Ques: Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: What would you think if someone suggested knocking down St Paul's Cathedral to widen the road? Or pulling down Big Ben to make way for a car park? It would be ridiculous, right? But when it comes to devastation of the natural world, we aren't so easily shocked. But we should be...or we'll be in a lot of trouble. _ . Ancient forests are destroyed. Wetlands are becoming dry. Woodland is disappearing, and all in the name of progress. This is bad in itself, but it's devastating for biodiversity. Biodiversity refers to the variety of plants, animals and other living things that are all interconnected. The ecological services provided by biodiversity are vital to everyday life. The air we breathe is a product of photosynthesis by green plants. Insects, worms and bacteria break down waste and make soils rich. And tiny organisms clean the water in rivers and sea. In fact, all life on the earth exists thanks to the benefits of biodiversity. More than 90 percent of the calories consumed by people worldwide are produced from 80 plant species. And 30 percent of medicines are developed from plants and animals. Maintaining a wide diversity of species in each ecosystem is necessary to preserve all living things. The loss of biodiversity could be devastating. "It is wrong to think that biodiversity can be reduced indefinitely without threatening humans," said Harvard University biologist Edward O. Wilson, known as the "father of biodiversity". He warned, "We are about to reach a critical point beyond which biodiversity loss will become irreversible ." But what can we do? The present problem is that the concept of biodiversity is so vague . People might care about giant pandas, but it is much harder to excite them about the fate of tiny sea creatures which are being boiled to death in the cooling systems of power stations along coastlines. TheGuardiannewspaper is trying to help. _ has launched the Biodiversity 100 campaign to try to convince governments around the world to take action to deal with the widespread... Question: Edward O. Wilson thinks that _ . - it doesn't matter to reduce biodiversity - people have done enough to preserve biodiversity - the situation of biodiversity is very serious - biodiversity loss has become irreversible
Ans: the situation of biodiversity is very serious

Ques: Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: "You're leaving again?" asked my daughter as she saw me packing my carry-on. More than her words, it was her face that pierced my heart ---I could see how _ she was. "It's only for two nights, "I explained. But that didn't matter to her. It was just one more trip after barely being home for five days. I decided in that moment to travel less whenever possible and I managed to avoid flying altogether for most of the summer. As a result, it was a summer full of discoveries. I realized that my kids really were proud of me. In their time away from me they had learned lessons I couldn't have imagined. Recently I began traveling a lot again. But this time it was different, mainly due to the fact that I had seen firsthand that my children value strong female role models. They realize that hard work pays off. Being away from them even for a day at a time in many ways had done them a lot of good. In particular, being a working mom is teaching my daughter how important it is to be independent and that you can follow your dreams. In many ways, her idea of a professional woman is much more realistic than what I imagined when I was her age. I think that even at nine years old she already knows that for all the success you might achieve, there is a price to pay, whether it's long hours, spending time away from those you love, or simply not having the energy to have fun at times. I know the wishes I would devote all of my time to her, but honestly, even if I didn't work I would rather she learned not to depend on me for everything, She needs to realize that she can fly on her own --- and that isn't possible if I am hovering over her every single second of the day . I have also realized that having a career sets a good example for my son. He is not afraid of a strong woman, and has a great respect for them. When he's older, this will help him build healthier relationship. Therefore, for all the working moms out there who work long hours, remember to value the positive lessons you might be teaching your kids. Question: How did the author feel about traveling a lot after the summer ? - She felt even worse than ever. - She felt quite proud of herself. - She felt very sorry for her kids. - She felt much better than before.
Ans: She felt much better than before.

Ques: Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: A new study suggests that early exposure to germs strengthens the immune system. That means letting children get a little dirty might be good for their health later in life. The study involved laboratory mice. It found that adult mice raised in a germ-free environment were more likely to develop allergies, asthma and other autoimmune disorders. There are more than eighty disorders where cells that normally defend the body instead attack tissues and organs. Richard Blumberg,who led the study,is a professor at Harvard Medical School in Boston,Massachusetts. He says,in 1989,medical researchers who sought to explain these diseases, first discovered that the increasing use of antibacterial soaps and other products, especially early in life, could weaken immune systems. Now, Dr. Blumberg and his team have what is the first biological evidence to link early exposure to germs to stronger adult immune systems. They say this exposure could prevent the development of some autoimmune diseases. In the adult germ-free mice, they found that inflammation in the lungs and colon was caused by so-called killer T cells. These normally fight infection. But they became overactive and targeted healthy tissue--an autoimmune condition seen in asthma and a disease called ulcerative colitis . Dr. Blumberg says the mice raised in a normal environment did not have the same reaction. He says their immune systems had been "educated" by early exposure to germs. Rates of autoimmune disorders are rising worldwide, but mostly in wealthier, industrialized countries. According to Dr. Blumberg, it might be high time that people were warned to be more careful with the early use of antibiotics and the prescription from their doctors. Rob Dunn is a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. He says the new study does not mean people should stop washing. "Wash your hands , but don't do it with antibacterial soap. Let your kids play in a reasonable amount of dirt and get outside and get... Question: To keep healthy in the future, children had better _ . - play in a dirty environment once in a while - live in a germ-free environment - use plenty of antibacterial soaps - stay in under developed countries
Ans:
play in a dirty environment once in a while