Caroline Where would we be without computers? I’d be (1) __________ without mine. As I run a small business from home I’m always writing all sorts of (2) __________, and I can’t imagine doing them by hand or using a typewriter, but that’s what people had to do in the (3) __________, isn’t it? Then there are the business accounts, which I couldn’t keep track of without spreadsheets. As for email, there’s no way I could have built up my business without it, as it’s (4) __________ for me to be able to communicate quickly with my customers and suppliers. It’s weird to think that until the early 1980s hardly anyone had a computer at home, as most computers were so big and expensive that they belonged to (5) __________ rather than individuals. I’d say my computer is on for most of the time I’m in the house – if I’m not using it for work I’m probably surfing the internet, downloading music, or (6) __________ other stuff online.
Bob Basically I’m a bit of a technophobe. There’s a lot of modern (7) __________ I don’t like using, and a lot I don’t really see the point of. I can’t believe how people think they have to get the latest (8) __________ gadgets, even though most of them are so obviously unnecessary. As for computers, I use one at work, but that’s only because everyone in my (9) __________ has to have one. I suppose computers help workplaces function more efficiently, but I don’t think they’re as (10) __________ as most people think they are. Email, for example, probably wastes as much time as it saves, as most of my colleagues seem to spend half the day (11) __________ to pointless messages. I also have a computer at home, but I haven’t used it for ages. I made an effort with it for a little while, but found it very frustrating – I got fed up with all those ‘error’ messages appearing on the (12) __________ whenever I tried to do something.
Fill the twelve gaps in the text with the correct words from the box below. There are four words that you will not need to use.
organisations price past office electronic documents screen replying essential technology people buying top happy useful lost
Most of the world’s Internet users believe Internet access is a basic human right. This is according to a new poll conducted for the BBC. A survey of more than 27,000 adults in 26 different countries found four out of five people believed access to the World Wide Web was a right everyone in the world needs and should have. The chief of the International Telecommunication Union, Dr. Hamadoun Toure, told the BBC World Service: "The right to communicate cannot be ignored. The Internet is the most powerful potential source of enlightenment ever created." Dr. Toure believes online access should be available everywhere, just like roads and water. In some countries, this has already happened. Finland and Estonia have laws saying access is a human right.
The survey also showed how the Internet is quickly becoming a vital part of our life, all across the world. Over 75 per cent of Japanese, Mexican and Russian people said they could not live without it. It is easy to see why. Almost everything we do in our life today, from communication, study, work and leisure needs the Internet. Without access to the Web, many people would feel helpless and powerless. Almost 80 per cent of those who took the survey believe the Web had a positive impact, with nearly four fifths saying they have greater freedom. Other people were worried about the dangers of using the Internet. One big surprise was that the majority of Germans felt it was not safe for them to express their opinions online.
Enlightenment: learning
Question 1. Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.
a) There are at least 2 countries with laws saying the Internet is a right.
b) Three-quarters of Mexicans cannot live without the Internet.
c) Nobody is concerned about the possible risks of the Internet
d) Most Germans surveyed were worried about freedom of expression..
Question 2. Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) Why is the Internet so necessary according to the text?
b) How would many people feel if they didn’t have access to the Internet?
Question 3. Find a word or a phrase in the text that means the same as
a) head (par.1) b) weak (par.2) c) to talk about (par.2)
Question 4. Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning
a) "The right to communicate cannot be ignored. The Internet is the most powerful potential source of enlightenment ever created." Dr. Toure said
Dr. Toure said that ________________________________
b) People who have Internet access can do a lot of things.
If they ___________________________________________
c) Most people believe Internet access is a basic human right.
Internet access is _________________________________
Question 5. Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
Advantages and disadvantages of the Internet
1 LIMIT IDENTIFYING DETAILS According to research by Sophos, the data protection experts, 41pc of Facebook users will divulge personal information – such as email address, date of birth and phone number – to a complete stranger, which increases their susceptibility to identity theft. Details such as phone numbers, pictures of your home, your address, birthday or full name could be used to identify you or locate you offline. Mr Sinclair said: "Never put sensitive details like your address or banking details on a site. You should also only ever accept to be 'friends' with people you know and trust." Little bits of information can be used to build up a picture of you that could be misused. A good is only to put on your profile any information you would be happy to have on a park bench – this will help you keep your personal details safe, and private. 2 SET UP A NEW EMAIL ACCOUNT Set up a separate email account that does not use your real name and use it to register and receive mail from the site. That way, if you want to shut down your connection, you can simply stop using that email account. To set up an email address, there are free services that are simple and quick to use such as hotmail.com or yahoo.co.uk But try to avoid using an email address that gives away too much information, such as your full name or date of birth. 3 BE CHOOSY ABOUT ACCEPTING FRIENDS When you join a social network online, it may be tempting to add lots of friends and acquaintances. But approve only friendship requests of people you know and trust, as sometimes fraudsters will set up fake profiles in order to glean information. This is known as social engineering and can be avoided by using the rule – when in doubt, check them out. 4 BE CAUTIOUS OF THIRD-PARTY APPLICATIONS Many websites of this type offer a range of third-party applications, from games to widgets. But some of these have been shown to be completely fraudulent. These have been created to install bad software on your computer and access your personal information. A good thing to watch out for is applications that bait you with learning a piece of information by clicking on a button as this generally will initiate a program or virus to install. For example: "Kate has written some personal information about you. Click here to find how what she said." Remember that when you click to install an application like that, it not only puts your computer and network at risk, but also potentially sends the same invite out to everyone on your friend list. 5 AVOID USER-GENERATED SPAM Social networks rely on users to post content such as photos, videos and links and then sharing the content with their contacts. However, there are spam-based programmes that will install bad software if you click on them but may look very innocent, for example leaving a link on your page as a comment. If it doesn't sound like your friend who left a comment on your social networking page, it very well might not have been, so double check with your friend before you click on the link 6 SET YOUR PRIVACY SETTINGS Social networks are designed to make it very easy for other people to find you. Make sure that your privacy settings are set correctly. Facebook offers users control of their privacy setting within the "My privacy" section of the site. This can be reached by clicking on the "Privacy" link in the upper right-hand corner of any page on the website. From within the privacy section, you have control of all of your privacy settings and can fine-tune who will have access to your profile and activity on the Facebook website. 7 DON'T BROADCAST YOUR SCHEDULE Social networking websites allow users to publish their whereabouts to their network of friends. Whether it is a simple status update or detailed itinerary, fraudsters can use this information to victimise you in a number of ways. One of the biggest mistakes by users is to announce that they will be out of town for a holiday. Criminals use this information to determine when your home may be most vulnerable. 8 BE WARY OF GEOGRAPHICAL NETWORKS Facebook is made up of thousands of networks worldwide, and users are encouraged to join them in order to meet and make friends with people in their area. For example, Facebook allows users to join networks which are groups of individuals that share a common trait such as having attended the same school or living in a certain metropolitan area. That means that if you join the network for the city you live in, every other member of that city-based network will have access to your profile information. Even if you have set up your privacy settings to ensure that only friends can view your information, joining a network automatically opens your profile to every other member of the network. Make sure you change your privacy settings accordingly. 9 CHECK YOUR CREDIT REPORT REGULARLY By frequently monitoring your credit record, you can spot if someone has been using your identity to obtain credit and then rectify your credit history as soon as possible.
