1

Precis no 1
During my vacation last May, I had a hard time choosing a tour. Flights to Japan, Hong Kong and Australia are just too common.
What I wanted was somewhere exciting and exotic, a place where I could be spared from the holiday tour crowds. I was so happy
when Joan called up, suggesting a trip to Cherokee, a county in the state of Oklahoma. I agreed and went off with the preparation
immediately.
We took a flight to Cherokee and visited a town called Qualla Boundary Surrounded by magnificent mountain scenery, the town
painted a paradise before us. With its Oconaluftee Indian Village reproducing tribal crafts and lifestyles of the 18th century and
the outdoor historical pageant Unto These Hillsplaying six times weekly in the summer nights, Qualla Boundary tries to present a
brief image of the Cherokee past to the tourists.
Despite the language barrier, we managed to find our way to the souvenir shops with the help of the natives. The shops are filled
with rubber tomahawks and colorful traditional war bonnets, made of dyed turkey feathers. Tepees, cone-shaped tents made
from animal skin, are also pitched near the shops. "Welcome! Want to get anything ?" We looked up and saw a middle-aged man
smiling at us. We were very surprised by his fluent English. He introduced himself as George and we ended up chatting till lunch
time when he invited us for lunch at a nearby coffee shop.
"Sometimes, I've to work from morning to sunset during the tour season. Anyway, this is still better off than being a woodcutter
..." Remembrance weighed heavy on George's mind and he went on to tell us that he used to cut firewood for a living but could
hardly make ends meet. We learnt from him that the Cherokees do not depend solely on trade for survival. During the tour off-
peak period, the tribe would have to try out other means for income. One of the successful ways is the "Bingo Weekend". On the
Friday afternoons of the Bingo weekends, a large bingo hall will be opened, attracting huge crowds of people to the various kinds
of games like the Super Jackpot and the Warrior Game Special. According to George, these forms of entertainment fetch them
great returns.
Our final stop in Qualla Boundary was at the museum where arts, ranging from the simple hand-woven oak baskets to wood and
stone carvings of wolves, ravens and other symbols of Cherokee cosmology are displayed.
Back at home, I really missed the place and I would of course look forward to the next trip to another exotic place.
Answer
We visited Qualla Boundary, a town in Cherokee. The mountain scenery surrounding the town was a breathtaking sight. The
traditional lifestyle of the Indians, the tribal crafts they made and the historical pageant played six times a week, presented to
tourists a rough image of Cherokee in the 18th century. We also visited the souvenir shops which sold rubber tomahawks and war
bonnets. There we befriended a local, George, who told us that besides trade, the "Bingo Weekend," where the tourists can enjoy
various kinds of games in a large hall, is another source of income for them during off-tour seasons. Finally, we visited the town's
museum where different kinds of arts, like handwoven baskets and carved figurines are displayed.
2
As what geographers have estimated, about twenty percent of the earth's surface is occupied by deserts. A majority of us view
deserts as one unique kind of landscape -- areas with little or no rainfalls.
In actual fact, there are differences between the deserts, though in varying degrees. While it is common for laymen like us to see
deserts as rocky or covered with gravel or pebbles, there are some where large sand dunes inhabit. Despite the fact that rainfall is
minimal, temperatures do change in deserts, ranging from seasonal ones to daily changes where extreme hotness and coldness
are experienced in the day and night.
Unfavorable conditions in the deserts, especially the lack of water, have discouraged many living things from inhabiting these
landscapes. Nevertheless, there are exceptionally surviving ones which through their superb tactics, have managed to live through
and are still going strong. One such kind is the specialist annual plants which overcome seasonal temperature changes with their
extremely short, active life cycles. In events of sudden rain, the plant seeds pullulate and grow very quickly to make full use of the
rain water. Their flowers bloom and set seeds that ripen quickly in the hot sun too. Once the water runs dry, the mother plant
dies, leaving behind the drought-resistant seeds, waiting patiently for the next rainy season to arrive.
The Cacti, a native in American deserts, adapts to the dry surroundings by having unique body structures. The plant has swollen
stems to help store water that carries it through months. By having sharp pines instead of leaves, water loss through respiration is
minimized. Besides, these pointed pines also help the plant ward off grazing animals, thus enhancing its survival period.
 2

Besides plants, there are also animals with distinct surviving tactics in deserts too. For instance, Skinks ( desert lizards ) metabolize
stored fats in their bulbous tails, producing water to supplement their needs, just like what camels do with the stored food in
their humps during long journeys through deserts. Antelopes like the addax, have very low water needs and hence are able to
tolerate the conditions in deserts, extracting moisture from the food they eat.
Finally, there are the sandgrouses ( desert birds ) which do not have special features to overcome the drought-like nature in
deserts. Hence, to survive in these hot, dry deserts, they need to spend a large part of their time flying in search of waterholes.
Answer
Despite the dry conditions in the deserts, some plants and animals still manage to survive there. One of them is the specialist
annual plants. Their short life cycles allow them to germinate, grow and produce seeds during short rainy seasons. These seeds
are drought-resistant and are able to wait for the next rainy season before starting their life cycles again. The Cacti adapts to the
dry weather by having swollen stems for water storage and pine-like leaves to minimize water loss through respiration. Skinks
generate water from stored fats in their tails and antelopes which requires very little water, survives in deserts by extracting
water from food they eat. Finally, sandgrouse with no adaptive features turn to waterholes constantly for help. ( 119 words )

3
Communication is part of our everyday life. We greet one another, smile or frown, depending on our moods. Animals too,
communicate, much to our surprise. Just like us, interaction among animals can be both verbal or non-verbal.
Singing is one way in which animals can interact with one another. Male blackbirds often use their melodious songs to catch the
attention of the females. These songs are usually rich in notes variation, encoding various kinds of messages. Songs are also used
to warn and keep off other blackbirds from their territory, usually a place where they dwell and reproduce.
Large mammals in the oceans sing too, according to adventurous sailors. Enormous whales groan and grunt while smaller dolphins
and porpoises produce pings, whistles and clicks. These sounds are surprisingly received by other mates as far as several hundred
kilometers away.
Besides singing, body language also forms a large part of animals' communication tactics. Dominant hyenas exhibit their power by
raising the fur hackles on their necks and shoulders, while the submissive ones normally "surrender" to the powerful parties by
crouching their heads low and curling their lips a little, revealing their teeth in friendly smiles.
Colors, which are most conspicuously found on animals are also important means of interaction among animals. Male birds of
paradise, which have the most gaudy colored feathers often hang themselves upside down from branches, among fluffing plumes,
displaying proudly their feathers, attracting the opposite sex.
The alternating black and white striped coats of zebras have their roles to play too. Each zebra is born with a unique set of stripes
which enables its mates to recognize them. When grazing safely, their stripes are all lined up neatly so that none of them loses
track of their friends. However, when danger such as a hungry lion approaches, the zebras would dart out in various directions,
making it difficult for the lion to choose his target.
Insects such as the wasps, armed with poisonous bites or stings, normally have brightly painted bodies to remind other predators
of their power. Hoverflies and other harmless insects also make use of this fact and colored their bodies brightly in attempts to
fool their predators into thinking that they are as dangerous and harmful as the wasps too.
Answer
Animals make use of various kinds of communicative methods. Male blackbirds sing to attract female ones and also to keep other
blackbirds off their dwellings. Mammals in the oceans like whales, 'sing' to interact with their mates far away too. Dominating
hyenas raise their fur hackles in attempts to exhibit power while submissive ones crouch their heads and 'smile' to express
respects. Birds of paradise attract female partners by displaying their colorful feathers while the stripes of zebras not only enable
them to recognize each other, but also divert the predator's attention in times of danger. Finally, dangerous wasps are brightly
colored to warn off others while some harmless ones try to fool their predators by using the same principle. ( 119 words )
4
All snakes are hunters and predators, feeding on the animals and sometimes their eggs. Having no limbs, snakes cannot hold their
preys down to bite; hence they usually swallow them whole. Poisonous snakes sometimes do immobilizetheir preys with their
venom to make consumption easier.
 3

Most poisonous snakes are conspicuously colored to warn others off. One example is the redheaded krait which has a bluish-black
body and scarlet head and tail. Snakes like the cobras, which have less outstanding body colors, display their fatality by lifting the
front part of their body and spreading their hoods.
It is truly a myth that poisonous snakes attack humans for food. Humans can never be their targets for food as we are normally
too large for them to swallow. in cases where snakes do bite, these attacks are usually defensive ones and the venom injected is
normally little or sometimes even none. The full, fatal dose of the venom is only released on smaller animals which the snakes can
swallow easily. Besides helping in the killing and immobilizing of their preys, the poison also acts as digestive agents for snakes.
Why then is the venom so deadly ? In general, there are three kinds of poisons in the venom, though in varying amounts,
depending on the type of snake in question. Venoms usually contain substances that weaken the blood corpuscles and the lining
of the blood vessels. Profuse bleeding, often a common result of snake-bites, is caused by the anticoagulants present in the
poison which prevents blood clotting. The paralysis of the heart and respiratory muscles is performed by the nervous system
attacking toxins.
Though these bites are deadly, certain actions can be taken to slow down the spread of the venom, hence saving the victim's life.
Attempting to incise and suck at the spot of the bite is more likely to be harmful than a cure. The poisonous venom usually travels
fast into the body upon being released; hence sucking at the mouth of the wound will not help remove the poison, rather, incising
the bite may lead the victim to great pain and further profuse bleeding. Instead, a broad, firm crepe bandage should be applied
over the would and up the full limb to compress the tissues and prevent the spread of the venom. After which, the victim must be
duly sent to the hospital for professional treatment.
Answer
Snakes attack larger animals like us when they are disturbed. These bites are not fatal as little or none of the venom is released.
The full, deadly dose of poison is used to kill smaller animals for food. Snake venoms contain three types of poisons, usually
varying in amounts There are substances that weaken the blood cells and walls of blood vessels; anticoagulants to prevent blood
clotting, which results in profuse bleeding and toxins to paralyze the heart and respiratory muscles. When bitten by a snake, one
should apply a broad bandage over the wound and up the limb to help compress the tissues and prevent the spread of the venom
before sending the victim the hospital.

5
Bombay is often regarded as India's Capital of Hope. Often wondering why this is so, I made a fruitful trip down to the busy city,
solving most of my queries.
Bombay consists of seven islands, joined by land reclamation. Many Indians, especially those from the rural areas, regard Bombay
as their paradise, since they could find work relatively easily here, as compared to their homelands.
Being the pillar for revenue collection, Bombay's economic growth has far outperformed the other cities. In fact, its per capita
(head) production of goods and services is about three times greater than that of Delhi - India's second most prosperous city.
Despite the economic boom, Bombay gives me an astonishing image of deterioration when I first stepped into the city.
The ostentatiously dignified imperial buildings, erected by the British, are so overly populated that they look as if they are toppling
over any minute. There are the 1950s kind of black and yellow taxis, which appeared as if brutally thrashed, lining up like ants
trails, clotting up the small avenues. Amidst the dins of traffic jams, stood the oppressed-looking buildings of Benetton outlets,
foreign car dealerships, croissant-serving outlets and so on.
Though unemployment is not a significant problem in Bombay, housing is. A visit in Dharavi, a slum area in Bombay will help
clarify our imagination. The Bombayites' so called "houses" are actually movable shacks, built from unwanted bits of tarpaulin, tin
and cardboard. There are so many of them that a maze of alleys emerged, passable only when I walked sideways like a crab
between them. Curious about the living conditions, I wondered around the maze, meeting groups of scantily clad kids and hungry,
stray dogs. Popping myinquisitive head into one of the small huts, I was totally amazed by their living conditions. Estimating about
twelve or more Bombayites living in each hut, these two-storey houses are usually partitioned by rough platforms with ceilings no
higher than five feet from the ground. Furthermore, `these shacks look absolutely bare -- no furniture and I deduced that the
inhabitants eat and sleep on the ground.
 4

In spite of the poor living conditions, many Indians still hope to migrate to Bombay. Interviewing a few of the newcomers, a
majority of them said that they came to Bombay to find jobs. There are some who regard Bombay as buoyant floats, saving them
from natural disasters and tyrannies in their homelands.
Answer:
Despite its economic boom, the conditions in Bombay are always chaotic. The existing buildings in Bombay are overly inhabited by
the large population. With more immigrants flooding in, the emergence of slums is inevitable. The "houses" there, are actually
shacks made from unwanted materials like tarpaulin and cardboard. These shacks flooded the streets, creating a maze, with
spaces passable only if one walks sideways. The two stories, small huts, divided by rough platforms, often have low ceilings which
are no more than five feet from the ground. These shabby huts are also barely furnished. Kids are usually seen running around
with minimal clothes on them. Furthermore, traffic jams, usually caused by old, shabby taxis are common, daily sights there.

6
"Have you started the fire?" shouted my mum from the kitchen. "Yes!" I replied, feeling frustrated after having some difficulties in
starting the fire with charcoal. It is the eve of the annual Dragon Boat Festival again and my mum is busy making dumplings. She
has specifically chosen to cook the dumplings with charcoal, claiming that the rice will then be uniformly cooked and fragrant. I
still prefer to use the gas cooker. "It's just more convenient and cleaner too!" grumbling helplessly, I stared at both of my soiled
hands.
Fanning the hot stove, I watched my mum lower down two strings of dumplings. "Stay put and watch over them. Mind the time
too!" She instructed sternly, knowing what a fantastic daydreamer I am. Feeling bored only minutes after she had left, my mind
starts to wonder about. Reminiscing the life back at home town, I recalled myself popping over at Uncle Chin's charcoal
manufacturing factory frequently when I was a child. Being inquisitive, I would always ask Uncle Chin questions which sometimes
were repetitive. What an irritating kid I had been?
Charcoal was made by burning woods in a charcoal-kiln. Uncle Chin's charcoal kiln was about fifteen feet tall and it had an arched
cross-sectional opening. Clay made, the top of the kiln was always covered with attap leaves. The daily charcoal-making work was
well divided among the workers. Every morning, the workers took turns to collect mangrove woods from the nearby swamps.
Upon returning, they sawed the wood into appropriate lengths to fit the kiln. Uncle Chin would then stack the pieces of woods
vertically in the kiln. When the kiln was full, the fire would be started and the woods were burnt from the top, downwards, just
like a burning joss stick.
Staying by the kiln, Uncle Chin would explain that the fire must not be red hot; otherwise, the wood pieces would be reduced to
ashes. Instead, a slow, greenish fire should be maintained for the wood to be sufficiently smouldered.
"Uncle Chin, then, how do we maintain such an appropriate fire?" As usual, I would continue my endless questions.
"It's all through experience..." With a grin on his face, Uncle Chin recalled how he was scolded by his teacher for not being able to
judge the appropriate hotness of the fire.
The aroma of the cooked dumplings brought me back to the present. "Oops! Time's up. Mum, the dumplings are ready?" I
shouted in excitement, waiting to try one of the mouth-watering dumplings.
Answer
Uncle Chin's workers took turns to collect mangrove woods for charcoal making at a nearby swamp every morning. After
returning, they sawed the woody into smaller pieces. Then Uncle Chin would stack the woods vertically into a fifteen-feet tall, clay
charcoal kiln. The charcoal kiln was used to make charcoal and it had an arched opening into which wood pieces were inserted.
After all the piling, the stacked woods were burnt from the top, downwards. The fire cannot be too strong as the woods would be
over burnt. Instead, a slow, greenish fire should be maintained so that the woods would be sufficiently smouldered. It all takes an
experienced man to judge the appropriateness of the fire.
7
Now only one person was worried. Who? The landlord's stooge Guo Rui. I must find some way to wreck the co-op before
these paupers set it on its feet, he told himself. I shall compete with the co-op and outdo it! My family has a donkey, three oxen,
thirty sheep, four pigs, and over five acres of good land. With all my livestock and capital, I'm sure I can show these paupers where
they get off.
 5

