Comprehension
Destruction of forests has a major impact on the productivity of our crop lands. This happens in two ways. Soil erosion increases manifold and the soil literally gets washed away, leading to an accentuated cycle of floods and droughts. But equally important is the impact of the shortage of firewood on the productivity of crop lands. When firewood becomes scarce, people begin to burn cowdung and crop wastes. In many places of our country, cowdung and crop wastes are the major sources of cooking energy. Consequently every part of the plant gets used and nothing goes back to the soil. Over a period of time, this nutrient drain affects crop productivity.
In addition to this, the technology of the Green Revolution, the technology of growing high-yielding varieties on a limited diet of chemical fertilizers such as nitrogen, phosphates and potash. The total bio-mass production goes up and so does the drain of the nutrients from the soil.
Question: 1

What are the two disadvantages of the destruction of forests?

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Forests are called the "lungs of the Earth" because they absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Their destruction directly affects human survival.
Updated On: Oct 8, 2025
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Solution and Explanation

The destruction of forests causes several harmful effects. Two major disadvantages are:
Loss of biodiversity: Many plants and animals lose their natural habitat, which leads to extinction of species.
Environmental imbalance: Destruction of forests increases carbon dioxide levels, reduces rainfall, and contributes to global warming and soil erosion.
Conclusion:
Deforestation harms both the environment and living organisms, leading to climate change and ecological imbalance.
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Question: 2

What are the major sources of cooking energy?

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Using clean fuels like LPG, biogas, and solar energy reduces indoor pollution and improves health.
Updated On: Oct 8, 2025
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Solution and Explanation

The major sources of cooking energy include both traditional and modern fuels:
Traditional sources: Firewood, cow dung cakes, and charcoal.
Modern sources: Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), electricity, kerosene, biogas, and solar cookers.
Conclusion:
Traditional sources are still widely used in rural areas, but modern sources like LPG and biogas are preferred as they are cleaner and more efficient.
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Question: 3

What is the impact of the technology of the Green Revolution on the soil?

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Sustainable farming practices and organic manures should complement modern technology to maintain soil health.
Updated On: Oct 8, 2025
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Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding Green Revolution technology.
The Green Revolution involved the introduction of high-yielding variety (HYV) seeds, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation, and modern agricultural practices.
Step 2: Impact on soil.

Soil degradation: Excessive use of chemical fertilizers reduces natural fertility of soil.
Soil pollution: Continuous application of pesticides and chemicals contaminates the soil.
Loss of soil nutrients: Imbalance due to over-dependence on NPK fertilizers, leading to micronutrient deficiencies (like zinc and iron).
Soil salinity: Over-irrigation increases salinity and alkalinity, affecting crop productivity.
Conclusion:
Though Green Revolution increased food production, it also caused soil degradation, nutrient imbalance, and pollution due to overuse of chemicals.
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Question: 4

How can the soil be enriched?

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Enrich soil naturally with compost and crop rotation instead of relying only on chemical fertilizers.
Updated On: Oct 8, 2025
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Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Organic enrichment methods.
- Use of organic manure, compost, and vermicompost to restore natural fertility.
- Addition of green manures and crop residues to improve soil organic matter.
Step 2: Chemical and biological methods.
- Balanced use of fertilizers including micronutrients.
- Biofertilizers (e.g., Rhizobium, Azotobacter) to fix nitrogen.
- Use of crop rotation and leguminous crops to naturally add nutrients.
Step 3: Other sustainable practices.
- Reduced use of harmful pesticides and chemicals.
- Proper irrigation management to avoid salinity and waterlogging.
Conclusion:
Soil can be enriched by using organic manures, biofertilizers, crop rotation, and sustainable agricultural practices that restore and maintain fertility.
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Question: 5

Which word in the passage means ‘effect’?

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To find synonyms, look for words that describe a similar action or result in the passage. Words like ‘impact’, ‘influence’, or ‘result’ are often used in place of ‘effect’.
Updated On: Oct 8, 2025
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Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the question.
We are asked to find the word in the passage which has the same meaning as the word ‘effect’.
Step 2: Scanning the passage.
In the passage, it is mentioned: “{Destruction of forests has a major impact on the productivity of our crop lands.}”
Step 3: Identifying the synonym.
Here, the word ‘impact’ is used to show the result or effect caused by destruction of forests. The meaning of “impact” and “effect” is the same in this context.
Final Answer:
The word in the passage that means effect is impact.
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Question: 6

Which word in the passage is opposite of ‘minor’?

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When looking for antonyms in comprehension passages, focus on adjectives that describe size, importance, or degree—words like ‘major’ vs. ‘minor’, ‘high’ vs. ‘low’, etc.
Updated On: Oct 8, 2025
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Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the question.
We need to find the antonym (opposite) of the word ‘minor’ from the passage.
Step 2: Scanning the passage.
The passage uses the expression: “{Destruction of forests has a major impact on the productivity of our crop lands.}”
Step 3: Identifying the antonym.
The word ‘minor’ means small or less important, whereas the opposite of this is ‘major’, which means large or important. In the passage, the word ‘major’ is used.
Final Answer:
The word in the passage opposite of minor is major.
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Question: 7

What does the phrase ‘bio-mass’ mean in the passage?

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To find the meaning of phrases like ‘bio-mass’, focus on surrounding examples (crop wastes, cowdung, firewoothat clarify the meaning in context.
Updated On: Oct 8, 2025
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Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the phrase in context.
The passage mentions: “{The total bio-mass production goes up and so does the drain of the nutrients from the soil.}”
Step 2: Meaning of ‘bio-mass’.
Bio-mass refers to the total amount of organic matter produced by living organisms (plants, cowdung, crop wastes, firewood, etc.). In this context, it means the amount of plant and animal material that can be used as fuel or for energy.
Step 3: Application in passage.
In the passage, biomass is linked with crop wastes and cowdung being used as sources of energy. This also explains how nutrient drain affects soil productivity.
Final Answer:
In the passage, bio-mass means the total organic matter derived from plants (such as cowdung, crop wastes, and firewoothat can be used as energy.
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