Now for a bit of light entertainment
Do you have a Facebook page?
Be careful about what you put on it!!!!!!!
Facebook profile 'could damage job prospects'
Jobseekers have been warned that their Facebook profile could damage their employment prospects, after a study found that seven in 10 employers now research candidates online. According to new figures released by Microsoft, the computer firm, Facebook and Twitter checks are now as important in the job selection process as a CV or interview. The survey, which questioned human resource managers at the top 100 companies in the UK, US, Germany and France, found that 70 per cent admitted to rejecting a candidate because of their online behaviour. But HR bosses also said that a strong image online could actually help job hunters to land their dream job. Peter Cullen, of Microsoft, said: "Your online reputation is not something to be scared of, it's something to be proactively managed.” "These days, it's essential that web-users cultivate the kind of online reputation that they would want an employer to see." Facebook faux pas include drunken photographs, bad language, and messages complaining about worklife. Farhan Yasin, of online recruitment network Careerbuilder.co.uk, said: "Social networking is a great way to make connections with job opportunities in 2010 and promote your personal brand across the internet. "People really need to make sure they are using this resource to their advantage, by conveying a professional image." But Mr Yasin cautioned job seekers to be aware of their online image even after landing the perfect job, after their own research found that 28 per cent of employers had fired staff for content found on their social networking profile. He added: "A huge number of employers have taken action against staff for writing negative comments about the company or another employee on their social networking page."
Question 1 Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text: a) In the study, people who were looking for jobs at 100 important American and European companies were asked questions. b) People are always careful when they add photos or texts to their personal pages. c) If you manage the content of your Facebook page, it can help you get a job. d) Some people have lost their job because of things that they wrote on their personal pages.
Question 2 Find and underline all the words in the text starting with the letter ‘r’.
Question 3 Now, match each of the words staring with ‘r’ to the correct definition. a) to make public b) not to choose or select c) a thing which is available d) definitely e) to investigate f) the opinion that others have of you
Question 4 Use each of the words beginning with ‘r’ to complete these sentences: a) No details of the President’s visit have been ...................... yet. It is still a secret. b) Doctors are still ................................ the symptoms of the illness. c) The situation is ........................ serious. We must take action. d) For your homework, you can use any ........................... you have available: the internet, encyclopedias, textbooks. Just make sure that you include references. e) His .......................................... as a specialist in this subject is widely accepted. He has written numerous articles and spoken at international conferences. f) I’m not going to make any more suggestions. They have ........................ all my previous proposals.
Question 5 Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning a) 70% of human resource managers at the top 100 companies in the UK, US, Germany and France, admitted to rejecting candidates because of their online behaviour. Candidates ………………………………………………………………… in the UK, US, Germany and France because of their online behaviour. b) Cullen, of Microsoft, said: "Your online reputation is not something to be scared of, it's something that you can manage proactively.” Cullen of Microsoft claimed that ………………………………………………………… c) But Mr Yasin cautioned job seekers to be aware of their online image even after landing the perfect job. Although job seekers …………………………………………, they still need to be aware of their online image.
Key 1 a) False The survey, which questioned human resource managers at the top 100 companies in the UK, US, Germany and France, ... b) False ." Facebook faux pas include drunken photographs, bad language, and messages complaining about worklife. c) True ... a strong image online could actually help job hunters to land their dream job. "Social networking is a great way to make connections with job opportunities in 2010 and promote your personal brand across the internet.” d) True 28 per cent of employers had fired staff for content found on their social networking profile.
3 a) release b) reject c) resource d) really e) research f) reputation
4 a) released b) researching c) really d) resource(s) e) reputation f) rejected
5 a) Candidates h ave been rejected by 70% of the top companies in the UK, US, Germany and France because of their online behaviour. b) Cullen, of Microsoft, said: "Your online reputation is not something to be scared of, it's something that you can manage proactively.” Cullen of Microsoft claimed that our online reputation was not something to be scared of and that it was something that we could manage proactively. c) Although job seekers have landed the perfect job, they still need to be aware of their online image.
A Facial Expression Is Worth a Thousand Words
People exchange information, not only with words, but also using their face and body. A facial expression can state a lot. A nod indicates understanding, a frown may say: "Please explain that again!"
Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics discovered that we are able to classify an expression much better when it moves naturally rather than when it is "frozen" in a photograph. We need to see the expression moving for at least 100 milliseconds. If the video sequence is shorter, our brain is less capable of interpreting the facial motion. Some expressions rely on changes in head orientation, for example, a nod or a shake of the head, others depend on the complex deformation of facial parts, such as wrinkling our nose to signalize disgust or a frown.
The scientists showed participants pictures of humans with various different expressions. Among them were simple, emotional expressions, such as "happy" and "sad," but also more complex ones such as agreement, confusion, or surprise. In order to investigate whether these expressions are recognized more easily in motion or in static pictures, a short video sequence was shown to the participants. The frame used in the static conditions was the last frame of each dynamic sequence. The participants were asked to identify the expressions based on the sequence or single frame.
In further experiments, the video sequences were converted to a series of photographs. In order to figure the degree to which facial expression recognition relies on natural movement, the frames were presented as a movie, but in a random order. Comparisons of the performance in this scrambled condition to the original video sequence shows that the recognition rates were still higher in the original than in the scrambled version.
Dr. Christian Wallraven, co-author of the study, stated: "Our results also have implications for the area of computer animation, since its goal is to create facial animations that are able to communicate realistically and believably", says the physicist and perception scientist.
Question 1 (2 points)
Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.
a) People need to see facial expressions in action for 100 milliseconds or more to be sure of what they mean.
b) Participants in the study were shown a variety of positive and negative expressions.
c) The people who saw photos saw the first picture from the video sequence.
d) Changing the order of the different stages of the expression does not affect people’s ability to understand them.
Question 2 (2 points)
Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) What different emotions were participants asked to recognise?
b) How will the results of the research help the computer animation industry?
Question 3 (1.5 points)
Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) indicate (paragraph 2)
b) extent (paragraph 4 )
c) objective (paragraph 5 )
Question 4 (1.5 points)
Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a) We are able to classify an expression much better when it moves naturally than when we only see a photograph.
If we only see a photograph,
b) The scientists showed participants pictures of humans with various different expressions.
