CBSE Class 12 English Unseen Passage Assignment Set 04

Passage 

1 World Conservation Day is celebrated internationally to increase awareness about the best practices needed to protect our natural resources. The Earth is supplied with a limited amount of resources that we all rely upon, like water, air, soil and trees. The World Nature Conservation Movement is a great opportunity to celebrate the progress we've made and determine to take action, wherever needed. It is time to remind ourselves that we need to give back to nature instead of just using resources without thinking about conservation. There is a need to replenish and recycle the resources we consume from nature.
2 Our forests, rivers, oceans and soils provide us with the food we eat, the air we breathe, the water we irrigate our crops with. We also rely on them for numerous other goods and services. We depend on them for our health, happiness and prosperity. We have a cycle of biodiversity which needs proper conservation.
3 The population explosion remains one of the major reasons why natural resources are getting depleted at a very fast rate. Technological advancement and luxurious lifestyles have led to several environmental problems like global warming, ozone layer depletion, river water pollution and deforestation which threaten the planet's future.
4 Humans, animals, marine creatures and the environment, all need to be protected and conserved for the planet's future well-being. There are many examples of conservation. One is a programme to try to preserve wetlands or a programme to try and save old buildings. Another example is of an attempt to minimise the amount of electricity used by turning off lights when leaving a room or an attempt to turn off the running tap to avoid wastage of water. There are lots of examples like these which need implementation.
5 Following these small steps in our daily lives, we can help to maintain the balance of nature, thereby saving humankind from the kinds of natural disasters we may face in the near future.
6 Nature also has a profound impact on our minds and our behaviour, helping reduce anxiety, brooding, and stress and increase our attention, capacity, creativity and ability to connect with other people. So, there is a need to save nature if we want to save life as the two are interconnected and need each other. If we hurt or destroy the environment, surely we will be ruined. We must create awareness among family members and try and practise a sustainable lifestyle to protect and conserve nature.

Question. Complete the sentence by choosing an appropriate option. There is an urgent need to conserve our natural resources because ........
(a) we are aimlessly using the natural resources and not replenishing them.
(b) they will be replaced by manmade resources.
(c) serious efforts are needed to cut down the consumption of these resources.
(d) we must become alert before it is too late.
Answer: (a) we are aimlessly using the natural resources and not replenishing them.

Question. In the opinion of the writer, which are the primary natural resources without which our life is not possible?
Answer: According to the writer, the primary natural resources without which our life is not possible are water, air, soil and trees.

Question. In Paragraph 1, the writer talks about ‘celebrating the progress’. Explain in context.
Answer: In Paragraph 1, the writer talks about ‘celebrating the progress’ in the context of the World Nature Conservation Day. This day provides an opportunity to celebrate the progress made in protecting natural resources and determine to take action wherever needed.

Question. The writer would agree with the given statements based on Paragraph 6, EXCEPT
(a) Stress can be relieved by working overtime,
(b) Nature can affect man’s emotional well-being,
(c) Lifestyle cannot be changed permanently,
(d) Destruction of the environment is a temporary measure undertaken by man.
Answer: (a) Stress can be relieved by working overtime,

Question. In the context of the given passage, what is the synonym of ‘replenish’ (Para 1)? Choose the correct option,
(a) Scarcity
(b) Restore
(c) Reconcile
(d) Minimise
Answer: (b) Restore

Question. List two ways in which forests and rivers help mankind.
Answer: Two ways in which forests and rivers help mankind are: (a) They provide us with food, air and water that are necessary for our survival. (b) They play a significant role in maintaining the balance of nature by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, controlling floods, and preventing soil erosion.

Question. How can the solutions suggested in Paragraph 4 be best described?
(a) Unrealistic
(b) Short term
(c) Practical
(d) Challenging
Answer: (c) Practical

Question. Why is it fair to say that population explosion remains one of the major reasons why natural resources are getting depleted rapidly?
Answer: It is fair to say that population explosion remains one of the major reasons why natural resources are getting depleted rapidly because an increasing population leads to higher demand for resources, which puts a strain on the environment and leads to their depletion.

Question. Complete the given sentence with an appropriate inference with respect to the following. The writer quotes the example of family awareness in order to ........ . (Paragraph 6)
Answer: create awareness among family members and try to practice a sustainable lifestyle to protect and conserve nature.

