Chinese millionaire street sweeper refuses to give up work

A Chinese millionaire has refused to give up her day job as a street sweeper for fear of losing her work ethic and worrying over her lazy children. After nearly four decades of hard labour as a farmer, cook, lorry driver and street sweeper, a sudden million pound windfall might tempt sweet thought of retirement. But 53-year-old Yu Youzhen has a rather more inflexible work ethic.

            Five years ago, her family land in Donghu village, near the city of Wuhan, was bought by the government for a property development that includes 17 apartments worth some 10 million yuan (£1 million). Nevertheless, six days a week Mrs. Yu dons an orange coat and goes to work as a street sweeper, earning a monthly wage of £142.

            "Work is not just about the salary, it makes one focused. Laziness gives rise to all sorts of bad habits," she said, to the Chinese newspaper.

            The head of her cleaning team noted that Mrs Yu had never been late for work and had only asked for three days off in the last 14 years in order to attend the funerals of her mother-in-law and father.

            Mrs. Yu's attachment to her orange jacket appears to stem partly from habit and partly from an annoying worry over her irresponsible children. Her 33-year-old son, Liang, has had an irregular career, selling lottery tickets for a while and spending long spells at home, lounging on the sofa. "I want to be a role model for my children," said Mrs. Yu. "I do not want to sit around idly and eat up my fortune. My son once stayed at home for two months, and I kept scolding him during that time. Now he is doing pretty well. He said to me later I was right. I was worried he would hang out with bad people and ruin our family."

            Her son is currently working as a driver in her home village for £120 a month while her daughter mans the kiosk at a cinema for £200 a month.

Question 1. Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.

a)     Yu Youzhen started working when she was a teenager.

b)     She keeps on working because she doesn’t want to lose her salary.

c)     She belongs to a group of cleaners.

d)     Mrs. Yu has succeeded in being a model for her children.                                                                        

Question 2. Answer the following questions in your own words.

a)     How has Mrs. Yu become a millionaire?

b)     Why is she still working as a street cleaner?

Question 3. Find a word or a phrase that means the same as:

a)     Unexpected good fortune (par.1)

b)     To lie (par.5)

c)     To be in charge (par.6)

Question 4. Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a)     She has refused to give up her job for fear of losing her work ethic.

She has refused to give up her job because ………………………………………….

b)     Her boss said Mrs. Yu had never been late for work and only asked for three days off in the last 14 years.

He said, “………………………………………………………………………………”

c)     Her children are very lazy so she hasn’t stopped working.

If her children …………………………………………………………………………………

Question 5. Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:

            “Work is not just about the salary.” What do you think?

Cochin

Watch the video and answer the questions.

1. What kind of atmosphere has Cochin got?
2. What tradition is Cochin famous for?
3. Which countries has Cochin been influenced by?
4. What can you feel when you walk along Cochin?
5. What can you do when you visit Cochin?
6. Are there any differences with the food from the north?

KEY

1. Vibrant
2. Trading
3. Portugal, Britain, China
4. You can feel you are a part of the daily life.
5. See elephants, go to the beaches. See the fishermen…
6. Yes, different ingredients, different fresh spices, wonderful seafood and vegetables.

Richard III: skeleton is the king

The body of Richard III, killed at the battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, has been found buried deep beneath a Leicester car park, scientists confirmed today.  Archaeologists said DNA testing proved "beyond reasonable doubt" that the skeleton was that of the Plantagenet king. The way scientists found the skeleton suggested the king had been tied when he was buried..

The skeleton was aged between late 20s and early 30s. Richard died aged 32.  The skeleton would have been 5’ 8” high, which was above average height for a medieval man, scientists say.

A total of 10 wounds have been discovered made to the skeleton, including eight on the skull. The injuries suggest the king may have lost his helmet during the battle which saw him deposed by Henry VII.

The skeleton was uncovered last autumn beneath a council car park which is overlooked by Leicester Cathedral.  They will be reinterred early next year at the cathedral, with a visitor centre to be created nearby, which will tell the king's story.

Teams of experts carried out radio carbon dating, DNA tests and CAT scans and compared notes with experts in weapons and trauma, lifestyle and diet before announcing their findings today.

Richard III, depicted by William Shakespeare as a tyrant who murdered two princes in the Tower of London, was killed at the Battle of Bosworth, bringing to an end the two-year dynastic struggle known as the War of the Roses and triggering the reign of the House of Tudor.

It has been claimed the discovery of Richard's body will lead to a re-examination of his reign and may go some way to rebalancing the largely negative portrayal offered by Shakespeare.

