Every citizen to have personal webpage

Everyone in the country is to be given a personalised webpage for accessing Government services within a year as part of a plan to save billions of pounds, Gordon Brown is to announce.

The Prime Minister has previously hailed the potential for the internet to slash costs by reducing paper forms, face-to-face contact with officials, postage, phone calls and building costs. He is now set to use a speech on Monday to unveil plans to give every voter a unique identifier allowing them to apply for school places, book GP appointments, claim benefits, get a new passport, pay council tax or register a car.

Within another three years, the secure site would include an interactive service allowing people to ask medical advice of their doctor or consult their children's teachers.

The move could see the closure of job centres and offices dealing with tax, vehicle licensing, passports and housing benefit within 10 years as services are offered through a single digital ''gateway''.

But the proposals came under fire from union leaders who complained that thousands of public sector workers would be made jobless and pointed to the Government's poor record of handling personal data. Questions have also been raised about the impact on some older people unable to use the internet.

Among the Prime Minister's advisers on the drive to put services online is World Wide Web inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee. ''I don't want to go to a government office. It should all be online. That saves time for people and it saves money for the Government - the processing of a piece of paper and mailing it back costs many times more than it costs to process something electronically,'' he told the newspaper.

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) People will need a different username and password for each online service.
b) This is the first time that the Prime Minister has talked about the benefits of
online bureaucracy.
c) With the new service, it will be possible to arrange to see a doctor.
d) Some senior citizens might have problems using this service.

Question 2 (2 points)

Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) What will users of the online government service be able to do in 3 years’
time?
b) What complaints have trade union leaders made?

Question 3 (1.5 points)

Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) to announce, reveal (Paragraph 2)
b unemployed (Paragraph 5)
c) history (Paragraph 5)

Question 4 (1.5 points)

Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a) Processing paper documents is much more expensive than processing documents electronically.
Processing documents electronically is far …………
b) The changes in the way official documents are handled could see the closure of job centres and offices.
Job centres and offices may close ….
c) The plan could save the government billions of pounds.
If the plan goes ahead, billions ………..

Question 5(3 points)
Write a short essay (120 to 150 words) on the following topic:
• Does the Internet make everybody’s life easier?

Every citizen to have personal webpage

KEY
Question 1
a) False Everyone in the country is to be given a personalised webpage … to give every voter a unique identifier …
b) False The Prime Minister has previously hailed the potential for the internet to slash costs
c) True .. plans to give every voter a unique identifier allowing them to …. book GP appointments,
d) True Questions have also been raised about the impact on some older people unable to use the internet.

Question 2
a) They will be able to contact their doctor about illnesses and treatment or to speak to their children’s teachers about their education.
b) Trade union leaders have expressed their concerns that numerous people who work in public administration will lose their jobs and have mentioned that in the past, the Government has had problems when dealing with people’s information.

Question 3
a) to unveil
b jobless
c) record

Question 4
a) Processing documents electronically is far cheaper than processing paper documents.
b) Job centres and offices may close because of/as a result of the changes in the way official documents are handled.
c) If the plan goes ahead, billions of pounds could be saved by the government.

The rise of the portmanteau words

EVER SINCE THE SMOKING BAN in enclosed public places came into force last July, there has been a marked upsurge in smirting, proving that the British public can adapt and adopt new words.

‘Smirting’ is a portmanteau word, formed by packing parts of two words together to create another, combining the sense of each (‘smoking’ and ‘flirting’). Smirting is a cousin of smog (smoke + fog).

A portmanteau was a suitcase that hinged in the middle like a book, allowing you to carry clothes in one side and anything else in the other. The word is itself a portmanteau, formed by combining ‘porter’, the French for ‘to carry’, with ‘manteau’, meaning ‘coat’ or ‘cloak’.
In 1896, Punch invented “brunch”, combining breakfast and lunch.

Today the portmanteau is probably the most fertile vehicle for neologisms. Countries have been formed by packing two place names together: Tanzania, for example, was formed in 1964, linguistically speaking, by combining Tanganyika and Zanzibar.
This is only a guesstimate (guess + estimate), but the internet (international + network) has produced thousands of new portmanteau words: blog (web and log), webinar (a web-based seminar), wikipedia and so on.

Combining the names in a famous couple can be a way of implying that they are a brand, indistinguishable as individuals: Billary (Bill and Hillary Clinton); the famous actor couple Brangelina.

Portmanteau words

1 Find the portmanteau words in the text formed from the two words on the right.
Example
blog web + log
…………………………………. guess + estimate
…………………………………. smoke + fog
…………………………………. international + network
........................................... web + seminar

2 Which words have been used to make these portmanteau words?
Brangelina …………………………………. ………………………………….
fanzine …………………………………. ………………………………….
heliport …………………………………. ………………………………….
email …………………………………. ………………………………….
internet …………………………………. ………………………………….
infocommercial …………………………………. ………………………………….

3 Which words are made from these two words?
…………………………………. breakfast + lunch
…………………………………. emotion + icon
…………………………………. Spanish + English
…………………………………. motor + hotel
…………………………………. situation comedy
…………………………………. shopping + alcoholic

4 Use a portmanteau to complete each of these sentences.

1 One of the best places for ………………………………… in our city is the restaurant at the Central Hotel. They offer a wide variety of food in their buffet and you can eat as much as you like.

2 Every evening, the sports presenter on the news presents an …………………………………. Often, cars are advertised.

3 You won't want to miss this one! Take a moment to register for our next …………………………………. Robert Plant will share tips for improving reading speed.

4 The company directors took off and landed at the hotel ……………………………………….. .

5 When we checked into the …………………………………… it was already dark.


Key

1. guesstimate, smog, internet.
2. Brad Angelina, Fan magazine, Helicopter airport, electronic mail, international network, information commercial.
3. brunch, emoticon, Spanglish, motel, sitcom, shopaholic.
4. 1 brunch 2. infocommercial 3. webinar 4. heliport 5. motel

Buckinghamshire library emptied in cuts protest

Library-users emptied a town's library of books in protest against plans to close it down. People took their maximum allowance of books from Stony Stratford library, Milton Keynes - clearing all 16,000 volumes from its shelves. Milton Keynes Council is considering closing the library to save £26m in 2011/12.

Friends of Stony Stratford Library (FOSSL) said they were amazed at how everyone had pulled together. Emily Malleson of FOSSL added that she calculated that books had been taken out at a rate of around 378 per hour. "A local resident mentioned the idea, maybe as a joke, but we thought it was a great idea," she said. "I put it on Facebook and emailed everyone I could think of and it's just gone absolutely mad.
I think it's a very simple but clever idea and it's given something that people can act on and make their voice heard. It shows it's such an important part of the community and well-used by everyone and not just for books - for DVDs, computers, spoken work. The amount of support is just staggering."

