Why I no longer hold doors open for women

I am waiting in the playground for our daughter’s primary school class to be let out at the end of the school day. I can see the little kids all crushed together at the other side of the glass door, longing for the bell.

When it rings, the door flies open under the impetus of unshackled desperation and some boys and girls tumble out with thrashing knees and elbows. The class teacher then appears and orders the fleeing boys to get back inside. I can see her manhandling other boys and pushing them aside to let all the girls go first.

She always does this. I have many times heard her say “Ladies first” as she gets the boys to stand back.

When we go to see this teacher for the first parents' contact evening of the year, I am going to ask if she might reconsider this policy. I shall say that our daughter and her girl friends in the class are already vain and conceited and spoiled enough without having those narcissisms confirmed by some arbitrary rule that confirms they are naturally superior. Or weaker. Or more in need of special treatment. I want our daughters to be equal. That means boys must be equal, too. In everything. If it isn’t a two-way street, it’s not equality.

 I don't want our daughters supposing that they will always, without question, have first choice of the best seats on the bus or the train nor that anybody is going to get up to offer them their seat if all the others are full. I want them to be proud of their equality, not expecting deference.

It's decades since I stopped automatically standing back to let women go first – through a door, up the stairs or whatever. I haven’t held open a car door for a female under 70 or over seven since I read “Sexual Politics”

Somebody, of course, has got to go first through a door but why shouldn’t it be the person who gets there first? That one then holds the door open for the person who is next and even for the people who are coming the other way. Gender doesn’t come into it.

Question 1 (2 points) Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.

1. The teacher asks the boys to go back into school to let the girls come out first.
2. The writer has already had a meeting with the teacher.
3. The writer holds car doors open for women who are older than 70.
4. The writer thinks the person who gets to the door first shouldn’t hold it open.

Question 2 (2 points) Answer the following questions in your own words.

a. Why doesn’t the writer hold doors open for women?

b. What does the author think about his daughter and her class mates?

Question 3 (1.5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.

a.squeezed (par. 1)       b. to wish (par. 1)         c. set of rules (par.4 )

d. reciprocal (par. 4)     e. pick (par. 5)

Question 4 (1.5 points) Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

1. I can see the little kids all crushed together at the other side of the glass door

The little kids ……………………………………

2. It's decades since I stopped automatically standing back to let women go first.

I have ………………………

3. I asked her  if she might reconsider that policy

I asked her:”……………………………………………….”.

Question 5 (3 points) Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:

Do you think young people have good/bad manners? Give reasons

Sleep shortage increases susceptibility to catching a cold, study finds

According to a US study, people who get too little sleep are more likely to catch a cold; those who slept six hours a night or less were four times more likely to catch a cold when they were exposed to the virus than people who spent more than seven hours a night asleep. The findings, reported in the journal “Sleep”, build on previous studies that suggest that the sleep-deprived are more susceptible to infectious diseases and recover more slowly when they do fall ill.“It goes beyond feeling groggy or irritable,” said Aric Prather, a health psychologist at the University of California in San Francisco. “Not getting enough sleep affects your physical health.”

The scientists recruited 94 men and 70 women, with an average age of 30, for the study and subjected them to two months of health screening, interviews and questionnaires to establish their baseline stress levels, temperament and usage of alcohol and tobacco. The volunteers then spent a week wearing a wrist-mounted sleep sensor that tracked the duration and quality of their sleep each night.

To see how well they fought off infections, the participants were taken to a hotel and given nasal drops containing the cold virus. Doctors monitored them closely for a week after, collecting mucus samples to work out if and when the virus took hold.The researchers found that the less sleep people got, the more likely they were to develop a cold. Those who got less than six hours of sleep a night were 4.2 times more likely to fall victim to the bug than those who slept more than seven hours. Those who slept less than five hours had a 4.5 times greater risk.

Prather said that when it came to defending against the cold virus, sleep was more important than any other factor they looked at, such as people’s stress levels, age, education, income, or whether they smoked. “With all those things taken into account, statistically sleep still carried the day and was an overwhelmingly strong predictor for susceptibility to the cold virus.”

He added that more studies into sleep and health were needed to drive home the message that sleep is critical for wellbeing, especially in a culture where some people pride themselves in not having to sleep and working late into the night.

The latest study could not say categorically that a lack of sleep made people more susceptible to viruses. It could be that another condition that makes people more likely to catch colds also disrupts their sleep.

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. Those people who slept more than seven hours were four times more likely to catch a cold.

b. This is not the first time that scientists have seen that lack of sleep makes you more prone to infectious diseases.

c. The less you sleep the more unlikely for you to get the virus.

d. The most important factor for not getting the virus was not smoking.

Question 2 (2 points) Answer the following questions in your own words.

a. How did the scientists get information about the volunteers? What information did they get?

b. How did the scientists study the volunteers’ reaction to the virus?

Question 3 (1.5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.

a. sleepy (par.1)                                 b. wages (par. 4)                      c. tremendously (par. 4)

d. particularly (par. 5)                         e. prone (par. 6)

Question 4 (1.5 points) Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

     a.     Doctors monitored them closely for a week after.

They ............................................

b.  Not getting enough sleep affects your physical health.

          If ........................................., your physical health …….............

    c. He added that more studies into sleep and health were needed to drive home the           message that sleep is critical for wellbeing.

He said “ ..............”

Question 5 (3 points) Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:

What are the key factors for wellbeing?

