A company has just launched(发起) what it calls "the world's first free standardized English test" recently. Anyone can take the test for free. The new exam is called the EFSET, which is short for Education First Standardized English Test. The company, Education First, is known by the letters EF.
It is reported that there are two billion English language learners worldwide. Many of them are interested in attending an American college or university. To do so, foreign students need to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language—better known as TOEFL. However, many foreigners are not rich enough to take the TOEFL. In addition, test-takers often have to travel overnight to reach an official testing site. The World Bank says an average Cambodian worker earns only about $1,000 per year. The cost of taking the TOEFL is about 17.5 percent of the average worker's yearly wage.
It is not just individuals who find the test pricey. Some governments also find it too expensive. What's more, not everyone needs official results from the TOEFL or IELTS—the International English Language Testing System. In the future, it's likely that the government may use the EFSET to test millions of employees and students.
Experts believe that the EFSET meets the highest value in language testing. It uses special computer software that makes the questions easier or harder, depending on one's performance. The EFSET measures all the English learners' levels while the IELTS and TOEFL only measure learners' levels from intermediate(中等的) to advanced. The EFSET is unique in the sense that it gives free online access to anyone interested in measuring their English level.
There is a 50-minute and a two-hour version of the test, which its developers are calling the EFSET Plus. Both versions test only reading and listening skills. It's hopeful that speaking and writing skills will be tested in the future. The IELTS and the TOEFL still use humans to rate the speaking and writing sections. It's a huge deal for students who are in areas where they can't get to the TOEFL or the IELTS. However, it is too early to know whether the EFSET results are acceptable for colleges and universities in America.
Record fires sweeping across the Amazon this month have been catching global headlines as scientists and environmental groups are worried that they will worsen climate change and threaten biodiversity(生物多样性).
As the largest rainforest in the world, the Amazon is often called "the lungs of the world". It is also home to about 3 million species of plants and animals, and 1 million local people. The vast lands of rainforest play an important role in the world's ecosystem because they take in heat instead of it being reflected back into the atmosphere. They also store carbon dioxide (二氧化碳)and produce oxygen, making sure that less carbon is given off, mitigating the effects of climate change.
"Any forest destroyed is a threat to biodiversity and the people who use that biodiversity," Thomas Lovejoy, an ecologist at George Mason University told National Geographic. "The shocking threat is that a lot of carbon goes into the atmosphere," he stressed. "Facing the global climate change, we cannot afford more damage to a major source of oxygen and biodiversity. The Amazon must be protected," U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said.
Data from the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) show that the number of forest fires in Brazil quickly increased by 82 percent from January to August this year from a year ago. A total of 71,497 forest fires were recorded in the country in the first eight months of 2019, up from 39,194 in the same period in 2018, INPE said. "It's reported that the forest areas in the Brazilian Amazon have decreased something between 20 and 30 percent compared to the last 12 months," Carlos Nobre, a researcher at the University of Sao Paulo, told German broadcaster Deutsche Welle.
Brazil owns about 60 percent of the Amazon rainforest, whose drop could have severe results for global climate and rainfall. The size of the area ruined by fires has yet to be determined, but the emergency has transcended(超出）Brazil's borders, reaching Peruvian, Paraguayan and Bolivian areas.
On one occasion, while visiting my parents, I happened to meet the little boy who lived next door. It was obvious that his mother had told him not to come over uninvited. He was standing on the very edge of his yard with an anxious look on his face, seemingly about to burst.
My father waved him over and performed the introductions. "Eliot, this is my son, Gary. Gary, meet my little friend, Eliot." To my delight, he reached out his small hand and I accepted the formality(遵守礼节) with a smile.
Unlike most children, this teenager was not shy of meeting a stranger. As a matter of fact, he turned out to be quite a chatterbox. Eliot had me laughing as I listened to the excitement in his voice. for, as you know, it was a big deal to find a toad (蟾蜍)! His descriptions were priceless as I asked the obvious questions concerning the capture(捕捉). He was pleased that I showed interest in his adventure and gladly explained its details.
Since Eliot seemed so willing to invest in our budding friendship, I asked him a question, "Do you like banjo music?" He got very excited and answered me with a hearty "Yes!"
I took out my banjo from the car, but when I sat next to him and started playing, Eliot looked at me with a puzzled expression. He asked me "What's that?" in all seriousness.
My dad and I smiled. The boy who just "loved" the banjo didn't recognize that I was holding one and that what I was playing was "banjo music".
I realized that his heart was in the right place. Eliot just wanted to please his new friend with that "Yes", thinking it was what I wanted to hear.
Well anyway...Eliot likes the banjo for real now. And I like Eliot.
Benjamin Franklin clearly knew how to get things done. After scanning the long list of Benjamin Franklin's achievements, one can only come to one conclusion that the American man probably never had a wasted day in his life. When he was 84 years old, he became a successful author, printer, politician, postmaster, inventor, musician, and diplomat.
