Read the following passage and identify the thesis statement as well as the main ideas in each

paragraph.

Any kind of physical or biological change to the environment is considered

pollution. This usually results in the loss of its beneficial value or endangers the health,
safety and welfare of the public as well as that of the wild life and plants. Pollution is
perhaps one of the greatest threats to the environment. It affects all parts of the Earth,
including air, land and water.
Generally, pollution is not a natural occurrence. In my opinion, man, and his activities, is
the main cause of pollution. Man pollutes the air with smoke and gasses; the rivers, sea and lakes
with sewage and harmful chemicals; and the land with fertilizers and pesticides. Air and water
pollution are very common. These types of pollution have resulted from the release of toxic gases
and the destruction of the eco-system.
Pollution can be very harmful to animals, plants and human beings. Oil-spills in the sea
and ocean, for example, have killed millions of fishes and other marine life, birds that feed on the
fishes, as well as corals and seaweed. Human waste and other refuse which we dump into the sea
as well as industrial waste, add to the catastrophic pollution of the water. In the long run, it would
also affect us, as we need to rely on the sea for a big portion of our daily protein intake.
Air pollution is a major problem in industrial countries. Fumes that contain poisonous
chemicals such as sulphur dioxide are given off by vehicles and factories. This chemical becomes
a weak acid when mixed with water in the air. Acid rain can damage trees and buildings. As a
result of this, a lot of money has to be spent on repairs. Animals and other parasites that live on
the trees would lose their natural habitat.
Burning of fossil fuel such as coal, oil and gas is another source of pollutants in the air.
Combustion releases harmful gasses like sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide in the
air. The constant release of these gases into the atmosphere can create problems. As an example,
excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere creates a temperature barrier known as the ‘Greenhouse
Effects’, making the whole Earth heat up. This then causes change in the climate and also disrupts
rainfall . If this is not prevented, the Earth’s whole eco-system might be altered or even destroyed.
In addition to this, dust released from quarries, through the burning of waste or other
activities will also pollute the environment. People living near places where these activities are
carried out experience difficulty in breathing, and are prone to throat and lung diseases.
Pollution is hard to control. Some of its effects are long lasting and difficult to remedy.
The situation is therefore very complicated. Many things that cause pollution are of benefit to us:
motor vehicles get us around, factories make our essential needs and provide us with jobs, power
stations produce the electricity we use and fertilizers increase our crop yields. Seeing that it is
impossible to totally prevent pollution, steps should be taken to identify and eliminate the more
dangerous forms of pollution.
The government, for instance, should pass stricter laws to limit the release of harmful
gases from factories and vehicles. Efforts should also be made to clean up rivers, drains and lakes
of garbage and other pollutants. Factories should be encourage to use electricity in place of fossil
fuels. More trees should be planted in the cities to balance the carbon dioxide content in the air.
We, the public, can also do our part by abstaining from practices like open- burning of rubbish
and littering in rivers and drains. Being the ones to blame for the ever increasing rate of pollution,
it is only fair that people make the effort to alleviate the problem.
Grammar

1) Present tense

He
She i)______________________ verb + s
It ii)______________________ is
1

We
They i) ______________________ no verb s
You ii)______________________ are
Many

2) Past tense

He
She i) ____________________ was
It
1

We
They i) ____________________ were
You
Many

Exercise:
Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate verb.

1. John ______slowly to the shopping mall. (walk)

2. A lazy boy ________much trouble to both his parents. (give)

3. London ________ the greatest city in the modern world. (is/are/was/were)

4. The train _________at 10 o’clock. (arrive)

5. Snow _________during winter.(fall)

6. She ___________to me yesterday.(come)

7. They ___________around the city.(travel)

8. They ________sad, but hopeful.(is/are/was/were)

9. He _____both wise and good. (is/are/was/were)

10. We ______to the jungle last Saturday. (go)

11. We _______going to the mall. (is/are/was/were)

12. Yesterday she ________standing near the cupboard. (is/are/was/were)

13. The girls _________now free from danger. (is/are/was/were)

14. Ahmad and Ali _________absent last Monday. (is/are/was/were)

15. They ___________ last night. (arrive)

16. Azlina ____________to the hospital yesterday.(go)

17. Mimi _____________in Japan when she called. (is/are/was/were)

18. The birds ____________beautifully.(sing)

19. You __________very well in you examination last Sunday. (do)

20. It _____too late to do anything.(is/are/was/were)

(Each carries 0.5 mark)

Read the following passage and summarize it.
 We set off down the river Ganges early in the afternoon. Ahead of us
stretched a journey of eighteen hundred kilometres all the way to the Bay of
Bengal. Our immediate destination, however, was only forty kilometres away,
the village of Balawali. We were confident that we could reach it in two days.
The steel-plated boat we had chosen seemed sturdy enough for the demands
that we would make on it. It had taken thirty-two men to carry it down to the
river from the boat-shed where it had been lying. Its weight alone was a
guarantee of its reliability. So we loaded it up with a huge variety of stores and
provisions, settled our crew of three at their oars, and then took our places at
the rear of the boat. I took control of the rudder. Up above us on a bridge some
local people had assembled to see us off. One old man amongst them dropped
some sweets on us, some sort of sacrificial offering, no doubt. His tears wetted
our heads as he uttered a mournful prayer for our safety. Scorning this doubtful
encouragement, the crew bent forward over their oars, and with a smart pull
sent us on our way.
We had barely gone two hundred metres down river when the boat
suddenly came to a halt. The crew heaved on the oars, but to no avail. We were
struck fast. I leapt out and found that we were aground in a mere twenty metres
of water. The crew yelled back to the people on the bridge for assistance. As far
as the people there were concerned we had already passed out of their lives. No
help came. It is difficult to describe the emotions we felt, already aground on a
journey of eighteen hundred kilometres and still within shouting distance of
our point of departure. To be stranded where we were was simply ridiculous.
We set about freeing our boat from the rocks on which it had settled. Ahead
lay a small waterfall, dropping down no doubt, into deeper water. But we had
to clear a passage towards it through the rocks that barred our path. So we
lifted the great slimy stones to one side, all the while slithering and slipping off
others which carpeted the bed of the river. At least we succeeded in dragging
the boat to the edge of the fall. Frantically, we struggled to get aboard, and then
half in and half out we sped down the waterfall, bouncing off yet more rocks,
with the metal plates of the craft producing an ear-splitting shriek. Finally the
boat dropped into a deep pool, bobbed up and down, and then began to float
safely on its surface. Soon we were securely on board again and paddled out
into the middle of the river.