Read the article. Circle the correct meanings of the highlighted words and phrases.

By 2050 the world’s population is expected to reach 10 billion, and nearly 70 per cent of these people will live in cities. The cities of the future wili be ‘smarter’ and more sustainable to cope with a growing population and improve people’s lives.

A smart city is amodern urban area that uses a range of technologies to provide services, solve problems, and support people better. The new technologies can help save time by predicting changes in the traffic and warning people of possible traffic jams. They will also help cities operate more efficiently. For example, street lights can turn off when the streets are empty, and sensors can inform waste collection teams when the bins are full. These smart technologies will help save energy, reduce air pollution, and fight climate change.

Cities in the future will also be sustainable. They will include a lot of green space and become home to more plants and animals. Making room for biodiversity and nature can be done in various ways including underground and rooftop farming, green roofs, and roof gardens. As people will care more about the environment, most cities will use renewable and clean energy. Modern infrastructure will also be more eco-friendly. Computer-controlled transport systems like electric buses and trains will produce less greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, more pedestrian zones for walking and cycle paths will be made available for people in all neighbourhoods.

These features will make future cities more liveable and will provide a high quality of life to city dwellers.

1. operate more efficiently

A. to work better without wasting time, money, or energy

B. to control a machine without wasting resources

C. to cut a body open for medical reasons in a more careful way

2. sensors

A. devices that can react to light, heat, or pressure

B. instruments that can be played by people

C. devices for discovering rubbish

3. pedestrian zones

A. areas for cars only

B. areas for electric buses

C. areas for walking only

4. liveable

A. suitable for farming

B. nice to live in

C. good for the environment

Read the article. Match the highlighted words and phrases with their meanings.

Teen's life

I don't want to be the odd one out!

"My parents don’t want me to hang out with my friends from school. They think those friends have a bad influence onme. They aren’t happy that instead of going home after school, we go to games centres to play video games. But I think it’s fun, and! don’t want to lose my friends," Thanh, 17.

“One day I coloured my hair and painted my finger nails. My parents got so angry with me. I know that this is not allowed at school, but all the girls in my group of friends did the same. I don’t want to be the odd one out!" Van, 16.

[ A ] The emails we have received from teenagers this week point to the effects of peer pressure, which is when you do things because you want to be accepted or valued by your friends. If teens fail to do what their group of friends want them to do, they may not be accepted or may even be bullied.

[ B ] In many cases, peer pressure can lead to depression, low self-confidence, distance from family and poor school performance. It can also lead to bigger social issues. It was reported that 70% of teenage smokers surveyed in the US said that they started smoking because they had friends who were smoking.

[ C ] It is not always easy to stand up to peer pressure, but sooner or later you need to decide what is best for you. Choose the right friends, learn to say no when you don’t feel comfortable and don’t hesitate to talk to an adult when the situation looks dangerous. And remember it’s sometimes OK to be "the odd one out". 

Read the article. Solve the crossword with words and phrases from it.

DOWN

1. (Section A, noun) the things from which something is made

ACROSS

2. (First paragraph before Section A, noun phrase) the number of years that a person is likely to live

3. (Section A, noun) things to keep a living thing alive and help it grow

4. (Section B, phrasal verb) do physical exercise

Life expectancy has generally increased over the past few decades, and some people enjoy a longer and healthier life than others. One possible explanation is that they have healthy lifestyle habits. So how can you develop these habits?

A.­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_____________

Start by looking at food labels, paying attention to ingredients and nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals. Avoid having food with too much salt or sugar, such as fast food. Furthermore, add more fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet, and remember to eat a big breakfast and a small dinner.

B.___________

If you have not been very active, start exercising slowly, but regularly. To begin with, choose the type of exercise that is suitable for you. Then, start slowly, for example, by doing exercise for only 5 to 10 minutes a day. When your body is ready for more exercise, you can work out longer. Finally, exercise regularly to always keep your body fit and your mind happy.

