Read carefully. You will answer questions about this passage in the next section.
1Every day, species of animals and plants disappear from our planet forever. When a species becomes extinct, it means that every single member of that group has died and it can never return. Scientists estimate that species are currently disappearing at a rate up to one thousand times faster than at any point in Earth's natural history. This rapid loss is one of the most serious environmental problems the world faces today.
2An animal becomes endangered when its numbers drop so low that it is at serious risk of becoming extinct. The causes are often connected to human activity. Habitat destruction is the leading cause - when forests are cut down, wetlands are drained or grasslands are converted to farmland, the animals that lived there lose their homes and their food sources. Pollution, climate change and the illegal trade in wildlife also push many species closer to extinction.
3Some of the world's most recognisable animals are now endangered. The Amur leopard, native to the forests of Russia and China, has fewer than one hundred individuals left in the wild. The Sumatran orangutan has lost more than eighty percent of its forest home in the last twenty years. The vaquita, a tiny porpoise found only in a small area of the Gulf of Mexico, now has fewer than ten individuals remaining - making it the most endangered marine mammal on Earth.
4Conservation efforts are making a difference in some places. The mountain gorilla, once thought to be heading rapidly toward extinction, has seen its numbers slowly increase thanks to dedicated protection by rangers and scientists. Breeding programmes in zoos have helped stabilise the populations of several critically endangered species. Laws against poaching and the illegal wildlife trade have also helped, though enforcement remains a significant challenge.
5Every species plays a role in its ecosystem - the web of living things that depend on each other for food, shelter and survival. When one species disappears, others may suffer too. The loss of bees, for example, would affect the pollination of plants that humans and animals rely on for food. Protecting endangered animals is not just about saving individual creatures. It is about protecting the entire system of life on Earth that all of us depend on.
Answer each question carefully. Use evidence from the passage where possible.
Match each word to its correct meaning. Click a word then click its meaning.
Use a word from the box to complete each sentence correctly.
1. The dodo bird became in the seventeenth century.
2. When forests are cut down, animals lose their .
3. The Amur leopard is one of the most animals on Earth.
4. Bees are essential for the of many plants.
5. Each species plays a role in its .
Reading comprehension - literal, inferential and language questions
Vocabulary - word meanings and fill in the blanks
Grammar - verb tenses, noun phrases, modal verbs, word meanings in context