Passage-1
Ecosystems provide people with a variety of goods and services; food, clean water, clean air, flood

Question

Passage-1
Ecosystems provide people with a variety of goods and services; food, clean water, clean air, flood control, soil stabilization,

pollination, climate regulation, spiritual fulfilment and aesthetic enjoyment, to name just a few. Most of these benefits either are irreplaceable or the technology necessary to replace them is prohibitively expensive. For example, potable fresh water can be provided by desalinating sea- water, but only at great cost. The rapidly expanding human population has greatly modified the Earth's ecosystems to meet their increased requirements of some of the goods and services, particularly food, fresh water, timber, fibre and fuel. These modifications have contributed substantially to human well being and economic development. The benefits have not been equally distributed. Some people have actually been harmed by these changes. Moreover, short- term increases in some ecosystem goods and services have come at the cost of the long- term degradation of others. For example, efforts to increase the production of food and fibre have decreased the ability of some ecosystems to provide clean water, regulate flooding and support biodiversity.

What does it imply?

1. The rapid expansion of population has adversely affected some people. 
2. Sufficient efforts have not been made to increase the production of food and fibre. 
3. In the short term some people may be harmed, but in the long term everyone will benefit from modifications in the Earth's ecosystems.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

The passage states, "The benefits have not been equally distributed. Some people have actually been harmed by these changes." These changes are a direct result of the "rapidly expanding human population" modifying ecosystems. Thus, statement 1 is directly supported by the text.

Statement 2 is incorrect because the passage implies significant efforts have been made to increase food and fibre production, noting that these efforts have come at the cost of other ecosystem services ("efforts to increase the production of food and fibre have decreased the ability of some ecosystems to provide clean water...").

Statement 3 is incorrect. The passage explicitly states that "short-term increases in some ecosystem goods and services have come at the cost of the long-term degradation of others." This contradicts the idea that everyone will benefit in the long term; in fact, it suggests long-term harm to ecosystem services.

Therefore, only statement 1 is correct.

Answer

1 only

Answer

2

Answer

1 and 3

Answer

None of the statements given above

Explanation

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