Identify the tone of the passage.
Even more than mountainside slides of mud or snow, naturally occurring forest fires promote the survival of aspen trees. Aspens' need for fire may seem illogical since aspens are particularly vulnerable to fires; whereas the bark of most trees consists of dead cells, the aspen's bark is a living, functioning tissue that―along with the rest of the tree―succumbs quickly to fire.
The explanation is that each aspen, while appearing to exist separately as a single tree, is in fact only the stem or shoot of a far larger organism. A group of thousands of aspens can actually constitute a single organism, called a clone, that shares an interconnected root system and a unique set of genes. Thus, when one aspen―a single stem―dies, the entire clone is affected. While alive, a stem sends hormones into the root system to suppress formation of further stems. But when the stem dies, its hormone signal also ceases. If a clone loses many stems simultaneously, the resulting hormonal imbalance triggers a huge increase in new, rapidly growing shoots that can outnumber the ones destroyed. An aspen grove needs to experience fire or some other disturbance regularly, or it will fail to regenerate and spread. Instead, coniferous trees will invade the aspen grove's borders and increasingly block out sunlight needed by the aspens

Vitriolic

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Pedantic

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Jovial

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Sarcastic

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Solution

The correct option is B Pedantic
The passage is describing the effect of fires on aspen trees in great detail. The author seems to be excessively concerned with minor details. Therefore, the tone of the passage can be said to be pedantic in tone.
Vitriolic, which means sharply critical, is not the correct tone for this passage.
Jovial, which means being humorous, is definitely not the tone of the passage.
Sarcastic, which means taunting or bitter derision, is also not the appropriate tone for the passage.
Hence, the correct answer is option B.

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Knowing that phenols, including tannins, often act by associating with and altering the activity of proteins, researchers focused on the effects on caterpillars of ingesting the virus and leaves together. They found that on tannin-rich oak leaves, the virus is considerably less effective at killing caterpillars than when it is on aspen leaves, which are lower in phenols. In general, the more concentrated the phenols in tree leaves, the less deadly the virus. Thus, while highly concentrated phenols in tree leaves reduce the caterpillar population by limiting the size of caterpillars and, consequently, the size of the female’s egg cluster, these same chemicals also help caterpillars survive by disabling the wilt virus. Forest stands of red oaks, with their tannin-rich foliage, may even provide caterpillars with safe havens from disease. In stands dominated by trees such as aspen, however, incipient gypsy moth outbreaks are quickly suppressed by viral epidemics.
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Q. It can be inferred from the passage that wilt disease virions depend for their survival on

The stem of a fruit tree X fixed in soil is cut in a slanting way. The upper part of the stem of another fruit tree Y of different variety of same species is also cut in a slanting way. The cut stem of tree Y, without roots but having some leaves, is placed over the rooted cut stem of tree X in such a way that their cut surfaces fit together properly. While joining the two cut stems, care is taken to make sure that the layer Z of one cut stem is in contact with layer Z of the other cut stem. The joint of the cut stem is bound tightly with a piece of cloth and covered properly with polythene. Soon the cut heals and the two stems grow together and become one fruit tree producing leaves, flowers and fruits.
(a) What is the name of this method of producing plants or trees?
(b) What name is given to the cut stem of tree X having roots?
(c) What name is given to the cut stem of tree Y which has no roots but has some leaves?
(d) Name the layer Z.
(e) Why should the layer Z of one cut stem be in contact with the layer Z of the other cut stem?
(f) Name any four fruit trees which are usually bred by this technique.
(g) State any one advantage of producing fruit trees by this technique.

30

trees are planted in a straight line at intervals of

5 m .

To water them, the gardener needs to bring water for each tree, separately from a well, which is

10 m

from the first tree in line with the trees. How far will he have to walk in order to water all the trees beginning with the first tree? Assume that he starts from the first well, and he can carry enough water to water only one tree at a time.

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Saving the trees of European forests

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