Survival: What Matters Most?

The main elements required for survival are food, fire, shelter and water. Their order of (1) __________ will depend upon where you happen to be. In the desert, (2) __________ is water; in polar regions shelter and fire will be the main concerns. Setting priorities is the first step toward survival. It takes a healthy person quite a long time (3) __________ of starvation, for the body can use up its stored resources, but wind, rain, and cold can kill even in warm areas, and the poles' freezing waters kill in minutes.

Food seldom comes first. Even when it's hard to locate, other issues arise first. Shelter, (4) __________ as the prime necessity in extremes of climate or temperatures, is essential in places such as the frozen polar regions or the baking deserts. The need for fire is closely linked. Water is something that most people in the modern world (5) __________ for granted. They rarely think about turning on a tap until a severe drought imposes water rationing. Yet the survivor at sea, or after a flood, though surrounded (6) __________ water, may be desperate for drinkable water. In many regions, water is scarce unless it rains. Although other survival needs may exist, water is always essential.

The Future of Sustainable Fashion

Let's explore how we can make better choices in fashion to help the environment.

Facts and figures:

The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions, and it (1) __________ an estimated 92 million tonnes of textile waste each year. (2) __________ textile waste, the fashion industry needs to find more sustainable solutions to reduce its negative impact on the environment. Additionally, producing just one cotton shirt (3) __________ 2,700 litres of water - enough for one person to drink for two and a half years!

Positive action:

- Buy clothes made from sustainable materials like organic cotton or recycled fabrics. This reduces the need for excessive water and chemical (4) __________.

- Instead of always purchasing new clothes, try second-hand shopping or swapping clothes with friends. This helps to cut down on the (5) __________ of textile waste.

- Take care of your clothes properly! Washing them at lower temperatures and avoiding tumble dryers can (6) __________ their lifespan and reduce energy use.

- For unwanted clothes, consider donating them instead of throwing them away.

We often think robots can't replace doctors and teachers due to the need for human connection and creativity. However, robots already outperform humans in some areas, like diagnosing illness, and some patients may feel more comfortable sharing information with machines. In fact, robots (1) __________. Could there be a place for robots in education after all?

British education expert Anthony Seldon thinks so. And he even has a date for the robot takeover of the classroom: 2027. He predicts robots will do the main job of transferring information and teachers will be like assistants. Intelligent robots will read students' faces, movements, and maybe even brain signals. Then they will adapt the information to each student. Anthony Seldon, (2) __________, suggests that teachers will act as assistants while robots handle instruction.

A major challenge for robot teachers is emotional intelligence. (3) __________. This remains a key reason why many experts doubt that robots can fully replace human teachers. One thing is certain, though. A robot teacher is better than no teacher at all. In some parts of the world, there aren't enough teachers and 9–16 percent of children under the age of 14 don't go to school. That problem could be partly solved by robots because they can teach anywhere and won't get stressed, or tired, or move somewhere for an easier, higher paid job. This makes them an attractive solution for areas with a shortage of teachers. (4) __________. (5) __________ and robots are being developed to improve their ability to adapt to students' needs.

1. We often assume that our view of the natural world is fixed and objective, but environmental experts suggest otherwise. They point to a phenomenon known as "Shifting Baseline Syndrome." This concept describes a gradual change in what people accept as "normal" for the environment because they lack information or experience regarding the past. Essentially, each generation sees the environment they were born into as the standard, regardless of how damaged it may already be compared to previous times.

2. Consider a fisherman who catches half as many fish as his father did but considers it a good haul because it is double what his son catches. The baseline has shifted downwards. The father remembers a sea full of life; the son views an empty ocean as the normal state. This lack of memory creates a dangerous complacency. We do not feel sad about the loss of what we never knew existed. Consequently, conservation goals are often set too low, aiming to fix ecosystems to a state that was already weakened, rather than their pristine condition.

3. The effects of this syndrome go beyond nature; they influence our cultural understanding of the world. As cities grow larger, the distance between humans and nature increases. Children growing up in concrete jungles may view a single tree in a park as "nature," unaware of the thick forests that once stood there. This gap makes it difficult to get public support for environmental protection. People fight to protect what they love, but they cannot love what they cannot imagine.

4. Stopping Shifting Baseline Syndrome requires a strong effort to "refresh" our collective memory. Historical ecology - the use of old records, photographs, and stories - can help us see the past clearly. By showing the richness that has been lost, we can set much higher goals for the future. Furthermore, it is not enough to just show data; we must tell stories that connect different generations. Only by understanding how much we have lost can we find the motivation to improve the environment again.

1. An important meta-analysis published in 2025 has broken new ground in proving medical marijuana helps cancer patients. [I] This complete review looked at over 10,600 peer-reviewed studies, making it the largest investigation into cannabis-based cancer treatments ever done. The findings leave no room for doubt about marijuana's medical value, with researchers finding an "overwhelming scientific consensus" supporting its use. This major research changes how healthcare professionals think about alternative treatments for cancer patients around the world.

2. The study showed that medical cannabis clearly reduces many cancer-related symptoms. Patients suffering from chronic pain, severe nausea, vomiting, appetite loss, inflammation, and extreme tiredness found real relief through marijuana use. [II] These improvements went beyond physical comfort, as people reported feeling emotionally better while dealing with difficult cancer therapy. Such wide-ranging benefits explain why more healthcare providers are now considering different approaches to helping patients manage their symptoms.

3. Besides helping with symptoms, the analysis discovered promising anti-cancer properties in cannabinoid compounds. [III] THC and CBD seem to stop tumor cells from growing, reduce their spread, and trigger apoptosis – the process that makes cancer cells destroy themselves.

4. While these biological effects need more clinical testing, the similar results across many studies suggest great therapeutic possibilities. Scientists point out that current regulations have slowed down both research progress and patient access, even though growing evidence shows cannabis is safe and well-tolerated by different groups of people.

5. The researchers want medical marijuana to become part of standard cancer care immediately. They argue that old-fashioned regulations keep blocking scientific progress while preventing patients from getting potentially helpful treatments. The meta-analysis asks policymakers, doctors, and healthcare systems to rethink cannabis's place in modern cancer treatment. [IV] With millions of cancer patients worldwide looking for better treatment options, the authors believe caring, evidence-based cannabis treatments could greatly improve patients' lives. This complete study challenges old beliefs and supports new approaches to cancer care.