Read this passage from alan weisman's "the city without us":
plants from the americas changed not only ecosystems in european countries but also their very identities: think of ireland before potatoes, or italy before tomatoes. in the opposite direction, old world invaders [introduced] seed, beginning with wheat, barley, and rye. in a phrase coined by the american geographer alfred crosby, this ecological imperialism european conquerors to permanently stamp their image on their colonies. now read this passage from jared diamond's "the ends of the world as we know them": a major factor [in the collapse of maya society] was environmental degradation by people: deforestation, soil erosion and water management problems, all of which resulted in less food. those problems were exacerbated by droughts, which may have been partly caused by humans themselves through deforestation.

what common theme of green literature is most strongly evident in both passages?

a. the actions of human beings can have a strong destructive impact on the natural environment.
b. nature is such a strong force that it continues to pose challenges even to modern societies.
c. there is no excuse for damaging the natural world, and anyone who does so will pay a steep price.
d. with careful management, ecosystems can still thrive after human beings have changed them.

Kwan gazed out at her brother and heard his shrieks of delight as he tried to direct their marvelous flying creation. she watched it wheel, spin, and dive—a wild, colorful bird putting on an aerial display. its gold and red crepe-paper wings fluttered in the air, mimicking the flight of a predatory bird surveying the landscape for prey. it swooped and dived, perhaps discovering a possible meal, and then went airborne again to avoid the rocky terrain below. min was the falconer, guiding his bird on its path through the sky, not yet ready to call it back to the ground. but kwan grew concerned when she looked out at the dark, threatening clouds beginning to roll in off the water. when she saw the streaks of lightning within the cloud formation, she pointed to the distant storm and called out to her little brother to bring in the kite. min nodded and rolled in the kite string, bringing his bird home. “let’s go,” kwan told her brother and put her arm around him to fold him safely under her wing as they both held onto the kite. “it’s time to go home.” how does the extended metaphor in paragraph 3 affect the mood of this passage? a-it creates a feeling of silliness that captures the absurd humor of the situation. b- it creates a sense of tranquility to match the feelings of min at this point. c-it creates a feeling of fear over what may happen if the kite crashes. d-it creates a sense of awe and wonder at min's mastery of the kite.