Why does the author describe the slogan as picking out a feature 'easy to see'?
It seems plain that food should be grown close to where it is eaten: the shorter the journey, the lower the emissions. 'Food miles' have become a slogan for this idea. But transport accounts for a small share of the emissions from most foods; the larger part comes from how they are grown. A tomato raised in a heated greenhouse in a cold country can cause more emissions than one grown outdoors in a warm country and shipped by sea. Buying local may have other merits, such as supporting nearby farms, but these should be argued separately. As a rule for reducing emissions, the slogan misleads, because it picks out a feature that is easy to see rather than one that matters most.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: D. To suggest that it is popular
- Step 1: The author contrasts an easily seen feature (distance) with one that matters most (how food is grown).
- Step 2: The suggestion is that visibility explains its appeal.
Answer
To suggest that it is popular.
Why not the others: The author's point is that distance is easy to see, not that people dislike seeing food moved, that transport is invisible, that slogans are accurate or that greenhouses are visible.
Practise more Food and the environment.
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