Part of his land lay next to some of the co-op's fields. He decided to sow the same crop and do whatever the co-op members did.
Like them, he sowed an acre to maize. At first, both crops did pretty much the same. In summer, when the co-op manured its plot
with sheep droppings, Guo Rui used pig-dung instead. But whereas the co-op's twenty-three families had plenty of hands to carry
manure and spread it, only three of Guo Rui's family worked on the land. It was a long way, uphill and down, from his home to the
field; and he and his sons were so busy carting manure that they had no time to spread it. That afternoon Guo Rui noticed that the
co-op had just about finished, while he still had a good deal of dung to carry. He gritted his teeth and filled basket after basket to
the brim. His two sons sweated under their loads till they felt that their backs would break; the donkey's legs nearly buckled under
the weight; and Guo Rui himself panted as he staggered along. Though they worked with all their strength, they got only half their
dung to the field by the time the co-op was spreading its last lot. Guo Rui dumped his load and went back for more without even
stopping for breath. But before he reached the village the co-op members had knocked off and started home singing and chatting.
Fuming inwardly, he decided to make one last trip. But his back was aching, his two sons were worn out, and however hard they
beat the donkey it would not budge. They had to take lighter loads and stop every few steps to rest. At the end of this trip it was
dark, so they left the dung piled by the field to spread the next day.
When they reached home and sat down to supper, it started to thunder. Then for over an hour there was a downpour of rain. Guo
Rui cursed and swore and could not sleep all night. First thing the next morning he and his sons dashed to the field. Their whole pile
of pig-dung had been washed away -- into the co-op's land, too, which was lower than theirs. The maize there was green and sturdy
after its soaking, thanks to all the dung, while Guo's by comparison was lank and droopy. In his rage, he sold two sheep and bought
some chemical fertilizer in the town.
When Du Hong saw this he asked, "Why don't we buy some fertilizer too?"
"We must stick to our poor man's way," said Wang Guxing.
"Let him fertilize his fields; we'll hoe ours well. Loosening the soil is as good as a dressing of dung. Take my word for it, a few
extra hoeings will do more for the crop than his fertilizer."
Guo Rui wasn't worried when he saw them hoeing. All you paupers can do is work your heads off, he thought. Just wait till you see
what this fertilizer does to my maize! Little did he know that he applied too much. As the sun blazed down, the leaves of his maize
started wilting. Father and sons made haste to water and weed the field, but it was too late. And when Guo tried to hire a laborer
there were none to be found. Why not? Because all the paupers had joined the co-op, and the peasants working on their own had no
time to spare.
The co-op's maize grew tall and strong. By harvest time each cob was about a foot long, as plump as a pestle, and covered with
symmetrical golden kernels the size of horses' teeth. Guo Rui's cobs were no longer than a fountain-pen, no thicker than a man's
thumb, and only had a few scattered kernels.
Answer
Guo Rui sowed the same crop -- maize on the same land area as the paupers. When the paupers manured their crops with sheep
droppings, he used pig dung instead. Assisted by his two sons only, Guo Rui could not finish carrying and manuring his crops as
fast as the twenty-three families could. He left the manure piled at the fields but the rain washed it away into the co-op's fields at
night. He then resorted to fertilizers, while the paupers started hoeing their land. Guo Rui over used the fertilizers and his crops
wilted. He tried to employ someone to help weed and water the crops but was unsuccessful as all the paupers had joined the co-op.
8
Buying things today is so simple. Just enter a shop, say a book store, choose the desired book and pay for it. Long ago, before the
invention of money, how did people trade?
The most primitive way of exchange should be the barter trade. In this form of transaction, people used goods to exchange for the
things that they had in mind. For instance, if person A wanted a book and he had a spare goat, he must look for someone who had
the exact opposite, that is, that someone, say person B, must have a spare book of person A's choice and is also in need of a goat.
Having found such a person, the problem does not end here. A big goat may worth not only one book, hence person B may have to
offer person A something else, say five chickens. However, he runs the risk of person A rejecting the offer as he may not need the
chickens. The above example clearly illustrates the inefficiency of barter trading.
Many years later, the cumbersome barter trade finally gave way to the monetary form of exchange when the idea of money was
invented. In the early days, almost anything could qualify as money: beads, shells and even fishing hooks. Then in a region near
Turkey, gold coins were used as money. In the beginning, each coin had a different denomination. It was only later, in about 700
BC, that Gyges, the king of Lydia, standardized the value of each coin and even printed his name on the coins.
 6

Monetary means of transaction at first beat the traditional barter trade. However, as time went by, the thought of carrying
a ponderous pouch of coins for shopping appeared not only troublesome but thieves attracting. Hence, the Greek and Roman
traders who bought goods from people faraway cities, invented checks to solve the problem. Not only are paper checks easy to carry
around, they discouraged robbery as these checks can only be used by the person whose name is printed on the notes. Following this
idea, banks later issued notes in exchange for gold deposited with them. These bank notes can then be used as cash. Finally,
governments of today adopted the idea and began to print paper money, backed by gold for the country's use.
Today, besides enjoying the convenience of using paper notes as the mode of exchange, technology has led man to invent other
means of transaction too like the credit and cash cards.
Answer
Long ago, people bought things through barter trade. However, the difficulty of having to look for the right partner and dividing the
goods led people to switch over to monetary transaction. at first, beads, shells and fishing hooks were used as money. Near Turkey,
gold coins with irregular denominations were used for trade. Later, King Gyges standardized the individual coin value. People soon
found carrying coins around for shopping troublesome and thieves courting. Hence, merchants started to issue checks with names of
the users on them to discourage robbery. Following that, banks started to issue cash notes in return for gold deposited with them.
Finally, adopting the idea, today, governments printed paper money backed by gold for the country's usage.
9
Whenever we see stale bread or fruits turning mouldy, fungi are at work. When trees die and their dead trunks start
to decompose, fungi are the masterminds. Most of us tend to associate fungi with the decomposition of dead plants or animals. In
actual fact, fungi can also attack living things.
The fungi that cause decay are known as the Saprobe. They are actually yeasts which feed on the dead remains of plants and
animals. While they can be anuisance in the kitchen, as they turn our food bad, Saprobe can also assist man. For instance, by
breaking down the dead bodies of plants and animals, these leftovers are removed from the living world. In addition, yeasts can
be used to make wine, beer and also as raising agents in bread.
The parasitic fungi are the ones which feed on living things. The powdery mildew, downy mildew or rust are the few which attack
plants. Usually, these fungi deposit themselves on the leaves or flowers of the plants. Their hyphaes (slender, feeding branches)
then squeeze themselves into the gaps between the plant's cells and soak up their nutrients. After which, a hard, black fruiting
body called the ergot is left in the flower replacing the seeds. The ergot contains toxins which causes serious illnesses if eaten.
Despite its poisonous nature, the ergot contains active ingredients which when purified and used in small amounts, are
treatments for migraine. Parasites attacking living animals, especially man, are rarer as most animals have their own immune
system. In special cases like an AIDS patient, where his immune system is very weak, parasites may find their chance to attack.
The most aggressive kind of fungi is the predatory ones. As the name suggests, they catch and feed on their preys, usually smaller
than themselves. Some predatory fungi dwell in ponds to catch amoebae or rotifers. In capturing the amoebae, the fungi use their
sticky hyphaes to hold down the creatures before feasting on them. To capture rotifers, the fungi usually hide among the algae,
stretching out their sticky hyphaes again. An unaware rotifer which mistakes one of the hyphaes as the blob of the algae will grab
it, only to find itself trapped and absorbed by the fungi. Some predatory fungi which live in the soil, set traps to capture victims
like the nematodes.
Thus we see that fungi are not only the ones which turn our food mouldy. Besides these, there are also other kinds. In addition we
also understand that fungi, like most other living things, have their usefulness and harmfulness too.
Answer
Saprobe, also called yeasts, are fungi which turn our food bad. They also help to decompose dead remains of plants and animals
and also acts as ingredients for wine, beer and bread. Parasitic fungi attack and suck the nutrients of plants, depositing an ergot in
place of the seeds in the flowers after that. The ergot can cause illness when eaten raw but when purified and taken in moderate
amounts, help cure migraine. Parasitic fungi seldom attack animals because of their defensive immune system. The predatory
fungi which sometimes live in waters or on algae in ponds or even in the soil, set traps to capture their victims, usually smaller
than themselves, before feasting on them.
10
Have you ever been to a barbecue? Many of us enjoy roasting meat over the fire but no one ever wonder who first started the idea of
cooking meat in a fire. Perhaps, it is just in the human psyche that we sometimes feel the need to return to the primitive times,
probably to relieve us of our urbanized life. That is why many people, regardless of age, love to hold barbecue gatherings. The idea
 7

of gathering round a fire and roast some meat just sounds fun. The meat may sometimes be half-cooked or not cooked at all (sounds
horrible) but the joy of primitive cooking is there.
The first step towards the preparation for a barbecue is to rent a barbecue pit which usually comes with the barest essentials. After
all, we are supposed to return to the early time frame. Of course, during peak seasons like the school holidays, when the pits are
fully booked, you may try digging one at the back of your garden. Next, get ready the wire netting, otherwise, you will find yourself
roasting the meat on the hot charcoal. Skewers which are important for holding the meat pieces; utensils for picking up the food like
forks and spoons, paper plates and cups must not be left out.
Next comes the preparation of the most important part of the barbecue - the food. In fact, any kind of meat will be suitable. If meat
pieces are bought, like chicken, beef or mutton, slice them into thin pieces before piercing in the skewers. Chicken wings are the
best. Simply stretch the wings apart and push in the skewers. Following which, the meat is to be soaked in a mixture of spices for
marination, giving them some flavor. An easier and faster way out would be to brush 'Maggie' barbecue sauce over them.
Remember to order a few hundred sticks of satay too. A barbecue without satay will not be a barbecue.
When everything is ready, start the fire with charcoal, one hour before the start of the feast. Once the fire is started, let it all burn till
glowing embers are left. Then place the sticks of meat over the wire netting and there you are, the barbecue has begun. Do not
worry about overcooking the meat. After all, the real joy behind the barbecue lies in the cooking not eating of the food. Just a piece
of advice to beginners: Bring along some indigestion medicine.
Answer
Firstly, rent a barbecue pit. Bring a wire netting to hold the food over the fire, skewers to hold the meat pieces, utensils for picking
up the food, paper plates and cups. Any type of meat will be suitable for the barbecue but chicken wings are the best. Simply pierce
the skewers through the thin slices of meat or chicken wings. Next, marinate the meat either by soaking them in a spice mixture or
coating them with 'Maggie' barbecue sauce. Order some satay too. Once the preparations are done, start the fire, one hour before the
feast. Let the fire burn till glowing coals remain before starting to roast the meat. Beginners may need to bring along some
indigestion medicine.
11
With the invention of televisions, many forms of entertainments have been replaced. Lively programs like television serials and
world news, have removed from us the need to read books or papers, to listen to radios or even to watch movies. In fact, during the
1970s, when televisions were first introduced, cinema theatres suffered great losses as many people chose to stay in the comforts of
their homes to watch their favorite programs.
Indeed, the television brings the world into our house. Hence, by staying at home and pressing some buttons world happenings are
immediately presented before us. Children nowadays develop faster in language, owing to the early exposure to television
programs. At such tender age, it would be difficult for them to read books or papers. Thus, television programs are a good source
of learning for them. Furthermore, pronunciations by the newscasters, actors or actresses are usually standardized, hence young
children watching these programs will learn the 'right' pronunciations too. Owning a television is also extremely beneficial to
working parents who are usually too busy or tired to take their kids out for entertainments. Surrounded by the comforts of their
home, the family can have a chance to get together and watch their favorite television programs.
Of course, we should not be too carried away by the advantages of the television and overlook its negative points. Watching
television programs takes away our need to read. Why bother to read the papers when we can hear them from the television news
reports? Why read books when exciting movies are screened? The lack of reading is unhealthy especially to younger children as
they will grow up only with the ability to speak but not write. I have a neighbor whose six-year-old child can say complete
sentences like "I like cats," but when told to write out the sentence, is unable to do so. Not only are the writing skills of children
affected, their thinking capacities are also handicapped. Television programs remove the need to think. The stories, ideas and facts
are woven in the way television planners wanted. Exposure to such opinions and the lack of thinking opportunities will hinder the
children's analyzing ability.
Despite the disadvantages of watching television programs, personally, I think that choosing the 'middle path', which is to do
selective television viewing and not over indulging in the habit should be the best solution to reconcile both the merits and demerits
of owning a television.
Answer
The television keeps us informed of the world affairs. Early exposure to television programs helps to develop language skills of
young children. These children can also learn to pronounce words accurately because of the standardized pronunciation in the
programs. In a family where both the parents are working, the television provides the family an opportunity to get together at leisure
times. One disadvantages of watching television programs is that we do less reading and hence our writing skills are affected.
 8

Younger children may learn to speak but not write from television programs. Furthermore, television programs often spare viewers,
especially the young ones, from pondering upon opinion s presented before the, which will in turn handicap their ability analyze
facts.. ( 119 w
Précis no
We are bombarded by many advertisements every day. Vendors try all means and ways to gain our attention and sell us their products
or services. Advertisements appear everywhere; on television programs, radios, in the papers, magazines, pamphlets and so on.
Advertisements are actually very useful though we sometimes feel annoyed when they interrupt our favorite television programs.
They provide us with free information on the products and services. There are two types of advertisements. The informative
advertisements are the ones which provide us with the details of the products or services. This information is especially useful if the
product or service is new. For instance, when we need to buy a computer, advertisements describing the latest models and their
different functions would be extremely helpful. However, only a minority of the advertisements are informative ones. Many of them
belong to the second category -- the persuasive kind. These advertisements not only tell us more about the products, at the same
time, they persuade customers to buy them by claiming that their products are superior to the rivalry ones. These claims may
sometimes be untrue.
Besides being informative and persuasive, advertisements also help to subsidize the prices of magazines and newspapers. Our
newspapers are sold at a low price of about one dollar, owing to the advertisements in the papers; otherwise, the price would have
been higher.
While advertisements can be good helpers for shopping, they do have their shortcomings. Most advertisements aim to sell only.
Faults of the products or services are usually hidden from the consumers. Hence, sometimes, we feel deceived if the product or
service we bought does not turn out the way the advertisements claim to be.
Sometimes, advertisements by rival competitors can get very intensive, especially when there are many firms producing similar
products. One common example is the washing powder. There are so many advertisements for the different brands that customers
sometimes get confused over what they should buy. Furthermore, having more advertisements would mean that the production cost
of the firm would be increased. These rises in cost are usually passed on to the consumers in the form of higher prices.
Hence, in conclusion, though I do advocate advertisements, I do not deny their flaws. Without them, we might have to buy things
based on incomplete information or go through more complicated ways before getting to know the products or services. On the
other hand, too many advertisements also complicate our buying decisions. So I would say that we cannot live without
advertisements but we must be careful how we live with them.
Answer
There are two types ofadvertisements. Informative advertisements provide consumers information about the products or services.
They are especially useful when we are purchasing new products. The second kind is the persuasive ones which provide us with
products information and also persuade us to buy them by claiming the superiority of their products. Advertisements also benefit
readers of newspapers and magazines by helping to subsidize the prices. One disadvantage of advertisements is that they sometimes
aim to sell only and cover up the flaws of the advertised products. Consumer may sometimes get confused over buying decisions
when too many advertisements are advertise. Advertising also raises the production costs which in turn increases the prices of the
products too. ( 120words

13
The means of transportation has changed and improved over many centuries. Long ago, during the times of the kings and knights,
animals such as horses, buffaloes and camels were used by man for transportation purposes. These animals no doubt did save man
from traveling by foot, they took a long time to complete the journeys, especially when transporting goods.
In 1825, George Stephenson's opening of the first railway marked a significant progress in the history of transportation. Railways
were in popular demand because they could carry more people and loads. More importantly, they ran faster than animals. Railways
improved the communication networks and hence, imports and exports of goods and people traveling out of their towns or even
countries to work were made possible. Unfortunately, since the invention of motor vehicles, the popularity of railways has declined.
Motor vehicles were first invented in the eighteenth century. These vehicles were preferred by many people as they do not run on
tracks and hence do not have fixed routes. Travelers can then plan their own routes to suit their convenience. This is especially so
when the destinations are places like small towns or remote areas. In these places, few or even none of the trains ever reach them; so
traveling by the motor vehicle would solve this problem. Over many years of modifications, the motor vehicle is now one of the
most commonly used means of transportation. Today, we travel in cars, taxis, buses, lorries or vans almost every day.
 9

Another form of transportation is by water. It may be the slowest but definitely the cheapest form of bulk transportation. Though
over the centuries of innovations, water transportation has improved from the ancient wind dependent yachts to the modern motor
driven ships, journeys by water are still characterized by the dangers and unpredictability of meeting natural disasters like the
storms.

The evolution of world transportation has reached its pinnacle with the invention of airplanes. Transportation by planes is the
easiest and fastest. Planes gliding smoothly in the air, are not obstructed by seas, hills, buildings and so on. Though convenient, this
means of transport is the most expensive. Despite the popular demand, the transportation network of the planes is still not a
balanced and complete one till today. Developed countries tend to make use of air transportation more frequently than the less
developed ones as they do more exporting and importing of goods and also have more people traveling to and fro their countries.
Hence, the networks in these developed countries are denser.
Answer
In ancient times, man made use of animals like the horses to transport themselves and goods. The journeys usually took a long time.
Trains were preferred to animals since its invention, as they carry more people and goods and travel faster. Motor vehicles proved
more superior to trains as they do not run on rails. Hence, they are able to reach small towns and remote areas where tracks are not
available. Traveling via waters man be slow but it is the cheapest form of bulk transportation. However, journeys by water are often
characterized by the danger of meeting a storm. Traveling by plane is the most convenient but expensive way and thus we do not
use it for daily purposes
14
Today, with just twenty-six letters, we can write a letter to our friends or answer an examination question. Thousands of years ago,
there was no writing system at all. News, knowledge and information were passed on from one person to another by word of mouth.
If you ever played 'rumor clinic' where a cognatemessage is passed from one person to another down the chain by mouth, you will
understand the inefficiency of the system. Messages passed down are unreliable as the speakers may mix up or lose part of the
information.
The first written language was invented by the early cave man. They tied bits of animal hair together to form brushes and painted
pictures on the cave wall, telling their friends about their hunts. It was after several centuries that different writing systems like the
Chinese characters and hieroglyphs in Egypt were invented. The alphabetical system that we are using currently also came about
only after many decades of development.

