Práctica N° 1: 

CATS MAKE GREAT PETS!

Estimado participante:

La presente es para saludarlo y, a la vez, invitarlo a participar en la Práctica N° 1, para lo cual

deberá revisar y analizar los siguientes enunciados, y tendrán que enviar las respuestas
correctas a través de la plataforma. 

CATS MAKE GREAT PETS!

Popular as dogs are with their devoted owners, there are actually more cat companions in the
U.S. than canines – 16 million more, in fact. And while your kitty won’t encourage you to
exercise by begging to go out for a hike, research shows the sound of a cat’s purr can lower
your blood pressure and reduce stress.According to USA Today:

“Research shows that being able to care for a pet improves our morale, helps validate us and
encourages us to take care of ourselves,” says Rebecca Johnson, director of the University of
Missouri's Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction. The body of research is leading
more retirement communities and universities to roll out the welcome mat for pets.

Some parents have discovered the family cat can help teach children the values of compassion
and gentleness. Most dogs will allow family members to wrestle with them, chase after them,
and roughhouse. In fact, many dogs live for that type of interaction. Cats on the other hand, do
not. If a child (or anyone) treats a cat roughly or aggressively, kitty will bolt from the room,
putting an end to the interaction between human and pet. So children learn the difference
between sturdier, more tolerant pets and those that require careful, gentle handling.Dr. Dennis
Turner, a leading expert on the feline-human bond, explains why he likes cats: “I appreciate the
fact that they’re very sensitive. They are very independent thinkers and independent actors and
they’re very elegant and beautiful to watch. I could watch cats for hours.”

Do Humans and Cats Communicate with Each Other?

Dr. Turner has used Information Theory, a complex mathematical system employed in computer
science to determine whether two entities are communicating, to prove that kitties and their
people transfer information back and forth. According to Dr. Turner, each feline-human pair has
an individual way of communicating, due in part to the wide variety of behaviors cats use to ‘talk’
to their human family. Some kitties like to rub up against your legs, while others rub their head
against yours. Some cats sit very still while staring at you, others tilt their head in an irresistible
questioning gesture. Many kitties vocalize as a way to communicate. Some scratch the floor or
stand on hind legs and reach for you with their front paws. Some kitties deliver little nibbles to
their human’s face or neck. I even have a client whose big, handsome orange tabby rears up on
his hind legs, stretches himself to his full length, and paws at his dad’s rear end as he stands at
the kitchen counter preparing the cat’s meal!
 

Why Felines May Be the Perfect Pets

Dr. Turner’s research shows that unlike dogs, cats follow their owner’s lead when it comes to
how much involvement they have with each other. Some cat owners prefer a lot of interaction
with their pet, others don’t have much time to devote or simply prefer less interaction. Kitties are
quite adaptable to their humans’ needs in this regard and fall into step easily with the pace the
owner sets. They do this without complaint, and their independent self-sufficient nature helps
them get along without a need for the same level of interaction their canine counterparts
demand.

Even more amazing is Dr. Turner’s discovery that cats seem to understand the need for balance
in their relationship with their humans.

Questions:

1)    Find 5 countable nouns in the article.

_________________________

_________________________

_________________________

_________________________

_________________________

2)    What can a cat’s purr do to humans?

A)   Increase stress

B)   Increase anxiety

C)   Lower blood pressure

D)   Cause respiratory problems

3)    Which of the following is NOT a way of communicating for cats?

A)   Vocalizing
B)   Exercising

C)   Scratching the floor

D)   Sitting quietly and staring

4)    According to Dr. Turner, why do cats make great pets?

A)   Their owners have a lot of time for them

B)   Cats like humans too much

C)   Cats are very adaptable to humans’ needs

D)   Cats are dependent on humans

Una vez que haya guardado el archivo deberá remitirlo a través del correo interno, para que
sea revisado por la T

Práctica N° 2: POLLUTION IN LONDON

Estimado participante:

La presente es para saludarlo y, a la vez, invitarlo a participar en la Práctica N° 2, para lo cual

deberá revisar y analizar los siguientes enunciados, y tendrán que enviar las respuestas
correctas a través de la plataforma. 

