Question

by the time multiple u.s. national climate assessment reports and decades of temperature records had accumulated, the claim that human activities play no role in global warming persisted mainly in political speeches and cable - news segments; as a description of the world, however, it had become too contradicted by data to remain ______ in light of the converging evidence.
4 mark for review
which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
a strategic
b inflammatory
c salient
d tenable

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze the context. The claim that human activities don't affect global warming is contradicted by data. We need a word that means the claim can't be "maintained" or "defensible" anymore.

• "Strategic" (A) relates to strategy, not the validity of a claim.
• "Inflammatory" (B) refers to provoking anger, not about being supported by evidence.
• "Salient" (C) means noticeable, but the text is about the claim's validity, not its prominence.
• "Tenable" (D) means able to be maintained or defended. Since the claim is contradicted by data, it can't be tenable.

Answer:

D. tenable