Question 11

Any given instance of this practice may seem trivial, but the amount of waste quickly adds up.

This sentence best fits before sentence 4, as it emphasizes the cumulative effect of food waste, which aligns with the statement about the average family spending hundreds of dollars on uneaten food.

A) Before sentence 2

Placing the sentence before sentence 2 would disrupt the flow of information regarding the initial stages of food waste during farming and processing. The context at this point focuses on the causes of food waste rather than the implications of its accumulation.

B) Before sentence 4

This location effectively highlights the financial impact of food waste on families, reinforcing the idea that while individual instances may seem minor, they collectively lead to significant economic loss, thereby justifying the placement of the sentence here.

C) Before sentence 7

Positioning the sentence before sentence 7 would not be appropriate as it would shift the focus to the energy consumed during distribution, which is a separate topic from the immediate waste experienced by consumers. The cumulative effect of waste is better linked to personal financial impacts.

D) Before sentence 13

While placing the sentence here could relate to consumers planning meals more efficiently, it does not directly address the financial implications as effectively as placement before sentence 4. The focus on consumer actions does not tie back as clearly to the broader impact of waste accumulation.

Conclusion

Placing the sentence before sentence 4 effectively connects the notion of trivial individual waste to the significant financial burden it imposes on families. This association enhances the reader's understanding of the broader implications of food waste, while the other options fail to create such a direct link to the economic impact being discussed.