Making Inferences - Grade 9 Fiction
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"I believe one of the most beloved sounds of summer is the subtle buzz of honeybees as they circle flowers searching for sweet nectar," Aunt Caroline said as she and Jonathan strolled through her backyard apple orchard.
"Unfortunately, this seasonal serenade may be nothing but a legend for future generations, because honeybees are simply disappearing." She sighed deeply; Jonathan felt like he should respond, but had a limited knowledge of this apparent ecological threat.
"Experts across the world are puzzled by 'colony collapse disorder'," she explained. "Beekeepers in several states have lost as much as three-quarters of their bee populations as bees just fly away and never return."
"Will the disappearance of these bees really impact people though?" Jonathan asked hesitantly.
"Absolutely!" Aunt Caroline replied emphatically. "Honeybees pollinate places such as this apple orchard, as well as vegetable crops, and if they are not there to spread the pollen, crops won't be able to grow, resulting in increasingly scarce - and expensive - produce in the grocery stores."
"Unfortunately, this seasonal serenade may be nothing but a legend for future generations, because honeybees are simply disappearing." She sighed deeply; Jonathan felt like he should respond, but had a limited knowledge of this apparent ecological threat.
"Experts across the world are puzzled by 'colony collapse disorder'," she explained. "Beekeepers in several states have lost as much as three-quarters of their bee populations as bees just fly away and never return."
"Will the disappearance of these bees really impact people though?" Jonathan asked hesitantly.
"Absolutely!" Aunt Caroline replied emphatically. "Honeybees pollinate places such as this apple orchard, as well as vegetable crops, and if they are not there to spread the pollen, crops won't be able to grow, resulting in increasingly scarce - and expensive - produce in the grocery stores."
A.
Why does Aunt Caroline most likely respond so emphatically to Jonathan's question?
- She is worried that he does not understand what she is saying about the bees.
- She wants to make sure he comprehends the implications of the loss of bees.
- She is angry with him, and others who are not helping solve the bees' mystery.
- She hopes her passion about the bees will result in some kind of solution.
B.
Read this sentence from the passage.
She sighed deeply; Jonathan felt like he should respond, but had a limited knowledge of this apparent ecological threat
Why does the author of this passage most likely use the word "apparent" in this sentence?
She sighed deeply; Jonathan felt like he should respond, but had a limited knowledge of this apparent ecological threat
Why does the author of this passage most likely use the word "apparent" in this sentence?
- To emphasize the seriousness of the threat to the planet
- To point out the obviousness of the threat to the natural world
- To explain how devastating the threat is to the story's characters
- To suggest it is an alleged threat at this point, rather than a proven one
C.
Based on the passage, what word most likely represents Aunt Caroline's attitude towards honeybees?
- Confidence
- Ambivalence
- Indifference
- Reverence