READING SKILLS ( THEME: ENVIRONMENT)

I) READ AND FILL IN GAPS WITH THE CORRECT FORM OF WORDS

SUCEED SUN DWINDLE ALTER PRACTICE AFFORD
EFFICIENCY DAUNT CONSERVE POLLUTE CIVILIZE LIMIT

In the past decades, demand on (1)…UNLIMITED / LIMITLESS ………… energy to power our
everyday lives is increasing. A wide range of energy-run devices and modern conveniences are taken for
granted, and although it may seem that we will never be in danger of living without those conveniences,
the fact is that many supplies of energy are (2) DWINDLING …………… rapidly. Scientists are
constantly searching for new sources of power to keep modern society running. Whether future
populations will continue to enjoy the benefits of abundant energy will depend on
the (3)…SUCSESS……. of this research.
Coal, oil, and natural gas supply modern (4)…CIVILIZATIONS ……… with most of its power.
However, not only are supplies of these fuels limited, but they are a major source of pollution. If the energy
demands of the future are to be met without seriously harming the environment, existing (5)
NON-POLLUTING ………. energy sources must be improved or further explored and developed. These
include nuclear, water, solar, wind, and geothermal power, as well as energy from new, (6)
ALTERNATIVE …………… types of fuels. Each of these alternatives, however, has advantages and
disadvantages.
Nuclear power plants efficiently produce large amounts of electricity without polluting the atmosphere;
however, they are costly to build and maintain, and they pose the (7)…DAUNTING (
DISCOURAGING) …………. problem of what to do with nuclear wastes.
Hydroelectric power is inexpensive and environmentally safe, but (8) IMPRACTICAL ………… for
communities located far from moving water. Harnessing energy from tides and waves has similar
drawbacks. Solar power holds great promise for the future but methods of collecting and concentrating
sunlight are as yet (SO FAR) (9)…INEFFICIENT ………….., as are methods of harnessing wind
power.
Every source of energy has its disadvantages. One way to minimize them is to use less energy.
Conservation efforts coupled with renewable energy resources, such as a combination of solar, water, wind,
and geothermal energy and alternative fuels, such as alcohol and hydrogen, will ensure supplies of clean,
(10)…AFFORDABLE ( CHEAP) …………energy for humanity’s future.
II) ANSWER THE QUESTIONS
Question 1. The passage mainly discusses __________.
A. the current situation of energy demands
B. the way to use less energy
C. the difficulties in finding new sources of energy
 D. the advantages and disadvantages of some sources of energy
Question 2. The word “dwindling” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to “__________.”
A. rocketing B. declining C. doubling D. distributing
Question 3. According to the passage, which of the following is the limitation of natural gas?
A. It is difficult to be collected
B. It is expensive
C. It is polluted
D. It is inaccessible for people who live far away the cities
Question 4. What does the word “its” in paragraph 2 refer to?
A. modern civilization B. oil C. natural gas D. coal
Question 5. The word “drawbacks” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to “__________.”
A. objections B. methods C. disabilities D. problems
Question 6. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
A. Just like coal, nuclear energy is a pollutant to the air.
B. It is hard for people away from the water to use hydroelectric power
C. Scientists are on their way to look for alternative sources of energy.
D. Wind power and solar power have the same problem.
Question 7. What can be inferred from the passage?
A. Scientists will not resume their search for new types of energy until they have found a perfect one. B.
Using hydroelectric energy can be harmful to our atmosphere.
C. It is impossible for some groups of people to enjoy water energy.
D. The only way to decrease the disadvantages of sources of energy is to use them less.
Question 8. What does the word “they” in paragraph 3 refer to?
A. nuclear power plants
B. amounts of electricity
C. advantages and disadvantages
D. nuclear wastes
Question 9. What can be inferred about wind power?
A. Combining it and solar energy can ensure humanity’s future energy demands.
 B. People living away from rivers and oceans cannot benefit it.
C. It is promising but very expensive.
D. An effective way to harness wind power has not been figured out.
Question 10. The author of this passage is trying to __________.
A. support scientists in their search for new sources of energy
B. present some new sources of energy
C. explain the benefits and shortcomings of some kinds of energy
D. calculate the energy demands of the future

III) FILL IN GAP WITH ONE CORECT WORD

Back in my grandparents’ days, it was assumed that the key factor in marketing a product was (1)
…………………………..quality; everything was made to be durable. And just (2) …………………………..all other
consumers at that time, my grandparents valued this and, believe it or (3) ………………………….., they still own
the same kitchen appliances they bought nearly forty years ago. But fast forward forty years, (4)
…………………………..have changed and marketing has almost (5) …………………………..to do with the product. It is
the customer (6) …………………………..has become the driving force (7) …………………………..all business strategies.
Technological developments and economic growth have played a vital role in transforming all aspects of
(8) …………………………..lives including industries. The irony of it (9) …………………………..is that the goal of
manufacturers is not to make something that lasts for years to come and this is (10) …………………………..
business is today.

