[406] - Reading - Đọc hiểu 10 câu - Chuyên đề Ôn thi THPT Tiếng Anh năm 2025

Because the low latitudes of the Earth, the areas near the equator, receive more heat than the latitudes near the poles, and because the nature of heat is to expand and move, heat is transported from the tropics to the middle and high latitudes. Some of this heat is moved by winds and some by ocean currents, and some gets stored in the atmosphere in the form of latent heat.
(I) The term “latent heat” refers to the energy that has to be used to convert liquid water to water vapor. (II) We know that if we warm a pan of water on a stove, it will evaporate, or turn into vapor, faster than if it is allowed to sit at room temperature. (III) We also know that if we hang wet clothes outside in the summertime, they will dry faster than in winter, when the temperature is lower. The energy used in both cases to change liquid water to water vapor is supplied by heat - supplied by the stove in the first case and by the Sun in the latter case. This energy is not lost. (IV) It is stored as vapor in the atmosphere as latent heat. Eventually, the water stored as vapor in the atmosphere will condense to liquid again, and the energy will be released to the atmosphere.
In the atmosphere, a large portion of the Sun’s incoming energy is used to evaporate water, primarily in the tropical oceans. Scientists have tried to pin down this proportion of the Sun’s energy. By analyzing temperature, water vapor, and wind data around the globe, they have estimated the quantity to be about 90 watts per square meter, or nearly 30 percent of the Sun’s energy. Once this latent heat is stored within the atmosphere, it can be transported, primarily to higher latitudes, by prevailing, large - scale winds. Or it can be transported vertically to higher levels in the atmosphere, where it forms clouds and subsequent storms, which then release the energy back to the atmosphere.
(Adapted from civilserviceguide.com)

For the past decades, the importance of various ecosystems has become widely understood. Therefore, humans have carried out various methods to protect the natural world, including making the switch to green energy sources.
[I] Solar energy is harnessed through solar panels and converted into usable electricity. [II]. Furthermore, solar panels are ideally suited for small-scale installations, such as residential homes, as they demand minimal maintenance costs and have a long lifespan. [III] However, the effectiveness of solar power is determined by weather conditions, which makes it less practical in areas where sunny weather is infrequent. [IV]
Wind power involves the transformation of wind energy into electricity through the use of large turbines. Wind power produces little greenhouse gases, but it is less suitable for private use due to the consistent maintenance requirements of turbines. Nevertheless, wind farms can be deployed on a large-scale and are capable of generating electricity continuously. As a result, there could be increased investments in wind-power that could offer a stable energy supply to major cities.
The combined forces of wind and solar power play a substantial role in promoting an eco-friendly environment by reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, reducing pollution and slowing down the progression of climate change. Moreover, the utilisation of renewable energy sources stimulates investment in sustainable development by creating new career opportunities within the green energy sector
Today, the installation and infrastructure costs are the main obstacles to the transition to green energy. However, they offer undeniable benefits that far outweigh their drawbacks, which can help us ensure a more sustainable future.
(Adapted from Bright)

Nibha Kumari, a resident of Bihar, India’s poorest state, recalls how a bicycle transformed her life when she turned 15. For two years, six days a week, she cycled two hours daily from home to school and coaching classes and back, using a bicycle provided by the state government. “If I didn’t have a cycle, I don’t think I could have finished high school. It changed my life,” says Nibha, now 27.
A new peer-reviewed study published in Journal of Transport Geography reveals remarkable insights about school-going children and cycling in rural India. The study by Srishti Agrawal, Adit Seth and Rahul Goel found that the most notable rise in cycling in India had occurred among rural girls -increasing more than two times from 4.5% in 2007 to 11% in 2017 - reducing the gender gap in the activity. “This is a silent revolution. We call it a revolution because cycling levels increased among girls in a country which has high levels of gender inequality in terms of female mobility outside the home, in general, and for cycling, in particular,” says Ms Agrawal.
[I] State-run free bicycle distribution schemes since 2004 have targeted girls, who had higher school dropout rates than boys due to household chores and exhausting long walks. [II] This approach isn’t unique to India - evidence from countries like Colombia, Kenya, Malawi and Zimbabwe also shows that bicycles effectively boost girls' school enrolment and retention. [III] Cycling to school in rural areas doubled over the decade, while in urban areas, it remained steady. Indian city roads are notoriously unsafe, with low urban cycling to school linked to poor traffic safety and more cars on the road. [IV]
American suffragist Susan B Anthony famously said that the bicycle “has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. It gives women a feeling of freedom and self-reliance". Researchers wonder if women cycle less as they age due to shrinking job opportunities and workforce dropout. Nibha stopped cycling after marriage and moving to her in-laws' home. While she still travels outside the house as she trains to become a teacher, when asked about her commute, she simply says, "I don't need the cycle anymore."
(Adapted from https://www.bbc.com/news)