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The panda's ...... habitat is the bamboo forest.

 

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Billboards that Recognize You
Have you ever felt you were being watched? Some new technologies might make you feel that way. Digital billboards are being created that have the ability to recognize certain characteristics. These high-tech devices have cameras pointed at the people on the street, and software that tries to recognize people by age and gender. A computer inside the billboard then uses this information to display ads that are directed at the people who are looking at the billboard. For example, if a man passes a billboard featuring an ad for cosmetics, the computer can change the ad to something that is more likely to catch the man’s attention, such as a restaurant, or sporting goods. While advertisers see this as a great opportunity to reach their target customers, some people feel that this kind of profiling is an invasion of their privacy. People are now much more aware of how information is exposed, shared, bought, and sold on the Internet. Now this debate will include technologies such as these “smart” billboards. But advertisers claim that they are sensitive to people’s concern about privacy – companies that have tested the billboards in Japan and the US assure consumers that the billboards can only guess your age and gender, but they will not be able to recognize your face or obtain any personal information about you. Until recently, this kind of “personal” advertising has been mostly limited to the Internet. Search engines like Google and Bing can follow what we search for because each computer that connects to those sites has a unique identity. Companies then pay search engines to use this information to display ads for products and services that you have searched for. So if you search for travel information, you are likely to see ads for airlines and hotels. This kind of advertising has proven to be much more effective and valuable than traditional advertising. In addition to taking steps to deliver more personalized messages, advertisers are using billboards to offer more useful information. Digital billboards can connect to the Internet to display information such as the time, weather, and news headlines. In the future, this technology could be used to reflect activity on social media sites or to broadcast ads that relate to local events. In today’s world, people ignore thousands of ads every day. Advertisers are trying to change that trend by personalizing the experience of seeing an ad. So pay attention the next time you see a billboard – it could be talking to you.
6. Because of advertising profiling, a person buying airline tickets online will _________.

The population of ASEAN accounts ______ about, 8.7% of the world’s population.

(498)_____

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In ancient times, some of the first celebrities were Roman gladiators. Rather like today’s TV talent-show contestants, these men fought each other for the audience’s entertainment. Fast forward to the 18th century, it was politicians and preachers who were able to become celebrities through public (1)__________. George Whitefield, for example, a preacher from England, (2)___________ a crowd of 30,000 when he visited the US city of Boston. It’s no wonder he was called ‘Anglo-America’s first modern celebrity’. In the 19th century, the arrival of cheap newspapers created a sudden (3)___________ for exciting stories. All kinds of people began to get their 15 minutes of fame, including the legendary American outlaw and bank robber, Jesse James, and one of the world’s first media celebrities, Sam Patch. Patch became famous for jumping into rivers from high places, and he became a (4)___________ name by leaping into Niagara Falls. He survived every jump, except the last one into the Genesee River in New York. In the same way that the media is held (5)___________ for celebrity problems today, people blamed the pressure of the media for Patch’s sudden end.

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The Brain: Myths and Facts
There are a lot of myths about the human brain. We are going to tell you a little about these myths, and we are also going to give you the truth. One of the biggest myth is that we only use 10 percent of our brains. The next part of that myth is that if we can learn to use the rest of our brains, then we will be much smarter. People say this all the time, but it is absolutely not true. The truth is that although we don’t know everything about the human brain, we know that each part of it has an important function. Modern scientists call the “10 percent myth” ridiculous. The other most popular myth is about being “right brained” or “left brained”. According to this myth, people who use the right side of their brains tend to be more artistic and creative. People who use the left side of their brains tend to be better at maths and science. This myth is as popular as the 10 percent myth, and it is also wrong. In 2013, a study at an American university examined the right brain and left brain myth. According to the study, we use both sides of our brains equally. It is true that we use different parts of our brains for different things: We use our left side for language more, and our right side when we need to pay attention. But there is no evidence that creative people use the right side more, or that scientific people use the left side more. We have talked about myths, so let’s look at a few interesting facts about the brain. First of all, the brain feels no pain. Second, about 75 percent of the brain is made of water. It is also the fattest organ in your body. Another interesting fact about the brain is that around the time you turn 18 years old, it stops growing.
1. According to the myth, what is true about the left side of our brains?

