Every 2 to 3 years, female leatherback sea turtles in their breeding years make their way to a beach, where they climb ashore to lay their eggs in the sand. Like other sea turtles, leatherbacks lay these eggs in a “clutch,” or nest. A single clutch can contain as many as 85 eggs, although not all of them will have been fertilized. Of those that have been fertilized, however, the embryos will incubate in the sand for 50 to 60 days and then hatch, before which time the mother turtle will have already returned to the ocean. The baby turtles, or “hatchlings,” collectively dig themselves out of the sand and onto the shore, where they must make their way to the sea in order to survive.
The stakes for finding the ocean quickly are extremely high. Hatchlings that do not quickly make their way from the clutch into the sea will die. During their sprints, they are at risk of predation by myriad creatures, from crabs to birds to snakes to native predators, that dwell on beaches worldwide. They are also exposed to possible dehydration should they remain out of the water for too long.
There are several factors involved in the navigation of these newborn reptiles to the sea. Light, however, is the most important factor. The hatchlings use visual cues to find their way into the lapping ocean water. In particular, they observe the reflection of the moon and stars in the night sky on the water, and the contrast of this reflection with the dark silhouettes of the dunes and trees on land.
Prior to modern times, this process was not made perilous by artificial light interfering with the turtles’ seaward orientation. The turtles’ innate sensitivity and attraction to light guided them where they needed to go: into the water. But nowadays, the brightest light often does not come from the moon and stars being reflected on the surface of the ocean. Instead, the bright lights of the lit structures that populate many beaches draw the baby turtles in the direction opposite of where they need to go: away from the ocean. As a result, and particularly because the leatherback turtle has been listed as an endangered species since 1970, efforts have been made to reduce the impact of artificial light on leatherback hatchlings.
Certain light-emitting diode (LED) lights that fall within set wavelengths have been found to interfere less with the navigation of baby turtles. These wavelengths are on the spectrum of light that ranges between yellow/orange and red. Organizations such as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission have labeled these lights safe for use around turtles. In cooperation with wildlife advocates and organizations devoted to the protection of sea turtles, many coastal businesses worldwide have replaced problematic light fixtures with turtle-safe lighting.
Leatherbacks are “pelagic,” meaning they live in open water (in contrast to staying near the shore or dwelling on the ocean bottom), and this includes the hatchlings; if they manage to make it to sea, they will venture into the open waters. Researchers have named the ensuing years the “lost years,” as the turtles live in the open sea and are difficult to track. They have attempted to study their whereabouts and navigation patterns by tagging baby turtles and tracking them via satellite.
The turtles are known for their long-distance migrations and over the years will possibly travel tens of thousands of miles. When they are 15 to 25 years old, female leatherback turtles reach maturity and return to the different beaches where each was born to lay their own clutches of eggs. How does the mature leatherback find her way back to her natal beach, which is sometimes thousands of miles away? It is believed that the turtle uses the Earth’s magnetic fields to accomplish this incredible feat. This magnetic sense is the same kind of “compass” used by a number of species that also navigate long distances, including monarch butterflies, yellow-fin tuna, and sockeye salmon.
Now answer the questions.
| P1 | Paragraph 1 |
| S1 | Every 2 to 3 years, female leatherback sea turtles in their breeding years make their way to a beach, where they climb ashore to lay their eggs in the sand. |
| 2 | Like other sea turtles, leatherbacks lay these eggs in a “clutch,” or nest. |
| 3 | A single clutch can contain as many as 85 eggs, although not all of them will have been fertilized. |
| 4 | Of those that have been fertilized, however, the embryos will incubate in the sand for 50 to 60 days and then hatch, before which time the mother turtle will have already returned to the ocean. |
| 5 | The baby turtles, or “hatchlings,” collectively dig themselves out of the sand and onto the shore, where they must make their way to the sea in order to survive. |
According to paragraph 1, which of the following statements is true of baby leatherback turtles?
