AUGUST 18, 2021 WEDNESDAY

TEXT PURPOSE & AUTHOR

TONE
Strategic flooding is a highly risky tactic. It can only be successful if there’s
a well-thought-out backup plan and a plan for fast repairs. Floods can result
in loss of life and damage homes and businesses, and when the water
remains inland for a long time, it can change the landscape through erosion
and deposition, forming new tidal channels and creeks.
During the Eighty Years War, as the Spanish army fought to recapture
territory in what is now northern Belgium andsouthwestern Netherlands in the
late sixteenth century, the Dutch rebels led by William of Orange decided to
use the low-lying, flood-prone landscape to their advantage. In an attempt to
liberate Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp from Spanish dominance and defend their
territory, the rebels destroyed scawalls at strategic places from 1584 to 1586
to cause deliberate, large-scale floods.
The area flooded during the Eighty Years War became part of a strategic line
of defense and remained inundated for more than 100 years in some places,
with profound consequences for the landscape. The plan got completely out
of hand, and it came at the expense of the countryside of northern Flanders,
now Zeeland Flanders.After the waters receded, a thick layer of clay covered
all remnants of buildings and roads in the area. As sea water was used,soil
salinity increased, affecting agricultural yields, being as damaging as floods
caused by heavy rainfall or storm surges.

What is the author’s purpose in writing this text?

A. To raise questions about the advantages of using strategic flooding

B. To provide practical information on disaster management
C. To present new research findings on security and defense
D. To share a word of advice for successful strategic flooding
E. To argue for certain lines of action on flood control

The tone of the author is best described as?

A. Disastrous
B. Sympathetic
C. Objective
D. Nostalgic
E. Upset
 AUGUST 18, 2021 WEDNESDAY

The old myths about clever animals may have been closer to the truth than
science has been for much of its history. Until fairly recently, animals were
considered to be unthinking machines and humans the only intelligent
species. However, aided by new cognition tests that allow elephants to show.
their intelligence, scientists have discovered human and elephant intelligence
have much in common.
Most contemporary ethologists view the elephant as one of the world's most
intelligent animals. With a mass of just over 5 kg,an elephant's brain has
more mass than that of any other land animal. In addition, elephants have a
total of 300 billion neurons.Elephant brains are similar to humans’ in terms of
general connectivity and areas. The elephant cortex has as many neurons as
a human brain.
Moreover, elephants manifest a wide variety of behaviors, including those
associated with self-awareness, altruism, memory, and communication. It has
been proven scientifically that elephants are self-aware. In one study an
elephant called Happy would touch a white cross painted on her forehead, a
test used to test self-awareness in children. She could only see it in a mirror
and understoodthat she was looking at a reflection of herself.
Elephants also practice altruism. There is a famous story of an Indian
elephant called Chandrasekharan, who was working lifting poles off a truck
as it moved along, and placing them in holes dug in the ground. When
Chandrasekharan came to one hole he refused to put the log in. Eventually
the Mahout checked and discovered a dog sleeping in it. Only when the dog
was gone would Chandrasekharan put the pole in.
Finally, elephants do have long memories. They eat an incredible variety of
foods and need to cover large distances to get it.They need to know where to
go at what time of year. They learn this and remember it. Also, they have
complex communication andsocieties, and they need to remember all the
different individuals’ voices and smells in order to be socially adept.

What is the tone of the paragraph?

A. Playful
B. Critical
C. Objective
D. Empathic
E. indifferent

The author’s main purpose in the second paragraph is to....

A. Define animal intelligence

B. Persuade readers to love and protect elephants
C. Provide an explanation of elephants’ intelligence
D. Inform readers about the findings of several research
E. Contrast elephant intelligence with human intelligence
 AUGUST 18, 2021 WEDNESDAY

