The Galápagos Islands, part of the Republic of Ecuador, are an archipelago of volcanic islands distributed on either side of the equator in the Pacific Ocean surrounding the centre of the Western Hemisphere, 906 kilometres (563 miles) west of continental Ecuador. The islands are known for their large number of endemic species and were studied by Charles Darwin during the second voyage of HMS Beagle. His observations and collections contributed to the inception of Darwin’s theory of evolution by means of natural selection.

Dear Jenny,

We’re so glad to receive a letter from you and we really love your enthusiasm, young girl, to know about your family. Thank you for the photographs that you had sent. I still remember the time when you were born: you were such a tiny little thing; I am so excited to watch you grow up into a beautiful young woman.

Grandpa and I got married 23 years ago in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1979. We met while we were going to college. At the time, I thought he was the goofiest boy I’d ever laid eyes on. He was tall and gangly and, if you can believe it, had a purple mohawk. He was a singer in a punk band called ’Danger Pins’ and when I saw his confidence on stage, he won me over.

I was a Math major. After Grandpa and I got married, I went on to get my PhD in Theoretical Physics. Right now, I’m a Physics professor at Berkeley and your grandfather is a freelance journalist who corresponds with The New York Times.

Grandpa’s family immigrated to the U.S. from Switzerland and mine came from all over Europe, but mostly from Russia. If you take a look at the family tree which I’ve created for you, it will give you a good idea of where your ancestors are from. Another thing you might like to see is a copy of a newspaper from the day you were born, including your horoscope! All signs point to a very happy girl.

Now I know there are a lot of world problems, but you don’t need to trouble your pretty little head worrying about them. Hopefully, when you grow up the world will have settled down a little bit and you won’t have anything to worry about beyond having a happy life and visiting your grandparents often so that we don’t miss you too much.

Always remember how much we love you, Jenny. No matter what may happen, your parents and your grandparents will love you unconditionally. I hope that you grow up to be happy and healthy, and that you follow your dreams wherever they take you. And remember, everyone is proud of you.

Hugs and kisses,

Grandma Alice

A. The second largest country in the world by area, with land stretching ’From sea to sea’; from the North Pacific Ocean in the west, the northern North Atlantic ocean in the east and the Arctic ocean in the North, Canada forms about 41% of the North American Continent, with more than 80% of land that’s uninhabited. In the common-world, where we are crying out loud to save the Nature and Mother Earth, this country harvests the most difficult and uninhabited form of the virgin forests. The wilderness of the country can be accounted by the fact that, out of 36 million people living in Canada, just one million lives in more than 80% of the land. More than 90% of people have taken their shelter in the south most 160 kms stretch.

B. The primary reason why most of Canada is wilderness is about agriculture, and the most arable lands with least cold climate are the southernmost parts. It is this intensive agricultural practice that leads to most of the settlements taking place in the south, leaving the north untouched. The permafrost in the north makes life difficult. It is difficult to establish buildings other utilities in this region. Most of the land is the boreal forest, which is habitable but not arable, and hence again agricultural practices can’t take place. Owing to the larger areas with dense Tundra Forest, the communication and mobility are not very well established. It is difficult to build roads as it is land with the highest number of lakes in the world which come in the way. All these are prima-facto to Canada’s wilderness.

C. The problem is not just the forest, but also its ’inhabitants’. Huge variety of wild animals live in this part of the world, and you are planning to explore this part of nature, be prepared for the unexpected. Wild Bears that are found everywhere are the major population there. Polar bears in the North are other common things, which are endangered species in other parts of the world. Besides these, this land is the last refuge of most endangered species in the world.

D. Over the years, deforestation has taken its toll on the wilderness. Within a generation gap, huge areas, over one-third of the total forest area was converted to land for other use. While deforestation rates in other parts of the world are much higher than the rate here, doesn’t mean that we are safe. Canada acquires over 9% of world’s total forest area, and if this land is lost, it might lead to doubling of the carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere over the coming 50 years.

E. Not given in any of the above paragraphs.

When you bite into a strawberry or tuck into some spinach or kale you may be congratulating yourself on your healthy food choice. Most people won’t even think about the pesticides they’re likely ingesting. A list published last week noted that almost all of the samples of strawberries from the most recent tests conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture contained residues of at least one pesticide, even after washing. Nearly 60 percent of the sampled kale — frequently championed as a nutritious health food — had pesticide residues.

’Studies have shown that eating fruits and vegetables free of pesticides benefits health, and this is especially important for pregnant women and children,’ said Carla Burns, of the Environmental Working Group (EWG). However, recent studies about the pesticides we consume through our fresh food are fuelling a debate about whether consumers should be worried and how they can reduce exposure.

Government health experts say we do not need to worry as the levels of pesticide exposure from food are below the levels that could pose a risk to consumers’ health. Carl K. Winter, a food toxicologist at U.C. Davis, concluded that the quantities of pesticides mean that risks to consumers were negligible and that moving to organic versions was unlikely to bring people any measurable health benefits.

’It’s not healthy for people to be scared of their food,’ said Asa Bradman, a professor at UC Berkeley School of Public Health. ’There are a few articles that hint at the benefits of organic versus conventional, but at this point, the information is only limited, and given the benefits of eating a healthy diet and a good selection of fruit and vegetables, I would not want to discourage consumption of those foods by people.’

As science continues to seek a clearer picture on pesticides and consumer health, one thing that does seem clear is that there’s a swath of people who are much more clearly affected but tend to get ignored: The farmworkers who bring the food to our plates.

’My personal view is that the risk to consumers is low compared to the potential risk to agricultural workers,’ said Bradman. Thousands of farmworkers experience the effects of acute pesticide poisoning including headaches, nausea, shortness of breath or seizures, according to the nonprofit Farmworker Justice.

’We have nominal programs to support farmers converting to organic and that should be expanded, and we should be prioritizing research on organic farming,’ said Kendra Klein, a scientific advisor for environmental organization, Friends of the Earth. She doesn’t suggest all farmers need to convert to organic, but rather that the U.S. should look to move away from a pesticide-intensive system. ″We need to change the system so none of us is exposed,’ she said.