Comprehension - Intermediate [ 17 ]

[ 17 ] Comprehension . 

[  17  ] Intermediate 

Read the following , then answer the questions below :

                  At least 461 species of birds and mammals have become extinct in the past 400 years . Many more species – about 555 mammals and 1073 birds are now at risk of extinction . Among reptiles , fish and invertebrates at least 2961 are at risk . Also among plant species the number at risk reaches 25.000 . The cause of this terrible destruction is always the same : human kind . Sometimes people have killed off species directly by hunting them , as with the passenger pigeon or indirectly as with the dodo of Mauritius .

                The most frequent cause of extinction , however is the human destruction of the environment . On the Hawaiian Islands , for instance , European and American settlers cut down the forests for farmland and killed off many unique species of birds and plants . In the Amazon rain forest trees are cut down and the environment is destroyed altogether . Many species disappear forever as each square mile of the forest contains thousands of plant and animal species that depend on each other and on their special environment .

              Scientists are very concerned about the many species that are disappearing around the world . Not only do we lose the chance to learn more about ourselves and our environment , but we also lose valuable economic and scientific resources . Many wild plants , such as the wild tomato and the wild sunflower are useful in genetically improving food crops . Other plants or animals are useful in medical research . In this way , medicines have been found to help fight leukemia , cancer , and many other diseases . The loss of species also means a narrower range of genetic possibilities in the world .

 

A-] Answer the following questions :

1-] What are the causes of extinction ?

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2-] Why are scientists very concerned ?

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3-] How are plants and animals are useful for medical research and food ?

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4-] Are the plant and animal species connected on their special environment ?

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B-] Choose the correct answer :

1-] When people cut down large areas of rain forest , they

A-] discover useful species of plants and animals . B-] eliminate many species of plants and animals . C-] are likely to kill the dodo . D-] help many species of plants and animals .

2-] In the past 400 years

A-] only a few kinds of animals have become extinct . B-] millions of animals have become extinct . C-] over 461 species of birds and mammals have become extinct . D-] no new kinds of animals or birds have become extinct .

3-] Concerned means

A-] interested B-] worried  C-] involved  D-] depressed