Soal Asli UTBK SNBT 2015 Literasi Bahasa Inggris (LBE)

Bacaan untuk soal nomor 2 dan seterusnya

In 2012, Anxiety UK conducted a survey on social media use and its effects on emotions. The survey found that $ 53 % $ of participants said social media sites had changed their behavior. Those who said their lives had been worsened by using social media reported feeling less confident when they compared their achievements against their friends. Furthemore, the survey revealed that two thirds of participants reported difficulty relaxing and sleeping after they used the sites, while $ 55 % $ said they felt "worried or uncomfortable" when they were unable to log onto their social media accounts. In a more recent study, social interaction on social media sites, specifically Facebook, may have a negative impact on face-to-face encounters for individuals who already have high levels of anxiety. . Another concern regarding social media use is cyber bullying. As stated earlier in this feature, the majority of social networking users are under the age of 30, Most of these are adolescents. According to Enough is Enough (EIE) - an organization that aims to make Internet use safer for children and families - $ 95 % $ of teenagers who use social media have witnessed forms of cyber bullying on social networking sites. In addition, $ 33 % $ have been victims of cyber bullying. But Dr. Rauch believes it is not purely the use of social media that is getting out of control. It is more on our need to be electronically connected at all times. Dr. Rauch further says, "I would encourage any parent to explore ways to encourage or even mandate 'off time, not just away from social media sites, but away from the devices. That is probably good advice for all of us." Although many studies point to the negative impacts of social media on mental health and well-being, some researchers say they could have the opposite effect. Social networking sites could be a useful tool in identifying individuals with mental health issues. Some studies have suggested that social media use may even improve mental health and well-being. Last year, Medical News Today reported that Facebook activity may be an indicator of a person's psychological health. It was found that people who shared fewer pictures on the site, communicated less frequently, and had a longer profile and fewer Facebook friends were more likely to experience social anhedonia. This is the inability to encounter happiness from activities that are normally enjoyable, such as talking to friends. However, another study suggests that using social media may even spread happiness. Overall, it appears that the exact effects of social media on our mental health and well-being remain to be seen. But one thing is certain: our use of social networking sites is unlikely to fade anytime soon. (Adapted from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com)

Bacaan untuk soal nomor 3 dan seterusnya

As spring arrives, albeit quite late this year for many of us, we notice the changing of seasons not only by the weather, but also by a host of natural events. Depending on where you live, the flowers may poke through the snow, the birds may be back, or the cherry trees may bloom. There is an orderly sequence of events that seem to occur, with various spring flowers appearing in order, red maple buds bursting into new leaves, or the old lilac by the barn scenting the air. This seasonal cycle of natural phenomena is called phenology. Global climate change appears to be interfering with the phenology of many species, at the very heart of species interactions. In temperate regions like the northern half of the United States, there is comparatively little biological activity in winter. Most plants are dormant, and so are the insects feeding on them. In turn, animals that rely on these insects, such as bats and birds, are hibernating or spending the cold months in more southerly locations. Ectotherms like reptiles and amphibians, which take their body warmth from their environment, also have active phases tied to the seasons. This long winter period constrains all the growing, breeding, and dispersing activities that plants and animals do to a short favorable window. That is what makes spring so vibrant, with plants flowering and putting on new growth, insects emerging and breeding, and birds flying back to take advantage of this short-lived bounty. The onsets of each of these activities add up to so many phonological markers. Different organisms respond to different cues to initiate seasonal activities. Many plants will start growing leaves again after a set period of dormancy, which very roughly dictates the leaf-out window. Cues that more precisely determine when the buds break can be soil temperature, air temperature, or water availability. Similarly, temperature cues can promote the beginning of insect activity. Day length itself can be the operative trigger for some seasonal events. It is only when there are a sufficient number of daylight hours that reproductive hormones will be produced in many bird species. ;. The most energy-demanding period in the life of most animals is when they reproduce. For that reason, it is tho their advantage to coincide breeding (and for many, the raising of young) during a period when food is most abundant Caterpillars should hatch just as the young tender leaves of oak tree emerge, before they harden and become less nutritious. Breeding songbirds need to time the hatching of their young just during that peak in caterpillar activity, so they can take advantage of this rich source of protein to feed their offspring. Many species have evolved to exploit peaks in resource availability, so all these seemingly independent phonological events are indeed part of a complex web of precise interactions. Disturbance in seasonal events can have profound effects on ecosystems. (Adapted from http://environment.about:com)

