English Level L Weekly Exam Material

Week: 5

Exam Timetable:

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

HW

CA Code: ELH37 Level L English PSAT T3 W5

Material:
PSAT Chapter 12 Writing & LanguageTest Drill 2

Date 01-03-22 | Level L | 1

2122-ELH37 Copy of Passage

Forest Succession

We often think of forests as changeless and timeless places, primeval greenery spaces that
have remained the same for centuries. However, the truth is that forests can change and
develop as rapidly as human cities do. They are filled with competing species of plants, each
of these species struggling for access to the key resources of sunlight and water. Through a
process known as ecological succession, different kinds of vegetation succeed one another as
the forest's dominant species type. Eventually the succession does reach what is called a
climax state in which a stable combination of plants reaches a state of balance. Even then,
should natural disaster or human activity dramatically change things, the whole process will
begin again.
The first stage of forest succession begins in the aftermath of some kind of massive natural
disaster such as a volcanic eruption, a landslide, or a flood. With no soil left behind, the only
thing capable of growing is lichens. Over time, generations of lichens will break down and
disintegrate the stones on which they grow, turning it into soil. Plants such as ferns and grass
will now start to appear, growing in the soil, followed by larger shrubs and weeds, insects,
small birds, and mammals. As these various species live reproduce, and die, their biomass
nourishes the soil. The variety of wildlife will begin to attract predators. Within a few years,
the first tree saplings, so-called 'pioneer species' such as pine or birch, will arrive. Pioneer
species of tree specialize in being the first to reach unclaimed areas of grassland. This is just a
metaphor since trees are not sentient and thus do not consciously 'specialize' in anything.
Each has its own method. Birch seeds are transported by the wind but rowan trees reply on
birds spotting and eating their distinctive red berries. Whatever way they reach the unclaimed
area, once they are there, their height gives them an advantage in the competition for sunlight.
They will grow taller than their competitors and drop their seeds on to the ground below,
absorbing more water from the soil and proliferating at the cost of the other plants in the
region. Birds will begin to nest in the branches of these trees. This is known as the young
forest stage of forest succession. However, eventually the pioneer species trees will become
too successful for their own good. Once enough of them have grown to full height, their
crowns meet and form a forest canopy overhead, blocking out sunlight. Now the saplings that
have grown from the older trees' seeds will find it impossible to grow in the shade cast by
their parents. The stage is set for the pioneer species trees to be eventually displaced by a new
generation of 'shade-tolerant' trees such as cedars or firs. These are trees that, unlike the
pioneer species, can grow in full shade. The consequence is that, as each pioneer species tree
falls to old age, disease or other causes, they are replaced not by more of their kind but by
trees from shade-tolerant species. Activity from insects, such as beetles, will speed this
process along by killing off mature trees. As these trees die and open up holes in the forest
canopy, shrubs and plant life will return to the forest floor, providing more food and cover for
birds and rodents.
The shade-tolerant trees that succeed the pioneer species generally form the climax
community of the forest succession. Even so, forests remain dynamic and diversion
ecosystems even after the climax state has been reached. The dead wood left behind by fallen
trees will make its own contribution to the ecosystem as homes and food sources for certain
species of birds and insects. Fire, weather, disease, and the activities of animals will affect
and change the woodland environment. Within a particular area, a unique combination of
weather patterns and soil quality might create a particular pocket of vegetation unlike

Date 01-03-22 | Level L | 2

anywhere else within the forest. California's famous giant redwoods, for instance, only grow
along the foggy coastal waterways in the north of the state.
Human activity may also interrupt the process of forest succession, whether through
overgrazing, excessive burning, or the elimination of predators. Sometimes, this results in the
succession actually being reversed and the forest being reduced back to grassland. This is
another reason for us to be careful and thoughtful about the environment around us. There
may be all kinds of unintended consequences for any action affecting the natural world.

Date 01-03-22 | Level L | 3