READING PASSAGE 2

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READING PASSAGE 2

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-26, which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.

Water Treatment 2 : Reed Bed

In recent years, it has been shown that plants, more accurately roots, play a crucial part in purifying dirty water before it enters seas and rivers. In 15th-century Britain, dirty water was purified by passing through the wetlands. People began to realize that the “natural” way of water purification was effective. Nowadays subsurface flow wetlands (SSFW) are a common alternative in Europe for the treatment of wastewater in rural areas, Mainly in the last 10 to 12 years there has been a significant growth in the number and size of the systems in use. The conventional mechanism of water purification used in big cities where there are large volumes of water to be purified is inappropriate in rural areas.

The common reed has the ability to transfer oxygen from its leaves, down through its stem and rhizomes, and out via its root system. As a result of this action, a very high population of microorganisms occurs in the root system, in zones of aerobic, anoxic, and anaerobic conditions. As the waste water moves very slowly through the mass of reed roots, this liquid can be successfully treated. The reason why they are so effective is often because within the bed’s root sector, natural biological, physical and chemical processes interact with one another to degrade or remove a good range of pollutants.

Dirty water from households, farms and factories consume a lot of oxygen in the water, which will lead to the death of aquatic creatures. Several aquatic plants are important in purifying water. They not only absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the water, improving the environment for fish, but absorb nutrients from the welter as well. Britain and the G.S. differ in their preference of plants to purify water. Bulrushes (Scirpus spp.) and rushes (Juncus spp.) are excellent water purifiers. They remove excess nutrients from the water as well as oil and bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella. However, algae grow freely in summer and die off in winter. Their remains foul the bottom of the pool.

Artificial reed beds purify water in both horizontal and downflow ways. The reeds succeed best when a dense layer of root hairs has formed. It takes three years for the roots to fully develop. Which type of wetland a certain country applies varies widely depending on the country in Europe and its main lines of development. Besides the development of horizontal or vertical flow wetlands for wastewater treatment, the use of wetlands for sludge treatment has been very successful in Europe. Some special design lines offer the retention of microbiological organisms in constructed wetlands, the treatment of agricultural wastewater, treatment of some kinds of industrial waste- water, and the control of diffuse pollution.

If the water is slightly polluted, a horizontal system is used. Horizontal-flow wetlands may be of two types: free-water surface-flow (FWF) or sub-surface water-flow (SSF). In the former the effluent flows freely above the sand/gravel bed in which the reeds etc. are planted; in the latter effluent passes through the sand/gravel bed. In FWF-type wetlands, effluent is treated by plant stems, leaves and rhizomes. Such FWF wetlands are densely planted and typically have water-depths of less than 0.4m. However, dense planting can limit the diffusion of oxygen into the water. These systems work particularly well for low strength effluents or effluents that have undergone some forms of pretreatment and play an invaluable role in tertiary treatment and the polishing of effluents. The horizontal reed flow system uses a long reed bed, where the liquid slowly flows horizontally through. The length of the reed bed is about 100 meters. The downside of horizontal reed beds is that they use up lots of land space and they do take quite a long time to produce clean water.

A vertical flow (downflow) reed bed is a sealed, gravel filled trench with reeds growing in it. The reeds in a downflow system are planted in a bed 60cm deep. In vertical flow reed beds, the wastewater is applied to the top of the reed bed, flows down through a rhizome zone with sludge as a substrate, then through a root zone with sand as a substrate, followed by a layer of gravel for drainage, and is collected in an under drainage system of large stones. The effluent flows onto the surface of the bed and percolates slowly through the different layers into an outlet pipe, which leads to a horizontal flow bed where it is cleaned by millions of bacteria, algae, fungi, and microorganisms that digest the waste, including sewage. There is no standing water so there should be no unpleasant smells.

Vertical flow reed bed systems are much more effective than horizontal flow reed- beds not only in reducing biochemical oxygen demanded (BOD) and suspended solids (SS) levels but also in reducing ammonia levels and eliminating smells. Usually considerably smaller than horizontal flow beds, they are capable of handling much stronger effluents which contain heavily polluted matters and have a longer lifetime value. A vertical reed bed system works more efficiently than a horizontal reed bed system, but it requires more management, and its reed beds are often operated for a few days then rested, so several beds and a distribution system are needed.

The natural way of water purification has many advantages over the conventional mechanism. The natural way requires less expenditure for installation, operation and maintenance. Besides, it looks attractive and can improve the surrounding landscape. Reed beds are natural habitats found in floodplains, waterlogged depressions and estuaries. The natural bed systems are a biologically proved, an environmentally friendly and visually unobtrusive way of treating wastewater, and have the extra virtue of frequently being better than mechanical wastewater treatment systems. Over the medium to long term reed bed systems are, in most cases, more cost effective to install than any other wastewater treatment. They are naturally environmentally sound protecting groundwater, dams, creeks, rivers and estuaries.

Questions 14 - 16

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 2? In boxes 14-16 on your answer sheet, write TRUE if the statement agrees with the information FALSE if the statement contradicts the information NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

4.  

