BÀI 9: DESERTS

Reading

Sahara Desert

Read the passage and do the task that follows

The Sahara Desert is located in the northern portion of Africa and covers over 9,000,000 sq km or roughly 10% of the continent. It is bounded in the east by the Red Sea and it stretches west to the Atlantic Ocean. To the north, the Sahara Desert's northern boundary is the Mediterranean Sea, while in the south it ends at the Sahel, an area where the desert landscape transforms into a semi-arid tropical savanna. Since the Sahara Desert makes up nearly 10% of the African continent, the Sahara is often cited as the world's largest desert. This is not entirely true, however, as it is only the world's largest hot desert.

Most of the water found in the Sahara today is in the form of seasonal or intermittent streams. The only permanent river in the desert is the Nile River that flows from Central Africa to the Mediterranean Sea. Other water in the Sahara is found in underground aquifers and in areas where this water reaches the surface, there are oases and sometimes small towns or settlements like the Bahariya Oasis in Egypt and Ghardaïa in Algeria.

In addition to being extremely dry, the Sahara is also one of the hottest regions in the world. The average annual temperature for the desert is 30°C but during the hottest months temperatures can exceed 50°C, with the highest temperature ever recorded at 58°C in Aziziyah, Libya.

Due to the high temperatures and arid conditions of the Sahara Desert, the plant life in the Sahara Desert is sparse and includes only around 500 species. These consist mainly of drought and heat resistant varieties and those adapted to salty conditions where there is sufficient moisture. The harsh conditions found in the Sahara Desert have also played a role in the presence of animal life in the Sahara Desert. In the central and driest part of the desert there are around 70 different animal species, 20 of which are large mammals like the spotted hyena. Other mammals include the gerbil, sand fox and Cape hare. Reptiles like the sand viper and the monitor lizard are present in the Sahara as well.

It is believed that people have inhabited the Sahara Desert since 6000 BCE and earlier. Since then, Egyptians, Phoenicians, Greeks and Europeans have been among the peoples in the area. Today the Sahara's population is around 4 million with the majority of the people living in Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania and Western Sahara. Most of the people living in the Sahara today do not live in cities; instead they are nomads who move from region to region throughout the desert. Because of this, there are many different nationalities and languages in the region but Arabic is most widely spoken. For those who do live in cities or villages on fertile oases, crops and the mining of minerals like iron ore (in Algeria and Mauritania) and copper (in Mauritania) are important industries that have allowed population centers to grow.

Nguồn: Internet

BÀI 7: ECONOMIC REFORMS

Reading

Economic Reforms

Read the passage and do the task that follows

The July 13, 2000, signing of the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) between the U.S. and Vietnam was a significant milestone for Vietnam's economy. The BTA provided for Normal Trade Relations (NTR) status of Vietnamese goods in the U.S. market. Access to the U.S. market will allow Vietnam to hasten its transformation into a manufacturing-based, export-oriented economy. It would also concomitantly attract foreign investment to Vietnam, not only from the U.S. but also from Europe, Asia, and other regions.

On November 7, 2006, Vietnam became WTO's 150th member, after 11 years of preparation, including 8 years of negotiation. Vietnam's access to WTO should provide an important boost to Vietnam's economy and should help to ensure the continuation of liberalizing reforms and create options for trade expansion. However, WTO accession also brings serious challenges, requiring Vietnam's economic sectors to open the door to increased foreign competition.

Although Vietnam's economy, which continues to expand at an annual rate in excess of 7 percent, is one of the fastest growing in the world, the economy is growing from an extremely low base, reflecting the crippling effect of the Second Indochina War (1954-75) and repressive economic measures introduced in its aftermath. Whether rapid economic growth is sustainable is open to debate, the government may not be able to follow through with plans to scale back trade restrictions and improving transparency are keys to gaining full membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO) as hoped by mid-2006. The government plans to reform the state-owned sector by partially privatizing thousands of state-owned enterprises, including all five state-owned commercial banks.

