SECTION-A (READING)
Q.1 Read the passage and answer the questions that follow:
Environment means all that surrounds us. It is a very complex and comprehensive phenomenon. It consists of the climate, geography, geology and all the natural resources that nature has bestowed upon us. Life is there because of our peculiar biosphere and ecosystem. There is life on this planet because of a certain balance between these various elements. Without this balance, our planet would have been just another sterile and lifeless planet revolving round the sun.
Our life depends on healthy and balanced environmental conditions. Our health, working habits, lifestyle, and behaviour, etc. are closely linked with all that surrounds us. The climate is an integral part of the environment. The varied climatic conditions on our planet have been responsible for all the variety that we have in our cultures, clothing, foods, festivals, and social customs, etc. The human population is scattered all over the world. But there are marked socio-cultural differences among the various races, groups, and countries because of different geographical and climatic conditions.
Existence on the earth presupposes maintenance of biodiversity and the preservation of the delicate balance between the various elements that constitute our environment, geographical conditions and climate. Preservation and protection of environment means the protection of the earth, its atmosphere, and its various vital resources. These are the essential ingredients of our life and existence, and should be kept alive, pure, vibrant and rich. Of late, it has been keenly felt that their depletion can prove disastrous. For example, the depletion of the ozone layer of our atmosphere has caused a huge hole in the sky, which is growing bigger and bigger with the passage of time. Consequently, the very harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun are reaching the earth. This hole in the atmosphere was discovered over Antarctica. It has been caused by the release of chlorofluorocarbons (or CFCs) in huge quantity from chemicals mainly used in refrigerators and air conditioners.
There is a direct correlation between environmental conditions and our physiological functions. Change in climate affects our behavioral pattern in spite of our marvellous adaptability. For example, hot tropical climate and heat of the desert causes fatigue, exertion, lethargy and irritability. Similarly, very cold climates may cause inertia, morbidity and respiratory infections. Extreme climates and sudden change of environment have a direct influence on our lifestyle and work culture. Obviously, the conflict between environment and our so-called developmental activities is the main cause of so many of our problems. For example, for the conservation of our natural resources it is necessary that there is a proper check on our ever-growing population.
The rapid growth in human population has adversely affected our land, forests, water, atmosphere, biodiversity and biomass. The overcrowding of our cities and towns, as a result of this explosion of population, is at the root of many of our evils. This has resulted in tremendous pressure on our agriculture, irrigation, forestry, energy and use of natural resources. Due to this imbalance, there has been a meteoric rise in crimes, diseases, squalor, poverty and misery. Our over-exploitation of the gifts of nature has created an unprecedented chaos in the environment. Our rivers are either dead or dying. The level of our groundwater is going down because of too much and indiscriminate pumping of water. Our earth has been green and wonderful, full of food and other goodies, and with other valuable boons of nature, but now it finds itself under an unbearable strain and stress because of our various acts of commission and omission.
It is imperative that we soon strike a balance between our environment and industrial development. Environment can no more be sacrificed for economical growth and evelopment. Many of our power and industrial projects are still being implemented without proper environmental clearance. Our thermal power projects, based on coal, should be located far away from cities, towns, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, lakes, coastal areas and places of historical, tourist and religious importance. And, a 5-km buffer zone is a must around such a plant. Moreover, there should be installation of all necessary pollution control mechanisms and devices for the treatment of waste products. Similarly, to check the environmental degradation in case of hydroelectric plants, there should be proper arrangements for treatment of catchments area and compensatory forestation for the forest- cover submerged in the process of erection of such a plant. To save the humanity from this looming ecological crisis, it is necessary that there is a mass movement against environmental degradation. The sooner we recognize this, the better. Our so-called industrial development, growth, and advancement at the cost of ecology is nothing but a regression, nay an ‘ecocide’. Our oneness with nature and our environment is an established fact. Instead of fighting and destroying it, we should be with it because our fate as
individuals is inseparable from the fate of Mother Nature. Our very survival depends on the survival and health of our eco-system. People should come forward voluntarily and participate in the movement to stop the over-exploitation of our rivers, oceans, lakes, forests, mountains, atmosphere and the earth.
1.1 On the basis of your understanding of the above passage, make notes on it using headings and subheadings. Use recognizable abbreviations (wherever necessary-minimum 4). Also supply an appropriate title to it.
