149  149. The cotton farms of Country Q became so productive that the market could not absorb all that they produced. Consequently, cotton prices fell. The government tried to boost cotton prices by offering farmers who took 25 percent of their cotton acreage out of production direct support payments up to a specified maximum per farm.

The government’s program, if successful, will not be a net burden on the budget. Which of the following, if true, is the best basis for an explanation of how this could be so?

(A) Depressed cotton prices meant operating losses for cotton farms, and the government lost revenue from taxes on farm profits.

(B) Cotton production in several counties other than Q declined slightly the year that the support-payment program went into effect in Q.

(C) The first year that the support-payment program was in effect, cotton acreage in Q was 5% below its level in the base year for the program.

(D) The specified maximum per farm meant that for very large cotton farms the support payments were less per acre for those acres that were withdrawn from production than they were for smaller farms.

(E) Farmers who wished to qualify for support payments could not use the cotton acreage that was withdrawn from production to grow any other crop

请问：

（1）题干问的 which of the following, if true, is the best basis for an explanation of how this could be so?

按题型来分，是让偶们找支持选项，还是这个是评价题啊？题型偶都分不清。

（2）并且，正确选项（A）是说棉价低，农民损失，政府损失，我们并不能得出棉价高，农民赚钱，政府赚钱啊，为什么A就是正确答案呢？？？

谢谢哦。。。

谢谢哦。。。

got it!

价格下跌——农场受损失——不纳税——政府受损失

the goverment policy is: offering farmer who took 25% of their cotton acreage out of production

题目的假设是：if successful，也就是说，如果这个政策成功，那么：

棉花产量下降——价格上涨——农场纳税——so it is not a net burden on the budget.