Protecting the Wetlands
Which choice best explains how paragraph 4 connects human-built structures to whooping-crane habitat decline?
A. It shows that structures change sediments and water flow, which can reduce wetland water supply.
B. It argues that structures directly destroy crane nests through physical removal.
C. It claims that structures attract predators that hunt whooping cranes.
D. It suggests that structures increase tourism that disturbs the cranes.
A. It shows that structures change sediments and water flow, which can reduce wetland water supply.
The organization of paragraph 1 is best described as:
A. presenting research then explaining importance
B. describing scientist steps to support survival
C. stating survival is threatened by humans then describing how
D. comparing other endangered animals and contrasting struggles
C. stating survival is threatened by humans then describing how
Which sentence from the selection best supports the claim that wetland health matters to humans?
A. “Whoopers are still in danger from pollution and power-line collisions.”
B. “Wetland habitats are needed as a part of the natural system that produces clean water supplies that humans need as well.”
C. “Turn off the water while you brush your teeth.”
D. “The whooping crane cannot survive without help from everyone.”
B. “Wetland habitats are needed as a part of the natural system that produces clean water supplies that humans need as well.”
In paragraph 6, what is the best synonym for obligation as used in context?
A. hobby
B. requirement or responsibility
C. curiosity
D. punishment
B. requirement or responsibility
Sentence 1 in Page 2:
“In 2006, the International Crane Foundation started a Program called Three White Cranes, Two Flyways, One World.”
contains a capitalization error. Which revision corrects it?
A. a program called Three White Cranes, Two Flyways, One World
B. a program called Three w hite c ranes, Two f lyways, One w orld
C. a P rogram called t hree White Cranes, t wo Flyways, o ne World
D. a P rogram called Three w hite c ranes, Two f lyways, One w orld
A. a program called Three White Cranes, Two Flyways, One World
Based on paragraphs 3–4, which conclusion is most supported about unprotected wetlands?
A. They will remain stable because natural processes restore them.
B. They are disappearing due to both natural events and human activity, threatening whoopers.
C. They are only threatened by hurricanes and rising sea levels.
D. They are expanding because of conservation outside refuges.
B. They are disappearing due to both natural events and human activity, threatening whoopers.
Why does the author end paragraph 1 with the question “How will the whoopers make it?” Choose the best rhetorical purpose.
A. To emphasize urgency and invite readers to consider human responsibility.
B. To identify the single solution presented later in the passage.
C. To encourage readers to imagine hunting the cranes.
D. To compare human and animal survival instincts.
A. To emphasize urgency and invite readers to consider human responsibility.
The author’s main claim:
"The whooping crane and its habitat are in danger, so everyone should do their part to help the cranes and their habitat survive."
Which choice most accurately reflects that claim?
A. The earth’s ecosystem is in danger so humans need to make small changes.
B. The main threats facing whooping cranes are flight path obstacles, so humans should remove them.
C. The whooping crane and its habitat are in danger, so everyone should do their part to help.
D. Humans are in danger of running out of clean water, so people need to conserve water.
C. The whooping crane and its habitat are in danger, so everyone should do their part to help.
Which sentence best demonstrates the author’s use of technical/environmental vocabulary to build credibility?
A. “The whooping crane cannot survive without help from everyone.”
B. “Wetland habitats are needed as a part of the natural system that produces clean water supplies that humans need as well.”
C. “Don’t buy or work with toxic chemicals.”
D. “Take quick showers.”
B. “Wetland habitats are needed as a part of the natural system that produces clean water supplies that humans need as well.”
Sentence 3 on Page 2 needs revision for clarity:
“With the most threatened cranes in the world , these three cranes are among them.”
Which rewritten sentence best corrects it?
A. These three cranes are among the most threatened cranes in the world.
B. With the most threatened cranes in the world, they are these three cranes among them.
C. These are the cranes among them most threatened by the world.
D. Among them, the most threatened cranes in the world are.
A. These three cranes are among the most threatened cranes in the world.
Evaluate the causes described in paragraphs 3–4 and select the best-sustained inference about long-term water availability for wetlands.
