Trắc nghiệm tổng hợp ôn thi tốt nghiệp THPT môn Tiếng Anh Chuyên đề VII. Đọc hiểu có đáp án

Glass fibers have a long history. By 1600 B.C., the Egyptians were producing coarse fibers, and as early as 1375 B.C., fibers were used as ornaments on Egyptian pottery. Glassmakers in Venice employed glass fibers to adorn the exterior of simple glass vessels throughout the Renaissance, which took place in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries A.D. But glassmakers were so secretive about their trade that no one wrote about the creation of glass fiber until the early seventeenth century.

     During the seventeenth century, "spun glass" fibers were created. French physicist Rene-Antoine de Reaumur attempted to create glass feather substitutes. By spinning a wheel into a puddle of molten glass and plucking glass threads where the hot, viscous liquid adhered to the wheel, he created fibers. Despite the short and delicate nature of his fibers, he anticipated that spun glass threads as thin as spider silk would be flexible enough to be woven into textiles. Glassmakers discovered at the beginning of the nineteenth century that using a hot glass tube to extract fibers from molten glass produced longer, stronger fibers. The creators wrapped a yarn reel with the cooling end of the thread and quickly spun it to extract additional fiber from the molten glass. At fairs, it was the custom of itinerant craftsmen to spin glass fibers into decorations and ornaments for collectors. However, this material proved to be unsuitable for most purposes, as the tattered, brittle threads could only extend up to ten feet, which was the circle of the largest reels.

     But by the middle of the 1870s, the finest glass fibers were finer than silk, and they could be combined to create faux ostrich feathers that could be used to adorn hats or woven into garments. Spun glass cloth in white had a silvery appearance, whereas fibers extracted from yellow-orange glass had a golden hue. Before their thermal and electrical insulating qualities were recognised and techniques for creating continuous filaments were discovered, glass fibers were essentially a novelty in the 1930s. Glass is supplied directly from a glass-melting furnace into a bushing, a container punctured with hundreds of tiny nozzles, where it emerges in fine streams, as part of the modern manufacturing process. The streams of glass are collected into a single strand and wrapped onto a reel as they solidify.

     The most thoroughly studied cases of deception strategies employed by ground-nesting birds involve plovers, small birds that typically nest on beaches or in open fields, their nests merely scrape in the sand or earth. Plovers also have an effective repertoire of tricks for distracting potential nest predators from their exposed and defenseless eggs or chicks.

     The ever-watchful plover can detect a possible threat at a considerable distance. When she does, the nesting bird moves inconspicuously off the nest to a spot well away from eggs or chicks. At this point, she may use one of several ploys. One technique involves first moving quietly toward an approaching animal and then setting off noisily through the grass or brush in a low, crouching run away from the nest, while emitting rodent like squeaks. The effect mimics a scurrying mouse or vole, and the behaviour rivets the attention of the type of predators that would also be interested in eggs and chicks.

     Another deception begins with quiet movement to an exposed and visible location well away from the nest. Once there, the bird pretends to incubate a brood. When the predator approaches, the parent flees, leaving the false nest to be searched. The direction in which the plover "escapes" is such that if the predator chooses to follow, it will be led still further away from the true nest.

     The plover's most famous stratagem is the broken-wing display, actually a continuum of injury-mimicking behaviours spanning the range from slight disability to near-complete helplessness. One or both wings are held in an abnormal position, suggesting injury. The bird appears to be attempting to escape along an irregular route that indicates panic. In the most extreme version of the display, the bird flaps one wing in an apparent attempt to take to the air, flops over helplessly, struggles back to its feet, runs away a short distance, seemingly attempts once more to take off, flops over again as the "useless" wing fails to provide any lift, and so on. Few predators fail to pursue such obviously vulnerable prey.

     Needless to say, each short run between "flight attempts" is directed away from the nest.

     TikTok is a social media platform that has exploded in popularity among teenagers and young adults. While it can be a fun way to share videos and connect with friends, there are some negative effects that users should be aware of.

     One of the main concerns about TikTok is its addictive nature. The app uses an algorithm to show users a constant stream of short videos, which makes it easy to spend hours scrolling through content. This can lead to a significant amount of time being wasted and can also interfere with other important activities, such as schoolwork or spending time with family and friends.

     There are also privacy concerns associated with TikTok. The app collects a large amount of personal data from its users, including their location, IP address, and browsing history. This information can be used for targeted advertising, but it can also be sold to third parties without the user's consent. In fact, TikTok was recently fined $5.7 million by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission for illegally collecting data from children under the age of 13.

     Finally, TikTok can have a negative impact on body image and self-esteem. Many of the most popular videos on the app feature attractive, thin, and seemingly perfect individuals. This can lead to feelings of inadequacy and can perpetuate harmful beauty standards. It's important for users to remember that the images they see on TikTok are often heavily edited and do not reflect reality.

     In conclusion, while TikTok can be a fun and entertaining app, it's important to be aware of its negative effects. Users should be mindful of how much time they spend on the app, and parents should have open conversations with their children about online safety and privacy.