NMT NATURE 2

TASK 1

Read the text below. For questions (1—5) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

A WEEK IN THE AMAZON JUNGLE

As I stand atop the thirty-foot muddy bank of the Amazon River, I look across the tall grass towards a Bora tribal village. I am about to spend a life-changing week free from the complexity of city life. Down the narrow dirt path walks a young girl, no more than ten years old, stopping long enough to give me a look that shows innocent curiosity. Following her lead, an elderly lady leisurely walks by and greets me with a smile — her face covered in bright white powder from a recent healing ceremony.

Lifting the two large drums of water onto my shoulders, I hike towards the small wooden shelter that would be my home for the coming week. The rusty brown path radiated with intense heat, and the sweltering humidity made every touch of my clothing against the skin a reminder of how grubby I felt. The eleven-hour overnight riverboat journey, which had only ended hours earlier, had left a mark on me, both physically and emotionally. Seeing the lush, peaceful surroundings before me, the fears of not reaching our destination gradually fades from my immediate thoughts.

The wooden-slat hut rested upon stilts nearly four feet high, and provided a much-needed,although ineffective, barrier against the countless bugs and insects who would also call these tropical grounds their home.

The young family welcomed me into their home, standing together quietly, watching. Sharing no common language, I smiled and waited as Orlando stepped forward, speaking their native tongue.

Orlando, my guide, was an ex-commando who seemed to be comfortable in any unpleasant situation. With a machete always at his side, he was ready for anything, and was instrumental in escorting me well past my usual comfort zone.

Two days earlier, as I sat uncomfortably in Orlando’s pale green office, I was suddenly struck by his tough demeanour when he asked, «For the next week, would you like me to bring my shotgun and we only eat what we hunt — maybe caimans and monkeys?»

The hut consisted of three open areas — a main room that was large enough for several hammocks and an eating table, a smaller room for a teenage girl with her daughters, and a walkway that connected to a cooking area that buzzed with activity. The roof was covered with tied palm leaves, allowing small hints of skylight (or rain) to stream down upon me. The large window gave my room a very airy feel, full of every imaginable irritating flying insect.

The air was fresh with the smell of wet grass after the daily thunder and downpour. A pair of blue iridescent Morpho butterflies chased each other past my window into the field. With more than ten feet of rainfall a year, the lush surroundings come as no surprise.

My hammock attached to a sturdy beam, I fell into the handmade webbing and searched for some essence of relaxation. Unfortunately, the salty sweat beading down my face and the constant swarm of tiny flesh-seeking flies negated any of the relaxation that a hammock in the shade might have offered.

1 The man was going to spend in the jungle...

TASK 1

Read the text below. For questions (1—5) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

A WEEK IN THE AMAZON JUNGLE

As I stand atop the thirty-foot muddy bank of the Amazon River, I look across the tall grass towards a Bora tribal village. I am about to spend a life-changing week free from the complexity of city life. Down the narrow dirt path walks a young girl, no more than ten years old, stopping long enough to give me a look that shows innocent curiosity. Following her lead, an elderly lady leisurely walks by and greets me with a smile — her face covered in bright white powder from a recent healing ceremony.

Lifting the two large drums of water onto my shoulders, I hike towards the small wooden shelter that would be my home for the coming week. The rusty brown path radiated with intense heat, and the sweltering humidity made every touch of my clothing against the skin a reminder of how grubby I felt. The eleven-hour overnight riverboat journey, which had only ended hours earlier, had left a mark on me, both physically and emotionally. Seeing the lush, peaceful surroundings before me, the fears of not reaching our destination gradually fades from my immediate thoughts.

The wooden-slat hut rested upon stilts nearly four feet high, and provided a much-needed,although ineffective, barrier against the countless bugs and insects who would also call these tropical grounds their home.

The young family welcomed me into their home, standing together quietly, watching. Sharing no common language, I smiled and waited as Orlando stepped forward, speaking their native tongue.

Orlando, my guide, was an ex-commando who seemed to be comfortable in any unpleasant situation. With a machete always at his side, he was ready for anything, and was instrumental in escorting me well past my usual comfort zone.

Two days earlier, as I sat uncomfortably in Orlando’s pale green office, I was suddenly struck by his tough demeanour when he asked, «For the next week, would you like me to bring my shotgun and we only eat what we hunt — maybe caimans and monkeys?»

The hut consisted of three open areas — a main room that was large enough for several hammocks and an eating table, a smaller room for a teenage girl with her daughters, and a walkway that connected to a cooking area that buzzed with activity. The roof was covered with tied palm leaves, allowing small hints of skylight (or rain) to stream down upon me. The large window gave my room a very airy feel, full of every imaginable irritating flying insect.

The air was fresh with the smell of wet grass after the daily thunder and downpour. A pair of blue iridescent Morpho butterflies chased each other past my window into the field. With more than ten feet of rainfall a year, the lush surroundings come as no surprise.

My hammock attached to a sturdy beam, I fell into the handmade webbing and searched for some essence of relaxation. Unfortunately, the salty sweat beading down my face and the constant swarm of tiny flesh-seeking flies negated any of the relaxation that a hammock in the shade might have offered.

2 The author after the trip to the tribal village...

TASK 1

Read the text below. For questions (1—5) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

A WEEK IN THE AMAZON JUNGLE

As I stand atop the thirty-foot muddy bank of the Amazon River, I look across the tall grass towards a Bora tribal village. I am about to spend a life-changing week free from the complexity of city life. Down the narrow dirt path walks a young girl, no more than ten years old, stopping long enough to give me a look that shows innocent curiosity. Following her lead, an elderly lady leisurely walks by and greets me with a smile — her face covered in bright white powder from a recent healing ceremony.

Lifting the two large drums of water onto my shoulders, I hike towards the small wooden shelter that would be my home for the coming week. The rusty brown path radiated with intense heat, and the sweltering humidity made every touch of my clothing against the skin a reminder of how grubby I felt. The eleven-hour overnight riverboat journey, which had only ended hours earlier, had left a mark on me, both physically and emotionally. Seeing the lush, peaceful surroundings before me, the fears of not reaching our destination gradually fades from my immediate thoughts.

The wooden-slat hut rested upon stilts nearly four feet high, and provided a much-needed,although ineffective, barrier against the countless bugs and insects who would also call these tropical grounds their home.

The young family welcomed me into their home, standing together quietly, watching. Sharing no common language, I smiled and waited as Orlando stepped forward, speaking their native tongue.

Orlando, my guide, was an ex-commando who seemed to be comfortable in any unpleasant situation. With a machete always at his side, he was ready for anything, and was instrumental in escorting me well past my usual comfort zone.

Two days earlier, as I sat uncomfortably in Orlando’s pale green office, I was suddenly struck by his tough demeanour when he asked, «For the next week, would you like me to bring my shotgun and we only eat what we hunt — maybe caimans and monkeys?»

The hut consisted of three open areas — a main room that was large enough for several hammocks and an eating table, a smaller room for a teenage girl with her daughters, and a walkway that connected to a cooking area that buzzed with activity. The roof was covered with tied palm leaves, allowing small hints of skylight (or rain) to stream down upon me. The large window gave my room a very airy feel, full of every imaginable irritating flying insect.

The air was fresh with the smell of wet grass after the daily thunder and downpour. A pair of blue iridescent Morpho butterflies chased each other past my window into the field. With more than ten feet of rainfall a year, the lush surroundings come as no surprise.

My hammock attached to a sturdy beam, I fell into the handmade webbing and searched for some essence of relaxation. Unfortunately, the salty sweat beading down my face and the constant swarm of tiny flesh-seeking flies negated any of the relaxation that a hammock in the shade might have offered.

3 The author’s shelter...

TASK 1

Read the text below. For questions (1—5) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

A WEEK IN THE AMAZON JUNGLE

As I stand atop the thirty-foot muddy bank of the Amazon River, I look across the tall grass towards a Bora tribal village. I am about to spend a life-changing week free from the complexity of city life. Down the narrow dirt path walks a young girl, no more than ten years old, stopping long enough to give me a look that shows innocent curiosity. Following her lead, an elderly lady leisurely walks by and greets me with a smile — her face covered in bright white powder from a recent healing ceremony.

