Passage 1: Flood Management in River Systems
Flooding has long been one of the most destructive natural hazards affecting riverine regions across the world. As climate change intensifies rainfall patterns and accelerates glacial melt, river systems are experiencing increasingly unpredictable flood events. Managing these floods has therefore become a central concern for governments, engineers, and environmental planners.
Traditionally, flood management relied heavily on structural measures such as dams, embankments, and levees. These interventions were designed to control river flow by confining water within artificial channels. While such approaches proved effective in protecting urban settlements in the short term, they often disrupted natural sediment movement and damaged aquatic ecosystems. In some cases, poorly maintained embankments even increased flood severity when they failed under extreme pressure.
In response to these limitations, modern flood management strategies have shifted towards integrated river basin management. This approach recognises rivers as dynamic systems rather than static water channels. Instead of attempting to dominate river behaviour, planners now aim to work with natural processes. Floodplains, for instance, are increasingly being restored to absorb excess water during peak flow periods, reducing downstream flood risks.
Technological advancements have further transformed flood prediction and response. Satellite imagery, real-time rainfall monitoring, and computer-based hydrological models allow authorities to forecast flood events with greater accuracy. Early warning systems, when combined with effective communication networks, have significantly reduced loss of life in flood-prone regions. However, the success of these systems depends largely on public awareness and local preparedness.
Despite these improvements, flood management remains a complex challenge. Rapid urbanisation has increased impermeable surfaces, preventing natural water absorption and accelerating surface runoff into rivers. Additionally, political and economic pressures often prioritise short-term development goals over long-term environmental resilience. As a result, sustainable flood management requires not only scientific expertise but also policy coordination and community involvement.
Ultimately, effective flood management in river systems demands a balanced approach. Structural defences, ecological restoration, technological innovation, and informed governance must operate together. Without such coordination, flood risks are likely to intensify, posing serious threats to both human populations and natural ecosystems.
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Questions 1–13
Questions 1–5: Choose the correct letter A, B, C or D
1. What is the main reason flooding has become more unpredictable in recent years?
A. Poor maintenance of dams
B. Expansion of urban areas
C. Climate-related environmental changes
D. Reduced river capacity
2. Why were traditional flood control structures considered problematic?
A. They were too expensive to construct
B. They limited economic development
C. They interfered with natural river processes
D. They required advanced technology
3. What is a key principle of integrated river basin management?
A. Controlling rivers through stronger barriers
B. Treating rivers as flexible natural systems
C. Eliminating floodplains
D. Increasing urban drainage capacity
4. How do modern technologies assist flood management?
A. By replacing physical flood barriers
B. By improving long-term climate control
C. By predicting floods more accurately
D. By preventing heavy rainfall
5. Why are early warning systems sometimes ineffective?
A. They rely on outdated data
B. Communities may not respond appropriately
C. They are expensive to operate
D. Governments ignore their predictions
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Questions 6–9: Match the information with the paragraphs (A–F)
Which paragraph contains the following information?
6. The environmental drawbacks of older flood control methods
7. The impact of urban development on flood risks
8. The role of public awareness in flood prevention
9. A shift in philosophy regarding river control
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Questions 10–13: True / False / Not Given
10. Early flood control structures always reduced flood damage.
11. Floodplains can help lower flood risks in downstream areas.
12. Satellite technology eliminates the need for physical flood defences.
13. Political priorities sometimes conflict with sustainable flood management.
Passage 2: Scientific Studies on Spider Behaviour
Spiders have long been misunderstood creatures, often feared rather than studied. However, over the past few decades, scientific interest in spider behaviour has increased significantly, revealing complex patterns of cognition, communication, and adaptation. These findings have challenged earlier assumptions that spiders operate purely on instinct.
One major area of research focuses on web-building behaviour. While webs may appear to be simple structures, studies have shown that spiders modify their designs based on environmental conditions such as wind, prey availability, and previous damage. Some species are capable of altering thread tension and spacing, suggesting a degree of decision-making rather than rigid behavioural programming.
Another field of investigation examines hunting strategies. Jumping spiders, for example, do not rely on webs but instead use advanced visual perception to stalk prey. Experiments indicate that these spiders can plan routes, anticipate prey movement, and even abandon hunts if success seems unlikely. Such behaviour implies a level of behavioural flexibility once thought impossible in invertebrates.
Communication among spiders has also attracted scientific attention. Vibrations transmitted through webs serve not only to detect prey but also to convey information about potential mates or rival intruders. Researchers have observed that spiders respond differently to subtle variations in vibration patterns, indicating a form of signal interpretation rather than automatic reaction.
Despite these discoveries, researchers caution against overstating spider intelligence. Much of their behaviour remains tightly linked to evolutionary adaptation rather than conscious thought. Nevertheless, the growing body of evidence suggests that spider behaviour exists on a spectrum between instinct and learned response, blurring traditional boundaries in animal cognition research.
Understanding spider behaviour has practical implications beyond biology. Insights gained from web construction have influenced architectural design and materials science, while studies of spider movement have informed robotics research. As scientific methods become more refined, spiders are likely to remain a valuable model for exploring the foundations of complex behaviour in simple organisms.
