Reading Bổ Trợ 25-9

Did you know that the surface of the water is elastic? When you venture deep into the Amazon Jungle, you may encounter a lizard-like creature that runs across the top of the water. He does not swim the water; he runs it like it is a solid surface. It is amazing to see! The combination of his light weight, the speed at which he runs, and the surface of the water giving slightly he maintains his precarious balance on top of the water.

• ALizards in the Amazon Jungle are different from those in America.
• BThe elasticity of the water's surface is one component of the lizard's ability to run on water.
• CAll lizards are able to run on water if it has elasticity.
• DWater in the Amazon Jungle has elasticity because of the hot climate.

At one time, one could only trace one's family ancestry by writing letters, visiting courthouses, and begging relatives for any crumb of information. However, today with the World Wide Web, the task has become much simpler. Much of the archived history of our lives and our ancestors' lives is readily available on-line. In addition, there are specific software programs in existence that will walk you through the process of creating a family tree and take you to appropriate Internet sites for record information. Another alternative is hiring someone or some company to do your tree for you. Depending on your dedication and time, a method is available for you. You might think about tracing your family roots. It is fun for many and will let you in on your family's past. Even if you find a skeleton in the closet, maybe you could just ignore that twig of your family tree.

• AWhen we trace our family's history, we may find bad as well as good things.
• BTracing our family tree is not worth the effort.
• CThe records we must search in order to come up with a family tree have changed due to the World Wide Web.
• DTracing one's family tree is worthwhile for everyone.

Not surprisingly, the crime victims are often called upon to identify the person who robbed or attacked them. For a jury, the victim's testimony is often proof positive that the accused is guilty. After all, who can better identify the wrongdoer than the person harmed. This is just common sense. Yet as is so often the case, common sense can be misleading. As it turns out, crime victims don't necessarily make reliable witnesses. Overcome with fear, they often close their eyes or focus fixedly on the weapon being used to threaten them. As a result, they don't get a good look at the thief or attacker. While it's not true that crime victim testimony is always inaccurate, it's also true that one can't assume a victim's identification is automatic proof of guilt.

• ACrime victims do not always correctly identify those who have harmed them.
• BCrime victim testimony is almost always inaccurate because during the crime, the victim was overcome with terror.
• CThe testimony of crime victims has put far too many people in jail.

Grossly misunderstood and represented as a revolutionary, liberal, Romantic, and bohemian artist, Rembrandt has lived for over 400 years now through his art. During this time period, many views and opinions have oscillated from praise to scathing remarks and vice versa. The extent of Rembrandt's fame can be understood by the following incident: in the year 1670, the Sicilian collector Antonio Ruffo received a letter from the artist Abraham Breughel with a request to get some original masterpieces from Italy. Ruffo had to apologize stating that no painter had been able to exhibit an ability to paint as extraordinary as Rembrandt, who had already died by then.

• AHe tried to prove that Rembrandt has not been completely understood by the critics.
• Bthe effect of unemployment on United States families.
• CHe tried to portray that even though Rembrandt was highly regarded in the art world, his prowess and mettle was understood by only a few.
• DRembrandt never believed in self-praise and publicizing, rather he was a silent artist.

Daniel Harris, a scholar of consumption and style, has observed that until photography finally ________ (5) illustration as the "primary means of ________ (6) clothing" in the 1950s, glamour inhered ________ (7) in the face of the drawing, which was by necessity schematic and generalized, than in the sketch's ________ (8), posture, and gestures, especially in the strangely dainty positions of the hands. Glamour once resided so emphatically in the stance of the model that the ________ (9) in the illustrations cannot really be said to have ________ (10) at all, but angles or tilts. The chin raised upwards in a haughty look; the eyes lowered in an attitude of introspection; the head cocked at an inquisitive or coquettish angle: or the profile presented in sharp outline, emanating power of the severity like an emperor's bust ________ (11) on a Roman coin.

