In 1962, a team of scientists produced a special radio station that had a range of fifteen moles. Even though communication was being accomplished in space at a range of more than a million times this distance, the new radio station caused more excitement among scientists. The reason: its power supply was ‘battery ‘made of bacteria. For the first time, practical amounts of electricity were being produced by a form of life and put to use.

  ‘biocell’, the new power supply had a liquid fuel containing tiny forms of life that changed the fuel directly into electric energy. This was far more than an interesting experiment. The biocell is being developed as producer of electricity for radios, for signals to guide ships, for lighting and for other uses. Thought the working biocell is only a few years old, some scientists feel that it will one day produce power cheaply as is now being done by other methods, and that the biocell will use materials that would otherwise be considered a waste. Early biocells were powered with sugar, but a wide range of fuels can be used. Work is being done using sea water to feed the bacteria.

  Electricity from living cells is no new idea. Man experienced the strange ‘shock ‘produced by some fish even before electricity was really discovered. Then in time, there were other discoveries. Benjamin Franklin found that lightning in the sky was electricity. Lulgi Galvani found some electricity in the muscles and nerves of animals. Bust the African catfish produces far more electricity than most other living creatures. And another fish, the electric eel, well named, for it has an even greater electric charge. Research works also discovered that even humans produce small amounts of electricity in their bodies. Our hearts produce a very small amount that can be measured, so do our brains. The biocell is completely new in the field of power production and, as yet, no mass-produced models have begun to replace the older types of batteries. It might be wondered, and then what the excitement is all about.

  The passage below has gaps numbered 16 to 25. Immediately following each gap, four options are provided. Choose the most appropriate option for each gap. Each question carries 2 marks.

  Believe it or not, change is to human existence what the blood is to the human body. We live in era of amazing …. 16…. [A. well-defined B. fast-paced C. favourable D. social] change spawned by advancing technology and industrialization. However, man’s …17…. [A. knowledge of B. attitude to C. commitment to D. opinion of] promoting and defending change in a deliberate effort to establish…18… [A. customs B. companies C. trade-zones D. variations] that stimulate advancement for man’s concern is proving unfavourable to the climate with threatening ...19… [A. repercussions B. clouds C. pressure D. implication].
Human-induced climate change has awakened widespread concern across the globe. As a matter of fact, climate change is now 20 [A. an acceptable B. a foremost C. the only D. the last] global issue. It is a major test of Africa’s ….21…. [A. popularity B. energy C. ingenuity D. incapability] ! the fourth Assessment Report {AR4} of the intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) confirmed that human actions are changing the earth’s climate and creating maker disturbances in human ….22…[A. geography B. societies C. systems D life] and ecosystems. The IPCC reports that the world has warned by an average of 0.76^oC since pre-industrial times. The rising global …23…. [A. command B. demand C. warming D. supply] for energy and the adverse changes in the climate put the earth and its inhabitants in a catch -22 situation.
Again, if the effects of climate change on each were commensurate with the level of greenhouse …24 …. [A. structure B. paints C. emulsion D. emissions] in spews out, perhaps Africa would have been spared and would probably be just an amused spectator. But it is, this is not the case. Here again, we see well-meaning global citizens appealing for the rest of the world to take responsibility for the problems of Africa, a strategy that cannot, thus far, termed ….25…. [A. notable B. liable C. credible D. flexible]