POLLUTION IN LONDON

Boris Johnson has been forced to accept that London’s Oxford Street has some of the worst air
pollution in the world.  In an exchange of letters with the Environment Audit Committee (EAC) of
MPs, the mayor said he now accepts scientific evidence from Britain’s leading air research
group that the street has some of the world’s highest recorded levels of nitrogen dioxide. The
mayor of London had said in a Twitter exchange in July that it was a “ludicrous urban myth” that
Britain’s premier shopping street was one of the world’s most polluted thoroughfares, saying
that the capital’s air quality was “better than Paris and other European cities”.

 
This followed a presentation in June by King’s College London air researcher David Carslaw
which questioned whether the hourly and annual average levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
pollution – mainly caused by diesel traffic.  But Johnson backed down this week following a
letter from EAC chair Joan Walley, who sought assurance that King’s College funding would not
be threatened by its pollution research. “We are not disputing King’s college data, but rather
only asking only that in future more rigour will be applied to public statements,” Johnson wrote.

A device for measuring air quality is located in Oxford Street on July 9, 2014 in London,
England. Researchers from King’s College London have found that concentrations of nitrogen
dioxide in Oxford Street are the worst on earth.  Since the Twitter exchange Johnson and
Transport for London, the local government body responsible for most of the transport system in
Greater London, has proposed what it calls “the world’s first ultra-low-emission zone (ULEZ)”
which would come into effect in September 2020. It will require all vehicles entering it to comply
with new emission standards for nitrogen oxide (NOx) and particulate matter (PM10) or pay a
daily fine.

Transport for London, which has come under intense pressure from Europe, Westminster and
campaigners to meet EU air pollution laws, expects the new zone to ensure that more than 80%
of central London meets the nitrogen dioxide annual legal limits by 2020, as well as halve PM10
and NOx emissions. However, it has been criticised because EU legislation requires cities to
meet NO2 limits by 2015.

A spokesperson for the mayor’s office said: “The mayor’s view has not changed. He has never
disputed the King’s College data, but has always been clear that this data was taken out of
context and misrepresented. The claim that Oxford Street is the most polluted in the world was
erroneous and the mayor does not accept it. King’s College themselves agree that their data
was misrepresented and reiterated this point to the London Assembly’s environment committee
just last week.”

Questions:

1)    Find 5 uncountable nouns in the text

___________________________

___________________________

____________________________

 
____________________________

_____________________________

2)    What did Boris Johnson say about pollution in London?

A)   It was extremely bad

B)   It was a little dangerous

C)   It was changing

D)   It was better than other cities

3)    What have researchers from King’s College found in Oxford Street?

A)   Pollution levels are not bad

B)   Pollution levels are changing

C)   Pollution levels are the worst

D)   Pollution levels will not change

4)    What does the Mayor say about King’s College’s findings?

A)   They are lying

B)   He does not accept them

C)   He likes them

D)   He will change his view

Una vez que haya guardado el archivo deberá remitirlo a través del correo interno, para que
sea revisado por la Tutora.

Atentamente,

Práctica N° 3: HOW MUCH DOES PUBLIC TRANSPORT COST IN LONDON?

 
Estimado participante:

La presente es para saludarlo y, a la vez, invitarlo a participar en la Práctica N° 3, para lo cual

deberá revisar y analizar los siguientes enunciados, y tendrán que enviar las respuestas
correctas a través de la plataforma. 

HOW MUCH DOES PUBLIC TRANSPORT COST IN LONDON?

London is one of the most expensive cities in the world. How much does it cost to ride a bus or
a train? And how many different public transport options are there? Let’s have a look. Unless
you are going to make just one single journey on public transport in London then you should
really be looking to either purchase an Oyster card, use a contactless payment card or a
London Travelcard travel pass and not pay for single tickets. For example, paying cash for a
single Underground journey in the centre of London is more than double that paying with an
Oyster Card.

