Reading – Part 1
Choose an exercise.
Exercise 1
A Hotel Under the Sea
Exercise 2
Dinosaur Sounds
Exercise 3
Bed Poverty in the UK
Exercise 4
Scientists Change Plants' Sunblock
Exercise 5
Giving Babies Peanuts and Eggs
Exercise 6
Scientists change plants' sunblock
Exercise 7
Amazing World of Marine Life
Exercise 8
Walking 4,000 steps a day...
Exercise 9
Onions
Exercise 10
Mosquitoes
Exercise 11
Swiss Cheese
Exercise 12
Scientists 'talk' with a whale
Exercise 13
Bread Recipe
Exercise 14
Air pollution
Exercise 15
Looking for a new Earth
Exercise 16
Autumn
Exercise 17
Nature secrets
Exercise 18
Sleeping well
Exercise 19
A hotel under the sea
Exercise 20
Red wolf
Exercise 21
Hurricanes
Exercise 22
Polymers
Exercise 23
A Visit to the Farm
Exercise 24
Flying Taxis
Exercise 25
Bread Recipe
Exercise 26
Broken Heart Syndrome
Exercise 27
Beetle
Exercise 28
Noah's Holiday
Exercise 29
Why do sharks sleep?
Exercise 30
Native Americans
Exercise 31
Enchanted Forest
Exercise 32
A Visit to the Zoo
Exercise 33
Scotland Yard
Exercise 34
Two American Festivals
Exercise 35
Elephants sense 'danger' clothes
Exercise 36
Pancake Day
Exercise 37
Memories of my first day at school
Exercise 38
An amazing stay at the Ocean View Hotel
Exercise 39
A Small School
Exercise 40
How an Island Is Formed?
Exercise 41
Tea and Health
Exercise 42
A hotel under the sea
Exercise 43
Plants 'talk' when stressed
Exercise 44
Nature secrets
Exercise 45
Hibernation
Exercise 46
Giving babies peanuts and eggs
Exercise 47
Olivia
Exercise 48
Future Cities
Exercise 49
My Favourite Place
Exercise 50
Looking for a new Earth
Read the text. Fill in each gap with ONE word.
You must use a word which is somewhere in the rest of the text.
Want to sleep under the sea? The company Planet Ocean has plans for an exciting underwater hotel,
which they hope to build in locations all over the world. The
(1)
won't be large, with only 12 guest rooms, plus a restaurant. Guests will get to the hotel in a lift
- so no diving or getting wet! The hotel will float 10 meters under the deep
(2),
although it will be attached to the sea bed to prevent it from moving too far. Because it won't be
very
(3)
under the water, the sun will shine down and provide light.
(4)
will get great close-up views of the fish and other sea creatures, which won't be bothered by the
hotel and so won't make any effort to avoid it. The hotel won't be cheap to build, and it won't be
(5)
to stay in. But the designers are especially proud of the fact that it will be environmentally
friendly. It will use electricity, of course, but it will produce its own, and won't disturb ocean
life at all. In fact, the
(6)
hope some sea creatures will build their homes on parts of the building, which will bring real
benefits to the underwater world.
Read the text. Fill in each gap with ONE word.
(The word must come from somewhere else in the text.)
Dinosaurs died out 65 million years ago. We don't really know what they sounded like. There are
many movies with dinosaurs making all kinds of noises, but these
(1)
are just guesses that movie directors make. A new discovery has given scientists a better idea of
what dinosaurs sounded like. The
(2)
examined a rare fossil from a dinosaur called an ankylosaur. The
(3)
is 78 million years old. It includes a record of the ankylosaur's voice box. The scientists think
the shape of the creature's voice box means it probably made bird-like sounds. The research was led
by a dinosaur researcher at the Fukushima Museum in Japan. He did many tests on the shape of the
fossilized voice box. He compared it with the voice box of birds, crocodiles and turtles. He now has
an idea of what the voice box muscles looked like. The
(4)
controlled the sounds of the voice box. The
(5)
may mean that movies like Jurassic Park got it wrong. Tyrannosaurus rex probably made more of a
tweeting sound, like a bird. Hollywood may have to change its scary roars in future dinosaur
(6)
to a tweet-tweet sound.
Read the text. Fill in each gap with ONE word.
(The word must come from somewhere else in the text.)
"Bed poverty" on the rise in the UK
A charity reported that more than a million children in the UK live in "bed poverty". This means
they have no bed of their own, or they sleep on the floor, or they share a
(1)
with parents or siblings. Around 700,000 children share beds, and 440,000 children sleep on the
(2).
The charity said bed poverty is because people are poorer. The cost of living has increased in the
UK. Rising food prices and higher energy bills mean poorer
(3)
cannot afford basic items. For many families, a bed is now a "luxury" item. Having no bed means
children are tired and cannot concentrate at school. The
(4)
said bed poverty shows that many people in Britain are struggling. It said bed poverty is an
example of child poverty. Many parents have painful challenges. They do not have enough money to buy
the essentials to raise happy and healthy
(5).
The charity said: "Families in crisis are having to prioritise essentials such as
(6),
heating and electricity over things like fixing a broken bed." It warned that bed poverty is
affecting children's mental health. It called on the government to take "urgent action to address
these deep-rooted issues".
Read the text. Fill in each gap with ONE word.
(The word must come from somewhere else in the text.)
Scientists change plants' sunblock
Biologists have thought of a new way to increase the size of crops by 20 per cent. They
genetically modified the thing in plants that is responsible for photosynthesis.
(1)
is the important chemical reaction where plants use sunlight to change carbon dioxide into oxygen.
It lets us breathe. The scientists found a way for
(2)
to use the energy they get from sunlight better, so they produce more food. Lead researcher
Professor Stephen Long said his team is
(3)
modifying the world's biggest crops, such as rice, wheat, maize and soybean.
The
(4)
changed the thing that plants use to protect themselves from damage from the Sun's strongest rays.
