As fidget spinner craze sweeps globe, its inventor struggles to make ends meet

            Florida-based creator Catherine Hettinger couldn’t afford the patent on the ubiquitous playground toy but insists she’s ‘pleased’ about its sudden popularity. However, she should be enjoying the high life.

            But the Florida-based creator is not making a penny off her genius invention, even as global sales of the gadget she envisioned two decades ago as a way to entertain her seven-year-old daughter soar into the tens of millions and suppliers struggle to meet massive demand. Hettinger held the patent on finger spinners for eight years, but surrendered it in 2005 because she could not afford the $400 (£310) renewal fee.

            Now, while the manufacturers and retailers who are selling the modern-day versions of the toy rack up huge profits, Hettinger, 62, is moving from her tiny house to a cheaper condo, wondering whether to get her disconnected telephone line reinstated, and figuring out how to afford “a car that truly works”. “It’s challenging, being an inventor,” she told the Guardian.

            “Only about 3% of inventions make any money. I’ve watched other inventors mortgage their houses and lose a lot. You take roommates, you get help from friends and family. It is hard.” Hettinger accepts that had she been able to afford to keep the patent, she would now likely be sitting on a sizeable fortune. “I wouldn’t have any problem. That would have been good,” she said.

            The palm-sized spinners consist of a ball bearing which sits in a three-pronged plastic device which can then be flicked and spun round. Some schools in the UK and the US have banned the devices, but some teachers believe that they can help children concentrate – especially those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).

            “There’s just a lot of circumstances in modern life when you’re boxed in, and we need this kind of thing to de-stress. It’s also fun. That’s the thing about culture, once everybody starts doing it, it’s kind of OK.”

            Her views are not shared by increasing numbers of schools, who are banning children from bringing or using the spinners because they are seen as a distraction. But Hettinger said she was pleased that in other circumstances, schools were finding the devices helpful. “I know a special needs teacher who used it with autistic kids, and it really helped to calm them down,” she said.

Question 1: [2,5 POINTS] Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and                 write down which part of the text justifies your answer.

1. The fidget spinner has always been very popular.

2. The design of the spinner has changed over the time.

3. Catherine is having problems to pay for her house.

4. Being an inventor is profitable.

5. Not everybody sees the spinner as beneficial.

Question 2: [1,5 POINTS] Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words     and definitions given.

1. to rise (par.2)
2. seller (par.3)
3. considerable (par.4)
4. to make go round (par.5)
5. belief (par.7)

Question 3: [2 POINTS] Choose the most suitable answer (a, b or c) according to the text and write down the sentence

1. The fidget spinner...

a. was thought to be a money maker.

b. was meant to be an entertainer for kids.

c. was created for autistic children.

2. Catherine needs...

a. a bigger house.

b. a telephone.

c. a car.

3. When something becomes very popular...

a. it is widely accepted.

b. people get money out of it.

c. inventors pay a patent.

4. The fidget spinner....

a. is sometimes thought to help children relax.

b. is always considered distractive.

c.is said to cost a lot of money.

 Question 4: [4 POINTS] Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic:

“Influencers and Instagramers make people follow silly trends” Do you agree?

KEY

Question 1: [2,5 POINTS] Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and                 write down which part of the text justifies your answer.

      

       a) FALSE “its sudden popularity”

       b) TRUE “the modern-day versions of the toy”

       c) TRUE “Hettinger, 62, is moving from her tiny house to a cheaper condo”

       d) FALSE “Only about 3% of inventions make any money

       e)  TRUE “they are seen as a distraction”

      

Question 2: [1,5 POINTS] Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words     and definitions given.

      

a)     (to) soar

b)     retalier(s)

c)      seizeable

d)    (to) spin / spun (around)

e)     view(s)

Question 3: [2 POINTS] Choose the most suitable answer (a, b or c) according to the text.

1. b) was meant to be an entertainer for kids.
2. c) a car.
3. a) it is widely accepted.
4. a) is sometimes thought to help children relax.

           

Definitions 2

Match the words in bold with the definitions below

outstanding         blend         stimulate         lyrics                      improvisation

repetitive             derive         compose        recognition             charming

Principio del formulario

1. Arouse, Encourage

2. Happening again

3. Appreciation, Liking

4. Something done without any preparation

5. Better than the rest

6. Come from

7. The words of a song

8. Harmonious mixture

9. Write / create music

10. Attractive, Good looking

KEY

1. Stimulate
2.  Repetitive
3. Recognition
4. Improvisation
5. Outstanding
6. Derive
7.  Lyrics
8. Blend
9. Compose
10. charming

rephrasings 21

Rewrite the sentences. Do not change the original meaning of the sentences.