Lifting the two large drums of water onto my shoulders, I hike towards the small wooden shelter that would be my home for the coming week. The rusty brown path radiated with intense heat, and the sweltering humidity made every touch of my clothing against the skin a reminder of how grubby I felt. The eleven-hour overnight riverboat journey, which had only ended hours earlier, had left a mark on me, both physically and emotionally. Seeing the lush, peaceful surroundings before me, the fears of not reaching our destination gradually fades from my immediate thoughts.

The wooden-slat hut rested upon stilts nearly four feet high, and provided a much-needed,although ineffective, barrier against the countless bugs and insects who would also call these tropical grounds their home.

The young family welcomed me into their home, standing together quietly, watching. Sharing no common language, I smiled and waited as Orlando stepped forward, speaking their native tongue.

Orlando, my guide, was an ex-commando who seemed to be comfortable in any unpleasant situation. With a machete always at his side, he was ready for anything, and was instrumental in escorting me well past my usual comfort zone.

Two days earlier, as I sat uncomfortably in Orlando’s pale green office, I was suddenly struck by his tough demeanour when he asked, «For the next week, would you like me to bring my shotgun and we only eat what we hunt — maybe caimans and monkeys?»

The hut consisted of three open areas — a main room that was large enough for several hammocks and an eating table, a smaller room for a teenage girl with her daughters, and a walkway that connected to a cooking area that buzzed with activity. The roof was covered with tied palm leaves, allowing small hints of skylight (or rain) to stream down upon me. The large window gave my room a very airy feel, full of every imaginable irritating flying insect.

The air was fresh with the smell of wet grass after the daily thunder and downpour. A pair of blue iridescent Morpho butterflies chased each other past my window into the field. With more than ten feet of rainfall a year, the lush surroundings come as no surprise.

My hammock attached to a sturdy beam, I fell into the handmade webbing and searched for some essence of relaxation. Unfortunately, the salty sweat beading down my face and the constant swarm of tiny flesh-seeking flies negated any of the relaxation that a hammock in the shade might have offered.

4 The word machete in line 19 is closest in meaning to...

TASK 1

Read the text below. For questions (1—5) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

A WEEK IN THE AMAZON JUNGLE

As I stand atop the thirty-foot muddy bank of the Amazon River, I look across the tall grass towards a Bora tribal village. I am about to spend a life-changing week free from the complexity of city life. Down the narrow dirt path walks a young girl, no more than ten years old, stopping long enough to give me a look that shows innocent curiosity. Following her lead, an elderly lady leisurely walks by and greets me with a smile — her face covered in bright white powder from a recent healing ceremony.

Lifting the two large drums of water onto my shoulders, I hike towards the small wooden shelter that would be my home for the coming week. The rusty brown path radiated with intense heat, and the sweltering humidity made every touch of my clothing against the skin a reminder of how grubby I felt. The eleven-hour overnight riverboat journey, which had only ended hours earlier, had left a mark on me, both physically and emotionally. Seeing the lush, peaceful surroundings before me, the fears of not reaching our destination gradually fades from my immediate thoughts.

The wooden-slat hut rested upon stilts nearly four feet high, and provided a much-needed,although ineffective, barrier against the countless bugs and insects who would also call these tropical grounds their home.

The young family welcomed me into their home, standing together quietly, watching. Sharing no common language, I smiled and waited as Orlando stepped forward, speaking their native tongue.

Orlando, my guide, was an ex-commando who seemed to be comfortable in any unpleasant situation. With a machete always at his side, he was ready for anything, and was instrumental in escorting me well past my usual comfort zone.

Two days earlier, as I sat uncomfortably in Orlando’s pale green office, I was suddenly struck by his tough demeanour when he asked, «For the next week, would you like me to bring my shotgun and we only eat what we hunt — maybe caimans and monkeys?»

The hut consisted of three open areas — a main room that was large enough for several hammocks and an eating table, a smaller room for a teenage girl with her daughters, and a walkway that connected to a cooking area that buzzed with activity. The roof was covered with tied palm leaves, allowing small hints of skylight (or rain) to stream down upon me. The large window gave my room a very airy feel, full of every imaginable irritating flying insect.

The air was fresh with the smell of wet grass after the daily thunder and downpour. A pair of blue iridescent Morpho butterflies chased each other past my window into the field. With more than ten feet of rainfall a year, the lush surroundings come as no surprise.

My hammock attached to a sturdy beam, I fell into the handmade webbing and searched for some essence of relaxation. Unfortunately, the salty sweat beading down my face and the constant swarm of tiny flesh-seeking flies negated any of the relaxation that a hammock in the shade might have offered.

5 The man couldn’t sleep because of the...

TASK 2

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below are all doing school geography projects and want to find a website to help them.
There are descriptions of eight geography websites.
Decide which website would be the most suitable for the people below.

6______ Sandra wants to learn more about what Planet Earth is actually made of, and how much of it is covered by water. She’d also like online advice about how to organise her work.

7______ Miranda wants to learn about some of the famous tourist sites in the world, and why they have become famous. She’s like to play games on the website to help her remember the information.

8______ For his project, Billy needs to find out about the biggest mountains in the world, and the kind of animals living near them. He’d also like to see videos of the locations he’s studying.

9 ______ Anna wants to learn about the biggest land areas of the world, and get key facts about their geography. She’d also like advice on how to improve her map-reading skills.

10 ______ Kristofer’s country has very cold winters, so he’s interested in how other people in cold countries deal with their environment. He’d like to share his experiences online with teenagers there.

Geography websites

A Geoview

This website has fantastic videos of animals in challenging locations, and information about how they manage to live there. There are also helpful tips on understanding geographical information, such as maps and diagrams of the Earth and its oceans. Users can also share information about useful links to follow.

B Geographical

This website has lots of maps, quizzes and advice, to check your knowledge of what you’ve studied – and remind you of anything you’ve forgotten! There’s a brilliant section about popular places in many different countries, which attract large numbers of visitors, with background historical details about the reasons these places are now so well known.

C Geography.com

This website has interesting maps and details about places that have become famous tourist destinations in different countries, and also some famous geographical features around the world, such as the biggest mountains and rivers. There are also online tips available on how to research information for projects.

D Goworld

How do people live in places with very high or low temperatures in different seasons? Find out how people adapt to the climate they live in, how it affects their lives and what they do to stay warm or keep cool, as necessary. You can also upload your own stories about life in extreme temperatures in your country.

E Planet Zoom

Not sure how to understand the information included on map? Here’s a step-by-step guide to using them! The site also has games and puzzles about all the continents, including Africa, Asia and Europe, and important details about them, such as their huge size, and their mountain ranges, rivers and climate.

F Worldwide

This website has lots of beautiful photos, maps and film clips to help you learn more about some of the highest – and coldest – peaks on the planet. You’ll find plenty of amazing facts about them, together with details of the wildlife that makes its home in the surrounding areas.

G GeoInfo

Which countries in the world have the coldest winters, the highest mountains or the most unusual animals? Check your knowledge with some fantastic geography puzzles and games. And the photos on this site also show people’s everyday lives in very different climate conditions.

H Geowatch

What’s underneath the ground we walk on? You’ll find maps and diagrams here to tell you – including what you’d see inside the planet if you cut it in half! There’s information, too, about parts of the world that aren’t land, but actually oceans and seas, and help on researching and presenting project information.

TASK 2

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below are all doing school geography projects and want to find a website to help them.
There are descriptions of eight geography websites.
Decide which website would be the most suitable for the people below.

6______ Sandra wants to learn more about what Planet Earth is actually made of, and how much of it is covered by water. She’d also like online advice about how to organise her work.

7______ Miranda wants to learn about some of the famous tourist sites in the world, and why they have become famous. She’s like to play games on the website to help her remember the information.

8______ For his project, Billy needs to find out about the biggest mountains in the world, and the kind of animals living near them. He’d also like to see videos of the locations he’s studying.