Democracy is a system of government in which laws, policies, leadership, and major ________ (12) of a state or other polity are directly or indirectly decided by the 'people', a group historically constituted by only a minority of the population (e.g., all free adult males in ancient Athens or all sufficiently propertied adult males in 19th-century Britain) but generally understood ________ (13) the mid-20th century to include all (or nearly all) adult citizens. By and large, states with democratic governments prevent rule by autocrats, ________ (14) fundamental individual rights, allow ________ (15) a relatively high level of political equality, and rarely make war on each other. As compared with nondemocratic states, they also better foster human development as ________ (16) by indicators such as health and education, provide more prosperity for their citizens, and ensure a ________ (17) range of personal freedoms.

A common response to seeing an ant inside your house is to stomp on it. But if you crush a member of the ant species Tapinoma sessile, you might catch a whiff of a strange smell—a smell that reminds some people of blue cheese, rancid butter or rotten coconut. In fact, the smell is so noticeable that the insect's common name is the "odorous house ant." And many people call it the coconut ant. In an effort to figure out why people have these reactions, ________ (18) enlisted ________ (19) at an event called the North Carolina BugFest. One-hundred-forty-three volunteers smelled smushed ants and were asked to identify the scent from four choices: blue cheese, rancid butter, rotten coconut or just other. Although Web sites overwhelmingly call the smell rotten coconut, almost 40 percent of the human judges picked blue cheese and about 25 percent picked rotten coconut. More than 30 percent went with the choice of other. The scientists then analyzed the chemicals ________ (20) for the ant odor, as well as the smelly chemicals in blue cheese, fresh coconut and coconut buried underground for three days. It turns out that the chemistry of the ants' scent is indeed similar to that of blue cheese and rotten coconut. But not to fresh coconut. And the researchers note that the Penicillium ________ (21) that turn coconut oil rancid are also ________ (22) in the production of blue cheese. The study is in the journal American Entomologist. The researchers also noted that the most common write-in candidate as a description for the ants' aroma was "cleaning spray." And one little girl told them that the ants "smelled exactly like her doctor."

Slavery is a system under which certain persons are totally deprived of personal freedom and compelled to perform labour or services. Although outlawed in nearly all countries, slavery is still practiced in some parts of the world. The evidence for slavery predates written records. It can be found in almost all cultures and continents. Historically, most slaves were captured in wars but some persons were sold into slavery by their parents, or by themselves, as a means of surviving extreme conditions. Ancient Warfare often resulted in slavery for prisoners and their families. Captives were often considered the property of those who captured them and were looked upon as a prize of war. Those captured sometimes differed in ethnicity, nationality, religion, or race from their enslavers, but often were the same as the captors. The dominant group in an area might take captives and turn them into slaves. The possibility always existed of reversals of fortune at the height of the Roman Empire, when powerful nations fought among themselves, anyone could find himself enslaved.

• Awas banned by international agreements between countries a long time ago
• Bmeant for some people surviving the conditions they had to endure
• Cis a practice which can be seen in many places in the world today
• Dwas the most common in the Roman Empire
• Egoes back to ancient times

In 1979, the government of Nicaragua established a number of social programmes, including a National Literacy Crusade. By 1985, about 300,000 illiterate adults from all over the country, many of whom had never attended primary school, had learnt how to read, write and use numbers. During this period, researchers from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, the Central American Institute of Health in Nicaragua, the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua and the Costa Rican Institute of Health interviewed nearly 3,000 women, some of whom had learnt to read as children, some during the literacy crusade and some who had never learnt at all. The women were asked how many children they had given birth to and how many of them had died in infancy. The research teams also examined the surviving children to find out how well-nourished they were. The investigators’ findings were striking. In the late 1970s, the infant mortality rate for the children of illiterate mothers was around 110 deaths per thousand live births. At this point in their lives, those mothers who later went on to learn to read had a similar level of child mortality (105/1000). For women educated in primary school, however, the infant mortality rate was significantly lower, at 80 per thousand.

