Passage 1
Digital Cameras
[00:]① According to a standard definition, /
[00:]a digital camera is a camera that produces digital images /
[00:]that can be stored in a computer, displayed on a screen and printed. /
[01:]② Years ago people used to possess two different devices /
[01:] in order to take pictures and make videos. /
[01:]③ The creation of digital cameras was motivated mainly by two factors. /
[01:]④ First, need to spare space. /
[01:]⑤ Second, make it more comfortable for people
[01:]to do both things with higher quality results. /
[01:]⑥ The multi-functionalism of digital cameras
[01:]and the combination of several devices in one /
[01:]make it a popular choice for a modern man. /
[01:]⑦ For years a digital camera has been unaffordable for many families. /
[01:]⑧ However, the variety of digital cameras and various prices nowadays /
[01:]make it possible for almost every single family to buy a digital camera. /
[01:]⑨ With increasingly fierce competition, /
[01:] the digital camera manufacturers satisfy customers
[02:]with lower prices but best quality standards.
Passage 2
The Migration of Birds
[00:]① The most obvious feature of birds is that they can fly. /
[00:]② This facility gives them great mobility and control over their movements. /
[00:]③ Many species can travel quickly and economically over long distances— /
[01:]up to thousands of kilometers, /
[01:]if necessary, crossing seas, deserts or other inhospitable areas. /
[01:]④ They also have great orientation and navigational skills, /
[01:]and are able to remember and re-find
[01:]remote places they have previously visited. /
[01:]⑤ Birds can thereby occupy widely separated areas at different seasons, /
[01:]returning repeatedly to the same localities from year to year. /
[01:]⑥ Although migration is evident in other animal groups, /
[01:]including insects, mammals, and fish, /
[01:]in none is it as widely and well developed as in birds. /
[01:]⑦ The collective travel routes of birds span almost the entire planet. /
[01:]⑧ As a result of migration, bird distributions are continually changing— /
[02:]on regular seasonal patterns, and on local, regional or global scales.
Passage 3
Benefits of Becoming a Teacher
[00:]① Becoming a teacher gives you a chance /
[00:]to spend a major portion of your day with children or youngsters. /
[00:]② With kids around,
[00:]you are a part of their world of innocence and purity. /
[01:]③ It indeed creates a healthy work environment for you. /
[01:]④ On becoming a teacher, /
[01:]you get a chance to be with children,
[01:]laugh with them, think their way /
[01:]and enjoy their innocently silly and healthily naughty behavior. /
[01:]⑤ Apart from this, the nature of your job is that /
[01:]you do not work on weekends and you get your share of holidays. /
[01:]⑥ Becoming a teacher entitles you /
[01:]for receiving private scholarships and sponsorships
[01:]for teaching programs. /
[01:]⑦ However, one of the most important benefits
[01:]of becoming a teacher is that /
[01:]teachers contribute to the shaping of the future generations. /
[01:]⑧ They make a difference to society /
[01:]by playing a vital role in nurturing young minds.
Passage 4
Computer
[00:]① With the development of computer technology, /
[00:]computers are becoming increasingly popular all over the world. /
[00:]② The computer is being used in many fields. /
[00:]③ In industry, business, education, medicine,
[01:]nearly all walks of life, /
[01:]computers have made their appearance,
[01:]providing great speed and accuracy for our work. /
[01:]④ Computers have been used in the home, offices,
[01:]laboratories and research institutions, /
[01:]acting as the most efficient and multifunctional instruments /
[01:]for calculating, sorting, filing, recording and distributing. /
[01:]⑤ And they have also become a window
[01:]through which we can understand the world better. /
[01:]⑥ During the past fifty years,
[01:]the computer has been rapidly advanced. /
[01:]⑦ Ever since the computer came into being,
[01:]it has experienced the development of several generations. /
[01:]⑧ The earliest computers were of great size, /
[01:]and had no match for the latest electronic computers
[02:]in speed and accuracy. /
[02:]⑨ Now efforts are being made
[02:]not only to bring the hardware to perfection, /
[02:]but also to improve the quality of the software.
