TOEFL Integrated Writing Practice Test 049Endangered Birds

Over the past century, the steady rise in human population and the associated growth in agriculture and pesticide usage have caused significant harm to wildlife in the United States, particularly birds. Unfortunately for bird species, these trends are likely to persist, which means that bird populations in the United States will inevitably decrease.

First, as human populations and communities continue to grow, birds’ natural habitats will keep shrinking. Forests, wetlands, and grasslands will be replaced by more homes, shopping centers, and office buildings. As the areas that birds traditionally rely on continue to disappear, the populations of birds that depend on these habitats will diminish as well.

Second, the need for increased agricultural production will accompany the growing human population. Expanding agriculture will also lead to further destruction of bird habitats as more wilderness is converted into farmland. Consequently, bird populations in rural regions will continue to decline.

Third, the expansion of human settlements and agricultural activities will result in the greater use of chemical pesticides. These pesticides are designed to eliminate agricultural pests, like insects, but they often find their way into water sources and the food chain, affecting birds. Birds that consume poisoned insects or drink polluted water can die, and even when the pesticides don’t kill them directly, they can hinder birds’ ability to reproduce. Thus, pesticides have played a significant role in reducing bird populations, and since pest control will remain necessary in the future, this decline is likely to persist.