21 July
21 July
21 July
Complete the sentences with words from the list. One or more words may not be used.
efficient creative equipment
1. The author who wrote this book is very ____________________. I’ve never read anything like it.
ANS: creative
2. Vehicles that are ____________________ by electricity are much quieter than vehicles that use
gasoline or diesel fuel.
ANS: powered
3. In the past, lightbulbs were not very ____________________. They wasted a lot of energy and didn’t
last very long.
ANS: efficient
4. One of the most important factors in the ____________________ of disease is a clean water supply.
ANS: prevention
ANS: afford
6. This store sells printers, copiers, computers, and other types of office ____________________.
ANS: equipment
William Kamkwamba lives in Malawi, Africa, where most people have to grow their own food and
have no electricity or running water. Only two percent of Malawians can afford electricity. With no
electricity or running water, life is difficult. In 2001, when William was 14 years old, life in Malawi
became even more difficult. There was a severe drought and most families, including William’s,
couldn’t grow enough food. He explains, “Within five months all Malawians began to starve to death.
My family ate one meal per day, at night.”
Because of the drought, William’s family couldn’t afford to send him to school anymore. So one day
William went to the library near his home. He wanted to continue his education. William found a
science book called Using Energy. It included instructions for building a windmill. Windmills can be
very efficient sources of electricity, and they can bring water up from underground. William didn’t
know much English, and he wasn’t able to understand most of the book, but it was full of pictures and
diagrams. Looking at the pictures, William thought he could build a windmill for his family.
When William went home and started building his windmill, a lot of people laughed at him, including
his mother. They didn’t think he could do it, but William was confident. He saw the photo of the
windmill in the book. That meant someone else was able to build it, so he knew he could build it, too.
William was also creative. He didn’t have the parts and equipment that he saw in the book’s
illustrations, and he couldn’t buy them. So he looked for parts in junkyards. He explains, “I found a
tractor fan, [a] shock absorber, [and] PVC pipes. Using a bicycle frame . . . , I built my machine.”
William changed and improved his design little by little. First, the windmill powered only one
lightbulb. Eventually, it powered four lights. Then there was enough electricity for four lights and a
radio. No one laughed at William after that, and people in his town started to come to his house to get
power for their cell phones. Later, William built a second windmill. This one brought water up from
underground. After that, William began to teach other people how to build windmills. He also
continued to build more of them himself, including one at a primary school in Malawi.
Because of his success with the windmills, William was able to go back to school. He also helped with
other projects, including solar power, clean water, and malaria prevention. He wrote a book about his
life, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope. In addition, he uses
his website, movingwindmills.org, to educate and give hope to people. His main message is this: “To
the Africans and the poor who are struggling with your dreams . . . trust yourself and believe.
Whatever happens, don’t give up.”
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
8. Which of these was NOT one of the problems that William faced in 2001?
a. The drought made it impossible to grow enough food.
b. William’s home did not have a source of electricity.
c. There was no library close to William’s house.
d. William couldn’t buy all the parts he saw in the diagrams.
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: Unit 2 Lesson A
OBJ: Reading Review MSC: Lesson A: Reading
9. Why does the author mention the book Using Energy in the 2nd and 3rd paragraphs?
a. William wrote this book about his own experiences.
b. William used this book to help him learn English.
c. This book taught William how to use solar power.
d. This book gave William the idea to build a windmill.
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: Unit 2 Lesson A
OBJ: Reading Review MSC: Lesson A: Reading
10. The author uses the word “confident” in the 2nd line of the 3rd paragraph to indicate that William was
_____.
a. upset that people were laughing at him
b. sure that he could be successful
c. happy to help other people
d. confused by the diagrams in the book
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: Unit 2 Lesson A
OBJ: Reading Review MSC: Lesson A: Reading
11. According to the passage, what is the main point of the book William wrote?
a. The most important tool for any inventor is a good education.
b. Technology requires the right parts and equipment.
c. Windmills are the most efficient means of producing energy.
d. People should believe in their dreams even if they are poor.
