Question

hurricane helene and the virginia eastern hellbender
eastern hellbenders are large, slimy salamanders that live in clean, fast - moving rivers and streams. their role in their environment is helping to keep river water clean by eating crayfish, fish, and insects.
when hurricane helene hit, it caused heavy rain and flooding, which made the rivers rise and become muddy. this has caused the hellbenders population to decrease because they need clear water to survive. the flooding also made it harder for scientists to find and study the hellbenders. however, scientists are still working to protect them by cleaning rivers and studying how they live.

1. identify three ways hurricane helene had a negative impact, according to the passage

□ it caused flooding.
□ it caused rivers to become muddy.
□ it caused a drought.
□ the hellbender population increased.
□ the hellbender population decreased.

1. according to the passage, describe the hellbenders niche.

Explanation:

1. (Multiple Choice)

Step1: Match options to text

Check each option against the passage content:

• "It caused flooding": Stated in "When Hurricane Helene hit, it caused heavy rain and flooding"
• "It caused rivers to become muddy": Stated in "which made the rivers rise and become muddy"
• "The Hellbender population decreased": Stated in "This has caused the Hellbenders' population to decrease"

Extract the niche description directly from the provided text, which defines the hellbender's environmental role.

Answer:

It caused flooding
It caused rivers to become muddy
The Hellbender population decreased

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2. (Short Answer)