TEXTE SEMINAR ENGLEZA, SEM.

II, AN II,
Hidrotehnica

TEXT I

METAL DETECTORS

Have you ever been to the beach? Did you see a man with a
headset pointing a long pole at the ground? If so you might have seen a
person using a metal detector. People use these devices to find metal.
Metal detectors make magnetic waves. These waves go through the
ground. The waves change when they hit metal. Then the device beeps.
This lets the person with the device know that metal is close. The first
metal detectors were meant to help miners. They were big. They cost a
lot of money. They used a lot of power. And worst of all, they didn't
work well. People kept trying to make them better.

Metal detectors got smaller. Now they are light and cheap. They
also work better. That is why people bring them to the beach. They can
look for rings in the water. They can look for phones in the sand. Metal
detectors help them find these things. They usually just find junk
though.

Metal detectors also protect people. They help to keep guns out
of some places. They are in airports. They are in courthouses. Some
schools use them. They help guards look for weapons. Guards use
special wands to find metal on a person. These devices save lives in
other ways too. During wars, people plant bombs in the ground. When
the war ends, they don't clean up their messes. This is unsafe for the
people who live in those places.

Others use metal detectors to find bombs. They remove them and
help the people. These devices also make clothes safer. It sounds funny,
but it's true. Most clothes are made in big factories. There are lots of
needles in these places. Needles break from time to time. They get
stuck in the clothes. They would poke people trying them on. They
don't though. That's because our clothes are scanned for metal. Isn't
that nice? Let's hear it for metal detectors. They make the world a safer
place.

Text II
SUSTAINABLE SUPERMARKETS
Many of the major supermarket chains have come under fire with
accusations of various unethical acts over the past decade. They've
wasted tones of food, they've underpaid their suppliers and they've
contributed to excessive plastic waste in their packaging, which has had
its impact on our environment.

But supermarkets and grocers are starting to sit up and take notice. In
response to growing consumer backlash against the huge amounts of
plastic waste generated by plastic packaging, some of the largest UK
supermarkets have signed up to a pact promising to transform
packaging and cut plastic wastage. In a pledge to reuse, recycle or
compost all plastic wastage by 2025, supermarkets are now beginning
to take some responsibility for the part they play in contributing to the
damage to our environment, with one major supermarket announcing
their plan to eliminate all plastic packaging in their own-brand products
by 2023.

In response to criticisms over food waste, some supermarkets

are donating some of their food surplus. However, charities estimate
that they are only accessing two per cent of supermarkets' total food
surplus, so this hardly seems to be solving the problem. Some say that
supermarkets are simply not doing enough. Most supermarkets
operate under a veil of secrecy when asked for exact figures of food
wastage, and without more transparency it is hard to come up with a
systematic approach to avoiding waste and to redistributing surplus
food.

Some smaller companies are now taking matters into their own hands
and offering consumers a greener, more environmentally friendly
option. Shops like Berlin's Original Unverpakt and London's Bulk Market
are plastic-free shops that have opened in recent years, encouraging
customers to use their own containers or compostable bags. Online
grocer Farmdrop eliminates the need for large warehouses and the risk
of huge food surplus by delivering fresh produce from local farmers to
its customers on a daily basis via electric cars, offering farmers the
lion's share of the retail price.

There is no doubt that we still have a long way to go in reducing food

waste and plastic waste. But perhaps the major supermarkets might
take inspiration from these smaller grocers and gradually move towards
a more sustainable future for us all.

TEXT III
What is technology?
 Etymologically the term technology comes from the combination
of these two Greek morphemes tékhnē, (meaning “art”) and -logía
(meaning “study”). It refers to the collection of techniques, skills,
methods, and processes used in the production of goods or services or
the accomplishment of objectives, such as scientific investigation.

The human species' use of technology began with the conversion

of natural resources into simple tools. The prehistoric discovery of how
to control fire and the later Agricultural Revolution increased the
available sources of food. Likewise, the invention of the wheel helped
humans to travel in and control their environment. Later developments
in historic times, including the printing press, the telephone, and the
Internet, have lessened physical barriers to communication and allowed
humans to interact freely on a global scale. The steady progress of
military technology has brought weapons of ever-increasing destructive
power.

