Directions: Read the given passage carefully and answer the questions as follows:
Passage
Measuring more than five feet tall and ten feet long, the Javan rhinoceros is often called the rarest large mammal on earth. None exist in zoos. Like the Indian rhino, the Javan has only one horn; African and Sumatran rhinos have two. While the Javan rhino habitat once extended across southern Asia, now there are fewer than one hundred of the animals in Indonesia and under a dozen in Vietnam. Very little is known about Javan rhinos because they lead secretive and solitary lives in remote jungles. Until recently, scientists debated whether females even have horns, and most scientific work has had to rely on DNA garnered from dung.
The near extinction of the Javan rhino is the direct result of human actions. For centuries, farmers, who favored the same habitat, viewed them as crop eating pests and shot them on sight. During the colonial period, hunters slaughtered thousands. Now, human efforts to save them may well prove futile. The Vietnamese herd is probably doomed, as too few remain to maintain the necessary genetic variation. Rhinos from Java cannot supplement the Vietnamese numbers because in the millions of years since Indonesia separated from the mainland, the two groups have evolved into separate sub-species. In Indonesia, the rhinos are protected on the Ujung Kulon peninsula, which is unsettled by humans, and still have sufficient genetic diversity to have a chance at survival.
Ironically, however, the lack of human disturbance allows mature forests to replace the shrubby vegetation the animals prefer. Thus, human benevolence may prove little better for these rhinos than past human maltreatment.
Question for Practice Test: Reading Comprehension - 1
Try yourself:The author’s attitude toward current human efforts to save the Javan rhino can best be described as
Explanation
The discussion of the mixed results and poor prognosis for the population in Vietnam justifies “problematic.” The last sentence of the passage, observing that benevolence has proved little better than maltreatment justifies “ironic.” Also, the author references the ironic quality of human protection of the Javan rhino in the 8th sentence in the 2nd paragraph, “Ironically, however, the lack of human disturbance allows mature forests to replace the shrubby vegetation the animals prefer.”
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Question for Practice Test: Reading Comprehension - 1
Try yourself:The purpose of the first paragraph is to
Explanation
The first paragraph provides the known facts about the Javan rhino and indicates that much remains unknown.
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Question for Practice Test: Reading Comprehension - 1
Try yourself:The author states that which of the following was most responsible for the near extinction of the Javan rhino?
Explanation
The beginning of the second paragraph clearly states that human actions, taken as a whole, have directly caused the near extinction of the Javan rhino.
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Question for Practice Test: Reading Comprehension - 1
Try yourself:Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?
Explanation
Javan rhinos are one of the most endangered animals on the planet: The passage explicitly states that the Javan rhinoceros is often called the rarest large mammal on earth and that there are fewer than one hundred of these animals in Indonesia and under a dozen in Vietnam. This information supports the inference that Javan rhinos are among the most endangered animals globally.
More is known about the genetics of the Javan rhino than is known about its mating patterns: The passage mentions that most scientific work on Javan rhinos has had to rely on DNA garnered from dung and that until recently, scientists debated whether females even have horns. This suggests that while there has been some genetic study, the specific details about their mating patterns are not mentioned, implying that genetics might be a slightly better-understood aspect than their reproductive behaviors.
Hunters killed more Javan rhinos in Vietnam than in Indonesia: The passage does not provide specific numbers on how many Javan rhinos were killed by hunters in Vietnam compared to Indonesia. Therefore, this cannot be inferred directly from the provided information.
Most animal extinctions are the result of human actions: While the passage does discuss the near extinction of the Javan rhino as a direct result of human actions, it does not generalize this statement to apply to most animal extinctions. Therefore, this inference is broader than what the passage supports.
Genetic diversity is the most important factor for the survival of a species: The passage mentions that the Vietnamese herd of Javan rhinos is probably doomed due to insufficient genetic variation and that in Indonesia, rhinos still have sufficient genetic diversity to have a chance at survival. This implies the importance of genetic diversity for survival but does not explicitly state it as the most important factor overall for the survival of all species.
Based on the analysis, the most directly supported inference from the passage is: Javan rhinos are one of the most endangered animals on the planet.This inference is most directly supported by the passage's details regarding the rarity and endangerment status of the Javan rhino.
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Question for Practice Test: Reading Comprehension - 1
Try yourself:The author mentions that the Javan rhino has only one horn in order to do which of the following?
Explanation
The author mentions the Javan rhino’s single horn in conjunction with a general description of the Javan rhino. The passage then goes on to discuss its habitat and the scientific knowledge to date. Thus, the author included this detail to add depth to his or her description.
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Question for Practice Test: Reading Comprehension - 1
Try yourself:According to the passage, which of the following best explains why the number of Javan rhinos in Vietnam cannot be increased by additions from those in the Ujung Kulon peninsula?
Explanation
This choice rephrases the information in the second paragraph which states that the Indonesian Javan rhinos have evolved into a separate subspecies.
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