More than 500 supporters have joined a Facebook page and there are also written and online petitions against the proposed closure. The council's final budget is due to be decided on 22 February.
In other libraries across the UK, protesters held "read-ins" and storytelling sessions to campaign against planned branch closures. At one library in south London the event turned into an all-night sit-in involving about 35 protesters.
Doncaster is planning to axe 14 out of 26 branches. Doncaster's mayor, Peter Davies, said he regretted having to cut funding to libraries, but said he was morally obliged to continue other vital services. More than 450 libraries and mobile services across the country are currently threatened with closure. Some councils have said keeping libraries open would put services for vulnerable and elderly people at risk.

Question 1 (2 points)
Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.
a) There were no books left in Stony Stratford library at the end of the campaign.
b) The success of the Stony Stratford campaign was expected.
c) Emily Malleson used her computer to advertise the campaign.
d) Doncaster plans to close all of its libraries.

Question 2 (2 points)
Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) In what different ways did people show their opposition to the closures of libraries?
b) Which people would suffer if these libraries remain open?

Question 3 (1.5 points)
Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) to work hard in a group to try to do something (paragraph 2)
b) a protest when people occupy a public building (paragraph 4)
c) money given by an organization for an event or activity (paragraph 5)

Question 4 (1.5 points)
Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a) People took their maximum allowance of books from Stony Stratford library, Milton
Keynes.
The maximum allowance ……………….
b) Emily Malleson said “It is a very simple but clever idea and it's given
something that people can act on and make their voice heard.”
According to Emily Malleson, it
c) Protesters held "read-ins" and storytelling sessions to campaign against planned
branch closures. At one library in south London the event turned into an all-night
sit-in involving about 35 protesters.
Not only …………………………………. ….., but also

Question 5 (3 points)
Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic:
“Protests do not need to be big to be effective.” Do you agree?

Doncaster library protest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIEYP9z5QVQ

Watch the video about the protest against the closure of Doncaster libraries.
Which person (1 – 8) says these things (a – h)?

1 Simon Barron, Voices for the Library

2 David Blythe, Author

3 Lauren Smith, Librarian

4 Katie Marshall, Student

5 Older, blonde woman

6 Man in black woolen hat

7 Man in black and blue woolen hat

8 Little girl in library


a goes to the library every evening.

b thinks the council should think again about the logic of closing all these libraries.

c. is worried about people becoming isolated if libraries close.

d had two heroes when he was young: his father and Doctor Who (the hero of a lot of
books)

e thinks libraries are part of education.

f thinks that children and pensioners will miss libraries tremendously.
g thinks that if libraries close now, they will never reopen again.

h considers that libraries are particularly important for kids to do their homework and
learn.

Buckinghamshire library emptied in cuts protest

Key

PAU text

Question 1

a) True: Library-users have emptied a town's library of books AND/OR: People have taken their maximum allowance of books from Stony Stratford library, Milton Keynes - clearing all 16,000 volumes from its shelves
b) False: Friends of Stony Stratford Library (FOSSL) said they were amazed at how everyone had pulled together.
c) True: "I put it on Facebook and emailed everyone I could think of
d) False: Doncaster is planning to axe 14 out of 26 branches.

Question 2

a) Members of the library in Milton Keynes joined together to take all the books out of Stony Stratford library using their cards. They have also set up a Facebook page which has 500 members and asked people to sign paper or electronic petitions. At other libraries, people occupied the libraries and told stories to each other. In South London,, one library was occupied all night.
b) Older people and those in need of protection would suffer if libraries remain open.

Question 3

a) pull together/pulled together
b) a sit-in
c) funding

Question 4

a) The maximum allowance of books was taken from Stony Straford library, Milton Keynes.
b) According to Emily Malleson, it was a very simple but clever idea and it had given something that people could act on and make their voice heard.
c) Not only did protesters hold “read-ins” and storytelling sessions to campaing against planned branch closures, but also at one library in south London, the event turned into an all-night sit-in involving about 35 protesters.

Video

1 Simon Barron, Voices for the Library b
2 David Blythe, Author d
3 Lauren Smith, Librarian c
4 Katie Marshall, Student h
5 Older, blonde woman e
6 Man in black woolen hat f
7 Man in black and blue woolen hat g
8 Little girl in library a

Smoking ban lights up love life

The days when smoking was cool are supposed to be long gone and smokers are supposed to be out of fashion. That's the theory. In fact, in Ireland, where a complete ban on smoking in bars, pubs and restaurants has been in place for over a year, having a quick drag has replaced speed dating as the best way to spice up your love life.

The cosy courtyard of the Temple Bar pub in Dublin looks like any other outdoor venue on a sunny evening. People stand around drinking, gossiping and moaning about work. But look closer and you'll find a different situation. Everyone is smoking and, in between drags, they are practising their best, light-hearted chat-up lines as well.

Welcome to the practice of smirting (smoking and flirting), a craze which has swept Ireland. Since the introduction of the ban in 2004, pubs and bars opened outside areas for smokers to gather and with them came a more relaxed attitude to meeting people. Now people find themselves striking up conversations over a quick fag.

On one level, it is unsurprising that those hanging out in smoking areas seem to be having more fun. Smoking is an intrinsically social habit. You meet a wider mix of people and the opportunities to start a conversation are many and easy. Nor is it simply hardened smokers who hang out outside, there are also people who weren't really smokers at all but they'd go outside for a cigarette.

This increase in social smoking is one of the more worrying aspects of smirting. Anti-smoking campaigners believed that the ban would improve health and stop people smoking. But many young Dubliners admit that they have increased their consumption of cigarettes because of the social benefits.

Question 1 Decide whether the following statements are true or false. Give evidence from the text.

a) Smirting is very popular in Ireland.
b) Nowadays, people who smoke have more chances to chat with new people.
c) Only regular smokers are found in these open spaces.
d) Young Irish smoke more now than they used to do.

Question 2 Answer the following questions in your own words.

a) Why is it said that smoking is a social habit?
b) What is the most negative aspect of smirting?

Question 3 Find words in the text that are synonyms of the words below.

a) prohibition (par.1)
b) complain (par.2)
c) start (par.3)

Question 4 Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a) Anti-smoking campaigners supposed that the ban would improve people’s health.
The ban…
b) Since the introduction of the ban in 2004, pubs and bars have opened outside areas for smokers.
If the ban…
c) People stand around drinking, gossiping and moaning about work. However, look closer and the situation is different.
Although…

Question 5. Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
What do you think of the smoking ban introduced in Spain?

2011 to Be Best Year Ever

Futurologists and experts who study New Year’s resolutions predict 2011 will be the best year ever for many people. This is welcome news for the billions around the world who hope this year will be better than last year. 2011 will see more people lifted out of poverty and there will be a greater number of people with access to computers. One expert looked forward to new developments that will help the environment. California will open the world's largest solar power plant and several electric cars will go on sale, including the much-awaited Tesla. It’s going to be a great year if you study English. There will be more cool websites and applications for students to brush up on spelling, vocabulary and grammar.