Participants
c) Dr Wallraven stated “Our results also have implications for the area of computer animation, since its goal is to create facial animations that are able to communicate realistically.”
Dr Wallraven stated that
Question 5 (5 points)
Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
Not everyone shows their feelings in the same way. Do you agree?
Abbey Road studios have been granted Grade II listed status following a public outcry over plans to sell the world's most famous recording venue. The 1830s villa situated in north-west London was purchased by the Gramophone Company - later EMI - in 1930 and turned into studios.
The Government fast-tracked the application in response to reports that EMI was seeking a potential buyer in order to reduce the company's £2.6bn debt. Listed status was granted "overwhelmingly on the historic merit of the studios", the Government said, and should secure the future of the building as a music venue.
While changes to the interior are not prohibited, the grade II listing means that "care must be taken to ensure that any alterations with respect to its character and interest are fully considered". Any efforts to turn the building into residential apartments would be rejected, although plans to open a museum there would be considered.
Margaret Hodge, the Culture Minister, said: "Music - of whichever genre - is the thread that follows us through all our lives and Abbey Road Studios have produced some of the very best music in the world. It is a testament to both the importance of music in people's lives as well as the passion this kind of issue stirs up.
The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Pink Floyd and Sir Edward Elgar are among the artists who have recorded there.
At the weekend, EMI backed away from the sell-off plans and said it was in discussions with potential investors about a "revitalisation" of the studios. A "Save Abbey Road" campaign has won the public support of Sir Paul McCartney, while Lord Lloyd-Webber expressed an interest in buying the venue.
English Heritage recommended the building for listed status in 2003, and welcomed the Government's announcement. Simon Thurley, its chief executive, said: "Some of the most defining sounds of the 20th century were created within the walls of the Abbey Road studios”.
Question 1 Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text:
a) There’s been a national protest against selling the studios.
b) The final part of the process to list the building has been really slow.
c) One of the projects is to create an exhibition on the premises.
d) EMI has reconsidered their idea to sell the building
Question 2 Answer these questions in your own words:
a) Why did the Government stop the selling of the studios?
b) What effects does Grade II have on the building?
Question 3 Find a word or phrase in the text that means the same as:
a) Setting (par.2)
b) Provoke (par.4)
c) Likely, possible (par.6)
Question 4 Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning
a) English Heritage recommended the building for listed status in 2003, that’s why they welcomed the announcement.
If the building…
b) Abbey Road Studios have produced some of the very best music in the world. It is a testament to the importance of music in people's lives.
Abbey Road Studios…
c) The villa had been purchased by the Gramophone Company in 1930 and it was turned into studios.
The Gramophone Company…
Question 5 Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
Have you ever visited any historic buildings? Write about your experience.
Self-Access Group. CEP Santander
Pictures of nearly every street in the country are to be made available via Google. From Thursday, Streetview will feature 360-degree images of more than 99 per cent of the United Kingdom’s roads, both rural and urban, covering a total of approximately 238,000 miles.
The company launched Streetview in 25 UK cities in March last year and since then has been working on surveying the rest of the country using specially designed cars fitted with cameras. Hard to access areas have been captured using tricycles. Spain, France, Italy and the USA are already covered.
Google uses automatic technology to blur faces and car number plates, and allows users to request that their property be removed from the service. Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney has asked for his house to be taken off the site, for instance.
A survey commissioned by Google indicated that Streetview’s launch has coincided with a 30 per cent increase in people using the website’s mapping technology, available at maps.google.co.uk. Six out of ten of those users had consulted Streetview to find out what a place they were going looked like, while one-third had used it to look at locations abroad and 21 per cent had used it to help while house hunting.
Sandie Dawe, the chief executive of the official website to promote UK tourism, VisitBritain.com, welcomed the launch of the nationwide service. She said that Streetview was one of the “first places people turn to when planning a visit to one of Britain's many world-class attractions.”
Future applications for Streetview technology could include shopping; cameras have already been spotted photographing American supermarkets.
Question 1 Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text:
a) Different forms of transport were used to photograph Britain for Streetview.
b) Britain is the first country that Streetview has included on its website.
c) Paul McCartney does not want people to be able to see where he lives on Streetview.
d) Streetview is bad for tourism.
Question 2 Answer these questions in your own words:
a) How does google streetview protect individual privacy?
b) What do people use streetview for?
Question 3 Find a word or phrase in the text that means the same as:
a) include par.1
b) equipped par.2
c) discover/learn par. 4
Question 4 Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning
a) Streetview allows users to request that their property be removed from the service.
If you do not want your house to be on Streetview, .......
b) There has been a 30 per cent increase in people using the website’s mapping technology
The number of people using the website’s technology………………………………….
c) Six out of ten users had consulted Streetview to find out what a place they were going looked like.
Streetview ......................................
Question 5 Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
Nowadays, there are so many ways of finding out about places we would like to travel to. Which do you use?
Londoners lose 10,000 mobile phones a month in taxis
Londoners lose an average of 10,000 mobile phones in the back of taxis every month, with Christmas the worst time. Mobile phones and laptops are regularly left in the back of cabs.
A further 1,000 other portable technologies like laptops or iPods are also left in black cabs each month, according to a survey of cab drivers in the capital.
Steve McMenara, a spokesman for TAXI, the magazine of the Licensed Taxi Driver Association, said: "It’s a known fact that this is the worst time of year for forgetting 'property' in the back of cabs, but especially mobile phones and laptops as they slip onto the floor or get forgotten on the seats as passengers rush onto their next destination with their hands full.
"More people travel into London to buy their Christmas presents during this period who are not regular cab users, they hop a cab to get back to their train stations – and it’s always about an hour later we get a panicked call on their mobile phones asking for them to be returned."
The survey was carried out on behalf of a security firm, Credant Technologies. Sean Glynn, vice-president, told The Register: "We carry out our taxi survey regularly and it’s clear that none of us are infallible, especially at this busy time of year, when it’s all too easy to forget things when you’re travelling.”
"It used to be small items like brollies and briefcases stuffed of boring office papers. Now it’s laptops, smartphones and thumb drives, all chock-full of valuable information to an identity thief."
Question 1 Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text:
a) The fact that people carry many things makes losing things a lot easier.
b) People do not try to recover the lost items.
c) This is the first time the survey has been made.
d) People have always forgotten items in cabs.
Question 2 Answer these questions in your own words:
a) Why is Christmas the time when people forget more things in taxis?
b) Why are phones and laptops easier to lose?
Question 3 Find a word or phrase in the text that means the same as:
a) Hurry up. par 3. b) catch. par 4. c) full. par 6.
Question 4 Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning a) Other portable technologies like laptops or iPods are also left in black cabs each month. People…………………………………………………………………….. b) Steve McMenara said: "It’s a known fact that this is the worst time of year for forgetting 'property' in the back of cabs. Steve McMenara said that …………………………………………………………………….. c) London visitors don’t use cabs regularly, that’s why they forget their gadgets. If London visitors..............................................