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 2? In boxes 14-16 on your answer sheet, write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

 

Question
Answer
14 - The reed bed system is a conventional method for water treatment in urban areas.
 True False Not Given   
 
15 - In the reed roots, there is a series of processes that help break down the pollutants.
 True False Not Given   
 
16 - Escherichia coli is the most difficult bacteria to eliminate.
 True False Not Given   

Questions 17-19

Complete the diagram below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer. Downflow Reed Bed System

Complete the diagram below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Downflow Reed Bed System

ielts reading test 14

17. 

18. 

19. 

Question 20 - 24

Use the information in the passage to match the advantages and disadvantages of the two systems: horizontal flow system and down-flow system (listed A—H) below. Write the appropriate letters A-H in boxes 20-24 on your answer sheet.

The advantage of the downflow system is 20 ; however, 21  and 22  The two advantages of the horizontal system are 23  and 24  In comparison with the downflow system, the horizontal system is less effective.

A. it requires several beds
B. it is easier to construct
C. it builds on a gradient
D. it doesn’t need much attention

E. it produces less sludges
F. it isn’t always working
G. it needs deeper bed
H. it can deal with more heavily polluted water

Questions 25-26

Choose two correct letters, from the following A, B, C, D or E. Write your answers in boxes 25—26 on your answer sheet.

8.    Choose two correct letters, from the following A, B, C, D or E. Write your answers in boxes 25—26 on your answer sheet. What are the TWO advantages of the natural water purification system mentioned in the passage: A. It uses micro-organisms B. It involves a low operating cost C. It prevents flooding. D. It is visually good-looking E. It can function in all climates

0
Exercise1: Using Present participle phrase to combine each pair of sentences into one. 1. Who saw the boy? He swam in the pool two hours ago. 2. The man is a clown. He is trying to stand on a ball. 3. The envelope has no stamp on it. It lies on the table. 4. My grandmother is old and sick. She never goes out of the house. 5. The street is very wide. It leads to the school. 6. Mr. John is my friend. He teaches my son English. 7. The students are sitting for the exam. They are from Singapore. 8....
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Exercise1: Using Present participle phrase to combine each pair of sentences into one.
1. Who saw the boy? He swam in the pool two hours ago.
2. The man is a clown. He is trying to stand on a ball.
3. The envelope has no stamp on it. It lies on the table.
4. My grandmother is old and sick. She never goes out of the house.
5. The street is very wide. It leads to the school.
6. Mr. John is my friend. He teaches my son English.
7. The students are sitting for the exam. They are from Singapore.
8. The fence surrounds our house. It is made of wood.
9.The man works in this hospital. He can speak three foreign languages. 10.A bus goes to the airport. It runs every half an hour.
10.A bus goes to the airport. It runs every half an hour.
Exercise2: Using Past participle phrase to combine each pair of sentences into one.
1. We are driving on the road. It was built in 2000

2. The vegetables are sold in this shop. They are grown without chemicals. ……

3. The energy is radiated by the sun. It can boil water and run machines.

4. Flowers are grown in Dalat. We exported them to foreign countries.

5. Cars are made in Korea. They are cheap and beautiful.

6. “The Old Man and the Sea” was written by Hemingway. It is very interesting.

7. Penicillin has saved the lives of millions. It was discovered by Dr. Fleming.

8. Rome, Paris and London are big cities. They are visited every year by millions of tourists.

9. The Great Wall of China was built over 2,000 years ago. It is now one of the seven wonders of the world.

10.The boy was taken to the hospital. He was injured in the accident

Exercise3: Using Present participle phrase or Past participle phrase to combine each pair of sentences into one.

1. The baby is crying for his mother. He is lying in the baby carriage.

2. The singer is Trong Tan. He is singing on the television

3. The pottery vase is 100,000 dong. It is made in Bat Trang.

4. The road is very narrow. It joins the two villages

5. Do you know the woman? The woman is talking to Sally

6. The window has been repaired. It was broken last night.

8. A bridge has been declared unsafe. It was built only two years ago.

9. People don’t want to use the goods. They are produced in China.

10.The students are planting trees along the streets. They are volunteers.

11.The book is about the boy. He ran away from the orphanage

12.Trinh Cong Son composed songs. They are greatly liked by millions of Vietnamese people.

13. The little boy lost his way. He is crying over there.

14.The river is Saigon River. It flows through Ho Chi Minh City15. The paintings were stolen from the museum. They haven’t been found yet.


 

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15 tháng 4 2017

Exercise1: Using Present participle phrase to combine each pair of sentences into one.
1. Who saw the boy? He swam in the pool two hours ago.

Who saw the boy swimming in the pool two hours ago?
2. The man is a clown. He is trying to stand on a ball.

The man trying to stand on a ball is a clown
3. The envelope has no stamp on it. It lies on the table.

The envelope lying on the table has no stamp on it
4. My grandmother is old and sick. She never goes out of the house.

My grandmother never going out of the house is old and sick
5. The street is very wide. It leads to the school.

The street leading to the school is very wide
6. Mr. John is my friend. He teaches my son English.

Mr. John teaching my son English is my friend
7. The students are sitting for the exam. They are from Singapore.

The students from Singapore. are sitting for the exam
8. The fence surrounds our house. It is made of wood.