Why I no longer hold doors open for women

KEY

Question 1

         a) True The class teacher then appears and orders the fleeing boys to get back inside. I can see her manhandling other boys and pushing them aside to let all the girls go first.

            b) False. When we go to see this teacher for the first parents' contact evening of the year, I am going to ask if she might reconsider this policy

            c) True. I haven’t held open a car door for a female under 70 or over seven

            d) False. Somebody, of course, has got to go first through a door but why shouldn’t it be the person who gets there first? That one then holds the door open for the person who is next

Question 2

         a) He believes women are equal to men, so they shouldn’t be treated in a different way.

            b) He thinks they are vain, conceited and spoiled.

Question 3

a)     crushed

b)    to long

c)     policy

d)    two-way

e)    choice

Question 4

a)   The little kids can be seen all crushed together at the other side of the glass door.

b)   I  have not stood back to  let women go first for decades.

c)   I asked her:“ May you reconsider this policy?“

Passives. Rephrasing

Rewrite these sentences so their meaning doesn’t change, the beginning is given

1. A jeep picked up the soldiers from the base.

The soldiers… 

2. We ought to invite Susan to the party.

Susan…

3. The police took the angry youth away.

The angry…

4. Food is being eaten right now in this class.

They…

5. People think pollution is not a minor problem.

Pollution…

6. All the victims were being taken to hospital.

Ambulances…

7. The hairdresser was cutting Martha’s hair.

Martha…

8. Shoes have been made here for nearly 50 years.

They…

9. The teacher had completed our report cards.

We…

10. Mum didn’t cook dinner because she was very tired.

Dinner…

11. The crew will bury the sailors to sea.

The sailors…

12. Do they add sugar to fruit in order to make jam?

Is…

13. People think Paul stole the money from the bank.

It…

14. It has to be seen to be believed.

I…

15. Jacke’s wife washes his clothes every week.

Jacke…

16. Tom is believed to have copied in the exam.

The teacher…

17.Is Peter making lunch?

Is lunch…

18. The plumbler was fixing her sink.

She…

19. We must pay for the tickets before Thursday.

Tickets…

20. He read a very interesting novel.

A very …

21. No one has watered the garden yet.

The garden…

22. I was shown some fashion magazines.

Some fashion magazines…

23. It is said that John Lennon composed that song.

John Lenon…

24. Were all the cookies baked?

Did…

25 That man must have been sold the last newspaper.

The newspaper seller…

KEY

1. The soldiers were picked up from the base by a jeep.
2. Susan ought to be invited to the party.
3. The angry youth was taken away.
4. They are eating food in the class right now.
5. Pollution is thought not to be a minor problema.
6. Ambulances were taking all the victims to hospital.
7. Martha was having her hair cut.
8. They have made shoes for nearly 50 years.
9. We hads our report cards completed.
10. Dinner wasn’t cooked by mum because she was very tired.
11. The sailors will be vuried to sea.
12. Is sugar added to fruit in order to make jam?
13. It is thought Paul stole the money from the bank.
14. I have to see it to believe it.
15. Jacke has his clothes washed by his wife every day.
16. The teacher believes (that) has copied in the exam.
17. Is lunch being made by Peter?
18. She was having her sink fixed.
19. Tickets must be paid for before Thursday.
20. A very interesting novel was read.
21. The garden hasn’t been watered yet.
22. Some fashion magazines were shown to me.
23. John Lenon is said to have composed that song.
24. Did they bake all the cookies?
25. The newspapers seller must have sold the last newspaper to that man.

Relative clauses

Translate the following sentences into English

1. Ése es el perro que me mordió.
2. Se ha roto la mano izquierda, que es con la que escribe.
3. Eso no es lo que quiero.
4. No me digas lo que debo hacer.
5. Tengo algo que podría interesarte.
6. Hizo todo lo que se le pidió.
7. Me llamó mentiroso, lo cual me enfureció.
8. Lo que hago en mi tiempo libre no es de tu incumbencia.
9. Escribe poemas que no le interesan a nadie.
10. Conduce a 100 millas por hora, lo cual es peligroso.

KEY

1. That is the dog that/which bit me.
2. He has broken his left hand, which is the one he writes with.
3. This is not what I want.
4. Don’t tell me what to do.
5. I’ve got something that/which might interest you.
6. He made/did everything (that/which) he was asked to.
7. He called me liar, which made me furious.
8. What I do in my free time is none of your business.
9. He writes poems that/which nobody reads.
10. He drives at 100 mph, which is dangerous.

Sleep shortage increases susceptibility to catching a cold, study finds

KEY

Question 1

            a)  False. Those who slept six hours a night or less were four times more likely to catch a cold when they were exposed to the virus than people who spent more than seven hours a night asleep

               b) True. The findings, reported in the journal “Sleep”, build on previous studies

            c) False. Those who got less than six hours of sleep a night were 4.2 times more likely to fall victim to the bug than those who slept more than seven hours. Those who slept less than five hours had a 4.5 times greater risk.

The less sleep people got, the more likely they were to develop a cold.

            d) False. Prather said that when it came to defending against the cold virus, sleep was more important than any other factor they looked at, such as people’s stress levels, age, education, income, or whether they smoked.

Question 2

a)   For two months, health screening, interviews and questionnaires

Establish stress levels, temperament and usage of alcohol and tobacco

Volunteers spent a week wearing a sleep sensor that tracked their sleep every night.

b)   Taken to hotel – given nasal drops containing the virus.

Doctors monitor them, collect mucus and study it to know if and when virus takes hold.

Question 3

a)    groggy

b)    income

c)     overwhelmingly

d)    especially

e)    susceptible

Question 4

a)    They were monitored closely for a week after.

b)    If you do not get enough sleep, your physical health will be affected.

c)  He said “More studies into sleep and health are needed to drive home the message that sleep is critical for wellbeing”