1

Anne Frank was a young Jewish German girl who gained international fame after her death
following the publication of her diary. She wrote about her life, thoughts and experiences of
hiding from the Nazis in World War II. Her account of her two years spent in an attic in
Amsterdam became an international best seller. She died aged 15 in a German concentration
camp.
Anne Frank was born in 1929 in Germany. Her father was a German officer from World War
I. Anne was a very studious and diligent student who had a passion for books. She moved to
Amsterdam with her family after Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933. She attended a
Montessori school and was a very energetic and outgoing girl.
In June 1942, Anne received a notebook for her thirteenth birthday. She decided to use it as a
diary and wrote about her dreams to become an actress. In July, she and her family were
ordered to go to a work camp. Instead, they hid in the attic of her fathers workplace. They
shared the small space with another family for two years.
In August 1944, German security police discovered the hideout and arrested its occupants.
Anne was sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Anne died in March 1945 and was
buried in a mass grave, the whereabouts of which is still unknown. Her diary was found and
given to her father. It is one of the most widely read books in the world today.
249 words
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted biographies.


SYNONYM MATCH
Match the words from the article on the left with their synonyms on the right. Are your
answers the same as other students?
Paragraphs 1 and 2


1. publication a. hard-working
2 account b. love
3. attic c. printing
4. diligent d. sociable
5. passion e. loft
6. outgoing f. description

Paragraphs 3 and 4


7. diary g. found
8. dreams h. commanded
9. ordered i. location
10. discovered j. inhabitants
11 occupants k journal
12 whereabouts l hopes

2

William Henry Gates III was born on October 28, 1955. He is one of the world's richest
people and perhaps the most successful businessman ever. He co-founded the software
giant Microsoft and turned it into the worlds largest software company. He is the best-
known entrepreneur of the PC revolution. He has also written two best-selling books
and started his own charity with his wife.
Gates was fascinated with electronics from a young age. In 1975 he read about a small
technology company. He contacted them to see if they were interested in a computer
programme he had written. This led to the creation of Microsoft. Gates later struck a
deal with IBM that put Microsoft's Windows on IBM computers. This deal made
Microsoft a major player in the IT industry.
Gates was in charge at Microsoft from 1975 until 2006. He was an active software
developer at the beginning. He had a vision that computers could change everyones
life. He helped make this vision come true and developed many products that are now
part of modern life. His management style has been studied and copied around the
world.
Gates stepped down as Microsoft CEO in June 2008. He now spends his time with his
wife, Melinda, focusing on their charitable foundation. They provide funds for global
problems that are ignored by governments and other organizations. Time magazine
voted Gates as one of the biggest influences of the 20th Century. Scientists named the
Bill Gates flower fly after him.
248 words
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted biographies.

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SYNONYM MATCH
Match the words from the article on the left with their synonyms on the right. Are
your answers the same as other students?
Paragraphs 1 and 2


1. richest a. formation
2 giant b. interested
3. entrepreneur c. agreement
4. fascinated d. monster
5. creation e. wealthiest
6. deal f. businessman

Paragraphs 3 and 4


7. beginning g. quit
8. vision h. passed over
9. style i. dream
10. stepped down j. give
11 provide k start
12 ignored l approach







3

Maria Eva Duarte de Peron was born in 1919 and died in 1952. She is referred to as Eva
Peron, or more famously as Evita, which means Little Eva. She served as Argentinas
First Lady between 1946 and 1952 and was the Spiritual Leader of the Nation. She is
one of the lasting cultural icons of the 20th Century.
Peron spent her childhood in a province of Buenos Aires. Her father walked out on the
family when she was one, leaving her mother to cope alone. Eva worked as a maid to
help pay the bills. She loved drama and acting at school. The cinema fascinated her and
she decided to become a famous actress.
Eva left her small village when she was 15, in search of the bright lights in the big city.
She made her acting debut in 1935 and joined a touring theatre company. In 1942 she
had a breakthrough when she signed a five-year contract with Radio Belgrano. Within a
year she was one of the highest paid radio actresses in Argentina.
In 1944, Eva met Juan Peron and they were married a year later. In 1946, Eva became
Argentinas First Lady. She used her radio fame to make powerful speeches to get Juan
elected as president. She became immensely popular with the poor, who nicknamed her
Evita. She died at the age of 33. Her rags-to-riches life was turned into musicals and
movies, which made her famous worldwide.
243 words
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted biographies.