Tom: " Sorry, I forgot to phone you last night” . – Mary : “______________”

(92)________

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Oceans altogether cover 75 __________ of our Earth.

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If I saw an alien, I would ask it to take some pictures.

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If I __________a lot of money now, I ______________a new car.

DAKAR (August 4) – Nentique Laboratories, Inc., announced today the development of a new variety of organic wheat that ---143--- heat. Dozens of plants were cross-pollinated over many years to produce this variety, known as GR-712. It joins a growing list of ---144--- that can withstand high temperatures during extended dry periods. "Some farmers in regions close to the equator focus---145--- on rice production because rice grows well in hot climates. But in the Sahara, it is too dry for much of the year," explains company spokesman Ahmad Niang. "But for a small investment in GR-712 seeds, farmers will now be able  to  grow  wheat  in  our  region."  146---.  This added income can, in turn, be reinvested in better machinery, which will encourage more environmentally friendly farming practices.

144.......................

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Are Human Beings Getting Smarter?
Do you think you are smarter than your parents or grandparents? According to James Flynn, a professor at a New Zealand university, you might be. Over the course of the last century, IQ test scores of people in some countries have got increasingly better - on average, three points better for every decade that has passed. This trend of improving scores is known as “the Flynn effect,” and scientists want to know what is behind it. IQ tests and other similar tests are designed to measure general intelligence rather than knowledge. Flynn knew that intelligence is partly inherited from our parents and partly the result of our environment and experiences, but the improvement in test scores was happening too quickly to be explained by heredity. So what happened in the 20th century that led to higher test scores? Scientists have proposed several explanations for the Flynn effect. Some suggest that the improved test scores simply reflect an increased exposure to tests in general. Because we take so many tests, we learn test-taking techniques that help us perform better. Others have pointed to better nutrition, which results in babies being born larger, healthier, and with more brain development than in the past. Another possible explanation is a change in educational styles - children are encouraged to discover things for themselves rather than just memorizing information. This could prepare people to do the kind of problem-solving that intelligence tests require. Flynn himself suggested that learning new technologies may have improved people’s problem-solving skills. This may be true for the first decade of his tests, when IQ scores in many countries increased. However, in recent years, IQ test scores in some countries have begun to decline. Data from Norway, the Netherlands, Australia, and Great Britain have shown that as these countries become more and more modern, IQ scores have begun to drop. While scientists aren’t sure what is causing this decline, they think technology is dramatically changing the way that we learn and get information. For example, people are now able to access all kinds of information easily using online resources like Google or Wikipedia. The danger is when they start to rely too much on these sources of information, and not do any thinking for themselves. Lifestyle changes that come with modem technology may also have a negative effect on intelligence, such as video games and television making people less social.  So while the world may have got smarter over the 20th century, improving technology and changing lifestyles may soon reverse that trend

IQ test evaluate our ____

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There are several books by Hemingway on this __________.

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Human beings are notorious for making mistakes. If you look at the police log in any given city on any given day, you will definitely (1)_________ that one of the biggest problems all cities face is car accidents. People do all sorts of things that (2)_________ them into trouble on the roadways. Sometimes, they feel sleepy or they talk on cell phones while they are driving. Whatever the case may be, the accidents that are caused are almost always due to human error. The car accident as a human error might be in for a big shake-up that will make the roadways much safer. We may soon be (3)_________ into an area of self-driving cars that communicate with other cars on the road while (4)_________ the areas around them to avoid obstacles and keep the passengers safe. The technology is already here, and it is proving to be successful. One company that has fully been (5)___________ the idea of driverless car is Google. The company’s driverless car programme is run by Sebastian Thun, who gained fame in 2005 when his team from Stanford won the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) Grand Challenge

