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Question 1
B
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
5%
(low)
Question Stats:
81% (02:23) correct
19%
(02:26) wrong
based on 5174
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Question 2
A
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
5%
(low)
Question Stats:
86% (01:01) correct 14%
(01:20) wrong
based on 5124
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Question 3
A
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
5%
(low)
Question Stats:
80% (01:04) correct 20%
(01:14) wrong
based on 5070
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Question 4
E
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
5%
(low)
Question Stats:
92% (00:44) correct 8%
(01:03) wrong
based on 4960
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Question 5
C
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
5%
(low)
Question Stats:
86% (00:51) correct 14%
(01:17) wrong
based on 4813
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Coral reefs are one of the most fragile, biologically complex, and diverse marine ecosystems on Earth. This ecosystem is one of the fascinating paradoxes of the biosphere: how do clear, and thus nutrient-poor, waters support such prolific and productive communities? Part of the answer lies within the tissues of the corals themselves. Symbiotic cells of algae known as zooxanthellae carry out photosynthesis using the metabolic wastes of the coral thereby producing food for themselves, for their corals, hosts, and even for other members of the reef community. This symbiotic process allows organisms in the reef community to use sparse nutrient resources efficiently.
Unfortunately for coral reefs, however, a variety of human activities are causing worldwide degradation of shallow marine habitats by adding nutrients to the water. Agriculture, slash-and-burn land clearing, sewage disposal and manufacturing that creates waste by-products all increase nutrient loads in these waters. Typical symptoms of reef decline are destabilized herbivore populations and an increasing abundance of algae and filter-feeding animals. Declines in reef communities are consistent with observations that nutrient input is increasing in direct proportion to growing human populations, thereby threatening reef communities sensitive to subtle changes in nutrient input to their waters.
Unfortunately for coral reefs, however, a variety of human activities are causing worldwide degradation of shallow marine habitats by adding nutrients to the water. Agriculture, slash-and-burn land clearing, sewage disposal and manufacturing that creates waste by-products all increase nutrient loads in these waters. Typical symptoms of reef decline are destabilized herbivore populations and an increasing abundance of algae and filter-feeding animals. Declines in reef communities are consistent with observations that nutrient input is increasing in direct proportion to growing human populations, thereby threatening reef communities sensitive to subtle changes in nutrient input to their waters.
1. The passage is primarily concerned with:
(A) describing the effects of human activities on algae in coral reefs
(B) explaining how human activities are posing a threat to coral reef communities
(C) discussing the process by which coral reefs deteriorate in nutrient-poor waters
(D) explaining how coral reefs produce food for themselves
(E) describing the abundance of algae and filter feeding animals in coral reef areas
(A) describing the effects of human activities on algae in coral reefs
(B) explaining how human activities are posing a threat to coral reef communities
(C) discussing the process by which coral reefs deteriorate in nutrient-poor waters
(D) explaining how coral reefs produce food for themselves
(E) describing the abundance of algae and filter feeding animals in coral reef areas
2. The passage suggests which of the following about coral reef communities?
(A) Coral reef communities may actually be more likely to thrive in waters that are relatively low in nutrients.
(B) The nutrients on which coral reef communities thrive are only found in shallow waters.
(C) Human population growth has led to changing ocean temperatures, which threatens coral reef communities.
(D) The growth of coral reef communities tends to destabilize underwater herbivore populations.
(E) Coral reef communities are more complex and diverse than most ecosystems located on dry land.
(A) Coral reef communities may actually be more likely to thrive in waters that are relatively low in nutrients.
(B) The nutrients on which coral reef communities thrive are only found in shallow waters.
(C) Human population growth has led to changing ocean temperatures, which threatens coral reef communities.
(D) The growth of coral reef communities tends to destabilize underwater herbivore populations.
(E) Coral reef communities are more complex and diverse than most ecosystems located on dry land.
