Reading Comprehension Exercises (Spring 2010, Week 2)
Exercise 1: This reading comprehension focuses on social networks. It's followed by key vocabulary relating to social networks and technology and a follow-up quiz to test understanding.
Social Networks
Do the names MySpace, Facebook, Orkut, etc. ring a bell? They probably do because they are some of the most popular sites on the internet today. These sites are all called 'social networking' sites because they help people meet and discuss things online. Each of these social networking sites has its own strengths: MySpace is especially popular among teenagers, Facebook is popular with college age people, Orkut is especially loved in Brazil, and CyWorld is the site to visit in South Korea. The common thread between all of these social networks is that they provide a place for people to interact, rather than a place to go to read or listen to 'content'.
Web 2.0
Social networks are considered to be web 2.0. What does this mean? To understand this, it's important to understand what the original web did (often called web 1.0). Back in the nineties, the internet - or web - was a place to go to read articles, listen to music, get information, etc. Most people didn't contribute to the sites. They just 'browsed' the sites and took advantage of the information or resources provided. Of course, some people did create their own sites. However, creating a site was difficult. You needed to know basic HTML coding (the original language the internet uses to 'code' pages). It certainly wasn't something most people wanted to do as it could take hours to get a basic page just right. Things began to get easier when blogs (from web log) were introduced. With blogs, many more people began writing 'posts', as well as commenting on other people's blogs.
MySpace Surprises Everybody
In 2003 a site named MySpace took the internet by storm. It was trying to mimic the most popular features of Friendster, the first social networking site. It quickly became popular among young users and the rest was history. Soon everyone was trying to develop a social networking site. The sites didn't provide 'content' to people, they helped people create, communicate and share what they loved including music, images and videos. They key to the success of these sites is that they provide a platform on which users create the content. This is very different from the beginning of the internet which focused on providing 'content' for people to enjoy.
Key to Success
Relying on users to create content is the key to the success of web 2.0 companies. Besides the social networking sites discussed here, other huge success stories include: Wikipedia, Digg.com and the latest success - Twitter. All of these companies rely on the desire of users to communicate with each other, thereby creating the 'content' that others want to consume.
Key Vocabulary
social network
to ring a bell
site
strength - weakness
common thread
to interact
content
nineties
internet - web
to contribute
to browse a site
to create
code / coding
blog - web log
post
to comment on
to take by storm
to mimic
the rest was history
platform
to consume
Choose the correct answer to these questions based on the reading selection on the Social Networking Sites. Each question has only one correct answer. There are 10 questions in this quiz. Try to use only 1 minute for each question.
1. Which social networking site was not mentioned in the reading?
a)MySpace
b)LinkedIn
c)Facebook
2. What is Facebook?
a)A blog
b)A content site
c)A social networking site
3. Where is Orkut especially popular?
a)Japan
b)Brazil
c)Thailand
4. Which phrase best describes what people do at social networking sites?
a)They interact with other people.
b)They browse articles and other content.
c)They code pages in HTML.
5. Social networks are considered:
a)Web 1.0 sites
b)Web 2.0 sites
c)Web blogs
6. What was the original web mainly used for?
a)Interacting with other people
b)Browsing content
c)Creating pages in HTML
7. Why didn't many people create web pages in the beginning?
a)They didn't like communicating with others.
b)They didn't feel comfortable coding HTML pages.
c)They didn't know they could create web pages.
8. Which is the best description of web 2.0 sites?
a)They are content driven sites.
b)They are platforms for interaction.
c)They are like blogs, but better.
9. What do web 2.0 sites rely on?
a)Articles written by professional journalists
b)Users creating content
c)Fast internet connections
10. What is most important for these new sites?
a)Users' desire to communicate with each other
b)Users' desire to read interesting content written by professionals
c)Users' desire to learn coding
Exercise 2: The Digital Divide
A recent survey has shown that the number of people in the United Kingdom who do not intend to get Internet access has risen. These people, who are known as 'net refuseniks', make up 44% of UK households, or 11.2 million people in total.
The research also showed that more than 70 percent of these people said that they were not interested in getting connected to the Internet. This number has risen from just over 50% in 2005, with most giving lack of computer skills as a reason for not getting internet access, though some also said it was because of the cost.
More and more people are getting broadband and high speed net is available almost everywhere in the UK, but there are still a significant number of people who refuse to take the first step.
The cost of getting online is going down and internet speeds are increasing, so many see the main challenge to be explaining the relevance of the Internet to this group. This would encourage them to get connected before they are left too far behind. The gap between those who have access to and use the Internet is the digital divide, and if the gap continues to widen, those without access will get left behind and miss out on many opportunities, especially in their careers.
