A potato the size of a small dog is found in New Zealand

 

Colin and Donna Craig-Brown were weeding their garden in New Zealand when Colin's hoe struck something huge just beneath the soil's surface. As the couple knelt down and began digging around the object, Colin wondered if it was some kind of strange fungal growth, a giant puffball. After Colin pried it out with his garden fork, he scratched away a bit of the skin and tasted it. “A potato!”.

”We couldn't believe it," Donna said. "It was just huge." And not exactly pretty. Donna describes its appearance as more of an ugly, mutant look.

But it's quite possibly the largest potato on record. When the couple lugged it into their garage and put it on their old set of scales, it weighed in at a remarkable 7.9 kilograms (17.4 pounds). That's equal to a couple of sacks of regular potatoes, or one small dog.

In the weeks since their unusual find on Aug. 30, the couple's potato has become something of a celebrity around their small farm near Hamilton. They've named the potato Doug, after the way it was unearthed, and Colin even built a small cart to tow Doug around.

"We put a hat on him. We put him on Facebook, taking him for a walk, giving him some sunshine," Doug said. "It's all a bit of fun. It's amazing what entertains people."

A more official weigh-in at a local farming store put Doug at 7.8 kg. The current Guinness World Records entry for the heaviest potato is a 2011 monster from Britain that weighed in at just under 5 kg. The couple say they've applied to Guinness to have Doug recognized and are waiting to hear back. Guinness didn't immediately reply to a request for an update on the application.

Colin said he doesn't have any secret gardening tips. Usually they throw a bunch of cow manure and straw onto their garden and see what happens. He said they'd been growing cucumbers in that area of their garden before the weeds took over and hadn't planted any potatoes. Doug must have been self-sown, and quite possibly growing for a couple of years or more. "It's a mystery to me," Colin said. "It's one of nature's little pleasant surprises."

But Doug hasn't proved an easy charge to look after. As the couple showed the potato off, it began drying out and losing weight. Mold started growing from its wounds. "He was getting a bit pongy," said Colin, referring to the potato's smell.

So Colin cleaned up Doug as best he could and put the potato in the freezer, where it remains. But Colin may not be done with Doug yet. An amateur brewer, Colin said he's keen to turn Doug into a nice drop of potato vodka.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. (November 4, 2021)

Question 1: [2 POINTS] Indicate whether the following statements are TRUE or FALSE and write down the sentences or part of the text that justifies your answer. No points will be given if the evidence is not correct.

         a)    The woman who found the potato said that it was really beautiful. 
    b)    Doug has the current Guinness World record for the heaviest potato. 
    c)     The potato started to stink.
    d)    Colin wants to transform Doug into vodka.

Question 2: [2 POINTS] Choose and answer only TWO of the following questions in your own words according to the text.

         a)    How was Dough found?
    b)    What was Dough like?
    c)     What did Colin do with Dough?

Question 3: [1,5 POINTS] Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words and definitions given. You only need to have five correct answers to get 1,5 points.

         a)    Below, under (par. 1)
    b)    Bizarre, rare (par. 4)
    c)     At present (par. 6)
    d)    Hint, clue (par.7)
    e)    Appealing, nice (par. 7)
    f)     Take care (par. 8)

 

Question 4: [1,5 ] Choose the correct option – a, b, c or d – for each question and COPY both the letter and the sentence that follows onto your answer sheet.

    1.     The Guinness Record weighted …

a.     7.8 Kg.

b.     less than 5 kg.

c.     5 kg.

d.     more than 5 kg.

 

    2.     If Guinness had answered them, Dough…

a.     would be the heaviest potato.

b.     wouldn’t be the heaviest potato.

c.     would almost be the heaviest potato.

d.     wouldn’t be the heaviest potato because it wasn’t an actual potato. 

    3.     What did Colin use to grow in the garden?

a.     Potatoes.

b.     Manure

c.     Weeds

d.     Cucumbers

KEY

Question 1: 

    False.   And not exactly pretty.

    False    Are waiting to hear back.

    True     He was getting a bit pongy, said Colin, and referring to the potato’s smell.

