We use an average of 158 liters of water a day in Britain, for which we pay a bargain price of 28p a liter, but much of this is just cash down the drain, according to water companies. Most are campaigning to cut the amount we use. And the frontline weapon in their campaign is the water meter . They want us all to have one and one company is seeking powers to make this compulsory. The Government is anxious for us to use less water, too. Elliot Morley, the Environment Minister, says he is impressed by the savings when a meter is installed. In most homes, consumption drops by 20 percent. He also thinks consumers get a good deal from meters. He said, "Most people would find that they would either be exactly the same or better off with water meters and it is a fairer way of paying for water." At present, only 25% of households have meters and most of those are in East Anglia. They are installed by water companies, and households then have about PS43 added to each bill to cover the cost of installing and reading the meter. Barrie Clarke, a spokesman for Water UK, said, "We want everyone to be more water wise--to think about the amount of water they use. But with our climate change and different weather patterns, over time it will make economic and environmental sense to think how we use water. This may mean meters." Mr. Clarke believes the easiest way to save water is to use less in the garden. In one hour, a sprinkler uses the same amount of water as the average family of four uses in a day--about 632 liters. He said that gardeners should water in the evening so that it dose not _ in the heat of the day and that every household should have a water butt to collect rainwater for use in the garden. The passage implies that _ . A) water meters are welcome by British people B) people will be better off with water meters C) everyone has become wiser to use water now D) saving water is both good to economy and environment
D
(Question)
If you are sending a text, watching the TV or listening to the radio, you may want to stop and give this your full attention. Multi-tasking shrinks the brain, research suggests. A study found that men and women who frequently used several types of technology at the same time had less grey matter in a key part of the brain. University of Sussex researchers said, "Simultaneously using mobile phones, laptops and other media devices could be changing the structure of our brains." The finding follows research which has linked multi-tasking with a shortened attention span, depression, anxiety and lower grades at school. The researchers began by asking 75 healthy men and women how often they divided their attention between different types of technology. This could mean sending a text message while listening to music and checking email, or speaking on the phone while watching TV and surfing the web. The volunteers were then given brain scans which showed they had less grey matter in a region called the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). The findings held even when differences in personality were taken into account. The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, is the first to make a link between multi-tasking and the structure of the brain. Researcher Kep Kee Loh said, "Media multi-tasking is becoming more common in our lives today and there is increasing concern about its impacts on our cognition and social-emotional well-being." He added that more research is needed to prove that multi-tasking shrinks the brain. This is because it is also possible that people with less grey matter in the ACC are more drawn to using lots of small devices simultaneously. Scientists have previously demonstrated brain structure can be changed on prolonged exposure to new environments and experience. Other studies have shown that training -- such as learning to juggle or taxi drivers learning the map of London -- can increase grey-matter densities in certain parts. Experts have also warned of the harmful impact technology can have on... According to Kep Kee Loh, _ . A) the link between multi-tasking and brain shrinkage needs further research B) people with less grey matter in the ACC are more attracted to multi-tasking C) multi-tasking has harmful impacts on our cognition and social-emotional well-being D) multi-tasking leads to a shortened attention span, depression, anxiety and lower grades
(Answer)
A
Question: Trying to recover from a devastating economic crisis, Spain is considering moving the country's clock back by one hour. Many people regard long afternoon naps and late dinners as perfect aspects of the Spanish way of life. Until the 1940s, Spain was on the same time as Britain and Portugal. In World War II, Spain and Portugal moved the clocks forward to align them with Nazi Germany. The same happened in Portugal. After the defeat of Hitler, Portugal returned to Greenwich Mean Time, but Spain did not. "The fact that for more than 71 years Spain has not been in its proper time zone means we sleep almost an hour less than the World Health Organization recommends," lawmakers in the Spanish Parliament wrote in a proposal."This has a negative effect on productivity, absenteeism, stress, accidents and school drop-out rates." Last September, a parliamentary commission recommended that the government turn back the clocks by one hour and introduce a regular eight-hour workday. For the time being, the Spanish government is treating the campaign seriously but it hasn't taken any action yet. Spain's time zone issue explains why everything in Spain happens later, from meal times to broadcast entertainment (primetime doesn't start until 10 pm). Many urban Spaniards complain of a never-ending workday that begins in the morning but is interrupted by a traditional late-morning break and then again by the midday siesta--a two-hour long lunch and nap that usually start at 2 pm. If workers return to their desks at 4 pm, they end up working late into the evening. Under the proposed new schedule, the lunchtime break would be cut to an hour or less. The interruption-filled Spanish workday would be replaced by something closer to a 9-to-5 schedule. Ignacio Buqueras, president of the Association for the Rationalization of Spanish Working Hours, told The New York Times that changing the Spanish schedule would be good news for working mothers. It would also allow families more free time together and boost Spain's economic... Which of the following is the best title for the passage? A) Lifestyle changes in Spain B) Time for Spain to turn back C) Spain's time zone issues D) Spain's work hour regulation
Answer:
B