Question 5 Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
"Once you have lost something, you will never get it back". Do you agree?
Self-Access Group. CEP Santander
KEY
Question 1 1. TRUE ………… as passengers rush onto their next destination with their hands full. 2. FALSE……… and it’s always about an hour later we get a panicked call on their mobile phones asking for them to be returned." 3. FALSE ….."We carry out our taxi survey regularly 4. TRUE…."It used to be small items like brollies and briefcases stuffed full of boring office papers. Question 2 1. More people travel into London to buy their Christmas presents during this period who are not regular cab users, passengers rush onto their next destination with their hands full. Over the Christmas period, people who do not usually travel by taxi come into London to do their Christmas shopping and then continue their trip with lots of bags. 2. These objects fall onto the floor or remain on the car seat when their owners leave the taxi.. Question 3 a) rush b) hop c) stuffed Question 4 1. People leave other portable technologies like laptops or iPods in black cabs each month. 2. Steve McMenara said that it was a known fact that that was the worst time of year for forgetting 'property' in the back of cabs. 3. If London visitors used cabs regularly they wouldn’t forget their gadgets.
In the past month, which of the following have you done online?
1 Used a search engine to find information.
2 Used online banking.
3 Looked up the news.
4 Paid bills.
5 Looked up the weather.
6 Researched a product before buying it.
7 Watched a video clip.
8 Listened to an audio clip.
9 Visited a social networking site.
10 Downloaded music.
11 Looked up sports scores.
12 Shared photos.
13 Viewed or contributed to a blog.
14 Sold something online.
These questions were used in a recent international survey. Now read the results of the survey in a PAU test.
Time spent online
A recent survey has highlighted the amount of time people spend on line throughout the world. More than 27,000 internet users, aged between 18 and 55, in 16 countries were surveyed by global market information group TNS. The information was also broken down into different sections of society to gain an accurate view of worldwide internet usage.
The findings show that the Chinese spend the largest amount of their leisure time online but also threw up an interesting statistic: While one might expect students (39%) or the unemployed (32%) to spend above average time on the web, the group that spends the highest proportion of their leisure time on the internet is housewives. In this, Britain beats every other country surveyed, with housewives recording almost half (47%) of their free time on the net. The younger the user it seems the more time was spent online. On average under 25s spend 36% of their leisure time online, this rises to an incredible 50% amongst the Chinese.
Another interesting finding was that, on average, internet users had 17 online friends although the Chinese, the biggest web users, were less likely to actually meet any of these friends in person while 76% of Germans topped that poll saying they had arranged to meet people they had first encountered on the net.
What the study also reveals is that a lot of activities which we traditionally did in our spare time are now being done online. Over three quarters of us (76%) have used the internet for banking in the past month and two thirds of us (66%) of us have also paid bills online. General search engine browsing (80%) is the most popular activity. Three quarters of us have used one of the many news sites (75%) in the last month whilst 62% of us have now checked the weather online, all suggesting that the internet has become our ‘one stop shop’ for multi-tasking in minimum time. Interestingly, arguably more pleasurable activities such as using a chatroom (13%) or downloading a film (12%) are far less popular.
Question 1 Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text:
a) The results of the survey confirmed our suspicions that people who are at school or university use the internet the most.
b) People in China are in contact with people via the internet that they will probably never meet.
c) People are changing their way of banking.
d) There are fewer people who chat on the web than people who access the news on the internet.
Question 2 Answer these questions in your own words:
a) How did TNS analyse its research?
b) How does the text say we can save time by using the internet?
Question 3 Find a word or phrase in the text that means the same as:
a) Result par.2
b) Reveal par. 2
c) Change in opinion par. 5
Question 4 Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning
a) More than 27,000 internet users, aged between 18 and 55, in 16 countries were surveyed by global market information group TNS.
TNS, which ………………………………………………………………, surveyed more than 27,000 internet users from 16 countries who ……………………………………
b) The younger the user the more time was spent online.
Older people ………………………………………………………………………………. .
c) “A lot of activities which we traditionally did in our spare time are now being done online”, said TNS.
The survey showed that a lot of ……….
Question 5 Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
“The internet is not always a good thing. It is also dangerous.” Do you agree?
You need to make a telephone 1___________? Then make sure you have your correspondent's number close at hand. Telephone numbers consist of a 2________ and a 3____________ . If you don't know your contact's number, look it up in the telephone 4_____________ of the 5___________ . The latter contains the telephone numbers of businesses and traders in your area.
The next thing you do is lift the 6________ and 7___________or press the number. You will then hear a 8____________ . If the number is 9__________ you will hear an engaged tone. Bad luck, you will have to ring back later.
In a company, the first person who answers the phone will often be the 10_______. He - but still more often: she - will put you through to the person you require. The operator operates the telephone 11_______________. In an increasing number of businesses however manual exchanges are replaced by direct lines or 12____________exchanges.
"What are the advantages and disadvantages of mobile phones?”
Mobile phones help us communicate everywhere, which is very important. They are good at emergencies, when you’ve 1. .... a car accident, for instance. A mobile phone 2. .... save your life! Mobile phones are also 3. .... because they have many good features - we can take photos and send them all over the world. But every coin has two sides. The 4. .... thing about mobile phones is that you have no privacy. My boss and friends find me whenever they want! I haven’t enjoyed a whole quiet day since the day I 5. .... my mobile phone. 6. .... disadvantage is that mobile phones make us lose good habits, such as punctuality. Before, when we 7. .... keep in touch so easily, if we had a date with someone, we tried our best to arrive 8. .... time. But now, because of the mobile phone, we are not afraid of 9. .... late any more, so, surprisingly enough, we make people wait! The third drawback I see is that I change my mobile phone once a year, and this means I’m spending far too much money on it. I think it is important to think why we use mobile phones. We should use things such as mobile phones, laptops, cameras, the Internet, and so on, 10. .... our needs. We can turn off our mobile phone when we don’t want to be disturbed by someone. If we know how to use it, we can eliminate its disadvantages.
1. A. HAVE B. MADE C. HAD D. CRASHED 2. A. MUST B. CAN C. NEED D. HAVE TO 3. A. ANNOYED B. INTERESTED C. INTERESTING D. ANNOYING 4. A. WORSE B. GOOD C. WORST D. IMPORTANT 5. A.PAID B. ACQUIRED C. OBTAINED D. GOT 6. A. OTHER B. ONE OTHER C. THE OTHER D. ANOTHER 7. A. COULDN’T B. MUST C. CAN’T D. HAVE 8. A. AT B. IN C. ON D. BY 9. A. BE B. TO BE C. BEING D. STAYED 10. A. FOR SATISFY B. TO SATISFY C. FOR TO SATISFY D. SO SATISFYING
A mobile phone service that discreetly bleeps if your ideal partner is sitting in the same bar, walking down the street or standing next to you in the supermarket queue could soon revolutionalise dating. The system, called Serendipity, is being developed by American researchers and designed to make computerised matchmaking more spontaneous.
