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EPR521C-ENGLISH IN PRACTICE-2ND OPP- JULY 2024 |
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n Am I BI A u n IVER s ITY
OF SCIEnCE Ano TECHnOLOGY
HAROLD PUPDEWITZ GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT
COURSE CODE: EPR521C
COURSE NAME: ENGLISH IN PRACTICE
DATE: JULY 2024
MODE: PM
DURATION: 3 Hours
MARKS: 100
SECOND OPPORTUNITY EXAMINATION QUESTION PAPER
EXAMINER:
Ms C. Bates
MODERATOR: Ms T. Kavihuha
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Answer ALL the questions.
2. Write clearly and neatly.
3. Number the answers clearly.
PERMISSIBLE MATERIALS
1. Examination paper
2. Examination script
THIS QUESTION PAPER CONSISTS OF 9 PAGES {INCLUDING THIS FRONT PAGE)
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Section A: Reading Comprehension
[25 marks]
Read the passage below and then answer the questions that follow.
Human beings are in the process of dramatically reshaping the Earth's ecosystems. As far
back as the 19th century, some scientists have noted that the current era is defined mainly by
the impact of human activity. Now, there is an emerging consensus among Earth scientists
that we have indeed entered a new period of geological time, the Anthropocene epoch.
Scientists who study the history of the Earth usually divide geological time according to major
changes to the ecology and climate of the Earth. For instance, the Cambrian period, some
five hundred million years ago, is distinguished by a sudden explosion in the diversity of life,
including the emergence of the ancestors of many modern species. More recently, the
Pleistocene epoch, which ended about ten thousand years ago, is notable for its glaciers that
swept over much of the Earth. The new Anthropocene epoch would be distinguished from
all earlier times in Earth's history by the dramatic impact of human activity on the Earth.
Though Earth scientists debate exactly when the Anthropocene began, there is a clear
consensus that human changes to the environment are real and extreme. For example, many
life forms have become, and are becoming extinct as a direct result of human activity. Some
palaeontologists thus argue that the human impact of the Anthropocene began at the end of
the last Ice Age, around ten thousand years ago. The fossil record indicates that around that
time, many large animals, like woolly mammoths and giant sloths, went extinct shortly after
humans arrived in their ranges. Their sudden disappearance suggests that habitat
destruction and overhunting by humans may have contributed to their demise. Indeed, many
large animals, like elephants and gorillas, are endangered for those same reasons today.
The pace of human-caused extinctions has only increased in the past several hundred years.
The growth and spread of human populations, caused by advances in seafaring technology
and agriculture, has led to overexploitation of fragile ecosystems, introduction of invasive
species, and pollution, causing many extinctions. Scientists have estimated the rate of
extinction by studying the fossil record, monitoring existing species, and using statistical
models to estimate the number of undiscovered species that have been lost. Estimates vary,
but most scientists believe that diverse species are going extinct at hundreds or thousands of
times the natural rate. Indeed, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature has
found that, of species surveyed on its Red List of Threatened Species, about a fifth of all
mammals and reptiles and nearly a third of amphibians are in danger of extinction. This
ongoing, rapid loss of species has been described as a mass extinction, as severe as the vent
that wiped out the dinosaurs sixty-five million years ago. To some ecologists, this steep
decline in biodiversity suggests that the Anthropocene epoch began in the 17th and 18th
centuries, when the rate of extinction shot up dramatically.
Human activity is also altering the climate as a whole. Since the Industrial Revolution in the
18th and 19th centuries, humans have significantly altered the atmosphere by mining and
burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas. Some by-products of the use of these
fuels, such as carbon dioxide, are greenhouse gases that trap solar energy in the Earth's
atmosphere. To assess the impact of these greenhouse gases on the Earth, scientists have
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had to investigate the history of the Earth's climate. Ice cores, samples of ice layers that have
trapped atmospheric chemicals over time, have supplied scientists with millennia of year-by-
year information about greenhouse gas concentrations and atmospheric temperature.
