Utah is home to Pando, a colony of about 47,000 quaking aspen trees that all share a single root system. Pando is one of the largest single organisms by mass on Earth, but ecologists are worried that its growth is declining in part because of grazing by animals. The ecologists say that strong fences could prevent deer from eating young trees and help Pando start thriving again.

According to the text, why are ecologists worried about Pando?

A short passage helps to draw a conclusion from the given passage.

The details and facts help to draw the main idea of the passage.

Can you summarize what you’ve understood in the above steps?

Choice A is correct because it directly aligns with the information provided in the text about the ecologists' concerns regarding Pando.

It isn’t growing at the same rate it used to.

Choice B is incorrect because of the text does not state that Pando has completely stopped producing young trees. Instead, the text indicates that ecologists are worried about Pando’s growth declining, and they attribute this decline in part to grazing by animals, specifically deer, which eat the young trees.

It isn’t producing young trees anymore.

Choice C is incorrect because it does not accurately reflect the concern described in the text.

It can’t grow into new areas because it is blocked by fences.

Choice D is incorrect because it does not align with the concerns mentioned in the text. The primary reason ecologists are worried about Pando is related to external factors—specifically, grazing by animals—not the inherent capacity of the root system to support new trees.

Its root system can’t support many new trees.

Correct sentence

It isn’t growing at the same rate it used to.

Option

A

Can you summarize what you’ve understood in the above steps?