Passage 5
Computer Addiction
[00:]① Nowadays, computer users have started developing
[00:]some bad habits regarding using computers, /
[00:]which have led to significant problems in their lives. /
[00:]② The negative consequences from computer addiction /
[01:]are similar to those of many other known addictive disorders /
[01:]that cause mental and physical disturbances. /
[01:]③ As a result, the term “computer or Internet addiction”
[01:] has come into use. /
[01:]④ It is also known as cyberspace addiction
[01:]and Internet addiction disorder. /
[01:]⑤ It's not an easy task
[01:]to identify which type of computer addiction
[01:]is responsible for most computer addicts, /
[01:]as there are many types of computer addictions, /
[01:]such as online games, chat, e-mail, online shopping,
[01:]online gambling and so on. /
[01:]⑥ No one knows in the future, /
[01:]which technology would attract more people
[01:]to become computer addicts. /
[01:]⑦ However, there are various organizations /
[01:]that specifically deal with computer addiction /
[01:]and have helped many thousands of people
[01:]to get rid of this damaging addiction.
Passage 6
Listening Skills
[00:]① Communication with others involves learning listening skills. /
[00:]② It's a good feeling when someone listens to you /
[00:]when you're talking to them. /
[00:]③ It makes you feel like they care about you
[01:]and what you're saying. /
[01:]④ The same respect should be given to people
[01:]that are speaking to you. /
[01:]⑤ Controlling the conversation or interrupting constantly
[01:]with your views or suggestions /
[01:]is not listening to the other person. /
[01:]⑥ Listening closely and then responding at the appropriate time
[01:]makes a good conversation. /
[01:]⑦ Making comments at the correct time
[01:]lets the speaker know you're interested /
[01:]and can help you stay centered on the conversation. /
[01:]⑧ Asking good questions about the subject
[01:]will show you want to know more about it. /
[01:]⑨ Try not to ask too many questions with the word “why”. /
[01:]⑩ People might not know the answer
[01:]and won't be able to respond to the question. /
[01:]⑪ Always, let people finish what they're saying /
[01:]before you talk about something else.
Passage 7
Book Review
[00:]① The determination of the book review
[00:]is to communicate to the readers’ mind /
[00:]the ideas and sensations book reviewer experienced /
[00:] while researching the content. /
[01:]② Professional book reviews are important in all professions. /
[01:]③ But they are especially important in the sciences, /
[01:]which define the specialization of the book reviewer. /
[01:]④ That is because the basic unit of scientific communication,
[01:]the primary research paper, /
[01:]is typically five to eight printed pages in most fields, /
[01:]which is short and narrowly specific. /
[01:]⑤ Therefore, to provide a general overview
[01:]of a significant slice of science, /
[01:]professional writers of scientific books have to
[01:]organize and join the reported knowledge in a field /
[01:]into a much larger, more meaningful package. /
[01:]⑥ In other words, new scientific knowledge is made meaningful /
[01:]by sorting the bits and pieces into book reviews
[02:]to provide a larger picture. /
[02:]⑦ Thus, the individual plants and flowers,
[02:]and even the weeds, become a landscape.
Passage 8
Television Advertisements
[00:]① A television advertisement or television commercial
[00:]is a span of television programming /
[00:]produced and paid for by an organization
[00:]that conveys a message. /
[01:]② Advertisement revenue provides
[01:]a significant portion of the funding /
[01:]for most privately owned television networks. /
[01:]③ The vast majority of television advertisements today
[01:]consist of brief advertising spots, /
[01:]ranging in length from a few seconds to several minutes. /
[01:]④ Advertisements of this sort have been used to
[01:]sell every product imaginable over the years, /
[01:]from household products to goods and services,
[01:]to political campaigns. /
[01:]⑤ The effect of television advertisements upon the viewing public /
[01:]has been greatly successful and pervasive. /
[01:]⑥ In some countries, like the United States, /
[01:]it is considered impossible for a politician
[01:]to wage a successful election campaign /
[01:]without the purchase of television advertising. /
[02:]⑦ In other countries, such as France,
[02:]political advertising is strictly limited on television. /
[02:]⑧ Some countries, like Norway, even completely ban it.
