TASK DEFINITION: You are given a background paragraph that describes one or more causal or qualitative relationships such as a relationship in economics or a scientific law and a story that makes use of the concepts or the relationship described in the provided paragraph. You are also given a question about the story that requires an understanding of the relationship described in the background paragraph and the story. You need to come up with an answer to the given question; the answer will be a span from either the question or the story. In order to correctly answer the given question, you need to understand the relationship mentioned in the background paragraph and should be able to use it to understand that in the story. Your answer can not consist of any word that is not mentioned in any of these: the background paragraph, the story, or the question. You can directly copy and paste a span from the story or the question while answering the given question.
PROBLEM: Background Paragraph: Groundwater salinization compromises buffering properties. Vegetation clearance, along with irrigation, causes serious issues. Irrigation increases the water table and mobilizes salts, and vegetation clearance allows it to come in contact with water habitats and vegetation. This stresses species not adapted to high salinity. High levels of salinity reduces water uptake in plants, by causing stomatal closure, reducing photosynthesis. Forests undergo decline in areas of high salinity and shallow groundwater depths because these conditions make them more susceptible to droughts. Forests undergo decline in areas of high salinity and shallow groundwater depths making them more susceptible to droughts.
Story: Roger has been wanting to make a difference in the world, and has decided he wants to start a forested area in the country side. He has some areas that he has mapped out, and is trying to decide where he would like to start his new growth. The Bilton Valley area has recently been cleared of vegetation and has some irrigation channels installed for a near by farm. The other area he is looking at in an uncleared pasture called Stevens Pasture.
Question: Which area most likely has a lower salinity level in the soil?

SOLUTION: Stevens Pasture.

PROBLEM: Background Paragraph: Type 2 diabetes is much more common than type 1 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes occurs when body cells no longer respond normally to insulin. The pancreas still makes insulin, but the cells of the body can't use it. Being overweight and having high blood pressure increase the chances of developing type 2 diabetes. This type of diabetes usually develops in adulthood. However, it is becoming more common in teens and children because more young people are overweight now than ever before.
Story: The Jones family and the Bell family both entered a medical study for diabetes.The members of Jones family had mostly type 1 diabetes, while Bell family members had type 2 diabetes because they ate junk-food.
Question: Which family had fewer members with body cells no longer responding normally to insulin?

SOLUTION: Jones.

PROBLEM: Background Paragraph: Sand mining is a direct cause of erosion, and impacts the local wildlife.[2] Various animals depend on sandy beaches for nesting clutches, and mining has led to the near extinction of gharials (a species of crocodile) in India. Disturbance of underwater and coastal sand causes turbidity in the water, which is harmful for organisms like coral that need sunlight. It can also destroy fisheries, financially harming their operators.

Removal of physical coastal barriers, such as dunes, sometimes leads to flooding of beachside communities, and the destruction of picturesque beaches causes tourism to dissipate. Sand mining is regulated by law in many places, but is often done illegally.[3] Globally, it is a $70 billion industry, with sand selling at up to $90 per cubic yard.[4].
Story: Twenty first century is seeing an explosion of artificial island building. Many countries are building islands in the middle of seas and oceans, which they often use for tourism or for defensive purposes. For example, UAE had build several islands in the Persian Gulf. To build those islands they had to ask Oman and Qatar to export sand to them. Qatar declined to export sand, but Oman agreed. Oman in turn had to mine huge quantity of sand in their own country.
Question: Would coral reef sustain or deteriorate in Qatar?

SOLUTION:
sustain.