A2-B1

Interactive Readers Audio Files

 CONTENTS
READING PASSAGE PAGE

READING 1 A Life of Studying Fish.................................................... 4 READING 32 We Need More Food ............................................... 128

READING 2 A Social Celebration ......................................................... 8 A Failure of Vaccination

READING 33
In The Modern World .............................................. 132
READING 3 Do You Have Anything to Sell? ..................... 12
READING 34 The Moon’s Effect on the
READING 4 Female Shamans ..................................................................... 16
Ocean Tides ............................................................................. 136
READING 5 Life in the Savannah ........................................................ 20
READING 35 We Know Why We Dream Now ........... 140
READING 6 The Impact of Cartoons ............................................ 24
READING 36 Ice on Celestial Bodies ......................................... 144
READING 7 Access to Education .......................................................... 28
READING 37 Plastic Harm ............................................................................. 148
READING 8 Controversial Technology ...................................... 32
READING 38 Water in the Universe .......................................... 152
READING 9 Controlling the Mother Nature ................... 36
READING 39 The Manes of King ...................................................... 156
READING 10 The Parasite Travels ............................................................ 40
READING 40 The Role of Women in Ancient
READING 11 Let’s Discover the Ladybird ................................. 44 Mesopotamia ........................................................................ 160

READING 12 The Great Sphinx .................................................................... 48 READING 41 The Cycle of Nature .................................................. 164

READING 13 Estates ......................................................................................................... 52 READING 42 From Cuneiform to Alphabets ............. 168

READING 14 A Chemistry Lesson ........................................................... 56 READING 43 The Heat of the Sun ............................................... 172

READING 15 Water Cycle ........................................................................................ 60 READING 44 Solar Energy ............................................................................ 176

READING 16 The King of All Snakes .................................................. 64 READING 45 We Should Care More ........................................... 180

READING 17 Precious Eyes .................................................................................. 68 READING 46 An Unusual Discovery .......................................... 184

READING 18 A Coastal Paradise ................................................................ 72 READING 47 The Search for Happiness ............................. 188

READING 19 The Dangerous Beauties READING 48 The Immune System ............................................... 192
of the Forest .................................................................................. 76
READING 49 The Girls of the World ......................................... 196
READING 20 The Misery of Autumn for Plants ........... 80
READING 50 Andean Bears at a Zoo ....................................... 200
READING 21 What Is a Tepee? ..................................................................... 84
READING 51 The Use of Tears ............................................................... 204
READING 22 A Genius with Many Talents .............................. 88
READING 52 The Amazing Spider Silk .................................. 208
READING 23 Fertile Crescent Or Is It Not? .............................. 92
READING 53 Our Age ............................................................................................ 212
READING 24 I Have Studied Horses All My Life ............ 96
READING 54 The Path to a Better Future ........................ 216
READING 25 Pure Genius ....................................................................................... 100
READING 55 Are We Happy? .................................................................. 220
READING 26 Surviving in the Cold ..................................................... 104
READING 56 The New Rich China ................................................ 224
READING 27 The Mighty Migration .................................................... 108
READING 57 Finnish Legend .................................................................. 228
READING 28 We Care About Looks ..................................................... 112
READING 58 We Believe What We See Online .......... 232
READING 29 Life in Ancient Greece ................................................... 116
READING 59 The Importance of Bees ................................... 236
READING 30 The Obsession with Skin Colour ............... 120
READING 60 Stardust ........................................................................................... 240
READING 31 Warner Bros. .................................................................................... 124
ANSWER KEY ............................................................................................................................ 245
 A LIFE OF STUDYING FISH
READING

I am Edie and I am a fish expert and a scientist. I travel to other parts of the world for
work. I take a team made up of students and other scientists I work with at the museum.
More importantly I always collaborate with people who live there. Sometimes I work
with local scientists, or people from government agencies. Often, I work with local
students. They provide us with a lot of local knowledge and information. In return, we
share knowledge of how we carry out scientific fieldwork. Fishing is a common language;
everyone is an expert. Everywhere I go, I meet people who are natural ichthyologists.
They know everything about the fish in their environment. Every village knows who these
people are. After I’m there for a day or two, they hear about me, and show up. People
have phenomenal knowledge. I love it! Nothing compares to waking up in a tent, in the
middle of nowhere, three days from the nearest town, surrounded by nature. I walk
through rice paddies and beaches. I get really muddy, and I’m always wet. I catch a lot of
fish to study. Back in the Land Rover I need to come up with ways to keep my specimens
alive. I don’t want them to die because I want to be able to observe their behaviour

01 back in the lab. I enjoy all the challenges, solving all the problems. It makes me feel
brave! Before I go somewhere new, I do my homework. I read up on all the fish that
have been recorded there. I look closely at pictures of them, so that when I get there, I
know what to look for. As time goes by, I get more experienced in identifying fish. When I
see something completely different, I can feel confident that it might be something that
hasn’t been described yet by any other scientist. I collect samples of that fish and bring
them back to New York.