Besides alphabets, the invention of writing tools is another major transition. In olden times, the kind of writing tools used, depended
on the material they wrote on. For example, in the Middle East, where clay is abundant in supply, the early people used hollow reed
'pens' to carve onto the wet clay tablets. After which, these clay pieces were baked till rock hard to make the writings permanent. In
ancient Egypt, Egyptians either wrote on scraped thin pieces of animal skins called 'parchment' or flattened papaya stems known as
'papyrus'. Their writing tool was a primitive kind of fountain pen -- a reed with ink inside.

It was only in the 1880s, that fountain pens were invented. Before that, most people used either quill pens - sharpened bird feathers
or nibbed pens, which were dipped into ink before writing. Fountain pens invented later have both plus and minus points. With tiny
ink tanks in them, fountain pens are superior to quill or nibbed ones as the ink in them do not run out as quickly. The disadvantage
is that sometimes, the nibs of the fountain pens may break, causing the ink to leak, staining the writer's fingers.

The flaw in fountain pens has led to further investigation and the successful invention of the first 'ballpoint' pen by a Hungarian,
Ladislao Biro. There were many people after him who tried to improve upon the appearance of his ballpoint pens. Today, 'ballpoint'
pens are conveniently and widely used in the world
Answer
Cave man invented the first written language by drawing pictures on cave walls to tell their friends about their hunts. It then took
several centuries for the Chinese characters, Egyptian hieroglyphs and the alphabetical system we use today to develop. The writing
tools used in ancient times complimented with the material people wrote on. In the Middle East, hollow reeds were used to write on
wet clay while in Egypt, reeds containing ink were used to write on animal skins or papaya stems. Quill or nibbed pens which
require constant ink dipping were used before the invention of fountain pens. Discovering that the nibs of fountain pens break easily
causing ink leakage, 'ballpoint' pens were invented to replace them.
 10

15
Wang Zhixiu was an odd sort of a bloke. Although he was only just twenty there were already two deep furrows in his brown
forehead. He was quiet,unflappable, and always seemed to have the hint of a smile on his face. His eyesight was good and he
worked with a will. The only thing wrong with him was that he was such a glutton for sleep. It made no difference where he was:
whenever he had a moment to spare he would spread his greatcoat out on the ground and lie down on it. Within two minutes he
would be right out, and neither wind nor rain could wake him.
There were two things that could shake him out of this habit. One was when something had gone wrong with the truck. This would
fill him with so much energy that even the company commander or the political instructor would be wasting their breath telling him
to go to sleep. His soft, warm greatcoat might have turned into a bed of nails as he climbed over the truck or lay underneath to
repair it. If it was a minor fault he might take a nap when he had put it right; but if there was something seriously wrong he would
work at it all day through till the truck had to be moving again at night. He could not be bothered to eat properly on the job. He
would ask someone to fetch him a couple of steamed rolls, and if there were none of those to be had, he would wash a biscuit down
with a mug of hot water. He never let Hu Wenfa have anything to do with day-time repairs because he felt that the driver needed
sleep more than his mate did. He only asked Hu Wenfa's advice when the problem was one he could not cope with himself.

The other thing that could stop him from sleeping was an urgent assignment like today's. Hu Wenfa need not have worried on that
score. When they came across enemy aircraft at night they drove without lights under a blanket of darkness. Wang Zhixiu would
rock to and fro breathing lightly as he sat beside Hu Wenfa as if he were asleep, but at any moment he might suddenly shout, "Stop!
Bomb crater!" then jump down from the truck to see how deep it was and whether it was possible to go round it. If it was not
possible he would take his shovel from the truck without a word. Within ten minutes the hole would have been skilfully filled.

Hu Wenfa's character was the opposite of Wang Zhixiu's. He was an alert and active man of inexhaustible energy who wanted to get
on with any job he was doing as quickly as possible, and was never happy when driving at less than sixty kilometers an hour. This
often made Wang arguewith him. Once when they had been crossing a zone under artillery fire Hu had wanted to go flat out, but
Wang had been dead set against it. Instead of going into all the details he just said slowly, "However fast you drive you aren't going
to be able to race the shells."
"What do you suggest then?" Hu had asked him.
"I'm all in favor of going fast along decent roads, but the ground in front of us is honeycombed with craters. If you drive like a
madman a crash will be enough to write off the lorry even if we dodge the shells."
On Wang's advice Hu had taken it quietly. All that happened to them was that shrapnel tore some holes in the truck's canopy.
Answer
Zhi Xiu loves to sleep whenever he is free. However, when the truck is faulty, he would get up to repair it. He always tries his best
to repair it before night time so that it could be used. He even saves time by having quick meals to get the job done. He only
consulted Wenfa, the driver when he could not cope with the problem as he thought that Wenfa needed more sleep to drive in the
night. During emergency events like meeting an enemy aircraft, Zhi Xiu would be alert to look out for bomb craters. If they are
unable to go round one, he would immediately fill up the hole, allowing the truck to drive on.
16
I run Green Way International, a conservation group that campaigns against and conducts research into environmental pollution.
The data that we receive from all corners of the globe give us no cause for optimism -- the results of our studies and the minimal
success of our crusades testify to the fact that we are fighting a losing battle.

Of course, environmental pollution is not a modern phenomenon. It began ever since people 'began to congregate in towns and
cities. The ancient Athenians removed refuse to dumps outside the main parts of their cities. The Romans dug trenches outside their
cities where they could deposit their garbage, waste and even corpses. These unhygienic practices undoubtedly led to the outbreak
of viral diseases.

Unfortunately, Man refuses to acknowledge or correct his past mistakes. As cities grew in the Middle Ages, pollution became even
more evident. Ordinances had to be passed in medieval cities against indiscriminate dumping of waste into the streets and canals.
In sixteenth century England, efforts were made to curb the use of coal to reduce the amount of smoke in the air. These, however,
had little effect on the people's consciences.
 11

I think that the Industrial Revolution of the nineteenth century was the point of no return. It heralded the mushrooming of industries
and power driven machines. True, the standard of living increased, but it was achieved at a great environmental cost.

In Cubatao of Brazil, for instance, industrial plants belch thousands of tons of pollutants daily and the air contains high levels of
benzene, a cancer causing substance. In one recent year alone, I discovered 13,000 cases of respiratory diseases and that a tenth of
the workers risked contracting leukemia. Green Way International hoped to seek the assistance of Brazil's government officials but
we were sorely disappointed. Unwilling to lose revenue from the factories, they blamed the high mortality rate on poor sanitation
and malnutrition. We continue to provide medical assistance to the inhabitants of Brazil's "Valley of Death", but there is little else
that we can do to alleviate the suffering.
Our planet has its own mechanisms to deal with natural pollutants. Decay, sea spray and volcanic eruptions release more sulphur
than all the power plants, smelters and industries in the world do. Lightning bolts create nitrogen oxides and trees emit
hydrocarbons called trepenes. These substances are cycled through the ecosystem and change form, passing through plant and
animal tissues, sink to the sea and return to earth to begin the cycle all over again.

However, can the earth assimilate the additional millions of tons of chemicals like sulphur, chlorofluorocarbons, carbon dioxide and
methane that our industries release each year? If the dying forests in Germany, Eastern Europe, Sweden and Norway give any
indication, then the answer must be a resounding "No!". Oxides of sulphur and nitrogen from the power plants and factories and
motor vehicles have acidified the soil. This has destroyed the organisms necessary to the nutrient cycle as well as injured the trees'
fine root systems. The weakened trees become more vulnerable to drought, frost, fungi and insects.
Many a time, my staff have returned from their research tours around the world, lamenting the slow but sure destruction of our
cultural treasures. The carvings on the Parthenon, a magnificent building in Athens, have been eroded by acid deposition. The
Roman Colosseum, England's Westminster Abbey and India's Taj Mahal have also fallen victim to insidious chemicals that float in
the air. The stained glass windows of cathedrals from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries have been corroded to barely recognizable
images as well.
Years earlier, I had studied a secluded island in the Pacific and found its undisturbed ecosystem in complete balance and stability. In
despair, I once contemplated living the rest of my days on the island in solitude. Pollution, however, is no respecter of boundaries -
when I reached the island, the beaches were awash with trash and dead marine life while the once-lush foliage were sparse and
limp. It was then that I realized this dying planet needs allies and not fatalism and resignation. I returned to resume my crusade and
I hope others will join me.
Answer
Pollution has plagued earth since people established towns and cities. Ancient Athenians and Romans disposed their waste and even
corpses in dumps and trenches outside their cities. These indiscriminate practice caused viral outbreaks. In the medieval era, smoke
polluted the air, with the increased use of coal. Pollution became even more prevalent following the Industrial Revolution of the
nineteenth century. Today, factories and motor vehicles are the main caused of environmental contamination. Toxic gases and
chemicals like benzene, sulphur, chlorofluorocarbons, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrogen and mercury oxides are emitted and
cause cancer, leukemia and respiratory disease. Theses substances have also led to the destruction of flora and fauna. Major artistic
and historical relics have been corroded and damaged too.
17
Conflicts between parents and their children at bedtime are common.. For adults, sleep is welcome rest. For children, it's lost time,
time when they could be doing something fun like playing computer games or finishing a drawing of their cartoon hero. So the
youngsters often resist it.
And in families where both parents work, the nightly ritual of putting the children to bed can be even more of a tussle. Most parents
don't get home until at least seven in the evening, and there's little slack between bath, dinner, homework and bedtime.
Whatever the situation, a growing child still requires a decent amount of sleep, and for young schoolchildren and toddlers, that's
between 10 and 12 hours a night.
But what happens when children fight it every step of the way, from taking a bath to putting on pyjamas to getting into bed? When
they refuse to sleep alone in bed or wake up repeatedly, or need to be rocked for an hour before nodding off?
It's usually not hard to tell when a child doesn't get enough sleep.
"He can be irritable, whiny, more clumsy," says paediatrician Dr Leigh Shapleigh. "And when a child has any sort of behavior
problem, it is just exacerbated by lack of sleep."
Children - especially small children - thrive on routine, so the more regular their bedtime is the better it is for the entire family.
 12

Exactly when a child goes to bed has to be, determined by the parents, Shapleigh says.
"The trick is to decide what you want to do. If you want the bedtime at 7.30 or 8.30 or 9.30, decide how to get there."
Although many parents are consistent, the routine they adopt only results in long, wearying nights. They become caught in a trap
they have inadvertently created. Their children rely on them to help get to sleep. Parents cajole, sing to them, rock them, rub their
back -- only to have the little ones wake the moment they tiptoe out of the room. Quality time disappears, tempers are short, and
bedtime becomes a civil war.
To frazzled parents who want desperately to escape that trap, Shapleigh suggests the method that worked for a number of families.
"You have to let them cry. Be there to reassure them. Leave a night light on, but be consistent. They understand your behavior more
than they do your words."
Dr Richard Ferber, a paediatrician who is sometimes called the Dr Spock of children's sleep problems, assures parents that most
bedtime conflicts are not serious, and they can be avoided.
Parents who choose to wait out their child's erratic sleep patterns will probably see them disappear, but that could take months or
years.
Instead of waiting, Ferber suggests that parents take action, and after following a pleasant bedtime routine, put the children to bed,
leaving them there even if they cry, but checking on them at specific intervals.
"There is no way to treat this problem without listening to some crying, but you can keep it to a minimum," he says.
Parents who are fighting the sleep battle with their children often complain of being tired, but forget that their children, who haven't
yet learned to complain, are also tired.
"It is in your child's best interests to have uninterrupted sleep," Ferber says.
For children as well as adults, Ferber says, "sleep (serves) some restorative function for our bodies and perhaps for our minds, and it
is certainly necessary for normal functioning during the day."
Answer
Firstly, set a fixed time for the child to sleep and keep to it. Try not to persuade, sing or rock him to sleep as these actions will
become habitual and eventually, the child will rely on them to get to sleep. Instead, leave him alone to fall asleep. Do not worry if
he cries but be sure to return to check on him regularly. You may also try to leave the lights on for a night to reassure the child.
Most importantly, you have to be consistent. Children understand your behavior better than your words. Of course, you may choose
to wait for them to outgrow their irregular sleep patterns which will take a long time.
18
Vitamin A is found only in yellow animal fats, in egg-yolk, milk and cheese. It is particularly plentiful in fish-liver oils, hence fish-
liver oils are used for preventing and curing illness caused by lack of vitamin A. In a well-fed, healthy human being, the liver can
store up sufficient vitamin A to meet the body's requirements for six months.
Although vitamin A itself is not present in plants, many plants produce a substance called carotene, formed from leaf-green which
our bodies can convert into vitamin A. Carotene is the yellowish-red coloring matter in carrots. The greener a leaf is, the more
carotene it usually contains. Hence the importance of green, leafy vegetables in the diet as a source of carotene. Tomatoes, papayas,
mangoes and bananas contain more carotene than most other fruits. Red palm oil contains so much carotene that it is used instead of
cod-liver oil. Thus, it is very valuable, both as a food-fat and for deep-frying.
Vitamin A and carotene are insoluble in water and they are not destroyed by heat unless oxygen is present. Boiling in water,
therefore, does not destroy much vitamin A or carotene.
Vitamin A encourages healthy growth and physical fitness. Young animals soon stop growing and die if vitamin A is not present in
their diet. This vitamin keeps the moist surfaces lining the digestive canal, the lungs and air passages healthy. It also helps keep the
ducts of the various glands, the tissue that lines the eyelids and covers the front of the eyeball functional. As vitamin A helps these
tissues build up resistance to infection, it is often called the anti-infective vitamin.
Some of the most common disorders in people are caused by a shortage of vitamin A, when the moist tissues become dry and rough.
This often causes serious eye disease, followed by infection of the air-passages. The skin may also become flaky and rough.
Another defect caused by shortage of vitamin A is 'night-blindness', when the affected person has distinct vision only in bright
light.
As the body cannot produce vitamin A, it has to come from external sources. Thus a well-balanced diet is required and is usually
sufficient to provide the necessary amount. There is therefore no need to supplement the need in the form of pills.
Answer
Vitamin A is found only in certain food substances. It is also abundant in fish-liver oils. Our liver is able to store some vitamin A to
meet our requirements. Carotene, is a substance which our bodies can convert into vitamin A. It is found in green leafy vegetables,
 13

carrots and some fruits. Vitamin A is not easily destroyed by heat. It is essential for healthy growth and physical fitness. It also
helps keep the eyes from infection. A lack of vitamin A could lead to eye diseases and skin disorders. Thus, a well-balanced diet is
needed to ensure that the body receives the necessary supply of vitamin !. It is not necessary to take extra supplements.
19
Bacteria are the smallest living things with a cellular structure; each individual bacterium consisting of one single colorless cell,
which is usually either spherical or rod-shaped. Individual bacteria measure from 0.0001 inches to 0.00001 inches in length, so they
can be seen only with the help of a high-power microscope. They are so small that they can float in the atmosphere, usually as
'passengers' on dust particles, up to a height of several thousand feet, except immediately after a heavy downpour, when the air is
washed clean.
Bacteria are present in all natural as well as in drinking water that has not been purified or bailed. A large number of bacteria live in
the soil, down to a depth of several feet, and they are particularly abundant in faeces and sewage. Thus, living bacteria are always
present on the surface of our bodies and on everything around us, but they are seldom found inside the tissues of healthy plants and
animals.
Since most kinds of bacteria contain no chlorophyll, they cannot use light energy and Synthesize their food. They have to get their
food in other ways, mostly ready-made by other living things. Like plants, it can only take in dissolved food. A majority get their
supply from dead remains of other organisms.
Bacteria reproduce by dividing into two, and these new individuals grow so quickly that they are ready to divide again in about half
an hour. Hence, in ten hours, under the most favorable conditions, a single bacterium can produce over a million bacteria. That is
one reason for it being so difficult to ensure any object is completely free from any kind of living organisms. In addition, some
forms of bacteria have a waxy envelope outside their cell wall and are thus more difficult to kill.
Few bacteria can long survive a temperature above 80°C in the presence of moisture. Hence, when food items are boiled, nearly all
the bacteria present is killed. Pasteurization is a milder heat treatment that destroys the bacteria in milk.
The rate of multiplication of bacteria is greatly slowed down at temperatures below 10°C. This means that food will remain
unaffected by bacteria in a refrigerator.
Drying is also another method of preserving food and this dehydration of foodstuff prevents bacteria from growing and multiplying
as there is insufficientmoisture.
Answer:
Bacteria are tiny colorless cell that cannot be seen with the naked eye. They are found everywhere in the atmosphere, in our water
as well as in the soil. However, they are seldom found inside the tissues of plants and animals. They are unable to produce their own
food and so they rely on other living things. Their reproduction process is through division of cells and this hap- pens very quickly,
making it difficult to kill them. However, most bacteria are unable to survive a high temperature in water. The reproduction process
is also slowed down when it is extremely cold. Dehydration of foodstuffs will also stop the multiplication process as there is
insufficient moisture for the bacteria to grow.
20
I can still remember the day I left home for the university. I had packed and repacked a hundred times the night before. Mother had
bought me a new flaskand a bottle of Tiger Balm. For headaches, she said. She really thought of everything.
My boyfriend came to send me off at the train station. A neighbor had kindly volunteered to bring me to the station in her car. I felt
like an adult for the first time in my life. I was going to embark on a journey, both physical as well as mental. I was afraid but I kept
telling myself that this was the dream I'd had all my life and it was coming true. I could see the sadness in my boyfriend's eyes but
somehow, I did not feel affected. I was anxious to get over the goodbyes that I had rehearsed for so many nights. When it finally
came, I felt strangely relieved. It was a year later that I discovered that the parting was also the beginning of the end of our
relationship.
On the train, I quickly settled down. Halfway through the journey, I made friends with an elderly man who was also on his way to
Kuala Lumpur. He asked about my destination and he told me he was a teacher. Then the train was delayed for three hours. It felt
like eternity. I kept worrying about my brother who was waiting to pick me up. What if he gave up and decided to go home? What
was I to do? A thousand worries raced through my mind. My friend in the train made me feel uncomfortable as I was unable to
concentrate on his attempts to engage in an intelligent conversation. I wanted to shout `hooray' when the train started off and
continued its journey. The night seemed so cool and exciting again.
When we reached Kuala Lumpur, my teacher friend helped me with my luggage. I was really grateful to him as I would not have
been able to manage it alone. The train was hurrying, on its journey again. I felt so small and alone in the city. We parted and my
heart leapt when I spotted my brother. I could have run over and hugged him but we never did that. In fact, I hardly know him. We
 14