Question 1. Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.

a) People who found the body are completely sure it is Richard III

b) The body found is taller than people his age and time.

c) Only scientists took part in studying the skeleton

d) The King's behaviour was in fact probably not as bad as Shakespeare thought.

Question 2. Answer the following questions in your own words.

a) How is Richard III thought to have died?

b) How did the researchers come to the conclusion that the skeleton belongs to Richard III?

Question 3. Find a word or a phrase in the text that means the same as:

a)       logical, acceptable par 1

b)       injury par 3

c)       describe par 6

Question 4. Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a) Richard III was killed and the War of Roses was brought to an end.

                If Richard III hadn't...

b)  The king may have lost the helmet during the battle.

                The helmet...

c)  The discovery of Richard's body will lead to a re-examination of his reign.

                Because of the discovery of...  , his reign will  …

Question 5. Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:

Thanks to scientific discoveries, we are able to discover many things about the past.

Hundreds of couples leave 'love locks' across London ahead of Valentine's Day

Some people say it with chocolates, others say it with flowers but now a growing number of lovestruck couples are showing their affection with ‘love locks’.

            Two days before Valentine’s Day hundreds of padlocks bearing the names of lovers have appeared across bridges in London.

            In a custom that is thought to have originated in Hungary in the 1980s, couples leave the locks in a place that is important to them and then throw the key in the water as a symbol of their hearts locking together in eternal love. Occasionally, lovers leave the key in the lock until they can return to their cherished location.

            More than 100 have been secured to the grids on Tower Bridge while others have been left along the Embankment. Other locks have appeared in less romantic places, such as on a fence guarding a derelict piece of land near Shoreditch train station.

            The locks have appeared in countries and cities around the world from China to Paris. In Rome the number of locks left on the Ponte Milvio bridge on the river Tiber was so large last year that authorities stepped after claiming they were harming the structure.

            Officials in London said that in some cases they have removed the locks to stop the trend catching on.

Question 1. Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.

a) People are changing the way they express their love.

b) Lovers are waiting for February 14^th to hang their locks

c) The locks are only placed across bridges.

d) London authorities will take no action.

Question 2. Answer the following questions in your own words.

a) What do lovers do with the lock keys?

b) What is the problem with locks in Rome?

Question 3. Find a word or a phrase in the text that means the same as:

a)    Appreciate par 3

b)    Grating par 4

c)    Fashion par 6

Question 4. Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a) a growing number of lovestruck couples are showing their affection with ‘love locks’.

Affection……………………………………………………….

b)  It is thought that this custom was originated in Hungary in the 1980s.

This custom………………………………………………………………………………..

           

c) Officials in London said that in some cases they have removed the locks to stop the trend catching on.

“…………………………………………………………………………………..”,officials in London said.

Question 5. Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:

“Valentine’s Day tradition was created by the big department stores to make a profit”. Do you agree?

Key to success

Watch the video and answer the following questions:

1. When and where did this story start?

2. Who said “I always had self-doubts. I wasn’t good enough. I wasn’t smart enough. I didn’t think I’d make it”?

3. What did Frank Gehry say to him?

4. What are the big eight things that lead to success?

KEY

1. On a plane (on his way to TED) seven years ago
2. Goldie Hawn
3. “My mother pushed me”
4. 
   

Passion

Work

Good

Focus  

Push

Serve

Ideas

Persist

Chinese millionaire street sweeper refuses to give up work

KEY

Question 1

a.     True. “After nearly four decades of hard labour …. But 53-year-old Yu Youzhen “

b.     False. “A Chinese millionaire has refused to give up her day job as a street sweeper for fear of losing her work ethic and worrying over her lazy children…..”

c.     True. “The head of her cleaning team.”

d.     True. “Her son is currently working as a driver in her home village for £120 a month while her daughter mans the kiosk at a cinema for £200 a month.”

Question 2

a.     She has become a millionaire because the government paid her a big amount of money for a land that belonged to her family.

b.     She is still working because she wants to show her two children that being lazy and just spend your money can have bad consequences in your life.

Question 3

a.     windfall

b.     lounging /to lounge

c.     mans / to man

Question 4

a.     She has refused to give up her job because she’s afraid to lose her work ethic / she fears to lose her work ethic.

b.     He said, “Mrs. Yu has never been late for work and only asked for three days off in the last 14 years.”

c.     If her children hadn’t been so lazy, she would have stopped working.

Decluttering

Look at these four groups of words:

1 cluttered untidy dishevelled messy

2 keep hoard hang onto collect

3 dispose of get rid of throw away discard

4 tidy up declutter clean out

5 junk rubbish garbage trash

Which group contains four adjectives?

Which two groups have verbs with the opposite meaning?

Which group contains four nouns for stuff people throw away?

Which 2 verbs in group 3 are more formal?

