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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How deep is Devil’s Hole at its deepest?

2. How much of the Caribbean coral disappeared in the 1980s?

3. Kolbert moves onto a visit to the Old River Control Auxiliary Structure located how many miles upriver of Baton Rouge?

4. To what does Kolbert compare being hit by a jumping carp?

5. To what island does Kolbert compare desert ecosystems?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is amazing about coral reefs?

2. What is William Lewis Manly's role in the discovery of Devils Hole?

3. How is Kolbert inspired by Gates?

4. What has happened to Isle de Jean Charles?

5. Why was the Old River Control Auxiliary Structure created?

6. Why were Asian carp brought over to the U.S.?

7. In what ways are those in the Chicago area trying to manage the carp problem?

8. What is the solution chosen for dealing with the Asian carp problem in and around Chicago?

9. How does Ruth Gates hope to aid the world's coral reefs?

10. What led to the introduction of non-native species to control pests?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Kolbert uses both present tense and past tense throughout under a white sky. When does she use present tense and why? When does she use past tense and why? Does this change in tenses help the reader? Why or why not? And what other ways to Colbert try to take challenging information and make it more interesting and understanding for the reader?

Essay Topic 2

Kolbert clearly is drawn to Ruth Gates and her work. How is Gates different than other scientists Kolbert encounters in this book? Why is Kolbert drawn to her and her work? What does this reveal about Kolbert?

Essay Topic 3

Through the study of ice cores, it is learned that D-O events have taken place over the course of our planet's history. What are D-O events? When did they take place? How did they affect our world? How do they help scientists understand our future? How does reading about these events alter your understanding of the world we live in?

(see the answer keys)

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