Passage 9
Waste
[00:]① Waste is sometimes a subjective concept, /
[00:]because items that some people discard may have value to others. /
[00:]② It is widely recognized that waste materials
[01:]are a valuable resource, /
[01:]while there is debate as to how this value is best realized. /
[01:]③ Governments need to define what waste is /
[01:]in order that it can be safely and legally managed. /
[01:]④ Different definitions need to be combined /
[01:]in order to ensure the safe and legal disposal of the waste. /
[01:]⑤ The European Union has started a discussion /
[01:]that will end in an End-of-Waste directive. /
[01:]⑥ It will clarify the distinction between waste
[01:]that shall be treated for disposal /
[01:]and raw materials that can be reused for other purposes. /
[01:]⑦ All over the world, America generates more waste
[01:]than any other nation in the world, /
[01:]with 4. 5 pounds of municipal solid waste per person per day, /
[02:]55 percent of which is contributed as residential garbage.
Passage 10
Getting Paid to Shop
[00:]① Advertising in our days has joined our lives quite well. /
[00:]② Getting paid to shop is another form of advertising. /
[00:]③ A contractor evaluates products and services
[01:]offered by various companies /
[01:]in order to become known to the public /
[01:]with the main purpose to increase their sales. /
[01:]④ Getting paid to shop,
[01:]users have the opportunity to shop favorite products /
[01:]like jewelry, handbags, clothes, shoes and other things, /
[01:]and create an income
[01:] that might later lead them to financial freedom. /
[01:]⑤ To be more clear and specific, /
[01:] anyone who joins a getting paid to shop program /
[01:]will have the opportunity to shop things that you wish for free /
[01:]while at the end of the campaign
[01:]might those things become yours. /
[01:]⑥ In addition, those companies that offer such opportunity
[01:]will pay their members to do that. /
[01:]⑦ Getting paid to shop is certainly the ideal solution /
[01:]that fits perfectly with most women
[02:]who like to shop often or see shopping as a hobby.
Passage 11
Negative Effects of Television
[00:]① Spending too many hours watching television
[00:]wastes the precious time /
[00:]that can rather be spent in fruitful and healthy activities
[01:]like exercise or reading. /
[01:]② It also uses up the time /
[01:]that you can rather spend with your family and friends. /
[01:]③ Chatting with your near ones,
[01:]spending time with your close ones /
[01:]is a better way of spending time than watching TV. /
[01:]④ People watching television,
[01:]especially children and youngsters, /
[01:]start identifying with what is shown on TV. /
[01:]⑤ They relate to television shows and films to such an extent /
[01:]that they get bored of living a normal and simple life. /
[01:]⑥ They are eager for fame and money; /
[01:]they long for living the lives of their favorite TV characters. /
[01:]⑦ This may lead to a high amount of dissatisfaction
[01:]for the real world. /
[01:]⑧ As real life is the contrast of the life shown on TV, /
[01:]such TV addicts become hungry for power, money and status.
Passage 12
Culture Shock
[00:]① Culture shock isn’t a clinical term or medical condition. /
[00:]② It’s simply a common way to describe
[00:]the confusing and nervous feelings a person may have /
[00:]after leaving a familiar culture
[00:]to live in a new and different culture. /
[01:]③ When you move to a new place, /
[01:]you’re bound to face a lot of changes. /
[01:]④ That can be exciting and stimulating, /
[01:]but it can also be overwhelming. /
[01:]⑤ You may feel sad, anxious, frustrated, and want to go home. /
[01:]⑥ It’s natural to have difficulty adjusting to a new culture. /
[01:]⑦ People from other cultures may have grown up
[01:]with values and beliefs that differ from yours. /
[01:]⑧ Because of these differences, /
[01:]the things they talk about, the ways they express themselves, /
[01:]and the importance of various ideas /
[01:]may be very different from what you are used to. /
[01:]⑨ But the good news is that culture shock is usually temporary.
