Question

text 1
a popular science writer credits yellowstones reintroduced wolves with reviving streamside willows. by pushing elk away from open riverbanks, the argument goes, wolves reduced browsing pressure; within a decade, taller shrubs stabilized soil and shaded creeks. the writer calls this cascade clear evidence that top predators can rapidly repair damaged ecosystems and urges other parks to follow yellowstones model.

text 2
ecologist priya natarajan notes that willow recovery was uneven: many valleys with wolves showed little change. she adds that wetter years and a surge in beaver dams, which raise water tables, coincided with the strongest regrowth. wolves may play a role, she says, but treating them as the main driver risks overlooking hydrology and climate.

7
mark for review
based on the texts, how would the author of text 2 most likely respond to the writers argument in text 1?
a she would endorse it, since the uneven recovery and the role of hydrology confirm that wolves were the decisive factor in willow regrowth.

b she would argue that wolves cannot plausibly affect willows at all, since elk browsing does not meaningfully influence willow growth.

c she would say the conclusion overstates wolves role because even with wolves present, recovery was inconsistent across valleys.

d she would agree that wolves drove the willow rebound but contend that the changes described would require many centuries rather than about a decade.

Explanation:

• Option A: Text 2 says recovery was uneven and hydrology/climate matter, so she wouldn't endorse wolves as decisive. Eliminate A.
• Option B: Text 2 says wolves "may play a role", so she doesn't think wolves have no effect. Eliminate B.
• Option C: Text 2 notes uneven recovery (many valleys with wolves had little change) and that hydrology/climate are factors, so she'd say Text 1 overstates wolves' role. This matches.
• Option D: Text 2 doesn't discuss time frame for changes, so D is irrelevant. Eliminate D.

Answer:

C. She would say the conclusion overstates wolves' role because even with wolves present, recovery was inconsistent across valleys.