Explanation
Correct answer: C.
Choice C is the best answer because it most effectively uses data from the graph to complete the text’s discussion of the percentages of maize exported in the marketing year 2012/2013. The graph presents percentages of maize exported by Argentina, Brazil, and the United States in marketing years 2009/2010 to 2013/2014 and indicates that for the marketing year 2012/2013, the percentage of maize exported by Argentina decreased to about 70 percent from about 80 percent in the previous marketing year. The graph also shows that the percentage of maize exported by Argentina remained highest among the three countries in the marketing year 2012/2013, surpassing the percentage exported by Brazil (about 31 percent) and by the United States (about 8 percent).
Why the other choices are wrong
Choice A
Choice A is incorrect because for the marketing year 2012/2013, the graph indicates that the percentage of maize exported by Brazil didn’t increase from the previous year; rather, it decreased from about 34 percent to about 31 percent. Moreover, the graph shows that the percentage of maize exported by Brazil remained higher, not lower, than the percentage exported by the United States in the marketing year 2012/2013.
Choice B
Choice B is incorrect because the graph indicates that the percentage of maize exported by Brazil never exceeded the percentage exported by Argentina for any of the marketing years represented.
Choice D
Choice D is incorrect because the graph indicates that the percentage of maize exported by the United States reached its lowest point, not its highest, during the five marketing years in 2012/2013, with the United States exporting only about 8 percent of its maize in that marketing year.