The first five paragraphs lay the groundwork for the article by establishing context for two sides of a debate. They present the original purpose of the shade balls — to conserve water and improve water quality during a drought — while also introducing new research that questions the efficacy and environmental impact of using shade balls, suggesting that they may not be as beneficial as originally thought. This sets up a discussion about the complexities of water conservation efforts.
"Why 'Shade Balls' May Not Save Water"
by Amanda Grennell
In 2015, the world watched as a video of 96 million “shade balls” getting dumped into the Los Angeles Reservoir went viral. The purpose of the balls: to improve water quality and save water.
But a new study raises an interesting question: Could saving water in the Los Angeles Reservoir come at the cost of consuming water in other parts of world?
At the time, Californians faced a record-setting drought, and conserving water was on everyone’s minds. Mandatory water restrictions led to brown lawns and shorter showers.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said the shade balls could keep contaminants out of the water and reduce the evaporation of the reservoir by 85 to 90 percent during a drought. The officials said the annual savings could amount to up to 300 million gallons of water, enough to supply drinking water to 8,100 people.
But a team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Imperial College London and University of Twente in the Netherlands reported Monday that it may take more water to make the shade balls than what they save. To offset this loss, the shade balls must sit on the Los Angeles Reservoir between 1 to 2.5 years.
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Question
Use the passage to answer the question.
How do the first five paragraphs lay the groundwork for the article?
(1 point)
Responses
By establishing the credibility of the author.
By establishing the credibility of the author.
By establishing context for two sides of a debate.
By establishing context for two sides of a debate.
By explaining the underlying methodology used to ease droughts.
By explaining the underlying methodology used to ease droughts.
By explaining resource management issues in a major city.
1 answer