After reading the paragraphs below, answer the questions that follow.
Scientific investigation of the exact effects of environmental steroids on humans is extremely difficult since there are multiple sources of hormones in the environment. A valid study would require a control group that has not been exposed to the chemicals being studied. Since everyone has had some exposure to environmental hormones, no control group is available to use as a reference.
Another way to assess the environmental hazard due to steroid hormones is to analyze the amount of residual hormones present following commercial water treatment by water treatment plants.
Gathering good data on hormone release from water treatment plants in a particular area would require all but one of these actions. Choose the exception.
◦ also recording data from an area where there is no water release from a water treatment plant
◦ preventing large mammals, especially females, from urinating in the area
◦ assuring that there is a variety of soils in the area
◦ preventing any unused drugs from being discarded in the study area