Reading

Task 1

Read the text below and answer the questions.

For each question, choose the correct answer A, B, C or D.

Question 1 - 12

Read the text below and answer the questions 1 – 12. For each question, choose the correct answer A, B, C OR D.

A. The world is in the midst of a chocolate shortage, and chocolate makers say it could get worse. According to Mars lnc. and Barry Callebaut, two of the world‟s largest chocolate manufacturers, people are eating more cocoa than farmers can grow. Last year, globally, people ate 70,000 tons more cocoa than was produced. Chocolate makers say that the deficit could reach 1 million tons by 2020 and 2 million tons by 2030.

B. Most of the world's cocoa is grown in Africa. Cocoa trees bear bright fruit pods that each contains 30 to 50 cocoa seeds. These seeds are removed from the pods and left to fermented for several days, a process that produces the distinctive chocolate flavour. The seeds are then dried and roasted, and the shells are removed to reveal the cocoa nib inside. Finally, the nibs are ground and mixed with sugar, vanilla and sometimes milk to create the final product: a bar of dark, milk or white chocolate.

C.High temperatures and dry weather in West Africa have greatly hurt production. Growers and chocolate makers are also concerned about the increase in plant diseases that are destroying crops. The International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) estimates that one such disease, known as frosty pod' (a type of fungal infection), has reduced world cocoa production by 30 to 40 per cent.

D. “To try to grow more chocolate, farmers are converting diverse tropical forests to cocoa farms,' says Peter Läderach, a scientist with the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture in Vietnam. This expansion is destroying large areas of the Guinean Rainforest. The area has been identified as a biodiversity hotspot with a high concentration of plant and animal species which are being threatened. The slash and burn technique used by farmers not only destroys the forest, leaving the soil infertile, but also forces wildlife into smaller and smaller areas. (A)

E. (B) Another factor contributing to the deficit is the rapidly increasing demand for chocolate. (C) People in China ate 40,000 tons of chocolate in 2010 and are expected to consume 70,000 tons this year. (D)

F. As cocoa prices continue to rise, confectionery companies may produce smaller bars in an attempt to conserve cocoa. Farmers have been producing a new strain of cacao, the seed from which cocoa is made, called CCN-51. This strain is resistant to some of the diseases affecting cocoa production, and it produces about seven times more cocoa beans than typical cocoa strains, but its taste is less flavourful.

G.The picture isn't completely pessimistic, though. One Central American research organization has developed more new strains of cacao that are disease-resistant but still taste good. Lãderach also points out that if current climate warming patterns continue, cocoa could be grown in areas of the world where it wasn't possible before.

H. And some experts believe reports of the shortage have been exaggerated. While our projections show that supply deficits are likely to occur in the next several years,“ the ICCO said in a statement, stocks of cocoa beans should cushion this development before production growth accelerates. So the world's chocolate lovers may not need to panic just yet.

Task 2

: Read the text below and answer the questions.

For each question, choose the correct answer A, B, C or A

Money is one of the most important inventions in human history. It helps people who do not know or trust each other to trade. If you have enough money, you can go into a store and walk out with a candy bar. The store owner does not need to know or trust you. They only need to count your money. This is a pretty big deal if you think about it.

Before money, most exchange was based on credit and debt. Imagine that you were part of an ancient tribe and had an extra pair of shoes. If your tribe mate Joshua needed shoes, you might give him your extra ones. Joshua would then be in debt to you. He would owe you one. Later, your family might be starving in the depths of winter. You might have no success hunting, and Joshua might share some of his food with you.

The credit and debt system served humans well for much of time. Our minds are good at remembering favors and who owes whom. The problem with this system is that it requires trust. I need to know the reputation of the person to whom I am lending. I need to trust that he or she will repay me. Otherwise, we cannot trade. It's easy to trust our tribe mate Joshua. We know him. We are familiar with his reputation. But what about those from the tribe across the sea? Do we trust them? Probably not. At least not enough to give them our shoes on credit. After all, we don't even know them. A society that does not have money cannot grow very large. It's hard to maintain relationships with more than 150 or 200 people. Reputational systems of exchange fail as groups grow larger. The need for money develops.

Imagine that you were a soldier living in a Roman army camp in the 1st century. Thousands of men and women live alongside you. Many are soldiers. Some are nurses or physicians. Others are merchants, farmers, or cooks. Let's say that you needed a blacksmith to repair your armor. The blacksmith doesn't know you. Even if he or she did, you might die in the next battle. The blacksmith cannot trust you to repay your debts. But the blacksmith does not need to trust you. You are paid in gold and silver coins. You can trade coins with strangers for whatever goods or services you desire. Today, the monetary system once again relies on credits and debts. But now, banks and lenders can keep track of everyone's reputation. They use computers and government issued identities. They know our credit histories. They know our spending habits. They use algorithms to rank our credit worthiness. They know us well enough to issue credit to us, even though they don't actually know us. What a world!