TYPE 1: MATCHING HEADINGS
Ep1: Science and the Stradivarius:Uncovering the secret of quality A.
Violins made by long-dead Italian craftsmen from the Cremona region are beautiful
works of art, coveted by collectors as well as players. Particularly outstanding violins
have reputedly changed hands for over a million pounds. In contrast, fine modern
instruments can be bought for under £100. Do such figures really reflect such large
differences in quality? After more than a hundred years of vigorous debate, this
question remains highly contentious, provoking strongly held but divergent views
among musicians, violin makers and scientists alike.
Những cây vĩ cầm được làm bởi những người thợ thủ công người Ý đã chết từ lâu ở vùng
Cremona là những tác phẩm nghệ thuật tuyệt đẹp, được các nhà sưu tập cũng như người chơi đàn
thèm muốn. Những cây vĩ cầm đặc biệt nổi bật đã được trao tay với giá hơn một triệu bảng Anh.
Ngược lại, những nhạc cụ hiện đại tốt có thể được mua với giá dưới 100 bảng Anh. Những con số
như vậy có thực sự phản ánh sự khác biệt lớn như vậy về chất lượng không? Sau hơn một trăm
năm tranh luận sôi nổi, câu hỏi này vẫn còn gây nhiều tranh cãi, gây ra những quan điểm mạnh
mẽ nhưng khác nhau giữa các nhạc sĩ, nhà sản xuất vĩ cầm cũng như các nhà khoa học. B.
Every violin, whether a Stradivarius or the cheapest factory- made copy, has a
distinctive 'voice’ of its 0. Just as any musician can immediately recognise the
difference between Domingo and Pavarotti singing the same operatic aria, so a skilled
violinist can distinguish between different qualities in the sound produced by
individual Stradivari or Guarneri violins. Individual notes on a single instrument
sound different each time they are played, which suggests that the perceived tone of a
violin must be related to the overall design of the instrument, rather than the
frequencies of particular resonances on it. But although various attempts have been
made to analyse such global properties, it is extremely difficult to distinguish between
a fine Stradivarius instrument and an indifferent modern copy on the basis of the
measured response alone. The ear is a supreme detection device, and a system has yet
to be developed which can match the brain's sophisticated ability to assess complex sounds.
Mọi cây vĩ cầm, dù là đàn Stradivarius hay bản sao rẻ nhất do nhà máy sản xuất, đều có một
'giọng' đặc biệt của số 0. Giống như bất kỳ nhạc sĩ nào cũng có thể nhận ra ngay sự khác biệt giữa
Domingo và Pavarotti khi hát cùng một bản aria opera, một nghệ sĩ vĩ cầm điêu luyện cũng có thể
phân biệt giữa các phẩm chất khác nhau trong âm thanh do từng cây đàn violon Stradivari hoặc
Guarneri tạo ra. Các nốt riêng lẻ trên một nhạc cụ sẽ phát ra âm thanh khác nhau mỗi khi chúng
được chơi, điều này cho thấy rằng âm sắc cảm nhận được của một cây vĩ cầm phải liên quan đến
thiết kế tổng thể của nhạc cụ, thay vì tần số của các cộng hưởng cụ thể trên đó. Nhưng mặc dù
nhiều nỗ lực đã được thực hiện để phân tích các thuộc tính toàn cầu như vậy, nhưng vẫn cực kỳ
khó để phân biệt giữa một nhạc cụ Stradivarius tốt và một bản sao hiện đại bình thường chỉ dựa
trên cơ sở phản ứng đo được. Tai là một thiết bị phát hiện tối cao và một hệ thống vẫn chưa được
phát triển có thể phù hợp với khả năng tinh vi của bộ não để đánh giá các âm thanh phức tạp. C.
So how do skilled violinmakers optimise the tone of an instrument during the
construction process? They begin by selecting a wood of the highest possible quality
for the front and back plates (or parts of the violin), which they test by tapping with a
hammer and judging how well it 'rings’. The next important step is to skillfully carve
the plates out of the solid wood, taking great care to get the right degree of arching
and variations in thickness. Traditional makers optimise the thickness by testing the
‘feel’ of the plates when they are flexed, and by the sounds produced when they are
tapped at different positions with the knuckles.
Vậy làm thế nào để những nghệ nhân vĩ cầm lành nghề tối ưu hóa âm thanh của nhạc cụ trong quá
trình chế tạo? Họ bắt đầu bằng cách chọn một loại gỗ có chất lượng cao nhất có thể cho các tấm
trước và sau (hoặc các bộ phận của đàn vĩ cầm), họ kiểm tra bằng cách gõ bằng búa và đánh giá
xem nó 'đổ chuông' tốt như thế nào. Bước quan trọng tiếp theo là khéo léo chạm khắc các tấm ra
khỏi gỗ cứng, hết sức cẩn thận để có độ cong phù hợp và các biến thể về độ dày. Các nhà sản xuất
truyền thống tối ưu hóa độ dày bằng cách kiểm tra 'cảm giác' của các tấm khi chúng được uốn
cong và bằng âm thanh phát ra khi chúng được gõ ở các vị trí khác nhau bằng khớp ngón tay. D.
However, in the last 50 years or so a group of violin makers has emerged who have
tried to take a more overtly scientific approach to violin making. One common
practice they have adopted is to replace the traditional flexing and tapping of plates
by controlled measurements. During the carving process, the thinned plates are
sprinkled with flakes of glitter and suspended horizontally above a loudspeaker. The
glitter forms a pattern each time the loudspeaker excites a resonance. The aim is to
interactively 'tune' these first few free plate resonances to specified patterns.
