The first attachment:
Source 1:
Military Supports Alternative Treatments for Treating Pain in Vets and Troops
The military has long worried that an over-reliance on prescription pain killers for the after-effects of tours of duty was putting both veterans and active-duty troops at risk of dependency, serious adverse reactions to the drugs and accidental
death. The problem was found to be greatest among veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan ?particularly those with post-traumatic stress disorder ?who, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), may have been given "inappropriate prescriptions" for opioids in a misguided attempt to relieve their suffering quickly.
Now, however, change appears to be coming as the military expands its use of alternative treatments such as chiropractic care.
Dr. Robert D. Kerns, the national program director for pain management at the Department of Veterans Affairs, told the New York Times that the study "encourages" both his department, as well as the Pentagon's health system, "to build on...
existing initiatives."
If done, that would be good news to Congressional committees following up on last year's Veterans Health Administration scandal.
"We have said for a long time that sending a veteran out of the door with a bagful of pills is not a solution," Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., said in investigating allegations that a Tomah, Wisconsin, Veterans Affairs hospital was prescribing "excessive
dosages of opiates."
Even as more research pours in, chiropractic care continues to gain support. A 2013 study published in the journal Spine found that 73 percent of participating active-duty military patients with low back pain receiving a combination of
chiropractic manipulative treatment and standard medical care rated their global improvement as "pain completely gone," "much better," or "moderately better."
In the same study, only 17 percent who received standard medical care alone said likewise.
Source 2:
Relief for Weekend Warriors Comes From Chiropractic Care, Not a Pill Bottle
Sports injuries can happen to anyone, and they may be more likely among amateur athletes than professionals.
Amateur athletes, whether they are weekend warriors or regular fitness buffs, can end up with an injury for a variety of reasons, from wearing the wrong shoes to an incorrect technique in a tennis or golf swing. However, amateurs and pros
alike want relief when they get hurt, and anyone can become addicted to strong, opioid painkillers, according to a recent article in Outside magazine. "The reality is that all athletes are one fall, twist, or tweak away from landing their own opioid
prescription," the article notes.
In the wake of a directive from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to cut down on painkiller prescriptions, doctors and patients are seeking drug-free alternatives, and chiropractic care is one of them.
In fact, chiropractic care can provide not only short-term pain relief but long-term prevention of future pain by helping to address structural imbalances in the body that might be contributing to the problem.
Medications (including ibuprofen and other over-the-counter drugs as well as prescription drugs) can mask the pain from an injury but fail to address the cause. Doctors of chiropractic (DCs) use hands-on techniques to manipulate the joints
and soft tissues of the body to address where pain syndromes may originate. DCs receive a minimum of seven years of higher education and are skilled in the diagnosis and art of spinal manipulation.
In addition, according to Dr. Sherry McAllister of the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, most insurance and health plans cover chiropractic care.
The second attachment.
Paraphrase A:
An increased reliance on opioid painkillers to alleviate the pain of injured military personnel is a concern for the medical community.
Paraphrase B:
The military has been troubled by an increasing over-reliance on prescription pain killers for the after-effects of tours of duty that they feel puts both veterans and active duty troops at risk of dependency, serious adverse reactions to the drugs
and accidental death. Studies suggest the problem is greatest among veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan ?particularly those with post-traumatic stress disorder ?who may have been given "inappropriate prescriptions" for opioids in
an erroneous attempt to relieve their suffering quickly.
Paraphrase C:
There is a concern about the rising rates of dependency on prescription painkillers for troops returning from active duty. Using prescribed opioid painkillers puts both veterans and active-duty military personnel at increased risk of negative
reactions to the drugs and accidental death. Veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, who often return suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, are often given quick and fast-acting painkiller prescriptions as well-intentioned doctors
try to help alleviate their patients' physical pain as swiftly as possible. But those prescriptions may not always be the best medicine.
Paraphrase D:
A rise in the number of "inappropriate prescriptions" being given by doctors and medical professionals to military personnel returning from active-duty or veterans who served in the past is alarming. These prescriptions include orders for
opioid painkillers. Opioids have become an epidemic in this nation and the rates of addiction and premature death from these drugs is rising. To stop the increase in opioid dependency, a different approach to pain management must be
introduced to the troops who return with battle scars both physical and mental.
The student really likes the first paragraph from source 1, as reproduced here, but he wants to paraphrase it. Look at the second attachment to this question .Which of the choices in that document is the best paraphrase of the paragraph?
"The military has long worried that an over-reliance on prescription pain killers for the after-effects of tours of duty was putting both veterans and active-duty troops at risk of dependency, serious adverse reactions to the drugs and accidental death. The problem was found to be greatest among veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistanç’¸articularly those with post-traumatic stress disorderç“€ho, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), may have been given "inappropriate prescriptions" for opioids in a misguided attempt to relieve their suffering quickly."
A. paraphrase C
B. paraphrase A
C. paraphrase B
D. paraphrase D
Read the material attached.