C.___________

A good night's sleep is very important. Before you go to bed, avoid having coffee or energy drinks. Exercise can help you have a better sleep, but avoid exercising right before bedtime. Never use your mobile phone or laptop in bed and turn off all your electronic devices at least 30 minutes before you go to bed. Their screens give off blue light that can prevent you from sleeping well. Finally, if you still can't fall asleep, do something repetitive or listen to some soft music to relax before trying to sleep again.

Read the article again and decide which paragraph includes the following information.

Read the news items again and match the highlighted words with their meanings.

Read the text again and match the highlighted phrases in the text with their meanings.

PART NINE
For the question 71-75, read the following article and circle the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.
Persons sixty-five years and over already represent 13 percent of the total population inAmerica, and by 2025 there will be 59 million elderly Americans, representing 21 percent of thepopulation of the United States. Furthermore, the percentage of the population over age eighty-five will increase from about 1 percent currently to 5 percent in 2050. This population trend has been referred to as the graying of America. To explain this demographic change, we must look at three factor. Fertility, mortality, and immigration in large part influence all demographic trends. The large number of children born after World War II will increase the pool of elderly between 2010 and 2030. The “baby boom” will become the “senior boom” sixty-five years later. Although the birth rate is the most dramatic factor, the decline in the death rate is also significant. Medical advances have influenced life expectancy. For example, whereas only 40 percent of those Americans born in 1900 had a life expectancy of sixty-five, today 80 percent are expected to reach the classic retirement age. The average male life span, now 71.4 years, is expected to increase to 73.3 by 2015. Among females, the life span is projected to increase from the current 78.3 years to 81.3 years by 2015. In addition, immigration has
contributed to the increasing number of elderly. After World War I, a massive immigration of young adults of child-bearing age occurred. Because the birth rates among this specialized population were very high, their children, now among the elderly, are a significant segment of the older population.
71. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

72. According to the passage, the number of the elderly in America will increased by ________.

73. The word “pool” in paragraph 2 refers to ________.

7
74. The word “their” in the second paragraph refers to ________.

75. The author mentions all of the following as factors that have influenced population trends
EXCEPT ________.

Read the Reading Strategy. Then read the sentences below and the highlighted words in the text. Say which sentence links to which highlighted word and underline the part of the sentence which helped you to decide.

A. You see the world differently, develop your own views and your own sense of right and wrong.

B. They may not say so, but they are probably feeling a sense of loss and may even feel rejected by you.

C. Firstly, let your parents know that you still love and value them.

D. Keep talking to your parents.

E. In general, emotionally and socially, the adolescents like you are experiencing profound changes in terms of freedom, privacy, interests, decisions and opinions.

F. You hate being told what to do all the time.

G. Despite this, you should always listen carefully.

Read the article. Match the highlighted words with their meanings.

Over the past two centuries, different generations were born and given different names. Each generation comes with its characteristics, which are largely influenced by the historical, economic, and social conditions of the country they live in. However, in many countries the following three generations have common characteristics.

Generation X refers to the generation born between 1965 and 1980. When Gen Xers grew up, they experienced many social changes and developments in history. As a result, they are always ready for changes and prepared to work through changes. Gen Xers are also known as critical thinkers because they achieved higher levels of education than previous generations.

Generation Y, also known as Millennials, refers to those born between the early 1980s and late 1990s. They are curious and ready to accept changes. If there is a faster, better way of doing something, Millennials want to try it out. They also value teamwork. When working in a team, Millennials welcome different points of view and ideas from others.

Generation Z includes people born between the late 1990s and early 2010s, a time of great technological developments and changes. That is why Gen Zers are also called digital natives. They grew up online and never knew the world before digital and social media. They are very creative and able to experiment with platforms to suit their needs. Many Gen Zers are also interested in starting their own businesses and companies. They saw so many people lose their jobs, so they think it is safer to be your own boss than relying on someone else to hire you.

Soon a new generation, labelled Gen Alpha, will be on the scene. Let's wait and see if we will notice the generation gap