Bacaan untuk soal nomor 4 dan seterusnya

Around half Europe's buildings were built before! 975. Some nave architectural values, others less so, but many hide an ugly reality. According to Emilio Pizzi, at the Politecnicodi Milano University, the buildings were built in a time when energy parameters like efficiency, consumption, ano emissions were not a top priority. So, there was a strong need to transform and update the thermal performance of Europe's architectural heritage. He added that it is time to innovate new systems, to retrofit these buildings with energy efficiency in mind. The researchers have developed new insulation materials to make old buildings more energy efficient, in terms of their facades, wall cavities, and interiors. Karim Ghazi Wakili, a physicist with EMPA Research Institute, showed Euro News three prototypes. The first is insulation material made mainly out of three layers of polyester fibers. They are supposed to have the highest thermal insulation. The next material has only one layer of polyester fibers.It has two textiles on both sides. The third material is the cheapest one. It is made out of a material called 'perlite'. It is thicker because perlite has higher thermal conductivity. Gabriele Masera, a building engineer at Politecnico di Milano University states that the researchers have tested these materials in a building of the Politecnico di Milano University in Italy. It was built in 1965 . The inner walls of one room were covered with sensors and fitted with the three prototype of insulation materials. The sensors measure temperature, humidity and heat flow at three different places: outside the building-that is why we have sensors installed on the façade -in the cavity walls, and finally on the inner surface of the walls. Outside sensors also measure radiation and wind speed. This way we are able to see how much heat leaks from the different materials in building. All the data will help us bui.d a mathematical model that will allow us to understand how each material reacts to different climatic conditions.

Bacaan untuk soal nomor 6 dan seterusnya

Ginger, buts, fatty fish, and whole grains are just some of the many foods that have been publicized to have anti-inflammatory properties. But do they work? It turns out that experts agree that eating a diet rich in such foods may in fact help lower the levels of inflammation in the body. However, they stress that adding or increasing the consumption of any one food is likely not going to have a profound effect on one's health. In a new, small study, researchers found that men who consumed flaxseed for 42 days experienced a significant decrease in inflammatory markers compared with men who did not consume flaxseed. In another study, the authors found that taking ginger root extract appeared to reduce markers of colon inflammation. In addition, according to the results of a study, curcumin, which is the main compound in the spice turmeric, which is used in curry, could help suppress biological mechanisms that lead to the inflammation in diseases of the tendons. Rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes are some of the conditions that have been linked with higher levels of inflammation. However, Kirkpatrick stressed that adding just one specific food to your diet is unlikely to work wonders for lowering inflammation, or for improving health in general. Kirkpatrick also stressed that people who take dietary supplements do not get the same results as those who consume real foods that have anti-inflammatory properties. Moreover, in order to lower inflammation through diet, it is also important to stay away from foods that can promote inflammation, such as sugar, she said. "So it is not just about adding these things in, it is also about taking proinflammatory foods out," said Kirkpatrick. "Food is medicine, but it is hard to compare medicine that is created in a lab with something that is grown in the ground to determine what is going to be beneficial," Kirkpatrick said. Depending on a person's condition, and the reasons for their inflammation, medication may be necessary, while food can still be a nice add-on.

Bacaan untuk soal nomor 11 dan seterusnya

The present study sought to document the word reading and comprehension levels attained by children who were implanted by 5 year of age. It was hypothesized that the improved speech perception abilities acquired with cochlear implantation would promote phonological coding skills. (1) ... Three subtests of diagnostic reading assessment batteries standardized on hearing children were administered to 181 children between 8 year 0 month and 9 year 11 month of age who had 4 to 6 years of implant experience. (2) .... It included a lexical decision task, a rhyme task, and the digit span subtest of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. Over half of the children scored within the average range for their age compared with the normative data for hearing children. (3) ... . They were higher nonverbal intelligence, higher family socioeconomic status, and later onset of deafness between birth and 36 months.