Book Day 23rd April

On April 23rd we celebrate Book Day, if you want to know why this date was chosen click here

Finger replaced with USB drive

Computer programmer from Finland has lost finger replaced with USB drive

A computer programmer from Finland who lost his ring finger in a motorcycle accident has had it replaced with a USB drive.
Jerry Jalava from Helsinki, Finland, has built the special prosthetic finger to use as computer storage for his photos, movies and other useful files.
While the prosthetic looks like a normal finger Jerry can peel it back from the 'nail' and plug it into the USB slot on his computer using it as an additional hard drive.
He was rushed to Helsinki Hospital where he was examined by a hand surgeon who said they were unable to save it and amputated half of the finger.
When Jerry told doctors what he did for a living they joked he should have a USB 'finger drive' but that was good enough for him, and he set about making one.
Using a traditional prosthetic finger Jerry has been able to embed a 'USB key' - like the ones used in traditional flash drives - giving him the world's only two gigabyte finger.
The finger is not permanently attached to his hand meaning it can be removed when plugged into a computer. "It is not attached permanently into my body, it is a removable prosthetic which has USB memorystick inside it," said Jerry. "When I'm using the USB, I just leave my finger inside the slot and pick it up after I'm ready."
Jerry said he is already thinking about upgrading his faux finger to include more storage and wireless technology. "I'm planning to use another prosthetic as a shell for the next version, which will have removable fingertip and an RFID tag," he added.
17 Mar 2009
RFID : Radio Frequency IDentification

Question 1 (2 points) Indicate whether these statements are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.
a. Jerry can use his finger as a pendrive.
b. It was Jerry’s own idea to use his new finger in this way.
c. They were not able to use existing prosthetic finger designs.
d. Jerry wants to add new elements to his finger in the future.
Question 2. (2 points) Answer these questions in your own words.
a. What happened to Jerry when he got to hospital?
b. What kind of finger is it and how does it work?
Question 3 (1.5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that mean the same as:
a. move fast (p.4) b. implant (p.6) c. not real (p.8)
Question 4 (1.5 points) Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a. He was rushed to Helsinki Hospital where he was examined by a hand surgeon.
They .................................................................
b. Jerry has been able to embed a USB key because he is using a prosthetic finger.
If he were ........................................................
c. “When I´m using the USB, I just leave my finger inside the slot and pick it up after I´m ready.”
Jerry said that ..................................................
Question 5 (3 points) Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic.
How can the Internet help handicapped people?

Board games

Rainy afternoon? then, it's time for board games.

First, enjoy the Monopoly



Now, the Scrabble



Scrabble regains number one slot as brain games craze takes hold

Scrabble has landed on a triple-word score. The board game, beloved by logophiles and the cause of frequent family rows, has become the country's best selling board game, reclaiming the number one spot for the first time in at least 15 years.
The increasing popularity of brain games – both word and numbers puzzles – has helped Scrabble remove Golden Balls, a game based on a television programme, from the number one position.
Sales of Scrabble have increased by 30 per cent in the first nine months of this year, compared to the same period last year, according to NPD, a market research firm that tracks toy and games sales. Its records go back just 15 years, but experts reckon that this is the first time Scrabble has been in the number one spot since at least the mid 1980s, when Trivial Pursuit came to prominence.
Its renewed success has also been helped by the online and computer versions of the game, with Scrabulous – a web version of the game that members of Facebook could play – proving one of the internet phenomenons of 2008. The game was shut down by Hasbro, the owner of the US rights to the game, but only after it had attracted half a million players every single day.
Some toy experts believe that old fashioned board games will do well this Christmas thanks to the economic slowdown. Stuart Grant, buying director of the toy chain The Entertainer, said: "When money is tight, people turn to brands they know and trust. We sell over 200 board games but people pick things they remember from their childhood when they are unsure where to spend their money."


Question 1. Indicate whether these statements are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.
a. NPD holds more than 10 years of information about the sales of games and toys.
b. Trivial Pursuit was in number one position of the ranking.
c. People can still play online Scrabble if they want to.
d. When buying games, people prefer those they used to play when they were children.

Question 2. Answer these questions in your own words.
a. Why has Scrabble become the best selling board game?
b. How will the economic crisis affect the sale of games?

