Question

Here is a news story about how crops are saved by climate-proofing them Complete it by choosing the right words from those given in the brackets.

(A) Among the most worrying aspects of climate change today (a) __________ (is/has been) the effect it (b) __________ (has had/have had) on the food supply of the world. Sctentists (c) __________ (have focussed /focus) their attention and efforts on increasing crop yield and improving crop resilience. Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa (d) __________ (have been I are) the most affected today. Their population (e) __________ (is/has been) the world’s fastest growing rice consumer. The most vulnerable agricultural systems (f) __________ (are/have been) the rain-fed uplands and lowlands that form 80% of total rice land. Until recently, scientists (g) __________ (have focussed / focussed) on improving crop yields, and in a relatively short period of time, (h) __________ (give / have given) us, higher yields. Reports warning of increased droughts and floods, (i) __________ (shift/have shifted) scientists’ attention to making crops “climate- proof”

(B). Answer the questions based on your reading of the passage above.
(a) What have been the most worrying aspects of agricultural growth?
(b) What do scientists today focus on?

(c) Where is the negative impact of climate most felt?
(d) What have the scientists focussed on so far?
(e) How has their attention shifted?

(C) Did you know
You would have used the simple present and present perfect tense in your
answer. Why?
The main use of the simple present tense is to refer to
(i) an action that takes place now.
(ii) routine action/ s.
The present perfect tense is used to refer to an action which has happened
in the past but whose effect still remains.
(e.g.) Among the most worrying aspect of climate change is the effect it has on
the world's food supply.
Climate scientists have predicted that the cultivation of rice in Asia and SubSahara
Africa has been affected severely, since 1970. But, today lack of funds
hinders research.

Answer 1

(A) Among the most worrying aspects of climate change today (a) is   the effect it (b) has had   on the food supply of the world. Sctentists (c) have focused focussed  their attention and efforts on increasing crop yield and improving crop resilience. Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa (d) are   the most affected today. Their population (e) has been   the world’s fastest growing rice consumer. The most vulnerable agricultural systems (f) are  the rain-fed uplands and lowlands that form 80% of total rice land. Until recently, scientists (g) have focused  on improving crop yields, and in a relatively short period of time, (h) have given  us, higher yields. Reports warning of increased droughts and floods, (i) have shifted  scientists’ attention to making crops “climate- proof”

(B) (a) The most worrying aspects of agricultural growth have been the effects on the food supply of the world.
(b) Scientists today focus on their efforts to increase the crop yield.
(c) The negative impact of climate most felt has been on the agricultural systems of the rain-fed uplands and lowlands (in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa).
(d) The scientists have so far focussed on improving crop yields.
(e) Their attention has shifted to make crops ‘climate-proof.