The fence surrounding our house is made of wood
9.The man works in this hospital. He can speak three foreign languages.

The man working in this hospital can speak three foreign languages.

10.A bus goes to the airport. It runs every half an hour.

A bus going to the airport runs every half an hour.
Exercise2: Using Past participle phrase to combine each pair of sentences into one.
1. We are driving on the road. It was built in 2000

We are driving on the road built in 2000

2. The vegetables are sold in this shop. They are grown without chemicals. ……

The vegetables grown without chemicals are sold in this shop

3. The energy is radiated by the sun. It can boil water and run machines.

The energy radiated by the sun can boil water and run machines.

4. Flowers are grown in Dalat. We exported them to foreign countries.

We exported Flowers grown in Dalat to foreign countries.

5. Cars are made in Korea. They are cheap and beautiful.

Cars made in Korea are cheap and beautiful.

6. “The Old Man and the Sea” was written by Hemingway. It is very interesting.

“The Old Man and the Sea” written by Hemingway is very interesting.

7. Penicillin has saved the lives of millions. It was discovered by Dr. Fleming.

Penicillin discovered by Dr. Fleming has saved the lives of millions

8. Rome, Paris and London are big cities. They are visited every year by millions of tourists.

Rome, Paris and London visited every year by millions of tourists are big cities

9. The Great Wall of China was built over 2,000 years ago. It is now one of the seven wonders of the world.

The Great Wall of China built over 2,000 years ago is now one of the seven wonders of the world.

10.The boy was taken to the hospital. He was injured in the accident

The boy injured in the accident was taken to the hospital

Exercise3: Using Present participle phrase or Past participle phrase to combine each pair of sentences into one.

1. The baby is crying for his mother. He is lying in the baby carriage.

The baby lying in the baby carriage is crying for his mother

2. The singer is Trong Tan. He is singing on the television

The singer singing on the television is Trong Tan.

3. The pottery vase is 100,000 dong. It is made in Bat Trang.

The pottery vase made in Bat Trang is 100,000 dong

4. The road is very narrow. It joins the two villages

The road joining the two villages is very narrow

5. Do you know the woman? The woman is talking to Sally

Do you know the woman talking to Sally?

6. The window has been repaired. It was broken last night.

The window broken last night. has been repaired

8. A bridge has been declared unsafe. It was built only two years ago.

A bridge built only two years ago has been declared unsafe

9. People don’t want to use the goods. They are produced in China.

People don’t want to use the goods produced in China.

10.The students are planting trees along the streets. They are volunteers.

The students planting trees along the streets are volunteers.

11.The book is about the boy. He ran away from the orphanage

The book is about the boy running away from the orphanage

12.Trinh Cong Son composed songs. They are greatly liked by millions of Vietnamese people.

Trinh Cong Son composed songs greatly liked by millions of Vietnamese people.

13. The little boy lost his way. He is crying over there.

The little boy crying over there. lost his way

14.The river is Saigon River. It flows through Ho Chi Minh City15. The paintings were stolen from the museum. They haven’t been found yet.

The river flowing through Ho Chi Minh City is Saigon River

The paintings stolen from the museum haven’t been found yet.

27 tháng 5 2017

Rivers are on of the world’s most important natural resources. Many cities are on the large rivers, and ........almost........... every country has a least one river that ..........plays........ an important part in the lives of its people. Besides transportation, rives ..........provide................ water for crops, water to drink, and recreation for people who live along their ......banks......... And in .......order........... to get water for crops, engineers sometimes build a dam ..........across......... a river and let water become a lake behind the dam. Then people can use their water not .......only........... to irrigate fields but also to make electricity for homes and industries. .....……However……. the water often becomes polluted when cities on river bank grow ........faster......... and the number of industries increases. We are learning that it is necessary to keep rivers clean if we want to enjoy the benefits of the natural resources.

27 tháng 5 2017

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Rivers are on of the world’s most important natural resources. Many cities are on the large rivers, and .........almost.......... every country has a least one river that ..........plays........ an important part in the lives of its people. Besides transportation, rives ........provide.................. water for crops, water to drink, and recreation for people who live along their ......banks......... And in .......order........... to get water for crops, engineers sometimes build a dam ........across........... a river and let water become a lake behind the dam. Then people can use their water not .......only........... to irrigate fields but also to make electricity for homes and industries. .....……however……. the water often becomes polluted when cities on river bank grow .........insize........ and the number of industries increases. We are learning that it is necessary to keep rivers clean if we want to enjoy the benefits of the natural resources.

Dịch hộ mình bài này nhé! Cám ơn trước. P/s: Không dùng Google Translate nhé UN Reports See a Lonelier Planet With Fewer Plants, Animals Earth is losing plants, animals and clean water at a dramatic rate, according to four new U.N. scientific reports that provide the most comprehensive and localized look at the state of biodiversity. Scientists meeting in Colombia issued four regional reports Friday on how well animals and plants are doing in the Americas; Europe and...
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Dịch hộ mình bài này nhé! Cám ơn trước. P/s: Không dùng Google Translate nhé

UN Reports See a Lonelier Planet With Fewer Plants, Animals

Earth is losing plants, animals and clean water at a dramatic rate, according to four new U.N. scientific reports that provide the most comprehensive and localized look at the state of biodiversity. Scientists meeting in Colombia issued four regional reports Friday on how well animals and plants are doing in the Americas; Europe and Central Asia; Africa; and the Asia-Pacific area. Their conclusion after three years of study: Nowhere is doing well.

