Question

causes of drought
1 several factors contribute to drought:
2 low precipitation sometimes a region gets less precipitation (rain and snow) than normal. when this \dry spell\ continues for months or years, a drought results. local rivers and streams begin to dry up. they carry less water than usual to areas downstream. so those areas are affected by drought too.
3 changes in climate over the past 100 years, earth’s temperatures have risen. scientists think such changes in climate contribute to weather patterns that cause drought. for example, warmer temperatures mean the ratio of rain to snow increases. rainwater evaporates more quickly than snow. less snow means rivers and streams don’t get as full.
4 water quality about two - thirds of earth’s surface is covered with water. but most of it is salt water in oceans and seas. for drinking and growing crops, we need freshwater. freshwater sources—such as rivers and streams—make up only 3 percent of earth’s water supply. sometimes freshwater becomes contaminated—polluted—with garbage, raw sewage, or harmful chemicals from nearby manufacturing plants. then, the water becomes unsafe to consume.
5 high demand we use freshwater for everything from farming and manufacturing to washing our bodies, dishes, clothes, and cars. all that water adds up. even areas with normal amounts of precipitation can experience a water shortage when people use too much.
close reading
key idea
what is this section of the text about?
this section of the text is about
language to discuss
what is this section primarily about?
this section is primarily about
identify central idea and details
list four factors that contribute to drought. use details from the text in your answer. then write a sentence that states the central idea of this section.
the four factors that contribute to drought are
the main idea of this section is
stretch
how do humans contribute to drought?
cite text evidence in your answer.
humans contribute to drought by

Explanation:

The text lists several factors contributing to drought. Low precipitation causes a lack of water in rivers and streams. Climate - change affects weather patterns and water sources. Water - quality issues can make freshwater unusable. High demand for freshwater can lead to shortages even in areas with normal precipitation. For the human - contribution part, pollution from garbage, sewage, and chemicals as well as over - usage are mentioned.

Answer:

• The four factors that contribute to drought are low precipitation, changes in climate, water quality issues, and high demand for freshwater.
• The main idea of this section is that several factors including natural and human - related ones contribute to drought.
• Humans contribute to drought by polluting freshwater sources with garbage, raw sewage, and harmful chemicals from manufacturing plants and by using too much freshwater for various activities.