How getting more sleep could boost your salary

            Sleep has become a big deal in working life. Sleeping is no longer seen as a sign of weakness among competitive colleagues. Apple introduced a Night Shift feature on its devices earlier this year, as consumers recognised that stimuli such as your screen’s backlight can affect your sleep quality.

            Research shows that more sleep can lead to us earning more money. A US study has found that in areas where the sun sets earlier, people sleep for longer – and this translates into higher earnings. In the long term, just one extra hour of sleep a week increases wages by 4.9%. So if you live in an area that gets darker earlier, you should be richer. But don’t move house just yet – the higher wages correspond almost exactly with inflated house prices. As Jeffrey Shrader, one of the authors of the study, puts it: “If you want to sleep more, there are better ways to do it than moving house – just buy better curtains.”

            This goes against conventional economics. Each extra hour of sleep should be taken away from working time. So how can sleeping earn you money? The answer is productivity. “The biggest effects come through employees who work on commission,” says Shrader. “If you go to work well rested, you are livelier and happier, and can sell more to increase your earnings.”

            Even small amounts of sleep deprivation can have large effects. Another study found that sleeping six hours a night for two weeks produced the same results in cognitive tests as being totally sleep-deprived for up to two days straight. But a mid-afternoon nap can help. “Naps are great,” says sleep psychologist Dr Hans Van Dongen. If you struggle to get eight hours of sleep a night, a siesta can have a “reset” effect, and your productivity improves afterwards. “Roughly speaking, an hour’s nap can make up for an hour in lost sleep at night.”

            So, the introduction of nap pods at Google’s headquarters does have some science behind it. Although once you start sleeping at work, what is the point in going home at all? Even short naps of up to half an hour can partially offset the productivity lost from chronic sleep deprivation. You snooze, you win.

            But the most important workplace revolution would be much more flexible hours. Most of us fall into two broad “chronotype” categories: morning and evening types. Rigidly early start times at work are fine for larks, but a third of us are night owls, who are likely to earn up to 5% less as a result of being tired at work.

            Lack of sleep has already been shown to be worse for productivity than being overweight or underweight. So, why are you still reading this? You should go back to bed.

Question 1: [2,5 POINTS] Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and              write down which part of the text justifies your answer.

a)     The best way to get more sleep is to move to a new home.

b)     Sleeping more makes employees produce more.

c)     The less you sleep at night, the longer you need to sleep during the day to get the same effect.

d)     Google is about to introduce places in their offices for the workers to have a nap.

e)     You may earn less if you are a nocturnal person.

Question 2: [1,5 POINTS] Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words   and definitions given.

a)     characteristic (par.1) 

b)     salary (par.2) 

c)     to remove (par.3) 

d)     to make better (par.4) 

e)     to recompense (par.5) 

Question 3: [2 POINTS] Choose the most suitable answer (a, b or c) according to the text

1.     You sleeping quality…

a)     affects your colleagues at work.

b)     is said to be related to being overweighted..

c)     is affected by how you use technology at night.

2.     Productivity is linked to….

a)     mainly to your weight.

b)     only to sleeping

c)     both your sleep and your weight.

3.     In places where it gets dark earlier….

a)     people sleep more hours.

b)     houses are cheaper.

c)     you’d better use curtains.

4.     Working shifts….

a)     Are more tiring for workers.

b)     are the change needed.

c)     are only for nocturnal people.

Question 4: [4 POINTS] Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic:

What makes a job the perfect one for you?

KEY

Question 1: [2,5 POINTS] Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and  write down which part of the text justifies your answer.

      

       a) FALSE “But don’t move house just yet”

       b) TRUE “So how can sleeping earn you money? The answer is productivity”

       c) FALSE “Roughly speaking, an hour’s nap can make up for an hour in lost sleep at night”

       d) FALSE “, the introduction of nap pods at Google’s headquarters does have some science behind it.”

       e) TRUE “but a third of us are night owls, who are likely to earn up to 5% less as a result of being tired at work”

      

Question 2: [1,5 POINTS] Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words   and definitions given.     

a)      feature

b)      wage(s)

c)      (to) take(n) away

d)     to improve

e)     to offset

Question 3: [2 POINTS] Choose the most suitable answer (a, b or c) according to the text.

