Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 26 to 30. In spring 2008, the polar bear was placed on the endangered species list. According to the USA’s Endangered Species Act, an endangered species is an animal, plant or any other kind of wildlife that is likely to face extinction in its natural (26) _____________. Polar bears had already been categorized (27) _____________ ...

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 26 to 30.

In spring 2008, the polar bear was placed on the endangered species list. According to the USA’s Endangered Species Act, an endangered species is an animal, plant or any other kind of wildlife that is likely to face extinction in its natural (26) _____________. Polar bears had already been categorized (27) _____________ a “threatened” species which the ESA defines as one that is likely to become “endangered” in the foreseeable future.

The polar bear’s habitat is more (28) _____________ to global warming than many other species. Polar bears live mainly on the sea ice in the Arctic. This is where they hunt for fish and build up fat reserves. When the ice melts many polar bears move to land and live off their stored fat. In the Arctic, global warming is causing the ice to melt slightly earlier and form slightly later. This (29) _____________ a shorter feeding season for the polar bear. Some risk their lives to find ice. If they have to swim too far they will drown from exhaustion and hunger. The World Wildlife Fund (30) _____________ that over 25% of Arctic sea ice has disappeared in the past 30 years.