READ BOTH "A NEW WORLD OF OPPORTUNITY" AND "THE LAST WILDERNESS PRESERVE" TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW.
"A New Land of Opportunity"
by Michael Serillo
1 Antarctica is a continent of untamed wilderness, wonderful beauty, and fantastic mystery. It is a land of extremes and may hold the answers to some of our most enduring questions about our world. However, relatively few people have ventured to explore Antarctica. While Antarctica still exists in its present state, people must take the opportunity to explore and learn about this mysterious land.
2 Like all continents, Antarctica has a wide variety of resources. Although most of the continent is covered in sheets of ice, the ground below below the ice contains large amounts of useful minerals such as coal, iron and copper, and precious metal such as such as gold and platinum. Who knows what other materials are yet to be discovered?
3 In addition, the seas around the continent teem with useful and valuable ocean life, including fish, crab, whales, and seals. Our planet has a limited supply of natural resources, so humans need to take advantage of all possible sources.
4 Perhaps the greatest resource f all in Antarctica is the scientific knowledge it offers. The Antarctic Treaty of 1959, an agreement signed by twelve nations, designated Antarctica to study its fascinating secrets.
5 Astronomers have used the clear, icy land as a platform for studying the stars and collecting meteorites. There is also a wealth of archeological material under the ice, evidence of an era when Antarctica was not as frigid. Fossils and dinosaur bones are among the exciting finds. In addition, scientists based in Antarctica have used the land's unique features to study gravity, changes in the oceans, and earthquakes--all forms of knowledge that can benefit people worldwide.
6 Scientists may also study Antarctica for clues about climate change. Recent discoveries have shown that global warming has led to the melting of much of the continent's ice. Someday, the amazing frozen land may have little ice remaining. People should travel to Antarctica now to enjoy its unique qualities while that still exist. Perhaps in doing so, people may even discover new ways to protect the ice from future damage.
7 Although not many people actually live on the continent, in recent years tens of thousands of tourists have been setting sail for its frozen shores. Clearly, people love the adventure and beauty of Antarctica. Someday, advances in technology may give people clearance to colonize Antarctica and finally take full advantage of this most fascinating land.
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"The Last Wilderness Preserve"
by Kendra Washington
1 People have explored--and in many cases exploited--almost every square foot of this planet. Today it is difficult to find any place without roads, shopping malls, litter, and pollution. Thankfully, some wise leaders have set aside an entire continent, Antarctica, to be preserved in its natural splendor. Antarctica remains one of the few places on Earth that has not been significantly changed by people. Any human action that would harm Antarctica is a crime nature and a threat to our future.
2 In 1959, leaders from twelve nations signed the Antarctica Treaty, which forbids extensive human activity in Antarctica. While this provided an important measure of protection, the delegates opened the continent to scientific purposes. But even small teams of scientists can bring harm to this otherwise untouched land. Some scientific pursuits may invite greed, exploitation, and even conflict to Antarctica.
3 Scientists have claimed that Antarctica is useful for studies in many fields, such as astronomy and archaeology. However, astronomers could build telescopes in almost any land. Archaeologists could discover dinosaur bones in places that are not covered with ice. Scientific explorations can be done more easily in other locations, and those in Antarctica threaten the natural state of the land.
4 One positive result of the Antarctic Treaty and later agreements has been a series of protections for the natural resources of Antarctica. According to the treaty, it is illegal to hunt or fish for many kinds of animals, mine for minerals, or drill for oil in Antarctica. These provisions keep the land safe, however temporarily, from humans' destructive greed.
5 Although these restrictions may be removed in the future, most nations have cooperated with them so far. This may be simply because few large mineral or oil deposits have ever been located in Antarctica. However, if any are ever discovered, nations will certainly be quick to begin fighting for them.
6 Antarctica is the coldest and windiest continent with the least drinkable water. Few plants can grow and farming is likely impossible. Additionally, Antarctica is surrounded by three oceans and far away from inhabited lands. There is nothing welcoming about Antarctica, and we may consider this nature's way of keeping humans at a safe distance.
7 Even though relatively few people have been to Antarctica, humans have still contributed to massive problems there. Global warming, a gradual heating of the planet thought to be caused by pollution, has melted much of Antarctica's ancient ice and may soon lead to greater harm. Humans should leave this injured land alone to heal without any further damage or indignities.
QUESTION: The author of "The Last Wilderness Preserve" believes that humans' main concern toward Antarctica should be to preserve it in its natural state. Which sentence from the passage best supports this statement?
