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            

When is Thanksgiving 2021 and why is it on Thursdays?

 

    Thanksgiving being a Thursday dates back to the earliest days of this country. Thursday is just a good day to give thanks.

     Thanksgiving is an unusual holiday because it doesn’t always fall on the same day of the year. But unlike Halloween and Christmas the holiday always falls on the same day of the week, Thursday.

    While this may make planning around the holiday easier every year, many people don’t seem to know why the holiday is scheduled this way.

    This year, Thanksgiving will fall on Nov. 25, which is the fourth Thursday of the month. This has been the way that the date for the holiday has been determined since 1941. Before this, the holiday was traditionally held on the last Thursday of November.

    In 1939, however, the last Thursday of the month was also the last day of the month. President Roosevelt was concerned that this would hurt shorten the Christmas shopping season, so he issued a proclamation that Thanksgiving would occur on the second to last Thursday of November instead.

    This was a controversial decision, and in 1941, the House and Senate passed a resolution saying that Thanksgiving would occur on the fourth Thursday of November. This would thereby maintain the Christmas shopping season during years when November had five Thursdays.

    This may answer why the holiday is scheduled the way that it is, but it doesn’t explain why Thursday was chosen instead of another day of the week.

  

 Since ministers would often give lectures on Thursdays in the New England area, Thursday seemingly became a convenient day for Thanksgiving. As the years went by, it became a tradition. By the time George Washington issued a proclamation for a day of Thanksgiving, Thursday had already been associated with feasts of that nature.

    The reason for this is a bit unclear. Going back to the earliest days of the tradition. Historians believe that Thursday was chosen because it was one of the more convenient days of the week to have an annual feast. For the early Puritan settlers, Sunday was the Sabbath. It’s likely that the early days of giving thanks were purposely scheduled not to interfere with the Sabbath. Also, Fridays were commonly days of fasting, making them inconvenient feast days for many people. 

By Michael Hollan | Fox News   foxnews.com

Question 3: Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words and definitions given.

a)    arranged (paragraph 3)

b)    debatable (paragraph 4)

c)    apparently (paragraph 6)

d)    big meal (paragraph 6)

e)    intentionally (paragraph 7)

f)     act or period of not eating food (paragraph 7)

Question 4: Choose the correct option, a, b, c or d for each question.

1.    According the the text, a lot of people…

a)    are aware of the reason why Thanksgiving is celebrated on a Thursday.

b)    aren’t aware of the reason why Thanksgiving is celebrated on a Thursday.

c)    know why Thanksgiving is celebrated on a Thursday.

d)    don’t understand why Thanksgiving is celebrated on a Thursday.

2.    Thanksgiving…

a)    will be the fourth Thursday of November only this year.

b)    has always been the fourth Thursday of November.

c)    has been the fourth Thursday of November for less than 100 years.

d)    has been the fourth Thursday of November since Rooselvelt decided it.

3.    Historians think that…

a)    Sunday would have been a more appropriate day for Puritan settlers.

b)    Fridays were days normally associated with eating big meals.

c)    Thursday was an appropriate day to celebrate a big meal once a year.

d)    any day of the week could have been chosen to celebrate Thanksgiving.

 

 

KEY

Question 3

a)    scheduled

b)    controversial

c)    seemingly

d)    feast

e)    purposely

f)     fasting

Question 4

1.    b aren’t aware of the reason why Thanksgiving is celebrated on a Thursday.

2.    c has been the fourth Thursday of November for less than 100 years.

3.    c  Thursday was an appropriate day to celebrate a big meal once a year.

 

 

Queen Elizabeth Gracefully Declines 'Oldie' Award with Brilliant Response

Queen Elizabeth may be 95, but she isn’t ready to accept an “Oldie” quite yet.

The queen gracefully declined Oldie magazine’s “The Oldie of the Year” award through a letter written by her assistant private secretary, Tom Laing-Baker, and shared on the publication’s Twitter account Tuesday.

The humorous award and annual awards show (also known as TOOTY) celebrates older people who have made a significant contribution to public life.