Source 1:
Military Supports Alternative Treatments for Treating Pain in Vets and Troops
The military has long worried that an over-reliance on prescription pain killers for the after-effects of tours of duty was putting both veterans and active-duty troops at risk of dependency, serious adverse reactions to the drugs and accidental
death. The problem was found to be greatest among veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan ?particularly those with post-traumatic stress disorder ?who, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), may have been given "inappropriate prescriptions" for opioids in a misguided attempt to relieve their suffering quickly.
Now, however, change appears to be coming as the military expands its use of alternative treatments such as chiropractic care.
Dr. Robert D. Kerns, the national program director for pain management at the Department of Veterans Affairs, told the New York Times that the study "encourages" both his department, as well as the Pentagon's health system, "to build on...
existing initiatives."
If done, that would be good news to Congressional committees following up on last year's Veterans Health Administration scandal.
"We have said for a long time that sending a veteran out of the door with a bagful of pills is not a solution," Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., said in investigating allegations that a Tomah, Wisconsin, Veterans Affairs hospital was prescribing "excessive
dosages of opiates."
Even as more research pours in, chiropractic care continues to gain support. A 2013 study published in the journal Spine found that 73 percent of participating active-duty military patients with low back pain receiving a combination of
chiropractic manipulative treatment and standard medical care rated their global improvement as "pain completely gone," "much better," or "moderately better."
In the same study, only 17 percent who received standard medical care alone said likewise.
Source 2:
Relief for Weekend Warriors Comes From Chiropractic Care, Not a Pill Bottle
Sports injuries can happen to anyone, and they may be more likely among amateur athletes than professionals.
Amateur athletes, whether they are weekend warriors or regular fitness buffs, can end up with an injury for a variety of reasons, from wearing the wrong shoes to an incorrect technique in a tennis or golf swing. However, amateurs and pros alike want relief when they get hurt, and anyone can become addicted to strong, opioid painkillers, according to a recent article in Outside magazine. "The reality is that all athletes are one fall, twist, or tweak away from landing their own opioid prescription," the article notes.
In the wake of a directive from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to cut down on painkiller prescriptions, doctors and patients are seeking drug-free alternatives, and chiropractic care is one of them.
In fact, chiropractic care can provide not only short-term pain relief but long-term prevention of future pain by helping to address structural imbalances in the body that might be contributing to the problem.
Medications (including ibuprofen and other over-the-counter drugs as well as prescription drugs) can mask the pain from an injury but fail to address the cause. Doctors of chiropractic (DCs) use hands-on techniques to manipulate the joints
and soft tissues of the body to address where pain syndromes may originate. DCs receive a minimum of seven years of higher education and are skilled in the diagnosis and art of spinal manipulation.
In addition, according to Dr. Sherry McAllister of the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, most insurance and health plans cover chiropractic care.
In comparing the two sources in the attachment, which of these is not a valid comparison?
A. Source 1 uses emotional appeals of discussing the pain experienced by veterans and active-duty military members to make its point, while source 2 uses more factual statements and statistics to appeal to the audience's rational side.
B. Both sources explain the benefits of chiropractic care for a specific group of people.
C. Source 1 uses more credible and widely recognized references to support the claim, including the JAMA, a director with the Department of Veterans Affairs, and a Congressional Representative, while source 2 references Outside magazine and doctor from the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress.
D. Source 2 suggests that chiropractic care can alleviate the need for both prescription and over-the-counter medication by addressing the underlying causes of pain and not just masking the symptoms of pain, while source 1 concentrates on the movement away from prescription medication through the use of chiropractic care.
Read the material attached:
Source 1:
Military Supports Alternative Treatments for Treating Pain in Vets and Troops The military has long worried that an over-reliance on prescription pain killers for the after-effects of tours of duty was putting both veterans and active-duty troops at risk of dependency, serious adverse reactions to the drugs and accidental death. The problem was found to be greatest among veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan ?particularly those with post-traumatic stress disorder ?who, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), may have been given "inappropriate prescriptions" for opioids in a misguided attempt to relieve their suffering quickly.
Now, however, change appears to be coming as the military expands its use of alternative treatments such as chiropractic care.
Dr. Robert D. Kerns, the national program director for pain management at the Department of Veterans Affairs, told the New York Times that the study "encourages" both his department, as well as the Pentagon's health system, "to build on... existing initiatives."
If done, that would be good news to Congressional committees following up on last year's Veterans Health Administration scandal.
"We have said for a long time that sending a veteran out of the door with a bagful of pills is not a solution," Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., said in investigating allegations that a Tomah, Wisconsin, Veterans Affairs hospital was prescribing "excessive dosages of opiates."
Even as more research pours in, chiropractic care continues to gain support. A 2013 study published in the journal Spine found that 73 percent of participating active-duty military patients with low back pain receiving a combination of chiropractic manipulative treatment and standard medical care rated their global improvement as "pain completely gone," "much better," or "moderately better."
In the same study, only 17 percent who received standard medical care alone said likewise.
Source 2:
Relief for Weekend Warriors Comes From Chiropractic Care, Not a Pill Bottle
Sports injuries can happen to anyone, and they may be more likely among amateur athletes than professionals.
