One Stop English Weekly Lessons 100-160

‘Bumbling nerd’ loses battle against extradition Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text.

hacker

extradition

naive

bail

disproportionate

nerd

lenient

appellant

contention

intolerable

1. If something is ___________________, it is much bigger (or smaller) than it should be. 2. If something is ___________________, it is impossible to bear or deal with. 3. If a law is ___________________, it punishes someone less severely than it could. 4. A ___________________ person is one who lacks experience of life and tends to believe things too easily. 5. An ___________________ is someone who appeals against the decision of a court of law. 6. ___________________ is money that is given to a court as a guarantee when someone is allowed to stay out of prison until their trial. 7. ___________________ is the process of sending a criminal back to the country where a crime was committed for a trial. 8. A ___________________ is an opinion or statement that something is true. 9. A ___________________ is someone who uses a computer to connect to other people’s computers illegally. 10. A ____________ is a boring person who is excessively interested in technical subjects, especially computers.

2

What do you know?

Decide whether these sentences are True (T) or False (F). Then check your answers in the text. 1. The Pentagon is the home of the US government’s department of defence. 2. The European court of human rights is in Brussels. 3. The attacks on the Word Trade Centre and the Pentagon took place in 2002. 4. The UK has much tougher computer crime laws than the USA. 5. One UK pound is worth approximately two US dollars.

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NEWS LESSONS / ‘Bumbling nerd’ loses battle against extradition / Advanced

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© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008

N T O FR BE C O DO O M W P W N IA EB LO B SI A L TE DE E D •

6. Terrorist suspects held at Guantanamo Bay are known as ‘enemy combatants’.

‘Bumbling nerd’ loses battle against extradition Advanced

2 “I’m very disappointed and very angry, but not too surprised,” he told the Guardian. “It might be naive of me but, perversely, I think I might have more chance in Europe than I do in my own country.” McKinnon said the Home Office had delayed extraditing him by two weeks to allow him time to lodge a higher appeal. After that, the case could take two years to reach the courts. “Right now I’d be quite glad of a two-year delay,” he said. “It’s better than being handed over to US marshals and being put on a plane straight away.” He said the case had proved devastating in the six years since he was arrested. With his bail conditions barring him from using the Internet, his previous work in IT is near-impossible, while potential employers are scared off. “I’ve lost two jobs because of this – my bosses just didn’t want to be associated with the publicity,” he said.

5 McKinnon, an unemployed IT worker from north London, has consistently argued that he was merely a ‘bumbling computer nerd’ who caused no damage but was merely searching for evidence of extraterrestrial life. Between 2001 and 2002 he scanned thousands of US government computers from his bedroom, looking for loopholes which would help him get inside their networks in order to prove his contention that the existence of aliens had been covered up by the CIA.

3 The 42-year-old hacked into 97 computers belonging to the US military shortly after the attacks on the World Trade Centre and Pentagon in 2001, using the codename ‘Solo’. American officials claim he infiltrated systems belonging to the department of defence, the US armed forces and even Nasa – causing $700,000 (£354,000) damage and threatening national security.

7 McKinnon’s lawyers have argued that he should face trial in the UK as the hacking raids were conducted in Britain. If the courts supported such a decision it would mean he would face a much smaller sentence under the UK’s more lenient computer crime laws. The defence argued he was being unfairly targeted because his work embarrassed the US security services.

4 If extradited, McKinnon faces up to 70 years in prison and his lawyers have argued that he could even be given ‘enemy combatant’ status,

8 They also argued that an attempt by US prosecutors to make a deal with McKinnon – in which he would be offered a six-month sentence

6 He left messages on the desktops of computers he had hacked into, a mistake that allowed the authorities to trace him. “It got a bit silly,” he told the Guardian in 2005. “I suppose it means I’m not a secretive, sophisticated, checking-myselfevery-step-of-the-way type of hacker.”

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / ‘Bumbling nerd’ loses battle against extradition / Advanced

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1 A British hacker who broke into the Pentagon’s computer systems said he was disappointed and angry after the House of Lords yesterday dismissed his appeal against extradition to the US. Gary McKinnon – called “the world’s most dangerous hacker” by the American authorities – could face trial in the US for his actions, but vowed to continue fighting his case in the European courts.


• British hacker could face 70-year jail term in US • Hope that European court will overturn Lords ruling Bobbie Johnson, technology correspondent July 31, 2008

the same category applied to terrorist suspects interned at Guantánamo Bay. McKinnon’s lawyer, Karen Todner, said her client had now exhausted his options in the UK and would be taking his case to the European court of human rights in Strasbourg. “Gary McKinnon is neither a terrorist nor a terrorist sympathizer,” she said. “His case could have been properly dealt with by our own prosecuting authorities. Instead, we believe that the British government declined to prosecute him to enable the US government to make an example of him. American officials involved in this case have stated that they want to see him ‘fry’. The consequences he faces if extradited are both disproportionate and intolerable and we will be making an immediate application to the European court to prevent his removal.”

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‘Bumbling nerd’ who broke into Pentagon computers loses battle against extradition

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Level 3

‘Bumbling nerd’ loses battle against extradition Level 3

Advanced

for his co-operation – constituted an unfair derailment of British legal procedures. That contention was rejected by the law lords, who said that granting the appeal would “endanger the integrity of the extradition process”. In the written judgment they said: “The difference between the American system and our own is not perhaps so stark as the appellant’s argument suggests.” 9

US is making a clear stand that anyone making any attempts to compromise its computers and data will face the consequences,” said Graham Cluley, of IT security company Sophos. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 31/07/08

Computer security experts said it was unlikely US prosecutors would give up their pursuit. “The

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. Gary McKinnon hacked into thousands of US government computers… a. ... in order to show how easy it was to do so. b. ... in order to prove the CIA was hiding evidence about the existence of aliens. c. ... in order to protest about the treatment of prisoners at Guantánamo Bay. 2. Mr McKinnon’s lawyers believe that… a. ... the US government wants to make an example of him. b. ... the European courts will be fairer than the British ones. c. ... his appeal will endanger the integrity of the extradition process. 3. Mr McKinnon describes himself as… a. ... a thoroughly professional computer expert. b. ... a clumsy amateur. c. ... an enemy combatant. 4. Why do Mr McKinnon’s lawyers argue that he should be tried in Britain? a. Because they believe he will receive a more lenient sentence. b. Because the actual offences were committed in Britain.

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c. Because they believe he will not receive a fair trial in the USA.


Advanced

4 Find the word Look in the text and find the following words and phrases. The paragraph numbers are given to help you. 1. A verb meaning to promise that you will do something. (para 1) 2. An adjective meaning causing a lot of harm or damage. (para 2) 3. A verb meaning to officially say that someone must not do something. (para 2) 4. A verb meaning (in American English) to kill someone as a punishment using the electric chair. (para 4) 5. An adjective meaning behaving in a way that is confused an not properly organized. (para 5) 6. A phrasal verb meaning to hide the truth about something. (para 5) 7. A noun meaning the prevention of something from continuing in the way it was planned. (para 8) 8. An adjective meaning extreme and obvious. (para 8)

5 Verb + noun collocations Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns and noun phrases in the right-hand column to make collocations from the text. 1. face

a. damage

2. lodge

b. national security

3. dismiss

c. all one’s options

4. threaten

d. an appeal

5. exhaust

e. the consequences

6. make

f. a message

7. cause

g. an application

8. leave

h. an appeal

6 Phrasal verbs Complete the phrasal verbs from the text using these particles. into

up

with

over

off

1. scare __________________

4. give __________________

2. deal __________________

5. hand __________________

3. cover __________________

6. break __________________

up

7 Discussion

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CA O N T O FR BE C O DO O M W P W N IA EB LO B SI A L TE DE E D •

Do you think hackers like Gary McKinnon should be prosecuted? Why? Why not?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. disproportionate 2. intolerable 3. lenient 4. naive 5. appellant 6. bail 7. extradition 8. contention 9. hacker 10. nerd

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

2 What do you know?

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

e d/h d/h b c g a f

3 Comprehension check

6 Phrasal verbs

1. 2. 3. 4.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

off with up up over into

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / ‘Bumbling nerd’ loses battle against extradition / Advanced

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b a b b

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T F F F T T

5 Verb + noun collocations


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

vow devastating bar fry bumbling cover up derailment stark


Elementary

Key words


nerd

hacker

extradition

bail

appeal

trial

delay

sympathizer

fry

sophisticated

1. A ___________________ is someone who uses a computer to connect to other people’s computers illegally. 2. An ___________________ is a formal request to a court of law to change its decision. 3. To __________________ someone is an American expression meaning to kill someone using the electric chair. 4. A terrorist ___________________ is someone who supports terrorists. 5. A ___________________ is the process of examining a case in a court of law and deciding whether someone is guilty or innocent. 6. ___________________ is the process of sending a criminal back to the country where a crime was committed for a trial. 7. ___________________ is money that is given to a court as a guarantee when someone is allowed to stay out of prison until their trial. 8. If you are ___________________, you know and understand a lot about a subject. 9. If you ___________________ something, you make it late or slow it down. 10. A ____________________ is a boring person who is excessively interested in technical subjects, especially computers.

2

Find the information

Look in the text and find the following information as quickly as possible. 1. How many computers did Gary McKinnon hack into? 2. What was Gary McKinnon’s codename? 3. How much damage did he cause? 4. How much time could he spend in prison? 5. Where is the European court of human rights?

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NEWS LESSONS / ‘Bumbling nerd’ loses battle against extradition / Elementary

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6. When did he hack into the US government computers?

‘Bumbling nerd’ loses battle against extradition Elementary

2 “I’m very disappointed and very angry, but not too surprised,” he said. “I think I might have more success in Europe than I do in my own country.” McKinnon said the British authorities had delayed his extradition by two weeks to allow him time to appeal to a higher court. After that, it could be two years before the case comes to court. “Right now I’d be quite happy with a two-year delay,” he said. “It’s better than being put on a plane and sent to the US today.” 3 He said the case had caused him terrible problems in the six years since he was arrested. His bail conditions prevented him from using the Internet, so his previous work in IT is almost impossible and employers just don’t want to hire him. “I’ve lost two jobs because of this – my bosses didn’t want to be associated with the publicity in this case,” he said. 4 Mr McKinnon hacked into 97 US military computers soon after the attacks on the World Trade Centre and Pentagon in 2001, using the codename ‘Solo’. American officials say he broke into systems belonging to the department of defence, the US armed forces and even Nasa – causing $700,000 (£354,000) damage and putting American national security in danger. 5 If he is extradited to the US, McKinnon could spend up to 70 years in prison. McKinnon’s

6 McKinnon, an unemployed IT worker from north London, has always said that he was just a ‘computer nerd’. He said he didn’t cause any damage but was just searching for evidence of extraterrestrial life. Between 2001 and 2002 he scanned thousands of US government computers from his bedroom. He said he was trying to find evidence for his belief that the CIA was covering up the existence of aliens. 7 He left messages on the desktops of computers he hacked into. This was a mistake that allowed the authorities to find him. “It was a bit silly,” he told a newspaper in 2005. “I suppose it means I’m not a secretive, sophisticated type of hacker.” 8 McKinnon’s lawyers have argued that he should face trial in the UK because the hacking happened in Britain. If the courts supported such a decision he would face a much shorter sentence because the UK’s computer crime laws are not as strict as the laws in America. His lawyers also argued that he was a target because his work embarrassed the US security services. 9 Computer security experts said it was unlikely US prosecutors would give up their attempts to extradite Mr McKinnon. “The US is clearly saying that anyone trying to hack into its computers and data will face the consequences,” said Graham Cluley, of IT security company Sophos. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 31/07/08

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / ‘Bumbling nerd’ loses battle against extradition / Elementary

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1 A British computer nerd who broke into the Pentagon’s computer systems said he was disappointed and angry after a British court decided that he could be extradited to the United States. Gary McKinnon – who the American authorities called “the world’s most dangerous hacker” – could face trial in the US for his actions, but he has said he will continue to fight in the European courts.


• British hacker could face 70-year jail term in US • Hope that European court will overturn Lords ruling Bobbie Johnson, technology correspondent July 31, 2008

lawyer, Karen Todner, said he would now take his case to the European court of human rights in Strasbourg. “Gary McKinnon is neither a terrorist nor a terrorist sympathizer,” she said. “The British authorities could easily deal with his case. Instead, we believe that the British government did not prosecute him so that the US government could make an example of him. American officials involved in this case have said that they want to see him ‘fry’. We will make an immediate application to the European court to stop his extradition.”

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Level 1


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. The American authorities call Gary McKinnon “the world’s most dangerous hacker” because… 2. Mr McKinnon’s lawyers say he should face trial in the UK because… 3. Mr McKinnon says he hacked into the computers because… 4. Mr McKinnon says he is disappointed and angry but… 5. Mr McKinnon’s lawyers… 6. Mr McKinnon’s lawyers believe the British government did not prosecute him…

a. … want to stop his extradition to the United States. b. … not too surprised at the court’s decision. c. … so the Americans could make an example of him. d. … the hacking happened in Britain. e. … he hacked into 97 US military computers. f. … he wanted to find evidence of the existence of aliens.

4 Chunks Rearrange these words to make phrases from the text. Check your answers in the text. 1. year a delay two 2. in to prison up years 70 3. human the of European rights court 4. from IT an worker London unemployed north 5. a just nerd computer

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NEWS LESSONS / ‘Bumbling nerd’ loses battle against extradition / Elementary

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6. in not as laws America as strict the


Elementary

5 Prepositions Complete the phrases from the text using prepositions. Check your answers in the text. 1. soon ______________ the attacks on the World Trade Centre and Pentagon 2. he broke ______________ the Pentagon’s computer systems 3. prevented him ______________ using the Internet 4. associated ______________ 5. up ______________ 70 years in prison 6. searching ______________ evidence 7. covering ______________ the existence of aliens 8. give ______________ their attempts

6 Word building Complete the table using words from the text.

2.

apply

3.

exist

4.

defend

5.

sympathize

6.

extradite


H

hack

•P

1.

noun


verb


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words

4 Chunks

1. hacker 2. appeal 3. fry 4. sympathizer 5. trial 6. extradition 7. bail 8. sophisticated 9. delay 10. nerd

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

3 Comprehension check 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

e d f b a c

after into from with to for up up

6 Word building 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

hacker/hacking application existence defence sympathizer extradition


H

97 ‘Solo’ $700,000 (£354,000) up to 70 years Strasbourg in 2001

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

5 Prepositions


2 Find the information

a two-year delay up to 70 years in prison the European court of human rights an unemployed IT worker from north London just a computer nerd not as strict as the laws in America


Intermediate

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. nerd

hacker

extradition

bail

bumbling

lenient

intolerable

appeal

endanger

disproportionate

1. __________________ is money that is given to a court as a guarantee when someone is allowed to stay out of prison until their trial. 2. __________________ is the process of sending a criminal back to the country where a crime was committed for a trial. 3. A ________________ is a boring person who is excessively interested in technical subjects, especially computers. 4. If something is __________________, it is impossible to bear or deal with. 5. If something is __________________, it is much bigger (or smaller) than it should be. 6. A __________________ is someone who uses a computer to connect to other people’s computers illegally. 7. If you __________________ something, you put it in a position where it might be harmed. 8. A __________________ person is one who behaves in a way that is confused an not properly organized. 9. An __________________ is a formal request to a court of law to change its decision. 10. If a law is __________________, it punishes someone less severely than it could.

2


Look in the text and find the following information as quickly as possible. 1. How many computers did Gary McKinnon hack into? 2. How much damage did he cause? 3. How much time could he spend in prison? 4. When did he hack into the US government computers? 5. Where is the European court of human rights?

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NEWS LESSONS / ‘Bumbling nerd’ loses battle against extradition / Intermediate

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6. What was Gary McKinnon’s codename?

‘Bumbling nerd’ loses battle against extradition Intermediate

1 A British hacker who broke into the Pentagon’s computer systems said he was disappointed and angry after a British court rejected his appeal against extradition to the US. Gary McKinnon – called “the world’s most dangerous hacker” by the American authorities – could face trial in the US for his actions, but he has said he will continue fighting his case in the European courts. 2 “I’m very disappointed and very angry, but not too surprised,” he told the Guardian. “I think I might have more chance in Europe than I do in my own country.” McKinnon said the Home Office had delayed extraditing him by two weeks to allow him time to lodge a higher appeal. After that, the case could take two years to reach the courts. “Right now I’d be quite glad of a two-year delay,” he said. “It’s better than being handed over to US marshals and being put on a plane straight away.” 3 He said the case had caused him terrible problems in the six years since he was arrested. His bail conditions prevented him from using the Internet, so his previous work in IT is almost impossible and potential employers don’t want to hire him. “I’ve lost two jobs because of this – my bosses just didn’t want to be associated with the publicity,” he said. 4 The 42-year-old hacked into 97 computers belonging to the US military soon after the attacks on the World Trade Centre and Pentagon in 2001, using the codename ‘Solo’. American officials say he broke into systems belonging to the department of defence, the US armed forces and even Nasa – causing $700,000 (£354,000) damage and endangering national security. 5 If he is extradited, McKinnon faces up to 70 years in prison and his lawyers have argued that he

6 McKinnon, an unemployed IT worker from north London, has always argued that he was simply a ‘bumbling computer nerd’ who caused no damage but was just searching for evidence of extraterrestrial life. Between 2001 and 2002 he scanned thousands of US government computers from his bedroom, looking for ways to get inside their networks in order to find evidence for his belief that the existence of aliens had been covered up by the CIA. 7 He left messages on the desktops of computers he had hacked into, a mistake that allowed the authorities to find him. “It got a bit silly,” he told the Guardian in 2005. “I suppose it means I’m not a secretive, sophisticated type of hacker.” 8 McKinnon’s lawyers have argued that he should face trial in the UK because the hacking took place in Britain. If the courts supported such a decision it would mean he would face a much smaller sentence under the UK’s more lenient computer crime laws. The defence argued he was being unfairly targeted because his work embarrassed the US security services. 9 They also argued that an attempt by US prosecutors to make a deal with McKinnon – in which he would be offered a six-month sentence for his co-operation – was unfair interference in

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / ‘Bumbling nerd’ loses battle against extradition / Intermediate

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Bobbie Johnson, technology correspondent July 31, 2008


• British hacker could face 70-year jail term in US • Hope that European court will overturn Lords ruling

could even be given ‘enemy combatant’ status, the same category applied to terrorist suspects interned at Guantánamo Bay. McKinnon’s lawyer, Karen Todner, said her client had now used up all his options in the UK and would take his case to the European court of human rights in Strasbourg. “Gary McKinnon is neither a terrorist nor a terrorist sympathizer,” she said. “His case could have been properly dealt with by our own authorities. Instead, we believe that the British government did not prosecute him to enable the US government to make an example of him. American officials involved in this case have said that they want to see him ‘fry’. If he is extradited, he faces disproportionate and intolerable consequences and we will be making an immediate application to the European court to prevent his extradition.”

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Level 2


Intermediate

British legal procedures. That argument was rejected by the court, which said that allowing his appeal would “endanger the extradition process”. In a written judgment the court said: “The difference between the American system and our own is not perhaps as great as Mr McKinnon’s argument suggests.”

attempts to extradite Mr McKinnon. “The US is clearly saying that anyone trying to hack into its computers and data will face the consequences,” said Graham Cluley, of IT security company Sophos. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 31/07/08

10 Computer security experts said it was unlikely US prosecutors would give up their

3 Comprehension check Are these statements True (T) or False (F) according to the text? 1. Gary McKinnon hacked into US government computers to steal military secrets. 2. Mr McKinnon believed the CIA was hiding information about the existence of aliens. 3. He was very careful not to leave any traces on the computers he hacked into. 4. His lawyers believe the trial should be in the UK because the crime was committed there. 5. They believe the US government wants to make an example of him. 6. The court believed that the extradition process would not be endangered if they allowed Mr McKinnon’s appeal.

4 Find the word Look in the text and find the following words and expressions. The paragraph numbers are given to help you. 1. A verb meaning to formally make something such as a claim or a complaint. (para 2) 2. A verb meaning to put someone in prison without officially accusing them of a crime. (para 5) 3. A two-word expression meaning someone who approves of and supports terrorists. (para 5) 4. A verb meaning (in American English) to kill someone as a punishment using the electric chair. (para 5) 5. An adjective meaning relating to things that exist on planets other than Earth. (para 6) 6. A phrasal verb meaning to hide the truth about something. (para 6) 7. A verb meaning to try to attack someone. (para 8)

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8. A four-word expression meaning reach an agreement with. (para 9)


Intermediate

5 Phrasal verbs Complete the phrasal verbs from the text using these particles.

into

up

with

over

into

up

1. hack __________________ 2. break __________________ 3. cover __________________ 4. give __________________ 5. hand __________________ 6. deal __________________

6 Word building Complete the table with words from the text.

verb 1

extradite

2

appeal

3

apply

4

exist

5

defend

6

prosecute

7

argue

8

employ

noun

7 Discussion

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Should hacking be classified as a crime?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. bail 2. extradition 3. nerd 4. intolerable 5. disproportionate 6. hacker 7. endanger 8. bumbling 9. appeal 10. lenient

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

F T F T T F

6 Word building 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

extradition appeal application existence defence prosecutor argument employer

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / ‘Bumbling nerd’ loses battle against extradition / Intermediate

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into into up up over with

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97 $700,000 (£354,000) up to 70 years in 2001 Strasbourg ‘Solo’

5 Phrasal verbs


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

lodge intern terrorist sympathizer fry extraterrestrial cover up target make a deal with

Half of all primates face extinction Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words


vulnerable

bushmeat

habitat

extinct

unprecedented

bleak

fragment

turmoil

primate

thriving

1. If something that happens is ________________, this means that it has never happened before. 2. If a business or trade is described as ________________, it is very successful. 3. A ________________ species is one that is easy to hurt or attack. 4. ________________ is a state of excitement or uncontrolled activity. 5. A ________________ is a small piece of a larger object. 6. ________________ is the meat of wild animals killed for food or commerce in tropical countries. 7. A ________________ is any animal belonging to the same group as humans, including monkeys and apes. 8. An ________________ animal, plant or language no longer exists. 9. An animal’s ________________ is the type of place that it normally lives in. 10. A ________________ outlook or prospect is one that does not offer people any reasons to feel happy or hopeful.

2

Correct the information

Each of these statements contains a factual error. Look in the text, find the relevant information and correct the error. 1. IUCN stands for the International Union for the Consolidation of Nature. 2. The highest threat category is ‘vulnerable’. 3. In south-east Asia, 17% of all Asian primates are listed as threatened. 4. The mountain gorilla lives in central Asia. 5. The situation is less severe than scientists imagine.

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NEWS LESSONS / Half of all primates face extinction / Advanced

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6. The black lion tamarin is critically endangered.

Half of all primates face extinction Advanced

1 Nearly half of all primate species are now threatened with extinction, according to an evaluation by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The study, which drew on the work of hundreds of scientists and is the most comprehensive analysis for more than a decade, found that the conservation outlook for monkeys, apes and other primates has dramatically worsened. In some regions, the thriving bushmeat trade means the animals are being ‘eaten to extinction’. 2 The 2007 IUCN ‘red list’ has 39% of primate species and sub-species in the three highest threat categories – vulnerable, endangered and critically endangered. In today’s revised list, 303 of the 634 species and sub-species – 48% – are in these most threatened categories. 3 The biggest threats faced by primates are habitat destruction through logging, hunting for bushmeat and the illegal wildlife trade. “We’ve raised concerns for years about primates being in peril, but now we have solid data to show the situation is far more severe than we imagined,” said Dr Russell Mittermeier, the chairman of the IUCN Species Survival Commission’s primate specialist group and the president of Conservation International. “Tropical forest destruction has always been the main cause but now it appears that hunting is just as serious a threat in some areas, even where the habitat is still quite intact. In many places, primates are quite literally being eaten to extinction.” 4 The picture in south-east Asia is particularly bleak, where 71% of all Asian primates are now listed as threatened, and in Vietnam and Cambodia, 90% are considered at risk. Populations of gibbons, leaf monkeys and langurs have dropped due to rapid habitat loss © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Half of all primates face extinction / Advanced

5 In Africa, 11 of 13 kinds of red colobus monkey have been listed as critically endangered or endangered. Two may already be extinct. Overall, 69 species and sub-species (11% of the total) are considered critically endangered, including the mountain gorilla in central Africa, a snub-nosed monkey in Vietnam and an Asian langur. In the endangered category are another 137 species and sub-species (22%) including the Javan gibbon from Indonesia, golden lion tamarin from Brazil and Berthe’s mouse lemur from Madagascar. 6 Species are judged to be in these categories if they have a small population size, are suffering rapid population declines and have a limited geographic range. The apparent jump in the numbers of threatened primates from 39% to 48% has not in reality happened in the course of one year. The major new analysis has filled in missing data that was not available previously, according to Michael Hoffman at Conservation International. The last major assessment was carried out in 1996. “The situation could well have been as bad as this, say, five years ago, we just didn’t know. But now we have a much better indication of the state of the world’s primates – and the news is not good,” he said. 7 The review, which is funded by Conservation International, the Margot Marsh Biodiversity Foundation, Disney’s Animal Kingdom and the IUCN is part of an unprecedented examination of the state of the world’s mammals to be released at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Barcelona in October. 8 However, there was some good news for primates. In Brazil, the black lion tamarin has been brought back from the brink of extinction and shifted from the critically endangered to

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James Randerson, science correspondent August 5, 2008


• Study paints bleak picture for hundreds of species • Loss of habitat and boom in bushmeat trade blamed

and hunting to satisfy the Chinese medicine and pet trade. “What is happening in south-east Asia is terrifying,” said Dr Jean-Christophe Vié, the deputy head of the IUCN species programme. “To have a group of animals under such a high level of threat is, quite frankly, unlike anything we have recorded among any other group of species to date.”

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Nearly half of all the world’s primates at risk of extinction

CA

Level 3

Half of all primates face extinction Level 3

Advanced

endangered category. This is the result of a concerted conservation effort which has also benefited the golden lion tamarin – it was downlisted to endangered in 2003. “The work with lion tamarins shows that conserving forest fragments and reforesting to create corridors that connect them is not only vital for primates, but offers the multiple benefits of maintaining healthy ecosystems and water supplies, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change,” said Dr Anthony Rylands, the deputy chair of the IUCN primate specialist group.

9 The scientists also came close to downlisting the mountain gorilla to endangered following population increases in their forest habitat that spans the borders of Rwanda, Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo. However, political turmoil in the region and an incident in which eight animals were killed in 2007 led to the decision to delay the planned reclassification. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 05/08/08

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. The biggest threats faced by primates are… a. ... logging and the Chinese medicine trade. b. ... hunting and the illegal trade in bushmeat. c. ... habitat destruction and the illegal wildlife trade. 2. Why does the mountain gorilla remain in the critically endangered category? a. Because of continuing political unrest in the region. b. Because the last major assessment was carried out a long time ago. c. Because their forest habitat has not increased.

3. What does ‘eaten to extinction’ mean? a. The animals are eating so much there will soon be nothing for them to feed on. b. They are all being killed for their meat. c. People are beginning to eat bushmeat as an alternative to regular meat. 4. Why are primates hunted in south-east Asia? a. To satisfy the Chinese medicine and pet trade. b. To provide bushmeat. c. To keep their populations down.

4 Find the word Find the following words and expressions in the text. 1. A phrasal verb meaning to use something you have gradually accumulated or saved. (para 1) 2. An adjective meaning not harmed, damaged or lacking any parts. (para 3) 3. A two-word expression meaning to be absolutely honest. (para 4) 4. A two-word expression meaning with a short nose that looks rather flat. (para 5) 5. A phrasal verb meaning to add missing information. (para 6) 6. A noun meaning the point in time when something very good or bad is about to happen. (para 8) 7. An adjective meaning involving a lot of people or organizations working together in a determined way. (para 8)

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8. A verb meaning to cover or cross an area completely. (para 9)


Advanced

5 Verb + noun collocations Match the verbs from the left-hand column with the nouns from the right-hand column to form phrases from the text. 1. raise

a. climate change

2. fill in

b. an assessment

3. carry out

c. greenhouse gas emissions

4. offer

d. concerns

5. reduce

e. multiple benefits

6. cause

f. missing data

6 Expressions with prepositions Complete the phrases using prepositions. 1. _______ risk 2. _______ threat 3. _______ peril 4. _______ reality 5. due _______ 6. back _______ the brink

7 Discussion Is it worth spending millions of pounds to protect endangered species? Is it so important if a few rare species of

H


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primate become extinct?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. unprecedented 2. thriving 3. vulnerable 4. turmoil 5. fragment 6. bushmeat 7. primate 8. extinct 9. habitat 10. bleak

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

2 Correct the information

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

1. 2. 3. 4.

c a b a

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Half of all primates face extinction / Advanced

6 Expressions with prepositions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

at under in in to from

H


d f b e c a

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conservation critically endangered 71% central Africa more severe endangered



1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

draw on intact quite frankly snub-nosed fill in brink concerted span


Elementary

Key words


vulnerable

bushmeat

habitat

extinct

endangered

primate

rapidly

logging

unrest

conservation

1. An ________________ animal, plant or language no longer exists. 2. A ________________ species is one that is easy to hurt or attack. 3. ________________ is the cutting down of trees for wood. 4. ________________ is angry or violent behaviour by people who are protesting about something. 5. ________________ is the meat of wild animals killed for food or commerce in tropical countries. 6. If something happens ________________, it happens very quickly. 7. ________________ is the management of land and water to stop it being damaged or destroyed. 8. A ________________ is any animal belonging to the same group as humans, including monkeys and apes. 9. If a species is ________________, it may soon become extinct. 10. An animal’s ________________ is the type of place that it normally lives in.

2


Look in the text and find the following information as quickly as possible. 1. What does IUCN stand for? 2. How many species and sub-species of primates are there in 2008? 3. What percentage of these species and sub-species are in the most threatened categories? 4. What percentage of primates in Vietnam and Cambodia are endangered? 5. When was the last major study carried out?

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NEWS LESSONS / Half of all primates face extinction / Elementary

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6. How many species and sub-species are endangered in Africa?

Half of all primates face extinction Elementary

1 Primates are animals related to humans like monkeys and apes. Today almost half of all primate species could soon become extinct, according to a study carried out by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The study used the work of hundreds of scientists and is the most detailed analysis for more than ten years. It found that the situation for monkeys, apes and other primates is now much worse. In some regions species are becoming extinct because people are killing animals for bushmeat. 2 The IUCN has a ‘red list’. The 2007 list showed that 39% of primate species and sub-species were in the three highest risk categories – vulnerable, endangered and critically endangered. In the 2008 list, 303 of the 634 species and sub-species – 48% – are in these categories. 3 The biggest problems primates face are the destruction of their habitat through logging, hunting for bushmeat and the illegal wildlife trade. “We’ve said for years that primates are in danger, but now we have solid data to show the situation is much more serious than we thought,” said Dr Russell Mittermeier, the chairman of the IUCN primate specialist group. “The main cause has always been the destruction of the tropical rain forests but now it appears that hunting is just as serious a problem in some areas. In many places, primates are becoming extinct because people are eating them.” 4 The picture in south-east Asia is particularly bad. 71% of all Asian primates are now listed as endangered. In Vietnam and Cambodia, 90% are considered at risk. Primate populations have fallen as they have lost their habitat and people

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Half of all primates face extinction / Elementary

5 In Africa, 11 of 13 kinds of red colobus monkey have been listed as critically endangered or endangered. Two may already be extinct. Overall, 69 species and sub-species (11% of the total) are listed as critically endangered, including the mountain gorilla in central Africa. Another 137 species and sub-species (22%) are in the endangered category. 6 Species are listed in these categories if they have a small population size, if their population is falling rapidly and if they have a limited geographic range. The increase in the numbers of primates at risk from 39% to 48% has not just happened in the course of one year. The major new analysis has provided missing data that was not available before, according to Michael Hoffman of Conservation International. The last major study was in 1996. “Perhaps the situation was as bad as this five years ago but we just didn’t know. Now we have a much better idea of the state of the world’s primates – and the news is not good,” he said. 7 However, there was some good news for primates. In Brazil, one species, the black lion tamarin, that was almost extinct has now been moved from the critically endangered to endangered category. This is the result of a conservation programme which has also helped the golden lion tamarin – it was moved to endangered in 2003. “The work with lion tamarins shows that conserving parts of the forest and planting new forests to create corridors that connect them is extremely important for primates. It also helps to maintain healthy ecosystems and water supplies and reduces the greenhouse gases that cause climate change,” said Dr Anthony Rylands, of the IUCN primate specialist group.

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have also been hunting primates for the Chinese medicine and pet trade. “What is happening in south-east Asia is terrifying,” said Dr JeanChristophe Vié, the deputy head of the IUCN species programme. “To have a group of animals in such a dangerous situation is not like anything we have ever seen among any other group of species.”

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Level 1


Elementary

8 The scientists were also going to move the mountain gorilla from critically endangered to endangered after population increases in their forest habitat along the borders of Rwanda, Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo. However, political unrest in the region and an incident in which eight animals were killed in 2007 have delayed the plans to move it to a lower risk category. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 05/08/08

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. Many species and sub-species of primates

a. … for bushmeat and Chinese medicine.

are endangered… 2. The situation in south-east Asia…

b. … to survive.

3. A conservation programme in Brazil has helped

c. … is still on the critically endangered list.

some species… 4. The mountain gorilla…

d. … because of logging and hunting for bushmeat.

5. People kill primates…

e. … is worse than 10 years ago.

6. The situation today…

f. … is particularly serious.

4 Chunks Rearrange these words to make phrases from the text. 1. ten for than more years 2. than much serious we thought more 3. tropical the forests rain of the destruction 4. one course the in year of 5. good the not is news

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6. trade the wildlife illegal


Elementary

5 Adjectives and nouns Match the adjectives in the left-hand column with the nouns in the right-hand column to form expressions from the text. 1. detailed

a. rain forest

2. biggest

b. study

3. illegal

c. range

4. tropical

d. trade

5. dangerous

e. analysis

6. geographic

f. unrest

7. political

g. situation

8. major

h. problems

6 Word stress Put these words from the text into two groups according to their stress.

species

human

extinct

wildlife

appear

increase (n)

major

result

create

connect

maintain

climate


o0

H


B

•P

0o


A


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words

4 Chunks

1. extinct 2. vulnerable 3. logging 4. unrest 5. bushmeat 6. rapidly 7. conservation 8. primate 9. endangered 10. habitat

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.


d f b c a e

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Half of all primates face extinction / Elementary

e h d a g c f b

6 Word stress A

0o species human wildlife increase major climate

B

o0 extinct appear result create connect maintain

H

International Union for the Conservation of Nature 634 48% 71% 1996 137

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

5 Adjectives and nouns



for more than ten years much more serious than we thought the destruction of the tropical rain forests in the course of one year the news is not good the illegal wildlife trade


Intermediate

Key words


vulnerable

bushmeat

habitat

extinct

unprecedented

primate

thriving

decade

rapid

release

1. ________________ is the meat of wild animals killed for food or commerce in tropical countries. 2. An ________________ animal, plant or language no longer exists. 3. If you ________________ a document, you make it available. 4. An animal’s ________________ is the type of place that it normally lives in. 5. A ________________ is a period of ten years. 6. If something is ________________, it happens very quickly. 7. If something that happens is ________________, this means that it has never happened before. 8. A ________________ species is one that is easy to hurt or attack. 9. A ________________ is any animal belonging to the same group as humans, including monkeys and apes. 10. If a business or trade is described as ________________, it is very successful.

2


Look in the text and find the following information as quickly as possible. 1. What does IUCN stand for? 2. How many species and sub-species of primates are there? 3. What percentage of these species and sub-species are in the most threatened categories? 4. What percentage of primates in Vietnam and Cambodia are considered to be at risk? 5. When was the last major study carried out?

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NEWS LESSONS / Half of all primates face extinction / Intermediate

CA



6. How many species and sub-species are considered to be endangered in Africa?

Half of all primates face extinction Intermediate

1 Nearly half of all primate species could soon become extinct, according to a study carried out by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The study, which used the work of hundreds of scientists and is the most comprehensive analysis for more than a decade, found that the outlook for monkeys, apes and other primates has got much worse. In some regions, the thriving bushmeat trade means the animals are being ‘eaten to extinction’. 2 The 2007 IUCN ‘red list’ has 39% of primate species and sub-species in the three highest threat categories – vulnerable, endangered and critically endangered. In today’s revised list, 303 of the 634 species and sub-species – 48% – are in these most threatened categories. 3 The biggest threats faced by primates are the destruction of their habitat through logging, hunting for bushmeat and the illegal wildlife trade. “We’ve raised concerns for years about primates being in danger, but now we have solid data to show the situation is much more serious than we imagined,” said Dr Russell Mittermeier, the chairman of the IUCN Species Survival Commission’s primate specialist group and the president of Conservation International. “Tropical forest destruction has always been the main cause but now it appears that hunting is just as serious a threat in some areas, even where the habitat is still relatively undamaged. In many places, primates are quite literally being eaten to extinction.” 4 The picture in south-east Asia is particularly pessimistic. 71% of all Asian primates are now listed as threatened, and in Vietnam and Cambodia, 90% are considered at risk. Primate populations have fallen due to rapid habitat loss

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Half of all primates face extinction / Intermediate

5 In Africa, 11 of 13 kinds of red colobus monkey have been listed as critically endangered or endangered. Two may already be extinct. Overall, 69 species and sub-species (11% of the total) are considered critically endangered, including the mountain gorilla in central Africa. Another 137 species and sub-species (22%) are in the endangered category. 6 Species are judged to be in these categories if they have a small population size, are suffering rapid population declines and have a limited geographic range. The apparent jump in the numbers of threatened primates from 39% to 48% has not just happened in the course of one year. The major new analysis has provided missing data that was not available before, according to Michael Hoffman at Conservation International. The last major study was carried out in 1996. “The situation might have been as bad as this five years ago but we just didn’t know. Now we have a much better indication of the state of the world’s primates – and the news is not good,” he said. The review is part of an unprecedented examination of the state of the world’s mammals which will be released at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Barcelona in October. 7 However, there was some good news for primates. In Brazil, one species, the black lion tamarin, that was almost extinct has now been moved from the critically endangered to endangered category. This is the result of a huge conservation effort which has also benefited the golden lion tamarin – it was downlisted to endangered in 2003. “The work with lion tamarins shows that conserving parts of the forest and reforesting to create corridors that connect them is not only vital for primates, but offers

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and hunting to satisfy the Chinese medicine and pet trade. “What is happening in south-east Asia is terrifying,” said Dr Jean-Christophe Vié, the deputy head of the IUCN species programme. “To have a group of animals under such a high level of threat is, quite frankly, not like anything we have ever recorded among any other group of species.”

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Level 2


Intermediate

the multiple benefits of maintaining healthy ecosystems and water supplies, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change,” said Dr Anthony Rylands, the deputy chair of the IUCN primate specialist group. 8 The scientists almost downlisted the mountain gorilla from critically endangered to endangered following population increases in their forest habitat along the borders of Rwanda,

Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo. However, political unrest in the region and an incident in which eight animals were killed in 2007 led to the decision to delay the planned reclassification. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 05/08/08

3 Comprehension check Are these sentences True (T) or False (F) according to the text? 1. The main danger to primates has always been the destruction of tropical forests. 2. Primates are only hunted for their meat. 3. The situation is south-east Asia is not as bad as the situation in Africa. 4. Conserving parts of the forest can also reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 5. The mountain gorilla is no longer on the critically endangered list. 6. 48% of primate species and sub-species are on the critically endangered list.

4 Find the word Find the following words and expressions in the text. 1. An adjective meaning including many details. (para 1) 2. A noun meaning an idea about what a situation will be like in the future. (para 1) 3. A noun meaning cutting down trees for wood. (para 3) 4. A two-word expression meaning in danger. (para 4) 5. A two-word expression meaning to be absolutely honest. (para 4) 6. A noun meaning the management of land and water in ways that prevent it from being damaged or destroyed. (para 7) 7. An adjective meaning extremely important. (para 7)

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8. A noun meaning putting in a different category. (para 8)


Intermediate

5 Adjectives and nouns Match the adjectives in the left-hand column with the nouns in the right-hand column to form expressions from the text. 1. main

a. species

2. serious

b. news

3. threatened

c. benefits

4. huge

d. threat

5. good

e. ecosystems

6. multiple

f. unrest

7. political

g. effort

8. healthy

h. cause

6 Word building Complete the table. verb 1.

destroy

2.

threaten

3.

examine

4.

indicate

5.

conserve

6.

emit

7.

reclassify

8.

decline

noun

7 Discussion Do you think it is important to preserve rare species of animals and prevent them from becoming extinct? Why?

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Why not?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. bushmeat 2. extinct 3. release 4. habitat 5. decade 6. rapid 7. unprecedented 8. vulnerable 9. primate 10. thriving

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

T F F T F F

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Half of all primates face extinction / Intermediate

6 Word building verb

noun

1.

destroy

destruction

2.

threaten

threat

3.

examine

examination

4.

indicate

indication

5.

conserve

conservation

6.

emit

emission

7.

reclassify

reclassification

8.

decline

decline

H


h d a g b c f e

•P

International Union for the Conservation of Nature 634 48% 90% 1996 69

5 Adjectives and nouns


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

comprehensive outlook logging at risk quite frankly conservation vital reclassification

Olympics: Usain Bolt’s new 100m world record Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. breathtaking

subsequently

inevitably

tantalizing

impassive

undoubtedly

farcical

awry

unbeatable

disproportionate

1. If something is ________________, it is so badly organized, unsuccessful or unfair that it seems funny. 2. An ________________ athlete is better than everyone else and cannot be beaten. 3. If something is ________________, it is extremely impressive or beautiful. 4. If your face is ________________, you do not show any emotion. 5. If something happens ________________, it happens after something else happened. 6. When something goes ________________, it does not happen in the way that was hoped or planned. 7. If something is ________________ true, it is certainly true or is accepted by everyone. 8. A ________________ number is one that is bigger or smaller than it should be. 9. The adverb ________________ is used for saying that something is certain to happen. 10. If something is ________________, it makes you feel excited or hopeful about having something you want, often something that you never get.

2

What do you know?

Decide whether these statements are True (T) or False (F). Then check your answers in the text. 1. The new Olympic 100 metres champion, Usain Bolt, is from the USA. 2. The 2004 Olympics were held in Athens. 3. The world record for the 100 metres is just over 10 seconds. 4. The 100 metres is regarded as the main event in track and field at the Olympics. 5. Before Usain Bolt, the previous world record holder was Ben Johnson.

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NEWS LESSONS / Olympics: Usain Bolt’s new 100m world record / Advanced

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6. Usain Bolt’s victory was completely unexpected.

Olympics: Usain Bolt’s new 100m world record Advanced

2 The rest were nowhere. A fifth of a second behind – a long, long way in sprinting – was Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago. With Tyson Gay having failed to make the final, the best American was Walter Dix, who took bronze in 9.91 sec. Asafa Powell and Michael Frater, Bolt’s Jamaican compatriots, were fifth and sixth respectively, a distance behind the unbelievable Bolt. 3 This event is top of the bill and, for that reason, it is also the race most likely to disgrace the sport. If the fastest man in the world is a cheat, who cares about, or for, the rest? The 100 metres is the diva event. It makes or breaks the show. Recently, the Games have been broken. Of the previous four winners, Justin Gatlin and Linford Christie subsequently failed drugs tests. This meant that, inevitably, some would be looking at yesterday’s encounter with suspicion. The world record holder, Bolt, former world record holder, Powell, and world champion, Gay, are the three fastest men of all time and, uniquely, they were on a collision course. 4 There was some talk of people needing to go as low as 9.6 in order to win it, which was tantalizing, except 20 years ago Ben Johnson had gone as low as 9.7, running quicker than anyone – until yesterday – had managed in an Olympics since. Of course, Johnson then lost his gold medal after testing positive for drugs.

6 His path was eased when Gay, suffering from injury, did not even break 10 seconds and missed a place in the final, which went instead to his compatriot, Darvis Patton. Powell won his semifinal easily in 9.91 and the final of the 100 metres had become a Jamaican contest. They even had a third finalist in Frater who, along with two Trinidadians, two Americans and the man from Netherlands Antilles, completed the field. Six from the Caribbean, two from the United States. 7 As the competitors appeared for the final, hundreds of cameras flashed round the stadium to create a twinkling star effect. The backdrop was near perfect, the stadium being the greatest in modern Olympics, in a Games that may be remembered as much for its architecture as its athletes. Bolt was in lane four, jigging around at the start. Powell, impassive, was three lanes to his right. In between were Thompson and Dix. This, surely, would be where the medals would be contested. The introductions to the most explosive event in all of sport were made. Bolt smiled, pointed and made the archer sign. Powell swung from side to side as if in a trance. The drums rolled. Bolt continued jigging; Powell remained impassive. 8 Silence, and then bang! Before anyone, least of all Bolt, could breathe, he had streaked away to win. Astonishingly, the first man to break 9.7 seconds eased up towards the end. Like a jockey astride a wonder-horse, he even took a quick look over his shoulder in the last five metres. “I could see him slowing down ahead as I was still pumping away,” said Thompson. If the semi-final was scarcely credible, this was even less so. Bolt, having produced the most electric 100

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Olympics: Usain Bolt’s new 100m world record / Advanced

O

1 “We’ve never seen anything like that before,” was the verdict of the great Olympian, Michael Johnson, after a breathtaking 100 metres final. Usain Bolt was so far ahead of the rest he had time to slow down and smile for the cameras before crossing the line in a world record time of 9.69 seconds, beating by three-hundredths of a second the record he had set 11 weeks ago. He looks unbeatable.


Will Buckley August 17, 2008

5 In the semi-finals Bolt was slowly away, slow at the finish and still won in 9.85, exactly the time the now-banned Justin Gatlin had run to win in Athens in 2004. He was a tenth of a second ahead of college champion Dix in second, a margin he would more than double in the final. Even then, Bolt looked sensational, unbeatable, scarcely credible. Imagine what he might achieve if he broke into a trot.

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Olympics: Usain Bolt takes Olympic glory with new 100m world record

CA

Level 3

Olympics: Usain Bolt’s new 100m world record Level 3

Advanced

metres performance for 20 years, contented himself with hitting his left breast and then disco dancing around the stadium. 9 “It was expected,” said the Jamaican team doctor, Herb Elliott. “I don’t know how fast he can go; his coach doesn’t know how fast he can go; he doesn’t know how fast he can go.” He went on to say that Bolt had been tested half-a-dozen times in Beijing. It was an historic night for Jamaica, who have long aspired to win the diva event. In 1952, Herb McKenlay lost the closest 100 metres in history, now Bolt had won the easiest. For a country of two-anda-half million they have undoubtedly produced a disproportionate number of top quality sprinters. Yet this was the first time their efforts had been rewarded with 100 metres gold.

10

Asked why he slowed down, Bolt said: “I wasn’t interested in the world record. I didn’t even know I had it until after the victory lap. This medal means a lot to my country, and to me.” Explaining the archer sign, he said: “I just like to have fun. I like dancing.”

11

Far from a breakfast of champions, Bolt had given the meal a miss and had nuggets for lunch, rested, and then had nuggets for tea. It was a nugget diet which had led to a golden performance. The history, however, casts its shadow. Johnson’s downfall was tragic: if anything were to be awry with Bolt, it would be farcical. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Observer, 17/08/08

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. The article describes the 100 metres as ‘the diva event’. What does this mean? a. An event in which only famous and successful athletes appear. b. The highest profile event in the Olympic Games. c. The event which is finished most quickly. 2. Why did Bolt slow down over the last 20 metres? a. Because he was saving his energy for the 200 metres final. b. Because he was only interested in winning the race, not in breaking the world record. c. In order to humiliate his rivals. 3. Why is the 100 metres the race which is most likely to bring disgrace to athletics? a. Because most past winners of the race have subsequently failed drugs tests. b. Because many 100 metre runners use drugs to enhance their performance. c. Because it is ‘top of the bill’ and therefore attracts the most attention.

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4. Why didn’t Usain Bolt have to worry about the challenge of Tyson Gay? a. Because Gay had never run faster than 10 seconds. b. Because Gay’s fastest time this year was 10.3 seconds. c. Because Gay failed to qualify for the final.


Advanced

4 Find the word Find the following words and expressions in the text. 1. A four-word expression meaning moving towards each other and likely to run into each other. (para 3) 2. A phrasal verb meaning to start doing something. (para 5) 3. A noun meaning someone who is from the same country as someone else. (para 6) 4. A noun meaning everything you can see behind the main thing you are looking at. (para 7) 5. A verb meaning to make small movements with your whole body, usually in a nervous or excited way. (para 7) 6. A phrasal verb meaning to run very quickly. (para 8) 7. A phrasal verb meaning to go more slowly. (para 8) 8. A noun meaning a sudden loss of power, status or success. (para 11)

5 Verb + noun collocations Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns or noun phrases they go with in the right-hand column. 1. set

a. a (drug) test

2. cast

b. the final (of an event)

3. cross

c. something a miss

4. fail

d. an event

5. win

e. a shadow

6. reward

f. a record

7. give

g. an effort

8. make

h. the line

6 Expressions with prepositions Use prepositions to complete these phrases from the text. 1. suffering _______ injury

5. so far ahead _______ the rest

2. remembered _______ its architecture

6. top _______ the bill

3. swing _______ side _______ side

7. look at something _______ suspicion

4. smile _______ the cameras

8. a quick look _______ his shoulder

7 Discussion

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Some past winners of the 100 metres have used performance-enhancing drugs. What do you think should happen to athletes who use such drugs? Should they be banned for life or should drugs be allowed in sport to give everyone an equal chance?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. farcical 2. unbeatable 3. breathtaking 4. impassive 5. subsequently 6. awry 7. undoubtedly 8. disproportionate 9. inevitably 10. tantalizing

1. on a collision course 2. break into 3. compatriot 4. backdrop 5. jig 6. streak away 7. ease up 8. downfall

2 What do you know? 1. F 2. T 3. F 4. T 5. F 6. F

1. f 2. e 3. h 4. a 5. d 6. g 7. c 8. b


6 Expressions with prepositions

1. b 2. b 3. c 4. c

1. from 2. for 3. from/to 4. for 5. of 6. of 7. with 8. over

H


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Elementary

Key words


cheat

farce

coach

lane

unbeatable

disgrace

sprint

event

suspicious

lap

1. An ________________ athlete is better than everyone else and cannot be beaten. 2. If something brings ________________ to a competition, it damages its reputation by doing something bad or immoral. 3. A ________________ is someone who behaves dishonestly in order to win a competition. 4. A ________________ is a short race at a fast speed. 5. A ________________ is someone who trains a sports player or team. 6. If you are ________________ about something, you believe that someone has probably done something wrong. 7. A ________________ is one complete turn around a course in a race. 8. If something is a ________________, it is so badly organized, unsuccessful or unfair that it seems funny. 9. An ________________ is one type of activity in athletics. 10. A ________________ is one of the parts that an athletics track is divided into, intended for one runner.

2


Look in the text and find the following information as quickly as possible. 1. Where is Usain Bolt from? 2. What is Usain Bolt’s new 100 metres world record? 3. Who came second in the race? 4. How fast did Usain Bolt run the 100 metres in the semi-final?

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NEWS LESSONS / Olympics: Usain Bolt’s new 100m world record / Elementary

CA



5. Where were the 2004 Olympic Games held?

Olympics: Usain Bolt’s new 100m world record Elementary

2 The other runners were nowhere. A fifth of a second behind – a long, long way in sprinting – was Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago. The best American was Walter Dix, who was third in 9.91sec. Asafa Powell and Michael Frater, also from Jamaica, were fifth and sixth, a long way behind the incredible Bolt. 3 The 100 metres is the main event at the Olympic Games and for that reason it is also the race which can bring disgrace to the sport of athletics. If the fastest man in the world is a cheat, who cares about the others? Two of the previous four winners of the 100 metres, Justin Gatlin and Linford Christie, failed drugs tests after the Olympics. This meant that, of course, some people were very suspicious about this year’s race. 4 The world record holder, Bolt, and the former world record holder, Powell, are the two fastest men in the world and some people said the winner would need a time of 9.6 to win the race. 20 years ago Ben Johnson won the Olympic 100 metres in 9.7, running quicker than anyone did in the four Olympics that followed. He then tested positive for drugs and lost his gold medal. 5 In the semi-finals Bolt started slowly, was slow at the finish and still won in 9.85. This was exactly the time Justin Gatlin (who is now banned after failing a drugs test) ran to win in Athens

7 When the competitors appeared for the final, hundreds of cameras flashed round the stadium like stars. The location was almost perfect – the stadium was the greatest in modern Olympics. Bolt was in lane four. Powell was three lanes to his right. In between were Thompson and Dix. The introductions to the fastest race in the whole of sport were made. Bolt smiled and pointed. Powell moved slowly from side to side. 8 Silence, and then bang! Before anyone could breathe, Bolt had won. Amazingly, the first man to run faster than 9.7 seconds slowed down towards the end. “I could see him slowing down ahead as I was still running hard,” said Thompson. If the semi-final was incredible, this was even more unbelievable. Bolt produced the most electric 100 metres performance for 20 years and then celebrated by disco dancing around the stadium. 9 “We expected him to win,” said the Jamaican team doctor, Herb Elliott. “I don’t know how fast he can run; his coach doesn’t know how fast he can run; he doesn’t know how fast he can run.” He also said that Bolt had been tested six times in Beijing. It was an historic night for Jamaica, who had never won the Olympic 100 metres before. In 1952, Herb McKenlay lost the closest 100 metres in history, now Bolt had won the easiest. 10 When Bolt was asked why he slowed down, he said: “I wasn’t interested in the world record. I didn’t even know I had the world record until after

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Olympics: Usain Bolt’s new 100m world record / Elementary

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1 “We’ve never seen anything like that before,” said the great Olympian, Michael Johnson, after an amazing 100 metres final. Jamaican runner, Usain Bolt, was so far in front of the other runners that he had time to slow down and smile for the cameras before he crossed the finishing line. His time was a world record 9.69 seconds, three-hundredths of a second faster than the record he set 11 weeks ago. He looks unbeatable.

6 Bolt’s path to the gold medal was made easier when Tyson Gay, who was suffering from an injury, ran slower than 10 seconds and missed a place in the final. Powell won his semi-final easily in 9.91 and the final of the 100 metres was a contest between the two Jamaicans. They even had a third finalist in Michael Frater. Two Trinidadians, two Americans and the man from Netherlands Antilles completed the line-up – six from the Caribbean, two from the United States.



in 2004. He was a tenth of a second ahead of Dix in second. Even then Bolt looked fantastic, unbeatable, incredible.

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the victory lap. This medal means a lot to my country, and to me.” Bolt had missed breakfast and had chicken nuggets for lunch. He then rested, and then had more nuggets for tea. He won the gold medal on a diet of chicken nuggets. The shadow of history was there though. Johnson was tragic but if there was anything suspicious about Bolt’s victory, it would be a farce not a tragedy. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Observer, 17/08/08

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. Some people are suspicious about the 100 metres final because …

a. … Jamaican.

2. The Jamaican team were not surprised because …

b. ... it was the first time they had won the 100 metres at the Olympics.

3. It was an historic night for Jamaica because …

c. … American.

4. Usain Bolt was …

d. … they expected Usain Bolt to win.

5. Three of the eight finalists were …

e. … two of the previous four winners have failed drugs tests.

6. Two of the the eight finalists were …

f. … a fifth of a second in front of the runner who came second.

4 Chunks Rearrange these words to make phrases from the text. 1. former holder the record world 2. previous the of two winners four 3. the in the fastest two world men 4. man faster 9.7 seconds to first than run the 5. him expected we win to

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6. wasn’t record in I the interested world


Elementary

5 Prepositions Fill the gaps in the phrases using prepositions. Check your answers in the text. 1. _______ front of the other runners 2. suspicious _______ this year’s race 3. the fastest men _______ the world 4. slow _______ the finish 5. suffering _______ an injury 6. from side _______ side 7. not interested _______ the world record 8. _______ a diet


appearance celebration breath test


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1. compete 2. perform 3. introduce 4. 5. 6. cheat 7. 8.

noun


verb


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words

4 Chunks

1. unbeatable 2. disgrace 3. cheat 4. sprint 5. coach 6. suspicious 7. lap 8. farce 9. event 10. lane

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.


e d b f a c

in about in at from to in on

6 Word building 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

competitor performance introduction appear celebrate cheat breathe test

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Olympics: Usain Bolt’s new 100m world record / Elementary

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Jamaica 9.69 seconds Richard Thompson 9.85 seconds Athens

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

5 Prepositions



the former world record holder two of the previous four winners the two fastest men in the world the first man to run faster than 9.7 seconds we expected him to win I wasn’t interested in the world record


Intermediate

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. breathtaking

cheat

undoubtedly

farcical

unbeatable

disproportionate

lane

subsequently

lap

disgrace

1. A ________________ number is one that is bigger or smaller than it should be. 2. If something ________________ a competition, it harms its reputation by doing something bad or immoral. 3. An ________________ athlete is better than everyone else and cannot be beaten. 4. If something happens ________________, it happens after something else happened. 5. A ________________ is one of the parts that an athletics track is divided into, intended for one runner. 6. A ________________ is one complete turn around a course in a race. 7. The adverb ________________ is used for saying that something is certainly true or is accepted by everyone. 8. If something is ________________, it is so badly organized, unsuccessful or unfair that it seems funny. 9. If something is ________________, it is extremely impressive or beautiful. 10. A ________________ is someone who behaves dishonestly in order to win a competition.

2


Look in the text and find the following information as quickly as possible. 1. What is Usain Bolt’s new 100 metres world record? 2. Who came second in the race? 3. Where is Usain Bolt from? 4. How fast did Usain Bolt run the 100 metres in the semi-final? 5. How many times have Jamaica won the 100 metres gold medal at the Olympics?

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6. Where were the 2004 Olympic Games held?

Olympics: Usain Bolt’s new 100m world record Intermediate

2 The rest were nowhere. A fifth of a second behind – a long, long way in sprinting – was Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago. The best American was Walter Dix, who took the bronze medal in 9.91 seconds. Asafa Powell and Michael Frater, Bolt’s Jamaican compatriots, were fifth and sixth, a long way behind the unbelievable Bolt. 3 The 100 metres is the main event at the Olympic Games, and for that reason it is also the race which is most likely to disgrace the sport. If the fastest man in the world is a cheat, who cares about the rest? Of the previous four winners of the 100 metres, Justin Gatlin and Linford Christie subsequently failed drugs tests. This meant that, of course, some people would be looking at yesterday’s race with suspicion. 4 The world record holder, Bolt, and the former world record holder, Powell, are the two fastest men in the world and there was some talk of people needing to go as low as 9.6 in order to win it. 20 years ago Ben Johnson won it in 9.7, running quicker than anyone – until yesterday – had managed in an Olympics since then. Of course, Johnson then lost his gold medal after testing poitive for drugs. 5 In the semi-finals Bolt was slowly away, slow at the finish and still won in 9.85, exactly the time Justin Gatlin (who is now banned after a drugs test failure) had run to win in Athens in 2004.

7 As the competitors appeared for the final, hundreds of cameras flashed round the stadium to create a twinkling star effect. The backdrop was near perfect – the stadium was the greatest in modern Olympics, in a Games that may be remembered as much for its architecture as its athletes. Bolt was in lane four. Powell was three lanes to his right. In between were Thompson and Dix. This, surely, would be where the medals would be contested. The introductions to the most explosive event in all of sport were made. Bolt smiled and pointed. Powell swung from side to side. 8 Silence, and then bang! Before anyone could breathe Bolt had won. Astonishingly, the first man to break 9.7 seconds slowed down towards the end. Like a jockey riding a wonder-horse, he even took a quick look over his shoulder in the last five metres. “I could see him slowing down ahead as I was still running hard,” said Thompson. If the semi-final was incredible, this was even more unbelievable. Bolt had produced the most electric 100 metres performance for 20 years and then disco danced around the stadium. 9 “It was expected,” said the Jamaican team doctor, Herb Elliott. “I don’t know how fast he can go; his coach doesn’t know how fast he can go; he doesn’t know how fast he can go.” He also said that Bolt had been tested half-a-dozen times in Beijing. It was an historic night for Jamaica,

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Olympics: Usain Bolt’s new 100m world record / Intermediate

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1 “We’ve never seen anything like that before,” said the great Olympian, Michael Johnson, after a breathtaking 100 metres final. Usain Bolt was so far ahead of the rest, he had time to slow down and smile for the cameras before crossing the line in a world record time of 9.69 seconds, beating by three-hundredths of a second the record he had set 11 weeks ago. He looks unbeatable.

6 Bolt’s path to the gold medal was made easier when Tyson Gay, suffering from injury, did not even break 10 seconds and missed a place in the final, which went instead to fellow American Darvis Patton. Powell won his semi-final easily in 9.91 and the final of the 100 metres had become a Jamaican contest. They even had a third finalist in Frater who, along with two Trinidadians, two Americans and the man from Netherlands Antilles, completed the field. Six from the Caribbean, two from the United States.



He was a tenth of a second ahead of college champion Dix in second, a margin he would more than double in the final. Even then Bolt looked sensational, unbeatable, incredible.

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who have been trying to win the 100 metres for a long, long time. In 1952, Herb McKenlay lost the closest 100 metres in history, now Bolt had won the easiest. For a country of just two-and-a-half million they have undoubtedly produced a disproportionate number of top quality sprinters but this was the first time they had won 100 metres gold. 10 Asked why he slowed down, Bolt said: “I wasn’t interested in the world record. I didn’t even know I had it until after the victory lap. This

medal means a lot to my country, and to me.” Bolt had missed breakfast and had chicken nuggets for lunch. He then rested, and then had nuggets for tea. It was a nugget diet which had led to a golden performance. The history, however, casts its shadow. Johnson’s downfall was tragic: if anything were found to be wrong with Bolt, it would be farcical. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Observer, 17/08/08

3 Comprehension check Are these statements True (T) or False (F) according to the text? 1. Usain Bolt ran faster in this year’s semi-final than Justin Gatlin ran in the 2004 final. 2. Tyson Gay didn’t run in the final because he was injured. 3. Bolt was not tested for drugs in Beijing. 4. Two of the last four Olympic 100 metres champions failed drugs tests. 5. Bolt wasn’t interested in the world record. 6. Bolt slowed down in the last five metres.

4 Find the word Find the following words and expressions in the text. 1. A noun meaning someone who is from the same country as someone else. (para 2) 2. A five-word expression meaning the previous person to hold the world record. (para 4) 3. A past participle meaning officially prevented from competing. (para 5) 4. A noun meaning the amount by which a competition is won. (para 5) 5. An adjective meaning very exciting and surprising. (para 5) 6. A noun meaning all the people taking part in a race. (para 6) 7. A noun meaning everything you can see behind the main thing you are looking at. (para 7)

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8. A noun meaning someone whose job is to ride horses in races. (para 8)


Intermediate

5 Word building: Adjectives Complete the table with adjectives that match the definitions.

adjective 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

definition cannot be believed cannot be beaten cannot be imagined cannot be avoided cannot be controlled cannot be accepted cannot be forgotten cannot be mistaken (for someone or something else)


verb 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

noun

perform suspect compete introduce disgrace contest cheat fail

7 Discussion

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Should performance-enhancing drugs be allowed in sport? What are the arguments for and against such a step?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. disproportionate 2. disgraces 3. unbeatable 4. subsequently 5. lane 6. lap 7. undoubtedly 8. farcical 9. breathtaking 10. cheat

1. compatriot 2. the former world record holder 3. banned 4. margin 5. sensational 6. field 7. backdrop 8. jockey

2 Find the information 1. 9.69 seconds 2. Richard Thompson 3. Jamaica 4. 9.85 seconds 5. once (this was the first time) 6. Athens

1. unbelievable (incredible) 2. unbeatable 3. unimaginable 4. unavoidable (inevitable) 5. uncontrollable 6. unacceptable 7. unforgettable 8. unmistakable


6 Word building

1. F 2. F 3. F 4. T 5. T 6. T

1. performance 2. suspicion 3. competition/competitor 4. introduction 5. disgrace 6. contest 7. cheat 8. failure

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5 Word building: Adjectives

The school where teachers carry a pen, a ruler and... a gun Level 3 1

Advanced

Warmer

a) What do you consider to be a teacher’s ‘tools of the trade’? b) What do you think your teacher needs to carry in his / her teaching bag for work purposes?

2

Key words

Find the key words in the article. The paragraph numbers are given to help you. 1. Containing bullets: ______________________. (para 1) 2. To be offended or shocked: ______________________. (para 3) 3. Someone who strongly supports something: ______________________. (para 3) 4. Hidden from view: ______________________. (para 3) 5. A person who is the prisoner of someone who threatens to kill them if they do not get what they want: ______________________. (para 6) 6. The process of checking someone to see if they’re suitable for something: ______________________. (para 9) 7. To hit a surface at an angle and immediately move away from it at a different angle: _____________________. (para 9) 8. An action or movement that you need care or skill to do: ______________________. (para 10) 9. When a weapon is fired it is ______________________. (para 11)

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10. Not sorry / show no regret: ______________________. (para 14)

The school where teachers carry a pen, a ruler and... a gun Advanced 8

“We’ve had a very disturbing trend of school shootings in the US,” said Thweatt. “It is my belief that this is caused by making schools gun-free zones. When schools were made gun-free zones, they became targets for people who wanted a high body count.”

9

As is commonplace in America, Harrold’s school already has tough security including card-swipe entry for rooms and screening for visitors. Armed teachers must get a state gun licence and will be required to use bullets of a type less liable to ricochet off walls or desks. But teachers’ unions in Texas have expressed horror.

• Teachers in Texan town allowed to carry pistols • Remote location could make it a target, say locals Andrew Clark August 18, 2008

3 With barely 300 residents, the remote rural community in the state’s northern dustbowl has appalled gun control advocates by becoming the first in the US to allow its teachers to carry concealed firearms. 4 Harrold’s school board maintains that the plan is necessary because the town is 25 miles from the nearest sheriff’s office, making it hard to get swift help in an emergency. Its location just yards from a major highway, America’s north-south Interstate 287, makes it a potential ‘target’ for armed maniacs. 5 “We are 30 minutes from law enforcement,” Harrold’s school superintendent, David Thweatt, told The Guardian. “How long do you think it would take to kill all 150 of us? It would be a bloodbath.” 6 Carefully selected teachers are to be trained in crisis management including handling hostage situations. Thweatt said: “When you have good guys with guns, the bad guys do less damage.” 7 More than a dozen mass shooting tragedies have hit US educational establishments over the last decade, including the Columbine massacre which claimed 15 lives at a Colorado high school in 1999 and last year’s Virginia Tech massacre which left 33 people dead.

10 “It’s a disaster waiting to happen,” Gayle Fallon, president of the Houston Federation of Teachers said. She described it as the sort of manoeuvre that makes Texas a laughing stock: “It’s up there with the worst ideas in the history of education.” 11 Ken Trump, an Ohio-based specialist in advising school boards on security, suggested it would be more sensible to hire security guards than to give guns to “minimally supervised, minimally trained” teachers. “You could have a gun accidentally taken away, or a gun could be discharged while a teacher’s breaking up a fight in the cafeteria,” said Trump. 12 Harrold’s gun policy was praised by the pro-gun nationwide Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. Its chairman, Alan Gottlieb, said the town’s school buildings would be safer: “Allowing armed staff and teachers will provide a last line of defence if other security measures at the school fail.” 13 He argued that teachers would be able to respond faster to a classroom shooting than a security guard: “Officers can’t be everywhere and in an emergency every second counts.” 14 Harrold’s school board is unapologetic about the controversy. Thweatt said the thick brick walls of Harrold’s school protected pupils from tornadoes – and the school authorities had a duty to protect children from human attacks.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / The school where teachers carry a pen, a ruler and... a gun / Advanced

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2 When teachers return for a new school term in the tiny Texas farming town of Harrold, they can bring an extra tool of the trade alongside books, pens and worksheets. To defend pupils from any gun-toting maniacs, they can carry loaded pistols into the classroom.


1 School authorities in Harrold, Texas, say loaded pistols in the hands of trained teachers will make its students and staff safer.

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Level 3

The school where teachers carry a pen, a ruler and... a gun Level 3

Advanced

15 “When you hear about these shootings, the reports always start out with ‘this is a sleepy little place, nobody thought this would ever happen here’,” said Thweatt. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 18/08/08

Background: Gun violence in US schools April 1999 Students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold kill 12 students and a teacher at Columbine high school in Littleton, Colorado, before shooting themselves February 2000 Six-year-old Kayla Rolland is shot dead at Buell Elementary School near Flint, Michigan, by a six-year-old boy May 2000 13 year-old Nate Brazill kills a teacher at Lake Worth school, Florida, after being sent home March 2005 16-year-old Jeff Weise guns down five students, a teacher and a security guard at Red Lake High School in northern Minnesota before killing himself. He had also just killed his grandfather and his grandfather’s companion September 2006 15-year-old student kills his school principal in western Wisconsin October 2006 Charles Roberts kills five girls at a one-classroom Pennsylvanian Amish school April 2007 Cho Seung-hui kills 32 students at Virginia Tech university February 2008 Gunman kills five students at Northern Illinois University

3 Comprehension check Find the answers to the questions in the article. 1. School authorities in Harrold, Texas, are allowing... a) ... pupils to protect themselves from armed maniacs. b) ... teachers to carry guns in the classroom. c) ... security guards to check parents. 2. The school’s superintendent thinks that... a) ... the sheriff’s office should be moved closer to the school. b) ... a gunman could kill all 150 pupils and teachers

3. Shooting tragedies in US schools and colleges are... a) ... becoming more frequent. b) ... decreasing. c) ... common in Texas. 4. Teachers’ unions in Texas are... a) ... behind the plan. b) ... unsure if this is the right plan. c) ... horrified by the plan.

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before outside help arrived. c) ... there needs to be stricter security at the school gates.


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4 Multi-word phrases Tools of the trade is a multi-word phrase that means: the skills and equipment needed to do a particular job. Find other multi-word phrases in the article that mean: 1. A deranged or mad person carrying a weapon (3 words) 2. A collective term for police and other security or emergency services (2 words) 3. Methods for dealing with extremely difficult situations (2 words) 4. A foreseeable tragedy (4 words) 5. Terrible and sad situations in which many people get shot (3 words) 6. An area where no firearms are allowed (3 words) 7. A method of going into a building using a plastic card (3 words) 8. Someone or something that everyone thinks is silly (2 words) 9. A small town or area where nothing much happens (3 words)

5 Discussion Do you agree with Thweatt’s statement: “When you have good guys with guns, the bad guys do less damage.”? Why / why not?

6 Group task: In case of emergency... What would you do if there was an emergency at your school?

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Decide on a type of emergency (fire, flood, terrorist attack, etc.) and write a step-by-step emergency/ escape plan.

The school where teachers carry a pen, a ruler and... a gun Level 3 Advanced KEY 2 Key words

4 Multi-word phrases

1. loaded 2. appalled 3. advocate 4. concealed 5. hostage 6. screening 7. ricochet 8. manoeuvre 9. discharged 10. unapologetic

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

gun-toting maniac law enforcement crisis management disaster waiting to happen mass shooting tragedies gun-free zones card-swipe entry laughing stock sleepy little place

Teacher’s notes:

3 Comprehension check 1. 2. 3. 4.

b b a c

Internet tasks: Ask students to check the school’s website: www.harroldisd.net What kind of school is it? Can they pinpoint it on a map? Ask them to discuss other ways to protect the pupils in the school from possible attack.

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Write Harrold Texas into the search field in YouTube to see TV reports about the controversy.


Elementary

1 Warmer a) Which of these items does your teacher need for work? • • • • • • • •

pens pencils computer CD player gun ruler book worksheets

b) Can you add any more? _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________

2 Key words Write the key words from the article next to their meanings. The paragraph numbers are given to help you.

armed

staff

unapologetic

ricochet

rural

authorities

disaster

dozen

controversy

licence

horrified

defend

1. An organization or institution that controls something, often a public service: ____________________. (para 1) 2. People who work at a company or other place of work: ____________________. (para 1) 3. To protect someone or something from attack: ____________________. (para 2) 4. In the countryside (not in the city): ____________________. (para 3) 5. Carrying a weapon (usually a gun): ____________________. (para 4) 6. Another word for twelve: ____________________. (para 7) 7. An official paper that allows you to do something: ____________________. (para 8) 8. To hit a surface at an angle and immediately move away from it at a different angle: ____________________. (para 8) 9. Shocked: ____________________. (para 8) 10. Something very bad that happens and may kill many people: ____________________. (para 9) 11. Not sorry / show no regret: ____________________. (para 13)

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12. A disagreement that a lot of people have strong feelings about: ____________________. (para 13)

The school where teachers carry a pen, a ruler and... a gun Elementary 8

Like many places in America, Harrold’s school already has very tough security. The teachers must get a state gun licence and the bullets will be a special type less likely to ricochet off walls or desks. But teachers’ unions in Texas are horrified.

9

“It’s a disaster waiting to happen,” Gayle Fallon, president of the Houston Federation of Teachers said. She described it as the sort of plan that makes people laugh at Texas: “It’s one of the worst ideas in the history of education.”

• Teachers in Texan town allowed to carry guns • Remote location could make it a target, say locals Andrew Clark August 18, 2008

3 With only 300 residents, the small rural town in northern Texas has shocked many people by becoming the first place in the US to allow its teachers to carry guns. 4 Harrold’s school board says that the plan is necessary because the town is 25 miles from the nearest sheriff’s office, which makes it hard to get immediate help in an emergency. They also say that because the town is very near to a major highway, America’s north-south Interstate 287, it could be a possible ‘target’ for armed madmen. 5 “The sheriff’s office is 30 minutes away”, said Harrold’s school superintendent, David Thweatt. “How long do you think it would take to kill all 150 of us? It would be a bloodbath.” 6 Some teachers at the school will be trained in dealing with emergencies. Thweatt said: “When you have good guys with guns, the bad guys do less damage.” 7 There have been more than a dozen mass shooting tragedies in US schools over the last ten years, including the Columbine massacre in which 15 people died at a Colorado high school in 1999 and last year’s Virginia Tech massacre which left 33 people dead.

10 Ken Trump, an Ohio-based security specialist, said it would be more sensible to hire security guards than to give guns to “minimally supervised, minimally trained” teachers. “You could have a gun accidentally taken away, or a gun could be accidently fired while a teacher’s breaking up a fight in the cafeteria,” said Trump. 11 Alan Gottlieb, chairman of the pro-gun nationwide Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, said the town’s school buildings would be safer: “Allowing armed staff and teachers will provide a last line of defence if other security measures at the school fail.” 12 He said that teachers would be able to deal more quickly with a classroom shooting than a security guard: “Officers can’t be everywhere and in an emergency every second counts.” 13 Harrold’s school board is unapologetic about the controversy. Thweatt said the thick brick walls of Harrold’s school protected pupils from tornadoes – and the school authorities had a duty to protect children from human attacks. 14 “When you hear about these shootings, the reports always start out with ‘this is a sleepy little place, nobody thought this would ever happen here’,” said Thweatt. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 18/08/08

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / The school where teachers carry a pen, a ruler and... a gun / Elementary

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2 When teachers return for a new school term in the tiny Texas farming town of Harrold, they can bring an extra piece of equipment in addition to books, pens and worksheets. To defend pupils, they can carry guns into the classroom.


1 School authorities in Harrold, Texas, say trained teachers with guns will make its students and staff safer.

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3 Summarizing Re-read the article to find the answers to these questions. 1. What kind of town is Harrold and where is it? 2. What will teachers at Harrold School take into class next term? 3. How far away is the sheriff’s office? 4. How many mass shootings have there been at US schools in the last ten years? 5. How many people died in the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre?

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6. Are teachers’ unions happy about the idea?


Elementary

4 Prepositions Fill in the missing prepositions (according to the article). at x2

in x2

for

of

•

When teachers return ____________ a new school term

•

they can carry guns ____________ the classroom

•

small rural town ____________northern Texas

•

help ____________ an emergency

•

it is very near ____________ a major highway

•

to kill all 150 ____________ us

•

15 people died ____________ a Colorado high school

•

the sort of plan that makes people laugh ____________ Texas

to

into

5 Group task: In an emergency... What would you do if there was an emergency at your school? Decide on a type of emergency (fire, flood, terrorist attack, etc.) and write a step-by-step emergency / escape plan. Step 1: ______________________________________________________ Step 2: ______________________________________________________ Step 3: ______________________________________________________ Step 4: ______________________________________________________ Step 5: ______________________________________________________ Step 6: ______________________________________________________ Step 7: ______________________________________________________ Step 8: ______________________________________________________ Step 9: ______________________________________________________

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Step 10: ______________________________________________________

The school where teachers carry a pen, a ruler and... a gun Level 1 Elementary KEY 2 Key words

4

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

for; into; in; in; to; of; at; at

authorities staff defend rural armed dozen licence ricochet horrified disaster unapologetic controversy

Prepositions

Teacher’s notes: Internet tasks: Ask students to check the school’s website: www.harroldisd.net What kind of school is it? Can they pinpoint it on a map? Ask them to discuss other ways to protect the pupils in the school from possible attack. Write Harrold Texas into the search field in YouTube to see TV reports about the controversy.

3 Summarizing A small farming town in Texas, USA Guns 30 minutes away More than a dozen / 12 33 No (they think it’s a disaster waiting to happen)

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

The school where teachers carry a pen, a ruler and... a gun Level 2 1

Intermediate

Warmer

a) What teaching equipment is always in your classroom? b) What additional equipment do you think your teacher needs to carry in his/her teaching bag?

2

Key words

Match the key words from the article with their meanings. The paragraph numbers are given to help you. armed

loaded

remote screening

hostage

unapologetic

crisis management card-swipe entry

ricochet

authorities gun-toting maniacs

1. An organization or institution that controls something, often a public service: ____________________. (para 1) 2. Containing bullets: ________________________. (para 1) 3. Mad people carrying weapons: ____________________________. (para 2) 4. Far away from any other cities or towns: ________________________. (para 3) 5. Methods for dealing with extremely difficult situations: ____________________________. (para 6) 6. A person who is the prisoner of someone who threatens to kill them if they do not get what they want: ________________________. (para 6) 7. A method of going into a building using a plastic card: ____________________________. (para 8) 8. The process of checking someone to see if they’re suitable for something: ________________________. (para 8) 9. Carrying a weapon (usually a gun): ________________________. (para 8) 10. To hit a surface at an angle and immediately move away from it at a different angle: ________________________. (para 8)

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NEWS LESSONS / The school where teachers carry a pen, a ruler and... a gun / Intermediate

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11. Not sorry / show no regret: ________________________. (para 13)


Intermediate


entry for rooms and screening for visitors. Armed teachers must get a state gun licence and the bullets will be of a type less likely to ricochet off walls or desks. But teachers’ unions in Texas have expressed horror.

• Teachers in Texan town allowed to carry guns • Remote location could make it a target, say locals Andrew Clark August 18, 2008 1 School authorities in Harrold, Texas, say loaded guns in the hands of trained teachers will make its students and staff safer.

2 When teachers return for a new school term in the

tiny Texas farming town of Harrold, they can bring an extra piece of equipment alongside books, pens and worksheets. To defend pupils from any gun-toting maniacs, they can carry loaded guns into the classroom.

3 With barely 300 residents, the remote rural

community in northern Texas has shocked groups in favor of gun control by becoming the first place in the US to allow its teachers to carry guns.

4 Harrold’s school board says that the plan is

necessary because the town is 25 miles from the nearest sheriff’s office, which makes it hard to get immediate help in an emergency. They also say that its location just yards from a major highway, America’s north-south Interstate 287, makes it a possible ‘target’ for armed maniacs.

5 “The sheriff’s office is 30 minutes away”, said

Harrold’s school superintendent, David Thweatt. “How long do you think it would take to kill all 150 of us? It would be a bloodbath.”

6 Carefully selected teachers are to be trained in

crisis management including dealing with hostage situations. Thweatt said: “When you have good guys with guns, the bad guys do less damage.”

7 More than a dozen mass shooting tragedies have

hit US schools over the last ten years, including the Columbine massacre in which 15 people died at a Colorado high school in 1999 and last year’s Virginia Tech massacre which left 33 people dead.

9

“It’s a disaster waiting to happen,” Gayle Fallon, president of the Houston Federation of Teachers said. She described it as the sort of plan that makes people laugh at Texas: “It’s one of the worst ideas in the history of education.”

10 Ken Trump, an Ohio-based security specialist,

suggested it would be more sensible to hire security guards than to give guns to “minimally supervised, minimally trained” teachers. “You could have a gun accidentally taken away, or a gun could be accidently fired while a teacher’s breaking up a fight in the cafeteria,” said Trump.

11 Harrold’s gun policy was praised by the pro-gun

nationwide Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. Its chairman, Alan Gottlieb, said the town’s school buildings would be safer: “Allowing armed staff and teachers will provide a last line of defence if other security measures at the school fail.”

12 He argued that teachers would be able to respond faster to a classroom shooting than a security guard: “Officers can’t be everywhere and in an emergency every second counts.”

13 Harrold’s school board is unapologetic about the

controversy. Thweatt said the thick brick walls of Harrold’s school protected pupils from tornadoes – and the school authorities had a duty to protect children from human attacks.

14 “When you hear about these shootings, the reports always start out with ‘this is a sleepy little place, nobody thought this would ever happen here’,” said Thweatt. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 18/08/08

8 Like many places in America, Harrold’s school

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already has tough security including card-swipe


Intermediate


3

Comprehension

According to the article, are these sentences True (T) or False (F)? 1. School authorities in Harrold, Texas, are allowing selected teachers to carry guns in the classroom. 2. Teachers’ unions are in favor of this plan. 3. Harrold is a small farming town in Ohio. 4. The school’s superintendent thinks that the sheriff’s office should be moved closer to the school. 5. Up to now there has been no security at Harrold’s school. 6. The school’s superintendent says tornadoes are a bigger problem than guns. 7. There have been more than 12 shooting incidents in US schools in the last decade. 8. A security specialist thinks that arming teachers is not the answer to the problem. 9. The teachers will not need a gun licence.

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10. Thweatt says the threat of shootings is greater in big cities.


Intermediate

4 Statements: Who said what? Find the statements made by these four people in the article. Which, if any, do you agree with? •

The school’s superintendent said, “When you...__________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________.

•

The chairman of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said _____________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________.

•

A security specialist said ___________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________.

•

The president of the Houston Federation of Teachers said ________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________.

Make your own statement about the article.

!

Your statement: ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................

5 Group task: In case of emergency... What would you do if there was an emergency at your school?

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NEWS LESSONS /The school where teachers carry a pen, a ruler and... a gun / Intermediate

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Decide on a type of emergency (fire, flood, terrorist attack, etc.) and write a step-by-step emergency / escape plan.

The schooltowhere teachers carry a pen, a ruler and... a gun Addiction Internet ‘is an illness’ Level 2

Intermediate

KEY 2 Key words

4 Statements: Who said what?

1. authorities 2. loaded 3. gun-toting maniacs 4. remote 5. crisis management 6. hostage 7. card-swipe entry 8. screening 9. armed 10. ricochet 11. unapologetic

The school’s superintendent said, “When you have good guys with guns, the bad guys do less damage.”

3 Comprehension 1. True 2. False 3. False 4. False 5. False 6. False 7. True 8. True 9. False 10. False

The Chairman of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said, “Allowing armed staff and teachers will provide a last line of defence if other security measures at the school fail.” A security specialist said it would be more sensible to hire security guards than to give guns to “minimally supervised, minimally trained” teachers. “You could have a gun accidentally taken away, or a gun could be accidently fired while a teacher’s breaking up a fight in the cafeteria.” Gayle Fallon, president of the Houston Federation of Teachers said “It’s a disaster waiting to happen.” Teacher’s notes: Internet tasks: Ask students to check the school’s website: www.harroldisd.net What kind of school is it? Can they pinpoint it on a map? Ask them to discuss other ways to protect the pupils in the school from possible attack. Write Harrold Texas into the search field in YouTube to see TV reports about the controversy.

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Obama says ‘it’s time to change America’ Level 3 1

Advanced

Warmer: Quiz 1. What and where is the White House? 2. Name the two major political parties in the United States. 3. Which colours are they represented by? 4. Who is Uncle Sam? 5. Who was Martin Luther King? 6. Who is the current US president and which party does he belong to? 7. Who is his deputy?

2

Key words

Find the words in the article that mean the following. 1. An official suggestion or decision that someone should get a job or prize: _____________________. (para 1) 2. A style of speaking or writing that is intended to influence people: ______________________. (para 2) 3. To pay _____________________ or tribute to someone shows you respect and admire them or their work. (para 3) 4. If you _____________________ your country or someone who needs your support, you deliberately do something that harms them or helps their opponents. (para 4, infinitive) 5. A verb meaning to promise seriously and publicly to do something: _____________________. (para 5) 6. The fact that something is based on accurate information. Often a synonym for truth: ____________________. (para 6) 7. An adjective, usually before a noun, meaning that something is not strong or successful: __________________ (para 6) 8. A word meaning negative comments or jibes: _____________________. (para 7) 9. Special clothes that you wear for a ceremony or official occasion: _____________________. (para 11) 10. When someone is _____________________ they are searched by someone with their hands in order to see if they are carrying anything illegal such as a gun or drugs. (para 13) 11. Acts of giving up something important or valuable so that you or other people can do or have something else: _____________________. (para 15) 12. Strong feelings of love, respect, and duty towards your country: _____________________. (para 16)

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NEWS LESSONS / Obama says ‘it’s time to change America’ / Advanced

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Obama says ‘it’s time to change America’ Advanced

8

To cheers from the crowd, he challenged McCain’s foreign policy judgment and rounded on him for supporting the Iraq war at the expense of failing to go after Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan and Pakistan. “John McCain likes to say that he’ll follow bin Laden to the Gates of Hell – but he won’t even go to the cave where he lives.”

9

The Obama campaign had intended the speech to be a people’s event. He was only the third Democratic candidate to accept the party’s presidential nomination outside a convention hall: Roosevelt did in Chicago in 1932, and Kennedy in Los Angeles in 1960.

August 29, 2008 1 Barack Obama fulfilled the promise made when he entered the US political stage four years ago and the dream of Martin Luther King almost half a century ago, when he accepted the Democratic presidential nomination before tens of thousands of his supporters. 2 Obama’s speech, at Denver’s Mile High stadium, added policy to the rhetoric that had helped bring a man who was virtually unknown at the 2004 Democratic convention to within reach of the White House. 3 Speaking on the 45th anniversary of King’s “I have a dream” speech, the first African-American to secure the nomination of a major party brought the 80,000-plus who packed the stadium to their feet when, concluding a 47-minute speech, he paid homage to King. Obama said it was the promise of America that had brought people from every corner of the country to hear King on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. 4 Bush had betrayed that promise during the last eight years and the country could not take the chance of another four under John McCain, Obama said. 5 Quoting from King’s call to march forward together and not turn back, he echoed the father of the civil rights movement: “America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done … We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future.” 6 After months of criticism that there was no substance behind the words, Obama spoke about how he would deal with America’s ailing economy, the biggest election issue. He offered a programme of education, health and energy reforms, allied to job creation and tax cuts.

10 Tens of thousands of people took the chance to be part of the event, with long lines snaking for miles around the stadium under a blazing sun and filling the stadium three hours before he spoke. 11 They came in Martin Luther King T-shirts and in full Obama regalia – T-shirts, hats and buttons. A few came in Native American traditional dress. Vendors sold Obama dolls and life-sized figures of Obama dressed as Uncle Sam. 12 Inside the stadium, there was a collective sense of history in the making. Flash bulbs from cameras popped incessantly from the stands, as people waved small American flags, danced to Motown and shouted “Yes, we can!” as Will.i.am and other performers took to the stage. 13 Obama came to his first Democratic convention eight years ago short of cash and was frequently frisked by security because of his name. He recalled his arrival on the national scene, “Four years ago, I stood before you and told you my story – of the brief union between a young man from Kenya and a young woman from Kansas who weren’t well-off or well-known, but shared a belief that in America, their son could achieve whatever he put his mind to,” he said. 14 He used his own life story, too, to address the negative campaign that McCain has mounted over

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Obama says ‘it’s time to change America’ / Advanced

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Ewen MacAskill and Suzanne Goldenberg in Denver

He finally went after McCain and made sly digs over McCain’s volatile temperament and age: McCain turns 72 today.


Democratic nominee tackles Iraq, race and the Republicans during a rousing address in Denver

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Barack Obama gets down to policy as he wows a crowd of 80,000

CA

Level 3

Obama says ‘it’s time to change America’ Level 3

Advanced

the last two months, in particular that he was too fond of his new-found celebrity status. 15 Obama spoke about the sacrifices made by his family. “I don’t know what kind of lives John McCain thinks that celebrities lead but this has been mine,” he said.

women fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan may have been of different political parties but all died under the same flag. 17

16 He also responded to charges by Republicans that question his patriotism. He adapted a line from his 2004 speech in Boston to argue that the men and

“They have not served a red America or a blue America – they have served the United States of America,” he said. “So I’ve got news for you, John McCain: We all put our country first.” © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 29/08/08

3 Comprehension check Find the answers to the questions in the article. 1. Why was Barack Obama at Denver’s Mile High stadium? a) To announce his decision to run for US President. b) To officially accept the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination. c) To talk about Martin Luther King.

4. Obama criticized McCain for... a) ... not acting his age. b) ... supporting Bush’s war in Iraq over pursuing bin Laden. c) ... not being patriotic. 5. Obama’s parents are from...

2. Where did Martin Luther King hold his famous “I have a dream” speech? a) In Denver’s Mile High Stadium. b) In Boston. c) At the Lincoln Memorial in Washington.

a) ... Kenya and the USA. b) ... Kansas and Hawaii. c) ... Kenya and Hawaii.

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3. Obama had been criticized for... a) ... paying homage to Martin Luther King. b) ... not giving enough details about his policies. c) ... talking about the US’s ailing economy.


Advanced

4 Vocabulary: Collocations Match the words below to make collocations from the article. Then write an example sentence of your own for each collocation. 1. accept

homage to

2. conclude

a negative campaign

3. pay

by security

4. (be) frisked

a nomination

5. mount

a speech

6. ailing

dig

7. sly

status

8. volatile

economy

9. celebrity

temperament

5 Discussion Who is the presidential nominee for the Republican Party? Who is his running mate? Why are the world press so interested in the US presidential elections? How do US politics affect your country / you personally?

6 Webquest You can watch a five minute video of Barack Obama speaking in Denver here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/29/uselections2008.democrats20082

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You can also type Barack Obama Denver into YouTube to watch it there.

Obama says ‘it’s time to change America’ Level 3 Advanced KEY 1 Warmer: Quiz


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C. The Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The Democratic Party = blue, and the Republican Party = red. Uncle Sam is a national personification of the United States (US), with the first usage of the term dating from the War of 1812 and the first illustration dating from 1852. He is often depicted as a serious elderly white man with white hair and a goatee, and dressed in clothing that recalls the design elements of the flag of the United States – for example, typically a top hat with red and white stripes and white stars on a blue band, and red and white striped trousers. Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American clergyman, activist and prominent leader in the American civil rights movement. His efforts led to the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. George W. Bush. The Republican Party. Richard (Dick) B. Cheney

2 Key words 1. nomination 2. rhetoric 3. homage 4. betray 5. pledge 6. substance 7. ailing 8. digs 9. regalia 10. frisked 11. sacrifices 12. patriotism

b c b b a

4 Vocabulary: Collocations 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

accept a nomination conclude a speech pay homage to (be) frisked by security mount a negative campaign ailing economy sly dig volatile temperament celebrity status

Teacher’s notes: Set a time limit and use your discretion for the warmer quiz. Get the students to collaborate by working in teams. Award extra points for answers that supply further or interesting information. You can watch a video of Barack Obama accepting the nomination here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/ aug/29/uselections2008.democrats20082 A full text of Obama’s speech is available here: http://www. guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/29/uselections2008. barackobama2 Other useful websites are • http://www.democrats.org/ • http://www.rnc.org/ • http://www.whitehouse.gov/ • http://www.whitehouse.gov/vicepresident/ • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncle_Sam • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_luther_king Motown is a type of African-American soul music from the US city of Detroit, popular in the 1960s and 1970s.

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Will.i.am is a member of the Black Eyed Peas pop group.


Elementary

Warmer: Brainstorming

In five minutes, make as many notes as you can about politics in the United States of America.

.................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................................. ..................................................................................................................................................

2 Key words Write the words from the article into the sentences below. The paragraph numbers will help you find the correct words. betray

supporters

stadium

cheered

vendor march

patriotism

reform

economy

candidate

1. Someone who stands behind a particular person and his/her ideas: _____________________. (para1) 2. A large building, usually without a roof, where people watch sports events such as football:

_____________________. (para 1)

3. One of the people competing in an election: _____________________. (para 1) 4. To give a loud shout of happiness and approval: _____________________. (para 2, past tense) 5. If you _____________________ your country or someone who needs your support, you deliberately do

something that harms them or helps their opponents. (para 3, infinitive)

6. To walk along a road as part of a group of people protesting about something: ___________________. (para 4) 7. A country’s business, industry, trade and money: _____________________. (para 5) 8. A change that corrects a situation that is wrong or unfair: _____________________. (para 5) 9. Someone who sells something – especially outside: _____________________. (para 8)

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10. Strong feelings of love, respect, and duty towards your country: _____________________. (para 11)


Elementary

Obama says ‘it’s time to change America’

7

The people who work for Obama wanted the speech to be a people’s event. Tens of thousands of people attended and the stadium was full up three hours before he spoke.

8

They came wearing Martin Luther King T-shirts and Obama T-shirts, hats, and buttons. A few came in Native American traditional clothes. Vendors sold Obama dolls.

9

Inside the stadium cameras flashed and people waved small American flags. They danced to Motown music and shouted “Yes, we can!” as Will.i.am and other musicians performed on the stage.

Ewen MacAskill and Suzanne Goldenberg in Denver August 29, 2008 1 In front of tens of thousands of his supporters at the Mile High stadium in Denver, Barack Obama officially agreed to be the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate for the next US elections. Obama is the first African-American to be nominated by a major US political party. 2 The crowd of over 80,000 people stood up and cheered when, speaking on the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech, Obama repeated King’s words. He said it was the promise of America, of a country where everyone can go to school and get a job, that had brought people from every corner of the country to hear King speak on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. 3 President Bush had betrayed that promise during the last eight years and the country could not take the chance of another four years with another Republican, John McCain, as the next president, Obama said. 4 Quoting from King’s call to march forward together and not turn back, he said “America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must promise once more to march into the future.” 5 Obama spoke about what he would do about America’s weak economy. He talked about education, health and energy reforms, new jobs and less tax.

10 Obama said, “Four years ago, I stood before you and told you my story – of a young man from Kenya and a young woman from Kansas who didn’t have much money, but who both believed that in America, their son could become whatever he wanted to be”. 11 He answered negative comments made by Republicans that questioned his patriotism. He said that although the men and women fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan may have supported different political parties, they all died for the same country. 12 “They have not fought for a Republican America or a Democratic America – they have served the United States of America,” he said. “So I’ve got news for you, John McCain: We all put our country first.” © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 29/08/08

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6 To cheers from the crowd, he said 72-year-old McCain was wrong because he supports the Iraq war but is not looking for Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan and Pakistan.


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Join these sentence halves to give a summary of the article. 1. Barack Obama hopes to be the...

a.

... nominated by a major US political party.

2. John McCain also wants to be the...

b.

... is much younger than John McCain.

3. Obama is the first African-American to be...

c. ... is George W. Bush.

4. Over eighty thousand people went to...

d. ... next president, but for the Republican Party.

5. The current president of the US...

e.

6.

f. ... Denver to hear Obama’s speech.

Barack Obama...

... next president of the United States.

4 Vocabulary: Crossword 1

Across 2

3. a piece of equipment that takes photographs 6. a large number of people in one place

3

M

4

5

Down 1. the political leader of a country 2. money we all have to pay to the government

S

6

T

4. a time when people vote

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5. past tense of fight


Elementary

5 Discussion Are you interested in the US presidential elections? Why / Why not?

6 Webquest: Quiz Use the Internet to find the answers to these questions. 1. What and where is the White House? 2. What are the names of the two major political parties in the United States? 3. Who is Obama’s running mate (= the Vice President if Obama wins)? 4. Who is Uncle Sam? 5. Who was Martin Luther King? 6. Where and what is the Lincoln Memorial?

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7. When are the US elections?

Obama says ‘it’s time to change America’ Level 1 Elementary KEY 1 Key words supporter stadium candidate cheered betray march economy reform vendor patriotism

3 Comprehension check e d a f c b

Teacher’s notes: Students can work in pairs or teams for the warmer and compare notes after five minutes.

Across 3. camera 6. crowd

Down 1. president 2. tax 4. election 5. fought

6 Webquest: Quiz 1. The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C. 2. The Democratic Party and the Republican Party. 3. Jo Biden. 4. Uncle Sam is a national personification of the United States (US), with the first usage of the term dating from the War of 1812 and the first illustration dating from 1852. He is often depicted as a serious elderly white man with white hair and a goatee, and dressed

You can watch a video of Barack Obama accepting the nomination here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/ aug/29/uselections2008.democrats20082 A full text of Obama’s speech is available here: http://www. guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/29/uselections2008. barackobama2 Other useful websites are: • • • • • • •

http://www.democrats.org/ http://www.rnc.org/ http://www.whitehouse.gov/ http://www.whitehouse.gov/vicepresident/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncle_Sam http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_luther_king http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_memorial

Motown is a type of African-American soul music from the US city of Detroit, popular in the 1960s and 1970s. Will.i.am is a member of the Black Eyed Peas pop group.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Obama says ‘it’s time to change America’ / Elementary

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4 Vocabulary: Crossword

You could set the webquest quiz as homework. Get the students to collaborate by working in teams. Award extra points for answers that supply further or interesting information.

•P

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

in clothing that recalls the design elements of the flag of the United States—for example, typically a top hat with red and white stripes and white stars on a blue band, and red and white striped trousers. Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American clergyman, activist and prominent leader in the American civil rights movement. His efforts led to the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where he delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis. The Lincoln Memorial is a United States Presidential memorial built to honor the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C November 4th 2008


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

5. 6. 7.


Intermediate

Key words

Write in the words from the article that mean the following. betray

supporter

patriotism

reform

campaign

sacrifice

march

nomination

well-off policy

tribute regalia

1. An official suggestion or decision that someone should get a job or prize: ______________________. (para 1) 2. Someone who stands behind a particular person and his/her ideas: ______________________. (para1) 3. Plans or actions agreed on by a government or political party: ______________________. (para2) 4. To pay ______________________ to someone shows you respect and admire them or their work. (para 3) 5. If you ______________________ your country or someone who needs your support, you deliberately do some thing that harms them or helps their opponents. (para 4, infinitive) 6. To walk along a road as part of a group of people protesting about something: __________________. (para 5) 7. A change intended to correct a situation that is wrong or unfair: ______________________. (para 6) 8. A series of things that a politician or political party does to try to win an election: ______________________. (para 8) 9. Special clothes that you wear for a ceremony or official occasion: ______________________. (para 11) 10. An adjective meaning rich or having enough money to live off: ______________________. (para 11) 11. Giving up something important or valuable so that you or other people can do or have something else: ______________________. (para 12) 12. Strong feelings of love, respect, and duty towards your country: ______________________. (para 13)

2

Phrases

a. to put meaning and opinion into what you say

2. add policy to words (para 2)

b. to go back on something you have said

c. the commitment that everybody should have a good education which would lead to a job and good quality of living

4. the promise of America (para 3)

d. to agree to take on a job or position that has been offered

5. betray a promise (para 4)

e. when people stand and clap because they like what you say or do

6. ailing economy (para 6)

f. give answers to negative comments made about you

7. short of cash (para 11)

g. decide to do something

8. put your mind to something (para 11)

h. be killed (in a war) while fighting for your country

9. respond to charges (para 13)

i. have very little money

10. die under a flag (para 13)

j. weak financial situation in a country

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Obama says ‘it’s time to change America’ / Intermediate

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3. bring a crowd to their feet (para 3)

CA

1. accept a nomination (para 1)


Match the phrases from the article to their meanings.

Obama says ‘it’s time to change America’ Intermediate

1 Barack Obama kept the promise he made four years ago, and the dream of Martin Luther King almost half a century ago, when he accepted the Democratic presidential nomination before tens of thousands of his supporters. 2 Obama’s speech, at Denver’s Mile High stadium,

The Obama campaign had intended the speech to be a people’s event. Tens of thousands of people attended, with long lines snaking for miles around the stadium under a blazing sun and filling the stadium three hours before he spoke.

9

They came in Martin Luther King T-shirts and in full Obama regalia – T-shirts, hats and buttons. A few came in Native American traditional dress. Vendors sold Obama dolls and life-sized figures of Obama dressed as Uncle Sam.

10 Inside the stadium cameras flashed constantly from the stands, as people waved small American flags, danced to Motown music and shouted “Yes, we can!” as Will.i.am and other musicians performed on the stage.

added policy to the words that had helped bring him within reach of the White House.

3 Speaking on the 45th anniversary of King’s “I have

a dream” speech, Obama, the first African-American to be nominated by a major US political party, brought the 80,000-plus crowd to their feet when, at the end of his speech, he paid tribute to King. Obama said it was the promise of America that had brought people from every corner of the country to hear King speak on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

4 Bush had betrayed that promise during the last

eight years and the country could not take the chance of another four with another Republican, John McCain, as president, Obama said.

11 Obama came to his first Democratic convention

eight years ago short of cash. At that time he was often searched by security because of his name. He said, “Four years ago, I stood before you and told you my story – of a young man from Kenya and a young woman from Kansas who weren’t well-off or wellknown, but both believed that in America, their son could achieve whatever he put his mind to,” he said.

12 He used his own life story, too, to answer negative comments made by McCain over the last two months, in particular that Obama was too fond of his new celebrity status. Obama spoke about the sacrifices made by his family. “I don’t know what kind of lives John McCain thinks that celebrities lead, but this has been mine,” he said.

5 Quoting from King’s call to march forward together

and not turn back, he said “America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done … We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must promise once more to march into the future.”

13 He also responded to charges by Republicans that question his patriotism. He adapted a line from his 2004 speech in Boston to argue that although the men and women fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan may have been of different political parties they all died under the same flag.

6 After months of criticism that there was nothing

behind his words, Obama spoke about how he would deal with America’s ailing economy. He offered a programme of education, health and energy reforms, related to job creation and tax cuts.

7 To cheers from the crowd, he challenged 72-year-

14 “They have not served a red America or a blue

old McCain’s foreign policy judgment and spoke against him for supporting the Iraq war but not looking for Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan and Pakistan. “John McCain likes to say that he’ll follow bin Laden to the Gates of Hell – but he won’t even


America – they have served the United States of America,” he said. “So I’ve got news for you, John McCain: We all put our country first.” © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 29/08/08

O

Ewen MacAskill and Suzanne Goldenberg in Denver August 29, 2008

8


Democratic nominee tackles Iraq, race and the Republicans during a rousing address in Denver

go to the cave where he lives.”

•P H

Barack Obama gets down to policy as he wows a crowd of 80,000

CA

Level 2


Intermediate

Comprehension check

Are the sentences True (T) or False (F)? Rewrite the false sentences to make them true according to the article. 1. Barack Obama officially accepted the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination at Denver’s Mile High stadium. 2. Martin Luther King previously held his famous “I have a dream” speech In Denver’s Mile High Stadium. 3. Obama had been criticized for talking about the US’s ailing economy. 4. Obama criticized McCain for not being patriotic. 5. Obama’s parents are both from Kenya. 6. Obama is the first African-American to be nominated by a major US political party. 7. Many of Obama’s supporters dress up as Native Americans. 8. Obama said that it doesn’t matter which party you support when you die for your country.

4 Quiz

1. What and where is the White House? 2. Name the two major political parties in the United States. 3. Which colours are they represented by? 4. Who is Obama’s running mate (= Vice President if Obama is elected)? 5. Who is Uncle Sam? 6. Who was Martin Luther King? 7. Where and what is the Lincoln Memorial? 8. Who is the current US president and which party does he belong to? 9. Who is his deputy?

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NEWS LESSONS / Obama says ‘it’s time to change America’ / Intermediate

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10. Who is the presidential nominee for the Republican Party? Who is his running mate?


Intermediate

5 Discussion Why do you think the world press is so interested in the US presidential elections? How do US politics affect your country / you personally?

6 Webquest You can watch a five minute video of Barack Obama speaking in Denver here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/29/uselections2008.democrats20082

H

NEWS LESSONS / Obama says ‘it’s time to change America’ / Intermediate

•P



You can also type Barack Obama Denver into YouTube to watch it there.

Obama says ‘it’s time‘is toan change America’ Addiction to Internet illness’ Level 2

Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words 1. nomination 2. supporter 3. policy 4. tribute 5. betray 6. march 7. reform 8. campaign 9. regalia 10. well-off 11. sacrifice 12. patriotism

2 Phrases 1. d 2. a 3. e 4. c 5. b 6. j 7. i 8. g 9. f 10. h

Teacher’s notes:

1. 2. 3.

The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C. The Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The Democratic Party = blue, and the Republican Party = red.

A full text of Obama’s speech is available here: http://www. guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/29/uselections2008.barackobama2 Other useful websites are: • http://www.democrats.org/ • http://www.rnc.org/ • http://www.whitehouse.gov/ • http://www.whitehouse.gov/vicepresident/ • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncle_Sam • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_luther_king • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_memorial Motown is a type of African-American soul music from the US city of Detroit, popular in the 1960s and 1970s. Will.i.am is a member of the Black Eyed Peas pop group.


H

4 Quiz

You can watch a video of Barack Obama accepting the nomination here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/ aug/29/uselections2008.democrats20082

•P

True False False False False True False True

Set a time limit and use your discretion for the quiz. Get the students to collaborate by working in teams. Award extra points for answers that supply further or interesting information.


3 Comprehension check 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

4. Jo Biden. 5. Uncle Sam is a national personification of the United States (US), with the first usage of the term dating from the War of 1812 and the first illustration dating from 1852. He is often depicted as a serious elderly white man with white hair and a goatee, and dressed in clothing that recalls the design elements of the flag of the United States—for example, typically a top hat with red and white stripes and white stars on a blue band, and red and white striped trousers. 6. Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American clergyman, activist and prominent leader in the American civil rights movement. His efforts led to the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. 7. The Lincoln Memorial is a United States Presidential memorial built to honor the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. 8. George W. Bush. The Republican Party. 9. Richard (Dick) B. Cheney 10. John McCain and Sarah Palin.

UN says eat less meat to curb global warming Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words


sacrifice consumption

graze

gluttony

livestock ruminant

contradictory simplistic feasibility

flatulence

1. ____________________ is the process of eating or drinking something. 2. A ____________________ is an animal such as a cow or sheep that brings food back from its stomach into its mouth to chew it a second time. 3. ____________________ is when a person or animal has too much gas in their stomach or intestines. 4. When animals ____________________, they eat grass growing in a field. 5. ____________________ is the chance that something has of happening or being successful. 6. ____________________ is the bad habit of eating more than you need. 7. If two or more ideas are ____________________, they disagree with each other and cannot both or all be true. 8. ___________________ is the collective word for animals such as cows, sheep and pigs that are kept on farms. 9. If you make a ____________________, you give up something important or valuable so that you or other people can do or have something else. 10. A ____________________ idea treats something in a way that makes it seem simpler than it really is.

2

What do you know?

Decide whether these statements are True (T) or False (F). Then check your answers in the text. 1. Carbon dioxide is a more effective greenhouse gas than methane. 2. Meat production produces 10% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. 3. The average British person eats more meat than WHO guidelines recommend. 4. Reducing car use by half would cut greenhouse gases by more than reducing meat consumption by half. 5. If everyone became vegetarian, greenhouse gases would be reduced dramatically.

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NEWS LESSONS / UN says eat less meat to curb global warming / Advanced

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6. Keeping livestock indoors would be bad for their health.

UN says eat less meat to curb global warming Advanced

1 People should have one meat-free day a week if they want to make a personal and effective sacrifice that would help tackle climate change according to the world’s leading authority on global warming. Dr Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which last year earned a joint share of the Nobel Peace Prize, said that people should then go on to reduce their meat consumption even further. His comments are the most controversial advice yet provided by the panel on how individuals can help tackle global warming. 2 Pachauri, who was re-elected the panel’s chairman for a second six-year term last week, said diet change was important because of the huge greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental problems – including habitat destruction – associated with rearing cattle and other animals. It was relatively easy to change eating habits compared to changing means of transport, he said. 3 The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization has estimated that meat production accounts for nearly a fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions. These are generated during the production of animal feeds, for example, while ruminants, particularly cows, emit methane, which is 23 times more effective as a global warming agent than carbon dioxide. The agency has also warned that meat consumption is set to double by the middle of the century. 4 “In terms of immediacy of action and the feasibility of bringing about reductions in a short period of time, it clearly is the most attractive opportunity,” said Pachauri. “Give up meat for one day [a week] initially, and decrease it from there,” said the Indian economist, who is a vegetarian. However,

5 Pachauri can expect some vociferous responses from the food industry to his advice, though last night he was given unexpected support by Masterchef presenter and restaurateur John Torode, who is about to publish a new book, John Torode’s Beef. “I have a little bit and enjoy it,” said Torode. “Too much for any person becomes gluttony. But there’s a bigger issue here: where [the meat] comes from. If we all bought British and stopped buying imported food we’d save a huge amount of carbon emissions.” 6 Tomorrow, Pachauri will speak at an event hosted by animal welfare group Compassion in World Farming, which has calculated that if the average UK household halved meat consumption that would cut emissions more than if car use was cut in half. The group has called for governments to lead campaigns to reduce meat consumption by 60 per cent by 2020. Campaigners have also pointed out the health benefits of eating less meat. The average person in the UK eats 50g of protein from meat a day, equivalent to a chicken breast and a lamb chop – a relatively low level for rich nations but 25-50 per cent more than World Heath Organization guidelines. 7 Professor Robert Watson, the chief scientific adviser for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, who will also speak at tomorrow’s event in London, said government could help educate people about the benefits of eating less meat, but it should not ‘regulate’. “Eating less meat would help, there’s no question about that, but there are other things,” Watson said. 8 However, Chris Lamb, head of marketing for pig industry group BPEX, said the meat industry had been unfairly targeted and was working hard to find out which activities had the biggest environmental impact and reduce those. Some ideas were contradictory, he said – for example, one solution to emissions from livestock was

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / UN says eat less meat to curb global warming / Advanced

O

Juliette Jowit, environment editor September 7, 2008


• Climate expert urges radical shift in diet • Industry unfairly targeted – farmers

he also stressed other changes in lifestyle would help to combat climate change. “That’s what I want to emphasize: we really have to bring about reductions in every sector of the economy.”

•P H

UN says eat less meat to curb global warming

CA

Level 3

UN says eat less meat to curb global warming Level 3

Advanced

to keep them indoors, but this would damage animal welfare. “Climate change is a very young science and our view is there are a lot of simplistic solutions being proposed,” he said.

cows are a major source of methane, a potent greenhouse gas released through flatulence. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Observer, 07/09/08

9 Last year a major report into the environmental impact of meat eating by the Food Climate Research Network at Surrey University claimed livestock generated eight per cent of UK emissions – but eating some meat was good for the planet because some habitats benefited from grazing. It also said vegetarian diets that included lots of milk, butter and cheese would probably not noticeably reduce emissions because dairy

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. What is the main problem associated with meat consumption? a. It is unhealthy. b. It produces greenhouse gases. c. It is expensive compared with vegetarianism. 2. Why wouldn’t a vegetarian diet make much difference? a. Because vegetarians eat lots of dairy products produced by cows. b. Because it would cost a lot to grow more crops. c. Because some habitats benefit from grazing. 3. What does the restaurateur John Torode believe? a. That importing food is a more important issue than reducing consumption. b. That global warming is caused by meat consumption. c. That climate change is a very young science. 4. Professor Watson wants... a. … the government to introduce laws to reduce meat consumption. b. … the government to tell people that eating less meat would be good for them.

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c. … the government to find out which activities have the biggest environmental impact.


Advanced

4 Find the word Look in the text and find the following words and expressions. The paragraph numbers are given to help you. 1. A verb meaning to make an organized and determined attempt to deal with a problem. (para 1) 2. A noun meaning a group of people who make decisions or judgments. (para 1) 3. A noun meaning the type of place an animal normally lives. (para 2) 4. A verb meaning to look after an animal until it is fully grown. (para 2) 5. A verb meaning to do something to try to stop something bad from becoming worse. (para 4) 6. An adjective meaning loud and with force. (para 5) 7. A two-word expression meaning of the same value as something else. (para 6) 8. An adjective meaning powerful or effective. (para 9)

5 Verb + noun collocations Match the verbs from the left-hand column with the nouns in the right-hand column. 1. change

a. climate change

2. generate

b. consumption

3. bring about

c. a campaign

4. tackle

d. a solution

5. host

e. gases

6. halve

f. a reduction

7. propose

g. eating habits

8. lead

h. an event

6 Two-word expressions Complete the expressions. Note that two words are used twice. Check your answers in the text.

g__________________ gases 2. c__________________ change 3. g__________________ warming 4. e__________________ problems 1.

5. 6. 7. 8.

c__________________ dioxide h__________________ benefits e__________________ impact c__________________ emissions

7 Discussion

H


•P



Would you be willing to reduce your meat consumption to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions? What other ways could people help to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide, methane and other gases that contribute to global warming?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. consumption 2. ruminant 3. flatulence 4. graze 5. feasibility 6. gluttony 7. contradictory 8. livestock 9. sacrifice 10. simplistic

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

2 What do you know?

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

g e f a h b d c


6 Two-word expressions

1. 2. 3. 4.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

greenhouse climate global environmental carbon health environmental carbon

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / UN says eat less meat to curb global warming / Advanced

H

b a a b

•P

F F T F F T



1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

tackle panel habitat rear combat vociferous equivalent to potent


Elementary

Key words


consumption emission

simplistic

contradictory

livestock

habitat

guidelines

benefit

regulate

reduce

1. An ____________________ is a substance, especially a gas, which goes into the air. 2. If you ____________________ something, you make it smaller or less in size or amount. 3. A ____________________ is something positive you get from a particular situation. 4. A ____________________ idea treats something in a way that makes it seem simpler than it really is. 5. ____________________ are official instructions or advice about how to do something. 6. If two or more ideas are ____________________, they disagree with each other and cannot both or all be true. 7. An animal’s ____________________ is the place it normally lives. 8. If a government decides to ____________________ something, it controls it by making rules or laws. 9. ___________________ is the collective word for animals such as cows, sheep and pigs that are kept on farms. 10. ____________________ is the process of eating or drinking something.

2


Look in the text and find the answers to these questions as quickly as possible. 1. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization what percentage of global greenhouse gas emissions is produced by meat production? 2. How much meat protein does the average person in the UK eat each day? 3. How much is UK meat consumption more than WHO guidelines? 4. Which is the more effective global warming agent – methane or carbon dioxide? 5. By what percentage does Compassion in World Farming want to reduce meat consumption by 2020?

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NEWS LESSONS / UN says eat less meat to curb global warming / Elementary

CA



6. What percentage of UK emissions is produced by livestock?

UN says eat less meat to curb global warming Elementary

1 The world’s main expert on global warming says people should give up meat for one day a week if they want do something that would help stop climate change. Dr Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, said that people should then continue to reduce the amount of meat they eat. 2 Dr Pachauri said it was important for people to change their diet because rearing cattle and other animals produced enormous amounts of greenhouse gases. It also caused other environmental problems, including the destruction of animal habitats. He said it was quite easy to change people’s eating habits – much easier than changing means of transport, for example. 3 The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization has said that meat production causes nearly 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions. These gases are made during the production of animal feeds, for example, while animals such as cows produce methane gas. Methane is 23 times more effective as a global warming agent than carbon dioxide. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization has also said that meat consumption will probably double by the middle of the century. 4 “Reducing meat consumption is the best option because we can do it almost immediately and it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a short period of time,” said Pachauri. “Give up meat for one day [a week] at first, and then continue to decrease it,” said the Indian economist, who is a vegetarian. However, he also said that other changes in lifestyle would help to stop climate change. “We really have to reduce consumption in every sector of the economy,” he said. 5 Pachauri can expect some strong opposition from the food industry, but he has received unexpected support from British restaurateur John Torode, who

6 Pachauri will be speaking at an event organized by animal welfare group Compassion in World Farming. The group has calculated that if the average UK home reduced meat consumption by 50% that would reduce emissions more than cutting car use by 50%. The group wants the government to try to reduce meat consumption by 60% by 2020. They also say that eating less meat is good for your health. The average person in the UK eats 50g of protein from meat a day – a relatively low level for rich nations but 25-50% more than World Heath Organization guidelines. 7 Professor Robert Watson, a government scientific adviser, said the government could help educate people about the benefits of eating less meat, but it should not ‘regulate’. “Eating less meat would help, there’s no question about that, but there are other things,” Watson said. 8 But Chris Lamb, head of marketing for a pig industry group, said it wasn’t fair to target the meat industry. He said the industry was working hard to find out which activities had the biggest environmental impact and was trying to reduce those activities. Some ideas were contradictory, he said. For example, one solution was to keep farm animals indoors, but this would be very bad for their health. “Climate change is a very young science and we think that some of the solutions which people are proposing are very simplistic,” he said. 9 Last year a report on the environmental impact of meat eating said livestock produced 8% of UK emissions – but eating some meat was good for the planet because some habitats benefited from animals eating grass. It also said that vegetarian diets included lots of milk, butter and cheese so they would probably not reduce emissions much because dairy cows produce a lot of methane. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Observer, 07/09/08

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / UN says eat less meat to curb global warming / Elementary

O

Juliette Jowit, environment editor September 7, 2008


• Climate expert urges radical shift in diet • Industry unfairly targeted – farmers

is about to publish a new book, John Torode’s Beef. “I have a little bit of meat and enjoy it,” said Torode. “Too much meat for any person is just being greedy. But there’s a more important question here: where the meat comes from. If we all buy British food and stop buying imported food, we will reduce our carbon emissions dramatically.”

•P H


CA

Level 1


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. Reducing meat consumption by 50%... 2. Vegetarian diets do not hep reduce greenhouse gas emissions because... 3. It is easier to change people’s eating habits than... 4. If British people stop buying imported food... 5. Compassion in World Farming wants the government... 6. Other changes in lifestyle... a. ... changing means of transport. b. ... could also help to stop climate change. c. ... to cut meat consumption by 60% by 2020. d. ... would reduce greenhouse gas emissions more than cutting car use by 50%. e. ... carbon emissions will fall dramatically. f. ... they contain a lot of dairy products and dairy cows produce methane.


b. habitats

3. environmental

c. dioxide

4. animal

d. adviser

5. methane

e. change

6. imported

f. impact

7. scientific

g. gas

8. carbon

h. warming


O

2. global

•P H

a. food

CA

1. climate


Match the words from the left-hand column with the words in the right-hand column to make expressions from the text. Check your answers in the text.


Elementary

5 Chunks Rearrange these words to make phrases from the text. Check your answers in the text. 1. the every in sector economy of 2. week for day one a 3. meat eat reduce the they of amount 4. the by middle century the of 5. short time of a period in 6. less health good for eating meat is your

6 Word building Complete the table.

verb consume emit destroy solve oppose support benefit produce

H

NEWS LESSONS / UN says eat less meat to curb global warming / Elementary

•P



1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

noun


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words


1. emission 2. reduce 3. benefit 4. simplistic 5. guidelines 6. contradictory 7. habitat 8. regulate 9. livestock 10. consumption

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

in every sector of the economy for one day a week reduce the amount of meat they eat by the middle of the century in a short period of time eating less meat is good for your health

6 Word building

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

d f a e c b

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8


verb

noun

consume

consumption

emit

emission

destroy

destruction

solve

solution

oppose

opposition

support

support

benefit

benefit

produce

production

H


•P

20% 50g 25-50% methane 60% 8%

5 Chunks


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

e h f b g a d c


Intermediate

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. consumption

ruminant

gluttony

simplistic

contradictory

graze

livestock

flatulence

controversial

habitat

1. An animal’s ____________________ is the place it normally lives. 2. ____________________ is when a person or animal has too much gas in their stomach or intestines. 3. If two or more ideas are ____________________, they disagree with each other and cannot both or all be true. 4. ____________________ is the process of eating or drinking something. 5. If an idea is ____________________, it causes strong disagreement or disapproval. 6. A ____________________ idea treats something in a way that makes it seem simpler than it really is. 7. When animals ____________________, they eat grass growing in a field. 8. ____________________ is the collective word for animals such as cows, sheep and pigs that are kept on farms. 9. A ____________________ is an animal such as a cow or sheep that brings food back from its stomach into its mouth to chew it a second time. 10. ____________________ is the bad habit of eating more than you need.

2


Look in the text and find the answers to these questions as quickly as possible. 1. According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization how much of global greenhouse gas emissions are produced by meat production? 2. How much meat protein does the average person in the UK eat each day? 3. By what percentage is UK meat consumption above WHO guidelines? 4. Which is the more effective global warming agent – methane or carbon dioxide? 5. By what percentage does Compassion in World Farming want to reduce meat consumption by 2020?

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NEWS LESSONS / UN says eat less meat to curb global warming / Intermediate

CA



6. What percentage of UK emissions is generated by livestock?

UN says eat less meat to curb global warming Intermediate

2 Dr Pachauri said diet change was important because of the huge greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental problems – including habitat destruction – associated with rearing cattle and other animals. It was relatively easy to change eating habits compared to changing means of transport, he said. 3 The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that meat production causes nearly 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions. These gases are generated during the production of animal feeds, for example, while ruminants, particularly cows, emit methane, which is 23 times more effective as a global warming agent than carbon dioxide. The agency has also warned that meat consumption will probably double by the middle of the century. 4 “Reducing meat consumption is the most attractive option because it can be done almost immediately and it will bring about reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in a short period of time,” said Pachauri. “Give up meat for one day [a week] initially, and then continue to decrease it,” said the Indian economist, who is a vegetarian. However, he also said that other changes in lifestyle would help to tackle climate change. “That’s what I want to emphasize: we really have to reduce consumption in every sector of the economy.” 5 Pachauri can expect some strong responses from the food industry to his advice, though he has received unexpected support from restaurateur John Torode, who is about to publish a new book, John Torode’s Beef. “I have a little bit of meat and

7 Professor Robert Watson, a government scientific adviser, said the government could help educate people about the benefits of eating less meat, but it should not ‘regulate’. “Eating less meat would help, there’s no question about that, but there are other things,” Watson said. 8 However, Chris Lamb, head of marketing for the pig industry group BPEX, said the meat industry had been unfairly targeted and was working hard to find out which activities had the biggest environmental impact and reduce those. Some ideas were contradictory, he said – for example, one solution to emissions from livestock was to keep them indoors, but this would damage animal welfare. “Climate change is a very young science and our view is there are a lot of simplistic solutions being proposed,” he said. 9 Last year a report into the environmental impact of meat eating claimed livestock generated eight per cent of UK emissions – but eating some meat was good for the planet because some habitats benefited from grazing. It also said vegetarian diets that included lots of milk, butter and cheese would probably not reduce emissions much because dairy cows produce the potent greenhouse gas methane, which is released through flatulence. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Observer, 07/09/08

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / UN says eat less meat to curb global warming / Intermediate

O

1 According to the world’s leading expert on global warming, people should give up meat for one day a week if they want do something that would help tackle climate change. Dr Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, said that people should then go on to reduce their meat consumption even further. So far this is the most controversial advice the panel has given on how individuals can help tackle global warming.

6 Pachauri will be speaking at an event organized by animal welfare group Compassion in World Farming, which has calculated that if the average UK home reduced meat consumption by 50%, that would reduce emissions more than if people cut car use by 50%. The group wants the government to lead campaigns to reduce meat consumption by 60% by 2020. Campaigners have also pointed out the health benefits of eating less meat. The average person in the UK eats 50g of protein from meat a day, equivalent to a chicken breast and a lamb chop – a relatively low level for rich nations but 25-50% more than World Heath Organization guidelines.


• Climate expert urges radical shift in diet • Industry unfairly targeted – farmers Juliette Jowit, environment editor September 7, 2008

enjoy it,” said Torode. “Too much meat for any person is gluttony. But there’s a more important question here: where [the meat] comes from. If we all bought British food and stopped buying imported food we’d save a huge amount of carbon emissions.”

•P H


CA

Level 2


Intermediate

3 Comprehension check Are these statements True (T) or False (F) according to the text? 1. If people reduced car use by 50% it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions more than if they reduced meat consumption by 50%. 2. Dairy cows release methane through flatulence. 3. Meat consumption is expected to double by the middle of the 21st century. 4. The average person in the UK eats less meat than the WHO guidelines recommend. 5. Eating less meat is good for your health. 6. If everyone became vegetarian, greenhouse gas emissions would decrease dramatically.

4 Find the word Look in the text and find the following words and expressions. The paragraph numbers are given to help you. 1. A verb meaning to make an organized and determined attempt to deal with a problem. (para 1) 2. A noun meaning a group of people who make decisions of judgments. (para 1) 3. An adjective meaning extremely large. (para 2) 4. A phrasal verb meaning to make something happen. (para 4) 5. A phrasal verb meaning to tell someone something. (para 6) 6. A two-word expression meaning of the same value as something else. (para 6) 7. A noun meaning effect. (para 8)

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8. An adjective meaning powerful or effective. (para 9)


Intermediate

5 Two-word expressions Match the words from the left-hand column with the words in the right-hand column to make expressions from the text. 1. greenhouse

a. welfare

2. climate

b. benefits

3. global

c. change

4. environmental

d. diet

5. carbon

e. impact

6. health

f. dioxide

7. animal

g. warming

8. vegetarian

h. gases


verb

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

noun

consume reduce emit destroy solve respond propose advise

7 Discussion

H


•P



Apart from reducing the amount of meat you eat, what other ways can you reduce energy consumption?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. habitat 2. flatulence 3. contradictory 4. consumption 5. controversial 6. simplistic 7. graze 8. livestock 9. ruminant 10. gluttony

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

F T T F T F

6 Word building 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / UN says eat less meat to curb global warming / Intermediate

verb

noun

consume

consumption

reduce

reduction

emit

emission

destroy

destruction

solve

solution

respond

response

propose

proposal

advise

advice

H


h c g e f b a d

•P

20% 50g 25-50% methane 60% 8%



1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

tackle panel huge bring about point out equivalent to impact potent

Freerunning joins sport establishment Level 3 1

Advanced

Warmer

In an inner city area, three young men in jeans and hooded tops are quickly running and jumping over walls, down stairs, across rooftops, through windows. What’s going on? What are they doing and why?

2

Key words and phrases

Growing quickly without any outside help: ____________________________. (para 1)

2.

A hobby, action or pastime kept secret from the public: ____________________________. (para 2)

3.

A first official meeting: ____________________________. (para 3)

4.

An older person who has had a long and respected career in a certain area: __________________________.

(para 3)

5.

To say something quietly and with respect: ____________________________. (para 5)

6.

A stealthy act of entering a house in order to steal something: ____________________________. (para 5)

7.

When you are playful, full of high spirits, but doing nothing in particular: ____________________________.

(para 5)

8.

A ruling organization; one that is in charge: ____________________________. (para 11)

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Find the word pairs (two words) in the article. The paragraph numbers are given to help you.

Freerunning joins sport establishment Advanced Few underground activities can claim to have made it into the mainstream with such dazzling speed. Many participants trace the birth of freerunning to a BBC ident (a TV station’s symbol or logo, often accompanied by music, a jingle or an animation) in 2002, showing a Parkour runner adapting his skills on the rooftops of London.

7

Urban Freeflow, the sport’s central organization, was founded a year later. Though closely related to Parkour, which originated in the Paris suburbs a decade ago, Parkour prizes speed and efficiency of movement, in contrast to the expressiveness of freerunners. As such, though it is practised worldwide – last night’s competitors hailed from 17 countries – freerunning could reasonably be described as a brand new British sport.

8

Urban Freeflow now trains the Metropolitan police and Royal Marines, as well as organizing workshops in schools, and estimates that 15,000 people now practise the sport in Britain (95% are male).

9

The organization choreographed action sequences for the films Casino Royale, The Bourne Ultimatum and 28 Weeks Later, and also performs at public events.

10

As the founder of Urban Freeflow and the organizer of last night’s competition, Paul ‘EZ’ Corkery could be considered the grandfather of freerunning – at 34, he considers himself retired. He is in discussions with the 2012 Olympic organizers over how freerunning might be involved, perhaps in the opening ceremonies, or in workshops.

11

“The organizers are really eager to collaborate with anything that gets the kids off their arses,” he said. Does he see a day when freerunning might be an Olympic sport? “I don’t really think it fits. You’d need to put in place a national governing body, things like that, and it would kill the sport, really.”

12

“ These guys are my YouTube idols, it means everything to be here with them,” said Franck

Esther Addley at the Camden Roundhouse September 4, 2008 1 Five years ago, outside Liverpool Street station in London, a group of 13 young men gathered for what was, at the time, the biggest meeting of freerunners in history. The sport, in which participants perform balletic leaps and flips using walls, bars and any other street furniture available, was still in its earliest infancy, mushrooming spontaneously across Britain among young people who had seen films of the French urban sport Parkour and wanted to adapt it into a freer and more expressive form. 2 How times change. Last night, the once underground pursuit declared itself firmly in the sporting establishment by holding its first world championships, hosted in one of London’s top venues, sponsored by a major credit card company and filmed by Sky Sports. 3 “I never, ever thought we’d get to this place so quickly,” said John Kerr, or ‘Kerbie’, one of the event’s organizers. Present at that inaugural gathering at Liverpool Street, he finds himself, at 21, one of the sport’s elder statesmen. 4 He said: “We all feel amazingly blessed. Freerunning is so young and so new. A few years ago we were getting chased by police on a regular basis and property owners would shout at us. Now they pay us to come and perform on their properties.” 5 Fifty feet above him, one of the event’s 23 competitors was warming up by balancing in a handstand on the edge of an enormous black box, part of the equipment on which he would later compete, before flipping on to a nearby bar, spinning around it, and dismounting. Below him, his peers – those not already performing ‘gainers’ and ‘loser flips’ and ‘layout backflips’ from a lattice of steel poles – murmured approvingly. The sport might be said to combine the best qualities of gymnastics, cat burglary and teenage mucking about, but the skill of the participants is unarguable.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Freerunning joins sport establishment / Advanced

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Freerunning joins sport establishment


Level 3

Freerunning joins sport establishment Level 3

Advanced

‘Cali’ Nelle, from France. “I’m not really thinking about winning. It’s just being here alongside the best of the best. The first ever freerunning world championships? That’s a big event. That’s something for the history books.” © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 04/09/08

Freerunning uses the same movements as Parkour but with the emphasis being on aesthetics, fun and creativity. Source: www.UrbanFreeflow.com

Parkour is the art of moving through your environment using only your body and the surroundings to propel yourself. It can include running, jumping, climbing, even crawling, if that is the most suitable movement for the situation. Source: http://www.misterParkour.com/faq/ Freerunning is more expressive and creative in nature, with moves such as acrobatics, flips and spins. Source: www.AmericanParkour.com

3 Skim-reading for comprehension Skim-read the article again to find the answers to the questions. 1. Where was Parkour invented? 2. Where was the first freerunning championships held? 3. What age and sex is a typical freerunner? 4. How has peoples’ attitude to the sport changed in the last few years? 5. With what and back to when do people associate the birth of freerunning? 6. What is the main difference between Parkour and freerunning? 7. What professional bodies are interested in the sport? 8. What connection does the sport have with the film industry? 9. Is freerunning likely to become an Olympic sport?

4 Vocabulary Find at least eight movement and action words in the article and definition. Compare them paying particular attention to how and in which situations they can (and cannot) be used. Write an example sentence for each word. E.g. leap and flip

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....................................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................................


Advanced

5 Discussion: Debate A group of freerunners want to hold workshops in your town. Opinion is divided as to whether this is a good thing or not. 1. Brainstorm reasons for or against providing freerunning workshops to male youths. 2. Divide into two teams: A ‘freerunners’ and B ‘concerned citizens’ and debate the topic. Decide: Should the workshops be allowed to take place? If yes, what will the organizers do to ensure the safety of citizens and their property?

! Your ideas:

........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................

6 Webquest

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Watch excellent non-professional freerunners here: http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=LIBaVojYCfo

•

Watch the founder of Parkour in a TV commercial: http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=5BOUohniyJU

•

Find out further information about Parkour and freerunning at: http://www.misterParkour.com/faq/

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Freerunning joins sport establishment / Advanced

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Watch a Parkour/freerunning sequence in a James Bond 007 film: http://de.youtube.com/ watch?v=IPmJ73XRlUs

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Compare jumps and moves made by freerunners, Spiderman and flying squirrels by watching online videos, making notes and reporting back.

Freerunning joins sport establishment Level 3 Advanced KEY 2 Key words and phrases

4 Vocabulary

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

possible answers: leap; flip; balancing; handstand, spinning; dismounting; running; jumping; crawling, climbing

mushrooming spontaneously underground pursuit inaugural gathering elder statesman murmured approvingly cat burglary mucking about governing body

3 Skim-reading for comprehension France. London, England. Under 21 and male. See para 4: “A few years ago we were getting chased by police on a regular basis and property owners would shout at us. Now they pay us to come and per form on their properties”. A BBC ident in 2002. See para 7: “Parkour prizes speed and efficiency of movement, in contrast to the expressiveness of freerunners”. “The Metropolitan police and Royal Marines”. Also some schools (para 8). See para 9: “The organization choreographed action sequences for the films Casino Royale, the Bourne Ultimatum and 28 Weeks Later”. No, see para 11: “You’d need to put in place a national governing body, and it would kill the sport”.

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.


Elementary

1 Warmer In the city you see three young men in jeans and hooded sweatshirts running quickly from roof to roof, jumping over walls, through windows and down stairs. What do you think is happening? Are they... a) ... running to catch a bus? b) ... running away from the police? c) ... doing an extreme sport?


sequence expressive

chasing idol

sponsored participants

cat burglary mucking about

property owners organizers

1. People who take part in an event or competition are called the _____________________. (para 1) 2. When an event is _____________________, someone has given it money in exchange for advertising. (para 2) 3. The people who set up or organize an event are called the _____________________. (para 3) 4. _____________________ is another word for running after someone in order to catch them. (para 3) 5. People who own houses or other buildings are _____________________. (para 3) 6. The secret and quiet crime or act of going into a house to steal something: _____________________. (para 4) 7. When you are playful, having fun, but doing nothing special you are _____________________. (para 4) 8. When you are _____________________ you clearly show what your thoughts or feelings are. (para 6) 9. A part of a film that shows one event is called a _____________________. (para 7)

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10. Somebody who you look up to and think is special and great is your _____________________. (para 9)

Freerunning joins sport establishment Elementary 7

Urban Freeflow now trains the London Metropolitan police and Royal Marines, and organizes workshops in schools. They say that 15,000 people now do the sport in Britain (95% are male). They planned action sequences for the films Casino Royale, the Bourne Ultimatum and 28 Weeks Later. They also perform at public events.

8

The founder of Urban Freeflow and the organizer of the competition, 34 year old Paul ‘EZ’ Corkery, is the ‘grandfather’ of freerunning. He is talking to the 2012 London Olympic organizers about how freerunning might be involved in the next Olympics, perhaps in the opening ceremonies, or in workshops.

9

“These guys are my YouTube idols, it means everything to be here with them,” said Franck ‘Cali’ Nelle, from France. “I’m not really thinking about winning. It’s just being here with the best of the best. The first ever freerunning world championships? That’s a big event. That’s something for the history books.”

2 In September 2008, freerunning held its first world championships in one of London’s top sports venues. The event was sponsored by a major credit card company, and filmed by TV company, Sky Sports. 3 “We all feel amazingly pleased”, said John Kerr, or ‘Kerbie’, one of the event’s organizers. “Freerunning is so young and so new. A few years ago the police were chasing us and property owners shouted at us. Now they pay us to come and perform on their buildings.” 4 Fifty feet above him, one of the event’s 23 competitors was warming up by doing a handstand on the edge of an enormous black box. Some people say that the sport is a mixture of gymnastics, cat burglary and teenage mucking about. All the participants are very skilled. 5 Many people say freerunning began when the BBC showed a film clip of a Parkour runner on the rooftops of London in 2002. Urban Freeflow, the sport’s central organization, began a year later. 6 Freerunning is very similar to Parkour, which began in Paris ten years ago. In Parkour the most important skills are speed and clever movements; freerunning is freer and more expressive. Therefore, although the competitors came from 17 countries, freerunning is a new British sport.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Freerunning joins sport establishment / Elementary

© Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 04/09/08

Parkour is the art of moving through your environment using only your body and the surroundings to propel yourself. It can include running, jumping, climbing, even crawling, if that is the most suitable movement for the situation. Source: http://www.misterParkour.com/faq/ Freerunning uses the same movements as Parkour but with the emphasis being on aesthetics, fun and creativity. Source: www.UrbanFreeflow.com Freerunning is more expressive and creative in nature, with moves such as acrobatics, flips and spins. Source: www.AmericanParkour.com

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1 Five years ago, outside Liverpool Street station in London, a group of 13 young men met for the biggest meeting, at that time, of freerunners in history. The sport, in which participants perform leaps and flips using walls, bars and anything else that is available, was just beginning. In Britain, it quickly became popular with young people who had seen films of the French urban sport Parkour.


Esther Addley at the Camden Roundhouse September 4, 2008

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Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the sentence halves to summarize the article. 1. Parkour was invented...

... learn freerunning.

2. Freerunning is a kind...

... do freerunning.

3. The first freerunning championships were held...

... in Hollywood action films.

4. Many more men than women...

... last few years.

5. Freerunning has become very popular in the...

... of Parkour.

6. Freerunning will not be a new Olympic sport...

... in France.

7. Some British police officers and marines...

... YouTube.

8. You can see freerunning scenes...

... in London in 2008.

9. You can watch videos of freerunning and Parkour on...

... in 2012.

4 Vocabulary: Action words Write the best action words to fit into the gaps. climb

jump

leap

flip

run

crawl

1. Before they can walk most babies ___________________. 2. A ___________________ is a big jump. 3. The Olympic gymnast did a perfect backwards ___________________. 4. “I’m late! I’ll have to ___________________ for the bus.” 5. Cats sometimes ___________________ trees to get away from dogs. 6. A flea can ___________________ very high.

5 Webquest and talking: Giving an opinion Watch one or more of these videos and then complete the sentence in your own words. I think freerunning is ___________________________________________________________________________

Watch a Parkour/freerunning sequence in a James Bond 007 film: http://de.youtube.com/ watch?v=IPmJ73XRlUs

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Watch the most famous Parkour/freerunner in a TV commercial: http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=5BOUohniyJU

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because ____________________________________________________________________________________.

Freerunning joins sport establishment Level 1 Elementary KEY 2 Key words

4

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

participants sponsored organizers chasing property owners cat burglary mucking about expressive sequence idol

Vocabulary: Action words crawl leap flip run climb jump

3 Comprehension check Parkour was invented in France. Freerunning is a kind of Parkour. The first freerunning championships were held in London in 2008. Many more men than women do freerunning. Freerunning has become very popular in the last few years. Freerunning will not be a new Olympic sport in 2012. Some British police officers and marines learn freerunning. You can see freerunning scenes in Hollywood action films. You can watch videos of freerunning and Parkour on YouTube.

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.


Intermediate

Warmer

In an inner city area, three young men in jeans and hooded tops are quickly running and jumping over walls, down stairs, across rooftops, through windows. What’s going on? What are they doing and why?

2

Key words and phrases

Match the key words from the article with their meanings. The paragraph numbers are given to help you. collaborate blessed eager

elder statesman mucking about property owners

sequence expressive cat burglary

unarguable sponsored prize

1. When you are ____________________, you clearly show what your thoughts or feelings are. (para 1) 2. When an event is ____________________, someone has given it money in exchange for advertising. (para 2) 3. An older person who has had a long and respected career in a certain area: ____________________. (para 3) 4. When you feel ____________________, you feel happy and grateful. (para 4) 5. People who own houses or other buildings are ____________________. (para 4) 6. A stealthy act of entering a house in order to steal something: ____________________. (para 5) 7. When you are playful, having fun, but doing nothing in particular: ____________________. (para 5) 8. When something is ____________________, it is true and impossible to disagree with. (para 5) 9. A verb that means to value something: ____________________. (para 7) 10. A part of a film that deals with one event or that has a particular style is called a ____________________. (para 9) 11. When you are very keen to do something, you are ____________________. (para 11) 12. When you to work with someone in order to produce something, you ____________________ with them.

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(para 11)

Freerunning joins sport establishment Intermediate


speed and efficiency of movement, in contrast to the expressiveness of freerunners. Therefore, although it is practised worldwide – last night’s competitors came from 17 countries – freerunning can be described as a brand new British sport.

Esther Addley at the Camden Roundhouse September 4, 2008 1 Five years ago, outside Liverpool Street station

Urban Freeflow now trains the Metropolitan police and Royal Marines, as well as organizing workshops in schools. They estimate that 15,000 people now practise the sport in Britain (95% are male).

9

The organization planned action sequences for the films Casino Royale, The Bourne Ultimatum and 28 Weeks Later. They also perform at public events.

10 The founder of Urban Freeflow and the organizer of

the competition, 34 year old Paul ‘EZ’ Corkery could be considered the grandfather of freerunning. He is talking to the 2012 London Olympic organizers about how freerunning might be involved, perhaps in the opening ceremonies, or in workshops.

first world championships in one of London’s top sports venues, sponsored by a major credit card company, and filmed by Sky Sports.

3 “I never, ever thought we’d get to this place so

4 He said: “We all feel amazingly blessed.

Freerunning is so young and so new. A few years ago we were getting chased by police on a regular basis and property owners would shout at us. Now they pay us to come and perform on their properties.”

11 “The organizers are really eager to collaborate with anything that gets the kids off their arses,” he said. Does he see a day when freerunning might be an Olympic sport? “I don’t really think it fits”, he said.

12 “ These guys are my YouTube idols, it means

5 Fifty feet above him, one of the event’s 23

competitors was warming up by balancing in a handstand on the edge of an enormous black box, part of the equipment on which he would later compete, before flipping on to a nearby bar, spinning around it, and jumping off. The sport might be said to combine the best qualities of gymnastics, cat burglary and teenage mucking about, but the skill of the participants is unarguable.

6 Few underground activities have made it into

the mainstream with such dazzling speed. Many participants say freerunning began when the BBC showed a Parkour runner on the rooftops of London in 2002. Urban Freeflow, the sport’s central organization, was founded a year later.

7 Though closely related to Parkour, which began in the Paris suburbs a decade ago, Parkour prizes

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Freerunning joins sport establishment / Intermediate

everything to be here with them,” said Franck ‘Cali’ Nelle, from France. “I’m not really thinking about winning. It’s just being here alongside the best of the best. The first ever freerunning world championships? That’s a big event. That’s something for the history books.” © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 04/09/08

Parkour is the art of moving through your environment using only your body and the surroundings to propel yourself. It can include running, jumping, climbing, even crawling, if that is the most suitable movement for the situation. Source: http://www.misterParkour.com/faq/ Freerunning uses the same movements as Parkour but with the emphasis being on aesthetics, fun and creativity. Source: www.UrbanFreeflow.com Freerunning is more expressive and creative in nature, with moves such as acrobatics, flips and spins. Source: www.AmericanParkour.com

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quickly,” said John Kerr, or ‘Kerbie’, one of the event’s organizers. He was present at that first meeting at Liverpool Street and he finds himself, at 21, one of the sport’s elder statesmen.


2 How times change. Last night, freerunning held its

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in London, a group of 13 young men met for what was, at the time, the biggest meeting of freerunners in history. The sport, in which participants perform leaps and flips using walls, bars and anything else that is available, was just beginning. It quickly became popular across Britain with young people who had seen films of the French urban sport Parkour and wanted to adapt it into a freer and more expressive form.

CA

Level 2


Intermediate

Comprehension check

According to the article, are these sentences True (T) or False (F)? Correct any that are false. 1. Parkour was invented in London. 2. The first freerunning championships was held in Paris. 3. More men than women do freerunning. 4. Freerunning has become more popular in the last few years. 5. Freerunning is a kind of Parkour. 6. Freerunning will be a new Olympic sport in 2012. 7. Most freerunners are police officers or marines. 8. You can see examples of freerunning in Hollywood action films. 9. The organizers of the Olympic Games want kids to do more sports. 10. You can watch videos of freerunning and Parkour on a video sharing website.

4 Vocabulary: Action words Write the action words into the gaps. There are two words left over. Write your own example sentences for these. climb

jump

leap

flip

run

crawl

1. Before they can walk most babies ________________________. 2. “Look before you ________________________” is an old English saying. 3. The Olympic gymnast did a perfect backwards ________________________. 4. “I’m late! I’ll have to ________________________ for the bus”. 5. _______________________________________________________________________________________

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6. _______________________________________________________________________________________


Intermediate

5 Discussion: Exchanging ideas and opinions 1. Complete the sentence: Freerunning is __________________________________ because ____________________________________. 2. Find someone with a similar sentence to yours and expand your ideas (and your sentences) together. 3. Now find someone with a different sentence or opinion and swap views.

6 Webquest Watch a Parkour/freerunning sequence in a James Bond 007 film: http://de.youtube.com/ watch?v=IPmJ73XRlUs

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•

Watch the most famous Parkour/freerunner in a TV commercial: http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=5BOUohniyJU

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Freerunning joins sport establishment Addiction to Internet ‘is an illness’ Level 2

Intermediate

KEY 2 Key words and phrases

4 Vocabulary: Action words

1. expressive 2. sponsored 3. elder statesman 4. blessed 5. property owners 6. cat burglary 7. mucking about 8. unarguable 9. prize 10. sequence 11. eager 12. collaborate

1. 2. 3. 4.


crawl leap flip run

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1. False 2. False 3. True 4. True 5. True 6. False 7. False 8. True 9. True 10. True

Fancy a £1m home for £25? Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words


raffle sidestep

slump acre

downsize return

punter overgrown

scam hurdle

1. An ___________________ is a unit for measuring the surface area of land, equivalent to 4,047 square metres. 2. A ___________________ is someone who risks their money through betting or gambling. It can also mean a customer or someone who uses a particular service. 3. A __________________ is one of several problems you must solve before you can do something successfully. 4. Profit on money you have invested is called your ___________________. 5. If a garden is ___________________, it is covered with plants that have been allowed to grow in an uncontrolled way. 6. A ___________________ is a dishonest plan, especially for getting money. 7. In property, if you ___________________, you move to a smaller house. 8. A ___________________ is a competition in which you win a prize if the number on your ticket is selected. 9. If you ___________________ something, you avoid it. 10. A ___________________ is a period when the value of the economy or part of the economy falls dramatically.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How much will each ticket cost? 2. How much is the property worth? 3. How many tickets are they hoping to sell? 4. How much will they get if they sell all the tickets? 5. What are the annual costs of running the property?

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6. How long have they lived at the property?

Fancy a £1m home for £25? Advanced

Fancy a £1m home for £25?

year the Wilshaws reckon the timber lodges yield £25,000 income. They’ve had ticket buyers from Scandinavia, India and the US, and are quietly confident they’ll hit the target of 46,000 sold by the December 7 close.

1 Is a raffle really the way to sidestep a cooling property market? A five-bedroom house, complete with 9.5 acres of woodland, a two-acre fishing lake and four separate two-bed holiday lodges – one lucky person will win it all for £25. The owners, Brian and Wendy Wilshaw, will be winners too. Last year they were struggling to sell the property, marketed at £950,000 just as the housing slump took hold. But after launching an online prize competition on a website, they’ve sold 34,000 tickets – that’s £850,000 – and are in sight of their 46,000 target. 2 When all the tickets are sold, the Wilshaws will become the first property owners to successfully use a raffle to sell a house – and make a decent profit. Sales of 46,000 tickets will earn them £1.15m – they say the surplus will be used to cover the costs of running the raffle. But it will still leave them with a handsome return in a property market that virtually everywhere else has gone stone cold. 3 Wendy says: “We needed to sell. We’re getting old. This place doesn’t run itself. The idea of selling tickets kind of evolved. So many of the people who have stayed here have said that if they won the lottery, it’s the sort of place they’d buy. It’s that that got us thinking.” The couple have lived at the estate for 14 years and are downsizing. “I want an ordinary family to live here, people who would never normally be able to afford this place, people who’ll be given a chance to start over,” says Wendy. 4 The winners will get a 2,000 sq ft house and an estate (much of it overgrown) that includes a twoacre lake stocked with fish that Brian reckons are worth £1,000. Council tax and other basic annual running costs are around £6,000, but in a good

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Fancy a £1m home for £25? / Advanced

5

But is it legal to sell a home this way? And how can punters be sure this isn’t some sort of scam? Wendy pounces on anyone who uses the words raffle or lottery to describe their scheme. “This isn’t a raffle, as it’s illegal to have prizes above a certain value. After that it becomes a lottery. And this isn’t a lottery either. To be eligible to win, you have to answer a skill-based question. Only if you answer the question correctly do you get to enter.”

6

The question is: “What is the cost of an adult full season coarse fishing licence for 2008/2009?” The answer takes a millisecond to find on Google. It’s illegal to run a lottery for personal profit, and while competitions can be run for profit they must involve an element of skill. The Wilshaws’ lawyers have advised them the competition meets legal requirements, but Antoinette Jucker, a gambling law expert with Pinsent Masons, is not so sure.

7

“How do you choose a winner when almost everyone gets the answer right? You take their name out of a hat. That makes it a game of chance, and therefore an illegal lottery. When the Gambling Act was going through parliament, the clear intention was that the only legal lotteries would be those operated for good causes ... This competition is sidestepping that,” she says. The Wilshaws are adamant their scheme is legal. At one stage online payment group PayPal froze their account while lawyers went through the paperwork, but they gave it the thumbs-up.

8

Several people who have tried to raffle their home have been charged by the police. One woman was ordered to pay nearly £8,000 compensation after she admitted breaking lottery laws. But the biggest hurdle is finding punters. One man set up a website to raffle his £110,000 home at £5 a ticket, but sold only 229 tickets, so

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Patrick Collinson and Ben Steele September 6, 2008

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After failing to find a buyer, a Devon couple are raffling their country estate. Is it a scam, or a genuine way to beat the property slump?


Level 3

Fancy a £1m home for £25? Level 3

Advanced

he drew a name from a hat and the winner got £916 after his 20% costs. 9

The Wilshaws say they’ll do the same if they don’t reach their target. “If there isn’t a winner by the end of December, then someone gains a cash prize, simple as that,” says Wendy. The prize will be the sum they’ve collected minus 35% to cover expenses. The most common question they get is how the winning ticket will be selected. “It will be done by random number software, overseen by our lawyers and in full view of television cameras and reporters,” says Wendy. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 06/09/08

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. Why are the Wilshaws selling their property by raffle? a. Because they will make a bigger profit. b. Because they think they will have a better chance of selling it this way in the present housing slump c. Because they want to sell it to someone who has stayed there in the past. 2. Why do participants in the raffle have to answer a skill-based question? a. Because this is the best way to choose a winner. b. Because competitions like this are illegal unless they have an element of skill. c. Because the Wilshaws only want fishermen to win the prize. 3. Why does the gambling law expert believe that this may be an illegal lottery? a. Because almost everyone will get the answer to the skill-based question right. b. Because it is illegal to sell houses in this way. c. Because the skill-based question is too easy and anyone can find the answer on Google. 4. What will the Wilshaws do if they don’t sell all the tickets?

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a. They will stay in the house (and not sell it). b. They will accept a reduced price. c. They will give someone a cash prize (minus 35%).


Advanced

4 Find the word Find the following words and expressions in the text. The paragraph numbers are given to help you. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

A two-word expression meaning to become stronger and difficult to stop. (para 1) Two two-word terms that both mean good earnings. (para 2) A phrasal verb meaning to begin doing something again from the very beginning. (para 3) A two word expression meaning to react angrily to. (para 5) An adjective meaning determined not to change your belief or decision about something. (para 7) A verb meaning to legally stop a supply of money being available to someone. (para 7) A phrasal verb meaning to examine something very carefully. (para 7) A four-word expression meaning to give your approval to something. (para 7)

5 Verb + noun collocations Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns in the right-hand column. 1. launch 2. win 3. make 4. hit 5. meet 6. freeze 7. pay 8. break

a. compensation b. legal requirements c. the law d. a bank account e. a target f. a competition g. a profit h. the lottery

6 Expressions with prepositions Fill the gaps in the phrases from the text using prepositions. Check your answers in the text. 1. in sight ____________ the target 2. stocked ____________ fish 3. ____________ personal profit 4. a game ____________ chance 5. ____________ good causes 6. going ____________ parliament 7. charged ____________ the police 8. ____________ the end of December

7 Discussion

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Can you think of any other ways of selling a house in difficult market conditions? What other items could you or would you sell by lottery?

Fancy a £1m home for £25? Level 3 Advanced KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

acre punter hurdle return overgrown scam downsize raffle sidestep slump

take hold decent profit; handsome return start over pounce on adamant freeze go through give the thumbs-up

5 Verb + noun collocations 2 Find the information 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

£25 £950,000 46,000 £1.15m £6,000 14 years

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

f h g e b d a c



1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

of with for of for through by by

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1. 2. 3. 4.


Elementary

1 Key words Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text.

raffle estate

slump property

scam illegal

acre afford

lodge compensation

1. A _______________________ is a dishonest plan, especially for getting money. 2. _______________________ is money that someone received because something bad has happened to them. 3. A ______________________ is a competition in which you win a prize if the number on your ticket is selected. 4. If something is _______________________, it is not allowed by the law. 5. _______________________ is land and all the buildings on it. 6. A _______________________ is a small simple house in the countryside. 7. An _____________________ is a unit for measuring the surface area of land, equal to 4,047 square metres. 8. A ____________________ is a period when the value of the economy or part of the economy falls dramatically. 9. An ______________________ is a very large area of land that belongs to one person. 10. If you can _______________________ something, you have enough money to be able to pay for it.

2 Find the information Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How much will each ticket cost? 2. How much is the property worth? 3. How many tickets have they sold? 4. How many tickets are they hoping to sell? 5. How much money will they get if they sell all the tickets?

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6. How much money do the timber lodges provide?

Fancy a £1m home for £25? Elementary 5

But is it legal to sell a home this way? And how can people who buy the tickets be sure this isn’t some sort of scam? Wendy angrily criticizes anyone who uses the words raffle or lottery to describe their scheme. “This isn’t a lottery. To have a chance of winning, you first have to answer a skill-based question. You can only enter the competition if you answer the question correctly.”

6

The question is: “What is the cost of a fishing licence for 2008/2009?” It takes a second to find the answer on Google. It’s illegal to run a lottery for personal profit, and while you can run competitions for profit, they must include an element of skill. The Wilshaws’ lawyers have told them the competition is legal, but Antoinette Jucker, an expert on gambling law is not so sure.

7

“How do you choose a winner when almost everyone gets the answer right? You take their name out of a hat. That makes it a game of chance, and therefore an illegal lottery. The intention of the Gambling Act is that the only legal lotteries are ones which operate for good causes. This competition is not doing that,” she says. But the Wilshaws say that their scheme is legal.

8

Several people who have tried to sell their home by raffle have been charged by the police. One woman had to pay nearly £8,000 compensation after she admitted breaking lottery laws. But the biggest problem is finding people to buy the tickets. One man set up a website to sell his £110,000 home at £5 a ticket, but sold only 229 tickets, so he drew a name from the hat and the winner got £916.

9

The Wilshaws say they’ll do the same if they don’t sell all 46,000 tickets. “If there isn’t a winner by the end of December, then someone will get a cash prize, simple as that,” says Wendy. The prize will be the total sum they’ve collected minus 35% to cover costs. The most common question they get is how they will choose the winning ticket. “We will use random number software in front of television cameras and reporters,” says Wendy.

