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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. What is the mouse called that would make it so only male mice survived?

2. Who is Paul Thomas?

3. How long would it take to turn carbon dioxide to stone?

4. How many species of birds has the Pacific rat killed off?

5. What invention launched the Industrial Revolution?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is usually use to kill rodents? What are the problems associated with this?

2. What are negative emissions? Why might they be important?

3. What are three major issues with the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere?

4. What is the explanation that Tizzard gives for why genetic modifications are a good option for dealing with imbalances in nature?

5. How do cane toads become a problem in Australia?

6. What is a suppression drive?

7. How are rodents a biological marker of the Anthropocene age?

8. What are the pros and cons of a powerful gene drive?

9. What is an outlaw gene? Why is it important to this book?

10. What makes cane toads so destructive?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Kolbert frequently mentions the price tag for human intervention. Why might she do this? How does this affect the reader? What does it also mean for the work done by specialists to save ecosystems? How might these high prices impact decisions made regarding the environment?

Essay Topic 2

Scientists have come up with wild and crazy ideas for dealing with climate change. What are a couple examples? Are these valid options? Why or why not? Are even the craziest ideas important? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Under a White Sky was in the process of being finished and published during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. How does Kolbert relate the pandemic to her book? What connections does she make between climate change and a pandemic? How has the world changed because of the pandemic? How does this help you relate to the changes scientists in this book predict about our world?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 878 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample