New Yorkers told to 'pull their pants up'

A "Stop the Sag!" billboard is seen on the side of a building in Brooklyn

Eric Adams, a state senator from Brooklyn, is behind the $2,000 'Stop The Sag' advertising campaign showing two men in jeans that hang low enough to display their underwear.
Mr Adams is calling for the end of the trend that has become popular in men's fashion. In an online message posted on YouTube, he said: "You can raise your level of respect if you raise your pants", while pleading to young people not to "surrender control over your own image". The politician, a retired police captain, is the latest to speak out on the trend. He follows Larry Platt, an American Idol performer who became an internet sensation earlier this year with his song "Pants on the Ground". Even Barack Obama has previously said: "Some people might not want to see your underwear. I'm one of them."
The campaign in New York follows a similar one in Dallas, where officials embarked on a 'Pull Your Pants Up' campaign in 2007. Mr Adams said he had had enough after watching a train passenger who wore a particularly low-slung pair of trousers. "Everyone on the train was looking at him and shaking their heads," he said. "And no one said anything to correct it."
The low-slung trousers trend is adapted from the unbelted and sometimes oversized look of prison uniforms, according to Mark-Evan Blackman of New York's Fashion Institute of Technology. The style has spread from inner cities to suburban shopping centres and school classrooms.


Question 1 (2 points)
Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.
a) Eric Adams has used various means of advertising to get his message across.
b) Mr. Adams used to be a policeman.
c) Mr. Adams appeared on a TV show called American Idol.
d) This is not the first time that this kind of clothing has been criticized.

Question 2 (2 points)
Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) Why did Mr Adams decide to start this campaign?
b) How did this fashion start?

Question 3 (1.5 points)
Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) show (Paragraph 1)
b give up (Paragraph 2)
c) start (Paragraph 3)

Question 4 (1.5 points)
Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a) Mr Adams wrote: “You can raise your level of respect if you raise your pants.”
Mr Adams wrote that …
b) Everyone on the train was looking at the passenger but no one told him to pull up his trousers.
The passenger ………………..
c) Officials in Dallas embarked on a “Pull up Your Pants” campaign in 2007. That’s why there is one in New York.
If officials in Dallas hadn’t …………..

Question 5 (3 points)
Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
“Everyone should have the right to dress the way they want.” Do you agree?

New Yorkers told to 'pull their pants up'

Key
Question 1
a) True Eric Adams is behind the $2,000 'Stop The Sag' advertising campaign seen on billboards showing two men in jeans that hang low enough to display their underwear. In an online message posted on YouTube,
b) True The politician, a retired police captain,
c) False Larry Platt, an American Idol performer
d) True The campaign in New York follows a similar one in Dallas, where officials embarked on a 'Pull Your Pants Up' campaign in 2007.

Question 2
a) Mr Adams was travelling on a train. Near him was a man who was wearing a pair of trousers which allowed everybody to see his underwear. The other people on the train showed that they did not agree with the way the man was wearing his trousers but nobody opened their mouth to say anything to him.
b) Prisoners’ trousers often hang down because they do not wear belts. People living in city centres started wearing their trousers in a similar way then school students copied it too.


Question 3
a) display
b surrender
c) embark on

Question 4
a) Mr Adams wrote that you could raise your level of respect if you raised your pants.
b) The passenger was being looked at by everyone on the train but he was not told to pull up his trousers by anyone.
c) If officials in Dallas hadn’t embarked on a “Pull up Your Pants” campaign in 2007, there wouldn’t be one in New York.

How do you sleep?

Look at these six sleeping positions. Which position do you sleep in?
Professor Chris Idzikowski, director of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service, analysed six common sleeping positions and found that each is linked to a particular personality type.
• The Foetus: This is the most common sleeping position. Those who sleep in the foetus position are described as tough on the outside but sensitive at heart. They may be shy when they first meet somebody, but they soon relax.

• Log (15%): Lying on your side with both arms down by your side. These sleepers are easy going, social people who like being popular, and who trust strangers. However, they may be gullible.

• The yearner (13%): People who sleep on their side with both arms out in front are said to have an open nature, but can be suspicious, cynical. They are slow to make up their minds, but once they have taken a decision, they are unlikely to change it.

• Soldier (8%): Lying on your back with both arms pinned to your sides. People who sleep in this position are generally quiet and reserved. They set themselves and others high standards.

• Freefall (7%): Lying on your front with your hands around the pillow, and your head turned to one side. These people don't like criticism, or extreme situations.

• Starfish (5%): Lying on your back with both arms up around the pillow. These sleepers make good friends because they are always ready to listen to others, and offer help when needed. They generally don't like to be the centre of attention.

Your sleeping habits
How many hours do you sleep every night?
Do you usually have a siesta?
Do you studying the night before an exam or do you get up early to study on the morning of an exam?
Do you go to sleep with the television/radio/MP3 on?


Take that power nap - you could end up smarterIt may not make you popular with your boss but a snooze in the middle of the day dramatically boosts your brain power. Medical researchers have shown that snoozing for just one hour during the day is enough to increase the brain's ability to learn new facts in the hours that follow.
Many sleep researchers argue that the British habit of trying to stay awake from morning until night is inherently unhealthy. They point to countries such as Spain where most people traditionally go for a post-lunch siesta.
Researchers split 39 healthy students into two groups and asked them to carry out a learning task - linking faces with names - intended to tax the region of the brain that helps store facts. At 2pm, half the group took a 90 minute siesta, while the rest stayed awake. At 6pm, the students were asked to carry out a new round of learning exercises.
Those who had a siesta performed much better than those who remained awake throughout the day. The researchers say sleep is needed to clear the brain's short term memory and make room for new information.
Using ECG tests of the brain's electrical activity the scientists found that this memory-refreshing process takes place in a period between deep sleep and the dreaming state known as REM, or rapid eye movement. The average person spends half their sleeping hours in this transitional sleep period, which is known as Stage 2 non-REM sleep. The same study also found that students who have all-night revision sessions in the run up to exams, reduce the brain's ability to cram in new facts by a staggering 40 per cent.

Question 1 Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text:
a) If you sleep for one hour at some point each day, you will be able to study better later.
b) In Britain, people do not normally sleep during the day.
c) The 39 people who took part in the study all had to learn the same things.
d) Students who study during the night before an exam will improve their marks by 40 per cent.

Question 2 Answer these questions in your own words:
a) What did the 2 groups have to do?
b) How does sleeping help us to remember things?

Question 3 Find a word or phrase in the text that means the same as:
a) improve par.1
b) series par. 3
c) amazing par. 5

Question 4 Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning
a) Researchers split 39 healthy students into two groups and asked them to carry out a learning task intended to tax the region of the brain that helps store facts.
39 healthy students ………………………………..……..intended to tax the region of the brain that helps store facts..
b) Those who had a siesta performed much better than those who remained awake throughout the day.
Students who remained awake throughout the day ……………………………………. .
c) Students who have all-night revision sessions in the run up to exams, reduce the brain's ability to cram in new facts by a staggering 40 per cent.
If students ………………………….. in the run up to exams, the brain’s ability to cram in new facts ………………………………………………………………. .

