Polar bears sustain themselves primarily by hunting seals on the Arctic sea ice, but rising ocean temperatures are causing the ice to diminish, raising concerns about polar bear population declines as these large predators’ seal-hunting habitats continue to shrink. A 2020 study examining polar bear populations across the Arctic concluded that populations affected by sea-ice loss are at great risk of extinction by the end of the twenty-first century.

Question

Text 2
Monitoring carried out by researchers from the Norwegian Polar Institute shows that the polar bear population on the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard remains stable and well nourished despite rapidly declining sea ice in recent years. The researchers attribute this population’s resilience in part to a shift in feeding strategies: in addition to hunting seals, the Svalbard polar bears have begun relying on a diet of reindeer meat and birds’ eggs.
Based on the texts, how would the researchers in Text 2 most likely respond to the conclusion presented in the underlined portion of Text 1?
Choose 1 answer:
Choose 1 answer:
(Choice A) By suggesting that it is likely incorrect about the rates at which warming ocean temperatures have caused sea ice to melt in the Arctic
A
By suggesting that it is likely incorrect about the rates at which warming ocean temperatures have caused sea ice to melt in the Arctic
(Choice B) By arguing that it fails to account for polar bears’ reliance on a single seal-hunting strategy
B
By arguing that it fails to account for polar bears’ reliance on a single seal-hunting strategy
(Choice C) By noting that it neglects the possibility of some polar bear populations adapting to changes in their environment
C
By noting that it neglects the possibility of some polar bear populations adapting to changes in their environment
(Choice D) By asserting that it overlooks polar bear populations that have not yet been affected by loss of seal hunting habitats
D
By asserting that it overlooks polar bear populations that have not yet been affected by loss of seal hunting habitats

Answer 1

The researchers in Text 2 would most likely respond to the conclusion in Text 1 (which suggests that polar bear populations affected by sea-ice loss are at great risk of extinction) by noting that it neglects the possibility of some polar bear populations adapting to changes in their environment. This is supported by their findings on the Svalbard polar bear population, which has shown resilience through changes in their diet and feeding strategies.

Thus, the best answer is:

(Choice C) By noting that it neglects the possibility of some polar bear populations adapting to changes in their environment.