Read the given passage carefully and answer the questions 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 recognize 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.

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. 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.

Humidifiers in the air-conditioning plants provides an ideal environment for certain type of bacteria and have led to major outbreaks of pneumonia. It is important to clean regularly the coolers, air-conditioners and damp areas of the house such as cupboards, lofts, etc to minimize this risk.

Toxic gases can also pollute the indoor environment. Biomass fuels (wood, cowdung, dried plants) and coal, if burned inside, can lead to severe contamination by carbon monoxide (CO): The poor quality of stoves and other cooking or heating appliances that cause incomplete combustion of LPG can also lead to the emission of CO or nitrogen dioxide.

The gases are very toxic in high concentrations as may be encountered during industrial accidents, but even in very minimal amounts, as may be prevalent in homes and offices, they can cause irritation to the skin or the eyes, rashes, headache, dizziness and nausea. Improving the ventilation is an important preventive measure, besides trying to eliminate the source that may not be always feasible.

Other indoor pollutants are toxic chemicals like cleansing agents, pesticides, paints, solvents and inferior-quality personal-care products, especially aerosols. Very old crumbling pipes, boilers, insulation or false roofing can also be important sources. Asbestos is a hazardous product that can cause cancer in humans.

1) Give a suitable title to the passage.

a) Pollution

b) Air Pollution

c) Earth is in Danger

d) Breathing Poison: Indoor Pollutants

e) none of these

2) Which of the following statements is/are true according to the passage?

a) Air pollutants that are generally present in very low concentrations can assume significance in closed ill-ventilated places.

b) The indoor air pollution can lead to allergic reactions and cause irritation to the skin, the eyes and the nose.

c) Inhaling of indoor pollutants can lead to the development of fresh breathing problems.

d) all of the above

e) none of these

3) According to the passage which of the following statements is/are false?

a) Tobacco smoke is one of the most important air pollutants in closed places.

b) The children of smoking parents are among the least affected persons.

c) The exposure of young children to ETS leads to increased respiratory problems.

d) all are false

e) all are true

4) A part of sentence (phrase) in a sentence of the passage is marked in bold, which may or may not be grammatically correct. Find which of the following can replace the phrase to make the sentence correct. If phrase is correct then mark “no improvement” as your answer.

a) provides an ideal environment for certain types

b) provide a ideal environment for certain types

c) provide an ideal environment for certain types

d) provides an ideal environments for certain type

e) No improvement

5) Which of the following is the synonym of refrain?

a) assist

b) desist

c) allow

d) aid

e) None of the above

Answers :

1) Answer: D

The passage is about indoor pollutants.

2) Answer: D

From the lines “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.”, the questions can be answer.

3) Answer: B

From the lines,

“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. 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.”, this question can be answered.

4) Answer: C

In the bold phrase, “provides” should be replaced with “provide” as the subject “plants” is plural; and “type” should be replaced with “types” as after “certain” we should use a plural noun.

The correct form of the sentence : “Humidifiers in the air-conditioning plants provide an ideal environment for certain types of bacteria and have led to major outbreaks of pneumonia.”

Hence, C is correct.

5) Answer: B

Refrain/Desist -stop oneself from doing something