Reading Comprehension – Basic Level – Test 2 (UK)

Passage 1

Dressed head-to-toe in military fatigues and standing in knee-high grass next to an Army Humvee, Maj. Nikolaus Ziegler held up an unusual smartphone, one equipped with the special security the military wants to deploy in battle.

In a few seconds, the prototype smartphone took a scan of his face, measured the height at which he held the phone and analyzed the past hour of his movements. The phone’s security system decided that he was, indeed, Major Ziegler and unlocked itself.

The smartphone is the military’s answer to a challenging question: How do you translate the powerful consumer technology of smartphones into something that can be useful and secure on the battlefield?

Source: Ward, J & Sottile, C – A military prototype smartphone hints at the risks of biometric security, NBC News

1. What is the main question facing the military when it comes to phones?

Passage 2

He explained that soldiers need something better and more secure than today’s smartphones that rely on passwords and fingerprint sensors. The main issue, he said, is that those soldiers often have to hide their faces, their eyes and their fingers.

Major Nikolaus Ziegler, a military director at the Emerging Technologies Directorate of the Defense Information Systems Agency, helped develop the prototype because consumer-grade phones only have a certain level of security and a hassle to unlock in the battlefield.

“If I’m in the field, and I’m going on a military operation, I throw my NBC mask on,” Ziegler said, referring to his gas mask, which protects against nuclear, biological and chemical threats. “Now, my facial recognition is taken off that list.”

So his group decided it needed a more flexible way of identifying a soldier.

“There needs to be additional contextual and biometric factors that allow the device to validate who you are,” he said.

The convenience, portability and usability of smartphones has pushed the military to figure out how to integrate them into the battlefield. The trouble until now has been that consumer-grade phones offer only a certain level of security, and they’re a hassle to unlock in the field.

Ziegler’s new prototype meets a particular set of requirements. It allows graduated levels of security depending on a soldier’s clearance; it improves on a simple passcode or thumbprint for security; and it allows a variety of factors to serve as evidence that the phone’s owner is, indeed, holding the device.

With this new technology, which DISA is calling “Assured Identity,” the phone will watch everything it can about its owner in order to constantly confirm that it’s in the right hands.

Source: Ward, J & Sottile, C (August 15, 2019) A military prototype smartphone hints at the risks of biometric security, NBC News

2. Why are the traditional methods of unlocking a phone not satisfactory for Ziegler?

Passage 2

He explained that soldiers need something better and more secure than today’s smartphones that rely on passwords and fingerprint sensors. The main issue, he said, is that those soldiers often have to hide their faces, their eyes and their fingers.

Major Nikolaus Ziegler, a military director at the Emerging Technologies Directorate of the Defense Information Systems Agency, helped develop the prototype because consumer-grade phones only have a certain level of security and a hassle to unlock in the battlefield.

“If I’m in the field, and I’m going on a military operation, I throw my NBC mask on,” Ziegler said, referring to his gas mask, which protects against nuclear, biological and chemical threats. “Now, my facial recognition is taken off that list.”

So his group decided it needed a more flexible way of identifying a soldier.

“There needs to be additional contextual and biometric factors that allow the device to validate who you are,” he said.

The convenience, portability and usability of smartphones has pushed the military to figure out how to integrate them into the battlefield. The trouble until now has been that consumer-grade phones offer only a certain level of security, and they’re a hassle to unlock in the field.

Ziegler’s new prototype meets a particular set of requirements. It allows graduated levels of security depending on a soldier’s clearance; it improves on a simple passcode or thumbprint for security; and it allows a variety of factors to serve as evidence that the phone’s owner is, indeed, holding the device.

With this new technology, which DISA is calling “Assured Identity,” the phone will watch everything it can about its owner in order to constantly confirm that it’s in the right hands.

Source: Ward, J & Sottile, C (August 15, 2019) A military prototype smartphone hints at the risks of biometric security, NBC News

3. How are the new military grade phones different than consumer grade phones?

Passage 2

He explained that soldiers need something better and more secure than today’s smartphones that rely on passwords and fingerprint sensors. The main issue, he said, is that those soldiers often have to hide their faces, their eyes and their fingers.

Major Nikolaus Ziegler, a military director at the Emerging Technologies Directorate of the Defense Information Systems Agency, helped develop the prototype because consumer-grade phones only have a certain level of security and a hassle to unlock in the battlefield.

“If I’m in the field, and I’m going on a military operation, I throw my NBC mask on,” Ziegler said, referring to his gas mask, which protects against nuclear, biological and chemical threats. “Now, my facial recognition is taken off that list.”

So his group decided it needed a more flexible way of identifying a soldier.

“There needs to be additional contextual and biometric factors that allow the device to validate who you are,” he said.

The convenience, portability and usability of smartphones has pushed the military to figure out how to integrate them into the battlefield. The trouble until now has been that consumer-grade phones offer only a certain level of security, and they’re a hassle to unlock in the field.

Ziegler’s new prototype meets a particular set of requirements. It allows graduated levels of security depending on a soldier’s clearance; it improves on a simple passcode or thumbprint for security; and it allows a variety of factors to serve as evidence that the phone’s owner is, indeed, holding the device.

