Read the following passage to answer Questions 15 to 17Erosion of America's farmland by wind and water has been a problem since settlers first put theprairies and grasslands under the plow in the nineteenth century. By the 1930s, more than 282 millionacres of farmland were damaged by erosion. After 40 years of conservation efforts, soil erosion hasaccelerated due to new demands placed on the land by heavy crop production. In the years ahead,soil erosion and the pollution problems it causes are likely to replace petroleum scarcity as thenation's most critical natural resource problem.15. Today, soil erosion in America ___.A. causes humans to place new demands on the land.B. is worse than it was in the nineteenth century.C. happens so slowly that it is hardly noticed.D. is the most critical problem that the nation faces.E. is worse in areas which have a lot of petroleum production.16. The author points out that erosion in America ___.A. has damaged 282 million acres ever since settlers first put the prairies and grasslands under theplough.B. has been so severe that it has forced people to abandon Settlements.C. occurs only in areas with no vegetation.D. can become a more serious problem in the future.E. was on the decline before 1930s.17. It is pointed out that in America ___.A. petroleum is causing heavy soil erosion and pollution problems.B. heavy crop production is necessary to meet the demands and to prevent a disaster.C. soil erosion has been hastened due to the overuse of farming lands.D. water is undoubtedly the largest cause of erosion.E. there are many ways to reduce erosion.Year

Sure, let's go through each question step by step.

Question 15

Today, soil erosion in America ___.

To answer this question, we need to identify the current state of soil erosion in America as described in the passage.

Options: A. causes humans to place new demands on the land. B. is worse than it was in the nineteenth century. C. happens so slowly that it is hardly noticed. D. is the most critical problem that the nation faces. E. is worse in areas which have a lot of petroleum production.

Analysis:

• The passage mentions that soil erosion has accelerated due to new demands placed on the land by heavy crop production.
• It also states that soil erosion and the pollution problems it causes are likely to replace petroleum scarcity as the nation's most critical natural resource problem.

Answer: B. is worse than it was in the nineteenth century.

Question 16

The author points out that erosion in America ___.

To answer this question, we need to understand the author's perspective on soil erosion in America.

Options: A. has damaged 282 million acres ever since settlers first put the prairies and grasslands under the plough. B. has been so severe that it has forced people to abandon settlements. C. occurs only in areas with no vegetation. D. can become a more serious problem in the future. E. was on the decline before 1930s.

Analysis:

• The passage states that by the 1930s, more than 282 million acres of farmland were damaged by erosion.
• It also mentions that soil erosion has accelerated due to new demands placed on the land by heavy crop production and that it is likely to become a more serious problem in the future.

Answer: D. can become a more serious problem in the future.

Question 17

It is pointed out that in America ___.

To answer this question, we need to identify what the passage says about the causes and effects of soil erosion in America.

Options: A. petroleum is causing heavy soil erosion and pollution problems. B. heavy crop production is necessary to meet the demands and to prevent a disaster. C. soil erosion has been hastened due to the overuse of farming lands. D. water is undoubtedly the largest cause of erosion. E. there are many ways to reduce erosion.

Analysis:

• The passage mentions that soil erosion has accelerated due to new demands placed on the land by heavy crop production.
• It does not specifically mention petroleum as a cause of soil erosion.
• It does not state that water is the largest cause of erosion or that there are many ways to reduce erosion.

Answer: C. soil erosion has been hastened due to the overuse of farming lands.

I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.