Which two excerpts? Just trying to help out!!
The earth is rather large and not exactly a point in space, the author however is comparing it to a point in space because of how vast space really is. A metaphor is basically a comparison (Not exactly true) that doesn't use the words like or as... (That's a Simile.) The earth isn't an actual dot in space. It's big, but because of how big space is, it's compared to a dot... Hope this helps... :)
The noun in front of it can give you clues!
Answer:
Persist
Explanation:
In the statement in question, the highlighted/odd word is tolerate. The statement makes almost no sense with the use of the word tolerate. However, when tolerate is replaced with the word "persist", it gives the statement more meaning. Persist as a word means "continue to exist". Thus the statement becomes "More than half a decade after the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that leveled Haiti, serious social and public health problems PERSIST, including inadequate housing, political corruption, and the spread of cholera."
I believe that the answer for this would be DESTRUCTIVE. The stream at the Karnala Bird Sanctuary, India is considered as destructive because it causes stream erosion. Both constructive and destructive processes are considered as part of the changes that occurs in the planet all the time. Hope this answers your question. Have a great day!