Question

4.3.3 test (cst): wrap-up: the influence of science and technology
read this passage from \the city without us\ by alan weisman:

within two centuries, estimates brooklyn botanical garden
vice president steven clemants, colonizing trees will have
substantially replaced pioneer weeds. gutters buried under
tons of leaf litter provide new, fertile ground for native oaks
and maples from city parks. arriving black locust and
autumn olive shrubs fix nitrogen, allowing sunflowers,
bluestem, and white snakeroot to move in along with apple
trees, their seeds expelled by proliferating birds.

which statement best explains how the structure of the passage supports the
author’s purpose?

a. the passage traces the chronology of the biological succession of
plants to highlight how an urban area will return to its natural
state.

b. the passage shows the effect of natural forces such as seed
dispersal to highlight how plants become established in different
areas.

c. the passage traces the chronology of the biological succession of
plants to predict that the city will become an oasis fit for human
habitation.

d. the passage lists the varieties of plant life to show the biodiversity
of the city because of human intervention.

Explanation:

• Analyze Option A: The passage describes the sequence of plant succession (weeds replaced by trees, then other plants) over two centuries in an urban area (Brooklyn), showing how it returns to a natural state. This matches the author's purpose in "The City Without Us" (exploring nature reclaiming cities).
• Analyze Option B: The passage focuses on succession over time, not just seed dispersal's effect on plant establishment. Seed dispersal (by birds) is a detail, not the main structure.
• Analyze Option C: The passage does not predict the city becomes fit for human habitation; it shows nature reclaiming it without humans.
• Analyze Option D: The passage is about natural succession without human intervention, not biodiversity due to human intervention.

Answer:

A. The passage traces the chronology of the biological succession of plants to highlight how an urban area will return to its natural state.