9 ______ Anna wants to learn about the biggest land areas of the world, and get key facts about their geography. She’d also like advice on how to improve her map-reading skills.

10 ______ Kristofer’s country has very cold winters, so he’s interested in how other people in cold countries deal with their environment. He’d like to share his experiences online with teenagers there.

Geography websites

A Geoview

This website has fantastic videos of animals in challenging locations, and information about how they manage to live there. There are also helpful tips on understanding geographical information, such as maps and diagrams of the Earth and its oceans. Users can also share information about useful links to follow.

B Geographical

This website has lots of maps, quizzes and advice, to check your knowledge of what you’ve studied – and remind you of anything you’ve forgotten! There’s a brilliant section about popular places in many different countries, which attract large numbers of visitors, with background historical details about the reasons these places are now so well known.

C Geography.com

This website has interesting maps and details about places that have become famous tourist destinations in different countries, and also some famous geographical features around the world, such as the biggest mountains and rivers. There are also online tips available on how to research information for projects.

D Goworld

How do people live in places with very high or low temperatures in different seasons? Find out how people adapt to the climate they live in, how it affects their lives and what they do to stay warm or keep cool, as necessary. You can also upload your own stories about life in extreme temperatures in your country.

E Planet Zoom

Not sure how to understand the information included on map? Here’s a step-by-step guide to using them! The site also has games and puzzles about all the continents, including Africa, Asia and Europe, and important details about them, such as their huge size, and their mountain ranges, rivers and climate.

F Worldwide

This website has lots of beautiful photos, maps and film clips to help you learn more about some of the highest – and coldest – peaks on the planet. You’ll find plenty of amazing facts about them, together with details of the wildlife that makes its home in the surrounding areas.

G GeoInfo

Which countries in the world have the coldest winters, the highest mountains or the most unusual animals? Check your knowledge with some fantastic geography puzzles and games. And the photos on this site also show people’s everyday lives in very different climate conditions.

H Geowatch

What’s underneath the ground we walk on? You’ll find maps and diagrams here to tell you – including what you’d see inside the planet if you cut it in half! There’s information, too, about parts of the world that aren’t land, but actually oceans and seas, and help on researching and presenting project information.

TASK 2

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below are all doing school geography projects and want to find a website to help them.
There are descriptions of eight geography websites.
Decide which website would be the most suitable for the people below.

6______ Sandra wants to learn more about what Planet Earth is actually made of, and how much of it is covered by water. She’d also like online advice about how to organise her work.

7______ Miranda wants to learn about some of the famous tourist sites in the world, and why they have become famous. She’s like to play games on the website to help her remember the information.

8______ For his project, Billy needs to find out about the biggest mountains in the world, and the kind of animals living near them. He’d also like to see videos of the locations he’s studying.

9 ______ Anna wants to learn about the biggest land areas of the world, and get key facts about their geography. She’d also like advice on how to improve her map-reading skills.

10 ______ Kristofer’s country has very cold winters, so he’s interested in how other people in cold countries deal with their environment. He’d like to share his experiences online with teenagers there.

Geography websites

A Geoview

This website has fantastic videos of animals in challenging locations, and information about how they manage to live there. There are also helpful tips on understanding geographical information, such as maps and diagrams of the Earth and its oceans. Users can also share information about useful links to follow.

B Geographical

This website has lots of maps, quizzes and advice, to check your knowledge of what you’ve studied – and remind you of anything you’ve forgotten! There’s a brilliant section about popular places in many different countries, which attract large numbers of visitors, with background historical details about the reasons these places are now so well known.

C Geography.com

This website has interesting maps and details about places that have become famous tourist destinations in different countries, and also some famous geographical features around the world, such as the biggest mountains and rivers. There are also online tips available on how to research information for projects.

D Goworld

How do people live in places with very high or low temperatures in different seasons? Find out how people adapt to the climate they live in, how it affects their lives and what they do to stay warm or keep cool, as necessary. You can also upload your own stories about life in extreme temperatures in your country.

E Planet Zoom

Not sure how to understand the information included on map? Here’s a step-by-step guide to using them! The site also has games and puzzles about all the continents, including Africa, Asia and Europe, and important details about them, such as their huge size, and their mountain ranges, rivers and climate.

F Worldwide

This website has lots of beautiful photos, maps and film clips to help you learn more about some of the highest – and coldest – peaks on the planet. You’ll find plenty of amazing facts about them, together with details of the wildlife that makes its home in the surrounding areas.

G GeoInfo

Which countries in the world have the coldest winters, the highest mountains or the most unusual animals? Check your knowledge with some fantastic geography puzzles and games. And the photos on this site also show people’s everyday lives in very different climate conditions.

H Geowatch

What’s underneath the ground we walk on? You’ll find maps and diagrams here to tell you – including what you’d see inside the planet if you cut it in half! There’s information, too, about parts of the world that aren’t land, but actually oceans and seas, and help on researching and presenting project information.

TASK 2

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below are all doing school geography projects and want to find a website to help them.
There are descriptions of eight geography websites.
Decide which website would be the most suitable for the people below.

6______ Sandra wants to learn more about what Planet Earth is actually made of, and how much of it is covered by water. She’d also like online advice about how to organise her work.

7______ Miranda wants to learn about some of the famous tourist sites in the world, and why they have become famous. She’s like to play games on the website to help her remember the information.

8______ For his project, Billy needs to find out about the biggest mountains in the world, and the kind of animals living near them. He’d also like to see videos of the locations he’s studying.

9 ______ Anna wants to learn about the biggest land areas of the world, and get key facts about their geography. She’d also like advice on how to improve her map-reading skills.

10 ______ Kristofer’s country has very cold winters, so he’s interested in how other people in cold countries deal with their environment. He’d like to share his experiences online with teenagers there.

Geography websites

A Geoview

This website has fantastic videos of animals in challenging locations, and information about how they manage to live there. There are also helpful tips on understanding geographical information, such as maps and diagrams of the Earth and its oceans. Users can also share information about useful links to follow.

B Geographical

This website has lots of maps, quizzes and advice, to check your knowledge of what you’ve studied – and remind you of anything you’ve forgotten! There’s a brilliant section about popular places in many different countries, which attract large numbers of visitors, with background historical details about the reasons these places are now so well known.

C Geography.com

This website has interesting maps and details about places that have become famous tourist destinations in different countries, and also some famous geographical features around the world, such as the biggest mountains and rivers. There are also online tips available on how to research information for projects.

D Goworld

How do people live in places with very high or low temperatures in different seasons? Find out how people adapt to the climate they live in, how it affects their lives and what they do to stay warm or keep cool, as necessary. You can also upload your own stories about life in extreme temperatures in your country.

E Planet Zoom

Not sure how to understand the information included on map? Here’s a step-by-step guide to using them! The site also has games and puzzles about all the continents, including Africa, Asia and Europe, and important details about them, such as their huge size, and their mountain ranges, rivers and climate.

F Worldwide

This website has lots of beautiful photos, maps and film clips to help you learn more about some of the highest – and coldest – peaks on the planet. You’ll find plenty of amazing facts about them, together with details of the wildlife that makes its home in the surrounding areas.

G GeoInfo

Which countries in the world have the coldest winters, the highest mountains or the most unusual animals? Check your knowledge with some fantastic geography puzzles and games. And the photos on this site also show people’s everyday lives in very different climate conditions.

H Geowatch

What’s underneath the ground we walk on? You’ll find maps and diagrams here to tell you – including what you’d see inside the planet if you cut it in half! There’s information, too, about parts of the world that aren’t land, but actually oceans and seas, and help on researching and presenting project information.

TASK 2

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below are all doing school geography projects and want to find a website to help them.
There are descriptions of eight geography websites.
Decide which website would be the most suitable for the people below.

6______ Sandra wants to learn more about what Planet Earth is actually made of, and how much of it is covered by water. She’d also like online advice about how to organise her work.

7______ Miranda wants to learn about some of the famous tourist sites in the world, and why they have become famous. She’s like to play games on the website to help her remember the information.

8______ For his project, Billy needs to find out about the biggest mountains in the world, and the kind of animals living near them. He’d also like to see videos of the locations he’s studying.

