General Training Reading 2025-02 Test 1

Dance is an ancient and celebrated cultural tradition in India. Folk dances abound all across the country, and huge crowds of people can be found dancing at festivals and weddings. Here are six of the most important classical dance forms of India. A. Bharatanatyam: Bharatanatyam is a dance of Tamil Nadu in southern India. It traces its origins back to the Natyashastra, an ancient treatise on theater written by the mythic priest Bharata. Originally a temple dance for women, Bharatanatyam is often used to express Hindu religious stories and devotions. It was not commonly seen on the public stage until the 20th century. The dance movements are characterized by bent legs, while feet keep rhythm. Hands may be used in a series of mudras, or symbolic hand gestures, to tell a story. B. Kathakali: Kathakali comes from southwestern India, around the state of Kerala. Like Bharatanatyam, Kathakali is a religious dance. It draws inspiration from the Ramayana and stories from Shaiva traditions. Kathakali is traditionally performed by boys and men, even for female roles. The costumes and makeup are especially elaborate, with faces made to look like painted masks and enormous headdresses. C. Kathak: A dance of northern India, Kathak is typically a dance of love. It is performed by both men and women. The movements include intricate footwork accented by bells worn around the ankles and stylized gestures adapted from normal body language. It was originated by Kathakas, professional storytellers who used a mixture of dance, song, and drama. Like other Indian dances, it began as a temple dance but soon moved into the courts of ruling houses. D. Manipuri: Manipuri comes from Manipur in north-eastern India. It has its roots in that state's folk traditions and rituals, and often depicts scenes from the life of the god Krishna. Unlike some other, more rhythmic dances, Manipuri is characterized by smooth and graceful movements. Female roles are especially fluid in the arms and hands, while male roles tend to have more forceful movements. The dance may be accompanied by narrative chanting and choral singing. E. Kuchipudi: Unlike the other styles mentioned, Kuchipudi requires talent in both dancing and singing. This dance, from the state of Andhra Pradesh in south-eastern India, is highly ritualized, with a formalized song-and-dance introduction, sprinkling of holy water, and burning of incense, along with invocations of goddesses. Traditionally the dance was performed by men, even the female roles, although now it is predominantly performed by women. F. Odissi: Odissi is indigenous to Orissa in eastern India. It is predominantly a dance for women, with postures that replicate those found in temple sculptures. Based on archaeological findings, Odissi is believed to be the oldest of the surviving Indian classical dances. Odissi is a very complex and expressive dance, with over fifty mudras (symbolic hand gestures).

The arrival of the holiday season is the perfect excuse to refresh your home decor in time for those Christmas visits. If your sofa looks or feels a bit worse for wear and tear or you need a new table lamp, there are plenty of sales on that provide an excellent opportunity to dress up your home however much you like. Debenhams is offering savings of up to half price on all of its furniture categories, and we've highlighted some fantastic finds to make things easier. Find the best offers with our guide. Furniture The current furniture sales offer the perfect excuse to invest in your interior with a selection of small and large pieces. The biggest retailers are going all out with impressive discounts across its entire furniture range. Here are some of our top picks. Debenhams Save up to 55 per cent on a range of furniture at Debenhams. The retailer has slashed prices on an impressive 684 living room products as well as other home categories. A variety of designer options are on offer as well, like the Ellsworth bedside cabinet from J by Jasper Conran reduced from £270 to just £135. Wayfair The home furnishing and decor website is offering impressive discounts across a range of furniture for all tastes. Shoppers can save more than 50 per cent on the retailer's bedroom, living room, and kitchen items. Very Offering everything from sofas and armchairs to beds, accessories, and everything you need to kit out your living and dining room, Very is offering major savings in its home and furniture sale. Expect sofas from £229, beds from £79, and kitchenware from as low as £6.99. Swoon Whether you prefer bright or soft lighting, Swoon's selection of light products has something for every home decor. Save up to 70 per cent on selected items. Heals Get your home glowing in time for Christmas and make your space that extra bit cozy with the Heals sale where you will find a range of pendant lights, table lamps, and floor lamps with up to 50 per cent off.

Visitors arriving at Westley International Airport by car are requested to read this notice and then choose the car park that best fits their needs. Short Stay Car Parks: At Westley International Airport, the short stay is for 4 days or less (i.e.: 96 hours). Passengers should enter either the North Car Park in front of departures or the South Car Park 200 meters beyond. Prices are £1 an hour. Drivers should remember to make a note of their parking area number so that they can make their way back to their cars without any problems. Long Stay Car Parks: There are 2 long stay car parks, the East, and West car parks. They are for stays of 5 days or more. These are on the left and right sides of arrivals and departures. Prices are £0.50 an hour. Drivers should remember to make a note of their parking area number so that they can make their way back to their cars without any issues. Set Down and Pick Up: These areas are located in front of arrivals and departures, respectively. Waiting is limited to only 10 minutes and drivers must stay with their cars. Traffic inspectors are on duty here to enforce the rules and issue tickets to offenders. Payment: There are 2 machines that take payment at the exits of both arrivals and departures. The machines accept any coins, notes, and debit cards but not credit cards. If you have to pay a larger sum (£5 or more) the payment office is next to the flight information desk in arrivals. Buses: Buses to and from Westley town center drop off and pick up in the marked bay just in front of the entrance of the North Car Park. Tickets can be purchased from the bus driver only between 6 pm and 8 am. Buses run every half hour. There are no trains to the airport. Information Desk: There is an information help desk (open from 8 am to 6 pm) inside the airport in departures, beside the café. They can give advice on buying plane tickets, sell bus tickets, and help with parking and other information relevant to the airport. If you are in your car and need advice, ask one of the traffic inspectors at the set-down section in front of arrivals.