Question 3. Find words or phrases in the text that mean the same as:
a. arguments (p.1)
b. to calculate (p.3)
c. recession (p. 5)

Question 4. Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a. Brain games are very popular. That s why Scrabble is number one.
If brain ...........................................................................................
b. Its success has also been helped by the online version of the game.
The online version .........................................................................
c. Stuart Grant said “ When money is tight , people turn to brands they know and trust.”
S. Grant said that ………………………………………………..

Question 5. Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic.
• Benefits of board games


Self Access Group.Ciefp-Santander.

Ryanair may charge £ 1 for lavatory use

Ryanair may charge £ 1 for lavatory use
Ryanair is considering charging passengers £1 to use the lavatory on its flights, according to chief executive Michael O’Leary. In an interview on BBC television this morning, Mr O’Leary said that the low-cost airline was looking at the possibility of installing a coin slot on the lavatory door.
Ironically, in a light-hearted survey conducted by Telegraph Travel last November, we asked readers which service they thought no-frills airlines might start charging for in the future. 56 per cent of readers said that a charge for "using the loo" would be the most likely; while 31 per cent chose "reclining seats" and 11 per cent opted for "sick bags".
Mr O’Leary said that Ryanair was determined to make air travel easier and more affordable. “I don’t think there’s anybody in history gone on board a Ryanair flight with less than a pound,” he added. Later, Ryanair spokesman Stephen McNamara said: "While this has been discussed internally, there are no immediate plans to introduce it." "However, this highlights Ryanair's continuing obsession with lowering costs and passing these savings on in the form of lower fares.” "Passengers using train and bus stations are already accustomed to paying to use the toilet so why not on airplanes?
The Dublin-based airline has gained a reputation for its high booking fees and additional charges. The carrier charges £30 to check in a bag, £10 to pay for flights with a credit card, £60 to check in sports or music equipment, £15 for each kilo of excess baggage, £50 to change a flight and £100 to change the name on a ticket.
A spokesman for rival low-fare carrier easyJet said: "We have no plans to charge passengers £1 to use our toilets.”Inflation appears to have gone crazy if it now costs £1 to spend a penny."
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) Michael Leary announced on television today that Ryanair had decided to ask passengers to pay one pound for going to the toilet.
b) Mr Leary says that Ryanair passengers get on the plane with money.
c) People waiting to get on some trains or buses already have to pay to use the toilet.
d) Ryanair’s idea will be used by Easy Jet.
Question 2 (2 points)
Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) What predictions did Telegraph readers make in the survey?
b) What extra charges do you have to pay if you travel with Ryanair?
Question 3 (1.5 points)
Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) not serious (paragraph 2)
b) cheap (paragraph 3)
c) draw attention to (paragraph 3)
Question 4 (1.5 points)
Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a) Telegraph Travel asked readers to say what services airlines might charge them for in the future.
Readers ……………. what services they ….
b) Ryanair charges for extras, so fares are low.
If
c) "Inflation appears to have gone crazy if it now costs £1 to spend a penny." said an Easy Jet spokesman.
An Easy Jet spokesman said that .....
Question 5 (5 points)
Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
• Travelling helps us understand the world.
Self-Access Group Ciefp Santander

Letter of application

Task:

Wtite a letter of application, answering the following advert,

You have seen the following job advertisement in a magazine:

SUMMER CAMP ASSISTANTS Wanted!
(July to September 2009)
Summer Fun Ltd. is looking to recruit six Camp Assistants to work with children aged 11-16 from a number of nationalities. Priority will be given to applicants who:
• have a special interest in Drama, Sports, or Arts and Craft
• are responsible and can cope in a crisis
• can speak at least two languages

If you would like to be considered for the post, please apply in writing. (References are essential.)
Write your letter of application to the school owner. (around 120-180 words)
Ideas for writing
Ask yourself the following questions to help you get started:
• What information can you put in your letter to show that you have a special interest in one of the areas required?
E.g., I am a student in my final year of a Sports Science degree...
• How can you show that you are responsible and able to cope in a crisis?
E.g. recently attended a First Aid course, which has given me the confidence to deal with emergency situations.
• Can you prove that you can speak two languages?
E.g. I am a native speaker of French and I recently passed my First Certificate in English...
• Are you available for the dates given? Make this clear in your letter. In addition, you will have to supply references so you could mention this at the end:
E.g. Both of my referees are happy to be contacted immediately...
• Drafting and proofreading your work
You should look at your first draft of the task and decide:
Have you answered the question?
Is the letter organised in a clear and logical way?
Is the language correct with a good range of structures?
Is the style OK for a formal letter?
If the answer to any of these questions is 'no' you will need to do some more drafting!

or click here to find a list of jobs which might be suitable for you, then write your letter of application

Ridiculous Complaints Made by Holidaymakers

Have a look at the 20 Most ridiculous complaints published by the telegraph

"It took us nine hours to fly home from Jamaica to England it only took the Americans three hours to get home."

