Final test 2007 (Okruzno takmicenje 2007)

READING COMPREHENSION - TEXT

          From the top of ice mountains where winds can reach 200 miles per hour, the panoramic landscape looks wonderful. On the other hand, the scene of cold, “white desert”, even at the height of summer, warns of completely unfriendly surroundings to life. This is Antarctica, the continent where temperatures can be 85 degrees below zero – the only wild continent on the Earth.

          The view from the hilltop overlooking McMurdo Straits (narrow sea), on the eastern side of Antarctica, give out an illusion – no life anywhere around. A closer look at the seemingly lifeless land and seascape uncovers an amazing variety of life. The narrow sea is filled with plankton and fish. And its thick ice has breathing holes made by seals. Thousands of penguins live there, as well and many other scavenger birds (that feed on dead organic matter). The ice itself is filled with bacteria and algae.

          There is another type of life going on all around Antarctica. The coast is dotted with rusty metal buildings, oil-storage tanks, garbage dumps – recognizable signs of human presence in this area. No fewer than sixteen nations have established bases on the only continent that belongs to the whole world. They were sent there for scientific research work, but they have become magnets for numerous tourists. Although the number of people who have visited the White Continent is rather small, the negative effects are not unimportant. The inhabitants of the bases have been evidently careless, often throwing wastes in ways that would be illegal at home.  They did it unnoticed until January 1987, when Greenpeace became the first nongovernmental organization to establish a permanent Antarctic base. They publicized dumping of untreated sewage into sea and burning of garbage on an open-air pit. Some tourists, though warned not to litter, leave behind film wrappers, water bottles, and cigarette butts. Plants and animals living on Antarctica have a limited area of only two percent that is ice-free for part of the year. That’s why going near wildlife habitats can frighten certain seabirds to break their feeding habits and reproductive behaviour. So the least populated continent is, paradoxically, overcrowded. Environmentalists fear that miner and oil drillers may not be far behind.

Choose the most appropriate answer (a, b, c or d) in each of the eight tasks.

The observer enjoyed       the reality       the view       unusual colours      summer weather	Greenpeace is now … present on the “white desert”      always       sometimes      rarely      never
The observer has       The same attitude to the whole “white desert”       Three opposite points of view on the whole “white desert”       A scientific point of view on the whole “white desert”      A common point of view on the whole “white desert”	An agreement was founded to protect this continent for people       to enjoy icy atmosphere       to learn to live together in the seascape       to look for energy resources     to keep food supplies fresh
The observer says that the people on the “white desert” do things they      sometimes openly do at home       always do at home       never do in public at home      are told not to do at home	The agreement was initiated by the people who      planned to do oil investigations       feared the greed for money could destroy the Continent       suddenly saw the ice beauty      wanted to organize tours to the Continent.
The observer states that the “white desert”       is overpopulated       has many visitors       has a regular population      is not visited at all	8.   The observer points out that             human presence doesn’t harm animals             human presence should be controlled             human presence should be free             human presence should be forbidden