Pesticides Are Dangerous # Practice Reading

Pesticides Are Dangerous

Source – http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/04/29/pesticide-exposure.aspx

More than one billion pounds ( the basic monetary unit of the United Kingdom )of pesticides (a chemical preparation for destroying plant, fungal, or animal pests) are used in the US each year, an amount that has quintupled (being five times as as much or as many)since 1945. This includes 20,000 products made from varying formulations (to create or prepare something carefully, giving particular attention to the details)of more than 1,000 chemicals, sprayed everywhere from farm fields and gardens to playgrounds and schools.

It should be revealing (giving your interesting information that you did not know before)that one commonly used type of pesticide, organophosphates (chemical containing carbon and phosphates), were first developed as nerve gas during World War II. They work by inhibiting (to prevent something from happening or make it happen more slowly or less frequently than normal)cholinesterase (an enzyme, found especially in the heart, brain, and blood, thathydrolyzes acetylcholine to acetic acid and choline), an enzyme that regulates a key messenger in your brain called acetylcholine.

In effect, these poisons disrupt the signals between neurons (a cell that carries information within the brain and between the brain and other parts of the body), an action that has been linked to neuro degenerative diseases (Neurodegenerative disease is an umbrella term for a range of conditions which primarily affect the neurons in the human brain)like Alzheimer’s disease (a serious disease, especially affecting older people, that prevents the brain from functioning normally and cause loss of memory, loss of ability to speak clearly etc)and Parkinson’s (a disease of the nervous system that gets worse over a period of time and causes the muscles to become weak and the arms and legs to shake)in humans. In children, there is increasing evidence (the facts, signs, or objects that make you believe that something is true)that these pesticides are especially damaging, not only at high exposure levels but also at low, chronic (lasting for a long time)levels to which millions are exposed (to show something that is usually hidden).

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Pharmaceutical Companies # Practice Reading

Lately pharma (pharmaceutical companies collectively as a sector of industry)execs have been taking yet another volley (a number of bullets, arrows, or other projectiles discharged at one time)of criticism (the expression of disapproval of someone or something on the basis of perceived faults or mistakes)over drug-pricing practices from Hillary Clinton and Marco Rubio—and plenty of others—without offering much in the way of a defense (the action of defending from or resisting attack). Now two CEOs say the industry—whose stocks tumbled (fall suddenly, clumsily, or headlong)on a Clinton tweet about ‘price gouging ( a large amount, as of money, exacted or extorted)’ and whose share prices have been ailing (in poor health)since July—is quietly formulating (express (an idea) in a concise or systematic way)its response plan.

When Biogen BIIB 0.84% CEO George Scangos was asked on a third quarter earnings (gain deservedly in return for one’s behaviour or achievements)call Tuesday about the industry’s relative silence on the subject of late, he predicted (say or estimate that (a specified thing) will happen in the future or will be a consequence of something)drug companies would soon weigh in. “Obviously, there has been a lot of rhetoric (the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the exploitation of figures of speech and other compositional techniques)recently,” Scangos said. “The industry is preparing a thoughtful presentation of a different perspective (a particular attitude towards or way of regarding something; a point of view)on drug prices and the value that we bring to patients and the medical community.”

Eli Lilly LLY -0.19% CEO John Lechleiter offered a similar response when asked about the subject by an analyst (a person who conducts analysis)this morning, on an earnings call: “You can expect to see more coming from the industry,” he said, noting that the response needs to be well-calibrated (to determine, check, or rectify the graduation of (any instrument giving quantitative measurements)). “We have to be careful and thoughtful here. I don’t think there is a way you can spend enough money to all of a sudden change people’s mind.”

That said, Lechleiter believes it can be done. “We have a great story to tell,” he said. “If you look at the hepatitis space, the cancer space, diabetes—there are huge advances in recent years…I’ve never been as optimistic (disposed to take a favorable view of events or conditions and to expect the most favorable outcome)about our chance to make a difference.” He added that the media focuses on examples of individual drug price hikes, it has overlooked the fact that expense of drugs as a proportion of healthcare spending has remained “remarkably constant” over the years. Moreover, drug companies, Lechleiter says, are mandated (a command or authorization to act in a particular way on a public issue given by the electorate to its representative)by the government to provide “deep discounts”, and are increasingly under pressure to do so to get their medicines on formularies (a collection or systems of formulas)and to be able to compete for business. “We have more work to do, and you can expect to see more.”

Source – http://fortune.com/2015/10/22/big-pharma-wont-stay-silent-in-drug-pricing-debate-for-long/

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Common Expressions On Money

Money is a form of exchange between the services and you. So, if you want something, you need to give money and English has some expressions for Money. Let us have a look at some of the expressions related to money –

  1. Loaded- If you are loaded with money, it means you have lots of money. Example- I am loaded so I often buy gifts for me and my family.
  2. Make A Killing- Make a killing means to make a lot of money. Example- My brother made a killing working in the software company.
  3. Make Ends Meet- Make ends meet means to have enough money to may be pay your bills or just meet your requirements. Example- She is not rich but knows how to make ends meet.
  4. Hand To Mouth- Hand to mouth means you don’t have money to save. Example- Since I lost my job, I had to live hand to mouth.
  5. To pay an arm and leg- It means it is really expensive. Example- My new car cost me an arm and leg.
  6. Pinch Pennies- It means to be very careful about spending money. Example- My friend is a penny pincher.
  7. Put in your two cents – It means to give your opinion. Example- He always put his two cents in the class discussion.

So, express money properly and score high in IELTS.

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Student Queries # IELTS

When you have dreams, you also have questions, doubts and queries. Let us look at some of the questions asked by students frequently –

  1. Can I write in capital letter in the essay? Yes, you can. The rule changed a few time back and now it is perfectly fine to write essays in capital letters.
  2. Is writing task 2 same for both academic and general? Yes, they are, however you are checked on different things in  both cases.
  3. Do plural and singular form mistakes matter? Yes, they do. The examiner is there to check you on every correct and wrong thing you do. There are no big , small or medium mistakes. They are mistakes and that is it.
  4. Should I write numbers or figures in my writing task? You must write the figure, i.e. nine instead of 9, in the writing task. However, you can write the numeral in other tasks.
  5. Does accent matter? No it does not. You are being checked on your clarity and pronunciation and not accent.

So, go and give IELTS your best shot. Make sure you avoid silly mistakes, as they lead you nowhere except in trouble. Also, getting high band in IELTS is more about doing right things often than ignoring wrong things.

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