Question 5 Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
• Nowadays, many people say that we do not look after our bodies properly. Do you agree?

Take that power nap

KEY
Question 1
a) True. Medical researchers have shown that snoozing for just one hour during the day is enough to increase the brain's ability to learn new facts in the hours that follow.
b) True. .. the British habit of trying to stay awake from morning until night …
c) True. Researchers split 39 healthy students into two groups and asked them to carry out a learning task ….
d) False. .. students who have all-night revision sessions in the run up to exams, reduce the brain's ability to cram in new facts by a staggering 40 per cent.

Question 2
a) Both groups had to try and remember which names and faces went together. Then, later, after one of the groups had had a short sleep while the other group had not, they were asked to learn other things.
b) Scientists believe that when we sleep, our brain is able to empty the area of the brain used for short-term memory and that this then means that it is free to learn new information.

Question 3
a) boost
b) round
c) staggering

Question 4
a) 39 healthy students were split into two groups and were asked to carry out a learning task intended to tax the region of the brain that helps store facts..
b) People who remained awake throughout the day performed much worse than those who had a siesta.
c) If students have all night revision sessions in the run up to exams, the brain’s ability to cram in new facts is reduced by a staggering 40 percent.

Why playing a musical instrument 'can help children learn with language skills'

If you spent hours learning a musical instrument as a child only to lose interest when you reached your teens, it may not have been a complete waste of time after all, according to a leading expert.
Learning to play an instrument has major advantages for a growing brain and should be a key part of school education, says neuroscientist Professor Nina Kraus. She points out there is strong evidence to show that music lessons help children improve their language skills. The benefits could help normal children as well as those with developmental problems such as dyslexia and autism, she argues. Prof Kraus has led the first research to demonstrate that playing a musical instrument significantly enhances the brain's sensitivity to speech sounds. The 16 highly trained musicians tested were better than 15 non-musicians at picking out key elements of speech from background noise.
‘Playing an instrument may help youngsters process speech in noisy classrooms better and more accurately interpret the nuances of language that are conveyed by subtle changes in the human voice,' Prof Klaus told the American Association for the Advancement of Science in San Diego, California.
‘Playing music engages the ability to extract relevant patterns, such as the sound of one's own instrument, harmonies and rhythms, from the "soundscape",' said Prof Kraus. ‘Not surprisingly, musicians' nervous systems are more effective at utilising the patterns in music and speech alike.’
Other studies in children and adults over the years have found that merely listening to music doesn't have as much impact on the brain as making music, but there are still benefits. Several studies have shown that listening to music can help alleviate chronic pain and reduce the need for pain medication. Other research has documented that music can help lower blood pressure, heart rate and anxiety in heart-disease patients.

Question 1
Indicate whether the following sentences are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.
a) Kraus believes that music should play a major role in the school curriculum.
b) The results of this research were not clear.
c) Learning to play an instrument could benefit students with learning difficulties.
d) Professor Klaus is the Director of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Question 2
Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) What skills do musicians develop which appear to help them with learning languages?
b) How have other studies shown that listening to music can be beneficial for health?

Question 3
Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) important or successful (Paragraph 1)
b) proof (Paragraph 2)
c) transmit (Paragraph 3)

Question 4
Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a) Learning to play an instrument has major advantages for a growing brain and should be a key part of school education, says neuroscientist Professor Nina Kraus.
Professor Klaus claimed that learning …………………….…….. school education.
b) Playing an instrument may help youngsters process speech in noisy classrooms better and more accurately interpret the nuances of language that are conveyed by subtle changes in the human voice.
If youngsters play an instrument, this may help ………..
c) Other studies in children and adults have found that merely listening to music doesn't have as much impact on the brain as making music, but there are still benefits.
Although other studies …………………………………………..

Question 5
Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
How important do you think music is?

Why playing a musical instrument .......

KEY
Question 1
a) True. Learning to play an instrument has major advantages for a growing brain and should be a key part of school education.
b) False. .. there is strong evidence to show that music lessons help children improve their language skills. Prof Kraus has led the first research to demonstrate that playing a musical instrument significantly enhances the brain's sensitivity to speech sounds.
c) True. The benefits could help normal children as well as those with developmental problems such as dyslexia and autism
d) False. Prof Klaus told the American Association for the Advancement of Science in San Diego, California.
Question 2
a) It seems that when people learn to play a musical instrument, they develop abilities which permit them to distinguish between and understand different sounds, including aspects of spoken language such as patterns and sounds.
b) Other studies in the past have proved that listening to music can reduce the amount of pain people feel and therefore mean that they have to take fewer pain relief tablets. Scientists have also discovered that cardiology patients who listen to music experience lower blood pressure, heart beat and nervousness.
Question 3
a) leading
b) evidence
c) convey
Question 4
a) Professor Klaus claimed that learning to play an instrument had major advantages for a growing brain and should have been a key part of school education.
b) If youngsters play an instrument, this may help them (to) process speech in noisy classrooms better and also more accurately interpret the nuances of language that are conveyed by subtle changes in the human voice.
c) Although other studies in children and adults have found that merely listening to music doesn’t have as much impact on the brain as making music, there are still benefits.

Longest film ever to be screened

KEY

Question 1

1. False.” …..it will premiere in Avignon this month and will also be screened in Paris in January”
2. True. “Gerard Courant, who asked his artistic friends to spend three minutes and 25 seconds each in front of the camera doing as they please .”
3. False. “Marc Price's impressed critics at Cannes this year with his zombie flick “Colin”. He made the film while working full time as a courier.”
4. True. “Conceived by Canadian animator Richard Williams as a milestone in the art of animation...”

Question 2

1. The stars in the film are film maker Courant’s friends, who do whatever they want for about three and a half minutes.
2. All these films break records both of the length they have and the amount of money they cost to make.

Question 3

a) mere
b) features
c) estimated

Question 4

1. “Cinematon” is the longest film in the history of the cinema.
2. Gerard Courant has filmed “Cinematon”
3. People say that “At World’s End” is the most expensive film.

The longest film ever to be screened

If you thought Titanic was a long film, think again. That was a mere trailer in comparison to “Cinematon”, a French film lasting 150 hours that will be screened later this month. Lasting more than six days it will premiere in Avignon this month and will also be screened in Paris in January.
Cinematon has been filmed by Gerard Courant, who asked his artistic friends to spend three minutes and 25 seconds each in front of the camera doing as they please - the result is 150 hours of footage, and Courant hasn’t stopped filming yet. With this mammoth work of art Courant will certainly enter the record books, joining the following films…
Shortest filmThe 1 Second Film is a 70mm animated film made by Nirvan Mullick that's just one second long. The film features 12 giant paintings, each created by hundreds of people. Each painting is filmed twice to fill the 24 frames which make up the second of film
Cheapest filmBrit film maker Marc Price's impressed critics at Cannes this year with his zombie flick “Colin”. He made the film while working full time as a courier, and it cost him the only humble sum of £45
Most expensive film
The third Pirates of the Caribbean film “ At World's End” is said to be the most expensive film ever made with an estimated production budget of $300
Longest film in production”Thief and the Cobbler” began production in1964 and wasn’t completed until 1995, a total of 31 years. Conceived by Canadian animator Richard Williams as a milestone in the art of animation, he worked on the project for 26 years.

