TEST 33
Questions 1-7. Match the following headings (A-H) to the texts (Q1-Q7).
HEADINGS:
A) Activities for all tastes
B) Geographical features
C) Unstable and still growing
D) In order to protect
E) On the Red List
F) Scientific input
G) The people of the islands
H) Unique wildlife
Q1.
The Galapagos Islands are situated to the north-west of South America, six thousand
kilometers from the
continent. The islands occupy the territory of about forty five thousand square kilometers. They consist of
thirteen main
islands and a great number of smaller ones. The largest island is Isabela. The Galapagos Islands belong to
Ecuador.
Q2.
The relief of the islands is constantly changing because of volcanic activity.
In geological terms, the
territory is quite ‘young’. Fields of lava still create rocks and form new islands. That is why the Galapagos
Islands are called ‘a place born of fire’ and the region is still developing. Probably soon it will look
different on the maps.
Q3.
The Galapagos Islands are one of the few places in the world without a native population. The first
documented trip by humans to the Galapagos Islands was in the 16
th
century.
Another theory says that
representatives of ancient Indian cultures had also made journeys there long before. For centuries, the land
remained attractive for pirates. People only settled
there on a permanent basis, as official residents, in the
19
th
century.
Q4.
Due to its rich wildlife, the Galapagos Islands have always been attractive for visitors. Among them was
the
famous British scientist, Charles Darwin. He formulated his
Theory of Evolution after
his observations
of Galapagos’ flora and fauna. Those observations helped him to explain the origin of species in other parts
of the world and describe their evolution. In his memory, the
Darwin Research Station was
opened in the
Galapagos in the 1950s.