    True     Colin said he’s keen to turn Doug into a nice drop of potato vodka. 

Question 2:

    a)    How was Dough found?

Colin and Dona were working in the garden when Colin noticed something enormous beneath the surface. He dug around it and ended by taking it out with his garden fork.

b)    What was Dough like?

Colin wondered if it was some kind of strange fungal growth, a giant puffball

"It was just huge." And not exactly pretty. Donna describes its appearance as more of an ugly, mutant look.

c)     What did Colin do with Dough?

"We put a hat on him. We put him on Facebook, taking him for a walk, giving him some sunshine," Doug said. "It's all a bit of fun. It's amazing what entertains people."

Question 3: 

a)    Below, under (par. 1)                 beneath

b)    Bizarre, rare (par. 4)                  unusual

c)     At present (par. 6)                     current

d)    Hint, clue (par.7)                        tip

e)    Appealing, nice (par. 7)              pleasant

f)      Take care (par. 8)                      look after

 

Question 4: 

1.   b.    less than 5 kg.

      a.     would be the heaviest potato.

      d.    Cucumbers

Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper - Shallow (from A Star Is Born)

Fill in the gaps

Tell me something, girl

Are you happy in this modern_________?

Or do you need more?

Is there something else you’re __________ for?

Put the lines in order

I find myself longing for change

And in the bad times, I fear myself

In all the good times

I’m falling

Correct the wrong words

Tell me something, boy

Aren’t you tired trying to see that void?

Or do you read more?

Ain’t it hard picking it so hardcore?

Put the lines in order

I find myself longing for change

And in the bad times, I fear myself

In all the good times

I’m falling

Correct the wrong words

I’m off the deep web, watch as I drive in

I’ll never hit the ground

Slide through the surface

Where they can’t see us

We’re far from the shallow now

In the shallow, shallow

In the shallow, shallow

In the shallow, shallow

We’re far from the shallow now

KEY 

Tell me something, girl

Are you happy in this modern world?

Or do you need more?

Is there something else you’re searching for?

 

I’m falling

In all the good times

I find myself longing for change

And in the bad times, I fear myself

 

Tell me something, boy

Aren’t you tired trying to fill that void?

Or do you need more?

Ain’t it hard keeping it so hardcore?

 

I’m falling

In all the good times

I find myself longing for change

And in the bad times, I fear myself

 

I’m off the deep end, watch as I dive in

I’ll never meet the ground

Crash through the surface

Where they can’t hurt us

We’re far from the shallow now

 

In the shallow, shallow

In the shallow, shallow

In the shallow, shallow

We’re far from the shallow now

 

I’m off the deep end, watch as I dive in

I’ll never meet the ground

Crash through the surface

Where they can’t hurt us

We’re far from the shallow now

 

In the shallow, shallow

In the shallow, shallow

In the shallow, shallow

We’re far from the shallow now

 

BRITISH AND AMERICAN ENGLISH 5

Find 14 pairs of English and American words

 

trousers – movies – chips – autumn – pants – gas – sweets – vacation – sidewalk – lift – taxi – fall – cab – tube – elevator – return – pavement – cinema – lavatory – restroom – round trip – French fries – candy – petrol – subway – cookie – holiday – biscuit

 

 

KEY

          1.       trousers – pants
    2.       return – round trip
    3.       lift – elevator
    4.       holidays – vacation
    5.       autumn – fall
    6.       chips – French fries
    7.       tube – subway
    8.       petrol – gas
    9.       lavatory – restroom
    10.   cinema – movies
    11.   sweets – candy
    12.   pavement – sidewalk
    13.   biscuit – cookie
    14.   taxi – cab 

ABBREVIATIONS 3

Do you understand these abbreviations? Write them out in full

1.        BA                                                                    

        2.        BSc

        3.        MA

        4.        Dip.

        5.        Prof

        6.        Univ.

        7.        max.

        8.        min

        9.        VAT

        10.     vol.

        11.     maths.

        12.     Capt

        13.     m.p.h.

        14.     m.p.g.

        15.     Eng.

        16.     govt.