The Greeks view about technology

Technology has been a subject of discussion in philosophy since

the Greeks. The Greek philosopher Democritus, for example, believed
that technology is an imitation of nature. House-building and weaving
were first invented by imitating swallows and spiders building their
nests and nets, respectively.
 Aristotle held the same view that technology is the consequence
of imitation of nature, but he added in his book Physics Book II that:

"generally art in some cases completes what nature cannot bring to a

finish."

Aristotle also distinguishes between natural things and artifacts.

According to Aristotle, the former have their principles of generation
and motion inside, whereas the latter, insofar as they are artifacts, are
generated only by outward causes. For example, animals, which are
natural things, can grow, move, and reproduce. A wooden bed, which is
an artifact made by a human, cannot move, grow, or reproduce itself.

Contemporary view about technology

Today, technology is a subject of debate because it is considered

to be a double-edged sword. While it has helped humanity in extending
its potential with outstanding inventions, it is nonetheless threatening
humankind through some other destructive ones. In addition to
polluting the earth in unprecedented ways, wars have become more
and more devastating due to technological inventions. Ethical
dimensions of recent technological developments, such as DNA
engineering, have become a focal point of questioning and discussion.
Philosophical debates have arisen over the use of technology, with
disagreements over whether technology improves the human condition
or worsens it.

To make matters worse, a consensus definition of technology has

become more difficult to find due to recent evolution in science and its
applications. It is especially confusing to decide whether technology
refers to the machines (or more precisely the hardware), the rules that
govern or make them work, the system that operates them or the
different applications of science that are related to them. What is sure
is that technology has shaped societies and adapted itself to people's
changing needs.

Tools made by animals

Until recently, it was believed that the development of technology

was restricted only to human beings, but 21st-century scientific studies
indicate that other primates and certain dolphin communities have
developed simple tools and passed their knowledge to other
generations.

TEXT IV

ADICTIONS- COMPUTER ADICTION

 Computer addiction can be defined as the excessive or
compulsive use of the computer which persists despite serious negative
consequences for personal, social, or occupational function. The
addiction involves online and/or offline computer usage and consists of
at least three subtypes: excessive gaming, sexual preoccupations, and
e-mail/text messaging.

Offline and online computer addiction

The concept of computer addiction is broadly divided into two

types, namely offline and online computer addiction. The term offline
computer addiction is generally used when speaking about excessive
gaming behavior, which can be practiced both offline and online. Online
computer addiction, also known as Internet addiction, gets more
attention in general from scientific research than offline computer
addiction, mainly because most cases of computer addiction are related
to the excessive use of the Internet.

Symptoms

The symptoms of computer addiction include

▪ Being drawn by the computer as soon as one wakes up and before

one goes to bed.
▪ Replacing old hobbies with excessive use of the computer and using
the computer as one's primary source of entertainment.
▪ Lacking physical exercise and/or outdoor exposure because of
constant use of the computer. This could contribute to many health
problems such as obesity.

Causes and effects

Researchers link internet/computer addiction with existing mental

health issues, most notably depression. Studies showed that the
majority of those who met the requirements of internet/computer
addiction suffered from interpersonal difficulties and stress and that
those addicted to online games specifically responded that they hoped
to avoid reality.

There are many consequences resulting from computer addiction. For

example, excessive computer use may result in lack of face to face
social interaction. It may also lead to Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS),
a condition that results in headaches, blurred vision, neck pain, fatigue,
eye strain, dry eyes, irritated eyes, double vision, vertigo or dizziness.

TEXT V

Robots
 A robot is a mechanical or virtual artificial agent, usually an
electromechanical machine that is guided by a computer program or
electronic circuitry. When robots are virtual software agents, they are
usually referred to as bots.
The word 'robot' was first used to denote a fictional humanoid in a
1920 play R.U.R. by the Czech writer, Karel Čapek but it was Karel's
brother Josef Čapek who was the word's true inventor. In an article in
the Czech journal Lidové noviny in 1933, he explained that he had
originally wanted to call the creatures featured in the
play laboři ("workers", from Latin labor). However, he did not like the
word, and sought advice from his brother Josef, who suggested
"roboti". The word robota means literally "corvée", "serf labor", and
figuratively "drudgery" or "hard work" in Czech and also (more general)
"work", "labor" in many Slavic languages.