Amateur athletes, whether they are weekend warriors or regular fitness buffs, can end up with an injury for a variety of reasons, from wearing the wrong shoes to an incorrect technique in a tennis or golf swing. However, amateurs and pros alike want relief when they get hurt, and anyone can become addicted to strong, opioid painkillers, according to a recent article in Outside magazine. "The reality is that all athletes are one fall, twist, or tweak away from landing their own opioid prescription," the article notes.
In the wake of a directive from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to cut down on painkiller prescriptions, doctors and patients are seeking drug-free alternatives, and chiropractic care is one of them.
In fact, chiropractic care can provide not only short-term pain relief but long-term prevention of future pain by helping to address structural imbalances in the body that might be contributing to the problem.
Medications (including ibuprofen and other over-the-counter drugs as well as prescription drugs) can mask the pain from an injury but fail to address the cause. Doctors of chiropractic (DCs) use hands-on techniques to manipulate the joints and soft tissues of the body to address where pain syndromes may originate. DCs receive a minimum of seven years of higher education and are skilled in the diagnosis and art of spinal manipulation.
In addition, according to Dr. Sherry McAllister of the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, most insurance and health plans cover chiropractic care.
The student also makes the claim that "Chiropractic care offers immediate, but only short-term pain relief for patients. A balance of medication and chiropractic care should be considered." Using the attached material, decide if the information in source 1, source 2, both sources, or neither source supports the claim.
A. neither source
B. both sources
C. source 1
D. source 2
Read the information attached
Source 1:
Military Supports Alternative Treatments for Treating Pain in Vets and Troops
The military has long worried that an over-reliance on prescription pain killers for the after-effects of tours of duty was putting both veterans and active-duty troops at risk of dependency, serious adverse reactions to the drugs and accidental
death. The problem was found to be greatest among veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan ?particularly those with post-traumatic stress disorder ?who, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical
Association (JAMA), may have been given "inappropriate prescriptions" for opioids in a misguided attempt to relieve their suffering quickly.
Now, however, change appears to be coming as the military expands its use of alternative treatments such as chiropractic care.
Dr. Robert D. Kerns, the national program director for pain management at the Department of Veterans Affairs, told the New York Times that the study "encourages" both his department, as well as the Pentagon's health system, "to build on...
existing initiatives."
If done, that would be good news to Congressional committees following up on last year's Veterans Health Administration scandal.
"We have said for a long time that sending a veteran out of the door with a bagful of pills is not a solution," Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., said in investigating allegations that a Tomah, Wisconsin, Veterans Affairs hospital was prescribing "excessive
dosages of opiates."
Even as more research pours in, chiropractic care continues to gain support. A 2013 study published in the journal Spine found that 73 percent of participating active-duty military patients with low back pain receiving a combination of
chiropractic manipulative treatment and standard medical care rated their global improvement as "pain completely gone," "much better," or "moderately better." In the same study, only 17 percent who received standard medical care alone
said likewise.
Source 2:
Relief for Weekend Warriors Comes From Chiropractic Care, Not a Pill Bottle
Sports injuries can happen to anyone, and they may be more likely among amateur athletes than professionals.
Amateur athletes, whether they are weekend warriors or regular fitness buffs, can end up with an injury for a variety of reasons, from wearing the wrong shoes to an incorrect technique in a tennis or golf swing. However, amateurs and pros
alike want relief when they get hurt, and anyone can become addicted to strong, opioid painkillers, according to a recent article in Outside magazine. "The reality is that all athletes are one fall, twist, or tweak away from landing their own opioid
prescription," the article notes.
In the wake of a directive from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to cut down on painkiller prescriptions, doctors and patients are seeking drug-free alternatives, and chiropractic care is one of them. In fact, chiropractic care can
provide not only short-term pain relief but long-term prevention of future pain by helping to address structural imbalances in the body that might be contributing to the problem. Medications (including ibuprofen and other over-the-counter drugs
as well as prescription drugs) can mask the pain from an injury but fail to address the cause. Doctors of chiropractic (DCs) use hands-on techniques to manipulate the joints and soft tissues of the body to address where pain syndromes may
originate. DCs receive a minimum of seven years of higher education and are skilled in the diagnosis and art of spinal manipulation. In addition, according to Dr. Sherry McAllister of the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, most insurance
and health plans cover chiropractic care.
A student is writing an informational essay about the benefits of chiropractic care as part of a comprehensive wellness plan. He has found two sources, the text of which is given in the attached document. His essay makes the claim that
"Chiropractic care may be able to help alleviate pain symptoms and negate the need for dangerous and addictive pain medications." Decide if the information in source 1, source 2, both sources, or neither source supports the claim.
A. neither source
B. source 2
C. source 1
D. both sources
Read the passage attached.