9 ______ Anna wants to learn about the biggest land areas of the world, and get key facts about their geography. She’d also like advice on how to improve her map-reading skills.

10 ______ Kristofer’s country has very cold winters, so he’s interested in how other people in cold countries deal with their environment. He’d like to share his experiences online with teenagers there.

Geography websites

A Geoview

This website has fantastic videos of animals in challenging locations, and information about how they manage to live there. There are also helpful tips on understanding geographical information, such as maps and diagrams of the Earth and its oceans. Users can also share information about useful links to follow.

B Geographical

This website has lots of maps, quizzes and advice, to check your knowledge of what you’ve studied – and remind you of anything you’ve forgotten! There’s a brilliant section about popular places in many different countries, which attract large numbers of visitors, with background historical details about the reasons these places are now so well known.

C Geography.com

This website has interesting maps and details about places that have become famous tourist destinations in different countries, and also some famous geographical features around the world, such as the biggest mountains and rivers. There are also online tips available on how to research information for projects.

D Goworld

How do people live in places with very high or low temperatures in different seasons? Find out how people adapt to the climate they live in, how it affects their lives and what they do to stay warm or keep cool, as necessary. You can also upload your own stories about life in extreme temperatures in your country.

E Planet Zoom

Not sure how to understand the information included on map? Here’s a step-by-step guide to using them! The site also has games and puzzles about all the continents, including Africa, Asia and Europe, and important details about them, such as their huge size, and their mountain ranges, rivers and climate.

F Worldwide

This website has lots of beautiful photos, maps and film clips to help you learn more about some of the highest – and coldest – peaks on the planet. You’ll find plenty of amazing facts about them, together with details of the wildlife that makes its home in the surrounding areas.

G GeoInfo

Which countries in the world have the coldest winters, the highest mountains or the most unusual animals? Check your knowledge with some fantastic geography puzzles and games. And the photos on this site also show people’s everyday lives in very different climate conditions.

H Geowatch

What’s underneath the ground we walk on? You’ll find maps and diagrams here to tell you – including what you’d see inside the planet if you cut it in half! There’s information, too, about parts of the world that aren’t land, but actually oceans and seas, and help on researching and presenting project information.

TASK 3

You are going to read an article about a type of seabird, called a puffin. Six sentences have been removed from the article. Choose from the sentences (A-G) the one which fits each gap (11-16). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.

Puffins in peril

Scientist Mike Harris explains that the puffin seems about to join the list of seabirds whose numbers are declining.

It’s a grey day in early April on the Isle of May off the east coast of Scotland. Far out to sea a small dot appears on the horizon. It rapidly increases in size, suddenly turning into a puffin that lands with a splash on the water. This bird probably hasn’t seen land for five months, but now it’s returning to its colony for the breeding season.

The first puffin is soon joined by others and together they bob on the sea. Newly returned birds are nervous but, as the days pass, they gain confidence and begin reclaiming the underground nesting burrows they made the previous year by tunnelling into the soft earth on the top of the cliffs. (11)­­­­______ They have to hurry because it takes three months to rear a chick and all the birds must leave by early August to spend time feeding intensively before the winter.

I visit the island every April, eager to see how many of the adult puffins we have caught and attached identification rings to have returned. (12)________ With a team of helpers I counted every occupied burrow on the island – something we undertake every five years.

The island’s puffin population had been increasing every year for the previous 40 years, and so we anticipated at least 100,000 pairs. To our dismay we found just 42,000. (13)_______ Experts from other research programmes have concluded it must be connected to where puffins spend the winter months.

Last spring we also caught and weighed some returning adults and found they were significantly lighter than the birds we caught 10 years ago. (14)_________ Puffins are long-lived and can cope with a few poor productive seasons, but not with such a large loss of adults.

In early August, the puffin colonies empty rather abruptly. Virtually all puffins leave within a week, though a few adults remain to feed a late chick. (15)__________ I have always believed, though, that few of them venture far from the North Sea. Now, however, the development of instruments known as geolocators, small enough to be fitted around a puffin’s leg, is enabling us to test this idea.

We fitted these units to some puffins two years ago and caught the birds again last year to download the data. Some did remain within the North Sea, but others went much further. For someone who has spent years watching puffins for only part of their lives, this new technology is providing some fascinating information. (16)___________ This would still leave us with the question of what they eat in winter and whether there are sufficient quantities of prey available.

The good news is that we now have an idea of the areas our puffins go to in winter, and we can check whether conditions there might have altered due to climate change or overfishing. Maybe we can then take some steps to help them. Hopefully it is just a local problem, because there are in fact still plenty of puffins to see around the Scottish coast.

TASK 3

You are going to read an article about a type of seabird, called a puffin. Six sentences have been removed from the article. Choose from the sentences (A-G) the one which fits each gap (11-16). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.

Puffins in peril

Scientist Mike Harris explains that the puffin seems about to join the list of seabirds whose numbers are declining.

It’s a grey day in early April on the Isle of May off the east coast of Scotland. Far out to sea a small dot appears on the horizon. It rapidly increases in size, suddenly turning into a puffin that lands with a splash on the water. This bird probably hasn’t seen land for five months, but now it’s returning to its colony for the breeding season.

The first puffin is soon joined by others and together they bob on the sea. Newly returned birds are nervous but, as the days pass, they gain confidence and begin reclaiming the underground nesting burrows they made the previous year by tunnelling into the soft earth on the top of the cliffs. (11)­­­­______ They have to hurry because it takes three months to rear a chick and all the birds must leave by early August to spend time feeding intensively before the winter.

I visit the island every April, eager to see how many of the adult puffins we have caught and attached identification rings to have returned. (12)________ With a team of helpers I counted every occupied burrow on the island – something we undertake every five years.

The island’s puffin population had been increasing every year for the previous 40 years, and so we anticipated at least 100,000 pairs. To our dismay we found just 42,000. (13)_______ Experts from other research programmes have concluded it must be connected to where puffins spend the winter months.

Last spring we also caught and weighed some returning adults and found they were significantly lighter than the birds we caught 10 years ago. (14)_________ Puffins are long-lived and can cope with a few poor productive seasons, but not with such a large loss of adults.

In early August, the puffin colonies empty rather abruptly. Virtually all puffins leave within a week, though a few adults remain to feed a late chick. (15)__________ I have always believed, though, that few of them venture far from the North Sea. Now, however, the development of instruments known as geolocators, small enough to be fitted around a puffin’s leg, is enabling us to test this idea.

We fitted these units to some puffins two years ago and caught the birds again last year to download the data. Some did remain within the North Sea, but others went much further. For someone who has spent years watching puffins for only part of their lives, this new technology is providing some fascinating information. (16)___________ This would still leave us with the question of what they eat in winter and whether there are sufficient quantities of prey available.

The good news is that we now have an idea of the areas our puffins go to in winter, and we can check whether conditions there might have altered due to climate change or overfishing. Maybe we can then take some steps to help them. Hopefully it is just a local problem, because there are in fact still plenty of puffins to see around the Scottish coast.

TASK 3

You are going to read an article about a type of seabird, called a puffin. Six sentences have been removed from the article. Choose from the sentences (A-G) the one which fits each gap (11-16). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.

Puffins in peril

Scientist Mike Harris explains that the puffin seems about to join the list of seabirds whose numbers are declining.

It’s a grey day in early April on the Isle of May off the east coast of Scotland. Far out to sea a small dot appears on the horizon. It rapidly increases in size, suddenly turning into a puffin that lands with a splash on the water. This bird probably hasn’t seen land for five months, but now it’s returning to its colony for the breeding season.

The first puffin is soon joined by others and together they bob on the sea. Newly returned birds are nervous but, as the days pass, they gain confidence and begin reclaiming the underground nesting burrows they made the previous year by tunnelling into the soft earth on the top of the cliffs. (11)­­­­______ They have to hurry because it takes three months to rear a chick and all the birds must leave by early August to spend time feeding intensively before the winter.