1)     c) is affected by how you use technology at night.

2)     c) both your sleep and your weight.

3)     a) people sleep more hours.

4)     b) are the change needed

rephrasing 18

Rewrite the sentences using the words in brackets. Do not change the original meaning of the sentences.
      

       1.  “I’m leaving my house now,” Anne told me. (that)

                                                                                                                                                           

       2.  Her daughter has painted some beautiful paintings. (by)

                                                                                                                                                           

       3.  Cheryl’s dress is being made by a designer. (having)

                                                                                                                                                           

       4.  Scientists will find solutions to the problem before 2020. (By 2020,)

                                                                                                                                                           

       5.  I can’t watch the game if they don’t repair my TV. (unless)

                                                                                                                                                           

       6.  It’s too bad that you didn’t pass your driving test. (wish)

                                                                                                                                                           

       7.  My friend Thomas speaks Italian fluently. We met him in Florence. (who)

                                                                                                                                                           

       8.  I’m sure he threw away that book. (must)

                                                                                                                                                           

KEY

1.  Anne told me that she was leaving her house then.

2.  Some beautiful paintings have been painted by her daughter.

3.  Cheryl is having her dress made by a designer.

4.  By 2020, scientists will have found solutions to the problem.

5.  Unless they repair my TV, I can’t watch the game. / I can’t watch the game unless they repair my TV.

6.  I wish you had passed your driving test.

7.  My friend Thomas, who we met in Florence, speaks Italian fluently.

8.  He must have thrown away that book.

Amazon just opened a grocery store without a checkout line

Question 1

a)True. “Amazon is testing a grocery store in downtown Seattle that lets customers walk in, grab food from the shelves and walk out again, without ever having to stand in a checkout line.”

b)True. “to track items customers pick up.These are then added to the virtual cart on their app”.

c)False. “It is currently being tested by Amazon employees at the location at 2131 7th Ave., near Amazon's offices, but will open to the public in early 2017.”

d)False. “"When you look at the store itself in the video….. and having "meal kits" available is simply brilliant."

Question 2

a)     Customers won’t need to queue or deal with cashiers. They won’t have problems with credit cards, slow customers or waiting for change,either.

b)    They have made it posible for people to buy “meal kits” which are very much asked for. This is a very good idea because these kits are really expensive to deliver.

Question 3

a)  to track

b)  currently

c)  delivering / to deliver

d)  struggles / to struggle

e)  available

Question 4

a) They call the store Amazone Go and they are testing it in Seattle.

b) The analysts said that they ackowledged some people might never be comfortable with the idea.

c) If profit margins were higher and competence were not so intense, the grocery store markets wouldn’t be such tough nuts to crack

Priceless paintings threatened by Italian gallery's broken air conditioning

Question 1: [2,5 POINTS] indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.

a) TRUE “Two years ago one of the motors had to be repaired but it wasn't fixed due to a lack of resources.”

b) FALSE “The air conditioning system, built in 1997, is completely run down and damaged due to years of chronic lack of maintenance.”

c) TRUE “We requested new air conditioning several years ago.”

                           

d) TRUE “The museum is leaving the windows open, but Elisabetta Giani, expert from the Superior Institute for Conservation and Restoration (ISCR), warned a move could cause further damage.”

e) FALSE “Ms Giani said temperatures higher than 30 degrees Celsius or humidity above 50-55 per cent could deform or damage the art works and both had to be monitored constantly.”

Question 2: [2,5 POINTS] Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words and definitions given.

a) collapse

b) fixed

c) face

d) further

e) monitored

Question 3: [2 POINTS] Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a) The Borghese Gallery, which is visited by more than 500,00 people a year, is one of Italy's most popular tourist attraction.

b) She said that she was talking about pollutants that were not controlled.

c) Experts closed several rooms at Uffizi Gallery in 2012.

d) If there had not been high temperatures in 2012, the Uffizi Gallery. wouldn't have closed.