It seems more of us will keep our New Year’s resolutions this year. According to a New Year’s Day poll, the top resolution is to spend more quality time with family and friends. This means talking to them rather than being on the phone or texting messages in front of them. The second most popular thing we will resolve to do is get fitter. Experts say many of us could keep this promise well into February before giving up. We usually forget about this resolution in mid-January. Other top plans include quitting smoking, getting out of debt and helping others. Of course, studying English more featured high on many people’s lists. Make 2011 your best ever year and stick to your resolutions.

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

a) More poor people will no longer be poor.
b) A new solar-powered car called Tesla will go on sale.
c) The most common New Year’s resolution is to save money.
d) Experts believe many people will keep resolutions about getting fit until May.

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

a) What are the predictions for the environment?
b) What do experts predict for people´s health?

Question 3. Find a word or a phrase in the text that means the same as
a) improve (par.1) b) survey(par. 2) c) keep (par. 2)

Question 4. Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning
a) “Billions of people hope this year will be better than last year. “
They said that …………………………………………….
b) They will open a new solar power plant and launch good English learning websites.
A new solar ……………………………………………….
c) People will find it easier to study English since there will be good websites.
If there were ………………………………………………

Question 5. Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
What will you do to make next year the best year ever?


Some useful vocabulary for your New Years’ Resolutions
Verbs and expressionsmake a resolution/ to resolve to do something
make a decision/to decide to do something
to make a promise/to promise to do something
to look forward to doing something
give up/stop
keep up/stick to a resolution
to keep your promise

Adjectivesrealistic unrealistic
ambitious not ambitious enough
achievable unachievable

Nounsgoal, ambition, intention


Blog with a video on how to make and keep resolutions
http://esolcourses.blogspot.com/2011/01/english-vocabulary-new-years.html

Smoking ban lights up love life

KEY

Question 1

a) TRUE “Welcome to the practice of smirting (smoking and flirting), a craze which has swept Ireland.”
b) TRUE “the opportunities to start a conversation are many and easy.”
c) FALSE “Nor is it simply hardened smokers who hang out outside, there are also people who weren't really smokers at all but they'd go outside for a cigarette.
d) TRUE “many young Dubliners admit that they have increased their consumption of cigarettes because of the social benefits.”

Question 2

a) Smoking is said to be a social habit as you have more chances to get to know new people and what’s more, starting conversations is much easier.
b) The most negative aspect of smirting is that the number of social smokers has gone up in spite of the ban on smoking inside public places.

Question 3

a) ban
b) moaning / to moan
c) striking up / to strike up

Question 4

a) The ban was supposed to improve people’s health, according to anti-smoking campaigners.
b) If the ban hadn’t been introduced, pubs and bars wouldn’t have opened areas for smokers.
c) Although people stand around drinking, gossiping and moaning about work, look closer and the situation is different.

2011 to be the Best Year

KEY

Question 1

a) True.” 2011 will see more people lifted out of poverty.“
b) True.“ several electric cars will go on sale, including the much-awaited Tesla.”
c) False.” the top resolution is to spend more quality time with family and friends.“
d) False. “ The second most popular thing we will resolve to do is get fitter. Experts say many of us could keep this promise well into February before giving up.“

Question 2

a) They will open a big solar power plant and people will be able to buy electricity powered cars.
b) Many people have decided to keep in shape and smokers have relolved to give up smoking.

Question 3

a) to brush up on
b) poll
c) quitting /to quit

Question 4

a) They said that billions of people hoped the year would be better than the year before.
b) A new solar power plant will be opened and good English learning websites will be launched.
c) If there were not good websites, people wouldn’t find it easier/ so easy to study English.

Acronyms

Name the Acronym


Fill in the blank with the correct acronym from the box.


BBL / CUL8R / TTFN / PMJI

FYI / LOL / FAQ / GTG

IDK / BTW / ASAP / SETE


1. laugh out loud _______________________

2. smiling ear to ear ________________________

3. got to go ____________________________

4. by the way ___________________________

5. I don´t know _________________________

6. Ta Ta for now ________________________

7. pardon my jumping in __________________

8. see you later _________________________

9. be back later _________________________

10. as soon as possible ___________________

11. frequently asked questions _____________

12. for your information __________________


Key to” Name the Acronym”


1. LOL
2. SETE
3. GTG
4. BTW
5. IDK
6. TTFN
7. PMJI
8. CUL8R
9. BBL
10. ASAP
11. FAQ
12. FYI

Lady Gaga most ‘liked’ on Facebook

Social network Facebook has revealed who its most popular people were in 2010, and said that over the past year the 500 million people who use it uploaded more than 2.7 million photographs, shared 1 million links and 'Liked' 7.6 million pages in one ramdomly chosen 20 minute period.

More than 61 million people also indicated in 2010 that they were in new relationships, married or engaged: 28.4 million people changed their statuses to 'in a relationship', 36.7 million people changed their status to 'married' and 6 million people declared themselves to be 'engaged'.

Lady Gaga was the most ‘liked’, closing 2010 with 24.7 million indications of approval from her Facebook fans. She also has more than 7 million followers on Twitter. Over the summer, Lady Gaga became the first living person to reach 10 million. US rapper Eminem’s 23.7 million ‘Likes' beat Barack Obama’s 17.2 million.

The identity of the most liked celebrity on Facebook will have come as little surprise to people who have followed Lady Gaga's meteoric rise to superstardom, as she has arguably harnessed the power of social networking sites as a promotional tool more effectively than any other star.

At the beginning of December, several stars including Lady Gaga stopped updating their Facebook page or using Twitter until $1m had been raised for US charity Keep a Child Alive. The charity works in Africa and India to provide treatment and support to families of people with HIV and Aids. The campaign, called Digital Life Sacrifice, was launched on 1st December to mark World Aids Day. Lady Gaga added a photo of herself in a coffin to her Facebook page, writing: 'No more updates little monsters until we buy life.'

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) Over 2.7 million photos were posted on Facebook during the course of last year.
b) More people follow Lady Gaga on Twitter than on Facebook.
c) Lady Gaga’s Facebook popularity is unexpected.
d) Keep a Child Alive is an American organisation.

Question 2 (2 points)Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) How did 61 milllion people’s relationships change in 2010?
b) What happened in ‘Digital Life Sacrifice’?

Question 3 (1.5 points)Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) make public (Paragraph 1)
b) take control of (Paragraph 4)
c) commemorate (Paragraph 5)

Question 4 (1.5 points)
Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a) 500 million people who use Facebook uploaded more than 2.7 million photographs. More than 2.7 million photographs .………………….………………………….
b) Lady Gaga said “I will not update my Facebook page until $1m has been raised.
Lady Gaga said that …...…………………………………………………...………………
c) Everyone thought that the campaign would raise $1m immediately but in fact it took nearly a week.
Although .......................................................................................................

Question 5 (3 points)Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic:
‘Nowadays people are in danger of becoming isolated individuals’. Do you agree?

