The student wants to emphasise how much Iceland's forest cover fell between settlement and 1950. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

Question

While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- When Iceland was settled around 870 CE, forests covered an estimated 25 to 40 percent of the island.
- By 1950 less than 1 percent of Iceland was forested.
- A reforestation programme began in 1990.
- Today about 2 percent of Iceland is forested.

Accepted Answer

A. Forests covered an estimated 25 to 40 percent of Iceland when it was settled around 870 CE; by 1950, less than 1 percent remained.. The goal names two points in time and asks for the drop between them. Choice A gives both figures side by side.

Answer

B. Reforestation began in 1990, and about 2 percent of Iceland is forested today. — This describes the recent recovery, not the historical loss.

Answer

C. Iceland was settled around 870 CE. — A settlement date alone shows no change in forest cover.

Answer

D. Iceland's forests have grown since 1990 because the settlers cut them down. — This proposes a cause the notes don't give, and it's about growth, not loss.

Expression of Ideas practice question

Answer: A. Forests covered an estimated 25 to 40 percent of Iceland when it was settled around 870 CE; by 1950, less than 1 percent remained.

Why the other answers are wrong

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