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: Unit 2 Lesson A
OBJ: Reading Review MSC: Lesson A: Reading
LifeStraws
Some inventions make life enjoyable; some make it possible. The LifeStraw falls into the second
category, and is an invention that has saved countless lives. Some 900 million people lack access to
clean water. Many people in developing countries—children especially—fall ill and die from diseases
caused by drinking contaminated water, that is, water not suitable for drinking.
The LifeStraw, developed by the Swiss-based Vestergaard Frandsen company, is a personal water filter
that removes 99.9% of bacteria and parasites from water, making it safe to drink. It is a 25 cm long
plastic pipe that is used the same way one would use a normal drinking straw. As the contaminated
water is sucked through the straw, it passes through a series of tiny tubes that remove bacteria and
parasites from the water. Unlike some systems for cleaning water, no chemicals are involved and no
electricity is needed to operate it. The LifeStraw can filter up to 1,000 liters (about 264 gallons) of
water, which is enough for one person for a year.
Although the LifeStraw is available in developed countries for campers and hikers, it was actually
created for use in developing countries—it was first introduced in Kenya—and for victims of natural
disasters like earthquakes or floods. For example, thousands of LifeStraws were given out after the
2010 earthquake in Haiti. The best part? A LifeStraw costs only a little more than a cup of coffee.
Indicate whether the statement is true or false.
13. According to the passage, children have a higher chance of dying from water-related diseases
14. The word “contaminated” (underlined) in the last line of the 1st paragraph means something that is
impure or unclean.
15. Tiny tubes full of chemicals are used to filter the water passing through a LifeStraw.
16. The author assumes one person uses 1,000 liters of water a month.
17. The Lifestraw is used by people in developing countries more than developed countries.
19. The author mentions “a cup of coffee” in the last line to indicate that LifeStraws are inexpensive.
Match the words with their definitions. One or more words may not be used.
a. detect
b. innovation
c. store
d. container
e. benefit
f. valuable
20. to keep a supply of something
21. to discover or identify
22. a can, a box, a bottle, or something similar that holds liquids, foods, or other things
23. to help; to give assistance
24. a new idea; an invention
25. helpful, useful
Can simple ideas change the world? They just might, one new idea at a time. Creative designers and
scientists are working to invent products for communities in developing countries. Some of their
innovations might solve even the biggest problems—from health care to clean water.
Infant Warmer
Around 19 million low-birth weight babies are born every year in developing countries. These babies
weigh less than 5.5 pounds (2.5 kilograms) when they’re born. Low birth-weight babies are often
unable to keep their body temperatures warm enough. Many get too cold and die. The Embrace Infant
Warmer helps keep these babies warm. Developer Jane Chen says, “Over the next five years, we hope
to save the lives of almost a million babies.”
Water Container
In poor areas, people often have to walk several miles to get clean water. Usually, women and children
have to carry heavy containers of water home every day, and it is difficult work. The Q Drum holds 13
gallons (about 50 liters) in a rolling container. With this innovation, people can easily roll the water on
the ground.
Health Detector
Scientist Hayat Sindi’s device is the size of a postage stamp, and it costs just a penny. But it could save
millions of lives. In many parts of the world, doctors and nurses work with no electricity or clean
water. They have to send health tests to labs and wait weeks for results. But this little piece of paper
could change that. It contains tiny holes that are filled with chemicals. These chemicals can detect
health problems. A person places a single drop of blood on the paper. The chemicals in the paper
change because of the blood and indicate whether or not the person has an illness.
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
26. What do all of the inventions mentioned in the passage have in common?
a. They were invented by the same person.
b. They are all health-care products.
c. They are especially useful in developing countries.
