Question

inferences and generalizations considered dormant. a dormant volcano is one that has not erupted in recent history and is unlikely to erupt in the near future. one exception is mount st. helen’s, a volcano located in the state of washington. like many volcanoes, mount st. helen’s is located above layers of the earth that are pushing together. these layers, called tectonic plates, are responsible for volcanic activity as well as earthquakes. in the spring of 1980, the residents of southwestern washington were prepared for a volcanic eruption. several recent earthquakes had occurred. also, many people had noticed steam rising from the top of mount st. helen’s. scientists and local authorities advised the residents to leave the area. sure enough, on the morning of may 18, 1980, there was a powerful explosion of lava and rock. a column of volcanic ash rose high into the air. the plume of smoke could be seen from hundreds of miles away. in fact, ash traveled so far that it was deposited in 11 u.s. states! two years later, the land surrounding mount st. helens was turned into a monument. the monument allows future generations to learn more about volcanoes and their effects on the 8 which detail from the selection shows that the eruption of mount st. helen’s had a huge impact? a. ash was deposited throughout 11 u.s. states. b. steam was seen rising from the mountain top. c. many residents were prepared for the eruption. d. mount st. helen’s is located above tectonic plates.

Explanation:

To determine which detail shows the huge impact of Mount St. Helens' eruption, we analyze each option:

• Option A: The text states "ash traveled so far that it was deposited in 11 U.S. states". Depositing ash across 11 states indicates a widespread and significant impact, as it affected a large geographic area.
• Option B: Steam rising is a precursor, not direct evidence of the eruption’s impact.
• Option C: Residents being prepared relates to response, not the eruption’s impact.
• Option D: Location above tectonic plates explains why it erupted, not the impact of the eruption.

Answer:

A. Ash was deposited throughout 11 U.S. states.