Question. Select the most suitable title for the above passage,
(a) Ways to Save the Environment
(b) Save Nature Save Life
(c) Nature-A Pharmacy
(d) Nature - A Food Factory
Answer: (b) Save Nature Save Life

Passage 

1 I know many friends of mine who drink coffee regularly but do not know that coffee exists in different forms other than instant coffee. There are many who swear by Nescafe Classic or Bru Gold, which they consider premium coffee. I may sound offensive but instant coffee is not the only way; in fact it’s a very bad way of making coffee! Instant coffee cannot match up to brewed coffee's flavour nor does it have Arabica beans. It uses Robusta beans that are lower in flavour. Don’t know the difference?! Read on...
2 That plant might be a genius! It created a chemical that would keep pests away. Fortunately for us and unfortunately for the plant - that plan did not work the way it intended to. The chemical might have averted a few pest attacks, but attracted far greater threat - human beings. The plant I am talking about is coffee and chemical is caffeine.
3 To begin from the beginning - coffee is from a more mature part of the tree - the seed - unlike other stimulants. The ripe berry is picked and de-pulped leaving us with a seed called ‘green bean’ or ‘green coffee’. Green bean is uncharacteristically bland with a taste nowhere close to that of coffee, but it is valued for its higher antioxidant levels.
4 It’s an interesting phenomenon to see how this bland green bean turns to a flavourful coffee bean. Coffee bean is a seed and like any other seed is rich in proteins, fats and all necessary ingredients for giving birth to a new plant. When exposed to heat, the fats and carbohydrates in the bean turn into essential oils, which give the characteristic taste and aroma to the coffee bean. The degree of roasting depends on the need or purpose of use.
5 These beans are ground so that the surface area of the bean is increased, which makes extraction easier. The bean can be ground or crushed but making the particles uniform will ensure equal extraction or else the smaller particle will get over extracted and the larger one under extracted. Hence, the burr grinder is used to ensure that the coffee bean gets ground in a uniform way in which all particles are of similar sizes.
6 Does under extraction give a lighter coffee and over extraction a stronger one? No. For a lighter or stronger coffee, less or more coffee, powder has to be used. Why? Under extraction will not get all the flavours of the coffee as the water runs too quickly. It will not get what you want - It will taste sour. Over-extraction will bring out all unnecessary flavours rendering the taste bitter.

Question. Complete the sentence by choosing an appropriate option. The author complained that his friends ........
(a) consumed only Flora classics,
(b) were not aware of different forms of coffee,
(c) were severely addicted to drinking coffee,
(d) considered Coco gold as premium coffee.
Answer: (b) were not aware of different forms of coffee.

Question. Comment on the writer’s reference to the unique feature of coffee plant. (Paragraph 2)
Answer: The writer's reference to the unique feature of the coffee plant, which is its ability to produce caffeine as a chemical to protect itself from pests, adds depth to the discussion of coffee and its role in human culture and biology. The reference to this unique feature highlights the complexity of the relationship between the coffee plant and humans, and how it has evolved over time to meet the needs of both.

Question. List the reason why the author refers to humans as ‘great threat to coffee’ plants.
Answer: The author refers to humans as a great threat to coffee plants because of the chemical that the plants had originally produced to ward off pests. This chemical—caffeine—is happily consumed by humans all over the world leading to the increased demand of coffee. The increased demand for coffee plants can lead to deforestation, habitat loss, and other environmental impacts. Additionally, it can lead to unsustainable farming practices and the use of harmful chemicals to grow and process coffee, further endangering the coffee plant and its ecosystem.

Question. Select an option that conveys the same meaning as ‘energiser’ from words used in Paragraph 3.
(a) Bland
(b) Mature
(c) Antioxidant
(d) Stimulants
Answer: (d) stimulants

Question. Complete the given sentence with an appropriate inference with respect to the following. Fats and carbohydrates turn into essential oils leading to ........
Answer: the characteristic taste and aroma of the coffee bean

Question. Comment on the writer’s reference to the interesting phenomenon in Paragraph 4.
Answer: The writer does an excellent job of describing the interesting phenomenon of the green bean turning into a flavourful coffee bean. The writer explains that the green coffee bean is uncharacteristically bland with a taste nowhere close to that of coffee but is valued for its higher protein and fat content. When the bean is exposed to heat, the fats and carbohydrates turn into essential oils which give the characteristic taste and aroma to the coffee bean. This transformation is indeed an interesting phenomenon that showcases the transformative power of heat and the complexity of coffee production.

