A. CUP B. CONSIDER C. CITY D. CARV. GAP-FILLING

17. A. cup B. consider C. city D. car

V. GAP-FILLING: Read the passage. Choose the best answer (A, B, C or D) to complete the passage

Nearly half a billion animals have been impacted by the fires in New South Wales alone, with millions

potentially dead. That figure (18) _______ birds, reptiles, and mammals, except bats. It also excludes insects and

frogs, meaning the true number is likely much higher.

The total number of animals affected nationwide could be as high as a billion, (19) _______ Christopher

Dickman, the University of Sydney ecologist who led the report.

Fires are nothing new in Australia, but they have been growing more intense and becoming more (20)

_______ in recent years - a problem that has been (21) ________ by climate change. And animals have been on the

front line. Australia has the highest rate of species loss of any area (22) _______ the world, and researchers fear that

rate can increase as the fire disaster continues.