The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem was about more than just critters, said study team chairman Robert Watson. It is about keeping Earth livable for humans, because we rely on biodiversity for food, clean water and public health, the prominent British and U.S. scientist said. "This is undermining well-being across the planet, threatening us long term on food and water," Watson said in an interview. Scientists pointed to this week's death of the last male northern white rhino in Africa and severe declines in the numbers of elephants, tigers and pangolins, but said those are only the most visible and charismatic of species that are in trouble.

What's happening is a side effect of the world getting wealthier and more crowded with people, Watson said. Humans need more food, more clean water, more energy and more land. And the way society has tried to achieve that has cut down on biodiversity, he said. Crucial habitat has been cut apart; alien species have invaded places; chemicals have hurt plants and animals; wetlands and mangroves that clean up pollution are disappearing; and the world's waters are overfished, he said. Man-made climate change is getting worse, and global warming will soon hurt biodiversity as much as all the other problems combined, Watson said.

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31 tháng 3 2018

Báo cáo của Liên Hiệp Quốc nhìn một hành tinh cô đơn hơn với ít cây cối, động vật hơn
Trái đất đang mất dần các thực vật, động vật và nước sạch với tốc độ đáng kể, theo bốn báo cáo khoa học mới của Liên Hiệp Quốc. đưa ra cách nhìn toàn diện và địa phương về tình trạng đa dạng sinh học. Các cuộc họp của các nhà khoa học ở Colombia đã đưa ra 4 báo cáo về tình trạng động vật và thực vật ở châu Mỹ; Châu Âu và Trung Á; Châu phi; và khu vực Châu Á Thái Bình Dương. Kết luận của họ sau ba năm nghiên cứu: Không nơi nào làm tốt.

Chủ tịch nhóm nghiên cứu, ông Robert Watson, cho biết nền tảng chính sách khoa học-chính phủ về đa dạng sinh học và hệ sinh thái không chỉ là những con vật. Đó là việc giữ cho trái đất có thể sống được cho con người, bởi vì chúng ta dựa vào đa dạng sinh học đối với thực phẩm, nước sạch và sức khoẻ cộng đồng, nhà khoa học Anh và Mỹ nổi tiếng nói. "Điều này đang làm suy yếu sự thịnh vượng của chúng ta, đe dọa chúng ta lâu dài về thức ăn và nước," Watson nói trong một cuộc phỏng vấn. Các nhà khoa học đã chỉ ra cái chết cuối cùng của con tê giác trắng cuối cùng ở châu Phi và sự sụt giảm nghiêm trọng về số lượng con voi, hổ và tê tê, nhưng nói rằng đây chỉ là loài có khả năng nhìn thấy và hấp dẫn nhất đối với các loài đang gặp rắc rối.



Điều gì đang xảy ra là một ảnh hưởng phụ của thế giới ngày càng giàu có và đông đúc hơn với người dân, Watson nói. Con người cần nhiều thức ăn, nước sạch hơn, năng lượng và nhiều đất hơn. Và cách mà xã hội đã cố gắng đạt được đã làm giảm sự đa dạng sinh học, ông nói. Môi trường sống chủ yếu đã bị cắt đứt; các loài ngoại lai xâm lăng; hóa chất đã gây hại cho thực vật và động vật; vùng đất ngập nước và rừng ngập mặn làm sạch ô nhiễm đang biến mất; và vùng biển của thế giới bị đánh bắt quá mức, ông nói. Theo Watson, biến đổi khí hậu do con người gây ra ngày càng tồi tệ hơn và sự ấm lên toàn cầu sẽ sớm ảnh hưởng đến đa dạng sinh học cũng như tất cả các vấn đề khác

