HOTS English Primary 4 Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. Passage: "The scientists had spent three years studying the migration patterns of monarch butterflies. Their research showed that the butterflies travelled over 4,000 kilometres each year from Canada to Mexico. However, recent data indicated that the population had declined by 80% over the past two decades. Conservationists were alarmed by this finding and called for immediate action to protect the species' habitat." Question: In the sentence "Conservationists were alarmed by this finding", what does "this finding" refer to?

A The 80% decline in the monarch butterfly population over the past two decades
B The 4,000 kilometre migration from Canada to Mexico
C The three years the scientists spent studying butterflies
D The scientists' request for conservation funding
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Worked Solution

Step 1: Identify the demonstrative "this" in "this finding" — "this" points back to something immediately preceding. Step 2: The sentence immediately before is: "recent data indicated that the population had declined by 80% over the past two decades." Step 3: "This finding" = the 80% population decline — the most recently stated piece of data. Answer: The 80% decline in the monarch butterfly population over the past two decades

Correct answer: The 80% decline in the monarch butterfly population over the past two decades

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