Choose the best option to complete the following sentences.
Choose the word or phrase that is CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined part.
Choose the word or phrase that is OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined part.
Read the passage and choose the option that best fits the gaps.
Ecotourism is booming and many tour operators say this is helpful to nature. Every year, millions of people visit protected ___(41)___ areas to observe rare species. However, a new report casts doubt on this form of tourism. The report, published in the journal "Trends in Ecology and Evolution", suggests that ecotourism damages more than ___(42)___ nature. Researchers believe tourists disrupt animals in their natural ___(43)___. They point to a recent event in Costa Rica where turtles had problems laying their eggs because of the many tourists who had gathered on the beach to watch them.
The report says that ecotourism is making animals bolder. A human presence makes animals tamer and less cautious about other animals. This could put them at risk of being attacked by their natural predators, ___(44)___ more of them will be killed. The report says that when animals interact with humans, "they may let down their guard”. The report also says it ___(45)___ essential, “to develop a more comprehensive understanding of how different species in different situations respond to human visitation, and under what precise conditions human exposure might put them at risk".
Read the passage and choose the best option to each of the following questions.
Tourism will always have an impact on the places visited. Sometimes the impact is good, but often it is negative. For example, if lots of people visit one place, then this can damage the environment. The question is - how can we minimize the problems without preventing people from travelling and visiting places?
The main aim of ecotourism is to reduce the negative impact that tourism has on the environment and local people. The idea is to encourage tourists to think about what they do when they visit a place.
It's great to talk about protecting the environment, but how do you actually do this? There are a number of key points. Tourists shouldn't drop litter, they should stay on the paths, they shouldn't interfere with wildlife and they should respect local customs and traditions.
Some people see ecotourism as a contradiction. They say that any tourism needs infrastructure - roads, airports and hotels. The more tourists that visit a place, the more of these are needed and, by building more of these, you can't avoid damaging the environment.
But, of course, things aren't so black and white. Living in a place of natural beauty doesn't mean that you shouldn't benefit from things like better roads. As long as the improvements benefit the local people and not just the tourists, and the local communities are consulted on plans and changes, then is there really a problem?
In 2002 the United Nations celebrated the "International Year of Ecotourism". Over the past twenty years, more and more people have started taking eco-holidays. In countries such as Ecuador, Nepal, Costa Rica and Kenya, ecotourism represents a significant proportion of the tourist industry.