READING
1 COMPREHENSION
A Decide if the following statements are True (T) or False (F)
according to the passage.

1 ....................................... Edie catches the fish to take back to his

workplace so as to display them.
2 ....................................... Edie works alone because his job requires a lot
of courage.
3 ....................................... When Edie goes somewhere, he works with
the people and students there.
4 ....................................... When people learn that Edie is in town, they
start looking for him at the beach.
5 ....................................... Edie finds it boring to be travelling to other
places for work.
6 ....................................... He is surprised by the fact that people don’t
know about the fish in their environment.
7 ....................................... Edie explores different parts of a region to find
all the specimen he can find there.
8 ....................................... Edie does a lot of research before he sets off to
a new place for work.
Reading World

9 ....................................... It is not always easy to keep the fish alive till

they come to New York but he manages.
10 ....................................... On each trip Edie gets to stay in luxurious
hotels and he loves it.
4
B Answer the following questions. C Choose the correct option.

1 What is the purpose of the pow-wow 1 People gather in a ---- to dance during
celebrations? the pow-wow celebrations.
.
......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
A) circle
B) rhythm
2 What are some of the Indian tribes
mentioned in the passage?
2 The native Americans wear ----
.
......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
costumes during the celebrations
which other people cannot.
3 What kind of activities are included in the
pow-wow? A) colourful
.
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... B) similar

4 What is the significance of the circle in 3 The costumes the Native American
pow-wow? people wear during the celebrations
.
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... can vary according to which ---- they
belong to.
5 What is the most important element of the A) activity
celebrations? B) tribe
.
......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

4 The Native Americans also show

6 Does the drum signify something important? their ---- for their games during the
.
......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
celebrations as well as other activities.

7 How do you think the Indians learn how to A) dances

make a drum? B) skills
.
......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

5 The ---- is a big part of the

8 Are the dances different from each other? celebrations because it has a special
.
......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
meaning to native people.
A) heartbeat
9 Who decides the winner of the dances? B) drum
.
......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

6 Every dance has different ---- even

10 What is different about each dance? though they may seem the same to
.
......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
some of the people there.
A) steps
B) rhythms

7 The ---- are the people who decide

who has won the dance competitions.
A) chiefs
B) judges

8 Pow-wow drum making goes from

fathers to children as a form of ----.
A) art
B) rhythm

9
 2 VOCABULARY

A TARGET VOCABULARY

capital society privilege explore intrigue

ritual ceremony interact spirit heal
predict divination special lunar last
perform break amuse ancestor situation

B Fill in the blanks with a word from the target vocabulary list in A.
1 The award will take place at noon at the Concert Hall
.................................................................................................

of the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw.

2 Today, advanced computer systems allow authorities to .................................................................................................

where flooding is likely to occur and how severe it will be.

3 Viking is very old. It may go back as far as 2,500 BC. They
.................................................................................................

dominated parts of Europe in those days.

4 Our parents are better able to control their negative emotions in stressful
because they are older.
.................................................................................................

5 Chimpanzees not only eat what people give them, they also use tools to ................................................................................................. open nuts,
and some of them even use tools for hunting.
6 The workplace is typically an environment in which people with different personalities,
communication styles, and worldviews . .................................................................................................

7 Today, the Asante people still remember their ancient traditions. They hold .................................................................................................

ceremonies called durbars to remember their past.

8 The celebrations will ................................................................................................. for several more hours. You can stay if you like but you can also go.
9 Skin is the human body’s largest organ and an organ is a group of tissues that work together to
functions in your body.
.................................................................................................

10 While it is an amazing chance to ................................................................................................. a new place, travel is not without its negative sides
or surprises.

C Circle the correct option.

1 Several NASA spacecraft, such as the Lunar / Ritual Reconnaissance Orbiter, have found evidence of
water ice on Mars.
2 It is difficult to amuse / predict what will happen in the future. The answer to your question is,
therefore, “maybe”.
3 We will not have another ceremony / break till the lunch time, so if you want to eat something you
should eat it now.
4 Keeping a journal can help you fully heal / explore your emotions, and you learn more about yourself.
5 As I practised healthy behaviours like meditation, exercising, eating well on the road of loving self-care,
I began to interact / heal and see situations improving.
6 I have bought a special / lunar gift for my friend but I am not sure she will like it. Can you tell me what
you think?
7 Stress isn’t a bad thing as it has a lot of benefits that help us function on a daily basis. Stress also helped
our ancestors / rituals survive, and it helps us live in our modern world.
8 The opening ceremony / break of the sports event included 5,000 entertainers, the release of 2,000
pigeons, and a military gun salute.
Reading World

