Comprehension [ 25 ] Upper Intermediate & Advanced

25 - ] Comprehension

Upper Intermediate & Advanced

Read the following passage , then answer the questions below . Do not look back at the passage . Compare your answers to the Answer Key . Check any incorrect answers by reading the passage .

                     Every year , more people face poverty and hunger and more of the earth’s resources are ruined . The problems are enormous , but many experts believe that the situation is not hopeless . The solution will require big changes in how we think about agriculture , food , and our planet .

                     First of all , farmers everywhere need to develop methods that are less destructive to the environment . The change from single crop farming to a mixed crop system would be one important step . The planting of various crops improves the soil and helps prevent erosion . Erosion could further be prevented by planting trees to protect the fields from the wind . Another way farmers could improve their soil is to stop deep plowing . In fact , only a light plowing is necessary , or sometimes no plowing at all .

                    If the soil were treated better , farmers would not need to use chemical fertilizers . They could use natural animal and vegetable products instead . With mixed crops , farmers would also not need as much or any chemical insecticides . They could use other biological methods of controlling insects and disease .

                     Farmers could also help save some of the earth’s precious supplies of water and petroleum . To save water , they could plant less “thirsty” crops , instead of the standard types of wheat or corn . They could also use watering systems that are much less wasteful . To save petroleum , farmers could make use of bio-gas generators for energy .These generators could be fueled by the vegetable and animal wastes of the farms . In less-developed countries , bio-gas generators could reduce the need for firewood and so help save forests , as well .

                      In less-developed countries , the small farmers need help . They need to learn more about crops that are better suited to the local conditions . They need to learn how to limit erosion and make the best use of their resources . But these farmers will never be successful without land for themselves and economic aid . This should be the aim of governments and international agencies . The present policies of encouraging industry and cash crops are only making the situation worse. 

                        The industrialized countries could use their economic resources to help bring about these changes . They also could make some changes in their own policies . At present ,much food is wasted in these countries for political reasons . In Europe alone mountains of fruit and dairy products are thrown away every year . Eating habits , too , could change in these countries . For example ,people often eat from distant places instead of local foods . The transportation of the imported foods adds to the global pollution problem . People in the industrialized countries also eat a lot of meat , especially beef . In fact , a large percentage of the grain grown in these countries is used for feeding cattle . If people in these countries ate less meat , there would be more grain to feed the hungry people of the world .  

Circle the best answers to the following questions . Do not look back at the passage .

1 . This passage is about

( A ) biological methods of farming .

( B )  how we can change the way food is produced worldwide .

( C ) how millions of people are facing hunger and poverty .                 

( D ) farming around the world .

2 . We can infer from this passage that single crop farming

( A ) is destructive to the environment .

( B )  is good for the environment .

( C )  is cheaper for the farmer .               

( D ) does not cause erosion .

3 . Deep plowing of the soil

( A ) prevents erosion .

( B )  improves the soil .

( C )  causes erosion .               

( D ) helps the plants grow .

4 . Mixed crop farming

( A ) reduces erosion and the need for insecticides .

( B ) increases erosion and the need for insecticides .  

( C ) eliminates erosion and the need for insecticides .                

( D ) dopes not affect erosion and the need for insecticides .

5 . We can infer from this passage that farmers at present

( A ) use very little water on average .

( B )  are now very careful about their water use .

( C )  always use too much water .                 

( D ) often waste a lot of water .

6 . Bio-gas generators on farms would

( A ) mean an increase in the use of other fuels .

( B ) encourage farmers to raise cash crops .

( C ) reduce the need for other fuels .                

( D ) help farmers raise cattle .

7 . The governments of less-developed countries  

( A ) should encourage the growing of cash crops .

( B )  need to encourage people to eat less beef .

( C ) should increase the size of farms .                  

( D ) need to help small farmers .

8 . People in industrialized countries could help by

( A ) eating more meat .

( B ) raising more cattle .

( C ) reducing the amount of beef they eat .                  

( D ) reducing the amount of grain they eat .  

Answer Key

1 . B 2 . A 3 . C 4 . A 5 . D 6 . C 7 . D 8 . C