Read and reference this article to respond to the test questions below.

Question

An Excerpt from: “Cyclones and Climate Change: Connecting the Dots”

By Agence France-Presse, adapted by the Newsela staff

Scientists say the don’t know everything about how climate change affects hurricanes. But, what they do know is enough to worry them.

Burning fossil fuels creates greenhouse gasses. Fossil fuels are natural fuels like oil, gas, and wood. The gasses, in turn, cause the Earth’s temperature to rise. It is called climate change. Scientists say the magnifying effect of sea level rise, warming oceans, and hotter air is simple science. All are results of climate change. They also have seen faster shifts in storms’ power, such as Hurricane Harvey in Texas. A sudden change turned Harvey from a Category 2 hurricane to a Category 5, on a scale of 5.

Detailed Data on Hurricanes is Missing

What’s missing is a detailed record of past hurricanes. Climate scientists need decades of measurements. This would help them determine how much people have played a part in global warming.

“It is awfully difficult to see climate change in historical data so far because hurricanes are fairly rare,” Kerry Emanuel said. He is a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Experts agree that climate change could make tropical storms more powerful. The storms are known around the world as cyclones, hurricanes, and typhoons. But, scientists are puzzled, for now, by a lack of information.

Just because the information is not clear yet doesn’t mean that the changes haven’t been occurring, said James Kossin. He is a scientist at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Center for Weather and Climate in Madison, Wisconsin. Kossin figured out that cyclones have been drifting toward the north and south poles. Other hurricane experts call it the clearest sign so far that climate change has already had an effect. Hurricanes form where the ocean is warm. This is usually near the equator. But, climate change is heating up other parts of the ocean. This is why cyclones are drifting toward areas in the north and south poles that weren’t warm before.

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Part 1: An inference can be defined as(1 point)
Responses

The facts and information that support an idea
The facts and information that support an idea

The overarching idea in a text
The overarching idea in a text

A brief statement of the central idea of a text
A brief statement of the central idea of a text

A conclusion or logical guess about a text that is based on evidence and known facts
A conclusion or logical guess about a text that is based on evidence and known facts
Question 2
Part 2:

Use the RAD method to identify and explain evidence from the passage that supports the inference that, in the future, it will be easier to understand the impact climate change has on hurricanes.

(4 points)

Answer 1

Part 1: An inference can be defined as (1 point)

Correct Response: A conclusion or logical guess about a text that is based on evidence and known facts.

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Part 2: Use the RAD method to identify and explain evidence from the passage that supports the inference that, in the future, it will be easier to understand the impact climate change has on hurricanes. (4 points)

R (Reference): The passage states, "What’s missing is a detailed record of past hurricanes. Climate scientists need decades of measurements. This would help them determine how much people have played a part in global warming."

A (Analysis): This indicates that scientists currently lack the comprehensive data required to fully understand the long-term effects of climate change on hurricanes. However, the mention of needing "decades of measurements" implies that as time progresses and more data is collected, scientists will be able to analyze trends and patterns more effectively.

D (Development): Furthermore, the text highlights that "other hurricane experts call it the clearest sign so far that climate change has already had an effect," referring to the observed phenomenon of cyclones drifting toward the poles. As scientists continue to gather and analyze data, they will likely be able to establish clearer connections and understandings of how climate change influences hurricane patterns. Thus, with ongoing research and improved data collection in the future, it will indeed become easier to understand the impact of climate change on hurricanes.