Question

THE INDIAN OCEAN

The Indian Ocean is the world’s third largest ocean, after the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. It (49) ……….. to the south of Asia, to the west of Australia and Indonesia, and to the east of Africa. Unlike the Atlantic and Pacific, it has no (50) ……….. opening to the north.

Therefore, the Suez Canal, (51) ………….. opened in 1869, is a very important shipping route (52) ……….. the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.

The waters of the Indian Ocean are (53) ………….. calmer than those of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, and are, therefore, easier to travel across. There are about 5,000 islands in the Indian Ocean. (54) …………… such as the Seychelles and Maldives, have beautiful beaches and a warm climate, and now (55) …………… increasing numbers of tourists.

During the winter, cool, dry winds blow over the ocean from the northeast. In summer, the (56) …………… of the wind changes and south-easterly winds blow north from the ocean, bringing (57) …………… rains called “monsoons” to coastal areas. (58) …………… farmers depend on these rains, they can be a problem, often causing serious flooding.

49. A. lies	B. finds	C. puts	D. gets
50. A. right	B. natural	C. realistic	D. correct
51. A. when	B. what	C. where	D. which
52. A. among	B. on	C. between	D. by
53. A. too	B. much	C. very	D. so
54. A. Many	B. Each	C. All	D. Any
55. A. catch	B. lead	C. call	D. attract
56. A. direction	B. development	C. progress	D. balance
57. A. thick	B. large	C. heavy	D. high
58. A. Because	B. Although	C. However	D. Whether