Which two words in group 5 are used more in American English?

Which words are phrasal verbs?

Complete the sentences with words from 1-4:

They spent the day …………………. the garage. They …………………… old magazines, furniture and toys.

Key

Group 1 are all adjectives

Group 2 contains verbs meaning the opposite of the verbs in group 3.

Dispose of and discard are more formal.

Garbage and trash are used more in American English.

hang onto, throw away, tidy up and clean out are all phrasal verbs.

Which person are you?

1. Everything in my room is in the right place.
2. I notice immediately when my things are out of place.

3. There are lots of papers and clothes on top of the furniture in my room.

4. I find it difficult to find things in my room.
5. I find it difficult to throw things away.
6. I never keep things I don’t use.

Would you describe yourself as:

a tidy or untidy person?

organised or disorganised

Are you usually on time or late?

Do you think that tidiness can help people be successful in life?

Read on to find out!

De-clutter your desk if you want a successful career

      According to a leading expert, having a cluttered environment reflects a cluttered mind and tidying up can help you be more successful.

Jayne Morris, “life coach” for NHS Online, said: “Having an untidy desk covered in clutter could be stopping you achieving the business success you want."

     However, some of history's biggest achievers lived and worked in notoriously messy conditions. Churchill was considered untidy throughout his life, and the lab where Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin was famously dishevelled.

Briton has long been a nation of hoarders and a survey showed that more than a million are compulsive about keeping their stuff.

     Brains scans have also confirmed that victims of hoarding disorder have abnormal activity in regions of the brain involved in decision making – particularly in what to do with objects that belong to them.

      A US study by the Institute of Living, in Hartford, Connecticut, showed for the first time that a particular brain region becomes overactive when hoarders are asked to dispose of their own possessions. However, the same part of the brain is underactive when hoarders are asked what to do about items not belonging to them.

      Prof David Mataix-Cols, from the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, said ‘The difficulty to discard possessions, even those of little apparent value, is one of the landmark features of the newly proposed Hoarding Disorder (HD).

Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.

a) If your work or study area is not tidy, it could affect your success at work.

b) British people are good at getting rid of things they don’t use.

c) Scientists were able to detect hoarders’ reactions to throwing things away.

d) Not being able to throw away belongings is a key part of Hoarding Disorder.

Find words in the text to complete the columns

Noun Adjective Verb Prefix

clutter ……….……… …………………….. de

tidiness ……….……… …………………….. un

The prefix ‘de’ is used with words to form the opposite process.

‘Hydration’ is the process of adding liquid to something. If you exercise and don’t drink water, then your body can become ‘dehydrated’.

Click on this link to learn more words with the prefix ‘de’:

http://quizlet.com/7920185/prefix-de-vocabulary-words-flash-cards/

And what about a prefix rap?

Click here to listen:

http://www.flocabulary.com/prefixes/

Richard III: skeleton is the king

Key

Question 1

a) FALSE  “Archaeologists said DNA testing proved "beyond reasonable doubt" that the skeleton was that of the Plantagenet king”

b) TRUE “the skeleton would have been 5’ 8” high, which was above average height for a medieval man”

c) FALSE “Teams of experts carried out radio carbon dating, DNA tests and CAT scans and compared notes with experts in weapons and trauma, lifestyle and diet”

d) TRUE “It has been claimed the discovery of Richard's body will lead to a re-examination of his reign and may go some way to rebalancing the largely negative portrayal offered by Shakespeare”

Question 2

a) They think he died in battle after losing his helmet. They have found 10 injuries in his body, eight of them in his skull.

b) Not only have scientists studied the skeleton but also experts related to weapons and injuries. The way people lived and what they ate has also been taken into consideration.

Question 3

a)       reasonable

b)       wounds

c)       depict/depicted

Question 4

a) If Richard III hadn't been killed, the War of Roses wouldn't have been brought to an end.

b) The helmet may have been lost by the king during the battle.

c) Because of the discovery of Richard's body, his reign will be a re-examined.

Hundreds of couples leave 'love locks' across London ahead of Valentine's Day

Key

Question 1

a) TRUE a growing number of lovestruck couples are showing their affection with ‘love locks’.

b) FALSE Two days before Valentine’s Day hundreds of padlocks bearing the names of lovers have appeared across bridges in London.

c)  FALSE Couples leave the locks in a place that is important to them.

d) FALSE Officials in London said that in some cases they have removed the locks to stop the trend catching on.

Question 2

a) They can either throw the key into the water as a symbol of their eternal love or leave in the lock as they think that by doing so they may go back to a place that is meaningful to them.

b) Roman officials have warned that the numbers of lockers on Ponte Milvio Bridge can damage the structure which may be dangerous.

