Reading Comprehension

Commonplace items sometimes play surprising roles in world development. For example, though most people today associate nutmeg with simple baked goods, this common spice once altered the course of political history. For centuries, the nutmeg tree grew only in the Banda Islands, a small chain in the southwest Pacific. Locals harvested the aromatic nuts of the tree and sold them to traders. Eventually these nuts, from which the spice is made, ended up as a luxury item in the European market, via Venetian spice merchants. Eager to establish a monopoly over this valuable spice, the Dutch attacked the Bandas, subjugating the native people in a mostly successful attempt to control the nutmeg trade.
However, one island in the Banda chain remained in the hands of the British and was the object of much conflict between the Netherlands and England. After many battles, the British offered to cede control of the island in exchange for New Amsterdam, a Dutch outpost on the east coast of North America. At the time, the Dutch, inveterate traders, were more interested in the spice trade than in the mercantile value of New Amsterdam and so accepted the offer. In 1667, the Treaty of Breda gave the Dutch complete control of the Banda Islands, and thus of the nutmeg trade, and gave the British New Amsterdam, which they promptly renamed New York.

The passage suggests which of the following about the Banda Islands?
A. The British arrived in the islands before the Dutch.
B. Nutmeg was the only spice that grew on the islands.
C. Natives of the islands produced nutmeg from the nuts of the nutmeg tree.
D. The Banda Islands are still in the possession of the Dutch.
E. The local economy of the islands depended completely on nutmeg.

IMO the answer should be 'E'. Pls post OA.

IMO A.

The passage says that one of the islands "remained" in the hands of the British. This implies, that British had conquered the place before the Dutch.

I see A and C as contenders. C is not right as nutmeg was extracted after the trade. Stimulus never speak about economy. E might be an exaggerated. IMO A

abhigang wrote:IMO A.

The passage says that one of the islands "remained" in the hands of the British. This implies, that British had conquered the place before the Dutch.

Well...

I dont agree...
D n B came to island at the same time...n both tried for island... it could be possible that one island remained in thee hands of B...but that does not mean B arrived first..

Incidentally...OE says the same....

(A) CORRECT. The passage states that after the Dutch attacked the Bandas, "one island in the Banda chain, however, remained in the hands of the British." This implies that the British already had a presence in the islands.


SHITTY INFERENCES...

Hmmm...after some thinking...d inference makes sense... the case is... D attacked island...so dat means at dat time B had control of island...n B lost control of all islands but had control of one island....dats what start of the second paragraph says...

Someone?? Pls confirm...