EU nurses face English language checks

KEY

Question 1

a.  False. “Until now, checks have only been applied to nurses outside the EU.”

b. True. “The move by the Nursing and Midwifery Council brings the profession in line with doctors, who are already vetted in this way for patient safety.”

c.  False. “ The UK is looking to recruit more foreign nurses.”

d. True. “… there can be real issues with some overseas health professionals; including problems with communication and a lack of understanding of processes and procedures.”

Question 2

a. They will need to be fluent in English so that they can communicate appropriately, which is not only essential when taking care of patients, but also will help them to understand the processes and methods that care involves.

b. Doctor Daniel Ubani was hired to work in the UK without having to take any tests in English since he was from the EU. He made a mistake and gave the incorrect dose of a drug to a patient in 2008.

Question 3

a.  Assessment

b.  Lethal

c.  Demonstrate

d.  Recruit

e.  Ensure

Question 4

a.   Although they make an important contribution, overseas health professionals have problems with communication.

b.    David Gray was given a lethal dose of a painkiller by a German doctor.

c.     If the nurse had had the necessary English language skills, she wouldn’t have been investigated.

Speaking and Writing

So..how seriously do you take sleep?

(this follows on from the Pau text about mobile use at bedtime)

Discuss this list below with a partner:

ñ I often have problems with falling asleep at the right time.

ñ I don't always go to bed at the same time.

ñ I eat late at night and go to be on a full stomach.

ñ I often find it difficult to get up in the morning due to sleepiness.

ñ I am often awfully tired at school or at work.

ñ I regularly cut my sleep by 2-3 hours as compared with what my body seems to need.

ñ I use the alarm clock and really hate it.

ñ I drink caffeine-based drinks.

ñ I often take 2-4 hour naps in the afternoon or evening

Essay Writing

Read the essay below about sleep and complete it with the missing sentences below (A-D).

We often forget that sleeping is necessary for our well-being.

Do you agree?

It is a well-known fact that sleeping plays an important role in our physical and psychological health. 1....It allows us to focus and concentrate on our work and studies, resulting in greater productivity. Sleep also gives the whole body time to rest and restore itself.

2..... we still choose to cut down on sleep, either to stay out later at night with friends, to continue studying for an important exam or to finish project work.

What is even more worrying is that young people have fallen into the habit of taking their mobile to bed with them, using it to communicate on social networks, watch videos and listen to music. 3....  They may well  feel very tired and drowsy the next day.

Clearly, 4....Parents and schools should play an active role in ensuring that they sleep as much as they need to.

A. Even though many of us are aware of how essential rest is

B. Scientific research tells us that it aids memory recall and learning.

C.This means that they do not relax and unwind before they go to sleep and also their sleep quality is poor.

D.Young people need to be better-informed and encouraged to develop healthy sleep habits from an early age.

Reread the essay and underline any language which could be useful for other essays.

Now read an information sheet about how you can improve your sleeping habits.

http://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/files/pdfs/Common-Causes-Inadequate-Sleep.pdf

Write down 3 things you are going to do to improve your sleep.

Now write an essay of between 150-180 words about the following topic:

What might cause sleep problems in young people and what can they do to to improve these problems?

•  Write a plan.
•  Write in paragraphs.
•  Remember to start each paragraph with a topic sentence.
•  Reread and edit your essay before you hand it in.

Men more likely to help women if she wears high heels, study finds

Scientists have already proven that high heels change a woman’s way of walking. But a new study suggests slipping into a pair of heels could also bring out the best in men, making them more willing to help.Nicholas Guéguen, of the Université de Bretagne-Sud in France, found that the height of a woman’s heel exerts a powerful influence on men’s behaviour.

