Earth Day

Many countries around the world celebrate Earth

Day. It is a day that is meant to raise awareness
and appreciation about the Earth's natural
environment.

The first Earth Day was held in the USA. It was

founded by United States Senator Gaylord Nelson
as an environmental teach-in - a sort of general
educational forum or seminar. That was on April 22,
1970. While this first Earth Day was focused on the
United States, an organization launched by Denis
Hayes, who was the original national coordinator in 1970, took it international in
1990 and organized events in 141 nations.

Earth Day is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network, and is
celebrated in more than 175 countries every year. Numerous communities
celebrate Earth Week, an entire week of activities focused on environmental
issues. In 2009, the United Nations designated April 22 International Mother
Earth Day.

1. The first Earth Day was celebrated around the world

a. True
b. False
2. The celebration became international thanks to Senator Gaylord Nelson
a. True
b. False
3. A few countries celebrate the Day
a. True
b. False
4. The day is now coordinated by The earth Day Network at the international level
a. True
b. False.

Answer the following questions:

Was it difficult to read?

Why do you think to read is easy or difficult, tell some aspects

Did you read once or twice in order to understand?

 SKIMMING AND SCANNING
Skimming refers to the process of reading only main ideas within a passage to
get an overall impression of the content of a reading selection.
How to Skim:
Read the title.
Read the introduction or the first paragraph.
Read the first sentence of every other paragraph.
Read any headings and sub-headings.
Notice any pictures, charts, or graphs.
Notice any italicized or boldface words or phrases.
Read the summary or last paragraph.
Scanning is a reading technique to be used when you want to find specific
information quickly. In scanning you have a question in your mind and you read
a passage only to find the answer, ignoring unrelated information.
How to scan:
State the specific information you are looking for.
Try to anticipate how the answer will appear and what the clues you might use
to help you locate the answer. For example, if you were looking for a certain
date, you would quickly read the paragraph looking only for numbers.
Use headings and any other aids that will help you identify which sections might
contain the information you are looking for.
Selectively read and skip through sections of the passage.
 The Weekend Market
Read the short essay below and answer the questions.
Many tourists I have met have told me that one place they have to go is the
weekend market. This market is huge and has everything from bags, souvenirs
and handicrafts to many kinds of animal and many kinds of plants. It also has a
fantastic variety of local food. In other words, the weekend market is a great
place for shopping and experiencing the local culture.

The market is located near the city's main bus station so people come from all
over the country to buy and sell goods. Moreover, it is also near a sky train station
and a subway station which makes it very convenient for city people, especially
young people who don't have cars. The market is very large and full of hundreds
of small shops and stalls. Consequently, it can be confusing to get around.
However, if you get lost, it is a good idea to look for the clock tower which is right
in the middle of the market. It will help you Find your way.

When I walk into the market early on a Sunday morning there are people and
cars and motorcycles everywhere. You have to be careful where you walk.
Many people are bringing their goods to sell in big bags on carts and trolleys. In
fact, you might even have to jump out of thesellers' way as they charge along
the narrow walkways with their goods. In addition to the sellers, tourists and
locals are pouring in looking for something to eat or ready to start shopping. As
time goes by, the market gets more and more crowded and you have to start
squeezing past people to keep moving.

As you walk through the market you will experience many sensations. For
example, there are many smells, scents and aromas. One moment you will be
smelling the aromas of stir-friend cooking dishes from a small restaurant and the
next you smell the scents of orchids and other Flowers as you pass through the
cooler and more relaxing garden section. Furthermore, walking deeper into the
market, your eyes will have trouble recording so many products with their many
colors, designs and sizes. After a while you may feel dizzy and look for a quiet
place to have a rest and a refreshing drink. Fortunately, there are many small
cafes and drink stalls selling fresh coconut juice, orange juice or iced water.
To sum up, a day at the weekend market is both a day of shopping and a unique
experience for your senses. It is a kind of magical journey that is great as a First
experience for tourists and an escape from daily life for locals. Moreover, while it
is usually hot and crowded, the atmosphere is friendly and good-natured.
1 Why is the weekend market a great place to go on the weekend?
2 Why can the market be confusing?
3 How might you feel when walking through the crowded parts of the market?
4 What do you have to be careful about as you walk through the market?
5 Why is the market described as a “magical journey”?
 First Day at University
Read the short essay below and answer the questions.
What important days in your life do you remember? I remember my first day at
university very clearly. I felt excited and happy. At the same time I was very
nervous because I didn't know anyone. However, my first day at university was
memorable.