Famous People and websites

The following people are all famous (and usually rich!) because they started different websites.


a) Pierre Omidyar
b) Jimmy Wales
c) Mark Zuckerberg
d) Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, Jawed Karim
e) Larry Page, Sergey Brin
f) Zaryn Dentzel
g) Biz Stone, Evan Williams
h) David Filo and Jerry Yang
i) Chris DeWolfe, Tom Anderson


1 Match the website to the people who founded them:

1 Facebook
2 Google
3 You Tube
4 Twitter
5 Tuenti
6 Myspace
7 Wikipedia
8 Ebay
9 Yahoo

2 Which year was each site started in?

1994
1995
1998
2001
2003
2004
2004
2005
2006


3 Which of the above websites are:

a) social networking sites: ……………………………. , ……………………………. , ……………………………. , …………………………….
b) auction and shopping site …………………………….
c) collaborative reference site …………………………….
d) search engines and email account providers ……………………………. , …………………………….
e) video-sharing website …………………………….


Key
1 and 2

a) Pierre Omidyar ebay 1995
b) Jimmy Wales Wikipedia 2001
c) Mark Zuckerberg Facebook 2004
d) Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, Jawed Karim Youtube 2005
e) Larry Page, Sergey Brin Google 1998
f) Zaryn Dentzel Tuenti 2004
g) Biz Stone, Evan Williams Twitter 2006
h) David Filo and Jerry Yang Yahoo 1994
i) Chris DeWolfe, Tom Anderson Myspace 2003

3
a) social networking sites: Facebook, Tuenti, Twitter, Myspace
b) auction and shopping site ebay
c) collaborative reference site wikipedia
d) search engines and email account providers google, yahoo
e) video-sharing website youtube

What do the following people and companies have in common?

Michael Jackson
Barack Obama
Lady Gaga
Starbucks
Dr House
Coca Cola
Cristiano Ronaldo
YouTube

(Answer: They are all in the top 30 Facebook Fan pages.)

http://www.famecount.com/
This website gives a nice graphic portrayal of the most pop. Films, companies, etc.

This is the Spanish ranking
http://www.famecount.com/facebook-rank/Spain

Appeal for the Digital Death campaign
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWd22s

China Protects its Language from English

Chinese authorities have taken steps to protect its language from the increasing use of English and other languages. The People’s Daily Online website says, “with economic and social development, foreign languages are increasingly being used in all types of publications in China, including in newspapers, books, e-books and on the Internet”. China’s General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) said the invasion of English words and abbreviations in Chinese texts is “abusing the language”. Its website stated English has, "severely damaged the standard and purity of the Chinese language and disrupted the harmonious and healthy language and cultural environment, causing negative social impacts".

Officials from GAPP issued clear guidelines on how all Chinese publishers must now act, saying: “It is banned to mix at will foreign language phrases such as English words or abbreviations with Chinese publications, creating words of vague meaning that are not exactly Chinese.” This means abbreviations and acronyms that are currently widely used in Chinese publications, such as WTO, GDP and even IBM, must now be replaced with their Chinese equivalents. One editor at a Beijing publishing house said the translations would be time-consuming and confusing. He said: “I wonder how many people understand 'guoji shangye jiqi gongsi,’ when IBM is instantly recognizable.”

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.The department is only concerned about the purity of the Chinese language
b.It’s not OK to use English in a word combination with a Chinese word.
c.There are rules for publishers on alternatives to foreign languages.
d.All Chinese editors of publishers think the new rules are sensible.

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

a. What has caused the “invasion“ of English in the Chinese language and what are its effects?
b. What will publishers have to do now?

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

a. upset (par1)
b. as one pleases (par2)
c. unclear (par2)

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

a. Foreign languages are increasingly being used in newspapers
They .....................................
b. One editor at a Beijing publishing house said the translations would be time-consuming and confusing.
One editor said “...........................................
c. The department has taken action because English is abusing thir language.
If .................................

Question 5(3 points) Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
How much has English got into your language?

Lady Gaga most ‘liked’ on Facebook

Key
Question 1
a) False. the 500 million people who use it uploaded more than 2.7 million photographs ... in one ramdomly chosen 20 minute period.
b) False. Lady Gaga was the most ‘liked’, closing 2010 with 24.7 million indications of approval from her Facebook fans. She also has more than 7 million followers on Twitter.
c) False. The identity of the most liked celebrity on Facebook will have come as little surprise …….., as she has arguably harnessed the power of social networking sites as a promotional tool more effectively than any other star.
d) True. ... US charity Keep a Child Alive.
Question 2
a) Of the total 61 million people who changed their Facebook status indicator, 28.4 million declared that they had a partner, 36.7 people got married and 6 million people said that they were engaged to be married.
b) In Digital Life Sacrifice, various famous people did not communicate with their fans via Facebook or Twitter from December 1st on. They said they would not reconnect digitally until people had donated $1m to the charity Keep a Child Alive.
Question 3
a) reveal
b) harness
c) mark
Question 4
a) More than 2.7 million photographs were uploaded by 500 million people who use Facebook.
b) Lady Gaga said that she would not update her Facebook page until $1m had been raised.
c) Although everyone thought that the campaign would raise $1m immediately, in fact it took nearly a week.

China Protects its Language from English

KEY
Question1
a. False. “Its website stated English has, "severely damaged the standard and purity of the Chinese language and disrupted the harmonious and healthy language and cultural environment, causing negative social impacts".
b. True. “It is banned to mix at will foreign language phrases such as English words or abbreviations with Chinese publications”
c. True.” Officials from GAPP issued clear guidelines on how all Chinese publishers must now act.“
d. False.“ One editor at a Beijing publishing house said the translations would be time-consuming and confusing.“

Question2
a. English is invading Chinese publications because China is growing economically and socially. This increasing use of English words is not only affecting the essence of the Chinese language but is having a bad effect on society.
b. Publishers will have to avoid the use of any foreign words or phrases in combination with Chinese.

Question3
a. disrupted b. at will c. Vague

Question4
a. They are increasingly using foreign languages in newspapers.
b. One editor said “Translations will be time-consuming and confusing.“
c. If English were not abusing their language, the department wouldn´t have taken action.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all of you.




Gap filling activity

WHITE CHRISTMAS

I’m dreaming of a ………… Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten,
And children listen
To hear……… …….. in the ……….

I’m dreaming of a …………Christmas
With every Christmas ………. I write
May your days be ………… and bright
And may all your Christmases be ………..

