Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questi...

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions from 23 to 30.

        Anthropogenic deforestation has precipitated an ecological catastrophe of unprecedented magnitude, threatening the planet's biodiversity equilibrium and climate stability. What commenced as localized resource extraction has metastasized into systematic habitat destruction that imperils countless species and disrupts intricate ecosystem interdependencies.

        Commercial logging operations and agricultural expansion provide substantial economic incentives for continued forest clearance. Corporations benefit from timber harvests, agricultural land conversion, and mineral extraction opportunities. Meanwhile, local communities often depend on these activities for subsistence and employment. However, these short-term economic gains frequently obscure the profound long-term environmental consequences that threaten global sustainability.

        Biodiversity loss represents the most catastrophic ramification of widespread deforestation. Complex forest ecosystems harbor extraordinary species richness that has evolved over millennia. When pristine habitats undergo fragmentation or complete destruction, endemic species face immediate extinction threats. Additionally, disrupted ecological networks compromise pollination cycles, seed dispersal mechanisms, and predator-prey relationships that maintain natural equilibrium.

        Scientific research demonstrates that intact forests provide crucial ecosystem services including carbon sequestration, water cycle regulation, and soil preservation. Advanced satellite monitoring systems and ground-based research stations now enable scientists to quantify deforestation rates with unprecedented accuracy. Nevertheless, translating scientific knowledge into effective conservation policies requires overcoming significant political and economic obstacles that prioritize immediate profits over environmental sustainability.

(Adapted from Lexiverse: Advanced Materials for National High School Exam)

Question 23. Which of the following best paraphrases the underlined sentence in paragraph 2?

A. The practice of clearing forests continues largely because of the ecological necessity created by agriculture and logging.

B. Economic motivations for ongoing deforestation stem from the profitability of logging industries and the expansion of farmland.

C. Forest clearance has persisted primarily due to cultural traditions linked to agriculture rather than modern commercial incentives.

D. Agricultural activities and logging operations discourage further deforestation by reducing the demand for new land and timber.

Question 24. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as an economic incentive for deforestation?

        A. timber harvesting profits                                B. agricultural land development

        C. mineral extraction revenues                        D. ecotourism development opportunities

Question 25. The word “harbor” in paragraph 3 can be best replaced by ____________.

        A. shelter                 B. exclude                        C. distribute                        D. relocate

Question 26. The word “compromise” in paragraph 3 is OPPOSITE in meaning to ____________.

        A. negotiate                B. strengthen                        C. adjust                        D. balance

Question 27. The word “these” in paragraph 2 refers to ____________.

        A. corporations        B. communities                C. economic gains                D. consequences

Question 28. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. All forest ecosystems provide identical ecosystem services regardless of their geographical location.

B. Scientific knowledge automatically translates into effective conservation policies without political intervention.

C. Advanced monitoring systems enable scientists to measure deforestation rates with greater precision than before.

D. Short-term economic benefits consistently outweigh long-term environmental costs in forest management decisions.

Question 29. In which paragraph does the writer discuss scientific monitoring of deforestation?

        A. Paragraph 1        B. Paragraph 2                        C. Paragraph 3                        D. Paragraph 4

Question 30. In which paragraph does the writer mention economic motivations for forest clearance?

        A. Paragraph 1        B. Paragraph 2                        C. Paragraph 3                        D. Paragraph 4