11 of 1211 of 12 Items

Question

Feature
The Great Barrier Reef
Read the selection and choose the best answer to each question.

Carmen’s science teacher has asked her to write about an important geographical region. Read Carmen’s paper and think about the revisions that she should make. When you finish reading, answer the questions that follow.

The Great Barrier Reef

(1) One of nature’s most amazing structures is a maze of islands and coral. (2) The Great Barrier Reef, an ecosystem of a combined 3,000 coral reefs, sits off the northeastern coast of Australia in the Pacific Ocean. (3) Located within the much larger Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, the reef is the largest geographical formation of living organisms in the world. (4) It hosts many types of water habitats, making it home to diverse marine life. (5) This colorful reef and its many inhabitants create a spectacular sight. (6) The reef attracts millions of tourists every year. (7) More than just a pretty place, the Great Barrier Reef provides plentiful sea life to study and research. (8) The Great Barrier Reef is all of these things to Australia and so much more.

(9) Although it now covers an area of 135,000 square miles, the Great Barrier Reef started out much smaller. (10) Many years ago, when a low-lying coastal plain was flooded by the rising sea, hills were partially submerged and gradually transformed over time into islands. (11) Intense sunlight flooded the hard island surfaces found within the shallow waters. (12) These surfaces were prime locations for small saclike animals called coral polyps to attach themselves. (13) The coral polyps reproduced and then died, leaving their skeletons behind. (14) Plants, algae, sand, and small organisms began to fill in the spaces around the leftover materials. (15) This process created a foundation where a colony of polyps could repeat the cycle. (16) As the sea and wind continued to bring in new sand and organisms, the coral reef grew. (17) This reef became a linear chain of multiple coral reefs, creating a physical barrier that stretches about 1,000 miles along the coast. (18) Bigger than the Great Wall of China and visible from space, this enormous organism is home to many other smaller ones.

(19) Several types of animals attach themselves to the walls of coral as if the animals were part of the reef. (20) Marine animals, including protozoa and sea cucumbers, help secure sand and plant algae to the reef. (21) Sponges and soft coral living alongside bright red and purple plant algae provide stunning color along the reef.

(22) The water surrounding the reef is teeming with life as well. (23) Many animals, such as marine insects and about 500 species of worms, swim in areas near the reef. (24) Microscopic plankton float freely and help feed many of the aquatic animals. (25) Larger animals living near the reef include jellyfish, octopuses, and saltwater crocodiles as well as over 1,600 species of fish, over 20 species of seabirds, and about 30 species of marine mammals, including dolphins and whales. (26) Animals large and small live close to the reef.

(27) The Great Barrier Reef provides many environmental and economic benefits. (28) The coral reefs help protect the other coastline ecosystems, which include forested floodplains, freshwater wetlands, and lagoon floors, from storms and erosion. (29) The Great Barrier Reef also provides sources of food for millions of people and serves as a good home to economically important fish species. (30) Among these species are salmon, shark, and mackerel that supply commercial fisheries, big game marlin that fuel sport fishing, and the colorful little clownfish that attract snorkelers and divers. (31) Humans rely on the coral reefs for food, recreation, and tourism. (32) The reef’s ecosystem is even explored by researchers as a possible source of new medicines. (33) Such explorations highlight that these coral reefs foster some of the most extraordinary underwater systems on the planet. (34) Because of its global significance, the Great Barrier Reef is classified as one of the seven wonders of the natural world. (35) In conclusion, the Great Barrier Reef of Australia is a very cool feature of nature.

Question 1
What transition would be the most appropriate to use at the beginning of sentence 6?(1 point)
Responses

As a matter of concern
As a matter of concern

For further evidence
For further evidence

To wipe away any doubt
To wipe away any doubt

For this reason among others
For this reason among others
Question 2
Carmen needs a more effective thesis statement for her paper. Which sentence should replace sentence 8 to serve as the thesis statement?(1 point)
Responses

There are other barrier reefs in the oceans of the world, but only the Great Barrier Reef is so well known.
There are other barrier reefs in the oceans of the world, but only the Great Barrier Reef is so well known.