"From early in their educational careers, students in the United States are encouraged to attend college and are indoctrinated with the idea that a college education will open an increased number of doors in their future and allow them access to higher paying jobs that will result in an increased quality of life. However, today's college graduates find themselves heading out to the workforce saddled with tremendous debt from student loans taken out to pay for that college dream. Many of them find that those high-paying jobs they were promised are difficult to find as new graduates and the salaries they earn as they start their careers are barely enough to make ends meet, never mind making meaningful headway in paying off their student loans. As the cost of college continues to rise, so too does the student loan debt looming over new graduates. The college dream becomes a repayment nightmare for far too many highly educated young people."
A student is writing an argumentative report about the rights of students to have free education through college. The attached passage is from a source she'd like to use. The student also wrote down some claims to use in her report. Which of these claims is best supported by the information in the attached source?
A. One in three college graduates cannot find full-time employment upon graduation.
B. Students have access to a variety of scholarship opportunities that may help alleviate some of the burden of borrowing money to pay for college expenses.
C. The threat of skyrocketing debt may change some students' minds about the value of attending college.
D. Tuition is only one of many expenses college students must pay for.
Read the information attached
Source 1: Climbing to the Heavens: a nonfiction autobiographical text about a woman who climbed Mt. Everest after the death of her husband and children in a car accident
Source 2: "My Experiences with Everest": a blog by an unknown "adventurer" who claims to have traveled the world spending less than $1 a day
Source 3: Backpacking Through Nepal: a nonfiction text about planning a hike through Nepal, where Mt. Everest is located
Source 4: Summits of the World: a documentary film about the top ten most summited mountains in the world
Source 5: A topographic map of Mt. Everest and the surrounding Himalayan mountains
Source 6: Geology Made Simple: a textbook explaining how mountains are formed
A student is writing an informational research report about climbing Mt. Everest. Look at the information attached and choose the two most credible sources that would most likely give the student more relevant information to include in her report
A. sources 2 and 4
B. sources 4 and 6
C. sources 1 and 5
D. sources 3 and 5
Read the information attached Source 1: Pet parents who allow their pets to escape should have their pets removed from their custody. While microchips can help lost pets be reunited with their family, that family can obviously not be trusted with the car e of an animal and the pet deserves to be placed with more responsible owners.
Source 2: Microchipping pets is a relatively low cost insurance policy for pet owners. If a microchipped pet is lost or separated from its owner, the pet can be scanned for a chip and that chip can provide a vet's office or animal control agency with information about the pets owners to ensure that animal's safe return.
Source 3: Microchipping a pet involves implanting a small chip under the skin of a pet. The chip contains an identification number unique to that pet and once scanned can be used to access pertinent owner information. Microchips are not GPS trackers, however, so you will not be able to use the chip to find a lost pet.
Source 4: Microchips may pose a danger to an animal's overall health. In addition to the initial pain that may occur with the insertion, the microchip may shift from the insertion site and migrate to another area in the body.
A student is writing a persuasive essay about the need for pet owners to microchip their pets. He found several possible sources for his report. Read the attached information these sources provide and determine which source would best support his argument.
A. source 1
B. source 2
C. source 3
D. source 4
Read the text attached.
Passage 1
Critical information needed in fight to save wildlife
With global temperatures rising, an international group of 22 top biologists is calling for a coordinated effort to gather important species information that is urgently needed to improve predictions for the impact of climate change on future
biodiversity. Current predictions fail to account for important biological factors like species competition and movement that can have a profound influence on whether a plant or animal survives changes to its environment, the scientists say in
the September 9 issue of the journal Science. While more sophisticated forecasting models exist, much of the detailed species information that is needed to improve predictions is lacking.
"Right now, we're treating a mouse the same way as an elephant or a fish or a tree. Yet we know that those are all very different organisms and they are going to respond to their environment in different ways," says University of Connecticut
Ecologist Mark Urban, the Science article's lead author. "We need to pull on our boots, grab our binoculars, and go back into the field to gather more detailed information if we are going to make realistic predictions."
The 22 top biologists affiliated with the article identify six key types of biological information, including life history, physiology, genetic variation, species interactions, and dispersal, that will significantly improve prediction outcomes for individual
species. Obtaining that information will not only help the scientific community better identify the most at-risk populations and ecosystems, the scientists say, it will also allow for a more targeted distribution of resources as global temperatures
continue to rise at a record rate.
Current climate change predictions for biodiversity draw on broad statistical correlations and can vary widely, making it difficult for policymakers and others to respond accordingly. Many of those predictions tend not to hold up over time if they
fail to account for the full range of biological factors that can influence an organism's survival rate: species demographics, competition from other organisms, species mobility, and the capacity to adapt and evolve.
"We haven't been able to sufficiently determine what species composition future ecosystems will have, and how their functions and services for mankind will change," says co-author Dr. Karin Johst of the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental
Research and the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research. "This is because current ecological models often do not include important biological processes and mechanisms: so far only 23 percent of the reviewed studies have
taken into account biological mechanisms."
Generating more accurate predictions is essential for global conservation efforts. Many species are already moving to higher ground or toward the poles to seek cooler temperatures as global temperatures rise. But the capacity of different
organisms to survive varies greatly. Some species of frog, for instance, can traverse their terrain for miles to remain in a habitable environment. Other species, such as some types of salamander, are less mobile and capable of moving only a
few meters over generations.
