Here is your sample passage on Tropical Forest

Tropical forests along with rangelands and wilderness are key biological resources subjected to increasing stress due to population growth and economic development. Potentially forests cover about 34 % of the earth’s land surface, but in the last four decades about half of the world’s forests have been destroyed to provide for croplands, rangelands, dam reservoirs and urban lands. World-wide tropical forests are disappearing faster than any other terrestrial ecosystem.

Forests supply us wood for housing, biomass for fuel wood, pulp for paper, medicines and many other products. The society receives many benefits, called ecosystem services, from natural and managed forest Ecosystems which perform several vital ecological functions. Forested watersheds act as giant sponges, absorbing, holding and gradually releasing water that recharges springs, streams and aquifers. Forests help control soil erosion and build soil fertility and reduce severity of flooding and silting.

Forests also play an important role in the global carbon cycle, acting as defense against global warming. Through photosynthesis trees help remove carbon dioxide from and add oxygen to the air. That is why the bush tropical forests have been called” the lungs of the earth”.

Forests provide habitats for a large number of wild life species, making them the planet’s reservoir of biological diversity. Forests also help buffer noise, absorb some pollutants and nourish human spirit by providing solitude and beauty.

The ecological benefits of forests have rarely been quantified in economic terms. For instance, it is estimated that a typical tree may provide Rs. 80 lakhs worth of ecosystem services. Sold as timber the tree may not be worth more than Rs. 25000.

The tropical forests should be considered as non-renewable resource in human time scale. Conservation f these vital resources from degradation, using them sustainably and restoring those we have degraded re our most important challenges today.

1. The author is primarily concerned with:

A. Describing reduction in forest cover

B. Listing uses of forests

C. Emphasizing economic value of forests

D- Emphasizing the ecological significance of forests

Ans. The author is primarily concerned with emphasizing the ecological significance of forests and hey specially highlight about the economic and ecological significance of tropical forest. Forests also play an important role in the global carbon cycle acting as defense against global warming.

2. Tropical forest area is getting reduced mainly due to:

A. Global climate change

B. Increasing population pressure and economic development

C. Requirement of wood

D. Making water reservoirs

Ans. Tropical forest area is getting reduced mainly due to increasing population pressure and economic development. Potentially forests cover about 34% of the earth’s land surface but in the last four decades about half of the world’s forests have been destroyed to provide for croplands, rangelands, dam reservoirs and urban lands. World-wide-tropical forests are disappearing faster than any other terrestrial ecosystem.

3. Which of the following benefits pertain to unseen ecosystem services derived from forests?

A. Supply of timber

B. Supply of raw materials for medicines

C. Supply of fuel wood

D. Supply of potable water

Ans. Unseen ecosystem services derived from forests. Forested watersheds act as giant sponges, absorbing holding and gradually releasing water that recharges springs streams and aquifers.

4. The material in passage could be best used as an argument:

A. To promote forest studies

B. To emphasize conservation of tropical forests

C. To evaluate the economic value of forests

D. To promote ecotourism

Ans. The material in passage could be best used as an argument to emphasize conservation of tropical forests. The tropical forests should be considered as non-renewable resource in human time scale. Conservation of their vital resources from degradation, using them sustainably and restoring those we have degraded are our most important challenges today.

5. What is the most critical environmental issue associated with tropical forests within the present day human time scale?

A. Rapid destruction

B. Non-renewable nature

C. Excessive extraction of timber

D. Lack of conservation measures

Ans. The most critical environmental issue associated with tropical forests within the present day human time scale is rapid destruction. Tropical forests subjected to increasing stress due to population growth and economic development.