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Difficulty: EasyDebates about the Environment after 1900

Source: Chico Mendes, Brazilian environmentalist and rubber tapper union leader, 1988.

"At first I thought I was fighting to save rubber trees, then I thought I was fighting to save the Amazon rainforest. Now I realize I am fighting for humanity."

Which of the following late-twentieth-century environmental challenges was the perspective in the passage most directly responding to?

  1. A
    The promotion of eco-friendly farming practices during the Green Revolution
  2. B
    The establishment of direct European colonial administrations to secure natural resources
  3. Deforestation and resource extraction driven by economic developmentAnswer
  4. D
    The complete cultural homogenization of indigenous populations due to global media

Answer

Deforestation and resource extraction driven by economic development
The correct answer is correct because during the late twentieth century, rapid economic development led to significant deforestation and resource extraction in regions like the Amazon basin. Chico Mendes' activism directly opposed these destructive environmental practices to protect both the rainforest and the livelihoods of local rubber tappers.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context of the source provided in the stem.
The source is Chico Mendes speaking in 1988 about his efforts to save rubber trees and the Amazon rainforest.
Understanding the context of late-twentieth-century environmental activism in Brazil is necessary to identify the environmental challenge being addressed.
2
Connect the source's content to historical developments regarding the environment.
Mendes' activism was a reaction to the rapid destruction of the Amazon rainforest due to logging, cattle ranching, and agricultural expansion.
Linking the specific source details ('rubber trees' and 'Amazon rainforest') to broader global environmental trends helps isolate the correct development.
3
Evaluate the choices to find the one that accurately describes this trend.
The expansion of economic development projects led to deforestation and resource extraction in the Amazon, which Mendes fought against.
Selecting the option that matches the historical reality of Amazonian deforestation in the late twentieth century confirms the correct answer.

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Debates about the Environment after 1900
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Debates about the Environment after 1900

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