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Reader's Bank_Level 5_Unit 03                                     Reading Text

My husband used to work for a mobile library. He had to take care of two blue delivery vans. They looked exactly alike. Both were the same size, the same color, and even had broken mirrors on the passenger side. It was very hard to tell them apart! One day, both vehicles were running low on fuel. So, he drove the first van to a nearby gas station. He smiled at the worker and said, “Fill it up, please.” The worker filled the tank. Five minutes later, my husband returned to the same gas station—but this time in the second van. Again, he smiled and said, “Fill it up, please.” The worker first looked at the van, then at my husband. “How far did you drive in just five minutes?” he asked.

08

A few years ago, a big fire burned the mountains in Andong, South Korea. The fire lasted three days and destroyed most of the trees. People wanted to make the mountains turn green again, so they came up with a clever idea—they used pet dogs! They got this idea from Chile. In 2017, two sisters helped a burned forest by letting their dogs run with seed bags. Following the example from Chile, people in Korea held their own event, and many dog owners joined. They tied small bags of seeds around their dogs’ necks. The bags had tiny holes, so the seeds fell as the dogs ran. Some people called them “Santa Dogs” because they gave gifts to nature, like Santa. These dogs helped bring life back to the burned forest. Soon, the seeds will grow into trees, and in a few years, the mountains will be green again!

09

You have a test tomorrow, and there are many subjects you need to study. What will you study first, the easy subjects or the hard ones? You might think it’s better to start with the easy subjects because you can finish them quickly and then move on to the harder ones. But experts disagree. They say you should study the harder subjects first. Why? Your brain can be compared to a sponge. When a sponge is dry, it soaks up water quickly. But when it is full, it can’t take in more water. Your brain works the same way. When you start studying, your brain is fresh and ready to learn. It can absorb new information easily. As you study more, your brain gets full. It needs time to process what you have learned and make room for new information. Experts say that you should take in new information during the first 20 minutes of studying. This is when you will remember it best. So, the next time you study, try the hard subjects first. You might do much better!