The branch of technology that deals with the design, construction,

operation, and application of robots, as well as computer systems for
their control, sensory feedback, and information processing is robotics.

Using robots

In general robots can be autonomous or semi-autonomous and

are now used in different fields. They have replaced humans in
performing repetitive and dangerous tasks which humans prefer not to
do, or are unable to do because of size limitations, or which take place
in extreme environments such as outer space or the bottom of the sea.
For instance, robots can now be used in industry, as in car
manufacturing, or they can be used in homes to do the housework.
Some robots may respond to speech or be even medical operating
tools.

New functionalities

In 2008, Caterpillar Inc. developed a truck which can drive itself

without any human operator. Many analysts believe that self-driving
trucks may eventually revolutionize logistics. By 2014, Caterpillar had a
self-driving truck which is expected to greatly change the process of
mining. Some analysts believe that within the next few decades, most
trucks will be self-driving.

A literate or 'reading robot' named Marge has intelligence that comes

from software. She can read newspapers, find and correct misspelled
words, learn about banks like Barclays, and understand that some
restaurants are better places to eat than others.

Baxter is a new robot which is different from other industrial

robots because it can learn. A worker could teach Baxter how to
perform a task by moving its hands in the desired motion and
having Baxter memorize them. Extra dials, buttons, and controls are
available on Baxter's arm for more precision and features. Any regular
worker could program Baxter and it only takes a matter of minutes,
unlike usual industrial robots that take extensive programs and coding
in order to be used. This means Baxter needs no programming in order
to operate. No software engineers are needed. This also
means Baxter can be taught to perform multiple, more complicated
tasks.

Concerns

There are concerns about the increasing use of robots and their
role in society. Robots are blamed for rising unemployment as they
replace workers in increasing numbers of functions. The use of robots
in military combat raises ethical concerns. The possibilities of robot
autonomy and potential repercussions have been addressed in fiction
and may be a realistic concern in the future.

TEXT VI

Tips to succeed in your career

 Because the world has become so competitive, you will have to
do your best to secure your share of success. The following are tips to
get you ahead in your career.

1. Priorities and goals

What are your priorities of the day? Make a list and of your priorities
and plan your day. The tasks of the day must be outlined with the most
important and urgent ones on top.

Likewise determine your short-term and long-term goals and evaluate

your progress frequently.

2. Be focused

Are you really present physically and mentally. Try to block out all
distractions so that you have the time to truly focus on your tasks and
career.

3. Broaden your skills

Nothing remains the same and so do job requirements. Update your

knowledge and skills. Seek improvement of your know-hows. Attend
seminars, conferences, read books, be an eternal learner.

4. Socialize
Be ready to participate in social functions. Be open to new
acquaintances. Meet new people and deal with them respectfully and
enthusiastically. Be an active listener; you will surely learn something
new...

5. Know your merits

Know your strengths and weaknesses. If you think you deserve a

position or promotion, claim it.

6. Accept challenge

Through challenge you will reach areas of your personality you have
never discovered before. It is a good idea to step away from your
comfort zone to explore new horizons. If you settle into a routine and
play it safe all the time, you will never get ahead in your career. 'If you
always do what you've always done, you'll only get what you've already
got'

7. Communication

Learn to communicate effectively. Listen to what others are saying and

focus on how to give and receive constructive feedback, to persuade
effectively and to ask for help and collect information.

8. Avoid gossip
Avoid office gossip about colleagues and the boss. Be respectful and
work for the good of the company.

9 Relax

Relax and do something different, a hobby that you love doing. Take
time off for yourself. This will help boost your productivity during week
days.

10. Seek satisfaction

If you are disappointed with what you are doing, try to transform it into
something you love. If you fail, it might be a good idea to do something
different. As Confucius said: 'Choose a job you love, and you will never
have to work a day in your life. '

TEXT VII

What is culture shock?