Passage 13
Environmentally Friendly Cars
[00:]① Environmentally friendly cars are supposed to be
[00:]the vehicles of future generations. /
[00:]② Nevertheless, such cars exist now /
[00:]and are becoming more popular in the modern car market
[01:]than traditional vehicles /
[01:]which work on fossil fuels. /
[01:]③ The advantages of such cars
[01:]are not only in their lower harmfulness
[01:]for the environment and people’ s health /
[01:]but also in the lower fuel costs. /
[01:]④ However, their production is rather expensive, /
[01:]so it is still a controversial point /
[01:]both for the customers and the automobile manufacturers. /
[01:]⑤ Although they are more expensive to buy, /
[01:]they pay for themselves in a period of about 5 years /
[01:]because they consume less expensive fuels. /
[01:]⑥ The common types of environmentally friendly cars
[01:]include electric cars, fuel-cell-powered cars,
[01:]crossbreed cars and solar cars. /
[01:]⑦ And environmentally friendly cars
[01:]have become the choice of many people /
[01:]who decided to reduce the influence
[02:]of burning fossil fuels on the nature.
Passage 14
The Earth Day
[00:]① Our Planet Earth has so much to give us. /
[00:]② From the beautiful natural surroundings
[00:]to the rich types of creatures, /
[00:]Planet Earth has loads of things to offer /
[00:]that only make the life more beautiful. /
[01:]③ However, have you given a thought to
[01:]how many individuals actually respect this planet /
[01:]④ April 22nd is known the world over as Earth Day. /
[01:]⑤ It is celebrated to create more awareness about our planet /
[01:]and situations that we need to take care of /
[01:]to ensure our Planet Earth is well loved and cared for. /
[01:]⑥ As things are, we need to celebrate it on one day /
[01:]to remind us of the responsibilities
[01:]we need to handle in the coming years. /
[01:]⑦ The importance of Planet Earth is something /
[01:]that should be taught to children in their early years,
[01:]at home and in the school. /
[01:]⑧ Only then will the young and old alike,
[01:]understand the issues /
[01:]such as global warming, energy conservation
[01:]and the importance of recycling.
Passage 15
Differences Between Chinese and Western Eating Habits
[00:]① There are great differences
[00:]between Chinese and Western eating habits. /
[00:]② Unlike the West, where everyone has their own plate of food, /
[01:]in China the dishes are placed on the table and everybody shares. /
[01:]③ If you are being treated by a Chinese host, /
[01:]be prepared for a ton of food. /
[01:]④ Chinese are very proud of their culture of cuisine /
[01:]and will do their best to show their hospitality. /
[01:]⑤ And sometimes the Chinese hosts use their chopsticks
[01:]to put food in your bowl or plate. /
[01:]⑥ This is a sign of politeness. /
[01:]⑦ The appropriate thing to do would be to eat whatever-it-is /
[01:]and say how tasty it is. /
[01:]⑧ If you feel uncomfortable with this, /
[01:]you can just say a polite thank-you and leave the food there. /
[01:]⑨ And you should never tap on your bowl with your chopsticks, /
[01:]which can be very insulting to the host.
Passage 16
Artificial Intelligence
[00:]① Artificial Intelligence is the intelligence of machines
[00:]and the branch of computer science
[00:]which aims to create it. /
[00:]② Textbooks define it
[00:]as the study and design of intelligent agents, /
[01:]where an intelligent agent is a system
[01:]that perceives its environment /
[01:]and takes actions which maximize its chances of success. /
[01:]③ The field was founded on the claim that
[01:]human intelligence can be so precisely described /
[01:]that it can be simulated by a machine. /
[01:]④ The discipline of Artificial Intelligence was born
[01:]in the summer of 1956. /
[01:]⑤ Half of a century has passed, /
[01:]and Artificial Intelligence has come a long way
[01:]since its beginning. /
[01:]⑥ It has turned into an important field, /
[01:]whose influence on our daily lives
[01:]can hardly be underestimated. /
[01:]⑦ Many specialized Artificial Intelligence systems
[01:]exist that are at work in our cars, /
[01:]in our laptop computers,
[01:]and in our personal and commercial technologies. /
[01:]⑧ There is no doubt that the impact of Artificial Intelligence
[02:]on our lives in the future /
[02:]will become even more general and universal.
