Question

For many people, the word “organic” evokes the image of Mother Nature at her finest. People hear “organic” and imagine mom-and-pop family farms of green fields and blue skies producing pure, delicious, healthy food. However, unlike many buzzwords that advertisers add to products to entice shoppers to purchase them (such as “delicious,” “one-of-a-kind,” and “best”), “organic” is more than just a buzzword used to sell products. It’s a denomination that cannot come from advertisers but results only from the approval of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).Which detail is a counter-argument to the claim in paragraph 1?

A.
In addition, the study found that bacteria like E. coli were as likely to be found on organic food as on nonorganic. (paragraph 6)

B.
On organic farms, animals need to be fed with 100% organic food and provided with access to the outdoors... ( paragraph 3)

C.
A recent study from the University of California at Davis, for example, found higher levels of vitamin C in organic tomatoes than were found in their conventional counterparts. (paragraph 7)

D.
... a farm has to be certified by government inspectors. Any farm wanting to earn that status has to undergo a three-year conversion. (paragraph 2)

Answer 1

A.
Because finding bacteria like E. coli just as often on organic as on nonorganic foods undermines the idealized image that “organic” automatically means purer/healthier — a direct counter to the wholesome implication in paragraph 1.