#1 - At home on Mars
Humans need three basic things to live/: water to drink,/ air to breathe,/ and food to
eat. Because of the lack of these necessities /, it isn’t possible/ to live on Mars
right now. For one thing,/ there is not enough oxygen. There is also no liquid
water/—just some ice. So/ how can we make Mars habitable/? The answer,/
scientists suggest/, is a process /called terraforming.
Terraforming means/ changing the environment of a planet/ so that it is similar to
Earth’s/. On Mars/, the average temperature /is about/ minus 60 degrees Celsius.
So /one goal of terraforming Mars /is to warm it up. Most scientists agree that
/Earth is becoming warmer /due to increased levels of greenhouse gases/ in our
atmosphere. We might be able/ to create similar conditions on Mars.
One solution is/ to build factories on Mars/ that release greenhouse gases. The
gases /will change the Martian atmosphere/, resulting in warmer temperatures.
Mars’s polar regions/ will begin to melt,/ releasing more carbon dioxide trapped/
inside the ice/. Rain will eventually fall./ It may then be possible/ to grow plants
outdoors for food. The plants will add oxygen to the air, making human colonies
on Mars a real possibility.
#2 - Driving a Motorbike
When driving a motorbike,/ you must always/ respect the highway laws /and not
take any unnecessary risks./ Not wearing a helmet while riding a bicycle/ is legal,
but for riding a motorbike/ it’s illegal. You should always/ turn your lights on/
and wear light-colored clothes /when darkness falls, to make yourself as visible
as possible. Try to maintain a safe distance /from the traffic in front of you/, don’t
try to squeeze/ through tight spaces,/ and go slower at intersections,/ which can be
quite dangerous. /Avoid an accident at all costs!
Remember to keep your tires well-pumped/, for a smooth and comfortable ride./ A
good idea is/ to get a regular inspection at a repair station/, which costs about/
twenty-five dollars. You can get your vehicle checked/, and replace any parts that
are substandard./ Be sure to ask the mechanic a lot of questions/, like about the
brake system/ or if the metal parts are too rusty./ Your motorbike /might have
been constructed /with some Chinese equipment,/ which is highly unreliable/.
Good maintenance/ is the key/ to dependability/ for any motorized vehicle.
#3 - Studying a New Language
Studying a new language/ can be challenging/, especially if listeners have trouble
understanding the accent/. But with a specific action,/ plan and /regular practice,/
most people/ can reach a good standard of communication/ in a second
language./ It is important/ to have correct pronunciation/ and speak clearly/,
because incorrect pronunciation /can cause misunderstandings/. The objective of
most language learners over eighteen /isn’t to match the ability of native
speakers,/ but to have comfortable communication/ in everyday business and
social situations./
You don’t need a high IQ/, and it’s important to remember /that making
mistakes/ is a natural part of learning/. Being an active learner/ rather than a
passive one,/ means using everyday opportunities /to practise your speaking
skills/, so be prepared/ to ask for advice and correction. Perhaps /you can go to
Sword Lake or Hue Street /and ask some foreigners their advice. /Most people
are pleased /to help learners with the pronunciation or the meaning of an
unfamiliar word./ If you are hard-working and do your homework, /you can slowly
build your confidence, meet new friends, and learn about other cultures.
#4 – Environment
It’s a good idea/ to preserve the Earth’s natural beauty/. Everybody from the
Arctic Ocean to South America/ is responsible for the world we live in/; to damage
our environment /would be irresponsible. Taking public transportation /will cut
down on exhaust from traffic/, and keep the atmosphere cleaner/. At home,/ we can
sort our rubbish into different materials/ and recycle them. Most people/ are aware
of the importance of saving energy,/ but some people/ are unaware/. In our
homes,/ we have many machines that use electricity/, so it would be
advantageous/ to use them efficiently/. Nowadays,/ environmentalists want us/ to
use fewer plastic bags. Therefore,/ everyone should take reusable shopping bags/
with them/ to the supermarket./ We can also reduce the amount of paper we use/
by sharing newspapers/, and not printing lots of documents from a computer.
/Water/ is another important resource/ which no one wants to waste/. Some
places/ have an undersupply of clean water to drink./ There must be at least fifty
practical ways/ you can adjust your life today/ to be sensitive to the issues, /so
everyone /is capable of improving the situation.
#5 - Computers
Recent years have seen the appearance/ of different means of communication.
In addition to newspapers, /mobile phones and televisions/, an increasing
number of people have a computer at home/, and they use it to play video
games/, surf the internet,/ and generate documents. A home PC/ offers many
ways to communicate:/ sending e-mail/, sharing photos on Facebook/, writing
your own blog with hypertext,/ and chatting with foreigners./ It’s amazing that
/Asians can easily connect with anyone in North America/. It has brought comfort
and reassurance to many/, knowing that a friend or family member/ is only a
mouse click away.
Another application is in education,/ which allows for more equality/ amongst
the various students/, as most children under eighteen/ are computer literate.
But /overdependence can be dangerous/. It’s not clear /who takes responsibility
for making sure that/ all those websites are giving just the facts. Usually /the
information is reliable,/ but occasionally it’s unreliable/. Another drawback to
computers is that/ teenagers focus too much on them for their entertainment,/
and it destroys their creativity. Still,/ experts say that /owning a PC is a
necessary investment./
#6 - No Smoking, Please
If you smoke,/ you are one of more than a billion people/ in the world today who
do/. This statistic is especially alarming,/ since inhaling is quite dangerous. You
might feel healthy now/, but/ chances are you will soon be unhealthy. Smoking/
causes many different kinds of serious illnesses/, such as lung cancer and heart
disease/. People who smoke usually/ know the consequences of their choice,/ but/
they continue to do it./ In the United States/, many people start before they are
eighteen/; some as early as fifteen/. They are pushed by curiosity or peer
pressure/, and by age thirty-two they are usually addicted/. Some try to kick the
habit/, but the effort to quit is undeniable/, even if you are knowledgeable about
the risks/. The majority of people in the world/ does not like smoking./ These
nonsmokers are very concerned about/ the long-term effects/ on people’s health
from tobacco fumes./ They have helped pass laws to restrict smoking in public
places/ so as to decrease breathing harmful “second-hand smoke”./ If you avoid
lighting a cigarette,/ you are wise,/ and will probably live a happier life.
