Passage 1: Many artists now incorporate technology into their work, using 3D printers for sculptures and drones for photography, while technology is increasingly creating its own artwork. Several robot artists are __21.__ the fields of both art and engineering. ADA, a robot artist capable of drawing realistic portraits, was named after Ada Lovelace, the first computer programmer. Originally an industrial robot in a car factory, ADA’s capabilities were expanded by Visionnaire to transcend its initial manufacturing role. Engineers __22.__ a camera to ADA’s arm. Computer programmers gave it the __23.__ to recognize human faces. Now, ADA, mimicking a human artist, uses its camera to observe a person’s face and then employs a pen to draw a portrait, occasionally pausing to “look” at the subject. It is clear that robot art is pushing both art and engineering forward.

Attending college, much like other transformative life events such as getting married or starting a new job, can be a remarkable experience, changing you in various ways and offering friendships and memories that last a lifetime. However, any major life change can also be a__24.__ of stress, and going to college is no different. Studies reveal that 75 percent of college students are not only concerned about studying and academic challenges, but many also face worries about staying healthy and__25.__ to campus life. Fortunately, creating and following a routine is an easy step you can take  toward college success. There are several reasons why routines can be effective. First, the __26.__ of doing the same things simultaneously tells your brain that these activities are important, which helps them become habits. Second, because your brain is good at handling __27.__ tasks automatically, following a routine reduces the time and energy spent on planning actions and methods. As a result, you’ll have more mental __28.__ for other tasks. Studies indicate that routines can lower stress and enhance overall life positivity.

Let’s face it: social media platforms have __29.__ every aspect of travel, from how we choose a place to visit to what we do once we get there. The allure of social media has transformed tranquil locations like Trolltunga, Norway, from a scarcely visited rock formation to a tourist hotspot with 80,000 visitors in six years, a change mirrored by the rapid popularity of the Zhangjiajie Canyon’s glass-bottom bridge in China following its online photo exposure. These transformations, driven by stunning online imagery, highlight the swift impact of digital sharing on remote destinations. Within days, thousands of visitors arrived, all hoping to __30.__ similar images. Because of the crowds, the government temporarily closed the bridge and __31.__ people from visiting.

 While extremely high buildings vary in their design and architectural appeal, they all follow a similar construction process. First, for the construction of a building, a deep and solid __32.__ should be put in place. When you look at a skyscraper, you only see the part above the ground; what you do not see is the building’s underground support, made up of __33.__ concrete pillars. When engineering a skyscraper project of such large scale, __34.__ safety is essential. Since many of the world’s most famous skyscrapers play multiple roles: offices, apartment buildings, and hotels. engineers need to take many __35.__ to keep all these people safe.

CAN ART COME FROM AN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE?

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, seems to be getting smarter every day. Already AI computer

        As the famous English poet John Donne once wrote, no person “is an island entire of itself.” Donne’s point was that people want—and need—to spend time with others. Because of this, the idea of being alone may worry people; they feel scared of the idea and avoid being by themselves. But there are also a number of benefits to solitude, or being alone.

      Spending time alone can have emotional advantages. Our bodies need sleep to stay healthy, and in the same way, our brains benefit from periods without many things happening or many people talking to us. Studies suggest that people who like being alone are happier and have less stress. Being alone helps you build the mental strength you need to deal with the challenges of life, and it also gives you a chance to know yourself better. It allows you to make better choices about things to do—and things to avoid doing—in your life. Because mind and body are connected, a healthy mental state can also have a positive effect on physical health.

      Being alone can also benefit your professional life. If there is nobody around to walk in and stop you working, you will probably accomplish more in less time. And studies show that people are more creative and find it easier to focus and think of new ideas when they are alone. In addition, in a group, you may rely on others to remember important information. If you’re by yourself, you have nobody else to rely on, which means you’re forced to remember things. You can also use time alone to plan your life and think about your goals and dreams.

       Perhaps surprisingly, solitude can also have social benefits. That is, it can improve your relationships with other people. For one thing, solitude can help you understand yourself better. And if you understand yourself, you might also be able to understand other people, too. You might be able to recognize or understand their hopes and fears, for example. Spending time alone can also make us miss our friends and family so that when we see them the next time, we are more likely to truly enjoy our time with them. 

