Reading Comprehension 9 grade

  Reading Comprehension 9 grade

How to keep the Planet clean!

The environment is everything that surrounds us: plants, animals, buildings, air, water- literally everything that can affect us in any way. The environment of a town, with its buildings and traffic and its noise and smells, where everyone is on top of everyone else, is a far cry from that of the countryside, with its feeling of spaciousness. And the environment differs in different parts of the world.

Ecology is the science of how living creatures and plants exist together and depend on each other and on the local environment. Where an environment is undisturbed, the ecology of an area is in balance, but if a creature is exterminated or an alien species introduced, then the ecology of the district will be upset-in other words, the balance of nature will be disturbed. 

Man is a part of the environment and has done more to upset the ecology during his short span on earth than any other living creature. He has done this by his ignorance, his greed, his thoughtless folly and his wanton wastefuiness.

He had poisoned the atmosphere and polluted both land and water. He has squandered the earth's natural resources with no thought for the future, and has thought out the most devastating ways of killing his fellow man-and every other sort of life at the same time.

Since man has done so much damage, it is up to man to try to put matters right-if it is not too late. If there is to be any remedy for our ills, that remedy ultimately lies in the hands of the young, and the sooner they start doing something about it, the better.

One of the main causes of the earth's troubles is that the world is overpopulated and that this overpopulation is growing at an ever-increasing rate. At the same time we are using up our natural resources -fuels and mineral ores- at an ever-increasing rate with no hope of replacing them.

For many years the earth has been unable to provide enough food for these rapidly expanding populations and the position is steadily deteriorating since the fertility of some of our richest soils has been lost and vast areas that were once fertile lands have turned into barren deserts. And the trouble with deserts is that they tend to creep outwards on the fertile soils.

Even at this moment many of the earth's natural treasures are being destroyed, many valuable animals and plants are being killed off, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to grow enough food to preserve much of the earth population from starvation. The situation is getting out of hand. Time is running out. But with your help, we may be able to reverse the trends which threaten our very existence. Who cares?

Task 1(Choose the statement True or False

1

Everything around us, including plants, animals, buildings, air, and water, makes up the environment.

2

Man has done less harm to the environment than any other living creature.

3

It is up to the author to try to put matters right.

4

Overpopulation is a significant cause of the earth's troubles, and it is increasing rapidly.

5

We are using up our natural resources at a decreasing rate.

6

The earth has always been able to provide enough food for the growing populations.

7

Deserts tend to shrink over time.

8

None of the earth's natural treasures are being destroyed.

Task 2 Multiple choice(a,b,c)

1

What is the most important thing that surrounds us according to the passage?

a

Buildings

b

Noise and smells

c

The environment

d

Animals

2

What does the passage say about the environment in different parts of the world?

a

It is the same everywhere

b

It is always balanced

c

It differs in different places

d

It is always noisy and crowded

3

What does the passage say happens when the ecology of an area is disturbed?

a

The environment becomes cleaner

b

The balance of nature is disrupted

c

More plants and animals are introduced

d

Everything stays the same

4

Who has done the most to upset the ecology of the environment according to the passage?

a

Animals

b

Plants

c

Governments

d

Humans

5

What does the passage say the young generation needs to do to help the environment?

a

Stop using natural resources

b

Reduce the human population

c

Start doing something about it

d

Introduce new plant and animal species