Potential daters would subscribe to a service that stores their personal profile, their photograph and information about their perfect partner.
Each time two phones signed up to the system get within a few yards of each other, the service compares their details, likes and dislikes.
If there are enough similarities, it tells the phones to exchange personal details and photos, letting their owners know that it might be worth breaking the ice.
Nathan Eagle, one of the creators of the system, told New Scientist that users would be able to control the type of people who receive their information. The system could be told to swap details only with friends of friends, he said. Or, if users were feeling more adventurous, the system could be programmed to pass on information only to strangers.
The Serendipity uses the Bluetooth radio system built into many mobile phones. Bluetooth transceivers allow phones, computers and gadgets to talk to each other within a 10-yard-wide bubble. The system "sniffs out" other Bluetooth phones every 30 seconds. If it finds one, it contacts the database to see if the owner is a good match.
However, the system could become a victim of its own success. If users are bombarded with calls, it would soon become unworkable.
Cameron Marlowe, a social networks researcher at MIT, believes it could be a constant distraction. "You wouldn't want to turn it off, just in case," he said.
Mark Granovetter, a sociologist at Stanford University said:” Some worry that as these technologies become more common, people will become overloaded with networking requests and start to ignore them."
QUESTION 1 Indicate whether the following sentences are TRUE or FALSE and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.
a) This service can only be used in the United States
b) The system will send its messages to anyone who has signed up.
c) The system is constantly looking for possible matches.
d) This service is likely to fail.
QUESTION 2 Answer the following question in your own words.
a) How does the Serendipity work?
b) According to Mr Granovetter, why may people stop using this kind of systems?
QUESTION 3 Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words or definitions given.
a) line of people (par. 1) b) exchange (par. 4) c) device (par. 5)
QUESTION 4 Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a) The system called Serendipity is being developed by American researchers.
American researchers...
b) “Some worry that as these technologies become more common, people will become overloaded with networking requests”
He said that some...
c) The service compares details and likes. The service is designed to make computerised matchmaking.
The service...
QUESTION 5 Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
Would you date with someone you’ve met in the chat?
SELF-ACCESS GROUP. CEP SANTANDER
Texting is closer to speech than the written word
Dr Caroline Tagg, an academic who is the first ever to gain a PHD in text messages discovered that people text in the same way as if they were talking, using unnecessary words such as 'oh', 'erm' and often use grammatical abbreviations like 'dunno'.
Contrary to the belief that text messaging is destroying the art of communication, she claims it is actually enhancing language skills.” Text messaging is far closer to speech than formal writing, “she said.” It is in a way a new form of communication between the two.”
Dr Tagg spent three-and-a-half years researching the subject of SMS text messaging and the language used in them at Birmingham University. She read 11,000 text messages, containing 190,000 words, sent by 235 people, aged between 18 and 65. Dr Tagg analysed spelling, grammar and abbreviations used in social and business texts. The average text contains 17.5 words, she said.
The study showed that the ability to abbreviate and change the way words were written shows a deep understanding of the fundamentals of speech, spelling and grammar, she claimed. And she also discovered from her 80,000 word thesis that abbreviations were much less common than popularly thought.” You have to know how language works to know whether people will understand what you are texting," she said. "For example removing the vowels from a word often allows its meaning to remain intact but take away any of the consonants and it makes no sense."
From her research she believes that texts are much more about maintaining and building relationships rather than passing on facts. They tend to include a lot of information which is irrelevant but entertaining.
"There is a panic about the effect of text messaging and people are genuinely worried about it but I don't think they should be.” People use playful manipulation and metaphors. It is a playful language. Not only are they quite creative, it is also quite expressive.
Question 1 Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text:
a) We are accurate and precise when we send messages.
b) People show they can handle language easily when they text..
c) Our belief that people use a lot of abbreviations when they text is correct
d) We mainly use messages to pass on pertinent information.
Question 2 Answer these questions in your own words:
a) How did she carry out her research?
b) Why does Dr Tagg believe that we shouldn’t worry about language?
Question 3 Find a word or phrase in the text that means the same as:
a) Obtain par.1
b) improve par. 2
c) Profound par. 4
Question 4 Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning
a) "There is a panic about the effect of text messaging and people are genuinely worried about it but I don't think they should be”, she said.
She said that.......................................................
b) People believe that text messaging is destroying the art of communication.
Text messaging..........................................................................
c) She claimed that the way words were written showed a deep understanding of the fundamentals of speech, spelling and grammar.
She said “The way people ………………………………………………………
Question 5 Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
Could you live without a mobile phone?
Self-Access Group. CEP Santander
Look at the pictures and complete the sentences using comparative or superlative forms of the adjectives.
LAURA CAROL LUCY
1. Laura is _________________ than Carol. (young)
2. Lucy is the _______________. (young)
3. Carol’s hair is _____________ than Laura’s. (short)
4. Lucy’s eyes are the _______________. (small)
5. Lucy’s feet are ________________ than Carol’s. (big)
6. Lucy is the __________________. (happy)
7. Carol’s hair is the ________________________. (colourful)
8. Lucy’s hair is _____________________ than Laura’s. (curly)
9. Laura’s boots are the ___________________. (heavy)
10. Carol’s and Laura’s clothes are ________________ than Lucy’s. (modern)
Self-Access Group. CEP Santander
KEY
1. younger 2. youngest 3. shorter 4. smallest 5. bigger 6. happiest 7. most colourful 8. curlier 9. heaviest 10. more modern
Tens of thousands of schoolchildren, many of whom will have spent the Christmas break cramming and fretting over the new year exams, look likely to be given a reprieve by the snow. With about half the UK’s schools closed, there is increasing uncertainty about the GCSEs and A levels that are scheduled to begin on Monday. Should the exams be rescheduled for the summer, creating a pile-up of assessments in an already over-assessed academic year? Or should exam grades be issued on the strength of coursework that has already been submitted?
Britain’s children are simultaneously overexamined and undereducated. This problem extends across all age groups, as the Cambridge Primary Review found last year. But it is especially acute at secondary level.
Many readers will remember a time when there were two sets of major exams: GCSEs then A levels. Those days are long gone. Students now take the new AS levels between GCSEs and A levels. Moreover, instead of coming at the end of the academic year in the summer, exams are now split into modules that crop up during the year.
Examining, not education, dominates the agenda. Politicians demand never-ending “improvements” in exam results. So do many headteachers. Teachers are forced to narrow their focus towards cramming. No wonder some independent schools are switching to the International Baccalaureate, which has a Middle Years Programme free of external assessment.