In the letter, addressed to entertainer and awards chair Gyles Brandreth, Laing-Baker praised the awards and explained why the queen doesn’t quite fit “the relevant criteria.”

“Dear Mr Brandreth, thank you for your letter of 30th July, addressed to Sir Edward Young, asking if The Queen would accept The Oldie of the Year award,” said the note, dated Aug. 21.

“Her Majesty believes you are as old as you feel, as such The Queen does not believe she meets the relevant criteria to be able to accept, and hopes you will find a more worthy recipient,” the letter continued. “This message comes to you with Her Majesty’s warmest best wishes.”

The queen’s response is the perfect fit for Oldie magazine, which is intended as “a free-thinking, funny magazine” and “a light-hearted alternative to a press obsessed with youth and celebrity,” according to editor Harry Mount.

Despite the royals’ reluctance to accept their Oldies, the queen’s daughter-in-law, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, attended the magazine’s awards on Tuesday.

Question 1 Decide if the following statements are TRUE or FALSE and give evidence from the text

a) The Queen’s rejection of the award was offensive. 

b) You need to have done something relevant to receive the award. 

c) The Queen believes there are other candidates who deserve the award. 

d) Oldie thinks media worries excessively about image and age. 

Question 3 Find words or expressions in the text that have a similar meaning to the ones given

a) In an elegant way (par.2)

b) Important (par.3)

c) To direct (par.4)

d) To admire (par.4)

e) Receiver (par.6)

f) To be present (par.8)

KEY

Question 1

a) FALSE: “The queen gracefully declined Oldie magazine’s “The Oldie of the Year” award”

b) TRUE: “The humorous award and annual awards show (also known as TOOTY) celebrates older people who have made a significant contribution to public life.”

c) TRUE: “and hopes you will find a more worthy recipient,”

d) TRUE: “a press obsessed with youth and celebrity,” 

Question 3

a) Gracefully

b) Significant

c) (to) address / addressed

d) (to) praise / praised

e) Recipient

f) (to) attend / attended

Isle of Man Viking jewellery found by metal detectorist

A "stunning" collection of 1,000-year-old gold and silver Viking jewellery has been discovered on the Isle of Man by a metal detectorist. Retired police officer Kath Giles made the find on farm land in the north of the island. 

The horde includes a gold arm ring and a "massive" silver brooch dating back to 950 AD.

It was unearthed in December but has been revealed for the first time during a coroner's hearing. Manx National Heritage's curator of archaeology Allison Fox said the arm ring in particular was a "rare find".

Ms Giles said she immediately knew she had found "something very special" and was "thrilled" at the discovery, which is likely to be worth several thousand pounds. "I knew straight away that it was a significant and exciting find. 

The findings were declared treasure in an inquest at Douglas Courthouse. Discoveries of archaeological interest on the island must be reported to Manx National Heritage within two weeks. If items are legally classified as treasure, they belong to the crown and the finder is rewarded.

Precisely how much this latest finding is worth has not been determined, but similar items of Viking jewellery have been valued at £1,500 each. A larger horde of Viking treasure found in Lancashire in 2011 was valued at £110,000.

Ms Fox said the gold arm band was rare because silver was a far more common commodity for trading during the Viking era. "The arm ring, brooch and cut armband are all high-status personal ornaments and represent a large amount of accumulated wealth," she said. "Finding just one of these items would be of significance. The fact that all were found together suggests that whoever buried them was extremely wealthy and probably felt immediately and acutely threatened."

Question 1: Indicate whether the following statements are TRUE OR FALSE and write down the sentence or the part of the text that justifies your answer.

1. The jewellery was first shown to the public in December.

2. The person who discovers a treasure cannot keep it but gets some money in exchange.

3. It is the first time that Viking jewels have been found.

4. The person who hid the jewels was afraid to lose them.

Question 2: Answer the following questions in your own words according to the text.

1. What was Ms Giles' attitude when she found the jewels?

2. What is the experts' opinion about the discovery?

Question 3: Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words and definitions given.