With this new technology, which DISA is calling “Assured Identity,” the phone will watch everything it can about its owner in order to constantly confirm that it’s in the right hands.

Source: Ward, J & Sottile, C (August 15, 2019) A military prototype smartphone hints at the risks of biometric security, NBC News

4. Why is it so critical that the military has phone security to ensure that the owner of the phone is the actual person using that phone in combat?

Passage 3

Ziegler said he was part of a group that asked Apple to build a military version of its first iPhone, with additional features to make it more rugged and more secure. The company refused, he said, citing too small a market opportunity.

Even including every active-duty American soldier, the market for such a device is only a couple of million people. So the DOD is at the mercy of a market now dominated by large tech companies selling variations of the same product to tens or hundreds of millions of people. That makes the DoD a comparatively small customer.

In a reversal of roles, the DOD now hopes to essentially sell some of the technology it’s developing to a manufacturer like Google, Samsung or some other company.

Source: Ward, J & Sottile, C – A military prototype smartphone hints at the risks of biometric security, NBC News

5. Why did Apple refuse to make the military version of the first iPhone?

Passage 3

Ziegler said he was part of a group that asked Apple to build a military version of its first iPhone, with additional features to make it more rugged and more secure. The company refused, he said, citing too small a market opportunity.

Even including every active-duty American soldier, the market for such a device is only a couple of million people. So the DOD is at the mercy of a market now dominated by large tech companies selling variations of the same product to tens or hundreds of millions of people. That makes the DoD a comparatively small customer.

In a reversal of roles, the DOD now hopes to essentially sell some of the technology it’s developing to a manufacturer like Google, Samsung or some other company.

Source: Ward, J & Sottile, C – A military prototype smartphone hints at the risks of biometric security, NBC News

6. What was the “reversal of roles” described in the passage?

Passage 4

Since they were founded in 1892, the Liverpool Football Club name was synonymous with fame and glory. Both domestically and internationally, Liverpool is the most successful British club of all time; they have won 18 League titles, 8 League Cups, 7 FA Cups, 5 European Cups and 3 UEFA Cups. They are one of the most popular football teams in the world, with over 200 supporter clubs in at least 50 different countries. And yet, their magnificent history will forever be plagued by two of the worst stadium disasters of all time: Heysel and Hillsborough.

Source: Football History.org (2019) Liverpool FC

7. Why is Liverpool considered the most successful British club of all time?

Passage 5

Following the moving of Everton to Goodison Park in 1892, the club’s then-president John Houlding suddenly found himself with the rights to Anfield stadium and no team to play on it. Always a practical man, Houlding quickly decided to circumvent this problem by forming his own club – Liverpool (should not be confused Liverpool Ramblers AFC that was founded ten years earlier).

After becoming a member of the Football League in 1893, the team managed to get promoted to first division after one season in the second division. Early on, Liverpool established themselves as one of England’s top clubs, winning League titles in 1901, 1906, 1922 and 1923.

Source: Football History.org (2019) Liverpool FC

8. Why was Liverpool FC founded in 1893?

Passage 6

This exciting new piece of research says that consuming flavonoid-rich items such as apples and tea protects against cancer and heart disease, particularly for smokers and heavy drinkers.

Researchers from the School of Medical and Health Sciences at Edith Cowan University (ECU) analyzed data from the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health cohort that assessed the diets of 53,048 Danish people over 23 years.

They found that people who habitually consumed moderate to high amounts of foods rich in flavonoids, compounds found in plant-based foods and drinks, were less likely to die from cancer or heart disease.

Source: Good News Network – Apples, Tea, and Moderation—The 3 Ingredients for a Long Life. 

9. What is the main take away from this passage?

Passage 6

This exciting new piece of research says that consuming flavonoid-rich items such as apples and tea protects against cancer and heart disease, particularly for smokers and heavy drinkers.

Researchers from the School of Medical and Health Sciences at Edith Cowan University (ECU) analyzed data from the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health cohort that assessed the diets of 53,048 Danish people over 23 years.

They found that people who habitually consumed moderate to high amounts of foods rich in flavonoids, compounds found in plant-based foods and drinks, were less likely to die from cancer or heart disease.

Source: Good News Network – Apples, Tea, and Moderation—The 3 Ingredients for a Long Life. 

10. Why do smokers and heavy drinkers most need to consume flavonoid rich foods?

Passage 7

“These findings are important as they highlight the potential to prevent cancer and heart disease by encouraging the consumption of flavonoid-rich foods, particularly in people at high risk of these chronic diseases,” she said.

“But it’s also important to note that flavonoid consumption does not counteract all of the increased risk of death caused by smoking and high alcohol consumption. By far the best thing to do for your health is to quit smoking and cut down on alcohol.

“We know these kind of lifestyle changes can be very challenging, so encouraging flavonoid consumption might be a novel way to alleviate the increased risk, while also encouraging people to quit smoking and reduce their alcohol intake.”

Participants consuming about 500 milligrams of total flavonoids each day had the lowest risk of a cancer or heart disease-related death.