Nowadays in the news you can read a lot about biotechnology and the controversies about it and perhaps you ask yourself what it is exactly. Well, this article is going to give you a brief history of the field of biotechnology and show you that, although the word “biotechnology” was first used in 1919, we have been using biotechnology for many thousands of years in ways that are completely uncontroversial. It will also look at the more modern developments which have started intense debate. ...
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Nowadays in the news you can read a lot about biotechnology and the controversies about it and perhaps you ask yourself what it is exactly. Well, this article is going to give you a brief history of the field of biotechnology and show you that, although the word “biotechnology” was first used in 1919, we have been using biotechnology for many thousands of years in ways that are completely uncontroversial. It will also look at the more modern developments which have started intense debate. When you are drinking a cold beer on a hot day, or eating a delicious cheese sandwich, you can thank biotechnology for the pleasure you are experiencing. That’s right! Beer, bread and cheese are all produced using biotechnology. Perhaps a definition will be useful to understand how. A standard definition is that biotechnology (or biotech for short) is the application of science and engineering to the direct or indirect use of living organisms. And as you know, the food and drink above are all produced by the fermentation of micro-organisms. In beer, the yeast multiplies as it eats the sugars in the mixture and turns them into alcohol and CO2. This ancient technique was first used in Egypt to make bread and wine around 4000BC! Antibiotics are used to prevent and treat diseases, especially those caused by bacteria. They are natural substances that are created by bacteria and fungi. The first antibiotic was made in China in about 500BC – to cure boils. In 1928 Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin and it was considered a medical miracle. Modern research is looking at the creation of super-antibodies which can kill bacteria and viruses inside the cells that house them. Our modern consumer society produces a lot of waste which needs to be disposed of safely and without harmful end products. Environmental biotechnology can help. Indeed, the use of bacteria to treat sewage was first practiced in 1914 in Manchester, England. Vermiculture or using worms to treat waste is another environmentally-friendly practice and the end product is a natural fertiliser. Bacteria have even been developed to help with problems such as oil spills. They convert crude oil and gasoline into non-toxic substances such as carbon dioxide, water and oxygen and help create a cleaner, healthier environment. These examples of biotechnology are accepted by most people. However, the discovery of the DNA structure by Watson and Crick in 1953 was the beginning of the modern era of genetics and the following areas of biotech are very controversial. Read on… The genetic modification of plants and crops has been in practice for many years. This involves changing the genetic code of these plants so that they are more resistant to bad conditions like drought, floods and frost. Supporters of GM food say that it can offer the consumer better quality, safety and taste and for over a decade Americans have been eating GM food. However, things are very different in Europe where genetically modified food is very strictly regulated and regarded with deep suspicion by the public. GM food has even been called “Frankenfood” in the press, a term inspired by the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. There is a great cultural divide between America and Europe over whether such food is safe to eat and will not harm the environment and the discussion is still in progress. 1997 saw the birth of Dolly the sheep, the first animal cloned from an adult cell. This was a remarkable achievement which created world-wide debate on the ethical issues surrounding cloning. International organisations such as the European parliament, UNESCO and WHO all declared that human cloning is both morally and legally wrong. However, we need to make a distinction between reproductive cloning and therapeutic cloning. Nowadays the idea of reproductive cloning – creating a copy of another person - is no longer interesting for researchers. Instead therapeutic cloning is creating excitement in the biotech world. Key to this technique is stem cells, which are master cells that have the potential to become any other kind of cell in the body e.g. nerve cells, blood, heart muscle or even brain cells. Stem cells themselves have generated a lot of controversy as it was believed that only human embryos could provide them. However, it now appears that adult stem cells offer the same possibility. This would mean that a patient who suffered a heart attack could provide doctors with his adult stem cells which could then be implanted back into his heart and used to create heart muscle, replacing the muscle that was damaged. As the genetic code is identical, there would be no problem of the body rejecting the implant as, unfortunately, happens with organ transplants. In the future, biotechnologists hope that stem cells could be used to grow entire organs. In this way biotechnology offers the hope of revolutionising medical treatment. In this brief overview of the history of biotechnology we have jumped from making bread to making human organs - an enormous leap- and it is clear that these modern practices raise many controversial issues. However, despite the debate, we can imagine that as biotechnology has been around for many years, it will still be around for some time to come - but who knows where it will take us? Questions: After reading, choose the best answer for the following questions 1. What is the main topic of the article? Brief history and modern developments of biotechnology Benefit of biotechnology Modern research in biotechnology 2. What does the pronoun "IT" in the first paragraph refer to? Biotechnology The article The word "Biotechnology" 3. Which products were first made with fermentation of micro-organisms? Beer, bread and cheese Bread and wine Beer and cheese Decide whether the statement below is True or False. 4. Alexander Fleming discovered super-antibodies which can kill bacteria and viruses inside the cells that house them. TrueFalse 5. GM food is easily available in the U.S. and Europe. TrueFalse 6.Researchers believe that adult stem cells could be used to create body parts. TrueFalse
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28 tháng 7 2017

