The tomato was considered poisonous by many Europeans for 200 years after its introduction from the Americas. Wealthy families who ate tomatoes on pewter plates sometimes died, as the tomato's acid leached lead from the pewter. Once people understood this connection, and began using different plates, tomatoes became a staple of European cuisine.
The passage suggests that
tomatoes were dangerous to all people who ate them
wealthy Europeans never ate from pewter plates
incorrect conclusions about causation can persist until the true cause is identified
the Americas had no influence on European cuisine
Correct Answer: C
Choice C is the best answer. The blame shifted from tomatoes to pewter once the real cause was found.
- Context clues: Tomatoes were "considered poisonous" for 200 years; the real cause was lead from pewter.
- Meaning: People blamed the wrong thing until they understood the true connection.
- Verify: Once the real cause was identified, tomatoes became "a staple."
💡 Strategy: When a misconception is corrected, infer larger lessons about how knowledge develops.
Choice A is incorrect because it was only dangerous on pewter plates. Choice B is incorrect because wealthy families "ate tomatoes on pewter plates." Choice D is incorrect because tomatoes came from the Americas and became a staple.