Question 1. Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.
a) People in Paris will be the first to watch “Cinematon”
b) The actors in “Cinematon “ have no script to follow.
c) Mark Price surely had plenty of time to make “Colin”.
d) Richard Williams wanted his film to be innovative.

Question 2. Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) Who are the stars in “Cinematon” and what do they do in the film?
b) What do all the films mentioned in the text have in common?

Question 3. Find a word or a phrase in the text that means the same as
a) simple (par.1) b) stars (par.3) c) calculated (par.5)

Question 4. Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning
a) No other film in the history of the cinema is as long as “Cinematon “.
Cinematon is ______________________________________
b) “Cinematon” has been filmed by Gerard Courant.
Gerard Courant ____________________________________
c) “At World´s End” is said to be the most expensive film.
People say _______________________________________

Question 5. Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
What kind of films do you like? Why?

Self-Access Group. CEP Santander

Computer Parts

Computerparts

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Sailing The Atlantic

Seb Clover

The Princess and the Dragon

Put the sentences in order to make the story

a. The next day a friendly dragon saw the princess in the tower.
b. Once upon a time there was a king and queen who lived in a golden castle with their beautiful daughter.
c. The ogre roared at the knights.
d. One night an ugly ogre locked the princess in his tower.
e. The dragon blew the ogre into the ocean.
f. The ogre was so scary they rode away as fast as they could.
g. “Help me, please help me !” she cried.
h. The king and queen gave the dragon a bag of gold and they all lived happily ever after.
i. All the knights in the land rode to the ogre’s tower.
j. Then the dragon took the princess back to the castle.

The Story of a Town

Brighton is the largest seaside resort in the south-east of England.
At first the town was a fishing village and did not become popular until about 1800. Rich people began to visit Brighton in large numbers and when King George IV decided to build a house there, it became very fashionable. The King continued to visit it until 1827, but Queen Victoria did not like the house.
It is open to the public every day and there is a special exhibition there in the summer.
Brighton offers all kinds of entertainment, from concerts and plays in the theatre to local attractions like the Aquarium.
The area of old houses known as The Lanes is a very attractive shopping centre, where visitors can buy souvenirs and antiques. The houses were once lived in by fishermen but have now been converted into shops. Not far from The Lanes is a modern shopping centre with licensed restaurants and tables outdoors where you can enjoy a drink in good weather.
Brighton is within easy reach of London and has been a popular day out for Londoners for many years.


Are these statements TRUE or FALSE?
1. Brighton began to be popular when King George IV arrived.
2. The town became popular because it was a fishing village.
3. You can visit King George’s house only in the summer
4. The fishermen’s cottages are shops now.

Choose the correct answer
1. What kind of buildings are in The Lanes?
a. New houses.
b. Old pubs.
c. Modern shops.
d. Converted houses.

2. What does the text say you can do near The Lanes in fine weather?
a. Buy antiques.
b. Buy souvenirs.
c. Go to concerts.
d. Sit outside for lunch.
3. How long do many people from London stay in Brighton?
a. A month.
b. A weekend.
c. One day.
d. A week.
4. Which of these is true?
a. Brighton is the same size as London.
b. No resort in south-east England is bigger than Brighton.
c. Brighton is the biggest town in south-east England.
d. Brighton is the biggest town on the coast of England.

Answer these questions
1. What things does the text say can you do in Brighton?
2. What did Queen Victoria think about the King's house?

The Mystery box

Click here for reading activity

Adjective or adverb

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Families and the Internet

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Food vocabulary

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Improve your writing

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Say, Speak, Talk or Tell

Choose the correct answer for each question.


1. Stop __________ and listen.
1. ? saying
2. ? talking
3. ? telling

2. Can you __________ me the time?
1. ? tell
2. ? say
3. ? talk

3. __________ louder; he's a little deaf.
1. ? Say
2. ? Tell
3. ? Speak

4.Shh! Don't __________ anything.
1. ? speak
2. ? tell
3. ? say

5. He never stops __________ .
1. ? talking
2. ? saying
3. ? telling

6. He __________ jokes well.
1. ? speaks
2. ? says
3. ? talks
4. ? tells

7. He wants to __________ at the meeting.
1. ? Tell
2. ? Say
3. ? Speak

8. __________ the truth.
1. ? Speak
2. ? Talk
3. ? Say
4. ? Tell

9. Can we __________ about this, please?
1. ? tell
2. ? say
3. ? talk

10. __________ me your name.
1. ? Talk
2. ? Say
3. ? Speak
4. ? Tell

11. I __________ 'Hello'.
1. ? talked
2. ? said
3. ? spoke
4. ? told

12. I need to __________ to you.
1. ? say
2. ? tell
3. ? talk


13. Don't __________ lies!
1. ? talk
2. ? tell
3. ? speak
4. ? say

14. __________ the boy a story.
1 ? Speak
2. ? Tell
3. ? Say

RU online? Time spent online

Key
Question 1
a) False: While one might expect students (39%) or the unemployed (32%) to spend above average time on the web, the group that spends the highest proportion of their leisure time on the internet is housewives.
b) True: internet users had 17 online friends although the Chinese, the biggest web users, were less likely to actually meet any of these friends in person.
c) True : a lot of activities which we traditionally did in our spare time are now being done online. Over three quarters of us (76%) have used the internet for banking in the past month
d) True: Three quarters of us have used one of the many news sites (75%) in the last month ... more pleasurable activities such as using a chatroom (13%) are far less popular.

Question 2
a) TNS questioned over 27,000 people who use the internet. The results were categorised according to age group and to occupation and included the reasons for using the internet.
b) The text talks about doing things like carrying out bank transactions, making payments, looking up news and weather forecasts. We can do all these things at the same time and therefore save time.

Question 3
a) finding(s) b) throw up c) turnaround
Question 4
a) TNS, which is a global market information group, surveyed more than 27,000 internet users from 16 countries who were aged between 18 and 55.
b) The younger the user the more time was spent online.
Older people spend less time online than younger people/users.
c) The survey showed that a lot of activities which people had traditionally done in their spare time were now being done online.