Plants turn their
(5)
into heat when they become too hot. However, plants do this even when clouds block the Sun. The
scientists put extra copies of the heat-loss genes into plants. These speed up the heat-loss process
so the plants can quickly return to using energy to grow. This could help the world's food needs.
Professor Long said if he could get 20 per cent more
(6)
from crops, it would reduce the future pressure on food supply.
Read the text. Fill in each gap with ONE word.
(The word must come from somewhere else in the text.)
Giving babies peanuts and eggs
Many people are allergic to eggs and peanuts. An allergy to peanuts can be deadly. Researchers from
a London university say that feeding eggs and peanuts to babies may stop them getting allergies when
they are older. The
(1)
looked at studies of more than 200,000 children to see when they first ate eggs and peanuts. They
found that if 4-6-month-old babies ate
(2),
they were 40 per cent less likely to get an egg allergy than children who ate eggs later.
(3)
aged four-to-11 months old who ate peanut products were 70 per cent less likely to get an
(4)
to peanuts.
Egg and peanut allergies are the two most common childhood food allergies. Parents must be careful
when feeding babies eggs and nuts. Babies should never have whole nuts because they might choke.
They should only eat smooth and not crunchy peanut butter. Other
(5)
allergies are to soy, wheat, sesame, fish and seafood. Giving these foods to babies one at a time
may protect them from allergies.
(6)
should check their baby's health after each new food. The researchers say that more research is
needed to find the best ages to start feeding eggs and peanuts to babies.
Read the text. Fill in each gap with ONE word.
(The word must come from somewhere else in the text.)
Scientists change plants' sunblock
Biologists have thought of a new way to increase the size of crops by 20 per cent. They
genetically modified the thing in plants that is responsible for photosynthesis.
(1)
is the important chemical reaction where plants use sunlight to change carbon dioxide into oxygen.
It lets us breathe. The scientists found a way for
(2)
to use the energy they get from sunlight better, so they produce more food. Lead researcher
Professor Stephen Long said his team is
(3)
modifying the world's biggest crops, such as rice, wheat, maize and soybean.
The
(4)
changed the thing that plants use to protect themselves from damage from the Sun's strongest rays.
Plants turn their
(5)
into heat when they become too hot. However, plants do this even when clouds block the Sun. The
scientists put extra copies of the heat-loss genes into plants. These speed up the heat-loss process
so the plants can quickly return to using energy to grow. This could help the world's food needs.
Professor Long said if he could get 20 per cent more
(6)
from crops, it would reduce the future pressure on food supply.
Read the text. Fill in each gap with ONE word.
(The word must come from somewhere else in the text.)
Amazing World of Marine Life
Marine life is the amazing world of animals that live in our oceans. There are many different types
of
(1)
animals, from tiny plankton to gigantic whales, and each one is unique and important to our planet.
Some of the most fascinating creatures in the oceans are fish.
(2)
come in all shapes and sizes, and they can live in every type of
(3)
coral reefs to the darkest depths of the ocean.
Another type of marine life that is crucial to our planet is coral.
(4)
is actually made up of tiny animals that live together in colonies, and they create beautiful reefs
that provide a home for many other creatures. Sadly, these
(5)
are in danger due to pollution and climate change, so it's important that we do our part to protect
them.
In conclusion, there is so much to love and learn about marine creatures. By respecting and
protecting these
(6)
, we can ensure that they continue to succeed and attract us for generations to come.
Read the text. Fill in each gap with ONE word.
(The word must come from somewhere else in the text.)
Walking 4,000 steps a day...
Many people monitor how many steps they walk every day. Research suggests that 10,000
(1)
a day is enough for us to stay healthy and live longer. A new study says just 4,000 steps a day
could be enough for us to
(2)
to an old age. Researchers analyzed 17 studies that looked at how far
(3)
walked during the week. They concluded that 4,000 steps per day lowered the risk of dying from
diabetes, heart diseases and other life-threatening conditions.
The study said 4,000 steps is the same as a 30- to 45-minute walk, or about three to four kilometres.
The study is published in a cardiology journal.
(4)
looked at exercise data from 225,000 adults worldwide over seven years. The
(5)
had an average age of 64 and had different levels of health. The lead researcher said 4,000 steps
was enough, but it wasn't a "magic number". He added that the more steps you take, the better. He
also said walking an additional 1,000 steps per day could lead to a roughly 15 per cent lower risk of
premature death. The researcher said people should add at least one
(6)
to their daily routine.
Read the text. Fill in each gap with ONE word.
(The word must come from somewhere else in the text.)
Onions
Onions are very important in Bangladesh cooking. However, it is more difficult to buy them. There is
a shortage. This means prices have gone up a lot. The price of one kilogram has risen from US36 cents
to around $3.25. This is nearly a ten-fold increase. Many Bangladeshis now cannot afford to
(1)
onions.
(2)
usually imports them from its neighbour India. Recent monsoon rain in India damaged a lot of India's
onion harvest. This made India ban exports to Bangladesh. Bangladesh's opposition party has called
for nationwide protests because of the record
(3).
The onion crisis is very serious. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed has stopped using it in her
(4).
She is using onion alternatives in her dishes. Some onions are on sale in Dhaka markets at twice
their usual price. Hundreds of people queued for hours to buy one kilo. One person said he would
stand for two
(5)
more to save some money. He has never seen onion prices so high. A Dhaka resident said
(6)
in her neighbourhood have stopped eating onions. She last bought a kilo of onions 15 days ago.
Many street-food sellers can no longer make their onion-based snacks.
Read the text. Fill in each gap with ONE word.
(The word must come from somewhere else in the text.)
Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes like some people more than others. Scientists in the USA found that different body smells
attract
(1).
This includes our natural body odour and smells from soaps. Some of these smells could reduce the
number of bites we get in the summer. The researchers said mosquitoes preferred soap with a flowery
smell. More than 60 per cent of the
(2)
coming from our body come from soap. Changing the soap we use could stop us being attractive to
mosquitoes.
