Paper can be pulped and pressed into new notebooks, saving trees and energy. Plastic bottles can be shredded into small flakes and melted into fibers that become clothing or playground equipment. Metal cans are smelted and shaped again, which uses less energy than mining new ore. Local programs often collect these materials in separate bins so sorting is fast. Some centers even post online schedules to show when trucks arrive. These steps help reduce the amount of trash sent to landfills and lower pollution. When people rinse containers and flatten boxes, the process works more efficiently. Communities can measure progress by tracking how much waste is diverted each month.

Which topic sentence best introduces this paragraph?

Animals survive in harsh environments by using physical and behavioral adaptations. Camels, for example, store fat in their humps for energy, and their wide, padded feet spread their weight on sand. Long eyelashes and closable nostrils shield them from blowing grit. [transition needed] Fennec foxes release heat through their large ears and hunt at night when temperatures drop. To conserve water, many species rest in shaded burrows during the day. These traits are not random; they increase the chance of finding food and staying safe in places with extreme heat and scarce water. Together, these adaptations form a system that helps desert animals maintain balance with their environment.

Which transition best connects the camel example to the sentence about fennec foxes?

Orbiting telescopes help scientists study distant planets. They travel above Earth's atmosphere, where the air does not blur the view. These telescopes carry special stuff that lets them collect light from many parts of the spectrum. Engineers plan the missions carefully, using computers to choose safe paths and times to launch. The data is beamed back to Earth, where teams analyze it to learn about a planet's temperature, clouds, and gases. For instance, measurements in infrared can show heat patterns that hint at dust storms. This careful process gives scientists information they cannot gather from the ground. It also helps them decide what to investigate next, such as sending a probe to a place that looks promising.

Which revision best replaces the vague phrase "special stuff" to make the explanation more precise?

Composting turns food scraps and yard waste into nutrient-rich soil called humus. The process relies on decomposers like worms, fungi, and bacteria that break down materials. To begin, people layer brown items, such as dry leaves, with green items, like vegetable peels. Keeping the pile moist and aerated helps the decomposers work quickly. Some people also enjoy collecting trading cards with their friends. Turning the pile every week adds oxygen, which speeds up decay and reduces odors. When the compost becomes dark and crumbly, gardeners mix it into soil to improve structure and hold water. This reduces the need for chemical fertilizers and keeps waste out of landfills.

Which sentence should be deleted to maintain a clear, informative focus on composting?

In many towns, trucks gather mixed recyclables from curbside bins each week and deliver them to a materials recovery facility (MRF). At the MRF, workers and machines separate paper, cardboard, metals, glass, and different kinds of plastic. Magnets pull out steel cans, while optical scanners help sort plastic by type. Clean, correctly sorted items can be sold to companies that turn them into new products. For instance, aluminum cans can be back on store shelves as new cans in about two months. Contamination—like food stuck in containers or plastic bags mixed with bottles—slows the process and can spoil entire batches. Residents can help by rinsing containers and checking local rules about what belongs in the bin. Communities that follow these steps reduce trash sent to landfills and save energy.

Which topic sentence best introduces this paragraph?

Animals survive by using adaptations that help them blend in or copy other species. Camouflage lets an animal match its surroundings, making it difficult for predators to spot. Mimicry protects animals by having them look or act like something dangerous or unappealing. _____ the arctic hare's white winter fur matches snow, while a harmless king snake can resemble a venomous coral snake. These strategies increase the chances of finding food and staying safe. When seasons change, some animals shed or grow new coats to keep their disguise effective. Others rely on behaviors, such as freezing in place, to complete the trick. Together, these adaptations show how appearance and behavior can work as a shield in the wild.

Which transition best connects these two ideas?

Exploring Mars teaches scientists how planets change over time. Space agencies send orbiters to map the surface and landers to study soil and weather. On the ground, teams rely on space robot cars to travel across rocky plains and hills. These machines collect rock samples, take pictures, and use tools to test for minerals that form in water. Solar panels or nuclear batteries provide power so the missions can last through dust storms and cold nights. Engineers program careful routes to avoid sand traps and sharp stones. By comparing data from different landing sites, researchers piece together a timeline of ancient lakes and rivers. Clear pictures and measurements from recent missions have revealed clay-rich regions that suggest long periods of past water.

Which revision best replaces the vague phrase "space robot cars" in sentence 3?

Water on Earth is always moving through a cycle. When the sun warms oceans and lakes, liquid water turns into water vapor and rises into the air. As the air cools higher in the sky, that vapor condenses into tiny droplets that form clouds. When the droplets grow heavy enough, they fall as rain or snow. Some of this water flows over the ground into streams and rivers, and some soaks into the soil to refill groundwater. Plants also release water vapor from their leaves in a process called transpiration. The cycle repeats as energy from the sun continues to drive evaporation and as gravity pulls water back to the surface. [Missing concluding statement]

Which concluding statement best follows from the information?

Recycling plastic helps reduce waste in landfills and saves energy. At a materials recovery facility, trucks unload mixed recyclables onto a conveyor belt. Workers quickly separate paper and metal from the stream so that plastic can be processed on its own. Next, machines read symbols and sort plastic by type, such as bottles made from PET and jugs made from HDPE. Before those machines work well, the line must be clean. Workers remove any stuff that would block the machines. Then the plastic is washed, shredded into small flakes, and melted into pellets. Manufacturers use the pellets to create new products, including park benches and clothing fibers. Clear steps and careful sorting make the system efficient and safe for employees and equipment.

Which revision most precisely replaces the vague word "stuff" in the sentence "Workers remove any stuff that would block the machines"?

In the Sahara Desert, the fennec fox survives extreme heat through specialized adaptations. Its pale fur reflects sunlight during the day, and thick fur on its feet protects pads from hot sand. The fox is most famous for its oversized ears, which are packed with blood vessels that release body heat into the air. _____ the fox avoids overheating while it hunts at night and rests in shallow burrows by day. The fennec also conserves water by producing highly concentrated urine and by getting moisture from insects and small plants. These features work together to help a small mammal thrive where daytime temperatures are intense and water is scarce.

Which transition best connects the cause (heat released through the ears) to the effect (the fox avoids overheating)?