READING PRACTICE 6

JAPAN
Japan , an island nation in East Asia
has the total area of about 378,000 square kilometers . In Japan , the climate is rainy and humid with four distinct seasons . It is the world’s ninth most crowded nation with a population of about 128 million . The official language in Japan is Japanese and the dominant religion is Buddism . The basic unit of currency of Japan is the yen .
The largest city in Japan is Tokyo , the national capital . Tokyo is also the center of government, business , banking ,manufacturing, education , and communications .
One of the oldest and most famous sports in Japan is Sumo wresting which is well-known to the world with the image of very heavy wresters trying to knock opponents out of the ring .
Japan is among the top nations in the world in education with 99% of the population that can read and write .
After the United States , it is considered the world ‘s second largest economy with one of the world’s highest living standards .
With a colourful culture , every year , Japan attracts millions of tourists coming from all over the world .

KIMONO
The kimono , a dress that looks like a robe , is the traditional clothing of Japan .
Kimono styles have changed significantly in Japan’s history . Today , men , women and even children in Japan wear kimonos . The colors , cloth materials , and decorations of a kimono vary among people who wear it . They are different according to the sex , the age and the marital status of the wearer . They are also different according to the seasons of the year and the occasions for which the kimono is worn .
Although most Japanese people now wear western-style clothe such as suits , shirts or skirts , they wear kimonos on holidays and special occasions .

INTERNET
All information is transmitted across the internet in small units of data called packets . Software on the sending computer divides a large document into many packets for transmission . Software on the receiving computer groups incoming packets into the original document . Like a postcard , each packet has two parts : a packet header shows the computer where the packet should be delivered , and a packet payload contains the data being sent . The header also tells how the data in one packet should be combined with the data in other packets by recording which piece of a document is contained in the packet .

EARTH DAY
On April 22 , 1970 , Earth day was first internationally observed to emphasize the necessity for conservation of the world’s natural resources . Since then , Earth Day has become a major education and media event . Environmentalists use this occasion to report environmental problems of the planet such as the pollution of the air , water , and soil ; the destruction of the habitats , natural resources , plants and animals , and so on . In addition , they also emphasize on solutions that can stop the negative effects of human activities such as recycling used materials , banning the use of harmful chemicals , protecting rain forests and animal species .

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
Nowadays , environmentalists are so worried about environmental problems that can directly affect people’s life . Among the problems mentioned every day on mass media , air pollution and water pollution are considered the most serious ones .
There are many factors that cause the pollution of the air : chemicals from burned fuels, smoke from automobiles , and acid rain from chemical transformation . Smoke can cause serious health problems while acid rain is responsible for the destruction of many forest ecosystems .
Raw sewage , garbage , and oil contribute to the pollution of water . When water is polluted , it cause a lot of waterborne diseases and threatens marine wildlife . About 1.5 billion people around the world lack safe drinking water and every year , 5 million people die from diseases .

British countryside
The countryside of Britain is well-known for its beauty and many contrasts : its bare mountains and moorland , its lake , rivers and woods , and its long , wild coastline . Many of the most beautiful areas are national parks . When British people think of the countryside , they think of farm land , as well as open spaces with peace and relaxation .
They spend their free time walking or cycling , or go to the country for a picnic or a pub lunch . Only a few people commute to work in towns . Many others dream of living in the country , where they believe they would have a better and healthier life .



Energy
Energy control is a program that allows customers to buy electricity for about half the cost of the standard rate .
The power company will reduce energy supplied to electric devices at times of high demand such as during cold winter days when heating systems run often , or during stuffy summer afternoons when air-conditioners work at most . In most cases , the power company controls the power with radio signals . During the periods of high electric demand , a radio signal activates the switch to turn off certain devices . When electric demand decreases , a second radio signal returns the devices to normal operations . In exchange for the power company to control their