Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 23 to 27.

In 1972 the Australian government introduced a quota system which allowed a certain number of kangaroos to be killed or “culled” every year. Legislation was introduced because farmers claimed that the kangaroos were (23) __________ their crops. The problem is that while two and a half million kangaroos can be killed legally each year, a further two and a half million are killed illegally. The animals are killed for a (24) __________ of reasons. The main one, however, is that kangaroo meat is sold for human consumption usually in the (25) __________ of steaks – or is used as pet food. There are also thousands of dollars to be made from the sale of their skins.

The environmental group Greenpeace and Australia’s Animal Liberation (AAL) are now campaigning for a ban (26) __________ the sale of all kangaroo products. They hope that this will stop unscrupulous farmers killing the animal for profit. A spokesman for AAL said, “People aren’t concerned because there are still over six million kangaroos in Australia so they are hardly an endangered species. People just don’t care about issues like this unless there is a real threat. But we know certain types have already become extinct in some areas. We must act now (27) __________ it is too late.

Legislation was introduced because farmers claimed that the kangaroos were (23) __________ their crops.