Passage No: One

Pre-Reading activity
How many hours do you think a person works in a week?
Why do people work long hours?
What do you like to do in your free time?

Work Hours
Many people say that they are working too many hours. They don't have enough time with their
families.
They can't take care of things at home. They don't have time to relax.
Work hours vary from one country to another. In France, people spend about 1,646 hours a year
at work. In Japan, however, people work about 2,159 hours a year. That means a Japanese
employee works 513 more hours a year than a French employee. That is more than 12 weeks, or
three months, of extra work! Why do people work so many hours? Some people work extra hours
because they want to earn more money. However, many companies don't pay overtime. Their
employees don't get extra pay for extra work. These people work extra hours because they think
it's
their duty. Some people are afraid they will lose their job if they don't work extra hours. Many
people say that their vacations are too short.
In France, people get five weeks of paid vacation. In Germany, they get from four to six weeks. In
the United States, two weeks of vacation is the average. Many people don't even use all of their
vacation days. In one
study in Great Britain, fewer than half of workers used all their vacation days. In English, people
say, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." If that is true, there are a lot of dull people in
the world.

Put the right word in each blank. The sentences are from the text.
Average dull duty earn employee enough
extra Lose overtime pay vary vacations

1. Some people work extra hours because they want to ______ _ more money.
2. All work and no play makes Jack a _______ boy.
3. However, many companies don't pay ______ _
4. In the United States, two weeks of vacation is the ______ _
5. Work hours from one country to another.
6. These people work extra hours because they think it's their ____ _
7. A Japanese employee works 513 more hours a year than a French
8. They don't have _______ time with their families.
9. That is more than 12 weeks, or three months, of work!
10. Some people are afraid they will their job if they don't work extra hours.
11. Many people say that there are too short.
Questions
1. What do people need more time to do?
2. How many hours a year do people in France work?
3. How many hours a year do people in Japan work?
4. Why do some people work extra hours?
5. Why don't some companies pay overtime?
6. In which country do people get the longest vacations?
7. Why don't people use all of their vacation days?

Write a Short Paragraph (100-150 words):

Write a paragraph answering these questions. Use the following structure:

Topic Sentence: Start with a sentence that states your main idea about work hours and family
time.

Supporting Sentences: Explain how your work hours affect your time at home. Do you feel
rushed or relaxed?

Conclusion: End with a sentence about why it's important to have time for family and relaxation.
Passage No: Two
Pre-Reading activity
1. Who in your family works outside the home?
2. How do they manage work and family responsibilities?
3. Why do you think it is important for companies to be family-friendly?
Family-Friendly Companies
In many families today, both the mother and the father have jobs outside the home. This can make
it difficult to take care of the children. To help, some
companies are changing the work rules. These companies are trying to be more family-friendly.
What are companies doing to become family friendly?
Many companies are allowing their employees to work flexible hours. With flexible hours, or
flextime, people can work full time, but they don't have to work a nine-to-five schedule. Some
employees choose to come in early and leave early. Some employees choose to work ten hours
one day and six hours the next. Most companies say that flexible hours increase productivity. In
the United States, about one-third of full-time employees have flexible
work schedules. Family-friendly companies also allow two employees to share one job. Each
employee does half the job and gets half the salary. In the United States, 27% of companies offer
some kind of job sharing. Many family-friendly companies also give paid leave to both parents
when a baby is born. In many countries, employers have to give female workers time off before
and after the birth of a child. In the United States, for example, female employees get 12 weeks of
unpaid time off. New mothers can stay at home, but they don't get their salary. In some countries,
employers have to give all workers paid leave for the
birth of a child. In Finland, for example, both male and female employees get paid leave. Women
get 105 days of paid leave and men get 42! The way people work is changing. For many people,
that is a good thing.

