Reading 9-I

1.Read the text and write the best heading A–F for each paragraph. There are two extra headings.

PLACES TO VISIT: THE SONORAN DESERT

2.Read the text and decide if the statements 1–6 are true (T) or false (F).

STORY OF THE DAY

Two of the three baby chimpanzees went missing from a house in Bangladesh while being taken to the zoo for a medical check-up, only to be found in the same house on Thursday afternoon. The police said that the chimpanzees had managed to open the door of their cages and hide in the house. The officials of the Main Veterinary Bureau in Bangladesh were surprised when they were told by zoo officials that only one male chimpanzee had arrived in the cage. ‘We were informed that three chimpanzees would be brought to the zoo. When we found out that only one chimp had arrived, we immediately warned the police and MVB (the Main Veterinary Bureau) in Bangladesh’ said a zoo top official.

1. Three small chimpanzees got lost. ___

2.The animals disappeared from the zoo. ___

3.The chimpanzees were examined by a vet in the zoo. ___

4.The MVB was informed about the transport of the chimpanzees in advance. ___

5.The zoo expected three chimpanzees to arrive. ___

6.The police were informed by the owner of the chimpanzees. ___

3.Read the text and decide if the statements 1–4 are true (T) or false (F).

ANIMALS and our IMMUNE SYSTEM

Pigs have known for a long time, what doctors and scientists have just learned: dirt is good for you. Well, at least some dirt. One recent Swiss study of eight hundred children found that children who live on a farm close to cows, horses, geese and other farm animals do not suffer from asthma and allergies later in life. The same is true for city kids growing up with pets in the home such as dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters or even rats and mice. In both cases, scientists proved that children who have more contact with dirt and animal waste develop a stronger disease fighting immune system.

1.In Switzerland a lot of children live in dirt. ___

2.The research studied life of children on farms. ___

3.Keeping rats or mice is good for children’s health. ___

4.Children who don’t live in contact with animals fall ill more easily. __

4.Read three short texts about computers. For questions 1–6 circle the correct answer A–C.

Computers are improving all the time. What is most important is that computer memory is increasing. Experts say that the amount of memory in a typical desktop computer gets twice as big, every eighteen months. Modern computers have a million times more memory than those of the 1980s and they are much cheaper. So why do we need so much memory? It isn’t because we have a lot more documents to keep, but because we do much more complex things with our desktop and laptop computers. A lot of other electronic devices use memory, too. Mobile phones and tablets need a lot of it as well, for example, to keep your contact details, save text messages, surf the web or watch videos online.

1.The text is about …

2.More memory is needed to …

Interviewer Nowadays, everyone uses a computer and viruses are a real threat. I hope you will find the information from Dr Josh Bennet, an expert on computer viruses, useful. Dr Bennet, who writes them?

Dr Bennet Well, most writers of viruses are teenagers who are keen computer programmers. And most of them live in Europe and Asia, because the American government carefully controls how people use the internet.

Interviewer Why do people write viruses?

Dr Bennet To show that they are very good at creating new computer programmes – 99% of the viruses that they create stay in the programmers’ computers.

Interviewer How do we get them?

Dr Bennet They are sent to our computers via email attachments which lead to a lot of problems when we open them. Then the viruses tell a computer to delete everything on the hard disc. The next time somebody turns on their computer, the instructions are followed. The easiest way to stop viruses entering your computer is to never open email attachments.

Interviewer OK, so we must be careful with attachments. Dr Bennet, thank you for your explanation.

3.Most computer viruses …

4.To avoid viruses, email attachments …

Hi Vicky,

Thanks for your last email. It appears that it’s not only your mother who ‘fights’ with modern technology. My dad also seems to have quite similar problems.

My dad hates anything to do with modern technology. I think he’s afraid he won’t know how to use it properly. He says that he tries to understand why people love sending emails or using mobile phones, but he can’t. I tell him that everyone uses these methods because they are so quick, and guess what, he says that he still prefers to follow the old-fashioned ways. He has to travel a lot in his job and wherever he goes he always sends me a postcard. It’s nice, but it never arrives before he gets back.

So that’s my dad for you. Do you think there is any hope for them both?

Love,

James

5.In his letter, James wanted to …

6.James …