Missing Words 2018

The Cave of Crystals is an amazing place. The huge crystals are possible because of the hot, wet conditions in the cave. However, those same conditions also make [blank_start]it[blank_end] impossible for humans to stay in the cave for more [blank_start]than[blank_end] 20 minutes. The temperature of the Cave of Crystals is 45°C. That is almost as hot [blank_start]as[blank_end] the hottest days in the Sahara Desert! Even a [blank_start]few[blank_end] minutes can be enough. However, visitors to the cave think its beauty is worth the difficulty.

The Atacama is a desert in South America. It is known [blank_start]as[blank_end] the driest place on earth. There are long periods when [blank_start]there[blank_end] is little or no rain. Anyone who visits the Atacama must bring plenty of water. It only rains about 15 millimetres a year, with a [blank_start]few[blank_end] places receiving much less. In fact, some waether stations in the Atacama have never had any rain. It's such a dry place that people have said it looks [blank_start]like[blank_end] Mars!

In the heart of the jungles of Central America is [blank_start]one[blank_end] of the most important sites of the Mayan civilisation - the ruins of Tikal. Tical was once the largest city in the Mayan world. Today, historians and tourists can visit Tikal and see some of the 3,000 ancient structures that once stood there. Among the ruins are six huge pyramids. Some are more [blank_start]than[blank_end] 60 metres high. Experts believe there were a [blank_start]few[blank_end] reasons the Maya left Tikal. It didn't rain very often, so [blank_start]there[blank_end] was not enough water to drink or grow food. Also, Tikal was always at war with other cities, and some people mayhave left to avoid the war.

[blank_start]One[blank_end] of the most interesting things to see in Brazil is the place [blank_start]where[blank_end] two rivers meet but do not mix. They are the "white" Solimoes River and the "black" Negro River. They flow next to [blank_start]each[blank_end] other for six kilometres in the Amazonas State, but the colours of the water don't mix because of different temperatures and speed - the Solimoes River is faster and cooler [blank_start]than[blank_end] the Negro River.

Drawing is a universal language. It was probably our first form of self-expression when we were babies: long before we start writing, we're painting and scribbling, both in order to understand the world and because we enjoy it. It involves coordinating the hand and the eye with the pencil. It's a basic skill, no more difficult to learn [blank_start]than[blank_end] 101 other amazing things that humans do, [blank_start]such[blank_end] as hitting a tennis ball over the net or writing our own name. [blank_start]There[blank_end] is no special talent involved. We know that [blank_start]who[blank_end] can learn to write can learn to draw.

Modern technology helps people to stay in touch. In the past, people wrote letters or sent telegrams, and long distance phone calls were very expensive. Today, people use computers to communicate with friends or family [blank_start]who/that[blank_end] live far away. Almost everybody uses email [blank_start]these[blank_end] days and Internet phone connections, [blank_start]such[blank_end] as Skype, are becoming more popular every day. Young people, in particular, enjoy using webcams and social networking sites, like Facebook. [blank_start]There[blank_end] are one billion Internet users in the world today and about one third log on in English.

No man on earth is left unimpressed by Antonio Gaudi's Park in Barcelona. Park Guell, as it is named, is not as traditional [blank_start]as[blank_end] other parks.In reality, [blank_start]there[blank_end] is nothing ordinary about it. It is one of the most interesting places in the city, because of its unusual stone shapes, decoration and imaginative use of colour and materials. Park Guell is more [blank_start]than[blank_end] a park. Visitors find themselves in a land of amazing beauty and creativity. More [blank_start]and[blank_end] more people visit the park every year and admire the work of Gaudi.

How many people speak and understand English? Statistics shows that [blank_start]there[blank_end] are about 375 million native speakers of English in the world. In some places, like India, Hong Kong, and Kenya, people speak lots of different languages, and English is [blank_start]one[blank_end] of them. Finally, linguists have said that there are more [blank_start]than[blank_end] a billion people who speak English as a foreign language, and that figure is increasing.

Reading is good for us. And [blank_start]there[blank_end] is plenty of evidence that reading for pleasure is more [blank_start]than[blank_end] just another leisure pursuit - it actually improves our mental and physical health. Experts state that reading extended tests [blank_start]such[blank_end] as novels or biographies, which requires intense concentrationfor a considerable period of time, improves the children's ability to think clearly. Researchers have also found that just six minutes of reading can reduce stress levels by as much [blank_start]as[blank_end] two-thirds.

There's no one in the world [blank_start]who/that[blank_end] can love you like your mum or dad and this love is what makes a child feel safe and protected. Of course, [blank_start]it[blank_end] is not easy bringing up children and [blank_start]there[blank_end] are many things you will need to do to make sure that they grow up into healthy, well-rounded individuals. But as long [blank_start]as[blank_end] you love them and give them a home where they feel safe, then you're giving them the best possible start to their lives.

If [blank_start]there[blank_end] is one subject that the British really take an interest in, it is the weather. Whether they are simply discussing it, [blank_start]or[blank_end] complaining bitterly about it, the weather often takes centre stage in a conversation. What makes the British weather such a fascinating topic is [blank_start]that[blank_end] it is unpredictable. You never know [blank_start]what[blank_end] the weather will be like from one day to the other.