"New Zealand's strong foundation in ecological research will help," explains study co-author Dr. William Godsoe, a Lincoln University lecturer and member of New Zealand's Bio-Protection Research Centre. "One of our hopes is to build on
these strengths and highlight new opportunities to improve predictions by explicitly considering evolution, interactions among species, and dispersal." This will aid in the development of strategies to manage impacts on species and
ecosystems before they become critical.
With more than 8.7 million species worldwide, gathering the necessary biological information to improve predictions is a daunting task. Even a sampling of key species would be beneficial, the authors say, as the more sophisticated models
will allow scientists to extrapolate their predictions and apply them to multiple species with similar traits.
The researchers are calling for the launch of a global campaign to be spearheaded by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services or IPBES. The IPBES operates under the auspices of four United
Nations entities and is dedicated to providing scientific information to policymakers worldwide. One thousand scientists from all over the world currently contribute to the work of IPBES on a voluntary basis. The scientists are also encouraging
conservation strategies to support biodiversity such as maintaining dispersal corridors, and preserving existing natural habitats and genetic diversity.
"Our biggest challenge is pinpointing which species to concentrate on and which regions we need to allocate resources," says UConn Associate Professor Urban. In an earlier study in Science, Urban predicted that as many as one in six
species internationally could be wiped out by climate change. "We are at a triage stage at this point. We have limited resources and patients lined up at the door."
Passage 2
Forecasting climate change's effects on biodiversity hindered by lack of data
An international group of biologists is calling for data collection on a global scale to improve forecasts of how climate change affects animals and plants. Accurate model predictions can greatly aid efforts to protect biodiversity from
disturbances such as climate change and urban sprawl by helping scientists and decision-makers better understand, anticipate and respond to threats that imperil species and ecosystems.
In a paper published in Science on Thursday (Sept. 8), biologists cite a critical lack of data on key biological mechanisms ?such as how animals and plants spread during their lifetime and how they evolve in response to changes in the
environment - as the main obstacle to improving models' ability to forecast species' response to climate change.
"This paper is a call to arms," said Patrick Zollner, article co-author and Purdue associate professor of wildlife science. "The world is in dire circumstances. We're losing a lot of species, and we're largely unaware why. How do we need to
rethink the kind of data we're collecting so we can take advantage of modern modeling tools to understand the outcomes of climate change for ecological systems? This could help us forestall losing wildlife that we later deeply regret."
The group outlines two key problems that hinder the capability of current models to make realistic predictions about biological responses to climate change.
Most models are descriptive, based on statistical correlations and observations, and fail to capture the underlying processes that produce observed changes. For example, a descriptive model might show that lynx in the northern U.S. are
declining while bobcat populations in the same region are on the rise. Understanding what is driving this change requires a different sort of model, one that incorporates biological mechanisms. A mechanistic model that accounts for how
warming temperatures affect snow depth, for instance, could provide insights into why bobcats - better adapted to habitats with less snow - are gaining a competitive edge over lynx. But 77 percent of current models of climate change's
impacts on wildlife do not include biological mechanisms.
Another challenge is that as models have grown in sophistication, they have far outpaced data collection. Put another way, a model is like a state-of-the-art kitchen, but the cupboards are bare.
"We can now build videogame-like environments with computers where we can create multiple versions of Earth and ask what the implications under different scenarios are," Zollner said. "But our ability to learn from these tools is constrained
by the kinds of data we have."
The group advanced several proposals on how to improve models, collect missing data and leverage available data to make broader predictions.
They identified six biological mechanisms that influence wildlife's responses to climate change: physiology; demography and life history; evolutionary potential and adaptation; interactions between species; movement over land or water; and
responses to changes in the environment. They ranked the information needed to account for these mechanisms in models and suggested proxies for data that are missing or hard to collect.
A globally coordinated effort to fill data gaps could greatly advance improvements in models and informed conservation approaches, the researchers wrote. They point to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and its consistent
improvements in climate change modeling as a valuable blueprint for such a project.
But local and regional conservation groups need not wait for a global body to coalesce to start using a mechanistic approach in their own region, Zollner said "If the ideas put forth in this paper start to be adopted and integrated into climate
change work in a grass roots way, that could make a big difference in a region and could scale up over time," he said.
Citizen scientists also have an important role to play in pitching in with data collection, he said.
Working with citizen scientists offers "an opportunity to get huge amounts of data, and it's foolish not to take advantage of it," Zollner said. "The data might not be as rigorous and needs to be treated differently, but it's one more source of
valuable information.
Overall, the tone of the attached passages could best be described as ____.
A. discouraged but defiant: "`We haven't been able to sufficiently determine what species composition future ecosystems will have...'"; optimistic but cautious: "`We can now build videogame-like environments with computers where we can create multiple versions of Earth and ask what the implications under different scenarios are.'"
B. uncertain and unachievable: "`We need to pull on our boots, grab our binoculars, and go back into the field to gather more detailed information if we are going to make realistic predictions'"; Defensive and dire: "`This paper is a call to arms...The world is in dire circumstances.'"
