EXAMEN Reading unit 2

The world’s tiger population is getting smaller and smaller 0 every day and experts say they could become almost
extinct in the next decade. Fortunately, the species may have a better chance of survival as a 1 __________ of a new
initiative backed by the World Bank in partnership with the Smithsonian Institute.

Since June 2009, the aim of this international conservation programme has been to protect the tiger by offering
2 __________ to a network of reserves across 13 different countries.

These include India, Thailand, China, Russia and
Indonesia, which are the major areas where the few remaining tigers 3 __________ live.

Experts believe that a
century ago there were approximately 100,000 tigers, but by 2009 this number had reduced dramatically to no more
than 3,500. The main reasons for this change have been the illegal trade in animal parts and the pressure to
4 __________ the land the tigers live on for farming and housing.

The World Bank Smithsonian project expected to spend about $1 million on this work. A lot of that money has been
used to train hundreds of new forest rangers in how to stop the illegal hunting of tigers. The programme has also
tried to develop stronger connections between countries where tigers live. World Bank President Robert Zoellick said
he hoped there would be other 5 __________ effects on the local economy of the countries involved.