Nguồn: Internet

BÀI 8: LIFE IN THE FUTURE

Reading

Tomorrow's World

Read the passage and do the task that follows

Aircraft capable of flying at ten times the speed of sound are being designed for the future. They will take off from an ordinary runway, climb through the atmosphere to the edge of their destination. One day in the 21st century, people will be landing in Tokyo just one hour after taking off from Heathrow Airport in London.

Most of our energy comes from coal, oil and gas. One day these fossil fuels will all be consumed. We should be careful now how we use them and make plans for using less. Our attitudes to energy in the next 20 years will affect the entire planet for centuries. Generating electricity from the wind is a good, clean source of energy to come, but an intrusion on the landscape to others. One critic described them as "like toilet brushes disfiguring the countryside."

Tropical forests are immensely rich. They may cover only six per cent of the earth's surface, but they support over two-thirds of the world's plant and animal species. Scientists believe that a quarter of a million plant species could be made extinct in our children's life time largely because of forest destruction. The forests are a vital source of medicinal plants and so by destroying forests, we may be destroying the drugs which could cure cancer and other serious diseases. In the time it takes you to do this exercise, four more species will have become extinct.

More than three-quarters of the world's fresh water is locked in the ice-caps of the Artic and Antarctica. A small amount of this pure water would be sufficient to transform the dry areas of the world into fertile land. Engineers think that it would be possible to transport an iceberg of up to 10 kilometres in length using a tug the size of a supertanker to pull it. The Sahara desert has the advantage of being close to the sea and could be irrigated using water from the iceberg without the expense of long-distance pipelines.

Pedestrians in the cities of the future could speed through the streets at up to 15 kilometres per hour just by standing still. A network of moving pavements could reduce travelling time and end rush-hour traffic jams forever. A Swiss company has invented a system of high speed moving pavements. Pedestrians will be able to step on and off them as easily as using an ordinary escalator.

Most people would be happy to find a way to stay younger longer and scientists have been working on experiments with hormonal treatments and chemicals to reduce the oxygen content of the blood. But the most promising method of retarding age is through diet. Research has shown that a diet containing all the essential ingredients but with the calorie intake reduced to only three-fifths the normal level could lead to a lifespan of two-fifths longer.

Nguồn: Internet

BÀI 6: FUTURE JOBS

Reading

The Pros and Cons of Freelancing

Read the passage and do the task that follows

If you've considered a career change, then you may also be planning on going it alone and freelancing. Freelance opportunities have rocketed in the past decade, with the Internet making remote working more viable than ever. Depending on the profession, freelancers can also work on a contractual basis on site. Whichever mode of freelancing you're thinking about, it's always a good idea to weigh up the pros and cons of freelancing to see whether you're suited to working in this capacity.

PRO: Flexible Working Hours

One extremely attractive advantage of working freelance is that often you will be able to choose what hours you work, particularly when working from home. Of course, this also drastically reduces or eliminates your time spent commuting! Often if you are working on a project, you will be given a deadline. This means that you can choose what hours you want to work.

If you're a night owl, then you can spend your day working on other projects, hobbies or simply enjoying the 'free time', with evenings spent working. Alternatively, if you wish to cram in lots of work into a 3-day week, it's your prerogative as long as you meet your deadline and deliver quality work.

However it is important that you are disciplined and motivated enough to work under your own steam. Leaving projects until the last minute can cause all sorts of problems, reduce the quality of the finished product and leave you feeling stressed and tired.

CON: Work is Not Always Guaranteed

One major consideration when going freelance is whether you'll be able to secure enough work to meet your financial needs. You might find that you have to build up a portfolio of clients, or if you're contracting there might be periods in between where you're searching for work.

If you're considering freelancing then it is a good idea to either take on some part-time work whilst you build your client base, or have some savings in place as a contingency for any quiet periods. You should also keep your ear to the floor with regard to recessions and economic slowdown, as these can hit freelancers and contractors badly.