Vocabulary: New Context

Put the right word in each blank. These are new sentences for words in the text.
Allow Flexible Time off share female choose full-time male
employers schedule leave increase salary rules unpaid
1. Do you want a ________ job or a part-time job?
2. Did your parents you to work when you were in high school?
3. Reading helps to _______ your vocabulary.
4. In the past, most pilots were, but today there are many pilots.
5. Do you know the _______ for American football?
6. Who has a more body-a 15-year-old boy or an 80- year-old man?
7. Do you take _______ every year? How many days of paid _______ do you get?
8. Is it important to teach children to _______ things with their friends?
9. Where can I get a bus _______?
10. Do you think people should _______ their own name?
Discussion questions
What are flexible work hours?
What is job sharing?
Why are some companies becoming more family-friendly?
Why do employers like flexible work hours?
Why do employees like flexible work hours?

Writing activity
Describe your ideal job. Would you like flexible hours or job sharing? Why?
Passage No: Three

Pre-reading discussion
1. What do you wear to school? Is it a uniform or casual clothes?
2. Do you think wearing uniforms is good? Why or why not?
3. What kind of clothes do you think are appropriate for an office job?
4. How do you feel when you wear comfortable clothes?

Work clothes
For some people, it's easy to get dressed for work. Pilots and police officers, for example, don't
have to make decisions about their work clothes. They wear uniforms to work every day. For many
office workers, however, it is more difficult to choose clothes for work. They do not wear uniforms
to the office. Also, many employers are changing their dress codes. They are allowing their
employees to wear casual clothes to work. The change to casual work clothes began in the 1990s.
At first, many companies in the United States allowed employees to wear casual clothes on one
day of the Week-Friday. Friday became "Casual Friday" or "Dress-down Friday." Today, however,
many companies are allowing their employees to wear casual clothes every day of the week. Why
a company’s allowing their employees to wear casual clothes? Some studies show that people are
more productive when they are wearing comfortable clothes. Employees also like the casual dress
code because they don't need to buy special clothes for work. They can save money this way.
Unfortunately, a casual dress code can also cause problems. Sometimes employees dress too
casually. They think they can wear anything. Many companies have rules about casual clothes.
They list the kinds of clothes that are not "business-casual" clothes. Blue jeans, sandals, and
sportswear are examples of clothes that are usually too casual for the office.
Vocabulary Exercise
Match each word in Column A with the word in Column B that means the opposite. Write the
letter on the line following the word in Column A.
Column A Column B
1. boring ______ a. leave
2. interesting _____ b. public
3. earn ______ c. dull
4. private ____ d. love
5. country ____ e. exciting
6. hate _____ f. calm
7. nervous ___ g. spend
8. stay ____ h. city
Discussion Questions
1. Do you prefer wearing uniforms or casual clothes? Why?
2. What rules do you think are important for a casual dress code?
3. How do you think dressing casually every day could change the atmosphere in an office?
4. What types of clothes do you think are too casual for an office? Give examples.
Passage No: Four

Pre-Reading Discussion
1. What do you think makes an adventure exciting?
2. Have you ever been on a boat or gone sailing? What was it like?
3. Do you think there are activities that are too dangerous for children? Why or why not?
4. What do you think about children traveling alone? Is it safe or not?

Sailing Alone
In 1996, Subaru Ta kahashi sailed alone across the Pacific Ocean. Many other people did this
before Subaru, but he was special. At age 14, he was the youngest person to sail across the Pacific
by himself. Subaru left To kyo on July 22, 1996. His boat was 30 feet (9 meters) long. In the boat
he had a two-month suppiy of food and water. He also had a radio and other
modem equipment for sailing. The beginning of the trip went very well. Subaru often talked to
his parents by radio. He didn't have any problems with his boat. Then, on August 11, the engine
in his boat quit. Suddenly, Subaru was without electricity. This affected his navigation
equipment.
Then, five days later, his radio quit. Now he wasn't able to communicate with anyone. And he
was still 2,770 miles (4,490 kilometers) away from his destination San Francisco. By the end of
August, many people believed that Subaru was lost. No one was able to contact him by radio. His
parents expected him to arrive in San Francisco on September 3, but he didn't. Then, on September
13, Subaru sailed into San Francisco. After 55 days in his boat, his trip was finally over. Many
people believe that Subaru was too young to sail alone. They say that parents shouldn't allow
children to make such dangerous trips. However, other people say that children should have
adventures, too. What do you think?