Questions
Q1 - More people in the UK do not intend to get internet access than before.
True False
Q2 - The majority of people in the UK are 'net refuseniks'.
True False
Q3 - Most of those without internet access want to get it.
True False
Q4 - The minority of the people surveyed in 2005 weren't interested in having internet access.
True False
Q5 - The main reason for not getting internet access is the cost.
True False
Q6 - High speed intenet is not available everywhere in the UK.
True False
Q7 - Both costs and speeds are increasing.
True False
Q8 - Many people think that getting the costs down is the key to this problem.
True False
Q9 - The digital divide is widening in the UK.
True False
Q10 - Not having access to the internet will only affect people's careers.
True False
Exercise 3: Making Effective Presentations
Above all know your audience and match what you say to their needs. Creating your presentation with your audience in mind, will assure that your audience will follow you. If your presentation doesn't appeal to your audience - no matter how well you have developed your presentation - your presentation will fall on deaf ears. This leads us to the next rule: Know your material thoroughly. Your material needs to be second nature to you. Practice and rehearse your presentation with friends, in front of a mirror, and with colleagues. If you are speaking in a second language, make sure that you record yourself and listen a number of times before going to practice with a native speaker (if possible).
Remember that you are an actor when presenting. Make sure that not only your physical appearance is appropriate to the occasion, but also the tone you use is well chosen. If your topic is serious, be solemn. However, it's always a good idea to begin your presentation with an ice-breaker. Don't worry about making friends, rather lead the audience through your materials in a calm and relaxed manner. Speak slowly and clearly, and remember to address everyone in the audience - even the person the farthest away from you.
To achieve the above goals follow these tips when giving your presentation:
•Speak with conviction. Believe what you are saying and you will persuade your audience.
•Do not read from notes. Referring to notes is fine, but do so only briefly.
•Maintain eye contact with your audience. Making direct eye contact with individuals will help them feel as if they are participating in your presentation.
•Bring handouts. Don't just use a PowerPoint presentation. Provide audience members with handouts of the most important materials so they can keep your most important take always in mind.
•Know when to stop. This cannot be underestimated. You need to make your case, but continuing for too long will only ensure that the audience forgets what you have said.
Key Vocabulary
Key Vocabulary:
audience - people watching a presentation of some kind
with someone in mind - thinking about a person
to appeal to someone - to speak to someone's interests
to fall on deaf ears - to not be heard
thoroughly - completely, entirely
to be second nature - to do something naturally, with little effort
to rehearse - to practice, repeat a number of times
to record yourself - to make an audio or video recording of yourself
appropriate - in the right place, in good taste
tone - the feeling of a presentation (i.e. funny, serious, etc.)
ice-breaker - a short story or joke to put everyone at ease before you begin
to address someone - to speak to someone
conviction - with belief
to persuade - to convince someone
to refer to notes - to look at your notes while speaking
to maintain eye contact - to look someone in the eyes
handout - sheets of paper with information presented
to make your case - to state information relating to your position
Choose the correct answer to each question. Each question has only one correct answer. There are 10 questions to this quiz. Try to use only 30 seconds per question.
