In almost all developing countries, the lack of adequate supplies of cheap, convenient and reliable fuel is a major problem. Rural communities depend largely on kerosene, wood and dung for their cooking and lighting needs. But kerosene is now priced out of reach of many people and wood, except in heavily forested areas, is in short supply. The search for firewood occupies a large part of the working day and has resulted in widespread deforestation.
Dung is in constant supply wherever there are farm animals and, when dried, it is convenient to store and use. But burning dung destroys its value as fertilizer, thus depriving the soil of a much needed source of humus and nitrogen.
Rural areas of developing countries are also plagues by a lack of adequate sanitation. Improper waste disposal spreads disease, contaminates water sources and provides breeding ground for disease-carrying insects.
The problem of improving environmental hygiene, conserving resources and finding alternative sources of fuel may be unrelated. Their solutions, however, are not, as many countries experimenting with biogas technology are discovering. Biogas, a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide, is produced by the fermentation of organic matter. The process of anaerobic fermentation is a natural one, occurring whenever living matter decomposes. By containing the matter – and the process – in a digester or biogas plant, the combustible gas can be trapped and used as fuel for household lighting and cooking. The digested slurry that remains can be used on the land as a soil conditioner and fertilizer.
Biogas plants have attracted much interest in recent years and they are in use in several Asian countries: 38,000 are reported in rural area of India, 27,000 in Korea and more than 80,000 in China. In most countries, the value of the gas has been the prime factor leading to their adoption: 70 percent of India’s plants, for instance, were built during the energy and fertilizer crisis of 1975-76 – although their use in that country dates back to 1951. similarly in Thailand and Korea, biogas is being investigated as an alternative to costly charcoal and to save compost materials form being burned.
In Japan and China, reducing pollution from animal wastes has been an important factor. Privies, hen houses and pigpens are built in proximity to the fermentation chamber in China. Examinations of the digested slurry have shown that the total number of parasite eggs was reduced by 93.6 per cent, hookworms by 99 per cent and no schistosome flukes were found.
The greatest benefits from biogas systems, however, are probably to be derived from the manorial value of the slurry, although it is not widely used outside of India and China. Vegetable farmers near Calcutta found that the digested slurry produced bigger and better tasting peas than did other fertilizers and the weight of root vegetables increased by nearly 300 per cent.
According to the reading passage, are the statements T (True) or F (False)? 1. ...... Biogas is the answer for the lack of cheap, convenient and reliable fuel.
2. ...... The production of biogas by fermentation of animals and vegetables wastes is a technology used in developed countries.
3. ...... Family –sized biogas plants first came into widespread used in India in the 1940s.
4. ...... There are less and less biogas plants in the world nowadays.
5. ...... Biogas is for domestic use.
6. ......[T] The system is economically sound, in addition to other benefits such as a cleaner, healthier environment.
A Sea Turtles are some of the oldest species in the world. The earliest sea turtles appeared over 200 million years ago. Today, however, sea turtle are in trouble. Their populations are getting smaller due to human activities and climate change.
B In Australia, conservationists are studying the effects of climate change on sea turtles. They believe global warming may affect sea turtles in several ways. First, warming temperatures lead to rising sea levels. As sea levels rise, beach areas become flooded. Sea turtles lay their eggs in the beach sand. Flooding can destroy sea turtle nests and the eggs inside them.
C Global warming also raises the temperature of sand around a sea turtle’s nest. The temperature of the nest affects the sex of the turtle’s eggs. Warmer temperatures (above 84 degrees Fahrenheit, or 29 degrees Celsius) produce mostly females. Cooler temperatures produce more males. So, as global temperature rise, more female babies will be born. Scientists predict that in 50 years almost all sea turtle babies in northern Australia will be female.
D To survive these changes, sea turtles will need to adapt. But adapting is difficult because the environmental changes are happening quickly. In addition, sea turtles are more at risk from other dangers, especially ones related to human activities. For example, some populations are getting smaller because of predators brought in by humans. As conservationist Mariana Fuentes says, ‘We can’t be sure if sea turtles will adapt on their own.’ They may need our help to survive.
E One of Fuentes’s projects is at Turtle Camp, a beach in northern Australia. Here, Fuentes helps to protect turtles that are laying eggs. She works with a team of rangers and researchers. Together, they prevent predators such as wild pigs and dogs from eating the turtles’ eggs. Without the rangers’ help, the turtles were losing up to 90% of their eggs. Now there are fewer predators, so the turtles can safely lay their eggs.
