According to paragraph 3, which of the following is true of changes in climate beforethe Cretaceous period and the effect of these changes on dinosaurs?
A.
Climate changes associated with the movement of seaways before the Cretaceous perioddid not cause dinosaurs to become extinct.
B.
Changes in climate before the Cretaceous period caused severe fluctuation in sea level, resulting in the extinction of the dinosaurs.
C.
Frequent changes in climate before the Cretaceous period made dinosaurs better able to maintain a livable body temperature.
D.
Before the Cretaceous period there were few changes in climate, and dinosaurs flourished.
2.
The word “fluctuations” in the passage is closest in meaning to
A.
extremes
B.
retreats
C.
periods
D.
variations
3.
Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlightedsentence in paragraph 4? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways orleave out essential information.
A.
The fossil record suggests that there was an abrupt extinction of many plants and animalsat the end of the Mesozoic era.
B.
Few fossils of the Mesozoic era have survived in the rocks that mark the end of the Cretaceous.
C.
Fossils from the Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic up to the beginning of the Cenozoic era have been removed from the layers of rock that surrounded them.
D.
Plants and animals from the Mesozoic era were unable to survive in the Cenozoic era.
4.
In paragraph 4, all the following questions are answered EXCEPT:
A.
Why is there a layer of clay between the rocks of the Cretaceous and Cenozoic?
B.
Why were scientists interested in determining how long it took to deposit the layer ofclay at the end of the Cretaceous?
C.
What was the effect of the surprising observation scientists made?
D.
Why did scientists want more information about the dinosaur extinctions at the end of the Cretaceous?
