私醫聯招 英文歷屆試題｜第 421 題

When people think of the Arctic, they probably imagine a pure and beautiful –  (21)  harsh – environment. So it is an unwelcome surprise, perhaps, that the region's native animals and people are among the most chemically contaminated on Earth.

Recently, various studies were conducted to  (22)  the levels of toxic chemicals in the bodies of Arctic animals, as well as in the native Inuit people. The statistics are alarming. Both the animals, and the Inuit who participated in the studies showed unusually high levels of man-made toxins.

These included older pollutants like dioxins and PCBs which many governments have been trying to  (23)  since the 1970s. Such chemicals are known to  (24)  our hormones and damage the immune system. The studies also found newer compounds – ones that currently have widespread approval for use in flame retardants –  (25)  in the Inuits' bodies at a ratio of five to one compared to levels found in other Canadians.