Question

the authors said studies showed that there was the potential for \enormous profits\, but this would lead to increased competition for forest resources between governments and investors on one hand, and local communities on the other.

in this sentence, potential means:

an inconstant order

the inherent capacity for coming into being

a constitutional tendency to be gloomy and depressed

the state of being held in high esteem and honor

Explanation:

To determine the meaning of "potential" in the sentence, we analyze each option:

• "an inconstant order" does not relate to the idea of profit possibility.
• "the inherent capacity for coming into being" fits as the sentence talks about the possibility (capacity) for enormous profits to occur.
• "a constitutional tendency to be gloomy and depressed" is irrelevant to profit or resource competition context.
• "the state of being held in high esteem and honor" also has no relation to the context of profits and resource competition.

Answer:

B. the inherent capacity for coming into being