Tuy nhiên, trong khoảng 50 năm trở lại đây, một nhóm các nhà sản xuất vĩ cầm đã nổi lên, những
người đã cố gắng thực hiện một cách tiếp cận khoa học hơn đối với việc chế tạo đàn vĩ cầm. Một
thực tế phổ biến mà họ đã áp dụng là thay thế việc uốn và gõ tấm truyền thống bằng các phép đo
có kiểm soát. Trong quá trình chạm khắc, các tấm mỏng được rắc các mảnh lấp lánh và treo
ngang phía trên loa. Lấp lánh tạo thành một mô hình mỗi khi loa tạo ra tiếng vang. Mục đích là để
'điều chỉnh' một cách tương tác một số cộng hưởng đĩa tự do đầu tiên này theo các mẫu được chỉ định. E.
Unfortunately, there are very few examples of such measurements for really fine
Italian instruments because their owners are naturally reluctant to allow their violins
to be taken apart for the sake of science. The few tests that have been performed
suggest that the first Italian makers may have tuned the resonant modes of the
individual plates - which they could identify as they tapped them - to exact musical
intervals. This would be consistent with the prevailing Renaissance view of
’perfection1, which was measured in terms of numbers and exact ratios. However,
there is no historical data to support this case.
Thật không may, có rất ít ví dụ về các phép đo như vậy đối với các nhạc cụ thực sự tốt của Ý vì
chủ nhân của chúng đương nhiên không muốn cho phép tháo rời đàn violon của họ vì mục đích
khoa học. Một số thử nghiệm đã được thực hiện cho thấy rằng các nhà sản xuất người Ý đầu tiên
có thể đã điều chỉnh các chế độ cộng hưởng của các đĩa riêng lẻ - mà họ có thể xác định khi gõ
vào chúng - theo các quãng âm nhạc chính xác. Điều này nhất quán với quan điểm thịnh hành của
thời Phục hưng về 'sự hoàn hảo1', được đo lường bằng các con số và tỷ lệ chính xác. Tuy nhiên,
không có dữ liệu lịch sử để hỗ trợ trường hợp này. F.
Another factor that affects sound quality is the presence of moisture. To achieve the
quality of “vibrancy” in a violin requires high-quality wood with low internal
damping. By measuring the pattern of growth-rings in the wood of a Stradivarius, we
know that the Italian violin makers sometimes used planks of wood that had only
been seasoned for five years. However, such wood is now 300 years old, and the
intrinsic internal damping will almost certainly have decreased with time. The age of
the wood may therefore automatically contribute to the improved quality of older
instruments. This may also explain why the quality of a modern instrument appears to
improve in its first few years.
Một yếu tố khác ảnh hưởng đến chất lượng âm thanh là sự hiện diện của độ ẩm. Để đạt được chất
lượng “rung động” trong một cây vĩ cầm, cần có gỗ chất lượng cao với độ giảm chấn bên trong
thấp. Bằng cách đo mô hình các vòng sinh trưởng trong gỗ của đàn Stradivarius, chúng ta biết
rằng các nhà sản xuất vĩ cầm người Ý đôi khi sử dụng những tấm ván gỗ mới được ủ trong 5 năm.
Tuy nhiên, gỗ như vậy hiện đã 300 năm tuổi và khả năng giảm chấn bên trong gần như chắc chắn
sẽ giảm theo thời gian. Do đó, tuổi của gỗ có thể tự động góp phần cải thiện chất lượng của các
nhạc cụ cũ hơn. Điều này cũng có thể giải thích tại sao chất lượng của một nhạc cụ hiện đại
dường như được cải thiện trong vài năm đầu tiên. G.
Another factor thought to account for sound quality is the nature of the varnish used
to protect the instrument. One of the most popular theories for well over a century to
account for the Stradivarius secret has been that the varnish had some sort of 'magic'
composition. However, historical research has shown that it was very similar to the
varnish used today. So apart from the possibility that the Italian varnish was
contaminated with the wings of passing insects and debris from the workshop floor,
there is no convincing evidence to support the idea of a secret formula.
Một yếu tố khác được cho là ảnh hưởng đến chất lượng âm thanh là bản chất của lớp sơn bóng được
sử dụng để bảo vệ nhạc cụ. Một trong những lý thuyết phổ biến nhất trong hơn một thế kỷ để giải
thích cho bí mật của Stradivarius là lớp sơn bóng có một loại thành phần 'ma thuật' nào đó. Tuy nhiên,
nghiên cứu lịch sử đã chỉ ra rằng nó rất giống với loại sơn bóng được sử dụng ngày nay. Vì vậy, ngoài
khả năng lớp sơn bóng của Ý bị nhiễm cánh côn trùng bay qua và mảnh vụn từ sàn xưởng, không có
bằng chứng thuyết phục nào chứng minh cho ý tưởng về một công thức bí mật. H.
Other researchers, meanwhile, have claimed that Stradivarius's secret was to soak the
timber in water, to leach out supposedly harmful chemicals, before it was seasoned.
Although this would be consistent with the idea that the masts and cars of recently
sunken Venetian war galleys might have been used to make violins, other scientific
and historical evidence to support this view is unconvincing.
Trong khi đó, các nhà nghiên cứu khác đã tuyên bố rằng bí mật của Stradivarius là ngâm gỗ trong
nước, để loại bỏ các hóa chất được cho là có hại, trước khi nó được tẩm gia vị. Mặc dù điều này
phù hợp với ý kiến cho rằng cột buồm và ô tô của các chiến thuyền ở Venice bị đắm gần đây có
thể đã được sử dụng để làm đàn vĩ cầm, nhưng các bằng chứng khoa học và lịch sử khác ủng hộ
quan điểm này là không thuyết phục. I.
In conclusion, science has not provided any convincing evidence to set
Cremonese instruments apart from the finest violins made by skilled craftsmen today. Indeed,
some leading soloists do occasionally play on modern instruments. However, the foremost
soloists - and, not surprisingly, violin dealers, who have a vested interest in maintaining the
Cremonese legend of intrinsic superiority - remain utterly unconvinced.
