Task 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vijLre760w
0:03
Shrouded in a blanket of clouds they awaken
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Their canopies of green glitter in the sun.
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Their wildlife start to slither.
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Chirp
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And growl
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And one of the planets richest ecosystems
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comes to life.
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Rainforests are the oldest living ecosystems on the planet.
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Some can trace their origins to over 70 million years ago.
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Back to a time when dinosaurs still (1) roamed the Earth.
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While the giant reptiles have disappeared
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rainforests continue to thrive
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growing on every continent except (2) Antarctica.
0:48
Two types of rainforests are scattered across the globe.
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Temperate and tropical.
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Temperate rainforests are mainly found (3) in the mid-latitudes.
0:59
Often near cooler, coastal, mountainous regions.
1:03
Tropical rainforests are primarily located
1:06
in warmer climates between the Tropic of Cancer
1:09
and the Tropic of Capricorn.
1:13
As their names imply, temperate and tropical rainforests
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are the wettest forests on earth
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receiving up to about (4) 33 feet of rain per year.
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This precipitation plays a critical role in creating
1:27
an exceptionally lush and biologically diverse habitat.
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While rainforests only make up about (5) 6%
1:35
of the Earth's surface area, they are home
1:38
to over half of the World's plant and animal species.
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This biodiversity creates benefits
1:45
that extend far beyond the rainforest boundaries.
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Rainforest plants produce (6) an assortment of food items.
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In addition to ingredients useful
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in everyday products and medicines.
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In fact, an estimated 70% of the plants used
2:02
in (7) cancer treatments are only found in rainforests.
2:07
On an even larger scale, rainforests help
2:10
to stabilize the planet's climate.
2:12
It's (8) lush, green vegetation regulate global temperatures
2:17
by absorbing massive amounts of radiation from the Sun.
2:21
They also absorb vast amounts of carbon dioxide
2:24
and convert them into oxygen,
2:26
about 40% of the planet's breathable air.
2:33
Over the past few centuries, rainforests have disappeared
2:36
at an alarming rate.
2:38
Factors such as (9) economic inequalities, human development,
2:43
and demand for natural resources have fueled
2:46
the deforestation of these rich ecosystems.
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At the current rate, rainforests, which have survived
2:53
for over 70 million years
2:56
may completely disappear within the next century.
3:01
But through educational campaigns,
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(10) sustainable logging practices,
3:05
and cooperation with local communities,
3:08
deforestation may begin to slow down
3:11
helping to preserve rainforests
3:13
for many generations to come.

Task 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuDJ6UhuK1U
0:07
when we think about national
0:09
security threats, the first
0:10
thing to come to mind probably
0:12
is not a phone app.
0:13
But the head of the CIA is
0:15
worried about just that with
0:17
the app tiktok.
0:18
>> I mean, I think it is a
0:23
genuine concern for the U.S.
0:25
Government.
0:26
In the sense that because the
0:28
parent company of tiktok is a
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Chinese company, the Chinese
0:32
government is able to, you know,
0:36
insist upon (1) extracting the private data of a lot of tiktok
0:40
users in this country and also
0:42
to chase the --
0:44
to sue the interests of the
0:47
Chinese leadership.
0:47
I think those are real
0:48
challenges.
0:49
>> He calls it, quote,
0:54
troubling.
0:54
And once families to be, quote,
0:56
really careful when it comes to
0:57
kids using tiktok.
0:58
Nearly 20 states now banned
1:01
tiktok on their government
1:02
devices or network.
1:02
Virginia, Montana, Idaho and
1:05
Wyoming are among the latest.
1:06
Right here in Washington, the
1:08
senate this week pass the same
1:10
kind of ban for (2) federal devices.
1:12
But it is not clear if the
1:13
house will do anything.
1:15
The U.S. Military, the state
1:17
department, and homeland
1:18
security are all limiting
1:19
tiktok.
1:20
So, what about the rest of us?
1:22
Tech reporter Stephanie
1:24
Humphrey joins us now.
1:25
All right.
1:26
Stephanie, why are these
1:27
officials and tax acuity expert
1:29
saying we need to get tiktok
1:31
off our phones and tablets?
1:32
>> I think the main reason --
1:36
thank you for having, me by the
1:37
way.
1:38
I think the main reason is
1:39
because tiktok's parent company
1:41
is a Chinese company.
1:43
They are based in Singapore,
1:46
currently.
1:47
And they do have to comply with
1:48
(3) the Chinese government's request for personal data
1:52
If the Chinese government was to
1:54
make that request.
1:55
They would be compelled to --
1:58
the idea that federal employees
2:00
are government employees in
2:02
general could have tiktok on
2:05
their work phones and have
2:07
information on those phones be
2:08
compromised is a valid concern
2:10
I think for people in this
2:11
country.
2:11
>> It is one thing if it is a
2:15
government employee, if it's on
2:16
the work phone.
2:17
But what about a teenager who
2:19
is putting up funny videos of
2:21
dancing or, you know, whatever
2:24
the case may be?
2:25
Why should they worry about
2:26
what the Chinese government
2:27
could see on their phones?
2:28
>> I think the worry is
2:32
probably a little less for sort
2:34
of the average consumer that
2:35
might be using tiktok
2:37
currently.
2:37
I think the main concern in
2:39
that instance is the way that
2:40
the algorithm works and the
2:43
fact that the government could
2:45
have some sort of control over
2:47
what people actually see on the
2:49
app.
2:49
The idea that some contact
2:51
might be censored, but also
2:53
that misinformation might get
2:55
promoted, especially to younger
2:57
people, who don't have (4) a good sense of digital literacy or
3:01
who may not have a better sense
3:03
of digital literacy, could be
3:05
susceptible to manipulation
3:07
with the content that they see.
3:08
>> So, here is how tiktok
3:12
response.
3:12
Quote, we are disappointed that
3:14
so many states are jumping on
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the bandwagon to enact policies
3:18
that based on (5) unfounded, politically-charged falsehoods about
tiktok.
3:22
It is unfortunate that the many
3:24
state agencies, offices, and
3:27
universities --
3:27
will no longer be able to use
3:29
it to build communities and
3:31
connect with constituents.
3:32
Do you see tiktok being able to
3:34
overcome doubts about safety?
3:35
>> Yeah.
3:38
Because I think every other
3:40
social media platform asked on
3:41
the same thing.
3:42
I think with the amount of
3:44
people on the platform right
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now, we are close to about a
3:47
billion users worldwide on
3:49
tiktok.
3:50
And with the amount of creators
3:52
that are making a living on
3:53
this platform, and connecting
3:56
and being educated on this
3:56
platform, I think will be very,
3:58
very difficult to convince