I – READING COMPREHENSION (100 points) With With as as much much attention attention as as the the environment environment has has been been getting getting lately, lately, you’d you’d think think that that we’d we’d be be further along in our fight to preserve the world’s species, resources and the beautiful diversity of further along in our fight to preserve the world’s species, resources and the beautiful diversity of nature nature Unfortunately, Unfortunately, things things aren’t aren’t nearly nearly that that rosy rosy In In fact, fact, many many of of the the environmental environmental problems problems that that have have received the most public attention are even worse than we thought – from destruction in the rain received the most public attention are even worse than we thought – from destruction in the rain forest forest to to melting melting glaciers glaciers in in the the Arctic Arctic We’ve We’ve got got aa lot lot of of work work to to do Mammal Mammal Extinction Extinction One Onein infour fourmammals mammalsisisthreatened threatenedwith withextinction extinction That’s That’s 25%, 25%, aa huge number that will totally change the ecology of every corner of the earth We huge number that will totally change the ecology of every corner of the earth We could could see seethousands thousandsof ofspecies speciesdie dieout outin inour ourlifetime, lifetime,and andthe therate rateof ofhabitat habitatloss lossand andhunting huntingin in crucial crucial areas areas like like Southeast Southeast Asia, Asia, Central Central Africa Africa and and Central Central and and South South America America isis growing growing so sorapidly, rapidly,these theseanimals animalsbarely barelyhave haveaachance chance IfIf you think the extinction of an you think the extinction of an animal animal like like the the beautiful beautiful Iberian Iberian Lynx Lynx isis no no big big deal, deal, and and wouldn’t wouldn’t have have that that much much of of an an effect effect on on the the planet, planet, think think again again Not Not only only would would we we be be losing losing –– mostly mostly due due to to our our own own disregard for our surroundings – so much of the awe-inspiring diversity of nature, mass extinctions like disregard for our surroundings – so much of the awe-inspiring diversity of nature, mass extinctions like this this would would cause cause aa serious serious imbalance imbalance in in the the world’s world’s food food chain chain When When aa predator predator disappears, disappears, the the prey prey will will multiply When prey dies out, the predator will see its ranks decrease as well Many people fail to multiply When prey dies out, the predator will see its ranks decrease as well Many people fail to realize realize just justhow howinterconnected interconnectedall allspecies specieson onthis thisplanet planetreally reallyare are IIII- The The Ocean Ocean Dead Dead Zones Zones In In oceans oceans around around the the world, world, there there are are eerie eerie areas areas that that are are devoid of nearly all life These ‘dead zones’ are characterized by a lack of oxygen, and devoid of nearly all life These ‘dead zones’ are characterized by a lack of oxygen, and they they are are caused caused by by excess excess nitrogen nitrogen from from farm farm fertilizers, fertilizers, emissions emissions from from vehicles vehicles and and factories, factories, and sewage The number of dead zones has been growing fast – since the and sewage The number of dead zones has been growing fast – since the 1960’s, 1960’s, the the number numberof ofdead deadzones zoneshas hasdoubled doubledevery every10 10years years They They range range in in size size from from under under aa square square mile mile to to 45,000 45,000 square square miles, miles, and and the the most most infamous infamous one one of of all all isis in in the Gulf of Mexico, a product of toxic sludge that flows down the Mississippi from farms in the Midwest the Gulf of Mexico, a product of toxic sludge that flows down the Mississippi from farms in the Midwest These These‘hypoxic’ ‘hypoxic’zones zonesnow nowcover coveran anarea arearoughly roughlythe thesize sizeof ofOregon Oregon Spanish researches recently found that many species die Spanish researches recently found that many species die off off at at oxygen oxygen levels levels well well above above the the current current definition of ‘uninhabitable’, suggesting that the extent of dead zones in coastal areas that support definition of ‘uninhabitable’, suggesting that the extent of dead zones in coastal areas that support fishing fishing isis much much worse worse than than previously previously thought thought Robert Robert Diaz, Diaz, aa Virginia Virginia Institute Institute of of Marine Marine Science Science biologist, biologist, said said “Everything “Everything isis pointing pointing towards towards aa more more desperate desperate situation situation in in all all aquatic aquatic systems, systems, freshwater freshwater and and marine marine That’s That’spretty