1. We hope the new machine will work faster, _thus cutting down on our costs.

　　2. Alex has the habit of reading a newspaper while eating / having / taking breakfast.

　　3. Tom has stuck a vocabulary list on the kitchen wall so that he can memorize a couple of new words every day while cooking his meals.

　　4. He took a reading course and learned some speed-reading skills, thus greatly increasing his reading speed.

　　5. An exchange student from British University, Amanda learned to do taijiquan while studying Chinese modern history at Beijing University.

　　6. They know how to make the most of their abilities, thus being able to do / perform very well in their work.

　　7. He likes to listen to light music while doing his homework.

　　8. Learn and master the secrets of A students so that you can become one, too.