1. Do you collect coins? No, I don’t collect coins, but I do find them fascinating. I think coin collections can tell a lot about history and culture, and I admire people who have the patience and interest to pursue this hobby.
2. Have you ever seen a rare coin? Yes, I’ve seen a rare coin once at a museum. It was an old coin from the 18th century, and the intricate design and historical significance were impressive. It made me realize how much history can be preserved in something as small as a coin.
3. Do you use coins in your daily life? Not as much as before. With the rise of digital payments, coins are used less frequently these days. However, I still use them occasionally for vending machines, parking meters, or small purchases.
4. What do you think about the designs on coins? I think the designs on coins are quite interesting. They often reflect a country’s heritage, famous personalities, or important events. It’s like a piece of art combined with history, which makes coins unique and valuable.
5. Are coins important in your country? Coins are still important in my country, especially for smaller transactions and as part of the national currency system. However, their usage is gradually decreasing due to the increasing popularity of cashless payments.
Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a coin you have seen or used. You should say:
•what the coin looked like
•where and when you saw or used it
•what it was made of and explain why it was special or memorable to you.
Sample Answer: One coin I remember vividly is a commemorative coin issued for the 50th anniversary of independence in my country. It was larger than the usual coins and had a golden finish.
The front side featured the national emblem and the year of independence, while the back displayed an image of a famous monument. I first saw this coin at a local bank when they were promoting it as a collector’s item. It was made of a mix of metals, giving it a unique shine.
This coin was memorable to me because it represented a significant milestone in my country’s history. It wasn’t just a piece of currency but a symbol of pride and celebration. Although I didn’t purchase it, seeing it reminded me of the importance of preserving history through such artifacts.
Part 3: Discussion
1. Why do some people collect coins? People collect coins for various reasons. Some do it as a hobby, enjoying the process of finding unique and rare coins. Others see it as an investment, as certain coins increase in value over time. Collecting coins can also be a way to learn about history and culture.
2. Do you think coins will become obsolete in the future? It’s possible that coins might become obsolete in the future, especially with the rise of digital payments and electronic currencies. However, coins might still exist for special occasions, as collectibles, or for use in remote areas where digital systems aren’t accessible.
3. Are coins more significant for their practical use or historical value? Both aspects are significant. For everyday use, coins are practical for small transactions. On the other hand, their historical value is immense, as they preserve the culture, leaders, and events of a particular era. Commemorative coins, in particular, are valued more for their historical significance than practicality.
4. How do coins reflect a country’s identity? Coins often reflect a country’s identity through their designs. They may feature national symbols, historical figures, landmarks, or cultural motifs. These elements represent the country’s heritage, achievements, and values, making coins a small but meaningful representation of national pride.
5. How can coin collections contribute to education? Coin collections can serve as educational tools by teaching people about history, geography, and art. For instance, studying coins from different eras can reveal changes in technology, governance, and cultural influences. They also spark curiosity and encourage learning about the world.
1. Do you often use public transportation? Yes, I do use public transportation quite often. It’s convenient and affordable, especially for short trips within the city. I usually take the bus or subway depending on where I need to go, and it helps me avoid traffic and parking issues.
2. How do you feel about the streets and roads in your area? In general, the streets and roads in my area are well-maintained, with good infrastructure for vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians. However, during rush hour, traffic congestion can be a problem. I think the government is doing a good job of improving roads and public transport options.
3. Are the roads in your country generally safe? Overall, the roads in my country are relatively safe, though there are areas where accidents happen more frequently. The government has implemented traffic laws and safety campaigns to reduce accidents, but speeding and reckless driving are still a concern.
4. How do people usually travel in your country? In my country, people travel by car, bus, or train, depending on the distance and location. In urban areas, many people prefer using public transportation, while in rural areas, cars are more common. Cycling is also becoming more popular in certain cities.
5. Are there any busy roads in your city? Yes, there are several busy roads in my city, particularly around downtown and commercial areas. These roads often get congested during peak hours, which can be frustrating. Some roads are being expanded or upgraded to ease traffic, but it’s still a challenge.
Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a busy road or street in your city or town. You should say:
•where the road or street is located
•how busy it is
•what kind of traffic you see there and explain why this road or street is important.
Sample Answer: One of the busiest roads in my city is Main Street, which runs through the heart of the downtown area. It’s a major commercial hub with offices, shops, and restaurants, making it constantly busy throughout the day.
During peak hours, the road is filled with cars, buses, and pedestrians, all trying to move in different directions. Traffic can be particularly heavy in the morning and evening, with long lines of cars waiting at traffic lights.
Main Street is important because it connects various districts and provides access to public transport, making it a central route for commuters. It’s also home to many businesses, so it plays a significant role in the city’s economy. Despite the congestion, it’s always lively and bustling, which is part of what makes it special.
Part 3: Discussion
1. How can roads and streets be improved in cities? There are several ways to improve roads and streets in cities. First, expanding and modernizing road networks can help alleviate traffic congestion. Introducing more efficient public transportation options, such as light rail or bus rapid transit systems, can also reduce the number of cars on the road. Additionally, improving pedestrian and cycling infrastructure can make streets safer and more accessible for everyone.
2. Do you think people should walk or drive more? I think people should walk or use public transportation more, especially in busy urban areas. Walking is not only good for health but also reduces traffic and pollution. For longer distances, public transportation is more sustainable and cost-effective than driving. However, for areas with limited public transport, driving might still be necessary.
3. Do you think there should be more restrictions on car use in cities? Yes, I believe there should be more restrictions on car use in congested cities. Implementing car-free zones in certain areas or encouraging the use of public transport through incentives could reduce traffic and pollution. Additionally, promoting eco-friendly transport options, like electric vehicles or cycling, can help address environmental concerns.
4. How important is it to maintain streets and roads? Maintaining streets and roads is very important for ensuring safety, reducing traffic accidents, and supporting the local economy. Well-maintained roads provide smoother driving conditions, making travel safer and more efficient. Regular maintenance also prevents larger, more costly repairs in the future.
5. What impact does traffic congestion have on cities? Traffic congestion can have several negative impacts on cities, including increased air pollution, longer commute times, and stress for drivers. It can also hinder emergency services and reduce overall productivity. Addressing traffic congestion through better urban planning and transportation systems is crucial for improving quality of life in cities.
1. Do you enjoy making people laugh? Yes, I really enjoy making people laugh. It’s a great way to lighten the mood and create a positive atmosphere. Seeing others smile or laugh because of something I said or did always makes me happy.
2. How often do you laugh? I laugh quite often, especially when I’m with friends or watching a funny show. I believe laughter is a great way to relieve stress and stay in a good mood.
3. Do you think it’s important to have a sense of humor? Yes, having a sense of humor is very important. It helps people deal with difficult situations, connect with others, and maintain a positive outlook on life. It can also make social interactions more enjoyable.
4. Who is the funniest person you know? The funniest person I know is one of my closest friends. They always have a witty remark or a clever joke that makes everyone laugh. Their sense of humor is natural and effortless.
5. Do you like watching comedy movies or shows? Yes, I love watching comedy movies and shows. They’re a great way to relax and unwind after a long day. My favorites are sitcoms and stand-up comedy performances.
Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a time when you made someone laugh. You should say:
•who you were with
•what you said or did
•why it was funny and explain how you felt about it.
Sample Answer: One time I made someone laugh was during a team lunch at work. We were all sharing stories, and I decided to tell a funny incident that happened to me during a vacation.
