Air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year. WHO data shows that 9 out of 10 people breathe air containing high levels of pollutants. More than 80% of people Page 3 of 8 living in urban areas that monitor air pollution are exposed to air quality levels that exceed WHO guideline limits, with low and middle-income countries suffering from the highest exposures, both indoors and outdoors. Around 3 billion people still cook using solid fuels (such as wood, crop wastes, charcoal, coal and dung) and kerosene in open fires and inefficient stoves. Most of these people are poor, and live in low and middle-income countries.
Impacts on health
3.8 million people a year die prematurely from illness attributable to the household air pollution. Among these 3.8 million deaths:
• 27% are due to pneumonia
• 18% from stroke
• 27% from ischemic heart disease
• 20% from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)
• 8% from lung cancer.
Pneumonia
Exposure to household air pollution almost doubles the risk for childhood pneumonia and is responsible for 45% of all pneumonia deaths in children less than 5 years old. Household air pollution is also a risk for acute lower respiratory infections (pneumonia) in adults, and contributes to 28% of all adult deaths.
COPD
One in four or 25% of deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in adults in low and middle-income countries are due to exposure to household air pollution. Women exposed to high levels of indoor smoke are more than twice as likely to suffer from COPD as women who use cleaner fuels and technologies. Among men (who already have a heightened risk of COPD due to their higher rates of smoking), exposure to household air pollution nearly doubles that risk.
Stroke
12% of all deaths due to stroke can be attributed to the daily exposure to household air pollution arising from cooking with solid fuels and kerosene.
Ischemic heart disease
Approximately 11% of all deaths due to ischemic heart disease, accounting for over a million premature deaths annually, can be attributed to exposure to household air pollution.
Lung cancer
Approximately 17% of lung cancer deaths in adults are attributable to exposure to carcinogens from household air pollution caused by cooking with kerosene or solid fuels like wood, charcoal or coal. The risk for women is higher, due to their role in food preparation.

Q2. On the basis of your reading of the passage given above, answer  the following questions.
1. Around how many people die due to air pollution every year?
(i) more than seven million
(ii) less than seven million
(iii) around seven million
(iv) 3billion
2. According to WHO data, around how many people breathe air containing high levels of pollutants?
(i) 9 outof 10
(ii) 5 outof10
(iii) 6 outof10
(iv) 10 out of10 
3. Which type of countries suffers from the highest exposures, both indoors and outdoors?
(i) developed
(ii) low and middle-income
(iii)developing
(iv) all of these
4. What do around 3 billion people still use for cooking?
(i) Solar energy
(ii)electric energy
(iii)liquid fuels
(iv) solid fuels
5. What is the financial condition of these people living in low and middle-income countries?
(i) rich
(ii)poor
(iii)medium
(iv) very poor
6. Why do around 3.8 million people die prematurely every year?
(i) due to water pollution
(ii) due to air pollution
(iii) due to environmental pollution
(iv) due to house hold air pollution
7. Name the disease that kills the lowest percentage from 3.8 million deaths.
(i) stroke
(ii)lung cancer
(iii)pneumonia
(iv)COPD
8. Name the cause of approximately 17% of lung cancer deaths inadults.
(i) Using intoxicants
(ii) exposure to sun
(iii) exposure to carcinogens
(iv) all of these
9. Why do men have double risk in COPD?
(i) higher rates of smoking
(ii) higher rates of strain
(iii) higher rates of stress
(iv) higher rates of alcoholism
10. What is the cause of women having high risk for lung cancer?
(i) Role in cooking
(ii) due to passive smoking
(iii) due to house hold air pollution
(iv) lack of exercise