Choose the best answer:
Education is more important today than ever before. It helps people acquire the skills they need for such everyday (13)_______ as reading a newspaper or managing their money. It also gives them the specialized training they may need to (14)_______ for a job or career. For example, a person must meet certain educational requirements and obtain a (15)_______ or certificate before he can practice law or medicine. Many fields, like computer operation or police work, (16)_______ satisfactory completion of special training courses. Education is also important (17)_______ it helps people get more out of life. It increases their knowledge and understanding of the world. It helps them acquire the skills that make life more interesting and enjoyable, (18)_______ the skills needed to participate in a sport, paint a picture, or play a musical (19)_______ . Such education becomes (20)_______ important as people gain more and more leisure time. Education also helps people adjust to change. This habit has become necessary because social changes today take place with increasing speed and (21)_______ the lives of more and more people. Education can help a person understand these changes and provide him (22)_______ the skills for adjusting to them

Choose the best answer:
British parents are always complaining that their children spend too much time gluing to the telly and not enough (37)____ other activities like sports and reading. A survey recently carried out on people's viewing habits (38)____ not disapprove it. It shows that young people in Britain spend on (39)___ twenty three hours a week in front of the television, (40)_______ works out at over three hours every day. What is surprising, however, is the fact that the average adult watches even more: an incredible 28 hours a week. We seem to have become a nation of telly addicts. Just about (41)_______ household in the country has a television and over half have two or more. According (42)___ the survey, people nowadays don't just watch television sitting in their living room, they watch it in the kitchen and in bed as well. The Education Minister said a (43)___weeks ago that Britain's pupils should spend more time reading. Unfortunately, parents are not setting a good example: adults do (44)__ reading than young people. In fact, reading is (45)___ the bottom of their list of favorite pastimes. They would (46)____ listen to the radio, go to the cinema or hire a video to watch on their television at home

Choose the best answer:
Looking for an unforgettable way to celebrate that special occasion? Well, the (1)__ of options open today‘s youngster – or even ― oldster‖ for that matter, is a far cry from the traditional party or restaurant visit. No longer is it (2)__ sufficient to invite your friends round, buy some food and get a barker to produce a cake. No, today‘s birthday boy or girl is looking for something out of the ordinary, ranging from the (3)__ expensive to the downright dangerous. Anything goes, as long as it is unusual and impressive. Top of this year ‗s popular (4)__are as follows: taking some friends rally driving, helicopter lessons, plane trip and parachuting, and hot air ballooning . Then there is always group bungee jumping or taking your buddies on a stomach – churning, while water rafting (5)__down rapids. The desire of adventurous celebration is not restricted to the (6)__. I recently met an octogenarian who celebrated (7)__the milestone of eighty by having a fly lesson. Of course, if you have money the world is your oyster. A very rich relation of mine flew fifty of his friends to a Caribbean islandto mark the passing of his half century. Unfortunately I was only a (8)__relation. Undoubtedly, the more traditional forms of celebration do continue to (9)__the less extravagant or less adventurous among us. However, with my own half century looming on the horizon I would not say no to a weekend in Paris and a meal at the Eiffel Tower. I can (10)__dream. Perhaps by the time I‘m eighty I‘ll be able to afford it

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the undelined part that needs correction in each of the following questions:
A folk culture is small, isolated, cohesive, conservative, nearly self-sufficient group that is homogeneous in custom and race, with a strong family or clan structure and highly developed rituals.
Order is maintained through sanctions based in the religion or family, and interpersonal relationships are strong. Tradition is paramount, and change comes infrequently and slowly. There is relatively little division of labor into specialized duties. Rather, each person is expected to perform a great variety of tasks, though duties may differ between the sexes. Most goods are handmade, and a subsistence economy prevails. Individualism is weakly developed in folk cultures, as are social classes. Unaltered folk cultures no longer exist in industrialized countries such as the United States and Canada. Perhaps the nearest modern equivalent in Anglo-America is the Amish, a German American farming sect that largely renounces the products and labor saving devices of the industrial age. In Amish areas, horse-drawn buggies till serve as a local transportation device, and the faithful are not permitted to own automobiles.
The Amish’s central religious concept of Demut, “humility”, clearly reflects the weakness of individualism and social class so typical of folk cultures, and there is a corresponding strength of Amish group identity. Rarely do the Amish marry outside their sect. The religion, a variety of the Mennonite faith, provides the principal mechanism for maintaining order.
By contrast, a popular culture is a large heterogeneous group, often highly individualistic and constantly changing. Relationships tend to be impersonal, and a pronounced division of labor exists, leading to the establishment of many specialized professions. Secular institutions, of control such as the police and army take the place of religion and family in maintaining order, and a money-based economy prevails. Because of these contrasts, “popular” may be viewed as clearly different from “folk”.
The popular is replacing the folk in industrialized countries and in many developing nations, Folk- made objects give way to their popular equivalent, usually because the popular item is more quickly or cheaply produced, is easier or time saving to use, or lends more prestige to the owner.

