# PTE RW FIB #38: Causes and Impacts of Mass...

Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks #38 - Level 3 - Feeds Reading

> Below is a text with blanks. Click on each blank, a list of choice will appear. Select the appropriate answer choice for each blank.

Some 66 million years ago, a meteor crashed into the coast of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, marking the end of the age of dinosaurs. It was a mass extinction event and it was ____ . A mass extinction is a short period of geological time in which a high percentage of biodiversity, or distinct species dies out. Unlike previous extinction events that were caused by ____ phenomena, the sixth mass extinction is driven by human activity. The biggest driver of destruction is how we use the land and the sea. This includes the ____ of land cover such as forests and other natural habitats for agricultural and urban use. And agricultural expansion is the main driver behind deforestation, with animal farming being a particular driver of forest degradation and forest biodiversity loss. The natural world is also affected by the climate crisis. Species and ecosystems around the world, especially the most ____ ones, are affected by the rise of greenhouse gas emissions. Mankind's emissions of greenhouse gases are warming up the atmosphere and ____ , everything on Earth.

## Answer

Some 66 million years ago, a meteor crashed into the coast of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, marking the end of the age of dinosaurs. It was a mass extinction event and it was **devastating** . A mass extinction is a short period of geological time in which a high percentage of biodiversity, or distinct species dies out. Unlike previous extinction events that were caused by **natural** phenomena, the sixth mass extinction is driven by human activity. The biggest driver of destruction is how we use the land and the sea. This includes the **conversion** of land cover such as forests and other natural habitats for agricultural and urban use. And agricultural expansion is the main driver behind deforestation, with animal farming being a particular driver of forest degradation and forest biodiversity loss. The natural world is also affected by the climate crisis. Species and ecosystems around the world, especially the most **vulnerable** ones, are affected by the rise of greenhouse gas emissions. Mankind's emissions of greenhouse gases are warming up the atmosphere and **subsequently** , everything on Earth.

## Explanation

Blank 5 sits between "warming up the atmosphere and" and "everything on Earth." "Subsequently" means as a result, showing that the warming then spreads. "Intermittently" means on and off. In blank 3, "conversion of land" means changing forests into farms or cities. "Confusion" and "convulsion" only look similar.

## Hints

- Look at the words immediately preceding and following each blank to determine the required part of speech.
- Consider the overall tone of the passage, which discusses environmental degradation and its consequences.

[Practise this question with the exam timer](https://testmigo.com/pte/practice/reading-writing-fill-in-the-blanks/causes-and-impacts-of-mass-extinction-events) - [All Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks questions](https://testmigo.com/pte/practice/reading-writing-fill-in-the-blanks)