Child labour

Question 1

a) TRUE. I carry the sacks with the loose fruit by myself but can only carry it half full. My hands hurt and my body aches

b) FALSE. but only two offered any detail about which products were affected.

c) TRUE. Wilmar said it was aware of allegations about labour rights abuses before it was contacted by Amnesty and was already taking steps to remedy any failings

d) TRUE. The focus on Wilmar is often used to draw attention to problems in the wider palm oil industry.”

Question 2

a) Because when they buy a product they think it is ethically produced.

b) No, if the companies wanted, they’d find out how the products were collected.

Question 3

a)   Hazardous

b)   Carry out

c)   Gather

d)   Sure

e)   Be aware of

Question 4

a) Children… are employed to do back-breaking physical labour by Wilmar

b) There isn’t... anything sustainable about palm oil that is produced using child labour and forced labour.

c. The company said that...They acknowledged that there were ongoing labour issues in the palm oil industry, and those issues could affect any palm company operating in Indonesia.

Don't wear white shirts or brown shoes if you want City job

Question 1

a) FALSE “employers are still using unspoken dress codes to weed out the wrong sort of person in City job interviews”

b) FALSE “Firms [...] place as much importance on a person’s speech, accent, dress, behaviour and skills as on their skills and qualifications”

c) TRUE “ One anonymous banker admitted that such discrimination was commonplace“

d) TRUE  “ there are some banks doing excellent work in reducing these barriers“

Question 2

a) Companies usually consider aspects such as the way they speak and dress and how they behave. They also consider if candidates qualify for the post.

b) This candidate was discriminated, despite being quite smart, because he did not come from the approppriate background and because he was not wearing the right clothes, especially his tie.

           

Question 3 a) unspoken b) opaque c) commonplace d) bright e) handful

Question 4

a) If graduates did not wear brown shoes and white shirts, they would not be missing out on top jobs at investment banks in the City.

b) Employers are systematically locking out bright working-class kids of top jobs.

c) He said that  there were some banks doing excellent work in reducing those barriers and that there were still too many that needed to wake-up.

Toblerone's trim: Is this the thin end of the wedge?

KEY

Question 1

a) False. “manufacturers are shaving costs by giving us slightly less chocolate, or fish or ice cream, in what looks like the usual packet.

b) False. “, the Toblerone is being redesigned for the UK market”

c) True. “Tropicana reduced the size of its Orange and Raspberry juice by 15%, packets of McVitie's Digestive dark chocolate biscuits lost around 10% in weight, and Princes is putting less mackerel in each of its tins.”

d) True. “She thinks we should keep an eye on products across the board in coming months."I would say we should be watching out everywhere, food products, fresh produce, household products, grocery products."

Question 2

      a) The Toblerone bar used to have fifteen peaks but now it has only 11;there’s a bigger gap between peaks. The  bar is also forty grams lighter.

     b) They argue that the price of  cocoa is higher now and, due to the decreasing value of the pound in international

       markets, it is getting harder and harder to pay for the ingredients they need to manufacture the bar.

Question 3

a) Slimmed down / to Slim down

b) Sneaky

c) Tempted / to tempt

d) Watching out / to watch out

e) Raw

Question 4

a) You are being sold a slimmed down version of their product for the same price.

b) Even if cocoa prices went down next year, prices wouldn’t be reduced.

c) Mondelez said it was cost pressures that were behind the change. Cocoa in particular had risen sharply in price over the last decade.

Indian government declares Delhi air pollution an emergency

KEY

Question 1

a) False. concentrations of harmful particles so high they cannot be measured by most air quality instruments.

b) True. set their fields on fire to dispose of crop remnants

c) True. fireworks are let off across the city. They leave a haze that usually last for two or three days

d) False. The air quality right now can lead to slow brain development, mental irritation and psychological problems,” she said.

Question 2

a)  Summer. Because of the wind.

b) Making the public transport friendly with the environment.

Question 3

a) harmful

b) aimed

c) enforce

d) safe

e) struggled

Question 4

a)  The air quality...has been said to be the worst the Indian capital had seen in 17 years.

b) Since... the PM2.5 pollutants can reach deep into the lungs, they are the most harmful

c) The government... will close the schools and may ration traffic.