1.2 Write a summary of the passage in about 100 words.
Q2. Read the passage and on the basis of your understanding of the passage answer the questions given below:
1. Sleep is essential for a person’s health and well-being. Yet millions of people do not get enough sleep and many suffer from lack of sleep. Most of those with these problems go undiagnosed and untreated. In addition, more than 40 per cent of adults experience daytime sleepiness severe enough to interfere with their daily activities at least a few days each month – with 20 per cent reporting problem of sleepiness a few days a week or more. Furthermore, 69 per cent of children experience one or more sleep problems a few nights or more during a week.
2. If a sleep-deprived person doesn’t sleep after the initial signs, the person may then start to experience apathy, slowed speech and flattened emotional responses, impaired memory and an inability to be novel or multitask. As a person gets to the point of falling asleep, he or she will fall into micro sleeps (5-10 seconds) that cause lapses in attention, nod off while doing an activity like driving or reading and then finally experience hallucinations.
3. Everyone’s individual sleep needs vary. In general, most healthy adults are built for 16 hours of wakefulness and need an average of eight hours of sleep a night. However, some individuals are able to function without sleepiness or drowsiness after as little as six hours of sleep. Others can’t perform at their peak unless they’ve slept ten hours. And contrary to common myth, the need for sleep doesn’t decline with age but the ability to sleep for six to eight hours at one time may be reduced.
4. Stress is the number one cause of short-term sleeping difficulties, according to sleep experts. Common triggers include school or job related pressures, a family or marriage problem and a serious illness or death in the family. Usually the sleep problem disappears when the stressful situation passes. However, if short term sleep problems such as insomnia aren’t managed properly from the beginning, they can persist long after the original stress has passed.
5. Drinking alcohol or beverage containing caffeine in the afternoon or evening, exercising close to bedtime, following an irregular morning and nighttime schedule, and working or doing other mentally intense activities right before or after getting into bed can disrupt sleep.
6. If you are among the 20 percent of employees in the United States who are shift workers, sleep may be particularly elusive. Shift work forces you to try to sleep when activities around you- and your own biological rhythms – signal you to be awake. One study shows that shift workers are two to five times more likely than employees with regular, daytime hours to fall asleep on the job. Groups that are at particular risk of sleep deprivation include night shift workers, physicians and truck drivers.
7. Travelling also disrupts sleep, especially jet lag and travelling across several time zones. This can ‘upset’ your biological or ‘circadian’ rhythms. Environmental factors such as a room that’s too hot or cold, too noisy or too brightly lit can be a barrier to sound sleep. And interruptions from children or other family members can also disrupt sleep. Other influences to pay attention to are the comfort and size of your bed and the habits of your sleep partner. If you have to lie bedside someone who has different sleep preferences, snores, can’t fall asleep, or has other sleep difficulties, it often becomes your problem too.
8. Having a 24/7 lifestyle can also interrupt regular sleep patterns: the global economy that includes round the clock industries working to beat the competitions; widespread use of nonstop automated systems to communicate and an increase in shift work makes for sleeping at regular times difficult.
9. A number of physical problems can interfere with your ability to fall or stay asleep. For example, arthritis and other conditions that cause pain, backache or discomfort can make it difficult to sleep well. It is a good idea to talk to a physician, or mental health provider about any sleeping problem that recurs or persists for longer than a few weeks.
2.1 Answer the following questions briefly:
(i) How can sleep pattern for some, differ from certain others?
(ii) What is the common myth about sleep?
(iii) A person with the problem of sleep due to physical problems should……………….
(iv) How does micro sleep affect a person?
(v) What is the ideal sleep pattern for most of us?
(vi) Which factor attributes to sleep deprivation in most cases?
2.2 Pick out the words from the passage which are similar to the following:
(ii) legend (para 3)
(iii) delusions (para 2)
2.3 Answer each of the questions given below by choosing the most appropriate option:
(i) Our biological rhythm can be affected by …………………………………
a) travelling b) 24/7 lifestyle
c) physical problems d) shift work
(ii) One can tackle sleep deprivation by …………………………..
a) changing one’s life style b) understanding one’s sleep pattern
c) seeking professional help d) opting for medication
(iii) Sleep deprivation can be caused by all these factors except…………
a) exercising close to bedtime b) drinking alcohol
c) interruptions from children d) reading books
(iv) The antonym of peak (para 3) is…………..
a) lowest b) maximum c) Greatest d) supreme
(v) A sleep deprived person may not experience ………………………
a) flattened emotional responses b) slowed speech
c) ability to be novel or multitask d) impaired memory
2.4 Answer any three of the following questions in 25-30 words:
(i) Who are shift workers and why do they tend to fall asleep on the job?
(ii) What are the effects of sleep deprivation?
(iii) What are the common triggers of short term sleeping difficulties?
(iv) What factors in our 24/7 lifestyle disturb our regular sleep pattern?
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