Reading week 5

1. B1 LEVEL EXTRA READING MATERIALS WEEK 5
ITU SFL / Exam Texts
What is Tradition and Modernity All About?
I. There is a constant conflict between modernity and tradition,
and in this battle social sciences often emphasize modernity butnot
tradition. However, if you don't look at what tradition is, what it has
meant in our lives and what's happening to it today, then it is difficult
to understand the experience of late modernity or the global age.
II. If you look at some of our rituals, at some of the things we
think of as 'traditional', then you find that they are more recent
innovations with a more commercialised history than we imagine. One instance is the Scottish kilt*. It is
part of the emblem ofScotland, and it gained renewed importance with Scottish nationalism. You might
think it's a traditional mode of dress found in Scottish stories for centuries. However, if you look at the
history ofthe kilt, you find it was invented in the early 19th century by, so far as we know, an Englishman.
III. That Englishman was an industrialist who adapted the earlier Scottish villagers’ dress and sold
the kiltback to the Scots.The kiltwas actually a productofthe industrial revolutionrather than a traditional
mode of dress that can be traced back hundreds of years. Also, you might visit Cambridge and think,
'Well, Cambridge is very old. Therefore, the buildings are all ancient.' It is true that some are very old.
There are one or two buildings in Cambridge which date from 300 or 400 years ago, butmost were built
in the 19th century. Mostof the buildings that we think ofas traditional Cambridge, like the front ofKings
College, were built in the 19th century and they were built in a deliberately gothic or antique style.
IV. A lotof'antique' elements ofBritish society were the products ofthe industrial era, the period from
the 1820s to the 1940s. Although they were created to look old, they are not old enough to be called
traditional.
V. Other examples can be found in the colonial interchange between the West and other cultures.
In the nineteenth century, the Indian army dressed inthe same way as the British army,butBritish soldiers
didn’twant to wear the same uniforms as Indian soldiers since they wanted to show they were superior.
Therefore, the British army decided thatthe Indian army had to look more 'Indian'. Thus, the British army
ordered Indian soldiers to change their uniforms by putting on turbans, and this has now become partof
the tradition of the Indian army. It was a tradition invented by the colonialists, and not a centuries old
tradition.
VI. All these examples come from the deservedly famous work by authors Eric Hobsbawm and
Terrence Ranger, who wrote the celebrated book The Invention of Tradition. They show in their book that
many ofthe things we considerto be traditional and to have histories ofthousands ofyears are inventions,
mostly ofthe late Victorian period. They say many of them are commercialized. For example,Christmas
arose as a commercial eventin the 19th century. Since then, people have been buying presents for each
other at Christmas. They also show that many of the royal rituals surrounding the monarchy such as “The
Troop ofthe Color,” which is a colorful military ceremony, are late 19th century inventions. Such things are
products of the industrial age rather than pre-modern traditions.
*kilt: a kind of skirt traditionally worn by Scottish men
1. In paragraph I, the writer claims that __________.

2. B1 LEVEL EXTRA READING MATERIALS WEEK 5
ITU SFL / Exam Texts
A) social sciences are more interested in tradition than modernity
B) the changes in the pastshould notconcern us much
C) in our time there is a continuous fight between tradition and modernity
D) how tradition will affect our future is not very clear
2. Which one ofthe following is NOT supported in paragraphs II and III?
A) The Scottish kilt is one ofthe symbols ofScotland.
B) Some ofour traditions are more recentthan we think.
C) The Scottish kilt became more popular with the rise ofnationalism.
D) The Scottish have been buying the kiltfrom the English for three hundred years.
3. Which one ofthe following is supported in paragraphs II and III?
A) All the buildings in Cambridge were builtin the same century.
B) The front of Kings College was builtin the Gothic Age.
C) The Scottish kilt was created for profit.
D) The Scottish kilt was created by a Scottish villager.
4. The uniform of the Indian army changed because __________.
A) the British thought the earlier uniform reflected the Indian characteristics well
B) Indian soldiers wanted their uniforms to carry some traces oftheir own traditions
C) the Indian army did notlike their old uniforms
D) British soldiers did notwant to look like Indian soldiers
5. In paragraph V, the word it refers to __________.
A) the Indian army C) the British army
B) putting on turbans D) ordering Indian soldiers
6. Eric Hobsbawm and Terrence Ranger wrote a book to prove thatmosttraditions __________.
A) were the products ofancienttimes
B) affected many countries negatively
C) were formed naturally in time
D) were invented for commercial purposes
7. In paragraph VI, the word them refers to __________.
A) years B) histories C) inventions D) authors
8. In paragraph VI, the word arose is closestin meaning to __________.
A) was forgotten B) came into existence C) reached the end D) was disappointing
9. We learn from the text that the author __________.
A) likes the Victorians as they were successful inventors
B) thinks that traditions are not as old as we think
C) has a negative attitude towards Scottish people
D) approves ofpeople’s attitude towards tradition
10.Which one of the following is NOT mentioned in the text?
A) differences between England and Scotland
B) how the industrial era created new traditions
C) an example ofa royal ritual
D) the history ofthe kilt

