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   

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 

 

Comprehension [ 24 ] Upper Intermediate & Advanced

24 - ] 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 .

                       Two hundred years ago , passenger pigeons were the most numerous birds in the world . A flock of passenger pigeons might include over two million birds . When they flew overhead , they darkened the sky for hundreds of miles . Today , not a single one of these birds exists . Incredible as it may seem , all those millions of birds were hunted down for food , feathers , and sport .

                        The story of the passenger pigeon is just one of many sad stories about animals that have disappeared . At least 461 species of birds and mammals have become extinct in the past 400 years . Many more species - about 555 mammals and 1,073 birds - are now at risk of extinction . Among reptiles , fish , and invertebrates , at least 2,961 are at risk . And among plant species the number at risk reaches 25,000 .

                     The cause of this terrible destruction is always the same : humankind . Sometimes people have killed off species directly by hunting them , as with the passenger pigeon . In other cases , people have caused extinction indirectly , as with the dodo bird of Mauritius ( an island in the Indian Ocean ) . Though brutally hunted by the first European settlers , some dodos managed to survive in the interior forests . However , these were soon eliminated by the cats , dogs , pigs , and rats the European brought with them.

                    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 . This killed off many of the Hawaii’s unique species of birds and plants . Even more dramatic , today , is the situation in the Amazon rain forest . Here , each square mile of the forest contains thousands of plant and animal species . These species depend on each other and on their special environment . When the trees are cut down , the environment changes or is destroyed altogether . And many species disappear forever .

                     Scientists are very concerned about the many species that are disappearing around the world . The loss of our fellow creatures is a loss for us as well . Not only do we lose the chance to learn more about ourselves and our environment . We also lose valuable economic or 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 .

                       Aside from the uses that research has already discovered , there may be countless more . Who knows what we are losing in the forests that are being cut down ? Every year , as more plants and animals disappear , we lose opportunities for science and medicine . That means opportunities to improve our lives . The loss of species also means a narrower range of genetic possibilities in the world . Scientists do not know what that will mean , but they are worried .

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

1 . This passage is about

( A ) many kinds of plants and animals .

( B ) the extinction of plants and animals .

( C ) how Europeans destroyed species on Mauritius .

( D ) how hunting causes animals to become extinct .

2 . The passenger pigeon became extinct because

( A ) there were too many of them .

( B ) people destroyed its environment .

( C ) there was not enough food for it .

( D ) people killed them all .

3 . 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 birds or animals have become extinct .

4 . The importation of animals by humans may cause

( A ) some native species to become extinct .

( B ) those animals to die .

( C ) some native species to increase in number .

( D ) hunters to kill native species .

5 . The Hawaiian Islands are a good example of how

( A ) cutting down forests causes extinction .

( B )  people have taken care to save plants and animals .

( C )  native plants and animals can be killed by imported species .

( D ) islands make good farmland .

6 . When people cut down large areas of rain forest they

( A ) are likely to kill the dodo birds . 

( B ) help many species of plants and animals .

( C ) discover useful species of plants and animals .

( D ) eliminate many species of plants and animals .

7 . We can infer from this passage that people

( A ) have often been concerned about the survival of species .

( B ) have rarely been concerned about saving species .

( C ) have eliminated species whenever possible .

( D ) do not like wild animals very much .

8 . Scientists believe that many species  

( A ) are useless for humans .

( B ) are genetically unable to survive .

( C ) could be useful to humans .

( D ) are useful only after they are extinct .

 Answer Key         

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

Comprehension [ 23 ] Upper Intermediate & Advanced

23 - ] 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 .

                From 1950 to 1980 , the so-called “Green Revolution” swept the world . World food production doubled with the introduction of a new approach to agriculture . It involved the large-scale cultivation of new types of grain ( wheat , corn , and rice ) , and the extensive use of chemicals and farm machinery .

                 These features were the cause of the early , enormous success of this “revolution” . However , the “Green Revolution” methods no longer appear to be so successful . Though the population continues to grow , food production has failed to keep up with it .

                There are a number of reasons for this . One reason lies in the expense of the new farming methods . The new kinds of grain produce much more than traditional grains , but only under certain conditions . In order to get maximum production , farmers must use large amounts of expensive chemical fertilizers . They also need to use expensive chemical insecticides since the new grains are more easily damaged by insects . Expensive watering systems are also necessary for these grains , especially in drier areas . Many farmers cannot afford to buy all the chemicals and equipment .

                  Erosion is another reason for the lower grain production . The large-scale farming of a single crop creates the perfect conditions for erosion . In dry areas , especially , the loss of top soil has lowered the productivity of the land . In these areas , also , grain production has been limited by the lack of water . The new types of grain , in fact , require much more water than the grains people used to grow .

                   Yet another reason for lower production lies in the nature of the chemicals that farmers have used . Though these fertilizers and pesticides raise production levels at first , they must be used in increasing amounts after that . Many farmers cannot afford to buy more , and so production decreases . These chemicals have other effects that are expensive in the long run . They flow into the ground water , causing pollution and health problems . As people learn about these problems , they put pressure on farmers to further limit their use of chemicals .

                 Finally , the Green Revolution has brought about social and political conflict that has interfered with food production . The problem lies in the cost of the new agricultural methods . Only the larger landowners can afford to make the necessary investments for maximum production of the new grains . With their profits , the large landowners then buy land from the smaller farmers . This way , the large landowners become ever richer and the number of landless poor people increases . Social tensions naturally increase in this situation .

                 Clearly , it is time to question the methods of the Green Revolution . Governments and farmers need to look at the overall picture and long-term effects . They need to find new methods that will better meet the needs of the world’s hungry people and will also be less destructive .

