Read the stories below then answer the questions that follow.

Extract A: From "The Lost Whale by Hannah Gold & Levi Pinfold

The first thing Rio Turner noticed when he stepped into the arrivals hall of Los Angeles International
Airport was the noise. Airports were never destined to be quiet places and this gigantic, sprawling
monster was like a football stadium in full roar. The second thing he noticed was his grandmother.

Even though it had been five years since he’d last seen her, Rio noticed her straight away. She
towered over everyone in a shiny turquoise jumpsuit, wore thick, black-rimmed glasses and had a
shock of white, wiry hair. Gazing around, it took a few moments for her to register him. ‘Rio?’ she
asked. ‘It is you, isn’t it?’ She paused in front of him. ‘I barely recognised you. You’re so . . .’ Her
voice tailed off and Rio wondered what she’d been about to say. Either way, he wasn’t going to ask.
Instead, he crossed his arms protectively against his chest. ‘You made it then.’ She hurried on, her
eyes full of something he didn’t recognise. ‘I am so glad you’re here.’ Then she enveloped him in a
hug. Not the kind of hug he was used to – deep, warm and snuggly. It was all hard angles and sharp
elbows and smelled of peppermints. Rio counted to three before he could bear it no longer. Then he
yanked himself away.

‘Rio?’ she asked falteringly, two bright spots of colour on her cheeks. ‘It’s been a long time, and I
know all this must seem impossibly strange to you right now, but I want you to feel at home while
you’re staying with me. I am your grandmother after all.’ Rio, who had been staring at the floor
during the latter part of her speech, looked up in surprise. She had signed Christmas and birthday
cards from Grandma, but he couldn’t think of anyone who looked less like a grandmother than her.
Not compared to his other grandma anyway, who wore thick, rubber-soled slippers and loved to call
him ‘ducky’ even though the last time he’d checked he hadn’t yet grown a beak and feathers. No,
this person didn’t feel like a grandmother at all, and he secretly resolved to call her by her first
name, Fran, instead. When he didn’t answer, she rubbed her hands together despite the fact it
wasn’t cold. ‘Well, I guess we’d better make a move.’ Refusing her offer to carry his case – he was
perfectly capable of that himself – Rio followed her towards the exit where, in the parking zone, she
halted by a 4x4 covered in a thick coating of dust. He climbed into the passenger seat, pulled his
seatbelt across and chewed his lip, trying to ignore the sudden, desperate urge for a wee. As if
sensing his discomfort, Fran turned to face him and seemed about to say something. But again,
whatever it was died on her lips. Instead, she just cleared her throat. ‘I’m . . . sorry about your
mother.’ Rio felt the sudden hot sting of tears and rubbed his eyes furiously, hoping she hadn’t seen.
To avoid any further conversation, he pointedly stared out of the window and, after a brief pause,
she switched on the engine with a rough twist of the key, and they were off.

California was the place where Rio’s mother had been born and grew up. She’d left when she was
barely twenty, first on a music scholarship to New York and then, upon graduation, as a violinist in
the London Philharmonic Orchestra. In all that time, she’d only been back once, taking Rio with her
when he was just a tiny baby. So long ago, he couldn’t remember any of it. But technically, by virtue
of his mother’s birth, he was half American. Although it was a very small half because he’d lived in
London all eleven-and-a-quarter years of his life and spoke with a decidedly English accent. And so
this exotic, faraway world of endless sunshine, tall, fluttering palm trees and golden beaches had
always felt like a dream. And in truth, Rio had been looking forward to coming back nearly all his life.
Just not like this. Opening the car window, he took a deep gulp of the Californian air. Unfortunately,
this wasn’t the cleverest thing to do on a motorway. Rio coughed and spluttered and felt the smog
on his lungs. This was California? Everything was so big here. The cars, the road signs, the
buildings – even the sky, looping above their heads in a vast indigo silence. As if the car had been

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picked up and thrown into a world full of giants. London was a city, but it didn’t feel anything like this.
Mum had always said that California was different. That it was peaceful. That its temperament would
suit Rio. That . . . He closed the window with a snap. Then, ignoring his grandmother’s attempts at
conversation, he shut his eyes and tried to pretend he was still in a universe where his mother
hadn’t sent him away to the other side of the world to stay with someone he barely even knew.

