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Exercise 6

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Task reminder: Read the passage carefully, then write a one-sentence summary of 5–75 words. You have 10 minutes. Aim for 55–65 words using your own words.

1. The Microbiome

The human gut contains trillions of microorganisms — bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microbes — collectively known as the microbiome. Far from being passive passengers, these microorganisms play active roles in digestion, immune system regulation, and even mental health. Research has linked disruptions to the microbiome to conditions ranging from inflammatory bowel disease and obesity to anxiety and depression. Diet is the most powerful tool available for shaping microbiome composition, with high-fibre, plant-rich diets associated with greater microbial diversity and better health outcomes. The emerging science of the microbiome is reshaping our understanding of what it means to be healthy.


Model Summary

The human microbiome — the vast community of microorganisms inhabiting the gut — plays critical roles in digestion, immunity, and mental health, with disruptions linked to diseases including obesity and depression, and diet emerging as the primary tool for maintaining the microbial diversity associated with positive health outcomes.

2. The Sharing Economy

The sharing economy describes a set of economic activities in which individuals share access to goods, services, and skills through digital platforms, rather than each owning resources independently. Services such as Airbnb, which allows homeowners to rent spare rooms to travellers, and Uber, which connects drivers with passengers, are among the most prominent examples. Proponents argue that the sharing economy uses existing resources more efficiently, reduces consumption, and creates income opportunities for participants. Critics highlight concerns about the erosion of labour protections, the tax obligations avoided by platform companies, and the impact of short-term rentals on housing availability in popular cities.


Model Summary

The sharing economy, exemplified by platforms like Airbnb and Uber, enables individuals to share goods and services more efficiently and generate income, but raises significant concerns about the erosion of workers’ rights, corporate tax avoidance, and the contribution of short-term rentals to housing shortages in urban centres.

3. Memory and Learning

Memory is not a single, unified system but a collection of distinct processes involving different brain regions and mechanisms. Working memory holds small amounts of information temporarily for immediate use, while long-term memory stores knowledge and experiences over extended periods. The process of consolidation — through which experiences are transferred from temporary to lasting storage — occurs primarily during sleep, which helps explain why sleep deprivation impairs learning so dramatically. Effective learning strategies, such as spaced repetition and retrieval practice, exploit the brain’s natural memory architecture to embed information more durably than simple re-reading.


Model Summary

Memory comprises distinct systems — including working memory and long-term memory — that are consolidated primarily during sleep, and research-supported strategies such as spaced repetition and retrieval practice are far more effective at creating durable learning than passive re-reading of material.