(3)
with no smell could make us less tasty to mosquitoes. The
(4)
tested four popular brands of soap on mosquitoes. They also tested the smell of people when they did
not wash themselves. The researchers put the soapy and unwashed smells in two different cups in a
cage full of mosquitoes. The insects preferred the soapy smells. Mosquitoes are like humans because
they like
(5)
and fruity smells. One researcher said coconut-scented soap is best to keep mosquitoes away.
Mosquitoes are the world's deadliest creatures. The diseases they carry kill 725,000
(6)
a year.
Read the text. Fill in each gap with ONE word.
(The word must come from somewhere else in the text.)
Swiss Cheese
Switzerland is a country famous for producing cheese. However, it is now importing more
(1)
than it exports for the first time. The reason is that Switzerland opened up its milk market. Other
countries can sell
(2)
in Switzerland. This means it is difficult for Swiss farmers to compete with cheaper, imported milk.
Many dairy farmers have given up because they cannot make a profit. This has decreased the quantity
of cheese made in
(3).
The Swiss Dairy Association said the country can now only make enough cheese for its own population.
Swiss cheese is well known for its high quality. It is often on the menu of restaurants worldwide.
However,
(4)
and supermarkets are replacing Swiss cheeses with those from other countries. Even though
Switzerland is exporting less cheese, the
(5)
are still big cheese eaters. They are eating more cheese than ever. Swiss people ate an average of
22.9 kg per person last year. A dairy farmer was sad to see dairy farms disappearing. She said:
"Cheese is a big part of life in Switzerland. We need our
(6)
, and cheese."
Read the text. Fill in each gap with ONE word.
(The word must come from somewhere else in the text.)
Scientists "talk" with a whale
Scientists have had a "conversation" with a whale. This could help us talk to aliens in the future.
The
(1)
are from three different organizations in the USA. They teamed up and spoke to a humpback whale named
Twain. They spoke to her in "humpback language" for 20 minutes. The scientists sent a "contact call"
into the ocean off the coast of Alaska.
(2)
heard the call and responded. She swam to the research boat and chatted. A researcher said it was
the first ever communication between humans and
(3)
whales.
The conversation with Twain was like a series of greetings. Whales use contact calls so other
(4)
know where they are. The scientists made 36
(5)
over a 20-minute period. Each time, Twain responded by calling back at the same intervals. A
scientist told the Business Insider website that the research could make it easier to talk to
(6).
She said: "There are diverse intelligences on this planet. By studying them, we can better
understand what an alien intelligence might be like because they are not going to be exactly like
ours."
Read the text. Fill in each gap with ONE word.
(The word must come from somewhere else in the text.)
Bread Recipe
Researchers have found the world's oldest example of bread. The
(1)
found 24 ancient breadcrumbs on an archaeological dig in Jordan. The breadcrumbs were burnt, which
is how they survived for so long. The crumbs come from bread made about 14,000 years old. This means
that Stone Age people were baking
(2).
This is 4,000 years earlier than scientists thought. The
(3)
who baked the bread lived in
(4)
from 12,500 to 9,500 B.C. They were hunter-gatherers. They lived thousands of years before humans
settled down to become farmers.
The
(5)
were made from cereals such as barley, wheat and oats. The lead researcher said the bread took a
long time to make. The ancient people ground the cereals into flour and mixed it with water to make
dough. After that, they baked it in hot ashes or on a hot stone. The bread looked like the flat pitta
bread made across the Middle East. Another
(6)
said the bread could be one reason why the agricultural revolution started. Stone Age people
understood it was easier to farm the wheat for bread instead of collecting it from the wild.
Read the text. Fill in each gap with ONE word.
(The word must come from somewhere else in the text.)
Air pollution
Breathing in air pollution could change our brain. A new study shows that car fumes can
(1)
how our brain is wired - how parts of the brain connect with other parts. The research is from the
University of British Columbia in Canada. Researchers found that car fumes can change our brain's
connectivity in just two hours. A
(2),
Professor Chris Carlsten, was surprised at what he found. He said: "For many decades, scientists
thought the brain may be protected from the harmful effects of air pollution." He added: "This
study, which is the first of its kind in the world, provides fresh evidence supporting a connection
between air pollution and [thinking]."
The traffic pollution study was on 25 adults. The researchers asked the adults to breathe in car
fumes in a laboratory. The research team took brain scans of the
(3)
for two hours. The
(4)
showed that networks in the brain that we use for thinking and remembering changed. There were fewer
connections between the
(5).
Another professor said the research was worrying. She said: "It's concerning to see traffic
pollution interrupting these networks." The researchers said there needed to be more research to see
how car fumes change our brain. They also advised people to close car windows when in traffic. The
(6)
of the 25 people returned to normal after they breathed clean air.
Read the text. Fill in each gap with ONE word.
(The word must come from somewhere else in the text.)
Looking for a new Earth
For thousands of years, humans have explored the Earth. Nowadays, we are exploring space.
Astronomers are the modern-day explorers. Currently, many
(1)
are looking for new planets and new places for humans to live in the future. But where do
astronomers start looking?
First of all, astronomers look for a star. That's because our own Earth orbits a star (the Sun).
More importantly, it is the correct distance from the Sun for heat and light. So when astronomers
have found the
(2),
they look at the planets around it. In recent years, astronomers have found nearly 400 new planets
with stars. Unfortunately, many of these
(3)
are either too near to the star or too far away.
However, if the planet is in a good position, astronomers
(4)
for three key things: water, air and rock. Water is important because all life needs water. Humans
can drink it and they can also grow plants with water. And
(5)
produce air for humans to breathe and food to eat. So all life on other planets will need water and
air.
(6)
on a planet is also important. That's because there is often water under the rocks.
Read the text. Fill in each gap with ONE word.
(The word must come from somewhere else in the text.)
Autumn
Autumn is a magical season. It is a time when leaves turn to beautiful red, orange and yellow colors.
But why do
(1)
change color? It is because of a chemical called chlorophyll. This
(2)
helps plants to make food from sunlight. Days become shorter and there is not enough
(3)
in winter. In winter
(4)
cannot get enough food.