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

1 . This passage is about

( A ) how the Green Revolution increased grain production .

( B ) the environmental effects of the Green Revolution .

( C ) some negative aspects of the Green Revolution .

( D ) the success of the Green Revolution .

2 . The production of grain worldwide has

( A ) not kept up with the world population .

( B ) increased faster than the population has increased .

( C ) more than doubled in recent years .

( D ) decreased by half in recent years .

3 . The new types of grain are  

( A ) easier to cultivate than the traditional kinds .

( B ) more expensive to cultivate than the traditional kinds .

( C ) cheaper to cultivate than the traditional kinds .

( D ) better tasting than the traditional kinds .

4 . Erosion is often the result of

( A ) traditional methods of farming .

( B ) the costliness of farm equipment .

( C ) the use of too much water in farming .

( D ) single crop farming on a large scale .

5 . Chemical fertilizers and insecticides

( A ) rarely have any effect on people .

( B ) can cause large-scale erosion .

( C ) are both expensive and damaging .

( D ) are not always necessary with the new types of grain .

6 . In some regions , the new farming methods have

( A ) increased the differences between rich and poor .

( B ) increased the size of the middle class .

( C ) encouraged small farmers to produce more .

( D ) increased the profits of both rich and poor .

7 . We can infer from this passage that traditional farming methods were probably

( A ) more expensive .

( B ) less damaging to people and the environment .

( C ) preferred by the large landowners .

( D ) the cause of many social problems .

8 . The Green Revolution methods are

( A ) the most productive that we know .

( B ) damaging only to farmers .

( C ) often unproductive and destructive .

( D ) the only way to solve the problem of world hunger .

Answer Key

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

Comprehension [ 22 ] Upper Intermediate & Advanced

22 - ] 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 .

                   It doesn’t take long to turn farmland into desert . American farmers found this out in the 1930s . They planted wheat in large areas of grassland in the south central United States .For a few years there was plenty of rain and lots of wheat . Then the rains stopped , as they often do in this dry region . The wheat dried up and the top soil turned to dust . Before long , it had all blown away in great dust storms . The area became known as the “Dust Bowl” .

                  What happened in the Dust Bowl is a perfect example of erosion caused by modern farming methods . ( Erosion is the loss of top soil . ) Top soil blows away more easily when it is no longer protected by grasses or trees . In ten years or less , several feet of good soil can disappear . And once it is gone , there is no way to get it back quickly . It may take from one hundred to a thousand years for new top soil to form .

                  Unfortunately , it seems that farmers have not learned from the example of the Dust Bowl . In the United States alone , five billion tons of top soil are lost every year . Farmers continue to use the same destructive methods . They plant the same crops and use tons of chemical fertilizers .

                   The situation in other parts of the world is even more serious . The total loss of top soil worldwide is 24 billion tons a year . Areas of the earth with a dry climate ( about one third of the planet ) are hit worst . In these areas , about 12 million hectares of land are lost to agriculture per year because of erosion .

                    In developing countries , this often leads to hunger and death . The recent history of one part of Africa , the Sahel , is a good example . In the 1960s and 197much good farmland was taken over for export crops , such as sugar and cotton . Many people moved into the drier interior areas to grow their food . During that period , there was more rain than usual . Food and cattle production increased and so did the population .

                    Before long , there were too many people in these areas . The land began to suffer the effects . It was no longer protected by trees , which had been cut down for firewood . The grass and bushes were gone , eaten by the cattle , sheep , and other animals . Animal manure was used for burning instead of fertilizing the soil .

                   Then came a long period of no rain . The ruined top soil quickly blew away . The Sahara Desert advanced in some areas as much as 100 kilometers . In other areas , the semi-desert land became completely unproductive . Now millions of people have no way to make a living . Many have dies of hunger , while others have moved to the already crowded cities .

                      The events in the Sahel were an important lesson for government officials and farmers around the world . But again , the lesson has been ignored . More and more people are hungry on our planet , but farmland continues to be ruined .

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

1 . This passage is about

( A ) the “Dust Bow” .

( B ) how farmers can ruin the land .

( C ) the problem of erosion around the world .

( D )  the loss of top soil in the African Sahel .

2 . The “Dust Bowl”  

( A ) is a naturally dusty area .

( B ) used to be desert .

( C ) was always green farmland .

( D ) used to be grassland .

3 . The dust storms    

( A ) started after farmers planted wheat .

( B ) were always present in that area .

( C ) stopped when it rained .

( D ) brought lots of good top soil .

4 . We can infer from this passage that chemical fertilizers    

( A ) help keep the top soil .

( B ) help destroy the soil .

( C ) do not have any effect on the soil .

( D )  are not used much by American farmers .

5 . The problem of erosion is worst in   

( A ) the central United States .

( B ) the desert .

( C ) Africa.

( D ) the dry regions of the world .

6 . We can infer from this passage that one important factor in the Sahel disaster was the    

( A ) international demand for export crops .

( B ) expansion of the Sahara Desert .

( C ) worldwide change in climate .

( D ) lack of good top soil in Africa .  

7 . The top soil in the Sahel was ruined by    

( A ) the planting of export crops .

( B ) the effects of too many people and animals .

( C ) too much manure from cattle and sheep .

( D ) too much rain for too many years .

8 . Many people in the Sahel died of hunger because     

( A ) there were too many sheep and cattle .

( B ) there were terrible dust storms .

( C ) there were no trees for firewood .

( D ) the land was no longer any good for farming .

Answer Key  

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