Tell your students to choose one of them and ask them to write a letter of complaint to the travel agent

It is possible to store the mind with a million facts and still be entirely uneducated.
Alec Bourne

Winston Churchill didn't really exist, say teens

Winston Churchill didn't really exist, say teens

A fifth of British teenagers believe Sir Winston Churchill was a fictional character, while many think Sherlock Holmes, King Arthur and Eleanor Rigby were real, a survey shows.
The canvass of 3,000 under-twenties uncovered an extraordinary paucity of basic historical knowledge that older generations take for granted.
Despite his celebrated military reputation, 47 per cent of respondents dismissed the 12th-century crusading English king Richard the Lionheart as fictional. In contrast, a series of fictitious characters that have featured in British films and literature over the past few centuries were awarded real-life status.
King Arthur is the mythical figure most commonly mistaken for fact - almost two thirds of teens (65 per cent) believe that he existed and led a round table of knights at Camelot.
Holmes, the detective, was so convincingly brought to life in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novels, their film versions and television series that 58 per cent of respondents believe that the sleuth really lived at 221B Baker Street.
Fifty-one per cent of respondents believed that Robin Hood lived in Sherwood Forest, robbing the rich to give to the poor, while 47 per cent believed Eleanor Rigby was a real person rather than a creation of The Beatles.
The study also shows a marked change in how people acquire their historical knowledge these days. More than three-quarters of those polled (77 per cent) admitted they did not read history books, and 61 per cent said that they changed channels rather than watch historical programmes on television.
Paul Moreton, the channel head of UKTV Gold which commissioned the poll, said that while there was no excuse for demoting real historical figures such as Churchill, the elevation of mythical figures to real life showed the impact good films could have in shaping the public consciousness.
"Stories like Robin Hood are so inspiring that it's not surprising people like to believe these characters truly existed," he said.

Question 1 Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text:
a) All the people interviewed were not older than 19.
b) Richard the Lionheart was a famous soldier.
c) 221B Baker street was the home of a real detective
d) Nowadays people read more about history rather than watching historical documents.

Question 2 Answer these questions in your own words:
a) Who ordered the survey and what did the results show?
b) What effect can films have on our perception of history?

Question 3 Find a word or phrase in the text that means the same as:
a) par. 2 survey
b) par. 3 appeared
c) par. 7 considerable

Question 4 Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning
a) Despite being a mythical figure, almost two thirds of teens believed King Arthur.
Although………………………………………………………….
b) 47 per cent believed Eleanor Rigby was a real person.
Eleanor Rigby was ……………………………………………………..
c) "Stories like Robin Hood are so inspiring that it's not surprising people believe these characters truly existed," he said.
d) He said that ……………………………………………………………………

Question 5 Write a short essay (120 to 150 words) on the following topic:
 What is the best way to learn about history?
Self-Access Group. Ciefp Santander

Agatha Christie’s grey cells mystery

Agatha Christie’s grey cells mystery

The mystery behind Agatha Christie’s enduring popularity may have been solved by three leading universities collaborating on a study of more than 80 of her crime novels.
Despite her worldwide sales of two billion, critics such as the crime writer P D James pan her writing style and “cardboard cut-out” characters. But the study by neuro-linguists at the universities of London, Birmingham and Warwick shows that she peppered her prose with phrases that act as a trigger to raise levels of serotonin and endorphins, the chemical messengers in the brain that induce pleasure and satisfaction.
“Christie’s language patterns stimulate higher than usual activity in the brain,” said Dr Roland Kapferer. “The release of these neurological opiates makes Christie’s writing literally unputdownable.”
The study — The Agatha Project — involved loading Christie’s novels onto a computer and analysing her words, phrases and sentences.
One finding was that she used a very limited vocabulary. “It means that readers aren’t distracted and so they concentrate more on the clues and the plots,” said Dr. Danielsson.
Despite the grisly theme of her novels, researchers say that much of her vocabulary is pleasing and gentle.
Favourite words or phrases, repeatedly used, help to stimulate the pleasure-inducing side of the brain. They include she, yes, girl, kind, smiled and suddenly. Common phrases include “can you keep an eye on this”, “more or less”, “a day or two” and “something like that”.
However, Mathew Prichard, Christie’s grandson, was sceptical of the research. “It’s not really a mystery. She was simply a writer of great plots,” he said.

