"Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It can be caused by factors such as biotic processes, variations in solar radiation received by Earth, plate tectonics, and volcanic eruptions. Certain human activities have also been identified as significant causes of recent climate change, often referred to as 'global warming.'"
Which of the following characteristics best distinguishes an expository text from other textual genres?