Question. Over-extraction does not give a stronger coffee. Based on your understanding of Paragraph 6, list one method to get stronger coffee.
Answer: One method to get stronger coffee is to use more coffee powder. This will ensure that the water has enough time to extract all the flavours from the coffee beans, giving you a stronger cup of coffee.

Question. The writer would not agree with the given statements based on paragraph five EXCEPT
(a) The burr grinder grinds coffee beans uniformly,
(b) Less surface area makes extraction easier,
(c) Grinding gives stronger aroma,
(d) Good coffee is a mix of smaller and bigger particles.
Answer: (a) The burr grinder grinds coffee beans uniformly.

Question. Why is it fair to say that the right degree of extraction of coffee is important?
Answer: The right degree of extraction of coffee is important because it will determine the flavor, aroma and overall taste of the coffee. If the extraction is done incorrectly, the coffee will either taste sour or bitter and over-extracted. The right degree of extraction requires precise control over the amount of coffee and the time it is exposed to water. Only then can you create the perfectly balanced cup of coffee.

Question. Select the most suitable title of the above passage,
(a) The Art of Coffee Making
(b) Benefits of Consuming Coffee
(c) Green Coffee - The Perfect Antioxidant
(d) The Coffee Addict
Answer: (a) The Art of Coffee Making

Passage 

1 Ghost nets aren’t supernatural but they are legitimately scary. A ghost net is a fishing net that’s been lost or abandoned in the ocean. They are one particularly appalling part of the global ghost fishing problem, which includes fishing gear abandoned in the water. Any net or line left in the ocean can pose a threat to marine life. Just because a net is no longer used by fishers doesn’t mean it stops working. These nets continue to trap everything in their path, presenting a major problem for the health of our oceans and marine life.
2 Ghost nets entangle sea turtles, dolphins and porpoises, birds, sharks, seals and more, apart from catching fish. The nets keep animals from moving freely, cause injuries and keep mammals and birds from rising to the surface for air. Since hundreds of animals can be caught in a single net, this threat is monumental. The ghost nets harm coral reefs too-breaking corals, exposing them to disease and even blocking the reefs from needed sunlight.
3 Ghost nets are also a major contributor to the ocean plastics’ crisis. Most modem nets are made of nylon or other plastic compounds that can last for centuries. According to a 2018 study in Scientific Reports, ghost nets make up at least 46 percent of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Those abandoned fishing lines and nets that do breakdown never go away; they just become smaller pieces of plastic. Marine animals mistake this microplastic for food and eat it, which can harm internal organs, keep them from eating and expose them to toxic chemicals.
4 Exorcising ghost nets from our oceans will require commitment, cooperation and innovation. Many groups are working to remove ghost nets from the sea and are collaborating with local fishers and governments around the world to identify target areas and remove as many nets as possible. In 2015, a single World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF)-led mission in the Baltic Sea hauled up 268 tons of nets, ropes and other material.
5 To stop these nets from becoming ghosts in the first place, conservation organisations advocate for fishing gear that can be traced to its owner so anyone dumping nets can be fined and for refundable deposits on nets to encourage returning or recycling rather than littering. Tools like sonar reflectors that can make ghost nets easier to find and working with small-scale fisheries to develop more sustainable fishing gear and practices are other suggestions. It is only by attacking this problem from all sides, together with conservation partners, fishers and supporters, than we can banish ghost nets and protect our oceans.

Question. Complete the sentence by choosing an appropriate option. Ghost nets have been named so because they ........
(a) cause much harm to the marine life
(b) are functional though not in use by fishers
(c) are not owned by anyone
(d) act as a snare for all animats in oceans
Answer: (c) are not owned by anyone

Question. Comment on the writer’s reference to the ghost nets in Paragraph I as a health problem for the oceans.
Answer: The ghost nets are major health problems for the ocean because these fishing nets have the capacity to trap everything in their path. As a result, marine animals cannot move freely and can injure themselves. They even harm the marine flora like the coral reef making the flora and fauna sick. Thus, if this issue is not addressed, this ‘health issue’ would soon become chronic.

