Mark /.

Reading comprehension Date ..

Name: __________________________ Class: ...........

Ten thousand years ago, about half of the surface of the earth was
covered in trees. Now, that proportion is down to about one-third,
or four billion hectares. Whats worse, the rate of cutting has
increased exponentially in recent years. Globally, we are now
cutting down forests at the rate of 400 000 hectares a week. At
this rate, it is estimated there will be no forests left by the year
2030.
But a forest is more than just the trees. A single forest is a
complete, functioning ecosystem that supports innumerable plant
and animal species as well as earth, water, and air subsystems.
The subsystems provide the essence of life of the forest and are in
themselves a by-product of forest systems, all of which are
reciprocal and interdependent. The further bad news is that 50.000 animal species disappear every
year, many of them without ever having been classified or recorded. One of the main causes of this
mass extinction is deforestation. Deforestation is also a major cause of soil erosion and water
pollution, and the rampant destruction of the tropical rain forests in the southern hemisphere,
according to some scientists, is contributing to the greenhouse effect, which in turn is leading to
global warming.

So why do we keep cutting, and what must we do to solve the problems created by deforestation? On
the one hand, the answer is simple; reduce the number of trees being cut down on this planet. On the
other hand, the answers are complex and involve the global, economic, and political issues of wealth
redistribution, poverty, land reform, overconsumption, and overpopulation. Each of these is a
complex political issue and each has a direct link to deforestation. None is easy to solve in the short
term. Most environmentalists agree we must solve them, and efforts are being made at both
grassroots and international levels to do so.

At the Rio Conference on the Environment in 1992, protection of forests was identified as a prime
area of concern for the worlds nations. Leaders from around the world signed Agenda 21, part of
which entailed a commitment to work toward sustainable management of forests. But at the recent
Rio + 5 conference held in June 1997 to review progress on Agenda 21 goals, it became apparent that
little had changed in the worlds forests. In fact, rates of deforestation in places like the Amazonian
rain forest have actually increased since 1992.

Solving the problem requires a concerted international effort and coming to grips with the fact that
old ways of approaching issues are no longer going to work. Saving forests from massive
deforestation requires us to find ways to break down the barriers that exist between rich nations and
poor nations because the issue of disappearing forests is also a global economic issue. Forests are
disappearing in poorer nations in part because cutting down trees provides much-needed agricultural
land and export products. For wealthier nations less dependent on such natural resources to simply
urge poorer nations to reduce the pace of deforestation overlooks an important part of the equation.
And we must not forget that the forestry industry in wealthier nationslike Canada, for exampleis
also a significant part of the economy. Creating real dialogue between industry representatives and
environmentalists that will lead to workable plans to reduce the rate of deforestation is an enormous
challenge in itself. And we must factor in the involvement and interaction of governments and
individual citizens. Sustainability is the goal, interdependence the theme. Integrating human needs
and planetary resources is the task at hand.
Adapted from : http://cgw4u.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/8/8/13887929/the_disappearing_forest.pdf
 36
A. Answer the questions.

1. The document is about _________________________________________________________

2. In a few words explain the main goal of the document.

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

3. The document mostly concerns the past/present/future ?

4. Which part(s) of the world is/are already concerned ? ___________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

5. What are the causes mentioned in the document ? _____________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

6. The 4th paragraph is rather pessimistic / indifferent / reluctant /positive / when it comes to the
future . Explain.

_______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

7. Is the process irreversible ? YES / NO. Explain.?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

8. Explain in a few words why it is absolutely necessary to combat the problem this document deals

with. _________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

9. Who is this message addressed to ?

_______________________________________________________________________________
 10
B. Write (T) when right or (F) when wrong and justify your answer.
1. Ten years ago 50 % of the surface of the planet was covered by forests. (.)
______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

2. Recently less and less trees were cut down. (.)

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

3. Deforestation is a problem particularly in the developing or poor countries. (.)

______________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

4. Only poor countries' economies are dependent on forestry and deforestation.(.)

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

5. The answer lies is sustainability. (.)

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

C. Match the words on the left (taken from the text) with the ones on the right.
20
pire
pire increased
increased
augment
augment wealth
wealth
taux
taux southern
southern
innombrable
innombrable overconsumption
overconsumption
fournir
fournir worse
worse
du
du sud
sud rate
rate
rsoudre
rsoudre provide
provide
rduire
rduire overpopulation
overpopulation
impliquent
impliquent challenge
challenge
richesse
richesse pace
pace
surconsommation
surconsommation link
link
surpopulation
surpopulation innumerable
innumerable
lien
lien goals
goals
engagement
engagement barriers
barriers
durable
durable involve
involve
. objectifs
objectifs solve
solve
ncessite
ncessite commitment
commitment
obstacles
obstacles requires
requires
vitesse
vitesse sustainable
sustainable
dfi
dfi reduce
reduce