Tóm lại, khoa học đã không cung cấp bất kỳ bằng chứng thuyết phục nào để phân biệt các nhạc
cụ Cremonese với những cây vĩ cầm tốt nhất được làm bởi các thợ thủ công lành nghề ngày nay.
Thật vậy, một số nghệ sĩ độc tấu hàng đầu thỉnh thoảng chơi các nhạc cụ hiện đại. Tuy nhiên, những
nghệ sĩ độc tấu hàng đầu - và, không có gì ngạc nhiên, những người buôn bán vĩ cầm, những người
có quyền lợi trong việc duy trì truyền thuyết về tính ưu việt nội tại của người Cremon - vẫn hoàn
toàn không bị thuyết phục. List of Headings
i An analysis of protective coatings vii.
A re-evaluation of documentary
ii Applying technology to violin evidence production viii.
The mathematical basis of earlier
iii. Location - a key factor iv
design ix Manual woodworking
A controversial range of prices v
techniques x Preferences of top
Techniques of mass production vi
musicians xi. The use of saturated The advantages of older wood wood
xii. The challenge for scientists 9
The quality of any particular note played on the same violin varies. 10
Scientific instruments analyse complex sound more accurately than humans. 11
The quality of handmade violins varies according to the musical ability of the craftsman. 12
Modern violins seem to improve in their early years. 13
Modern violins are gaining in popularity amongst the top violinists
Ep 2: Insect decision-making Insect decision-making
It has long been held that decision made collectively by large groups of people are more likely to turn
out to be accurate than decisions made by individuals. The idea goes back to the 'jury theorem’ of
Nicolas de Condorcet, an 18th-century French philosopher who was one of the first to apply
mathematics to the social sciences. Condorcet’s theory describes collective decisions, outlining how
democratic decisions tend to outperform dictatorial ones. If, for example, each member of a jury has
only partial information ,the majority decision is more likely to be correct than a decision arrived at
by a single juror. Moreover, the probability of a correct decision increases with the size of the jury.
Now it is becoming clear that group decisions are also extremely valuable for the success of social
animals, such as ants ,bees .birds and dolphins .Bees make collective decisions ,and they do it rather
well, according to Christian List of the London School of Economics ,who has studied group
decision-making in humans and animals. Researchers led by Dr List looked at colonies once the
original colony reaches a certain size. The queen goes off with about two-thirds of the worker bees to
live in a new home or nest, leaving a daughter queen in the old nest with the remaining workers.
Among the bees that depart are some that have searched for and found some new nest sites, and
reported back using a characteristic body movement known as a 'waggle dance' to indicate to the other
bees the suitable places they have located. The longer the dance, the better the site. After a while,
other bees start to visit the sites signaled by their companions to see for themselves and, on their
return, also perform more waggle dances. The process eventually leads to a consensus on the best site
and the breakaway swarm migrates. The decision is remarkably reliable ,with the bees choosing the
best site even when there are only small difference between alternative sites.
But exactly how do bees reach such a robust consensus? To find out ,Dr List and his colleagues used a
computer generated model of the decision-making process. By experimenting with it they found that,
when bees in the model were very good at finding nesting sites but did not share their information,
this dramatically slowed down the migration .leaving the swarm homelss and vulnerable
.Conversely .bees in the model blindly following the waggle dances of others without first checking.
The researchers concluded that the ability of bees to identify successfully and quickly the best site
depends on both the bees ‘interdependence in communicating the whereabouts of the bees site, and
their independence in confirming this information for themselves.
Another situation in which collective decisions are taken occurs when animals are either isolated from
crucial sources of information or dominated by other members of the group. José Halloy of the Free
University of Brussels in Belgium used robotic cockroaches to subvert the behaviour of living
cockroaches and control their decision-making process. In his experiment, the artificial bugs were
introduced to the live ones and soon became sufficiently socially integrated that they were perceived
by the real cockroaches as equals. By manipulating the robots, which were in the minority, Halloy
was able to persuade the living cockroaches to choose an inappropriate shelter-even one which they
had rejected before being infiltrated by the robots.
The way insects put into effect collective decisions can be complex and as important as the decisions
themselves .At the University of Bristol, in the UK, Nigel Franks and his colleagues studied how a
species of ant establishes a new nest. Franks and his associates reported how the insects reduce the
problems associated with making a necessarily swift choice. If the ants’ existing nest become
suddenly threatened, the insects choose certain ants to act as scouts to find a new nest.
How quickly they accomplish the transfer to a new home depends not only on how soon the best
available site is found, but also on how quickly the migration there can be achieved.
Once the suitable new nest is identified , the chosen ants begin to lead others , which have made it to
the new site or which may simply be in the vicinity, back to the original threatened nest. In this way,
those ants which are familiar with the route can help transport ,for example ,the queen and young ants
to the new site, and simultaneously show the way to those ants which have been left behind to guard
the old nest. In this way moving processes are accomplished faster and more efficiently. Thus the
dynamics of collective decision-making are closely related to the efficient implementation of those
decisions .How this might apply to choices that humans make is , as yet,unclear. But it does suggest,
even for humans ,the importance of recruiting dynamic leaders to a cause,because the most important
thing about collective decision-making ,as shown by these insect experiments, is to get others to follow. Questions 1-6
Reading Passage has six paragraphs,A-F
Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.
Write the correct number, i-vii, in boxes -16 on your answer sheet. List of Headings
i The effect of man-made imitations on insects ii
The need to instruct additional insect guides iii Signals used
by certain insects to indicate a discovery iv How urgency can
affect the process of finding a new home v The use of trained
insects in testing scientific theories vi The use of virtual
scenarios in the study of insect behaviour vii How the number
of decision-makers affects the decision 1 Paragraph A 3 Paragraph C 2 Paragraph B 4 Paragraph D 5 Paragraph E 6 Paragraph F Questions 7-10
Look at the following findings (Questions 7-10) and the list of academics below.