   

1. I’m sorry I never apologised to Sally.

         I wish ......................................................................................  .

      

2. I’ll call you when I get the results.

         As soon as ................................................................................  .

      

3. We will travel abroad if we save enough money.

         Unless .....................................................................................  .

      

4. I couldn’t call you because I didn’t have your number.

         If ...........................................................................................  .

     

5. It’s too bad you can’t join us.

         If only .....................................................................................  .

Key

1. I had apologised to Sally

2. I get the results, I’ll call you

3. we save enough money, we won’t travel abroad

4. I had had your number, I could / would have called you

5. you could join us

Anne Frank

Fill in the gaps with the most appropriate word

Anne Frank was a young Jewish German girl (1).................. gained international fame after her death following the publication of (2)................. diary. She wrote about her life, thoughts and experiences of hiding (3)................... the Nazis in World War II. Her account of her two years spent in an attic in Amsterdam became (4)................... international best seller. She died aged 15 in a German concentration camp.

Anne Frank was (5)........................in 1929 in Germany. Her father was a German officer from World War I. Anne was a very studious and diligent student who had a passion for books. She moved (6).............. Amsterdam with her family after Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933. She attended a Montessori school and was a very energetic and outgoing girl.

In June 1942, Anne received a notebook for her thirteenth birthday. She decided to use it (7).......... a diary and wrote about her dreams (8)............... become an actress. In July, she and her family (9)............. ordered to go to a work camp. Instead, they hid in the attic of her father’s workplace. They shared the small space with another family (10)..............two years.

In August 1944, German security police discovered the hideout and arrested its occupants. Anne was sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Anne died in March 1945 and was buried in a mass grave, the whereabouts of which (11)................ still unknown. Her diary was found and given to her father. It is one of the (12)............... widely read books in the world today.

KEY

1. who
2. her
3. from
4. an
5. born
6. to
7. as
8. to
9. were
10. for
11. is
12. most

Rephrasings 20

Rewrite the sentences with the time expressions in brackets. Use the Present

Perfect Simple, Present Perfect Continuous and Past Perfect Simple.

Do not change the original meaning of the sentences.

      

1. Your mother called a few minutes ago. (just)

         Your mother .............................................................................  .

      

2. The students finished solving the problem. Then the bell rang. (when)

         The students .............................................................................  .

     

3. The boys cleaned the garage. It took them two hours. (for)

         The boys ..................................................................................  .

      

4. The train left at two o’clock. We got to the station late. (after)

         We .........................................................................................  .

      

5. The champion began playing tennis when she was four years old. (since)

         The champion ...........................................................................  .

KEY

1. has just called

2. had finished solving the problem when the bell rang

3. had been cleaning the garage for two hours

4. got to the station after the train had left

5. has been playing tennis since she was four years old

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How getting more sleep could boost your salary

            Sleep has become a big deal in working life. Sleeping is no longer seen as a sign of weakness among competitive colleagues. Apple introduced a Night Shift feature on its devices earlier this year, as consumers recognised that stimuli such as your screen’s backlight can affect your sleep quality.

            Research shows that more sleep can lead to us earning more money. A US study has found that in areas where the sun sets earlier, people sleep for longer – and this translates into higher earnings. In the long term, just one extra hour of sleep a week increases wages by 4.9%. So if you live in an area that gets darker earlier, you should be richer. But don’t move house just yet – the higher wages correspond almost exactly with inflated house prices. As Jeffrey Shrader, one of the authors of the study, puts it: “If you want to sleep more, there are better ways to do it than moving house – just buy better curtains.”

            This goes against conventional economics. Each extra hour of sleep should be taken away from working time. So how can sleeping earn you money? The answer is productivity. “The biggest effects come through employees who work on commission,” says Shrader. “If you go to work well rested, you are livelier and happier, and can sell more to increase your earnings.”

            Even small amounts of sleep deprivation can have large effects. Another study found that sleeping six hours a night for two weeks produced the same results in cognitive tests as being totally sleep-deprived for up to two days straight. But a mid-afternoon nap can help. “Naps are great,” says sleep psychologist Dr Hans Van Dongen. If you struggle to get eight hours of sleep a night, a siesta can have a “reset” effect, and your productivity improves afterwards. “Roughly speaking, an hour’s nap can make up for an hour in lost sleep at night.”

