Home › MCQs › GRE Verbal Reasoning › Question #8131
Back to Questions
GRE Verbal Reasoning QUESTION #8131
Question 1
Recent improvements in mountain-climbing equipment have made the sport both safer and more enjoyable for experienced climbers. Yet despite these advances, the rate of mountain-climbing injuries has doubled over the same period. Which of the following, if true, best resolves this apparent contradiction?
  • Many climbers feel a false sense of security and attempt feats beyond their skill level using the new equipment.✔️
  • Some mountain-climbing injuries result from unforeseeable weather conditions.
  • Mountain climbing does not normally result in injury to the experienced climber.
  • Improvements in technique have also occurred alongside equipment advances.
Correct Answer Explanation
The paradox: better equipment → more injuries. Option A resolves it perfectly: better equipment makes inexperienced climbers overconfident, leading them to attempt climbs beyond their ability, causing more injuries. This explains why injuries rose even though the equipment improved. Option B doesn't explain the doubling trend. Option C is irrelevant (it's about experienced climbers). Option D deepens, not resolves, the paradox.