In only 50 years, the world’s consumption of raw materials has nearly quadrupled, to more than 100 billion tons. Less than 9% of this is reused. Batteries of old vehicles contain materials such as lithium, cobalt, manganese and nickel that are pricey and can be hard to obtain. Supply chains are long and complicated. Buyers’ risks are being aggravated by their suppliers’ poor environmental and labour standards. Reusing materials makes sense. Once batteries reach the ends of their lives, they should go back to a factory where their ingredients can be recovered and put into new batteries.

Which one of the following statements best reflects the most logical, rational and pragmatic message conveyed by the passage?

The correct option is: Circular economy can be beneficial for sustainable growth.

Step-by-step Explanation:

1. Analyzing the Passage:

The passage highlights how global raw material consumption has rapidly increased while less than 9% is currently reused. It specifically uses the example of vehicle batteries containing expensive, scarce materials (lithium, cobalt, manganese, nickel) with complex supply chains and environmental/labor risks. The core takeaway presented by the author is that reusing materials and establishing recycling loops ("go back to a factory where their ingredients can be recovered and put into new batteries") makes strong economic and environmental sense.

2. Evaluating the Options:

• Option 1: "Green economy is not possible without reusing critical minerals." — This is an extreme statement. While reusing critical minerals is important, saying a green economy is completely impossible without it goes beyond the passage's practical message.

• Option 2: "Every sector of economy should adapt the reuse of material resources immediately." — The passage focuses specifically on raw materials and vehicle batteries as an example. Claiming "every sector" must adapt "immediately" is overly broad and extreme.

• Option 3: "Circular economy can be beneficial for sustainable growth." — This statement perfectly captures the central pragmatic message of the text. Reusing materials reduces supply chain risks, mitigates environmental damage, and conserves scarce resources, directly supporting sustainable growth.

• Option 4: "Circular use of material resources is the only option for some industries for their survival." — The word "only" makes this option too absolute and unsupported by the text.

3. Conclusion:

Therefore, the most logical, rational, and pragmatic message conveyed by the passage is that a circular economy (reusing and recycling materials) offers significant benefits for sustainable economic growth.