Passage 17
Idioms
[00:]① An idiom is defined as a group of words /
[00:]whose meaning must be known as a whole, /
[00:]because it cannot be learned from the meaning
[00:]of the same words used separately. /
[00:]② Obviously, there is a problem /
[01:]when you cannot look up individual words in a dictionary
[01:]and find the meaning, /
[01:]the usual strategy we all employ
[01:]when we come across a word or words that are unfamiliar. /
[01:]③ With idioms, however, we must learn the group of words. /
[01:]④ In everyday English, idioms are in common use. /
[01:]⑤ In fact, idioms are so common /
[01:]that most native speakers do not even realize
[01:]that they are using idioms. /
[01:]⑥ It is particularly important to recognize idioms /
[01:]when you hear them or read them. /
[01:]⑦ When you are able to use them comfortably
[01:]in your own speech and writing, /
[01:]then you have achieved a higher level of mastery /
[01:]and fluency in the language.
Passage 18
Children’s Health
[00:]① It seems we have developed
[00:]such a fast paced society of convenience /
[00:]that kids today don’t play outside much anymore. /
[00:]② They would rather stay inside and have things done for them. /
[01:]③ They spend too much time inside on the sofa /
[01:]and neglect any kind of physical activity, /
[01:]which causes a state of being inactive and unhealthy. /
[01:]④ Inactive kids have a higher risk of becoming obese, /
[01:]having high blood pressure and a higher risk of heart disease. /
[01:]⑤ Along with being inactive, /
[01:]kids today don’t get enough personal interaction with other kids, /
[01:]causing them to have a lack of interpersonal skills. /
[01:]⑥ Besides, their parents and grandparents
[01:]allow children to have everything they want. /
[01:]⑦ Parents’ spoiling only makes for an attitude of selfishness. /
[01:]⑧ To avoid this situation, parents should encourage their kids
[01:]to spend more time out of the house, /
[01:]such as playing basketball in a community basketball team.
Passage 19
Customer Service
[00:]① Good customer service is the lifeblood of any business. /
[00:]② You can offer promotions and slash prices
[00:]to bring in as many new customers as you want. /
[01:]③ But unless you can get some of those customers to come back, /
[01:]your business won’ t be profitable for long. /
[01:]④ Good customer service is all about bringing customers back /
[01:]and about sending them away happy, /
[01:]happy enough to pass positive feedback
[01:]about your business along to others, /
[01:]who may then try the product or service you offer for themselves /
[01:]and in their turn become repeat customers. /
[01:]⑤ If you’ re a good salesperson, /
[01:]you can sell anything to anyone once. /
[01:]⑥ But it will be your approach to customer service that determines /
[01:]whether or not you’ ll ever be able to sell that person anything else. /
[01:]⑦ The essence of good customer service
[01:]is forming a relationship with customers, /
[01:]a relationship that the individual customer feels
[02:]that he would like to pursue.
