ACT English Help: Topic Development

PASSAGE V: The River of Grass

¹ In the early twentieth century, the general consensus regarding the Florida Everglades was that it was a useless, disease-ridden swamp. Developers and politicians viewed the millions of acres of wetlands as a problem to be solved. They embarked on massive drainage projects, digging canals and building levees to convert the marsh into dry, arable land for farming and real estate. For decades, the destruction of the Everglades was celebrated as a triumph of human engineering over nature. (41)

² One woman, (42) however, saw the Everglades differently. Marjory Stoneman Douglas, a freelance writer and journalist, moved to Miami in 1915. She spent years exploring the vast wetlands, observing the intricate balance of the ecosystem. In 1947, she published a groundbreaking book titled The Everglades: River of Grass.

³ The title itself was revolutionary. By calling it a "river," Douglas completely reframed how the public understood the region. She explained that the Everglades was not a stagnant swamp, but a wide, shallow sheet of water flowing imperceptibly slowly from Lake Okeechobee southward to the Florida Bay. (43) This sheet of water, rarely more than knee-deep, supported a staggering diversity of wildlife. Douglas vividly described the sawgrass marshes, the cypress domes, and the delicate wading birds that relied on the seasonal floods.

⁴ Douglas’s book was a bestseller, (44) and it catalyzed the early environmental movement. She fiercely argued that draining the wetlands was ecological suicide. Without the slow flow of freshwater, the underground aquifers that supplied South Florida’s drinking water would dry up or become contaminated by saltwater intrusion from the ocean. (45) In addition, the dry peat soil of the drained marshes became highly flammable, leading to massive, uncontrollable muck fires.

⁵ Despite the success of her book, the drainage projects continued. (46) Infuriated by the government's inaction, Douglas founded the Friends of the Everglades in 1969, when she was 79 years old. For the next thirty years, she was a relentless advocate for the wetlands. She attended public hearings, organized protests, and famously stated, "The Everglades is a test. If we pass it, we may get to keep the planet."

⁶ Today, the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan is the largest environmental restoration project in history. Engineers are currently working to undo the damage of the past century by filling in canals and allowing the water to flow naturally once again. (47) While the ecosystem is still threatened by pollution and climate change. (48) It is widely acknowledged that the Everglades would likely have been paved over completely if not for Marjory Stoneman Douglas. (49) Her legacy is a reminder that a single voice, armed with a profound understanding of nature, can change the course of history. (50)

Which choice most effectively concludes the essay?

A student is drafting an essay about how city parks can support wildlife. The draft reads:

[1] In many cities, parks are designed mainly for people: open lawns, paved paths, and bright nighttime lighting. [2] But small design changes can make these spaces friendlier to birds and insects without reducing their usefulness for visitors. [3] For example, replacing some lawn with native plants provides food and shelter for pollinators. [4] Leaving a few fallen logs in an out-of-the-way corner can create habitat for beetles and fungi. [5] There are many different kinds of parks in the world.

The writer wants to add a concluding sentence that reinforces the paragraph’s main idea (specific design changes that help wildlife). Which choice best replaces the underlined sentence?

"Turn Right at the Big Pine\n\nMy father believed that road maps were for people who lacked a sense of adventure. He preferred to navigate by instinct, landmark, and the occasional contradictory tip from a gas station attendant. Consequently, [19] our annual family trips to the Cedar Creek campground were rarely straight lines; they were sprawling, improvisational loops through the backroads of Oregon.\n\nI was ten years old, sitting in the backseat of our station wagon, squeezed between a cooler full of soda and my sleeping brother. The air outside was thick with the scent of pine and dust. We had been driving for six hours, [20] but according to Dad, we were "just around the river bend." He pointed to a massive, gnarled tree standing sentinel at a fork in the road. "That's the Big Pine," he declared with the confidence of a ship captain spotting land. "We turn right here."\n\nWe turned right. The pavement immediately gave way to gravel, and the road narrowed until the blackberry bushes were scraping the sides of the car. My mother, who had been quietly reading a novel, looked up. "Honey," she said, her voice dropping an octave, "I don't think this is the way to the campsite." Dad waved a hand dismissively. He insisted that this was a shortcut he had discovered years ago. [21]\n\nTen minutes later, the road ended abruptly at a rusted gate marked "Private Property." A cow stared at us blankly from the other side. Silence filled the car. The cow chewed its cud, looking entirely unimpressed by our arrival. [22] Without a word, Dad shifted the car into reverse. As we backed down the dusty trail, he caught my eye in the rearview mirror and winked. "Well," he said, "now we know what's down that road." For him, the wrong turn wasn't a mistake; it was just another part of the story. [23]\n\n[1] We eventually found the campsite, arriving just as the sun was setting behind the mountains. [2] I realized then that the destination mattered less to him than the wandering it took to get there. [3] Years later, when I drive [25] my own kids on vacation, I keep a GPS on the dashboard. [4] But sometimes, when I see a strange road winding off into the trees I feel [24] a familiar tug to turn the wheel."