The London Travelcard is the original pass for public transport in London. It is very simple to
understand. You pay up front for a ticket which gives you unlimited rides for a stated number of
days, You can currently buy Travelcards for periods of 1 day, 7 days, 1 month or 1 year.

The Travelcard pass covers :

- The London Underground network.

- The London red local bus network.

- The railway network in Greater London.

- Docklands Light Railway and Overground Railway.

- 33% discount on many scheduled river services.

You cannot use Travelcards on the Heathrow Express train, the Heathrow Connect train
between Heathrow and Hayes and Harlington and the High Speed trains between St Pancras
and Stratford. Gatwick, Stansted and Luton Airports are outside London beyond the scope of
London public transport so the airport buses and trains from these airports are not covered. City
Airport is serviced by the Docklands Light railway (DLR) and is covered.

Fare Zones

The London public transport system is divided up into zones that radiate from the centre. Nearly
all the hotels and the main sights are in Zone 1. Heathrow Airport is in zone 6 and the furthest
zone out is zone 9. For the vast majority of visitors you will only travel in the two most central
zones 1 and 2. Some stations like Turnham Green are in two zones, you use whichever zone
for these stations is most beneficial in working out your fare. The fare you pay is set by which
zones your departure and destination stations are in. Your journey starts when you go through
the ticket barrier of the station entrance you depart from and finishes when you pass through the
ticket barrier at the exit of your destination.

You cannot break a journey on a single fare, once you go through an exit barrier of a station that
is journey completed. You can change trains at an interchange station and as you do not go
through an exit barrier at the station your fare is not calculated until you exit through a barrier at
your ultimate destination after switching trains. Although with a Travelcard you have unlimited
journeys for a flat fee, the price you pay for your Travelcard is determined by the fare zones you
want to travel in. The more fare zones you want covered the more expensive the Travelcard.
London's red buses do not have zones. In fact with a Travelcard if you have a Travelcard for
zones 1 and 2 you can travel in all the other zones as well using red buses.

Seniors Concessions

There are no seniors fares for visitors. If you reside in London and are over 60 you can get a
Freedom pass or 60+ Oyer ID Card that makes free bus and Underground travel available. You
can apply on-line or get a form from your local Post Office. Anybody with an English National
Concessionary bus pass can use that on London's red buses but not the Underground.

Using Your Travelcard To Gain Access To Trains

To gain access to the trains of all types, and again to exit a station you have to pass through
automatic barriers. There is always one wide ticket barrier for wheelchairs, pushchair's and
people with large suitcases. If you have a card Travelcard you insert the Travelcard into the
ticket slot, the barrier will check that your Travelcard is valid for both date and zones travelled
and then return it to you and open the barrier. If you have a Travelcard loaded onto an Oyster
Card you swipe the Oyster Card over a bright yellow pad, the barrier will check validity and then
open the barrier. This process is repeated at the destination station. On buses there are no
ticket barriers. Inspectors may check the validity of your Travelcard at any time.

Questions:

1)    In which of the following you CANNOT use a Travelcard?

A)   Heathrow Connect train

B)   Docklands Light Rail

C)   Red local buses

D)   The Underground Network

2)    How many zones is the public transport system divided into?
A)   2

B)   5

C)   6

D)   9

3)    How much should senior citizens pay?

A)   6 pounds

B)   Nothing

C)   50% less

D)   25% less

4)    What do you have to pass through to gain access to trains?

A)   Barriers

B)   Inspectors

C)   Special gates

D)   Slots

Una vez que haya guardado el archivo deberá remitirlo a través del correo interno, para que
sea revisado por la Tutora.

Práctica N° 4: SOFT DRINK AND YOUR HEALTH

Estimado participante:

La presente es para saludarlo y, a la vez, invitarlo a participar en la Práctica N° 4, para lo cual

deberá revisar y analizar los siguientes enunciados, y tendrán que enviar las respuestas
correctas a través de la plataforma. 