Nowadays in the news you can read a lot about biotechnology and the controversies about it and perhaps you ask yourself what it is exactly. Well, this article is going to give you a brief history of the field of biotechnology and show you that, although the word “biotechnology” was first used in 1919, we have been using biotechnology for many thousands of years in ways that are completely uncontroversial. It will also look at the more modern developments which have started intense debate. When you are drinking a cold beer on a hot day, or eating a delicious cheese sandwich, you can thank biotechnology for the pleasure you are experiencing. That’s right! Beer, bread and cheese are all produced using biotechnology. Perhaps a definition will be useful to understand how. A standard definition is that biotechnology (or biotech for short) is the application of science and engineering to the direct or indirect use of living organisms. And as you know, the food and drink above are all produced by the fermentation of micro-organisms. In beer, the yeast multiplies as it eats the sugars in the mixture and turns them into alcohol and CO2. This ancient technique was first used in Egypt to make bread and wine around 4000BC! Antibiotics are used to prevent and treat diseases, especially those caused by bacteria. They are natural substances that are created by bacteria and fungi. The first antibiotic was made in China in about 500BC – to cure boils. In 1928 Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin and it was considered a medical miracle. Modern research is looking at the creation of super-antibodies which can kill bacteria and viruses inside the cells that house them. Our modern consumer society produces a lot of waste which needs to be disposed of safely and without harmful end products. Environmental biotechnology can help. Indeed, the use of bacteria to treat sewage was first practiced in 1914 in Manchester, England. Vermiculture or using worms to treat waste is another environmentally-friendly practice and the end product is a natural fertiliser. Bacteria have even been developed to help with problems such as oil spills. They convert crude oil and gasoline into non-toxic substances such as carbon dioxide, water and oxygen and help create a cleaner, healthier environment. These examples of biotechnology are accepted by most people. However, the discovery of the DNA structure by Watson and Crick in 1953 was the beginning of the modern era of genetics and the following areas of biotech are very controversial. Read on… The genetic modification of plants and crops has been in practice for many years. This involves changing the genetic code of these plants so that they are more resistant to bad conditions like drought, floods and frost. Supporters of GM food say that it can offer the consumer better quality, safety and taste and for over a decade Americans have been eating GM food. However, things are very different in Europe where genetically modified food is very strictly regulated and regarded with deep suspicion by the public. GM food has even been called “Frankenfood” in the press, a term inspired by the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. There is a great cultural divide between America and Europe over whether such food is safe to eat and will not harm the environment and the discussion is still in progress. 1997 saw the birth of Dolly the sheep, the first animal cloned from an adult cell. This was a remarkable achievement which created world-wide debate on the ethical issues surrounding cloning. International organisations such as the European parliament, UNESCO and WHO all declared that human cloning is both morally and legally wrong. However, we need to make a distinction between reproductive cloning and therapeutic cloning. Nowadays the idea of reproductive cloning – creating a copy of another person - is no longer interesting for researchers. Instead therapeutic cloning is creating excitement in the biotech world. Key to this technique is stem cells, which are master cells that have the potential to become any other kind of cell in the body e.g. nerve cells, blood, heart muscle or even brain cells. Stem cells themselves have generated a lot of controversy as it was believed that only human embryos could provide them. However, it now appears that adult stem cells offer the same possibility. This would mean that a patient who suffered a heart attack could provide doctors with his adult stem cells which could then be implanted back into his heart and used to create heart muscle, replacing the muscle that was damaged. As the genetic code is identical, there would be no problem of the body rejecting the implant as, unfortunately, happens with organ transplants. In the future, biotechnologists hope that stem cells could be used to grow entire organs. In this way biotechnology offers the hope of revolutionising medical treatment. In this brief overview of the history of biotechnology we have jumped from making bread to making human organs - an enormous leap- and it is clear that these modern practices raise many controversial issues. However, despite the debate, we can imagine that as biotechnology has been around for many years, it will still be around for some time to come - but who knows where it will take us?

Questions:

After reading, choose the best answer for the following questions

1. What is the main topic of the article?

Brief history and modern developments of biotechnology

Benefit of biotechnology

Modern research in biotechnology

2. What does the pronoun "IT" in the first paragraph refer to?

Biotechnology

The article

The word "Biotechnology"

3. Which products were first made with fermentation of micro-organisms?

Beer, bread and cheese

Bread and wine

Beer and cheese

Decide whether the statement below is True or False.

4. Alexander Fleming discovered super-antibodies which can kill bacteria and viruses inside the cells that house them.

TrueFalse

5. GM food is easily available in the U.S. and Europe.

TrueFalse

6.Researchers believe that adult stem cells could be used to create body parts.

TrueFalse

Read the passage carefully then fill in the blank a suitable word. As swimming became a popular recreation in England during the 1860s and 1870s, several ___ sports developed, roughly patterned after land sports. ___ them were water footbal (or soccer), water rugby, water handball, and water polo, in which player rode on floating barrels, painted to look ___ horses, and struck the ball with a stick. Water rugby became most popular of these sports, but somehow the water polo name became...
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Read the passage carefully then fill in the blank a suitable word.

As swimming became a popular recreation in England during the 1860s and 1870s, several ___ sports developed, roughly patterned after land sports. ___ them were water footbal (or soccer), water rugby, water handball, and water polo, in which player rode on floating barrels, painted to look ___ horses, and struck the ball with a stick.

Water rugby became most popular of these sports, but somehow the water polo name became attached to it, and it's been attached ___ since.

As played in England, the object of the sport was for a player to touch the ball, with both ___, at the goal end of the pool. The goaltender stood on the pool deck, ready to dive on any opponent who was about to score.

Water polo quickly became a very rough sport, filled ___ underwater fights away from the ball, and it wasn't unusual for players to pass out for lack of air.

In 1877, the sport was tamed in Scotland by the addiction of goalposts. The Scots also replace ___ original small, hard rubber ball with soccer ball and adopted ___ that prohibited taking the ball under the surface or, "tackling" a player unless he had the ball.

The Scottish game, which emphasized swimming speed, passing and ___ work, spread to England during the early 1880s, to Hungary in 1889, to Austria and Germany in 1894, to France in 1895, and ___ Belgium in 1900.

Water polo was the first team sport added to the Olympic program, in 1900.

1
15 tháng 3 2018

Read the passage carefully then fill in the blank a suitable word.