Guéguen sent a woman in different heel heights into the streets of Brittany in France and asked 90 random men to complete a quick survey. The 19-year-old female alternately wore flat shoes and a pair of 3.5 inch stilettoes. Men were more likely to respond when the woman wore higher heels—82 per cent agreed to do the survey when she wore 3.5 inch heels, compared with 42 per cent when she wore flats. But ladies didn’t fall for it. Only about 33 per cent of women on average said yes to the survey request, regardless of the heel height.

Guéguen also tested people's empathy, observing how 180 men and 180 women responded when four young women of the same height, weight and shoe size dropped a glove while wearing different heel heights. They wore similar clothing of the same colour, according to the study, and they each dropped the glove wearing three different pairs of shoes in the same height categories as in the above experiment. 93 per cent of men chased after the women when they wore high heels to return the glove, compared to 62 per cent of those who did when she wore flat shoes. And while women were also more likely to track down the high-heeled women than those wearing flats, the rates were much lower—52 per cent for the heel wearers and 43 per cent for the flats wearer.

Lastly, Guéguen observed 36 men aged between 20 and 58 in a bar and found them quicker to start chatting up a woman wearing heels. They approached a female while wearing heels within seven minutes, whereas it took them more than 13 minutes while she was wearing flats.

Possible explanations for the findings include the change in gait brought about by high heels or the demure appearance of the foot when wearing such shoes, says Guéguen. He also feels that because so many models are depicted wearing high heels men have mistakenly come to associate them with attractiveness.

“As a man I can see that I prefer to see my wife when she wears high heels and many men in France have the same evaluation,” Guéguen said .

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. A specific type of man was chosen for the experiment.

b. Men are more likely to answer the survey than women, but only if they wear high heels.

c. Women wearing flats don`t attract men in pubs.

d. For many men high heels represent beauty.

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

a. How many women “perform” the experiments?

b. Why did the women drop their gloves?

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

a. zealous, ready (par 1)                   b. strong (par 1)                                  c. ran (par 3)

d. walk, manner of walking (par 5)  e. produce (par 5)

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

a. Scientists have already proven that high heels change a woman’s way of walking.

     It…

b. Guéguen also tested people's empathy.

    People’s…

c. “I prefer to see my wife when she wears high heels and many men in France have the same evaluation,” Guéguen said .

    Guéguen said that…

   

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

Appearance is more important than comfort.

Expert warns using soap in shower may actually be bad for us in long term

Regularly showering using soap may be doing your body more harm than good, a US doctor has suggested. Antibacterial soap, often containing harsh chemicals, removes the dirt and grime your body accumulates over the day but can prevent your body from recognising “good” bacteria.

Robynne Chutkan, founder of the Digestive Center for Women in Chevy Chase, Maryland, claimed by “scouring ourselves in the shower every day, we are actually stripping our skin of bacteria that keep us acne and eczema free.” Dr Chutkan claims the human body only needs a “rinse” most days – even after a sweaty workout. Dirt doesn’t cause disease - but repeatedly killing off the good bacteria on our skin may actually harm our immunity.”

During cold and flu season people should be more cautious, regularly washing their hands with soap and warm water, but Dr Chutkan stressed hand sanitizers were not worthwhile. “Unless you’ve been hanging out on an Ebola ward, the vast majority of microbes on your skin and hands are not virulent germs that cause serious infection; they’re harmless bacteria that won’t hurt you,” she told Health News.

Last year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) released a report suggesting untreatable bacterial infections were emerging globally due to the widespread use of anti-bacterial gels. The report suggested a number of common viruses had mutated into drug-resistant strains, making them much harder to control or eradicate.

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. Some of the bacteria on our skin are beneficial.

b. It is a must to use soap in the shower every day.

c. Most microbes on the skin are harmful.

d. Nowadays it is much easier to get rid of bacterial infections.

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

a. What do we need to do in order to keep clean?

b. What are the risks of using anti-bacterial gels?

