Question

1. greenhouse gas regulations

which argument is best supported?
a. industry reduces greenhouse gases.
b. human activities increase greenhouse
gases, but regulations help reduce impacts.
c. emissions do not affect climate change.
d. only stopping industry/transportation solves
the issue.

1. plastic bag recycling program

a coastal town converts plastic bags into
composite lumber. how does this help
ecosystems?

a. prevents plastic from harming marine life
b. removes plastic waste, reducing harm
c. reduces need for mining fossil fuels
d. reduces global co₂ directly

1. groundwater depletion

what is a major consequence of groundwater
overuse?

a. increases water availability
b. habitat loss, reduced biodiversity, water
scarcity
c. better water quality
d. reduced flooding

1. water scarcity across communities

which strategy best ensures long - term water
sustainability?

a. improve water filtration only for wealthy
communities
b. invest in water infrastructure in low - income
communities
c. launch a conservation campaign in all
communities
d. subsidize rainwater systems in
moderate - income communities

1. health impacts of industrial pollution

residents near factories experience health
issues. what is the most likely cause?

a. improved immune function
b. increased asthma and lung cancer
c. enhanced brain development
d. reduced heart disease

1. wildfire trends & climate change

data shows rising temperatures, falling
precipitation, and increased wildfire activity.
what explains the trend?

a. drier conditions lead to more intense
wildfires
b. temperature increase only
c. precipitation decrease only
d. wildfires unrelated to climate change

1. air pollution & income levels

which argument is accurate?

a. wealthy communities are more impacted
b. low - income areas face greater health risks
c. pollution impacts everyone the same
d. low - income areas have better management
practices

1. hurricane impacts

why are low - income communities more
vulnerable?

a. better infrastructure
b. fewer resources and weaker infrastructure
c. located in safer areas
d. greater economic resilience

Explanation:

Question 13: Greenhouse Gas Regulations

• Option A: Industry typically emits greenhouse gases, not reduce them. Eliminate.
• Option B: Human activities (e.g., burning fossil fuels) increase greenhouse gases, and regulations (e.g., emission caps) help mitigate impacts. This aligns with scientific understanding.
• Option C: Emissions (e.g., CO₂, CH₄) are a primary driver of climate change. Eliminate.
• Option D: Stopping only industry/transportation is unrealistic and not the only solution (e.g., agriculture, deforestation also contribute). Eliminate.

• Option A: The program converts plastic bags to lumber, so it removes plastic waste from the environment (including oceans), preventing harm to marine life. This directly addresses how recycling helps ecosystems.
• Option B: While it removes waste, “reducing harm” is vague; A is more specific to marine ecosystems (relevant for a coastal town).
• Option C: Plastic recycling doesn’t reduce fossil fuel mining (plastic is made from fossil fuels, but recycling reuses existing plastic, not reduce mining). Eliminate.
• Option D: Recycling plastic bags doesn’t directly reduce global CO₂ (CO₂ is from burning, not plastic waste itself). Eliminate.

• Option A: Overusing groundwater decreases water availability, not increases. Eliminate.
• Option B: Groundwater overuse causes land subsidence, habitat loss (e.g., wetlands drying), reduced biodiversity, and water scarcity. This matches ecological consequences.
• Option C: Overuse degrades water quality (e.g., saltwater intrusion), not improve it. Eliminate.
• Option D: Groundwater depletion doesn’t reduce flooding (flooding is surface water; depletion affects groundwater reserves). Eliminate.

Answer:

B. Human activities increase greenhouse gases, but regulations help reduce impacts.

Question 14: Plastic Bag Recycling Program