9 Many people have divinations / spirits about the future of countries or people’s future but I don’t
believe them.
10 I’ve discovered the importance of finding moments and experiences in everyday activities that lift my
ritual / spirit and make me smile.
18
 LIFE IN THE SAVANNAH
There are many different types of animals that live in the savannah. The species found
in savannahs vary by the geographic location of the biome. Animals which are native to
African savannahs include African elephants, zebras, horses, and giraffes. Many animals
in the savannah are herbivores, which means they eat plants, and there is plenty of
grass in the savannah. During the rainy months, animals thrive in the savannah, but the
READING

rainy season is only half the year. During the dry season, surface water from the rain is
quickly absorbed into the ground by thirsty soils. The
competition for water during the dry season is so
intense that most birds and many of the large
mammals migrate elsewhere in search of water.
Depending on the severity of the drought, the
migration may be to a place nearby, or far
away. The dry season is often associated with
fires. Many insects with short life spans die in
these fires, but the birds and larger animals
are usually able to fly or run to safety. Although
small burrowing animals probably can’t outrun
the flames, they often survive the fire by

05 burying themselves deep into the ground and

remaining there until the flames are gone.
Some birds, such as the Fork-tailed
Drongos, don’t flee the fires; they
actually fly to the fires. For these
birds fire means dinner. They
eat the fleeing or
flame-roasted insects.

READING
1 COMPREHENSION
A Decide if the following statements are True (T) or False (F)
according to the passage.

1 ....................................... There are animals in the savannah that we

may not see anywhere else.
2 ....................................... Only a few animals graze, which means they
eat grass to feed themselves.
3 ....................................... The favourite season for the animals is the
dry season.
4 ....................................... The dry season includes seven months of the
year.
5 ....................................... Water from the rains cannot feed all the
animals in the savannah in the dry season.
6 ....................................... Animals migrate to see the rest of the world
in the dry season.
7 ....................................... How far the animals will migrate depends on
how bad the drought is.
8 ....................................... All insects die during the rainy season due to
floods.
Reading World

9 ....................................... Some animals can escape the fires by staying

under the soil.
10 ....................................... All birds fly to the fire to eat the insects
running away from the fire.
20
 2 VOCABULARY

A TARGET VOCABULARY

species vary location biome native

include grass thrive surface absorb
soil competition intense migrate flame
drought associate insect span burrow

B Fill in the blanks with a word from the target vocabulary list in A.

1 In the winter when the ground is frozen, it is difficult for trees to ................................................................................................. water, so they drop
their leaves.
2 The giant panda is ................................................................................................. to China. That’s why it has become the symbol of the country.
3 Only women compete at the Olympic level in rhythmic gymnastics, while both genders compete in
separate in artistic gymnastics.
.................................................................................................

4 Millions of children live on one meal a day, and many of them are forced to eat ................................................................................................. seeds
and roots in Ethiopia.
5 My name is ................................................................................................. with toothbrushes in this town because I always tell people to brush their
teeth.
6 Sweet lavender can survive better in colder temperatures than some other lavender .
.................................................................................................

7 When we saw the huge ................................................................................................. rising from the fire we were scared. We ran away immediately.
8 Be careful when testing lipsticks, lip glosses, and mascara since bacteria ................................................................................................. in moist
conditions.
9 A hurricane is a(n) tropical storm with powerful winds and heavy rain.
.................................................................................................

10 Pandas are an endangered species. Population estimates but there may be around .................................................................................................

2000 left living in the wild.

C Circle the correct option.

1 Marginal seas of the Arctic Ocean thrive / include: Barents Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, Kara Sea and
Laptev Sea.
2 The U.S. has witnessed increasing numbers of intense / native rainfall events. There have been many
floods.
3 Deserts can be good drought / locations to farm solar energy. They have a huge solar energy potential.
4 In Somalia, a drought / competition has killed many animals which are the main source of income for
millions of nomads.
5 Most bats feed on species / insects, while others eat fruit, fish or even blood. They hunt at night.
6 By telling stories and using space, you can really vary / absorb a lot of information very quickly.
7 In far northern regions, such as Canada or Scandinavia, most species migrate / thrive south to escape
winter.
8 The biome / drought in Greece is not that different from Turkey. They are almost in the same region.
9 It has been felt that organic manures are essential for keeping the soil / competition in good health.
10 Easter Island had around 5,800 residents in 2012. Over 60% of these people are descendants of the
intense / native Rapa Nui people.
Reading World

22
D Choose the correct option.

1 Parasitic bees lay eggs in the nests of other 5 The Pea Crab is the smallest known crab
bee ----. Their larvae eat the pollen and species at just a few millimetres wide. The
honey intended for the host’s larvae! largest one is the Japanese Spider Crab,
with a leg ---- of up to 4 metres.
A) species B) competition
C) soil D) surface A) surface B) burrow
E) biome C) span D) biome
E) soil

2 Hamsters are very good diggers, they will 6 Some famous volcanic eruptions of
create ---- in the soil that can be over modern times ---- Mount Krakatoa in 1883,
half a metre deep, with various rooms for Novarupta in 1912, Mount St Helens in 1980
different purposes. and Mt Pinatubo in 1991.