Extract B: From The Tale of Truthwater Lake by Emma Carroll

Late one night when it’s too hot to sleep, I catch my brother climbing over our balcony. He’s about to
lower himself on to the neighbour’s wheelie bin when he sees me watching. ‘Go back to bed, Polly!’
Joel hisses. ‘No chance.’ I’ve spotted the towel under his arm, the bag on his shoulder, a dead
giveaway that he’s going to the beach. ‘You can’t come,’ he protests. ‘You can’t even swim.’ ‘I did
fifty metres at the pool today, actually,’ I say though I don’t mention how tough it was. Joel sighs.
‘Okay! Come! Just . . . you know . . . be quiet?’ I mime zipping my mouth shut. Though Joel and I
are unmistakably related – curly dark hair, Dad’s green eyes and Mum’s bumpy nose – I’m very
much the chatty one, it’s true. Also, it’s the middle of the night, and my device shows the
temperature’s twenty-five degrees, so it’s way too hot to argue. The heatwave started just before we
broke up for the summer, the last days of term spent melting in classrooms as hot as griddles. It’s
five weeks into the holidays now, and we’ve spent most of it stuck inside our tiny flat. The
government brought in an emergency law that says when the temperature is over forty-two we have
to stay indoors. ‘Another ruddy lockdown!’ was how Dad reacted to the news. When I was a baby,
there’d been a killer virus that meant no one could go out for months. Back then we didn’t even have
a garden – and still don’t – which makes the fact my parents run an actual gardening business sort
of weird. Yet we do live across the road from the sea – the English Channel, to be exact. In winter,
when there’s a storm, the waves crash against our windows and the sea floods our street, all foamy
brown and briny. And it rains and rains and rains – sometimes for days on end, sometimes all at
once in a downpour – and eventually the drains bubble and the city floods too. It’s why Mum insisted
I learn how to swim.

‘Don’t roll your eyes, Pol,’ she’d chided. ‘If you got stuck in a flood one day, it could save your life.’
Which might be true, though so is Mum’s knack for spotting every potential catastrophe. This
summer, it’s the heatwave that’s done the damage, burning shoulders, scorching lawns, melting
pavements. People say the weather never used to be like this. It’s on the news constantly: droughts
in Sudan, rising sea levels in the Bahamas, footage of flooded homes and starving people and
animals. There’s no denying we’ve made a mess of our planet. Still, it’s nice to see my brother
smiling for once, his teeth glinting in the dark. ‘I s’pose you can raise the alarm if I drown,’ Joel
admits. ‘Though realistically, you’re the one more likely to—’ ‘All right,’ I interrupt. ‘You’re the better
swimmer. Point made.’ He’s also a better cook, better at schoolwork, better at everything. I’m the
average one in our family. The beach is steep, shingle, on the other side of a main, well-lit road. We
reach it down some steps. The shush of the sea, in and out, is restful, like sleep breathing, and at
the water’s edge I let the tide lap my toes. On the horizon, the red lights of the wind turbines wink,
and I wonder if anyone has ever swum out to them.

‘You know it’s illegal to swim the English Channel if you’re under sixteen?’ I say, remembering a
random fact from earlier when I was online, avoiding homework. Our teacher set us this task to ask
an elderly person about their life – proud moments and regrets, that sort of stuff. I don’t know any
old people, only Miss Gee, who’s just moved in downstairs, and she’s not very friendly. Joel kicks
the shingle. ‘No Channel swimming for us tonight, then?’ ‘Nope. The first person to swim the English
Channel was Captain Matthew Webb in 1875. Bet you didn’t know that.’ ‘I didn’t.’ ‘And,’ I choose a
flat pebble, skim it across the water, ‘it took him nearly twenty-two hours! That’s almost a whole day

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– like three mealtimes and a night’s sleep, and a day at school. Imagine being in the sea all that
time!’ ‘Hmmm.’ It’s the idea of anyone swimming so far that I can’t get my head round, especially
when I struggle to do a length at the pool. All that water underneath you, not knowing what’s down
there lurking; the very idea makes me shudder. I imagine, just as Mum would, tomorrow’s tragic
Evening Argus headline:

LOCAL GIRL POLLY CARRAWAY, 12, LOST IN CHANNEL SWIM ACCIDENT

I back away from the water’s edge. ‘You know what?’ I decide. ‘Someone should stay here and
guard our stuff. You go on in.’ Joel reads me instantly. ‘Thought you were getting better at
swimming.’ ‘I am. Sort of.’ ‘We’re not swimming to France. You’ll be all right.’ Joel sets off in the
direction of the old pier. I follow, with a niggling feeling that this is where he wants to swim. Years
ago, before I was born, most of the pier burned down, and what’s left sits a few metres offshore like
a giant iron cage. I’d prefer somewhere more open, without the seaweed or bars of rusting metal
looming over us. And I certainly don’t want to go in by myself.