3. B1 LEVEL EXTRA READING MATERIALS WEEK 5
ITU SFL / Exam Texts
The Red Deer Cave People
I A group of scientists found a new group of Stone Age people in China.
The remains of possibly four individuals were unearthed in a cave in
southwest China and may representa new species ofhuman. They were
given the name the Red Deer Cave People. The team also analyzed a
skeleton found in another cave in a nearby town in Guangxi Province. That
human skeleton had been encased in stone until the study team removed
and reconstructed it. The team came up with interesting results.
II The fossils from the two caves date to just 14,500 to 11,500 years ago.
Until now, no human remains younger than 100,000 years old have been
found in mainland EastAsia.“They have rounded skulls,flatbutshortfaces
with a broad nose, and big jaws that lack a human chin; their brains are
moderate in size with modern-looking frontal lobes butprimitive shortparietal lobes, and they have large
molar teeth— like nothing we've seen before. Since the prehistoric humans lived in areas with a lot of
sunlight and ultraviolet radiation, they must have been dark-skinned.” said Darren Curnoe, associate
professor at the University of New South Wales and lead author of a study about the finding.
III Darren Curnoe and his colleagues studied the fossils, which represent the remains of at least
three individuals. For now, the mysterious humans are being called the Red Deer Cave People,since one
of the caves where they were found is named Maludong (meaning Red Deer Cave). “These individuals
loved that animal. Among the human remains, there were a lotof bones from an extinctspecies ofgiant
deer. Also, objects like pottery, stone and sharp tools were found at the same place,” Curnoe added.
IV According to Curnoe, these people known as the Red Deer Cave People may represent an
entirely new evolutionary line on the human family tree for several reasons. “First, their skulls are
anatomically unique,” he said. “They look quite differentfrom all modern humans. Second, findings show
that they continued to live until almost11,000 years ago, and we know that very modern-looking people
existed at the same time. This suggests that they must have been isolated from them.”
V “What the discovery shows is just how complicated and how interesting human evolutionary
history was in Asia right at the end of the Ice Age,” Curnoe said. “We had multiple populations living in
the area, probably representing differentevolutionary lines: the Red Deer Cave People on the EastAsian
continent, Homo floresiensis (the Hobbithuman) onthe island ofFlores inwestern Indonesia,and modern
humans widely dispersed from northeast Asia to Australia.”
VI On the other hand, the team's suggestion that the Red Deer Cave People are somehow
evolutionarily unique is receiving a sceptical reception from other scientists. Physical anthropologistErik
Trinkaus described the findings as an unfortunate over-interpretation and misunderstanding of healthy
early modern humans. “There is nothing extraordinary” about the newly announced fossil human, added
Trinkaus, ofWashington University in St. Louis.Philipp Gunz from the Max Planck Institute isn'tconvinced
by the study team's analysis either. “I would be surprised if it really was a new human group that was
previously undiscovered,” said Gunz. Responding to the criticism, study co-author Curnoe said, “That's
fine. I would expecta mixture ofcomments. However, Ireally believe thatthe Red Deer Cave People are
a new type of prehistoric human.”
1. Which of the following is mentioned in the text about the Red Deer Cave People?
A) They were able to make more complicated tools than other prehistoric humans.
B) They fought with other human species living in neighbouring places.
C) They didn’t mix with other type of human species.

4. B1 LEVEL EXTRA READING MATERIALS WEEK 5
ITU SFL / Exam Texts
D) They were probably the most dark-skinned Stone Age people.
2. In paragraph I, the word encased is closest in meaning to _______.
A) transported B) displayed C) grown D) covered
3. From paragraph II, we can understand that scientists have discovered some human fossils _______.
A) whose brains were much larger than the modern human brain
B) which shared no similarities with modern humans
C) with an unusual mixture of primitive and modern features
D) that were the oldest remains in human history
4. The third paragraph suggests that the Red Deer Cave people _______.
A) were mostly feeding on plants and vegetables
B) were hunters who were fond of meat
C) were eaten by the predators that lived in the area
D) were unable to chew big pieces of meat
5. In paragraph IV, the word them refers to _______.
A) the Red Deer Cave People C) modern human skulls
B) findings D) modern-looking people
6. What is paragraph V mainly about?
A) Immigration of modern humans to Africa
B) The migration route of the Red Deer Cave People
C) The diversity of human evolution in East Asia
D) How the Red Deer Cave People differ from other human species
7. In paragraph V, the word dispersed is closest in meaning to _______.
A) spread out in different directions
B) became smaller in size
C) got used to changes
D) became extinct
8. What does the author imply in paragraph VI about Darren Curnoe?
A) Curnoe’s findings are controversial.
B) Other scientists think that Curnoe is a good observer.
C) Curnoe’s ideas are based on extremely clear scientific evidence.
D) Curnoe’s study must be terminated since itis unscientific.

