UNIT 5 CONTENT QUIZ
1. Look at the words in the table and complete the blanks with the suitable ones.
Degradation
sub-humid
repercussions climatic economic activities land
surface
Desertification is the ___________of the land in arid, semi-arid and _____________ dry areas
caused by __________changes and human _____________. It is accompanied by a reduction in
the natural potential of the _________ and a depletion in _______________ and ground-water
resources. But above all it has negative ______________on the living conditions and the
________________ development of the people affected by it. Desertification not only occurs in
natural deserts, but can also take place on land which is prone to desertification _____________.
2. Read the paragraph and explain the relationship between droughts and
desertification below.
Droughts occur frequently in the areas affected by desertification, and are generally a feature of
their natural climate. The relations between desertification and drought on the one hand, and
human influence on the other, are complex. Occasional droughts (due to seasonal or inter-year
variations in rainfall) and long-term droughts covering wide areas are both caused or
aggravated by the influence of man on the environment (the reduction in vegetation cover, the
change in the Albedo effect, changes in the local climate, the greenhouse effect, etc.). Human
influence can also hasten desertification and aggravate the negative consequences on man. But
the degradation of land due to desertification has a serious compounding effect on drought, and
reduces the chances of the local people to cope with difficult periods.
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3. Read the paragraph and answer the following questions.
Another consequence of desertification at the local and global level is the reduction in
biodiversity, since it contributes to the destruction of the habitats of animal and vegetable
species and micro-organisms. It encourages the genetic erosion of local livestock and plant
varieties and species living in fragile ecosystems. Reducing the biodiversity directly affects the
food and health of the local people who rely on a large number of different animal and vegetable
species. But it is also a loss to the whole of mankind. Many genetic strains of cultivated plants
which form the basis of the food and health of the world's population originate from the dry
zones: their disappearance can affect the possibility of producing plant-based medicines to
combat specific diseases or epidemics.
A. What is one of the results of desertification mentioned in the paragraph?
B. How does this problem affect environment?
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C. How are people living in the affected areas suffer from the effects of
desertification?
D. What is the impact of desertification on health issues?
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Use your answers to write a summary of the paragraph below.
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4. Read the paragraph below answer the questions below with short answers.
Another critical global change issue - stratospheric ozone depletion - also poses risks to
human health in the Arctic. Like climate change, ozone depletion is caused by the interaction
of chemicals - chlorine radicals - in the atmosphere. Ozone depletion leads to increased
ultraviolet radiation at ground level, which can be damaging to humans, plant and marine life
at sustained levels of exposure. Though scientific knowledge is incomplete, UV exposure has
been associated with depression of the immune system, skin cancer, eye lesions and cataracts
in humans. In 1995, severe ozone depletion occurred over central Russia, and in 1996 over
western Greenland.
A. Restate the problem described in the paragraph.
B. What is the nature of this problem for humans?
C. Now summarize the problems in one or two sentences.
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5. Possible topics for further exploration:
1. Explain the differences and similarities between droughts and desertification.
2. How does climate change affect the traditional subsistence way of life in the
Arctic region?
3. How does climate change lead to malnourishment/relocation?
4. What the effects of warmer sea water in the Arctic?
5. What are the 3 main consequences of desertification at the global level?
6. Which 3 factors trigger or intensify desertification?
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UNIT 5 CONTENT QUIZ-Answer key
Desertification is the degradation of the land in arid, semi-arid and sub-humid dry areas caused
by climatic changes and human activities. It is accompanied by a reduction in the natural
potential of the land and a depletion in surface and ground-water resources. But above all it has
negative repercussions on the living conditions and the economic development of the people
affected by it. Desertification not only occurs in natural deserts, but can also take place on land
which is prone to desertification processes.
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