Академический Документы
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Культура Документы
Байтурсынова
Ф.А.Крупенкина
М.Л. Фёдорова
Reading Guide
Учебное пособие по дисциплине «Иностранный язык» для студентов
неязыковых специальностей
Костанай,2023
2
УДК 811.111(075.8)
ББК 81.2 Англ.-923
Составители:
Крупенкина Фатима Александровна, старший преподаватель кафедры
практической лингвистики
Федорова Марина Леонидовна, старший преподаватель кафедры практической
лингвистики
Рецензенты:
ISBN
Методические рекомендации содержат тексты для чтения на английском языке,
касающиеся актуальных тем современной жизни.
Целью пособия является: формирование коммуникативной компетенции
студента. В составе коммуникативной компетенции на интегративной основе
формируются лингвистическая (языковая), дискурсивная (речевая) и социо-
культурная компетенции, расширение словарного запаса, овладение
грамматикой английского языка. Тексты различной направленности помогут
студентам оживить учебный процесс, поддержать интерес к английскому
языку.
ББК
К 84
Утверждено и рекомендовано к изданию Учебно-методическим советом
Костанайского регионального университета имени А. Байтурсынова,
__ ____2020 г , протокол № __.
ISBN
©Костанайский государственный университет
им. А.Байтурсынова
© Крупенкина Ф.А., 2023
Федорова М.Л., 2023
3
Содержание
Introduction………………………………………………………………..4
Section 1 Social sciences
Global workforce development ……………………………………………. 5
Market research ………………………………………………………….….7
Foreign exchange services……………………………………………….....10
E-commerce business…………………………………………………...…..12
Microcredits ……………………………………………………………..... 15
Lifestyle planning ………………………………………………………….17
Investing in youth ………………………………………………………….20
Effects of globalization …………………………………………………….23
Cultural effects of globalization…………………………………………….27
Negative effects…………………………………………………………….29
Social networks……………………………………………………………..32
Discrimination………………………………………………………………35
Notforpoftt organization……………………………………………………38
Crime ……………………………………………………………………….40
The truth about art…………………………………………………………..43
Introduction
Reading is an essential aspect of academic and personal growth, especially in the
fields of social and natural sciences. As a student or a professional in these fields, it is
crucial to be able to read, comprehend and critically analyze complex texts. However,
reading in social and natural sciences is different from reading a novel or a magazine
article. It requires the development of specific skills and strategies, such as active
reading, skimming, and scanning. Moreover, reading in these fields involves dealing
with technical language, scientific jargon, and complex concepts. Therefore, a
reading guide for social and natural sciences is an indispensable resource that can
help readers enhance their reading proficiency and academic performance. This guide
provides readers with a step-by-step approach to reading and understanding various
types of texts, including textbooks, research articles, and academic papers. It offers
practical tips and strategies for efficient reading, note-taking, and critical thinking.
Overall, this reading guide is an invaluable tool for anyone seeking to improve their reading skills
in social and natural sciences and excel in their academic and professional endeavors.
These guidelines are a collection of authentic texts for reading. The content of
the collection covers such topical topics as the world economy, human rights, the
latest technologies and medicine.
The aim of the work is to improve reading and speaking skills.
Designed for students of English at an advanced level, preparing for admission
to the Master's program and for international exams
5
Section 1
Social sciences
5.Make up a dialogue.
You are going to study abroad/Discuss with your friend pros and cons of
participating in the exchange programms.
Market research
4. advertising research
5. trends
6. customer satisfaction
7. adhoc
8. clients
9. data,
10. online surveys
intensive and so takes up a lot of your time, but erm you do build up a good
relationship with the client. I also do a couple of adhoc jobs which are much shorter
projects.
Interviewer: What exactly do you mean by adhoc jobs?
Consultant: It’s basically when companies need quick answers to their questions
about their consumers’habits. They just ask for one questionnaire to be sent out for
example so the time you spend on an adhoc project tends to be fairly short.
Interviewer: Which do you prefer, trackers or adhoc?
Consultant: I like doing both and in fact I need to do both at the same time to keep
me sane. I need the variety.
Interviewer: So on a daily basis how much contact do you have with your clients?