A) insects B) burrows A) thrive B) migrate

C) surfaces D) species C) include D) burrow
E) biomes E) vary

3 Some 71 per cent of Earth’s ---- is covered 7 Parents sometimes make the difficult
by saltwater oceans, and the continents decision to ----, so their children can
themselves possess lakes, rivers, and, in benefit from things like superior education
some cases, seas. and plentiful job opportunities.

A) species B) biome A) burrow B) include

C) drought D) soil C) thrive D) migrate
E) surface E) absorb

4 Millions of children are starving in Africa. 8 There are over 500 million domestic cats in
Terrible ----, floods and poverty often the world. Cats and humans have been ----
cause a crisis in African countries and for nearly 10,000 years.
people don’t have enough to eat.
A) associated B) absorbed
A) surfaces B) competitions C) migrated D) varied
C) biomes D) soils E) included
E) droughts

23
 CONTROLLING THE MOTHER NATURE
We humans have come a long way in gaining
our independence from the whims of Mother
Nature. We’ve learned how to build
shelters and clothe ourselves. Through
agriculture and irrigation, we can
READING

control our own food supply. We’ve

built schools, hospitals, computers,
automobiles, airplanes and space
shuttles. So what’s the big deal
if a bunch of plants, animals
and simple organisms die out?
Here’s the problem with the loss
of biodiversity: The Earth functions
like an incredibly complex machine,
and there don’t appear to be any
unnecessary parts. Each species,
from the lowliest microbe to humans,
plays a part in keeping the planet running

09 smoothly. In this sense, each part is related.

If a lot of those parts suddenly vanish, then the
machine that is Earth can’t function properly. For
example, the crops that we grow through our clever use of agriculture are enabled by
the nitrogen present in the soil. This nitrogen nourishes and strengthens our crops. But
where does it come from? Worms, bacteria and other life found within the soil love to
decompose vegetation. When they eat, these organisms produce nitrogen as waste,
which crops really love. This is also how nutrient-rich compost is made. If these bacteria
species were killed off, then our crops would not grow properly.

READING
1 COMPREHENSION
A Decide if the following statements are True (T) or False (F)
according to the passage.

1 ....................................... Humans have managed to take the control

from the Mother Nature completely.
2 ....................................... Housing ourselves has been a part of our
struggle against the Mother Nature.
3 ....................................... Making clothes to protect ourselves from the
Mother Nature is a part of housing ourselves.
4 ....................................... Even though the Earth is like a machine,
some species don’t function.
5 ....................................... The microbes don’t contribute less than the
other species to the working mechanism of
the world.
6 ....................................... If we take out even the smallest part of the
biodiversity, the Earth will suffer.
7 ....................................... The nitrogen is only present in the soil.
8 ....................................... The nitrogen helps the crops grow and
Reading World

flourish.
9 ....................................... Nitrogen is actually a waste product but it is
really helpful for the growth of crops.
10 ....................................... The actions of bacteria and growing crops
36 are highly related.
D Choose the correct option.

1 Buddhism is the primary religion in 5 The people of Rhodes were so happy

Thailand and it is practised by about 95% that they didn’t have to take orders from
of the population. Throughout Thailand anybody, so they decided to build a giant
are many Buddhist ---- and grand golden ---- of their favourite god, Helios, to
Buddhist statues. celebrate their continued freedom.

A) temples B) creatures A) creature B) disrepair

C) statues D) tombs C) legend D) pharaoh
E) pharaohs E) statue

2 Osun was the god of magic and medicine. 6 Adult wolves have large feet. A fully grown
People believed he controlled all the plants wolf would have a ---- print nearly 13
and ---- of the rainforest. centimetres long and 10 centimetres wide.

A) promises B) creatures A) course B) paw

C) guards D) rulers C) temple D) passageway
E) pharaohs E) statue

3 The identity of the killer of five women 7 My very first anthropology class ---- it
in the East End of London in 1888 has to me that this is what I wanted to do. I
remained a ----, but the case has continued wanted to be an anthropologist.
to horrify and fascinate people.
A) guarded B) believed
A) disrepair B) power C) carved D) cleared
C) mystery D) legend E) promised
E) guard

4 A tomb was found in Amphipolis, Greece. 8 A cave is a naturally occurring area or space
Inside the tomb, there were two tall marble under the surface of the Earth. Caves are
statues that ---- the entrance. These often a system of interconnected ----
statues are called caryatides. created by the weathering of rock.