Why do animals migrate in winter? Food becomes scarce in winter. In warmer climates, there is more
(5)
all year round. Also, animals such as bears and bats sleep in winter. Sleeping helps these
(6)
during winter.
Read the text. Fill in each gap with ONE word.
(The word must come from somewhere else in the text.)
Nature secrets
Nature still has many secrets. We uncovered one of them last week. A
(1)
lover found a new species of orchid in Japan. It is unusual to find
(2)
plants in Japan. Scientists studied the new orchid. They believe it grows all over
(3).
It is pink and white. Its thin petals look like they are made from glass. A professor said:
"The discovery of new species in common places means it is necessary to keep exploring, even in
everyday places."
There are 28,000 orchids
(4)
worldwide. The new orchid belongs to a class that is common in Japan. The
(5)
is in a Japanese poem from the year 759. The professor was "thrilled to have identified a new
species". He was excited because it wasn't found in a rainforest or jungle. The discovery of the new
(6)
is good news. However, many orchids are in danger. We need to protect nature. If we lose more
orchids, the world will be less colorful.
Read the text. Fill in each gap with ONE word.
(The word must come from somewhere else in the text.)
Sleeping well
The key for older people to sleep well could be how hot or cold their
(1)
is. Researchers say the best way to sleep well is for the bedroom to be between 20-25° Celsius. The
(2)
are from Harvard University and an institute for aging research. They asked 50 people aged 65 and
older to wear a sleep monitor for 18 months. The people's quality of
(3)
worsened when their room temperature was outside the 20-25-degree range. Researchers say 20°C is the
best temperature.
They said: "Sleep tends to come easier and is often deeper in a cooler environment." The research
is full of information.
(4)
could affect sleep as much as having pain or drinking alcohol. The researchers found a 5-10 per cent
drop in sleep
(5)
when it was lower than 20°C or higher than 25°C. Poor sleep can lead to health issues, like an
inability to think clearly, mood swings, and stress. Other
(6)
include an increased risk of getting diabetes and heart disease. The researchers said people should
create "a more comfortable home environment" to sleep well. They also said climate change could
affect sleep quality.
Read the text. Fill in each gap with ONE word.
(The word must come from somewhere else in the text.)
A hotel under the sea
Want to sleep under the sea? The company Planet Ocean has plans for an exciting underwater hotel,
which they hope to build in locations all over the world.
The
(1)
won't be large, with only 12 guest rooms, plus a restaurant. Guests will get to the hotel in a lift
- so no diving or getting wet! The hotel will float 10 meters under the
(2),
although it will be attached to the sea bed to prevent it from moving too far. Because it won't be
very
(3)
under the water, the sun will shine down and provide daylight.
(4)
will get close-up views of the fish and other sea creatures, which won't be bothered by the hotel
and so won't make any effort to avoid it.
The hotel won't be cheap to build, and it won't be
(5)
to stay in. But the designers are especially proud of the fact that it will be environmentally
friendly. It will use electricity, of course, but it will produce its own, and won't disturb ocean
life at all. In fact, the
(6)
hope some sea creatures will build their homes on parts of the building, which will bring real
benefits to the underwater world.
Read the text. Fill in each gap with ONE word.
(The word must come from somewhere else in the text.)
Red wolf
The Red Wolf (Canis rufus) is the most endangered of all the
(1)
species. It has a smooth reddish coat, a silvery-grey forehead, long ears and long legs. They are
similar in size to a German shepherd dog. The red wolf belongs to the canidae family, which includes
wolves, foxes, jackals, coyote and domestic dogs. Red wolf packs usually contain between 2 and 10
members. Red wolves eat smaller ground-dwelling
(2)
such as rabbits and rodents. They also hunt together as a group in order to catch a larger animal
such as a deer.
(3)
wolves generally hunt alone or in small packs. They communicate by howling, scent marking, facial
expressions and body movement.
Red wolves are nocturnal animals. Red wolves inhabit forests, wetlands, coastal prairies and
mountains. They make their dens in hollow trees, stream banks and sand knolls. The female red wolf
gives birth to a litter of 4-6 pups. The
(4)
are born blind and are nursed by the rest of the pack until they are able to
(5)
for themselves. They will either remain with their parents or leave to start a pack of their own.
Today, about 50 red wolves exist in the wild and about 200 live in zoos and breeding facilities.
Predators of the red wolf include wolves, coyotes, and humans. Red wolves are one of the most
(6)
animals in the world.
Read the text. Fill in each gap with ONE word.
(The word must come from somewhere else in the text.)
Hurricanes
Scientists want to change the measuring scale of hurricanes. These
(1)
say that the current 1 to 5 scale is not appropriate. The
(2)
5-scale measures winds of 250 mph. A new scale of 6 would measure
(3)
of 315 mph. It is revealed that five storms and typhoons have reached the sixth scale.
A researcher says global warming will affect hurricanes. This
(4)
also says that as seawater heats up, a lot of
(5)
will be pumped into the air. This will make hurricanes even stronger. That is why several
(6)
have happened so far. These are expected to happen again in the future.
Read the text. Fill in each gap with ONE word.
(The word must come from somewhere else in the text.)
Polymers
Polymers are an important part of our world. They make up products such as our food, our clothes,
and even our money!
(1)
are large molecules that are long chains of repeating units. Polymers can be synthetic, which means
humans made them. One of the most
(2)
polymers is plastic.
(3)
is so common because it is strong and can be made into all kinds of useful
(4),
from car parts to milk containers.
Polymers are such an important part of the way we make things now and will be in the future. That
means how we design them is also
(5).
As we throw things away, we need to be aware that they might damage the
(6).
Or when they do, they might negatively impact our world. That is why making polymers is so
important.
Read the text. Fill in each gap with ONE word.
(The word must come from somewhere else in the text.)
