Question

   Villagers in Koh Samui yesterday criticized state authorities for their failure to stop illegal deforestation on the resort island.  The villagers in Bor Phut said they had seen a group of men take chainsaws to a forest on Khao Duang Nok mountain near Samui airport.  They believe the men are falling trees to clear the land for a construction project.

   “We’ve heard the sound of saws working,” said a villager.  The mountain’steep slope made it difficult for the villagers to get into the forest to see the men at work.  However, they said traces of deforestation were apparent.  One villager said he reported the matter to state authorities, asking them to take legal action, but to no avail.

   Khao Duang Nok has been under the spotlight after the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry investigated the matter.

   A businessman was charged with having occupied 49 acres of land with false land documents and many land officials were arranged to leave the area during the investigation in connection with land scandals in a project known as “The Peak”.

   Koh Samui district chief Decha Kangsanant has ordered a stop to any development activities on Khao Duang Nok until the investigation results are released.  However, the villagers said nothing has been done to stop deforestation.  Sunthorn Watcharakuldirok, director of the Forestry Department, said the group of men entered the forest two weeks ago after forestry officials returned from their inspection.

   The fact that the men remained fearless showed that it was the work of influential people who were challenging state power, he said.  His department is planning to arrest all the men.

 

46. The underlined phase “to no avail” in the second paragraph means _______.

   A. useless                                   B. in astonishment

   C. without permission                  D. without delay

47. Villagers failed to see the men cutting down the trees in the forest because ____.

   A. the traces of deforestation were apparent

   B. the authorities forbade them to go there

   C. the mountain blocked their views

   D. the road to the forest is not easy to take

48. ________ is a person, not a place.

   A. Koh Samui                     B. Bor Phut  

C. Khao Duang Nok            D. Decha Kangsanant

49. It is obvious that __________.

   A. the activity of falling trees is going on

   B. the authorities have arrested some criminals

   C. the group observe the order of the authorities

   D. the activities on Khao Duang Nok have stopped

50. The news report mainly tells us ________.

   A. illegal activities were on the move

   B. some officials involved in the land scandals

   C. the villagers blamed the authorities for the illegal deforestation

   D. the villagers were angry at the businessman

Answer 1

ADDAC