A) promised B) guarded A) courses B) mysteries

C) believed D) carved C) disrepairs D) passageways
E) cleared E) statues

51
 SURVIVING IN THE COLD
There are four species of penguins that live in Antarctica: emperors, gentoos, chinstraps,
and Adélies. All these penguins have special adaptations that keep them warm.
However, emperor penguins might be the most extreme birds in the world. These amazing
animals dive up to 500 metres below the surface of the ocean to catch their prey. They
withstand crushing pressures and water temperatures as low as -1.8 degrees Celsius.
READING

But their most incredible feat takes place not in the ocean, but on the sea ice above it.
Emperor penguin chicks must hatch in spring so they can be ready to go to sea during
the warmest time of the year. For this timing to work, emperors gather in large groups
on sea ice to begin their breeding in April, lay their eggs in May, and then the males
protect the eggs for four months throughout the harsh Antarctic winter. It’s dark, windy
and cold. Air temperatures regularly fall below -30°C, and occasionally drop to -60°C
during blizzards. These temperatures could easily kill a human in minutes. But emperor
penguins endure it, to give their chicks the best start in life. Emperor penguins have four
layers of overlapping feathers that provide excellent protection from wind. They also
have thick layers of fat that trap heat inside the body. Have you ever noticed that an
emperor penguin’s body looks too big for its head and feet? This is another adaptation
that keeps them warm. The first place that you feel cold is your hands and feet, because
these parts are furthest away from your main body and so they lose heat easily. This is

26 the same for penguins, so they have evolved a small beak, small flippers, and small legs
and feet, so that less heat can be lost from these areas.

READING
1 COMPREHENSION
A Decide if the following statements are True (T) or False (F)
according to the passage.

1 ....................................... All penguin species have different ways to

protect themselves from the cold.
2 ....................................... Emperor penguins have developed better
adaptations than other penguin species.
3 ....................................... Emperor penguin chicks can bear the cold by
themselves.
4 ....................................... It is the male’s job to hatch the penguin eggs.
5 ....................................... Both the females and males take care of the
baby penguin.
6 ....................................... The humans can bear the cold in Antarctic
winter for a few days.
7 ....................................... The size of their head and feet is especially
developed to keep warm.
8 ....................................... Every being feels cold in the hands and feet
first.
Reading World

9 ....................................... Penguins feel cold from hands and feet first

so they have evolved to have smaller ones.
10 ....................................... The size of their flippers is also related to
keeping warm.
104
D Choose the correct option.

1 Clocks have been with us since the dawn of 5 Donald has blamed the ---- of violence in
ancient human civilizations. Since then, we video games and the Internet for the rise in
have always ---- to improve them, make the number of mass shootings.
them more portable, reliable and easier to
produce. A) personality B) trade
C) migration D) glorification
A) strived B) achieved E) disorder
C) tanned D) lightened
E) indicated

2 We can barter for the use of features that 6 Compared to refined grains, whole grains
we can’t afford for our home. For example, reduce blood sugar response and lower
we might offer to clean someone’s pool insulin levels. Some research ---- that
periodically, in exchange for the ---- of whole grains may also improve overall
swimming there. insulin sensitivity.

A) privilege B) ideal A) refers B) indicates

C) trend D) tone C) tans D) lightens
E) complexion E) achieves

3 Just as there are pros and cons of letting 7 O’Connor was an Irish-born Chartist leader.
machines perform manual ---- jobs, there The Chartists represented the first ---- to
are good and bad points of keeping humans build a party representing the interests of
as manual labourers. the English working classes.

A) skin B) attempt A) statue B) majority

C) labour D) majority C) climate D) attempt
E) outdoor E) labour

4 If current ---- continue, obesity is 8 The earliest documented references to the

estimated to increase for both males and specific act of applauding to ---- approval
females across every age span, resulting in can be traced back as far as the Roman
one third of population being overweight Republic.
by 2025.
A) specialise B) signify
A) obsessions B) glorifications C) sail off D) glorify
C) priveleges D) destinations E) supply
E) trends

123
 ICE ON CELESTIAL BODIES
On Earth, you can find ice in many places; for example, the North and South poles. But
Earth isn’t the only icy world we know of. Ice can be found in many places in our solar
system: on planets, moons, comets and even in the rings of giant planets like Saturn.
Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun. However, that doesn’t mean it’s too hot to
have ice. In fact, Mercury has very deep craters that never see sunlight and are always
READING

cold. NASA’s Messenger mission saw bright spots on Mercury’s north and south poles.
Scientists think the bright spots might actually be water ice that is deep inside craters.
This ice may have come to Mercury from comets and meteorites hitting the planet’s
surface. Both poles on Mars have ice caps that grow and shrink with the seasons. These
ice caps are made mainly of water ice. During winter near the poles, carbon dioxide in
the atmosphere freezes and falls to the surface. In 2017, NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance
Orbiter took photos of the sand dunes around Mars’ north pole. The slopes of these
dunes were covered with carbon dioxide snow and ice; what we’d call dry ice here on
Earth. Saturn has more than 60 moons, all mostly made of water ice. Saturn’s moon
Enceladus has a water-ice crust over a saltwater ocean. The ocean water on Enceladus
sprays into space through cracks in the icy crust. All of this ice makes Enceladus one of
the brightest objects in our solar system!

