Note Making-Practice

Text 1

Insects that undergo incomplete metamorphosis include dragonflies,

grasshoppers and crickets. For these types of insects, there is only a slight

difference between the adults and the young. The young, which are known

as nymphs gradually develop the adult body shape by changing each time

they molt, or shed their exo-skeleton. A nymphs wings form in buds outside

its body and they become fully functional once the final molt is complete.

Text 2

Watching television can lead to poor language skills. According to

experts, the visual nature of the television blocks development of the left

part of the brain that is important for learning language skills. A recent

conference of speech therapists in London revealed that television restricts

and limits childrens abilities to speak and understand English. According to

one therapist, One in five children under the age of five suffers language

problems because many parents use the television as an automatic

babysitter.

Text 3

All homeowners in temperate countries such as Canada and the United

States can take action if they are serious about saving on energy costs.
Those with more than a hundred dollars to spend should consider any of the
following steps. First, the sidewalls and especially the ceiling should be fully
insulated. Proper insulation can save 30 percent or more of a heating or
cooling bill. Next, storm windows and doors should be installed. They
provide an insulating area of still air that may reduce energy loss by 10
percent or more. Finally, a homeowner might consider installing a solar
water-heating system. Four factors in such a decision are geographic
location, sunlight available, energy costs in the area, and the construction of
the house.

Homeowners with less than a hundred dollars to spend can take many
energy-saving steps as well. To begin with, two kinds of inexpensive sealers
can be used to reduce energy leaks around the house. Caulking will seal
cracks around outside windows and doorframes, and at corners of the house.
Weather stripping can be applied to provide a weather-tight seal between the
frame and moving parts of doors and windows. Another inexpensive step is
to check that a home heating or cooling system is clean. A dirty or clogged
filter, for example, can make a furnace or an air conditioner work much
harder to heat or cool a house. Next, a low-flow shower-head can be used
to reduce hot water use. A special showerhead can be purchased or a small
plastic insert available at a hardware store can be added to a regular head to
limit water flow. Finally, blinds and drapes can be used to advantage
throughout the year. In winter they can be closed at night to reduce heat
loss. In summer they can be closed during the day to keep the house cooler.
These and other relatively inexpensive steps can produce large savings.

Text 4

Signs of Aging

In some ways, there is bound to be some physical decline or slowing

down during the years of middle age. A number of signs of aging can be
identified. The bone structure, for one thing, stiffens and even shrinks a bit
during the course of adulthood. This is the reason why some people may be
shorter at their fortieth high school reunion than they were when they were
students. Another sign of aging is that skin and muscles begin to lose some
elasticity so that, for example, areas of the face and jaws begin to sag.
Another sign is the tendency to accumulate more subcutaneous fat,
especially in certain areas such as the midriff. There is more sensory defect
during the adult years too. Vision tends to be constant from adolescence to
the forties or early fifties, when visual acuity may begin to show signs of
decline. However, nearsighted people often are able to see better in the
middle age than they could as young adults. There is an increased incidence
of hearing problems during mid-adulthood, especially hearing loss in the
upper frequencies. Long term exposure to high levels of noise increases the
likelihood of hearing loss. Therefore, some factory workers and many city
dwellers may be particularly prone to hearing problems in later years.

Text 5

Nutrients

A nutrient is a specific substance found in food that performs one or

more psychological or biochemical functions in the body. There are six major
classes of nutrients found in food: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins,
minerals and water. The major nutrients perform three basic functions. First,
they provide energy for human metabolism. Carbohydrates and fats are the
prime source of energy. Proteins may also provide energy, but this is not its
major function. Vitamins, minerals and water are not energy sources.
Second, nutrients are used to promote growth and development by building
and repairing body tissue. Protein is the major building material for muscles,
other soft tissues and enzymes, while certain minerals such as calcium and
phosphorous make up the skeletal framework. Third, nutrients are used to
help regulate metabolism or body processes. Vitamins, minerals and protein
work closely together to maintain the diverse psychological processes of
human metabolism. In order for our bodies to function effectively we need
these nutrients in various amounts as recommended by nutrition scientists.

Text 6

Helping Road Accident Victim

 What do you do when you encounter a road accident victim lying on
the road? If you decide to help the victim you may use the following
procedures. First, gently tap on his shoulder and talk to him. If he responds
calm him down. Then call the ambulance for further treatment if necessary.
When he fails to respond call the ambulance immediately. Next, check if he
is still breathing. If there is any sign of breathing wait for the ambulance.
Otherwise you need to do Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) to save the
victims life.

Text 7

Computers require a means of instructions in order to perform a

specific task. This set of instructions is called the programming language.
Programming language was invented as early as in the 1820s with the
earliest form being called physical motion. Then, gears within a computer
would need to be physically activated in order for it to perform a calculation.
In 1942 the physical motion was replaced by electrical signals. In 1945 John
Von Neumann improved the system. He developed two important concepts.
The first known as shared programmed technique, used complex instructions
to control the computers hardware. The second, called conditional control
transfer, allowed instructions to be carried out in any order instead of a
prescribed chronological order. Then, in 1957 IBM developed the first major
computer language in the form of formula translating system (FORTRAN).
Although FORTRAN could handle numbers, it was unable to process input and
output in business computing. To address this, COBOL was developed in
1959. This programming language allowed data to be categorized. This
allowed data to be tracked and better organized. COBOL uses a language
which is easy to learn and adopt as the instructions use statements with
English-like grammar. The Algol language was created in 1958. Although it
was not widely used it was in fact forms the basis for current computer
programming languages such as Pascal, C, C++ and Java. Programming
languages have indeed come a long way and will continue to evolve for
many years to come.

Text 8
 Different types of cancer affect different body tissues. Like many other
disease there is no single cause for any one cancer. In fact there are many
factors contributing to cancer. One reason could be due to the genetic
make-up. Studies found that people with a family history of cancer tend to
inherit mutated genes. Thus, with mutation in the cells such people have a
higher probability of getting cancer. People who have problems with their
immune systems are also more likely to get some form of cancer. Examples
of this group of people include those with the HIV virus as well as those who
have had organ transplant. Another possible cause is our daily diet. Eating
too much animal fats and not enough fresh fruits and vegetables increases
the risk of cancer. Finally, cancer can also be due to the day-to-day
environment. For example, continuous exposure to cigarette smoke, the sun
and natural or man-made radiation would result in a higher probability of
cancer. Scientists are still trying to put together the many contributing
factors to cancer. The best that we can do is to avoid those factors that are
within our control.