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    Question

    In each of the following questions, a paragraph with a blank is given. From the five choices given below, select the sentence which can go into the blank to make the paragraph logically coherent.

    Arctic sea ice reached its annual minimum extent on

    September 11, 2024, marking another year of significant ice loss in the Northern Hemisphere.(------------------------------) This year's minimum extent is approximately 1.94 million square kilometers below the 1981-2010 end-of-summer average, covering an area larger than Alaska.
    A Previously ice-covered oceans are now directly forced by summer storms at the same time as the warm Atlantic and Pacific water inflow temperatures rise. Correct Answer Incorrect Answer
    B According to researchers at Nasa and the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), this year's minimum extent was 4.28 million square kilometers, continuing the decades-long trend of shrinking and thinning ice cover in the Arctic Ocean. Correct Answer Incorrect Answer
    C In the past, the force of the winds over the surface waters of the Arctic Ocean was weakened by thick layers of pack ice in and around the gyre. Indeed, the seasonal sea-ice cover, blanketing the entire Arctic Ocean, has been one key to the remarkable quietness of the Arctic Ocean. Correct Answer Incorrect Answer
    D The official forecast for this year's harvest is 132 million tons, with IKAR further reducing its wheat crop estimate to 81.8 million metric tons. Correct Answer Incorrect Answer
    E none of these Correct Answer Incorrect Answer

    Solution

    Sentence 1 is relevant to ice loss but focuses on summer storms rather than the minimum extent. Sentence 3 provides historical context about wind effects on ice but does not relate to the current year’s ice extent. Sentence 4 discusses agricultural forecasts, which are unrelated to Arctic sea ice. Sentence 2 directly discusses this year's minimum extent, making it highly relevant and coherent with the paragraph. Thus, only sentence 2 is the best choice to fill the blank.

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