Unseen Passage- 13 | English Language for Grade 8 PDF Download

13. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

Climate change is for real and its alarming impact is evident all around us. What else it could be when the proportion of extreme category hurricanes worldwide rises from 20% in 1970s to 35% in the l990s; when a heat wave in Europe can kill more than 30,000 people, and when the glaciers are fast receding. In fact, the entire ecosystem is deteriorating, resulting in new diseases with newer virus mutants. Bee colonies are disappearing and there has been a marked change in cropping patterns in many developed countries.

Then changes are creating climate of political and civilisation conflict. Less rainfall in Darfur has turned millions of hectares of marginal land into desert, producing one of the largest social conflicts ever.

But who is responsible? The scientific community l blames us all—the human race. We know that one of the biggest causes of climate change is the rising level of carbon emission caused by burning fossil fuels such as oil and coal to power cars, planes, homes and factories.

Read the questions given below and write the option you consider the most appropriate:

(i) The rising temperatures are mostly due to:
(a) volcanoes
(b) earthquakes
(c) climate change
(d) hurricanes

Correct Answer is Option (c)

(ii) The deterioration of the entire ecosystem is mainly responsible for:
(a) appearance of new virus diseases
(b) urbanisation
(c) burning of fossil fuels
(d) increasing population

Correct Answer is Option (b)

(iii) One of the biggest causes of climate change is:
(a) materialistic lifestyle
(b) rising level of carbon emission
(c) rising population
(d) new inventions

Correct Answer is Option (c)

(iv) The social conflict in Darfur was because of:
(a) religious enmity
(b) loss of rainfall
(c) political differences
(d) lack of leadership

Correct Answer is Option (d)

(v) Which of the following expression given below is similar in meaning to hurricane?
(a) ocean current
(b) tides
(c) sea wars
(d) tropical storm

Correct Answer is Option (d)