I described how I accidentally walked into the wrong tour group and didn’t realize it until halfway through the tour. I exaggerated the situation for comedic effect, like pretending I was blending in with strangers and trying to act like I knew what was going on.
Everyone burst out laughing because they could imagine how awkward and hilarious the situation must have been. I felt great seeing my colleagues laugh and enjoy the moment. It made the atmosphere more relaxed and brought us closer as a team.
Part 3: Discussion
1. Why do people enjoy making others laugh? People enjoy making others laugh because it creates a sense of connection and happiness. It’s a way to spread positivity and lighten the mood in any situation. Making others laugh can also boost one’s own mood and confidence.
2. Do you think humor is universal, or does it vary between cultures? Humor varies between cultures because it’s influenced by language, traditions, and social norms. What’s funny in one culture might not be understood or appreciated in another. However, certain types of humor, like physical comedy or laughing at shared experiences, can be universal.
3. Can humor help in difficult situations? Yes, humor can be very helpful in difficult situations. It can reduce tension, provide emotional relief, and help people cope with stress. A well-timed joke or lighthearted comment can make challenging moments more bearable.
4. Do you think comedians have an important role in society? Yes, comedians play an important role in society by entertaining people and offering fresh perspectives on issues. They often use humor to address serious topics, making them more relatable and thought-provoking.
5. Is it easy to make people laugh? It depends on the person and the situation. Some people are naturally good at making others laugh, while for others, it might take effort. Understanding the audience and timing are key factors in successfully making people laugh.
1. Do you enjoy talking with people? Yes, I enjoy talking with people, especially when the conversation is engaging and meaningful. It’s a great way to exchange ideas, learn new perspectives, and build connections.
2. What do you usually talk about with your friends? With my friends, I usually talk about a variety of topics, such as current events, hobbies, and personal experiences. Sometimes, we also discuss movies, books, or plans for future trips.
3. Do you prefer talking face-to-face or over the phone? I prefer talking face-to-face because it feels more personal and allows for better communication through body language and facial expressions. However, talking over the phone is convenient when meeting in person isn’t possible.
4. Have your conversations changed compared to the past? Yes, they have. In the past, I used to talk mostly about school and fun activities with friends. Now, my conversations are more focused on work, family, and future goals, reflecting how my priorities have changed over time.
5. Do you think it’s important to be a good listener? Absolutely. Being a good listener is essential for effective communication. It shows respect and helps you understand others better, which is key to building strong relationships.
Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a conversation you had with someone that was important to you. You should say:
•who you had the conversation with
•where and when it took place
•what you talked about and explain why it was important to you.
Sample Answer: One important conversation I had was with my mentor during my final year at university. It took place in her office when I was struggling to decide on my career path.
During the conversation, she asked me about my interests, strengths, and long-term goals. She shared her own experiences and gave me valuable advice on how to pursue a career in marketing, which was my area of interest. She also encouraged me to focus on internships and networking, which turned out to be crucial for my career.
This conversation was important to me because it gave me clarity and confidence at a time when I felt uncertain about my future. Her guidance played a significant role in shaping my professional journey, and I’m grateful for her support.
Part 3: Discussion
1. Why are conversations important in daily life? Conversations are important because they help people share information, build relationships, and express emotions. They also foster understanding and collaboration, which are essential for both personal and professional interactions.
2. Do you think technology has improved communication between people? Yes, technology has made communication faster and more convenient. Tools like messaging apps and video calls allow people to stay connected, even across long distances. However, it can sometimes lead to superficial interactions, as face-to-face communication is more personal and meaningful.
3. How can people improve their communication skills? People can improve their communication skills by practicing active listening, expanding their vocabulary, and being clear and concise in their speech. Joining discussion groups, reading widely, and seeking feedback from others can also help.
4. Is it better to talk with friends or family about personal problems? It depends on the situation and the person’s comfort level. Some people feel more comfortable discussing personal problems with friends because they can relate to them better. Others prefer talking to family members for their experience and support. Ideally, both can provide valuable perspectives.
5. Do you think people talk less in person these days? Yes, I think people talk less in person because of the rise of digital communication. Many prefer texting or chatting online due to convenience. While technology has its benefits, it’s important to maintain face-to-face interactions to build stronger connections.
1. Do you like eating fish? Yes, I enjoy eating fish, especially grilled or baked fish dishes. I appreciate its flavor, and I know it’s a healthy source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids.
2. Have you ever gone fishing? Yes, I’ve been fishing a couple of times. I find it a relaxing activity, as it allows me to spend time outdoors and enjoy nature. Although I’m not very experienced, I like the challenge of catching fish.
3. Is fishing popular in your country? Yes, fishing is quite popular, especially in coastal areas and places near rivers and lakes. Many people fish as a hobby, while others rely on it as their livelihood, especially in fishing villages.
4. Do you think fishing is an important skill? Yes, I think fishing is an important skill, especially for people living in rural or coastal areas where fishing is a primary source of food or income. Even for others, it can be a useful survival skill or simply a way to connect with nature.
5. Are there any places for fishing near where you live? Yes, there are a few lakes and rivers near my city where people often go fishing. Some of these spots are quite scenic and attract both locals and tourists.
Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a time when you saw or caught a fish. You should say:
•where you were
•what kind of fish it was
•who was with you and explain how you felt about it.
Sample Answer: A memorable time I saw a fish was during a family trip to a lake last summer. We visited a popular fishing spot in the countryside, and my uncle, who’s an experienced angler, brought all the necessary equipment.
While fishing, we caught a medium-sized trout. It had a shiny, silver body with colorful patterns, and I found it fascinating to watch it up close. My uncle explained how to handle the fish carefully, and he even let me hold it for a moment before releasing it back into the water.
I was with my family, and we all enjoyed the experience together. It was my first time participating in fishing, and I felt a mix of excitement and accomplishment. It also gave me a deeper appreciation for the patience and skill involved in fishing.
Part 3: Discussion
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of fishing as a hobby? Fishing as a hobby has several advantages. It’s a great way to relax, enjoy nature, and spend time with friends or family. It can also teach patience and focus. However, it has some disadvantages, like the potential environmental impact if not done responsibly, and it can be time-consuming or require expensive equipment.
2. How does fishing contribute to the economy in your country? Fishing plays a significant role in the economy, especially in coastal areas. It provides jobs for fishermen, supports the seafood industry, and contributes to exports. Additionally, recreational fishing attracts tourists, which benefits local businesses such as hotels and restaurants.
3. Do you think overfishing is a serious problem? Yes, overfishing is a major concern as it depletes fish populations and disrupts marine ecosystems. It can lead to the extinction of certain species and affect communities that depend on fishing for their livelihood. To address this, sustainable fishing practices and stricter regulations are necessary.
4. Should children be taught fishing in schools? It could be a good idea in some areas, especially rural or coastal regions where fishing is part of the local culture. Teaching fishing can help children learn practical skills and develop an appreciation for nature. However, it’s important to emphasize sustainable practices and respect for the environment.
5. What impact does technology have on fishing? Technology has transformed fishing significantly. Modern equipment, like sonar devices, GPS, and advanced fishing gear, makes it easier to locate and catch fish. While this has increased efficiency for commercial fisheries, it also raises concerns about overfishing and environmental damage. Balancing technology with sustainable practices is crucial.
1. What work do you do? I work as a software developer for a tech company. My main responsibilities include coding, testing software applications, and troubleshooting technical issues. It’s a dynamic job that keeps me learning new skills.