C. urgent but hopeful: "`We are at a triage stage at this point. We have limited resources and patients lined up at the door.'"; Serious but optimistic: "`If the ideas put forth in this paper start to be adopted and integrated into climate change work in a grass roots way, that could make a big difference in a region and could scale up over time,'..."
D. happy and reassuring: "Even a sampling of key species would be beneficial...as the more sophisticated models will allow scientists to extrapolate their predictions and apply them to multiple species with similar traits."; Defeated and hopeless: "Most models are descriptive, based on statistical correlations and observations, and fail to capture the underlying processes that produce observed changes."
Read the text attached.
Passage 1
Critical information needed in fight to save wildlife
With global temperatures rising, an international group of 22 top biologists is calling for a coordinated effort to gather important species information that is urgently needed to improve predictions for the impact of climate change on future
biodiversity. Current predictions fail to account for important biological factors like species competition and movement that can have a profound influence on whether a plant or animal survives changes to its environment, the scientists say in
the September 9 issue of the journal Science. While more sophisticated forecasting models exist, much of the detailed species information that is needed to improve predictions is lacking.
"Right now, we're treating a mouse the same way as an elephant or a fish or a tree. Yet we know that those are all very different organisms and they are going to respond to their environment in different ways," says University of Connecticut
Ecologist Mark Urban, the Science article's lead author. "We need to pull on our boots, grab our binoculars, and go back into the field to gather more detailed information if we are going to make realistic predictions."
The 22 top biologists affiliated with the article identify six key types of biological information, including life history, physiology, genetic variation, species interactions, and dispersal, that will significantly improve prediction outcomes for individual
species. Obtaining that information will not only help the scientific community better identify the most at-risk populations and ecosystems, the scientists say, it will also allow for a more targeted distribution of resources as global temperatures
continue to rise at a record rate.
Current climate change predictions for biodiversity draw on broad statistical correlations and can vary widely, making it difficult for policymakers and others to respond accordingly. Many of those predictions tend not to hold up over time if they
fail to account for the full range of biological factors that can influence an organism's survival rate: species demographics, competition from other organisms, species mobility, and the capacity to adapt and evolve.
"We haven't been able to sufficiently determine what species composition future ecosystems will have, and how their functions and services for mankind will change," says co-author Dr. Karin Johst of the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental
Research and the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research. "This is because current ecological models often do not include important biological processes and mechanisms: so far only 23 percent of the reviewed studies have
taken into account biological mechanisms."
Generating more accurate predictions is essential for global conservation efforts. Many species are already moving to higher ground or toward the poles to seek cooler temperatures as global temperatures rise. But the capacity of different
organisms to survive varies greatly. Some species of frog, for instance, can traverse their terrain for miles to remain in a habitable environment. Other species, such as some types of salamander, are less mobile and capable of moving only a
few meters over generations.
"New Zealand's strong foundation in ecological research will help," explains study co-author Dr. William Godsoe, a Lincoln University lecturer and member of New Zealand's Bio-Protection Research Centre. "One of our hopes is to build on
these strengths and highlight new opportunities to improve predictions by explicitly considering evolution, interactions among species, and dispersal." This will aid in the development of strategies to manage impacts on species and
ecosystems before they become critical.
With more than 8.7 million species worldwide, gathering the necessary biological information to improve predictions is a daunting task. Even a sampling of key species would be beneficial, the authors say, as the more sophisticated models
will allow scientists to extrapolate their predictions and apply them to multiple species with similar traits.
The researchers are calling for the launch of a global campaign to be spearheaded by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services or IPBES. The IPBES operates under the auspices of four United
Nations entities and is dedicated to providing scientific information to policymakers worldwide. One thousand scientists from all over the world currently contribute to the work of IPBES on a voluntary basis. The scientists are also encouraging
conservation strategies to support biodiversity such as maintaining dispersal corridors, and preserving existing natural habitats and genetic diversity.
"Our biggest challenge is pinpointing which species to concentrate on and which regions we need to allocate resources," says UConn Associate Professor Urban. In an earlier study in Science, Urban predicted that as many as one in six
species internationally could be wiped out by climate change. "We are at a triage stage at this point. We have limited resources and patients lined up at the door."
Passage 2
Forecasting climate change's effects on biodiversity hindered by lack of data
An international group of biologists is calling for data collection on a global scale to improve forecasts of how climate change affects animals and plants. Accurate model predictions can greatly aid efforts to protect biodiversity from
disturbances such as climate change and urban sprawl by helping scientists and decision-makers better understand, anticipate and respond to threats that imperil species and ecosystems.
In a paper published in Science on Thursday (Sept. 8), biologists cite a critical lack of data on key biological mechanisms ?such as how animals and plants spread during their lifetime and how they evolve in response to changes in the
environment - as the main obstacle to improving models' ability to forecast species' response to climate change.