A new study that evidences the health and wellbeing benefits of swimming
has been released today by Swim England. The report shows that the unique
benefits of water make it the perfect place for people of all ages to exercise,
particularly those with long term health conditions. The report also found
evidence that swimmers live longer and regular swimming helps older people
stay mentally and physically fit. Importantly, it also showed that participation
in swimming lessons can help children to develop physical, cognitive and
social skills quicker than those who do not have lessons. Swim England
commissioned the independent report and will use the findings to raise
awareness within the health profession that swimming is a safe, cost
effective and viable option to signpost patients. The national governing body
for swimming in England is also calling on the wider health and sports sector
to come together and invest in further research on the impact of physical
activity on mental health and long term conditions.
Jane Nickerson, Swim England CEO, said: ―It is evident from the report that
swimming has enormous potential to support the health and wellbeing of the
nation. The unique properties of water means that unlike other activities, no
one is restricted from taking part. ―The report particularly highlights the
benefits of swimming and aquatic activities for people with mental health
concerns or problems with their joints and muscles. This supports findings
from our Dementia Friendly Swimming project, but is an area where further
research across the health and sports sector is required. ―We will use the
report findings to continue to develop our Health and Wellbeing Model and
our Aquatic Activity for Health qualification. We will also be working closely
with the swimming workforce and health practitioners to increase awareness
of the benefits of swimming and make it a viable option for signposting
patients.ǁ The reports remit was developed by the Swimming and Health
Commission under the Chairmanship of Professor Ian Cumming. The Health
Education England Chief Executive, said: ―The Swimming and Health
Commission was established by Swim England to explore the evidence base
for the health benefits of swimming. The resulting academic report is a
ground-breaking collection of papers that identify striking and robust
evidence for the significant improvements in health and quality of life that
swimming produces.

What is the author‘s attitute toward the passage?

A.Placid
B.Exagerrated
C.Convincing
D.Neutral
E.Optimistic
 5 MINUTES BREAK
Guess this animal name in
english!!!

ZEBRA!!!!!!
 AUGUST 18, 2021 WEDNESDAY

Sugar impacts your white blood cells by competing for space in those cells
with Vitamin C. Some research in the 1970s to discovered that white blood
cells need Vitamin C to destroy bacteria and viruses. Sugar and Vitamin C
are similar in their chemical structure. When you eat sugar, it directly
competes for space in your immune cells with Vitamin C. The more sugar in
your system, the less Vitamin C can get into your white blood cells. Sugar
does not help your immune system fight infection at all, resulting in a
weakened defense from infections. Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables is
a great way to get immune boosting benefits from Vitamin C and other
phytonutrients found in fresh raw foods. The colors of produce give you a
clue for how they help the immune system. Choose orange-colored fruits and
vegetables like carrots and papaya to get more beta carotene, the precursor
your body turns into Vitamin A. This nutrient helps your immune system by
supporting healthy lungs and lymph.
Don't stress out if you find it hard to immediately throw out the sugar and
load up on fresh greens, whole fruits and veggies. Diet changes take time,
and if you want your new healthy habits to stick, be persistent as you try
switching out a large salad for that soda and chips (check ingredients), fast
food sandwich and sweet dessert at lunch. If you normally eat sweet,
processed foods like donuts for breakfast, try replacing it with eggs, mixed
fresh fruit and nuts, or a smoothie with greens, and see how much better you
feel over time. Your taste buds will need a few weeks to get used to changes
in what you're eating. Your body will get over the cravings, which are actually
a symptom of the deficiencies of empty foods, once you have nourished your
body well for a time. As the empty foods leave your body, and you
consistently offer new fresh foods with adequate nutrients, cravings will stop.
In the long term, the more fresh whole foods you eat, the more energy you'll
have and the stronger your immune system will be.

What is the author’s attitude toward the topic of the passage?

A.Considerate
D.Objective
B.Confident
E.Serious
C.Persuasive
 AUGUST 18, 2021 WEDNESDAY

Unlike beloved children’s stories, nature is a cruel, hard world that is

painted not in watercolors but in blood. A study found that chemicals
released by plants as they are eaten can help push caterpillars to
cannibalism. Many plants release the chemical methyl jasmonate when
stressed or damaged. Getting gnawed on by a caterpillar is stressful, so
when the caterpillars start biting, the chemical flare goes up. Other nearby
plants sense the flare and start producing their own methyl jasmonate,
building a chemical camouflage around their leaves and stems. Once all the
food sources taste terrible, caterpillars turn to the next available meal: each
other. Plants with the time to build up a strong defense can make their leaves
so unappetizing that caterpillars will start eating each other to get their fill,
leaving the plant alone.
Researchers now plan to also look into how insect viruses are transferred
during their more carnivorous period. If viruses that harm caterpillars are
transferred more easily by cannibalism, that could be a gain for the plants.
Not only are their leaves protected from pests, but now those predators are
spreading disease amongst themselves, reducing the herbivore population
further. Interestingly enough, cannibalism can serve some important functions
among these herbivores. Eating each other literally takes the competition out
of the food chain, and keeps the surviving population strong in a time when
food might be scarce. Therefore, we should not be too quick to judge these
fuzzy little cannibals. It’s a bug eat bug world out there.