1 Is a raffle really the best way to sell a house in the middle of a housing slump? A five-bedroom house, together with 9.5 acres of woodland, a two-acre fishing lake and four separate two-bed holiday lodges – one lucky person will win all of this for just £25. The owners of the house, Brian and Wendy Wilshaw, will be winners too. Last year they were unable to sell the property at a price of £950,000. But after they started an online prize competition on a website, they’ve sold 34,000 tickets – that’s £850,000 – and are not far from their target of 46,000 tickets. 2 When they have sold all the tickets, Mr and Mrs Wilshaw will become the first property owners to successfully use a raffle to sell a house – and make a good profit. If they sell 46,000 tickets they will earn £1.15m – they say they will use the extra money to cover the costs of organizing the raffle. But they will still have a nice profit in a property market that is in a slump at the moment. 3 Wendy says: “We needed to sell. We’re getting old. This place is hard work. So many of the people who have stayed here have said that if they won the national lottery, they would buy a place like this. That gave us the idea.” The Wilshaws have lived at the estate for 14 years and want to move to a smaller property. “I want an ordinary family to live here, people who normally could not afford to buy this place; people who will have a chance to start a new life here,” says Wendy. 4 The winners will get a large house and an estate that includes a two-acre lake full of fish. It costs around £6,000 a year to run the estate, but in a good year the timber lodges provide an income of £25,000. The Wilshaws have sold tickets to people from Scandinavia, India and the US, and are sure they will sell all 46,000 tickets by the closing date of December 7. © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Fancy a £1m home for £25? / Elementary


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Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the sentence halves to summarize the article. 1. The Wilshaws are selling their house by raffle because… 2. If they don’t reach their target of 46,000 tickets… 3. The Wilshaws want to sell their house because… 4. If you want to enter the competition,... 5. Some people think the scheme is illegal because... 6. If the Wilshaws sell all the tickets,... a. … they will use the extra money to cover their costs. b. … it is too big and they want to move to a smaller property. c. … you have to answer a question first. d. … they say it is a game of chance. e. … they were unable to sell it in the normal way because of the housing slump. f. … they will give someone a cash prize.

4 Two-word expressions Match the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to make two-word

b. law

3. national

c. licence

4. closing

d. number

5. fishing

e. competition

6. gambling

f. lottery

7. cash

g. owner

8. random

h. date

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Fancy a £1m home for £25? / Elementary

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a. prize

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1. prize


expressions from the text.

Fancy a £1m home for £25? Level 1 Elementary 5 Numbers and dates How do you say these numbers and dates from the text? Each one has got a mistake in it. Find the mistake and underline it. In three cases a word is missing. 1. thirty-four thousand of tickets 2. two thousand eight 3. two hundred twenty-nine 4. nine hundreds and sixteen 5. thirty-five per cents 6. nine and half acres

6 Irregular verbs Complete the table. past simple

sell

sold won

buy

4

ran

5

tell

6

choose

7

draw

8


won bought run

told chosen drawn paid

paid

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3

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2

past participle


1

infinitive

Freerunning Fancy a £1m joins homesport for £25? establishment Level 1 Elementary KEY 1 Key words

4

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

5

£25 £950,000 34,000 46,000 £1.15 million £25,000

6 3 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Comprehension check e f b c d a


thirty-four thousand tickets (no of) two thousand and eight two hundred and twenty-nine nine hundred and sixteen thirty-five per cent nine and a half acres

Irregular verbs infinitive past simple past participle

1

sell

sold

sold

2

win

won

won

3

buy

bought

bought

4

run

ran

run

5

tell

told

told

6

choose

chose

chosen

7

draw

drew

drawn

8

pay

paid

paid

H

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Numbers and dates

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e g f h c b a d


scam compensation raffle illegal property lodge acre slump estate afford

Two-word expressions


Intermediate

Key words


raffle return

eligible overgrown

slump lodge

scam adamant

acre estate

1. A _____________________ is a small simple house in the countryside. 2. A _____________________ is a dishonest plan, especially for getting money. 3. A _____________________ is a period when the value of the economy or part of the economy falls dramatically. 4. A _____________________ is a competition in which you win a prize if the number on your ticket is selected. 5. If you are _____________________ for something, you are allowed by rules or laws to do something or receive something. 6. If a person is _____________________, they are determined not to change their belief or decision about something. 7. If a garden is _____________________, it is covered with plants that have been allowed to grow in an uncontrolled way. 8. An _____________________ is a very large area of land that belongs to one person. 9. Profit on money you have invested is called your _____________________. 10. An ___________________ is a unit for measuring the surface area of land, equivalent to 4,047 square metres.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How much will each ticket cost? 2. How much is the property worth? 3. How many tickets have they sold? 4. How many tickets are they hoping to sell? 5. How much will they get if they sell all the tickets?

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6. How much are the fish worth?

Fancy a £1m home for £25? Intermediate


uses the words raffle or lottery to describe their scheme. “This isn’t a raffle, as it’s illegal to have prizes above a certain value. After that it becomes a lottery. And this isn’t a lottery either. To be eligible to win, you have to answer a skill-based question. Only if you answer the question correctly do you get to enter.”

property market? A five-bedroom house, together with 9.5 acres of woodland, a two-acre fishing lake and four separate two-bed holiday lodges – one lucky person will win it all for £25. The owners, Brian and Wendy Wilshaw, will be winners too. Last year they were struggling to sell the property, marketed at £950,000 just as the housing slump got worse. But after starting an online prize competition on a website, they’ve sold 34,000 tickets – that’s £850,000 – and are in sight of their 46,000 target.

6

The question is: “What is the cost of an adult full season coarse fishing licence for 2008/2009?” The answer takes a millisecond to find on Google. It’s illegal to run a lottery for personal profit, and while competitions can be run for profit they must involve an element of skill. The Wilshaws’ lawyers have told them the competition meets legal requirements, but Antoinette Jucker, a gambling law expert is not so sure.

7

“How do you choose a winner when almost everyone gets the answer right? You take their name out of a hat. That makes it a game of chance, and therefore an illegal lottery. When the Gambling Act was going through parliament, the clear intention was that the only legal lotteries would be those operated for a good cause. This competition is not doing that,” she says. The Wilshaws are adamant their scheme is legal. At one stage online payment group PayPal froze their account while lawyers went through the paperwork, but they gave it the thumbs-up.

8

Several people who have tried to raffle their home have been charged by the police. One woman was ordered to pay nearly £8,000 compensation after she admitted breaking lottery laws. But the biggest problem is finding people to buy the tickets. One man set up a website to raffle his £110,000 home at £5 a ticket, but sold only 229 tickets, so he drew a name from the hat and the winner got £916.

9

The Wilshaws say they’ll do the same if they don’t reach their target. “If there isn’t a winner by the end of December, then someone gains a cash prize, simple as that,” says Wendy. The prize will be the sum they’ve collected minus 35% to cover expenses. The most common question they get is how the winning ticket will be selected. “It will be done by random number software, overseen by our lawyers and in full view of television cameras and reporters,” says Wendy.

2 When all the tickets are sold, the Wilshaws will

become the first property owners to successfully use a raffle to sell a house – and make a good profit. If they sell 46,000 tickets, they will earn £1.15m – they say the surplus will be used to cover the costs of running the raffle. But it will still leave them with a nice profit in a property market that almost everywhere else has gone stone cold.

3 Wendy says: “We needed to sell. We’re getting old.

This place is hard work. So many of the people who have stayed here have said that if they won the lottery, it’s the sort of place they’d buy. That made us think.” The couple have lived at the estate for 14 years and want to move to a smaller property. “I want an ordinary family to live here, people who would never normally be able to afford this place, people who’ll be given a chance to start a new life here,” says Wendy.

4 The winners will get a 2,000 sq ft house and an

estate (much of it overgrown) that includes a two-acre lake full of fish that Brian says are worth £1,000. Basic annual running costs are around £6,000, but in a good year the Wilshaws say the timber lodges provide an income of £25,000. They’ve had ticket buyers from Scandinavia, India and the US, and are confident they’ll hit the target of 46,000 sold by the December 7 close.

5 But is it legal to sell a home this way? And how can people who buy the tickets be sure this isn’t some sort of scam? Wendy angrily criticizes anyone who

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Fancy a £1m home for £25? / Intermediate


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1 Is a raffle really the way to sell a house in a cooling



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Comprehension check

According to the article, are these sentences True (T) or False (F)? 1. The couple are selling the property because they want to move to somewhere bigger. 2. By law competitions must involve an element of skill. 3. It is very difficult to find the answer to the skill-based question in this competition. 4. If they don’t reach their target, they will give someone a cash prize. 5. They will use any surplus to cover their costs. 6. It is legal to run a lottery for personal profit.

4 Find the word Find the following words and expressions in the text. The paragraph numbers are given to help you. 1. A noun meaning an area of land filled with trees. (para 1) 2. A three-word expression meaning not far from. (para 1) 3. A noun meaning more of something than is necessary. (para 2) 4. A noun meaning an extremely short period of time. (para 6) 5. A noun meaning an activity in which you risk money in the hope of winning more money. (para 6) 6. A three-word expression meaning an organization, plan or activity that you are willing to support because it provides help to people who need it. (para 7) 7. A phrasal verb meaning to examine something very carefully. (para 7)

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8. A four-word expression meaning to give your approval to something. (para 7)


Intermediate

5 Verb + noun collocations Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns in the right-hand column. 1. cover

a. compensation

2. pay

b. legal requirements

3. make

c. the law

4. hit

d. a bank account

5. meet

e. a target

6. freeze

f. costs

7. win

g. a profit

8. break

h. the lottery

6 Word building Complete the table using words from the text. verb 1

compete

2

see

3

require

4

intend

5

pay

6

compensate

7

win

8

cause

noun

7 Discussion Would you buy an expensive raffle ticket like this if it gave you a chance to win a house worth nearly

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£1 million? Why? Why not?

Fancy a £1m home for‘is£25? Addiction to Internet an illness’ Level 2

Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

£25 £950,000 34,000 46,000 £1.15m £1,000


F T F T T F

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

6 Word building 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Fancy a £1m home for £25? / Intermediate

f a g e b d h c

competition sight requirement intention payment compensation winner cause

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.


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woodland in sight of surplus millisecond gambling a good cause go through give it the thumbs-up


lodge scam slump raffle eligible adamant overgrown estate return acre

The incredible journey taken by our genes Level 3 1

Advanced

Warmer

Match the terminology with the definitions. 1. DNA

A single piece of DNA, which contains many genes and other nucleotide sequences.

2. gene

The process of breaking a complex topic or substance into smaller parts to gain a better

understanding of it.

3. chromosome

The basic biological units of inheritance. Composed of DNA.

4. genetic marker

The material inside the nucleus of cells that carries genetic information.

5. analysis

A known DNA sequence which can be used to study the relationship between an inherited

disease and its genetic cause.

6. What does DNA stand for?

2

a) domain name accepted

b) deoxyribonucleic acid

c) details not available

Skim-reading for gist

Skim-read the article to find the answers to these questions. 1. Why and when do scientists think a small group of our ancestors left Africa? 2. In which order (first, second, third) did they reach these continents? Europe, Asia, Australasia? 3. What happened approximately 10,000 years before they left Africa? 4. Which species was wiped out by Homo sapiens? 5. Who are the backers of the genographic project? 6. How much is the project costing? 7. What have the scientists discovered about the Crusaders and Genghis Khan?

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8. Which people are genetically the closest to our original ancestors?

The incredible journey taken by our genes Level 3

Advanced

The incredible journey taken by our genes

Asian coast to reach Australia 50,000 years ago. Only later, about 40,000 years ago, did we enter Europe – its cold and its Neanderthals making it far less hospitable – while one group of Asians headed farther east over the land bridge that then connected their continent to America.

Project maps humanity’s voyage out of Africa to new continents and domination of the world Robin McKie, science editor August 31, 2008 1 Sixty thousand years ago, a small group of African men and women took to the Red Sea in tiny boats and crossed the Mandab Strait to Asia. Their journey – of less than 20 miles – marked the moment Homo sapiens left its home continent. 2 The reason for our ancestors’ African exodus is not known, though scientists suspect food shortages, triggered by climate change, were involved. However, its impact cannot be overestimated. Two thousand generations later, descendants of these African émigrés have settled our entire planet, wiped out all other hominids including the Neanderthals and have reached a population of 6.5 billion. 3 Now scientists are completing a massive study of DNA samples from a quarter of a million volunteers in different continents in order to create the most precise map yet of mankind’s great dispersion. Last week, in Tallinn, Estonia, they outlined their most recent results. “As the ultimate ancestor begat son, who begat son and so on, they picked up mutations in their DNA that we can now pinpoint by gene analysis,” said project leader Dr Spencer Wells. “When we look at these markers’ distributions we can see how our ancestors moved about.”

6

“We can also see that just before humans left Africa, about 70,000 years ago, mankind was brought to the brink of extinction when Mount Toba, in Sumatra, erupted,” said Wells. “It was the most powerful volcanic eruption for two million years and dropped thick ash and killed vegetation across the globe. Our research now shows Homo sapiens numbers dropped alarmingly at this time and we only just hung on as a species.”

7

Nevertheless, humanity recovered, evolving new creative and intellectual talents. Since then, waves of men and women have moved round the planet and DNA analysis can detect traces of these movements – often with intriguing results.

8

One study, by project scientists Pierre Zalloua and Chris Tyler-Smith, has discovered a genetic marker typical of Europeans in modern Lebanese men. The inference is clear they say: this distinctive Y-chromosome was left behind by 11th-century Crusaders when they invaded Lebanon and then settled in the country. A similar sort of genetic legacy has been detected in regions where Genghis Khan ruled and which has been linked to the many male descendants he produced.

9

As for Africa, it has the most genetically diverse population of all the continents, as would be expected of humanity’s birthplace. And of those living today, the Khoisan people of southern Africa are probably the closest, genetically, to the founding mothers and fathers of humanity, say project scientists.

4 Scientists have known for several years that modern humans emerged from sub-Saharan Africa within the past 100,000 years. However, the £25m Genographic project – backed by National Geographic, IBM and the Waitt Family Foundation – has recently transformed that knowledge by providing a mass of highly detailed information about our African exodus.

© Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Observer, 31/08/08

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5 After emerging into the Arabian Peninsula, some of our ancestors took sea routes along the south


Advanced

3 Vocabulary: Synonyms Find a word (or two) in the article that is a synonym of: 1. escape, exit, flight ____________________ (para 2) 2. activated by, set off by ____________________ para 2) 3. affect, result ____________________ (para 2) 4. expatriates, people in exile ____________________ (para 2) 5. scattering, spread ____________________ (para 3) 6. fathered, gave birth to, bred ____________________ (para 3) 7. modifications, variations ____________________ (para 3) 8. appeared, evolved ____________________ (para 4) 9. welcoming, warm, friendly ____________________ (para 5) 10. edge of ____________________ (para 6) 11. remained, stayed alive ____________________ (para 6) 12. clues, remains, evidence ____________________ (para 7) 13. interesting, complicated ____________________ (para 7) 14. assumption, conclusion, deduction ____________________ (para 8) 15. inheritance ____________________ (para 8)

4 Comprehension check Write four multiple choice comprehension questions about the text and swap them with other students.

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Advanced

5 Discussion •

Would you like to trace your genetic ancestry? Why/Why not?

•

What do you know about your ancestry?

•

Have you (or anyone you know) tried to trace your family tree?

•

How far back could you go?

•

Did you find out anything interesting or surprising?

6 Webquest Watch videos about the project and discover what’s on the Globe of Human History on: https://www3.nationalgeographic.com/genographic Go to www.dnaancestryproject.com or www.dnaheritage.com to find out how you can trace your ancestry.

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Can you find any other companies that offer these services? How much do the services cost? What else can DNA tests be used for?

The incredible journey taken by our genes Level 3 Advanced KEY 1 Warmer DNA = The material inside the nucleus of cells that carries genetic information. gene = The basic biological units of inheritance. Composed of DNA. chromosome = A single piece of DNA, which contains many genes and other nucleotide sequences. genetic marker = A known DNA sequence which can be used to study the relationship between an inherited disease and its genetic cause. analysis = the process of breaking a complex topic or substance into smaller parts to gain a better understanding of it. b) deoxyribonucleic acid

2 Skim-reading for gist

exodus triggered by impact émigrés dispersion begat mutations emerged hospitable brink of hung on traces intriguing inference legacy

Food shortages triggered by climate change. 60,000 years ago. Asia, Australasia, Europe. Mount Toba erupted and dropped ash and killed vegetation across the globe. The Neanderthals. National Geographic, IBM and the Waitt Family Foundation. 25 million pounds. See paragraph 8. The Khoisan people of southern Africa.


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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

3 Vocabulary: Synonyms


Elementary

1 Warmer Who or what are the following? Talk in your own language if necessary. The Crusaders

Genghis Kahn

The Red Sea

National Geographic

Homo sapiens

IBM

Neanderthals

scientists DNA


peninsula

shortages

sponsored

eruption

descendants

ancestors

gene analysis

genetic marker

volunteers

diverse

1. The people who came before us (e.g. your great-great-great grandparents): ____________________. (para 2) 2. A word meaning when there’s not enough of something: ____________________. (para 2) 3. The people who follow on from us (e.g. your great-great-great grandchildren): ___________________. (para 2) 4. People who do something of their own free will: ____________________. (para 3) 5. The process of studying genetic material so you can understand it better: ____________________. (para 3) 6. When a study is ____________________, people or companies have given it money. (para 4) 7. A long piece of land surrounded by water but joined at one end to a larger piece of land: _____________________. (para 5) 8. The word for what happens when a volcano throws out fire and rocks: ____________________. (para 6) 9. A specific DNA pattern or sequence which can help to diagnose inherited diseases: ____________________. (para 8)

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10. A word meaning very different from something else: ____________________. (para 9)


Elementary

The incredible journey taken by our genes A new project shows Homo sapiens’ journey out of Africa

friendly. At the same time, one group went east over the land bridge from Asia to America. 6

“We can see that just before humans left Africa about 70,000 years ago, Mount Toba, in Sumatra, erupted,” said Wells. “It was the most powerful volcanic eruption for two million years. It dropped thick ash and killed plants and trees across the globe. Our research now shows that many Homo sapiens died at this time.”

7

Nevertheless, humanity recovered. Since then, groups of men and women have moved round the planet and DNA analysis can follow these movements – often with interesting and surprising results.

8

One study, by project scientists Pierre Zalloua and Chris Tyler-Smith, has discovered a genetic marker typical of Europeans in modern Lebanese men. It is a distinctive Y-chromosome that was left behind by 11th-century Crusaders when they invaded Lebanon, scientists say. Something similar has been found in regions where Genghis Khan ruled and which has been linked to the many sons he had.

9

As for Africa, it has the most genetically diverse population of all the continents, as you would expect of humanity’s birthplace. Today, the Khoisan people of southern Africa are probably the closest, genetically, to the founding mothers and fathers of humanity, say project scientists.

Robin McKie, science editor August 31, 2008 1 Sixty thousand years ago, a small group of African men and women got into tiny boats and sailed across the Red Sea to Asia. Their journey – of less than 20 miles – marked the moment that Homo sapiens left its home continent. 2 The reason our ancestors left Africa is not known, but scientists think that food shortages caused by climate change could be part of the reason. Two thousand generations later, 6.5 billion descendants of these people live across our planet. 3 Now scientists are nearly at the end of a massive study of DNA samples from a quarter of a million volunteers in different continents. With the information from the DNA they have created a map which shows how mankind (Homo sapiens) spread across the globe. Last week, in Tallinn, Estonia, they talked about their latest results. “As the first ancestor had a son, who had a son and so on, their DNA changed. Now, with the help of gene analysis, we can see how our ancestors moved about,” said the project leader Dr Spencer Wells. 4 Scientists have known for many years that modern humans came out of sub-Saharan Africa in the past 100,000 years. However, the £25m Genographic project – sponsored by National Geographic, IBM and the Waitt Family Foundation – has provided new information about our journey out of Africa.


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5 From the Arabian Peninsula, some of our ancestors took sea routes along the south Asian coast to reach Australia 50,000 years ago. They reached Europe later, about 40,000 years ago – its cold and its Neanderthals making it far less


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the sentence halves to summarize the article. 1. Homo sapiens left Africa...

... then Europe and America.

2. Our ancestors left Africa for Australia,...

... before Homo sapiens travelled there.

3. Neanderthals lived in Europe...

... genetically the closest to our original ancestors.

4. Mount Toba, a volcano in Sumatra,...

... are sponsoring the genographic project.

5. National Geographic, IBM and the Waitt Family Foundation... ... costing twenty-five million pounds. 6. The project is...

... the Crusaders and Genghis Khan in unusual places.

7. Scientists have discovered DNA connected to...

... erupted 70,000 years ago.

8. The Khoisan people of southern Africa are...

... sixty-thousand years ago in small boats.

4 Vocabulary: Special words How many special scientific terms can you find in the article? Write them into the word molecule. Write a translation next to each word. Who might need to know these words for their job? Write example sentences for two of the words or terms.

e.g. genetic legacy, project scientist

Word molecule

Example sentences: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Elementary

5 Discussion Draw a simple family tree – include your nearest ancestors and descendants. Explain your family tree to a partner. Ask you partner questions about his/her family tree.

My family tree

6 Webquest Watch videos about the project and discover what’s on the Globe of Human History on: https://www3.nationalgeographic.com/genographic Go to www.dnaancestryproject.com or www.dnaheritage.com to find out how you can trace your ancestry.

H


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How much do the services cost? What else can DNA tests be used for?

The incredible journey taken by our genes Level 1 Elementary KEY 1 Warmer

2 Key words

The Crusaders: 13th century men who went on the crusades. The Crusades originally had the goal of recapturing Jerusalem and the Holy Land from Muslim rule. Genghis Kahn: Genghis Khan was the Mongol founder. After founding the Mongol Empire and being proclaimed ‘Genghis Khan’, he pursued an aggressive foreign policy by starting the Mongol invasions of East and Central Asia. During his life, the Mongol Empire eventually occupied most of Asia. National Geographic: based in Washington, D.C. in the United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world. Its interests include geography, archaeology and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical conservation, and the study of world culture and history. IBM: International Business Machines Corporation, abbreviated to IBM, is a multinational computer technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, USA. The Red Sea: The Red Sea is a salt water inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. Homo sapiens: us DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid): The material inside the nucleus of cells that carries genetic information. scientists: A person who is an expert on one or more areas of science. Neanderthals: paleoanthropological specimens, species of the Homo genus. They once inhabited Europe and parts of western and central Asia. They disappeared in Asia by 50,000 years ago and in Europe by 30,000 years ago.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

ancestors shortages descendants volunteers gene analysis sponsored peninsula eruption genetic marker diverse


Homo sapiens left Africa sixty-thousand years ago in small boats. Our ancestors left Africa for Australia, then Europe and America. Neanderthals lived in Europe before Homo sapiens travelled there. Mount Toba, a volcano in Sumatra, erupted 70,000 years ago. National Geographic, IBM and the Waitt Family Foundation are sponsoring the genographic project. The project is costing twenty-five million pounds. Scientists have discovered DNA connected to the Crusaders and Genghis Khan in unusual places. The Khoisan people of southern Africa are genetically the closest to our original ancestors.

4 Vocabulary: Special words possible answers:

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DNA analysis; genetically diverse; gene analysis; Y-chromosome; DNA samples; genetic marker; project scientist; genographic


Intermediate

Warmer

Match the terminology with the definitions. 1. DNA

A pattern within a cell that carries information about things we inherit from our parents. It is made up of DNA.

2. gene

A DNA sequence or pattern which can help to diagnose inherited diseases.

3. chromosome

The material inside cells that carries genetic information. Also called deoxyribonucleic acid.

4. genetic marker

A single piece of DNA, which contains many genes, and other nucleotide sequences.

2

Key words

Match the key words from the article with their meanings. traces intriguing mutations legacy descendants ancestors hospitable extinction exodus emerged volunteers diverse pinpoint 1. The people who came before us (e.g. your great-great-great grandparents): _____________________. 2. A word meaning escape, exit, flight (also a famous song by Bob Marley): _____________________. 3. The people who follow us (e.g. your great-great-great grandchildren): _____________________. 4. People who do something of their own free will: _____________________. 5. Modifications, variations, differences: _____________________. 6. To discover something and explain it exactly: _____________________. 7. Appeared, evolved, came from: _____________________. 8. Welcoming, warm, friendly: _____________________. 9. Dying out, never to be seen again on this planet: _____________________. 10. Small clues, remains, evidence: _____________________. 11. Interesting, complicated, making us want to know more: _____________________. 12. A kind of inheritance; things left to us by our ancestors: _____________________.

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13. Very different from something else: _____________________.


Intermediate

The incredible journey taken by our genes

hospitable – at the same time one group of Asians headed farther east over the land bridge that then connected their continent to America.

A new project maps humanity’s journey out of Africa Robin McKie, science editor August 31, 2008

6

“We can also see that just before humans left Africa, about 70,000 years ago, mankind was in danger of extinction when Mount Toba, in Sumatra, erupted,” said Wells. “It was the most powerful volcanic eruption for two million years and dropped thick ash and killed vegetation across the globe. Our research now shows Homo sapiens numbers dropped alarmingly at this time and we only just remained as a species.”

7

Nevertheless, humanity recovered. Since then, groups of men and women have moved round the planet and DNA analysis can show traces of these movements – often with intriguing results.

8

One study, by project scientists Pierre Zalloua and Chris Tyler-Smith, has discovered a genetic marker typical of Europeans in modern Lebanese men. It is a distinctive Y-chromosome that was left behind by 11th-century Crusaders when they invaded Lebanon and then settled in the country, scientists say. A similar sort of genetic legacy has been found in regions where Genghis Khan ruled and which has been linked to the many male descendants he produced.

9

As for Africa, it has the most genetically diverse population of all the continents, as would be expected of humanity’s birthplace. And of those living today, the Khoisan people of southern Africa are probably the closest, genetically, to the founding mothers and fathers of humanity, say project scientists.

1 Sixty thousand years ago, a small group of African

men and women set off on the Red Sea in tiny boats and crossed the Mandab Strait to Asia. Their journey – of less than 20 miles – marked the moment that Homo sapiens left its home continent.

2 The reason for our ancestors’ African exodus is not known, though scientists think that food shortages, caused by climate change, were involved. However, its importance cannot be overestimated. Two thousand generations later, 6.5 billion descendants of these African emigrants live across our planet. They have wiped out all other hominids including the Neanderthals.

3 Now scientists are completing a massive study of

DNA samples from a quarter of a million volunteers in different continents in order to create a map showing how mankind spread across the globe. Last week, in Tallinn, Estonia, they described their most recent results. “As the ultimate ancestor had a son, who had a son and so on, they developed mutations in their DNA that we can now pinpoint by gene analysis,” said project leader, Dr Spencer Wells. “When we look at the distribution of these markers we can see how our ancestors moved about.”

4 Scientists have known for several years that

modern humans emerged from sub-Saharan Africa within the past 100,000 years. However, the £25m Genographic project – backed by National Geographic, IBM and the Waitt Family Foundation – has recently provided highly detailed new information about our African exodus.


5 After reaching the Arabian Peninsula, some of

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our ancestors took sea routes along the south Asian coast to reach Australia 50,000 years ago. We entered Europe later, about 40,000 years ago – its cold and its Neanderthals making it far less


Intermediate

Comprehension check

Find the answers to these questions. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Why and when do scientists think a small group of our ancestors left Africa? In which order (first, second, third) did they reach these continents? Europe, Asia, Australasia? What happened approximately 10,000 years before they left Africa? Which species was wiped out by Homo sapiens? Who are the backers of the genographic project? How much is the project costing? What have the scientists discovered about the Crusaders and Genghis Khan? Which people are genetically the closest to our original ancestors?

4 Vocabulary: Special words How many scientific terms can you find in the article? Write them into the word molecule. How many of these terms do you think it is important to know and understand? Write example sentences for five of the terms. e.g. genetic legacy,

project scientist

Word molecule

Example sentences: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Intermediate

5 Discussion •

Would you like to trace your genetic ancestry? Why/Why not?

•

What do you know about your ancestry?

•

Have you (or anyone you know) tried to trace your family tree?

•

How far back could you go?

•

Did you find out anything interesting or surprising?

6 Webquest Watch videos about the project and discover what’s on the Globe of Human History on: https://www3.nationalgeographic.com/genographic Go to www.dnaancestryproject.com/ or www.dnaheritage.com/ to find out how you can trace your ancestry.

H

NEWS LESSONS /The incredible journey taken by our genes / Intermediate

•P



How much do the services cost? What else can DNA tests be used for?

The incredible journey by our genes Addiction to Internet ‘istaken an illness’ Level 2

Intermediate

KEY 1 Warmer 1. 2. 3. 4.

DNA: The material inside cells that carries genetic information. Also called deoxyribonucleic acid. gene: A pattern within a cell that carries information about things we inherit from our parents. It is made up of DNA. chromosome: A single piece of DNA, which contains many genes, and other nucleotide sequences. genetic marker: A DNA sequence or pattern which can help to diagnose inherited diseases.


Food shortages triggered by climate change 60,000 years ago. Asia, Australasia, Europe. Mount Toba erupted and dropped ash and killed vegetation across the globe. The Neanderthals. National Geographic, IBM and the Waitt Family Foundation. 25 million pounds. See paragraph 8. The Khoisan people of southern Africa.

2 Key words 4 Vocabulary: Special words possible answers: DNA analysis; genetically diverse; gene analysis; Y-chromosome; DNA samples; genetic marker; project scientist; genetic legacy; genographic; mutations

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1. ancestors 2. exodus 3. descendants 4. volunteers 5. mutations 6. pinpoint 7. emerged 8. hospitable 9. extinction 10. traces 11. intriguing 12. legacy 13. diverse

Au revoir to long lunch as French tighten belts Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words

Fill the gaps using these key words from the text. frugality sluggish

bankruptcy forage

skip reel

aperitif baguette

obsession brasserie

1. If an economy is __________________, it does not perform as well as usual. 2. If you __________________ from the effects of something, you feel shocked, upset or confused. 3. __________________ is a situation in which a company formally admits it has no money and cannot pay

what it owes. 4. A __________________ is a long, thin loaf of bread made in the French style. 5. __________________ is when people spend very little money and only on things that are really necessary. 6. If you __________________ for food, you search for it in a wide area, but especially in rubbish bins. 7. A __________________ is a restaurant or bar, especially one that serves French food. 8. An __________________ is an emotional state in which something is so important to you that you are always thinking about it in a way that seems extreme to other people. 9. An __________________ is an alcoholic drink that is drunk before a meal. 10. If you __________________ a meal, you avoid having it.

2

What do you know?

Decide whether these statements are True (T) or False (F). Then check your answers in the text. 1. The number of international tourists visiting Paris is increasing. 2. French people spend an average of one and a half hours eating a meal in a restaurant. 3. The three-course lunch is a French tradition. 4. Most bankruptcies in France this year have been in the restaurant sector. 5. The number of customers visiting restaurants in France is falling.

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6. French restaurant-goers still enjoy a bottle of wine with their lunch.

Au revoir to long lunch as French tighten belts Level 3

Advanced

Au revoir to long lunch as French tighten belts

sector has seen the third highest number of bankruptcies in France this year, after the construction and building trades, according to the credit insurance group Euler Hermes SFAC.

• 3,000 restaurants and bars go bust in three months • Starters and wine out, baguettes and burgers in Angelique Chrisafis in Paris September 24, 2008 1 It is seen as the mark of civilized eating, distinguishing well-fed French workers from the English who wolf prawn sandwiches at their desks. But France’s tradition of the three-course restaurant lunch is in danger of being killed off by the economic crisis. Around 3,000 traditional French restaurants, cafés and bars went bust in the first three months of 2008 and unions predict a further rush of closures as people worry about making ends meet. The number of French restaurants going bankrupt rose by 25% from last year, and cafés forced to close were up by 56%. 2 Le Figaro’s renowned restaurant critic, François Simon, said yesterday that French consumers’ frugality had changed national eating habits and forced restaurant owners to the brink. Diners were now skipping the traditional aperitif, avoiding starters, drinking tap water, passing on wine and coffee and – at most – sharing a pudding. 3 Even the city’s smartest restaurants were getting impatient with smaller orders. In one restaurant near Paris’ Gare de Lyon, he reported, two couples were asked to leave by a desperate restaurant owner because they would not order starters. The restaurant chain Hippopotamus was now running loyalty deals and special-offer hamburgers, which had become more popular than French steak dishes. Office workers were increasingly buying take-away baguettes and supermarket lunches.

5

The time French people spend on eating meals in restaurants has already gone down: in 1975, a lunch out would take an average of one and a half hours. By 2005, it had fallen to 32 minutes. Danièle Deleval, vice president of the UMIH restaurant and hotel union, said: “We’re very worried. Since the start of the year, the number of restaurant customers has dropped, on average, 20% and we’re seeing no signs of improvement.”

6

Jean Guillaume, owner of Le Bouquet brasserie on Boulevard Haussmann in Paris’ smart 8th district, said: “Lunch customers used to order a main course, dessert, coffee and a bottle of wine. Now they’re limiting themselves to a main course, tap water, and giving up the rest. Of 75 customers in this lunchtime, none had a bottle of wine ... It’s the end of a tradition of lunching out and it looks like figures will stay this low for two to three years.” The nearby bakery, however, was busy selling take-away baguettes, with queues down the street at midday.

7

Restaurant and bar owners are reeling from a poor summer with fewer international tourists visiting Paris, especially Americans and Japanese. And in Toulouse, cafe owners complained that customers would try to make one drink last as long as possible. Even in French holiday destinations, like Arcachon in the west or the Côte d’Azur in the south, restaurant owners said business was down by at least 10%. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 24/09/08

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4 Making ends meet with low salaries and rising food prices has become a national obsession as France’s economy continues to be sluggish. Regular TV reports describe the desperation of people forced to eat cheap tinned vegetables or forage in bins at markets. The restaurant


Advanced

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. The number of people dining in restaurants in France is falling because… a. … there are fewer international tourists, especially Americans and Japanese. b. … there are fewer and fewer restaurants to eat in. c. … the economic crisis means people have less money to spend. 2. Why is the summer described as ‘poor’? a. Because there were fewer international tourists. b. Because the weather was bad so people stayed at home. c. Because most French people were away on holiday. 3. Why were two couples ordered to leave a restaurant near the Gare de Lyon? a. Because they only wanted to order starters. b. Because they didn’t want to order starters. c. Because they asked for tap water with their meal. 4. By how much has the time French people spend on eating restaurant meals fallen since 1975? a. By about one third. b. By about 50%. c. It has shown almost a threefold decrease.

4 Find the word Find the following words and expressions in the text. 1. A verb meaning to eat something very quickly. (para 1) 2. A phrasal verb meaning to make something stop or fail completely. (para 1) 3. A two-word expression meaning to become bankrupt. (para 1) 4. A three-word expression meaning to just have enough money to buy the things you need. (para 1) 5. An adjective meaning famous and admired for a special skill or achievement. (para 2) 6. A two-word expression meaning the point in time when something very bad or very good is about to happen. (para 2) 7. A two-word expression meaning a special offer for customers who return to the same shop or restaurant again. (para 3)

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8. An adverb meaning more and more over a period of time. (para 3)


Advanced

5 Words + prepositions Which prepositions follow these words? Check your answers in the text. 1. distinguish _______ 2. impatient _______ 3. limit oneself _______ 4. in danger _______ 5. worry _______ 6. spend time _______ 7. reel _______ 8. pass _______

6 Two-word expressions Match the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to make two-word expressions from the text. 1. restaurant

a. water

2. office

b. offer

3. eating

c. course

4. special

d. habits

5. national

e. owner

6. main

f. destination

7. tap

g. obsession

8. holiday

h. worker

7 Discussion

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How many ways of saving money in difficult economic times can you think of?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. sluggish 2. reel (are reeling) 3. bankruptcy 4. baguette 5. frugality 6. forage 7. brasserie 8. obsession 9. aperitif 10. skip

1. wolf 2. kill off 3. go bust 4. make ends meet 5. renowned 6. the brink 7. loyalty deal 8. increasingly

2 What do you know? 1. F 2. F 3. T 4. F 5. T 6. F

1. from 2. with 3. to 4. of 5. about 6. on 7. from 8. on



1. c 2. a 3. b 4. c

1. restaurant owner 2. office worker 3. eating habits 4. special offer 5. national obsession 6. main course 7. tap water 8. holiday destination

5 Words + prepositions

H


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Elementary

Key words

Fill the gaps using these key words from the text. skip trade union

aperitif tradition

baguette go bust

discount consumer

bankruptcy dessert

1. __________________ is a situation in which a company formally admits it has no money and cannot pay

what it owes. 2. __________________ is the sweet food that you eat after the main course. 3. If you __________________ a meal, you avoid having it. 4. A __________________ is someone who buys and uses goods and services. 5. A __________________ is a long, thin loaf of bread made in the French style. 6. A __________________ is a reduction in the price of something. 7. An __________________ is an alcoholic drink that is drunk before a meal. 8. A __________________ is a very old custom. 9. To __________________ is an informal way of saying to go bankrupt. 10. A __________________ is an organization that aims to improve pay and conditions of work.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How many French restaurants, cafés and bars went bust in the first three months of 2008? 2. What was the average time people spent on restaurant meals in France in 1975? 3. What was the average time people spent on restaurant meals in France in 2005? 4. What is the percentage increase in restaurants going bankrupt compared to last year? 5. What has the fall in the percentage of restaurant customers been since the start of 2008?

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6. What was the percentage loss of business in French holiday destinations?


Elementary


show people eating cheap tinned vegetables or looking through bins at markets for food. The restaurant sector has had the third highest number of bankruptcies in France this year, after the construction and building industries, according to one credit insurance group.

• 3,000 restaurants and bars go bust in three months • Starters and wine out, baguettes and burgers in Angelique Chrisafis in Paris September 24, 2008 1 The three-course lunch is a French tradition, a sign of civilized eating. While the English eat sandwiches at their desks, well-fed French workers have always enjoyed their lunch at a local restaurant. But times are changing. The traditional French three-course restaurant lunch is in danger of disappearing for ever because of the world economic crisis. About 3,000 traditional French restaurants, cafés and bars went bust in the first three months of 2008 and trade unions are predicting that more will close as people worry about money. The number of French restaurants going bust rose by 25% from last year, and the number of cafés closing rose by 56%. 2 A well-known French food writer, François Simon, said yesterday that French consumers did not want to spend money. He said this had changed national eating habits and was pushing restaurant owners towards bankruptcy. Diners were now skipping the traditional aperitif, avoiding starters, drinking tap water, not having wine or coffee and – at most – sharing a pudding. 3 Even the city’s smartest restaurants were getting impatient with smaller orders. In one restaurant near Paris’ Gare de Lyon, he reported, an angry restaurant owner asked two couples to leave because they did not want to order starters. The restaurant chain Hippopotamus is now offering discounts to regular customers and special-offer hamburgers, which are now more popular than French steak dishes. Office workers now prefer to buy take-away baguettes and supermarket lunches.

5

The time French people spend eating meals in restaurants has already gone down: in 1975, a lunch out took an average of one and a half hours. By 2005, it was 32 minutes. Danièle Deleval, of the French restaurant and hotel union, said: “We’re very worried. Since the start of the year, the number of restaurant customers has dropped, on average, 20% and we’re seeing no signs of improvement.”

6

Jean Guillaume, owner of Le Bouquet restaurant on Boulevard Haussmann in Paris’ smart 8th district, said: “In the past, lunch customers ordered a main course, dessert, coffee and a bottle of wine. Now they’re just having a main course with tap water, and not ordering the rest. We had 75 customers this lunchtime, but no-one ordered a bottle of wine ... It’s the end of a tradition of going out for lunch and it looks like numbers will be this low for two to three years.” The nearby baker’s shop, however, was busy selling take-away baguettes, and there were long queues outside at midday.

7

It was a bad summer for restaurant and bar owners, with fewer international tourists visiting Paris, especially American and Japanese visitors. And in Toulouse, café owners complained that customers were trying to make one drink last as long as possible. Even in French holiday destinations, like Arcachon in the west or the Côte d’Azur in the south, restaurant owners said business was down by at least 10%. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 24/09/08

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4 As problems in the French economy continue, low salaries and rising food prices are worrying for many French people. Regular TV reports


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings with the endings to make sentences about the text. 1. People are not eating lunch in restaurants because… 2. When people eat lunch in restaurants now… 3. 30 years ago French people spent more time eating... 4. Since the start of 2008… 5. In French holiday destinations the number of people eating in restaurants… 6. French workers now prefer take-away baguettes and supermarket lunches… a. … they only order a main course. b. … the number of people eating in restaurants has fallen by 20%. c. … fell by 10% this summer. d. … they are worried about money. e. … to traditional three-course restaurant lunches. f. … than they do now.

4 Chunks Rearrange the words to make phrases from the text.

1. of crisis the economic world because 2. in 2008 months the of three first 3. average hours of an half a and one 4. the since the year of start 5. to years three for two

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6. as last possible long as


Elementary

5 Word building Complete the table with nouns from the text. verb 1.

own

2.

consume

3.

dine

4.

work

5.

write

6.

bake

7.

visit

8.

tour

noun

6 Word stress Divide these words from the text into two groups according to their stress pattern.

dessert

discount

midday

report

average

A

B

0 o

o 0

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Au revoir to long lunch as French tighten belts / Elementary

sector

well-fed

market

H

hotel

prefer

•P

crisis


sandwich


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words

4 Chunks

1. bankruptcy 2. dessert 3. skip 4. consumer 5. baguette 6. discount 7. aperitif 8. tradition 9. go bust 10. trade union

1. because of the world economic crisis 2. in the first three months of 2008 3. an average of one and a half hours 4. since the start of the year 5. for two to three years 6. last as long as possible

owner

2.

consume

consumer

3.

dine

diner

4.

work

worker

5.

write

writer

6.

bake

baker

7.

visit

visitor

8.

tour

tourist

6 Word stress

1. d 2. a 3. f 4. b 5. c 6. e

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Au revoir to long lunch as French tighten belts / Elementary

A

B

0 o

o 0

sandwich crisis discount sector average market

prefer report hotel dessert midday well-fed

H


noun

own

•P

1. about 3,000 2. one and a half hours 3. 32 minutes 4. 25% 5. 20% 6. at least 10%

verb 1.



5 Word building


Intermediate

Key words

Fill the gaps using these key words from the text.

bankruptcy brasserie

skip critic

aperitif discount

obsession trade union

baguette distinguishes

1. An __________________ is an alcoholic drink that is drunk before a meal. 2. A __________________ is an organization that aims to improve pay and conditions of work. 3. An __________________ is an emotional state in which something is so important to you that you are always thinking about it in a way that seems extreme to other people. 4. A __________________ is a reduction in the price of something. 5. __________________ is a situation in which a company formally admits it has no money and cannot pay

what it owes. 6. A __________________ is someone whose job is to write their opinions about books, films or restaurants. 7. If something __________________ one thing from another thing, it highlights the difference or differences between them. 8. A __________________ is a restaurant or bar, especially one that serves French food. 9. If you __________________ a meal, you avoid having it. 10. A __________________ is a long, thin loaf of bread made in the French style.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How many French restaurants, cafés and bars went bankrupt in the first three months of 2008? 2. What was the average time people spent on restaurant meals in France in 1975? 3. What was the average time people spent on restaurant meals in France in 2005? 4. What is the percentage increase in restaurants going bankrupt compared to last year? 5. What has the fall in the percentage of restaurant customers been since the start of 2008?

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NEWS LESSONS / Au revoir to long lunch as French tighten belts / Intermediate

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6. What was the percentage loss of business in holiday destinations like the Côte d’Azur?


Intermediate


or look through bins at markets for food. The restaurant sector has experienced the third highest number of bankruptcies in France this year, after the construction and building trades, according to the credit insurance group Euler Hermes SFAC.

• 3,000 restaurants and bars go bust in three months • Starters and wine out, baguettes and burgers in Angelique Chrisafis in Paris September 24, 2008 1 It is seen as a sign of civilized eating, one which distinguishes well-fed French workers from the English who eat sandwiches at their desks. But France’s tradition of the three-course restaurant lunch is in danger of disappearing for ever as a result of the economic crisis. Around 3,000 traditional French restaurants, cafés and bars went bust in the first three months of 2008 and trade unions are predicting that more will close as people worry about making ends meet. The number of French restaurants going bankrupt rose by 25% from last year, and the number of cafés forced to close rose by 56%. 2 Le Figaro’s well-known restaurant critic, François Simon, said yesterday that the unwillingness of French consumers to spend money had changed national eating habits and was pushing restaurant owners towards bankruptcy. Diners were now skipping the traditional aperitif, avoiding starters, drinking tap water, not having wine or coffee and – at most – sharing a pudding. 3 Even the city’s smartest restaurants were getting impatient with smaller orders. In one restaurant near Paris’ Gare de Lyon, he reported, two couples were asked to leave by an angry restaurant owner because they would not order starters. The restaurant chain Hippopotamus was now offering discounts to regular customers and special-offer hamburgers, which had become more popular than French steak dishes. Office workers were increasingly buying take-away baguettes and supermarket lunches.

5

The time French people spend on eating meals in restaurants has already gone down: in 1975, a lunch out would take an average of one and a half hours. By 2005, it had fallen to 32 minutes. Danièle Deleval, vice president of the UMIH restaurant and hotel union, said: “We’re very worried. Since the start of the year, the number of restaurant customers has dropped, on average, 20% and we’re seeing no signs of improvement.”

6

Jean Guillaume, owner of Le Bouquet brasserie on Boulevard Haussmann in Paris’ smart 8th district, said: “Lunch customers used to order a main course, dessert, coffee and a bottle of wine. Now they’re just having a main course with tap water, and giving up the rest. Of 75 customers in this lunchtime, none had a bottle of wine ... It’s the end of a tradition of lunching out and it looks like figures will stay this low for two to three years.” The nearby bakery, however, was busy selling take-away baguettes, with queues down the street at midday.

7

Restaurant and bar owners are still suffering from a poor summer with fewer international tourists visiting Paris, especially Americans and Japanese. And in Toulouse, café owners complained that customers would try to make one drink last as long as possible. Even in French holiday destinations, like Arcachon in the west or the Côte d’Azur in the south, restaurant owners said business was down by at least 10%. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 24/09/08

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4 Making ends meet with low salaries and rising food prices has become a national obsession as problems in the French economy continue. Regular TV reports describe the desperation of people forced to eat cheap tinned vegetables


Intermediate

3 Comprehension check Are these sentences True (T) or False (F) according to the text? 1. French people are spending less money on going to restaurants. 2. French people are spending less time eating lunch in restaurants. 3. The tradition of the traditional French three-course meal might disappear for ever. 4. People’s eating habits are changing because they are worried about their diet. 5. The restaurant sector has experienced the highest number of bankruptcies in France this year. 6. Business at bakeries has also fallen dramatically.

4 Find the word Find the following words and expressions in the text. 1. A two-word expression meaning to become bankrupt. (para 1) 2. A three-word expression meaning to just have enough money to buy the things you need. (para 1) 3. A noun meaning a refusal to do something. (para 2) 4. An adverb meaning more and more over a period of time. (para 3) 5. A noun meaning the worry and anger people feel in a bad situation. (para 4) 6. A two-word expression meaning the person occupying the position immediately below the president. (para 5) 7. A noun meaning sweet food that you eat after the main course. (para 6) 8. A noun meaning a place where someone goes or is going. (para 7)

5 Word building

2.

improve

3.

predict

4.

construct

5.

insure

6.

complain

7.

describe

8.

sell

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Au revoir to long lunch as French tighten belts / Intermediate

O

close


1.

noun

•P H

verb

CA

Complete the table.


Intermediate

6 Two-word expressions Match the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to make two-word expressions from the text. 1. special

a. water

2. tap

b. offer

3. eating

c. course

4. office

d. habits

5. national

e. owner

6. main

f. destination

7. restaurant

g. obsession

8. holiday

h. worker

7 Discussion

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Do you often eat in restaurants? What kind of food do you like? How much money would you spend on a restaurant meal?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. aperitif 2. trade union 3. obsession 4. discount 5. bankruptcy 6. critic 7. distinguishes 8. brasserie 9. skip 10. baguette

1. go bust 2. make ends meet 3. unwillingness 4. increasingly 5. desperation 6. vice president 7. dessert 8. destination

5 Word building

2 Find the information 1. around 3,000 2. one and a half hours 3. 32 minutes 4, 25% 5. 20% 6. at least 10%

3 Comprehension check 1. T 2. T 3. T 4. F 5. F 6. F

verb

noun

1.

close

closure

2.

improve

improvement

3.

predict

prediction

4.

construct

construction

5.

insure

insurance

6.

complain

complaint

7.

describe

description

8.

sell

sale

6 Two-word expressions 1. special offer 2. tap water 3. eating habits 4. office worker 5. national obsession 6. main course 7. restaurant owner 8. holiday destination

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Fears over privacy as police expand surveillance project Level 3 1

Advanced

Warmer

In your country, what information can be obtained from vehicle licence plates? When, if ever, might a vehicle change its licence plate? What are the advantages and disadvantages of personalized licence plates?

2

Key words

Complete the sentences with words from the text. 1. __________________ is the process of carefully watching something or someone. (title and para 1) 2. When you __________________ something you use it to get the most out of it even though it may be wrong or unfair to do so. (para 3) 3. __________________ are the basic rights that all people in society should have. (para 4, two words) 4. When you are able to __________________ something, you know exactly where it is. (para 5) 5. The __________________ is the government department that is responsible for protecting the country from terrorist attacks. (para 5, two words) 6. Police cars that look like ordinary cars are called __________________. (para 7, two words) 7. When you are __________________ with something, you have all the necessary things you need for a particular purpose. (para 8) 8. When something is __________________ it is bigger or smaller that it should actually be in comparison to something else. (para 11) 9. A group that monitors the behaviour of other groups is called a __________________. (para 11) 10. When you __________________ someone you put them off; make them not want to do something. (para 14) 11. A set of plans or actions agreed on by a political party, a company or organization are its __________________. (para 15)

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NEWS LESSONS / Fears over privacy as police expand surveillance project / Advanced

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12. A __________________ is a supply of something that a company or organization can use when they need to. (para 16)

Fears over privacy as police expand surveillance project Advanced

1 The police are to expand a car surveillance operation that will allow them to record and store details of millions of daily journeys for up to five years, the Guardian has learned. 2 A national network of roadside cameras will be able to ‘read’ 50m licence plates a day, enabling officers to reconstruct the journeys of motorists. 3 Police have been encouraged to “fully and strategically exploit” the database, which is already recording the whereabouts of ten million drivers a day, during their investigations. 4 But it has raised concerns from civil rights campaigners, who question whether the details should be kept for so long. They want clearer guidelines on who might have access to the material. 5 The project relies on automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras to pinpoint the precise time and location of all vehicles on the road. Senior officers had promised the data would be stored for two years. But responding to inquiries under the Freedom of Information Act, the Home Office has admitted the data is now being kept for five years. 6 Thousands of CCTV (closed-circuit television) cameras across the country have been converted to read ANPR data, capturing people’s movements in cars on motorways, main roads, airports and town centres. 7 Local authorities have since adapted their own CCTV systems to read licence plates on behalf of police, massively expanding the network of available cameras. Mobile cameras have been installed in patrol cars and unmarked vehicles parked by the side of roads.

9

In four months’ time, when a nationwide network of cameras is fully operational, the National ANPR Data Centre in Hendon, north London, will record up to 50m licence plates a day.

10 The Home Office said in a letter that the Hendon database would “store all ANPR data for five years”. Additionally, a photograph of a person’s licence plate will, in most cases, be stored for one year. 11 Human rights group Privacy International last night described the five-year record of people’s car journeys “unnecessary and disproportionate”, and said it had lodged an official complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the government’s data watchdog. 12 In 2005 the government invested £32m to develop the ANPR data-sharing programme after police concluded that road traffic cameras could be used for counter-terrorism and everyday criminal investigations. Senior police officers have said they intend the database to be integrated into everyday police work. 13 Half of all police forces in England and Wales have now been connected to the network, which reads between eight and ten million licence plates a day. The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) said the database would be linked to ANPR systems run by all but two police forces by the end of the year. The database will be able to store as many as 18 billion licence plate sightings in 2009. 14 Officers can access the database to find uninsured cars, locate illegal ‘duplicate’ licence plates and track the movements of criminals. The ACPO adds that the database will “deter criminals through increased likelihood of detection”. 15 “Experience has shown there are very strong links between illegal use of motor vehicles on the road and other types of serious crime,” said

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Fears over privacy as police expand surveillance project / Advanced

O

Paul Lewis September 15, 2008

Police helicopters have been equipped with infrared cameras that can read licence plates from 610 metres (2,000ft).


Database will hold details of millions of journeys for five years

8

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Fears over privacy as police expand surveillance project

CA

Level 3

Fears over privacy as police expand surveillance project Level 3

Advanced

Merseyside Police’s Assistant Chief Constable, Simon Byrne, who leads Acpo’s ANPR policy. 16 The director of Privacy International, Simon Davies, said last night the database would give police “extraordinary powers of surveillance”. “This would never be allowed in any other democratic country,” he said. “This is possibly one of the most valuable reserves of data imaginable.”

17 Peter Fry, of the CCTV User Group, said that currently licence plate images captured by CCTV are generally retained for 31 days. “There’s not a great deal of logic to explain keeping the same images for five years,” he said. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 15/09/08

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. Which methods will be used to record details of motorists’ journeys? a) Special number plate recognition cameras. b) Converted CCTV cameras. c) Infrared cameras in police helicopters. d) All of the above. 2. How long are CCTV images currently kept for? a) Five years. b) Two years. c) 31 days. d) One year. 3. Under the new laws, how long will images of number plates be kept for? a) Five years. b) Two years. c) 31 days. d) One year. 4. Under the new laws, how long will details of motorists’ journeys be stored? a) Five years. b) Two years. c) 31 days. d) One year.

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5. By the end of 2009 the database would be linked to ANPR systems run by... a) ... nearly all of the police forces in England and Wales. b) ... two police forces. c) ... the Home Office. d) ... the Merseyside Police.


Advanced

4 Vocabulary: Acronyms Find an acronym in the text for: 1. a police association

_______________

2. a special kind of surveillance camera

_______________

3. a common kind of surveillance camera _______________ 4. a government watchdog/group that monitors the behaviour of others _______________

5 Discussion Look back at the article and find the advantages and disadvantages of this car surveillance operation. Add further ideas of your own.

Advantages

Disadvantages

............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

Now discuss the following questions. •

How do you feel about the British police and government security services being able to trace the movements of motorists in Britain?

•

Would you be for or against a scheme like this being set up in your country?

6 Webquest Type ANPR or police surveillance into YouTube. Report on the most interesting video you find. Here you can hear a British police officer explain (and show) how ANPR works in practice: http://youtube.com/watch?v=s-4tRWMuLhM

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For technical information on ANPR go to: http://www.cctv-information.co.uk/cgi-bin/index.cgi?url=http://www.cctv-information.co.uk/constant3/anpr. html


Advanced

KEY 2 Key words 1. surveillance 2. exploit 3. civil rights 4. pinpoint 5. Home Office 6. unmarked vehicles 7. equipped 8. disproportionate 9. watchdog 10. deter 11. policy 12. reserve

3 Comprehension check 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

d c d a a

4 Vocabulary: Acronyms

H


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1. ACPO 2. ANPR 3. CCTV 4. ICO


Elementary

Warmer

In your country, what information can people find out from vehicle licence plates?

when the car was made

which town or area the car comes from

who the vehicle belongs to

other information _________________

What does a typical licence plate look like in your country? Example: Three numbers followed by four letters ...

2

Key words

Match these key words with the explanations. recognition roadside camera

surveillance database

reconstruct infrared

deter network

civil rights campaigner counterterrorism

1. ____________________ is the process of carefully watching something or someone. (title and para 1) 2. A ____________________ is a system of things that are connected together over a large area. (para 2) 3. When you ____________________ something, you put ideas and information together to try to find out what happened in the past. (para 2) 4. A ____________________ is a machine that takes photographs of vehicles from the side of the road. (para 2, two words) 5. A ____________________ is a large amount of information that is stored in a computer in an organized way. (para 3) 6. A ____________________ is somebody who fights for the basic rights that all people should have. (para 4, three words) 7. ____________________ is the ability to see or take a photo of something and then know what it is. (para 5) 8. An ____________________ camera uses a type of light that cannot be seen. (para 7) 9. ____________________ is the actions and methods of a country that are intended to stop the activities of people who use violence to achieve political aims. (para 11)

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NEWS LESSONS / Fears over privacy as police expand surveillance project / Elementary

CA



10. When you ____________________ someone, you make them not want to do something. (para 13)

Fears over privacy as police expand surveillance project Elementary

1 The British police have a new car surveillance operation that will allow them to record and keep details of millions of daily car journeys for up to five years. 2 A national network of roadside cameras will be able to ‘read’ 50 million licence plates a day. Then, police officers can reconstruct the journeys of motorists. 3 The police have been told to make use of the database which already records the movements of ten million drivers a day. 4 But civil rights campaigners are worried. They don’t think the details should be kept for so long, and they want to know who can have access to the data. 5 The operation needs automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras which can show the exact time and location of all vehicles on the road. Senior police officers had promised the data would be kept for two years. But now, the government has said the data is being kept for five years. 6 Thousands of CCTV (closed-circuit television) cameras across Britain have been adapted so that they can read ANPR data. This means the cameras can watch people’s movements in cars on motorways, main roads, airports and town centres. 7 There are also mobile cameras in police cars parked by the side of roads, and police helicopters have got new infrared cameras that can read licence plates from 610 metres (2,000ft). 8 In four months’ time, when the nationwide network of cameras is working, the National ANPR Data Centre in London will record up to 50m licence plates a day.

10 Human rights group Privacy International last night said that keeping this information for five years is “unnecessary”. They also said that they had sent an official complaint to the government. 11 In 2005 the British government invested £32m to develop the ANPR data-sharing programme. This was after police decided that road traffic cameras could be used for counterterrorism and everyday criminal investigations. Senior police officers want the database to be used in everyday police work. 12 Half of all police forces in England and Wales are now connected to the network. The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) said the database would be linked to ANPR systems run by all but two police forces by the end of the year. In 2009, the database will be able to store the details of 18 billion licence plates. 13 Officers can access the database to find uninsured cars, to find illegal licence plates and to track the movements of criminals. The ACPO also said that the database will deter criminals as they know that they are more likely to be caught. 14 “From experience we know that there are very strong links between the illegal use of motor vehicles on the road and other types of serious crime,” said Merseyside Police’s Assistant Chief Constable, Simon Byrne. 15 The director of Privacy International, Simon Davies, said last night the database would give police “extraordinary powers of surveillance”. “This would never be allowed in any other democratic country,” he said. 16 Peter Fry, of the CCTV User Group, said that at the moment CCTV photos and videos of licence plates are usually kept for 31 days. “It’s not logical to keep them for five years,” he said. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 15/09/08

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Fears over privacy as police expand surveillance project / Elementary

O


The government said that the London database would store all ANPR data for five years. Additionally, a photograph of a person’s licence plate will be stored for one year.



9

•P H


CA

Level 1


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match these sentence halves to retell the article. 1. British police can now keep details of...

... and town centres.

2. ANPR cameras are special...

... of car licence plates.

... the surveillance is undemocratic.

3. CCTV watches people in airports...

4. There are mobile cameras in parked police cars which...

... nearly all of the police forces in England and Wales.

5. Police helicopters can also record images...

... cameras that can record details of car licence plates.

6. By the end of 2008 the database will be linked to...

... take photos of licence plates.

7. The police hope that...

... people’s car journeys for five years.

8. Civil rights groups think...

... the new surveillance operation will stop terrorism.

4 Vocabulary: Pronunciation Write these words into the table according to their stress pattern.

surveillance assistant

motorists illegal

database criminals

oOo

campaigners motorways

recording government

Ooo

How many other words can you find in the article which have the same stress patterns?

5 Webquest Type ANPR or police surveillance or CCTV into YouTube. What kinds of crimes can you see? Listen to and watch a British police officer explain how ANPR works in practice:

O •P H


CA



http://youtube.com/watch?v=s-4tRWMuLhM


Elementary

6 Discussion Look back at the article and find the advantages and disadvantages of the British car surveillance operation. Complete the sentence below: The advantages of the car surveillance operation are _______________________________________________ but the disadvantages are _______________________________________________. Now complete these sentences with your own words and feelings. I think the scheme is a _____________________________ idea. I would feel _____________________________ if the police in my country kept my car details for five years.

H


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Talk about your sentences in class.


Elementary

KEY 2 Key words 1. surveillance 2. network 3. reconstruct 4. roadside camera 5. database 6. civil rights campaigner 7. recognition 8. infrared 9. counterterrorism 10. deter

4 Vocabulary: Pronunciation oOo surveillance campaigners recording assistant illegal

Ooo motorists database criminals motorways government


H


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1. British police can now keep details of people’s car journeys for five years. 2. ANPR cameras are special cameras that can record details of car licence plates. 3. CCTV watches people in airports and town centres. 4. Police helicopters can also record images of car licence plates. 5. There are mobile cameras in parked police cars which take photos of licence plates. 6. By the end of 2009 the database will be linked to nearly all of the police forces in England and Wales. 7. The police and Home Office hope that the new surveillance operation will stop terrorism. 8. Civil rights groups think the surveillance is undemocratic.


Intermediate

Warmer

In your country, what information can people find out from vehicle licence plates? Example: year of manufacture, where the car is registered, ... Are you able to choose your car number plate? Example: to include your birthday or initials? What are the advantages and disadvantages of personalized licence plates?

2

Key words

Write these key words into the sentences below. Home Office deter duplicate

unmarked vehicles equipped locate

disproportionate civil rights watchdog

surveillance reconstruct motorist

1. __________________ is the process of carefully watching something or someone. (title and para 1) 2. When you __________________ something, you form an idea of what happened in the past by putting ideas and information together. (para 2) 3. A __________________ is someone who drives a motor vehicle such as a car. (para 2) 4. __________________ are the basic rights that all people in society should have. (para 4, two words) 5. The __________________ is the government department that is responsible for protecting the country from terrorist attacks. (para 5, two words) 6. Police cars that look like ordinary cars are called __________________. (para 7, two words) 7. When you are __________________ with something, you have all the necessary things you need for a particular purpose. (para 7)

8. When something is __________________ it is bigger or smaller that it should actually be in comparison to something else. (para 10) 9. A group that monitors the behaviour of other groups is called a __________________. (para 10) 10. __________________ is another word for find. (para 13) 11. A __________________ is an exact copy of something. (para 13)

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NEWS LESSONS / Fears over privacy as police expand surveillance project / Intermediate

CA



12. When you __________________ someone you put them off; make them not want to do something. (para 13)

Fears over privacy as police expand surveillance project Intermediate 8

In four months’ time, when the nationwide network of cameras is fully operational, the National ANPR Data Centre in Hendon, north London, will record up to 50m licence plates a day.

9

The Home Office said in a letter that the Hendon database would “store all ANPR data for five years”. Additionally, a photograph of a person’s licence plate will, in most cases, be stored for one year.


2 A national network of roadside cameras will be able to ‘read’ 50 million licence plates a day, which will allow police officers to reconstruct the journeys of motorists. 3 Police have been encouraged to make use of the database, which is already recording the whereabouts of ten million drivers a day, during their investigations. 4 But civil rights campaigners are worried. They question whether the details should be kept for so long, and they want clearer guidelines on who can have access to the material. 5 The project relies on automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras which can show the precise time and location of all vehicles on the road. Senior police officers had promised the data would be stored for two years. But now, the Home Office has admitted the data is now being kept for five years. 6 Thousands of CCTV (closed-circuit television) cameras across Britain have been converted so that they can read ANPR data which show people’s movements in cars on motorways, main roads, airports and town centres. This has massively expanded the network of available cameras. 7 Mobile cameras have been installed in patrol cars and unmarked vehicles parked by the side of roads, and police helicopters have been equipped with infrared cameras that can read licence plates from 610 metres (2,000ft).

10 Human rights group Privacy International last night described the five-year record of people’s car journeys “unnecessary and disproportionate”, and said it had sent an official complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the government’s data watchdog. 11 In 2005 the government invested £32m to develop the ANPR data-sharing programme after police decided that road traffic cameras could be used for counter-terrorism and everyday criminal investigations. Senior police officers have said they intend the database to be integrated into everyday police work. 12 Half of all police forces in England and Wales have now been connected to the network, which reads between eight and ten million licence plates a day. The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) said the database would be linked to ANPR systems run by all but two police forces by the end of the year. The database will be able to store as many as 18 billion licence plate sightings in 2009. 13 Officers can access the database to find uninsured cars, locate illegal ‘duplicate’ licence plates and track the movements of criminals. The ACPO adds that the database will deter criminals as they know that they are more likely to be caught. 14 “Experience has shown there are very strong links between illegal use of motor vehicles on the road and other types of serious crime,” said Merseyside Police’s Assistant Chief Constable, Simon Byrne.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Fears over privacy as police expand surveillance project / Intermediate

O

1 The British police are to expand a car surveillance operation that will allow them to record and store details of millions of daily car journeys for up to five years, the Guardian has learned.



•P H


CA

Level 2


Intermediate

15 The director of Privacy International, Simon Davies, said last night the database would give police “extraordinary powers of surveillance”. “This would never be allowed in any other democratic country,” he said. 16 Peter Fry, of the CCTV User group, said that currently licence plate images captured by

CCTV are generally kept for 31 days. “There’s not a great deal of logic to explain keeping the same images for five years,” he said. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 15/09/08

3 Comprehension check Are these sentences true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. Police helicopters are able to capture images of car licence plates. 2. Up to now, CCTV images of car licence plates have been kept for three years. 3. Under the new laws, the images of number plates can be kept for five years. 4. By the end of 2009 the database will be linked to ANPR systems run by nearly all of the police forces in England and Wales. 5. The data will be stored centrally in the City of London. 6. The police and Home Office hope that the new surveillance operation will prevent terrorism. 7. CCTV is already used to watch people in airports and town centres. 8. The director of Privacy International thinks that all democratic countries should implement surveillance systems such as this.

4 Vocabulary: Pronunciation Write these words into the table according to their stress pattern.

surveillance duplicate

motorists converted oOo

database illegal

campaigners criminals

recording motorways

Ooo

O •P H


CA



How many other words can you find in the article which have the same stress patterns?


Intermediate

5 Discussion Look back at the article and make a note of the advantages and disadvantages of the British car surveillance operation. Can you think of any more advantages or disadvantages?

Advantages

Disadvantages

............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. Now discuss the following questions: •

Imagine you live in Britain: How do you feel about the police and government security services being able to trace your movements?

•

Would you be for or against a scheme like this being set up in your country?

6 Webquest Type ANPR or police surveillance or CCTV into YouTube. What kinds of crimes have been caught on CCTV? Listen to and watch a British police officer explain how ANPR works in practice: http://youtube.com/watch?v=s-4tRWMuLhM

H


•P



For technical information on ANPR go to: http://www.cctv-information.co.uk/cgi-bin/index.cgi?url=http://www.cctv-information.co.uk/constant3/anpr. html


Intermediate

KEY 2 Key words 1. surveillance 2. reconstruct 3. motorist 4. civil rights 5. Home Office 6. unmarked vehicles 7. equipped 8. disproportionate 9. watchdog 10. locate 11. duplicate 12. deter

4 Vocabulary: Pronunciation oOo

Ooo

surveillance campaigners recording converted illegal

motorists database criminals motorways duplicate

3 Comprehension check T F T T F T T F

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Tourism curbed in bid to save Galápagos haven Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words


crackdown

influx chronicle culprit

revenue

cumbersome

cap

impoverished

ancillary flock

1. If you place a _______________________ on something, you limit its numbers. 2. If you _______________________ something, you make a record of events in the order in which they happened. 3. _______________________ means ‘very poor’. 4. An _______________________ is a large number of people coming to a particular place. 5. _______________________ services are connected to a main activity but are less important. 6. If people _______________________ to a place, they gather there in large numbers because there is something interesting to see or do there. 7. A _______________________ is strong action taken by the authorities to stop a particular activity. 8. _______________________ is income from business activities or taxes. 9. A _______________________ system is complicated, slow and ineffective. 10. The _______________________ is the cause of something bad happening.

2

What do you know?

Decide whether these statements are true (T) or false (F). Then check your answers in the text. 1. The Galápagos Islands are situated in the Pacific Ocean. 2. They belong to Peru. 3. No-one lives on the Galápagos Islands. 4. Charles Darwin studied wildlife on the Galápagos Islands. 5. Darwin was born in the 18th century.

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NEWS LESSONS / Tourism curbed in bid to save Galápagos haven / Advanced

CA



6. The Galápagos Islands are home to exotic animals.

Tourism curbed in bid to save Galápagos haven Advanced

1 The volcanic Galápagos archipelago off South America’s Pacific coast is famous for its exotic wildlife. Charles Darwin’s observations on the Galápagos Islands inspired his theory of natural selection and turned the islands into a symbol of adaptation and survival. Flightless birds, giant tortoises and marine iguanas all found a home in the lava-scarred landscape. 2 And so, for a time, did a new human arrival: the illegal migrant worker. For decades, thousands flocked from the impoverished Ecuadorean mainland and found jobs in the tourist industry as maids, waiters, cleaners and shop assistants. 3 Now, however, the migrants are vanishing – targeted in an unprecedented Ecuadorean government crackdown intended to rein in a breakneck tourism boom and save the archipelago’s unique ecology. 4 Record numbers of tourist developments have threatened endangered plant and animal species and prompted Unesco, the United Nations’ cultural agency, to place the Galápagos on its ‘in danger list’. The influx is expected to swell for next year’s 200th anniversary of the birth of Darwin. 5 Two centuries after Darwin, most of the islands’ species have survived human settlement, but the authorities have become alarmed and decided to crack down. But only on migrant workers, not the tourists. Checkpoints and patrols have been set up to catch illegal residents who are then marched on to aircraft and flown 600 miles east back to the mainland. ‘It is a policy to send home all those who do not have legal status or the proper documentation,’ said Carlos Macias, a spokesman for the regional planning agency. ‘We are enforcing the law.’

7 The idea is to maintain the bonanza but lighten its environmental footprint by scaling back ancillary activities which require imported labour. Environmentalists welcomed the initiative, but worried it did not go far enough. ‘The system is currently broken, or certainly strained,’ said Johannah Barry, president of the Galápagos Conservancy. ‘The problem is not so much the number of tourists as the ancillary economy that’s going up around it. It makes sense to limit the strain.’ 8 What Darwin chronicled in 1835 – a living laboratory of flora and fauna whose interactions helped explain evolution – has been disrupted not so much by people as by the alien species which accompanied them: goats, cats, cattle, pigs, mosquitoes, etc. They challenge local habitats in ways nature never intended. Another culprit is oil leaking from vessels – notably the tanker Jessica which ran aground in 2001 – and over-fishing. Populations of sharks and sea cucumbers have fallen. Scientists at Galápagos National Park have called for a cap on tourists, saying it is the only way to prevent further damage. 9 The annual revenue of the islands is now estimated at $200m, but much of this goes to tax-paying airlines and tour operators on the mainland. Last month Ecuador’s Environment Minister, Marcela Aguiñaga said there was no sign that tourism was ‘oversaturated’. President Rafael Correa, a self-proclaimed environmentalist, has acknowledged that the Galápagos are at risk and is trying to shake up the notoriously cumbersome and bureaucratic

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Tourism curbed in bid to save Galápagos haven / Advanced

O

Rory Carroll, Latin America correspondent October 12, 2008


Plants and animals are threatened by the number of visitors to the islands Darwin explored. Now illegal migrant workers in spin-off industries are being expelled to save the archipelago’s ecology

6 1,000 migrant workers have returned to the mainland in the past year. Another 2,000 have been told to leave within 12 months. If they go, the permanent human population of 30,000 will have been decimated. However, there are no plans to curb the soaring number of tourists – mostly well-heeled Europeans and Americans who visit for a few days – which this year is set to reach 180,000. ‘Of course the tourist numbers have an environmental impact, but we cannot forfeit the economic opportunity,’ said Macias.

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Tourism curbed in bid to save Galápagos haven

CA

Level 3

Tourism curbed in bid to save Galápagos haven Level 3

Advanced

local government. It was apparently at Correa’s prompting that Unesco visited the archipelago last year and placed it on its ‘danger list’, a decision upheld in July. The government says it is working on a new ‘tourism model’ to reconcile a continued tourism boom with environmental protection. Expelling illegal migrant workers is part of the new approach. 10 Upon arrival all visitors are now given identity cards to help authorities keep track of movements and departures. Most migrant workers who are obliged to leave do so under their own steam and only a minority are frogmarched to the airport, said Macias, the state official. There are an

estimated 6,000 undocumented workers, a fifth of the permanent population. 11 Expulsions were a bold start, but further steps were needed to protect the archipelago’s ecology, said Henry Nicholls, author of a book on conservation. ‘Kicking people out is one thing, but it would also be sensible to put a cap on tourist numbers and to reform the tourist industry. Neither of those decisions is easy.’ © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Observer, 12/10/08

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. Why is the Ecuadorean government reluctant to limit the number of tourists visiting the Galápagos Islands? a. Because the tourists do not do as much damage as the migrant workers. b. Because they have no environmental impact. c. Because the government earns a lot of money from tourism. 2. What has caused the biggest disruption to flora and fauna on the Galápagos Islands? a. Illegal workers. b. Tourists. c. Alien species. 3. What is the significance of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Darwin for the Galápagos Islands? a. It will greatly increase the number of tourists visiting the islands. b. It will enable Unesco to take the islands off its danger list. c. It will encourage the Ecuadorean government to work on a new tourism model. 4. What is the reaction of conservationists to the expulsion of the illegal migrant workers? a. They are angry about it. b. They welcome it but say it is only a start.

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c. They think it will solve all the conservation problems experienced on the Galápagos Islands.


Advanced

4 Find the word Look in the text and find the following words and expressions. The paragraph numbers are given to help you. 1. A noun meaning a large group of small islands. (para 1) 2. An adjective meaning the greatest in size or amount that has ever been known. (para 3) 3. A verb meaning to control or limit something that is harmful. (para 6) 4. A two-word adjective meaning rich. (para 6) 5. A two-word expression used for saying what a particular person describes themselves as, even though other people might not agree. (para 9) 6. A four-word expression meaning without the help of anyone else. (para 10) 7. A verb meaning to force someone to walk somewhere with their arms held tightly. (para 10) 8. An adjective meaning involving a risk. (para 11)

5 Phrasal verbs Match these phrasal verbs from the text with their meanings. 1. rein in

a. make something smaller in size than it used to be

2. crack down

b. organise or plan something such as an event or system

3. set up

c. make changes in the way something operates so that it is more effective

4. scale back

d. limit or control something that has developed too much

5. shake up

e. force someone to leave a place

6. kick out

f. start dealing with something much more strictly

6 Verb + noun collocations Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns or noun phrases in the right-hand column. Check your answers in the text. 1. uphold 2. enforce 3. welcome 4. prevent 5. have 6. forfeit 7. keep 8. protect

a. an opportunity b. track of c. an impact d. an initiative e. a decision f. further damage g. the environment/ecology h. the law

7 Discussion

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Should tourists be banned from environmentally threatened regions? What are the arguments for and against such an initiative?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. cap 2. chronicle 3. impoverished 4. influx 5. ancillary 6. flock 7. crackdown 8. revenue 9. cumbersome 10. culprit

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

2 What do you know?

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

1. 2. 3. 4.

c c a b

6 Verb + noun collocations 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

e h d f c a b g

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Tourism curbed in bid to save Galápagos haven / Advanced

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d f b a c e

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T F F T F T

5 Phrasal Verbs


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

archipelago unprecedented curb well-heeled self-proclaimed under one’s own steam frogmarch bold


Elementary

Key words


revenue expel

cap

migrant

mainland

impoverished

alien

boom

checkpoint

flora and fauna

1. ________________________ means from another country. 2. A ________________________ is a place where soldiers or police stop traffic. 3. ________________________ is money you get from business activities or taxes. 4. A ________________________ is a sudden increase in profits in a particular industry. 5. ________________________ are the plants and animals of a region or country. 6. If you place a ________________________ on something, you limit its numbers. 7. ________________________ means very poor. 8. A ________________________ is someone who travels to another country to find work. 9. If you ________________________ someone from a place, you force them to leave. 10. The ________________________ is the mass of land that forms the main part of a country and does not include any islands.

2


Look in the text and find the answers to these questions as quickly as possible. 1. Where are the Galápagos Islands? 2. Which country are the Galápagos Islands part of? 3. What is the permanent population of the islands? 4. How many tourists will visit the islands this year? 5. How many migrant workers have already returned to the mainland?

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NEWS LESSONS / Tourism curbed in bid to save Galápagos haven / Elementary

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6. When was Charles Darwin born? 1808 or 1809?

Tourism curbed in bid to save Galápagos haven Elementary

1 The exotic wildlife of the Galápagos Islands off the Pacific coast of South America is famous around the world. Charles Darwin spent some time in the Galápagos in the 19th century and developed his theory of natural selection from what he saw there. The islands became a symbol of adaptation and survival. The Galápagos were home to flightless birds, giant tortoises and marine iguanas. 2 Then a new human arrival came to the islands: the illegal migrant worker. For years thousands came from the impoverished Ecuadorean mainland and found jobs in the tourist industry as maids, waiters, cleaners and shop assistants. But now the migrants are leaving – as the Ecuadorean government tries to save the unique ecology of the islands by controlling the level of tourist development. 3 Record numbers of tourists have endangered rare plant and animal species and now Unesco, the United Nations’ cultural agency, has placed the Galápagos on its ‘in danger list’. People expect that the number of tourists will increase for next year’s 200th anniversary of the birth of Darwin. 4 Two centuries after Darwin, most of the islands’ species have survived human settlement, but the authorities are worried and have decided to take action. But not on the tourists – on the migrant workers. They have set up checkpoints to catch illegal residents who they then put on to aircraft and fly 600 miles east back to the mainland. ‘It is our policy to send home all those who do not have the correct documentation and the right to be here,’ said Carlos Macias, a spokesman for the regional planning agency. ‘This is the law.’ 5 In the past year 1,000 migrant workers have returned to the mainland. Another 2,000 have to

6 The idea is to keep the tourist boom but reduce activities related to tourism which require imported labour. Environmentalists are pleased the authorities have taken action, but they believe more action is needed. ‘The system is broken, or certainly almost broken,’ said Johannah Barry, president of the Galápagos Conservancy. ‘The problem is not the number of tourists but the related economy that is growing around tourism. We must try and reduce it.’ 7 In 1835 Darwin wrote about a living laboratory of flora and fauna whose interactions helped explain evolution. It is not people who have changed this living laboratory but the alien species which have accompanied them: goats, cats, cattle, pigs, mosquitoes, etc. They damage local habitats in ways nature never intended. Another problem is oil leaking from ships and over-fishing. Populations of sharks and other sea creatures have fallen. Scientists at Galápagos National Park have called for a cap on tourists, saying it is the only way to stop further damage. 8 The revenue of the islands is around $200m, but most of this goes to airlines and tour operators on the mainland. President Rafael Correa of Ecuador admits that the Galápagos are at risk and is trying to reform the slow and bureaucratic local government. People believe it was Correa who encouraged Unesco to visit the islands last year and place them on its ‘danger list’. The government says it is working on a new ‘tourism model’ to continue the tourism boom and protect the environment at the same time. Expelling illegal migrant workers is part of the new strategy. 9 When they arrive all visitors now get an identity card so the authorities can follow their movements and departures but there are still around 6,000

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Tourism curbed in bid to save Galápagos haven / Elementary

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Rory Carroll, Latin America correspondent October 12, 2008


Plants and animals are threatened by the number of visitors to the islands Darwin explored. Now illegal migrant workers in spin-off industries are being expelled to save the archipelago’s ecology

leave within 12 months. If they go, the human population of 30,000 will fall by 10%. But there are no plans to control the growing number of tourists – mostly rich Europeans and Americans who visit for a few days – which this year will probably reach 180,000. ‘Of course the tourist numbers have an effect on the environment, but we cannot lose this economic opportunity,’ said Macias.

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Level 1


Elementary

workers without documents, a fifth of the permanent population. 10 Henry Nicholls, an author of a book on conservation, says that expelling the illegal migrant workers is a good start, but that further steps are needed to protect the ecology of the islands. ‘Expelling people is one thing, but it would also be a good idea to put a cap on tourist numbers and to reform the tourist industry. Those are not easy decisions.’ © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Observer, 12/10/08

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. The number of visitors to the Galápagos Islands will increase next year because… 2. The number of migrant workers on the Galápagos Islands is falling because… 3. The authorities are not planning… 4. Environmentalists believe… 5. Most of the money the islands earn from tourism… 6. Putting a cap on tourist numbers and reforming the tourist industry… a. … goes to airlines and tour operators on the mainland. b. … it is the 200th anniversary of the birth of Darwin. c. … will not be easy decisions. d. … the authorities are expelling them. e. … the authorities should take more action.

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f. … to reduce the number of tourists.


Elementary

4 Two-word expressions Match the words from the left-hand column with the words in the right-hand column to make two-word expressions from the text. Check your answers in the text. 1. sea

a. government

2. migrant

b. operator

3. local

c. card

4. giant

d. industry

5. tourist

e. species

6. tour

f. worker

7. alien

g. creatures

8. identity

h. tortoise

5 Expressions with prepositions Fill the gaps in the phrases from the text using prepositions. Check your answers in the text. 1. jobs _____________ the tourist industry 2. the level _____________ tourist development 3. fly back _____________ the mainland 4. have an effect _____________ the environment 5. activities related _____________ tourism 6. oil leaking _____________ ships 7. _____________ risk 8. part _______ the strategy


verb select adapt survive develop settle interact evolve depart

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

noun


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words


1. alien 2. checkpoint 3. revenue 4. boom 5. flora and fauna 6. cap 7. impoverished 8. migrant 9. expel 10. mainland

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

b d f e a c


noun

1

select

selection

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

adapt

adaptation

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Tourism curbed in bid to save Galápagos haven / Elementary

survive

survival

develop

development

settle

settlement

interact

interaction

evolve

evolution

depart

departure

H


in of to on to from at of

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off the Pacific coast of South America Ecuador 30,000 180,000 1,000 1809



1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

g f a h d b e c


Intermediate

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. crack down

revenue

impoverished

archipelago

cap

migrant

mainland

disrupt

saturated

expel

1. If you ____________________ something, you interrupt it and prevent it from continuing by causing a problem. 2. If something is ____________________, it is completely full. 3. The ____________________ is the mass of land that forms the main part of a country and does not include any islands. 4. If you place a ____________________ on something, you limit its numbers. 5. If you ____________________ someone from a place, you force them to leave. 6. A ____________________ is someone who travels to another country to find work. 7. ____________________ is income from business activities or taxes. 8. ____________________ means ‘very poor’. 9. If the authorities ____________________ on an activity, they start dealing with it much more strictly. 10. An ____________________ is a large group of small islands.

2


Look in the text and find the answers to these questions as quickly as possible. 1. Where are the Galápagos Islands? 2. Which country are the Galápagos Islands part of? 3. What is the permanent population of the islands? 4. What is the predicted number of tourist visitors this year? 5. How many migrant workers have already returned to the mainland?

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NEWS LESSONS / Tourism curbed in bid to save Galápagos haven / Intermediate

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6. When did Charles Darwin visit the Galápagos Islands?

Tourism curbed in bid to save Galápagos haven Intermediate

2 And so, for a time, did a new human arrival: the illegal migrant worker. For years thousands came from the impoverished Ecuadorean mainland and found jobs in the tourist industry as maids, waiters, cleaners and shop assistants. But now the migrants are vanishing – as the Ecuadorean government tries to save the archipelago’s unique ecology by controlling the level of tourist development on the islands. 3 Record numbers of tourists have threatened endangered plant and animal species and has led to Unesco, the United Nations’ cultural agency, placing the Galápagos on its ‘in danger list’. The number of tourists is expected to increase for next year’s 200th anniversary of the birth of Darwin. 4 Two centuries after Darwin, most of the islands’ species have survived human settlement, but the authorities have become worried and have decided to crack down. But only on migrant workers, not the tourists. They have set up checkpoints and patrols to catch illegal residents who are then put on to aircraft and flown 600 miles east back to the mainland. ‘It is a policy to send home all those who do not have legal status or the proper documentation,’ said Carlos Macias, a spokesman for the regional planning agency. ‘We are enforcing the law.’ 5 In the past year 1,000 migrant workers have returned to the mainland. Another 2,000 have been told to leave within 12 months. If they go, the permanent human population of 30,000 will fall by 10%. However,

7 What Darwin described in 1835 – a living laboratory of flora and fauna whose interactions helped explain evolution – has been disrupted not so much by people as by the alien species which accompanied them: goats, cats, cattle, pigs, mosquitoes, etc. They disrupt local habitats in ways nature never intended. Another problem is oil leaking from ships – notably the tanker Jessica which ran aground in 2001 – and over-fishing. Populations of sharks and other sea creatures have fallen. Scientists at Galápagos National Park have called for a cap on tourists, saying it is the only way to prevent further damage. 8 The revenue of the islands is around $200m, but a lot of this goes to airlines and tour operators on the mainland. Last month Ecuador’s Environment Minister, Marcela Aguiñaga said there was no sign that tourism was ‘saturated’. President Rafael Correa admits that the Galápagos are at risk and is trying to shake up the slow and bureaucratic local government. Apparently it was Correa who encouraged Unesco to visit the archipelago last year and place it on its ‘danger list’. The government says it is working on a new ‘tourism model’ to continue the tourism boom and protect the environment at the same time. Expelling illegal migrant workers is part of the new approach. 9 When they arrive all visitors are now given identity cards to help authorities keep track of movements and departures. Most migrant workers who have to leave go under their own steam and only a few have to be forced to go to the airport, said Macias, the state

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Tourism curbed in bid to save Galápagos haven / Intermediate

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1 The volcanic Galápagos archipelago off South America’s Pacific coast is famous for its exotic wildlife. Charles Darwin’s observations on the Galápagos Islands inspired his theory of natural selection and turned the islands into a symbol of adaptation and survival. Flightless birds, giant tortoises and marine iguanas all found a home in the islands.

6 The idea is to keep the tourist boom but reduce activities related to tourism which require imported labour. Environmentalists welcomed the initiative, but worried it did not go far enough. ‘The system is currently broken, or certainly almost broken,’ said Johannah Barry, president of the Galápagos Conservancy. ‘The problem is not so much the number of tourists as the related economy that’s going up around it. It makes sense to try and reduce it.’


Plants and animals are threatened by the number of visitors to the islands Darwin explored. Now illegal migrant workers in spin-off industries are being expelled to save the archipelago’s ecology Rory Carroll, Latin America correspondent October 12, 2008

there are no plans to control the growing number of tourists – mostly rich Europeans and Americans who visit for a few days – which this year will probably reach 180,000. ‘Of course the tourist numbers have an environmental impact, but we cannot lose this economic opportunity,’ said Macias.

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Intermediate

official. There are an estimated 6,000 undocumented workers, a fifth of the permanent population. 10 Henry Nicholls, an author of a book on conservation, says that the expulsions are a bold start, but that further steps are needed to protect the archipelago’s ecology. ‘Kicking people out is one thing, but it would also be sensible to put a cap on tourist numbers and to reform the tourist industry. Neither of those decisions is easy.’ © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Observer, 12/10/08

3 Comprehension check Are these statements true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. The Ecuadorean government wants to reduce the number of tourists. 2. The number of tourists will probably fall next year. 3. Most of the illegal migrant workers have now left the islands. 4. Most of the money the islands earn goes to the mainland. 5. Most of the tourists come from North America and Europe. 6. Conservationists believe that the expulsion of the migrant workers is enough to protect the ecology of the islands.

4 Find the word Look in the text and find the following words and expressions. The paragraph numbers are given to help you. 1. A noun meaning a place where traffic can be stopped by soldiers or police. (para 4) 2. A verb meaning to make sure that a law or rule is obeyed by people. (para 4) 3. A noun meaning an effect on something. (para 5) 4. A noun meaning an important action that is intended to solve a problem. (para 6) 5. An adjective meaning from a different country. (para 7) 6. A two-word phrasal verb meaning to make changes in the way something operates so that it is more effective. (para 8) 7. A four-word expression meaning without the help of anyone else. (para 9)

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8. An adjective meaning involving a risk. (para 10)


Intermediate

5 Two-word expressions Match the words from the left-hand column with the words in the right-hand column to make expressions from the text. 1. tourist

a. card

2. migrant

b. operator

3. legal

c. aground

4. environmental

d. industry

5. run

e. species

6. tour

f. worker

7. alien

g. impact

8. identity

h. status


verb

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

noun

expel develop adapt survive settle evolve depart approach

7 Discussion

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Should we try to help the environment by reducing air travel and tourism?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. disrupt 2. saturated 3. mainland 4. cap 5. expel 6. migrant 7. revenue 8. impoverished 9. crack down 10. archipelago

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

F F F T T F

6 Word building 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Tourism curbed in bid to save Galápagos haven / Intermediate

verb

noun

expel

expulsion

develop

development

adapt

adaptation

survive

survival

settle

settlement

evolve

evolution

depart

departure

approach

approach

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d f h g c b e a

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In the Pacific (off the coast of South America) Ecuador 30,000 180,000 1,000 1835



1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

checkpoint enforce impact initiative alien shake up under their own steam bold

Villainous tale of modern India wins £50,000 Booker prize Level 3 1

Advanced

Warmer

What is the Man Booker prize? a) An award for the best work of fiction written by a young author (under 40 years old). b) A prize for a full-length novel written in English by a citizen of the British Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland.

c) A literary prize for the best international first-time novelist. Can you name any other literary prizes? What advantages are there in winning a literary prize? a) for the author

2

b) for the publishing house

c) for the author’s agent

Key words

a) Write the key words from the article into the sentences below. The paragraph numbers are given to help you. 1. An adjective meaning to behave in an immoral way. _____________________ (title) 2. An adjective meaning first. _____________________ (title) 3. When something is this, everyone (without exception) is in agreement. _____________________ (para 3) 4. An adjective used to describe someone who is behaving in a very self-confident and annoying way. _____________________ (para 4) 5. An adjective used to describe someone or something that is or has become very, very poor. _____________________ (para 5) 6. An adjective to describe someone who has advantages that others do not have because he has money or high social status. _____________________ (para 5) 7. A compound noun meaning the most modern and advanced point in the development of something. _____________________ (para 8) 8. A noun used to describe the prime minister or leader of a country. _____________________ (para 10) 9. Modern and up-to-date. _____________________ (para 10) 10. A noun that is used when we get a sudden feeling that we must have or must do something. _____________________ (para 10) b) In paragraph 7, Michael Portillo says that the book knocked his socks off. What does he mean by that? Is the expression positive or negative? Skim-read the article to find out. Give an example of something

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NEWS LESSONS / Villainous tale of modern India wins £50,000 Booker prize / Advanced

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that has knocked your socks off.

Villainous tale of modern India wins £50,000 Booker prize Advanced

Out of the Darkness: Adiga’s White Tiger rides to Booker victory against the odds 7

Portillo said that Adiga “undertakes an extraordinary task – he gains and holds the reader’s attention with a hero who is an absolute villain”. He also praised the work’s attention to “important social issues: the division between rich and poor, and issues on a global scale. And it is extremely readable.” The main criterion for the prize, he said, was: “Does this book knock my socks off? And this did.”

8

The feeling among the judges, Portillo said, was that “here was a book on the cutting edge, dealing with a different aspect of India, unfamiliar perhaps to many readers. What set it apart was its originality. The feeling was that this was new territory.”

9

Portillo likened the novel to Macbeth. “It is about ambition realised through murder,” he said, “but with a delicious twist. Whereas Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are driven mad by their crime, the hero of this book is only driven mad by the fact that he hesitated and might not have committed his crime.”

10

The novel takes the form of seven letters addressed by Balram to the Chinese premier on the eve of a state visit. The unpleasant reality of contemporary Indian society is revealed via sketches of characters, from millionaires in their air-conditioned tower blocks to the unfortunates who are trapped in poverty and who live literally below them, catering to their every whim. Kevin Rushby, reviewing the book for the Guardian, called it “a witty parable of India’s changing society”.

11

Adiga was born in Chennai in 1974 and was raised partly in Australia. Having studied at Columbia and Oxford universities, he became a journalist, and has written for Time magazine and many British newspapers. He lives in Mumbai.

1 After an “emotionally draining” and closely fought final judging session, Aravind Adiga, one of the two debut novelists on the Man Booker shortlist, was last night awarded the £50,000 prize for The White Tiger, a modern novel about the dark side of the new India. 2 Adiga, 33, was a surprise winner. He is only the fourth first-time novelist to win the prize, after Keri Hulme in 1985, Arundhati Roy in 1997 and DBC Pierre in 2003 – and he is the second youngest after Ben Okri, who won in 1991 aged 32. 3 Michael Portillo, the chair of the judges, talked of a final panel meeting characterised by “passionate debate”. Adiga’s book won by a “sufficient”, but by no means unanimous, margin. “It was pretty close,” said Portillo, and in the last stages it was down to a battle between The White Tiger and one other book. 4 The White Tiger takes a sharp look at the reality of India’s economic miracle. Its antihero and narrator, Balram Halwai, is a cocksure, uneducated young man, the son of an impoverished rickshaw driver. By lying, betraying and using his sharp intelligence, Balram makes his way up into the heady heights of Bangalore’s big business. 5 The writing of the novel, said Adiga, had come out of his career as a journalist, and his encounters – as a relatively privileged middleclass man – with members of India’s underclass. “Class is a boring topic to write about. Big divides are not what people are interested in. But it’s the most pressing concern – because other things spring out of it, like terrorism and instability,” he said. “The book has done very well in India. 6 “Something extraordinary is happening between the rich and the poor. Once, there was at least


© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Villainous tale of modern India wins £50,000 Booker prize / Advanced

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Charlotte Higgins, chief arts writer October 15, 2008

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• Villainous tale of modern India wins £50,000 prize • Debut novel now certain to become commercial hit

a common culture between rich and poor, but not anymore.” Asked what he would do with the money, he said: “The first thing is to find a bank I can put it in.”


Level 3

Villainous tale of modern India wins £50,000 Booker prize Level 3

Advanced

3 Comprehension check Choose the correct answer according to the information in the article. 1. When deciding who would win the prize, the judges ... a) ... had a fight. b) ... had dinner together. c) ... had a hard time. d) ... had an easy job.

4. The author of the novel describes himself as ... a) ... a relatively privileged middle-class man. b) ... an absolute villain. c) ... the son of a rickshaw driver. d) ... being from the impoverished underclass.

2. The youngest ever Man Booker prize winner is ... a) ... Keri Hulme. b) ... Arundhati Roy. c) ... Ben Okri. d) ... Aravind Adiga.

5. The novel ... a) ... is written in the form of letters. b) ... is about class divisions. c) ... has been likened to a Shakespeare tragedy. d) ... is all of the above.

3. The main character in the novel is ... a) ... an upper-class student. b) ... an Indian businessman. c) ... the Chinese premier. d) ... the son of a rickshaw driver.

6: The winner of the Man Booker prize receives ... a) ... a guaranteed increase in sales. b) ... fifty-thousand British pounds. c) ... a handshake from the queen. d) ... fame and glory but nothing else.

4 Vocabulary: Collocations Match the words to make collocations from the article. 1. emotionally

concern

2. closely

debate

3. passionate

miracle

4. sufficient

task

5. economic

draining

6. pressing

twist

7. extraordinary

margin

8. delicious

fought

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NEWS LESSONS / Villainous tale of modern India wins £50,000 Booker prize / Advanced

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Now write your own example sentences for the collocations.


Advanced

5 Discussion •

What book are you reading at the moment / What was the last book you read?

•

Who would you recommend it to?

•

Give a rough description of the type of novel you would like to read next. Can anyone recommend you a book?

•

Are there any novels you’ve read in the past that you can really recommend?

•

Which online bookshop offers the best price (don’t forget to include potential postage costs).

•

If you order the book today, when will you receive it?

•

Is the book available in any other languages? If so which, and how much does the book cost in your preferred language?

•

Read an online synopsis of the book. Does it make you want to read the book? Why / Why not?


H

Find out how much the book, The White Tiger, costs if you order it online.

•P

•


6 Webquest

Villainous tale of modern India wins £50,000 Booker prize Level 3 Advanced KEY 1 Warmer


b) A prize for a full-length novel written in English by a citizen of the British Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland. See http://www.themanbookerprize.com/

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

4 Vocabulary: Collocations emotionally draining closely fought passionate debate sufficient margin economic miracle pressing concern extraordinary task delicious twist


H

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

•P

1. villainous 2. debut 3. unanimous 4. cocksure 5. impoverished 6. privileged 7. cutting edge 8. premier 9. contemporary 10. whim


2 Key words

c c d a d b


Elementary

1 Warmer What is the Man Booker prize? a) A prize for the best short story by a young author (under 40 years old). b) A prize for a full-length novel written in English by a citizen of the British Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland. c) A prize for the best international first-time novelist.

2 Key words Write the key words from the article into the sentences below. This will help you understand the text.

state visit economic miracle

novelist debut

underclass villainous

sketches originality

whim judge

instability rickshaw

1. A word meaning behaving in an immoral, bad or criminal way. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (title) 2. An adjective meaning first. _ _ _ _ _ (title) 3. Someone who writes a fictional book. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (para 1) 4. Someone who decides who will win a competition. _ _ _ _ _ (para 2) 5. A financial wonder. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (para 3) 6. A small vehicle used for carrying people, usually pulled by someone riding a bicycle. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (para 3) 7. The people at the very bottom of society. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (para 4) 8. A worrying situation that keeps changing. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (para 4) 9. The quality of being new, interesting and unique. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (para 6) 10. A visit that involves the head or government of a country. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (para 7) 11. Short written descriptions. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (para 7)

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NEWS LESSONS / Villainous tale of modern India wins £50,000 Booker prize / Elementary

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12. A noun that is used when we get a sudden feeling that we must have or must do something. _ _ _ _ (para 7)


Elementary

Out of the Darkness: Adiga’s White Tiger rides to Booker victory against the odds • Villainous tale of modern India wins £50,000 prize • Debut novel now certain to become commercial hit

with a different aspect of India, one perhaps that many readers do not know. What made it different was its originality.” 7

The novel takes the form of seven letters written by Balram to the Chinese leader the evening before a state visit. The unpleasant reality of modern Indian society is shown via sketches of characters, from millionaires in their air-conditioned tower blocks to the unfortunate people who are trapped in poverty and who live literally below them, catering to their every whim. Kevin Rushby, who reviewed the book for the Guardian, called it “a witty story of India’s changing society”.

8

Adiga was born in Chennai in 1974 and was raised partly in Australia. Having studied at Columbia and Oxford universities, he became a journalist, and has written for Time magazine and many British newspapers. He lives in Mumbai.

Charlotte Higgins, chief arts writer October 15, 2008 1 Aravind Adiga last night won the £50,000 Man Booker prize for The White Tiger, a modern novel about the dark side of the new India. Adiga, 33, was a surprise winner. He is only the fourth first-time novelist to win the prize, after Keri Hulme in 1985, Arundhati Roy in 1997 and DBC Pierre in 2003 – and he is the second youngest after Ben Okri, who won in 1991 aged 32. 2 Michael Portillo, one of the judges, said “It was pretty close, but in the end it was a battle between The White Tiger and one other book.” 3 The White Tiger takes a sharp look at the reality of India’s economic miracle. The main character, Balram Halwai, is an uneducated young man, the son of a poor rickshaw driver. He lies and uses his sharp intelligence to make his way up to the top of Bangalore’s big business.


4 The decision to write the novel, said Adiga, came from his career as a journalist, and his encounters with members of India’s underclass. “Class is a boring topic to write about. Big divides are not what people are interested in. But it’s important – because other things come out of it, like terrorism and instability,” he said. “The book has done very well in India.” 5 Portillo praised the book’s attention to “important social issues: the division between rich and poor, and issues on a global scale. And it is extremely readable even though the hero is an absolute villain.”

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6 The feeling among the judges, Portillo said, was that “here was an up-to-date book, which deals


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the sentence halves to summarize the article. 1. Aravind Adiga won ...

... receives £50,000.

2. The winner of the Man Booker prize ...

... letters to the Chinese leader.

3. The main character in his novel ...

... money divisions in Indian society.

4. The novel is written in the form of ...

... popular in India.

5. The book is about class and ...

... first work of fiction.

6. The author thinks class is a boring ...

... this year’s Man Booker prize.

7. The book is very ...

... but important topic to write about.

8. The White Tiger is Aravind Adiga’s ...

... is an unpleasant businessman.

4 Vocabulary: Questions Write questions for these answers using the prompt words below and any other necessary words. question prompts

questions

answers

E.g. When / Aravind Adiga / born

When was Aravind Adiga born?

1974

1. How much / prize

£50,000

2. How old

33

3. What / title / book

The White Tiger

4. Where / story / take place

India

5. What / main character’s / father

A rickshaw driver

6. Who / main character / write letters

The Chinese leader

7. What / Aravind Adiga’s / job

A journalist

5 Discussion Brainstorm as many book genres as possible, e.g. historical romances, detective stories, ... • • •

What type of books do you like to read? What book are you reading at the moment / What was the last book you read? Would you recommend it to the others in your group?

6 Webquest

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How much does the book, The White Tiger, cost from an online bookshop? If you order the book today, when will you receive it? Can you buy the book in your language? If so, how much does it cost?

CA

• • •

Freerunning Villainous tale joins of modern sport establishment India wins £50,000 Booker prize Level 1 Elementary KEY 1 Warmer

4

1.

(suggested answers) 1. How much is the prize money? 2. How old is Aravind Adiga? 3. What is the title of the book? 4. Where does the story take place? 5. What does the main character’s father’s job? 6. Who does the main character write letters to? 7. What is/was Aravind Adiga’s job?


2 Key words

Aravind Adiga won this year’s Man Booker prize. The winner of the Man Booker prize receives £50,000. The main character in his novel is an unpleasant businessman. The novel is written in the form of letters to the Chinese leader. The book is about class and money divisions in Indian society. The author thinks class is a boring but important topic to write about. The book is very popular in India. The White Tiger is Aravind Adiga’s first work of fiction.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Villainous tale of modern India wins £50,000 Booker prize / Elementary

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Comprehension check

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3

villainous debut novelist judge economic miracle rickshaw underclass instability originality state visit sketches whim


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

Vocabulary: Questions


Intermediate

Warmer

What is the Man Booker prize? a) A prize for the best short story written by a young author (under 40 years old). b) A prize for a full-length novel written in English by a citizen of the British Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland. c) A prize for the best international first-time novelist. Can you name any other book prizes? What advantages are there in winning a book prize? a) for the author

2

b) for the publishing house

c) for the author’s agent

Key words

a) Write the key words from the article into the sentences below. The paragraph numbers are given to help you. state visit impoverished

novelist villainous

privileged hesitated

instability encounters

parable debut

whim passionate debate

1. An adjective meaning to behave in an immoral way. ______________________ (title) 2. An adjective meaning first. ______________________ (title) 3. Someone who writes a work of fiction. ______________________ (para 1) 4. An emotional discussion in which people state their opinions. ______________________ (para 2) 5. An adjective used to describe someone or something that is or has become very, very poor. ______________________ (para 3) 6. A noun meaning unplanned meetings. ______________________ (para 4) 7. An adjective to describe someone who has advantages that others do not have because he has money or high social status. ______________________ (para 4) 8. A worrying situation that keeps changing. ______________________ (para 4) 9. A verb meaning to pause before doing something (past participle). ______________________ (para 8) 10. A visit that involves the head or government of a country. ______________________ (para 9) 11. A noun that is used when we get a sudden feeling that we must have or must do something. ______________________ (para 9) 12. A simple story with a moral or (often religious) meaning. ______________________ (para 9)

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b) In paragraph 6, Michael Portillo says that the book knocked his socks off. What does he mean by that? Is the expression positive or negative? Skim-read the article to find out. Give an example of something that has knocked your socks off.


Intermediate

Out of the Darkness: Adiga’s White Tiger rides to Booker victory against the odds

6

Portillo said that Adiga “undertakes an extraordinary task – he gains and holds the reader’s attention with a hero who is an absolute villain”. He also praised the work’s attention to “important social issues: the division between rich and poor, and issues on a global scale. And it is extremely readable.” The main criterion for the prize, he said, was: “Does this book knock my socks off? And this did.”

7

The feeling among the judges, Portillo said, was that “here was an up-to-date book, dealing with a different aspect of India, unfamiliar perhaps to many readers. What set it apart was its originality. The feeling was that this was new territory.”

8

Portillo likened the novel to Macbeth. “It is about ambition and murder,” he said, “but with a delicious twist. Whereas Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are driven mad by their crime, the hero of this book is only driven mad by the fact that he hesitated and might not have committed his crime.”

9

The novel takes the form of seven letters addressed by Balram to the Chinese leader on the eve of a state visit. The unpleasant reality of modern Indian society is shown via sketches of characters, from millionaires in their air-conditioned tower blocks to the unfortunate people who are trapped in poverty and who live literally below them, catering to their every whim. Kevin Rushby, reviewing the book for the Guardian, called it “a witty parable of India’s changing society”.

• Villainous tale of modern India wins £50,000 prize • Debut novel now certain to become commercial hit Charlotte Higgins, chief arts writer October 15, 2008 1 Aravind Adiga, one of the two debut novelists on the Man Booker shortlist, was last night awarded the £50,000 prize for The White Tiger, a modern novel about the dark side of the new India. Adiga, 33, was a surprise winner. He is only the fourth first-time novelist to win the prize, after Keri Hulme in 1985, Arundhati Roy in 1997 and DBC Pierre in 2003 – and he is the second youngest after Ben Okri, who won in 1991 aged 32.

2 Michael Portillo, one of the judges, said the judges’ final meeting was characterised by “passionate debate. It was pretty close,” said Portillo, and in the end it was down to a battle between The White Tiger and one other book.

3 The White Tiger takes a sharp look at the reality

of India’s economic miracle. The main character, Balram Halwai, is an uneducated young man, the son of an impoverished rickshaw driver. By lying, betraying and using his sharp intelligence, Balram makes his way up to the top of Bangalore’s big business.

4 The writing of the novel, said Adiga, had come out

of his career as a journalist, and his encounters – as a relatively privileged middle-class man – with members of India’s underclass. “Class is a boring topic to write about. Big divides are not what people are interested in. But it’s the most important aspect – because other things come out of it, like terrorism and instability,” he said. “The book has done very well in India.

10 Adiga was born in Chennai in 1974 and was raised partly in Australia. Having studied at Columbia and Oxford universities, he became a journalist, and has written for Time magazine and many British newspapers. He lives in Mumbai. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 15/10/08

5 “Something extraordinary is happening between

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the rich and the poor. Once, there was at least a common culture between rich and poor, but not anymore.” Asked what he would do with the money, he said: “The first thing is to find a bank I can put it in.”


Intermediate

Comprehension check

Are the statements true (T) of false (F) according to the information in the article? 1. Aravind Adiga is the youngest ever Man Booker prize winner. 2. The main character in the novel is an upper-class student. 3. The author of the novel describes himself as a relatively privileged middle-class man. 4. The novel is written in the form of letters. 5. The winner of the Man Booker prize receives a guaranteed increase in sales. 6. The author thinks class is a boring but important topic to write about. 7. The book has not sold very well in India. 8. The book’s main character is a good, likeable man. 9. The judges thought there were similarities between the book and one of Shakespeare’s plays. 10. The White Tiger is Aravind Adiga’s first work of fiction.

4 Vocabulary: Questions Write questions for the answers.

questions

answers

E.g. When was Aravind Adiga born?

1974

1.

£50,000

2.

33

3.

The White Tiger

4.

India

5.

A rickshaw driver

6.

The Chinese leader

7.

A journalist

5 Discussion Brainstorm as many book genres as possible, e.g. historical romances, detective stories, ... •

What type of books do you like to read?

•

What book are you reading at the moment / What was the last book you read?

•

Would you recommend it to the others in your group?

Which online bookshop offers the best price (don’t forget to include potential postage costs)?

•

If you order the book today, when will you receive it?

•

Is the book available in your language? If so, how much does it cost?

•

Read an online synopsis of the book. Would you like to read the book? Why / Why not?

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Villainous tale of modern India wins £50,000 Booker prize / Intermediate

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Find out how much the book, The White Tiger, costs if you order it online.

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•


6 Webquest

Villainousto tale of modern wins £50,000 Booker prize Addiction Internet ‘is an India illness’ Level 2

Intermediate

KEY 1 Warmer



1. F 2. F 3. T 4. T 5. F 6. T 7. F 8. F 9. T 10. T

2 Key words 1. villainous 2. debut 3. novelist 4. passionate debate 5. impoverished 6. encounters 7. privileged 8. instability 9. hesitated 10. state visit 11. whim 12. parable

4 Vocabulary: Questions Teacher’s note: There will be many different possible correct ways of writing the questions required in this task. The point is controlled practice in forming questions.

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El maestro Maradona: football legend to be Argentina manager Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words


shanty town

ruthless

imminent

obesity

eject

galvanise

volatile

impulsive

wizardry

charisma

1. A ___________________ person is one who can quickly become angry or violent. 2. An ___________________ person is one who does things without thinking what will happen as a result. 3. A ___________________ person is one willing to make other people suffer so that he or she can achieve their aims. 4. A ___________________ is an area where very poor people live in badly built houses made of wood or metal or other thin material. 5. If something is ___________________, it is likely or certain to happen very soon. 6. ___________________ is a strong personal quality that makes other people like you. 7. ___________________ is a condition in which someone is too fat in a way that is dangerous for their health. 8. If you ___________________ someone, you make them leave a place, often using physical force. 9. If you ___________________ people, you affect them enough to produce a strong and immediate reaction. 10. ___________________ is a very high level of skill at something.

2

What do you know?

Decide whether these statements are true (T) or false (F). Then check your answers in the text. 1. Diego Maradona is Argentinian. 2. He still plays football. 3. He was voted best player of the 20th century. 4. He was thrown out of the 1994 World Cup after testing positive for drugs. 5. Most England football fans love Maradona.

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6. Argentina won the 2006 World Cup.

El maestro Maradona: football legend to be Argentina manager Advanced

1 In the shanty towns of Buenos Aires they used to call him el pibe, Argentine slang for the little kid. But yesterday Diego Maradona, the diminutive Argentine footballer whose ball skills and ruthless cunning have granted him almost mythical status in his home country, was on the verge of becoming el maestro with his imminent appointment as manager of the national team.

6 He also said his lack of managerial experience – which runs to a total of 23 games with modest provincial club Deportivo Mandiyu and then Racing Club, in the mid 1990s – would be no problem. “They talk about my inexperience but I’ve spent 20-odd years in the Argentina team,” he said. “That’s why it makes me laugh when people talk about inexperience.”

2 The decision by the normally conservative president of the Argentina Football Association, Julio Grondona, marks an astonishing comeback for a controversial player who came close to death in 2004 when he spent 10 days in intensive care with respiratory problems following what was thought to have been a cocaine-induced heart attack.

7 But Maradona is impulsive, unpredictable and temperamental. For some in Argentina, it is almost as if Paul Gascoigne, whose personal and professional life has closely mirrored that of Maradona, had taken control of the England team – an unthinkable prospect here.

3 Only four years earlier, he had been voted the best footballer of the 20th century in a poll of fans for Fifa. He has also endured hospitalisation with alcohol-induced liver problems and underwent gastric bypass surgery for obesity in a Colombian clinic. In 1994 he was ejected from the World Cup in the US after he tested positive for ephedrine, a fact that might have been obvious to anyone who saw him run up to a pitchside camera and scream into its lens, eyes bulging unnaturally after he scored his only goal of the tournament against Greece. 4 But with Argentina’s two-time World Cup winning side in the doldrums in recent internationals, drawing six in a row earlier this year, Grondona hopes Maradona’s presence will galvanise the team. “I have wanted Maradona to be coach of the national team since 1979,” said Grondona in a radio interview on Wednesday, following talks with the 48-year-old. “In Argentine football there is a before and an after Maradona.” 5 Maradona indicated yesterday that he would

8 Both number 10s were regarded as the greatest footballers of their era but lost control through drink and drugs. Among the Argentine public yesterday there seemed to be limited enthusiasm for Maradona’s appointment, despite hopes it might deliver cheer as their economy is struggling again. Online polls for daily newspapers La Nación and Clarin reported that around threequarters of respondents disapproved. 9 Reflecting Maradona’s sometimes volatile character, Carlos Tevez, the Manchester United and Argentina striker who Maradona once described as “the Argentine prophet for the 21st century”, said: “Diego needs to think more with his head than his heart now that he’s coach.” 10 If the appointment is confirmed, as expected in Argentina, there appeared to be trouble ahead for one of the team’s star players. It was reported that Maradona has previously called Barcelona midfielder Lionel Messi too selfish in his play. Messi has been dubbed the new Maradona for his similar build and dribbling wizardry. “There will be no problem,” said Messi yesterday. “He is a great. I admire him for what he has given to

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / El maestro Maradona: football legend to be Argentina manager / Advanced

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Robert Booth and Sam Jones October 30, 2008


Surprise choice marks astonishing comeback by controversial star

rein in his famously volatile emotions when he becomes boss. “It makes me really happy that my parents will see me walk out as coach of the national team,” he said. “But I don’t want to cry. The national team needs a man who will make people smile, not cry, who will give them something to enjoy, not suffer.”

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El maestro Maradona: football legend to be Argentina manager

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Level 3

El maestro Maradona: football legend to be Argentina manager Level 3

Advanced

Argentine soccer. I am optimistic.” “His charisma will make the players follow him 100%,” said Italy coach Marcello Lippi, who lifted the 2006 World Cup. “They will listen to him like an oracle.” 11 Most England fans have a love-hate relationship with Maradona after the “hand of God” incident where he scored a goal with his hand to help knock England out of the 1986 World Cup. But he is also respected, alongside Pele, as perhaps the greatest footballer of all time. To some of

his countrymen, he means more than that. On his 43rd birthday in 2003, fans in Rosario established the “Church of Maradona” and decided 2003 should be 43DD, “después de Diego” or after Diego. “Maybe he’s risking too much, as always in his life,” wrote Daniel Arcucci, a columnist for La Nación, reflecting on his appointment. “Even his status as a myth.” © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Observer, 30/10/08

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. Diego Maradona ... a. ... will definitely be the next manager of Argentina. b. ... is expected to be the next manager of Argentina. c. ... probably won’t become the next manager of Argentina. 2. Maradona ... a. ... is regarded as the best footballer of all time. b. ... is regarded as one of the best two footballers of all time. c. ... is regarded as possibly one of the best two footballers of all time. 3. Maradona and Paul Gascoigne are compared in the text because ... a. ... they are both likely to become managers of their national teams. b. ... they both had drink and drugs problems. c. ... they were both great footballers who lost control through drink and drugs. 4. How is the current state of the Argentine national team described? a. They are not playing very well at the moment. b. They are improving rapidly.

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c. They are playing extremely badly this year.


Advanced

4 Find the word Look in the text and find the following words and expressions. The paragraph numbers are given to help you. 1. An adjective meaning very short or small. (para 1) 2. An adjective meaning related to the process of breathing. (para 2) 3. An adjective meaning large and sticking out. (para 3) 4. A three-word expression meaning in a situation where there is a lack of activity or improvement. (para 4) 5. A phrasal verb meaning to bring under control. (para 5) 6. An adjective used after a number meaning approximately. (para 6) 7. An adjective meaning impossible to imagine. (para 7) 8. A three-word expression meaning a relationship in which your feelings about someone often change from positive to negative. (para 11)

5 Verb + noun collocations Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns they go with in the right-hand column. 1. undergo

a. a comeback

2. score

b. control

3. take

c. an appointment

4. lose

d. surgery

5. confirm

e. control

6. mark

f. a goal

7. induce

g. a game

8. draw

h. a heart attack

6 Expressions with prepositions Complete the phrases from the text using prepositions. 1. slang ____________ ‘little kid’ 2. close ____________ death 3. surgery ____________ obesity 4. ____________ the verge of 5. take control ____________ 6. enthusiasm ____________ something 7. obvious ____________ someone 8. lack ____________ experience

7 Discussion

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If people have a history of drug-taking or alcoholism, should they be appointed to positions of authority?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. volatile 2. impulsive 3. ruthless 4. shanty town 5. imminent 6. charisma 7. obesity 8. eject 9. galvanise 10. wizardry

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

2 What do you know?

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

d f b or e b or e c a h g



1. 2. 3. 4.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

for to for on of for to of

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / El maestro Maradona: football legend to be Argentina manager / Advanced

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b c c a

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T F T T F F



1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

diminutive respiratory bulging in the doldrums rein in odd unthinkable love-hate relationship


Elementary

Key words


obesity

mythical

galvanise unpredictable

volatile disapprove

poll selfish

charisma depression

1. _____________________ is a strong personal quality that makes other people like you. 2. A _____________________ is an occasion when a lot of people are asked their opinion about something. 3. If something is described as _____________________, it is imaginary or not real. 4. An economic _____________________ is a time when there is a lot of unemployment and poverty because there is very little economic activity. 5. If you _____________________ of something, you have a negative feeling towards it. 6. If you _____________________ people, you affect them enough to produce a strong and immediate reaction. 7. _____________________ is a condition in which someone is too fat in a way that is dangerous for their health. 8. A _____________________ person is one who thinks only about himself or herself and not about other people. 9. An _____________________ person is one who changes very often in a way that is impossible to prepare for. 10. A _____________________ person is one who can quickly become angry or violent.

2


Look in the text and find the answers to these questions as quickly as possible. 1. Where is Diego Maradona from? 2. In what year was he thrown out of the World Cup? 3. How old is he now? 4. How many games has he been in charge of as a manager? 5. How many years did he spend in the Argentina team?

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6. How many times have Argentina won the World Cup?

El maestro Maradona: football legend to be Argentina manager Elementary

2 The decision by the normally conservative president of the Argentina Football Association, Julio Grondona, is an astonishing return for a controversial player who almost died in 2004 when he spent 10 days in intensive care with breathing problems following a heart attack caused by cocaine use. 3 Four years before that football fans voted Maradona the best footballer of the 20th century. He has also spent time in hospital with liver problems caused by alcohol and also had surgery for obesity in a Colombian clinic. In 1994 he was thrown out of the World Cup in the US after a positive drugs test. 4 Argentina have won the World Cup twice but the team is not playing well at the moment. Earlier this year they drew six games in a row. Grondona hopes Maradona’s presence will galvanise the team. “I have wanted Maradona to be coach of the national team since 1979,” said Grondona in a radio interview on Wednesday, after meeting the 48-yearold former player. “In Argentina we talk about football before Maradona and football after Maradona.” 5 Maradona said that he would control his volatile emotions when he becomes boss. “It makes me really happy that my parents will see me walk out as coach of the national team,” he said. “But I don’t want to cry. The national team needs a man who will make people smile, not cry, who will give them something to enjoy, not suffer.” 6 He also said his lack of managerial experience – just 23 games with modest provincial club Deportivo Mandiyu and then Racing Club, in the mid 1990s – would be no problem. “They talk about my inexperience but I’ve spent about 20 years in

8 Both players were probably the greatest footballers of their time but lost control through drink and drugs. Among the Argentine public there seems to be limited enthusiasm for Maradona’s appointment, although some people hope it might make people happy in a time of economic depression. Opinion polls for daily newspapers La Nación and Clarin reported that around three-quarters of people disapproved. 9 Talking about Maradona’s sometimes volatile character, Carlos Tevez, the Manchester United and Argentina striker said: “Diego needs to think more with his head than his heart now that he’s coach.” 10 If the appointment is confirmed, as expected in Argentina, there may be problems for one of the team’s star players. Maradona has said that the Barcelona midfielder Lionel Messi is too selfish in his play. Messi has been called the new Maradona for his similar build and football skills. “There will be no problem,” said Messi yesterday. “He is a great. I admire him for what he has given to Argentine soccer. I am optimistic.” “His charisma will make the players follow him 100%,” said Italy coach Marcello Lippi, winning coach at the 2006 World Cup. “The players will listen to him.” 11 Most England fans have a love-hate relationship with Maradona after the “hand of God” incident where he scored a goal with his hand against England in the 1986 World Cup. But people also think that, along with Pele, he is probably the greatest footballer of all time. To some people in Argentina, he means more than that. “Maybe he’s risking too much, as he always does in his life,” wrote Daniel Arcucci, a reporter for La Nación. “Even his status is a myth.” © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Observer, 30/10/08

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / El maestro Maradona: football legend to be Argentina manager / Elementary

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1 In the poor districts of Buenos Aires they used to call him the ‘little kid’. But now Diego Maradona, the Argentine footballer with an almost mythical status in his home country, might soon become the manager of the national team.

7 But Maradona is volatile and unpredictable. For some people in Argentina, it is almost as if Paul Gascoigne, whose personal and professional life has been similar to Maradona’s, had taken control of the England team – something that would be impossible in England.


Surprise choice marks astonishing comeback by controversial star Robert Booth and Sam Jones October 30, 2008

the Argentina team,” he said. “That’s why it makes me laugh when people talk about inexperience.”

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Level 1


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. Maradona’s return is astonishing because ... 2. Lionel Messi may have problems because ... 3. Maradona was thrown out of the 1994 World Cup because ... 4. Some people hope Maradona’s appointment will make people happy because ... 5. The Italy coach thinks Maradona will be a success because ... 6. England football fans don’t like Maradona because ... a. ... the players will listen to him. b. ... he cheated and scored a goal with his hand in a match against England. c. ... he almost died in 2004. d. ... Maradona has described him as selfish. e. ... he tested positive for drugs. f. ... it is a time of economic depression.

4 Chunks Rearrange these words to make phrases from the text. 1. years that before four 2. managerial of lack experience 3. their the greatest time of footballers 4. hate a relationship love 5. test a drugs positive

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6. national the the manager team of


Elementary

5 Opposites Write the opposites of these words. 1. predictable

_______________________

2. experience

_______________________

3. negative

_______________________

4. limited

_______________________

5. happy

_______________________

6. best

_______________________

6 Two word expressions Match the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to make expressions from the text. 1. national

a. life

2. breathing

b. interview

3. personal

c. team

4. daily

d. test

5. drugs

e. control

6. radio

f. newspaper

7. lose

g. depression

8. economic

h. problems

h. problems

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8. economic


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words

4 Chunks

1. charisma 2. poll 3. mythical 4. depression 5. disapprove 6. galvanise 7. obesity 8. selfish 9. unpredictable 10. volatile

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.


c d e f a b

unpredictable inexperience positive unlimited unhappy worst

6 Two word expressions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

c h a f d b e g

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / El maestro Maradona: football legend to be Argentina manager / Elementary

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Buenos Aires, Argentina 1994 48 23 about 20 twice

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

5 Opposites



four years before that lack of managerial experience the greatest footballers of their time a love-hate relationship a positive drugs test the manager of the national team


Intermediate

Key words


cunning galvanise

shanty town unthinkable

impulsive charisma

obesity poll

volatile oracle

1. ____________________ is a condition in which someone is too fat in a way that is dangerous for their health. 2. If something is ____________________, you cannot even imagine it happening. 3. If you ____________________ people, you affect them enough to produce a strong and immediate reaction. 4. ____________________ is a strong personal quality that makes other people like you. 5. An ____________________ person is one who does things without thinking what will happen as a result. 6. A ____________________ is an area where very poor people live in badly built houses made of wood or metal or other thin material. 7. An ____________________ is a person who gives the best advice or information. 8. A ____________________ person is one who can quickly become angry or violent. 9. ____________________ is the use of clever methods to get what you want, especially methods that involve tricking or cheating people. 10. A ____________________ is an occasion when a lot of people are asked their opinion about something.

2


Look in the text and find the answers to these questions as quickly as possible. 1. Where is Diego Maradona from? 2. In what year was he thrown out of the World Cup? 3. How old is he now? 4. How many games has he been in charge of as a manager? 5. What other three footballers are mentioned in the text?

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6. How many times have Argentina won the World Cup?

El maestro Maradona: football legend to be Argentina manager Intermediate

1 In the shanty towns of Buenos Aires they used to call him the ‘little kid’. But yesterday Diego Maradona, the Argentine footballer whose ball skills and cunning have given him almost mythical status in his home country, was close to becoming the manager of the national team. 2 The decision by the normally conservative president of the Argentina Football Association, Julio Grondona, marks an astonishing comeback for a controversial player who came close to death in 2004 when he spent 10 days in intensive care with respiratory problems following what was thought to have been a heart attack caused by cocaine use. 3 Only four years earlier, he had been voted the best footballer of the 20th century in a poll of fans for Fifa. He has also spent time in hospital with liver problems caused by alcohol and also had surgery for obesity in a Colombian clinic. In 1994 he was thrown out of the World Cup in the US after he tested positive for drugs. 4 But with Argentina’s two-time World Cup winning side playing poorly in recent internationals, drawing six in a row earlier this year, Grondona hopes Maradona’s presence will galvanise the team. “I have wanted Maradona to be coach of the national team since 1979,” said Grondona in a radio interview on Wednesday, following talks with the 48-year-old. “We talk about football in Argentina before Maradona and after Maradona.” 5 Maradona indicated yesterday that he would control his volatile emotions when he becomes boss. “It makes me really happy that my parents will see me walk out as coach of the national team,” he said. “But I don’t want to cry. The national team needs a man who will make people smile, not cry, who will give them something to enjoy, not suffer.” 6 He also said his lack of managerial experience – just 23 games with modest provincial club Deportivo Mandiyu and then Racing Club, in the mid 1990s – would be no problem. “They talk about my

7 But Maradona is impulsive, unpredictable and temperamental. For some people in Argentina, it is almost as if Paul Gascoigne, whose personal and professional life has been similar to Maradona’s, had taken control of the England team – an unthinkable idea in England. 8 Both players were regarded as the greatest footballers of their era but lost control through drink and drugs. Among the Argentine public yesterday there seemed to be limited enthusiasm for Maradona’s appointment, despite hopes it might make people happy in a time of economic depression. Opinion polls for daily newspapers La Nación and Clarin reported that around three-quarters of people disapproved. 9 Talking about Maradona’s sometimes volatile character, Carlos Tevez, the Manchester United and Argentina striker said: “Diego needs to think more with his head than his heart now that he’s coach.” 10 If the appointment is confirmed, as expected in Argentina, there may be problems for one of the team’s star players. It was reported that Maradona has previously called Barcelona midfielder Lionel Messi too selfish in his play. Messi has been called the new Maradona for his similar build and dribbling skills. “There will be no problem,” said Messi yesterday. “He is a great. I admire him for what he has given to Argentine soccer. I am optimistic.” “His charisma will make the players follow him 100%,” said Italy coach Marcello Lippi, who lifted the 2006 World Cup. “They will listen to him like an oracle.” 11 Most England fans have a love-hate relationship with Maradona after the “hand of God” incident where he scored a goal with his hand to help knock England out of the 1986 World Cup. But he is also respected, alongside Pele, as perhaps the greatest footballer of all time. To some of his countrymen, he means more than that. “Maybe he’s risking too much, as always in his life,” wrote Daniel Arcucci, a columnist for La Nación, reflecting on his appointment. “Even his status as a myth.” © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Observer, 30/10/08

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / El maestro Maradona: football legend to be Argentina manager / Intermediate

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Robert Booth and Sam Jones October 30, 2008


Surprise choice marks astonishing comeback by controversial star

inexperience but I’ve spent about 20 years in the Argentina team,” he said. “That’s why it makes me laugh when people talk about inexperience.”

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Level 2


Intermediate

3 Comprehension check Are these statements true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. Maradona nearly died in 2004. 2. Argentina have been playing well in recent international matches. 3. Maradona has had problems with drugs but not with alcohol. 4. England football fans love Maradona. 5. Lionel Messi has been called the new Maradona. 6. Maradona once scored a goal with his hand in a match against England. 7. Opinion polls show that most Argentines want Maradona to be the next manager of their national team. 8. Paul Gascoigne is likely to become manager of the England team

4 Find the word Find the following words and expressions in the text. 1. A noun meaning a period when someone becomes successful or popular again. (para 2) 2. An adjective meaning related to the process of breathing. (para 2) 3. A verb meaning to get the same score as another team in sport. (para 4) 4. An adjective meaning quite good or successful but not excellent. (para 6) 5. An adjective meaning changing from one mood to another very easily. (para 7) 6. A noun meaning a period of time that has a particular quality or character. (para 8) 7. A three-word expression meaning a relationship in which your feelings about someone often change from

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positive to negative. (para 11)


Intermediate

5 Opposites Match these words from the text with their opposites. volatile

similar

provincial

1. liberal

___________________

2. stable

___________________

3. complete

___________________

4. cosmopolitan

___________________

5. predictable

___________________

6. different

___________________

unpredictable

limited

conservative

6 Two word expressions Match the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to make expressions from the text. 1. national

a. player

2. test

b. control

3. take

c. attack

4. economic

d. poll

5. intensive

e. team

6. opinion

f. depression

7. star

g. positive

8. heart

h. care

7 Discussion

H


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Do you think Maradona would make a good manager for Argentina’s national team? Give reasons for your answer.


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. obesity 2. unthinkable 3. galvanise 4. charisma 5. impulsive 6. shanty town 7. oracle 8. volatile 9. cunning 10. poll

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.


T F F F T T F F

conservative volatile limited provincial unpredictable similar

6 Two word expressions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

e g b f h d a c

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / El maestro Maradona: football legend to be Argentina manager / Intermediate

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Argentina 1994 48 23 Paul Gascoigne, Lionel Messi and Pele Twice

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

5 Opposites



comeback respiratory draw modest temperamental era love-hate relationship

500 places to see before they die Level 3 1

Advanced

Warmer

What do the Tower of London and the Everglades in Florida have in common? a) They have both won environmental tourism awards. b) They are both up for sale. c) They are both at risk from climate change. Skim-read the beginning of the article to check your answer.

2

Key words

dwindling

devastation

eco-conscious

intriguing

intact

derelict

burgeoning

irrevocably

degenerating

merit

folly

vulnerable

1. When something is ___________________, it is in a weak position and in danger. (para 1) 2. Damage and destruction affecting a large area or a lot of people: ___________________. (para 2) 3. When you are aware of what is happening to the environment and show your concern you can be called ___________________. (para 2) 4. When you ___________________ something, you deserve or are worth it. (para 3) 5. Something that is becoming worse is ___________________. (para 4) 6. Something that is becoming smaller or gradually less until (almost) nothing remains is ___________________. (para 4) 7. Something that is ___________________ is very interesting and a bit strange or mysterious. (para 5) 8. Something that is ___________________ is growing or developing quickly. (para 5) 9. When applied to a building this means old, run-down, not looked after, empty, and in a bad condition: ___________________. (para 6) 10. A ___________________ is a building that has no practical use and is built as decoration. (para 6) 11. Something that is ___________________ is complete, unharmed, all in one piece, despite something negative having happened. (para 7)

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NEWS LESSONS / 500 places to see before they die / Advanced

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12. An adverb meaning no longer possible to change or stop: ___________________. (para 8)

500 places to see before they die Advanced

500 places to see before they die

dumping by sanitation companies and ships. The Nazca lines in Peru, one of the world’s most intriguing ancient sites, face destruction as roads are built and global warming and deforestation cause floods and mudslides. Also under threat is New York’s Little Italy. ‘Though a small part of the area, made famous by films such as The Godfather and Mean Streets, has been preserved, it is being gradually squeezed by the burgeoning Chinatown and SoHo districts.’

1 The first guidebook of ‘last chance’ holidays will be published tomorrow for travellers who want to visit the most endangered tourist destinations across the world. Frommer’s 500 Places To See Before They Disappear provides a list of sites where it is still possible to see rare and vulnerable animal species, special landscapes and unique cultural sights in their unspoilt glory.

6

Tourists could also visit some of Britain’s ancient architectural treasures which, she says, risk becoming derelict because of a lack of funding. Strawberry Hill, Sir Horace Walpole’s folly in Twickenham, west London, which sparked the Gothic revival in the early 19th century, is struggling to raise £8m. One of the oldest parish churches in England, St Mary’s, in Stow in Lindsey, Lincolnshire, needs £3m for renovations. Another London landmark, Battersea power station, becomes more run-down every day as government, developers and local community boards argue over its future.

7

Hughes also urges a trip to Kentish Town, north London, to visit Little Green Street, one of the last intact Georgian streets in London. ‘This perfect slice of Regency London was celebrated by the poet John Betjeman and used as the setting for numerous music and photo shoots. Further north, the Holderness coast, in East Yorkshire, loses nearly 6ft a year due to rising sea levels caused by climate change and man-made interference, she said.

8

West points out that the guidebook’s message is not all gloom. ‘Some of the destinations are already on the road to being saved, usually because they’ve been championed by preservationists,’ he said. ‘And even in the cases where a site has been lost, or irrevocably damaged, it often has become a rallying point for activists, inspiring them to fight on so that the same mistakes aren’t made again. The planet is poorer every time we allow something beautiful to die.’

2 Co-author Holly Hughes, a former executive editor of Fodor’s Travel Publications, said: ‘The devastation brought on by climate change and direct man-made interference is familiar to all of us. But this book is a carefully chosen list of last-chance destinations that eco-conscious travellers can enjoy – if they move quickly – for possibly the last time.’ 3 According to Hughes and co-author Larry West, an award-winning investigative journalist once nominated for a Pulitzer prize, more than 20 of Britain’s best-loved landmarks – and lesser-known gems – merit a place in their collection. The Tower of London and Greenwich Maritime Museum, for example, are at risk from rising sea levels which will lead the River Thames to flood its banks. 4 With 500 threatened destinations to choose from, she suggests heading to the Everglades in southern Florida. Filled with rare species, this ecosystem is degenerating with alarming rapidity. Already half has been lost to agricultural and urban development. Dwindling water levels and pollution have severely compromised what remains. ‘The number of bird species has fallen by 93 per cent and many of the fish and even the alligators who remain show high mercury levels,’ said Hughes. 5 The Dead Sea may only be a tourist destination for three more decades. By then, says Hughes, ‘it could be completely dry, because the rivers that feed it are being diverted’. Marine life around the Falkland Islands is under severe threat from

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / 500 places to see before they die / Advanced


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Amelia Hill, social affairs correspondent October 26 2008

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A new guidebook for travellers shows the sites most at risk


Level 3

500 places to see before they die Level 3

Advanced

3 Comprehension check Find these ecological words or phrases and make notes on what their connection is with the article. e.g. agricultural and urban developments These are taking away land and are damaging the ecosystem in the Everglades in Florida, USA, negatively affecting rare plants and wildlife that can be found there. a) deforestation _________________________________ b) dwindling water levels _________________________________ c) high mercury levels _________________________________ d) lack of funding _________________________________ e) rising sea levels _________________________________ f) dumping by sanitation companies _________________________________

4 Reading for detail How many tourist destinations can you find in the article? Underline them. Have you been to any of the places that are mentioned? If not, would you like to go to any of the places?

5 Discussion The guidebook will probably encourage (even) more tourists to visit these destinations. What positive and negative implications might this have? Look back at the article for some suggestions, then expand your opinion as much as possible and try to have a balanced discussion.

6 Webquest a) Choose one of the destinations in the article and pinpoint it on Google Earth (weblink: http://earth.google.com/). b) Does the destination have an official website? c) What can you see or do there? d) How could you get there? e) Where can you stay while you’re there? f)

How much would a trip to visit this destination cost?

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NEWS LESSONS / 500 places to see before they die / Advanced

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g) What is the weather like there today?

500 places to see before they die Level 3 Advanced KEY 2 Key words

4 Reading for detail

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

• • • • • • • • • • • •

vulnerable devastation eco-conscious merit degenerating dwindling intriguing burgeoning derelict folly intact irrevocably

The Tower of London The Greenwich Maritime Museum The Everglades in Florida The Dead Sea The Falkland Isalnds The Nazca Lines in Peru Little Italy in New York Strawberry Hill in London St Mary’s Church in Stow in Lindsey Battersea power station, London Little Green Street, London The Holderness coast, East Yorkshire


Teachers’ notes

a)

Here you can see photos of some of the places and wildlife (in Britain) mentioned in the book: http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/gallery/2008/oct/26/endangered-britain-ireland?picture=338973178 You could show the pictures as a warmer or anytime during the lesson.

e)

f)

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / 500 places to see before they die / Advanced

The new book title is an homage to / is inspired by the bestseller 1000 Places To See Before You Die: http://www.1000beforeyoudie.com/ The webquest can be done during class time if you have the technology available. If not, it can be set as homework and the students can present their findings in the next lesson.

H

d)

This links directly to the book: http://www.frommers.com/bookstore/047018986X.html

•P

c)


b)

deforestation (para 5) “The Nazca lines in Peru, one of the world’s most intriguing ancient sites, face destruction as roads are built and global warming and deforestation cause floods and mudslides.” dwindling water levels (para 4). “Dwindling water levels and pollution have severely compromised what remains” of the Everglades. high mercury levels (para 4) “The number of bird species has fallen by 93 per cent and many of the fish and even the alligators who remain show high mercury levels.” lack of funding (para 6) “Britain’s ancient architectural treasures which, she says, risk becoming derelict because of a lack of funding” e.g. Battersea power station, St Mary’s Church, in Stow in Lindsey, Lincolnshire, and Strawberry Hill, in Twickenham, west London. rising sea levels (paras 3 & 7) “The Holderness coast, in East Yorkshire, loses nearly 6ft a year due to rising sea levels caused by climate change and man-made interference”. “The Tower of London and Greenwich Maritime Museum, for example, are at risk from rising sea levels which will lead the River Thames to flood its banks”. dumping by sanitation companies (para 5) “Marine life around the Falkland Islands is under severe threat from dumping by sanitation companies and ships.”


Elementary

Warmer

Where in the world can you find these places? Match each place with a location on the map. Then skim-read the article to check your answers. a) Battersea power station b) The Nazca lines

East Yorkshire, UK

c) The Everglades d) Little Italy e) The Holderness coast

South Florida, USA New York, USA

London, UK

Peru

2

Key words

1. To vanish, to go and never return. (para 1)

landmark

2. Opposite of common. Unusual. (para 1)

rare

3. Damage and destruction affecting a large area or a lot of people. (para 2)

disappear

4. A famous building or object that you recognize easily. (para 3)

at risk

5. Another way of saying in danger. (para 3)

diverted

6. A poisonous silver liquid metal (used in thermometers). (para 4)

marine life

7. When the course or way has been changed. (para 5)

mercury

8. Things that live in the sea. (para 5)

Regency

9. Very old. (para 5)

gloom

10. Relating to buildings. (para 6)

ancient

11. A period in history – the time from 1811 to 1820 before George IV became King of England. (para 7)

architectural

12. Bad depressing news, the feeling of having no hope. (para 8)

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NEWS LESSONS / 500 places to see before they die / Elementary

CA


O

devastation


Match these key words with the definitions.


Elementary


are being built. Many trees are cut down to build the roads and this leads to floods and mudslides. New York’s Little Italy, which was made famous by films such as The Godfather and Mean Streets, is also in danger as the districts around it grow.

A new guidebook for travellers shows the sites most at risk Amelia Hill, social affairs correspondent October 26, 2008 1 The first guidebook of ‘last chance’ holidays will be published tomorrow for travellers who want to visit the most endangered tourist destinations across the world. Frommer’s 500 Places To See Before They Disappear lists places where it is still possible to see rare animals, special landscapes and cultural sights. 2 Holly Hughes, one of the authors and a former executive editor of Fodor’s Travel Publications, said: “We all know about devastation brought on by climate change and humans. But this book is a list of last-chance destinations that travellers can visit – if they go soon – for possibly the last time.” 3 According to Hughes and co-author Larry West, a journalist, more than 20 of Britain’s best-loved landmarks have a place in their book. The Tower of London and Greenwich Maritime Museum, for example, are at risk from rising sea levels which could cause the River Thames to flood. 4 Hughes suggests that tourists go to the Everglades in southern Florida. This ecosystem which is filled with rare animals, birds, fish and plants is disappearing very quickly. Already half has been lost to farms and towns. Low water levels and pollution have put the rest of the Everglades at risk. “The number of birds has fallen by 93 per cent and many of the fish and even the alligators who still live there have high mercury levels in their blood,” said Hughes.

6

Tourists should also visit some of Britain’s ancient architectural treasures which, she says, are in danger of falling down because there is no money to save them. Strawberry Hill, Sir Horace Walpole’s building in west London needs £8m. One of the oldest churches in England, St Mary’s, in Stow in Lindsey, Lincolnshire, needs £3m. Another London landmark, Battersea power station, becomes more run-down every day as government, property developers and the local people argue about its future.

7

Hughes also suggests a trip to Kentish Town, north London, to visit Little Green Street, one of the last complete Regency streets in London. Further north, the Holderness coast, in East Yorkshire, loses nearly 6ft (1.8 metres) a year due to rising sea levels caused by climate change and man, she said.

8

West points out that the guidebook’s message is not all gloom. “Some of the destinations can be saved”, he said. “We have to learn from our mistakes because the planet is poorer every time we allow something beautiful to die.” © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Observer, 26/10/08

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5 The Dead Sea may only be a tourist destination for another thirty years. By then, says Hughes, “it could be completely dry, because the rivers that run into it are being diverted”. Marine life around the Falkland Islands is in great danger from pollution. The Nazca lines in Peru, one of the world’s most interesting and mysterious ancient sites, may disappear as too many roads


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the sentence halves to find information from the article. 1. The two authors of the book are ...

... in Little Italy, New York.

2. The book lists the 500 most ...

... to visit the places mentioned in the book.

3. Part of the film The Godfather was filmed ...

... in Florida have too much mercury in their blood.

4. Fish and alligators in the Everglades ...

... within 30 years.

5. Little Green Street is a beautiful Regency street ...

... a journalist and an editor.

6. The Nazca lines in Peru are in danger because ...

... is near the River Thames in London.

7. The Greenwich Maritime Museum ...

... too many new roads have been built.

8. The Dead Sea could be dry ...

... in north London.

9. There is still hope for many of the places listed ...

... endangered tourist destinations.

10. If you are quick you will still be able ...

... in the book.

4 Vocabulary: Prepositions Put the prepositions into the phrases from the article.

3. ... the Everglades ________ southern Florida 4. ... has fallen ________ 93 per cent 5. ... the rivers that run ________ it are being diverted

of (x3)

6. ... is also ________ danger

in (x2)

8. ... in danger ________ falling down

by (x2)

7. ... visit some ________ Britain’s ancient architectural treasures 9. ... rising sea levels caused ________ climate change 10. We have to learn ________ our mistakes ...

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / 500 places to see before they die / Elementary

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across

2. ... tourist destinations ________ the world


into

1. ... one ________ the authors

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from

CA


Elementary

5 Discussion How many tourist destinations can you find in the article? Underline them. Have you been to any of the places in the article? Which one would you most like to visit?

6 Webquest a) Choose one of the destinations in the article and find it on Google Earth (weblink: http://earth.google.com/). b) Does the destination have an official website? c) What can you see or do there? d) How could you travel there? e) Where can you stay while you’re there? f) How much would a trip to visit this destination cost?

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g) What is the weather like there at the moment?

500 places to see before they die Elementary

KEY

1 Warmer

4 Vocabulary: Prepositions

a) b) c) d) e)

1. of 2. across 3. in 4. by 5. into 6. in 7. of 8. of 9. by 10. from

London, UK Peru South Florida, USA New York, USA East Yorkshire, UK

2 Key words 1. disappear 2. rare 3. devastation 4. landmark 5. at risk 6. mercury 7. diverted 8. marine life 9. ancient 10. architectural 11. Regency 12. gloom

5 Discussion

2. The book lists the 500 most endangered tourist destinations. 3. Part of the film The Godfather was filmed in Little Italy, New York. 4. Fish and alligators in the Everglades in Florida have too much mercury in their blood. 5. Little Green Street is a beautiful Regency street in north London. 6. The Nazca lines in Peru are in danger because too many new roads have been built. 7. The Greenwich Maritime Museum is near the River Thames in London. 8. The Dead Sea could be dry within 30 years. 9. There is still hope for many of the places listed in the book. 10. If you are quick you will still be able to visit the places mentioned in the book.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / 500 places to see before they die / Elementary

Teachers’ notes Here you can see photos of some of the places and wildlife (in Britain) mentioned in the book: http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/gallery/2008/oct/26/endangered-britain-ireland?picture=338973178 You could show the pictures as a warmer or anytime during the lesson. This links directly to the book: http://www.frommers.com/bookstore/047018986X.html The new book title is an homage to / is inspired by the bestseller 1000 Places To See Before You Die: http://www.1000beforeyoudie.com/ The webquest can be done during class time if you have the technology available. If not, it can be set as homework and the students can present their findings in the next lesson.

O


1. The two authors of the book are a journalist and an editor.


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• • • • • • • • • • • •

CA

Level 1


Intermediate

Warmer

Where in the world can you find ... a) ... Battersea power station? b) ... the Nazca lines? c) ... the Everglades? d) ... Little Italy? Skim-read the article to check your answers.

2

Key words

Match these key words with the definitions. interference

devastation

deforestation

squeezed

Regency

derelict

landmark

threatened

degenerating

gloom

folly

vulnerable

1. When something is __________________ it is in a weak position and in danger. (para 1) 2. Damage and destruction affecting a large area or a lot of people: __________________. (para 2) 3. Becoming involved in a situation although you have no right to do so: __________________. (para 2) 4. Something that is __________________ is in danger of being harmed or destroyed. (para 3) 5. Something that is becoming worse is __________________. (para 4) 6. The process of removing trees from a piece of land: __________________. (para 5) 7. Something that is being __________________ is being pressed or pushed from all sides. (para 5) 8. When applied to a building this means old, run-down, not looked after, empty, and in a bad condition: __________________. (para 6)

9. A __________________ is a building that has no practical use and is built as decoration. (para 6) 10. A famous building or object that you recognize easily: __________________. (para 6) 11. A period in history – the time from 1811 to 1820 before George IV became King of England: __________________. (para 7)

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NEWS LESSONS / 500 places to see before they die / Intermediate

CA



12. Bad depressing news, the feeling of having no hope: __________________. (para 8)

500 places to see before they die Intermediate


dumping by sanitation companies and ships. The Nazca lines in Peru, one of the world’s most interesting and mysterious ancient sites, face destruction as roads are built and global warming and deforestation cause floods and mudslides. Also under threat is New York’s Little Italy. Though a small part of the area, made famous by films such as The Godfather and Mean Streets, has been preserved, it is being gradually squeezed by the rapidly growing Chinatown and SoHo districts.’

2 Holly Hughes, one of the authors and a former executive editor of Fodor’s Travel Publications, said: ‘The devastation brought on by climate change and direct man-made interference is familiar to all of us. But this book is a carefully chosen list of last-chance destinations that travellers can enjoy – if they go soon – for possibly the last time.’ 3 According to Hughes and co-author Larry West, an award-winning investigative journalist, more than 20 of Britain’s best-loved landmarks deserve a place in their book. The Tower of London and Greenwich Maritime Museum, for example, are at risk from rising sea levels which will cause the River Thames to flood. 4 With 500 threatened destinations to choose from, she suggests that tourists go to the Everglades in southern Florida. Filled with rare species, this ecosystem is degenerating with alarming rapidity. Already half has been lost to agricultural and urban development. Low water levels and pollution have put what remains at risk. ‘The number of birds has fallen by 93 per cent and many of the fish and even the alligators who remain have high mercury levels,’ said Hughes. 5 The Dead Sea may only be a tourist destination for three more decades. By then, says Hughes, ‘it could be completely dry, because the rivers that run into it are being diverted’. Marine life around the Falkland Islands is in great danger from

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / 500 places to see before they die / Intermediate

6

Tourists should also visit some of Britain’s ancient architectural treasures which, she says, risk becoming derelict because of a lack of money. Strawberry Hill, Sir Horace Walpole’s folly in west London is trying to raise £8m. One of the oldest churches in England, St Mary’s, in Stow in Lindsey, Lincolnshire, needs £3m for renovations. Another London landmark, Battersea power station, becomes more run-down every day as government, property developers and local community boards argue over its future.

7

Hughes also suggests a trip to Kentish Town, north London, to visit Little Green Street, one of the last complete Georgian streets in London. This perfect piece of Regency London was used as the setting for numerous music and photo shoots. Further north, the Holderness coast, in East Yorkshire, loses nearly 6ft (1.8 metres) a year due to rising sea levels caused by climate change and man-made interference, she said.

8

West points out that the guidebook’s message is not all gloom. ‘Some of the destinations are already on the road to being saved’, he said. ‘And even in the cases where a site has been lost, or irreversibly damaged, it often has become a place where activists meet and plan to fight on so that the same mistakes aren’t made again. The planet is poorer every time we allow something beautiful to die.’ © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Observer, 26/10/08

O

1 The The first guidebook of ‘last chance’ holidays will be published tomorrow for travellers who want to visit the most endangered tourist destinations across the world. Frommer’s 500 Places To See Before They Disappear provides a list of sites where it is still possible to see rare and vulnerable animals, special landscapes and unique cultural sights.


Amelia Hill, social affairs correspondent October 26, 2008

•P H

A new guidebook for travellers shows the sites most at risk

CA

Level 1


Intermediate

3 Comprehension check Are these statements true (T) of false (F) according to the article? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

The co-authors of the book are a journalist and an editor. The book lists the 500 most endangered birds and animals. Part of the film The Godfather was filmed in New York. 93% of alligators in the Everglades have high mercury levels in their blood. Little Green Street is a district of New York. The Nazca lines are on the Falkland Islands. The Greenwich Maritime Museum is near the River Thames in London. There is no hope for any of the places mentioned in the book. The Dead Sea could be dry within 20 years. If you are quick you will still be able to visit the places mentioned in the book.

4 Pronunciation oooOo

renovations

vulnerable

destruction

interference

architectural

sanitation

a) devastation has this pronunciation pattern ooOo - which other 3 words above have the same pattern? _______ _____________ ____________________ ____________________ b) Which word has the same pronunciation pattern as irreversibly ooOoo ____________________ c) Which word has the stress on the first syllable Oooo ? ____________________ d) Which 3-syllable word has the stress on the middle syllable oOo ? ____________________ e) These two nouns from paragraph 1 are pronounced in exactly the same way but their meanings are different. Write (or look up) a definition for each. a site ____________________ a sight ____________________

5 Discussion a) How many tourist destinations can you find in the article? Underline them. Have you been to any of the places that are mentioned? If not, would you like to go to any of the places? b) Explain the last sentence of the article in your own words: ‘The planet is poorer every time we allow something beautiful to die.’ Do you agree with this statement?

6 Webquest

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a) Choose one of the destinations in the article and find it on Google Earth (weblink: http://earth.google.com/). b) Does the destination have an official website? c) What can you see or do there? d) How could you travel there? e) Where can you stay while you’re there? f) How much would a trip to visit this destination cost? g) What is the weather like there at the moment?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Warmer

5 Discussion

a) London, UK b) Peru c) Florida, USA d) New York, USA

a) Tourist destinations: • • • • • • • • • • • •

2 Key words 1. vulnerable 2. devastation 3. interference 4. threatened 5. degenerating 6. deforestation 7. squeezed 8. derelict 9. folly 10. landmark 11. Regency 12. gloom

Teachers’ notes Here you can see photos of some of the places and wildlife (in Britain) mentioned in the book: http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/gallery/2008/oct/26/endangered-britain-ireland?picture=338973178 You could show the pictures as a warmer or anytime during the lesson.

3 Comprehension check 1. T 2. F 3. T 4. F 5. F 6. F 7. T 8. F 9. F 10. T

This links directly to the book: http://www.frommers.com/bookstore/047018986X.html The new book title is an homage to / is inspired by the bestseller 1000 Places To See Before You Die: http://www.1000beforeyoudie.com/ The webquest can be done during class time if you have the technology available. If not, it can be set as homework and the students can present their findings in the next lesson.

4 Pronunciation oooOo interference


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renovations


a) sanitation b) architectural c) vulnerable d) destruction


Holidaymaker’s terror at zoo vulture attack Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words

Fill the gaps using these key words from the text.

perch vulture

peck claws

carcass thump

precaution jab

bird of prey negligence

1. The sharp, curved parts at the end of some animals’ toes are known as __________________. 2. A __________________ is the body of a dead animal. 3. If you __________________ someone, you hit them hard with your fist. 4. A __________________ is an informal word for an injection or vaccination. 5. A __________________ is an action taken to protect people or things against possible harm or damage. 6. A __________________ is an area or object that a bird uses for resting on, usually above the ground. 7. __________________ means failure to give care or attention, especially if this causes harm or damage. 8. A __________________ is a large bird that eats the bodies of dead animals. 9. A __________________ is a bird that hunts and eats other animals. 10. When a bird __________________, it moves its beak quickly forward to hit or bite something.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How much is two stone in kilograms? 2. How much is eight feet in metres? 3. How long was the vulture? 4. Why was the attack unusual? 5. What treatment did the victim receive?

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NEWS LESSONS / Holidaymaker’s terror at zoo vulture attack / Advanced

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6. Apart from vultures, what other birds of prey can be seen at the Jungle Park?

Holidaymaker’s terror at zoo vulture attack Level 3

Advanced

Holidaymaker’s terror at zoo vulture attack

5

She was then taken to hospital where she received antibiotics and a tetanus jab. After her wounds were dressed, she was sent back to her hotel in a wheelchair. “I was shaking and shaking and shaking,” she said. “I couldn’t speak about it for a few days afterwards. Every time someone asked me what happened I started crying. I’ve never known any shock like it.” She said she was hoping to claim compensation from the zoo for what she described as its “negligence”.

6

A spokeswoman for Jungle Park said: “The animals are free so we cannot control what they will do, because they are animals. I have only heard of this thing happening maybe twice in 15 years. The keepers are working with them every day and have insurance for that.”

7

Grahame Madge, of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, said: “The vultures look like barn doors coming towards you, so it’s no wonder [the women] were frightened. But they are not usually at all dangerous for humans. They are nature’s waste disposal units – usually they are just carrion feeders.”

8

The Jungle Park, in Las Aguilas, south Tenerife, has two birds of prey shows a day, giving visitors the chance to see falcons, vultures and eagles in free flight.

Helen Pidd October 31, 2008 1 Mary Corcoran had no doubt taken precautions against sunburn and been warned about timeshare touts. But nothing could have prepared her for the attack by a vulture on her Tenerife holiday. The 56-year-old from Ipswich, UK, has spoken of how she feared she was going to be eaten alive when the metre-long griffon vulture pinned her to the ground while she was watching a birds of prey show on the island. She was taken to hospital after the vulture swooped down and attacked her and her friend Teresa Largent at Tenerife’s Jungle Park zoo. 2 The vulture, which has a wingspan of 2.5 metres (8ft), was eventually punched to the ground by its keeper. The attack was unusual because vultures normally only feast on dead animals. The attack happened on Sunday as the women’s weeklong holiday was coming to an end. They were watching the show in the park’s arena when one vulture flew from its perch and down to where the women were sitting. 3 “We had been told not to move, so we sat totally still, but it pecked Teresa and then nicked her programme,” said Corcoran, who is retired, yesterday from her home in Kesgrave, Suffolk. “Then the bird went for me, and perched on my shoulder, and before I knew it, I was under it.” Griffon vultures weigh between six and 13kg (1-2st); the weight of the bird pinned Corcoran down and she began to feel a burning sensation down her back and arm as its claws dug into her skin.


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4 “The keeper came over and got the bird off but as he was taking me out of the arena it flew back towards me and the keeper had to thump it really hard to the ground,” she said. “That is when the real fear and panic set in as I thought it was coming back to eat me. I was freaking out. I thought, ‘I’m not a dead carcass!’”


Advanced

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. Which of these best describes the vulture attack at Jungle Park? a. Such attacks happen quite often. b. Such attacks are extremely rare. c. Such attacks are unprecedented. 2. When did Mrs Corcoran begin to panic? a. When the vulture perched on her shoulder. b. When its claws dug into her skin. c. When the bird attacked her again as she was being taken out of the arena.

3. Griffon vultures ... a. ... are not normally dangerous to humans. b. ... only feed on dead human flesh. c. ... feed on dead animals not dead human flesh. 4. What was the effect of the attack on Mrs Corcoran? a. She was badly injured and hospitalised for a few days. b. She is now confined to a wheelchair. c. She was upset and unable to talk about her experience for a few days.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A two-word expression meaning someone who tries to sell you a share in a holiday property. (para 1) 2. A phrasal verb meaning to eat a lot of a particular food. (para 2) 3. A noun meaning a large area that is surrounded by seats and is used for sports or entertainment. (para 2) 4. An informal verb meaning to steal. (para 3) 5. A verb meaning to rest on a small, narrow or high place. (para 3) 6. A noun meaning a physical feeling. (para 3) 7. An informal two-word expression meaning something very big. (para 7) 8. A noun meaning the decaying flesh of dead animals. (para 7)

5 Phrasal verbs Match the phrasal verbs with their definitions.


O



hold someone firmly on the ground so they cannot move become so frightened you cannot control yourself stop something touching someone move suddenly downwards through the air approach attack press hard into something start to take effect

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a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h.