Which of the following is typical of folk cultures?

Choose the best answer:
In this week‘s issue, our resident film critic discusses the etiquette of cinema going, and the (1) ____ who prefer chewing hot-dogs, slurping drinks, gossiping and rustling crisp papers to actually watching the film. Fair complaint, or just cinema snobbery ? It‘s the munchers and talkers, not those who complain about them, who are (2) _____ other people‘s (3) ______ pleasures and the (4)_______ seem to me to be self-evident. Junk (5) _______ and even popcorns and choc ices, when eaten in a (6) _______ and possibly crowded space, are inclined to demand living space. They spread themselves about – usually onto other people‘s (7) _______ Crisps, peanuts, and boiled sweets make a lot of noise, first when being (8) ______ then when being crushed or sucked. These are definite (9) _______ , especially if you yourself – having merely come to see and hear the film – are not eating and therefore generously(10) ________ your friend onions, mustard and ketchup with the trousers of the stranger in the next seat

Choose the best answer:
The most dominant and reliable features of facial expressions provide a constant channel of communication. They can be shifty and evasive; convey hate, fear, and guilt; or (35) _____ confidence, love, and support. Referred to as "mirrors of the soul" our eyes serve as the major decisive factor in (36) _____ the spoken words. The eyes of the man converse as (37) _____ as their tongues, with the advantage that the ocular dialect needs (38) _____ dictionary, but it is understood all over the world. When the eyes say one thing, and the tongue another, a practiced man relies on eyes. Except (39) _____ extremely shy individuals, most people look for social acceptance by studying the eyes of others Eyes also can (40) _____ indicate a positive or a negative relationship. People tend to look longer and more often at the people whom they trust, respect and care about than at those whom they doubt or (41) _____. Normal eye dilation is not under control of the individual. Personally characteristics such as introversion and extroversion also influence eye behavior. Eye behavior seems (42) ____ particular importance and is generally used to indicate whether one is open to communication. This can be observed when a teacher asks the class a question: students who think they know the answer will generally (43) ____ at the teacher, (44) ____ students who do not know the answer will usually try to avoid eye contact.

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the undelined part that needs correction in each of the following questions:
Rachel Carson was born in 1907 in Springsdale, Pennsylvania. She studied biology at college and zoology at Johns Hopkins University, where she received her master’s degree in 1933. In 1936, she was hired by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, where she worked most of her life.
Carson’s first book, Under the Sea Wind, was published in 1941. It received excellent reviews, but sales were poor until it was reissued in 1952. In that year she published The Sea Around Us, which provided a fascinating look beneath the ocean’s surface, emphasizing human history as well as geology and marine biology. Her imagery and language had a poetic quality. Carson consulted no less than 1,000 printed sources. She had voluminous correspondence and frequent discussions with experts in the field. However, she always realized the limitations of her nontechnical readers.
In 1962, Carson published Silent Spring, a book that sparked considerable controversy.
It proved how much harm was done by the uncontrolled, reckless use of insecticides. She detailed how they poison the food supply of animals, kill birds and fish, and contaminate human food. At the time, spokesmen for the chemical industry mounted personal attacks against Carson and issued propaganda to indicate that her findings were flawed. However, her work was proved by a 1963 report of the President’s Science Advisory Committee.

According to the passage, what did Carson primarily study at Johns Hopkins University?

