Fill in the gaps with the right forms of verbs in the brackets. Question ‘a’ and ‘e’ have special instructions in the brackets for the use of the verbs.
13. Thousands of people in Bangladesh (a) (‘suffer’ in the present continuous) from arsenic poisonings and more (b) (effect) every day. Arsenicosis is caused by drinking tube well water containing arsenic. People who (c) (drink) uncontaminated water do not catch arsenicosis from affected people. The main recommendation for the people who are affected by arsenic is to drink water from a source that (d) (contain) no arsenic. The effects of arsenicosis are less severe among people who eat a healthy, balanced diet, ideally containing fish and vegetables. This is an initial treatment for arsenicosis and (e) (‘may’ to express probability) be part of the reason why the number of arsenicosis patients in Bangladesh (f) (be) still relatively low. It (g) (believe) that vitamins A, C and E (h) (be) effective for treatment of arsenicosis.
Answer: a. are suffering; b. are being effected; c. drink; d. contains; e. may; f. is; g. is believed; h. are.
ইকবাল খান, প্রভাষক, বীরশ্রেষ্ঠ মুন্সী আব্দুর রউফ পাবলিক কলেজ, ঢাকা