Culture shock refers to the feeling of disorientation experienced

by people when they move to an unfamiliar cultural environment or
when they are suddenly exposed to a different way of life or set of
attitudes. This can be the result of immigration or a visit to a new
country, a move between social environments, or simply a transition to
another type of life.

Culture shock stages

Culture shock consists of four distinct stages: honeymoon,

negotiation, adjustment, and adaptation. The honeymoon stage occurs
when the individual sees the differences between the old and new
culture in a romantic light.

In the negotiation stage, the differences between the old and

new culture become apparent and may create anxiety. The adjustment
stage refers to the period when the individual grows accustomed to the
new culture and develops routines. Finally, in the adaptation stage,
individuals are able to participate fully and comfortably in the host
culture. Adaptation or acceptance does not mean total conversion;
people often keep many traits from their earlier culture, such as
accents and languages. It is often referred to as the bicultural stage.

Homesickness

Culture shock may cause homesickness. This refers to the feeling of

longing for one's home. People suffering from culture shock typically
experience a combination of depressive and anxious symptoms related
to homesickness. Ways of coping with homesickness include developing
a hobby, thinking positively and feeling grateful about what one has,
and building new relationships.

Cultural shock is a natural phenomenon that occurs when one has

a cross-cultural experience. Going through the different stages can take
weeks, months or years. But ultimately, the experience can be
enriching and may end up with either adaptation with the new culture
or a return home.

TEXT VIII

Climate change

Wikipedia defines climate as follows:

Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity,

atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and
other meteorological elements in a given region over a long period of
time. Climate can be contrasted to weather, which is the present
condition of these same elements and their variations over shorter time
periods.
 Climate may be inherently variable as evidenced by the
irregularity of the seasons from one year to another. This variability is
normal and may remain partially understood. It is related to changes in
ocean currents, volcanic eruptions, solar radiation and other
components of the climate system. In addition, our climate also has its
extremes (such as floods, droughts, hail, tornadoes and hurricanes),
which can be devastating.

However, in recent decades, a number of indicators and studies

show more and more evidence of climate warming across the globe. A
disturbing phenomenon that challenges human habits and activities
which are responsible for greenhouse gas emissions.

The green house effect

The greenhouse effect is the process by which absorption and

emission of infrared radiation by gases in the atmosphere warm a
planet's lower atmosphere and surface. It was proposed by Joseph
Fourier in 1824 and was first investigated quantitatively by Svante
Arrhenius in 1896. But Human activity since the Industrial Revolution
has increased the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere,
leading to increased radiative forcing from CO2, methane, tropospheric
ozone, CFCs (chlorofluorocarbon) and nitrous oxide. The concentrations
of CO2 and methane have increased by 36% and 148% respectively
since 1750. These levels are much higher than at any time during the
last 650,000 years, the period for which reliable data has been
extracted from ice cores. Over the last three decades of the 20th
century, GDP (Gross Domestic Product) per capita and population
growth were the main drivers of increases in greenhouse gas emissions.
CO2 emissions are continuing to rise due to the burning of fossil fuels
and land-use change.

Consequences of global warming

There are two major effects of global warming: the increase of

temperature on the earth by about 3° to 5° C (5.4° to 9° Fahrenheit) by
the year 2100 and Rise of sea levels by at least 25 meters (82 feet) by
the year 2100. Other consequences are listed below:

▪ Sea levels are rising due to thermal expansion of the ocean, in

addition to melting of land ice.
▪ Amounts and patterns of precipitation are changing.
▪ The total annual power of hurricanes has already increased
markedly since 1975 because their average intensity and average
duration have increased.
▪ Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns increase the
frequency, duration, and intensity of other extreme weather
events, such as floods, droughts, heat waves, and tornadoes.
▪ Higher or lower agricultural yields, further glacial retreat, reduced
summer stream flows, species extinctions.
▪ Diseases like malaria are returning into areas where they have been
extinguished earlier.

TEXT IX

What is recycling?

