Passage 1Digital Cameras[00:]①According to a standard definition, /[00:]a digital camera is a camera that produces digital images /[00:]that can be stored in a computer, displayed on a screen and printed. / [01:]②Years ago people used to possess two different devices /[01:] in order to take pictures and make videos. /[01:]③The creation of digital cameras was motivated mainly by two factors. / [01:]④First, need to spare space. /[01:]⑤Second, make it more comfortable for people[01:]to do both things with higher quality results. /[01:]⑥The multi-functionalism of digital cameras[01:]and the combination of several devices in one /[01:]make it a popular choice for a modern man. /[01:]⑦For years a digital camera has been unaffordable for many families. / [01:]⑧However, the variety of digital cameras and various prices nowadays / [01:]make it possible for almost every single family to buy a digital camera. / [01:]⑨With increasingly fierce competition, /[01:] the digital camera manufacturers satisfy customers[02:]with lower prices but best quality standards.Passage 2The Migration of Birds[00:]①The most obvious feature of birds is that they can fly. /[00:]②This facility gives them great mobility and control over their movements. / [00:]③Many species can travel quickly and economically over long distances—/ [01:]up to thousands of kilometers, /[01:]if necessary, crossing seas, deserts or other inhospitable areas. /[01:]④They also have great orientation and navigational skills, /[01:]and are able to remember and re-find[01:]remote places they have previously visited. /[01:]⑤Birds can thereby occupy widely separated areas at different seasons, / [01:]returning repeatedly to the same localities from year to year. /[01:]⑥Although migration is evident in other animal groups, /[01:]including insects, mammals, and fish, /[01:]in none is it as widely and well developed as in birds. /[01:]⑦The collective travel routes of birds span almost the entire planet. / [01:]⑧As a result of migration, bird distributions are continually changing—/ [02:]on regular seasonal patterns, and on local, regional or global scales.Passage 3Benefits of Becoming a Teacher[00:]①Becoming a teacher gives you a chance /[00:]to spend a major portion of your day with children or youngsters. / [00:]②With kids around,[00:]you are a part of their world of innocence and purity. /[01:]③It indeed creates a healthy work environment for you. / [01:]④On becoming a teacher, /[01:]you get a chance to be with children,[01:]laugh with them, think their way /[01:]and enjoy their innocently silly and healthily naughty behavior. / [01:]⑤Apart from this, the nature of your job is that /[01:]you do not work on weekends and you get your share of holidays. / [01:]⑥Becoming a teacher entitles you /[01:]for receiving private scholarships and sponsorships[01:]for teaching programs. /[01:]⑦However, one of the most important benefits[01:]of becoming a teacher is that /[01:]teachers contribute to the shaping of the future generations. / [01:]⑧They make a difference to society /[01:]by playing a vital role in nurturing young minds.Passage 4Computer[00:]①With the development of computer technology, /[00:]computers are becoming increasingly popular all over the world. / [00:]②The computer is being used in many fields. /[00:]③In industry, business, education, medicine,[01:]nearly all walks of life, /[01:]computers have made their appearance,[01:]providing great speed and accuracy for our work. /[01:]④Computers have been used in the home, offices,[01:]laboratories and research institutions, /[01:]acting as the most efficient and multifunctional instruments / [01:]for calculating, sorting, filing, recording and distributing. / [01:]⑤And they have also become a window[01:]through which we can understand the world better. /[01:]⑥During the past fifty years,[01:]the computer has been rapidly advanced. /[01:]⑦Ever since the computer came into being,[01:]it has experienced the development of several generations. / [01:]⑧The earliest computers were of great size, /[01:]and had no match for the latest electronic computers[02:]in speed and accuracy. /[02:]⑨Now efforts are being made[02:]not only to bring the hardware to perfection, /[02:]but also to improve the quality of the software.Passage 5Computer Addiction[00:]①Nowadays, computer users have started developing [00:]some bad habits regarding using computers, /[00:]which have led to significant problems in their lives. / [00:]②The