Question

beyond the surface: national recognition of
the california desert

on october 31, 1994, president bill clinton signed the
death valley national park and the california desert
protection act, converting death valley and joshua tree
national monuments into national parks. it also added
more land to both sites and established the 1.6 million-
acre mojave national preserve. over nine million acres
of wilderness were now protected. this excerpt
describes the history leading up to the passage of the
act.

discovering the desert
(1) after wwii, new technology led to the development
of all-terrain vehicles. death valley and joshua tree
were seen as playgrounds for recreation. at the same
time, population exploded in the metropolitan areas of
los angeles and las vegas. city dwellers wanted
alternatives from overcrowdedness and rising costs.
they found them in small desert outposts, where living
was less expensive. the lack of regulations due to the
remoteness, gave them a sense of freedom. at the time,
deserts were seen as places to dump waste or test
atomic bombs. there was a lack of understanding about
protecting natural and cultural resources.

(2) the environmental movement of the 1960s and
1970s helped bring more of an awareness to ecology
and the unique landscapes in the california desert.
rather than mention the mojave, great basin or
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select the correct answer.
what is a central idea of the passage?

a. as long as california has been a part of the united states, citizens and visitors have largely
preferred to hike rather than to live in its deserts.

b. to protect an endangered species of turtle in california, voters have attempted to pass
legislation declaring california’s parks national preserves.

c. conservationists worked for decades to pass legislation that protects the ecology and
landscapes of california’s deserts.

d. people enjoy visiting the various deserts that make up the ecology and landscapes of
southern and central california.

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Explanation:

The passage focuses on the history leading to the passage of the Death Valley National Park and the California Desert Protection Act. It mentions the environmental movement of the 1960s and 1970s which increased awareness about the ecology and landscapes of California's deserts. Option C aligns with this as it talks about conservationists working for decades (implied by the historical context) to pass legislation for protection. Option A is incorrect as there's no mention of preference for hiking over living. Option B is wrong as the passage isn't about a turtle - related legislation. Option D is not the central idea as the passage is more about protection rather than people enjoying visiting.

Answer:

C. Conservationists worked for decades to pass legislation that protects the ecology and landscapes of California’s deserts.