Answer the questions below by choosing the letter of the correct answer.

1 How do both stories portray the theme of displacement and adaptation through their
settings?

A) The settings are merely backgrounds that do not affect the characters’ feelings or actions.
B) Both settings challenge the protagonists to adapt, whether to a new physical environment or to
societal changes.
C) The settings are unchanging and constant, providing a stable backdrop for other events.
D) Only Extract B uses its setting to reflect themes of displacement and adaptation.

2 In comparing the family dynamics in both stories, how do the interactions between
the main characters and their family members contribute to their emotional
challenges?

A) The interactions reveal underlying tensions and unfamiliarity, adding layers to the protagonists'
emotional struggles.
B) The characters experience growth and comfort solely through interactions with friends, not family.
C) The family members are supportive and provide comfort, easing the characters’ emotional
challenges.
D) Family interactions have no significant impact on the characters' emotional states in either story.

3 Considering the role of the setting as a character in both stories, how does the
environment directly influence the protagonists’ perceptions of their new
circumstances?

A) The settings are passive and have minimal impact on the protagonists' views or experiences.
B) The vastness of California and the oppressive heatwave actively shape Rio's and Polly’s
experiences, influencing their emotional responses and actions.
C) The settings serve only as physical locations without influencing the story or the characters’
emotions.
D) Only Extract A uses its setting to influence the main character’s perception of his environment.

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4 How do Rio and Polly each handle the physical and emotional challenges presented in
their respective stories?

A) Rio and Polly both completely overcome their challenges by the end of the extracts.
B) They both ignore their challenges, focusing instead on other aspects of their lives.
C) Rio and Polly each face their challenges in different ways, with Rio showing discomfort and
avoidance, and Polly engaging in proactive problem-solving.
D) Neither character shows any sign of dealing with their challenges throughout the stories.

5 How does the setting in each story influence the mood and experiences of the
protagonists?

A) The bustling environment of Los Angeles intensifies Rio's feelings of alienation, whereas the
quiet seaside amplifies Polly's sense of adventure.
B) Both settings are urban and densely populated, affecting the characters' ability to find peace.
C) Both settings are rural and disconnected from the main action of the stories.
D) The seaside setting causes both characters to feel alienated and out of place.

6 How do the motivations of Rio and Polly differ in their respective stories?

A) Both are primarily motivated by their relationships with their siblings.

B) Rio is motivated by a sense of duty to family, while Polly is driven by a desire for adventure.
C) Both characters are motivated by external pressures and societal expectations.
D) Polly is motivated by familial obligations, similar to Rio's motivations.

7 Which statement best describes the contrast in character dynamics between the two
stories?

A) Both sets of characters exhibit a strong sense of familiarity and comfort with each other.
B) Polly feels alienated by her brother, similar to Rio’s feelings towards his grandmother.
C) Both Rio and Polly are characterised by alienation and discomfort with their family members.
D) Rio experiences discomfort and alienation with his grandmother, unlike Polly who enjoys a playful
rivalry with her brother.

8 Which narrative incorporates environmental and social commentary, and how does it
affect the story's focus?

A) Extract A focuses on environmental issues which shape the emotional tone of the narrative.
B) Extract B includes social and environmental commentary, influencing the plot and characters'
actions.
C) Both stories focus equally on environmental activism.
D) Neither story includes any elements of social or environmental commentary.

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Extract A: From Skellig by David Almond

I NEARLY GOT INTO THE GARAGE that Sunday morning. I took my own flashlight and shined it in.
The outside doors to the back lane must have fallen off years ago and there were dozens of
massive planks nailed across the entrance. The timbers holding the roof were rotten and the roof
was sagging in. The bits of the floor you could see between the rubbish were full of cracks and
holes. The people that took the rubbish out of the house were supposed to take it out of the garage
as well, but they took one look at the place and said they wouldn't go in it even for extra money.
There were old chests of drawers and broken washbasins and bags of cement, ancient doors
leaning against the walls, deck chairs with the cloth seats rotted away. Great rolls of rope and cable
hung from nails. Heaps of water pipes and great boxes of rusty nails were scattered on the floor.
Everything was covered in dust and spiders' webs. There was mortar that had fallen from the walls.
'There was a little window in one of the walls but it was filthy and there were rolls of cracked
linoleum standing in front of it. The place stank of rot and dust. Even the bricks were crumbling like
they couldn't bear the weight anymore. It was like the whole thing was sick of itself and would
collapse in a heap and have to get bulldozed away.