managed to exchange a few words instead. I was so tired that I slept like a baby on the way to his house. When I awoke, I found
myself in the midst of a party. I had forgotten that it was my brother's birthday. Poor thing, he must have cursed while waiting for
me.
I could not sleep that night. I was too excited and apprehensive. I did not really know what to expect. When I finally slept, it was
already 5 a.m
Answer
The writer recalled the day she left home for the university. She was anxious but excited to embark on a new chapter of her life. She
found bidding goodbye to her boyfriend burdensome and felt relieved when it was over. When the train was delayed, she was
worried about her brother who was waiting for her. When it finally arrived, she felt thankful when she saw him. On the way to his
house, she had fallen asleep. When she awoke, she realized that she was at her brother's birthday party. She felt guilty that he had
waited so long for her. She could not sleep that night as she was too anxious about the next day.
21
There are so many lessons one can learn about life from a dog. Imagine this scenario: it is raining heavily outside and you need to
leave for someone's house. The dog is up and eager, to go with you. You tell it to stay home. As you leave, you see it squeezing out
through the gap in the doorway. You scold it and order it back home. Then at every turn you make, you suddenly see it following
you sheepishly at a distance. It follows at the risk of being reprimanded for the sore reason of being somewhere nearby. How else
can we experience so selfless an instance of love and faithfulness? We can learn a lifelong lesson from this sincere warm display of
perpetual companionship.
Observe the eating habits of your dog. It does not eat, except when hungry. It does not drink, unless it is thirsty. It does
not gorge itself. It stops eating when it has had enough.
A dog also sets a perfect example of adaptability. If it is moved to a strange place, it is able to adapt itself to that place and to its
thousand peculiarities without a murmur of complaint. It is able to learn and adapt to a new family's ways and customs. It is quick
and ready to please. Man, being accustomed tocomfort and wealth will be lost if suddenly stripped of all he is accustomed to.
A dog also teaches us a thing or two about, unselfish love. When a dog knows death is approaching, it tries, with its last vestige of
strength, to crawl away elsewhere to die, in order to burden its owners no more.
A dog does things with all vigor. However, when there is nothing to do, it lies down and rests. It does not waste its strength and
energy needlessly. Many working people are burning the candles at both ends. Many suffer nervous breakdowns due to stress.
Perhaps, they should learn to rest like a dog does.
A dog above all is truly man's best friend.
Answer:
Dogs can teach us many lessons of life. It can teach us through its acts of love and faithfulness, endangering itself just to
accompany you. We can also learn from its eating habits. It will never over-indulge and knows which food to avoid. Dogs are also
able to adapt to its surroundings quickly without complaining as compared to man who complains at the slightest change. Dogs
are also unselfish, choosing not to burden his loved ones but to go away and die. Dogs also know when to work and when to play.
They do not waste their efforts unnecessarily like some of us do at work. Thus, dogs can set us great examples through their day-
to-day living.
22
Thais give a great deal of thought and time to the planning and preparation of their meals. There is an infinite variety of recipes
from which they can choose, and rarely would a household repeat the same dish within a fortnight.
The staple food is rice which is the base for most meals. The most commonly-used meats are pork and chicken, with a little beef.
Fresh fish and other seafood are plentiful and very popular. Fish can be eaten fresh, salted, dried, fermentedand in many other
ways. Vegetables too come in profuse variety and are unbelievably cheap. Green leafy vegetables, shoots, roots and young leaves
are popular in salads and soups. Even pumpkins and watermelons are used in soups.
Normally, breakfast in a Thai household would probably consist of a lightly boiled egg or rice soup, followed by 'ba ton ko' which
are crisp, hollow, fried roots, often dipped in condensed milk. Lunch is likely to feature one of many different sorts of noodles
available; and perhaps, dumplings made from flour and sago with a savory filling. The main meal of the day is usually taken early
in the evening, with rice as the base for the accompanying dishes such as curried meat, fish, vegetables and noodles. Other
savory concoctions generally called 'kap khoa' are prepared with great care and add to the main course. Sweet meats and dishes and
fresh fruits, complete the meal. A glass of water is the usual drink taken with the meal.
 15

In Thailand, people virtually eat all day long as it is very convenient to buy snacks. Food vendors station themselves outside offices
during the day and outside cinemas at night. Other vendors ride bicycles or motorcycles peddling their wares. When traveling by
train, the most outstanding feature of the journey is the rush of food vendors every time the train stops at a station. They offer
drinks, sweets and even hot dishes like rice and chicken. However, these vendors are slowly disappearing as commuters are more
careful about the food they eat.
Thais do not customarily mix everything into one plate, but take one serving at a time, to be eaten before proceeding to the next.
Meals are eaten with a fork and spoon. Noodles are often taken in Chinese fashion with chopsticks.
Answer
Thais have such a great variety of food to choose from that a typical household rarely cook the same dishes in a fortnight. A variety
of meat, fish and vegetables are used in different ways with rice as the basis for most meals. A typical household would serve a
simple breakfast of egg or porridge, followed by noodles and dumplings for lunch. Dinner is more elaborate where rice is usually
served, accompanied by various other dishes. However, Thais seem to eat all day long as there are plenty of food vendors that line
the street everywhere one goes. When one travels on a train, one can see many of these vendors selling their wares when the train
stops.
23
Man is forever changing the face of nature. He has been doing so since he first appeared on the earth. Yet, all that man has done is
not always to the ultimate advantage of the earth or himself. Man has, in fact, destroyed more than necessary.
In his struggle to live and extract the most out of life, man has destroyed many species of wildlife; directly by sheer physical
destruction, and indirectly by the destruction or alteration of habitats. Some species may be able to withstand disruptions to their
habitat while others may not be able to cope.
Take the simple act of farming. When a farmer tills a rough ground, he makes it unsuitable for the survival of certain species. Every
change in land use brings about a change in the types of plant and animals found on that land.
When man builds a new town, this means the total destruction of vast areas of farmland or woodland. Here, you have the complete
destruction of entire habitats and it is inevitable.
It follows therefore, that every form of human activity unavoidably upsets or changes the wildlife complex of the area. Man has
destroyed many forms of wildlife for no reasonable purpose. They have also made many great blunders in land use, habitat
destruction and the extermination of many forms of wildlife.
Man's attitude towards animals depends on the degree to which his own survival is affected. He sets aside protection for animals
that he hunts for sport and wages a war on any other creature that may pose a danger or inconvenience to him. This creates many
problems and man has made irreversible, serious errors in his destruction of predators. He has destroyed animals and birds which
are useful to farmers as pest controllers. The tragedy that emerges is that all the killing of predators did not in any way increase the
number of game birds.
Broadly speaking, man wages war against the creatures which he considers harmful, even when his warfare makes little or no
difference to the numbers of those he encourages. There is a delicate predator and prey equilibriuminvolving also the vegetation of
any area, which man can upset by thoughtless intervention.
Therefore, there is a need for the implementation of checks and balances. The continued existence of these animals depends
entirely on man and his attitude towards his own future.
Answer
Man, in his pursuit of development has done more harm than good. By destroying the habitat of wildlife directly or indirectly, many
species of wildlife are lost forever. Certain species are able to withstand the changes to the land while others simply vanish. Every
form of human activity will affect the habitat of the wildlife. The only preservation done by man is for animals that they consider
useful to man. Their predators are systematically destroyed. Yet this has in no way increased the number of the protected animals.
By intervening, Man has created an imbalance in the cycle. Therefore, there is a need to keep a balance between development and
preservation because man's future depends very much on this equilibrium.
24
In the early days of farming, people did not understand how plants obtained essential nutrients. It so happened that wood ash, fish
remains and slaughterhouse waste were thrown on vacant land just to get rid of them. Then, people started to notice that the grass,
bushes and shrubs on this vacant land began to grow very well. They reasoned that if their farmland were similarly treated, the
growth of their crops would also improve. People gradually began to realize that the nutrients required by plants came from the soil
and that the amount of nutrients could be increased by the application of such organic remains to the soil. Thus started the manuring
process in farming.
 16

The practice of manuring has been practized as early since the seventeenth century. However, the importance of manuring was not
properly understood until scientists began to study the nutritional needs of plants and gave birth to fertilizers. Thus, gradually, the
use of fertilizers became accepted by farmers.
There are many types of manure and fertilizer currently being used. Manure is a substance derived from animals and plants. The
most important advantage of using manure is the fact that they not only supply a wide range of plant nutrients, but also improve the
structure of the soil. It cements together the soil particles to form soil crumbs. The crumb structure is a desirable condition of
cultivated soil. The addition of manure to soil will increase the inorganic and humus content which helps to prevent soil erosion and
loss of plant nutrients when it rains. The common manure used in farming consists of farmyard manure, compost, blood meal, bone
meal and fish meal.
Unlike manure, fertilizers are inorganic substances which do not improve the structure of the soil. They only supply extra amounts
of nutrients to the growing plants when applied to the soil. The commercial fertilizers commonly used today can be classified into
three major categories; namely, nitrogen (N), phosphate and potash fertilizers.
Besides knowing the type of fertilizer to use, a farmer also needs to know when to apply the fertilizer and how to apply it. The
fertilizer should be applied at the time when the plants need a particular nutrient most. The time and method of application will
determine how profitably the fertilizers have been used in farming. Fertilizers which have not been properly applied cannot be
absorbed in large quantities by plant roots. These fertilizers may be washed away by rain or they may kill the plants. This would
mean a definite financial loss for the farmer.
Answer
The use of fertilizers began quite by accident when unwanted substances were thrown onto land. This has resulted in the knowledge
that plants get their nutrients from the soil and these could be increased by the manuring process. Thus, the use of fertilizers began
to be accepted by farmers. There are organic and inorganic fertilizers. Organic fertilizers improve the status of the soil and helps to
prevent soil erosion and loss of nutrients. Inorganic fertilizers supply the extra nutrients needed by the plants. Farmers also need to
know when to apply the fertilizers. Otherwise, they will lose plenty of money when inappropriately applied as the plants may die or
the fertilizers get washed away by rain.
25
Sue twisted the key in the lock and turned the knob. The rain came in a lashing downpour, beating noisily against the windows.
The taxi reversed out and went back down the road.
She was thankful to be home again. If she had left an hour later, she would have been caught in the floods. In a storm like this, the
river would have overflowed and the bridge would have been submerged. There was no other alternativeroute into the estate.
There was no light anywhere in the house. Kit was not home, then. As she turned on the lights, she had a sense of anticlimax. All
the way home in the train, she had seen herself coming to the lighted house and Kit would be sitting by the television with his
newspaper. She had imagined his handsome face lighting up, happy to see her back two days earlier than expected. He would
then take her by the hands and give her a kiss. Then she would make themselves a light supper and they would sit and talk of the
month that had passed.
But Kit was not here. She looked at the clock on top of the television and saw it was nearly eleven. Perhaps he had a club function
to attend. Even before she left for her sister's place, he was frequently at the club, coming home in the wee hours of the morning.
It was raining cats and dogs. She could hear the wild lash of the rubber trees and the whistle of the wind at the garage. She began
to switch on all the lights. One month, and the place still looked pretty much the same except for a vase of flowers sitting daintily
on the dining table. It seemed unlikely that Kit had done it. Perhaps the gardener had gathered the daisies.
She went into the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee. It was a pleasant kitchen even though it was small. She was about to
reach out for the coffee when she noticed a stain on the side of the cup. Despite being repeatedly admonished, the servant was
always careless. She examined the cup and found a smear of lipstick. It could not have been hers. The rain and then, this. The sight
of the cup began to blot out all the pleasure of coming home. Perhaps it was her mother-in-law.
She made herself comfortable on the sofa. Then she heard a door slam and footsteps, quick and loud. A key turned in the lock.
The door opened and Kit came in, with her servant on his arm.
Answer
The writer had come home two days earlier than was expected from her sister's place. It was raining heavily and she was glad to be
home before the floods had come. She found the house to be empty. She felt disappointed that her husband was not yet home. She
had looked forward to sharing with him about the month that had passed and to their reunion. Later, she found various things that
 17

showed of someone's else presence other than her husband's in her home. Those signs had disturbed her. She tried to find excuses
for the signs and tried to settle down. Suddenly, her husband had come home with her servant in his arm.
26
The childhood years are supposed to be the best times of one's life; playing and having fun. Yet there are many children who are
deprived of this childhood. They are tortured and verbally and physically abused.
There is no reason or excuse for child abuse. Abusers claim they do it because of the stress of work. Child-abusing housewives way
they feel harassed by a crying child and are unable to curb their own fury, especially if no support is received from anyone. This is
not surprising since support is extended to a victim of child abuse more readily than to the perpetrator. Occasionally, parents
may vent their frustrations on their child if they fight and quarrel with each other. In cases like there, it is the children who are the
victims.
In this modern age where both parents are usually holding jobs, children are left with babysitters and nurseries. Abuse by these
carers may occur when there are too many children to be minded. The disappearance of the extended family system is partly to
be blamed for these incidents.
Crowded homes and financial problems can also lead to child abuse. When there are too many mouths to feed, parents feel the
pressure and vent their anger on a child.
Substance abuse is another factor which increases the incidents of child abuse. Under the influence of alcohol or drugs, a parent
many not know what he or she may be doing. Or, rather, knows what he or she is doing but is not bothered at all. A drug addict
many experience mood swings and is easily provoked by a crying baby. Thus we see and read horrifying reports of a child being
savagely tortured and dumped elsewhere, like garbage.
Psychologists believe that child abusers may have been victims of abuse themselves. Thus, in anger and hatred, they repeat the
vicious cycle of abuse. Some have no love for the children they abuse. Some have been brought up to believe that children should
be beaten in order to maintain control. These are troubled people who need help.
A home is supposed to be a haven where a child ought to feel safe and secure. Unfortunately, more often than not, the home is
also where a child is abused. Whatever the reasons for the abuse, something must be done to stop the cruelty and help these
parents who simply cannot cope with parenting. Parents-to-be should be counseled and inculcated with parenting skills. The Child
Protection Act which was passed in Parliament in 1991 does not effectively prevent child abuse. Stricter enforcement is necessary.
Thus. it requires a commitment from each individual to help families with victims. and troubled parents, the perpetrators.
Answer
Child abuse can occur when parents are unable to cope with stress from work and family commitments. It may also occur when
children are left with child-minders who may be too busy with other kids. Parents who have financial problems may take it out on
the children. Substance abuse may also result in child abuse where the addicts many not know what they are doing till it is too late.
Another reason could be due to these child abusers being victims of child abuse themselves. They treat their children the way they
were treated and it becomes a vicious cycle. Positive steps should be taken to support and help parents or guardians to cope with
parenting.
27
One of the greatest men ever to have lived in the world was Dr Alexander Flemming. He was a dedicated English doctor who was
very keen to do his best to cure his patients. However, there were no bacteria-fighting drugs at that time and many of his patients died
of blood-poisoning. Therefore, Dr Flemming tried to discover a bacteria-fighting drug through experiments in his laboratory.
He cultivated harmful germs on dishes of jelly. Surprisingly, he discovered that the harmful germs were killed by the mould in the
jelly. The organisms in the mould produced chemical substances which killed the harmful germs. This was a fantastic discovery in
1928 - a mould that could kill harmful germs! As a result, Dr Flemming wanted to find the chemical substance made by the mould.
Finally, he found the substance which was three times more effective than carbolic acid, the disinfectant for killing germs then. The
new drug became known as penicillin, after the name of the mould. Dr Flemming's next challenge was to produce a large amount of
this antibody for use on his patients.
He continued with his experiments. With the outbreak of the Second World War, his drug was very much in demand. Subsequently,
his wonder drug was produced in great amounts. The persons responsible were Professor Sir Howard Florey who introduced its use
for healing patients, and Dr E. Chain who studied it in detail.
With the discovery of penicillin by Dr Flemming, fewer people died from bacteria infection. His drug had alleviated the sufferings
of mankind and indeed saved the lives of millions. Hailed as one of the world's greatest contributors to medical science, he had
 18