Reading Comprehension: Put a circle around the letter of the best answer.
1. Subaru's trip was unusual because he __ _
a. was brave b. was very young
c. was comfortable d. didn't have a radio
2. When Subaru left Tokyo, he did not have in his boat.
a. his parents b. navigation equipment
c. a radio d. food and water
3. At the beginning of the trip, Subaru __
a. had terrible weather b. didn't have a radio
c. didn't have any problems d. didn't eat well
4. When his radio quit, Subaru __ _
a. called his parents b. went back to Japan
c. continued his trip d. turned on the electricity
5. Subaru's trip was __ _
a. from Tokyo to San Francisco b. around the world
c. from San Francisco to Tokyo d. from south to north
1. Do you think 14 is too young to undertake such a journey? Why or why not?
2. What responsibilities do parents have when allowing their children to go on adventures?
3. How can children balance the desire for adventure with the need for safety?
4. Why was communication important for Subaru during his journey? How did the loss of
communication affect him?
5. What do you think Subaru learned from this experience? How might it affect him in the
future?
Passage No: Five
Jobs That Help Us

Many people work in jobs that help us every day. They make
our lives easier and safer. Let’s talk about some of these jobs.
Doctors are very important for our health. They look after us
when we are sick. If we get hurt, they help us feel better.
Doctors work hard to make sure we can live a healthy life.
Teachers help us learn new things. They teach us how to read
and write. Good teachers show us how to count and share.
They prepare us for life and other jobs. Police officers keep us safe. They work day and night.
They catch people who break the law. Police officers also help us when we are in trouble. Fire
fighters are brave. They fight fire and save people. They also teach us how to stay safe from fire.
Fire fighters work as a team to protect us. Mechanics fix our cars when they break down. They
check the engines and change the oil. Mechanics keep our cars running well. This way, we can go
to work and school. Cleaners are important too. They make sure everything is clean. Our schools,
hospitals, and streets look nice because of cleaners. A clean place is a happy place to be. All these
jobs are very helpful. They make our lives better every day. We thank them for their hard work.

Pair work
1. How do doctors help us when we are hurt?
2. What do teachers teach us besides reading and writing?
3. When do police officers work?
4. What do fire fighters do apart from fighting fires?
5. Why is it important for mechanics to fix our cars?
Passage No: Six

Pre-Reading activity
1. What is plastic
2. Why do you think it's important to take care of our planet?
3. Have you ever noticed plastic waste in your environment?

End Plastic Pollution

Our Planet
We only have one planet and so we need to take care of it. This means being responsible for
looking after the earth, along with the plants, animals, birds, sea creatures and everything in it. We
also need to make sure we don’t damage it in anyway. Unfortunately, the earth and its living things
have been damaged in many ways. One major damage has been caused through plastic pollution.
This has had a huge impact on the earth and many animals but luckily, there are things we can do
to help.

Humans buy and use a lot of plastic The amount of plastic on the planet is
because it is cheap and easy to make. increasing more and more rapidly,
meaning it is threatening our planet
They then throw this away. through:
Plastic is strong because it was made injuring sea life;
to last. So when it is thrown away, it
littering beaches and landscapes;
takes hundreds of years to rot away.
clogging rubbish dumps;
Lots of the plastic ends up in our
making humans (and other animals) ill.
streams, rivers and the ocean.

Did You Know…?