       Given all of these benefits, why does being alone worry some people? One reason might be that people confuse the privacy of being alone with being lonely. Being alone is a choice and it lasts for a limited time. In contrast, being lonely means being alone because you have no choice. People may even feel that the solitude will never end. Doctors warn that loneliness has clear disadvantages, including deep sadness and even physical illness.

      Donne isn’t the only famous thinker to write about being alone. Thousands of years ago, Aristotle, the ancient Greek philosopher wrote that humans are social beings who want and need to be with others. However, it’s also true that being alone can be beneficial. As a result, we should keep in mind something else that Aristotle wrote: “To live the best life, do all things in moderation.” In other words, it’s good to be with others, but also important to spend time alone occasionally.

        More than half of the world’s population lives in urban areas, and the percentage is growing. But cities are not always pleasant places to live. They are often crowded, with heavy traffic and dirty air. Vehicles—that is, cars, trucks, and buses—are the biggest contributors to air pollution, which has a significant impact on both climate change and human health. Air pollution is especially dangerous for young children. Cities take up only two percent of the world’s land, but with all of those vehicles, they use 78 percent of the world’s energy and produce 60 percent of its greenhouse gases. These are the gases that are largely responsible for global warming. 

       Some cities, especially some cities in Europe, are trying to change this situation. For a long time, London had the dirtiest air of any major European city, which caused significant health problems for residents. Experts estimate that between 3,000 and 4,000 people were dying in London every year as a result of breathing polluted air. So, in 2019, the city took an important step toward cleaning up its air by pushing its residents to change to cleaner vehicles. A new ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) was set up in the center of the city. Emissions are the gases that come out of vehicles as a result of burning fuel. Drivers that enter the ULEZ either (1) prove that their vehicle meets government emission standards, or (2) if their vehicle’s emissions are too high, they must pay a fee of £12.50 for cars (about $US17) and £100 (about $US139) for trucks each time they enter the zone. The idea behind this program is that if people contribute to pollution, they should pay for it.

       Government leaders hoped that this new program would convince people to get rid of their old cars and replace them with electric cars, which don’t produce emissions. They also hoped that many people would decide to give up their cars and walk, bike, or use public transportation instead. The goal of the program was to reduce traffic in general in the city’s center, but more specifically to reduce the number of cars that contribute to pollution. Any reduction in pollution levels would slow global warming and reduce health risks, especially to children. The 2019 program was limited to the center of the city, but in 2021, the program expanded to an area that covers most of the city, about 18 times larger than the original zone. This means far more people will be affected by the program, and not everyone likes the idea.

       Some critics maintain that the expanded ULEZ zone is not necessary because drivers were already changing to cleaner vehicles before the zone was set. Government leaders have responded that although this is true, the ULEZ has helped speed up this transformation. Others argue that the ULEZ has a negative impact on people who cannot afford to buy a new low-emission vehicle. The government expected this argument, so they created a fund of almost £60 million GBP ($US80 million) to help low-income drivers pay for new cleaner cars. Finally, critics have claimed that there is no proof that such low-emission zones work. It is true that, so far, results in some low-emission  zones in other parts of Europe have not been dramatic. However, in the first two years after creating the ULEZ, London saw a 44 percent reduction in the gas nitrogen dioxide, which is the component of air pollution that is most dangerous for human health. There was also a significant reduction in the number of high-emission vehicles driving through the district. On the other side, there are critics who say the ULEZ doesn’t go far enough. They maintain that the climate crisis is urgent and, in order to have significant results, the government should demand even lower levels of emissions. 

       London’s leaders hope that the ULEZ will act as a model for other cities in the United Kingdom and around the world. In fact, many other cities are already experimenting with different types of low-emission zones. Some are even trying zero-emission zones, where only vehicles that do not produce any pollution are permitted to enter. With programs like these, there’s hope that as more and more of the world’s population moves to cities, these urban spaces will become more pleasant places to live.