Problem: Two brothers owned two adjacent parcels of land. Tom's land was forested, while Bill's was covered with grasslands. Given the paragraph above, please answer correctly the following question: Which parcel of land didn't have a rich diversity of large trees? Hint: Soil is well developed in the forest as suggested by the thick humus layers, rich diversity of large trees and animals that live there. In forests, precipitation exceeds evapotranspiration which results in an excess of water that percolates downward through the soil layers. Slow rates of decomposition leads to large amounts of fulvic acid, greatly enhancing chemical weathering. The downward percolation, in conjunction with chemical weathering leaches magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), and aluminum (Al) from the soil and transports them downward, a process known as podzolization. This process leads to marked contrasts in the appearance and chemistry of the soil layers.

A: Bill's

Problem: Two sister cities had different environments. Shanghai had big problems with air pollution while Berna took very good care of the surrounding environment and air quality. Given the paragraph above, please answer correctly the following question: Which city had air that was not harmful to other living things? Hint: Air pollution is harmful to human beings and other living things. About 22 million people die from air pollution each year. Breathing polluted air increases the risk of developing lung diseases such as asthma and lung cancer. Breathing bad air also increases the chances of dying from other diseases. Children are most likely to be affected by air pollution. That's because their lungs are still developing and growing. Children also take in more air for their size than adults do. Some air pollutants damage the environment as well as the health of living things. The type of damage depends on the pollutant. Air pollution can also harm the environment.

A: Berna

Problem: Thorn county used fossil fuels for their energy needs, while Plant county used nuclear power. They both polluted the environment in different ways. Given the paragraph above, please answer correctly the following question: Which county contributed more to global warming? Hint: In the U.S., the majority of electricity is produced by burning coal or other fossil fuels. This causes air pollution that harms the health of living things. The air pollution also causes acid rain and contributes to global warming. In addition, fossil fuels are nonrenewable resources, so if we keep using them, they will eventually run out. The main advantage of nuclear energy is that it doesn't release air pollution or cause the other environmental problems associated with the burning of fossil fuels. On the other other hand, radioactive elements are nonrenewable like fossil fuels and could eventually be used up.

A: Thorn

Problem: Ben and Harry were studying about the climatic history of Earth. Ben was more attracted to learning about early Ice Ages, while Harry was curious about the Earth atmosphere and read about ozone depletion and its consequences. Given the paragraph above, please answer correctly the following question: Which person learned less about the size of the ozone hole over Antarctica? Hint: Beginning in the late 1970's, ozone depletion was recognized as a significant environmental issue. The most dramatic decrease in ozone occurs seasonally over the continent of Antarctica. The size and duration of the ozone hole steadily increased, with the largest hole recorded in 2006. Fortunately, most countries have recognized the danger of CFCs and dramatically curtailed their use in recent years. It is hoped that ozone depletion will slow and that the ozone layer may eventually be restored to its earlier levels.

A:
Ben