A Visit to the Farm
Anna and her brother Lou visited a farm. They were excited because they never saw farm animals close
up. The first
(1)
they saw were sheep. Lou was surprised to learn that the wool from these
(2)
was used to make clothes like sweaters and scarves. Next, they went to the chicken coop. Anna
noticed that a
(3)
was sitting on a nest of eggs. The farmer told them that the
(4)
would hatch in about three weeks. Lou asked whether the chicken would look like her father or
mother. The
(5)
laughed and said they may look like both. Then, they went to the barn where they met a kind cow.
Anna was amazed by the fact that this
(6)
can produce up to 30 litres of milk. The children bought some milk and eggs, and then went home.
Read the text. Fill in each gap with ONE word.
(The word must come from somewhere else in the text.)
Flying Taxis
A new form of transport will be with us in the next few years - flying taxis. Many of us grew up
watching sci-fi movies with airborne
(1).
Science fiction is now becoming
(2)
fact. The Japanese airline ANA has teamed up with a U.S. tech start-up called Joby Aviation. The two
companies aim to start operating air taxis at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka.
They are currently working together on building the flying vehicles. They also need to work out
what traffic rules the taxis will need to follow, and what kind of training
(3)
taxi pilots will need. The five-seat, all-electric taxi will be able to take off and land
vertically. It will have a flight range of 241 kilometres and a top speed of 321 kph.
Joby's CEO said the taxis would be good for the
(4).
He told reporters: "Joby exists to help people save time while reducing their carbon footprint."
Japan offers a great opportunity, with 92 per cent of the population
(5)
in urban areas. The president of ANA, Koji Shibata, was also excited about the project. He
(6)
ANA has 70 years of experience delivering safe and reliable flights to customers across the world.
Read the text. Fill in each gap with ONE word.
(The word must come from somewhere else in the text.)
Bread Recipe
Researchers have found the world's oldest example of bread. The
(1)
found 24 ancient breadcrumbs on an archaeological dig in Jordan. The breadcrumbs were burnt, which
is how they survived for so long. The crumbs come from bread made about 14,000 years old. This means
that Stone Age people were baking
(2).
This is 4,000 years earlier than scientists thought. The
(3)
who baked the bread lived in
(4)
from 12,500 to 9,500 B.C. They were hunter-gatherers. They lived thousands of years before humans
settled down to become farmers.
The
(5)
were made from cereals such as barley, wheat and oats. The lead researcher said the bread took a
long time to make. The ancient people ground the cereals into flour and mixed it with water to make
dough. After that, they baked it in hot ashes or on a hot stone. The bread looked like the flat
pizza bread made across the Middle East. Another
(6)
said the bread could be one reason why the agricultural revolution started. Stone Age people
understood it was easier to farm the wheat for bread instead of collecting it from the wild.
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Broken Heart Syndrome
Scientists say it isn't just sad things that make us broken-hearted. Happy events can also be bad
for our heart. A broken
(1)
is a real illness. This
(2)
is not just the sadness we feel. We get broken heart syndrome when we are stressed when something
(3)
happens, such as a relationship breakup, the death of family and friends, or the loss of a job. But
people can get it even when very happy things happen. The doctors who discovered this have called it
(4)
heart syndrome.
The European Heart Journal published a study. This
(5)
analyses data from 1,750 patients. These
(6)
are from nine different countries. Researchers say our brain may think happy and sad events are
similar, so both can result in heart problems.
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Beetle
Scientists may have found one answer to water shortages by developing a material that collects
(1)
from the air. They got the idea from an African desert beetle. This
(2)
is an expert at surviving in dry conditions. Its shell is covered in small bumps. These
(3)
collect drops of water from the air to keep the beetle alive.
(4)
studied the shape and material of the bumps. They will make their own
(5)
to collect water from the air. The scientists say the new technology is very promising. This
(6)
can help people who live in very dry areas. It could also help power plants, heating and air
conditioning.
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Noah's Holiday
This summer, Noah decided to spend his holiday by the sea. He rented a small house near a quiet
beach where he could relax and enjoy nature. The
(1)
had a big terrace facing the sea, and Noah loved waking up to the sound of the waves. Every
morning, Noah walked along the soft sand of the
(2).
Sometimes he would take a picnic basket and spend hours sitting on the beach, reading books and
watching the sea.
Noah also rented a little boat during his stay. He sailed the
(3)
into the open sea almost every afternoon. One day, while steering his boat, he spotted a group of
playful dolphins jumping out of the water. Watching the
(4)
swimming so close made his holiday even more special. In the evenings, Noah visited local
restaurants along the shore. These
(5)
served fresh dishes made from seafood. Noah loved trying different
(6),
especially those with grilled fish and prawns. Sitting near the sea, eating delicious dishes, and
listening to the sound of the waves became his favorite part of the day.
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Why do sharks sleep?
We all know how it feels when we have not had enough sleep. You might feel tired, have trouble
concentrating, or even be angry and upset.
Despite it being such an important part of our daily lives,
(1)
remains a bit of a mystery! To help answer the question of why our sleep is a bit of
(2),
scientists have started researching sleep in other animals. This can
(3)
us understand how and why sleep developed.
Sharks are hundreds of millions of years old. In fact,
(4)
are the oldest living group of jawed vertebrates! Because of this, we think they could help
information about the evolution of sleep. So far, only one unlock
(5)
study has focused on sleep in sharks. We wanted to change this!
We studied the biological rate and behavior of some sharks over a 24-hour period. Our study shows
that when sharks sleep, they typically have a flat body posture and a reduced metabolic rate.
Our
(6)
supports the hypothesis that saving energy is a main function of sleep. It also provides insight
into its evolution.
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Native Americans
Once, before European settlers began moving to North America in the 16th century, the continent was
inhabited by a small number of native tribes. Some of these
(1)
were sedentary, living in established villages; but most of these "Indians" were nomadic people,
living in teepees or other movable homes. The first European
(2)
called them "Indians", because they had dark skin like
(3)
from India.
Although these "Indians" had nothing to do with India, the name remained, and is still used today.