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Saving the Rainforests
One of the hottest topics related to the environment is rainforests. Despite always being mentioned in the news, many people don’t know very much about these areas or understand why they are so important. The name “rainforest” actually does a pretty good job of describing what they are – tall forests that receive high amounts of precipitation. In a year, rainforests get between 250 to 450 centimetres of precipitation. There are two types of rainforests: tropical rainforests and temperate rainforests. Tropical rainforests are more plentiful and are located in warmer climates, while temperate rainforests are found in places where the weather is a bit milder. In terms of location, rainforests can be found on every continent with the exception of Antarctica. Although they only cover 6 percent of the Earth, over 50 percent of the Earth’s animal and plant species can be found there. Many biologists estimate that there are possibly millions of additional species present there that have yet to be discovered and classified. Over the years, rainforests have gained the nickname “the world’s pharmacy” because more than 25 percent of natural medicines were found there. Many herbs that are used to make medicines can only be found in rainforests. Rainforests are also home to several tribes that have lived off the land for thousands of years. During this time, they have survived by hunting animals and gathering fruits and vegetables. They also possess tremendous knowledge when it comes to crafting and applying medicines made from herbs and plants. Over time, their unique way of life has declined as they have come in contact with modern civilization. Despite their numerous benefits, rainforests have been disappearing at a rapid speed. As the Earth’s population continues to expand, developers have been cutting down their trees to create new lands for farming or urban projects. This could have unfortunate long-term effects on our planet. If deforestation continues at this rate, it is possible that a quarter of all species on the Earth may become extinct in the next 50 years. As it stands, plenty of damage has already occurred. West Africa has had 90 percent of its rainforests destroyed, while the island nation of Madagascar has eliminated 66 percent of its original rainforests as well. As a result, many charities have sprung up with the goal of purchasing and protecting the remaining rainforests. With their help, hopefully we can stop the destruction of one of the planet’s most vital assets.
6. The word “this” in paragraph 3 refers to ____________

In the past, people ____ to the beach more often. 

(180)_____

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The man wanted to avoid ...................... on security cameras.

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I wish my parents could put themselves in my ______

____ is the activity of doing special exercises regularly in order to make your muscles grow bigger.

(444)_______

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Twitter: 140 Characters to Express Yourself
At the start of the social media revolution, Facebook quickly became the most popular site for sharing information with others. However, it is not the only service that people can use to express themselves. Those who believe in the old saying that “more is less” may want to check out Twitter. Part of Twitter’s appeal is that it limits users to 140 characters whenever they update their status. This forces people to quickly “get to the point” when they are communicating. Twitter is a microblogging service that was created by four American programmers in 2006. The founders chose the name Twitter because the word has two definitions: “a short burst of information” and “the sound that little birds make”, both of which fit the description of what their service provides. In fact, some people have even labeled Twitter the “SMS of the Internet”. Twitter is not just about words though. Users can also share videos and pictures. Another thing which truly sets Twitter apart from its competition is the hashtag. Hashtags are a special way of labeling and classifying information. They help people interested in a subject to find related posts and content. For example, some interested in sports could simply search for hashtag sports and they would find all messages tagged in this manner. Twitter has also allowed people to easily connect with others who they would have never had access to in the past. This has enabled fans to interact with their favourite celebrities by following their Twitter updates and sending them direct messages. Of course, there is no guarantee that the famous person will respond, as the celebrities may receive thousands of messages each day. However, there have been some pretty stunning interactions. In 2011, singer Justin Timberlake made headlines when he accepted an invitation from a female soldier to attend a Marine Corps ball. In return, many celebrities find it gratifying to know some of their supporters more closely. However, there is a dark side to Twitter conversations: Some people who don’t think before sending out tweets that can cause outrage by making inappropriate or insensitive remarks. In November 2013, Twitter went public on the New York Stock Exchange. The added investments should allow the company to do some incredible things in the near future
5. The word “_them_” in paragraph 3 refers to _________

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Technology, general term for the processes by (1) _______ human beings fashion tools and machines to increase (2) _______ control and understanding of the material (3) _______. The term is derived from the Greek words tekhnē, which refers to an art or craft, and logia, (4) _______ an area of study; thus, technology means, literally, the study, or science, of crafting. Many historians of science argue not only that technology is an essential condition of advanced, industrial civilization (5) _______ also that the rate of technological change has developed its own momentum in recent centuries.

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"Are you the new manager, Daisy? Congratulation!" said Billy.