negative consequences from computer addiction / [01:]are similar to those of many other known addictive disorders / [01:]that cause mental and physical disturbances. /[01:]③As a result, the term “computer or Internet addiction”[01:] has come into use. /[01:]④It is also known as cyberspace addiction[01:]and Internet addiction disorder. /[01:]⑤It's not an easy task[01:]to identify which type of computer addiction[01:]is responsible for most computer addicts, /[01:]as there are many types of computer addictions, /[01:]such as online games, chat, e-mail, online shopping,[01:]online gambling and so on. /[01:]⑥No one knows in the future, /[01:]which technology would attract more people[01:]to become computer addicts. /[01:]⑦However, there are various organizations /[01:]that specifically deal with computer addiction /[01:]and have helped many thousands of people[01:]to get rid of this damaging addiction.Passage 6Listening Skills[00:]①Communication with others involves learning listening skills. / [00:]②It's a good feeling when someone listens to you /[00:]when you're talking to them. /[00:]③It makes you feel like they care about you[01:]and what you're saying. /[01:]④The same respect should be given to people[01:]that are speaking to you. /[01:]⑤Controlling the conversation or interrupting constantly [01:]with your views or suggestions /[01:]is not listening to the other person. /[01:]⑥Listening closely and then responding at the appropriate time [01:]makes a good conversation. /[01:]⑦Making comments at the correct time[01:]lets the speaker know you're interested /[01:]and can help you stay centered on the conversation. /[01:]⑧Asking good questions about the subject[01:]will show you want to know more about it. /[01:]⑨Try not to ask too many questions with the word “why”. / [01:]⑩People might not know the answer[01:]and won't be able to respond to the question. /[01:]⑪Always, let people finish what they're saying /[01:]before you talk about something else.Passage 7Book Review[00:]①The determination of the book review[00:]is to communicate to the readers’ mind /[00:]the ideas and sensations book reviewer experienced /[00:] while researching the content. /[01:]②Professional book reviews are important in all professions. / [01:]③But they are especially important in the sciences, /[01:]which define the specialization of the book reviewer. /[01:]④That is because the basic unit of scientific communication, [01:]the primary research paper, /[01:]is typically five to eight printed pages in most fields, /[01:]which is short and narrowly specific. /[01:]⑤Therefore, to provide a general overview[01:]of a significant slice of science, /[01:]professional writers of scientific books have to[01:]organize and join the reported knowledge in a field /[01:]into a much larger, more meaningful package. /[01:]⑥In other words, new scientific knowledge is made meaningful / [01:]by sorting the bits and pieces into book reviews[02:]to provide a larger picture. /[02:]⑦Thus, the individual plants and flowers,[02:]and even the weeds, become a landscape.Passage 8Television Advertisements[00:]①A television advertisement or television commercial [00:]is a span of television programming /[00:]produced and paid for by an organization[00:]that conveys a message. /[01:]②Advertisement revenue provides[01:]a significant portion of the funding /[01:]for most privately owned television networks. /[01:]③The vast majority of television advertisements today[01:]consist of brief advertising spots, /[01:]ranging in length from a few seconds to several minutes. / [01:]④Advertisements of this sort have been used to[01:]sell every product imaginable over the years, /[01:]from household products to goods and services,[01:]to political campaigns. /[01:]⑤The effect of television advertisements upon the viewing public / [01:]has been greatly successful and pervasive. /[01:]⑥In some countries, like the United States, /[01:]it is considered impossible for a politician[01:]to wage a successful election campaign /[01:]without the purchase of television advertising. /[02:]⑦In other countries, such as France,[02:]political advertising is strictly limited on television. /[02:]⑧Some countries, like Norway, even completely ban it.Passage 9Waste[00:]①Waste is sometimes a subjective concept, /[00:]because items that some people discard may have value to others. / [00:]②It is widely recognized that waste materials[01:]are a valuable resource, /[01:]while there is debate as to how this value is best realized. / [01:]③Governments need to define what waste is /[01:]in order that it can be safely and legally managed. /[01:]④Different definitions need to be combined /[01:]in order to ensure the safe and legal disposal of the waste. / [01:]⑤The European Union has started a discussion /[01:]that will end in an End-of-Waste directive. /[01:]⑥It will clarify the distinction between waste[01:]that shall be treated for disposal /[01:]and raw materials that can be reused for other purposes. / [01:]⑦All over the world, America generates more waste[01:]than any other nation in the world, /[01:]with 4. 