“It’s important to consume a variety of different flavonoid compounds found in different plant based food and drink. This is easily achievable through the diet: one cup of tea, one apple, one orange, 100 grams of blueberries, and 100 grams of broccoli would provide a wide range of flavonoid compounds and over 500 milligrams of total flavonoids.”

Dr. Bondonno said while the research had established an association between flavonoid consumption and lower risk of death, the exact nature of the protective effect was unclear but likely to be multifaceted.

Source: Good News Network – Apples, Tea, and Moderation—The 3 Ingredients for a Long Life. 

11. According to the passage and the results of the study, what is the best way for smokers to improve their health?

Passage 7

“These findings are important as they highlight the potential to prevent cancer and heart disease by encouraging the consumption of flavonoid-rich foods, particularly in people at high risk of these chronic diseases,” she said.

“But it’s also important to note that flavonoid consumption does not counteract all of the increased risk of death caused by smoking and high alcohol consumption. By far the best thing to do for your health is to quit smoking and cut down on alcohol.

“We know these kind of lifestyle changes can be very challenging, so encouraging flavonoid consumption might be a novel way to alleviate the increased risk, while also encouraging people to quit smoking and reduce their alcohol intake.”

Participants consuming about 500 milligrams of total flavonoids each day had the lowest risk of a cancer or heart disease-related death.

“It’s important to consume a variety of different flavonoid compounds found in different plant based food and drink. This is easily achievable through the diet: one cup of tea, one apple, one orange, 100 grams of blueberries, and 100 grams of broccoli would provide a wide range of flavonoid compounds and over 500 milligrams of total flavonoids.”

Dr. Bondonno said while the research had established an association between flavonoid consumption and lower risk of death, the exact nature of the protective effect was unclear but likely to be multifaceted.

Source: Good News Network – Apples, Tea, and Moderation—The 3 Ingredients for a Long Life. 

12. There are very few foods that contain flavonoids.

Passage 8

A team of conservationists and government officials in Chile are being praised for their swift and unprecedented rescue mission of a critically endangered frog species just in the nick of time.

Last month, the researchers managed to save 14 of the Loa water frog, a species that can only be found in a single stream in Chile.

Specialists say that the rescued amphibians could be the last of the entire species—and the critters were rescued just before their habitat had completely dried up, leaving the frogs malnourished and barely hanging on.

Chilean officials stumbled upon the plight of the Loa water frog after they discovered that its habitat outside the city of Calama—which is located in the middle of the Atacama desert—had dried up as a result of mining, agriculture, real estate development, and water extraction for mining purposes.

In a region where water is a scarce resource, all of the frogs had been pushed into a tiny pool of muddy water. Thankfully, the team managed to collect what they believe to be the last 14 frogs and brought them to the National Zoo of Chile to start a conservation breeding program.

Source: Good News Network – Conservationists Successfully Swoop in to Save Last of Known Endangered Frog Species Just in the Nick of Time

13. Why was this rescue mission so critical?

Passage 8

A team of conservationists and government officials in Chile are being praised for their swift and unprecedented rescue mission of a critically endangered frog species just in the nick of time.

Last month, the researchers managed to save 14 of the Loa water frog, a species that can only be found in a single stream in Chile.

Specialists say that the rescued amphibians could be the last of the entire species—and the critters were rescued just before their habitat had completely dried up, leaving the frogs malnourished and barely hanging on.

Chilean officials stumbled upon the plight of the Loa water frog after they discovered that its habitat outside the city of Calama—which is located in the middle of the Atacama desert—had dried up as a result of mining, agriculture, real estate development, and water extraction for mining purposes.

In a region where water is a scarce resource, all of the frogs had been pushed into a tiny pool of muddy water. Thankfully, the team managed to collect what they believe to be the last 14 frogs and brought them to the National Zoo of Chile to start a conservation breeding program.

Source: Good News Network – Conservationists Successfully Swoop in to Save Last of Known Endangered Frog Species Just in the Nick of Time

14. Who or what is to blame for the frog’s critical condition?

Passage 8

A team of conservationists and government officials in Chile are being praised for their swift and unprecedented rescue mission of a critically endangered frog species just in the nick of time.

Last month, the researchers managed to save 14 of the Loa water frog, a species that can only be found in a single stream in Chile.

Specialists say that the rescued amphibians could be the last of the entire species—and the critters were rescued just before their habitat had completely dried up, leaving the frogs malnourished and barely hanging on.

Chilean officials stumbled upon the plight of the Loa water frog after they discovered that its habitat outside the city of Calama—which is located in the middle of the Atacama desert—had dried up as a result of mining, agriculture, real estate development, and water extraction for mining purposes.

In a region where water is a scarce resource, all of the frogs had been pushed into a tiny pool of muddy water. Thankfully, the team managed to collect what they believe to be the last 14 frogs and brought them to the National Zoo of Chile to start a conservation breeding program.

Source: Good News Network – Conservationists Successfully Swoop in to Save Last of Known Endangered Frog Species Just in the Nick of Time

15. Which of the following statements is NOT true?