Comprehension [ 26 ] Upper Intermediate & Advanced

26 - ] Comprehension 

Upper Intermediate & Advance  

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 .

               Around the world , billions of tires from trucks and cars are replaced every year . In the United States , about 260 million used truck and auto tires are thrown away every year . Where do the old tires go ? Quite often , they go into large dumps where they remain for many years .

              The mountains of worn-out tires in these dumps present a number of health and environmental dangers . . First , they attract mosquitoes and rats , which then spread disease among humans . The tires can also catch on fire , and these fires are very difficult to put on . They may burn from a few days to a few months . While the tires burn , they release cancer-causing gases into the air . These gases spread over nearby towns and cause health problems for people who live there .

             After a tire dump fire is put out ,pieces of burned tires remain on the ground . When it rains , chemicals from the burned parts wash into the soil and into the ground water . This pollutes the soil and the drinking water in the area .

             Aside from these problems , the tire dumps represent a terrible waste of resources . So , in order to avoid the problems and the waste , people are looking for ways to reuse or recycle tires . Recycling is common for other materials , such as paper , glass , and aluminum . Now tires are also being recycled in a number of creative ways .

            One solution is to burn the tires to create energy . An energy company with plants in Connecticut and California burns tires to produce steam for generating electricity . When the tires are burned properly , the fir does not pollute the air . Every day , workers check to make sure that no dangerous gases are allowed out of the energy plant’s chimney .A total of about 15 million tires are burned every year in the company’s two plants . This produces enough electricity to supply about 42,000 houses .

              Another solution is to find a new use for the tires . Tires are now being used to make various products , from doormats to fishing supplies . Several shoe companies have started using tires to make the soles of tennis shoes . This is not a new idea , in fact . During the Great Depression , shoes with tire soles were very common in the United States .

            The state of Maine has found yet another use for old tires . The climate in Maine is very cold , and in the winter the ground freezes solid . Large bumps are formed in the roads , and then in the spring , the bumps may turn into holes . Roads must be rebuilt often , at great expense to the state . To prevent this , road workers have started to use old tires broken into small pieces . These tire pieces are spread in a thick layer underneath the surface of a new road . The tires then act as a blanket , keeping the ground below the road from freezing . This way the road surface remains smooth .

               Up to now ,only a small percentage of used tires are being recycled in the United States . But there are plants and new ideas about ways to reuse more of the tires that5 end up in tire dumps .

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

 1 . This passage is mainly about the

( A ) effects of burning tires .

( B ) dangers of tire dumps .

( C ) problem of what to do with old tires .

( D ) ways old tires can be recycled .             

2 . A fire at a tire dump is

( A ) a good source of electricity .

( B ) a good way to get rid of old tires .

( C ) a source of dangerous pollution .

( D )  quickly put out .            

3 . When tires are burned at the energy plants ,

( A ) air pollution is a big problem .

( B ) air pollution is not a problem .

( C ) only a few tires are burned .

( D ) workers are exposed to dangerous gases .             

4 . You may infer from this passage that

( A ) the number of tire dumps will greatly increase .

( B ) very few uses can be found for old tires .

( C ) only western countries can recycle tires .

( D ) tire recycling methods could be used anywhere  .               

5 . Recycling tires is

( A ) a way of saving resources .

( B )  a very complicated process .

( C ) dangerous to human health .

( D ) a major source of water and soil problem .               

6 . Using recycled tires to make everyday products is

( A ) a new idea .

( B ) a cause of pollution .

( C ) not a new idea .

( D )  not possible .               

7 . When workers use tires to build roads they

( A ) spread a layer of tire pieces first .

( B ) fill all the holes with tire pieces .

( C ) often work in freezing weather .

( D ) check carefully to be sure that no dangerous gases are formed .               

8 . Using old tires for building roads in the state of Maine can result in

( A ) warmer roads .

( B ) more expense to the state .

( C ) less expense to the state

( D ) bumps and holes in some roads .

Answer Key

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