It still remains a mystery what happens when we sleep, (34) ________ according to recent research, sleep is far more significant than scientists previously thought. Studies have shown that good-quality sleep is closely linked to good health, both mental and physical. Some research also (35) ________ good sleep to a healthy immune system and a longer life expectancy. Many of us have 'sleep debt' debt' - lack of sleep built up over days, weeks and months.
On average, (36) ________ people need about an hour's sleep for every two hours that they are awake. Research with volunteers suggests that nowadays fewer and fewer people are getting the sleep they need. It is easy to see how this happens. We live in a 24-hour-a-day society, with too much to do and too little time to do it in. We sleep an hour and a half less per night than our grandparents did. But does it (37) ________? Yes. Sleep debt is dangerous. Just think of drivers who fall asleep at the wheel, pilots who are too tired to land planes safely, doctors and surgeons (38) ________ do their job badly because they are exhausted.
(Adapted from FCE Use of English)

Some of Germany's biggest companies have brought in rules to protect their workers from being disturbed by work email outside office hours. Firms such as the car manufacturers Volkswagen have reacted to growing levels of employee stress and burnout by installing software to prevent emails from reaching employees at home.

In France, workers have protested against the way that the use of electronic devices has been exposing workers to much longer unpaid hours than the official thirty- five-hour working week. In response, the government has recently introduced laws which insist on employers switching off email contact after 6 p.m.

But some employers and employees have criticised the new rules for not taking account of modern- day flexible working practices. Many parents, for example, prefer to leave work early to pick up their children and then check emails later in the evening. The fact that you can be contacted on email might actually mean that a lot of people are able to leave the office earlier than they would have done ten or fifteen years ago.
(Adapted from Navigate)

When buying fresh fruit and vegetables, would you select a very curly cucumber, a carrot with two 'legs', or a potato with three heads? For many people, the answer is 'no' - they look for perfect produce when they go to the supermarket.

Not anymore! In France, a large supermarket chain, Intermarché, has started a marketing campaign to put ugly fruit and vegetables back on the shelves. And British TV chef Jamie Oliver has followed their lead, together with a large UK supermarket. Both the French and British supermarkets are selling their funny-shaped fruit and veg at a huge discount as an incentive for shoppers to opt for the less attractive versions.

Over the years, supermarkets have trained their customers to expect perfect fruit and veg, with many customers discarding produce that isn't 'perfect'. And until recently, there were numerous, very strict rules for supermarkets about the size and shape of fresh produce. Fortunately, there are now fewer rules, but customers need encouragement to change their shopping habits.

There is a good reason for this change in attitude. The rejection of misshapen produce results in a huge amount of waste: around 20-40% of food is thrown away before it even reaches the shops. Yet at the same time, we know that world food shortages are soon going to be a real and serious problem.

Fortunately, it looks like these brave, but common-sense supermarket campaigns are working. It seems that these campaigns are going to be profitable, as well as environmentally friendly. Other supermarkets have already experimented with the same idea, both within and outside Europe. So, next time, when you go shopping, think before you buy. After all, it's the taste that counts.
(Adapted from Gateway)