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Reader's Bank_Level 8_Unit 01                                      Reading Text

In today’s world, people often focus on differences—different languages, skin colors, or ideas. But what if we looked for ways to live together instead of apart? Ebony and Ivory by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder is a song with a strong message about peace and harmony. The words ebony and ivory refer to the black and Music white keys on a piano. These keys are different in color, but they sit side by side and make beautiful music together. The song asks, “Why can’t people do the same?” The piano becomes a symbol of how people of different races can live and work together. Just like the keys need one another to play a full song, people need one another to build a better world. The message is simple but powerful: We should respect and accept our differences. When we do, we can create something truly beautiful—just like music.

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When people think of art, they usually imagine paintings on canvas. But there’s another kind called land art. Instead of using canvas, land artists create directly in nature with rocks, grass, dirt, and water. They gently change the land’s image by adding small touches. Then they let nature do the rest—for example, by letting water fill empty spaces or grass grow there.

A famous example of land art is Spiral Jetty in Utah, created by artist Robert Smithson. This huge spiral of dark stones stretches into the Great Salt Lake, looking like a snake resting in the water. In rainy seasons, rising lake water covers the spiral, so people can’t see it. But in dry seasons, the water drops, and visitors can walk along the spiral.

Land art is special because it isn’t made to last forever. Like footprints in sand, wind and rain slowly change or erase it. But this is part of what makes it beautiful. You don’t need tickets to enjoy land art. Just step into nature, feel the ground under your feet, and listen to the wind. Nature becomes your gallery.

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A documentary movie shocked the world. Make People Better is a 2022 film about a Chinese scientist who did something no one had done before. He used a gene-editing tool to change the genes of twin baby girls before they were born. He said he wanted to protect the babies from HIV, a disease that weakens the body’s ability to fight illness. But he did the experiment in secret and broke important scientific rules. When the news came out, scientists around the world were shocked.

Gene-editing was first developed to prevent inherited diseases. If it is used only for that purpose, it may not cause many problems. However, some parents might want more control. They may choose their baby’s appearance or physical abilities. Others might even try to change their child’s intelligence. This raises serious ethical concerns. What if only rich people can afford it? Is it right for parents to have so much control over their children? These are some important questions to consider before gene-editing becomes widespread.