Recycling can be defined as the process of converting waste

materials into new materials and objects. It can save material and help
lower greenhouse gas emissions. The aim of recycling is to avoid
"conventional" waste disposal. It contributes to the prevention of the
waste of potentially useful materials and reduces the consumption of
fresh raw materials, thereby reducing: energy usage, air pollution (from
incineration), and water pollution (from landfilling). This practice has
been around throughout the history of mankind, with recorded
advocates as far back as Plato in the fourth century BC.

Recycling is a key component of modern waste reduction and is

the third component of the "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle" waste
hierarchy whose aim is to extract the maximum practical benefits from
products and to generate the minimum amount of waste.
What can be recycled?

Recyclable materials include many kinds of glass, paper, and cardboard,

metal, plastic, tires, textiles, and electronics. The composting or other
reuse of biodegradable waste—such as food or garden waste—is also
considered recycling.

How does recycling work?

Materials to be recycled are either brought to a collection center

or picked up from the curbside, then sorted, cleaned, and reprocessed
into new materials destined for manufacturing.

In the strictest sense, recycling of a material would produce a

fresh supply of the same material—for example, used office paper
would be converted into new office paper. However, this is often
difficult or too expensive (compared with producing the same product
from raw materials or other sources), so "recycling" of many products
or materials involves their reuse in producing different materials (for
example, paperboard) instead. Another form of recycling is the salvage
of certain materials from complex products, either due to their intrinsic
value (such as lead from car batteries, or gold from circuit boards) or
due to their hazardous nature (e.g., removal and reuse of mercury from
thermometers and thermostats).
Criticism

Much of the difficulty inherent in recycling comes from the fact

that most products are not designed with recycling in mind. The
concept of sustainable design aims to solve this problem. Now
scientists suggest that every product (and all packaging they require)
should have a complete "closed-loop" cycle mapped out for each
component—a way in which every component will either return to the
natural ecosystem through biodegradation or be recycled indefinitely.

TEXT X

Bridges

Some of the biggest and most expensive transportation projects

in the world have involved building bridges. Bridges are crucial links
that carry cars, trucks and trains across bodies of water, mountain
gorges or other roads. As a result, they are one of the most important
aspects of civil engineering and are subject to intense scrutiny,
especially when they collapse.

Bridge collapses can be tragic events, leading to loss of life and

serious property damage. That's why bridge engineers, designers and
builders must always take their jobs very seriously. The best way for
them to prevent these accidents is to understand why bridges collapse
in the first place. Understanding bridge collapses can lead to major
changes in the design, construction and safety of future building
projects. The following are main reasons why bridges fall.

Fire

Historically, more bridges were made of wood and were much more
susceptible to fire. This was particularly true of old-fashioned train
bridges, where the spark created by the steel wheels and steel tracks
could sometimes cause a bridge to catch fire and burn to the ground.

During construction

A large number of bridge accidents occur during the construction of the

bridge itself. These accidents are often due to an error made by the
engineers, such as a miscalculation. The bridge collapses under its own
weight, and this can be deadly for the workers on it at the time.

Earthquakes

Earthquakes damage all structures, including bridges. Luckily, this kind

of collapse is relatively infrequent, especially with modern bridges.
Engineers have learned to design bridges in earthquake zones on areas
that are much more resistant to movement.
By defect

Some bridge collapses are mysteries, and engineers only realise why
after they conduct a complete investigation. In some cases, this could
happen because inferior-quality material was used in the construction,
or because of a defect in a key piece of the bridge. In other cases, the
bridge was designed only to support a certain amount of weight and no
more.

Boat or train crash

Both of these kinds of accidents are extremely rare, but boats and
trains can cause a bridge to collapse for different reasons. With trains,
it's the velocity of the impact that can bring a bridge down. With boats,
it's the very large mass they have that can bring about the collapse,
even if they are moving very slowly when it occurs.

The best way to avoid bridge failures is to plan for them. Modern
technologies that can detect structural weakness, safer working
environments and better designs can all help to reduce these terrible
accidents.

TEXT XI

The end of life on Earth?