Which choice best concludes the paragraph by connecting the specific event to the father's general philosophy?

"The Vertical Forests of Milan\n\nIn 2014, the skyline of Milan, Italy, began to change in a way that surprised many observers. Two residential towers, known as Bosco Verticale (Vertical Forest), rose above the Porta Nuova district. At first, [1] Italian architect Stefano Boeri envisioned these structures, critics were skeptical. They claimed that planting trees on balconies was a gimmick that would cause structural issues. Boeri, however, believed the naysayers were totally wrong. [2]\n\nBoeri's design called for the towers to host 900 trees, 5,000 shrubs, and 11,000 floral plants. This "living facade" not only improves air quality but also regulates temperature. The vegetation, which includes oak, beech, and larch trees act [3] as a natural shield against the intense Mediterranean sun. To ensure the safety of the structure, botanists tested the wind resistance of the trees in a wind tunnel. Similarly, [4] the engineering team reinforced the concrete balconies with steel to support the immense weight of the soil.\n\nThe result is a self-sufficient ecosystem that changes colors with the seasons. In autumn, the leaves turn golden and red; in winter, they fall to let in sunlight. [5] Residents live nestled among the branches, enjoying a connection to nature rarely found in urban environments. Boeri's work has inspired similar projects in China and the Netherlands, proving that architecture and ecology can collaborate [6] to create sustainable cities. As cities grow denser, the Vertical Forest offers a blueprint for a greener future, demonstrating that nature need not be pushed, to the margins, [7] of urban life.\n\nThe project's success suggests a new path forward for urban planning. [8] By integrating living systems into high-rise buildings, architects can help reduce the carbon footprint of cities. [9]"

The writer is considering deleting the underlined sentence. Should the sentence be kept or deleted?

In a discussion about the benefits of meditation, which choice adds the most relevant information about mental health?

The writer wants to add an example that illustrates the rapid growth of renewable energy industries. Which choice best achieves this?

A student is writing a report about how scientists study glaciers:

To track how glaciers change over time, researchers compare satellite images taken years apart. They also place GPS stakes on the ice to measure how quickly it flows downhill. In addition, scientists drill narrow cores to examine trapped air bubbles, which can reveal past atmospheric conditions. These methods together help explain how glaciers respond to shifts in temperature and snowfall.

The student wants to add a sentence at the end of the paragraph that provides a specific example of how the data are used. Which choice best accomplishes this?

A student writes the following paragraph for a school magazine about community repair events:

At a repair café, volunteers help neighbors fix broken items instead of throwing them away. People bring everything from lamps with loose wires to jackets with torn seams, and the volunteers explain each step so visitors can learn basic skills. The events reduce waste while also making repair feel less intimidating. Many cafés keep a box of spare parts—buttons, screws, and cords—so small fixes can happen on the spot.

The student wants to add a sentence after the third sentence that elaborates on how the events make repair feel less intimidating. Which choice best accomplishes this?

A student is revising a paragraph about why libraries lend more than books. The draft reads:

[1] Many libraries now lend items such as sewing machines, Wi-Fi hotspots, and board games. [2] These collections can make expensive or specialized resources available to people who might otherwise go without them. [3] Libraries have long been places where people can find information. [4] For instance, a hotspot loan can help a student complete online homework when home internet is unreliable. [5] A sewing machine loan can help someone mend clothing instead of replacing it.

The writer wants to keep Sentence 3 but make it more clearly connected to the paragraph’s main idea (lending non-book items to expand access). Which choice best revises the underlined sentence?

A student is drafting a short essay about the value of translating poetry. The draft reads:

[1] Translating a poem is not the same as swapping each word for its dictionary equivalent. [2] A translator has to decide which features to preserve—sound, rhythm, imagery, or literal meaning—when not all of them can survive the move into another language. [3] Some translators add brief notes to explain cultural references that would otherwise be confusing. [4] Poetry has existed for a long time in many cultures. [5] Even when a translation cannot match every nuance, it can still carry a poem’s central emotion to new readers.

The writer wants Sentence 4 to elaborate on the challenge described in Sentences 1–3 without drifting into a broad, unfocused statement. Which choice best replaces the underlined sentence?