Question. List the two ways being entangled in a ghost net is likely to impact a walrus. (Clue: Think about the type of animal a walrus is)
Answer: A walrus is a large marine mammal which can suffer from huge negative consequences. Being entangled in a ghost net is likely to impact a walrus in the following ways:

• their movement is hindered
• they can injure themselves from the net

Question. Select the option that conveys the opposite of ‘negligible’ from words used in Paragraph 2.
(a) Unimpressive
(b) Monumental
(c) Exposing
(d) Threat
Answer: (b) Monumental

Question. The writer would agree with the given statements based on Paragraph 3, EXCEPT
(a) Most ghost nets take a few years to completely disintegrate
(b) Ghost nets contribute to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
(c) Most ghost nets provide nutrition to marine animals, upon disintegration
(d) Ghost nets can curtail freedom of marine animals
Answer: (c) Most ghost nets provide nutrition to marine animals, upon disintegration.

Question. Some records share that fishing nets used to be made of common rope using natural fibres, prior to the 1960s. Based on your understanding of Paragraph 3, list one major advantage that these had over the fishing nets being used in present times.
Answer: Fishing nets made of common rope, made of natural fibres, have one big advantage over the nylon or plastic fishing nets. They are bio-degradable and can easily disintegrate in water in comparison the artificial fibre nets that do not disintegrate. This is a major advantage that they had over the fishing nets being used in present times.

Question. Why is it fair to say that commitment and innovation have to go hand-in-hand to rid the oceans of ghost nets?
Answer: It is fair to say that commitment and innovation have to go hand-in-hand to rid the oceans of ghost nets because the task requires perseverance as it will take a long time to accomplish. Further, creative ideas and strategies would be needed to address this problem effectively.

Question. Complete the given sentence with an appropriate inference with respect to the following. The writer quotes the example of the WWF-led mission in the Baltic Sea (Paragraph 4), in order to ........
Answer: draw attention to the magnitude of the problem. The reference indicates that governments need to collaborate with such groups for addressing the problem of ghost nets.

Question. How can the solutions, suggested in Paragraph 5, best be described?
(a) Practical
(b) Presentable
(c) Popular
(d) Prejudiced
Answer: (a) Practical

Question. Select the most suitable title for the above passage,
(a) The Scary Side of Ghost Nets
(b) Ghost Nets - A Result of Human Dominance
(c) Ghost Nets - A Menace to Marine Life
(d) Ways to Tackle the Problem of Ghost Nets
Answer: (c) Ghost Nets - A Menace to Marine Life

Passage 

1 Very often, we do not take the first step towards a good cause because we say to ourselves, “The task is so big. What can I do alone?’’ So, nothing gets done. There is much talk about environmental protection, air pollution and saving our forests. Do we really care? If we do, here are a few things we can do to make our surroundings more pleasant.
2 It is good to adopt a two-uses attitude! By putting an article to a second use, we are giving it a longer lease of life and using up less raw material from nature. One of the worst things we do is the abuse of paper. The clean sides of envelopes can be used to write small notes, lists and reminders around the house. The more paper we use, the more trees will have to be cut down. For the same reason, we should avoid the use of paper napkins or paper plates. Cloth napkins are just as good, for they can be washed and used over and over again.
3 The one area which needs the most urgent attention is effective garbage disposal. People who are conscious about it follow rules and laws strictly. As a result, their neighbourhoods are clean and beautiful. A lot of people don’t care about the environment because they don’t understand the adverse effect that society has on it. It is important to convince people to care about the environment. The first step would be to convince people to change by providing simple alternative solutions and ways of doing things. The Internet is a powerful tool and a group of like-minded people can be formed on social media. People can share environmental stories and issues as well as pool in solutions and alternatives to educate one another. With the current state that our planet is in, it is imperative that people actively care about the environment and most importantly, act now.
4 Similarly, each one of us can contribute to a cleaner environment. All kitchen waste should be collected separately. Those who have green fingers can turn this into valuable manure. Dig a pit and put the kitchen waste into it. When the pit is a little over half full, cover it up with mud. Let nature do the rest. Within three to six months, you can have a good garden manure. It can also be done as a community project by digging a large pit in the colony. Do take help of all the members, for nothing succeeds like co-operation.

Question. Complete the sentence by choosing an appropriate option. We don’t take the first step towards a good cause because ........
(a) we think the task is too big
(b) we think the task is too trivial
(c) we wonder if we can do the work alone
(d) Both (a) and (c)
Answer: (d) Both (a) and (c)

Question. Comment on the writer’s reference to Internet being a powerful tool in spreading environmental awareness.
Answer: The Internet can be a powerful tool in spreading environmental awareness as it can help people share environmental stories and issues as well as provide solutions and alternatives to educate one another.