36

READING
1 COMPREHENSION
A Decide if the following statements are True (T) or False (F)
according to the passage.

1 ....................................... There are more than a few places where you

can find ice on earth.
2 ....................................... Our solar system is full of icy planets and
their moons.
3 ....................................... Mercury is full of ice despite being the
closest planet to the sun.
4 ....................................... Not receiving any sunlight can make it
possible for a crater to have ice in it.
5 ....................................... NASA’s Messenger mission has found ice on
Mercury.
6 ....................................... Comets and meteorites have hit the surface
of the Mercury.
7 ....................................... Comets and meteorites are able to bring ice
on a planet when they hit its surface.
8 ....................................... The ice caps on Mars grow and melt when
the seasons change.
Reading World

9 ....................................... NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter saw

evidence of water ice on Mars.
10 ....................................... One of Saturn’s moons stands out with the
way it shines.
144
D Choose the correct option.

1 The fast growing, tall sweet lavender plant 5 The ---- of following the basic rules of good
has leaves that are more green than most manners shows respect for other people
species and has flower stalks that can ---- and sends the message that you want the
1 m in length. same respect in return.

A) reach B) contribute A) drag B) output

C) act D) generate C) act D) haze
E) drag E) dust

2 Low unemployment and birth rates and a 6 China is the largest producer of garlic,
highly developed welfare system ---- to producing over 10 million tons in 2008 and
modern Sweden having one of the highest accounting for over 75% of world ----.
standards of living in the world.
A) dust B) output
A) reache B) appear C) production D) pollutant
C) generate D) contribute E) haze
E) act

3 As our living and working structures 7 When you keep replaying a mistake you
become more energy efficient, they also made in your head over and over again or
make it easier to trap indoor air ---- which you can’t stop thinking about something
are absolutely dangerous for you. bad that happened, you’ll ---- yourself
down.
A) productions B) hazes
C) drags D) dusts A) appear B) contribute
E) pollutants C) drag D) generate
E) reach

4 When you hold on to your anger, you 8 Newton moved to London in 1696 and took
prevent yourself from feeling happy or up a role as the Warden of the Royal Mint,
positive, because your negative feelings overseeing the ---- of the Pound Sterling.
---- everything else.
A) pollutant B) production
A) appear B) drag C) dust D) haze
C) act D) contribute E) drag
E) block

179
B Answer the following questions. C Choose the correct option.

1 Why does the panda look all white? 1 The unusual panda was first detected
.
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... ---- the forest by a camera which
becomes active when something
2 What is albinism and what does an albino moves.
panda look like?
A) trudging through
.
......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
B) walking along

3 Can we say that the panda has enough

2 The detected bear could be mistaken
melanin?
for a ----. You may get that notion
.
......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
from the way it looks.

4 Which body parts of the panda are affected A) a rare albino panda
by albinism? B) polar bear
.
......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

3 Melanin is a genetic factor that ----

5 What does Li Sheng do? the colour of your skin and if you don’t
.
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... have enough you will have white hair.
A) releases
6 Does the panda have any natural enemies? B) determines
.
......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

4 Unlike what we may think and what

7 What happened in 2017 that is relevant to normally happens, the panda seems to
this case? be ----.
.
......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

A) in need of help
8 Why did people feel forced to save the albino B) in good health
orangutan?
.
......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
5 The albino panda may have problems
with its ---- even though we don’t
9 Where does the saved orangutan live now? know if it will be blind in the future.
.
......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
A) vision
B) predator
10 How many giant pandas can we see in the
wild? 6 There may be people trying to ---- the
.
......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
albino panda because what he has is
not seen very often.
A) hunt
B) see

7 Even though people placed the

orangutan in a protected place there
may be some people who would ----
it as its case is rare.
A) target
B) protect

8 Scientists are currently ---- the albino

panda to protect it from danger.
A) investigating
B) looking for

185
D Choose the correct option.

1 We started paying farmers a little more as 5 The horrible ---- of my wounds horrified
a promise that we will buy their products. my mother and she ran to the doctor. She
The extra profit has helped some farmers came back with him, and he looked at my
send their children to school, build homes, open wounds and prescribed a cream for
and ---- in their farms. treatment.

A) state B) stage A) rate B) state

C) reach D) force C) gender D) effort
E) invest E) health

2 Napoléon Bonaparte was a French 6 This medication can be used to treat

military and political leader who rose to chronic pain resulting from conditions such
prominence during the French Revolution as cancer, ---- HIV, and some neurological
and led several successful ---- during the disorders. Its use doesn’t lead to the
Revolutionary Wars. development of addiction or tolerance.