Evidence from ice cores clearly shows that the Industrial Revolution brought about a sudden
jump in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, along with an increase in temperatures. There is
a scientific consensus that this ongoing rise in temperatures has resulted in warming of the
oceans, rising sea levels, and more frequent extreme weather events. Thus some
climatologists propose that the Anthropocene's onset occurred with the Industrial Revolution
and its effects on Earth's atmosphere.
Whenever the Anthropocene is judged to have begun, its impact is undeniable. Human
activity has changed the face of the planet; the global ecosystem has been and is being
reshaped, the composition of the atmosphere has been altered, and even weather patterns
are changing in response to human activity. The consequences of these changes will affect
life on Earth for millions of years to come, leaving a mark of human activity that will long
outlive humanity itself.
1. Which factors do scientists consider when determining geological time?
(2)
2 From which period do most modern species stem?
(1)
3. What makes the Anthropocene period different from other time periods?
(1)
4. On which point do earth scientists all agree?
(1)
5. What lead palaeontologists to the conclusion that the impact of human activity began at
the end of the last Ice Age?
(1)
6. Which human activities are endangering the existence of animals today?
(2)
7. (i) What are the causes of the rapid growth and spread of human populations?
(2)
(ii) Discuss the consequences of such rapid population growth and spread.
(3)
8. How do scientists determine the number of undiscovered species that went extinct? (3)
9. Which species on the Red List is the most endangered?
(1)
10. What did scientists conclude about the continuous rise in temperatures after studying
data from ice cores?
(3)
11. Name two things that have been altered by human activity on Earth.
(2)
12. What do the following pronouns in bold in the passage refer to?
(2)
(i)
"their" in paragraph 3
(ii) "its" in paragraph 5
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13. Explain the following phrase as used in paragraph 3 in your own words.
"humans arrived in their ranges"
(1)
Section B: Grammar
[25 marks]
Read the passage below and then answer the grammar questions.
Namibia: Living in balance with nature
Despite its arid lands, Namibia is rich in biodiversity. To date, it (i) (to establish) twenty state-
run protected areas comprising nearly 17% of the country's total land area. These protected
areas are a centrepiece of Namibia's tourism industry, which in turn sustainably (ii) (to
support) the country's economic development.
National parks and other protected areas serve as important reservoirs for biodiversity and
environmental health. But such landscapes do not limit wildlife movement, plant dispersal
and climate conditions - underscoring the interrelationship between landscapes and
ecosystems which extend across the boundaries of protected areas.
Rehabeam Erckie, chief control warden at Etosha National Park says: "Thirty years ago, the
parks were managed in isolation but we realised that it make makes much more sense to
protect biodiversity in a wider area."
In the past, conventional approaches to protected areas (iii) (to be) insufficient to prevent
biodiversity loss, land degradation, and consequent economic decline. That is why Namibia
(iv) (to currently work) to take conservation beyond its traditional boundaries. Through the
creation of communal conservancies, Namibia is one of the few countries in the world where
landowners have come together to manage the ecosystems at the landscape level using
private land for conservation.
The support of various stakeholders, (v) (to make) it possible to keep biodiversity in balance
with human activities. The government agencies (vi) (to work) to lift conservation barriers
and advocate for the establishment of a large-scale network of protected landscapes in order
to address imminent threats to habitat and species loss. Specifically, resources from the
Global Environmental Facility are being used to ensure that Namibia's biodiversity and
ecosystem values are conserved and (vii) (to continually provide) benefit flows at local,
national and global levels. The Government recognises that if biodiversity is endangered, the
environment ceases to support economic development and the people who depend on it.
The long term solution to protecting biodiversity requires that land uses adjacent to protected
areas are also compatible with biodiversity conservation aims. Government ensures that the
establishment of Landscape Conservation areas is supported, and also that adjacent land use
is compatible with biodiversity conservation objectives. Stakeholders have worked to create
wildlife corridors to sustain the viability of wildlife populations in Namibia. This successful
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project is working to support both Namibian biodiversity and sustainable, long-term
economic development.
