Forests cover about 31% of the land on Earth, but, sadly, that number is decreasing at a rapid rate. Deforestation, human-driven and natural loss of trees, is one of the main causes of this depletion. A natural loss of trees might come from a fire, for example, but deforestation done by humans is more common and involves removing trees to make room for something else. This can include clearing the land for farming or using the wood from trees for fuel, construction, or manufacturing. Despite these potential economic benefits, deforestation should be stopped because forests are too important for people, animals, and the environment.
Write three to five sentences explaining how the author develops the key concept in this paragraph
The author develops the key concept in this paragraph by first stating the current percentage of land covered by forests on Earth and then highlighting the alarming decrease in this number. The author then introduces the main cause of deforestation, both natural and human-driven, and explains how human-driven deforestation is more common. The author further supports the argument by giving examples of why trees are being removed, such as for farming or manufacturing. Lastly, the author concludes by emphasizing that despite potential economic benefits, deforestation should be stopped due to the crucial role forests play for people, animals, and the environment.
Next week, the city council will consider a proposal to extend Highway 85 by 10 miles. A small coalition of real estate developers have hurried this proposal forward, hoping to capitalize on state tax breaks and reassuring the city that their intentions are good. In truth, however, the proposed extension would hurt our community. It would be bad for downtown businesses, bad for families, and bad for the environment.
Bad for Downtown Businesses
Developers claim that the land west of town is ripe to be turned into a combined retail/residential area. They say that the extension of Highway 85 would give shoppers access to a greater variety of stores. In truth, though, we already have a great variety of stores downtown—over 200 of them. Many of these businesses have been hurting for several years due to the neglect of the Exit 10 overpass, which has made driving difficult. Extending Highway 85 would give shoppers a reason to avoid downtown altogether—likely dooming many small businesses and leaving buildings vacant. However, the overpass could be repaired at a fraction of the cost of the highway extension. This small investment in city infrastructure would be good for businesses and shoppers alike.
In 1 to 2 sentence's, identify the authors point of view, and the authors purpose
The author's point of view is that the proposed extension of Highway 85 would be detrimental to the community, specifically downtown businesses. The author's purpose is to persuade the reader to oppose the highway extension and advocate for investing in the repair of the overpass instead.
Our town should double its fines for speeding. Studies show that higher fines result in less speeding, so increasing the fees should improve safety. There is no reason not to do this. If people can afford to a $50 fine, then surely they should be able to pay a $100 fine as well.
How sound is the reasoning given to support the claim, "Our town should double its fines for speeding"? Explain your response in 3 to 5 sentences.