Read the following passage carefully and answer the given questions. In…
2021
Read the following passage carefully and answer the given questions.
In Massachusetts, black bears have expanded from a small isolated population in the Berkshire Mountains to an estimated 4,500 bears across the state. Massachusetts is the third-most densely populated state in the nation, and human development is expanding, sometimes putting bears and people in close proximity to one another.
Why would black bears use populated areas? They are omnivorous opportunists with a good sense of smell, and can sniff out calorie-rich foods that often are found in developed areas, such as bird seed, pet food, garbage and even agricultural crops. These foods may be especially attractive to bears before and after hibernation, when the animals are living solely off stored body fat.
Before hibernation in the fall, bears enter a metabolic state called hyperphagia – literally, excessive eating – in which they consume 15,000 to 20,000 calories a day. That’s roughly equivalent to eight large cheese pizzas or five gallons of chocolate ice cream.
During hibernation bears can lose up to one-third of their body weight. And after they emerge from their dens in springtime, natural foods are typically scarce until plants start to leaf out and flower.
Black bears’ energy requirements during these phases can drive their behavior. After examining the data from 76 black bear GPS collars across central and western Massachusetts it was seen that black bear moved around more in daytime than at night, and avoided humans and developed areas during the day. However, we also found that in spring and fall, when the bears had increased caloric demands, they altered their natural daily rhythms to move through human-developed areas at night.
Q: What is the primary purpose of the passage?
- A.
To describe how black bears adapt to life near humans
- B.
To analyze the behavior of black bears during the night
- C.
To explain the eating habits of black bears
- D.
To evaluate the decline in the number of black bear
Attempted by 5 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Primary purpose: to describe how black bears adapt to life near humans.
Explanation:
The passage explains why bears are found in developed areas (they seek calorie-rich human foods) and how seasonal energy demands change their behavior. It uses specific evidence—population expansion, examples of human food sources, the hyperphagia period and calorie needs, weight loss during hibernation, and GPS-tracking data showing shifts to nocturnal movement in spring and fall—to support this main idea.
Population and proximity: Massachusetts bears expanded from an isolated population to about 4,500, bringing them closer to people.
Attraction to human foods: Bears can detect high-calorie foods in developed areas (bird seed, pet food, garbage, crops).
Seasonal energy needs: Before hibernation bears enter hyperphagia and require very large calorie intakes; they lose substantial weight during hibernation and find natural foods scarce in spring.
Behavioral evidence: GPS collar data show bears avoid developed areas by day but, in spring and fall when caloric needs rise, they move through developed areas at night—demonstrating an adaptive change in daily rhythm.