Scientists have dreamed for a long time about building a 'flying train' which can float through the air above the tracks. With Maglev technology, their dreams are now a reality. Maglev trains have no wheels. Instead, powerful magnets lift them into the air and push them forward, at speeds of up to 500 km per hour.
Maglev has a number of advantages over other transport systems. The trains are quieter and the journey is smoother because they don't have wheels. They are also greener because they don't use fuel and so create less pollution. Right now, there is only one high-speed Maglev train system in the world. It carries passengers from Shanghai city centre to the airport. However, work has started on a new, longer Maglev track in Japan. Trains will go from Tokyo to Nagoya in 40 minutes. But don't expect to ride on it on your next trip to Japan. It won't open until 2027! Then, in 2045, the line will extend to Osaka.
There is one major problem with Maglev technology: it is incredibly expensive to build the tracks. Transport planners predict that the Tokyo to Osaka line will cost 91 billion dollars. The high cost means that Maglev technology probably won't replace other forms of transport in the near future. However, the technology is still in development and somebody might find a cheaper and simpler way to build the tracks. And then, who knows? In the future, some of us might fly to work by train.

If you enjoy water sports, Hawaii is the place for you. You can go swimming all year round. You can go sport fishing from the shore or from a boat. If you like boats, you can go sailing, canoeing, or windsurfing. Or, you can also try some other water sports that are especially popular in Hawaii: surfing, scuba diving, and snorkeling.
Surfing is a sport which started in Hawaii many years ago. The Hawaiians called it “he’e nalu”, which means “to slide on a wave”. If you want to try surfing, you need, first of all, to be a good swimmer. You also have to have an excellent sense of balance. You must swim out from the beach with your surfboard under your arm. When you get to where the waves begin to break, you wait for a calm moment. Then you try to stand up on the board. The wave will begin to rise under you. You must try to steer the board with your feet so you stay on top of the wave. The important thing is to keep your balance and not fall down. If you can manage this, you will have an exciting ride all the way in to the shore.
Scuba diving allows you to see the most interesting undersea sights. “Scuba” means “Self- contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus”, that is, equipment for breathing and swimming around far under water. In Hawaii, you can take special courses to learn how to scuba dive. After the courses, you can get a certificate that will allow you to dive alone. Since it can be dangerous, proper instruction and great care are always necessary when you are scuba diving.
If you are adventurous, you might try snorkeling instead of scuba diving. Less equipment is needed, just a face mask, a breathing tube (snorkel) and flippers for your feet. It only takes a few minutes to learn how to snorkel. Although you cannot dive deep into the water, you can swim with your face below the surface. Breathing through the tube, you float on the surface, and keep yourself moving with your flippers. Even from the surface like this, there will be plenty of color and beauty to see.

Television is still one of our most popular forms of entertainment. It brings people closer. ____(16)___ families still watch shows or enjoy live sports programmes together. Television gives people something to talk about at school and at work and it often gets us talking about important issues. ____(17)___ , television - like everything else in the world today – is changing.
The most important ____(18)___ on television recently has been technology. Computers and the Internet have completely changed the way we get information and entertainment. Watching films and videos online is becoming more and more popular. Computers and smartphones, ____(19)___ are much cheaper than ever before, help people choose their favourite programmes quickly and more effectively. Today, as life is getting faster, our mobile screens are the best way to watch programmes anywhere we like. Therefore, television stations have to change the way they make shows in order to give ____(20)___ what they want.