Let's Get 7 in IELTS

What drove me there was the same inner need that got me to the OpenTech conference last weekend, despite the fact it meant a trip to London on a Saturday.
Two weeks ago it took me to York for Shift Happens, an event for those working in the arts to explore new technology, and before that it had dragged me to 2gether08, the strangely-named but fabulously productive convention that arch-networker Steve Moore created by inviting a lot of interesting people to come up with some cool things to talk about.

I am sure that it will take me around the country and indeed the world in years to come, because there is something special about being in the same space as someone else.

Pregnant women have been told that using perfumes or scented creams may increase the risk of unborn boys developing infertility in later life.

Edinburgh University researchers claimed a crucial window between eight and 12 weeks of pregnancy determined future reproductive problems.

They believe that exposure to chemicals found in cosmetics during this period may affect later sperm production.

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis was only discovered in 1998.

Two teams of researchers investigating the huge number of frog deaths in Central America and Australia isolated the fungus and discovered that it could have a deadly effect if frogs became infected with it.

It belongs to a family of fungi known as the chytrids (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is also commonly referred to as the chytrid fungus).

USAID/Indonesia is seeking applications from qualified U.S. Citizens and Third Country Nationals interested in providing the services of a Senior Economic Growth Advisor. This is a senior position within USAID/Indonesia. Under the direction of the Economic Growth Office Director, he/she will take a lead role in helping strengthen and advance USAID/Indonesia's economic growth portfolio, manage a portfolio of projects and manage and mentor Economic Growth Office staff. He/she is expected to serve as an expert in advising Government of Indonesia officials, business leaders and U.S. Government professionals in economic growth. He/she will provide significant input into the design of the Mission's next economic growth strategy (2009-2014) and related activities, development and oversight of key activities and provision of assistance across the Mission, to donors and to the Government of Indonesia.

1. USAID United States Aid for International Development 美國國際開發援助署
2. qualify取得資格;具備合格條件[(+as/for)]
3. portfolio部長職;大臣職[C][U]
4. strategy策略,計謀;對策[C][(+for)][+to-v]
5. oversight監督;照管

Hurricane Gustav, raging ashore on the Gulf Coast, has cast a thousand-mile shadow all the way to St Paul, Minnesota, where the Republican convention opens/opened in curtailed and subdued session. Organisers are anxious not to be seen having a party while fellow Americans are losing their homes in a deluge. Convention proceedings are being kept to a constitutional minimum until the full extent of Gustav's wrath is known.

The US news networks, which provided round-the-clock coverage of last week's Democratic Party events, have a headache. To ensure a measure of balance they want to give similar prominence to the Republican event, but key correspondents and senior anchors have been redeployed south. Vast swathes of air time are going to catalogue Gustav's progress in minute, and sometimes morbid, detail, squeezing the time available for the events in St Paul. Politicians vie with meteorologists for the best slots.

Dubbed the Formula Zero championship, the contest pitted teams from five countries against each other in a zero-emissions go-kart race.

Each team's entry was powered by a commercial fuel cell that produces electricity from hydrogen.

A Dutch team won the endurance event, while a Spanish team clinched the award for fastest lap.

Haitian authorities have urged people in the poor Caribbean nation to take precautions amid fears of landslides and widespread flooding.

Haiti, hit a week ago by a tropical storm that left more than two dozen dead, is vulnerable to mudslides because of widespread deforestation.

The storm is expected to bring rainfall of 64cm (25 inches) in some areas.

Monday, Aug. 04, 2008 By BRYAN WALSH/COPENHAGEN

Though home to us all, the earth is mute. It doesn't get a vote in any congress or parliament. It doesn't own blocks of shares in the market. It doesn't rise up at a protest rally. It can't even buy a hybrid car. The earth has no voice — so someone must speak for it.

Two complaints to the watchdog noted that the advert said "all the parts of the internet are on the iPhone".

But the ASA said because the iPhone did not support Flash or Java - two programs that form part of many webpages - the claim was misleading.

Apple had argued its claim referred to availability of webpages, rather than their specific appearance.