Question

while one may assume that this octopus has superior hearing skills, the \dumbo ears\ on the dumbo octopus arent actually ears. they are fins located on the mantle of the octopus that helps it move through the water with speed and grace. like other octopuses, dumbos have webbing between each of their arms. they use the webbing to propel them through the water .... they can also use their tentacles to crawl along the floor of the ocean. of course, swimming is the mode of choice when the dumbo octopus needs to escape a predator. ... when a predator does manage to get close, some dumbos have one last line of defense: sharp spines line their eight tentacles. they can use these to swipe at a fish or another animal, puncturing its skin. (paragraph 5)
how does the author use description and cause - and - effect text structures to add meaning to this excerpt?

• by explaining how and why the dumbo octopus has superior hearing skills
• by explaining how and why the dumbo octopus is similar to and different from other octopuses
• by explaining how and why the dumbo octopus is a popular food source for predators
• by explaining how and why the dumbo octopus uses certain body parts

Explanation:

• Analyze Option 1: The passage clarifies the "Dumbo ears" aren't ears, so it doesn't explain superior hearing skills. Eliminate.
• Analyze Option 2: The passage focuses on the Dumbo octopus's body parts and their uses, not on comparisons with other octopuses (the webbing is a similarity but not the main focus). Eliminate.
• Analyze Option 3: The passage shows the Dumbo octopus has defense mechanisms, so it's not a popular food source. Eliminate.
• Analyze Option 4: The author describes body parts (fins, webbing, spines) and explains how (e.g., fins help move, webbing propels, spines swipe) and why (e.g., to move, escape predators) they are used. This matches.

Answer:

D. by explaining how and why the Dumbo octopus uses certain body parts