EAP Reading

Reading Text 1

You are advised to spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1 – 12, [12 Marks]
which are based on Text 1 below.

A Białowieza Forest is a magical place. Huge trees tower over you, while birds call
all around you. However, the features that make it so unique may be under threat,
thanks to new plans for large-scale logging. Crossing the border between Poland
and Belarus, the forest is a place of biodiversity, home to nearly 20,000 plant and
animal species. Rare birds provide a glimpse of the bird life that used to exist in
European forests before humans transformed the continent.

B Unfortunately, on the Polish side of the border as much as 35% of the forest is
scheduled to be cut down. The fear is that this will result in an increasingly isolated
small island of protected forest surrounded by poorer quality woodland, which has
been shown to support lower bird populations. Poland’s state forest department
views the cutting down as necessary to combat outbreaks of spruce bark beetles,
the young of which burrow under the bark of living spruce trees to lay their eggs.
The developing young feed on inner woody layers and can eventually kill the tree.

C However, local scientists argue that removing damaged trees will cause more
harm than good. Professor Wesołowski, who has studied Białowieza’s birds for
more than 30 years, says it would be a disaster, as logging and replanting would
completely change the quality of the forest habitat and threaten its status. Mass
logging would dramatically alter the character of the area in question and the
surrounding habitat – even more than the bark beetles. In fact, this form of
salvage logging to recover economic value from damaged forests often causes
more damage to ecosystems than the initial natural disturbance.

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D The proposed increased logging in Białowieza includes removing quantities of dead

wood, yet this dead wood plays an important role in the functioning of a healthy
forest. While aesthetically they may not be that pleasing for us, dead trees are a
vital habitat for insects which feed on dead and decaying matter. The forest
supports large populations of endangered beetles and invertebrates which rely on
dead wood and, in turn, these provide food for birds and other small animals.
Dead and dying spruce stumps are used by some birds as nests and also act as
hosts for endangered plants. If the dead wood is removed, the entire forest
ecosystem will suffer.

E Logging is not the only solution to the spruce bark beetle problem. Outbreaks in
the UK are controlled by releasing a specific predator beetle that targets the
spruce beetle. Forestry Commission research showed that this was more effective
at controlling outbreaks than salvage logging. Białowieza is vulnerable to climate
change. As spruce trees are weakened by changing climatic conditions, the bark
beetle is able to prosper. This is an invaluable part of the forest regeneration
process, allowing other trees that are better able to cope with changing climatic
conditions to grow in the gaps left by dying spruces. In the long run, it may be
better for the forest to let nature, and regeneration, take its course.

Adapted from The Conversation, 2016, April 1. Available at: http://theconversation.com/.

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Reading Text 2

You are advised to spend about 20 minutes on Questions 13 – 25, [13 Marks]
which are based on Text 2 below.

Happy Money

A Can money buy happiness? According to Michael Norton, a researcher at Harvard

Business School, money can make us more satisfied with life. However, the
psychology behind money and spending is more complex than we might first
anticipate. Emotional responses can be affected by quantity, time and the way in
which the money is spent.

B Studies into our spending behaviour have caused behavioural scientists and
business specialists to question how much money we require to be happy. Many
people are not satisfied with the amount they have and Norton points out that
there is a measurable connection between income and happiness; not
surprisingly, people with a comfortable living standard are happier than people
living in poverty. However, he claims, additional income does not lead to additional
happiness on a typical day once we reach that comfortable standard. The magic
number that defines this ‘comfortable standard’ varies across individuals and
countries, but in the United States it appears to be an income in the region of
$75,000 a year. Using data collected from almost half a million Americans,
researchers found that higher household incomes were associated with better
moods on a daily basis, but the beneficial effects of money declined after the
$75,000 level.

C Dreams of wealth often entail buying expensive cars and large homes, but
satisfaction with these purchases decreases quickly. Recent behavioural research
indicates that new items that were initially exciting become less attractive over
time. Research also reveals that it is far better to spend money on experiences
like interesting trips, meals or even going to the cinema. These purchases often
become more valuable with time, as stories or memories, particularly if they
involve feeling more connected to others. Norton takes this idea one step further
and advises that we not only buy less, but that we spend money on others. This
allows us to connect with other people and to make a greater impact on the world.