1. Change each of the verbs numbered (i) to (vii) in the passage above into the correct
verb tense.
(7)
2. Identify whether the sentences below are in the active or passive voice.
(3)
(i) Landowners are using private land for conservation.
(ii) The country's economic development is supported by these protected areas.
(iii) The Government has allocated resources for more conservation efforts.
3. Change the sentences in Question 2 above into the opposite voice.
(3)
4. Write the following statement in reported speech starting with:
Rehabeam Erckie,chief control warden at Etosha National Parksaid that ...
(5)
Rehabeam Erckie, chief control warden at Etosha National Park says: "Thirty years ago, the
parks were managed in isolation but we realised that it make makes much more sense to
protect biodiversity in a wider area."
5. Write down one example of each of the following from the last paragraph:
(4)
(i) Infinitive
(ii) Gerund
(iii) Present participle
(iv) Past participle
6. (i) Identify the type of conditional used in the sentence below.
(1)
If stakeholders had not worked together, Namibia's biodiversity would have been
threatened.
(ii) Change the sentence above into a first conditional.
(1)
7. Complete the sentence below with a suitable result clause.
(1)
The Government recognises that if biodiversity was endangered,
Section C: Critical Reading
Question 1
Read the passage below and then answer the questions that follow.
[20 marks]
[10 marks]
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Passage 1
Dolphins are regarded as the friendliest creatures in the sea and stories of them helping
drowning sailors have been common since Roman times. The more we learn about dolphins,
the more we realise that their society is more complex than people previously imagined. They
look after other dolphins when they are ill, care for pregnant mothers and protect the weakest
in the community, as we do.
In a classic study published in 1984, researchers trained a female bottlenose dolphin called
Adeakamai to mimic sounds generated by a computer. The electronic sounds, and
Akeakamai's responses, are remarkably similar. Then the biologists began to link these
sounds to objects like a hoop, pipe, Frisbee or ball. Akeakamai was quick to figure out the
connection and make the vocalisation appropriate to each object. In essence, she had learned
a new vocabulary. Wild dolphins achieve similar feats. Each dolphin has its own signature
whistle, which acts like a name.
In 2001 two bottlenose dolphins at the New York Aquarium passed the "mirror test". After
researchers drew patterns and shapes on the animals' skin using a non-toxic temporary black
ink marker, the dolphins quickly swam over to a mirror and spent long periods studying
themselves. This suggests they can recognise themselves, at least to some degree, something
only a handful of species can do.
Dolphins are kings of communications! They send each other messages in different ways -
they squeak and whistle and also use body language, leaping out of the water, snapping their
jaws and even butting heads.
[Adapted from National Geographic, 2019]
1. Answer the following questions by writing only the number and the letter of the answer
that you choose in the answer book, e.g. 1.1 A.
1.1 It is clear from the passage that dolphins ...
A are proven to be less intelligent than once thought.
B have a reputation for being friendly to humans.
C are the most powerful creatures that live in the oceans.
D are not capable of learning a language and communicating with humans.
1.2 One can infer from the passage that ...
A dolphins are quite abundant in some areas of the world.
B dolphins are uncaring.
C it is not usual for dolphins to communicate with each other.
D dolphins have some social traits that are similar to those of humans.
1.3 The study conducted in 1984 showed that ...
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A captive dolphins can be taught new vocabulary.
B dolphins do not have a signature whistle.
C it is hard for dolphins to communicate in the wild.
D dolphins cannot communicate without being taught.
1.4 The mirror test proves that ...
A dolphins can identify themselves.
B dolphins like patterns and shapes.
C dolphins are the only species that can recognize themselves in a mirror.
D dolphins cannot recognize themselves.
1.5 Which of these is not true about dolphins?
A dolphins use their bodies to communicate.
B dolphins have evolved a complex system of communication.