PRO: Choosing Your Own Work

As an established freelancer you may have a steady stream of work coming in, and as a result are able to pick and choose which projects you take on, which projects you sub-contract out, as well as which projects you simply pass on. In turn this can also affect your working hours, and gives you control over the type of work you do. If you find you particularly enjoy one subject area, you may be lucky enough to earn enough from accepting only the projects that you enjoy. Likewise, if you enjoy working on a variety of projects, you may be able manage the diversity of your work.

CON: Taking Care of Your Accounts and Taxes

As a freelancer, unless you have your very own accountant, you'll have to take care of your own bookkeeping duties and tax returns. Whether you've set yourself up as a sole trader or limited company, you'll need to be scrupulous with your accounting, as you could be audited at any given time.

New freelancers must register as self-employed within around 3 months of beginning freelance work. If you put off registering, you may find that you incur a penalty fine for not doing so. You must also make sure that you keep on top of your tax and National Insurance payments. Tax returns can take time and can sometimes prove complicated, however, if your bookkeeping and accounting is orderly, it will be much less of a daunting task.

PRO/CON: You Are Your Own Boss

Being your own boss definitely has its plus points - for instance, if you choose to take a few days holiday, you don't have to check with anyone else. There's no set time to get into work, and there's no clock watching, waiting for 5pm to come. You reap the rewards and praise for your work, and don't have to share your profits with anyone else.

However, having no boss to report to or consult can also have its pitfalls. For one, you and you alone will be liable for your reputation and any problems that arise. Your reputation, once dented, may take a long time to recover if you've networked extensively. There will be no one to share the load when the going gets tough, and you may have to deal with problematic or angry clients on your own.

Nevertheless, these are all hypothetical scenarios, and the chances are that if you are dedicated, passionate, motivated and well organised, then you will be able to a make a success out of a career in freelancing.

Nguồn: Internet

BÀI 4: SCHOOL EDUCATION SYSTEM

Reading

Education

Read the passage and do the task that follows

Is it any wonder that there are teacher shortages? Daily, the press carries reports of schools going on four-day weeks simply because they cannot recruit enough teachers. But why? There is no straightforward answer. For a start, fewer students are entering teacher-training courses when they leave school. But can you blame young people after the attack faced by the teaching profession in the UK over the last decade? The attack has been on several fronts. Government inspectors have been feeding the media a constant stream of negative information about the teaching establishments in this country. Teachers also come in for a lot of criticism from politicians. And the government wonders why there are problems in schools.

The government's obvious lack of respect for the teaching profession was recently revealed by one of the most powerful people in government when she referred to schools as 'bog standard comprehensives'. Hardly the sort of comment to inspire parents or careers advisers seeking to direct young people's future. Would you want to spend your working life in a dead-end profession? The government doesn't seem to want you to either.

On the administrative side, most teachers are weighed down by an increasing flow of bureaucracy. Cynicism would have me believe that this stops teachers from fomenting dissent as they are worn out by useless administrative exercises. Most teachers must then also be cynics!

Teacher-attacking has spread to youngsters in schools as the recent catalogue of physical attacks on teachers will testify. If grown-ups have no respect for the teaching profession, young people can hardly be expected to think any differently. The circle is then squared when competent teachers being driven out of the profession by the increased pressure and stress; fewer students are applying for teacher-training courses.

In the educational field, there is surprisingly constant tension between the educational theorists and government officials on the one hand, who would like to see teachers marching in unison to some greater Utopian abstraction and, on the other, practising teachers. Any experienced classroom practitioner knows that the series of initiatives on teaching and learning that successive governments have tried to foist on schools and colleges do not work.

Task

Fill the word or phrase in the summary

Is it surprising that there is a  of teachers? Schools do not have enough teachers, but what are the reasons for this? To begin with, fewer students are going into  courses after finishing schools. But this is not young people's fault. The  of teaching has been under constant attack over the last ten years. The government's lack of respect for the profession is . Moreover, on the administrative side, the flow of bureaucracy is . Even pupils in schools have no respect for those who teach them, as a series of assaults on teachers shows. The growing pressure and stress means that as well as fewer applications for teacher-training courses, teachers who have experience and are  are also being driven out.

