4. "Justin Knopf farms 4,500 acres in central Kansas, producing wheat, soy, sorghum and alfalfa for national and global markets, using synthetic pesticides, fertilizer and GMOs. In some quarters, those facts would suffice to condemn him as a villain of "Big Ag." But Justin is a conservation hero, showing the way to restore soils and biodiversity, protect clean water and the atmosphere and feed a growing global population without giving over still more of the planet to agriculture which already covers half of Earth's ice-free land, uses 70 percent of all fresh water and has greater impacts on biodiversity than any other human enterprise." Read this and answer the question:

Question

Use the passage to answer the question.

Which portion of the passage functions as a counterargument?

A. "But Justin is a conservation hero, showing the way to restore soils and biodiversity, protect clean Owater and the atmosphere and feed a growing global population without giving over still more of the planet to agriculture..."

B. "Justin Knopf farms 4,500 acres in central Kansas, producing wheat, soy, sorghum and alfalfa for national and global markets, using synthetic pesticides, fertilizer and GMOs."

C. "... which already covers half of Earth's ice-free land, uses 70 percent of all fresh water and has greater impacts on biodiversity than any other human enterprise."

D. "In some quarters, those facts would suffice to condemn him as a villain of 'Big Ag."

Answer 1

The portion of the passage that functions as a counterargument is:

A. "But Justin is a conservation hero, showing the way to restore soils and biodiversity, protect clean water and the atmosphere and feed a growing global population without giving over still more of the planet to agriculture..."

This sentence presents a contrasting perspective to the initial negative portrayal of Justin based on his farming practices.