The Difference Between Barack Obama and Gordon Brown

Google tracks flu

Key

Question 1
a) True Americans falling ill searched for advice about flu online using its web facilities before they sought help from a doctor.
b) False. Traditional survey techniques employed by the CDC take about two weeks to precisely identify outbreaks
c) True A senior health expert from the United Nations told the BBC, Google Flu Trends would have to prove its reliability over time.
d) False nations where health authorities don't have a reliable database of infectious diseases.

Question 2
a) Google records instances of people typing in key words like ‘flu symptoms’ or ‘muscle aches’. It
highlights areas of the USA where there is a high number of these searches. This high number relates directly to the number of cases of flu in that area.

b) It says that you can go and have a flu injection to prevent catching flu.

Question 3
a) to come up with
b) to roll out
c) measures

Qestion 4
a) A new online tool has been launched to help track the spread of influenza.
b) Google said that they had found that there was a very close relationship between the frequency of search queries and the number of people who were experiencing flu symptoms each week.
c) When the web tool was tested, it showed (that) it can/could detect regional outbreaks up to ten days earlier.

The Gran Canyon walkway

Key

Question 1
a) TRUE “The walkway is said to be able to survive winds of more than 100mph”
FALSE “Mark Johnson, the architect, said the Skywalk could hold the weight of several hundred people.”
b) TRUE “the project has split the impoverished 2,200-strong Hualapai tribe”
c) TRUE “Havatone, 46, a tour guide and member of the tribe, said most of the Hualapai were opposed”

Question 2
a) The workers had nightmares because they were building the walkway in the land where her ancestors are buried and as a consequence they had been disturbed.
b) The walkway is a safe place because it has been built in such a way, with thick glass and shock absorbers, that it can resist severe weather conditions and even earthquakes.

Question 3
a) lure
b) split
c) claim

Question 4
a) The indian tribe is being given the walkway by David Jin.
b) They blend into the ground where our people died.
c) If it weren’t spiritual ground they wouldn’t be awakened.

E-mail and texts 'boost office romances'

Key
Question 1
a. True. “While 21 per cent said they had enjoyed only an emotional one”.
b. True. "Typing messages which appear on screen is easier than making a direct comment face to face,"
c. False. "But others in the study consider IT as a negative mode of communication and highlight the increased possibility of sexual harassment”.
d. True. "You have to think about what would happen if you broke up,"
Question 2
a. They see it as a way of keeping their relations in private so as they can avoid the difficulties of personal contacts.
b. She says that the more time we spend at work the easier it is to find partners among workmates.
Question 3
a. enabled
b. harassment
c. committing
Question 4
a. "Physical and emotional" intimacy had been experienced by 31 per cent.
b. If we didn’t work long hours we wouldn’t be tied to the office.
c. She claimed that that meant that may of them ended up finding their partners at work.

Cashback

Key
1
a) False. Supermarkets in the UK now sell much more than food.
b) True. You can…pay bills….
c) False. ..the supermarket giant Tesco
d) True. ..the phrase ‘cashback’ has also been observed as an exclamation of joy or satisfaction

2 a) When people pay for the things they have bought using a debit card, they pay more and receive the difference between the cost of the things and the amount in money.
b) The shop has less money in the tills and has to take less money to the bank, which means that the bank charges them less.

3 a) chores
b) a discount
c) to cut out

4 a) Customers are given points and discounts when they use ‘ cashback ‘.
b) Tesco said that the system eased busy shoppers’ lives because they had to visit the bank less frequently.
c) If you own a loyalty card, you are given points and discounts.

The whale in the Amazon

Key

Question 1
a) True.” Local people had been splashing water on the whale's back and fin while it was exposed to the hot Amazon sun”
b) False.” While it is not unprecedented, it is unusual for whales to venture so far into fresh water.”
c) True. “The caiman … was taken to a local zoo for treatment for a broken leg.”
d) True. “The caiman, or yellow stomach alligator… This endangered species…”

Question 2
a) Experts think that the whale was originally part of a group but lost contact with the other whales and swam up the river as far as Santarem, on the Tapajos river, which runs into the Amazon.
b) The authorities had been looking for the alligator for a while and had closed Barra beach , although some people ignored the warning and still went into the water to swim.

Question 3
a) Shortly
b) upstream
c) to turn up/turned up

Question 4
a) The animal was thought to have become separated from its group and (have) swum upstream.
b) The fire service in Rio said, “It is the first time we have rescued one from the sea.”
c) Although they had closed Barra Beach, some swimmers insisted on entering the water.

Man trapped in toilet

Key
Question 1
a) False. A retired teacher survived on tap water after getting trapped in a freezing bowling club toilet with no food or mobile phone for four days. / Mr Leggat, who recently retired from Kemnay Academy,
b) True. Mr Leggat's ordeal began last Monday afternoon when he entered the bathroom and the inside handle to the door jammed
c) False. The bowler said he quickly realised he was in for a long wait as the club is rarely used in winter.
d) True. But he managed to walk up the road to his house.

Question 2
a) As he had done a survival course he used the hot water to keep himself warm
b) When he heard the cleaner he cried for help and she called the secretary who opened the door with the help of a screwdriver.

Question 3
a) Gents
b) Freed /to free
c) Ordeal

Question 4
a) Mr Leggat said that he had been lucky to get three hours’ sleep a night.
b) A screwdriver was used to open the door.
c) If David had been married his wife might have wondered where he was.

Agatha Christie

Key

Question 1
a) False “..., critics such as the crime writer P D James pan her writing style and “cardboard cut-out” characters.”
b) True “she used a very limited vocabulary. “It means that readers aren’t distracted and so they concentrate more on the clues and the plots,”
c) True “Despite the grisly theme of her novels, researchers say that much of her vocabulary is pleasing and gentle.”
d) False “However, Mathew Prichard, Christie’s grandson, was sceptical of the research.”

Question 2
a) Researchers came to the conclusion that Agatha Christie used a certain number of words and phrases in all of her novels and that she didn’t use a great variety of vocabulary.
b) The constant repetition of words make us be hooked up to her novels since it stimulates our brain activity.

Question 3
a) leading
b) trigger
c) plot

Question 4
a) Three leading universities may have solved the The mystery of her enduring popularity.
b) Although the theme of her novels is grisly, researchers say that much of her vocabulary is pleasing and gentle.
c) Dr. Danielson said that it meant that readers weren’t distracted and so they concentrated more on the clues and the plots.

Winston Churchill didn't really exist, say teens

Key
Question 1
a) True. The canvass of 3,000 under-twenties
b) True. Despite his celebrated military reputation, 47 per cent of respondents dismissed the 12th-century crusading English king Richard the Lionheart as fictional
c) False . Holmes, the detective, was so convincingly brought to life in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novels, their film versions and television series, that 58 per cent of respondents believe that the sleuth really lived at 221B Baker Street.
d) False. More than three-quarters of those polled (77 per cent) admitted they did not read history books, and 61 per cent said that they changed channels rather than watch historical programmes on television

Question 2
a) The survey was ordered by UKTV Gold, and the results show that British teenagers do not have an accurate knowledge of history as they mix up which characters are real or fictional.
b) Films can be so convincing that they make people believe that what they see really happened

Question 3
a) canvass
b) featured/ feature
c) marked

Question 4
a) Although King Arthur was a mythical figure, almost two thirds of teens believed King Arthur.
b) Eleanor Rigby was believed to be /to have been a real person
c) He said that stories of Robin Hood were so inspiring that it was not surprising people believed those characters had truly existed.