Passage 20
AIDS
[00:]① When AIDS first emerged, /
[00:]no one could have predicted
[00:]how the epidemic would spread across the world /
[00:]and how many millions of lives it would change. /
[00:]② There was no real idea what caused it /
[01:]and consequently no real idea how to protect against it. /
[01:]③ Now we know from bitter experience /
[01:]that AIDS is caused by the virus HIV, /
[01:]and that it can destroy families,
[01:]communities and whole continents. /
[01:]④ However, experience has also shown us
[01:]that the right approaches can
[01:]and do result in lower national HIV infection rates /
[01:]and less suffering for those affected by the epidemic. /
[01:]⑤ Already, more than twenty-five million people
[01:]around the world have died of AIDS-related diseases. /
[01:]⑥ 33 million people around the world are now living with HIV, /
[01:]and most of these are likely to die over the next decade or so. /
[01:]⑦ It is disappointing that the global numbers of people
[02:]infected with HIV continue to rise, /
[02:]despite the fact that effective prevention strategies already exist.
Passage 21
[00:]Homeschooling
[00:]① More and more parents are feeling /
[00:]that the schools are not up to a suitable standard
[00:]required to meet their children’s needs. /
[00:]② Therefore, homeschooling becomes
[00:]an appealing prospect for parents /
[01:]who want to remain in control of their children’s learning. /
[01:]③ There are both benefits and drawbacks
[01:]to homeschooling a child, /
[01:]but the positives seem to outweigh the negatives
[01:]in the minds of parents. /
[01:]④ In UK homeschooling has increased in recent years
[01:]as the gap between the best-
[01:]and worst-performing schools has grown. /
[01:]⑤ Parents increasingly feel excluded from
[01:]their children’s education, /
[01:]for schools have turned into examination factories. /
[01:]⑥ In schools, teaching to the test is the norm, /
[01:]instead of allowing children to explore their own creativity. /
[01:]⑦ Schools need to achieve good examination results
[01:]in order to have their higher status recognized, /
[01:]which obviously has implications
[01:]for the level of funding they receive. /
[01:]⑧ Hence, it would almost seem that
[01:]students are seen as a means to an end, /
[02:]rather than as the whole reason for a school’s existence.
Passage 22
Mail Fraud
[00:]① Mail fraud occurs when someone asks for
[00:]something of value to be sent through the mail, /
[00:]promising something in return, then fails to deliver. /
[01:]② Fraud can also be committed by wire, phone, or e-mail, /
[01:]but is only considered mail fraud /
[01:]when it involves things being sent by mail. /
[01:]③ This fraud can take the form of
[01:]offering a product or service /
[01:]which is then not provided or offering employment
[01:]that turns out to be a scam. /
[01:]④ It can also be offering a product or service for a price /
[01:]that is already provided for free by the government. /
[01:]⑤ Sometimes, you may receive an advertisement
[01:]for something designed to look like an invoice. /
[01:]⑥ Some Internet domain registration providers
[01:]are known for sending mail to owners of domains /
[01:]registered through competing companies, /
[01:]urging them to renew their domains. /
[01:]⑦ But in the process of renewing, /
[01:]the domain registration would be transferred
[01:]to the provider sending the mail, /
[02:]often at a higher cost.
Passage 23
Online Shopping
[00:]① With just a click of the mouse, /
[00:]shoppers can buy nearly any product online, /
[00:]from groceries to cars, /
[00:]from insurance policies to home loans. /
[01:]② The world of electronic commerce,
[01:]also known as e-commerce, /
[01:]enables consumers to shop at thousands of online stores
[01:]and pay for their purchases /
[01:]without leaving the comfort of home. /
[01:]③ For many, the Internet has taken the place of
[01:]Saturday afternoon window shopping at the mall. /
[01:]④ Consumers expect merchants to
[01:]not only make their products available on the Web, /
[01:]but to make payments a simple and secure process. /
[01:]⑤ However, the same things can go wrong
[01:]in cyberspace as in the real world. /
[01:]⑥ Sometimes it is simply a case of a computer bug
[01:]or poor customer service. /
[01:]⑦ Other times, shoppers are cheated by clever scam artists. /
[01:]⑧ Therefore, online shoppers need to
[01:]take sensible precautions /
[01:]to make their online shopping experiences enjoyable and safe.