made it possible not only to treat diseases but to prevent them too. His drug can be applied to animals as well. Therefore, if you had
been treated for diseases such as pneumonia, influenza and gum infection by antibiotics, you have Dr Flemming to thank for.
In recognition of his brilliant discovery, Dr Flemming was knighted, a reward richly befitting his contribution to mankind.
Answer
Before the discovery of penicillin, many patients died of blood-poisoning. In 1928 Dr Flemming discovered that harmful germs
were being destroyed by a chemical substance produced by a mould growing in dishes of jelly. Dr Flemming decided to isolate this
chemical substance. He finally discovered this substance which was thrice as effective as carbolic acid, a disinfectant used then.
This new drug was called penicillin. With the outbreak of the Second World War, the demand for penicillin rose and it was
produced in large quantities. With the discovery of penicillin, many lives were saved and many diseases prevented. For his
discovery, Dr Flemming was knighted.
28
Human needs can be narrowed down to three essentials: air, water and food. Without air one would not survive ten minutes; without
water one would likely die of dehydration within ten days; and without food, the body would probably expire after ten weeks.
The average person requires between six and eight glasses (about two litres) of drinking water a day to maintain the hydration of
tissues in the body, and to facilitate the physiological processes of digestion. In addition, water acts as a transport medium for
nutrients within the body, helps to remove toxins and waste materials, stabilizes the body temperature, and plays a crucial part in the
structure and function of the circulatory system. In short, water is the elixir of life.
People living in modern cities get water at the turn of a tap, a convenience that has spawned a careless attitude towards this crucial
substance. What is more, most Asian governments provide water to consumers and industries alike at a low to nominal tariff.
Modern urban living has bred a generation of Asians who are careless in their usage of water. Singapore, for example, has increased
its rate of water consumption over the last ten years and more than half has been for domestic usage. Calls to cut back on usage
have fallen on deaf ears since average daily consumption keeps rising annually.
Singaporeans have been warned that they would run out of water if the consumption is left unchecked. Recent conservation
measures introduced include the installation of low-capacity cisterns that reduce water used from nine litres to as low as 3.5 litres
per flush in public housing estates.
The low cost of water for household consumption makes people feel that water is something they can get easily. Thus, the
Singapore government has acted in curbing excessive use of water by raising the cost of water. Water rates in Singapore are among
the highest in Asia - and for good reason, as the city ranks as the sixth most water-scarce country in the world.
In contrast, the Japanese have a generally frugal attitude towards water. Communal bathing is a traditional habit in rural Japan and
is a definite form of conservation. After individual ablutions, an entire family uses the same tub of water - the father goes first,
followed by the children and then the mother. This system is incredibly efficient, with a family of five bathing in less than twenty
litres of water. Housewives may even keep the bath water for washing the laundry.
In Tokyo, water conservation takes on a hi-fi slant. Some apartments have a computerized toilet that flushes automatically when a
person stands up and one can choose to have a big or small flush. The bath is also computerized with a warning buzzer that goes off
when the tub gets too full. Many bathroom sinks are connected via a pipe to the toilet cistern - thus the toilet is flushed with water
from the sink.
Hong Kong, meanwhile, has maximized its biggest water resource - the ocean. Sea water is used as flushing water in many of the
city's toilets
Answer
One of the steps taken by the Singapore government to conserve water is by installing low-capacity cisterns which reduce water
used in public housing estates. Water consumption is reduced by 5.5 litres per household. The government has also raised the cost
of water. In Japan, measures taken to conserve water include the traditional habit of communal bathing, using the bath water for
washing laundry, having computerized baths and toilets as well as using sink water to flush toilets. However, Hong Kong has
maximized the ocean and sea water is used for flushing many of the city's toilets.

29
The home is a place where we spend a large part of our lives. We eat, sleep, play and do many other activities here. We are familiar
with every chair, table, bed and every little ornament that gives us much pleasure and comfort. A well-maintained home is one
where we can go to after a hard day's work and when we need a place to relax and rejuvenate our spirits.
Yet a comfortable and familiar home is not without danger. In fact, a home can be a very dangerous place indeed. Consider first the
electrical supply to our homes. There are instances of people connecting too many electrical appliances to a single socket, for
 19

example connecting the refrigerator, washing machine, iron, and the kettle into one solitary socket using extension plugs.
Such flagrantdisregard for safety only means one thing -- the fuse will keep on blowing. The same situation may be even more
dangerous in old houses with worn-out wiring which could easily result in a fire.
Besides this overloading of electrical sockets, other dangers are also present. Touching an electrical switch with a wet hand is an
invitation to an electrical shock. It is a simple matter of drying the hand, yet in one's haste after using the bathroom, the hand is
often quicker than the brain. This habit must be changed. Wiring contractors tend to locate electrical sockets near the floor where a
two-year-old can get at it easily. It is advisable to cover these sockets so that. inquisitive hands do not get at them.
Most modern houses now have concealed wiring in the walls. A careless do-it-yourself handyman can easily give himself a nasty
shock by driving an iron nail into one of the hidden wires.
Many electrical appliances such as electric kettles, electric irons and cookers are all potentially dangerous if used carelessly. It is up
to the user to recognize the dangers so that he can safeguard himself.
Another possible source of danger comes from the cylinder of cooking gas that is present in almost all kitchens. The cylinder is
made of sturdy metal and can withstand a lot of abuse. Nevertheless there is a limit to the abuse it can take. Users who connect sub-
standard cylinder-heads to the cylinder and users who bump the cylinders around are all asking for trouble. There are cases of gas
cylinders exploding resulting in death and serious injury. A little care on the part of the user can prevent dangerous accidents from
occurring.
Knives, scissors, can-openers and other sharp instruments are also sources of danger. In any hospital one can see a lot patients
seeking treatment for cuts and bruises caused by these instruments. Though great care may be taken while using these sharp
instruments, accidents still may happen. One cannot guarantee that a knife will not slip while cutting vegetables or that a plate will
not break while it is being washed. Other dangers include slippery floors, protrudingnails on walls, non-drinkable liquids in
unlabelled bottles, broken furniture, uncovered food, unboiled water and many other things. These items may not be dangerous until
accidents happen. There is danger everywhere. We can only recognize potential dangers and take the necessary precautions to
prevent accidents from occurring in the home.
Answer
There are many dangers present in a home. Connecting many electrical appliances to a single socket is very dangerous as it may
lead to a fire especially in old houses with worn-out wiring. Touching an electrical switch with a wet hand can cause an electrical
shock. Concealed wiring in the walls of modern houses and uncovered electrical sockets near the floor are also hazardous. Many
electrical appliances are potentially dangerous if used carelessly. Even the cylinder of cooking gas can explode, resulting in death
and serious injury. Sharp instruments lying around the house are also sources of danger
30
Are You having problems feeling sleepy when you want to be alert and vice-versa? Perhaps you need to look at your diet, as it
may be the culprit. The brain's state of sleepiness or alertness, calmness or anxiousness is said to be determined by messengers in
the body called neuro-transmitters.
One of these which is called serotonin helps us feel calm and relaxed. Researchers have found that eating large amounts of
carbohydrate foods, such as sweets, potatoes and grain products increases brain levels of serotonin. High-protein meals or snacks,
consisting mostly of meat, on the other hand, tend to cause brain levels of serotonin to remain low.
A French study that varied the amount of carbohydrate fed to subjects found that an intake of carbohydrate with an equal serving
of protein products did not cause drowsiness. But when very large amounts of carbohydrate were provided without protein,
subjects reported feeling drowsy. This drowsiness occurred even after exercise which normally causes people to feel more alert.
We can take advantage of these findings to determine when to stay alert or to get some sleep. A snack that is largely
carbohydrate-based may relax us and make it easier for us to fall asleep. On the other hand, when you are trying to stay awake, a
balanced meal that includes protein (meat, chicken, fish, dairy products or dried beans) as well as modest portions of grains,
vegetables and fruit is more likely to help than loading up on a huge platter of meatless pasta.
Some experiments suggest that the effects may vary depending on the particular carbohydrate foods chosen. The ability of
carbohydrates to increase brain serotonin involves a rise in insulin levels in the blood when carbohydrate is eaten. Large
carbohydrate portions, or those that cause a faster rise in blood sugar such as sweets, potatoes, bread, refined cereals will cause
greater increases in serotonin (and sleepiness). Fruit and dried beans contain carbohydrate that raises blood sugar more slowly,
and so would not be expected to raise serotonin levels as high.
 20

But what about good nutrition? Eating to stay alert just means including some protein in our meals. However, do not overeat
grain products just because they are fat-free. By including plenty of high-fiber fruit or vegetables in meals, blood sugar and insulin
will rise moderately, and serotonin level in the brain will not jump dramatically.
Nevertheless when it comes to getting a good night's sleep, studies clearly show that it is more than just what we eat. Some
people are very sensitive to caffeine in coffee, tannin in tea and even to soda pops, even when it is consumed as early as 5.00 p.m.
Other people find that the key to a good night's sleep lies in establishing a routine pattern of pre-bedtime behaviors, keeping a
consistent bedtime, getting regular exercise, and learning relaxation techniques. If you are extremely sleepy throughout the day,
check your eating patterns. Do not try to compensate for lack of sleep at night by eating protein and scraping by on caffeine;
adequate sleep is essential.
Answer
Carbohydrates contain serotonin which helps make us feel calm and relaxed. Consuming large amounts of carbohydrates causes
drowsiness as they make us feel relaxed. However, if we want to stay alert, we should consume a balanced meal containing protein
and carbohydrates. Research suggests that carbohydrates increase brain serotonin leading to a rise in insulin levels in the blood.
Therefore, a correct diet helps in keeping us alert as the blood sugar, serotonin and insulin levels rise only moderately. Getting
enough sleep is also necessary and to some people, it means having an adequate established routine before going to bed
31
One of the most serious problems facing the world today is pollution, that is the contamination of air, land and water by all kinds
of chemicals such as poisonous gases, waste materials and insecticides. Pollution has upset the balance of nature, destroyed many
forms of wildlife and caused a variety of illnesses. It occurs in every country on Earth but is most prominent in industrial countries.
Breathing polluted air is very common to most people, especially those living in cities. In heavily industrialized areas, fumes from
car exhausts and thick smoke from factory chimneys can be seen darkening the atmosphere. This would reduce visibility and make
the air unpleasant to breathe. Large scale burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, gas and oil, in homes and industries also produces a
wide range of pollutants. This includes sulfur dioxide which damages plants, destroys buildings and affects health. Other known
pollutants are carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and dirt particles. The fumes produced by car exhausts and factories would
normally disperse in the air, but sometimes they are trapped by air layers of different temperatures. The result is a fog-like haze
known as smog. Britain and some other countries introduced smokeless zones and smokeless fuels some years ago and smog no
longer occurs, but it still remains a very real problem in Japan and the United States.
The motor car is a major source of pollution. In densely populated cities where there are millions of cars on the roads, the level of
carbon monoxide in the air is dangerously high. On windless days, the fumes settle near ground level. Fumes from car exhausts
also pour out lead and nitrogen oxide.
The testing of nuclear weapons, and the use of atomic energy for experimental purposes in peaceful times have exposed some
people to levels of radiation that are too high for safety. Crop-spraying by aircraft also adds chemical poisons to the air.
Domestic rubbish is another very serious pollution problem. The average American citizen throws away nearly one ton of rubbish
every year. Much of this consists of plastic, metal and glass packaging that cannot be broken down naturally. Instead it lies with
old refrigerators, broken washing machines and abandoned cars in huge piles for years without decaying. Each year the problem
of rubbish disposal becomes more serious.
Sewage causes another form of pollution. Most of it flows straight into rivers, where it is broken down by tiny bacteria. The
bacteria need oxygen for this process, but because of the vast quantities of sewage, the bacteria uses up all available oxygen in
the water, causing the death of countless fish and other river life. Rivers provide a very convenient outlet for industrial waste, as
well as being a source of water for cooling in nuclear and other power plants.
Like rivers, oceans have been used as dumping grounds for waste of all kinds. One of the recent sources of sea pollution is oil and
millions of tons of it spill into the sea each year. Oil not only pollutes beaches, it also kills fish and seabirds.
Answer
Pollution, covering the contamination of air, land and water, is one of the most serious problems facing the world today. Pollution
has destroyed ecological balance and wildlife and caused various illnesses. Air pollution caused by fumes from factories, car
exhausts and crop-spraying has reduced visibility and caused breathing problems. Nuclear testing and use of atomic energy exposes
people to high radiation levels. Burning of fossil fuels damages plants, buildings and human health. Undecayed domestic rubbish
also presents problems. The bacteria breaking down sewage, oil and industrial waste uses up valuable oxygen needed by fish and
plants. hence killing flora and fauna.
 21

32
Everyone has an ego. Some of us find it difficult to contain it, while others require time to control it.
An ego develops when we feel we have some superior quality in us. This quality can take many forms. It can be physical, such as
height, strength, and beauty, or it can be mental, such as cunning and wisdom. It may also be financial wealth or influence through
position, power or even popularity. We find it difficult to accept the fact that others may be better than us, especially in that
particular quality where we feel we are better than others. Sometimes we go overboard by claiming that we are right even though it
is obvious that we are wrong. It is simply our ego that prevents us from admitting our own mistakes.
People who are ego-driven are dominated by fear and the need to be right all the time. They are afraid to fail because they think
their worth as human beings depends on how others see them. To them success is measured by the number of wins they achieve.
Furthermore, there is very little humility in those who are ego-driven.
If we excessively entertain our ego, we shall feel that our opinions are always the best, our information is the most accurate, our
attitude towards things are the most apt, our method or approach to solving problems is the only correct one, our suggestions must
be accepted, and our decisions must be the most appropriate. In other words, we can never be wrong. We insist that we are still right
despite all the arguments against us. We become angry and irrational. We would even say things that hurt others because we could
not care less about their feelings.
This behavior leads to arrogance. Arrogance occurs when there are at least two people possessing the same quality, but one feels
that he is superior to the other. Arrogance is different from conceit which occurs when someone feels that he has a good quality in
him and admires himself for having such a quality. He does not need to compare himself with another individual to feel conceited.
From these definitions, egoism is closer to arrogance than conceit.
One of the most destructive traits of a leader today is arrogance -- behaving as if he has got it together all the time. This is why these
leaders do not entertain the opinions of others. They do not recognize that there is great strength in diversity of talents, information,
experience and suggestions. In most cases, they prefer to listen only to those things that are pleasing to them. This is a great
weakness because their subordinates will learn in no time to just please them with pleasant information updates and sweep every
bitter event under the carpet. These leaders will be made to believe that everything is under control, that everything is fine and
moving along smoothly.
Worse still, these leaders will reward those who please them or present only positive feedback. Subordinates who sincerely report
the truth will receive admonition. These sincere subordinates will never be rewarded and eventually they will leave.
Answer
Ego-driven people are controlled by fear of failure and they need to be correct always. They are dependent on what other people think
of them, are not humble and think they can never be wrong. Their behaviour leads to arrogance. Unlike conceited people who think
highly of themselves, arrogant people think much more highly of themselves compared to others. They also do not consider opinions
of other people. Arrogant people only care for their own opinions and prefer to listen to people who flatter them. Arrogant people
reward those who praise them and not those who give sincere feedback.
33
The Importance of Monasteries in Thailand
The number of Buddhist novice monks is rising each year in Thailand. The official figure for the year 2000 was 97 875 novices. It
is easy to think that more young men are being drawn to the religious life. But according to Phra Peter Pannapadipo (an English
monk who has lived in Thai monasteries for ten years and who has just written a book entitled Little Angels), this is not the reason
for the increase in novices.
He said that the increase is more likely an indication of the continuing poverty and lack of opportunity among the many
disadvantaged Thai families, especially in rural areas. It is a sad reflection of parents' inability to care for and educate their children.
Phra Peter Pannapadipo explains that boys from the rural areas of Thailand become novices because there is nowhere else for them
to go. Sometimes their impoverished parents cannot afford to feed them or send them to school. For many boys therefore, ordaining
and studying at monastic high schools is the only way they can complete their secular education. In a few monasteries, however,
becoming a novice for a time is a way of testing a man's spiritual commitment to the monastic life before he becomes a monk.
The majority of novices are in their late teens, but they can be as young as seven to as old as 20. After 20, a novice is expected to be
either ordained as a full monk, or disrobe entirely.
Experts say that monasteries play an important role and act as a social support system that has been around for some time.
"Ordaining as a novice or a monk has been part of Thai society for a long time. This is the way the monastery and the community
support each other," said a professor of' the Social Administration Faculty at Thammasat University. "In fact, providing education
 22