Ryanair may charge for lavatory use

Key


Question 1 (2 points)
Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.
a) False. In an interview on BBC television this morning, Mr O’Leary said that the low-cost airline was looking at the possibility of installing a coin slot on the lavatory door.
b) True. “I don’t think there’s anybody in history gone on board a Ryanair flight with less than a pound.”
c) ) True. Passengers using train and bus stations are already accustomed to paying to use the toilet
d) False. A spokesman for rival low-fare carrier easyJet said: "We have no plans to charge passengers £1 to use our toilets.

Question 2 (2 points)
Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) What predictions did Telegraph readers make in the survey?
Readers predicted that passengers on low-cost planes would have to start paying for going to the toilet, putting the back of their seat down and for being sick into a bag on the plane.
b) What extra charges do you have to pay if you travel with Ryanair?
You have to pay Ryanair for taking your suitcase, music or sports gear, for travelling with bags heavier than the limit, as well as for using a credit card to pay, or taking a different plane or transferring your ticket to another person.

Question 3 (1.5 points)
Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) light-hearted
b) affordable
c) highlight

Question 4 (1.5 points)
Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a) Readers were asked to say what services they might be charged for in the future.
b) If Ryanair didn’t charge for extras, fares wouldn’t be low.
c) An Easy Jet spokesman said that inflation appeared to have gone crazy, if it then cost £1 to spend a penny.

Dia del libro

Hoy es el dia del libro

Board Games

KEY

Question 1.

a. True.”...NPD, a market research firm that tracks toy and game sales. Its records go back just 15 years.”
b.True. “..this is the first time Scrabble has been in the number one spot since at least the mid 1980s, when Trivial Pursuit came to prominence.”
c.False. “ ....the online and computer versions of the game, with Scrabulous, a web version of the game that members of Facebook could play.... The game was shut down by Hasbro.”
d.True. “ We sell over 200 board games but people pick things they remember from their childhood.”

Question 2.

a.One of the reasons why Scrabble has become so popular is that the public tend to play more and more word puzzle games and another reason is the grat amount of people that played the game when it was online.

b.The economic crisis will have a positive effect on the sales of board games especially of those well known by the people.

Question 3.

a. rows b. to reckon c. slowdown

Question 4.
a. If brain games were not so popular, Scrabble would not be number one.
b.The online version of the game has also helped its success.
c.S. Grant said that when money was tight, people turned to brands they knew and trusted

Finger replaced with USB drive

Key
Question 1.
a. True. .... has built the special prosthetic finger to use as computer storage. Jerry can peel it back from the 'nail' and plug it into the USB slot on his computer using it as an additional hard drive.
b. False. When Jerry told doctors what he did for a living they joked he should have a USB 'finger drive' (but that was good enough for him, and he set about making one.)
c. False. Using a traditional prosthetic finger Jerry has been able to embed a 'USB key' -
d. True. he is already thinking about upgrading his faux finger to include more storage and wireless technology. "I'm planning to use another prosthetic as a shell for the next version, which will have removable fingertip and an RFID tag,"

Question 2.
a. He had half of his own finger cut off because doctors could not fix it.
b. It is like a normal finger in appearance. The pendrive is not always joined to his finger. When he needs to use it, he uncovers it and puts it into the USB drive on his computer.

Question 3
a rushed/(to) rush
b embed
c faux

Question 4
a. They rushed him to Helsinki Hospital where a hand surgeon examined him.
b. Jerry has been able to embed a USB key because he is using a prosthetic finger.
If he were not using a prosthetic finger, he would not have been able to embed a USB drive.
c. Jerry said that when he was using the USB, he just left his finger inside the slot and picked it up after he was ready.

Eating chocolate is good for Maths

Key
Question 1.
a. False. the findings, presented at the British Psychological Society annual conference in Brighton
b. True. The flavanols, part of a group of chemicals called polyphenols, work by increasing the flow of blood into the brain.
c. False. The researchers gave the volunteers a total of 500mg of flavanol. Although the amount was too great to be found naturally in the diet,
d. True. Dark chocolate contains higher quantities of the chemical than plain or milk chocolate.

Question 2.
a. Counting backwards in multiples of 7 is a more mentally demanding task and would appear to involve a different part of the brain than counting in multiples of 3.
b. Professor Kennedy mentions chocolate, fruit and vegetables as being important to include in our daily diet. They can help us to do mental activities better, concentrate for longer periods and protect our brain.

Question 3
a binge on
b over and over
c are/be high in

Question 4
a. The brain’s ability to do maths could be improved by eating chocolate.
b. If students eat a large amount of chocolate when revising for exams, they may gain a real benefit from doing so.
c. Professor Kennedy said that the amount that they were giving was more than in the diet but that there was quite a lot of evidence that general amounts were protective.

Buy Nothing Day

Question 1

a) TRUE “... and to remind them that they shouldn’t be slaves to material possessions.”
b) FALSE “On Buy Nothing Day, activists organise various free and creative forms of entertainment to prove to people that it is possible to have fun without spending money.”
c) TRUE “Activists also pass out colourful booklets and stick up posters to encourage people to think twice about the dangers of consumerism. “
d) FALSE “... , and they want people to fight materialism with imagination and creativity all year round.”

Question 2

a) Buy Nothing Day was created because people felt the need to express their rejection of materialism and consumerism and wanted to encourage others to spend less money and enjoy having fun more.

b) On Buy Nothing Day, activists prepare interesting things for people to do or watch free of charge, to make them realise that having fun does not always have to cost money. They also distribute advertising literature to make people aware of the problems of consumerism and some even destroy their credit cards as a protest against over-spending.


Question 3

a) say no
b) pass out
c) exempt

Question 4

a) We had our products advertised on TV.
b) A special TV commercial has also been produced by Buy Nothing Day campaigners in the United States.
c) They told people not to buy anything unless they really needed it.

Google street view

Key
1
a) FALSE Google’s quest to map and photograph the entire world
b) FALSE. “is taking Google to court”
“Switzerland’s privacy watchdog is preparing to battle the internet giant over its Street View service”
c) TRUE “Google had failed to comply with his request”
d) TRUE “...new software which can obscure details such as car plates would deal with Mr Thuer's concerns”

2 a) The commissioner has several demands. First, he wants Google to faint all faces and car plates. He also wants pictures of private areas to be taken away. Finally, he has requested Google to saly in advance which cities they are going to photograph. He wants all this to protect people-s privacy.
b) Google has reacted by saying the system is widely accepted and that the use of a very simple software would be enough to answer the commissioner-s requests.

