TEST 4
READING PASSAGE 2
ENDLESS HARVEST
More than two hundred years ago, Russian explorers and fur hunters landed on the Aleutian Islands, a volcanic archipelago in the North Pacific, and learned of a land mass that lay farther to the north. 'The islands’ native inhabitants called this land mass Aleyska, the ‘Great Land’; today, we know it as Alaska.
The forty-ninth state to join the United States of America (in 1959), Alaska is fully one-fifth the size of the mainland 48 states combined. It shares, with Canada, the second longest river system in North America and has over half the coastline of the United States. The rivers feed into the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska - cold, nutrient-rich waters which support tens of millions of seabirds, and over 400 species of fish, shellfish, crustaceans, and molluscs. Taking advantage of this rich bounty, Alaska’s commercial fisheries have developed into some of the largest in the world.
According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), Alaska’s commercial fisheries landed hundreds of thousands of tonnes of shellfish and herring, and well over a million tonnes of groundfish (cod, sole, perch and pollock) in 2000. The true cultural heart and soul of Alaska’s fisheries, however, is salmon. ‘Salmon,’ notes writer Susan Ewing in The Great Alaska Nature Factbook, ‘pump through Alaska like blood through a heart, bringing rhythmic, circulating nourishment to land, animals and people.’ The ‘predictable abundance of salmon allowed some native cultures to flourish,’ and ‘dying spawners* feed bears, eagles, other animals, and ultimately the soil itself.’ All five species of Pacific salmon - chinook, or king; chum, or dog; coho, or silver; sockeye, or red; and pink, or humpback - spawn** in Alaskan waters, and 90% of all Pacific salmon commercially caught in North America are produced there. Indeed, if Alaska was an independent nation, it would be die largest producer of wild salmon in the world. During 2000, commercial catches of Pacific salmon in Alaska exceeded 320,000 tonnes, with an ex-vessel value of over $US 260 million.
Catches have not always been so healthy. Between 1940 and 1959, overfishing led to crashes in salmon populations so severe that in 1953 Alaska was declared a federal disaster area. With the onset of statehood, however, the State of Alaska took over management of its own fisheries, guided by a state constitution which mandates that Alaska’s natural resources be managed on a sustainable basis. At that time, statewide harvests totalled around 25 million salmon. Over the next few decades average catches steadily increased as a result of this policy of sustainable management, until, during the 1990s, annual harvests were well in excess of 100 million, and on several occasions over 200 million fish.
The primary reason for such increases is what is known as ‘In-Season Abundance-Based Management’. There are biologists throughout the state constantly monitoring adult fish as they show up to spawn. The biologists sit in streamside counting towers, study sonar, watch from aeroplanes, and talk to fishermen. The salmon season in Alaska is not pre-set. The fishermen know the approximate time of year when they will be allowed to fish, but on any given day, one or more field biologists in a particular area can put a halt to fishing. Even sport fishing can be brought to a halt. It is this management mechanism that has allowed Alaska salmon stocks - and, accordingly, Alaska salmon fisheries — to prosper, even as salmon populations in the rest of the United States are increasingly considered threatened or even endangered.
In 1999, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)*** commissioned a review of the Alaska salmon fishery. The Council, which was founded in 1996, certifies fisheries that meet high environmental standards, enabling them to use a label that recognises their environmental responsibility. The MSC has established a set of criteria by which commercial fisheries can be judged. Recognising the potential benefits of being identified as environmentally responsible, fisheries approach the Council requesting to undergo the certification process. The MSC then appoints a certification committee, composed of a panel of fisheries experts, which gathers information and opinions from fishermen, biologists, government officials, industry representatives, non-governmental organisations and others.
Some observers thought the Alaska salmon fisheries would not have any chance of certification when, in the months leading up to MSC’s final decision, salmon runs throughout western Alaska completely collapsed. In the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers, chinook and chum runs were probably the poorest since statehood; subsistence communities throughout the region, who normally have priority over commercial fishing, were devastated.
The crisis was completely unexpected, but researchers believe it had nothing to do with impacts of fisheries. Rather, they contend, it was almost certainly the result of climatic shifts, prompted in part by cumulative effects of the el niño/la niña phenomenon on Pacific Ocean temperatures, culminating in a harsh winter in which huge numbers of salmon eggs were frozen. It could have meant the end as far as the certification process was concerned. However, the state reacted quickly, closing down all fisheries, even those necessary for subsistence purposes.