for young boys and sheltering them from some bad surroundings, so called `social work education', has been one of the most
important roles of Thai monasteries from the beginning," she added.
Novices usually study during the week. Apart from walking on the dawn alms round and attending morning and evening services,
they have their own duties. These include for example, keeping the monastery grounds swept, or preparing candles and incense for
ceremonies. Their schedules can be full beginning as early as 5.00 a.m. and ending as late as 11.00 p.m.
Many novices disrobe after six years of high school studies at these monastery schools. Some return to their villages, others look for
jobs in the cities. Some ambitious few, if they can find money or obtain a scholarship, pursue further studies. The rest, less than a
handful, stay on to practice Buddha's teachings for the rest of their life. They look for another monastery or stay on at the present
one.
Answer
Thai monasteries play an important role in providing education to Thai boys and sheltering them from 'bad' surroundings. Often
parents are too poor to keep their children at home or to send them to normal schools, so they send them to monastic schools. At the
monastery, the boys receive secular and religious education and at the same time learn to keep the monastery clean and prepare
incense for ceremonies. On completion of monastic life, the boys either return to their villages or look for jobs in cities. Some try to
pursue their studies further or become full-time monks.
34
Passage A
Australian scientists warned drivers and passengers of new cars that danger lurks within their brand new vehicles. It is not the soft
fabric or leather that encases comfortable bucket seats, or the shining new dashboard, or the designs of the sporty steering wheel
that harbor the danger. It is the reassuring smell of the new car that spells danger. The odor actually contains high levels of toxic
air emissions that can make the driver and passengers ill.
A research organization in Australia conducted a comprehensive research on three cars. Drivers were asked to keep logs on how
they felt and reacted to the lush interiors of their cars. The researchers also carried out observations on the reactions of the
drivers and at the same time interviewed them.
Anecdotal evidence was therefore carefully gathered and analyzed. The results revealed that the very smell of a new car that
enthralls the new owner, contains high levels of toxic emissions. What is even more alarming is the fact that these toxic emissions
are present in cars even after 6 months or longer of leaving the showroom. Anecdotal evidence during the study revealed that
drivers were becoming ill when they drove their new cars. A lawyer reported being ill with headaches, lung irritation, and
swellings for several days after collecting a new car and driving it for only 10 minutes.
Passage B
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) is Australia's main scientific body. They conducted a
research on the toxicity of the interior of new cars over a period of two years. Steve Brown, the head of the CSIRO's air quality
control research unit draws a parallel between the home and the car. He says, "Just as air inside our homes and workplaces is
often much more polluted than the air outside, so sitting in your new car can expose you to levels of toxic emissions that are
many times beyond health guideline goals."
The toxic emissions contain many chemicals and they include for example, benzene, acetone, ethylbenzene, and xylene isomers.
The effects of each are far from benign. Benzene is a cancer-causing agent, acetone is a mucosal irritant, ethylbenzene is a
systemic toxic agent, and xylene isomers is a foetal development toxic agent.
So what are the precautions that new car owners have to take? Brown pointed out in a statement that the remedy was simple.
"To avoid some exposure to this toxic cocktail, people who buy new cars should make sure that there is plenty of outside air
entering the vehicle while they drive it for at least 6 months." The implications are clear. Drivers should refrain from using their
car air-conditioners and drive with their windows rolled down
Answer
Australian scientists have warned that the reassuring new smell of a new car actually contains high levels of toxic air emissions that
can make the driver ill. A study by Australia :s main scientific body, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research
Organization (CSIRO), revealed that high levels of toxic emissions are found in new cars for up to six months or more after leaving
the showroom. The toxic emissions are cancer-causing, a mucosal irritant, a systemic toxic agent and a foetal development toxic
agent. The remedy is to make sure that for six months, plenty of fresh air enters the vehicle while driving.
35
 23

Ground Beef And The Hamburger: How Safe Is It?

Of all the food safety concerns raised by the discovery of mad cow disease at a Washington state dairy, perhaps none is more
focused than that on ground beef and the staple of the American diet -- the hamburger. Meat from one dairy cow infected with the
disease was distributed in eight western states and the US territory of Guam, and consumers in those regions who ate the meat said
they did so in the form of hamburgers.
The meat from one tainted cow ends up so widespread because the ground beef shaped into patties for the fry pan is likely to be
meat combined from several animals, a recipe that increases the odds that the meat is contaminated.
In addition, ground beef can come from many parts of the same cow, and some parts are said to be safer than others. The cow's
nervous system harbours the disease, although some food safety officials have assured consumers that the American meat-
processing system keeps brains and spinal cords out of the meat that is slaughtered.
Unlike some other food-related contamination, such as e-coli, mad cow disease is not affected by cooking, so a very rare hamburger
or a well-cooked one presents the same risk. Irradiation also has no effect on the disease, so beef that has been treated in that
manner also offers no guarantee. Is there a way to keep the juicy hamburger on the table or should consumers stay off hamburgers
for a while?
In October 2002, the US Department of Agriculture instituted an organic labelling system so consumers choosing organic products
could know that the food had been produced without pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, irradiation or bio-engineering. These
standards apply to imported foods as well. The strict certification process and ongoing inspections of organic farms make it less
likely that meat products from such farms are contaminated by mad cow disease. An animal becomes infected with mad cow
disease if it eats contaminated feed - most likely feed that include the brain and spinal cord tissue.
To be certified organic, cattle must be given a vegetarian diet of grass. Grain such as corn, barley and soy beans are fed for a short
period of time to produce added fat. Growth hormones and antibiotics are not added to feed. On the other hand, on a conventional
cattle farm, cattle feed can include cattle blood, gelatine, fat or tallow, and milk protein.
Knowing when and from where an animal came from in time of crisis is important. On organic farms, the tracking of each animal
from birth or source of purchase is mandatory. There must be records of health care and any treatments the animal receives.
Annual inspections are also made at feed mills, farms and slaughterhouses.
With all these requirements, organic beef therefore, comes with a hefty price. It sells more than twice the price of traditional beef.
"Every time there is a food disaster either in the form of e-coli or engineered corn, there is a bump in sales for organic beef," said an
organic farmer. "When there is a food disaster, then everyone wants to know where our food comes from."
Some experts are outraged by the US government's slowness in dealing with the mad cow concerns that they feel consumers should
avoid ground beef completely. Said a spokesman, "Consumers have to protect themselves because consumers simply have no idea
where the ground beef in their supermarket comes from." According to one study, a single pound of ground beef was traced to 400
animals in six states.
Yet there are people who feel that the industry should not be punished for something that happened to one cow. Others say that
avoiding ground meat completely is an over-reaction. They feel that the chance of being infected is very small.
Answer
Beef is the staple diet of Americans but there are concerns as to how safe their beef is. Ground beef consists of meat from many
cows from different states. One beef patty containing meat from one contaminated cow is enough to infect the consumer with mad
cow disease. Futhermore, ground beef comes from many parts of the same cow. Beef eaters are worried the meat may contain
brains and spinal cords, which carry the mad cow disease. The bacteria of this disease cannot be destroyed by cooking or
irradiation. Beef-eaters also do not know where beef in supermarkets come from.
36
Every year the gruesome spectacle is repeated in Newfoundland on Canada's east coast. Scores of fishermen and hunters gather off
the coast of Newfoundland to kill thousands of seals. Newly-born seals and their mothers are clubbed to death or drowned in icy
water. Despite international protests, the slaughter continues.
Over the years, environmentalists have launched numerous attacks against seal hunting. Supported by noted celebrities such as the
French actress, Brigitte Bardot, and other well-known personalities, some measure of success has been achieved. The international
market for the soft white fur of the baby seal has practically collapsed.
Newfoundland's Provincial Fisheries Minister, John Efford, managed to convince the Canadian federal government in Ottawa to
permit the killing of 285 000 seals. The exercise, however, drew heavy criticism from observers of the International Fund for
Animal Welfare who claimed that close to 500 000 seals were killed.
 24

Efford had defended the seal hunt as being absolutely necessary. He said that the culling of these seals was neither done for sport or
game, nor for their fur. Instead these seals were killed to save the livelihood of local fishermen who viewed the seals as pests and a
threat to their source of income.
These fishermen claim that the seals feed on the codfish that proliferate in the waters off the coast of Newfoundland. They lament
that this has consequently resulted in a drastic fall in the number of codfish and subsequently thwarting their efforts at earning their
wages as commercial fishermen. "The seal herd is so large that it has exhausted the food chain," explain the fishermen. The
seriousness of the situation has prompted the fishermen to appeal to the federal authorities in Ottawa to approve the culling of an
additional two million seals.
The Federal Fisheries Minister, however, has rejected the idea saying that current scientific knowledge does not support such a
drastic move. At the same time, the Parliamentary Fisheries Committee has begun a special investigation into the matter. Scientists,
too, are trying very hard to determine how much damage the seals actually cause. "There's no scientific consensus on the impact of
seals on cod stock regeneration," said the head of the research section of the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
No accurate information on the number of seals living in the northern Atlantic appears to be available. In 1994, the estimate was set
at about five million mammals, and in early 1999 a very rough estimate was made at six million seals.
In an effort to counter and appease international protest, Efford suggested a completely new approach. Rather than view the seals as
pests, he urged that they be regarded as a source of food. "There are hundreds and thousands of people going hungry each day in the
Third World," he said
Answer.
Every year, the fishermen and hunters of Newfoundland gather off the coast of Newfoundland to kill thousands of seals despite
much international protest. These fishermen justify their action as being necessary because their livelihood as commercial fishermen
is being threatened. They claim that codfish numbers are drastically being reduced as seals are feeding off them. Rejecting an
application by the fishermen to cull two million seals the government and scientists are now looking into the matter. A new
approach is now being considered - that seals be regarded as a source of food rather than as pests.
37
Achieving Peak Performance
There are seven steps to achieve peak performance. The first step is to lead awell-rounded life. High achievers, according to
experts, are obsessed people who take work home and then labor over it until bedtime. Furthermore, research has also shown that
such people tend to peak early and then go into a decline or level off. They then become addicted to work itself, with less concern
for results.
High performers, in contrast, are willing to work hard - but within strict limits. For them, work is not everything and they know how
to relax. They are able to leave work at the office. They value close friendships and family life, and spend a healthy amount of time
with their families.
The second step is to select a career you care about. Studies show that high performers choose work they truly prefer, and spend
over two-thirds of their working hours doing it and only one-third on disliked tasks. They want internal satisfaction and not just
external results such as pay rises and promotions. In the end, of course, they often have both. Since they enjoy what they do, they
produce better work and the rewards are higher.
Rehearsing each challenge or task mentally is the third step to achieving peak performance. Before any difficult or important
situation -- a public presentation, a board meeting, a key tennis match, for example -- most peak performers run their desired actions
through in their minds over and over again. Nearly all of us day-dream about important coming events, but idle day-dreaming is not
the same as a deliberate mental workout that sharpens the skills to be used in the activity.
In order to achieve peak performance, you also have to seek results, not perfection. Many ambitious and hardworking people
are so obsessed with perfection that they produce very little work. It has been found that those with perfectionist tendencies
earned considerably less a year than those who did not have such tendencies. In contrast, high performers are almost always
free of the compulsion to be perfect. They do not think of their mistakes as failures, but they learn from mistakes so that they
can do better the next time.
The next step is to be willing to take risks. Most people are willing to settle for jobs which they think are secure, even if that also
means mediocrity and boredom, rather than take chances. High performers, on the other hand, are able to take risks because they
would carefully consider how they would adjust and how they would salvage the situation if, in reality they did fail. Constructing a
'worst-case' scenario allows them to make a rational choice.
The penultimate step to achieving peak performance is not to underestimate your own, potential. Most of us think we know our
own limits, but much of what we 'know' is not knowledge at all. It could be a belief which is erroneous and self-limiting. These
 25

types of beliefs are the biggest barriers to achieving high-level performance. Too many of us set our individual limits far below
what we can actually achieve. High performers, on the contrary, are able to ignore artificial barriers. They concentrate instead on
their own feelings, on their functioning, on the momentum of their effort and are therefore free to achieve peak levels.
Finally, compete with yourself, not with others. High performers focus more on improving on their own previous efforts than on
competing with others.
Such are the skills of high performers. If you want to make the most of your talents and to live up to your fullest potential, learn to
use these skills.
Answer
There are seven steps which can lead to peak performance. Firstly, have a well-balanced life - work hard but know when and how to
relax and enjoy your life. The second step is to choose a career you love since internal satisfaction gives better results and rewards.
The next step is to rehearse a task mentally before actually doing it. Another step is not to be a perfectionist but to be a risk-taker,
and to pursue results and learn from mistakes. High performers never underestimate themselves but concentrate on their
capabilities. Lastly, compete only with yourself. not with others.
38
Can We Do Without Television?
In most homes today, we can expect to find at least one television set. Some of the more affluent homes have more than one. A
television set is no longer considered a luxury, as it has become a part of modern living.
The benefits of television are manifold. As a means of communication, there is virtually nothing to match it. We can watch a
football match thousands of miles away with a mere flick of a switch, in full colour and with high fidelity sound. News that would
have taken months to travel from one place to another now takes just a fraction of a second to reach in its original state, minus the
factor of distorting human messengers. The impact of this improved communication on our lives is indeed great. We are not only
better informed of current events all over the world but we are also exposed to a multitude of different cultures and ways of life.
Never before did we have to face such a huge onslaught of information. In this context, when used with discretion, television can
provide us with much knowledge, but when used carelessly, it can reduce us to non-thinking entities.
Television is the cheapest form of leisure and it provides a great variety of entertainment. It brings hours of suspense, laughter and
thrills into our living rooms. With the development of video equipment, the range of programs available is indeed wide. It is able to
provide fun and entertainment to the young and old alike. On the whole, the usefulness of television as a source of entertainment
and recreation is undoubted. The danger lies only in the possibility of addiction to watching too much television. We do have
television addicts who do virtually nothing but watch television all day long. The prolonged watching does not do any good to
the couch potatoes, as these addicts are called. Their vision can deteriorate and furthermore, it is a sheer waste of time.
Via television, manufacturers are able to reach out to consumers more effectively. The advertisements on television serve to inform
consumers about new products. However, nowadays we are literally overwhelmed by scores of advertisements all pushing to sell
their products. A couple of adverts in between programs are welcome breaks, but to watch clip after clip for more than five minutes
at a stretch is just too much. Likewise, an advertisement clip coming right in the middle of a program can be very irritating as it
interrupts the continuity of the program.
Television is also an invaluable educational tool. It enables education planners to co-ordinate and inform students about the
requirements of various subjects.
From a security point of view, the television set can be used as a surveillance tool and an `eye' in inaccessible places. Banks and
other large commercial centers use close circuit television to maintain security. In deep- sea explorations, television is used to reach
places no man can reach.
The television is part and parcel of our lives and it is here to stay, whether we like it or not. How we make use of this wonderful
invention is entirely up to us. Used with care, it is a boon to humankind. Used carelessly, it can be a curse instead.
Answer
Television provides knowledge and information. It is the cheapest source of entertainment and recreation, and is able to provide a
great variety of programs which can entertain both the old and the young. Advertisements on television inform us about new
products. Television is also an educational tool. Television has also been used as a surveillance tool and to reach inaccessible
places. However, watching too much television can be addictive, a waste of time and can deteriorate vision. It can also reduce
people to non-thinking individuals. Furthermore, advertisements in between television programs can be irritating.
39
Electronic mail (e-mail) threatens to pervade every one's life -- whether you are living in the western world or in a third-world
country. A look at today's business cards verifies this fact. Virtually every business card nowadays sports an e-mail address.
 26

Businesses prefer to communicate by e-mail, as it is easier, quicker and cheaper. Furthermore, the message goes direct from the
desk of the sender to the desk of the recipient.
All that is needed to be an e-mail user is a PC, a modem, an Internet account and of course, a phone line. Ever since the Internet has
been commercialized, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have sprung up in almost all the countries in the world. Subscribers only
need to pay a small yearly subscription fee to an ISP. What makes e-mail extremely popular is the negligible cost. Compared to
faxes, e-mails are extremely cost effective. Sending an e-mail to the United States or Germany costs no more than sending it to your
neighbor across the street.
It is also very easy to send an e-mail. When the message has been written, all one has to do is to click on the 'send' button on the
screen. The mail gets transferred from the PC to the ISP, and is then automatically sent to the recipient. The sender does not have to
worry about a busy line at the other end (as compared to sending a fax). The e-mail software can also be configured for the sender
to receive a confirmation e-mail when the e-mail has been delivered and downloaded by the recipient. If the e-mail cannot be
delivered, it is returned to the sender with a reason given.
One of the most important reasons supporting the use of e-mail is that it is eco-friendly , No papers are used which means no
chopping down of trees! Another advantage of using the e-mail is that it is very fast. For example, an e-mail from Asia to the United
States would normally arrive in less than two minutes and within the same country, in less than a minute. This means that e-mails
and attached documents, spreadsheets and database files can be routed to friends, family members or colleagues all over the world
several times in a day.
Similar to roaming facilities offered on the mobile phone, ISPs offer global roaming for Internet access. A person can dial a local
access number in the foreign country (at a small surcharge) and download and upload his e-mails the same way as he does at home,
in school or in the office. All that one has to do is to get access to a computer. In short, this means that you can send and receive
your mails anywhere and anytime -- e-mails are mobile!
These days, e-mail software provides advanced facilities allowing one to save incoming and outgoing e-mails onto different
diskettes. Along with search facilities, this acts as a repository for future reference. This feature is very handy, especially when one
is traveling, as a person can now literally carry all his incoming and outgoing communication with him all over the world.
In conclusion, using the e-mail is very advantageous and it has become a necessary tool in all businesses
Answer
Sending e-mails is easier, quicker and cheaper than sending normal mails. You need a computer, a modem, an internet account and
a telephone line. The message goes directly from the sender to the recipient at negligible cost. Since e-mails move quickly, they can
be exchanged all over the world several times a day. Besides that e-mails are eco- friendly. E-mails can also be sent from anywhere
in the world as long as there is access to a computer and telephone line. All mails can also be saved onto diskettes and carried along
wherever a person goes.
40
Limiting Children's Media Diet
Parents not only refer their child's physical ailments to doctors but lately, the child's behavioral problems as well.
Riding on this trend, the American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) has recommended that doctors, during routine
medical check-ups, inquire about children's use of the media. This will go a long way in helping to identify patterns
that can threaten the emotional and physical health of the child.
Many times parents have received complaints from the school about their child's aggressive behavior. Often, this has been referred
to the family physician rather than the behavioral psychologist. Says a doctor at the AAP, "You look at the history and then note
that the child has not only been sitting in front of the TV for hours watching violent shows but also playing aggressive computer
games. At the least, this is something to start with." Says another, "The child could be modeling violent behavior and the parents are
unaware of it."
Another related problem is obesity. This problem troubles many parents. After talking to the child, the doctor discovers that the
child has similarly spent hours watching TV and video and not getting sufficient exercise. "It's another way where media habits can
affect health," says the doctor.
The AAP recommends that two hours of quality TV or video shows a day for older children is sufficient. However, as far as
toddlers below two are concerned, the AAP recommends that they should not be allowed to watch any TV. Excessive
and indiscriminate media viewing can lead to other side effects and these include repeated aggression with peers or adults, poor
grades, frequent nightmares, increased eating of unhealthy foods; and later, smoking, drinking and drug use.
Critics on the other hand are quick to point out that adults should cultivate an overview of parenting rather than attack one aspect:
the media. At present, parents seem to be caught up with the material pursuits of life to the extent that they are unable to find
 27