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D Norton’s recent research focuses on the concept that it is not simply spending
money that produces happiness; it is the right type of spending which can achieve
this state. Money is usually spent antisocially, that is on ourselves, and he
suggests that if money is spent pro-socially, on others, then this could have a
positive effect on our own sense of happiness. Norton designed an experiment to
test his theories on the relationship between spending and happiness. He visited
a university campus in Canada and asked students how happy they were. He then
gave them a sum of money and a piece of paper with instructions on it such as
‘By 5:00 pm today, spend this money on somebody else.’ Other instructions told
the students to spend the money on themselves. The amount varied from five
dollars to 20 dollars.

E The research findings showed that the students did as they were instructed,
spending money on items such as a cup of coffee. When students were questioned
at the end of the day, those who spent money on other people showed increased
levels of happiness. The students who spent money on themselves showed no
change in levels. Another interesting result of the study is that the amount of
money did not affect happiness levels. People were equally happy whether they
spent five dollars on someone else or twenty dollars. The experiment has been
repeated in other countries, including India and South Africa, producing the same
results. These findings could have a significant effect on our attitudes to money
and spending, with important implications for charities which rely on donations
from the public.

Adapted from Dunn, E. W. and Norton, M. (2012) ‘Don’t indulge. Be happy’. The New York Times, 7
July. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/08/opinion/sunday/dont-indulge-be-
happy.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 and Schwartz, S. (2013) ‘Happy money: the new science of
smarter spending by Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton’. Times Higher Education, 20 June. Available
at: http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/books/happy-money-the-new-science-of-smarter-
spending-by-elizabeth-dunn-and-michael-norton/2004840.article.

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Reading Text 3

You are advised to spend about 20 minutes on Questions 26 – 40, [15 Marks]
which are based on Text 3 below.

Seeds of Hope for Climate-proof Beans

A A breakthrough in the development of temperature-resilient beans could help protect
an important source of protein for millions of people around the world. The discovery
was made by plant breeders at CGIAR, a global agricultural research group. The news
offers hope for many farmers in developing countries. Without access to the new bean
variety, it is predicted that 50% of the global bean production will be lost by 2050.

B Bean plants are very sensitive to extreme heat. Usually beans are not grown in
environments where the night temperature is above 18C (64F). Night temperatures
are especially critical because the bean flower pollinates itself during night hours and
the pollination process is very sensitive to temperature. The team of researchers
wanted to see if there were varieties that could cope with night-time temperatures of
approximately 23C. They looked for varieties that were able to produce seeds in these
conditions and selected about 30 different plant types.

C One of these is the tepary bean, a neglected crop, grown by native Americans in the
southwest of the US and Mexico in very hot and dry environments. It seems an
unusual choice at first glance. The bean is only about half the size of a normal-sized
bean and, therefore, has not been popular as a food crop. However, its ability to
withstand very hot and dry conditions has attracted recent attention. As temperatures
increase as a result of global warming, this bean could help provide a valuable source
of protein for almost half a billion people.

D A major challenge is whether researchers can get seeds to farmers. A recent report
by The African Seed Access Index stated that millions of small-scale farmers were
unable to access a wide range of crop seeds because they were too expensive or
simply not available from local seed sellers. One reason for this lack of availability is
that beans are self-pollinating. This makes them unattractive to seed producers who
can only sell the bean seeds one time. Once the producer has sold seeds to the farmer,
the farmer does not need to purchase more seeds the following year because he can
use the seeds produced by the first year’s plants. This, therefore, restricts the
potential market for the product.

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E However, there are several new approaches to getting seed to smallholder farmers.
One of the most successful has been selling seed in very small quantities. Seeds are
usually marketed in sacks of 23kg or more. In the case of bean seeds, many farmers
cannot afford to buy this quantity and, in fact, do not require this amount. Offering
them a small packet of seeds that could be as little as 100g is more affordable. The
fact that the seed can only cover a small area is also seen as a benefit. The farmers
can experiment with the new variety of seed and monitor growing conditions,
production and the suitability of the final bean in terms of taste and size. If they are
satisfied with the bean, they can save the seeds for the following year. If not, they
can return to the seed producers and buy another small quantity of seeds in order to
experiment further, or they can buy one of the new varieties which are being
developed every year.

F The process of making these seeds widely available to a large number of farmers can
be time-consuming. There are certain legal steps which must be taken to release a
variety of crop. It must go through a series of tests and be approved by governments.
Then, it needs to go through a seed production process. Currently, these processes
will take at least two years and in some countries, which have a longer process, it
could even take four years. Nevertheless, the tepary bean offers significant hope to
developing countries fighting to feed their populations.

Adapted from Kinver, M. (2015) ‘Hopes grow for climate-proof beans’. BBC News, 25 March. Available at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-32039991

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