Question

while one may assume that this octopus has superior hearing skills, the \dumbo ears\ on the dumbo octopus aren’t 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:

1. Analyze Option 1: The passage states the "Dumbo ears" aren't actual ears, so the excerpt doesn't explain superior hearing skills. Eliminate this.
2. Analyze Option 2: The passage mentions some similarities (webbing) but focuses more on the Dumbo octopus's own body parts and their uses, not a detailed comparison with other octopuses. Eliminate this.
3. Analyze Option 3: The passage talks about the Dumbo octopus's defense against predators, not being a food source. Eliminate this.
4. Analyze Option 4: The passage describes body parts like fins (Dumbo ears), webbing, tentacles, and spines, and explains how (e.g., fins help move, webbing propels, tentacles crawl or defend) and why (e.g., escape predators) they are used. This matches.

Answer:

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