I heard something scratching in one of the corners, and something scuttling about; then it all
stopped and it was just dead quiet in there.

I stood daring myself to go in.

I was just going to slip inside when I heard Mum shouting at me

"Michael! What you doing?"

She was at the back door.
"Didn't we tell you to wait till we're sure it's

I stepped back and looked at her.

"Well, didn't we?" she shouted.
"Yes," I said.
"So keep out! All right?"
I shoved the door and it lurched half shut on its
single hinge.
"All right?" she yelled.
',All right,” said. "Yes. All right. All right."
"Do you not think we've got more to worry about than stupid you getting crushed in a stupid garage?

"Yes."
"You just keep out, then! Right?"
"Right. Right, right, right.
Then I went back into the wilderness we called garden and she went back to the stupid baby.

Extract B: From The Song From Somewhere Else by A.F. Harrold

After tea Frank cycled over to the rec. ‘Come straight back,’ her dad had said. In her bag she had a
sheaf of posters. They were A4 bits of paper her mum had photocopied at work with a picture of
Quintilius Minimus in the middle and the words MISSING CAT at the top. Underneath, in smaller
writing, it said: PLEASE CHECK SHEDS AND GARAGES. IF FOUND PHONE … and it listed
several phone numbers.

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Leaning her bike against the fence, she walked over to the slide and pulled out the first poster.
Using a roll of tape, she stuck it up. It fluttered in the evening wind, so she added some more to be
extra certain. ‘Look at this. A missing little puddy tat.’ She turned and her stomach shrivelled.
‘Fwancethca lost her liddle puddy tat?’ It wasn’t a friendly question. The person asking it in that
teasing hateful baby talk was Neil Noble. He was a year above her at school and hated her. No, that
wasn’t quite true, was it? He didn’t hate her. He was obsessed with her. He sought her out, found
her in the playground, stumbled across her at lunchtime, followed her as she walked home from
school, and she didn’t know why. ‘You not talking? Not going to answer?’ he teased. ‘What’s wrong?
Cat got your tongue?’ He laughed at his sort-of joke. The two lads who stood just behind him
laughed too. They always followed him round, this pair, Roy and Rob. They never said much, never
started things, just listened, watched, were the audience for Noble’s show. If he were to vanish one
day, they’d be left standing around not knowing what to do. He was the one that really mattered.

‘N-n-no,’ Frank stuttered. She hated herself for that. The boys laughed, their eyes narrow and
flashing. She never stuttered at home. She never stuttered in class. She never stuttered at all,
except at times like this. Noble took hold of the corner of the poster Frank had just taped up and
ripped it from the metal pole. He tore it into little pieces. ‘Your dead cat,’ he said, looking off into the
air, ‘what’s it called?’ Frank knew several things at once. Firstly, if she didn’t answer he’d poke and
prod with more questions. Maybe he’d start making up stupid names, rude names. Secondly, if she
did tell him her cat’s name he’d laugh, because cats are usually called normal, boring things like
Mouse or Douglas, not magnificent and dignified things like Quintilius Minimus. And thirdly, her heart
was pounding fast and faster in her chest and her stomach was trembling. She was afraid. Afraid of
him, afraid of what he might do next, but also afraid that he was right, that Quintilius Minimus was
dead. It was a thought she’d tried not to think, but still … And then, almost without knowing it, she
did the worst thing she could have done. She tried to lie: ‘He’s called …’ And for a moment she
couldn’t think of a name, not a normal cattish name, and the pause dragged on while the boy raised
an eyebrow, stroked his chin and stared into her eyes. And then she looked away and said, ‘He’s
called H-H-Hector.’ ‘Huh-Huh-Hector,’ Noble repeated. ‘Huh-huh-how puh-puh-posh is that?’ He
snorted a vile little laugh out of his nose. ‘Oh, Hector! Huh-Huh-Hector!’ he called, as if summoning
the cat home for tea. His two goons joined in. ‘Let’s help little Fwancethca look for her aristocratic
cat. Remember, boys, be polite.’