In September 2000, MSC announced that the Alaska salmon fisheries qualified for certification. Seven companies producing Alaska salmon were immediately granted permission to display the MSC logo on their products. Certification is for an initial period of five years, with an annual review to ensure that the fishery is continuing to meet the required standards.
* spawners: fish that have released eggs
** spawn: release eggs
*** MSC: a joint venture between WWF (World Wildlife Fund) and Unilever, a Dutch-based multi-national
Questions 14
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage?
In boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet, write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
14. The inhabitants of the Aleutian islands renamed their islands Aleyska
Supporting sentence - 'The islands’ native inhabitants called this landmass Aleyska, the ‘Great Land’; today, we know it as Alaska.
Keywords: native inhabitants, Aleutian islands, Aleyska, renamed
Answer: False
Answer explanation: The inhabitants of the Aleutian islands renamed their islands ‘Aleyska’ - today it is known as Alaska. The native inhabitants named it as Aleyska. It is newly named Alaska but the inhabitants did not rename it at all. It is because of the pronunciation of the people now-a-days, it is known as Alaska. To be more specific, the russian explorers named this place Alaska and the process of renaming took place much later.
15. Alaska's fisheries are owned by some of the world's largest companies.
Supporting sentence - Taking advantage of this rich bounty, Alaska’s commercial fisheries have developed into some of the largest in the world.
Keywords: Alaska's fisheries, largest companies
Answer: Not Given
Answer explanation: In paragraph 2, the fisheries in Alaska is mentioned, but there is no such evidence of the fisheries becoming the largest companies in the world. Also, the size of commercial fisheries is discussed but the ownership is not mentioned here. So, it cannot be determined that whether the fisheries of Alaska are owned by the largest companies in the world.
16. Life in Alaska is dependent on salmon.
Supporting sentence - ‘Salmon,’ notes writer Susan Ewing in The Great Alaska Nature Factbook, ‘pump through Alaska like blood through a heart, bringing rhythmic, circulating nourishment to land, animals and people.
Keywords: Life, Alaska, salmon
Answer: True
Answer explanation: In 3rd paragraph, it is mentioned that the lives of the people were much dependent on the salmon as it is compared with the blood pumped to the heart. Blood is important for a healthy living body and the people of Alaska is so dependent on Salmon that it is compared to pumped blood through heart. This comparison is purposedly done to indicate the importance of Salmon in the lives of Alaskan people.
17. Ninety per cent of all Pacific salmon caught are sockeye or pink salmon.
Supporting sentence - All five species of Pacific salmon - chinook, or king; chum, or dog; coho, or silver; sockeye, or red; and pink, or humpback - spawn** in Alaskan waters, and 90% of all Pacific salmon commercially caught in North America are produced there.
Keywords: 90%, all Pacific, sockeye, pink
Answer: Not given
Answer explanation: 90% salmon caught economically, but the percentage of a particular type is not mentioned in the passage. From the line mentioned here, the percentage of is pretty clear. 90% is the percentage of pacific salmon caught commercially. The pacific salmon includes different types - chinook, or king; chum, or dog; coho, or silver; sockeye, or red; and pink, or humpback - spawn. But the particular percentage of a type is not given in the passage.
18. More than 320,000 tonnes of salmon were caught in Alaska in 2000.
Supporting sentence - During 2000, commercial catches of Pacific salmon in Alaska exceeded 320,000 tonnes, with an ex-vessel value of over $US 260 million.
Keywords: 320,000 tonnes of salmon, 2000, Alaska, caught
Answer: True
Answer explanation: The given sentence from the passage matches with the statement given here. According to the passage, commercial catches of Pacific salmon in Alaska crossed 320,000 tonnes. After reading the third paragraph, it is quite clear that more than 320,000 tonnes of salmon were caught in Alaska in 2000.
19. Between 1940 and 1959, there was a sharp decrease in Alaska's salmon population.
Supporting sentence - Between 1940 and 1959, overfishing led to crashes in salmon populations so severe that in 1953 Alaska was declared a federal disaster area.
