Question

however, pushed back against carsons claims. proponents of ddt usage pointed to the pesticide as a cost - effective means of controlling mosquito populations in parts of the world with high malaria rates. still, silent spring ushered in an era of greater awareness, leading people to start thinking more carefully about the environmental impact of chemical products. what is the meaning of proponents as used in the passage? people who dont understand something people who have strong feelings about something people who argue for the value of something people who oppose something

Explanation:

To determine the meaning of "proponents" in the passage, we analyze the context. The sentence says "Proponents of DDT usage pointed to the pesticide as a cost - effective means of controlling mosquito populations...". This shows that these people are advocating for the use of DDT by highlighting its value (cost - effective for mosquito control).

• "people who don't understand something" is incorrect as the passage shows they understand DDT's use for mosquito control.
• "people who have strong feelings about something" is too vague; the passage shows they are advocating for DDT's value, not just having strong feelings.
• "people who oppose something" is the opposite of what "proponents" do, as they are in favor of DDT usage.
• "people who argue for the value of something" matches the context as they are arguing that DDT is valuable for controlling mosquitoes.

Answer:

people who argue for the value of something