Passage Discussion

[WaltGrace1983]

This passage doesn't seem to be too difficult. It is basically a thesis about the future backed up by the context, history, and reasoning.

Paragraph 1: A phenomenon, reduction is biodiversity, is explained and its general consequences are loosely predicted.


- Thesis: "The ultimate consequences of this biological collision are beyond calculation, but they are certain to be harmful" (8)


Paragraph 2: How did we get here? A brief history of the evolving biodiversity

Paragraph 3: What has this lead to? How are we impacting biodiversity now?

- Deforestation, hunting, manipulation of natural resources (Nile perch) = devastating affect on diversity


Paragraph 4: The consequences: unpredictable but will be "increasingly regretted"

- We shouldn't be focusing on material and cultural wealth only! We need to worry about biological wealth too!

Basically, this is all just a run-through of the thesis. A thesis is stated, an explanation of how we got here is given, emphasis on what our current situation is delineated, and an analysis of the future is granted

[mkd000]

Could someone please contribute a posting with the scale? Thanks!

[christine.defenbaugh]

Could someone please contribute a posting with the scale? Thanks!

Thanks for posting, mkd000!

I'm afraid you've come across the rare, scale-less passage in it's common native habitat: super early PrepTests.

Remember that scale is just a tool - not a strict requirement! The majority of passages contain a tension between two significant ideas - that's one of the things that tends to make good writing interesting! The "scale" is just a way of quickly capturing and expressing that tension.

Here, though, we have a relatively rare instance where the passage is only exploring one idea: the current biodiversity crisis. We get a definition of that, the history, and the potential consequences.

So, what should you do when faced with the rare scale-less passage? Remember that the scale is only one of your two major tools! The other, super important, tool is your passage map. This tool will always be useful, regardless of whether there is a scale or not. You can (and should!) make a mental passage map for every passage that you do. WaltGrace1983's is rock solid!

You should be able to knock the questions out with a firm grip on the passage map, and a clear view of the author's main point!

Please let me know if this helps clear up a few things!