CA

1. swoop down 2. go for 3. pin down 4. dig into 5. come over 6. set in 7. freak out 8. get off


Advanced

6 Verb + noun collocations Fill the gaps using these verbs from the text. claim

receive

dress

take

feel

watch

1. ____________ precautions 2. ____________ a show 3. ____________ a sensation 4. ____________ a wound 5. ____________ compensation 6. ____________ hospital treatment

7 Discussion

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Do you agree with zoos? What are the arguments for and against keeping animals in captivity?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. claws 2. carcass 3. thump 4. jab 5. precaution 6. perch 7. negligence 8. vulture 9. bird of prey 10. pecks

1. timeshare tout 2. feast on 3. arena 4. nick 5. perch 6. sensation 7. barn door 8. carrion

2 Find the information 1. 13kg 2. 2.5m 3. one metre 4. vultures normally only eat carcasses 5. antibiotics and a tetanus injection 6. falcons and eagles

1. d 2. f 3. a 4. g 5. e 6. h 7. b 8. c



1. b 2. c 3. a 4. c

1. take 2. watch 3. feel 4. dress 5. claim 6. receive

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5 Phrasal verbs


Elementary

Key words

Fill the gaps using these key words from the text. still keeper

carcass pecks

bird of prey wingspan

vulture carrion

claws arena

1. A ___________________ is someone who looks after a group of animals in a zoo. 2. A ___________________ is a large bird that eats the bodies of dead animals. 3. A ___________________ is a bird that hunts and eats other animals. 4. The sharp, curved parts at the end of some animals’ toes are known as ___________________. 5. When a bird ___________________, it moves its beak quickly forward to hit or bite something. 6. An ___________________ is a large area that is surrounded by seats and is used for sports or entertainment. 7. A ___________________ is the body of a dead animal. 8. ___________________ is the rotting flesh of dead animals. 9. The ___________________ of a bird or plane is the distance from the end of one wing to the end of the other. 10. If you are ___________________, you are not moving at all.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How long was the vulture? 2. Where did the attack take place? 3. What is the wingspan of vultures? 4. How much do vultures weigh? 5. What treatment did the victim receive?

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NEWS LESSONS / Holidaymaker’s terror at zoo vulture attack / Elementary

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6. What other birds of prey can you see at the Jungle Park?


Elementary


in a wheelchair. “I was shaking and shaking and shaking,” she said. “I couldn’t speak about it for a few days afterwards. Every time someone asked me what happened I started crying. I’ve never known any shock like it.”

Helen Pidd October 31, 2008 1 British tourist Mary Corcoran probably knew about the dangers of sunburn and other problems she might experience on her Spanish holiday. But she probably didn’t include an attack by a vulture on her list of possible holiday problems. The 56-year-old woman has spoken of how the metre-long vulture attacked her while she was watching a birds of prey show on the island. Mrs Corcoran says she thought the bird was going to eat her alive. She was taken to hospital after the vulture attacked her and her friend, Teresa Largent, at Tenerife’s Jungle Park zoo. 2 The bird’s keeper finally knocked it to the ground and stopped it attacking Mrs Corcoran. The attack was unusual because vultures normally only feed on dead animals. The attack happened when the women’s week-long holiday was nearly finished. They were watching the show in the park’s arena when one vulture flew down to where the women were sitting.

6


7

Grahame Madge, of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, said: “The vultures look enormous coming towards you, so it’s no wonder [the women] were frightened. But they are not usually at all dangerous for humans – usually they just feed on carrion.”

8

The Jungle Park, in Las Aguilas, south Tenerife, has two birds of prey shows a day, giving visitors the chance to see falcons, vultures and eagles in free flight. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 31/10/08

3 “They had told us not to move, so we sat totally still, but it pecked Teresa,” said Corcoran. “Then the bird went for me, and sat on my shoulder, and before I knew it, I was under it.” Vultures have a wingspan of 2.5 metres and weigh between six and 13kg; the weight of the bird held her down and it dug its claws into her back and arms. 4 “The keeper came over and got the bird off, but as he was taking me out of the arena it flew back towards me and the keeper had to hit it really hard to the ground,” she said. “That is when I began to panic as I thought it was coming back to eat me. I was really frightened. I thought, ‘I’m not a dead carcass!’”

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5 She was then taken to hospital where she received antibiotics and a tetanus injection. After treatment she was sent back to her hotel


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. The attack was unusual because ... 2. Mrs Corcoran was frightened because ... 3. She cried for several days afterwards because ... 4. The zoo cannot control what the animals do because ... 5. Vultures usually ... 6. Attacks like this one ... a. ... have only happened twice in the last fifteen years. b. ... she was still shocked. c. ... feed on the carcasses of dead animals. d. ... she thought the vulture was going to eat her alive. e. ... vultures do not normally attack humans. f. ... they are free.

4 Prepositions Complete the phrases using prepositions. Check your answers in the text. 1. list _______ problems 2. feed _______ 3. weigh _______ 6 and 13 kg 4. take _______ hospital 5. _______ a few days

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6. twice _______ fifteen years


Elementary

5 Irregular past tenses Complete the table. present tense 1.

think

2.

dig

3.

hold

4.

fly

5.

begin

irregular past tense

6.

fed

6 Word stress

alive

sunburn

island

attack

panic

between

shoulder

treatment

human

control

towards

A

B

0 o

o 0

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Holidaymaker’s terror at zoo vulture attack / Elementary

H

include

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Divide these words from the text into two groups according to their stress pattern.


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words

4 Prepositions

1. keeper 2. vulture 3. bird of prey 4. claws 5. pecks 6. arena 7. carcass 8. carrion 9. wingspan 10. still

1. of 2. on 3. between 4. to 5. for 6. in

6 Word stress

1. e 2. d 3. b 4. f 5. c 6. a

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Holidaymaker’s terror at zoo vulture attack / Elementary

B

0 o

o 0

sunburn island panic shoulder treatment human

include alive attack between control towards

H


A

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1. one metre 2. at the Jungle Park zoo in Tenerife (Spain) 3. 2.5 metres 4. six to 13kg 5. antibiotics and a tetanus injection 6. falcons and eagles

1. thought 2. dug 3. held 4. flew 5. began 6. feed



5 Irregular past tenses


Intermediate

Key words

Fill the gaps using these key words from the text. peck negligence

carcass compensation

bird of prey precaution

vulture retired

claws keeper

1. A __________________ is a large bird that eats the bodies of dead animals. 2. __________________ means failure to give care or attention, especially if this causes harm or damage. 3. A __________________ is action you take to protect yourself against possible harm. 4. A __________________ is someone who looks after a group of animals in a zoo. 5. __________________ is the money someone receives because something bad has happened to them. 6. A __________________ person no longer works because they have reached the age where they are too old

to work. 7. A __________________ is the body of a dead animal. 8. A __________________ is a bird that hunts and eats other animals. 9. The sharp, curved parts at the end of some animals’ toes are known as __________________. 10. When a bird __________________, it moves its beak quickly forward to hit or bite something.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How much do griffon vultures weigh? 2. What was the wingspan of this vulture? 3. How long was the vulture? 4. Where did the attack take place? 5. What treatment did the victim receive?

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NEWS LESSONS / Holidaymaker’s terror at zoo vulture attack / Intermediate

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6. Apart from vultures, what other birds of prey can be seen at the Jungle Park?


Intermediate


her wounds were dressed, she was sent back to her hotel in a wheelchair. “I was shaking and shaking and shaking,” she said. “I couldn’t speak about it for a few days afterwards. Every time someone asked me what happened I started crying. I’ve never known any shock like it.” She said she was hoping to claim compensation from the zoo for what she described as its “negligence”.

Helen Pidd October 31, 2008 1 Tourist Mary Corcoran had no doubt taken precautions against sunburn and other problems she might have experienced on her Spanish holiday. But she could never have imagined she would be attacked by a vulture. The 56-year-old from Ipswich, UK, has spoken of how she feared she was going to be eaten alive when the metrelong griffon vulture attacked her while she was watching a birds of prey show on the island. She was taken to hospital after the vulture swooped down and attacked her and her friend, Teresa Largent, at Tenerife’s Jungle Park zoo. 2 The vulture, which has a wingspan of 2.5 metres, was eventually knocked to the ground by its keeper. The attack was unusual because vultures normally only feed on dead animals. The attack happened when the women’s week-long holiday was nearly over. They were watching the show in the park’s arena when one vulture flew down to where the women were sitting. 3 “We had been told not to move, so we sat totally still, but it pecked Teresa and then took her programme,” said Corcoran, who is retired, yesterday from her home in the UK. “Then the bird went for me, and sat on my shoulder, and before I knew it, I was under it.” Griffon vultures weigh between six and 13kg; the weight of the bird held her down and she began to feel a burning sensation down her back and arm as it dug its claws into her skin.

6


7

Grahame Madge, of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, said: “The vultures look enormous coming towards you, so it’s no wonder [the women] were frightened. But they are not usually at all dangerous for humans. They are nature’s waste disposal units – usually they just feed on carrion.”

8

The Jungle Park, in Las Aguilas, south Tenerife, has two birds of prey shows a day, giving visitors the chance to see falcons, vultures and eagles in free flight. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 31/10/08

4 “The keeper came over and got the bird off, but as he was taking me out of the arena it flew back towards me and the keeper had to hit it really hard to the ground,” she said. “That is when the real fear and panic began as I thought it was coming back to eat me. I was freaking out. I thought, ‘I’m not a dead carcass!’”

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5 She was then taken to hospital where she received antibiotics and a tetanus injection. After


Intermediate

3 Comprehension check Are the following sentences true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. Vultures often attack humans. 2. Vultures normally feed on live animals like other birds of prey. 3. Mrs Corcoran did not suffer any injuries in the attack. 4. The attack was completely unexpected. 5. The keeper rescued Mrs Corcoran by hitting the bird. 6. She was unable to speak for a few days after the attack.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A phrasal verb meaning to fly down quickly from the sky. (para 1) 2. A noun meaning the distance from the end of one wing to the end of the other. (para 2) 3. A noun meaning a large area that is surrounded by seats and is used for sports or entertainment. (para 2) 4. An adjective meaning without moving. (para 3) 5. A phrasal verb meaning feeling so frightened that you lose control. (para 4) 6. A two-word expression meaning not a surprise. (para 7) 7. A three-word expression meaning a piece of equipment used for getting rid of waste. (para 7) 8. A noun meaning the decaying flesh of dead animals. (para 7)

5 Two-word expressions Match the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to make two-word expressions from the text.

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a. disposal b. still c. compensation d. alive e. injection f. holiday

CA

1. eaten 2. week-long 3. totally 4. claim 5. waste 6. tetanus


Intermediate

6 Prepositions Complete the phrases using prepositions. 1. take precautions _______ something 2. feed _______ 3. _______ six and 13kg 4. take _______ hospital 5. send back _______ 6. claim compensation _______ something 7. twice _______ fifteen years 8. dangerous _______ humans

7 Discussion

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Should animals take part in shows like this?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. vulture 2. negligence 3. precaution 4. keeper 5. compensation 6. retired 7. carcass 8. bird of prey 9. claws 10. pecks

1. swoop down 2. wingspan 3. arena 4. still 5. freaking out 6. no wonder 7. waste disposal unit 8. carrion


1. d 2. f 3. b 4. c 5. a 6. e

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Holidaymaker’s terror at zoo vulture attack / Intermediate

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1. F 2. F 3. F 4. T 5. T 6. F

1. against 2. on 3. between 4. to 5. to 6. for 7. in 8. for / to

•P


6 Prepositions


1. between six and 13 kg 2. 2.5 metres 3. one metre 4. at a zoo in Tenerife (The Jungle Park) 5. antibiotics and a tetanus injection (and her wounds were dressed) 6. falcons and eagles


Saga of survival in Iceland Level 3 1

Advanced

Warmer: Guess the words

Write down ten words that you would expect to find in a news article about Iceland. _________________ __________________ _________________ _________________ ________________ _________________ __________________ _________________ _________________ ________________ Now skim-read the article to see whether your words appear or not.

2

Key words

Write the key words from the article into the sentences below. GDP (gross domestic product) barely outpost exploiting earner docks plunge stench spending spree

privatize saga fundamentals

1. A story about what happens to a group of characters over a long period of time. _______________________ 2. An enclosed area of water in a port where ships unload their goods. _______________________ 3. A very bad smell, especially of decay. _______________________ 4. A short period of time in which people buy a lot of things. _______________________ 5. To sell a business or industry owned by the government so that it becomes a private business. _______________________ 6. A place far away from the place it belongs to. _______________________ 7. The total value of goods and services that a country produces in a year. _______________________ 8. To suddenly drop or become much lower. _______________________ 9. An adverb used to say that something almost didn’t exist or happen. _______________________ 10. The most basic and important aspects of something. _______________________ 11. Taking advantage of a situation and using it to your benefit. _______________________

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NEWS LESSONS / Saga of survival in Iceland / Advanced

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12. A way of bringing in or making money. _______________________

Saga of survival in Iceland Advanced

Saga of survival in Iceland

1 Reykjavik docks smell, an overpowering stench of herring, haddock, halibut, whiting and deep sea redfish. Eggert Gudmundsson, boss of Iceland’s biggest fishing business, HB Grandi, looks at the docks in a philosophical mood as he reflects on his country’s financial crisis. “We are hardworking, we Icelanders, but we are also a bit excitable. If we see a way to make quick money, we will jump. Now we are all going to have to work very hard together to get ourselves out of this. We will have to go back to what we know.” 2 The artist Jón Saemundur Audarson, in his studio off the main street, says: “There’s shame, yes, and humiliation. And anger at the country losing so much, all because a few bankers were playing around with other people’s money. But this whole thing, this long big spending spree, it was just a phase, you know? It hasn’t changed Iceland. This could even be good for us. Take us back to what we really are.” 3 Palme Vidar, with the wisdom of 73 years, says: “We have always swung between feast and famine. There have been terrible times before. When I was a boy, if you went to the harbour to fish and you got wet, you could not fish again until the next day, because you had only one pair of trousers. Today people have too many trousers.” 4 In 1943, Iceland was still a forgotten outpost of Denmark. In the 1970s, it fought a series of nasty fishing wars with Britain (and won). It had no functioning stock market until 1990. Then, in the mid-1990s, it privatized its banks, slashed corporation tax and a couple of Viking entrepreneurs made a load of money in Russia. 5 Last year Iceland was at the top of the UN Human Development Index of the most developed countries in the world, and it was, per capita, the fifth-richest nation on earth. Icelandic companies bought up London toy shop, © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Saga of survival in Iceland / Advanced

6

Iceland borrowed way too much, piling up debts worth ten times the entire GDP. Iceland borrowed money from abroad, and now in a global credit squeeze the debts cannot be refinanced.

7

Since the Reykjavik stock market has also sunk without trace (it reopened recently after a short closure, and instantly plunged 76%) and inflation is firmly in double-figures, the question is whether the government can bail everyone out. At present, it seems not. Twenty years ago, a world financial crisis might barely have touched Iceland. Today it is suffering more than the rest of us. If a couple of banks go bust in the US, said Iceland’s Prime Minister, Geir Haarde, “it’s dramatic, but not fatal”. If a couple of banks go bust in Iceland, “this country’s entire financial sector disappears”. What Iceland has learned from this frightening experience, he concludes, “is that it is not wise for a small country to take a lead in international banking”.

8

“It’s going to be very tough for a lot of ordinary people who understand nothing of all this,” says Asbjörn Jonsson, a third-generation fisherman. “People are afraid. Ordinary, cautious Icelanders invested their savings in bank stocks, thinking they’d be more secure. We know now that money is not made in banks. It’s made by real people working hard at real jobs.”

9

Iceland might, eventually, be all right. “The fundamentals are good,” is the mantra repeated on the streets of Reykjavik, and it is, largely, true. At least, Iceland has a real economy. It has spectacular natural resources: fish and green energy (it is a world leader in geo-thermal power, heating more than 90% of its homes this way and attracting big investment from energy-intensive industries such as aluminium). The average age is just 37, unemployment currently (though maybe not for much longer) stands at 1%, and women account for 46% of the workforce.

10 “It’s going to be a long and rocky road getting out of this,” predicts Finnur Oddsson, managing

H

Jon Henley November 7, 2008

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Nobody knows what will happen next in the bankrupt country.

Hamleys, West Ham United football club and US department store chain, Saks Fifth Avenue.


Level 3

Saga of survival in Iceland Level 3

Advanced

director of the chamber of commerce. “But longer term, Iceland is solid. We’re only exploiting about 30% of our energy potential right now.” Tourism looks like being an important earner: with the krona now worth half what it was in April, interest in flights to Iceland from the UK alone is up 400% in a month.

are half of Iceland’s exports, and this company is 10% of Iceland’s fishing business: we are responsible for one in every 20 euros Iceland earns. We’re a company this country really cannot do without.” © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 07/11/08

11 Gudmundsson also has reason to be optimistic. “I’ve just come from a meeting with the company’s employees,” he says. “They were worried; I told them they needn’t be. What Iceland needs above all is a sustainable source of foreign currency, which means exports. Fish

3 Comprehension check Choose the correct answer according to the information in the article. 1. HB Grandi is ... a) ... the boss of Iceland’s biggest fishing business. b) ... Iceland’s biggest fishing business. c) ... the name of the docks where the fish are unloaded.

4. Iceland is currently suffering financially because ... a) ... it tried to take a lead in international financing. b) ... it only had two banks. c) ... its stock market plunged.

2. Palme Vidar says ... a) ... that this is the worst episode in Iceland’s financial history. b) ... that people have too many clothes and should give them to charity. c) ... that times have been difficult before and that people have become used to luxuries.

5. Iceland has ... a) ... no natural resources. b) ... plenty of aluminium. c) ... plenty of clean environmentally-friendly power.

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3. Iceland borrowed ... a) ... much more money than it is able to repay. b) ... money to buy London shops and football clubs. c) ... money from Russian businessmen.

6. The Icelandic fishing industry is ... a) ... the cause of Iceland’s problems. b) ... the reason why Brits won’t go to Iceland. c) ... a major business in Iceland.


Advanced

4 Vocabulary: Multi-word phrases Find multi-word phrases (two, three or four words) in the article that mean the following. 1. A time of too much, or a time of not enough. __________________________________ 2. A tax companies pay on their profits. __________________________________ 3. A Latin phrase meaning for each head / for each person. __________________________________ 4. To increase the amount of money that you owe. __________________________________ 5. A current phrase meaning the worldwide cut down on money lending. _______________________________ 6. To help someone out of a difficult situation by giving them money. ________________________________ 7. Go bankrupt, have no money left. __________________________________ 8. To disappear completely and to be forgotten. __________________________________ 9. A branch of manufacture or trade that uses as lot of heat or power. ________________________________ 10. Sources of energy that are considered to be environmentally friendly and non-polluting. __________________________________

5 Discussion: Geysers, midnight sun and the northern lights Tourism looks like being an important earner: ... interest in flights to Iceland from the UK alone is up 400% ... (paragraph 10) Does a holiday in Iceland appeal to you? Why, why not?

6 Webquest: An Internet treasure hunt In pairs or small groups visit all or some of these websites that contain information about Iceland. •

http://www.icetourist.is/

•

http://www.iceland.org/

•

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iceland

•

http://www.icelandtouristboard.com/news.php

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https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ic.html

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http://www.lonelyplanet.com/iceland

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Write ten questions about Iceland for another pair or group to answer. Make sure the answers can be found on the Internet and that you know what the answers are!

Saga of survival in Iceland Level 3 Advanced KEY 2 Key words

4 Vocabulary: Multi-word phrases

1. saga 2. docks 3. stench 4. spending spree 5. privatize 6. outpost 7. GDP (gross domestic product) 8. plunge 9. barely 10. fundamentals 11. exploiting 12. earner

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

between famine and feast corporation tax per capita pile up debts global credit squeeze bail (someone) out go bust sink without a trace energy-intensive industry green energy

Teachers’ notes

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Saga of survival in Iceland / Advanced

Task 6 could be set as a two-part homework task if you don’t have enough computers in the classroom connected to the Internet. There is a nice 3.5 minute video with commentary about Reykjavik (before the current financial situation) here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHYIKvahcLA

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

You could write the warmer question before handing out the photocopies to make sure that the students don’t peek at the text before or while deciding which words might appear.




Elementary


You are going to read a news article about Iceland. Write down ten words that you think you will find in the article. _________________ __________________ _________________ _________________ ________________ _________________ __________________ _________________ _________________ ________________ Now skim-read the article. Can you find your words?

2

Key words

Write the key words from the article into the sentences below. The paragraph numbers are given to help you. GDP (gross domestic product) suffering phase optimistic inflation stock market spending spree global credit squeeze green energy

privatize bankrupt saga

fatal docks

1. A story about what happens to a group of people over a long period of time. _____________________ (title) 2. A country of state that is _____________________, owes more money than it can ever pay back. (subtitle) 3. An enclosed area of water in a port where ships unload their goods. _____________________ (para 1) 4. A short period of time in which people buy a lot of things. _____________________ (para 2) 5. A particular period of time. _____________________ (para 2) 6. The activities connected with buying and selling shares in companies. _____________________ (para 4) 7. To sell a business or industry owned by the government so that it becomes a private business. _____________________ (para 4) 8. The total value of goods and services that a country produces in a year. _____________________ (para 6) 9. A financial term meaning the worldwide cut back on money lending. _____________________ (para 6) 10. An economic process in which prices go up so money becomes less valuable. ____________________ (para 7) 11. Experiencing something very painful or unpleasant. _____________________ (para 7) 12. Deadly; having very serious negative effects. _____________________ (para 7) 13. Environmentally-friendly power (e.g. electricity). _____________________ (para 8)

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14. Hopeful and positive about the future. _____________________ (para 10)

Saga of survival in Iceland Elementary 7

1 Reykjavik docks smell of herring, haddock, halibut, whiting and deep sea redfish. Eggert Gudmundsson, boss of Iceland’s biggest fishing business, HB Grandi, looks at the docks and talks about his country’s financial crisis. “We are hardworking, we Icelanders, but if we see a way to make quick money, we will jump. Now we are all going to have to work very hard together to get ourselves out of this. We will have to go back to what we know.”

The Reykjavik stock market has disappeared (it reopened recently and immediately fell 76%) and inflation is high, the question is whether the government can help everyone out. At the moment, it seems not. Twenty years ago, a world financial crisis might not have affected Iceland. Today the country is suffering more than the rest of us. If a couple of banks go bust in the US, said Iceland’s Prime Minister, Geir Haarde, “it’s dramatic, but not fatal”. If a couple of banks go bust in Iceland, “this country’s entire financial sector disappears. Iceland has learned that it is not wise for a small country to take a lead in international banking”.

8

2 The artist Jón Saemundur Audarson, in his studio off the main street, says: “There’s anger at the country losing so much, all because a few bankers were playing with other people’s money. But this whole thing, this long big spending spree, it was just a phase. It hasn’t changed Iceland. This could even be good for us. Take us back to what we really are.”

Iceland might, eventually, be all right. At least, Iceland has a real economy. It has a lot of fish and green energy (it is a world leader in geo-thermal power, heating more than 90% of its homes this way). The average age is just 37, at the moment unemployment (though maybe not for much longer) stands at 1% and women make up 46% of the workforce.

9

“It’s going to be a long and rocky road getting out of this,” predicts Finnur Oddsson, managing director of Iceland Chamber of Commerce. “But in the long term, Iceland is solid.” Tourism looks like being an important way to earn money: with the krona now worth half what it was in April, interest in flights to Iceland from the UK alone is up 400% in a month.

Nobody knows what will happen next in the bankrupt country. Jon Henley November 7, 2008

5 Last year Iceland was the fifth-richest nation on earth. Icelandic companies bought up London toy shop, Hamleys, West Ham United football club and US department store chain, Saks Fifth Avenue. 6 Iceland borrowed too much money, until its debts were ten times the entire GDP. Iceland borrowed money from abroad, and now in a global credit squeeze the debts cannot be repaid. © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Saga of survival in Iceland / Elementary

10 Gudmundsson is optimistic. “I’ve just come from a meeting with the company’s employees,” he says. “They were worried; I told them they needn’t be. What Iceland needs above all is foreign money from exports. Fish are half of Iceland’s exports, and this company is 10% of Iceland’s fishing business: we bring in one in every 20 euros Iceland earns. We’re a company this country cannot do without.” © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 07/11/08

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4 Iceland had no real stock market until 1990. Then, in the mid-1990s, it privatized its banks, cut business tax and some businessmen made a lot of money in Russia.


3 73-year-old Palme Vidar says: “There have been bad times before. When I was a boy, if you went to the harbour to fish and you got wet, you could not fish again until the next day, because you had only one pair of trousers. Today, people have too many trousers.”

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Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the sentence halves to summarize the article. 1. Eggert Gudmundsson is the boss of Iceland’s ... 2. Palme Vidar says that people in Iceland ...

... have become used to luxuries.

... the two major industries in Iceland.

3. Iceland borrowed much more ...

... from exporting fish.

4. Iceland has a lot of clean ...

... for people from Britain.

5. Fishing and green-energy production are ...

... environmentally-friendly power.

6. Most people in Iceland have ...

... in the future.

7. Nearly half of the Icelandic workforce ...

... a job.

8. Iceland’s economy is probably going to be all right again ...

... are women.

9. Iceland is currently an attractive tourist destination ...

... biggest fishing business.

10. Iceland makes a lot of money ...

... money than it is able to repay.

4 Vocabulary: Prepositions Write in the missing prepositions then look at the article to check your answers.

from

on

for

about

to

of (x2)

until

1. Reykjavik docks smell ___________ fish. 2. Eggert Gudmundsson talks ___________ his country’s financial crisis. 3. This could be good ___________ us. 4. It had no stock market ___________ 1990. 5. ... the fifth-richest nation ___________ earth. 6. Iceland borrowed money ___________ abroad. 7. ... interest in flights ___________ Iceland from the UK ...

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8. Fish are half ___________ Iceland’s exports.

Saga of survival in Iceland Level 1 Elementary 5 Discussion: A holiday in Iceland Write five positive and five negative things about Iceland. Positive

Negative

1.

1.

2.

2.

3.

3.

4.

4.

5.

5.

Would you like to go to Iceland for your next holiday? Why, why not?



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Write ten questions about Iceland for another pair or group to answer. Do you remember the W question words? W ... ______________________________________________________________________________________ W ... ______________________________________________________________________________________ W ... ______________________________________________________________________________________ W ... ______________________________________________________________________________________ W ... ______________________________________________________________________________________ W ... ______________________________________________________________________________________ W ... ______________________________________________________________________________________ You can ask questions about people, places, food, sights, weather, etc.

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Make sure the answers can be found on the Internet and that you know what the answers are!

Freerunning Saga of survival joinsinsport Iceland establishment Level 1 Elementary KEY 2 Key words


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

saga bankrupt docks spending spree phase stock market privatize GDP (gross domestic product) global credit squeeze inflation suffering fatal green energy optimistic

Reykjavik docks smell of fish. Eggert Gudmundsson talks about his country’s financial crisis. This could be good for us. It had no stock market until 1990. ...the fifth-richest nation on earth. Iceland borrowed money from abroad. ... interest in flights to Iceland from the UK ... Fish are half of Iceland’s exports.

6 Webquest: An Internet treasure hunt W question words: who, what, where, why, when, which and how

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Saga of survival in Iceland / Elementary

You could write the warmer question before handing out the photocopies to make sure that the students don’t peek at the text before or while deciding which words might appear. Task 6 could be set as a two-part homework task if you don’t have enough computers in the classroom connected to the Internet. There is a nice 3.5 minute video with commentary about Reykjavik (before the current financial situation) here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHYIKvahcLA

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Eggert Gudmundsson is the boss of Iceland’s biggest fishing business. Palme Vidar says that people in Iceland have become used to luxuries. Iceland borrowed much more money than it is able to repay. Iceland has a lot of clean environmentally-friendly power. Fishing and green-energy production are the two major industries in Iceland. Most people in Iceland have a job. Nearly half of the Icelandic workforce are women. Iceland’s economy is probably going to be all right again in the future. Iceland is currently an attractive tourist destination for people from Britain. Iceland makes a lot of money from exporting fish.

Teachers’ notes

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Comprehension check


3


Intermediate


Write down ten words that you would expect to find in a news article about Iceland. _________________ __________________ _________________ _________________ ________________ _________________ __________________ _________________ _________________ ________________ Now skim-read the article. Can you find your words?

2

Key words

a) Write the key words from the article into the sentences below. The paragraph numbers are given to help you. GDP (gross domestic product) go bust shame and humiliation docks outpost exploiting privatize entrepreneur earner saga inflation plunge spending spree fundamentals 1. A story about what happens to a group of characters over a long period of time. ____________________ (title) 2. An enclosed area of water in a port where ships unload their goods. ____________________ (para 1) 3. Nouns to describe the feeling of guilt and embarrassment. __________________________________ (para 2) 4. A short period of time in which people buy a lot of things. ____________________ (para 2) 5. A place far away from the place it belongs to. ____________________ (para 4) 6. To sell a business or industry owned by the government so that it becomes a private business. ____________________ (para 4) 7. Someone who uses money to start businesses and make deals. ____________________ (para 4) 8. The total value of goods and services that a country produces in a year. ____________________ (para 6) 9. To suddenly drop or become much lower. ____________________ (para 7) 10. An economic process in which prices rise so money becomes less valuable. ____________________ (para 7) 11. To go bankrupt, have no money left to be unable to pay your debts. ____________________ (para 7) 12. The most basic and important aspects of something. ____________________ (para 8) 13. Taking advantage of a situation and using it to your benefit. ____________________ (para 9) 14. A way of bringing in or making money. ____________________ (para 9)

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b) In your own words, explain what you understand by the phrase global credit squeeze.

Saga of survival in Iceland Intermediate 7

The Reykjavik stock market has also disappeared (it reopened recently after a short closure, and instantly plunged 76%) and inflation is firmly in double-figures, the question is whether the government can help everyone out. At present, it seems not. Twenty years ago, a world financial crisis might not have touched Iceland. Today the country is suffering more than the rest of us. If a couple of banks go bust in the US, said Iceland’s Prime Minister, Geir Haarde, “it’s dramatic, but not fatal”. If a couple of banks go bust in Iceland, “this country’s entire financial sector disappears”. What Iceland has learned from this frightening experience, he concludes, “is that it is not wise for a small country to take a lead in international banking”.

8

Iceland might, eventually, be all right. “The fundamentals are good,” is the mantra repeated on the streets of Reykjavik, and it is, largely, true. At least, Iceland has a real economy. It has spectacular natural resources: fish, and green energy (it is a world leader in geo-thermal power, heating more than 90% of its homes this way and attracting big investment from energy-intensive industries such as aluminium). The average age is just 37, unemployment currently (though maybe not for much longer) stands at 1%, and women account for 46% of the workforce.

9

“It’s going to be a long and rocky road getting out of this,” predicts Finnur Oddsson, managing director of Iceland Chamber of Commerce. “But longer term, Iceland is solid. We’re only exploiting about 30% of our energy potential right now.” Tourism looks like being an important earner: with the krona now worth half what it was in April, interest in flights to Iceland from the UK alone is up 400% in a month.

Nobody knows what will happen next in the bankrupt country. Jon Henley November 7, 2008 1 Reykjavik docks smell of herring, haddock,

off the main street, says: “There’s shame, yes, and humiliation. And anger at the country losing so much, all because a few bankers were playing around with other people’s money. But this whole thing, this long big spending spree, it was just a phase. It hasn’t changed Iceland. This could even be good for us. Take us back to what we really are.”

3 Palme Vidar, with the wisdom of 73 years, says:

“There have been terrible times before. When I was a boy, if you went to the harbour to fish and you got wet, you could not fish again until the next day, because you had only one pair of trousers. Today people have too many trousers.”

4 In 1943, Iceland was still a forgotten outpost of

Denmark. In the 1970s, it fought a series of nasty fishing wars with Britain (and won). It had no real stock market until 1990. Then, in the mid-1990s, it privatized its banks, cut business tax, and a couple of Viking entrepreneurs made a load of money in Russia.

5 Last year Iceland was at the top of the UN Human

Development Index of the most developed countries in the world, and it was, per head, the fifth-richest nation on earth. Icelandic companies bought up London toy shop, Hamleys, West Ham United football club and US department store chain, Saks Fifth Avenue.

6 Iceland borrowed way too much, until its debts were

ten times the entire GDP. Iceland borrowed money from abroad, and now in a global credit squeeze the debts cannot be repaid.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Saga of survival in Iceland / Intermediate

10 Gudmundsson also has reason to be optimistic.

“I’ve just come from a meeting with the company’s employees,” he says. “They were worried; I told them they needn’t be. What Iceland needs above all is foreign currency from exports. Fish are half of Iceland’s exports, and this company is 10% of Iceland’s fishing business: we are responsible for one in every 20 euros Iceland earns. We’re a company this country really cannot do without.” © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 07/11/08

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2 The artist Jón Saemundur Audarson, in his studio


halibut, whiting and deep sea redfish. Eggert Gudmundsson, boss of Iceland’s biggest fishing business, HB Grandi, looks at the docks in a philosophical mood as he reflects on his country’s financial crisis. “We are hardworking, we Icelanders, but if we see a way to make quick money, we will jump. Now we are all going to have to work very hard together to get ourselves out of this. We will have to go back to what we know.”

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Level 2


Intermediate

Comprehension check: True or false?

Are the statements true (T) of false (F) according to the information in the article? 1. HB Grandi is Iceland’s biggest fishing business. 2. Palme Vidar says that people have become used to luxuries. 3. Iceland borrowed much more money than it is able to repay. 4. Iceland is currently suffering financially because it stopped exporting fish. 5. Iceland has plenty of clean environmentally-friendly power. 6. The fishing and green-energy production are the two major industries in Iceland. 7. Iceland currently still has a very low rate of unemployment. 8. Women make up over half of the Icelandic workforce. 9. Iceland’s economy is likely to recover. 10. Iceland is currently an attractive tourist destination for people from Britain.

4 Vocabulary: Prepositions Write in the missing prepositions then look at the article to check your answers. 1. Reykjavik docks smell __________ fish. 2. Eggert Gudmundsson reflects __________ his country’s financial crisis. 3. ... anger __________ the country losing so much. 4. This could be good __________ us. 5. ... it fought a series __________ wars ... 6. It had no stock market __________ 1990. 7. ... the fifth-richest nation __________ earth. 8. Iceland borrowed money __________ abroad. 9. Inflation is firmly __________ double-figures.

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10. Fish are half __________ Iceland’s exports.


Intermediate

5 Discussion: Geysers, midnight sun and the northern lights Tourism looks like being an important earner: ... interest in flights to Iceland from the UK alone is up 400% ... (paragraph 9) Does a holiday in Iceland appeal to you? Why, why not?



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Write ten questions about Iceland for another pair or group to answer. Make sure the answers can be found on the Internet and that you know what the answers are!

Saga of survival in Iceland Addiction to Internet ‘is an illness’ Level 2

Intermediate

KEY 2 Key words


a)

1. Reykjavik docks smell of fish. 2. Eggert Gudmundsson reflects on his country’s financial crisis. 3. ... anger at the country losing so much. 4. This could be good for us. 5. ... it fought a series of wars ... 6. It had no stock market until 1990. 7. ... the fifth-richest nation on earth. 8. Iceland borrowed money from abroad. 9. Inflation is firmly in double-figures. 10. Fish are half of Iceland’s exports.

saga docks shame and humiliation spending spree outpost privatize entrepreneur GDP (gross domestic product) plunge inflation go bust fundamentals exploiting earner

b) A current financial phrase meaning the worldwide cut back on money lending.

Teachers’ notes You could write the warmer question before handing out the photocopies to make sure that the students don’t peek at the text before or while deciding which words might appear.

3 Comprehension check: True or false?

Task 6 could be set as a two-part homework task if you don’t have enough computers in the classroom connected to the Internet.


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There is a nice 3.5 minute video with commentary about Reykjavik (before the current financial situation) here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHYIKvahcLA

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1. T 2. T 3. T 4. F 5. T 6. T 7. T 8. F 9. T 10. T


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

Paradise almost lost: Maldives seek to buy new homeland Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words


revenue rancour

inundate retribution

archipelago flogging

broach banishment

cuisine skim off

1. _________________ is the act of officially ordering someone to leave a country or a region as a punishment. 2. _________________ is a feeling of hate or anger that lasts for a long time. 3. If someone _________________ wealth or a profit, they remove it and keep it for themselves. 4. _________________ is income from business. 5. _________________ is a punishment where someone is hit many times with a stick or a whip. 6. An _________________ is a large group of small islands. 7. _________________ is a punishment that someone deserves because they have done something very bad. 8. If you _________________ a subject or an idea, you begin discussing it with someone, especially if you feel nervous about doing so because you may upset them. 9. The _________________ of a particular country or region is its style of cooking food. 10. _________________ means the same as flood.

2

What do you know?

Decide whether these statements are true (T) or false (F). Then check your answers in the text. 1. The Maldives are a group of islands not far from India. 2. The UN forecasts that sea levels are likely to rise by 5.9 metres by the year 2100. 3. The capital of the Maldives, Male, is the most densely populated city in the world. 4. Islam is the only religion in the Maldives. 5. The Maldives has a population of more than one million.

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6. The Maldives used to be a democracy but is now a dictatorship.

Paradise almost lost: Maldives seek to buy new homeland Advanced

Paradise almost lost: Maldives seek to buy a new homeland

Nasheed said he intended to create a “sovereign wealth fund” from the dollars generated by importing tourists, in the way that Arab states have done by exporting oil. “Kuwait might invest in companies; we will invest in land.” The 41year-old is a rising star in Asia, where he has been compared to Nelson Mandela. Before taking office the new president asked Maldivians to move forward without rancour or retribution – an astonishing call, given that Nasheed had gone to jail 23 times, been tortured and spent 18 months in solitary confinement.

6

2 The UN forecasts that the seas are likely to rise by up to 59cm by 2100, due to global warming. Most parts of the Maldives are just 1.5m above water. The president said even a “small rise” in sea levels would inundate large parts of the archipelago. “We can do nothing to stop climate change on our own and so we have to buy land elsewhere. It’s an insurance policy for the worst possible outcome. After all, the Israelis [began by buying] land in Palestine,” said Nasheed, also known as Anni.

“We have the latitude to remove anyone from government and prosecute them. But I have forgiven my jailers, the torturers. They were following orders ... I ask people to follow my example and leave Gayoom to grow old here,” he said.

7

3 The president, a human rights activist who swept to power in elections last month after ousting Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the man who once imprisoned him, said he had already broached the idea with a number of countries and found them to be “receptive”. He said Sri Lanka and India were targets because they had similar cultures, cuisines and climates. Australia was also being considered because of the amount of unoccupied land available. “We do not want to leave the Maldives, but we also do not want to be climate refugees living in tents for decades,” he said.

The Maldives is one of the few Muslim nations to make a relatively peaceful transition from autocracy to democracy. The Gayoom “sultanate” was a dictatorship that ran the police, army and courts, and which banned rival parties. Public flogging, banishment to island gulags and torture were routinely used to suppress dissent and the young pro-democracy movement. Gayoom was ‘elected’ president six times in 30 years – but never faced an opponent. However, public pressure grew and last year he conceded that democracy was inevitable.

8

Upmarket tourism was useful for the dictatorial regime. Gayoom’s Maldives became the richest country in South Asia, with average incomes reaching $4,600 a year. But the wealth created was skimmed off by Gayoom’s friends and supporters – leaving a huge gap between rich and poor. Speedboats and yachts of local multimillionaires lie in the capital’s harbour, while official figures show almost half of Maldivians earn less than a dollar a day.

9

Male is the world’s most densely populated

1 The Maldives will begin to divert part of the country’s billion-dollar annual tourist revenue into buying a new homeland – as an insurance policy against climate change that threatens to turn the 300,000 islanders into environmental refugees, according to the country’s first democratically elected president. Mohamed Nasheed, who has recently taken power in the island’s capital, Male, said the chain of 1,200 islands 500 miles from the tip of India is likely to disappear under the waves if the current pace of climate change continues to raise sea levels.

4 Environmentalists say the issue raises the question of what rights citizens have if their homeland no longer exists. “It’s an unprecedented wake-up call,” said Tom Picken, © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008


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Randeep Ramesh in Male November 10, 2008


head of international climate change at Friends of the Earth. “The Maldives is left to fend for itself. It is a victim of climate change caused by rich countries.”

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Level 3

Paradise almost lost: Maldives seek to buy new homeland Level 3

Advanced

town: 100,000 people live in just two square kilometres. “We have unemployment at 20%. Heroin has become a serious social issue, with crime rising,” Nasheed said, adding that the extra social spending he was planning would cost an immediate $243m. He said that without an emergency bailout from the international community, the future of the Maldives as a democracy would be in doubt.

university. “It’s desperate. We are a 100% Islamic country and democracy came from within. Do you want to lose that because we were denied the money to deal with the poverty created by the dictatorship?” he said. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 10/11/08

10 To raise cash, his government will sell off state assets, reduce the cabinet and turn the presidential palace into the country’s first

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. What is the Maldives’ ‘insurance policy’ against climate change? a. The billion-dollar annual income from tourism b. Buying land in another country c. Importing tourists rather than exporting oil 2. Why are Sri Lanka and India possible destinations for the Maldive islanders? a. Because they are not far from the Maldives. b. Because there is a large amount of unoccupied land available in those two countries. c. Because they have similar cultures, cooking and weather to the Maldives. 3. Why are the Maldives particularly at risk from global warming? a. Because most parts of the archipelago are just 1.5m above sea level. b. Because people there cannot stop global warming on their own. c. Because the pace of global warming is increasing.

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4. What distinguishes the Maldives from most other Muslim nations? a. It earns a lot of its revenue from tourism. b. It made a relatively peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy. c. Rival political parties are banned.


Advanced

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A three-word expression meaning to win an election by a very large number of votes. (para 3) 2. A verb meaning to remove someone from a position of power, especially in order to take that position. (para 3) 3. A three-word expression meaning a bad experience that warns people to change something, usually the way they behave. (para 4) 4. A three-word expression meaning to look after oneself without help from anyone else. (para 4) 5. A two-word expression meaning a punishment in which a prisoner is kept alone, separate from other prisoners. (para 5) 6. A noun meaning freedom to use your own methods and judgment in doing something. (para 6) 7. An adjective meaning designed for people who have a lot of money. (para 8) 8. A noun meaning financial assistance. (para 9)

5 Verb + noun collocations Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns or noun phrases in the right-hand column to make collocations from the text. 1. raise 2. follow 3. make 4. suppress 5. create 6. sell off 7. take 8. broach

a. power b. wealth c. a transition d. a question e. assets f. an idea g. dissent h. someone’s example

6 Prepositions Complete the phrases using prepositions. Check your answers in the text. 1. an insurance policy _______ climate change

5. the gap _______ rich and poor

2. due _______ global warming

6. the future of the islands is _______ doubt

3. invest _______ land

7. deal _______ poverty

4. a peaceful transition _______ autocracy to democracy

8. disappear _______ the waves

7 Discussion

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If you were president of your country what measures would you take to slow down or even prevent global warming?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. banishment 2. rancour 3. skims off 4. revenue 5. flogging 6. archipelago 7. retribution 8. broach 9. cuisine 10. inundate

1. sweep to power 2. oust 3. a wake-up call 4. fend for oneself 5. solitary confinement 6. latitude 7. upmarket 8. bailout

1. b 2. c 3. a 4. b

1. against 2. to 3. in 4. from 5. between 6. in 7. with 8. under

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Paradise almost lost: Maldives seek to buy new homeland / Advanced

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6 Prepositions

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1. T 2. F 3. T 4. T 5. F 6. F

1. d 2. h 3. c 4. g 5. b 6. e 7. a 8. f


2 What do you know?


Paradise almost lost: Maldives seek to buy new homeland Level 1 Elementary 1 Key words Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. refugee autocracy

cuisine invest

flogging torture

outcome poverty

receptive ban

1. ______________ is extreme physical pain used as a punishment or as a way to make someone say something. 2. If you ______________ something, you say officially that people cannot do it. 3. The ______________ of a particular country or region is its style of cooking food. 4. An ______________ is a form of government in which one person has complete power. 5. If someone is ______________, they are willing to consider suggestions. 6. ______________ is the noun from poor. 7. ______________ is a punishment where someone is hit many times with a stick or a whip. 8. If you ______________ money, you use it to make a profit in the future. 9. The ______________ is the final result of a process or activity. 10. A ______________ is someone who has to leave their home during a war or a natural disaster.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How far are the Maldives from India? 2. How many islands are there in the Maldives? 3. How many people live in the Maldives? 4. How many times was Mohamed Nasheed sent to jail? 5. What is the unemployment rate in the capital of the Maldives?

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6. How many people live in the capital of the Maldives?

Paradise almost lost: Maldives seek to buy new homeland Level 1 Elementary Paradise almost lost: Maldives seek to buy a new homeland

3 The president won the election last month after defeating Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the man who once put him in prison. He said he had already discussed buying a new homeland with a number of countries and said they were “receptive” to the idea. He said Sri Lanka and India were possible targets because they had similar cultures, cuisines and climates. Australia was also a possibility because there was so much unoccupied land there. “We do not want to leave the Maldives, but we also do not want to be refugees living in tents for years and years,” he said. 4 Nasheed said he was planning to create a “wealth fund” from the dollars earned by importing tourists, in the way that Arab states have done by exporting oil. “Kuwait invests in companies; we will invest in land.” The 41-

“We can remove anyone from government and prosecute them. But I have forgiven my jailers, the torturers. They were following orders ... I ask people to follow my example and leave Gayoom to grow old here,” he said.

6

Not many Muslim nations have moved from autocracy to democracy peacefully like the Maldives have. The Gayoom ‘sultanate’ was a dictatorship that controlled the police, army and courts, and which banned all opposition. Gayoom used public flogging and torture to control the country. Gayoom was ‘elected’ president six times in 30 years – but there was never any opposition. However, public pressure grew and last year he agreed to hold democratic elections.

7

Tourism was very useful for Gayoom’s government. The Maldives became the richest country in South Asia, with an average income of $4,600 a year. But Gayoom’s friends and supporters took most of the money and there was a huge gap between rich and poor. The harbour at Male, the capital city, is full of the speedboats and yachts of local multimillionaires, while almost half of Maldivians earn less than a dollar a day.

8

Male, is the world’s most densely populated town: 100,000 people live in just two square kilometres. “We have unemployment at 20%. Heroin is a serious social issue, and crime is rising,” Nasheed said. He added that he needed an immediate $243m extra to pay for the extra social spending he was planning. He said that the future of the Maldives as a democracy was in doubt without emergency financial help from the international community.

9

To raise money, the government will sell state property, reduce the number of people in the government and turn the presidential palace into

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Paradise almost lost: Maldives seek to buy new homeland / Elementary

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2 The UN forecasts that the seas will probably rise by up to 59cm by 2100, as a result of global warming. Most parts of the Maldives are just 1.5m above sea level. The president said even a “small rise” in sea levels would cover large parts of the island group. “We can do nothing to stop climate change on our own and so we have to buy land somewhere else. It’s an insurance policy for the worst possible outcome. After all, the Israelis [began by buying] land in Palestine,” said Nasheed.

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1 If climate change continues to raise sea levels, the Maldives, a group of 1,200 islands in the Indian Ocean just 500 miles from India, could disappear beneath the waves. Mohamed Nasheed, the country’s new president, says the Maldives will soon spend part of its billiondollar annual tourist income on buying a new homeland. This would be an insurance policy against climate change that could make the 300,000 islanders refugees.

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year-old president is a rising star in Asia, where some people compare him to Nelson Mandela. Before he took office the new president asked Maldivians to look to the future and not the past. This was a surprise because Nasheed had been sent to jail 23 times and been tortured.

Paradise almost lost: Maldives seek to buy new homeland Level 1 Elementary the country’s first university. “It’s a very difficult situation. We are a 100% Islamic country and our democracy came from inside. Do you want to lose that because we don’t have the money to fight the poverty created by the dictatorship?” he said. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 10/11/08

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. If global warming continues …

a. … to buy a new homeland in another country.

2. If the Maldives disappear beneath the sea …

b. … compare Mohamed Nasheed to Nelson Mandela.

3. If the government doesn’t fight poverty ...

c. … the Maldives will disappear beneath the sea.

4. Some people in Asia …

d. … to raise money.

5. The government is planning to sell state property …

e. … the Maldives might lose their democracy.

6. The government of the Maldives is planning ...

f. … the population will move to a new homeland.

4 Chunks Rearrange the words to make phrases from the text. 1. result warming of as global a 2. above just level 1.5 metres sea 3. 30 six years in times 4. a income an year $4,600 average of 5. rich gap poor and between huge a

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NEWS LESSONS / Paradise almost lost: Maldives seek to buy new homeland / Elementary

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6. dollar less a than day a

Paradise almost lost: Maldives seek to buy new homeland Level 1 Elementary 5 Two-word expressions Match the words in the left-hand column with the words in the right-hand column to make two-word expressions from the text. 1. climate

a. city

2. insurance

b. level

3. global

c. income

4. sea

d. election

5. democratic

e. policy

6. average

f. warming

7. capital

g. populated

8. densely

h. change


elect

2.

move

3.

oppose

4.

employ

5.

insure

6.

raise

7.

govern

8.

tour


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1.

noun

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verb


Paradise almost lost: Maldives seek to buy new homeland Level 1 Elementary KEY 1 Key words

4 Chunks

1. torture 2. ban 3. cuisine 4. autocracy 5. receptive 6. poverty 7. flogging 8. invest 9. outcome 10. refugee

1. as a result of global warming 2. just 1.5 metres above sea level 3. six times in 30 years 4. an average income of $4,600 a year 5. a huge gap between rich and poor 6. less than a dollar a day

1. c 2. f 3. e 4. b 5. d 6. a

1. election 2. movement 3. opposition 4. (un)employment 5. insurance 6. rise 7. government 8. tourist / tour


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6 Word building

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1. 500 miles 2. 1,200 3. 300,000 4. 23 5. 20% 6. 100,000

1. h 2. e 3. f 4. b 5. d 6. c 7. a 8. g




Paradise almost lost: Maldives seek to buy new homeland Level 2 1

Intermediate

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. pace outcome

archipelago unprecedented

cuisine receptive

flogging autocracy

banishment inevitable

1. An _________________ is a form of government in which one person has complete power. 2. If someone is _________________, they are willing to consider suggestions. 3. If something is _________________, it is impossible to avoid or prevent. 4. _________________ is the act of officially ordering someone to leave a country or a region as a punishment. 5. An _________________ event is one that has never happened before. 6. _________________ is a punishment where someone is hit many times with a stick or a whip. 7. The _________________ is the final result of a process or activity. 8. An _________________ is a large group of small islands. 9. _________________ is the speed at which something happens. 10. The _________________ of a particular country or region is its style of cooking food.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How far are the Maldives from the tip of India? 2. How many islands make up the Maldives? 3. How many people live in the Maldives? 4. How far above sea level are most of the Maldives? 5. What was the average income in the Maldives under the previous government?

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6. How many people live in the capital of the Maldives?

Paradise almost lost: Maldives seek to buy new homeland Intermediate

Paradise almost lost: Maldives seek to buy a new homeland

3 The president swept to power in elections last month after defeating Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the man who once imprisoned him. He said he had already discussed the idea with a number of countries and found them to be “receptive”. He said Sri Lanka and India were targets because they had similar cultures, cuisines and climates. Australia was also a possibility because of the amount of unoccupied land available. “We do not want to leave the Maldives, but we also do not want to be climate refugees living in tents for decades,” he said. 4 Environmentalists say the issue raises the question of what rights citizens have if their homeland no longer exists. “It’s an unprecedented wake-up call,” said Tom Picken, head of international climate change at Friends of the Earth. “The Maldives is left to fend for

6

“We have the ability to remove anyone from government and prosecute them. But I have forgiven my jailers, the torturers. They were following orders ... I ask people to follow my example and leave Gayoom to grow old here,” he said.

7

The Maldives is one of the few Muslim nations that has moved from autocracy to democracy relatively peacefully. The Gayoom “sultanate” was a dictatorship that controlled the police, army and courts, and which banned rival parties. Gayoom used public flogging, banishment and torture to suppress dissent and the young prodemocracy movement. Gayoom was ‘elected’ president six times in 30 years – but never faced an opponent. However, public pressure grew and last year he agreed that democracy was inevitable.

8

Upmarket tourism was useful for the dictatorial regime. Gayoom’s Maldives became the richest country in South Asia, with the average income $4,600 a year. But Gayoom’s friends and supporters took much of the wealth and there was a huge gap between rich and poor. The speedboats and yachts of local multimillionaires fill the capital’s harbour, while almost half of Maldivians earn less than a dollar a day.

9

The capital of the Maldives, Male, is the world’s most densely populated town: 100,000 people live in just two square kilometres. “We have

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Paradise almost lost: Maldives seek to buy new homeland / Intermediate

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2 The UN forecasts that the seas are likely to rise by up to 59cm by 2100, due to global warming. Most parts of the Maldives are just 1.5m above water. The president said even a “small rise” in sea levels would cover large parts of the archipelago. “We can do nothing to stop climate change on our own and so we have to buy land somewhere else. It’s an insurance policy for the worst possible outcome. After all, the Israelis [began by buying] land in Palestine,” said Nasheed, also known as Anni.

Nasheed said he was planning to create a “sovereign wealth fund” from the dollars generated by importing tourists, in the way that Arab states have done by exporting oil. “Kuwait might invest in companies; we will invest in land.” The 41-year-old president is a rising star in Asia, where he has been compared to Nelson Mandela. Before taking office the new president asked Maldivians to look to the future and not seek revenge for the past. This was an astonishing call as Nasheed had gone to jail 23 times, been tortured and spent 18 months in solitary confinement.


1 Mohamed Nasheed, the new president of the Maldives, a group of 1,200 islands in the Indian Ocean, says the country will soon spend part of its billion-dollar annual tourist income on buying a new homeland – as an insurance policy against climate change that could turn the 300,000 islanders into environmental refugees. The Maldives, just 500 miles from the tip of India, could disappear under the waves if the current pace of climate change continues to raise sea levels.

5

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itself. It is a victim of climate change caused by rich countries.”

CA

Level 2


Intermediate

unemployment at 20%. Heroin has become a serious social issue, and crime is rising,” Nasheed said. He added that the extra social spending he was planning would cost an immediate $243m. He said that without emergency financial help from the international community, the future of the Maldives as a democracy would be in doubt. 10 To raise money, his government will sell state assets, reduce the number of people in the

government and turn the presidential palace into the country’s first university. “It’s a very difficult situation. We are a 100% Islamic country and democracy came from inside. Do you want to lose that because we don’t have the money to deal with the poverty created by the dictatorship?” he said. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 10/11/08

3 Comprehension check Are these statements true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. All of the Maldives will be under water by the year 2100. 2. The Maldives have a similar culture and climate to Australia. 3. Indian cooking is similar to Maldivian cooking. 4. The inhabitants of the Maldives want to leave the islands and settle elsewhere. 5. The Maldives have recently become a democracy. 6. Under the dictatorship the Maldives was the richest country in South Asia.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A three-word expression meaning to win an election by a very large number of votes. (para 3) 2. A noun meaning a period of ten years. (para 3) 3. A three-word expression meaning a bad experience that warns people to change something, usually the way they behave. (para 4) 4. A three-word expression meaning to look after oneself without help from anyone else (para 4) 5. A two-word expression meaning a punishment in which a prisoner is kept alone, separate from other prisoners. (para 5) 6. A verb meaning to say officially that people must not do something. (para 7) 7. A verb meaning to stop an activity, especially by making laws or using your authority. (para 7)

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8. A noun meaning strong disagreement with what people in authority think. (para 7)


Intermediate

5 Two-word expressions Match the words in the left-hand column with the words in the right-hand column to make two-word expressions from the text. 1. global

a. assets

2. climate

b. movement

3. sea

c. change

4. insurance

d. populated

5. pro-democracy

e. policy

6. densely

f. warming

7. social

g. level

8. state

h. issue

6 Word building: Noun endings Add endings to these words to form nouns. Check your answers in the text. 1. dictator_______ 2. confine_______ 3. environment_______ 4. move_______ 5. jail_______ 6. support_______ 7. employ_______ 8. govern_______

7 Discussion

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What can the inhabitants of the Maldives do to save their homeland?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. autocracy 2. receptive 3. inevitable 4. banishment 5. unprecedented 6. flogging 7. outcome 8. archipelago 9. pace 10. cuisine

1. sweep to power 2. decade 3. a wake-up call 4. fend for oneself 5. solitary confinement 6. ban 7. suppress 8. dissent

2 Find the information 1. 500 miles 2. 1,200 3. 300,000 4. 1.5m 5. $4,600 a year 6. 100,000

1. f 2. c 3. g 4. e 5. b 6. d 7. h 8. a


6 Word building: Noun endings

1. F 2. F 3. T 4. F 5. T 6. T

1. –ship 2. –ment 3. –alist 4. –ment 5. –er 6. –er 7. –ment 8. –ment

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Disillusioned bankers quit the City to teach science Level 3 1

Advanced

Warmer

a) How do people feel when they are disillusioned? b) Why do you think British bankers are feeling disillusioned? Note: In Britain, when someone talks or writes about the City they are referring to the City of London and, in particular, its banking and financial sector.

2

Key words

Find the key words in the article. 1. To leave a job or stop doing something. _______________________ (title) 2. A verb meaning to make a decision from a choice of possibilities. _______________________ (para 1) 3. A place where traders or stock brokers meet to buy and sell. _______________________ (para 3) 4. When something is acceptable or to your liking, it is _______________________. (para 4) 5. A verb meaning to make up for the loss of something else. _______________________ (para 4) 6. Someone whose job it is to buy and sell shares for other people. _______________________ (para 5) 7. When something is _______________________, it brings in a lot of money. (para 7) 8. A verb meaning to publically promise. _______________________ (para 9) 9. A noun meaning a new member of a company or organization. _______________________ (para 11) 10. An adjective meaning older, but in a positive way. _______________________ (para 11) 11. An adjective meaning fairly good, but not great. _______________________ (para 12) 12. When something is _______________________, it gives you satisfaction and/or pleasure. (para 14)

3 Find the information Read the article and find the information. 1. Why have science graduates been working in the financial sector instead of in schools? 2. What sort of positions have science graduates been taking up in the City? 3. Which four school subjects have suffered in the recent past from lack of good teachers? 4. Why is Elizabeth Baldwin leaving the City and becoming a teacher? 5. What are the British government doing to encourage science graduates to become teachers? 6. Why, in the past years, have there been fewer scientifically trained people available to work for British industry? 7. Which two common pieces of science laboratory equipment are mentioned in the article? 8. Find the two-word term which describes the current financial situation. 9. Complete this saying, which means that something good is behind everything that at first seems to be bad, with words from the article: Every cloud has a ________________ _________________.

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10. Find a two-word expression for the time a woman takes off work when she has a baby.

Disillusioned bankers quit the City to teach science Advanced 7

Science teaching has been a cause of considerable concern for education experts for decades. The City has attracted large numbers who are employed, often with lucrative salaries, as business analysts and IT experts. As a result, fewer graduates with top degrees have become teachers. Physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics classes have suffered and fewer children have been inspired to take up science.

8

Because of this, fewer graduates has meant fewer scientifically trained people available to work for British industry – and not enough good graduates available to become teachers.

9

The British government pledged years ago to halt this trend and has introduced a number of ways of doing so, including increased salaries for science teachers compared with those in other subjects.

10

A total of 3,114 science trainees entered colleges during the academic year 2008-09, a rise of 2.5 per cent on the previous year. “That is the highest number of science teachers since the TDA began 13 years ago,” said Holley.

11

Most of these new recruits have been encouraged by schemes that ensure that salaries start at around £24,000 for science teachers, and can eventually rise to £50,000 for more mature teachers, according to the TDA.

12

It is a reasonable reward, but it certainly does not match what a science graduate can earn in the City, Baldwin stressed.

13

“I will be earning a third of what I would have got had I stayed in the City,” she said. “But money is not everything. Instead of going to work early and leaving very late, I will get a chance to come home and be with my boys, Matthew and Thomas.”

14

“My father was a teacher, so I know what to expect and what I will get out of the job. I know teaching won’t be easy, but I know as well that it can be very rewarding.”

Robin McKie, science editor November 23, 2008 1 The thrill of City life appears to be fading for hundreds of investment bankers who are preparing to turn their back on the financial sector and opt for a career in science teaching. 2 The Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) has revealed that inquiries about science teaching posts rose by a third last September compared with the same month in 2007. The agency has revealed that formal applications for science teaching posts have reached record levels and that further significant rises are expected next year due to the world financial crisis. Many of those applicants are coming from the City, it says. 3 Among those swapping the trading floor for the school laboratory is Elizabeth Baldwin. The 44year-old worked for almost 20 years for major banks, including Merrill Lynch and Lehman Brothers, until she found, a few months ago, that the excitement of the job was disappearing. 4 “I had just had my second child, Thomas, and the thought of going back to the City became less and less palatable,” she said. “The high pay no longer compensated for the long hours and lack of social life.” 5 So the business analyst – who has a degree in chemistry and biology from King’s College London – quit and is now applying to join a training course to become a science teacher. The City is a major employer of science graduates. As it cuts back on jobs, and as more people like Baldwin become disillusioned with the financial sector, the numbers of science teachers are set to soar as stockbrokers and analysts quit their Ferraris and stock options for test tubes and Bunsen burners, say experts. 6 “There is no doubt that the credit crunch has a huge silver lining in terms of science education in Britain,” said Graham Holley, the agency’s chief executive. “It is going to do a great deal of good for


© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Disillusioned bankers quit the City to teach science / Advanced

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Hundreds of university graduates are moving from finance to education

the teaching of chemistry, physics and biology.”

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Disillusioned bankers quit the City for the rewards of teaching science


Level 3

Disillusioned bankers quit the City to teach science Level 3

Advanced

4 Vocabulary: The language of graphs a) Put the missing prepositions into these expressions from the article. ... rose ______ a third. ... cut back ______ jobs. ... a rise ______ 2.5% ... can eventually rise ______ £50,000 b) Which other expressions can you find for describing graphs and trends? c) Use some of the vocabulary to describe one of the following by sketching a graph and explaining it to another student. • fuel/oil prices • the housing market • the annual rainfall or temperatures in your country • the rise and fall of your enthusiasm for learning English over the years

5 Discussion: Change of career In your own words, explain Elizabeth Baldwin’s personal situation and the reasons for her career change. Do you know anyone who has made a dramatic change in their career? Would you like to change your career path? Why / Why not?

6 Webquest: Job search and salaries a) Type currency converter into a search engine and convert the salaries mentioned in the article to your currency. b) Find job advertisements online for investment bankers and science teachers. •

What qualifications are required?

•

What salary is offered?

•

Where is the position available?

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c) How do the salaries for investments bankers and science teachers in your country compare with the salaries offered for similar vacancies around the world?

Disillusioned bankers quit the City to teach science Level 3 Advanced KEY 2 Key words

4 Vocabulary: The language of graphs

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

a) by; on; of; to

Because the salaries are very much higher in the financial sector. 2. Business analysts, investment bankers and IT experts. 3. Chemistry, physics, biology and mathematics. 4. To spend more time at home with her family and to feel better in herself. 5. Offering good salaries – higher than for other subjects. 6. Fewer students have been inspired (by their own teachers) to study science subjects at university and so there have been fewer graduates. 7. Test tubes and Bunsen burners. 8. Credit crunch. 9. Silver lining. 10. Maternity leave.

Some helpful websites for task 6: • http://www.careers-in-finance.com/ibsal.htm • http://www.careeroverview.com/investment-bankingcareers.html • http://investment.banker.jobs.com/ • http://www.jobs.ac.uk/ • http://www.simplyhired.com/a/jobs/list/tscience+teacher Alternatively, type in investment banker job (or position) and science teacher job (or position or vacancy) into any search engine to get thousands of up-to-date results. There are currently many videos available online about the current world financial situation. One you could use to kick start a discussion of how the credit crunch affects students is The Credit Crunch Song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_iMS31mqmU This one is particularly nice for class as it has subtitles.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008 NEWS LESSONS / Disillusioned bankers quit the City to teach science / Advanced

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1.

Teachers’ notes

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b) significant rises; soar; increased salaries; earning a third of; fewer graduates; reached record levels


quit opt trading floor palatable compensate stockbroker lucrative pledge recruit mature reasonable rewarding


Elementary

(to be) disillusioned: (adjective) to be or feel disappointed because you have found out that someone or something is not as good as you had believed Note: In Britain, when someone talks or writes about the City they are referring to the City of London and in particular its banking and financial sector.

1

Warmer

How many jobs can you find in the article in one minute?

2

Key words

Find these key words in the article and write them into the definitions below. inquiries lack of

expert quit

positions laboratory

soar earn

applications credit crunch

graduate rewarding

trend salary

1. To leave a job or stop doing something. _____________________ (title) 2. Someone who has finished their studies at a high school, college or university. _____________________ (sub-title) 3. Questions that are asked to get information. _____________________ (para 2) 4. Jobs that are free or available. _____________________ (para 2) 5. Written requests for a job or place at a college or university. _____________________ (para 2) 6. A place where people do scientific research or teaching. _____________________ (para 3) 7. When there isn’t enough of something, there is a _____________________ it. (para 4) 8. To quickly increase to a high level. _____________________ (para 5) 9. A two-word term which describes the current difficult financial situation. _____________________ (para 6) 10. Someone who knows a lot about a particular subject. _____________________ (para 6) 11. The fixed amount of money you get every month for your job. _____________________ (para 7) 12. A gradual change or development that leads to a particular result. _____________________ (para 8) 13. A verb meaning to receive money for work you do. _____________________ (para 10)

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14. When something is _____________________, it makes you happy or satisfied. (para 11)


Elementary


7

Science teaching has been a problem for education experts for decades. Large numbers of science graduates are employed in the City, often earning high salaries, as business analysts and IT experts. Because of this, fewer graduates with top degrees have become teachers. Physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics classes have suffered.

8

The British government wants to stop this trend, and is offering science teachers better salaries compared to teachers of other subjects. Salaries start at around £24,000 for science teachers, and can rise to £50,000.

9

It is a good salary, but it certainly does not match what a science graduate can earn in the City, Baldwin said.

Hundreds of university graduates are moving from finance to education Robin McKie, science editor November 23, 2008 1 Hundreds of investment bankers are leaving City life and the financial sector for a career in science teaching. 2 Inquiries about science teaching positions rose by a third last September compared with the same month in 2007. Applications for science teaching jobs have reached record levels and even more applications are expected next year because of the world financial crisis. Many applications are coming from people who work in the City. 3 Elizabeth Baldwin is leaving the banking business for the school laboratory. The 44-yearold worked for almost 20 years for major banks, including Merrill Lynch and Lehman Brothers. But a few months ago she realised that her job was no longer exciting. 4 “I had just had my second child, Thomas, and going back to the City became less and less attractive,’ she said. ‘The good money no longer made up for the long hours and lack of social life.”

10 “I will earn a third of what I got in the City,” she said. “But money is not everything. Instead of going to work early and leaving very late, I will be able to come home and play with my boys, Matthew and Thomas.” 11 “My father was a teacher, so I know what to expect. I know teaching won’t be easy, but I know as well that it can be very rewarding.” © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Observer, 23/11/08

5 So the business analyst – who has a degree in chemistry and biology from King’s College London – quit and is now applying to join a training course to become a science teacher. The City is a major employer of science graduates. As there are now fewer jobs, and more people like Baldwin become disillusioned with the financial sector, the numbers of science teachers will soar, say experts.

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6 “There is no doubt that the credit crunch has hidden benefits for science education in Britain,” said education expert Graham Holley. “It is going to do a lot of good for the teaching of chemistry, physics and biology.”


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the sentence halves to to summarize the article. 1. Many British science graduates work in ...

... maths, biology, chemistry and physics.

2. The four school subjects that have suffered from lack of good teachers are ...

... who want to become science teachers.

3. This year there have been more applications from people ...

... science teachers more than teachers of other subjects.

4. The British government have decided to pay ...

... become a science teacher.

5. Elizabeth Baldwin is leaving the financial sector to ...

... a third of what she earned in the City.

6. Elizabeth Baldwin’s father and sister are both teachers, ...

... banking and not in education.

7. As a science teacher, she will earn about ...

... more important than a high salary.

8. Elizabeth Baldwin thinks that spending time with her family is ...

... so she knows it’s not an easy job.

4 Vocabulary: Past participles a) Find the past participles of these verbs in the article and write them into the table. verb

past participle

regular / irregular

rise have work make reach employ get is b) Are the verbs regular or irregular? How do we form a regular past participle in English? Underline all the past participles in the article. How many can you find?

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c) Write a new sentence for each past participle in 4a.


Elementary

5 Discussion: Change of career Elizabeth Baldwin has decided to leave banking and become a science teacher so she can spend more time with her family. Do you think this is a good decision? Why / Why not? Would you like to change your job? Why / Why not? What would your dream job be?

6 Webquest: Job search and salaries a) Type currency converter into a search engine and find out how much £24,000 and £50,000 are in your currency. b) Search for job advertisements online for investment bankers and science teachers. How high are the

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salaries in the job ads?


Elementary

KEY 1 Warmer

4 Vocabulary: Past participles

investment banker; business analyst, IT expert, education expert; science teacher, teacher

rise – rose (irregular) have – had (irregular) work – worked (regular) make – made (irregular) reach – reached (regular) employ – employed (regular) get – got (irregular) is – was (irregular)

2 Key words 1. quit 2. graduate 3. inquiries 4. positions 5. applications 6. laboratories 7. lack 8. soar 9. credit crunch 10. expert 11. salary 12. trend 13. earn 14. rewarding


Teachers’ notes Some helpful websites for task 6: • http://www.careers-in-finance.com/ibsal.htm • http://www.careeroverview.com/investment-bankingcareers.html • http://investment.banker.jobs.com/ • http://www.jobs.ac.uk/ • http://www.simplyhired.com/a/jobs/list/tscience+teacher Alternatively, type in investment banker job (or position) and science teacher job (or position or vacancy) into any search engine to get thousands of up-to-date results.

1. Many British science graduates work in banking and not in education. 2. The four school subjects that have suffered from lack of good teachers are maths, biology, chemistry and physics. 3. This year there have been more applications from people who want to become science teachers. 4. The British government have decided to pay science teachers more than teachers of other subjects. 5. Elizabeth Baldwin is leaving the financial sector to become a science teacher. 6. Elizabeth Baldwin’s father and sister are both teachers, so she knows it’s not an easy job. 7. As a science teacher, she will earn about a third of what she earned in the City.

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8. Elizabeth Baldwin thinks that spending time with her family is more important than a high salary.


Intermediate

(to be) disillusioned: (adjective) to be or feel disappointed because you have found out that someone or something is not as good as you had believed Note: In Britain, when someone talks or writes about the City they are referring to the City of London and in particular its banking and financial sector.

1

Warmer

a) Why do you think British bankers are feeling disillusioned? b) All these words appear in the article. Which is the odd word out? Why?

2

test tube

laboratory

Ferrari

Bunsen burner

Key words

Find the key words in the article. recruit

inspire

trading floor thrill

maternity leave quit

mature attract

stockbroker

rewarding

graduate

credit crunch

1. To leave a job or stop doing something. ____________________ (title) 2. Someone who has finished their studies at a high school, college or university. ____________________ (sub-title) 3. A feeling of being excited or very pleased. ____________________ (para1) 4. A place where traders or stock brokers meet to buy and sell. ____________________ (para 3) 5. Someone whose job it is to buy and sell shares for other people. ____________________ (para 5) 6. A two-word term which describes the current difficult financial situation with a reduction in the availability of loans. ____________________ (para 6) 7. A verb meaning to make someone interested in something. ____________________ (para 7) 8. A verb meaning to give someone the enthusiasm to create or do something. ____________________ (para 7) 9. A noun meaning a new member of a company or organization. ____________________ (para 10) 10. An adjective meaning older, but in a positive way. ____________________ (para 10) 11. When something is ____________________, it gives you satisfaction and/or pleasure. (para 13)

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NEWS LESSONS / Disillusioned bankers quit the City to teach science / Intermediate

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12. A two-word expression for the time a woman takes off work when she has a baby. _____________________ (para 14)


Intermediate


7

Science teaching has been a problem for education experts for decades. The City has attracted large numbers of science graduates who are employed, often with high salaries, as business analysts and IT experts. As a result, fewer graduates with top degrees have become teachers. Physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics classes have suffered and fewer children have been inspired to take up science.

8

The British government has introduced a number of ways of stopping this trend, including better salaries for science teachers compared with those in other subjects.

9

A total of 3,114 science trainees entered colleges during the academic year 2008-09, a rise of 2.5 per cent on the previous year. “That is the highest number of science teachers since the TDA began 13 years ago,” said Holley.

Hundreds of university graduates are moving from finance to education Robin McKie, science editor November 23, 2008 1 The thrill of City life appears to be fading for hundreds of investment bankers who are leaving the financial sector for a career in science teaching. 2 The Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) has said that inquiries about science teaching positions rose by a third last September compared with the same month in 2007. The agency has said that formal applications for science teaching posts have reached record levels and that further significant rises are expected next year due to the world financial crisis. Many of those applicants are coming from the City, it says. 3 Elizabeth Baldwin is swapping the trading floor for the school laboratory. The 44-year-old worked for almost 20 years for major banks, including Merrill Lynch and Lehman Brothers, until she found, a few months ago, that the excitement of the job was disappearing. 4 “I had just had my second child, Thomas, and going back to the City became less and less attractive,” she said. “The high pay no longer made up for the long hours and lack of social life.” 5 So the business analyst – who has a degree in chemistry and biology from King’s College London – quit and is now applying to join a training course to become a science teacher. The City is a major employer of science graduates. As there are now fewer jobs, and as more people like Baldwin become disillusioned with the financial sector, the numbers of science teachers are set to soar as stockbrokers and analysts quit their Ferraris for test tubes and Bunsen burners, say experts.

10 Most of these new recruits have been encouraged by salaries that start at around £24,000 for science teachers, and which can eventually rise to £50,000 for more mature teachers, according to the TDA. 11 It is a good salary, but it certainly does not match what a science graduate can earn in the City, Baldwin stressed. 12 “I will be earning a third of what I would have got had I stayed in the City,” she said. “But money is not everything. Instead of going to work early and leaving very late, I will get a chance to come home and be with my boys, Matthew and Thomas.” 13 “My father was a teacher, so I know what to expect and what I will get out of the job. I know teaching won’t be easy, but I know as well that it can be very rewarding.” © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Observer, 23/11/08

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6 “There is no doubt that the credit crunch has a huge hidden benefit for science education in Britain,” said Graham Holley, the agency’s chief executive. “It is going to do a lot of good for the teaching of chemistry, physics and biology.”


Intermediate

3 Comprehension check Are these statements true (T) or false (F) according to the article? Correct any false sentences. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Many science graduates have been working in the financial sector instead of in schools. The four school subjects that have suffered from lack of good teachers are maths, science, sports and English. This year there have been a third fewer applications from people wanting to become science teachers. The British government have decided to pay science teachers more than teachers of other subjects to encourage science graduates to become teachers. Elizabeth Baldwin is leaving the financial sector to become a teacher. Elizabeth Baldwin’s father and sister are both teachers. As a science teacher, she will take home about half of what she earned in the City. Elizabeth Baldwin thinks that spending time with her family is more important than a high salary.

4 Writing: A personal profile a) Write a short profile of Elizabeth Baldwin. Elizabeth Baldwin Curriculum Vitae

Personal details Age: Sex: Family status: Family background: Qualifications: Current position: Previous position: Reasons for career change: Experience

b) Create a similar profile for yourself or someone else in your class. Change the categories if necessary.

5 Discussion: Change of career

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In your own words, explain Elizabeth Baldwin’s personal situation and the reasons for her career change. Do you know anyone who has made a dramatic change in their career? Would you like to change your career path? Why / Why not?


Intermediate

6 Webquest: Job search and salaries a) Type currency converter into a search engine and convert the salaries mentioned in the article to your currency. b) Find job advertisements online for investment bankers and science teachers. •

What qualifications are required?

•

What salary is offered?

•

Where is the position available?

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c) How do the salaries for investment bankers and science teachers in your country compare with the salaries offered for similar vacancies around the world?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Warmer b) Ferrari is the odd word out.

2 Key words 1. quit 2. graduate 3. thrill 4. trading floor 5. stockbroker 6. credit crunch 7. attract 8. inspire 9. recruit 10. mature 11. rewarding 12. maternity leave


T F (biology, physics, chemistry, maths) F (there have been a third more) T T T F (she will earn about a third) T

4 Writing: A personal profile (possible answers) Age: 44 Sex: female Family status: has two small children Family background: father and sister are both teachers Qualifications: a degree in chemistry and biology from King’s College London Current position: applying to join a training course to become a science teacher Previous position: worked for almost 20 years for major banks, including Merrill Lynch and Lehman Brothers Reasons for career change: to spend quality time at home with her family, to see her home in the daylight, and to regain her social life. Teachers’ notes Task 4 will work well in a class that doesn’t mind sharing personal information. The profiles could be anonymous and students could guess whose they are. If your students do not want to share this information, they can make up information or pretend to be a famous person and give their details instead. Some helpful websites for task 6: • http://www.careers-in-finance.com/ibsal.htm • http://www.careeroverview.com/investment-bankingcareers.html • http://investment.banker.jobs.com/ • http://www.jobs.ac.uk/ • http://www.simplyhired.com/a/jobs/list/tscience+teacher

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Alternatively, type in investment banker job (or position) and science teacher job (or position or vacancy) into any search engine to get thousands of up-to-date results.

Rugby league to kick off anti-homophobia campaign Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words


machismo deride

homophobia bastion

diversity inclusive

come out deter out high-profile

1. If you ______________________, you tell people that you are gay. 2. If you are ______________________, you are an openly gay person. 3. ______________________ is hate or fear of homosexuals. 4. A ______________________ person is one who is often seen in public, is frequently mentioned in newspapers and regularly appears on television. 5. ______________________ is behaviour that is traditionally considered typical of a man such as being strong and willing to fight. 6. A ______________________ is an organization, community or system that supports and defends a particular way of life, tradition or belief. 7. If something ______________________ you from doing something, it makes you decide not to do it. 8. If you ______________________ someone, you make fun of them by suggesting that they are stupid, unimportant or useless or have some other characteristic you disapprove of. 9. If something is ______________________, it deliberately aims to involve all types of people. 10. ______________________ is the fact that very different types of people exist within a group or place.

2

What do you know?

Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F). Then check your answers in the text. 1. Rugby league is one of the world’s toughest sports. 2. It is normally played in southern England. 3. Many of England’s 350 professional rugby league players are openly gay. 4. Stonewall is an organization that campaigns for gay rights. 5. All heterosexual boys are attracted by the macho culture of rugby league.

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NEWS LESSONS / Rugby league to kick off anti-homophobia campaign / Advanced

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6. Around 6% of the population of the UK is believed to be homosexual.

Rugby league to kick off anti-homophobia campaign Advanced

1 As one of the world’s toughest sports, rugby league is more usually associated with northern English machismo and cauliflower ears than gay rights. But the Rugby Football League (RFL) has just become the first national governing body of a major sport to sign up to Stonewall’s campaign against homophobia. The sport has joined the group’s diversity champions programme, which promotes lesbian, gay and bisexual equality. 2 Posters and logos proclaiming “Some people are gay. Get over it!” will appear at rugby league grounds and in programmes and fanzines to discourage homophobia, and the RFL is setting up a lesbian, gay and bisexual forum for staff and players. Stonewall, the gay rights group, will provide clubs with information packs on how to ensure their culture, policies and practices are fully inclusive, including helpline numbers for people seeking confidential advice. 3 Neither Stonewall nor the RFL knows of anyone among the sport’s 350 professional players who is openly gay but they hope the campaign could encourage ‘a British Ian Roberts’ to come out. Roberts came out as gay in 1995 while playing Australian rugby league. The rugby league community was overwhelmingly supportive towards Roberts, now 43 and an actor. 4 Ben Summerskill, Stonewall’s chief executive, said sport was “one of the last great bastions of homophobia”. “Boys, including those who are heterosexual, can be deterred by the macho culture, while girls can be put off sport because so many leading sportswomen are derided as being lesbian. The vision shown by the RFL is an absolutely ground-breaking step in making sport more accessible.” 5 Sarah Williams, the RFL’s equality and diversity manager, said the decision to join the campaign

6 Stonewall said that since an estimated 6% of the population was lesbian or gay it assumed that the community was represented in rugby league as it was in other sports and professions. Summerskill quoted the case of Nigel Owens, from rugby union, who last year became the first openly gay referee to officiate in a world cup. Owens’ decision to come out helped him earn the title of Stonewall’s sportsman of the year 2007. 7 The RFL campaign, which will be officially launched after the start of the season in February, has the potential to reach a large audience. Almost two million people a year attend super league games and around a quarter of a million men, women and children take part in the sport. 8 Stonewall will also be hoping the RFL’s involvement in its diversity champions programme will encourage other major sporting bodies – particularly the English Football Association – to follow suit. The FA has a campaign on tackling homophobia and has a champion on the issue in the former Chelsea and Celtic defender Paul Elliott. There are plans for an FA film on tackling homophobia and the Gay Football Supporters Network has liaison officers in clubs including Aston Villa, which has just launched the country’s first club-level gay fans’ group. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Observer, 28/11/08

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Rugby league to kick off anti-homophobia campaign / Advanced

O

Jenny Percival November 28, 2008


• First major sport to join Stonewall programme • Forum to be set up for staff and players

came from the success of clubs in Oldham and Salford which had been working with local gay, lesbian and bisexual groups. It was not prompted by concerns that spectators or players were homophobic. “Rugby league is probably not most people’s idea of a supportive working environment but I’m pleased to be able to challenge assumptions by tackling homophobia and creating a genuinely inclusive organization where people can be out in the workplace and where gay, lesbian and bisexual people want to work.” She added: “The ultimate aim would be if a high-profile coach or player sent a really positive message by coming out.”

•P H

Rugby league to kick off anti-homophobia campaign

CA

Level 3

Rugby league to kick off anti-homophobia campaign Level 3

Advanced

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. Why is it surprising that rugby league has become the first English sport to sign up to Stonewall’s campaign against homophobia? a. Because there are no gay rugby league players. b. Because players and spectators of the sport are not homophobic. c. Because it’s a macho sport that is not usually associated with gay rights. 2. How did the Australian rugby league community react to its first openly gay player? a. People reacted very negatively. b. People didn’t care one way or the other. c. People reacted very supportively. 3. Why are some boys deterred from playing sports? a. Because sport is one of the last bastions of homophobia. b. Because sport has a very macho culture. c. Because so many leading sportswomen are derided for being lesbian. 4. What percentage of rugby league players can statistically be assumed to be gay? a. 6% b. 12% c. 0%

4 Find the word Look in the text and find the following words and expressions. The paragraph numbers are given to help you. 1. A two-word expression describing an injury typical of rugby and boxing. (para 1) 2. A three-word expression meaning stop worrying, complaining or being upset about something. (para 2) 3. A noun meaning a magazine written for and by fans. (para 2) 4. An adverb used to emphasize the amount or strength of something. (para 3) 5. A two-word adjective meaning using new methods or achieving new results. (para 4) 6. A form of rugby in which there are 15 players in a team. (para 6) 7. A two-word expression meaning to conform to someone else’s actions. (para 8) 8. A noun meaning someone who publicly supports or defends a set of beliefs, political aims or a group of people.

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(para 8)


Advanced

5 Verb + noun collocations Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns and noun phrases in the right-hand column to make two-word expressions. 1. challenge

a. a campaign

2. promote

b. advice

3. set up

c. a large audience

4. seek

d. a game (a match)

5. send

e. assumptions

6. launch

f. a forum

7. attend

g. equality

8. reach

h. a message

6 Words followed by prepositions Fill the gaps in these phrases with prepositions. Check your answers in the text. 1. supportive __________ 2. associated __________ 3. provide __________ 4. take part __________ 5. involvement __________ 6. sign up __________

7 Discussion

H


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Do you think campaigns like this help to change people’s attitudes? Can you think of other ways to promote inclusiveness and diversity?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. come out 2. out 3. homophobia 4. high-profile 5. machismo 6. bastion 7. deters 8. deride 9. inclusive 10. diversity

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

2 What do you know?

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

e g f b h a d c


6 Words followed by prepositions

1. 2. 3. 4.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

towards with with in in to

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Rugby league to kick off anti-homophobia campaign / Advanced

H

c c b a

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T F F T F T



1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

cauliflower ear get over it fanzine overwhelmingly ground-breaking rugby union follow suit champion


Elementary

Key words


macho

high-profile

forum tackle

diversity homophobia

come out heterosexual

inclusive confidential

1. If something is ______________________, it deliberately aims to involve all types of people. 2. ______________________ is the fact that very different types of people exist within a group or place. 3. If you ______________________ a problem, you make an organized and determined attempt to deal with it. 4. ______________________ is hate or fear of homosexuals. 5. If you ______________________, you tell people that you are gay. 6. If you are ______________________, you are sexually attracted to people of the opposite sex. 7. ______________________ behaviour is behaviour that is traditionally considered typical of a man, such as being strong and willing to fight. 8. A ______________________ person is one who is often seen in public, is frequently mentioned in newspapers and regularly appears on television. 9. If something is ______________________, it is secret. 10. A ______________________ is a website where people can express their ideas and opinions.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. What does RFL stand for? 2. What is Stonewall? 3. How many professional rugby league players are there? 4. When did Ian Roberts come out? 5. How many people watch super league matches every year?

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NEWS LESSONS / Rugby league to kick off anti-homophobia campaign / Elementary

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6. How many people play rugby league?

Rugby league to kick off anti-homophobia campaign Elementary

1 Rugby league is a macho sport, normally played in the north of England and is one of the toughest sports in the world. It is not a sport that people normally associate with gay rights. But the Rugby Football League (RFL) has just become the first major sports organization to join a campaign against homophobia. The sport has joined Stonewall’s diversity champions programme, which fights for lesbian, gay and bisexual equality. 2 Posters and logos stating “Some people are gay. Get over it!” will appear at rugby league grounds and in match programmes and fanzines to discourage homophobia, and the RFL is setting up a lesbian, gay and bisexual forum for staff and players. Stonewall, the gay rights group, will provide clubs with information packs which will tell them how to make sure that their working practices are fully inclusive, including helpline numbers for people seeking confidential advice. 3 Neither Stonewall nor the RFL knows of anyone among the sport’s 350 professional players who is openly gay but they hope the campaign could encourage ‘a British Ian Roberts’ to come out. Roberts came out as gay in 1995 while playing Australian rugby league. Most people in the rugby league community were very supportive towards Roberts. 4 Ben Summerskill, Stonewall’s chief executive, said sport was “one of the last areas where homophobia is very strong”. “Boys, including many heterosexual boys, often do not like the macho culture of sport, while girls sometimes also avoid sport because so many famous sportswomen are laughed at for being lesbian. The RFL is taking a very important step in making sport more attractive to gay and lesbian people.”

6 Stonewall said that since an estimated 6% of the UK population was lesbian or gay there must be a similar percentage in rugby league as there were in other sports and professions. Summerskill mentioned the case of Nigel Owens, from rugby union, who last year became the first openly gay referee to referee in a world cup. Owens was Stonewall’s sportsman of the year in 2007. 7 The RFL campaign, which will officially begin after the start of the season in February, could reach a large audience. Almost two million people a year watch super league matches and around a quarter of a million men, women and children actively play rugby league. 8 Stonewall will also hope the RFL’s involvement in its diversity champions programme will encourage other major sporting bodies – particularly the English Football Association – to do the same. The FA has a campaign to tackle homophobia and there are also plans for an FA film on tackling homophobia. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Observer, 28/11/08

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Rugby league to kick off anti-homophobia campaign / Elementary

O

Jenny Percival November 28, 2008


• First major sport to join Stonewall programme • Forum to be set up for staff and players

5 Sarah Williams, the RFL’s equality and diversity manager, said the decision to join the campaign followed the success of clubs in Oldham and Salford which had been working with local gay, lesbian and bisexual groups. It was not because spectators or players were homophobic. “Rugby league is probably not most people’s idea of a supportive working environment but I’m pleased to be able to try and fight homophobia and create the kind of organization where people can be openly gay in the workplace and where gay, lesbian and bisexual people want to work.” She added: “It would be great if a high-profile coach or player sent a really positive message by coming out.”

•P H

Rugby league to kick off anti-homophobia campaign

CA

Level 1


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. Posters and logos will appear at rugby league grounds … 2. Information packs will provide … 3. The campaign wants to make sport … 4. The campaign will probably … 5. Some boys do not like … 6. The campaign also wants to encourage … a. … reach a large audience. b … the macho culture of sport. c. … to discourage homophobia. d. … more attractive to gay and lesbian people. e. … inclusive working practices. f. … helpline numbers for people wanting confidential advice.

4 Chunks Put the words into the correct order to make phrases from the text. 1. toughest one the of world sports the in 2. major first organization the sports 3. attractive more making sport 4. a almost million year two people 5. million a around quarter a of

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NEWS LESSONS / Rugby league to kick off anti-homophobia campaign / Elementary

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6. of north in England the


Elementary

5 Two-word phrases Match the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to make two-word expressions from the text. 1. chief

a. pack

2. working

b. number

3. helpline

c. rights

4. confidential

d. executive

5. gay

e. advice

6. information

f. practices


2

organize

3

advise

4

succeed

5

referee

6

involve


H

decide

•P

1

noun


verb


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words

4 Chunks

1. inclusive 2. diversity 3. tackle 4. homophobia 5. come out 6. heterosexual 7. macho 8. high-profile 9. confidential 10. forum

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

d f b e c a


noun


1

decide

decision

2

organize

organization

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

3

advise

advice

4

succeed

success

5

referee

referee

6

involve

involvement

c f d a b e


H

Rugby Football League a gay rights group 350 1995 almost two million around a quarter of a million

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

•P

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

5 Two-word phrases



one of the toughest sports in the world the first major sports organization making sport more attractive almost two million people a year around a quarter of a million people in the north of England


Intermediate

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. macho

homophobia

diversity

come out

ridicule

inclusive

high-profile

tackle

accessible

heterosexual

1. If you are _____________________, you are sexually attracted to people of the opposite sex. 2. _____________________ behaviour is behaviour that is traditionally considered typical of a man, such as being strong and willing to fight. 3. If you _____________________ someone, you make fun of them in an unkind way. 4. If something is _____________________, it deliberately aims to involve all types of people. 5. _____________________ is the fact that very different types of people exist within a group or place. 6. If something is _____________________, it is easy for anyone to obtain, use or take part in. 7. If you _____________________ a problem, you make an organized and determined attempt to deal with it. 8. If you _____________________, you tell people that you are gay. 9. _____________________ is hate or fear of homosexuals. 10. A _____________________ person is one who is often seen in public, is frequently mentioned in newspapers and regularly appears on television.

2


Look in the text and find the answers to these questions as quickly as possible. 1. What does RFL stand for? 2. What is Stonewall? 3. How many professional rugby league players are there? 4. What percentage of the UK population is believed to be lesbian or gay? 5. How many people watch super league matches every year?

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NEWS LESSONS / Rugby league to kick off anti-homophobia campaign / Intermediate

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6. How many people actively take part in rugby league?


Intermediate

Rugby league to kick off anti-homophobia campaign • First major sport to join Stonewall programme • Forum to be set up for staff and players Jenny Percival November 28, 2008 1 Rugby league is a macho sport, normally played in the north of England and is one of the world’s toughest sports. It is not a sport that people would normally associate with gay rights. But the Rugby Football League (RFL) has just become the first national governing body of a major sport to join a campaign against homophobia. The sport has joined Stonewall’s diversity champions programme, which promotes lesbian, gay and bisexual equality. 2 Posters and logos stating “Some people are gay. Get over it!” will appear at rugby league grounds and in match programmes and fanzines to discourage homophobia, and the RFL is setting up a lesbian, gay and bisexual forum for staff and players. Stonewall, the gay rights group, will provide clubs with information packs on how to ensure their culture, policies and practices are fully inclusive, including helpline numbers for people seeking confidential advice. 3 Neither Stonewall nor the RFL knows of anyone among the sport’s 350 professional players who is openly gay but they hope the campaign could encourage ‘a British Ian Roberts’ to come out. Roberts came out as gay in 1995 while playing Australian rugby league. Most people in the rugby league community were very supportive towards Roberts. 4 Ben Summerskill, Stonewall’s chief executive, said sport was “one of the last areas where homophobia is very strong”. “Boys, including heterosexual boys, can be put off by the macho culture, while girls can also be put off sport because so many leading sportswomen are ridiculed for being lesbian. “The vision shown by the RFL is an absolutely ground-breaking step in making sport more accessible.”

came from the success of clubs in Oldham and Salford which had been working with local gay, lesbian and bisexual groups. It was not the result of worries that spectators or players were homophobic. “Rugby league is probably not most people’s idea of a supportive working environment but I’m pleased to be able to try and fight homophobia and create a genuinely inclusive organization where people can be openly gay in the workplace and where gay, lesbian and bisexual people want to work.” She added: “The ultimate aim would be if a high-profile coach or player sent a really positive message by coming out.” 6 Stonewall said that since an estimated 6% of the population was lesbian or gay there must be an equivalent percentage in rugby league as there were in other sports and professions. Summerskill mentioned Nigel Owens, from rugby union, who last year became the first openly gay referee to referee in a world cup. Owens’s decision to come out helped him earn the title of Stonewall’s sportsman of the year 2007. 7 The RFL campaign, which will be officially launched after the start of the season in February, has the potential to reach a large audience. Almost two million people a year watch super league matches and around a quarter of a million men, women and children actively take part in the sport. 8 Stonewall will also be hoping the RFL’s involvement in its diversity champions programme will encourage other major sporting bodies – particularly the English Football Association – to do the same. The FA has a campaign on tackling homophobia and has a champion on the issue in the former Chelsea and Celtic defender Paul Elliott. There are plans for an FA film on tackling homophobia and the Gay Football Supporters Network has members in clubs including Aston Villa, which has just launched the country’s first club-level gay fans’ group. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Observer, 28/11/08

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5 Sarah Williams, the RFL’s equality and diversity manager, said the decision to join the campaign


Intermediate

3 Comprehension check Are these statements true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. People usually associate rugby league with gay rights. 2. Homophobia is not common in sport. 3. Clubs in Oldham and Salford have been successful in their work with gay and lesbian groups. 4. High-profile coaches and players have already come out in England. 5. The rugby league campaign could reach a large audience. 6. Nigel Owens refereed in the rugby league world cup.

4 Find the word Look in the text and find the following words and expressions. The paragraph numbers are given to help you. 1. A two-word expression meaning an official organization that is responsible for making the rules for an organization and for making sure that people follow those rules. (para 1) 2. A three-word expression meaning stop worrying, complaining or being upset about something. (para 2) 3. A noun meaning a magazine written for and by fans. (para 2) 4. An adjective meaning helpful and sympathetic. (para 3) 5. A two-word adjective meaning using new methods or achieving new results. (para 4) 6. An adverb meaning really. (para 5) 7. A form of rugby in which there are 15 players in a team. (para 6)

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8. A noun meaning someone who publicly supports or defends a set of beliefs, political aims or a group of people. (para 8)


Intermediate

5 Two-word phrases Match the words from the left-hand column with the words in the right-hand column to make expressions from the text. 1. gay

a. number

2. governing

b. executive

3. information

c. message

4. chief

d. pack

5. working

e. culture

6. positive

f. rights

7. macho

g. environment

8. helpline

h. body

6 Word building: Adjectives and nouns Complete the table.

verb 1 2 3

noun

diverse homophobia equal

4

confidence

5

profession

6

access

7

support

8

successful

7 Discussion

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This is one idea to promote diversity. Can you think of some other ways to discourage homophobia in sport?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. heterosexual 2. macho 3. ridicule 4. inclusive 5. diversity 6. accessible 7. tackle 8. come out 9. homophobia 10. high-profile

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

F F T F T F

6 Word building: Adjectives and nouns

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

verb

noun

diverse

diversity

homophobic

homophobia

equal

equality

confidential

confidence

professional

profession

accessible

access

supportive

support

successful

success

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Rugby league to kick off anti-homophobia campaign / Intermediate

H


f h d b g c e a

•P

Rugby Football League a gay rights group 350 6% almost two million around a quarter of a million

5 Two-word phrases


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

governing body get over it fanzine supportive ground-breaking genuinely rugby union champion

Galactic collision: Get out of the way! Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words

Complete the sentences using these key words from the text. downturn cataclysmic

gloom rotation

underestimate light year

galaxy spiral

squidgy molecule

1. A _________________ is the distance that light travels in a year. 2. A _________________ is a very small group of atoms that form a particular substance. 3. If you _________________ something, you think that it is smaller or less powerful than it really is. 4. A _________________ event is one that changes a situation in a sudden, violent and unpleasant way. 5. In an economic _________________, there is a significant reduction in business activity. 6. A _________________ shape is one that looks like a set of circles inside each other, made up by one line

curving inside itself. 7. _________________ is a feeling of having no hope. 8. If something is _________________, it is very soft. 9. A _________________ is an extremely large group of stars and planets. 10. _________________ is a movement in a circle around a fixed central point.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. Does the latest research show that our solar system is travelling faster or more slowly than previously thought? 2. When will the sun burn up the last of its nuclear fuel? 3. How far is our solar system from the centre of the Milky Way? 4. Which galaxy is the Milky Way expected to collide with? 5. Why is there no cause for alarm?

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NEWS LESSONS / Galactic collision: Get out of the way! / Advanced

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6. How fast is our solar system travelling?

Galactic collision: Get out of the way! Advanced 6

The scientists recorded intense radiowaves coming from the galaxy’s four spiral arms, where new stars are born. Heat from the stars warms up molecules of alcohol in interstellar gas clouds, which release the energy as radiowaves. The measurements showed that our solar system is hurtling along at 600,000mph, 100,000mph faster than thought. “These measurements are revising our understanding of the structure and motions of our galaxy,” said Menten.

7

The speedier rotation of the galaxy means its mass must be similar to that of Andromeda, around 270bn times the mass of the sun, or 33% greater than earlier calculations have suggested. “No longer will we think of the Milky Way as the little sister of the Andromeda galaxy,” said Reid. The research was presented at the annual meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Long Beach, California.

8

Astronomers believe the crunch to end all crunches could happen around the same time our sun is due to burn up the last of its nuclear fuel, within the next 7bn years. It is highly unlikely that planets and stars will collide. Instead the two galaxies will merge to form a new, large galaxy.

9

“The galaxies will be dramatically stirred up, but they are very squidgy, so they will stick together and eventually all the stars will die out, and it will become one huge, dead galaxy,” said Gerry Gilmore at the Institute of Astronomy at Cambridge university, who was not involved in the study. “One thing we don’t know yet is whether Andromeda will hit us square on, or whether it will be a glancing blow.” If the galaxy strikes the side of the Milky Way, it is expected to be pulled back again for further collisions. The whole collision could take many millions of years.

Ian Sample, science correspondent 5 January, 2009 1 If the return to work, grim weather and global

2 According to their most detailed measurements yet,

3 When the two galaxies meet, powerful shockwaves will compress interstellar gas clouds within them, producing a dazzling flourish of newborn stars, in a last heavenly display before the giant wreckage slowly dims and dies out. Fortunately the galactic disaster still lies billions of years in the future.

4 Our solar system is around 28,000 light years from

the centre of the Milky Way, itself one of more than 35 galaxies in our cosmic neighbourhood. The Andromeda galaxy, which is twice as wide, is around 2m light years away. Karl Menten, an astronomer at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Germany, said that while the galactic collision would happen sooner than expected, there was no cause for alarm. “We still expect it to happen billions of years in the future,” he said.

5 A team, led by Menten and Mark Reid at the

Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics in Massachusetts, used a radio telescope to make precise measurements of the Milky Way as it moved through space. As the galaxy rotates, parts that emit radiowaves move relative to Earth, allowing the researchers to work out how fast the galaxy is spinning.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Galactic collision: Get out of the way! / Advanced

10 According to Gilmore, the research does more than bring forward the date of our galactic demise. The work also sheds fresh light on the nature of dark matter, the invisible substance believed to hold galaxies together. Gilmore said the findings point to more dark matter at the centre of the galaxy that may be colder and more compacted than astronomers thought. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 05/01/09

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scientists admitted to having grossly underestimated the mass of the Milky Way, and so the gravitational pull it exerts on our cosmic neighbours, including the giant Andromeda galaxy. The oversight means that the two galaxies, which are on a cataclysmic collision course, will slam into one another earlier than scientists had previously predicted.


economic downturn were not enough to contend with, astronomers added to the seasonal gloom today by announcing that the Milky Way will crash into a nearby galaxy sooner than they thought.

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Get out of the way! Galactic collision will happen sooner than scientists thought

CA

Level 3

Galactic collision: Get out of the way! Level 3

Advanced

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. Why did scientists believe that the collision between the Milky Way and Andromeda would take place later than they now believe it will take place? a. Because they didn’t realize how fast Andromeda was travelling. b. Because they miscalculated the mass of the Milky Way. c. Because they weren’t sure when the sun would use the last of its nuclear fuel. 2. How did the scientists work out how fast the Milky Way is spinning? a. They compared its position to that of Andromeda. b. They measured the movement of radiowaves relative to Earth. c. They measured its mass in comparison with the sun. 3. What does the research do apart from tell us when our galaxy will come to an end? a. It tells us more about the nature of dark matter. b. It tells us when the sun will use up the last of its nuclear fuel. c. It shows the relationship between dark matter and the end of the universe. 4. Will the planets and stars collide? a. Probably. b. Possibly. c. Almost certainly not.

4 Find the word Look in the text and find the following words and phrases. 1. An adjective meaning unpleasant and upsetting. (para 1) 2. An adjective meaning between the stars. (para 3) 3. An adjective meaning extremely impressive. (para 3) 4. A verb meaning to become less bright. (para 3) 5. A noun meaning the time when something important or difficult happens or must be decided. (para 8) 6. A two-word expression meaning an indirect hit. (para 9) 7. A noun meaning the time when something stops existing. (para 10)

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8. A four-word expression meaning to offer a new explanation for something. (para 10)


Advanced

5 Phrasal verbs Match the phrasal verbs in the left-hand column with the definitions in the right-hand column. 1. stir up

a. to travel at an incredibly fast speed

2. bring forward

b. to crash into at great speed

3. slam into

c. to disappear completely

4. work out

d. to have to deal with problems or difficulties

5. contend with

e. to consume

6. hurtle along

f. to calculate

7. burn up

g. to move around

8. die out

h. to change the date of something so it happens earlier

6 Adjective + noun collocations Match the adjectives in the left-hand column with the nouns in the right-hand column. 1. economic

a. weather

2. grim

b. matter

3. seasonal

c. downturn

4. gravitational

d. fuel

5. nuclear

e. gloom

6. dark

f. system

7. solar

g. measurements

8. detailed

h. pull

7 Discussion

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Do you think it is important for us to be able to understand the universe and how it is formed?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. light year 2. molecule 3. underestimate 4. cataclysmic 5. downturn 6. spiral 7. gloom 8. squidgy 9. galaxy 10. rotation

1. grim 2. interstellar 3. dazzling 4. dim 5. crunch 6. glancing blow 7. demise 8. shed fresh light on

2 Find the information 1. faster 2. within the next 7bn years 3. 28,000 light years 4. Andromeda 5. because it won’t happen for billions of years 6. 600,000 mph

1. g 2. h 3. b 4. f 5. d 6. a 7. e 8. c


6 Adjective + noun collocations

1. b 2. b 3. a 4. c

1. c 2. a 3. e 4. h 5. d 6. b 7. f 8. g

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5 Phrasal verbs


Elementary

Key words

Complete the sentences using these key words from the text. astronomer rotation

light year collision

mass precise

galaxy solar system

squidgy invisible

1. A _________________ is a crash between two moving objects. 2. _________________ is a movement in a circle around a fixed central point. 3. If something is _________________, you cannot see it. 4. _________________ is the amount of material in an object. 5. A _________________ is a star and the planets that go round it. 6. If something is _________________, it is very exact and accurate. 7. An _________________ is a scientist who studies the stars and planets. 8. A _________________ is an extremely large group of stars and planets. 9. If something is _________________, it is very soft. 10. A _________________ is the distance that light travels in a year.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How far is our solar system from the centre of the Milky Way? 2. How many galaxies are there in our cosmic neighbourhood? 3. How far away is the Andromeda galaxy? 4. How fast is our solar system moving? 5. What is the mass of Andromeda?

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NEWS LESSONS / Galactic collision: Get out of the way! / Elementary

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6. When will the sun use the last of its nuclear fuel?


Elementary

Get out of the way! Galactic collision will happen sooner than scientists thought Ian Sample, science correspondent 5 January, 2009 1 The world is in the middle of an economic crisis. The weather is awful. People have to go back to work after the winter holidays. And now, along with all that bad news, scientists have some more depressing news for us. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is going to crash into a neighbouring galaxy sooner than they previously thought. 2 According to their most detailed measurements yet, scientists say that they made a serious mistake when they calculated the mass of the Milky Way. It is much greater than they thought and, as a result, its gravity has a much greater effect on our neighbours in space, including the giant Andromeda galaxy. The mistake means that the two galaxies will crash into each other earlier than scientists had previously believed.

changing our understanding of the structure and motions of our galaxy,” said Menten. 6

The faster rotation of the galaxy means its mass must be similar to that of Andromeda, around 270bn times the mass of the sun, or 33% greater than earlier calculations have suggested. “We will no longer think of the Milky Way as the little sister of the Andromeda galaxy,” said Reid. The research was presented at the annual meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Long Beach, California.

7

Astronomers believe the crash to end all crashes could happen around the same time our sun uses the last of its nuclear fuel, within the next 7bn years. It is highly unlikely that planets and stars will collide. Instead the two galaxies will come together to form a new, large galaxy.

8

“There will be a dramatic shake-up in the galaxies, but they are very squidgy, so they will stick together and eventually all the stars will die out, and it will become one huge, dead galaxy,” said Gerry Gilmore of Cambridge University, who did not take part in the study. “One thing we don’t know yet is whether Andromeda will hit us directly, or whether it will hit us from the side.” If the galaxy strikes the side of the Milky Way, the whole collision could take many millions of years.

9

According to Gilmore, the research also gives us more information about the nature of dark matter, the invisible substance that holds galaxies together. Gilmore said the findings indicate there is more dark matter at the centre of the galaxy and that it may be colder and more compacted than astronomers previously believed.

3 When the two galaxies meet, the powerful shockwaves will produce hundreds of new stars before the light of the giant galaxy slowly dies out. Fortunately this galactic disaster is billions of years in the future. 4 Our solar system is around 28,000 light years from the centre of the Milky Way, itself one of more than 35 galaxies in our cosmic neighbourhood. The Andromeda galaxy, which is twice as wide, is around 2m light years away. Karl Menten, a German astronomer, said that the galactic collision will happen sooner than expected, but there is no reason to be worried. “We still expect it to happen billions of years in the future,” he said.


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5 A team, led by Menten and American Mark Reid, used a radio telescope to make precise measurements of the Milky Way as it moved through space. By measuring radiowaves, the scientists showed that our solar system is moving at 600,000mph, 100,000mph faster than they previously thought. “These measurements are


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. The Milky Way is going to …

a. … is much greater than scientists previously believed.

2. There is no need to worry because …

b. … will form a new, large galaxy.

3. Scientists believe the collision …

c. … is moving at 600,000 mph.

4. They also believe the sun …

d. … crash into the Andromeda galaxy.

5. Our solar system …

e. … will use up the last of its nuclear fuel around the same time.

6. The mass of the Milky Way …

f. … this is going to happen billions of years in the future.

4 Two-word phrases Match the words in the left-hand column with the words in the right-hand column to make phrases from the text. 1. light

a. Way

2. solar

b. matter

3. radio

c. fuel

4. dark

d. telescope

5. nuclear

e. year

6. Milky

f. measurement

7. detailed

g. shake-up

8. dramatic

h. system

4 Word building

2.

measure

3.

rotate

4.

calculate

5.

presentation

6.

belief

7.

indication

8.

expectation

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Galactic collision: Get out of the way! / Elementary

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collide


1.

noun

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verb

CA

Complete the table.


Elementary

6 Prepositions Complete the phrases from the text using prepositions. 1. similar ____________ 2. in the middle ____________ 3. along ____________ 4. according ____________ 5. have an effect ____________ 6. billions of years ____________ the future 7. take part ____________ the study

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8. ____________ the centre of


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words

4 Two-word phrases

1. collision 2. rotation 3. invisible 4. mass 5. solar system 6. precise 7. astronomer 8. galaxy 9. squidgy 10. light year

1. e 2. h 3. d 4. b 5. c 6. a 7. f 8. g

2 Find the information 1. around 28,000 light years 2. more than 35 3. around 2m light years 4. 600,000 mph 5. 270bn times the mass of the sun 6. within the next 7bn years

1. collision 2. measurement 3. rotation 4. calculation 5. present 6. believe 7. indicate 8. expect


6 Prepositions

1. d 2. f 3. b 4. e 5. c 6. a

1. to 2. of 3. with 4. to 5. on 6. in 7. in 8. at

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5 Word building


Intermediate

Key words

Complete the sentences using these key words from the text. astronomer squidgy

light year rotation

downturn molecule

underestimate collision

galaxy merge

1. A __________________ is a very small group of atoms that form a particular substance. 2. If something is __________________, it is very soft. 3. __________________ is a movement in a circle around a fixed central point. 4. An __________________ is a scientist who studies the stars and planets. 5. A __________________ is a crash between two moving objects. 6. A __________________ is an extremely large group of stars and planets. 7. If you __________________ something, you think that it is smaller or less powerful than it really is. 8. A __________________ is the distance that light travels in a year. 9. If two things __________________, they join together to become one, bigger unit. 10. In an economic __________________, there is a significant reduction in business activity.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How far is our solar system from the centre of the Milky Way? 2. How many galaxies are there in our cosmic neighbourhood? 3. How far away is the Andromeda galaxy? 4. How fast is our solar system travelling? 5. What is the mass of Andromeda?

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NEWS LESSONS / Galactic collision: Get out of the way! / Intermediate

CA



6. How long will the collision between Andromeda and the Milky Way take?

Galactic collision: Get out of the way! Intermediate

Get out of the way! Galactic collision will happen sooner than scientists thought

new stars are born. Heat from the stars warms up molecules of alcohol in interstellar gas clouds, which release the energy as radiowaves. The measurements showed that our solar system is moving at 600,000mph, 100,000mph faster than thought. “These measurements are revising our understanding of the structure and motions of our galaxy,” said Menten.

Ian Sample, science correspondent 5 January, 2009 1 The world is in the middle of an economic downturn. 7

The speedier rotation of the galaxy means its mass must be similar to that of Andromeda, around 270bn times the mass of the sun, or 33% greater than earlier calculations have suggested. “We will no longer think of the Milky Way as the little sister of the Andromeda galaxy,” said Reid. The research was presented at the annual meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Long Beach, California.

8

Astronomers believe the crash to end all crashes could happen around the same time our sun is predicted to burn up the last of its nuclear fuel, within the next 7bn years. It is highly unlikely that planets and stars will collide. Instead the two galaxies will merge to form a new, large galaxy.

9

“There will be a dramatic shake-up in the galaxies, but they are very squidgy, so they will stick together and eventually all the stars will die out, and it will become one huge, dead galaxy,” said Gerry Gilmore of Cambridge University, who was not involved in the study. “One thing we don’t know yet is whether Andromeda will hit us square on, or whether it will hit us from the side.” If the galaxy strikes the side of the Milky Way, it is expected to be pulled back again for further collisions. The whole collision could take many millions of years.

2 According to their most detailed measurements

3 When the two galaxies meet, powerful shockwaves

4 Our solar system is around 28,000 light years from

the centre of the Milky Way, itself one of more than 35 galaxies in our cosmic neighbourhood. The Andromeda galaxy, which is twice as wide, is around 2m light years away. Karl Menten, a German astronomer, said that while the galactic collision would happen sooner than expected, there was no reason to be worried. “We still expect it to happen billions of years in the future,” he said.

10 According to Gilmore, the research does more

5 A team, led by Menten and American Mark

Reid, used a radio telescope to make precise measurements of the Milky Way as it moved through space. As the galaxy rotates, parts that emit radiowaves move relative to Earth and this allows the researchers to work out how fast the galaxy is spinning.

6 The scientists recorded intense radiowaves coming from the four arms of the galaxy where

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Galactic collision: Get out of the way! / Intermediate

than simply give us the date when our galaxy will come to an end. The work also sheds fresh light on the nature of dark matter, the invisible substance believed to hold galaxies together. Gilmore said the findings indicate there is more dark matter at the centre of the galaxy and that it may be colder and more compacted than astronomers thought. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 05/01/09

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will compress interstellar gas clouds inside them, producing hundreds of newborn stars before the light of the giant galaxy slowly grows dim and dies out. Fortunately this galactic disaster still lies billions of years in the future.


yet, scientists admit that they have seriously underestimated the mass of the Milky Way and, as a result, the gravitational pull the Milky Way exerts on our neighbours in space, including the giant Andromeda galaxy. The mistake means that the two galaxies will crash into each other earlier than scientists had previously predicted.

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The weather is awful. People are going back to work after the winter holidays. And now, as if all of that wasn’t bad enough, astronomers are telling us that the Milky Way will crash into a nearby galaxy sooner than they thought.

CA

Level 2


Intermediate

3 Comprehension check Are these sentences true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. Everyone should be really worried about the news of the collision between the Milky Way and Andromeda. 2. Scientists made an error in calculating the mass of the Milky Way. 3. Scientists don’t know how fast the Milky Way is spinning. 4. The mass of the Milky Way is similar to that of Andromeda. 5. The sun will use the last of its nuclear fuel within the next 7 million years. 6. Scientists believe that dark matter holds galaxies together.

4 Find the word Look in the text and find the following words and phrases. 1. A verb meaning to force into a smaller space. (para 3) 2. An adjective meaning between the stars. (para 3) 3. An adjective meaning less bright. (para 3) 4. A two-word phrasal verb meaning to calculate. (para 5) 5. A verb meaning to change your opinion or judgment of something. (para 6) 6. A two-word noun meaning a dramatic change in the way something is organized. (para 9) 7. A two-word phrasal verb meaning to disappear completely. (para 9) 8. A four-word expression meaning to offer a new explanation for something. (para 10)

5 Adjective + noun phrases

b. matter

3. little

c. downturn

4. gravitational

d. fuel

5. nuclear

e. shake-up

6. dark

f. system

7. solar

g. measurements

8. economic

h. pull

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Galactic collision: Get out of the way! / Intermediate

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2. dramatic

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a. sister

CA

1. detailed


Match the adjectives in the left-hand column with the nouns in the right-hand column.


Intermediate

6 World building Complete the table. verb 1.

collide

2.

measure

3.

rotate

4.

calculate

5.

admit

6.

involve

7.

compress

8.

expect

noun

7 Discussion

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Should money be spent on researching space and the universe? What benefits could such research bring?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. molecule 2. squidgy 3. rotation 4. astronomer 5. collision 6. galaxy 7. underestimate 8. light year 9. merge 10. downturn

1. compress 2. interstellar 3. dim 4. work out 5. revise 6. shake-up 7. die out 8. shed fresh light on

2 Find the information 1. 28,000 light years 2. more than 35 3. 2m light years 4. 600,000 mph 5. 270bn times the mass of the sun 6. many millions of years

1. g 2. e 3. a 4. h 5. d 6. b 7. f 8. c


6 Word building

1. F 2. T 3. F 4. T 5. F 6. T

1. collision 2. measurement 3. rotation 4. calculation 5. admission 6. involvement 7. compression 8. expectation

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5 Adjective + noun phrases

Brits have the Midas touch at Golden Globe awards Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. posthumous animated

sequel bizarre

feelgood sombre

score downside

rejuvenated glitz

1. If something is described as _____________________, it is strange and difficult to explain. 2. If something is described as _____________________, it has become good or effective again. 3. An _____________________ film is a cartoon, a film consisting of a series of drawings. 4. If an event is _____________________, it is serious or sad. 5. A _____________________ award is one given to someone after they have died. 6. _____________________ is a special quality that makes something seem very exciting and attractive even though it has no value. 7. A _____________________ is a film that continues the story of a previous one. 8. The _____________________ of something represents its negative aspects or disadvantages. 9. A _____________________ film makes you feel happy and satisfied. 10. The music written for a film is known as its _____________________.

2

What do you know?

Decide whether these statements are true (T) or false (F). Then check your answers in the text. 1. The Oscar ceremony always takes place before the Golden Globes. 2. Kate Winslet is an American actress. 3. Kate Winslet’s husband is also an actor. 4. The Golden Globes ceremony did not take place in 2008. 5. The Golden Globes ceremony is held in New York.

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NEWS LESSONS / Brits have the Midas touch at Golden Globe awards / Advanced

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6. The actor Heath Ledger died last year.

Brits have the Midas touch at Golden Globe awards Advanced

Brits have the Midas touch at Golden Globe awards

1 UK actress Kate Winslet has won the two Golden Globe categories for which she was nominated: best dramatic actress for Revolutionary Road and best supporting actress for The Reader. 2 In her acceptance speech, Winslet said that she never won awards, a remark picked up later by presenter Ricky Gervais, who remembered telling her: “Do a Holocaust movie, the awards come”. In an emotional address for her surprise win for Revolutionary Road, Winslet paid tribute to her “spectacular” co-star, Leonardo DiCaprio, and to her husband, Sam Mendes, who directed the film. 3 Perhaps the most highly anticipated award of the night was the posthumous Golden Globe given to Heath Ledger for his performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight. Acknowledging his contribution, Christopher Nolan, who directed the Batman sequel, paid tribute: “We will miss him, but he will never be forgotten.” 4 The Globes are traditionally seen as an indication of form for Oscar night, a month and a half away. Sunday night’s awards made the feelgood movie Slumdog Millionaire one of the favourites for the Oscar, as well as dealing a blow to other hopefuls. While Slumdog Millionaire also won awards for best script and best score, Frost/ Nixon failed to pick up a single award, despite being nominated in the best drama, director, actor, screenplay and score categories. Likewise, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, starring Cate Blanchett and Brad Pitt, directed by David Fincher and nominated in five categories, was not a winner on the night. 5 The Wrestler, another Oscar frontrunner, did better, with its star Mickey Rourke winning the best dramatic actor award and Bruce

6

The rejuvenated awards ceremony – it was cancelled last year because of the scriptwriters’ strike – celebrated its return with a night of classic Hollywood glitz. The red carpet, the frocks and the tearful acceptance speeches were all in attendance as a collection of Hollywood stars turned out for the relatively informal evening at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

7

One of the biggest surprises of the evening came as Sally Hawkins won the best actress in a comedy or a musical prize for her role as a schoolteacher in Mike Leigh’s Happy-Go-Lucky. The British actor beat off strong competition from some famous Hollywood names, including Frances McDormand, Meryl Streep and Emma Thompson. The distance from her table to the stage was an indication of the unexpectedness of her victory.

8

The Pixar-Disney collaboration paid off with a win for the robot romance WALL-E in the best animated feature category beating Kung Fu Panda, an attempt to capitalize on last year’s Olympics-inspired enthusiasm for things Chinese.

9

Another animated feature, the Israeli film Waltz With Bashir, won the best foreign language film award. An animated documentary that examines the massacres of Palestinians during the 1982 Lebanon war, the highly political film has received multiple nominations this awards season. Speaking backstage after accepting the award, director Ari Folman said that he did not regret the film’s relevance: “Unfortunately, the film is always relevant,” he said. “There’s only one major statement, which is an antiwar statement, and it is relevant now and unfortunately it was relevant two years ago, when we were working on it.”

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS /Brits have the Midas touch at Golden Globe awards / Advanced

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Dan Glaister in Los Angeles January 12, 2009

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• Kate Winslet wins best actress and best supporting actress • Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire on course for Oscar glory


Springsteen winning for best song. Rourke, seen by many as this year’s comeback kid, dedicated the award to his canine companions, past and present. “It’s been a very long road back for me,” he told the audience. “Several years ago I was almost out of this business. I’d like to thank all my dogs. Sometimes when a man’s alone his dogs are all he’s got.”

CA

Level 3

Brits have the Midas touch at Golden Globe awards Level 3

Advanced

10 The ceremony at the Beverly Hilton Hotel represented a turnaround from last year’s bizarre event. A year ago, in the midst of a writers’ strike that had seen most production in Hollywood shut down, the Golden Globes dropped the glamorous prize-giving in favour of a more sombre press conference at which a list of winners was read out. The advantages of last year’s arrangement were that it was shorter, cheaper and more reflective of the significance of the Globes. The downside was that it deprived Hollywood of one of its primary love-ins of the year as gowns were returned

to designers, the red carpet was rolled up and Steven Spielberg and Rumer Willis had to wait an extra year for their moment in the spotlight. 11

This year amends were made: Spielberg was duly given the Cecil B DeMille award for lifetime achievement, and la Willis – offspring of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore – was acknowledged as Miss Golden Globes, an accomplishment reserved for the children of the stars. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 12/01/09

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. The Golden Globes … a. … always give awards to the same people that get awards in the Oscars. b. … usually give people a good idea of who will do well in the Oscars. c. … traditionally give awards to people who do not win Oscars. 2. Why was it surprising that The Curious Case of Benjamin Button didn’t win any Golden Globes? a. Because it was clearly the best film. b. Because it starred Cate Blanchett and Brad Pitt. c. Because it had been nominated in five different categories. 3. What did the distance from Sally Hawkins’ table to the stage indicate? a. That she was not an important guest. b. That she was not expected to win an award. c. That she had strong competition from some famous names. 4. How did last year’s Golden Globes differ from this year’s?

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a. The ceremony was followed by a press conference. b. Steven Spielberg was given an award for lifetime achievement last year. c. There was no ceremony at all – just a press conference.


Advanced

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A two-word expression meaning an important part but not the main part in a film. (para 1) 2. A three-word expression meaning to praise someone publicly. (para 2) 3. A noun meaning the person considered most likely to win a competition. (para 5) 4. An adjective meaning relating to dogs. (para 5) 5. A two-word phrasal verb meaning to succeed in winning or gaining something from an opponent. (para 7) 6. A noun meaning a complete change in a situation. (para 10) 7. An adjective meaning attractive and interesting in an exciting and unusual way. (para 10) 8. A two-word expression meaning to try to make a situation better after you have done something wrong. (para 11)

5 Two-word expressions Match the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to make two-word expressions from the text. 1. press

a. kid

2. awards

b. competition

3. red

c. achievement

4. strong

d. speech

5. acceptance

e. carpet

6. feelgood

f. conference

7. lifetime

g. movie

8. comeback

h. ceremony

6 Expressions with prepositions Complete the phrases from the text using prepositions. 1. pay tribute _______

5. in favour _______

2. capitalize _______

6. deprive someone _______

3. enthusiasm _______

7. _______ the spotlight

4. in the midst _______

8. work _______ a film

7 Discussion Do you think awards ceremonies like the Oscars and Golden Globes are important or a waste of time? Give

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your reasons.


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

F F F T F T


b c b c

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

f h e b d g c a

6 Expressions with prepositions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

to on for of of of in on

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Brits have the Midas touch at Golden Globe awards / Advanced

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.


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2 What do you know?

supporting actress (actor) pay tribute to frontrunner canine beat off turnaround glamorous make amends


bizarre rejuvenated animated sombre posthumous glitz sequel downside feelgood score


Elementary

Key words


feelgood animated

tribute glitz

award tearful

score glamorous

posthumous achievement

1. If you pay __________________ to someone, you praise them in public. 2. An __________________ is a prize given to someone who has achieved something. 3. __________________ is a special quality that makes something seem very exciting and attractive even though it has no value. 4. If someone gives a __________________ speech, they cry a lot during it. 5. An __________________ film is a cartoon, a film consisting of a series of drawings. 6. If you succeed in doing something after a lot of hard work and effort, this is an __________________. 7. The music written for a film is known as its __________________. 8. If something is __________________, it is attractive and interesting in an exciting and unusual way. 9. A __________________ film makes you feel happy and satisfied. 10. A __________________ award is one given to someone after they have died.

2


Find the answers to the following questions in the text. 1. How many Golden Globe awards did Kate Winslet win this year? 2. Who was her co-star in Revolutionary Road? 3. Who directed Revolutionary Road? 4. When do the Oscars take place? 5. Where did the Golden Globes ceremony take place this year?

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NEWS LESSONS / Brits have the Midas touch at Golden Globe awards / Elementary

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6. Which film won the best foreign language film award?

Brits have the Midas touch at Golden Globe awards Elementary 5

The Golden Globes ceremony was cancelled last year because of the scriptwriters’ strike. This year it celebrated its return with a night of classic Hollywood glitz. The red carpet, the dresses and the tearful acceptance speeches were all there as a collection of stars arrived for the ceremony at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Hollywood.

6

One of the biggest surprises of the evening was Sally Hawkins winning the best actress in a comedy award for her role as a schoolteacher in Mike Leigh’s Happy-Go-Lucky. The British actor won against some strong competition from some famous Hollywood names, including Frances McDormand, Meryl Streep and Emma Thompson.

7

An animated feature, the Israeli film Waltz With Bashir, won the best foreign language film award. An animated documentary that examines the massacres of Palestinians during the 1982 Lebanon war, the highly political film has received multiple nominations this awards season. Speaking after accepting the award, director Ari Folman said that the film was very relevant: “Unfortunately, the film is always relevant,” he said. “There’s only one major statement, which is an antiwar statement, and it is relevant now and unfortunately it was relevant two years ago, when we were working on it.”

8

The ceremony at the Beverly Hilton Hotel was a complete change from last year’s strange event. A year ago, in the middle of a writers’ strike that had seen most production in Hollywood shut down, the Golden Globes cancelled the glamorous prize-giving and simply held a press conference at which a list of winners was read out. The advantages of last year’s arrangement were that it was shorter and cheaper. The disadvantage was that it Hollywood lost one of its big evenings of the year.

9

This year Steven Spielberg was given the Cecil B DeMille award for lifetime achievement, and Rumer Willis – whose parents are Bruce Willis and Demi Moore – was given the Miss Golden Globes award.

1 British actress Kate Winslet has won two awards at the Golden Globes ceremony in Hollywood. She won the award for best dramatic actress for Revolutionary Road and best supporting actress for The Reader. In an emotional acceptance speech for her surprise win for Revolutionary Road, Winslet paid tribute to her “spectacular” co-star, Leonardo DiCaprio, and to her husband, Sam Mendes, who directed the film. 2 Heath Ledger, who died last year, was given a posthumous Golden Globe for his performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight. Christopher Nolan, who directed the film, paid tribute to Ledger: “We will miss him, but he will never be forgotten.” 3 The Globes are usually an indication of who will win the Oscars a month and a half later. This year’s awards made the feelgood movie Slumdog Millionaire one of the favourites for the Oscar. While Slumdog Millionaire also won awards for best script and best score, one of the favourites for the Oscars, Frost/Nixon, did not pick up a single award, even though it was nominated in five categories – in the best drama, director, actor, screenplay and score. Likewise, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, starring Cate Blanchett and Brad Pitt, directed by David Fincher and also nominated in five categories, was not a winner on the night. 4 The Wrestler, another Oscar favourite, did better, with its star Mickey Rourke winning the best dramatic actor award and Bruce Springsteen winning a Globe for best song. Rourke dedicated the award to his dogs, past and present. “It’s been a very long road back for me,” he told the audience. “Several years ago I was almost out of this business. I’d like to thank all my dogs. Sometimes when a man’s alone his dogs are all he’s got.”


© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Brits have the Midas touch at Golden Globe awards / Elementary

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Dan Glaister in Los Angeles January 12, 2009



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Level 1


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. Last year’s Golden Globes ceremony did not take place …

a. … an indication of who will win the Oscars.

2. Steven Spielberg was given …

b. … a posthumous award.

3. Heath Ledger was given …

c. … because of the Hollywood writers’ strike.

4. Mickey Rourke was given ...

d. … the award for best song.

5. Bruce Springsteen was given …

e. … the best dramatic actor award.

6. The Golden Globes are usually ...

f. … a lifetime achievement award.

4 Chunks Rearrange the words to make phrases from the text. 1. never he forgotten be will 2. half a later month and a 3. surprises the of the one biggest evening of 4. film best the language foreign 5. middle strike a in of the writers’ 6. the one the evenings of year big of

5 Word building Complete the table with nouns from the text.

produce

3.

perform

4.

state

5.

accept

6.

arrange

7.

nominate

8.

indicate


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2.


achieve

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1.

noun

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verb


Elementary

6 Word stress Divide these words from the text into two groups according to their stress. drama complete

alone arrive

B o 0


H

A 0 o

husband foreign

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tribute classic


award surprise cancel return


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words

4 Chunks

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

two Leonardo DiCaprio Sam Mendes one and a half months after the Golden Globes Hollywood Waltz with Bashir


c f b e d a

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

achievement production performance statement acceptance arrangement nomination indication

6 Word stress A 0 o: tribute; husband; drama; cancel; classic; foreign B o 0: award; surprise; alone; return; complete; arrive


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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

5 Word building

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he will never be forgotten a month and a half later one of the biggest surprises of the evening the best foreign language film in the middle of a writers’ strike one of the big evenings of the year


tribute award glitz tearful animated achievement score glamorous feelgood posthumous


Intermediate

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. award bizarre

sequel animated

feelgood glitz

score tearful

posthumous glamorous

1. The music written for a film is known as its ____________________. 2. A ____________________ award is one given to someone after they have died. 3. If someone gives a ____________________ speech, they cry a lot during it. 4. A ____________________ is a film that continues the story of a previous one. 5. A ____________________ film makes you feel happy and satisfied. 6. ____________________ is a special quality that makes something seem very exciting and attractive even though it has no value. 7. If something is ____________________, it is attractive and interesting in an exciting and unusual way. 8. An ____________________ film is a cartoon, a film consisting of a series of drawings. 9. An ____________________ is a prize given to someone who has achieved something. 10. If something is described as ____________________, it is strange and difficult to explain.

2


Find the answers to the following questions in the text. 1. How many Golden Globes did Kate Winslet win this year? 2. Who was her co-star in Revolutionary Road? 3. Who directed Revolutionary Road? 4. How many awards did Frost/Nixon get? 5. Where did the Golden Globes ceremony take place this year?

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NEWS LESSONS / Brits have the Midas touch at Golden Globe awards / Intermediate

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6. Who won the lifetime achievement award?

Brits have the Midas touch at Golden Globe awards Intermediate


6

One of the biggest surprises of the evening was Sally Hawkins winning the best actress in a comedy award for her role as a schoolteacher in Mike Leigh’s Happy-Go-Lucky. The British actor won in the face of some strong competition from famous Hollywood names, including Frances McDormand, Meryl Streep and Emma Thompson. The distance from her table to the stage was an indication of just how unexpected her win was.

7

An animated feature, the Israeli film Waltz With Bashir, won the best foreign language film award. An animated documentary that examines the massacres of Palestinians during the 1982 Lebanon war, the highly political film has received multiple nominations this awards season. Speaking backstage after accepting the award, director Ari Folman said that he did not regret the film’s relevance: “Unfortunately, the film is always relevant,” he said. “There’s only one major statement, which is an antiwar statement, and it is relevant now and unfortunately it was relevant two years ago, when we were working on it.”

8

The ceremony at the Beverly Hilton Hotel represented a complete change from last year’s bizarre event. A year ago, in the midst of a writers’ strike that had seen most production in Hollywood shut down, the Golden Globes cancelled the glamorous prize-giving and simply held a press conference at which a list of winners was read out. The advantages of last year’s arrangement were that it was shorter, cheaper and a better indication of the significance of the Globes. The disadvantage was that it deprived Hollywood of one of its big evenings of the year

Dan Glaister in Los Angeles January 12, 2009 1 British actress Kate Winslet has won the two Golden Globe categories for which she was nominated: best dramatic actress for Revolutionary Road and best supporting actress for The Reader. In an emotional acceptance speech for her surprise win for Revolutionary Road, Winslet paid tribute to her “spectacular” co-star, Leonardo DiCaprio, and to her husband, Sam Mendes, who directed the film. 2 Perhaps the most highly anticipated award of the night was the posthumous Golden Globe given to Heath Ledger for his performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight. Christopher Nolan, who directed the Batman sequel, paid tribute to Ledger: “We will miss him, but he will never be forgotten.” 3 The Globes are traditionally seen as an indication of how the Oscars will go in a month and a half’s time. Sunday night’s awards made the feelgood movie Slumdog Millionaire one of the favourites for the Oscar. While Slumdog Millionaire also won awards for best script and best score, Frost/ Nixon did not pick up a single award, despite being nominated in the best drama, director, actor, screenplay and score categories. Likewise, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, starring Cate Blanchett and Brad Pitt, directed by David Fincher and nominated in five categories, was not a winner on the night. 4 The Wrestler, another Oscar favourite, did better, with its star Mickey Rourke winning the best dramatic actor award and Bruce Springsteen winning a Globe for best song. Rourke dedicated the award to his dogs, past and present. “It’s been a very long road back for me,” he told the audience. “Several years ago I was almost out of this business. I’d like to thank all my dogs. © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009


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The Golden Globes ceremony, which was cancelled last year because of the scriptwriters’ strike, celebrated its return with a night of classic Hollywood glitz. The red carpet, the dresses and the tearful acceptance speeches were all there as a collection of stars turned out for the relatively informal evening at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Hollywood.


5

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Sometimes when a man’s alone his dogs are all he’s got.”

CA

Level 2


Intermediate

as dresses were returned to designers, the red carpet was rolled up and Steven Spielberg and Rumer Willis had to wait an extra year for their moment in the spotlight. 9

This year Spielberg was given the Cecil B DeMille award for lifetime achievement, and la Willis – whose parents are Bruce Willis and Demi Moore – was acknowledged as Miss Golden Globes, an award reserved for the children of the stars. © Guardian News & Media 2008 First published in The Guardian, 12/01/09

3 Comprehension check Are these statements true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. The Golden Globes take place after the Oscar awards. 2. No Golden Globes were awarded in 2008. 3. All the favourites for the Oscars won Golden Globes. 4. The best foreign language film was a cartoon. 5. Last year’s event was cancelled because of the writers’ strike. 6. This year’s Golden Globe event was very similar to last year’s.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A two-word expression meaning an important part but not the main part in a film. (para 1) 2. A three-word expression meaning to praise someone publicly. (para 1) 3. A noun meaning a story someone writes for a film. (para 3) 4. A noun meaning the person considered most likely to win a competition. (para 4) 5. A four-word expression meaning in a situation where you have to deal with something difficult. (para 6) 6. An adjective meaning several. (para 7) 7. An adverb meaning in the area behind the stage in a theatre. (para 7)

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8. A four-word expression meaning while something else is happening. (para 8)


Intermediate

5 Expressions with prepositions Complete the phrases from the text using prepositions. 1. pay tribute _______ someone 2. work _______ a project 3. deprive someone _______ something 4. in the face _______ strong opposition 5. in the midst _______ the writer’s strike 6. win an award _______ something

6 Word building Complete the table with nouns from the text.

verb 1.

perform

2.

nominate

3.

accept

4.

compete

5.

indicate

6.

state

7.

arrange

8.

achieve

noun

7 Discussion Which film and which actors do you think should win Golden Globes? What are your reasons for

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choosing them?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

two Leonardo DiCaprio Sam Mendes (Kase Winslet’s husband) none Hollywood (the Beverly Hilton Hotel) Steven Spielberg


F F F T T F

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

to on of of of for

6 Word building 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

performance nomination acceptance competition indication statement arrangement achievement

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Brits have the Midas touch at Golden Globe awards / Intermediate

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.


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supporting actress (actor) pay tribute to screenplay favourite in the face of multiple backstage in the midst of


score posthumous tearful sequel feelgood glitz glamorous animated award bizarre

Miracle on the Hudson Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words

Complete the sentences using these key words from the text. flock buoyancy

ditch perennial

sink eyewitness

raft glider

stricken bound for

1. If an aircraft is described as __________________, it is seriously damaged. 2. A __________________ problem is one that always exists or never seems to change. 3. A __________________ is a large group of birds flying together. 4. An __________________ is someone who actually sees a crime or an accident. 5. If a plane is __________________ a particular place, that place is its destination. 6. If the pilot __________________ a plane, he lands it on water (in the sea or on a lake or river). 7. If something __________________, it disappears below the surface of the water. 8. A __________________ is a plane without an engine. 9. A __________________ is a simple flat boat. 10. __________________ is the ability of something to float on water.

2 Find the information Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. Where is LaGuardia airport? 2. Where was flight 1549 flying to? 3. What type of aircraft was flight 1549? 4. How many passengers were on board the flight? 5. How long after take-off was it when the problem happened?

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NEWS LESSONS / Miracle on the Hudson / Advanced

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6. How many investigators are looking into the causes of the accident?

Miracle on the Hudson Advanced

Miracle on the Hudson: 155 survive crash as jet hits river in New York

1 The pilot of a US Airways jet managed to avoid disaster and save the lives of all 155 people on board his stricken plane when he ditched into the icy waters of the Hudson river moments after taking off from New York’s LaGuardia airport. The extraordinary escape was immediately called the miracle on the Hudson and an example of the ability of New York to cope with disaster in the wake of 9/11. Flight 1549 was carrying 148 passengers, including a baby, five crew and two pilots, and all of them escaped. 2 The captain, named last night as Chesley Sullenberger, has 29 years’ experience with commercial airlines and is a former US airforce fighter pilot. With both his twin engines in trouble, one apparently on fire, and with the nearest airport out of range, he calmly brought the plane to land on the river on the west side of Manhattan. Sullenberger then helped passengers escape to rescue boats, and twice walked the length of the passenger cabin inside the sinking jet to check that everyone had got out safely, before escaping himself. “We have had a Miracle on 34th Street. Now we have a miracle on the Hudson,” said the governor of New York, David Patterson. 3 The Airbus 320 took off from LaGuardia bound for Charlotte in North Carolina at 3.26pm. A mere 30 to 45 seconds after take-off there was a bang and the aircraft shook, believed to have been caused by it striking a flock of geese. 4 The pilot reported to air traffic control that he was experiencing engine problems and requested to return to ground. The nearest identified airport was in New Jersey, but when it became clear he could not make it, the pilot prepared for a

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Miracle on the Hudson / Advanced

5

Eyewitnesses reported seeing a splash and the plane coming to an immediate stop; it looked so controlled that some witnesses mistook it for the landing of a seaplane. “I just thought, ‘Why is it so low?’ And splash, it hit the water,” said one witness, Barbara Sambriski.

6

Jeff Kolodjay, one of the passengers, said that after take-off they had heard a bang and the plane filled with smoke from the left engine. “It was pretty scary, man. We got out by the luck of God. I take my hat off to the pilot – it was incredible we all made it off alive.”

7

Another passenger, Alberto Panero, said: “I want to say thank you to that pilot. It was as good a landing as you can make in a river.” He said that passengers had begun praying as it came in low over the river, but all had remained calm.

8

The survival of all on board appears to have been thanks to a combination of the plane remaining intact on impact and almost immediate assistance from at least seven water taxis and tugs which swarmed around the jet. Doors were opened quickly at the front of the aircraft and over the wings, and passengers either stepped straight into the boats or stood in line on rafts, or on top of the wings which acted as buoyancy and kept the plane afloat.

9

By the time all had been taken on to the rescue boats, the plane had water up to its windows and was floating rapidly southwards in the outgoing tide. Several passengers were taken to hospitals in New York and New Jersey, but their injuries were reported to be no more serious than mild hypothermia, shock, cuts and bruises. “Normally this isn’t the way people arrive in New York,” said the city’s mayor Michael Bloomberg. “But as long as everyone got off safely that’s secondary.”

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Ed Pilkington in New York 16 January, 2009

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Pilot of US Airways plane avoids disaster and saves lives of 155 people after engine catches fire due to suspected bird strike


crash landing on the Hudson. “Brace yourself for impact,” he told the passengers. Seconds later the plane struck the Hudson, on a line with 48th Street in midtown Manhattan, turning a stretch of waterway normally populated by tourists enjoying a waterside view of the skyscrapers into an astonishing fight for survival.

CA

Level 3

Miracle on the Hudson Level 3

Advanced

10

A team of 20 investigators from the National Transportation and Safety Board has been dispatched to root out the causes of the plane failure. Witnesses suggested that the engine trouble was caused by the plane flying into a flock of geese – a perennial threat at New York airports as a result of the city lying on a well-used migratory path for birds.

11

One puzzle, though, is why both engines cut out. The left engine appeared to have caught

fire, but pilots are usually able to bring a plane into an emergency landing with just one engine working. An air incident investigator, David Gleave, told the BBC that the incident was “quite remarkable, but not unique”. He said if both engines of the plane had failed, the aircraft would become like a “glider”. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 16/01/09

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. What was the probable cause of the accident? a. engine failure b. pilot error c. bird strike

3. Why did the plane stay afloat on the river? a. The wings acted as buoyancy. b. The plane wasn’t full. c. Ships and buoys helped it to stay afloat.

2. Why didn’t the pilot fly to the nearest airport? a. It was too far. b. The runway was too short. c. He didn’t have enough fuel.

4. Why is bird strike a constant problem in New York? a. Because there are a lot of birds there. b. Because the New York airports are on the paths along which birds migrate. c. Because birds there are not afraid of planes.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A two-word phrasal verb meaning to deal successfully with a difficult situation. (para 1) 2. A four-word expression meaning happening after an event or as a result of it. (para 1) 3. A three-word expression meaning not within a distance which can be reached. (para 2) 4. A two-word expression meaning get ready for something unpleasant. (para 4) 5. A five-word expression used to show admiration or respect for someone because of something impressive they have done. (para 6) 6. A noun meaning a small powerful boat used for pulling large boats. (para 8) 7. A noun meaning a serious medical condition in which your body temperature is very low. (para 9)

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8. A verb meaning to send someone or something somewhere. (para 10)


Advanced

5 Phrasal verbs Match the phrasal verbs with their definitions. 1. root out

a. (of a plane) leave the ground

2. swarm around

b. (of a train or plane) approach the destination

3. cut out

c. surround something in large numbers

4. get out

d. (of an engine) suddenly stop working

5. take off

e. find something bad or illegal and get rid of it

6. come in

f. escape from inside somewhere

6 Phrases with prepositions Complete the phrases from the text using prepositions. 1. _______ trouble 2. _______ fire 3. _______ board 4. _______ range 5. thanks _______ 6. bound _______ 7. stand _______ line 8. prepare _______

7 Discussion

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Experts believe that flying is the safest form of transport. Do you agree? Compare flying with other means of transport.


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. stricken 2. perennial 3. flock 4. eyewitness 5. bound for 6. ditches 7. sinks 8. glider 9. raft 10. buoyancy

1. cope with 2. in the wake of 3. out of range 4. brace yourself 5. I take my hat off 6. tug 7. hypothermia 8. dispatch


1. e 2. c 3. d 4. f 5. a 6. b

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Miracle on the Hudson / Advanced

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1. c 2. a 3. a 4. b

1. in 2. on 3. on 4. out of 5. to 6. for 7. in 8. for

•P


6 Phrases with prepositions


1. New York 2. Charlotte, North Carolina 3. Airbus 320 4. 148 5. 30 to 45 seconds 6. 20

5 Phrasal verbs

Miracle on the Hudson Level 1 1

Elementary

Key words

Complete the sentences using these key words from the text. miracle bruise

flock tug

sink migrate

raft splash

eyewitness hypothermia

1. _________________ is a medical condition in which your body temperature is very low. 2. An _________________ is someone who sees a crime or an accident. 3. A _________________ is a simple flat boat. 4. A _________________ is a mark you get on your body if you are hit or you knock into something. 5. A _________________ is the sound or sight of something falling into water. 6. Birds _________________ when they fly from one part of the world to another at a particular time of year. 7. If something _________________, it disappears below the surface of the water. 8. A _________________ is a small powerful boat used for pulling large boats. 9. A _________________ is something extremely lucky that would not normally be possible. 10. A _________________ is a large group of birds flying together.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How many people were on the flight? 2. What was the flight number? 3. How many passengers were on the plane? 4. What time did the plane take off? 5. Where did the plane take off?

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NEWS LESSONS / Miracle on the Hudson / Elementary

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6. Where was it flying to?

Miracle on the Hudson Elementary


2 The pilot, Chesley Sullenberger, has 29 years’ experience with commercial airlines and is a former US airforce pilot. He had problems with both engines and one was probably on fire. The nearest airport was too far away. But Sullenberger calmly landed the plane on the river on the west side of Manhattan. He then helped the passengers to escape to rescue boats, and twice walked through the passenger cabin inside the sinking jet to check that everyone had got out safely, before he escaped himself. “We have had a Miracle on 34th Street. Now we have a miracle on the Hudson,” said the governor of New York. 3 The Airbus 320 took off from LaGuardia on its way to Charlotte in North Carolina at 3.26pm. Just 30 to 45 seconds after take-off there was a bang and the aircraft shook, probably as a result of it hitting a flock of geese. 4 The pilot reported to air traffic control that he was having engine problems and asked to return to ground. The nearest airport was in New Jersey, but when he realized that he could not reach that airport, the pilot prepared for a crash landing on the Hudson. “Get ready for a crash,” he told the passengers. Seconds later the plane hit the river. 5 Eyewitnesses reported seeing a splash and the plane coming to an immediate stop; it looked so

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Miracle on the Hudson / Elementary

Jeff Kolodjay, one of the passengers, said that after take-off they had heard a bang and the plane filled with smoke from the left engine. “It was very frightening. We got out by the luck of God. I give my thanks to the pilot – it was incredible that we all escaped alive.” Another passenger said: “I want to say thank you to that pilot. You couldn’t make a better landing in a river.” He said that passengers had started to pray as the plane flew over the river, but that everyone was calm.

7

The fact that no-one died was probably because the plane did not break up when it hit the water and also because at least seven water taxis and tugs surrounded the plane almost immediately. Doors were opened quickly at the front of the aircraft and over the wings, and passengers either stepped straight into the boats or waited on rafts, or on top of the wings.

8

By the time everyone was in the rescue boats, the plane had water up to its windows and was floating quickly down the river. Several passengers were taken to hospitals in New York and New Jersey, but their injuries were no more serious than mild hypothermia, shock, cuts and bruises.

9

A team of 20 investigators from the National Transportation and Safety Board has been sent to find the causes of the accident. Witnesses said that the engine trouble was caused by the plane flying into a flock of geese – a constant problem at New York airports because the city lies on a path that birds use when they migrate. One question, though, is why both engines stopped working. It seems that the left engine caught fire, but pilots are usually able to make an emergency landing with just one engine working. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 16/01/09

O

1 The pilot of a US Airways jet avoided a disaster and saved the lives of all 155 people on board his damaged plane when he landed in the icy waters of the Hudson river moments after taking off from New York’s LaGuardia airport. People immediately called the extraordinary escape the miracle on the Hudson. Flight 1549 was carrying 148 passengers, including a baby, five crew and two pilots, and everyone escaped.

6



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controlled that some witnesses thought it was a seaplane. “I just thought, ‘Why is it so low?’ And then there was a splash when it hit the water,” said one witness.

CA

Level 1


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. The plane had to make a crash landing because …

a. … no-one died.

2. The pilot couldn’t land at the airport in New Jersey

b. … the plane didn’t break up and the rescue

because …

boats came quickly.

3. People thought the plane was a seaplane because …

c. … both its engines stopped working.

4. People are calling it a miracle because …

d. … was probably the plane hitting a flock of birds.

5. No-one died because …

e. … the landing was so controlled.

6. The cause of the engine trouble ...

f. … it was too far away.

4 Verb + noun collocations Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns and noun phrases in the right-hand column to make phrases from the text. 1. land

a. thanks

2. avoid

b. someone’s life

3. save

c. the cause of something

4. give

d. a plane

5. find

e. fire

6. catch

f. a disaster

5 Chunks Rearrange these words to make phrases from the text. 1. 45 take-off to seconds 30 after 2. 20 a of investigators team 3. was frightening very it 4. the as over plane the river flew 5. of aircraft the at front the

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6. accident the of causes the


Elementary

6 Word grammar Complete the sentences with the correct form of the word in brackets. 1. The experience was very _________________. [FRIGHTEN] 2. The pilot landed the plane very _________________.[CALM] 3. He had to make an emergency _________________.[LAND] 4. A team of 20 _________________ will try to find the causes of the accident. [INVESTIGATE] 5. The pilot checked that everyone had got out _________________. [SAFE]

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6. The National Transportation and _________________ Board. [SAFE]


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words


1. hypothermia 2. eyewitness 3. raft 4. bruise 5. splash 6. migrate 7. sinks 8. tug 9. miracle 10. flock

1. d 2. f 3. b 4. a 5. c 6. e

1. c 2. f 3. e 4. a 5. b 6. d

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Miracle on the Hudson / Elementary

1. frightening 2. calmly 3. landing 4. investigators 5. safely 6. safety

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1. 155 2. 1549 3. 148 4. 3.26pm 5. LaGuardia 6. Charlotte, North Carolina

1. 30 to 45 seconds after take-off 2. a team of 20 investigators 3. it was very frightening 4. as the plane flew over the river 5. at the front of the aircraft 6. the causes of the accident



5 Chunks

Miracle on the Hudson Level 2 Intermediate 1

Key words

Complete the sentences using these key words from the text. flock apparently

sink bound for

raft survival

eyewitness bruise

glider hypothermia

1. If something __________________, it disappears below the surface of the water. 2. A __________________ is a plane without an engine. 3. __________________ means continuing to be alive. 4. __________________ is a medical condition in which the temperature of your body becomes very low. 5. If a plane is __________________ a particular place, that place is its destination. 6. A __________________ is a large group of birds flying together. 7. An __________________ is someone who actually sees a crime or an accident. 8. A __________________ is a simple flat boat. 9. __________________ means that something is based only on what you have heard and not on what you are certain is true. 10. A __________________ is a mark you get on your body if you are hit or you knock into something.

2 Find the information Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How many people were on the flight? 2. What was the flight number? 3. How many passengers were on the plane? 4. What time did the plane take off? 5. How long after take-off was it when the problem happened?

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6. How many investigators are investigating the accident?

Miracle on the Hudson Level 2 Intermediate 5

Eyewitnesses reported seeing a splash and the plane coming to an immediate stop; it looked so controlled that some witnesses thought it was a seaplane. “I just thought, ‘Why is it so low?’ And splash, it hit the water,” said one witness.

6

Jeff Kolodjay, one of the passengers, said that after take-off they had heard a bang and the plane filled with smoke from the left engine. “It was pretty frightening. We got out by the luck of God. I take my hat off to the pilot – it was incredible we all escaped alive.”

7

Another passenger, Alberto Panero, said: “I want to say thank you to that pilot. It was as good a landing as you can make in a river.” He said that passengers had begun praying as the plane flew over the river, but that everyone was calm.

8

The survival of everyone on board seems to have been the result of a combination of the plane not breaking up when it hit the water and almost immediate assistance from at least seven water taxis and tugs which surrounded the plane. Doors were opened quickly at the front of the aircraft and over the wings, and passengers either stepped straight into the boats or stood in line on rafts, or on top of the wings which kept the plane afloat.

9

By the time everyone had been taken on to the rescue boats, the plane had water up to its windows and was floating rapidly down the river. Several passengers were taken to hospitals in New York and New Jersey, but their injuries were reported to be no more serious than mild hypothermia, shock, cuts and bruises.


3 The Airbus 320 took off from LaGuardia bound for Charlotte in North Carolina at 3.26pm. Just 30 to 45 seconds after take-off there was a bang and the aircraft shook, apparently as the result of it striking a flock of geese. 4 The pilot reported to air traffic control that he was experiencing engine problems and requested to return to ground. The nearest airport was in New Jersey, but when it became clear that he could not reach that airport, the pilot prepared for a crash landing on the Hudson. “Brace yourself for impact,” he told the passengers. Seconds later the plane hit the river.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Miracle on the Hudson / Intermediate

10 A team of 20 investigators from the National Transportation and Safety Board has been sent to find the causes of the plane failure. Witnesses suggested that the engine trouble was caused by the plane flying into a flock of geese – a constant problem at New York airports because the city lies on a well-used migratory path for birds. One question, though, is why both engines stopped working. The left engine appeared to have caught fire, but pilots are usually able to bring a plane into an emergency landing with just

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2 The captain, Chesley Sullenberger, has 29 years’ experience with commercial airlines and is a former US airforce fighter pilot. With both his engines in trouble, one apparently on fire, and with the nearest airport too far away, he calmly landed the plane on the river on the west side of Manhattan. Sullenberger then helped passengers escape to rescue boats, and twice walked through the passenger cabin inside the sinking jet to check that everyone had got out safely, before escaping himself. “We have had a Miracle on 34th Street. Now we have a miracle on the Hudson,” said the governor of New York, David Patterson.


1 The pilot of a US Airways jet managed to avoid disaster and save the lives of all 155 people on board his damaged plane when he landed in the icy waters of the Hudson river moments after taking off from New York’s LaGuardia airport. The extraordinary escape was immediately called the miracle on the Hudson. Flight 1549 was carrying 148 passengers, including a baby, five crew and two pilots, and all of them escaped.

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Miracle on the Hudson Level 2 Intermediate one engine working. An air incident investigator, David Gleave, told the BBC that the incident was “quite remarkable, but not unique”. He said if both engines of the plane had failed, the aircraft would be like a “glider”. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 16/01/09

3 Comprehension check Choose the correct alternative to complete the sentences. 1. The accident was probably / definitely caused by a bird strike. 2. The plane was flying from / to Charlotte, North Carolina. 3. The nearest airport was too far away / too small to land the plane. 4. Some water taxis and tugs surrounded the plane quite soon / almost immediately after the crash landing. 5. Several people were taken to hospital with serious / minor injuries. 6. Birds are a frequent / occasional problem at New York airports.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A noun meaning something extremely lucky that would not normally be possible. (para 1) 2. A two-word expression meaning get ready for something unpleasant. (para 4) 3. A noun meaning the sound or sight of something falling into water. (para 5) 4. An adverb meaning quite or very. (para 6) 5. A five-word expression used to show admiration or respect for someone because of something impressive they have done. (para 6) 6. A noun meaning a small powerful boat used for pulling large boats. (para 8) 7. A three-word expression meaning wait in a queue. (para 8)

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8. A two-word expression meaning the route birds take when they fly from one part of the world to another at a particular time of year. (para 10)

Miracle on the Hudson Level 2 Intermediate 5 Phrases with prepositions Complete the phrases from the text using prepositions. 1. _______ board 2. _______ fire 3. _______ trouble 4. bound _______ 5. as the result _______ 6. _______ the front of 7. stand _______ line 8. taken _______ hospital

6 Two-word expressions Match the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to make phrases from the text. 1. emergency

a. fire

2. commercial

b. trouble

3. engine

c. cabin

4. rescue

d. airline

5. catch

e. boat

6. passenger

f. landing

7 Discussion

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Are you afraid of flying? Why? Why not? What are some of the things that can possibly go wrong with an aircraft?

Miracle on the Hudson Level 2 Intermediate KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. sinks 2. glider 3. survival 4. hypothermia 5. bound for 6. flock 7. eyewitness 8. raft 9. apparently 10. bruise

1. miracle 2. brace yourself 3. splash 4. pretty 5. I take my hat off 6. tug 7. stand in line 8. migratory path

2 Find the information 1. 155 2. 1549 3. 148 4. 3.26pm 5. 30 to 45 seconds 6. 20

1. on 2. on 3. in 4. for 5. of 6. at 7. in 8. to



1. probably 2. to 3. too far away 4. almost immediately 5. minor 6. frequent

1. f 2. d 3. b 4. e 5. a 6. c

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Obama inauguration: Let the remaking of America begin today Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words

Match the following words with the definitions. converging mired expedience adversaries sentiments grave sapped unflinching implicit shuttered sworn in sacrifice harness

inauguration oath sombre

1. The day on which a recently elected US president begins his job. _____________________ (title) 2. When a US president has put his hand on a bible and has promised to do his job, we say he has been _____________________. (para 1) 3. Sad, serious, gloomy. _____________________ (para 2) 4. When you are _____________________ in something you are entangled or caught up in it. (para 2) 5. When confidence or energy has been _____________________ it has been made weak. (para 2) 6. The act of giving up something important or valuable so that you or other people can do or have something else. _____________________ (para 2) 7. A formal promise. _____________________ (para 3) 8. When people are doing this, they are meeting or coming together in one place. _____________________ (para 4) 9. So serious that you feel worried. _____________________ (para 6) 10. Closed, or (here) ceased trading. _____________________ (para 8) 11. One’s enemies or opponents. _____________________ (para 8) 12. Speed, especially when used to get an immediate result. _____________________ (para 9) 13. Not stated directly, but understood from the way people say things. _____________________ (para 10) 14. To get control of something in order to use it for a particular purpose. _____________________ (para 10) 15. An adjective that describes the way you do something without stopping, despite difficulties. _____________________ (para 12) 16. Beliefs or attitudes towards something. _____________________ (para 13)

2


Skim-read the article to find the information. 1. How many previous presidents have there been in the United States? 2. What changes in attitude does Obama expect of the American people? 3. What was the weather like in Washington on 20 January 2009? 4. Where was the crowd of people and how large was it? 5. Which of the current problems facing the USA did Obama mention? 6. What did he say about the environment? 7. What changes does he plan for US policy on Iraq and Afghanistan?