All we want for Christmas is an old festive song

Christmas and music

Vocabulary

1 Look at these words and expressions. They are all in the text below. Do we use them to talk about money or music?
pay, cheque, hits, airing, generates, revenue, release ,
profitable, money-spinners, digital downloads, playlists, tracks
2 Now, match each of the words to the correct definition.
a) very successful songs

b) produce/create
c) making money for a person or company

d) music made available to buy
e) one of several songs on a CD f) money paid for work
g) when a song is played on the radio
h) something that you copy onto your computer from the internet
i) a product or activity that produces a lot of money
j) the money that a company earns on a regular basis
k) all the music that people will listen to on a particular occasion

All we want for Christmas is an old festive song

Whether you love Mariah Carey or loathe Jona Lewie, there is no escaping them at this time of year. The annual resurrection of songs from Christmas past is well underway – and for the artists who penned or performed those festive favourites decades ago, the pay cheques are waiting under the tree.
Of the 20 most-played Christmas songs during the past ten years, the most modern – Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" – dates from 1994. Most of the others in the list were hits in the Seventies and Eighties. They include Slade's "Merry Xmas Everybody" and Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
A single airing of a three-minute song on BBC Radio One generates about £37.50 for writers and £37.50 for performers, while commercial stations pay a percentage of their advertising revenue.
This means that even songs that failed to make an impact on their original release can prove highly profitable later. Chris Rea's "Driving Home For Christmas" reached just number 53 in 1988. Yet, now seventh in the most-played list, it remains one of Rea's most reliable money-spinners.
The breadth of music choice permanently available through digital downloads also means that songs no longer have to be re-released as in years gone by to take a march up the charts. "All I Want For Christmas has charted in the top 20 in each of the past three Decembers, and has already reached number 22 this year.
Martin Talbot, the managing director of The Official Charts Company, said: "At this time of year people are putting together lots of Christmas party playlists and they want to make their own compilations of tracks at home. Five or ten years ago, you'd have to buy a Christmas hits package, but now it's more democratic. People can choose what they like."

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) The youngest song in the top twenty list of Christmas songs is sung by Mariah Carey.
b) “Merry Xmas Everybody” and “ Do They Know It’s Christmas” were both sung by Slade.
c) Chris Rea’s song “Driving Home for Christmas” is more popular now than in 1988.
d) Some people buy old songs because they are going to meet friends and celebrate Christmas.

Question 2 (2 points)
Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) How do old songs continue to make money?
b) Why is it now easier to select the songs you want to listen to?

Question 3 (1.5 points)
Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) write (Paragraph 1)
b) wide choice (Paragraph 5)
c) the list of the highest selling records for one week (Paragraph 5)

Question 4 (1.5 points)

Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a) Mariah Carey first sang “All I want for Christmas” in1994.
The song “All I want for Christmas” …………………………………… in 1994.

b) Martin Talbot said: “Five or ten years ago, you'd have to buy a Christmas hits package, but now it's more democratic. People can choose what they like."
According to Martin Talbot, five or …………………………………………….…..

c) A single airing of a three-minute song on BBC Radio One generates about £37.50 for writers and £37.50 for performers.
If a three-minute song is played once on BBC Radio one, both ...................................................

Question 5 (5 points)

Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
“Music is just one of many things which help us to celebrate.” What do you think?

Most played Christmas tunes

1 All I Want For Christmas Is You (1994) Mariah Carey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ymlnxMZkXA

2 Last Christmas (1984) Wham!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1zWafQF1hc

3 Fairytale of New York (1987) The Pogues
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwHyuraau4Q&feature=related

4 Merry Xmas Everybody (1973) Slade
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqiDo28s70w

5 I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day (1973) Wizzard
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-r8UVR9DDBo

6 Do They Know It's Christmas? (1984) Band Aid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5cX_ncZLls

7 Driving Home For Christmas (1988) Chris Rea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czhZbqpyBm8&feature=fvsr

8 Stop The Cavalry (1980) Jona Lewie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOe18JcatZo

9 White Christmas (1942) Bing Crosby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddVZOK_9UUI

10 Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! (1966) Dean Martin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mSSPM3ies0

Key Vocabulary tasks

1
Money

pay cheque, generates, percentage, revenue, profitable, money-spinners

Musicsongs, hits, airing, release, digital downloads, playlists, compilations, tracks

2
a) hits b) generate c) profitable d) release e) tracks
f) pay cheque g) airing h) digital download i) money-spinner
j) revenue k) playlist

Christmas Traditions

Questionnaire

1. What bird is cooked for Christmas dinner?

2. Where are the presents kept before opening them?

3. What is hung outside on the door?

4. What kind of songs are sung?

5. Before electricity, these were put on the trees?

6. What is a common four letter abbreviation of Christmas?

7. What plant with red berries is used for decorations?

8. What do you kiss under?

9. What kind of calendar is opened by children leading up to Christmas?

10. What are pulled at the table?




KEY


1. a turkey
2. under the tree
3. a wreath
4. carols
5. candles
6. X’mas
7. Holly
8. mistletoe
9. an Advent calendar
10. crackers

All we want for Christmas is an old festive song

Key PAU task
Question 1
a) True. Of the 20 most-played Christmas songs during the past ten years, the most modern –
Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" – dates from 1994
b) False Slade's "Merry Xmas Everybody" and Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
c) True Chris Rea's "Driving Home For Christmas" reached just number 53 in 1988. Yet, now seventh in the most-played list,
d) True At this time of year people are putting together lots of Christmas party playlists

Question 2
a) The people who wrote or sung or played the music in songs are paid every time their record is played on the radio.
b) Songs are available on the internet and you can choose the songs you want to have and listen to and download them to create your own album

Question 3
a) pen/penned
b) breadth
c) charts/Charts

Question 4
a) The song “All I want for Christmas” was first sung by Mariah Carey in 1994.
b) According to Martin Talbot, five or ten years ago, people would have had to buy a Christmas hits package, but now it was more democratic. People could choose what they liked.
c) If a three-minute song is played once on BBC Radio One, both writers and performers can earn £37.50.
OR
If a three-minute song is played once on BBC Radio One, both writers and performers will be paid £37.50.

Online shoppers splash out

Online shoppers are set to spend a total of £537m today in what is predicted to be the busiest internet shopping day of the year. Total spending on the day called Manic Monday is forecast to hit £22.4m an hour, according to shopping comparison website Kelkoo. The cold weather and a strike by London Underground workers are also expected to boost the number of shoppers choosing to buy online.
Visa Europe said the busiest online shopping day in the previous two years had been on the last Monday in November. It predicted transactions would peak in the lunch hour between 1pm and 2pm and again at around 7pm as shoppers go online after returning home from work.
A study found 74% of consumers planned to buy presents online this Christmas, with 30% looking to do more shopping on the internet than last year. Visa Europe commercial director Steve Perry said: "Shopping online is now a natural part of the gift-buying process for consumers and a key part of Christmas sales strategy for retailers.
The combination of monthly salaries being paid and people taking delivery times into consideration should combine to deliver a record day for internet shopping."
Retailer Argos also said it was predicting today to be the busiest for online delivery orders, falling after the last pay day before Christmas but still allowing time for delivery and wrapping before December 25. The busiest day on the high street is expected to be December 18.