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SYNONYM MATCH
Match the words from the article on the left with their synonyms on the right. Are
your answers the same as other students?
Paragraphs 1 and 2


1. died a. symbols
2 served b. charmed
3. icons c. passed away
4. walked out on d. get by
5. cope e. worked
6. fascinated f. left

Paragraphs 3 and 4


7. the bright lights g. step forward
8. breakthrough h. globally
9. within i. stardom
10. fame j. fame
11 immensely k inside
12 worldwide l hugely










4

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Britain's Prince Charles' comments about
him were "not royal". The British heir to the throne has been the subject of a lot of
controversy over comments he reportedly made in comparing Mr Putin's actions in
Crimea to those of the Nazis in the run-up to World War II. The prince was talking to a
former Polish war refugee and likened Putin's recent annexing of Crimea to the actions
of Hitler. Mr Putin told reporters on Saturday that he had not heard the exact words
Prince Charles supposedly used. He said: "This is definitely unacceptable if this is true."
He added: "I know him and members of the royal family personally and this was not
royal behaviour."
Mr Putin said the fuss caused by Prince Charles' alleged comments would not damage
relations between Britain and Russia. He told the media: "I think that if our partners in
Great Britain, just as I am, are guided by national interests rather than some other
considerations, then all this will pass quite quickly and we'll continue to co-operate as
we have done before". Mr Putin and Prince Charles are both due to attend a D-Day
anniversary in France next month. It has the potential to be an awkward meeting,
although it is likely diplomatic etiquette will ensure things go smoothly. British Prime
Minister David Cameron said the prince was free to express his opinions.





Families in the U.K. now pay more on childcare than on their mortgage. The annual
costs of raising children are now outstripping yearly housing loan repayments. This is
according to a survey conducted by Britain's Family and Childcare Trust. The
organization says that in some parts of the country, nursery fees have risen by 13 per
cent in the past year. The cost for babysitters and child-minders has risen by an average
of four per cent. The report's author Jill Rutter told the Nursery World website that her
findings showed that childcare in the U.K. is becoming less and less affordable for
families. She also said an insufficient number of places in nurseries shows the U.K.'s
system isn't working.
The report could well make would-be parents think twice about starting a family, or
about the number of children they have. A family of four with one child attending a
nursery and another in an after-school club spends an average of $12,571 a year. This
compares to the average yearly housing loan payments of $12,000. Families are now
spending a quarter of their income on childcare. This does not include the costs of
feeding, clothing and entertaining children. There are also the costs of toys, books and
electronic gadgets on top of that. The chief executive of the Trust warned that when
many parents have to spend more than a quarter of their income on childcare, it's clear
that the system "isn't fit for purpose".












5

New York is officially the world's most fashionable city after taking top spot in the
2014 Top Global Fashion Capital contest. It took the title from London, which won the
accolade in 2011 and 2012, but finished third this year, behind Paris. Los Angeles was
voted the fourth trendiest metropolis, while Barcelona closely followed in fifth place.
Italy's highest-placed city was Rome, in sixth place. Milan, long established as a centre
of style and the winner in 2009, finished in twelfth place. Bekka Payack, a New York-
based fashion director, told reporters: "New York City has, indeed, earned its Top
Global Fashion Capital ranking through its disciplined, methodical yet creative
approach to its fashion industry."

New York being crowned as the place to be seen coincides with the city's upcoming
Fashion Week. The fashion world will descend on the city for a week of glitz and
glamour. Top supermodels will set the catwalks alight and parade the latest fashions
from leading designers. Ms Payack spoke of how newly-emerging cities around the
world are making a name for themselves in haute couture. She said: "This year's
rankings also demonstrate the creative energy that is emerging worldwide in terms of
fashion as a jobs, income and wealth generator, not to mention the prestige associated
with exporting your fashion sense to the world." Cities like Shanghai, St. Petersburg and
New Delhi all fared well in the contest.




The United Nations is cutting staff for the first time in its history. The U.N. General
Assembly approved a staff cut for the first time since the international body was created
in 1945. The decision means a reduction of 219 positions, which represents two per cent
of all U.N. posts. In addition, the General Assembly authorised freezes on pay rises for
one year and benefits for two years. It acted in response to pressures from member
states to reduce spending. Many governments around the world say they are struggling
to meet their share of contributions to fund the global organisation. Many nations are
still suffering from austerity measures taken after the global financial crisis.



The United States' ambassador to the U.N. Joe Torsella said the cuts were "crucial" and
would "eliminate unnecessary, duplicative or outdated posts". He told the General
Assembly: "At a time when the budgets and crucial services of manyorganisations
have been squeezed, these measures will hold compensation costs in place, until we can
act in the next session." He added: "Our shared goal should be to ensure that the United
Nations can maximise the results that it delivers with the amount of resources that
member states are collectively able to provide." The United States, which pays 22 per
cent of the U.N. budget, is the biggest financial contributor to the United Nations.