GRE Reading Comprehension Practice Questions

Category - GRE Practice Test Reading Comprehension Questions

Although water covers approximately sixty-seven percent of the Earth’s surface, less than three percent is fresh water. Accounting for fresh water locked in glaciers, icecaps, or otherwise inaccessible, less than a tenth of a percent of the Earth’s water is available for human consumption. Pollution, population growth, and wasteful irrigation practices they are contributing to a worldwide water shortage. When the clear precious liquid becomes scarce, countries begin to assert claims on fresh water supplies. As a result, drinkable water has become a region of conflict that could eventually lead to greater hostilities between nations.

Some countries such as the United States, have ample sources of water. In other nations, such as China, water is less plentiful. As water resources dwindle, competition for available sources rose. Nations may claim rights to a particular body of fresh water or they may plan to build dams and other projects on rivers. If two or more nations which disagree on water rights or building projects, conflicts can emerge. In order to combat this issue many countries are adopting water conservation and security solutions. The United Nations has implemented programs to combat potential issues that could lead to violence.

What is not a cause of a world-wide water shortage?
  1. Frozen polar ice caps
  2. Pollution
  3. Population growth
  4. Wasteful irrigation
Explanation
Answer [A]: Frozen polar ice caps are not a cause of a world-wide water shortage. While much of the drinkable water is frozen or locked in the ice caps, the passage does not indicate that this is a new development. The other choices list causes that are decreasing the water currently available.
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