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

a. unpleasant (par.1)                   b. eliminate (par.1)                            c. in fact(par.2)

d. careful (par.3)                         e. extensive (par.4)

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

a. We are actually stripping our skin of bacteria that keep us acne and eczema free.                 Our skin ………………………………

b.    “ Dirt doesn’t cause disease - but repeatedly killing off the good bacteria on our skin may actually harm our immunity.” 

    Dr. Chutkan said ………………………

c. Some common viruses have mutated into drug-resistant strains because people use too much soap.

          If people ………………………..

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

            What healthy habits do you have?

British and American English 15

1. Match the American English words on the left with the British English words on the right

1. Cellular                  a. holiday
2. Diaper                 b. note
3. Apartment           c. chemist
4. Truck                  d. plaster
5. Fall                     e. biscuits
6. Vacation             f. bill (restaurant)
7.  Band-aid            g. lift
8. Purse                   h. mobile
9.  Check                  i. petrol
10. Cookies               j. nappy
11. Drugstore            k. tap
12. Freeway              l. handbag
13. Gas                      m. underground
14. Bill (money)        n. lorry
15.  Elevator              o. autumn
16. Candy                  p. motorway 
17. Subway               q. sweets
18.  Faucet                 r. flat

2. Change these sentences from American into British English

1. Can you go to the drugstore, honey? We need some diapers for the baby and a band-aid for my finger.

2. Last fall, I was driving along a freeway when I ran out of gas. Luckily, a truck driver stopped and gave me a ride.

3. Our apartment is quite near the subway station.

4. They rang us from their cellular to invite us to spend our Christmas vacation with them.

5. It’s my turn to pay the check. Pass me my purse. I’ve got a 500 bill in it.

6. Cookies and candy are bad for our teeth.

7. Nothing works round here! Not only is the elevator broken, but so is the faucet in the bathroom.

1. chemist, darling, nappies, plaster                            

2. Autumn, motorway, petrol, lorry, lift

3. flat, underground              4. mobile, holidays                   5. bill, handbag, note

6. Biscuits, sweets                 7. lift, tap

KEY

  1.  H            2. J         3. R        4. N        5. O        6. A        7. D        8. L         9. F

10. E              11.C       12. P      13. I       14. B      15. G      16. Q     17. M     18. K

Rephrasings

1. The hairdresser cut my hair last week.

- I ……………………………………………………..

2. “Let’s go to the cinema on Tuesday”, said Mary.

- Mary suggested ……………………………………………

3. What a pity the weather was so bad last weekend.

- I wish ……………………………………………………….

4. I haven’t seen a good film for ages.

- It’s …………………………………………………………..

5. I visited a village yesterday but I did not like it.

- I visited a village yesterday …………………………………………………………..

6. He knows how to play golf.

- He …………………………………………………………

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

- I haven’t ………………………………………………………………………..

8. You won’t understand the problem if you don’t listen carefully.

- Unless you ………………………………………………………………………

9. Someone will cut your hair tomorrow.

- You will …………………………………………………………………………….

10. “Can I go to the disco?”, Tim asked his mother.

- Tim asked……………………………………………………………………

11. Despite the fact that the questions were difficult, she got a high mark in her exam.

- Although the questions …………………………………………………………………………….

12. It’s not necessary for you to make your bed.

- You don’t …………………………………/ You needn’t ……………………………..

13. They will tell us the news tomorrow night.

- We will ……………………………………….

14. I don’t earn much money. It’s a pity I can’t buy a new car.

- If I ………………………………………………………

KEY

1. I had my hair cut last week.

2. Mary suggested going to the cinema on Tuesday.

3. I wish the weather hadn’t been so bad last weekend.

4. It’s ages since I last saw a good film.

5. I visited a village yesterday which I did not like.

6. He can play golf.

7. I haven’t visited Russia for ages.

8. Unless you listen carefully, you won’t understand the problem.

9. You will have your hair cut tomorrow.

10. Tim asked his mother if he could go to the disco.

11. Although the questions were difficult, she got a high mark in her exam.

12. You don’t have to make your bed. / You needn’t make your bed.

13. We will be told the news tomorrow night.

14. If I earned much money, I could buy a new car.

Expert warns using soap in shower may actually be bad for us in long term

KEY

Question 1

a.True. “scouring ourselves in the shower every day, we are actually stripping our skin of bacteria that keep us acne and eczema free.”