There are 6.3 billion tons of plastic waste on earth.
Plastic bags are killing over 100,000 marine animals and birds every year.
What Can You Do to ‘End Plastic Pollution’?
The Three Rs: First Reduce, Then Reuse, Then Recycle
There are lots of things we can all do to help end plastic pollution.
Reduce: Avoid single-use plastics, such as straws and takeaway cups. Talk to your family, head
teacher or school council about how your school and family can reduce their plastic use.
Reuse: Instead of buying new ones, refill and reuse water bottles and lunch bags. Use fabric bags
for carrying shopping, rather than plastic bags.
Recycle: Always recycle plastic when you can instead of throwing it away with the normal
rubbish.
 Questions
1- Which of the following should we help to care for? Tick two.
a- animals b- computers c- each other d- nothing – it’s someone else’s responsibility
2- Why do humans buy lots of plastic? Tick two.
a- It can be very colorful. b- It’s cheap.
b- It’s easy to make. d-It is good for your health.
3- How many billion tons of plastic waste are there on earth? Tick one.
a- 1970 b- 6.3 c- 100,000 d-190
4- Which of these is not a way you can help? Tick one.
a- reduce b- remake c- reuse d- recycle

Writing activity
What do you think you could do to help end plastic pollution?
Passage No: Seven
Pre-reading Discussion

1. What do you know about Europe as a continent?

2. Can you name some countries that are part of Europe?
3. Have you ever heard of Mount Olympus or Mount Vesuvius?
4. What comes to mind when you think of these mountains?
5. Why do you think mountains are important in a country?

Europe Natural Features

Europe is one of the seven continents. The other six are North America, South America, Africa,
Asia, Australia and Antarctica. A continent is a group of countries in the same area of the planet.
Countries in Europe include the United Kingdom, France, Holland and Greece. All over Europe
there are plenty of examples of human and physical landmarks. Some of the most famous physical
landmarks are mentioned below.
Mighty Mountains
In Greek mythology, Mount Olympus was the home of the gods and the
throne of Zeus, the head god. It is the highest mountain in Greece,
reaching 9,570 feet (2,917 meters) tall. You can usually see the mountain
covered in snow for seven months every year between November and
May, the wettest season. The rain is caused by a thick blanket of clouds
that cover part of the mountain.

Violent Volcano
Mount Vesuvius is an active volcano found in Italy, only nine miles from
the city of Naples. It has erupted many times, most recently in 1944. The
most violent eruption recorded happened in 79AD killing thousands of
people and completely burying the nearby cities of Pompeii and
Herculaneum.
Raging Rhine
The Rhine is one of the longest and most important rivers in Europe. It is
over 1,232 kilometers (766 miles) long. Its source is in Switzerland and
continues to flow through six countries in total before exiting into the
North Sea. The river has been used for trade for many years, even as far
back as the Roman era over 2,000 years ago. The river is still used for
transporting goods today, and many towns have been built along the river
to support the many businesses.
 Questions
Read the information sheet and answer these questions in full sentences.
1- What is a continent?
2- What is a natural feature?
3- In which month would you not see snow on Mount Olympus?
4- What is an 'active' volcano?
5- What year did Mount Vesuvius last erupt?

Writing activity
Write a paragraph about natural feature of your country.
Passage No: Eight

Pre-Reading Activity
Why do you think fossils are important for understanding history?
What do you imagine finding a fossil would be like?
What are some things you hope to learn about fossils and dinosaurs from the reading?

Fossils
Fossils are shapes of dead animals and plants that lived millions of years ago made
in rock. Usually when something dies it is eaten or decays and disappears.
However, when an animal or plant dies it can get covered over and, over millions
of years, become a fossil.

Dinosaurs
 Fossils are really important to know what happened a long time ago.
 Without fossils we would not even know that dinosaurs existed!
 People who study fossils are called paleontologists.
 Paleontologists started studying fossils 200 years ago, so we’ve
only known about dinosaurs for 200 years!

How a fossil is made?

