Note Making-Practice

Text 1

Insects that undergo incomplete metamorphosis include dragonflies, grasshoppers and

crickets. For these types of insects, there is only a slight difference between the adults and the

young. The young, which are known as nymphs gradually develop the adult body shape by

changing each time they molt, or shed their exo-skeleton. A nymphs wings form in buds

outside its body and they become fully functional once the final molt is complete.

Text 2

Watching television can lead to poor language skills. According to experts, the visual

nature of the television blocks development of the left part of the brain that is important for

learning language skills. A recent conference of speech therapists in London revealed that

television restricts and limits childrens abilities to speak and understand English. According

to one therapist, One in five children under the age of five suffers language problems because

many parents use the television as an automatic babysitter.

Text 3

All homeowners in temperate countries such as Canada and the United States can take
action if they are serious about saving on energy costs. Those with more than a hundred
dollars to spend should consider any of the following steps. First, the sidewalls and especially
the ceiling should be fully insulated. Proper insulation can save 30 percent or more of a heating
or cooling bill. Next, storm windows and doors should be installed. They provide an
insulating area of still air that may reduce energy loss by 10 percent or more. Finally, a
homeowner might consider installing a solar water-heating system. Four factors in such a
decision are geographic location, sunlight available, energy costs in the area, and the
construction of the house.
 Homeowners with less than a hundred dollars to spend can take many energy-saving
steps as well. To begin with, two kinds of inexpensive sealers can be used to reduce energy
leaks around the house. Caulking will seal cracks around outside windows and doorframes, and
at corners of the house. Weather stripping can be applied to provide a weather-tight seal
between the frame and moving parts of doors and windows. Another inexpensive step is to
check that a home heating or cooling system is clean. A dirty or clogged filter, for example,
can make a furnace or an air conditioner work much harder to heat or cool a house. Next, a
low-flow shower-head can be used to reduce hot water use. A special showerhead can be
purchased or a small plastic insert available at a hardware store can be added to a regular head
to limit water flow. Finally, blinds and drapes can be used to advantage throughout the year.
In winter they can be closed at night to reduce heat loss. In summer they can be closed during
the day to keep the house cooler. These and other relatively inexpensive steps can produce
large savings.

Text 4

Signs of Aging

In some ways, there is bound to be some physical decline or slowing down during the
years of middle age. A number of signs of aging can be identified. The bone structure, for one
thing, stiffens and even shrinks a bit during the course of adulthood. This is the reason why
some people may be shorter at their fortieth high school reunion than they were when they
were students. Another sign of aging is that skin and muscles begin to lose some elasticity so
that, for example, areas of the face and jaws begin to sag. Another sign is the tendency to
accumulate more subcutaneous fat, especially in certain areas such as the midriff. There is more
sensory defect during the adult years too. Vision tends to be constant from adolescence to the
forties or early fifties, when visual acuity may begin to show signs of decline. However,
nearsighted people often are able to see better in the middle age than they could as young
adults. There is an increased incidence of hearing problems during mid-adulthood, especially
hearing loss in the upper frequencies. Long term exposure to high levels of noise increases the
likelihood of hearing loss. Therefore, some factory workers and many city dwellers may be
particularly prone to hearing problems in later years.
Text 5

Nutrients

A nutrient is a specific substance found in food that performs one or more psychological
or biochemical functions in the body. There are six major classes of nutrients found in food:
carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals and water. The major nutrients perform three
basic functions. First, they provide energy for human metabolism. Carbohydrates and fats are
the prime source of energy. Proteins may also provide energy, but this is not its major function.
Vitamins, minerals and water are not energy sources. Second, nutrients are used to promote
growth and development by building and repairing body tissue. Protein is the major building
material for muscles, other soft tissues and enzymes, while certain minerals such as calcium and
phosphorous make up the skeletal framework. Third, nutrients are used to help regulate
metabolism or body processes. Vitamins, minerals and protein work closely together to
maintain the diverse psychological processes of human metabolism. In order for our bodies to
function effectively we need these nutrients in various amounts as recommended by nutrition
scientists.

Text 6

Helping Road Accident Victim

What do you do when you encounter a road accident victim lying on the road? If you
decide to help the victim you may use the following procedures. First, gently tap on his
shoulder and talk to him. If he responds calm him down. Then call the ambulance for further
treatment if necessary. When he fails to respond call the ambulance immediately. Next, check
if he is still breathing. If there is any sign of breathing wait for the ambulance. Otherwise you
need to do Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) to save the victims life.

Text 7

Computers require a means of instructions in order to perform a specific task. This set
of instructions is called the programming language. Programming language was invented as
early as in the 1820s with the earliest form being called physical motion. Then, gears within a
computer would need to be physically activated in order for it to perform a calculation. In 1942
the physical motion was replaced by electrical signals. In 1945 John Von Neumann improved
the system. He developed two important concepts. The first known as shared programmed
technique, used complex instructions to control the computers hardware. The second, called
conditional control transfer, allowed instructions to be carried out in any order instead of a
prescribed chronological order. Then, in 1957 IBM developed the first major computer
language in the form of formula translating system (FORTRAN). Although FORTRAN could
handle numbers, it was unable to process input and output in business computing. To address
this, COBOL was developed in 1959. This programming language allowed data to be
categorized. This allowed data to be tracked and better organized. COBOL uses a language
which is easy to learn and adopt as the instructions use statements with English-like grammar.
The Algol language was created in 1958. Although it was not widely used it was in fact forms
the basis for current computer programming languages such as Pascal, C, C++ and Java.
Programming languages have indeed come a long way and will continue to evolve for many
years to come.

Text 8

Different types of cancer affect different body tissues. Like many other disease there is
no single cause for any one cancer. In fact there are many factors contributing to cancer. One
reason could be due to the genetic make-up. Studies found that people with a family history of
cancer tend to inherit mutated genes. Thus, with mutation in the cells such people have a
higher probability of getting cancer. People who have problems with their immune systems are
also more likely to get some form of cancer. Examples of this group of people include those
with the HIV virus as well as those who have had organ transplant. Another possible cause is
our daily diet. Eating too much animal fats and not enough fresh fruits and vegetables
increases the risk of cancer. Finally, cancer can also be due to the day-to-day environment.
For example, continuous exposure to cigarette smoke, the sun and natural or man-made
radiation would result in a higher probability of cancer. Scientists are still trying to put
together the many contributing factors to cancer. The best that we can do is to avoid those
factors that are within our control.