Glossary:
Unputdownable:so interesting or exciting that you do not want to stop reading it.
from The Sunday Times December 18, 2005

Question 1 Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text:
a) Critics dislike only the way Agatha Christie wrote.
b) The less variety of vocabulary, the more you focus on the story.
c) Her vocabulary has nothing to do with the kind of plots she wrote.
d) Agatha Christie’s family agrees with the result of the study.

Question 2 Answer these questions in your own words:
a) What is the main conclusion of the study?
b) How does the repetition of words and phrases affect us as readers?

Question 3 Find a word or phrase in the text that means the same as:
a) Main par 1. b) something that produces an immediate result par 2. c) series of related events par. 5

Question 4 Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning
a) The mystery of her enduring popularity may have been solved by three leading universities.
Three...
b) Despite the grisly theme of her novels, researchers say that much of her vocabulary is pleasing and gentle.
Although...
c) “It means that readers aren’t distracted and so they concentrate more on the clues and the plots,” said Dr. Danielsson.
Dr. Danielson said that it...

Question 5 Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
What do you prefer  - a good book or a good movie?


Self-Access Group. CEP Santander

Man trapped in bowling club toilet for four days

Man trapped in bowling club toilet for four days

A retired teacher survived on tap water after getting trapped in a freezing bowling club toilet with no food or mobile phone for four days. David Leggat was trapped at Kittybrewster and Woodside Bowling Club after the door to the gents jammed behind him.
The 55-year-old spent 16 hours of each day in darkness and, in a desperate bid to keep warm in the freezing building, he dipped his feet in hot water. "I did a survival course once and knew I had to keep my feet warm, so I kept running a basin of hot water and putting my feet in, to send the heat through my body," he explained to the Aberdeen Evening Express. Mr Leggat was eventually freed after Cathy Scollay, the club's cleaner, heard his cries for help.
Mr Leggat's ordeal began last Monday afternoon when he entered the bathroom and the inside handle to the door jammed. A few days earlier the outside handle had fallen off. The bowler said he quickly realised he was in for a long wait as the club is rarely used in winter. Mr Leggat, who recently retired from Kemnay Academy, where he taught English and history, said: "I was lucky to get three hours' sleep a night."
Ms Scollay, who keeps her cleaning equipment in the gents, discovered Mr Leggat on Thursday morning. She said today: "I put on the light as normal, pushed the door and just heard a voice shouting 'you can't get in here, I have been locked in here for four days'. I just couldn't believe it." Ms Scollay could not manage to free Mr Leggat, so she called club secretary Bob Ewing, who used a screwdriver to open the door. "David looked awfully grey and shaky when he came out," Ms Scollay said. "But he managed to walk up the road to his house." "Nobody had been looking for David. A wife may have wondered where he was but he is not married," she said.
Mr Leggat told the Evening Express: "At least there was a toilet to use. The only thing I regret is not getting trapped behind the bar."

Question 1 Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text:
a) Mr Leggat went to the bowling club after his lessons.
b) When Mr. Leggat went into the bath room there was a handle on the door
c) He expected to get out in a short time.
d) He didn’t need any help to get back home.

Question 2 Answer these questions in your own words:
a) How did Mr Leggat manage to survive?
b) How did he get out?

Question 3 Find a word or phrase in the text that means the same as:
a) Men’s toilet par. 1
b) Rescue par. 2
c) Nightmare. par. 3

Question 4 Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning
a) Mr Leggat said: “I was lucky to get three hours’ sleep a night”.
Mr Leggat said that ………………………………………………………….
b) Bob Ewing used a screwdriver to open the door.
A screwdriver ……………………………………………………..
c) A wife may have wondered where he was but he is not married.
If David had……………………………………………………………………

Question 5 Write a short essay (120 to 150 words) on the following topic:
You can always learn from experiences

