1. Read the following text and complete the tasks that follow.

Call it a blessing or a curse of Mother Nature, we have to breathe in over 10,000 litres of air in a day (more than four
million litres in a year) to remain alive. By making it essential for life, God has wished that we try to keep the air we
breathe clean. Everyone can see the food that is not clean and perhaps refrain from eating it, but one cannot stop
breathing even if one can feel the air to be polluted.
Several harmful and noxious substances can contaminate the air we breathe. Generally, much is said and written about
outdoor air pollution, most of which is due to vehicular and industrial exhausts.
Given the fact that most of us spend over 90% of our time indoors, it is most important to recognise that the air we
breathe in at home or in offices can be polluted. It can be a cause of ill-health. Air pollutants that are generally present in
very low concentrations can assume significance in closed ill-ventilated places.
The indoor air pollution can lead to allergic reactions and cause irritation to the skin, the eyes and the nose. But as is
logical to assume, the brunt of insult by pollutants is borne by the lungs. It can lead to the development of fresh breathing
problems, especially in those who have allergic tendencies, or it can worsen the existing respiratory illnesses like asthma
and bronchitis. There can be several sources of indoor air pollution. Tobacco smoke is one of the most important air
pollutants in closed places. "Passive smoking" or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) pollution can lead to all the
harmful effects of tobacco smoking seen in the smokers in their non-smoking companions. ETS as a health hazard has
been unequivocally proven and is also getting social recognition now. One can occasionally see signs displaying the all-
important message: "Your smoking is injurious to my health" in offices and homes. The children of smoking parents are
among the worst affected persons.
The exposure of young children to ETS leads to increased respiratory problems and hospital admissions as compared to
non-exposed children. Several studies, including those done at the PGI, have shown an increased risk of lung cancer
among women exposed to passive smoking. ETS also worsens the existing lung diseases like asthma and bronchitis. It
may be responsible for the development of asthma in children.
The next most important source of indoor air pollution is the allergens. House dust mites (HDM) are very small insects
not visible to the naked eye and are the commonest source of allergy in the house. They are ubiquitous and thrive in a
warm and moist atmosphere. They breed very fast and very difficult to eradicate. Modern houses present ample breeding
spaces for them in the form of carpets, curtains, mattresses, pillows, etc.
Exposure to HDM can be prevented by the frequent washing of linen and by encasing the mattresses and pillows in a
non-permeable cover. Pets form an important part of life for some of us. But they can add plenty of allergens to our
indoor atmosphere. Cats are notorious for doing this.
A. Fill in the gaps with suitable information from the text above. 5x1=5
a. If a person knows that the food is not edible, s/he will ….. eating it.
b. Indoor pollution may cause fresh breathing problems as well as it can ….the existing ones.
c. According to the text, …. is the major contributor of in-house air pollution.
d. ETS stands for …..
e. House dust mites are not … to the naked eyes.
B. Rewrite the given sentences substituting the words in the bold face with that of the bold faced words from the
text. 5x1=5
a. Computers have become an indispensable part of human life.
: Computers have become an ………… part of human life.
b. The Prime Minister called his colleagues to talk about the price hike.
: The Prime Minister called his ……….to talk about the price hike.
c. The markets are unambiguously showing the bad signs of state economy.
: The markets are ………….. showing the bad signs of state economy.
d. The government has planned to abolish poverty by 2025.
: The government has planned to …………poverty by 2025.
e. Those bars stopped many animals from entering the garden.
: Those bars ………… many animals from entering the garden.
C. Answer these questions. 5x1=5
a. How much air is needed for a person to breathe annually ?
b. What, according to the text, are the major pollutants of outdoor air ?
c. Do you think it is always safe for breathing inside your house ? Why ?
d. Are modern houses safe from house dust mites ? Why ?
e. Do you think keeping dogs and cats inside your house is safe ? Why ? Why not ?
7. Do as indicated in the brackets and rewrite the sentences.
a. I'm going to tell you something very important, so please listen…... (complete the sentences with appropriate
adverb.
b. The old man died ….a heart attack. (Put the correct preposition in the blank.)
c. More than one person ….going to have to find a new job. (Put the correct verb in the blank)
d. You'll ….(has to/have to/must to) tell police that your house was broken into. (Choose the correct option
from the bracket)
e. He only realized he had ……his key when he reached his front door. (Complete the sentence using the
correct forms of verbs: lose)
f. A lot of people are worried about ….(to lose/losing) their jobs. (Choose the correct option from the bracket.)
g. ……the AC was on, the room was not cool. (Put the correct conjunction.)
h. Between 2000 and 2005 she wrote three novels, ….(neither of which/none which/none of which) were
published. (Choose the correct option from bracket.)
i. I like people laughing at me. (Change into passive)
j. Could you please open the window? (Report this with the reporting clause : she requested......)