As swimming became a popular recreation in England during the 1860s and 1870s, several _water__ sports developed, roughly patterned after land sports. _Among__ them were water footbal (or soccer), water rugby, water handball, and water polo, in which player rode on floating barrels, painted to look _like__ horses, and struck the ball with a stick.

Water rugby became most popular of these sports, but somehow the water polo name became attached to it, and it's been attached _ever__ since.

As played in England, the object of the sport was for a player to touch the ball, with both _hands __, at the goal end of the pool. The goaltender stood on the pool deck, ready to dive on any opponent who was about to score.

Water polo quickly became a very rough sport, filled _with __ underwater fights away from the ball, and it wasn't unusual for players to pass out for lack of air.

In 1877, the sport was tamed in Scotland by the addiction of goalposts. The Scots also replace _the__ original small, hard rubber ball with soccer ball and adopted _rules__ that prohibited taking the ball under the surface or, "tackling" a player unless he had the ball.

The Scottish game, which emphasized swimming speed, passing and __team_ work, spread to England during the early 1880s, to Hungary in 1889, to Austria and Germany in 1894, to France in 1895, and __to_ Belgium in 1900.

Water polo was the first team sport added to the Olympic program, in 1900.

Question II. Read the passage and answer the questions below The search for alternative resources of energy has resulted in various directions. Many communities are burning garbage and other biological waste products to produce electricity. Changing waste products into gases or oil is also an efficient way to dispose of waste. Experimental work is being done to make synthetic fuels from coal, or coal tars. But to date, that process has proved expensive. Other...
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Question II. Read the passage and answer the questions below

The search for alternative resources of energy has resulted in various directions. Many communities are burning garbage and other biological waste products to produce electricity. Changing waste products into gases or oil is also an efficient way to dispose of waste. Experimental work is being done to make synthetic fuels from coal, or coal tars. But to date, that process has proved expensive. Other experiments are underway to harness power with giant windmills. Geothermal power, heat from the earth, is also being tested.

Some experts are trying to revive hydroelectric power which is derived from streams and rivers. Fifty years ago, hydroelectric power provided one third of the electricity used in the United States, but today it supplies only four per cent. The oceans are another source of energy. Scientists are studying ways to change the energy of ocean currents, tides, and waves into electricity. Experiments are also underway to make use of temperature differences in ocean water to produce energy.

1. What are many communities doing to produce electricity?

...............................

2. Has the process of making synthetic fuels from coal, or coal tars proved cheap?

................................

3. Where is hydroelectric power derived from?

..........................

4. What percentage of the electricity used in the United States does hydroelectric power provide today? ......................

..............................

Question III. Fill in each space with a suitable word

A. British and American English have a lot of words which look the same but have different meanings. Nobody ever gets ....(.1)...trouble if they make a mistake, although you may get a strange look if you ask for the wrong clothes. There are some American English words that the British don’t use at .... (2).... . However, most of the .... (3).... between British and American English are small. You can usually understand what words .....(4)..... from the context.

1,...;2,...;3,......;4,.....

B. Rivers are one of the world's most important natural 1. _____. Many cities are on large rivers, and almost every country 2. _____ at least one river that plays an important part 3. ____ the lives of its people. Besides transportation, rivers supply food, water for crops, water to drink, 4. _____ opportunities for recreation.

1. .../2. ../3. ....../4. .......

1
28 tháng 3 2018

Question II. Read the passage and answer the questions below

The search for alternative resources of energy has resulted in various directions. Many communities are burning garbage and other biological waste products to produce electricity. Changing waste products into gases or oil is also an efficient way to dispose of waste. Experimental work is being done to make synthetic fuels from coal, or coal tars. But to date, that process has proved expensive. Other experiments are underway to harness power with giant windmills. Geothermal power, heat from the earth, is also being tested.

Some experts are trying to revive hydroelectric power which is derived from streams and rivers. Fifty years ago, hydroelectric power provided one third of the electricity used in the United States, but today it supplies only four per cent. The oceans are another source of energy. Scientists are studying ways to change the energy of ocean currents, tides, and waves into electricity. Experiments are also underway to make use of temperature differences in ocean water to produce energy.

1. What are many communities doing to produce electricity?

........Many communities are burning garbage and other biological waste products to produce electricity.........

2. Has the process of making synthetic fuels from coal, or coal tars proved cheap?

...............Yes, it has .................

3. Where is hydroelectric power derived from?

.............Some experts are trying to revive hydroelectric power which is derived from streams and rivers. .............

4. What percentage of the electricity used in the United States does hydroelectric power provide today?

..........Today it supplies only four per cent. .............

Question III. Fill in each space with a suitable word

A. British and American English have a lot of words which look the same but have different meanings. Nobody ever gets ..into ....trouble if they make a mistake, although you may get a strange look if you ask for the wrong clothes. There are some American English words that the British don’t use at ....least.... . However, most of the ....different .... between British and American English are small. You can usually understand what words .....different .... from the context.