There's much we can learn from Benjarin Frankin's work habits and opinions on life that can increase our own productivity. Here are some ways Franklin overcame lazy, wasted days.
Start a group and share knowledge. When Franklin was 21, he was a struggling printer in Philadelphia. To increase his connections and to learn more about his industry, he created a group. The group was in great need of books, but books were expensive. Franklin helped start a library where books were bought and lent to members. This sharing of knowledge, experience, and connections helped Franklin become a famous and respected printer in Philadelphia.
Attack opportunities. "To succeed," Franklin wrote," jump as quickly at opportunities as you can." We can all agree, but when an opportunity comes we often look the other way. It's because the opportunity isn't dressed the way we expect. We often think that the opportunity was only in the form of a golden egg or a million-dollar lottery ticket or a new job offer. But more often than not, the opportunity comes in smaller, less beautiful packages.
Time is something in short supply. Franklin wrote "Lost time is never found again." This may sound like it came from the pen of a poet, but it's really an inspirational call to action. Franklin worked, created, and lived knowing that time is scarce. He never put off his work.
While Franklin was an able inventor we can be sure that his notebook contained a few unsuccessful ideas. Franklin wrote, "Do not fear mistakes. You will know failure. Continue to reach out."
With the development of technology and economy, social media is becoming one of the fastest-growing industries in today's world. A study conducted by the US Pew Research Centre showed that 92 percent of teenagers go online daily.
Changing relationships.
High school student Elly Cooper from Illinois said social media often reduces face-to-face communication. "It makes face-to-face relationships harder because people's attention is given to their phones instead of their friends," Cooper said.
Beth Kaplan from Illinois meets her long-distance friend through social media. He currently lives in Scotland, but they're still able to frequently communicate with each other. "I can feel close to someone that I'm talking to via FaceTime," Kaplan said.
Wanting to be "liked".
The 19-year-old Essena O'Neill announced on the social networking service Instagram that she was quitting social media because it made her unable to stop thinking about appearing perfect online. Teenagers who get harmful comments can't help but feel hurt.
However, Armin Korsos, a student from Illinois, takes advantage of the comments(评论) he receives over social media to improve his videos on the social networking site YouTube. "Social media can help people show themselves and their talents to the world in a way that has never been possible before," Korsos said.
A. Opening new doors.
B. Teenagers' attitude toward social media.
C. Unpleasant comments can also do great damage to a teenager's self-respect.
D. The wide spread of social media has changed nearly all parts of teenagers' lives.
E. Yet, the social media is beneficial to show people's talents.
F. The rise of social media has changed the way teenagers see themselves.
G. Yet, some people believe social media has made it easier to start relationships with anyone from anywhere.
In the close town of Whitesburg, Kentucky, Mick Polly, who lives with his teenage daughter Carolina in a house, is known as the bike man. Over the past five years, Mick has 1 hundreds of bicycles for poor kids.
One day in 2011, a 13-year-old boy with a 2 bike walked by Mick's house. "I was working in my garage, and he asked if I could 3 it," says Mick, now 53. The boy 4 his bike, which had a broken bracket, with Mick, who asked friends on Facebook if they had the missing part. The town's former police chief saw the 5 and donated two used bicycles. Mick took parts from each to engineer a new set of wheels for the 6.
Soon after, Mick, who 7 a toy business, repaired a bike for the boy's brother and made one for his sister. 8 spread, and within the year, he had fixed up dozens of bikes for 9 kids whose parents couldn't 10 to buy new ones.
"People were 11 bikes day and night," says Mick. Mick stored the bikes and bike parts in his garage. "I take off the 12 tires or the handlebars or the seats and 13 them," he says.
To date, the bike man has repaired hundreds of bikes and 14 nearly 700 newly built bikes. They're 15, but the kids must agree to two things: They've got to "remember who's 16 them'', and they've got to make 17 in school. If a kid's grades are 18, Mick requires a teacher's note saying that he is doing his best.
Mick also hopes the bikes will get kids off the 19. "When I was growing up, we all rode our bikes," he says," 20 these kids can get some exercise."
A Frenchman went to a small Italian town and stayed with his wife at the best hotel there. One night, he went out for a walk alone. It was late and the small street was dark and (quietly). Suddenly he felt someone behind him. He turned his head and saw an Italian young man, quickly walked past him. The man was nearly of sight when the Frenchman suddenly found that his watch was(miss). He thought that must be the Italian who had taken his watch. He decided (follow) him and get back the watch. Soon the Frenchman(catch) up with the Italian . Neither of them understood the other's language. The Frenchman frightened the Italian with his fist(拳头) while (point) at the Italian's watch. In the end the Italian gave up his watch to the Frenchman. When he returned to the hotel, the Frenchman told his wife what had happened. He was (great) surprised when his wife pointed to the watch on the table. Now he realized that by mistake he(rob) the watch and it was the Italian's.