The three of them tiptoed round the rec, looking between the swings and on the roundabout, behind
the benches and in the shadows under the slide, calling out the cat’s name. ‘Hector!
Huh-Huh-Hector!’ Frank just stood there watching, feeling an inch tall on the inside. If she tried to
run for her bike and cycle off, they’d only follow her. She wasn’t fast and they had long legs. ‘Hector!
Oh, Hector!’ ‘Sir Hector!’ ‘Lord Hector of Devonshire, where are you?’ Eventually they stopped.
Noble came back over to her. ‘It seems he’s nowhere to be found, I’m afraid. But, then again, a dead
cat’s hardly likely to shout back, is it?’ ‘Hang on, Neil,’ Rob said. Roy chuckled. ‘What?’ Noble
asked. ‘I fink I’ve found him, look.’ Despite everything, for a second, for a fraction of a second, Frank
felt something like hope. ‘Remember who they are, remember where you are,’ her stomach said,
pulling her back to reality.

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Answer the questions below by choosing the letter of the correct answer.

9 How do both stories use the setting to influence the main characters' decisions?

A) The settings are unrelated to the characters' decisions and serve only as backgrounds.
B) The settings discourage the characters from taking any action.
C) The settings, one being a garage and the other a recreational area, act as catalysts that directly
influence the protagonists' actions and decisions.
D) The settings provide complete safety and comfort, encouraging the protagonists to relax.

10 In what way do the elements of mystery or danger manifest in both stories?

A) Both stories feature supernatural elements that pose danger.

B) In Extract A, the danger is from a decrepit garage, and in Extract B,the danger comes from a
physical threat of bullying.
C) The protagonists face danger from adult characters.
D) The mysteries are solved early in both stories, minimising the sense of danger.

11 How do the parental figures in both stories influence the young protagonists?

A) Parents offer guidance and warnings that vary in directness, impacting the children's behaviour
and choices.
B) Parents provide strict rules that the children must follow, which directly influence their actions.
C) Parents in both stories are absent and have no influence on the events.
D) Parental influence is only negative and discourages the children from exploring or acting.

12 Which emotional responses are common to both protagonists in the stories due to
their experiences?

A) Joy and satisfaction from their adventures.

B) Indifference and detachment from the events around them.
C) Fear, curiosity, humiliation, and hope as they navigate through their challenges.
D) Anger and revenge as dominant reactions to their situations.

13 How does the nature of conflict in the two stories influence the protagonists'
experiences?

A) Both stories feature conflicts that arise from the protagonists' relationships with their families.
B) Extract A focuses on internal conflicts arising from curiosity and fear, whereas Extract B involves
external conflicts like bullying and public humiliation.
C) Both protagonists face conflicts related to supernatural elements in their environments.
D) The conflicts in both stories are mainly due to misunderstandings among friends.

14 How does the physical setting in each story shape the narrative?

A) In Extract A, the setting is a closed, dangerous garage, while in Extract B,it is an open, public
recreational area.
B) Both settings are open spaces that encourage exploration and interaction.
C) Both settings are highly urbanised and crowded, influencing the characters to seek isolation.
D) The settings in both stories are entirely natural and rural, emphasising tranquillity.

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15 How does character interaction differ in the two stories?

A) Both stories showcase friendly interactions that support the protagonists.

B) In Extract A, Michael primarily deals with his fears alone, whereas Frank in Extract B interacts
directly with antagonists.
C) Both protagonists are actively involved in confrontations with family members.
D) Michael and Frank both receive positive reinforcement from their peers throughout their stories.

16 What themes are explored in Extract A and Extract B,and how do they differ?

A) Both stories explore themes of friendship and teamwork.

B) The main theme in both stories is the importance of environmental conservation.
C) Both narratives focus on overcoming supernatural challenges.
D) Extract A explores themes related to curiosity about the unknown and facing personal fears,
while Extract B addresses bullying and the struggle to maintain dignity.

Read the articles below then answer the questions that follow.

