You are going to read an article about zoos. For questions 1-8, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.

Th FORM OLYMPIAD 2014

Round II ~ Reading Comprehension

Directions:

In this test you will read three texts. Each text is followed by different tasks. You should do the tasks that follow the text on the basis of what is stated or implied in the text. For each task you will choose the best possible answer, as specified prior to each text. Choose the best answer and circle the letter of your choice on the answer sheet.

Text 1

You are going to read an article about zoos. For questions 1-8, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.

For most people, a visit to the zoo means going to see wild animals in their cages. For others though, especially in India, zoos provide open spaces where people can find the sort of peace which crowded cities lack. However, India has its share of animal rights activists who claim that zoos are terrible animal prisons. What they don't realise is that for some animals the doors of the prison are always wide open, and for them the zoo is a refuge.

Delhi Zoo is an example of such a place. The zoo's 85 hectares provide shelter to a large number of wild waterfowl. The zoo has three large ponds which are splendid winter habitats for a great number of migratory ducks. Several types of breeding waterfowl build their nests in large trees that grow on islands in the ponds. Since 1960, Delhi Zoo has been an important breeding ground for the painted stork — a large, handsome bird with a big, yellow bill, black and white feathers and a tuft of pink on its tail. Throughout the summer, these birds live in the countryside around Delhi. By August though, they move to the breeding habitat offered by the zoo. They rely on the zoo's trees for safe nesting but to feed their chicks they must fly beyond the zoo to the nearby wetlands of the river Yamuna to catch fish. Several other wild waterfowl like herons and cormorants also nest in the zoo's ponds, but at different times of the year. Like the storks, they too must leave the safety of the zoo to feed. Apart from the Keoladeo Ghana National Park at Bharatpur, Delhi Zoo is the biggest and most important breeding ground for waterfowl in Northwestern India. Many of the birds which travel to the zoo are on the endangered list in India. Across the their nesting colonies are threatened by human intrusions such as tree cutting for the timber industry and individual use, and land reclamation schemes destroying their habitat. Thus, the Delhi Zoo gives ornithologists the perfect opportunity to study the birds closely and to learn more about them.

The number of storks in the zoo begins to rise at the start of the breeding season in late August. Their numbers decline after September though. They pick up again in ²⁶ January and peak at about 550 birds in February. Few storks remain at the zoo after May.

Unfortunately, the zoo authorities tend to ignore the wild birds that come to breed on their land. They try to discourage the nesting because of the muck that the birds create and the strong smell, which envelops the nesting colonies. The zoo could play a significant role in researching and conserving wetland birds, therefore it is vital that the zoo authorities change their view.

The data gathered by zoo ornithologists observing the birds would be very useful to ecologists, as the success and health of the bird population reflect the well-being of the wetlands around the zoos. Conservationists and animal rights activists must begin to appreciate the visiting wildfowl because there is much to be gained from studying and protecting them.

1.The animal rights activists who are opposed to zoos don't realise that some animals

A. need peace.

B. are free to come and go from

some zoos as they please

C. belong in cages

D. need shelter.

2.Delhi Zoo is an important breeding ground

for the painted stork because

A. they aren't allowed to breed in the country­side

B. the birds can only breed at the zoo.

C. the zoo's trees offer a safe place to build a nest.

D. the zoo's wetlands offer an unlimited food supply.

3.Many of the birds are endangered species as

A. their natural habitat is polluted.

B. humans are destroying their natural habitat

C. people are hunting them.

D. the zoos don't want to look after them.

4. What does " they " in line 26 refer to?

A. the storks

B. endangered waterfowl

C. zoos

D. storks' breeding seasons

5.The zoo is home to the largest number of waterfowl

A. in August.

B. in September.

C. during springtime.

D. in February.

6.Zoo authorities do not welcome the wild birds because

A. it is difficult to study the birds as they keep moving around.

B. the zoos are already crowded with animals

C. they tend to create too much mess which also has an unpleasant odour.

D. they take over the nesting colonies and push

other animals out.

7.It would be helpful to ecologists if zoo authorities could

A. study wetland birds to collect information.

B.provide shelter for wetland birds.

C.conserve wetlands for the birds.

D. take care of the birds' health.

8.Information about the bird population can help ecologists understand more about

A. the success of the zoo.

B. the condition of the wetlands.

C. the conservation process.

D. nesting colonie.

Text 2

You are going to read the article about a man who was blessed with an act of kindness by a stranger. Choose the most suitable heading from the list (A—H) for each part (9-15) of the article. There is an extra heading which you do not need to use.

A. A man who embodies the real spirit of the season.

B. An unexpected gift.

C. A gentleman who makes miracles.

D. Pretended astonishment.

E. Cumulative effect.

F. Immediate reaction.

G. A well-off man is always ready to give a helping hand.

H. A good reason for being generous.