5 pounds of municipal solid waste per person per day, / [02:]55 percent of which is contributed as residential garbage. Passage 10Getting Paid to Shop[00:]①Advertising in our days has joined our lives quite well. / [00:]②Getting paid to shop is another form of advertising. /[00:]③A contractor evaluates products and services[01:]offered by various companies /[01:]in order to become known to the public /[01:]with the main purpose to increase their sales. /[01:]④Getting paid to shop,[01:]users have the opportunity to shop favorite products / [01:]like jewelry, handbags, clothes, shoes and other things, / [01:]and create an income[01:] that might later lead them to financial freedom. /[01:]⑤To be more clear and specific, /[01:] anyone who joins a getting paid to shop program /[01:]will have the opportunity to shop things that you wish for free / [01:]while at the end of the campaign[01:]might those things become yours. /[01:]⑥In addition, those companies that offer such opportunity [01:]will pay their members to do that. /[01:]⑦Getting paid to shop is certainly the ideal solution / [01:]that fits perfectly with most women[02:]who like to shop often or see shopping as a hobby.Passage 11Negative Effects of Television[00:]①Spending too many hours watching television[00:]wastes the precious time /[00:]that can rather be spent in fruitful and healthy activities [01:]like exercise or reading. /[01:]②It also uses up the time /[01:]that you can rather spend with your family and friends. / [01:]③Chatting with your near ones,[01:]spending time with your close ones /[01:]is a better way of spending time than watching TV. /[01:]④People watching television,[01:]especially children and youngsters, /[01:]start identifying with what is shown on TV. /[01:]⑤They relate to television shows and films to such an extent / [01:]that they get bored of living a normal and simple life. / [01:]⑥They are eager for fame and money; /[01:]they long for living the lives of their favorite TV characters. / [01:]⑦This may lead to a high amount of dissatisfaction [01:]for the real world. /[01:]⑧As real life is the contrast of the life shown on TV, / [01:]such TV addicts become hungry for power, money and status.Passage 12Culture Shock[00:]①Culture shock isn’t a clinical term or medical condition. / [00:]②It’s simply a common way to describe[00:]the confusing and nervous feelings a person may have / [00:]after leaving a familiar culture[00:]to live in a new and different culture. /[01:]③When you move to a new place, /[01:]you’re bound to face a lot of changes. /[01:]④That can be exciting and stimulating, /[01:]but it can also be overwhelming. /[01:]⑤You may feel sad, anxious, frustrated, and want to go home. / [01:]⑥It’s natural to have difficulty adjusting to a new culture. / [01:]⑦People from other cultures may have grown up[01:]with values and beliefs that differ from yours. /[01:]⑧Because of these differences, /[01:]the things they talk about, the ways they express themselves, / [01:]and the importance of various ideas /[01:]may be very different from what you are used to. /[01:]⑨But the good news is that culture shock is usually temporary. Passage 13Environmentally Friendly Cars[00:]①Environmentally friendly cars are supposed to be[00:]the vehicles of future generations. /[00:]②Nevertheless, such cars exist now /[00:]and are becoming more popular in the modern car market [01:]than traditional vehicles /[01:]which work on fossil fuels. /[01:]③The advantages of such cars[01:]are not only in their lower harmfulness[01:]for the environment and people’ s health /[01:]but also in the lower fuel costs. /[01:]④However, their production is rather expensive, /[01:]so it is still a controversial point /[01:]both for the customers and the automobile manufacturers. / [01:]⑤Although they are more expensive to