Match each finding with the correct academic, A-D
Write the correct letter, A-D, in boxes 7-10 on your answer sheet.
NB you may use any letter more than once. 7
Certain members can influence the rest of the group to alter a previous decision. 8
Individual verification of a proposed choice is important for successful decision outcome. 9
The more individuals taking part in a decision, the better the decision will be.
10 The decision-making process of certain insects produces excellent results
even when fine distinctions are required. List of Academics A Nicolas de Condorcet C José Halloy
B Christian List and colleagues D Nigel Franks and colleagues Questions 11-13 Complete the summary below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 11-13 on your answer sheet.
A study of insect decision-making
A Bristol University study looked at how insects make decisions when their home has been 11
. The ants in the experiment relied on the use of individuals called 12
new nest and efficiently direct the others to go there. The study concluded that the
effective implementation of the ants' decision meant that the insects could change homes quickly.
The study emphasized the necessity, for people well as insects,of having active 13 in order to execute decisions successfully.
https://mini-ielts.com/1528/reading/insect-decision-making
ep 3: Toxic Stress: A Slow Wear And Tear
Toxic Stress: A Slow Wear And Tear
A. Our bodies are built to respond when under attack. When we sense danger, our brain goes on
alert, our heart rate goes up, and our organs flood with stress hormones like cortisol and
adrenaline. We breathe faster, taking in more oxygen, muscles tense, our senses are sharpened
and beads of sweat appear. This combination of reactions to stress is also known as the
"fightor-flight" response because it evolved as a survival mechanism, enabling people and
other mammals to react quickly to life-threatening situations. The carefully orchestrated yet
nearinstantaneous sequence of hormonal changes and physiological responses helps someone
to fight the threat off or flee to safety. Unfortunately, the body can also overreact to stressors
that are not life-threatening, such as traffic jams, work pressure, and family difficulties.
B. That's all fine when we need to jump out of the way of a speeding bus, or when someone is
following us down a dark alley. In those cases, our stress is considered "positive", because it
is temporary and helps us survive. But our bodies sometimes react in the same way to more
mundane stressors, too. When a child faces constant and unrelenting stress, from neglect, or
abuse, or living in chaos, the response stays activated, and may eventually derail normal
development. This is what is known as "toxic stress". The effects are not the same in every
child, and can be buffered by the support of a parent or caregiver, in which case the stress is
considered "tolerable". But toxic stress can have profound consequences, sometimes even
spanning generations. Figuring out how to address stressors before they change the brain and
our immune and cardiovascular systems is one of the biggest questions in the field of childhood development today.
C. In 1998, two researchers, Vincent Felitti and Robert Anda, pioneered in publishing a study
demonstrating that people who had experienced abuse or household dysfunction as children
were more likely to have serious health problems, like cancer or liver diseases, and unhealthy
lifestyle habits, like drinking heavily or using drugs as adults. This became known as the
"ACE Study," short for "adverse childhood experiences." Scientists have since linked more
than a dozen forms of ACEs - including homelessness, discrimination, and physical, mental,
and sexual abuse - with a higher risk of poor health in adulthood.
D. Every child reacts to stress differently, and some are naturally more resilient than others.
Nevertheless, the pathways that link adversity in childhood with health problems in adulthood
lead back to toxic stress. As Jenny Anderson, senior reporter at Quartz, explains, "when a
child lives with abuse, neglect, or is witness to violence, he or she is primed for that fight or
flight all the time. The burden of that stress, which is known as 'allostatic load or overload,'
referring to the wear and tear that results from either too much stress or from inefficient
management of internal balance, eg, not turning off the response when it is no longer needed,
can damage small, developing brains and bodies. A brain that thinks it is in constant danger
has trouble organising itself, which can manifest itself later as problems of paying attention,
or sitting still, or following instructions - all of which are needed for learning".
E. Toxic is a loaded word. Critics say the term is inherently judgmental and may appear to
blame parents for external social circumstances over which they have little control. Others
say it is often misused to describe the source of stress itself rather than the biological process
by which it could negatively affect some children. The term, writes John Devaney, centenary
chair of social work at the University of Edinburgh, "can stigmatise individuals and imply
traumatic happenings in the past".
Some paediatricians do not like the term because of how difficult it is to actually fix the
stressors their patients face, from poverty to racism. They feel it is too fatalistic to tell
families that their child is experiencing toxic stress, and there is little they can do about it. But
Nadine Burke Harris, surgeon general of California, argues that naming the problem means
we can dedicate resources to it so that paediatricians feel like they have tools to treat "toxic stress".
F. The most effective prevention for toxic stress is to reduce the source of the stress. This can be
tricky, especially if the source of the stress is the child's own family. But parent coaching, and
connecting families with resources to help address the cause of their stress (sufficient food,
housing insecurity, or even the parent's own trauma), can help. Another one is to ensure love
and support from a parent or caregiver. Young children's stress responses are more stable,
even in difficult situations, when they are with an adult they trust.
As Megan Gunnar, a child psychologist and head of the Institute of Child at the University of
Minnesota, said: "When the parent is present and relationship is secure, basically the parent
eats the stress: the kid cries, the parent comes, and it doesn't need to kick in the big biological
guns because the parent is the protective system". That is why Havard's Center on the
Developing Child recommends offering care to caregivers, like mental health or addiction
support, because when they are healthy and well, they can better care for their children. Question 1-6
The reading passage has six paragraphs, A-F.
Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.