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8. Who was the final cheer for?

Obama inauguration: Let the remaking of America begin today Advanced

1 Barack Hussein Obama was today sworn in as 44th president of the United States of America in front of quite possibly the largest crowd of people ever to have gathered in one place for a single political moment. 2 As many as two million people in Washington’s National Mall heard their new president deliver a sombre 20-minute speech in which he acknowledged that the country was in the midst of crisis – mired in wars, its economy struggling and its national confidence sapped. He promised the largely silent crowd that the challenges would be met, but warned it would take time, some sacrifice, a new form of politics and a re-engagement with the world, in which America would recognize that “power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please”. 3 President Obama took the oath just after midday under a crisp and cloudless azure sky in front of the glistening cream dome of the Capitol, which was partly built by slaves. 4 The day, cold enough to freeze breath, had begun with millions of individual journeys by coach, train and on foot as the crowds began converging before dawn. This was to be the end of the last eight years of Republican rule and of the obstructions which, at any previous time in history, would have made the election of an African-American president unthinkable. 5 They had come to celebrate – and for days they had been doing just that in parties and balls all over town. The cheer as Obama swore his oath on Lincoln’s Bible rippled and roared all the way from the Lincoln Memorial to the Capitol, nearly two miles away. 6 But when Obama spoke it was immediately apparent that the tone of this inauguration was grave, addressed as much to the hundreds of millions tuned in around the world as to the

7

“That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood,” he said. “Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age.”

8

“Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our healthcare is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.”

9

In one of the few lines to be greeted by enthusiastic applause, he turned to defence, proclaiming “we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals”. In a thinly-veiled reference to Guantánamo and torture he promised not to abandon the rule of law and human rights “for expedience’s sake”.

10

There was further implicit criticism of his predecessor’s policies in his comments on science and the environment. He vowed to “restore science to its rightful place” and made several references to climate change, acknowledging the threat to our planet and saying America would in future “harness the sun and the winds and the soil” for energy.

11

On international affairs, he singled out the Muslim world, offering “a new way forward based on mutual interest and mutual respect”. America would leave Iraq “to its people” and forge a “hard-earned peace” in Afghanistan.

12

Obama’s serious tone and his unflinching acknowledgement of the economic hurricane blowing through America echoed Roosevelt’s speech at the time of the last serious global depression, in which an incoming president vowed “to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly”.

13

The endless crowd listened solemnly to the same sentiments today. They might have come wishing for something more uplifting, but, for many, the

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Obama inauguration: Let the remaking of America begin today / Advanced

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Alan Rusbridger in Washington January 20, 2009

shimmering sea of upturned faces in front of him.

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Obama inauguration: Let the remaking of America begin today


Level 3

Obama inauguration: Let the remaking of America begin today Level 3

Advanced

day reached beyond symbolism to a moment of genuine transformation after which nothing could be the same again. 14 As Obama headed back into the Capitol building at the end of the ceremony, clouds began rolling over what had until then been a pure blue sky. But there was one final, rousing cheer as the helicopter carrying George W. Bush rose over the gleaming dome of government and took the former president off to Texas – and out of public life forever. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 20/01/09

3 Language 1. The author uses some almost poetic phrases in the article. Keeping the same meaning, explain or rewrite the phrases below using everyday language. •

... a single political moment __________________________________________________

•

... the glistening cream dome of the Capitol __________________________________________________

•

... cold enough to freeze breath __________________________________________________

•

The cheer rippled and roared all the way from the Lincoln Memorial to the Capitol __________________________________________________

•

... the shimmering sea of upturned faces __________________________________________________

•

... the economic hurricane blowing through America __________________________________________________

•

... clouds began rolling over what had until then been a pure blue sky __________________________________________________

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2. Why do you think the author used these phrases? Take the following factors into consideration: emotion, style, type of article, importance in history ...

Obama inauguration: Let the remaking of America begin today Level 3 Advanced 4 Collocations 1. Match the word pairs from the article. Decide which are verb-noun (vn) collocations and which are adjective-noun (an) collocations. unflinching shed mutual harness cloudless swear sombre deliver meet enthusiastic take thinly-veiled forge rousing

challenges sky an oath jobs respect applause the wind reference cheer speech acknowledgement a speech time peace

2. Write example sentences for five of the collocations.

5 Discussion Many people around the world are expecting great things of President Obama. Why do you think this is? Give some examples.

6 Webquest Watch an online video of Obama delivering his inauguration speech. Each student or small group of students should listen to or watch a particular aspect. For example: 1. The words and language structures Obama uses. 2. Obama’s use of pauses. 3. Obama’s body language. 4. The crowd’s response. 5. Obama’s accent and pronunciation. 6. How loudly or quietly Obama speaks. 7. The emotional aspect.

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8. Who Obama is addressing.

Obama inauguration: Let the remaking of America begin today Level 3 Advanced KEY 1 Key words

4 Collocations

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.

verb noun word pairs

adjective noun word pairs

• • • • • • •

• • • • • • •

inauguration sworn in sombre mired sapped sacrifice oath converging grave shuttered adversaries expedience implicit harness unflinching sentiments

deliver a speech meet challenges take time swear an oath shed jobs harness the wind forge peace

Teachers’ notes You can watch Obama’s whole 20-minute inauguration speech here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/20/barackobama-presidential-inauguration-washington

2 Find the information 1. 2.

3. 4.

5. 6. 7. 8.

sombre speech cloudless sky enthusiastic applause thinly-veiled reference mutual respect rousing cheer unflinching acknowledgement

43 People should recognize that power does not allow them to do what they want. There has to be some sacrifice. (see para 2) Extremely cold and sunny. The crowd stretched between the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial nearly two miles away. There were probably two million people. (see paras 1, 4, 5, 6) War, violence, a weakened economy, greed, loss of housing & jobs, closing businesses. (see paras 7 & 8) He acknowledged the threat to our planet and spoke about alternative energy resources. (para 10) America would leave Iraq to its people and forge peace in Afghanistan. (see para 11) Former president George W. Bush.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Obama inauguration: Let the remaking of America begin today / Advanced


Elementary

Key words

Complete the gaps using these key words from the text. The paragraph numbers will help you.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

2

confidence acknowledge soil uplifting oath protect grave midst

inauguration vowed entitle mutual frankly depression shed shuttered echoed adversaries policies threat

start, beginning, first time __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (title) accept, agree or admit __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (para 2) middle, centre, deep in __ __ __ __ __ (para 2) belief or faith in yourself __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (para 2) take care of, look after, keep from harm __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (para 3) allow, give authority to __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (para 3) a formal promise __ __ __ __ (para 4) serious, solemn, and worried __ __ __ __ __ (para 7) thrown off, lost __ __ __ __ (para 8) closed, gone out of business, or ceased trading __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (para 8) enemies or opponents __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (para 8) programmes, plans, strategies, tactics __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (para 9) officially and formally promised __ __ __ __ __ (para 9) danger, risk __ __ __ __ __ __ (para 9) earth, ground __ __ __ __ (para 9) shared, common __ __ __ __ __ __ (para 10) repeated, said again, sounded like __ __ __ __ __ __ (para 11) economic decline, financially bad times __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (para 11) honestly, openly, straightforwardly __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (para 11) inspiring, inspirational, makes you feel happy __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (para 12)


Skim-read the article and decide whether the sentences are true (T) or false (F).

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1. There have been more than 50 presidents in the history of the United States. 2. Obama wants the American people to change the way they live. 3. The weather in Washington on 20 January 2009 was cold, sunny and dry. 4. Slaves helped to build the US Capitol building in Washington. 5. Obama talked about war, torture, jobs, housing and guns. 6. Obama said that the Americans must do something about global warming. 7. The speech was positive and uplifting. 8. After the speech, former President George W. Bush flew to Texas.

Obama inauguration: Let the remaking of America begin today Elementary 8

“That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood,” he said. “Our nation is at war, our economy is badly weakened ... homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our healthcare is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.”

9

There was criticism of George W. Bush’s policies in his comments on science and the environment. He vowed to “restore science to its rightful place” and made several references to climate change, acknowledging the threat to our planet and saying America would in future use “the sun and the winds and the soil” for energy.

10

On international affairs, he talked about the Muslim world, offering “a new way forward based on mutual interest and mutual respect. America would leave Iraq “to its people” and make “hard-earned peace” in Afghanistan.

11

Obama’s serious tone and his acknowledgement of the economic hurricane blowing through America echoed Roosevelt’s speech at the time of the last serious global depression, in which a new president vowed “to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly”.

12

The endless crowd might have wanted to hear something more uplifting, but, for many, the day was a moment of real change after which nothing could be the same again.

13

As Obama headed back into the Capitol building at the end of the ceremony, clouds began rolling over what had until then been a pure blue sky. But there was one final cheer as the helicopter carrying George W. Bush rose over the gleaming dome of government and took the former president off to Texas – and out of public life forever.

1 Barack Hussein Obama today became 44th president of the United States of America in front of quite possibly the largest crowd of people ever in one place for a single political moment. 2 As many as two million people in Washington’s National Mall heard their new president give a 20-minute speech in which he acknowledged that the country was in the midst of crisis – with wars, a poor economy and a weak national confidence. 3 He promised the crowd that the problems would be met, but warned it would take time and a new type of politics, and that America would have to understand that “power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please”. 4 President Obama took the oath just after midday under a crisp and cloudless blue sky in front of the glistening cream dome of the Capitol, which was partly built by slaves. 5 The day, cold enough to freeze breath, had begun with millions of individual journeys by coach, train and on foot as the crowds began arriving before dawn. This was to be the end of the last eight years of Republican rule and of the problems in the US which, at any previous time in history, would have made the election of an African American president unthinkable. 6 For days people had been celebrating in parties all over town. The cheer as Obama swore his oath on Lincoln’s Bible rippled and roared all the way from the Lincoln Memorial to the Capitol, nearly two miles away. 7 But when Obama spoke it was immediately clear that the tone of this inauguration was grave, addressed as much to the hundreds of millions watching and listening around the world as to the shimmering sea of upturned faces in front of him.


© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Obama inauguration: Let the remaking of America begin today / Elementary

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3 Language The author uses some very nice language in the article. Match the phrases from the article with their meanings in simpler English. 1. ... a single political moment. 2. ... the glistening cream dome of the Capitol, ... 3. ... cold enough to freeze breath, ... 4. The cheer rippled and roared all the way from the Lincoln Memorial to the Capitol, ... 5. ... the shimmering sea of upturned faces ... 6. ... the economic hurricane blowing through America ... 7. ... clouds began rolling over what had until then been a pure blue sky. a. the weather got worse b. one short but important event in history and politics c. extremely cold d. the (sunny) roof of the government building e. the financial crisis in the USA f. the sound was carried all the way down from the front to the back of the crowd g. the people looking up at him (in the sun)

4 Pronunciation Which of these words from the article have the same pronunciation pattern as the name Obama o0o? Write them into the table. Then write the other words under their pronunciation pattern.

confidence acknowledge soil uplifting oath protect grave midst

o0o

inauguration vowed entitle mutual frankly depression shed shuttered echoed adversaries policies threat

0oo

o0oo

Obama

What is the pronunciation pattern for inauguration ? __________

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Write example sentences for four of the words. ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________

Obama inauguration: Let the remaking of America begin today Level 1 Elementary 5 Discussion Do you think that the world will change with Obama as President? Will it be a better or a worse place? Why? Think, for example, about jobs, money, war, and the environment.

6 Webquest Watch part of an online video of Obama giving his inauguration speech. Each student or small group of students should listen to or watch a particular aspect. For example: 1. The words and language structures Obama uses. (E.g. can you hear any of the quotes from the article? What other words do you understand?) 2. When Obama pauses and why. (E.g. before or after important words, to make people listen, etc.) 3. Obama’s body language. (E.g. what does he do with his hands?) 4. When the people in the crowd cheer and clap. 5. Obama’s accent and pronunciation. 6. When Obama speaks loudly or quietly. (E.g. at the beginning or end of a sentence.) 7. The emotional aspect. (E.g. is anyone smiling, crying, looking worried, etc.?)

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8. Who Obama is talking to. (E.g. the crowd, Americans, his family, the world.)

Obama inauguration: Let the remaking of America begin today Level 1 Elementary KEY 1 Key words 1. inauguration 2. acknowledge 3. midst 4. confidence 5. protect 6. entitle 7. oath 8. grave 9. shed 10. shuttered 11. adversaries 12. policies 13. vowed 14. threat 15. soil 16. mutual 17. echoed 18. depression 19. frankly 20. uplifting

2 Find the information 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

F T T T F T F T

4 Pronunciation o0o

0oo

o0oo

Obama

policies

adversaries

entitle

politics

political

acknowledge

confidence

economy

depression

president

environment

uplifting

hurricane

Afghanistan

inauguration = ooo0o

Teachers’ notes You can watch Obama’s whole 20-minute inauguration speech here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/20/barackobama-presidential-inauguration-washington Unless your students are interested in watching the whole video, choose a section approximately five minutes long for task 6, the webquest. Students might like to use a synonym dictionary for task 1 – either in paper format or online: http://thesaurus.reference.com http://www.synonym.com/synonyms/

3 Language b d c f g e a

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.


Intermediate

Key words

Match the following words with the definitions. obstructions struggling transformation shuttered acknowledge

expedience oath adversaries inauguration sentiments grave collective failure consequence echoed sacrifice sombre

1. The day on which a recently elected US president begins his job. _____________________ (title) 2. Sad, serious, gloomy. _____________________ (para 2) 3. To accept or admit that something exists, is true, or is real. _____________________ (para 2) 4. Trying hard. Having to fight to keep itself going. _____________________ (para 2) 5. The act of giving up something important or valuable so that you or other people can do or have something else. _____________________ (para 3) 6. A formal promise. _____________________ (para 4) 7. Things that try to prevent someone from doing something or to prevent something from happening. _____________________ (para 5) 8. So serious that you feel worried. _____________________ (para 7) 9. A result or effect of something. _____________________ (para 8) 10. The lack of success of all members of a group, or the people of the country. ____________________ (para 8) 11. Closed, or (here) ceased trading. _____________________ (para 9) 12. One’s enemies or opponents. _____________________ (para 9) 13. Speed, especially when used to get an immediate result. _____________________ (para 10) 14. Expressed the ideas or feelings that someone else has expressed. _____________________ (para 13) 15. Beliefs or attitudes towards something. _____________________ (para 14) 16. A great change or the process by which this happens. _____________________ (para 14)

2


Skim-read the article and decide whether the sentences are true (T) or false (F). 1. There have been 44 previous presidents in the United States. 2. Obama expects the American people to change their behaviour. 3. The weather in Washington on 20 January 2009 was cold, sunny and dry. 4. It is thought that slaves helped to build the US Capitol building in Washington. 5. The central topics of the speech were war, torture, jobs, housing and teenage pregnancies. 6. Obama denied that global warming is a problem.

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8. After the speech, former President George W. Bush left Washington for his home in Texas.


7. The main tone of the speech was positive and uplifting.

Obama inauguration: Let the remaking of America begin today Intermediate


“That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood,” he said. “Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age.”

9

“Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our healthcare is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.”

10

In one of the few lines to be greeted by enthusiastic applause, he turned to defence, proclaiming “we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals”. In a thinly-veiled reference to Guantánamo and torture he promised not to abandon the rule of law and human rights “for expedience’s sake”.

11

There was criticism of his predecessor’s policies in his comments on science and the environment. He vowed to “restore science to its rightful place” and made several references to climate change, acknowledging the threat to our planet and saying America would in future use “the sun and the winds and the soil” for energy.

12

On international affairs, he singled out the Muslim world, offering “a new way forward based on mutual interest and mutual respect. America would leave Iraq “to its people” and make “hard-earned peace” in Afghanistan.

6 They had come to celebrate – and for days they had been doing just that in parties all over town. The cheer as Obama swore his oath on Lincoln’s Bible rippled and roared all the way from the Lincoln Memorial to the Capitol, nearly two miles away.

13

Obama’s serious tone and his acknowledgement of the economic hurricane blowing through America echoed Roosevelt’s speech at the time of the last serious global depression, in which an incoming president vowed “to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly”.

7 But when Obama spoke it was immediately clear that the tone of this inauguration was grave, addressed as much to the hundreds of millions

14

The endless crowd listened to the same sentiments today. They might have wanted to hear something more uplifting, but, for many, the day was a

1 Barack Hussein Obama today became 44th president of the United States of America in front of quite possibly the largest crowd of people ever to have gathered in one place for a single political moment. 2 As many as two million people in Washington’s National Mall heard their new president deliver a sombre 20-minute speech in which he acknowledged that the country was in the midst of crisis – caught up in wars, its economy struggling and its national confidence weakened. 3 He promised the mostly silent crowd that the challenges would be met, but warned it would take time, some sacrifice, a new form of politics and a re-engagement with the world, in which America would recognise that “power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please”. 4 President Obama took the oath just after midday under a crisp and cloudless azure sky in front of the glistening cream dome of the Capitol, which was partly built by slaves. 5 The day, cold enough to freeze breath, had begun with millions of individual journeys by coach, train and on foot as the crowds began arriving before dawn. This was to be the end of the last eight years of Republican rule and of the obstructions which, at any previous time in history, would have made the election of an African-American president unthinkable.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Obama inauguration: Let the remaking of America begin today / Intermediate

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8

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tuned in around the world as to the shimmering sea of upturned faces in front of him.


Level 2


Intermediate

moment of genuine transformation after which nothing could be the same again. 15 As Obama headed back into the Capitol building at the end of the ceremony, clouds began rolling over what had until then been a pure blue sky. But there was one final, rousing cheer as the helicopter carrying George W Bush rose over the gleaming dome of government and took the former president off to Texas – and out of public life forever. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 20/01/09

3 Language The author uses some very nice language in the article. Look back and find a phrase that means: 1. one short but important event in history and politics (para 1) __________________________________________________ 2. the (sunny) roof of the government building (para 4) __________________________________________________ 3. extremely cold (para 5) __________________________________________________ 4. the sound was carried all the way down from the front to the back of the crowd (para 6) __________________________________________________ 5. the people looking up at him (in the sun) (para 7) __________________________________________________ 6. the financial crisis in the USA (para 13) __________________________________________________

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7. the weather got worse (para 15) __________________________________________________

Obama inauguration: Let the remaking of America begin today Level 2 Intermediate 4 Collocations 1. Match the word pairs from the article. verb-noun word pairs deliver meet take swear shed

challenges time jobs a speech an oath

adjective-noun word pairs sombre cloudless enthusiastic thinly-veiled mutual rousing 2.

speech applause reference cheer sky respect

Write example sentences for four of the collocations (two from each set). ............................................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................................... ...............................................................................................................................................................................

5 Discussion Many people around the world are hoping that the world will change with Obama as President. Why do you think this is? Give some examples.

6 Webquest Watch part of an online video of Obama delivering his inauguration speech. Each student or small group of students should listen to or watch a particular aspect. For example: 1. The words and language structures Obama uses. 2. Obama’s use of pauses. 3. Obama’s body language. 4. The crowd’s response. 5. Obama’s accent and pronunciation. 6. How loudly or quietly Obama speaks. 7. The emotional aspect.

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8. Who Obama is addressing.

Obama inauguration: Let the remaking of America begin today Level 2 Intermediate KEY 1 Key words

3 Language

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.

1. 2. 3. 4.

inauguration sombre acknowledge struggling sacrifice oath obstructions grave consequences collective failure shuttered adversaries expedience echoed sentiments transformation

2 Find the information 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

F T T T F F F T

5. 6. 7.

... a single political moment .... he glistening cream dome of the Capitol ... cold enough to freeze breath The cheer rippled and roared all the way from the Lincoln Memorial to the Capitol ... the shimmering sea of upturned faces ... the economic hurricane blowing through America ... clouds began rolling over what had until then been a pure blue sky

4 Collocations verb noun word pairs • • • • •

deliver a speech meet challenges take time swear an oath shed jobs

adjective noun word pairs • • • • • •

sombre speech cloudless sky enthusiastic applause thinly-veiled reference mutual respect rousing cheer

Teachers’ notes You can watch Obama’s whole 20-minute inauguration speech here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/20/barackobama-presidential-inauguration-washington Unless your students are interested in watching the whole video, choose a section approximately five minutes long for Task 6, the Webquest.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Obama inauguration: Let the remaking of America begin today / Intermediate

Websites ‘must be saved for history’ Level 3 1

Advanced

Warmer

Which of these things do you have? laptop/notebook digital camera blog

PC USB stick scanner external hard drive website printer CD/DVD burner Twitter account

What do you use them for?

2

Key words

Find key words from the text to complete the sentences. The paragraph numbers will help you. 1. A verb meaning to gradually change and develop over a period of time. ___________________ (paragraph 2) 2. An adjective that describes something that is no longer used because it has been replaced by something newer and more effective. ___________________ (paragraph 2) 3. Passive form of a verb meaning to make a problem become worse. ___________________ (paragraph 4) 4. A plural noun for things that are useful or fashionable for only a short time. ___________________ (paragraph 5) 5. An adjective used when you want to say that you are lacking something that you need. ___________________ (paragraph 6) 6. The first word of a phrase used for emphasizing that something is true, even though it is opposite to what other people say or believe. ___________________ (paragraph 7) 7. A place where large quantities of things are stored or kept safe. ___________________ (paragraph 8) 8. An address on the Internet. ___________________ (paragraph 9) 9. Notes or items that appear around the edge of a page (used here metaphorically). ___________________ (paragraph 13)

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NEWS LESSONS / Websites ‘must be saved for history’ / Advanced

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10. An uncountable noun meaning the people who will live in the future after you are dead. ___________________ (paragraph 14)

Websites ‘must be saved for history’ Advanced

Websites ‘must be saved for history’

going to leave our grandchildren bereft,” Brindley states. “I call it ‘personal digital disorder’. Think of those thousands of digital photographs that lie hidden on our computers. Few store them, so those who come after us will not be able to look at them. It’s tragic.”

The British Library’s head says that deleting websites will make the job of historians harder David Smith, technology correspondent 25 January, 2009

She believes similar gaps could appear in the national memory, pointing out that, contrary to popular assumption, Internet companies such as Google are not collecting and archiving material of this type. It is left instead to the libraries and archives which have been gathering books, periodicals, newspapers and recordings for centuries.

8

With an interim report from communications minister, Lord Carter, on the future of digital Britain due very soon, Brindley makes the case for the British Library as the repository that will ensure emails and websites are preserved as reliably as manuscripts and books. “This vision of a digital Britain must include the critical public service of preserving digital Britain’s collective memory and digitizing the unrivalled content within the British Library.”

9

The library plans to create a comprehensive archive of such “notoriously ephemeral” material from the UK web domain – there are about eight million .uk domain websites, growing at a rate of 15-20% every year. It also has a collecting and archiving project for the London 2012 Olympics.

3 Writing in the Observer newspaper, Brindley gives two examples of losses overseas. When Barack Obama became US president, all traces of George Bush disappeared from the White House website, including a booklet entitled 100 Things Americans May Not Know About the Bush Administration, which is no longer accessible.

5 Historians have become increasingly concerned that while the Domesday Book, written on sheepskin in 1086, is still easily accessible, the software for many decade-old computer files – including thousands of government records – already makes them unreadable. The ephemera of emails, text messages and online video add to the headache of the 21st-century archivist. 6 “Too many of us suffer from a condition that is © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Websites ‘must be saved for history’ / Advanced

10 In 2007 the library worked with Microsoft and the National Archives at Kew to prevent a “digital dark age” by unlocking millions of unreadable stored computer files. Microsoft installed the Virtual PC 2007, allowing users to run multiple operating systems simultaneously on the same computer and unlock old Microsoft Office formats dating back 15 years or more. 11 The library and national archives have set up projects to capture daily exchanges of information almost entirely now transmitted by emails and texts. Government departments are storing emails and archiving them at Kew, and the library is encouraging individuals to store theirs voluntarily.

O

4 There were more than 150 websites relating to the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, she continues, but these, too, vanished instantly at the end of the games and are now stored only by the National Library of Australia. “If websites continue to disappear in the same way as those on President Bush and the Sydney Olympics – perhaps exacerbated by the current economic climate that is killing companies – the memory of the nation disappears too,” Brindley writes. “Historians of the future, citizens of the future, will find a black hole in the knowledge base of the 21st century.”


2 Just as families store digital photos on computers which might never be passed on to their descendants, so Britain’s cultural heritage is at risk as the Internet evolves and technologies become obsolete, says Lynne Brindley, the library’s chief executive.

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1 Historians face a “black hole” of lost material unless urgent action is taken to preserve websites and other digital records, the head of the British Library has warned.

CA

Level 3


13

Advanced

Historians regard some of today’s electronic data as a vital legacy that must be protected. Tristram Hunt, of Queen Mary College, London University, said: “It’s essential that mainstream institutions such as the National Gallery or the White House or the Ministry of Defence keep email correspondence, and I think they’re quite good about that now. They provide an absolutely essential historical record.” Hunt argued that libraries and other institutions need to be selective. “On the other hand, we’re producing much more information these days than we used to, and not all of it is necessary. Do we want to keep the Twitter account of

actors or some of the marginalia around the edges of the Sydney Olympics? I don’t think we necessarily do.” 14 There is already one stark warning from history. The BBC’s Doomsday Project of 1986, intended to record the state of the nation for posterity, was recorded on two 12-inch videodisks. By 2000 it was obsolete, and was rescued only thanks to a specialist team working with the only surviving laser disk player. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Observer, 25/01/09

3 Comprehension check Choose the correct answer according to the information in the article. 1. The way most of us store digital photos means that our grandchildren ... a. ... will easily be able to retrieve the images. b. ... won’t know what we look like. c. ... may not be able to see them. 2. The booklet entitled 100 Things Americans May Not Know About the Bush Administration is now ... a. ... only available via George Bush’s own website. b. ... linked to from Obama’s presidential website. c. ... unavailable. 3. Future historians will be able to find out information from over 150 websites about the 2000 Olympics from ... a. ... the Internet. b. ... a library. c. ... nowhere; the information has been lost forever. 4. An official reports suggests that emails and websites should be saved and archived ... a. ... by the British Library. b. ... by Google. c. ... by volunteers.

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5. The information recorded as part of the BBC’s Doomsday Project of 1986 ... a. ... has been lost. b. ... may be saved by experts. c. ... was saved by experts.

Websites ‘must be saved for history’ Level 3

Advanced

4 Language: Reading between the lines What is meant by the following terms or phrases from the article? Write or give short explanations. 1. black hole of lost material

_______________________________________________________________

2. current economic climate

_______________________________________________________________

3. personal digital disorder

_______________________________________________________________

4. popular assumption

_______________________________________________________________

5. interim report

_______________________________________________________________

6. collective memory

_______________________________________________________________

7. notoriously ephemeral material _______________________________________________________________ 8. digital dark age

_______________________________________________________________

9. mainstream institutions

_______________________________________________________________

5 Discussion How do you save your digital photos and other electronic data? Do you think people will still be able to look at your photos or read the documents you have written in 10 years’ time; 50 years’ time; 100 years’ time? How does this compare to the way your parents and grandparents stored photos and documents?

6 Webquest

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Search the Internet for up-to-date articles on “saving digital photos” or saving files, data or similar. Give a synopsis of the information and recommendations in the article to your class.


Advanced

KEY 4 Language

1. evolve(s) 2. obsolete 3. exacerbated 4. ephemera 5. bereft 6. contrary 7. repository 8. domain 9. marginalia 10. posterity

Possible answers: 1. black hole of lost material = a period of time from which there is no information available on materials that were once freely available but can no longer be found or retrieved. 2. current economic climate = this talks about the world financial crisis that is causing many companies to close. 3. personal digital disorder (according to Lynne Brindley) = she means that due to our lack of IT knowledge or forward thinking we may be in danger of losing our photos and files. 4. popular assumption = what the majority of people think or assume. 5. interim report = a report that is presented before the final report is ready. This usually provides the information and figures known up to that point in time. 6. collective memory = the things that a large group of people remember. 7. notoriously ephemeral material = material that is widely known to be useful or fashionable only for a short time (e.g. popular videos on YouTube). 8. digital dark age = a period from which we have no electronic information and know little or nothing about. 9. mainstream institutions = organizations, places or institutions that most people have heard of or have knowledge of (e.g. the White House in Washington and the National Gallery in London).

c c b a c

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Websites ‘must be saved for history’ / Advanced

H

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

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2 Key words


Elementary

Warmer

Which of these things do you have? laptop/notebook digital camera

2

PC blog

USB stick website

scanner printer

external hard drive CD/DVD burner

Key words

Write the key words from the text into the sentences. The paragraph numbers will help you. domain store

cultural heritage black hole

archive rescue

collecting archivist

accessible selective

disorder disappear

1. An area in outer space where light and everything else is pulled into it and nothing can be found or seen again. ___________________ (paragraph 1) 2. A verb meaning to keep or save. ___________________ (paragraph 2) 3. Things that a society thinks are important to its history and culture. ___________________ (paragraph 2) 4. Easy for anyone to find and use. ___________________ (paragraph 3) 5. To be impossible to find. ___________________ (paragraph 4) 6. Someone whose job is to collect and keep historical documents and records. ___________________ (paragraph 5) 7. An illness or medical condition. ___________________ (paragraph 6) 8. Getting and keeping things because they are interesting or valuable. ___________________ (paragraph 7) 9. A group of historical documents and records. ___________________ (paragraph 8) 10. An address on the Internet. ___________________ (paragraph 8) 11. Careful about what you choose or accept. ___________________ (paragraph 10)

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NEWS LESSONS / Websites ‘must be saved for history’ / Elementary

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12. Saved (from disappearing). ___________________ (paragraph 11)

Websites ‘must be saved for history’ Elementary 6

“Too many of us suffer from a condition that is going to leave our grandchildren without information about us,” Brindley says. “I call it ‘personal digital disorder’. Think of those thousands of digital photographs that are hidden on our computers. Few people store them, so those people who come after us will not be able to look at them. It’s very sad.”

7

She says that Internet companies such as Google are not collecting and archiving digital files. It is left instead to the libraries and archives which have been collecting books, magazines, newspapers and recordings for centuries.

8

The British Library plans to create an archive of such material from the UK web domain – there are about eight million .uk domain websites, and this number is growing by 15-20% every year. The library has set up projects to store emails and texts. It also has a collecting and archiving project for the London 2012 Olympics.

9

Historians believe that some of today’s electronic data must be protected. Tristram Hunt, of Queen Mary College, London University, said: “It’s essential that institutions such as the National Gallery in London or the White House in Washington keep emails as they provide an absolutely essential historical record.”

The British Library’s head says that deleting websites will make the job of historians harder David Smith, technology correspondent 25 January, 2009

3 In an article in the Observer newspaper, Brindley gives two examples of lost records. When Barack Obama became US president, all the articles and information about George Bush disappeared from the White House website, including a booklet called 100 Things Americans May Not Know About the Bush Administration, which is no longer accessible. 4 There were more than 150 websites about the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, she continues, but these, too, disappeared instantly at the end of the games and are now stored only by the National Library of Australia. “If websites continue to disappear in the same way as those on President Bush and the Sydney Olympics, the memory of the nation disappears too,” Brindley writes. “Historians of the future, citizens of the future, will find a black hole in the records about the 21st century.” 5 Historians have become more and more worried that although the Domesday Book, written on sheepskin in 1086, is still easily accessible, the software for many 10-year-old computer files – including thousands of government records – already makes them unreadable. The temporary nature of emails, text messages and online video adds to the headache of the 21st-century archivist.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Websites ‘must be saved for history’ / Elementary

10 But Hunt also said that libraries and other institutions need to be selective. “We’re producing much more information these days than we used to, and not all of it is necessary.” 11 There is already one clear warning from history. The BBC’s Doomsday Project of 1986, which contained information about Britain for people in the future, was recorded on two 12-inch videodisks. By 2000 no one could read it. Luckily it could be rescued by a specialist team working with the only surviving laser disk player. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Observer, 25/01/09

O

2 The way many families store digital photos on computers means they might never be seen by their children and grandchildren. In the same way Britain’s cultural heritage is at risk as the Internet changes and technologies become old and out of date, says Lynne Brindley, the library’s chief executive.


1 Historians face a “black hole” of lost material unless something is done to save websites and other digital records, the head of the British Library has warned.

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Websites ‘must be saved for history’

CA

Level 1


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. The way we store digital photos will probably mean ...

a. ... is no longer available on the Internet.

2. It is no longer possible to find some special information ...

b. ... find information about us and what is happening now.

3. Websites with information about the 2000 Olympics in Sydney ... c. ... about George Bush on the White House website. 4. There are new plans to store electronic data ...

d. ... that our grandchildren will not be able to see them.

5. Google are not collecting and archiving ...

e. ... can now only be found in the National Library of Australia.

6. People in the future might not be able to ...

f. ... as they provide a historical record.

7. Official emails need to be saved ...

g. ... our websites, emails and online videos.

8. The BBC’s Doomsday Project of 1986 ...

h. ... connected with the 2012 London Olympics.

4 Language 1. Complete the word wheels with words from the article. head of a library

websites

jobs

types of electronic data

2. Now chose four of the words and write one sentence to describe each word. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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___________________________________________________________________________________________


Elementary

5 Discussion Complete these sentences and then discuss them in class. I save my digital photos (where/how?) ____________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ In 20 years’ time people will/won’t be able to read my emails and text messages because ____________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________

6 Webquest What advice do big companies such as HP, Kodak or Microsoft give about storing digital photos? • • •

www.hp.com www.kodak.com www.microsoft.com

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Can you find any other good, easy to understand, advice about saving digital photos on the Internet?


Elementary

KEY

1. d 2. c 3. e 4. h 5. g 6. b 7. f 8. a

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Websites ‘must be saved for history’ / Elementary

historian

head of a library

jobs

technology correspondent

chief executive archivist emails websites

online booklet types of electronic data

text messages

digital photos video

H


president

•P

1. black hole 2. store 3. cultural heritage 4. accessible 5. disappear 6. archivist 7. disorder 8. collecting 9. archive 10. domain 11. selective 12. rescue

4 Language


2 Key words


Intermediate

Warmer

Which of these things do you have? laptop/notebook digital camera blog

PC USB stick scanner external hard drive website printer CD/DVD burner Twitter account

What do you use them for?

2

Key words

Write the key words from the text into the sentences. The paragraph numbers will help you. bereft tragic

archivist posterity

trace domain

legacy voluntarily

obsolete selective

heritage descendants

1. The people who will come after you. Relatives of someone who lived in the past. ______________ (paragraph 2) 2. Traditions and beliefs that a society considers important to its history and culture. ___________________ (paragraph 2) 3. An adjective that describes something that is no longer used because it has been replaced by something newer and more effective. ___________________ (paragraph 2) 4. A slight sign that something has happened or existed. ___________________ (paragraph 3) 5. Someone whose job is to collect and store historical documents and records. ________________ (paragraph 5) 6. An adjective used when you want to say that you are lacking something that you need. ___________________ (paragraph 6) 7. Very bad and sad; making you feel upset or angry. ___________________ (paragraph 6) 8. An address on the Internet. ___________________ (paragraph 8) 9. Doing something because you choose to do it, and not because you have to. ________________ (paragraph 9) 10. Something that someone has achieved that continues to exists after they stop working or die. ___________________ (paragraph 10) 11. Careful about what you choose or accept. ___________________ (paragraph 11) 12. An uncountable noun meaning the people who will live in the future after you are dead.

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NEWS LESSONS / Websites ‘must be saved for history’ / Intermediate

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___________________ (paragraph 12)

Websites ‘must be saved for history’ Intermediate

Websites ‘must be saved for history’ 7

She believes similar gaps could appear in the national memory, pointing out that Internet companies such as Google are not collecting and archiving material of this type. It is left instead to the libraries and archives which have been gathering books, magazines, newspapers and recordings for centuries.

8

The British Library plans to create a comprehensive archive of such material from the UK web domain – there are about eight million .uk domain websites, growing at a rate of 15-20% every year. It also has a collecting and archiving project for the London 2012 Olympics.

9

The library has set up projects to capture daily exchanges of information transmitted by emails and texts. Government departments are storing emails and archiving them at the National Archives at Kew, in London, and the library is encouraging individuals to store theirs voluntarily.

David Smith, technology correspondent 25 January, 2009 1 Historians face a “black hole” of lost material unless

2 Just as families store digital photos on computers

3 Writing in the Observer newspaper, Brindley

gives two examples of lost records. When Barack Obama became US president, all traces of George Bush disappeared from the White House website, including a booklet entitled 100 Things Americans May Not Know About the Bush Administration, which is no longer available.

4 There were more than 150 websites relating to the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, she continues, but these, too, vanished instantly at the end of the games and are now stored only by the National Library of Australia. “If websites continue to disappear in the same way as those on President Bush and the Sydney Olympics, the memory of the nation disappears too,” Brindley writes. “Historians of the future, citizens of the future, will find a black hole in the records about the 21st century.”

5 Historians have become more and more concerned that while the Domesday Book, written on sheepskin in 1086, is still easily accessible, the software for many 10-year-old computer files – including thousands of government records – already makes them unreadable. The temporary nature of emails, text messages and online video adds to the headache of the 21st-century archivist.

6 “Too many of us suffer from a condition that is going to leave our grandchildren bereft,” Brindley states. “I call it ‘personal digital disorder’. Think of those thousands of digital photographs that lie hidden on

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Websites ‘must be saved for history’ / Intermediate

10 Historians regard some of today’s electronic data

as a vital legacy that must be protected. Tristram Hunt, of Queen Mary College, London University, said: “It’s essential that institutions such as the National Gallery in London or the White House in Washington keep email correspondence, and I think they’re quite good about that now. They provide an absolutely essential historical record.”

11 Hunt argued that libraries and other institutions need to be selective. “We’re producing much more information these days than we used to, and not all of it is necessary. Do we want to keep the Twitter account of actors or some of the unimportant information around the edges of the Sydney Olympics? I don’t think we necessarily do.”

12 There is already one clear warning from history.

The BBC’s Doomsday Project of 1986, intended to record the state of the nation for posterity, was recorded on two 12-inch videodisks. By 2000 it was obsolete, and was rescued only thanks to a specialist team working with the only surviving laser disk player. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Observer, 25/01/09

O

which might never be passed on to their descendants, so Britain’s cultural heritage is at risk as the Internet changes and develops and technologies become obsolete, says Lynne Brindley, the library’s chief executive.


immediate action is taken to save websites and other digital records, the head of the British Library has warned.

•P H

The British Library’s head says that deleting websites will make the job of historians harder

our computers. Few store them, so those who come after us will not be able to look at them. It’s tragic.”

CA

Level 2


Intermediate

3 Comprehension check Are these sentences true (T) or false (F) acording to the article? Correct any sentences that are false. 1. The way we currently store digital photos will likely mean that our grandchildren will not be able to see them. 2. The new White House website makes it still possible to link to the documents put online by George Bush’s administration. 3. Websites with information about the 2000 Olympics in Sydney have sadly been lost forever. 4. There are no plans to store electronic data surrounding the 2012 London Olympics. 5. Luckily Google are collecting and archiving our websites, emails and online videos. 6. The British Library is asking people to store their emails and text messages. 7. Government and national institutions have started to keep a record of their email exchanges. 8. The BBC’s Doomsday Project of 1986 is easily available for everyone on the Internet.

4 Language: Prepositions Write in the prepositions to complete the collocations. Then, match them with the things that they refer to in the article. of (x4)

at (x2)

1. _______ risk 2. traces _______ 3. relating _______ 4. archive _______ 5. growing _______ a rate _______ 6. account _______ 7. working _______

with

to

a. emails, text messages and online video b. messages on Twitter written by actors c. the speed of increase in .uk domain websites d. George Bush e. websites about the 2000 Olympics f. the last laser disk player g. Britain’s cultural heritage

5 Discussion How do you save your digital photos and other electronic data? Do you think people will still be able to look at your photos or read the documents you have written in 10 years’ time; 50 years’ time; 100 years’ time? How does this compare to the way your parents and grandparents stored photos and documents?

6 Webquest

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Search the Internet for up-to-date articles on “saving digital photos” or saving files, data or similar. Give a synopsis of the main information in the article to your class.

Websites ‘must be saved for history’ Level 2 Intermediate KEY 2 Key words 1. descendants 2. heritage 3. obsolete 4. trace 5. archivist 6. bereft 7. tragic 8. domain 9. voluntarily 10. legacy 11. selective 12. posterity


1. at Britain’s cultural heritage 2. of George Bush 3. to websites about the 2000 Olympics 4. of emails, text messages and online video 5. at / of the speed of increase in .uk domain websites 6. of messages on Twitter written by actors 7. with the last laser disk player

T F F F F T T F

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

4 Language: Prepositions

Tsvangirai sworn in as prime minister of Zimbabwe Level 1 1

Advanced

Key words

Find key words from the text to complete the sentences. The paragraph numbers will help you. crucial subdued donor coalition intimidation asset perpetuate revival constitution scepticism embittered 1. Doubts that someone has about something that other people think is true or right. (paragraph 1) _____________________ 2. Quiet and slightly sad or worried; not very loud or bright; low-key. (paragraph 2) _____________________ 3. To make something such as a situation or process continue, especially one that is wrong, unfair, or dangerous. (paragraph 3) _____________________ 4. A temporary union of different political parties that agree to form a government together. (paragraph 5) _____________________ 5. Deliberately making someone feel frightened, especially so that they will do what you want. (paragraph 5) _____________________ 6. Something that is extremely important because it has a major effect on the result of something. (paragraph 7) _____________________ 7. A major benefit. (paragraph 8) _____________________ 8. A set of basic laws or principles for a country that describe the rights and duties of its citizens and the way in which it is governed. (paragraph 9) _____________________ 9. Angry and unhappy about things that have happened to you in the past. (paragraph 9) _____________________ 10. Someone who gives things such as money or goods to an organization, especially one that helps people. (paragraph 13) _____________________ 11. The process of becoming active, successful, or popular again; to bring back to life. (paragraph 13) _____________________

2

Source: Macmillan English Dictionary online

Find the information about Zimbabwe

Skim-read the article to find the answers to the questions about Zimbabwe. 1. Who is the prime minister? 2. Who is the president? 3. What is the name of the prime minister’s political party? 4. How high is the unemployment rate? 5. How is the rate of inflation described? 6. What fraction of the population relies on foreign food aid? 7. Which are the only currencies accepted in many shops?

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8. When are the next elections likely to be held?

Tsvangirai sworn in as prime minister of Zimbabwe Advanced

1 Morgan Tsvangirai was sworn in as Zimbabwe’s prime minister today joining a government of national unity with President Robert Mugabe amid deep scepticism that the two bitter rivals can work together to pull their country back from economic ruin. 2 The two men stood face to face in a white tent on the grounds of the presidential palace. In the presence of regional leaders, and as Zimbabweans across the country watched on state TV, Tsvangirai, of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party, raised his right hand and declared: “I will well and truly serve Zimbabwe in the office of prime minister of the republic of Zimbabwe, so help me God”. Both men looked relaxed and smiled during the brief and subdued ceremony. 3 Other African leaders who attended the ceremony had put heavy pressure on Tsvangirai to accept the power-sharing deal but many Zimbabweans and some foreign governments, including Britain, fear the joint administration is a trap that will only perpetuate Mugabe’s rule. 4 Tsvangirai yesterday said that after months of disagreement with Mugabe over key cabinet posts, his party compromised and agreed to join the government to prevent Zimbabwe collapsing under hyperinflation and the almost total ruin of agriculture and industry that has left seven million people, twothirds of the population, dependent on foreign food aid. 5 Tsvangirai said joining a coalition with the man who used violence and intimidation to deny the MDC power was not a solution but a step towards democratic government. The power struggle is, however, likely to continue in the new administration. 6 Under the coalition agreement, Mugabe remains president, with Tsvangirai overseeing the daily administration of government as prime minister. Cabinet seats are almost equally divided. Mugabe won the struggle to retain control of the principal security ministries, particularly defence and justice, which sceptics fear he will continue to use as tools to attack and intimidate his opponents.

Authority over home affairs is to be shared. This is seen as crucial to ensuring future elections are free after the widespread violence by Mugabe’s supporters in last year’s ballot.

8

The MDC has control of the finance ministry and most social affairs ministries, such as health, which could prove to be an asset if the new government is able to deliver improved services.

9

Tsvangirai’s main concern will be to put a new constitution in place and to hold new elections within two years when he will rely on embittered voters to reject Mugabe so clearly that he will be forced to accept defeat.

10

For now, the new prime minister faces a myriad of challenges, including 94% unemployment, the worst harvest since independence and a currency so worthless that shops will only accept US dollars and South African rands.

11

Tsvangirai said the most important cabinet post for reviving Zimbabwe’s fortunes was that of the finance minister and named the MDC’s secretary general, Tendai Biti, for the job.

12

Biti, a lawyer and the MDC’s chief negotiator, is expected to use the power the finance ministry has with its control over budgets to influence Mugabe’s ministers.

13

His appointment is also likely to help to reassure foreign donors, most importantly Britain and the US, whose money is seen as the key to Zimbabwe’s revival but who are sceptical over Mugabe remaining president.

14

Britain has taken the highly unusual step of publishing a notice in the Zimbabwean press expressing its concerns about the new administration. While saying that “it is not for the United Kingdom to accept or reject anything”, the notice goes on to say that it regards any administration involving Mugabe as unacceptable.

15

Britain says it wants to see the new administration “reverse the political, economic and social decline” as a condition for financial aid. The MDC says it can’t do that without considerable financial support. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 11/02/09

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Tsvangirai sworn in as prime minister of Zimbabwe / Advanced

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Chris McGreal in Harare and Mark Tran February 11, 2009

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Tsvangirai sworn in as prime minister of Zimbabwe


Level 1

Tsvangirai sworn in as prime minister of Zimbabwe Level 1

Advanced

3 Language: Collocations / word pairs Match the words to make words pairs from the article. Then write a sentence containing the collocation. e.g. security ministries The main security ministries are the ministry of defence and the ministry of justice. 1. deep

post

_______________________________________________

2. democratic

violence

_______________________________________________

3. bitter

ruin

_______________________________________________

4. power

government

_______________________________________________

5. economic

affairs

_______________________________________________

6. joint

scepticism

_______________________________________________

7. widespread

agreement

_______________________________________________

8. cabinet

struggle

_______________________________________________

9. coalition

rivals

_______________________________________________

10. home

administration

_______________________________________________

4 Vocabulary: Politically-related words Make a mind map of the political words in the article.

politically-related words mind map

jobs and positions

other politically-related words

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CA



ministries and departments

Tsvangirai sworn in as prime minister of Zimbabwe Level 1 Advanced 5 Discussion •

Have you read any newspaper reports or seen or heard any television, radio or online news about Zimbabwe?

•

What do you know about the current situation in Zimbabwe for normal people? How are they managing to survive?

•

If possible, watch this partly sub-titled seven-minute film and discuss what you see: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/feb/11/zimbabwe-secret-film

6 Webquest: Comparisons 1. Compare these two short videos of the swearing in ceremonies of Morgan Tsvangirai and Barack Obama. Pay particular attention to spoken language, body language and spectator response. •

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/feb/11/tsvangirai-zimbabwe-sworn-in

•

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hde4s-xBhqE

•

see also http://www.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=97297&newsChannel=topNews

2. Complete the table below. Some of the many websites that will help you are: •

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/

•

http://www.wikipedia.com

•

http://www.nationmaster.com/index.php Zimbabwe

The USA

country size capital city language(s) population average life expectancy currency average income recent rate of inflation

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resources and industry

Tsvangirai sworn in as prime minister of Zimbabwe Level 1 Advanced KEY 1 Key words

3 Language: Collocations / word pairs

1. scepticism 2. subdued 3. perpetuate 4. coalition 5. intimidation 6. crucial 7. asset 8. constitution 9. embittered 10. donor 11. revival

1. deep scepticism 2. democratic government 3. bitter rivals 4. power struggle 5. economic ruin 6. joint administration 7. widespread violence 8. cabinet post 9. coalition agreement 10. home affairs

4 Vocabulary: Politically-related words

2 Find the information about Zimbabwe 1. Morgan Tsvangirai 2. Robert Mugabe 3. Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) 4. 94% 5. Hyperinflation (recent figures put it at 231 million percent. See http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/ jan/30/zimbabwean-currency-worthless-patrick chinamasa) 6. Two-thirds 7. US dollars and South African rands 8. Within the next two years.

See sample mind map key below

politically-related words mind map secretary general leader

election

democratic

president administration coalition

jobs and positions


prime minister

cabinet (post/ minister)

government presidential palace


political party

security health

finance

justice

defence

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social affairs


Elementary to be sworn in: to promise publically to do a job, especially a political one

1

Warmer: mind mapping

Write these politically-related words into the mind map. election security secretary general home affairs coalition justice health defence leader finance prime minister president administration cabinet social affairs government democratic presidential palace political party

politically-related words mind map

jobs and positions


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NEWS LESSONS / Tsvangirai sworn in as prime minister of Zimbabwe / Elementary

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Tsvangirai sworn in as prime minister of Zimbabwe Elementary 7

Mugabe won control of the main security ministries, particularly defence and justice, which many people fear he will continue to use to attack and intimidate his opponents.

8

Authority over home affairs is to be shared. This will make sure that future elections are free after the widespread violence by Mugabe’s supporters in last year’s elections. The MDC has control of the finance ministry and most social affairs ministries, such as health.

9

Tsvangirai hopes that at the next election voters will reject Mugabe so clearly that he will be forced to accept defeat.

10

For now, the new prime minister faces many challenges, including 94% unemployment, the worst harvest since independence and a currency so worthless that shops will only accept US dollars and South African rands.

11

Tsvangirai said the most important job in the government was that of the finance minister and named the MDC’s secretary general, Tendai Biti, for the job.

12

He is expected to use the power the finance ministry has to influence Mugabe’s ministers. His appointment as finance minister will also help make foreign donors less worried, especially Britain and the US, whose money is necessary to help Zimbabwe but who are worried about Mugabe remaining president.

13

Britain has taken the highly unusual step of placing a notice in the Zimbabwean newspapers which talks about its worries about the new administration. While saying that “it is not for the United Kingdom to accept or reject anything”, the notice also says that any administration involving Mugabe is unacceptable.

1 Morgan Tsvangirai was sworn in as Zimbabwe’s prime minister today joining a government of national unity with President Robert Mugabe. Many people though do not believe that the two men, who are bitter rivals, can work together to bring their country back from economic ruin. 2 The two men stood face to face in a white tent in the garden of the presidential palace. Zimbabweans across the country watched on state TV as Tsvangirai, from the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party, raised his right hand and promised: “I will well and truly serve Zimbabwe in the office of prime minister of the republic of Zimbabwe, so help me God”. Both men looked relaxed and smiled during the short ceremony. 3 Other African leaders had put heavy pressure on Tsvangirai to build a government with Mugabe. However, many Zimbabweans and some foreign governments, including Britain, are worried that the joint administration is a trap that will only keep Mugabe in power. 4 Tsvangirai yesterday said that after months of disagreement with Mugabe, his party agreed to join the government to prevent Zimbabwe collapsing under hyperinflation and the almost total ruin of agriculture and industry. Seven million people in Zimbabwe, two-thirds of the population, currently rely on foreign food aid. 5 Tsvangirai said joining a coalition with the man who used violence and intimidation to stop the MDC gaining power was not a solution but that it was a step towards democratic government. 6 Under the coalition agreement, Mugabe remains president and Tsvangirai will become prime minister. Seats in the new government are almost equally divided between the political parties.


© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Tsvangirai sworn in as prime minister of Zimbabwe / Elementary

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Level 1


Elementary

Key words

Complete the crossword with key words from the article. The paragraph numbers will help you. 1

2

3

4

5 6

7 8

9

10 11

12

13

14

Across: 1. people that compete with one another (paragraph 1) 6. someone who gives money to help people (paragraph 12) 7. to make someone feel frightened so that they will do what you want (paragraph 7) 10. the people who are against you or disagree with you (paragraph 7) 11. attempts to persuade, threaten, or force someone to do something (paragraph 3) 12. to depend on something (paragraph 4) 13. to disagree with an idea, argument, or suggestion (paragraph 9) 14. a situation in which people, groups, or countries join together (paragraph 1) Down: 2. freedom from control by another country or organization (paragraph 10) 3. help (paragraph 4) 4. the loss of all your money or power (paragraph 1) 5. fail, cease to exist (change the verb to the infinitive) (paragraph 4) 8. stop something from happening (paragraph 4) 9. the amount of a crop that is collected (paragraph 10)

3 Comprehension check: Find the information about Zimbabwe


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Zimbabwe has a new prime minister. Zimbabwe has a new president. The unemployment rate in Zimbabwe is 90%. The rate of inflation in Zimbabwe is very high. Millions of people in Zimbabwe get food aid from other countries. The shops in Zimbabwe accept Zimbabwean dollars and British pounds. Mugabe and Tsvangirai are good friends. The economic situation in Zimbabwe is very bad. The British and US governments give money to help Zimbabwe. The MDC party has control of all the government ministries.

CA

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.


Are these sentences true (T) or false (F) according to the article? Correct the sentences that are false.

Tsvangirai sworn in as prime minister of Zimbabwe Level 1 Elementary 4 Discussion Have you read any newspaper reports or seen or heard any television, radio or online news about Zimbabwe? What do you know about the current situation in Zimbabwe for normal people?

5 Webquest: Comparisons 1. Watch these two short videos of the recent swearing in ceremonies of Morgan Tsvangirai and Barack Obama. Can you hear Tsvangirai speak the words quoted in paragraph 2 of the article? Does Obama use the same or similar words? •


•


•




•


•


The USA

country size capital city language(s) population currency recent rate of inflation main resources and industry ...

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...

Tsvangirai sworn in as prime minister of Zimbabwe Level 1 Elementary KEY 1 Warmer: mind mapping politically-related words mind map secretary general leader

election

democratic

president administration coalition

jobs and positions


prime minister

cabinet (post/ minister)

government presidential palace


political party

security health

finance

justice

defence social affairs

Teacher’s notes: The last two lines of the table in task 5.2 are left empty in case you or the students decide to compare any other factors or things between the two countries.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Tsvangirai sworn in as prime minister of Zimbabwe / Elementary

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Down: 2. independence 3. aid 4. ruin 5. collapse 8. prevent 9. harvest

1. T 2. F 3. F 4. T 5. T 6. F 7. F 8. T 9. T 10. F

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Across: 1. rivals 6. donor 7. intimidate 10. opponents 11. pressure 12. rely 13. reject 14. unity

3 Comprehension check: Find the information about Zimbabwe


2 Key words


Intermediate

Key words

Write the key words from the text next to their meanings. The paragraph numbers will help you. considerable collapsing constitution coalition reject sceptical sworn in opponents intimidation compromised myriad donor ballot revival 1. To promise publically to do a job: to be _____________________. (title) 2. To doubt and disbelieve something that other people think is true or right. (paragraph 1) _____________________ 3. Made to accept something they don’t believe in. (paragraph 4) _____________________ 4. Failing, ceasing to exist. (paragraph 4) _____________________ 5. A temporary union of different political parties that agree to form a government together. (paragraph 5) _____________________ 6. Making someone feel frightened so that they will do what you want. (paragraph 5) _____________________ 7. The people who are against you or disagree with you. (paragraph 6) _____________________ 8. A secret vote. (paragraph 7) _____________________ 9. A set of basic laws for a country that describe the rights and the way in which it is governed. (paragraph 8) _____________________ 10. To refuse to accept something, to disagree with it, to get rid of something. (paragraph 8) ____________________ 11. Very many; too many to count. (paragraph 9) _____________________ 12. Someone who gives money to help people. (paragraph 12) _____________________ 13. The process of making something successful again; to bring it back to life. (paragraph 12) _____________________ 14. Large in size, amount or degree. (paragraph 14) _____________________

2

Source: Macmillan English Dictionary online

Find the information about Zimbabwe

Skim-read the article to find the answers to the questions about Zimbabwe. 1. Who is the prime minister? 2. Who is the president? 3. How high is the unemployment rate? 4. How is the rate of inflation described? 5. How many people rely on foreign food aid?

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NEWS LESSONS / Tsvangirai sworn in as prime minister of Zimbabwe / Intermediate

CA



6. Which currencies are accepted in shops?

Tsvangirai sworn in as prime minister of Zimbabwe Intermediate

1 Morgan Tsvangirai was sworn in as Zimbabwe’s prime minister today joining a government of national unity with President Robert Mugabe. Many people though are sceptical as to whether the two bitter rivals can work together to bring their country back from economic ruin. 2 The two men stood face to face in a white tent on the grounds of the presidential palace. Zimbabweans across the country watched on state TV as Tsvangirai, from the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party, raised his right hand and declared: “I will well and truly serve Zimbabwe in the office of prime minister of the republic of Zimbabwe, so help me God”. Both men looked relaxed and smiled during the brief ceremony. 3 Other African leaders who attended the ceremony had put heavy pressure on Tsvangirai to accept the deal but many Zimbabweans and some foreign governments, including Britain, fear the joint administration is a trap that will only keep Mugabe in power. 4 Tsvangirai yesterday said that after months of disagreement with Mugabe, his party compromised and agreed to join the government to prevent Zimbabwe collapsing under hyperinflation and the almost total ruin of agriculture and industry. Seven million people in Zimbabwe, two-thirds of the population, are currently dependent on foreign food aid.

7

Authority over home affairs is to be shared. This is seen as essential to ensure future elections are free after the widespread violence by Mugabe’s supporters in last year’s ballot. The MDC has control of the finance ministry and most social affairs ministries, such as health.

8

Tsvangirai’s main concern will be to put a new constitution in place and to hold new elections within two years. He hopes that at the next election voters will reject Mugabe so clearly that he will be forced to accept defeat.

9

For now, the new prime minister faces a myriad of challenges, including 94% unemployment, the worst harvest since independence and a currency so worthless that shops will only accept US dollars and South African rands.

10

Tsvangirai said the most important cabinet post for reviving Zimbabwe’s fortunes was that of the finance minister and named the MDC’s secretary general, Tendai Biti, for the job.

11

Biti, is a lawyer and the MDC’s chief negotiator. He is expected to use the power the finance ministry has with its control over budgets to influence Mugabe’s ministers.

12

His appointment as finance minister is also likely to help to reassure foreign donors, especially Britain and the US, whose money is seen as the key to Zimbabwe’s revival but who are sceptical over Mugabe remaining president.

13

Britain has taken the highly unusual step of publishing a notice in the Zimbabwean newspapers expressing its concerns about the new administration. While saying that “it is not for the United Kingdom to accept or reject anything”, the notice also says that any administration involving Mugabe is unacceptable.

14

Britain says it wants to see the new administration “reverse the political, economic and social decline” as a condition for financial aid. The MDC says it can’t do that without considerable financial support.

5 Tsvangirai said joining a coalition with the man who used violence and intimidation to deny the MDC power was not a solution but a step towards democratic government. 6 Under the coalition agreement, Mugabe remains president and Tsvangirai will oversee the daily administration of government as prime minister. Cabinet seats are almost equally divided between the political parties. Mugabe won control of the main security ministries, particularly defence and justice, which many people fear he will continue to


© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Tsvangirai sworn in as prime minister of Zimbabwe / Intermediate

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use to attack and intimidate his opponents.

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Level 1


Intermediate

3 Language: Collocations / word pairs Are these sentences true (T) or false (F) according to the article? Correct the sentences that are false. 1. Match the words to make words pairs from the article. a. bitter

pressure

b. economic

affairs

c. heavy

government

d. democratic

ruin

e. coalition

violence

f. widespread

unusual

g. home

rivals

h. highly

agreement

2. Now write the word pairs into the sentences to give information from the article. a. Tsvangirai’s and Mugabe’s political parties have made a _____________________. b. Morgan Tsvangirai and Robert Mugabe are _____________________. c. Other African leaders had put _____________________ on Tsvangirai to work with Mugabe. d. There has been _____________________ in Zimbabwe and people are scared for their lives. e. The collapse of industry and farming has led to _____________________ in Zimbabwe. f. The Interior ministry usually deals with _____________________. g. The MDC and the people of Zimbabwe are hoping for a _____________________. h. In a _____________________ step, Britain published a notice in the Zimbabwean newspapers expressing its worries about the new administration.

What do you know about the current situation in Zimbabwe for normal people? How are they managing to survive?

•

If possible, watch this partly sub-titled seven-minute film and discuss what you see: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/feb/11/zimbabwe-secret-film

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Tsvangirai sworn in as prime minister of Zimbabwe / Intermediate

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Have you read any newspaper reports or seen or heard any television, radio or online news about Zimbabwe?

CA

•


4 Discussion

Tsvangirai sworn in as prime minister of Zimbabwe Level 1 Intermediate 5 Webquest: Comparisons 1. Compare these two short videos of the recent swearing in ceremonies of Morgan Tsvangirai and Barack Obama. Can you hear Tsvangirai speak the words quoted in paragraph 2 of the article? Does Obama use the same or similar words? •


•


•




•


•


The USA

country size capital city language(s) population currency recent rate of inflation main resources and industry ...

H


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...

Tsvangirai sworn in as prime minister of Zimbabwe Level 1 Intermediate KEY 1 Key words

3 Language: Collocations / word pairs

1. sworn in 2. sceptical 3. compromised 4. collapsing 5. coalition 6. intimidation 7. opponents 8. ballot 9. constitution 10. reject 11. myriad 12. donor 13. revival 14. considerable

1.

Teacher’s notes: The last two lines of the table in task 5.2 are left empty in case you or the students decide to compare any other factors or things between the two countries.


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1. Morgan Tsvangirai 2. Robert Mugabe 3. 94% 4. Hyperinflation (recent figures put it at 231 million percent. See http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/ jan/30/zimbabwean-currency-worthless-patrick chinamasa) 5. Two-thirds 6. US dollars and South African rands

2. a. coalition agreement b. bitter rivals c. heavy pressure d. widespread violence e. economic ruin f. home affairs g. democratic government h. highly unusual


2 Find the information about Zimbabwe

a. bitter rivals b. economic ruin c. heavy pressure d. democratic government e. coalition agreement f. widespread violence g. home affairs h. highly unusual

Woman claims record Atlantic swim Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. knot kevlar

update epic

endurance cast

catamaran feat

turbulent log

1. __________________ is a synthetic fibre that is five times stronger than steel. 2. A __________________ is a sailing boat that looks like two boats joined together. 3. __________________ is the ability to continue doing something physically difficult for a long time. 4. To __________________ a distance means to travel a particular number of miles. 5. If something is described as __________________, it is very long and very difficult. 6. A __________________ is a unit for measuring the speed of ships, aircraft and wind, equal to one nautical mile (1,852 metres) per hour. 7. If you give someone an _________________, you give them a report containing all the latest news or information. 8. A __________________ is something impressive that someone manages to achieve. 9. A __________________ is a hard cover used to protect a broken or injured part of the body. 10. __________________ air or water moves suddenly and violently in different directions.

2

Correct the information

Each of these sentences contains an error. Look in the text and find the correct information. 1. Trinidad is 10,000 miles from the Bahamas. 2. The first woman to swim the English Channel performed the feat in 1936. 3. It is just over 4,000 miles from Cape Cod in the USA to Brittany in France. 4. The record for swimming the Atlantic is 173 days. 5. The record was set in 1898.

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NEWS LESSONS / Woman claims record Atlantic swim / Advanced

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6. Jennifer Figge’s attempt to swim the Atlantic was disrupted by 25 knot winds and 300 foot waves.

Woman claims record Atlantic swim Advanced

Woman, 56, claims record Atlantic swim

5

She has said she was inspired to perform her latest feat by a turbulent trans-Atlantic flight and by Gertrude Ederle, the first woman to swim the English Channel in 1926. Figge said she kept a picture of Ederle on board. “We have a few things in common,” she said. “She wore a red hat and she was of German descent. We both talk to the sea, and neither one of us wanted to get out.”

6

2 But her business manager admitted yesterday that some days the seas were so stormy Figge did not even get into the water, remaining aboard the catamaran which accompanied her epic journey. “She swam 19 of 24 days,” said David Higden. “It turned from an endurance swim into an extreme adventure swim. She didn’t get into the water as much as she wanted, because the waves were so high. The weather was so extreme the crew had trouble seeing her in the water.”

For safety she was to make the journey within the confines of a steel and kevlar cage hooked to the rear of a catamaran, Carried Away, with a crew of NASA and Boeing engineers, a doctor, and a diver. An electro-magnetic device in the cage was meant to repel predators. In the event, there were no sharks – though among the marine life she did see were a pod of pilot whales, turtles, dolphins and Portuguese men-of-war.

7

3 Figge did not respond to requests for comment. In her defence, Higden said she had never set out to swim the entire distance. “Nobody could swim across the Atlantic. It’s physically impossible,” he said. “It would take literally years.” The reply left unanswered exactly how many nautical miles Figge had logged during her crossing. A week after she began, Higden announced on her Facebook page that storms forced her to change course.She landed at Trinidad, 1,000 miles from her planned destination, the Bahamas. She told the press on arrival: “I wouldn’t have had it any other way.”

Figge intended to swim to the Bahamas, but on January 21 Higden posted an update: “Winds of 25 knots and waves as high as 30 feet have wreaked havoc with their movements and Jennifer’s swimming. They are forced to pursue a different route, in search of more favourable weather. The catamaran is heading south.” She arrived at Chacachacare Island on 5 February. “Basically [the storm] changed everything,” Higden said yesterday. “Like anyone who is trying to accomplish a goal, she had to make changes.”

8

Benôit Lecomte of France holds the record for swimming the Atlantic in 73 days in 1998; he travelled the 3,716 miles from Cape Cod to Brittany himself, but was accompanied by a boat and did his swimming for six hours per day. He had no cage but a device with a 25ft electromagnetic field to protect him.

4 Figge first took up endurance challenges in her 30s when her seven-year-old son asked her to give up smoking. Her new habit became extreme sports, starting with a run across the state of © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Woman claims record Atlantic swim / Advanced


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1 An American aged 56 has been hailed as the first woman to swim the Atlantic, after propelling herself across thousands of miles of ocean while inside a six metre by four metre cage to protect her from sharks. Jennifer Figge, an endurance athlete from Aspen, Colorado, said she took nearly a month to make the crossing from the Cape Verde Islands to Trinidad, propelling herself across 2,000 miles of ocean.


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Month-long feat in shark tank towed by catamaran • Storm blew extreme sport enthusiast way off course Suzanne Goldenberg in Washington Monday 9 February, 2009

Iowa. Twenty years later, the son is a racing driver, and she has logged 3,000 miles on foot, and nearly two dozen maritime crossings. On her list of achievements, she claims to have run 180 miles across Mexico in 1995 – including the final 60 miles with a cast on her left leg.

CA

Level 3

Woman claims record Atlantic swim Level 3

Advanced

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. Which sentence best describes Jennifer Figge’s feat? a. She is the first woman to swim all the way across Atlantic Ocean. b. She never planned to swim all the way across the Atlantic and bad weather forced her to spend part of the crossing on the boat. c. It was an extreme adventure swim in which she swam occasionally with whales and dolphins. 2. Why did she take up endurance sports? a. Because she wanted to give up smoking. b. Because her son wanted her to give up smoking. c. Because she wanted to run across Mexico. 3. Why did they have to change course? a. Because they wanted to get to their destination more quickly. b. Because there were a lot of sharks. c. Because there were strong winds and rough seas. 4. Why did she swim inside a steel cage? a. To protect her from possible danger. b. To stop her being carried away by currents. c. To be near the doctor and the diver.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. The paragraph numbers will help you. 1. A verb meaning to say publicly how good or important something is. (para 1) 2. A noun meaning the origin of your parents or of older members of your family. (para 5) 3. A four-word expression meaning inside the borders or edges of something. (para 6) 4. A two-word expression meaning attached to. (para 6) 5. A noun meaning an animal that kills and eats other animals. (para 6) 6. A three-word expression used for saying what happened, especially when it is different from what was expected. (para 6) 7. A two-word expression meaning cause a lot of damage or harm. (para 7)

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8. A verb meaning follow. (para 7)


Advanced

5 Verb + noun collocations Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns and noun phrases in the right-hand column. 1. change

a. something in common

2. take up

b. havoc

3. accomplish

c. changes

4. have

d. a challenge

5. wreak

e. a goal

6. hold

f. a request

7. make

g. course

8. respond to

h. a record

6 Word building Fill the gaps with the correct form of the words in brackets. 1. Unfortunately, their question remained ____________________. [ANSWER] 2. The swim quickly turned into an ____________________ test. [ENDURE] 3. Gertrude Ederle was the ____________________ for Jennifer Figge’s swim. [INSPIRE] 4. It was Figge’s ____________________ to swim to the Bahamas. [INTEND] 5. Swimming for 19 out of 24 days in such dangerous waters must be regarded as an ____________________.

[ACCOMPLISH]

6. The cage provided ____________________ from predators. [PROTECT] 7. Figge has an impressive list of ____________________. [ACHIEVE] 8. Both Figge and Ederle are of German ____________________. [DESCEND]

7 Discussion Apart from swimming the Atlantic, are there any other great feats of endurance that people have

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accomplished? Would you like to attempt something like this? Why? Why not?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. kevlar 2. catamaran 3. endurance 4. log 5. epic 6. knot 7. update 8. feat 9. cast 10. turbulent

1. hail 2. descent 3. within the confines of 4. hooked to 5. predator 6. in the event 7. wreak havoc 8. pursue

2 Correct the information 1. 1,000 2. 1926 3. just under 4,000 miles (3,716 miles) 4. 73 days 5. 1998 6. 30 foot waves

1. g 2. d 3. e 4. a 5. b 6. h 7. c 8. f


6 Word building

1. b 2. b 3. c 4. a

1. unanswered 2. endurance 3. inspiration 4. intention 5. accomplishment 6. protection 7. achievements 8. descent

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Elementary

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. destination crew

update cage

endurance catamaran

cast turbulent

habit route

1. A __________________ is a sailing boat that looks like two boats joined together. 2. __________________ air or water moves suddenly and violently in different directions. 3. A __________________ is something that you do often or regularly. 4. A __________________ is a container made of metal bars that is usually used for keeping animals inside. 5. Your __________________ is the place you are travelling to. 6. Your __________________ is the way you go to get from one place to another. 7. The __________________ are the people who work on a boat, a ship or a plane. 8. A __________________ is a hard cover used to protect a broken or injured part of the body. 9. If you give someone an _________________, you give them a report containing all the latest news or information. 10. __________________ is the ability to continue doing something physically difficult for a long time.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How old is Jennifer Figge? 2. How long did it take her to cross from Cape Verde to Trinidad? 3. How far is it from Trinidad to the Bahamas? 4. When did Gertrude Ederle swim the English Channel? 5. When did Figge arrive in Trinidad?

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NEWS LESSONS / Woman claims record Atlantic swim / Elementary

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6. What is the record for swimming the Atlantic?

Woman claims record Atlantic swim Elementary


2 But her business manager said yesterday that some days the seas were so stormy that Figge could not get into the water and had to stay on board the catamaran which went with her on her long journey. “She swam 19 of 24 days,” said David Higden. “It changed from an endurance swim to an extreme adventure swim. She didn’t get into the water as much as she wanted, because the waves were so high. The weather was so bad that it was difficult for the crew to see her in the water.” 3 Figge did not respond to requests for comment. In her defence, Higden said she had never planned to swim the whole way. “Nobody could swim across the Atlantic. It’s physically impossible,” he said. “It would take years.” In his reply he did not say how many nautical miles Figge actually swam during her crossing. A week after she began, Higden announced on Figge’s Facebook page that storms forced her to change course. She finally landed at Trinidad, 1,000 miles from her planned destination, the Bahamas. 4 Figge first started doing endurance challenges in her 30s when her seven-year-old son asked her to give up smoking. Her new habit became extreme sports, starting with a run across the state of Iowa. Twenty years later, her son is a

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Woman claims record Atlantic swim / Elementary

She said the inspiration for the Atlantic swim was a turbulent transatlantic flight and also Gertrude Ederle, the first woman to swim the English Channel in 1926. Figge said she had a picture of Ederle on board the catamaran. “We are the same in many ways,” she said. “She wore a red hat and she was of German origin. We both talk to the sea, and neither of us wanted to get out of the water.”

6

For safety she made the journey inside a steel and plastic fibre cage fixed to the back of a catamaran with a crew of engineers, a doctor and a diver. There was an electro-magnetic device in the cage to keep sharks away. She didn’t see any sharks during her swim but she did see whales, turtles and dolphins.

7

Figge planned to swim to the Bahamas, but on January 21 Higden wrote an update on Facebook: “Strong winds and ten-metre waves have caused problems for the boat and for Jennifer’s swimming. They have to follow a different route, where there is better weather. The catamaran is going south.” She arrived at Chacachacare Island in Trinidad on 5 February. “The storm changed everything,” Higden said. “She had to make some changes to her plans.”

8

Benôit Lecomte of France holds the record for swimming the Atlantic in 73 days in 1998; he travelled the 3,716 miles from Cape Cod to Brittany himself, but a boat went with him. He swam for six hours per day. He had no cage but a device with a 25ft electro-magnetic field to protect him. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 09/02/09

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1 A 56-year old American woman has swum across a large part of the Atlantic Ocean inside a six metre by four metre cage which protected her from sharks. Jennifer Figge, an athlete from Aspen, Colorado, said she took nearly a month to swim from the Cape Verde Islands to Trinidad, crossing 2,000 miles of ocean.

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Month-long feat in shark tank pulled by catamaran • Storm blew extreme sport enthusiast far off course Suzanne Goldenberg in Washington Monday 9 February, 2009

racing driver, and she has covered 3,000 miles on foot, and more than twenty sea crossings. On her list of achievements, she says she ran 180 miles across Mexico in 1995 – including the final 60 miles with a plaster cast on her left leg.

CA

Level 1


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings with the endings to make sentences about the text. 1. The boat and the swimmer had to change their route … 2. Jennifer Figge swam inside a metal cage … 3. Figge started doing endurance challenges ... 4. The weather was so bad that … 5. It took her almost a month ... 6. Benôit Lecomte … a. … to make the Atlantic crossing. b. … the crew couldn’t see her in the water. c. … because of the danger of sharks. d. … because of strong winds and big waves. e. … holds the record for the fastest crossing by a swimmer. f. … because her son asked her to give up smoking.

4 Two-word phrases

b. winds

3. transatlantic

c. Channel

4. English

d. sports

5. electro-magnetic

e. flight

6. strong

f. manager

7. business

g. device

8. physically

h. driver

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Woman claims record Atlantic swim / Elementary

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2. racing

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a. impossible

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1. extreme


Match the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to make phrases from the text.


Elementary

5 Word building Complete the table using words from the text. verb 1.

fly

2.

defend

3.

cross

4.

run

5.

achieve

6.

inspire

noun

7.

response

8.

protection

6 Prepositions Complete the sentences using these prepositions. for

from

to

on

across

in

1. Benôit Lecomte swam _______ the Atlantic in 1998. 2. He completed the swim _______ 73 days. 3. A cage protected him _______ sharks. 4. Strong winds and ten-metre waves caused problems _______ the boat and for Jennifer’s swimming. 5. Her business manager wrote an update _______ Facebook.

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6. She had to make some changes _______ her plans.


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words

4 Two-word phrases

1. catamaran 2. turbulent 3. habit 4. cage 5. destination 6. route 7. crew 8. cast 9. update 10. endurance

1. d 2. h 3. e 4. c 5. g 6. b 7. f 8. a

2 Find the information 1. 56 2. nearly a month 3. 1,000 miles 4. 1926 5. 5 February 6. 73 days

1. flight 2. defence 3. crossing 4. run 5. achievement 6. inspiration 7. respond 8. protect


6 Prepositions

1. d 2. c 3. f 4. b 5. a 6. e

1. across 2. in 3. from 4. for 5. on 6. to

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5 Word building


Intermediate

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. cast catamaran

knot turbulent

destination predator

update head

endurance accompany

1. __________________ is the ability to continue doing something physically difficult for a long time. 2. A __________________ is an animal that kills and eats other animals. 3. A __________________ is a hard cover used to protect a broken or injured part of the body. 4. If you give someone an __________________, you give them a report containing all the latest news or information. 5. If you are __________________ somewhere, you are travelling in a particular direction. 6. If you __________________ someone, you go with them to a place or an event. 7. __________________ air or water moves suddenly and violently in different directions. 8. A __________________ is a sailing boat that looks like two boats joined together. 9. A __________________ is a unit for measuring the speed of ships, aircraft and wind, equal to one nautical mile (1,852 metres) per hour. 10. Your __________________ is the place you are travelling to.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How far is it from Trinidad to the Bahamas? 2. Who was the first woman to swim the English Channel? 3. How far is it from Cape Cod in the USA to Brittany in France? 4. What is the record for swimming the Atlantic? 5. How far is it from Cape Verde to Trinidad?

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NEWS LESSONS / Woman claims record Atlantic swim / Intermediate

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6. How far did Jennifer Figge run in Mexico in 1995?

Woman claims record Atlantic swim Intermediate


2 But her business manager admitted yesterday that some days the seas were so stormy Figge did not even manage to get into the water, remaining on board the catamaran which accompanied her long journey. “She swam 19 of 24 days,” said David Higden. “It changed from an endurance swim to an extreme adventure swim. She didn’t get into the water as much as she wanted, because the waves were so high. The weather was so bad the crew had trouble seeing her in the water.” 3 Figge did not respond to requests for comment. In her defence, Higden said she had never planned to swim the entire distance. “Nobody could swim across the Atlantic. It’s physically impossible,” he said. “It would take years.” The reply did not answer the question of how many nautical miles Figge had actually swum during her crossing. A week after she began, Higden announced on her Facebook page that storms forced her to change course. She landed at Trinidad, 1,000 miles from her planned destination, the Bahamas. 4 Figge first started doing endurance challenges in her 30s when her seven-year-old son asked her to give up smoking. Her new habit became extreme sports, starting with a run across the © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Woman claims record Atlantic swim / Intermediate

She has said her latest challenge was inspired by a turbulent transatlantic flight and by Gertrude Ederle, the first woman to swim the English Channel in 1926. Figge said she kept a picture of Ederle on board. “We have a few things in common,” she said. “She wore a red hat and she was of German origin. We both talk to the sea, and neither of us wanted to get out of the water.”

6

For safety she made the journey inside a steel and plastic fibre cage attached to the back of a catamaran with a crew of engineers, a doctor, and a diver. There was an electro-magnetic device in the cage to repel predators. In the event, there were no sharks – though among the marine life she did see were a group of pilot whales, turtles, dolphins, and Portuguese men-of-war.

7

Figge intended to swim to the Bahamas, but on January 21 Higden posted an update: “Winds of 25 knots and waves as high as 30 feet have wreaked havoc with their movements and Jennifer’s swimming. They are forced to follow a different route, in search of more favourable weather. The catamaran is heading south.” She arrived at Chacachacare Island on 5 February. “Basically [the storm] changed everything,” Higden said yesterday. “Like anyone who is trying to accomplish a goal, she had to make changes.”

8

Benôit Lecomte of France holds the record for swimming the Atlantic in 73 days in 1998; he travelled the 3,716 miles from Cape Cod to Brittany himself, but was accompanied by a boat and did his swimming for six hours per day. He had no cage but a device with a 25ft electromagnetic field to protect him. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 09/02/09

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1 An American aged 56 has been hailed as the first woman to swim the Atlantic, after swimming across thousands of miles of ocean while inside a six metre by four metre cage to protect her from sharks. Jennifer Figge, an endurance athlete from Aspen, Colorado, said she took nearly a month to make the crossing from the Cape Verde Islands to Trinidad, crossing 2,000 miles of ocean.

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Month-long feat in shark tank towed by catamaran • Storm blew extreme sport enthusiast way off course Suzanne Goldenberg in Washington Monday 9 February, 2009

state of Iowa. Twenty years later, her son is a racing driver, and she has covered 3,000 miles on foot, and more than twenty sea crossings. On her list of achievements, she says she ran 180 miles across Mexico in 1995 – including the final 60 miles with a plaster cast on her left leg.

CA

Level 2


Intermediate

3 Comprehension check Are these sentences true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. Jennifer Figge swam the entire distance of 2,000 miles from Cape Verde to Trinidad. 2. Both Figge and Gertrude Ederle are of German origin. 3. Figge’s planned final destination was Trinidad. 4. Bad weather forced the catamaran to go further north. 5. Figge’s son asked her to start doing endurance challenges. 6. A cage protected Figge from predators. 7. Benôit Lecomte also used a cage for protection. 8. Ederle was the first woman to swim the English Channel.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. The paragraph numbers will help you.

1. A verb meaning to say publicly how good or important something is. (para 1) 2. A noun meaning the people who work on a boat or a plane. (para 2) 3. An adjective meaning across the Atlantic. (para 5) 4. A verb meaning to keep something away or prevent it from entering somewhere. (para 6) 5. A three-word expression used for saying what happened, especially when it is different from what was expected. (para 6) 6. A verb meaning to put information on the Internet. (para 7) 7. A two-word expression meaning cause a lot of damage or harm. (para 7)

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8. A noun meaning the way you use to go from one place to another. (para 7)


Intermediate

5 Expressions with prepositions Complete the phrases from the text using prepositions. 1. … she ran 180 miles _______ Mexico 2. a six metre _______ four metre cage 3. _______ board the boat 4. attached _______ the back of the boat 5. in search _______ better weather 6. … holds the record _______ swimming the Atlantic

6 Word building Choose the correct form to complete the sentences. 1. Some days the seas were very storm / stormy. 2. Unfortunately, their question remained answered / unanswered. 3. The swim quickly turned into an endurance / enduring test. 4. Gertrude Ederle was the inspire / inspiration for Jennifer Figge’s swim. 5. It was Figge’s intention / intend to swim to the Bahamas. 6. They had to seek more favourable / favourite weather.

7 Discussion

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Would you like to try something like this? Why? Why not?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. endurance 2. predator 3. cast 4. update 5. heading 6. accompany 7. turbulent 8. catamaran 9. knot 10. destination

1. hail 2. crew 3. transatlantic 4. repel 5. in the event 6. post 7. wreak havoc 8. route


1. across 2. by 3. on 4. to 5. of 6. for

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Woman claims record Atlantic swim / Intermediate

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1. F 2. T 3. F 4. F 5. F 6. T 7. F 8. T

1. stormy 2. unanswered 3. endurance 4. inspiration 5. intention 6. favourable

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6 Word building


1. 1,000 miles 2. Gertrude Ederle 3. 3,716 miles 4. 73 days 5. 2,000 miles 6. 180 miles


The milkman who also delivered drugs Level 3 1

Advanced

Warmer: Brainstorm

1. What do you think of when you read milkman and drug dealer? In five minutes, write as many words as you can onto the word wheels.

drug dealer

milkman

2. Which of the phrases below describes a quantity of drugs, and which one describes a quantity of milk?

2

a pint of gold top ___________

an eighth of hash ___________

Key words and synonyms

Find key words from the text that mean the following. The paragraph numbers will help you. 1. time that someone will have to spend in prison only if they commit another crime within a fixed period (subtitle) ___________________ 2. an electric delivery vehicle (para 1) ___________________ 3. a sticky substance from plants (para 2) ___________________ 4. hidden (para 3) ___________________ 5. admitted (para 6) ___________________ 6. aches and complaints (para 6) ___________________ 7. benefactor, Good Samaritan (para 7) ___________________ 8. extenuation, moderation, reduction, relief (para 8) ___________________ 9. mistaken, erroneous, wrong (para 8) ___________________ 10. doesn’t drink alcohol (para 10) ___________________ 11. produced (para 14) ___________________ 12. obviously (para 16) ___________________

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13. excuse, forgive, over look, go along with (para 18) ___________________

The milkman who also delivered drugs Advanced

Pint of gold top and an eighth of hash – milkman who also delivered drugs

philanthropist, but a drug dealer. Had he been a philanthropist, she said, he would have “given it away”. However, she had taken into consideration that his wife is suffering from Alzheimer’s and in a care home, and might not recognise him if he was jailed.

Suspended sentence over sales to elderly customers 72-year-old said he did it to help their pain relief

3

4

5

6

7

His customers, who smoked the resin to relieve their aches and pains, would leave notes with their empty milk bottles to say how much of the drug they required. His reputation as a drug dealer spread rapidly among 17 of his customers in Burnley, Lancashire. When detectives searched Holding’s home last July they were astonished to find wraps of cannabis resin stashed among the eggs in his milk crates. Holding was given a 36-week jail sentence suspended for a year after he admitted possessing and supplying the drug. The prosecution said Holding would get through a 9oz (255g) bar of cannabis resin every three weeks in sales to his customers and would not make “a great deal of profit”. Sarah Statham, prosecuting, said: “He said customers would leave notes saying, ‘Can I have an ounce, or an eighth?’ He only sold to existing customers who were old and had aches and pains.” The court heard Holding immediately confessed to supplying drugs but did not believe he was doing anything wrong. Judge Beverley Lunt said: “You justify this by saying you are helping out elderly people with ailments.” She said Holding was wrong in his belief that cannabis was not harmful and he was not a

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / The milkman who also delivered drugs / Advanced

9

Holding told the Guardian. “I don’t think what I was doing was that wrong. A couple of them have got multiple sclerosis (MS) and others have got arthritis. I was just giving them something to help. I have had letters of support from all over the country, including one from Scotland. I have had a lot of trouble with the papers and all the lies that have been published.”

10 Holding said his oldest customer had been 92 but was “no longer with us”. Although he is teetotal and does not smoke, he began dealing in cannabis after being horrified to hear how much one of his elderly customers was paying for the drug. 11 “She had arthritis and her husband had MS and was in a wheelchair,” he said. “They wanted it for the pain relief but it was costing them a fortune. I would sell them an eighth of an ounce for £4.10.” The street value is £9. 12 “I had an old woman who I used to give a bit of cannabis to and she would put it under her tongue for the pain.” He said he had never been tempted to try it. 13 Cannabis has been shown in studies to help ease pain from arthritis and other conditions but it was upgraded to class B last month after concerns by the government about mental health risks. 14 Acting on tip-offs from concerned residents, Lancashire police launched a discreet surveillance operation, tailing Holding as he completed his round in his milk float. A subsequent search of his home yielded 167g of cannabis.

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To the casual observer, Robert Holding seemed a kindly milkman who was attentive to his elderly customers as he delivered their daily pints. To the less casual observer – specifically, a surveillance team from Lancashire police – Holding, 72, turned out to be a drug dealer who was supplying cannabis from his milk float to an elderly clientele.

Philip Holden, in mitigation, told the court: “From the outset there is a particularly peculiar set of circumstances, and it is a bizarre case.” He said his client was acting in the misguided belief that he was providing a public service. He suffered from depression and had been “extremely frank” to police.


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Helen Carter 6 February, 2009

CA

Level 3

The milkman who also delivered drugs Level 3

Advanced

15 Local police beat manager John Fisher said: “This was a good example of community policing after we received information from local residents that he was up to no good. The cannabis was wrapped and ready to go for the next day’s delivery. Whatever he delivered was left on the doorstep with the milk.” 16 He added: “However, there is a very serious side to this because at the end of the day he has broken the law supplying an illegal substance. It is certainly unusual in somebody so old. He probably thinks he is doing a community service

but he is blatantly breaking the law and has to be dealt with. I would call him an eccentric.” 17 A neighbour of Holding’s said many residents were supportive of him. “To be fair, he did know what he was doing was wrong but the people he supplied to all had medical problems, so it is said. Although he acts it, at the end of the day he is not a stupid bloke and he must have realised what he was doing was wrong.” 18 The MS Society said it did not condone illegal drug use, although there are clinical trials under way about the benefits of cannabis. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 06/02/09

3 Comprehension check Chose the correct answer according to the information in the article. 1. Mr Holding’s crime was ...

4. Mr Holding made ...

a. … growing and dealing cannabis. b. … smoking and supplying cannabis. c. … possessing and supplying cannabis.

a. … a small profit. b. … a large profit. c. … no profit at all.

2. The cannabis resin was hidden ...

5. His wife ...

a. … in the milk bottles. b. … in the milk crates. c. … on the milk float.

a. … is 92 years old. b. … doesn’t live with him. c. … has MS.

3. Mr Holding ... a. … knew what he was doing was very wrong. b. … didn’t know what he was doing was wrong. c. … didn’t realize how wrong what he was doing actually was.

4 Language: Useful phrases 1. Find the common phrases in the text.

a. Para 8, 3 words: collection of facts ______________________ b. Para 10, 4 words: dead ______________________ c. Para 11, 3 words: be very expensive ______________________ d. Para 15, 4 words: doing something wrong or naughty ______________________ e. Para 16, 3 words: do something illegal ______________________ f. Paras 16 and 17, 6 words: finally, or when everything else has been taken into consideration ______________________

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2. One of these is said to be the most commonly used phrase in spoken English. Which one?


Advanced

5 Spoken grammar: would Look at how the word would is used in paragraphs 2, 4, 5, 11 and 12. 1. Is it used: a. as a conditional? b. to refer to the past? c. to refer to the future? 2. What structure does it replace? a. will b. did c. used to

6 Interview and role play with web link 1. Write down questions that you would like to ask Mr Holding.

Why .............................................................. How .............................................................. Where ............................................................... Who .............................................................. What ............................................................... When ...............................................................

!

2. Now role play interview situations. Use a minimum of two of the following roles for each role play situation. A = A TV or newspaper reporter B = Mr Holding C = One of his elderly customers D = A concerned neighbour E = A local policeman 3. Then watch Mr Holding being interviewed as he leaves the court. What did he say? Were any of the reporters’ questions the same as yours? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8LtcRiEOxo&NR=1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zU475iiYKtU

7 Discussion

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Is it morally acceptable to do something illegal if it helps others?

The milkman who also delivered drugs Level 3 Advanced KEY 2 Key words and synonyms

4 Language: Useful phrases

1. suspended sentence 2. milk float 3. resin 4. stashed 5. confessed 6. ailments 7. philanthropist 8. mitigation 9. misguided 10. teetotal 11. yielded 12. blatantly 13. condone

1.

a. set of circumstances b. no longer with us c. cost a fortune d. up to no good e. break the law f. at the end of the day

2. at the end of the day

5 Spoken grammar: would 1. b 2. c

2 Comprehension check 1. c 2. 3. 4. 5.

b c a b

Teachers’ notes 1/8 of an ounce is approximately 3.5 grams. 1 ounce is 28 grams. Use an online converter such as http://www.convert-me.com/en/convert/weight to make and check further conversions.

For further (student-friendly) explanations on the use of would as a past form go to one of the many online grammar forums such as: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/ radio/specials/1837_aae/page6.shtml http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/usedtotext.htm

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http://www.proz.com/kudoz/english/ linguistics/1054769-used_to_would.html


Elementary

Warmer: Brainstorm

1. What do you think of when you read milkman and drug dealer? In five minutes, write as many words as you can onto the word wheels.

drug dealer

milkman

2. Which of the phrases below describes a quantity of drugs, and which one describes a quantity of milk?

a pint of gold top ___________

an eighth of hash ___________

2 Key words and synonyms Write in the key words from the text. The paragraph numbers will help you. prosecution milk float residents care home crate

admitted suspended sentence community service teetotal

1. An electric delivery vehicle. __________________ (para 1) 2. A container that is divided into smaller individual sections and used for moving bottles. __________________ (para 3) 3. Time that someone will have to spend in prison - but only if they commit another crime. __________________ (para 3) 4. To freely say that he did the crime. __________________ (para 3) 5. The person in court who tries to prove that someone has done something illegal. __________________ (para 4) 6. A place for old people to live when they are unable to look after themselves, especially people who are old and ill. __________________ (para 7) 7. When you never drink alcohol, you are __________________. (para 9) 8. People who live in a particular or defined area. __________________ (para 12)

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9. Work that helps the people in your area. __________________ (para 13)

The milkman who also delivered drugs Elementary 8

Holding told the Guardian. “I don’t think what I was doing was that wrong. A couple of them have got multiple sclerosis (MS) and others have got arthritis. I was just giving them something to help.”

9

Holding said his oldest customer had been 92 but was “no longer with us”. Although he is teetotal and does not smoke, he began selling cannabis after being shocked to hear how much one of his elderly customers was paying for the drug.

Helen Carter 6 February, 2009

2

His customers, who smoked the drug to help their aches and pains, left notes with their empty milk bottles to say how much of the drug they needed.

3

When detectives searched Holding’s home last July they were surprised to find cannabis hidden next to the eggs in his milk crates. Holding was given a 36-week suspended sentence after he admitted to selling the drug.

4

The prosecution said Holding sold a 9oz (255g) bar of cannabis every three weeks to his customers and would not make “a great deal of profit”.

5

Sarah Statham, prosecuting, said: “He said customers would leave notes saying, ‘Can I have an ounce, or an eighth?’ He only sold to customers he knew and who were old and had aches and pains.”

6

The court heard Holding did not believe he was doing anything wrong. Judge Beverley Lunt said: “You justify this by saying you are helping out elderly people.”

7

10 “She had arthritis and her husband had MS and

was in a wheelchair,” he said. “They wanted it for the pain relief but it was costing them a lot of money.”

11 “I had an old woman who I used to give a bit

of cannabis to and she would put it under her tongue for the pain.” He said he had never tried it. Cannabis has been shown in studies to help reduce pain from arthritis and other conditions.

12 Worried residents told the police about

Holding, so they followed him as he delivered the milk. When they searched his home they found 167g of cannabis.

13 Local policeman John Fisher said, “There is a

very serious side to this because at the end of the day he has broken the law. It is certainly unusual in somebody so old. He probably thinks he is doing a community service but he is clearly breaking the law.”

14 A neighbour of Holding’s said, “To be fair, he

She said Holding was wrong in his belief that cannabis was not harmful. She said that he was a drug dealer. However, she said that his wife has Alzheimer’s and lives in a care home, and might not recognise him if he was sent to prison.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / The milkman who also delivered drugs / Elementary

did know what he was doing was wrong but the people he supplied to all had medical problems. At the end of the day he is not a stupid man and I’m sure he knew what he was doing was wrong.” © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 06/02/2009

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To most people, Robert Holding seemed a kindly milkman who looked after his elderly customers as he delivered their daily pints of milk. To the others – specifically, the Lancashire police – Holding, 72, was a drug dealer who was selling cannabis from his milk float to elderly customers.


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Milkman who also delivered drugs

CA

Level 1


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the sentence halves to summarize the article. 1. Mr Holding did not …

… what he was doing was wrong.

2. The judge gave him …

… told the police that he was selling drugs.

3. He sold illegal drugs …

… his customers who were old and in pain.

4. He delivered the drugs with …

… have to go to prison.

5. Mr Holding wanted to help …

… their morning milk.

6. Mr Holding knew that …

… a 36-week suspended sentence.

7. Other people in the area …

… live with him anymore.

8. His wife is ill and cannot …

… to old people.

4 Language: A useful phrase This is said to be the most commonly used phrase in spoken English. Write in the missing prepositions and then find it in the article. How is it used? What does it mean? Is there a similar phrase in your language? ________ the end ________ the day

5 Interview questions, role play, feedback and a web link 1. Write questions that a TV or newspaper reporter might want to ask Mr Holding.

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Elementary

2. Now work in pairs (A and B) and use your questions to role play an interview situation. A = A TV or newspaper reporter B = Mr Holding 3. Feed back to the rest of your class. Reporters tell the class about the answers you received. Students playing Mr Holding say how you felt when you were being interviewed. 4. Then watch Mr Holding being interviewed as he leaves the court. What did he say? Were any of the reporters’ questions the same as yours? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8LtcRiEOxo&NR=1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zU475iiYKtU

6 Discussion: In my opinion ... Is it ok to do something illegal if it helps others? The following phrases may help you say what you think: In my opinion ... I think it’s ok because ... I think it’s wrong because ...

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It depends (on) ...

The milkman who also delivered drugs Level 1 Elementary KEY

1. Mr Holding did not have to go to prison. 2. The judge gave him a 36-week suspended sentence. 3. He sold illegal drugs to old people. 4. He delivered the drugs with their morning milk. 5. Mr Holding wanted to help his customers who were old and in pain. 6. Mr Holding knew that what he was doing was wrong. 7. Other people in the area told the police that he was selling drugs. 8. His wife is ill and cannot live with him anymore.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / The milkman who also delivered drugs / Elementary

used for saying what you consider is the most important thing about a situation after thinking about it

Teachers’ notes 1/8 of an ounce is approximately 3.5 grams. 1 ounce is 28 grams. Use an online converter such as http://www.convert-me.com/en/convert/weight to make and check further conversions. Before watching the interview videos with the students, watch them yourself and make sure you can understand Mr Holding. You might want to write down some of his answers to have them ready in case the students don’t understand him. If they find him difficult to understand, you could discuss why this is.

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at the end of the day

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1. milk float 2. crate 3. suspended sentence 4. admitted 5. prosecution 6. care home 7. teetotal 8. residents 9. community service

4 Language: A useful phrase


2 Key words and synonyms


Intermediate

Warmer: Brainstorm

1. In four minutes, write as many connected words as possible onto the word wheels.

milkman

drug dealer

2. Now read the title of the article. Can you find a connection between milkman and drug dealer?

2 Key words and synonyms Write in the key words from the text. The paragraph numbers with help you.

defending teetotal

prosecuting ease casual observer confessed existing tip-off condone suspended sentence

resin milk float

1. Time that someone will have to spend in prison - but only if they commit another crime. ________________ (subtitle)

2. Someone who is watching, but not very closely or carefully. ________________ (para 1) 3. An electric delivery vehicle. ________________ (para 1) 4. A sticky substance from plants. ________________ (para 2) 5. Trying to prove that someone has done something illegal. ________________ (para 5) 6. Not new, something or someone that was already there. ________________ (para 5) 7. Admitted to a crime. ________________ (para 6) 8. Representing someone who is said to have done something illegal. ________________ (para 8) 9. When you don’t drink alcohol, you are ________________. (para 10) 10. To help relieve or make the pain less. ________________ (para 12) 11. A hint or warning. ________________ (para 13)

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NEWS LESSONS / The milkman who delivered drugs / Intermediate

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12. People who live in a particular or defined area. ________________ (para 13)

The milkman who also delivered drugs Intermediate

Helen Carter 6 February, 2009 1 To the casual observer, Robert Holding seemed a kindly milkman who was attentive to his elderly customers as he delivered their daily pints. To the less casual observer – specifically, a surveillance team from Lancashire police – Holding, 72, was a drug dealer who was supplying cannabis from his milk float to elderly customers. 2 His customers, who smoked the resin to relieve their aches and pains, would leave notes with their empty milk bottles to say how much of the drug they needed. 3 When detectives searched Holding’s home last July they were astonished to find wraps of cannabis resin hidden among the eggs in his milk crates. Holding was given a 36-week suspended sentence after he admitted possessing and supplying the drug. 4 The prosecution said Holding would get through a 9oz (255g) bar of cannabis resin every three weeks in sales to his customers and would not make “a great deal of profit”. 5 Sarah Statham, prosecuting, said: “He said customers would leave notes saying, ‘Can I have an ounce, or an eighth?’ He only sold to existing customers who were old and had aches and pains.” 6 The court heard Holding immediately confessed to supplying drugs but did not believe he was doing anything wrong. Judge Beverley Lunt said: “You justify this by saying you are helping out elderly people.” 7 She said Holding was wrong in his belief that cannabis was not harmful and that he was a drug dealer. However, she had taken into consideration that his wife is suffering from Alzheimer’s and in a care home, and might not recognise him if he was sent to prison. 8 Philip Holden, defending, said: “From the beginning there is a particularly peculiar set of circumstances, and it is a bizarre case.” He said Mr Holding wrongly thought that he was providing a public service. He suffered from depression © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / The milkman who delivered drugs / Intermediate

9

Holding told the Guardian. “I don’t think what I was doing was that wrong. A couple of them have got multiple sclerosis (MS) and others have got arthritis. I was just giving them something to help.”

10 Holding said his oldest customer had been 92 but was “no longer with us”. Although he is teetotal and does not smoke, he began dealing in cannabis after being shocked to hear how much one of his elderly customers was paying for the drug. 11 “She had arthritis and her husband had MS and was in a wheelchair,” he said. “They wanted it for the pain relief but it was costing them a fortune. I would sell them an eighth of an ounce for £4.10.” 12 “I had an old woman who I used to give a bit of cannabis to and she would put it under her tongue for the pain.” He said he had never tried it. Cannabis has been shown in studies to help ease pain from arthritis and other conditions but the British government upgraded it to a class B drug last month. 13 Acting on tip-offs from concerned residents, Lancashire police followed Holding as he completed his round in his milk float. A search of his home found 167g of cannabis. 14 Local policeman John Fisher said: “This was a good example of community policing after we received information from local residents that he was up to no good. The cannabis was prepared for the next day’s delivery. Whatever he delivered was left on the doorstep with the milk.” 15 He added: “However, there is a very serious side to this because at the end of the day he has broken the law. It is certainly unusual in somebody so old. “He probably thinks he is doing a community service but he is clearly breaking the law.” 16 A neighbour of Holding’s said, “To be fair, he did know what he was doing was wrong but the people he supplied to all had medical problems. Although he acts it, at the end of the day he is not a stupid man and he must have realised what he was doing was wrong.” © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 06/02/09

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Suspended sentence over sales to elderly customers 72-year-old said he did it to help their pain relief


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and had been honest and open when talking to the police.

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Pint of gold top and an eighth of hash – milkman who also delivered drugs

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Level 1


Intermediate

3 Comprehension check Are the sentences true (T) or false (F) according to the information in the article? Correct any sentences that are false. 1. Mr Holding was sent to prison for 36 weeks. 2. His crime was “possessing and supplying” illegal drugs. 3. The cannabis resin was hidden in the milk bottles. 4. Mr Holding wanted to help his customers who were old and in pain. 5. Mr Holding didn’t know that what he was doing was wrong. 6. Mr Holding didn’t make any money from selling the cannabis. 7. Other people in the area told the police that he was selling drugs. 8. His wife doesn’t live with him anymore.

4 Language: Useful phrases 1. Find the common phrases in the text that mean the following. a. Para 7, 3 words: keep something in mind when making a decision ___________________________ b. Para 10, 4 words: dead ___________________________ c. Para 11, 3 words: be very expensive ___________________________ d. Para 15, 3 words: do something illegal ___________________________ e. Para 15 and 16, 6 words: finally, or when everything else has been taken into consideration ___________________________ 2. One of these is said to be the most commonly used phrase in spoken English. Which one?

5 Spoken grammar: would Look at how the word would is used in paragraphs 2, 4, 5, 11 and 12. 1. Is it used: a) as a conditional? b) to talk about the past? c) to talk about the future? 2. What means the same? a) will b) did

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c) used to


Intermediate

6 Interview and role play with web link 1. Write down questions that you would like to ask Mr Holding.


!

2. Now role play interview situations. Use a minimum of two of the following roles for each role play situation. A = A TV or newspaper reporter B = Mr Holding C = One of his elderly customers D = A concerned neighbour E = A local policeman 3. Then watch Mr Holding being interviewed as he leaves the court. What did he say? Were any of the reporters’ questions the same as yours? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8LtcRiEOxo&NR=1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zU475iiYKtU

7 Discussion

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Is it ok to do something illegal if it helps others?

The milkman who also delivered drugs Level 1 Intermediate KEY 2 Key words and synonyms

4 Language: Useful phrases

1. suspended sentence 2. casual observer 3. milk float 4. resin 5. prosecuting 6. existing 7. confessed 8. defending 9. teetotal 10. ease 11. tip-off 12. residents

1. a. take into consideration b. no longer with us c. cost a fortune d. break the law e. at the end of the day


F T F T F F T T

2. at the end of the day

5 Spoken grammar: would 1. b 2. c

Teachers’ notes 1/8 of an ounce is approximately 3.5 grams. 1 ounce is 28 grams. Use an online converter such as http://www.convert-me.com/en/convert/weight to make and check further conversions. For further (student-friendly) explanations on the use of would as a past form, go to one of the many online grammar forums such as: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish radio/specials/1837_aae/page6.shtml http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/usedtotext.htm

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http://www.proz.com/kudoz/english/ linguistics/1054769-used_to_would.html

Venezuela’s vibrant young music stars to wow London Level 1 1

Advanced

Key words


preconception podium

symposium flagship

ensemble panache

heritage dearth

elite virtuosity

1. An ___________________ is a group of musicians who perform together. 2. The ___________________ of a particular country consists of the art, buildings, traditions and beliefs that it considers important to its history and culture. 3. The ___________________ is the place where the conductor of an orchestra stands. 4. ___________________ is an impressive way of doing something that shows both great skill and confidence. 5. A ___________________ is an idea or opinion you have about something that you form before you have any information about it or experience of it. 6. A ___________________ is a chronic lack of something. 7. An ___________________ is a small group of people who have a lot of power. 8. ___________________ is a high level of skill, especially in playing music. 9. If something is described as a ___________________, it is the biggest, best or most important thing in a group. 10. A ___________________ is a meeting where experts discuss a particular subject.

2


Find the answers to these questions in the article. 1. How much will tickets for the concert by the Simón Bolívar Brass Ensemble cost? 2. How many musicians are there in the National Youth Orchestra of Venezuela? 3. What is the age range of the members of the orchestra? 4. Why was the Sistema set up? 5. How many children are involved in the Sistema?

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NEWS LESSONS / Venezuela’s vibrant young music stars to wow London / Advanced

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6. How many hours do they study each day?

Venezuela’s vibrant young music stars to wow London Advanced

Venezuela’s vibrant young music stars to wow London

– well known in its own right and praised for its “unbelievable panache and astonishing virtuosity” by Tim Ashley in the Guardian. A family concert on 17 April will be introduced by Dudamel. The orchestra will perform classical works as well as Venezuelan favourites. Some of the younger conductors following in Dudamel’s footsteps will take to the podium.

2 The orchestra is the Simón Bolívar National Youth Orchestra of Venezuela. For five days in April it will, according to Marshall Marcus, the centre’s head of music, “seep like a liquid through every space in the Royal Festival Hall”. “They will sweep aside every preconception people have about classical music,” he said. “Anyone who ever thought classical music was not for them – this is the one thing they should see. They demonstrate what we’ve perhaps been missing in Europe – musicians performing out of a sheer, unbridled desire to live the music.” 3 The orchestra of 200 18- to 25-year-olds had already announced a pair of concerts under its dynamic music director, Gustavo Dudamel, 28, who is also music director designate of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. The concerts sold out immediately – but now the Southbank has unveiled a number of free and low-priced events throughout the residency. The main concerts, which feature works by Stravinsky, Bartók and Tchaikovsky as well as works by Latin American composers such as Revueltas, will also be relayed free in the Festival Hall. 4 The extra events will include an evening of Latin jazz and fusion featuring members of the orchestra. There will be a free concert by the 50-strong Simón Bolívar Brass Ensemble

5

There will also be a series of symposiums. The first will involve a chance to hear Dudamel, members of the orchestra and maestro José Antonio Abreu talk about their work. Abreu is the visionary founder of the Sistema, the radical music education-cum-social project from which the orchestra springs. Other talks will look at the efforts being made to set up similar education projects in the UK, including Sistema Scotland, a pilot project in Raploch, near Stirling.

6

The Sistema was set up in 1975 by Abreu partly as a response to the dearth of Venezuelan classical musicians. It was also from the beginning a social project using music as its means – stemming from Abreu’s belief that every child, however poor, should have the opportunity to punch out of the poverty cycle. About 250,000 children are now involved in the Sistema. They study from 2pm to 6pm every day, with work focused on the idea of the orchestra rather than the individual. As soon as they are able, older children are encouraged to help mentor younger students or to conduct ensembles.

7

Abreu told the Guardian in 2006: “The philosophy of el Sistema shows that the vicious circle of poverty can be broken when a child poor in material possessions acquires spiritual wealth through music. Our ideal is of a country in which art is within the reach of every citizen so that we can no longer talk about art being the property of the elite, but the heritage of the people.” © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 27/02/09

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Venezuela’s vibrant young music stars to wow London / Advanced

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1 They have been feted as leading the way towards a new, exciting, impassioned future for classical music; they have brought tears and cheers wherever they have performed. And this spring, the flagship orchestra of what the conductor Sir Simon Rattle has called the most important phenomenon in music today is to take up residence at the Southbank Centre in London.


Charlotte Higgins, chief arts writer February 27, 2009

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• Simón Bolívar Orchestra to take Southbank residence • Events will sweep aside views on classical music

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Level 1

Venezuela’s vibrant young music stars to wow London Level 1

Advanced

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. What best describes the Sistema project?

a. It is a music project. b. It is an education, music and social project. c. It is a social project that focuses on music education.

2. How will the orchestra destroy preconceptions that people have about classical music?

a. It will play works by Latin American composers. b. It will play with passion and enthusiasm. c. It will use unusual instruments.

3. What will be discussed in the series of symposiums?

a. The work of the orchestra and plans to set up similar schemes in the UK. b. Venezuelan classical music. c. How the Sistema was founded.

4. What, according to Abreu, is the philosophy of the Sistema?

a. To allow poor children to play music. b. To make art accessible to all the people of the country. c. To prevent the elite from attending concerts.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A three-word expression meaning to start to work in an institution as an artist. (para 1) 2. A verb meaning to flow into or out of something through very small holes. (para 2) 3. A phrasal verb meaning to destroy. (para 2) 4. An adjective meaning free and uncontrolled. (para 2) 5. An adjective (used after a noun) that means chosen for a particular job but not yet officially doing that job. (para 3) 6. A two-word expression meaning a piece of work done in only one place or with a few people in order to find out if something will be successful or popular. (para 5) 7. A two-word expression meaning a process in which the existence of a problem causes other problems and this

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NEWS LESSONS / Venezuela’s vibrant young music stars to wow London / Advanced

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makes the original problem worse. (para 7)


Advanced

5 Synonyms Match the verbs in the left-hand column with their near synonyms in the right-hand column. 1. unveil

a. teach

2. fete

b. show

3. relay

c. escape from

4. demonstrate

d. praise

5. set up

e. gain

6. break out

f.

7. mentor

g. establish

8. acquire

h. transmit

announce

6 Words followed by prepositions Complete the phrases from the text using prepositions. 1. focus __________ 2. dearth __________ 3. response __________ 4. involved __________ 5. within the reach __________ 6. preconception __________

7 Discussion If you could play a musical instrument, what instrument would you play and why? If you can already play an instrument, what other instrument would you like to play and why?



Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. ensemble 2. heritage 3. podium 4. panache 5. preconception 6. dearth 7. elite 8. virtuosity 9. flagship 10. symposium

1. take up residence 2. seep 3. sweep aside 4. unbridled 5. designate 6. pilot project 7. vicious circle

5 Synonyms

1. c 2. b 3. a 4. b

6 Words followed by prepositions 1. on 2. of 3. to 4. in 5. of 6. about


H


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1. nothing (they are free) 2. 200 3. 18 to 25 4. as a response to the lack of classical musicians in Venezuela 5. 250,000 6. 4

1. f 2. d 3. h 4. b 5. g 6. c 7. a 8. e




Elementary

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. symposium composer

fusion conduct

phenomenon low-priced

ensemble radical

elite shortage

1. A ______________________ is something that is very impressive or surprising. 2. An ______________________ is a group of musicians who perform together. 3. An ______________________ is a small group of people who have a lot of power. 4. If something is ______________________, it doesn’t cost very much. 5. If something is ______________________, it is new and very different from the past. 6. A ______________________ is someone who writes music, especially classical music. 7. ______________________ is a type of modern music that is a mixture of different styles. 8. If you ______________________ an orchestra, you stand in front of them and direct the way they play. 9. A ______________________ is a lack of something you need. 10. A ______________________ is a meeting where experts discuss a particular subject.

2


Find the answers to these questions in the article. 1. Where is the Simón Bolívar National Youth Orchestra from? 2. How many musicians are there in the orchestra? 3. How old are the members of the orchestra? 4. When did the Sistema started?

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5. How many children are involved in the Sistema?


Elementary

Venezuela’s vibrant young music stars to wow London • Simón Bolívar Orchestra to take Southbank residence • Events will completely change views on classical music Charlotte Higgins, chief arts writer February 27, 2009 1 People have described them as the new, exciting future of classical music; they have brought tears and cheers everywhere they have performed. And this spring, the leading orchestra in what some people are calling the most important phenomenon in music today will be performing at the Southbank Centre in London.

of 50 musicians who play with unbelievable confidence, skill and enthusiasm. Dudamel will also introduce a family concert on April 17. The orchestra will perform classical works as well as Venezuelan favourites. 5

There will also be a series of symposiums. The first will involve a chance to hear Dudamel, members of the orchestra and leading musician José Antonio Abreu talk about their work. Abreu is the founder of the Sistema, the radical music education and social project which produced the orchestra. Other talks will look at the possibility of introducing similar education projects in the UK.

6

The Sistema was started in 1975 by Abreu partly as a response to the shortage of classical musicians in Venezuela. It was also from the beginning a social project using music to try to give every child, including those from the poorest families, the opportunity to break out of the poverty cycle. About 250,000 children are now involved in the Sistema. They study from 2pm to 6pm every day, with work focused on the idea of the orchestra rather than the individual. As soon as they are able to, older children teach younger students or conduct groups of musicians themselves.

7

Abreu said in 2006: “The philosophy of el Sistema shows children from poor families can become spiritually rich through music. We want a country in which art is open to all citizens so that we can no longer say that art is the property of the elite, but that it belongs to the people.”

2 The orchestra is the Simón Bolívar National Youth Orchestra of Venezuela. For five days in April it will perform at the Royal Festival Hall. “They will question all the traditional ideas people have about classical music,” said the director of music at the Southbank Centre. “Anyone who thinks that classical music is not for them – this is the one thing they should see. They demonstrate what we’ve perhaps been missing in Europe – musicians performing out of a total enthusiasm for the music.” 3 The orchestra of 200 18- to 25-year-olds had already announced a pair of concerts under its dynamic music director, Gustavo Dudamel, 28, who will also soon become the music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. The concerts sold out immediately – but now the Southbank has announced a further series of free and low-priced events. In the main concerts the orchestra will play music by Stravinsky, Bartók and Tchaikovsky as well as works by Latin American composers such as Revueltas.


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4 The extra events will include an evening of Latin jazz and fusion featuring members of the orchestra. There will also be a free concert by Simón Bolívar Brass Ensemble – a group


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. The musicians of the Brass Ensemble …

a. … to make art open to all citizens.

2. People have described the National Youth Orchestra of Venezuela …

b. … to introduce similar projects in the UK.

3. People who think classical music is not for them …

c. … perform with confidence, skill and enthusiasm.

4. Some people are planning …

d. … should go and see the National Youth Orchestra of Venezuela perform.

5. The Sistema gives …

e. … children from the poorest families the chance to break out of the poverty cycle.

6. The philosophy of the Sistema is …

f. … as the new, exciting future of classical music.

4 Expressions with prepositions Complete the phrases from the text using prepositions. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

traditional ideas ___________ classical music classical music is not ___________ them a series ___________ symposiums a response ___________ the shortage a shortage ___________ musicians involved ___________ the project open ___________ everyone focus ___________ an idea


adjective 1.

poor

2.

enthusiastic

3.

skilful

4.

confident

5.

phenomenal

6.

short

noun

6 Numbers and dates Complete the expressions. Check your answers in the text.

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4. __________ 1975 5. __________ 2pm __________ 6pm each day

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1. __________ five days __________ April 2. two hundred 18- __________ 25-year-olds 3. __________ April 17


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Venezuela 200 18 to 25 1975 250,000


c f d b e a

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

poverty enthusiasm skill confidence phenomenon shortage

6 Numbers and dates 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

for / in to on in from / to

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Venezuela’s vibrant young music stars to wow London / Elementary

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

5 Word building

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about for of to of in to on


phenomenon ensemble elite low-priced radical composer fusion conduct shortage symposium


Intermediate

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. symposium composer

fusion panache

ensemble maestro

heritage conductor

elite virtuosity

1. ________________________ is a high level of skill, especially in playing music. 2. _______________________ is an impressive way of doing something that shows both great skill and confidence. 3. ________________________ is a type of modern music that is a mixture of different styles. 4. A ________________________ is a meeting where experts discuss a particular subject. 5. A ________________________ is someone who writes music, especially classical music. 6. A ________________________ is a musician who is admired and respected a lot, particularly by the members of an orchestra. 7. An ________________________ is a group of musicians who perform together. 8. A ________________________ is someone who directs the members of an orchestra. 9. The ________________________ of a particular country consists of the art, buildings, traditions and beliefs that it considers important to its history and culture. 10. An ________________________ is a small group of people who have a lot of power.

2


Find the answers to these questions in the article. 1. Where is the Simón Bolívar National Youth Orchestra from? 2. How many musicians are there in the orchestra? 3. What is the age range of the members of the orchestra? 4. When was the Sistema set up?

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NEWS LESSONS / Venezuela’s vibrant young music stars to wow London / Intermediate

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5. How many children are involved in the Sistema?

Venezuela’s vibrant young music stars to wow London Intermediate

Venezuela’s vibrant young music stars to wow London

– well known in its own right and praised for its “unbelievable panache and astonishing virtuosity”. A family concert on 17 April will be introduced by Dudamel. The orchestra will perform classical works as well as Venezuelan favourites. 5

There will also be a series of symposiums. The first will involve a chance to hear Dudamel, members of the orchestra and maestro José Antonio Abreu talk about their work. Abreu is the founder of the Sistema, the radical music education and social project from which the orchestra came. Other talks will look at the efforts being made to set up similar education projects in the UK, including Sistema Scotland, a pilot project in Raploch, near Stirling.

6

The Sistema was set up in 1975 by Abreu partly as a response to the shortage of classical musicians in Venezuela. It was also from the beginning a social project using music as its means – based on Abreu’s belief that every child, however poor, should have the opportunity to break out of the poverty cycle. About 250,000 children are now involved in the Sistema. They study from 2pm to 6pm every day, with work focused on the idea of the orchestra rather than the individual. As soon as they are able to, older children are encouraged to help teach younger students or to conduct ensembles.

7

Abreu said in 2006: “The philosophy of el Sistema shows that the vicious circle of poverty can be broken when a child poor in material possessions acquires spiritual wealth through music. Our ideal is of a country in which art is within the reach of every citizen so that we can no longer talk about art being the property of the elite, but the heritage of the people.”

2 The orchestra is the Simón Bolívar National Youth Orchestra of Venezuela. For five days in April it will, according to Marshall Marcus, the centre’s head of music, “fill every space in the Royal Festival Hall”. “They will question all the traditional ideas people have about classical music,” he said. “Anyone who ever thought classical music was not for them - this is the one thing they should see. They demonstrate what we’ve perhaps been missing in Europe – musicians performing out of a total unbridled desire to live the music.” 3 The orchestra of 200 18- to 25-year-olds had already announced a pair of concerts under its dynamic music director, Gustavo Dudamel, 28, who is also music director designate of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. The concerts sold out immediately – but now the Southbank has announced a further series of free and low-priced events. The main concerts, which feature works by Stravinsky, Bartók and Tchaikovsky as well as works by Latin American composers such as Revueltas, will also be relayed free in the Festival Hall. 4 The extra events will include an evening of Latin jazz and fusion featuring members of the orchestra. There will be a free concert by the 50-strong Simón Bolívar Brass Ensemble


© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Venezuela’s vibrant young music stars to wow London / Intermediate

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1 They have been described as leading the way towards a new, exciting future for classical music; they have brought tears and cheers wherever they have performed. And this spring, the leading orchestra in what has been called the most important phenomenon in music today will be performing at the Southbank Centre in London.


Charlotte Higgins, chief arts writer February 27, 2009

•P H

• Simón Bolívar Orchestra to take Southbank residence • Events ‘will sweep aside’ views on classical music

CA

Level 1


Intermediate

3 Comprehension check Are these statements true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. The National Youth Orchestra of Venezuela perform classical music in a traditional way. 2. The Sistema is a music education and social project. 3. The Sistema helps young people to break out of the poverty cycle. 4. In the Sistema the individual is more important than the orchestra. 5. Abreu wants to bring art to ordinary people. 6. The orchestra only performs Venezuelan music.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. An adjective meaning free and uncontrolled. (para 2) 2. An adjective (used after a noun) that means chosen for a particular job but not yet officially doing that job. (para 3) 3. A verb meaning to transmit or broadcast. (para 3) 4. A four-word expression meaning as a result of their own ability. (para 4) 5. An adjective meaning very surprising. (para 4) 6. A two-word expression meaning a piece of work done in only one place or with a few people in order to find out if something will be successful or popular. (para 5) 7. A two-word expression meaning a process in which the existence of a problem causes other problems and this makes the original problem worse. (para 7) 8. A four-word expression meaning available or accessible to people. (para 7)

5 Expressions with prepositions Complete the phrases from the text using prepositions. 1. classical music is not __________ me 2. music director __________ the LA Philharmonic 3. praised __________ its panache and virtuosity 4. a series __________ symposiums 5. a response __________ the shortage 6. a shortage __________ musicians 7. involved __________ the project

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NEWS LESSONS / Venezuela’s vibrant young music stars to wow London / Intermediate

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8. focus __________ an idea


Intermediate


perform

2.

announce

3.

respond

4.

believe

5.

encourage

6.

possess

noun

6 Discussion

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Title text here

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What kind of music do you like? Do you enjoy classical music? Why? Why not?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Venezuela 200 18 to 25 1975 250,000


F T T F T F

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

for of for of to of in on

6 Word building 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

performance announcement response belief encouragement possession

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Venezuela’s vibrant young music stars to wow London / Intermediate

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5.


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unbridled designate relay in its (their) own right astonishing pilot project vicious circle within the reach of


virtuosity panache fusion symposium composer maestro ensemble conductor heritage elite

Chinese bidder refuses to pay for artefacts Level 3 1

Advanced

Warmer: A five-minute discussion

Have you been to any art galleries or museums recently? Are there any special exhibitions on in your town or country at the moment?

2

Key words

Fill the gaps with these words from the article. honorary late

plunder razed

bidder loot

rankles merely

artefact relics

coarsely figure

1. An ___________________ is an object that was made a long time ago and is historically important. 2. A ___________________ is someone who tries to buy something at an auction. 3. An adjective used before noun when talking about someone who has died, especially recently: ___________________. 4. A verb meaning to steal things from houses or shops during a war or after a disaster such as a fire or flood: ___________________. 5. Another verb meaning to take valuable things from a place using force, sometimes causing a lot of damage: ___________________. 6. ___________________ is an adjective used to emphasize that something is small or unimportant; a synonym of simply. 7. ___________________ are objects that have been kept from the past. 8. When a building or town has been completely destroyed, we can say it has been ___________________. 9. When something ___________________ you, it upsets or annoys you for a long time. 10. An ___________________ job is one you do without getting paid for it. 11. ___________________ is used here to mean be able to know or work something out.

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NEWS LESSONS / Chinese bidder refuses to pay for artefacts / Advanced

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12. The opposite of finely: ___________________.

Chinese bidder refuses to pay for artefacts Advanced 7

Wang Weiming, one of the heads of China’s Lost Cultural Relics Recovery Programme – the foundation which Cai advises – said she was “not sure” if or when the bronzes would return to China. “These national treasures are probably still in France,” Wang said. “We’ll have to see how the situation develops.”

8

The rabbit and rat heads were part of an elaborate fountain which stood in the Yuanmingyuan, the imperial summer residence, until it was razed and looted by French and British troops in 1860.

9

The destruction of the Old Summer Palace still rankles and Pierre Bergé – Saint Laurent’s partner and co-owner of a vast art collection – further upset Chinese patriots when he offered to return the relics without charge if China would “give the Tibetans back their freedom”.

Art collector says bidding for treasures belonging to late fashion designer was act of patriotism Tania Branigan in Beijing March 2, 2009

3 The Chinese government warned that the sale would affect auctioneer Christie’s development in China, and even the action movie star Jackie Chan described the auction as ‘shameful’. While a French court ruled that the auction was legal, Beijing argued that the sculptures should be returned to China. 4 Today, the argument took a fresh twist as Cai Mingchao, an adviser to a Chinese foundation which seeks to retrieve plundered treasures, told a news conference that he was the collector who won the auction. 5 “What I need to stress is that this money cannot be paid,” he added, describing his bid as a patriotic act. “I think any Chinese person would have stood up at that moment. It was just that the opportunity came to me. I was merely fulfilling my responsibilities.” 6 Christie’s had no immediate comment and could not confirm Cai as the bidder, the spokeswoman Yvonne So told the Associated Press. She said that if a bidder couldn’t or wouldn’t pay, Christie’s usually worked with the buyer and vendor to find a solution. The auction house said the legal ownership of the pieces had been clearly confirmed, a view upheld by French courts.

10 One Chinese expert said the objects were overpriced. Luo Zhewen, the honorary chairman of the Cultural Artefact Association, told Shanghai’s Oriental Morning Post that the two heads were worth less than 1m Yuan (£103,000). “More than that, and the buyer should figure that he’s been cheated.” 11 He claimed their real value was as “criminal evidence” of the destruction of the palace, saying that they were coarsely made compared with other imperial artefacts. “These days, they can be easily manufactured at small factories in Beijing or Guangzhou,” he said. 12 Five of the other fountain heads have been bought by Chinese business figures and repatriated, while experts fear the other five may have been destroyed. Christie’s three-day sale of Saint Laurent’s art collection earned a total of more than €373m.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Chinese bidder refuses to pay for artefacts / Advanced


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2 The relics were sold in Paris last week, to the anger of many in China. The telephone bidder paid €31m (£27m) for the two bronze sculptures.


1 A Chinese bidder who bought two sculptures owned by the late fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent at a controversial auction has said he will not pay for the treasures, which were looted from a Beijing palace during the opium wars.

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Chinese bidder refuses to pay for Yves Saint Laurent-owned artefacts

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Level 3

Chinese bidder refuses to pay for artefacts Level 3

Advanced

3 Comprehension check Choose the correct answer according to the information in the article. 1. When did the Opium wars take place? a. In the early-nineteenth century. b. In the mid-nineteenth century. c. In the mid-eighteenth century. 2. What were the bronze sculptures a part of? a. A temple. b. A throne. c. A fountain. 3. How many heads were on the complete sculpture? a. 2 b. 10 c. 12

4. Under what conditions did YSL’s partner offer to return the bronzes to China for free? a. If China allows freedom in Tibet. b. Only if all the other bronze heads are returned. c. Only if China returns stolen French paintings. 5. How much did a Chinese artefact expert say the bronzes were worth? a. €373m b. 1m Yuan (€118,000) c. €31m

4 Role play: A solution-finding meeting In the article, Yvonne So said that Christie’s usually works with the buyer and vendor to find a solution. Below is a similar (imaginary) situation in which a valuable artefact has been auctioned.

2. private collector

3. adviser to the government

You are the Chair of the meeting. You need to make sure that there is a satisfactory solution to the problem and that your auction house doesn’t lose money or its good reputation.

You were the highest bidder at the auction. You believe you are now the rightful owner of the artefact. You plan to keep the artefact in your private collection which is not open to the public.

The artefact originally came from your country and you think it should be returned for free. It was taken from a tomb by foreign archaeologists. It is rumoured that many slaves died whilst building the tomb.

4. curator of a museum

5. vendor / seller

6. another role / wild card

You believe that artefacts such as these should be kept in a museum for everybody to see. Also you know that the artefacts are safest in your museum as they would be kept in conditions that will ensure their preservation.

The artefact has been in your family for many years and you see it as a family heirloom. Unfortunately you are now forced to sell it so that you can finance repairs to your stately home.

This is a wild card. You can bring in a further point of view using this role card. Who are you? What is your opinion?

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1. auction house representative


Divide these role cards up among groups of four to six students. Take a few minutes to each prepare what you want to say and then have a meeting. Your objective is to find a solution that is acceptable to the majority of the people at the meeting. The auction house representative should chair the meeting.


Advanced

5 Discussion Have you ever placed a bid in an auction? What type of auction was it? What did you bid for? Did you win the auction?

6 Webquest

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The bust of Queen Nefertiti

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Inca relics from Machu Picchu

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Antique Khmer sculptures

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Chinese bidder refuses to pay for artefacts / Advanced

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The Elgin Marbles (or Parthenon Marbles)

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What can you find out about other artefacts from around the world that have been removed from their countries of origin and whose governments are demanding their return? For example:


Advanced

KEY 2 Key words 1. artefact 2. bidder 3. late 4. loot 5. plunder 6. merely 7. relics 8. razed 9. rankles 10. honorary 11. figure 12. coarsely

3 Comprehension check b c c a b

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5.


Elementary



2

Key words

Fill the gaps with these words from the article. The paragraph numbers will help you. foundation bidder

sculpture retrieve

destroyed worth

elaborate artefact

late legal

overpriced patriotic

1. A _________________ is someone who tries to buy something at an auction. (title) 2. An _________________ is an object that was made a long time ago and is historically important. (title) 3. A _________________ is a work of art made from stone, metal or wood. (para 1) 4. An adjective used before noun when talking about someone who has died, especially recently: _________________. (para 1) 5. When something is allowed by law, it is _________________. (para 3) 6. A _________________ is an organization that provides money for things. (para 4) 7. When you _________________ something, you find it and bring it back. (para 4) 8. A _________________ act is one done out of love, respect and duty towards your country. (para 5) 9. _________________ is an adjective we use to talk about something that has a lot of extra details or features that make it special. (para 7) 10. When something has been _________________, it is so badly damaged that there is nothing left. (para 7) 11. When something is far too expensive we can say it is _________________. (para 9)

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12. When you say how much something is _________________, you give its value in money. (para 9)


Elementary

Chinese bidder refuses to pay for Yves Saint Laurent-owned artefacts Art collector says bidding for treasures belonging to late fashion designer was patriotic

troops in 1860. At the same time many treasures were stolen. 8

The destruction of the Old Summer Palace still makes many people angry. Pierre Bergé – Yves Saint Laurent’s partner and co-owner of a huge art collection – upset Chinese patriots when he offered to return the sculptures for free if China would “give the Tibetans back their freedom”.

9

One Chinese expert said the sculptures were overpriced. He said that the two bronze heads were worth less than 1m Yuan (£103,000). “More than that and the buyer has paid too much.”

Tania Branigan in Beijing March 2, 2009 1 A Chinese bidder who bought two sculptures at an auction has said he will not pay for the treasures, which were taken from a Beijing palace during the opium wars. The sculptures were owned by the late fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent. 2 Many people in China were angry that the sculptures were sold in Paris last week. The telephone bidder paid €31m (£27m) for the two bronze sculptures. 3 Even though a French court said that the auction was legal, the Chinese government in Beijing said that the sculptures should be returned to China.

10 Five of the other heads from the fountain have been bought by Chinese business people and returned to China. Experts fear the other five may have been destroyed. Christie’s three-day sale of Saint Laurent’s art collection made a total of more than €373m. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 02/03/09

4 However, then Cai Mingchao, an adviser to a Chinese foundation which tries to retrieve stolen treasures, told a news conference that he was the collector who won the auction. 5 “This money cannot be paid,” he said, and described his bid as a patriotic act. “I think any Chinese person would have done the same thing.” 6 The auction house, Christie’s, had no immediate comment and could not confirm Cai as the bidder. A spokeswoman said that if a bidder couldn’t or wouldn’t pay, Christie’s usually worked with the buyer and seller to find a solution. The auction house and the French courts said the legal ownership of the sculptures had been clearly confirmed.

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7 The bronze rabbit and rat heads were part of an elaborate fountain which stood in the Yuanmingyuan, the imperial summer residence, until it was destroyed by French and British


Elementary

3 Find the information Answer these questions with information from the article 1. Where did the auction take place? 2. What are the sculptures of? 3. What are they made of? 4. Where did the sculptures come from? 5. Who stole the sculptures in 1860? 6. Which French fashion designer owned the sculptures? 7. What was the nationality of the man who won the auction? 8. Was he at the auction?

4 Language: Reporting Which of these sentences are in the simple past, and which are in the past passive simple? 1. The sculptures were owned by the late fashion designer. 2. Many people in China were angry. 3. He described his bid as a patriotic act. 4. It was destroyed by French and British troops. 5. Many treasures were stolen. 6. Christie’s three-day sale made more than €373m. Say why these tenses were used for these sentences.

5 Discussion

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Have you ever bought anything in an auction? Did you go to the auction house or was it an online auction?


Elementary

6 Webquest Search the Internet to complete the table with information about other artefacts from around the world.

artefacts

Where are they now?

Where did they come from?




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Elementary

KEY 2 Key words 1. bidder 2. artefact 3. sculpture 4. late 5. legal 6. foundation 7. retrieve 8. patriotic 9. elaborate 10. destroyed 11. overpriced 12. worth

3 Find the information 1. Paris, France 2. a rat head and a rabbit head 3. bronze 4. The Yuanmingyuan, a Chinese summer palace 5. British and French troops 6. Yves Saint Laurent 7. Chinese 8. no (he bid by phone)

4 Language: Reporting

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1. past passive simple 2. simple past 3. simple past 4. past passive simple 5. past passive simple 6. simple past


Intermediate



2

Key words

Fill the gaps with these words from the article. The paragraph numbers will help you. foundation bidder

repatriated looted

controversial artefact

coarsely relics

late patriotic

1. A ____________________ is someone who tries to buy something at an auction. (title) 2. An ____________________ is an object that was made a long time ago and is historically important. (title) 3. An adjective used before a noun when talking about someone who has died, especially recently: ____________________. (para 1) 4. A ____________________ subject, opinion or decision is one that people disagree about or do not approve of. (para 1) 5. A verb meaning to steal things from houses or shops during a war or after a disaster such as a fire or flood: ____________________. (para 1, past tense) 6. ____________________ are objects that have been kept from the past. (para 2) 7. A ____________________ is an organization that provides money for things. (para 4) 8. A ____________________ act is one done out of love, respect and duty towards your country. (para 5) 9. The opposite of finely is ____________________. (para 11)

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NEWS LESSONS / Chinese bidder refuses to pay for artefacts / Intermediate

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10. When something has been ____________________ it has been returned to its own country. (para 12)

Chinese bidder refuses to pay for artefacts Intermediate 7

Wang Weiming, one of the heads of China’s Lost Cultural Relics Recovery Programme – the foundation which Cai advises – said she was “not sure” if or when the bronzes would return to China. “These national treasures are probably still in France,” Wang said. “We’ll have to see how the situation develops.”

8

The rabbit and rat heads were part of an elaborate fountain which stood in the Yuanmingyuan, the imperial summer residence, until it was destroyed and looted by French and British troops in 1860.

9

The destruction of the Old Summer Palace still annoys many people. Pierre Bergé – Yves Saint Laurent’s partner and co-owner of a huge art collection – further upset Chinese patriots when he offered to return the relics without charge if China would “give the Tibetans back their freedom”.

Art collector says bidding for treasures belonging to late fashion designer was act of patriotism Tania Branigan in Beijing March 2, 2009

3 The Chinese government warned that the sale would affect auctioneer Christie’s development in China, and even the action movie star Jackie Chan described the auction as ‘shameful’. Even though a French court ruled that the auction was legal, Beijing argued that the sculptures should be returned to China. 4 Today, the argument took a fresh twist as Cai Mingchao, an adviser to a Chinese foundation which seeks to retrieve stolen treasures, told a news conference that he was the collector who won the auction. 5 “This money cannot be paid,” he said and described his bid as a patriotic act. “I think any Chinese person would have done the same thing at that moment. I was simply fulfilling my responsibilities.” 6 Christie’s had no immediate comment and could not confirm Cai as the bidder, the spokeswoman Yvonne So told the Associated Press. She said that if a bidder couldn’t or wouldn’t pay, Christie’s usually worked with the buyer and seller to find a solution. The auction house and the French courts said the legal ownership of the pieces had been clearly confirmed.

10 One Chinese expert said the objects were overpriced. Luo Zhewen, the chairman of the Cultural Artefact Association, told Shanghai’s Oriental Morning Post that the two heads were worth less than 1m Yuan (£103,000). “More than that and the buyer should realize that he’s been cheated.” 11 He claimed their real value was as “criminal evidence” of the destruction of the palace, saying that they were coarsely made compared with other imperial artefacts. “These days, they can be easily manufactured at small factories in Beijing or Guangzhou,” he said. 12 Five of the other fountain heads have been bought by Chinese business figures and repatriated, while experts fear the other five may have been destroyed. Christie’s three-day sale of Saint Laurent’s art collection earned a total of more than €373m.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Chinese bidder refuses to pay for artefacts / Intermediate


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2 The relics were sold in Paris last week, to the anger of many people in China. The telephone bidder paid €31m (£27m) for the two bronze sculptures.


1 A Chinese bidder who bought two sculptures owned by the late fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent at a controversial auction has said he will not pay for the treasures, which were looted from a Beijing palace during the opium wars.

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Chinese bidder refuses to pay for Yves Saint Laurent-owned artefacts

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Level 2


Intermediate

3 Comprehension check: A summary Are the sentences true (T) or false (F) according to the article? Correct any sentences that are false. 1. The artefacts were stolen by Chinese troops in the Opium wars. 2. The Opium wars took place in the mid-eighteenth century. 3. The bronze sculptures were part of a fountain in a palace. 4. All the heads from the sculpture have now been returned. 5. YSL’s partner offered to return the bronzes to China for free if China allows freedom in Tibet. 6. The Chinese accepted Pierre Bergé’s offer. 7. A Chinese artefact expert said the bronzes are worth €373m. 8. French courts ruled that YSL was the lawful owner of the sculptures. 9. The bidder cannot pay for the sculptures. 10. The auction house is trying to find a solution to the situation.

4 Role play: A solution-finding meeting In the article, Yvonne So said that the auction house usually works with the buyer and seller to find a solution. Below is a similar (imaginary) situation in which a valuable artefact has been sold at an auction.

2. private collector

3. adviser to the government

You are the Chair of the meeting. You need to make sure that there is a satisfactory solution to the problem and that your auction house doesn’t lose money or its good reputation.

You were the highest bidder at the auction. You believe you are now the owner of the artefact. You plan to keep the artefact in your private collection where it will be safe.

The artefact originally came from your country and you think it should be returned for free. It was taken from a palace by foreign archaeologists. It is said that many slaves died whilst building the palace.

4. director of a museum

5. seller

6. another role / wild card

You believe that the artefacts should be kept in a museum for everybody to see. You know that the artefacts will be safe in your museum.

The artefact has been in your family for many years. Unfortunately you now have to sell it. You need the money to repair the roof of your large country home.

This is a wild card. You can bring in a further point of view using this role card. Who are you? What is your opinion?

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1. auction house representative


Divide these role cards up among groups of four to six students (cards 1-4 are essential, 5 and 6 are optional). Take a few minutes to make notes about what you want to say and then have a meeting. Set a time limit. Your aim is to find a solution that is acceptable to as many people as possible. The auction house representative is the Chair of the meeting.


Intermediate

5 Discussion Have you ever placed a bid in an auction? Was it in an auction house or online or somewhere else? What did you bid for? Did you win the auction?

6 Webquest

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•


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© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Chinese bidder refuses to pay for artefacts / Intermediate

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What can you find out about these other artefacts from around the world? Where are they now and where did they come from?


Intermediate

KEY 2 Key words 1. bidder 2. artefact 3. late 4. controversial 5. looted 6. relics 7. foundation 8. patriotic 9. coarsely 10. repatriated

3 Comprehension check: A summary

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1. F 2. F 3. T 4. F 5. T 6. F 7. F 8. T 9. T 10. T

New York store gives away goods for free Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. goods transaction

launch throng

proviso browse

utopian packed

replenish veteran

1. A ___________________ is the action or process of buying or selling something. 2. A ___________________ is a condition attached to an agreement. 3. A ___________________ is someone who was in the armed forces, especially during a war. 4. ___________________ are objects that are produced for sale. 5. If a place is ___________________, it is extremely crowded (informal). 6. A ___________________ is someone who believes that the world can be perfect. 7. If you ___________________ something, you make it full again by replacing what has been used. 8. To ___________________ a business means to start it. 9. If people ___________________ somewhere, a lot of them go there. 10. To ___________________ means to look at things in a shop without being sure whether you want to buy something.

2

What do you know?

Decide whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F). Then check your answers in the text. 1. The site of the Twin Towers destroyed on 9/11 is known as Ground Hero. 2. Haight-Ashbury is a district of San Francisco. 3. Wall Street is in Brooklyn, New York. 4. The movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s starred Audrey Hepburn. 5. The words ‘Free Store’ usually mean the opposite.

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6. ‘Disaster tourists’ are people who cause damage to the environment through their travelling.

New York store gives away goods for free Advanced

Don’t pay as you go: New York store gives away goods for free

welcome to take whatever they liked, with the only proviso being that they felt they “needed it”. Each transaction was noted in their records and the customer given a receipt as they would be in any money-based shop.

3 Last week it traded a variety of goods, from kids’ dresses and art supplies, to DVDs, posters, postcards and a dauntingly large stained-glass ceiling fitting. The shop is the creation of two artists, Athena Robles and Anna Stein, who have launched it with the help of a $9,000 grant from a local cultural body and the September 11 fund. They began planning it 18 months ago but believe the timing of its opening now is singularly appropriate. “It’s a certain time in history in this country when people really need to help each other out.”

Richard, a travel agent who works in Wall Street, chose a large framed photograph of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. “It’s a great time to be cheering people up with gifts, and why not?” he said. “We’ve bailed out the car companies, we’ve bailed out the banks, so it’s nice to get something back for once.” Kevin walked away with a free copy of a book called Great Sex Trips. So why did he feel he needed a book with a title like that? “Why not? There’s always something to be learned.”

6

Robles and Stein based their idea for the shop on the free stores that cropped up in San Francisco and New York in 1967. They were set up by the hippy group the Diggers, themselves named after the 17th century English agrarian utopians of the same name. In San Francisco, the Diggers set up two shops in the Haight-Ashbury district called Free Frame of Reference and Trip Without A Ticket. There, returning Vietnam veterans would exchange their uniforms for tie-dyed clothes and feed themselves on vegetable soup known as Digger Stew. The Diggers went so far as to set up free hospitals for those who did not have insurance, not to mention free concerts with bands such as the Grateful Dead.

7

Stein and Robles don’t claim to have as expansive ambitions as the 1960s Diggers, and their project leans more towards the artistic, where the Diggers were political and rebellious. But they do plan to keep the store open until the end of March, replenishing the free items with donations from people who use the shop. “When we started I was terrified we would run out of stuff,” Robles said. “But after two days that’s no longer a worry as people are bringing in bagfuls of lovely things.”

4 Within five minutes of the store opening its doors on Friday, it was packed to overflowing with ‘shoppers’ browsing through its T-shirts, woolly scarves, baskets and pair of black riding boots. Robles and Stein explained that they were

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / New York store gives away goods for free / Advanced


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2 It is a shop front in Nassau Street, a couple of blocks away from Wall Street, that would be utterly forgettable were it not for the two words stamped across its glass: Free Store. In the age of postmodern advertising, slogans like ‘free store’ usually mean the opposite – they are probably being used to market hyper-exclusive shops selling nothing under $1,000. But in this case free store is precisely what it says. Every item on offer inside the small shop is free. Anyone off the street can browse through its goods, select an item, and if they think they need it, walk out with it utterly without charge.

5


1 In recent months downtown Manhattan has seen a new pastime – you might call it ‘disaster tourism’. Every day thousands of people throng its narrow streets, attracted to Ground Zero rising slowly out of the ashes of 9/11. This week, though, visitors expecting to experience terrorist and economic catastrophe at close range have been amazed to stumble on something far more positive, even joyful, just around the corner.

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Ed Pilkington in New York 16 March, 2009

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Level 3

New York store gives away goods for free Level 3

Advanced

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. What is the difference between the project started by Stein and Robles and that of the Diggers in the 1960s? a. The Diggers were more artistic. b. Stein and Robles are artistic rather than political and rebellious. c. The Diggers didn’t stock clothes in their free stores. 2. Why do so many tourists visit the part of Manhattan where the free store is located? a. To get free clothes and other items. b. To look at the site of 9/11 and the site of the economic catastrophe. c. To find something more positive and joyful. 3. What is the main similarity between the free store and a money-based shop? a. People can only have things if they need them. b. The free store sells a variety of goods. c. The free store issues receipts. 4. Where do Stein and Robles get the items they stock in their store? a. They buy them in cheap stores. b. People bring in bagfuls of stuff. c. At the local market.

4 Find the word Look in the text and find the following words and phrases. The paragraph number will help you. 1. A three-word expression meaning from a very short distance. (para 1) 2. An adverb meaning completely. (para 2) 3. An adverb meaning exactly. (para 2) 4. An adverb meaning in a way that makes you worried because it will be difficult or dangerous to do. (para 3) 5. An adverb meaning in a noticeable way. (para 3) 6. An adjective meaning relating to or involving farming or farmers. (para 6) 7. A two-word adjective meaning with unusual patterns made by tying the cloth before it is dyed. (para 6)

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8. An adjective meaning including many things or a large area. (para 7)


Advanced

5 Phrasal verbs Match the verbs from the text with their meanings. 1. bail out

a. tend to choose or support something

2. crop up

b. find something by accident

3. cheer up

c. leave a place

4. lean towards

d. make someone feel less sad

5. stumble on

e. help an organization that is having financial problems

6. walk away

f. appear or happen suddenly or unexpectedly

6 Word building Complete the sentences using the correct form of the words in brackets. 1. It was an ________________ experience. I will always remember it! [FORGET] 2. People looked at the store window in ________________. [AMAZE] 3. Please can you give me a ________________. [RECEIVE] 4. In the article the Diggers are described as being ________________. [REBEL] 5. Frame of ________________ means the set of principles you base your behaviour or attitudes on. [REFER] 6. The founders of the free store believe the ________________ of its opening is highly appropriate. [TIME]

7 Discussion

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Do you think a project like this would work in your town or city? Why? Why not?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. transaction 2. proviso 3. veteran 4. goods 5. packed 6. utopian 7. replenish 8. launch 9. throng 10. browse

1. at close range 2. utterly 3. precisely 4. dauntingly 5. singularly 6. agrarian 7. tie-dyed 8. expansive

2 What do you know?

1. e 2. f 3. d 4. a 5. b 6. c

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / New York store gives away goods for free / Advanced

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1. b 2. b 3. c 4. b

1. unforgettable 2. amazement 3. receipt 4. rebellious 5. reference 6. timing

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6 Word building


1. F 2. T 3. F 4. T 5. T 6. F

5 Phrasal verbs


Elementary

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. catastrophe grant

amazed browse

packed goods

launch gift

transaction slogan

1. A __________________ is something that you give to someone as a present. 2. A __________________ is an event that causes a lot of damage or makes a lot of people suffer. 3. A __________________ is the action or process of buying or selling something. 4. __________________ are objects that are produced for sale. 5. If a place is __________________, it is very crowded. 6. A __________________ is a short phrase used for advertising something. 7. If you are __________________, you feel very surprised. 8. To __________________ a business means to start it. 9. A __________________ is an amount of money given to you by the government or an organization for a specific purpose. 10. To __________________ means to look at things in a shop without being sure whether you want to buy something.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. Where are Ground Zero and Wall St? 2. Where is the New York free store located? 3. How much do items in the free store cost? 4. How much did the founders of the free store get as a grant? 5. When did the founders of the store start planning the project?

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NEWS LESSONS / New York store gives away goods for free / Elementary

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6. When did free stores appear in San Francisco?


Elementary

Don’t pay as you go: New York store gives away goods for free Ed Pilkington in New York 16 March, 2009 1 Every day for the past few months thousands of people have crowded into the narrow streets of downtown Manhattan. Some people describe them as ‘disaster tourists’ because they have come to look at Ground Zero, the site of the 9/11 attacks, or to look at Wall St, where the current financial crisis began. This week, though, visitors expecting to take a close look at terrorist and economic catastrophe have been amazed to find something far more positive just around the corner. 2 It is a shop front in Nassau Street, a couple of blocks away from Wall Street, that would be completely ordinary without the two words on the shop window: Free Store. These days, slogans like ‘free store’ usually mean the opposite – they are often used to market exclusive shops that sell nothing cheaper than $1,000. But in this case free store means exactly what it says. Every item on offer inside the small shop is free. Anyone can come in off the street and browse through its goods, select an item and, if they think they need it, walk out with it completely free of charge.

customer a receipt just like in any normal shop. 5

Richard, a travel agent who works in Wall Street, chose a large framed photograph of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. “It’s a great time to make people happy by giving them gifts, and why not?” he said. “The government has given money to the car companies and the banks, so it’s nice to get something back for once.” Kevin walked away with a free copy of a book called Great Sex Trips. So why did he think he needed a book with a title like that? “Why not? You can always learn something.”

6

Robles and Stein got the idea for the shop from the free stores that appeared in San Francisco and New York in 1967. They were set up by the hippy group the Diggers. In San Francisco, the Diggers set up two shops in the Haight-Ashbury district. In these shops, men returning from the war in Vietnam exchanged their uniforms for hippy clothes and ate vegetable soup known as Digger Stew. The Diggers even set up free hospitals for those who did not have insurance, as well as free concerts.

7

Stein and Robles don’t have the same kind of ambitions as the 1960s Diggers, and their project is more artistic, where the Diggers were more political. But they are planning to keep the store open until the end of March. “When we started I was worried we would run out of stuff,” Robles said. “But after two days that’s no longer a worry because people are bringing in bagfuls of lovely things.”

3 Last week it sold a variety of goods, from kids’ dresses and art supplies, to DVDs, posters and postcards. The shop is the idea of two artists, Athena Robles and Anna Stein, who launched it with the help of a $9,000 grant from a local cultural body and the September 11 fund. They began planning it 18 months ago but believe it is opening at the right time. “It’s a certain time in history in this country when people really need to help each other out.”


O •P H


CA



4 Five minutes after the store opened on Friday, it was packed with ‘shoppers’ browsing through its T-shirts, scarves, baskets and boots. Robles and Stein explained that people could take whatever they wanted. The only condition was that they thought they “needed it”. They wrote down each transaction in their records and gave the


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Correct the mistakes in these sentences. 1. The free store has a three-word slogan on its window. 2. The shop is the idea of two businesswomen. 3. Five hours after the shop opened on Friday, it was packed with shoppers. 4. Robles and Stein gave each customer a plastic bag. 5. They got the idea for the shop from the free stores that appeared in San Francisco in the 1970s. 6. They are planning to keep the store open until the end of May.

4 Chunks Rearrange the words to make phrases from the text. 1. of end March until the 2. blocks a away of couple Wall St from 3. months every for the few day past 4. the around corner just 5. of free charge completely 6. $9,000 help a of the grant with

5 Prepositions Complete the phrases from the text using prepositions. 1. take a look _______ 2. free _______ charge 3. a variety _______ goods 4. packed _______ shoppers 5. _______ the right time 6. _______ the end of March 7. _______ this case

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8. come in _______ the street


Elementary

6 Word stress Divide these words from the text into two groups according to their stress.

A

0o

slogan receipt

B

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / New York store gives away goods for free / Elementary

select district

project exchange

o0

H

amazed explain

•P

crisis certain


thousands supplies


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words

4 Chunks

1. gift 2. catastrophe 3. transaction 4. goods 5. packed 6. slogan 7. amazed 8. launch 9. grant 10. browse

1. until the end of March 2. a couple of blocks away from Wall St 3. every day for the past few months 4. just around the corner 5. completely free of charge 6. with the help of a $9,000 grant

6 Word stress

1. The free store has a two-word slogan on its window. 2. The shop is the idea of two artists. 3. Five minutes after the shop opened on Friday, it was packed with shoppers. 4. Robles and Stein gave each customer a receipt. 5. They got the idea for the shop from the free stores that appeared in San Francisco in the 1960s. 6. They are planning to keep the store open until the end of March.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / New York store gives away goods for free / Elementary

A

0o thousands crisis slogan project certain district

B

o0 amazed select supplies explain receipt exchange

H


•P

1. Manhattan (New York) 2. Nassau St (Manhattan) 3. nothing (they are free) 4. $9,000 5. 18 months ago 6. 1967

1. at 2. of 3. of 4. with 5. at 6. until 7. in 8. off



5 Prepositions


Intermediate

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. transaction goods

browse catastrophe

packed amazed

veteran grant

launch slogan

1. A noun meaning objects that are produced for sale: __________________. 2. A __________________ is a short phrase used for advertising something. 3. If you are __________________, you feel extremely surprised. 4. To __________________ a business means to start it. 5. A __________________ is an amount of money given to you by the government or an organization for a specific purpose. 6. To __________________ means to look at things in a shop without being sure whether you want to buy something. 7. A __________________ is an event that causes a lot of damage or makes a lot of people suffer. 8. A __________________ is the action or process of buying or selling something. 9. A __________________ is someone who was in the armed forces, especially during a war. 10. If a place is __________________, it is extremely crowded (informal).

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How much money did the ‘Free Store’ get as a grant? 2. When did free stores appear in San Francisco? 3. Where is the New York free store located? 4. When did the founders of the store start planning the project? 5. Who starred in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s?

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / New York store gives away goods for free / Intermediate

CA



6. What was ‘Digger Stew’?


Intermediate

Don’t pay as you go: New York store gives away goods for free Ed Pilkington in New York 16 March, 2009

it”. They noted down each transaction in their records and gave the customer a receipt as in any money-based shop. 5

Richard, a travel agent who works in Wall Street, chose a large framed photograph of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. “It’s a great time to be cheering people up with gifts, and why not?” he said. “The government has given money to the car companies and the banks, so it’s nice to get something back for once.” Kevin walked away with a free copy of a book called Great Sex Trips. So why did he feel he needed a book with a title like that? “Why not? There’s always something to be learned.”

6

Robles and Stein based their idea for the shop on the free stores that appeared in San Francisco and New York in 1967. They were set up by the hippy group the Diggers. In San Francisco, the Diggers set up two shops in the Haight-Ashbury district. There, returning Vietnam veterans exchanged their uniforms for hippy clothes and ate vegetable soup known as Digger Stew. The Diggers even set up free hospitals for those who did not have insurance, not to mention free concerts.

7

Stein and Robles don’t have the same kind of ambitions as the 1960s Diggers, and their project is more artistic, where the Diggers were political and rebellious. But they do plan to keep the store open until the end of March, replenishing the free items with gifts from people who use the shop. “When we started I was worried we would run out of stuff,” Robles said. “But after two days that’s no longer a worry because people are bringing in bagfuls of lovely things.”

1 In recent months downtown Manhattan has seen a new phenomenon – you might call it ‘disaster tourism’. Every day thousands of people crowd into its narrow streets, attracted to Ground Zero rising slowly out of the ashes of 9/11. This week, though, visitors expecting to take a close look at terrorist and economic catastrophe have been amazed to find something far more positive just around the corner. 2 It is a shop front in Nassau Street, a couple of blocks away from Wall Street, that would be completely ordinary without the two words on the shop window: Free Store. These days slogans like ‘free store’ usually mean the opposite – they are probably being used to market hyperexclusive shops selling nothing under $1,000. But in this case free store is precisely what it says. Every item on offer inside the small shop is free. Anyone can come in off the street and browse through its goods, select an item and, if they think they need it, walk out with it completely free of charge. 3 Last week it traded a variety of goods, from kids’ dresses and art supplies, to DVDs, posters, postcards and a huge stained-glass ceiling fitting. The shop is the creation of two artists, Athena Robles and Anna Stein, who launched it with the help of a $9,000 grant from a local cultural body and the September 11 fund. They began planning it 18 months ago but believe the timing of its opening now is very appropriate. “It’s a certain time in history in this country when people really need to help each other out.”


O •P H


CA



4 Within five minutes of the store opening its doors on Friday, it was packed with ‘shoppers’ browsing through its T-shirts, woolly scarves, baskets and boots. Robles and Stein explained that they were welcome to take whatever they liked, with the only condition being that they felt they “needed


Intermediate

3 Comprehension check Are these sentences true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. Thousands of tourists visit Ground Zero every day. 2. The free store sells nothing under $1,000. 3. The free store only stocks clothes. 4. Shoppers have to feel that they need something before they can take it. 5. The timing of the shop’s opening is appropriate because it is a time of recession. 6. The free store is the first free store in American history.