"This paper is a call to arms," said Patrick Zollner, article co-author and Purdue associate professor of wildlife science. "The world is in dire circumstances. We're losing a lot of species, and we're largely unaware why. How do we need to
rethink the kind of data we're collecting so we can take advantage of modern modeling tools to understand the outcomes of climate change for ecological systems? This could help us forestall losing wildlife that we later deeply regret."
The group outlines two key problems that hinder the capability of current models to make realistic predictions about biological responses to climate change.
Most models are descriptive, based on statistical correlations and observations, and fail to capture the underlying processes that produce observed changes. For example, a descriptive model might show that lynx in the northern U.S. are
declining while bobcat populations in the same region are on the rise. Understanding what is driving this change requires a different sort of model, one that incorporates biological mechanisms. A mechanistic model that accounts for how
warming temperatures affect snow depth, for instance, could provide insights into why bobcats - better adapted to habitats with less snow - are gaining a competitive edge over lynx. But 77 percent of current models of climate change's
impacts on wildlife do not include biological mechanisms.
Another challenge is that as models have grown in sophistication, they have far outpaced data collection. Put another way, a model is like a state-of-the-art kitchen, but the cupboards are bare.
"We can now build videogame-like environments with computers where we can create multiple versions of Earth and ask what the implications under different scenarios are," Zollner said. "But our ability to learn from these tools is constrained
by the kinds of data we have."
The group advanced several proposals on how to improve models, collect missing data and leverage available data to make broader predictions.
They identified six biological mechanisms that influence wildlife's responses to climate change: physiology; demography and life history; evolutionary potential and adaptation; interactions between species; movement over land or water; and
responses to changes in the environment. They ranked the information needed to account for these mechanisms in models and suggested proxies for data that are missing or hard to collect.
A globally coordinated effort to fill data gaps could greatly advance improvements in models and informed conservation approaches, the researchers wrote. They point to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and its consistent
improvements in climate change modeling as a valuable blueprint for such a project.
But local and regional conservation groups need not wait for a global body to coalesce to start using a mechanistic approach in their own region, Zollner said "If the ideas put forth in this paper start to be adopted and integrated into climate
change work in a grass roots way, that could make a big difference in a region and could scale up over time," he said.
Citizen scientists also have an important role to play in pitching in with data collection, he said.
Working with citizen scientists offers "an opportunity to get huge amounts of data, and it's foolish not to take advantage of it," Zollner said. "The data might not be as rigorous and needs to be treated differently, but it's one more source of
valuable information.
The authors of the two passages in the attached reading are most likely to agree with all statements except ____?
A. It will be impossible to save all species of plants and animals from the effects of climate change, but the more research that can be done to save as many as possible, the better.
B. Scientists have a responsibility to gather as much data from as many reliable sources as possible to try to anticipate the effects of climate change on animals and plants and plan accordingly.
C. Even with increased research and more data, there is likely nothing that can be done to help curb the effects of climate change on the diverse ecosystems around the world.
D. Increased data collection will help fill in the gaps of understanding and allow scientists to more accurately predict the impact of climate change so that resources can be allocated in the most effective way possible.
Read the text attached.
Passage 1
Critical information needed in fight to save wildlife
With global temperatures rising, an international group of 22 top biologists is calling for a coordinated effort to gather important species information that is urgently needed to improve predictions for the impact of climate change on future biodiversity. Current predictions fail to account for important biological factors like species competition and movement that can have a profound influence on whether a plant or animal survives changes to its environment, the scientists say in the September 9 issue of the journal Science. While more sophisticated forecasting models exist, much of the detailed species information that is needed to improve predictions is lacking.
"Right now, we're treating a mouse the same way as an elephant or a fish or a tree. Yet we know that those are all very different organisms and they are going to respond to their environment in different ways," says University of Connecticut Ecologist Mark Urban, the Science article's lead author. "We need to pull on our boots, grab our binoculars, and go back into the field to gather more detailed information if we are going to make realistic predictions."
The 22 top biologists affiliated with the article identify six key types of biological information, including life history, physiology, genetic variation, species interactions, and dispersal, that will significantly improve prediction outcomes for individual species. Obtaining that information will not only help the scientific community better identify the most at-risk populations and ecosystems, the scientists say, it will also allow for a more targeted distribution of resources as global temperatures continue to rise at a record rate.
Current climate change predictions for biodiversity draw on broad statistical correlations and can vary widely, making it difficult for policymakers and others to respond accordingly. Many of those predictions tend not to hold up over time if they fail to account for the full range of biological factors that can influence an organism's survival rate: species demographics, competition from other organisms, species mobility, and the capacity to adapt and evolve.
"We haven't been able to sufficiently determine what species composition future ecosystems will have, and how their functions and services for mankind will change," says co-author Dr. Karin Johst of the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research and the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research. "This is because current ecological models often do not include important biological processes and mechanisms: so far only 23 percent of the reviewed studies have taken into account biological mechanisms."
Generating more accurate predictions is essential for global conservation efforts. Many species are already moving to higher ground or toward the poles to seek cooler temperatures as global temperatures rise. But the capacity of different organisms to survive varies greatly. Some species of frog, for instance, can traverse their terrain for miles to remain in a habitable environment. Other species, such as some types of salamander, are less mobile and capable of moving only a few meters over generations.