Write the correct number (i – vii) in boxes. List of Headings i The controversy
around the word “toxic” ii Effects of different types of stress iii How to protect
children from toxic stress iv An association of adverse experience with health
problems and unhealthy habits v Body’s reactions in response to the perceived
harmful event vi Signs of being under sustained stress vii Negative impacts of
toxic stress on children’s mental health 1 Paragraph A 4 Paragraph D 2 Paragraph B 5 Paragraph E 3 Paragraph C 6 Paragraph F Question 7-9
Choose TRUE if the statement agrees with the information given in the text, choose FALSE if the
statement contradicts the information, or choose NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this. 7
Felitti and Anda were the first to show that ACEs create impacts regarding health and habits later on in life. 8
Some children have the same level of vulnerability to stressful events. 9
Several paediatricians consider poverty and racism the primary contributors to toxic stress. Question 10-13
Look at the following people and the list of statements below.
Match each person with the correct statement, A-E.
Write the correct letter A-E in boxes. List of statements
A Traumatic experiences in childhood might lead to poor self-management.
B Supportive and responsive relationships with caring parents can prevent or reverse the damaging
effects of toxic stress responses.
C Properly naming a type of stress can facilitate its treatment process.
D The real name of a particular form of stress could denounce a number of people.
E Toxic stress can cause the next generations to suffer from negative consequences on both mental and physical health problems. 10 Megan Gunnar 12 John Devaney 11
Jenny Anderson 13 Nadine Burke Harris
https://mini-ielts.com/1525/reading/toxic-stress-a-slow-wear-and-tear
ep 4: Chinstrap Penguin Population In The Last 50 Years
A. The chinstrap penguin has a cap of black plumage, a white face, and a continuous band of
black feathers extending from one side of the head to the other, the “chinstrap.” The northern
part of the Antarctic Peninsula, several Antarctic and subantarctic islands, and the uninhabited
Balleny Islands between Antarctica and New Zealand are the habitats of the species.
B. Antarctic penguin colonies in some parts of the Antarctic have declined over the last 50
years,mostly because of climate change, researchers say. The colonies of chinstrap penguins,
also known as ringed or bearded penguins, have dramatically dropped since they were last
surveyed almost 50 years ago, scientists discovered. The findings became surprising because,
until now, the chinstraps have been deemed of “least concern” by the International Union for
Conservation of Nature (IUCN). “We really didn’t know what to expect, and then we found
this huge decline on Elephant Island,” Noah Strycker, an ornithologist and penguin researcher
at Stony Brook University, told CNN from Greenpeace’s Esperanza ship in the Antarctic. “It’s
a little bit worrying as it means that something is shifting in the ecosystem and the fall in
penguin numbers is reflecting that shift.”
C. Every colony of Elephant Island, which is a crucial penguin habitat northeast of the Antarctic
Peninsula, when surveyed, experienced a population fall, as per the independent researchers
who joined a Greenpeace expedition to the region. Elephant Island was last surveyed in 1971,
and there were 122,550 pairs of penguins across all colonies. However, the recent count
revealed just 52,786 pairs with a drop of almost 60%. On Elephant Island, the size of the
population change varied from colony to colony, and the most significant decline was
recorded at a colony known as Chinstrap Camp, which is 77%.
D. Just the days after temperatures hit an all-time high in the Antarctic with 18.3 Celsius (64.94
Fahrenheit) recorded on February 6, the latest study is published. The previous high 17.5 C
(63.5 F) was recorded in March 2015. Scientists recorded the temperature at Argentina’s
Esperanza research station, according to the meteorological agency of the country.
E. The reduced sea ice and warmer oceans due to climate change have led to less krill, the main
component of the penguins’ diet. “Climate change is probably the underlying factor, and the
effects are rippling through the food chain,” Strycker said. “Penguins, seals, and whales all
depend on krill, which depends on ice. So if climate change affects the ice, that impacts on
everything else.” Heather J. Lynch, associate professor of ecology and evolution at New
York’s Stony Brook University and one of the expedition’s research leads, said: “Such
significant declines in penguin numbers suggest that the Southern Ocean’s ecosystem has
fundamentally changed in the last 50 years and that the impacts of this are rippling up the
food web to species like chinstrap penguins.” She added that “while several factors may have
a role to play, all the evidence we have pointed to climate change as being responsible for the changes we are seeing.”
F. However, some good news was also there, as the researchers reported an increase in gentoo
penguins population in neighbouring colonies, beyond Elephant Island. “It’s interesting, as a
tale of two penguins on the Antarctic Peninsula,” said Strycker. “Gentoo is a species from
further north and they appear to be colonizing the area and are actually increasing in numbers.”
G. The Greenpeace ship Esperanza has been documenting the threat to the oceans worldwide
andtaking the scientists for travelling abroad. For the first time, the Low Island in the South
Shetland Islands, north of the Antarctic Peninsula, has been surveyed properly. The manual
and drone techniques are used by the researchers, from Stony Brook and Northeastern
University in Boston, to survey a series of significant but relatively unknown colonies of
chinstrap penguin here. The results are, however, not yet available. Greenpeace has been
campaigning for the three Antarctic sanctuaries that it would establish to offer protection to
many of the colonies surveyed. These would be off-limits to humans.
H. Louisa Casson, Greenpeace Oceans Campaigner, said in a statement: “Penguins are an iconic
species, but this new research shows how the climate emergency is decimating their numbers
and having far-reaching impacts on wildlife in the most remote corners of Earth. This is a
critical year for our oceans. “Governments must respond to the science and agree on a strong
Global Ocean Treaty at the United Nations this spring that can create a network of ocean
sanctuaries to protect marine life and help these creatures adapt to our rapidly changing climate.” Question 1 - 7
The Reading Passage has 8 paragraphs labelled A-H.
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter A-H in boxes.