4 Find the word Look in the text and find the following words and phrases. The paragraph number will help you. 1. A noun meaning the distance along a city street from where one road crosses it to the next road. (para 2) 2. A prefix meaning more than usual or normal. (para 2) 3. An adverb meaning exactly. (para 2) 4. A plural noun meaning pieces of cloth you wear around your neck. (para 4) 5. A phrasal verb meaning to write so you have a record of something. (para 4) 6. A phrasal verb meaning to make someone less sad. (para 5) 7. A three-word expression used for adding a comment that emphasizes the main idea of what you have already said. (para 6) 8. An adjective meaning opposing authority or the accepted rules of society. (para 7)

5 Word building Complete the sentences using the correct form of the words in brackets. 1. Every customer is given a __________________. [RECEIVE] 2. There were free hospitals for people who did not have __________________. [INSURE] 3. Stein and Robles are not as __________________ as the Diggers. [AMBITION] 4. They believe their project is more __________________. [ART] 5. They were __________________ they would run out of stuff. [WORRY]

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6. The shop is the __________________ of two artists. [CREATE]


Intermediate

6 Words followed by prepositions Complete the phrases from the text using prepositions. 1. attracted _______ 2. take a look _______ 3. free _______ charge 4. with the help _______ 5. packed _______ 6. base an idea _______ 7. exchange something _______ 8. until the end _______ March

7 Discussion What do you think of this idea? What are its advantages and disadvantages? What new things do you

H


•P



really need?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. goods 2. slogan 3. amazed 4. launch 5. grant 6. browse 7. catastrophe 8. transaction 9. veteran 10. packed

1. block 2. hyper3. precisely 4. scarves 5. note down 6. cheer up 7. not to mention 8. rebellious


1. receipt 2. insurance 3. ambitious 4. artistic 5. worried 6. creation

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / New York store gives away goods for free / Intermediate

H

1. T 2. F 3. F 4. T 5. T 6. F

1. to 2. at 3. of 4. of 5. with 6. on 7. for 8. of

•P




1. $9,000 2. 1967 3. Nassau St (Manhattan) 4. 18 months ago 5. Audrey Hepburn 6. vegetable soup

5 Word building

Halve emissions from cars by 2050, auto industry told Level 3 1

Advanced


What type of car do you drive? What is its fuel consumption – around town / on the motorway? If you had the money, what kind of new car would you buy next?

2

Key words

Fill the gaps with these words from the article.

initiative consortium valve offset subsidize take a swipe emissions interim ailing protagonist caution (v) low-carbon economy

1. Substances that go into the air. ___________________ 2. A group of companies or people with similar interests or aims who have agreed to work together. ___________________ 3. An important action that is intended to solve a problem. ___________________ 4. To balance the effect of something, with the result that there is no advantage or disadvantage. ___________________ 5. An ___________________ organization or economy is neither strong nor successful. 6. A country that produces a minimal output of C0². ___________________ 7. Something that is ___________________ is intended to last or perform an activity only until something permanent or final is available. 8. A ___________________ is one of the main people or groups involved in an argument. 9. To tell someone about a danger or problem that they need to know about or avoid. ___________________ 10. The part of a machine or piece of equipment that opens and closes in order to control the flow of air or liquid. ___________________ 11. A way of saying to criticize someone. ___________________

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NEWS LESSONS / Halve emissions from cars by 2050, auto industry told / Advanced

CA



12. To pay some of the cost of goods or services so that they can be sold to other people at a lower price. ___________________

Halve emissions from cars by 2050, auto industry told Advanced

Halve emissions from cars by 2050, auto industry told 8

Based on emission levels in new cars built in 2005, the scheme sets interim targets to be achieved by 2020 and 2030 in line with those set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It comes with the claim that it could cut global oil import bills by more than $300 billion a year by 2025 and by $600 billion by 2050.

9

The protagonists insisted that it should begin now because of the crisis in the car industry, not despite it. “More than ever, clear signals are needed regarding where vehicle designs and markets should be heading over the coming decades,” they said.

10

But Tanaka cautioned that electric cars fuelled by power from old-style coal-fired plants made no sense or contribution to cutting emissions. “We have first to de-carbonise the power sector and then use new technologies that make a genuine difference.”

11

The initiative came just hours after Fiat launched a new internal combustion engine, both petrol and diesel, that, it claimed, could cut emissions by at least 10% and produce 10% more power. The “Multiair” engine, to be used initially in Alfa Romeo’s Mito supermini car, directly controls air through the intake engine valves.

12

Alfredo Altavilla, head of Fiat Powertrain Technologies, said the turbo version in small cars could be 25% more fuel-efficient and reduce emissions by the same proportion – making the Mito one of the first models to emit less than 80g per km.

13

He took a swipe at rival manufacturers such as Toyota, which have placed huge investments in hybrids, electric vehicles and alternative fuels. “It makes no sense to put engines on the market which cost thousands more than conventional engines and hope someone will subsidise these exotic technologies. What we’re doing is reducing consumption and emissions but remaining affordable.” But he refused to set a price for the new engine or the car.

1 The global auto industry and governments were today set a target of halving emissions from cars by 2050 by an international agency consortium which includes the UN. 2 The number of cars on the world’s roads is forecast to have tripled by then, as billions in developing countries take to the roads. The aim of the “50 by 50” initiative, launched at the annual motor show in Geneva, is to offset that growth with improved fuel efficiency to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions at their current levels. 3 “We’re not saying that nobody can have a car,” said Jack Short, of the International Transport Forum, one of the consortium members. “We have not set a ceiling here, but a floor,” added Achim Steiner, executive director of the UN Environment Programme. 4 Nobuo Tanaka, executive director of the International Energy Agency, said the target could be achieved with existing technologies, including electric vehicles, hybrids and hydrogen fuel cellpowered cars, as well as with more fuel-efficient internal combustion engines. 5 The consortium is already in talks with governments and auto industry executives about its initiative which, it says, should be started at once – and be integrated into financial support for the ailing industry. 6 “This is a building-block towards making the transport sector part of the solution towards a low-carbon economy,” Short said. “The era of cheap oil is simply over and government policy to accommodate this change must include setting fuel standards,” added Tanaka, saying transport accounted for a quarter of global emissions. 7 The consortium, which also includes the FIA Foundation, claims the programme could save six billion barrels of oil and two gigatonnes of CO² a


© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Halve emissions from cars by 2050, auto industry told / Advanced

H

David Gow in Geneva March 4, 2009

•P

Consortium claims ‘50 by 50’ initiative could save equivalent of half EU’s current C0² emissions

year, equivalent to half the total current emissions of the EU.


Level 3

Halve emissions from cars by 2050, auto industry told Level 3

Advanced

3 Comprehension check Choose the correct answer according to the information in the article. 1. How many agencies and groups, who are members of the consortium, are mentioned in the article? a) 5

4. Worldwide, the auto industry is currently ... a) ... experiencing difficulties. b) ... in a boom phase.

b) 7

c) ... stagnant.

c) 9 2. What does the programme want to save? a) $300 billion a year. b) 10% of the current emissions. c) Two gigatonnes of CO² a year.

5. Fiat’s new “Multiair” engine is ... a) ... an improved internal combustion engine. b) ... a hybrid. c) ... electrically driven.

3. Nobuo Tanaka thinks this can be achieved by ... a) ... raising fuel prices. b) ... refining existing technologies. c) ... inventing new technologies.

4 Vocabulary Match the trend words with the information they are connected with in the article, then summarise the article using this information as a basis. 1. halve

two gigatonnes of CO²

2. triple

fuel efficient

3. save

emissions by 10%

4. cut

emissions

5. reduce

number of cars

6. 25% more

oil import bills

5 Discussion Do you think that changing engines in the cars we drive is the best way to try to halve emissions? Why / why not? What other ways can you think of for your country to become a low-carbon economy?

6 Webquest


O


•P H

electric vehicles hybrid vehicles hydrogen fuel cell-powered cars Multiair engine

CA

• • • •


Choose one of the following, conduct some Internet research and present an overview of your findings to the class.

Halve emissions from cars by 2050, auto industry told Level 3 Advanced KEY 2 Key words 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

emissions consortium initiative offset ailing low-carbon economy interim protagonist caution (v) valve take a swipe subsidize

3 Comprehension check 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

b c b a a

4 Vocabulary halve emissions triple number of cars save two gigatonnes of CO² cut oil import bills reduce emissions by 10% 25% more fuel efficient

H


•P



1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.


Elementary


What type of car do you drive? Or what type of car would you like to drive? How much fuel does it need (litres per 100km) – around town / on the motorway? How much money do you spend on fuel every month?

2

Key words

Fill the gaps with these words from the article. The paragraph numbers will help you. designs initiative emissions save achieve consortium reduce

efficient triple

1. Substances that go into the air. ___________________. (title) 2. A group of companies or people with similar interests or aims who have agreed to work together. ___________________ (sub-title) 3. To increase something so it is three times bigger than before. ___________________ (para 2) 4. An important action that is intended to solve a problem. ___________________ (para 2) 5. Something that is ___________________ works well and produces good results for little money, time or effort. (para 3) 6. To use less of something such as money, time or energy, or to use less of it. ___________________ (para 6) 7. To succeed in doing or having what you planned. ___________________ (para 7) 8. The process of deciding how something will be made, including how it will work and what it will look like. ___________________ (para 8)

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NEWS LESSONS / Halve emissions from cars by 2050, auto industry told / Elementary

CA



9. To make something smaller or less in size, amount, importance, etc. ___________________ (para 11)


Elementary

Halve emissions from cars by 2050, auto industry told

the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The initiative could cut global oil bills by more than $300 billion a year by 2025 and by $600 billion by 2050.

David Gow in Geneva March 4, 2009 1 The global auto industry and governments have been told to cut CO² emissions from cars in half by 2050. The target was set by an international agency consortium which includes the UN. 2 Billions of new drivers in developing countries such as India mean that the number of cars on the world’s roads will triple by 2050. The aim of the “50 by 50” initiative, which was introduced at the annual motor show in Geneva, is to make the new cars on the roads more fuel efficient. 3 Nobuo Tanaka, the executive director of the International Energy Agency, said that it would be possible to halve CO² emissions using technologies that are available at the moment, for example, electric vehicles, hybrids and hydrogen fuel cell-powered cars, as well as with more fuel-efficient internal combustion engines. 4 The consortium is already talking with governments and auto industry executives about its initiative which, it says, should begin immediately. They say that the initiative should be a part of the financial help governments are currently giving the automotive industry. 5 “The time of cheap oil is simply over and governments must set fuel standards when they make new policies,” added Tanaka, who also said that a quarter of all global emissions came from vehicles.

8

The consortium said that the initiative should begin now because of the crisis in the car industry. They said that clear signals are needed to show where vehicle designs and markets should go in the future.

9

But Tanaka said that electric cars fuelled by coal power made no sense. “We have to use new technologies that make a real difference.”

10

The initiative came just hours after Fiat introduced a new internal combustion engine, both petrol and diesel, that, Fiat claimed, could cut emissions by at least 10% and produce 10% more power. The “Multiair” engine, which will be used at first in Alfa Romeo’s Mito supermini car, directly controls air through the intake engine valves.

11

Alfredo Altavilla, head of Fiat Powertrain Technologies, said the turbo version in small cars could be 25% more fuel-efficient and reduce emissions by the same amount.

12

He criticized other car manufacturers such as Toyota, which have invested large amounts of money in hybrids, electric vehicles and alternative fuels. “It makes no sense to put engines on the market which cost thousands more than normal engines. What we’re doing is reducing consumption and emissions but staying affordable.” © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 04/03/09

6 The consortium, which also includes the FIA Foundation, says that the programme could save six billion barrels of oil and two gigatonnes of CO² a year. That is the same as half the EU’s total current CO² emissions.

H


•P



7 The scheme sets targets which the auto industry should achieve by 2020 and 2030. This is necessary in order to reach the standards set by


Elementary

3 Comprehension check: Find the information Complete the mind map with the information below. International Energy Agency hydrogen fuel cell-powered cars Multiair engine Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) electric vehicles save 60bn barrels of oil a year FIA Foundation Fiat reduce CO² emissions by 50%

Toyota

UN

International Agency Consortium Members

Car manufacturers mentioned News article summary

What the “50 by 50” initiative aims to do

Types of car (technology) hybrids

4 Grammar: If sentences (conditional type 2) Decide whether you agree or disagree with the statements. Discuss your opinions with a partner. Countries could reduce their CO² emissions if they: •

made fewer cars.

I agree / I disagree

•

made cars with different engines.


•

improved the train and bus services.


Look at the sentences again and discuss how you write this kind of structure. Use these terms: modal verb, comma, if, past simple, ...

5 Webquest Choose one of the following, do some Internet research and present the basic facts and / or a simple diagram to the other students.

O


•P H



electric vehicles hybrid vehicles hydrogen fuel cell-powered cars Multiair engine

CA

• • • •

Halve emissions from cars by 2050, auto industry told Level 1 Elementary KEY 2 Key words 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

emissions consortium triple initiative efficient save achieve designs reduce

3 Comprehension check: Find the information

International Energy Agency

Car manufacturers mentioned

News article summary



reduce CO² emissions by 50% save 60bn barrels of oil a year

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Halve emissions from cars by 2050, auto industry told / Elementary

electric vehicles

Multiair engine

hydrogen fuel cell-powered cars

H


Toyota

Fiat

•P

UN

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)


FIA Foundation


Intermediate


What type of car do you drive? What is its average fuel consumption – around town / on the motorway? If you had enough money to buy whatever kind of car you want, which would you buy?

2

Key words

Fill the gaps with these words from the article. The paragraph numbers will help you. integrate consortium

initiative fuel

efficient launch

offset emissions

1. Substances that go into the air. ___________________ (title) 2. A group of companies or people with similar interests or aims who have agreed to work together. ___________________ (sub-title) 3. An important action that is intended to solve a problem. ___________________ (para 2) 4. To start selling a new product or service. ___________________ (para 2) 5. To balance the effect of something, with the result that there is no advantage or disadvantage. ___________________ (para 2) 6. Petrol or diesel used in vehicles. ___________________ (para 2) 7. Something that is ___________________ works well and produces good results for little money, time or effort. (para 3) 8. To connect or combine two or more things so that together they form an effective unit or system. ___________________ (para 4) conventional valve subsidize low-carbon economy alternative

power plant import

9. A country that produces a low output of C0². ___________________ (para 5) 10. To buy a product and bring it into your country. ___________________ (para 7) 11. Another word for a power station; a place that makes energy. ___________________ (para 9) 12. The part of a machine or piece of equipment that opens and closes in order to control the flow of air or liquid. ___________________ (para 10) 13. Different from something else and able to be used instead of it. ___________________ (para 12) 14. Something that is usual, traditional or accepted, instead of new and different is ___________________. (para 12)

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Halve emissions from cars by 2050, auto industry told / Intermediate

CA



15. To pay some of the cost of goods or services so that they can be sold to other people at a lower price. ___________________ (para 12)

Halve emissions from cars by 2050, auto industry told Intermediate 7

Based on emission levels in new cars built in 2005, the scheme sets targets which should be achieved by 2020 and 2030 in order to reach standards that have been set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The initiative could cut global oil import bills by more than $300 billion a year by 2025 and by $600 billion by 2050.

8

The consortium insists that the initiative should begin now because of the crisis in the car industry. They said that clear signals are needed regarding where vehicle designs and markets should be heading in the future.

9

But Tanaka warned that electric cars fuelled by power from old-style coal-fired power plants made no sense. “We have to use new technologies that make a genuine difference.”

10

The initiative came just hours after Fiat launched a new internal combustion engine, both petrol and diesel, that, Fiat claimed, could cut emissions by at least 10% and produce 10% more power. The “Multiair” engine, which will be used at first in Alfa Romeo’s Mito supermini car, directly controls air through the intake engine valves.

11

Alfredo Altavilla, head of Fiat Powertrain Technologies, said the turbo version in small cars could be 25% more fuel-efficient and reduce emissions by the same amount – making the Mito one of the first models to emit less than 80g per km.

12

He criticized other car manufacturers such as Toyota, which have invested huge amounts of money in hybrids, electric vehicles and alternative fuels. “It makes no sense to put engines on the market which cost thousands more than conventional engines and hope someone will subsidise these exotic technologies. What we’re doing is reducing consumption and emissions but remaining affordable.”

David Gow in Geneva March 4, 2009 1 The global auto industry and governments have been set a target of halving emissions from cars by 2050. The target was set by an international agency consortium which includes the UN. 2 Billions of new drivers in developing countries will cause the number of cars on the world’s roads to triple by 2050. The aim of the “50 by 50” initiative, which was launched at the annual motor show in Geneva, is to offset the increase in cars on the roads with improved fuel efficiency. 3 Nobuo Tanaka, executive director of the International Energy Agency, said the target could be achieved with technologies that are available at the moment, such as, electric vehicles, hybrids and hydrogen fuel cell-powered cars, as well as with more fuel-efficient internal combustion engines. 4 The consortium is already talking with governments and auto industry executives about its initiative which, it says, should be started at once. They say that the initiative should be integrated into the financial support governments are giving the automotive industry. 5 “This is a building-block towards making the transport sector part of the solution towards a low-carbon economy,” Short said. “The time of cheap oil is simply over and governments must set fuel standards when they make new policies.” added Tanaka, who also said that a quarter of global emissions came from transport. 6 The consortium, which also includes the FIA Foundation, claims the programme could save six billion barrels of oil and two gigatonnes of CO² a year, equivalent to half the total current emissions of the EU.


© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Halve emissions from cars by 2050, auto industry told / Intermediate

H

Consortium claims ‘50 by 50’ initiative could save the equivalent of half the EU’s current C0² emissions

•P

Halve emissions from cars by 2050, auto industry told


Level 2


Intermediate

3 Comprehension check: Find the information Complete the mind map with information from the article. Then use the completed mind map to summarize the article. International Energy Agency hydrogen fuel cell-powered cars Multiair engine Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) electric vehicles save 60bn barrels of oil a year FIA Foundation Fiat reduce CO² emissions by 50%

Toyota

UN






4 Vocabulary: Pronunciation Write these words from the article into the table according to their pronunciation pattern. industry developing criticized solution existing technologies director combustion subsidize efficiency environment Can you find any other words in the article with the same pronunciation pattern? Add them to the table.

executive


O



emissions

oOoo

•P H

hydrogen

oOo

CA

Ooo

Halve emissions from cars by 2050, auto industry told Level 2 Intermediate 5 Discussion Do you think that changing types of car engines is the best way to try to halve emissions? Why / why not? Can you think any other ways a country could reduce its CO² emissions?

6 Webquest

•

hybrid vehicles

•


•

Multiair engine

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Halve emissions from cars by 2050, auto industry told / Intermediate

H

electric vehicles

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•


Choose one of the following, do some Internet research and present the basic facts to the other students.

Halve emissions from cars by 2050, auto industry told Level 2 Intermediate KEY 2 Key words 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

emissions consortium initiative launch offset fuel efficient integrate

9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

low-carbon economy import power plant valve alternative conventional subsidize

3 Comprehension check: Find the information FIA Foundation

UN

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)


International Energy Agency





reduce CO² emissions by 50%

Toyota

Fiat

save 60bn barrels of oil a year

electric vehicles

Multiair engine


4 Vocabulary: Pronunciation

H


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Ooo = subsidize criticized industry oOo = director combustion solution existing oOoo = environment developing efficiency technologies

Millions of online pictures map the UK Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. culmination deem

privacy address

thrilled zealous

blur boost

anonymity fleet

1. A _____________________ is a group of vehicles belonging to one organization. 2. _____________________ is a situation in which a person’s name or identity is kept secret. 3. If you _____________________ a problem or a concern, you deal with it. 4. If you _____________________ something to be true, you consider it to be true. 5. To _____________________ means to help something to increase or become more successful. 6. If you are _____________________, you are full of energy and enthusiasm. 7. If a person is _____________________, they are very pleased and excited about something. 8. The _____________________ of a process is its final result. 9. If you _____________________ a picture or an image, you make it difficult to see it clearly. 10. ___________________ is the freedom to do things without other people watching or knowing what you are doing.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How many British cities have been filmed at street level by Google’s new Street View service? 2. How long did the Street View UK project take? 3. How far (how many miles) did the Google Street View cars travel? 4. How does Google Street View guarantee privacy? 5. How can people register their objections to Google Street View?

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Millions of online pictures map the UK / Advanced

CA



6. Can Number 10 Downing Street be seen on Google Street View?

Millions of online pictures map the UK Advanced

The many people caught on a cigarette break outside their offices might disagree. And the man slumped outside a pub in Hoxton Square, north London, might feel he has not been preserved at his absolute best. He seems to have just been sick and is being comforted by a friend who appears to be wearing reindeer antlers on his head.

6

Google has developed sophisticated technology to automatically blur human faces and car number plates to guarantee privacy. If anything, the software may be over-zealous in respecting anonymity: in one picture of a red-brick house in Leeds, the head of a not particularly distinctive floor mop has been obscured. At the bottom of each photograph is a link which people can follow to “report a concern” to Google. “We have got 99.9% of it right,” Parsons said. “But sometimes it does not work completely.”

7

Those who do not wish to be featured or who want their home to be taken off the photographic database can register their objections by filling in an online form.

3 Although the images include millions of residential addresses, people and cars, Google insists that they will respect individual privacy and that “in almost all cases” it will remove pictures deemed to breach privacy or display inappropriate content. Ed Parsons, who is “geospatial technologist” at Google, said: “Street View has been hugely popular with our users in Europe and worldwide and we’re thrilled it’s now available in the UK ... enabling users to see street-level panoramas of major city roads and look up and print out useful driving directions.”

8

Although Parsons said that the images on Street View are the same as the ones people would see if they walked or drove through the area in question, he added: “If people do not want their homes featured we will take them down, or cut them out of the image.

9

“We have a dedicated team whose job is to look at these pictures if there are any concerns. It is something that happens very rarely but nevertheless it is very important for us to have this tool so that the pictures can be easily removed if there are any concerns.”

4 He said the Information Commissioner’s Office had been consulted about privacy concerns – as were police. “We recognize that there have been concerns about [privacy] and we think we have addressed those concerns,” he said. “We have spoken to Scotland Yard and, from a crime

10 He said no government buildings visible from public roads had been left out of the database. This means that 10 Downing Street is not visible, nor is Buckingham Palace. Parsons said this was because of a technical fault with that car, rather than any deliberate intention to give the Queen

Sam Jones and Richard Wray March 20, 2009 1

Some people will see it as the beginning of an Orwellian nightmare, while others will despair at the scenes of debauchery it occasionally reveals. But most of the people who visit Google’s new Street View service will probably do so to discover if they have won a place in online posterity – or to decide whether they can put off repainting the house until next year.

2 The new mapping application, which was launched in the UK yesterday, allows users to enjoy 360-degree views of 25 cities from Southampton to Aberdeen through their computers and mobile phones. Street View UK is the culmination of a year-long project that saw a fleet of specially modified cars driving along 22,369 miles of roads and taking pictures of their surroundings.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Millions of online pictures map the UK / Advanced

O

5

Google captures the nation on film but insists people’s privacy will be respected


point of view, they are happy with it, there are no issues there.”

•P H

Right up your street (and everyone else’s) as millions of online pictures map the UK

CA

Level 3

Millions of online pictures map the UK Level 3

Advanced

more privacy than other Britons. It hopes to put Buckingham Palace on to Street View in the near future. VisitBritain, which has assisted Google in the project, suggested that it might boost tourism. 11 Many of the images that make up the vast mosaic were taken last summer and, viewed today, they give a glimpse of an already vanished British high street. Some of the shops shown have since closed as a result of the economic crisis. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 20/03/09

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. Why is Google Street View controversial? a. Because it plans to show every house on every street at street level. b. Because some people think it is an invasion of privacy. c. Because it is very expensive. 2. What, apart from enabling users to see street-level views of major roads, is the main purpose of Google Street View? a. To enable people to look up and print out driving directions. b. To allow people to decide whether their houses need repainting. c. To catch people taking an illegal cigarette break. 3. What is the attitude of the British police to Google Street View? a. They think it will be useful in detecting crimes. b. They say there are no privacy issues involved. c. They are happy provided people’s faces and car number plates are blurred. 4. Why is Buckingham Palace not featured on Google Street View? a. To protect the Queen’s privacy. b. Because it is not visible from a public road.

O •P H


CA



c. Because there was a technical fault with the car that filmed it.


Advanced

4 Find the word Look in the text and find the following words and phrases. 1. An adjective linked to the novel 1984 that means relating to a political system in which the government controls every aspect of people’s lives. (para 1) 2. A noun meaning behaviour that is considered immoral because it involves a lot of sex, alcohol or illegal drugs. (para 1) 3. A noun meaning the people who will live in the future after you are dead. (para 1) 4. A verb meaning to break a law, rule or agreement. (para 3) 5. An adjective meaning not suitable. (para 3) 6. An adjective meaning sitting still in a position that is not upright. (para 5) 7. A two-word expression meaning an object with a long handle and a mass of thick strings at one end used for washing floors. (para 6) 8. A noun meaning an occasion when you see someone or something for only a moment. (para 11)

5 Phrasal verbs Match the phrasal verbs from the text with their meanings. 1. take down

a. omit

2. cut out

b. find (in a dictionary or a database)

3. put off

c. complete (a form)

4. leave out

d. remove (from a website)

5. look up

e. postpone

6. fill in

f. remove (from an image)

6 Word building Complete the sentences using the correct form of the word in brackets at the end of each sentence. 1. Google Street View is a mapping __________________. [APPLY] 2. The pictures were taken by specially __________________ cars. [MODIFY] 3. Millions of __________________ addresses are included in the pictures. [RESIDENCE] 4. Some people claim it is a breach of __________________. [PRIVATE] 5. Google says that __________________ is guaranteed. [ANONYMOUS] 6. __________________ can be registered by filling in an online form. [OBJECT]

7 Discussion

H


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Discuss the following statement: “There are more and more cameras in the streets, in shops, railway stations and even in pubs. We no longer have any privacy. This is just another example of Big Brother”.


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

25 one year 22,369 miles by blurring human faces and car number plates by filling in an online form No


b a b c

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Millions of online pictures map the UK / Advanced

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

d f e a b c

6 Word building 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

application modified residential privacy anonymity objections

H

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

5 Phrasal verbs

•P


Orwellian debauchery posterity breach inappropriate slumped floor mop glimpse


fleet Anonymity address deem boost zealous thrilled culmination blur Privacy


Elementary

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. panorama sophisticated

privacy inappropriate

thrilled objection

blur visible

address Big Brother

1. If you ______________________ a problem or a concern, you deal with it. 2. If you ______________________ a picture or an image, you make it difficult to see it clearly. 3. ____________________ is the freedom to do things without other people watching or knowing what you are doing. 4. ______________________ is a person or organization that watches people all the time and tries to control what they do. 5. If something is ______________________, you are able to see it. 6. An ______________________ is a statement that shows you disagree with something. 7. If something is ______________________, it is complicated and advanced in design. 8. If a person is ______________________, they are very pleased and excited about something. 9. A ______________________ is a view of a large area of land or sea. 10. If something is ______________________, it is not suitable in a particular situation.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. When did Google launch its new mapping application? 2. How many British cities did Google’s new Street View service film? 3. How many miles of road did the Google Street View cars drive along? 4. Can you see Number 10 Downing Street on Google Street View? 5. Can you see Buckingham Palace on Google Street View?

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Millions of online pictures map the UK / Elementary

CA



6. When were many of the images that make up Google Street View taken?

Millions of online pictures map the UK Elementary

Right up your street (and everyone else’s) as millions of online pictures map the UK 6

Google has developed sophisticated technology to automatically blur human faces and car number plates to guarantee privacy. At the bottom of each photograph is a link which people can follow to “report a concern” to Google. “We have got 99.9% of it right,” Parsons said. “But sometimes it does not work completely.”

7

Those who do not wish to be shown on Street View or who want their home to be taken off the photographic database can register their objections by filling in an online form.

8

Although Parsons said that the images on Street View are the same as the ones people would see if they walked or drove through the area in question, he added: “If people do not want their homes shown we will remove them from the image. We have a special team whose job is to look at these pictures if there are any concerns. It is something that happens very rarely but it is very important for us to have this tool so that the pictures can be easily removed if there are any concerns.”

9

He said all government buildings visible from public roads were on the database. This means that 10 Downing Street is not visible because it cannot be seen from a public road. Buckingham Palace is not shown either but this is because of a technical fault. Google hopes to put Buckingham Palace on to Street View in the near future.

Sam Jones and Richard Wray March 20, 2009

3 Although the images include millions of residential addresses, people and cars, Google says that it will respect individual privacy and that “in almost all cases” it will remove any pictures which could breach privacy or show inappropriate content. Ed Parsons of Google, said: “Street View has been very popular with our users in Europe and worldwide and we’re thrilled it’s now available in the UK ... Users will be able to see street-level panoramas of major city roads and look up and print useful driving directions.” 4 He said they had consulted the police about privacy worries. “We recognize that there have been concerns about [privacy] and we think we have addressed those concerns,” he said. “We have spoken to the police and, from a crime point of view, they are happy with it, there are no problems there.”

10 Many of the images that make up the Google Street View were taken last summer and, when you watch them today, you can see British streets that have changed over the past year. Some of the shops shown have since closed as a result of the economic crisis.

5 The many people photographed while taking a cigarette break outside their offices might disagree. And the man lying in the street outside © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Millions of online pictures map the UK / Elementary


O

2 Google launched the new mapping application in the UK in March. It allows users to enjoy 360-degree views of 25 cities from Southampton to Aberdeen through their computers and mobile phones. Street View UK is the result of a year-long project in which specially modified cars drove along 22,369 miles of roads taking pictures.


1 Some people will see Google’s new Street View service as another example of Big Brother. Others will be shocked by some of the things they see in the pictures – people who are drunk or behaving badly. But most people who visit Google Street View will probably want to see if their picture is on the Internet – or to decide if they need to repaint their house.

•P H


a pub in Hoxton Square, north London, might feel he was not looking great when the picture was taken.

CA

Level 1


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Correct the errors in these sentences. 1. Google Street View allows users to enjoy 180-degree views. 2. Google Street View UK took two years to complete. 3. Google Street View has been very unpopular with users in Europe. 4. Ed Parsons says that Google has got about 90% of it right. 5. Number 10 Downing Street can be seen from a public road. 6. Buckingham Place is not shown on Google Street View because it is not visible from a public road.

4 Chunks Rearrange the words to make phrases from the text. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

the future in near the over year past economic the as result a crisis of a result the project year-long of almost in cases all UK available in now the

5 Two-word expressions Match the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to make two-word expressions from the text. 1. mobile

a. road

2. cigarette

b. fault

3. number

c. form

4. online

d. break

5. public

e. phone

6. technical

f. plate

6 Puzzle: Words connected with computer technology Rearrange the letters to make words from the text. 1. e n t e r t i n ________________________ 2. e m g i a ________________________ 3. n e l i o n ________________________ 4. b a d s e a t a ________________________

O

NEWS LESSONS / Millions of online pictures map the UK / Elementary

•P H


CA

6. r u s e ________________________


5. k i l n ________________________


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words

4 Chunks

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

in March 25 22,369 no no last summer

3 Comprehension check 1. Google Street View allows users to enjoy 360-degree views. 2. Google Street View UK took one year to complete. 3. Google Street View has been very popular with users in Europe. 4. Ed Parsons says that Google has got about 99.9% of it right. 5. Number 10 Downing Street cannot be seen from a public road. 6. Buckingham Place is not shown on Google Street View because of a technical fault.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

e d f c a b

6 Puzzle: Words connected with computer technology 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Millions of online pictures map the UK / Elementary

Internet image online database link user

H

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.


•P


in the near future over the past year as a result of the economic crisis the result of a year-long project in almost all cases now available in the UK


address blur Privacy Big Brother visible objection sophisticated thrilled panorama inappropriate


Intermediate

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. panorama address

privacy glimpse

thrilled sophisticated

blur fleet

anonymity inappropriate

1. If something is ______________________, it is complicated and advanced in design. 2. A ______________________ is an occasion when you see someone or something for only a moment. 3. If something is ______________________, it is not suitable in a particular situation. 4. A ______________________ is a view of a large area of land or sea. 5. If you ______________________ a problem or a concern, you deal with it. 6. If a person is ______________________, they are very pleased and excited about something. 7. If you ______________________ a picture or an image, you make it difficult to see it clearly. 8. ____________________ is the freedom to do things without other people watching or knowing what you are doing. 9. A ______________________ is a group of vehicles belonging to one organization. 10. ______________________ is a situation in which a person’s name or identity is kept secret.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How many British cities have been filmed at street level by Google’s new Street View service? 2. How long did the Street View UK project take? 3. How many miles of road did the Google Street View cars drive along? 4. Can Number 10 Downing Street be seen on Google Street View? 5. Can Buckingham Palace be seen on Google Street View?

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Millions of online pictures map the UK / Intermediate

CA



6. When were many of the images that make up Google Street View taken?

Millions of online pictures map the UK Intermediate

Right up your street (and everyone else’s) as millions of online pictures map the UK

man lying in the street outside a pub in Hoxton Square, north London, might feel he was not looking his best when the picture was taken. He seems to have just been sick and is being comforted by a friend who appears to be wearing reindeer antlers on his head.


3 Although the images include millions of residential addresses, people and cars, Google insists that they will respect individual privacy and that “in almost all cases” it will remove pictures considered to breach privacy or display inappropriate content. Ed Parsons of Google, said: “Street View has been hugely popular with our users in Europe and worldwide and we’re thrilled it’s now available in the UK ... enabling users to see street-level panoramas of major city roads and look up and print out useful driving directions.” 4 He said they had consulted the Information Commissioner’s Office about privacy worries – and also the police. “We recognize that there have been concerns about [privacy] and we think we have addressed those concerns,” he said. “We have spoken to the police and, from a crime point of view, they are happy with it, there are no issues there.”

7

Those who do not wish to be featured or who want their home to be taken off the photographic database can register their objections by filling in an online form.

8

Although Parsons said that the images on Street View are the same as the ones people would see if they walked or drove through the area in question, he added: “If people do not want their homes shown we will remove them from the image. We have a special team whose job is to look at these pictures if there are any concerns. It is something that happens very rarely but nevertheless it is very important for us to have this tool so that the pictures can be easily removed if there are any concerns.”

9

He said no government buildings visible from public roads had been left out of the database. This means that 10 Downing Street is not visible, nor is Buckingham Palace. Parsons said this was because of a technical fault with that car, rather than any intention to give the Queen more privacy than other Britons. It hopes to put Buckingham Palace on to Street View in the near future.

10 Many of the images that make up the Google Street View were taken last summer and, viewed today, they give a glimpse of an already vanished British high street. Some of the shops shown have since closed as a result of the economic crisis.

5 The many people caught on a cigarette break outside their offices might disagree. And the © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Millions of online pictures map the UK / Intermediate


O

2 The new mapping application, which was launched in the UK recently, allows users to enjoy 360-degree views of 25 cities from Southampton to Aberdeen through their computers and mobile phones. Street View UK is the result of a year-long project that saw a fleet of specially modified cars driving along 22,369 miles of roads, taking pictures of their surroundings.

Google has developed sophisticated technology to automatically blur human faces and car number plates to guarantee privacy. At the bottom of each photograph is a link which people can follow to “report a concern” to Google. “We have got 99.9% of it right,” Parsons said. “But sometimes it does not work completely.”


1 Some people will see it as another example of Big Brother, while others will be shocked by the scenes of drunkenness and bad behaviour it occasionally reveals. But most of the people who visit Google’s new Street View service will probably do so to discover if their picture will be displayed on the Internet – or to decide whether they can put off repainting the house until next year.

6

•P H

Sam Jones and Richard Wray March 20, 2009

CA

Level 2


Intermediate

3 Comprehension check Are these sentences true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. Most people who visit Google Street View will probably just want to see if they or their houses are shown on it. 2. Google Street View shows all the towns and cities in the UK. 3. The UK is the first country to have Google Street View. 4. It is not possible for pictures to be removed from Google Street View. 5. Google has the technology to blur human faces and car number plates. 6. Buckingham Place is not shown on Google Street View because of a technical fault.

4 Find the word Look in the text and find the following words and phrases. 1. A two-word expression that means a person or organization that watches people all the time and tries to control what they do. (para 1) 2. A two-word phrasal verb meaning postpone. (para 1) 3. A verb meaning to break a law, rule or agreement. (para 3) 4. An adverb meaning extremely. (para 3) 5. A noun meaning a feeling of worry about something. (para 4) 6. A noun meaning the horns on the head of a deer. (para 5) 7. A noun meaning a statement that shows you disagree with something. (para 7) 8. A adjective meaning able to be seen. (para 9)


b. concerns

3. address

c. a form

4. develop

d. an image

5. follow

e. technology

6. fill in

f. privacy

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Millions of online pictures map the UK / Intermediate

O

2. respect

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a. a link

CA

1. display


Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns in the right-hand column.


Intermediate

6 Word building Complete the table using words from the text. noun 1.

photograph

2.

economy

3.

residence

4. 5.

private thrill

6. 7.

adjective

drunk popularity

8.

direct

7 Discussion

H

NEWS LESSONS / Millions of online pictures map the UK / Intermediate

•P



Do you think Google Street View is an invasion of privacy or an interesting and useful tool for drivers and other Internet users?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

25 a year 22,369 no no last summer


T F F F T T

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

d f b e a c

6 Word building 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Millions of online pictures map the UK / Intermediate

photographic economic residential privacy thrilled drunkenness popular direction

H

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.


•P


Big Brother put off breach hugely concern antlers objection visible


sophisticated glimpse inappropriate panorama address thrilled blur Privacy fleet Anonymity

Smoothie makers tread familiar path to lucrative deal Level 3

Advanced smoothie – a blended, chilled sweet drink made from fruit, see http://www.innocentdrinks.co.uk/things_we_make/

1

Key words

Match the keywords from the article with their meanings. 1. lucrative

criticize loudly

2. strive

make from nothing

3. stake

interfere

4. adamant

money-making

5. pioneer

try hard

6. donate

be the first to do something

7. rail against

make money

8. niche

share

9. create from scratch

value of goods sold

10. prosper

give voluntarily

11. meddle

determined

12. turnover

easy

13. plain sailing

small specific market

2 Company quiz Skim-read the article to find out what these ethically aware companies produce and which global corporation they belong to.

O

NEWS LESSONS / Smoothie makers tread familiar path to lucrative deal / Advanced



sold out to / bought out by ...

•P H

what it produces

CA

ethically-aware company

Smoothie makers tread familiar path to lucrative deal Advanced

Smoothie operators Innocent tread familiar path to lucrative deal

food group McDonald’s in 2001. The Body Shop – whose late founder, Dame Anita Roddick, had often railed against the big corporations running the beauty business – sold to the French cosmetics group L’Oréal in 2006.

Like other niche brands, Innocent must convince customers it hasn’t sold out 6

1 For a company that strives “to do business in a more enlightened way” – and even has a halo in its logo – to go into business with one of the world’s corporate giants presents a real danger that such a deal could look like a pact with the devil.

4 Innocent joins a long line of companies that have started small and built a loyal following on the back of a values-led approach, only to sell up to the kind of businesses which they might once have defined themselves against. Sell-outs 5 Ice-cream maker Ben & Jerry’s, was one of the first to sell up to a corporation, when it was bought for £175m by the consumer goods group Unilever in 2000. Four years later it admitted: “We are beginning to look like the rest of corporate America.” British sandwich chain Pret A Manger sold a minority stake to the fast

8

9

Brand identity Sams advised Coca-Cola not to put its name over the Innocent product range. Reed said there was little danger of Coca-Cola meddling with the Innocent brand. “They absolutely buy into the brand, the people, the system. It’s a minority investment in Innocent, which will remain a standalone company.” Innocent had a difficult birth ten years ago. The three founders – Reed and his Cambridge University friends Adam Balon and Jon Wright – had come up with the idea on a snowboarding holiday in February 1998 and tried out their smoothies at a music festival later that year, using £500 of fruit.

10 The company now sells two million smoothies a week and their turnover is expected to be £105m to £110m this year. Despite Innocent’s remarkable rise over the past ten years, not everything has been plain sailing. Last year it had to fight off competition from two rival products,

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Smoothie makers tread familiar path to lucrative deal / Advanced

O

3 “Every promise that Innocent has made, about making only natural healthy products, pioneering the use of better, socially and environmentallyaware ingredients, packaging and production techniques, donating money to charity and having a point of view on the world will remain,” co-founder Richard Reed yesterday. “We’ll just get to do them even more. The founders will continue to lead and run the company, we will be the same people in the same offices making the same products in the same way.”

7

Sweet returns Craig Sams, the founder of the organic chocolate company Green & Black’s, said his company had prospered since it sold up to Cadbury in 2005. “Overall it’s worked fantastically well,” said Sams, who remains in place as president and continues to offer advice to Green & Black’s owners. “They have had the resources to really support the brand and take it to places. It’s all very well to say if we spent half a million pounds on marketing we could increase sales by £2m – first you have to have the half a million pounds.


2 The founders of Innocent, the ethically-aware smoothie business that yesterday sold a stake of between 10% and 20% of the company to the US drinks group Coca-Cola for £30m, are adamant that their ideals and eco-friendly sentiments will not be crushed as a result of the deal with a company best known for its less than healthy fizzy drinks.

The reason that these niche operators choose to sell up, apart from making millions from businesses they have created from scratch, is that they need the power of the big companies if they want to grow further. Innocent is using Coca-Cola’s investment to increase its presence in Europe.

•P H

Chris Tryhorn and Mark Sweney 7 April, 2009

CA

Level 3


Advanced

Pepsico’s Tropicana and Nestlé’s Boost, which caused annual sales to fall for the first time. Although its share of the UK smoothie market fell as low as 50%, it has recovered strongly to reach 83%, Reed said.

Extra

info

Green & Black’s – Cadbury Schweppes Set up in 1991 by Craig Sams and his wife Josephine Fairley, the company produced organic and Fairtrade chocolate. In 2005 it was bought out by Cadbury Schweppes. Ben & Jerry’s – Unilever All-natural ice cream company founded in 1978 by Jerry Greenfield and Ben Cohen. Bought by Unilever in 2000.

The Body Shop – L’Oréal Founded on an ethical basis by Anita Roddick, the company was sold to L’Oréal in 2006. Roddick said at the time: “Having L’Oréal come in and say ‘we like you, we like your ethics, we want to be part of you, we want you to teach us things’ – it’s a gift.” Pret A Manger – McDonald’s Pret was founded in 1986. It claims to avoid additives, uses recycled packaging and tries to buy organic. A third of the company was sold to McDonald’s in 2001. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 07/04/09

3 Find the information Skim-read the article to find the answers to these questions. 1. What does Innocent produce? _____________________________________________________________________________________ 2. What is their logo? _____________________________________________________________________________________ 3. What key business practices and policies make Innocent different to other companies? _____________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Where and when was the company founded? _____________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Where did the founders meet? _____________________________________________________________________________________ 6. What was their initial investment? _____________________________________________________________________________________ 7. What is their predicted turnover for 2009? _____________________________________________________________________________________

H


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8. In paragraph 1, who is the devil and who is the angel? _____________________________________________________________________________________


Advanced

4 Language: Behind the headlines Decide what the idioms mean and then explain what the article headline means. 1. A smooth operator is ...

a. ... a clean-shaven businessman.

b. ... a person who accomplishes tasks with efficiency and grace.

c. ... someone who removes lumps from products.

2. To tread a path means ...

a. ... to build roads.

b. ... to move to a rural area.

c. ... to take a particular course of action.

5 Discussion Do you think that companies that have built up their businesses due to their reputation of being eco-friendly and ethically-aware can justify selling a stake in the company to global corporate giants?

6 Webquest

O H

N

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CA


T


O FR BE C O DO O M W P W N IA EB LO B SI A L TE DE E D •

Research one of the companies in task 2. Find out what has happened since they sold stakes to a global giant. Have there been any changes to their product range, their work ethics, their share prices, etc?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

3 Find the information money-making try hard share determined be the first to do something give voluntarily criticize loudly small specific market make from nothing make money interfere value of goods sold easy

Suggested answers: 1. smoothies / blended fruit drinks 2. a halo 3. They use only natural healthy products, they use better, socially and environmentally aware ingredients, packaging and production techniques, and they donate money to charity. 4. ten years ago at a music festival 5. at Cambridge University 6. £500 worth of fruit 7. £105m to £110m 8. Coca-Cola is the devil and Innocent is the angel.

4 Language: Behind the headlines


what it produces


Innocent

smoothies

Coca-Cola

Ben & Jerry’s

ice cream

Unilever

Pret A Manger

sandwiches

McDonald’s

The Body Shop

cosmetics

L’Oréal

Green & Black’s

chocolate

Cadbury Schweppes

1. b 2. c

O H •P

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T



2 Company quiz

N

1. lucrative 2. strive 3. stake 4. adamant 5. pioneer 6. donate 7. rail against 8. niche 9. create from scratch 10. prosper 11. meddle 12. turnover 13. plain sailing


Elementary smoothie – a blended, cold sweet drink made from fruit, see http://www.innocentdrinks.co.uk/things_we_make/

1

Key words: Crossword

Find the key words in the article and write them into the crossword. The paragraph numbers are given to help you.

Across

T

1

1. Substances that are put into something in small amounts, especially food, in order to make it last longer, look more attractive, or improve it in some way. (extra info) 4 3. An _______________ is money used in a way that may earn you more money. (para 6)

5

2

M

3

– D

4. A _______________ is a business that works in a very specialized market. (para 6, 2 words) 5. If you are _______________, then you are interfering and not leaving something alone. (para 8) 6. Someone who is _______________ has attitudes that are considered modern and reasonable. (para 1) 8. Something that brings in a lot of money is _______________. (title)

11

12. A _______________ is a circle of light around the head of a holy person. (para 1)

7

8

R

9

10

10. A _______________ drink has bubbles of gas in it. (para 2) 11. The value of the goods and services that a company sells in a particular period of time is its _______________. (para 10)

G

6

–

12

E

Down 2. Someone who is _______________ thinks about the effects of their actions on the world around them. (para 3, 2 words) 7. A _______________ is a large company or business organization. (para 4)

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NEWS LESSONS / Smoothie makers tread familiar path to lucrative deal / Elementary

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9. An _______________ is your idea about what is good and right that you try to follow in your life and behaviour. (para 2)


Elementary

2 Company quiz Decide where these words fit into the table and then skim-read the article to find out what the ethicallyaware companies produce and which global corporation they belong to. sandwiches Cadbury Schweppes


Unilever L’Oréal

ice cream cosmetics

what it produces

smoothies Coca Cola

McDonald’s chocolate


Innocent Ben & Jerry’s Pret A Manger The Body Shop

O •P H


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Green & Black’s

Smoothie makers tread familiar path to lucrative deal Elementary 6

The reason that these niche operators choose to sell up, apart from making millions from businesses they have created from nothing, is that they need the power of the big companies if they want to grow further. Innocent is using Coca-Cola’s investment to increase its sales in Europe.

7

Craig Sams, the founder of the organic chocolate company Green & Black’s, said his company had done well since it sold up to Cadbury in 2005. “Overall it’s worked fantastically well,” said Sams, who has stayed as company president and continues to offer advice to Green & Black’s owners. “We wanted to spend half a million pounds on marketing to increase our sales by £2m, but we didn’t have half a million pounds.”

8

Sams advised Coca-Cola not to put its name over the Innocent product range. Reed said there was little danger of Coca-Cola meddling with the Innocent brand. “They completely believe in the brand, the people, the system; it’s a minority investment in Innocent, which will remain a standalone company.”

9

Innocent was started ten years ago. The three founders – Reed and his Cambridge University friends Adam Balon and Jon Wright – thought of the idea on a snowboarding holiday in February 1998 and tried out their smoothies at a music festival later that year, using £500 of fruit. The company now sells two million smoothies a week and their turnover is expected to be £105m to £110m this year.

1 A company that tries “to do business in a more enlightened way” – and even has a halo in its logo – is going into business with one of the world’s corporate giants. To some people it seems like they have made a deal with the devil. 2 The founders of Innocent, the ethically-aware smoothie business that yesterday sold between 10% and 20% of the company to the US drinks group Coca-Cola for £30m, are certain that their ideals will not be changed as a result of the deal with a company best known for its unhealthy fizzy drinks. 3 “Every promise that Innocent has made, about making only natural healthy products, using better, environmentally-aware ingredients, packaging and production techniques, giving money to charity and having a point of view on the world will remain,” co-founder Richard Reed said. “We’ll just get to do them even more. The founders will continue to lead and run the company; we will be the same people in the same offices making the same products in the same way.” 4 There are many more eco-companies that have started small and then sold up to global giants. Ice-cream maker Ben & Jerry’s was one of the first to sell up to a corporation, when it was bought for £175m by Unilever in 2000. Four years later it said: “We are beginning to look like the rest of corporate America.” 5 British sandwich chain Pret A Manger sold shares to the fast food group McDonald’s in 2001. The Body Shop – whose founder, Dame Anita Roddick, often spoke out against the big corporations that run the beauty business – sold to the French cosmetics group L’Oréal in 2006.

Extra

info

Green & Black’s – Cadbury Schweppes Set up in 1991 by Craig Sams and his wife Josephine Fairley, the company produced organic and Fairtrade chocolate. In 2005 it was bought out by Cadbury Schweppes. Ben & Jerry’s – Unilever All-natural ice cream company founded in 1978 by Jerry Greenfield and Ben Cohen. Bought by Unilever in 2000.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Smoothie makers tread familiar path to lucrative deal / Elementary

O



Like other niche brands, Innocent must convince customers it hasn’t sold out

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Smoothie operators Innocent tread familiar path to lucrative deal

CA

Level 1


Elementary

The Body Shop – L’Oréal Founded on an ethical basis by Anita Roddick, the company was sold to L’Oréal in 2006. Roddick said at the time: “Having L’Oréal come in and say ‘we like you, we like your ethics, we want to be part of you, we want you to teach us things’ – it’s fantastic.”

Pret A Manger – McDonald’s Pret was founded in 1986. It says it doesn’t use additives, uses recycled packaging and tries to buy organic. A third of the company was sold to McDonald’s in 2001. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 07/04/09

3 Comprehension check Match these sentence halves to give a summary of the article. 1. Innocent is an ethically aware company ...

... at university.

2. Their logo is ...

... that produces smooth fruit drinks.

3. Innocent use ...

... £500 of fruit.

4. The company gives ...

... Innocent won’t change their ideals.

5. The company was ...

... only natural ingredients.

6. The founders met ...

... to Coca-Cola.

7. Their initial investment was ...

... founded ten years ago.

8. Innocent is expected to make ...

... money to charity.

9. The company has sold shares ...

... an angel with a halo.

10. The founders say that ...

... millions of pounds in 2009.

4 Language: Prepositions Write in the correct prepositions. Then check your answers by reading back through the article. to

in x2

by

into

of x2

on

with x2

1. do business _______ an enlightened way 2. go _______ business _______ a corporate giant 3. give money _______ charity 4. have a point _______ view _______ the world 5. it was bought _______ Unilever 6. increase its sales _______ Europe

H


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7. little danger _______ Coca-Cola meddling _______ the Innocent brand


Elementary

5 Discussion Which of these sentences do you most agree with? Discuss your answers. a. It’s ok for eco-friendly companies to sell shares to a global corporation. b. Eco-friendly companies should never sell shares to a global corporation.

6 Webquest

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Research one of the companies in task 2. What can you find out about the company? Are their share prices going up or down?


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words: Crossword


Across 1. additives 3. investment 4. niche operator 5. meddling 6. enlightened 8. lucrative 10. fizzy 11. turnover 12. halo

1. Innocent is an ethically-aware company that produces smooth fruit drinks. 2. Their logo is an angel with a halo. 3. Innocent use only natural ingredients. 4. The company gives money to charity. 5. The company was founded ten years ago. 6. The founders met at university. 7. Their initial investment was £500 of fruit. 8. Innocent is expected to make millions of pounds in 2009. 9. The company has sold shares to Coca-Cola. 10. The founders say that Innocent won’t change their ideals.

Down 2. environmentally aware 7. corporation 9. ideal


Innocent

smoothies

Coca-Cola

Ben & Jerry’s

ice cream

Unilever

Pret A Manger

sandwiches

McDonald’s

The Body Shop

cosmetics

L’Oréal

Green & Black’s

chocolate

Cadbury Schweppes

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Smoothie makers tread familiar path to lucrative deal / Elementary

O



what it produces

•P H


1. do business in an enlightened way 2. go into business with a corporate giant 3. give money to charity 4. have a point of view on the world 5. it was bought by Unilever 6. increase its sales in Europe 7. little danger of Coca-Cola meddling with the Innocent brand

CA

2 Company quiz


Intermediate smoothie – a blended, chilled sweet drink made from fruit, see http://www.innocentdrinks.co.uk/things_we_make/

1

Key words

Match the key words from the article with their meanings. The paragraph numbers will help you. corporation additives environmentally-aware

lucrative investment

ideal fizzy halo turnover enlightened

niche operator meddling

1. Something that brings in a lot of money is __________________. (title) 2. Someone who is __________________ has attitudes that are considered modern and reasonable. (para 1) 3. A __________________ is a circle of light around the head of a holy person. (para 1) 4. An __________________ is your idea about what is good and right that you try to follow in your life and behaviour. (para 2) 5. A __________________ drink has bubbles of gas in it. (para 2) 6. Someone who is __________________ thinks about the effects of their actions on the world around them. (para 3) 7. A __________________ is a large company or business organization. (para 5) 8. A __________________ is a business that works in a very specialized market. (para 6) 9. An __________________ is money used in a way that may earn you more money. (para 6) 10. If you are __________________, then you are interfering and not leaving something alone. (para 8) 11. The value of the goods and services that a company sells in a particular period of time is its __________________. (para 10) 12. __________________ are substances that are put into something in small amounts, especially food, in order to make it last longer, look more attractive, or improve it in some way. (extra info)

2 Company quiz Skim-read the article to find out what these ethically aware companies produce and which global corporation they belong to.

O

NEWS LESSONS / Smoothie makers tread familiar path to lucrative deal / Intermediate




•P H

what it produces

CA


Smoothie makers tread familiar path to lucrative deal Intermediate

Smoothie operators Innocent tread familiar path to lucrative deal 6

The reason that these niche operators choose to sell up, apart from making millions from businesses they have created from nothing, is that they need the power of the big companies if they want to grow further. Innocent is using Coca-Cola’s investment to increase its sales in Europe.

7

Craig Sams, the founder of the organic chocolate company Green & Black’s, said his company had done well since it sold up to Cadbury in 2005. “Overall it’s worked fantastically well,” said Sams, who remains in place as president and continues to offer advice to Green & Black’s owners. “They have had the resources to really support the brand and take it to places. It’s all very well to say if we spent half a million pounds on marketing we could increase sales by £2m – first you have to have the half a million pounds.”

8

Sams advised Coca-Cola not to put its name over the Innocent product range. Reed said there was little danger of Coca-Cola meddling with the Innocent brand. “They absolutely buy into the brand, the people, the system. It’s a minority investment in Innocent, which will remain a standalone company.”

9

Innocent was started ten years ago. The three founders – Reed and his Cambridge University friends Adam Balon and Jon Wright – came up with the idea on a snowboarding holiday in February 1998 and tried out their smoothies at a music festival later that year, using £500 of fruit.


2 The founders of Innocent, the ethically-aware smoothie business that yesterday sold between 10% and 20% of the company to the US drinks group Coca-Cola for £30m, are certain that their ideals will not be crushed as a result of the deal with a company best known for its less than healthy fizzy drinks.

4 Innocent joins a long line of companies that have started small and built a loyal following because of their values-led approach, who then sell up to global giants. 5 Ice-cream maker Ben & Jerry’s was one of the first to sell up to a corporation, when it was bought for £175m by the consumer goods group Unilever in 2000. Four years later it admitted: “We are beginning to look like the rest of corporate America.” British sandwich chain Pret A Manger sold a minority stake to the fast food group McDonald’s in 2001. The Body Shop – whose founder, Dame Anita Roddick, often spoke out against the big corporations that

10 The company now sells two million smoothies a week and their turnover is expected to be £105m to £110m this year.

Extra

info

Green & Black’s – Cadbury Schweppes Set up in 1991 by Craig Sams and his wife Josephine Fairley, the company produced organic and Fairtrade chocolate. In 2005 it was bought out by Cadbury Schweppes.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Smoothie makers tread familiar path to lucrative deal / Intermediate

O

3 “Every promise that Innocent has made, about making only natural healthy products, using better, socially and environmentally aware ingredients, packaging and production techniques, giving money to charity and having a point of view on the world will remain,” cofounder Richard Reed yesterday. “We’ll just get to do them even more. The founders will continue to lead and run the company; we will be the same people in the same offices making the same products in the same way.”


1 For a company that tries “to do business in a more enlightened way” – and even has a halo in its logo – to go into business with one of the world’s corporate giants might look like they have made a deal with the devil.

•P H

Like other niche brands, Innocent must convince customers it hasn’t sold out

run the beauty business – sold to the French cosmetics group L’Oréal in 2006.

CA

Level 2


Intermediate

Ben & Jerry’s – Unilever All-natural ice cream company founded in 1978 by Jerry Greenfield and Ben Cohen. Bought by Unilever in 2000. The Body Shop – L’Oréal Founded on an ethical basis by Anita Roddick, the company was sold to L’Oréal in 2006. Roddick said at the time: “Having L’Oréal come in and say ‘we like you, we like your ethics, we want to be part of you, we want you to teach us things’ – it’s a gift.”

Pret A Manger – McDonald’s Pret was founded in 1986. It says it doesn’t use additives, uses recycled packaging and tries to buy organic. A third of the company was sold to McDonald’s in 2001. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 07/04/09

3 Comprehension check Are these sentences true (T) or false (F) according to the article? Correct any false sentences. 1. Innocent produces ice cream. 2. Their logo is an angel with a halo. 3. Innocent use only natural products and packaging. 4. The company is a charity. 5. The company was founded in Cambridge in 2000. 6. The founders met on a snowboarding holiday. 7. Their initial investment was in fruit. 8. Innocent is expected to make millions of pounds in 2009.

4 Language: Prepositions Write in the correct prepositions and then check your answers by reading back through the article. to

in x2

by

into

of x2

on

with x3

1. do business _______ an enlightened way 2. go _______ business _______ a corporate giant 3. make a deal _______ the devil 4. give money _______ charity 5. have a point _______ view _______ the world 6. it was bought _______ Unilever 7. increase its sales _______ Europe

H


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8. little danger _______ Coca-Cola meddling _______ the Innocent brand


Intermediate

5 Discussion Do you think that it’s ok for eco-friendly companies to sell out to global corporate giants?

6 Webquest

O H

N

•P

CA


T



Research one of the companies in task 2. Find out what has happened since they sold stakes to a global giant. Have there been any changes to their product range, their work ethics, their share prices, etc?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words


1. lucrative 2. enlightened 3. halo 4. ideal 5. fizzy 6. environmentally aware 7. corporation 8. niche operator 9. investment 10. meddling 11. turnover 12. additives

1. F: Innocent produces smoothies (fruit drinks). 2. T 3. T 4. F: The company donates money to charity. 5. F: The company was founded in 1999 at a music festival. 6. F: The founders met at Cambridge University. 7. T 8. T

2 Company quiz

1. do business in an enlightened way 2. go into business with a corporate giant 3. make a deal with the devil 4. give money to charity 5. have a point of view on the world 6. it was bought by Unilever 7. increase its sales in Europe 8. little danger of Coca-Cola meddling with the Innocent brand

what it produces


Innocent

smoothies

Coca-Cola

Ben & Jerry’s

ice cream

Unilever

Pret A Manger

sandwiches

McDonald’s

The Body Shop

cosmetics

L’Oréal

Green & Black’s

chocolate

Cadbury Schweppes

O H •P

CA


T


N




Amazon to challenge iTunes with 29p MP3 music downloads Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words


speculation indefinitely

dominance revenue

custom rival

grandstanding back catalogue

dent slice

1. _____________________ is the income you get from business activities. 2. In business, a _____________________ is a competitor. 3. _____________________ is the practice of buying goods from a particular company. 4. If a company has _____________________ in a particular market, it has more power or influence than other companies. 5. A _____________________ is a part or a share of something. 6. A _____________________ is all the records a company or an artist has produced in the past. 7. ____________________ is a situation in which people make guesses about what has happened or might happen. 8. _____________________ is behaviour that is intended to get public attention and approval. 9. If something happens _____________________, it continues for a period of time that has no fixed end. 10. If you make a _____________________ in something, you reduce the amount of it.

2

Correct the statements

These statements are all false. Look in the text and correct the information. 1. Amazon has the largest share of the music download market. 2. Apple has cut the price of more than 100 tracks to just 29p. 3. More competition is bad news for digital music consumers. 4. Amazon sells album downloads for as little as £2. 5. The Managing Director of Record of the Day thinks music is overvalued.

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Amazon to challenge iTunes with 29p MP3 music downloads / Advanced

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6. Calvin Harris’ new song is on sale at a supermarket for 75p.

Amazon to challenge iTunes with 29p MP3 music downloads Level 3

Advanced

Amazon to challenge iTunes with 29p MP3 music downloads

toppled any time soon. “If Amazon are going to compete they are going to have to throw everything at iTunes or they just won’t make a dent. Even if they are cheaper it will take time to change people’s habits and it is still that bit more inconvenient.” He added that the real challenge for digital online services such as Amazon and Apple would be to convert traditional music buyers to digital while finding new ways to bridge the gulf between physical and digital music revenue. “Companies have to find ways of selling to people who don’t want to pay. Variable and aggressive pricing is one weapon in their armoury, but it’s only part of the battle. The question is not who can beat iTunes but who can take the industry on from what iTunes have achieved,” he said.

• Online retailer’s cheap tracks may spark price war • Fears that music will be devalued by discounting Alexandra Topping April 8, 2009 1 The giant online retailer Amazon declared an MP3 price war yesterday by slashing the price of many top-selling downloads in an attempt to grab a bigger slice of the legal music download market. In a move seen by experts as an aggressive attempt to steal custom from its rival iTunes, Amazon cut the price of more than 100 tracks – including Lily Allen’s The Fear and Lady GaGa’s Poker Face – to 29p. 2 On the bargain list, which spans pop, hip-hop, rock, classical and jazz, music fans can also find older tracks such as Oasis’s Wonderwall and Neil Young’s Rockin’ in the Free World for up to 70p less than on Apple’s iTunes. Amazon, which also offers albums for as little as £3, said the reductions were being made indefinitely. 3 The news comes as Apple – which is estimated to control upwards of 70% of the legal downloading market – announced some of its hit tracks would increase in price, while other back catalogue songs would be reduced, as part of the company’s introduction of variable pricing. A spokesman confirmed that songs would now be available at the iTunes store at 59p, 79p and 99p but refused to fuel speculation about an MP3 price war, saying the company did not comment on competitors or future pricing strategy. 4 Music industry analyst Mark Mulligan, vice-president of Forrester Research, said Amazon’s actions were the first serious threat to Apple’s dominance of the music download market. “Until this point Amazon have been something of a sleeping giant, we are now seeing some real grandstanding,” he said.

6

Paul Scaife, managing director of the music industry newsletter Record of the Day, said more competition was good news for digital music consumers, and variable pricing was welcomed by labels who have long lobbied for songs to be priced according to fans’ perceived value. But he warned: “Music has been pretty devalued already. If they continue to sell at a discount that becomes the de facto price and anything else seems expensive. A single track has got to be worth more than 29p.”

7

Record labels are not the only ones concerned about pricing. Scottish dance artist Calvin Harris, whose single I’m Not Alone is expected to reach the top five in the singles chart, posted a shocked comment on Twitter after discovering the price of his song at Tesco. He wrote: “Good Lord! I just saw you can buy it at Tesco’s for 57p! 57p! That track took me two years! 57p! Two years! 57p! No wonder music’s in trouble.” © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 08/04/09

O •P H


CA



5 But despite the online retailer’s marketing offensive, the Apple crown was unlikely to be


Advanced

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. Amazon has cut the prices of its music downloads … a. … in order to change people’s habits. b. ... in order to move away from selling physical music. c. … in order to take a share of a market dominated by Apple. 2. Apple has announced it intends … a. … to increase the price of its online music. b. … to reduce the price of its online music. c. … to increase the price of some online tracks and reduce the price of others. 3. Music industry analyst Mark Mulligan believes … a. … Amazon will soon challenge Apple’s dominance of the music download market. b. … Apple’s dominance of the music download market is unlikely to end soon. c. … traditional music buyers will soon convert to digital. 4. Mulligan also believes … a. … the main question is who can build on the achievements of iTunes. b. … the main question is who can challenge the dominance of iTunes. c. … the main question is whether aggressive pricing can work.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text.

O •P H


CA



1. A two-word expression meaning a situation in which businesses compete to attract customers by lowering prices. (para 1) 2. A two-word expression meaning a plan or method to set prices. (para 3) 3. A two-word expression meaning an important player in a particular sector who has, up to now, been inactive. (para 3) 4. A verb meaning to make someone in a position of power lose that power. (para 4) 5. A three-word expression that means to reduce the differences that separate two things. (para 4) 6. A two-word expression meaning an approach to fixing prices that allows them to rise and fall. (para 4) 7. A five-word expression meaning something that is available to help you achieve something difficult. (para 4) 8. A two-word expression that means actual, even though not official. (para 5)


Advanced

5 Verb + noun collocations Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns or noun phrases in the right-hand column to form phrases from the text. 1. slash

a. the market

2. make

b. people’s habits

3. change

c. speculation

4. bridge

d. a comment

5. fuel

e. the gulf

6. find

f. prices

7. post

g. ways of doing something

8. control

h. reductions

6 Word building Complete the sentences with the correct form of the word in brackets at the end of each sentence. 1. Amazon may soon be a serious _________________ to Apple in the music download business. [COMPETE] 2. Both companies have adopted _________________ pricing strategies. [VARY] 3. This is seen as the first serious threat to Apple’s _________________ of the market. [DOMINATE] 4. Mark Mulligan is a music industry _________________. [ANALYSE] 5. Amazon has launched a marketing _________________. [OFFENCE] 6. The price _________________ are being made indefinitely. [REDUCE]

7 Discussion

H


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Do you buy music online? Why? Why not? If you buy music online, what are the most important factors in deciding which retailer you use?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.


c c b a

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

f h b e c g d a

6 Word building 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

competitor variable dominance analyst offensive reductions

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Amazon to challenge iTunes with 29p MP3 music downloads / Advanced

H

1. Apple has the largest share of the music download market. 2. Amazon has cut the price of more than 100 tracks to just 29p. 3. More competition is good news for digital music consumers. 4. Amazon sells album downloads for as little as £3. 5. The Managing Director of Record of the Day thinks music is devalued. 6. Calvin Harris’ new song is on sale at a supermarket for 57p.


•P

2 Correct the statements

price war pricing strategy sleeping giant topple bridge the gulf variable pricing a weapon in your armoury de facto


revenue rival custom dominance slice back catalogue speculation grandstanding indefinitely dent


Elementary

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. retailer track

rival hit

variable discount

label newsletter

dominance sleeping giant

1. A ___________________ is written information sent regularly to members of an organization . 2. A ___________________ is a person or company that sells direct to the public for their own use. 3. If something is ___________________, it can change. 4. A ___________________ is a company that produces records. 5. If a company has ___________________ in a particular market, it has more power or influence than other companies. 6. In business, a ___________________ is a competitor. 7. A ___________________ is a single song on an album. 8. A ___________________ is an important company in a particular market sector who has, up to now, been inactive. 9. A ___________________ is a song that sells a very large number of copies. 10. If you sell something at a ___________________, you sell it at less than the usual price.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How much will Amazon’s 100 best-selling music downloads cost? 2. How much do the cheapest albums cost at Amazon? 3. What percentage of the legal downloading market does Apple control? 4. How much will iTunes cost under Apple’s variable pricing policy? 5. How long did it take Calvin Harris to write I’m Not Alone?

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Amazon to challenge iTunes with 29p MP3 music downloads / Elementary

CA



6. How much does Calvin Harris’ new single cost?


Elementary


people’s habits.” He added that the real task for digital online services such as Amazon and Apple is to change the habits of traditional music buyers and encourage them to buy digital music. “Companies have to find ways of selling to people who don’t want to pay. Variable and aggressive pricing is one way they can do this, but it’s only part of the battle. The question is not who can beat iTunes but who can move the online music industry on from what iTunes have achieved,” he said.

• Online retailer’s cheap tracks may spark price war • Fears that music will be devalued by discounting Alexandra Topping April 8, 2009 1 The giant online retailer Amazon has started an MP3 price war by cutting the price of 100 best-selling music downloads to just 29 UK pence each. Amazon is trying to get a bigger share of the legal music download market and experts say that it is trying to steal customers from its rival iTunes. 2 The list of cheap songs includes pop, hip-hop, rock, classical and jazz and music fans can also find older tracks such as Oasis’s Wonderwall and Neil Young’s Rockin’ in the Free World for up to 70p less than on Apple’s iTunes. Amazon, which also offers albums for as little as £3, said it was introducing the reductions for an indefinite period. 3 Apple controls more than 70% of the legal downloading market and it recently announced some of its hit tracks would increase in price, while the price of other older songs would fall, as part of the company’s introduction of variable pricing. A spokesman confirmed that customers could now buy songs at the iTunes store for 59p, 79p and 99p but did not want to discuss an MP3 price war, saying the company did not comment on competitors or future prices.

6

Paul Scaife, managing director of the music industry newsletter Record of the Day, said more labels have been asking for songs to cost what fans want to pay and have welcomed variable pricing. But he warned: “Music has been pretty devalued already. If they continue to sell at a discount that will become the regular price and anything else seems expensive. A single track must be worth more than 29p.”

7

Record labels are not the only ones worried about pricing. Scottish dance artist Calvin Harris, whose single I’m Not Alone is expected to reach the top five in the singles chart, posted a shocked comment on Twitter after he discovered the price of his song at Tesco. He wrote: “Good Lord! I just saw you can buy it at Tesco’s for 57p! 57p! That track took me two years! 57p! Two years! 57p! No wonder music’s in trouble.” © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 08/04/09

4 Music industry analyst Mark Mulligan said Amazon’s actions were the first serious threat to Apple’s dominance of the music download market. “Up to now Amazon has been a bit of a sleeping giant, but we are now seeing some real action from Amazon,” he said.

O •P H


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5 But despite Amazon’s marketing offensive, Apple will probably not lose their market leader position any time soon. “If Amazon is going to compete it is going to have to throw everything at iTunes or it just won’t have any effect. Even if they are cheaper it will take time to change


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. Amazon has cut the price of music downloads because … 2. It will be difficult for Amazon and Apple … 3. More competition is probably … 4. If companies continue to sell their product at discounted prices … 5. It took Calvin Harris … 6. Harris was shocked … a. … two years to write I’m Not Alone. b. … those prices will become normal. c.

… to find a supermarket was selling his song very cheaply.

d. … it wants a bigger share of the music downloads market. e. … good news for people who buy digital music. f.

… to change people’s habits.


little as for £3 as than market 70% the of more don’t people who pay to want at if continue they sell discount a to music no is trouble wonder in share a the market of bigger


b. retailer

3. managing

c. label

4. record

d. pricing

5. online

e. director

6. music

f. threat

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Amazon to challenge iTunes with 29p MP3 music downloads / Elementary

O

2. serious

•P H

a. downloads

CA

1. variable


Match the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to make two-word expressions from the text.


Elementary

6 Prepositions Complete the phrases using prepositions. 1. a bigger share ___________ the market 2. ___________ an indefinite period 3. increase ___________ price 4. comment ___________ something 5. a serious threat ___________ Apple 6. only part ___________ the battle 7. in line ___________ something

H


•P



8. sell ___________ a discount


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words

4 Chunks

1. newsletter 2. retailer 3. variable 4. label 5. dominance 6. rival 7. track 8. sleeping giant 9. hit 10. discount

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.


d f e b a c

d f e c b a

6 Prepositions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

of for in on to of with at

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Amazon to challenge iTunes with 29p MP3 music downloads / Elementary

H

29 pence £3 more than 70% 59p, 79p and 99p 2 years 57p

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

•P

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.




for as little as £3 more than 70% of the market people who don’t want to pay if they continue to sell at a discount no wonder music is in trouble a bigger share of the market


Intermediate

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. retailer bargain

dominance variable

custom label

grandstanding challenge

rival track

1. _____________________ is the practice of buying products from a particular company. 2. A _____________________ is a single song on an album. 3. _____________________ is behaviour that is intended to get public attention and approval. 4. A _____________________ is a person or company that sells direct to the public for their own use. 5. If something is _____________________, it can change. 6. A _____________________ is a company that produces records. 7. A _____________________ is something that you buy that costs less than normal. 8. A _____________________ is something that needs a lot of skill, energy and determination to achieve. 9. If a company has _____________________ in a particular market, it has more power or influence than other companies. 10. In business, a _____________________ is a competitor.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. Which company has the largest share of the music download market? 2. How much will 100 popular tracks cost at Amazon? 3. How much will iTunes cost under Apple’s variable pricing policy? 4. How much cheaper is Oasis’s Wonderwall at Amazon than at iTunes? 5. How much do the cheapest albums cost at Amazon?

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Amazon to challenge iTunes with 29p MP3 music downloads / Intermediate

CA



6. How much does Calvin Harris’ new single cost?


Intermediate


leader position any time soon. “If Amazon are going to compete they are going to have to throw everything at iTunes or they just won’t make any impact. Even if they are cheaper it will take time to change people’s habits and it is still that bit more inconvenient.” He added that the real challenge for digital online services such as Amazon and Apple would be to change the habits of traditional music buyers and encourage them to buy digital music. “Companies have to find ways of selling to people who don’t want to pay. Variable and aggressive pricing is one way they can do this, but it’s only part of the battle. The question is not who can beat iTunes but who can move the industry on from what iTunes have achieved,” he said.

• Online retailer’s cheap tracks may spark price war • Fears that music will be devalued by discounting Alexandra Topping April 8, 2009 1 The giant online retailer Amazon has declared an MP3 price war by cutting the price of many top-selling music downloads in an attempt to grab a bigger share of the legal music download market. In a move seen by experts as an aggressive attempt to steal custom from its rival iTunes, Amazon cut the price of more than 100 popular tracks to just 29 UK pence. 2 On the bargain list, which covers pop, hip-hop, rock, classical and jazz, music fans can also find older tracks such as Oasis’s Wonderwall and Neil Young’s Rockin’ in the Free World for up to 70p less than on Apple’s iTunes. Amazon, which also offers albums for as little as £3, said the reductions were being introduced for an indefinite period. 3 The news comes as Apple – which is believed to control more than 70% of the legal downloading market – announced some of its hit tracks would increase in price, while other older songs would be reduced, as part of the company’s introduction of variable pricing. A spokesman confirmed that songs would now be available at the iTunes store at 59p, 79p and 99p but refused to discuss an MP3 price war, saying the company did not comment on competitors or future pricing strategy. 4 Music industry analyst Mark Mulligan, vice-president of Forrester Research, said Amazon’s actions were the first serious threat to Apple’s dominance of the music download market. “Until this point Amazon have been a bit of a sleeping giant, but we are now seeing some real grandstanding,” he said.

6

Paul Scaife, managing director of the music industry newsletter Record of the Day, said more competition was good news for digital music consumers, and variable pricing was welcomed by labels who have long asked for songs to be priced according to what fans think they are worth. But he warned: “Music has been pretty devalued already. If they continue to sell at a discount that becomes the de facto price and anything else seems expensive. A single track has got to be worth more than 29p.”

7

Record labels are not the only ones concerned about pricing. Scottish dance artist Calvin Harris, whose single I’m Not Alone is expected to reach the top five in the singles chart, posted a shocked comment on Twitter after discovering the price of his song at Tesco. He wrote: “Good Lord! I just saw you can buy it at Tesco’s for 57p! 57p! That track took me two years! 57p! Two years! 57p! No wonder music’s in trouble.” © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 08/04/09

O •P H


CA



5 But despite the online retailer’s marketing offensive, Apple are unlikely to lose their market


Intermediate

3 Comprehension check Are these statements true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. Amazon sells more music downloads than Apple. 2. Amazon is introducing price reductions for a limited period. 3. Apple is planning to increase some of its prices and reduce others. 4. Apple is expected to lose its leading market position very soon. 5. More competition is good news for digital music consumers. 6. Calvin Harris is delighted that his new single is selling for 57p.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

A verb meaning to succeed in getting something, especially by being quick or the best at something. (para 1) A noun meaning a song that sells a very large number of copies. (para 3) A two-word expression meaning an approach to fixing prices that allows them to rise and fall. (para 3) A two-word expression meaning a plan or method to set prices. (para 3) A two-word expression meaning an important player in a particular sector who has, up to now, been inactive. (para 4) 6. A noun meaning written information sent regularly to members of an organization. (para 6) 7. A three-word expression meaning at less than the usual price. (para 6) 8. A two-word expression that means actual, even though not official. (para 6)


b. people’s habits

3. change

c. an impact

4. make

d. a comment

5. post

e. a share of the market

6. control

f. prices

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Amazon to challenge iTunes with 29p MP3 music downloads / Intermediate

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2. grab

•P H

a. the market

CA

1. cut


Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns or noun phrases in the right-hand column to form phrases from the text.


Intermediate


verb 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

noun

reduce introduce dominate compete announcement encouragement achievement attempt

7 Discussion

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•P



How often do you buy music? Where do you buy it? What, in your opinion, is the best way to buy music?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. custom 2. track 3. grandstanding 4. retailer 5. variable 6. label 7. bargain 8. challenge 9. dominance 10. rival

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

F F T F T F

6 Word building 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

reduction introduction dominance competitor (competition) announce encourage achieve attempt

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Amazon to challenge iTunes with 29p MP3 music downloads / Intermediate

H


f e b c d a

•P

Apple 29p 59p, 79p and 99p up to 70p less £3 57p



1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

grab hit variable pricing pricing strategy sleeping giant newsletter at a discount de facto

World’s biggest democratic poll begins Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words

Complete the sentences using these key words from the text. turnout pundit

electoral roll appeasement

coalition tangible

think-tank fulcrum

astute ballot box

1. A ____________________ is an expert on a particular subject who is often asked to talk about that subject. 2. The ____________________ of something is the person or thing that everything else depends on. 3. The ____________________ is an official list of all the people in an area who have the right to vote in elections. 4. An ____________________ person is one who is good at judging situations quickly and is able to use this knowledge for personal benefit. 5. A ____________________ is the place where you put your voting paper after you have voted. 6. A ____________________ is a temporary union of different political parties that agree to form a government together or work together. 7. The ____________________ is the actual number of people who vote in an election. 8. ____________________ is the process of giving your opponents what they want. 9. A ____________________ is a group of people who work together to produce new ideas on a particular subject. 10. If something is ____________________, it is both important and noticeable.

2

What do you know?

Decide whether these statements are true (T) or false (F). Then check your answers in the text. 1. The currency of India is the rupee. 2. Mahatma Gandhi was India’s first prime minister. 3. The Congress Party coalition is currently the ruling political group in India. 4. India has atomic weapons. 5. Muslims are the main religious group in India.

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NEWS LESSONS / World’s biggest democratic poll begins / Advanced

CA



6. More than one billion Indians work in agriculture.

World’s biggest democratic poll begins Advanced

In the Indian election, 700m voters, 28 days, 250,000 police: world’s biggest democratic poll begins

1 When voters in parts of central and eastern India go to the polls, it will mark the start of the largest democratic ballot in history, a rolling wave of voting in five phases that will stretch over a month and demand formidable security measures, given the twin threats posed by Maoist rebels and jihadi terrorists.

7

The Congress party, say pundits, is the favourite because it is in power and can point to tangible achievements. For example, it pushed through big pay rises for 4.5 million government employees this year, creating goodwill in urban areas. The elite also praised Singh for securing a nuclear deal with the US that allowed India to keep its atomic weapons and still be sold nuclear reactors. Most important perhaps in terms of votes, the Congress coalition also set up the first social security scheme in India, guaranteeing 100 days of work to poor households in the countryside. Although the cost is estimated at 400bn rupees (£5.4bn) this year, it should bring in votes among India’s 600 million agricultural workforce.

8

In the opposite camp is the BJP, led by Lal Krishna Advani, 81. The party’s pollsters say it should win votes based on three main issues: terror attacks, the dynastic politics of the Congress party and the appeasement of minorities, especially Muslims. These three issues came together in speeches by Varun Gandhi, 29, the great grandson of India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. Although he is a Gandhi, he has become a mascot for the BJP. In March he told cheering crowds that he would cut the “head of Muslims” (sic) and that if anyone raised a finger against Hindus he would “cut that hand”.

9

Another powerful line of attack is that India’s economic growth, which has been at 8% for five

2 To get some idea of the scale consider this: 43 million citizens, more than the adult population of England, have been added to the electoral roll since 2004. More than a million electronic voting machines will be used at 828,000 polling stations. No voter will be more than 2km from a ballot box. 3 Elections can be violent. In the first phase of polls five years ago more than 20 people died. Although the central government has a million-man army, most election security is handled by a 250,000-strong paramilitary force. In the light of the terrorist attack in Mumbai last year, election policing has been beefed up. 4 Ever since the Congress party and the Gandhi family lost their grip on power in 1989, no single party has been able to run India. At the last election, the Congress party took only 145 seats out of 543, with 26% of the vote. It took office by sharing power with partners. Despite the arrival of coalition politics, turnout has remained stable at around 60% and poor minorities are more likely to vote than anyone else. 5 There are three main groupings: the United Progressive Alliance, dominated by the Congress party; the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), built around the Bharatiya Janata Dal; and the Third Front, centred on the Communists. This means that, unlike in Britain or the US, the election will almost certainly not be dominated by a single © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / World’s biggest democratic poll begins / Advanced

O

The most popular leader is probably Sonia Gandhi, president of the Congress party. Gandhi, who was born in Italy, is an astute politician, winning the last election against the odds but refusing to become prime minister, knowing her foreign birth would become too hot an issue. Instead, she appointed Manmohan Singh as prime minister, leaving him to formulate policy while she handled the complex deal-making involved in coalition building.

Randeep Ramesh in New Delhi 16 April, 2009


6

•P H

• Gandhi’s ruling Congress party remains favourite • Big players expected to seek coalition partners

personality. In an opinion poll this year for the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, a Delhi think-tank, no leader enjoyed 25% approval as a possible prime minister.

CA

Level 3

World’s biggest democratic poll begins Level 3

Advanced

years, never reached the ordinary man. “What has [he] seen? Price rises, joblessness and poverty,” said one of Advani’s aides. However, the real power lies with the regional parties. Congress and the BJP compete directly against each other in only seven out of 28 states. In almost every other state, the contest boils down to one of the national parties facing a local politician. 10

The most important of these is likely to be Kumari Mayawati, who caused an upset in 2007 when her party swept to power in India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh. Her policies are claimed to be about social justice but in reality

are designed to secure jobs through quotas for her supporters. Mayawati’s victory in Uttar Pradesh was a political earthquake. Analysts say Mayawati’s significance is the possible emergence of a third national party. If the regional parties unite around her, said Mahesh Rangarajan, a political commentator, she could be the “fulcrum of a new power arrangement”. If Mayawati gets 40 or more seats, “she is possibly prime minister”, he added. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 16/04/09

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. The outcome of the Indian election is ... a. ... absolutely certain. b. ... fairly certain. c. ... quite uncertain. 2. The Congress party is favourite to win because … a. ... it is associated with Gandhi. b. ... it is currently in power and has some notable achievements. c. ... its policies are popular in the countryside.

3. The Congress Party and the BJP ... a. ... are directly opposed to each other in only a quarter of India’s states. b. ... both have policies based on three main issues. c. ... are likely to form a new coalition. 4. The Indian elections are threatened by ... a. ... Maoist rebels and jihadi terrorists. b. ... a 250,000-strong military force. c. ... appeasement of minorities.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. An adjective meaning very impressive in size or power and therefore deserving respect. (para 1) 2. A four-word expression meaning because of a particular fact. (para 3) 3. An adjective meaning not changing frequently. (para 4) 4. A three-word expression meaning in conditions that make success unlikely. (para 6) 5. A noun meaning a small group of people who have a lot of power or advantages. (para 7) 6. A noun meaning an animal, person or object that is considered to be lucky or is used as the symbol of a team or organization. (para 8) 7. A noun meaning unemployment. (para 9)

O •P H


CA



8. A three-word expression meaning to win an election by a very large number of votes. (para 10)


Advanced

5 Phrasal verbs Replace the underlined words in each sentence with the correct form of these phrasal verbs. point to

boil down to

beef up

bring in

push through

bring in

1. Security has been strengthened after the terrorist attacks in Mumbai. 2. They succeeded in getting the new law accepted quickly. 3. Some of the BJP’s policies should attract a lot of votes. 4. In some states the election amounts to a contest between a national party and a local politician. 5. Gandhi has invited her son to help with her campaign. 6. The Congress party can show a number of important achievements.

6 Verb + noun collocations Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns in the right-hand column to make collocatons from the text. 1. secure

a. security

2. pose

b. votes

3. formulate

c. one’s grip

4. win

d. a social security scheme

5. beef up

e. a country

6. lose

f. a deal

7. set up

g. a policy

8. run

h. a threat

7 Discussion

H


•P



What are the most important factors that influence people when they vote in an election in your country?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. pundit 2. fulcrum 3. electoral roll 4. astute 5. ballot box 6. coalition 7. turnout 8. appeasement 9. think-tank 10. tangible

1. formidable 2. in the light of 3. stable 4. against the odds 5. elite 6. mascot 7. joblessness 8. sweep to power

2 What do you know?

1. beefed up 2. pushed through 3. bring in 4. boils down to 5. brought in 6. point to

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / World’s biggest democratic poll begins / Advanced

H

1. c 2. b 3. a 4. a

1. f 2. h 3. g 4. b 5. a 6. c 7. d 8. e

•P




1. T 2. F 3. T 4. T 5. F 6. F

5 Phrasal verbs


Elementary

Key words

Complete the sentences using these key words from the text. electoral roll ballot box

coalition appeasement

polling station dominate

opinion poll joblessness

seat dynasty

1. A _____________________ is the building where people go to vote in an election. 2. If a person or an organization _____________________, they control a particular activity because they have a lot of power. 3. The _____________________ is an official list of all the people in an area who have the right to vote in elections. 4. A _____________________ is a temporary union of different political parties that agree to form a government together or work together. 5. An _____________________ is an attempt to find out what people in general think about a subject by asking them questions about it. 6. _____________________ is another word for unemployment. 7. A _____________________ is a position as a member of parliament. 8. A _____________________ is a family whose members rule a country for a long period of time. 9. A _____________________ is the place where you put your voting paper after you have voted. 10. _____________________ is the process of giving your opponents what they want.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How many Indian citizens have joined the electoral roll since 2004? 2. How many polling stations will there be at the election? 3. How many soldiers are there in the Indian army? 4. How many seats are there in the Indian parliament? 5. How many Indians work in agriculture?

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / World’s biggest democratic poll begins / Elementary

CA



6. How many states are there in India?

World’s biggest democratic poll begins Elementary


The most popular leader is probably Sonia Gandhi, president of the Congress party. Gandhi, who was born in Italy, is a clever politician. It was a surprise when she won the last election but she refused to become prime minister, because she knew that her foreign birth would be a problem. Instead she appointed Manmohan Singh as prime minister.

7

Experts say the Congress party is the favourite because it is in power and has done some positive things for many Indian people. For example, it gave big pay rises to 4.5 million government employees this year. The ruling class also praised Singh for his deal with the US that allowed India to keep its atomic weapons and still buy nuclear reactors. Most important perhaps in terms of votes, the Congress coalition also started the first social security scheme in India. This scheme guarantees 100 days of work to poor families in the countryside. Although it cost 400bn rupees (£5.4bn) this year, it should attract votes from India’s 600 million agricultural workforce.

8

Opposing the Congress party is the BJP, led by Lal Krishna Advani. The party will probably win votes on three main issues: terror attacks, the dynastic politics of the Congress party and the appeasement of minorities, especially Muslims.

9

Another powerful weapon for the BJP is that India’s economic growth, which has been at 8% for five years, has never reached the ordinary man. “What has [he] seen? Price rises, joblessness and poverty,” said one BJP politician. But the real power lies with the regional parties. Congress and the BJP compete directly against each other in only seven out of 28 states. In almost every other state, the election is between one of the national parties and a local politician.

2 To get some idea of how big this election is, think about this: 43 million citizens, more than the adult population of England, have joined the electoral roll since 2004. More than a million electronic voting machines will be used at 828,000 polling stations. No voter will be more than 2km from a ballot box. 3 Indian elections are often violent. More than 20 people died in the first phase of the election five years ago. Although the central government has an army with one million soldiers, a 250,000strong paramilitary force will be responsible for the security of the election. After the terrorist attack in Mumbai last year, election security has been strengthened. 4 No single party has been able to govern India since the Congress party and the Gandhi family lost overall power in 1989. At the last election the Congress party won only 145 seats out of 543, with 26% of the vote. It became the governing party by sharing power with partners in a coalition. Despite the arrival of coalition politics, the number of people voting has remained the same, at around 60%. Poor minorities are more likely to vote than anyone else. 5 There are three main political groups: the United Progressive Alliance, dominated by the Congress party; the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), built around the Bharatiya Janata Dal; and the Third Front, built around the Communists. This means

10 The most important of these local politicians is Kumari Mayawati. In 2007 it was a big surprise

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / World’s biggest democratic poll begins / Elementary

O

1 This year’s election in India will be the largest democratic election in history. The five phases of the election will last for a month and will require extensive security measures, because of the danger of attacks by Maoist rebels and jihadi terrorists.

6


Randeep Ramesh in New Delhi 16 April, 2009

•P H


that a single personality will not dominate the election. In an opinion poll earlier this year, no political leader had more than 25% support to be prime minister.

CA

Level 1


Elementary

when her party won the state election in India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh. Her victory there was a political earthquake. Experts say that if the regional parties unite around Mayawati, she could be the centre of a new power arrangement and possibly the next prime minister. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 16/04/09

3 Comprehension check Each sentence contains a mistake. Correct the mistakes. 1. The five phases of the Indian election will last for a week. 2. No voter will be more than 20km from a ballot box. 3. The Indian army will be responsible for the security of the election. 4. At the last election, the Congress party won 62% of the vote. 5. Sonia Gandhi was born in India. 6. India’s economic growth has been 18% for five years.

4 Chunks Rearrange the words to make phrases from the text. 1. in the history election largest democratic 2. are groups three there main political 3. machines more electronic than million voting a 4. people than died more 20 5. in first the security social India scheme

O •P H


CA



6. centre arrangement a of new power the


Elementary


elect

2.

secure

3.

appease

4.

arrange

5.

arrive

6.

grow

noun


2. prime

b. attack

3. terrorist

c. minister

4. polling

d. rise

5. social

e. poll

6. pay

f. election

7. opinion

g. class

8. ruling

h. station

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / World’s biggest democratic poll begins / Elementary

H

a. security

•P

1. democratic




Elementary

KEY 1 Key words

4 Chunks

1. polling station 2. dominates 3. electoral roll 4. coalition 5. opinion poll 6. joblessness 7. seat 8. dynasty 9. ballot box 10. appeasement

1. the largest democratic election in history 2. there are three main political groups 3. more than a million electronic voting machines 4. more than 20 people died 5. the first social security scheme in India 6. the centre of a new power arrangment


5 Word building

1. 43 million 2. 828,000 3. one million 4. 543 5. 600 million 6. 28


1.

verb

noun

elect

election

2.

secure

security

3.

appease

appeasement

4.

arrange

arrangement

5.

arrive

arrival

6.

grow

growth


H


•P



1. f 1. The five phases of the Indian election will last for 2. c a month. 3. b 2. No voter will be more than 2km from a ballot box. 4. h 3. A 250,000-strong paramilitary force will be 5. a responsible for the security of the election. 6. d 4. At the last election, the Congress party won 26% of 7. e the vote. 8. g 5. Sonia Gandhi was born in Italy. 6. India’s economic growth has been 8% for five years.


Intermediate

Key words

Complete the sentences using these key words from the text. threat appeasement

electoral roll polling station

coalition ballot box

astute turnout

opinion poll seat

1. A ____________________ is a position as a member of parliament. 2. The ____________________ is the actual number of people who vote in an election. 3. ____________________ is the process of giving your opponents what they want. 4. A ____________________ is the building where people go to vote in an election. 5. A ____________________ is a situation or activity that could cause harm or danger. 6. The ____________________ is an official list of all the people in an area who have the right to vote in elections. 7. An ____________________ person is one who is good at judging situations quickly and is able to use this knowledge for personal benefit. 8. A ____________________ is the place where you put your voting paper after you have voted. 9. A ____________________ is a temporary union of different political parties that agree to form a government together or work together. 10. An ____________________ is an attempt to find out what people in general think about a subject by asking them questions about it.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. What is the currency of India? 2. Who was India’s first prime minister? 3. How many seats are there in the Indian parliament? 4. How much did the new social security system cost? 5. How many states are there in India?

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / World’s biggest democratic poll begins / Intermediate

CA



6. How many Indians work in agriculture?

World’s biggest democratic poll begins Intermediate


7

Experts say the Congress party is the favourite because it is in power and can point to some real achievements. For example, it gave big pay rises to 4.5 million government employees this year, creating goodwill in the major cities. The elite also praised Singh for a nuclear deal with the US that allowed India to keep its atomic weapons and still be sold nuclear reactors. Most important perhaps in terms of votes, the Congress coalition also set up the first social security scheme in India, guaranteeing 100 days of work to poor families in the countryside. Although the cost is estimated at 400bn rupees (£5.4bn) this year, it should bring in votes among India’s 600 million agricultural workforce.

8

Opposing the Congress party is the BJP, led by Lal Krishna Advani. The party is expected to win votes based on three main issues: terror attacks, the dynastic politics of the Congress party and the appeasement of minorities, especially Muslims. These three issues came together in speeches by Varun Gandhi, 29, the great grandson of India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. Although he is a Gandhi, he has become a mascot for the BJP. In March he told cheering crowds that he would cut the “head of Muslims” (sic) and that if anyone raised a finger against Hindus he would “cut that hand”.

9

Another powerful line of attack is that India’s economic growth, which has been at 8% for five years, has never reached the ordinary man. “What has [he] seen? Price rises, joblessness

Randeep Ramesh in New Delhi 16 April, 2009 1 When voters in parts of central and eastern India vote in this year’s election, it will be the start of the largest democratic election in history. The five phases of the election will stretch over a month and require extensive security measures, in view of the threats posed by Maoist rebels and jihadi terrorists. 2 To get an idea of the scale of the election, consider this: 43 million citizens, more than the adult population of England, have been added to the electoral roll since 2004. More than a million electronic voting machines will be used at 828,000 polling stations. No voter will be more than 2km from a ballot box. 3 Indian elections can be violent. In the first phase of the election five years ago, more than 20 people died. Although the central government has a million-man army, most election security is handled by a 250,000-strong paramilitary force. Following the terrorist attack in Mumbai last year, election security has been beefed up. 4 Ever since the Congress party and the Gandhi family lost overall power in 1989, no single party has been able to run India. At the last election, the Congress party took only 145 seats out of 543, with 26% of the vote. It took office by sharing power with partners. Despite the arrival of coalition politics, turnout has remained stable at around 60% and poor minorities are more likely to vote than anyone else. 5 There are three main groupings: the United Progressive Alliance, dominated by the Congress party; the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), built around the Bharatiya Janata Dal; and the Third Front, centred on the Communists. This means that, unlike in Britain or the US, the election will © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / World’s biggest democratic poll begins / Intermediate

O

The most popular leader is probably Sonia Gandhi, president of the Congress party. Gandhi, who was born in Italy, is an astute politician. She won the last election against the odds but refused to become prime minister, knowing her foreign birth would become an issue. Instead, she appointed Manmohan Singh as prime minister, leaving him to formulate policy while she handled the complex deal-making involved in coalition building.


6

•P H


not be dominated by a single personality. In an opinion poll earlier this year, no leader had a 25% approval as a possible prime minister.

CA

Level 2


Intermediate

and poverty,” said one of Advani’s aides. However, the real power lies with the regional parties. Congress and the BJP compete directly against each other in only seven out of 28 states. In almost every other state, the contest is between one of the national parties and a local politician. 10

The most important of these is likely to be Kumari Mayawati, who caused an upset in 2007 when her party swept to power in India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh. Her victory in Uttar Pradesh was a political earthquake.

Analysts say Mayawati’s significance is the possible emergence of a third national party. If the regional parties unite around her, said Mahesh Rangarajan, a political commentator, she could be the “centre of a new power arrangement”. If Mayawati gets 40 or more seats, “she could possibly become prime minister”, he added. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 16/04/09

3 Comprehension check Are these sentences true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. It will take one month to complete the next Indian election. 2. There are 43 million people on the Indian electoral roll. 3. Voters have to be 2km from a ballot box in order to vote. 4. The Congress party rules India. 5. Sonia Gandhi is the Indian prime minister. 6. The Congress party has introduced measures that are popular in both the towns and in the countryside. 7. The Congress party and the BJP will not compete directly against each other in 75% of the Indian states. 8. Kumari Mayawati will definitely be the next prime minister of India.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. An adjective meaning organized and operating like an army. (para 3) 2. A two-word phrasal verb meaning strengthen. (para 3) 3. An adjective meaning not changing frequently. (para 4) 4. A three-word expression meaning in conditions that make success unlikely. (para 6) 5. A noun meaning a small group of people who have a lot of power or advantages. (para 7) 6. A two-word phrasal verb meaning attract. (para 7) 7. A noun meaning an animal, person or object that is considered to be lucky or is used as the symbol of a team or organization. (para 8)

O •P H


CA



8. A noun meaning unemployment. (para 9)


Intermediate


achieve

2.

signify

3.

appease

4.

secure

5.

arrive

6.

grow

7.

arrange

8.

approve

noun

6 Two-word expressions Match the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to make phrases from the text. 1. security

a. security

2. central

b. attack

3. terrorist

c. poll

4. pay

d. measures

5. social

e. growth

6. economic

f. minister

7. opinion

g. government

8. prime

h. rise

7 Discussion

H


•P



Many of these factors may be important when people decide how to vote in an election: unemployment, the economy, security, foreign policy, education, social welfare, health, transport, housing, law and order. Rank them in order of priority from 1 (most important) to 10 (least important).


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. seat 2. turnout 3. appeasement 4. polling station 5. threat 6. electoral roll 7. astute 8. ballot box 9. coalition 10. opinion poll

1. paramilitary 2. beef up 3. stable 4. against the odds 5. elite 6. bring in 7. mascot 8. joblessness

5 Word building

2 Find the information 1. the rupee 2. Jawaharlal Nehru 3. 543 4. 400 billion rupees (£5.4 bn) 5. 28 6. 600 million


noun

achieve

achievement

2.

signify

significance

3.

appease

appeasement

4.

secure

security

5.

arrive

arrival

6.

grow

growth

7.

arrange

arrangement

8.

approve

approval

6 Two-word expressions 1. d 2. g 3. b 4. h 5. a 6. e 7. c 8. f

H


•P



1. T 2. F 3. F 4. F 5. F 6. T 7. T 8. F

verb 1.

Swine flu outbreak brings Mexico City to a near halt Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. brutal off-limits

apocalyptic partial

ubiquitous tranquil

idyllic deserted

stir crazy non-essential

1. If a scene is described as _____________________, it is extremely beautiful and peaceful. 2. A _____________________ place or scene is one which is calm, still and quiet. 3. If a place is _____________________, there are no people in it. 4. If a place is _____________________, you are not allowed to go there. 5. _____________________ services are ones which are not absolutely necessary. 6. An _____________________ situation is one in which very bad things happen or the whole world will be destroyed. 7. _____________________ is an American expression used to describe someone who is incredibly restless because they have been kept inside for too long. 8. If something is _____________________, you can find it everywhere. 9. A _____________________ action is one which is extreme and unpleasant. 10. A _____________________ action is one that is not complete.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. Which are the only restaurants in Mexico City that remain open? 2. What is the population of Mexico City? 3. Where, according to the president of Mexico, is the safest place to avoid swine flu? 4. How much is the shutdown costing Mexico City each day? 5. What has happened to the number of people staying in hotels?

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Swine flu outbreak brings Mexico City to a near halt / Advanced

CA



6. What commodity is selling particularly well?

Swine flu outbreak brings Mexico City to a near halt Advanced 5

The few who venture out try to reduce risk of infection by keeping distance from others and not touching things with their hands. The church of Our Lady of Rosario was empty all morning save for one woman who opened the door with her foot. Parents are keeping children indoors, driving them stir crazy. “My little ones are running riot but what can I do? There’s only so much TV and homework they can bear,” said Carmen Ramos, a shopkeeper.

6

Crime rates have fallen, air quality has greatly improved and birds are audible on what once were crowded streets. But anxiety and uncertainty prevents people enjoying that. The authorities have said the city’s lockdown may last indefinitely. “We have to get used to the idea that we are going to live with this virus for a long time,” said Marcelo Ebrard, the mayor.

7

159 people are thought to have died from swine flu and 2,498 are suspected to have the virus. A mercifully small number of victims so far, given the apocalyptic warnings, but the economic impact has been brutal. “Epidemic of losses”, ran the banner headline in today’s Excelsior’s newspaper. The chamber of commerce says the shutdown is costing Mexico City $57m a day. Tourism has evaporated, proving there is such a thing as bad publicity. Archaeological sites, including Aztec pyramids and Maya temples, are off-limits nationwide. Hotel occupancy in Mexico City is down to under 10%. Argentina and Cuba have suspended flights and if France gets its way the European Union will follow, compounding Mexicans’ sense of isolation. The one trade which is booming is sales in surgical masks. Pharmacies ran out of stocks several days ago but masks can be bought on the black market for more than $1 each, a huge mark-up.

8

“This can’t go on,” said Daniel Martinez, 46, the driver of one of the city’s mini-buses. “Look at that,” he pointed behind him. Every seat was empty save for one at the very back occupied by a middleaged man wearing a mask. “It’s like driving ghosts.”

1 The scene looked idyllic. Two men on a bench on Avenida Alvaro Obregon sitting in the sunshine. Birds sang in the trees overhead. There was hardly a soul to break the tranquility. But Salvador Hellmer, a briefcase at his feet, was not feeling tranquil. “Look at us! It’s like a war, worse than war. This sort of thing doesn’t happen in Iraq or Afghanistan.” The immediate source of his anger was Wings, a restaurant which closed its doors and forced the lawyer and his client to hold their meeting on a bench opposite. Neither was in the mood to enjoy sunshine, birdsong or a deserted street. 2 To avoid spreading swine flu almost all of Mexico City’s estimated 30,000 restaurants have shut, with just a few operating a skeleton service for take-outs. Of all the edicts which have turned this metropolis of 20m people into a ghost town the one on eateries seems the most resented. “Madness. Not even after the 1985 earthquake was it like this,” said Juan Perez, 44, outside Julia’s, a closed taco restaurant on Avenida Cuauhtemoc. “This is a disaster.” 3 Mexico’s president, Felipe Calderon, has now told citizens to stay home from Friday for a five-day partial shutdown of the economy. “There is no safer place than your own home to avoid being infected with the flu virus,” he said. The country will suspend non-essential work and services, including some government ministries, from May 1–5. 4 Mexico City, one of the world’s largest cities, a city full of chaos and movement and life, is slowing to a stop. Schools, cinemas, gyms and tourist sites have shut, businesses are suffering badly and crowds, a ubiquitous feature of this most social of capitals, have vanished.


© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Swine flu outbreak brings Mexico City to a near halt / Advanced

O

Rory Carroll in Mexico City April 30, 2009


• Residents told to stay home for a five-day economic shutdown • Almost all 30,000 city restaurants are shuttered

•P H

Swine flu outbreak brings normally bustling Mexico City to a near halt

CA

Level 3

Swine flu outbreak brings Mexico City to a near halt Level 3

Advanced

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. What benefits has the swine flu epidemic brought to Mexico City? a. The ubiquitous crowds have vanished from the streets and the city is deserted. b. Crime has fallen and air quality has improved. c. Hotel occupancy is below 10% and some countries have suspended flights. 2. Which of the emergency measures seems to be the most unpopular? a. The closure of some government ministries. b. The closure of most of the city’s restaurants. c. The closure of famous tourist sites. 3. How do people who go outside try to avoid becoming infected? a. By using their feet to open doors. b. By holding business meetings in the open air. c. By avoiding close contact with other people and not touching things with their hands. 4. How long will the shutdown last? a. No-one knows. b. Until 5 May. c. Three months.

4 Find the word Look in the text and find the following words and phrases. 1. A two-word expression meaning just enough workers to keep a business or service operating. (para 2) 2. A noun meaning an official order given by a government. (para 2) 3. A verb meaning to experience angry unhappy feelings because you feel you have been treated unfairly. (para 2) 4. A two-word expression meaning to exit to somewhere unpleasant or dangerous. (para 5) 5. A two-word preposition meaning except for. (para 5) 6. A two-word expression meaning behaving in a noisy and uncontrolled way. (para 5) 7. A three-word expression meaning an organization of people who own shops and businesses in a particular town or city. (para 7)

O •P H


CA



8. A three-word expression meaning to be allowed to have what you want. (para 7)


Advanced

5 Two-word expressions Match the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to make phrases from the text. 1. non-essential

a. market

2. crime

b. headline

3. economic

c. publicity

4. bad

d. rate

5. black

e. services

6. banner

f. impact

6 Word building Fill the gaps using the correct form of the word in brackets at the end of each sentence. 1. The shutdown in Mexico City could last __________________. [definite] 2. There is a feeling of __________________ throughout the city. [anxious] 3. There is also a feeling of great __________________ as no-one knows exactly what is happening. [certain] 4. There has been a great __________________ in air quality. [improve] 5. There has also been a noticeable __________________ in crime. [reduce] 6. The __________________ of flights from the European Union would increase the sense of isolation. [suspend]

6 Discussion

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•P



Are you worried about catching swine flu? What measures would you take to avoid an infectious disease like this?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. idyllic 2. tranquil 3. deserted 4. off-limits 5. non-essential 6. apocalyptic 7. stir-crazy 8. ubiquitous 9. brutal 10. partial

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

1. 2. 3. 4.

b b c a

6 Word building 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

indefinitely anxiety uncertainty improvement reduction suspension

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Swine flu outbreak brings Mexico City to a near halt / Advanced

H


e d f c a b

•P

ones that sell take-away food 20 million in your own home $57 million it has fallen to less than 10% of the usual number surgical masks



1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

skeleton service edict resent venture out save for running riot chamber of commerce get one’s way


Elementary

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. deserted disaster

non-essential crowded

epidemic swine flu

virus isolated

ghost town black market

1. An ______________________ is a situation in which a disease spreads very quickly and infects many people. 2. ______________________ is an infectious disease which first appeared in pigs. 3. A ______________________ is a simple living thing which is smaller than a bacterium and can enter your body and make you ill. 4. If you feel ______________________, you feel alone and unhappy. 5. If a place is ______________________, there are no people in it. 6. A place where most people have left is called a ______________________. 7. The ______________________ is the illegal buying and selling of goods. 8. If a place is ______________________, there are a lot of people in it. 9. A ______________________ is something very bad that causes a lot of damage or kills a lot of people. 10. ______________________ services are ones which are not absolutely necessary.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How many restaurants are there in Mexico City? 2. How many people live in Mexico City? 3. When was the earthquake in Mexico City? 4. How many people have died from swine flu? 5. How many people have the virus?

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Swine flu outbreak brings Mexico City to a near halt / Elementary

CA



6. How much does a surgical mask cost on the black market?

Swine flu outbreak brings Mexico City to a near halt Elementary 5

The few people who do go outside try to reduce the risk of infection by keeping away from other people and not touching things with their hands. The church of Our Lady of Rosario was empty all morning except for one woman who opened the door with her foot. Parents are keeping children indoors, which is making them bored. “My children are going crazy but what can I do? All they can do is watch TV and do their homework,” said Carmen Ramos, a shopkeeper.

6

Crime rates have fallen, there has been an improvement in air quality, and you can hear the sound of birds on the once crowded streets. But people are too worried and uncertain to enjoy it. The authorities have said they don’t know how long the situation will last. “We have to get used to the idea that we are going to live with this virus for a long time,” said Marcelo Ebrard, the mayor.

7

It is believed that 159 people have died from swine flu and 2,498 more have the virus. This is quite a small number of victims so far but the economic impact has been terrible. “Epidemic of losses”, said the headline in the Excelsior’s newspaper. The shutdown is costing Mexico City $57m a day. Tourism has disappeared as a result of the bad publicity. Archaeological sites, including Aztec pyramids and Maya temples, are closed all over Mexico. Only 10% of hotel rooms in Mexico City have guests. Argentina and Cuba have stopped flights to Mexico and the European Union will probably do the same, making Mexicans feel even more isolated. The only business which is doing well is the surgical masks business. Pharmacies sold out several days ago but you can buy masks on the black market for more than $1 each, which is much more than the official price.

8

“This can’t continue,” said Daniel Martinez, 46, the driver of one of the city’s mini-buses. “Look at that,” he said pointing behind him. Every seat on his bus was empty except for one at the very back occupied by a middle-aged man wearing a mask. “It’s like driving ghosts.”

1 It was a peaceful scene. Two men were sitting on a bench on Avenida Alvaro Obregon in the sunshine. Birds were singing in the trees. There was hardly anyone to disturb the silence. But Salvador Hellmer, a lawyer, was not a happy man. “Look at us! It’s like a war, worse than war. This sort of thing doesn’t happen in Iraq or Afghanistan.” He was angry because a local restaurant had closed its doors and forced Salvador and his client to hold their meeting on a bench opposite. Neither of them was in the mood to enjoy the sunshine, the birdsong or the deserted street. 2 To prevent the spread of swine flu, almost all of Mexico City’s 30,000 restaurants have closed, with just a few operating a take-away service. The government has issued a number of orders that have made this huge city of 20m people a ghost town, but it is the order to close the restaurants that has made people really angry. “This is madness. It wasn’t even like this after the earthquake in 1985,” said Juan Perez, 44, outside another closed restaurant. “This is a disaster.” 3 Mexico’s president, Felipe Calderon, has now told citizens to stay home from Friday while parts of the economy close down for five days. “Your home is the safest place to be if you want to avoid infection with the flu virus,” he said. The country will stop all non-essential work and services, including some government ministries, from May 1st to 5th. 4 Mexico City, one of the world’s largest cities, a city full of movement and life, is slowing to a stop. Schools, cinemas, gyms and tourist sites have closed, businesses are suffering badly and the usually crowded streets are empty.


© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Swine flu outbreak brings Mexico City to a near halt / Elementary

O




•P H


CA

Level 1


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. If you want to avoid infection with the swine flu virus, ... 2. A lot of people in Mexico City are angry because … 3. One good thing is that … 4. As a result of the bad publicity, … 5. People who go outside ... 6. Children are bored because … a. … tourists have stopped visiting Mexico. b. … air quality has improved. c.

… try not to touch things with their hands.

d. … most of the restaurants in the city have closed down. e. … they have to stay indoors. f.

… you should stay at home.

4 Numbers and dates There is one mistake in the written version of each of these numbers or dates. Correct the mistakes. 1. 2,498

two thousand and four hundred and ninety-eight

2. $57 million

fifty-seven millions dollars

3. 20m people

twenty million of people

4. 1985

nineteen hundred eighty-five

5. 159 people

hundred and fifty-nine people

6. May 1–5

from the first to fifth of May

5 Two-word phrases

b. town

3. ghost

c. market

4. crime

d. quality

5. economic

e. rate

6. black

f. sites


O

2. tourist

•P H

a. impact

CA

1. air




Elementary


2.

meet

3.

move

4.

infect

5.

spread

6.

improve


H

govern

•P

1.

noun


verb


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words

4 Numbers and dates

1. epidemic 2. swine flu 3. virus 4. isolated 5. deserted 6. ghost town 7. black market 8. crowded 9. disaster 10. non-essential

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.


f d b a c e

d f b e a c

6 Word building 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

government meeting movement infection spread improvement


H

30,000 20 million 1985 159 2,498 $1

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

•P

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

5 Two-word phrases



two thousand four hundred and ninety-eight fifty-seven million dollars twenty million people nineteen eighty-five a / one hundred and fifty-nine people from the first to the fifth of May


Intermediate

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. tranquil off-limits

deserted edict

non-essential metropolis

brutal anxiety

apocalyptic epidemic

1. An ___________________ situation is one in which very bad things happen or the whole world will be destroyed. 2. A ___________________ action is one which is extreme and unpleasant. 3. If a place is ___________________, there are no people in it. 4. An ___________________ is a situation in which a disease spreads very quickly and infects many people. 5. An ___________________ is an official order given by a government. 6. ___________________ is a worried feeling you have because you think something bad might happen. 7. A ___________________ place or scene is one which is calm, still and quiet. 8. ___________________ services are ones which are not absolutely necessary. 9. A ___________________ is a big city, especially considered as somewhere that is very busy and exciting. 10. If a place is ___________________, you are not allowed to go there.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How many restaurants are there in Mexico City? 2. What is the population of Mexico City? 3. When was there a major earthquake in Mexico City? 4. How many people have died from swine flu? 5. How much is the shutdown costing Mexico City each day?

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Swine flu outbreak brings Mexico City to a near halt / Intermediate

CA



6. How much do surgical masks cost on the black market?

Swine flu outbreak brings Mexico City to a near halt Intermediate


not touching things with their hands. The church of Our Lady of Rosario was empty all morning except for one woman who opened the door with her foot. Parents are keeping children indoors, driving them crazy. “My children are running riot but what can I do? There’s only so much TV and homework they can bear,” said Carmen Ramos, a shopkeeper. 6

Crime rates have fallen, air quality has greatly improved and you can hear the sound of birds on the once crowded streets. But anxiety and uncertainty prevents people enjoying that. The authorities have said they don’t know how long this situation will last. “We have to get used to the idea that we are going to live with this virus for a long time,” said Marcelo Ebrard, the mayor.

7

It is believed that 159 people have died from swine flu and 2,498 more have the virus. This is a relatively small number of victims so far, given the apocalyptic warnings, but the economic impact has been brutal. “Epidemic of losses”, said the headline in the Excelsior’s newspaper. The shutdown is costing Mexico City $57m a day. Tourism has disappeared as a result of the bad publicity. Archaeological sites, including Aztec pyramids and Maya temples, are off-limits throughout Mexico. Hotel occupancy in Mexico City has fallen to under 10%. Argentina and Cuba have suspended flights and the European Union will probably follow, increasing Mexicans’ sense of isolation. The one trade which is booming is sales in surgical masks. Pharmacies ran out of them several days ago but masks can be bought on the black market for more than $1 each, which is much more than the official price.

8

“This can’t go on,” said Daniel Martinez, 46, the driver of one of the city’s mini-buses. “Look at that,” he said pointing behind him. Every seat was empty except for one at the very back occupied by a middle-aged man wearing a mask. “It’s like driving ghosts.”

2 To avoid spreading swine flu almost all of Mexico City’s 30,000 restaurants have closed, with just a few operating a take-away service. A number of edicts have turned this metropolis of 20m people into a ghost town but the people seem to resent the one on restaurants the most. “Madness. Not even after the 1985 earthquake was it like this,” said Juan Perez, 44, outside Julia’s, a closed taco restaurant. “This is a disaster.” 3 Mexico’s president, Felipe Calderon, has now told citizens to stay home from Friday while parts of the economy close down for five days. “There is no safer place than your own home to avoid being infected with the flu virus,” he said. The country will suspend non-essential work and services, including some government ministries, from May 1–5. 4 Mexico City, one of the world’s largest cities, a city full of movement and life, is slowing to a stop. Schools, cinemas, gyms and tourist sites have shut, businesses are suffering badly and the usual crowds have vanished. 5 The few people who do go out try to reduce risk of infection by keeping distance from others and


© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Swine flu outbreak brings Mexico City to a near halt / Intermediate

O

1 It was a peaceful scene. Two men were sitting on a bench on Avenida Alvaro Obregon in the sunshine. Birds were singing in the trees. There was hardly anyone to disturb the tranquility. But Salvador Hellmer, a lawyer with his briefcase at his feet, was not feeling tranquil. “Look at us! It’s like a war, worse than war. This sort of thing doesn’t happen in Iraq or Afghanistan.” The immediate source of his anger was Wings, a restaurant which closed its doors and forced Salvador and his client to hold their meeting on a bench opposite. Neither was in the mood to enjoy sunshine, birdsong or the deserted street.



•P H


CA

Level 2


Intermediate

3 Comprehension check Are these statements true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. The closure of the city’s restaurants has made people angry. 2. The safest place to be during the epidemic is at home. 3. All essential services will be suspended for five days at the start of May. 4. The epidemic has caused an increase in crime. 5. The air in the city is not as polluted as usual. 6. It is a good time to be in the surgical masks business.

4 Find the word Look in the text and find the following words and phrases. 1. A noun meaning a hard seat for two or more people, usually outside in a public place. (para 1) 2. A two-word expression meaning a town where most people have left. (para 2) 3. A verb meaning to experience angry unhappy feelings because you feel you have been treated unfairly. (para 2) 4. A verb meaning to disappear. (para 4) 5. A two-word expression meaning behaving in a noisy and uncontrolled way. (para 5) 6. A two-word expression meaning places where you can see the remains of ancient societies. (para 7) 7. A verb meaning enjoying a period of economic success. (para 7) 8. A two-word expression meaning the illegal buying and selling of goods. (para 7)

5 Nouns and verbs

b. are suffering badly

3. restaurants

c. has disappeared

4. businesses

d. have fallen

5. tourism

e. has fallen

6. hotel occupancy

f. has improved


O

2. air quality

•P H

a. have closed

CA

1. crime rates


Match the nouns and noun phrases in the left-hand column with the verbs in the right-hand column to make phrases from the text.


Intermediate


warn

2.

meet

3.

move

4.

infect

5.

isolate

6.

publicize

noun

6 Discussion

H

NEWS LESSONS / Swine flu outbreak brings Mexico City to a near halt / Intermediate

•P



Imagine that you are the mayor of a large city threatened by a flu epidemic. What would you do to prevent the infection spreading?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. apocalyptic 2. brutal 3. deserted 4. epidemic 5. edict 6. anxiety 7. tranquil 8. non-essential 9. metropolis 10. off-limits

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

T T F F T T

6 Word building 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

warning meeting movement infection isolation publicity


H


d f a b c e

•P

30,000 20 million 1985 159 $57 million $1

5 Nouns and verbs


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

bench ghost town resent vanish running riot archaeological sites booming black market

Web providers must limit Internet’s carbon footprint, say experts Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. footprint subsidy

consumption secretive

escalate overwhelmed

revenue recession

scrutiny exponential

1. If a system is _______________________, it is unable to cope with the amount of demand. 2. If something increases at an _______________________ rate, it grows very quickly. 3. A _______________________ company deliberately sets out not to tell people things. 4. _______________________ is the income a company gets for its business activities. 5. Your _______________________ is the impression you make on the environment. 6. _______________________ is the process of using fuel or energy. 7. If an activity is under _______________________, it is being investigated carefully. 8. A _______________________ is a period when trade and industry are not successful and there is a lot of unemployment. 9. A _______________________ is an amount of money given by the government or another organization to help reduce the cost of a product or a service. 10. If costs _______________________, they increase a lot.

2

What do you know?

Decide whether these statements are true (T) or false (F). Then check your answers in the text. 1. There are more than 1.5 billion people online around the world. 2. YouTube is now the world’s biggest website. 3. YouTube is owned by Microsoft. 4. The computer industry has a bigger carbon footprint than the airline industry. 5. The environmental impact of an Internet search is more than one mile of driving.

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Web providers must limit Internet’s carbon footprint, say experts / Advanced

CA



6. US computer data centres use more than 15% of entire electricity usage of the United States.

Web providers must limit Internet’s carbon footprint, say experts Advanced

Web providers must limit Internet’s carbon footprint, say experts

1 The Internet’s increasing appetite for electricity is a major threat to companies such as Google, according to scientists and industry executives. They say that many Internet companies are struggling to manage the costs of delivering billions of web pages, videos and files online – in a “perfect storm” that could even threaten the future of the Internet itself. 2 “In an energy-constrained world, we cannot continue to grow the footprint of the Internet … we need to rein in the energy consumption,” said Subodh Bapat of Sun Microsystems, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of web servers. Bapat said the network of web servers and data centres that store online information is becoming more expensive, while profits come under pressure as a result of the recession. “We need more data centres, we need more servers. Each server burns more watts than the previous generation and each watt costs more,” he said. 3 With more than 1.5 billion people online around the world, scientists estimate that the energy footprint of the net is growing by more than 10% each year. This leaves many Internet companies caught in a bind: energy costs are escalating because of their increasing popularity, while at the same time their advertising revenues come under pressure from the recession. 4 One site under particular scrutiny is YouTube — now the world’s third-biggest website, but one that requires a heavy subsidy from Google, its owner. Although the site’s financial details are kept under wraps, a recent analysis suggested that it could lose as much as $470m (£317m) this year, as a result of the high price of delivering power-intensive videos over the Internet. 5 And while the demand for electricity is a primary concern, a secondary result of the explosion

6

However, tracking the growth of the Internet’s energy use is difficult, since internal company estimates of power consumption are rarely made public. “A lot of this Internet stuff is fairly secretive,” said Rich Brown, an energy analyst. “Google is probably the best example: they see it as a trade secret: how many data centres they have, how big they are, how many servers they have.”

7

One study by Brown suggested that US data centres used 61bn kilowatt hours of energy in 2006. That is enough to supply the whole of the UK for two months, and 1.5% of the entire electricity usage of the US. Brown said that despite efforts to achieve greater efficiency, Internet use is growing at such a rate that it is outstripping technical improvements – meaning that American data centres could account for as much as 80bn kWh this year. “Efficiency is being more than overwhelmed by continued growth and demand for new services,” he said. “It’s a common story … technical improvements are often taken back by increased demand.”

8

Among the problems that could result from the Internet’s hunger for electricity are website failures and communications disruption costing millions in lost business every hour – as well as power cuts at plants which supply data centres with electricity. To combat this, initiatives are taking place across the industry to cope with the problem, including new designs for data centres and more investment in renewable energy.

9

Researchers at Microsoft’s research lab are even turning to older technology in an attempt to turn the clock back – by replacing energyhungry new machines with the systems used in older, less powerful laptops. “It turns out that those processors have been designed to be very energy efficient, basically to make batteries last,” said Andrew Herbert of Microsoft Research. “We

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Web providers must limit Internet’s carbon footprint, say experts / Advanced

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Bobby Johnson in San Francisco May 3, 2009

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Soaring online demand stretching companies’ ability to deliver content as net uses more power and raises costs


of Internet use is that the computer industry’s carbon debt is increasing drastically. From having a relatively small impact just a few years ago, it is now overtaking other sectors like the airline industry that are more widely known for their negative environmental impact.

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Level 3

Web providers must limit Internet’s carbon footprint, say experts Level 3

Advanced

found we can build more energy-efficient data centres with those than with the kind of high performance processors you find in a typical server.” 10 Google was among the first Internet companies to take action to reduce its footprint by developing its own data centres – but even though it pumped an estimated $2.3bn into infrastructure projects last year, it remains unclear whether it is winning the battle. 11

revenue at the same time,” he said. “With good engineering we’re trying to make those two even out … but the power bill is going up.” 12

The company’s vice-president of operations, Urs Hölzle, said that it was struggling to contain energy costs. “You have exponential growth in demand from users, and many of these services are free so you don’t have exponential growth of

Despite mounting evidence that the Internet’s energy footprint is in danger of running out of control, however, Hölzle dismissed concerns about the environmental impact of using the web. “One mile of driving completely dwarfs the cost of a search,” he said. “Internet usage is part of our consumption, just like TV is, or driving. There is consumption there, but overall I think it is not the problem.” © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 03/05/09

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. Why is YouTube expected to lose money this year? a. Because energy companies are increasing prices. b. Because it costs a lot of money to send power-intensive videos over the Internet. c. Because it is secretive about the number of servers it has. 2. Why is it difficult to know exactly how much energy the Internet consumes? a. Because Internet companies rarely publish how much energy they use. b. Because no-one knows how many servers they have. c. Because Internet use is growing faster than technical improvements. 3. Why are researchers at Microsoft turning to older technology? a. Because they have no money for research and development. b. Because older laptops are more energy efficient than new machines c. Because they think it is important to turn the clock back. 4. Why is Google having a problem keeping its energy costs under control? a. Because it has invested $2.3 billion in infrastructure projects. b. Because typical servers have high performance processors.

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c. Because there is growing demand but revenue is not growing at the same rate.


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4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A three-word expression meaning an event where a combination of circumstances make a situation much worse. (para 1) 2. A two-word phrasal verb meaning to limit or bring under control. (para 2) 3. A noun meaning a unit for measuring electrical power. (para 2) 4. A four-word expression meaning trapped in a difficult situation. (para 3) 5. A three-word expression meaning keep something secret. (para 4) 6. A verb meaning to exceed or become larger than something else. (para 7) 7. A four-word expression meaning to return to a time in the past. (para 9) 8. A verb meaning to make something seem small or unimportant. (para 12)

5 Verb + noun collocations Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns and noun phrases in the right-hand column to make phrases from the text. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

have achieve take win contain store burn cope with

a. a battle b. action c. electricity d. online information e. greater efficiency f. a problem g. an impact h. costs

6 Word building Complete the sentences using the correct form of the word in brackets at the end of each sentence. 1. Energy _________________ is increasing drastically. [consume] 2. The _________________ of power-intensive videos is costing Internet companies a lot of money. [deliver] 3. Several industries have a negative _________________ impact. [environment] 4. There may be a significant amount of _________________ to services. [disrupt] 5. Typical servers contain high _________________ processors. [perform] 6. The increasing _________________ of Internet sites is leading to increasing energy costs. [popular]


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How many other ways of reducing your carbon footprint can you think of? Would you consider reducing your Internet use to help the environment?


7 Discussion


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. overwhelmed 2. exponential 3. secretive 4. revenue 5. footprint 6. consumption 7. scrutiny 8. recession 9. subsidy 10. escalate

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

2 What do you know?

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

g e b a h d c f


6 Word building

1. 2. 3. 4.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

consumption delivery environmental disruption performance popularity

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Web providers must limit Internet’s carbon footprint, say experts / Advanced

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T F F T F F



1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

a perfect storm rein in watt caught in a bind keep under wraps outstrip turn the clock back dwarf


Elementary

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. energy-efficient consumption

threat impact

revenue recession

power cut footprint

server renewable

1. A _____________________ is a computer that controls all the computers in a network. 2. Your _____________________ is the impression you make on the environment. 3. If something is _____________________, it works well and doesn’t use a lot of energy. 4. _____________________ energy replaces itself by natural processes so that it is never completely used up. 5. A _____________________ is a period when the electricity supply stops. 6. If something has an _____________________ on something else, it has an effect or influence on it. 7. _____________________ is the income a company gets for its business activities. 8. A _____________________ is a period when trade and industry are not successful and there is a lot of unemployment. 9. A _____________________ is a situation or activity that could cause harm or danger. 10. _____________________ is the process of using fuel or energy.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How many people are online around the world? 2. Which company owns YouTube? 3. How much money could YouTube lose in 2009? 4. How much energy did US data centres use in 2006? 5. How much energy does the UK use in two months?

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NEWS LESSONS / Web providers must limit Internet’s carbon footprint, say experts / Elementary

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6. How much did Google invest in infrastructure in 2008?

Web providers must limit Internet’s carbon footprint, say experts While the demand for electricity is a major worry, a secondary result of the rapid increase in Internet use is that the computer industry’s carbon footprint is also increasing rapidly. A few years ago it had quite a small footprint, but now it is larger than other sectors like the airline industry that people usually associate with a negative environmental impact.

6

However, it is difficult to monitor the growth of the Internet’s energy use because Internet companies rarely say how much energy they use. “A lot of Internet companies keep this information secret,” said Rich Brown, an energy analyst. “Google is probably the best example. They see it as a secret: how many data centres they have, how big they are, how many servers they have.” Brown says that US data centres used 61bn kilowatt hours of energy in 2006. That is enough electricity to supply the whole of the UK for two months, and 1.5% of all the electricity used in the US.

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The Internet’s hunger for electricity could lead to website failures and breaks in communication costing millions in lost business every hour. It could also cause power cuts at plants which supply data centres with electricity. To prevent this, computer companies are working on new designs for data centres and are investing more money in renewable energy.

8

Researchers at Microsoft’s research lab are even turning to older technology – by replacing energy-hungry new machines with the systems used in older, less powerful laptops. “Those older processors were designed to be very energy efficient, to make batteries last,” said Andrew Herbert of Microsoft Research. “We have found that we can build more energy-efficient data centres with those older processors than with the kind of high performance processors you find in a typical server.”

9

Google was one of the first Internet companies to try to reduce its footprint by developing its own data centres – but even though it invested about $2.3bn into infrastructure projects last year, it is

Soaring online demand stretching companies’ ability to deliver content as net uses more power and raises costs Bobby Johnson in San Francisco May 3, 2009 1 Scientists and representatives of the computer industry have said that the Internet’s increasing use of electricity could be a major problem for companies such as Google. They say that many Internet companies are finding it difficult to manage the costs of providing billions of web pages, videos and files online, and this is creating an energy problem that could even be a threat to the future of the Internet itself. 2 “In a world with a limited amount of energy, we cannot continue to increase the carbon footprint of the Internet … we need to control our use of energy,” said Subodh Bapat of Sun Microsystems. Bapat said the network of web servers and data centres that store online information is becoming more expensive. At the same time profits are falling as a result of the recession. “We need more data centres, we need more servers. Each server burns more electricity than the previous generation and electricity costs are going up,” he said. 3 More than 1.5 billion people are online around the world and scientists say that the energy footprint of the Internet is growing by more than 10% each year. This puts many Internet companies in a difficult situation: energy costs are rising rapidly because of their increasing popularity, but at the same time the money they get from advertising is falling because of the recession. 4 One example is YouTube – now the world’s third-biggest website, but one that requires a lot of money from its owner, Google. Although YouTube’s financial details are a secret, some experts say that it could lose as much as $470m (£317m) this year, as a result of the high cost of providing power-intensive videos over the Internet.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Web providers must limit Internet’s carbon footprint, say experts / Elementary

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Elementary

not clear whether it has been successful. Urs Hölzle of Google says that it is difficult to keep energy costs under control. “You have rapid growth in demand from users, and many of these services are free so you don’t have rapid growth of revenue at the same time,” he said. 10 In spite of the growing evidence that the Internet’s energy footprint is getting out of control, Hölzle isn’t worried about the

environmental impact of using the web. “The cost of one mile of driving is much greater than the cost of an Internet search,” he said. “Internet usage is part of our consumption, just like TV is, or driving. There is consumption there, but overall I think it is not the problem.” © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 03/05/09

3 Comprehension check There is one mistake in each of these sentences. Find the mistakes and correct them. 1. YouTube is the world’s biggest website. 2. YouTube is owned by Microsoft. 3. The computer industry’s carbon footprint is decreasing rapidly. 4. It is easy to monitor the growth of the Internet’s energy use. 5. Profits are rising as a result of the recession. 6. The cost of one mile of driving is much smaller than the cost of an Internet search.

4 Chunks Rearrange the words to make phrases from the text. 1. each by more year 10% than 2. than people 1.5 more billion 3. in 1.5% the all US used electricity of the 4. data new centres for designs 5. energy keep control to costs under

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NEWS LESSONS / Web providers must limit Internet’s carbon footprint, say experts / Elementary

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6. amount a limited energy of


Elementary

5 Two-word expressions Match the words in the left-hand column with the ones in the right-hand column to make phrases from the text. 1. web

a. centre

2. carbon

b. efficient

3. data

c. performance

4. energy

d. page

5. rapid

e. impact

6. environmental

f. cut

7. high

g. footprint

8. power

h. growth


2.

improve

3.

perform

4.

fail

5.

grow

6.

increase


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consume

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1.

noun


verb


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words

4 Chunks

1. server 2. footprint 3. energy-efficient 4. renewable 5. power cut 6. impact 7. revenue 8. recession 9. threat 10. consumption

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

3 Comprehension check 1. YouTube is the world’s third-biggest website. 2. YouTube is owned by Google. 3. The computer industry’s carbon footprint is increasing rapidly. 4. It is difficult to monitor the growth of the Internet’s energy use. 5. Profits are falling as a result of the recession. 6. The cost of one mile of driving is much greater than the cost of an Internet search.

d g a b h e c f

6 Word building 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

consumption improvement performance failure growth increase


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more than 1.5 billion Google $470 million 61bn kilowatt hours 61bn kilowatt hours about $2.3 billion

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.




by more than 10% each year more than 1.5 billion people 1.5% of all the electricity used in the US new designs for data centres to keep energy costs under control a limited amount of energy


Intermediate

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. footprint secretive

recession consumption

threat server

revenue concern

subsidy dismiss

1. _____________________ is the income a company gets for its business activities. 2. A ___________________ is a period when trade and industry are not successful and there is a lot of unemployment. 3. A _____________________ is an amount of money given by the government or another organization to help reduce the cost of a product or a service. 4. A _____________________ is a situation or activity that could cause harm or danger. 5. _____________________ is the process of using fuel or energy. 6. If you _____________________ something, you refuse to accept that it might be true or important. 7. A _____________________ is a feeling of worry about something. 8. A _____________________ is a computer that controls all the computers in a network. 9. Your _____________________ is the impression you make on the environment. 10. A _____________________ person or organization deliberately tries not to tell people anything about their activities.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How many people are online around the world? 2. Which company owns YouTube? 3. How much energy are American data centres expected to use in 2009? 4. How much did Google invest in infrastructure in 2008? 5. How much money is YouTube expected to lose in 2009?

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NEWS LESSONS / Web providers must limit Internet’s carbon footprint, say experts / Intermediate

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6. How much energy is needed to supply the whole of the UK for two months?

Web providers must limit Internet’s carbon footprint, say experts And while the demand for electricity is a primary concern, a secondary result of the rapid increase in Internet use is that the computer industry’s carbon debt is increasing drastically. From having a relatively small impact just a few years ago, it is now overtaking other sectors like the airline industry that are more widely known for their negative environmental impact.

1 The Internet’s increasing use of electricity is a major threat to companies such as Google, according to scientists and industry executives. They say that many Internet companies are finding it difficult to manage the costs of providing billions of web pages, videos and files online, creating an energy problem that could even threaten the future of the Internet itself.

6

However, monitoring the growth of the Internet’s energy use is difficult, Internet companies rarely say how much energy they use. “A lot of this Internet stuff is fairly secretive,” said Rich Brown, an energy analyst. “Google is probably the best example. They see it as a trade secret: how many data centres they have, how big they are, how many servers they have.”

2 “In a world with a limited amount of energy, we cannot continue to grow the footprint of the Internet … we need to control energy consumption,” said Subodh Bapat of Sun Microsystems. Bapat said the network of web servers and data centres that store online information is becoming more expensive, while profits are falling as a result of the recession. “We need more data centres, we need more servers. Each server burns more electricity than the previous generation and electricity costs are going up,” he said.

7

One study by Brown suggested that US data centres used 61bn kilowatt hours of energy in 2006. That is enough to supply the whole of the UK for two months, and 1.5% of the entire electricity usage of the US. Brown said that despite efforts to achieve greater efficiency, Internet use is growing at such a rate that it is outstripping technical improvements – meaning that American data centres could account for as much as 80bn kWh this year. “Efficiency cannot keep up with continued growth and demand for new services,” he said. “It’s a common story … technical improvements are often taken back by increased demand.”

8

Among the problems that could result from the Internet’s hunger for electricity are website failures and communications disruption costing millions in lost business every hour – as well as power cuts at plants which supply data centres with electricity. To prevent this, initiatives are taking place to cope with the problem, including new designs for data centres and more investment in renewable energy.

9

Researchers at Microsoft’s research lab are even turning to older technology – by replacing energy-hungry new machines with the systems used in older, less powerful laptops. “Those older processors were designed to be very energy

Soaring online demand stretching companies’ ability to deliver content as net uses more power and raises costs Bobby Johnson in San Francisco May 3, 2009

3 With more than 1.5 billion people online around the world, scientists estimate that the energy footprint of the net is growing by more than 10% each year. This leaves many Internet companies in a difficult situation: energy costs are rising rapidly because of their increasing popularity, while at the same time their advertising revenues are falling because of the recession. 4 One site under particular scrutiny is YouTube – now the world’s third-biggest website, but one that requires a heavy subsidy from Google, its owner. Although the site’s financial details are a secret, a recent analysis suggested that it could lose as much as $470m (£317m) this year, as a result of the high price of delivering power-intensive videos over the Internet.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Web providers must limit Internet’s carbon footprint, say experts / Intermediate

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Intermediate

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Level 2


Intermediate

efficient, to make batteries last,” said Andrew Herbert of Microsoft Research. “We found we can build more energy-efficient data centres with those than with the kind of high performance processors you find in a typical server.” 10 Google was among the first Internet companies to take action to reduce its footprint by developing its own data centres – but even though it invested about $2.3bn into infrastructure projects last year, it is unclear whether it is winning the battle. 11

The company’s vice-president of operations, Urs Hölzle, said that it was struggling to keep energy costs under control. “You have rapid

growth in demand from users, and many of these services are free so you don’t have rapid growth of revenue at the same time,” he said. 12

Despite growing evidence that the Internet’s energy footprint is in danger of getting out of control, however, Hölzle dismissed concerns about the environmental impact of using the web. “The cost of one mile of driving is much greater than the cost of a search,” he said. “Internet usage is part of our consumption, just like TV is, or driving. There is consumption there, but overall I think it is not the problem.” © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 03/05/09

3 Comprehension check Are these sentences true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. The computer industry is having an increasing effect on the environment. 2. The airline industry has a bigger impact on the environment than the computer industry. 3. It is quite easy to find out how much energy computer companies use. 4. Demand for the Internet is growing all the time. 5. Older laptops are more energy efficient than new machines. 6. Google is clearly winning the battle to reduce its carbon footprint.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A two-word expression meaning being checked or examined very carefully. (para 4) 2. An adverb meaning quite. (para 6) 3. A two-word expression meaning information that is only known inside a particular company or industry. (para 6) 4. A noun meaning a unit for measuring electrical power containing 1,000 watts. (para 7) 5. A verb meaning to exceed or become larger than something else. (para 7) 6. A three-word phrasal verb meaning to move at the same speed as something else. (para 7) 7. A noun meaning a situation in which something cannot continue because of a problem. (para 8)

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8. A three-word expression meaning no longer able to be limited or stopped. (para 12)


Intermediate

5 Verb + noun collocations Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns and noun phrases in the right-hand column to make phrases from the text. 1. burn

a. a battle

2. store

b. action

3. take

c. electricity

4. have

d. online information

5. invest

e. greater efficiency

6. achieve

f. a problem

7. win

g. an impact

8. cope with

h. money


consume

2.

disrupt

3.

subsidise

4.

improve

5.

perform

6.

fail

noun

7 Discussion

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Do you think the amount of time people spend on computers should be limited to help the environment? What other ways can you think of of reducing the amount of electricity you use?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. revenue 2. recession 3. subsidy 4. threat 5. consumption 6. dismiss 7. concern 8. server 9. footprint 10. secretive

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

c d b g h e a f


6 Word building

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

consumption disruption subsidy improvement performance failure

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Web providers must limit Internet’s carbon footprint, say experts / Intermediate

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T F F T T F

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more than 1.5 billion Google 80bn kWh about $2.3 billion $470 million 61bn kilowatt hours



1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

under scrutiny fairly trade secret kilowatt outstrip keep up with disruption out of control

Binge drinking ‘increases risk’ of dementia Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. dementia neurological

impairment prevalence

onset cognitive

vulnerable intake

abstain widespread

1. _____________________ problems are related to the nervous system. 2. If someone is described as _____________________, they are easily affected by something damaging or harmful. 3. A _____________________ process is one that is connected with recognizing and understanding things. 4. If there is a _____________________ of something, it is very common in a particular place or among a particular group. 5. A _____________________ problem happens in many places or affects many people. 6. _____________________ is a serious illness that affects the brain and memory and is particularly common in old people. 7. If you _____________________ from an activity, you deliberately avoid doing it because, although it may be enjoyable, it may not be healthy. 8. Your _____________________ is the amount of something that you eat or drink. 9. The _____________________ of a disease is the point at which it begins to affect a person. 10. _____________________ is the fact that a part of your body is unable to do something fully.

2

What do you know?

Decide whether these statements are true (T) or false (F). Then check your answers in the text. 1. Men are less able physiologically to cope with the effects of alcohol than women. 2. Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia. 3. Women have more body water and less body fat than men. 4. Abstaining from alcohol does not help brain cells to regenerate. 5. Dementia linked to alcohol intake is more common among richer people with rich diets. 6. Some research has shown that drinking up to two alcoholic drinks a day can protect against the onset

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NEWS LESSONS / Binge drinking ‘increases risk’ of dementia / Advanced

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of dementia.

Binge drinking ‘increases risk’ of dementia These findings follow research in America last year indicating that consuming more than two drinks a day can bring forward the onset of Alzheimer’s by as much as 4.8 years. Two thirds of all the 700,000 people in the UK with dementia have Alzheimer’s. “Drink is more likely to help induce dementia in women than men because women have more body water and less body fat, which means that they metabolize alcohol differently and so are more vulnerable,” said Marshall.

6

Women who drink the same as men have a higher risk of cognitive impairment for that reason, in the same way that they are at higher risk of getting alcohol-related liver disease. However, a heavy drinker of either sex who abstains from alcohol can expect to see brain cells regenerate and improvements in key areas of brain activity.

7

Gayle Willis of the Alzheimer’s Society said: “We know that the prolonged use of alcohol can lead to memory deficiencies. Only one third of the people with Alzheimer’s are diagnosed, but the problem of under-diagnosis of people with alcohol-related memory impairment could be even greater.” But the society believes that only a handful of all cases of dementia, perhaps as few as 3%, are directly attributable to alcohol.

8

Marshall and her colleagues examined Korsakoff’s syndrome, a little-known form of dementia linked to alcohol intake, characterized by short-term memory loss, changes in behaviour and confusion. It is increasingly common in Scotland and the Netherlands, especially among poorer people with poor diets. One study of sufferers found that half were under 50.

9

Professor Ian Gilmore, president of the Royal College of Physicians, said: “It is really concerning that awareness among clinical staff of this important link between alcohol and dementia remains poor, yet detection of early signs often gives a real chance of successfully heading off the condition. It is vital that we improve understanding among doctors and nurses about the links between heavy drinkers

More under-65s – and women in particular – will suffer alcohol-related brain damage, say doctors Denis Campbell, health correspondent 10 May, 2009 1 Heavy drinking may be to blame for one in four cases of dementia. Doctors have linked alcohol intake to the development of the brain-wasting condition in between 10 and 24% of the estimated 700,000 people in the UK with the disease. They warn that binge drinking and increased consumption are likely to produce an epidemic of alcohol-related brain damage in the future, which could see drinkers starting to experience serious memory problems in their 40s. 2 Women who drink a lot are at much greater risk than men of suffering problems with their cognitive functions, because they are physiologically less well able to cope with alcohol’s effects. 3 Drink is known to kill brain cells, but the estimate of its impact on neurological health, contained in the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism, indicates that the problem may be much more widespread than previously thought. The rise in the amounts that people drink means “it is therefore likely that prevalence rates of alcohol-related brain damage are currently underestimated and may rise in future generations”, say the authors. 4 Dr Jane Marshall, one of the co-authors and consultant psychiatrist at the Maudsley Hospital in south London, said: “People think that dementia is something that happens to people over 65. But a lot of those under 65 have got cognitive problems and a large proportion of the problems in that group are related to alcohol. Alcohol-related brain damage may account for 10-24% of all cases of all forms of dementia. We know that alcohol is associated with serious cognitive impairment. It reduces memory and general cognition,” she added.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Binge drinking ‘increases risk’ of dementia / Advanced

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Binge drinking ‘increases risk’ of dementia Level 3

Advanced

and neurological damage. Equally important is that people understand that alcohol-related brain damage can strike at any time of life.”

Council on Alcohol, has written to Dawn Primarolo, the UK public health minister, warning that the National Health Service must give alcohol-related brain damage the same priority it has put into liver problems linked to heavy drinking.

10 Other research has shown that moderate drinking, of up to two drinks a day, can help protect against the onset of dementia. Dr Allan Thomson, the guest editor of Alcohol and Alcoholism and spokesman for the Medical


3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. Why are women more likely to develop dementia from drinking alcohol than men? a. Because their metabolism is different. b. Because they drink more than men. c. Because they don’t like the effects of alcohol. 2. According to the Alzheimer’s Society, what percentage of cases of dementia are directly attributable to alcohol? a. 10 – 24% b. Two thirds c. 3%

3. When can alcohol-related brain damage strike? a. When people are in their 40s. b. Over the age of 65. c. At any time of life. 4. What happens if people abstain from alcohol? a. It successfully prevents the onset of dementia. b. Some important areas of brain activity show improvements. c. It will delay Alzheimer’s disease by an average of 4.8 years.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A two-word expression meaning consuming too much alcohol over a short period of time. (para 1) 2. A verb meaning to cause something, especially a mental or physical change. (para 5) 3. A verb meaning to change food or drink in the body into energy. (para 5) 4. A noun meaning a lack of something that your body needs. (para 7) 5. A noun meaning a very small number of people or things. (para 7) 6. An adjective meaning caused by a particular situation, event or activity. (para 7) 7. An adjective meaning extremely important. (para 9)

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8. A verb meaning happen suddenly and unexpectedly causing harm or damage. (para 9)


Advanced

5 Phrasal verbs Match the phrasal verbs with their meanings. 1. head off

a. avoid doing something that is enjoyable but may not be healthy

2. put into

b. be the reason for

3. bring forward

c. spend time and effort doing something

4. account for

d. deal successfully with

5. cope with

e. change the date so that something happens earlier

6. abstain from

f.

prevent something from happening

6 Word building Complete the sentences using the correct form of the word in brackets at the end of each sentence. 1. The report says that rates of alcohol-related brain damage have been _______________ and there may be more cases than previously thought. [ESTIMATE] 2. Men and women metabolize alcohol _______________. [DIFFERENT] 3. _______________ use of alcohol can lead to memory deficiencies. [LONG] 4. Korsakoff’s syndrome is _______________ by short-term memory loss. [CHARACTER] 5. It is _______________ common in Scotland and the Netherlands. [INCREASE] 6. _______________ of early signs of dementia gives a real chance of preventing the condition. [DETECT]

7 Discussion

Clement Freud (1924-2009, English broadcaster, writer and politician)


H

“If you give up smoking and drinking, you don’t actually live longer. It just seems longer.”

•P


Discuss this statement:


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. neurological 2. vulnerable 3. cognitive 4. prevalence 5. widespread 6. dementia 7. abstain 8. intake 9. onset 10. impairment

1. binge drinking 2. induce 3. metabolize 4. deficiency 5. handful 6. attributable 7. vital 8. strike

2 What do you know?

1. f 2. c 3. e 4. b 5. d 6. a


H

1. a 2. c 3. c 4. b

1. underestimated 2. differently 3. prolonged 4. characterized 5. increasingly 6. detection

•P


6 Word building


1. F 2. T 3. T 4. F 5. F 6. T

5 Phrasal verbs


Elementary

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. dementia brain damage

condition liver

binge drinking priority

epidemic cope with

diagnosis reduce

1. If you give something _____________________, it is more important than anything else. 2. If you _____________________ something, you make it smaller or less in size, amount or importance. 3. A medical _____________________ is an illness or health problem. 4. _____________________ is drinking a lot of alcohol over a short period of time. 5. The _____________________ is an organ in your body that cleans your blood. 6. An _____________________ is a situation in which a large number of people are suffering from a disease. 7. _____________________ is a serious illness that affects the brain and memory and is particularly common in old people. 8. If you suffer from _____________________, your brain does not function correctly because of an accident or an illness. 9. A _____________________ is a statement made after a medical examination of a person about what disease that person has. 10. If you _____________________ a problem, you deal with it successfully.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How many people in the UK suffer from dementia? 2. How many dementia sufferers in the UK have Alzheimer’s disease? 3. If you drink more than two drinks a day, how much earlier can Alzheimer’s disease begin? 4. According to the Alzheimer’s Society, what percentage of dementia cases are directly caused by alcohol? 5. In which two countries is Korsakoff’s syndrome becoming more common?

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Binge drinking ‘increases risk’ of dementia / Elementary

CA



6. How many drinks can help protect against dementia?

Binge drinking ‘increases risk’ of dementia Elementary


1 Heavy drinking could be the cause of one in four cases of dementia, a serious brain condition which leads to a loss of memory. Doctors have identified a connection between drinking alcohol and dementia in between 10 and 24% of the 700,000 people in the UK who have the disease. They say that binge drinking and increased use of alcohol will probably produce an epidemic of alcohol-related brain damage in the future, with drinkers beginning to experience serious memory problems in their 40s.

6

Women who drink the same as men are in more danger of loss of memory for that reason, in the same way that they are in more danger of getting alcohol-related liver disease. However, if a heavy drinker of either sex stops drinking alcohol, their brain cells will regenerate and there will be an improvement in key areas of brain activity.

7

Gayle Willis of the Alzheimer’s Society said: “We know that the use of alcohol over a long period of time can lead to memory problems. Only one third of the people with Alzheimer’s are actually diagnosed with the disease but the problem of under-diagnosis of people with alcohol-related memory loss could be even greater.” But the society believes that only a few cases of dementia, perhaps as few as 3%, are directly caused by alcohol.

8

Marshall and her colleagues studied Korsakoff’s syndrome, a rare form of dementia linked to alcohol use, which leads to short-term memory loss, changes in behaviour and confusion. It is becoming more and more common in Scotland and the Netherlands, especially among poorer people with poor diets. One study of people suffering from the condition found that half of them were under the age of 50.

9

Professor Ian Gilmore, president of the Royal College of Physicians, said: “It is a real worry that some clinical staff do not recognize the important link between alcohol and dementia, because if the early signs of the condition are diagnosed quickly, it is possible to treat it. It is very important that we improve understanding among doctors and nurses about the links between heavy drinking and damage to the nervous system. It is equally important that people understand that alcohol-related brain damage can happen at any time of life.”

2 Women who drink a lot are in much greater danger than men of suffering problems because their bodies are less able to cope with the effects of alcohol. 3 It is well-known that alcohol kills brain cells, but an article in the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism says that the problem may be much more common than people think. The increase in the amounts that people drink means “it is probable that the amount of alcohol-related brain damage is greater than we thought and may rise in future generations”, say the authors of the article. 4 Dr Jane Marshall, one of the co-authors of the report and a consultant psychiatrist at a hospital in London, said: “People think that dementia is something that happens to people over the age of 65. But a lot of those under 65 have got memory problems and a large number of the problems in that group are related to alcohol. Alcohol-related brain damage may be the cause of 10-24% of all cases of all forms of dementia. We know that alcohol is associated with serious problems. It reduces memory and general awareness,” she added. 5 These findings follow research in America last year which showed that drinking more than two

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Binge drinking ‘increases risk’ of dementia / Elementary

O

Denis Campbell, health correspondent 10 May, 2009

•P H

More under-65s – and women in particular – will suffer alcohol-related brain damage, say doctors


drinks a day can cause Alzheimer’s to begin by up to 4.8 years earlier. Two thirds of all the 700,000 people in the UK with dementia have Alzheimer’s. “Drink is more likely to cause dementia in women than men because women have more body water and less body fat, which means that they process alcohol differently and are in more danger as a result,” said Marshall.

CA

Level 1


Elementary

10 Other research has shown that drinking up to two drinks a day, can help protect against dementia. Dr Allan Thomson, the guest editor of Alcohol and Alcoholism, has written to the UK public health minister, warning that the National Health Service must give alcohol-related brain damage the same priority it has given to liver problems linked to heavy drinking. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Observer, 10/05/09

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. Dementia is a serious brain condition which … 2. Doctors can treat dementia if … 3. The number of people suffering from alcohol-related brain damage … 4. Women who drink a lot … 5. Women are in more danger because … 6. The use of alcohol over a long period of time can …

a. … their bodies are less able to cope with alcohol. b. ... cause loss of memory. c.

… leads to a loss of memory.

d. … will probably rise in future generations. e. … are in more danger than men.

O

NEWS LESSONS / Binge drinking ‘increases risk’ of dementia / Elementary

•P H



… they diagnose the early signs of the disease quickly.

CA

f.


Elementary

4 Chunks Rearrange the words to make phrases from the text. 1. the over people 65 age of 2. 4.8 earlier to up years 3. few perhaps as 3% as 4. 50 the under of age 5. period of over long a time 6. time any at life of

5 Phrases with prepositions Complete the phrases from the text using these prepositions. of

in

to

1. _______ the future

5. lead _______ serious problems

2. people _______ their forties

6. up _______ 4 years earlier

3. loss _______ memory

7. the use _______ alcohol

4. _______ danger

8. a rare form _______ the disease


2.

connect

3.

improve

4.

behave

5.

confuse

6.

diagnose


H

lose

•P

1.

noun


verb


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words

4 Chunks

1. priority 2. reduce 3. condition 4. binge drinking 5. liver 6. epidemic 7. dementia 8. brain damage 9. diagnosis 10. cope with

1. people over the age of 65 2. up to 4.8 years earlier 3. perhaps as few as 3% 4. under the age of 50 5. over a long period of time 6. at any time of life

6 Word building

1. c 2. f 3. d 4. e 5. a 6. b


verb

noun

1.

lose

loss

2.

connect

connection

3.

improve

improvement

4.

behave

behaviour

5.

confuse

confusion

6.

diagnose

diagnosis

H


•P

1. 700,000 2. two thirds 3. up to 4.8 years 4. 3% 5. Scotland and the Netherlands 6. up to two a day

1. in 2. in 3. of 4. in 5. to 6. to 7. of 8. of





Intermediate

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. dementia cognitive

metabolize consumption

onset moderate

vulnerable impairment

abstain prolonged

1. A _____________________ process is one that is connected with recognizing and understanding things. 2. _____________________ is a serious illness that affects the brain and memory and is particularly common in old people. 3. If you _____________________ from an activity, you deliberately avoid doing it because, although it may be enjoyable, it may not be healthy. 4. Your _____________________ is the amount of something that you eat or drink. 5. The _____________________ of a disease is the point at which it begins to affect a person. 6. When your body _____________________ food or drink it changes it into energy. 7. A _____________________ amount is neither very great nor very small. 8. _____________________ means continuing for a long time. 9. _____________________ is the fact that a part of your body is unable to do something fully. 10. If someone is described as _____________________, they are easily affected by something damaging or harmful.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How many people in the UK suffer from dementia? 2. What percentage of dementia cases may be linked to alcohol consumption? 3. How many dementia sufferers in the UK have Alzheimer’s disease? 4. According to the Alzheimer’s Society, what percentage of dementia cases are caused by alcohol? 5. How many drinks constitute ‘moderate’ drinking?

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Binge drinking ‘increases risk’ of dementia / Intermediate

CA



6. In which two countries is Korsakoff’s syndrome becoming more common?

Binge drinking ‘increases risk’ of dementia Intermediate


1 Heavy drinking may be the cause of one in four cases of dementia. Doctors have linked alcohol consumption to the development of the brainwasting condition in between 10 and 24% of the estimated 700,000 people in the UK who have the disease. They say that binge drinking and increased consumption are likely to produce an epidemic of alcohol-related brain damage in the future, with drinkers beginning to experience serious memory problems in their 40s. 2 Women who drink a lot are at much greater risk than men of suffering problems with their cognitive functions, because their bodies are less able to cope with the effects of alcohol. 3 It is well-known that alcohol kills brain cells, but the estimate of its impact on the nervous system, contained in the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism, indicates that the problem may be much more common than people previously thought. The increase in the amounts that people drink means “it is likely that rates of alcohol-related brain damage are currently underestimated and may rise in future generations”, say the authors. 4 Dr Jane Marshall, one of the co-authors of the report and a consultant psychiatrist at a London hospital, said: “People think that dementia is something that happens to people over 65. But a lot of those under 65 have got cognitive problems and a large proportion of the problems in that group are related to alcohol. Alcohol-related brain damage may be the cause of 10-24% of all cases of all forms of dementia. We know that alcohol is associated with serious cognitive impairment. It reduces memory and general cognition,” she added. 5 These findings follow research in America last year indicating that consuming more than two

6

Women who drink the same as men have a higher risk of cognitive impairment for that reason, in the same way that they are at higher risk of getting alcohol-related liver disease. However, a heavy drinker of either sex who abstains from alcohol can expect to see brain cells regenerate and improvements in key areas of brain activity.

7

Gayle Willis of the Alzheimer’s Society said: “We know that the prolonged use of alcohol can lead to memory problems. Only one third of the people with Alzheimer’s are actually diagnosed with the disease, but the problem of underdiagnosis of people with alcohol-related memory impairment could be even greater.” But the society believes that only a handful of all cases of dementia, perhaps as few as 3%, are directly caused by alcohol.

8

Marshall and her colleagues examined Korsakoff’s syndrome, a rare form of dementia linked to alcohol consumption, characterized by short-term memory loss, changes in behaviour and confusion. It is increasingly common in Scotland and the Netherlands, especially among poorer people with poor diets. One study of people suffering from the condition found that half of them were under the age of 50.