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
 8

D. Match the words on the left with their definition on the right.

1. worse a. a product that is made as a result of making another product

2. There will be no left b. to approve of an idea or of a person or organization and help them
to be successful
3. a by-product c. there will be no more
4. to support d. to start to deal with a problem or situation that you have to.
5. To come to grips with e. richer
6. an issue f. more unpleasant or bad than something else or than before

7. wealthier g. practical and likely to be effective

8. workable h. a subject that people discuss or argue about

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

10
E. What do the following refer to ? (underlined in the text).

1.that
1. that ________________________________________________
________________________________________________

2.themselves
2. themselves _______________________________________
_______________________________________

3.them
3. them ______________________________________________
______________________________________________

4. which
4. which ____________________________________________
____________________________________________

5.these
5. these ____________________________________________
____________________________________________

F. Complete while reading the first paragraph. 12

1. 10.000 years ago, about % _________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

2. Today that proportion is ___________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

3. What's even worse, is that _________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

4. Thus, we can think that this way ____________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________
G. Complete the text underneath with the words from the box.
24

humidity surface temperature rainforests

medicines varieties contains muscles
species treat cancer disease

The rainforest contains more than half of Earth's plant and animal ................., even though
rainforests cover only about 6% of the earth's ................. . The
average ................. in the rainforest is high, ranging from 77% to
88%. The average ................. is at least 75 to 86 degrees.
Many of the plants and foods in your home originated in
the ................. . Common house plants, such as bromeliads, African
violets, periwinkle and the Christmas cactus, began in the rain forest.
About one-fourth of all the ................. we use come from rainforest
plants. Curare, from a tropical vine, is used as an anaesthetic and to
relax ................. for surgery. Quinine, from the cinchona tree, is
used to ................. malaria. The rosy periwinkle ................. an
anti-leukaemia drug; a person with lymphocytic leukaemia has a
99% chance that the ................. will go into remission because of
the rosy periwinkle. More than 1,400 ................. of tropical plants
are thought to be potential cures for ................. .

H. Translate de last paragraph in your own language. 10

One of the main causes of this mass extinction is deforestation. Deforestation is also a
major cause of soil erosion and water pollution, and the rampant destruction of the
tropical rain forests in the southern hemisphere, according to some scientists, is
contributing to the greenhouse effect, which in turn is leading to global warming.

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

Key :
1. The document is about the disappearance of tropical rainforests, the causes and
consequences, and why it is important to preserve them.

2. To make people become aware of the urgency of the situation. That we have to act
quickly to save what can still be saved.

3. The past / present / future.

4. The entire planet, even if the poor countries are sometimes more concerned.

5. The principal cause being deforestation, then comes poverty, overconsumtion and
overpopulation.

6. Rather pessimistic. According to the Conference in Rio nothing has really changed, the
situation is even getting worse.

7. Yes. It is a challenge. But a dialogue is necessary between the industrials and

enviromentalists. The answer can only be found in sustainable agriculture.

8. Because thes forests are real ecosystems that support numerous species. Species
disappear each year. Deforestation also engenders pollution and has an impact on
global warming.

9. To everybody.

a. (F)
10.000 years ago

b. (F)
The situation is getting worse in the Amazonian forest.

c. (V)
Rich countries are less dependant on the exploitation of forests.

d. (F)
It is a significant part in Canada

d. (V)
Sustainability is the goal

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
E A F L G C P T O B D H K Q S M R N J I

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
F C A B D H E G
 1. that _forest__

2. themselves ___the subsystems_____

3. them __animal species____________

4. which ____greenhouse effect_________

5. these __issues ( of wealth, poverty etc.)

5. 50 % that were covered in trees.

6. One third

7. The rate of cutting has increased exponentially in recent years

8. There will be no forests left over by the year 2030

The rainforest contains more than half of Earth's plant and animal species, even though rainforests cover only
about 6% of the earth's surface. The average humidity in the rainforest is high, ranging from 77% to 88%. The
average temperature is at least 75 to 86 degrees.
Many of the plants and foods in your home originated in the rainforests. Common house plants, such as
bromeliads, African violets, periwinkle and the Christmas cactus, began in the rain forest.
About one-fourth of all the medicines we use come from rainforest plants. Curare, from a tropical vine, is used as
an anaesthetic and to relax muscles for surgery. Quinine, from the cinchona tree, is used to treat malaria. The
rosy periwinkle contains an anti-leukaemia drug; a person with lymphocytic leukaemia has a 99% chance that
the disease will go into remission because of the rosy periwinkle. More than 1,400 varieties of tropical plants are
thought to be potential cures for cancer.