NASA Measures Death of Glaciers" by Catherine Woods In 1850, Glacier National Park had 150 living glaciers — that’s six times more than it has now. Since at least that time, glaciers there have been declining. But 50 years ago, the rate of decline jumped and the number of glaciers in the park took a nosedive. The situation has become increasingly bleak with time. The snow is melting faster, forcing bears and birds to adapt to new food patterns. Less snow through July and August means warmer waters, which hurts endangered species like the bull trout and the meltwater stonefly. The hotter the climate means less water in the forest, which can lead to an increase in the numbers of fires and depleted water supply.

Question

Which word replacement would create a stronger negative connotation?
1. replacing depleted with destroyed.
2. replacing nosedive with dip.
3. replacing adapt with adjust.
4. replacing warmer with hotter.

Answer 1

1. replacing depleted with destroyed.

This replacement creates a stronger negative connotation as "destroyed" implies a complete loss, while "depleted" suggests a reduction but not necessarily total loss.