2. Why did you choose this job? I chose this job because I’ve always been interested in technology and problem-solving. This field offers endless opportunities to innovate and create solutions that can make people’s lives easier.
3. What do you like about your job? I enjoy the variety in my work. Each project brings new challenges, which keeps things exciting. I also appreciate the supportive team environment and the opportunities for professional growth.
4. Is there anything you dislike about your job? One thing I dislike is the long hours sometimes required to meet deadlines. It can be stressful, especially when multiple projects are running simultaneously. However, I try to manage my time effectively to reduce stress.
5. What would you like to do in the future? In the future, I’d like to advance to a managerial position where I can lead a team and work on larger, more impactful projects. I’m also considering pursuing additional certifications to enhance my skills.
Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a job you would like to have in the future. You should say:
•what the job is
•what skills or qualifications are required
•why you would like to have this job and explain how it would change your life.
Sample Answer: In the future, I would like to work as a creative director in an advertising agency. This role involves overseeing creative projects, brainstorming ideas, and managing a team of designers and writers to develop innovative campaigns.
To succeed in this job, I would need strong leadership skills, creativity, and a deep understanding of market trends. A degree in marketing or communications, along with significant experience in the field, would also be essential.
I’ve always been passionate about storytelling and visual design, which is why this job appeals to me. I believe it would allow me to fully express my creativity while making a meaningful impact on brand development. It would also open up exciting opportunities to collaborate with talented people and work on high-profile projects.
If I achieve this goal, it would not only boost my career but also give me a sense of fulfillment and pride in my work.
Part 3: Discussion
1. What jobs are popular in your country? In my country, jobs in technology, healthcare, and education are very popular. The tech industry is growing rapidly, with many people working in software development and IT. Healthcare jobs, such as doctors and nurses, are always in demand, and teaching remains a respected profession.
2. Do you think job satisfaction is more important than salary? Yes, I think job satisfaction is more important because it directly impacts a person’s happiness and mental health. A high salary might be appealing, but if someone dislikes their job, it can lead to stress and burnout. However, a balance between the two is ideal.
3. How has technology changed the way people work? Technology has revolutionized the workplace. It has made communication faster, allowed remote work, and increased efficiency through automation. For example, tasks that once took hours can now be completed in minutes using software. However, it has also led to challenges, such as the need to constantly update skills and the risk of job displacement.
4. Do you think it’s better to work for a company or be self-employed? It depends on the individual. Working for a company provides stability, benefits, and opportunities for teamwork. On the other hand, self-employment offers flexibility and independence but comes with financial risks and responsibilities. Some people might thrive in a corporate structure, while others prefer the freedom of being their own boss.
1. Where did you go to school? I went to a public school in my hometown. It was a medium-sized school with excellent teachers who encouraged students to excel academically and participate in extracurricular activities.
2. What was your favorite subject in school? My favorite subject was English. I enjoyed reading novels, writing essays, and analyzing texts. It sparked my interest in communication and creative thinking.
3. Do you think your education has prepared you well for your career? Yes, I believe it has. My degree in business administration equipped me with theoretical knowledge and practical skills like teamwork and problem-solving, which are essential in the workplace.
4. Do you prefer studying alone or with others? I prefer a mix of both. Studying alone helps me focus and grasp concepts deeply, while group studies are great for discussions and understanding different perspectives.
Part 2: Describe a teacher who influenced you during your education. You should say:
•who the teacher was
•what subject they taught
•how they influenced you and explain why you remember them.
Sample Answer: One teacher who had a significant impact on me was my high school English teacher, Mr. Patel. He was incredibly passionate about literature and always made his classes engaging. He taught us how to analyze texts critically and express our ideas clearly, both in writing and speaking.
What I appreciated most about Mr. Patel was his encouragement. He would always find time to discuss our goals and aspirations, offering advice on how to achieve them. He inspired me to develop a love for reading, which has stayed with me ever since. I remember him because he didn’t just teach a subject; he taught us how to think and believe in ourselves.
Part 3: Discussion
1. What is the role of education in a person’s life? Education plays a crucial role in shaping a person’s life. It provides knowledge and skills, helps individuals develop critical thinking, and opens up opportunities for personal and professional growth. Education also teaches values and social responsibilities, contributing to overall societal development.
2. Do you think traditional education methods are still relevant today? Yes, traditional methods, like classroom teaching, are still relevant, especially for foundational learning. However, they need to be complemented by modern approaches, such as technology-based learning and interactive methods, to meet the changing demands of today’s world.
3. How can education systems be improved in your country? Education systems can be improved by focusing on practical skills rather than just theoretical knowledge. Introducing modern teaching tools, reducing class sizes, and ensuring equal access to education for all students are also essential steps.
4. What is more important: education or experience? Both are important, but their significance depends on the context. Education provides the foundation and theoretical knowledge, while experience helps in applying that knowledge in real-life situations. Ideally, a balance of both is needed for success.
1. What kind of housing/accommodation do you live in? I live in a modern two-bedroom apartment in the city center. It has a spacious living area, a fully equipped kitchen, and a balcony with a nice view of the park. The building also has amenities like a gym and secure parking, which make it very convenient and comfortable.
2. Who do you live with? I live with my family, which includes my spouse and our two children. It’s a good arrangement because the apartment is large enough to accommodate everyone comfortably, and we all enjoy spending time together at home.
3. How long have you been living there? I have been living in this apartment for about three years now. We moved here because it’s closer to my workplace and the children’s school, making our daily routine much more manageable.
4. What do you like about your home? I really like how bright and airy it is, thanks to the large windows and open layout. The balcony is my favorite spot, as it’s a peaceful place to relax and enjoy the view. Additionally, the location is excellent because everything we need is within walking distance.
5. Is there anything you would like to change about your home? If I could change one thing, it would be the size of the kitchen. Although it’s functional, I wish it were a bit bigger to make cooking more comfortable, especially when we have guests over.
Part 2: Describe a house or an apartment you would like to live in. You should say:
·where it would be located
·what it would look like
·what facilities it would have and explain why you would like to live there.
Sample Answer: If I had the opportunity, I would love to live in a spacious house by the seaside. Ideally, it would be located in a peaceful coastal town, not too far from the city, so I could enjoy both tranquility and convenience.
The house would be modern in design, with large glass windows that let in plenty of natural light and offer breathtaking views of the ocean. It would have three or four bedrooms, a cozy living room with a fireplace, and a state-of-the-art kitchen. There would also be a garden where I could grow flowers and vegetables, as well as a patio for outdoor dining.
As for facilities, I would love to have a small private pool and a home office. A garage would also be essential, along with solar panels to make the house eco-friendly.
I’ve always dreamed of living near the sea because I find it calming and inspiring. Waking up to the sound of waves and fresh ocean air would be amazing. It would also be a great place to spend time with family and friends, making it the perfect home for me.
Part 3: Discussion
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in an apartment? Living in an apartment can be convenient because it often comes with facilities like security, maintenance, and amenities such as gyms or parking. Apartments are also usually located in urban areas, making it easier to access work, schools, and entertainment. However, they can feel a bit cramped, especially for larger families, and privacy may be limited due to close neighbors.
2. How do housing needs change as people grow older? As people grow older, their housing needs tend to become simpler and more practical. Younger individuals or families might prefer larger homes with multiple bedrooms for children, while older adults may choose smaller, single-story homes to avoid stairs and reduce maintenance. Proximity to healthcare and community facilities also becomes more important with age.