Choose the best answer:
British families started going on holiday to the seaside around the middle of the 19th century. The invention of the railways (45) ____ this possible. The first holidaymakers were quite rich and went for their health and education. The seaside was a place to be (46) ____ of illness, and doctors recommended bathing in the sea and drinking sea water. Also to (47) ____ their knowledge, families attended concerts and read books from the library. At that time, ordinary working people had very little time (48) ____ work. However, in 1871, the government introduced four ‗Banking Holiday‘ - national holiday days. This (49) ____ people to have a day or two out, which now and then gave them a taste for leisure and the seaside. At first, they went on day-trips, taking (50) ____ of special cheap tickets on the railways. By the 1880s, rising incomes (51) ____ that many ordinary workers and their families could have a week‘s holiday at the seaside. Rail fares were reduced and cheap hotels were built to (52) ____ them. Holidaymakers enjoyed being idle, sitting on the beach, bathing in the sea, and eating ice-cream. Cheap entertainment was (53) ____ offer and holidaymakers went to have fun. Today the English seaside (54) ____ popular, with more than 18 million holidays taken there each year.

Choose the best answer:
One of the hottest topics on the international development agenda is how to harness the power of International Monetary Fund for the benefit of developing countries. What is sometimes called ―the death of distance‖, brought about by the (55) , allow (56) education and training to be provided easily and quickly to (57) areas. Some of the gains can be seen in countries as diverse as India and Morocco, where innovations range from (58) government announcements to local craftsmen selling their wares to a (59) market. But already a huge and expanding (60) divide is opening up between developed and developing nations. The major tasks facing world leaders at present is to (61) everybody on the planet with clean water, basic education and the drugs needed to fight preventable diseases. Installing a (62) in every classroom and liking us to (63) must be a lesser (64) , for the time being at least

Choose the best answer:
Mobile phones emit microwave radio emissions. Researchers are questioning whether exposure to these radio waves might (36) _______ to brain cancer. So far, the data are not conclusive. The scientific evidence does not (37) _______ us to say with certainly that mobile phones are categorically (38) _______. On the other hand, current research has not yet (39) _______ clear adverse effect associated with the prolonged use of mobile phones Numerous studies are now going (40) _______ in various countries. Some of the results are contradictory but others have shown an association between mobile phone use and cancer. (41) _______, these studies are preliminary and the issue needs further, long - term investigation. (42) _______ the scientific data is more definite, it is prudent for people to try not to use mobile phone for long (43) _______ of time. Don't think that hands free phones are any safer either. At the moment, research is in fact showing the (44) _______ and they may be just as dangerous. It is also thought that young people (45) _______ bodies are still growing may be at particular risk

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the undelined part that needs correction in each of the following questions:
In the history of technology, computers and calculators were innovative developments. They are essentially different from all other machines because they have a memory. This memory stores instructions and information. In a calculator, the instructions are the various functions of arithmetic, which are permanently remembered by the machine and cannot be altered or added to. The information consists of the numbers keyed in.
An electronic pocket calculator can perform almost instant arithmetic. A calculator requires an input unit to feed in numbers, a processing unit to make the calculation, a memory unit, and an output unit to display the result. The calculator is powered by a small battery or by a panel of solar cells. Inside is a microchip that contains the memory and processing units and also controls the input unit, which is the keyboard, and the output unit, which is the display.
The input unit has keys for numbers and operations. Beneath the key is a printed circuit board containing a set of contacts for each key. Pressing a key closes the contacts and sends a signal along a pair of lines in the circuit board to the processing unit, in which the binary code for that key is stored in the memory. The processing unit also sends the code to the display. Each key is connected by a different pair of lines to the processing unit, which repeatedly checks the lines to find out when a pair is linked by a key.
The memory unit stores the arithmetic instructions for the processing unit and holds the temporary results that occur during calculation. Storage cells in the memory unit hold the binary codes for the keys that have been pressed. The number codes, together with the operation code for the plus key,   are    held    in    temporary    cells    until    the    processing    unit    requires    them. When the equals key is pressed, it sends a signal to the processing unit. This takes the operation code-for example, addition-and the two numbers being held in the memory unit and performs the operation on the two numbers. A full adder does the addition, and the result goes to the decoder in the calculator's microchip. This code is then sent to the liquid crystal display unit, which shows the result, or output, of the calculation.

According to the passage, one function of the memory unit is     .