• ABy 1985, 300,000 illiterate women in Nicaragua had learnt to read, write and use numbers
• BThe research showed that mother’s education had a direct impact on infant mortality rate
• CLiteracy crusade was a social campaign with a view to educating women
• DThe research was conducted during a period between 1979 and 1985
• EThe researchers found that children of the educated mothers were healthier

In terrestrial affairs we think of “big” as being complicated; a city is more intricate than a village, an ocean more complicated than a puddle. For the universe, the reverse seems to be the case bigger is simpler Galaxies have some puzzling features, but on the whole, they are scarcely more complicated than the stars that compose them Beyond the galaxies, in the hierarchy of the cosmos, there are clusters of galaxies; these clusters are loosely bound by the gravity of their largest members and tend to look very much the same in all directions. Simplest of all is the universe at large, it is far less complicated than the Earth, one of its most trivial members. The universe consists of billions of galaxies flying apart as if from an explosion that set it in motion, it is not lopsided, nor does it rotate. The more thoroughly scientists investigate the universe, the more clearly its simplicity shines through.

• AThe universe is a relatively simple phenomenon.
• BBillions of galaxies are predicted to explode, adding to the universal complexity.
• CGalaxy clusters are an illusion.
• DClusters of galaxies are held together by gravity.

What biologists refer to as succession usually begins as a result of natural destruction, such as by fire or flood. It can also be caused directly by man; he is responsible for the destruction of a lot of the world's nature. Succession, sometimes called secondary succession, will occur when species of nature are destroyed and the land is left alone to recover. During the early decades of the settlement of North America a lot of beech-maple forest in New England was cut down to make way for farming. However, as is well-known in American history, very many settlers moved west, abandoning their farms. Secondary succession then began in the fields that were left untended. At first, stronger grasses and weeds appeared in the fields. Then, shrubs started growing, followed by a re-emergence of some trees, like junipers and pines. Eventually, beaches and maples were able to grow protected by the other trees, and after a time what was open land had become once again forest. This is still happening in New England and in many other parts of the world. This does of course mean that there is still hope for our planet, just so long as people keep on moving as they have throughout history. The only real problem is the great amount of time needed to achieve complete secondary succession.

• ASuccession leads to natural destruction
• BOnly humans cause natural destructions
• CReal problem of succession is the prolonged course it takes
• DSecondary succession occurred in the New England region when human had moved out
• EOur planet has hope as succession can occur at any time

Forces other than damaging winds are also at work inside tornadoes. Sometimes, as the writhing, twisting funnel passes over a house, the walls and ceiling burst apart as if a bomb had gone off inside. This explosion is caused by the low air pressure at the centre of a tornado. The pressure at the centre of a tornado is usually 13 pounds per square inch. However, inside the house, the air pressure is normal, about 15 pounds per square inch. The difference of 2 pounds per square inch between the inside and outside pressure may not seem like much. But suppose a tornado funnel passes over a small building that measures 20 by 10 by 10 feet. On each square inch of the building, there is 2 pounds of pressure from the inside that is not balanced by air pressure outside the building. On the ceiling, that adds up to an unbalanced pressure of 57, 600 pounds. The pressure on the four walls adds up to 172,800 pounds. If windows are open in the building, some of the inside air will rush out through them. This will balance the pressure inside and outside the building. But if the windows are shut tightly, the enormous inside pressure may cause the building to burst. Unfortunately, heavy rain and hail often occur in thunderstorms that later produce tornadoes. So people frequently shut all windows to protect their property. This may cause far worse damage later. For the same reason, tornado cellars must have an air vent. Otherwise, the cellar door might be blown out when a tornado passes over it.

• AThe difference per square inch between the air pressure inside a building and the air pressure inside a tornado is of 2 pounds.
• BAccording to passage, Tornadoes can destroy building because the air pressure inside the tornado is less than the air pressure inside the building
• CThe pressure on a building during a tornado can be relieved by closing the cellar.
• DThe passage talks about as how tornadoes can be prevented.