Consultant: A lot, although it does depend on how live a project is?
Interviewer: What do you mean by ‘live’?
Consultant: Some clients want a lot of data and so could be on the phone every other
day wanting updates and new questionnaires.
Interviewer: Ok, so how exactly do you get the data they need?
(https://list-english.ru/audio/BritishCouncil/audio/other/MarketResearch )
4.Put the process that the consultant goes through with a new client into the
correct order.
a. I have to go back to the original proposal and analyse the results to see what
corresponds with their objectives and to see if I can find anything they may not have
thought of.
b. I then design a questionnaire.
c. I then speak to the data processing department about what the end tables should
look like.
d. Once the final tables are ready I have to check them and organise a presentation.
e. Once the interviewers have been briefed, I send the client a schedule and then they
get back to me with deadlines.
f. Together we decide on the methodology and the objectives of the research
3.Read the dialogue between Rachel, the owner of a small business, and her
business account manager
Account manager: Ah, Rachel, good to see you again. What can I do to help you?
Rachel: Well, as you know, I run a small company manufacturing children’s clothes.
Account manager: Yes, and it’s doing rather well, if I remember correctly.
Rachel: Yes, I’ve recently increased production, and I’m very happy with my sales
figures. In fact, I’ve had some interest from overseas retailers wanting to sell my
clothes. I’d also like to be able to buy materials from abroad. What I’d like to know
is if I can make and accept payments in foreign currencies.
Account manager: We offer full foreign exchange services, so there shouldn’t be a
problem. We have an extensive foreign correspondent bank network so funds can
easily be transferred worldwide.
Rachel: So this bank is part of a network of foreign banks?
Account manager: That’s right. The advantage is that payments can be made and
received quickly and efficiently and at the lowest cost to you and your suppliers and
purchasers. You can do this by wire transfer – it’s the fastest and safest way to
transmit money around the world. Using our services, you can send international
wires in foreign currency. You pay lower fees than for international sterling wires,
and you reduce risk because you lock in the exchange rate and know the full cost of
the transaction before the wire is sent.
Rachel: How exactly does this reduce risk?
Account manager: Currency exchange rates fluctuate, so if you send a wire in
sterling, you won’t know the exact exchange rate applicable when the wire is
received and the funds converted into the foreign currency. You could find yourself
under or overpaying your supplier. Using the supplier’s currency may also mean
you can negotiate more favourable pricing of materials.
Rachel: I see, and the same applies for my customers. If I use their currency, I won’t
be in danger of over or undercharging them.
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6.Summarize the dialogue between Rachel and her business account manager,
focusing on their discussion on foreign exchange services and the advantages of
using wire transfer to reduce risk.
E-commerce business
7. supermarket groceries
7. laptops
8. perfume
9. pornography
10. software
11. supermarket groceries
4.Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words from the given text:
1. There are certain products and services that are very suitable for selling online,
and others that simply don’t work. Products that have a high _____________ to
weight ratio, such as CDs and DVDs, are very _____________ for online selling.
2. Books, although heavier and more expensive to post, still have a high enough
value to weight ratio.
3. Digital products, such as _____________, films, and music, can be sold in a
purely virtual environment.
4. The success of virtual companies depends on providing an easy-to-use,
_____________ service.
5.Match the words on the left with their definitions on the right:
1.virtual a. having a high value in relation to its weight
2.ratio b. the state of being embarrassed or ashamed
3.transaction с. an act of buying or selling something
4.reliable d. existing only in cyberspace
5.embarrassing e. able to be trusted or believed
6. True or False Decide whether the following statements are true or false based
on the information in the text:
1. Products that have a low value to weight ratio are well-suited for online selling.
Amazon started off selling only books.
2. Digital products can be sold in a purely virtual environment, with no delivery
costs.
3. Online grocery shopping has not gained popularity among consumers.
4. Clothes and jewelry are generally suited to virtual retailing.
8.Use the word in parentheses to form a new word that fits in the blank space.
