The rapid deforestation of the Amazon rainforest has led to a significant ______ in biodiversity, as countless species lose their habitats and face extinction. This ecological crisis, in turn, ______ global climate patterns, exacerbating the challenges of environmental conservation worldwide. Select the two words that, when used to complete the sentence, fit the meaning of the sentence as a whole and produce completed sentences that are alike in meaning.
- Adecline ... disrupts
- Bpreservation ... enhances
- Csurge ... mitigates
- Dincrease ... stabilizes
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. decline ... disrupts
The first blank describes the effect of deforestation on biodiversity, where 'countless species lose their habitats and face extinction.' This clearly indicates a negative impact, suggesting 'decline.' The second blank describes how this ecological crisis affects 'global climate patterns,' and given the negative context 'exacerbating the challenges,' a negative word like 'disrupts' is appropriate. Therefore, 'decline' and 'disrupts' fit both blanks and maintain the negative cause-and-effect relationship.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. 'Preservation' and 'enhances' are positive and contradict the ecological crisis described.
- C. 'Surge' implies an increase, and 'mitigates' means to make less severe, both of which are inconsistent with the negative impacts discussed.
- D. 'Increase' and 'stabilizes' are both positive and contradict the negative context.
Cause and Effect in Text Completion
Identifying the causal relationships between events or ideas within a sentence to choose words that logically connect the cause to its stated effect.
- Look for signal words like 'led to,' 'resulted in,' 'because,' 'consequently.'
- Ensure the chosen words align with the positive or negative nature of the cause and its effect.
- Often involves understanding how an action (cause) produces a specific outcome (effect).
Memory trick: The cause sets the stage, the effect turns the page, pick words that match their rage (or calm).