Question

The pangolin is a critically endangered mammal native to Africa and Asia. Due to their unique appearance, pangolins ate the most trafficked mammal on the planet. About the size of a cat, the body and tail of pangolins are covered by hard, overlapping scales made of keratin, which protects them from attack. These distinctive scales are popular in making apparel. Additionally, many people believe that the scales and the blood of the pangolin possesses medicinal properties.

If the pangolin continues to be haunted at the current rate, the species will soon reach extinction. Many people have never even heard of the pangolin, and activists are attempting to raise the awareness about this unusual creature’s plight. It is important to act quickly before the pangolin is lost forever.

Which of the following details from the passage best supports the main idea?
a. Many people have never heard of the pangolin
b. The pangolin’s scales protect it from attack
c. The pangolin is hunted due to its unique appearance
d. People believe the pangolin’s blood has medicinal properties.

Answer 1

The pangolin is hunted due to its unique appearance, leading to its critically endangered status.

Step-by-step explanation:

The detail from the passage that best supports the main idea is that the pangolin is hunted due to its unique appearance.

According to the passage, pangolins are the most trafficked mammal on the planet because of their unique appearance.

Due to their scales made of keratin, which are used to make apparel, and the belief that their scales and blood have medicinal properties, pangolins are hunted at a high rate. This hunting has led to the species being critically endangered and facing the threat of extinction.

The detail from the passage that best supports the main idea that pangolins are at risk of extinction due to human activities is "The pangolin is hunted due to its unique appearance."

This points directly to the human influence on the decline of pangolin populations, emphasizing the demand for their scales in making apparel and for their supposed medicinal properties.