Target Exam

CUET

Subject

English

Chapter

Comprehension - (Narrative / Factual)

Question:

Read the given passage and answer the four questions that follow:-

It's a tough time to be a glacier. Scientists expected Venezuela's Humboldt Glacier to last another decade, but in 2024 it melted into an ice field, shrinking to under two hectares. This marks the loss of the country's last glacier and signals a grim future for others. Scientists warn that glaciers in countries like Germany and Mexico will also disappear as fossil fuel consumption accelerates global warming. Communities depending on glaciers for fresh water face challenges, as glaciers in mountain ranges like the Andes provide vital drinking and irrigation water for millions of people.

However, about 80% of global glaciers, excluding polar ice sheets, could survive if countries rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Tropical glaciers in regions such as the Andes, East Africa, and Indonesia, however, are unlikely to recover due to higher temperatures. Despite pledges in the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, current projections suggest a rise of 3°C, potentially raising sea levels by nearly 10 feet by 2100, threatening island nations like Fiji and the Maldives with destruction.

A proposal to protect ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland involves a 62-mile-long removable underwater curtain, but experts like James Kirkham from the International Cryosphere Initiative caution that such measures are distractions from the real issue: halting global heating. Without decisive action, glaciers will continue to melt, and more countries will lose their ice. The urgency of addressing climate change has never been clearer, and the world's glaciers can't afford any more delays.

There is hope of survival for a significant number of global glaciers in case _______.

Options:

large-scale geoengineering projects are implemented the world over

communities depending on glaciers for fresh water and irrigation would wean off their dependency

innovative proposals like the 62-mile-long removable underwater curtain are not nipped in the bud

collective responsibility is undertaken to rapidly reduce green house emissions globally

Correct Answer:

collective responsibility is undertaken to rapidly reduce green house emissions globally

Explanation:

The correct answer is Option (4) → collective responsibility is undertaken to rapidly reduce green house emissions globally

The passage clearly states the condition for the survival of the majority of global glaciers: "However, about 80% of global glaciers, excluding polar ice sheets, could survive if countries rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions."

This highlights that the primary, effective solution is global action to curb the root cause of the melting: increased greenhouse gases leading to global warming. This aligns with the concept of collective responsibility.

Why the other options are incorrect:
Option 1: The passage says such geoengineering projects are distractions, not real solutions.
Option 2: Reducing dependency on glacier water does not stop glaciers from melting.
Option 3: The underwater curtain proposal is mentioned, but experts warn it distracts from the real issue.