NB You may use any letter more than once. 1 the highest temperatures ever. 5 measures to protect species. ocean 2 the difference between current and past records on penguin population.6 factors contributing to the
decline in the amount of food available. 3 places where people cannot go to.7
description of a specific specie 4
places where chinstrap penguins live. Question 8-10
Choose TRUE if the statement agrees with the information given in the text,
choose FALSE if the statement contradicts the information, or choose NOT
GIVEN if there is no information on this.
8 The IUCN showed little concern about the fall in penguin numbers.
9 Climate change is a reason for the changes in the food chain of chinstrap penguins. 10
Gentoo penguins are not affected by climate change. Question 11 - 13 Complete the note below.
Choose ONLY ONE WORD from the passage for each answer.
The Greenpeace ship has been used to: • record the 11
to marine life over the world. • carry the 12 overseas. • Build
13 to protect many surveyed colonies.
https://mini-ielts.com/1523/reading/chinstrap-penguin-population-in-the-last-50-years ep 5: E-training
A E-learning is the unifying term to describe the fields of online learning, web-based training, and
technology-delivered instruction, which can be a great benefit to corporate e-learning. IBM, for
instance, claims that the institution of its e-training program, Basic Blue, whose purpose is to train
new managers, saved the company in the range of $200 million in 1999. Cutting the travel expenses
required to bring employees and instructors to a central classroom account for the lion’s share of the
savings. With an online course, employees can learn from any Internet-connected PC, anywhere in the
world. Ernst and Young reduced training costs by 35 percent while improving consistency and scalability.
B In addition to generally positive economic benefits, other advantages such as convenience,
standardized delivery, self-paced learning, and a variety of available content, have made e-learning a
high priority for many corporations. E-learning is widely believed to offer flexible “any time, any
place” learning. The claim for “any place” is valid in principle and is a great development. Many
people can engage with rich learning materials that simply were not possible in a paper of broadcast
distance learning era. For teaching specific information and skills, e-training holds great promise. It
can be especially effective at helping employees prepare for IT certification programs. E-learning also
seems to effectively address topics such as sexual harassment education’, safety training and
management training – all areas where a clear set of objectives can be identified. Ultimately, training
experts recommend a “blended” approach that combines both online and in-person training as the
instruction requires. E-learning is not an end-all solution. But if it helps decrease costs and
windowless classrooms filled with snoring students, it definitely has its advantages. C
Much of the discussion about implementing e-learning has focused on the technology, but as
Driscoll and others have reminded us, e-learning is not just about the technology, but also many
human factors. As any capable manager knows, teaching employees new skills is critical to a
smoothly run business. Having said that, however, the traditional route of classroom instruction runs
the risk of being expensive, slow and, oftentimes, ineffective. Perhaps the classroom’s greatest
disadvantage is the fact that it takes employees out of their jobs. Every minute an employee is sitting
in a classroom training session is a minute they’re not out on the floor working. It now looks as if
there is a way to circumvent these traditional training drawbacks. E-training promises more effective
teaching techniques by integrating audio, video, animation, text and interactive materials with the
intent of teaching each student at his or her own pace. In addition to higher performance results, there
are other immediate benefits to students such as increased time on task, higher levels of motivation,
and reduced test anxiety for many learners. D
On the other hand, nobody said E-training technology would be cheap. E-training service
providers,on the average, charge from $10,000 to $60,000 to develop one hour of online instruction.
This price varies depending on the complexity of the training topic and the media used. HTML pages
are a little cheaper to develop while streaming-video presentations or flash animations cost more.
Course content is just the starting place for the cost. A complete e-learning solution also includes the
technology platform (the computers, applications and network connections that are used to deliver the
courses). This technology platform, known as a learning management system (LMS), can either be
installed onsite or outsourced. Add to that cost the necessary investments in network bandwidth to
deliver multimedia courses, and you’re left holding one heck of a bill. For the LMS infrastructure and a dozen
or so online courses, costs can top $500,000 in the first year. These kinds of costs mean that custom
etraining is, for the time being, an option only for large organizations. For those companies that have
a large enough staff, the e-training concept pays for itself. Aware of this fact, large companies are
investing heavily in online training. Today, over half of the 400-plus courses that Rockwell Collins
offers are delivered instantly to its clients in an e-learning format, a change that has reduced its annual
training costs by 40%. Many other success stories exist. E
E-learning isn’t expected to replace the classroom entirely. For one thing, bandwidth
limitations are still an issue in presenting multimedia over the Internet. Furthermore, e-training isn’t
suited to every mode of instruction or topic. For instance, it’s rather ineffective imparting cultural
values or building teams. If your company has a unique corporate culture is would be difficult to
convey that to firsttime employees through a computer monitor. Group training sessions are more
ideal for these purposes. In addition, there is a perceived loss of research time because of the work
involved in developing and teaching online classes. Professor Wallin estimated that it required
between 500 and 1,000 person-hours, that is, Wallin-hours, to keep the course at the appropriate level
of currency and usefulness. (Distance learning instructors often need technical skills, no matter how
advanced the courseware system.) That amounts to between a quarter and half of a person-year.
Finally, teaching materials require computer literacy and access to equipment. Any e-Learning system
involves basic equipment and a minimum level of computer knowledge in order to perform the tasks
required by the system. A student that does not possess these skills, or have access to these tools,
cannot succeed in an e-Learning program. F
While few people debate the obvious advantages of e-learning, systematic research is needed
to confirm that learners are actually acquiring and using the skills that are being taught online, and
that e-learning is the best way to achieve the outcomes in a corporate environment. Nowadays, a
gobetween style of Blended learning, which refers to a mixing of different learning environments, is
gaining popularity. It combines traditional face-to-face classroom methods with more modern
computer-mediated activities. According to its proponents, the strategy creates a more integrated
approach for both instructors and learners. Formerly, technology-based materials played a supporting
role in face-to-face instruction. Through a blended learning approach, technology will be more important. Questions 1-6
The reading passage has six paragraphs, A-F
Choose the correct heading for paragraphs A-F from the list below. Write the correct
number, i-xi, in boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet. List of Headings i overview
of the benefits for application of E-training ii IBM’s successful choice of training
iii Future directions and a new style of teaching iv learners’ achievement and
advanced teaching materials v limitations when E-training compares with
traditional class vi multimedia over the Internet can be a solution vii
technology can be a huge financial burden viii the distance learners outperformed
the traditional university learners worldwide ix other advantages besides
economic consideration x Training offered to help people learn using computers 1 Paragraph A 2 Paragraph B 5 Paragraph E 3 Paragraph C 6 Paragraph F 4 Paragraph D Questions 7-10
The reading Passage has six paragraphs A-F
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter A-F, in boxes 7-10 on your answer sheet.