A) rates B) educations A) stage B) campaign

C) campaigns D) residence C) state D) equality
E) governments E) gender

3 Faraday had only a basic ----. He had only 7 Buddhism is a world religion. People
a minimal understanding of technical who ---- Buddha’s teachings are called
mathematical concepts but was still able Buddhists. There are over 500 million
to produce some of the most important Buddhists in the world.
scientific concepts in history.
A) follow B) reach
A) government B) equality C) force D) travel
C) education D) state E) support
E) charity

4 It’s hard to avoid ---- for the sweets, 8 Racism takes many forms and can happen
especially after a difficult day. And when in many places. It includes ----,
you’re dealing with depression, sometimes discrimination, or hatred directed at
food can serve as a form of self-medication. someone because of their colour, ethnicity,
or national origin.
A) forcing B) investing
C) stating D) reaching A) equality B) force
E) staging C) prejudice D) stage
E) campaign

199
 OUR AGE
For centuries, historians and archaeologists have defined periods of human history. They
have defined them by the technologies or materials that made the greatest impact on
society. Examples include the Stone Age and the Bronze Age. It also includes the Iron
Age. But what age are we in now? For some researchers, that question can be answered
with one word. Plastics. This proposed age is a period resulting from massive human
READING

impact on the planet. This most recent geologic epoch is not yet official. But there have
been many calls for its designation. A recent study argued that the Anthropocene (the
current geological age) began during the mid-20th century with the detonation of the first
nuclear bombs. The last geologic epoch was the Holocene. It is thought to encompass
both the Bronze and Iron Ages. But we do not yet have a tool or material to define our
current age. Scientists point to a few specific changes that humans have wrought on the
planet. These include nuclear fallout and the rapid spread of materials like aluminium,
concrete, and silicon. These offer forensic proof of humanity’s influence on Earth. Plastic
has redefined our material culture and the artefacts we leave behind. It will be found
in stratified layers in our trash deposits. There is no place on Earth that plastics are
naturally made. The wide variety of synthetic polymers would not exist if it weren’t for
human action. About six billion tons of plastics have been made and spread around the
planet. They have been spread from forests to oceans since the first plastic polymers

53 were invented.

READING
1 COMPREHENSION
A Decide if the following statements are True (T) or False (F)
according to the passage.

1 ....................................... Whatever item we use the most in one era

may give that time period its name.
2 ....................................... There was a time in history when iron was the
most prominent material on earth.
3 ....................................... There is an official name given to our age as
well.
4 ....................................... The name that scientists propose for our age
is suggested because we prefer plastic.
5 ....................................... There have been multiple attempts to give
our age the name Plastic Age.
6 ....................................... Some studies suggest that there is no material
yet that we can name our age after.
7 ....................................... An age can be named after a material as well
as a tool.
8 ....................................... In order to name the current geological age
scientists have suggested a few different
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materials.
9 ....................................... Nuclear fallout has had a lot of effect on our
times as scientists suggest.
10 ....................................... Plastic is a naturally found and processed
212 material.
D Choose the correct option.

1 We grew up in ----. We didn’t have good 5 In the ---- parts of China, people are still
education opportunities, but we were struggling with extreme poverty. They
smart, so we have good jobs. don’t have good jobs to pay for food.

A) poverty B) condition A) multinational B) rural

C) wage D) company C) private D) wealthy
E) foreign E) foreign

2 Harry ---- twenty people in his small 6 My fame ---- as a doctor because I could
factory. He is known for being a good boss. heal cancer patients, which is why I can’t
even find time to have a holiday.
A) soars B) argues
C) follows D) encourages A) followed B) employed
E) employs C) encouraged D) soared
E) argued
3 The charity organisation helped the
orphans ---- poverty by giving them good 7 Rich people should pay more taxes, but
education opportunities. they don’t. They hide their money in ----
banks in other countries.
A) set up B) follow
C) lift out of D) change A) wealthy B) basic
E) employ C) foreign D) rural
E) traditional
4 Coca Cola ---- helped millions of poor
children in Africa and will go on to do it in 8 Indian people are very ----. They still do
the future. what their ancestors did hundreds of years
ago.
A) company B) foreign
C) condition D) wage A) international B) rural
E) poverty C) multinational D) traditional
E) wealthy

227
 STARDUST
As strange as it sounds, rocks are made from stardust: dust blasted out and made
from exploding stars. In fact, our corner of space has many rocks floating around in
it. From really fine dust to pebbles, boulders and house-sized rocks that can burn up
in the night sky to make meteors or “shooting stars”. The Moon and our local planets;
Mars, Venus and Mercury, are just the largest rocks floating around our part of space.
READING

These are all made from space dust stuck together over billions of years. Planet Earth
is a rock too, but so much has happened since it was formed from dust and small
rocks that smashed and stuck together 4.543 billion years ago. As the space dust hit
each other to make the Earth, it got super-hot and melted. The Earth was, at that
time, a spinning ball of red-hot lava flying through space. In this melted lava planet,
heavy bits of the Earth sank and the light frothy bits gathered on the surface. Have
you ever looked closely at a glass of milky coffee at a cafe? The dark heavy coffee is
at the bottom, whereas the light, frothy milk sits on the top. Well, our planet was a
bit like that coffee billions of years ago. We don’t see the really heavy rocks these days
because they sank deep in the planet very early on. The rocks we see on the surface are
like the frothy milk! They were light and rose to the top. Then, as time moved on, the
planet cooled and froze to become the solid earth we have now.