A. Water availability will improve as protected wetlands increase in number.
B. Human alteration of rivers and land use will likely reduce the water reaching wetlands unless policies change.
C. Natural causes alone explain wetland loss, so human action is negligible.
D. Water will remain constant because dams store more water for wetlands.
B. Human alteration of rivers and land use will likely reduce the water reaching wetlands unless policies change.
Analyze how paragraphs 2–4 function together. Which best describes the structural move and its effect on the author’s message?
A. Paragraph 2 offers hope by naming protectors, while paragraphs 3–4 present obstacles, creating tension that motivates action.
B. Paragraph 2 summarizes threats, and paragraphs 3–4 praise agencies, reducing reader concern.
C. Paragraphs 2–4 list chronological events about crane populations.
D. Paragraphs 2–4 only offer background and do not connect to the main idea.
A. Paragraph 2 offers hope by naming protectors, while paragraphs 3–4 present obstacles, creating tension that motivates action.
Given the author’s claim that humans have an obligation to help (paragraph 6), which piece of textual evidence most directly supports a moral responsibility argument?
A. “For centuries, humans have led this magnificent bird on a path toward extinction.”
B. “In 2006, the International Crane Foundation started a Program called Three White Cranes… One World.”
C. “There are many things you and your family can do every day to help conserve and protect our water.”
D. “Some experts predict that unprotected wetlands will disappear in about 40 years.”
A. “For centuries, humans have led this magnificent bird on a path toward extinction.”
Analyze the connotation of the phrase “delicate balance of this ecosystem” (paragraph 4). Which interpretation is most defensible?
A. It suggests that small changes can produce large negative effects, emphasizing vulnerability and need for careful management.
B. It implies the ecosystem is well-protected and will repair itself quickly.
C. It portrays the ecosystem as fragile but unimportant.
D. It indicates an unrelated aesthetic judgment about wetlands.
A. It suggests that small changes can produce large negative effects, emphasizing vulnerability and need for careful management.
For the audience of policymakers and engaged citizens, which revision to paragraph 5’s list of suggestions would make the passage’s guidance more persuasive and measurable?
A. Replace general advice (e.g., “save water”) with specific, measurable actions and expected outcomes (e.g., reduce household water use by 20% by fixing leaks and taking 5‑minute showers).
B. Remove the suggestions to avoid lecturing readers.
C. Make all suggestions optional and vague to appeal to broader audiences.
D. Add rhetorical questions instead of actionable steps.
A. Replace general advice (e.g., “save water”) with specific, measurable actions and expected outcomes (e.g., reduce household water use by 20% by fixing leaks and taking 5‑minute showers).
Synthesize information across paragraphs 1–4 to propose which policy intervention would most directly address multiple threats described; choose the best option and justify by selecting the most comprehensive answer.
A. Create and enforce no-shooting zones near known crane populations.
B. Implement watershed-level land-use planning to preserve river flows, limit development around wetlands, and reduce pollution.
C. Build more power lines away from migration routes.
D. Fund captive-raising efforts only, since wild habitat will always be threatened.
B. Implement watershed-level land-use planning to preserve river flows, limit development around wetlands, and reduce pollution.
Evaluate how the placement of paragraph 2 between paragraphs 1 and 3 affects the argument. Which choice identifies the strongest rhetorical effect?
A. It provides evidence that refutes paragraph 1’s claim that humans are the sole threat.
B. It balances the dire threats by highlighting human efforts, making the passage call for cooperative solutions rather than despair.
C. It distracts from the main idea of habitat loss.
D. It shifts the passage from informational to narrative without purpose.
B. It balances the dire threats by highlighting human efforts, making the passage call for cooperative solutions rather than despair.
Critically evaluate the author’s use of evidence across the excerpt. Which critique is strongest?
A. The author uses a mix of cause-effect examples and appeals to responsibility.
B. The author provides exhaustive scientific data that proves all claims beyond doubt.
C. The passage relies exclusively on emotional appeals without factual backing.
D. The author’s inclusion of captive-raised crane anecdotes is irrelevant to habitat discussions.
A. The author uses a mix of cause-effect examples and appeals to responsibility.
The author uses phrases like “looms” and “in danger” to describe habitat loss. Which rhetorical effect does this diction most powerfully create for an informed audience?
