The Dodo and the Great Auk
The dodo was an unusual bird, found only on the tropical island of Mauritius until the early part of the 16th century. It was as large as a turkey, with tiny wings and a short, curly tail. It nested on the ground and ate the fruit that fell from trees. The dodo weighed about 500 pounds and was unable to fly. Dodo means "simpleton" in Portuguese. People believe that the Portuguese sailors named the bird so because it had no fear of humans and hence did not protect itself from them. However, by the end of the 17th century, the dodo bird became extinct. It appears that the last dodo was sighted in 1681. Researchers think that this could possibly be because it could not protect itself from the sailors, settlers, and other animals that later inhabited the island.
Like the dodo, the great auk was also a flightless sea bird that became extinct in the late nineteenth century. It inhabited the islands and coasts off the North Atlantic. The body of the great auk was about 30 inches long and its wings 15 inches long. The bird had a large black bill, a black head and back, and its front was white with a large white spot between its eyes and its bill. During the early 1800s, hunters destroyed the great auks for bait and food. The bird was last spotted at Eldey Island in 1844. Now many of the bird's eggs are preserved in museums.
Passage 2
Saving the Calvaria
The calvaria or tambalacoque tree is native to the island of Mauritius. In the 1970s researchers discovered that there were only around 13 calvaria trees left on the island of Mauritius, while a century or two earlier a large number of the trees had thrived there. The surviving trees were about 300 years old. Researchers found it surprising that there were no new trees springing up. The old trees were healthy and produced good seeds, but surprisingly the seeds never germinated. When researchers delved into this mystery, they found a coincidence. It appeared to them that the number of calvaria trees had started dwindling around the same time that the dodo bird became extinct. The dodo was also native to Mauritius.
Researchers guessed that the dodo bird's digestive system cracked the tough skin of the seed of the calvaria fruits when it ate those fruits. This helped in releasing the seed from its tough skin and making it ready for germination. Researchers thus concluded that the absence of the dodo led to the lack of new seeds that were ready for germination and hence the lack of new calvaria trees. To save the trees from extinction, scientists began feeding domestic turkeys with calvaria seeds. As the digestive process of turkeys was similar to the dodo's, the seed would then get the same treatment as it did when fed to the dodo and so become ready to germinate. Though some scientists were skeptical about the process, it appeared to work. Gradually, new calvaria trees started growing after this experiment. Today many researchers believe that this experiment saved the trees from extinction.
4
How do the two authors use evidence to support their points?
A.
Both authors include opinions cited by experts or findings based on a survey.
B.
Both authors list the causes and effects of extinction.
C.
Both authors include the pros and cons of extinction.
D.
Both authors provide a claim and follow it with a counterclaim.