buy, /[01:]they pay for themselves in a period of about 5 years / [01:]because they consume less expensive fuels. /[01:]⑥The common types of environmentally friendly cars [01:]include electric cars, fuel-cell-powered cars,[01:]crossbreed cars and solar cars. /[01:]⑦And environmentally friendly cars[01:]have become the choice of many people /[01:]who decided to reduce the influence[02:]of burning fossil fuels on the nature.Passage 14The Earth Day[00:]①Our Planet Earth has so much to give us. /[00:]②From the beautiful natural surroundings[00:]to the rich types of creatures, /[00:]Planet Earth has loads of things to offer /[00:]that only make the life more beautiful. /[01:]③However, have you given a thought to[01:]how many individuals actually respect this planet /[01:]④April 22nd is known the world over as Earth Day. /[01:]⑤It is celebrated to create more awareness about our planet / [01:]and situations that we need to take care of /[01:]to ensure our Planet Earth is well loved and cared for. /[01:]⑥As things are, we need to celebrate it on one day /[01:]to remind us of the responsibilities[01:]we need to handle in the coming years. /[01:]⑦The importance of Planet Earth is something /[01:]that should be taught to children in their early years,[01:]at home and in the school. /[01:]⑧Only then will the young and old alike,[01:]understand the issues /[01:]such as global warming, energy conservation[01:]and the importance of recycling.Passage 15Differences Between Chinese and Western Eating Habits[00:]①There are great differences[00:]between Chinese and Western eating habits. /[00:]②Unlike the West, where everyone has their own plate of food, / [01:]in China the dishes are placed on the table and everybody shares. / [01:]③If you are being treated by a Chinese host, /[01:]be prepared for a ton of food. /[01:]④Chinese are very proud of their culture of cuisine /[01:]and will do their best to show their hospitality. /[01:]⑤And sometimes the Chinese hosts use their chopsticks [01:]to put food in your bowl or plate. /[01:]⑥This is a sign of politeness. /[01:]⑦The appropriate thing to do would be to eat whatever-it-is /[01:]and say how tasty it is. /[01:]⑧If you feel uncomfortable with this, /[01:]you can just say a polite thank-you and leave the food there. / [01:]⑨And you should never tap on your bowl with your chopsticks, / [01:]which can be very insulting to the host.Passage 16Artificial Intelligence[00:]①Artificial Intelligence is the intelligence of machines [00:]and the branch of computer science[00:]which aims to create it. /[00:]②Textbooks define it[00:]as the study and design of intelligent agents, /[01:]where an intelligent agent is a system[01:]that perceives its environment /[01:]and takes actions which maximize its chances of success. / [01:]③The field was founded on the claim that[01:]human intelligence can be so precisely described /[01:]that it can be simulated by a machine. /[01:]④The discipline of Artificial Intelligence was born[01:]in the summer of 1956. /[01:]⑤Half of a century has passed, /[01:]and Artificial Intelligence has come a long way[01:]since its beginning. /[01:]⑥It has turned into an important field, /[01:]whose influence on our daily lives[01:]can hardly be underestimated. /[01:]⑦Many specialized Artificial Intelligence systems[01:]exist that are at work in our cars, /[01:]in our laptop computers,[01:]and in our personal and commercial technologies. /[01:]⑧There is no doubt that the impact of Artificial Intelligence [02:]on our lives in the future /[02:]will become even more general and universal.Passage 17Idioms[00:]①An idiom is defined as a group of words /[00:]whose meaning must be known as a whole, /[00:]because it cannot be learned from the meaning[00:]of the same words used separately. /[00:]②Obviously, there is a problem /[01:]when you cannot look up individual words in a dictionary[01:]and find the meaning, /[01:]the usual strategy we all employ[01:]when we come across a word or words that are unfamiliar. / [01:]③With idioms, however, we must learn the group of words. / [01:]④In everyday English, idioms are in common use. /[01:]⑤In fact, idioms are so common /[01:]that most native speakers do not even realize[01:]that they are using idioms. /[01:]⑥It is particularly important to recognize idioms /[01:]when you hear them or read them. /[01:]⑦When you are able to use them comfortably[01:]in your own speech and writing, /[01:]then you have achieved a higher level of