English Comprehension Pollution

Pollution

Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light. Pollutants, the components of pollution, can be either foreign substances/energies or naturally occurring contaminants. Pollution is often classed as point source or nonpoint source pollution. The Blacksmith Institute issues an annual list of the world's worst polluted places. In the 2007 issues the ten top nominees are located in Azerbaijan, China, India, Peru, Russia, Ukraine and Zambia.

Click here for more worksheets

Multiple-Choice Question:

1. The components of pollution are called 

(A) point source  (B) polluted         (C) Pollutants      (D) contaminants 

2. Pollution can be 

(A) Chemical       (B) mechanical    (C) electrical        (D) magnetic

3. Among the most polluted countries, India lies at the

(A)  top position                               (B) fourth position

(C) third position                             (D) bottom position

Multiple Choice Questions (with more than one option):

4. To the ecosystem, pollution causes

(A) disorder         (B) instability      (C) harm              (D) contaminants

5. Ecosystem means

(A) flora and fauna                          (B) environment

(C) mountains and oceans              (D) plains and valleys

6. Pollutants can be

(A) natural           (B) foreign           (C) inbuilt            (D) always external

Fill in the blanks:

7. The introduction of contaminants into a natural environment is called ______.
8. The substances that cause pollution are called______.
9. The word’s most polluted country is_____.
10. The _____ issues an annual list of the world's worst polluted places.

True/False:

11. Heat and light are forms of chemical energy.
12. Pollution is harmful to the environment.
13. Contaminants are always naturally found.
14. Pollution is the cause of many serious illnesses.

Answer keys

(1)–(C); (2)–(A); (3)–(C); (4)–(A,B,C); (5)–(A,B); (6)–(A,B); (7)–Pollution; (8)–Pollutants; (9)–Azerbaijan; (10)–Blacksmith Institute; (11)–True; (12)–True; (13)–False; (14)–True