1. Many __________ companies are able to provide digital services. (success)
2. The __________ of the product determines its suitability for online selling.
(nature)
3. The key to success in e-commerce is providing an easy-to-use, __________
service. (rely)
4. Clothes and jewellery are generally not suited to virtual retailing due to the
need for __________. (try)
5. Online grocery shopping has really taken off, with most major supermarkets
offering the __________. (serve)
6. Products with a low value to weight ratio are not __________ to online selling.
(suit)
7. The __________ of online transactions has made it possible to sell digital
products in a purely virtual environment. (pay)
8. Items with a __________ or smell component are usually considered
unsuitable for online selling. (taste)
Microcredits
2.Read the text. People are talking about the use they made of their
microcredits.
Sandra
I live in a village in the Philippines with my five children.I used to work selling
vegetables in the village market,but we never had enough money.my children were
hungry all the time.Some other women in the village had got loans,but I thought I
was too poor and wouldn’t be able to pay it back. They persuaded me to take out a
loan,and I was able to buy better vegetables to sell in the market. Every day I sold
more and more vegetables and made more and more profit. I paid the loan back on
time, and now I’ve taken out another one. I’ve bought seeds to grow vegetables, so
that I can make more money. My life has changed completely. My children are
never hungry and I can afford to send them to school.
Estelle:
I live in Ghana and I make straw hats and baskets. Before I got my loan I couldn’t
make many hats and baskets because I couldn’t afford to buy much straw. Now I
make a lot more, and I buy baskets from other women in my village to sell. I’ve set
up a stall and sell my goods to tourists. I’m planning to start selling different
traditional crafts. Every week I pay back some of the loan, and now I’ve nearly paid
it all back. The extra money that I’m making means my three children can go to
school.
Miriam:
I live in Ecuador on the outskirts of a large city. For years I sold bottled water by the
roadside, but I never made much money. My house was falling down and I couldn’t
feed my three children properly. With my first loan I bought some bottles of soft
drink. You can make much more profit than from selling just water. At first all the
extra money went on feeding my family. I started buying more vegetables and
sometimes even meat. I used my second loan to start selling snacks as well, and
made enough money to get the house repaired. Now I’ve taken out another loan and
I’m going to open a small shop. Every week I save some money so that if anyone in
my family gets ill I can afford medicine.
(https://list-english.ru/audio/BritishCouncil/audio/other/Microcredits.pdf )
5.Role-play exercise: Work in three groups. Each group one of the characters from
the text: Sandra, Estelle, or Miriam. Each group prepares a short role-play dialogue
based on their character's story. The groups should consider the following questions
in their preparation:
1. What was their life like before they received the loan?
2. What did they do with the money from the loan?
3. How did their life change after they received the loan?
4. What are their plans for the future?
Once the groups have prepared their dialogues, they will perform them for the class.
Lifestyle planning
1. lifestyle planning
2. contract
3. future plans
4. expert advice
5. career guidance
6. retraining
7. distance learning
17
8. flexibility
9. investing time and money
10. financial advice
11. job market research
12. mortgages
13. earnings
14. web resources
15. part-time education.
RH: Ah, I think we have another caller on the line. Could we have your name please?
HJ: Yes, it’s Helen, Helen Jones.
RH: And where are you calling from Helen?
HJ: From Wales, South Wales.
RH: And do you have a question for today’s guest, Helen?
HJ: Yes, several in fact!
RH: That’s great. That’s what we’re here for. I’ll hand you straight over to Timothy
Grady.
TG: Hello Helen, how can I help you?
HJ: Hello Timothy. Well, last week I read your article in “Business Trends” about
lifestyle planning and about writing a contract.
TG: Ah, yes. And have you written one?
HJ: Yes. It took me a while and it’s quite long but I found the exercise itself quite
useful. You know, thinking about what I really want. It’s the first time I’ve really sat
down and thought about it seriously.
TG: Well, as I said in the article Helen, you can’t really plan for the future if you
don’t know what you want. Sometimes identifying what we really want is more
difficult than we think.
RH: So, Helen, what would you like to ask Timothy?
HJ: Ehm, yes. Well, I’ve done the contract and feel happy to have given some
thought to the future but now I don’t really know where to go from here. What the
next step should be.
TG: (laughing) I had an idea you were going to say that! In next month’s edition of
“Business Trends” I’ve got a follow up article about just exactly that. But we can
have a preview if you like. Er, Helen, would I be very indiscreet if I were to ask your
age?