3 a) ensure
b) unwittingly
c) comply with

4 a) A spokesman for Google said that they believed that Google Street View was absolutely legal, also in Switzerland.”
b) If the service hadn’t allowed individuals to be identified, it wouldn’t-t have proved controversial.
c) Google is being taken to court by Switzerland's federal data protection and information commission

The environment

Key
Question 1
a) False. The Loughborough University study asked 500 people whether they would be willing not to fly in the next 12 months
b) False. Just 26 per cent of people were willing to forego air travel. In comparison 88 per cent of people were willing to cut the amount of energy they use in the home.
c) True. Obviously households are on a tight budget at the moment because of the recession
d True. The Government's adviser on climate change has warned that if growth in flights was left unchecked emissions from global aviation could account for 15 to 20 per cent of all CO2 produced in 2050.
Question 2 (2 points)
a) People are turning off lights and putting on sweaters. They do not turn on the central heating.
b) Passengers in economy class will have to pay £30 more in tax when they fly from the UK to Australia.
Question 3 (1.5 points)
a) forego
b) household
c) unchecked
Question 4 (1.5 points)
a) Dr Ryley said that obviously households were on a tight budget at the moment because of the recession but that they would not give up air travel easily.
b) The research claims that if the government wants to persuade people to fly less, fares will have to go up by £50 or more.
c) .The rise in tax on short distance flights will we lower than the increase in tax on long-haul trips.

Is Wi-Fi bad for you?

Key

Question 1
a) FALSE “The rapid spread of the networks has been accompanied by negligible research into the potential risks.”
b) TRUE “and recommended that schools stop installing them until research declares them safe”
c) FALSE “Sir William Stewart's report in 2000 concluded there was no firm evidence to show mobile phone radiation was a health risk”
d) TRUE “There are reasons to believe Wi-Fi networks are safer than mobile phones. Because they only have to transmit a few tens of metres,”

Question 2
a) Children shouldn’t be exposed to radio waves as their brains have not completely developed yet. What’s more, it has been observed that children tend to misbehave in class.
b) The PTA has asked for a study to see what the dangers of radiation are. They also advise school not to set up wireless networks until they are proved to be safe.

Question 3
a) concern
b) firm
c) exposure
Question 4
a) Negligible research into the potential risks has accompanied the rapid spread of the networks.
b) Although there was no firm evidence to show mobile phone radiation was a health risk, the report recommended children use them sparingly.
c) Graham Philips stated that they were seeing levels of behavioural problems increase in the classroom.

Eat up or you'll be fined

Key

Question 1


a) False. A number of restaurants in the Chinese city alert customers that they will charge them between HK$5 and HK$20 if they leave any food on their plates, the South China Morning Post reported.
It said a handful of restaurants serving do-it-yourself hotpots, sushi and buffets had set up the system.
b) True. A restaurant industry group said the move was merely put in place to warn customers and that few eateries, if any, had actually fined anyone.
c) False. The penalties listed on the menus are just for warning
d) False. The government is reportedly looking into a scheme that will reprocess into compost some of the 700 tons of food thrown out each day by the city's huge hospitality industry.

Question 2
a) Restaurant owners are afraid that with the new law fewer customers will come to their places.
b) As the population of Hong Kong is generating too much rubbish, there is not enough space where to get rid of it.
Question 3
a) leftovers
b) handful
c) landfill
Question 4
a) A handful of restaurants serving do-it-yourself hotpots, sushi and buffets are said to have set up the system.
b) A landfill crisis is being faced by Hong Kong.
c) Despite setting / having set up the system, very few customers have actually been fined.

Trashy fashion

KEY

Question 1
a) True. She has already made three items from Obama’s campaign: A sun dress stitched from plastic signs; a suit from strips of posters; and the man's coat, made from door hangers.
b) False. The outfits have their limitations. You can't sit down in any of them," says Ms. Judd.
c) False. Two years ago, Ms. Judd decided to try to turn her hobby into a full-time job.
d) True. The all-organic, $500-a-ticket event

Question 2
a) She shows her clothes in exhibitions and when she speaks to groups. By doing this, she hopes to make people realize that rubbish can still be useful.
b) Ms Mack hopes that by seeing a dress like this, people will realize that a bottle could still be of use and not put it in the bin.

Question 3
a) strips
b) raise
c) draw
Question 4

a) Ms Judd spent 200 hours making the man’s coat.
b) Interest was shown in the idea and an exhibition was organized by Pittsburgh International Airport.
c) Ms Judd said she had wondered whether she could spark interest in recycling and had tried to make garbage glamorous.

Spain to open Gastronomic University

Key

Question 1 (2 points)
a) False. The university will ... offer a four-year undergraduate degree course .............. and one year masters degrees as well as shorter courses
b) False. The town is home to nine restaurants who together boast a total of 16 Michelin stars.
c) False. Despite hostility from Spain’s more traditional chefs, his restaurant has been voted the best in the world for the fourth consecutive year.
d) True. Spain’s minister of Science and Innovation said the time had come for gastronomy to be treated with the same seriousness as other academic subjects and given its own university degree.

Question 2 (2 points)
a) It will look like several plates, one on top of the other.
b) Chefs who work in restaurants in San Sebastian will teach on the courses and other chefs, like Ferran Adria, will teach occasionally.

Question 3 (1.5 points)
a) intake
b pledge
c) droves

Question 4 (1.5 points)
Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a) If San Sebastian didn’t already have a reputation for the best gastronomy in Spain, the private university wouldn’t be located there.
b) Although local chefs will make attractive teachers, it is Ferran Adria who will be a star guest lecturer.
c) Adria’s restaurant has been voted the best in the world for the fourth consecutive year.
Judges have voted Adria’s restaurant the best in the world for the fourth consecutive year.

World tallest building opens in Dubai (Carnival)

KEY

Question 1

a. False. “The height of the 828-metre Burj Khalifa was kept a secret until the opening ceremony.”
b. False. “Dubai’s ruler announced it would now be called Burj Khalifa after the ruler of Abu Dhabi, Dubai’s neighbour.”
c. True. “The chairman of the company that built the Burj, Mohamed Alabbar, said the building gives "hope and optimism".
d. False. “……there seems to be little appetite for ambitious construction projects from property developers.”

Question 2


a. The building has got the name of Burj Khalifa. This man is the president of Abu Dhabi, next to Dubai and this country helped Dubai when they were going through very serious financial problems.
b. Inside the building there will be elegant apartments, a hotel, offices, a swimming pool and a mosque.

Question 3

a. collapse b. gradual c. appetite


Question 4

a. People had always called the building Burj Dubai.
b. Mohamed Alabbar said that the world had gone through difficult times. That was the beginning of a gradual move forward.
c. Although there is no appetite for construction projects, the Burj´s owners are confident the building will be a success.

