genetic data from the population of African elephants, an arduous effort that
ultimately resulted in a detailed DNA-based map of the distribution of African elephants.
Then, the researchers developed a method to extract DNA evidence from ivory, allowing them
to match the ivory with elephant populations on the map. Zoologists hope this new method
will pinpoint the exact origin of poached ivory and force countries to accept their responsibility
in enforcing the ban.
Questions
1. The passage suggests which of the following about the ivory ban?
(a) It will be successful now that the DNA-based map has been developed.
(b) It has been mostly unsuccessful in reducing the trade of illegal ivory.
(c) It will continue to be ineffective unless the problems of political corruption are solved.
(d) Western monetary support was a major factor in its success.
Answer:
option (a) is the correct answer