Question

the following is a draft of a student essay. it may contain errors.

(1) the small space called the subnivean zone exists between the snow and the ground and keeps rodents safe from predators. (2) not many people know about the subnivean zone. (3) rodents tunnel through the existing grasses and make cozy rooms. (4) predators get hungry in winter because food is scarce. (5) foxes can still smell the rodents and pounce through the snow for a tasty winter tidbit. (6) owls can hear their movements from 30 yards away and come winging in with their strong talons to capture rodents like voles, mice, and shrews.

yasmin is drafting a paragraph to follow the introductory paragraph of her report about the subnivean zone. which sentence would be best to add after sentence 4 to precisely describe the information?

predators are animals that hunt other animals for food-foxes and owls are the rodents predators.
snow is covering everything with a frozen blanket, and most animals are gone as a result.
most animals have migrated and the landscape is covered with snow, making it difficult to hunt food.
rodents such as voles, mice, and shrews are common prey for larger animals.

Explanation:

Analyze the context around sentence 4

Sentence 4 states: "Predators get hungry in winter because food is scarce."
Sentence 5 follows with: "Foxes can still smell the rodents and pounce through the snow for a tasty winter tidbit."
Sentence 6 describes how owls hunt these rodents.
The transition between sentence 4 (general statement about hungry predators) and sentence 5 (specific example of foxes hunting rodents) needs a sentence that precisely identifies who these predators are in relation to the rodents.

Evaluate the options for precision and cohesion

• Option 1: "Predators are animals that hunt other animals for food—foxes and owls are the rodents' predators." This directly defines the term "predators" and explicitly names foxes and owls as the specific predators of the rodents, setting up sentences 5 and 6 perfectly.
• Option 2: "Snow is covering everything with a frozen blanket, and most animals are gone as a result." This is too general and does not connect predators to rodents.
• Option 3: "Most animals have migrated and the landscape is covered with snow, making it difficult to hunt food." This repeats the idea of food scarcity without identifying the specific predators.
• Option 4: "Rodents such as voles, mice, and shrews are common prey for larger animals." This focuses on the prey rather than introducing the specific predators (foxes and owls) that are discussed in the subsequent sentences.

Select the best option

Option 1 provides the most precise transition by defining the predators and introducing the specific animals (foxes and owls) detailed in the following sentences.

Answer:

• (A) Predators are animals that hunt other animals for food—foxes and owls are the rodents' predators. (Correct answer)
• (B) Snow is covering everything with a frozen blanket, and most animals are gone as a result.
• (C) Most animals have migrated and the landscape is covered with snow, making it difficult to hunt food.
• (D) Rodents such as voles, mice, and shrews are common prey for larger animals.