The Last Wilderness Preserve

How does the author of “A New Land of Opportunity” introduce the claim that people love the adventure and beauty of Antarctica?

• He states that tourism is becoming popular in Antarctica.

• He estimates that few residents regularly live in Antarctica.

• He notes that international scientists are studying Antarctica.

• He argues that technology may help in colonizing Antarctica.

Which claim does the author support with the most relevant facts throughout “A New Land of Opportunity”?

• Antarctica’s rich store of natural resources offers a solution to the current competition among countries for limited supplies.

• Both tourists and scientists will have less reason to visit Antarctica as more of its ice continues to melt.

• People should take the opportunity to make more use of Antarctica while it still exists in its current state.

• Many countries should take advantage of the abundant sea life off the coast of Antarctica as a source of food.

In paragraph 1 of “The Last Wilderness Preserve,” what does the word exploited mean?

• visited many times

• used selfishly

• carefully explored

• moved into

Read this sentence from paragraph 1 of “The Last Wilderness Preserve.”

“Antarctica remains one of the few places on Earth that has not been significantly changed by people.”

Which quote provides evidence to support this claim?

• “People have explored—and in many cases exploited—almost every square foot of this planet.”

• “Some scientific pursuits may invite greed, exploitation, and even conflict to 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.”

• “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.”

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 selection supports this statement?

• “Any human action that would harm Antarctica is a crime against nature and a threat to our future.”

• “Scientists have claimed that Antarctica is useful for studies in many fields, such as astronomy and archaeology.”

• “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.”

• “There is nothing welcoming about Antarctica, and we may consider this nature’s way of keeping humans at a safe distance.”

The author of “The Last Wilderness Preserve” claims that finding major mineral or oil deposits in Antarctica would cause conflicts between nations. Which sentence from the selection supports this statement?

• “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.”

• “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.”

Which claim from “A New Land of Opportunity” does “The Last Wilderness Preserve” contradict?

• Antarctica is home to relatively few permanent residents.

• Antarctica has abundant wilderness and a cold climate.

• Antarctica has large amounts of useful minerals.

• Antarctica is protected in some ways by treaty agreements.

Which information have the authors of “A New Land of Opportunity” and “The Last Wilderness Preserve” interpreted differently?

• the effects of climate change

• the details of the Antarctic Treaty

• the difficulty of living in Antarctica

• the importance of scientific research

How does the author of “The Last Wilderness Preserve” support her claim that humans are not meant to visit Antarctica?

• She describes the harsh conditions on the continent and its isolation.

• She gives examples of the roads, litter, and pollution ruining the continent.

• She gives examples of the types of scientists who like to visit the continent.

• She describes the treaty that twelve nations signed about the continent.

On which point do the authors of “The Last Wilderness Preserve” and “A New Land of Opportunity” both agree?

• The Antarctic Treaty invites the exploitation of Antarctica.

• Antarctica is an important hub for scientific research.

• People should leave Antarctica to let the land heal.

• Climate change is melting much of Antarctica’s ice.