Environmental Impact of Agricultural Modifications

Agricultural methods have intensified continuously ever since the Industrial Revolution, and even
more so since the “green revolution” in the middle decades of the 20th century. At each stage,
innovations in farming techniques brought about huge increases in crop yields by area of arable
land. This tremendous rise in food production has sustained a global population that has quadrupled
in size over the span of one century. As the human population continues to grow, so too has the
amount of space dedicated to feeding it. According to World Bank figures, in 2016, more than 700
million hectares (1.7 billion acres) were devoted to growing corn, wheat, rice, and other staple
cereal grains—nearly half of all cultivated land on the planet.

In the coming decades, however, meeting the demand for accelerated agricultural productivity is
likely to be far more difficult than it has been so far. The reasons for this have to do with ecological
factors. Global climate change is destabilising many of the natural processes that make modern
agriculture possible. Yet modern agriculture itself is also partly responsible for the crisis in
sustainability. Many of the techniques and modifications on which farmers rely to boost output also
harm the environment. Below are brief descriptions of three ways intensive agriculture threatens the
precarious balance of non-agricultural ecosystems.

Worldwide, agriculture accounts for 70 percent of human freshwater consumption. A great deal of
this water is redirected onto cropland through irrigation schemes of varying kinds. Experts predict
that to keep a growing population fed, water extraction may increase an additional 15 percent or
more by 2050. Irrigation supports the large harvest yields that such a large population demands.
Many of the world’s most productive agricultural regions, from California’s Central Valley to Southern
Europe’s arid Mediterranean basin, have become economically dependent on heavy irrigation.

Researchers and farmers alike are becoming increasingly aware of the consequences of this
large-scale diversion of freshwater. One of the most obvious consequences is the depletion of
aquifers, river systems, and downstream ground water. However, there are a number of other
negative effects related to irrigation. Areas drenched by irrigation can become waterlogged, creating
soil conditions that poison plant roots through anaerobic decomposition. Where water has been
diverted, soils can accrue too much salt, also harming plant growth. Irrigation causes increases in

8
water evaporation, impacting both surface air temperature and pressure as well as atmospheric
moisture conditions. Recent studies have confirmed that cropland irrigation can influence rainfall
patterns not only over the irrigated area but even thousands of miles away. Irrigation has also been
connected to the erosion of coastlines and other kinds of long-term ecological and habitat
destruction.

A huge amount of agricultural territory is used primarily as pasture for cattle and other livestock. In
the western United States, counting both federally managed and privately owned grazing lands,
hundreds of millions of acres are set aside for this purpose—more than for any other type of land
use. Agricultural livestock are responsible for a large proportion of global greenhouse gas
emissions, most notably methane. In addition, overgrazing is a major problem regarding
environmental sustainability.

In some places, stretches of forage land are consumed so extensively that grasses are unable to
regenerate. The root systems of native vegetation can be damaged so much that the species die off.
Near streambeds and in other riparian areas where cattle concentrate, the combination of
overgrazing and fecal wastes can contaminate or compromise water sources. Cattle and other large
grazing animals can even damage soil by trampling on it. Bare, compacted land can bring about soil
erosion and destruction of topsoil quality due to the runoff of nutrients. These and other impacts can
destabilise a variety of fragile ecosystems and wildlife habitats.

Synthetic fertilisers containing nitrogen and phosphorus have been at the heart of the intensified
farming from World War II to the present day. Modern agriculture has become heavily dependent on
these chemical inputs, which have increased the number of people the world’s farms can feed. They
are particularly effective in the growing of corn, wheat, and rice, and are largely responsible for the
explosive growth of cereal cultivation in recent decades. China, with its rapidly growing population,
has become the world’s leading producer of nitrogen fertilisers.

Answer the questions below by choosing the letter of the correct answer.

17 What is the main reason agricultural productivity might face difficulties in the future?

A) Decrease in the number of farmers

B) Lack of technological advancement
C) Impact of global climate change on agriculture
D) Reduction in demand for staple cereals

18 How does intensive irrigation affect local ecosystems?

A) It increases soil fertility by adding essential nutrients.

B) It promotes the growth of aquifers and underground water systems.
C) It can lead to soil salinization, harming plant growth.
D) It decreases surface air temperature and atmospheric pressure.

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19 According to the article, what percentage of human freshwater consumption is used
by agriculture?

A) 15%
B) 70%
C) 50%
D) 85%

20 Why might water extraction for irrigation need to increase by 2050?

A) To decrease global greenhouse gas emissions.

B) To combat the effects of global climate change.
C) To meet the demands of a growing population.
D) To improve the economic conditions of agricultural regions.