b. False. “Dr Chutkan claims the human body only needs a “rinse” most days – even after a sweaty workout.”

c. False. “ the vast majority of microbes on your skin and hands are not virulent germs that cause serious infection; they’re harmless bacteria that won’t hurt you,”

d.  False. “untreatable bacterial infections were emerging globally due to the widespread use of anti-bacterial gels. The report suggested a number of common viruses had mutated into drug-resistant strains, making them much harder to control or eradicate.”

Question 2

a. In normal circumstances we need to take a shower every day but we do not need to use soap in all showers. When there is flu around we should just use soap and warm wáter to wash our hands.

b.  If we use anti-bacterial gels frequently, we are eliminating the good bacteria on our skin. It is now very difficult to get rid of some bacterial infections that are appearing as a result of the excessive use of those gels.

Question 3

a.  Harsh

b.  Removes  / to remove

c. Actually

d.  Cautious

e.  Widespread

Question 4

a. Our skin is actually being stripped of bacteria that keep us acné and eczema free.

b.  Dr. Chutkan said that dirt didn’t cause disease - but repeatedly killing off the good bacteria on our skin might actually harm our immunity.

c.  If people didn’t use so much soap, some common viruses wouldn’t  have mutated into drug-resistant strains . 

Men more likely to help women if she wears high heels, study finds

KEY

Question 1

a) False   asked 90 random men to complete a quick survey 

b) False   compared with 42 per cent when she wore flats. But ladies didn’t fall for it. Only about 33 per cent of women on average said yes to the survey request, regardless of the heel height.

c) False   They approached a female while wearing heels within seven minutes, whereas it took them more than 13 minutes while she was wearing flats.

           

d) True     men have mistakenly come to associate them with attractiveness.

Question 2

a) Five. One for the survey and four for the experiment with the gloves.

b) To find out the percentage of men and women that would help them; comparing the results if they wear different types of shoes.

Question 3

a)     willing

b)    powerful

c)     chased

d)   gait

e)   brought about

Question 4

a)   It has already be proven that high heels change a woman’s way of walking.

b)   People’s empathy was also tested by Guéguen.

c)   Guéguen said that he prefered his wife when she wore hgh heels and many menin France had the same evaluation.

Why I no longer hold doors open for women

I am waiting in the playground for our daughter’s primary school class to be let out at the end of the school day. I can see the little kids all crushed together at the other side of the glass door, longing for the bell.

When it rings, the door flies open under the impetus of unshackled desperation and some boys and girls tumble out with thrashing knees and elbows. The class teacher then appears and orders the fleeing boys to get back inside. I can see her manhandling other boys and pushing them aside to let all the girls go first.

She always does this. I have many times heard her say “Ladies first” as she gets the boys to stand back.

When we go to see this teacher for the first parents' contact evening of the year, I am going to ask if she might reconsider this policy. I shall say that our daughter and her girl friends in the class are already vain and conceited and spoiled enough without having those narcissisms confirmed by some arbitrary rule that confirms they are naturally superior. Or weaker. Or more in need of special treatment. I want our daughters to be equal. That means boys must be equal, too. In everything. If it isn’t a two-way street, it’s not equality.

 I don't want our daughters supposing that they will always, without question, have first choice of the best seats on the bus or the train nor that anybody is going to get up to offer them their seat if all the others are full. I want them to be proud of their equality, not expecting deference.