sufficient time for other priorities in life. These critics say that if parents could only take stock of the situation and sort out their
priorities, then there is a strong likelihood that they would spend more time with their children, supervise them, and watch over their
viewing habits.
It is an undeniable fact that much lies in the hands of parents. Although the media has a responsible role to play, the hone plays an
overall important role in providing the right foundations in life for a child.
Answer
Doctors have been recommended to ask about children's use of the media because of growing behavioral problems among children.
Watching TV and videos for hours and playing aggressive computer games have a harmful effect on children as they tend to model
the violent behavior from these programs. In addition, children tend to become obese because of lack of exercise, have frequent
nightmares, get poor grades, and eat unhealthy foods. Two hours of quality TV and video viewing are recommended for older
children and none for children below two. Parents should play an important role by spending more time with their children and
supervising their viewing habits.
41
Taking Stress in Stride
For many years, stress was considered an imaginary complaint that lazy employees would use as an excuse for skipping work. Now,
stress has finally made its way into medical books -- and into company accounts too. More and more firms are realizing the effect
that stress-related illnesses are having on theirbottom line.
The causes of stress are manifold. Just getting to work on time may be a major cause. At the workplace, stress can be caused by not
having enough to do, not facing sufficient challenges or simply being in a job that does not suit the person. At the other end of the
scale is overwork and job insecurity. There may also be ergonomic reasons for stress such as cramped working conditions, a faulty
chair, a desk at the wrong height, a smoky office or defective air-conditioning.
Stress manifests itself in many ways. The most common symptoms are headaches, backaches, shortness of breath, skin disorders,
heart palpitations, gastric problems and sleeping disorders. There is also poor concentration, poor memory and loss of self-
confidence. Other major health problems such as depression, repetitive strain injury and heart problems may follow these
symptoms.
All these symptoms give rise to inefficient work practices, increased medical leave and consequently loss of productivity.
Companies are finally beginning to take notice and are starting to invest in their employees' health as a natural cost of doing
business.
Companies are taking the necessary measures to overcome stress-related problems with the hope that there will be heightened
efficiency at the workplace and lower absenteeism. But at the end of the day it is up to the individual.
The art of stress management is not something that can be picked up overnight. It is something that an individual has to perfect and
improve on throughout his lifetime. The key is 'healthy body, healthy mind'.
Diet should be kept in check with smoking and drinking under control. Consider investing in a home gym, which can be set up at a
reasonable cost consisting of basic equipment such as an exercise bench, a pair of dumb-bells and an exercise bike.
Massage is another tried and tested form of physical relaxation, guaranteed to reduce both mental and physical stress levels. The
two most popular forms of massages are the Japanese and Swedish massages. A Japanese Shiatsu massage focuses on specific
points of the body where energy is blocked, while the Swedish massage involves stroking with oils to stimulate blood circulation. A
massage does not take long and it is not expensive. The different types of massages and aromatherapy techniques have different
effects with some for relaxation and some for stimulation; all guaranteed to make you feel invigorated or enlivened after a hard day.
Another way of reducing stress is the century-old and hugely popular practice of yoga. A beginner taking up yoga may find the
posture and breathing exercises beneficial. But yoga goes way beyond that as it deals with the inner organism ( the mind, the
respiratory and digestive organs ) -- inner harmony first -- and when the inner organism is working properly, then physical fitness
can be achieved.
In stress management, the most important thing is to recognize the symptoms of stress early and to act before they become
something serious.
Answer
Steps are taken by companies to reduce stress-related problems so that there is an increase in workplace efficiency and lower
absenteeism. However, stress management is up to the individual and can be perfected through practice. Stress-related problems can
be reduced through proper diet and controlling smoking and drinking. In addition, massage can help to reduce stress. A beginner in
yoga may also find it helpful as it deals with inner harmony to achieve physical fitness. The most important factor in stress
management is to recognize the symptoms early and to deal with them before it is too late.
 28

42
The most basic form of communication is nonverbal. This includes body language and facial expressions. It differs from verbal
communication in fundamental ways. For one thing, it is less structured, which makes it difficult to study. A person cannot pick up
a book on nonverbal language and master the grammar of gestures and a vocabulary of expressions that are so common in our
culture. Nonverbal communication also differs from verbal communication in terms of intent and spontaneity. We generally plan
our words and are fairly careful with what we say. But when we communicate nonverbally, we sometimes do so unconsciously. We
do not mean to raise an eyebrow or blush, but these actions more often than not come naturally. Often without our consent, our
emotions are written all over our faces.
Although nonverbal communication is unplanned, it may have more impact than verbal communication. Nonverbal cues are
especially used in conveying feelings. They account for ninety five percent of the emotional meaning that is exchanged in any
interaction. In fact, nonverbal communication is so powerful that it actually releases mood-altering chemicals in the sender as well
as in the receiver. Smiling makes us feel happier, whereas guarded gestures tend to make us hostile and less receptive. This fact was
confirmed by an experiment involving two groups of college students who attended the same lecture. One group, the experimental
group, was told to listen to the lecture with their arms tightly folded across their chests and their legs uncrossed - like a barrier; the
second group was told they could listen to the lecture in any way they pleased. Most of them sat relaxed and listened to the lecture.
When tested after the lecture, the experimental group retained nearly 40 percent less information compared to the second group who
had been more relaxed.
One reason for the power of nonverbal communication is its reliability. For instance, most people can deceive us more easily with
words than they can with their bodies. Words are relatively easy to control; body language, facial expressions and vocal
characteristics or tone of voice are not. By paying more attention to verbal cues, we can detect dishonesty or affirm a person's
honesty. Not surprisingly, we have more faith in nonverbal cues than we do in verbal messages. If a person says one thing but
transmits a conflicting message nonverbally, we almost invariably believe in the nonverbal signal. To a great degree then, an
individual's credibility as a communicator depends on nonverbal messages his body is transmitting.
If you can read other people's nonverbal messages correctly, you can interpret their underlying attitudes and intentions and respond
appropriately. Successful people generally share this ability. A recent study involved 1000 schoolchildren who were tested on their
ability to determine whether people were happy, sad, angry and so forth on the basis of their expressions. The students who scored
the lowest on the test were among the least popular in their class and were also less successful academically, even though their
intelligence rating were just as high as the other children. The inability to read other people's reactions prevented them from
adjusting their behavior to improve their relationships.
Nonverbal communication can be efficient from both the sender's and the receiver's standpoint. You can transmit a nonverbal
message without even thinking about it, and your audience can register the meaning unconsciously. At the same time, when you
have a conscious purpose, you can achieve it more economically with a gesture than you can with words. A wave of the hand, a
wink, a pat on the back, a lift of the eyebrows are all efficient expressions of thoughts. Although nonverbal communication can
stand alone, it frequently works hand in hand with verbal language. Our words carry part of the message and nonverbal signals carry
the rest. Together, the two modes of communication make a powerful team, augmenting, reinforcing and clarifying each other.
Answer
Nonverbal communication is important because it used to convey feelings. It is so powerful that mood-altering chemicals are
released from both parties which are communicating. it is reliable because it exposes people's honesty. Once can tell if a person is
lying from his body language, not from his words. The ability to read nonverbal messages allows one to understand a person's
underlying attitude and intentions. This enables one to respond appropriately, thus improving relationships. Apart from
complementing and reinforcing verbal messages, nonverbal cues also convey messages efficiently as they are often transmitted
unconsciously through body language and facial expression.
43
Passage A
Diana Baumrind (1991) believes parents interact with their children in one of three basic ways, that is, authoritarian, authoritative,
or permissive.
Authoritarian parenting expects the child to follow the parent's directions and to respect work and effort. The authoritarian parent
strictly limits and controls the child and does not allow any discussion. For example, when there is a difference in opinion as to how
to do something, the authoritarian parent might say, "You do it my way or else. .." Children of authoritarian parents are often
anxious about being compared to others, lack initiative and have poor communication skills.
 29

Authoritative parenting encourages children to be independent but still limits and controls their behavior. A lot of verbal give-and-
take is allowed and parents are supportive and warm towards the child. An authoritative parent might put his arm around the child
in a comforting way and say, "You know you should not have clone that; let's talk about how you can handle the situation better
next time." Children whose parents are authoritative tend to be well-adjusted, self-reliant and socially responsible.
Permissive parenting places few demands or controls on the child. Such parents let their children do what they want, and the result
is the children never learn to control their own behavior. They always expect to get their own way. When they cannot get what they
want, they may either lose their temper or throw tantrums. Such children also do not learn to respect others.
Passage B
Despite the current concern about the relevance of parental models, it still appears that parents are a vital force in helping the
adolescent. The events of childhood and specifically, the history of parent-child relationships that adolescents bring with them from
childhood affect the way the adolescents react to the new demands of the period. For example, the overprotected child may find the
adolescent peer society unwilling to give in to him or her all the time. Perhaps the most important feature of adolescent-parent
interaction is how this mutual relationship helps the adolescent to develop a sense of independence or autonomy.
An important aspect of adolescent development is achieving autonomy. Autonomy is the ability to make decisions independently and
to go through life without being too dependent on other people. If adolescents are to 'make it' as adults, they cannot be rushing home
for reassuring hugs whenever they get upset. Parents want their children to become autonomous, and adolescents want the freedom to
become independent.
In the past, many psychologists assumed that for adolescents to achieve autonomy, they need to be separated from their parents --
cutting the cords so to say. Now researchers understand that it is best for their development if adolescents maintain a close
relationship with their families, even as they are achieving autonomy and preparing to leave home. The goals are autonomy as well
as attachment, or independence as well as interdependence.
In fact, adolescents are most likely to become autonomous and well-adjusted if their parents consistently enforce a reasonable set of
rules. They involve their teenagers in decision-making, monitor their comings and goings, and continue to be warm and supportive.
It appears that parents who are democratic and give frequent explanations for their rules help in developing independent behavior in
their children. Children of autocratic parents normally lack confidence and are more dependent on others. Adolescents who are
given the chance to participate in discussions of relevant family issues - including their own activities and behavior - and participate
in decision-making, are more likely to think that their parents are fair and reasonable. This is in spite of the fact that parents still
remain the ultimate authority. In other words the winning approach is an authoritative style of parenting. An authoritative parenting
style gives adolescents opportunities to develop their independence while still having the benefit of their parents' guidance and
advice. It is when parents are extremely strict or extremely permissive that teenagers are most likely to be psychologically affected
and get into trouble.
The parent-child relationship is truly a partnership. Its quality depends on what both parents and their children do to strengthen their
relationship.
Answer:
The authoritative parent-child relationship produces the best results. These parents are supportive and warm towards their
children. They allow more verbal freedom to children than authoritarian parenting. They involve children in decision-making and
practice democracy. They impose reasonable limits on their children's behavior, but they explain their rules. This mutual
relationship influences the children's development as adolescents. This background helps adolescents build a sense of
independence and is key to the way they react to changes in their time. These adolescents are likely to think of their parents as
fair and reasonable. They also tend to be well-adjusted, independent and socially responsible.
44
The Art of Conversation
It is natural to feel nervous in a new situation. Walking into a room full of people without knowing a soul can be a daunting task,
but is is important to realize that almost everyone is nervous when facing a room full of strangers. The approach of the first day at
school or a party where you won't know anyone can be made easier if you know what to do. Developing a bag of tricks can help get
you through some of those tough situations.
To begin, set a goal for yourself. For example, you can decide that at the end of this school day, or by the end of this party, you will
have spoken to at least three new people or will have had a conversation with at least one new person. Remember, these don't have
to be make-it-or-break-it conversations. Simple exchanges of a few remarks will suffice.
 30

Now, how do you get started? Just walking into a room full of strangers is intimidating for most people. In fact, most people feel
off-balance entering a room where everyone is talking a mile a minute or seems to know someone else. If you take a minute to get
your bearings, however, you will inevitably find another lone soul looking as nervous as you feel. Go up to that person and
introduce yourself. You will almost always be rewarded with a sigh of relief and a smile. Remember, others are in the same boat as
you are.
Beginning a conversation is not that hard. Expert conversationalists say it is all right to open with a cliche. Don't worry about
sounding dull. Cliches are good for starting conversations because everyone can relate to them. What do you mean by a cliche? The
weather, movies, sports, or other universal topics are of interest to everyone. If you are in a classroom, you can talk about the course
or the school. If you are at a party, talk about how you know the host or hostess.
Asking questions is a great way to keep a conversation going, but it is important to ask the right kind of questions. Asking a 'yes or
no question' can stop a conversation dead in its tracks. 'WH-questions' prompt discussion because the answers will be longer. Good
questions begin with 'Why', 'How', 'What do you think about ...?'
When another person is speaking, most people use that time to think of their next witty comment or question. Doing this can cause
you to miss what the person is saying. Listening is an important part of carrying on a conversation. Good conversationalists are
invariably good listeners. So, the next time you are engaged in a conversation, instead of trying to come up with a clever line, focus
on listening and responding in a genuine way to what the person has said.
To show interest, it is important to make eye contact frequently. This does not mean staring into someone's eyes relentlessly. Doing
so will only make the person feel uncomfortable. On the other hand, letting your eyes drift around the room gives the impression
that you are looking for someone more interesting to talk to. The key is to make eye contact, then take your eyes off the other
person briefly when it's your turn to talk.
When you are engaged in a conversation, ask questions and respond to comments. It is important to keep up your end of the
conversation by talking about yourself and your ideas. After all, you can't expect the other person to keep the ball in the air alone.
Remember that you are an interesting person too. However, be careful not to go overboard. The number one turn-off for most of us
is listening to other people go on and on about themselves. Nobody likes to listen to someone who constantly uses the word 'I'.
There are other important qualities in the art of conversation. One of the most important is a sense of humor. Everyone appreciates a
chance to laugh or chuckle at a funny story or joke. Be careful in your selection, though. Racial or sexual humor can offend others,
and reflects poor judgment on your part.
Cultivating a wide range of interests can be of help in almost any social situation. You can be up-to-date on current events by
reading newspapers and magazines.
Lastly, be enthusiastic and upbeat. When you are enthusiastic, people feel that you are interested in what they are saying. Do not be
afraid to show enthusiasm, and use positive reinforcement whenever possible.