"New Zealand's strong foundation in ecological research will help," explains study co-author Dr. William Godsoe, a Lincoln University lecturer and member of New Zealand's Bio-Protection Research Centre. "One of our hopes is to build on these strengths and highlight new opportunities to improve predictions by explicitly considering evolution, interactions among species, and dispersal." This will aid in the development of strategies to manage impacts on species and ecosystems before they become critical.
With more than 8.7 million species worldwide, gathering the necessary biological information to improve predictions is a daunting task. Even a sampling of key species would be beneficial, the authors say, as the more sophisticated models will allow scientists to extrapolate their predictions and apply them to multiple species with similar traits.
The researchers are calling for the launch of a global campaign to be spearheaded by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services or IPBES. The IPBES operates under the auspices of four United Nations entities and is dedicated to providing scientific information to policymakers worldwide. One thousand scientists from all over the world currently contribute to the work of IPBES on a voluntary basis. The scientists are also encouraging conservation strategies to support biodiversity such as maintaining dispersal corridors, and preserving existing natural habitats and genetic diversity.
"Our biggest challenge is pinpointing which species to concentrate on and which regions we need to allocate resources," says UConn Associate Professor Urban. In an earlier study in Science, Urban predicted that as many as one in six
species internationally could be wiped out by climate change. "We are at a triage stage at this point. We have limited resources and patients lined up at the door."
Passage 2
Forecasting climate change's effects on biodiversity hindered by lack of data
An international group of biologists is calling for data collection on a global scale to improve forecasts of how climate change affects animals and plants. Accurate model predictions can greatly aid efforts to protect biodiversity from
disturbances such as climate change and urban sprawl by helping scientists and decision-makers better understand, anticipate and respond to threats that imperil species and ecosystems.
In a paper published in Science on Thursday (Sept. 8), biologists cite a critical lack of data on key biological mechanisms ?such as how animals and plants spread during their lifetime and how they evolve in response to changes in the
environment - as the main obstacle to improving models' ability to forecast species' response to climate change.
"This paper is a call to arms," said Patrick Zollner, article co-author and Purdue associate professor of wildlife science. "The world is in dire circumstances. We're losing a lot of species, and we're largely unaware why. How do we need to
rethink the kind of data we're collecting so we can take advantage of modern modeling tools to understand the outcomes of climate change for ecological systems? This could help us forestall losing wildlife that we later deeply regret."
The group outlines two key problems that hinder the capability of current models to make realistic predictions about biological responses to climate change.
Most models are descriptive, based on statistical correlations and observations, and fail to capture the underlying processes that produce observed changes. For example, a descriptive model might show that lynx in the northern U.S. are
declining while bobcat populations in the same region are on the rise. Understanding what is driving this change requires a different sort of model, one that incorporates biological mechanisms. A mechanistic model that accounts for how
warming temperatures affect snow depth, for instance, could provide insights into why bobcats - better adapted to habitats with less snow - are gaining a competitive edge over lynx. But 77 percent of current models of climate change's
impacts on wildlife do not include biological mechanisms.
Another challenge is that as models have grown in sophistication, they have far outpaced data collection. Put another way, a model is like a state-of-the-art kitchen, but the cupboards are bare.
"We can now build videogame-like environments with computers where we can create multiple versions of Earth and ask what the implications under different scenarios are," Zollner said. "But our ability to learn from these tools is constrained
by the kinds of data we have."
The group advanced several proposals on how to improve models, collect missing data and leverage available data to make broader predictions.
They identified six biological mechanisms that influence wildlife's responses to climate change: physiology; demography and life history; evolutionary potential and adaptation; interactions between species; movement over land or water; and
responses to changes in the environment. They ranked the information needed to account for these mechanisms in models and suggested proxies for data that are missing or hard to collect.
A globally coordinated effort to fill data gaps could greatly advance improvements in models and informed conservation approaches, the researchers wrote. They point to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and its consistent
improvements in climate change modeling as a valuable blueprint for such a project.
But local and regional conservation groups need not wait for a global body to coalesce to start using a mechanistic approach in their own region, Zollner said "If the ideas put forth in this paper start to be adopted and integrated into climate
change work in a grass roots way, that could make a big difference in a region and could scale up over time," he said.
Citizen scientists also have an important role to play in pitching in with data collection, he said.
Working with citizen scientists offers "an opportunity to get huge amounts of data, and it's foolish not to take advantage of it," Zollner said. "The data might not be as rigorous and needs to be treated differently, but it's one more source of
valuable information.
The author's purpose in Passage 2 of the attached text is most likely to ____.
A. convince the reader to join the global effort to gather data about the effects of climate change on plant and animal species
B. scare the reader into being a more environmentally conscientious member of the planet, taking into consideration energy use and waste production
C. inform the reader about the need for more data to more accurately predict the effect of climate change on plant and animal species
D. persuade the reader that the current methods of modeling and predicting how plants and animals will respond to climate change are inadequate, and so funding for this kind of research needs to be increased
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