It's decades since I stopped automatically standing back to let women go first – through a door, up the stairs or whatever. I haven’t held open a car door for a female under 70 or over seven since I read “Sexual Politics”

Somebody, of course, has got to go first through a door but why shouldn’t it be the person who gets there first? That one then holds the door open for the person who is next and even for the people who are coming the other way. Gender doesn’t come into it.

Question 1 (2 points) Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.

1. The teacher asks the boys to go back into school to let the girls come out first.
2. The writer has already had a meeting with the teacher.
3. The writer holds car doors open for women who are older than 70.
4. The writer thinks the person who gets to the door first shouldn’t hold it open.

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

a. Why doesn’t the writer hold doors open for women?

b. What does the author think about his daughter and her class mates?

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

a.squeezed (par. 1)       b. to wish (par. 1)         c. set of rules (par.4 )

d. reciprocal (par. 4)     e. pick (par. 5)

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

1. I can see the little kids all crushed together at the other side of the glass door

The little kids ……………………………………

2. It's decades since I stopped automatically standing back to let women go first.

I have ………………………

3. I asked her  if she might reconsider that policy

I asked her:”……………………………………………….”.

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

Do you think young people have good/bad manners? Give reasons

Sleep shortage increases susceptibility to catching a cold, study finds

According to a US study, people who get too little sleep are more likely to catch a cold; those who slept six hours a night or less were four times more likely to catch a cold when they were exposed to the virus than people who spent more than seven hours a night asleep. The findings, reported in the journal “Sleep”, build on previous studies that suggest that the sleep-deprived are more susceptible to infectious diseases and recover more slowly when they do fall ill.“It goes beyond feeling groggy or irritable,” said Aric Prather, a health psychologist at the University of California in San Francisco. “Not getting enough sleep affects your physical health.”

The scientists recruited 94 men and 70 women, with an average age of 30, for the study and subjected them to two months of health screening, interviews and questionnaires to establish their baseline stress levels, temperament and usage of alcohol and tobacco. The volunteers then spent a week wearing a wrist-mounted sleep sensor that tracked the duration and quality of their sleep each night.

To see how well they fought off infections, the participants were taken to a hotel and given nasal drops containing the cold virus. Doctors monitored them closely for a week after, collecting mucus samples to work out if and when the virus took hold.The researchers found that the less sleep people got, the more likely they were to develop a cold. Those who got less than six hours of sleep a night were 4.2 times more likely to fall victim to the bug than those who slept more than seven hours. Those who slept less than five hours had a 4.5 times greater risk.

Prather said that when it came to defending against the cold virus, sleep was more important than any other factor they looked at, such as people’s stress levels, age, education, income, or whether they smoked. “With all those things taken into account, statistically sleep still carried the day and was an overwhelmingly strong predictor for susceptibility to the cold virus.”

He added that more studies into sleep and health were needed to drive home the message that sleep is critical for wellbeing, especially in a culture where some people pride themselves in not having to sleep and working late into the night.

The latest study could not say categorically that a lack of sleep made people more susceptible to viruses. It could be that another condition that makes people more likely to catch colds also disrupts their sleep.

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. Those people who slept more than seven hours were four times more likely to catch a cold.

b. This is not the first time that scientists have seen that lack of sleep makes you more prone to infectious diseases.

c. The less you sleep the more unlikely for you to get the virus.

d. The most important factor for not getting the virus was not smoking.

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

a. How did the scientists get information about the volunteers? What information did they get?

b. How did the scientists study the volunteers’ reaction to the virus?

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

a. sleepy (par.1)                                 b. wages (par. 4)                      c. tremendously (par. 4)

d. particularly (par. 5)                         e. prone (par. 6)

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

     a.     Doctors monitored them closely for a week after.

They ............................................

b.  Not getting enough sleep affects your physical health.

          If ........................................., your physical health …….............

    c. He added that more studies into sleep and health were needed to drive home the           message that sleep is critical for wellbeing.

He said “ ..............”

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

What are the key factors for wellbeing?