Exams can be useful. But they become self-defeating when they are never-ending. Increasing assessment once had the sensible intention of making it easier to measure essential skills. But the curriculum should lead the exam, not the exam lead the curriculum.
1 Find words in the text that refer to people Example: teachers, ...........
2 Match the expressions from the text to the correct meaning.
1 to cram ato appear suddenly 2 to fret over b It’s not surprising 3 to crop up c counterproductive 4 to be given a reprieve d To escape punishment (temporarily) 5 Those days are long gone. e to study hard just before an exam 6 No wonder f The situation today is completely different. 7 to dominate the agenda g to worry about 8 self-defeating h to control what happens
3 Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given. a) serious (paragraph 2) b) divide (paragraph 3) c) change (paragraph 4)
4 Who does these things – a student or a teacher? does homework / corrects homework hands in homework /gives back homework sets a test / sits a test gets a mark / gives a mark explains the content of a lesson / takes notes of the content of a lesson
5 Choose the right word. I’m in the third (1) year /course of Compulsory Education. I have to study 9 (2) signatures /subjects. At the moment, I’m getting good (3) marks /notes in 8 of them but I (4) failed /suspended the Physics exam. I have to (5) make / do another exam at the end of term and I hope I (6) pass / approve!
Key 1 Schoolchildren, children, readers, students, politicians, headteachers 2 1 - e, 2 – g, 3 – a, 4 – d, 5 – f, 6 – b, 7 – h, 8 – c 3 a) acute b) split c) switch 4 a student does homework, hands in homework, sits a test, gets a mark, takes notes a teacher corrects homework, gives back homework, sets a test, gives a mark, explains the content of a lesson 5 1 year 2 subjects 3 marks 4 failed 5 do 6 pass
Think twice before proudly showing off your iPod playlist. Your choice of music may mark you out as boring, dim and unattractive, according to new research from the University of Cambridge.
The study found that we make assumptions about someone’s personality, values, social class and ethnicity based on their musical preferences.
Classical buffs are seen as ugly and boring, while rock lovers are regarded as emotionally unstable and pop fans are considered to be rather dim.
Perusing a person’s iPod playlist can “reinforce stereotypes and, potentially, social prejudices”, said Dr Jason Rentfrow, who led the research at the university’s Department of Social and Developmental Psychology. “This research suggests that, even though our assumptions may not be accurate, we get a very strong impression about someone when we ask them what music they like.”
Subjects in the study were asked to ponder six musical genres: rock, pop, classical, jazz, rap and electronica. Jazz fans elicited the most positive response as they were considered to be imaginative, peace-loving liberals with friendly and outgoing natures. Classical buffs are perceived as quiet, friendly, responsible and intelligent but also unathletic, physically unattractive and dull. Those with a preference for rock songs are deemed to be “natural rebels”, thoroughly irresponsible and emotionally unstable, while pop fans are seen as conventional and calm but lacking in intelligence and wisdom. Rap aficionados are viewed as athletic and self-respecting but disorganised and “more hostile” than other music fans. Lovers of electronica are “a bit neurotic”.
The research was carried out to mark the university’s 800th anniversary.
Question 1. Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.
a) According to the study, it is not clear that people have an opinion of us depending on the music we like.
b) People who like classical music do not seem to be very attractive.
c) The study was carried out by the Music Department in Cambridge University.
d) Apparently rock fans adapt to social rules easily.
Question 2. Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) According to the study, what does the music we like tell other people about us?
b) What may be some bad consequences of knowing people’s musical preferences?
Question 3. Find a word or a phrase in the text that means the same as
a) to display (par.1) b) correct (par.4) c) to produce (par.5)
Question 4. Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning
a) “This research suggests that we get a strong impression about someone when we ask them what music they like.”
Dr. Jason said that ___________________________________________________
b) Subjects in the study were asked to ponder six musical genres.
They _____________________________________________________________
c) They consider him disorganized and hostile because he likes rap.
If he ___________________________________________________________
Question 5. Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
• Music makes the world go round. Do you agree?
Misbehaving students punished with Mozart
A school in England is using classical music to cut down on students’ bad behaviour. The head teacher Brian Walker at the West Park School in Derby runs two-hour detention sessions after school on Fridays. He forces his students to listen to Mozart and other classical music. He also makes them copy his favourite poems and they have to watch educational videos. Mr. Walker says his main aim is to stop noisy pupils spoiling lessons for well-behaved students who want to study. He said the students staying behind are “not the smokers, the truants or the people who are late… It's those who have slowed the learning process in class for everyone”. Mr. Walker explained this was unacceptable “because it is robbing the rest of opportunities”.
Brian Walker believes the detention reminds students that education is something to value. "It helps them see they are part of something bigger that will enhance their life chances,” he said. The head teacher thinks students actually learn from being kept behind after school: "Hopefully, I open their ears to an experience they don't normally have and…don't want to have again, so it's both educational and acts as a deterrent." Music has had success elsewhere in reducing bad behaviour. In 2004, it reduced crime on London’s subway by 25 per cent. Researchers from a Belfast university found it helped stop elephants misbehaving. However, one West Park student called Kieran said: “An hour of Mr. Walker's music is a real killer.”
Question 1. Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.
a) A teacher forced students to write poetry and listen to classical music.
b) Students received detention for smoking and skipping classes.
c) The teacher said he wanted students to open their ears and eyes.
d) Music on London’s subway system cut crime by a quarter in 2004.
Question 2. Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) Why does Mr. Walker force the students to stay after school on Friday?
b) What kind of students “suffer” Mr. Walker’s measures?
Question 3. Find a word or a phrase in the text that means the same as
a) reduce (Par 1) b) ruining (par.1) c) opportunities (par. 2)
Question 4. Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning
a) A school in England is using classical music to cut down on bad behaviour.
Classical music …………………………..
b) He forces his students to listen to Mozart.
He makes …………………………….
c) “It helps them see they are part of something bigger that will enhance their life chances.
Brian Walker said that …………………
Question 5. Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
What do you think about school punishments?
1. Guess if a-h below are true (T) or false (F).
a. Mozart was a bad student at school and was punished a lot. T / F
b. A teacher forced students to write poetry and listen to classical music. T / F
c. Students received detention for smoking and skipping class. T / F
d. A head teacher was worried good students were losing studying time. T / F
e. The head teacher believes his method helps students value education. T / F
f. The teacher said he wanted students to open their ears and eyes. T / F
g. Music on London’s subway system cut crime by a quarter in 2004. T / F
h. One student said he really liked the music by the band The Killers. T / F
2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.
