Reading 1 ⇱
In today's world, we have different kinds of media available to us at all times, but did you know that the history of media actually goes back millennia?
The word ‘media’ refers to the different ways in which people transmit information. By this definition, we can say with confidence that human beings created the first type of media around 64,000 years ago when we first began painting simplistic symbols on the walls of caves. Since then, the more we have evolved, the more advanced our media have become.
According to experts, it was sometime around 3,400 BC when human beings first began utilizing written language as a means of communication. For generations, apart from verbal communication, people had to write everything manually until the mid-1440s. It was Johannes Gutenberg who revolutionized media when he created an invention called the printing press. This marked the beginning of what we now call 'mass media: Gutenberg's innovative invention made print media like books, newspapers and magazines at a large scale and share information with a wider audience than ever before.
Several hundred years after the invention of the printing press, during the 19th century, we created cameras and later, the radio. The invention of the radio began the age of broadcast media, and the development of television swiftly followed it. This allowed many people to watch fascinating movies, programs and documentaries, all of which remain popular today.
In the 2000s, we saw the rise of digital media. Now, we visit web pages, listen to podcasts, stream music and communicate on social media using our smartphones. We even use QR codes to share information instantly. We have come a long way, and so have the ways we communicate!
Adapted from Bright 12-Textbook
Reading 2 ⇱
Ten thousand years ago, about half of the surface of the earth was covered in trees. Now, that proportion is down to about one-third, or four billion hectares. What’s worse, the rate of cutting has increased exponentially in recent years. Globally, we are now cutting down forests at the rate of 400 000 hectares a week. At this rate, it is estimated there will be no forests left by the year 2030.
But a forest is more than just the trees. A single forest is a complete, functioning ecosystem that supports innumerable plant and animal species as well as earth, water, and air subsystems. The subsystems provide the essence of life of the forest and are in themselves a by-product of forest systems, all of which are reciprocal and interdependent. The further bad news is that 50.000 animal species disappear every year, many of them without ever having been classified or recorded.
One of the main causes of the mass extinction is deforestation. Deforestation is also a major cause of soil erosion and water pollution, and the rampant destruction of the tropical rain forests in the southern hemisphere, according to some scientists, is contributing to the greenhouse effect, which in turn is leading to global warming.
Solving deforestation requires a coordinated international effort and a new approach. It’s crucial to address the barriers between rich and poor nations, as forest loss is linked to economic needs in poorer countries. Wealthy nations must engage in dialogue with industry and environmentalists to develop effective plans. Sustainability is the goal, emphasizing interdependence and the integration of human needs with planetary resources, involving governments and citizens alike in the process.
(Adapted from http://cgw4u.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/8/8/13887929/the_disappearing_forest.pdf)
Reading 3 ⇱
Many people associate success with happiness and they feel that they can be happy only if they are successful which shouldn’t be the case because success is circumstantial and happiness is not. You can be happy without a big bungalow, huge car or fat bank balance, etc. But the important thing is that you must first identify what makes you happy.
To cultivate happiness, you must adopt a few basic principles. The first and most important rule is to live in present. While the past cannot be changed, you can learn from it and move forward. In addition, the future is uncertain, so avoid making grand plans. Focus on the present, as it's the only time you can control and where happiness resides.
Another important thing is to stay positive in your life and you must also watch your attitude towards your competitors and should never nurture ill feelings towards them. Always indulge into healthy competition and should never take your competition beyond a point where you start treating them as your rivals and get into any kind of enmity. You should only attempt to get ahead of them and not harm them in any ways. Compassion for others can enhance your own happiness
It is also important that you are not stubborn or adamant about anything. There is a difference between being persistent and being adamant and you should be able to differentiate between both. Strong willpower is important, but you shouldn’t tie your happiness to a single goal. It is important that you are flexible enough to compromise on certain things.
Staying happy is everyone’s right, but it solely depends upon people as to what exactly makes them happy. Artificial or materialistic happiness is temporary; thus you must try to achieve the real happiness of your life.
(Adapted from http://www.indiacelebrating.com/speech/happiness-speech/)