Use of English - Multiple Choice

Tourism and Nature

Tourism is often praised for bringing money into remote regions, but its impact on natural environments is far from straightforward. In many places, the arrival of large numbers of visitors has placed ecosystems under (0) SEVERE pressure. Footpaths widen, wildlife retreats, and local resources are used up at a rate that the environment cannot always (1) .......... with. Beaches that once seemed untouched may become littered, while forests are sometimes cleared to make (2) .......... for hotels, roads and car parks. At the same time, tourism can provide an economic (3) .......... for protecting landscapes that might otherwise be destroyed by farming or industry. National parks, for instance, often depend on visitor income to fund conservation work. The problem arises when short-term profit is given (4) .......... over long-term sustainability. In such cases, authorities may fail to impose limits, and fragile habitats suffer the (5) .......... Increasingly, experts argue that the solution lies not in reducing tourism altogether, but in managing it more responsibly. This means setting clear rules, investing in infrastructure, and raising awareness so that visitors are fully (6) .......... of the damage they may cause. If tourism is carefully controlled, it can (7) .......... local communities while still preserving the natural beauty that attracted people in the first place. Without such balance, however, many destinations may eventually lose the very qualities that (8) .......... them unique.