The purpose of this passage is to. . . .

A. convince readers that nature is harsh in reality

B. educate readers not to judge herbivores hastily
C. describe the effect of cannibalism among plant-eating animals
D. explain how caterpillars can behave uncharacteristically
E. inform the readers that cannibalism among herbivores is normal

The tone of this passage is. . . .

A. critical
B. amused
C. objective
D. outraged
E. humorous
 AUGUST 18, 2021 WEDNESDAY

An open office is an open-plan work environment where there are no

enclosed office rooms or walled cubicles for employees. Usually, employees
work in the same room, often beside each other, while seated along a huge
desk or on work stations positioned close together. If a company wants a
collaborative, social, and energetic environment, an open office will help it
achieve it. Open offices are believed to encourage better communication and
teamwork. The disadvantage of this type of open office is the noise which can
prevent employees from working productively. If you have employees working
on tasks that require concentration and quiet space, noise from an open
office can be a huge roadblock to their productivity. To make matters worse,
employees also tend to have different thresholds for noise and concentration.
Open office sometimes leads people to talk less because they feel that their
secret would easily exposed to other employees.
Unlike open offices, closed offices can help minimize distraction allowing
employees to work better and produce quality results. Having walls
surrounding employees while they work prevents distractions and provides an
increased sense of security; the fear of being watched while you work is no
longer relevant. In contrast, a completely open office space without any
barriers can inhibit productivity. Studies have found that open work
environments, with few screens between employees, can lead to increase
employee interruption, reduce levels of concentration and lower levels of
motivation. In closed office, however, it's hard to supervise all employees in
a closed office environment compared to the open-plan layout. Because your
employees are in their own private offices or cubicles, it can be difficult to
understand what everyone is doing. A study found that employees working out
of cubicles had ―the highest rates of unhappiness with their work set-up.ǁ
Open office spaces, on the other hand, tend to be more disposed to
spontaneous brainstorming sessions and informal group conversation. Then,
completely open workspace environments can be noisy, yet foster
collaboration. Closed-off workspaces fall short on cost-effectiveness but
encourage performance.

What is likely the author’s motive in writing the passage?

A.Some employers haven’t yet been open-minded about types of offices supporting
their workers’ comfort.
B.People’s tendency of considering types of offices have shifted from open to closed.
C.Employees need to suit their capability to their work atmosphere.
D.There is a misconception among workers about the difference of types of work site
nuance.
E.Modern people have decided their type of work place goal before they work
 AUGUST 18, 2021 WEDNESDAY

The National Institute of Mental Health defines stress as simply ―the

brain’s response to any demand. Given that definition, not all stress is bad. It
is simply a response. How harmful it ultimately depends on its intensity,
duration, and treatment. In general, there are two major types of stress. The
first type is short-term stress. Short-term stress can improve our productivity.
For instance, stress can help us meet daily challanges and motivates us to
reach our goals. In fact, stress can help us accomplish tasks more efficiently.
Some stress can also help to fortify the immune system. For instance, stress
can improve how our heart works and protect our body frim infection. In one
study, individuals who experienced moderate levels of stress before surgery
were able to recover faster than individuals who had low or high levels.
Another type of stress is long-term stress or chronic stress. Chronic stress
can be dangerous. While all stress triggers psychological reactions, chronic
stress can be specifically problematic because of the significant harm it can
do to the functioning of the body and the brain. Chronic stress can negatively
affect cognitive function, including changes in learning, memory, and
emotional well-being which in turn could potentially contribute to mental
disorders such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD). Moreover, significant levels of chronic stress could increase risk of
stroke, heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Other systems of
the body stop working properly too, including digestive, excretory and
reproductive structures. Toxic stress can impair the body’s immune system
and exacerbate any already existing illnesses. It can seem like stress is an
inevitable part of life, but chronic stress can have real and significant
consequences on the brain. Understanding these effects and how to combat
them can help promote overall health.

The author’s purpose in writing this passage is to ...

A.suggest ways to avoid stress.

B.criticise people’s belief about stress.
C.inform people about the benefits of stress.
D.warn people about the negative effects of prolonged stress.
E.classify some types of stress and how they may affect our health.