9

Professor Ian Gilmore, president of the Royal College of Physicians, said: “It is a real worry that clinical staff seem unaware of this important link between alcohol and dementia, because detection of early signs often gives a real chance of successfully preventing the condition. It is vital that we improve understanding among doctors and nurses about the links between heavy drinkers and damage to the nervous system. It

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Binge drinking ‘increases risk’ of dementia / Intermediate

O

Denis Campbell, health correspondent 10 May, 2009

•P H

More under-65s – and women in particular – will suffer alcohol-related brain damage, say doctors


drinks a day can bring forward the onset of Alzheimer’s by as much as 4.8 years. Two thirds of all the 700,000 people in the UK with dementia have Alzheimer’s. “Drink is more likely to help cause dementia in women than men because women have more body water and less body fat, which means that they metabolize alcohol differently and are more vulnerable as a result,” said Marshall.

CA

Level 2


Intermediate

is equally important that people understand that alcohol-related brain damage can happen at any time of life.” 10 Other research has shown that moderate drinking, of up to two drinks a day, can help protect against dementia. Dr Allan Thomson, the guest editor of Alcohol and Alcoholism,

has written to the UK public health minister, warning that the National Health Service must give alcohol-related brain damage the same priority it has given to liver problems linked to heavy drinking. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Observer, 10/05/09

3 Comprehension check Are these statements true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. Dementia only happens to people over 65. 2. Drinking more than two drinks a day can cause Alzheimer’s disease to begin earlier. 3. Women are more at risk than men from dementia caused by alcohol. 4. If you stop drinking alcohol, you won’t get dementia. 5. Alcohol-related brain damage can only occur after the age of 50. 6. Moderate drinking can help protect against dementia.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A two-word expression meaning consuming too much alcohol over a short period of time. (para 1) 2. A two-word phrasal verb meaning to deal successfully with something. (para 2) 3. A noun meaning effect. (para 3) 4. A verb meaning to think that something is smaller than it really is. (para 3) 5. A noun meaning a very small number of people or things. (para 7) 6. An adverb meaning more and more over a period of time. (para 8) 7. A noun meaning the process of finding something using scientific methods. (para 9)

O •P H


CA



8. An adjective meaning extremely important. (para 9)


Intermediate

5 Phrases with prepositions Complete the phrases from the text using these prepositions. under

between

to

among

on

in

of

with

1. changes _______ behaviour 2. the effects _______ alcohol 3. its impact _______ the nervous system 4. problems related _______ alcohol 5. associated _______ serious memory problems 6. common _______ poorer people 7. _______ the age of 50 8. the link _______ heavy drinking and memory loss


detect

2.

improve

3.

consume

4.

develop

5.

behave

6.

understand

noun

7 Discussion

H


•P



Why do you think alcohol is a problem in some societies? What measures can governments take to help people to reduce their alcohol consumption?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. cognitive 2. dementia 3. abstain 4. consumption 5. onset 6. metabolizes 7. moderate 8. prolonged 9. impairment 10. vulnerable

1. binge drinking 2. cope with 3. impact 4. underestimate 5. handful 6. increasingly 7. detection 8. vital

2 Find the information 1. 700,000 2. 10-24% 3. two thirds (66.6%) 4. 3% 5. up to two a day 6. Scotland and the Netherlands

1. in 2. of 3. on 4. to 5. with 6. among 7. under 8. between


6 Word building


1.

detect

detection

2.

improve

improvement

3.

consume

consumption

4.

develop

development

5.

behave

behaviour

6.

understand

understanding

H


noun

•P


verb


1. F 2. T 3. T 4. F 5. F 6. T

Usain Bolt bags 150m world record in street sprint Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. obsessed clogged

unconventional role model

sprint burst

congregate lead up

deters hip

1. A ____________________ is a sudden short period in which you do something with a lot of energy. 2. A ____________________ is a short race at a fast speed. 3. A ____________________ is someone whose behaviour is considered to be a good example for other people to follow. 4. If people ____________________, they gather together in a group. 5. If something ____________________ people, it makes them decide not to do something. 6. A ____________________ person is modern and fashionable. 7. If something is ____________________, it is different from what most people consider to be usual or normal. 8. A ____________________ is the period that comes before an important event. 9. If you are ____________________ with something, you think it is so important that you cannot stop thinking about it in a way that seems extreme to other people. 10. If streets are ____________________, they are blocked by heavy traffic.

2

What do you know?

Decide whether these statements are true (T) or false (F). Then check your answers in the text. 1. Usain Bolt won both the Olympic 100 metres and 200 metres at the Beijing Olympics. 2. He also holds the world record for the 100 metres but not for the 200 metres. 3. Usain Bolt is American. 4. The 2012 Olympic Games will be held in London. 5. Haile Gebrselassie holds the world 200 metre record.

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Usain Bolt bags 150m world record in street sprint / Advanced

CA



6. Gebrselassie is Ethiopian.

Usain Bolt bags 150m world record in street sprint Advanced 5

But his self-assurance and memorable celebrations endeared the runner to young fans brought up on a diet of Premier League football. The IOC has called on bidding cities for the 2016 Games to come up with fresh ideas to bring the Games to a younger audience. In the hours leading up to the 6.20pm race, it had rained heavily with gusts of wind yet the foul weather did little to deter the thousands of fans who congregated in the city to watch Bolt compete in a street race on a usually traffic-clogged main thoroughfare. The crowds were six-deep and as the starting gun fired a collective silence momentarily descended and it appeared as if everyone was taking photos as the Jamaican athlete and others took off.

6

Joan Knight, who is of Jamaican origin, was waving the national flag in support two hours before his race began on a specially raised platform that took a day to build but just breathless seconds for Bolt to sprint across. She said of Bolt: “As a person he is absolutely fantastic and as a Jamaican he is out of this world. I am so happy that he is here in Manchester and I think he will be an excellent role model for young people and he will inspire them to achieve. It is so important to have this here on the street because it is free rather than being in a stadium.”

7

In the lead up to the race, Usain Bolt spoke of the importance of street athletics in encouraging young people to take up athletics: “It’s unique, something new for the sport and it will help attract youngsters into athletics. “I like to please the crowd and show them the person I am. I’m just going to go out there and have some fun with the crowd and perform to the best of my ability. If I want to be a legend, I have to keep working at it. That’s what keeps me going.”

2 London 2012 organizers, Olympic gold medallists and international athletics chiefs were all hoping the unconventional race would help spark a wave of innovation that will bring the sport to a new, younger, hipper audience. In the event, the triple Olympic gold-medallist Bolt did not disappoint, cruising to victory in the fastest time run over 150m, breaking the world record of 14.8 seconds which has stood since 1983. “It is one more to the tally,” said Bolt. “I’m not in the best shape and I still have a lot of work to do but I am getting there.” 3 Brendan Foster, the former athlete who established the Great North Run and came up with the idea of adding the street sprint to yesterday’s Great Manchester Run, said it would help to give the sport a shot in the arm. There are high hopes that 100m and 200m world record holder Bolt can help reconnect football-obsessed youngsters with athletics. 4 Foster said he was inspired in the mid-1960s by seeing Peter Snell compete at Gateshead and wanted to do the same for a new generation by bringing the likes of Bolt and Haile Gebrselassie, the Ethiopian who holds the world record for the marathon and who competed in the Great Manchester Run 10k, to the streets. “Some people have criticized it, but if I stand accused of bringing the two greatest athletes of our lifetime onto the streets of Manchester, then I’m guilty,” he said. The dilemma facing track and field was best highlighted by the situation in Beijing where IOC president Jaques Rogge criticized Bolt for showing a lack of respect to his fellow athletes following his victories in the 100m and 200m.


© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Usain Bolt bags 150m world record in street sprint / Advanced

O

1 It was not just fans standing yards from the world’s fastest man who were banking on a burst of adrenaline from yesterday’s 150m ‘street sprint’ in Manchester, which Usain Bolt completed in a world record 14.35 seconds.


Owen Gibson and Helen Carter May 17, 2009

•P H

Usain Bolt bags 150m world record in street sprint

CA

Level 3

Usain Bolt bags 150m world record in street sprint Level 3

Advanced

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. The organizers of the 150m street sprint hope … a. ... that it will inspire young people to take up athletics. b. ... that it will stop young people from being interested in football. c. ... that the distance will be recognized at the 2012 Olympics. 2. Cities bidding to host the 2016 Olympics will have to ... a. ... show that they have some new ideas for the Games. b. ... show that they can make the Games more attractive to younger people. c. ... include special events for younger people. 3. Usain Bolt … a. ... believes he is already a legend. b. ... thinks he still has some work to do if he is to become a legend. c. ... is not interested in becoming a legend. 4. The 150m sprint was held in the street in order to … a. ... enable the runners to run in a straight line. b. ... avoid the cost of hiring a stadium. c. ... bring the race to a bigger live audience.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A verb, often used in journalism, meaning to make something happen. (para 2) 2. A three-word expression meaning to win easily in a race, game or competition. (para 2) 3. A noun meaning a record of the number of things that someone has done, won or achieved. (para 2) 4. A three-word expression meaning in a good physical condition. (para 2) 5. A five-word expression meaning something that quickly makes a bad situation better. (para 3) 6. A three-word expression meaning particular types of people. (para 4) 7. A noun meaning a sudden strong wind. (para 5)

O •P H


CA



8. A four-word expression meaning extremely good or impressive. (para 6)


Advanced

5 Phrasal verbs Fill the gaps in the sentences using these phrasal verbs from the text. bank on

bring up

endear to

take off

take up

come up with

1. If you _______________ yourself _______________ someone, you make them like you. 2. If you _______________ something, you think of an idea or a plan. 3. If you _______________ something, you depend on it happening. 4. If you _______________ a new activity or a sport, you start doing it. 5. If you _______________, you leave very suddenly and quickly. 6. The verb _______________ is used in its passive form to say how or where someone lived when they were a child.

6 Word building Complete the sentences using the correct form of the word in brackets at the end of each sentence. 1. The 150m sprint was an ____________________ race. [convention] 2. Before the race a silence descended ____________________ on the crowd. [moment] 3. The race began on a ____________________ raised platform. [special] 4. Young fans admire Bolt for his self-____________________. [assure] 5. The bad weather failed to act as a ____________________ . [deter] 6. It rained ____________________ before the race. [heavy]

7 Discussion

H


•P



Did you have or do you have any sporting role models? If so, who were / are they? If not, what other types of role models did / do you have?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. burst 2. sprint 3. role model 4. congregate 5. deters 6. hip 7. unconventional 8. lead up 9. obsessed 10. clogged

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

2 What do you know?

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

1. 2. 3. 4.

a b b c

6 Word building 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

unconventional momentarily specially assurance deterrent heavily

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Usain Bolt bags 150m world record in street sprint / Advanced

H


endear … to come up with bank on take up take off bring up

•P

T F F T F T

5 Phrasal verbs


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

spark cruise to victory tally in good (the best) shape a shot in the arm the likes of gust out of this world


Elementary

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. inspires legend

unique foul

role model marathon

self-assurance athletics

sprint hip

1. A _____________________ is a short race at a fast speed. 2. A _____________________ person is modern and fashionable. 3. If someone has a lot of _____________________, they are confident and relaxed because they are sure about their abilities. 4. _____________________ weather is cold, wet and windy. 5. A _____________________ is a race of 42 kilometres. 6. _____________________ are sports events in which people compete in running, jumping and throwing. 7. If something is _____________________, it is not the same as anything else. 8. If something _____________________ you to do something, it gives you the enthusiasm to do it. 9. A _____________________ is someone whose behaviour is considered to be a good example for other people to follow. 10. A _____________________ is someone who very many people know about and admire.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How fast did Usain Bolt run the 150m race in Manchester? 2. What was the previous world record, which was set in 1983? 3. Who holds the world 100m and 200m records? 4. Where is the world marathon record-holder from? 5. What time did the Manchester race begin?

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Usain Bolt bags 150m world record in street sprint / Elementary

CA



6. Where is Usain Bolt from?

Usain Bolt bags 150m world record in street sprint Elementary 5

The problem for athletics could easily be seen in the situation at the Olympics in China when International Olympic Committee president, Belgian Jaques Rogge, criticized Bolt for showing a lack of respect to his fellow athletes after his victories in the 100m and 200m. But young fans brought up on a diet of football liked Bolt’s self-assurance and his memorable celebrations. Now the IOC has invited cities wishing to host the 2016 Games to think of fresh ideas to bring the Games to a younger audience.

6

In the hours before the 6.20pm Manchester race, it had rained heavily and been very windy but the foul weather did not prevent thousands of fans from gathering in the city to watch Bolt compete in the race. The crowds were six-deep and as the starting gun fired at the start of the race it seemed as if everyone was taking photos.

7

Joan Knight, who is of Jamaican origin, was waving the Jamaican national flag in support two hours before the race began. She said about Bolt: “As a person he is absolutely fantastic and as a Jamaican he is out of this world. I am so happy that he is here in Manchester and I think he will be an excellent role model for young people and he will inspire them to achieve things in sport. It is so important to have this here on the street because it is free rather than being in a stadium.”

8

Before the race, Usain Bolt spoke about the importance of street athletics in encouraging young people to take up athletics: “It’s unique, something new for the sport and it will help attract youngsters into athletics. I like to please the crowd and show them the person I am. I’m just going to go out there and have some fun with the crowd and perform to the best of my ability. If I want to be a legend, I have to keep working at it. That’s what keeps me going.”

2 The organizers of the London 2012 Olympic Games, Olympic gold medallists and international athletics chiefs were all hoping the unusual race would lead to some new ideas that would bring athletics to a new, younger, hipper audience. In the end, the triple Olympic gold-medal winner Bolt did not disappoint anyone, winning the race easily in the fastest time ever run over 150m, and breaking the world record of 14.8 seconds which has stood since 1983. “It is one more record to add to the list,” said Bolt. “I’m not in very good shape and I still have a lot of work to do but I am getting there.” 3 Brendan Foster, the former British athlete who established the Great North Run and had the idea of adding the street sprint to yesterday’s Great Manchester Run ten kilometre race, said it would help to bring some publicity to athletics. A lot of people are hoping that the 100m and 200m world record holder Bolt can help popularize athletics with young people who are normally only interested in football. 4 Foster said that in the mid-1960s he was inspired when he saw the Olympic gold medal winner of 1960 and 1964, New Zealander Peter Snell, compete in his hometown. Foster said that he wanted to do the same for a new generation by bringing the people like Bolt and world marathon record holder, the Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie, to the streets of Manchester. “Some people have criticized it, but if my crime is to bring the two greatest athletes of our lifetime onto the streets of Manchester, then I’m guilty,” he said.


© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Usain Bolt bags 150m world record in street sprint / Elementary

O

1 The world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt, won the 150m ‘street sprint’ in Manchester in a world record time of 14.35 seconds. But it was not only the fans standing just a few metres from Bolt who were hoping to see a fast run.



•P H

Usain Bolt bags 150m world record in street sprint

CA

Level 1


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. The organizers of the 150m race want … 2. Usain Bolt is … 3. Usain Bolt holds … 4. Usain Bolt won … 5. Usain Bolt hopes that the 150m race … 6. Usain Bolt enjoys … a. … pleasing the crowd. b. … the world records for the 100m and the 200m. c.

… will help to attract young people to athletics.

d. … to attract young people to athletics. e. … three gold medals at the Beijing Olympics. f.

… the fastest man on earth.


the 1960s in mid ever the time run fastest in the fastest world man the world 100m the holder record young a model people for role this out world of


b. fun

3. take

c. a record

4. take up

d. respect

5. have

e. a race

6. win

f. athletics


O

2. show

•P H

a. photos

CA

1. break


Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns or noun phrases in the right-hand column to make expressions from the text.


Elementary

6 Countries and people Complete the table.

Ethiopia

3.

New Zealand

4.

Britain

5.

Belgium

6.

(person only) (nationality only) Chinese


H

2.

Person / Nationality

•P

1.

Jamaica


Country


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words

4 Chunks

1. sprint 2. hip 3. self-assurance 4. foul 5. marathon 6. athletics 7. unique 8. inspires 9. role model 10. legend

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

c d a f b e

6 Countries and people Country

Person / Nationality Jamaican


1.

Jamaica

2.

Ethiopia

Ethiopian

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

3.

New Zealand

New Zealander

4.

Britain

British

5.

Belgium

Belgian

6.

China

Chinese

d f b e c a


H

14.35 seconds 14.8 seconds Usain Bolt Ethiopia 6.20pm Jamaica

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

•P

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.




in the mid 1960s the fastest time ever run the fastest man in the world the 100m world record holder a role model for young people out of this world


Intermediate

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. dilemma inspires

obsessed unique

unconventional role model

sprint foul

deters hip

1. A _____________________ is a short race at a fast speed. 2. If something is _____________________, it is not the same as anything else. 3. If something _____________________ you to do something, it gives you the enthusiasm to do it. 4. _____________________ weather is very unpleasant, with rain, snow or wind. 5. A _____________________ is a situation in which you have to make a difficult decision. 6. A _____________________ is someone whose behaviour is considered to be a good example for other people to follow. 7. If something _____________________ people, it makes them decide not to do something. 8. A _____________________ person is modern and fashionable. 9. If something is _____________________, it is different from what most people consider to be usual or normal. 10. If you are _____________________ with something, you think it is so important that you cannot stop thinking about it in a way that seems extreme to other people.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. Who holds the world record for the 100m and the 200m? 2. Where is the world marathon record-holder from? 3. How fast did Usain Bolt run the 150m race in Manchester? 4. Where will the 2012 Olympic Games be held? 5. What time did the Manchester race begin?

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Usain Bolt bags 150m world record in street sprint / Intermediate

CA



6. Where is Usain Bolt from?

Usain Bolt bags 150m world record in street sprint Intermediate

Usain Bolt bags 150m world record in street sprint 5

But young fans brought up on a diet of football liked Bolt’s self-assurance and memorable celebrations. The IOC has called on cities wishing to host the 2016 Games to think of fresh ideas to bring the Games to a younger audience. In the hours leading up to the 6.20pm race, it had rained heavily and been very windy but the foul weather did not deter the thousands of fans who gathered in the city to watch Bolt compete in the race. The crowds were six-deep and as the starting pistol fired a collective silence descended for a moment and it appeared as if everyone was taking photos as the race began.

6

Joan Knight, who is of Jamaican origin, was waving the national flag in support two hours before his race began on a specially raised platform that took a day to build but just a few seconds for Bolt to sprint across. She said of Bolt: “As a person he is absolutely fantastic and as a Jamaican he is out of this world. I am so happy that he is here in Manchester and I think he will be an excellent role model for young people and he will inspire them to achieve. It is so important to have this here on the street because it is free rather than being in a stadium.”

7

Before the race, Usain Bolt spoke about the importance of street athletics in encouraging young people to take up athletics: “It’s unique, something new for the sport and it will help attract youngsters into athletics. “I like to please the crowd and show them the person I am. I’m just going to go out there and have some fun with the crowd and perform to the best of my ability. If I want to be a legend, I have to keep working at it. That’s what keeps me going.”

3 Brendan Foster, the former athlete who established the Great North Run and came up with the idea of adding the street sprint to yesterday’s Great Manchester Run, said it would help to publicize athletics. There are high hopes that 100m and 200m world record holder Bolt can help reconnect football-obsessed youngsters with athletics. 4 Foster said he was inspired in the mid-1960s by seeing Peter Snell compete in his hometown and he wanted to do the same for a new generation by bringing the people like Bolt and Haile Gebrselassie, the Ethiopian who holds the world record for the marathon and who competed in the Great Manchester Run 10k, to the streets. “Some people have criticized it, but if they are accusing me of bringing the two greatest athletes of our lifetime onto the streets of Manchester, then I’m guilty,” he said. The dilemma facing athletics was best highlighted by the situation in Beijing where International Olympic Committee president


© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Usain Bolt bags 150m world record in street sprint / Intermediate

O

2 London 2012 organizers, Olympic gold medallists and international athletics chiefs were all hoping the unconventional race would lead to some new ideas that would bring athletics to a new, younger, hipper audience. In the event, the triple Olympic gold-medallist Bolt did not disappoint, winning easily in the fastest time ever run over 150m, breaking the world record of 14.8 seconds which has stood since 1983. “It is one more to add to the list,” said Bolt. “I’m not in very good shape and I still have a lot of work to do but I am getting there.”


1 It was not just fans standing just a few metres from the world’s fastest man who were hoping for a fast run in the 150m ‘street sprint’ in Manchester, which Usain Bolt completed in a world record 14.35 seconds.

•P H


Jaques Rogge criticized Bolt for showing a lack of respect to his fellow athletes after his victories in the 100m and 200m.

CA

Level 2


Intermediate

3 Comprehension check Are these statements true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. Usain Bolt beat Haile Gebrselassie in the 150m race in Manchester. 2. Bolt broke a record that has stood since 1983. 3. The aim of the event was to encourage young people to take up athletics. 4. Bolt won two gold medals at the Beijing Olympics. 5. The crowds were much smaller than expected because of the bad weather. 6. Usain Bolt says that he is already a legend.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A three-word expression meaning in a good physical condition. (para 2) 2. A three-word phrasal verb meaning to think of an idea or plan. (para 3) 3. A two-word expression meaning relaxed confidence that comes from being sure of your abilities. (para 5) 4. A two-word phrasal verb meaning to raise. (para 5) 5. A two-word expression meaning a small gun used for signalling the start of a race. (para 5) 6. A four-word expression meaning extremely good or impressive. (para 6) 7. A two-word phrasal verb meaning to start a new activity or sport. (para 7) 8. A noun meaning someone who very many people know about and admire. (para 7)


b. photos

3. show

c. fun

4. take

d. a record

5. take up

e. a record

6. have

f. a race

7. win

g. an idea

8. hold

h. athletics


O

2. come up with

•P H

a. a lack of respect

CA

1. break


Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns or noun phrases in the right-hand column to make expressions from the text.


Intermediate

6 Expressions with prepositions Complete these phrases from the text using prepositions. 1. ___________ good shape 2. ___________ the mid-1960s 3. compete ___________ a race 4. a role model ___________ young people 5. to the best ___________ my ability 6. keep working ___________ something

7 Discussion

H

NEWS LESSONS / Usain Bolt bags 150m world record in street sprint / Intermediate

•P



What sports do you like and what do you like about them? If you don’t like any sports, why don’t you like them?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. sprint 2. unique 3. inspires 4. foul 5. dilemma 6. role model 7. deters 8. hip 9. unconventional 10. obsessed

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

d/e g a b h c f d/e



1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

in in in for of at


H

F T T F F F

•P

Usain Bolt Ethiopia 14.35 seconds London 6.20pm Jamaica



1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

in good shape come up with self-assurance bring up starting pistol out of this world take up legend

Student activists try to save wildlife on China’s menu Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words


delicacy devastating

longevity culprit

curative poaching

extinct unsustainable

decline endangered

1. An __________________________ animal is one that no longer exists. 2. An __________________________ species is one that may soon become extinct. 3. A ____________ is an individual or organization that is responsible for doing something bad or illegal. 4. If a process is described as __________________________, it is not capable of continuing at the same rate or level. 5. __________________________ is the fact of having a long life or existence. 6. __________________________ is the illegal hunting of animals for commercial purposes. 7. A __________________________ is a rare or expensive type of food. 8. If a substance has __________________________ properties, it can be used to treat an illness or a medical condition. 9. Something which has a __________________________ effect can cause a lot of harm or damage. 10. A __________________________ is a gradual reduction in the amount of quality of something.

2


Complete the sentences using information from the text. 1. Eating rare animals is __________________________ in southern China. 2. Crocodile meat is believed to relieve the symptoms of __________________________. 3. __________________________ is the richest and most powerful province in southern China. 4. Demand for exotic animals fell in 2003 as a result of the __________________________ crisis. 5. __________________________ is the biggest market for illegally harvested wildlife products.

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Student activists try to save wildlife on China’s menu / Advanced

CA



6. Chinese traditional __________________________ is the main reason for the wildlife trade.

Student activists try to save wildlife on China’s menu Advanced

Student activists try to save wildlife on China’s menu

1 Stewed turtle cures cancer, crocodile meat relieves asthma, pangolin scales regulate menstruation and scorpion venom helps stroke victims. These are traditional beliefs in Guangdong province in southern China, where animal markets teem with snakes, scorpions, salamander and dozens of different species of birds and turtles, some of which are endangered and all of which will end their lives in restaurants, pharmacies or pet cages. 2 Eating rare wildlife is normal in southern China, but a growing group of student activists is trying to do something considered far stranger: they are trying to save them. The newly-formed NGO conservation movement is stepping in where the authorities have had limited success by monitoring markets and restaurants, reporting sales of endangered species and trying to change the consumer culture. Among the youngest of several small groups is the Asian Turtle Rehabilitation Project, established earlier this year to save the reptiles from the soup pot. 3 The founding members say they are trying to cross the divide between the culture in which they were raised and the global conservation concerns they have been exposed to via the Internet and schooling. They are surrounded by people who think it’s a wasted effort. “They disapprove of this activity. They think turtles are small animals only good for eating, so why bother saving them,” says Luo Xinmei, a local student. “Almost no one in Guangzhou realizes this is a centre of the illegal wildlife trade.” 4 They are up against tradition and economic growth. Guangdong is the richest and most powerful province in southern China, where the appetite for exotic animals and plants is seen

5

Demand dropped briefly after 2003, when the Sars crisis was blamed on pathogens spread by civet cats and other wild animals. But it has surged back since as rising incomes allow more consumers to indulge in foods that were once considered delicacies for the very rich. A survey by the conservation group Traffic last year found that almost half of city dwellers had eaten wild animals in the previous 12 months.

6

The impact has been devastating. While international attention tends to focus on big mammals such as the Sumatran tiger and the giant panda, many reptiles are on the brink of extinction. Turtles are among the most threatened because they breed slowly and their meat is considered good for longevity.

7

Raising awareness takes a number of forms. The group has secretly taken images of a turtle being butchered and posted them online. But its main job is monitoring. On a recent visit to the city’s Qingping and Huadiwan markets, Wen Zhenyu identified a number of different types of turtles among the many species that are meant to be protected by international treaty.

8

While China is not the only culprit in the consumption of wild animals, it is the biggest. And its impact is being felt across the region. In February, Vietnamese authorities seized a record haul of illegally harvested wildlife products, including two tons of tiger bones. Reports the same month from Laos revealed that tiger poaching is still going on. The biggest market for these products is China.

9

The authorities launch occasional raids on restaurants and dealers. Last month, Guangzhou wildlife protection officials intercepted a cargo of

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Student activists try to save wildlife on China’s menu / Advanced

O

Jonathan Watts in Taiping 15 May, 2009

•P H

As some rare wildlife species approach extinction, conservation groups are working to change China’s appetite for exotic animals


as extreme even in most other regions of China. The main reason is Chinese traditional medicine, which lists curative qualities in many exotic animals. It is believed that the wilder the animal or plant, the better the effects. A popular saying has it that people here will eat anything with four legs except a chair, anything that flies except a plane and anything in the water except a boat.

CA

Level 3

Student activists try to save wildlife on China’s menu Level 3

Advanced

smuggled animals and birds. Conservationists believe police alone cannot solve the problem. “We need to build consumer awareness so people move away from unsustainable consumption towards a feeling of stewardship,” said James Compton, the Asia Pacific co-ordinator of Traffic. 10 For many species, it may be too late. The Wildlife Conservation Society reports a sharp decline

in the diversity of freshwater turtles, snakes and frogs in the wild, though many species, including crocodiles, are being bred successfully in captivity. The activists say the key is changing attitudes. “We try to educate people that turtles are not only pets and not only food; they are also a friend of humans,” Wen Zhenyu says. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 15/05/09

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. What are the founding members of the Asian Turtle Rehabilitation Project hoping to achieve? a. They want to stop people eating turtles. b. They want to make people realize that Guangzhou is the centre of the illegal wildlife trade. c. They want to bridge the gap between Chinese culture and global conservation concerns. 2. What are the two main factors that the founding members of the Asian Turtle Rehabilitation Project are up against? a. Rising sales and falling stocks. b. Smuggling and poaching. c. Tradition and economic growth. 3. How do conservationists believe the problem can be solved? a. By raising awareness among consumers and changing attitudes. b. By a police crackdown. c. By launching occasional raids on restaurants and dealers. 4. What do traditional practitioners of Chinese traditional medicine believe? a. The wilder the animal, the better the effects. b. The appetite for exotic animals and plants is extreme.

O •P H


CA



c. Turtles are small animals only good for eating.


Advanced

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A verb meaning to cook slowly in liquid. (para 1) 2. A noun meaning poison produced by some animals, especially snakes and insects. (para 1) 3. A phrasal verb meaning to contain an extremely large number of something. (para 1) 4. A phrasal verb meaning to become involved in an argument or a controversial situation. (para 2) 5. A verb meaning to increase a lot very quickly. (para 5) 6. A four-word expression meaning at the point in time when something very bad (or good) is about to happen. (para 6)

7. A verb meaning to kill a living creature in a cruel or violent way. (para 7) 8. A noun meaning the way in which someone organizes and looks after something. (para 9)

5 Expressions with prepositions Complete the expressions from the text using prepositions. 1. be up _______________ 2. focus _______________ 3. expose someone _______________ 4. disapprove _______________ 5. blame something _______________ 6. indulge _______________

6 Word building Complete the sentences using the correct form of the word in brackets at the end of each sentence. 1. There are a number of ____________________________ species in south-east Asia. [DANGER] 2. Economic ____________________________ is one of the main reasons. [GROW] 3. Many animals are on the brink of ____________________________. [EXTINCT] 4. Conservation groups are trying to raise ____________________________. [AWARE] 5. The current rate of consumption is ____________________________ and cannot continue. [SUSTAIN] 6. Many animals are bred successfully in ____________________________. [CAPTIVE]

7 Discussion

H


•P



Should local culture and traditions be respected or should it be made illegal worldwide to hunt and consume exotic animals?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. extinct 2. endangered 3. culprit 4. unsustainable 5. longevity 6. poaching 7. delicacy 8. curative 9. devastating 10. decline

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

1. 2. 3. 4.

c c a a

6 Word building 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

endangered growth extinction awareness unsustainable captivity

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Student activists try to save wildlife on China’s menu / Advanced

H


against on to of on in

•P

normal asthma Guangzhou Sars China medicine



1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

stew venom teem with step in surge on the brink of butcher stewardship


Elementary

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences below using these key words from the text.

conservation poaching

turtle endangered

demand activist

mammal exotic

extinct reptile

1. __________________________ is the illegal hunting of animals for commercial purposes. 2. An __________________________ animal is one that no longer exists. 3. An __________________________ species is one that may soon become extinct. 4. A __________________________ is an animal that lays eggs like a snake or a crocodile. 5. A __________________________ is an animal that is born from its mother’s body, not from an egg, and drinks its mother’s milk as a baby. 6. __________________________ is the amount of a product or service that people want. 7. A __________________________ is an animal with a shell and four short legs that mainly lives in the sea. 8. If something is __________________________, it is interesting or exciting because it is unusual. 9. An __________________________ is someone who takes part in activities that are intended to achieve political or social change. 10. __________________________ is the management of land and water in ways that prevent it from being destroyed.

2


Complete the sentences using information from the text. 1. Where is Guangdong province? 2. What disease is eating turtle supposed to cure? 3. What is the capital of Guangdong province? 4. When was the Sars virus epidemic? 5. What is Traffic?

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Student activists try to save wildlife on China’s menu / Elementary

CA



6. Which country is the biggest market for illegal wildlife products?

Student activists try to save wildlife on China’s menu Elementary

1 In Guangdong province in southern China, people believe that eating turtle can cure cancer, crocodile meat helps to treat asthma and scorpion poison helps people who have suffered strokes. Animal markets in Guangdong are full of snakes, scorpions, salamander and dozens of different species of birds and turtles. Some of these species are endangered and all of them will end their lives in restaurants, pharmacies or pet cages. 2 Eating wild animals is normal in southern China, but now student activists are trying to do something that many people think is much stranger: they are trying to save these wild animals. A new conservation movement is checking markets and restaurants, reporting sales of endangered species and trying to change the consumer culture. One of the groups in the movement is the Asian Turtle Rehabilitation Project, established earlier this year to help protect turtles. 3 Members of the group say there is a big difference between the local culture and the global conservation concerns they read about on the Internet and hear about at school. Most of the people around them think that what they are doing is a waste of time. “They don’t like what we are doing. They think turtles are small animals only good for eating, so why try to save them,” says Luo Xinmei, a local student. “Almost no one in Guangzhou (the capital of Guangdong province) knows that the city is a centre of the illegal wildlife trade.” 4 The two main problems for the activists are tradition and economic growth. Guangdong is the richest and most powerful province in southern China. It is well known in other parts of China

5

The demand for wild animals fell for a short time after 2003, when the spread of the Sars virus was blamed on wild animals. But it has risen again as higher incomes allow more people to eat foods that were once only for the very rich. A survey by the conservation group Traffic last year found that almost half the people living in cities had eaten wild animals in the previous 12 months. The effect of this has been terrible. International attention usually focuses on big mammals such as the Sumatran tiger and the giant panda, but many reptiles are now almost extinct. Turtles are in a particularly difficult situation because they breed slowly and people believe that if they eat turtle meat they will have a longer life.

6

The activists are trying to raise public awareness of the problem in different ways. The group has secretly taken pictures of a turtle being killed and posted the pictures online. But its main job is monitoring. On a recent visit to the city’s markets, Wen Zhenyu saw a number of different types of turtles among the many species that are meant to be protected by international law.

7

China is not the only country that consumes wild animals, but it is the biggest. The effects of China’s actions are felt all over the region. In February, Vietnamese authorities seized a record number of illegal wildlife products, including two tons of tiger bones. Reports in the same month from Laos showed that tiger poaching is still continuing. The biggest market for these products is China.

8

From time to time the authorities raid restaurants and animal dealers. Last month, Guangzhou

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Student activists try to save wildlife on China’s menu / Elementary

O


•P H



for its extreme appetite for exotic animals and plants. The main reason is Chinese traditional medicine, which uses exotic animals in its treatments. People believe that the wilder the animal or plant is, the better the effects are. A popular saying in China is that people here will eat anything with four legs except a chair, anything that flies except a plane and anything in the water except a boat.


CA

Level 1


Elementary

wildlife protection officials seized a cargo of smuggled animals and birds. Conservationists believe the police cannot solve the problem alone. “We need to build awareness so people understand the need to protect these species rather than kill and eat them,” said James Compton, the Asia Pacific co-ordinator of Traffic. 9 For many species, it may be too late. The Wildlife Conservation Society reports a sharp fall in

different species of freshwater turtles, snakes and frogs in the wild, though many species, including crocodiles, are breeding successfully in zoos. The activists say the answer is to change people’s attitudes. “We try to educate people that turtles are not only pets and not only food; they are also a friend of humans,” Wen Zhenyu says. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 15/05/09

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and the endings to make sentences about the text. 1. The main reason for the Chinese appetite for exotic animals is ______ 2. Guangdong province is ______ 3. Turtles are in a very bad situation because ______ 4. The Sars virus of 2003 ______ 5. Groups of activists ______ 6. China is ______ a. ______ the main market for exotic animals and plants. b. ______ they breed slowly and people believe eating turtle meat leads to a longer life. c. ______ Chinese traditional medicine. d. ______ are trying to save endangered species. e. ______ led to a fall in demand for wild animals.

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Student activists try to save wildlife on China’s menu / Elementary

CA



f. ______ the richest and most powerful province in China.


Elementary

4 Definitions Match the words from the text with their definitions.

1. asthma

a. someone who buys and uses goods and services

2. stroke

b. knowledge or understanding of a subject or situation

3. consumer

c. a set of questions you ask a large number of people

4. saying

d. a medical condition in which the blood is suddenly blocked and cannot reach the brain

5. survey

e. a medical condition that makes it difficult to breathe

6. awareness

f. a well-known statement about what often happens in life

5 Two-word expressions Match the words in the left-hand column with the words in the right-hand column to form expressions from the text. 1. conservation

a. species

2. endangered

b. awareness

3. economic

c. medicine

4. traditional

d. group

5. public

e. saying

6. popular

f. growth


2.

move

3.

grow

4.

treat

5.

produce

6.

protect


H

sell

•P

1.

noun


verb


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words

4 Definitions

1. poaching 2. extinct 3. endangered 4. reptile 5. mammal 6. demand 7. turtle 8. exotic 9. activist 10. conservation

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.


c f b e d a

d a f c b e

6 Word building 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

sale movement growth treatment product protection


H

southern China cancer Guangzhou 2003 a conservation group China

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

•P

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.




e d a f c b


Intermediate

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. extinct endangered

curative activist

devastating exotic

culprit reptile

poaching treaty

1. __________________________ is the illegal hunting of animals for commercial purposes. 2. A __________________________ is an official written agreement between two or more countries. 3. A __________________________ is an animal that lays eggs like a snake or a crocodile. 4. An __________________________ is someone who takes part in activities that are intended to achieve political or social change. 5. An __________________________ animal is one that no longer exists. 6. An __________________________ species is one that may soon become extinct. 7. If something is __________________________, it is interesting or exciting because it is unusual. 8. Something which has a __________________________ effect can cause a lot of harm or damage. 9. If a substance has __________________________ properties, it can be used to treat an illness or a medical condition. 10. A __________________________ is an individual or organisation that is responsible for doing something bad or illegal.

2


Complete the sentences using information from the text. 1. Where is Guangdong province? 2. When was the Sars epidemic? 3. Apart from China, which other two Asian countries are mentioned in the article? 4. What disease is eating turtle supposed to cure? 5. Which country is the biggest market for illegal wildlife products?

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Student activists try to save wildlife on China’s menu / Intermediate

CA



6. What is the capital of Guangdong province?

Student activists try to save wildlife on China’s menu Intermediate

1 Eating turtle cures cancer, crocodile meat relieves asthma and scorpion poison helps stroke victims. These are traditional beliefs in Guangdong province in southern China, where animal markets are full of snakes, scorpions, salamander and dozens of different species of birds and turtles, some of which are endangered and all of which will end their lives in restaurants, pharmacies or pet cages. 2 Eating rare wildlife is normal in southern China, but now student activists are trying to do something considered far stranger: they are trying to save them. The newly-formed conservation movement is monitoring markets and restaurants, reporting sales of endangered species and trying to change the consumer culture. Among the newest of several small groups is the Asian Turtle Rehabilitation Project, established earlier this year to help protect turtles. 3 The founding members say the culture in which they were raised and the global conservation concerns they have been exposed to via the Internet and schooling are two very different things. They are surrounded by people who think that what they are doing is a waste of time. “They disapprove of this activity. They think turtles are small animals only good for eating, so why bother saving them,” says Luo Xinmei, a local student. “Almost no one in Guangzhou (the capital of Guangdong province) realizes this is a centre of the illegal wildlife trade.” 4 The activists are fighting the effects of both tradition and economic growth. Guangdong is the richest and most powerful province in southern

5

Demand dropped briefly after 2003, when the spread of Sars was blamed on wild animals. But it has risen again as higher incomes allow more consumers to eat foods that were once only for the very rich. A survey by the conservation group Traffic last year found that almost half of city dwellers had eaten wild animals in the previous 12 months. The impact has been devastating. While international attention tends to focus on big mammals such as the Sumatran tiger and the giant panda, many reptiles are almost extinct. Turtles are among the most threatened because they breed slowly and people believe that eating their meat will lead to a longer life.

6

Raising awareness takes a number of forms. The group has secretly taken images of a turtle being butchered and posted them online. But its main job is monitoring. On a recent visit to the city’s markets, Wen Zhenyu identified a number of different types of turtles among the many species that are meant to be protected by international treaty.

7

While China is not the only culprit in the consumption of wild animals, it is the biggest. And its impact is being felt across the region. In February, Vietnamese authorities seized a record haul of illegal wildlife products, including two tons of tiger bones. Reports the same month from Laos revealed that tiger poaching is still going on. The biggest market for these products is China.

8

The authorities occasionally raid restaurants and dealers. Last month, Guangzhou wildlife protection officials intercepted a cargo of smuggled animals and birds. Conservationists

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Student activists try to save wildlife on China’s menu / Intermediate

O


•P H



China. It is a place where the appetite for exotic animals and plants is seen as extreme; even in most other regions of China. The main reason is Chinese traditional medicine, which lists curative qualities in many exotic animals. It is believed that the wilder the animal or plant, the better the effects. A popular saying has it that people here will eat anything with four legs except a chair, anything that flies except a plane and anything in the water except a boat.


CA

Level 2


Intermediate

believe police alone cannot solve the problem. “We need to build consumer awareness so people understand the need to protect these species rather than kill and eat them,” said James Compton, the Asia Pacific co-ordinator of Traffic. 9 For many species, it may be too late. The Wildlife Conservation Society reports a sharp fall in the diversity of freshwater turtles, snakes and frogs in the wild, though many species,

including crocodiles, are being bred successfully in captivity. The activists say the key is changing attitudes. “We try to educate people that turtles are not only pets and not only food; they are also a friend of humans,” Wen Zhenyu says. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 15/05/09

3 Comprehension check Are these sentences true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. Eating rare animals is unusual in southern China. 2. The activists think what they are doing is probably a waste of time. 3. Chinese traditional medicine is the main reason for the trade in exotic animals and plants. 4. People blamed the Sars epidemic on domestic animals. 5. The main job of the activists is to post images online. 6. The Chinese authorities do not often raid restaurants and dealers.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A noun meaning a medical condition that makes it difficult to breathe. (para 1) 2. A noun meaning a medical condition in which the blood is suddenly blocked and cannot reach the brain. (para 1) 3. A noun meaning someone who buys and uses goods and services. (para 2) 4. A noun meaning a well-known statement about what often happens in life. (para 4) 5. A noun meaning the amount of a product or service that people want. (para 5) 6. A verb meaning to kill a living creature in a cruel or violent way. (para 6) 7. A noun meaning a large amount of something illegal that is found by the police. (para 7)

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8. A noun meaning the fact that very different people or things exist within a group or place. (para 9)


Intermediate

5 Verb + noun collocations Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns and noun phrases in the right-hand column to form expressions from the text. 1. cure

a. images online

2. raise

b. a problem

3. post

c. animals in captivity

4. solve

d. an illegal cargo

5. breed

e. a disease

6. intercept

f. awareness

6 Word building Complete the table. verb

noun

1.

believe

2.

move

3.

grow

4.

consume

(person)

5.

consume

(process)

6.

protect

7 Discussion

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Should people be allowed to eat what they want to eat?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. poaching 2. treaty 3. reptile 4. activist 5. extinct 6. endangered 7. exotic 8. devastating 9. curative 10. culprit

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

F F T F F T

6 Word building 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

belief movement growth consumer consumption protection

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Student activists try to save wildlife on China’s menu / Intermediate

H


e f a b c d

•P

southern China 2003 Laos and Vietnam cancer China Guangzhou



1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

asthma stroke consumer saying demand butcher haul diversity

US women discover they were switched at birth Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. sibling sedated

rumour sneer

distress divulge

switch dismiss

tease bereavement

1. If you _____________________ at someone, you speak to them in an unpleasant way that shows you do not respect them and think you are better than them. 2. If you _____________________ someone, you have fun by saying things that embarrass or annoy them slightly in a friendly or unkind way. 3. If you _____________________ something, you refuse to accept that it might be true or important. 4. A _____________________ hospital patient has been given drugs to make them calmer or to make them sleep. 5. Your _____________________ is your brother or sister. 6. To _____________________ means to give people information about something, especially something that should be kept secret. 7. _____________________ is the situation you are in when a close friend or a family member has just died. 8. _____________________ is a feeling that you have when you are very unhappy, worried or upset. 9. To _____________________ means to replace one object with another. 10. A _____________________ is unofficial information that may or may not be true.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. When were the two women born? 2. Where were they born? 3. How far apart were their family homes? 4. How much did each baby weigh at birth? 5. What was the difference between Dee Ann Angell and her siblings?

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NEWS LESSONS / US women discover they were switched at birth / Advanced

CA



6. What method was used to determine their real identity?

US women discover they were switched at birth Advanced

US women discover they were switched at birth

5

When Kay Rene heard the news it rang a bell for her. Her own mother, Donalda Reed, had been heavily sedated giving birth and had never harboured any doubts. She had only once referred to the rumours about the family. She told Kay Rene they were not true. “You are my daughter and you always will be,” she said. But those doubts were now impossible to ignore. The two women contacted each other earlier this year and arranged to meet. One of Dee Ann’s sisters, Juanita, joined them and for Kay Rene it was like lightning had struck. They were identical. “That’s me!” she exclaimed, pointing at her natural sister. Juanita replied: “There’s no point having a DNA test, just look at us!”

6

They did go ahead with a test, and while they were waiting for the results they cracked jokes. “Who’s my mama?” shouted Dee Ann, “Who’s my daddy?” echoed Kay Rene. The test measured the genetic possibility of Kay Rene being related to her brother and sister: zero. It also tested the genetic possibility of her being related to Dee Ann’s brother and sister: 99.99%. The few weeks since the discovery have been an emotional roller-coaster for both women. In some ways it has been a bereavement, accepting the fact that they will never meet their natural parents, that the lives that had been intended for them have been lost for ever. “It’s sad,” Dee Ann told ABC television today, close to tears. “I think that I missed out on knowing my own parents, my own family.”

7

Kay Rene said she felt very guilty because she had stolen the other woman’s memories. When she looked at her family now she felt “I have cheated them – it shouldn’t have been me. I’m glad it was because I’ve had a wonderful life.” But another part of the experience has been very enriching. On their 56th birthday earlier this month the two families came together for the first

1 Dee Ann Angell was used to the jokes and the sneering she had to put up with at school. She was blonde-haired and blue-eyed and she was teased because she looked so different from her brown-eyed brunette siblings. “Did your mother go with another man?” her friends would say, and she would just laugh and brush it off. 2 Kay Rene Reed would sometimes hear a rumour in her family that a terrible mistake had been made at birth and she had been switched with another baby. That explained why she looked so different from her siblings, so the rumour went. But she also dismissed it and moved on. 3 Fifty-six years after the two women were born on the same day in 1953 they no longer dismiss anything. Through DNA testing they now know they are not who they thought they were, that their lives have been led in the wrong family. Each baby weighed about 6lbs (2.8kg) at birth on 3 May 1953. Each was hairless. They were the only two babies delivered that day at the tiny hospital in Heppner, Oregon. A nurse took them both to be bathed, sharing the facilities for convenience’s sake, then returned them to their mothers. They were taken to homes 20 miles apart and in the course of time married and had children and grandchildren of their own. Their paths never crossed again until earlier this year. 4 The truth began to emerge last summer when a neighbour of Marjorie Angell, Dee Ann’s mother, divulged a secret she had been carrying inside her for years. Aged 86, the unidentified neighbour had waited until all four parents of the women had died, because she didn’t want to cause any distress. Now she came forward and told one of Kay Rene’s brothers that while she was still alive Marjorie had told her that the babies had © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009


O

Ed Pilkington in New York 15 May, 2009

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Dee Ann Angell and Kay Rene Reed have managed to forge a bond 56 years after hospital’s error


been mistakenly switched at birth. When the nurse brought the babies back from bathing them Marjorie had cried out, “This is not my baby!” But the nurse ignored her protests, and she had spent the rest of her life privately convinced she was raising the wrong child.

CA

Level 3

US women discover they were switched at birth Level 3

Advanced

time. It was as if each woman had been given a gift of a second family. “We just had a ball together,” Kay Rene said. 8

There is also the gift of friendship between the two women. They call each other ‘twisters’. They have shared notes about each other’s lives that have revealed some strange similarities. Dee Ann grew up loving horses which was unlikely in her family that had no tradition of riding; she learnt that Kay Rene had been brought up on a ranch by her father who saw himself as a

cowboy. Kay Rene chewed gum in a distinctive way; when she met her natural sisters for the first time they chewed it in the same way. The ups and downs continue. The hospital that made the switch has offered them counselling to help them deal with the shock but they politely declined. “We are old women now,” said Kay Rene. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 15/05/09

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1.

Who revealed the truth about the switched babies? a. Dee Ann’s mother. b. Dee Ann’s mother’s neighbour. c. Marjorie’s mother.

2. When were they switched? a. When they left the hospital. b. Just after they had been bathed by a nurse. c. As soon as they were born.

3. Why is Dee Ann sad? a. Because she knows the truth. b. Because the last few weeks have been an emotional roller-coaster. c. Because she will never know her own parents. 4.

Why did the two women refuse to have counselling? a. Because they don’t need it. b. Because they are old now. c. Because they don’t think it will help.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A two-word phrasal verb meaning to refuse to listen to someone or accept that something is true. (para 1) 2. A verb meaning to help a woman give birth to a baby. (para 3) 3. A four-word expression meaning they didn’t meet each other by chance. (para 3) 4. An adverb meaning wrongly. (para 4) 5. A two-word expression meaning to be suspicious about something for a long period of time. (para 5) 6. A two-word expression meaning to tell funny stories. (para 6) 7. A three-word expression meaning a situation in which your feelings and your mood change radically several times. (para 6)

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8. A three-word expression meaning to have a good time. (para 7)


Advanced

5 Verb + noun collocations Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns they go with in the right-hand column. 1. share

a. doubts

2. deliver

b. a secret

3. divulge

c. a ball

4. harbour

d. children

5. cause

e. facilities

6. raise

f. an offer

7. decline

g. distress

8. have

h. a baby

6 Phrasal verbs Match each phrasal verb with its definition. 1. put up with

a. lose an opportunity to do something

2. move on

b. continue to do something especially after waiting for permission

3. come forward

c. tell someone a secret

4. miss out

d. accept something unpleasant in a patient way

5. go ahead

e. offer help or information

6. confide in

f. continue your life

7 Discussion

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Imagine that you were in a similar situation. Would you prefer to know the truth or would you prefer to keep things as they were? Why? Do you think the neighbour did the right thing?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. sneer 2. tease 3. dismiss 4. sedated 5. sibling 6. divulge 7. bereavement 8. distress 9. switch 10. rumour

1. brush off 2. deliver 3. their paths never crossed 4. mistakenly 5. harbour doubts 6. crack jokes 7. emotional roller-coaster 8. have a ball



1. e 2. h 1. 3 May 1953 3. b 2. Heppner, Oregon 4. a 3. 20 miles 5. g 4. 2.8kg (6lbs) 6. d 5. Dee Ann had blue eyes and blonde hair; her siblings 7. f had brown eyes and brown hair 8. c 6. DNA testing

1. d 2. f 3. e 4. a 5. b 6. c


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•P

1. b 2. b 3. c 4. b



6 Phrasal verbs


Elementary

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. identical sedative

sibling brunette

rumour DNA

upset distinctive

switch tease

1. To _____________________ means to replace one object with another. 2. If you feel _____________________, you feel sad, worried or angry about something. 3. If you _____________________ someone, you have fun by saying things that embarrass or annoy them slightly in a friendly or unkind way. 4. A _____________________ is a drug you give to people to make them calmer or to help them sleep. 5. If something is _____________________, it is easy to recognise because it is different from other things of the same type. 6. Your _____________________ is your brother or sister. 7. If two or more things are _____________________, they are exactly the same. 8. A _____________________ is a woman with brown hair. 9. A _____________________ is unofficial information that may or may not be true. 10. _____________________ is a chemical substance that is found in the cells of all living things.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. In what year were the two women born? 2. How much did each baby weigh at birth? 3. What was their exact birthday? 4. In which American state were they born? 5. How old was the neighbour who revealed the secret?

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NEWS LESSONS / US women discover they were switched at birth / Elementary

CA



6. What test did they take to determine their real identity?

US women discover they were switched at birth Elementary


6

When Kay Rene heard the news she remembered something. Her mother, Donalda Reed, was given sedatives during the birth and had never had any doubts. She only once mentioned the rumours about the family. She told Kay Rene they were not true. “You are my daughter and you always will be,” she said. But now it was impossible to ignore the doubts. The two women contacted each other earlier this year and arranged to meet. One of Dee Ann’s sisters, Juanita, joined them and for Kay Rene it was a real shock. They were identical. “That’s me!” she said, pointing at her natural sister. Juanita replied: “There’s no point having a DNA test, just look at us!”

7

They had the test anyway, and while they were waiting for the results they made jokes. “Who’s my mama?” shouted Dee Ann, “Who’s my daddy?” replied Kay Rene. The test measured the genetic possibility of Kay Rene being related to her brother and sister: zero. It also tested the genetic possibility of her being related to Dee Ann’s brother and sister: 99.99%.

8

The few weeks since the test have been quite difficult for both women. In some ways it has been very sad. They have to accept the fact that they will never meet their natural parents and that they have lost forever the lives that they were meant to have. “It’s sad,” Dee Ann told ABC television, almost crying. “I think that I never knew my own parents, my own family.”

9

Kay Rene said she felt very guilty because she had stolen the other woman’s memories. When she looked at her family now she felt “I have cheated them but I’m glad because I’ve had a wonderful life.” But another part of the experience has been very positive. On their 56th birthday earlier this month the two families met for the first time. For each woman it was like a gift of a second family. “We just had a great time

1 When Dee Ann Angell was at school the other children made jokes about her and teased her. She was blonde-haired and blue-eyed and the other children teased her because she looked so different from her brown-eyed brunette siblings. “Did your mother go with another man?” her friends used to say, and she just laughed and ignored it. 2 Kay Rene Reed sometimes heard a rumour in her family that someone had made a terrible mistake when she was born and switched her with another baby. That explained why she looked so different from her siblings, people said. But she also ignored the rumour and got on with her life. 3 Fifty-six years after the two women were born on the same day in 1953 they now know the truth. After a DNA test they now know they are not who they thought they were and that they have lived their lives in the wrong family. Each baby weighed about 6lbs (2.8kg) at birth on 3 May 1953. Each had no hair. They were the only two babies born that day at the tiny hospital in 4 Heppner, Oregon. A nurse took them away and bathed them in the same bath and then returned them to their mothers. They were taken to homes 20 miles apart and, when they were older, married and had children and grandchildren of their own. They never met again until earlier this year. 5 The truth came out last summer when a neighbour of Marjorie Angell, Dee Ann’s mother, revealed a secret she had known for years. The neighbour, aged 86, had waited until all four parents of the women had died, because she didn’t want anyone to be upset. Now she decided to tell one of Kay Rene’s brothers that while she was still alive Marjorie told her that the babies

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / US women discover they were switched at birth / Elementary

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had been switched at birth by mistake. When the nurse brought the babies back after bathing them Marjorie had said, “This is not my baby!” But the nurse said she was wrong, so she had spent the rest of her life sure she was raising the wrong child.

CA

Level 1


Elementary

together,” Kay Rene said. 10 The two women have become good friends. They tell each other about their lives. Dee Ann grew up loving horses which was strange in a family that had no tradition of horse riding; Kay Rene grew up on a ranch with a father who saw himself as a cowboy. Kay Rene chewed gum in a distinctive way; when she met her natural

sisters for the first time they chewed it in the same way. The ups and downs continue. The hospital that made the mistake has offered to help them deal with the shock but they have said no to the offer. “We are old women now,” said Kay Rene. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 15/05/09

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. Dee Ann Angell’s schoolmates made jokes about her because ... 2. Kay Rene Reed’s mother told her ... 3. The two babies … 4. A neighbour of Dee Ann’s mother ... 5. The DNA test … 6. Now the two women ... a. … confirmed who the women really were. b. … were switched at birth. c.

… she looked different from her brothers and sisters.

d. … have become the best of friends. e. … finally revealed the truth about what happened.

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NEWS LESSONS / US women discover they were switched at birth / Elementary

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… the rumours about the family were not true.

CA

f.


Elementary

4 Chunks Rearrange the words to make phrases from the text. 1. blue and haired eyed brown 2. the women born two same on were day the 3. again met this earlier they year 4. since the weeks few test the 5. this on birthday their month 56th earlier 6. met time they for the first

5 Verbs and nouns Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns and noun phrases in the right-hand column. Check your answers in the text. 1. become

a. a great time

2. make

b. gum

3. reveal

c. a rumour

4. hear

d. good friends

5. have

e. a secret

6. chew

f.

a mistake

6 Word stress Put these words into two groups according to their word stress.

0o

return parents B


married accept

mistake summer

o0

H

A

ignore arrange

•P

rumour alive


different neighbour


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words

4 Chunks

1. switch 2. upset 3. tease 4. sedative 5. distinctive 6. sibling 7. identical 8. brunette 9. rumour 10. DNA

1. blue-eyed and brown-haired (brown-haired and blue-eyed) 2. the two women were born on the same day 3. they met again earlier this year 4. the few weeks since the test 5. on their 56th birthday earlier this month 6. they met for the first time

A

1. c 2. f 3. b 4. e 5. a 6. d


0o different rumour married neighbour parents summer

B

o0 ignore return mistake alive arrange accept

H


6 Word stress

•P

1. 1953 2. 6lbs (2.8kg) 3. 3 May 1953 4. Oregon 5. 86 6. a DNA test

1. d 2. f 3. e 4. c 5. a 6. b



5 Verbs and nouns


Intermediate

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. sibling sedated

rumour brunette

distress identical

switch DNA

tease distinctive

1. If you _____________________ someone, you have fun by saying things that embarrass or annoy them slightly in a friendly or unkind way. 2. _____________________ is a feeling that you have when you are very unhappy, worried or upset. 3. To _____________________ means to replace one object with another. 4. _____________________ is a chemical substance that is found in the cells of all living things. 5. If something is _____________________, it is easy to recognize because it is different from other things of the same type. 6. Your _____________________ is your brother or sister. 7. If two or more things are _____________________, they are exactly the same. 8. A _____________________ is a woman with brown hair. 9. A _____________________ is unofficial information that may or may not be true. 10. A _____________________ hospital patient has been given drugs to make them calmer or to make them sleep.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. When were the two women born? 2. How much did each baby weigh at birth? 3. Where were they born? 4. How far apart were their family homes? 5. How old was the neighbour who revealed the secret?

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NEWS LESSONS / US women discover they were switched at birth / Intermediate

CA



6. What test was used to determine their real identity?

US women discover they were switched at birth Intermediate


5

When Kay Rene heard the news it rang a bell for her. Her own mother, Donalda Reed, had been heavily sedated giving birth and had never had any doubts. She had only once referred to the rumours about the family. She told Kay Rene they were not true. “You are my daughter and you always will be,” she said. But those doubts were now impossible to ignore. The two women contacted each other earlier this year and arranged to meet. One of Dee Ann’s sisters, Juanita, joined them and for Kay Rene it was a real shock. They were identical. “That’s me!” she exclaimed, pointing at her natural sister. Juanita replied: “There’s no point having a DNA test, just look at us!”

6

They had the test anyway, and while they were waiting for the results they cracked jokes. “Who’s my mama?” shouted Dee Ann, “Who’s my daddy?” echoed Kay Rene. The test measured the genetic possibility of Kay Rene being related to her brother and sister: zero. It also tested the genetic possibility of her being related to Dee Ann’s brother and sister: 99.99%.

7

The few weeks since the test have been an emotional roller-coaster for both women. In some ways it has been very sad, accepting the fact that they will never meet their natural parents, that the lives that had been intended for them have been lost for ever. “It’s sad,” Dee Ann told ABC television today, close to tears. “I think that I missed out on knowing my own parents, my own family.”

8

Kay Rene said she felt very guilty because she had stolen the other woman’s memories. When she looked at her family now she felt “I have cheated them – it shouldn’t have been me. I’m glad it was because I’ve had a wonderful life.” But another part of the experience has been very positive. On their 56th birthday earlier this month the two families came together for the first time. It

1 Dee Ann Angell was used to the jokes and the teasing at school. She was blonde-haired and blue-eyed and the other children teased her because she looked so different from her browneyed brunette siblings. “Did your mother go with another man?” her friends would say, and she would just laugh and ignore it. 2 Kay Rene Reed would sometimes hear a rumour in her family that a terrible mistake had been made at birth and she had been switched with another baby. That explained why she looked so different from her siblings, so the rumour went. But she also ignored it and got on with her life. 3 Fifty-six years after the two women were born on the same day in 1953 they now know the truth. DNA testing means that they now know they are not who they thought they were, that their lives have been led in the wrong family. Each baby weighed about 6lbs (2.8kg) at birth on 3 May 1953. Each was hairless. They were the only two babies born that day at the tiny hospital in Heppner, Oregon. A nurse took them both to be bathed, sharing the same bath, then returned them to their mothers. They were taken to homes 20 miles apart and in the course of time married and had children and grandchildren of their own. They never met again until earlier this year. 4 The truth began to come out last summer when a neighbour of Marjorie Angell, Dee Ann’s mother, revealed a secret she had been carrying inside her for years. Aged 86, the unidentified neighbour had waited until all four parents of the women had died, because she didn’t want to cause any distress. Now she came forward and told one of Kay Rene’s brothers that while she was still alive Marjorie had told her that the babies had been switched at birth by mistake. When the

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / US women discover they were switched at birth / Intermediate

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nurse brought the babies back from bathing them Marjorie had cried out, “This is not my baby!” But the nurse ignored her protests, and she had spent the rest of her life privately convinced she was raising the wrong child.

CA

Level 2


Intermediate

was as if each woman had been given a gift of a second family. “We just had a ball together,” Kay Rene said. 9

There is also the gift of friendship between the two women. They call each other ‘twisters’. They have shared notes about each other’s lives that have revealed some strange similarities. Dee Ann grew up loving horses which was unlikely in her family that had no tradition of riding; she learnt that Kay Rene had been brought up on a ranch by her father who saw himself as a

cowboy. Kay Rene chewed gum in a distinctive way; when she met her natural sisters for the first time they chewed it in the same way. The ups and downs continue. The hospital that made the switch has offered them counselling to help them deal with the shock but they have refused it. “We are old women now,” said Kay Rene. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 15/05/09

3 Comprehension check Are these sentences true (T) or false (F) according to the test? 1. The two babies were deliberately switched at birth. 2. Dee Ann’s mother revealed the secret. 3. It was 56 years before the two women finally learned the truth. 4. They weren’t sure until they received the results of the DNA test. 5. Kay Rene looked very different from Dee Ann’s sister Juanita. 6. Dee Ann and Kay Rene are now friends.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. An adjective meaning having no hair. (para 3) 2. A verb meaning to let something become known. (para 4) 3. An adjective meaning absolutely sure. (para 4) 4. A three-word expression meaning to sound familiar although you cannot remember the exact details. (para 5) 5. A two-word expression meaning to tell funny stories. (para 6) 6. A three-word expression meaning a situation in which your feelings and your mood change radically several times. (para 7) 7. A three-word expression meaning to have a good time. (para 8)

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8. A noun meaning advice and help given to people who have problems. (para 9)


Intermediate

5 Verb + noun collocations Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns they go with in the right-hand column. 1. reveal

a. a rumour

2. raise

b. a bell

3. crack

c. a test

4. have

d. an offer

5. cause

e. a secret

6. hear

f. jokes

7. refuse

g. distress

8. ring

h. a child

6 Expressions with prepositions Complete the phrases using prepositions. 1. to be used _______ something 2. look different _______ someone 3. to get on _______ your life 4. switch _______ birth 5. _______ mistake 6. point _______ someone 7. _______ the first time 8. a tradition _______ something

7 Discussion

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Imagine that you were in the same situation. What would you do? Why? Do you think the neighbour did the right thing?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. tease 2. distress 3. switch 4. DNA 5. distinctive 6. sibling 7. identical 8. brunette 9. rumour 10. sedated

1. hairless 2. reveal 3. convinced 4. ring a bell 5. crack jokes 6. emotional roller-coaster 7. have a ball 8. counselling

2 Find the information 1. 3 May 1953 2. 6lbs (2.8kg) 3. Heppner, Oregon 4. 20 miles 5. 86 6. a DNA test

1. e 2. h 3. f 4. c 5. g 6. a 7. d 8. b



1. F 2. F 3. T 4. F 5. F 6. T

1. to 2. from 3. with 4. at 5. by 6. at 7. for 8. of

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Schwarzenegger to scrap textbooks in favour of e-books Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. decry upcoming

free up scrap

outdated nonsensical

updated hard-bound

deficit inmate

1. If the authorities __________________________ a project, they decide not to continue with it. 2. An __________________________ is someone who is kept in a prison, mental hospital or other institution. 3. If you __________________________ money, you make it available so that it can be used for other purposes. 4. If you __________________________ something, you say publicly that you do not approve of it. 5. If something is described as __________________________, it is not true or sensible. 6. An __________________________ system is one that is old and no longer suitable for modern purposes. 7. __________________________ material includes the most recent information and data. 8. An __________________________ event, is one that is happening soon. 9. A __________________________ is the amount by which something is less than you need or should have. 10. A __________________________ book is one that has a hard cover.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How much is the budget deficit in California? 2. How much did California set aside last year to buy school books? 3. How many books would hold the same amount of information as a digital textbook? 4. How much does a digital textbook cost? 5. How many official contracts did the state of California sign between 2005 and 2008?

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NEWS LESSONS / Schwarzenegger to scrap textbooks in favour of e-books / Advanced

CA



6. How many contracts has it already signed this year?

Schwarzenegger to scrap textbooks in favour of e-books Level 3

Advanced

Arnold Schwarzenegger to scrap school textbooks in favour of e-books

buy books, including textbooks, on their phones and also copy and email large chunks. “Basically kids are feeling as comfortable with their electronic devices as I was with my pencils and crayons. Textbooks are outdated, in my opinion,” Schwarzenegger told pupils. “For so many years, we’ve been trying to teach the kids exactly the same way.”

Governor of California seeks to cut budget deficit by replacing ‘outdated’ textbooks with electronic reading devices Mark Tran June 9, 2009 1 In the first Terminator movie he tried to extinguish all human life. Now, as governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to make textbooks history in favour of digital formats. Schwarzenegger, trying to plug a budget hole of $24.3bn (£15bn), thinks he can make savings by getting rid of what he decries as expensive textbooks. The governor is serious about an idea that might make Gutenberg* turn in his grave. He appeared in class yesterday to push an idea he set out in the San Jose Mercury News newspaper. 2 “It’s nonsensical and expensive to look to traditional hard-bound books when information today is so readily available in electronic form,” Schwarzenegger wrote. “Especially now, when our school districts are strapped for cash and our state budget deficit is forcing further cuts to classrooms, we must do everything we can to untie educators’ hands and free up dollars so that schools can do more with fewer resources.” 3 Schwarzenegger points out that California last year set aside $350m for school books and argues that even if teachers have to print out some of the material, it will be far cheaper than regularly buying updated textbooks. Schwarzenegger plans to launch the scheme in August next year when California’s high-school pupils will have access to online maths and science texts. They would also use a digital textbook such as Sony reader, which can hold the same information as up to 160 books. 4 E-book readers are gaining in popularity. Yesterday, Apple presented an upcoming application for its iPhone that allows users to

5

Holding up four large books he joked: “I can use these in the gym,” in a reference to his bodybuilding days before he became one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. But some teachers wonder whether Schwarzenegger’s idea of getting rid of textbooks might end up costing more not less, with digital textbooks going for $300. Kristina Fierro, a high school teacher in Bakersfield, said it would be expensive to get the materials, train the teachers and train the students to use the materials properly. She was also worried about the students once they are out of the classroom. “I would say out of a class of 30, maybe 10 or less ... have a computer at home. The governor hasn’t given many details about the programme, but so far the digital addition isn’t looking like a subtraction for California’s budget,” she told KGET, a local TV station.

6

In an effort to cut the state budget deficit, Schwarzenegger has signed an executive order to scrap funding on contracts from 1 March, and bar state agencies from entering into new ones. Between 2005 and 2008, the state of California signed an average of 65,000 contracts a year, which ranged from peanut butter for prison inmates to consultants for computer system upgrades. This year the number stands at about 36,000. Schwarzenegger said: “Every state agency and department will scrutinise how every penny is spent on contracts to make sure the state is getting the best deal for every taxpayer dollar.” * Johannes Gutenberg (1398–1468) was the inventor of the printing press. © Guardian News & Media 2009

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First published in The Guardian, 30/04/09


Advanced

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. Why does Schwarzenegger want to introduce electronic textbooks in California? a. Because he thinks they are better. b. Because he believes traditional textbooks are too expensive. c. Because a digital textbook can hold a lot of information. 2. Why are some teachers sceptical about the plan? a. Because they don’t like digital textbooks. b. Because they don’t like Schwarzenegger and his policies. c. Because they think it will cost just as much as buying traditional textbooks. 3. Why does Schwarzenegger believe textbooks are outdated? a. Because teachers have been trying to teach kids the same way for years. b. Because people can buy textbook on their phones. c. Because the children of today are comfortable using electronic devices. 4. What other decision has Schwarzenegger recently made? a. He has decided to stop state agencies entering into new contracts. b. He has decided to offer peanut butter to prison inmates. c. He has decided to check personally how every penny is spent.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A four-word expression meaning to get rid of something for ever (para 1) 2. A six-word expression meaning to do something that would surprise or sadden someone who is now dead (para 1) 3. A three-word expression meaning to provide what is missing from something (para 1) 4. A three-word expression meaning needing money (para 2) 5. A two-word phrasal verb meaning to allocate money for specific purposes (para 3) 6. A three-word expression meaning becoming more popular (para 4) 7. A verb meaning to prohibit (para 6)

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8. A verb meaning to examine very carefully (para 6)


Advanced

5 Verb + noun collocations Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns and noun phrases in the right-hand column. 1. launch

a. access to …

2. plug

b. savings

3. make

c. a deficit

4. enter into

d. a scheme

5. cut

e. a contract

6. have

f. a hole

6 Word building Complete the sentences with the correct form of the word in brackets at the end of each sentence. 1. Information is ____________ available in electronic form. [ready] 2. Schwarzenegger has said he wants to untie the hands of ____________. [educate] 3. Students will need to know how to use the materials ____________ . [proper] 4. Every state agency and department will be under intense ____________. [scrutinise] 5. Schwarzenegger believes it is a ____________ idea to buy traditional textbooks. [nonsense] 6. The ____________ of e-book readers is growing. [popular]

7 Discussion

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Do you think it is a good idea to replace traditional school textbooks with electronic materials? Why? Why not?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. scrap 2. inmate 3. free up 4. decry 5. nonsensical 6. outdated 7. updated 8. upcoming 9. deficit 10. hard-bound

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

1. 2. 3 4.

b c c a

6 Word building 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

readily educators properly scrutiny nonsensical popularity

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Schwarzenegger to scrap textbooks in favour of e-books / Advanced

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d f b e c a

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$24.3 billion (£15bn) $350m 160 $300 65,000 a year (195,000) 36,000



1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

make something history make someone turn in their grave plug a hole strapped for cash set aside gaining in popularity bar scrutinise


Elementary

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. outdated chunk

updated get rid of

deficit digital

resources properly

access application

1. An ___________________________ is a piece of computer software that is designed to do a particular job. 2. An ___________________________ system is one that is old and no longer suitable for modern purposes. 3.

___________________________ material includes the most recent information and data.

4.

___________________________ systems store information as numbers or electronic signals.

5. If you do something ___________________________, you do it correctly. 6. If you ___________________________ of something, you throw it away, give it away or sell it because you no longer need it. 7. A ___________________________ is the amount by which something is less than you need or should have. 8. If you have ___________________________ to something, you have the right or opportunity to use it. 9. A ___________________________ is a large amount or part of something. 10. ___________________________ are money, equipment and staff that can be used to help an institution or a business.

2


Look in the text and find the information to complete the sentences as quickly as possible. 1. California has a budget deficit of ___________________. 2. Last year California spent ___________________ on school books. 3. Sony reader can hold the same amount of information as up to ___________________ books. 4. Digital textbooks cost ___________________. 5. Between 2005 and 2008 California signed ___________________ contracts a year.

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6. It has already signed ___________________ contracts this year.


Elementary


4

E-book readers are becoming more and more popular. Yesterday, Apple presented a new application for its iPhone that allows users to buy books, including textbooks, on their phones and also copy and email large chunks. “Basically kids are feeling as comfortable with their electronic devices as I was with my pencils and crayons. Textbooks are outdated, in my opinion,” Schwarzenegger told pupils. “For so many years, we’ve been trying to teach the kids exactly the same way.”

5

Holding up four large books he joked: “I can use these in the gym,” in a reference to his bodybuilding days before he became one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. But some teachers wonder whether Schwarzenegger’s idea of getting rid of textbooks might cost more not less, with digital textbooks costing $300. Kristina Fierro, a high school teacher, said it would be expensive to get the materials, train the teachers and train the students to use the materials properly. She was also worried about the students when they are out of the classroom. “I would say out of a class of 30, maybe 10 or less ... have a computer at home. The governor hasn’t given many details about the programme, but so far the digital option doesn’t look like it will save California any money,” she told a local TV station.

6

Schwarzenegger wants to reduce the budget deficit so he has decided to stop funding contracts from 1 March, and to prevent state agencies from signing new ones. Between 2005 and 2008, the state of California signed an average of 65,000 contracts a year. This year the number is already about 36,000. Schwarzenegger said: “Every state agency and department will look carefully at how every penny is spent on contracts to make sure the state is getting the best deal for every taxpayer dollar.”

Governor of California seeks to cut budget deficit by replacing ‘outdated’ textbooks with electronic reading devices Mark Tran June 9, 2009 1 In the first Terminator movie, Arnold

Schwarzenegger tried to destroy all human life on earth. Now, as governor of California, he wants to get rid of school textbooks and replace them with digital formats. California has a budget deficit of $24.3 billion and Schwarzenegger thinks he can save money by getting rid of expensive textbooks, as he calls them. The governor is serious about the idea and appeared at a school yesterday to promote the idea, which he first described in an article in a local newspaper.

2 “It’s crazy and expensive to use traditional

books when information today is easily available in electronic form,” Schwarzenegger wrote. “Especially now, when our school districts are short of money and our state budget deficit is forcing further cuts to classrooms, we must do everything we can to save money so that schools can do more with fewer resources.”

3 Schwarzenegger says that last year California

spent $350 million on school books and argues that even if teachers have to print out some of the material, it will be much cheaper than regularly buying updated textbooks. Schwarzenegger plans to start the scheme in August next year when California’s high-school pupils will have access to online maths and science texts. They would also use a digital textbook such as Sony reader, which can hold the same amount of information as up to 160 books.

© Guardian News & Media 2009

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Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings with the endings to make sentences about the text. 1. Some teachers think Schwarzenegger’s plan ____ 2. Schwarzenegger wants ____ 3. Schwarzenegger believes that ____ 4. In his opinion, textbooks ____ 5. According to Schwarzenegger, the children of today ____ 6. The scheme will begin ____ a. ____ it will be cheaper to use electronic books than traditional textbooks. b. ____ in August next year. c. ____ are comfortable using electronic devices. d. ____ to reduce California’s budget deficit. e. ____ will actually cost more money. f.

____ are outdated.


local an in a article newspaper electronic in easily form available everything we do we must can of same information amount the more becoming and popular more the exactly way same

5 Words followed by prepositions Complete the phrases using prepositions. Check your answers in the text. 1. get rid _______________ 2. serious _______________ 3. short _______________ money 4. have access _______________

5. comfortable _______________ 6. a reference _______________ 7. worried _______________ 8. an average _______________

6 Two-word expressions Match the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to make two-word expressions from the text.

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a. format b. pupils c. agency d. newspaper e. devices f. deficit

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1. local 2. budget 3. digital 4. electronic 5. state 6. high-school


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words

4 Chunks

1. application 2. outdated 3. updated 4. digital 5. properly 6. get rid of 7. deficit 8. access 9. chunk 10. resources

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.


e d a f c b

of about of to with to about of

6 Two-word expressions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

d f a e c b

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Schwarzenegger to scrap textbooks in favour of e-books / Elementary

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$24.3 billion $350 million 160 $300 65,000 36,000

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.




an article in a local newspaper easily available in electronic form we must do everything we can the same amount of information becoming more and more popular exactly the same way


Intermediate

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. outdated inmate

updated resources

deficit access

upcoming chunk

hard-bound upgrade

1. A __________________________ is the amount by which something is less than you need or should have. 2. A __________________________ book is one that has a hard cover. 3. If you have __________________________ to something, you have the right or opportunity to use it. 4. A __________________________ is a large amount or part of something. 5. __________________________ are money, equipment and staff that can be used to help an institution or a business. 6. An __________________________ is a piece of equipment or software designed to make a computer more powerful. 7. An __________________________ system is one that is old and no longer suitable for modern purposes. 8. __________________________ material includes the most recent information and data. 9. An __________________________ event is one that is happening soon. 10. An ____________ is someone who is kept in a prison, mental hospital or other institution.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How much is the budget deficit in California? 2. How much did California set aside last year to buy school books? 3. How many books would hold the same amount of information as a digital textbook? 4. How much does a digital textbook cost? 5. How many official contracts did the state of California sign each year between 2005 and 2008?

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6. How many contracts has it already signed this year?


Intermediate


4

E-book readers are becoming increasingly popular. Yesterday, Apple presented an upcoming application for its iPhone that allows users to buy books, including textbooks, on their phones and also copy and email large chunks. “Basically kids are feeling as comfortable with their electronic devices as I was with my pencils and crayons. Textbooks are outdated, in my opinion,” Schwarzenegger told pupils. “For so many years, we’ve been trying to teach the kids exactly the same way.”

5

Holding up four large books he joked: “I can use these in the gym,” in a reference to his bodybuilding days before he became one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. But some teachers wonder whether Schwarzenegger’s idea of getting rid of textbooks might end up costing more not less, with digital textbooks costing $300. Kristina Fierro, a high school teacher, said it would be expensive to get the materials, train the teachers and train the students to use the materials properly. She was also worried about the students once they are out of the classroom. “I would say out of a class of 30, maybe 10 or less ... have a computer at home. The governor hasn’t given many details about the programme, but so far the digital addition doesn’t look like it will save California any money,” she told a local TV station.

6

In an effort to cut the state budget deficit, Schwarzenegger has decided to stop funding contracts from 1 March, and to prevent state agencies from entering into new ones. Between 2005 and 2008, the state of California signed an average of 65,000 contracts a year, which ranged from peanut butter for prison inmates to consultants for computer system upgrades. This year the number is already about 36,000. Schwarzenegger said: “Every state agency and department will look carefully at how every penny is spent on contracts to make sure the state is getting the best deal for every taxpayer dollar.”

Governor of California seeks to cut budget deficit by replacing ‘outdated’ textbooks with electronic reading devices Mark Tran June 9, 2009 1 In the first Terminator movie Arnold Schwarzenegger tried to get rid of all human life on earth. Now, as governor of California, he wants to get rid of school textbooks in favour of digital formats. California has a budget deficit of $24.3bn (£15bn) and Schwarzenegger thinks he can make savings by getting rid of what he describes as expensive textbooks. The governor is serious about an idea that would shock Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor of the printing press. He appeared at a school yesterday to push the idea he first set out in a local newspaper. 2 “It’s crazy and expensive to use traditional hardbound books when information today is easily available in electronic form,” Schwarzenegger wrote. “Especially now, when our school districts are strapped for cash and our state budget deficit is forcing further cuts to classrooms, we must do everything we can to save money so that schools can do more with fewer resources.” 3 Schwarzenegger points out that California last year set aside $350m for school books and argues that even if teachers have to print out some of the material, it will be far cheaper than regularly buying updated textbooks. Schwarzenegger plans to launch the scheme in August next year when California’s high-school pupils will have access to online maths and science texts. They would also use a digital textbook such as Sony reader, which can hold the same amount of information as up to 160 books.


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Intermediate

3 Comprehension check Are these statements true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. Arnold Schwarzenegger is the governor of California. 2. Some teachers think Schwarzenegger’s plan will actually cost more money. 3. California still has $24.3bn to spend on state contracts. 4. All school students have a computer at home. 5. State agencies in California are no longer able to enter into new contracts. 6. Schwarzenegger believes that e-book readers are outdated.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A three-word expression meaning to promote a plan (para 1) 2. A three-word expression meaning needing money (para 2) 3. A noun meaning reductions in funding (para 2) 4. A two-word phrasal verb meaning to allocate money for specific purposes (para 3) 5. A verb meaning to start a major activity such as a new project (para 3) 6. A noun meaning a piece of computer software that is designed to do a particular job (para 4) 7. A noun meaning a programme of regular physical activity designed to make your muscles bigger (para 5) 8. A two-word phrasal verb meaning to agree to be part of an official agreement or contract (para 6)

5 Words followed by prepositions Complete the phrases using prepositions. Check your answers in the text. 1. get rid ___________ 2. have access ___________ 3. comfortable ___________ 4. a reference ___________ 5. worried ___________ 6. serious ___________ 7. range ___________ … ___________

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8. prevent … ___________


Intermediate

and Word 6 data.

building

Complete the table.

verb

noun

1.

save

2.

apply

3.

refer

4.

add

5.

consult

6.

cut

7.

invent

(person)

8.

govern

(person)

(person)

7 Discussion

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Do you prefer reading traditional books or reading documents online? Why?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. deficit 2. hard-bound 3. access 4. chunk 5. resources 6. upgrade 7. outdated 8. updated 9. upcoming 10. inmate

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

of to with to about about from/to from


6 Word building

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

saving(s) application reference addition consultant cut inventor governor

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Schwarzenegger to scrap textbooks in favour of e-books / Intermediate

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T T F F T F

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24.3 billion dollars 350 million dollars up to 160 300 dollars 65,000 36,000



1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

push an idea strapped for cash cuts set aside launch application bodybuilding enter into

Primates have been laughing for 10m years Level 3 1

Advanced

Warmer

Answer the questions and use them as the basis of a five-minute discussion. •

Are you ticklish?

•

Do you know anyone who giggles a lot?

•

What makes you laugh?

2

Key words

Match the key words from the article with their meanings. 1. ancestor

a. to breathe very loudly with your mouth open

2. primate

b. the way in which something gradually changes and develops

3. to tickle

c. someone who is related to you and lived a long time ago

4. to trace

d. a man who is violent, especially a criminal

5. trait

e. to breathe very fast in a way that is not normal

6. to mock

f.

7. mirth

g. to discover how something developed

8. evolution

h. to move your fingers gently on someone’s skin to make them laugh

9. arousal

i.

the action of using your voice

10. to bond

j.

a feeling of being sexually excited

11. to pant

k. to develop feelings of love or friendship towards other people

12. to hyperventilate

l.

13. to saw

m. to make someone look stupid by laughing at them

14. vocalization

n. a particular quality in someone’s character

15. a thug

o. to cut something in a backwards and forwards motion

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Primates have been laughing for 10m years / Advanced

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happy laughter


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an animal belonging to the same group as humans

Primates have been laughing for 10m years Advanced

Our primate ancestors have been laughing for 10 million years 8

To analyze the recordings, the team fed them into a computer program that arranged them on an “evolutionary tree” based on how related to each other they seemed to be. Remarkably, the laughter recorded from different primates linked together in a way that matched the evolutionary tree linking all of the species to one common ancestor.

9

“Our evolutionary tree based on these acoustic recordings alone showed that humans were closest to chimps and bonobos, but furthest from orang-utans, with gorillas somewhere intermediate. And that is what you see in the well-established evolutionary tree of great apes,” said Davila Ross. “What this shows is strong evidence to suggest that laughing comes from a common primate ancestor.”

Ian Sample, science correspondent 4 June, 2009

3 The finding challenges the view that laughter is a uniquely human trait, suggesting instead that it emerged long before humans split from the evolutionary path that led to our primate cousins, between 10m and 16m years ago. 4 “In humans, laughing is a complex and intriguing expression. It can be the strongest way of expressing how much we are enjoying ourselves, but it can also be used in other contexts, like mocking,” said Marina Davila Ross, a psychologist at Portsmouth University. “I was interested in whether laughing had a pre-human basis, whether it emerged earlier on than we did.” 5 Davila Ross travelled to seven zoos around Europe and visited a wildlife reserve in Sabah, Borneo, to record baby and juvenile apes while their caretakers tickled them. Great apes are known to make noises that are similar to laughter when they are excited and while they are playing with each other. 6 “The caretakers play with the apes all the time and tickling is a very important part of that. There are certain body parts that are more ticklish than others, depending on the individual. Some were tickled on their necks or armpits, while others offered their feet to be tickled,” said Davila Ross. 7 In total, Davila Ross collected recordings of mirth from 21 chimps, gorillas, orang-utans and

10 Writing in the journal Current Biology, the researchers describe how the earliest laughterlike sounds were shorter and noisier, but with time became longer and clearer as the great apes evolved. 11 Human laughter sounds very different from the noises produced by great apes. The differences are thought to have arisen when certain acoustic features became exaggerated in early humans after they split from ancestors they shared with chimps and bonobos around 5.5m years ago. 12 Humans laugh as they exhale, but chimps can laugh as they breathe in as well. The human laugh is also produced by more regular vibrations of the vocal cords than in any of the apes. 13 Few studies have been carried out into the role of laughter in primates, but at least one study has suggested that it is important in expressing excitement and arousal. Laughing might also have been important for bonding within groups of animals. 14 Robert Provine, a psychologist and neuroscientist at the University of Maryland and author of the book Laughter: A Scientific Investigation, said students who took part in his own studies likened


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2 Researchers used recordings of apes and babies being tickled to trace the origins of laughter back to the last common ancestor that humans shared with the modern great apes, which include chimpanzees, gorillas and orang-utans.


1 The first hoots of laughter from an ancient ancestor of humans rippled across the land at least 10 million years ago, according to a study of giggling primates.

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A study that involved tickling apes suggests laughter is not a uniquely human trait after all

bonobos and added recordings of three babies that were tickled to make them laugh.

CA

Level 3

Primates have been laughing for 10m years Level 3

Advanced

chimp “laughter” to a dog panting, an asthma attack or hyperventilation. Some even thought the noise was caused by someone sawing. 15 “The means of production of human and ape laughter are as different as the sound, with the ape vocalization being produced during both inward and outward breaths, while humans parse an outward breath into ‘ha-ha’,” he said. 16 “The simplicity and stereotypy of laughter provides a valuable tool with which to trace vocal evolution, much as simpler systems of molecular biology are useful for investigating complex life processes,” he added.

nature of human behaviour. The 31-year-old male, Santino, regularly displayed thuggish behaviour by preparing piles of rocks while the zoo was closed and then throwing them at visitors when the gates opened. The chimp has since been castrated. 18 Zookeepers at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington DC have reported another human trait in one of its long-time residents, Bonnie, a 30-year-old orang-utan. Researchers believe Bonnie learned to whistle by copying the zookeepers. Although she is unable to hold a tune, other apes at the zoo have reportedly begun copying her.

17 In March 2009, researchers reported that a chimp at a zoo in Sweden had started to challenge scientists’ views about the unique



5. How many apes were recorded laughing? a. 21 b. 24 c. 23

3. Apes laugh ... a. … in the same way that dogs pant. b. … when they are happy. c. … when they are excited.

6. The researcher at Portsmouth University is ... a. … a neuroscientist. b. … a zookeeper. c. … a psychologist.


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2. Humans laugh ... a. … without using their vocal chords. b. … when they breathe out. c. … when they hyperventilate.

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4. The apes recorded for the study live ... a. … at Portsmouth University. b. … in the jungle. c. … in captivity.

CA

1. According to the results of the study ... a. … apes are extremely ticklish. b. … laughter is not only a human characteristic. c. … apes should not be kept in a zoo.


Choose the correct answer according to the information in the article.


Advanced

4 Language: Phrases Match the halves of the phrases then check your answers by finding them in the article. Notice in which context they were used and then write your own example sentences for at least four of the phrases. 1. to hold 2. a hoot 3. a valuable 4. a uniquely 5. an evolutionary 6. a common 7. a means 8. to display thuggish

tool of production human trait path behaviour a tune of laughter ancestor

........................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................... ...........................................................................................................................................

5 Discussion: What’s your opinion? Read the four statements and mark your opinion by placing a cross on each line. Be prepared to justify and talk about your opinions in a follow-up discussion. 1. We should not try to ‘humanize’ animals by searching for human traits in their behaviour. strongly agree

not sure

strongly disagree

not sure

strongly disagree

2. Great apes should not be kept in zoos. strongly agree

3. The money used to fund this study would have been better spent on medical research. strongly agree

not sure

strongly disagree

4. Apes are ‘cleverer’ than we currently realize. strongly agree

not sure

strongly disagree

6 Webquest: Laughter recordings Listen to the laughter recordings here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/jun/04/laughter-primates-apes-evolution-tickling

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NEWS LESSONS / Primates have been laughing for 10m years / Advanced

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• Close your eyes while you listen then try to describe the sound you have just heard. • Watch the short video that can be found at the same URL. Describe what you can see and hear.


Advanced

KEY 2 Key words

4 Language: Phrases

1. c 2. f 3. h 4. g 5. n 6. m 7. l 8. b 9. j 10. k 11. a 12. e 13. o 14. i 15. d

1. to hold a tune 2. a hoot of laughter 3. a valuable tool 4. a uniquely human trait 5. an evolutionary path 6. a common ancestor 7. a means of production 8. to display thuggish behaviour

Teacher’s notes

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

And here you can watch a short video report about an orang-utan who escaped from her cage in an Australian zoo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4bwp90dOTU http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/10/adelaidezoo-orang-utan-escape

NEWS LESSONS / Primates have been laughing for 10m years / Advanced

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b b c c a c



You can read the other two ape stories mentioned in the article here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/mar/09/chimpzoo-stones-science http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Publications/ZooGoer/2009/1/ BrainyBonnie.cfm


Elementary tickle (verb) To move your fingers gently on someone’s skin in order to give them a pleasant feeling or to make them laugh Example: The dog rolled over, waiting for his tummy to be tickled.

1

Warmer

Answer the questions and talk about your answers with another student. • Are you ticklish? • Do you know anyone who likes (or hates) to be tickled? • What makes you laugh?

2

Key words

Match the key words from the article with their meanings. The paragraph number will help you.

evolutionary path acoustic bonding

excitement pile ancestor

uniquely origin primate

ancient analyze exhale

trait whistle

1. __________________ an animal belonging to the same group as humans (title) 2.

__________________someone who is related to you and lived a long time ago (title)

3.

__________________a particular quality / something special in someone’s character (subtitle)

4.

__________________very, very old (para 1)

5.

__________________in a way that is different from any similar thing or person (para 3)

6. __________________ the way (or road) along which something slowly changes and develops (para 3) 7.

__________________one particular person or animal (rather than a group) (para 6)

8.

__________________to study or examine something in detail in order to understand or explain it (para 8)

9.

__________________relating to sound and the way people hear things (para 8)

10. __________________to breathe out (para 10) 11. __________________a feeling of being very happy and enthusiastic (para 10) 12. __________________developing feelings of love or friendship towards other people (para 10) 13. __________________ heaps of things put on top of each other (para 12)

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NEWS LESSONS / Primates have been laughing for 10m years / Elementary

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14. __________________to make a tune or musical notes by putting your lips together and blowing (para 13)

Primates have been laughing for 10m years Elementary

Our primate ancestors have been laughing for 10 million years

2 Researchers used recordings of apes and babies being tickled to discover that laughter goes back to a common ancestor that humans shared with the modern great apes, which include chimpanzees, gorillas and orang-utans. 3 The study suggests that laughter is not a uniquely human trait. It says that laughter could be heard long before humans split from the evolutionary path that led to our primate cousins, between 10m and 16m years ago. 4 “In humans, laughing can be the strongest way of showing how much we are enjoying ourselves, but it can also be used for other things, such as making fun of someone,” said Marina Davila Ross, a psychologist at Portsmouth University. “I was interested in whether laughing came before we (humans) did.” 5 Davila Ross travelled to seven zoos around Europe and visited a wildlife reserve in Sabah, Borneo, to record baby and juvenile apes while their caretakers tickled them. Great apes are known to make noises that are similar to laughter when they are excited and while they are playing with each other. 6 “The caretakers play with the apes all the time and tickling is a very important part of that. There are certain body parts that are more ticklish than others, depending on the individual ape. Some were tickled on their necks or armpits, while others offered their feet to be tickled,” said Davila Ross.

9 Human laughter sounds very different from the noises produced by great apes. Humans laugh as they exhale but chimps can laugh as they breathe in as well. The human laugh is also produced by more regular vibrations of the vocal cords than in any of the apes. 10 Few studies have been carried out into the role of laughter in primates but at least one study said that it is important to show excitement. Laughing might also have been important for bonding within groups of animals. 11 “The ways human and ape laughter is produced is as different as the sound. The ape laughter is produced during both inward and outward breaths, while humans turn an outward breath into a ‘ha-ha’ sound,” said Robert Provine, a psychologist and neuroscientist at the University of Maryland. 12 In March, there were reports that Santino, a 31-year-old male chimp at a zoo in Sweden, prepared piles of rocks while the zoo was closed and then threw them at visitors when the zoo opened. 13 Zookeepers at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington DC have reported another human trait in one of its apes, Bonnie, a 30-year-old orang-utan. Bonnie has learned to whistle by copying the zookeepers.

7 In total, Davila Ross collected recordings of laughter from 21 chimps, gorillas, orang-utans

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Primates have been laughing for 10m years / Elementary


O

1 The results of a new study say that the first laughter from an ancient ancestor of humans could be heard at least 10 million years ago.



8 To analyze the recordings, the team put them into a computer program. “Our evolutionary tree based on these acoustic recordings showed that humans were closest to chimps and bonobos, but furthest from orang-utans, with gorillas somewhere in the middle.” said Davila Ross. “What this shows is strong evidence to suggest that laughing comes from a common primate ancestor.”

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and bonobos and added recordings of three babies that were tickled to make them laugh.

CA

Level 1


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. Chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas and orang-utans … 2. The study says that humans … 3. Laughter has been around … 4. Humans laugh … 5. Apes laugh … 6. Most of the apes recorded … 7. 21 apes … 8. The laughter was … 9. Tickling the apes … 10. Apes often like …

a. … for millions of years. b. … when they are excited. c. … for the study live in zoos. d. … were recorded laughing. e. … is part of a zookeeper’s job. f.

… to have their feet tickled.

g. … when they breathe out.

… are not the only creature that can laugh.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Primates have been laughing for 10m years / Elementary

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j.

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… compared to the laughter of babies.

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i.


h. … are all kinds of great apes.


Elementary

4 Grammar: for and since Look at the title of the article again: Our primate ancestors have been laughing for 10 million years. 1. Write in for and since to complete these grammar rules. We use ___________ when we talk about a period of time, e.g. a few days, half an hour, two years. We use ___________ when we talk about the time when the action started, e.g. last year, June 8, 1999. 2. Now complete these sentences for yourself and compare them with another student’s sentences. I have been living here for ____________________________________________. I have been living here since __________________________________________. I have been learning English for _________________________________________. I have been learning English since _______________________________________.

5 Discussion: What’s your opinion? Read the statements and put a cross in the box that is closest to what you think / your opinion. Compare your answers in groups. 1. Apes and humans are very different – we should not try to find human traits in animals. strongly agree 

agree 

don’t know 

disagree 

strongly disagree 

don’t know 

disagree 


2. Great apes should not be kept in zoos. strongly agree 

agree 

3. The money spent on this study should have been used for medical research. strongly agree 

agree 

don’t know 

disagree 


don’t know 

disagree 


4. Apes are more intelligent than we think. strongly agree 

agree 

6 Webquest: Laughter recordings Listen to the laughter recordings here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/jun/04/laughter-primates-apes-evolution-tickling

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• Close your eyes while you listen then try to describe the sound you have just heard. • Watch the short video that can be found at the same URL. Describe what you can see and hear.


Elementary

KEY 2 Key words 1. primate 2. ancestor 3. trait 4. ancient 5. uniquely 6. evolutionary path 7. individual 8. analyze 9. acoustic 10. exhale 11. excitement 12. bonding 13. piles 14. whistle

5 Grammar: for and since We use for when we talk about a period of time, e.g. a few days, half an hour, two years. We use since when we talk about the time when the action started, e.g. last year, June 8, 1999.

6 Teacher’s notes You can read the other two ape stories mentioned in the article here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/mar/09/chimpzoo-stones-science http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Publications/ZooGoer/2009/1/ BrainyBonnie.cfm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4bwp90dOTU


H


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1. h 2. j 3. a 4. g 5. b 6. c 7. d 8. i 9. e 10. f

And here you can watch a short video report about an orang-utan who escaped from her cage in an Australian zoo:




Intermediate tickle (verb) To move your fingers gently on someone’s skin in order to give them a pleasant feeling or to make them laugh Example: The dog rolled over, waiting for his tummy to be tickled.

1

Warmer

Answer the questions and talk about your answers with another student. •

Are you ticklish?

•

Do you know anyone who likes (or hates) to be tickled?

•

What makes you laugh?

2

Key words

Match the key words from the article with their meanings. The paragraph number will help you. evolutionary path whistle

unique bonding

emerge ancestor

trait primate

acoustic exhale

trace origin

1.

___________________________ an animal belonging to the same group as humans (title)

2.

___________________________ someone who is related to you and lived a long time ago (title)

3.

___________________________ a particular quality in someone’s character (subtitle)

4.

___________________________ to discover the origin of something or how something developed (para 2)

5.

___________________________ the place or moment where something begins to exist (para 2)

6.

___________________________ the way along which something gradually changes and develops (para 3)

7.

___________________________ to appear, or to become recognized (para 4)

8.

___________________________ relating to sound and the way people hear things (para 9)

9.

___________________________ to breathe out (para 11)

10. ___________________________ developing feelings of love or friendship towards other people (para 12) 11. ___________________________ not the same as anything or anyone else (para 14)

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NEWS LESSONS / Primates have been laughing for 10m years / Intermediate

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12. ___________________________ to make a tune or musical notes by forcing air through your mouth (para 15)

Primates have been laughing for 10m years Intermediate 7

In total, Davila Ross collected recordings of laughter from 21 chimps, gorillas, orang-utans and bonobos and added recordings of three babies that were tickled to make them laugh.

8

To analyze the recordings, the team put them into a computer program. Remarkably, the laughter recorded from different primates linked together in a way that matched the evolutionary tree linking all of the species to one common ancestor.

9

“Our evolutionary tree based on these acoustic recordings alone showed that humans were closest to chimps and bonobos, but furthest from orang-utans, with gorillas somewhere in the middle.” said Davila Ross. “What this shows is strong evidence to suggest that laughing comes from a common primate ancestor.”


2 Researchers used recordings of apes and babies being tickled to trace the origin of laughter back to the last common ancestor that humans shared with the modern great apes, which include chimpanzees, gorillas and orang-utans. 3 The finding challenges the opinion that laughter is a uniquely human trait, suggesting instead that it emerged long before humans split from the evolutionary path that led to our primate cousins, between 10m and 16m years ago. 4 “In humans, laughing can be the strongest way of expressing how much we are enjoying ourselves, but it can also be used in other contexts, like making fun of someone,” said Marina Davila Ross, a psychologist at Portsmouth University. “I was interested in whether laughing emerged earlier on than we (humans) did.” 5 Davila Ross travelled to seven zoos around Europe and visited a wildlife reserve in Sabah, Borneo, to record baby and juvenile apes while their caretakers tickled them. Great apes are known to make noises that are similar to laughter when they are excited and while they are playing with each other. 6 “The caretakers play with the apes all the time and tickling is a very important part of that. There are certain body parts that are more ticklish than others, depending on the individual ape. Some were tickled on their necks or armpits, while others offered their feet to be tickled,” said Davila Ross.

10 Writing in the journal Current Biology, the researchers describe how the earliest laughterlike sounds were shorter and noisier, but with time became longer and clearer as the great apes evolved. 11 Human laughter sounds very different from the noises produced by great apes. Humans laugh as they exhale, but chimps can laugh as they breathe in as well. The human laugh is also produced by more regular vibrations of the vocal cords than in any of the apes. 12 Few studies have been carried out into the role of laughter in primates, but at least one study has suggested that it is important in expressing excitement. Laughing might also have been important for bonding within groups of animals. 13 “The ways human and ape laughter is produced are as different as the sound. The ape laughter is produced during both inward and outward breaths, while humans turn an outward breath into a ‘ha-ha’ sound,” said Robert Provine, a psychologist and neuroscientist at the University of Maryland and author of the book Laughter: A Scientific Investigation. “ The simplicity of laughter provides a valuable tool with which to trace vocal evolution,” he added.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Primates have been laughing for 10m years / Intermediate

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1 The first hoots of laughter from an ancient ancestor of humans could be heard at least 10 million years ago, according to the results of a new study.



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Our primate ancestors have been laughing for 10 million years

CA

Level 2


Intermediate

14 In March 2009, researchers reported that a chimp at a zoo in Sweden had started to challenge scientists’ views about the unique nature of human behaviour. The 31-year-old male, Santino, regularly prepared piles of rocks while the zoo was closed and then threw them at visitors when the gates opened.

15 Zookeepers at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington DC have reported another human trait in one of its apes, Bonnie, a 30-year-old orang-utan. Bonnie has learned to whistle by copying the zookeepers. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 04/06/09

3 Comprehension check Match the sentence halves to summarize the information from the article. 1. According to the results of the study, laughter …

… when they are excited.

2. Laughter has been …

… the laughter of babies.

3. Laughter existed when humans and apes …

… recorded laughing.

4. Humans laugh …

… live in captivity.

5. Apes laugh …

… had a common ancestor.

6. The apes recorded for the study …

… is not only a human characteristic.

7. 21 apes were …

… feet to be tickled.

8. The laughter was compared to …

… when they breathe out.

9. Tickling the apes is part of …

… around for millions of years.

10. Apes often present their …

… a zookeeper’s job.

4 Language: Phrases Match the halves of the phrases and check your answers by finding them in the article. Then write your own example sentences for at least four of the phrases.

3. a uniquely

the recordings

4. making fun

scientists’ views

5. analyze

tool

6. one common

of someone

7. a valuable

of laughter

8. to challenge

ancestor


O

human trait


2. 10 million

.................................................................................... .................................................................................... .................................................................................... .................................................................................... .................................................................................... .................................................................................... .................................................................................... .................................................................................... .................................................................................... .................................................................................... ....................................................................................

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years ago

CA

1. a hoot


Intermediate

5 Discussion: What’s your opinion? Read the four statements and mark your opinion by placing a cross on each line. Be prepared to justify and talk about your opinions in a follow-up discussion. 1. We should not try to ‘humanize’ animals by searching for human traits in their behaviour. strongly agree

not sure

strongly disagree

not sure

strongly disagree

2. Great apes should not be kept in zoos. strongly agree

3. The money used to fund this study would have been better spent on medical research. strongly agree

not sure

strongly disagree

4. Apes are ‘cleverer’ than we currently realize. strongly agree

not sure

strongly disagree

6 Webquest: Laughter recordings Listen to the laughter recordings here:

•

Watch the short video that can be found at the same URL. Describe what you can see and hear.


H

Close your eyes while you listen then try to describe the sound you have just heard.

•P

•


http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/jun/04/laughter-primates-apes-evolution-tickling


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Language: Phrases

1. primate 2. ancestor 3. trait 4. trace 5. origin 6. evolutionary path 7. emerge 8. acoustic 9. exhale 10. bonding 11. unique 12. whistle

1. a hoot of laughter 2. 10 million years ago 3. a uniquely human trait 4. making fun of someone 5. analyze the recordings 6. one common ancestor 7. a valuable tool 8. to challenge scientists’ views


Teacher’s notes You can read the other two ape stories mentioned in the article here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/mar/09/ chimp-zoo-stones-science

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NEWS LESSONS / Primates have been laughing for 10m years / Intermediate

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1. According to the results of the study laughter is not http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Publications/ only a human characteristic. ZooGoer/2009/1/BrainyBonnie.cfm 2. Laughter has been around for millions of years. 3. Laughter existed when humans and apes had a And here you can watch a short video report about common ancestor. an orang-utan who escaped from her cage in an 4. Humans laugh when they breathe out. Australian zoo: 5. Apes laugh when they are excited. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4bwp90dOTU 6. The apes recorded for the study live in captivity. 7. 21 apes were recorded laughing. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/10/ 8. The laughter was compared to the laughter of babies. adelaide-zoo-orang-utan-escape 9. Tickling the apes is part of a zookeeper’s job. 10. Apes often present their feet to be tickled.

Can Cristiano Ronaldo earn it like Beckham? Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words


sponsor physique

endorsement eloquence

transfer fee insular

predecessor likeable

rival lampoon

1. If you ____________ someone, you publicly criticize them by making jokes about them. 2. An ____________ country is one that is not interested in learning new ideas or ways of doing things, especially from outside that country. 3. A ____________ is a business that pays money to support a sports team. 4. If someone is ____________ , they are pleasant and friendly and easy to like. 5. ____________ is the ability to express what you mean using clear and effective language. 6. A ____________ is a person, team or business that competes with another. 7. A ____________ is the amount of money that one professional football team pays to another for one of their players. 8. An ____________ is when a famous person says in an advertisement that they like a particular product. 9. A person’s ____________ is the shape of their body. 10. A ____________ is the person who had a job or a particular position before someone else.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. Where is the footballer Cristiano Ronaldo from? 2. Who was the 2008 World Player of the Year?

How much was Ronaldo paid at Manchester United for playing football?

6.

How much of Real Madrid’s income comes from overseas markets?

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Can Cristiano Ronaldo earn it like Beckham? / Advanced

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5.

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How much did US golfer Tiger Woods earn from endorsements last year?

CA

4.


3. How much did David Beckham earn last year from product endorsements?

Can Cristiano Ronaldo earn it like Beckham? Ronaldo does not possess, however, the same ‘’likeability’’ as Beckham, which may affect his global brand. Fans have lampooned and cursed him over the years. Three years ago, the Daily Mail raged, “Get lost Ronaldo!” when he was accused of encouraging the referee to send off Wayne Rooney in an England v Portugal match at the 2006 World Cup. An agent for a leading England player yesterday said, “There’s a question about his likeability factor.”

6

How much Ronaldo earns for himself and his club depends on how well his image is sold into emerging markets and how well he develops his own public personality, according to Simon Chadwick, a professor of sport business strategy. “European football is a saturated market and the crucial areas for Real Madrid to work on are overseas markets like China, Japan, Brazil and Argentina,” he said. “Real Madrid currently generates less than 5% of its income from those sources.”

7

3 At Manchester United Ronaldo earned £7m a year in salary and £12m from product endorsements, not far behind Beckham’s earnings last year of £3.4m from football and £26m off the pitch. Ronaldo has already starred in adverts for Coca Cola and the video game FIFA Street 2 amongst others. His sponsorship deal with Nike is understood to be worth £9m. Now, as part of a revitalized Real Madrid team which is likely to allow him an even higher profile, those earnings are set to rise.

According to research conducted by Chadwick into what makes a strong sports player brand, Ronaldo already has some of the key personal attributes to become like Beckham, his predecessor in Manchester United’s number seven shirt. “He’s good looking, glamorous and has a good physique – and the people we surveyed said that was important,” he said. “You have to play with clubs that are associated with success and our research shows it has to be sustained success. That is one of the reasons that Tiger Woods emerged so strongly as a brand. People also said they liked Woods’s intelligence and eloquence. Beckham struggled with that which is one of the reasons why he has not come close to Woods’ earnings.”

8

4 Florentino Perez, the re-elected Real Madrid president, was already thinking along those lines prior to yesterday’s announcement. “When Beckham came we went from earning €7m a year to €45m a year through our deals with our sponsors,” Perez said. “If Cristiano Ronaldo comes, even though he is currently with Nike, he then puts on an Adidas shirt every week. There are certain players who are very profitable because they have a spectacular commercial effect that can earn the club money.”

“This is a challenge for Ronaldo too. Off-field lifestyle is important: who you are married to and where you live. This is where Beckham has done well and Ronaldo has work to do. Man or woman, he needs to find a steady partner and ideally someone who is famous in their own right. Finally you have to be seen as good team player. In his later career, Beckham has had a fantastic reputation as a team player and I think Ronaldo has a problem in this area because he is seen too much as an individual.”

9

“Ronaldo is more likely to appeal to Hispanic markets because he is Portuguese, and that might

From £175 to £80m in 14 years - now the new king of soccer can establish the Ronaldo ‘brand’ Robert Booth, 11 June, 2009 1 Ever since Cristiano Ronaldo was a child practising his tricks at the tiny Andorinha football club on his home island of Madeira, his talent has always been measured in money. The club turned down an offer of £175 for their promising 10-yearold in the belief his skills and speed were worth far more. And how right they were. Real Madrid have been granted permission to open negotiations with Manchester United, talks that are likely to end with the 24-year-old Portuguese player moving to Madrid for a transfer fee of £80m and a salary that could add £60m to the bill. 2 For the marketing executives at Madrid and those surrounding Ronaldo and his agent, the worldrecord deal is far more than a sporting concern; sports marketing executives believe that the transfer could make the 2008 World Player of the Year a serious rival to David Beckham. Ronaldo is destined to become the world’s most valuable football brand, a status that will also put him in the top league of sports earners.


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5

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Can Cristinao Ronaldo earn it like Beckham?


Advanced

CA

Level 3

Can Cristiano Ronaldo earn it like Beckham? Level 3

Advanced

help him break into the US, although it remains a very insular place when it comes to accepting football,” said Jon Holmes, a football agent. Whatever happens to Ronaldo’s bank balance during his time at Madrid he will struggle to match Tiger Woods, who heads the sporting rich list

earning £64m in endorsements alone last year. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 11/06/09

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. What is one of the reasons that Beckham has not come close to earning as much money as Tiger Woods? a. Beckham has struggled to be a professional sportsman. b. He is no longer the world’s most valuable football brand. c. He is not as eloquent or intelligent as Woods.

2. a. b. c.

What does Ronaldo have to do to emerge strongly as a brand? Get married. Find a famous partner and be seen as a good team player. Continue to be seen as an individual.

3. a. b. c.

What effect did the signing of David Beckham have on Real Madrid? They became immediately successful on the pitch. Their sponsorship earnings increased more than 600%. They became instantly more likeable.

4. Which market is Ronaldo likely to appeal to? a. The American market. b. The Far Eastern market. c. The Hispanic market.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A two-word phrasal verb meaning to refuse (para 1) 2. An adjective meaning strong and successful again (para 3) 3. A two-word expression meaning before something happened (para 4) 4. A verb meaning to say or think offensive or impolite words about someone (para 5) 5. A two-word phrasal verb meaning to tell a player officially to leave the field because they have done something that is not allowed by the rules (para 5) 6. An adjective meaning completely full (para 6) 7. A plural noun meaning features or qualities of someone or something (para 7)

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8. An adjective meaning continuing at the same level or rate for a long time (para 7)


Advanced

5 Verb + noun collocations Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns in the right-hand column to form phrases from the text. 1. turn down

a. negotiations

2. grant

b. a survey

3. open

c. an image

4. break into

d. permission

5. conduct

e. a market

6. sell

f. an offer

6 Word building Complete the sentences using the correct form of the word in brackets at the end of each sentence. 1. Certain players are very ____________ because of their image. [profit] 2. They earn a lot of money in ____________. [endorse] 3. Real Madrid have been granted permission to open ____________ with Manchester United for the purchase of Ronaldo. [negotiate] 4. Ronaldo has a £9 million ____________ deal with Nike. [sponsor] 5. Ronaldo’s ____________ will almost certainly rise. [earn] 6. Ronaldo was a ____________ footballer as a child. [promise]

7 Discussion Do you think it is right that professional footballers can earn in a week what it takes a nurse or a building workers seven or eight years to earn?

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NEWS LESSONS / Can Cristiano Ronaldo earn it like Beckham? / Advanced

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What are the arguments for and against limiting the salaries of top sportsmen and women?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. lampoon 2. insular 3. sponsor 4. likeable 5. eloquence 6. rival 7. transfer fee 8. endorsement 9. physique 10. predecessor

1. turn down 2. revitalized 3. prior to 4. curse 5. send off 6. saturated 7. attributes 8. sustained


1. f 2. d 3. a 4. e 5. b 6. c


H

1. c 2. b 3. b 4. c

1. profitable 2. endorsements 3. negotiations 4. sponsorship 5. earnings 6. promising

•P


6 Word building


1. Madeira (Portugal) 2. Ronaldo 3. £26 million 4. £64 million 5. £7 million a year 6. less than 5%



Elementary

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. rival sponsorship

physique profitable

earnings brand

deal agent

likeable lifestyle

1. If someone is ____________, they are pleasant and friendly and easy to like. 2. An ____________ is someone whose job is to help a writer, performer or sports player by finding them work. 3. A person’s ____________ is the type of life they have. 4. A ____________ is a product or group of products that has its own name. 5. If something is ____________, it makes a lot of money. 6. ____________ is money paid by a business to support something. 7. A ____________ is a person, team or business that competes with another. 8. A person’s ____________ is the shape of their body. 9. A ____________ is a formal agreement in business. 10. A person’s ____________ are the amount of money they get by working.

2


Look in the text and choose the best answer. 1. Cristiano Ronaldo was 10/24 years old when a club offered £175 for him. 2.

Ronaldo is from Manchester/Madeira.

3.

He earned £7 million/£12 million a year in salary when he was at Manchester United.

4.

Ronaldo’s deal with Adidas/Nike is worth around £9 million.

5.

Real Madrid gets more than/less than 5% of its income from overseas markets.

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6. The highest paid sportsman in the world is David Beckham/Tiger Woods.

Can Cristiano Ronaldo earn it like Beckham? Elementary


for himself and his club depends on how well his image is sold in growing markets and how well he develops his own public personality, according to Simon Chadwick, a professor of sport business strategy. “The European football market is full and the important areas for Real Madrid are overseas markets like China, Japan, Brazil and Argentina,” he said. “Real Madrid currently gets less than 5% of its income from those sources.”

2 For the marketing executives at Madrid and for Ronaldo and his agent, the world-record deal is not just about football; sports experts believe that the transfer could make Ronaldo a serious rival to David Beckham as the world’s most famous player. Ronaldo will almost certainly become the world’s most valuable football brand, which will also make him one of the richest men in sport.

6

According to research by Chadwick into what makes a strong sports player brand, Ronaldo already has some of the key personal qualities to become like Beckham. “He’s good looking, glamorous and has a good physique – and the people we surveyed said that was important,” he said. “You have to play with clubs that are associated with success and our research shows the success has to continue over a long period of time. That is one of the reasons Tiger Woods is such a strong brand. People also said they liked Woods’s intelligence and the way he speaks. Beckham has a problem with that which is one of the reasons why he earns much less than Woods.”

7

“This is a challenge for Ronaldo too. Off-field lifestyle is important: who you are married to and where you live. This is where Beckham has done well and Ronaldo has work to do. Man or woman, he needs to find a regular partner and ideally someone who is famous too. Finally you have to be seen as good team player. In his later career, Beckham has had a fantastic reputation as a team player and I think Ronaldo has a problem in this area because he is seen too much as an individual.”

8

“Ronaldo is more likely to be popular in Hispanic markets because he is Portuguese, and that might help him become popular in the US too, although it is the hardest market for football to sell itself,” said Jon Holmes, a football agent. Whatever happens to Ronaldo’s bank balance during his time at Madrid he will find it difficult to match Tiger Woods, who is top of the sporting rich list earning £64m just from advertising last year.

3 At Manchester United Ronaldo earned £7m a year in salary and £12m from advertising, not far behind Beckham’s earnings last year of £3.4m from football and £26m off the pitch. Ronaldo has already appeared in adverts for Coca Cola and the video game FIFA Street 2 amongst others. His deal with Nike is worth around £9m. Now he is joining a Real Madrid team which will probably allow him to earn even more money. 4 Florentino Perez, the Real Madrid president, was already thinking this way before yesterday’s announcement. “When Beckham came, we increased our earnings from sponsorship from €7m a year to €45m a year,” Perez said. “If Cristiano Ronaldo comes, even though he is currently with Nike, he then puts on an Adidas shirt every week. There are certain players who are very profitable because they have a spectacular commercial effect that can earn the club money.” 5 Ronaldo is not as likeable as Beckham, and this may affect his global brand. How much he earns


© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Can Cristiano Ronaldo earn it like Beckham? / Elementary

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1 When Cristiano Ronaldo was just 10 years old and playing for the tiny Andorinha football club on his home island of Madeira another club offered £175 for him. Andorinha said no, believing that his skills and speed were worth far more money than that. And they were right. Ronaldo is now the world’s most expensive footballer. Real Madrid are going to pay Manchester United £80m for the 24-year-old Portuguese player and his salary could add £60m to the bill.


Robert Booth, 11 June, 2009

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From £175 to £80m in 14 years - now the new king of soccer can establish the Ronaldo ‘brand’

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Level 1


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. Cristiano Ronaldo will … 2. Cristiano Ronaldo was … 3. Last year Ronaldo … 4. A lot of people say that Ronaldo is … 5. Ronaldo has … 6. Ronaldo will probably be …

a. ... a good physique. b. ... earned £7 million in salary and £12 million from advertising. c. … born on the Portuguese island of Madeira. d. … popular in Hispanic markets. e. … probably become one of the richest men in sport. f.

… not as likeable as David Beckham.


b. looking

3.

global

c. balance

4.

good

d. qualities

5.

personal

e. club

6.

bank

f. brand


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2. world

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a. record

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1. football


Match the words in the left-hand column with the words in the right-hand column to form phrases from the text.


Elementary

5 Superlatives Complete the table (for example, poor – poorest).

adjective 1.

rich

2.

valuable

3.

popular

4.

expensive

5.

famous

6.

hard

superlative

6 Spelling Use vowels to complete these words from the text. Check your answers in the text. 1. _ x _ c _ t _ v _ 2. sp _ ct _ c _ l _ r 3. sp _ ns _ rsh _ p 4. c _ mm _ rc _ _ l 5. _ dv _ rt _ s _ ng 6. P _ rt _ g _ _ s _

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NEWS LESSONS / Can Cristiano Ronaldo earn it like Beckham? / Elementary

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Elementary

KEY 1 Key words


1. likeable 2. agent 3. lifestyle 4. brand 5. profitable 6. sponsorship 7. rival 8. physique 9. deal 10. earnings

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

5 Superlatives

2 Find the information 1. 10 2. Madeira 3. £7 million 4. Nike 5. less than 6. Tiger Woods

richest

2.

valuable

most valuable

3.

popular

most popular

4.

expensive

most expensive

5.

famous

most famous

6.

hard

hardest

6 Spelling 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

executive spectacular sponsorship commercial advertising Portuguese


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e c b f a d

superlative

rich

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

adjective 1.



e a f b d c


Intermediate

Key words


transfer fee eloquence

rival likeable

physique sponsor

earnings endorsement

deal crucial

1. A ____________ is a business that pays money to support a sports team. 2. ____________ is the ability to express what you mean using clear and effective language. 3. A ____________ is a person, team or business that competes with another. 4. A ____________ is the amount of money that one professional football team pays to another for one of their players. 5. An ____________ is when a famous person says in an advertisement that they like a particular product. 6. A person’s ____________ is the shape of their body. 7. If something is ____________, it is extremely important. 8. A ____________ is a formal agreement in business. 9. A person’s ____________ are the amount of money they get by working. 10. If someone is ____________, they are pleasant and friendly and easy to like.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1.

How old is Cristiano Ronaldo?

How much did David Beckham earn last year from product endorsements?

5.

What percentage of Real Madrid’s income comes from overseas markets?

6.

How much did US golfer Tiger Woods earn from endorsements last year?

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Can Cristiano Ronaldo earn it like Beckham? / Intermediate

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How much did he earn at Manchester United?

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3.


2. Where is he from?

Can Cristiano Ronaldo earn it like Beckham? Intermediate


6

How much Ronaldo earns for himself and his club depends on how well his image is sold in emerging markets and how well he develops his own public personality, according to Simon Chadwick, a professor of sport business strategy. “European football is a saturated market and the crucial areas for Real Madrid are overseas markets like China, Japan, Brazil and Argentina,” he said. “Real Madrid currently gets less than 5% of its income from those sources.”

7

According to research by Chadwick into what makes a strong sports player brand, Ronaldo already has some of the key personal qualities to become like Beckham. “He’s good looking, glamorous and has a good physique – and the people we surveyed said that was important,” he said. “You have to play with clubs that are associated with success and our research shows it has to be sustained success. That is one of the reasons Tiger Woods is such a strong brand. People also said they liked Woods’s intelligence and eloquence. Beckham had a problem with that which is one of the reasons why he earns much less than Woods.”

8

“This is a challenge for Ronaldo too. Off-field lifestyle is important: who you are married to and where you live. This is where Beckham has done well and Ronaldo has work to do. Man or woman, he needs to find a regular partner and ideally someone who is famous too. Finally you have to be seen as good team player. In his later career, Beckham has had a fantastic reputation as a team player and I think Ronaldo has a problem in this area because he is seen too much as an individual.”

Robert Booth, 11 June, 2009 1 When Cristiano Ronaldo was just 10 years old and playing for the tiny Andorinha football club on his home island of Madeira, the club turned down an offer of £175 for him in the belief his skills and speed were worth far more. And how right they were. Real Madrid have opened negotiations with Manchester United for the 24-year-old Portuguese player and it seems likely he will move to Madrid for a transfer fee of £80m and a salary that could add £60m to the bill. 2 For the marketing executives at Madrid and for Ronaldo and his agent, the world-record deal is far more than a sporting concern; sports marketing executives believe that the transfer could make the 2008 World Player of the Year a serious rival to David Beckham. Ronaldo will almost certainly become the world’s most valuable football brand, a status that will also make him one of the highest earners in sport. 3 At Manchester United Ronaldo earned £7m a year in salary and £12m from product endorsements, not far behind Beckham’s earnings last year of £3.4m from football and £26m off the pitch. Ronaldo has already starred in adverts for Coca Cola and the video game FIFA Street 2 amongst others. His sponsorship deal with Nike is worth around £9m. Now he is joining a Real Madrid team which will probably allow him an even higher profile and his earnings are set to rise. 4 Florentino Perez, the Real Madrid president, was already thinking along those lines before yesterday’s announcement. “When Beckham came, we increased our earnings from sponsorship from €7m a year to €45m a year,” Perez said. “If Cristiano Ronaldo comes, even though he is currently with Nike, he then puts on an Adidas shirt every week. There are certain players who are very profitable because they


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Ronaldo is not as likeable as Beckham, and this may affect his global brand. Fans have criticized and cursed him over the years. Three years ago, the Daily Mail headline was, “Get lost Ronaldo!” when he was accused of encouraging the referee to send off Wayne Rooney in an England v Portugal match at the 2006 World Cup. An agent for a leading England player said, “There’s a question about his likeability factor.”


5

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From £175 to £80m in 14 years - now the new king of soccer can establish the Ronaldo ‘brand’

have a spectacular commercial effect that can earn the club money.”

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Level 2


Intermediate

9 “Ronaldo is more likely to appeal to Hispanic markets because he is Portuguese, and that might help him break into the US, although it remains a difficult place when it comes to accepting football,” said Jon Holmes, a football agent. Whatever happens to Ronaldo’s bank balance during his time at Madrid he will find it difficult to match Tiger Woods, who heads the sporting rich list earning £64m in endorsements alone last year. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 11/06/09

3 Comprehension check Are these statements True or False according to the text? 1. David Beckham earns more from endorsements than Tiger Woods. 2. Big stars like Beckham and Ronaldo earn more from endorsements than from playing football. 3. Ronaldo is more likeable than David Beckham. 4. Tiger Woods is more eloquent than David Beckham. 5. Ronaldo has a famous partner. 6. The £80 million transfer fee is a world record.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A two-word phrasal verb meaning to refuse (para 1) 2. A noun meaning a product that has its own name and is made by a particular company (para 2) 3. An adjective meaning making a lot of money (para 4) 4. A verb meaning to say or think offensive or impolite words about someone (para 5) 5. A two-word phrasal verb meaning to tell a player officially to leave the field because they have done something that is not allowed by the rules (para 5) 6. An adjective meaning completely full (para 6) 7. An adjective meaning attractive, rich and famous (para 7)

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8. An adjective meaning continuing at the same level or rate for a long time (para 7)


Intermediate

5 Two-word expressions Match the words in the left-hand column with the words in the right-hand column to form phrases from the text. 1. marketing

a. market

2. product

b. balance

3. sponsorship

c. player

4. emerging

d. endorsement

5. team

e. executive

6. bank

f.

deal


verb 1.

announce

2.

endorse

3.

believe

4.

succeed

5.

negotiate

6.

noun

earn

7 Discussion Is anyone worth £80 million?

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NEWS LESSONS / Can Cristiano Ronaldo earn it like Beckham? / Intermediate

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Should the amount of money paid to top sportsmen be limited?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. sponsor 2. eloquence 3. rival 4. transfer fee 5. endorsement 6. physique 7. crucial 8. deal 9. earnings 10. likeable

1. turn down 2. brand 3. profitable 4. curse 5. send off 6. saturated 7. glamorous 8. sustained

5 Two-word expressions 2 Find the information 1. 24 2. Madeira (Portugal) 3. £7 million a year 4. £26 million 5. less than 5% 6. £64 million

1. e 2. d 3. f 4. a 5. c 6. b

noun

1.

announce

announcement

2.

endorse

endorsement

3.

believe

belief

4.

succeed

success

5.

negotiate

negotiation

6.

earn

earnings


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1. F 2. T 3. F 4. T 5. F 6. T

verb

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6 Word building

Ban smoking in cars carrying children, expert urges Level 3 1

Advanced

Warmer

Which of the following are illegal in your country? Smoking in cars in which children are passengers Using a hand-held mobile phone while driving Eating and drinking while driving Not wearing a seatbelt in the back seat of a vehicle Riding a motorbike while not wearing a helmet

2

Key words

Write the keywords from the article next to the definitions. The paragraph numbers have been given to help you.

measures

paediatrics

urge

draconian

exposing

prosecuted

intrusive

case

offence

harm

legislation

inflict

1. A verb meaning to advise someone very strongly about what action or attitude they should take. ______________________________ (title) 2.

______________________________ is the part of medical science that deals with children and the treatment of their illnesses. (para 1)

3.

A ______________________________ measure is one that is extremely strict and severe. (para 1)

4.

A verb that means to cause something unpleasant to happen. ______________________________ (para 2)

5.

A noun for a law, or a set of laws. ______________________________ (para 4)

6.

A ______________________________is a set of facts and arguments that you can state for or against something. (para 5)

7.

______________________________ are actions that are intended to achieve or deal with something. (para 5)

8. An ______________________________ is a crime or illegal activity for which there is a punishment. (para 7) 9.

When someone is ______________________________, a lawyer in court tries to prove that they are guilty of a crime. (para 7)

10. When something is ______________________________ it becomes involved in something in a way that is not welcome. (para 9) 11. When you are ______________________________ someone to something you are failing to protect them

from something harmful or dangerous. ______________________________ (para 10) 12. A noun that describes the injury, damage or problems caused by something that you do.

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NEWS LESSONS / Ban smoking in cars carrying children, expert urges / Advanced

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______________________________ (para 10)

Ban smoking in cars carrying children, expert urges Advanced

Ban smoking in cars carrying children, expert urges 6

Deborah Arnott, chief executive of pressure group Action on Smoking and Health, said: “Cars are small tin boxes, with not much air in them. Smoking just one cigarette, even with the window open, creates a greater concentration of second-hand smoke than a whole evening’s smoking in a pub or a bar. That’s not just bad for children but for adults too, especially those who already have heart or lung diseases.”

7

In the UK, there is already a ban on smoking in commercial vehicles. A spokeswoman from the road safety charity Brake said it also supported a ban on smoking in cars. “There is no specific offence at the moment that says you can be charged with smoking at the wheel,” she said. “But you can be prosecuted for not having proper control of your vehicle.

8

“Having one hand off the wheel and dropping ash over yourself, or obstructing your view with smoking, means you are not concentrating on your driving. All that can add up to not having proper control of your vehicle, or dangerous driving.” She said it might be useful to have a law banning smoking similar to the one regarding hand-held mobile phones.

9

Simon Clark, director of the smokers’ lobby group Forest, said today: “Adults should be careful when young children are in the car, but a ban is far too heavy-handed. It’s unnecessarily intrusive. You can’t legislate for every aspect of people’s behaviour.”

David Batty June 17, 2009

2 “We should make it illegal to smoke in cars when children are in the vehicle,” Stephenson said. “Why on earth would you light up in your car whilst your children are sitting quite happily in the back? You wouldn’t pass the packet round and invite the kids to light up, so why make them breathe tobacco smoke at all? You can’t inflict this on your colleagues at work anymore. Why should we treat our children’s health as a lower priority than our employees’?” 3 Writing for the BBC website, the professor said that protecting children from smoking should not be seen as the nanny state but as common sense. “We are naturally risk-averse with our own children and with other people’s – this is legitimate nanny territory,” he said. “Second-hand smoke has been found to be strongly linked to chest infections in children, asthma, ear problems and sudden infant death syndrome, or ‘cot death’. We should be making cars totally smoke-free if there are children travelling in them.” 4 Bans on smoking in cars carrying children have already been introduced in Canada, with New Brunswick the latest province to introduce legislation, which covers children under 16. A study published by the Ontario Tobacco Research Unit showed that smoking just one cigarette created pollution inside a car that was 100 times greater than accepted US standards. 5 Stephenson acknowledged that the proposal would meet with opposition. But he said: “Those of us in the medical profession, who see the results of passive smoking first-hand, need to be ready to lead and make a convincing case. Only then can

10 A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said the government would review its legislation on smoking bans next year, which would include considering whether to extend smoke-free environments. She added: “The Department of Health would always strongly recommend that people do not smoke in cars, especially those used to transport children. Exposing children to secondhand tobacco smoke is very dangerous. Around 17,000 children are admitted to hospital every year as a direct result of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke; this figure could be greatly reduced and the harm done to children greatly reduced if people stopped smoking in their cars and in their homes.” © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 17/06/09

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Ban smoking in cars carrying children, expert urges / Advanced

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1 Smoking should be banned in cars carrying children, the head of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said today. Professor Terence Stephenson denied his proposal was draconian, pointing to research that found smoking just one cigarette in a car created pollution that was 100 times higher than accepted US standards.

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A child health expert warns that one cigarette creates pollution 100 times higher than accepted standard

we hope that necessary measures are viewed not as the nanny state but as common sense.”


Level 3

Ban smoking in cars carrying children, expert urges Level 3

Advanced

3 Comprehension check Choose the correct answer according to the information in the article. 1. Who is requesting a ban on smoking in cars carrying children? a. The British government b. British nannies c. A British paediatrician 2. Brake is ... a. ... a government agency. b. ... a charity. c. ... a lobby group. 3. Brake says that ... a. ... smoking should be allowed on buses. b. ... passive smoking is ruining children’s health. c. ... people can’t concentrate on driving when they smoke. 4. In Britain people are currently allowed to smoke ... a. ... on buses. b. ... in cars. c. ... in public buildings. 5. Breathing in other people’s tobacco smoke ... a. ... has been linked to many serious illnesses and conditions. b. ... is the main reason why children are admitted to hospital. c. ... is acceptable at work. 6. A ban on smoking in cars is currently supported by ... a. ... the Department of Health. b. ... Brake.

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c. ... Forest.

Ban smoking in cars carrying children, expert urges Level 3 Advanced 4 Language – multi-word phrases Look at the text and find the following multi-word phrases. 1. A two-word phrase which means to ignite a cigarette. ___________________________________ (para 2) 2. A two-word phrase which describes a government that tries to protect its people and control their lives in a way that stops them being independent. ___________________________________ (para 3)

3. A two-word phrase that means the ability to use good judgment and make sensible decisions. ___________________________________ (para 3) 4. A two-word phrase which describes being opposed to taking risks, or only willing to take small risks. ___________________________________ (para 3) 5. A three-word phrase for smoke from other people’s cigarettes. ___________________________________(para 3) 6. A more common two-word term for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. ___________________________________ (para 3) 7. A two-word phrase for the action of having to breathe in other people’s tobacco smoke. ___________________________________ (para 5) 8. A two-word phrase that means in a direct way from someone who is involved in something. ___________________________________ (para 5) 9. A two-word phrase which describes an organized group of people who try to persuade people and influence political decisions about a particular issue. ___________________________________ (para 6) 10. A two-word phrase for types of vehicles that are used for carrying goods or passengers. ___________________________________ (para 7) 11. A three-word phrase that means you are officially accused of committing a crime. ___________________________________ (para 7) 12. Another two-word phrase that means an organization that seeks to influence political decisions. ___________________________________ (para 9) 13. A two-word phrase that means using too much force, or not considering people’s feelings enough when dealing with a situation. ___________________________________ (para 9)

5 Discussion The article tells us that a senior paediatrician has called for a smoking ban in cars, for the sake of children’s health. Do you think this is a good move for public health or an unwarranted invasion of private space? After you have discussed this question, go to http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/poll/2009/jun/17/smoking-transport and read some of the comments readers have left online. (Warning: they are not always 100% serious!)

6 Webquest What advice would you give to someone who wants to give up smoking? Make notes of your own ideas and then search online for treatments, therapies and other help. The following websites may be helpful: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/besttreatments/smoking-treatments http://smokefree.nhs.uk/ http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/Stopping_smoking.html


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... and many many more.


http://www.stop-smoking-updates.com/quitsmoking/magazine/edition/Giving-Up-Smoking.htm

Ban smoking in cars carrying children, expert urges Level 3 Advanced KEY 1 Key words

4 Language: Multi-word phrases

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

1. light up 2. nanny state 3. common sense 4. risk-averse 5 second-hand smoke 6. cot death 7. passive smoking 8. first-hand 9. pressure group 10. commercial vehicles 11. be charged with 12. lobby group 13. heavy-handed

urge paediatrics draconian inflict legislation case measures offence prosecuted intrusive exposing harm


c b c b a b

Teacher’s notes A poll on guardian.co.uk connected to this article asked: Should smoking in cars be banned to protect children’s health? The results were as follows: Yes: 47.8%. There is a public interest involved No: 52.2%. It’s an invasion of privacy Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/ poll/2009/jun/17/smoking-transport

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Ban smoking in cars carrying children, expert urges / Advanced


Elementary ban: verb [transitive] [often passive] to say officially that someone is not allowed to do something urge: verb [transitive] to advise someone very strongly about what action or attitude they should take

1

Warmer

Which of the following are banned in your country? • Smoking in cars in which children are passengers • Using a hand-held mobile phone while driving • Eating and drinking while driving

2

Key words

Match the key words from the article with their meanings. The paragraph number will help you.

common sense second-hand smoke pollution

recommend prosecute environment

reduce expose employees

smoke-free heavy-handed

review harm

1. _______________________ the place in which people live and work (and the natural world) (sub-title) 2. _______________________ the process of making the air, water or land dirty, usually with chemicals or other substances (para 1) 3. _______________________ people who work for a company (para 2) 4. _______________________ People who have this can make sensible decisions. (para 3) 5. _______________________ other people’s tobacco smoke (para 3) 6. _______________________ This describes a place where no one is allowed to smoke. (para 3) 7. _______________________ to try to prove in court that someone is guilty of a crime (para 6) 8. _______________________ a two-word phrase that describes using too much force or not thinking about other people’s feelings (para 8) 9. _______________________ to (re)examine all the information about a situation or subject (para 9) 10. _______________________ to advise someone that they should or should not do something (para 10) 11. _______________________ to put someone in danger because you do not protect them from something dangerous or harmful (para 10) 12. _______________________ to make something smaller or less in size, amount, importance, etc. (para 10)

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13. _______________________ the hurt, damage or problems caused by something that you do (para 10)

Ban smoking in cars carrying children, expert urges Elementary

1 Smoking should be banned in cars carrying children, a child health expert said today. Professor Terence Stephenson said that a study has found that smoking just one cigarette in a car created pollution that was 100 times higher than accepted US standards. 2 “We should make it illegal to smoke in cars when children are in the vehicle,” Stephenson said. “Why on earth would you smoke in your car whilst your children are sitting quite happily in the back? You can’t smoke at work anymore. Why should our children’s health be less important than that of employees’?” 3 Writing for the BBC website, the professor said that keeping children away from smoking should be common sense. “Second-hand smoke has been found to be strongly linked to chest infections in children, asthma, ear problems and sudden infant death syndrome. We should be making cars totally smoke-free if there are children travelling in them,” he said. 4 Bans on smoking in cars carrying children have already been introduced in Canada. A study published by the Ontario Tobacco Research Unit showed that smoking just one cigarette created pollution inside a car that was 100 times greater than what is acceptable in the US. 5 Deborah Arnott, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, said: “Cars are small tin boxes, with not much air in them. Smoking just one cigarette, even with the window open, creates more second-hand smoke than a whole evening’s smoking in a pub or a bar. That’s not just bad for children but for adults too, especially those who already have heart or lung diseases.”

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Smoking in cars / Elementary

7 “Having one hand off the wheel and dropping cigarette ash over yourself means you are not concentrating on your driving. That can mean not having proper control of your vehicle, or dangerous driving.” She said it might be useful to have a law banning smoking similar to the one that bans people using hand-held mobile phones while driving. 8 Simon Clark, director of the smokers’ group Forest, said today: “Adults should be careful when young children are in the car, but a ban is far too heavyhanded.” 9 A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said the government would review the laws on smoking bans next year, and would decide whether to make more smoke-free environments. 10 She added: “The Department of Health would always strongly recommend that people do not smoke in cars, especially those used to transport children. Exposing children to second-hand tobacco smoke is very dangerous. Around 17,000 children stay in hospital every year as a direct result of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke; this number could be greatly reduced and the harm done to children greatly reduced if people stopped smoking in their cars and in their homes.” © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 04/06/09

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David Batty, Wednesday 17 June 2009


A child health expert warns that one cigarette smoked in a car creates a worse environment than an evening smoking in a pub

6 In the UK, there is already a ban on smoking in passenger and goods vehicles. A spokeswoman from the road safety group Brake said it also supported a ban on smoking in cars. “At the moment you cannot be prosecuted for smoking at the wheel,” she said. “But you can be prosecuted for not having proper control of your vehicle.

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Ban smoking in cars carrying children, expert urges

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Level 1


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. A top children’s doctor wants to ban ... 2. One cigarette in a car creates more ... 3. In Britain people are not ... 4. In Britain it is illegal to use a … 5. In Britain most work … 6. Brake is a road … 7. Forest is a … 8. Brake says that people can’t concentrate properly on driving … 9. The Department of Health will review the … 10. Around 17,000 children have to go to hospital every year because of …

a. … laws on smoking bans next year. b. … places are smoke-free. c. … pro-smoking group. d. … smoking in cars carrying children. e. … hand-held mobile phone while you are driving. f.

… allowed to smoke on a bus.

g. … second-hand smoke than a whole evening’s smoking in a pub or a bar.

… safety group.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Smoking in cars / Elementary

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… when they smoke.

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i.


h. … breathing in second-hand tobacco smoke.


Elementary

4 Language: Word wheels Which words go together with smoke and smoking? Look at the article and write all the word pairs you can find onto the wheels. Can you think of any other words? Add them to the wheels, too.

passive

smoke

smoking -free

5 Discussion: Should smoking in cars be banned? Tick the sentence you agree with most and discuss your answers in class.  Smoking in cars should be banned.  Smoking in cars in which children are travelling should be banned.  People should be allowed to smoke in their own cars when they want to.

6 Webquest: Laughter recordings Your friend wants to give up smoking. What advice can you give her? Make notes of your own ideas and then look at websites for other help. These websites might help: http://smokefree.nhs.uk/ http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/besttreatments/smoking-treatments http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/Stopping_smoking.html

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http://www.stop-smoking-updates.com/quitsmoking/magazine/edition/Giving-Up-Smoking.htm


Elementary

KEY 2 Key words

5 Language: Word wheels

1. environment 2. pollution 3. employees 4. common sense 5. second-hand smoke 6. smoke-free 7. prosecute 8. heavy-handed 9. review 10. recommend 11. expose 12. reduce 13. harm

Suggestions: smoke: second-hand, -free, tobacco, cigarette smoking: passive, no, ban, pro-, anti-, give up

6 Teacher’s notes A poll on guardian.co.uk connected to this article asked: Should smoking in cars be banned to protect children’s health? The results were as follows: Yes: 47.8%. There is a public interest involved


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1. d 2. g 3. f 4. e 5. b 6. j 7. c 8. i 9. a 10. h

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/ poll/2009/jun/17/smoking-transport



No: 52.2%. It’s an invasion of privacy


Intermediate ban: verb [transitive] [often passive] to say officially that someone is not allowed to do something

1

Warmer

Which of the following are banned in your country? Smoking in cars in which children are passengers Using a hand-held mobile phone while driving Eating and drinking while driving

2

Key words: Verbs and nouns

Match the keywords from the article with to the definitions. The paragraph numbers have been given to help you.

Verbs inflict

obstruct

acknowledge

prosecute

expose

charge

urge

1. ____________________ to advise someone very strongly about what action or attitude they should take (title) 2. ____________________ to cause something unpleasant to happen (para 2) 3. ____________________ to accept or admit that something exists, is true or is real (para 5) 4. ____________________ to officially accuse someone of committing a crime (para 7) 5. ____________________ to try to prove in court that someone is guilty of a crime (para 7) 6. ____________________ to prevent you from seeing something by being between you and the object that you want to see (para 8) 7. ____________________ to fail to protect someone or something from something harmful or dangerous (para 10) Nouns proposal

charity

case

harm

legislation

8. A law or a set of laws ____________________ (para 4) 9. A plan or suggestion, especially a formal one that a group has to consider ____________________ (para 5) 10. A ____________________ is a set of facts and arguments that you can state for or against something. (para 5) 11. A ____________________ is an organization to which you give money to help people who are poor or ill, or who need advice and support. (para 7)

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12. The injury, damage or problems caused by something that you do ____________________ (para 10)

Ban smoking in cars carrying children, expert urges Intermediate 6

Deborah Arnott, chief executive of pressure group Action on Smoking and Health, said: “Cars are small tin boxes, with not much air in them. Smoking just one cigarette, even with the window open, creates a greater concentration of second-hand smoke than a whole evening’s smoking in a pub or a bar. That’s not just bad for children but for adults too, especially those who already have heart or lung diseases.”

1 Smoking should be banned in cars carrying children, the head of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said today. Professor Terence Stephenson said that a study has found that smoking just one cigarette in a car created pollution that was 100 times higher than accepted US standards.

7

In the UK, there is already a ban on smoking in passenger and goods vehicles. A spokeswoman from the road safety charity Brake said it also supported a ban on smoking in cars. “At the moment you cannot be charged with smoking at the wheel,” she said. “But you can be prosecuted for not having proper control of your vehicle.

2 “We should make it illegal to smoke in cars when children are in the vehicle,” Stephenson said. “Why on earth would you smoke in your car whilst your children are sitting quite happily in the back? You can’t inflict this on your colleagues at work anymore. Why should we treat our children’s health as a lower priority than our employees’?”

8

“Having one hand off the wheel and dropping ash over yourself, or obstructing your view with smoking, means you are not concentrating on your driving. All that can add up to not having proper control of your vehicle, or dangerous driving.” She said it might be useful to have a law banning smoking similar to the one regarding hand-held mobile phones.

9

Simon Clark, director of the smokers’ group Forest, said today: “Adults should be careful when young children are in the car, but a ban is far too heavyhanded. You can’t legislate for every aspect of people’s behaviour.”

10

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said the government would review its legislation on smoking bans next year, which would include considering whether to extend smoke-free environments. She added: “The Department of Health would always strongly recommend that people do not smoke in cars, especially those used to transport children. Exposing children to second-hand tobacco smoke is very dangerous. Around 17,000 children are admitted to hospital every year as a direct result of exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke; this figure could be greatly reduced and the harm done to children greatly reduced if people stopped smoking in their cars and in their homes.”

David Batty June 17, 2009

3 Writing for the BBC website, the professor said that protecting children from smoking should not be seen as the nanny state but as common sense. “Second-hand smoke has been found to be strongly linked to chest infections in children, asthma, ear problems and sudden infant death syndrome. We should be making cars totally smoke-free if there are children travelling in them,” he said. 4 Bans on smoking in cars carrying children have already been introduced in Canada, with New Brunswick the latest province to introduce legislation, which covers children under 16. A study published by the Ontario Tobacco Research Unit showed that smoking just one cigarette created pollution inside a car that was 100 times greater than accepted US standards. 5 Stephenson acknowledged that the proposal would meet with opposition. But he said: “Those of us in the medical profession, who see the results of passive smoking, need to be ready to lead and make a convincing case.”


© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Ban smoking in cars carrying children, expert urges / Intermediate

H

A child health expert warns that one cigarette smoked in a car creates a worse environment than an evening smoking in a pub

•P

Ban smoking in cars carrying children, expert urges


Level 2


Intermediate

3 Comprehension check Are these sentences true or false according to the information in the article? Correct any sentences that are false. 1. The British government is requesting a ban on smoking in cars carry children. T/F 2. Professor Terence Stephenson is a doctor who specialises in children’s health. T/F 3. Brake is a road safety charity. T/F 4. Forest is an anti-smoking group. T/F 5. Brake says that people can’t concentrate properly on driving when they smoke. T/F 6. Debbie Arnot says that there is a greater concentration of smoke in a bar than in a car. T/F 7. Simon Clark thinks a ban would be a good idea. T/F 8. In Britain people are currently allowed to smoke in buses. T/F

4 Language: Two-word phrases

heavy-handed

3. A phrase used to describe a place where no one is allowed to smoke. _______________________________ (para 3)

smoke-free

4. This describes the action of breathing in other people’s tobacco smoke. _______________________________ (para 5)

pressure group

5. A phrase which describes an organized group of people who try to persuade people and influence political decisions about a particular issue. _______________________________ (para 6)

passive smoking

6. A phrase that describes using too much force, or not considering people’s feelings enough when dealing with a situation. _______________________________ (para 9)

nanny state


O

2. A phrase that means the ability to use good judgment and make sensible decisions. _______________________________ (para 3)

•P H

common sense

CA

1. This describes a government that tries to protect its people and control their lives in a way that stops them being independent. _______________________________ (para 3)


Match the phrases with the descriptions then write a sentence of your own for each phrase.

Ban smoking in cars carrying children, expert urges Level 2 Intermediate 5 Discussion Do you think smoking in cars should be banned to protect children’s health? After you have discussed this question, go to http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/poll/2009/jun/17/smoking-transport and read some of the comments. (Warning: they are not always 100% serious!)

6 Webquest What advice would you give to someone who wants to give up smoking? Make notes of your own ideas and then search online for treatments, therapies and other help. The following websites may be helpful: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/besttreatments/smoking-treatments http://smokefree.nhs.uk/ http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/Stopping_smoking.html http://www.stop-smoking-updates.com/quitsmoking/magazine/edition/Giving-Up-Smoking.htm

H

NEWS LESSONS / Ban smoking in cars carrying children, expert urges / Intermediate

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... and many many more.

Ban smoking in cars carrying children, expert urges Level 2 Intermediate KEY 1 Key words: Verbs and nouns

4. Language: Two-word phrases

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

urge inflict acknowledge charge prosecute obstruct expose legislation proposal case charity harm

nanny state common sense smoke-free passive smoking pressure group heavy-handed

Teachers’ notes A poll on guardian.co.uk connected to this article asked:

3 Comprehension check 1. F 2. T 3. T 4. F 5. T 6. F 7. F 8. F

Should smoking in cars be banned to protect children’s health? The results were as follows: Yes: 47.8%. There is a public interest involved No: 52.2%. It’s an invasion of privacy Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/ poll/2009/jun/17/smoking-transport


Money well lent Level 3 1

Advanced

Warmer

1. Write down the names of as many banks as you can in two minutes. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Which of these are private or local, which are national banks, and which are international banks? ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Do any of the banks have distinguishing features? For example, they only offer online banking. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________

2

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. loan shark creditworthy default loan

borrowers

recession

poverty

in debt

1. A _____________________ is a period when trade and industry are not successful and there is a lot of unemployment. (subtitle) 2. When you live in _____________________ you do not have enough money to pay for your basic needs. (subtitle) 3. _____________________ are people who receive money from a bank and promise to give it back later. (para 2) 4. A _____________________ is an amount of money that a person, business, or country borrows, especially from a bank. (para 3) 5. When you _____________________, you fail to pay back money that you owe. (para 3) 6. When someone is _____________________, they owe a lot of money. (para 4) 7. A _____________________ is someone who lends money to people and charges them a very high rate of interest. (para 4)

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Money well lent / Advanced

CA



8. When you are _____________________, you are likely to pay back money that you borrow. (para 4)

Money well lent Level 3

Advanced

equitable

reward

preventive healthcare

tackle charity

collateral

welfare

deduct

9. _____________________ is the word for property that you agree to give to a bank if you fail to pay back money that you have borrowed. (para 5) 10. When something is _____________________ it is fair and reasonable because everyone is treated in the same way. (para 5) 11. _____________________ is money given to people who do not have work or who are in need. In Britain this is often called benefit. (para 8) 12. When you _____________________ someone you give them something, for example praise, success, or money, because they have done something good. (para 10) 13. To _____________________ means to take an amount or number from a total. (para 10) 14. A _____________________ is an organization to which you give money so that it can give money and help to people who are poor or ill, or who need advice and support. (para 12) 15. When you _____________________ a problem you make an organized and determined attempt to deal with it. (para 12) 16. _____________________ means identifying and minimizing risk factors for disease, and screening for early

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CA



symptoms of disease. (para 13)

Money well lent Advanced

Money well lent

collateral, are paying every penny of it and changing lives,” he told a packed audience last week in London. His lecture, entitled A Framework for a Better Future, outlined how the recession provides opportunities not just for banks, but for businesses and governments to create a more equitable world.

As a bank created for poor women in Bangladesh prepares to open in Britain, Alison Benjamin talks to its Nobel Peace Prize-winning founder Muhammad Yunus about how the recession can help people out of poverty 6

The biggest difficulty when setting up Grameen America last year, he explained, was finding a mainstream bank that would open a savings account for its borrowers. Under Grameen rules, borrowers are required to save a small weekly amount, but in the US, Grameen is a programme, not a bank. It took time to persuade the Citibank to open accounts for customers who wanted to deposit only $2 a week.

7

“These are the lessons that we need to now bring together to ask ourselves what kind of financial system we should be creating when we move out of this crisis,” Yunus said.

8

After the lecture, I ask him how the Grameen model will work in inner-city Glasgow, where three generations of unemployment is not uncommon in some families. He admits it will be difficult to get people off welfare and make them more self-reliant.

9

He is openly critical of welfare systems. “Today, the welfare recipient doesn’t have an incentive to move out of welfare,” he says. “If you earn a dollar it is deducted from your welfare cheque.”

1 There is a banker who is still respected across the world. The institution he founded more than 20 years ago is untouched by the current financial crisis, and his opinion is more sought after than ever before.

4 In 1976, when he approached conventional banks asking them to lend money to villagers deep in debt to loan sharks, the young economics student was told it couldn’t be done because the poor are not creditworthy. He has proved them wrong, as has the collapse of the global banking system. 5 “2009 is a good year to ask again: ‘Who is creditworthy?’ Is it the large banks with large clients? They cannot obtain their money back ... whereas the poor taking tiny loans, without © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Money well lent / Advanced

10 Yunus believes a better system would reward people for finding work by matching every dollar earned, rather than deducting it. In the US, Grameen has negotiated a ‘welfare holiday’ that allows borrowers to claim welfare for three years while they build up their small business. 11

He is currently involved in a series of social businesses, in partnership with multinational companies, that are designed to improve the health of poor Bangladeshis. Grameen Danone provides malnourished children with a cheap, nutritional yoghurt; Grameen Veolia, set up with a French water company, created a small water treatment plant to provide clean drinking

O

3 Yunus attributes its success to “trust-based banking”. Money is lent to women – who he says use money more effectively than men for the wellbeing of their children – in groups of five. If one defaults, they all suffer, so they support each other to pay it back.


2 Muhammad Yunus is to economic development what Nelson Mandela is to world peace – his Grameen Bank has helped millions of Bangladeshis out of rural poverty by lending them small amounts of money, or microfinance, to set up their own businesses. It has 8 million borrowers, 97% of whom are women, and since 1982 has issued more than $6bn (£3.65bn), with the average loan just $220, and repayments of near 100%. Its model has now been introduced worldwide, from China and Zimbabwe to New York, and there are plans to open the first British Grameen Bank in Glasgow, Scotland.

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Alison Benjamin 3 June, 2009

CA

Level 3


Advanced

water in a country where, Yunus says, “millions of people drink poison every day”; and BASF Grameen will result in the German chemical company providing treated mosquito nets to protect against malaria.

12

Yunus is convinced that social business, rather than charity, is the way to tackle social problems. “Your money will be recycled again and again. The charity dollar has only one life; you give and it never comes back.”

13

Nowhere is this more important,he believes, than in healthcare. He points to Grameen’s proposed “doctorless healthcare programme” as providing lessons for other countries, including the UK. “Health problems are everywhere, and the costs are jumping as populations age or expand,” he says. One way to cut costs is to focus on preventive healthcare, early detection, and to cut out the doctor until absolutely necessary.

14 A shortage of doctors at Grameen’s 51 village health clinics has led it to adopt this approach. It is training female graduates, many from the villages, who have put themselves through high school or nursing college with a Grameen scholarship or loan, to run their own health management centres or become self-employed health providers visiting homes with portable diagnostic equipment and mobile phones. 15 It is no surprise then that, at 68, Yunus has no plans to retire. “It’s still real fun,” he says. “Social business, no matter what you say or do, must be a matter of joy. That’s the fantastic thing about it. You can’t beat this, even by making tons of money.” © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 03/06/09

Muhammad Yunus

Age: 68

Family: Married, two daughters

Home: Dhaka

Education: Collegiate school, Chittagong; Dhaka University, MA in economics; Vanderbilt University, US, PhD, economics

Career: 1983-present: managing director, Grameen Bank; April 1996-June 1996: adviser in caretaker government of Bangladesh; 1976-83: project director, Grameen Bank Project; 1975-89: professor of economics, Chittagong University, and director, rural economics programme; 1972-75: associate professor of economics and head of economics department, Chittagong University; 1972: deputy chief, general economics division, planning commission, Bangladesh government; 1969-72: assistant economics professor, MTSU Tennessee, US; 1962-65: economics lecturer, Chittagong college.

Awards: Close on 100 awards, including the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize.


•P


H


Curriculum Vitae


Advanced

3 Comprehension check Choose the correct answer according to the information in the article. 1. Grameen Bank started in ... a. … South Africa. b. … Bangladesh. c. … the USA. 2. Grameen prefers to lend to ... a. … companies. b. … people who are unemployed. c. … small groups of women. 3. Grameen Bank is a ... a. … social business. b. … charity. c. … cooperative. 4. The main difference between a charity and a social business is ... a. … social businesses try to help people to help themselves and take financial responsibility for their lives. b. … charities expect the money to be paid back. c. … social businesses are always cooperatives. 5. Where in Britain is Grameen planning to open a bank? a. In a Welsh mining town. b. In the north of England. c. In a large city in Scotland. 6. Grameen’s proposed “doctorless healthcare programme” aims to … a. … encourage people to go to the doctor more often. b. … train other healthcare professionals to ease doctors’ workloads.

H


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c. … build more hospitals.


Advanced

4 Language: Rephrasing Rearrange these sentences from the article to put the words into the correct order. Then explain the meaning of each sentence in your own words. 1. what Nelson Mandela / is to economic development / is to world peace / Muhammad Yunus ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. than ever before / is more / sought after / his opinion ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. banking / based / trust ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. they all suffer, / to pay it back / so they support / if one defaults, / each other ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. creditworthy / are not / the poor ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. of unemployment / three generations / in some families / is not uncommon ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. of welfare / doesn’t have / the welfare recipient / an incentive / to move out ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. one life / has only / the charity dollar ___________________________________________________________________________________________

5 Discussion Where in your country do you think it would be helpful or necessary to set up a Grameen Bank and / or a system of microfinancing? If not in your country, then where else in the world?

6 Webquest Research further information on one of the following topics and present your findings to the class. • Grameen Bank • Grameen Phone • Grameen Education • Grameen Shakti • Microfinance

O •P H


CA



• microcredit


Advanced

KEY 2 Key words

4 Language: Rephrasing

1. recession 2. poverty 3. borrowers 4. loan 5. default 6. in debt 7. loan shark 8. creditworthy 9. collateral 10. equitable 11. welfare 12. reward 13. deduct 14. charity 15. tackle 16. preventive healthcare

1. Muhammad Yunus is to economic development what Nelson Mandela is to world peace. 2. His opinion is more sought after than ever before. 3. trust-based banking 4. If one defaults, they all suffer, so they support each other to pay it back. 5. The poor are not creditworthy. 6. Three generations of unemployment is not uncommon in some families. 7. The welfare recipient doesn’t have an incentive to move out of welfare. 8. The charity dollar has only one life.


H •P

CA


O T



b c a a c b

N

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.


