Questões sobre Interpretação de texto | Reading comprehension

     Children are not being taught enough about plants at a time when they could be the answer to global warming, scientists have warned. This has led to people becoming “disconnected from the botanical world” of plants when understanding flora has become crucial to ecology. Even students starting masters’ degrees in biology lack a “basic” ability to identify plants, the new study claims.

       Data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency of the United Kingdom reveals just one student graduated in plant science for every 185 who graduated in other life sciences between 2007 and 2019. The lack of botanical knowledge means people can’t identify invasive species and that ecological damage is being done as trees are planted in the wrong places and wildflower meadows are damaged.

     Researchers argue “nature literacy” must become a core skill for professionals from planners, engineers, architects, and educators as much as it does to farmers, foresters, and fishermen. Researchers at the University of Leeds, in England, say plant ecology — which studies the distribution and abundance of plants, the effect of the environment on them and how they interact with the environment — is also not taught well enough. “We ignore the opportunities presented to us by the botanical world at our own peril,” said lead study author and doctoral student Seb Stroud.

       This data is also corroborated by the Scottish government, which said there are not enough skilled people to implement “nature-based solutions” to rising temperatures. The University of Leeds team also argued that people’s inability to identify plants could make the spread of invasive plants worse. The researchers conclude: “The extinction of botanical education will only continue to worsen unless we break the cycle of disconnection from the botanical world.”

Internet:<https://www.newsweek.com/>  (adapted). 

The javelin is over 400,000 years old. This long, pointed stick was first used as a weapon before it became an integral event in the Olympic Games. Though even as a sport, it can still cause damage today.

Javelin throwers can become injured because they often repeat the same action many times during training or competitions. There is especially a risk of elbow injury if athletes bend their arms the wrong way when they throw the javelin. As with all sports, it’s important to warm up properly before practicing the javelin.

For people considering taking up this sport, here are some suggestions for preventing injury:

1. Practice with a professional coach. It’s essential to develop a good technique from the beginning.

2. Develop healthy eating habits and a good diet with lots of fruit, vegetables, and protein (chicken or fish). Don’t skip breakfast on the day of the competition.

3. When competing ___________sports events, plan the day properly. Competitions can begin ____________the morning, so start your warm up when you get up. Do exercises for your arms, legs, back, and neck before you put your gym clothes and go the stadium.

4. It’s important for athletes to keep their body temperatures up, so after warming up, it’s best to wear a tracksuit while waiting for the event to begin. Sometimes the different parts of the competitions take place at different times. In between, keep your throwing arm warm. For example, wrap a towel around it while you’re waiting. 

5. After the competition, many athletes want to relax and hang out with their friends, but don’t finish the competition without cooling down first. Put ice on the throwing arm for about a quarter of an hour. This prevents injuries after the event.

6. Finally, don’t practice too much. Only Olympic athletes need to practice every day. Sports are for fun. Just enjoy the event.

What is Monkeypox?

      Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. Monkeypox virus is part of the same family of viruses as variola virus, the virus that causes smallpox.     Monkeypox symptoms are similar to smallpox symptoms, but milder, and monkeypox is rarely fatal. Monkeypox is not related to chickenpox. Monkeypox was discovered in 1958 when two outbreaks of a pox-like disease occurred in colonies of monkeys kept for research. Despite being named “monkeypox,” the source of the disease remains unknown. However, African rodents and non-human primates (like monkeys) might harbor the virus and infect people.

     The first human case of monkeypox was recorded in 1970. Prior to the 2022 outbreak, monkeypox had been reported in people in several central and western African countries. Previously, almost all monkeypox cases in people outside of Africa  to international travel to countries where the disease commonly occurs or through imported animals. These cases occurred on multiple continents.

(Adapted from https://www.cdc.gov)