Intergrated Task

[2219156]

About why otters decline.
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Advice.Thank you.

The reading and the listening both discuss the reason why the population of otter declines. The reading passage point out declining is caused by environmental pollution, while the listening passage believes that the attacks by predators lead to the declining.

First, the reading material mentions that there were oil rigs and many sources of industrial chemical pollution along the Alaskan coast that may cause otter's deaths. But the listening indicates that no dead otter is found in the beaches. If otters are killed by pollution, there should be dead bodies on the beaches. On the other hand, if the declining is caused by predators, the predators will eat them up and surely no dead body is left.

Second, the population of seals and sea lions also declines which caused by environmental pollution because pollution affects the whole ecosystem. Orca can cause the same effect, but the orca does not hunt small mammals. However, the listening mentions that since many whales are killed by human activities, Orca have to hunt small mammals like otters and seals. That is the reason why the amount of seals and sea lions declines along with otters.

At last, the uneven pattern of otter decline can be explained by the pollution theory. The listening passage contradicts by saying that ' attacks by predators can explain the pattern better than pollution hypothesis. Where orca cannot reach such as shallow, the population of otter remains stable. In the open area where are deep enough for orca, the population of otter decreases.

TOEFL listening lectures: A university lecture by a Drama professor

[Kitosdad]

[2219156]

Thank you, kitos.