HJ: (laughing) No, that’s all right. I’m twenty-six. I finished university a few years
ago and I’ve been doing temporary jobs since then. I’d really like to work for a big
18
newspaper but I did a degree in French and German and don’t know the first thing
about journalism.
TG: Okay, well my advice to you is to speak to as many experts as possible. Go back
to visit the Careers Officer at your university and find out which routes you could
take to move into journalism. Next, arrange to visit one of the big newspapers. That
will be easier than you think. After all, you should make absolutely sure that this is
what you really want. The best way to do that is to speak to people who are actually
doing that kind of work. Go prepared with a list of specific questions that you want to
ask them. There are lots of career advice web sites these days as well. Check those
out too. The more information you get, the better.
HG: And what about the other plans I’ve made, plans about my home, buying a car,
my family, holidays.
TG: Well, my advice is the same. Speak to the experts. Your first step should be to
find out what kind of earnings you will need in order to make these dreams come
true. You’ll need to look at house prices, investigate mortgages and get financial
advice. You can get that kind of advice from your bank manager. When you’ve
worked out how much you need to earn you’ll have to find out which newspaper jobs
pay that kind of money. Job Centres and Careers Offices can give you that kind of
information. You might need to think about retraining as well.
RH: Are you suggesting that Helen gives up her job?
TG: No, I’m not. There are lots of ways to retrain on a part time basis. These days
more and more qualifications obtained through distance learning are being
recognised. That’s often a practical option because it allows a certain amount of
flexibility.
HJ: So, I need to start tracking down the experts?
TG: I don’t think I could have put it better myself. It will take time. But time well
spent. Investing time in planning for the future is just as important as investing
money.
RH: Helen, have you got any more questions for Timothy?
HJ: Er, not really, I did have but I think I can predict what his answers might be –
“get advice from the ex-“
TG/HJ: experts! (all laugh)
Thank you Timothy. I’ll look forward to reading your article next month.
TG: Thanks for calling, Helen. And good luck!
RH: Yes, all the best, Helen. Now, I think we have time for one more call
(https://list-english.ru/audio/BritishCouncil/audio/other/LifestylePlanning.pdf )
3.Decide whether the following statements are TRUE or FALSE.
1. Timothy Grady is the editor of “Business Trends”.
2. Helen Jones does not feel happy with the contract she has written.
3. Helen has not found a permanent job since she graduated.
4. Helen wishes she had studied languages at university.
5. Timothy advises Helen to get help from many sources.
6. Timothy advises Helen to study full time.
7. Timothy is in favour of Distance Learning.
19
8. Timothy believes it is more important to invest money in your future than time.
5.Vocabulary building.Identify at least three words or expressions from the text that
are related to career planning and explain their meaning.
a.Find a synonym for the word "retraining" used in the text.
b.Can you think of an antonym for the word "flexibility" mentioned in the text?
7.Writing task:
Write a short paragraph about your own career aspirations and the steps you are
taking to achieve them. Do you have a specific plan or are you still exploring your
options? What kind of advice or resources have you found helpful in this process?
Investing in youth
1.Before reading the text match the following words with their definitions.
1. NGO
2. Secondary education
3. Poorly paid job
4. Prevention
5. HIV
6. Infection rates
7. Human suffering
8. Virus
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2.Read a radio talk show about the importance of girls attending schools in
Uganda.
children, they can’t send the children to school, so children stop their schooling. Later
these children can’t find good jobs, they live in poverty.
Presenter: Awareness and prevention is the key ...
Lillian: That’s right, we take the message to the schools, young people need to know
how to protect themselves from the virus.
Presenter: Lillian, are you optimistic for the future?
Lillian: We have made progress in Uganda, there’s still a lot to do, but yes, I am
optimistic…
(https://list-english.ru/audio/BritishCouncil/audio/other/InvestingInYouth.pdf )
3.Decide whether the following sentences are true or false.