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Questions 14–26
Questions 14–18: Choose the correct letter A, B, C or D
14. Why has scientific interest in spiders increased?
A. They are easier to study than insects
B. New evidence has challenged previous beliefs
C. They are becoming endangered
D. Public attitudes towards spiders have changed
15. What do studies of web-building suggest about spiders?
A. Their behaviour is genetically fixed
B. They copy other spiders’ designs
C. They can adjust behaviour to circumstances
D. They rely mainly on trial and error
16. What distinguishes jumping spiders from other species?
A. Their use of chemical signals
B. Their dependence on complex webs
C. Their reliance on visual hunting
D. Their cooperative behaviour
17. How do spiders use vibrations in webs?
A. Only to locate prey
B. To warn predators
C. To communicate different types of information
D. To strengthen web structure
18. Why do researchers warn against exaggerating spider intelligence?
A. Studies are too limited
B. Behaviour is mostly instinctive
C. Experiments are unreliable
D. Spiders cannot learn
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Questions 19–22: Match the information with the paragraphs (A–F)
Which paragraph contains the following information?
19. Evidence that spiders assess the likelihood of success before acting
20. A comparison between instinctive and learned behaviour
21. The use of spider research in non-biological fields
22. Behavioural responses to environmental changes
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Questions 23–26: Yes / No / Not Given
23. Scientists once believed spiders were incapable of decision-making.
24. All spider species rely on webs to capture prey.
25. Spider communication involves recognising different signals.
26. Research on spiders has had no influence outside biology.
Passage 3: The Disappearance of Endangered Languages
Languages are more than systems of communication; they embody cultural identity, historical memory, and collective knowledge. Despite this, linguistic diversity is declining at an alarming rate. According to linguistic researchers, nearly half of the world’s languages are at risk of extinction within the next century, largely due to social, economic, and political pressures.
One of the primary drivers of language loss is globalisation. As dominant languages expand through education, media, and international trade, minority languages are increasingly marginalised. Parents in multilingual societies often encourage children to adopt globally useful languages, believing this will improve economic prospects. While such decisions may be practical, they frequently result in the gradual abandonment of ancestral languages.
Urban migration has further accelerated this trend. Rural communities, which traditionally serve as strongholds for minority languages, are shrinking as younger generations relocate to cities. In urban environments, the daily use of indigenous languages becomes limited, and intergenerational transmission weakens. Once a language is no longer spoken at home, its survival becomes highly uncertain.
Efforts to preserve endangered languages have grown in recent decades, though their effectiveness varies. Documentation projects, such as audio recordings and written archives, aim to safeguard linguistic knowledge for future study. However, critics argue that preservation without active use reduces languages to museum artifacts rather than living systems. Community-based revitalisation programmes, which promote everyday usage through education and media, are increasingly viewed as more sustainable.
Government policies play a decisive role in either accelerating or slowing language loss. In some regions, official recognition and bilingual education have helped stabilise declining languages. In others, restrictive language policies have actively discouraged minority language use. Political will, therefore, often determines whether preservation initiatives succeed or fail.
Ultimately, the disappearance of endangered languages represents more than the loss of words and grammar. It signals the erosion of unique worldviews and intellectual traditions. Addressing this issue requires coordinated action involving communities, educators, and policymakers, as well as a broader recognition of linguistic diversity as a global resource rather than an obstacle to progress.
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Questions 27–40
Questions 27–31: Choose the correct letter A, B, C or D
27. Why are languages described as more than communication tools?
A. They increase economic mobility
B. They reflect cultural and historical identity
C. They simplify international trade
D. They evolve faster than societies
28. What role do parents play in language decline?
A. They actively oppose minority languages
B. They discourage children from learning languages
C. They prioritise globally dominant languages
D. They lack awareness of language extinction
29. Why does urban migration threaten minority languages?
A. Cities ban indigenous languages
B. Rural populations increase
C. Home-based language transmission decreases
D. Schools refuse to teach local languages
30. Why do some scholars criticise language documentation projects?
A. They are too expensive
B. They focus on written forms only
C. They limit access to researchers
D. They fail to encourage active language use
31. What factor most strongly influences language preservation outcomes?
A. Technological advancement
B. Community size
C. Government policy
D. International funding
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Questions 32–35: Match the information with the paragraphs (A–F)
32. The influence of global economic forces on language choice
33. The risk of languages surviving only in recorded form
34. The connection between language loss and cultural erosion
35. The impact of population movement on language transmission
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Questions 36–40: Summary Completion
Complete the summary using ONE WORD ONLY from the passage.
The decline of minority languages is driven by factors such as (36), which promotes dominant languages through education and media, and (37), which reduces the use of indigenous languages in daily life. Although preservation efforts include linguistic (38), some experts argue that languages must be actively spoken to survive. Effective protection often depends on supportive (39), while failure to act results in the loss of distinct cultural (40).
Answer Key – Passage 1: Flood Management in River Systems
Questions 1–5 (MCQs)
C
C
B
C
B
Questions 6–9 (Matching Information)
Paragraph B
Paragraph E
Paragraph D
Paragraph C
Questions 10–13 (True / False / Not Given)
FALSE
TRUE
FALSE
TRUE
Passage 2: Scientific Studies on Spider Behaviour
Questions 14–18 (MCQs)
B
C
C
C
B
Questions 19–22 (Matching Information)
Paragraph C
Paragraph E
Paragraph F
Paragraph B
Questions 23–26 (Yes / No / Not Given)
YES
NO
YES
NO
Passage 3: The Disappearance of Endangered Languages
Questions 27–31 (MCQs)
B
C
C
D
C
Questions 32–35 (Matching Information)
Paragraph B
Paragraph D
Paragraph F
Paragraph C
Questions 36–40 (Summary Completion)
globalisation
migration
documentation
policies
worldviews
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