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the mystery of loch ness
by kayden mitchell

of all the mysteries in the world, none has been as popular as that of the loch ness monster. perhaps the biggest mystery is whether it is convincing evidence or a simple desire to believe that keeps the myth alive.

loch ness is a lake in scotland. the loch, or lake, is known for sightings of a mysterious monster. most who see this monster, known as nessie, describe something with a long neck and several humps above the water. sometimes the "monster" is moving in these sightings, and sometimes it is still. many have suggested that nessie might be a plesiosaur (plea-see-a-soar), an aquatic dinosaur that was trapped in the loch after the last ice age.

the plesiosaur theory presents several problems. first, the plesiosaur is an air breather. such a creature would need to surface often and, therefore, be seen more frequently. second, it's unlikely that the same creature has lived in the loch since the last ice age. today's creature would have to be the offspring of an original plesiosaur trapped long ago. this would suggest multiple creatures in the loch (needed to produce offspring). again, sightings would be more frequent if this were the case.

so from a purely logical stand point, the existence of such a large and ancient creature is unlikely. but assume for a minute that it is possible. what would a plesiosaur need to live in an enclosed lake?

tropical waters: scientists believe plesiosaurs were warm-blooded. like crocodiles and alligators, plesiosaurs would need to live in warm waters. the loch is very cold with temperatures averaging about 40 degrees fahrenheit (4.4 celsius).
food: like other warm-blooded creatures, plesiosaurs would need a large quantity of food. if there is a group of nessies, then even more food would be needed. because the loch is full of silt (underwater dust) not much light gets into the deepest areas. so the food chain, which would depend on plankton, is very weak at its base. as a result, there is probably not enough food to support such a large creature.
however, the plesiosaur theory is not the only one. many other ideas attempt to explain the sightings and "photographs." but two separate sonar surveys of the loch have not found any evidence of a creature larger than a salmon. the last survey1, completed in 2007 by the british broadcasting company (bbc), involved 600 different sonar beams. using satellite navigation systems, the team made sure every inch of the loch was searched. the team found nothing.

with cell phones and digital cameras, one would think that sightings of nessie would increase. this has not happened. the bbc team believes the legend of nessie has endured because people see what they want to see. to prove this, the team used a fence post, raising it before groups of tourists. afterwards several of the tourists asked to draw pictures of what they had seen drew pictures of a monster's head.

which describes the introduction to the essay? (5 points)

group of answer choices

it has two paragraphs: one for the thesis and one for background.

it has a wide focus: one that includes a variety of theories.

it states a contradiction: one that the conclusion corrects.

it states the main point: one that is not fully answered in the essay.

Need asap pl the kite flyer fifteen-year-old kwan sat on a large boulder on the rocky shore and watched her seven-year-old brother, min, race along the beach close to the water’s edge. the handmade kite, streaming high in the air behind him, created a striking image against the vivid blue sky. occasionally, min called out, “kwan, look at me! i’m flying! i’m flying! ” she beamed and waved at him, urging him on in his glee. she recalled the day her parents first brought home the little bundle from the hospital, the first boy in the family, making her the happiest big sister ever. the family had had a new baby to care for and cherish, and she had a precious little brother to shower with love and attention. min brought joy and delight to the whole household, and his presence completed the family. kwan smiled again as she watched him run along, and she felt great contentment at the pleasure he took in flying the kite they had made together. ever since father had taken min to the korean kite festival, he had begged for a kite of his own. the multicolored dragons, birds, and box kites with their colorful tails and plumes appeared to enchant min as he watched them soar and race in the clear blue sky. he stood mesmerized by the panoply of colors. “someday, i will race a kite in the festival! ” min stated with determination. when min made up his mind that a kite would be the perfect summer project for him and kwan, she was surprised. “i don’t want a kite-making kit,” he informed their father. “i want to build it myself—with kwan’s .” kwan initially wondered why min included her in his quest for a kite, but she quickly realized that her clever brother had correctly surmised that their father would more likely approve the request if min’s big sister were there to him. how could kwan refuse? kwan gazed out at her brother and heard his shrieks of delight as he tried to direct their marvelous flying creation. she watched it wheel, spin, and dive—a wild, colorful bird putting on an aerial display. its gold and red crepe-paper wings fluttered in the air, mimicking the flight of a predatory bird surveying the landscape for prey. it swooped and dived, perhaps discovering a possible meal, and then went airborne again to avoid the rocky terrain below. min was the falconer, guiding his bird on its path through the sky, not yet ready to call it back to the ground. but kwan grew concerned when she looked out at the dark, threatening clouds beginning to roll in off the water. when she saw the streaks of lightning within the cloud formation, she pointed to the distant storm and called out to her little brother to bring in the kite. min nodded and rolled in the kite string, bringing his bird home. “let’s go,” kwan told her brother and put her arm around him to fold him safely under her wing as they both held onto the kite. “it’s time to go home.” how does the extended metaphor in paragraph 3 of the passage affect its meaning? a- it shows that min, like a bird of prey, can make the rest of the world bend to his will. b- it conveys the idea that the kite moves with impressive grace and majesty, like a bird of prey. c- it suggests that the kite, like a bird of prey, has great power and demands respect. d-it demonstrates that kwan is delighted with her little brother's excitement at flying the kite.