Question. List any two things that can be done to avoid the abuse of paper.
Answer: Two things that can be done to avoid the abuse of paper are:

• Using the clean side of envelopes to write small notes, lists and reminders.
• Using cloth napkins instead of paper napkins or paper plates.

Question. Select the option that conveys the meaning ‘completely necessary’,
(a) Lease
(b) Convince
(c) Imperative
(d) Succeeds
Answer: (c) ‘Imperative’ means crucial or completely necessary.

Question. The writer would agree with the following options being the best things we do based on the passage EXCEPT
(a) Saving our forests
(b) Decreasing environmental pollution
(c) Abuse of paper
(d) Being conscious about following rules
Answer: (c) The author would not agree with abuse of paper being the best thing we do.

Question. What is the result of an effective way of garbage disposal?
(a) Our neighbourhoods become beautiful
(b) Our neighbourhoods become clean
(c) Our neighbourhoods become crowded
(d) Both (a) and (b)
Answer: (d) Both (a) and (b)

Question. What is a two-uses attitude?
Answer: Two-uses attitude refers to the action of reusing something and thus giving it a longer lease of life and simultaneously making lesser use of raw material from nature.

Question. Complete the given sentence appropriately. The making of garden manure can be done as a community project by ........
Answer: digging a large pit in the colony and putting the segregated kitchen waste into it

Question. Select the most suitable title for the above passage,
(a) Clean the Air
(b) Save the Trees and Paper
(c) Ways to End Environmental Pollution
(d) All of the options
Answer: (c) Ways to End Environmental Pollution

Passage 

I saw ‘Jaws’, the popular shark movie, the summer it came out, in 1975 and became paranoid about sharks. Though I kept swimming after Jaws, it was always with the vague fear that a shark’s teeth could tug on my leg at any moment. Never mind that there’d been only two shark bites since 1900 on the Connecticut coast, where I lived.
So, when I got this assignment for the National Geographic magazine, I decided to accept and do what I’d never wanted to do: swim with the sharks. I had to go to a place in the Bahamas known as Tiger Beach and dive with tiger sharks, the species responsible for more recorded attacks on humans than any shark except the great white. It was to be my first dive after getting certified—which meant it would be my first dive anywhere other than a swimming pool or a quarry—and without a diver’s cage. Most people who got wind of this plan thought I was either very brave or very stupid.
But I just wanted to puncture an illusion. The people who know sharks intimately tend to be the least afraid of them, and no one gets closer to sharks than divers. The divers who run operations at Tiger Beach speak lovingly of the tiger sharks the way people talk about their children or their pets. In their eyes, these sharks aren’t man-eaters any more than dogs are.
The business of puncturing illusions is never just black and white. My fellow divers had hundreds of dives under their belt and on the two-hour boat ride to the site in the morning of our first dive, they kept saying things like, “Seriously, I really can’t believe this is your first dive.” All this was okay with me until I reached the bottom and immediately had to fend off the first tiger shark I had ever laid eyes on. However, when I watched the other divers feeding them fish and steering them gently, it became easy to see the sharks in a very benign light.
I think it would be unfair not to mention that though tiger sharks are apex predators. They act as a crucial balancing force in ocean ecosystems, constraining the numbers of animals like sea turtles and limit their behaviour by preventing them from overgrazing the sea grass beds. Furthermore, tiger sharks love warm water, they eat almost anything, have a huge litter and are the hardiest shark species. If the planet and its oceans continue to warm, some species will be winners and others will be losers, and tiger sharks are likely to be winners.

Question. Complete the sentence by choosing an appropriate option. Having a large litter is a feature that empowers tiger sharks to emerge winners if global warming persists as ........
(a) it reduces the possibility of extinction or destruction,
(b) it reduces the harsh conditions
(c) it reduces the large numbers that would ensure that some definitely survive
(d) None of the options
Answer: (a) it reduces the possibility of extinction or destruction

Question. Cite a point to suggest that the writer’s post-Jaws fear was not justified.
Answer: The writer's post-Jaws fear was not justified as it is stated in the test that there were only 2 shark attacks reported between 1900 and 1975 on the Connecticut coast.

Question. State any one trait of the writer that is evident from lines 5-10 and provide a reason for your choice.
Answer: From the lines 5-10, we can gather that the author was an adventurous experimental and a bold person. We can say so because we know that the author was fearful of sharks and yet he accepted an assignment that required him to face them.