1. Lillian Masuga is an expert on development problems.
2. Lillian works for the Ugandan government.
3. Lillian works to help boys stay on in school.
4. If a girl leaves school early she will marry early.
5. Girls who complete school get better jobs.
6. Many children in Uganda have lost both their parents because of HIV.
7. HIV infection rates are still increasing in Uganda.
8. Lillian is optimistic about the future.
4. Complete the following sentences with the correct words from the text.
1. Lillian works for an __________ agency in Uganda.
2. Completing secondary school can lead to better __________ opportunities.
3. Marrying before completing secondary school can result in a __________ job
and more children.
4. Lillian's NGO aims to help girls complete their __________ education in
Uganda.
5. In Uganda, infection __________ are decreasing due to successful prevention
efforts.
5. Discuss the following questions. Use specific examples and details from the text
to support your answers.:
1. Why is it important for girls to complete their secondary education in Uganda?
2. How does completing secondary school benefit a girl's future and her family's
future?
3. Why is it important to inform young people about HIV?
4. What are some of the challenges facing young people in Uganda in regards to
HIV?
5. What is the key to reducing the transmission of HIV in Uganda?
6. Are you optimistic about the future of Uganda and its youth? Why or why not?
7. Encourage students to After the discussion, have a few pairs share their
answers with the class.
22
Effects of globalization
1. Production markets
2. Foreign products
3. Worldwide financial markets
4. External financing
5. Regulatory regime
6. Global common market
7. Freedom of exchange
8. World government
9. Information flows
10. Fibre optic communications
11. Satellites
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12. Competition
13. Productivity
14. Global environmental challenges
15. Climate change
16. Cross-boundary water and air pollution
17. Developing countries
18. Environmental regulation
19. Pollution
20. Standard of living
2.Match the words on the left with their definitions on the right.
3.Moreover, globalization has given rise to the _____ of worldwide financial markets
and made external financing more accessible for borrowers.
4.However, the growth of these worldwide structures has increased the ______ of the
global financial infrastructure, leading to financial crises.
5.Globalization has also contributed to the ______ of a global common market,
which is based on the freedom of exchange of goods and capital. Finally, the increase
in information flows between geographically remote locations is an aspect of
globalization that has been made possible by technological advances such as 6 optic
communications and satellites.
Clues: foreign/global/ instability/ realization/ emergence/fibre
4. Choose the word that is the closest in meaning (synonym) or the opposite in
meaning (antonym) to the given word.
1.Realization a. Delusion b. Recognition c. Distortion d. Illusion
2.Unstable a. Insecure b. Strong c. Sturdy d. Fixed
3.Improved a. Declined b. Bettered c. Deteriorated d. Worsened
Globalization has various aspects which affect the world in several different ways
such as:
A - emergence of worldwide production markets and broader access to a range of
foreign products for consumers and companies. Particularly movement of material
and goods between and within national boundaries
Financial - emergence of worldwide financial markets and better access to external
financing for borrowers. As these worldwide structures grew more quickly than any
transnational regulatory regime, the instability of the global financial infrastructure
dramatically increased, as evidenced by the financial crises of late 2008.
B - realization of a global common market, based on the freedom of exchange of
goods and capital. The interconnectedness of these markets, however meant that an
economic collapse in any one given country could not be contained.
Political - some use "globalization" to mean the creation of a world government
which regulates the relationships among governments and guarantees the rights
arising from social and economic globalization. Politically, the United States has
enjoyed a position of power among the world powers, in part because of its strong
and wealthy economy. With the influence of globalization and with the help of The
United States’ own economy, the People's Republic of China has experienced some
tremendous growth within the past decade. If China continues to grow at the rate
projected by the trends, then it is very likely that in the next twenty years, there will
be a major reallocation of power among the world leaders. China will have enough
wealth, industry, and technology to rival the United States for the position of leading
world power.
25
8. Essay writing. Write an essay discussing the positive and negative impacts of
globalization on your country. Use examples from the text to support your arguments
and provide suggestions on how to mitigate the negative impacts.
9. Debate Divide into two groups , each group has a position to defend:
"Globalization is good for the world" and "Globalization is bad for the world."
Prepare arguments and counterarguments based on the information provided in the
text.