B. Rivers are one of the world's most important natural 1. __resources ___. Many cities are on large rivers, and almost every country 2. __has ___ at least one river that plays an important part 3. ___in_ the lives of its people. Besides transportation, rivers supply food, water for crops, water to drink, 4. __Besides ___ opportunities for recreation.

ead the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions. Last week I made the mistake of visiting the village where I grew up. It was a small, friendly community with two farms and a number of old cottages round the village green. I realized very quickly that although in many ways it appears unchanged, in reality hardly anything is the same. All the pretty cottages are there, of course, and both the picturesque farmhouses. But...
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ead the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions. Last week I made the mistake of visiting the village where I grew up. It was a small, friendly community with two farms and a number of old cottages round the village green. I realized very quickly that although in many ways it appears unchanged, in reality hardly anything is the same. All the pretty cottages are there, of course, and both the picturesque farmhouses. But none of the inhabitants are country people. All of them are commuters, who leave early every morning for the nearby town. Neither of the farmhouses is attached to a farm these days; the land has been sold and is managed by somebody in an office somewhere who has little interest in the village itself. There are a few new houses, but they have no local character; you can see the same style anywhere in the country. The whole of the village, in fact, has been tidied up so much that it has become nothing more than just another suburb. 1. When the writer revisited his village, he quickly realized that _____________. A. the village changed a lot in appearance B. everything has almost changed C. all the pretty cottages as well as the farmhouses have been built D. the residents of the village are all commuters 2. Neither of the farmhouses _______________ A. has a connection with a farm B. has been sold C. is attached to the farmers. D. is managed by the commuters 3. The word “managed” in the line 8 can be best replaced by ______________. A. controlled B. spent C. used D. taken 4. According to the writer, __________________. A. the village now has no local character B. all the new houses are the same style C. the village is tidier than it used to D. the village has become nothing but a suburb 5. Which of the following is NOT MENTIONED in the passage? A. The writer has visited the village several times before. B. The writer revisited his village last week. C. In fact, the village has changed much. D. The village nowadays has become another suburb.
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Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.  Since water is the basis of life, composing the greater part of the tissues of all living things, the crucial problem of desert animals is to survive in a world where sources of flowing water are rare. And since man’s inexorable necessity is to absorb large quantities of water at frequent intervals, he can scarcely comprehend that many creatures of the...
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Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

  Since water is the basis of life, composing the greater part of the tissues of all living things, the crucial problem of desert animals is to survive in a world where sources of flowing water are rare. And since man’s inexorable necessity is to absorb large quantities of water at frequent intervals, he can scarcely comprehend that many creatures of the desert pass their entire lives without a single drop.

   Uncompromising as it is, the desert has not eliminated life but only those forms unable to withstand its desiccating effects. No moist- skinned, water-loving animals can exist there. Few large animals are found. The giants of the North American desert are the deer, the coyote, and the bobcat. Since desert country is open, it holds more swift-footed running and leaping creatures than the tangled forest. Its population is largely nocturnal, silent, filled with reticence, and ruled by stealth. Yet they are not emaciated. Having adapted to their austere environment, they are as healthy as animals anywhere else in the word. The secret of their adjustment lies in the combination of behavior and physiology. None could survive if, like mad dogs and Englishmen, they went out in the midday sun; many would die in a matter of minutes. So most of them pass the burning hours asleep in cool, humid burrows underneath the ground, emerging to hunt only by night. The surface of the sun-baked desert averages around 150 degrees, but 18 inches down the temperature is only 60 degrees.

Question: The phrase “those forms” in the passage refers to all of the following EXCEPT

A. moist-skinned animals

B. many large animals

C. water-loving animals

D. the coyote and the bobcat

2
19 tháng 3 2018

Đáp án A.

3 tháng 3 2022

A

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.  Since water is the basis of life, composing the greater part of the tissues of all living things, the crucial problem of desert animals is to survive in a world where sources of flowing water are rare. And since man’s inexorable necessity is to absorb large quantities of water at frequent intervals, he can scarcely comprehend that many creatures of the...
Đọc tiếp

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

  Since water is the basis of life, composing the greater part of the tissues of all living things, the crucial problem of desert animals is to survive in a world where sources of flowing water are rare. And since man’s inexorable necessity is to absorb large quantities of water at frequent intervals, he can scarcely comprehend that many creatures of the desert pass their entire lives without a single drop.

   Uncompromising as it is, the desert has not eliminated life but only those forms unable to withstand its desiccating effects. No moist- skinned, water-loving animals can exist there. Few large animals are found. The giants of the North American desert are the deer, the coyote, and the bobcat. Since desert country is open, it holds more swift-footed running and leaping creatures than the tangled forest. Its population is largely nocturnal, silent, filled with reticence, and ruled by stealth. Yet they are not emaciated. Having adapted to their austere environment, they are as healthy as animals anywhere else in the word. The secret of their adjustment lies in the combination of behavior and physiology. None could survive if, like mad dogs and Englishmen, they went out in the midday sun; many would die in a matter of minutes. So most of them pass the burning hours asleep in cool, humid burrows underneath the ground, emerging to hunt only by night. The surface of the sun-baked desert averages around 150 degrees, but 18 inches down the temperature is only 60 degrees.

Question: According to the passage, creatures in the desert

A. are smaller and fleeter than forest animals

B. are more active during the day than those in the tangled forest

C. live in an accommodating environment

D. are not as healthy as those anywhere else in the world

1
13 tháng 3 2018

Đáp án A.