Best time to drink a cup of coffee: 10.30am

KEY

Question 1

            a) TRUE “ cortisol [...]promotes alertness”

            b) FALSE  “Cortisol levels are naturally high shortly after waking up”

            c) TRUE “drinking coffee in the afternoon can help to offset lapses in attention that occur after a large lunch”

            d) TRUE  “Early risers may find their ideal time is earlier than those who get to enjoy a lie in”

Question 2

a)       It is better to wait because when we wake up our levels of cortisol are high; it is after an hour when we need to drink a cup of coffee in order to produce more cortisol.

b)       You may become tolerant to caffeine and may need and extra dosis the reach the same levels of cortisol on your body.

Question 3

a)       due to

b)       peak

c)       promotes / to promote

d)       to offset

e)       to vary

Question 4

a)       Although he drinks coffee when he gets up, he doesn't concentrate in his work.

b)       Mr Miller said that although your cortisol levels peaked between 8 and 9am, there were a few other times where blood levels peaked again.

c)       Cortisol production is promoted by drinking coffee.

Britons actually prefer cheaper wine

KEY

Question 1

            a) TRUE “six out of ten even thought the £4.99 bottle was more expensive than the £19.99 version”

            b) FALSE “The results of the tests were gathered from around 20,000 wine enthusiasts who have attended courses at the academy over the last 20 years”

            c) TRUE “cheaper wines tend to have lower acidity, higher alcohol content and a simpler flavour“

            d) FALSE “But as their understanding and sense of taste grow they tend to gravitate to pricier wines that display more complexity.” 

Question 2

a)       The experiment took place at a wine academy in London; before they trained people on wine tasting, they were asked to try different wines from the same grape variety and say what the price of the wine was.

b)       Experts look for mixed tastes which should be balanced; it is also important that these  flavours last long when you try the wine.

Question 3

a)       likely

b)       gathered / (to) gather

c)       attended / (to) attend

            d)   nearly

            e)   (to) display

Question 4

a)       The £4.99 bottle was thought to be more expensive than the £19.99 version.

b)       They gathered the results of the tests from around 20,000 wine enthusiasts.

c)       She added that initially their students preferred the simplicity of less expensive wines.

Body language

What are the main reasons for lying? Choose the right answer

1. Negotiations
2. Taking for granted
3. It’s a game of cat and mouse
4. You like poker

HAND TO FACE GESTURES

What are the signals of bluffing / lying? Tick the correct answers

1. Avoiding eye contact
2. Looking at your feet
3. Playing around your mouth
4. Playing around your nose
5. Pulling up your collar
6. Rubbing the back of your neck
7. Rubbing the side of your neck
8. Rubbing your hands
9. Touching the side of your nose
10. Touching your ear

FEET AND LEGS

Why are they difficult to control?

HANDS

What does it mean when a person has his/her palms open?

Key

Reasons for lying: 1 (negotiations)

hand to face gestures: 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9

feet and legs: They are difficult to control because they are the furthest from the brain

hands: He/she is being honest

People lie and cheat more during afternoon

People are more likely to lie or cheat during the afternoon because self control diminishes during the day, according to researchers

Volunteers taking part in two experiments where they could benefit by cheating were more likely to do so if the tests took place after midday, researchers found. The findings back up previous studies which have shown that our capacity for self-control declines during the day, due to tiredness and repeatedly making decisions.

Psychologists from Harvard University first showed a group of volunteers various patterns of dots on a computer screen, asking them to decide whether there were more dots on the left or the right hand side. Instead of being rewarded for getting the answer right, the participants were paid based on which side they chose, earning ten times as much for choosing the right hand side as the left. People who were tested after midday were significantly more likely to select the right hand side, even if there were clearly more dots on the left, than those who took part during the morning.

In a second test, participants were shown a series of word fragments, such as "--ral" and "e---c--" and asked which words they associated with them. In morning experiments, participants were more likely to form the words "moral" and "ethical" while during the afternoon the words "coral" and "effects" were most common.

Further tests conducted online showed that people were more likely to send dishonest messages or claim to have solved an unsolvable problem in the afternoon than the morning.

Writing the Psychological Science journal, the researchers said the difference was particularly pronounced in people with higher ethical standards, who always behaved morally during the morning but slipped during the afternoon. In contrast, those who were able to "morally disengage", or behave unethically without feeling guilty, were prone to cheating whatever the time of day.

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. All the volunteers were paid.

b. There wasn’t a similar number of dots on both sides.

c. There were only two tests in the experiments.

d. There are some people who will cheat at any time.

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

a. Why do most participants choose the wrong hand side in experiment one?

b. What kind of people would change their behavior in the afternoon?

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

a. Support par 2

b. Different par 3

c. Say something is true par 5

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

a. Our capacity of self-control declines during the day, due to tiredness.

    Our capacity of self-control declines during the day, as we…

b. They asked them whether there were more dots on the left or the right hand side.