Vocabulary exerciseAll the words below are in the text. Match the words and expressions on the left to the words with the same meaning on the right.
1 splash out a shoppers choosing to buy online
2 buy online b forecast
3 predict c an order
4 a transaction d spend money
5 online shoppers e a gift
6 a present f shop on the internet

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) More money is usually spent on buying items online on the last Monday in November.
b) The number of people shopping for Christmas presents online will grow by 30% this year..
c) If you buy something online today, it will arrive before Christmas.
d) The day when city shops will be busiest will probably be December 18th.

Question 2 (2 points)

Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) Why will there be even more people shopping online this year?
b) What times of the day will most people buy things online today?

Question 3 (1.5 points)

Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) to increase (Paragraph 1)
b) reach the highest point (Paragraph 2)
c) important, crucial (Paragraph 3)

Question 4 (1.5 points)

Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a) Shopping comparison website Kelkoo predicts that the cold weather and the London Underground strike will boost total spending.
Shopping comparison website Kelkoo predicts that total spending …………………. ……….............

b) ‘People have just been paid and they will want their gifts to be delivered in time for Christmas.’, said Steve Perry.
Steve Perry said that people …………...…………………………………………………....................
c) Shopping on the internet is convenient, but there are many risks involved and you should be very careful.
Although ....................................................., you should .................................................. because ............................................................................................................................

Question 5 (3 points)Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
‘Nowadays, it is possible to buy absolutely anything’. Do you agree?

Schoolboy to climb Mount Everest

A 13-year-old is planning to make history by becoming the youngest ever person to climb the world's highest mountain, Mount Everest.
Jordan Romero from the USA will attempt to summit the 8,850 metre peak which is above the height some planes fly at.
Jordan will be joined by his dad and stepmum on the expedition, both are experienced climbers.
Climbing so high can be dangerous though, the cold and lack of oxygen has killed lots of climbers in the past.
It's likely Jordan will use bottled oxygen as he climbs higher up the mountain as there is less oxygen to breathe in the higher up you go.
Record books
At age 10, he became the youngest American to summit Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak.
The current record holder for the youngest person to climb Mount Everest is Temba Tsheri from Nepal who was 16.
Because of the extreme cold though he lost five fingers during his climb due to frostbite.

True or False?

1. Jordan Romero is 13 years-old.
2. Romero is from Canada.
3. The 13-year-old is planning to climb Mount Everest.
4. Jordan will climb the mountain with his father and uncle.
5. Jordan's father has never climbed a mountain before.
6. It can be dangerous to climb mountains.
7. Lack of oxygen can kill climbers.
8. The peak of Mount Everest is above the height at which some planes fly.
9. Jordan will probably use oxygen when he climbs the mountain.
10. There is less oxygen at the bottom of Mount Everest.

What is the missing word?

1. The summit of Mount Everest is 8,850___________tall.

2. The cold has _____________lots of climbers in the past.

3. Jordan became the_______________American to climb to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro when he was 10.

4. Temba Tsheri____________five fingers when he climbed to the top of Mount Everest.



KEY

1. TRUE
2. FALSE
3. TRUE
4. FALSE
5. FALSE
6. TRUE
7. TRUE
8. TRUE
9. TRUE
10. FALSE

1. metres
2. killed
3. youngest
4. lost

Warning about falling icicles

Kids in Scotland are being warned to look out for falling icicles, as the weather warms up this weekend.
Parts of Scotland have experienced temperatures as low as -20 degrees over the past few weeks.
Weather forecasters say temperatures are rising, and icicles that were frozen solid are starting to melt and could snap off buildings.
People are also being warned to be careful, as melting ice could make roads and pavements very slippery.
Forecasters said Friday would be a milder day but it would start to get cold again on Saturday night.
They said there might be more snow towards the end of next week too.

True or False?

1. Children in Scotland are being given icicles.
2. The weather is warming up this weekend.
3. Parts of Scotland have been as cold as minus 40 degrees.
4. Weather forecasters say temperatures are going to stay cold.
5. Icicles may melt and snap off buildings.
6. People are being warned as roads and pavements could be slippery.
7. Friday is going to be a hot day.
8. The weather will get colder again on Saturday.
9. There will be no more snow.

Which word or phrase means the same as the one in italics?
warms up

a) the same as gets colder
b) the same as gets warmer
c) the same as starts raining
low

a) the same as hot
b) the same as cold
c) the same as interesting

rising
a) the same as getting colder
b) the same as getting warmer
c) the same as starting to snow

starting
a) the same as beginning
b) the same as ending
c) the same as happening



KEY
1. FALSE
2. TRUE
3. FALSE
4. FALSE
5. TRUE
6. TRUE
7. FALSE
8. TRUE
9. FALSE

1. B
2. B
3. B
4. A

Online shoppers splash out

Key

Vocabulary exercise
1 splash out d spend money
2 buy online f shop on the internet
3 predict b forecast
4 a transaction c an order
5 online shoppers a shoppers choosing to buy online
6 a present e a gift

Question 1

a) True …… the busiest online shopping day in the previous two years had been on the last Monday in November
b) False. 74% of consumers planned to buy presents online this Christmas, with 30% looking to do more shopping on the internet than last year.
c) True still allowing time for delivery and wrapping before December 25.
d) True The busiest day on the high street is expected to be December 18.

Question 2

a) The freezing temperatures and the fact that the people who work in the London Underground will be taking industrial action today as well as the fact that people have just received their monthly salaries will mean that there will be an increase in the number of people shopping online this year on this day.
b) There will be two busiest times today: when people stop to have lunch between 1 and 2pm and later in the evening when workers arrive home.

Question 3
a) to boost
b) (to) peak
c) key

Question 4
Shopping comparison website Kelkoo predicts that the cold weather and the London Underground strike will boost total spending.
a) Shopping comparison website Kelkoo predicts that total spending will be boosted by the cold weather and the London Underground strike
b) ‘People have just been paid and they will want their gifts to be delivered in time for Christmas.’, said Steve Perry.
Steve Perry said that people had just been paid and that they would want their gifts to be delivered in time for Christmas.
c) Shopping on the internet is convenient, but there are many risks involved and you should be very careful.
Although shopping on the internet is convenient, you should be very careful because there are many risks involved.

Deathly Hallows: Harry Potter cast at world premiere

Thousands of Harry Potter fans braved cold winds and heavy showers to see their favourite stars at the world premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Some camped out for two nights to make sure they grabbed a good spot by the red carpet before the cast started arriving at London's Leicester Square.
As well as Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, there were loads of celebrity Potter fans there too, including the latest X Factor contestants and Tom and Harry from McFly.
We sent Ricky to the red carpet to check it out and get all the gossip from the stars - including CBBC's Hacker T Dog!!


Vocabulary

cast the actors and actresses in a film, play etc.
premiere the first public showing of a film or play etc.
braved to have done something that is difficult
camped out slept outside in a tent
celebrity famous person
contestants people who are trying to win something in a contest
gossip talk about other people which might be unkind or not true

True or false?

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows had its world premiere in London.
2. Thousands of Harry Potter fans wanted to see their favourite stars.
3. The sun was shining.
4. Some fans slept outside the cinema before the premiere.
5. The premiere was in Leicester Square.
6. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint are in the Harry Potter films.
7. There were no other people there.
8. Ricky talked to the stars.
Which word or phrase means the same as the one in italics?