The word "Indian" is still used in many official contexts, even by Indians themselves; but several
other terms are also used, including "Native Americans".
Five hundred years ago, when the first Europeans reached North
(4),
there were about ten million Native Americans living north of today's Mexican border.
In three hundred
(5),
their population fell to less than half a million. Many were killed in battles, but the biggest
cause of their decline was disease. European settlers brought diseases with them from Europe, which
were fatal to American Indians.
Since the twentieth century, the Native American
(6)
has been growing again, and today there are over two and a half million Native Americans in the
U.S.A.
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Enchanted Forest
Once upon a time, in a magical land far away, there was an Enchanted Forest. The
(1)
was filled with tall trees, colorful flowers, and sparkling streams. It was a place where fairies,
unicorns, and talking animals lived together in harmony.
In the heart of the Enchanted Forest, there was a wise old owl named Oliver. Oliver had big round
eyes and feathers as soft as velvet. He
(2)
in a cozy tree hollow and was known for his wisdom and knowledge.
One sunny day, a curious little girl named Lily ventured into the
(3)
Forest. Lily had golden hair, rosy cheeks, and a heart full of adventure. She wanted to explore the
magical wonders of the forest and meet its extraordinary inhabitants.
As Lily
(4)
deeper into the forest, she came across a mischievous fairy named Sparkle. Sparkle had shimmering
wings, a mischievous smile, and a sprinkle of magic dust. She loved playing pranks on her friends
but had a heart full of kindness. Lily and Sparkle became fast
(5)
and went on many adventures together.
They discovered hidden treasure, helped animals in need, and even had a tea party with the
unicorns. The Enchanted Forest was a
(6)
where dreams came true and friendships were forever.
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A Visit to the Zoo
Last Sunday, my family and I went to the city zoo. It was a sunny day, perfect for a visit. The
(1)
was bustling with people, all excited to see the animals. We started our tour near the lion
enclosure. The lions were magnificent, their powerful bodies lounging in the sun. One even yawned,
showing off impressive teeth! It was amazing to see
(2)
up close.
Next, we visited the monkeys. They were incredibly playful and energetic, swinging from branch to
branch. One cheeky monkey even snatched a banana from a nearby visitor! It was hilarious to watch.
The monkey
(3)
also had a small waterfall, which the monkeys seemed to love playing in.
After the
(4),
we headed to the aquarium. There were so many different kinds of fish swimming around - bright
orange ones, long silvery ones, and even some with strange patterns. We spent a good amount of time
watching the fish darting about. My little sister especially loved
(5)
a large turtle slowly making its way across the bottom of the tank.
The zoo was a fantastic day out. We saw so many fascinating animals and had a wonderful
(6)
together as a family. I learned so much about different animals and their habitats, and I'd
definitely recommend a visit to the zoo to anyone!
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Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard is the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police in London. To most people, its name
immediately brings to mind the picture of a detective - cool, efficient, ready to track down any
criminal, or a helmeted
(1)
constable - that familiar figure of the London scene and trusty helper of every traveller from
overseas.
Scotland Yard is situated on the Thames Embankment close to the Houses of Parliament and the
familiar clock tower of Big Ben, and its jurisdiction extends over 740 square miles with the
exception of the ancient City of
(2),
which possesses its own separate police force.
One of the most successful developments in Scotland Yard's crime detection and emergency service
has been the "999 system". On receipt of a call, the 999 Room operator ascertains by electronic
device the position of the nearest available police car, which is contacted by radio. Almost
instantly a message is also sent by teleprinter to the police station concerned so that within
seconds of a
(3)
for assistance being received, a police
(4)
is on its way to the scene.
An old-established section of the
(5)
police is the Mounted Branch, with its strength of about 200 horses stabled at strategic points.
These
(6)
are particularly suited to ceremonial occasions, for they are accustomed to military bands.
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Two American Festivals
Burning Man
Burning Man is an event that started in 1986 in Black Rock City, Nevada. People go to the desert and
build a giant community for nine days. At the end of the festival, they burn a
(1)
wooden statue of a man. That's where the name comes from. The
(2)
celebrates inclusion, community, and responsibility. Everyone should share their talents so others
can enjoy them for free. It is now also very popular with young influencers on social media and
other famous
(3).
The Taste of Buffalo
The Taste of Buffalo in Buffalo, New York, is the largest two-day food festival in the country every
year. Nearly half a million people visit the festival to eat special dishes from over 50
restaurants. There are over 200 different
(4)
to try! Most of the food is from regional
(5),
and it is a great family event. It is a good place if you want to visit here as a
(6).
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Elephants sense 'danger' clothes
St Andrews University researchers discovered that elephants could recognise the degree of danger
posed by various groups of individuals. The study found that African elephants always reacted with
fear when they detected the smell of clothes previously worn by men of the Maasai tribe. They are
known to demonstrate their courage by spearing
(1).
The elephants also responded aggressively to red clothing, which defines traditional Maasai dress.
However, the elephants showed a much milder reaction to
(2)
previously worn by the Kamba people, who do not hunt elephants and pose little threat.
The
(3)
first presented elephants with clean, red clothing and with red clothing that had been worn for
five days by either a Maasai or a
(4)
man.
They revealed that Maasai-smelt clothing motivated elephants to travel significantly faster in the
first minute after they moved away.
They then investigated whether elephants could also use the colour of clothing as a cue to classify
a potential threat and found the elephants
(5)
with aggression when they spotted red but not white cloth. This suggested that they associated the
colour red with the Maasai.
The researchers believe the distinction in the elephants' emotional reaction to smell and
(6)
might be explained by the amount of risk they sense. They might be able to distinguish among
different human groups according to the level of risk they posed.
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Pancake Day
In the UK,
(1)
celebrate Pancake Day. This festival takes place in February, on Shrove Tuesday. This is the day
before Lent. Lent is an important time in the Christian calendar. It lasts 47 days. During Lent,
people traditionally stop eating delicious
(2),
like cakes and chocolate. So on Shrove Tuesday, they must eat up all the nice food in their
cupboards. So they make pancakes, and they often eat them with lemon and sugar.
