Read the following paragraph and then answer this question.Scientists studying stands of dead "ghost" trees in Washington state recognized similarities between these trees and similar ghost forests that were created following an earthquake in the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, in 1964. Radiocarbon dating of the dead trees indicated that they were killed between the years 1680 and 1720 by an earthquake occurring along the Cascadia fault, a convergent boundary between the Juan de Fuca and North American plates, located in the Pacific Northwest. The discovery of sandy layers of soil deposited by a tsunami, dated to the same time period, supported the Cascadia earthquake hypothesis. Another group of Japanese scientists hypothesized that this earthquake may have been responsible for a tsunami

Question

recorded to have struck the coast of Japan in the year 1700. Additional analysis by dendrochronologists determined that the ghost forest trees likely died between the years 1699-1700, supporting the Japanese hypothesis. The discovery of a recent earthquake along the Cascadia fault led to more strict building codes in the Pacific Northwest, helping to protect the millions of people who live near the fault.Which of the four primary roles of earth scientists is best illustrated in this paragraph?

A. Protecting against natural hazards
B. Ensuring the future of human life
C. Protecting the health of the environment
D. Finding and sustaining Earth's resources

Answer 1

Answer: A