3. Do you think governments should provide housing for everyone? Yes, I believe governments have a responsibility to ensure that everyone has access to basic housing. Safe and affordable housing is a fundamental need, and without it, people can face serious challenges, including health issues and social instability. While governments may not be able to provide homes for everyone, they can implement policies and programs to make housing more accessible and affordable.
4. How does housing differ between rural and urban areas in your country? In rural areas, houses tend to be larger, more spread out, and often come with outdoor spaces like gardens or farmland. They are also usually more affordable compared to urban areas. On the other hand, housing in cities is often more compact, such as apartments or high-rise buildings, due to limited space. Urban housing is typically more expensive because of the proximity to jobs, schools, and other amenities.
Given the speed at which their workers are growing greyer, employers know surprisingly little about how productive they are. The general assumption is that the old are paid more in spite of, rather than because of, their extra productivity. That might partly explain why, when employers are under pressure to cut costs, they persuade the 55-year-olds to take early retirement. Earlier this year, Sun Life of Canada, an insurance company, announced that it was offering redundancy to all its British employees aged 50 or over “to bring in new blood”.
B
In Japan, says Mariko Fujiwara, an industrial anthropologist who runs a think-tank for Hakuhodo, Japan’s second-largest advertising agency, most companies are bringing down the retirement age from the traditional 57 to 50 or thereabouts – and in some cases, such as Nissan, to 45. More than perhaps anywhere else, pay in Japan is linked to seniority. Given that the percentage of workers who have spent more than 32 years with the same employer rose from 11% in 1980 to 42% by 1994, it is hardly surprising that seniority-based wage costs have become the most intractable item on corporate profit-and-loss accounts.
C
In Germany, Patrick Pohl, spokesman for Hoechst, expresses a widely held view: “The company is trying to lower the average age of the workforce. Perhaps the main reason for replacing older workers is that it makes it easier to ‘defrost’ the corporate culture. Older workers are less willing to try a new way of thinking. Younger workers are cheaper and more flexible.” Some German firms are hampered from getting rid of older workers as quickly as they would like. At SGL Carbon, a graphite producer, the average age of workers has been going up not down. The reason, says the company’s Ivo Lingnau, is not that SGL values older workers more. It is collective bargaining: the union agreement puts strict limits on the proportion of workers that may retire early.
D
Clearly, when older people do heavy physical work, their age may affect their productivity. But other skills may increase with age, including many that are crucial for good management, such as an ability to handle people diplomatically, to run a meeting or to spot a problem before it blows up. Peter Hicks, who co-ordinates OECD work on the policy implications of ageing, says that plenty of research suggests older people are paid more because they are worth more.
E
And the virtues of the young may be exaggerated. “The few companies that have kept on older workers find they have good judgment and their productivity is good,” says Mr Peterson. “Besides, their education standards are much better than those of today’s young high-school graduates.” Companies may say that older workers are not worth training, because they are reaching the end of their working lives: in fact, young people tend to switch jobs so frequently that offer the worst returns on training. “The median age for employer-driven training is the late 40s and early 50s,” says Mr Hicks. “It goes mainly to managers.”
F
Take away those seniority-based pay scales, and older workers may become a much more attractive employment proposition. But most companies (and many workers) are uncomfortable with the idea of reducing someone’s pay in later life – although workers on piece-fates often earn less over time. So retaining the services of older workers may mean employing them in new ways.
G
One innovation, described in Mr Walker’s report on combating age barriers, was devised by IBM Belgium. Faced with the need to cut staff costs, and have decided to concentrate cuts on 55-60-year-olds, IBM set up a separate company called SkillTeam, which re-employed any of the early retired who wanted to go on working up to the age of 60. An employee who joined SkillTeam at the age of 55 on a five-year contract would work for 58% of his time, over the full period, for 88% of his last IBM salary. The company offered services to IBM, thus allowing it to retain access to some of the intellectual capital it would otherwise have lost.
H
The best way to tempt the old to go on working may be to build on such “bridge” jobs: part-time or temporary employment that creates a more gradual transition from full-time work to retirement. Mr Quinn, who has studied the phenomenon, finds that, in the United States, nearly half of all men and women who had been in full-time jobs in middle age moved into such “bridge” jobs at the end of their working lives. In general, it is the best-paid and worst-paid who carry on working: “There are”, he says, “two very different types of bridge jog- holders – those who continue working because they have to and those who continue working because they want to, even though they could afford to retire.”
I
If the job market grows more flexible, the old may find more jobs that suit them. Often, they will be self-employed. Sometimes, they may start their own businesses: a study by David Storey of Warwick University found that, in Britain, 70% of businesses started by people over 55 survived, compared with an average of only 19%. To coax the old back into the job market, work will not only have to pay. It will need to be more fun than touring the country in an Airstream trailer, or seeing the grandchildren, or playing golf. Only then will there be many more Joe Clarks.
Questions 1 – 4: TRUE – FALSE – NOT GIVEN
1/ Insurance company Sun Life of Canada made the decision that it would hire more Canadian employees rather than British ones in order to get fresh staffs. 2/ Unlike other places, employees in Japan get paid according to the years they are employed 3/ Elder workers are laid off by some German companies which are refreshing corporate culture 4/ according to Peter Hicks, companies pay older people more regardless of the contribution of they make.
Questions 5- 6 : According to the passage, there are several advantages to hire elder people, please choose TWO from below:
A their productivity is more superior than the young. B paid less compared with younger ones. C run fast when there is a meeting D has a better inter-person relationship E identify problems in an advanced time
Questions 7-8
According to Mr Peterson, Compared with the elder employee, young graduates have several weaknesses in the workplace, please choose TWO of them below:
A they are not worth training. B their productivity is lower than counterparts. C they change work more often D their academic criteria is someway behind elders’. E they are normally high school graduates.
9/ According to paragraph F, the firms and workers still hold the opinion that: A Older workers are more likely to attract other staff B people are not happy if pay gets lower in retiring age. C Older people have more retaining motivation than young people D young people often earn less for their piece-rates salary.
10/ SkillTeam that has been founded by IBM conducted which of the following movement: A Ask all the old worker to continue their job on former working hours basis B Carry on the action of cutting off the elder’s proportion of employment C Ask employees to work more hours in order to get extra pay D Re-hire old employees and kept the salary a bit lower
11/ Which of the followings is correct according to the research of Mr Quinn: A About 50% of all employees in America switched into ‘bridge’ jobs. B Only the worst-paid continue to work. C More men than women fell into the category of ‘bridge’ work. D Some old people keep working for their motive rather than an economic incentive.
12/ Which of the followings is correct according to David Storey: A 70% business is successful if hire more older people. B Average success of a self-employed business is getting lower. C Self-employed elder people are more likely to survive. D Older people’s working hours are more flexible.
13/ What is the main purpose of the author in writing this passage? A there must be a successful retiring program for the old B order people should be correctly valued in employment C old people should offer more helping young employees grow. D There are more jobs in the world that only employ older people
2/ Computer Provides More Questions Than Answers
A
The island of Antikythera lies 18 miles north of Crete, where the Aegean Sea meets the Mediterranean. Currents there can make shipping treacherous – and one ship bound for ancient Rome never made it. The ship that sank there was a giant cargo vessel measuring nearly 500 feet long. It came to rest about 200 feet below the surface, where it stayed for more than 2,000 years until divers looking for sponges discovered the wreck a little more than a century ago.