Elementary

Warmer

1. Write down the names of as many banks as you can in two minutes. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Which of these are private or local, which are national banks, and which are international banks? ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________

2

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. conventional

creditworthy

founder

borrowers

poverty

collateral

trust-based

1. A _________________________ is someone who starts a school, organization, business or company. (subtitle) 2. When you live in _________________________ you do not have enough money to pay for your basic needs. (para 1) 3. _________________________ are people who receive money from a bank and promise to give it back later. (para 1) 4. A _________________________ system is one that is run on the belief that people are honest, fair and reliable. (para 2) 5. A _________________________ bank is one that is usual or traditional; not new and different. (para 3) 6. Banks think that someone who is _________________________ is likely to pay back the money that they borrow. (para 3) 7. _________________________ is the word for property or other things that belong to you that you agree to

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Money well lent / Elementary

CA



give to a bank if you cannot pay back money that you have borrowed. (para 4)


Elementary

deposit

malnourished

incentive

charity

opportunities

recession

welfare

8. A _________________________ is a time when companies and businesses are not successful and there is a lot of unemployment. (para 4) 9. _________________________ are chances to do something. (para 4) 10. When you _________________________ money you pay it into a bank account. (para 5) 11. _________________________ is money given to people who do not have work or who need money to live on. In Britain this is often called benefit. (para 6) 12. An _________________________ is something that makes you want to do something or to work harder, because you know that you will benefit by doing this. (para 7) 13. Someone who is _________________________ is weak or ill because they do not have enough to eat. (para 8) 14. A _________________________ is an organization to which you give money so that it can give money and

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CA



help to people who are poor or ill, or who need advice and support. (para 9)

Money well lent Elementary

Money well lent

account for its borrowers. Under Grameen rules, borrowers must put a small amount of money into a bank account every week; but in the US, Grameen is a programme, not a bank. In the end the Citibank agreed to open accounts for customers who wanted to deposit only $2 a week.

A bank created for poor women in Bangladesh plans to open in Britain. Alison Benjamin talks to its Nobel peace prize-winning founder Muhammad Yunus.

6

After the lecture, I ask him how the Grameen model will work in inner-city Glasgow, where all the adults in some families are unemployed. He says it will be difficult to get people off welfare and unemployment benefits.

7

He is openly critical of welfare systems. “Today, people who get money from the government do not have an incentive to look for work,” he says. “If you earn a dollar it is taken off your welfare cheque.”

8

Yunus is currently involved in a series of social businesses to improve the health of poor Bangladeshis. He is doing this in partnership with large multinational companies. For example, Grameen Danone provides malnourished children with a cheap, healthy yoghurt; Grameen Veolia, set up with a French water company, provides clean drinking water in a country where, Yunus says, “millions of people drink poison every day”; and BASF Grameen will result in the German chemical company providing treated mosquito nets to protect against malaria.

9

Yunus is convinced that social business, rather than charity, is the way to deal with social problems. “Your money will be recycled again and again. The charity dollar has only one life; you give and it never comes back.”

2 Yunus says its success is due to “trust-based banking”. Money is lent to groups of five women –who he says use money better than men for the wellbeing of their children. They support and help each other to pay it back. 3 In 1976, when he asked conventional banks to lend money to villagers, he was told it couldn’t be done because the poor are not creditworthy. He has proved them wrong.

5 The biggest difficulty when setting up Grameen America last year, he explained, was finding a mainstream bank that would open a savings

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Money well lent / Elementary

10 It is no surprise then that, at 68, Yunus has no plans to retire. “It’s still real fun,” he says. “Social business, no matter what you say or do, must be a matter of joy. That’s the fantastic thing about it. You can’t beat this, even by making tons of money.” © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 03/06/09

O

4 “2009 is a good year to ask again: ‘Who is creditworthy?’ Is it the large banks with large clients? They cannot get their money back ... but the poor, taking tiny loans, without collateral, are paying back every penny and changing lives,” he said at a lecture last week in London. His lecture, entitled A Framework for a Better Future, explained how the recession provides opportunities not just for banks, but for businesses and governments to create a fairer world.


1 Muhammad Yunus’s Grameen Bank has helped millions of Bangladeshis out of rural poverty by lending them small amounts of money, or microfinance, to set up their own businesses. It has 8 million borrowers, 97% of whom are women, the size of an average loan is just $220, and nearly 100% of borrowers repay the money to the bank. There are Grameen banks and programmes worldwide, from China and Zimbabwe to New York, and now there are plans to open the first British Grameen Bank in Glasgow, Scotland.

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CA

Level 1


Elementary Curriculum Vitae

Muhammad Yunus

Age: 68


Home: Dhaka



Awards: Nearly 100 awards, including the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. Grameen Bank started …

a. … poor people all over the world.

2. Its founder, Muhammad Yunus, has …

b. … small groups of women.

6. Nearly 100% of the Grameen borrowers pay back … 7. Grameen Bank is a social business, … 8. Social businesses try to help people to help … 9. Grameen is planning to open … 10. Grameen also has social business partnerships with ...


d. … a bank in a large city in Scotland. e. … get a loan. f.

… themselves.

g. … the money they borrow. h. … in Bangladesh. i.

… won a Nobel Peace Prize.

j.

… not a charity

H

5. The borrowers do not need collateral to …

c. … major companies around the world.

•P

4. Grameen prefers to lend money to …


3. It runs banking programmes for …


Elementary

4 Language: Financial words 1. How many words can you find in the article that are connected with money and banking? Write them onto the word wheel. lend

money and banking

2. Now write example sentences for five of the words.

Example: I don’t like to lend money to my friends.

................................................................................................................................................................................. ................................................................................................................................................................................. ................................................................................................................................................................................. ................................................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................................................................

5 Discussion Are there many poor people in your country? Where in the world would you like to set up a new Grameen bank?

6 Webquest

• Grameen Phone

• microcredit

• Grameen Education

• Bangladesh

• Grameen Shakti

• Glasgow


H

• social business

•P

• Grameen Bank


Look online for further information on one of the following topics and present your findings to the class.


Elementary

KEY 2 Key words

4 Language: Financial words

1. founder 2. poverty 3. borrowers 4. trust-based 5. conventional 6. creditworthy 7. collateral 8. recession 9. opportunities 10. deposit 11. welfare 12. incentive 13. malnourished 14. charity

some possible answers: lend, loan, creditworthy, collateral, borrow, borrower, save, pay back, deposit, bank account

3 Comprehension check 1. Grameen Bank started in Bangladesh. 2. Its founder, Muhammad Yunus, has won a Nobel Peace Prize. 3. It runs banking programmes for poor people all over the world. 4. Grameen prefers to lend money to small groups of women. 5. The borrowers do not need collateral to get a loan. 6. Nearly 100% of the Grameen borrowers pay back the money they borrow. 7. Grameen Bank is a social business not a charity. 8. Social businesses try to help people to help them selves. 9. Grameen is planning to open a bank in a large city in Scotland.

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10. Grameen also has social business partnerships with major companies around the world.


Intermediate

Warmer

1. Write down the names of as many banks as you can in two minutes. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Which of these are private or local, which are national banks, and which are international banks? ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________

2

Key words


collapse

creditworthy loan

poverty

borrowers

collateral welfare

1. When you live in _________________________ you do not have enough money to pay for your basic needs. (para 1) 2. _________________________ are people who receive money from a bank and promise to give it back later. (para 1) 3. a _________________________ is an amount of money that a person borrows, especially from a bank. (para 1) 4. Banks think that someone who is _________________________ is likely to pay back the money that they borrow. (para 3) 5. A _________________________ is a sudden fall in the value or level of something. (para 3) 6.

_________________________ is the word for property that you agree to give to a bank if you fail to pay back money that you have borrowed. (para 4)

7. _________________________ is money given to people who do not have work or who need money to live on.

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NEWS LESSONS / Money well lent / Intermediate

CA



In Britain this is often called benefit. (para 7)


Intermediate

nutritional malnourished charity incentive deducting self-reliant

reward

8. Someone who is _________________________ is able to do things for themselves and not depend on other people. (para 7) 9. An _________________________ is something that makes you want to do something or to work harder, because you know that you will benefit by doing this. (para 8) 10. When you _________________________ someone you give them something, for example praise, success, or money, because they have done something good. (para 9) 11. _________________________ means taking an amount or number from a total. (para 9) 12. Someone who is _________________________ is weak or ill because they do not have enough to eat. (para 10) 13. Food that is _________________________ contains enough calories, vitamins and minerals to keep you healthy. (para 10) 14. A _________________________ is an organization to which you give money so that it can give money and

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CA



help to people who are poor or ill or who need advice and support. (para 11)

Money well lent Intermediate

Money well lent

mainstream bank that would open a savings account for its borrowers. Under Grameen rules, borrowers must save a small weekly amount, but in the US, Grameen is a programme, not a bank. In the end the Citibank agreed to open accounts for customers who wanted to deposit only $2 a week.

As a bank created for poor women in Bangladesh prepares to open in Britain. Alison Benjamin talks to its Nobel Peace Prize-winning founder Muhammad Yunus.

3 In 1976, when he asked conventional banks to lend money to villagers, the young economics student was told it couldn’t be done because the poor are not creditworthy. He has proved them wrong, as has the collapse of the global banking system. 4 “2009 is a good year to ask again: ‘Who is creditworthy?’ Is it the large banks with large clients? They cannot get their money back ... whereas the poor taking tiny loans, without collateral, are paying every penny of it and changing lives,” he told a packed audience last week in London. His lecture, entitled A Framework for a Better Future, explained how the recession provides opportunities not just for banks, but for businesses and governments to create a fairer world. 5 The biggest difficulty when setting up Grameen America last year, he explained, was finding a © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Money well lent / Intermediate

7

After the lecture, I ask him how the Grameen model will work in inner-city Glasgow, where in some families three generations are unemployed. He admits it will be difficult to get people off welfare and make them more self-reliant.

8

He is openly critical of welfare systems. “Today, people who receive welfare do not have an incentive to move out of welfare,” he says. “If you earn a dollar it is taken off your welfare cheque.”

9

Yunus believes a better system would reward people for finding work by matching every dollar earned, rather than deducting it. In the US, Grameen has negotiated a ‘welfare holiday’ that allows borrowers to claim welfare for three years while they build up their small business.

10 He is currently involved in a series of social businesses that are designed to improve the health of poor Bangladeshis. He is doing this in partnership with multinational companies. For example, Grameen Danone provides malnourished children with a cheap, nutritional yoghurt; Grameen Veolia, set up with a French water company, created a small water treatment plant to provide clean drinking water in a country where, Yunus says, “millions of people drink poison every day”; and BASF Grameen will result in the German chemical company providing treated mosquito nets to protect against malaria. 11

Yunus is convinced that social business, rather than charity, is the way to deal with social

O

2 Yunus says its success is due to “trust-based banking”. Money is lent to women – who he says use money more effectively than men for the wellbeing of their children – in groups of five. They support and help each other to pay it back.

“These are the lessons that we need to now bring together to ask ourselves what kind of financial system we should be creating when we move out of the crisis,” Yunus said.


1 Muhammad Yunus is to economic development what Nelson Mandela is to world peace – his Grameen Bank has helped millions of Bangladeshis out of rural poverty by lending them small amounts of money, or microfinance, to set up their own businesses. It has 8 million borrowers, 97% of whom are women, the average loan just $220, and repayments of near 100%. Its model has now been introduced worldwide, from China and Zimbabwe to New York, and now there are plans to open the first British Grameen Bank in Glasgow, Scotland.

6

•P H


CA

Level 2


Intermediate

problems. “Your money will be recycled again and again. The charity dollar has only one life; you give and it never comes back.” 12

fantastic thing about it. You can’t beat this, even by making tons of money.” © Guardian News & Media 2009

It is no surprise then that, at 68, Yunus has no plans to retire. “It’s still real fun,” he says. “Social business, no matter what you say or do, must be a matter of joy. That’s the


Curriculum Vitae

Muhammad Yunus

Age: 68


Home: Dhaka



Awards: Close on 100 awards, including the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize.

3 Comprehension check Are the sentences true (T) or false (F) according to the information in the article? Rewrite any incorrect sentences. 1. Grameen Bank started in South Africa. 2. It runs banking programmes for poor people all over the world. 3. Grameen prefers to lend money to small groups of women. 4. The borrowers need collateral to get a loan. 5. Only half of the Grameen borrowers pay back the loan. 6. Grameen Bank is not a social business, it is a charity.

7. Social businesses try to help people to help themselves and take financial responsibility for their lives. 8. Grameen is planning to open a bank in a large city in Scotland. 9. Grameen has business partnerships with major companies around the world to help improve the quality of life for the poor. 10. Muhammad Yunus thinks that the financial recession provides us with an opportunity to create

H


•P



a fairer world.


Intermediate

4 Language: Paraphrasing Find where the phrase and the sentence appear in the article and then complete the sentences below to explain in your own words what they mean. “Trust-based banking” means / is / describes ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ The sentence “Muhammad Yunus is to economic development what Nelson Mandela is to world peace” means / is another way of saying / describes ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________

5 Discussion Is there much poverty in your country? Where in your country do you think it would be helpful or necessary to set up a Grameen Bank and / or a system of microfinancing? If not in your country, then where else in the world?

6 Webquest Research further information on one of the following topics, or any other that is mentioned in the article, and present your findings to the class. Grameen Bank Grameen Phone Grameen Education Grameen Shakti social business microcredit

H


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• • • • • •


Intermediate

KEY

1. poverty 2. borrowers 3. loan 4. creditworthy 5. collapse 6. collateral 7. welfare 8. self-reliant 9. incentive 10. reward 11. deducting 12. malnourished 13. nutritional 14. charity

3

Comprehension check

1. F 2. T 3. T 4. F 5. F 6. F 7. T 8. T 9. T 10. T

3

Comprehension check

H •P

CA


O T



Key words

N

2

New male beauty Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words


bland

interchangeable

floppy

uncanny

puffy

grizzled

indistinguishable

rugged

empathetic

simpering

1. If a man has a _____________________ face, it has strong features and is attractive. 2. If a person is described as _____________________, they are trying to be friendly and pleasant in a way that appears silly and not sincere. 3. If you are _____________________, you are able to understand how someone feels because you can imagine what it is like to be them. 4. _____________________ hair is soft and hangs down in a loose or heavy way. 5. If someone is _____________________ they are not interesting, exciting or original and are therefore boring. 6. If two things or two people are _____________________, you can use one instead of the other and the effect will be the same. 7. A _____________________ person has grey hair and looks old. 8. If something is _____________________, it is strange and mysterious. 9. A _____________________ face is one that is slightly swollen. 10. If two things are _____________________, you cannot see any difference between them.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. Who wrote the book The Boy? 2. Which two actors starred in the movie Twilight? 3. In which decade was the film Footloose originally made? 4. Who starred in the teen movie High School Musical?

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / New male beauty/ Advanced

CA



5. Which five actors are mentioned as examples of traditional male good looks?

New male beauty Advanced

Farewell to the rugged look as new male beauties sweep all before them

2 Far from insisting on acting ability or screen presence, directors and producers are demanding that their leading men are so indistinguishable that they end up blending together in audiences’ minds: Rob Pattinson and Taylor Lautner battle for Kristen Stewart’s heart in Twilight, but their floppy hair and long-lashed eyes are so similar that it is no surprise that the fictional Bella has trouble making her choice. Blair faces the same problem in Gossip Girl when she is asked to choose between the babyfaced Ed Westwick and Chace Crawford. 3 All four boy-men have an uncanny similarity to Ian Somerhalder from Lost, who himself looks like Ashton Kutcher, Chris Pine from Star Trek, James Marsden from Hairspray and Mr Scarlett Johansson, Ryan Reynolds. The New York Observer is so convinced of the phenomenon it has called the “new male beauty” that it has identified a formula describing the precise science of the identikit look. 4 “Those wide-set eyes, the narrow nose that flares up at the tip just so, the childish puffy cheeks and the soft jaw lines, the carefully placed strands of layered hair,” wrote Irina © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / New male beauty / Advanced

5

Heroines used to be the interchangeable ones. With characters largely defined by their hair colour – sizzling blonde or serious brunette – a woman’s screen presence was intended a background against which leading men could define themselves and shine. But now, today’s up-and-coming male stars are so similar that film industry bosses are able to replace one with another with barely a pause for thought.

6

It is unthinkable that a director could replace, say, George Clooney with Clive Owen or Leonardo DiCaprio without substantial rewrites to suit the defining characteristics of his new leading man. But when Zac Efron recently made a last-minute decision to pull out of the remake of the 1980s hit, Footloose, Paramount replaced him with another wide-eyed, soft-faced beauty: Crawford. And continued shooting the film.

7

The lure of the new male beauty is spreading beyond Hollywood. It is increasingly being seen on the catwalk, where a few years ago it was the size-zero boys, with their undernourished, sexually ambivalent figures who were in demand. Now, however, the physiques of the models have become rounded; their angular edges softened and their thin faces feminized.

8

Steven Pearlman, a plastic surgeon, said his patients have started asking for Efron’s features as their ideal, instead of the more manly look they have favoured in the past. Individuality, he said, has been overrun by the quest for perfect proportion. “Fifteen years ago men absolutely wanted to maintain that rugged look, which meant stronger features. Now they want a softer look,” he said. “Even just a couple of years ago, we were talking about Orlando Bloom, Justin Timberlake and Leonardo DiCaprio. Now it’s Zac. Our culture is leaning towards a more empathetic man who can understand a

O

1 Something strange is happening to our leading men – they are fading, blurring and losing their edge. Visit the cinema or turn on the television and you’ll see an endless string of interchangeable heroes whose unique selling point is that they don’t have one. It seems that the days are largely gone when young actors were hired for their individual charms and charisma – think Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Jack Nicholson. A trend that started a few years ago has become so widespread that we are now presented with heroes whose looks are so bland they are defined by each film they make, instead of the other way round.

•P H

Amelia Hill 28 June, 2009


Aleksander. “Compared to the new male beauty, even Justin Timberlake and Adrian Grenier seem distinctive and grizzled. It’s a face that used to only be found in teen magazines. Now it dominates the box office.”

CA

Level 3

New male beauty Advanced

10

It could be that female audiences are reacting to an era in which traditional masculinity has left a sinking economy, the possibility of environmental catastrophe and violent conflicts in the Middle East and beyond. Research by psychologists at St Andrews University found that women use a man’s face to judge how he will behave in a relationship. “Women find delicate features more trustworthy and caring,” said Professor David Perret.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / New male beauty / Advanced

12

But Andrea Oliveri, of Details magazine, disagreed. For her, it is Hollywood that is creating these New Male Beauties, not the other way around. “High School Musical was successful not because Zac Efron was in it: Zac became famous as a result of the huge phenomenon that it is,” she said. This, say the experts, is where the lasting impact of New Male Beauty will be felt. If film studios can persuade audiences to accept an army of interchangeable drones – in the place of specific stars with their sky-high salaries and outrageous demands – then they are the overall winners. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Observer, 28/06/09

O

Historically, male sex appeal used to be Marlon Brando, the pronounced features of Sean Penn and the expressive eyes of Nicholson and Clooney. So why has it happened? In her 2003 book, The Boy, Germaine Greer lamented the increase in the number of “simpering 30-year-olds with shaved chests” who attempt to imitate “the short-lived beauty of [real] boys”. Why, instead of seeking out manly men, are girls preferring the big eyes and rounded features more usually associated with babies?

Lynda Boothroyd, a psychologist at Durham University, agreed. When women are looking for the perfect man, she found, they usually choose pretty boys such as Leonardo DiCaprio and singer Enrique Iglesias rather than “rougher” men. “Women may want muscle in the short term, but long term they prefer men with more feminine features, associating this with fidelity, warmth and better parenting.”


9

11

•P H

woman’s feelings, and that comes out in new facial features.”

CA

Level 3

New male beauty Level 3

Advanced

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text 1. How do the male film stars of today differ from the traditional male film stars?

3. What advantage have actors like Efron and Crawford brought to film directors?

a. They are more trustworthy and caring.

b. They don’t demand sky-high salaries.

a.

They provide a background against which women actors can shine.

c. They have bland, more feminine faces.

b.

They can easily replace one with another.

c. They define each film they make.

2. Why, according to psychologists, do women prefer men with delicate features to more rugged men?

4. What has happened in the fashion industry?

a. Because they associate delicate features with fidelity and better parenting.

a . Size-zero boys with undernourished figures are in demand.

b. Because they like films like High School Musical.

b.

c.

Because they like floppy hair and long-lashed eyes.

Male models now have more rounded physiques and feminized faces.

c. Designers are looking for a rugged look.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A verb meaning to become difficult to see clearly, often because the edges are not clear. (para 1) 2. A three-word expression meaning the thing that makes a product or service special or different from others. (para 1) 3. An adjective meaning very hot or very exciting, especially because sex is involved. (para 5) 4. A three-word expression meaning likely to become successful or popular soon. (para 5) 5. A two-word phrasal verb meaning to stop being involved in an activity. (para 6) 6. A noun meaning the raised area at a fashion show that the models walk along. (para 7) 7. An adjective meaning very obvious or noticeable. (para 9)

H

NEWS LESSONS / New male beauty / Advanced

•P



8. A noun meaning someone who does boring work for very little money. (para 12)


Advanced

5 Two-word phrases Match the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to make two-word expressions from the text. 1. sex

a. decision

2. leading

b. hair

3. puffy

c. catastrophe

4. floppy

d. surgeon

5. screen

e. cheeks

6. last-minute

f. appeal

7. plastic

g. presence

8. environmental

h. man

6 Adjectives Which of these adjectives apply to A (the traditional actors) and which to B (the new-wave actors)?

delicate

manly

distinctive

soft

A – traditional actors

rugged strong

grizzled expressive

long-lashed bland

baby-faced feminine

B – new-wave actors

7 Discussion

O H

N

•P

CA


T



Which look do you prefer in a male actor – the ‘new’ look or the more ‘traditional’ look? Why?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

5 Two-word phrases

1. rugged 2. simpering 3. empathetic 4. floppy 5. bland 6. interchangeable 7. grizzled 8. uncanny 9. puffy 10. indistinguishable

1. f 2. h 3. e 4. b 5. g 6. a 7. d 8. c

6 Adjectives


A – traditional actors

B – new-wave actors

1. Germaine Greer 2. Rob Pattinson and Taylor Lautner 3. the 1980s 4. Zav Efron 5. Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Jack Nicholson, George Clooney and Sean Penn

manly

delicate

rugged

long-lashed

grizzled

baby-faced

distinctive

soft

strong

bland

expressive

feminine

3 Comprehension check 1. c 2. a 3. b 4. b

4 Find the word

O •P H


CA



1. blur 2. unique selling point 3. sizzling 4. up-and-coming 5. pull out 6. catwalk 7. pronounced 8. drone


Elementary

Key words


rugged

charisma

bland

floppy

puffy

brunette

physique

delicate

strand

underfed

1. A ____________________ is a woman with brown hair. 2. A ____________________ is a single, long piece of hair. 3. If a man has a ____________________ face, it has strong features and is attractive. 4. If a person is ____________________, they do not eat enough food and are very thin. 5. A person’s ____________________ is the shape of their body. 6. A ____________________ face is one that is thin and attractive. 7. If someone is ____________________, they are not interesting, exciting or original and are therefore boring. 8. ____________________ is a strong personal quality that makes other people like you and be attracted to you. 9. A ____________________ face is one that is slightly swollen. 10. ____________________ hair is soft and hangs down in a loose or heavy way.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. Which two actors starred in the movie Twilight? 2. Which two actors starred in the movie Gossip Girl? 3. In which decade was the film Footloose originally made? 4. Who stars in Footloose instead of Zac Efron?

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / New male beauty/ Elementary

CA



5. Who starred in the teen movie High School Musical?

New male beauty It is hard to imagine that a film director could replace George Clooney with Leonardo DiCaprio without rewriting the script of the film. But when Zac Efron recently made a last-minute decision to pull out of the filming of the remake of the 1980s movie Footloose, Paramount simply replaced him with another wide-eyed, soft-faced beauty, Chace Crawford, and continued shooting the film.

6

You will not only find the new male beauty in the movies. You can also see it in the fashion industry. A few years ago male models were size zero and had underfed, sexually ambivalent bodies. Now, however, the physiques of the models are more rounded and their thin faces are more feminine.

7

Steven Pearlman, a plastic surgeon, said his patients want to look like Zac Efron, instead of the more manly look they wanted in the past. “Fifteen years ago men wanted to have a rugged look, which meant stronger features. Now they want a softer look,” he said. “Even just a couple of years ago, we were talking about Orlando Bloom, Justin Timberlake and Leonardo DiCaprio. Now it’s Zac.”

8

Historically, male sex appeal used to be Marlon Brando, Sean Penn, Jack Nicholson and George Clooney. So why has it happened? Why, instead of looking for manly men, do girls now prefer the big eyes and rounded features we usually associate with babies?

9

Research by psychologists at St Andrews University found that women use a man’s face to tell how he will behave in a relationship. “Women think that men with delicate features are more caring and believe that they can trust them,” said one of the researchers. Lynda Boothroyd, a psychologist, agreed. When women are looking for the perfect man, they usually choose pretty boys like Leonardo DiCaprio rather than “rougher” men. “Women may want strong men in the short term, but long term they prefer men with more feminine features, because they think these men will be warmer and faithful and will make better fathers.”

Amelia Hill 28 June, 2009 1 Something strange is happening to male movie actors – they are all beginning to look the same. If you visit the cinema or turn on the television, you’ll see an endless stream of heroes who have no unique selling point. It seems that the days are over when young actors were hired for their individual charms and charisma – think of Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Jack Nicholson. A trend that started a few years ago has become so common that we now have heroes whose looks are so bland they no longer define the films they make. Now the films define them. 2 Directors and producers no longer look for acting ability or screen presence but want their leading men to be so similar that audiences cannot tell them apart: Rob Pattinson and Taylor Lautner fight for Kristen Stewart’s heart in Twilight, but their floppy hair and long eyelashes are so similar that it is no surprise that Stewart’s character Bella has trouble making her choice. Blair has the same problem in Gossip Girl when she is asked to choose between the baby-faced Ed Westwick and Chace Crawford. 3 The New York Observer has called this look the “new male beauty” and it has identified a formula to describe it. “Wide-set eyes, a narrow nose, childish puffy cheeks and carefully placed strands of hair,” wrote Irina Aleksander. “Compared to the new male beauty, even Justin Timberlake seems distinctive and rugged. It’s a face that you could find in teen magazines. Now it is everywhere in the movies.” 4 It used to be the female actors who looked the same. Their characters were defined by their hair colour - sexy blonde or serious brunette. But now, today’s new male stars are so similar that film industry bosses can replace one with another almost without thinking.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / New male beauty / Elementary

O

5

•P H



Elementary

CA

Level 1


Elementary

But Andrea Oliveri, of Details magazine, disagreed. For her, it is Hollywood that is creating these New Male Beauties, not the other way around. “High School Musical was successful not because Zac Efron was in it: Zac became famous because the movie was a huge success,” she said. But the main result of New Male Beauty may be in the profits

of the film studios. If they can persuade audiences to accept an army of bland actors – in the place of the big stars with their sky- high salaries – then the film studios will be the winners. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Observer, 28/06/09

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. More and more male movie actors …

a. … all want to look like Zac Efron.

2. Most of them have …

b. … wanted a more rugged look.

3. Plastic surgery patients ...

c. … floppy hair and long eyelashes.

4. Many women believe that …

d. … as a result of the movie High School Musical.

5. Zac Efron became famous …

e. … men with delicate features are more caring.

6. Fifteen years ago most men …

f. … are beginning to look the same.

4 Adjectives to describe features

a. nose

2. wide

b. face

3. narrow

c. eyes

4. puffy

d. hair

5. soft

e. hair

6. blonde

f. cheeks

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / New male beauty / Elementary

O

•P H

CA

1. floppy


Match the adjectives in the left-hand column with the features they describe in the right-hand column.


Elementary

5 Prepositions Complete the phrases from the text using prepositions. 1. compared _______ 2. replace one person _______ another 3. _______ the past 4. associate _______ 5. _______ the short term 6. someone _______ long, floppy hair

6 Words and definitions Match the words and phrases with their definitions. 1. unique selling point

a. one after the other all the time

2. plastic surgeon

b. the exact opposite

3. sexually ambivalent

c. at the latest possible moment

4. the other way round

d. the thing that makes a product or service special

5. an endless stream

e. someone who performs cosmetic surgery

6. last-minute

f. not clear if it’s a man or a woman

7 Discussion

H

NEWS LESSONS / New male beauty / Elementary

•P



Who is your favourite actor/actress and why?


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words

4 Adjectives to describe features

1. brunette 2. strand 3. rugged 4. underfed 5. physique 6. delicate 7. bland 8. charisma 9. puffy 10. floppy

1. d/e 2. c 3. a 4. f 5. b 6. d/e

3 Comprehension check 1. f 2. c 3. a 4. e 5. d 6. b

6 Words and definitions 1. d 2. e 3. f 4. b 5. a 6. c

O H •P

CA

NEWS LESSONS / New male beauty / Elementary

T



1. Rob Pattinson and Taylor Lautner 2. Ed Westwick and Chace Crawford 3. the 1980s 4. Chace Crawford 5. Zac Efron

1. to 2. with 3. in 4. with 5. in 6. with

N


5 Prepositions


Intermediate

Key words


charisma

bland

interchangeable

floppy

puffy

lament

rugged

simpering

fidelity

trustworthy

1. If someone is ____________________, they are not interesting, exciting or original and are therefore boring. 2. If you ____________________ something, you state publicly that you are disappointed about it. 3. If a person is described as ____________________, they are trying to be friendly and pleasant in a way that appears silly and not sincere. 4. ____________________ is the state of remaining faithful to your partner and not having sex with anyone else. 5. A ____________________ person is honest, safe and reliable. 6. ____________________ is a strong personal quality that makes other people like you and be attracted to you. 7. A ____________________ face is one that is slightly swollen. 8. If two things or two people are ____________________ you can use one instead of the other and the effect will be the same. 9. ____________________ hair is soft and hangs down in a loose or heavy way. 10. If a man has a ____________________ face, it has strong features and is attractive.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. Which two actors starred in the movie Twilight? 2. Which two actors starred in the movie Gossip Girl? 3. In which decade was the film Footloose originally made? 4. Who wrote the book The Boy?

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / New male beauty/ Intermediate

CA



5. Who starred in the teen movie High School Musical?

New male beauty Intermediate


3 The New York Observer has called this phenomenon the “new male beauty” and it has identified a formula to describe it. “The wide-set eyes, the narrow nose that spreads slightly at the tip, the childish puffy cheeks and the soft jaw lines, the carefully placed strands of hair,” wrote Irina Aleksander. “Compared to the new male beauty, even Justin Timberlake seems distinctive and rugged. It’s a face that used to only be found in teen magazines. Now it is everywhere in the movies.” 4 Heroines used to be ones who looked the same. With characters largely defined by their hair colour – sexy blonde or serious brunette – a woman’s screen presence was a background against which leading men could shine. But now,

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / New male beauty / Intermediate

6

The new male beauty is not just to be found in the movies. It is increasingly being seen in the fashion industry. A few years ago it was the size-zero boys, with their underfed, sexually ambivalent bodies who were in demand. Now, however, the physiques of the models have become rounded and their thin faces have become feminized.

7

Steven Pearlman, a plastic surgeon, said his patients have started saying that Efron’s features are their ideal look, instead of the more manly look they wanted in the past. “Fifteen years ago men wanted the rugged look, which meant stronger features. Now they want a softer look,” he said. “Even just a couple of years ago, we were talking about Orlando Bloom, Justin Timberlake and Leonardo DiCaprio. Now it’s Zac.”

8

Historically, male sex appeal used to be Marlon Brando, Sean Penn, Jack Nicholson and George Clooney. So why has it happened? In her 2003 book, The Boy, Germaine Greer lamented the increase in the number of “simpering 30-yearolds with shaved chests” who attempt to imitate “the beauty of [real] boys”. Why, instead of looking for manly men, are girls preferring the big eyes and rounded features more usually associated with babies?

9

Research by psychologists at St Andrews University found that women use a man’s face to judge how he will behave in a relationship.

O

2 Directors and producers no longer look for acting ability or screen presence but demand that their leading men are so similar that audiences cannot tell them apart: Rob Pattinson and Taylor Lautner battle for Kristen Stewart’s heart in Twilight, but their floppy hair and long eyelashes are so similar that it is no surprise that the fictional Bella has trouble making her choice. Blair has the same problem in Gossip Girl when she is asked to choose between the baby-faced Ed Westwick and Chace Crawford.

It is hard to imagine that a director could replace George Clooney with Clive Owen or Leonardo DiCaprio without rewriting the script to suit the characteristics of his new leading man. But when Zac Efron recently made a last-minute decision to pull out of the filming of the remake of the 1980s movie Footloose, Paramount simply replaced him with another wide-eyed, soft-faced beauty: Crawford. And continued shooting the film.


1 Something strange is happening to our leading men – they are beginning to look the same. Visit the cinema or turn on the television and you’ll see an endless stream of interchangeable heroes whose unique selling point is that they don’t have one. It seems that the days are over when young actors were hired for their individual charms and charisma – think of Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Jack Nicholson. A trend that started a few years ago has become so common that we are now presented with heroes whose looks are so bland they are defined by each film they make, instead of the other way round.

5

•P H

Amelia Hill 28 June, 2009

today’s up-and-coming male stars are so similar that film industry bosses can replace one with another almost without thinking.

CA

Level 2


Intermediate

“Women find delicate features more trustworthy and caring,” said the professor who led the research. Lynda Boothroyd, a psychologist at Durham University, agreed. When women are looking for the perfect man, she found, they usually choose pretty boys such as Leonardo DiCaprio rather than “rougher” men. “Women may want muscle in the short term, but long term they prefer men with more feminine features, because they associate this with fidelity, warmth and better parenting.” 10 But Andrea Oliveri, of Details magazine, disagreed. For her, it is Hollywood that is creating these New Male Beauties, not the

other way around. “High School Musical was successful not because Zac Efron was in it: Zac became famous as a result of the huge phenomenon that the movie is,” she said. This may be where the lasting impact of New Male Beauty will be felt. If film studios can persuade audiences to accept an army of bland actors – in the place of the big stars with their sky-high salaries – then the film studios will be the winners.


3 Comprehension check Are these statements true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. Young actors all look like Marlon Brando or Jack Nicholson. 2. Many young actors have wide eyes and soft faces. 3. When Zac Efron pulled out of Footloose, the script had to be rewritten. 4. Psychologists believe that women find men with delicate features more trustworthy. 5. Zac Efron was the reason that the movie High School Musical was a success. 6. The increasing use of bland actors will probably be welcomed by the film studios.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A three-word expression meaning the thing that makes a product or service special or different from others. (para 1) 2. A noun meaning a single, thin piece of something, e.g. hair. (para 3) 3. An adjective meaning easy to recognize because of being different. (para 3) 4. A three-word expression meaning likely to become successful or popular soon. (para 4) 5. A two-word phrasal verb meaning to stop being involved in an activity. (para 5) 6. A two-word expression meaning not sure if it is male or female. (para 6) 7. A verb meaning to copy. (para 8)

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / New male beauty / Intermediate

CA



8. A two-word adjective meaning very high. (para 10)


Intermediate

5 Two-word phrases Match the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to make two-word expressions from the text. 1. sky

a. decision

2. baby

b. hair

3. puffy

c. appeal

4. floppy

d. surgeon

5. wide

e. cheeks

6. last-minute

f. eyed

7. plastic

g. faced

8. sex

h. high

6 Word building Complete the sentences with the correct form of the word in brackets at the end of each sentence. 1. Women seem to associate feminine features in men with __________________ and fidelity. [WARM] 2. They want to judge how the man will behave in a __________________. [RELATE] 3. Some directors no longer look for acting __________________. [ABLE] 4. The new male beauty is __________________ being seen in the fashion industry. [INCREASE] 5. In the past, plastic surgery patients wanted a more __________________ look. [MAN] 6. High School Musical was a very __________________ movie. [SUCCEED]

7 Discussion

H


•P



What is more important in an actor – the way he looks or the way he acts?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. bland 2. lament 3. simpering 4. fidelity 5. trustworthy 6. charisma 7. puffy 8. interchangeable 9. floppy 10. rugged

1. unique selling point 2. strand 3. distinctive 4. up-and-coming 5. pull out 6. sexually ambivalent 7. imitate 8. sky-high

3 Comprehension check 1. f 2. t 3. f 4. t 5. f 6. t

6 Word building 1. warmth 2. relationship 3. ability 4. increasingly 5. manly 6. successful

O H •P

CA


T



1. Rob Pattinson and Taylor Lautner 2. Ed Westwick and Chace Crawford 3. the 1980s 4. Germaine Greer 5. Zac Efron

1. h 2. g 3. e 4. b 5. f 6. a 7. d 8. c

N


5 Two-word phrases

Bolivia brings end to bizarre tourist attraction Level 3 1

Advanced

Warmer

In three minutes, write down as many words as you can you think of to describe (or connected with) the place in which prisoners are held after they have been convicted of committing a crime. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________

2

Key words

Find the key words from the article. The paragraph numbers are given to help you. 1. _______________________ to look at someone or something for a long time, often in a rude or stupid way (subtitle) 2. _______________________ people who are kept in a prison (subtitle) 3. _______________________ money given to someone so that they will help you by doing something dishonest or illegal (para 1) 4. _______________________ a (past tense) verb meaning to refuse to talk to someone or do what they suggest (para 4) 5. _______________________ a (past tense) verb meaning to stay somewhere longer than is necessary (para 4) 6. _______________________ the noun for putting someone in prison (para 6) 7. _______________________ dishonest or illegal behaviour by officials or people in positions of power, especially when they accept money in exchange for doing things for someone (para 8) 8. _______________________ particular qualities in someone’s (or something’s) character (para 9) 9. _______________________ an adjective meaning without responsibilities, difficulties or problems (para 9) 10. _______________________ a public service such as gas, water or electricity that is used by everyone (para 9) 11. _______________________ the process of sending someone accused of a crime back to the country where the crime was committed for a trial (para 14) 12. _______________________ the things that happen to someone or something, especially unpleasant

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NEWS LESSONS / Bolivia brings end to bizarre tourist attraction / Advanced

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things (para 15)

Bolivia brings end to bizarre tourist attraction Advanced

Bolivia calls time on bizarre world of prison frequented by tourists

book Marching Powder, about the four-year incarceration of a British drug mule, Thomas McFadden, it details how tourists would pay for tours, overnight stays and cocainefuelled parties.

Tourists, who once came to gawk, shop, dine and even do drugs in jail, are banned, while inmates’ families face expulsion too

3 “This was a very original prison, very different from the others,” said Juan Gonzalez, 39, a convicted thief, sitting on a bed in his cell. “It was like a little village. It wasn’t so bad. Now all that’s at risk.” 4 Out in the main courtyard other inmates huddled in small groups, nervous and resentful. They used to run mini-restaurants and craft stalls but now, with the tourist ban, business had collapsed. On the outside disappointed tourists regretted that they had come too late. Guards in green uniforms had rebuffed them but still they lingered. 5 “What a bummer. This was one of Bolivia’s main attractions,” said a British couple, Matt and Linda. “Well, at least let’s take a picture at the gate.” 6 San Pedro’s fame is set to reach a wider audience with a new film produced by Brad Pitt and starring Don Cheadle. Based on the

8

Embarrassed, the government vowed to change San Pedro. “The most alarming thing was the tourists,” said Jorge Lopez, head of the prison service. “We are now constantly rotating the guards so they do not develop a close relationship with inmates so we can cut off corruption.”

9

In addition to expelling tourists the authorities have banned other traits of San Pedro such as inmates renting, buying and selling their own cells, a real estate market which had its own bubbles and slumps. Office workers can no longer pop in for a cheap lunch in restaurants which, unencumbered by taxes and utility bills, undercut outside rivals.

10 What most upsets inmates is a threat to expel their families. Hundreds of wives and children voluntarily live in the prison – with freedom to come and go during the day – for want of accommodation and jobs in the impoverished capital. 11 “We are very happy here. We have work, we have a home. Outside there is nothing,” said Laura Gonzalez, wife of the convicted thief Juan, traipsing back in through the gates. She cooks in a restaurant and her husband, who is serving three years, works as an amateur dentist. They share their cell, cluttered with clothes and DVDs, with two children and a cat, Felix.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Bolivia brings end to bizarre tourist attraction / Advanced

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2 Not anymore. A sweeping crackdown has barred tourists from the complex, replaced corrupt guards and challenged bizarre practices which had become the stuff of lore. If Bolivia’s government has its way, San Pedro’s unique days are over.

After years of turning a blind eye the authorities were forced to act after tourists uploaded a video of a visit on YouTube in February. Local TV picked up on the story and interviewed foreigners emerging from the jail. It turned into a media circus.


1 It used to be one of South America’s most talked about tourist attractions. Celebrated as unique in the world, San Pedro in La Paz, Bolivia, was a prison like no other. Foreign tourists would pay bribes to enter, gawk, shop, dine and even do drugs. Many deemed it better value than the Inca citadel Machu Picchu.

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Rory Carroll and Andres Schipani in La Paz 8 July, 2009

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Level 3


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Latin American prisons tend to be overcrowded, grim and violent, with riots and beheadings common. San Pedro, which is divided into eight sections ranging from slum-like to plush, is dangerous at night but relatively safe in the day. “Having women and children here helps keep the men calm,” said one guard.

here in 1983 before extradition to France. More recent arrivals include Leopoldo Fernández, a provincial governor allegedly implicated in the murder of indigenous peasants, and Santos Ramirez, charged with corruption while heading the state energy company. 15

Cocaine, crack and marijuana are openly consumed – a recent documentary showed a prisoner snorting a line of cocaine off a copy of the book Marching Powder – but the cocaineprocessing laboratories have reportedly closed.

14 The arrivals of high-profile prisoners tend to coincide with crackdowns. Klaus Barbie, the Nazi war criminal, spent some months

The fate of San Pedro’s businesses – hairdressers, grocery shops, pool halls – is uncertain. Nor is it clear what will happen to the football league in which the eight sections each have a team, with players bought and sold on a transfer market. The governor, Jose Cabrera, recently said, “The prisoners have to understand that this is a penitentiary.” © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 08/07/09

3 Find the information Find the answers to these questions in the article. 1. Where is the prison (town, country, continent)? 2. Why was it a tourist attraction? 3. Who is making a film about the prison? 4. What forced the Bolivian authorities into acting? 5. Apart from prisoners, who else lives in the prison? 6. Why would office workers visit the prison? 7. What drugs are available? 8. What tends to happen when high-profile prisoners arrive?

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9. Which other Bolivian tourist attraction is mentioned in the article?

Bolivia brings end to bizarre tourist attraction Level 3

Advanced

4 Language: Phrases Find a phrase that means the following. 1. abruptly stern measures or disciplinary action; increased enforcement covering a wide area and involving many people (two words, para 2) _______________________________ 2. things relating to legends and stories around a particular subject (three words, para 2) _______________________________

6. the ups and downs of 5 (three words, para 9) _______________________________ 7. the main city which has no money and where not only the authorities but also many people are poor (two words, para 10) _______________________________

3. someone who smuggles illegal substances for someone else (two words, para 6) _______________________________

8. to return somewhere while walking in a tired way (three words, para 11) ______________________________

4. deliberately overlook something or look the other way when something happens (four words, para 7) _______________________________

9. apparently involved in something illegal (two words, para 14) _______________________________

5. the area of business which involves the buying and selling of housing, property and land (three words, para 9) _______________________________

10. poor, simple country people or agricultural workers who were born in that place (two words, para 14) _______________________________

5 Discussion Make brief notes about your opinions and then discuss the questions. What is your opinion about the following groups of people visiting or staying at the prison? a. tourists b. local office workers c. prisoners’ families

6 Webquest Watch the video that caused the prison authorities to act by going to www.youtube.com and typing in San Pedro prison. Then watch another video made by Prison Fellowship International (www.pfi.org): http://www.boliviabella.com/san-pedro-prison-tour.html

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Do either of these videos change the way you would answer the questions in task 5?


Advanced

KEY 2 Key words 1. gawk 2. inmates 3. bribes 4. rebuffed 5. lingered 6. incarceration 7. corruption 8. traits 9. unencumbered 10. utility 11. extradition 12. fate

4 Language: Phrases 1. sweeping crackdown 2. stuff of lore 3. drug mule 4. turning a blind eye 5. real estate market 6. bubbles and slumps 7. impoverished capital 8. traipse back in 9. allegedly implicated 10. indigenous peasants

3 Find the information Suggested answers: 1. La Paz, Bolivia, South America 2. Because it was like a village, with restaurants and craft stalls. It was also a place to buy and take drugs. Tourists could go on tours or even stay there. 3. Brad Pitt 4. Tourists uploaded a video of their visit to the prison onto video sharing website, YouTube. 5. prisoners’ families and pets 6. office workers who went there for cheap lunches 7. cocaine, crack and marijuana 8. Crackdowns tend to coincide with the arrivals of high-profile prisoners.

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9. The Inca citadel Machu Picchu


Elementary

Warmer

Do these words describe people or buildings? Write them next to the correct diagram.

cell

prison

guard

inmate

office worker

tourist restaurant

people

2

penitentiary pool hall

prisoner dentist

buildings

Key words

Find the key words from the article. The paragraph numbers are given to help you.

corrupt crackdown

banned cell

penitentiary rotating

inmates bribes

amateur expel

run

ignoring

1. ______________________ when someone is officially not allowed to do something or go somewhere (subtitle) 2. ______________________ money given to someone so that they will help you by doing something dishonest or illegal (para 1) 3. ______________________ strong action that someone in authority takes to stop a particular activity (para 2) 4. ______________________ an adjective used to describe people who do dishonest, illegal or immoral things in order to gain money or power (para 2) 5.

______________________ a small room where a prisoner is kept (para 3)

6. ______________________ people who are kept in a prison; another word for prisoners (para 4) 7.

______________________ to control and organize a business (para 4)

8.

______________________ pretending that you have not seen something (para 7)

9.

______________________ changing the order that people work in (para 8)

10. ______________________ to officially force someone to leave a place (para 10) 11. ______________________ this describes someone who does something without qualifications; the opposite of professional (para 11)

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12. ______________________ a prison for people who have committed serious crimes (para 13)

Bolivia brings end to bizarre tourist attraction Elementary 7

After years of ignoring what was happening the Bolivian government was forced to do something after tourists uploaded a video of their visit to the prison on YouTube in February.

8

Embarrassed, the government promised to change San Pedro. “We are now constantly rotating the guards so they do not develop a close relationship with inmates so we can stop corruption,” said Jorge Lopez, head of the prison service.

9

In addition to keeping tourists away the authorities have banned other things that were going on in San Pedro, for example, inmates renting, buying and selling their own cells. Also, office workers can no longer go to the prison for a cheap lunch in restaurants that didn’t have to pay water, electricity or gas bills or taxes.

Tourists, who once came to look, shop, eat and even take drugs, are banned

2 Not anymore. A Bolivian government crackdown has stopped tourists from entering the prison. The government has replaced corrupt guards and stopped the strange things which had made the prison infamous. Most likely, San Pedro’s days as a tourist attraction are over. 3 “This was a very original prison, very different from the others,” said Juan Gonzalez, 39, a prisoner, sitting on a bed in his cell. “It was like a little village. It wasn’t so bad.” 4 Out in the main courtyard other unhappy inmates stood together in small groups. They used to run mini-restaurants and craft stalls but now, with the tourist ban, they have no business. Outside the prison disappointed tourists felt sad that they had come too late. Guards in green uniforms tried to send them away but they still stood and waited. 5 “This was one of Bolivia’s main tourist attractions,” said a British couple, Matt and Linda. “Well, at least let’s take a picture at the gate.” 6 San Pedro is going to become more famous with a new film produced by Brad Pitt and starring Don Cheadle. Based on the book Marching Powder, about the four years a British man, Thomas McFadden, spent in the prison, it describes how tourists paid for tours, overnight stays and drugs parties.

10 What most upsets inmates is a threat to expel their families. Hundreds of wives and children voluntarily live in the prison. They have the freedom to come and go during the day. They chose to live in the prison because there are few houses or jobs in La Paz. 11 “We are very happy here. We have work, we have a home. Outside there is nothing,” said Laura Gonzalez, Juan’s wife. She cooks in a restaurant and her husband, who is in prison for three years for stealing, works as an amateur dentist. They share their cell with two children and a cat called Felix. 12 Latin American prisons are often violent places. San Pedro prison is dangerous at night but relatively safe in the day. “Having women and children here helps keep the men calm,” said one guard. 13 It is uncertain what will happen to San Pedro’s businesses – hairdressers, grocery shops, pool halls. The prison governor, Jose Cabrera, recently said, “The prisoners have to understand that this is a penitentiary.” © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 08/07/09

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Bolivia brings end to bizarre tourist attraction / Elementary

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1 It used to be one of South America’s most talked about tourist attractions. Famous around the world, San Pedro in La Paz, Bolivia, was a prison like no other. Tourists paid bribes to enter, look, shop, eat and even take drugs. Many thought it better value than the Inca citadel Machu Picchu.



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Level 1


Elementary

3 Comprehension check: Summarizing Match the sentence halves to summarize the article. 1. San Pedro prison is in La Paz, …

… a film about the prison.

2. It used to be a ‘secret’ but …

… often violent places.

3. Prisoners used to run …

… famous tourist attraction.

4. Tourists are unhappy because they …

… prisoners’ families and pets from living in

the prison.

5. Brad Pitt is going to make …

… a less dangerous and violent place.

6. The Bolivian government decided to …

… the capital city of Bolivia.

7. Office workers used to eat their lunch …

… restaurants and craft stalls in the prison.

8. The government want to stop …

… in a cheap restaurant in the prison.

9. Latin American prisons are …

… are no longer allowed to visit the prison.

10. The women and children make the prison …

... stop people visiting the prison after tourists put a

video on YouTube.

4 Language: Prepositions Write in the missing prepositions and then check your answers by reading back through the article.

around

as

on

in x4

with

of

at

from x2

by

1. famous ______________ the world

7. take a picture ______________ the gate

2. stopped tourists ______________ entering

8. a new film produced ______________ Brad Pitt

the prison 3. very different ______________ the others 4. sitting ______________ a bed ______________ his cell

9. head ______________ the prison service 10. Wives and children voluntarily live ______________

the prison.

11. Her husband works ______________ an amateur

5. stand together ______________ small groups

6. guards ______________ green uniforms

12. They share their cell ______________ two children

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and a cat.

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dentist.


Elementary

5 Discussion Tick the box to show your opinion and then discuss your answers. I think the following people should be allowed to visit the prison regularly: I strongly agree I mostly agree

I don’t know

I mostly disagree

I strongly disagree

tourists local office workers prisoners’ families

6 Webquest 1. Find a satellite picture of La Paz and describe what you see. 2. Find other photos of La Paz and its buildings and squares. 3. Find photos of San Pedro prison, La Paz, Bolivia.

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4. Watch videos about the prison by going to www.youtube.com and typing in San Pedro prison.


Elementary

KEY 1 Warmer


buildings: cell; prison; penitentiary; restaurant; pool hall people: inmate; tourist; prisoner; guard; office worker; dentist

1. famous around the world 2. stopped tourists from entering the prison 3. very different from the others 4. sitting on a bed in his cell 5. stand together in small groups 6. guards in green uniforms 7. take a picture at the gate 8. a new film produced by Brad Pitt 9. head of the prison service 10. Wives and children voluntarily live in the prison. 11. Her husband works as an amateur dentist. 12. They share their cell with two children and a cat.

2 Key words 1. banned 2. bribes 3. crackdown 4. corrupt 5. cell 6. inmates 7. run 8. ignoring 9. rotating 10. expel 11. amateur 12. penitentiary


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1. San Pedro Prison is in La Paz, the capital city of Bolivia. 2. It used to be a “secret” but famous tourist attraction. 3. Prisoners used to run restaurants and craft stalls in the prison. 4. Tourists are unhappy because they are no longer allowed to visit the prison. 5. Brad Pitt is going to make a film about the prison. 6. The Bolivian government decided to stop people visiting the prison after tourists put a video on YouTube. 7. Office workers used to eat their lunch in a cheap restaurant in the prison. 8. The government wants to stop prisoners’ families and pets from living in the prison. 9. Latin American prisons are often violent places. 10. The women and children make the prison a less dangerous and violent place.


Intermediate

Warmer

Complete the words wheels with as many words as you can think of that you relate to prisons and prisoners.

prison

2

prisoner

Key words

Find the key words from the article. The paragraph numbers are given to help you.

corrupt crackdown

1.

lingered drug mule

penitentiary rotating

inmates bribes

utility expel

consumed impoverished

____________________ money given to someone so that they will help you by doing something dishonest or illegal (para 1)

2. ____________________ strong action that someone in authority takes to stop a particular activity (para 2) 3. ____________________ an adjective used to describe people who do dishonest, illegal, or immoral things in order to gain money or power (para 2) 4. ____________________ people who are kept in a prison (para 4) 5. ____________________ a (past tense) verb meaning to stay somewhere longer than is necessary (para 4) 6.

____________________ someone who smuggles illegal substances for someone else (para 6)

7. ____________________ a method of replacing and changing things or people that work in a set order (para 8) 8. ____________________ a public service such as gas, water, or electricity that is used by everyone (para 9) 9. ____________________ to officially force someone to leave a place (para 10) 10. ___________________ an adjective used to describe a person or place that is very poor (para 10) 11. ___________________ another word for taken; also the past tense of eat or drink something (para 12)

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NEWS LESSONS / Bolivia brings end to bizarre tourist attraction / Intermediate

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12. ___________________ a prison for people who have committed serious crimes (para 13)

Bolivia brings end to bizarre tourist attraction Intermediate


2 Not anymore. A Bolivian government crackdown has stopped tourists from entering the prison, replaced corrupt guards and challenged the bizarre practices which had made the prison infamous. Most likely, San Pedro’s unique days are over. 3 “This was a very original prison, very different from the others,” said Juan Gonzalez, 39, a convicted thief, sitting on a bed in his cell. “It was like a little village. It wasn’t so bad. Now all that’s at risk.” 4 Out in the main courtyard other inmates stood together in small groups, nervous and resentful. They used to run mini-restaurants and craft stalls but now, with the tourist ban, business has collapsed. Outside the prison disappointed tourists regretted that they had come too late. Guards in green uniforms tried to send them away but they still lingered. 5 “What a bummer. This was one of Bolivia’s main attractions,” said a British couple, Matt and Linda. “Well, at least let’s take a picture at the gate.” 6 San Pedro’s fame is set to reach a wider audience with a new film produced by Brad Pitt and starring Don Cheadle. Based on the book Marching Powder, about the four years a British

After years of ignoring what was happening the authorities were forced to act after tourists uploaded a video of a visit on YouTube in February. Local TV picked up on the story and interviewed foreigners leaving the jail.

8

Embarrassed, the government vowed to change San Pedro. “The most alarming thing was the tourists,” said Jorge Lopez, head of the prison service. “We are now constantly rotating the guards so they do not develop a close relationship with inmates so we can stop corruption.”

9

In addition to keeping tourists away the authorities have banned other things that were going on in San Pedro such as inmates renting, buying and selling their own cells. Office workers can no longer pop in for a cheap lunch in restaurants which could undercut outside rivals as they didn’t have to pay taxes or utility bills.

10 What most upsets inmates is a threat to expel their families. Hundreds of wives and children voluntarily live in the prison – with freedom to come and go during the day – due to a lack of accommodation and jobs in the impoverished capital city. 11 “We are very happy here. We have work, we have a home. Outside there is nothing,” said Laura Gonzalez, wife of the convicted thief Juan. She cooks in a restaurant and her husband, who is in prison for three years, works as an amateur dentist. They share their cell, cluttered with clothes and DVDs, with two children and a cat, Felix. 12 Latin American prisons tend to be overcrowded, grim and violent. Riots and beheadings are common. San Pedro, which is divided into eight sections, is dangerous at night but relatively safe in the day. “Having women and children

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Bolivia brings end to bizarre tourist attraction / Intermediate

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1 It used to be one of South America’s most talked about tourist attractions. Famous for being unique in the world, San Pedro in La Paz, Bolivia, was a prison like no other. Foreign tourists would pay bribes to enter, look, shop, dine and even take drugs. Many thought it better value than the Inca citadel Machu Picchu.

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Tourists, who once came to look, shop, dine and even do drugs in jail, are banned

drug mule, Thomas McFadden, spent in the prison, it describes how tourists paid for tours, overnight stays and cocaine-fuelled parties.

CA

Level 2


Intermediate

here helps keep the men calm,” said one guard. Cocaine, crack and marijuana are still openly consumed but the cocaine-processing laboratories have reportedly closed.

pool halls. The prison governor, Jose Cabrera, recently said, “The prisoners have to understand that this is a penitentiary.” © Guardian News & Media 2009

13

It is uncertain what will happen to San Pedro’s businesses – hairdressers, grocery shops,


3 Comprehension check: True or false? Are the sentences true (T) or false (F) according to the article? Correct any sentences that are false. 1. The prison is in the capital city of Bolivia. 2. It is a ‘secret’ but often talked about tourist attraction. 3. Brad Pitt is going to star in a film about the prison. 4. The Bolivian authorities have tried to stop tourists going to the prison by putting a video up on YouTube. 5. Prisoners’ families and pets are allowed to live with them in the prison. 6. Office workers have opened a restaurant in the prison. 7. La Paz is the richest city in South America. 8. Latin American prisons are often violent places. 9. The presence of women and children make the prison a less violent place. 10. The prison is now free from drugs.

4 Language: Prepositions Write in the missing prepositions and then check your answers by reading back through the article. In what context are the phrases used, i.e. what do they talk about or describe? 1. South America’s most talked _____________ tourist attractions

7. head _____________ the prison service 8. Wives and children voluntarily live _____________

2. very different _____________ the others

the prison.

3. stopped tourists _____________ entering the prison

9. a lack _____________ accommodation and jobs

4. all that’s _____________ risk

10. wife _____________ the convicted thief Juan

5. take a picture _____________ the gate

11. Her husband works _____________ a dentist.

6. a new film produced _____________ Brad Pitt

12. They share their cell _____________ two children

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and a cat.

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Intermediate

5 Discussion Tick the box to show your opinion and then discuss your answers. I think the following people should be allowed to visit the prison regularly: I strongly agree I mostly agree

I don’t know

I mostly disagree

I strongly disagree

tourists local office workers prisoners’ families

6 Webquest 1. Find a satellite picture of La Paz and describe what you see. 2. Find other photos of La Paz and its buildings and squares. 3. Find photos of San Pedro prison, La Paz, Bolivia.

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4. Watch videos about the prison by going to www.youtube.com and typing in San Pedro prison.


Intermediate

KEY 2 Key words 1. bribes 2. crackdown 3. corrupt 4. inmates 5. lingered 6. drug mule 7. rotating 8. utility 9. expel 10. impoverished 11. consumed 12. penitentiary

3 Comprehension check 1. T 2. T 3. F 4. F 5. T 6. F 7. F 8. T 9. T 10. F


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1. South America’s most talked about tourist attractions 2. very different from the others 3. stopped tourists from entering the prison 4. all that’s at risk 5. take a picture at the gate 6. a new film produced by Brad Pitt 7. head of the prison service 8. Wives and children voluntarily live in the prison. 9. a lack of accommodation and jobs 10. wife of the convicted thief Juan 11. Her husband works as a dentist. 12. They share their cell with two children and a cat.

Population of older people to surpass number of children Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words and phrases from the text.

landmark demographic

ageing carer

unprecendented inducement

glaring pensioner

life expectancy census

1. A _______________________ is someone who has reached the age when they are officially old enough to stop working. 2. A _______________________ is someone who looks after a person who is ill or is unable to look after themselves. 3. A _______________________ is a major event that marks an important stage in a process. 4. _______________________ is the length of time that someone is likely to live. 5. A _______________________ is an occasion on which government officials count the people who live in a country and record other information about them. 6. An _______________________ is something that persuades someone to do something. 7. An _______________________ situation is one that has never happened or existed before. 8. An _______________________ person is one who is becoming old. 9. A _______________________ difference is one that is very obvious. 10. _______________________ means relating to populations.

2


Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F). Then check your answers in the text. 1. On average, women live ten years longer than men. 2. In terms of the age of the population, Europe has 23 of the world’s 25 ‘oldest’ countries. 3. The USA has the longest life expectancy in the world. 4. The world’s population will be more than ten billion by 2050. 5. Zimbabwe has the lowest life expectancy in the world.

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6. France, Sweden and Italy all have life expectancies of more than 80 years.

Population of older people to surpass number of children

Ed Pilkington, 20 July, 2009

That will in turn bring new burdens on carers and social services providers, while patterns of work and retirement will similarly have huge implications for health services and pensions systems.

1 The world is about to cross a demographic landmark of huge social and economic importance, with the proportion of the global population 65 and over set to outnumber children under five for the first time. A new report by the US census bureau highlights a huge shift towards not just an ageing but an old population, with enormous consequences for rich and poor nations alike. The transformation carries with it challenges for families and policymakers, ranging from how to care for older people living alone to how to pay for unprecedented numbers of pensioners – more than 1 billion of them by 2040. 2 The report, An Ageing World: 2008, shows that within ten years older people will outnumber children for the first time. It forecasts that over the next 30 years the number of over-65s is expected to almost double, from 506 million in 2008 to 1.3 billion – a leap from 7% of the world’s population to 14%. Already, the number of people in the world 65 and over is increasing at an average of 870,000 each month. 3 The rate of growth will shoot up in the next couple of years, with both overall numbers and proportions of older people rising rapidly. The shift is due to a combination of the time-delayed impact of high fertility levels after the Second World War and more recent improvements in health that are bringing down death rates at older ages. Separate UN forecasts predict that the global population will be more than nine billion by 2050. 4 The US census bureau has led the way in sounding the alarm over the changes. This is its ninth report drawing together data from around the globe since it first focused on the trend in 1987. Its latest projections warn governments and international bodies the tipping point will present widespread challenges at every level of

5

“People are living longer and, in some parts of the world, healthier lives,” the authors conclude. “This represents one of the crowning achievements of the last century but also a significant challenge as proportions of older people increase in most countries.” Europe is the greyest continent, with 23 of the world’s 25 oldest countries. Such dominance of the regional league table will continue. By 2040, more than one in four Europeans are expected to be at least 65, and one in seven at least 75.

6

The UK comes in at number 19 in the list of the world’s oldest countries. Top of the pile is Japan, which recently replaced Italy as the world’s oldest major country. Its life expectancy at birth – 82 years – is matched only by Singapore, though in western Europe, France, Sweden and Italy all have life expectancies of more than 80 years. In the UK it is 78.8.

7

The contrast in life expectancy between rich and poor nations remains glaring. The report shows that a person born in a developed country can expect to outlive his or her counterpart in the developing world by 14 years. Zimbabwe holds the unfortunate record for the lowest life expectancy, which has been cut to 40 through a combination of Aids, famine and dictatorship.

8

But an important finding of the report is that the wave of ageing that has until recently been considered a phenomenon of the developed world is fast encroaching on poorer countries too. More than 80% of the increase in older people in the year up to July 2008 was seen in developing countries. By 2040, the poor world is projected to be home to more than one billion people aged 65 and over – fully 76% of the world total.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Population of older people to surpass number of children / Advanced

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human organisation, starting with the structure of the family, which will be transformed as people live longer.

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Population of older people set to surpass number of children, report finds


Advanced

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Level 3


Advanced

Ageing will put pressure on societies at all levels. One way of measuring that is to look at the older dependency ratio, or ODR, which acts as an indicator of the balance between workingage people and the older population that must be supported by them. The ODR is the number of people aged 65 and over for every 100 people aged 20 to 64. It varies widely, from just six in Kenya and seven in Bangladesh, to 33 in Italy and also Japan. The UK has an ODR of 26, and the US has 21.

10 From that ratio, a number of profound challenges flow. Countries with a high ODR are already creaking under the burden of funding prolonged retirement for their older population. Life expectancy after retirement has already reached 21 years for French men and 26 years for French women. Though retirement ages

have begun to rise in developed countries, partly through inducements from governments to continue working, this still puts an extreme burden on public pensions funds. 11 Socially, too, there are intense pressures on individuals and families. With women living on average seven years longer than men, more older women are living alone. Around half of all women 65 and over in Germany, Denmark and Slovakia are on their own, with all the consequent issues of loneliness and access to care that ensue. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 20/07/09

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. Why has the number of old people around the world grown so rapidly in recent years? a. Because people are working longer. b. Because of the high birth-rate after World War II and improved health care. c. Because the birth-rate is currently increasing at an unprecedented rate. 2. What does the ODR show? a. The balance between the number of working people and the old people they have to support. b. The number of old people living with their families. c. The amount of money needed to fund the pensions of future generations. 3. What particular problem do countries with a high ODR have? a. Their retirement ages have begun to rise. b. Their public pension funds are under pressure. c. Older people are getting angry because they have to work longer. 4. What particular problem does the different life expectancy for men and women bring?

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a. Men have to retire later to earn enough money to pay for their pension. b. A large number of carers are needed to look after old women. c. More and more older women are living alone.

Population of older people to surpass number of children Level 3

Advanced

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A verb meaning to be more than. (para 1) 2. A two-word phrasal verb meaning to increase rapidly by a large amount. (para 3) 3. A three-word expression meaning to inform people about a danger. (para 4) 4. A two-word expression meaning the point at which the momentum for a change becomes unstoppable. (para 4) 5. A two-word expression meaning the latest and greatest of a series of successes. (para 5) 6. A four-word expression meaning the first in status. (para 6) 7. A verb meaning to cover more land gradually. (para 8) 8. A verb meaning (of a system, method or organization) to no longer work well. (para 10)

5 Two-word phrases Match the adjectives in the left-hand column with the nouns in the right-hand column to form phrases from the text. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

crowning widespread global demographic developing intense social unprecedented

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h.

landmark pressure services population achievement numbers countries challenges

6 Word building Complete the sentences with the correct form of the word in brackets at the end of each sentence. 1. Many countries are creaking under the burden of funding prolonged ___________________ for their older population. [RETIRE] 2. ___________________ levels after the second world war were particularly high. [FERTILE] 3. The fact that people are living longer is a major ___________________. [ACHIEVE] 4. Life ___________________ in Japan and Singapore is the highest in the world. [EXPECT] 5. Some governments are offering ___________________ to people to continue working. [INDUCE] 6. The ODR is an ___________________ of the balance between working people and pensioners. [INDICATE]

7 Discussion

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Do you agree that working beyond the usual retirement age is the best solution to the problem of the ageing population? What other ways can you suggest to help resolve this problem?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. pensioner 2. carer 3. landmark 4. life expectancy 5. census 6. inducement 7. unprecedented 8. ageing 9. glaring 10. demographic

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.


b a b c

e h d a g b c f

6 Word building 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

retirement fertility achievement expectancy inducements indicator

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Population of older people to surpass number of children / Advanced

H

F T F F T T

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

5 Two-word phrases



outnumber shoot up sound the alarm tipping point crowning achievement top of the pile encroach creak


Elementary

Key words


ageing challenge

pensioner retirement

carer impact

census outnumbers

life expectancy pension fund

1. A _______________________ is someone who has reached the age when they are officially old enough to stop working. 2.

_______________________ is the time when you stop working because you have reached the age when you are officially too old to work.

3. If a group of people _______________________ another group, there are more in the first group than in the second. 4. A _______________________ is the money that a government or organization uses to pay people’s pensions. 5. _______________________ is the length of time that someone is likely to live. 6. A _______________________ is an occasion on which government officials count the people who live in a country and record other information about them. 7. An _______________________ person is one who is becoming old. 8. A _______________________ is something that requires a lot of skill, energy and determination to deal with. 9. If something has an _______________________ on something else, it has an effect on it. 10. A _______________________ is someone who looks after a person who is ill or is unable to look after themselves.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. What will the world’s population be in 2050? 2. How many of the world’s 25 oldest countries are in Europe? 3. By 2040 how many Europeans will be at least 65? 4. Which country has the highest life expectancy in the world? 5. Which country has the lowest life expectancy?

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NEWS LESSONS / Population of older people to surpass number of children / Elementary

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6. How much longer (on average) do women live than men?

Population of older people to surpass number of children Elementary

5

“People are living longer and, in some parts of the world, healthier lives,” the authors say. “This represents one of the greatest achievements of the last century but also a significant challenge as numbers of older people increase in most countries.” Europe is the oldest continent, with 23 of the world’s 25 oldest countries. By 2040, more than one in four Europeans are expected to be at least 65, and one in seven at least 75.

6

The UK is number 19 in the list of the world’s oldest countries. Number one is Japan, which recently replaced Italy as the world’s oldest major country. Its life expectancy at birth is 82 years. In western Europe, France, Sweden and Italy all have life expectancies of more than 80 years. In the UK it is 78.8.

7

The difference in life expectancy between rich and poor nations is huge. The report shows that a person born in a developed country can expect to live 14 years longer than someone in a developing country. Zimbabwe has the lowest life expectancy. It is just 40 years – the result of a combination of Aids, famine and dictatorship.

3 The number of people over 65 will increase rapidly in the next couple of years. The change is the result of a combination of the high birth rates after the Second World War and recent improvements in health that are bringing down death rates at older ages. United Nations forecasts predict that the global population will be more than nine billion by 2050.

8

But an important finding of the report is that poorer countries are also experiencing the phenomenon of an ageing population. More than 80% of the increase in older people in the year up to July 2008 was seen in developing countries. By 2040, the poor world is expected to be home to more than 1 billion people aged 65 and over – as much as 76% of the world total.

4 The US census bureau was the first to draw attention to these changes. This is its ninth report using data from around the world since it first reported in 1987. Its latest forecasts warn governments and international bodies that this change in population structure will bring significant problems at every level of human organization, starting with the structure of the

9

Many countries with large numbers of old people are already having problems paying for a longer retirement for their older population. Life expectancy after retirement has already reached 21 years for French men and 26 years for French women. Retirement ages have begun to rise in developed countries, as governments encourage people to continue working, but public pensions

1 The world’s population will soon experience a moment of huge social and economic importance. For the first time the number of people aged 65 or more will be greater than the number of children under five years old. A new report by the US census bureau shows the world’s population is ageing rapidly, with enormous consequences for both rich and poor nations. This situation will bring challenges for both families and politicians, including how to care for older people living alone to how to pay for enormous numbers of pensioners – more than one billion of them by 2040. 2 The report, An Ageing World: 2008, shows that within ten years older people will outnumber children for the first time. It forecasts that over the next 30 years the number of over-65s will double, from 506 million in 2008 to 1.3 billion – an increase from 7% of the world’s population to 14%. Already, the number of people in the world 65 and over is increasing at an average of 870,000 each month.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Population of older people to surpass number of children / Elementary

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family, which will be transformed as people live longer. This will also bring new problems for carers and social services providers, while changes in work and retirement will have an impact on health services and pensions systems.

CA

Level 1


Elementary

10 funds may be unable to provide enough money to pay for old age pensions. Socially, too, there are pressures for both individuals and families. Women live on average seven years longer than men, so more and more older women are living alone. Around half of all women 65 and over in Germany, Denmark and Slovakia are on their own and loneliness is a major problem. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 20/07/09

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. People over 65 will soon … 2. The number of people in the world over 65 years old … 3. This change in population structure … 4. People born in developed countries … 5. By 2040, 76% of people aged 65 and over ... 6. Large numbers of older women live alone because …

a. … will live in poor, developing countries. b. … will bring significant problems to families and social service providers. c. … women live on average seven years longer than men. d. … is increasing at an average of 870,000 each month. e. … outnumber children under five years old for the first time.

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… live on average 14 years longer than those born in developing countries.

CA

f.


Elementary

4 Chunks Rearrange the words to make phrases from the text. 1. couple the in of years next 2. by than more billion 2050 nine 3. the over years 30 next 4. achievements of the greatest one last the of century 5. than one people more billion 6. men seven women than live longer years

5 Word building Complete the tables. adjective important

noun

verb retire

healthy

improve

different

achieve

lonely

expect

noun

6 Prefixes

b. number

3. out-

c. national

4. inter-

d. cast

5. trans-

e. able

6. un-

f. place

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Population of older people to surpass number of children / Elementary

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2. re-

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a. form

CA

1. fore-


Match the prefixes in the left-hand column with the words in the right-hand column to make words from the text.


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words

4 Chunks

1. pensioner 2. retirement 3. outnumbers 4, pension fund 5. life expectancy 6. census 7. ageing 8. challenge 9. impact 10. carer

1. in the next couple of years 2. more than nine billion by 2050 3. over the next 30 years 4. one of the greatest achievements of the last century 5. more than one billion people 6. women live seven years longer than men

5 Word Building

2 Find the information 1. more than nine billion 2. 23 3. more than one in four 4. Japan 5. Zimbabwe 6. seven years

adjective important healthy different lonely

noun importance health difference loneliness

verb retire improve achieve expect

noun retirement improvement achievement expectancy


6 Prefixes

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

d f b c a e

H


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e d b f a c


Intermediate

Key words


1.

ageing carer

burden census

landmark challenge

unprecendented retirement

pensioner life expectancy

_______________________ is the length of time that someone is likely to live.

2. A _______________________ is an occasion on which government officials count the people who live in a country and record other information about them. 3. An _______________________person is one who is becoming old. 4. A _______________________ is something that requires a lot of skill, energy and determination to deal with. 5. A _______________________ is a serious or difficult responsibility that people have to deal with. 6. A _______________________ is someone who has reached the age when they are officially old enough to stop working. 7.

_______________________ is the time when you stop working because you have reached the age when you are officially too old to work.

8. An _______________________ situation is one that has never happened or existed before. 9. A _______________________ is someone who looks after a person who is ill or is unable to look after themselves. 10. A _______________________ is a major event that marks an important stage in a process.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1.

Which two countries have the highest life expectancy in the world?

2. Which country has the lowest life expectancy? 3. What will the world’s population be in 2050? 4. How many of the world’s 25 oldest countries are in Europe? 5. How long, on average, do women live longer than men?

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NEWS LESSONS / Population of older people to surpass number of children / Intermediate

CA



6. By 2040 how many Europeans will be at least 65?

Population of older people to surpass number of children Intermediate


5

“People are living longer and, in some parts of the world, healthier lives,” the authors conclude. “This represents one of the greatest achievements of the last century but also a significant challenge as proportions of older people increase in most countries.”

6

Europe is the oldest continent, with 23 of the world’s 25 oldest countries. European dominance of the regional league table will continue. By 2040, more than one in four Europeans are expected to be at least 65, and one in seven at least 75.

2 The report, An Ageing World: 2008, shows that within ten years older people will outnumber children for the first time. It forecasts that over the next 30 years the number of over-65s is expected to almost double, from 506 million in 2008 to 1.3 billion – an increase from 7% of the world’s population to 14%. Already, the number of people in the world 65 and over is increasing at an average of 870,000 each month.

7

The UK comes in at number 19 in the list of the world’s oldest countries. Number one is Japan, which recently replaced Italy as the world’s oldest major country. Its life expectancy at birth – 82 years – is matched only by Singapore, though in western Europe, France, Sweden and Italy all have life expectancies of more than 80 years. In the UK it is 78.8.

8

The contrast in life expectancy between rich and poor nations is huge. The report shows that a person born in a developed country can expect to outlive his or her counterpart in the developing world by 14 years. Zimbabwe holds the unfortunate record for the lowest life expectancy, which has been cut to 40 through a combination of Aids, famine and dictatorship.

9

But an important finding of the report is that poorer countries are also experiencing the phenomenon of an ageing population. More than 80% of the increase in older people in the year up to July 2008 was seen in developing countries. By 2040, the poor world is expected to be home to more than 1 billion people aged 65 and over – as much as 76% of the world total.

3 The rate of growth will shoot up in the next couple of years, with both overall numbers and proportions of older people rising rapidly. The change is due to a combination of the high birth rates after the Second World War and more recent improvements in health that are bringing down death rates at older ages. Separate UN forecasts predict that the global population will be more than nine billion by 2050. 4 The US census bureau was the first to sound the alarm about these changes. This is its ninth report using data from around the world since it first focused on the trend in 1987. Its latest forecasts warn governments and international bodies that this change in population structure will bring widespread challenges at every level of human organization, starting with the structure of

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Population of older people to surpass number of children / Intermediate

O

1 The world’s population is about to reach a landmark of huge social and economic importance, when the proportion of the global population 65 and over outnumbers children under five for the first time. A new report by the US census bureau shows a huge shift towards an ageing population, with enormous consequences for both rich and poor nations. The transformation will bring challenges for families and policymakers, ranging from how to care for older people living alone to how to pay for unprecedented numbers of pensioners – more than one billion of them by 2040.

•P H



the family, which will be transformed as people live longer. This will in turn place new burdens on carers and social services providers, while patterns of work and retirement will have huge implications for health services and pensions systems.

CA

Level 2


Intermediate

10

Ageing will put pressure on societies at all levels. One way of measuring that is to look at the older dependency ratio, or ODR, which shows the balance between working-age people and the older population that must be supported by them. The ODR is the number of people aged 65 and over for every 100 people aged 20 to 64. It varies widely, from just six in Kenya and seven in Bangladesh, to 33 in Italy and also Japan. The UK has an ODR of 26, and the US has 21.

11

Countries with a high ODR are already struggling with the burden of paying for prolonged retirement for their older population. Life expectancy after retirement has already reached 21 years for French men and 26

years for French women. Though retirement ages have begun to rise in developed countries, as governments encourage people to continue working, this still puts an extreme burden on public pensions funds. 12

Socially, too, there are pressures for both individuals and families. With women living on average seven years longer than men, more older women are living alone. Around half of all women 65 and over in Germany, Denmark and Slovakia are on their own and loneliness and access to care are major problems. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 20/07/09

3 Comprehension check Are these statements true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. By 2018 there will be more pensioners than children under five. 2. Over the next 30 years the number of pensioners will increase from 7% to 14% of the world’s population. 3. By 2040 one in seven Europeans will be at least 65 years old. 4. The life expectancy of someone born in a developed country is on average 40 years longer than someone born in a developing country. 5. By 2040 76% of the world’s old people will live in developing countries. 6. Half of all women in Germany live alone.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A verb meaning to be more than. (para 1) 2. A two-word phrasal verb meaning to increase rapidly by a large amount. (para 3) 3. A three-word expression meaning to inform people about a danger. (para 4) 4. An adjective meaning happening or existing in many places and affecting many people. (para 4) 5. A verb meaning to live longer than. (para 8) 6. A verb meaning to be different in different situations. (para 10) 7. An adjective meaning continuing for a long time. (para 11)

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8. A two-word expression meaning money that a government or organization uses to pay people’s pensions. (para 11)


Intermediate

5 Prepositions Complete the phrases from the text using prepositions. 1. consequences _______ both rich and poor nations 2. challenges _______ families and policymakers 3. new burdens _______ social services and carers 4. focused _______ the trend 5. _______ every level of human organization 6. huge implications _______ health services and pensions systems 7. more than one _______ four Europeans 8. put pressure _______ societies


verb

noun

retire achieve improve imply expect transform dominate find

7 Discussion At what age do men and women retire in your country?

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Do you think people should work longer instead of receiving a pension?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. life expectancy 2. census 3. ageing 4. challenge 5. burden 6. pensioner 7. retirement 8. unprecedented 9. carer 10. landmark


T T F F T F


noun

retire

retirement

achieve

achievement

improve

improvement

imply

implication

expect

expectancy (expectation)

transform

transformation

dominate

dominance (domination)

find

finding

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Population of older people to surpass number of children / Intermediate

H

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

1. for 2. for 3. on 4. on 5. at 6. for 7. in 8. on

•P




1. Japan and Singapore 2. Zimbabwe 3. more than nine billion 4. 23 5. seven years 6. more than one in four (more than 25%)

1. outnumbers 2. shoot up 3. sound the alarm 4. widespread 5. outlive 6. vary 7. prolonged 8. pension fund

America’s hidden nightmare for sick poor Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words


whistleblower

trolley

wary

appal

mired

manipulate

scupper

recess

waver

testify

1. If you ___________________, you hesitate because you are not sure what to do. 2. If you ___________________ someone’s plans or hopes of success, you spoil them. 3. If something ___________________ you, it makes you feel very shocked or offended. 4. If you ___________________, you make a statement about something you know, saw or experienced, usually in a court of law. 5. A ___________________ is a short time between periods of work in an official organization, especially a court or a parliament. 6. A ___________________ is someone who reports dishonest or illegal activities within an organization to someone in authority. 7. A ___________________ is a bed with wheels used in hospitals. 8. If someone or something becomes ___________________, they are caught in an unpleasant situation from which there is no escape. 9. If you ___________________ people, you influence or control them in a clever or dishonest way. 10. If you are ___________________ of someone or something, you are nervous because you think they might cause you a problem.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How many US citizens do not have health insurance? 2. When did Bill Clinton attempt to reform the American healthcare system? 3. How have the Republicans described Obama’s healthcare reform plans? 4. When did Wendell Potter become a whistleblower? 5. Where was the free medical clinic Potter visited?

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NEWS LESSONS / America’s hidden nightmare for sick poor / Advanced

CA



6. How long did Potter work for the US healthcare firm Cigna?

America’s hidden nightmare for sick poor Potter’s claims are at the centre of the biggest political crisis of Barack Obama’s young presidency. Obama, faced with 47 million Americans without health insurance, has put reforming the system at the top of his agenda. If he succeeds, he will have pushed through one of the greatest changes to domestic policy of any president. If he fails, his presidency could be broken before it is even a year old. Last week, in a sign of how important this issue is, he addressed the nation in a live TV news conference. It is the sort of event usually reserved for a moment of deep national crisis, such as a terrorist attack. But Obama wanted to talk about healthcare. “This is about every family, every business and every taxpayer who continues to shoulder the burden of a problem that Washington has failed to solve for decades,” he told the nation.

6

Obama’s plans are now mired and the opponents of reform are winning. The Republican attack machine has cranked into gear, labelling reform as “socialist” and warning ordinary Americans that government bureaucrats, not doctors, will choose their medicines. The bill’s opponents say the huge cost can only be paid by massive tax increases on ordinary Americans and that others will have their current healthcare plans taken away. Many centrist Democratic congressmen, wary of their conservative voters, are wavering. The legislation has failed to meet Obama’s August deadline and is now delayed until after the summer recess. Many fear that this loss of momentum could kill it altogether.

7

To Potter that is no surprise. He has seen all this before. In his long years with Cigna he rose to be the company’s top PR executive. He had an eagle-eye view of the industry’s tactics of scuppering political efforts to get it to reform. “This is a very wealthy industry and they use PR very effectively. They manipulate public opinion and the news media and they have built up these relationships with all these politicians through campaign contributions,” Potter said.

Paul Harris 26 July, 2009 1 Wendell Potter can remember exactly when he took the first steps on his journey to becoming a whistleblower and turning against one of the most powerful industries in America. It was July 2007 and Potter, a senior executive at giant US healthcare firm Cigna, was visiting relatives in the poverty-ridden mountain districts of northeast Tennessee. He saw an advert in a local paper for a touring free medical clinic just across the state border in Virginia. 2 Potter, who had worked at Cigna for 15 years, decided to check it out. What he saw appalled him. Hundreds of desperate people, most without any medical insurance, descended on the clinic from out of the hills. People queued in long lines to have the most basic medical procedures carried out free of charge. Some had driven more than 200 miles from Georgia. Many were treated in the open air. Potter took pictures of patients lying on trolleys on rain-soaked pavements. 3 For Potter it was a dreadful realization that healthcare in America had failed millions of poor, sick people and that he, and the industry he worked for, did not care about the human cost of their constant search for profits. “It was over-powering. It was just more than I could possibly have imagined could be happening in America,” he said. 4 Potter resigned shortly afterwards. Last month he testified in Congress, becoming one of the few industry executives to admit that what its critics say is true: healthcare insurance firms push up costs, buy politicians and refuse to pay out when many patients actually get sick. In chilling words he told a Senate committee: “I worked as a senior executive at health insurance companies and I saw how they confuse their customers and dump the sick: all so they can satisfy their Wall Street investors.”

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / America’s hidden nightmare for sick poor / Advanced

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5

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Whistleblower tells of America’s hidden nightmare for its sick poor


Advanced

CA

Level 3


Advanced

He says the industry is afraid of Obama’s reforms and that is why it is fighting so hard. It scuppered Bill Clinton’s attempt at reform in the 1990s and Potter admits that he is worried the industry might win again. “I have seen their tactics work. I have been a part of it,” he said. He knows he has no chance of ever working again for a major firm. “I am a whistleblower and corporate America does not like whistleblowers,” he said. But there is one thing Potter is not sorry about: leaving the healthcare industry and speaking out. “I have absolutely no regrets. I am doing the right thing,” he said.

9

Comprehensive healthcare reform in the US has been an ambition of many presidents since the early part of the 20th century. None has succeeded in creating a system that gives all Americans the right to health cover. Barack Obama is desperate to avoid the same fate.


3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. Why did Wendell Potter become a whistleblower?

a. Because he wanted the USA to introduce a socialist healthcare system.

b. Because he realized the healthcare industry was more interested in profits than people.

c. Because he wanted to scupper Obama’s health reform plans.

2. Why was it unusual for President Obama to use a live TV news conference to talk about healthcare?

a. Because such events are usually reserved for moments of national crisis, such as terrorist attacks.

b. Because Obama does not usually broadcast live to the American people.

c. Because Obama has not previously expressed an interest in healthcare reform.

3. Why, according to Potter, will he never be able to work for a major company again?

a. Because he resigned from Cigna.

b. Because he supports healthcare reform.

c. Because he is a whistleblower.

4. What did Potter see in Virginia in July 2007?

a. A lot of poverty.

b. People receiving medical treatment in the open air.

c. People driving to the hills for medical treatment.

he people who visited the free medical clinic were people without health insurance. 2. Potter believes that the American healthcare has failed millions of poor, sick people.

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3. The Republicans are in favour of Obama’s healthcare reforms.

America’s hidden nightmare for sick poor Level 3

Advanced

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A two-word expression meaning extremely poor. (para 1) 2. A two-word expression meaning very wet after rain. (para 2) 3. An adjective meaning so strong that you cannot control it. (para 3) 4. An adjective meaning making you feel suddenly very frightened or worried. (para 4) 5. A verb meaning to abandon. (para 4) 6. A three-word expression meaning bear the cost of a difficult problem. (para 5) 7. A three-word expression meaning to start working effectively. (para 6) 8. A three-word expression meaning an excellent view of something from a high position. (para 7)

5 Phrasal verbs Match these phrasal verbs from the text with their meanings. 1. turn against

a. perform

2. check out

b. succeed in getting a law accepted quickly

3. push up

c. go and examine something to see if it is satisfactory

4. push through

d. state your opinion publicly about something

5. carry out

e. make something increase

6. speak out

f. stop supporting someone and start opposing them

6 Word building Complete the sentences using the correct form of the word in brackets at the end of each sentence. 1. ___________________ of Obama’s healthcare reforms say they will lead to tax increases. [OPPOSE] 2. The healthcare industry is an extremely ___________________ one. [WEALTH] 3. The industry has built up ___________________ with politicians. [RELATE] 4. Healthcare companies have made ___________________ to political campaigns. [CONTRIBUTE] 5. The free medical clinic carried out basic medical ___________________. [PROCEED] 6. Obama’s ___________________ is facing its first crisis. [PRESIDENT]

7 Discussion

H


•P



What are the arguments for and against free healthcare for everyone?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

5 Phrasal verbs

1. waver 2. scupper 3. appals 4. testify 5. recess 6. whistleblower 7. trolley 8. mired 9. manipulate 10. wary

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

2 Find the information 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

47 million in the 1990s as “socialist” in July 2007 Virginia 15 years

f c e b a d

6 Word building 1. opponents 2. wealthy 3. relationships 4. contributions 5. procedures 6. presidency


b a c b

4 Find the word

O H

N

•P

CA


T



1. poverty-ridden 2. rain-soaked 3. overpowering 4. chilling 5. dump 6. shoulder the burden 7. crank into gear 8. eagle-eye view


Elementary

Key words


abandon

trolley

resign

reform

Congress

whistleblower

desperate

patient

refuse

legislation

1. A ____________________ is a change in the law to correct a situation that is wrong or unfair. 2. A ____________________ is someone who reports dishonest or illegal activities within an organization to someone in authority. 3. A ____________________ is a person who is receiving medical treatment. 4. ____________________ is a law or a set of laws. 5. If you ____________________ to do something, you say you will not do it even though someone has asked you to do it. 6. A ____________________ is a bed with wheels used in hospitals. 7. ____________________ is the group of people in the US who are elected to make laws. 8. If you ____________________, you state formally that you are leaving a job permanently. 9. If you ____________________ someone, you leave them when you should stay with them. 10. If you are ____________________, you need or want something very much.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. When did Wendell Potter become a whistleblower? 2. What was the name of the company Potter was working for? 3. Where was the free medical clinic Potter visited? 4. How long had Potter worked for the healthcare firm? 5. How many US citizens do not have health insurance?

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NEWS LESSONS / America’s hidden nightmare for sick poor / Elementary

CA



6. When did Bill Clinton try to reform the American healthcare system?

America’s hidden nightmare for sick poor The healthcare issue is the biggest political crisis of Barack Obama’s new presidency. 47 million Americans do not have health insurance and Obama has made reforming the system a priority. If he succeeds, he will have made one of the greatest changes to domestic policy that any president has ever made. If he fails, he will have a real crisis before his first year as president is over. Last week he addressed the nation in a live TV news conference. Such conferences are usually at moments of deep national crisis, such as terrorist attacks. But Obama wanted to talk about healthcare. “This is about every family, every business and every taxpayer who continues to pay for a problem that Washington has failed to solve for decades,” he told the nation.

6

Obama’s plans have now been delayed and the opponents of the reform are winning. The Republicans have attacked the reform as “socialist” and have warned ordinary Americans that government bureaucrats, not doctors, will choose their medicines. Opponents say the huge cost can only be paid by huge tax increases on ordinary Americans and that others will have their current healthcare plans taken away. The legislation has failed to meet Obama’s August deadline and is now delayed until after the summer break. Many people fear that the delay could kill the reform completely.

7

Potter is not surprised. He has seen all this before. In his long years with Cigna he became the company’s top public relations executive. He had a bird’s eye view of the way the industry destroyed political efforts to persuade it to reform. “This is a very wealthy industry and they use PR very effectively. They know how to influence public opinion and the news media and they have built up these relationships with a lot of politicians,” Potter said.

8

He says the industry is afraid of Obama’s reforms and that is why it is fighting so hard. It blocked Bill Clinton’s attempt to reform healthcare in the 1990s and Potter admits that he is worried the industry might win again. “I have seen their tactics work. I have been a part

Paul Harris 26 July, 2009 1 Wendell Potter can remember exactly when he first decided to become a whistleblower and an opponent of one of the most powerful industries in America. It was July 2007 and Potter, a senior executive at giant US healthcare firm Cigna, was visiting relatives in one of the poor mountain districts of northeast Tennessee. He saw an advert in a local paper for a touring free medical clinic just across the state border in Virginia. 2 Potter, who had worked at Cigna for 15 years, decided to go and have a look. He was shocked by what he saw. Hundreds of desperate people, most without any medical insurance, came to the clinic from out of the hills. People stood in long lines waiting to have basic medical treatment free of charge. Some people had driven more than 200 miles from Georgia. Many were treated outside in the open air. Potter took pictures of patients lying on trolleys in the rain. 3 For Potter it was a dreadful realization that healthcare in America had failed millions of poor, sick people and that he, and the industry he worked for, did not care about the human cost of their constant search for profits. “It was awful. It was just more than I could possibly imagine happening in America,” he said. 4 Potter resigned soon after this. Last month he gave evidence to the US Congress, becoming one of the few industry executives to admit that what its critics say is true: healthcare insurance companies push prices up, buy politicians and refuse to pay out when many patients actually get sick. Potter told a Senate committee: “I worked as a senior executive at health insurance companies and I saw how they confuse their customers and abandon the sick just so they can make bigger profits for their Wall Street investors.”

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / America’s hidden nightmare for sick poor / Elementary

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5

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Elementary

CA

Level 1


Elementary

of it,” he said. He knows he has no chance of ever working again for a major firm. “I am a whistleblower and big business in America does not like whistleblowers,” he said. But there is one thing Potter is not sorry about: leaving the healthcare industry and speaking out. “I have absolutely no regrets. I am doing the right thing,” he said.

9 healthcare system since the early part of the 20th century. None has succeeded in creating a system that gives all Americans the right to health cover. Barack Obama does not want to suffer the same fate. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Observer, 26/07/09

Many presidents have tried to reform the

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. Most of the people who visited the free health clinic … 2. Potter says that American healthcare companies … 3. President Obama wants … 4. Opponents of healthcare reform say that … 5. Potter believes that the American healthcare industry … 6. Several American presidents …

a. … uses PR very effectively. b. … did not have health insurance. c. … ordinary Americans will pay the costs of reforming the system. d. … have tried to reform the healthcare system. e. … to reform the US healthcare system. f. … are more interested in profits than in sick people.

4 Chunks Rearrange the words to make phrases from the text. 1. 200 than miles more 2. domestic of one policy changes the greatest to 3. TV a conference live news 4. after break summer the until 5. the I right thing doing am

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CA



6. 20th the since part century the of early


Elementary

5 Two-word expressions Match the words in the left-hand column with the words in the right-hand column to make two-word expressions from the text. 1. medical

a. system

2. political

b. increase

3. tax

c. executive

4. public

d. insurance

5. healthcare

e. opinion

6. senior

f. crisis

6 Word building

1.

oppose

_______________ (person)

2.

invest

_______________ (person)

3.

insure

_______________

4.

confer

_______________

5.

realize

_______________

6.

treat

_______________

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / America’s hidden nightmare for sick poor / Elementary

H

noun

•P

verb


Complete the table.


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words


1. reform 2. whistleblower 3. patient 4. legislation 5. refuse 6. trolley 7. Congress 8. resign 9. abandon 10. desperate

1. d 2. f 3. b 4. e 5. a 6. c


July 2007 Cigna Virginia 15 years 47 million in the 1990s

6 Word building 1. opponent 2. investor 3. insurance 4. conference 5. realization 6. treatment


b f e c a d

4 Chunks

O H

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CA


T



1. more than 200 miles 2. one of the greatest changes to domestic policy 3. a live TV news conference 4. until after the summer break 5. I am doing the right thing 6. since the early part of the 20th century


Intermediate

Key words


waver

trolley

whistleblower manipulate

resign scupper

reform massive

Congress desperate

1. A ___________________ is someone who reports dishonest or illegal activities within an organization to someone in authority. 2. If you ___________________ people, you influence or control them in a clever or dishonest way. 3. A ___________________ is a change intended to correct a situation that is wrong or unfair or make a system work more effectively. 4. Something that is ___________________ is very large in amount or degree. 5. If you ___________________ someone’s plans or hopes of success, you spoil them. 6. If you are ___________________, you need or want something very much. 7. ___________________ is the group of people in the US who are elected to make laws. 8. If you ___________________, you state formally that you are leaving a job permanently. 9. If you ___________________, you hesitate because you are not sure what to do. 10. A ___________________ is a bed with wheels used in hospitals.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. When did Wendell Potter become a whistleblower? 2. Where was the free medical clinic Potter visited? 3. How far had some of the patients driven? 4. How long did Potter work for the US healthcare firm Cigna? 5. How many US citizens do not have health insurance?

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NEWS LESSONS / America’s hidden nightmare for sick poor / Intermediate

CA



6. Which president tried to reform the American healthcare system in the 1990s?

America’s hidden nightmare for sick poor Potter’s claims are at the centre of the biggest political crisis of Barack Obama’s new presidency. Obama, faced with 47 million Americans without health insurance, has made reforming the system a priority. If he succeeds, he will have pushed through one of the greatest changes to domestic policy of any president. If he fails, his presidency could be in crisis before it is even a year old. Last week, in a sign of how important this issue is, he addressed the nation in a live TV news conference. Such conferences are usually reserved for moments of deep national crisis, such as terrorist attacks. But Obama wanted to talk about healthcare. “This is about every family, every business and every taxpayer who continues to shoulder the burden of a problem that Washington has failed to solve for decades,” he told the nation.

6

Obama’s plans have now been held up and the opponents of reform are winning. The Republicans have attacked the reform as “socialist” and have warned ordinary Americans that government bureaucrats, not doctors, will choose their medicines. Opponents say the huge cost can only be paid by massive tax increases on ordinary Americans and that others will have their current healthcare plans taken away. Many centrist Democratic congressmen, worried about their conservative voters, are wavering. The legislation has failed to meet Obama’s August deadline and is now delayed until after the summer break. Many people fear that this loss of momentum could kill the reform completely.

7

Potter is not surprised. He has seen all this before. In his long years with Cigna he rose to be the company’s top PR executive. He had a bird’s eye view of the industry’s tactics of scuppering political efforts to persuade it to reform. “This is a very wealthy industry and they use PR very effectively. They manipulate public opinion and the news media and they have built up these relationships with all these politicians through campaign contributions,” Potter said. He says the industry is afraid of Obama’s reforms and that is why it is fighting so hard. It scuppered Bill Clinton’s attempt at healthcare

Paul Harris 26 July, 2009 1 Wendell Potter can remember exactly when he first decided to become a whistleblower and turned against one of the most powerful industries in America. It was July 2007 and Potter, a senior executive at giant US healthcare firm Cigna, was visiting relatives in one of the poor mountain districts of northeast Tennessee. He saw an advert in a local paper for a touring free medical clinic just across the state border in Virginia. 2 Potter, who had worked at Cigna for 15 years, decided to go and have a look. He was shocked by what he saw. Hundreds of desperate people, most without any medical insurance, descended on the clinic from out of the hills. People queued in long lines to have the most basic medical procedures carried out free of charge. Some had driven more than 200 miles from Georgia. Many were treated in the open air. Potter took pictures of patients lying on trolleys on rainsoaked pavements. 3 For Potter it was a dreadful realization that healthcare in America had failed millions of poor, sick people and that he, and the industry he worked for, did not care about the human cost of their constant search for profits. “It was awful. It was just more than I could possibly have imagined could be happening in America,” he said. 4 Potter resigned soon after this. Last month he gave evidence in the US Congress, becoming one of the few industry executives to admit that what its critics say is true: healthcare insurance companies push up costs, buy politicians and refuse to pay out when many patients actually get sick. In chilling words he told a Senate committee: “I worked as a senior executive at health insurance companies and I saw how they confuse their customers and abandon the sick: all so they can satisfy their Wall Street investors.”

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / America’s hidden nightmare for sick poor / Intermediate

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Intermediate

CA

Level 2


Intermediate

reform in the 1990s and Potter admits that he is worried the industry might win again. “I have seen their tactics work. I have been a part of it,” he said. He knows he has no chance of ever working again for a major firm. “I am a whistleblower and big business in America does not like whistleblowers,” he said. But there is one thing Potter is not sorry about: leaving the healthcare industry and speaking out. “I have absolutely no regrets. I am doing the right thing,” he said.

9

Comprehensive healthcare reform in the US has been an ambition of many presidents since the early part of the 20th century. None has succeeded in creating a system that gives all Americans the right to health cover. Barack Obama is desperate to avoid the same fate. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Observer, 26/07/09

3 Comprehension check Are these sentences true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. The people who visited the free medical clinic were mostly people without health insurance. 2. Potter believes that the American healthcare has failed millions of poor, sick people. 3. Republicans are in favour of Obama’s healthcare reforms. 4. Potter believes that healthcare companies are more interested in their customers than they are in making profits. 5. Obama is the first US president to try and reform the healthcare system. 6. Potter will probably find a job with another major company soon.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A two-word phrasal verb meaning to stop supporting someone and start opposing them. (para 1) 2. A two-word expression meaning very wet after rain. (para 2) 3. An adjective meaning very unpleasant. (para 3) 4. An adjective meaning making you feel suddenly very frightened or worried. (para 4) 5. A verb meaning to leave someone when you should stay with them. (para 4) 6. A three-word expression meaning bear the cost of a difficult problem. (para 5) 7. A noun meaning a specific time or date by which something must be done. (para 6)

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8. A three-word expression meaning a very good view of something from a high position. (para 7)


Intermediate

5 Verb + noun collocations Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns from the right-hand column to make phrases from the text. 1. carry out

a. public opinion

2. give

b. a problem

3. solve

c. a relationship

4. meet

d. medical procedures

5. manipulate

e. a deadline

6. build up

f. evidence

6 Word building

1.

contribute

_______________

2.

insure

_______________

3.

oppose

_______________ (person)

4.

realize

_______________

5.

invest

_______________ (person)

6.

attempt

_______________

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / America’s hidden nightmare for sick poor / Intermediate

H

noun

•P

verb


Complete the table.


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words


1. whistleblower 2. manipulate 3. reform 4. massive 5. scupper 6. desperate 7. Congress 8. resign 9. waver 10. trolley

1. d 2. f 3. b 4. e 5. a 6. c


July 2007 Virginia more than 200 miles 15 years 47 million Bill Clinton

6 Word building 1. contribution 2. insurance 3. opponent 4. realization 5. investor 6. attempt


T T F F F F

4 Find the word

O H

N

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CA


T



1. turn against 2. rain-soaked 3. dreadful 4. chilling 5. abandon 6. shoulder the burden 7. deadline 8. bird’s eye view

Organic food not healthier, says FSA Level 3 1

Advanced

Warmer

The words that appear most often in the article are bigger than the other words in the word cloud. Try to predict the content of the article by looking at the word cloud.

2 Key words Find single words or two-, three- or four-word phrases in the article that have the same or similar meanings to the phrases and sentences below. The paragraph number and the number of words are given to help you. 1. positive effects on the body from ingested food _________________________ (para 1, 2 words) 2. things to eat and drink that are grown and farmed in the usual way (not organically) _________________________ (para 1, 3 words) 3. the money and costs were covered by ... _________________________ (para 1, 2 words) 4. plants and animals on a farm _________________________ (para 2, 3 words) 5. when the positive effects on the body from ingested food are better than those from other sources _________________________ (para 2, 2 words) 6. the remainders of chemical substances added to soil or sprayed on crops _________________________ (para 5, 4 words) 7. When you accept or use only some things, and not the things that you do not want you are being _________________________. (para 5, 1 word) 8. Amounts that have not been calculated accurately can be called _________________________. (para 9, 2 words) 9. when someone or something is tightly controlled or influenced by rules _________________________ (para 11, 4 words) 10. relating to good living conditions for livestock _________________________ (para 12, 2 words) 11. worries about the natural world as well as places in which people live and work _________________________ (para 12, 2 words)

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Organic food not healthier, says FSA / Advanced

CA



12. Something that you want to eat or drink because it is good for you is _________________________.

Organic food not healthier, says FSA Advanced

Organic food not healthier, says FSA

7

He criticized the methodology used by the team, which he said meant they didn’t include the importance of some nutritional benefits they found in organic food. He said that this had led them to different conclusions from those reached by previous studies.

8

Carlo Leifert, a professor of ecological agriculture at Newcastle University and the coordinator of a major EU-funded study which recently found nutrient levels were higher in organic foods, also said the conclusions of the study were selective.

9

He said: “I’m worried about the conclusions. The ballpark figures they have come up with are similar to ours. I don’t understand why the FSA are not saying, ‘Right, there’s something you can do on a farm to improve food.’ They are so blocked by not wanting to say positive things about organic farming.”

10

The appendix of the FSA report shows that some nutrients, such as beta-carotene, are as much as 53% higher in organic food, but such differences are not reflected in its conclusions.

11

The farming of organic food, which is now worth £2bn in the UK alone, is governed by strict regulations that set it apart from conventional farming. Crops are not treated with artificial chemical fertilizers or pesticides, and antibiotics and drugs are not used routinely on livestock.

12

Gill Fine, the FSA director of consumer choice, defended the study. She said: “We are neither anti nor pro organic food. We

Karen McVeigh 29 July, 2009 1

2

3

Organic food is no healthier and provides no significant nutritional benefit compared with conventionally produced food, according to a new, independent study funded by the Food Standards Agency. But its conclusions have been called into question by experts and organic food campaigners. The report looked at evidence published over the past 50 years of the different nutrient levels found in crops and livestock from both types of farming and also at the health benefits of eating organic food. The findings, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, contradict previous work that has found organically grown food to be nutritionally superior. Dr Alan Dangour, who led the review by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: “Most studies were based on the hypothesis that eating organic food is beneficial to health. Looking at all of the studies published in the last 50 years, we have concluded that there’s no good evidence that eating organic food is beneficial to health based on the nutrient content.”

4

He said that while small differences in nutrient content were found between organic and conventionally produced food, they were “unlikely to be of any public health relevance”.

5

Organic food campaigners criticized the study for failing to consider fertilizer and pesticide residues in food. They expressed disappointment at the “limited” nature of the study, saying that it did not provide a clear answer on whether eating organic food has health benefits. A leading food academic went

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Organic food not healthier, says FSA / Advanced

O

Peter Melchett, policy director at the Soil Association, said: “We are disappointed in the conclusions the researchers have reached. It doesn’t say organic food is not healthier, just that, according to the criteria they have adopted, there’s no proof that it is.”


6

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Report finds organic food provides no significant nutritional benefit compared with conventionally produced food.

further, saying he found the conclusions very selective.

CA

Level 3

Organic food not healthier, says FSA Level 3

Advanced

recognize there are many reasons why people choose to eat organic, such as animal welfare or environmental concerns. We specifically checked claims that organic food is better for you.” 13 She continued: “This study does not mean people should not eat organic food. What it shows is that there is little, if any, nutritional difference between organic and conventionally produced food and there is no evidence of additional health benefits from eating organic food.” 14 When asked whether consumers had been misled over the benefits of organic food, she

said: “If they are buying organic on the basis that it is healthier, then that is not the case.” 15

The EU study coordinated by Carlo Leifert, which ended in May this year, involved 31 research and university institutes. It found that levels of nutritionally desirable compounds, such as antioxidants and vitamins, were higher in organic crops, while levels of nutritionally undesirable compounds such as toxic chemicals, mycotoxins and metals such as cadmium and nickel, were lower in organic crops. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 29/07/09

3 Comprehension check Choose the correct answer according to the information in the article.

2. The study was carried out by ...

a. ... Newcastle University.

b. ... the Soil Association.

c. ... the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. 3. The study was funded by ...

a. ... the Foods Standard Agency.

b. ... the EU.

c. ... the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Organic food not healthier, says FSA / Advanced

O

c. ... organic food is significantly better for our health.


b. ... organic food is not very much better for our health than non-organic food.

•P H

a. ... we should not waste our money on organic food.

4. Organic food campaigners are ... a. ... shocked. b. ... disappointed. c. ... selective. 5. The methodology used in the study has been criticized because ... a. ... it didn’t include the importance of some nutritional benefits found in organic food. b. ... it didn’t take animal welfare or environmental concerns into consideration. c. ... it didn’t take consumer preferences into consideration. 6. Another study funded by the EU found that ... a. ... there is no evidence of additional health benefits from eating organic food. b. ... antioxidants and vitamins were higher in organic crops. c. ... organic foods are not treated with artificial.

CA

1. A new study concludes that ...


Advanced

5 Language: Negative forms 1. What words, expressions and prefixes are used to make negative statements? Underline as many different ways of making negative words, expressions or sentences as you can find in the article. 2. Explain the meaning of these sentences in your own words: • “There’s no good evidence that eating organic food is beneficial to health based on the nutrient content.” _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ • “I don’t understand why the FSA are not saying, ‘Right, there’s something you can do on a farm to improve food.” _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ • “This study does not mean people should not eat organic food.” ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________

6 Discussion Decide which of the following statements most reflect your own opinion, and then complete the following sentence in your own words. Discuss your decisions in groups or as a class. Organic food is the only sensible choice. Organic food is all about making money. It’s wrong to believe that nature is always best. Cheap food damages the environment. In my opinion organic food is _________________________________________________________.

7 Webquest Look at one of the following websites and summarize the information you find there for the rest of the class. What is the main message the website is trying to put across?

H


•P



http://www.organicfoodinfo.net/ http://www.organic.org/ http://www.food.gov.uk/foodindustry/farmingfood/organicfood/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/food_matters/organicfood.shtml http://www.organicfoodee.com/ http://www.orgfoodfed.com/


Advanced

KEY 2 Key words 1. nutritional benefit 2. conventionally produced food 3. funded by 4. crops and livestock 5. nutritionally superior 6. fertilizer and pesticide residues 7. selective 8. ballpark figures 9. governed by strict regulations 10. animal welfare 11. environmental concerns 12. nutritionally desirable


O H •P

CA


T



b c a b a b

N

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.


Elementary

Warmer

The words that appear most often in the article are bigger than the other words in the word cloud. Look at the word cloud and try to guess what the article is about.

2


Write in the key words from the article. The paragraph numbers are given to help you. conventionally produced

crops and livestock

benefits

funded by

conclusions

1. things to eat and drink that are grown and farmed in the usual way (not organically) _______________________ (para 1) 2. another way of saying that the money and costs were paid by ... _______________________ (para 1) 3. something that you decide is true after thinking about it carefully _______________________ (para 1) 4. plants and animals on a farm _______________________ (para 2)

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Organic food not healthier, says FSA / Elementary

CA



5. advantages you get from something _______________________ (para 2)


Elementary proof

residues

contradicts

nutrient fertilizer and pesticides

6. If one statement or conclusion _______________________ the other, they disagree and cannot both be true. (para 2) 7. information or evidence that shows that something is definitely true _______________________ (para 3) 8. a substance in food that plants, animals, and people need to live and grow _______________________ (para 4) 9. chemical substances that are added to soil or sprayed on crops _______________________ (para 5) 10. the parts of something that remain after the rest has gone _______________________ (para 5)

toxic

selective

compound

agriculture

welfare

11. the work, business, or study of farming _______________________ (para 8) 12. When you accept or use only some things, and not the things that you do not want you are being _______________________. (para 8) 13. good living conditions and the well-being of animals _______________________ (para 11) 14. something that consists of two or more substances mixed together _______________________ (para 13)

O H

N

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CA


T



15. another word for poisonous _______________________ (para 13)

Organic food not healthier, says FSA Elementary

Organic food not healthier, says FSA 8

Carlo Leifert, a professor of ecological agriculture at Newcastle University and the co-ordinator of a major EU-funded study which found that nutrient levels were higher in organic foods, also said the conclusions of the study were selective. He said: “I’m worried about the conclusions. They are so blocked by not wanting to say positive things about organic farming.”

9

The appendix of the FSA report shows that some nutrients, such as beta-carotene, are as much as 53% higher in organic food, but these differences are not in its conclusions.

1 Organic food is no healthier than conventionally produced food, according to a new, independent study funded by the Food Standards Agency. But experts and organic food campaigners are questioning the study’s conclusions.

4 He said that although there were small differences in nutrient content between organic and conventionally produced food, they were unlikely to make any difference to people’s health. 5 Organic food campaigners criticized the study for not looking at fertilizer and pesticide residues in food. They were disappointed with the study, and said that it did not provide a clear answer on whether eating organic food has health benefits. 6 Peter Melchett, policy director at the Soil Association, said: “We are disappointed in the conclusions the researchers have reached. It doesn’t say organic food is not healthier, just that there’s no proof that it is.” 7 He criticized the methodology used by the team because they didn’t include the importance of some nutritional benefits they found in organic food. He said that this had led them to different

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Organic food not healthier, says FSA / Elementary

11 Gill Fine, from the FSA, defended the study. She said: “We are not anti or pro organic food. We recognize there are many reasons why people choose to eat organic, such as animal welfare or environmental concerns.” 12 She continued: “This study does not say people should not eat organic food. What it shows is that there is little, if any, nutritional difference between organic and conventionally produced food and there is no evidence of additional health benefits from eating organic food.” 13 An EU study coordinated by Carlo Leifert, which ended in May this year, involved 31 research and university institutes. It found that levels of beneficial compounds, such as antioxidants and vitamins, were higher in organic crops, while levels of compounds such as toxic chemicals, mycotoxins and metals such as cadmium and nickel, were lower in organic crops. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 29/07/09

O

3 Dr Alan Dangour, who led the study at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said that they looked at all of the studies that were published in the last 50 years, and concluded that there’s no proof that eating organic food is good for people’s health.

10 Organic food is now worth £2bn in the UK alone. Crops are not treated with artificial chemical fertilizers or pesticides, and antibiotics and drugs are not used on livestock.


2 The study looked at the different nutrient levels found in crops and livestock from both organic and conventional farming. It also looked at the health benefits of eating organic food. The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, contradicts previous reports that found organically grown food to have nutritional benefits.

•P H

Karen McVeigh 29 July, 2009

conclusions from those reached by previous studies.

CA

Level 1


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the sentence halves to summarize the article. 1. A new study says that organic food … 2. The study was carried out by … 3. The study was funded by … 4. Organic food campaigners are … 5. The study was criticized because it … 6. Organic food is not treated with … 7. The study does not say that people … 8. Another study found that organic food contains more...

… unhappy with the findings. … artificial chemical fertilizers or pesticides. … didn’t include the importance of some nutritional benefits found in organic food. … good antioxidants and vitamins than conventionally produced food. … is not significantly better for our health. … the Foods Standards Agency. … the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. … should not eat organic food.

4 Language: Negative forms 1. Underline the parts of these sentences that make them negative. •

Organic food is no healthier than conventionally produced food.

•

There’s no proof that eating organic food is good for people’s health.

•

It doesn’t say organic food is not healthier.

•

This study does not say people should not eat organic food.

H


•P



2. Now rewrite the sentences to make them positive (it doesn’t matter if you change the meanings).


Elementary

5 Discussion Answer and then discuss these questions: • Do you buy organic food? If so, how often? What kind of organic foods do you buy? If not, why not? • Do you grow your own vegetables or fruit? If so, do you use fertilizers or pesticides? Why? / Why not?

6 Webquest Look at one of the following websites. What kind of organization or group made the website? What do they want to tell people? http://www.organicfoodinfo.net/ http://www.organic.org/ http://www.food.gov.uk/foodindustry/farmingfood/organicfood/ http://www.organicfoodee.com/

H


•P



http://www.orgfoodfed.com/


Elementary

KEY 2 Key words

4 Language: Negative forms

1. conventionally produced 2. funded by 3. conclusions 4. crops and livestock 5. benefits 6. contradicts 7. proof 8. nutrient 9. fertilizer and pesticides 10. residues 11. agriculture 12. selective 13. welfare 14. compound 15. toxic

1.

Organic food is no healthier than conventionally produced food. There’s no proof that eating organic food is good for people’s health. It doesn’t say organic food is not healthier. This study does not say people should not eat organic food.

2.

Organic food is healthier than conventionally produced food. There’s proof that eating organic food is good for people’s health. It says organic food is healthier. This study says people should eat organic food.


O


•P H



A new study says that organic food is not significantly better for our health. The study was carried out by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The study was funded by the Foods Standards Agency. Organic food campaigners are unhappy with the findings. The study was criticized because it didn’t include the importance of some nutritional benefits found in organic food. Organic food is not treated with artificial chemical fertilizers or pesticides. The study does not say that people should not eat organic food. Another study found that organic food contains more good antioxidants and vitamins than conventionally produced food.

CA

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.


intermediate

Warmer

The words that appear most often in the article are bigger than the other words in the word cloud. Try to predict the content of the article by looking at the word cloud.

2 Key words Fill the gaps with the words from the article that have the same or similar meanings to the phrases and sentences below. The paragraph numbers are given to help you.

nutritional

contradict

crops and livestock selective

relevance

toxic

conventionally produced welfare fertilizer and pesticide

agriculture

compound

residues

proof

funded by

1. an adjective used to describe food that keeps you healthy ____________________ (para 1) 2. things to eat and drink that are grown and farmed in the usual way (not organically) ____________________ (para 1) 3. another way of saying that the money and costs were paid by... ____________________ (para 1) 4. plants and animals on a farm ____________________ (para 2) 5. a verb that means to say that the opposite of what someone has said is true ____________________ (para 2) 6. the quality of being directly connected with and important to something else ____________________ (para 4) 7. chemical substances that are added to soil or sprayed on crops ____________________ (para 5)

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NEWS LESSONS / Organic food not healthier, says FSA / Intermediate

CA



8. the parts of something that remain after the rest has gone ____________________ (para 5)


intermediate

9. When you accept or use only some things, and not the things that you do not want you are being ____________________. (para 5) 10. information or evidence that shows that something is definitely true ____________________ (para 6) 11. the work, business, or study of farming ____________________ (para 8) 12. good living conditions and the well-being of animals ____________________ (para 12) 13. something that consists of two or more substances mixed together ____________________ (para 14)

O H

N

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CA


T



14. another word for poisonous ____________________ (para 14)

Organic food not healthier, says FSA intermediate

Organic food not healthier, says FSA

3 Dr Alan Dangour, who led the study carried by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: “Most studies were based on the idea that organic food is good for people’s health. Looking at all of the studies that were published in the last 50 years, we have concluded that there’s no good evidence that eating organic food is beneficial to health.” 4 He said that although there were small differences in nutrient content between organic and conventionally produced food, they were “unlikely to be of any health relevance”. 5 Organic food campaigners criticized the study for not looking at fertilizer and pesticide residues in food. They were disappointed at the “limited” nature of the study, and said that it did not provide a clear answer on whether eating organic food has health benefits. A leading food academic went further, saying he found the conclusions very selective. 6 Peter Melchett, policy director at the Soil Association, said: “We are disappointed in the conclusions the researchers have reached. It doesn’t say organic food is not healthier, just that © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Organic food not healthier, says FSA / Intermediate

8

Carlo Leifert, a professor of ecological agriculture at Newcastle University and the coordinator of a major EU-funded study which recently found nutrient levels were higher in organic foods, also said the conclusions of the study were selective.

9

He said: “I’m worried about the conclusions. I don’t understand why the FSA don’t say, ‘Right, there’s something you can do on a farm to improve food’. They are so blocked by not wanting to say positive things about organic farming.”

10 The appendix of the FSA report shows that some nutrients, such as beta-carotene, are as much as 53% higher in organic food, but these differences are not in its conclusions. 11 Organic food is now worth £2bn in the UK alone. Crops are not treated with artificial chemical fertilizers or pesticides, and antibiotics and drugs are not used routinely on livestock. 12 Gill Fine, from the FSA, defended the study. She said: “We are neither anti nor pro organic food. We recognize there are many reasons why people choose to eat organic, such as animal welfare or environmental concerns. We specifically checked claims that organic food is better for you.” 13 She continued: “This study does not mean people should not eat organic food. What it shows is that there is little, if any, nutritional difference between organic and conventionally produced food and there is no evidence of additional health benefits from eating organic food.”

O

2 The study looked at reports of the different nutrient levels found in crops and livestock from both organic and conventional farming. It also looked at the health benefits of eating organic food. The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, contradicts previous reports that found organically grown food to have nutritional benefits.

He criticized the methodology used by the team because they didn’t include the importance of some nutritional benefits they found in organic food. He said that this had led them to different conclusions from those reached by previous studies.


1 Organic food is no healthier and provides no significant nutritional benefit compared with conventionally produced food, according to a new, independent study funded by the Food Standards Agency. But experts and organic food campaigners are questioning the study’s conclusions.

7

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Karen McVeigh 29 July, 2009

there’s no proof that it is.”

CA

Level 2


intermediate

14 An EU study coordinated by Carlo Leifert, which ended in May 2009, involved 31 research and university institutes. It found that levels of beneficial compounds, such as antioxidants and vitamins, were higher in organic crops, while levels of compounds such

as toxic chemicals, mycotoxins and metals such as cadmium and nickel, were lower in organic crops. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 29/07/09

3 Comprehension check Are these sentences true (T) or false (F) according to the information in the article? Correct any sentences that are false. 1. A new study concludes that organic food is significantly better for our health. 2. The study was carried out by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. 3. The study was funded by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 4. Organic food campaigners are happy with the findings. 5. The study has been criticized because it didn’t include the importance of some nutritional benefits found in organic food. 6. Gill Fine said the FSA is against organic food. 7. Organic food is not treated with artificial chemical fertilizers or pesticides. 8. Another study funded by the EU found that beneficial antioxidants and vitamins were higher in organic crops.


1. Underline the parts of these sentences that make them negative. •

Organic food is no healthier than conventionally produced food.

•

There’s no proof that eating organic food is good for people’s health.

•

It doesn’t say organic food is not healthier.

•

This study does not say people should not eat organic food.

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2. Now rewrite the sentences to make them positive (it doesn’t matter if you change the meanings).


intermediate

5 Discussion Answer and then discuss these questions: • Do you buy organic food? If so, how often? What kind of organic foods do you buy? If not, why not? • Do you grow your own vegetables or fruit? If so, do you use fertilizers or pesticides? Why? / Why not?

6 Webquest Look at one of the following websites. What kind of organization or group runs the website? Where are they based? What is their message? http://www.organicfoodinfo.net/ http://www.organic.org/ http://www.food.gov.uk/foodindustry/farmingfood/organicfood/ http://www.organicfoodee.com/

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http://www.orgfoodfed.com/


intermediate

KEY 2 Key words


1. nutritional 2. conventionally produced 3. funded by 4. crops and livestock 5. contradict 6. relevance 7. fertilizer and pesticide 8. residues 9. selective 10. proof 11. agriculture 12. welfare 13. compound 14. toxic

1.

Organic food is no healthier than conventionally produced food. There’s no proof that eating organic food is good for people’s health. It doesn’t say organic food is not healthier. This study does not say people should not eat organic food.

2.

Organic food is healthier than conventionally produced food. There’s proof that eating organic food is good for people’s health. It says organic food is healthier. This study says people should eat organic food.


O


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F T F F T F T T

CA

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

The new witch of Wookey Hole Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words


cackle

witch

broomstick

spell

incumbent

pizzazz

raven

hex

cauldron

wizard

1. A ___________________ is a woman who claims she has magic powers. 2. A ___________________ is a man who claims he has magic powers. 3. A ___________________ consists of words or actions that are intended to make magic things happen. 4. A ___________________ is a curse or an evil spell. 5. A ___________________ is a large, round metal container used for cooking over a fire. 6. In fairy stories, witches are often shown riding through the air on a ___________________. 7. ___________________ is an exciting quality or style together with a lot of energy. 8. If you ___________________, you laugh in a loud and unpleasant way. 9. A ___________________ is a large bird with shiny black feathers. 10. An ___________________ is someone who is holding an official position at the present time.

2


1. How many people turned up for the audition? 2. What will the annual salary be? 3. How many letters of complaint have been received? 4. What job did the successful candidate have? 5. How many applications did the Wookey Hole cave attraction send out?

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NEWS LESSONS / The new witch of Wookey Hole / Advanced

CA



6. How old was the successful applicant?

The new witch of Wookey Hole Advanced

Carla Calamity named new witch of Wookey Hole

2 The attraction in south-west England was looking for a new witch to teach visitors about witchcraft and magic after the previous incumbent retired. The job offer comes with a salary of £50,000 pro rata based on work during school holidays and at weekends. The job advert, placed in local newspapers and job centres earlier this month, says the successful applicant “must be able to cackle” and “must not be allergic to cats”. Wookey Hole said it has since sent out 2,319 applications, and has received 23 letters of complaint from church or religious groups. 3 In the end, the judges opted for 40-year-old estate agent Carole Bohanan. She will resign from her job and go by the name of Carla Calamity. Carole – or Carla – said: “I am going to be a great witch. All it takes is a little bit of magic and a little pizzazz. It’s a natural progression from my old job as an estate agent. I have been using my witching skills to sell houses for a long time.” 4 Legend has it that the caves were home to the Wookey witch who was turned to stone

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / The new witch of Wookey Hole / Advanced

5

Alison Dike was also into good works. A witch from Somerset, she was handing out herbs that she claimed would prevent swine flu. She had a mouthful of black teeth and (following the script) said she had been wronged in love by a monk and his “bad habits”. Further along the queue was statuesque Ishtar, real name Leonine from Devon. She wore a real fur around her neck. “£3 in a jumble sale,” she admitted. But she too claimed to be a real witch. “I studied at Glastonbury for three years,” she said. What did she study? “Going in the woods, visualization and energy work,” she said.

6

It was not just women in the queue. There were many men dressed as women, and a few men who believed that wizards also ought to be allowed. Among them was Tony Durant, who has appeared on chat shows around the world showing off his amazing skills imitating birdsong. His raven impression went down very well today. “My skill is a sort of magic – that’s why I’m here,” he said, looking to his manager who was also in the line to check he wasn’t saying the wrong thing.

7

Other candidates included Silvia Moscati, an Italian who claims she is an ancestor of Casanova and wore a typical 17th-century Venetian witch costume. Helen Chadfield from Bath brought her raven, Bran, with her. “The judges seemed to be more interested in Bran than me though,” she said.

O

1 They had one thing in common – they could all really cackle. Apart from that, the would-be applicants for the post of the witch of Wookey Hole could not have been more diverse. Some were clearly there just for fun, in outfits they must have hired from fancy dress shops. Others seemed like professional entertainers who saw the gig – and the £50,000 salary – as a pretty good career move. There were even some who said they fancied a change of direction in life. Two teachers and an accountant were among the 500 or so hopefuls who arrived at the cave – in cars rather than on broomsticks. And then there were the real witches; those that said they really could cast spells, heal the sick and perhaps cause a little mischief.

•P H

Steven Morris 28 July, 2009


by Father Bernard, appointed by the Abbot of Glastonbury to rid villagers of her curse. Earlier in the day, one of the first to try to impress the panel was a green-eyed Irish witch who claimed her name was Ettedanreb Dnarud, meaning Brave as a Bear. Actually it was just her name, Bernadette Durand, spelled backwards. She had come all the way from Co. Waterford and said she definitely followed the Wicca lifestyle. “I follow the moon and seasons, I dance in the dark. It’s all about goodness. There’s a lot of bad in the world, this job would help me do good.”

CA

Level 3


Advanced

Some threatened to put hexes on the judges if they didn’t get the job and two offered to drink a cauldron of their own urine. One couple drew gasps from the shocked judges when they produced their 11-week-old daughter from underneath their flowing robes. Bridget Vallance, 45, from Dorset, described herself

as a transsexual woman looking for a new role after running a carpet fitting business. She said: “I am the Wookey Witch and I am here to reclaim my cave.” © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 28/07/09

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. Why was the Wookey Hole caves attraction looking for a witch?

a. Because they wanted to attract more visitors to the attraction.

b. Because they wanted someone to lift the curse on the caves.

c. Because the previous witch had retired.

2. What were the basic requirements for the job?

a. That applicants should have a cat and a broomstick.

b. That applicants should be able to cackle and not be allergic to cats.

c. That applicants should be witches in real life.

3. What was the salary for the job?

a. £50,000 per year.

b. £50,000 for working during school holidays and at weekends.

c. A percentage of £50,000 depending on the number of days worked.

4. What does the successful applicant think a good witch needs?

a. To do a little bit of magic and to have a lot of exciting style and energy.

b. Going in the woods, visualization and energy work.

c. Following the moon and the seasons and dancing in the dark

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A noun meaning a public performance, especially a musical one. (para 1) 2. A noun meaning behaviour that causes trouble but not serious harm to other people. (para 1) 3. A two-word expression meaning calculated according to the number of hours worked. (para 2) 4. A verb meaning to treat someone unfairly. (para 5) 5. A two-word expression meaning an event where people raise money by selling old clothes. (para 5) 6. A noun meaning forming a picture of someone or something in your mind. (para 5) 7. A noun meaning a sudden, noisy breath that is usually caused by surprise, shock or pain. (para 8)

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8. A noun (or adjective) meaning someone who has changed sex. (para 8)

Titlenew witch of Wookey Hole The Level 3

Advanced

5 Verb + noun collocations Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns and noun phrases in the right-hand column to make phrases from the text. 1. cast

a. a particular lifestyle

2. cause

b. a costume

3. follow

c. a spell

4. prevent

d. one’s skills

5. show off

e. mischief

6. wear

f. a disease

7. run

g. the sick

8. heal

h. a business

6 Word building Complete the sentences using an appropriate form of the word in brackets at the end of each sentence. 1. Witches should not be _______________ to cats. [ALLERGY] 2. Wookey Hole caves are a famous tourist _______________. [ATTRACT] 3. Several letters of _______________ have been received. [COMPLAIN] 4. One of the witches had a _______________ of black teeth. [MOUTH] 5. If you are _______________, you are tall and beautiful like a statue. [STATUE]

7 Discussion

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Imagine that you are applying for this job. What qualities would you bring to the job and why would you want to do it?

The new witch of Wookey Hole Level 3

Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. witch 2. wizard 3. spell 4. hex 5. cauldron 6. broomstick 7. pizzazz 8. cackle 9. raven 10. incumbent

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

c e a f d b h g


6 Word building

1 2. 3. 4.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

c b b a

allergic attraction complaint mouthful statuesque

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T



500 or so (about 500) £50,000 pro rata 23 estate agent 2,319 40


N

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

gig mischief pro rata to be wronged jumble sale visualization gasp transsexual


Elementary

Key words


witch

wizard

broomstick

cackle

audition

spell

applicant

curse

witchcraft

raven

1. A ___________________ consists of words or actions that are intended to make magic things happen. 2. ___________________ is the practice of magic, usually for evil purposes. 3. A ___________________ is a large bird with shiny black feathers. 4. An ___________________ is a short performance in which you sing, dance or act so that someone can decide if you are good enough to perform in a concert or play or to do a particular job. 5. If you ___________________, you laugh in a loud and unpleasant way. 6. A ___________________ is a man who claims he has magic powers. 7. A ___________________ is a woman who claims she has magic powers. 8. An ___________________ is someone who applies for a job. 9. A ___________________ is a bad situation or event caused by someone’s deliberate use of their magic powers. 10. In children’s stories, witches often ride through the air on a ___________________.

2


1. How many people came to the audition? 2. Where is Wookey Hole? 3. How many application forms did the Wookey Hole cave attraction send out? 4. How many letters of complaint have been received? 5. How old is the successful candidate?

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NEWS LESSONS / The new witch of Wookey Hole / Elementary

CA



6. How much did Leonine pay for her fur?


Elementary


4

A legend says that the caves were home to a witch who was turned to stone. One of the first applicants to try to impress the judges was a green-eyed witch who said her name was Ettedanreb Dnarud, meaning Brave as a Bear. Actually it was just her name, Bernadette Durand, spelled backwards. She had come all the way from Ireland and said she definitely had the lifestyle of a witch. “I follow the moon and seasons, I dance in the dark. It’s all about goodness. There’s a lot of bad in the world, this job would help me do good.”

5

Alison Dike was also doing good. She was handing out herbs that she said would prevent swine flu. Further along the queue was Ishtar, real name Leonine, from Devon. She wore a real fur around her neck. “I bought it for £3 in a sale,” she said. But she also said she was a real witch. “I studied at Glastonbury for three years,” she said. What did she study? “Going in the woods, visualization and energy work,” she said.

6

It was not just women in the queue. There were many men dressed as women, and a few men who believed that wizards should also be allowed. One of them was Tony Durant, who has appeared on chat shows around the world showing off his amazing skills imitating birdsong. His raven imitation was particularly popular at this event. “My skill is a sort of magic – that’s why I’m here,” he said.

7

Other candidates included Silvia Moscati, an Italian who says she is an ancestor of Casanova and wore a typical 17th-century Venetian witch costume. Helen Chadfield from Bath brought her raven, Bran, with her. “The judges seemed to be more interested in Bran than me though,” she said. Some said they would put curses on the judges if they didn’t get the job. Bridget Vallance, 45, from Dorset, said she was looking for a new role after managing a carpet business. She said: “I am the Wookey Witch and I am here to take back my cave.”

Steven Morris 28 July, 2009 1 All of the people who applied for the job had one thing in common – they could cackle really well. Apart from that, the people hoping to be the next witch of Wookey Hole were all very different from each other. Some of them were clearly there just for fun, in costumes they had probably hired from fancy dress shops. Others seemed like professional entertainers who thought the event – and the £50,000 salary – was a very good career move. There were even some who said they were looking for a change of direction in life. Five hundred applicants came to the audition, including two teachers and an accountant, but they travelled to the cave in cars rather than on broomsticks. And then there were the real witches; those that said they really could cast spells and heal the sick. 2 The tourist attraction in south-west England was looking for a new witch to teach visitors about witchcraft and magic after the previous witch retired. The salary was a percentage of £50,000 per year depending on the amount of work done during school holidays and at weekends. The job advert, placed in local newspapers and job centres earlier this month, says the successful applicant “must be able to cackle” and “must not be allergic to cats”. Wookey Hole said it had since sent out 2,319 application forms, and had received 23 letters of complaint from church and religious groups. 3 In the end, the judges chose a 40-year-old estate agent called Carole Bohanan. She will leave her current job and call herself Carla Calamity. Carole – or Carla – said: “I am going to be a great witch. You just need to be energetic and to use a little bit of magic. It’s a natural progression from my old job as an estate agent. I have been using my witching skills to sell houses for a long time.”


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Elementary

3 Comprehension check Choose one of the underlined words to make sentences about the story. 1. All of / some of the applicants could cackle really well. 2. The previous witch died / retired. 3. The successful candidate must not be / must be allergic to cats. 4. The Wookey Hole witch’s job will be to heal the sick / to teach visitors about magic. 5. There were a lot of / a few men at the audition. 6. Tony Durant imitates birdsong / has a pet raven.

4 Chunks Rearrange the words to make short phrases from the text. 1. very from all other each different

4. £50,000 percentage of per a year

2. good move very career a

5. of bit a magic little

3. direction in of a life change

6. the Ireland way from all

5 Word building Complete the table. noun 1

profession

2

allergy

3

success

4

religion

5

nature

6

energy

adjective

6 Two-word phrases

2. tourist

b.

form

3. application

c.

centre

4. estate

d.

attraction

5. local

e.

agent

6. job

f.

dress

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / The new witch of Wookey Hole / Elementary

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newspaper

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a.

CA

1. fancy




Elementary

KEY 1 Key words

4 Chunks

1. spell 2. witchcraft 3. raven 4. audition 5. cackle 6. wizard 7. witch 8. applicant 9. curse 10. broomstick

1 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

500 or so (about500) south-west England 2,319 23 40 £3

3 Comprehension check 1 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

All of retired must not be to teach visitors about magic a lot of imitates birdsong

1 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

professional allergic successful religious natural energetic

6 Two-word phrases 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

f d b e a c

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T



1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

5 Word building

N


all very different from each other a very good career move a change of direction in life a percentage of £50,000 per year a little bit of magic all the way from Ireland


Intermediate

Key words


robe

cackle

broomstick

raven

spell

curse

cauldron

wizard

witch

witchcraft

1. A ___________________ is a man who claims he has magic powers. 2. A ___________________ is a woman who claims she has magic powers. 3. A ___________________ is a large, round metal container used for cooking over a fire. 4. A ___________________ is a bad situation or event caused by someone’s deliberate use of their magic powers. 5. In fairy stories, witches are often shown riding through the air on a ___________________. 6. A ___________________ consists of words or actions that are intended to make magic things happen. 7. ___________________ is the practice of magic, usually for evil purposes. 8. A ___________________ is a large bird with shiny black feathers. 9. A ___________________ is a long, loose piece of clothing worn during a ceremony. 10. If you ___________________, you laugh in a loud and unpleasant way.

2


1. Where is Wookey Hole? 2. How many people turned up for the audition? 3. How many letters of complaint have been received? 4. What job did the successful candidate have? 5. How many application forms did the Wookey Hole cave attraction send out?

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NEWS LESSONS / The new witch of Wookey Hole / Intermediate

CA



6. How much did Leonine pay for her fur?

The new witch of Wookey Hole Intermediate


2 The attraction in south-west England was looking for a new witch to teach visitors about witchcraft and magic after the previous witch retired. The job offer comes with a salary of £50,000 per year pro rata based on work during school holidays and at weekends. The job advert, placed in local newspapers and job centres earlier this month, says the successful applicant “must be able to cackle” and “must not be allergic to cats”. Wookey Hole said it has since sent out 2,319 application forms, and has received 23 letters of complaint from church or religious groups. 3 In the end, the judges chose 40-year-old estate agent Carole Bohanan. She will resign from her current job and call herself Carla Calamity. Carole – or Carla – said: “I am going to be a great witch. All it takes is a little bit of magic and a bit of energy. It’s a natural progression from my old job as an estate agent. I have been using my witching skills to sell houses for a long time.” 4 A legend says that the caves were home to the Wookey witch who was turned to stone by Father Bernard, appointed by the Abbot of

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / The new witch of Wookey Hole / Intermediate

5

Alison Dike was also doing good. She was handing out herbs that she said would prevent swine flu. She had a mouthful of black teeth and said she had been betrayed in love by a monk and his “bad habits”. Further along the queue was the tall Ishtar, real name Leonine from Devon. She wore a real fur around her neck. “£3 in a jumble sale,” she admitted. But she too claimed to be a real witch. “I studied at Glastonbury for three years,” she said. What did she study? “Going in the woods, visualization and energy work,” she said.

6

It was not just women in the queue. There were many men dressed as women, and a few men who believed that wizards also ought to be allowed. One of them was Tony Durant, who has appeared on chat shows around the world showing off his amazing skills imitating birdsong. His raven imitation was particularly popular at this event. “My skill is a sort of magic – that’s why I’m here,” he said.

7

Other candidates included Silvia Moscati, an Italian who claims she is an ancestor of Casanova and wore a typical 17th-century Venetian witch costume. Helen Chadfield from Bath brought her raven, Bran, with her. “The judges seemed to be more interested in Bran than me, though,” she said.

8

Some threatened to put curses on the judges if they didn’t get the job and two offered to drink a cauldron of their own urine. One couple shocked the judges when they produced their 11-week-old daughter from underneath their

O

1 All of the job applicants had one thing in common – they could all really cackle. Apart from that, the people hoping to be the next witch of Wookey Hole could not have been more diverse. Some were clearly there just for fun, in outfits they had probably hired from fancy dress shops. Others seemed like professional entertainers who saw the event – and the £50,000 salary – as a pretty good career move. There were even some who said they were looking for a change of direction in life. Two teachers and an accountant were among the 500 applicants who arrived at the cave – in cars rather than on broomsticks. And then there were the real witches; those that said they really could cast spells, heal the sick and perhaps cause a little mischief.

•P H

Steven Morris 28 July, 2009


Glastonbury to rid villagers of her curse. Earlier in the day, one of the first to try to impress the judges was a green-eyed witch who claimed her name was Ettedanreb Dnarud, meaning Brave as a Bear. Actually it was just her name, Bernadette Durand, spelled backwards. She had come all the way from Ireland and said she definitely followed the lifestyle of a witch. “I follow the moon and seasons, I dance in the dark. It’s all about goodness. There’s a lot of bad in the world, this job would help me do good.”

CA

Level 2


Intermediate

flowing robes. Bridget Vallance, 45, from Dorset, described herself as a transsexual woman looking for a new role after running a carpet business. She said: “I am the Wookey Witch and I am here to reclaim my cave.” © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 28/07/09

3 Comprehension check Are these statements true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. The successful candidate will receive a salary of £50,000 per year. 2. The successful candidate must have a cat. 3. All of the applicants were real witches. 4. The job vacancy arose because the previous witch was turned to stone. 5. One witch was handing out herbs that she said would prevent swine flu. 6. The successful candidate sees the job as a natural progression from her previous job.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. An adjective meaning very different from each other. (para 1) 2. A noun meaning behaviour that causes trouble but not serious harm to other people. (para 1) 3. A two-word expression meaning calculated according to the number of hours worked. (para 2) 4. A two-word expression meaning someone whose job is to help people buy or rent property. (para 3) 5. A two-word expression meaning an event where people raise money by selling old clothes. (para 5) 6. A noun meaning forming a picture of someone or something in your mind. (para 5) 7. A verb meaning to copy something. (para 6) 8. A noun (or adjective) meaning someone who has changed sex. (para 8)

5 Expressions with prepositions Complete the phrases from the text using prepositions. 1. to have something _______ common 2. there _______ fun 3. based _______ the number of hours worked 4. allergic _______ cats 5. letter _______ complaint 6. resign _______ a job 7. put a curse _______ someone

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CA



8. interested _______ something

Titlenew witch of Wookey Hole The Level 2

Intermediate


noun

1

apply

2

apply

(person)

3

entertain

(person)

4

complain

5

visualise

6

curse

4 Discussion

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Would you like to do this job? Why? Why not?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. wizard 2. witch 3. cauldron 4. curse 5. broomstick 6. spell 7. witchcraft 8. raven 9. robe 10. cackle

1 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.


1 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

in for on to of from on in


6 Word building

1 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

F F F F T T

application applicant entertainer complaint visualization curse

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CA


T



south-west England 500 or so (about 500) 23 estate agent 2,319 £3


N

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

diverse mischief pro rata estate agent jumble sale visualization imitate transsexual

Human rights summer camp Level 3 1

Advanced

Warmer

“Our job is to promote equality and human rights, and to create a fairer Britain.”

This quote comes from the the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s website. What do you associate with the words equality, human rights and fair?

2

Key words

Skim-read the article to find words to fill the gaps in the sentences below. The paragraph numbers and numbers of letters in the word have been given to help you. 1. different from each other; or including people from many different cultures or races ____________________ (7 letters, para 1) 2. trying to achieve political or social change by persuading other people or the government to do something ____________________ (11 letters, para 1) 3. past form of a verb meaning to try something with a small group of people to find out if it would be successful or popular ____________________ (7 letters, para 3) 4. formal statements expressing the aims and plans of a group or organization ____________________ (10 letters, para 4) 5. a basic belief, theory, or rule that has a major influence on the way in which something is done ____________________ (9 letters, para 5) 6. a hill or area of high land, especially in northern England ____________________ (4 letters, para 5) 7. collections of flowers, cut and tied together in an attractive way ____________________ (8 letters, para 6) 8. someone who belongs to the same social or professional group as another person and/or is the same age ____________________ (4 letters, para 7) 9. a way of thinking about things ____________________ (7 letters, para 8) 10. people who are considered to represent an activity, organization, company, etc. ____________________ (11 letters, para 9) 11. unreasonable opinions or feelings, especially the feelings of not liking a particular group of people ____________________ (10 letters, para 9) 12. having existed for a long time, and therefore recognized as good or successful ____________________ (11 letters, para 10) 13. small and not very noticeable; unlikely to attract attention ____________________ (8 letters, para 12) 14. attempting to stop something bad or to solve a difficult problem ____________________ (9 letters, para 13) 15. A ____________________ person or thing has qualities that make people respect them. (6 letters, para 15)

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NEWS LESSONS / Human rights summer camp / Advanced

CA



16. good qualities that a person or thing has, especially moral ones ____________________ (7 letters, para 15)

Human rights summer camp Advanced

Rowing back on inequality

3 Life isn’t as exciting – or as diverse – for either teenager back home, and that is the camp’s point. It’s a simple idea, successfully piloted last year, of gathering around 100 people, aged 14 to 16, from the widest possible range of backgrounds and placing them together in the wild and lovely grounds of Lakeside YMCA. 4 Board, lodging and everything else are free, but to win a place the teenagers had to write manifestos about equality and human rights, and how their energy and imagination could promote both. “We got some marvellous ideas,” says Gabriela Flores, the commission’s camp leader. “We wanted to tap that feeling young teenagers have that they can change the world and do a better job than we have done.” 5 The students don’t need any extra spark, but they do need guidance. The camp uses the principle of always providing something to do, from breakfast at 8am to bed at 11pm. If there is surplus energy, the last day exhausts it with a night-time hike up the fell behind the camp, using skills and mutual trust developed earlier on. 6 14-year-old Katie Briggs, from Berkshire, is giving a lesson in how to take charge firmly but fairly. “I got them focused by telling them to tuck in their shirts,” she says, after winning bouquets from her 10-strong team for a leadership test that got them through a spider’s web net without touching any of the ropes. “You need to do © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Human rights summer camp / Advanced

The gelling of opposite types, essential for Our Space to work, is helped by peer leaders, who include 15-year-old Dakota Blue Richards, star of the film The Golden Compass. She was told about the camp by an aunt and her five days last summer inspired her to come back.

8

“It’s great when you go home afterwards and try to show other people what you’ve learned here,” she says. “Everyone who comes to Our Space goes home with a different mindset. It’s completely different from being told these things in lessons or speeches. We sort it out together. It’s interactive. And what you do afterwards is what really counts, because that’s when we can make a difference.”

9

That is the long-term purpose of the camp – creating equality ambassadors to reach young people before prejudices of all kinds can take root. In between outdoor sessions, the teenagers brainstorm about ways they can work in the future towards the commission’s aims: running school assemblies, getting groups of friends together, or making an effort to explore other culturally or socially different communities.

10 “We get established young campaigners to come to the camp,” says Flores. “It gets across the idea that young people can actually do things, rather than dream about them.” Sessions were led this year by Tom Robbins, who set up the action group Random Acts of Kindness, and a group of teenagers who started their own free newspapers. 11 Everybody then wrote themselves a stamped addressed postcard with their ideas for action back at home, and handed them back in. Flores and her team will post them off in three weeks’ time to remind them that this is what they are now supposed to do. “It works”, says Neerali Pattni, 16, “The equality commission said they would support us in anything we did afterwards, and that’s just what they have done.” 12

Campers get certificates, leaflets, one-to-one

O

2 Punit Patel, 16, calls the commission’s second Our Space summer camp simply “the best five days of my life”. Callum Dixon, propelling his wheelchair along a track by Lake Windermere, says: “It’s hard work, but no way would I have missed it.”

7


1 A camp run by the Equality and Human Rights Commission might seem an unlikely attraction for teenagers, but the outdoor course in the Lake District is inspiring a diverse group of young people to start campaigning for human rights.

•P H

Martin Wainwright 19 August, 2009

things like ask the quiet ones if they have any ideas, rather than just assuming they’ll speak up.”

CA

Level 3

Human rights summer camp Level 3

Advanced

support sessions and discreet help to win over headteachers or parents who may be cautious about unofficial activism. But plenty still rests on the teenagers’ shoulders. “It’s kind of scary,” says Claire McLaughlin, 14, from Belfast. “But I reckon that if I can get through to even just one person, that person might tell their friends, and they’ll tell their friends. That’s how you get a chain reaction.” 13 As one of the first of the ambassadors to graduate from the camp, Neerali Pattni started off that way, spreading the word to friends and family, one by one. Combating prejudice is one challenge but so is convincing people in her own community to go out and make different friends. 14 “Sometimes that’s hard,” she says, “but I keep saying to them: ‘Look, it’s really better to mix,

because that way you find out about all sorts of different backgrounds, which can be really interesting.’” 15 It sounds worthy, but teenagers know that they won’t make equality and diversity cool by preaching about their virtues. Hannah Mezler, 15, says the attraction isn’t that – it’s just the thrill of meeting so many “different but normal” people her own age, from all over Britain. 16 Katie Briggs agrees. “We have a sort of diversity at school, but this is something else. I keep saying to myself, look at all these people you’d never ever meet in the little town where I live. And hey, they’re really nice.” © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 19/08/2009

3 Comprehension check Answer the questions about the article. 1. Who is the camp for? ____________________________________ 2. Who is it run by? ____________________________________ 3. What are its aims? ____________________________________ 4. Where does it take place? ____________________________________

5. What do people have to do to be able to take part in the camp? ____________________________________ 6. How much does it cost? ____________________________________ 7. What sort of guest speakers come to the camp? ____________________________________ 8. What happens after the camp? ____________________________________

4 Language: Phrases and sentences Find phrases in the article that mean the following. 1. an unexpected subject of interest (2 words, para 1) ____________________________ 2. to benefit from that feeling (4 words, para 4) ____________________________ 3. additional interest, enthusiasm or energy (2 words, para 5)____________________________ 4. trust between two or more people or parties (2 words, para 5) ____________________________ 5. neatly place shirts behind a waistband (4 words, para 6) ____________________________ 6. making sure that different types of people get on and connect with each other (4 words, para 7) ____________________________ 7. what definitely matters (3 words, para 8) ____________________________ 8. to become established or accepted (2 words, para 9) ____________________________ 9. meetings in which people are helped by others (2 words, para 12) ____________________________

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10. a bit frightening (3 words, para 12) ____________________________


Advanced

5 Discussion Would you consider sending your children to a camp such as this? Have you ever been to a (summer) camp – either as a child or an adult?

6 Webquest Research one of these places or organizations mentioned in the article and give a short presentation of your findings to the class. • http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/fairer-britain/youth-projects/our-space/ • http://www.actsofkindness.org/ • http://www.lakesideymca.co.uk/

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• http://www.lake-district.gov.uk/


Advanced

KEY 2 Key words

4 Language: Phrases

1. diverse 2. campaigning 3. piloted 4. manifestos 5. principle 6. fell 7. bouquets 8. peer 9. mindset 10. ambassadors 11. prejudices 12. established 13. discreet 14. combating 15. worthy 16. virtues

1. unlikely attraction 2. to tap that feeling 3. extra spark 4. mutual trust 5. tuck in their shirts 6. gelling of opposite types 7. what really counts 8. take root 9. support sessions 10. kind of scary

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/audio/2009/aug/19/ equality-commission-youth-camp It is possible to download the file in MP3 format and play it in class.

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T



Suggested answers: 1. teenagers from all backgrounds (14-16 year olds) 2. the Equality and Human Rights Commission 3. to create equality ambassadors to reach young people before prejudices of all kinds can take root 4. the Lake District in the north of England 5. write a manifesto about equality and human rights, and how their energy and imagination could promote both 6. Nothing, it’s free. 7. established young campaigners 8. Campers get certificates, leaflets, one-to-one support sessions and discreet help to win over head teachers or parents who may be cautious about unofficial activism.

You can listen to a four-minute audio report by Martin Wainwright at the camp in which he talks to one of the peer leaders, Dakota Blue Richards:

N


Teacher’s notes


Elementary

equality noun [uncountable]

the state of being equal, especially in having the same rights, status, and opportunities

human rights

noun [plural]

the rights that everyone should have in a society, including the right to express opinions about the government or to have protection from harm

1

Warmer

Underline the words you think you would find in an article about a summer camp. Add another three words of your own and then skim-read the article. How many of the words can you find? teenager film

2

lake

tent

sleep

fire

_________

food

leader

rain

_________

exciting _________

Key words

Write the words from the article into the gaps in the sentences below. The paragraph numbers have been given to help you.

campaigning

accommodation

inspiring

grounds

diverse

1. giving someone the enthusiasm and energy to do something _______________________ (para 1) 2. different from each other; or including people from many different cultures or races _______________________ (para 1) 3. trying to make political or social change by talking to other people _______________________ (para 1) 4. an area of land (near a house) _______________________ (para 3) 5. a place for someone to stay, especially overnight _______________________ (para 4)

skills

essential

guidance

peer

take charge

6. advice from an official organization on how to behave _______________________ (para 5) 7. something that you can do because you have special training and experience _______________________ (para 5) 8. to take control and be responsible for someone or something _______________________ (para 6) 9. completely necessary _______________________ (para 7)

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NEWS LESSONS / Human rights summer camp / Elementary

CA



10. someone who is the same age as another person _______________________ (para 7)


Elementary

chain reaction

ambassadors

prejudices

mindset

support

11. a way of thinking about things _______________________ (para 8) 12. people who represent an organization _______________________ (para 9) 13. unreasonable opinions or feelings, especially the feelings of not liking a particular group of people _______________________ (para 9) 14. another word for help _______________________ (para 11)

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15. a series of events that happen very fast, with each event causing the next one _______________________ (para 12)

Human rights summer camp Elementary


of the film The Golden Compass. She was told about the camp by an aunt and after her five days last summer she wanted to come back.


4 Food, accommodation and everything else are free, but to win a place the teenagers had to write a paper about equality and human rights. “We got some marvellous ideas,” says Gabriela Flores, the commission’s camp leader. “We want to use that feeling young teenagers have that they can change the world.” 5 The students don’t need any extra ideas and energy, but they do need guidance. The camp always provides something to do, from breakfast at 8am to bed at 11pm. On the last day there is a night-time walk up the hill behind the camp, using skills and trust developed earlier on. 6 14-year-old Katie Briggs, from Berkshire, is giving a lesson in how to take charge firmly but fairly. “You need to do things like ask the quiet ones if they have any ideas.” 7 Getting different types of teenagers to work together is essential for Our Space to work. The campers are helped by peer leaders, who include 15-year-old Dakota Blue Richards, star

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Human rights summer camp / Elementary

9

The long-term purpose of the camp is to create equality ambassadors who will talk to young people before prejudices of all kinds appear. In between outdoor sessions, the teenagers brainstorm about ways they can work in the future towards the commission’s aims: at school, with friends or in their communities.

10 “We ask young campaigners to come to the camp,” says Flores. “It gets across the idea that young people can actually do things, rather than dream about them.” Sessions were led this year by Tom Robbins, who set up the action group Random Acts of Kindness, and a group of teenagers who started their own free newspapers. 11 Everybody then wrote themselves a stamped addressed postcard with their ideas for action back at home, and handed them back in. Flores and her team will post them off in three weeks’ time to remind them that this is what they should now do. “It works,” says Neerali Pattni, 16. “The equality commission said they would support us in anything we did afterwards, and that’s just what they have done.” 12

Campers get certificates, leaflets, one-to-one support sessions and help to win over head teachers or parents who may be unsure. But the teenagers have a lot to do. “It’s kind of scary,” says Claire McLaughlin, 14, from Belfast. “But I think that if I can get just one person to understand, that person might tell their friends,

O

3 Life isn’t as exciting – or as diverse – for either teenager back home, and that is the camp’s point. It’s a simple idea, successfully started last year. It brings together around 100 people, aged 14 to 16, from different backgrounds and places them together in the wild and lovely grounds of Lakeside YMCA.

“It’s great when you go home afterwards and try to show other people what you’ve learned here,” she says. “Everyone who comes to Our Space goes home with a different mindset. It’s completely different from being told these things in lessons. We work through problems together. It’s interactive. And what you do afterwards is what really matters, because that’s when we can make a difference.”


2 Punit Patel, 16, says the second Our Space summer camp was “the best five days of my life”. Callum Dixon says, “It’s hard work, but no way would I have missed it.”

8

•P H

1 An outdoor summer camp run by the Equality and Human Rights Commission in the Lake District in the north of England is inspiring a diverse group of young people to start campaigning for human rights.

CA

Level 1


Elementary

and they’ll tell their friends. That’s how you get a chain reaction.” 13 Hannah Mezler, 15, says what she likes about the camp is that she gets to meet so many “different but normal” people her own age, from all over Britain.

14 Katie Briggs agrees. “We have a sort of diversity at school, but this is something else. I keep saying to myself, look at all these people you’d never ever meet in the little town where I live. And hey, they’re really nice.” © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 19/08/2009

3 Comprehension check Match the sentence halves to summarize the article. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

The camp is run by an … Teenagers from all over … The aim of the camp is … It takes place in a beautiful area … To get a place in the camp, teenagers have to … It costs nothing to … Successful campaigners come to … After the camp, the teenagers get help to talk to …

… in the north of England. … to stop prejudices. … write a paper about equality and human rights. … go to the camp. … their schools, friends and communities. … talk to the campers. … Britain can go to the camp. … organization for equality and human rights.

4 Language: Phrases and sentences Match the words to make phrases from the article. Then write one sentence of your own for each phrase. hard marvellous

ideas sessions

make support

work a difference

1. _______________________________________________________________ 2. _______________________________________________________________ 3. _______________________________________________________________ 4. _______________________________________________________________

5 Discussion Would you want your children to go to this camp? Have you ever been to a (summer) camp – either as a child or an adult?

6 Webquest Look at one of these websites and make a note of a few key words or ideas. Tell your class about what you have seen or read. • http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/fairer-britain/youth-projects/our-space/ • http://www.actsofkindness.org/ • http://www.lakesideymca.co.uk/

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Elementary

KEY 1 Warmer teenager lake leader exciting film food

4 Language: Phrases and sentences hard work marvellous ideas make a difference support sessions

2 Key words

Teacher’s notes

1. inspiring 2. diverse 3. campaigning 4. grounds 5. accommodation 6. guidance 7. skills 8. take charge 9. essential 10. peer 11. mindset 12. ambassadors 13. prejudices 14. support 15. chain reaction

You can listen to a four-minute audio report by Martin Wainwright at the camp in which he talks to one of the peer leaders, Dakota Blue Richards: http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/audio/2009/aug/19/ equality-commission-youth-camp It is possible to download the file in MP3 format and play it in class.


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CA


T



The camp is run by an organization for equality and human rights. Teenagers from all over Britain can go to the camp. The aim of the camp is to stop prejudices. It takes place in a beautiful area in the north of England. To get a place in the camp, teenagers have to write a paper about equality and human rights. It costs nothing to go to the camp. Successful campaigners come to talk to the campers. After the camp, the teenagers get help to talk to their schools, friends and communities.

