Here is my analysis for all three questions
Quote:
1. The passage suggests that
A. homeowners should avoid forested areas when choosing a place to live.
B. prescribed burns are not needed in grassland or coastal plain areas where trees are not concentrated.
C. aesthetic results should be the guiding principle of prescribed burning.
D. because prescribed burns can become uncontrolled burns, evacuation of affected areas should precede any prescribed burns.
E. careful practices by logging companies would reduce the danger of catastrophic wildfire.
The answer to Q1. is E and below is the reasoning:
A. There is no mention of what areas should homeowner select or avoid while choosing a place to live, so eliminate
B. There is no comparison or mention of anything as grassland or a coastal area, so eliminate
C. Although the passage mentions in the second paragraph that "aesthetic value of scenic and recreational areas is also enhanced" but that is not what the guiding principle should be, the principal is more towards safety stand point of view, so eliminate
D. Nowhere in the passage anything related to evacuation is mentioned, so eliminate
E. This is is the last one and lets us hope we like this, the passage mentions that "unmaintained logging practices can exacerbate conditions", so if careful practice is followed, it can reduce the risk,
hence this is the correct answerQuote:
2. What function does the second paragraph perform in the passage?
A. It explains that prescribed burns control pests and increase biodiversity.
B. It describes conditions under which prescribed burns may safely be carried out so foresters and area residents remain safe.
C. It presents benefits of prescribed burns, thus adding a further argument to the need for prescribed burns.
D. It persuades area residents to allow prescribed burns near their businesses and homes.
E. It catalogues the plant and animal species that benefit from prescribed burns.
The second paragraph starts with "The practical results of prescribed burns go well beyond fire". The keywords here are "go well beyond". So this tells us that it is providing support for the prescribed burning practice. Now with this pre-thinking let us look at the answer choices
A. This is only half-truth, the second passage does mention this but that is not the only intent of second passage, hence eliminate
B. No, nothing of that sort is mentioned
C. Bingo, this totally aligns with our pre-thinking, and
this is the correct answer D. Nope nowhere any persuasion is done
E. Nope that is not the function of the passage
Quote:
3. Which statement below, if added to the passage, would most likely convince homeowners whose houses are near the areas of prescribed burns to agree that such burns are necessary, despite the temporary declines in air quality and aesthetics?
A. Well-managed burns protect seed trees while eliminating ground debris.
B. Burning at a time of high winds and warm temperatures risks greater scorch damage to trees marked for preservation.
C. Logging businesses can pile unsellable wood so that it is less of a hindrance to tractor plows working the area.
D. If not burned off, piles of deadwood hinder the construction of fire lines that hold back advancing wildfires.
E. Prescribed burns are usually carried out several weeks before seed fall of the dominant species.
We have to lend support to the idea towards "prescribed burn" practice, and as it was mentioned in the first passage that deadwood exacerbate the conditions of wildfire, option D here tell us that if not burned, it hinders the construction of fire lines to hold wildfires, hence if added to the passage it supports the idea of "prescribed burn" hence
D is the correct answer choice.