W: Hi, Bill, how is it going?
M: Oh, hi, Jan. I’m OK. How about you?
W: You can probably tell just by looking at me. I’m really busy. Hey, what are you reading?
M: A pretty interesting article. My biology professor assigned it, and I thought I just look it over. But I got really involved in it. It’s about endangered species.
W: That sounds pretty interesting.(1)_____________________. And can you believe they are both due on the same day?
M: That’s tough.
W: I’ll get through it. So what’s this you are reading?
M: Well, (2)_____________________. You know, these days when funding is so hard to come by.
W: Wait a minute. Is the focus on biology or economics?
M: Both. (3)_______________________, so they have to decide based on what would be lost if a species became extinct.
W: Can you give me an example of what you mean?
M: Take for instance, two animals, the spotted owl and the tailed toad. The article says the toad is unique. It has no relatives. But there are a lot of varieties of owls.
W: So, if that toad became extinct, we’d lose an important link in the chain of evolution, right?
M: Exactly. But that isn’t so for the owl. So for conservationists, it might be clear choice of which animal to save.
W: I see. I am glad I don’t have to make that kind of decision. Aren’t you?
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