Question

read the excerpt from the environmental ethic.
it is fashionable in some quarters to wave aside the small and obscure, the bugs and weeds, forgetting that an obscure moth from latin america saved australias pastureland from overgrowth by cactus, that the rosy periwinkle provided the cure for hodgkins disease and childhood lymphocytic leukemia, that the bark of the pacific yew offers hope for victims of ovarian and breast cancer, that a chemical from the saliva of leeches dissolves blood clots during surgery, and so on down a roster already grown long and illustrious despite the limited research addressed to it.
which of the following claims is best supported by the evidence in this excerpt?
○ all species are worth protecting because even the small organisms contribute important functions in the environment.
○ every effort should be made to protect each bug and weed species regardless of its potential to cause destruction.
○ all of the species that are now extinct or are becoming extinct could have cured a disease.
○ only the species that can be used for medical purposes are worth protecting from extinction.

Explanation:

The excerpt gives examples of small, obscure organisms (moths, periwinkles, yews, leeches) that provide critical environmental or medical benefits. It argues against dismissing these species, showing their valuable contributions.

• The second option is incorrect because it ignores the caveat of potential destruction, which the excerpt does not address.
• The third option is incorrect because the excerpt does not discuss extinct species or claim all extinct ones could cure disease.
• The fourth option is incorrect because the excerpt includes an environmental benefit (moth controlling cactus) not just medical uses, so it does not limit protection to medically useful species.
• The first option aligns with the excerpt's examples of small organisms having important environmental/medical functions, supporting that all species are worth protecting for these contributions.

Answer:

A. All species are worth protecting because even the small organisms contribute important functions in the environment.