COMPRENSINESCRITANIVELSLP1

1.SolarStormsThreatenEarthsTechnologyandGadgets
CBBCNewsround.Feb222011.
EruptionsontheSunssurfacecouldbeadangertothegadgetsweusebackhereonEarth.
Lotsoftechnologydependsonsatellitesliketrackingsystemsincarsatnavsandinmobile
phones.Butexpertssayspacestormscoulddamagethesesatellites,affectingthegadgetsthat
relyonthem.Itmeansthatgovernmentsandtechcompaniesarenowworkinghardonways
todealwiththisproblem,beforethenextsolarstormhappens.ThelasttimetheSunwasvery
activewasabout10yearsago,whenthetechnologyweusedeverydaydidntrelyonsatellites
quiteasmuch.ButscientistssaytheSunwillbecomemoreactiveagaininthenextfewyears.
Andasthegadgetsweusenowdependmoreonsatellitesthanbefore,theycouldbeaffected
alot.
Accordingtothereport;
a)
b)
c)
d)

Moderntechnologyisaffectedbythesun.
Thegadgetswecurrentlyuseareindependentofsatellites.
Asolarstormwillhappenintenyears.
Thesunislessactivethanitwaspreviously.

2.NewZealandSilentforChristchurchEarthquakeMemorial
March12011.CBBCNewsround.
AtwominutesilencehasbeenheldinNewZealandtorememberthosewhodiedinthe
Christchurchearthquake.Itwasheldexactlyaweekafterthecountryssecondlargestcitywas
firststruckbythetremors,at12.51pmonTuesdayFebruary22.Sofar,155peopleareknown
tohavediedinthequakeasbuildingsfelltorubblearoundthem,butofficialsfearthat
numberwillrise.Dozensofpeoplearestillmissingandtherehavebeenseveralaftershocks.
TheearthquakeisNewZealandsdeadliestdisasterin80years.
TheearthquakeinNewZealand;
a)
b)
c)
d)

Occurredinthecountrysbiggestcity.
Wastheworstdisasterever.
Wastheworstdisasterinmanyyears.
Happenedclosetomidnight.

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3.GovernmentWanttoMoveTimeForwardOneHour
FirstNews.February242011.
Eveningsmaygetlighter,andmorningsdarker,iftheGovernmentdecidestomoveclocks
forwardanhour.Alotofpeople,includingenvironmentalandroadsafetycampaignersand
thetouristindustry,wantourclockstobemovedforwardanhoursothateveningsarelighter.
Thetouristindustrysaysitwouldbringmorevisitorstothecountry,creatingmorejobsand
money.Roadsafetycampaignerssayfewerpeoplewouldbeinjuredontheroadsbecause
afternoonrushhourhasbeenfoundtobemoredangerousthanthemorningrushhour.
Environmentalistsarguethattheclocksmovingforwardwouldbegoodfortheenvironment
becauseelectricityusewouldbereduced.
Oneeffectofmovingtimeforwardcouldbe;
a)
b)
c)
d)

Anincreaseintheuseofelectricity.
Fewerroadaccidents.
Lightermornings.
Longerworkinghours.

4.DeadFishWashUpinCalifornia
CBBCNewsround.March92011.
Millionsofsmall,deadfishhavewasheduponamarinainCaliforniaintheU.S.A.The
anchovies,sardines,andmackerelcoatedthesurfaceoftheKingHarborMarinainRedondo
Beach,nearLosAngeles,attractingflocksofbirds.Thegovernmentthereisworrieditwill
causeabigpublichealthhazard.Itsthoughtthefishdiedduetolackofoxygen.Thecarcasses
willnowberecycledbyturningthemintofertilizer.
Thedeadfish;
a)Arecausingahealthhazard.
b)Willbeusedascompost.
c)Werefoundatsea.
d)Arecausingbirdstodie.

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5.PlasticBagUseinBritainisontheRise
FirstNews.Feb72011.
NewGovernmentfiguresshowthatthenumberofplasticbagspeopleuseinBritainisonthe
rise.Britaindoesnthavearulethatmakesshopschargeforcarrierbags.Insteadretailershave
pledgedtoreducethenumberofbagstheygiveout.However,itlookslikepeoplearenot
beingdiscouragedtotakeplasticbagsandactuallyusedmorein2010thantheydidinthe
previousyear.ThepictureisverydifferentinIreland.In2002ataxwasputonplasticbagsso
customerspayforbagsattheshoptill.Thishasresultedinamassivedropinthenumberof
carrierbagsbeingused.InIrelandeachpersonused11bagsamonthin2002.Thisfelltojust
twobagsamonthby2009.IntheU.K.shoppersusenearly8bagsamonth.
Accordingtothereport;
a)
b)
c)
d)

PlasticbagsarefreeinIreland.
PeopleareusinglessplasticbagsinEngland.
PlasticbagsarefreeinEngland.
PeopleareusingmoreplasticbagsinIreland.

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ANSWERS

1.a)
2.c)
3.b)
4.b)
5.c)

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