Question

1. read the passage:

the cascade mountains span from british columbia to northern california. this mountain range was formed by volcanic eruptions and earth movement underneath the north american plate. most of its peaks are dormant volcanoes covered in glaciers and snow - pack.
which choice could be a claim statement about the cascade mountains?
○ the movement of tectonic plates created the cascade mountains.
○ the range covers a large area of land down the west coast.
○ there are more than 700 volcanoes in the cascade range.
○ the cascade mountains and volcanic peaks should be designated as a protected wildlife preserve.

Explanation:

A claim statement can be an argument or opinion, or a statement that can be supported/argued. Let's analyze each option:

• Option 1: The passage says the mountain range was formed by volcanic eruptions and earth movement (related to tectonic plates) under the North American Plate. So stating that tectonic plate movement created them is a claim that can be supported by the passage's info.
• Option 2: The passage states they span from BC to northern CA (west coast), so this is just restating a fact from the passage, not a claim (more of a descriptive statement).
• Option 3: The passage doesn't mention the number of volcanoes, so this can't be a claim based on the passage.
• Option 4: The passage doesn't discuss wildlife or preservation, so this is an opinion not supported by the passage's content.

So the first option is a claim statement as it presents a statement that can be argued or supported (and is related to the passage's info on formation).

Answer:

A. The movement of tectonic plates created the Cascade Mountains.