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What is happening to our planet?

Sometimes humans kill animals indirectly. Few places on the planet are untouched by humans.The ever-increasing human population needs more space. Industries use more and more of theEarth's natural resources. The result: in less than one hundred years, as many as two hundredknown species of birds and mammals have vanished.
How? Many natural habitats are disappearing. The Earth's rainforests are being destroyed,along with their inhabitants. Toxic wastes, air pollution, and radiation take terrible tolls onwildlife. Changes in the planet's ozone layer and in its climate threaten all animals, includinghumans.

In 1977, President Jimmy Carter asked for an official study of the environment. What, heasked, would our planet be like in the year 2000 if present trends continue? This study wasdone by several U.S. government departments at the direction of Dr. Gerald Barney. Publishedin 1980, the Global 2000 Report to the President provided startlingwarnings and predictionsabout the fate of the Earth if we do not make changes in the way we treat it.
The report predicted, among other things, that "between half a million and 2 million species- 15 to 20 percent ofall species on earth- could be extinguished by the year 2000." It warned ofmore hardship for the Earth's human inhabitants as well- more starvation, for example.

This report strongly urged the government to take immediate action. It gave recommendations for change. But by the time the study was completed, Ronald Reagan had been electedpresident and his administration ignored the report.

The 1980s were not a good decade for the environment. It is likely that a global report nowwould be even bleaker than the one published after the 1970s. Many environmentalists wonderif we can stop the destruction of our planet before it is too late. When, they ask, will humansrealise that they are not meant to be masters of the Earth, only one of its guests?

Exercise 1: Word use

Decide which of the following choices is closest in meaning to the underlined word in thesentence and write down the corresponding letter.

1. The result: in less than one hundred years, as many as two hundred known species of birdsand mammals have vanished.
A. changed

B. disappeared

C. decreased

2. The Earth's rainforests are being destroyed, along with their inhabitants.
A. animals which live in a particular place
B. animals which are being destroyed
C. animals which move to other places

3. Published in 1980, the Global 2000 Report to the President provided startling warningsand predictions about the fate of the Earth if we do not make changes in the way we treatit.
A. shocking

B. serious

C. terrible

4. This report strongly urged the government to take immediate action.
A. forced

B. supported

C. encouraged

5. It is likely that a global report now would be even bleaker than the one published afterthe 1970s.
A. more discouraging

B. more shocking

C. more encouraging

Exercise 2: Sentence Completion

Refer to the passage Mat Is Happening to Our Planet? and choose from the passage NOMORE THAN THREE WORDS to complete the following sentences.

6. Humans kill animals indirectly because industries need more and more of the……………………on the Earth.

7. The changes in the Earth's………….as well as its climate are harmful to all animals.

8. The official study of the environment in 1977 was directed by……………………

9. One of the difficulties which humans were warned of by the report is……………….

Exercise 3: True/False/Not Given Questions

Read the passage headed Mat Is Happening to Our Planet? and look at the following
statements. Write

TRUE if the statement is hue;
FALSE if the statement is false;
NOT GIVEN if the jnformation is not given in the passage.

10. The increase ofhuman population and the needs of industries result in the death of lots ofbirds and mammals.

11. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter believed that the present trends would continue.

12. According to the report, more than 2 million species on earth would disappear by 2000.

13. Ronald Reagan was elected president after the study was completed.

14. Ronald Reagan's administration didn't think that the report was necessary.

15. It is possible that it will be too late when we stop the destruction of the Earth.

16. The environmentalists don't think that humans are masters of the Earth.
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