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Reader's Bank_Level 3_Unit 09                                    Reading Text

Zero soda has no sugar. It has very few calories. But it tastes sweet because it has fake sugar. This fake sugar is called an artificial sweetener. If a drink has fewer than 4 calories per 100 ml, we call it a “zero” drink. Many people drink it to stay healthy. Some drink it to lose weight. But the World Health Organization (WHO) gives a warning. Fake sugar can trick the body. Your brain thinks real sugar is coming, so your body gets ready. But real sugar doesn’t come! This wastes energy and makes your body work for no reason. Then, you may want to eat more sweet snacks to feel better. Zero soda looks healthy, but it only fools you. Water, milk, or fruit juice is a smarter choice.

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Albert Marr was a young man living in South Africa. He had a special pet named Jackie. Jackie was a baboon, an animal that looks like a monkey. But Jackie wasn’t just a pet — he helped Marr in many ways. When Marr went to war, he took Jackie with him. Jackie did an amazing job during the war. He could hear better than humans. He climbed tall trees to listen for enemies and showed Marr where they were. The soldiers loved Jackie because he was very helpful.  One day, the enemy made a surprise attack. Jackie lost one of his legs. He couldn’t help in the war anymore, and everyone was sad. Jackie had done so much for the soldiers that the army gave him a medal to thank him. When the war ended, Marr and Jackie returned home. Jackie proudly wore his medal every day. He became a hero people would always remember.

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About 300,000 years ago, the Earth was peaceful. All the plants and animals lived happily together. But their happiness didn’t last long. One day, a selfish monster appeared. He didn’t care about other living things. He cut down trees, built factories, and made cars. Smoke and trash from factories and cars slowly hurt the Earth. Plants started to dry up. Animals began to disappear. The sky turned gray, and the rivers became dirty. By the year 2200, the Earth was full of garbage and harmful gases. No living things could survive. Then, the saddest day came—all the plants and animals were gone. And the selfish monster? He disappeared, too. This story may sound like a fairy tale, but it gives us a chance to think: It’s not too late to rewrite the ending.