Our planet has over eight billion people, and this number keeps increasing by approximately 370,000 individuals each day. This rapid growth is putting a huge strain on Earth's natural resources. Governments and environmental groups are now in a race to significantly cut down our resource usage before they become depleted.
Water is one of our most precious resources. Our quality of life, as well as life itself, depends on the availability of clean, fresh water. It is the most widely used resource in industry, and plays a major role in energy production. Although 70 percent of the world is covered in water, only 2.5 percent of that is fresh water, and less than one percent of that freshwater is readily available to us. Yet we often overestimate how much water we have, and reduce it further through pollution or inefficient use.
Some 92 percent of all fresh water used annually is dedicated to growing plants and raising animals for food. This means that if water runs out, our food supply might follow. In India, it is estimated that future water shortages could reduce grain harvests by 25%. In a country where the population exceeds 1.2 billion people and is growing rapidly every year, this is a huge concern. India, like many developing countries, is already struggling to provide for its population. While most people in developed countries can get water at the turn of a tap, nearly four billion people elsewhere lack access to safe water, according to United Nations Development Report.
Rain forests are another endangered resource. While rain forests are critically important to humanity, they are rapidly being destroyed by human activities. The biggest cause of deforestation is conversion of forest land for agriculture. Often called the "Lungs of the Planet”, rain forests once covered 14 percent of the Earth's land surface, but this has shrunk to only six percent. Every second, an area of rain forest, the size of a football field, is destroyed at this rate. Rain forests will possibly disappear completely in less than 40 years.
(Adapted from: Active Reading)
Question 30. Which best serves as the title for the passage?
A. Water pollution B. Human and environment.
C. Awareness of conservation. D. Resources for the future.
Question 31. The word "strain" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to_______.
A. depletion B. harmony C. contradiction D. pressure
Question 32. The word "overestimate" in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ________
A. exaggerate B. reduce C. maintain D. increase
Question 33. In paragraph 2, water is one of our most precious resources because________.
A. Fresh water is hardly used for energy production.
B. All freshwater on earth is readily available to us.
C. Most parts of the world are covered in fresh water
D. Our quality of life relies on the availability of fresh water.
Question 34. The word “they” in paragraph 3 refers to_________.
A. human activities B. resources C. rain forests D. humanity
Question 35. Which of the following is NOT true, according to the passage?
A. The deforestation has been caused mainly by conversion of forest land for agriculture.
B. Our forests, the "Lungs of the Planet”, are increasing quickly.
C. The availability of clean, fresh water greatly affects our quality of life.
D. Most of the fresh water is used to grow plants and raise animals for food.
Question 36. Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 4?
A. The government must be responsible for the shrink of rain forests
B. "The Lung of our Planet" once covered most of the Earth's surface.
C. Rain forests are unlimited resources.
D. Rain forests may disappear in the near future due to the interference of human beings.
