Direction for the following 8 (eight) items: Read the following eight passages and answer the items (1-8) that follow the passages. Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only.

During the summer in the Arctic Ocean, sea ice has been melting earlier and faster, and the winter freeze has been coming later. In the last three decades, the extent of summer ice has declined by about 30 per cent. The lengthening period of summer melt threatens to undermine the whole Arctic food web, atop which stand polar bears.

Which among the following is the most crucial message conveyed by the above passage?

Correct Answer: Climate change poses a threat to the survival of polar bears.

Explanation:

To determine the most crucial message conveyed by the passage, let us analyze the key points presented by the author:

1. Changes in the Arctic environment: The passage describes how Arctic sea ice is melting earlier and faster in summer, while winter freeze arrives later. Over the last three decades, summer ice extent has declined by about 30 percent.

2. Impact on the ecosystem: The lengthening period of summer melt threatens to undermine the entire Arctic food web.

3. Impact on polar bears: The passage highlights that polar bears stand at the top of this Arctic food web.

Evaluation of Options:

• Option 1: The passage does not state that the Arctic summer has become shorter; in fact, it mentions a "lengthening period of summer melt." Thus, this option is incorrect.

• Option 2: Shifting polar bears to the South Pole is not mentioned or implied anywhere in the passage.

• Option 3: The passage states that polar bears are at the top of the food web, but it does not claim that the food chain would entirely disappear without them, nor is this the main point of the passage.

• Option 4: The passage directly connects changing climate conditions (earlier/faster ice melt and declining ice extent) to the disruption of the Arctic food web, which ultimately threatens polar bears at its apex. Therefore, the main message is that climate change poses a significant threat to the survival of polar bears.