1. cut down on a. students
2 forces b. usually
3. pupils c. detained
4. spoiling d. chances
5. robbing e. reduce
6. enhance f. in other places
7. opportunities g. stealing from
8. kept behind h. makes
9. normally i. improve
10. elsewhere j. ruining
KEY
KEY
TRUE / FALSE:
a. F b. T c. F d. T e. T f. F g. T h. F
SYNONYM MATCH:
1. cut down on a. reduce
2 forces b. makes
3. pupils c. students
4. spoiling d. ruining
5. robbing e. stealing from
6. enhance f. improve
7. opportunities g. chances
8. kept behind h. detained
9. normally i. usually
10. elsewhere j. in other places
And if you feel exotic .................... World’s Tallest Building Opens in Dubai
The world's tallest building officially opened in Dubai on January the 4th. The height of the 828-metre Burj Khalifa was kept a secret until the opening ceremony. It is twice the height of New York’s Empire State Building. Another big surprise at the opening was the renaming of the tower. The building had always been called Burj Dubai. However, Dubai’s ruler announced it would now be called Burj Khalifa after the ruler of Abu Dhabi, Dubai’s neighbour. The oil-rich emirate of Abu Dhabi helped save Dubai from possible financial collapse. The chairman of the company that built the Burj, Mohamed Alabbar, said the building gives "hope and optimism". He added: “The world has gone through …difficult times… this is the beginning of a gradual move forward.”
It is likely the Burj will remain as the world’s tallest building for a while to come. Since the 2008 global financial crisis, there seems to be little appetite for ambitious construction projects from property developers. The Burj’s owners, however, are confident the building will be a success. More than 90 per cent of the space has been sold. It cost $22 billion to build and has broken many records. The opening celebrations included the world’s highest fireworks, which lit up the sky above the world’s tallest fountain. The building houses the world’s highest mosque and swimming pool, located on floors 158 and 76. Burj Khalifa has 1,044 luxury apartments, 49 floors of offices and the 160-room Armani hotel. Around 12,000 people will live and work in the tower.
Question 1. Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text. a) Everyone knew the height of the world’s tallest building ages ago. b) The building is named after Dubai’s ruler. c) A property developer said the Burj is a symbol of good times to come. d) Another project will soon beat the Burj as the world’s tallest building.
Question 2. Answer the following questions in your own words. a) Why has this tall building got that name? b) What will there be inside the building?
Question 3. Find a word or a phrase in the text that means the same as a) ruin (par.1) b) slow (par.1) c) desire (par. 2)
Question 4. Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning a) The building had always been called Burj Dubai. People _________________________________ b) “The world has gone through difficult times. This is the beginning of a gradual move forward.” Mohamed Alabbar said that ____________________________________________ c) There is no appetite for construction projects. The Burj´s owners , however, are confident the building will be a success. Although __________________________________________________________
Question 5. Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic: What do you prefer to visit: old towns or modern towns? Give reasons
Spain is to open the world's first "gastronomic university" complete with a research laboratory to explore the mysterious chemistry of taste. Construction began last month on the Basque Culinary Centre in San Sebastian and it will be ready to accept its first intake of students in September 2011 in a building designed to resemble a pile of stacked plates.
The university will be the first of its kind to offer a four-year undergraduate degree course in culinary arts taught in both English and Spanish and one year masters degrees as well as shorter courses for cooking enthusiasts.
The private university is located in the seaside resort of San Sebastian, which already holds a reputation for some of the best gastronomical expertise in Spain. The town is home to nine restaurants who together boast a total of 16 Michelin stars. Many of the local chefs have pledged their support to the new university and will participate in the tuition on degree courses.
But it is perhaps the promise of guest lecturers such as the top chef Ferran Adria that will have aspiring chefs applying in droves. Mr Adria who owns the famed El Bulli restaurant on Spain’s Costa Brava is considered the father of molecular gastronomy and has treated those few diners lucky enough to secure a reservation at one of his tables to such rare delights as Parmesan snow and pine cone mouse. Despite hostility from Spain’s more traditional chefs, his restaurant has been voted the best in the world for the fourth consecutive year.
Spain’s minister of Science and Innovation said the time had come for gastronomy to be treated with the same seriousness as other academic subjects and given its own university degree. ”Not only is gastronomy an art, culture and an industry,” said Cristina Garmendia at the ceremony to lay the foundation stone of the new university. “It is also a technology and a science.”
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) Courses at the university will last between 1 and 4 years.
b) 16 restaurants in San Sebastian have been given a Michelin star.
c) Ferran Adriá’s restaurant is very popular with both customers and cooks.
d) Cristina Garmendia thinks that it is right to teach gastronomy at university level.
Question 2 (2 points)
Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) What will the Basque Culinary Centre look like?
b) Who will teach at the university?
Question 3 (1.5 points)
Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) the people accepted on a school or university course (Paragraph 1)
b promise (Paragraph 3)
c) large numbers (Paragraph 4)
Question 4 (1.5 points)
Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a) Adria’s restaurant has been voted the best in the world for the fourth consecutive year.
Judges ………………………..
b) Local chefs will make attractive teachers but it is Ferran Adria who will be a star guest lecturer.
Although…………………………..
c) The private university is located in San Sebastian, as it already has a reputation for the best gastronomy in Spain.
If San Sebastian ………………………………………..
Question 5 (5 points)
Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
‘Our universities and schools do not teach the things we need to know.’ Do you agree?
Self-Access Group. CEP Santander
Trashy fashion
Ms. Judd spends her days in a studio making clothing from plastic bags, electrical wire and old cassette tapes. Now, environmental activists plan to showcase her work in Washington.
The star piece of her collection is a man's coat made from Mr. Obama's campaign fliers which took her 200 hours to make. She has already made three items from Obama’s campaign: A sun dress stitched from plastic signs; a suit from strips of posters; and the man's coat, made from door hangers. The outfits have their limitations. An evening gown sparkling with 12,000 bits of glass; a fitted jacket cut from the vinyl top of a convertible car. "You can't sit down in any of them," says Ms. Judd.
Ms. Judd, who used to work for the Santa Fe trash department, began to wonder whether she could spark interest in solid waste by making garbage glamorous. Two years ago, Ms. Judd decided to try to turn her hobby into a full-time job. She doesn't sell her work; she markets it as an educational tool. She wants to use her clothes to illustrate talks and to raise awareness through art exhibits. The concept intrigued Pittsburgh International Airport, who organized a show. Ms. Judd also spoke to several youth groups there. "The children were amazed to see that something so beautiful could be created out of something we would normally throw away," says Pat Bluett, assistant executive director of a Boys and Girls Club. “The club's recycling volume has since doubled,” she says.
The educational theme also appealed to Jenna Mack, co-producer of Saturday's Green Inaugural Ball. The all-organic, $500-a-ticket event is expected to draw 1,000 environmentalists. Models will show off Ms. Judd's fashions on platforms in the lobby. "Maybe the mental image of that dress made from glass might make people think twice before they throw out a bottle next time," Ms. Mack says.
