Read this paragraph from the section “What’s A Solution To Lessen Wildfires in Hawaii?”
Millions of acres of land in Hawaii have been changed into savannas. These are areas of mixed woodlands and grasslands. In a savanna, trees are spaced too far apart to provide much cover. It’s possible for savannas to occur naturally. But in Hawaii, savannas were created because of land clearing for farming and ranching in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
What conclusion is BEST supported by the paragraph?
A
Hawaii’s farming decreased in the 1800s.
B
Hawaii’s savannas did not occur naturally.
C
Hawaii has more woodlands than grasslands now.
D
Hawaii plans to change savannas back into forests.
B
Hawaii’s savannas did not occur naturally.
This evidence was gathered to support the idea that weather conditions helped spread the fires.
1. High winds and low humidity likely contributed to the fires, but officials know little else, said Major General Kenneth Hara, commander general of the Hawaii Army National Guard, at a briefing Wednesday.
2. Hurricane Dora, a Category 4 storm in the Pacific Ocean, fueled the strong winds overnight in Maui, with gusts of 60 miles per hour damaging homes and knocking out power.
3. “The burden Hawaii’s current fire problem places on emergency responders, the impacts on farms and ecosystems, the losses our community’s experiencing right now — it’s mostly from benign neglect,” he wrote.
Is this evidence adequate support for the idea? Why or why not?
A
Yes, because each piece of evidence provides a separate valid example.
B
Yes, because each piece of evidence builds on the previous piece of evidence.
C
No, because the final piece of evidence contradicts the first two.
D
No, because the final piece of evidence is irrelevant to the idea.
C
No, because the final piece of evidence contradicts the first two.
Read these selections from the article.
Instead, Trauernicht, who noted in 2018 that the area burned annually by wildland fire in Hawaii has quadrupled in recent decades, pointed to unmanaged, non-native grasslands that have flourished in Hawaii after decades of declining agriculture.
“These savannas now cover about a million acres across the main Hawaiian islands, mostly the legacy of land clearing for plantation agriculture and ranching in the late 1800s and early 1900s,” he wrote in a series of posts on the social platform X, formerly Twitter.
Which conclusion can be drawn from the selections?
A
The introduction of non-native plants is harmful for an ecosystem.
B
Plantation agriculture is still a thriving part of the Hawaiian economy.
C
Farmers did a better job of managing non-native grasslands in the late 1800s.
D
Hawaii’s naturally occurring savannas have made it more susceptible to wildfires.
D
Hawaii’s naturally occurring savannas have made it more susceptible to wildfires.
Which answer choice accurately summarizes HOW Peter Vitousek feels about the Maui wildfires?
A
People are wrong to blame only the weather and climate for fires.
B
The recent Maui fires are primarily an Anthropocene phenomenon.
C
Fire-prone grasses in drier Hawaiian landscapes resulted in bigger, more severe fires.
D
The wildfires constitute a climate emergency and require a bold legislative response.
C
Fire-prone grasses in drier Hawaiian landscapes resulted in bigger, more severe fires.
Which idea did the author support the LEAST in this article about the Maui fires?
A
The proliferation of savannas make Hawaii more vulnerable to wildfires.
B
Human actions have either or caused or contributed to most Hawaiian wildfires.
C
Increasing amounts of wildfires in Hawaii are threatening the water quality for Hawaii’s residents.
D
Fires only rarely occurred on islands with less volcanic activity before the Anthropocene Epoch.
D Fires only rarely occurred on islands with less volcanic activity before the Anthropocene Epoch.
To determine the conclusion that is best supported by the paragraph, we need to analyze the information provided. The paragraph states that savannas in Hawaii were created as a result of land clearing for farming and ranching in the late 1800s and early 1900s. From this information, we can infer that the creation of savannas was the direct result of human activities and not a natural occurrence.
Therefore, the conclusion that is best supported by the paragraph is:
B. Hawaii's savannas did not occur naturally.