1. Сulture
2. Globalization
3. Food
4. Meditation
5. Yoga
6. Cultural appropriation
7. Internet
8. Communication
9. Digital media
10. Photo sharing
27
10. What are some ways in which people can learn about and appreciate cultures
different from their own?
Negative effects
away at its competitive edge in industry and agriculture, lowering the quality of life
in locations that have not adapted to the change.
Sweatshops
It can be said that globalization is the door that opens up an otherwise resource-poor
country to the international market. Where a country has little material or physical
product harvested or mined from its own soil, large corporations see an opportunity
to take advantage of the “export poverty” of such a nation. Where the majority of the
earliest occurrences of economic globalization are recorded as being the expansion of
businesses and corporate growth, in many poorer nations globalization is actually the
result of the foreign businesses investing in the country to take advantage of the
lower wage rate: even though investing, by increasing the Capital Stock of the
country, increases their wage rate.
One example used by anti-globalization protestors is the use of sweatshops by
manufacturers. According to Global Exchange these “Sweat Shops” are widely used
by sports shoe manufacturers and mentions one company in particular – Nike. There
are factories set up in the poor countries where employees agree to work for low
wages. Then if labour laws alter in those countries and stricter rules govern the
manufacturing process the factories are closed down and relocated to other nations
with more conservative, laissez-faire economic policies.
There are several agencies that have been set up worldwide specifically designed to
focus on anti-sweatshop campaigns and education of such. In the USA, the National
Labor Committee has proposed a number of bills as part of the The Decent Working
Conditions and Fair Competition Act, which have thus far failed in Congress. The
legislation would legally require companies to respect human and worker rights by
prohibiting the import, sale, or export of sweatshop goods.
Specifically, these core standards include no child labor, no forced labor, freedom of
association, right to organize and bargain collectively, as well as the right to decent
working conditions.
Tiziana Terranova has stated that globalization has brought a culture of "free labour".
In a digital sense, it is where the individuals (contributing capital) exploits and
eventually "exhausts the means through which labour can sustain itself". For
example, in the area of digital media (animations, hosting chat rooms, designing
games), where it is often less glamourous than it may sound. In the gaming industry,
a Chinese Gold Market has been established.
(https://ru.scribd.com/document/73389341/Globalization-Jakir )
Vocabulary Definition
self.
A factory where workers are paid very low wages and work in
sweatshops poor conditions.
A digital culture where individuals contribute their labor for no
free labor pay.
4.Fill in the blanks with the correct word from the given vocabulary.
1. ________ is the act of taking cultural elements without understanding their
significance.
2. ___________ is a practice used to calm the mind and connect with one's inner
self.
3. ___________ has caused the integration and interaction of people from
different countries.
4. A ___________ is a factory where workers are paid very low wages and work
in poor conditions.
5. In the digital age, there is a culture of ___________ where individuals
contribute their labor for no pay.
6. Sentence completion exercise: Complete the sentences using the correct word
from the given vocabulary.
7. Globalization has ______________ different cultures, making them into
something different.
8. Meditation has been a sacred practice for centuries in _____________ culture.
9. Cultural appropriation is when people take aspects of a culture without
understanding or respecting their _______________.
10.Sweatshops are factories where workers are paid very low wages and work in
poor _______________.
11.In the digital age, individuals often contribute their labor for no pay in a culture
of _________________.
Social networks
1. a.Business applications
2. b. Privacy issues
3. c. Medical applications
4. d. Investigations
5. e.Languages, nationalities and academia
6. f. Business model
7. g.Social networks for social good
A ______ Social networks connect people at low cost; this can be beneficial for
entrepreneurs and small businesses looking to expand their contact base. These
networks often act as a customer relationship management tool for companies selling
33
products and services. Companies can also use social networks for advertising in the
form of banners and text ads. Since businesses operate globally, social networks can
make it easier to keep in touch with contacts around the world. B_________Social
networks are beginning to be adopted by healthcare professionals as a means to
manage institutional knowledge, disseminate peer to peer knowledge and to highlight
individual physicians and institutions. The advantage of using a dedicated medical
social networking site is that all the members are screened against the state licensing
board list of practitioners. The role of social networks is especially of interest to
pharmaceutical companies who spend approximately "32 percent of their marketing
dollars" attempting to influence the opinion leaders of social networks.
