IELTS Reading. Part 1. Why we need to protect polar bears. Polar bears are being increasingly threatened by the effects of climate change, but their disappearance could have far-reaching consequences. They are uniquely adapted to the extreme conditions of the Arctic Circle, where temperatures can reach -40°C. One reason for this is that they have up to 11 centimetres of fat underneath their skin. Humans with comparative levels of adipose tissue would be considered obese and would be likely to suffer from diabetes and heart disease. Yet the polar bear experiences no such consequences. A 2014 study by Shi Ping Liu and colleagues sheds light on this mystery. They compared the genetic structure of polar bears with that of their closest relatives from a warmer climate, the brown bears. This allowed them to determine the genes that have allowed polar bears to survive in one of the toughest environments on Earth. Liu and his colleagues found the polar bears had a gene known as APoB, which reduces levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) – a form of ‘bad’ cholesterol. In humans, mutations of this gene are associated with increased risk of heart disease. Polar bears may therefore be an important study model to understand heart disease in humans. Continue to read below.

IELTS READING: Cambridge 16 Reading Test 1. Polar Bears. Part 1. Why we need to protect polar bears? Polar bears are being increasingly threatened by the effects of climate change, but their disappearance could have far-reaching consequences. They are uniquely adapted to the extreme conditions of the Arctic Circle, where temperatures can reach -40°C. One reason for this is that they have up to 11 centimetres of fat underneath their skin. Humans with comparative levels of adipose tissue would be considered obese and would be likely to suffer from diabetes and heart disease. Yet the polar bear experiences no such consequences. A 2014 study by Shi Ping Liu and colleagues sheds light on this mystery. They compared the genetic structure of polar bears with that of their closest relatives from a warmer climate, the brown bears. This allowed them to determine the genes that have allowed polar bears to survive in one of the toughest environments on Earth. Liu and his colleagues found the polar bears had a gene known as APoB, which reduces levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) – a form of ‘bad’ cholesterol. In humans, mutations of this gene are associated with increased risk of heart disease. Polar bears may therefore be an important study model to understand heart disease in humans. The last part will be added in the message section below.

Let's do a bit of reading together. Follow me. Lucas goes to school every day of the week. He has many subjects to go to each school day: English, art, science, mathematics, gym, and history. His mother packs a big backpack full of books and lunch for Lucas. His first class is English, and he likes that teacher very much. His English teacher says that he is a good pupil, which Lucas knows means that she thinks he is a good student. His next class is art. He draws on paper with crayons and pencils and sometimes uses a ruler. Lucas likes art. It is his favorite class. His third class is science. This class is very hard for Lucas to figure out, but he gets to work with his classmates a lot, which he likes to do. His friend, Kyle, works with Lucas in science class, and they have fun. Then Lucas gets his break for lunch. He sits with Kyle while he eats. The principal, or the headmaster as some call him, likes to walk around and talk to students during lunch to check that they are all behaving. The next class is mathematics, which most of the students just call math. Kyle has trouble getting a good grade in mathematics, but the teacher is very nice and helpful. His fourth class is gym. It is just exercising. History is his last class of the day. Lucas has a hard time staying awake. Many lessons are boring, and he is very tired after doing gym.

Have you ever heard of doublespeak? The language is stripped of expressions to the point where anyone that speaks it becomes incapable of any "rebellious" or "unorthodox" thought? Well, this is, luckily, fiction right from George Orwell's famous 1984. But does a language like that actually exist? Let's hear out our expert on the subject matter - Guillaume Thierry.

If you are into learning a language you might wonder what's the reason you feel stuck and discoraged from time to time. Have you wondered as to it's cause? If you decide - check out the thoughts you think when you are 'down' and let it be your greatest source of inspiration as you'll find your individual reasons why you are stuck and the keys to your success! Join me again for more growth and self awareness!

Listen to natural conversations that cover grammar and language points for beginners. Meet the Teachers Two people talk about themselves and their families.

Live, raw, and uncut footage of English learners. Can you spot the mistakes

Having an interview A : 안녕하십니까? 저는 마이클 존슨이라고 합니다. B : 네. 이쪽으로 앉으세요. 존슨 씨는 어느 나라 사람입니까? A : 저는 미국 사람입니다. B : 전공이 무엇입니까? A : 저는 컴퓨터 그래픽을 전공했습니다. A : Hello. I am Michael Johnson. B : Well, have a seat here, please. Where are you from, Mr. Johnson? A : I am from the States. B : What is your major? A : I majored in Computer graphics. ** Grammar points. A/V-ㅂ/습니다, N-입니다, A/V-았/었습니다, N-였습니다/이었습니다. In the formal situations such as interviews, news, and public announcement, the formal style of speech is used as stated below. For the present tense, A/V-ㅂ/습니다, N-입니다 are used. A/V-ㅂ/습니다 * verb or adjective stems ending with a vowel + -ㅂ니다 : 가다 -> 갑니다. * verb or adjective stems ending with a consonant + -습니다 : 먹다 -> 먹습니다. N-입니다 : 의사 + -입니다 -> 의사입니다 For the past tense, A/V-았/었습니다, N-였습니다/이었습니다 are used. A/V-았/었습니다 : 가다 -> 갔습니다 / 먹다 -> 먹었습니다 N-였습니다/이었습니다 : 학교 -> 학교였습니다 / 월요일 -> 월요일이었습니다.

Learn some amazing vocabulary and natural expressions from a Real English Conversation about going on a road trip.

Easy Steps to Chinese Grammar⭐ How to express "more or less" in Chinese? You can find out the answer in this episode!