B
Inside the hull were a number of bronze and marble statues. From the look of things, the ship seemed to be carrying luxury items, probably made in various Greek islands and bound for wealthy patrons in the growing Roman Empire. The statues were retrieved, along with a lot of other unimportant stuff, and stored. Nine months later, an enterprising archaeologist cleared off a layer of organic material from one of the pieces of junk and found that it looked like a gearwheel. It had inscriptions in Greek characters and seemed to have something to do with astronomy.
C
That piece of “junk” went on to become the most celebrated find from the shipwreck; it is displayed at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. Research has shown that the wheel was part of a device so sophisticated that its complexity would not be matched for a thousand years – it was also the world’s first known analogue computer. The device is so famous that an international conference organized in Athens a couple of weeks ago had only one subject: the Antikythera Mechanism.
D
Every discovery about the device has raised new questions. Who built the device, and for what purpose? Why did the technology behind it disappear for the next thousand years? What does the device tell us about ancient Greek culture? And does the marvelous construction, and the precise knowledge of the movement of the sun and moon and Earth that it implies, tell us how the ancients grappled with ideas about determinism and human destiny?
E
“We have gear trains from the 9th century in Baghdad used for simpler displays of the solar and lunar motions relative to one another – they use eight gears,” said François Charette, a historian of science in Germany who wrote an editorial accompanying a new study of the mechanism two weeks ago in the journal Nature. “In this case, we have more than 30 gears. To see it on a computer animation makes it mind- boggling. There is no doubt it was a technological masterpiece.”
F
The device was probably built between 100 and 140 BC, and the understanding of astronomy it displays seems to have been based on knowledge developed by the Babylonians around 300-700 BC, said Mike Edmunds, a professor of astrophysics at Cardiff University in Britain. He led a research team that reconstructed what the gear mechanism would have looked like by using advanced three-dimensional-imaging technology. The group also decoded a number of the inscriptions. The mechanism explores the relationship between lunar months – the time it takes for the moon to cycle through its phases, say, full moon to the full moon – and calendar years. The gears had to be cut precisely to reflect this complex relationship; 19 calendar years equal 235 lunar months.
G
By turning the gear mechanism, which included what Edmunds called a beautiful system of epicyclic gears that factored in the elliptical orbit of the moon, a person could check what the sky would have looked like on a date in the past, or how it would appear in the future. The mechanism was encased in a box with doors in front and back covered with inscriptions – a sort of instruction manual. Inside the front door were pointers indicating the date and the position of the sun, moon and zodiac, while opening the back door revealed the relationship between calendar years and lunar months, and a mechanism to predict eclipses.
H
“If they needed to know when eclipses would occur, and this related to the rising and setting of stars and related them to dates and religious experiences, the mechanism would directly help,” said Yanis Bitsakis, a physicist at the University of Athens who co-wrote the Nature paper. “It is a mechanical computer. You turn the handle and you have a date on the front.” Building it would have been expensive and required the interaction of astronomers, engineers, intellectuals and craftspeople. Charette said the device overturned conventional ideas that the ancient Greeks were primarily ivory tower thinkers who did not deign to muddy their hands with technical stuff. It is a reminder, he said, that while the study of history often focuses on written texts, they can tell us only a fraction of what went on at a particular time.
I
Imagine a future historian encountering philosophy texts written in our time – and an aircraft engine. The books would tell that researcher what a few scholars were thinking today, but the engine would give them a far better window into how technology influenced our everyday lives. Charette said it was unlikely that the device was used by practitioners of astrology, then still in its infancy. More likely, he said, it was bound for a mantelpiece in some rich Roman’s home. Given that astronomers of the time already knew how to calculate the positions of the sun and the moon and to predict eclipses without the device, it would have been the equivalent of a device built for a planetarium today – something to spur popular interest or at least claim bragging rights.
J
Why was the technology that went into the device lost? “The time this was built, the jackboot of Rome was coming through,” Edmunds said. “The Romans were good at town planning and sanitation but were not known for their interest in science.” The fact that the device was so complex, and that it was being shipped with a number of other luxury items, tells Edmunds that it is very unlikely to have been the only one over made. Its sophistication “is such that it can’t have been the only one,” Edmunds said. “There must have been a tradition of making them. We’re always hopeful a better one will surface.” Indeed, he said, he hopes that his study and the renewed interest in the Antikythera Mechanism will prompt second looks by both amateurs and professionals around the world. “The archaeological world may look in their cupboards and maybe say, ‘That isn’t a bit of rusty old metal in the cupboard.’”
Questions 14-18: Which paragraph A-J contains the following information?
14 The content inside the wrecked ship 15 Ancient astronomers and craftsman might involve 16 The location of the Antikythera Mechanism 17 Details of how it was found 18 Appearance and structure of the mechanism
Questions 19 – 22 : Use NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the Reading Passage for each answer.
An ancient huge sunk 19………………………….. was found accidentally by sponges searcher. The ship loaded with 20……………………….. such as bronze and sculptures. However, an archaeologist found a junk similar to a 21……………………….. which has Greek script on it. This inspiring and elaborated device was found to be the first 22………………………… in the world
Questions 23 – 26 :
A Yanis Bitsakis B Mike Edmunds C François Charette
23/ More complicated than the previous device 24/ Anticipate to find more Antikythera Mechanism in the future 25/ Antikythera Mechanism was found related to the moon 26/ Mechanism assisted ancient people to calculate the movement of stars.
3/ Mystery in Easter Island!
A
One of the world’s most famous yet least visited archaeological sites, Easter Island is a small, hilly, now treeless island of volcanic origin. Located in the Pacific Ocean at 27 degrees south of the equator and some 2200 miles (3600 kilometers) off the coast of Chile, it is considered to be the world’s most remote inhabited island. The island is, technically speaking, a single massive volcano rising over ten thousand feet from the Pacific Ocean floor. The island received its most well-known current name, Easter Island, from the Dutch sea captain Jacob Roggeveen who became the first European to visit Easter Sunday, April 5, 1722.
B
In the early 1950s, the Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl popularized the idea that the island had been originally settled by advanced societies of Indians from the coast of South America. Extensive archaeological, ethnographic and linguistic research has conclusively shown this hypothesis to be inaccurate. It is now recognized that the original inhabitants of Easter Island are of Polynesian stock (DNA extracts from skeletons have confirmed this), that they most probably came from the Marquesas or Society islands, and that they arrived as early as 318 AD (carbon dating of reeds from a grave confirms this). At the time of their arrival, much of the island was forested, was teeming with land birds, and was perhaps the most productive breeding site for seabirds in the Polynesia region. Because of the plentiful bird, fish and plant food sources, the human population grew and gave rise to a rich religious and artistic culture.
C
That culture’s most famous features are its enormous stone statues called moai, at least 288 of which once stood upon massive stone platforms called ahu. There are some 250 of these ahu platforms spaced approximately one-half mile apart and creating an almost unbroken line around the perimeter of the island. Another 600 moai statues, in various stages of completion, are scattered around the island, either in quarries or along ancient roads between the quarries and the coastal areas where the statues were most often erected. Nearly all the moai are carved from the tough stone of the Rano Raraku volcano. The average statue is 14 feet and 6 inches tall and weighs 14 tons. Some moai were as large as 33 feet and weighed more than 80 tons. Depending upon the size of the statues, it has been estimated that between 50 and 150 people were needed to drag them across the countryside on sledges and rollers made from the island’s trees.
