7. The passage most strongly suggests that which of the following statements about rubber is true?
Answer: C
Rubber produced by trees traditionally used for rubber is not likely to be able to meet future demand for rubber.
The passage suggests that the slow growth and production challenges associated with traditional rubber trees make it unlikely that they can meet future rubber demand. This is contrasted with alternative sources like TKS and guayule, which may offer more efficient rubber production.
A) If RNA interference can be combined with a way of increasing rubber yields from TKS, TKS plants will, on average, yield at least as much rubber as guayule plants.
This statement is not supported by the passage. While it discusses the potential of TKS and RNA interference, it does not assert that TKS will yield at least as much rubber as guayule plants. The focus is on improving TKS yields, but no direct comparison is made regarding their potential output relative to guayule.
B) Like rubber produced by guayule, rubber produced by TKS is free of allergenic proteins.
The passage only mentions that guayule produces rubber free of allergenic proteins but does not provide information regarding the allergenic properties of rubber produced by TKS. Therefore, this statement cannot be confirmed as true based on the provided text.
C) Rubber produced by trees traditionally used for rubber is not likely to be able to meet future demand for rubber.
This statement is true according to the passage, which highlights the difficulties in increasing production from traditional rubber trees due to their slow growth and the necessity for wide spacing to prevent disease. These factors suggest that traditional sources will struggle to keep up with future demand.
D) Yields from trees traditionally used for rubber can be increased by means of RNA interference.
The passage does not mention RNA interference as a method for increasing yields from traditional rubber trees. Instead, it focuses on TKS and its potential for yield improvement, so this statement is not supported.
E) Natural and synthetic rubber cannot be combined to produce a greater resilience and strength than that of synthetic rubber alone.
The passage does not address the potential for combining natural and synthetic rubber, nor does it make claims regarding their comparative resilience and strength. As a result, this statement is speculative and unsupported by the text.
Conclusion
The correct answer, C, is supported by the passage's emphasis on the limitations of traditional rubber tree production in meeting future demand. Other options fail either due to lack of evidence in the text or because they misinterpret the information provided, highlighting the importance of understanding the context in which these statements are made.