When a plant or animal dies, their body can sink into mud or be buried by sand. This usually
happens at the bottom of the sea. When this happens it doesn’t disappear. When it is underground,
water and minerals leak into the bones and where bits of body used to be. This makes a hard shape.
Next, the fossil gets squashed under more layers of sand, mud and other bits that make sedimentary
rock. Finally, over many, many millions of years a fossil is created for someone to dig up one day.

Discussion questions: Discuss the following questions with your partners.

1. What are fossils, and how do they form? Can you summarize the process in your own words?
2. Why do you think fossils are important for understanding the history of Earth and its living
organisms?
3. What role do fossils play in our knowledge of dinosaurs? How would our understanding
change without them?
Passage No: Nine
Pre-reading questions
1. What do you know about Ramadan?
2. What comes to mind when you think about ‘fasting’?
More than a billion Muslims observe the holy month of Ramadan. This month is an
extra special time for Muslims around the world. How is the holy month observed?

The blessing Month of Ramadan

What is done during Ramadan?

Billions of Muslims around the world fast throughout the 9th month of the Islamic calendar. They
do not have anything to eat or drink from dawn to dusk. Fasting is one of the Five Pillars of Islam.
Fasting is done to show gratitude for the blessings received. It can be quite challenging, so children,
pregnant women, and those who are sick are excused from fasting.

This period is also about charity and generosity, so some people dedicate lots of time to doing
good deeds, for example making donations. The belief is that it is easier to do good during
Ramadan. It’s also a time to give up bad habits, practice self-discipline in order to become better
individuals, this is done through prayer and reflection. Many people spend more time reading the
Qur’an, the holy book of Islam. For many, Ramadan is a time for people to come together, a meal
called Iftar is shared in the evening to break the daily fast.
What happen at the end of Ramadan?
The end of Ramadan is celebrated with the ‘festival of breaking the fast’, Eid
a l-Fitr. The festival is three days; it is a wonderful occasion. On the first day
of the festival, people go to the mosque in the morning to pray. This is followed
by friends and family gathering to share a big meal and exchange gifts.

Comprehension questions
1. During which month of the Islamic calendar is Ramadan observed?
2. Is everyone expected to fast during the holy month?
3. What does it mean ‘to be generous and do good deeds’?
4. How do Muslims work to become better people during Ramadan?
5. What does to give up mean?

Writing activity
What are some things you can do to practice self-discipline in your daily life?
Passage No: Ten
Pre-Reading Activity
1. What do you like most about school?
2. What subjects do you enjoy, and why?
3. How do you feel about your teachers and classes?
4. What memorable experiences do you have from school?
Our school time
Luis I hated school when I was younger because I thought it was really boring and
I didn’t like my teachers. However, that changed when I started high school because
I was put in classes that were more challenging and I loved my new teachers.
Everyone in my classes was on the same level as me, so we worked hard together
and got great marks in all our exams. My favorite subjects were math and biology
because we always did something different in lessons - one time, we studied cells and went on a
class trip to a university laboratory!

Palmira I always loved going to school when I was younger, especially primary school
because I loved drawing pictures and playing with my friends in the playground.
However, when I went to high school, I was a little embarrassed because my mum
was my English teacher! All my friends loved her lessons because they were
interesting, but I preferred music and drama. Now, I perform in school concerts every
month or so because I want to continue studying those subjects when I go to university.

Alex My high school was really far away from my house, so my mum and dad had
to take me and my brothers in the car. That meant we had to wake up at 6 a.m. every
day and we were really tired during lessons. Once, I fell asleep during a school
concert because I was exhausted from travelling and studying for exams! My favorite
subject was ICT because the teacher was funny and I was really interested in
computers and technology.

Group discussion
1. How did they feel about school?
2. What were their favorite subject and why?
3. What were their memorable experience?

Writing Activity
Write a short paragraph reflecting on you own school experiences.