Many British towns hold pancake races on Shrove Tuesday. People wear fancy dresses and run down the
street with a pancake in a pan. They must throw the
(3)
in the air and catch it in the pan as they run. It must not fall on the ground.
The tradition of pancake
(4)
started in Olney, Buckinghamshire. According to a story, a housewife made pancakes on Easter Sunday
in 1445. Then she heard the church bells. She was worried because she was late for
(5),
so she ran to church with her
(6)
and pancake in her hand! Now, Olney's pancake races are famous.
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Memories of my first day at school
I remember my first day at school very well. I knew the
(1)
quite well because my older sister, Sandy, went there, and every day dad and I met her at the
school gate after school. Every day, she ran out of the school with her
(2).
She often carried a painting. I felt jealous. I wanted to paint too!
I was five years
(3)
when I started school. Most of my friends in my class
(4)
school in September, but I started school in January, when I was five years old, because my
birthday is in December. Three other kids started school on the same
(5)
as me. I was excited about my first day.
I had my new uniform: a black skirt, a white T-shirt and green jumper, and a new red bag. When we
arrived that day, a teacher met the new children at the school
(6).
Dad hugged me and said goodbye. I stood with the other children. I didn't talk to them because I
was too nervous. Then, Mrs Wilson took us to our classroom.
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An amazing stay at the Ocean View Hotel
I'm usually sad to say goodbye to my cousins after visiting them in Australia. But last June I
didn't feel
(1).
We had to change planes in the Middle East on the way back and had to stay overnight. I just
couldn't wait to get to our hotel.
The first thing I noticed in the
(2)
was all the glass. It was really bright, so I don't know why all the lights were on in the
building! There was also loud rock music playing, which I loved (but my parents didn't such
(3))!
There weren't many people waiting at the reception, so we were soon in our rooms.
The garden wasn't what I expected. "Dad," I said, "you told me there was a pool. You know I love
swimming!" He took me back into the reception area and then up in the lift to the 39th floor and out
onto the top of the
(4).
"Here the
(5)
is," he said. It was amazing!
(6)
under the clouds was awesome.
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A Small School
Would you want to go to school in a national park? What if the
(1)
was the hottest and driest place in the country? What if it was called Death Valley? Death Valley
National Park is a beautiful but harsh desert. For five months a year, temperatures rise over 100°F.
About 500
(2)
live in Death Valley, and some work in the park. Many of the people are families with young
children.
Death Valley Elementary School is down the road from the visitors' center. The elementary
(3)
is located on Old Ghost Road. In spite of the scary name, the school is a happy
(4).
The building has two rooms, and it had 11 students in 2009. Most of the students are kindergartners,
and the oldest student is in 4th grade. One teacher and one aide work with all of the
(5).
Going to school in a place
(6)
Death Valley can be a good thing. In such a small school, each student gets a lot of attention.
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How an Island Is Formed?
Most islands are located in oceans. Many of these
(1)
are the tops of huge volcanoes. The volcanoes go all the way down to the bottom of the sea. But
they began under the ocean floor. The ocean floor is part of a layer of Earth called the crust. It
is very hot underneath the crust, so the rocks there are soft.
Those hot, soft rocks rise through cracks in Earth's
(2).
That action is the beginning of an underwater volcano. When hot rocks rise through the crust, they
hit the water. The
(3)
cools the rocks and hardens them. As more hot rocks spill out of the cracks, layers of rocks build
up. Over a long period of time, the
(4)
can get higher and higher. As a result, the underwater volcano might rise out of the
(5).
The top of that
(6)
then becomes an island.
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Tea and Health
Tea had a reputation for being both
(1)
and almost always beneficial. However, scientists are now suggesting that tea may not be as safe as
we had previously believed.
(2)
contains caffeine, and caffeine has been linked to sleeplessness and to the unpleasant jumpy feeling
some people get when stressed.
More seriously, there is a link between miscarriages, and a pregnant woman is advised to reduce her
intake of tea until after her baby is born. Due to its dangerous side-effects, many
(3)
who drink a lot of tea solve the problem by drinking a beverage from which the
(4)
has been removed, decaffeinated tea, but others claim that it simply doesn't taste right.
The sensible course is probably one of moderation: continue to enjoy your cup of tea, but don't
(5)
too many cups! Otherwise, you may suffer from
(6)
at night.
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A hotel under the sea
Want to sleep under the sea? The company Planet Ocean has plans for an exciting underwater hotel,
which they hope to build in locations all over the world. The
(1)
won't be large, with only 12 guest rooms, plus a restaurant. Guests will get to the hotel in a lift
- so no diving or getting wet!
The hotel will float 10 meters under the deep
(2),
although it will be attached to the sea bed to prevent it from moving too far. Because it won't be
very
(3)
under the water, the sun will shine down and provide light.
(4)
will get great close-up views of the fish and other sea creatures, which won't be bothered by the
hotel and so won't make any effort to avoid it.
The hotel won't be cheap to build, and it won't be
(5)
to stay in. But the designers are especially proud of the fact that it will be environmentally
friendly. It will use electricity, of course, but it will produce its own and won't disturb ocean
life at all. In fact, the
(6)
hope some sea creatures will build their homes on parts of the building, which will bring real
benefits to the underwater world.
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Plants 'talk' when stressed
Plant lovers believe that talking to plants helps them grow. Scientists have discovered there could
be a grain of truth in this belief. Researchers have discovered that
(1)
emit sounds when they are stressed. The noises are akin to a human cry or scream. The scientists
believe the
(2)
are specific enough for us to be able to interpret them and to attend to their needs.
Unfortunately, plant sounds are at too high a frequency for the human ear to pick up. Humans can
only hear frequencies of up to 16 kilohertz. The
(3)
used special AI algorithms to detect ultrasonic sounds emitted by plants that were up to 250
kilohertz. The AI also differentiated between different types of plant sounds.