mastery /[01:]and fluency in the language.Passage 18Children’s Health[00:]①It seems we have developed[00:]such a fast paced society of convenience /[00:]that kids today don’t play outside much anymore. /[00:]②They would rather stay inside and have things done for them. / [01:]③They spend too much time inside on the sofa /[01:]and neglect any kind of physical activity, /[01:]which causes a state of being inactive and unhealthy. /[01:]④Inactive kids have a higher risk of becoming obese, /[01:]having high blood pressure and a higher risk of heart disease. / [01:]⑤Along with being inactive, /[01:]kids today don’t get enough personal interaction with other kids, / [01:]causing them to have a lack of interpersonal skills. /[01:]⑥Besides, their parents and grandparents[01:]allow children to have everything they want. /[01:]⑦Parents’spoiling only makes for an attitude of selfishness. / [01:]⑧To avoid this situation, parents should encourage their kids [01:]to spend more time out of the house, /[01:]such as playing basketball in a community basketball team. Passage 19Customer Service[00:]①Good customer service is the lifeblood of any business. / [00:]②You can offer promotions and slash prices[00:]to bring in as many new customers as you want. /[01:]③But unless you can get some of those customers to come back, / [01:]your business won’ t be profitable for long. /[01:]④Good customer service is all about bringing customers back / [01:]and about sending them away happy, /[01:]happy enough to pass positive feedback[01:]about your business along to others, /[01:]who may then try the product or service you offer for themselves / [01:]and in their turn become repeat customers. /[01:]⑤If you’re a good salesperson, /[01:]you can sell anything to anyone once. /[01:]⑥But it will be your approach to customer service that determines / [01:]whether or not you’ ll ever be able to sell that person anything else. / [01:]⑦The essence of good customer service[01:]is forming a relationship with customers, /[01:]a relationship that the individual customer feels[02:]that he would like to pursue.Passage 20AIDS[00:]①When AIDS first emerged, /[00:]no one could have predicted[00:]how the epidemic would spread across the world /[00:]and how many millions of lives it would change. /[00:]②There was no real idea what caused it /[01:]and consequently no real idea how to protect against it. /[01:]③Now we know from bitter experience /[01:]that AIDS is caused by the virus HIV, /[01:]and that it can destroy families,[01:]communities and whole continents. /[01:]④However, experience has also shown us[01:]that the right approaches can[01:]and do result in lower national HIV infection rates /[01:]and less suffering for those affected by the epidemic. /[01:]⑤Already, more than twenty-five million people[01:]around the world have died of AIDS-related diseases. /[01:]⑥33 million people around the world are now living with HIV, / [01:]and most of these are likely to die over the next decade or so. / [01:]⑦It is disappointing that the global numbers of people[02:]infected with HIV continue to rise, /[02:]despite the fact that effective prevention strategies already exist. Passage 21[00:]Homeschooling[00:]①More and more parents are feeling /[00:]that the schools are not up to a suitable standard[00:]required to meet their children’s needs. /[00:]②Therefore, homeschooling becomes[00:]an appealing prospect for parents /[01:]who want to rema in in control of their children’s learning. / [01:]③There are both benefits and drawbacks[01:]to homeschooling a child, /[01:]but the positives seem to outweigh the negatives [01:]in the minds of parents. /[01:]④In UK homeschooling has increased in recent years [01:]as the gap between the best-[01:]and worst-performing schools has grown. /[01:]⑤Parents increasingly feel excluded from[01:]their children’s education, /[01:]for schools have turned into examination factories. / [01:]⑥In schools, teaching to the test is the norm, /[01:]instead of allowing children to explore their own creativity. / [01:]⑦Schools need to achieve good examination results [01:]in order to have their higher status recognized, /[01:]which obviously has implications[01:]for the level of funding they receive. /[01:]⑧Hence, it would almost seem that[01:]students are seen as a means to an end, /[02:]rather than as the whole reason for a school’s existence. Passage 22Mail Fraud[00:]①Mail fraud occurs when someone asks for[00:]something of value