Self-Access Group. CEP Santander

Red Nose Day

Do something funny for money

red nose day

The Grand Canyon walkway

Take a stroll, 4,000ft above the Grand Canyon

Standing over a U-shaped glass walkway that juts 70ft over the edge of the Grand Canyon is a strange sensation. But that is the experience developers hope will lure visitors to a new attraction at the Grand Canyon.
David Jin, originally from Shanghai, is giving the walkway to the Indian tribe, the Hualapai, on whose land it has been built. He will share the profits with the tribe for the next 25 years.
The designers promise that with thick glass, shock absorbers to prevent wobbling and enough space to hold 120 people at a time, the new attraction is very safe. The walkway is said to be able to survive winds of more than 100mph, as well as an eight magnitude earthquake within 50 miles.
Mark Johnson, the architect, said the Skywalk could hold the weight of several hundred people.
The development was proposed in 1996 by Mr Jin and construction began in 2004. But the project has split the impoverished 2,200-strong Hualapai tribe.
Some members, who believe their ancestors emerged from the earth of the canyon, claim that it intrudes upon sacred land. "We have disturbed the ground," said Dolores Honga, a tribal elder who regularly performs traditional dances at the canyon edge. Workers on the walkway, which is surrounded by sacred archaeological and burial sites, often complained to her about nightmares. "Our people died right along the land there. They blend into the ground. It's spiritual ground. This is why they're awakened," she said. Don Havatone, 46, a tour guide and member of the tribe, said most of the Hualapai were opposed and that the walkway had "shaken up the community".
The tribe did not accept the "commercialisation" of their land and he at first rejected the idea.


Question 1 Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text:
a) The walkway can resist severe weather conditions.
b) The walkway can’t hold more than 120 people.
c) The Hualapai are a wealthy tribe.
d) The majority of the tribe disliked the idea of the walkway being built.

Question 2 Answer these questions in your own words:
a) Why does Dolores Honga believe that the workers had nightmares?
b) Why is the walkway a safe place?

Question 3 Find a word or phrase in the text that means the same as:
a) tempt (par. 1)
b) divide (par. 5)
c) affirm (par. 6)

Question 4 Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning
a) David Jin is giving the walkway to the Indian tribe.
The Indian tribe...
b) They blend into the ground. Our people died along there.
They blend...
c) It’s spiritual ground; that’s why they are awakened.
If it weren’t...

Question 5 Write a short essay (120 to 150 words) on the following topic:
 What is your favourite way of travelling and why?


Self-Access Group. CEP Santander

Google tracks flu

The internet search engine company Google has launched a new online tool to help track the spread of influenza in the United States. The company found that Americans falling ill searched for advice about flu online using its web facilities before they sought help from a doctor. Now the internet search engine Google has come up with a tool designed to register search requests for common phrases such as "flu symptoms" or "muscles aches".
"Our team found that certain search queries tend to be very common during the flu season each year," Google said in their official blog on the topic. "We compared these queries to data provided by the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and we found that there's a very close relationship between the frequency of these search queries and the number of people who are experiencing flu-like symptoms each week."
Traditional survey techniques employed by the CDC take about two weeks to precisely identify outbreaks, and Google hopes that its data will serve as an early warning system that the CDC can then act upon.
There are also plans to roll out the system in other countries around the world. The new web tracker known as "Google Flu Trends" could act as an early warning system for internet users: if there are a lot of flu cases in your area, then you could take preventative measures such as have a flu jab. Early tests of the new web tool show it can detect regional outbreaks up to ten days earlier than the US health authorities.
A senior health expert from the United Nations told the BBC, Google Flu Trends would have to prove its reliability over time. But he added it could be very useful in nations where health authorities don't have a reliable database of infectious diseases.

Question 1 (2 Points)
Indicate whether the following questions are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.
a) Some people look on the internet before they make an appointment to see a doctor.
b) The methods used until now mean that the authorities know about increases in the number of diseases in a week.
c) The Google system has not yet demonstrated that it can be trusted.
d) Every country in the world has precise information on illnesses.

Question 2 (2 Points)
Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) How does Google Flu Trends identify areas where there are a lot of cases of flu?
b) How does the text suggest you can avoid catching flu?

Question 3 (1.5 points)
Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions below.
a) to create: paragraph 1
b) make available: paragraph 4
c) steps: paragraph 4

Question 4 (1.5 points)
Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a) Google has launched a new online tool to help track the spread of influenza.
A new online tool ……………………………………………….
b) Google said: "We found that there's a very close relationship between the frequency of search queries and the number of people who are experiencing flu symptoms each week."
Google said that …………………………………………………
c) Early tests of the new web tool show it can detect regional outbreaks up to ten days earlier.
When the web tool was tested, it………………………………………

Question 5 (3 points)
Write a short essay (120-150 words) about the following topic.
Many people say that the internet is the most important invention ever. Do you agree?