At first, I was confused and lost. I didn't know where to go. I had to ask a stranger
where the first year students were going to meet. This person was very polite and
showed me the way. I walked through some big buildings, and when I arrived I
saw many students and I felt scared.

After a while, I told myself to be braver. I asked one girl what was happening and
we discovered that we where in the same group. We introduced ourselves. Her
name was May. We joined in with the activities for “freshie” students. Soon, I
started feeling much better. The activities helped me feel part of a team and I was
beginning to feel that I had become a university student.

Later, we began our classes. However, all our classmates were quiet. The
teacher talked for a while and then we introduced ourselves. I met two girls. Their
names were June and Apple. Soon we became good friends and started chatting
and learnt more about each other. Although we came from different provinces we
had a lot in common. We spent the rest of the day together until we had to go
home.
I am always going to remember that day because I had the opportunity to meet
many people. Most importantly, I met the best friends that I have ever had. Finally,
I think that it is natural that on the first day at university we feel nervous, but often
difficult experiences have happy endings. That's why I say that my first day in the
university was very memorable.
1 How did the student feel at the beginning of the first day at university?
2 When did the student’s first day start to improve?
3 What do you think was the best thing that happened to the student on this day?
4 Do you think the writer is male or female? Why?
5 Do you think this person went on to be a successful student? Explain?

American Culture: Traditions and Customs of the United States

American culture encompasses the customs and traditions of the United States.
"Culture encompasses religion, food, what we wear, how we wear it, our
language, marriage, music, what we believe is right or wrong, how we sit at the
table, how we greet visitors, how we behave with loved ones, and a million other
things," said Cristina De Rossi, an anthropologist at Barnet and Southgate
College in London.
The United States is the third largest country in the world with a population of
more than 325 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. A child is born
every 8 seconds, and a person dies every 12 seconds.
In addition to Native Americans who were already living on the continent, the
population of the United States was built on immigration from other countries.
Despite recent moves to close the U.S. borders to new immigrants and
refugees, a new immigrant moves to the United States every 33 seconds,
according to the Census Bureau.

Because of this, the United States is one of the most culturally diverse countries
in the world. Nearly every region of the world has influenced American culture,
most notably the English who colonized the country beginning in the early
1600s. U.S. culture has also been shaped by the cultures of Native Americans,
Latin Americans, Africans and Asians.

The United States is sometimes described as a "melting pot" in which different

cultures have contributed their own distinct "flavors" to American culture. Just as
cultures from around the world have influenced American culture, today American
culture influences the world. The term Western culture often refers broadly to the
cultures of the United States and Europe.
The way people "melt" in the United States differs. "Different groups of immigrants
integrate in different ways," De Rossi told Live Science. "For example, in the
United States, Catholic Spanish-speaking communities might keep their
language and other cultural family traditions, but are integrated in the urban
community and have embraced the American way of life in many other ways."
The Northeast, South, Midwest, Southeast and Western regions of the United
States all have distinct traditions and customs. Here is a brief overview of the
culture of the United States.

Language

There is no official language of the United States, according to the U.S.

government. While almost every language in the world is spoken in the United
States, the most frequently spoken non-English languages are Spanish,
Chinese, French and German. Ninety percent of the U.S. population speaks
and understands at least some English, and most official business is conducted
in English. Some states have official or preferred languages. For example,
English and Hawaiian are the official languages in Hawaii.