I visit the island every April, eager to see how many of the adult puffins we have caught and attached identification rings to have returned. (12)________ With a team of helpers I counted every occupied burrow on the island – something we undertake every five years.

The island’s puffin population had been increasing every year for the previous 40 years, and so we anticipated at least 100,000 pairs. To our dismay we found just 42,000. (13)_______ Experts from other research programmes have concluded it must be connected to where puffins spend the winter months.

Last spring we also caught and weighed some returning adults and found they were significantly lighter than the birds we caught 10 years ago. (14)_________ Puffins are long-lived and can cope with a few poor productive seasons, but not with such a large loss of adults.

In early August, the puffin colonies empty rather abruptly. Virtually all puffins leave within a week, though a few adults remain to feed a late chick. (15)__________ I have always believed, though, that few of them venture far from the North Sea. Now, however, the development of instruments known as geolocators, small enough to be fitted around a puffin’s leg, is enabling us to test this idea.

We fitted these units to some puffins two years ago and caught the birds again last year to download the data. Some did remain within the North Sea, but others went much further. For someone who has spent years watching puffins for only part of their lives, this new technology is providing some fascinating information. (16)___________ This would still leave us with the question of what they eat in winter and whether there are sufficient quantities of prey available.

The good news is that we now have an idea of the areas our puffins go to in winter, and we can check whether conditions there might have altered due to climate change or overfishing. Maybe we can then take some steps to help them. Hopefully it is just a local problem, because there are in fact still plenty of puffins to see around the Scottish coast.

TASK 3

You are going to read an article about a type of seabird, called a puffin. Six sentences have been removed from the article. Choose from the sentences (A-G) the one which fits each gap (11-16). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.

Puffins in peril

Scientist Mike Harris explains that the puffin seems about to join the list of seabirds whose numbers are declining.

It’s a grey day in early April on the Isle of May off the east coast of Scotland. Far out to sea a small dot appears on the horizon. It rapidly increases in size, suddenly turning into a puffin that lands with a splash on the water. This bird probably hasn’t seen land for five months, but now it’s returning to its colony for the breeding season.

The first puffin is soon joined by others and together they bob on the sea. Newly returned birds are nervous but, as the days pass, they gain confidence and begin reclaiming the underground nesting burrows they made the previous year by tunnelling into the soft earth on the top of the cliffs. (11)­­­­______ They have to hurry because it takes three months to rear a chick and all the birds must leave by early August to spend time feeding intensively before the winter.

I visit the island every April, eager to see how many of the adult puffins we have caught and attached identification rings to have returned. (12)________ With a team of helpers I counted every occupied burrow on the island – something we undertake every five years.

The island’s puffin population had been increasing every year for the previous 40 years, and so we anticipated at least 100,000 pairs. To our dismay we found just 42,000. (13)_______ Experts from other research programmes have concluded it must be connected to where puffins spend the winter months.

Last spring we also caught and weighed some returning adults and found they were significantly lighter than the birds we caught 10 years ago. (14)_________ Puffins are long-lived and can cope with a few poor productive seasons, but not with such a large loss of adults.

In early August, the puffin colonies empty rather abruptly. Virtually all puffins leave within a week, though a few adults remain to feed a late chick. (15)__________ I have always believed, though, that few of them venture far from the North Sea. Now, however, the development of instruments known as geolocators, small enough to be fitted around a puffin’s leg, is enabling us to test this idea.

We fitted these units to some puffins two years ago and caught the birds again last year to download the data. Some did remain within the North Sea, but others went much further. For someone who has spent years watching puffins for only part of their lives, this new technology is providing some fascinating information. (16)___________ This would still leave us with the question of what they eat in winter and whether there are sufficient quantities of prey available.

The good news is that we now have an idea of the areas our puffins go to in winter, and we can check whether conditions there might have altered due to climate change or overfishing. Maybe we can then take some steps to help them. Hopefully it is just a local problem, because there are in fact still plenty of puffins to see around the Scottish coast.

TASK 3

You are going to read an article about a type of seabird, called a puffin. Six sentences have been removed from the article. Choose from the sentences (A-G) the one which fits each gap (11-16). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.

Puffins in peril

Scientist Mike Harris explains that the puffin seems about to join the list of seabirds whose numbers are declining.

It’s a grey day in early April on the Isle of May off the east coast of Scotland. Far out to sea a small dot appears on the horizon. It rapidly increases in size, suddenly turning into a puffin that lands with a splash on the water. This bird probably hasn’t seen land for five months, but now it’s returning to its colony for the breeding season.

The first puffin is soon joined by others and together they bob on the sea. Newly returned birds are nervous but, as the days pass, they gain confidence and begin reclaiming the underground nesting burrows they made the previous year by tunnelling into the soft earth on the top of the cliffs. (11)­­­­______ They have to hurry because it takes three months to rear a chick and all the birds must leave by early August to spend time feeding intensively before the winter.

I visit the island every April, eager to see how many of the adult puffins we have caught and attached identification rings to have returned. (12)________ With a team of helpers I counted every occupied burrow on the island – something we undertake every five years.

The island’s puffin population had been increasing every year for the previous 40 years, and so we anticipated at least 100,000 pairs. To our dismay we found just 42,000. (13)_______ Experts from other research programmes have concluded it must be connected to where puffins spend the winter months.

Last spring we also caught and weighed some returning adults and found they were significantly lighter than the birds we caught 10 years ago. (14)_________ Puffins are long-lived and can cope with a few poor productive seasons, but not with such a large loss of adults.

In early August, the puffin colonies empty rather abruptly. Virtually all puffins leave within a week, though a few adults remain to feed a late chick. (15)__________ I have always believed, though, that few of them venture far from the North Sea. Now, however, the development of instruments known as geolocators, small enough to be fitted around a puffin’s leg, is enabling us to test this idea.

We fitted these units to some puffins two years ago and caught the birds again last year to download the data. Some did remain within the North Sea, but others went much further. For someone who has spent years watching puffins for only part of their lives, this new technology is providing some fascinating information. (16)___________ This would still leave us with the question of what they eat in winter and whether there are sufficient quantities of prey available.

The good news is that we now have an idea of the areas our puffins go to in winter, and we can check whether conditions there might have altered due to climate change or overfishing. Maybe we can then take some steps to help them. Hopefully it is just a local problem, because there are in fact still plenty of puffins to see around the Scottish coast.

TASK 3

You are going to read an article about a type of seabird, called a puffin. Six sentences have been removed from the article. Choose from the sentences (A-G) the one which fits each gap (11-16). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.

Puffins in peril

Scientist Mike Harris explains that the puffin seems about to join the list of seabirds whose numbers are declining.

It’s a grey day in early April on the Isle of May off the east coast of Scotland. Far out to sea a small dot appears on the horizon. It rapidly increases in size, suddenly turning into a puffin that lands with a splash on the water. This bird probably hasn’t seen land for five months, but now it’s returning to its colony for the breeding season.

The first puffin is soon joined by others and together they bob on the sea. Newly returned birds are nervous but, as the days pass, they gain confidence and begin reclaiming the underground nesting burrows they made the previous year by tunnelling into the soft earth on the top of the cliffs. (11)­­­­______ They have to hurry because it takes three months to rear a chick and all the birds must leave by early August to spend time feeding intensively before the winter.

I visit the island every April, eager to see how many of the adult puffins we have caught and attached identification rings to have returned. (12)________ With a team of helpers I counted every occupied burrow on the island – something we undertake every five years.

The island’s puffin population had been increasing every year for the previous 40 years, and so we anticipated at least 100,000 pairs. To our dismay we found just 42,000. (13)_______ Experts from other research programmes have concluded it must be connected to where puffins spend the winter months.

Last spring we also caught and weighed some returning adults and found they were significantly lighter than the birds we caught 10 years ago. (14)_________ Puffins are long-lived and can cope with a few poor productive seasons, but not with such a large loss of adults.

In early August, the puffin colonies empty rather abruptly. Virtually all puffins leave within a week, though a few adults remain to feed a late chick. (15)__________ I have always believed, though, that few of them venture far from the North Sea. Now, however, the development of instruments known as geolocators, small enough to be fitted around a puffin’s leg, is enabling us to test this idea.