1. awesome (p.1)

2. uncover (p.2)

3. custodian (p.2)

4. pay back (p.4)

5. group, number (p.5)

Adapted from BBC news

Key

Question1

1. False. " It was unearthed in December but has been revealed for the first time during a coroner's hearing."

2. True. " If items are legally classified as treasure, they belong to the crown and the finder is rewarded."

3. False. "  similar items of Viking jewellery have been valued at £1,500 each. A larger horde of Viking treasure found in Lancashire in 2011 was valued at £110,000."

4. True. " whoever buried them was extremely wealthy and probably felt immediately and acutely threatened."

Question 2

1. Ms. Giles was really excited when she discovered the jewels and she soon realized it was a very important finding.

2. They were surprised to see the gold arm band since Vikings used silver more than gold. They also appreciated the significance of having found all the items in the same place.

Question 3

1. stunning

2. unearthed / to unearth

3. curator

4. rewarded / to reward

5. horde

 

Dream Job Alert: You Can Get Paid Around $30 An Hour To Eat Candy

If your ideal workday is sitting around, eating candy, and judging, well, I have great news for you! This is an actual job that exists, you can get paid serious cash to do it, and more than one person will get the honor! It's all thanks to Candy Funhouse.

The company is hiring part-time and full-time "Candyologists," AKA Candy and Chocolate Taste Testers to help the company try out and narrow down which candies will be a part of the first-ever Candy Funhouse branded candy line. The line will feature 10 candies, but they'll first need to be narrowed down from hundreds of options. That's where you come in!

If you want the job, you should have "enthusiasm and eagerness to try confectionery products," and "consider aspects of taste, texture, and quality." You'll then have to write a brief, two-sentence description for each product tested. Basically, you have to really love candy and be willing to be a little judgy about it. DONE. Oh, and applicants who have an interest in candy, pop culture, and media will be given preference. Even better!!

Best of all this job PAYS. Like, pays WELL. The full-time position will net you $30 an hour, according to the Indeed listing, though you'll have to go to work in person, in Mississauga, ON, Canada. However, the part-time position requires 15 hours a week that can be done from home and you'll still earn $26 an hour. Two people will have the opportunity to be full-time employees, while they're choosing eight people to take the role part-time, according to a press release.

You have until February 15, 2021, to apply . Applicants have to have a high school diploma and be a citizen of the U.S. or Canada to apply. You can see more application instructions on each job posting. GOOD LUCK!

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.

1.     Funhouse is creating a new line of sweets.

2.     You will need to have basic writing skills.

3.     Only Canadian people will be able to apply for the position.

4.     It is necessary to have a degree to apply for this job.

Question 2 [2 POINTS] Answer the following questions in your own words.

1.     Why does the company need candy testers?

2.     What does the job imply?

Question 3: [1,5 POINTS] Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words and definitions given. 

a)    real (par.1)

b)    employ (par.2)

c)     limit (par.2)

d)    keenness (par.3)

e)    request, ask for  (par.5)

 

 

 

KEY

Question 1.

1.     True. " company try out and narrow down which candies will be a part of the first-ever Candy Funhouse branded candy line."

2.     True. " ." You'll then have to write a brief, two-sentence description for each product tested."

3.     False. " Applicants have to have a high school diploma and be a citizen of the U.S. or Canada to apply."

4.     False. " Applicants have to have a high school diploma..."

                Question 2.

1.     They need these people to try and evaluate a series of sweets so that from a lot of candies only ten will be selected for their new line of candies.

2.     The job implies taking into account some aspects of the sweets when trying them. They also ask you to write a short note describing the sweet.

  Question 3.

a)     actual

b)    hiring / to hire

c)     to narrow down

d)    eagerness

e)    to apply for

 Why International Women's Day Is Celebrated on March 8?

                                                BY SELENA BARRIENTOS AND HANNAH JEON Mar 4, 2020

Celebrated on March 8 every year, International Women's Day is a day dedicated to honoring the achievements of women throughout history and all across the globe, and is typically a day for women from all different backgrounds and cultures to band together to fight for gender parity and women's rights. International Women’s Day (IWD) is dedicated to celebrating women’s achievements in the social, economic, cultural, and political spheres. The day, collectively founded by women, also brings attention to gender parity and women's rights.

