Question

cumulative exam
cumulative exam complete
14
read the passage from a letter that president jimmy carter wrote to congress in 1977.
this message brings together a great variety of programs. it deals not only with ways to preserve the wilderness, wildlife, and natural and historical resources which are a beautiful and valued part of americas national heritage: it deals also with the effects of pollution, toxic chemicals, and the damage caused by the demand for energy. each of these concerns, in its own way, affects the environment; and together they underscore the importance of environmental protection in all our lives.
which statement best describes the overall claim?

• the wilderness and the rest of nature contain beauty and value for all americans.
• pollution and the amount of energy people use have negative effects on the environment.
• americans have many concerns about the environment and how it is being affected.
• protecting the environment is essential for maintaining americans quality of life.

Explanation:

To find the overall claim, we analyze the passage. The passage says the message combines programs for preserving wilderness, wildlife, etc., and also deals with pollution, toxic chemicals, energy - related damage. It states each concern affects the environment and together they show the importance of environmental protection for all lives. Now we analyze each option:

• Option 1: Focuses only on the beauty and value of wilderness/nature, but the passage also covers pollution, energy issues, so this is too narrow.
• Option 2: Only addresses pollution and energy's negative environmental effects, but the passage also has the preservation aspect and the overall importance of environmental protection for life quality, so this is incomplete.
• Option 3: Says Americans have many environmental concerns, but the passage is about the importance of environmental protection (the overall claim is about why it's important), not just stating concerns exist.
• Option 4: The passage's last part says these concerns underscore the importance of environmental protection for maintaining Americans' quality of life. It covers the preservation programs, the environmental issues (pollution, energy - related damage) and ties it to the importance of environmental protection for life quality, which matches the overall claim.

Answer:

D. Protecting the environment is essential for maintaining Americans' quality of life.