Reading Comprehension

Measuring more than five feet tall and ten feet long, the Javan rhinoceros is often called the rarest large mammal on earth. Though the habitat of the Javan rhino once extended across southern Asia, now there are fewer than one hundred of the animals in Indonesia and fewer than a dozen in Vietnam. The decline of the species may have progressed too far to be reversed. For centuries, farmers who wished to cultivate the rhino's habitat viewed the animals as crop-eating pests and shot them on sight; during the colonial period, hunters slaughtered thousands for their horns, as poachers still do today. The surviving Vietnamese herd has diminished to the point that it can no longer maintain the genetic variation necessary for long-term survival. The Indonesian herd cannot be used to supplement the Vietnamese population because, in the millions of years since Indonesia separated from the mainland, the two groups have evolved into separate sub-species. The Indonesian rhinos are protected on the Ujung Kulon peninsula, which is unsettled by humans, and still thought to have sufficient genetic diversity to survive. The lack of human disturbance, however, allows mature forests to replace the shrubby vegetation preferred by the animals. Human benevolence may prove little better for these rhinos than past human maltreatment.

AIM GMAT wrote:This can be answered by elimination method .

A) optimistic about the Indonesian rhino’s long-term survival [author is not optimistic about Indo rhino survival]

B) resigned to the eventual extinction of the species [Irrelevant]

C) uncertain about the on-going impact of farmers and hunters [Irrelevant]

D) pessimistic about the species’ chances for survival [yeah author does expresses pessimism regarding survival of Javan Rhino , no better optiion is available to answer ]

E) ambivalent about the long-term outcome for the Javan rhinoceros [The author is not ambivalent about Javan , " The decline of the species may have progressed too far to be reversed" -- This doesnt reflect amivalent approach.]

Doubt about A :- The author expresses a ray of hope , he is not optimistic about Indo rhino . Infact author is more pessimistic about Javan Rhino than optimistic about Indo Rhino.

Hope that helps.

The Indonesian rhinos are protected on the Ujung Kulon peninsula, which is unsettled by humans, and still thought to have sufficient genetic diversity to survive. The lack of human disturbance, however, allows mature forests to replace the shrubby vegetation preferred by the animals. Human benevolence may prove little better for these rhinos than past human maltreatment.

AIM GMAT wrote:If u read the last line of passage

Human benevolence may prove little better for these rhinos than past human maltreatment.

Author is more concerned about the extinction of Javan Rhino rather than Indo Rhino's possibilty of surviving.

I certainly get what doubt you are having .You want a proof from passage that is pessimistic about Indo Rhino , in matter of fact he is not also optimistic .

which is unsettled by humans, and still thought to have sufficient genetic diversity to survive. The lack of human disturbance, however, allows mature forests to replace the shrubby vegetation preferred by the animals. Human benevolence may prove little better for these rhinos than past human maltreatment.

Above excerpt is expressing a hope , it is still thought to have , does it give u surety ? And also says that human approach of kindness may prove better than maltreatment.