ENGLISH III

READING 2

Name: Daniel Silva Date: 26/01/20

Teacher: Mrs. Tume Class:

OBJECTIVE:
 To read for specific and general information
 To produce a report

TASK 1:

Complete the text with words from the box. There are three extra words.

cell towers - plastic balloons - among - medicine - Internet access

hard-to-reach - benefits - working - Southern - wires
found - medical advice - providers - study - between
job - connects

It's a Bird, It's a Plane It's...the Internet!

Many rural and hard to reach1 areas of the world don't have the Internet. This is because
there aren't many cell towers 2 in these areas. Technology companies have finally found 3

solutions to this problem - in the sky!

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For example, a company called Project Loon has created special plastic balloons When
filled with helium, the balloons act as "floating cell towers" - 20,000 meters in the air! Each
"loon" has an antenna which connects5 people to the Internet. People on the ground
control the balloons. Each balloon can provide internet access 6 to an area of about 40
kilometers. The balloons have been used in Australia, Brazil, and Sri Lanka - and now
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Indonesia. Indonesians live among - 17,000 different islands. This makes it difficult and
expensive to bring the Internet to Indonesia the traditional way (through wires 8 and land-
based cell towers). "Indonesia is the perfect fit for Project Loon," said Mike Cassidy, Loon's
project leader.
 ENGLISH III

Spacecom is another company providers9 on bringing the Internet to people in remote

areas. Spacecom's Amos-6 satellite will float above the continent of Africa. Large parts of
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West, East, and southern Africa will access the Internet through the satellite. The
satellite beams the Internet down into remote areas. Once the Amos-6 satellite is working,
people will be able to get the Internet at a low cost through local service job11

Having access to the Internet has many benefits 12 for people in remote areas. For
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example, students that live far away from schools and universities can study online.
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Also, people without local doctors could get medical advice online. Businesses could
make even more money selling their products online. When it comes to the Internet...the
sky's the limit!

TASK 2

Read the text and circle the correct answer.

1. How do Project Loon’s balloons stay in the sky?

a. They are tied to trees on the islands.

b. They are connected to people´s houses.
c. They are filled with helium.
d. They are connected to satellites

2. According to the article, Project Loon doesn’t have balloons in …

a. Sri Lanka
b. East Africa
c. Australia
d. Brazil

3. Each project Loon’s balloons can bring the internet to …

a. Six countries
b. An area of about 40 km
c. 17 000 islands
d. 20 000 satellites

4. Spacecom’s satellite …
a. is used to control the balloons in Project Loon.
b. helps show where to build cell towers in Africa.
c. uses plastic antennas to communicate.
d. brings the internet to remote areas in Africa.

5. According to the article, how will having the internet help people?
a. Companies will have more businesses.
b. It will be easier to get help from doctors online
c. More students can go to schools online
d. All the above
 ENGLISH III

TASK 3
There are 3 sentences that are not mentioned in the text. Tick them.

_____ 1. Africa accesses internet through satellites.

_____ 2. Many parts of the world don’t have access to internet.
_____ 3. Project Loon is an American Company.
_____ 4. Engineers on the ground control the balloon.
_____ 5. The balloons have been used in Central America.
_____ 6. Antennas connect people to internet.