SHOPPING ONLINE
In recent years, online shopping has become more and more (1) . Many people enjoy the convenience of browsing products from the comfort of their homes. With just a few clicks, you can buy anything from clothes to electronics, and have them delivered (2) your doorstep. Some people are worried about security, but many online stores now offer (3) . Additionally, online shopping allows you (4) reviews from other customers, which can help you (5) better purchasing decisions. It's also easy to compare prices, so you can make sure you're getting the best deal. However, some people still prefer the traditional shopping experience, where they can test products before buying. Overall, online shopping has changed the way we shop, (6) consumers to compare prices easily and access a wider range of products from the comfort of their homes., also making it faster and often cheaper, but it is important to stay cautious of potential risks.
(Adapted from Complete IELTS)

Bangkok Awaits. Your Guide to the City
Whether you’re going to Thailand’s islands or mountains, you’ll probably stay a night in Bangkok, the country’s busy capital. Bangkok is noisy and crowded, but it’s an exciting city with many attractions to see and (7) to engage in. Why not stay (8) longer?
Where to stay. Khao San Road is famous for travelers, but it’s loud and not very local. For something more authentic than Khao San Road, (9) Phra Kanong as (10) place to stay, with fantastic street markets where locals eat, work, and live. It has great street markets and local food. You can take the Skytrain and be at the Grand Palace in 20 minutes.
Getting around. Bangkok’s traffic can be difficult. (11) a taxi, take an express boat on the Chao Phraya River to see temples. For modern areas, take the Skytrain for fast travel.
Where to eat. Bangkok’s street food is excellent. For around $5, enjoy dishes like Pad Thai. Visit Chinatown’s Yaowarat Street for more food (12) .
What to do. After seeing the Grand Palace and Chatuchak Market, check out the snake farm.
(Adapted from Learnenglish.britishcouncil.org)

Kidney diseases are often a consequence of lifestyle choices and daily habits that individuals may not think twice about.
(18) can significantly impact kidney health, leading to chronic conditions over time. For instance, dehydration, often overlooked during busy days, can cause the kidneys to work harder than necessary. (19) . People should be mindful of their fluid intake to maintain optimal kidney function.
Moreover, high blood pressure, (20) , can also pose a risk to kidney health. Also, people
(21) should consider the importance of a balanced diet and regular exercise. Regular check-ups and awareness of one’s health status can contribute to better kidney health. Equipped with necessary knowledge and resources, (22) .

Living in the stressful modern era, most of us usually look for sources of relaxation, and it’s no secret that viewing nature and being outdoors can be pleasant and restorative. Spending time in nature is linked to improvements in mental health, mood, emotional well – being, and cognitive benefits. However, the more surprising thing is that, according to new research, viewing water may be a better environment for relaxation than green areas with grass and trees.
In a recent article, Harvard psychologist Adam Grant discussed a remarkable 2024 study that he came across, showing that people who viewed water for less than two minutes had reduced blood pressure compared to people who viewied green areas and trees.
So why are nature’s blue spaces more relaxing than green ones? According to the original authors of the study, the reason might be related to the process of our evolution. For early humans who have to work hard to survive day by day, the lack of water has always been a major challenge, as it posed a direct threat to life, leading to heightened levels of stress, increases in blood pressure and cardiac stress. Therefore, successfully detecting water or simply just looking at it can provide a sense of great relief.
Being in nature can help you re – invigorate your body, mind, and spirit, offering moments of awe, calm, and relaxation. And now we are learning that bodies of water may bring even greater relaxation. So, whether it's a river, lake, or ocean, it might be time to go outside and find the nearest blue space to experience the effects for yourself!
(Adapted from psychologytoday.com)

[I] India’s combination of abundant sunshine and a large, energy-hungry population makes it ideal for developing solar energy. [II] But the main challenge in building a large number of solar farms is finding the right place to do it, considering the shortage of land due to high population. [III] The region of Gujarat, however, has found an answer to this problem: covering its water canals with solar panels. [IV]
Overall, Gujarat has more than 80,000km of canals flowing through the state. According to Gujarat State Electricity Corporation, if 30% of this were converted to solar, 18,000MW of power could be produced, saving 90,000 acres of land. The electricity generated from a “solar canal” can be provided to farmers during the irrigation season when energy demand is usually high, and out of season it can be fed into the state grid, sold to distribution companies so that the state can earn some profit, or used by those in charge of the canals for specific purposes.
Building solar plants atop canals obviously helps produce clean energy and save land, but there are also other

benefits. Firstly, these special plants can be built much faster than large coal or gas power stations. In addition, when solar panels cover the canal, they help prevent evaporation, leaving more water for crops and people. Another plus of the panels’ shade is that it can curb algal blooms, which can have negative effects like clogging water pumps and causing toxicity, in the canals. And the panels benefit from the water below as well. The running water helps the panels to remain cool, which increases their efficiency by at least 2.5 to 5%.
There are some drawbacks, however. Canal-top solar plants are more costly to construct than normal solar plants since the panels must be built with protective materials to prevent corrosion caused by water. Finding the right location is also difficult, as the width of the canal has to be suitable. Too wide, and the construction becomes difficult and expensive. Too narrow, and the number of panels constructed are too few to absorb enough sunshine. The twisting nature of the canals also leads to restrictions. To maximise the absorption of energy, the solar panels should face south, but the canal’s direction cannot be dictated by humans.
Nevertheless, eight Indian states have commissioned canal solar projects so far. “These innovative projects can provide cheap and consistent electricity to millions of farmers and improve their profits,” says Manik Jolly, who was involved in the 2015 canal-top solar plant project. And there is also potential to maximise renewable power from India’s canals if solar farms above were combined with hydro-power from below.
With their water-cooled efficiency, and mutual benefits for the canals that run beneath, it looks likely that these innovative solar canals is going to become a much more common sight in India in the near future.
(Adapted from bbc.com)