Write the letter of the correct paragraph (A-E) from the reading next to its main idea.
...... 1. Seaturtles may need help to survive climate change and other dangers.
...... 2. Fuentes help to protect the areas where sea turtles lay their eggs.
...... 3. Sea turtles are old species, but they are now in trouble.
...... 4. Warmer temperatures affect the sex of sea turtles.
......[B] 5. Climate change is causing problems for sea turtles.
Prince William is a member of the British royal family. He’s the Queen’s grandson and the eldest son of Charles and Diana. His brother’s name is Harry. Diana, their mother, isn’t alive now, but they have a stepmother, Camilla.
William’s wife is Kate Middleton. She’s originally from an ordinary family- but of course, she’s now the Duchess of Cambridge and part of the royal family! Kate has a brother, James, and a sister, Pippa. Their parents, Michael and Carole, have an online business.
In some ways, Kate and William are a normal couple. They have friends from university and they have hobbies and interests too. For example, William loves football and Kate likes photography. In the winter, they go skiing together.
In other ways, their lives are very different from their friends’ lives. William is the future King of the United Kingdom – and fifteen other countries too, including Canada and Australia. Kate and William have a lot of official duties. They help charities in the UK and Africa, they visit other countries and they meet important visitors to the UK.
The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting a baby, St James’s Palace has confirmed. All the Members of the Royal Family and the duchess’s family, the Middletons, are delighted: “The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry and members of both families are delighted with the news.”
The baby will be third in line to the throne, after Prince Charles and Prince William. A spokesman said the duchess has been admitted to King Edward VII Hospital in central London with acute morning sickness and is expected to stay for several days: “As the pregnancy is in its very early stages, Her Royal Highness is expected to stay in hospital for several days and will require a period of rest thereafter.”
6. Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, says he and his wife “could not be happier” after the duchess gave birth to a baby boy, at 16:30, 22nd July 2013 UK time at St Mary’s Hospital, west London. William was present at St Mary’s for the birth. The young parents spent time with their son before telling the news to their families and the world. The Queen’s gynecologist Marcus Setchell, who led the team that delivered the baby, described the new arrival as “wonderful baby, beautiful baby”. A bulletin signed by him was taken by a royal aide from St Mary’s to the palace under police escort. The news has been since displayed on an easel in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace in line with tradition. A Palace spokesman said the names of the baby would be announced in due course. A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh are delighted at the news.”
Match paragraph headings A-F with paragraphs 1-6.
A. William and Kate expecting a baby
......[5]
B. Kate’s family
......[2]
C. The Duchess of Cambridge gives birth to a baby boy
A Sea Turtles are some of the oldest species in the world. The earliest sea turtles appeared over 200 million years ago. Today, however, sea turtle are in trouble. Their populations are getting smaller due to human activities and climate change.
B In Australia, conservationists are studying the effects of climate change on sea turtles. They believe global warming may affect sea turtles in several ways. First, warming temperatures lead to rising sea levels. As sea levels rise, beach areas become flooded. Sea turtles lay their eggs in the beach sand. Flooding can destroy sea turtle nests and the eggs inside them.
C Global warming also raises the temperature of sand around a sea turtle’s nest. The temperature of the nest affects the sex of the turtle’s eggs. Warmer temperatures (above 84 degrees Fahrenheit, or 29 degrees Celsius) produce mostly females. Cooler temperatures produce more males. So, as global temperature rise, more female babies will be born. Scientists predict that in 50 years almost all sea turtle babies in northern Australia will be female.
D To survive these changes, sea turtles will need to adapt. But adapting is difficult because the environmental changes are happening quickly. In addition, sea turtles are more at risk from other dangers, especially ones related to human activities. For example, some populations are getting smaller because of predators brought in by humans. As conservationist Mariana Fuentes says, ‘We can’t be sure if sea turtles will adapt on their own.’ They may need our help to survive.
E One of Fuentes’s projects is at Turtle Camp, a beach in northern Australia. Here, Fuentes helps to protect turtles that are laying eggs. She works with a team of rangers and researchers. Together, they prevent predators such as wild pigs and dogs from eating the turtles’ eggs. Without the rangers’ help, the turtles were losing up to 90% of their eggs. Now there are fewer predators, so the turtles can safely lay their eggs.