Google street views to cover every UK road

KEY

Question 1
a) True. The company has been working on surveying the rest of the country using specially designed cars fitted with cameras. Hard to access areas have been captured using tricycles.

b) False. Spain, France, Italy and the USA are already covered.

c) True. Paul McCartney has asked for his house to be taken off the site

d) False. Sandie Dawe, the chief executive of the official website to promote UK tourism, VisitBritain.com, said that Streetview was one of the “first places people turn to when planning a visit to one of Britain's many world-class attractions.”

Question 2
a) Google ensures that people’s faces and vehicle number plates cannot be identified because they are covered and deletes houses from the site if owners ask them to do so.
b) 60% of users visit the site to check the appearance of a location, 30% check foreign places and 21 people out of a hundred look for houses with it.

Question 3
a) feature
b) fitted
c) find out
Question 4

a) If you do not want your house to be on Streetview, you can request that your property be removed from the service.
b) The number of people using the website’s technology has increased by 30 per cent.
c) Streetview had been consulted by six out of ten users to find out what a place they were going looked like.

Abbey Road Studios become listed buildings

Key

Question 1
a) TRUE “a public outcry over plans to sell the world's most famous recording venue.”
b) FALSE “The Government fast-tracked the application”
c) FALSE “plans to open a museum there would be considered.”
d) TRUE “EMI backed away from the sell-off plans”

Question 2
a) It had been reported that EMI had financial problems and wanted to sell the building to pay their debt, so the Government listed the building to make sure that it was kept as a music setting.
b) Although the building can be altered in the interior, any changes must take into consideration its character and interest and it cannot be rebuilt as a residential place.


Question 3
a) venue
b) stirs up / to stir up
c) potential

Question 4
If the building hadn’t been recommended for listed status in 2003, they wouldn’t have welcomed the announcement.
Abbey Road Studios, which have produced some of the very best music in the world, is a testament to both the importance of music in people's lives)
The Gramophone Company had purchased the villa and they turned it into studios.

Londoners lose 10,000 mobile phones a month in taxis

KEY

Question 1
1. TRUE ………… as passengers rush onto their next destination with their hands full.
2. FALSE……… and it’s always about an hour later we get a panicked call on their mobile phones asking for them to be returned."
3. FALSE ….."We carry out our taxi survey regularly
4. TRUE…."It used to be small items like brollies and briefcases stuffed full of boring office papers.
Question 2
1. More people travel into London to buy their Christmas presents during this period who are not regular cab users, passengers rush onto their next destination with their hands full.
Over the Christmas period, people who do not usually travel by taxi come into London to do their Christmas shopping and then continue their trip with lots of bags.
2. These objects fall onto the floor or remain on the car seat when their owners leave the taxi..
Question 3
a) rush
b) hop
c) stuffed
Question 4
1. People leave other portable technologies like laptops or iPods in black cabs each month.
2. Steve McMenara said that it was a known fact that that was the worst time of year for forgetting 'property' in the back of cabs.
3. If London visitors used cabs regularly they wouldn’t forget their gadgets.

Texting is closer to speech than written word

Key

Question 1
a) FALSE “people text in the same way as if they were talking, using unnecessary words such as 'oh', 'erm'”
b) TRUE “the ability to abbreviate and change the way words were written shows a deep understanding of the fundamentals of speech, spelling and grammar”
c) FALSE “abbreviations were much less common than popularly thought”
d) FALSE “texts are much more about maintaining and building relationships rather than passing on facts”
OR
“They tend to include a lot of information which is irrelevant but entertaining”

Question 2
a) She examined the way people texted with regards to grammar, spelling and abbreviations in messages sent by 235 people between 18 and 65. She studied about 11,000 messages, which had 190,000 words all together with an average of 17.5 words each.
b) She thinks texting is just a new way of communication in which people are able to manipulate the language. What’s more, people are both creative and expressive when texting.

Question 3
a) gain
b) enhancing
c) deep

Question 4
a) She said that there was a panic about the effect of text messaging and people were genuinely worried about it but she didn't think they should be
b) Text messaging is believed to be destroying the art of communication
c) She said “The way people write words shows a deep understanding of the fundamentals of speech, spelling and grammar.

Mobile Phones could dial a perfect match

KEY

QUESTION 1

a) FALSE “The system, called Serendipity, is being developed by American researchers
b) FALSE “users would be able to control the type of people who receive their information.”
c) TRUE “The system "sniffs out" other Bluetooth phones every 30 seconds”
d) TRUE “the system could become a victim of its own success. If users are bombarded with calls, it would soon become unworkable.”

QUESTION 2

a) After users subscribe to the service, when two of them get close, it activates and looks for matches between them; if they are alike, mobiles exchange their details.
b) The system is likely to fail because if it spreads widely and people get too many requests, they will stop paying attention to them.

QUESTION 3

a) queue
b) swap
c) gadgets

QUESTION 4

a) American researchers are developing the system called Serendipity.
b) He said that some worried that as those technologies became more common, people would become overloaded with networking requests.
c) This service, which is designed to make computerised matchmaking, compares details and likes.

You are what you listen to

KEY

Question 1

a. False.” The study found that we make assumptions about someone’s personality, values, social class and ethnicity based on their musical preferences. “
b. True. “ Classical buffs are seen as ugly and boring …… Classical buffs are perceived as physically unattractive …”
c. False. “ …… the research at the university’s Department of Social and Developmental Psychology.”
d. False. “ Those with a preference for rock songs are deemed to be “natural rebels”, “

Question 2

a. The study suggests that when we learn about the kind of music people prefer, we get an idea of their social background, education and behaviour.
b. The fact that finding out what music a person likes makes us picture that person’s personality, social class and values may make prejudices become stronger.

Question 3

a) show off b) accurate c) elicited

Question 4

a. Dr. Jason said that the research suggested we got a strong impression about someone when we asked them what music they liked.
b. They asked subjects in the study to ponder six musical genres.
c. If he didn’t like rap, they wouldn’t consider him disorganised and hostile.

A Facial Expression Is Worth a Thousand Words

Key
1
a) True. We need to see the expression moving for at least 100 milliseconds.
b) True. The scientists showed participants pictures of humans with various different expressions. Among them were simple, emotional expressions, such as "happy" and "sad," but also more complex ones such as agreement, confusion, or surprise.
c) False. The frame used in the static conditions was the last frame of each dynamic sequence.
d) False. Comparisons of the performance in this scrambled condition to the original video sequence shows that the recognition rates were still higher in the original than in the scrambled version.
2
a) Emotions shown in the pictures and videos were both straightforward images of happy and sad people and also people expressing more complex emotions like showing they agree, are confused or surprised.
b) The computer animation industry aims to reproduce facial expressions as closely as possible to the way humans show and recognise emotions and the information gained from the research will help them to know how to do this.
3
a) signalize
b) degree
c) goal
4
a) If we only see a photograph, we are able to classify an expression much worse than when we see it move naturally.
b) Participants were shown pictures of humans with various different expressions by the scientists.
c) Dr Walraven stated that their results also had implications for the area of computer animation, since its goal was to create facial animations that were able to communicate realistically.