Gender parity is a statistical measure that compares women and men through their income, education, and work hours, among other points. This sociological metric helps researchers understand how society is progressing or regressing in specific areas. It’s also an important tool for policymakers striving towards gender equality. Of course, the global celebration of International Women’s Day is a time for reflection of how far women have come, advocacy for what is still needed, and action to continue breaking down barriers. With over a century of history, IWD is a growing movement centered around unity and strength.

International Women’s Day has a rich history dating back 108 years — the first glimpse of it was in 1909 when the Socialist Party of America celebrated 15,000 women who protested long work hours, low pay, and the lack of voting rights in New York City. Originally called National Woman’s Day, the monumental annual celebration spread across the world (officially celebrated in 1911), but it was Russia who unknowingly set the March 8 trend.

Although International Women’s Day became an official holiday in Russia in 1913, women still experienced difficulties caused by WWI. While men were off at war, women dealt with food shortages and a government who wouldn’t listen to them. On March 8, 1917 (February 23 in the former Russian calendar), tens of thousands of Russian women took to the streets demanding change. The unified cry for help paved the way for Russian women to be granted voting rights soon after.

International Women's Day is an official holiday in at least 20 countries, including: Afghanistan, Cuba, Laos, Russia, and Vietnam. In many of these countries, tradition holds that men honor their mothers, wives, girlfriends, and colleagues with flowers and small presents. In other nations, the day is much like the holiday of Mother's Day, in which children give gifts to their mothers and grandmothers. In other countries, however, like Nepal and China, IWD is a holiday only for women.

There are many ways you can participate in the celebration for International Women's Day, including joining in on the numerous events that will be held worldwide. These special events will span from global gatherings and informative conferences to powerful art exhibitions and festivals, and will be held by women's networks, charities, political parties, corporations, and other communities. You can easily search for an IWD event happening near you before the big day in this website:  https://www.internationalwomensday.com/EventSearch.

Even if you can't attend an IWD event, though, you can still join millions of participants by wearing purple on March 8. Signifying justice and dignity, the color purple has become an international symbol for women since the origination of purple, green, and white as a symbol of women's equality from the Women's Social and Political Union in the UK in 1908.

Adapted from: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/a26539742/international-womens-day-march-8/

 

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

a)    8^th March´s celebration has the aim of protesting against gender violence.

b)    There is a big necessity to support IWD fighting against obstacles

c)    It was not until 1913 in Russia, when 8^th March was officially proclaimed as a national holiday for women.

d)    Worldwide meetings will spread with artistic, musical and cultural events. 

Question 2: (3 points): Answer the following questions in your own words according to the text.

a)    Why did the Socialist Party of America go on strike?

b)    Explain the different ways of celebrating IWD in different countries, including yours.

c)    What the real origin of purple colour? 

Question 3: (2,5 points, 0,25 each) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words and definitions given.

a)    Equality (p.1)

b)    Salary (p.2)

c)    Sight (p.3)

d)    Lack of or with very few (p.4)

e)    Custom (p.5)

f)     to be celebrated (p.5)

g)    globally (p.6)

h)    group of organizations (p.6)

i)     to go (p.7)

j)     to be included (p.7) 

Question 4: ( 2,5 points) Written production

Write a short essay ( 120-150 words). Essays up to 200 won´t be penalized.

OPINION: What´s your opinion on the celebration of IWD?

KEY

Question 1:

FALSE: “dedicated, to honoring the achievements of women through history and all across the globe”

b)    TRUE: “advocacy for what is still needed, and action to continue breaking down barriers”.

TRUE: “Although IWD became an official holiday in Russia in 1913”

TRUE: “These special events will span from global gatherings and informative conferences to powerful art exhibitions and festivals”.

Question 3:  

Equality (p.1) parity

Salary (p.2) income

Sight (p.3) glimpse

Lack of or with very few (p.4) shortage

Custom (p.5) tradition

to be celebrated (p.5) holds, to hold

globally (p.6) worldwide

group of organizations (p.6) networks

to go (p.7) to attend

to be included (p.7) to join