Choose the best answer:
Television has changed the lifestyle of people in every industrialized country in the world. In the United States, where sociologists have studied the effects, some interesting observations have been made. Television, although not essential, has become a(n) (1) _____ part of most people‘s lives. It has become a baby-sitter, an initiator of conversations, a major transmitter of culture, and a keeper of traditions. Yet when what can be seen on TV in one day is critically analyzed, it becomes evident that television is not a teacher but a sustainer. The poor (2) ______ of programs does not elevate people into greater (3) ______. The (4) _______ reason for the lack of quality in American television is related to both the history of TV development and the economics of TV. Television in America began with the radio. Radio companies and their sponsors first experimented with television. Therefore, the close relationship, (5) _______ the advertisers had with radio programs, became the system for American TV. Sponsors not only paid money for time within programs, but many actually produced the programs. Thus, (6) _______ from the capitalistic, profit-oriented sector of American society, television is primarily (7) _______ with reflecting and attracting society (8) _______ than innovating and experimenting with new ideas. Advertisers want to attract the largest viewing audience possible; to do so requires that the programs be entertaining rather than challenging. Television in America today remains, to a large (9) _______, with the same organization and standards as it had thirty years ago. The hope for some evolution and true achievement toward improving society will require a change in the (10) _______ system.

Choose the best answer:
A recent issue of a language learning magazine has consulted a number of experts in the (1)________ of second language acquisition. Their advice may prove invaluable for those (2)______ a language course. One suggestion is that you (3)______whether you are likely to be successful at learning a language or not. Did you enjoy studying languages at school, for example? Do you have enough time to learn a language? The main (4)______will be your own time and effort. Therefore you must make sure that the course on offer leads to a (5)______qualification. Also, be realistic in your (6)______. If you don't set achievable aims you are more likely to give up. Do not be deceived (7)______thinking that the most expensive courses are the best. (8)______around to get the best possible value for money. You should also bear in mind that the quicker you learn a language the more quickly you forget it. Sandra Miller, a French teacher, tried to teach herself German by enrolling on a (9)______ course. Already fluent in four languages and with a sound knowledge of teaching methodology her chances of (10)______progress were high. Three years on she remembers very little. She feels her biggest mistake was not to build on her previous studies. "I should have consolidated what I'd learnt by continuing to study, even if it were by myself."

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the undelined part that needs correction in each of the following questions:
It takes a long time to raise a family of owlets, so the great horned owl begins early in the year. In January and February, or as late as March in the North, the male calls to the female with a resonant hoot. The female is larger than the male. She sometimes reaches a body length of twenty-two to twenty-four inches, with a wingspread up to fifty inches. To impress her, the male does a strange courtship dance. He bobs. He bows. He ruffles his feathers and hops around with an important air. He flutters from limb to limb and makes flying sorties into the air. Sometimes he returns with an offering of food. They share the repast, after which she joins the dance, hopping and bobbing about as though keeping time to the beat of an inner drum. Owls are poor home builders. They prefer to nest in a large hollow in a tree or even to occupy the deserted nest of a hawk or crow. These structures are large and rough, built of sticks and bark and lined with leaves and feathers. Sometimes owls nest on a rocky ledge, or even on the bare ground. even to occupy the deserted nest of a hawk or crow. These structures are large and rough, built of sticks and bark and lined with leaves and feathers. Sometimes owls nest on a rocky ledge, or even on the bare ground. The mother lays two or three round, dull white eggs. Then she stoically settles herself on the nest and spreads her feather skirts about her to protect her precious charges from snow and cold. It is five weeks before the first downy white owlet pecks its way out of the shell. As the young birds feather out, they look like wise old men with their wide eyes and quizzical expressions. They clamor for food and keep the parents busy supplying mice, squirrels, rabbits, crayfish, and beetles. Later in the season baby crows are taken. Migrating songsters, waterfowl, and game birds all fall prey to the hungry family. It is nearly ten weeks before fledglings leave the nest to search for their own food. The parent birds weary of family life by November and drive the young owls away to establish hunting ranges of their own.