9. fans

a) the same as people who like something a lot
b) the same as people who don't like anything
c) the same as people who are famous
10. grabbed
a) the same as left
b) the same as gave
c) the same as took
11. spot
a) the same as place
b) the same as film
c) the same as star
12. arriving
a) the same as leaving
b) the same as staying
c) the same as coming

Horror Films Booming In Gloomy Economy

Horror films are increasing in popularity and some experts claim it is because of the gloomy economic times. There are four new cinema scaries released this month while dedicated horror festivals are booming across the country.
Eli Roth, producer of The Last Exorcism - which is released in the UK this weekend - said "Horror is always popular... people want a good smart, scary story," he said. He is a member of the Hollywood "splat pack" - a group of film makers renowned for their love of horror - and said films in the genre are increasingly sophisticated, often with a wider message. "Now there is a feeling that evil is on the rise. “There is this feeling that there is evil out there and we have to do everything to fight it."
Another trend is for viewers to watch this kind of Films in the company of others. Horror festivals are growing in popularity. Last weekend 27,000 people descended on London for FrightFest which exhibited 40 scary films. Over Halloween, thousands will convene in Manchester for Grimm Up North to watch movies, play games and even walk like zombies.
Cultural historians say that nail-biting, hide-behind-the-sofa films traditionally do well when the country is in an economic depression. Simeon Halligan, Director of Grimm Up North, said: "One of the reasons horror and fantasy are very popular at the moment is because in a recession people throw themselves into escapism, when reality is hard work.”Horror reflects a sense of anger and frustration at a society that is not doing so well."

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

a) In the past, horror films were not as complex as they are now.
b) People do not share their like for horror.
c) Horror festivals are not just going to the cinema.
d) Some people have studied the connection between crisis and horror films success.

Question 2 Answer these questions in your own words with information from the text:

a) What two trends does the text mention as far as horror stories are concerned?
b) Why are people so keen on horror films at the moment?

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

a) famous (par.2)
b) To meet (par.3)
c) To progress(par.4)

Question 4 Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning

a) They have released four new scaries this month.
Four ………
b) Horror movies are increasing in popularity because of the economic recession.
If there were …..
c) In a recession people throw themselves into escapism when reality is hard work.
Mr. Halligan said that ……

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

What can you do to escape from reality?

Horror Films Booming In Gloomy Economy

KEY

Question 1

a) True. films in the genre are increasingly sophisticated, often with a wider message.
b) False. Another trend is for viewers to watch this kind of Films in the company of others.
c) True. thousands will convene in Manchester Grimm Up North to watch movies, play games and even walk like zombies.
d) True. Cultural historians say that nail-biting, hide-behind-the-sofa films traditionally do well when the country is in an economic depression.

Question 2

a) There is a trend to watch more and more horror films, which convey the idea that those who see the film could fight against evil themselves. Besides, people tend to watch these films together with many more people in shows where they can enjoy other activities related to horror.
b) When people go to the cinema to watch horror movies, they try to forget about the bad economic situation they are going through. so as not to feel angry and frustrated.


Question 3

a) renowned
b) to convene
c) to do well

Question 4

a) Four new scaries have been released this month.
b) If there were not an economic recession, horror movies wouldn’t be increasing in popularity.
c) Mr. Halligan said that in a recession people threw themselves into escapism when reality was hard work./ people throw themselves into escapism when reality is hard work.

Thousands of kids are calling for drivers to slow down on the roads.

A survey by the charity BRAKE found that around half of nine to 13-year-olds have had a near-miss while walking or cycling on roads.
Most children said that cars go 'too fast'. Brake wants a 20mph speed limit introduced in all areas close to houses and schools.
The survey also found one in 10 children in Scotland has been hit on the road by a car or a bike.
A spokesperson for Brake said: "One of the best ways we can do this is to slow down to 20 miles per hour or below around schools and homes."
Last year the government said there had been a 57% drop in the number of children being killed on Britain's roads since the 1990s, and it's aiming to halve that number again by 2020.

Are these sentences TRUE or FALSE?

1. Thousands of children want car drivers to drive faster.
2. The charity BRAKE has organised a survey.
3. The survey found that all nine to 13-year-olds have had near-misses while walking on roads.
4. Brake wants a 60mph speed limit around schools.
5. The survey found that one in 10 children in Scotland has been hit on the road by a car or a bike.
6. The government said there was a rise in the number of children being killed on the roads in Britain last year.
7. There has been a drop of 57% in the number of children being killed on roads in Britain since the 1990s.
8. The government wants to double the number of deaths on the roads.

Try our quiz on road safety

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4440000/newsid_4445500/4445532.stm

Match the words to the definitions

spokesperson looking at the opinions, behaviour, etc., of people by asking them questions
speed limit a situation in which something almost hits something else
halve the fastest rate at which you are allowed to drive in an area
survey to put something into use for the first time
drop someone who is chosen by a group or organisation to speak officially to the public for them
near-miss a reduction in the amount or level of something
introduced intending; wanting to
aiming reducing something by half or dividing something into two equal pieces

Thanksgiving Day

DON'T FORGET EVERY FOURTH THURSDAY IN NOVEMBER IS "MY DAY".


HOW MUCH "POCKET MONEY" ARE YOUR CHILDREN GETTING FOR BLACK FRIDAY?

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving, when Christmas shopping starts.

Go to the PAU texts section and read the "Pocket money" text.

Pocket money paying for good manners and help around home

Good manners cost nothing according to the old saying. However, the latest research from The Children’s Mutual has found that this is not strictly true, because 44 per cent of children are now financially rewarded for good behaviour.

The research reveals that, as well as good behaviour, parents are also offering an ‘honest wage’ for a hard day’s work. 37 per cent of children ‘earn’ their pocket money by helping out with chores around the home and 19 per cent fill their piggy banks by helping out with the family pet.

According to research, the rate for pocket money has increased by a whopping 83 per cent in just a generation from when parents received pocket money until today. Parents are already giving an average of £2.85 a week to their child and with many parents expecting to increase this amount by £1 each year.

However, despite the rise in pocket money, the research showed that parents are often unsure of how much to ‘pay’ their children and can feel pressurised to compete with how much other parents give. Nearly one in five said there was pressure to conform to a ‘market rate’ and 16 per cent said they feel they pay too much but ‘have to go with what everyone gets’.

The Children's Mutual has launched a new micro site which has been created to help parents teach their children about pocket money and saving. Parents can put a value against each chore to help their kids to learn the value of money. Children also have their own user-friendly guide which helps them to understand where money comes from, how to budget, keeping money safe, and ways of saving for the items they want.

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

a) Walking the dog is the most common way to get money from parents.
b) Parents used to get further less pocket money than their children.
c) Parents feel confident about the money they give their children.
d) Some parents feel obliged to pay a minimum to their children.