D
Scholars are unable to definitively explain the function and use of the moai statues. It is assumed that their carving and erection derived from an idea rooted in similar practices found elsewhere in Polynesia but which evolved in a unique way on Easter Island. Archaeological and iconographic analysis indicates that the statue cult was based on an ideology of male, lineage-based authority incorporating anthropomorphic symbolism. The statues were thus symbols of authority and power, both religious and political. But they were not only symbols. To the people who erected and used them, they were actual repositories of sacred spirit. Carved stone and wooden objects in ancient Polynesian religions, when properly fashioned and ritually prepared, were believed to be charged by a magical spiritual essence called mana. The ahu platforms of Easter Island were the sanctuaries of the people, and the moai statues were the ritually charged sacred objects of those sanctuaries.
E
Besides its more well-known name, Easter Island is also known as Te- Pito-O-Te-Henuab, meaning ‘The Navel of the World’, and as Mata-Ki-Te-Rani, meaning ‘Eyes Looking at Heaven’. These ancient name and a host of mythological details ignored by mainstream archaeologists point to the possibility that the remote island may once have been a geodetic marker and the site of an astronomical observatory of a long- forgotten civilization. In his book, Heaven’s Mirror, Graham Hancock suggests that Easter Island may once have been a significant scientific outpost of this antediluvian civilization and that its location had extreme importance in a planet-spanning, mathematically precise grid of sacred sites. Two other alternative scholars, Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas, have extensively studied the location and possible function of these geodetic markers. In their fascinating book, Uriel’s Machine, they suggest that one purpose of the geodetic markers was as part of a global network of sophisticated astronomical observatories dedicated to predicting and preparing for future commentary impacts and crystal displacement cataclysms.
F
In the latter years of the 20th century and the first years of the 21st century, various writers and scientists have advanced theories regarding the rapid decline of Easter Island’s magnificent civilization around the time of the first European contact. Principal among these theories, and now shown to be inaccurate, is that postulated by Jared Diamond in his book Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Survive. Basically, these theories state that a few centuries after Easter Island’s initial colonization the resource needs of the growing population had begun to outpace the island’s capacity to renew itself ecologically. By the 1400s the forests had been entirely cut, the rich ground cover had eroded away, the springs had dried up, and the vast flocks of birds coming to roost on the island had disappeared. With no logs to build canoes for offshore fishing, with depleted bird and wildlife food sources, and with declining crop yields because of the erosion of good soil, the nutritional intake of the people plummeted. First famine, then cannibalism, set in. Because the island could no longer feed the chiefs, bureaucrats and priests who kept the complex society running, the resulting chaos triggered a social and cultural collapse. By 1700 the population dropped to between one-quarter and one-tenth of its former number, and many of the statues were toppled during supposed “clan wars” of the 1600 and 1700s.
G
The faulty notions presented in these theories began with the racist assumptions of Thor Heyerdahl and have been perpetuated by writers, such as Jared Diamond, who do not have sufficient archaeological and historical understanding of the actual events which occurred on Easter Island. The real truth regarding the tremendous social devastation which occurred on Easter Island is that it was a direct consequence of the inhumane behavior of many of the first European visitors, particularly the slavers who raped and murdered the islanders, introduced smallpox and other diseases, and brutally removed the natives to mainland South America.
Questions 27-30:
Questions 31-36: TRUE – FALSE – NOT GIVEN
31/ The first inhabitants of Easter Island are Polynesian, from the Marquesas or Society islands. 32/ Construction of some moai statues on the island was not finished. 33/ The Moai can be found not only on Easter Island but also elsewhere in Polynesia. 34/ Most archaeologists recognised the religious and astronomical functions for an ancient society. 35/ The structures of Easter Island work as an astronomical outpost for extraterrestrial visitors. 36/ the theory that depleted natural resources leading to the fail of Easter Island actual have a distorted perspective
Questions 37-40: Using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the Reading Passage for each answer.
Many theories speculated that Easter Island’s fall around the era of the initial European contact. Some say the resources are depleted by a 37…………………………..; The erroneous theories began with a root of the 38……………………….. advanced by some scholars. Early writers did not have adequate 39………………………… understandings to comprehend the true nature of events on the island. The social devastation was, in fact, a direct result of 40……………………. of the first European settlers.
Boobies are a small group of seabirds native to tropical and subtropical oceans throughout the world. Their diet consists mainly of fish. They are specialized fish eaters feeding on small school fish like sardines, anchovies, mackerel, and flying fish. When their prey is in sight, they fold their long wings back around their streamlined bodies and plunge into the water from as high as 80 feet, so streamlined they barely make a splash. They travel in parties of about 12 to areas of water with large schools of small fish. When the lead bird sees a fish shoal in the water, it will signal the rest of the group and they will all dive together. Surprisingly, individuals do not eat with the hunting group, preferring to eat on their own, usually in the early morning or late afternoon.
B
There are three varieties on the Galapagos: the blue-footed, red- footed, and masked boobies. They are all members of the same family, and are not only different in appearance but also in behaviors. The blue-footed and red-footed boobies mate throughout the year, while the masked boobies have an annual mating cycle that differs from island to island. All catch fish in a similar manner, but in different areas: the blue-footed booby does its fishing close to shore, while the masked booby goes slightly farther out, and the red-footed booby fishes at the farthest distances from shore.
C
Although it is unknown where the name “Booby” emanates from, some conjecture it may come from the Spanish word for clown, “bobo”, meaning “stupid”. Its name was probably inspired by the bird’s clumsiness on land and apparently unwarranted bravery. The blue footed booby is extremely vulnerable to human visitors because it does not appear to fear them. Therefore, these birds received such name for their clumsiness on land in which they were easy, captured, killed, and eaten by humans.
D
The blue-footed booby’s characteristic feet play a significant part in their famous courtship ceremony, the ‘booby dance’. The male walks around the female, raising his bright blue feet straight up in the air while bringing his ‘shoulders’ towards the ground and crossing the bottom tips of his wings high above the ground. Plus he’ll raise his bill up towards the sky to try to win his mate over. The female may also partake in these activities – lifting her feet, sky pointing, and of course, squawking at her mate. After mating, another ritual occurs – the nest- building which ironically is never used because they nest on the bare ground. When the female is ready to lay her eggs, they scrape the existing nest away so she can nest on exposed ground. Sun-baked islands form the booby’s breeding grounds. When ready the female Blue Footed Booby lays one to three eggs.
E
After mating, two or three eggs are laid in a shallow depression on flat or gently sloping ground. Both male and female take turns incubating the eggs. Unlike most birds, booby doesn’t develop brood patches (areas of bare skin on the breast) to warm the eggs during incubation. Instead, it uses its broad webbed feet, which have large numbers of prominent blood vessels, to transmit heat essential for incubation. The eggs are thick-shelled so they can withstand the full weight of an incubating bird.
F
After hatching, the male plays a major role in bringing fish home. He can bring back a constant supply of small fish for the chicks, which must be fed continuously. The reason is that the male has a longer tail than the female in relation to his body size, which makes him able to execute shallower dives and to feed closer to shore. Then the female takes a greater part as time proceeds. Sooner or later, the need to feed the young becomes greater than the need to protect them and both adults must fish to provide enough.
