Question

9.1.8 quiz: analyze a chapter from the world without us
presence of a new york city resists efforts to picture it
wasting away. the events of september 2001 showed only
what human beings with explosive hardware can do, not
crude processes like erosion or rot. . . . nevertheless, the
time it would take nature to rid itself of what urbanity has
wrought may be less than we might suspect.
why does the author most likely emphasize the size of new york city?

a. to imply that new york city comprises its own self - contained
ecosystem

b. to show that its actually quite small compared to nature and the
ecosystem

c. to suggest that humanitys mark on the environment is
irreversible

d. to contrast the city with the much smaller ecosystems that
existed before it

Explanation:

The text notes New York City’s resistance to being pictured wasting away but states nature would rid itself of urban impacts faster than suspected. Emphasizing the city’s size highlights its relative smallness against nature’s ability to reclaim it, aligning with option B. Options A (self-contained ecosystem) and D (contrast with prior smaller ecosystems) are not supported. Option C (irreversible human mark) contradicts the text’s claim of nature’s rapid reclamation.

Answer:

B. To show that it's actually quite small compared to nature and the ecosystem