Question

read the text. the arctic and the antarctic are both wild and icy expanses at the earth’s poles. but in many respects, they’re polar opposites! the arctic region, surrounding the north pole, is primarily sea. the northern reaches of north america, asia, and europe enclose the icy arctic sea. the floating arctic ice generally grows to a thickness of six to nine feet. at the other pole, antarctica is a high, dry continent, covered with snowy ice and surrounded by ocean. ice forms on the edges of antarctica, then drifts away to sea. antarctica’s sea ice usually measures about three to six feet thick. the regions’ animals are different as well. polar bears, for example, live in the arctic, while penguins live in and around antarctica. which organizational structure does this text primarily use? cause - effect compare - contrast problem - solution

Explanation:

The text opens by noting the Arctic and Antarctic are icy polar regions, then immediately highlights their differences: the Arctic is a sea surrounded by continents while Antarctica is a continent surrounded by ocean, with variations in ice thickness and native animals (polar bears vs. penguins). This structure focuses on comparing and contrasting the two regions.

Answer:

compare-contrast