Self-Access Group. CEP Santander

For every person who wants to teach there are approximately thirty people who don't want to learn--much.
W. C. Sellar and R. J. Yeatman,

Every year has its special days.

Read the texts below and try to identify the special days. If you need help, look at the list of days at the bottom of the page

1. This is the night when people meet in places like London’s Trafalgar Square and New York’s Times Square to welcome the New Year. It is called Hogmanay in Scotland.

2. This is one of the scariest nights of the year. Children in the United States go trick-or-treating, collecting sweets.

3. The national day of Ireland is celebrated in many countries. In Ireland there are religious services, parades and lots of parties.

4. This is the anniversary of the day when the American colonies signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

5. This is the start of the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. During the one-month period, Muslims do not eat, drink or smoke from dawn until sunset.

6. This day started in the U.S. but is now celebrated in countries around the world. It is a day when people think about the environment.

7. This is the day to remember the people who lost their lives in wars. The First World War officially ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

8. It’s China’s most important holiday. Each year is dedicated to one of 12 animals.

9. This U.S. holiday is on the third Monday in January. It marks the birth on January 15, 1929, of the African -American civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

10. Celebrated on the last Thursday in November in the United States and the second Monday in October in Canada, it is associated with family reunions and family traditions.

11. It is the custom in many countries for people to send anonymous cards or gifts to the people they love on this day.

12. Commonly known as the Jewish New Year, this is one of the holiest days of the year for Jewish people.


St Patrick’s Day
Halloween
Ramadan
Independence Day
Earth Day
Veterans Day
Chinese New Year
Martin Luther King, Jr.
St. Valentine’s Day
Thanksgiving Day
Rosh Hashanah
New Year’s Eve


ANSWERS


1. New Year’s Eve (December 31);
2. Halloween (October 31);
3. St Patrick’s Day(March 17);
4. U.S. Independence Day (July 4);
5. Ramadan (variable);
6. Earth Day (April 22);
7. Veterans Day (November 11);
8. ChineseNew Year (variable);
9. Martin Luther King, Jr.Day (variable);
10. Thanksgiving Day(variable),
11. Valentine’s Day (February 14);
12. Rosh Hashanah (variable)

E-mail and texts 'boost office romances'

Electronic mail, voicemail and text messages have broken boundaries in the office and made it easier for people to flirt, a survey has found.
Researchers questioned 221 workers and found that 31 per cent had experienced "physical and emotional" intimacy with someone in the office. A further eight per cent said they had conducted a purely physical relationship with a colleague, while 21 per cent said they had enjoyed only an emotional one. Many said their relationship started via e-mail, a device that enabled them to conduct their affair in private.
The findings, based on interviews with workers aged between 21 and 40, are in “Intimacy”, a book by Andrew and Nada Kakabadse. "Typing messages which appear on screen is easier than making a direct comment face to face," they say. "A number of respondents view e-mail as a seductive tool, as messages can be more easily sent while ensuring for perceived higher levels of confidentiality. "But others in the study consider IT as a negative mode of communication and highlight the increased possibility of sexual harassment. "Being 'bombarded' with e-mails and voicemails, no face to face interaction, is reported as an equally harassing experience as personal confrontation."
Judi James, a workplace psychologist and author of the book Sex at Work, said she was not surprised by the findings. "We work very long hours which means that many of us are tied to the office," she said.
"This means that many of us end up finding our partners at work. This can be a good thing. It definitely makes work more fun." But she warned people to think long and hard before committing themselves to a colleague. "You have to think about what would happen if you broke up," she said.

Question 1 Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text
a. Some workers hadn’t managed a physical relationship.
b. People find it difficult to communicate personally.
c. There are no risks in e-relating.
d. The psychologist suggests that splitting up with a workmate could be hard to cope with.

Question 2 Answer these questions in your own words:
a. What advantages do workers see in e-relating?
b. Why wasn’t Judi James surprised about the results of the research?