Fears grow for children addicted to online games

KEY

Question 1

a) TRUE figures show that UK spending on titles such as League of Legends, World of Warcraft and Grand Theft Auto will top £3bn this year.

b) FALSE Dr Aric Sigman,…………….. doctor’s surgeries that parents were asking for sleeping pills for their children. “Whether you call it an addiction or not, this is an enormous and growing problem,” he said.

c) FALSE“With gaming, children get a lot of satisfaction and positive reinforcement, it can build their confidence.

d) TRUE– his gaming in part led to the break-up of a relationship this year

Question 2

a) Ben Jones, whose online name is Onibobo, is one of many young people who spend a considerable amount of time playing online games. He has admitted that playing time can last up to 9 hours and goes on well into the night. This has had a detrimental effect on his life, as he spent more time gaming than going to college and now finds it hard to keep a job. More recently he split up from a partner due to this habit. He is aware of his addiction problem and admits that playing makes him feel good; it gives him a sense of achievement. He considers it a bad habit that he could break if he wished.

           

Question 3 a) concerned  b) issues   c) hooked on  d)take its toll on  e) break-up

Question 4

a)     If Ben Jones had not spent more time gaming than going to college, he would be able to get a job.

b)    Ben Jones said that when he was playing he knew every hour he could be doing something else with his life,’

c)    It is believed that Ben Jones is addicted to gaming.

Residents overlooked by Tate Modern extension should 'get net curtains'

Key

KEY

Question 1

            a) FALSE “ So do you want to put up net curtains? Residents in the block Neo Bankside should consider it if they want their privacy to be maintained.”

            b) TRUE “Tate had put up signs encouraging visitors “not to gesticulate, to recognise that people who live nearby have a right to some privacy”

            c) TRUE “It’s quite horrible,because I have young girls and there are strangers looking in.”

            d) FALSE “The Viewing Level is an intrinsic part of the free public offer of the new building"

Question 2

            a) -residents might install blinds or curtains

                -residents knew about the gallery when they bought their houses

            b) -they feel exposed/observed all the time

                -some are worried because they have young children

Question 3

a)     enhanced

b)    lobby

c)     flippant

            d)   declining

            e)    ongoing

Question 4

a)     If I didn't have young girls, it would not be horrible.

b)    Tate Modern said that since the very first plans had been drawn up in 2007, they had been through an extensive consultation and planning process.

c)     An ongoing dialogue has been maintained with local residents.

Japan's high life expectancy linked to diet, study finds

Question 1

a.     False. “The population of the island nation, which has one of the lowest mortality rates in the world, eat diets high in certain carbohydrates, vegetables, fruits as well as fish and meat”

b.    True. “researchers at the National Centre for Global Health and Medicine in Tokyo investigated how following the food guide …….. Such participants were less likely to have cerebrovascular vascular disease: a term used to describe conditions caused by problem with blood supply to the brain. “

c.     True. “The team analysed food and lifestyle questionnaires completed by 36,624 men and 42,920 women.”

d.    False. “Our findings suggest that balanced consumption of energy, grains, vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, eggs, soy products, dairy products, confectionaries, and alcoholic beverages can contribute to longevity by decreasing the risk of death, predominantly from cardiovascular disease, in the Japanese population.” 

Question 2

a.  In 2005 the government in Japan designed a guide for people to follow in order to lead a healthy life. Ten years later they asked the people who had followed the guide lines and found out that they lived longer.

b. According to the text, you can consume all sorts of things provided they are real food, not processed and with a very low percentage of saturated fats.

Question 3

a. Processed / to process

b.  Term

c. Chronic

d. Confectionaries

e.Decreasing / to decrease

Question 4

a. James Dinicolantonio said that we could learn a lot about how to be healthy from the Japanese, and it really came down to “eat real food” and “exercise”.

b.  If your consumption of alcohol were balanced, your risk of death wouldn’t be so high.

c.  Japanese people enjoy a high life expectancy because they have a healthy diet.