Passage 24
Aliens
[00:]① For a long time, aliens have often been in the news. /
[00:]② They have always been surrounded by mystery /
[00:]and interest of people all around the world. /
[00:]③ People have claimed to have been abducted by aliens. /
[01:]④ Some have claimed to have actually seen them. /
[01:]⑤ But is there a sound proof that can prove aliens to be real /
[01:]⑥ Alien sightings have mostly been accompanied by
[01:]sightings of lights in the night sky. /
[01:]⑦ Some of them have also believed /
[01:]that the lights came from the spaceships used by the aliens. /
[01:]⑧ Disk-like objects traveling across the sky /
[01:]have often been taken as aliens’ vehicles. /
[01:]⑨ At times, people have found blood or hair at the locations /
[01:]where aliens were sighted. /
[01:]⑩ Researchers say alien sightings could have probably been
[01:]a result of human imagination accompanied by fear, /
[01:]and some of these sightings might have been
[01:]a result of certain astronomical phenomena.
Passage 25
Traditional Brazilian Clothing
[00:]① Brazil is known internationally for its stylish
[00:]and sophisticated clothing. /
[00:]② Brazilian clothes are comfortable, vivid, beautifully crafted
[01:]and decorated with attractive laces. /
[01:]③ Traditional Brazilian clothing is influenced by
[01:]a combination of different races and immigrants
[01:]from all over the world. /
[01:]④ A true traditional Brazilian clothing
[01:]can be seen in the countryside, /
[01:]where men’s clothing includes shirt, jeans
[01:]and dresses made from inexpensive cotton. /
[01:]⑤ In the south of Brazil, the cowboys wear a distinctive dress
[01:]including loose-fitting trousers, /
[01:]while in the northeast region they wear coat,
[01:]hat and leather trousers. /
[01:]⑥ In the urban areas of Brazil,
[01:]most people prefer modern clothing. /
[01:]⑦ Young men wear jeans and T-shirts. /
[01:]⑧ Short skirts and dresses are very popular among women. /
[01:]⑨ Brazilian jeans are very common /
[01:]and they come in a wide variety of styles and textures. /
[02:]⑩ Jeans made for women are tight-fitting
[02:]and loose-fitting near the feet. /
[02:]⑪ Due to abundance of beautiful beaches, /
[02:]beachwear is a very popular clothing in Brazil.
Passage 26
Water Pollution
[00:]① Water pollution is an undesirable change
[00:]in the state of water, /
[00:]polluted with harmful substances. /
[00:]② It is the second most important environmental issue
[01:]next to air pollution. /
[01:]③ Any change in the physical, chemical
[01:]or biological properties of water /
[01:]will have a harmful effect on living things. /
[01:]④ Water pollution affects all the major water bodies
[01:]of the world /
[01:]such as lakes, rivers, oceans and groundwater. /
[01:]⑤ Polluted water is unfit for drinking
[01:]and for other consumption processes. /
[01:]⑥ It is also not suitable for agricultural and industrial use. /
[01:]⑦ The effects of water pollution are harmful to
[01:]human beings, plants, animals, fishes and birds. /
[01:]⑧ Water problems in the future
[01:]will become more intense and more complex. /
[01:]⑨ Our increasing population
[01:]will tremendously increase urban wastes, primarily sewage. /
[01:]⑩ On the other hand, increasing demands for water /
[02:]will decrease the amount of water available for
[02:]dealing with wastes. /
[02:]⑪ Due to water pollution, the entire ecosystem gets disturbed.
Passage 27
Marketing
[00:]① Marketing is the process of planning
[00:]and executing the conception, /
[00:]pricing, promotion and distribution of ideas,
[00:]goods and services /
[01:]to create exchanges that satisfy individual
[01:]and organizational objectives. /
[01:]② It consists of advertising and promoting your products
[01:]or services in order to sell them. /
[01:]③ Your business produces goods and services. /
[01:]④ Marketing is to let potential customers know
[01:]what are available for sale. /
[01:]⑤ Sales, advertising, and public relations
[01:]are essential components of marketing /
[01:]and each requires specialized skills and expertise. /
[01:]⑥ While a small business may have only one person /
[01:]performing all these functions
[01:]under the marketing umbrella, /
[01:]knowledge of each area is important to
[01:]develop a focused effort. /
[01:]⑦ A focus on what the customer wants and needs /
[01:]is essential to successful marketing efforts. /
[02:]⑧ This customer-orientation should go hand-in-hand
[02:]with the company’s objective
[02:]of maintaining a profitable volume of sales. /
[02:]⑨ Marketing is a creative process
[02:]combining all of the activities
[02:]needed to accomplish all of these objectives.