As more women in the United States move up the professional ladder, more are finding it necessary to make business trips alone. Since this is new for many, some tips are certainly in order. If you are married, it is a good idea to encourage your husband and children to learn to cook few simple meals while you are away. They will be much happier and probably they will enjoy the experience. If you will be eating alone a good deal, choose good restaurants. In the end, they will be much better for your digestion. You may also find it useful to call the restaurant in advance and state that you will be eating alone. You will probably get better service and almost certainly a better table. Finally, and most importantly, anticipate your travel needs as a businesswoman; this starts with lightweight luggage which you can easily manage even when fully packed. Take a folding case inside your suitcase; it will come in extremely handy for dirty clothes, as well as for business documents and papers you no longer need on the trip. And make sure you have a briefcase so that you can keep currently required papers separate. Obviously, experience helps, but you make things easier on yourself from the first by careful planning, so that right from the start you really can have a good trip!

• AA greater percentage of women are advancing professionally in the U.S. than previously
• BProfessional men refuse to accompany their female colleagues on business trips
• CEach year there are more female business travellers in the United States
• DWomen are moving up the professional hierarchy faster than their male opposite numbers
• EIt is a good idea for a traveling businesswoman to travel and eat alone
• FProfessional women should teach their family members some rudimentary culinary art

The debate on whether Australia will have a nation-wide carbon trading scheme ended last week with the government committed to a national emissions scheme from 2012. However, the decision-making as to how we power the economy in a carbon constrained world is only just beginning. Fossil fuels like coal and oil have underpinned our economic growth and standard of living for decades. The current resources boom is there because other countries want our fossil fuels, and for all these reasons it is profitable to keep mining them. Ironically, the income may help develop the technologies to replace them, but it is a matter of which and when. Almost certainly, in the race to reduce emissions, new technologies such as solar, wind and geothermal (heat from rocks) power will compete against gas, clean coal, and perhaps nuclear energy to win the hearts and minds of the business world. In the end, business will favour whatever is a cheap, abundant, and reliable solution. You can imagine the lobbying that will ensue from the different interest groups, to attract business capital and government support so that their technology wins out. There may be many collapsed ventures and lost fortunes along the way.

• AFossil fuels will continue to be used because it is profitable.
• BNew technologies will replace the fossil fuels in the future.
• CCarbon emission rules will cripple new energy sources.
• DSolar, wind, and geothermal energy will survive.
• EMany oil and gas companies will lose their business in the future.

Offshore Drilling: There are other environmental problems connected with offshore oil, besides oil pollution, many of them are routine part of operations. In drilling an offshore well, operators customarily discard overboard their drill cuttings with some un-separated drilling mud (which is not actually mud but a combination of clay and chemicals). A typical 15,000-foot well usually produces more than 1,000 tons of drill cuttings. In addition, mineral salts, which may have distinctly harmful effects on some forms of marine life, are released from geological formations and are regularly discharged after treatment in the course of production. Localized short-term impacts have been detected as a result of these discharges. Routine discharges like these, together with chronic low- level oil leaks, present “considerable environmental risk,” the Council on Environmental Quality concluded in its report on OCS oil and gas. Offshore Oil Sourcing: Digging channels for service ships and barges, building docks and other structures at the waterfront, and, to a lesser extent, laying pipeline cause another kind of environmental disruption. Instead of poisoning marine creatures, these activities tend to bury them, choke them, or cut off the light, which is essential to their whole food chain. Most importantly, dredging and filling change drainage patterns of estuaries and wetlands and can lead to erosion or saltwater intrusion. Increased salinity of the water in marshes and estuaries is usually damaging to the young fish, shellfish, and other organisms residing there. They may not be able to tolerate the higher salinity or they may be decimated by invading predators with an affinity for saltier waters.

• AOffshore oil drilling invites serious environmental problems.
• BAn offshore oil well may not pose as much danger to the environment once it becomes completely operational.
• CWhile some species may suffer due to higher salinity levels, the situation may be a boon to some others.
• DOffshore oil drilling can have disastrous impact on the marine food chain.
• EPipelines laid to carry gas or oil from the offshore wells are more disastrous than the huge structures erected at the waterfront.