5. B1 LEVEL EXTRA READING MATERIALS WEEK 5
ITU SFL / Exam Texts
The Robotic Hand of the Future
I Researchers at the Carlos University of Madrid's Robotics Laboratory
are participating in the international research projectknown as HANDLE. It
is a projectfunded by the EuropeanUnion.The aim ofthe projectis to create
a robotic hand that can share the abilities and movements ofa human hand.
II Spain is a participant in the project, and its goal is to reach an
understanding ofhow humans use their hands and carry objects. Theirgoal
is to replicate their holding and movement abilities in an artificial hand.
Thus, it will produce natural and effective movements. “We are trying to
equip the robotic hand with elements of intelligence so that it can control
and recognize objects,” explains the head researcher Mohamed
Abderrahim, of the Madrid University’s Department of Systems.
III In Mohamed Abderrahim’s opinion, his team has already got very good results in the areas of
visual perception and dynamic systems, which allow the system to recognize an objectin its surroundings
and pass the information on to the robotic hand's planning and movementsystem. Yet, he thinks this is
only the beginning and they have a long way to go.
IV The robotic hand that these researchers are working with is mostly comprisedofnumerous pieces
of aluminium and plastic, as well as sensor and movementsystems. In all, it has 20 actuators and can
make 24 movements, the same as a human hand. Its size is also the same as that of an average adult
male's hand and it weighs approximately 4 kilograms. According to an engineer who manufactures the
hand, the approximate cost of the version that is currently in development is about 115,000 Euros.
V When trying to recreate the movements ofa human hand with a robotic system, there are several
problems.Inthe first place,there is a lack ofspace.This is because “ahuman hand is incredibly complete,
which makes it a challenge to try to put all of the necessary pieces into a robotic hand ofthe same size,”
comments Professor Mohamed Abderrahim. Second, there are currently no sensors on the market that
are small enough for the device so that it can have sensitivity similar to that of a human hand. Finally,
although the researchers may manage to make a perfectrobot, the device will notbe able to function well
or adapt its movements to the characteristics of the objects, such as their geometry, weight or use.
VI “Today, a robotic hand that is able to carry out a simple task such as holding ahammer and giving
it to someone only exists in science fiction movies. The reason is thatthe hammer has to be reoriented in
the hand until it is in the right position to be used, which is a complicated task for a hand that is not human
but a machine. My personal estimation is that it will take around 15 years of research to build a robotic
hand that is able to perform certain complex tasks easily,” predicts Professor Abderrahim.
VII The research carried out by the HANDLE project's partners has brought about results that are
very interesting in the areas ofvisualperception,motionplanning,newsensors,and achievementofmotor
skills using artificial intelligence techniques.Nevertheless,importantchallenges stillremain when itcomes
to integrating the results that were obtained by all ofthe partners into a single system, which will be the
goal of the next two years of work.
1. According to the passage,whatis the goal of the HANDLE project?
A) To make a robotthat can do housework
B) To make a robotic hand that can function like a human hand
C) To produce parts which are used in robotmaking
D) To produce a robotthat has multiple hands

6. B1 LEVEL EXTRA READING MATERIALS WEEK 5
ITU SFL / Exam Texts
2. In the passage, which of the following is FALSE?
A) The robotic hand can make more movements than a human hand.
B) A human hand can make 24 movements.
C) The robotic hand weighs more than three kilograms.
D) The robotic hand costs more than 100,000 Euros.
3. In paragraph II, the word replicate is closest in meaning to _______.
A) ignore B) limit C) predict D) copy
4. According to paragraphs II and III, which of the following is TRUE about Mohamed Abderrahim?
A) He is against producing robots that act like human beings.
B) In the project, he works as an assistant of the head researcher.
C) He has been satisfied with his team’s work so far.
D) He is sure that making a perfect robotic hand won’t take many years.
5. In paragraph IV, the word that refers to _______.
A) the robotic hand B) human hand C) size D) adult male's hand
6. What is paragraph V mainly about?
A) The challenges involved in making a robotic hand
B) The use of robotic hands in space explorations
C) The parts that are used in making a robotic hand
D) How costly the electronic sensors on the market are
7. Which of the following is closestin meaning to: “Today, a robotic hand that is able to carry out a simple
task such as holding a hammer and giving it to someone only exists in sciencefiction movies.”(Paragraph
VI)
A) Like in science fiction movies, today in real life, robots can do jobs easily using their hands.
B) Robots which do jobs using their hands are widely used in science fiction movies today.
C) There is still no robot that can perform even an easy job involving hands.
D) Today, making a science fiction movie about robots that can perform various difficult jobs is simple.
8. In paragraph VII, the word integrating is closest in meaning to _______.
A) sending away B) following C) putting together D) commanding
ANSWER KEY:
What is Tradition and Modernity All About? 1. C 2. D 3. C 4. D 5. B 6. D 7. C 8. B 9. B 10. A
The Red Deer Cave People 1. C 2. D 3. C 4. B 5. D 6. C 7. A 8. A
The Robotic Hand of the Future 1. B 2. A 3. D 4. C 5. C 6. A 7. C 8. C