From the ETS Practice Test 1 ecosystems passage: ancient Mesopotamia is cited to argue that human cultural modification of ecosystems is 'coeval with the origins of writing... throughout our social existence.' Which statement does the passage most support?
AOver time, the impact of human culture on the natural world has been largely benign
BThe only substantial effects of human agency on ecosystems have been inadvertent
CIt is a mistake to think that the natural world contains many areas of pristine wilderness
DIndustrial centuries have caused more change to ecosystems than all prior eras combined
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: C. It is a mistake to think that the natural world contains many areas of pristine wilderness
The author argues every ecosystem has been substantially modified by human culture, and not just in industrial centuries; this dates back to ancient Mesopotamia. The natural inference is that 'pristine wilderness' is a mistaken picture, matching ETS's keyed answer. The other choices either contradict the passage or go beyond it.
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