G
When times are good, the parents may successfully fledge all three chicks, but, in harder times, they may still lay as many eggs yet only obtain enough food to raise one. The problem is usually solved by the somewhat callous-sounding system of “opportunistic sibling murder.” The first-born chick is larger and stronger than its nest mate(s) as a result of hatching a few days earlier and also because the parents feed the larger chick. If food is scarce, the first born will get more food than its nest mate(s) and will outcompete them, causing them to starve. The above system optimizes the reproductive capacity of the blue-foot in an unpredictable environment. The system ensures that, if possible, at least one chick will survive a period of shortage rather than all three dying of starvation under a more ‘humane’ system.
Questions 1- 6 :
Questions 7 – 9: TRUE – FALSE – NOT GIVEN 7/ Boobies are afraid of human approaching. 8/ Female boobies eat more than the male ones. 9/ When there is not sufficient food, the larger chicks will be fed at the expense of the survival of its smaller mates.
Questions 10-13
The courtship of the Blue-footed Booby consists of the male flaunting his blue feet and dancing to impress the female. During the dance, the male will spread his wings and stamp his feet on the ground with his bills 10……………………. After mating, the booby’s unusual demeanor continues with ritual 11…………………… that really serves no purpose. When the female Booby lays eggs, the parental boobies incubate the eggs beneath their 12…………………… which contain 13…………………… to transmit the heat, because of the lack of brood patches.
2/ Chinese Yellow Citrus Ant for BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
A
In 1476, the farmers of Berne in Switzerland decided, according to this story, there was only one way to rid their fields of the cutworms attacking their crops. They took the pests to court. The worms were tried, found guilty and excommunicated by the archbishop. In China, farmers had a more practical approach to pest control. Rather than rely on divine intervention, they put their faith in frogs, ducks and ants. Frogs and ducks were encouraged to snap up the pests in the paddies and the occasional plague of locusts. But the notion of biological control began with an ant. More specifically, the story says, it started with the predatory yellow citrus ant Oecophylla smaragdina, which has been polishing off pests in the orange groves of southern China for at least 1700 years. The yellow citrus ant is a type of weaver ant, which binds leaves and twigs with silk to form a neat, tent-like nest. In the beginning, farmers made do with the odd ants’nest here and there. But it wasn’t long before growing demand led to the development of a thriving trade in nests and a new type of agriculture—ant farming.
B
Foran insect that bites, the yellow citrus ant is remarkably popular. Even by ant standards, Oecophylla smaragdina is a fearsome predator. It’s big, runs fast and has a powerful nip—painful to humans but lethal to many of the insects that plague the orange groves of Guangdong and Guangxi in southern China. And for at least 17 centuries. Chinese orange growers have harnessed these six-legged killing machines to keep their fruit groves healthy and productive. The story explains that citrus fruits evolved in the Far East and the Chinese discovered the delights of their flesh early on. As the ancestral home of oranges, lemons and pomelos, China also has the greatest diversity of citrus pests. And the trees that produce the sweetest fruits, the mandarins—or kan–attract a host of plant-eating insects, from black ants and sap-sucking mealy bugs to leaf-devouring caterpillars. With so many enemies, fruit growers clearly had to have some way of protecting their orchards.
C
The West did not discover the Chinese orange growers’ secret weapon until the early 20th century. At the time, Florida was suffering an epidemic of citrus canker and in 1915 Walter Swingle, a plant physiologist working for the US Department of Agriculture, was, the story says, sent to China in search of varieties of orange that were resistant to the disease. Swingle spent some time studying the citrus orchards around Guangzhou, and there he came across the story of the cultivated ant. These ants, he was told, were “grown” by the people of a small village nearby who sold them to the orange growers by the nestful.
D
The earliest report of citrus ants at work among the orange trees appears in a book on tropical and subtropical botany written by His Han in AD 304. “The people of Chiao-Chih sell in their markets ants in bags of rush matting. The nests are like silk. The bags are all attached to twigs and leaves which, with the ants inside the nests, are for sale. The ants are reddish-yellow in colour, bigger than ordinary ants. In the south, if the kan trees do not have this kind of ant, the fruits will all be damaged by many harmful insects, and not a single fruit will be perfect.
E
Initially, farmers relied on nests which they collected from the wild or bought in the market where trade in nests was brisk. ‘It is said that in the south orange trees which are free of ants will have wormy fruits. Therefore, the people race to buy nests for their orange trees, ‘wrote Liu Hsun in Strange Things Noted in the South, written about AD 890. The business quickly became more sophisticate. From the 10th century, country people began to trap ants in artificial nests baited with fat. “Fruit growing families buy these ants from vendors who make a business of collecting and selling such creatures, “wrote Chuang Chi-Yu in 1130. “They trap them by filling hogs ‘or sheep’s bladders with fat and placing them with the cavities open next to the ants ‘nests. They wait until the ants have migrated into the bladders and take them away. This is known as ‘rearing orange ants’. “Farmers attached the bladders to their trees, and in time the ants spread to other trees and built new nests. By the 17th century, growers were building bamboo walkways between their trees to speed the colonization of their orchards. The ants ran along these narrow bridges from one tree to another and established nests “by the hundreds of thousands”.
F
Did it work? The orange growers clearly thought so. One authority, Chi Ta- Chun, writing in 1700,stressed how important it was to keep the fruit trees free of insect pests, especially caterpillars. “It is essential to eliminate them so that the trees are not injured. But hand labour is not nearly as efficient as ant power…” Swingle was just as impressed. Yet despite this report, many Western biologists were skeptical. In the West, the idea of using one insect to destroy another was new and highly controversial. The first breakthrough had come in 1888,when the infant orange industry in California had been saved from extinction by the Australian vedalia beetle. This beetle was the only thing that had made an inroad into the explosion of cottony cushion scale that was threatening to destroy the state’s citrus crops. But, as Swingle now knew, California’s “first” was nothing of the sort. The Chinese had been an expert in biocontrol for many centuries.
G
The story goes on to say that the long tradition of ants in the Chinese orchards only began to waver in the 1950s and 1960s with the introduction of powerful organic (I guess the author means chemical insecticides). Although most fruit growers switched to chemicals, a few hung onto their ants. Those who abandoned ants in favour of chemicals quickly became disillusioned. As costs soared and pests began to develop resistance to the chemicals, growers began to revive the old ant patrols. They had good reason to have faith in their insect workforce. Research in the early 1960s showed that as long as there were enough ants in the trees, they did an excellent job of dispatching some pests—mainly the larger insects—and had modest success against others. Trees with yellow ants produced almost 20 per cent more healthy leaves than those without. More recent trials have shown that these trees yield just as big a crop as those protected by expensive chemical sprays.
H
One apparent drawback of using ants—and one of the main reasons for the early skepticism by Western scientists—was that citrus ants do nothing to control mealy bugs, waxy-coated scale insects which can do considerable damage to fruit trees. In fact, the ants protect mealy bugs in exchange for the sweet honeydew they secrete. The orange growers always denied this was a problem but Western scientists thought they knew better. Research in the 1980s suggests that the growers were right all along. Where mealy bugs proliferate under the ants ‘protection they are usually heavily parasitized and this limits the harm they can do. Orange growers who rely on carnivorous ants rather than poisonous chemicals maintain a better balance of species in their orchards. While the ants deal with the bigger insect pests, other predatory species keep down the numbers of smaller pests such as scale insects and aphids. In the long run, ants do a lot less damage than chemicals—and they’re certainly more effective than ex-communication.