60

READING
1 COMPREHENSION
A Decide if the following statements are True (T) or False (F)
according to the passage.

1 ....................................... It can be hard for us to believe what stars are

made of.
2 ....................................... When stars explode they start making rocks
like the way we know them.
3 ....................................... Shooting stars are actually star dust that
eventually become small pebbles.
4 ....................................... Mars, Venus and Mercury are too far away from
our planet, but we have other closer planets.
5 ....................................... These planets took billions of years to form and
become what they are today.
6 ....................................... Our planet falls into the same category as Mars
with respect to the material it is made of.
7 ....................................... There was a time when the Earth couldn’t
sustain life because of its heat.
8 ....................................... When dust was melting on Earth, the planet
was full of lava.
Reading World

9 ....................................... The planet go more and more heated as time

went on.
10 ....................................... The first sinking state of the Earth does resemble
a cup of coffee with foamy milk on top.
240
 ANSWER KEY
READING PASSAGE PAGE

READING 1 A Life of Studying Fish.................................................... 246 READING 32 We Need More Food ............................................... 261

READING 2 A Social Celebration ......................................................... 246 A Failure of Vaccination

READING 33
In The Modern World .............................................. 262
READING 3 Do You Have Anything to Sell? ..................... 247
READING 34 The Moon’s Effect on the
READING 4 Female Shamans ..................................................................... 247
Ocean Tides ............................................................................. 262
READING 5 Life in the Savannah ........................................................ 248
READING 35 We Know Why We Dream Now ........... 263
READING 6 The Impact Of Cartoons ............................................ 248
READING 36 Ice on Celestial Bodies ......................................... 263
READING 7 Access to Education .......................................................... 249
READING 37 Plastic Harm ............................................................................. 264
READING 8 Controversial Technology ...................................... 249
READING 38 Water in the Universe .......................................... 264
READING 9 Controlling the Mother Nature ................... 250
READING 39 The Manes of King ...................................................... 265
READING 10 The Parasite Travels ............................................................ 250
READING 40 The Role of Women in Ancient
READING 11 Let’s Discover the Ladybird ................................. 251 Mesopotamia ........................................................................ 265

READING 12 The Great Sphinx .................................................................... 251 READING 41 The Cycle of Nature .................................................. 266

READING 13 Estates ......................................................................................................... 252 READING 42 From Cuneiform to Alphabets ............. 266

READING 14 A Chemistry Lesson ........................................................... 252 READING 43 The Heat of the sun ............................................... 267

READING 15 Water Cycle ........................................................................................ 253 READING 44 Solar Energy ............................................................................ 267

READING 16 The King of All Snakes .................................................. 253 READING 45 We Should Care More ........................................... 268

READING 17 Precious Eyes .................................................................................. 254 READING 46 An Unusual Discovery .......................................... 268

READING 18 A Coastal Paradise ................................................................ 254 READING 47 The Search for Happiness ............................. 269

READING 19 The Dangerous Beauties READING 48 The Immune System ............................................... 269
of the Forest .................................................................................. 255
READING 49 The Girls of the World ......................................... 270
READING 20 The Misery of Autumn for Plants ........... 255
READING 50 Andean Bears at a Zoo ....................................... 270
READING 21 What is a Tepee? ..................................................................... 256
READING 51 The Use of Tears ............................................................... 271
READING 22 A Genius with Many Talents .............................. 256
READING 52 The Amazing Spider Silk .................................. 271
READING 23 Fertile Crescent or Is It Not? .............................. 257
READING 53 Our Age ............................................................................................ 272
READING 24 I Have Studied Horses All My Life ............ 257
READING 54 The Path to a Better Future ........................ 272
READING 25 Pure Genius ....................................................................................... 258
READING 55 Are We Happy? .................................................................. 273
READING 26 Surviving in the Cold ..................................................... 258
READING 56 The New Rich China ................................................ 273
READING 27 The Mighty Migration .................................................... 259
READING 57 Finnish Legend .................................................................. 274
READING 28 We Care About Looks ..................................................... 259
READING 58 We Believe What We See Online .......... 274
READING 29 Life in Ancient Greece ................................................... 260
READING 59 The Importance of Bees ................................... 275
READING 30 The Obsession with Skin Colour ............... 260
READING 60 Stardust ........................................................................................... 275
READING 31 Warner Bros. .................................................................................... 261

245