The Census Bureau estimates that more than 300 languages are spoken in the
United States. The bureau divides those languages into four categories: Spanish;
other Indo-European languages, which includes German, Yiddish, Swedish,
French, Italian, Russian, Polish, Hindi, Punjabi, Greek and several others; Asian
and Pacific Island languages, including Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai, Tamil
and more; and "all other languages," which is a category for languages that didn't
fit into the first three categories, such as Hungarian, Arabic, Hebrew, languages
of Africa and languages of native people of North, Central and South America.
Religion
Nearly every known religion is practiced in the United States, which was
founded on the basis of religious freedom. About 71 percent of Americans
identify themselves as Christians, according to information gathered by the Pew
Research Center, a nonpartisan research group, in 2017. The research also
found that about 23 percent had no religious affiliation at all and around 6
percent of the population is made up non-Christian religions.
The number of people who identify with no religion seems to be decreasing.
According to the Pew Research Center, this category is expected to drop from
16 percent in 2015 to 13 percent in 2060.

American style

Clothing styles vary by social status, region, occupation and climate. Jeans,
sneakers, baseball caps, cowboy hats and boots are some items of clothing that
are closely associated with Americans. Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Michael
Kors and Victoria Secret are some well-known American brands.

American fashion is widely influenced by celebrities and the media, and fashion
sales equal around $200 billion per year, according to a paper published
by Harvard University in 2007. More and more Americans are buying fashion,
electronics and more online. According to the Census Bureau, U.S. retail e-
commerce sales for the first quarter of 2017 totaled around $98.1 billion.
American food

American cuisine was influenced by Europeans and Native Americans in its

early history. Today, there are a number of foods that are commonly identified
as American, such as hamburgers, hot dogs, potato chips, macaroni and
cheese, and meat loaf. "As American as apple pie" has come to mean
something that is authentically American.

There are also styles of cooking and types of foods that are specific to a region.
Southern-style cooking is often called "American comfort food" and includes
dishes such as fried chicken, collard greens, black-eyed peas and corn bread.
Tex-Mex, popular in Texas and the Southwest, is a blend of Spanish and
Mexican cooking styles and includes items such as chili and burritos, and relies
heavily on shredded cheese and beans.

Jerky, dried meats that are served as snacks, is also a food that was created in
the United States, according to NPR.

The arts

The United States is widely known around the world as a leader in mass media
production, including television and movies. According to the U.S. Department
of Commerce, the United States comprises one-third of the worldwide media
and entertainment industry.

The television broadcasting industry took hold in the United States in the early
1950s, and American television programs are now shown around the world. The
United States also has a vibrant movie industry, centered in Hollywood,
California, and American movies are popular worldwide. The U.S. film industry
earned $31 billion in revenues in 2013, and is expected to reach $771 billion by
2019, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The United States' arts culture extends beyond movies and television shows,
though. New York is home to Broadway, and Americans have a rich theatrical
history. American folk art is an artistic style and is identified with quilts and other
hand-crafted items. American music is very diverse with many, many styles,
including rhythm and blues, jazz, gospel, country and western, bluegrass, rock
'n' roll and hip hop.

Sports

The United States is a sports-minded country, with millions of fans who follow
football, baseball, basketball and hockey, among other sports. Baseball, which
was developed in colonial America and became an organized sport in the mid-
1800s, is known as America's favorite pastime, although its popularity has been
eclipsed by football for the past three decades, according to the Harris Poll.
American holidays

Many holidays are celebrated only in the United States. Americans celebrate
their independence from Britain on July 4. Memorial Day, celebrated on the last
Monday in May, honors those who have died in military service. Labor Day,
observed on the first Monday in September, celebrates the country's workforce.
Thanksgiving, another distinctive American holiday, falls on the fourth Thursday
in November and dates back to colonial times to celebrate the harvest.
Presidents' Day, marking the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham
Lincoln, is a federal holiday that occurs on the third Monday in February. The
contributions of veterans are honored on Veterans' Day, observed on Nov. 11.
The contributions of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. are remembered on
the third Monday in January.