A. A sense of imminent risk that supports urgent policy action.
B. A neutral, purely descriptive tone that discourages action.
C. An ironic distance that undermines the passage’s credibility.
D. A humorous tone that lessens the seriousness.
A. A sense of imminent risk that supports urgent policy action.
Sentence-level critique: Evaluate sentence 3 correction options for tone and accuracy. Which corrected sentence both clarifies meaning and preserves formal tone appropriate for an informational text?
A. These three cranes are among the most threatened cranes in the world.
B. The most threatened cranes in the world, these three cranes are among them.
C. The three cranes are among them the most threatened in the world.
D. These cranes are among the world’s most threatened cranes.
D. These cranes are among the world’s most threatened cranes.
Analyze the passage’s description of wetland loss. Which multi-pronged conservation strategy is best aligned with the causes given in the text?
A. Focus solely on captive-breeding programs to boost crane numbers.
B. Combine habitat protection, regulation of water diversion, pollution control, and community outreach to reduce human impact.
C. Prioritize storm defenses for wetlands because natural causes are the only problem.
D. Encourage urban development near wetlands to increase economic investment that will indirectly help cranes.
B. Combine habitat protection, regulation of water diversion, pollution control, and community outreach to reduce human impact.
From a structural-analysis perspective, which revision to the passage’s organization would most strengthen the author’s persuasive effect for policymakers?
A. Move the conservation actions in paragraph 2 to the end to close with a hopeful recommendation and then add policy-specific steps.
B. Remove paragraph 2 to avoid downplaying threats.
C. Add more rhetorical questions throughout to maintain suspense.
D. Replace paragraph 3’s natural causes with statistics only.
A. Move the conservation actions in paragraph 2 to the end to close with a hopeful recommendation and then add policy-specific steps.
Design an evidence-based counterargument that a developer might raise against the author’s claims; choose which counterargument is most plausible and identify the author’s best rebuttal (select the combined best answer).
A. Counterargument: Economic development requires land use changes; rebuttal: The passage shows human-driven water diversion harms wetlands and suggests sustainable watershed planning preserves both water and industry.
B. Counterargument: Wetland loss is natural and beyond human control; rebuttal: The passage claims only natural causes are to blame.
C. Counterargument: Captive breeding solves the problem; rebuttal: The passage indicates whoopers need healthy wetlands as well as breeding.
D. Counterargument: Hunters are the only problem; rebuttal: The passage emphasizes hunting is not mentioned.
A. Counterargument: Economic development requires land use changes; rebuttal: The passage shows human-driven water diversion harms wetlands and suggests sustainable watershed planning preserves both water and industry.
Choose the best analysis of how tone and word choice across paragraphs 1–6 shift the reader’s perspective from description to call-to-action.
A. The writer moves from factual descriptions of threats to an ethical appeal—using obligation, practical tips, and appeals to community—to motivate direct behavior change and policy attention.
B. The writer becomes increasingly technical and avoids moral language.
C. Tone shifts from positive to completely neutral with no call-to-action.
D. The author’s language becomes more fictional and less applicable.
A. The writer moves from factual descriptions of threats to an ethical appeal—using obligation, practical tips, and appeals to community—to motivate direct behavior change and policy attention.
If you were to revise the final paragraph to increase its argumentative rigor for an honors-level audience, which of the following edits would most strengthen the passage while maintaining author intent?
A. Add quantified data (e.g., population trends, wetland loss statistics), cite authoritative sources, and frame recommendations with short- and long-term policy steps to support the moral claim of obligation.
B. Remove moral language like “moral obligation” to maintain neutrality.
C. Expand anecdotal examples of single captive-raised birds exclusively.
D. Replace the final paragraph with a list of unrelated conservation topics.
A. Add quantified data (e.g., population trends, wetland loss statistics), cite authoritative sources, and frame recommendations with short- and long-term policy steps to support the moral claim of obligation.