Animals Return by StudySync1  Chances are you’re never going to approach a dog or cat for directions when you’ve lost your way, but if it were possible, they’d likely be able to help you out. Among the many wonders of science and nature is the uncanny ability animals have to travel great distances to find their way back home. Reports of cats and dogs traveling distances of hundreds, and in some cases a thousand miles, are not unheard of.2  There are a variety of innate tools animals might use to find their way home from great distances. The simplest orientation strategy is known as taxon navigation, which is simply the ability to directly sense the place one wants to be.3  Dogs and cats have a range of ways to get around. Dogs have an acute sense of smell, which can help take them a very long way. They extend their range of scent by moving around in overlapping circles of familiar scents. A dog that wanders out of its immediate range might pick up the scent of a familiar dog in the next circle. That might lead the dog to a circle that contains a familiar person, a specific tree, or some other familiar item, and this process continues.4  Scent trails are powerful. A dog walking within a ten-mile radius is likely to be following its own scent trail. Given a broader distance, a dog might follow the smell of its owner, a type of navigation that is possible over long distances if the wind facilitates.5  Temperament can play a role in navigation, too. Given the strong bond between dogs and humans, a dog that travels a great distance to get home is probably seeking to return to its owner. On the other hand, an independent cat traveling a similar distance is likely trying to return to its own territory.6  One of the most fundamental skills an animal uses to return home is memory. A thought is triggered, and the animal remembers something about the place it wants to be. Cats and dogs have this ability. When coupled with another innate ability, a sense of direction, animals are further able to navigate their way home.7  Visualizing location is another orientation strategy. One study indicates that animals rely on landmarks similar to the way humans do. A disoriented animal can use a visual clue that will assist in grounding its position and get it back on course. There is also neurological evidence that animals, like humans, have the ability to construct a mental map. This asset can further enable an animal to find its way home.8  Some studies contend that cats, as well as other animals, might also rely heavily on magnetic fields, a capability that could turn out to be fairly common in mammals. According to some scientists, the ears of most mammals contain iron that could help cue them into the magnetic direction in the ground. Although research is ongoing, there is enough evidence to maintain that dogs and cats are equipped with this natural ability.9  In some cases, animals find their way home because their owners have implanted them with an identifying microchip. In these instances, their more innate skills may not have had to play a role in their rescue. For others, it could be a matter of luck. As pet owners, we’re most inclined to believe our animals have returned because there is nowhere else in the world they would rather be than home with us.4Read the excerpt from the passage.Among the many wonders of science and nature is the uncanny ability animals have to travel great distances to find their way back home. (paragraph 1)After stating this claim, how does the author structure the rest of the passage?A The author describes personal experiences in how animals have returned home after traveling long distances.BThe author reviews the various means that enable many animals to travel great distances and return to their homes.CThe author presents an overview of the various scientific studies that have been done to show how animals can travel great distances.DThe author argues that the role of memory is the most important factor in studying how dogs and cats differ in their long-distance travels.