to be sent through the mail, / [00:]promising something in return, then fails to deliver. / [01:]②Fraud can also be committed by wire, phone, or e-mail, / [01:]but is only considered mail fraud /[01:]when it involves things being sent by mail. /[01:]③This fraud can take the form of[01:]offering a product or service /[01:]which is then not provided or offering employment [01:]that turns out to be a scam. /[01:]④It can also be offering a product or service for a price / [01:]that is already provided for free by the government. / [01:]⑤Sometimes, you may receive an advertisement [01:]for something designed to look like an invoice. /[01:]⑥Some Internet domain registration providers[01:]are known for sending mail to owners of domains / [01:]registered through competing companies, /[01:]urging them to renew their domains. /[01:]⑦But in the process of renewing, /[01:]the domain registration would be transferred[01:]to the provider sending the mail, /[02:]often at a higher cost.Passage 23Online Shopping[00:]①With just a click of the mouse, /[00:]shoppers can buy nearly any product online, /[00:]from groceries to cars, /[00:]from insurance policies to home loans. /[01:]②The world of electronic commerce,[01:]also known as e-commerce, /[01:]enables consumers to shop at thousands of online stores [01:]and pay for their purchases /[01:]without leaving the comfort of home. /[01:]③For many, the Internet has taken the place of[01:]Saturday afternoon window shopping at the mall. /[01:]④Consumers expect merchants to[01:]not only make their products available on the Web, / [01:]but to make payments a simple and secure process. / [01:]⑤However, the same things can go wrong[01:]in cyberspace as in the real world. /[01:]⑥Sometimes it is simply a case of a computer bug [01:]or poor customer service. /[01:]⑦Other times, shoppers are cheated by clever scam artists. / [01:]⑧Therefore, online shoppers need to[01:]take sensible precautions /[01:]to make their online shopping experiences enjoyable and safe. Passage 24Aliens[00:]①For a long time, aliens have often been in the news. / [00:]②They have always been surrounded by mystery / [00:]and interest of people all around the world. /[00:]③People have claimed to have been abducted by aliens. / [01:]④Some have claimed to have actually seen them. / [01:]⑤But is there a sound proof that can prove aliens to be real / [01:]⑥Alien sightings have mostly been accompanied by [01:]sightings of lights in the night sky. /[01:]⑦Some of them have also believed /[01:]that the lights came from the spaceships used by the aliens. / [01:]⑧Disk-like objects traveling across the sky /[01:]have often be en taken as aliens’ vehicles. /[01:]⑨At times, people have found blood or hair at the locations / [01:]where aliens were sighted. /[01:]⑩Researchers say alien sightings could have probably been [01:]a result of human imagination accompanied by fear, / [01:]and some of these sightings might have been[01:]a result of certain astronomical phenomena.Passage 25Traditional Brazilian Clothing[00:]①Brazil is known internationally for its stylish[00:]and sophisticated clothing. /[00:]②Brazilian clothes are comfortable, vivid, beautifully crafted [01:]and decorated with attractive laces. /[01:]③Traditional Brazilian clothing is influenced by[01:]a combination of different races and immigrants[01:]from all over the world. /[01:]④A true traditional Brazilian clothing[01:]can be seen in the countryside, /[01:]where men’s clothing includes shirt, jeans[01:]and dresses made from inexpensive cotton. /[01:]⑤In the south of Brazil, the cowboys wear a distinctive dress [01:]including loose-fitting trousers, /[01:]while in the northeast region they wear coat,[01:]hat and leather trousers. /[01:]⑥In the urban areas of Brazil,[01:]most people prefer modern clothing. /[01:]⑦Young men wear jeans and T-shirts. /[01:]⑧Short skirts and dresses are very popular among women. / [01:]⑨Brazilian jeans are very common /[01:]and they come in a wide variety of styles and textures. / [02:]⑩Jeans made for women are tight-fitting[02:]and loose-fitting near the feet. /[02:]⑪Due to abundance of beautiful beaches, /[02:]beachwear is a very popular clothing in Brazil.Passage 26Water Pollution[00:]①Water pollution is an undesirable change[00:]in the state of water, /[00:]polluted with harmful substances. /[00:]②It is the second most important environmental issue [01:]next to air pollution. /[01:]③Any change in the physical, chemical。