Answer
Having a good conversation with a stranger may not be as difficult as it seems if one follows a few simple rules. First, start the
conversation on a common topic such as the weather, movies or sports. Ask questions and opinions that gets the other party to talk.
Maintain eye contact, listen carefully and be enthusiastic as this shows you are interested. Respond appropriately to comments and
questions. Have a sense of humor and a stock of funny stories and good jokes. Finally, read more and be updated with current news
and interests so that you can talk about many topics.
45
In this era of acrimonious debate about what goes into intelligence, it may be a surprise to hear that in China alone, 480 million IQ
points have been lost for want of a simple chemical, costing less than a few cents per person each year.
Around the world, more than 20 million people are less intelligent than they might have been because they did not receive this vital
nutritional supplement. About 1.6 million people, or a quarter of the planet's population, are at risk from this deficiency. The lack of
this chemical has caused the IQ bell curve of some countries to shift thirteen points to the left of where it might have been
otherwise.
The substance in question is iodine, the 53rd element of the periodic table. No longer scarce in the diet of the world's wealthy
nations, this micronutrient is the key to what may be the least recognized epidemic on the globe.
Micronutrients are substances required in minuscule amounts to maintain health. A person needs one ten-thousandth of a gram of
iodine a day, two grams over a lifetime.
A worldwide effort is under way to eliminate iodine-deficiency disorders in this decade by fortifying the world's salt supply.
Although there are other ways to deliver iodine, salt is the cheapest and easiest route.
 31

Iodine deficiency is the world's leading cause of mental defects. It produces not only severe mental retardation, deaf-mutism and
partial paralysis, but also more subtle problems such as clumsiness, torpor and reduced learning capacity.
Iodine is an essential part of the thyroid hormone, a substance that contributes to brain development during foetal life and is the
main throttle of metabolism thereafter. Without enough iodine there cannot be enough thyroid hormone.
The thyroid hormone is made in a gland that wraps around the front of the neck. A shortage of this hormone causes the thyroid to
grow, a condition known as goiter. Sometimes goiters are grotesquely large. Other conditions, including hormone excess, can cause
the problem, but iodine deficiency is the most common.
In lower vertebrates, the thyroid hormone is responsible for such events as the metamorphosis of tadpoles to frogs and the migration
of the juvenile flounder's eyes to one side of its head. In human beings, the hormone's development activities are mostly confined to
the brain.
A profound lack of the thyroid hormone before birth causes cretinism (a permanent disability characterized by retardation), deaf-
mutism, muscle rigidity and, often, immature skeletal growth.
Research has shown that giving pregnant women iodine supplements before the second trimester of pregnancy prevents cretinism.
Supplementation of iodine later, or during infancy, can decrease, but not eliminate, neurological damage.
Studies have shown that supplementing the diets of those who are mildly iodine-deficient can measurably improve brain function.
In the most dramatic study, researchers in Malawi (where in some villages 86 per cent of children were mildly iodine-deficient)
supplemented the diet of grade-schoolers with iodine.
The treated group showed significant improvements on measures of verbal fluency, visual memory and eye-hand coordination.
Although IQ was not measured, the investigators estimated the average gain was 21 points.
Iodine, however, should not be viewed as some all-purpose brain food. Taking extra iodine when one is not deficient is not helpful
and can be harmful.
Answer
Millions of people are less intelligent and a quarter of the world's population risk neurological defects due to an iodine deficiency. It
is also the main cause of mental retardation. This is because iodine is essential for brain development. In fact a person needs only as
little as two grams of iodine over a lifetime. This is easily and cheaply supplemented by iodized salt. Research has shown that
giving iodine supplements to pregnant women in their first trimester eliminates neurological defects in their infants. Also, research
carried out among the Malawi village children who were mildly iodine-deficient showed great improvements in their IQ after they
had been given iodine supplement. Although iodine is necessary for healthy brain. development, an overdose of it can be harmful.
46
The World Bank consists of ......
About three-quarters of the world's population lives in developing countries. Until recently, a developing country was generally
understood to be one that was not yet highly industrialized. It was usually located in Africa, Asia or Latin America. Lately,
however, with the fall of communism in Eastern Europe and the break-up of the Soviet bloc nations, semi-industrialized countries
that are struggling to survive as they build new economic systems have also been placed in the developing nation category. What all
developing countries have in common is that the people of these countries do not have enough money to invest in schools, utilities,
factories and highways. One way in which these countries can get money is by borrowing from an organization called the World
Bank.
The World Bank is actually the umbrella term, the general term, for three separate organizations with three slightly different
purposes. First, there is the International Bank of Reconstruction and Development. This is the organization most people have in
mind when they think of the World Bank. In order to borrow money from this branch of the World Bank, a country must be a
member. It is like joining a club, but instead of paving an initiation fee to join the club, the club lends you money (although the
money is supposed to be paid back with interest, as with any bank loan).
The International Bank of Reconstruction and Development loans money to countries for projects that will aid economic
development. It also provides technical assistance. For example, Cameroon applied for a loan for a new irrigation system along the
Logone River. They hope that with this new irrigation system the cash income of that region would be five times greater than
before. But the bank did not approve the project right away. Technological advances can sometimes cause environmental problems,
hence, before approving the project, the Bank assigned environmental consultants to prepare an environmental impact report. The
consultants found that the new irrigation system would result in a serious health problem due to the snails that live in the area.
These snails carry a tropical disease called bilharzia, and the new irrigation might spread the snails and the disease to a larger area.
The Bank then helped to find a solution to the problem by paying for the studies of the river. Scientists and engineers worked
together to stop the breeding of the snails so that the irrigation system could be used.
 32

However this bank can only offer loans for the purchase of imported goods. And to make sure that this rule is followed, the bank
pays the seller directly. This is good for the countries that want to sell goods to developing countries but it discourages local
production of goods. In the long run this will do more harm than good to the developing country's economy. People are also
questioning the value of a dam being built in India with the money from the World Bank. That dam will displace more people than
it will eventually serve with electric power. It will also destroy scarce forestlands as well as endangered animals and plants.
The second organization under the World Bank umbrella is the International Development Association, or IDA. The IDA has
approximately 160 members and makes loans that are interest free. This is good for needy countries. It allows even the poorest
country to begin projects immediately, without having to worry about interest payments. On the other hand the IDA is very
dependent on contributions from member nations to support various projects. This is where contributing nations could attach some
strings to the loans. This is also how the superpowers can begin to dictate what sort of government policies must be in place before
the loans will be given.
The third organization in the World Bank group is the International Finance Corporation, or IFC. The IFC is different from the
International Bank of Reconstruction and Development or the IDA because the IFC can invest in private business or industry, while
the other two organizations can only invest in government projects. This is good for the country because the government does not
have to guarantee the loan and it encourages the growth of private business or industry. IFC also has no control over how the
company spends its money. There seems to be no strings attached to this loan. However, the member nations get voting rights
based on the amount of money they contribute to the Bank. Therefore the wealthier nations still have the greatest influence on how
and to whom the money will be given.
As of June 1993, the World Bank held $140 billion in loans to poor nations. In theory, this huge sum of money should be helping
the world's poor. Since the establishment of the World Bank, most people Have assumed that these loans could only do good things
for a country.
Answer:
The World Bank consists of three organizations whose main function is to help poor countries develop their economy. The first and
most well-known is the International Bank of Reconstruction and Development. It provides loan and technical assistance to needy
member countries as in the case of the new irrigation system in Cameroon. However, these loans can only be used to purchase
imported goods and they have to be paid back with interest. the second organization under the World Bank is the International
Development Association. This organization provides interest free loans which can help even the poorest country to start their
projects without having to worry about the interest. Unlike the International Bank of Reconstruction and development and the
International Development Association which only fund government projects, the International Corporation Finance can invest in
private business and industry. However it has no control over how the money is used. harmful.
47
"Here are the writer's experiments which prove that man .....'
I have been studying the traits and dispositions of the 'lower animals' (so called), and contrasting them with the traits and
dispositions of man. I find the results humiliating to me. For it obliges me to renounce my allegiance to the Darwinian Theory of the
Ascent of Man from the Lower Animals; since it now seems to me that the theory ought to be vacated in favor of a new and truer
one, this new and truer one to be named the Descent of Man from the Higher Animals.
In proceeding towards this unpleasant conclusion I have not guessed or speculated or conjectured, but have used what is commonly
called the scientific method. Some of my experiments were quite curious. In the course of my reading I had conic across a case
where, many years ago, some hunters on our Great Plains organized a buffalo hunt for the entertainment of an English earl - that,
and to provide some fresh meat. They killed 72 of those great animals; and ate part of one of them and left the 71 to rot. In order to
determine the difference between an anaconda and an earl - if any - I caused seven young calves to be turned into the anaconda's
cage. The grateful reptile immediately crushed one of them and swallowed it, then lay back satisfied. It showed no further interest in
the calves, and no disposition to harm them. I tried this experiment with other anacondas; always with the same results. The fact
stood proven that the difference between an earl and an anaconda is that the earl is cruel and the anaconda is not; and that the earl
wantonly destroys what he has no use for, but the anaconda does not. This seemed to suggest that the earl was descended from the
anaconda, and had lost a good deal in the transition.
I furnished a hundred different kinds of wild and tame animals the opportunity to accumulate vast stores of food, but none of them
would do it. The squirrels and bees and certain birds made accumulations, but stopped when they had gathered a winter's supply and
could not be persuaded to add to it. In order to bolster up a tottering reputation the ant pretended to store up supplies, but I was not
deceived. I know the ant. These experiments convinced me that there is this difference between man and the higher animals; he is
avaricious and miserly, they are not.
 33

In the course of my experiments I convinced myself that among the animals man is the only one that harbors insults and injuries,
broods over them, waits till a chance offers, then takes revenge. The passion of revenge is unknown to the higher animals. Roosters
keep harems, but it is by consent of their concubines; therefore no wrong is done. Men keep harems, but it is by brute force,
privileged by atrocious laws which the other sex is allowed no hand in the making. In this matter man occupies a far lower place
than the rooster.
The higher animals engage in individual fights, but never in organized masses. Man is the only animal that deals in that atrocity of
atrocities, War. Man is the only animal that robs his helpless fellow of his country - takes possession of it and drives him out of it or
destroys him. Man has done this in all the ages. There is not an acre of ground on the globe that is in the possession of its rightful
owner, or that has not been taken away from owner after owner, cycle after cycle by force and bloodshed.
Man is the Reasoning Animal. Such is the claim. I think it is open to dispute. Indeed, my experiments have proven to me that he is
the Unreasonable Animal. Note his history, as sketched above. It seems plain to me that whatever he is he is not a reasoning animal.
His record is the fantastic record of a maniac. In truth, man is incurably foolish. Simple things which the other animals easily learn,
he is incapable of learning.
And so I find that we have descended and degenerated, from some far ancestor - some microscopic atom wandering at its pleasure
between the mighty horizons of a drop of water perchance - insect by insect, animal by animal, reptile by reptile, down the long
highway of smirchless innocence, till we have reached the bottom stages of development - namable as the Human Being. Below us -
nothing.
Answer:
Here are the writer's experiments which prove that man, and not animals is the Lower Animal. The experiments with anacondas
prove that all anacondas will only kill t satisfy their hunger. he contrasted this with a case in which an English earl, who represents
man, killed more buffaloes than he could consume because he is cruel and destructive. In the next experiment, he shows that
animals will not accumulate excess food whereas man is always greedy for more. Even in the practice of keeping concubines, man
uses cruel force to get his ways but animals operate by way of consensus. Finally, he observes that human beings are the only
animals who organize masses to go into warfare with the purposes of robbing his fellow men and taking their possessions.
48
It is always attractive to do something interesting and to do it as well as possible, but serious injury or an unaccountable loss of form
quickly halts the progress of many a young sportsman. A handful of top professionals can afford a house in London, another in the
country, and a third on the French Riviera, as well as a Rolls-Royce and a yacht in the Bahamas, but most professional players just
manage to gain a bare living from their sport. Outdoor life can be delightful except when the prevalent weather conditions are rain,
wind, snow, fog or ice. It is flattering to hear one's name chanted with acclaim by thousands on the terraces but crowds are fickle
and soon forget, once time takes its toll of muscle and mind. Tommy Lawton, the football hero of the forties, spent his later years in
poverty, forgotten by all but a small band of his closest friends.
Sportsmen at the height of their profession travel the world and visit exotic places. The English cricket team may spend its winters
in Australian summers and the Wimbledon women champions may spend the year bathed in sunshine, but their own social lives are
disrupted and leisure hours have to be sacrificed to hard, exhausting practice. All professional sportsmen must adhere to strict
training schedules to maintain their physical fitness; their lives are devoted to keeping the body in peak condition by exhausting
exercise combined with a strict regime of self-discipline and moderation in food and drink.
Answer:
The career progress of sportsmen is halted by serious injury or loss of form, and the majority earn only a meagre living. They have
to face bad weather conditions, and are forgotten once their decline sets in. Their social lives are affected and leisure is to be
devoted to practice. To keep themselves fit they have to train. Self-discipline, exhausting exercise and dieting are necessary.
49
When Ulysses and his men were shipwrecked, they first lit a fire of driftwood and cooked a meal. After they had eaten, they
remembered their drowned companions and wept. Homer's account rings true. Our physical needs take priority over our emotional
demands, but, once the former have been satisfied, the profounder requirements of our humanity reassert them- selves. And what
happens on the personal scale can also happen on the world scale. The industrialized nations have now managed, broadly speaking,
to provide their citizens with food, shelter and clothing. As a result, those citizens are becoming more aware of other and subtler
needs. But a society geared to the production of goods is precisely a society which is poorly adapted to satisfying psychological
needs. The very processes by which we manufacture goods so effectively actually reduce psychological satisfactions. Hence the
 34

further we push technological advance, the worse the psychological environment becomes. We have scrambled out of physical
poverty only to fall into psychological poverty. Indeed our condition is worse than poverty; we live in a psychological slum.
In short, in the technological growth of any social organism, there is a turnover point at which effort needs to be transferred from
material to non-material needs. This point we have now reached, or passed. This is why we have to rethink our entire social
technique. How can we satisfy our psychological needs, in a technologically advanced society? That is the central question.
When psychological needs are not met, people can be said to be frustrated. Their efforts to attain some kind of psychological
satisfaction are in vain. (The word frustration comes from the Latin frustra, in vain.) Now, as the American psychologists Dollard
and Miller showed a quarter of a century ago, frustration leads to aggression. When we cannot repair our car, we feel like giving it a
kick. (There is more to be said about the origins of aggression, of course, and I shall say it later on: this is just a preliminary sketch.)
In short, it is the existence of widespread frustration which is the prime cause of the mounting toll of violence which the world is
now witnessing. So, if that frustration can be shown to be caused by industrial society and the conditions it imposes, then the
violence must be regarded as a cost of production. Frustration and violence are the price of material affluence.
Answer:
Once his physical needs are satisfied, man seeks to satisfy the hitherto dormant psychological needs. What is true of an individual
is true of society. Technology has abundantly satisfied physical needs while neglecting emotional demands. In fact the very
process of manufacturing reduces psychological satisfaction. We have now reached or passed the stage when emotional needs
cannot be held in check. Unsatisfied emotional needs lead to frustration. Frustration triggers aggression which finds expression in
violence. Frustration and violence, therefore, are due to material affluence.
50
Let us now consider memory. No one has been able to form a reliable estimate of the number of facts or impressions the brain can
store during a lifetime. There is considerable evidence that we never forget anything; we are just unable to put our hands on it at the
moment. We seldom encounter really impressive feats of memory these days, because there is little need for them in our world of
books and documents. Before the invention of writing, all history and literature had to be carried in the head and passed on by word
of mouth. Even today, there are still men who can recite the whole of the Bible or the Koran, just as once they could recite Homer.
The work of Dr Wilder Penfield and his associates at Montreal has shown, in a dramatic fashion, that long-lost memories can be
revived by the electrical stimulation of certain areas of the brain, almost as if a movie record were being played back in the mind.
The subject relives, in vivid detail (colour, scent, sound) some past experience -- but is aware that it is a memory, and not a present
occurrence. Hypnotic techniques can also produce similar effects, a fact which was used to advantage by Freud for the treatment of
mental disorders.
When we discover how the brain manages to filter and store the blizzard of impressions pouring into it during every second of our
lives, we may gain conscious or artificial control of memory. It would be no longer be an inefficient, hit-and-miss process; if you
wanted to re-read a page of a newspaper you had seen at a certain moment thirty years ago, you could do just that, by stimulation of
the proper brain cells. In a sense, this would be a kind of time-travel into the past -- perhaps the only kind that will ever be possible.
It would be a wonderful power to possess, and -- unlike many great powers -- would appear to be almost wholly beneficial.
It could revolutionize legal procedures. No one could ever again answer 'I've forgotten' to the classic question, 'What were you
doing on the night of the twenty-third?' Witnesses could no longer confuse the issue by accounts of what they thought they had
seen. Let us hope that memory stimulation would not be compulsory in the law courts, but if anyone pleaded this future version of
the Fifth Amendment, the obvious conclusions would be drawn.
And how wonderful it would be to go back through one's past, to revive old pleasures and, in the light of later knowledge, mitigate
old sorrows and learn from ancient mistakes. It has been said, falsely, that a drowning man's life flashes before his eyes. Yet
perhaps one day, in extreme old age, those who no longer have any interest in the future may be given the opportunity of reliving
their past, and greeting again those they knew and loved when they were young. Even this, as we shall see later, might be not a
preparation for death but the prelude to a new birth.
Perhaps even more important than the stimulation of old memories would be its inverse -- the creation of new ones. It is hard to
think of any invention that would be more valuable than the device which science- fiction writers have called a Mechanical
Educator. As depicted by authors and artists, this remarkable gadget usually resembles the permanent-wave machine at a ladies'
hair-dressers, and it performs a rather similar function - though on the material inside the skull. It is not to be confused with the
teaching machines now coming into widespread use, though one day these may be recognized as its remote ancestors.
The Mechanical Educator could impress on the brain, in a matter of a few minutes, knowledge and skills which might otherwise
take a lifetime to acquire. A very good analogy is the manufacture of a gramophone record; the music may have taken an hour to
 35

perform, but the disc is stamped out in a fraction of a second, and the plastic 'remembers' the performance perfectly. This would
have appeared impossible, even in theory, to the most imaginative of scientists only a century ago. From Profile of the Future by
Arthur C. Clarke
Summary
While no reliable estimate has been made of memory power, there is evidence that we forget nothing, though at times we fail to
reach the store in the brain. Today, books and documents preclude the need for memory feats
Electrical stimulation and hypnotism, by triggering memory, help the subject recall past experience in all its detail. By discovering
the process of transmission of impression into the brain, we can control memory, and by stimulating the right brain cells we can
time-travel into the past. It will be a wonderful and beneficial power to achieve. Memory stimulation can be effectively used in law
courts. We can also relive the past -- a boon to the old to find solace by reviving the past. We can also create new ones. The
Mechanical Educator, now in the realm of science fiction, can transfer to the brain knowledge and skills in a few minutes.

http://www.englishdaily626.com/summary.php?003