prettyclear clear.People Peopleshould shouldbe beworried, worried,all allover overthe theworld.” world.” As if that weren’t bad enough, global warming will likely aggravate As if that weren’t bad enough, global warming will likely aggravate the the problem problem AA rise rise in in carbon carbon dioxide dioxide in in the atmosphere will change rainfall patterns, which could create an increase in runoff from rivers the atmosphere will change rainfall patterns, which could create an increase in runoff from rivers into into the the seas seasin inmany manyareas areas IIIIII- Saving Saving the the rain rain forest’ forest’ has has been been at at the the forefront forefront of of the the environmental environmental movement for decades, yet here we are facing huge losses in the movement for decades, yet here we are facing huge losses in the Amazon Amazon all all the the same You might have thought that, with all the attention the rain forest has gotten, same You might have thought that, with all the attention the rain forest has gotten, itit wouldn’t wouldn’t need need so so much much saving saving anymore anymore –– but but unfortunately, unfortunately, global global warming warming and and deforestation deforestation mean mean that that half halfof ofthe theAmazon Amazonrain rainforest forestwill willlikely likelybe bedestroyed destroyed or or severely severelydamaged damagedby by2030 2030 The The World World Wildlife Wildlife Fund Fund concluded concluded this this summer summer that that agriculture, agriculture, drought, drought, fire, fire, logging logging and and livestock livestock ranching will cause major damage to 55% of the Amazon rain forest in the next 22 years Another ranching will cause major damage to 55% of the Amazon rain forest in the next 22 years Another 4% 4% will will see damage due to reduced rainfall, courtesy of global warming These factors will destroy up to 80% see damage due to reduced rainfall, courtesy of global warming These factors will destroy up to 80%of ofthe the rain rain forest’s forest’s wildlife wildlife Losing Losing 60% 60% of of the the rain rain forest forest would would accelerate accelerate global global warming warming and and affect affect rainfall rainfall in in places as far away as India Massive destruction to the rain forest would have a domino effect on the places as far away as India Massive destruction to the rain forest would have a domino effect on therest restof of the theworld world The The WWF WWF says says that that the the ‘point ‘point of of no no return’, return’, from from which which recovery recovery will will be be impossible, impossible, isis only only 15 15 to to 25 25 years years away away by bySSTTEEPPHHAANNIE IE RROOGGEERRSS A- Are these sentences TRUE or FALSE? Quote from the text to justify your choice (5 x points) 12345- We have found ways to reduce most of the environmental problems A quarter of all animals are in danger of extinction The extinction of species affects everything on Earth One good consequence is the disappearance of predators People are perfectly aware of the interconnections among species B123- Reread texts II and III and answer these questions (3x10 points) What has been causing the destruction of some areas in the oceans? Which are the consequences of that destruction? Point out some causes and consequences of the destruction of the rain forest mentioned in the text Find C What the underlined words equivalent words / expressions in the text (4x5 points) refer to in the text (5x4 points) 1-menaced 1-its 2-annihilation 2-they 3-ignored 3-which 4-weird 4-it 5-which II – LANGUAGE STUDY (50 points) A- Fill in the gaps with the right verb form (5x3 points) I’m your mother earth and I would like to say a word to you, humans First, I want to thank you for 1… (to try) to take care of my health But I must say that I’m still very angry because too many of you don’t respect me enough and (to pollute) my land, air and seas in different ways; fumes, chemical wastes and rubbish are everywhere During the previous years, they 3… (to kill) so many animals and cut down so many trees that wild life is now in danger In the next years if you don’t stop all this, life itself 4… (to be) at stake So please 5… (not/to forget) that I am your only home and protect me! B- Rewrite the following sentences, starting by the words given Use an alternative grammar structure (5x7 points) 1- If we don’t stop cutting down so many trees, we will endanger our oxygen supply Unless … 2- “We’ll threaten our own existence if we not cut down on waste rapidly”, said the scientist The scientist told … 3- Many factories have been dumping lots of chemicals into rivers and oceans Lots of … 4- Pauline wasn’t interested in the project, so she abandoned it If Pauline 5- People damage the environment They need information about the consequences of their actions People III – WRITING (50 points) Having in mind what you have been learning in the English classes and the images below write a text of about 170 words expressing your own ideas about this problem