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: Unit 2 Lesson B
OBJ: Reading Review MSC: Lesson B: Reading
27. How many low birth-weight babies are born every year in developing countries?
a. 5.5 million
b. 13 million
c. 19 million
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: Unit 2 Lesson B
OBJ: Reading Review MSC: Lesson B: Reading
29. Which of these is NOT required for the portable clay cooler?
a. wet sand
b. solar power
c. two pots
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: Unit 2 Lesson B
OBJ: Reading Review MSC: Lesson B: Reading
The chemicals in the paper change because of the blood and indicate whether or not the person has an
illness.
a. The blood changes the chemicals in the paper; this indicates if the person is sick.
b. Chemicals change the color of blood, which shows whether a person will become ill.
c. Chemicals found in some kinds of paper can cause diseases in certain people.
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: Unit 2 Lesson B
OBJ: Reading Review MSC: Lesson B: Reading
Biofuels
Most people think that the idea of powering vehicles with biofuels 1 is a relatively new concept.
Surprisingly, it has a long history and came very close to being the world’s fuel of choice until
Rudolf Diesel, the man who invented diesel fuel which is commonly used in large vehicles like buses
and trucks, used peanut oil when demonstrating his engine in 1900. Henry Ford, who owned Ford
Motor Company, one of the largest car manufacturers in the world, thought that biofuels were the “fuel
of the future.”
Ford’s vision of mass biofuel consumption began with his Model T Ford. By 1918, over half the cars
in America were Model Ts, giving Ford little reason to change the car’s design in its nearly 20 years of
production. Henry Ford designed the Model T to run on ethanol—a type of biofuel—as well as on
petroleum. He believed ethanol would become the most commonly used fuel source, and he believed
that America could grow its own fuel, making it out of everything from potatoes to wood products.
Ford predicted that automobile production would benefit U.S. farmers by increasing demand for their
crops. However, for most motorists, ethanol fuels were not easily available, so nearly all Model Ts
operated on petroleum fuel instead.
In 1927, in order to compete with General Motors, a successful new car company, Ford issued the first
new car model since the Model T: the Model A. Unlike the Model T, these new cars could only burn
petroleum products. This marked the end of the classic Model T, and Ford’s vision for ethanol use in
the near future.
1
Biofuels are fuels made from plants such as corn, grasses, or trees.
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
(A) Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) is the perfect example of a “Renaissance man”—a person who
can do many things and do them well. He is probably best known as an artist. (B) His painting, Mona
Lisa, and his drawing, Vitruvian Man, are among the most iconic art works in the world. Always
curious about the world around him, Leonardo was also a scientist. He contemplated geology, physics,
meteorology, aeronautics, anatomy, and optics many years before such disciplines even existed.
Unfortunately, because he did not publish his observations, his work had little impact on later science.
(C) Leonardo was a designer and an inventor as well. In his notebooks, there are conceptual sketches
of a submarine, a telescope, a helicopter, and a parachute. Leonardo was also known as a kind and
humane person. According to Vasari, one of his biographers, Leonardo would buy caged birds and then
set them free. (D) Leonardo was the subject of a number of films and of television shows, such as the
BBC’s documentary, Leonardo’s Dream Machines.
Tesla
Nikola Tesla (1856–1943), a Serbian inventor, physicist, and electrical engineer, (A) were born in the
town of Smiljan, in what (B) was now the Republic of Serbia. Even in his early life, he (C) is
inventing things. His first invention (D) was an engine powered by five beetles.
Tesla (E) gotten his first job in Budapest, working at a telephone company. Later, he (F) has gone to
the United States and (G) became a citizen there. He is best known for his contributions to electrical
science, especially for his discoveries that (H) lead to the development of alternating current, a form
of electricity and for inventing an early form of radio. He also (I) believes he could transmit electricity
wirelessly, much like a radio signal. He (J) tried to build a large transmitting tower in New Jersey to
test his theory, but he ran out of money before the project was finished.
Mark the word YES if the past-tense verb is used correctly in the paragraph. Mark the word NO if it is
not, and write the correct form on the line.
Choose ONE of the following topics and write a paragraph about it.
A. How do you think the communication of ideas has changed since the invention of book-printing?
How have the Internet and modern technology influenced this change?
B. Do you think it is easy or difficult to be an inventor nowadays? Give reasons for your answer.
ANS:
Answers will vary.