by Vicky Stein
In a new study published Tuesday in PLOS ONE, a group of researchers analyzed one of the rare data sets that tracks butterfly abundance, taken from 21 years of volunteer surveys in Ohio. They found an average population decline of 2 percent per year, which means that over the course of the study, Ohio lost more than a third of its butterfly population.
…
The decline in Ohio’s butterflies is a harbinger of trouble for insects overall — bees, beetles, dragonflies and more. An overall drop in insect numbers and the eventual loss of some insect species would have a severe and significant effect, [researcher Corrie] Moreau said. Trouble for butterflies could indicate trouble for bees, flies and other insects that together are responsible for the pollination and growth of up to three quarters of all human food crops. Meanwhile, we would lose a rich diversity of insect-eating birds, bats and amphibians, with cascading effects through almost every ecosystem on the planet.
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Question
Use the excerpt to answer the question.
Which offers the most valid critique of the excerpt?
(1 point)
Responses
The excerpt presents a clear thesis but lacks factual evidence.
The excerpt presents a clear thesis but lacks factual evidence.
The excerpt presents a clear thesis, but the facts are not sufficient to support it.
The excerpt presents a clear thesis, but the facts are not sufficient to support it.
The excerpt presents a clear thesis with good evidence that can be verified to support it.
The excerpt presents a clear thesis with good evidence that can be verified to support it.
The article has good evidence but lacks a clear thesis.
The article has good evidence but lacks a clear thesis.
1 answer
The most valid critique of the excerpt is:
The excerpt presents a clear thesis, but the facts are not sufficient to support it.
While the excerpt discusses the decline of butterflies in Ohio and its potential implications for other insects and ecosystems, it does not provide extensive data or evidence to substantiate the broader claims about the effects on insect populations and ecosystems at large.
