Q1 Are the following sentences right or wrong? Correct the wrong ones.

Answer: (a) Right; (b) Right; (c) Wrong; (d) Wrong; (e) Wrong

(a) Literacy rate is higher in Brazil than India. – Right. Brazil’s literacy rate (over 90%) is higher than India’s (about 74% in 2011), though India’s literacy rate has been growing fast.

(b) In Brazil, people prefer living in the south-east as compared to the north-east. – Right. The north-east lies in the rain-shadow region (the ‘drought quadrilateral’) with scanty, uncertain rainfall, so living conditions are difficult. The south-east has a pleasant climate, fertile land, industries, transport and big cities, so more people live there.

(c) The life expectancy of Indians is decreasing. – Wrong.
Correct: The life expectancy of Indians is increasing.

(d) The north-western part of India is densely populated. – Wrong.
Correct: The north-western part of India (the Thar Desert region) is sparsely populated.

(e) The western part of Brazil is densely populated. – Wrong.
Correct: The western part of Brazil (Amazon region) is sparsely populated; the eastern coastal areas are densely populated.