2. Which animal adaptation helps with camouflage in winter?

1. Lemming tunnels
2. Arctic foxes growing white fur
3. Caribou antlers
4. Birds building large nests

3. Why do many birds visit the tundra only in summer?

1. Winter food is easier to find
2. The tundra is warmer than the tropics
3. They avoid insects
4. Insects hatch in huge numbers and provide food

4. Which sentence best states a main idea of the passage?

1. Life in the Arctic tundra survives through special adaptations to cold and short summers.
2. Only plants can live in the tundra.
3. The tundra has tall forests and warm winters.
4. People do not live anywhere in the Arctic.

5. What is one effect of thawing permafrost mentioned in the passage?

1. Longer winters
2. More mountains
3. Roads and buildings can be damaged
4. Fewer insects in summer

6. Which detail shows how plants deal with wind?

1. They grow tall and thin.
2. They stay low to the ground.
3. They lose leaves in summer.
4. They freeze their roots.

7. What does the word “migrate” mean as used to describe caribou?

1. To move from place to place with the seasons
2. To hide under snow
3. To grow thicker fur
4. To sleep all winter

8. Which change could make it harder for tundra species to survive?

1. Careful monitoring by scientists
2. Spring bird migrations
3. Short, cool summers
4. New plants and animals competing for resources

2. Which sequence best describes a warming feedback mentioned in the passage?

1. More snow → higher albedo → warmer land
2. Fewer insects → more birds → more shrubs
3. Strong winds → shorter plants → less albedo
4. Shrub expansion → darker surface → more absorbed sunlight → additional warming

3. Which claim is supported by details about lemmings, snowy owls, and stoats?

1. Predator and prey populations are closely linked in tundra food webs.
2. Predators avoid the snowpack because it is too warm.
3. Lemmings prevent shrubs from spreading.
4. Snowy owls nest underground.

4. What is one risk associated with thawing permafrost?

1. Loss of sunlight in summer
2. Collapse of insect populations
3. Release of carbon dioxide and methane from soils
4. Permanent freezing of the active layer

5. Which sentence best states a central idea of the 950L passage?

1. The tundra is a simple system with few feedbacks.
2. Tundra ecosystems depend on specialized adaptations and are sensitive to climate-driven feedbacks.
3. Permafrost prevents any plant growth.
4. Indigenous communities are leaving the region.

6. Which detail explains why deep roots are uncommon in tundra plants?

1. Strong winds damage roots.
2. Herbivores consume roots in winter.
3. Nutrients are too abundant near the surface.
4. Permafrost and water-logged active layers limit rooting depth.

7. What is one way communities are responding to permafrost thaw?

1. Designing new foundations and collaborating to plan resilient infrastructure
2. Moving all buildings onto sea ice
3. Planting tall trees for shade
4. Avoiding travel during summer

8. The word “albedo” most nearly means…

1. underground ice
2. seasonal migration
3. the fraction of sunlight reflected by a surface
4. a type of dwarf shrub