1. What is the most important thing to remember when making a presentation?
a)Match your presentation to the needs of your audience
b)Make sure to wear your best clothes
c)Bring detailed handouts
2. What can the audience do if you have created your presentation with them in mind?
a)Not pay attention because they already know the information
b)Follow your presentation with ease
c)Have fun
3. Who should you rehearse your presentation with?
a)Your family
b)Your colleagues
c)Your friends
d)All of the above if possible
4. If possible, who should you also practice in front of?
a)Your boss
b)A native speaker
c)Your wife
5. What should you do before you practice your presentation in front of others?
a)Take photos of yourself presenting
b)Record yourself presenting
c)Read through your presentation
6. In which situation would jokes not be appropriate?
a)A comedy routine
b)A serious presentation
c)A mixed audience
7. What is the most important thing about speaking?
a)Speak with clear pronunciation
b)Speak quickly
c)Speak with conviction
8. Why should you know when to stop?
a)Because presentations are usually limited
b)Because going on for too long will bore your audience
c)Because you might have a plane to catch
9. You should:
a)Never look an audience member in the eye
b)Try to make eye contact with audience members
c)Wear sun glasses to make sure no one can look you in the eye
10. Handouts are important because:
a)They have your contact information written on them
b)They contain the key take-aways of your presentation
c)They provide pictures that the audience can look at during your presentation
Exercise 4:Pulp Friction
Every second, 1 hectare of the world's rainforest is destroyed. That's equivalent to two football fields. An area the size of New York City is lost every day. In a year, that adds up to 31 million hectares -- more than the land area of Poland. This alarming rate of destruction has serious consequences for the environment; scientists estimate, for example, that 137 species of plant, insect or animal become extinct every day due to logging. In British Columbia, where, since 1990, thirteen rainforest valleys have been clearcut, 142 species of salmon have already become extinct, and the habitats of grizzly bears, wolves and many other creatures are threatened. Logging, however, provides jobs, profits, taxes for the government and cheap products of all kinds for consumers, so the government is reluctant to restrict or control it.
Much of Canada's forestry production goes towards making pulp and paper. According to the Canadian Pulp and Paper Association, Canada supplies 34% of the world's wood pulp and 49% of its newsprint paper. If these paper products could be produced in some other way, Canadian forests could be preserved. Recently, a possible alternative way of producing paper has been suggested by agriculturalists and environmentalists: a plant called hemp.
Hemp has been cultivated by many cultures for thousands of years. It produces fiber which can be made into paper, fuel, oils, textiles, food, and rope. For many centuries, it was essential to the economies of many countries because it was used to make the ropes and cables used on sailing ships; colonial expansion and the establishment of a world-wide trading network would not have been possible without hemp. Nowadays, ships' cables are usually made from wire or synthetic fibers, but scientists are now suggesting that the cultivation of hemp should be revived for the production of paper and pulp. According to its proponents, four times as much paper can be produced from land using hemp rather than trees, and many environmentalists believe that the large-scale cultivation of hemp could reduce the pressure on Canada's forests.
However, there is a problem: hemp is illegal in many countries of the world. This plant, so useful for fiber, rope, oil, fuel and textiles, is a species of cannabis, related to the plant from which marijuana is produced. In the late 1930s, a movement to ban the drug marijuana began to gather force, resulting in the eventual banning of the cultivation not only of the plant used to produce the drug, but also of the commercial fiber-producing hemp plant. Although both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew hemp in large quantities on their own land, any American growing the plant today would soon find himself in prison -- despite the fact that marijuana cannot be produced from the hemp plant, since it contains almost no THC (the active ingredient in the drug).
In recent years, two major movements for legalization have been gathering strength. One group of activists believes that ALL cannabis should be legal -- both the hemp plant and the marijuana plant -- and that the use of the drug marijuana should not be an offense. They argue that marijuana is not dangerous or addictive, and that it is used by large numbers of people who are not criminals but productive members of society. They also point out that marijuana is less toxic than alcohol or tobacco. The other legalization movement is concerned only with the hemp plant used to produce fiber; this group wants to make it legal to cultivate the plant and sell the fibre for paper and pulp production. This second group has had a major triumph recently: in 1997, Canada legalized the farming of hemp for fiber. For the first time since 1938, hundreds of farmers are planting this crop, and soon we can expect to see pulp and paper produced from this new source.
Multiple-Choice Questions
Circle the answer you think is correct.
1. How long does it take for 100 hectares of rainforest to be destroyed?
a) less than two minutes
b) about an hour
c) two hours
d) a day
2. Why is pulp and paper production important to Canada?
a) Canada needs to find a way to use all its spare wood.
b) Canada publishes a lot of newspapers and books.
c) Pulp and paper export is a major source of income for Canada.
3. Who is suggesting that pulp and paper could be produced without cutting down trees?
a) the logging industry
b) the government
c) the environmental lobby
4. Why was the plant hemp essential to world-wide trade in the past?
a) Ships' ropes were made from it.
b) Hemp was a very profitable export.
c) Hemp was used as fuel for ships.
d) Hemp was used as food for sailors.
5. Why do agriculturalists think that hemp would be better for paper production than trees?
a) It is cheaper to grow hemp than to cut down trees.
b) More paper can be produced from the same area of land.
c) Hemp produces higher quality paper.
6. When was hemp production banned in Canada?
a) 1930
b) 1960
c) 1996
d) 1938
7. Why was hemp banned?
a) It is related to the marijuana plant.
b) It can be used to produce marijuana.
c) It was no longer a useful crop.
d) It was destructive to the land.
8. What chemical ingredient of cannabis plants is a powerful drug?
a) Fibre
b) Marijuana
c) THC
9. True or false: Some activists believe that both marijuana and hemp should be legal.
a) True
b) False
10. True or false: Canada has just legalized marijuana.
a) True
b) False