Keywords: 1940 and 1959, sharp decrease, Alaska's salmon population
Answer: True
Answer explanation: In 4th paragraph, it is mentioned that the decrease of salmon population was declared a disaster. This disaster was a result of overfishing - or to be more specific, people caught too much fish which led to a major decay of Salmon population from 1940 to 1959. It clearly states that the number of salmon fish decreased to a great extent at that time and it was nmarked by the federal government too.
20. During the 1990s, the average number of salmon caught each year was 100 million.
Supporting sentence - During the 1990s, annual harvests were well in excess of 100 million, and on several occasions over 200 million fish.
Keywords: 100 million, average number of salmon, each year
Answer: False
Answer explanation: The sentence from the passage clearly negates with the statement of this question. The annual harvest was more than 100 million and in some cases it was more than 200 million. So the quantity can be 100 million or between 100 and 200 million. It is hard to denote the accurate number of annual harvest after reading the passage. Undoubtedly it is more than 100 million.
Questions 21 -26
Complete each sentence with the correct ending, A-K. below. Write the correct letter, A-K. in boxes 21 -26 on your answer sheet.
A. to recognise fisheries that care for the environment.
B. to be successful.
C. to stop fish from spawning
D. to set up environmental protection laws.
E. to stop people fishing for sport.
F. to label their products using the MSC logo.
G. To ensure that fish numbers are sufficient to permit fishing.
H. To assist the subsistence communities in the region.
I. To freeze a huge number of salmon eggs.
J. To deny certification to the Alaska fisheries.
K. To close down all-fisheries.
21. In Alaska, biologists keep a check on adult fish
Keywords: Alaska, biologists, adult fish
Answer: G. To ensure that fish numbers are sufficient to permit fishing.
Answer explanation: The biologists kept monitoring the number of adult salmons to confirm that the number of adult fish keeps improving that too on a large scale. The quantity of fishing depends on the availability of Salmon. So, the biologists checked the availability of adult fish to ensure that it will be alright to permit fishing in Alaska.
22. Biologists have the authority
Keywords: Biologists, authority
Answer: E. to stop people fishing for sport.
Answer explanation: The field biologists mentioned that a particular area can stop fishing for sports to stop the decay of fish in number. Overfishing had led Alaska to a disaster and the authority of the biologists make sure that people stay away from fishing as a sport. The reason behind this is maintaining the quantity of fish accurately - it also ensures a good ecological balance. On a larger perspective, this authority has the potential to save Alaska from future disasters.
23. In-Season Abundance-Based Management has allowed the Alaska salmon fisheries
Keywords: Abundance-Based Management, Alaska salmon fisheries
Answer: B. to be successful.
Answer explanation: Paragraph 5 starts with in-season abundance management. The author of this passage mentions that the mechanism of the management allowed Alaska salmon fisheries stock. As a result of it Alaska Salmon fisheries prosper - the authorities ensured that the adult fishes can spawn freely. As a result, the quantity of fish, as a whole increased, and the fisheries became successful.
24. The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) was established
Keywords: Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
Answer: A. to recognise fisheries that care for the environment.
Answer explanation: According to line 6-7 of paragraph 6, Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) commissionedthe review of Alaska Salmon fisheries. MSC was founded in 1996 and the main task of this commission is to ensure a good environmental status of the fisheries. The commission is basically fulfilling the environmental responsibility. So the answer is to recognise fisheries that care for the environment
25. As a result of the collapse of the salmon runs in 1999, the state decided
Keywords: collapse, salmon, 1999
Answer: K. To close down all-fisheries.
Answer explanation: The answer to this question is clearly given in paragraph 7 - a reference to the number of Salmon is done there. According to this, a few observers found the fisheries of Alaska will hardly have any chance of certification when Salmon runs collapsed in western Alaska. The state took immediate action and closed down the fisheries.
26. In September 2000, the MSC allowed seven Alaska salmon companies
Keywords: MSC, seven Alaska salmon companies
Answer: F. to label their products using the MSC logo.
Answer explanation: The last paragraph begins with MSC’s announcement on Salmon Fish. The fisheries qualified for a certification - it was applicable for 7 companies which produced Salmon. All these companies received the permission to place a logo of MSC on all their products and became more reliable.
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