1. What was your favorite subject in school and why?

2. How have your feelings about school changed over time?
3. Describe a memorable experience you had in school.
Passage No: Eleven

1. What do you know about icebergs? Where do they come from?

2. Have you ever heard of icebergs causing problems for wildlife? What do you think might
happen?
3. Why do you think scientists study icebergs? What can they learn from them?

World’s largest iceberg collision

The biggest iceberg in the world, A23A, is moving quickly toward South Georgia, a British island
with many penguins and seals.
This iceberg broke away from Antarctica in December and is now in ‘Iceberg Alley,’ a place where
icebergs often break apart. Sailors, fishermen, and scientists are using satellites to follow it because
it might block important feeding areas for animals. When such collisions happened before, they
caused many birds and seals to die.
Scientists are studying the iceberg to understand how it changes the ocean. This iceberg broke
away a long time ago, so it may not be from climate change, but global warming could cause more
icebergs like this in the future. It is dangerous for wildlife but also gives researchers
an opportunity to learn.
Discussion: Discuss the following questions with your partner.
1. What are the potential impacts of the iceberg A23A on the wildlife in South Georgia?
2. How might scientists study the iceberg's effects on the ocean?
3. What role does global warming play in the formation of icebergs like A23A?
4. Why is it important for researchers to monitor icebergs?

Writing

What surprised you most about the iceberg and its potential effects? Why do you think this
information is important for understanding climate change?
Passage No: Twelve
Pre-reading activity
1. What do you know about antibiotics? How do they work?
2. Why do you think antibiotic resistance is a problem?
3. Have you heard of any tests used to diagnose infections? What are they?

People use too many antibiotics

Antibiotic resistance is a big health problem worldwide because people use antibiotics too much
or wrongly.
Many prescriptions are incorrect because of the wrong type, amount, or time of use. To help,
experts are trying new tests like a finger-prick test and throat swab. The finger-prick test shows
how bad an infection is and if bacteria cause it. It gives results in 2–3 minutes, which means that
doctors can decide quickly about what pills to use. The throat swab finds specific bacteria like
Group A Streptococcus.
Tests like these can lower the use of antibiotics by 40–60%. Although they are helpful, the finger-
prick test needs more research to check its cost and use. If it is successful, these tools can reduce
resistance and save lives.
Post-Reading activity
1. What are the main reasons for antibiotic resistance?
2. How can new tests like the finger-prick test and throat swab help reduce antibiotic misuse?
3. What are the potential benefits of using these tests in medical practice?
4. What challenges might arise in implementing these new testing methods?
5. How can individuals contribute to combating antibiotic resistance?
 Passage One
Work
Hours
Families
Vacation
Overtime
Duty
Extra
Relax
Employees
Marks
Exams
Passage Two
Family-friendly
Flexible
Employees
Job sharing
Paid leave
Unpaid
Responsibilities
Passage Three
Uniforms
Casual
Dress code
Productivity
Comfortable
Business-casual
Rules
Passage Four
Adventure
Sailing
Communicate
Lost
Journey
Responsibilities
Dangerous
Passage Five
Doctors
Teachers
Police officers
Fire fighters
Mechanics
Cleaners
Help
Important
Passage Six
Plastic
Pollution
Environment
Reduce
Reuse
Recycle
Responsible
Waste
Passage Seven
Continent
Natural features
Mount Olympus
Mount Vesuvius
Landmarks
Rivers
Passage Eight
Fossils
Dinosaurs
Paleontologists
Process
History
Important
Living organisms
Passage Nine
Ramadan
Fasting
Charity
Generosity
Self-discipline
good deeds
Passage Ten
School
Subjects
Teachers
Experiences
Favorite
High school
Friends
Classes
Passage Eleven
Iceberg
Collision
Global Warming
Ecosystem
Research
Wildlife
Passage No Twelve
Antibiotic
Resistance
Prescription
Infection
Bacteria
Test
Finger-prick test
Throat swab
Misuse
Health Problem