F In the next few decades, sea turtles will face some tough challenges. With human help, says Fuentes, they will have a better chance to adapt and survive.
Complete the notes with details from the reading.
Sea turtles have been around for more than ...... years.
The number of sea turtles is getting smaller due to ...... and .......
Sea turtles lay their eggs in nests in the .......
Predators such as ......[Wild pigs] and ......[dogs] are dangerous for sea turtles.
Before Fuentes and her helpers started Turtle Camp, sea turtles were losing almost ......percent of their eggs.
Listen to six short conversations. How does the second person reply in each situation? Predict the meanings of their replies by choose the correct description in italics.
1. John points out a mistake. Jane ......[doesn't apologise] for it.(apologizes/doesn't apologise)
2. Jack invites Barbara to dinner. Barbara ...... the invitation. (accepts/refuses)
3. John introduces Caroline Day to Barbara. Barbara ...... her. (knows/ doesn’t know)
4. Jack asks if he is allowed to park in front of the office. Jane says that he ......[can't]. (can/can't)
5. Barbara gives Jane a gift. Jane ...... it. (likes/doesn’t like)
6. Jack helped John to arrange his travel. It ...... a problem for Jack. (was/wasn't)
Listen to six short conversations. How does the second person reply in each situation? Predict the meanings of their replies by choose the correct description in italics.
1. John points out a mistake. Jane ......[doesn't apologise] for it.(apologizes/doesn't apologise)
2. Jack invites Barbara to dinner. Barbara ...... the invitation. (accepts/refuses)
3. John introduces Caroline Day to Barbara. Barbara ......[knows] her. (knows/ doesn’t know)
4. Jack asks if he is allowed to park in front of the office. Jane says that he ....... (can/can't)
5. Barbara gives Jane a gift. Jane ...... it. (likes/doesn’t like)
6. Jack helped John to arrange his travel. It ......[wasn't] a problem for Jack. (was/wasn't)
Read the text and decide if the following statements are T (TRUE) or F (FALSE)
We’re Living Faster, But Are We Living Better?
Not long ago people believed that in the future we would work less, have more free time, and be more relaxed. But sadly this has not happened. Today we work harder, work longer hours, and are more stressed than ten years ago. We walk faster, talk faster, and sleep less than previous generations. And although we are obsessed with machines which save us time, we have less free time than our parents and grandparents had. But what is this doing to our health? An American journalist James Gleick in a new book, Faster: the acceleration of just about everything, says that people who live in cities are suffering from ‘hurry sickness’ – we are always trying to do more things in less time. As a result, our lives are more stressful. He says that if we don’t slow down, we won’t live as long as our parents. For most people, faster doesn’t mean better.
1. ...... The writer wrote the article to encourage us to work more and relax less.
2. ...... People today are having a less stressful life than they did in the past.
3. ......[T] People are too busy to read newspapers.
Listen to six short conversations. How does the second person reply in each situation? Predict the meanings of their replies by choose the correct description in italics.
1. John points out a mistake. Jane ...... for it.(apologizes/doesn't apologise)
2. Jack invites Barbara to dinner. Barbara ...... the invitation. (accepts/refuses)
3. John introduces Caroline Day to Barbara. Barbara ......[knows] her. (knows/ doesn’t know)
4. Jack asks if he is allowed to park in front of the office. Jane says that he ....... (can/can't)
5. Barbara gives Jane a gift. Jane ...... it. (likes/doesn’t like)
6. Jack helped John to arrange his travel. It ...... a problem for Jack. (was/wasn't)
Listen to six short conversations. How does the second person reply in each situation? Predict the meanings of their replies by choose the correct description in italics.
1. John points out a mistake. Jane ...... for it.(apologizes/doesn't apologise)
2. Jack invites Barbara to dinner. Barbara ...... the invitation. (accepts/refuses)
3. John introduces Caroline Day to Barbara. Barbara ...... her. (knows/ doesn’t know)
4. Jack asks if he is allowed to park in front of the office. Jane says that he ......[can't]. (can/can't)
5. Barbara gives Jane a gift. Jane ...... it. (likes/doesn’t like)
6. Jack helped John to arrange his travel. It ...... a problem for Jack. (was/wasn't)
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