Question 3 Find a word or phrase in the text that means the same as:
a. To make it possible for somebody (par 2)
b. Annoying or unpleasant behaviour towards someone that tales place regularly (par 3)
c. To make someone agree or promise to do something (par 5)

Question 4 Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning:
a. 31 per cent had experienced "physical and emotional" intimacy.
Physical and ………………………………………………………………………………………..
b. We work very long hours which means that many of us are tied to the office.
If we didn’t …………………………………………………………………………………………
c. This means that many of us end up finding our partners at work.
She claimed …………………………………………………………………………………………

Question 5 Write a short essay (120 to 150 words) on the following topic:
• What do you think about love relationships between classmates?


Self-Access Group CEP. Santander

British dishes

Is it true that a lot of British dishes are named after places?
The rich variety of British regional cooking is reflected in the names of our favourite dishes. Many regions have their own particular speciality of sweet or savoury fare, or are famed for their local produce.
Cheeses are produced in many regions, although Cheddar, a hard cheese with a strong, nutty taste, is the most popular variety. It originates from a village in Somerset in Western England, also famous for its gorge. Other types of cheeses include Cheshire, Lancashire, Stilton and Wensleydale.
Cornwall in south-west England is famous for its Cornish Pasties – a pastry case filled with meat, potatoes and vegetables, which was the traditional midday meal of workers in the region.
The town of Bakewell in Derbyshire has a rich pastry tart named after it. The Bakewell pudding or the Bakewell tart was said to have been invented by accident, when a cook forgot to put jam over the custard filling of a pudding – instead she apread it straight onto the pastry case and poured the custard on top. Thus a new dish was born!
Welsh cakes, a kind of sweet cake cooked on a griddle, were originally served to hungry travellers when they arrived at an inn for the night while they waited for their supper to be cooked.
Many other dishes are named after plates – from Lancashire hotpot (a casserole of meat and vegetables topped with sliced potatoes) and Dundee cake (a rich fruit cake) to Anglessey eggs A dish of leeks, mashed potato, hard boiled eggs and cheese sauce) baked Ulster ham, and Bath buns ( a sweet bun containing species and dried fruit, originally made in Bath, western England). Indeed, dedicated gourmets could happily munch their way from one county to another!

Decide whether these statements are true or false.
1. All the cheeses come from Somerset.
2. Cornish Pasties were usually eaten for lunch.
3. A Derbyshire cook was trying to bake a new dish when she created the Bakewell Pudding.
4. Travellers used to eat Welsh cakes as a dessert.
5. Both Lancashire hot pot and Anglessey eggs have vegetables as ingredients.
6. People who are fond of eating will find good local specialities in very few regions.


Self-Access Group Ciefp Santander





KEY
1. False
2. True
3. False
4. False
5. True
6. False

Blog and Wiki

The Internet and Education


Until quite recently Silicon Valley and its innovations had little effect on teaching and learning. But with the rise of the Internet, information technology is now beginning to have much more influence on education. Two areas which are becoming more and more significant are ‘blogs’ and ‘wikis’.

The word ‘blog’ is short for ‘weblog’. A blog is an online diary or ‘blog’ of someone’s life, thoughts, or opinions. Anybody can create their own ‘blog’ and blogging is becoming extremely popular – type ‘blog’ into Google and you’ll get over 500 million results. For educational purposes, academics, teachers, and students create blogs as personal online study sites: places to work together and share information and ideas. Some universities even give their students and staff free space on a server to start their own blogs.

‘Wikis’ are websites where anyone can add content and make changes, so that the site becomes a group creation – ‘wiki’ stands for ‘What I Know Is’. These sites can be a valuable source of information and opinion for students, though the information may not be totally accurate – some academics refuse to use them. Perhaps the best-known wiki is the online encyclopaedia, Wikipedia, which has more than one million entries in over 100 languages. Wikipedia is working hard to make sure that its information is completely accurate, so students will be able to use it with confidence and there’s no doubt that it is an incredible resource.



Read the artic1e and find the answers to these questions.
1 Is information technology more or less important in education than before?

2 Where does the word 'blog' come from?

3 What is a 'blog'?

4 What are blogs used for at universities?

5 What does 'WIKI' mean?

6 Who puts the information on this wiki websites?

7 Why do students need to be careful if they use 'Wikis' when they study?

8 What is Wikipedia?







KEY





1. More
2. blog is short for weblog
3. A blog is an online diary
4. For educational purposes
5. What I Know Is’
6. Anybody
7. the information may not be totally accurate
8. An online encyclopaedia.

Teachers open the door. You enter by yourself.
Chinese Proverb

I don't like fish, Mom