We fitted these units to some puffins two years ago and caught the birds again last year to download the data. Some did remain within the North Sea, but others went much further. For someone who has spent years watching puffins for only part of their lives, this new technology is providing some fascinating information. (16)___________ This would still leave us with the question of what they eat in winter and whether there are sufficient quantities of prey available.

The good news is that we now have an idea of the areas our puffins go to in winter, and we can check whether conditions there might have altered due to climate change or overfishing. Maybe we can then take some steps to help them. Hopefully it is just a local problem, because there are in fact still plenty of puffins to see around the Scottish coast.

TASK 4

Read the text below. For questions (17—26) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

FLOWER POWER

Electric field around flowers may help bees find nutritious blooms.Flowers maintain small electric fields (17) ___ them. Bees can not only (18) ____those fields, but they may also tell the insects which blooms are most likely (19) ___ a nectar reward, a team of scientists recently reported.

Flowers growing in the ground have a natural negative electric charge, notes Daniel Robert, a sensory biologist at the University of Bristol in England who worked on the new study. Their blooms (20)___ electrons — the particles that carry negative charge — from the air to the ground. Throughout the air, positive electric charges abound, he explains. So bees, as they (21)___ , can become positively charged. The scientists set up 30 (22) ____ metal disks covered with purple plastic to resemble flowers.

Half of the disks were wired to create small electric fields, and half weren’t. The disks with electric fields contained a sweet solution; the unwired ones held a bitter solution.

Scientists then sent in the bees and (23)___ track of where they went. Toward the tail end of 50 visits to the «flowers», most bees had learned to find the sweet ones. Then the researchers unplugged the fake sweet flowers and tried the (24)___ again. This time, when the fields were off, the bees never learned. Even after 50 visits, they found the sugar only about half the time — no better than if left to chance. Robert and his (25)____ studied the electric fields of real flowers, petunias, to better understand how bees and flowers might communicate. The scientists took measurements of a flower before and after a charged bee approached it. The flower’s field reacted to the approaching bee with a small increase in strength. That electrical boost lingered for a little while after the bee had flown away.

That short-lived surge may help tell a different approaching bee that all of the flower’s nectar has just been drunk. That bee would be able to sense the change in the flower’s electric field, and move on to find a flower full of (26) _______. Or, as Robert told Science News, the flower could signal to the bee: «I’m still pretty and smell nice, but… come back later».

TASK 4

Read the text below. For questions (17—26) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

FLOWER POWER

Electric field around flowers may help bees find nutritious blooms.Flowers maintain small electric fields (17) ___ them. Bees can not only (18) ____those fields, but they may also tell the insects which blooms are most likely (19) ___ a nectar reward, a team of scientists recently reported.

Flowers growing in the ground have a natural negative electric charge, notes Daniel Robert, a sensory biologist at the University of Bristol in England who worked on the new study. Their blooms (20)___ electrons — the particles that carry negative charge — from the air to the ground. Throughout the air, positive electric charges abound, he explains. So bees, as they (21)___ , can become positively charged. The scientists set up 30 (22) ____ metal disks covered with purple plastic to resemble flowers.

Half of the disks were wired to create small electric fields, and half weren’t. The disks with electric fields contained a sweet solution; the unwired ones held a bitter solution.

Scientists then sent in the bees and (23)___ track of where they went. Toward the tail end of 50 visits to the «flowers», most bees had learned to find the sweet ones. Then the researchers unplugged the fake sweet flowers and tried the (24)___ again. This time, when the fields were off, the bees never learned. Even after 50 visits, they found the sugar only about half the time — no better than if left to chance. Robert and his (25)____ studied the electric fields of real flowers, petunias, to better understand how bees and flowers might communicate. The scientists took measurements of a flower before and after a charged bee approached it. The flower’s field reacted to the approaching bee with a small increase in strength. That electrical boost lingered for a little while after the bee had flown away.

That short-lived surge may help tell a different approaching bee that all of the flower’s nectar has just been drunk. That bee would be able to sense the change in the flower’s electric field, and move on to find a flower full of (26) _______. Or, as Robert told Science News, the flower could signal to the bee: «I’m still pretty and smell nice, but… come back later».

TASK 4

Read the text below. For questions (17—26) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

FLOWER POWER

Electric field around flowers may help bees find nutritious blooms.Flowers maintain small electric fields (17) ___ them. Bees can not only (18) ____those fields, but they may also tell the insects which blooms are most likely (19) ___ a nectar reward, a team of scientists recently reported.

Flowers growing in the ground have a natural negative electric charge, notes Daniel Robert, a sensory biologist at the University of Bristol in England who worked on the new study. Their blooms (20)___ electrons — the particles that carry negative charge — from the air to the ground. Throughout the air, positive electric charges abound, he explains. So bees, as they (21)___ , can become positively charged. The scientists set up 30 (22) ____ metal disks covered with purple plastic to resemble flowers.

Half of the disks were wired to create small electric fields, and half weren’t. The disks with electric fields contained a sweet solution; the unwired ones held a bitter solution.

Scientists then sent in the bees and (23)___ track of where they went. Toward the tail end of 50 visits to the «flowers», most bees had learned to find the sweet ones. Then the researchers unplugged the fake sweet flowers and tried the (24)___ again. This time, when the fields were off, the bees never learned. Even after 50 visits, they found the sugar only about half the time — no better than if left to chance. Robert and his (25)____ studied the electric fields of real flowers, petunias, to better understand how bees and flowers might communicate. The scientists took measurements of a flower before and after a charged bee approached it. The flower’s field reacted to the approaching bee with a small increase in strength. That electrical boost lingered for a little while after the bee had flown away.

That short-lived surge may help tell a different approaching bee that all of the flower’s nectar has just been drunk. That bee would be able to sense the change in the flower’s electric field, and move on to find a flower full of (26) _______. Or, as Robert told Science News, the flower could signal to the bee: «I’m still pretty and smell nice, but… come back later».

TASK 4

Read the text below. For questions (17—26) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

FLOWER POWER

Electric field around flowers may help bees find nutritious blooms.Flowers maintain small electric fields (17) ___ them. Bees can not only (18) ____those fields, but they may also tell the insects which blooms are most likely (19) ___ a nectar reward, a team of scientists recently reported.

Flowers growing in the ground have a natural negative electric charge, notes Daniel Robert, a sensory biologist at the University of Bristol in England who worked on the new study. Their blooms (20)___ electrons — the particles that carry negative charge — from the air to the ground. Throughout the air, positive electric charges abound, he explains. So bees, as they (21)___ , can become positively charged. The scientists set up 30 (22) ____ metal disks covered with purple plastic to resemble flowers.

Half of the disks were wired to create small electric fields, and half weren’t. The disks with electric fields contained a sweet solution; the unwired ones held a bitter solution.

Scientists then sent in the bees and (23)___ track of where they went. Toward the tail end of 50 visits to the «flowers», most bees had learned to find the sweet ones. Then the researchers unplugged the fake sweet flowers and tried the (24)___ again. This time, when the fields were off, the bees never learned. Even after 50 visits, they found the sugar only about half the time — no better than if left to chance. Robert and his (25)____ studied the electric fields of real flowers, petunias, to better understand how bees and flowers might communicate. The scientists took measurements of a flower before and after a charged bee approached it. The flower’s field reacted to the approaching bee with a small increase in strength. That electrical boost lingered for a little while after the bee had flown away.

That short-lived surge may help tell a different approaching bee that all of the flower’s nectar has just been drunk. That bee would be able to sense the change in the flower’s electric field, and move on to find a flower full of (30) _______. Or, as Robert told Science News, the flower could signal to the bee: «I’m still pretty and smell nice, but… come back later».

TASK 4

Read the text below. For questions (17—26) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

FLOWER POWER

Electric field around flowers may help bees find nutritious blooms.Flowers maintain small electric fields (17) ___ them. Bees can not only (18) ____those fields, but they may also tell the insects which blooms are most likely (19) ___ a nectar reward, a team of scientists recently reported.