7 Projected Basic Blue in IBM achieved great success.
8 E-learning wins as a priority for many corporations as its flexibility.
9 The combination of traditional and e-training environments may prevail. 10
Example of fast electronic delivery for a company’s products to its customers. Questions 11-13
Choose THREE correct letters, among A-E
Write your answers in boxes 11-13 on your answer sheet. A
Technical facilities are hardly obtained. B
Presenting multimedia over the Internet is restricted due to the bandwidth limit. C
It is ineffective imparting a unique corporate value to fresh employees. D
Employees need to block a long time leaving their position attending training. E
More preparation time is needed to keep the course at a suitable level.https://mini-
ielts.com/1521/reading/e-training ep 6: THE STORY OF COFFEE A
Coffee was first discovered in Eastern Africa in an area we know today as Ethiopia. A popular
legend refers to a goat herder by the name of Kaldi, who observed his goats acting unusually friskily
after eating berries from a bush. Curious about this phenomenon, Kaldi tried eating the berries
himself. He found that these berries gave him renewed energy. B
The news of this energy laden fruit quickly moved throughout the region. Coffee berries were
transported from Ethiopia to the Arabian Peninsula, and were first cultivated in what today is the
country of Yemen. Coffee remained a secret in Arabia before spreading to Turkey and then to the
European continent by means of Venetian trade merchants. C
Coffee was first eaten as a food though later people in Arabia would make a drink out of
boiling thebeans for its narcotic effects and medicinal value. Coffee for a time was known as Arabian
wine to Muslims who were banned from alcohol by Islam. It was not until after coffee had been eaten
as a food product, a wine and a medicine that it was discovered, probably by complete accident in
Turkey, that by roasting the beans a delicious drink could be made. The roasted beans were first
crushed and then boiled in water, creating a crude version of the beverage we enjoy today. The first
coffee houses were opened in Europe in the 17th Century and in 1675, the Viennese established the
habit of refining the brew by filtering out the grounds, sweetening it, and adding a dash of milk. D
If you were to explore the planet for coffee, you would find about 60 species of coffee plants
growing wild in Africa, Malaysia, and other regions. But only about ten of them are actually
cultivated. Of these ten, two species are responsible for almost all the coffee produced in the world:
Coffea Arabica and Coffea Canephora (usually known as Robusta). Because of ecological differences
existing among the various coffee producing countries, both types have undergone many mutations
and now exist in many sub-species. E
Although wild plants can reach 10 - 12 metres in height, the plantation one reaches a height
of around four metres. This makes the harvest and flowering easier, and cultivation more economical.
The flowers are white and sweet-scented like the Spanish jasmine. Flowers give way to a red, darkish
berry. At first sight, the fruit is like a big cherry both in size and in colour. The berry is coated with a
thin, red film (epicarp) containing a white, sugary mucilaginous flesh (mesocarp). Inside the pulp
there are the seeds in the form of two beans coupled at their flat surface. Beans are in turn coated with
a kind of resistant, golden yellow parchment, (called endocarp). When peeled, the real bean appears
with another very thin silvery film. The bean is bluish green verging on bronze, and is at the most 11
millimetres long and 8 millimetres wide. F
Coffee plants need special conditions to give a satisfactory crop. The climate needs to be hot-
wet or hot temperate, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, with frequent rains
and temperatures varying from 15 to 25 Degrees C. The soil should be deep, hard, permeable, well
irrigated, with well-drained subsoil. The best lands are the hilly ones or from just-tilled woods. The
perfect altitude is between 600 and 1200 metres, though some varieties thrive at 2000-2200 metres.
Cultivation aimed at protecting the plants at every stage of growth is needed. Sowing should be in
sheltered nurseries from which, after about six months, the seedlings should be moved to plantations
in the rainy season where they are usually alternated with other plants to shield them from wind and
excessive sunlight. Only when the plant is five years old can it be counted upon to give a regular
yield. This is between 400 grams and two kilos of arabica beans for each plant, and 600 grams and two kilos for robusta beans. G
Harvesting time depends on the geographic situation and it can vary greatly therefore
according to the various producing countries. First, the ripe beans are picked from the branches.
Pickers can selectively pick approximately 250 to 300 pounds of coffee cherry a day. At the end of the
day, the pickers bring their heavy burlap bags to pulping mills where the cherry coffee can be pulped
(or wet milled). The pulped beans then rest, covered in pure rainwater to ferment overnight. The next
day the wet beans are hand-distributed upon the drying floor to be sun dried. This drying process
takes from one to two weeks depending on the amount of sunny days available. To make sure they dry
evenly, the beans need to be raked many times during this drying time. Two weeks later the sun dried
beans, now called parchment, are scooped up, bagged and taken to be milled. Huge milling machines
then remove the parchment and silver skin, which renders a green bean suitable for roasting. The
green beans are roasted according to the customers’ specifications and, after cooling, the beans are
then packaged and mailed to customers. Questions 1-6
The reading passage on The Story of Coffee has 7 paragraphs A – G.
From the list of headings below choose the most suitable headings for paragraphs B – G.