Nguồn: Internet

BÀI 5: HIGHER EDUCATION

Reading

Higher Education in the USA

Read the passage and do the task that follows/do the tasks that follow

There is no national system of higher education in the USA. Basically American higher education developed its own pattern by the adaption of two traditions: the collegiate tradition of England and the university tradition of the continent.

In the USA there is no consistent distinction between the term "college" and "university". The general tendency, however, is to call a college a higher educational institution offering mainly courses of instruction leading to the Bachelor's degree; a university is a college or a group of colleges or departments under one control offering courses of instruction leading not only to the Bachelor's degree but also the Master's and the Doctor's degree. The term college is also sometimes loosely applied to institutions which are actually only secondary schools.

The American college, although it is the outgrowth of the English college of Oxford and Cambridge, has developed into an institution which has no counterpart in Europe. The college course of study, at first three years in duration, was soon extended to 4 years and the classes are uniformly known as the freshman, the sophomore, the junior and the senior.

The traditional degree which crowns the college course is that of Bachelor of Arts (B.A.). The studies ordinarily insisted on in case of candidates for this degree are Latin, Greek, mathematics, English, philosophy, political economy, history and at least one modern European language (French or German) and at least one natural science.

Nguồn: Internet

BÀI 2: CULTURAL DIVERSITY

Reading

Wedding Custom

Read the passage and do the tasks that follow

Marriage is an ancient religious and legal practice celebrated around the world. Although the reasons that people marry are similar in many places, wedding customs vary from country to country.

In many countries, it is customary for the bride to wear a white dress as a symbol of purity. In traditional Japanese wedding ceremonies, the bride wears a white kimono. The tradition of wearing a special white dress only for the wedding ceremony started around 150 years ago. Before that, most women could not afford to buy a dress that they would only wear once. Now, bridal dresses can be bought in a variety of styles and fabrics, and many brides have their dress specially made.

In different countries, colors other than white are worn by the bride or used as part of the wedding ceremony. In certain Asian countries and in the Middle East, red and orange are considered symbols of joy and happiness. In Chinese cultures, wedding invitations are usually red and gold as these are colors symbolic of wealth and happiness. Wedding guests give gifts of money to the newlyweds in small red envelopes. Not all cultures, though, consider money a suitable gift. In many Western countries, especially the U.K, wedding guests give the bride and groom household items that they may need for their new home.

As part of many traditional wedding ceremonies, a bride wears a veil. Wearing a veil that covers the head and face is a tradition that is over 2,000 years old. Veils were originally worn as a sign of secrecy and modesty and could only be removed by the husband after the ceremony. Today, many brides wear a veil, but only for decoration. In some countries, a veil is placed between the bride and groom during the wedding ceremony so that they cannot see or touch each other until they are married.

In many cultures, couples exchange rings, usually made of gold or silver, during the marriage ceremony. The circular shape of the ring is symbolic of the couple’s eternal union. In Brazil, it is traditional to have the rings engraved, with the bride’s name on the groom’s ring, and vice versa. The wedding ring is usually worn on the third finger of the left or right hand, because it was once believed that a vein ran directly from this finger to the heart.

Flowers play an important role in most weddings. Roses are said to be the flowers of love, and because roses usually bloom in June, this has become the most popular month for weddings in many countries. Ivy is also used in wedding bouquets because in early Greek times, it was thought to be a sign of everlasting love. After the wedding ceremony, it is customary in many countries for the bride to throw her bouquet into a crowd of well wishers-usually her single female friends. It is said that the person who catches the bouquet will be the next to marry. In Turkey, when a woman gets married, her female friends write their names on the inside of the shoes the bride will wear on her wedding day. After the ceremony, if someone’s name has rubbed off and cannot be read, it is said that this person will be the next to marry.

Many wedding customs that originated in one part of the world have been incorporated into marriage ceremonies in other countries. Today, couples can choose from many of the world’s traditional customs to create their own special ceremony.

Nguồn: Internet