Flowers growing in the ground have a natural negative electric charge, notes Daniel Robert, a sensory biologist at the University of Bristol in England who worked on the new study. Their blooms (20)___ electrons — the particles that carry negative charge — from the air to the ground. Throughout the air, positive electric charges abound, he explains. So bees, as they (21)___ , can become positively charged. The scientists set up 30 (22) ____ metal disks covered with purple plastic to resemble flowers.

Half of the disks were wired to create small electric fields, and half weren’t. The disks with electric fields contained a sweet solution; the unwired ones held a bitter solution.

Scientists then sent in the bees and (23)___ track of where they went. Toward the tail end of 50 visits to the «flowers», most bees had learned to find the sweet ones. Then the researchers unplugged the fake sweet flowers and tried the (24)___ again. This time, when the fields were off, the bees never learned. Even after 50 visits, they found the sugar only about half the time — no better than if left to chance. Robert and his (25)____ studied the electric fields of real flowers, petunias, to better understand how bees and flowers might communicate. The scientists took measurements of a flower before and after a charged bee approached it. The flower’s field reacted to the approaching bee with a small increase in strength. That electrical boost lingered for a little while after the bee had flown away.

That short-lived surge may help tell a different approaching bee that all of the flower’s nectar has just been drunk. That bee would be able to sense the change in the flower’s electric field, and move on to find a flower full of (26) _______. Or, as Robert told Science News, the flower could signal to the bee: «I’m still pretty and smell nice, but… come back later».

TASK 4

Read the text below. For questions (17—26) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

FLOWER POWER

Electric field around flowers may help bees find nutritious blooms.Flowers maintain small electric fields (17) ___ them. Bees can not only (18) ____those fields, but they may also tell the insects which blooms are most likely (19) ___ a nectar reward, a team of scientists recently reported.

Flowers growing in the ground have a natural negative electric charge, notes Daniel Robert, a sensory biologist at the University of Bristol in England who worked on the new study. Their blooms (20)___ electrons — the particles that carry negative charge — from the air to the ground. Throughout the air, positive electric charges abound, he explains. So bees, as they (21)___ , can become positively charged. The scientists set up 30 (22) ____ metal disks covered with purple plastic to resemble flowers.

Half of the disks were wired to create small electric fields, and half weren’t. The disks with electric fields contained a sweet solution; the unwired ones held a bitter solution.

Scientists then sent in the bees and (23)___ track of where they went. Toward the tail end of 50 visits to the «flowers», most bees had learned to find the sweet ones. Then the researchers unplugged the fake sweet flowers and tried the (24)___ again. This time, when the fields were off, the bees never learned. Even after 50 visits, they found the sugar only about half the time — no better than if left to chance. Robert and his (25)____ studied the electric fields of real flowers, petunias, to better understand how bees and flowers might communicate. The scientists took measurements of a flower before and after a charged bee approached it. The flower’s field reacted to the approaching bee with a small increase in strength. That electrical boost lingered for a little while after the bee had flown away.

That short-lived surge may help tell a different approaching bee that all of the flower’s nectar has just been drunk. That bee would be able to sense the change in the flower’s electric field, and move on to find a flower full of (26) _______. Or, as Robert told Science News, the flower could signal to the bee: «I’m still pretty and smell nice, but… come back later».

TASK 4

Read the text below. For questions (17—26) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

FLOWER POWER

Electric field around flowers may help bees find nutritious blooms.Flowers maintain small electric fields (17) ___ them. Bees can not only (18) ____those fields, but they may also tell the insects which blooms are most likely (19) ___ a nectar reward, a team of scientists recently reported.

Flowers growing in the ground have a natural negative electric charge, notes Daniel Robert, a sensory biologist at the University of Bristol in England who worked on the new study. Their blooms (20)___ electrons — the particles that carry negative charge — from the air to the ground. Throughout the air, positive electric charges abound, he explains. So bees, as they (21)___ , can become positively charged. The scientists set up 30 (22) ____ metal disks covered with purple plastic to resemble flowers.

Half of the disks were wired to create small electric fields, and half weren’t. The disks with electric fields contained a sweet solution; the unwired ones held a bitter solution.

Scientists then sent in the bees and (23)___ track of where they went. Toward the tail end of 50 visits to the «flowers», most bees had learned to find the sweet ones. Then the researchers unplugged the fake sweet flowers and tried the (24)___ again. This time, when the fields were off, the bees never learned. Even after 50 visits, they found the sugar only about half the time — no better than if left to chance. Robert and his (25)____ studied the electric fields of real flowers, petunias, to better understand how bees and flowers might communicate. The scientists took measurements of a flower before and after a charged bee approached it. The flower’s field reacted to the approaching bee with a small increase in strength. That electrical boost lingered for a little while after the bee had flown away.

That short-lived surge may help tell a different approaching bee that all of the flower’s nectar has just been drunk. That bee would be able to sense the change in the flower’s electric field, and move on to find a flower full of (26) _______. Or, as Robert told Science News, the flower could signal to the bee: «I’m still pretty and smell nice, but… come back later».

TASK 4

Read the text below. For questions (17—26) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

FLOWER POWER

Electric field around flowers may help bees find nutritious blooms.Flowers maintain small electric fields (17) ___ them. Bees can not only (18) ____those fields, but they may also tell the insects which blooms are most likely (19) ___ a nectar reward, a team of scientists recently reported.

Flowers growing in the ground have a natural negative electric charge, notes Daniel Robert, a sensory biologist at the University of Bristol in England who worked on the new study. Their blooms (20)___ electrons — the particles that carry negative charge — from the air to the ground. Throughout the air, positive electric charges abound, he explains. So bees, as they (21)___ , can become positively charged. The scientists set up 30 (22) ____ metal disks covered with purple plastic to resemble flowers.

Half of the disks were wired to create small electric fields, and half weren’t. The disks with electric fields contained a sweet solution; the unwired ones held a bitter solution.

Scientists then sent in the bees and (23)___ track of where they went. Toward the tail end of 50 visits to the «flowers», most bees had learned to find the sweet ones. Then the researchers unplugged the fake sweet flowers and tried the (24)___ again. This time, when the fields were off, the bees never learned. Even after 50 visits, they found the sugar only about half the time — no better than if left to chance. Robert and his (25)____ studied the electric fields of real flowers, petunias, to better understand how bees and flowers might communicate. The scientists took measurements of a flower before and after a charged bee approached it. The flower’s field reacted to the approaching bee with a small increase in strength. That electrical boost lingered for a little while after the bee had flown away.

That short-lived surge may help tell a different approaching bee that all of the flower’s nectar has just been drunk. That bee would be able to sense the change in the flower’s electric field, and move on to find a flower full of (26) _______. Or, as Robert told Science News, the flower could signal to the bee: «I’m still pretty and smell nice, but… come back later».

TASK 4

Read the text below. For questions (17—26) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

FLOWER POWER

Electric field around flowers may help bees find nutritious blooms.Flowers maintain small electric fields (17) ___ them. Bees can not only (18) ____those fields, but they may also tell the insects which blooms are most likely (19) ___ a nectar reward, a team of scientists recently reported.

Flowers growing in the ground have a natural negative electric charge, notes Daniel Robert, a sensory biologist at the University of Bristol in England who worked on the new study. Their blooms (20)___ electrons — the particles that carry negative charge — from the air to the ground. Throughout the air, positive electric charges abound, he explains. So bees, as they (21)___ , can become positively charged. The scientists set up 30 (22) ____ metal disks covered with purple plastic to resemble flowers.

Half of the disks were wired to create small electric fields, and half weren’t. The disks with electric fields contained a sweet solution; the unwired ones held a bitter solution.

Scientists then sent in the bees and (23)___ track of where they went. Toward the tail end of 50 visits to the «flowers», most bees had learned to find the sweet ones. Then the researchers unplugged the fake sweet flowers and tried the (24)___ again. This time, when the fields were off, the bees never learned. Even after 50 visits, they found the sugar only about half the time — no better than if left to chance. Robert and his (25)____ studied the electric fields of real flowers, petunias, to better understand how bees and flowers might communicate. The scientists took measurements of a flower before and after a charged bee approached it. The flower’s field reacted to the approaching bee with a small increase in strength. That electrical boost lingered for a little while after the bee had flown away.