 It weighed about 10,000 tons, entered the atmosphere at a speed
of 64,000km/h and exploded over a city with a blast of 500 kilotons. But
on 15 February 2013, we were lucky. The meteorite that showered
pieces of rock over Chelyabinsk, Russia, was relatively small, at only
about 17 metres wide. Although many people were injured by falling
glass, the damage was nothing compared to what had happened in
Siberia nearly one hundred years ago. Another relatively small object
(approximately 50 metres in diameter) exploded in mid-air over a forest
region, flattening about 80 million trees. If it had exploded over a city
such as Moscow or London, millions of people would have been killed.

By a strange coincidence, the same day that the meteorite terrified the
people of Chelyabinsk, another 50m-wide asteroid passed relatively
close to Earth. Scientists were expecting that visit and know that the
asteroid will return to fly close by us in 2046, but the Russian meteorite
earlier in the day had been too small for anyone to spot.

Most scientists agree that comets and asteroids pose the biggest
natural threat to human existence. It was probably a large asteroid or
comet colliding with Earth which wiped out the dinosaurs about 65
million years ago. An enormous object, 10 to 16km in diameter, struck
the Yucatan region of Mexico with the force of 100 megatons. That is
 the equivalent of one Hiroshima bomb for every person alive on Earth
today.

Many scientists, including the late Stephen Hawking, say that any
comet or asteroid greater than 20km in diameter that hits Earth will
result in the complete destruction of complex life, including all animals
and most plants. As we have seen, even a much smaller asteroid can
cause great damage.

The Earth has been kept fairly safe for the last 65 million years by
good fortune and the massive gravitational field of the planet Jupiter.
Our cosmic guardian, with its stable circular orbit far from the sun,
sweeps up and scatters away most of the dangerous comets and
asteroids which might cross Earth’s orbit. After the Chelyabinsk
meteorite, scientists are now monitoring potential hazards even more
carefully but, as far as they know, there is no danger in the foreseeable
future.

Types of space rocks

• Comet – a ball of rock and ice that sends out a tail of gas and dust
behind it. Bright comets only appear in our visible night sky about once
every ten years.
• Asteroid – a rock a few feet to several kms in diameter. Unlike comets,
asteroids have no tail. Most are too small to cause any damage and
burn up in the atmosphere. They appear to us as ‘shooting stars’.

TEXT XII

FAKE NEWS
• Every time you're online, you are bombarded by pictures, articles,
links and videos trying to tell their story. Unfortunately, not all of
these stories are true. Sometimes they want you to click on
another story or advertisement at their own site, other times they
want to upset people for political reasons. These days it's so easy
to share information. These stories circulate quickly, and the
result is … fake news.
• There is a range of fake news: from crazy stories which people
easily recognise to more subtle types of misinformation. Experts
in media studies and online psychology have been examining the
fake news phenomenon. Read these tips, and don't get fooled!
• 1. Check the source
• Look at the website where the story comes from. Does it look
real? Is the text well written? Are there a variety of other stories
or is it just one story? Fake news websites often use addresses
that sound like real newspapers, but don't have many real stories
 about other topics. If you aren't sure, click on the 'About' page
and look for a clear description of the organisation.
• 2. Watch out for fake photos
• Many fake news stories use images that are Photoshopped or
taken from an unrelated site. Sometimes, if you just look closely
at an image, you can see if it has been changed. Or use a tool like
Google Reverse Image search. It will show you if the same image
has been used in other contexts.
• 3. Check the story is in other places
• Look to see if the story you are reading is on other news sites that
you know and trust. If you do find it on many other sites, then it
probably isn't fake (although there are some exceptions), as many
big news organisations try to check their sources before they
publish a story.
• 4. Look for other signs
• There are other techniques that fake news uses. These include
using ALL CAPS and lots of ads that pop up when you click on a
link. Also, think about how the story makes you feel. If the news
story makes you angry, it's probably designed to make you angry.
• If you know these things about online news, and can apply them
in your everyday life, then you have the control over what to read,
what to believe and most importantly what to share. If you find a
 news story that you know is fake, the most important advice is:
don't share it!

