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This excerpt is adapted from Rachel Carson's 1962 environmental science book Silent Spring.
With the advent of potent chemical pesticides, humanity has entered an era of heedless and harmful control over nature. These new substances are not selective killers; they do not discriminate between the pest and the pollinator, the harmful and the beneficial. Even the air carries the peril, as aerial spraying indiscriminately showers down toxins on land and water. The consequences of this chemical assault are profound, as they ripple through ecosystems, leading to the silent disappearance of birds, bees, and other essential creatures.
Question: What does the passage suggest about the impact of chemical pesticides?
This excerpt is adapted from Rachel Carson's 1962 environmental science book Silent Spring.
With the advent of potent chemical pesticides, humanity has entered an era of heedless and harmful control over nature. These new substances are not selective killers; they do not discriminate between the pest and the pollinator, the harmful and the beneficial. Even the air carries the peril, as aerial spraying indiscriminately showers down toxins on land and water. The consequences of this chemical assault are profound, as they ripple through ecosystems, leading to the silent disappearance of birds, bees, and other essential creatures.
Question: What does the passage suggest about the impact of chemical pesticides?
- They are necessary tools for the advancement of modern agriculture.
- They have unintended effects on a variety of non-target species. (correct)
- They are effective in distinguishing between beneficial and harmful insects.
- They improve the balance of ecosystems by removing pests.