3. The author refers to “filter-feeding animals” (lines 23–24) in order to
(A) provide an example of a characteristic sign of reef deterioration
(B) explain how reef communities acquire sustenance for survival
(C) identify a factor that helps herbivore populations thrive
(D) indicate a cause of decreasing nutrient input in waters that reefs inhabit
(E) identify members of coral reef communities that rely on coral reefs for nutrients
(A) provide an example of a characteristic sign of reef deterioration
(B) explain how reef communities acquire sustenance for survival
(C) identify a factor that helps herbivore populations thrive
(D) indicate a cause of decreasing nutrient input in waters that reefs inhabit
(E) identify members of coral reef communities that rely on coral reefs for nutrients
4. According to the passage, which of the following is a factor that is threatening the survival of coral reef communities?
(A) The waters they inhabit contain few nutrient resources.
(B) A decline in nutrient input is disrupting their symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae.
(C) The degraded waters of their marine habitats have reduced their ability to carry out photosynthesis.
(D) They are too biologically complex to survive in habitats with minimal nutrient input.
(E) Waste by-products result in an increase in nutrient input to reef communities.
(A) The waters they inhabit contain few nutrient resources.
(B) A decline in nutrient input is disrupting their symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae.
(C) The degraded waters of their marine habitats have reduced their ability to carry out photosynthesis.
(D) They are too biologically complex to survive in habitats with minimal nutrient input.
(E) Waste by-products result in an increase in nutrient input to reef communities.
5. It can be inferred from the passage that the author describes coral reef communities as paradoxical most likely for which of the following reasons?
(A) They are thriving even though human activities have depleted the nutrients in their environment.
(B) They are able to survive in spite of an overabundance of algae inhabiting their waters.
(C) They are able to survive in an environment with limited food resources.
(D) Their metabolic wastes contribute to the degradation of the waters that they inhabit.
(E) They are declining even when the water surrounding them remains clear.
(A) They are thriving even though human activities have depleted the nutrients in their environment.
(B) They are able to survive in spite of an overabundance of algae inhabiting their waters.
(C) They are able to survive in an environment with limited food resources.
(D) Their metabolic wastes contribute to the degradation of the waters that they inhabit.
(E) They are declining even when the water surrounding them remains clear.
Solving this question helps.
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is even better.
1. The passage is primarily concerned with:
(A) describing the effects of human activities on algae in coral reefs
(B) explaining how human activities are posing a threat to coral reef communities
(C) discussing the process by which coral reefs deteriorate in nutrient-poor waters
(D) explaining how coral reefs produce food for themselves
(E) describing the abundance of algae and filter feeding animals in coral reef areas
You need to be very careful with RC questions that ask about the primary purpose. In such questions, don't look at merely the facts; also look at the context in which those facts are presented and the significance of the facts. Ask why the author has chosen to include those facts. Did the author write the passage only to explain how coral reefs produce food for themselves? If so, the second paragraph should have extended this line of thought.
The first paragraph of this passage talks about how coral reefs communities are diverse and describes how they thrive on nutrient-poor waters. The second paragraph doesn't continue this chain of thought. It suggests that a variety of human activities are threatening reef communities, and goes on to list some of those activities and their effects.
How are the two paragraphs linked? The first says how coral reef communities thrive on nutrient-poor waters, and the second says how human activities are, consciously or unconsciously, introducing nutrients into the waters, thereby threatening the existence of the reef communities.
In "primary purpose" questions, the ending of the passage is particularly important. It often summarises the essence of the author's line of thought.
On what note does the passage end? -- with the concern that humans don't understand that coral reefs require nutrient-poor waters and are harming the reef communities. B says this.