IV) CHOOSE THE CORRECT SENTENCE FOR EACH GAP

NATURAL DISASTERS ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ ( LOGIC)

A) Tsunamis are caused when the sea bottom suddenly moves, during an underwater earthquake or volcano
for example, and the water above the moving earth is suddenly displaced.
B) Tsunamis often occur in the Pacific because the Pacific is an area of heavy seismic activity.
C) Tsunamis are certainly not limited to Japan and Hawaii.
D) In the open ocean, tsunamis have little noticeable amplitude, often no more than one or two meters.
E) Scientists often referred to them as seismic sea waves, far more appropriate in that they do result from
undersea seismic activity.
F) the tsunami from this volcano actually traveled around the world and was witnessed as far away as the
English Channel.
Huge sea waves called tsunamis are quite different from storm surges. They got their name from the
Japanese words for “high water in a harbor.” These waves are also referred to by the general public as
tidal waves, although they have relatively little to do with tides. (1)… E……………..
(2)…A…………….This sudden shift of water sets off a series of waves. These waves can travel great
distances at speeds close to 700 kilometers per hour. (3)… D…………….It is when they hit the shallow
waters near the coast that they increase in height, possibly up to 40 meters.
(4)…B………….Two areas of the Pacific well accustomed to the threat of tsunamis are Japan and
Hawaii. Because the seismic activity that causes tsunamis in Japan often occurs on the ocean bottom quite
close to the islands, the tsunamis that hit Japan often come with little warning and can, therefore, prove
disastrous. Most of the tsunamis that hit the Hawaiian Islands, however, originate thousands of miles away
near the coast of Alaska, so these tsunamis have a much greater distance to travel and the inhabitants of
Hawaii generally have time for warning of their imminent arrival.
(5)…C…………In 1755, Europe experienced a calamitous tsunami, when movement along the fault
lines near the Azores caused a massive tsunami to sweep onto the Portuguese coast and flood the heavily
populated area around Lisbon. The greatest tsunami on record occurred on the other side of the world
in 1883 when the Krakatoa volcano underwent a massive explosion, sending waves more than 30
meters high onto nearby Indonesian islands; (6)………F …….

V) CHOOSE THE CORRECT PHRSASE FOR EACH GAP

A) to absorb greenhouse gases.
B) give targets for this reduction of emissions.
C) leads to the warming up of the planet.
D) emitted into the atmosphere by car engines and industrial processes
E) has been caused by careless deforestation
F) attended by representatives from
G) have a harmful effect on agriculture.
H) is occurring at a rate unprecedented in the last one hundred centuries
I) has many advantages which disadvantages outshine.
K) is necessary for plants to create food
The major problem is that the planet appears to be warming up. According to some experts, this warming
process, known as global warming,(1) …H ………………. The implications for the planet are very
serious. Rising global temperatures could give rise to such ecological disasters as extremely high
increases in the incidence of flooding and of droughts. These in turn could (2) …G ……….
It is thought that this unusual warming of the Earth has been caused by so-called greenhouse gases,
such as carbon dioxide, (3)…D…….., for example. Such gases not only add to the pollution of the
atmosphere, but also create a greenhouse effect, by which the heat of the sun is trapped. This (4)… C …….
Politicians are also concerned about climate change and there are now regular summits on the subject,
(5)…F………. 180 of the world’s industrialized countries. Of these summits, the most important took
place in Kyoto in Japan in 1997. There it was agreed that the most industrialized countries would try to
reduce the volume of greenhouse gas emissions and(6)…B ………..
 It was also suggested that more forests should be planted to create so-called sinks (7)… A …………At
least part of the problem of rapid climate change (8)…E ………….. Sadly, the targets are not being met.
Even more sadly, global warnings about climate changes are often still being regarded as scaremongering.

CLOSE TEST

In April 2002, Erich Ritter, a shark expert, was carrying (1) OUT ( = CONDUCT) …………………….
research in the Bahamas when part of his leg was bitten off by an adult shark that was pursuing a large fish.
(2)THERE ……………………. was nothing unusual about the incident, (3) EXCEPT ……………………. for the fact
that Ritter had claimed to know how to prevent sharks from attacking him. He believed that sharks could
sense fear, and that this triggers the attack response. Dr Ritter, a yoga expert, had learnt (4)HOW
……………………. to lower his heart rate, believing that this could fool the sharks and they would (5) NOT
……………………. see him as prey. When he was attacked, he was actually standing bare-legged in water,
surrounded by pieces of fish which had (6) BEEN ……………………. thrown into the water to attract sharks. (7)
OTHER ……………………. shark experts were unsurprised by the incident. They felt that something like this
was bound to happen. He had been risking his life for years because of his theories, although they had (8)
NOT/ NEVER ……………………. been proved. At the time of the attack, Dr Ritter was (9)BEING
……………………. filmed by a TV crew, so the whole horrific incident was recorded. A documentary called
Anatomy of a Shark Bite was made a year (10) LATER …………………….. This showed footage of the attack
as well as Dr Ritter diving with sharks again for the first time since he had been bitten.

PHRASAL VERB
Take freak watch go pick drop give check fall set
1. I sometimes DROP IN ( VISIT) ………………. to see my grandparents on my way home from school.
2. Make sure to WATCH OUT FOR ( BE CAREFUL) ……………. pick-pockets when you go to the market.
3. We SET OFF ………………. at six in the morning on our drive to the Grand Canyon.
4. When I was staying in Germany last year, I PICKED UP ………………. quite a lot of German.
5. There is just too much work to be done. We’ll have to TAKE ON ( HIRE) ……………………some new
employees.
6. John and Mary used to FALL OUT (C ÃI NHAU) …………………………..a lot and they eventually split up.
7. He GAVE AWAY ………………. the vouchers at the entrance to .the community club.
8. Can you GO OVER ( CHECK) …………… some information about bus tours, please?
9. For security reasons, you have to CHECK IN …………………………..two hours before your flight.
10. She nearly FREAKED OUT ( BE FRIGHTENED ) …………………………..when she saw the colour of her
hair. It was a disaster!