Question

question 8 of 25
read the following excerpt from \the world without us\ by alan weisman:

yet with each new acid - free rainfall, trees that still endure will have fewer contaminants to resist as chemicals are gradually flushed from the system. over centuries, vegetation will take up decreasing levels of heavy metals, and will recycle, redeposit, and dilute them further. as plants die, decay, and lay down more soil cover, the industrial toxins will be buried deeper, and each succeeding crop of native seedlings will do better.

which best explains how the structure of this passage supports the authors purpose?

○ a. the passage describes the effects of rain in the posthuman world to highlight that nature will eventually neutralize the pollution created by people.
○ b. the passage shows the effects of rain on certain plants to prove that laws protecting the environment are necessary for human survival.
○ c. the passage compares the acidity of rain before and during a posthuman world to underscore that pollution levels will remain the same.
○ d. the passage traces several events in the order that they will occur to highlight how people have harmed the environment.

Explanation:

The passage starts with acid - free rainfall (an event) and then describes a sequence of events: chemicals being flushed, vegetation taking up less heavy metals, recycling, redepositing, diluting, plants dying, industrial toxins being buried deeper, and native seedlings doing better. This is a chronological description of events. The overall theme is nature (through these sequential events) dealing with pollution.

• Option A: The passage is about a sequence of events (not just the effects of rain) that show nature neutralizing pollution. The description of multiple events in order (acid - free rain, chemical flushing, etc.) builds up to the idea of nature neutralizing pollution.
• Option B: There is no mention of laws protecting the environment in the passage.
• Option C: The passage does not compare the acidity of rain before and during a posthuman world. It focuses on a sequence of events after acid - free rain.
• Option D: The passage is not highlighting how people have harmed the environment. It is showing how nature will deal with pollution (implied to be from human activities) through a sequence of events.

Answer:

A. The passage describes the effects of rain in the posthuman world to highlight that nature will eventually neutralize the pollution created by people.