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Unit1Haveyoueverheardpeoplesaythattheytendtobemoreofaright-brainorleft-brainthinker?Frombookstotelevisionprograms,youhaveprobablyheardtheterm1)(mentioned)numeroustimes,orperhapsyouhaveeventakenanonlinetestto2)(determine)whichtypebestdescribesyou.Dodifferentpartsofthebrainreallycontroldifferentbodilyandmentalfunctions?Overtheyears,atheorythathas3)(gained)inpopularityisthattherightbrainandtheleftbrainare4)(responsible)fordifferentmodesofthoughtandthatthewayinwhichapersonthinkswilldependonwhichsideofhisbrainworksmoreactively.Peoplewhorelymore5)(heavily)ontherighthalfoftheirbraintendtobemoreimaginativeandspontaneous.Theyareinterestedinpatterns,shapesandsizes,fortherightbrainisassociatedwith6)(artistic)abilitylikesinging,painting,writingpoetry,etc.Left-braindominatedpeoplearequite7)(opposite)inthewaytheythink.Theytendtobemorelogicaland8)(analytical)intheirthinkingandusuallystandoutinmathematicsandwordskills.Whilethedifferentfunctionsofthetwobrainpartsmayhavebeen9)(distorted)andexaggeratedbypopularpsychology,understandingyourstrengthsandweaknessesincertainareascanhelpyoudevelopbetterwaystolearnandstudy.Forexample,ifyouareusually10)(stumped)intryingtofollowverbalinstructions,anactivityoftencitedasaright-braincharacteristic,youcanbenefitfromwritingdowndirectionsanddevelopingbetterorganizationalskills.Unit2Iwasonceinarelationshipwithawomanwhowasthemostbrilliant,creativeanddrivenpersonI'deverknown.Itoldherthesethingsoftenbecauseshedidn'tseeherselfthisway,despite1)(achieving)greatsuccessandacclaim()inherprofessionalfield.Shewasalso2)(gorgeous)andsexy,thoughsheseemednottorealizethiseither,soItoldherthesethingstoo.ButwhileIthoughtitwasmoreimportanttopraiseherbrilliance,itseemedtomeanmoretoherthatshewas3)(considered)attractive.Myexperiencewiththisgirlfriendexemplifiesacommonphenomenoninlifewhenitcomestocomplimentingawoman,menoftenwalkaverydifficultline.Ofcourse,4)(context)matters.Inaprofessionalsetting,talkingaboutappearanceisofteninappropriate,butatasinglesclub,itmaybeimportant.Shewillbeverypleasedifamanthinksherclothesand5)(accessories)arepretty,orherhairlookswonderful.However,thingsinbetweenthesetwocasesareunclear.Womenhaveeveryrighttoberecognizedand6)(appreciated)fortheirintelligenceandcreativity.Butatthesametime,theywanttobeadmiredfortheirlooksaswell,forexample,theirperfectskin7)(complexion)andelegantoutfits.Unfortunately,mostguysdon'tunderstandthis.Ifwereceivecomplimentsfromwomen,they'reusuallyaboutourachievements,notourlooks.Mostofusdon'texpectawomantotellushow8)(handsome)orsexyweare,andsomeofuswouldfindithardtoregardsucha(n)9)(comment)assincere.I'mnotsayingit'sveryhardtobeaguythesedays.Itisimportantforeverymantounderstandhowtotreatwomenwithbothrespectand10)(admiration).Butasfarastherightbalanceofthesetwoisconcerned,wereallyhavenoframeofreference,especiallywhenitcomestolooks.Unit3Insomeurbancenters,workaholism()issocommonthatpeopledonotconsideritunusual:Theyacceptthelifestyleasnormal.GovernmentworkersinWashingtonD.C.,forexample,1)(frequently)work60to70hoursaweek.Theydon'tdothisbecausetheyhaveto;theydoitbecausetheywantto.Workaholismcanbeaseriousproblem.Trueworkaholics,beingdeeply2)(immersed)intheirwork,allowthemselveslittleornotimetotakebreaks.Theyliketoworkwithoutbeing3)(disrupted),andtheyprobablydon'tknowhowtorelax.Butisworkaholismalwaysbad?Perhapsnot.Therearepeoplewhoworkwellunder4)(stress).Besides,somestudiesshowthatmanyworkaholicshavegreatenergyandinterestintheirown5)(sphere).Theirworkissopleasurablethattheyareactuallyveryhappy.Formostworkaholics,workandentertainmentarethesamething.Theirwork6)(challenges)them,keepingthembusyandgenuinelyengaged.Whydoworkaholicsenjoydoingtheirjobssomuch?Ofcoursetheygetpaychecksfromit,butitishardto7)(quantify)thepleasurewithmoney.Itoffersmorethan8)(financial)security.Psychologistsclaimthatworkgivespeopleanidentityandprovidesthemwithself-confidence.Peoplehaveafeelingofsatisfactionwhenthey9)(administrate)abusinesswellorcompleteachallengingpieceofwork.Inaddition,mostjobsprovideasociallyacceptablewayforpeopletomeetothers.So,thoughsomepeoplearecompulsive()abouttheirwork,their10)(addiction)seemstobeasafeorevenanadvantageousone.Theyfeelemptyandincompletewhentheyareinvolvedinactivitiesnotrelatedtowork.Unit4Farminginvariablyinterfereswiththehabitatsofplantsandanimals.However,thisdoesnotnecessarilymeanthatagricultureandbiodiversityare1)(incompatible).Infact,quitetheoppositeistrue.Thesustainablecultivationofplantsforfoodandfeedactuallyenablesusto2)(preserve)biodiversity.By2007,thereweremorethantwiceasmanypeoplelivingontheplanetastherewerein1961.Overthesameperiod,thetotalamountof3)(available)arable()landgrewbyjust10percent.Incomparisonwithpopulationgrowth,theexpansionofarablelandwassmall.Andtherearelimitstofurtherexpansion.Alarge4)(proportion)oftheearth'ssurfacelikedesertsisnotsuitableforcultivation,andotherareasare5)(utilized)byhumansforroadsandbuildings.Somelandthatisrichinbiodiversityneedstobepreservedandthusshouldnotbe6)(converted)intoarableland.Thetropicalrainforests,forexample,havetheh