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) Ms Judd has made several pieces of clothing using materials from Obama’s campaign.
b) Judd’s clothes are comfortable and practical.
c) Ms Judd has been making clothes as a hobby for the past two years.
d) All tickets for Saturday’s ball cost five hundred dollars.
Question 2 (2 points)
Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) What does Ms Judd do with the clothes she makes?
b) What does Ms Mack hope will happen when people see the dress made from glass?
Question 3 (1.5 points)
Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) long, thin pieces (paragraph 2)
b) increase (paragraph 3)
c) attract (paragraph 4)
Question 4 (1.5 points)
Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a) The man’s coat took Ms Judd 200 hours to make.
Ms Judd spent …
b) Pittsburgh International Airport showed interest in the idea and organized an exhibition.
Interest …….. and an exhibition ……….
c) Ms Judd said “I wondered whether I could spark interest in recycling and tried to make garbage glamorous.”
Ms Judd said she…….
Question 5 (5 points)
Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic:
People nowadays are recycling more than before. Do you agree?
With the new year and the new decade, English speakers are discussing how to pronounce 2010. Here’s an article about it. You can read it and decide...... it’s up to you!
BBC stars discuss how to pronounce 2010
The BBC has tackled the topic of how to pronounce 2010 with David Tennant suggesting 'twenty-ten' is preferred.
While some say ‘twenty-ten’, others are referring to ‘two thousand and ten’ and even ‘two-o-one-o’.
The subject was raised in a programme on Radio 2 on Boxing Day – which was hosted the Doctor Who actors David Tennant and Catherine Tate Tennant, 38, referred to the year as ‘twenty ten’, when telling a listener to have a “wonderful new year”.
Tate said: “Oh twenty-ten – get you! Who’s been reading the compliance rules!’?”
Tennant told their guest, Bernard Cribbins: “We’re supposed to say twenty-ten.”
But Cribbins said he believed most elderly people would prefer to say two thousand and ten.
Miss Tate added: “You’re not allowed to say two thousand and ten…The people in there are exploding!”
The BBC has a unit which decides on uniform pronunciation. However, the BBC said there had been no ruling on 2010.
A spokesman said: “Prior to the show, it was decided “twenty ten” was the easiest way to pronounce the year. It was not breaking any rules to say it in an alternative way.” 28 Dec 2009
Worried about how to say numbers in English? Have a look below if you want to do some numbers practice.
How to say numbers
Cardinal numbers
379 = three hundred and seventy nine 2,860 = two thousand eight hundred and sixty 5,084 = five thousand and eighty-four 470,000 = four hundred and seventy thousand 2,550,000 = two million, five hundred and fifty thousand 3,000,000,000 = three billion Note: There is no plural’s’ after hundred, thousand, million and billion when they part of a number. On their own, they can be plural, e.g. thousands of people; millions of insects.
Ordinal numbers and dates
One of the problems with dates is that we write them and say them in a different way We write 4 January (or 4th January), but say the fourth of January or January the fourth We write 21 May (or 21st May), but say the twenty-first of May or May the twenty- first 1997 = nineteen ninety seven 1905 = nineteen hundred and five or nineteen oh five
Fractions and decimals
1 ¼ = one and a quarter 1 ½ = one and a half 1 ¾ = one and three quarters 1 1/3 = one and a third 1.25 = one point two five 1.5 = one point five 1.75 = one point seven five 1.33 = one point three
Arithmetic
There are four basic processes for working out (= calculating) a problem: + = addition e.g. 6 + 4 = 10 (six plus/and four equals/is ten) - = subtraction e.g. 6 - 4 = 2 (six minus four equals/is two) x = multiplication e.g. 6 x 4 = 24 (six times / multiplied by four equals/is twenty¬ four : = division e.g. 4 + 2 = 2 (four divided by two equals/is two)
Percentages
26% = twenty-six per cent. More than 50% is the majority; less than 50% is the minority.
Saying '0'
This can be spoken in different ways in different contexts. telephone number: 603 724 = six oh three, seven two four (Am Eng = six zero three) mathematics: 0.7 = nought point seven, 6.02 = six point oh two temperature: -10 degrees = ten degrees below zero / minus ten degrees football: 2-0 = two nil tennis: 40-0 = forty love
Talking numbers
Here are several useful words and expressions connected with numbers: The streets have got odd numbers (e.g. 3, 5, 7) on the left and even numbers (e.g. 4, 6, 8) on the right. I got 16 out of 20 in our last test. 16/20
Hong Kong restaurants have come up with a novel way to cut down on waste from food leftovers, threatening to fine diners who don't eat up.
A number of restaurants in the Chinese city alert customers that they will charge them between HK$5 and HK$20 if they leave any food on their plates, the South China Morning Post reported.
It said a handful of restaurants serving do-it-yourself hotpots, sushi and buffets had set up the system.
However, a restaurant industry group said the move was merely put in place to warn customers and that few eateries, if any, had actually fined anyone.
"The penalties listed on the menus are just for warning," Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades spokesperson Simon Wong was quoted as saying. "Who can afford to lose customers?"
Hong Kong is facing a landfill crisis as space runs out for dumping the increasing amount of rubbish produced by the city's seven million people.
The government is reportedly looking into a scheme that will reprocess into compost some of the 700 tons of food thrown out each day by the city's huge hospitality industry.
Question 1 Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text:
a) All restaurants in Hong Kong have adopted the measure.
b) A new industry group said that almost any restaurant has asked to pay the penalty.
c) The new law is compulsory for all restaurants in Hong Kong.
d) The government processes about 700 tons of food thrown every day.
Question 2 Answer these questions in your own words:
a) What would the consequences of the implement of the new law be?
b) What reasons do they give for adopting this new measure?
Question 3 Find a word or phrase in the text that means the same as:
a) Uneaten food. par. 1
b) The amount you can hold in your hand. par. 3
c) Hole where rubbish is disposed of. par. 6
Question 4 Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning
a) It said a handful of restaurants serving do-it-yourself hotpots, sushi and buffets had set up the system.
A handful of restaurants serving do-it-yourself hotpots, sushi and buffets are said ……. ………………………………………………………………………..
b) Hong Kong is facing a landfill crisis.
A landfill crisis ……………………………………………………..
c) Although they have set up the system, very few customers have actually been fined.
Despite……………………………………………………………………
Question 5 Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
Do people follow the rules for recycling rubbish?
Somos un grupo de profesores de Cantabria: Carmen A., Lorena B., María B., Blanca D., Belen G., José Ramón L., Inés O. y Lola R.
Nos reunimos cada dos semanas para subir al blog las actividades y materiales que vamos elaborando y que están dirigidos al alumnado de Secundaria y de Bachillerato.
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