Text Structure - Practice

The water cycle is a continuous process that moves water around Earth. First, the sun heats water in oceans, lakes, and rivers, causing it to evaporate into the air as water vapor. Next, as the water vapor rises, it cools and condenses to form clouds. Then, when the clouds become heavy with water droplets, precipitation falls as rain, snow, sleet, or hail. After precipitation reaches the ground, some water flows into streams and rivers, eventually returning to the ocean. Finally, the cycle begins again as the sun heats the water once more.

Sea turtles face many threats that have caused their populations to decline dramatically. The problem is that sea turtles are endangered due to pollution, habitat loss, and fishing nets that accidentally trap them. Plastic bags in the ocean look like jellyfish, which sea turtles eat, causing them to choke or starve.

Fortunately, there are several solutions to help protect sea turtles. One solution is creating protected beaches where turtles can safely lay their eggs. Another solution is requiring fishing boats to use turtle excluder devices (TEDs) that allow turtles to escape from nets. Additionally, reducing plastic use and participating in beach cleanups can prevent turtles from eating harmful trash. By working together, we can solve this problem and help sea turtle populations recover.

Venus and Earth are often called "sister planets" because they share some similarities, but they also have important differences. Both planets are rocky and similar in size - Venus is only slightly smaller than Earth. Similarly, both planets have atmospheres and are located in our solar system's inner region.

However, conditions on the two planets are extremely different. While Earth has mild temperatures that support life, Venus is scorching hot with surface temperatures reaching 900 degrees Fahrenheit. Earth's atmosphere contains oxygen that living things breathe, whereas Venus's atmosphere is mostly carbon dioxide and sulfuric acid. Unlike Earth, which has oceans of water, Venus has no liquid water on its surface. Because of these differences, scientists believe Venus could not support life as we know it, in contrast to Earth, which teems with diverse organisms.

Earthquakes occur because of the movement of Earth's tectonic plates. The Earth's outer layer is divided into large pieces called plates that float on hot, melted rock below. These plates are constantly moving, though very slowly - usually just a few inches per year.

When two plates push against each other or slide past each other, pressure builds up along the boundary. Since the rocks along plate edges are rough, they get stuck while the rest of the plate keeps moving. Eventually, the stress becomes too great, and the rocks suddenly slip. As a result, energy is released in waves that shake the ground - this is what we feel as an earthquake. The shaking can cause buildings to collapse, roads to crack, and in coastal areas, it can lead to tsunamis due to the sudden movement of the ocean floor.