A. Caving is the recreational pastime of exploring wild cave systems. In contrast, "speleology" is the scientific study of caves and the cave environment. The challenges involved in caving vary according to the cave being visited, but, in addition to the total absence of light beyond the entrance, often include the negotiation of steep angles, squeezes and water hazards. Cave diving is a distinct, and more hazardous, specialty undertaken by a small minority of technically proficient cavers. In an area of overlap between recreational pursuit and scientific study, the most devoted and serious minded cavers become accomplished at the surveying and mapping of caves and the formal publication of their efforts. Many caving skills overlap with those involved in canyoning, as well as mine and urban exploration. Sometimes categorized as an extreme sport, it is not commonly considered as such by long-time enthusiasts, who may dislike the term for its connotation of disregard for safety. B. Caving has also been described as an "individualist's team sport" by some, as cavers can often make a trip without direct physical assistance from others but will generally go in a group for companionship or to provide emergency help if needed. Some, however, consider the assistance cavers give each other as a typical team sport activity. Too much emphasis on the labeling of caving as a sport can narrow the goals of caving as a whole. Caving is often undertaken for the enjoyment of the outdoor activity or for physical exercise, as well as original exploration, similar to mountaineering or diving. Caving often puts the needs and welfare of a cave before those of the active participants. It is fair to say that while caving shares some attributes of sport activities, for many it goes beyond sports as many cavers pursue cave science, mapping, and the management and conservation of cave resources. C. Physical or biological science is also an important goal for some cavers. Virgin cave systems comprise some of the last unexplored regions on Earth and much effort is put into trying to locate, enter and survey them. In well-explored regions, the most accessible caves have already been explored, and gaining access to new caves often requires cave digging or cave diving. Caving, in certain areas, has also been utilized as a form of eco and adventure tourism. Tour companies have established an industry leading and guided tours into and through caves. Depending on the type of cave and the type of tour, the experience could be adventurous or ecological. In many areas, there are tours led through lava tubes by a guiding service. Exploring such structures is not without some element of risk. D. Caves can be dangerous places; dangerously low body temperature, falling, flooding, falling rocks and physical exhaustion are the main risks. Rescuing people from underground is difficult and time-consuming, and requires special skills, training, and equipment. Hard hats are worn to protect the head from bumps and falling rocks. The caver's primary light source is usually mounted on the helmet in order to keep the hands free. Electric LED lights are most common. Many cavers carry two or more sources of light - one as primary and the others as backup in case the first fails. More often than not, a second light will be mounted to the helmet for quick transition if the primary fails. Clothing is also of vital importance. The type of clothes worn underground varies according to the environment of the cave being explored, and the local culture. In cold caves, the caver may wear a warm base layer that retains its insulating properties when wet, such as a fleece suit, and an over suit of hard-wearing or waterproof material. Lighter clothing may be worn in warm caves, particularly if the cave is dry, and in tropical caves thin clothing is used to provide some scratch protection whilst remaining as cool as possible. Other specialized equipment, also used in climbing, is important to have on-hand. E. Ropes, for example, are used for descending or ascending pitches or for protection. Knots commonly used in caving are the figure-of-eight-loop, bowline, alpine butterfly, and Italian hitch. Ropes are usually rigged using bolts, slings, and carabiners. In some cases cavers may choose to bring and use a flexible metal ladder. In addition to the equipment already described, cavers frequently carry packs containing first-aid kits, emergency equipment, and food. Containers for securely transporting waste are also commonly carried. During very long trips, it may be necessary to camp in the cave - some cavers have stayed underground for many days, or in particularly extreme cases, for weeks at a time. This is particularly the case when exploring or mapping very extended cave systems, where it would be impractical to go back over the route back to the surface regularly.

• Cave diving is only done by a 33 _________ of very experienced cavers. • Cavers often explore caves without 34 _________ from others. • Many people believe that caving 35 _________ sports. • Some tour guides lead cavers through an adventurous tour of 36 _________ • People wear 37 _________ to protect their heads while caving. • Thin clothing is worn in 38 _________ caves. • 39 _________ are used for descending or ascending pitches • It is sometimes required to 40 _________ in caves during long trips.