Question 2 Answer these questions in your own words with information from the text:

a) What can children do to “earn” money?
b) What can parents and children learn about money?

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

a) Housekeeping task (par.2)
b) To adjust (par.4)
c) To start (par. 5)

Question 4 Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning

a) Parents are also offering an ‘honest wage’ for a hard day’s work.
An honest...
b) Children earn their pocket money by helping out with chores around the home.
If children...
c)Good manners cost nothing. However, research has found that this is not strictly true.
Although...

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

“Good manners cost nothing”. Do you agree with this saying?

Pocket money paying for good manners and help around home

KEY


Question 1

a) False. 37 per cent of children ‘earn’ their pocket money by helping out with chores around the home and 19 per cent fill their piggy banks by helping out with the family pet.
b) True. the rate for pocket money has increased by a whopping 83 per cent in just a generation from when parents received pocket money until today
c)False. parents are often unsure of how much to ‘pay’ their children
d) True. Nearly one in five said there was pressure to conform to a ‘market rate’ or they feel they pay too much but ‘have to go with what everyone gets’

Question 2

a) If children want to earn pocket money they can either behave well and have good manners or help their parents with housework. They can also help by taking care of their pets.
b) Parents can be taught about the amount of money they can give their children for certain tasks. Children can learn about different ways to save money and be able to work out the value of things. Furthermore, they can find out how to keep money safe.
Question 3

a) chores
b) conform
c) launched / to launch

Question 4

a) An honest wage is also being offered for a hard day’s work by parents.
b) If children didn’t help out with chores around the house, they wouldn’t earn their pocket money.
c) Although good manners cost nothing, research has found that this is not strictly true.

Witch's hat halts London Underground on Halloween

A witch's hat brought part of London's Underground to a standstill on Halloween when it was thrown on to a track.

Tube passengers had to walk through tunnels in the early hours of Sunday morning after the hat, which contained metal, was thrown on to the line at Chalk Farm, in North London. A passenger is thought to have thrown the hat which cut out the power, halting four trains.
Hundreds of passengers were stuck on the trains for more than an hour before they were allowed to walk along tunnels to the nearest stations, London Underground said.
The four trains, three heading north between Camden and Belsize Park, and one northbound between Camden and Kentish Town, were stopped at 0040 BST. London Underground estimated that there were up to 90 passengers on each train.
"We apologise to passengers who were inconvenienced as a result of this incident, and would urge customers to take care and not to discard items on the railway," a spokesman for the company said. "The metal part of a hat thrown on to the rails at Chalk Farm caused power interruption," London Underground said.

1 Look at the following words in the text. They are all in italics. Put each word next to the correct definition/synonym.

a) Tube is another, informal way of naming the ……………………………… .

b) People who travel in a vehicle (but are not the driver), are ………….…………………

c) There are four ways of referring to the metal strips where the train runs. What are they?

2 Find words in the text that mean:

a) To stop (paragraph 1) ……………………………..….

b) Trapped (paragraph 2) ……………………………..….

c) Travelling northwards (paragraph 2) …...……………………………….. or ....……………………………..

d) To say sorry (paragraph 3) ……………………………..….

e) Someone who represents a company in an interview ……………………………..….



Links to materials of interest:

Worksheet on vocabulary and some listening activities.click here




Key
1 a) London Underground
b) passengers
c) track, line, railway, rails
2 a) halt
b) stuck
c) heading north / northbound
d) apologise
e) spokesman

Grandmother passes driving test at 960th attempt

A South Korean grandmother has become a national celebrity by passing her driving test at the 960th attempt. Cha Sa-soon, 69, whose surname Cha coincidentally means "vehicle" in Korean, is currently appearing in a prime-time advertisement for Hyundai, Korea's largest carmaker. Now Mrs Cha, who lives in Jeonju, 130 miles (210km) south of Seoul, must pass the practical test to get on the road.

After four years of trying, 68-year-old Cha Sa-soon finally managed to secure the 60 out of 100 points needed to pass the test. The grandmother has spent more than 5m won ($4,200, £2,600) on application fees for the test. She wanted a licence so that she could use a vehicle to sell vegetables and other goods, the newspaper the Korea Times said.

According to the Korean Driver's Licence Agency, the 50-minute written test consists of 50 multiple-choice questions on road regulations and car maintenance. And her determination to pass the test has made her well-known at the Jeonju centre. "She is really famous here. Not only agency employees but even some test-takers know her. Her challenging spirit is really amazing," one official was quoted as saying.

Speaking in February - after her 775th failure - Mrs Cha said: "I believe you can achieve your goal if you persistently pursue it." "So don't give up your dream, like me. Be strong and do your best."

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) Cha Sa-soon stars in a Korean car advert.
b) Cha Sa-soon can now legally drive a car in Korea.
c) Cha Sa-soon wants to work for the Korea Times.
d) The written driving test in Korea includes questions about looking after your car

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

a) How much time and money has Cha Sa-soon spent on passing this test?
b) What advice does Cha Sa-soon give?

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

a) obtain (Paragraph 2)
b) things to sell(Paragraph 2)
c) incredible (Paragraph 3)

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

a) Hyundai have made an advertisement for a car and Cha Sa-soon appears in it.
Cha Sa-soon appears in ……………………………………………………...……………………………….
b) Not only agency employees but even some test-takers know Cha Sa-soon.
Cha Sa-soon is ……………… but also also ………………………………………………..
c) If you persistently pursue your dream, you can achieve your goal.
Cha Sa-soon said that ............................................................................................................................

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

" People like Cha sa-soon are a model and an inspiration for us all" Do you agree?

Grandmother passes driving test at 960th attempt

Question 1 (2 points)

a) True. . Cha Sa-soon,.... is currently appearing in a prime-time advertisement for Hyundai, Korea's largest carmaker.
b) False. Now Mrs Cha, ……, must pass the practical test to get on the road.
c) False. She wanted a licence so that she could use a vehicle to sell vegetables and other
goods.
d) True. the 50-minute written test consists of 50 multiple-choice questions on road regulations
and car maintenance.


Question 2 (2 points)
a) She has been trying to pass this test for the last four years and has tried to pass 959 times
before. It has cost her over $4,200 dollars.
b) Cha Sa-soon advises us to keep trying to reach our ambitions. We need to have strength
and to try hard.

Question 3 (1.5 points)
a) secure (Paragraph 1)
b) goods (Paragraph 3)
c) amazing (Paragraph 4)

Question 4 (1.5 points)
Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
Hyundai have made an advertisement for a car and Cha Sa-soon appears in it.
Cha Sa-soon appears in an advertisement that Hyundai has made for a car.
b) Not only agency employees but even some test-takers know Cha Sa-soon.
Cha Sa-soon is known not only by agency employees but also by some test-takers.
c) If you persistently pursue your dream, you can achieve your goal.
Cha Sa-soon said that if we persistently pursued our dream, we could achieve our goal.

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