TEXT XIII
THE BRAIN
• There are people who say the most amazing structure on earth is
the human brain. It is so complex that it took about 700 million
years to develop. Humans started out as wormlike creatures that
used one end of the body to move forward. Ever so slowly, a
bunch of nerves began developing at that one end — the head.
These nerves helped the creature to sense light, food and danger.
Eventually, this bunch of nerves became the creature’s brain. To
carry messages from the brain to other parts of the body, the
creature grew a spinal cord. Later, the creature became a fish
with eyes, ears and a nose that could send the brain information
about sights, sounds and smells.

More time passed, and the fish grew arms and legs so it could
move about on land. For this, it needed a larger and more
complex brain. It became an ape-like creature, and the parts of
the brain used for seeing images and being social grew much
stronger. Finally, the ape-like creature became human, with a
brain that was capable of reason, emotion, creativity, memory
and the ability to judge right from wrong.

The human brain is very mysterious. Many questions about the

brain have not yet been answered. For example, why do we need
to sleep or why do we dream? There is a lot about the brain that
we do not yet understand. Believe it or not, people used to think
of the brain as useless stuffing. Of course, we now know the brain
is our control centre. The surface of the brain is called the
cerebral cortex. It is the part of the brain that makes us intelligent,
and it consists of four parts called lobes. The front lobe is where
much of our thinking and feeling happens. The top lobe processes
information which is coming from parts of our bodies, such as our
skin and muscles. The side lobe plays an important role in hearing,
speech and long-term memories while the back lobe processes
images from our eyes.

Which do you think is more powerful: your brain or a

supercomputer? You might be surprised to learn that the world’s
best supercomputer is only about as powerful as half a mouse
brain! Your brain is packed with 100 billion brain cells called
neurons. They send information to your body telling it what to do,
 and they receive information from each of your senses, what you
see, feel, taste, hear and touch. All of this information travels to
and from parts of your body along your spinal cord, which is like a
highway found down the centre of your back. As the information
travels from neuron to neuron, pathways are created. When you
think about or practice something again and again, those
pathways get stronger. That’s how the brain learns and
remembers. Actually, you were born with most of the neurons
you have now, but when you were a baby, you didn’t have many
pathways to connect them. As an adult, you now have more than
125 trillion connections between your neurons. No computer on
earth can compete with the speed of your brain and how much
information it can hold.

TEXT XIV
STRESS

• There is a famous expression in English: "Stop the world, I want to

get off!" This expression refers to a feeling of panic, or stress, that
makes a person want to stop whatever they are doing, try to
relax, and become calm again. 'Stress' means pressure or tension.
It is one of the most common causes of health problems in
modern life. Too much stress results in physical, emotional, and
mental health problems.

There are numerous physical effects of stress. Stress can affect

the heart. It can increase the pulse rate, make the heart miss
beats, and can cause high blood pressure. Stress can affect the
respiratory system. It can lead to asthma. It can cause a person to
breathe too fast, resulting in a loss of important carbon dioxide.
Stress can affect the stomach. It can cause stomach aches and
problems digesting food. These are only a few examples of the
wide range of illnesses and symptoms resulting from stress.

Emotions are also easily affected by stress. People suffering from

stress often feel anxious. They may have panic attacks. They may
feel tired all the time. When people are under stress, they often
overreact to little problems. For example, a normally gentle
parent under a lot of stress at work may yell at a child for
dropping a glass of juice. Stress can make people angry, moody, or
nervous.

Long-term stress can lead to a variety of serious mental illnesses.

Depression, an extreme feeling of sadness and hopelessness, can
be the result of continued and increasing stress. Alcoholism and
other addictions often develop as a result of overuse of alcohol or
drugs to try to relieve stress. Eating disorders, such as anorexia,
are sometimes caused by stress and are often made worse by
stress. If stress is allowed to continue, then one's mental health is
put at risk.

It is obvious that stress is a serious problem. It attacks the body. It

affects the emotions. Untreated, it may eventually result in
mental illness. Stress has a great influence on the health and well-
being of our bodies, our feelings, and our minds. So, reduce
stress: stop the world and rest for a while.