The Great Barrier Reef of Australia is a supreme example of the mysteries of the natural world because of its wide variety of plant and animal life.
The Great Barrier Reef of Australia is a supreme example of the mysteries of the natural world because of its wide variety of plant and animal life.

Some scientists believe the Great Barrier Reef first began to grow about 18 million years ago.
Some scientists believe the Great Barrier Reef first began to grow about 18 million years ago.

A coral reef like the Great Barrier Reef can grow only in shallow, warm water because it needs light from the sun to survive.
A coral reef like the Great Barrier Reef can grow only in shallow, warm water because it needs light from the sun to survive.
Question 3
Carmen needs a topic sentence for the third paragraph (sentences 19–21). Which of the following sentences should be inserted before sentence 19 to introduce the ideas in this paragraph?(1 point)
Responses

Over time, a vast array of creatures has come to inhabit the Great Barrier Reef.
Over time, a vast array of creatures has come to inhabit the Great Barrier Reef.

Marine animal species that are threatened are protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.
Marine animal species that are threatened are protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.

The biodiversity of the Great Barrier Reef ensures its long-term existence.
The biodiversity of the Great Barrier Reef ensures its long-term existence.

The waters along the Great Barrier Reef provide a habitat for marine animals that researchers study.
The waters along the Great Barrier Reef provide a habitat for marine animals that researchers study.
Question 4
Carmen may have a redundant sentence in the fourth paragraph (sentences 22–26). Which sentence, if any, should be deleted?(1 point)
Responses

Sentence 24
Sentence 24

Sentence 25
Sentence 25

Sentence 26
Sentence 26

No sentence should be deleted.
No sentence should be deleted.
Question 5
Carmen would like to improve her concluding sentence by summing up the ideas she has presented. Which sentence should she use to replace sentence 35?(1 point)
Responses

Finally, we must protect the Great Barrier Reef from being destroyed so future generations can enjoy it.
Finally, we must protect the Great Barrier Reef from being destroyed so future generations can enjoy it.

How much still remains to be discovered about the Great Barrier Reef of Australia is anybody’s guess.
How much still remains to be discovered about the Great Barrier Reef of Australia is anybody’s guess.

Researchers should explore the oceans further to try to find other natural wonders like the Great Barrier Reef.
Researchers should explore the oceans further to try to find other natural wonders like the Great Barrier Reef.

Attracting visitors from around the world, the Great Barrier Reef has a beauty that is perhaps unequaled anywhere on Earth.

Answer 1

Here are the responses to the questions based on the provided text about the Great Barrier Reef:

Question 1: What transition would be the most appropriate to use at the beginning of sentence 6? Response: For this reason among others
This transition indicates that the statement in sentence 6 is a continuation or consequence of the previous points about the Great Barrier Reef's beauty and significance.

---

Question 2: Carmen needs a more effective thesis statement for her paper. Which sentence should replace sentence 8 to serve as the thesis statement? Response: The Great Barrier Reef of Australia is a supreme example of the mysteries of the natural world because of its wide variety of plant and animal life.
This sentence clearly encapsulates the focus of Carmen's paper on the biodiversity and significance of the Great Barrier Reef.

---

Question 3: Carmen needs a topic sentence for the third paragraph (sentences 19–21). Which of the following sentences should be inserted before sentence 19 to introduce the ideas in this paragraph? Response: Over time, a vast array of creatures has come to inhabit the Great Barrier Reef.
This sentence effectively introduces the discussion of the diverse marine life that relies on the reef.

---

Question 4: Carmen may have a redundant sentence in the fourth paragraph (sentences 22–26). Which sentence, if any, should be deleted? Response: No sentence should be deleted.
Each sentence provides valuable information about the different animals that inhabit the reef and contributes to the overall description.

---

Question 5: Carmen would like to improve her concluding sentence by summing up the ideas she has presented. Which sentence should she use to replace sentence 35? Response: Finally, we must protect the Great Barrier Reef from being destroyed so future generations can enjoy it.
This sentence effectively summarizes the significance of the reef and emphasizes the need for its conservation.