[CSAT Paper -2] 1. Comprehension – Ecological -research over the last quarter

Read the following passage and answer the two items that follow. Your answers to these items should be based on the passage only.

Passage

Ecological -research over the last quarter of the century has established the deleterious effects of habitat fragmentation due to mining, highways and such other intrusions on forests. When a large block of forests gets fragmented into smaller bits, the edges of all these bits come into contact with human activities resulting in the degradation of the entire forests. Continuity of forested landscapes and corridors gets disrupted ‘affecting several extinction-prone species of wildlife. Habitat fragmentation, is therefore considered as the most serious threat to biodiversity conservation. Ad hoc grants of forest lands to mining companies coupled with rampant, illegal mining is aggravating this threat.

1. What is the central focus of this passage?
(a) Illegal mining in forests
(b) Extinction of wildlife
(c) Conservation of nature
(d) Disruption of habitat

2. What is the purpose of maintaining the continuity of forested landscapes and corridors?
1. Preservation of biodiversity.
2. Management of mineral resources.
3. Grant of forest lands for human activities.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2
(c) 2 and 3
(d) 1, 2 and 3

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