--Prasad
(A) describing the effects of human activities on algae in coral reefs
(B) explaining how human activities are posing a threat to coral reef communities
(C) discussing the process by which coral reefs deteriorate in nutrient-poor waters
(D) explaining how coral reefs produce food for themselves
(E) describing the abundance of algae and filter feeding animals in coral reef areas
You need to be very careful with RC questions that ask about the primary purpose. In such questions, don't look at merely the facts; also look at the context in which those facts are presented and the significance of the facts. Ask why the author has chosen to include those facts. Did the author write the passage only to explain how coral reefs produce food for themselves? If so, the second paragraph should have extended this line of thought.
The first paragraph of this passage talks about how coral reefs communities are diverse and describes how they thrive on nutrient-poor waters. The second paragraph doesn't continue this chain of thought. It suggests that a variety of human activities are threatening reef communities, and goes on to list some of those activities and their effects.
How are the two paragraphs linked? The first says how coral reef communities thrive on nutrient-poor waters, and the second says how human activities are, consciously or unconsciously, introducing nutrients into the waters, thereby threatening the existence of the reef communities.
In "primary purpose" questions, the ending of the passage is particularly important. It often summarises the essence of the author's line of thought.
On what note does the passage end? -- with the concern that humans don't understand that coral reefs require nutrient-poor waters and are harming the reef communities. B says this.
--Prasad
10 Jun 2019, 12:31
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi everyone, just adding my thoughts on the two questions that people seem to be most interested in discussing.
Step 2. For every question, always go back to the passage. The question we're looking at is a 'big picture' question so I know that I'm not going to be looking at specifics of the passage, but really picking out key words and synthesizing the overall picture. With that in mind, I'm going to dive straight into step 3.
Step 3. Always find 4 wrong answers!
As always, hope this was helpful. Feedback and comments, always invited!
Quote:
Step 1. I always, always, always rephrase the passage as I read. Make sure that this is an instinctive reaction as you read the passage. You should be continuously reading and rephrasing -i.e. comprehending - as you go. By the end of the passage, you should always be aiming to understand "what is the point of this passage?" which is the exact same question as "what is the passage primarily concerned with?"
Step 2. For every question, always go back to the passage. The question we're looking at is a 'big picture' question so I know that I'm not going to be looking at specifics of the passage, but really picking out key words and synthesizing the overall picture. With that in mind, I'm going to dive straight into step 3.
Step 3. Always find 4 wrong answers!
- (A) describing the effects of human activities on algae in coral reefs - Paragraph 1 introduces the topic, coral reefs, and describes some interesting facts about the. Paragraph 2 lists specific examples of human activities "causing worldwide degradation of shallow marine habitats by adding nutrients to the water". The two paragraphs together do not focus on describing the effects of human activities on algae. While the author describes the symbiotic (i.e. mutually beneficial) relationship between coral reefs and algae, his/her focus was on the effects of human effects on coral reefs, not algae.
(B) explaining how human activities are posing a threat to coral reef communities - Bingo! I don't think I could have phrased it any differently. The two paragraphs are working together to do exactly this. Paragraph one introduces coral reefs generally, and then paragraph two discusses how human activities are posing a threat to coral reefs.
(C) discussing the process by which coral reefs deteriorate in nutrient-poor waters - This guy is low hanging fruit. This is the opposite of what is true in the paragraph. You can confirm it in paragraph 2, sentence 2.
(D) explaining how coral reefs produce food for themselves - Paragraph one explains the symbiotic (i.e. mutually beneficial) relationship between algae and coral reefs and how algae helps corals produce food. The transition between the two paragraphs though and the finality intone of the second paragraph together make it fairly clear that the author's primary focus is not how coral reefs produce food.
(E) describing the abundance of algae and filter feeding animals in coral reef areas -This is mentioned in paragraph 2; however, it is certainly not the primary focus of the passage. The abundance of algae and filter feeding animals in coral reef areas is just a situation that results from human activity creating nutrient dense waters that are harmful to coral reefs. It's a fact mentioned in the paragraph, which serves to explain how human activities are generally posing a threat to coral reefs generally.
As always, hope this was helpful. Feedback and comments, always invited!