The phrase "a resonant hoot" is closest in meaning to

Choose the best answer:
A typical person needs about 1,800 calories per day to stay running.. They keep your organs operating (33)_______ and your brain running. They also keep your body warm. A person gains weight because he or she consumes more calories per day than (34)  ________. The only way to lose fat is to reduce the (35) ________ of calories that you consume per day. This is the basic principle (36) ________ going on a diet. Unfortunately, diets don‘t work for most people. They do lose weight but then go off the diet and put it back. Building a sensible diet and exercise plan is the key (37) ________ maintaining a consistent weight. You need to figure out how many calories you need in a day and how many you actually (38) ________. The next step is to add exercise (39) ________ you can raise the number of calories you can consume per day. Burning 250 or 500 calories per day can make a big (40) ________. You can ride an exercise bike while you are watching television (41) ________ you can take the stairs instead of the elevator. Find an exercise partner. Exercises can be a lot easier if there is someone to talk to. It‘s a good idea to wear firm-fitting clothes if you are (42) ________. Tight clothing acts as a reminder of what you are trying to accomplish

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

      Contrary to popular belief, one does not have to be a trained programmer to work online. Of course, there are plenty of jobs available for people with high-tech computer skills, but the growth of new media has opened up a wide range of Internet career opportunities requiring only a minimal level of technical expertise. Probably one of the most well-known online job opportunities is the job of Webmaster. However, it is hard to define one basic job description for this position. The qualifications and responsibilities depend on what tasks a particular organization needs a Webmaster to perform.

      To specify the job description of a Webmaster, one needs to identify the hardware and software the website the Webmaster will manage is running on. Different types of hardware and software require different skill sets to manage them. Another key factor is whether the website will be running internally or externally (renting shared space on the company servers). Finally, the responsibilities of a webmaster also depend on whether he or she will be working independently, or whether the firm will provide people to help. All of these factors need to be considered before one can create an accurate webmaster job description.

      Webmaster is one type of Internet career requiring in-depth knowledge of the latest computer applications. However, there are also online jobs available for which traditional skills remain in high demand. Content jobs require excellent writing skills and a good sense of the web as a “new media”.

      The term “new media” is difficult to define because it compasses a constantly growing set of new technologies and skills. Specifically, it includes websites, email, internet technology, CD-ROM, DVD, streaming audio and video, interactive multimedia presentations, e-books, digital music, computer illustration, video games, virtual reality, and computer artistry.

      Additionally, many of today’s Internet careers are becoming paid-by-the-job professions. With many companies having to downsize in tough economic items, the outsourcing and contracting of freelance workers online has become common business practice. The Internet provides an infinite pool of buyers from around the world with whom freelancers can contract their services. An added benefit to such online jobs is that freelancers are able to work on projects with companies outside their own country.

      How much can a person make in these kinds of careers? As with many questions related to today’s evolving technology, there is no simple answer. There are many companies willing to pay people with Internet skills salaries well over $70,000 a year. Generally, webmasters start at about $30,000 per year, but salaries can vary greatly. Freelance writers working online have been known to make between $40,000 to $70,000 a year.

It can be inferred from the passage that ___________.

Choose the best answer:
Around 200 million people are employed in tourism worldwide, making it the largest industry in the modern global economy. It is estimated that three-quarters of a billion people (35)___________ on holiday each year, and industry planners expect this figure to double by 2020. Some of the biggest beneficiaries are less developed countries, (36)___________it is often their main source of income. (37)_________________, along with the economic benefits, this mass movement of people has resulted in threats (38)_____________ the environment. People often forget the damage caused by carbon dioxide emissions from aircraft, which (39) ______________ directly to global warming. Deforestation has cleared land in order to build hotels, airport and roads, and this has destroyed wildlife. In some areas, water shortages are now common (40)_____________of the need to fill swimming pools and water golf courses for tourists. By pushing up prices for goods and services, tourism can also be (41)______________ to the people who live in tourist destinations. In response to these concerns, some travel operators now offer environmental friendly holidays. Many of these aim to reduce the negative (42)____________ of tourism by promoting only hotels that have invested equipment to recycle waste and use energy and water efficiently. Increasingly, tourists are also being reminded to show respect (43)______________ the customs of the people (44) ______________countries they are going to visit, and to support local businesses, such as restaurants and shops, which depend on tourism for their main income

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the undelined part that needs correction in each of the following questions:
No educational medium better serves as a means of spatial communication than the atlas. Atlases deal with such invaluable information as population distribution and density. One of the best, Pennycooke’s World Atlas, has been widely accepted as a standard owing to the quality of its maps and photographs, which not only show various settlements but also portray them in a variety of scales. In fact , the very first map in the atlas is a cleverly designed population cartogram that projects the size of each country if geographical size were proportional to population. Following the proportional layout , a sequence of smaller maps shows the world’s population density, each country’s birth and death rates, population increase and decrease , industrialization, urbanization , gross national product in terms of per capita income, the quality of medical care, literacy, and language. To give readers a perspective on how their own country fits in with the global view, additional projections despite the world’s patterns in nutrition, calorie and protein consumption, health care, number of physicians per unit of population, and life expectancy by region. Population density maps on a subcontinental scale, as well as political maps, convey the diverse demographic phenomena of the world in a broad array of scales.

