Question

reading progress check
sea change
by aryn baker for time, adapted by tfk editors
1 enric sala is standing under a replica of a right whale at the natural history museum in washington, d.c. it’s the summer of 2023. outside, wildfire smoke drifts down from canada. but sala is talking about whale poop. that poop is food for tiny ocean organisms called plankton. sala says. as they take in sunlight, plankton absorb carbon dioxide. then, the plankton sink to the seafloor, trapping the planet-warming gas. fewer whales in the ocean means fewer plankton. that means more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which creates the heat-driven wildfires, like the ones causing the smoke outside.
making the case
2 some think focusing on whale poop’s role in climate change is too simple. however, this perspective overlooks the interconnectedness of natural systems. whales, plankton, and other marine organisms play a crucial role in the planet’s carbon cycle. ignoring these processes hinders climate control and harms animals and people. according to the national oceanic and atmospheric administration, about 40 percent of the world’s oceans are experiencing a heat wave. rising ocean acidity is weakening habitats that nourish or shelter a quarter of all marine life. people are affected, too. fish living in coral reefs provide food and income to a billion people worldwide.
3 sala’s remedy is to identify the areas with the
4 the author believes that conserving coastal areas with ecological variety will help solve environmental issues. which detail supports this perspective?
a. \countries are hesitant to restrict fishing along the coastlines, especially if it means losing jobs and the money that fishing brings in.\ (paragraph 6)
b. \developing countries may lack the financial resources to implement robust coastline protection strategies.\ (paragraph 6)
c. \sala’s remedy is to identify the areas with the richest biodiversity and protect them.\ (paragraph 3)
d. \some think focusing on whale poop’s role in climate change is too simple.\ (paragraph 2)

Explanation:

Sala’s solution: protecting areas with the richest biodiversity (ecological variety), which aligns with the claim. Other options discuss hesitations, resource gaps, or skepticism—not support for conservation of diverse areas.

Answer:

Sala’s solution: protecting areas with the richest biodiversity (ecological variety), which aligns with the claim. Other options discuss hesitations, resource gaps, or skepticism—not support for conservation of diverse areas.