Write the appropriate number (i – xi) in boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet.
NB There are more headings than paragraphs, so you will not use them all. I. Growing Coffee ii. Problems with
vii. Modern Coffee viii.
Manufacture iii. Processing
The Spread of Coffee ix. Consuming Coffee x.
the Bean iv. First Contact v.
Climates for Coffee xi. The
Arabian Coffee vi. Coffee Coffee Plant Varieties Example Answer Paragraph A iv 1
Paragraph B 4 Paragraph E 2
Paragraph C 5 Paragraph F 3
Paragraph D 6 Paragraph G Questions 7-9
Complete the labels on the diagram of a coffee bean below.
Choose your answers from the text and write them in boxes 7-9 on your answer sheet. 7 8 9 Questions 10-13
Using the information in the passage, complete the flowchart below.
Write your answers in boxes 10-13 on your answer sheet.
Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer. Coffee Production Process 10 12 11 13
https://mini-ielts.com/1520/reading/the-story-of-coffee
ep7: Education Philosophy A
Although we lack accurate statistics about child mortality in the pre-industrial period, we do
have evidence that in the 1660s, the mortality rate for children who died within 14 days of birth was
as much as 30 per cent. Nearly all families suffered some premature death. Since all parents expected
to bury some of their children, they found it difficult to invest in their newborn children. Moreover, to
protect themselves from the emotional consequences of children’s death, parents avoided making any
emotional commitment to an infant. It is no wonder that we find mothers leave their babies in gutters
or refer to the death in the same paragraph with reference to pickles. B
The 18th century witnessed the transformation from an agrarian economy to an industrial one,
one of the vital social changes taking place in the Western world. An increasing number of people
moved from their villages and small towns to big cities where life was quite different. Social supports
which had previously existed in smaller communities were replaced by ruthless problems such as
poverty, crime, substandard housing and disease. Due to the need for additional income to support the
family, young children from the poorest families were forced into early employment and thus their
childhood became painfully short. Children as young as 7 might be required to work full-time,
subjected to unpleasant and unhealthy circumstances, from factories to prostitution. Although such a
role has disappeared in most wealthy countries, the practice of childhood employment still remains a
staple in underdeveloped countries and rarely disappeared entirely. C
The lives of children underwent a drastic change during the 1800s in the United States.
Previously, children from both rural and urban families were expected to participate in everyday
labour due to the bulk of manual hard working. Nevertheless, thanks to the technological advances of
the mid-1800s, coupled with the rise of the middle class and redefinition of roles of family members,
work and home became less synonymous over time. People began to purchase toys and books for
their children. When the country depended more upon machines, children in rural and urban areas,
were less likely to be required to work at home. Beginning from the Industrial Revolution and rising
slowly over the course of the 19th century, this trend increased exponentially after civil war. John
Locke, one of the most influential writers of his period, created the first clear and comprehensive
statement of the ‘environmental position’ that family education determines a child’s life, and via this,
he became the father of modem learning theory. During the colonial period, his teachings about child
care gained a lot of recognition in America. D
According to Jean Jacques Rousseau, who lived in an era of the American and French
Revolution, people were ‘noble savages’ in the original state of nature, meaning they are innocent,
free and uncorrupted. In 1762, Rousseau wrote a famous novel Emile to convey his educational
philosophy through a story of a boy’s education from infancy to adult-hood. This work was based on
his extensive observation of children and adolescents, their individuality, his developmental theory
and on the memories of his own childhood. He contrasts children with adults and describes their
agespecific characteristics in terms of historical perspective and developmental psychology. Johan
Heinrich Pestalozzi, living during the early stages of the Industrial Revolution, sought to develop
schools to nurture children’s all-round development. He agreed with Rousseau that humans are
naturally good but were spoiled by a corrupt society. His approach to teaching consists of the general
and special methods, and his theory was based upon establishing an emotionally healthy homelike
learning environment, which had to be in place before more specific instructions occurred. E
One of the best-documented cases of Pestalozzi’s theory concerned a so-called feral child
named Victor, who was captured in a small town in the south of France in 1800. Prepubescent, mute,
naked, and perhaps 11 or 12 years old, Victor had been seen foraging for food in the gardens of the
locals in the area and sometimes accepted people’s direct offers of food before his final capture.
Eventually, he was brought to Paris and expected to answer some profound questions about the nature
of human, but that goal was quashed very soon. A young physician Jean Marc Gaspard Itard was
optimistic about the future of Victor and initiated a five-year education plan to civilise him and teach
him to speak. With a subsidy from the government, Itard recruited a local woman Madame Guerin to
assist him to provide a semblance of a home for Victor, and he spent an enormous amount of time and
effort working with Victor. Itard’s goal to teach Victor the basics of speech could never be fully
achieved, but Victor had learnt some elementary forms of communication. F
Although other educators were beginning to recognise the simple truth embedded in
Rousseau’s philosophy, it is not enough to identify the stages of children’s development alone. There
must be certain education which had to be geared towards those stages. One of the early examples
was the invention of kindergarten, which was a word and a movement created by a German-born
educator, Friedrich Froebel in 1840. Froebel placed a high value on the importance of play in
children’s learning. His invention would spread around the world eventually in a verity of forms.
Froebel’s ideas were inspired through his cooperation with Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi. Froebel didn’t
introduce the notion of kindergarten until 58 years old, and he had been a teacher for four decades.
The notion was a haven and a preparation for children who were about to enter the regimented
educational system. The use of guided or structured play was a cornerstone of his kindergarten
education because he believed that play was the most significant aspect of development at this time of
life. Play served as a mechanism for a child to grow emotionally and to achieve a sense of self-worth.
Meanwhile, teachers served to organise materials and a structured environment in which each child,
as an individual, could achieve these goals. When Froebel died in 1852, dozens of kindergartens had