The word “incubate” in the passage is closest in meaning to
| P2 | Paragraph 2 |
| S1 | The stakes for finding the ocean quickly are extremely high. |
| 2 | Hatchlings that do not quickly make their way from the clutch into the sea will die. |
| 3 | During their sprints, they are at risk of predation by myriad creatures, from crabs to birds to snakes to native predators, that dwell on beaches worldwide. |
| 4 | They are also exposed to possible dehydration should they remain out of the water for too long. |
Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
| P3 | Paragraph 3 |
| S1 | There are several factors involved in the navigation of these newborn reptiles to the sea. |
| 2 | Light, however, is the most important factor. |
| 3 | The hatchlings use visual cues to find their way into the lapping ocean water. |
| 4 | In particular, they observe the reflection of the moon and stars in the night sky on the water, and the contrast of this reflection with the dark silhouettes of the dunes and trees on land. |
Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 3 about the dunes and trees?
| P4 | Paragraph 4 |
| S1 | Prior to modern times, this process was not made perilous by artificial light interfering with the turtles’ seaward orientation. |
| 2 | The turtles’ innate sensitivity and attraction to light guided them where they needed to go: into the water. |
| 3 | But nowadays, the brightest light often does not come from the moon and stars being reflected on the surface of the ocean. |
| 4 | Instead, the bright lights of the lit structures that populate many beaches draw the baby turtles in the direction opposite of where they need to go: away from the ocean. |
| 5 | As a result, and particularly because the leatherback turtle has been listed as an endangered species since 1970, efforts have been made to reduce the impact of artificial light on leatherback hatchlings. |
According to paragraph 4, an important reason why baby turtles have difficulty nowadays navigating toward the sea is
The word “impact” in the passage is most closest in meaning to
| P5 | Paragraph 5 |
| S1 | Certain light-emitting diode (LED) lights that fall within set wavelengths have been found to interfere less with the navigation of baby turtles. |
| 2 | These wavelengths are on the spectrum of light that ranges between yellow/orange and red. |
| 3 | Organizations such as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission have labeled these lights safe for use around turtles. |
| 4 | In cooperation with wildlife advocates and organizations devoted to the protection of sea turtles, many coastal businesses worldwide have replaced problematic light fixtures with turtle-safe lighting. |
Why does the author mention “light-emitting diode (LED) lights” in the passage?
| P6 | Paragraph 6 |
| S1 | Leatherbacks are “pelagic,” meaning they live in open water (in contrast to staying near the shore or dwelling on the ocean bottom), and this includes the hatchlings; if they manage to make it to sea, they will venture into the open waters. |
| 2 | Researchers have named the ensuing years the “lost years,” as the turtles live in the open sea and are difficult to track. |
| 3 | They have attempted to study their whereabouts and navigation patterns by tagging baby turtles and tracking them via satellite. |
The word “venture” in the passage is closest in meaning to
| P7 | Paragraph 7 |
| S1 | The turtles are known for their long-distance migrations and over the years will possibly travel tens of thousands of miles. |
| 2 | When they are 15 to 25 years old, female leatherback turtles reach maturity and return to the different beaches where each was born to lay their own clutches of eggs. |
| 3 | How does the mature leatherback find her way back to her natal beach, which is sometimes thousands of miles away? |
| 4 | It is believed that the turtle uses the Earth’s magnetic fields to accomplish this incredible feat. |
| 5 | This magnetic sense is the same kind of “compass” used by a number of species that also navigate long distances, including monarch butterflies, yellow-fin tuna, and sockeye salmon. |
The word “they” in the passage refers to
According to paragraph 7, which of the following is likely to be the method by which the adult female leatherback finds her way back to the beach where she was born?
| P7 | Paragraph 7 |
| S1–2 | The turtles are known for their long-distance migrations and over the years will possibly travel tens of thousands of miles. When they are 15 to 25 years old, female leatherback turtles reach maturity and return to the different beaches where each was born to lay their own clutches of eggs. |
| 3 | A How does the mature leatherback find her way back to her natal beach, which is sometimes thousands of miles away? |
| 4 | B It is believed that the turtle uses the Earth’s magnetic fields to accomplish this incredible feat. |
| 5 | C This magnetic sense is the same kind of “compass” used by a number of species that also navigate long distances, including monarch butterflies, yellow-fin tuna, and sockeye salmon. |
| End | D |
Look at the part of the passage that is displayed above. The letters [A], [B], [C], and [D] indicate where the following sentence could be added.
An ability to perceive magnetic fields is in fact shared by animals such as these that may otherwise be quite different from one another.
Where would the sentence best fit?
Select from the five phrases below THREE that characterize the behaviors of leatherback turtles and TWO that characterize the behaviors of people, according to the passage. This question is worth 2 points.
| Behaviors of Leatherback Turtles | Behaviors of People |
| • • • |
• • |