Questions 14-18:
Questions 19 – 26 : TRUE – FALSE – NOT GIVEN.
19/ China has the most orange pests in the world. 20/ Swingle came to China in order to search an insect for the US government. 21/ Western people were impressed by Swingle’s theory of pest prevention. 22/ Chinese farmers realised that price of pesticides became expensive. 24/ Trees without ants had more unhealthy fallen leaves than those with. 25/ Yield of fields using ants is larger a crop than that using chemical pesticides. 26/ Chinese orange farmers proposed that ant protection doesn’t work out of China.
3/ John Franklin: “the discovery of the slowness”
A
John Franklin (1786-1847) was the most famous vanisher of the Victorian era. He joined the Navy as a midshipman at the age of 14 and fought in the battles of Copenhagen and Trafalgar. When peace with the French broke out. he turned his attention to, and in particular to solve the conundrum of the Northwest Passage, the mythical clear- water route which would, if it existed, link the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans above the northern coast of the American continent. The first expedition Franklin led to the Arctic was an arduous overland journey from Hudson Bay to the shores of the so-called Polar Ocean east of the Coppermine River. Between 1819 and 1822. Franklin and his twenty-strong team covered 5550 miles on foot. Their expedition was a triumph of surveying – they managed to chart hundreds of miles of previously unknown coastline.
B
There followed a career as a travel writer and salon-goer {‘the man who ate his boots’ was Franklin’s tag-line), a second long Arctic expedition, and a controversial spell as Governor of Van Diemen’s Land. Then, in May 1845, Franklin set off with two ships – the Erebus and the Terror – and 129 men on the voyage that would kill him. In July, the convoy was seen by two whalers, entering Lancaster Sound. Nothing more would be heard of it for 14 years. Had the ships sunk or been iced in? Were the men dead, or in need of rescue? Or had they broken through to the legendary open polar sea, beyond the ‘ice barrier’?
C
In his personal correspondence and in his published memoirs. Franklin comes across as a man dedicated to the external duties of war and exploration, who kept introspection and self-analysis to a minimum. His blandness makes him an amenably malleable subject for a novelist, and Sten Nadolny has taken full advantage of this licence. Most important, he has endowed his John Franklin with a defining character trait for which there is no historical evidence: (‘slowness’, or ‘calmness’).
D
Slowness influences not only Franklin’s behaviour but also his vision, his thought and his speech. The opening scene of The Discovery of Slowness (The Discovery of Slowness by Sten Nadolny) – depicts Franklin as a young boy. playing catch badly because his reaction time is too slow. Despite the bullying of his peers, Franklin resolves not to fall into step with ‘their way of doing things’. For Nadolny. Franklin’s fated fascination with the Arctic stems from his desire to find an environment suited to his peculiar slowness.
E
He describes Franklin as a boy dreaming of the ‘open water and the time without hours and days’ which exist in the far north, and of finding in the Arctic a place ‘where nobody would find him too slow’. Ice is a slow mover. Ice demands a corresponding patience from those who venture onto it. The explorers who have thrived at high latitude and at high altitudes haven’t usually been men of great speed. They have tended instead to demonstrate unusual self-possession, a considerable capacity for boredom, and a talent for what the Scots call ‘tholing’, the uncomplaining endurance of suffering.
F
These were all qualities which the historical Franklin possessed in abundance, and so Nadolny’s concentration and exaggeration of them isn’t unreasonable. Even as an adult, his slowness of thought means that he is unable to speak fluently, so he memorises ‘entire fleets of words and batteries of response’, and speaks a languid, bric-a-brac language. In the Navy, his method of thinking first and acting later initially provokes mockery from his fellow sailors. But Franklin persists in doing things his way. and gradually earns the respect of those around him. To a commodore who tells him to speed up his report of an engagement, he replies: ‘When I tell something, sir. I use my own rhythm.’ A lieutenant says approvingly of him: ’Because Franklin is so slow, he never loses time.’
G
Since it was first published in Germany in 1983. The Discovery of Slowness has sold more than a million copies and been translated into 13 languages. It has been named as one of German literature’s twenty ‘contemporary classics’, and it has been as a manual and by European pressure groups and institutions representing causes as diverse as sustainable development, the Protestant Church, management science, motoring policy and pacifism.
H
The various groups that have taken the novel up have one thing in common: a dislike of the high-speed culture of Postmodernity. Nadolny’s Franklin appeals to them because he is immune to ‘the compulsion to be constantly occupied’, and to the idea that ‘someone was better if he could do the same thing fast.’ Several German churches have used him in their symposia and focus groups as an example of peacefulness, piety and self-confidence. A centre scheme (a ‘march of slowness’ or ‘of the slow’), inspired by the novel. Nadolny has appeared as a guest speaker for RIO, a Lucerne-based organisation which aims to reconcile management principles with ideas of environmental sustainability. The novel has even become involved in the debate about speed limits on German roads. Drive down an autobahn today, and you will see large road-side signs proclaiming ‘unhurriedness’ a slogan which deliberately plays off the title of the novel.
I
A management journal in the US described The Discovery of Slowness is a ‘major event not only for connoisseurs of fine historical fiction but also for those of us who concern themselves with leadership, communication and systems-thinking, issues’. It’s easy to see where the attraction lies for the management crowd. The novel is crammed with quotations about time-efficiency, punctiliousness and profitability: ‘As a rule, there are always three points in time: the right one. the lost one and the premature one’. ‘What did too late mean? They hadn’t waited for it long enough, that’s what it meant.’
Questions 27-32:
Which paragraph A – H contains the following information? 27/ What was Sir John Franklin’s occupation before he went on a career of the arctic exploration? 28/ A story John Franklin reacted strangely when he met bullies by other children. 29/ Reason of popularity for the book The Discovery of Slowness 30/ A depiction that Sten Nadolny’s biography on John Franklin is not much based on facts. 31/ The particular career Sir John Franklin took after his expedition unmatched before. 32/ what is the central scheme and environment conveyed by the book The Discovery of Slowness
Questions 33-36:
In his personal correspondence to and in his published memoirs by Sten Nadolny, John Franklin was depicted as a man dedicated to the exploration, and the word of “slowness” was used to define his 33………………. when Franklin was in his childhood, his determination to the 34………………. of the schoolboys was too slow for him to fall into step. And Franklin was said to be a boy dreaming finding in a place he could enjoy the 35………………. in the Arctic. Later in 20th, His biography of the discovery of slowness has been adopted as a 36………………. as for the movement such as sustainable development, or management science, motoring policy.
Questions 37-40:
37/ Why does the author mention “the ice is a slow mover” in the geological arctic, to demonstrate the idea A of the difficulties Franklin conquered B that Franklin had a dream since his childhood C of fascination with the Arctic exploration D that explorer like Franklin should possess the quality of being patient
38/ When Franklin was on board with sailors, how did he speak to his follow sailors A he spoke in a way mocking his followers B he spoke a bric-a-brac language to show his languish attitude C he spoke in the words and phrases he previously memorized D he spoke in a rhythmical tune to save chatting time
39/ His effort to overcome his slowness in marine time life had finally won the A understanding of his personality better B capacity for coping with boredom C respect for him as he insisted to overcome his difficulties D valuable time he can use to finish a report
40/ Why is the book The Discovery of Slowness sold more than a million copies A it contains aspects of the life people would like to enjoy B it contains the information for the flag language applied in ships C it induces a debate about speed limits German D it contains the technique for symposia German churches