21 What ecological problems are associated with overgrazing by livestock?

A) Increased methane production only.

B) Reduction in soil erosion and nutrient runoff.
C) Regeneration of native vegetation and root systems.
D) Soil compaction and damage to native vegetation.

22 Which of the following is a consequence of synthetic fertilisers in modern

agriculture?

A) They have contributed to the growth in cereal crop cultivation.

B) They have reduced cereal crop yields.
C) They have decreased the global food supply.
D) They are decreasing in use worldwide.

23 How do irrigation practices impact regional weather patterns according to the article?

A) They have no significant impact on weather conditions.

B) They decrease the likelihood of rainfall in irrigated areas.
C) They can influence rainfall patterns locally and at great distances.
D) They increase water evaporation without changing rainfall patterns.

24 What role does synthetic fertiliser play in China's agriculture?

A) It has reduced China’s role in global agriculture.

B) It has made China the leading producer of nitrogen fertilisers.
C) It has decreased the nutritional value of Chinese crops.
D) It is banned in China due to its environmental impact.

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Light Pollution

Human inventions like cars and plastic changed the world. While some of the effects are positive,
there are also risks and drawbacks. Today, automobile emissions contribute to the heating of the
Earth's climate, and plastics fill our ocean, creating health risks for marine animals.

What about the electric light bulb? This is thought to be one of the greatest inventions of all time and
it helps us in many ways. However, like carbon dioxide emissions and plastic, too much of a good
thing has started to negatively affect the environment. Light pollution is the excessive or
inappropriate use of outdoor artificial light. It is affecting human health, wildlife behaviour and our
ability to observe the night sky.

Light pollution is a global issue. The problem became obvious when the World Atlas of Night Sky
Brightness was published in 2016. The atlas is a map based on thousands of satellite photos. It
shows how and where the night sky is brighter than it would be from just the Moon and stars. Vast
areas of North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia glow with light, while only the most
remote regions on Earth, such as Siberia in Russia, the Sahara Desert in Africa and the Amazon in
South America, are in total darkness.

Sky glow is the brightening of the night sky. It happens mostly over urban areas due to lights from
cars, streetlamps, offices, factories, outdoor advertising, and buildings. It causes people living in
cities to have a hard time seeing more than a handful of stars at night. Sky glow also reduces
astronomers' ability to view stars and planets. More than 80 percent of the world's population lives
under sky glow. It is one of the most pervasive forms of light pollution.

Beyond sky glow, constant exposure to artificial light can change natural body rhythms in humans
and animals. Usually, light guides day and night activities and affects body processes. Excessive
night-time light interrupts sleep and confuses the circadian rhythm, which is the body's internal
clock. One of these processes is the production of a hormone called melatonin. Hormones are
natural chemicals that bodies produce to help organs and tissue work.

Melatonin promotes sleep. It is usually released at night because daytime light prevents melatonin
release. Increased night-time light lowers melatonin production, which causes sleep deprivation,
fatigue, headaches, stress, anxiety and other health problems.

Blue light in particular reduces levels of melatonin in humans. It comes from cell phones and other
computer devices. It also comes from light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which are light bulbs that have
become popular due to their low cost and energy efficiency.

Answer the questions below by choosing the letter of the correct answer.

25 What is the primary source of light pollution as discussed in the article?

A) Outdoor artificial light

B) Natural sources like the Moon and stars
C) Solar flares
D) Indoor lighting

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26 How does light pollution affect astronomers according to the article?

A) It enhances the visibility of stars and planets.

B) It has no significant effect.
C) It reduces their ability to view stars and planets.
D) It increases the focus on distant galaxies.

27 According to the article, what percentage of the world's population lives under sky
glow?

A) Less than 50%

B) Exactly 75%
C) 60%
D) Over 80%

28 What is the effect of excessive night-time light on human health as stated in the
article?

A) It boosts energy levels.

B) It increases melatonin production.
C) It causes sleep deprivation and other health issues.
D) It has no effect on human health.

29 What hormone is discussed in the article that is affected by light pollution, and what
is its function?

A) Melatonin, which promotes sleep.

B) Insulin, which regulates blood sugar.
C) Adrenaline, which increases alertness.
D) Oestrogen, which affects mood.