The research was conducted in an acoustic chamber in an adapted greenhouse at Israel's Tel Aviv
University. Scientists discovered that vibrations from
(4)
tobacco and tomato plants turned into sound waves. Lead researcher Professor Lilach Hadany said:
"Plants usually
(5)
sounds when they are under stress. Each plant and each type of stress is associated with a specific
identifiable sound."
She suggested that fields of crops could be quite noisy, saying: "While imperceptible to the human
ear, the sounds emitted by plants can be heard by bats, mice, and insects." Interpreting these
sounds could help us understand when
(6)
are dehydrated. Farmers could irrigate their crops more efficiently, and thus conserve water.
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Nature secrets
Nature still has many secrets. We uncovered one of them last week. A
(1)
lover found a new species of orchid in Japan. It is unusual to find
(2)
plants in Japan. Scientists studied the new orchid. They believe it grows all over Japan. It is
pink and white. Its thin petals look like they are made from glass.
A professor said: "The discovery of new species in common places means it is necessary to keep
exploring, even in everyday
(3)."
There are 28,000 orchid
(4)
worldwide. The new orchid belongs to a class that is common in Japan. The
(5)
is in a Japanese poem from the year 759.
The professor was "thrilled to have identified a new species". He was excited because it wasn't
found in a rainforest or jungle. The discovery of the new
(6)
is good news. However, many orchids are in danger. We need to protect nature. If we lose more
orchids, the world will be less colorful.
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Hibernation
During the cold winter months, many warm-blooded animals need extra energy to stay warm, but the
source of that energy - food - is scarce in
(1).
Some
(2)
migrate to warmer places to survive winter. Others, such as hedgehogs and bats, hibernate in a safe
place such as a nest or cave. In true hibernation, the lungs breathe very slowly and the heartbeat
occurs only every now and then. The body temperature also falls but will switch on again to stop the
animal from freezing if the outside temperature drops below zero.
Animals that hibernate stock up on extra food in the autumn to build up body fat so they can
survive the winter months without
(3).
(4)
can last several days, weeks or months depending on the species of animal and the time of year.
Black Bear
American black bears sleep during the winter months, but their sleep is not as deep as the true
hibernation of mice and bats. A
(5)
bear's body temperature drops and their heartbeat slows down but they can wake up quite quickly if
they are disturbed. During the winter months they do not eat, drink or go to the toilet.
Aestivation
Aestivation is similar to hibernation. Aestivation usually takes place during the summer months.
Animals sleep during the hot, dry season to survive the intense heat and avoid damage from high
temperatures. Desert
(6)
including lizards, frogs, insects and snails do this.
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Giving babies peanuts and eggs
Many people are allergic to eggs and peanuts. An allergy to peanuts can be deadly. Researchers from
a London university say that feeding eggs and peanuts to babies may stop them getting allergies when
they are older.
The
(1)
looked at studies of more than 200,000 children to see when they first ate eggs and peanuts. They
found that if 4-6-month-old babies ate
(2),
they were 40 per cent less likely to get an egg allergy than children who ate eggs later.
(3)
aged four- to 11-months old who ate peanut products were 70 per cent less likely to get an
(4)
to peanuts.
Egg and peanut allergies are the two most common childhood food allergies. Parents must be careful
when feeding babies eggs and nuts. Babies should never have whole nuts because they might choke.
They should only eat smooth and not crunchy peanut butter.
Other
(5)
allergies are to soy, wheat, sesame, fish and seafood. Giving these foods to babies one at a time
may protect them from allergies.
(6)
should check their baby's health after each new food.
The researchers say that more research is needed to find the best ages to start feeding eggs and
peanuts to babies.
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Olivia
Olivia likes travelling and visiting new places. Last summer, she went to a seaside town with her
family. Although the
(1)
was small, it was really wonderful. They chose a hotel that had a beautiful view of the sea.
In the mornings, they went swimming in the
(2)
and went to different restaurants in the town to try various foods. The
(3)
was very delicious.
They wanted to go on a boat trip. For the trip, they went to an
(4)
island. The
(5)
was full of colorful flowers. They took photos of the
(6).
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Future Cities
In the future, cities will be different. These
(1)
will be even more amazing. There will be many buildings and these
(2)
will be even more amazing and taller.
There will be self-driving cars. These
(3)
will run on sustainable energy. There will also be spaces like parks and gardens. These
(4)
will help to keep the air clean.
We will use holograms to talk instead of computers. You can
(5)
to a person from another part of the world as if he's in front of you.
Future cities will be safer. There will be robots patrolling around and these
(6)
will not need sleep or rest and will work unstoppably.
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My Favourite Place
The library is my favorite place, especially on Friday. It's quiet in the
(1).
I love the smell of old books and the way the sunlight streams through the big windows.
Last
(2),
I went to the library to find a book about astronauts. I've always dreamt of being an astronaut,
soaring through space. I read a book about how
(3)
eat and live in space. I finished the
(4)
and even wrote a short report. I gave the
(5)
to my teacher. My
(6)
was impressed.
Maybe one day, I'll even write a book about my own journey to the stars, and it will sit on the
shelves of this very library.
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Looking for a new Earth
For thousands of years, humans have explored the Earth. Nowadays, we are exploring space.
Astronomers are the modern-day explorers. Currently, many
(1)
are looking for new planets and new places for humans to live in the future. But where do
astronomers start looking?
First of all, astronomers look for a star. That's because our own Earth orbits a star (the Sun).
More importantly, it is the correct distance from the Sun for heat and light. So when astronomers
have found the
(2),
they look at the planets around it. In recent years, astronomers have found nearly 400 new planets
with stars. Unfortunately, many of these
(3)
are either too near to the star or too far away.
However, if the planet is in a good position, astronomers
(4)
for three key things: water, air and rock. Water is important because all life needs water. Humans
can drink it and they can also grow plants with water. And
(5)
produce air for humans to breathe and food to eat.
So all life on other planets will need water and air.
(6)
on a planet is also important. That's because there is often water under the rocks.