Question

read paragraphs 5 and 6 from the passage.

5 concurrent with mormon settlers, ranchers and miners arrived in the high desert with high hopes of raising cattle and digging for gold. these homesteaders used the joshua trees limbs and trunks for fencing and corrals. miners found a source of fuel for the steam engines used in processing ore.

6 today we enjoy this yucca for its grotesque appearance, a surprising sight in the landscape of biological interest. the joshua trees life cycle begins with the rare germination of a seed, its survival dependent upon well - timed rains. look for sprouts growing up from within the protective branches of a shrub. young sprouts may grow quickly in the first five years, then slow down considerably thereafter. the tallest joshua trees in the park loom a whopping forty - plus feet high, a grand presence in the desert. judging the age of a joshua tree is challenging: these \trees\ do not have growth rings like you would find in an oak or pine. you can make a rough estimate based on height, as joshua trees grow at rates of one - half inch to three inches per year. some researchers think an average lifespan for a joshua tree is about 150 years, but some of our largest trees may be much older than that....

how does the author connect the ideas in paragraph 5 to those in paragraph 6?

a. the author explains how the joshua trees importance to the environment remains the same today as it always was.

b. the author explains how joshua trees are appreciated today for their form as opposed to their uses.

c. the author explains how the uses of joshua trees have changed over time.

d. the author contrasts the importance of the joshua tree in the past with its irrelevance today.

Explanation:

In paragraph 5, the author describes how Mormon settlers, ranchers, and miners used Joshua trees for practical purposes like fencing, corrals, and fuel. In paragraph 6, the author focuses on how Joshua trees are appreciated today for their "grotesque appearance" and biological interest. This shows a contrast between past - use (functional) and present - appreciation (aesthetic/biological).

Answer:

B. The author explains how Joshua trees are appreciated today for their form as opposed to their uses.