        17.     Ltd.

        18.     Co

        19.     EEC

 

 

 

KEY

 

1.        Bachelor of Arts

2.        Bachelor of Science

3.        Master of Arts

4.        Diploma

5.        Professor

6.        University

7.        maximum

8.        minimum

9.        Value Added Tax

10.     volume

11.     mathematics

12.     captain

13.     miles per hour

14.     miles per gallon

15.     England

16.     government

17.     Limited

18.     Company

19.     European Economic Community

BLUE MONDAY: IS 'THE MOST DEPRESSING DAY' OF THE YEAR JUST A PR STUNT?

 

Every year, the third Monday of January is dubbed “Blue Monday”. The theory goes that this is the time of year when we’re all cold, broke and riddled with guilt that our new year’s resolutions to get fit, drink less alcohol, and be a better human being have fallen by the wayside. But is Blue Monday really the most depressing day of the year, as it’s often called, or is the label just a misguided PR stunt?

The concept was originally coined in 2004 by psychologist Cliff Arnall. He came up with a “formula” for the January blues after he was asked to do so by travel firm Sky Travel, who then used the phrase in a press release to promote their winter deals. It took into account a number of factors likely to contribute to low mood and read as follows:

W = weather

D = debt

d = monthly salary

T = time since Christmas

Q = time since failing our new year's resolutions

M = low motivational levels

Na = the feeling of a need to take action

Arnall has since confessed that the formula is essentially pseudoscience and has urged Brits to “refute the whole notion” of Blue Monday. "I was originally asked to come up with what I thought was the best day to book a summer holiday but when I started thinking about the motives for booking a holiday, reflecting on what thousands had told me during stress management or happiness workshops, there were these factors that pointed to the third Monday in January as being particularly depressing,” he told The Daily Telegraph in 2013. “But it is not particularly helpful to put that out there and say 'there you are',” he added, describing Blue Monday as a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Psychologist Dr Joan Harvey describes the concept as “completely meaningless”, particularly with regards to claims that poor weather is one of the main reasons why Blue Monday is so blue. “If it’s really bright and sunny, you might even find yourself feeling cheerful on the day,” she tells The Independent.

While Harvey points out that seasonal affective disorder (SAD) can leave people feeling depressed during the winter months, she stresses that pegging depression to one day in particular is “sensationalist nonsense”.

That being said, one positive element of Blue Monday is that it represents a chance to tackle some of the stigma surrounding depression and raise awareness of its symptoms, says Isabella Goldie, Director at the Mental Health Foundation. “What we can take from Blue Monday is that we all have mental health and that there are steps we can take all year round to protect it,” she tells The Independent.

1.Read the text and choose the correct answer.

1.    Blue Monday is supposed to be the most depressing day of the year because…

a.    January is the coldest month of the year.

b.    by then we realise that we won’t fulfil our New Year’s resolutions.

c.     we get fit and drink less alcohol.

d.     we feel guilty for being bad human beings.

2.    Arnall has encouraged British people…

a.    to believe in the notion of Blue Monday.

b.    not to believe in the notion of Blue Monday.

c.     to trust the notion of Blue Monday.

d.    to confess the notion of Blue Monday.

3.    According to Dr Joan Harvey,

a.    If the weather is bad on Blue Monday, we will probably feel depressed.

b.    If the weather is bad on Blue Monday, we might feel depressed.

c.     If the weather is good on Blue Monday, we may feel happy.

d.    If the weather is good on Blue Monday, we will feel happy.

 

2.Find words or expression in the text which mean the same as the following words.

1.    Nicknamed (paragraph 1)

2.    Without money (paragraph 1)

3.    Full of (paragraph 1)

4.    Created (paragraph 2)

5.    Invent (paragraph 3)

6.    Without sense (paragraph 4)

7.    Identify, label (paragraph 5)

8.    Knowledge (paragraph 6)

 

 

 

KEY

Exercise 1:

1-b

2-b

3-c

Exercise 2:

1.dubbed   2.broke   3.riddled with   4.coined   5.come up with   6.meaningless   7.pegging   8. awareness