Question

Read the following passage and do the activities.

A1. Choose the correct option.  (2)

1. Thousands of birds were killed due to oil spills because ______.
   1. It suffocated them
   2. It was poisonous
   3. Birds couldn't enter the sea
   4. There was no fish to feed on
2. The primary components of crude oil are ______.
   1. Methane and ethane
   2. Carbon and hydrogen
   3. Sulphur compounds
   4. Naphthalene

During the Gulf War, a few years back, tens of thousands of sea birds were killed due to oil spills. Do you know what makes crude oil on ocean water so deadly? Crude oil is not used in the state it is produced at the off-shore wells. It is converted in refineries into a wide range of products such as gasoline, kerosene, diesel, fuel oils, and petrochemical feed-stocks. Before it is refined, the oil also contains potentially fatal components. Crude oil is made up of compounds of carbon and hydrogen called hydrocarbons. These hydrocarbons may be paraffin, the oil that is used as fuel in heaters and lamps or cycloparaffins (naphthenes) or aromatic compounds in varying proportions. While crudes found in the US are mostly paraffinic, these found along the Gulf Coast are naphthenic which contain sulphur compounds in varying amounts, a small amount of nitrogen and very little oxygen. Every variety of crude oil has nickel and vanadium in high concentration. Iron may be found in organic form due to the corrosion of pipes. Paraffins like methane and ethane are asphyxiants, substances that cause suffocation. The effects of cycloparaffins are more or less similar to those of paraffins but unsaturated paraffins are more noxious, than saturated ones. The sulphur present in crude oil may be toxic. The mechanism of toxic action seems to involve its breakdown to hydrogen sulphide. They will act principally on the .nervous system with death resulting mainly from respiratory paralysis. Sulphur in the form of aromatic thiophenes, benzothiophenes can damage the livers and kidneys of sea animals. Sulphur compounds like mercaptens can be very dangerous too.

A2. Crude oil may be toxic and fatal. Justify.  (2)

A3. Rewrite the sentences using one word from the passage for the underlined phrase/word. (2)

1. Over consumption of alcohol may lead to death.
2. The flowers displayed at the exhibition differ in properties.

A4. Identify and change the voice of the following sentence.  (1)

Tens of thousands of sea birds were killed due to oil spills. 

A5. With reference from the passage what can you do to control air pollution?  (3)

Answer 1

A1.

1. it suffocated them
2. carbon and hydrogen

A2. Hydrocarbons make up crude oil. Nitrogen, vanadium, nickel, and sulphur compounds may also be present in very high concentrations in crude oil. Additionally, it contains asphyxiants like methane and ethane, which cause suffocation. Cycloparaffins in crude oil have unpleasant and perhaps hazardous consequences. Crude oil's constituents have an effect on the neurological system and can cause respiratory paralysis. Additionally, it may result in liver and renal damage.

A3.

1. Over consumption of alcohol may be fatal.
2. The flowers displayed at the exhibition are varying in properties.

A4. Oil spills killed tens of thousands of sea birds.

A5. To prevent air pollution we can do the following:

1. Reduce the use of vehicles
2. Practice car pool
3. Use ESPs and air purifiers in factories
4. Make stringent laws on regulation of emission from industries.