N

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Human rights summer camp Level 2 1

Intermediate

Warmer

Write ten words that you would expect to find in an article about a summer camp. Compare your words with those of other students, then skim-read the article to find out how many of your words appear.

summer camp

2

Key words

Write the words from the article into the gaps in the sentences below. The paragraph numbers have been given to help you. chain reaction virtues

ambassadors

assuming

fell

campaigning peer

hike

prejudices

mindset

promote

manifestos

diverse

guidance

1. different from each other; or including people from many different cultures or places _____________________ (para 1) 2. trying to achieve political or social change by persuading other people or the government to do something _____________________ (para 1) 3. formal statements expressing the aims and plans of a group or organization _____________________ (para 4) 4. to support or encourage something _____________________ (para 4) 5. advice from an official organization on how to deal with particular situations or how to behave _____________________ (para 5) 6. a long walk in the countryside _____________________ (para 5) 7. a hill or area of high land, especially in northern England _____________________ (para 5) 8. believing that something is true, even though no one has told you or even though you have no proof _____________________ (para 6)

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NEWS LESSONS / Human rights summer camp / Intermediate

CA



9. someone who belongs to the same social or professional group as another person and/or is the same age _____________________ (para 7)


Intermediate

10. a way of thinking about things _____________________ (para 8) 11. people who are considered to represent an activity, organization, company, etc. _____________________ (para 9) 12. unreasonable opinions or feelings, especially the feelings of not liking a particular group of people _____________________ (para 9) 13. a series of events that happen very fast, with each event causing the next one _____________________ (para 12)

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CA



14. good qualities that a person or thing has, especially moral ones _____________________ (para 13)

Human rights summer camp Intermediate


The campers are helped by peer leaders, who include 15-year-old Dakota Blue Richards, star of the film The Golden Compass. She was told about the camp by an aunt and her five days last summer inspired her to come back.


4 Food, accommodation and everything else are free, but to win a place the teenagers had to write manifestos about equality and human rights, and how their energy and imagination could promote both. “We got some marvellous ideas,” says Gabriela Flores, the commission’s camp leader. “We wanted to use that feeling young teenagers have that they can change the world.” 5 The students don’t need any extra ideas and energy, but they do need guidance. The camp always provides something to do, from breakfast at 8am to bed at 11pm. On the last day there is a night-time hike up the fell behind the camp, using skills and trust developed earlier on. 6 14-year-old Katie Briggs, from Berkshire, is giving a lesson in how to take charge firmly but fairly. “You need to do things like ask the quiet ones if they have any ideas, rather than just assuming they’ll speak up.” 7 Getting different types of teenagers to work together is essential for Our Space to work.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Human rights summer camp / Intermediate

9

The long-term purpose of the camp is to create equality ambassadors who will reach young people before prejudices of all kinds appear. In between outdoor sessions, the teenagers brainstorm about ways they can work in the future towards the commission’s aims: at school, with friends or in their communities.

10 “We get young campaigners to come to the camp,” says Flores. “It gets across the idea that young people can actually do things, rather than dream about them.” Sessions were led this year by Tom Robbins, who set up the action group Random Acts of Kindness, and a group of teenagers who started their own free newspapers. 11 Everybody then wrote themselves a stamped addressed postcard with their ideas for action back at home, and handed them back in. Flores and her team will post them off in three weeks’ time to remind them that this is what they are now supposed to do. “It works,” says Neerali Pattni, 16. “The equality commission said they would support us in anything we did afterwards, and that’s just what they have done.” 12 Campers get certificates, leaflets, one-to-one support sessions and help to win over head teachers or parents who may be cautious about unofficial activism. But plenty still rests on the teenagers’ shoulders. “It’s kind of scary,” says Claire McLaughlin, 14, from Belfast. “But I think that if I can get just one person to understand, that person might tell their friends, and they’ll tell their friends. That’s how you get a chain reaction.”

O

3 Life isn’t as exciting – or as diverse – for either teenager back home, and that is the camp’s point. It’s a simple idea, successfully started last year, of gathering around 100 people, aged 14 to 16, from the widest possible range of backgrounds and placing them together in the wild and lovely grounds of Lakeside YMCA.

“It’s great when you go home afterwards and try to show other people what you’ve learned here,” she says. “Everyone who comes to Our Space goes home with a different mindset. It’s completely different from being told these things in lessons or speeches. We sort it out together. It’s interactive. And what you do afterwards is what really counts, because that’s when we can make a difference.”


2 Punit Patel, 16, says the commission’s second Our Space summer camp was “the best five days of my life”. Callum Dixon, moving his wheelchair along a path by Lake Windermere, says, “It’s hard work, but no way would I have missed it.”

8

•P H

1 A summer camp run by the Equality and Human Rights Commission might seem an unlikely attraction for teenagers, but the outdoor course in the Lake District is inspiring a diverse group of young people to start campaigning for human rights.

CA

Level 2


Intermediate

13 Teenagers know that they won’t make equality and diversity cool by preaching about their virtues. Hannah Mezler, 15, says the attraction isn’t that – it’s just the thrill of meeting so many “different but normal” people her own age, from all over Britain. 14 Katie Briggs agrees. “We have a sort of diversity

at school, but this is something else. I keep saying to myself, look at all these people you’d never ever meet in the little town where I live. And hey, they’re really nice.” © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 19/08/2009

3 Comprehension check Are these sentences true (T) or false (F) according to the information in the article? Correct any sentences that are false. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

The summer camp is for teenagers from all backgrounds. The camp is run by the British government. The aim of the camp is to stop prejudices. It takes place in the north of England. To get a place in the camp, teenagers have to write a paper about equality and human rights. The camp is quite expensive. Movie stars come to talk to the campers. After the camp, the teenagers get help to win over head teachers or parents.

4 Language: Collocations and summarizing Match the words to make collocations from the article. Then use these word pairs to retell the article. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

unlikely outdoor human hard marvellous take different support

9. chain

rights charge mindset sessions attraction work reaction ideas course

5 Discussion Would you send your children to a camp like this? Have you ever been to a (summer) camp – either as a child or an adult?

6 Webquest Research one of these places or organizations mentioned in the article and give a short presentation of your findings to the class. • http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/fairer-britain/youth-projects/our-space/ • http://www.actsofkindness.org/ • http://www.lakesideymca.co.uk/

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Intermediate

KEY 2 Key words

Teacher’s notes

1. diverse 2. campaigning 3. manifestos 4. promote 5. guidance 6. hike 7. fell 8. assuming 9. peer 10. mindset 11. ambassadors 12. prejudices 13. chain reaction 14. virtues

You can listen to a four-minute audio report by Martin Wainwright at the camp in which he talks to one of the peer leaders, Dakota Blue Richards: http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/audio/2009/aug/19/ equality-commission-youth-camp It is possible to download the file in MP3 format and play it in class.


T F T T T F F T

4 Language: Collocations and summarizing

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CA


T



unlikely attraction outdoor course human rights hard work marvellous ideas take charge different mindset support sessions chain reaction

N

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Open Book Alliance Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. rabble-rouser

hotchpotch

bedfellow

opt out

arcane

untraceable

ramifications

digitize

monolith

rift

1. If something is ________________, it is mysterious and difficult to understand. 2. If a person is ________________, it is impossible to find any record of them and to know where they are. 3. If you ________________ of a scheme or an agreement, you decide not to take part in it. 4. A ________________ is someone who speaks to a group of people and encourages them to behave in a violent way. 5. A ________________ is a disagreement between two people or groups. 6. A ________________ is a collection of things that do not belong together or have been put together carelessly. 7. A ________________ is a large and very powerful organization or system that is not willing to change. 8. The ________________ of something are the complex or unexpected ways in which a decision, process or event affects other things. 9. A ________________ is someone or something that is connected with another person or thing in some way, often unexpectedly. 10. If you ________________ material, you change it into electronic signals.

2

True or false?

Decide whether these statements are true (T) or false (F). Then check your answers in the text. 1. Google is planning to digitize and sell every book in America. 2. Google is in a partnership with Microsoft, Amazon and Yahoo. 3. Apple is allowed to sell copies of every recording ever made. 4. Google will pay $125 billion for the rights to digitize American books. 5. A variety of people are opposed to the Google plans.

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NEWS LESSONS / Open Book Alliance / Advanced

CA



6. Google still sees itself as a start-up company.

Open Book Alliance Advanced

Peter Brantley and the Open Book Alliance – throwing the book at Google

2 Brantley is a key figure in the Open Book Alliance, a hotchpotch of corporations and organizations that is opposing Google’s $125m (£76m) deal to gain the rights to digitize and sell every book in America. So far, the group has brought together a strange collection of bedfellows – not only Google rivals such as Microsoft, Amazon and Yahoo, but also librarians and writers – united only in their opposition to the proposal. “We see this as an organization that’s really quite heterogeneous in its composition,” he says, with understatement. “There are writers’ groups now, there are library associations, there will be some publishing associations in this group, as well as those large companies – each of which, by the way, has very distinct and very specific interests of their own.” 3 The proposal in question is an agreement between Google and American publishers’ and authors’ groups: a deal announced late last year that sprang from the Internet giant’s project to digitize millions of books around the world. Under its terms, Google will pay $125m for what critics say amounts to an exclusive, industrywide contract – despite the fact that millions of authors will never get the chance to opt out. 4 Brantley characterizes the case as “incredibly complex”, and he is right. The precise details are stuffed with jargon and sometimes arcane,

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Open Book Alliance / Advanced

5

It is as if there was a version of iTunes that allowed Apple not only to sell recordings from the labels it agreed a deal with, but also every recording ever made, whether or not the publisher was still in business or the songwriter still alive. That, says Brantley, is something that campaigners worry will trample over the rights of millions of untraceable authors and potentially hamper innovation.

6

He is also keen to point out that the alliance is not opposed to the idea of digitizing books – just this way of doing it. After all, when Google first started its book search project – which simply created a search engine that linked to books (rather than showing the books themselves) – it was received positively by many of the same people who oppose the new deal. “This was something that many of us at universities and at the Internet Archive generally supported: we think that digitizing analogue material and making it available for search is an important ability for gaining access to information that might otherwise be locked up,” says Brantley. “But the settlement is a very different creature from the application Google had originally created.”

7

In many ways, Google’s actual intentions are less important than the way it presents itself. The idea that Google is fast becoming the new Microsoft might not be entirely accurate but mud sticks. Anil Dash, a vice president at the blogging company Six Apart, recently said that he thought Google was undergoing its “Microsoft moment”: experiencing a rift between the way the public sees the company (as another corporate monolith) and the way the company sees itself (as a plucky start-up company). “The impression

O

1 Peter Brantley doesn’t look like a revolutionary. Bookish-looking and wearing a flat cap, he is quiet, composed and chooses his words with the precision of an academic – not really typical of a rabble-rouser. And yet that is the position that Brantley – who works for the non-profit Internet Archive – has found himself in recently, as he becomes embroiled in a bizarre battle against the Internet’s most powerful company.

•P H

Bobbie Johnson 26 August, 2009


but the major sticking point is straightforward: whether anyone has the right to decide what will happen to books whose ownership is not clear. Under the scheme as it stands – proposals currently being scrutinized by a federal court in Manhattan – Google would be handed the right to profit from any book whose owner does not opt out, regardless of whether they know about the agreement.

CA

Level 3

Open Book Alliance Level 3

Advanced

that Google is just another technological giant like Microsoft will grow, making the audience for Google’s messages less tolerant of ambiguity and less forgiving of mistakes.” 8 Next week the Manhattan court will finish taking representations from interested parties, while the European Commission is also to look into the potential ramifications for its member states. Brantley, meanwhile, hopes that the deal can be altered in some way to represent the interests of the people who created the books – and to better reflect the reason for digitizing books in the first place.

9 “I think it’s that guiding principle of opening up the discovery of information that motivated Google, and has motivated many of us as we make digital information available online,” he says. “Although I cannot speak for their motivations, I think where they are now is a very different place from where they started.” He is referring to a single, complicated case. But it’s a statement that might just as well apply to the whole of Google. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published on www.guardian.co.uk, 26/08/09

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. What unites the different people and groups in the Open Book Alliance? a. An interest in books. b. Opposition to Google’s proposals. c. Specific interests of their own. 2. What is the main objection of the critics? a. That Google is becoming a monolith. b. That Google will have the right to profit from any book whose owner does not opt out. c. That the deal will prevent innovation. 3. What is the attitude of the Open Book Alliance to the idea of digitizing books? a. They are in favour of it because it will make more material available. b. They are in favour of it because it will earn extra money for authors. c. They are opposed to it because they prefer analogue material. 4. What is the “Microsoft moment”? a. When a company becomes too big too quickly. b. When a company becomes the most powerful in its particular industry sector. c. When there is a difference between how a company sees itself and how the public sees it.

O •P H


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.


Advanced

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. An adjective meaning more interested in reading books than in taking part in physical activities such as sports. (para 1) 2. An adjective meaning involved in a difficult situation. (para 1) 3. A noun meaning a statement that makes something seem less important or serious than it really is. (para 2) 4. A two-word phrasal verb meaning to come from a particular place or situation. (para 3) 5. A two-word expression meaning something that people cannot agree on and which stops them from continuing with a discussion. (para 4) 6. A two-word phrasal verb meaning to behave in an unfair way towards someone or something. (para 5) 7. An adjective meaning brave and determined, especially when success is unlikely. (para 7) 8. A two-word expression meaning people will believe the bad things said about someone. (para 7)

5 Prepositions Complete the phrases using prepositions. 1. tolerant _______

5. regardless _______

2. typical _______

6. opposed _______

3. embroiled _______

7. forgiving _______

4. stuffed _______

8. access _______

6 Word building Complete the sentences using an appropriate form of the word in brackets at the end of each sentence. 1. If you make ____________, you make formal complaints to a court or another official organization. [REPRESENT] 2. No-one is sure what will happen in the case of books whose ____________ is not clear. [OWN] 3. One expert believes the public is less tolerant of ____________ and less forgiving of mistakes. [AMBIGUOUS] 4. Academics are well-known for their ____________. [PRECISE] 5. A number of individuals and organizations are united in their ____________ to the proposals. [OPPOSE] 6. There are a large number of different groups and individuals in the ____________. [ALLY]

6 Discussion

H


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If all books are digitized and placed on the Internet, what benefits should the authors receive? Who should profit from works by authors who cannot be traced?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. arcane 2. untraceable 3. opt out 4. rabble-rouser 5. rift 6. hotchpotch 7. monolith 8. ramifications 9. bedfellow 10. digitize

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

2 True or false?

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

of of in with of to of to


6 Word building

1. 2. 3. 4.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

b b a c

representations ownership ambiguity precision opposition alliance

O H •P

CA


T



T F F F T T

5 Prepositions

N

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

bookish embroiled understatement spring from sticking point trample over plucky mud sticks


Elementary

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. digitize

opt out

untraceable

bizarre

rival

jargon

diverse

exclusive

innovation

alliance

1. If something is described as ________________, it is strange and difficult to explain. 2. ________________ is specific words and phrases that are only understood by people who do the same kind of work. 3. If you ________________ of a scheme or an agreement, you decide not to take part in it. 4. An ________________ is an agreement between two or more people or groups by which they agree to work together to achieve something. 5. If an agreement is ________________, it is limited to a particular person, group or company and not shared with others. 6. If you ________________ material, you change it into electronic signals. 7. ________________ is the invention of new ideas, methods, equipment and so on. 8. If a person is ________________, it is impossible to find any record of them and to know where they are. 9. A company’s business ________________ is a company that competes with them. 10. If things or people are ________________, they are very different from each other.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. Who does Peter Brantley work for? 2. What is the Open Book Alliance fighting against? 3. How much is Google paying for the rights to digitize and sell every book in America? 4. Which three of Google’s main rivals are mentioned in the text? 5. Where is the federal court that will rule on Google’s proposals?

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Open Book Alliance / Elementary

CA



6. What is Six Apart?

Open Book Alliance Elementary


2 Brantley is a leading figure in the Open Book Alliance, a group of corporations and organizations which is fighting against Google’s $125m (£76m) deal to gain the rights to digitize and sell every book in America. So far, the group has attracted a strange mixture of people and companies – not only Google rivals such as Microsoft, Amazon and Yahoo, but also librarians and writers – united only in their opposition to the proposal. “We see this as an organization that’s really quite diverse,” he says. “There are writers’ groups now, there are library associations, there will be some publishing associations in this group, as well as those large companies – each of which has very different and very specific interests of their own.” 3 The proposal in question is an agreement between Google and American publishers’ and authors’ groups: a deal announced late last year based on the Internet giant’s project to digitize millions of books around the world. Under the terms of the agreement, Google will pay $125m for what critics say is an exclusive contract that will cover the entire book industry – despite the fact that millions of authors will never get the chance to opt out. 4 Brantley describes the case as “incredibly complex”, and he is right. The exact details are full of jargon and sometimes difficult to understand, but the major sticking point is straightforward - whether anyone has the right to decide what will happen to books whose

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Open Book Alliance / Elementary

5

It is as if there was a version of iTunes that allowed Apple not only to sell recordings from the labels it agreed a deal with but also every recording ever made, whether or not the publisher was still in business or the songwriter still alive. Brantley says that this is against the rights of millions of authors who are untraceable at the moment and also that it could possibly prevent innovation.

6

Brantley says that the alliance is not against the idea of digitizing books – just this way of doing it. After all, when Google first started its book search project – which simply created a search engine that linked to books (rather than showing the books themselves) – many of the same people who oppose the new deal thought it was a good idea. “This was something that many of us at universities and at the Internet Archive generally supported: we think that digitizing analogue material and making it available for search is important for gaining access to information that would otherwise be locked up,” says Brantley. “But this agreement is a very different thing from the application Google originally created.”

7

In many ways, Google’s actual intentions are less important than the way it presents itself. Some people believe that Google is quickly becoming the new Microsoft. Anil Dash, of the blogging company Six Apart, recently said that he thought Google was having its “Microsoft moment”: a big difference between the way the public sees the company (as another huge company) and the way the company sees itself (as a brave little start-up company). “People will start believing that Google is just another technological giant like Microsoft and will not be willing to accept any mistakes the company makes.”

O

1 Peter Brantley doesn’t look like a revolutionary. He is bookish and quiet and chooses his words carefully. But Brantley – who works for the non-profit Internet Archive – is now involved in a bizarre battle against the Internet’s most powerful company.

•P H



ownership is not clear. Under the agreement (the proposals are currently being examined by a federal court in Manhattan), Google would have the right to profit from any book whose owner does not opt out, regardless of whether they know about the agreement.

CA

Level 1


Elementary

Next week the Manhattan court will finish listening to complaints from interested parties, while the European Commission will examine the potential effects on its member states. Brantley, meanwhile, hopes that the deal can be changed in some way to represent the interests of the people who created the books – and to better reflect the reason for digitizing books in the first place.

9 “I think that the principle of opening up the discovery of information motivated Google, and has motivated many of us as we make digital information available online,” he says. “Although I cannot speak for their motivations, I think where they are now is a very different place from where they started.” © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published on www.guardian.co.uk, 26/08/09

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. The Open Book Alliance opposes the agreement because … 2. Google will have the right … 3. The Open Book Alliance is not against … 4. Some people believe that … 5. A court in Manhattan … 6. Peter Brantley hopes ...

a. … the agreement can be changed in some way to represent the interests of the people who wrote the books. b. … the idea of digitizing books. c. … is examining the proposals at the moment. d. … to profit from any book whose owner does not opt out of the agreement. e. … Google is becoming the new Microsoft. f. … it is against the rights of millions of authors and could prevent innovation.

4 Chunks Rearrange the words to make phrases from the text. 1. Internet’s most the company powerful 2. terms the agreement the under of 3. opposition their proposals in united the to 4. book the industry entire 5. ever every made recording

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6. start-up little a company brave


Elementary

5 Complete the phrases Complete the phrases from the text using these words.

to in

of

1. full _______ jargon 2. access _______ information 3. _______ the first place 4. involved _______ a battle 5. linked _______ books 6. a way _______ doing something

6 Word building Complete the table with words from the article. verb

noun

mix oppose propose agree record

H


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apply


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words

4 Chunks

1. bizarre 2. jargon 3. opt out 4. alliance 5. exclusive 6. digitize 7. innovation 8. untraceable 9. rival 10. diverse

1. the Internet’s most powerful company 2. under the terms of the agreement 3. united in their opposition to the proposals 4. the entire book industry 5. every recording ever made 6. a brave little start-up company

Internet Archive Google’s deal to gain the rights to digitize and sell every book in America $125 million (£76 million) Microsoft, Amazon and Yahoo Manhattan a blogging company


f d b e c a

of to in in to of

6 Word building 1. mixture 2. opposition 3. proposal 4. agreement 5. recording 6. application

O H •P

CA


T



1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

N


5 Complete the phrases


Intermediate

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. opt out

untraceable

digitize

rabble-rouser

bizarre

rival

jargon

hamper

ambiguous

tolerant

1. If you _________________ material, you change it into electronic signals. 2. A _________________ person is someone who is willing to accept other people’s beliefs, way of life, etc., without criticizing them, even if they disagree with them. 3. A company’s business _________________ is a company that competes with them. 4. _________________ is specific words and phrases that are only understood by people who do the same kind of work. 5. If something is _________________, it is not clear or can be understood in more than one way. 6. A _________________ is someone who speaks to a group of people and encourages them to behave in a violent way. 7. If you _________________ of a scheme or an agreement, you decide not to take part in it. 8. If something is described as _________________, it is strange and difficult to explain. 9. If a person is _________________, it is impossible to find any record of them and to know where they are. 10. To _________________ means to prevent something from happening or progressing normally.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. Who does Peter Brantley work for? 2. How much is Google paying for the rights to digitize and sell every book in America? 3. Which three of Google’s main rivals are mentioned in the text? 4. Where is the federal court that will rule on Google’s proposals? 5. What is Six Apart?

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Open Book Alliance / Intermediate

CA



6. What is the Open Book Alliance?

Open Book Alliance Intermediate


2 Brantley is a key figure in the Open Book Alliance, a group of corporations and organizations that is opposing Google’s $125m (£76m) deal to gain the rights to digitize and sell every book in America. So far, the group has brought together a strange mixture of people and companies – not only Google rivals such as Microsoft, Amazon and Yahoo, but also librarians and writers – united only in their opposition to the proposal. “We see this as an organization that’s really quite diverse in its composition,” he says. “There are writers’ groups now, there are library associations, there will be some publishing associations in this group, as well as those large companies – each of which, by the way, has very different and very specific interests of their own.” 3 The proposal in question is an agreement between Google and American publishers’ and authors’ groups: a deal announced late last year based on the Internet giant’s project to digitize millions of books around the world. Under the terms of the agreement, Google will pay $125m for what critics say is an exclusive, industrywide contract – despite the fact that millions of authors will never get the chance to opt out. 4 Brantley describes the case as “incredibly complex”, and he is right. The precise details are full of jargon and sometimes difficult to understand, but the major sticking point is

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Open Book Alliance / Intermediate

5

It is as if there was a version of iTunes that allowed Apple not only to sell recordings from the labels it agreed a deal with, but also every recording ever made, whether or not the publisher was still in business or the songwriter still alive. Brantley says that this goes against the rights of millions of untraceable authors and could potentially hamper innovation.

6

He is also keen to point out that the alliance is not opposed to the idea of digitizing books – just this way of doing it. After all, when Google first started its book search project – which simply created a search engine that linked to books (rather than showing the books themselves) – it was received positively by many of the same people who oppose the new deal. “This was something that many of us at universities and at the Internet Archive generally supported: we think that digitizing analogue material and making it available for search is an important ability for gaining access to information that would otherwise be locked up,” says Brantley. “But this agreement is a very different thing from the application Google originally created.”

7

In many ways, Google’s actual intentions are less important than the way it presents itself. The idea that Google is quickly becoming the new Microsoft may not be completely accurate but mud sticks. Anil Dash, of the blogging company Six Apart, recently said that he thought Google was experiencing its “Microsoft moment”: a big difference between the way the public sees the company (as another huge company) and the way the company sees itself (as a brave little start-up company). “The impression that Google is just another technological giant like Microsoft will grow, making the people who listen

O

1 Peter Brantley doesn’t look like a revolutionary. He is bookish, quiet and composed and chooses his words carefully – not really typical of a rabble-rouser. And yet that is the position that Brantley – who works for the non-profit Internet Archive – has found himself in recently, as he becomes involved in a bizarre battle against the Internet’s most powerful company.

•P H



straightforward: whether anyone has the right to decide what will happen to books whose ownership is not clear. Under the scheme as it stands – proposals currently being examined by a federal court in Manhattan – Google would be given the right to profit from any book whose owner does not opt out, regardless of whether they know about the agreement.

CA

Level 2


Intermediate

to Google’s messages less tolerant when those messages are ambiguous and less willing to forgive mistakes.” 8 Next week the Manhattan court will finish listening to complaints from interested parties, while the European Commission is also to look into the potential effects on its member states. Brantley, meanwhile, hopes that the deal can be changed in some way to represent the interests of the people who created the books – and to better reflect the reason for digitizing books in the first place.

9 “I think that the principle of opening up the discovery of information motivated Google, and has motivated many of us as we make digital information available online,” he says. “Although I cannot speak for their motivations, I think where they are now is a very different place from where they started.” He is referring to a single, complicated case. But it’s a statement that could also apply to the whole of Google. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published on www.guardian.co.uk, 26/08/09

3 Comprehension check Are these statements true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. Google is the Internet’s most powerful company. 2. Only Google’s rivals, Microsoft, Amazon and Yahoo, are opposed to its proposals. 3. All the companies, associations and individuals in the Open Book Alliance share the same interests. 4. Google will have the right to profit from books whose authors opt out of the scheme. 5. Apple has the right to sell recordings of every recording ever made. 6. The Open Book Alliance is not against the idea of digitizing books.

4 Find the word

Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. An adjective meaning more interested in reading books than in taking part in physical activities such as sports. (para 1) 2. An adjective meaning limited to a particular person, group or company and not shared with others. (para 3) 3. A two-word expression meaning something that people cannot agree on and which stops them from continuing with a discussion. (para 4) 4. An adjective meaning not complicated or difficult to understand. (para 4) 5. A two-word adverbial phrase meaning without being affected by anything else that happens or exists. (para 4) 6. A two-word phrasal verb meaning to tell someone something. (para 6) 7. A two-word compound noun meaning a computer program used for looking for information on the Internet. (para 6)

O •P H


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8. A two-word expression meaning people will believe the bad things said about someone. (para 7)


Intermediate

5 Verb + noun collocations Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns and noun phrases in the right-hand column to make phrases from the text. 1. oppose

a. the rights to something

2. opt out of

b. innovation

3. gain

c. a proposal

4. represent

d. a project

5. hamper

e. people’s interests

6. start

f.

an agreement

6 Word building Complete the table with words from the article. verb

noun

oppose propose agree compose own apply intend discovery

6 Discussion

H


•P



Would you like to see all books available in digital form on the Internet? Why? Why not?


Intermediate

KEY


Internet Archive $125 million (£76 million) Microsoft, Amazon and Yahoo Manhattan a blogging company a group of corporations and organizations opposed to Google’s proposals


T F F F F T

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

bookish exclusive sticking point straightforward regardless of point out search engine mud sticks

5 Verb + noun collocations 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

c f a e b d

6 Word building 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

opposition proposal agreement composition ownership application intention discovery

O H •P

CA


T



1. digitize 2. tolerant 3. rival 4. jargon 5. ambiguous 6. rabble-rouser 7. opt out 8. bizarre 9. untraceable 10. hamper

4 Find the word

N

1 Key words

Bankruptcy threat brings new concept to Caymans … taxes Level 3 1

Advanced

Warmer

Do this quiz and then check your answers by skim-reading the article. 1. Where are the Cayman Islands? 2. What field of business provides their main source of income? 3. Which country’s government is responsible for the Cayman Islands? 4. What kind of natural disaster poses a constant threat to the islands?

2

Key words

Find key words from the article to complete the definitions below. The paragraph numbers have been given to help you. 1. to touch someone or something gently in a pleasant way ______________________ (para 1) 2. to gather together in a large group ______________________ (para 1) 3. a financial organization that invests money that has a high risk of being lost but which may make a very large profit ______________________ (para 2) 4. a situation a person or business is in once they have officially admitted that they have no money and cannot pay what they owe ______________________ (para 2) 5. to help a person or organization that is having problems, especially financial problems (2 words ______________________ (para 3) 6. people who work for a government department ______________________ (para 4) 7. people or companies whose job is to provide goods or to do work for another person, organization, company, etc. at a particular price ______________________ (para 4) 8. a small earthquake; or a sudden feeling of fear ______________________ (para 5) 9. the total amount of money paid by a company to the people it employs ______________________ (para 6) 10. a country or area in which a particular legal system operates ______________________ (para 7) 11. a large light brick made from cement and cinders that is used in building ______________________ (para 9) 12. the set of systems within a place or organization that affect how well it operates, for example the telephone and transport systems in a country ______________________ (para 10) 13. the difference between the amount of money or goods that a country or business has and the amount that it has spent or that it owes ______________________ (para 11) 14. capable of continuing for a long time at the same level ______________________ (para 13) 15. an amount of money that you owe ______________________ (para 15)

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Bankruptcy threat brings new concept to Caymans … taxes / Advanced

CA



Bankruptcy threat brings new concept to Caymans … taxes Advanced including the financial services industry.” 7

The wealth in the Caymans is staggering. Its hedge funds alone looks after $2.3tn (£1.4tn), according to figures last year, and its GDP (Gross Domestic Product) places it as the world’s twelfth-richest jurisdiction, despite a population of only 51,900.

8

It made the Caymans a high-profile target as the global financial storm clouds broke. The Caymans were singled out by Barack Obama last year in his presidential campaign. It was also placed on a “grey list” of harmful tax jurisdictions by the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) last April.

9

Chris Johnson, a British accountant who has lived there since 1968, is worried about his future for the first time in decades. “I would say I am pessimistic now. The island is in terrible trouble financially,” he said.

Trouble in paradise: the popular tax haven in the Caribbean has suffered after the collapse of the world’s financial system.

1 The white sands of Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman have long caressed the toes of the world’s wealthiest financiers, who flock here to avoid the taxman’s prying eyes.

3 But the situation is about to get worse after the British government, which has ultimate responsibility for the islands, last week refused to bail out the Caribbean idyll. It is not convinced the country will have the money to pay it back. 4 At the same time, hundreds of civil servants found that pension contributions and health insurance payments were missing from their pay slips. Contractors and government suppliers also had bills unpaid. 5 The leader of government business, William McKeeva Bush, begged the British government to borrow $310m (£190m) from banks. In a strongly worded response, Chris Bryant, a junior Foreign Office minister, has demanded the Caymans cut its borrowing and debt. And in a shockwave that will send tremors through the island’s financial elite, Bryant even suggested that the tax haven introduce taxes. 6 “I fear you will have no choice but to consider new taxes – perhaps payroll and property taxes,” Bryant wrote to Bush. “I understand, of course, that in so doing you will want to consider carefully the implications for Caymans’ economy,

10 The Cayman Islands, like most Caribbean island nations, is deeply divided socially and economically. On the one hand there are the ultra-wealthy – Microsoft’s Paul Allen and golf champion Tiger Woods both moor their yachts there. On the other there are the native Caymanians, many of whom live in simple single-storey breeze block homes typical of the islands, with chickens and goats running about on scrub-like surrounding land. They are poor people who largely exist on the island to serve the wealthy in the hotels, private clubs and staffed households. 11 Cayman islanders say the previous government spent a huge amount of money upgrading the island’s ancient infrastructure, betting it would be able to pay back a budget deficit of $67.5m as its financial sector continued to grow. But the global financial crisis has created a huge black hole in its budget. 12 The government charges financial institutions a licence fee based on employee numbers. But as banks and hedge funds shrink, income has declined. More seriously, US tourists cannot afford to visit. To fix the hole, taxes on personal income, financial transactions and tourism

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Bankruptcy threat brings new concept to Caymans … taxes / Advanced

O

2 But the world’s biggest hedge-fund venue and fifth-biggest bank centre is now threatened, as the government of the Cayman Islands heads for bankruptcy — unable to pay its own staff and facing the prospect of introducing taxes as income from the world’s shrunken financial system collapses.


Nick Mathiason and James Doran 1 September, 2009

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Bankruptcy threat brings new concept to the Cayman Islands … taxes

CA

Level 3

Bankruptcy threat brings new concept to Caymans … taxes Level 3

Advanced

are being discussed. Most likely will be the introduction of a property tax. 13 Richard Murphy, of the campaign group Tax Justice Network, said: “Cayman is proving that tax havens are not sustainable: their business model is bankrupt and that free-riding the tax system can’t pay.” 14 One hedge-fund insider who lived in the Caymans said: “The heavy spending was wellintentioned because Caymans’ infrastructure – schools, public health services, social services – are quite poor, given the assumed wealth of

Grand Cayman. The devastating hurricane Ivan in 2004 didn’t help. 15 The problem was, the debt created to finance the capital expenditures was only affordable if the island’s economy continued to grow rapidly. It was said many times that a US recession could lead to big problems.” And so it has been proved. The British government will hope that the islands’ problems do not wash up on its shores. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 01/09/09

3 Comprehension check Choose the correct answer according to the information in the article. 1. Rich bankers and financiers go to the Cayman Islands to ...

4. The financiers are shocked because a British government officer has suggested ...

a. ... moor their yachts.

a. ... that the islands file for bankruptcy.

b. ... avoid paying taxes.

b. ... that civil servants and contractors should not be paid. c. ... that the islands introduce taxes.

2. The islands are the world’s ...

5. The Cayman Islands are ...

a. ... biggest hedge fund centre.

a. ... poor.

b. ... fifth-biggest hedge fund centre

b. ... being supported by the US economy.

c. ... biggest bank centre.

c. ... the world’s twelfth-richest jurisdiction.

3. The British government ...

6. The native people of the islands ...

a. ... has said it will bail out the islands.

a. ... have a share in the island’s wealth.

b. ... does not want to put a lot of money into the current system.

b. ... mostly work in hotels or as servants.


O



c. ... have no schools or health services.

•P H

c. ... wants to sell the islands.

CA

c. ... avoid the winter weather in New York and London.


Advanced

4 Language

H


•P



The article contains many financial terms. Look back through the article and underline as many as you can. Then try to divide them into categories such as: negative financial terms, jobs and positions in the financial sector, types of payments, other words relating to finance, etc. Some may fit in more than one category.


Advanced

5 Discussion Now that you have read the article a few times, what mental picture do you have of the Cayman Islands?

6 Webquest

H


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The Cayman Islands are not the only tax haven in the world. Can you name some of the others? Are they having similar problems to those that the Cayman Islands are experiencing? Do some research on one of them and report back to your group.


Advanced

KEY 1 Warmer

6 Webquest

1. 2. 3. 4.

Other tax havens include Andorra, Luxembourg, the Isle of Man, Monaco, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates.

in the Caribbean finance and banking Britain’s hurricanes

2 Key words 1. caress 2. flock 3. hedge fund 4. bankruptcy 5. bail out 6. civil servants 7. contractors 8. tremor 9. payroll 10. jurisdiction 11. breeze block 12. infrastructure 13. deficit 14. sustainable 15. debt

Teacher’s notes You can listen to a short minute audio report by Nick Mathiason about the article at http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/audio/2009/sep/02/ cayman-islands-bankrupt-tax It is possible to download the file in MP3 format and play it in class.


b a b c c b

4. Language

O •P H


CA



This task could be done as pair work. After the words have been divided into categories the students could compare their answers with other pairs and say why they have categorized the words in the way they have.


Elementary

Warmer

Do this multiple choice quiz and then check your answers by skim-reading the article. 1. Where are the Cayman Islands?

a. near Spain

b. off the coast of India

c. in the Caribbean

2. What type of business provides their main source of income?

a. oil b. finance and banking c. illegal drug trade

3. Which country’s government is responsible for the Cayman Islands?

a. the USA

2

b. Spain

c. Britain

Key words

Find key words from the article to compare the definitions below. The paragraph numbers have been given to help you. hedge fund

responsible

bankruptcy

avoid

pension

1. to try not to go near someone or something __________________________ (para 1) 2. a financial organization that invests money that has a high risk of being lost but which may make a very large profit __________________________ (para 2) 3. a situation a person or business is in once they have officially admitted that they have no money and cannot pay what they owe __________________________ (para 2) 4. to be in charge of someone or something __________________________ (para 3) 5. money that someone regularly receives after they have stopped working because of their age, paid either by their company or by the government __________________________ (para 4) debt

suppliers

tax haven

contractors

borrowing

6. people or companies whose job is to provide goods or to do work for another person, organization, company, etc. at a particular price __________________________ (para 4) 7. companies that provide or sell a product or service __________________________ (para 4) 8. money you get from somewhere else and promise to give back __________________________ (para 5) 9. the amount of money that you owe __________________________ (para 5)

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NEWS LESSONS / Bankruptcy threat brings new concept to Caymans … taxes / Elementary

CA



10. a place where people go to live, or where they keep their money, so that they do not have to pay higher taxes in their home country __________________________ (para 5)


Elementary

property

divided

income

jurisdiction

payroll

11. the total amount of money paid by a company to the people it employs __________________________ (para 6) 12. a country or area in which a particular legal system operates __________________________ (para 7) 13. meaning that there are major differences in how the people live __________________________ (para 9) 14. money that someone gets from working or from investing money __________________________ (para 10)

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CA

15. things, especially valuable things such as houses and hotels, that are owned by someone __________________________ (para 10)


Elementary

Bankruptcy threat brings new concept to the Cayman Islands … taxes Trouble in paradise: the popular tax haven in the Caribbean has suffered after the collapse of the world’s financial system Nick Mathiason and James Doran 1 September, 2009 1 For many years, the world’s wealthiest financiers have been coming to the white sands of Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman to avoid paying taxes. 2 But the world’s biggest hedge fund venue and fifth-biggest bank centre now has a problem, as the government of the Cayman Islands heads for bankruptcy. It is unable to pay its own staff and may have to introduce taxes. 3 The British government, which is responsible for the islands, last week said it would not give financial help to the Caribbean islands. It does not believe the country will have the money to pay it back. 4 Hundreds of people working for the Cayman Islands government found that their pension contributions and health insurance payments had not been paid. Contractors and government suppliers have also not been paid.

world’s twelfth-richest jurisdiction, even though it only has a population of 51,900. 8

Chris Johnson, a British accountant who has lived in the Caymans since 1968, is worried about his future for the first time in decades. “I would say I am pessimistic now. The island is in terrible trouble financially,” he said.

9

The Cayman Islands, like most Caribbean island nations, is deeply divided socially and economically. On the one hand, there are the ultra-wealthy – Microsoft’s Paul Allen and golf champion Tiger Woods both moor their yachts there. On the other hand, there are the native Caymanians, many of whom live in simple homes with chickens and goats running about. They are poor people who mostly work for the rich people in hotels, private clubs and households.

10 But, at the moment, US tourists cannot afford to visit. To get some money, taxes on personal income, financial business and tourism are being talked about, and the Cayman Islands government will most likely introduce a property tax. Cayman is proving that tax havens are no longer a good business model. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 01/09/09

5 The leader of government business, William McKeeva Bush, asked the British government to borrow $310m (£190m) from banks. Chris Bryant, a junior Foreign Office minister in the British government, has said that the Caymans must cut its borrowing and debt. Bryant even suggested that the tax haven introduce taxes. 6 “I fear you will have no choice but to consider new taxes – perhaps payroll and property taxes,” Bryant wrote to William McKeeva Bush.

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7 The wealth in the Caymans is enormous. Its hedge funds look after $2.3tn (£1.4tn), and its GDP (Gross Domestic Product) places it as the


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. Rich bankers and financiers go to …

… business models for the future.

2. The islands are the world’s biggest …

… work in hotels or as servants.

3. The British government does not want to …

… hedge fund centre.

4. The wealthy financiers are shocked …

… had their pension and health insurance contributions paid.

5. Government workers on the island have not … 6. The Cayman Islands are the world’s …

7. The native people of the islands are poor and mostly …

8. Tax havens are not good …

… the Cayman Islands to avoid paying taxes. … give a lot of money to the islands. … fifth-richest jurisdiction. … because a British government officer has suggested that the islands introduce taxes.

4 Language Write these words or phrases onto the correct word wheels. Write four sentences of your own containing one word or phrase from one of the word wheels. financier

property

tourism

leader of government business

accountant

contractor

business

supplier

payroll

income

Foreign Office minister

golf champion

jobs

taxes

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________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________


Elementary

5 Discussion Now that you have read the article, describe the picture you have in your head of the Cayman Islands – what do they look like, what’s the weather like, who lives there, who works there, etc?

6 Webquest

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The Cayman Islands are not the only tax haven in the world. How many others can you find? Where are they?


Elementary

KEY 1 Warmer 1. c 2. b 3. c

2 Key words 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

avoid hedge fund bankruptcy responsible pension

6. contractors 7. suppliers 8. borrowing 9. debt 10. tax haven 11. payroll 12. jurisdiction 13. divided 14. income 15. property


7. 8.

The native people of the islands are poor and mostly work in hotels or as servants. Tax havens are not good business models for the future.

4 Language jobs: financier, contractor, supplier, leader of government business, Foreign Office minister, accountant, golf champion taxes: property, income, tourism, business, payroll

6 Webquest Other tax havens include Andorra, Luxembourg, the Isle of Man, Monaco, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates.


Rich bankers and financiers go to the Cayman Islands to avoid paying taxes. The islands are the world’s biggest hedge fund centre. The British government does not want to give a lot of money to the islands. The wealthy financiers are shocked because a British government officer has suggested that the islands introduce taxes. Government workers on the island have not had their pension and health insurance contributions paid. 6. The Cayman Islands are the world’s fifth richest jurisdiction.

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5.


Intermediate

Warmer

Do this quiz and then check your answers by skim-reading the article. 1. Where are the Cayman Islands? 2. What type of business provides their main source of income? 3. Which country’s government is responsible for the Cayman Islands?

2

Key words

Use the key words from the article to complete the definitions or fill the gaps in the sentences below. The paragraph numbers have been given to help you. breeze block

bankruptcy

implications

tax haven hedge fund

payroll transactions contractors

ultimate

jurisdiction

civil servants prospect

tremor elite

sustainable

1. a financial organization that invests money that has a high risk of being lost but which may make a very large profit _____________________________ (para 2) 2. a situation a person or business is in once they have officially admitted that they have no money and cannot pay what they owe _____________________________ (para 2) 3. something that you expect or know is going to happen in the future _____________________________ (para 2) 4. If you have _____________________________ power or responsibility, you have more power or responsibility than anyone else. (para 3) 5. people who work for a government department _____________________________ (para 4) 6. people or companies whose job is to provide goods or to do work for another person, organization, company, etc. at a particular price _____________________________ (para 4) 7. a small earthquake; or a sudden feeling of fear _____________________________ (para 5) 8. a small group of people who have a lot of advantages and keep the most power and influence _____________________________ (para 5) 9. a place where people go to live, or where they keep their money, so that they do not have to pay higher taxes in their home country _____________________________ (para 5) 10. the total amount of money paid by a company to the people it employs _____________________________ (para 6) 11. possible effects or results _____________________________ (para 6) 12. a country or area in which a particular legal system operates _____________________________ (para 7) 13. a large light brick made from cement and cinders that is used in building _____________________________ (para 9) 14. activities related to business _____________________________ (para 10)

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NEWS LESSONS / Bankruptcy threat brings new concept to Caymans … taxes / Intermediate

CA



15. capable of continuing for a long time at the same level _____________________________ (para 11)

Bankruptcy threat brings new concept to Caymans … taxes Intermediate

Bankruptcy threat brings new concept to the Cayman Islands … taxes 7

The wealth in the Caymans is staggering. Its hedge funds alone look after $2.3tn (£1.4tn), according to figures last year, and its GDP (Gross Domestic Product) places it as the world’s twelfth-richest jurisdiction, despite a population of only 51,900.

8

The Caymans were singled out by Barack Obama last year in his presidential campaign. It was also placed on a “grey list” of harmful tax jurisdictions by the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) last April. Chris Johnson, a British accountant who has lived there since 1968, is worried about his future for the first time in decades. “I would say I am pessimistic now. The island is in terrible trouble financially,” he said.

9

The Cayman Islands, like most Caribbean island nations, is deeply divided socially and economically. On the one hand there are the ultra-wealthy – Microsoft’s Paul Allen and golf champion Tiger Woods both moor their yachts there. On the other there are the native Caymanians, many of whom live in simple single-storey breeze block homes typical of the islands, with chickens and goats running about. They are poor people who largely exist on the island to serve the wealthy in the hotels, private clubs and staffed households.

Nick Mathiason and James Doran 1 September, 2009

3 But the situation is about to get worse after the British government, which has ultimate responsibility for the islands, last week refused to give financial help to the Caribbean islands. It is not convinced the country will have the money to pay it back. 4 At the same time, hundreds of civil servants found that their pension contributions and health insurance payments had not been paid. Contractors and government suppliers also had bills unpaid. 5 The leader of government business, William McKeeva Bush, begged the British government to borrow $310m (£190m) from banks. In a strongly worded response, Chris Bryant, a junior Foreign Office minister, has demanded that the Caymans cut its borrowing and debt. And in a shockwave that will send tremors through the island’s financial elite, Bryant even suggested that the tax haven introduce taxes. 6 “I fear you will have no choice but to consider new taxes – perhaps payroll and property taxes,” Bryant wrote to William McKeeva Bush. “I understand, of course, that you will want to

10 The government charges financial institutions a licence fee based on employee numbers. But as banks and hedge funds shrink, income has declined. More seriously, US tourists cannot afford to visit. To fix the hole, taxes on personal income, financial transactions and tourism are being discussed. Most likely will be the introduction of a property tax. 11 Richard Murphy, of the campaign group Tax Justice Network, said: “Cayman is proving that tax havens are not sustainable and that freeriding the tax system can’t pay.” © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 01/09/09

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Bankruptcy threat brings new concept to Caymans … taxes / Intermediate

O

2 But the world’s biggest hedge-fund venue and fifth-biggest bank centre is now threatened, as the government of the Cayman Islands heads for bankruptcy – unable to pay its own staff and facing the prospect of introducing taxes as income from the world’s financial system falls dramatically.


1 The white sands of Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman have long warmed the toes of the world’s wealthiest financiers, who come here to avoid the taxman.

•P H

Trouble in paradise: the popular tax haven in the Caribbean has suffered after the collapse of the world’s financial system

consider carefully the implications for Caymans’ economy, including the financial services industry.”

CA

Level 2


Intermediate

3 Comprehension check Are these sentences true (T) or false (F) according to the information in the article? Correct any sentences that are false. 1. Rich bankers and financiers go to the Cayman Islands to avoid the winter weather in New York and London. 2. The islands are the world’s biggest hedge fund centre. 3. The British government has said it will bail out the islands. 4. The wealthy financiers are shocked because a British government officer has suggested that the islands introduce taxes. 5. Government workers on the island have not had their property tax paid. 6. The Cayman Islands are the world’s richest jurisdiction. 7. The native people of the islands mostly work in hotels or as servants. 8. Tax havens provide a good business model for the future.

4 Language a. Underline all the jobs and positions mentioned in the article.

How many of these are in the financial sector?

Add more financial jobs and positions to your list (ones that aren’t mentioned in the article).

b. What kind of taxes are mentioned in the article?

How many other kinds of taxes can you think of?

5 Discussion Now that you have read the article, describe the picture you have in your head of the Cayman Islands – what do they look like, what’s the weather like, who lives there, who works there, etc?

6 Webquest

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CA



The Cayman Islands are not the only tax haven in the world. Can you name any others? Are they having similar problems to those that the Cayman Islands are experiencing? Do some research on one of them and report back to your group.


Intermediate

KEY 1 Warmer

4 Language

1. in the Caribbean 2. finance and banking 3. Britain’s

a. financiers, ‘the taxman’, civil servant, contractors and suppliers, leader of government business, Foreign Office minister, accountant, golf champion


b. property and payroll taxes, taxes on personal income, financial transactions and tourism

1. hedge fund 2. bankruptcy 3. prospect 4. ultimate 5. civil servants 6. contractors 7. tremors 8. elite 9. tax haven 10. payroll 11. implications 12. jurisdiction 13. breeze block 14. transactions 15. sustainable

6 Webquest Other tax havens include Andorra, Luxembourg, the Isle of Man, Monaco, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates.



O H •P

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T



F T F T F F T F

N

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Pakistan’s youth put their faith in rock’n’roll Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. wannabe

gig

thrive

hone

insurgent

well-to-do

renounce

turmoil

piracy strum

1. A _________________ person is rich and belongs to an upper-class family. 2. If you _________________ a guitar, you move your fingers quickly across its strings. 3. An _________________ is someone who belongs to a group of people fighting to take control of their country by force. 4. A _________________ is a public performance, especially of jazz or popular music. 5. If you _________________ something, you state formally that you no longer believe in it or support it. 6. If you _________________ a skill that you already have, you improve it even further. 7. A _________________ is someone who wants to be famous or successful. 8. _________________ is a state of excitement or uncontrolled activity. 9. If something _________________, it becomes very successful. 10. _________________ is the crime of making illegal copies of DVDs or CDs.

2


Read the text quickly and find the answers to these questions. 1. How many people came to the new band’s first gig? 2. How many came to their second gig? 3. How many students have signed up for the Guitar School? 4. Where did the band Bumbu Sauce find their name? 5. When did satellite television arrive in Pakistan?

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NEWS LESSONS / Pakistan’s youth put their faith in rock’n’roll / Advanced

CA



6. What will the capacity of the Rock Musicarium be?

Pakistan’s youth put their faith in rock’n’roll Advanced

Never mind the Taliban – Pakistan’s youth put their faith in rock’n’roll

1 Wannabe rock stars don’t have it easy in Pakistan. Last month a new band, Poor Rich Boy, took to the stage of a cramped Islamabad café for their breakthrough gig. On the first night, one person turned up. “It was the night of the world cricket finals. Bad timing,” said the group’s guitarist, Zain Ahsan, ruefully. The second gig was better – 30 people came along – but brought its own dark worries. “I asked the owner, ‘What if a bomb goes off?’” said Ahsan. “She said, ‘Don’t worry, I’ll be with you.’”

5

But the country’s internal chaos is also feeding creativity. Pakistanis have a rich musical tradition, mostly rooted in Sufism, but modern musicians have generally avoided political issues. But the new single from co-VEN, which Jafri fronts, is a sharp parody of Pakistan’s controversial alliance with the US. “There’s a lot of foreign pressure on our government to attack people in the tribal areas,” he said.

2 Even in a summer of Taliban violence young Pakistanis are rocking on. An underground music scene is quietly thriving in the country’s major cities, nourished by the Internet and the passion of mostly amateur bands. In Lahore a pair of unemployed rockers have tapped into that enthusiasm with a new school for rock’n’roll. “We weren’t getting a lot of gigs, and we needed to survive,” said co-founder Hamza Jafri. “So we thought we’d try this.”

6

Others have a playful take on the turmoil. The Islamabad band Bumbu Sauce – the name comes from a Pot Noodles packet – recently brought out Jiggernaut, a single that mixes references to kung fu, talking dogs and the Taliban. Guitarist Shehryar Mufti is not worried the insurgents might take the joke badly. “Their argument is with the government, not the people,” he said. “I think rock music is low on their list of priorities.”

3 The Guitar School, as it is known, has been surprisingly successful. Around 40 students have signed up, ranging from surly teenagers in drainpipe jeans to more practised musicians such as Ahsan looking to hone their skills. Classes take place in a small room lined with egg boxes; the school’s teaching style is reflected in its motto: “Play it like you feel it.” Many come from wealthy families that might once have stigmatized music, Jafri said. “People associated it with the red light district and sexual entertainment.” But a popular new television show featuring live performances, Coke Studio, has given rock music an appearance of respectability.

7

Pakistani rock was boosted by the arrival of satellite television in the 1990s. Today the musicians, many self-taught, publicize themselves through networking websites such as Facebook and MySpace, and Pakistan’s growing number of FM radio stations. And despite the security concerns, a fresh concert scene is emerging.

8

On a sultry Saturday night hundreds of young people, mostly dressed in jeans and T-shirts, crowded into a new outdoor auditorium on the edge of Islamabad called the Rock Musicarium. “People are thirsting for music, they want to get out,” said the venue’s founder, Zeejah Fazli. When it opens properly in November, the venue will have a recording studio and capacity for 600

4 On a recent afternoon a woman brought in

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Pakistan’s youth put their faith in rock’n’roll / Advanced

O

Declan Walsh 1 September, 2009

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Country’s internal turmoil is feeding underground music scene and popular guitar school


two reluctant-looking teenage daughters for lessons. “It will do them good to learn,” she said. But making it to the next stage is difficult and sometimes dangerous. For the past six months virtually all public performances in Lahore have stopped since extremist attacks on a performing arts festival and the Sri Lankan cricket team. The Pakistani music industry itself is disorganized and hamstrung by massive piracy.

CA

Level 3

Pakistan’s youth put their faith in rock’n’roll Level 3

Advanced

people, said Fazli, who estimates there are 20 rock bands in Islamabad alone. But, he admitted, the project depends on a six-month lull in attacks on the capital continuing. 9 For some well-to-do Pakistanis, rock music represents the cultural tensions of their life, which is divided between western influences and the conservative direction their society is taking. “On one side kids feel like they are in England; on the other this strict Islamic thing is going on. It’s not good for people’s sanity,” said Jafri.

10 About five years ago Junaid Jamshed, the country’s most famous pop star, renounced music and returned to religion. Now he appears on religious chat shows with a long, curly beard. But most aspiring rock stars say they can live with the difference. In the soundproof room at the Lahore guitar school, 17-year-old Danish Khwaja strummed his guitar, long hair flopping over his forehead. “It’s kinda cool doing stuff you love,” he said. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 01/09/09

3 Comprehension check Choose the correct answers according to the text. 1. Why was Poor Rich Boy’s first gig poorly attended?

a. Because they were relatively unknown.

b. Because the venue was a cramped café.

c. Because it was the same night as the world cricket finals.

2. What is helping the underground music scene to thrive in Pakistan?

a. Wealthy families that used to stigmatize music.

b. The Internet and the passion of amateur bands.

c. The rich musical tradition of Pakistan.

3. Why isn’t Shehryar Mufti worried about the Taliban?

a. Because he believes that their argument is with the government, not with the people.

b. Because their music is simply a parody on the turmoil in Pakistan.

c. Because Pakistan has a rich musical tradition rooted in Sufism.

4. How does rock music represent the cultural tensions in the lives of well-to-do Pakistanis?

a. A new concert scene is developing despite the security concerns.

b. Rock music is an example of western influence and Pakistan is moving in a conservative direction.

c. Some people have renounced music and returned to religion.

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CA




Advanced

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A noun meaning a time when you begin to be successful at something. (para 1)

5. An adjective meaning not willing to do something. (para 4)

2. An adverb meaning in a way that shows you are sorry about something. (para 1)

6. A two-word phrasal verb meaning to want something very much. (para 8)

3. A two-word phrasal verb meaning to use something in order to get benefit from it. (para 2)

7. A noun meaning a quiet period during a very active or violent situation. (para 8)

4.

8. A verb meaning to hang in a loose, heavy and uncontrolled way. (para 10)

A verb meaning to treat a particular type of behaviour as wrong or embarrassing and to try to make people who behave in this way ashamed. (para 3)

5 Adjectives Match the adjectives from the text with their meanings. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

sultry controversial cramped hamstrung massive aspiring surly playful

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h.

prevented from doing what you want to do unfriendly and rude intended to be funny or friendly rather than serious hoping and trying to be successful at something unpleasantly hot and humid small and crowded extremely large in amount or degree causing disagreement or disapproval

6 Word building Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in brackets at the end of each sentence. 1. A new TV show has given Pakistani rock music an air of ________________. [RESPECT] 2. Pakistan’s ________________ with the US is controversial. [ALLY] 3. The Guitar School has been ________________ successful. [SURPRISE] 4. The Pakistani music industry is ________________. [ORGANIZE] 5. The internal chaos in the country is feeding ________________. [CREATE] 6. Some people say the division between western influences and religious conservatism is not good for people’s ________________. [SANE]

7 Discussion

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Can music change society? If so, how? If not, why?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. well-to-do 2. strum 3. insurgent 4. gig 5. renounce 6. hone 7. wannabe 8. Turmoil 9. thrives 10. Piracy

1. breakthrough 2. ruefully 3. tap into 4. stigmatize 5. reluctant 6. thirst for 7. lull 8. flop


1. e 2. h 3. f 4. a 5. g 6. d 7. b 8. c


6 Word building

1. 2. 3. 4.

1. respectability 2. alliance 3. surprisingly 4. disorganized 5. creativity 6. sanity

c b a b

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T



one 30 40 on a Pot Noodles packet in the 1990s 600

N

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

5 Adjectives


Elementary

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. piracy

parody

gig

surly motto insurgent

chaos

underground

disapprove

strum

1. A __________________ is a public performance, especially of jazz or popular music. 2. An __________________ is someone who belongs to a group of people fighting to take control of their country by force. 3. An __________________ activity is one that is secret and usually illegal. 4. A __________________ is a literary or musical work that copies a serious work in a humorous way. 5. If you __________________ of something, you do not like it and are against it. 6. If you __________________ a guitar, you move all your fingers together quickly across the strings. 7. A __________________ person is unfriendly and rude. 8. __________________ is a situation in which everything is confused and in a mess. 9. __________________ is the crime of making illegal copies of DVDs or CDs. 10. A __________________ is a short statement that expresses the principle or aim of a company or an organization.

2


Read the text quickly and find the answers to these questions. 1. How many people came to the new band’s first gig? 2. How many came to their second gig? 3. Where is the Guitar School? 4. When did satellite television arrive in Pakistan? 5. Where is the Rock Musicarium?

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NEWS LESSONS / Pakistan’s youth put their faith in rock’n’roll / Elementary

CA




Pakistan’s youth put their faith in rock’n’roll Elementary


1 Young people who want to be rock stars don’t have an easy time in Pakistan. Last month a new band, Poor Rich Boy, appeared on the stage of a small café in Islamabad for their first gig. On the first night, only one person came to listen. “It was the night of the world cricket finals. Bad timing,” said the group’s guitarist, Zain Ahsan. The second gig was better – 30 people came – but the musicians were still worried. “I asked the café owner, ‘What if a bomb goes off?’” said Ahsan. “She said, ‘Don’t worry, I’ll be with you.’” 2 There has been a lot of Taliban violence this summer but young Pakistanis are continuing to enjoy rock music. An underground music scene is quietly growing in the country’s major cities, helped by the Internet and by the passion of a number of non-professional bands. In Lahore a pair of unemployed rockers have used that enthusiasm to found a new school for rock’n’roll. “We weren’t getting a lot of gigs, and we needed to survive,” said co-founder Hamza Jafri. “So we thought we’d try this.” 3 The Guitar School, as it is known, has been surprisingly successful. Around 40 students have signed up, from surly teenagers in jeans to more practised musicians such as Ahsan who want to improve their skills. Classes take place in a small room lined with egg boxes; the school’s teaching style can be seen in its motto: “Play it like you feel it.” Many come from rich families that might once have disapproved of music, Jafri said. “People associated it with sexual entertainment.” But a popular new television show called Coke Studio, which shows live performances, has helped to make more people accept rock music. 4 On a recent afternoon a woman brought in her two teenage daughters for lessons. “It will do them good to learn,” she said. But becoming a

5

But the country’s internal chaos is also making people creative. Pakistanis have a rich musical tradition but modern musicians have generally avoided political issues. But the new single from Jafri’s band, co-VEN, is a parody of Pakistan’s controversial alliance with the US. “There’s a lot of foreign pressure on our government to attack people in the tribal areas,” he said.

6

Others make fun of the chaos. The Islamabad band Bumbu Sauce recently brought out Jiggernaut, a single that has references to kung fu, talking dogs and the Taliban. Guitarist Shehryar Mufti is not worried the insurgents might not like the joke. “Their argument is with the government, not the people,” he said. “I don’t think rock music is something important to them.”

7

Pakistani rock was helped by the arrival of satellite television in the 1990s. Today the musicians, many self-taught, publicize themselves through networking websites such as Facebook and MySpace, and Pakistan’s growing number of FM radio stations. And despite the security situation, a new concert scene is appearing.

8

On a hot Saturday night hundreds of young people, mostly dressed in jeans and T-shirts, crowded into a new outdoor theatre on the edge of Islamabad called the Rock Musicarium. “People are hungry for music; they want to get out,” said the founder, Zeejah Fazli. When it opens officially in November 2009, the Rock Musicarium will have a recording studio and capacity for 600 people, said Fazli, who believes there are 20 rock bands in Islamabad alone. But, he said, the project depends on the six-month break in terrorist attacks on the capital continuing.

9

For some rich Pakistanis, rock music is an example of the cultural tensions of their life, which is divided between western influences and

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Pakistan’s youth put their faith in rock’n’roll / Elementary

O


•P H



professional musician is difficult and sometimes dangerous. For the past six months almost all public performances in Lahore have stopped since extremist attacks on a performing arts festival and the Sri Lankan cricket team. The Pakistani music industry itself is disorganized and there is a lot of music piracy in Pakistan.

CA

Level 1


Elementary

the conservative direction their society is taking. “On one side kids feel like they are in England; on the other this strict Islamic thing is going on. It’s not good for people’s mental health,” said Jafri. 10 About five years ago Junaid Jamshed, the country’s most famous pop star, gave up music and returned to religion. Now he appears on

religious programmes with a long, curly beard. But most young people who want to become rock stars say they can live with the difference. At the Lahore guitar school, 17-year-old Danish Khwaja strummed his guitar. “It’s kind of cool doing stuff you love,” he said. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 01/09/09

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. A popular new television show …

a. … have stopped almost all public performances in Lahore for the past six months.

2. Becoming a professional musician in Pakistan …

b. … between western influences and the conservative nature of Pakistani society.

3. Extremist attacks …

c. … in spite of the security situation.

4. Pakistani musicians use …

d. ... has helped to make more people accept rock music.

5. A new music scene is appearing …

e. … networking sites like MySpace and Facebook to publicize themselves.

6. For rich Pakistanis, there is a big difference ...

f. … is difficult and sometimes dangerous.

4 Chunks Rearrange the words to make phrases from the text. 1. past for six the months 2. number FM growing stations of radio 3. security the despite situation 4. five ago years about 5. hot night a Saturday on 6. good it to will them learn do

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Elementary

5 Two-word expressions Match the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to make expressions from the text. 1. rock

a. attack

2. teaching

b. performance

3. live

c. studio

4. musical

d. issues

5. political

e. star

6. recording

f.

7. terrorist

g. tradition

8. café

h. style

owner


perform

3.

refer

4.

arrive

5.

argue

6.

found

(person)

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Pakistan’s youth put their faith in rock’n’roll / Elementary

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entertain


1.

noun


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words

4 Chunks

1. gig 2. insurgent 3. underground 4. parody 5. disapprove 6. strum 7. surly 8. Chaos 9. Piracy 10. motto

1. for the past six months 2. growing number of FM radio stations 3. despite the security situation 4. about five years ago 5. on a hot Saturday night 6. it will do them good to learn

one 30 Lahore in the 1990s Islamabad 600


d f a e c b

e h b g d c a f

6 Word building 1. entertainment 2. performance 3. reference 4. arrival 5. argument 6. founder

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

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Intermediate

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. parody

turmoil

insurgent

piracy

hamstrung

gig

wannabe

renounce

breakthrough

auditorium

1. A __________________ is someone who wants to be famous or successful. 2. A __________________ is a public performance, especially of jazz or popular music. 3. If you __________________ something, you state formally that you no longer believe in it or support it. 4. __________________ is a state of excitement or uncontrolled activity. 5. __________________ is the crime of making illegal copies of DVDs or CDs. 6. A __________________ is a time when you begin to be successful at something. 7. An __________________ is the part of a theatre, cinema or concert hall where the audience sits. 8. A __________________ is a literary or musical work that copies a serious work in a humorous way. 9. If you are __________________, you are prevented from doing what you want to do. 10. An __________________ is someone who belongs to a group of people fighting to take control of their country by force.

2


Read the text quickly and find the answers to these questions 1. How many people came to the new band’s first gig? 2. How many came to their second gig? 3. How many students have signed up for the Guitar School? 4. When did satellite television arrive in Pakistan? 5. where do Pakistani musicians publicize themselves?

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NEWS LESSONS / Pakistan’s youth put their faith in rock’n’roll / Intermediate

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Pakistan’s youth put their faith in rock’n’roll Intermediate


1 Wannabe rock stars don’t have an easy time in Pakistan. Last month a new band, Poor Rich Boy, appeared on the stage of a cramped café in Islamabad for their breakthrough gig. On the first night, one person turned up. “It was the night of the world cricket finals. Bad timing,” said the group’s guitarist, Zain Ahsan. The second gig was better – 30 people came along – but it brought its own dark worries. “I asked the owner, ‘What if a bomb goes off?’” said Ahsan. “She said, ‘Don’t worry, I’ll be with you.’” 2 Even in a summer of Taliban violence young Pakistanis are continuing to rock. An underground music scene is quietly growing in the country’s major cities, fed by the Internet and the passion of mostly amateur bands. In Lahore a pair of unemployed rockers have built on that enthusiasm with a new school for rock’n’roll. “We weren’t getting a lot of gigs, and we needed to survive,” said co-founder Hamza Jafri. “So we thought we’d try this.” 3 The Guitar School, as it is known, has been surprisingly successful. Around 40 students have signed up, ranging from surly teenagers in jeans to more practised musicians, such as Ahsan, looking to improve their skills. Classes take place in a small room lined with egg boxes; the school’s teaching style is reflected in its motto: “Play it like you feel it.” Many come from wealthy families that might once have disapproved of music, Jafri said. “People associated it with the red light district and sexual entertainment.” But a popular new television show featuring live performances, Coke Studio, has given rock music a new respectability. 4 On a recent afternoon a woman brought in two shy teenage daughters for lessons. “It will

5

But the country’s internal chaos is also producing creativity. Pakistanis have a rich musical tradition, with its roots in Sufism, but modern musicians have generally avoided political issues. But the new single from Jafri’s band, co-VEN, is a parody of Pakistan’s controversial alliance with the US. “There’s a lot of foreign pressure on our government to attack people in the tribal areas,” he said.

6

Others make fun of the turmoil. The Islamabad band Bumbu Sauce – the name comes from a Pot Noodles packet – recently brought out Jiggernaut, a single that mixes references to kung fu, talking dogs and the Taliban. Guitarist Shehryar Mufti is not worried the insurgents might take the joke badly. “Their argument is with the government, not the people,” he said. “I think rock music is low on their list of priorities.”

7

Pakistani rock was boosted by the arrival of satellite television in the 1990s. Today the musicians, many self-taught, publicize themselves through networking websites such as Facebook and MySpace, and Pakistan’s growing number of FM radio stations. And despite the security concerns, a new concert scene is appearing.

8

On a sultry Saturday night hundreds of young people, mostly dressed in jeans and T-shirts, crowded into a new outdoor auditorium on the edge of Islamabad called the Rock Musicarium. “People are hungry for music; they want to get out,” said the venue’s founder, Zeejah Fazli. When it opens officially in November, the venue will have a recording studio and capacity for 600 people, said Fazli, who estimates there are 20 rock bands in Islamabad alone. But, he admitted,

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Pakistan’s youth put their faith in rock’n’roll / Intermediate

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do them good to learn,” she said. But making it to the next stage is difficult and sometimes dangerous. For the past six months almost all public performances in Lahore have stopped since extremist attacks on a performing arts festival and the Sri Lankan cricket team. The Pakistani music industry itself is disorganized and hamstrung by massive piracy.

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Intermediate

the project depends on the six-month lull in attacks on the capital continuing. 9

For some wealthy Pakistanis, rock music represents the cultural tensions of their life, which is divided between western influences and the conservative direction their society is taking. “On one side kids feel like they are in England; on the other this strict Islamic thing is going on. It’s not good for people’s sanity,” said Jafri.

10 About five years ago Junaid Jamshed, the country’s most famous pop star, renounced music and returned to religion. Now he appears on religious chat shows with a long, curly beard. But most aspiring rock stars say they can live with the difference. In the soundproof room at the Lahore guitar school, 17-year-old Danish Khwaja strummed his guitar, long hair flopping over his forehead. “It’s kind of cool doing stuff you love,” he said. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 01/09/09

3 Comprehension check Are these statements true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. It’s easy to become a rock star in Pakistan. 2. There have been no Taliban attacks on Islamabad for the past six months. 3. The Internet is helping the underground music scene to grow. 4. The founders of the Guitar School expected it to be a great success. 5. Rock music is high on the list of things the Taliban are planning to attack. 6. Most wannabe rock stars say they cannot live with the difference between western influences and the strict Islamic direction their country is taking.

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. A noun meaning a particular interest or activity and the places or people that are involved in it. (para 2)

5. An adjective meaning not arranged according to a clear plan or system. (para 4)

7. A noun meaning a quiet period during a very active or violent situation. (para 8)

4. A noun meaning the quality of obeying the moral or social standards that are accepted by most people. (para 3)

8. A verb meaning hanging in a loose, heavy and uncontrolled way. (para 10)

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3. A three-word expression meaning an area with a lot of prostitutes. (para 3)


2. A noun meaning a short statement that expresses a 6. A three-word expression meaning to make jokes principle or aim. (para 3) about something in an unkind way. (para 6)


Intermediate

5 Adjectives Match the adjectives from the text with their meanings. 1. cramped

a. done for pleasure and not as a job

2. amateur

b. unfriendly and rude

3. surly

c. having a large amount of money

4. wealthy

d. hoping and trying to be successful at something

5. massive

e. unpleasantly hot and humid

6. controversial

f. small and crowded

7. sultry

g. extremely large in amount or degree

8. aspiring

h. causing disagreement or disapproval


violent

2.

respectable

3.

sane

4.

creative

5.

enthusiastic

6.

entertaining

noun

6 Discussion

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Does music play an important part in your life? If so, how? If not, why not?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. wannabe 2. gig 3. renounce 4. Turmoil 5. Piracy 6. breakthrough 7. auditorium 8. parody 9. hamstrung 10. insurgent

1. scene 2. motto 3. red light district 4. respectability 5. disorganized 6. make fun of 7. lull 8. flopping


1. f 2. a 3. b 4. c 5. g 6. h 7. e 8. d


6 Word building

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

1. violence 2. respectability 3. sanity 4. creativity 5. enthusiasm 6. entertainment

F T T F F F

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one 30 40 in the 1990s through networking websites (Facebook and MySpace) 600

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

5 Adjectives

The plight of Britain’s ancient trees Level 3 1

Advanced

Warmer

a. How many different species of tree can you list in two minutes? b. The five words you need to label this diagram can all be found in the article.

2


Write the key words from the article into the gaps below. graze

timber

legacy

nurtured

charisma

preservation

dens

hollow out

dotage

efficiency

circumvented

prone

monument

neglect

inadvertently

conservationist

1. the failure to give someone or something the care or attention that they need _____________________________ 2. a strong personal quality that makes other people like you and be attracted to you _____________________________ 3. the period of time when you are old _____________________________ 4. being provided with the care and attention necessary to grow and develop _____________________________ 5. someone who works to protect the environment from damage or destruction _____________________________ 6. likely to do something or be affected by something, especially something bad _____________________________ 7. to make a hole in something by removing what is inside it _____________________________

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NEWS LESSONS / The plight of Britain’s ancient trees / Advanced

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8. something good or bad that exists as a result of something that happened in the past _____________________________

The plight of Britain’s ancient trees Level 3

Advanced

9. the ability to work well and produce good results by using the available time, money, supplies, etc. in the most effective way _____________________________ 10. wood used for building houses or making furniture _____________________________ 11. to put an animal in a place where it can eat grass _____________________________ 12. secret places where children go to play _____________________________ 13. not deliberately, and without realizing what you are doing _____________________________ 14. a structure built in a public place to celebrate an important person or event, also a place of historical importance _____________________________ 15. the process of working to protect something valuable so that it is not damaged or destroyed _____________________________

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16. to find a way of avoiding a rule or law that limits you, especially using a clever trick that does not break the law (passive form) _____________________________

The plight of Britain’s ancient trees Advanced

Britain’s ancient trees

6

“The mood an ancient tree puts you in, it just takes your breath away; you know you are by something extremely important and significant,” Muelaner says. When you are under an ancient tree, it’s very good for your soul. You can learn so much from ancient trees; how does an organism survive for 1,000 years in the same spot? It doesn’t get to move to a better position. So it adapts.”

7

Standing beneath the huge old beech, contemplating its warty imperfections and huge stretch-marks where its trunk has bent and twisted, it seems incredible that it has stood witness to four centuries of humans.

8

Our wealth of long-lived trees is a happy accident: a legacy of our royal hunting forests, our aristocracy and our lack of efficiency – compared with our north European neighbours – in harvesting our forests for timber. The last century, however, has not been kind to ancient trees. We have ploughed too close to them, allowed animals to graze too intensively around them and used fertilizers and pesticides, killing both trees and species of fungi that have a symbiotic relationship with them. Then there was the ripping out of native broad-leaved trees and planting of supposedly more productive nonnative conifers after the Second World War.

9

Trees may be impressively long-lived but they are more fragile than we imagine. Too many animals sheltering under a tree and defecating there can fatally damage it. Even a footpath

Patrick Barkham 22 July, 2009 1 Above grey roots like the enormous feet of a prehistoric elephant, leaves form a roof as grand as a cathedral. Huge limbs stretch out for 24 metres on each side. They smell damp. Stand beneath “the Tree”, as this magical old beech is called, and you feel that you are in the presence of something living and breathing. Its trunk is polished smooth from admirers, and it has even brought its charisma to films such as Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. 2 This tree has lived for 400 years but now it is dying. “The tree isn’t capturing all the light that it once did,” explains Bob Davis, head forester for the National Trust’s 5,000-acre estate at Ashridge. “It is slowly shutting down. We’ve decided not to do any surgery on it and allow it to decline naturally.” 3 In its dotage, this great tree is being carefully nurtured. Across the country, however, many of our estimated 100,000 ancient trees – which could represent 70% of all ancient trees in Europe – are neglected or at risk of being cut down. This week, they get a new guardian: Brian Muelaner, a forester turned conservationist, is to count all the ancient trees on land belonging to the National Trust. Muelaner’s new job as the Trust’s ancient tree officer will help the Ancient Tree Hunt, a five-year project led by the Woodland Trust, which for the first time is recording every ancient tree in Britain. “If we don’t know where they are, we can’t protect them,” says Muelaner. 4 A tree is defined as ancient if it is unusually old for its species. It is said that an oak spends 300 years growing, 300 years living and 300 years dying. Such a long-lived species would have to be 600 years old to be classified as ancient. Beeches are prone to fungal attack and are less long-lived: an ancient beech is anything over 300

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / The plight of Britain’s ancient trees / Advanced

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Ancient trees are ecological treasures because they provide unique habitats for rare plants, insects, birds and mammals. When they become ancient, trees such as oaks and sweet chestnuts “grow down”, dying at the top and forming a new crown of leaves below so the tree shrinks and bends down like a very old man. Ancient trees also hollow out: rare beetles move into the hollows, followed by birds and bats. Threequarters of our 17 species of bat are known to roost in trees. Some plant species such as rare lichens can only survive on ancient trees.


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Britain is home to around 100,000 of the oldest trees in Europe. But is our neglect and ill-treatment threatening to kill them off?

years old. Birch trees have even shorter lives; one that has lived for two centuries is very old.

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Level 3


Advanced

under a tree can compress its roots and destroy it. Ancient trees are often hollow: the holes make fantastic dens but children often light small fires in them. “You lose your ancient tree just like that,” Muelaner snaps his fingers. “We do things inadvertently and it’s gone. We can’t put it back. If we kill an ancient tree, we have to wait 500 years to restore that habitat.” 10 Trees can also die of sunburn. Beech has thin bark and, just like a pale-skinned human, if it has grown up protected from the sun and is suddenly exposed, it burns. Grey squirrels stripping bark is an increasing problem: holes in the bark allow fungal diseases in, which can weaken a tree and finally cause it to fall over. 11 Our great wealth of ancient trees is still relatively unprotected. Other countries preserve ancient trees by listing them like an old house or ancient monument. In Britain, the only protection

is a tree preservation order, which can be circumvented by developers if it is proved trees are dead, dying or dangerous (and most ancient trees, by definition, are dying: it just takes them three centuries). 12 Muelaner points to the enormous beech at Ashridge. “If France, Germany or the Scandinavian countries had a tree like that, there would be plaques everywhere and it would be a national monument,” he says. 13 “The speed of our societies nowadays mean that trees are that much more important to us as places where we are grounded and are at peace,” says Muelaner. “We need them now more than we ever needed them before.” © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 22/07/09

3 Comprehension check Choose the correct answer according to the information in the article. 1.

An ancient tree is one that is ... a. ... over 300 years old. b. ... unusually old for its species. c. ... dying from old age.

4.

2.

The tree that was in the Harry Potter film is ... a. ... an old oak. b. ... an old witch-hazel. c. ... an old beech.

3.

The National Trust believes that .... a. ... it will cost too much to record all the ancient trees in Britain. b. ... Britain’s ancient trees cannot be saved. c. ... 70% of Europe’s existing ancient trees can be found in Britain.

5. Britain has many ancient trees because... a. ... its royal families and noblemen preserved the woods for hunting purposes. b. ... it used to buy all the timber it needed from Scandinavia. c. ... in the past, foresters were very efficient.

a. Yes – it lists the trees too. b. No, not anymore. c. Yes, but not a very effective one.

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6. Is there currently a tree preservation order in Britain?



Brian Muelaner says ancient trees ... a. ... are good for the soul. b. ... are good for the environment. c. ... are a good source of timber.


Advanced

4 Language: Similes simile (noun)

a phrase that describes something by comparing it to something else using the word “like” or “as” a. Look in the article and find what the author has likened these things to: 1. 2. 3. 4.

the tree’s roots – __________________________________________________________ the tree’s leaves – _________________________________________________________ an ancient tree – __________________________________________________________ thin bark – _______________________________________________________________

b. Look out of the window. Find a metaphor to describe an object you can see (e.g. a tree, a building, a vehicle, ...).

5 Discussion Have you ever climbed a tree? Are there any ancient trees where you live? Talk about a tree that has a special significance, or holds certain memories, for you.

6 Webquest Choose one of the following tasks, make notes and report back to the class about what you have learnt. Read about the Ancient Tree Hunt here: http://www.ancient-tree-hunt.org.uk/ Read about why woods matter here: http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/why-woods-matter/Pages/woods.aspx Read for more general information about what the National Trust is and what it does here: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-trust/w-thecharity.htm Read about the National Trust’s tree map and Brian Muelaner’s work here:

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http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-global/w-news/w-latest_news/w-news-ancientreemap.htm


Advanced

KEY 1 Warmer


a. oak, beech, birch, sweet chestnut, etc. b. leaves, branches, trunk, bark, roots

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

grey roots like the enormous feet of a prehistoric elephant leaves form a roof as grand as a cathedral the tree shrinks and bends down like a very old man thin bark just like a pale-skinned human

Teacher’s notes Homework suggestion: You could ask your students to take a photo of a tree and bring it to the next lesson. They could then say why they chose to photograph that particular tree and what it means to them.

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1. 2. 3. 4.



4 Language: Similes

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1. neglect 2. charisma 3. dotage 4. nurtured 5. conservationist 6. prone 7. hollow out 8. legacy 9. efficiency 10. timber 11. graze 12. dens 13. inadvertently 14. monument 15. preservation 16. circumvented

CA

2 Key words

b c c a a c


Elementary ancient (adjective) very old

1

Warmer

a. Scan the article to find the five words you need for this diagram.

b. Now look in the article for the names of four species of tree. How many other trees can you think of in two minutes? ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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NEWS LESSONS / The plight of Britain’s ancient trees / Elementary

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___________________________________________________________________________________________


Elementary


Write the key words from the article into the gaps below. The paragraph numbers are given to help you.

species

grand

guardian

unique habitats

protect

neglected

smooth

estimated

1. very wonderful and impressive _____________________________ (para 1) 2. no rough areas or lumps _____________________________ (para 1) 3. an adjective used when people say what they think an amount should be but they are not certain _____________________________ (para 3) 4. when you do not give someone or something the care or attention that they need _____________________________ (para 3, past tense) 5. a person that looks after and protects something or someone _____________________________ (para 3) 6. to keep someone or something safe from harm, injury or damage _____________________________ (para 3) 7. a plant or animal group whose members all have similar general features _____________________________ (para 4) 8. very special places that particular animals usually live in or particular plants usually grow in _____________________________ (para 5) bark

hollow plough

fertilizers and pesticides grounded

preserve

monument adapt

9. an empty area inside the tree _____________________________ (para 5) 10. to change how you are or what you do so that you can deal with a new situation _____________________________ (para 6) 11. to turn over the soil (earth) before putting seeds into it _____________________________ (para 7) 12. natural or chemical substances added to soil in order to help plants grow _____________________________ (para 7) 13. the hard substance that covers a tree _____________________________ (para 8) 14. to take special care of a thing, place or building in order to stop it from being harmed or destroyed _____________________________ (para 9) 15. a structure built in a public place to celebrate an important person or event _____________________________ (para 9)

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16. confident and sensible, because you know what is important in life _____________________________ (para 10)


Elementary


chestnuts “grow down”. They die at the top and form new leaves below so the tree bends down like a very old man. Rare beetles then go to live in the hollows of ancient trees, followed by birds and bats. Some plant species only live on ancient trees.

Britain is home to around 100,000 of the oldest trees in Europe. Patrick Barkham 22 July, 2009 1 Above grey roots like the feet of an elephant, leaves make a roof as grand as a cathedral. Huge branches stretch out for 24 metres on each side. Stand beneath this magical old beech, and you feel that you are next to something that is living and breathing. Its trunk is smooth because so many people touch it, and it has even been in films such as Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. 2 This tree has lived for 400 years but now it is dying. “The tree isn’t getting all the light that it needs,” explains Bob Davis, head forester for the National Trust. “We’ve decided not to do anything to it. We will let it die naturally.” 3 In its old age, this great tree is being carefully looked after. Across the country, however, many of our estimated 100,000 ancient trees – maybe 70% of all ancient trees in Europe – are neglected or at risk of being cut down. This week, they get a new guardian: Brian Muelaner is going to count all the ancient trees on land belonging to the National Trust. Muelaner’s new job as the Trust’s ancient tree officer will help the Ancient Tree Hunt, a five-year project led by the Woodland Trust, which is recording every ancient tree in Britain. “If we don’t know where they are, we can’t protect them,” says Muelaner. 4 A tree is ancient if it is unusually old for its species. It is said that an oak spends 300 years growing, 300 years living and 300 years dying. So an oak would have to be 600 years old to be called ancient. Beeches don’t live as long: an ancient beech is anything over 300 years old. Birch trees have even shorter lives; one that has lived for two centuries is very old.

6

Muelaner says, “You can learn so much from ancient trees; how does a tree live for 1,000 years in the same place? It can’t move to a better position. So it adapts.”

7

Britain has many ancient trees but in the last century we have not been kind to them. We plough too close to them, allow animals to eat grass around them and use fertilizers and pesticides, killing both trees and species of fungi that have a special relationship with them.

8

Trees can also die of sunburn. Beech has thin bark and, just like a pale-skinned person, it can burn. Grey squirrels pulling off bark is also a problem: holes in the bark allow fungal diseases in, which can weaken a tree and cause it to fall over.

9

Other countries preserve ancient trees by listing them like an old house or ancient monument. Muelaner points to the enormous beech. “If France, Germany or the Scandinavian countries had a tree like that, there would be signs everywhere and it would be a national monument,” he says.

10 “Trees are much more important to us nowadays; they are places where we are grounded and are at peace,” says Muelaner. “We need them now more than we ever needed them before.” © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 22/07/09

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5 Ancient trees provide unique habitats for rare plants, insects, birds and mammals. When they become ancient, trees such as oaks and sweet


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Match the sentence halves to summarize the article. 1. An ancient tree is one that …

… can be found in Britain.

2. The beech tree in the article was …

… live in ancient trees.

3. 70% of Europe’s ancient trees …

… learn a lot from ancient trees.

4. In his new job, Brian Muelaner …

… can die very easily.

5. Many insects, birds and animals …

… is very old for its species.

6. Muelaner thinks we can …

… they feel peaceful and good.

7. If trees are not cared for they …

… will help record all of Britain’s ancient trees.

8. When people are near an ancient tree …

… in a Harry Potter film.

4 Language: Nature words and prepositions a. Choose the correct preposition to complete the sentences with information from the article. under

on

in

off

1. Beetles and bats live ___________ ancient trees. 2. Cows eat the grass ___________ the trees. 3. Grey squirrels pull bark ___________ trees. 4. Rare plants live ___________ the trees. b. Draw a simple picture which includes these items and some more ideas of your own: a tree, flowers or other plants, animals and birds, and people.

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Elementary

5 Discussion Have you ever climbed a tree? When, where, why, what did it feel like? Are there any ancient trees where you live?

6 Webquest Choose one of the following tasks, make notes and report back to the class about what you have learnt. Read about the Ancient Tree Hunt here: http://www.ancient-tree-hunt.org.uk/ Read about why woods matter here: http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/why-woods-matter/Pages/woods.aspx Read for more general information about what the National Trust is and what it does here: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-trust/w-thecharity.htm Read about the National Trust’s tree map and Brian Muelaner’s work here:

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http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-global/w-news/w-latest_news/w-news-ancientreemap.htm


Elementary

KEY 1 Warmer


a. leaves, branches, bark, trunk, roots b. oak, beech, birch, sweet chestnut

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

2 Key words 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

grand smooth estimated neglected guardian protect species unique habitats

9. hollow 10. adapt 11. plough 12. fertilizers and pesticides 13. bark 14. preserve 15. monument 16. grounded

An ancient tree is one that is very old for its species. The beech tree in the article was in a Harry Potter film. 70% of Europe’s ancient trees can be found in Britain. In his new job, Brian Muelaner will help record all of Britain’s ancient trees. Many insects, birds and animals live in ancient trees. Muelaner thinks we can learn a lot from ancient trees. If trees are not cared for they can die very easily. When people are near an ancient tree they feel peaceful and good.

4 Language: Nature words and prepositions 1. in 2. under 3. off 4. on

Teacher’s notes

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Task 1: The warmer can be carried out in the students’ own language (if you teach a monolingual class). Homework suggestion: You could ask your students to take a photo of a tree and bring it to the next lesson. They could then say why they chose to photograph that particular tree and what it means to them.


Intermediate

Warmer

Skim the article to find the names of four species of tree. How many other species of tree can you think of in two minutes?

2

Key words

Write the key words from the article into the gaps below. The paragraph numbers are given to help you.

species

hollow

presence

unique habitats

protect

neglect

polished

estimated

1. the failure to give someone or something the care or attention that they need _______________________________ (subtitle)

2. the existence of someone or something in a particular place _______________________________ (para 1) 3. when the surface of something has been rubbed in order to make it smooth and shiny _______________________________ (para 1) 4. an adjective used to say what you think an amount will be, either by guessing or by using available information to calculate it _______________________________ (para 3) 5. to keep someone or something safe from harm, injury or damage _______________________________ (para 3) 6. a plant or animal group whose members all have similar general features and are able to produce young plants or animals together _______________________________ (para 4) 7. very special places that particular animals usually live in or particular plants usually grows in _______________________________ (para 5) 8. an empty area inside the tree _______________________________ (para 5)

bark

ploughed

efficiency significant

fragile

monument

preserve

timber

9. very important, large or noticeable _______________________________ (para 6) 10. the ability to work well and produce good results by using the available time, money, supplies, etc. in the most effective way _______________________________ (para 7) 11. wood used for building houses or making furniture _______________________________ (para 7) 12. to turn over the soil before putting seeds into it _______________________________ (para 7, past tense) 13. delicate; easy to break or damage _______________________________ (para 8) 14. the hard substance that covers a tree _______________________________ (para 9) 15. to take care of a thing, place or building in order to prevent it from being harmed or destroyed _______________________________ (para 10)

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NEWS LESSONS / The plight of Britain’s ancient trees / Intermediate

CA



16. a structure built in a public place to celebrate an important person or event, also a place of historical importance _______________________________ (para 10)

The plight of Britain’s ancient trees Intermediate


ancient, trees such as oaks and sweet chestnuts “grow down”, dying at the top and forming a new crown of leaves below so the tree shrinks and bends down like a very old man. Rare beetles move into the hollows of ancient trees, followed by birds and bats. Some plant species can only survive on ancient trees.

Britain is home to around 100,000 of the oldest trees in Europe. But is our neglect and ill-treatment threatening to kill them off? Patrick Barkham 22 July, 2009

4 A tree is defined as ancient if it is unusually old for its species. It is said that an oak spends 300 years growing, 300 years living and 300 years dying. So an oak would have to be 600 years old to be called ancient. Beeches are often attacked by fungus and are less long-lived: an ancient beech is anything over 300 years old. Birch trees have even shorter lives; one that has lived for two centuries is very old. 5 Ancient trees are ecological treasures because they provide unique habitats for rare plants, insects, birds and mammals. When they become © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / The plight of Britain’s ancient trees / Intermediate

7

Britain has many ancient trees because of our royal hunting forests and our lack of efficiency – compared with our north European neighbours – in cutting down our forests for timber. The last century, however, has not been kind to ancient trees. We have ploughed too close to them, allowed animals to eat grass around them and used fertilizers and pesticides, killing both trees and species of fungi that have a two-way relationship with them.

8

Trees may be long-lived but they are more fragile than we imagine. Too many animals sheltering under a tree can fatally damage it. Even a footpath under a tree can hurt its roots and destroy it. Ancient trees are often hollow: the holes make fantastic places to play but children often light small fires in them. “You lose your ancient tree just like that,” Muelaner snaps his fingers. “If we kill an ancient tree, we have to wait 500 years to get that habitat back.”

9

Trees can also die of sunburn. Beech has thin bark and, just like a pale-skinned human, it can burn. Grey squirrels pulling off bark is an increasing problem: holes in the bark allow fungal diseases in, which can weaken a tree and cause it to fall over.

10 Other countries preserve ancient trees by listing them like an old house or ancient monument. In Britain, the only protection is a tree preservation order, which developers can get around if it is proved trees are dead, dying or dangerous (and

O

3 In its old age, this great tree is being carefully looked after. Across the country, however, many of our estimated 100,000 ancient trees – which could represent 70% of all ancient trees in Europe – are neglected or at risk of being cut down. This week, they get a new guardian: Brian Muelaner is to count all the ancient trees on land belonging to the National Trust. Muelaner’s new job as the Trust’s ancient tree officer will help the Ancient Tree Hunt, a five-year project led by the Woodland Trust, which is recording every ancient tree in Britain. “If we don’t know where they are, we can’t protect them,” says Muelaner.

“The mood an ancient tree puts you in just takes your breath away; you know you are next to something extremely important and significant,” Muelaner says. When you are under an ancient tree, it’s very good for your soul. You can learn so much from ancient trees; how does a tree survive for 1,000 years in the same place? It can’t move to a better position. So it adapts.”


2 This tree has lived for 400 years but now it is dying. “The tree isn’t getting all the light that it once did,” explains Bob Davis, head forester for the National Trust. “We’ve decided not to do any surgery on it and allow it to die naturally.”

6

•P H

1 Above grey roots like the enormous feet of an elephant, leaves form a roof as grand as a cathedral. Huge branches stretch out for 24 metres on each side. They smell damp. Stand beneath this magical old beech, and you feel that you are in the presence of something living and breathing. Its trunk has been polished smooth by people touching it, and it has even been in films such as .

CA

Level 2


Intermediate

most ancient trees, by definition, are dying: it just takes them three centuries). 11 Muelaner points to the enormous beech. “If France, Germany or the Scandinavian countries had a tree like that, there would be signs everywhere and it would be a national monument,” he says.

12 “Trees are much more important to us nowadays; they are places where we are grounded and are at peace,” says Muelaner. “We need them now more than we ever needed them before.” © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 22/07/09

3 Comprehension check According to the information in the article are these sentences true (T) or false (F)? Correct any incorrect. 1. An ancient tree is one that is over 300 years old. 2. The tree that was in the Harry Potter film is an old oak. 3. The National Trust believe that 70% of Europe’s existing ancient trees can be found in Britain. 4. In his new job, Brian Muelaner will help record all of Britain’s ancient trees. 5. He works for The Woodland Trust. 6. Brian Muelaner says ancient trees are a good source of timber. 7. Britain has many ancient trees because its royal families preserved the woods to hunt animals.

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8. There is currently no tree preservation order in Britain.


Intermediate

4 Language: Parts of a tree and similes a. The five words you need to label this diagram can all be found in the article.

simile (noun)

a phrase that describes something by comparing it to something else using the word “like” or “as” b. Match the metaphors from the article with the things they describe. 1. 2. 3. 4.

a cathedral the skin of a pale person elephant’s feet an old man

an ancient tree the tree’s roots the tree’s leaves thin bark

c. Look out of the window. Find a metaphor to describe an object you can see (e.g. a tree, a building, a vehicle, ...).

5 Discussion Have you ever climbed a tree? When, where, why, what did it feel like? Are there any ancient trees where you live?

6 Webquest Choose one of the following tasks, make notes and report back to the class about what you have learnt. Read about the Ancient Tree Hunt here: http://www.ancient-tree-hunt.org.uk/ Read about why woods matter here: http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/why-woods-matter/Pages/woods.aspx Read for more general information about what the National Trust is and what it does here: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-trust/w-thecharity.htm

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Read about the National Trust’s tree map and Brian Muelaner’s work here: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-global/w-news/w-latest_news/w-news-ancientreemap.htm


Intermediate

KEY 1 Warmer


oak, beech, birch, sweet chestnut

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

2 Key words 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

neglect presence polished estimated protect species unique habitats hollow

9. significant 10. efficiency 11. timber 12. ploughed 13. fragile 14. bark 15. preserve 16. monument

F F T T F F T F

4 Language: Parts of a tree and similes a. leaves, branches, bark, trunk, roots b. 1. 2. 3. 4.

leaves form a roof as grand as a cathedral thin bark just like a pale-skinned human grey roots like the enormous feet of a prehistoric elephant the tree shrinks and bends down like a very old man

Teacher’s notes

O H

N

•P

CA


T



Homework suggestion: You could ask your students to take a photo of a tree and bring it to the next lesson. They could then say why they chose to photograph that particular tree and what it means to them.

Amish love stories are bestsellers in America Level 3 1

Advanced

Warmer

A ‘bodice-ripper ’ is: a. a book about the fashion industry b. a sexually passionate historical novel c. a medical text book How many other fiction genres can you think of in two minutes?

2

Key words

Write the key words from the article into the gaps below. 1. a hat that ties under your chin _________________________ (para 1) 2. not obvious, and therefore difficult to notice _________________________ (para 1) 3. always worried about things _________________________ (para 2) 4. ideas that groups of people secretly worked together to cause particular events _________________________ (two words, para 2) 5. to avoid doing something, especially for moral reasons _________________________ (para 3) 6. someone or something that is very impressive or surprising _________________________ (para 4) 7. to increase the feeling that you want to have or to do a particular thing _________________________ (three words, para 5) 8. current and up-to-date matters _________________________ (two words, para 9) 9. very religious or very enthusiastic in your support for something _________________________ (para 9) 10. in a very important or basic way _________________________ (para 11) 11. not giving much information because you do not want someone to know everything about something _________________________ (para 11)

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Amish love stories are bestsellers in America / Advanced

CA



12. used for saying that something is even less likely to happen than another unlikely thing _________________________ (two words, para 11)

Amish love stories are bestsellers in America Advanced

Amish love stories are bestsellers in America 6

“People like them for a lot of reasons. That is why they are such hot sellers,” said Cindy Woodsmall, whose fifth Amish romance – The Sound of Sleigh Bells – is out next month. “The Amish are holding on to a way of life that other Americans have let go of, and I think we all want to know the story behind that,” she added.

7

Woodsmall’s sales have reached 134,000 copies and show no sign of letting up. She puts that down to the rich storytelling tradition among her Amish friends. With no televisions or computers, most Amish families have always kept alive a tradition of oral storytelling. “It is rich, rich soil for an author to work with,” Woodsmall said.

8

Sex and violence do not play much of an open role. Drama tends to revolve around the comings and goings at church dances, teenagers testing the limits of Amish dress codes and behaviour, or flirting with outsiders. Kisses are not common on the printed page. Sex is virtually unknown.

9

While contemporary issues do intrude – one novel revolved around an Amish woman trying Prozac to cure her depression rather than the power of prayer and family – most plots are set against the gentle rhythms of farming life, family and devout belief in God. Experts say that this taps into mass appeal with many Americans, who see the Amish as some sort of idealized group, living a life free from the stresses of the modern world. It is perhaps also no coincidence that Amish books are especially popular among evangelical Christians. The mild portrayals of sex and violence and the emphasis on faith and traditional family values are all strong selling points for many religious Americans.

2

3

They have been called ‘bonnet-rippers’ rather than ‘bodice-rippers’, and the sex is generally left to the reader’s imagination. But the subtle pleasures of a new brand of romantic fiction set in America’s Amish communities is proving one of the most surprising success stories in publishing. At a time when most bestsellers seem to involve angst-ridden teen vampires or thrillers based on murderous global conspiracy theories, a group of authors has been quietly racking up hundreds of thousands of sales by exploring the romantic entanglements of the Amish. At first, the Amish seem an unlikely inspiration for novels of lust and forbidden love. Scattered across the US, but most famously concentrated in Pennsylvania, the Amish, and similar sects like the Mennonites, live quiet lives in small farming communities. They eschew modern technology, often speak an old-fashioned form of German, have strong religious faith, wear 19th-century-looking clothing and bonnets, and usually drive horse-drawn buggies.

4

Such a lifestyle has not stopped the ‘bonnetripper’ phenomenon from taking off or spreading into other genres, such as Amish thrillers and mysteries. Bookseller Barnes and Noble recently reported that 15 of its top 100 religious fiction titles were Amish novels.

5

The numbers involved are enough to whet the appetite of a struggling publishing industry. Author Beverly Lewis has sold 13.5 million copies of her books set among the Pennsylvania Amish; Wanda Brunstetter’s novels have sold four million copies. One publisher, Thomas Nelson, is releasing five Amish novels this year and has plans for six

10

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Amish love stories are bestsellers in America / Advanced

“These are things that are highly valued. It reminds many of them of a sort of life many people led in America before the Second World War. They feel reading these books is like a trip down memory lane,” said Professor Susan Trollinger, an expert on Amish issues at the

O

1


Paul Harris 20 September, 2009

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’Bonnet-ripper’ novels take readers back to simpler times when life revolved around church dances and family values

more next year. The phenomenon has gained mainstream media attention from the Wall Street Journal and Time magazine.

CA

Level 3

Level 3

Advanced

University of Dayton in Ohio.

12 “The irony is that they reject the culture that is so embracing them through these books. But no Amish person could really write a book like these novels. They could not do so and stay in an Amish church. They would be kicked out,” Trollinger said.

11 Another attraction is the ‘otherness’ of the Amish, who remain fundamentally apart from mainstream America. Their interactions with the outside world are often guarded, and there is a conscious refusal to enter the 20th century, let alone the 21st.


3 Comprehension check Look back over the article to find the answers to these questions: 1. Which US state are the Amish usually associated with? 2. What language do they speak? 3. How do they deal with modern technology? 4. Which international bookseller is mentioned in the article? 5. How is a ‘bonnet-ripper’ different to a ‘bodice-ripper’? 6. Why do American readers like these Amish love stories? 7. Are the authors members of the Amish community?

4 Language - prepositional phrases a. Complete these phrases from the article with the correct prepositions. against

up

around

out

into

off

up

1. rack __________ sales 2. take __________ 3. (no sign of) letting __________ 4. tap __________ 5. revolve __________ 6. set __________ 7. kick __________ b. Find them in the article to read them in context. What do they mean? Check your answers in a dictionary. c. Write some example sentences of your own using the prepositional phrases above.

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Amish love stories are bestsellers in America

Amish love stories are bestsellers in America Level 3

Advanced

5 Discussion What types of books do you like to read? Would you like to read an Amish love story? Have you read any books recently that you could recommend?

6 Webquest Which (fiction) books are currently at, or near, the top of these bestseller lists? www.amazon.co.uk www.barnesandnoble.com http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/series/bestsellers http://www.nytimes.com/pages/books/bestseller/ Which of these books would you be interested in reading?

O H

N

•P

CA


T



Is it available in your language?


Advanced

KEY 1 Warmer


b

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

4 Language – prepositional phrases 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

rack up sales take off (no sign of) letting up tap into revolve around set against kick out

O H •P

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T



1. bonnet 2. subtle 3. angst-ridden 4. conspiracy theories 5. eschew 6. phenomenon 7. whet the appetite 8. contemporary issues 9. devout 10. fundamentally 11. guarded 12. let alone

N

2 Key words

Pennsylvania An old-fashioned form of German They avoid it. Barnes and Noble There is hardly any sex or violence in a bonnet-ripper. It makes them think of the (quieter and more innocent) life many of them led before WWII. No. Amish people could not write these novels as they would not be able to do so and stay in the Amish church.


Elementary

Warmer

1. A bodice is:

a. a type of warm underwear

b. an old-fashioned name for a body

c. the part of a dress that covers a woman’s body from the waist up

2. To rip means:

a. to tear something quickly and with a lot of force

b. to go surfing

c. to fall down

3. A ‘bodice-ripper ’ is:

a. a book about the fashion industry

b. a sexy historical novel

c. a medical text book

2

Key words

Write the key words from the article into the gaps below. The paragraph numbers are given to help you. inspiration

bonnet

phenomenon

imagination

sects

1. an old-fashioned hat that ties under your chin ___________________________ (para 1) 2. the ability to form a picture, story or idea in your mind ___________________________ (para 1) 3. someone or something that gives you new ideas and the enthusiasm to create something with them ___________________________ (para 3) 4. religious groups whose beliefs are different from the beliefs of mainstream religions ___________________________ (para 3) 5. someone or something that is very impressive or surprising ___________________________ (para 4) outsiders

devout

sales figures

dress code

set

6. to say where a book, film, etc. takes place ___________________________ (para 5) 7. the number of items sold ___________________________ (para 7) 8. a set of rules about what you should wear ___________________________ (para 8) 9. people who do not belong to a particular group or organization ___________________________ (para 8)

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Amish love stories are bestsellers in America / Elementary

CA



10. very religious ___________________________ (para 9)


Elementary faith

emphasis

family values

kicked out

valued

11. special importance or attention that is given to one thing in particular ___________________________ (para 9) 12. a strong religious belief ___________________________ (para 9) 13. the principles on which the traditional family is based, especially the importance of marriage ___________________________ (para 9) 14. thought to be important ___________________________ (para 10)

O •P H


CA



15. made to leave somewhere ___________________________ (para 11)


Elementary

Amish love stories are bestsellers in America ’Bonnet-ripper’ novels take readers back to simpler times when life revolved around church dances and family values Paul Harris 20 September, 2009 1 They have been called ‘bonnet-rippers’ rather than ‘bodice-rippers’, and the sex is only in the reader’s imagination. But a new type of romantic fiction set in America’s Amish communities is one of the most surprising success stories in publishing. 2 At a time when most bestsellers seem to involve teenage vampires or murder mysteries and thrillers, a group of authors has been quietly making hundreds of thousands of sales by writing about the romantic relationships of the Amish. 3 At first, the Amish seem an unlikely inspiration for novels of lust and forbidden love. The Amish, and similar sects like the Mennonites, live quiet lives in small farming communities across the US, but most famously in Pennsylvania. They do not use modern technology, often speak an oldfashioned form of German, have strong religious faith, wear 19th-century-looking clothing and bonnets, and usually drive horse-drawn buggies. 4 The Amish lifestyle has not stopped the ‘bonnetripper’ phenomenon from becoming a success. There are also other types of books, such as Amish thrillers and mysteries. Bookseller Barnes and Noble recently said that 15 of its top 100 religious fiction titles were Amish novels. 5 Author Beverly Lewis has sold 13.5 million copies of her books which are set among the Pennsylvania Amish; Wanda Brunstetter’s novels have sold four million copies. One publisher, Thomas Nelson, is publishing five Amish novels this year and has plans for six more next year. Even the Wall Street Journal and Time magazine have written articles about the phenomenon.

Woodsmall, whose fifth Amish romance – The Sound of Sleigh Bells – is out next month. “The Amish are holding on to a way of life that other Americans have lost, and I think we all want to know the story behind that,” she added. 7

Woodsmall’s sales figures have reached 134,000 copies and show no sign of slowing down. She puts that down to the rich storytelling tradition among her Amish friends. Because they have no televisions or computers, most Amish families have always kept alive a tradition of oral storytelling.

8

The books are about church dances, teenagers not keeping to Amish dress codes and behaviour, or flirting with outsiders. Kisses are not common in the books. Sex is unknown.

9

Most plots are set against the gentle rhythms of farming life, family and devout belief in God. Experts say that this appeals to many Americans, who see the Amish people living a life free from the stresses of the modern world. It is perhaps also no coincidence that Amish books are especially popular among evangelical Christians. Very little sex and violence and the emphasis on faith and traditional family values are all strong selling points for many religious Americans.

10 “These are things that are highly valued. It reminds many of them of a sort of life many people led in America before the Second World War,” said Professor Susan Trollinger, an expert on Amish issues at the University of Dayton in Ohio. 11 Another attraction is the ‘otherness’ of the Amish, who remain apart from mainstream America. “No Amish person could write a book like these novels. They could not do so and stay in an Amish church. They would be kicked out,” Trollinger said. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 20/09/09

O •P H


CA



6 “People like the books for a lot of reasons. That is why they are such hot sellers,” said Cindy


Elementary

3 Comprehension check Are these sentences true (T) or false (F) according to the article? 1. Many Amish people live in the US state of California. 2. They speak an old-fashioned form of German. 3. They travel around in big modern cars. 4. The Amish do not have computers or TV. 5. There is a lot of sex and violence in a ‘bonnet-ripper’. 6. American readers like the Amish love stories because it reminds them of the past. 7. The authors are members of the Amish community.

4 Language – pronunciation Write these words into the correct column according to their pronunciation pattern. Then look in the article to find more words to add to each column. popular

phenomenon bonnet

novel

community

relationship clothing

teenager

emphasis

Oo Amish

oOoo America

Ooo publisher


6 Webquest Which are the top three (fiction) books on these bestseller lists? www.amazon.co.uk www.barnesandnoble.com http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/series/bestsellers http://www.nytimes.com/pages/books/bestseller/ Which of these books would you be interested in reading?

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Elementary

KEY 1 Warmer


1. c 2. a 3. b

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

4 Language - pronunciation Oo Amish

oOoo America

Ooo publisher

bonnet

community

teenager

clothing

relationship

popular

novel

phenomenon emphasis

O H •P

CA


T



1. bonnet 2. imagination 3. inspiration 4. sects 5. phenomenon 6. set 7. sales figures 8. dress code 9. outsiders 10. devout 11. emphasis 12. faith 13. family values 14. valued 15. kicked out

N

2 Key words

F T F T F T F


Intermediate

Warmer

A ‘bodice-ripper’ is: a. a book about the fashion industry b. a sexually passionate historical novel c. a medical text book How many other fiction genres can you think of in two minutes?

2

Key words

Write the key words from the article into the gaps below. portrayals

idealized

guarded

conspiracy theories

devout

phenomenon

emphasis

sects

bonnet

entanglements

outsiders

contemporary issues

1. an old-fashioned hat that ties under your chin ____________________________ (para 1) 2. ideas that groups of people secretly worked together to cause particular events ____________________________ (para 2) 3. complicated situations or relationships ____________________________ (para 2) 4. religious groups whose beliefs are different from the beliefs of mainstream religions ____________________________ (para 3) 5. someone or something that is very impressive or surprising ____________________________ (para 4) 6. people who do not belong to a particular group or organization ____________________________ (para 8) 7. current and up-to-date matters ____________________________ (para 9) 8. very religious or very enthusiastic in your support for something ____________________________ (para 9) 9. to believe or suggest that someone or something is perfect or better than they really are ____________________________ (para 9) 10. particular ways in which people or things are described ____________________________ (para 9) 11. special importance or attention that is given to one thing in particular ____________________________ (para 9)

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Amish love stories are bestsellers in America / Intermediate

CA



12. not giving much information because you do not want someone to know everything about something ____________________________ (para 11)

Amish love stories are bestsellers in America Intermediate Wall Street Journal and Time magazine. 6

“People like them for a lot of reasons. That is why they are such hot sellers,” said Cindy Woodsmall, whose fifth Amish romance – The Sound of Sleigh Bells – is out next month. “The Amish are holding on to a way of life that other Americans have let go of, and I think we all want to know the story behind that,” she added.

7

Woodsmall’s sales have reached 134,000 copies and show no sign of letting up. She puts that down to the rich storytelling tradition among her Amish friends. With no televisions or computers, most Amish families have always kept alive a tradition of oral storytelling.

8

Drama tends to revolve around the comings and goings at church dances, teenagers not keeping to Amish dress codes and behaviour, or flirting with outsiders. Kisses are not common in the books. Sex is virtually unknown.

9

While contemporary issues do appear in the books – one novel revolved around an Amish woman trying Prozac to cure her depression rather than the power of prayer and family – most plots are set against the gentle rhythms of farming life, family and devout belief in God. Experts say that this appeals to many Americans, who see the Amish as some sort of idealized group, living a life free from the stresses of the modern world. It is perhaps also no coincidence that Amish books are especially popular among evangelical Christians. The mild portrayals of sex and violence and the emphasis on faith and traditional family values are all strong selling points for many religious Americans.

’Bonnet-ripper’ novels take readers back to simpler times when life revolved around church dances and family values Paul Harris 20 September, 2009

3 At first, the Amish seem an unlikely inspiration for novels of lust and forbidden love. Spread across the US, but most famously concentrated in Pennsylvania, the Amish, and similar sects like the Mennonites, live quiet lives in small farming communities. They do not use modern technology, often speak an old-fashioned form of German, have strong religious faith, wear 19thcentury-looking clothing and bonnets and usually drive horse-drawn buggies. 4 The Amish lifestyle has not stopped the ‘bonnetripper’ phenomenon from taking off or spreading into other genres, such as Amish thrillers and mysteries. Bookseller Barnes and Noble recently reported that 15 of its top 100 religious fiction titles were Amish novels. 5 The numbers involved are enough to excite the struggling publishing industry. Author Beverly Lewis has sold 13.5 million copies of her books set among the Pennsylvania Amish; Wanda Brunstetter’s novels have sold four million copies. One publisher, Thomas Nelson, is releasing five Amish novels this year and has plans for six more next year. The phenomenon has gained mainstream media attention from the

10 “These are things that are highly valued. It reminds many of them of a sort of life many people led in America before the Second World War. They feel reading these books is like a trip down memory lane,” said Professor Susan Trollinger, an expert on Amish issues at the University of Dayton in Ohio. 11 Another attraction is the ‘otherness’ of the Amish, who remain apart from mainstream America. Their interactions with the outside world are often guarded, and they refuse to enter the 20th or 21st century.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Amish love stories are bestsellers in America / Intermediate

O

2 At a time when most bestsellers seem to involve teenage vampires or thrillers based on murderous global conspiracy theories, a group of authors has been quietly making hundreds of thousands of sales by exploring the romantic entanglements of the Amish.


1 They have been called ‘bonnet-rippers’ rather than ‘bodice-rippers’, and the sex is generally left to the reader’s imagination. But a new brand of romantic fiction set in America’s Amish communities is proving one of the most surprising success stories in publishing.

•P H

Amish love stories are bestsellers in America

CA

Level 2


Intermediate

12 “No Amish person could really write a book like these novels. They could not do so and stay in an Amish church. They would be kicked out,” Trollinger said. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 20/09/09

3 Comprehension check Look back over the article to find the answers to these questions: 1. Which US state are the Amish usually associated with? 2. What language do they speak? 3. How do they deal with modern technology? 4. Which international bookseller is mentioned in the article? 5. How is a ‘bonnet-ripper’ different to a ‘bodice-ripper’? 6. Why do American readers like these Amish love stories? 7. Are the authors members of the Amish community?

4 Language - prepositional phrases a. Complete these phrases from the article with the correct prepositions.

against

around

out

off

up

1. take _________ 2. (no sign of) letting _________ 3. revolve _________ 4. set _________ 5. kick _________ b. Match them with the meanings and find them in the article to read them in context.

to have something as a very important part or purpose

slowing down

become a success

to force someone to leave a place or organization

situated amongst

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c. Write some example sentences of your own using the prepositional phrases above.


Intermediate


6 Webquest Which (fiction) books are currently at, or near, the top of these bestseller lists? www.amazon.co.uk www.barnesandnoble.com http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/series/bestsellers http://www.nytimes.com/pages/books/bestseller/ Which of these books would you be interested in reading?

O H

N

•P

CA


T





Intermediate

KEY 1 Warmer


b

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

4 Language – prepositional phrases take off = become a success (no sign of) letting up = slowing down revolve around = to have something as a very important part or purpose set against = situated amongst kick out = to force someone to leave a place or organization

O H •P

CA


T



1. bonnet 2. conspiracy theories 3. entanglements 4. sects 5. phenomenon 6. outsiders 7. contemporary issues 8. devout 9. idealized 10. portrayals 11. emphasis 12. guarded

N

2 Key words

Pennsylvania An old-fashioned form of German They avoid it. Barnes and Noble There is hardly any sex or violence in a bonnet-ripper. It makes them think of the (quieter and more innocent) life many of them led before WWII. No. Amish people could not write these novels as they would not be able to do so and stay in the Amish church.

Whitney Houston: Return of the troubled diva Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words


rehabilitation

invincible

knack

auction

phenomenal

infamy

bland

peak

abusive

decline

1. If someone has a _________________ for doing something, they have the skill or ability to do it, even if it is something negative. 2. A _________________ person is one who is not interesting, exciting or original. 3. An _________________ person is one who treats another person in a cruel or violent way. 4. _________________ is the process of helping someone give up drugs or alcohol. 5. If someone’s career _________________, it reaches the highest level of performance before the person becomes less successful. 6. If something is _________________, it is extremely impressive or surprising. 7. An _________________ person is too strong to be defeated. 8. An _________________ is a public occasion where things are sold to the people who offer the most money for them. 9. If someone’s career is in _________________, it is becoming less successful. 10. _________________ is having a reputation for something bad.

2

What do you know?

Decide whether these statements are true (T) or false (F). Then check your answers in the text. 1. Whitney Houston is 56 years old. 2. She was born in California. 3. The song I Will Always Love You comes from the film The Bodyguard. 4. Whitney Houston is related to Dionne Warwick. 5. She is married to the R&B singer Bobby Brown.

O •P H

NEWS LESSONS / Whitney Houston: Return of the troubled diva / Advanced

CA



6. Houston’s co-star in The Bodyguard was Kevin Costner.

Whitney Houston: Return of the troubled diva Those dark years were a long way from her clean-cut childhood. She was born in New Jersey and educated at the best local school. Her father was a truck driver and later entered local politics. Her mother is singer Cissy Houston, her cousins include Dionne and Dee Dee Warwick and her godmother was Aretha Franklin.

6

With this background, it might appear that Houston was always going to be a star but her father always said that it was not until she was 11 that they decided to put her on stage with her mother. By the time she was 21, she had signed her own record deal and shortly afterwards came her debut album, Whitney Houston, which had phenomenal success. Her appeal seemed to be universal – black, white, rich, poor: everyone loved Whitney Houston.

7

Later, Houston, who had been called a great “cross-over artist” for her ability to bridge the racial divide, found herself facing criticism for becoming “too white” but this had little effect on the Houston machine. In 1992, she starred with Kevin Costner in The Bodyguard and released I Will Always Love You from the soundtrack. As well as making her even more famous, the film provoked another round of criticism. Was her appeal universal or was she just too bland? Who exactly was she? “People know who I am,” she retorted.

8

But did they? The world had met a clean-cut young star. She had supported Nelson Mandela and the anti-apartheid campaign and had raised money for charity. However, all this was about to be eclipsed by a very public personal decline. In 1992, after relationships with actor Eddie Murphy and American football star Randall Cunningham, she married R&B singer Bobby Brown.

9

In her Oprah Winfrey interview, Houston insisted that Brown was not responsible for her subsequent drug taking and continues to deny that he ever beat her but she describes her marriage as “emotionally abusive”. During their marriage, Brown was twice in prison. He was also arrested for allegedly hitting Houston.

Oliver Marre 20 September, 2009 1 On the release of her first album in 1985, Whitney Houston was hailed by the New York Times as “an exceptional vocal talent”. Last month, her latest album was welcomed more cautiously by the same newspaper, “She’s tentatively climbing back into the pop machinery, no longer invincible but showing a diva’s determination.” 2 In the intervening 24 years, Houston has achieved the heights of extraordinary fame – according to one source, she is the fourthbiggest-selling female star of all time – and the depths of tabloid infamy. She has spent evenings on the world’s biggest stages and months in drug rehabilitation centres. She has starred in blockbuster movies and in a much-criticized reality television show. And last week, she appeared on Oprah Winfrey’s chat show and is once again making headlines all over the world. 3 It is not hard to see why she remains a subject of such fascination. Her early talent was widely praised, she is a genuine Hollywood star and her most famous songs – such as I Will Always Love You – are instantly recognizable. And yet she has a knack for public confessions. Her reality TV show – Being Bobby Brown – was supposed to re-launch her then husband’s musical career but became more famous for providing shocking details of his aggression towards her and the way they lived. 4 In 2002, she gave an interview to American TV journalist Diane Sawyer in which she denied taking crack cocaine. And in 2007, when she owed a storage company £100,000, she paid the bill by putting hundreds of items of clothing and furniture up for public auction. This time, Houston has spoken about how her mother forced her into rehab. She added that for a full seven months, while she was using drugs heavily, she wore her pyjamas and did not get dressed.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Whitney Houston: Return of the troubled diva / Advanced

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5

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Whitney Houston: Return of the troubled diva


Advanced

CA

Level 3

Whitney Houston: Return of the troubled diva Level 3

Advanced

10 Houston did not produce another studio album until 1998 but in the intervening years she starred in two more films and produced a soundtrack album to accompany each. Waiting to Exhale was marketed more directly to a black audience than any of her previous work but it proved a success, taking more than $80m across the world. In August 2001, she signed a new record contract with Arista worth $100m, which was the biggest deal in recording history. 11 She divorced Bobby Brown in April 2007 and people close to her say she has been quietly rebuilding her life – and recording I Look to You, which was released in America three weeks

ago and went straight to number one. It seems hard to believe that she is just 46 – no reflection on her handsome looks. Partly, this is because so much has happened, and so publicly, in her relatively short life. But it is also because she peaked early, before hip-hop had hit the mainstream and revolutionized black American music, and seems to belong to a different era. We have, though, already seen two very different sides of Houston and her future remains unclear but phase three of her career may just be starting. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 20/09/09

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. How has the New York Times reacted to Whitney Houston’s new album?

a. Enthusiastically, just as it did in 1985. b. Quite positively but with much less enthusiasm than in 1985. c. Very negatively, urging its readers to be cautious about buying the album.

2. Which of these statements best describes Whitney Houston’s career?

a. She has had a professional career that has been full of ups and downs. b. She has revolutionized black American music. c. She has starred in blockbuster movies and hit television shows.

3. How did Houston describe her marriage to Bobby Brown?

a. She insisted that Brown was responsible for her drug-taking. b. She said that there was some emotional abuse in the relationship. c. She said it was full of aggression.

4.

Why is it surprising that she is only 46 years old? a. Because she looks much older. b. Because so much has happened in her life. c. Because she is very good-looking.

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Advanced

5 Two-word expressions Find the words and phrases in the text. 1. an adverb meaning with a certain lack of confidence or certainty (para 1) 2. a two-word expression meaning very easy to recognize (para 3) 3. a two-word adjective meaning neat and tidy (para 5) 4. a noun meaning the type of family, social position or culture that someone comes from (para 6) 5. a verb meaning to make a film, video or CD available for people to see or buy (para 7) 6. a verb meaning to make someone or something seem less successful or important by becoming more successful or important than they are (para 8) 7. an adjective meaning happening or coming after something else (para 9) 8. a two-word noun phrase meaning ideas, methods or people that are considered ordinary or normal and accepted by most people (para 11)

5 Verb + noun collocations Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns or noun phrases they go with in the right-hand column. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

make re-launch sign release bridge raise support face

a. an album b. money for charity c. a campaign d. headlines e. a contract/a deal f. criticism g. a career h. the divide

6 Word building Complete the sentences with the correct form of the word in brackets at the end of each sentence. 1. Brown was arrested for _________________ hitting Houston. [ALLEGE] 2. Whitney Houston has a great deal of _________________. [DETERMINE] 3. She has described her marriage as _________________ abusive. [EMOTION] 4. The Bodyguard attracted quite a lot of _________________. [CRITICIZE] 5. Houston was described as having an _________________ vocal talent. [EXCEPTION] 6. Hip-hop _________________ black American music. [REVOLUTION]

7 Discussion

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Should the private lives of famous people be revealed to the rest of the world or should they be kept private?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. knack 2. bland 3. abusive 4. rehabilitation 5. peaks 6. phenomenal 7. invincible 8. auction 9. decline 10. infamy

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

2 What do you know?

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

d g e a h b c f


6 Word building

1. 2. 3. 4.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

b a b b

allegedly determination emotionally criticism exceptional revolutionized

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T



F F T T F T


N

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

tentatively instantly recognizable clean-cut background release eclipse subsequent the mainstream


Elementary

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. rehabilitation

genuine

allegedly

bland

abusive

vocal

release

clean-cut

divorce

tabloid

1. If you ____________________ a film, video or CD, you make it available for people to see or buy. 2. A ____________________ person is very neat and tidy. 3. If you ____________________ someone, you take legal action to end your marriage. 4. ____________________ newspapers have fairly small pages and mostly contain stories about famous people and not much serious news. 5. If someone has ____________________ done something wrong, another person says they have done it, even though this has not been proved. 6. ____________________ is the process of helping someone give up drugs or alcohol. 7. An ____________________ person is one who treats another person in a cruel or violent way. 8. If something is ____________________, it is real rather than pretended or false. 9. ____________________ means relating to the voice, or done with the voice. 10. A ____________________ person is one who is not interesting, exciting or original.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. Where was Whitney Houston born? 2. Which well-known singer is Whitney Houston’s godmother? 3. Which film does the song I Will Always Love You come from? 4. Who was Houston’s co-star in The Bodyguard? 5. When did she divorce Bobby Brown?

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NEWS LESSONS / Whitney Houston: Return of the troubled diva / Elementary

CA



6. How old is Whitney Houston?

Whitney Houston: Return of the troubled diva Elementary


Her father was a truck driver and later entered local politics. Her mother is singer Cissy Houston, her cousins include Dionne and Dee Dee Warwick and her godmother was Aretha Franklin.

Oliver Marre 20 September, 2009

4 In 2002, she gave an interview to American TV journalist Diane Sawyer in which she said she had never taken crack cocaine. And in 2007, when she owed £100,000, she paid the bill by selling some of her clothes and furniture. This time, Houston has spoken about how her mother forced her into drug rehabilitation. She also said that for seven months, while she was using drugs heavily, she only wore pyjamas and did not get dressed. 5 Those dark years were a long way from her clean-cut childhood. She was born in New Jersey and educated at the best local school.

7

Some people called her a great “cross-over artist” because she was able to bridge the racial divide between black and white but others criticized her for being “too white”. This did not have much effect on the ‘Houston machine’. In 1992, she starred with Kevin Costner in The Bodyguard and released the song I Will Always Love You from the film’s soundtrack. The film made her even more famous but it also attracted more criticism. Did everyone really like her or was she just too bland? Who exactly was she? “People know who I am,” she replied.

8

But did they? At first, she was a clean-cut young star. She supported Nelson Mandela and the anti-apartheid campaign and raised money for charity. However, soon, her personal life began to make the newspaper headlines. In 1992, after relationships with actor Eddie Murphy and American football star Randall Cunningham, she married R&B singer Bobby Brown.

9

In her Oprah Winfrey interview, Houston said that Brown was not responsible for her drugtaking and she says that he didn’t beat her but she describes her marriage as “emotionally abusive”. During their marriage, Brown was twice in prison. He was also arrested for allegedly hitting Houston.

10 Houston did not produce another studio album until 1998 but she starred in two more films and produced a soundtrack album for each of them. Waiting to Exhale was marketed more directly to a black audience than any of her previous work

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Whitney Houston: Return of the troubled diva / Elementary

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3 It is not difficult to see why people find her so interesting. As a young singer she was very talented, she is a genuine Hollywood star and most people know her most famous songs – such as I Will Always Love You. But she often talks about her private life in public. The aim of her reality TV show – Being Bobby Brown – was to re-start her former husband’s musical career but the show became more famous for providing shocking details of his behaviour towards her and the way they lived.

With this family background, Houston was always going to be a star but her father always said that they did not decide to put her on stage until she was 11. By the time she was 21, she had signed her own record deal and soon afterwards, she released her first album, Whitney Houston, which was extremely successful. Black, white, rich, poor: everyone loved Whitney Houston.


2 In the 24 years since 1985, Houston has reached the heights of extraordinary fame – she is the fourth-biggest-selling female star of all time – but has also been the subject of numerous stories in the tabloid press. She has spent evenings on the world’s biggest stages and months in drug rehabilitation centres. She has starred in blockbuster movies and in a reality television show. And last week, she appeared on Oprah Winfrey’s chat show and is now making newspaper headlines all over the world again.

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1 When she released her first album in 1985, the New York Times described Whitney Houston as “an exceptional vocal talent”. Last month, the same newspaper gave her latest album a more cautious welcome, “She’s slowly returning to the pop scene, no longer the greatest but showing the determination of a real star.”

CA

Level 1


Elementary

but it was a success, earning more than $80m around the world. In August 2001, she signed a new record contract with Arista worth $100m – the biggest deal in recording history. 11 She divorced Bobby Brown in April 2007 and her friends say she has been quietly rebuilding her life – and recording I Look to You, which was released in America three weeks ago and went straight to number one. It seems hard to believe that she is only 46. Partly, this

is because so much has happened, and so publicly, in her relatively short life. But it is also because she became famous so early, before hip-hop revolutionized black American music, and seems to belong to a different time. We have already seen two very different sides of Houston and her future is unclear but part three of her career may just be starting. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 20/09/09

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings with the endings to make sentences about the text. 1. Whitney Houston has been a star …

a. … was her most famous film.

2. Her latest album …

b. … was the biggest deal in recording history.

3. Her record contract with Arista …

c. … was in prison twice.

4. While she was using drugs, …

d. … went straight to number one.

5. The Bodyguard …

e. … since 1985.

6. Her ex-husband …

f. … she didn’t get dressed for seven months.

4 Chunks Rearrange the words to make phrases from the text. 1. the over world all 2. always I you love will 3. she 11 was until 4. time 21 the was by she 5. know am people I who 6. 6. around $80m than the world more

5 Word building: Adjectives Complete the table.

3.

music

4.

success

5.

race

6.

abuse

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Whitney Houston: Return of the troubled diva / Elementary

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caution


2.

adjective

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fame

CA

noun 1.


Elementary

6 Verb + noun collocations Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns or noun phrases in the right-hand column. Check your answers in the text. 1. release

a. an effect

2. give

b. a contract

3. take

c. criticism

4. sign

d. drugs

5. have

e. an album

6. attract

f.

7. raise

g. a campaign

8. support

h. an interview

.

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money for charity


Elementary

KEY 1 Key words

4 Chunks

1. release 2. clean-cut 3. divorce 4. tabloid 5. allegedly 6. rehabilitation 7. abusive 8. genuine 9. vocal 10. bland

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

New Jersey Aretha Franklin The Bodyguard Kevin Costner April 2007 46


e d b f a c

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

famous cautious musical successful racial abusive

6 Verb + noun collocations 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

e h d b a c f g

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T



1. 2. 3. 3. 4. 5.

5 Word building: adjectives

N


all over the world I will always love you until she was 11 by the time she was 21 people know who I am more than $80m around the world


Intermediate

Key words


confession

re-launch

invincible

auction

rehabilitation

infamy

bland

abusive

decline

debut

1. _______________________ is the process of helping someone give up drugs or alcohol. 2. An _______________________ person is too strong to be defeated. 3. If someone’s career is in _______________________, the person is becoming less successful. 4. _______________________ is having a reputation for something bad. 5. A _______________________ CD, album, appearance, etc. is the first one that a performer makes. 6. If you _______________________ a career, you start it again and hope that it will be more successful than before. 7. An _______________________ person is one who treats another person in a cruel or violent way. 8. An _______________________ is a public occasion where things are sold to the people who offer the most money for them. 9. A _______________________ person is one who is not interesting, exciting or original. 10. A _______________________ is a spoken or written statement in which you admit that you have done something wrong.

2


Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. How old is Whitney Houston? 2. Where was she born? 3. Which film does the song I Will Always Love You come from? 4. Which well-known singer is Whitney Houston’s godmother? 5. Which R&B singer was Whitney Houston married to?

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NEWS LESSONS / Whitney Houston: Return of the troubled diva / Intermediate

CA



6. Who was Houston’s co-star in The Bodyguard?

Whitney Houston: Return of the troubled diva Those dark years were a long way from her clean-cut childhood. She was born in New Jersey and educated at the best local school. Her father was a truck driver and later entered local politics. Her mother is singer Cissy Houston, her cousins include Dionne and Dee Dee Warwick and her godmother was Aretha Franklin.

6

With this background, it might appear that Houston was always going to be a star but her father always said that it was not until she was 11 that they decided to put her on stage with her mother. By the time she was 21, she had signed her own record deal and shortly afterwards came her debut album, Whitney Houston, which was extremely successful. Her appeal was universal – black, white, rich, poor: everyone loved Whitney Houston.

7

Later, Houston, who had been called a great “cross-over artist” for her ability to bridge the racial divide, found herself facing criticism for becoming “too white” but this had little effect on the ‘Houston machine’. In 1992, she starred with Kevin Costner in The Bodyguard and released from the soundtrack. As well as making her even more famous, the film attracted more criticism. Was her appeal universal or was she just too bland? Who exactly was she? “People know who I am,” she replied.

8

But did they? The world had met a clean-cut young star. She had supported Nelson Mandela and the anti-apartheid campaign and had raised money for charity. However, all this was about to be overshadowed by a very public personal decline. In 1992, after relationships with actor Eddie Murphy and American football star Randall Cunningham, she married R&B singer Bobby Brown.

9

In her Oprah Winfrey interview, Houston insisted that Brown was not responsible for her drugtaking and continues to deny that he ever beat her but she describes her marriage as “emotionally abusive”. During their marriage, Brown was twice in prison. He was also arrested for allegedly hitting Houston.

Oliver Marre 20 September, 2009 1 When she released her first album in 1985, the New York Times described Whitney Houston as “an exceptional vocal talent”. Last month, the same newspaper gave her latest album a more cautious welcome, “She’s slowly climbing back into the pop machinery, no longer invincible but showing the determination of a real star.” In the intervening 24 years, Houston has 2 reached the heights of extraordinary fame – according to one source, she is the fourthbiggest-selling female star of all time – and also the depths of infamy in the tabloid press. She has spent evenings on the world’s biggest stages and months in drug rehabilitation centres. She has starred in blockbuster movies and in a much-criticized reality television show. And last week, she appeared on Oprah Winfrey’s chat show and is once again making headlines all over the world. 3 It is not hard to see why she still fascinates people. Her early talent was widely praised, she is a genuine Hollywood star and most people know her most famous songs – such as I Will Always Love You. And yet she has a tendency to make public confessions. Her reality TV show – Being Bobby Brown – was supposed to re-launch her then husband’s musical career but became more famous for providing shocking details of his behaviour towards her and the way they lived. 4 In 2002, she gave an interview to American TV journalist Diane Sawyer in which she denied taking crack cocaine. And in 2007, when she owed £100,000, she paid the bill by putting hundreds of items of clothing and furniture up for public auction. This time, Houston has spoken about how her mother forced her into rehab. She added that for seven months, while she was using drugs heavily, she only wore pyjamas and did not get dressed.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Whitney Houston: Return of the troubled diva / Intermediate

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Intermediate

CA

Level 2


Intermediate

10 Houston did not produce another studio album until 1998 but in the intervening years she starred in two more films and produced a soundtrack album to accompany each. Waiting to Exhale was marketed more directly to a black audience than any of her previous work but it proved a success, taking more than $80m across the world. In August 2001, she signed a new record contract with Arista worth $100m, which was the biggest deal in recording history. 11 She divorced Bobby Brown in April 2007and people close to her say she has been quietly rebuilding her life – and recording I Look to You, which was released in America three

weeks ago and went straight to number one. It seems hard to believe that she is just 46. Partly, this is because so much has happened, and so publicly, in her relatively short life. But it is also because she became famous so early, before hip-hop had hit the mainstream and revolutionized black American music, and seems to belong to a different era. We have, though, already seen two very different sides of Houston and her future remains unclear but phase three of her career may just be starting. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 20/09/09

3 Comprehension check Are these statements true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

The New York Times has described Whitney Houston’s new album as “exceptional”. Her reality TV show was badly received by the critics. Houston is both a singer and an actress. She has admitted taking crack cocaine. Bobby Brown was sent to prison for hitting Houston. Houston is no longer married to Bobby Brown.

4 Find the word

Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. an adjective meaning relating to the voice or done with the voice (para 1) 2. an adjective meaning happening between two events or times (para 2) 3. a verb meaning to attract and interest people very strongly (para 3) 4. a two-word adjective meaning neat and tidy (para 5) 5. a noun meaning the type of family, social position or culture that someone comes from (para 6) 6. a verb meaning to make a film, video or CD available for people to see or buy (para 7) 7. a verb meaning to make someone or something seem less successful or important by becoming more successful or important than they are (para 8) 8. a two-word noun phrase meaning ideas, methods or people that are considered ordinary or normal and accepted by most people (para 11)

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.


Intermediate

5 Two-word expressions Match the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to make two-word expressions from the text. 1. tabloid

a. show

2. blockbuster

b. divide

3. chat

c. auction

4. drug

d. contract

5. record

e. press

6. debut

f.

7. public

g. album

8. racial

h. movie

taking


criticize

2.

determine

3.

tend

4.

behave

5.

marry

6.

rehabilitate

noun

7 Discussion

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Do you like Whitney Houston? Why? Why not?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. rehabilitation 2. invincible 3. decline 4. infamy 5. debut 6. re-launch 7. abusive 8. auction 9. bland 10. confession

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

e h a f d g c b


6 Word building

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

F T T F F T

critic determination tendency behaviour marriage rehabilitation

O H •P

CA


T



46 New Jersey The Bodyguard Aretha Franklin Bobby Brown Kevin Costner


N

1. 2. 3. 3. 4. 5.

vocal intervening fascinate clean-cut background release overshadow the mainstream

Barack Obama ‘surprised’ and ‘humbled’ by Nobel Peace Prize Level 3 1

Advanced

Key words


scepticism

snub

assertion

rile

citation

windfall

inspired

condemn

breakthrough

1. A _______________________ is a large amount of money that you get when you are not expecting it. 2. A _______________________ is a discovery or achievement that comes after a lot of hard work. 3. A _______________________ is an official statement praising someone for something they have done. 4. An _______________________ is a definite statement or claim that something is true. 5. If people express _______________________ about something that other people think is true or right, they express doubts about it. 6. If you _______________________ a situation you make it worse or more serious. 7. If something _______________________ you, it makes you very annoyed. 8. If you _______________________ something, you say publicly that you think it is bad or wrong. 9. A _______________________ is a deliberate attempt to annoy someone by ignoring them. 10. If something is _______________________, it is very special or impressive.

2

What do you know?

Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F). Then check your answers in the text. 1. Barack Obama had been in office for just over a year when he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. 2. He is the first sitting US president to win the prize. 3. The Nobel Peace Prize Committee is Norwegian. 4. Kofi Annan is the current United Nations secretary general. 5. The Iranian president was upset by the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Barack Obama.

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NEWS LESSONS / Barack Obama ‘surprised’ and ‘humbled’ by Nobel Peace Prize / Advanced

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6. The Nobel Peace Prize comes with a cash award of $1.4m.

CA

escalate

Barack Obama ‘surprised’ and ‘humbled’ by Nobel Peace Prize Advanced

Barack Obama ‘surprised’ and ‘humbled’ by Nobel Peace Prize

2

Barack Obama was as surprised as most of America, and much of the world, to be woken before dawn and told he had won the Nobel Peace Prize after just nine months in office and while he is deciding whether to escalate the war in Afghanistan. The Nobel Committee said it chose Obama “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples” and for creating “a new international climate”. “Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world’s attention and given its people hope for a better future,” the Committee said in its citation. “His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world’s population.”

3

Obama recognized the immediate scepticism from almost every quarter over awarding the Prize to a president who was in office less than a fortnight when the deadline passed for nominations and who, critics swiftly noted, has yet to achieve any significant breakthroughs in his attempts to foster Middle East peace or halt Iran’s alleged nuclear ambitions while continuing to oversee a major war in Afghanistan. “I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many transformative figures that have been honoured by this Prize,” the president said.

4

But Obama said he would accept it as a recognition of the struggles of others for peace, and said it must be “shared by everyone who strives for justice and dignity”.“I will accept this award as a call to action, a call to all nations, to confront the challenges of the 21st century,” he said.

5

Obama will donate to charity the $1.4m (£880,000) cash award that comes with the Prize. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs

6

The noisy and influential conservative talk show hosts described it as primarily intended as a snub to the former president, George Bush, rather than for any particular achievements by Obama. “This is nonsensical,” said radio host, Mike Gallagher, on Fox News. “You guys can’t let President Bush go, can you? That’s the reason for the Nobel Peace Prize. [Obama] doesn’t act like a cowboy.” Obama’s Democratic Party responded to the attacks by accusing the Republicans of “throwing their lot in with the terrorists – the Taliban and Hamas – in criticizing the president for receiving the Nobel Peace Prize”.

7

The Norwegian Nobel Committee rejected assertions that the Prize was awarded prematurely by pointing to Obama’s speech to the Muslim world in Cairo and his attempts to start the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, his emphasis on dialogue over confrontation in international diplomacy and his commitment to nuclear disarmament. “We want to emphasize that he has already brought significant changes,” said the committee secretary, Geir Lundestad. “All these things have already taken place and this has already had a very significant impact on international relations. We do, of course, hope that there will be many concrete changes over the years. But when a president makes all these changes on these ideals, which are the ideals the Norwegian Nobel Committee has had for a hundred years, we felt it was right to strengthen him as much as we can in this further struggle for these ideals.”

8

The former UN secretary general, Kofi Annan, described the award as an “unexpected but inspired choice”. A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, thought otherwise.“He has not taken a single step for peace in Afghanistan

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Barack Obama ‘surprised’ and ‘humbled’ by Nobel Peace Prize / Advanced

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1

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Chris McGreal in Washington and Gwladys Fouché in Oslo 9 October, 2009


said it was likely that more than one charity will benefit but that the president has yet to decide which charities will share the windfall. Amid the official congratulations from the rest of the world, the Prize touched off a verbal war in the US where Republicans said he had failed to achieve anything that justified the award and characterized it as a political statement.

CA

Level 3

Barack Obama ‘surprised’ and ‘humbled’ by Nobel Peace Prize Level 3

Advanced

or to make this country stable ... We condemn this year’s Peace Prize as unjust,” he said. The Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said he was “not upset” by the award. 9

It remains to be seen whether the Prize will indeed strengthen Obama’s hand or put him on the back foot in the US where there is acute sensitivity to perceived weakness in international affairs. The citation’s assertion that Obama’s diplomacy reflects “values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world’s population” riled conservatives who view the US president’s role as to stand up to hostile and untrustworthy foreigners. The award comes as Obama is under pressure from US military leaders to pour tens of thousands more troops into Afghanistan and from national security advisers to shift the conflict to pursuing al-Qaida in Pakistan.

10 Thorbjørn Jagland, chairman of the Prize Committee, said that does not detract from the award. “The situation in Afghanistan is very difficult but we cannot look away from all the other positive things he [Obama] is trying to do,” he said. “It’s a conflict that concerns us all. It’s not tricky with regards to the Nobel Peace Prize.” The award also mystified many liberals who have become increasingly critical of Obama for failing to press ahead swiftly enough on commitments to close Guantánamo Bay and domestic issues such as on recognition of gay rights. Obama is only the third sitting president to win the prize, with the others awarded to Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 and Woodrow Wilson in 1919. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 09/10/09

3 Comprehension check Choose the best answer according to the text. 1. Which answer best describes the reaction to the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to President Obama? a. b. c.

Most people felt that the choice of Obama was inspired. Most people felt that the award was unjust. Many people were sceptical because he had only been in office for two weeks when the deadline for nominations passed.

2. What will Barack Obama do with the money that comes with the Nobel Peace Prize?

a. He will give it to a specific charity. b. He will probably give it to several charities. c. He will return it to the Nobel Peace Prize Committee.

3. Why, according to the Nobel Committee, was the award given to President Obama?

a. Because he has initiated changes that reflect the ideals of the Nobel Committee. b. Because he spoke to the Muslim world in Cairo. c. Because he has made a significant breakthrough in fostering Middle East peace.

4. What are the president’s national security advisers urging him to do?

O


•P H



a. send thousands more troops to Afghanistan b. pursue al-Qaida in Pakistan c. close Guantánamo Bay

CA


Advanced

4 Find the word Find the following words and phrases in the text. 1. a noun meaning a period of two weeks (para 3) 2. a verb meaning to promote or to help something develop over a period of time (para 3) 3. a two-word phrasal verb meaning to make a lot of effort to achieve something (para 4) 4. a two-word phrasal verb meaning to make something unpleasant or dangerous happen (para 5) 5. a five-word expression meaning to decide to support or join a particular group (para 6) 6. an adverb meaning too soon or before the usual time (para 7) 7. an four-word expression meaning on the defensive (para 9) 8. a two-word phrasal verb meaning to make something seem less good, attractive or important (para 10)

5 Verb + noun collocations Match the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns and noun phrases in the right-hand column. 1. achieve

a. someone’s attention

2. donate

b. an impact on something

3. award

c. money to charity

4. have

d. international cooperation

5. capture

e. a prize

6. strengthen

f.

a breakthrough

6 Word building Complete the sentences using the correct form of the words in brackets at the end of each sentence. 1. There has been a lot of _______________________ about awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to Barack Obama. [SCEPTIC] 2. He intends to accept the award in _______________________ of the struggle of others for peace. [RECOGNIZE] 3. Conservative talk show hosts are regarded as _______________________ in the US. [INFLUENCE] 4. They are sceptical about Obama’s _______________________. [ACHIEVE] 5. The Nobel Committee highlighted Obama’s _______________________ to nuclear disarmament. [COMMIT] 6. Kofi Annan described the award as _______________________. [EXPECT]

7 Discussion

H


•P



Do you think it was right to award the Nobel Peace Prize to Barack Obama? Why? Why not?


Advanced

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. windfall 2. breakthrough 3. citation 4. assertion 5. scepticism 6. escalate 7. riles 8. condemn 9. snub 10. inspired

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

2 What do you know?

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.


c b a b

f c e b a d

6 Word building 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

scepticism recognition influential achievements commitment unexpected

O H •P

CA


T



F F T F F T


N

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

fortnight foster strive for touch off throw one’s lot in with prematurely on the back foot detract from


Elementary

Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. 1.

deadline

escalate

charity

breakthrough

stable

challenge

confrontation

inspired

disarmament

A ____________________ is a discovery or achievement that comes after a lot of hard work.

2. ____________________ is a situation in which people or groups are arguing angrily or fighting. 3. A ____________________ is a specific time or date by which you have to do something. 4. ____________________ is a process by which a country reduces or gets rid of its weapons. 5. If people are ____________________ about something that other people think is true or right, they express doubts about it. 6. A ____________________ is a task that needs a lot of skill, energy and determination to achieve. 7. A ____________________ country is one that is peaceful and in which the situation doesn’t change suddenly or become worse. 8. If you ____________________ a situation, you make it worse or more serious. 9. A ____________________ is an organization to which you give money so that it can help people who are poor or ill. 10. If something is ____________________, it is very special or impressive.

2


Look in the text and find the following information as quickly as possible. 1. How long has Barack Obama been US president? 2. How much money comes with the Nobel Peace Prize? 3. In which country is the Nobel Peace Prize Committee based? 4. Where did Barack Obama make his speech to the Muslim world? 5. Who is Mahmoud Ahmadinejad?

O

NEWS LESSONS / Barack Obama ‘surprised’ and ‘humbled’ by Nobel Peace Prize / Elementary

•P H



6. When did Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson win the Nobel Peace Prize?

CA

sceptical

Barack Obama ‘surprised’ and ‘humbled’ by Nobel Peace Prize Elementary


Barack Obama was as surprised as most of America, and much of the world, when he heard he had won the Nobel Peace Prize. He has been president for just nine months and he is still deciding whether to escalate the war in Afghanistan. The Nobel Committee said it chose Obama “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples” and for creating “a new international climate”.

2

“It is very rare for someone to capture the world’s attention and give its people hope for a better future like Obama has,” the Committee said in a statement. “His diplomacy is based on the idea that people who lead the world must lead it on the basis of values and attitudes that the majority of the world’s population also share.”

3

Obama recognized that many people were sceptical about giving the Prize to a president who had been in office less than two weeks when the deadline for nominations passed. Critics said that Obama has not yet achieved any significant breakthroughs in his attempts to promote Middle East peace or stop Iran’s nuclear plans and he is still running a major war in Afghanistan. “I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many important figures that have won this Prize in the past,” the president said.

4

But Obama said he would accept the Prize as a recognition of the struggles of others for peace, and said it must be “shared by everyone who works for justice and dignity”.“I will accept this award as a call to action, a call to all nations, to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century,” he said. He will give to charity the $1.4m (£880,000) cash award that comes with the Prize.

5

In the middle of the official congratulations from the rest of the world, the Prize led to an

6

The Norwegian Nobel Committee said that it was not too early to award Obama the Prize. They highlighted his speech to the Muslim world in Cairo and his attempts to start the IsraeliPalestinian peace process, his emphasis on dialogue over confrontation in international diplomacy and his commitment to nuclear disarmament. “We want to emphasize that he has already made significant changes,” said the Committee secretary, Geir Lundestad. “All these things have already taken place and this has already had a very significant impact on international relations.”

7

The former UN secretary general, Kofi Annan, described the award as an “unexpected but inspired choice”. A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, thought differently. “He has not taken a single step for peace in Afghanistan or to make this country stable ... We think this year’s Peace Prize is unfair,” he said. The Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said he was “not upset” by the award.

8

It is not certain whether the award of the Prize will strengthen Obama’s position or weaken it in the United States, where many people are critical of weakness in international affairs. Many conservatives expect the US president to confront unfriendly foreigners who cannot be trusted. Obama has received the award at a time when he is under pressure from US military leaders to send tens of thousands more troops to Afghanistan and when his national security advisers are telling him he should hunt al-Qaida in Pakistan.

9

The chairman of the Prize Committee said the war in Afghanistan does not affect the award.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Barack Obama ‘surprised’ and ‘humbled’ by Nobel Peace Prize / Elementary

O

1

•P H



angry debate in the US where Republicans said he had not done anything to deserve the award and called it a political statement. Some conservative talk show hosts described the award as an insult to the former president, George Bush, rather than for any particular achievements by Obama. “This is crazy,” said radio host, Mike Gallagher, on Fox News. “It’s all about President Bush. That’s the reason for the Nobel Peace Prize. It’s because Obama doesn’t act like a cowboy.”

CA

Level 1


Elementary

“The situation in Afghanistan is very difficult but we cannot ignore all the other positive things he [Obama] is trying to do,” he said. The award also surprised many liberals who have become more and more critical of Obama for failing to close Guantánamo Bay and make changes in American politics such as recognition of gay rights.

10 Obama is only the third sitting president to win the Prize, with the others awarded to Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 and Woodrow Wilson in 1919. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 09/10/09

3 Comprehension check Match the beginnings with the endings to make sentences about the text. 1. President Obama did not expect …

a. … a political statement.

2. He is planning …

b. … win the Nobel Peace Prize.

3. His critics say that he did not deserve to …

c. … his failure to close Guantánamo Bay.

4. The Prize Committee said it was for …

d. … to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

5. Some talk show hosts described the award as …

e. … his work in international diplomacy.

6. Some liberals have criticized Obama for …

f. … to give all the money to charity.

4 Chunks Rearrange the words to make phrases from the text. 1. just for months nine 2. the population of the world’s majority 3. two than weeks less 4. rest world the of the 5. challenges of the the century twenty-first 6. on significant relations a international impact

5 Prepositions Complete the phrases using prepositions. Check your answers in the text. 1. hope _______ a better future 2. on the basis _______ values 3. sceptical _______ awarding the Prize 4. the deadline _______ nominations 5. his emphasis _______ dialogue

O •P H


CA



6. critical _______ weakness


Elementary


2. nuclear

b. adviser

3. political

c. diplomacy

4. peace

d. statement

5. talk

e. disarmament

6. security

f. show

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Barack Obama ‘surprised’ and ‘humbled’ by Nobel Peace Prize / Elementary

H

a. process

•P

1. international


Match the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to make expressions from the text


Elementary

KEY


nine months $1.4m (£880,000) Norway Cairo the president of Iran 1906 and 1919


d f b e a c

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

for just nine months the majority of the world’s population less than two weeks the rest of the world the challenges of the twenty-first century a significant impact on international relations

5 Prepositions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

for of about for on of

6 Two-word expressions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

c e d a f b

O H •P

CA


T



1. breakthrough 2. Confrontation 3. deadline 4. Disarmament 5. sceptical 6. challenge 7. stable 8. escalate 9. charity 10. inspired

4 Chunks

N

1 Key words


Intermediate

Key words


sceptical

snub

escalate

citation

inspired

justify

breakthrough

charity detract

1. If you ______________________ a situation, you make it worse or more serious. 2. If something is ______________________, it is very special or impressive. 3. A ______________________ is an organization to which you give money so that it can help people who are poor or ill. 4. If you ______________________ something, you say publicly that you think it is bad or wrong. 5. If you ______________________ something, you show there is a good reason for it. 6. If something ______________________ from something else, it makes it less good, attractive or important. 7. A ______________________ is a discovery or achievement that comes after a lot of hard work. 8. If people are ______________________ about something that other people think is true or right, they express doubts about it. 9. A ______________________ is a deliberate attempt to annoy someone by ignoring them. 10. A ______________________ is an official statement praising someone for something they have done.

2


Look in the text and find the following information as quickly as possible. 1. How long had Barack Obama been US president when he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize? 2. How many sitting US presidents had won the Nobel Peace Prize before Barack Obama? 3. Which country is the Nobel Peace Prize Committee based in? 4. What position did Kofi Annan once hold? 5. How much money comes with the Nobel Peace Prize?

O

NEWS LESSONS / Barack Obama ‘surprised’ and ‘humbled’ by Nobel Peace Prize / Intermediate

•P H



6. Where did Barack Obama make his speech to the Muslim world?

CA

condemn

Barack Obama ‘surprised’ and ‘humbled’ by Nobel Peace Prize Intermediate


2

Barack Obama was as surprised as most of America, and much of the world, when he was woken up and told he had won the Nobel Peace Prize after just nine months as president and while he is still deciding whether to escalate the war in Afghanistan. The Nobel Committee said it chose Obama “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples” and for creating “a new international climate”. “Only very rarely has a person captured the world’s attention and given its people hope for a better future like Obama has,” the Committee said in its citation. “His diplomacy is based on the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world’s population.”

3

Obama recognized that many people were sceptical about awarding the Prize to a president who had been in office less than a fortnight when the deadline passed for nominations. Critics were also quick to point out that Obama has yet to achieve any significant breakthroughs in his attempts to promote Middle East peace or stop Iran’s alleged nuclear ambitions and he is still overseeing a major war in Afghanistan. “I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many transformative figures that have been honoured by this Prize,” the president said.

4

But Obama said he would accept the Prize as a recognition of the struggles of others for peace, and said it must be “shared by everyone who works for justice and dignity”.“I will accept this award as a call to action, a call to all nations, to meet the challenges of the 21st century,” he said.

5

Obama will give to charity the $1.4m (£880,000) cash award that comes with the Prize. A White House spokesman said it was likely

6

The noisy and influential conservative talk show hosts described the award as being a snub to the former president, George Bush, rather than for any particular achievements by Obama. “This is nonsensical,” said radio host, Mike Gallagher, on Fox News. “You guys can’t let President Bush go, can you? That’s the reason for the Nobel Peace Prize. [Obama] doesn’t act like a cowboy.” Obama’s Democratic Party responded to the attacks by accusing the Republicans of “being on the same side as the terrorists – the Taliban and Hamas – in criticizing the president for receiving the Nobel Peace Prize”.

7

The Norwegian Nobel Committee denied that the Prize was awarded prematurely by pointing to Obama’s speech to the Muslim world in Cairo and his attempts to start the IsraeliPalestinian peace process, his emphasis on dialogue over confrontation in international diplomacy and his commitment to nuclear disarmament. “We want to emphasize that he has already brought significant changes,” said the Committee secretary, Geir Lundestad. “All these things have already taken place and this already has had a very significant impact on international relations. We do, of course, hope that there will be many concrete changes over the years. But when a president makes all these changes on these ideals, which are the ideals the Norwegian Nobel Committee has had for a hundred years, we felt it was right to support him as much as we can in this further struggle for these ideals.”

8

The former UN secretary general, Kofi Annan, described the award as an “unexpected but inspired choice”. A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, thought differently. “He has not taken a single step for peace in Afghanistan

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009 NEWS LESSONS / Barack Obama ‘surprised’ and ‘humbled’ by Nobel Peace Prize / Intermediate

O

1

•P H



that more than one charity will benefit but that the president has yet to decide which charities will share the money. Amid the official congratulations from the rest of the world, the Prize led to an angry debate in the US where Republicans said he had failed to achieve anything that justified the award and called it a political statement.

CA

Level 2


Intermediate

or to make this country stable ... We condemn this year’s Peace Prize as unjust,” he said. The Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said he was “not upset” by the award. 9

It remains to be seen whether the Prize will strengthen Obama’s position or put him on the defensive in the US where many people are sensitive to what they see as weakness in international affairs. The citation’s statement that Obama’s diplomacy reflects “values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world’s population” angered conservatives who believe the US president’s role is to stand up to hostile foreigners who cannot be trusted. The award comes as Obama is under pressure from US military leaders to send tens of thousands more troops to Afghanistan and from national security advisers to shift the conflict to pursuing al-Qaida in Pakistan.

10 Thorbjørn Jagland, chairman of the Prize Committee, said this does not detract from the award. “The situation in Afghanistan is very difficult but we cannot look away from all the other positive things he [Obama] is trying to do,” he said. “It’s a conflict that concerns us all. It’s not tricky with regards to the Nobel Peace Prize.” The award also mystified many liberals who have become increasingly critical of Obama for failing to close Guantánamo Bay and proceed with domestic issues such as recognition of gay rights. Obama is only the third sitting president to win the prize, with the others awarded to Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 and Woodrow Wilson in 1919. © Guardian News & Media 2009 First published in The Guardian, 09/10/09

3 Comprehension check Are these statements true (T) or false (F) according to the text? 1. Barack Obama was not surprised when he learnt that he had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. 2. Obama will give the prize money to charity. 3. Some conservative talk show hosts believe that awarding the Prize to Barack Obama is intended as an insult to George Bush. 4. The Taliban, Hamas and Iran have all condemned the award. 5. US military leaders want the president to send tens of thousands more troops to Pakistan. 6. Obama promised to close Guantánamo Bay but hasn’t done so yet.

4 Find the word Find the following words in the text. 1. a noun meaning a period of two weeks (para 3) 2. an adjective meaning able to make things completely different (para 3) 3. an adjective meaning able to influence the way people think or behave (para 6) 4. an adjective meaning not true or sensible (para 6) 5. an adverb meaning too soon or before the usual time (para 7) 6. a noun meaning a situation in which people or groups are arguing angrily or fighting (para 7) 7. an adjective meaning behaving in a very unfriendly or threatening way (para 9)

O •P H


CA



8. a verb meaning to chase someone in order to catch them (para 9)


Intermediate

5 Words followed by prepositions Complete the phrases using prepositions. Check your answers in the text. 1. based _______ 2. on the basis _______ 3. a call _______ action 4. respond _______ 5. criticize someone _______ doing something 6. an emphasis _______ something 7. an impact _______ something 8. detract _______


recognize

2.

state

3.

achieve

4.

emphasize

5.

confront

6.

disarm

noun

7 Discussion

H


•P



What are the arguments for and against the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Barack Obama?


Intermediate

KEY 1 Key words

4 Find the word

1. escalate 2. inspired 3. charity 4. condemn 5. justify 6. detracts 7. breakthrough 8. sceptical 9. snub 10. citation

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

on of to to for on on from


6 Word building

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

F T T F F T

recognition statement achievement emphasis confrontation disarmament

O H •P

CA


T



nine months two Norway UN secretary general $1.4m (£880,000) Cairo


N

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

fortnight transformative influential nonsensical prematurely confrontation hostile pursue

One Stop English Weekly Lessons 100-160

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