That short-lived surge may help tell a different approaching bee that all of the flower’s nectar has just been drunk. That bee would be able to sense the change in the flower’s electric field, and move on to find a flower full of (26) _______. Or, as Robert told Science News, the flower could signal to the bee: «I’m still pretty and smell nice, but… come back later».

TASK 4

Read the text below. For questions (17—26) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

FLOWER POWER

Electric field around flowers may help bees find nutritious blooms.Flowers maintain small electric fields (17) ___ them. Bees can not only (18) ____those fields, but they may also tell the insects which blooms are most likely (19) ___ a nectar reward, a team of scientists recently reported.

Flowers growing in the ground have a natural negative electric charge, notes Daniel Robert, a sensory biologist at the University of Bristol in England who worked on the new study. Their blooms (20)___ electrons — the particles that carry negative charge — from the air to the ground. Throughout the air, positive electric charges abound, he explains. So bees, as they (21)___ , can become positively charged. The scientists set up 30 (22) ____ metal disks covered with purple plastic to resemble flowers.

Half of the disks were wired to create small electric fields, and half weren’t. The disks with electric fields contained a sweet solution; the unwired ones held a bitter solution.

Scientists then sent in the bees and (23)___ track of where they went. Toward the tail end of 50 visits to the «flowers», most bees had learned to find the sweet ones. Then the researchers unplugged the fake sweet flowers and tried the (24)___ again. This time, when the fields were off, the bees never learned. Even after 50 visits, they found the sugar only about half the time — no better than if left to chance. Robert and his (25)____ studied the electric fields of real flowers, petunias, to better understand how bees and flowers might communicate. The scientists took measurements of a flower before and after a charged bee approached it. The flower’s field reacted to the approaching bee with a small increase in strength. That electrical boost lingered for a little while after the bee had flown away.

That short-lived surge may help tell a different approaching bee that all of the flower’s nectar has just been drunk. That bee would be able to sense the change in the flower’s electric field, and move on to find a flower full of (26) _______. Or, as Robert told Science News, the flower could signal to the bee: «I’m still pretty and smell nice, but… come back later».

TASK 5

Read the text below. For questions (27-31) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

ISLAND NATION MAY NEED TO MOVE TO NEW HOME

The Republic of Maldives is an island country known for its warm ocean water and beautiful beaches. But if global temperatures and sea levels keep (27) ____, the country’s new president is afraid much that his nation (28)____ someday be under water. He is so worried that he is thinking about buying a piece of land — and moving the whole country to that new location.

The Maldives, sometimes called the Maldive Islands, is made up of a group of almost 1,200 islands in the Indian Ocean. People live on 250 of those islands. Most of the islands are only about 5 feet above sea level. Over the last century, sea levels in parts of the Maldives (29) ____by nearly 8 inches. And many experts (30)___ a similar rise in sea levels by the end of this century. They wonder what might happen to the Maldives if sea levels keep rising at that rate or faster.

Mohamed «Anni» Nasheed, the country’s president, wants to put aside some of the $1 billion the country earns every year from tourism to buy land in case people (31) ____to move. Nasheed has said he is looking at lands in Sri Lanka and India, because those countries have similar climates, cultures, and foods to the Maldives. He also has said he might think about Australia, which has lots of land where a new nation might be built.

TASK 5

Read the text below. For questions (27-31) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

ISLAND NATION MAY NEED TO MOVE TO NEW HOME

The Republic of Maldives is an island country known for its warm ocean water and beautiful beaches. But if global temperatures and sea levels keep (27) ____, the country’s new president is afraid much that his nation (28)____ someday be under water. He is so worried that he is thinking about buying a piece of land — and moving the whole country to that new location.

The Maldives, sometimes called the Maldive Islands, is made up of a group of almost 1,200 islands in the Indian Ocean. People live on 250 of those islands. Most of the islands are only about 5 feet above sea level. Over the last century, sea levels in parts of the Maldives (29) ____by nearly 8 inches. And many experts (30)___ a similar rise in sea levels by the end of this century. They wonder what might happen to the Maldives if sea levels keep rising at that rate or faster.

Mohamed «Anni» Nasheed, the country’s president, wants to put aside some of the $1 billion the country earns every year from tourism to buy land in case people (31) ____to move. Nasheed has said he is looking at lands in Sri Lanka and India, because those countries have similar climates, cultures, and foods to the Maldives. He also has said he might think about Australia, which has lots of land where a new nation might be built.

TASK 5

Read the text below. For questions (27-31) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

ISLAND NATION MAY NEED TO MOVE TO NEW HOME

The Republic of Maldives is an island country known for its warm ocean water and beautiful beaches. But if global temperatures and sea levels keep (27) ____, the country’s new president is afraid much that his nation (28)____ someday be under water. He is so worried that he is thinking about buying a piece of land — and moving the whole country to that new location.

The Maldives, sometimes called the Maldive Islands, is made up of a group of almost 1,200 islands in the Indian Ocean. People live on 250 of those islands. Most of the islands are only about 5 feet above sea level. Over the last century, sea levels in parts of the Maldives (29) ____by nearly 8 inches. And many experts (30)___ a similar rise in sea levels by the end of this century. They wonder what might happen to the Maldives if sea levels keep rising at that rate or faster.

Mohamed «Anni» Nasheed, the country’s president, wants to put aside some of the $1 billion the country earns every year from tourism to buy land in case people (31) ____to move. Nasheed has said he is looking at lands in Sri Lanka and India, because those countries have similar climates, cultures, and foods to the Maldives. He also has said he might think about Australia, which has lots of land where a new nation might be built.

TASK 5

Read the text below. For questions (27-31) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

ISLAND NATION MAY NEED TO MOVE TO NEW HOME

The Republic of Maldives is an island country known for its warm ocean water and beautiful beaches. But if global temperatures and sea levels keep (27) ____, the country’s new president is afraid much that his nation (28)____ someday be under water. He is so worried that he is thinking about buying a piece of land — and moving the whole country to that new location.

The Maldives, sometimes called the Maldive Islands, is made up of a group of almost 1,200 islands in the Indian Ocean. People live on 250 of those islands. Most of the islands are only about 5 feet above sea level. Over the last century, sea levels in parts of the Maldives (29) ____by nearly 8 inches. And many experts (30)___ a similar rise in sea levels by the end of this century. They wonder what might happen to the Maldives if sea levels keep rising at that rate or faster.

Mohamed «Anni» Nasheed, the country’s president, wants to put aside some of the $1 billion the country earns every year from tourism to buy land in case people (31) ____to move. Nasheed has said he is looking at lands in Sri Lanka and India, because those countries have similar climates, cultures, and foods to the Maldives. He also has said he might think about Australia, which has lots of land where a new nation might be built.

TASK 5

Read the text below. For questions (27-31) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

ISLAND NATION MAY NEED TO MOVE TO NEW HOME

The Republic of Maldives is an island country known for its warm ocean water and beautiful beaches. But if global temperatures and sea levels keep (27) ____, the country’s new president is afraid much that his nation (28)____ someday be under water. He is so worried that he is thinking about buying a piece of land — and moving the whole country to that new location.

The Maldives, sometimes called the Maldive Islands, is made up of a group of almost 1,200 islands in the Indian Ocean. People live on 250 of those islands. Most of the islands are only about 5 feet above sea level. Over the last century, sea levels in parts of the Maldives (29) ____by nearly 8 inches. And many experts (30)___ a similar rise in sea levels by the end of this century. They wonder what might happen to the Maldives if sea levels keep rising at that rate or faster.

Mohamed «Anni» Nasheed, the country’s president, wants to put aside some of the $1 billion the country earns every year from tourism to buy land in case people (31) ____to move. Nasheed has said he is looking at lands in Sri Lanka and India, because those countries have similar climates, cultures, and foods to the Maldives. He also has said he might think about Australia, which has lots of land where a new nation might be built.