30 Which form of light particularly lowers melatonin levels in humans according to the
article?

A) Incandescent bulbs
B) Blue light
C) Ultraviolet light
D) Infrared light

31 What global issue is highlighted by the World Atlas of Night Sky Brightness as
mentioned in the article?

A) The increase in solar intensity.

B) The widespread nature of light pollution.
C) The reduction in electricity consumption.
D) The effectiveness of satellite imaging.

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32 What does the article suggest about the relationship between day and night cycles
and bodily processes?

A) Day and night cycles are irrelevant to bodily processes.

B) Daylight has no effect on hormone production.
C) Night-time darkness decreases body energy levels.
D) Artificial light at night can disrupt the body’s natural rhythms.

Resilient California Brown Pelicans

Sitting on a California beach, you see a flock of birds flying just above the cresting waves in perfect
V-formation. As they scan the waters below for fish, the leader glides upward, then turns and dives
into the surf below. In quick succession, the rest of the flock shoots into the water, resurfacing
moments later.

In what might have been an uncommon sight only a few decades ago, these birds, the California
subspecies of the brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus), have recovered from the
brink of extinction. Their success story is tied to the life and work of one of nature’s most passionate
protectors, biologist Rachel Carson.

In the 1940s and 1950s, scientists thought they had finally found the solution to one of the biggest
problems to plague humanity—mosquitoes. The insect with the incessant buzz does more than just
annoy you and leave the occasional itchy red bump on your arm. Mosquitoes and other insects
carry diseases, including malaria, that cripple and kill thousands of people every year. Other insects
kill crops and devastate agricultural yields. Chemical advances in the early 20th century provided
new and powerful insecticides to battle against these pests.

One insecticide widely used on everything from forests to parks, beaches to bedrooms, was DDT
(dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane). DDT was purported to be safe, without any side effects. Over
time, this was shown to be untrue. DDT bioaccumulates, or builds up, in the fatty tissues of
creatures that come into contact with it, either in their environment or their food.

As it progresses up the food chain, DDT biomagnifies, resulting in higher predators having greater
amounts of the chemical in their tissues. In birds in particular, this biomagnification had dire
consequences. It caused a thinning of their eggshells. Parent birds crushed their eggs while
incubating them.

The loss of songbirds and other species was brought to the attention of Carson, who had worked for
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She was upset about this phenomenon and motivated to inform
the public about what was happening to our wildlife. With the 1962 publication of Carson’s book
Silent Spring, the issue of thinning eggshells and the loss of birds was brought to the attention of the
public in a major way.

By this time, however, the populations of many species had already been drastically reduced. Due
to biomagnification, top predatory birds like hawks, eagles, and pelicans were devastated. The
brown pelican was becoming increasingly rare throughout its North American range.

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Answer the questions below by choosing the letter of the correct answer.

33 What is the main reason for the initial decline in the brown pelican population?

A) Overfishing in their natural habitat

B) Pollution in the ocean
C) The use of the pesticide DDT
D) Natural predators

34 How did DDT primarily affect bird populations according to the article?

A) It poisoned them directly through consumption.

B) It caused a thinning of their eggshells.
C) It decreased their vision, making hunting difficult.
D) It reduced their ability to fly.

35 What role did Rachel Carson play in addressing the issue with DDT?

A) She developed an alternative to DDT.

B) She worked directly with affected bird populations.
C) She conducted the initial research on DDT.
D) She wrote a book that raised public awareness.

36 What biological process describes DDT’s accumulation in higher predators?

A) Bioaccumulation
B) Biomagnification
C) Bioremediation
D) Biosynthesis

37 Which of the following is NOT a consequence of DDT mentioned in the article?

A) Increased fish deaths

B) Thinning of bird eggshells
C) Higher DDT levels in predators
D) Parent birds crushing their eggs

38 Based on the article, which of the following best describes the status of the brown
pelican in recent years?

A) It has become extinct.

B) It has recovered from the brink of extinction.
C) Its population is still decreasing.
D) It is no longer affected by environmental issues.

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39 What does the term 'bioaccumulate' mean as used in the context of the article?

A) To spread throughout the environment

B) To decrease gradually in the body
C) To build up in the fatty tissues of organisms
D) To be completely broken down by organisms

40 What impact did Rachel Carson's work have on public awareness?

A) It led to immediate bans on all pesticides.

B) It caused an increase in the use of DDT.
C) It focused mainly on the benefits of pesticides.
D) It brought attention to the environmental impact of pesticides.

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