Misbehaving students punished with Mozart

Question 1

a. True. “He forces his students to listen to Mozart and other classical music. He also makes them copy his favourite poems.”
b. False. “… the students staying behind are “not the smokers, the truants or the people who are late…”
c. False. “It helps them see they are part of something bigger that will enhance their life chances. …” “Hopefully, I open their ears to an experience they don´t normally have…”
d. True. “In 2004, it reduced crime on London’s subway by 25 per cent.”


Question 2

a. He wants his students to realize that education is essential for them and that it will give them more and better opportunities in life.
b. They are students who disturb the good ones by making noise, which makes the learning process slower.

Question 3

a. cut down on
b. spoiling
c. chances

Question 4

a. Classical music is used by a school in England to cut down on students´ bad behaviour.
b. He makes his students listen to Mozart.
c. B. Walker said that it helped them see they were part of something bigger that would enhance their life chances.

French and German strike

KEY

Question 1
a) False France’s SNCF railway company said less than half its staff were on strike yesterday, against more than 60% on Wednesday….
b) True French rail unions said that they had sent a letter to the government seeking a meeting today.
c) True……. the special pension regimes, which allow some state sector employees to retire after 37.5 years of work against 40 years for everyone else.
d) True …carmakers in particular were alarmed because supplies of parts were not getting through.
Question 2
a) They travelled by public transport train, (buses, and underground trains), taxis as well as private cars.
b) At the beginning of October, half of the population included in the survey supported the strike but this dropped by 10% in the second survey. All the surveys carried out showed the German people to be in support of the strike
Question 3

a) Clog/ clogged
b) Pledge
c) Raise/ raised

Question 4

a) One Parisian commuter complained that he had lost one day’s work the first day and that today he was coming into work but he was really tired.
b) The French Minister said “If the stoppages continue, it won’t be possible to hold talks with unions.”
c) The strike was supported by just over 40% of the German population.

Internet Access

Question 1
1. True. “Finland and Estonia have laws saying access is a human right.”
2. True. “Over 75 per cent of Japanese, Mexican and Russian people said they could not live without it.”
3. False. “Other people were worried about the dangers of using the Internet.”
4. True.”….the majority of Germans felt it was not safe for them to express their opinions online.”

Question 2
1. According to the text, nowadays the Internet is essential for communication, learning, entertainment, studying, and working. It also gives people a feeling of freedom that they wouldn’t have without it.
2. Without Internet access people would feel weaker and unable to manage independently.

Question 3
a) chief b) powerless c) to express

Question 4
1. Dr. Toure said that the right to communicate couldn’t be ignored. The Internet was the most powerful potential source of enlightenment ever created.
2. If they didn’t have Internet access, they couldn’t do so many things.
3. Internet access is believed to be a basic human right.

Computers

Caroline
Where would we be without computers? I’d be (1) __________ without mine. As I run a small business from home I’m always writing all sorts of (2) __________, and I can’t imagine doing them by hand or using a typewriter, but that’s what people had to do in the (3) __________, isn’t it? Then there are the business accounts, which I couldn’t keep track of without spreadsheets. As for email, there’s no way I could have built up my business without it, as it’s (4) __________ for me to be able to communicate quickly with my customers and suppliers.
It’s weird to think that until the early 1980s hardly anyone had a computer at home, as most computers were so big and expensive that they belonged to (5) __________ rather than individuals.
I’d say my computer is on for most of the time I’m in the house – if I’m not using it for work I’m probably surfing the internet, downloading music, or (6) __________ other stuff online.

Bob
Basically I’m a bit of a technophobe. There’s a lot of modern (7) __________ I don’t like using, and a lot I don’t really see the point of. I can’t believe how people think they have to get the latest (8) __________ gadgets, even though most of them are so obviously unnecessary.
As for computers, I use one at work, but that’s only because everyone in my
(9) __________ has to have one. I suppose computers help workplaces function more efficiently, but I don’t think they’re as (10) __________ as most people think they are. Email, for example, probably wastes as much time as it saves, as most of my colleagues seem to spend half the day (11) __________ to pointless messages. I also have a computer at home, but I haven’t used it for ages. I made an effort with it for a little while, but found it very frustrating – I got fed up with all those ‘error’ messages appearing on the (12) __________ whenever I tried to do something.


Fill the twelve gaps in the text with the correct words from the box below.
There are four words that you will not need to use.

organisations
price
past
office
electronic
documents
screen
replying
essential
technology
people
buying
top
happy
useful
lost


KEY

1. lost
2. documents
3. past
4. essential
5. organisations
6. buying
7. technology
8. electronic
9. office
10. useful
11. replying
12. screen

Internet Access is a Human Right

Most of the world’s Internet users believe Internet access is a basic human right. This is according to a new poll conducted for the BBC. A survey of more than 27,000 adults in 26 different countries found four out of five people believed access to the World Wide Web was a right everyone in the world needs and should have. The chief of the International Telecommunication Union, Dr. Hamadoun Toure, told the BBC World Service: "The right to communicate cannot be ignored. The Internet is the most powerful potential source of enlightenment ever created." Dr. Toure believes online access should be available everywhere, just like roads and water. In some countries, this has already happened. Finland and Estonia have laws saying access is a human right.

The survey also showed how the Internet is quickly becoming a vital part of our life, all across the world. Over 75 per cent of Japanese, Mexican and Russian people said they could not live without it. It is easy to see why. Almost everything we do in our life today, from communication, study, work and leisure needs the Internet. Without access to the Web, many people would feel helpless and powerless. Almost 80 per cent of those who took the survey believe the Web had a positive impact, with nearly four fifths saying they have greater freedom. Other people were worried about the dangers of using the Internet. One big surprise was that the majority of Germans felt it was not safe for them to express their opinions online.

Enlightenment: learning

Question 1. Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.
a) There are at least 2 countries with laws saying the Internet is a right.
b) Three-quarters of Mexicans cannot live without the Internet.
c) Nobody is concerned about the possible risks of the Internet
d) Most Germans surveyed were worried about freedom of expression..

Question 2. Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) Why is the Internet so necessary according to the text?
b) How would many people feel if they didn’t have access to the Internet?

Question 3. Find a word or a phrase in the text that means the same as
a) head (par.1) b) weak (par.2) c) to talk about (par.2)

Question 4. Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning
a) "The right to communicate cannot be ignored. The Internet is the most powerful potential source of enlightenment ever created." Dr. Toure said
Dr. Toure said that ________________________________
b) People who have Internet access can do a lot of things.
If they ___________________________________________
c) Most people believe Internet access is a basic human right.
Internet access is _________________________________

Question 5. Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
Advantages and disadvantages of the Internet

Self-Access Group CEP Santander