Question 3

a)       Cherish/cherised

b)       grid

c)       fashion

Question 4

a) affection is being shown with ‘love locks’ by a growing number of lovestruck couples.

b) This custom is thought to have been originated in Hungary in the 1980s.

c) “We have removed the locks to stop the trend catching on”, officials in London said.

Mystery of how owls spin their head is solved

Until now it's been a mystery... how do owls spin their heads right round without hurting themselves?

            The nocturnal birds, famous for their "twit-twoo!" sounds, can turn their heads almost full circle - a whopping 270 degrees. Scientists who were wondering how this was possible say they have now come up with an answer.

            Owls have special bones and arteries in their necks that won't twist or snap. Also their neck bones are more spaced out than ours, which helps them move them much further.

            It's a handy trick for them too, as an owls eyes are in a fixed position. This means they can only see in one direction unless they turn their heads.

            If a human was to try and do the same thing it would be really dangerous and they would pass out.

Match the words below to their definitions

arteries                / mystery / nocturnal / pass out / spaced /             wondering

               

something strange which is not understood

describes animals that are awake at night

wanting to know about something

thick tubes that carry blood from the heart to other parts of the body

arranged with distances between things

become unconscious for a short time

True or false?

1.  Owls’ necks are just like ours.

2.  Owls sleep during the day,

3.  Owls’ neck bones are further apart than ours.

4.  An owl’s eyes can only look in one direction.

5.  Humans can turn their heads further than owls can.

6.  Owls don’t make any sounds.

7.  The arteries in an owl’s neck are special.

8.  Scientists don’t know how owls can turn their heads.

Same or Different?

1. hurting

a) the same as twisting

b) the same as pulling

c) the same as injuring

2. whopping

a) the same as tiny

b) the same as huge

c) the same as whipping

3. handy

a) the same as useful

b) the same as feeling

c) the same as mobile

4. snap

a) the same as bend

b) the same as break

c) the same as bounce

KEY

mystery                  something strange which is not understood

nocturnal              describes animals that are awake at night

wondering            wanting to know about something

arteries                  thick tubes that carry blood from the heart to other parts of the body

spaced                  arranged with distances between things

pass out                become unconscious for a short time

True or false?

1. False

2. True

3. True

4. True

5. False

6. False

7. True

8. False

Same or Different?

1. injuring

2. huge

3. useful

4. break

Wanted: a royal washer-up for the Queen

The Queen is advertising for an employee who must be willing to travel for up to three months of the year around her palaces - including Balmoral - to do the dishes.

The successful applicant will be based at Buckingham Palace but must be prepared to travel to Windsor, Sandringham, Balmoral and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh when the household moves around. Travel to the various Royal residences has been made a "mandatory requirement" for the £14,200-a-year job.

The General Catering Assistant (Wash Up) - as it has been formally described - will mainly work in the staff restaurant of the Royal Household but also wash other Royal dishes too.

"You must be willing to work away from London for up to three months of the year," says the job advert on the Royal website, and added "You will join the team responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of the staff restaurant, wash-up areas and equipment in accordance with the Health and Hygiene Regulations to ensure the smooth operation of the staff restaurant."

The successful applicant must be "punctual, reliable, able to work well in a team and have a flexible and willing attitude."

Although based at Buckingham Palace, they must "be happy to travel and work at other Royal residences in the UK and at weekends."

The 40-hours-a-week job is an official position paid for from the Civil List. The job does offer accommodation and has a closing date of January 15. Experience of a similar job is "desirable."

Question 1. Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.

a)      The employee will have to follow specific cleaning procedures.

b)      The working hours for this job will vary.

c)      The wash up will be given somewhere to live.

d)      Applicants must have done this kind of work before.

Question 2. Answer the following questions in your own words.

a)      What duties is the General Catering Assistant going to have?

b)      What qualities should the General Catering Assistant have?

Question 3. Find a word or a phrase in the text that means the same as:

a)      Family unit par. 2

b)      For the most part par. 3

c)       Trustworthy par. 5

Question 4. Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a)       "You must be willing to work away from London for up to three months of the year," says the job advert.

The advert said that ……………………………………………………………………….

b)       The 40-hours-a-week job is an official position paid for from the Civil List. The job does offer accommodation.

The 40-hours-a-week job, ……………………………………………………………

c)       Although based at Buckingham Palace, they must be happy to travel and work at other.

 Residences

        Despite...

Question 5. Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:

Would you like to apply for this job? Why? Why not?


R U interested in the places where you might work if accepted for the job?
Here you have more info.

The Royal residences

Virtual tours Buckingham Palace

Facts about Buckingham Palace

The Queen´s Palaces