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 quest...

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 14 to 23.

Present-day climate change includes both global warming, the steady rise in Earth's average temperature and its broader effects on the planet's climate. [I] In a wider sense, climate change also includes long-term changes in Earth's climate in the past. [II] The current increase in global temperatures is mainly caused by human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels since the Industrial Revolution. [III] Using fossil fuels, cutting down forests, and certain farming and industrial activities release greenhouse gases. [IV]

Climate change has an increasingly large impact on the environment. Deserts are growing, heat waves and wildfires are happening more often. The faster warming in the Arctic has caused frozen ground to thaw, glaciers to shrink, and sea ice to disappear. Warmer temperatures are also making storms, droughts, and other extreme weather events stronger. Rapid changes in mountains, coral reefs, and the Arctic are forcing many animals and plants to move or even disappear. Even if we succeed in reducing future warming, some effects will last for hundreds of years. These include rising ocean temperatures, increasing ocean acidity, and higher sea levels.

Climate change is a serious threat to people. It can lead to more floods, extreme heat, shortages of food and water, more diseases, and financial losses. It can also cause people to move to new places and even lead to conflicts. The World Health Organization considers climate change one of the biggest dangers to human health in the 21st century. If no action is taken to slow warming, both societies and ecosystems will face much bigger risks.

Climate change can be mitigated by cutting down the amount of greenhouse gases released into the air and by increasing the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. To keep global warming below 1.5 °C, the world must reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, or by 2070 to keep warming under 2 °C. This requires major and widespread changes in energy use, land use, cities, transportation, buildings, and industries.

Question 14. Which paragraph does the following sentence best fit?

These gases trap some of the heat that the Earth gives off after absorbing sunlight, making the lower atmosphere warmer.

A. [IV]                        B. [III]                                C. [II]                                D. [I]

Question 15. The phrase “caused frozen ground to thaw” in paragraph 2 could be best replaced by ____________.

A. created heavy snowfall                                B. froze the surface of the Earth

C. protected frozen landscapes                        D. made icy soil melt

Question 16. The word “These” in paragraph 2 refers to ____________.

A. Rising sea levels                                        B. Effects of climate change

C. Greenhouse gases                                        D. Rising ocean temperatures

Question 17. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as an effect of climate change in the passage?

A. water contamination                                B. economic losses        

C. extreme weather events                                D. food shortages

Question 18. Which of the following best summarises paragraph 2?

A. It discusses the effects of rising ocean temperatures and how these leads to melting ice and other serious environmental changes.

B. It outlines how climate change has evolved over time and the growing challenges humanity faces as a result.

C. It explains how fossil fuel usage has contributed to the acceleration of climate change and its long-term effects on the planet.

D. It describes various environmental impacts of climate change, including changes in weather patterns and the loss of ecosystems.

Question 19. The word “mitigated” in paragraph 4 is OPPOSITE in meaning to ____________.

A. alleviated                B. ignored                        C. increased                        D. reduced

Question 20. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. Climate change mainly affects certain regions that often experience unusual weather conditions.

B. Ocean warming and rising sea levels are likely to reverse naturally without human intervention.

C. Most environmental changes caused by climate change can be fixed within a short period of time.

D. Human actions are widely recognized as a primary factor contributing to the current global warming.

Question 21. Which of the following best paraphrases the underlined sentence in paragraph 3?

A. Without intervention, human societies are likely to face greater risks than natural ecosystems from climate change.

B. If warming continues without intervention, both human societies and ecosystems will be at greater risk.

C. Without reducing the level of warming, rising temperatures could primarily put human societies at risk.

D. If we choose not to act on climate change, the planet may eventually recover without major damage.

Question 22. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

A. The World Health Organization considers climate change the greatest threat to human health in the 21st century.

B. Substantial changes in human consumption can reduce the effect of climate.

C. Governments around the world have already made great progress in reducing the negative effects of climate change.

D. Climate change is a global issue that can be solved quickly with minimal effort and resources.

Question 23. Which of the following best summarises the passage?

A. The Industrial Revolution contributed significantly to climate change, but other human actions are also important causes of global warming.

B. Climate change has significantly affected the Arctic region so far, while other regions have experienced only minor environmental consequences.

C. Climate change driven by human activities is causing significant environmental damage, but it is possible to reduce its effects through global efforts.

D. Climate change is a long-term process that is gradually affecting various ecosystems, although its exact impact on human life remains a subject of ongoing study.