The author of the passage implies that     .

Choose the best answer:
British families started going on holiday to the seaside around the middle of the 19th century. The invention of the railways (45) ____ this possible. The first holidaymakers were quite rich and went for their health and education. The seaside was a place to be (46) ____ of illness, and doctors recommended bathing in the sea and drinking sea water. Also to (47) ____ their knowledge, families attended concerts and read books from the library. At that time, ordinary working people had very little time (48) ____ work. However, in 1871, the government introduced four ‗Banking Holiday‘ - national holiday days. This (49) ____ people to have a day or two out, which now and then gave them a taste for leisure and the seaside. At first, they went on day-trips, taking (50) ____ of special cheap tickets on the railways. By the 1880s, rising incomes (51) ____ that many ordinary workers and their families could have a week‘s holiday at the seaside. Rail fares were reduced and cheap hotels were built to (52) ____ them. Holidaymakers enjoyed being idle, sitting on the beach, bathing in the sea, and eating ice-cream. Cheap entertainment was (53) ____ offer and holidaymakers went to have fun. Today the English seaside (54) ____ popular, with more than 18 million holidays taken there each year

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the undelined part that needs correction in each of the following questions:
Facebook is a for-profit online social media and social networking service. The Facebook website was launched on February 4th, 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg, along with fellow Harvard College students and roommates. Since 2006, anyone age 13 and older has been allowed to become a registered user of Facebook though variations exist in minimum age requirement, depending on applicable local laws.
Over 25 million people in the Uk use Facebook. That’s 45% of population! And on average, each user spends over six hours a month on Facebook. Though not the highest this is a considerable number. Is Facebook is a dangerous obsession or just harmless fun? Seventeen-year-old Bethan has written on her blog about what it was like to stop using Facebook. I think I am a Facebook addict. I log on to Facebook everyday to chat to my friends real friends and loads of online friends. Sometimes I have ten conversations going at the same time. I upload photos and update my Facebook profile all the time. But recently I’ve started to feel worried if I am offline for more than a few hours. And then last week I forgot to meet a real friend because I was online! I’ve realised I could have a problem. So I’ve decided to give it up for a while. I found it really hard. Facebook and my friends demanded to know why I had left. I spent the first few evenings wondering what everyone was chatting on Facebook. I even phoned a couple of friends to find out. The fourth night I wasn’t quite so bad. I actually concentrated on my homework better and I had more time to watch my TV programmes. And I spoke to my friends during the day at school. At the end of the first week, I reactivated my account, I think Facebook is fun and it’s useful for posting messages to friends and sharing photos. But I’ll try not to spend so much time on it in the future.

When she decided to give up Facebook     .

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

The increase in urbanization causes different problems. Air and water pollution are amongst the major issue we have to tackle.

In the first place, cars, factories and burning waste emit dangerous gases that change the air quality in our cities and pose threats to our health. Dangerous gases such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides cause respiratory diseases, for instant, bronchitis and asthma. Those are also proved to have long-term effects on the environment.

Furthermore, with the increased population, it becomes difficult to manage the waste generated in cities. Most of the waste is discharged or dumped into rivers or onto streets. The waste pollutes water and makes it unfit for human consumption. Subsequently, it becomes more and more difficult for city dwellers to get clean water. Some cities in Africa are unable to provide adequate water supply because most of the water is lost in pipe leakages. In fact, most city dwellers in developing countries are forced to boil their water or to buy bottled water, which is very expensive.

There are several actions that could be taken to eradicate the problems described above. Firstly, a simple solution would be joining community efforts to address problems affecting your city. Ask your parents, friends and relatives to join in as well. These efforts might include clean-up campaigns, recycling projects and a signature campaign to ask the government to do something about the situation. A second measure would be encouraging your teacher to talk about these problems and to discuss how young people can help to solve them. Finally, writing to local organizations working on these issues for ideas on how you can contribute to solve them.

According to the passage, in some cities in Africa ____.