Galapagos: The Enchanted Islands

1. 1. According the selection, why have the Galapagos Islands been described as "a living laboratory of evolution"?

• A. because their unique diversity inspired Darwin's theories of how plants and animals have developed over time

• B. because they are the only place on Earth that has marine iguanas

• C. because the range of diversity cannot be duplicated anywhere else

• D. because many scientists travel there to study volcanic action

2. 2. What is the effect of the metaphor in the sentence below from paragraph 15?

3. "To grow its economy, the government of Ecuador needs to continue to attract tourists to its crown jewel, the Galapagos."

• A. It tells where one can find precious jewels on the Galapagos Islands.

• B. It explains where tourists go to view the precious jewels in the Galapagos.

• C. It compares the Galapagos to a very valuable piece of jewelry.

• D. It emphasizes that the Ecuadorian government values precious jewels.

3. 3. In this sentence from paragraph 4, which word could replace endemic?

4. "In addition to hundreds of unique plant and insect species, a great variety of endemic vertebrates can be found in the region."

• A. nonnative

• B. native

• C. extinct

• D. academic

4. 4. How does the author structure the text?

• A. overall history of the area, descriptions of migratory birds, effects of colonization, summary, and recommendation

• B. general overview, major environmental events, details about tourism on the islands, comparison of animals found on the isalnd

• C. chronological history of the area, the problems of increasing population, conservation solution, lists of reptiles and birds

• D. general overview, descriptions of animals, the effects of increased population, summary, and recommendation

5. 5. What is the significance of the selection's structure?

• A. It highlights the types of plants and animal life that exist in the Galapagos.

• B. It clarifies why people should consider the Galapagos as a tourist destination.

• C. It provides the reader with an inside look at what it is like to live in an island community.

• D. It explains the history of the island and the causes of many of its challenges.

6. 6. How does the author connect ideas in the selection?

• A. by describing the discovery and life of Lonesome George

• B. by comparing the population prior to the 1970s to the population of the 2000s

• C. by explaining the effects of an increased human population on the ecology of the islands

• D. by giving descriptive details about the animals that live on the islands

7. 7. Which group of words from the selection conveys the author's attitude about her topic?

• A. volcanic, endemic, vested, economic

• B. rewarding, unique, rich, fragile

• C. notable, individual, nonnative, dwindling

• D. contamination, depletion, destruction, pollution

8. 8. How does the author achieve her purpose?

• A. by using descriptive language to explain difficult ideas

• B. by using headings to organize the information

• C. by using anecdotes from people who have visited the islands

• D. by using facts to support her ideas