            So, the introduction of nap pods at Google’s headquarters does have some science behind it. Although once you start sleeping at work, what is the point in going home at all? Even short naps of up to half an hour can partially offset the productivity lost from chronic sleep deprivation. You snooze, you win.

            But the most important workplace revolution would be much more flexible hours. Most of us fall into two broad “chronotype” categories: morning and evening types. Rigidly early start times at work are fine for larks, but a third of us are night owls, who are likely to earn up to 5% less as a result of being tired at work.

            Lack of sleep has already been shown to be worse for productivity than being overweight or underweight. So, why are you still reading this? You should go back to bed.

Question 1: [2,5 POINTS] Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and              write down which part of the text justifies your answer.

a)     The best way to get more sleep is to move to a new home.

b)     Sleeping more makes employees produce more.

c)     The less you sleep at night, the longer you need to sleep during the day to get the same effect.

d)     Google is about to introduce places in their offices for the workers to have a nap.

e)     You may earn less if you are a nocturnal person.

Question 2: [1,5 POINTS] Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words   and definitions given.

a)     characteristic (par.1) 

b)     salary (par.2) 

c)     to remove (par.3) 

d)     to make better (par.4) 

e)     to recompense (par.5) 

Question 3: [2 POINTS] Choose the most suitable answer (a, b or c) according to the text

1.     You sleeping quality…

a)     affects your colleagues at work.

b)     is said to be related to being overweighted..

c)     is affected by how you use technology at night.

2.     Productivity is linked to….

a)     mainly to your weight.

b)     only to sleeping

c)     both your sleep and your weight.

3.     In places where it gets dark earlier….

a)     people sleep more hours.

b)     houses are cheaper.

c)     you’d better use curtains.

4.     Working shifts….

a)     Are more tiring for workers.

b)     are the change needed.

c)     are only for nocturnal people.

Question 4: [4 POINTS] Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic:

What makes a job the perfect one for you?

KEY

Question 1: [2,5 POINTS] Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and  write down which part of the text justifies your answer.

      

       a) FALSE “But don’t move house just yet”

       b) TRUE “So how can sleeping earn you money? The answer is productivity”

       c) FALSE “Roughly speaking, an hour’s nap can make up for an hour in lost sleep at night”

       d) FALSE “, the introduction of nap pods at Google’s headquarters does have some science behind it.”

       e) TRUE “but a third of us are night owls, who are likely to earn up to 5% less as a result of being tired at work”

      

Question 2: [1,5 POINTS] Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words   and definitions given.     

a)      feature

b)      wage(s)

c)      (to) take(n) away

d)     to improve

e)     to offset

Question 3: [2 POINTS] Choose the most suitable answer (a, b or c) according to the text.

1)     c) is affected by how you use technology at night.

2)     c) both your sleep and your weight.

3)     a) people sleep more hours.

4)     b) are the change needed

Rephrasings 19

Rewrite the sentences using the words in brackets.


1. Do you plan to call him tonight? (are)

        .............................................................................................

2. She came up with the idea in the middle of her sleep. (sleeping)

        .............................................................................................

3. What was your opinion of the robot teacher? (think)

        .............................................................................................

4. Is this Sam’s laptop? (belong)

        .............................................................................................

5. He became a reporter ten years ago. (for)

        He .....................................................................................  .

6. The witness called the police. Then she tried to help the victim. (after)

        The witness ....................................................................  .

7. She hasn’t broken the law. (never)

        She ...................................................................................  .

8. The burglar alarm went off a moment ago. (just)

        The burglar alarm ..........................................................  .

KEY

1. Are you planning to call him tonight?

2. She came up with the idea while she was sleeping.

3. What did you think of the robot teacher?

4. Does this laptop belong to Sam?

5. . has been a reporter for ten years

6. tried to help the victim after she had called the police

7. has never broken the law

8. has just gone off

Definitions

Match the words in bold with the definitions below

Suggestion        rafting           backgammon

poem              adventure        hiking

supplementary    appointment     trip         archery

1. Making a long journey on foot
2. A kind of literary work written in short lines
3. A prior arrangement to meet
4. A dangerous but exciting activity
5. A kind of sport practiced with a bow and arrows 
6. A type of board game played with dice and disk-shaped pieces
7. A short visit
8. Extra, additional
9. A type of sport practiced in rivers that flow fast
10. Something you believe to be a good thing to do

Key

1. Hiking
2. Poem
3. Appointment
4. Adventure
5. Archery
6. Backgammon
7. Trip
8. Supplementary
9. Rafting
10. Suggestion