although separated by an ocean, the fossils proved to be remains of identical plant and animal species. these findings prompted wegener to examine maps, pondering the way the western coastline of africa seemed to correspond to the eastern coastline of south america as if they once had fit together. as wegener studied the shapes of the other continents and encountered additional cases of identical species divided by oceans, he developed a pioneering idea. he fearlessly suggested that all of the continents had been united in one supercontinent 300 million years ago. wegener gave the name pangaea (meaning \all lands\) to this ancient supercontinent. he believed that the gigantic landmass had broken into pieces that slowly moved apart, forming the continents.

2 wegeners continental drift theory was revolutionary. however, his idea was greeted with hostility and ridicule by most researchers. geologists viewed wegener as an outsider intruding on their academic territory. more importantly, the closed-minded scientists were already wedded to a rival explanation for the similarities in species on continents separated by oceans. scholars at the time explained such similarities by arguing that land bridges had once linked distant continents. resistant researchers also pointed out that wegener did not have a full explanation for how the continents had moved. did they simply plow through the oceanic crust?

3 wegeners idea did not gain wide acceptance until the 1950s. when scientists analyzed the magnetic minerals in ancient rocks, they found powerful evidence for the continental drift theory. these minerals act like compasses matching up to the earths magnetic field lines. since their north-south direction was frozen into place when the molten rock solidified, researchers could tell where they had originally been located and how the continents had moved over time. for example, samples taken from india revealed that the land had previously been in the southern hemisphere, as wegeners theory had predicted. in the 1960s, the further discovery of seafloor spreading helped to explain the process of continental drift. the seafloor itself moves and carried continents with it. it took almost half a century for alfred wegeners bold proposal to be recognized as a major contribution to scientific understanding.

read the sentences below from paragraph 3. choose one underlined phrase that best illustrates the authors opinion about wegeners theory.

for example, samples taken from india revealed that the land had previously been in the southern hemisphere, as wegeners theory had predicted. in the 1960s, the further discovery of seafloor spreading helped to explain the process of continental drift. the seafloor itself moves and carried continents with it. it took almost half a century for alfred wegeners bold proposal to be recognized as a major contribution to scientific understanding.

Question

although separated by an ocean, the fossils proved to be remains of identical plant and animal species. these findings prompted wegener to examine maps, pondering the way the western coastline of africa seemed to correspond to the eastern coastline of south america as if they once had fit together. as wegener studied the shapes of the other continents and encountered additional cases of identical species divided by oceans, he developed a pioneering idea. he fearlessly suggested that all of the continents had been united in one supercontinent 300 million years ago. wegener gave the name pangaea (meaning \all lands\) to this ancient supercontinent. he believed that the gigantic landmass had broken into pieces that slowly moved apart, forming the continents.

2  wegeners continental drift theory was revolutionary. however, his idea was greeted with hostility and ridicule by most researchers. geologists viewed wegener as an outsider intruding on their academic territory. more importantly, the closed-minded scientists were already wedded to a rival explanation for the similarities in species on continents separated by oceans. scholars at the time explained such similarities by arguing that land bridges had once linked distant continents. resistant researchers also pointed out that wegener did not have a full explanation for how the continents had moved. did they simply plow through the oceanic crust?

3  wegeners idea did not gain wide acceptance until the 1950s. when scientists analyzed the magnetic minerals in ancient rocks, they found powerful evidence for the continental drift theory. these minerals act like compasses matching up to the earths magnetic field lines. since their north-south direction was frozen into place when the molten rock solidified, researchers could tell where they had originally been located and how the continents had moved over time. for example, samples taken from india revealed that the land had previously been in the southern hemisphere, as wegeners theory had predicted. in the 1960s, the further discovery of seafloor spreading helped to explain the process of continental drift. the seafloor itself moves and carried continents with it. it took almost half a century for alfred wegeners bold proposal to be recognized as a major contribution to scientific understanding.

read the sentences below from paragraph 3. choose one underlined phrase that best illustrates the authors opinion about wegeners theory.

for example, samples taken from india revealed that the land had previously been in the southern hemisphere, as wegeners theory had predicted. in the 1960s, the further discovery of seafloor spreading helped to explain the process of continental drift. the seafloor itself moves and carried continents with it. it took almost half a century for alfred wegeners bold proposal to be recognized as a major contribution to scientific understanding.

Accepted Answer

# Brief Explanations:
The question asks for the underlined phrase that best illustrates the author's opinion about Wegener's theory. The phrase "a major contribution to scientific understanding" directly states the author's positive evaluation of the theory's significance, while the other phrases focus on evidence or the timeline of acceptance rather than the author's opinion of the theory's value.
# Answer:
a major contribution to scientific understanding

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