Self-study
Shortly after the power plant opened and began discharging its wastewater into the river, there was a decrease in the overall number of bass caught by anglers downstream from the plant.
"Surprising" Phenomenon
Why were fewer bass caught after the power plant started discharging wastewater into the river?
Objective
The correct answer must fail to explain why fewer bass were caught downstream. Meanwhile, every wrong answer will state a difference between the periods before and after the power plant opened that implies bass were more scarce afterward, or that bass present were caught at a lower rate.
6.
Each of the following, if █████ █████ ███████ ███ ████████ █████████ █████ ███████
a
The discharged wastewater ████ ███ █████ ████ ██████████ ██ ████ ████ ███ ███ ███████ █████████ ██ █████
This would explain why fewer bass were caught after the power plant opened. Their predators became more prevalent, so the number of bass declined.
b
The discharged water ███ ██████ ████ ███ ██████ █████ ████████████ ███████ ███ ████ ██ ████ ██████ █████ ██████████
This would explain why fewer bass were caught after the power plant opened. They fled for cooler water, decreasing their numbers in that part of the river.
c
Because of the ███ ██████ ██████ ██ ███ ████ ██ ███ █████ ██████████ ████ ███ █████ ███ █████████ ███████ ██ ██ ████████ ██ ███ ██████ ██ ███████ ███████ ███ █████
This does not explain the decrease because more anglers would cause more bass to be caught. This would contribute to an increase in the number of bass caught, not a decrease.
d
Because of the ███ ██████ ███ █████ ██ █████ ██████████ ██████████ ██████ ████ ███████ ██ ███ █████ █ ████ ███████ █████ ███ ███████ ██ █████
This would explain why fewer bass were caught downstream. There may be no fewer bass, but the number of anglers fishing for them decreased, leading to fewer bass being caught overall.
e
The discharged wastewater ███████ ██████████ ████ █████████ ███ ██████████ ██ ███ █████ ███████████ ██████████ ████ ██ ███ ██████ ███████ ████████
This would explain why fewer bass were caught downstream. Their habitat was destroyed, so bass perished or fled, leading to a decrease in their population.