C dolphins are solitary creatures.
D dolphins can save human beings from drowning.
(Sx2=10)
Question 2
[10 marks]
Read the passage below and then answer the questions that follow.
Passage 2
Light pollution is a significant but overlooked driver of the rapid decline of insect populations,
according to the most comprehensive review of the scientific evidence to date. Artificial light
at night can affect every aspect of insects' lives, the researchers said, from luring moths to
their deaths around bulbs, to spotlighting insect prey for rats and toads, to obscuring the
mating signals of fireflies.
Insects are important prey for many species, but light pollution can tip the balance in favour
of the predator if it traps insects around lights. Spiders, bats, rats, Shorebirds, geckos and
cane toads have all been found feeding around artificial lights. Such increases in predation
risk was likely to cause the rapid extinction of affected species, the researchers said.
The researchers said light pollution is particularly hard for insects to deal with. Most human-
caused threats to insects have natural analogues, such as climate change and invasive species,
meaning some adaptation may take place. But the daily cycle of light and dark had remained
constant for all of evolutionary time, they said.
However, light pollution was the easiest of all the threats to insects to deal with, Seymore
said, "Once you turn off a light, it is gone. You don't have to go and clean up, like you do with
most pollutants. I am not saying we need to get rid of light at night, I think we just need to
use it wisely."
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Simply turning off lights that are not needed is the most obvious action, he said, while making
lights motion activated also cuts light pollution. Shading lights so only the area needed is
illuminated is important, as is avoiding bluewhite lights, which interfere with daily rhythms.
LED lights also offer hope as they can be easily turned to avoid harmful colours and flicker
rates.
"The evidence that light pollution has profound and serious impacts on the ecosystem is
overwhelmingly strong." Said Matt Shardlow, the chief executive of the conservation charity,
Buglife. "It is imperative that society now takes substantial steps to make the environment
safer for insects".
[Source: Adapted from The Guardian]
2. Answer the following questions by writing only the number and the letter of the answer
that you choose in the answer book, e.g. 2.1 B.
2.1 The main theme of the passage is:
A evolution
B climate change
C LEDlights
D light pollution
2.2 What is the author's main claim?
A Pollution has serious impacts on the ecosystem.
B Light pollution is a serious threat to insect populations.
C Insects are important prey for many species.
D Light pollution is a threat that can be dealt with easily.
2.3 The first sentence of the passage mentions that light pollution is an "overlooked driver".
This means that light pollution:
A is taken seriously as a cause for trends in insect population.
B is irrelevant as a cause for trends in insect population.
C is the only cause for trends in insect population.
D is ignored as a cause for trends in insect population.
2.4 Which of the following does the author use to support his main claim?
A quoting experts in the field
B the bandwagon technique
C statistics, figures and numbers
D appealing to the reader's emotions
2.5 Which of the following is not recommended in the passage?
A avoiding certain kinds of lights
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B changing predator behaviour
C lights that are activated by movement
D lighting up only needed areas
(5x2=10)
Section D: Creative writing
[30 marks]
Write an essay based on ONE of the following topics. You should write between 300 and 350
words (about one and a half pages). Indicate the number of words used.
1. If you could change or invent one law to be implemented across the world, what
would it be? Discuss three reasons for your choice.
2. In some countries the average worker is obliged to retire at the age of 60, while in
others, people can work until they are 65 or 70. Discussthe advantages and
disadvantages of later retirement for a country and individuals.
3. If you had the opportunity to emigrate to another country which country would you
choose? Discuss three reasons why you would consider that country.
4. Some people are addicted to cosmetic procedures. Discuss the advantages and
disadvantages of cosmetic surgery.
5. 'Only people who pay taxes should be allowed to vote in national elections.' Write an
essay to explain to what extent you agree or disagree with this statement.
6. Many people feel that cash payments should be abolished and that the only acceptable
form of payment should be debit/credit cards. Discussthe advantages and
disadvantages of abolishing cash as a form of payment.
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