Quiz: Sixth Extinction (Chapter 6) (best four plus short essay)
- What weird stuff can you see with 10 euros on Castello Argonese?
- What is unusual about the bay of Ischia?
- Quote a vivid example of how Kolbert describes the divers' approach to the sea floor vents.
- What has happened to the atmosphere since the Industrial revolution because of human activity?
- What is one effect of human activity expected by 2050?
- What's an interesting detail about the local marine biological station?
- What's an interesting detail about the samples the divers have gathered?
- What does Kolbert compare to an "underwater time machine." why?
- How many species (visible to the naked eye) did Hall-Spencer record in the vent-free part of the bay during his original census?
- How many of the underwater species recorded in the original census will disappear by 2100? How do we know?
- What are mecocosms and why have we created them since 2008?
- Kolbert says we're more likely to notice the disappearance of "charismatic (or tasty" species first. Identify a less "charismatic" species. Why is it a mistake to ignore it?
- When has ocean acidification been signicant in the planet's past?
- Describe one of the metaphors or similes Kolbert uses to talk about "calcifiers."
- What analogy does Kolbert uses to talk about how much and how fast the oceans are absorbing human-generated CO2?
- What Rachel Carson quote does Kolbert uses to talk about the speed of ocean acidification?
Essay: Choose 1. Please use quotes, descriptions, examples
A. In Chapter 1, Kolbert worries that the use of "anthropomorphism" hurts her credibility. In this chapter, she frequently uses anthropomorphic descriptions, metaphors, similes, and analogies. Give some examples. How do they affect your reading, and why do you think they are there?
B. Apply one of the terms we learned last week (either "positions" or "animals") to this chapter. Give some examples of how the term describes the chapter or ideas in it, or give excamples from the chapter that would be antithetical to this position or term.