     They asked: “…

c. Participants were shown a series of word fragments.

    The psychologists…

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

            Some lies are not bad. Do you agree?

Will the new food labelling scheme get the green light?

What's in a label? Health experts are hoping that yet another "traffic light" labelling scheme in supermarkets will stop Britain's slump toward obesity.

If you ever look at the labels on the food you eat, chances are you will already get the general gist. Many foodstuffs are rated for their fat, sugar and salt content. If it is low the product is marked green, medium gets an amber and if it is high then the product is marked red.

Traffic lights, we are told, make a difference. Studies have shown that they are very successful in changing our behaviour. The Co-operative produced a survey last week showing that 41pc of women and 30pc of men would leave a product on the shelf if it had a red traffic light.

But instead of one coherent system, the food industry has produced a mishmash of labelling schemes that has not served the public well. The result has been years of confusion over food labelling in supermarkets.

The latest voluntary scheme, announced last week, is the culmination of years of dithering. The Food Standards Agency first proposed traffic-light food labelling in 2008, but supermarkets and food companies objected. Kellogg's and Tesco were among the objectors, complaining that products were judged on 100g sizes rather than recommended portions, which confused customers.

The new system is called a hybrid scheme, which means that it will contain elements of all of the different pack labelling schemes we are used to. So you will see the traffic light colours based on a standard 100g size, the amount of sugar, salt and fat as a percentage guideline daily amount, as well as the words "high", "medium" or "low" by each of these categories.

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 idea behind the traffic light labelling scheme is to improve levels of obesity in Britain.

b. More men than women react positively to the traffic light  scheme.

c. The Food  Standards  Agency successfully set up the traffic light  food labelling  scheme in 2008.

d. The new system will include additional information to the original scheme.

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

a.      Why is the idea of traffic lights used in the schemes?

b.      How is the new hybrid system different from the original scheme?

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

a. general idea ( para. 2)

b. questionnaire (para. 3)

c. mixture (para. 4)

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

a.      If you ever look at the labels on the food you eat, you will probably already get the general gist.

If you ever looked………………………………………………………………………………………….

b.      Kellogg’s and Tesco said that the products were judged on 100 g sizes rather than recommended portions, which confused customers.

“ The products……………………………………………………………………….”, said Kellogg’s and Tesco.

c.      The Cooperative produced a survey last week.

A  survey…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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

How do you think it is best to reduce child obesity?

Nasa looking for volunteers to stay in bed for ten weeks

You could say it's literally a dream job: getting paid to stay in bed.

            American space agency Nasa is advertising for people to do just that. They need volunteers who are willing to stay in bed, read a book or watch TV. The catch? They have to stay in bed for 70 days without getting up at all.

            Nasa scientists need to study the effects of weightlessness on the human body and they felt one of the easiest ways to do this was to get people to put their feet up.

            In Nasa's Bed Rest Project, volunteers will be placed in tilted beds so their feet are slightly higher than their body. They'll then stay that way - whether going to the toilet or showering, or eating.

After ten weeks they'll be asked to do a number of exercises to see how the lack of exercise has affected them. Lying down for such long periods of time can cause loss in muscle mass and bone density.

            But the Nasa team need very healthy people to take part: they said the volunteers should be as fit and capable as a real astronaut.

Match the words below to their definitions

capable / volunteer / effect / literally / density / willing

able to do things effectively and skilfully

amount of something in a given volume

result of an action

used to emphasize that what you are saying is real

person who does something without being paid or forced to do it

happy to do something if asked to do it

True or false?

1. The beds will be completely level.

2. NASA is looking for people who are fit and well.

3. The volunteers will exercise while they are in bed.

4. The volunteers will not be able to get up for any reason.

5. NASA does not need any more volunteers.

6. Being in space can weaken your body.

7. The volunteers will be served their meals in bed.

8. The volunteers will go on to be astronauts.

What is the missing word?

1.NASA scientists need to study the effects of ____________.

2.Volunteers will be placed in _____________ beds.

3.They’ll be asked to do a number of___________          .

4.The NASA team need very ___________ people to take part.

KEY

capable able to do things effectively and skilfully

density amount of something in a given volume

effect result of an action

literally used to emphasize that what you are saying is real

volunteer person who does something without being paid or forced to do it

willing happy to do something if asked to do it

True or false?

1. False

2. True

3. False

4. True

5. False

6. True

7. True

8. False

What is the missing word?

1.  weightlessness

2.  tilted

3.  exercises

4.  healthy

Rephrasings 7

Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning

1.       It’s ages since I last visited Russia.

I ……………………………………………………………

2.       I’ve never seen such a beautiful flower.  

It’s …………………………………………………………

3.       Susan arrived in Paris on Monday.

Susan has ……………………………………………….

4.       They started to live in New York two years ago.

They have………………………………………………..

5.       During the job interview, they asked me to show them my C.V. 

While I………………………………………………………..