SOFT DRINK AND YOUR HEALTH

Soft drinks are the beverage of choice for millions of Americans, but sugary drinks increase the
risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions. People who consume
sugary drinks regularly—1 to 2 cans a day or more—have a 26% greater risk of developing type
2 diabetes than people who have a few of such drinks.  A study that followed 40,000 men for
two decades found that those who averaged one can of a sugary beverage per day had a 20%
higher risk of having a heart attack or dying from a heart attack than men who rarely consumed
sugary drinks.  A related study in women found a similar sugary beverage–heart disease link.  A
22-year-long study of 80,000 women found that those who consumed a can a day of sugary
drink had a 75% higher risk of gout than women who rarely had such drinks.  Researchers
found a similarly-elevated risk in men.

Soft drinks and diabetes

Dr. Frank Hu, Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health,
recently made a strong case that there is a lot of scientific evidence that decreasing sugar-
sweetened beverage consumption will reduce the prevalence of obesity and obesity-related
diseases.  Strong evidence indicates that sugar-sweetened soft drinks contribute to the
development of diabetes. The Nurses’ Health Study explored this connection by following the
health of more than 90,000 women for eight years. The nurses who said they had one or more
servings a day of a sugar-sweetened soft drink or fruit punch were twice as likely to have
developed type 2 diabetes during the study than those who rarely had these beverages.

Soft drinks and heart disease

The Nurses’ Health Study, which tracked the health of nearly 90,000 women over two decades,
found that women who drank more than two servings of sugary beverage each day had a 40
percent higher risk of heart attacks or death from heart disease than women who rarely drank
sugary beverages.  People who drink a lot of sugary drinks often tend to weigh more—and eat
less healthfully—than people who don’t drink sugary drinks, and the volunteers in the Nurses’
Health Study were no exception. But researchers accounted for differences in diet quality,
energy intake, and weight among the study volunteers. They found that having an otherwise
healthy diet, or being at a healthy weight, only slightly diminished the risk associated with
drinking sugary beverages.

This suggests that weighing too much, or simply eating too many calories, may only partly
explain the relationship between sugary drinks and heart disease. Some risk may also be
attributed to the metabolic effects of fructose from the sugar or HFCS used to sweeten these
beverages. The adverse effects of the high glycemic load from these beverages on blood
glucose, cholesterol fractions, and inflammatory factors probably also contribute to the higher
risk of heart disease. 

Soft drinks and bones

Soda may pose a unique challenge to healthy bones. It contains a lot of phosphate. Consuming
more phosphate than calcium can have a deleterious effect on bone health. Getting enough
calcium is extremely important during childhood and adolescence, when bones are being built.
Soft drinks generally have very little calcium and other healthful nutrients, yet they are actively
marketed to young age groups. Milk has a lot of calcium and protein, and also provides vitamin
D, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and other micronutrients. There is an inverse pattern between soft
drink consumption and milk consumption – when one goes up, the other goes down.

Questions:

1)    Which of the following health conditions is NOT mentioned in the article?

A)   Diabetes

B)   Heart disease

C)   Asthma

D)   Obesity

2)    What did Dr. Hu conclude about the consumption of sugary drinks?

A)   People would be less happy

B)   People would lose weight

C)   Women would be more motivated

D)   Women would not get diabetes

3)    People who drink sugary drinks also

A)   Weigh less

B)   Eat fewer calories

C)   Do a lot of exercise

D)   Eat unhealthy food

4)    Why is calcium consumption important for adolescents?

A)   It prevents diabetes

B)   It prevents heart disease

C)   It helps bones to grow

D)   It discourages healthy eating.

 
 

Una vez que haya guardado el archivo deberá remitirlo a través del correo interno, para que
sea revisado por la Tutora.

Atentamente,

Su Tutora(a)