Passage 28
The Free Hugs Campaign
[00:]① The Free Hugs Campaign is a social movement /
[00:]involving individuals who offer hugs to strangers in public places. /
[00:]② The campaign in its present form was started in 2004
[01:]by an Australian man. /
[01:]③ Initially, people were suspicious of the strange man on the street /
[01:]offering to hug anyone who wanted one. /
[01:]④ Soon, however, suspicion gave way to enthusiastic acceptance. /
[01:]⑤ When authorities tried to stop the campaign, /
[01:]over 10,000 people signed to ensure its continuance. /
[01:]⑥ The campaign became famous internationally in 2006
[01:]as the result of a music video uploaded into the Internet. /
[01:]⑦ The response to the video was astounding. /
[01:]⑧ Many people joined this newly created movement, /
[01:]and went out offering free hugs to whoever wanted one. /
[01:]⑨ This event demonstrates how the Internet can be used to
[01:]connect humanity beyond the boundaries of space and time. /
[01:]⑩ The hugs are meant to be random acts of kindness, /
[01:]reputedly selfless acts performed by a person
[01:]for the sole reason of making others feel better.
Passage 29
Nongovernmental Organization in Denmark
[00:]① Danes pursue common interests in leisure, sports, and politics. /
[00:]② Associations are essentially nongovernmental,
[01:]originating in the late 19th century, /
[01:]when farmers and workers formed interest groups. /
[01:]③ Today Denmark has one of the highest proportions
[01:]of association membership in the world. /
[01:]④ More than 90 percent of the population
[01:]belongs to an organization, /
[01:]and more than 73 percent of the people
[01:]have multiple memberships
[01:]in more than three hundred thousand organizations. /
[01:]⑤ Organizations and associations play three important roles. /
[01:]⑥ First, they have been able to develop common interests
[01:]and identities among different groups of people. /
[01:]⑦ Second, practical improvements in the form of production,
[01:]increases in salary, /
[01:]and membership discounts have been achieved. /
[02:]⑧ Third, organizations participate in the political
[02:]struggle for the distribution of values and goods in society. /
[02:]⑨ For example, charities use sophisticated
[02:]public relations campaigns to raise funds /
[02:]and employ standard lobbying techniques with governments. /
[02:]⑩ Interest groups may be of political importance /
[02:]because of their ability to influence social and political outcomes.
Passage 30
Lead Time
[00:]① Lead time is the period between a customer’s order
[00:]and delivery of the final product. /
[00:]② A small order of a pre-existing item
[00:]may only have a few hours’ lead time, /
[01:]but a larger order of custom-made parts
[01:]may have a lead time of weeks, months or even longer. /
[01:]③ It all depends on a number of factors, /
[01:]from the time it takes to create the machinery
[01:]to the speed of the delivery system. /
[01:]④ Lead time may change according to seasons or holidays /
[01:]or overall demand for the product. /
[01:]⑤ Manufacturers are always looking for ways /
[01:]to improve the lead time on their products. /
[01:]⑥ Lead time can mean the difference /
[01:]between making the sale
[01:]and watching a competitor sign the contract. /
[01:]⑦ If a company can deliver the product
[01:]weeks ahead of the competition, /
[01:]it stands a better chance of receiving future orders. /
[01:]⑧ Because of this, management and labor teams
[01:]routinely hold meetings /
[01:]to discuss lead time improvements.
[02:]The second and third readings,
[02:]you should begin writing now.
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