6.       I know Paul. I first met him seven years ago.

I …………………

7.       I haven’t heard of yoga and meditation as a school subject before.

This is ………………………………………………………………………

8.       This is the first time Steve has paid attention to his diet.

Steve ……………………………………………………………….

9.       He started to lose weight at the age of twelve.

He has …………………………………………………………

10.   The last time she wrote a letter was last May.

She ………………………………………………………..

KEY

1. I haven’t visited Russia for a long time.
2. It’s the most beautiful flower I’ve ever seen.
3. Susan has been in Paris since Monday.
4. They have been living in New York for two years.
5. While I was being interviewed, they asked me to show them my C.V / I was asked to show my C.V.
6. I have known Paul for seven years.
7. This is the first time I have heard of yoga and meditation as a school subject.
8. Steve hasn’t paid attention to his diet before.
9. He has been losing weight since he was twelve.
10. She hasn’t written a letter since May.

Will the new food labelling scheme get the green light?

KEY

Question 1

a)   True Health experts are hoping that yet another "traffic light" labelling scheme in supermarkets  will stop Britain's slump toward obesity.

b)   False a survey last week showing that 41pc of women and 30pc of men would leave a product on the shelf if it had a red traffic light.

c)  False The Food Standards Agency first proposed traffic-light food labelling in 2008, but supermarkets and food companies objected.

d)   True The new system is called a hybrid scheme, which means that it will contain elements of all of the different pack labelling schemes we are used to.

Question 2

a)       It makes a difference/successful in changing behaviour/41 percent of women and 30 percent of men leave red traffic light product on shelf.

b)      The hybrid system includes elements of all the pack labelling schemes/the amount of sugar, salt and fat are shown as a percentage daily amount/ words high, medium and low are written by each category.

Question 3

a)       gist

b)       survey

c)       mishmash

Question 4

a)       If you ever looked at the labels on the food you eat, you would probably already get the general gist.

b)       “ The products are judged on 100g sizes rather than recommended portions, which confuses customers.”, said Kellogg’s and Tesco.

c)       A survey was produced last week by the Cooperative.

What's the point of curved smartphones?

Electronics giant LG has launched its first curved smartphone called the G-Flex. Despite its name the G-Flex does not bend, but has a display which is curved from top to bottom.

            LG says the curve helps the phone follow the shape of your face, putting the microphone closer to your mouth.

Why would anybody want a curved smartphone? "Curved smartphones are a bit of a gimmick at the moment," said Newsbeat technology reporter Jonathan Blake.

            He told Newsround: "They could be more comfortable to hold and companies claim the curved screen makes watching video more impressive. But apart from that the phones are very similar to other smartphones."

            Tech rival Samsung revealed its own curved smartphone on 9 October. It wakes up from sleep mode when you rock it forwards.

            But both smartphones are only going on sale in South Korea for the time being.

            Jonathan said: "Technology companies need to keep up interest in their products and curved smartphones attract a lot of attention. But the fact they're only available in one country at the moment suggests the companies making them are not convinced they will take off."

Match the words below to their definitions

convince / despite / gimmick / impressive / rival / similar

describes something that is admired because of its qualities

certain that something is true

almost the same, but not exactly

without being influenced by something

something that is used to attract people's attention, even though it has no real value

person or thing that competes with something else

True or false?

1.                   Technology companies rarely talk about their products.

2.                   The G-Flex can be bent into shape.

3.                   Curved smartphones may have several advantages.

4.                   LG is certain the curved smartphone will be successful.

5.                   The phones are only available in one country.

6.                   Whether the curved smartphones will succeed is an open question.

7.                   Samsung's curved smartphone cannot detect motion.

8.                   LG was not the first to launch a curved smartphone.

What is the missing word?

1. Tech rival Samsung ________________________ its own curved smartphone.

2. Technology companies need to keep up ________________________ in their products.

3. They could be more ________________________ to hold.

4. Curved smartphones attract a lot of ________________________.

KEY

convinced certain that something is true

despite without being influenced by something

gimmick something that is used to attract people's attention, even though it has no real value

impressive describes something that is admired because of its qualities

rival person or thing that competes with something else

similar almost the same, but not exactly

True or false?

1. False

2. False

3. True

4. False

5. True

6. True

7. False

8. True

What is the missing word?

1. revealed

2. interest

3. comfortable

4. attention

People lie and cheat more during afternoon

KEY

Question 1

a) True. The participants were paid based on which side they chose.

b) True. Even if there were clearly more dots on the left.

c) False. Further tests conducted online.

d) True. Those who were able to “morally disengage”, or behave unethically without feeling guilty, were prone to cheating whatever the time of day.

Question 2

a)  They want to get the reward.

b)   The most honest people.

Question 3

a) back up

b) various

c) claim

Question 4

a)    Our capacity of self-control declines during the day, as we get tired.

b)    They asked: “ Are there more dots on left or the right hand side?”

c)    The psychologists showed a series of word fragments to the participants.