C. ___________Various social networking sites have sprung up catering to different
languages and countries. The popular site Facebook has been cloned for various
countries and languages and some specializing in connecting students and faculty.
D.__________ Several websites are beginning to tap into the power of the social
networking model for social good. Such models may be highly successful for
connecting otherwise fragmented industries and small organizations without the
resources to reach a broader audience with interested and passionate users. Users
benefit by interacting with a like-minded community and finding a channel for their
energy and giving.
E.___________ Few social networks currently charge money for membership. In
part, this may be because social networking is a relatively new service, and the value
of using them has not been firmly established in customers' minds. Companies such
as MySpace and Facebook sell online advertising on their site. Hence, they are
seeking large memberships, and charging for membership would be counter
productive. Some believe that the deeper information that the sites have on each user
will allow much better targeted advertising than any other site can currently provide.
Sites are also seeking other ways to make money, such as by creating an online
marketplace or by selling professional information and social connections to
businesses.
F.____________ On large social networking services, there have been growing
concerns about users giving out too much personal information and the threat of
sexual predators. Users of these services need to be aware of data theft or viruses.
However, large services, such as MySpace, often work with law enforcement to try to
prevent such incidents. In addition, there is a perceived privacy threat in relation to
placing too much personal information in the hands of large corporations or
governmental bodies, allowing a profile to be produced on an individual's behavior
on which decisions, detrimental to an individual, may be taken.
G_________ Social network services are increasingly being used in legal and
criminal investigations. Information posted on sites such as MySpace and Facebook,
has been used by police, probation, and university officials to prosecute users of said
sites. In some situations, content posted on MySpace has been used in court.
(https://www.examenglish.com/FCE/fce_reading.htm)
1. What benefits do social networks offer for entrepreneurs and small businesses?
2. How are healthcare professionals using social networking sites to manage
institutional knowledge and disseminate peer-to-peer knowledge?
3. What is the role of social networks for pharmaceutical companies?
4. How do social networking sites cater to different languages and countries?
5. How are social networks being used for social good?
6. What concerns have arisen about personal information and privacy in relation
to social networking sites?
Discrimination
Radio interviewer: Tell me, Mr. Griffin are diversity risks really still an issue? Aren’t
companies these days dealing with diversity?
Alan Griffin: Oh yes they are very much an issue. ... We have come a long way since
those days when employers were allowed to discriminate against job candidates just
because of their race or their sex. The trouble is ... the boundaries of diversity and
discrimination ...... are widening. Companies have a lot more to consider than a
person’s skin colour or a person’s gender.
Radio interviewer: So ... can you give listeners an example of what kind of things
you are referring to here?
Alan Griffin: Okay ... let’s see .... well, one growing area of discrimination is ageism.
In 1998, companies in the United States had to pay out more than fifty-five million
dollars to employers who had filed age related discrimination complaints against their
companies. That’s a lot of money.
Radio interviewer: Phew ... … so how should companies protect themselves from this
kind of thing?
Alan Griffin: Well, first of all they should think carefully about their recruitment
policies and then they should take out insurance to cover themselves.
Radio interviewer: Isn’t that expensive? ... for the companies, I mean.
Alan Griffin:No, not as expensive as you might think. These days most small and
medium sized organisations take out EPLI ... that’s Employment Practices Liability
Insurance. The cost of the insurance has fallen over the years and if a company isn’t
covered and loses a discrimination case ... well,let’s just say this is the cheaper
option!
Radio interviewer: You’ve mentioned ageism as a growing concern ... but what other
kinds of diversity should managers be aware of?
Alan Griffin: Well ... you’d probably be surprised to hear about some ...
discrimination against single people, against married parents, against people who are
too tall, too short, too heavy ...
Radio interviewer: Really...
Alan Griffin: Oh yes. Security firms are a good example here. They typically state
that their employees need to be over or under a certain height or weight, They claim
it’s necessary for the job .... but there have been cases where people have claimed
discrimination.
Radio interviewer: And won?
Alan Griffin: Sometimes yes. ........ Then there are people with a criminal
background. Employers used to feel justified in turning away job applicants just
because they’d been in trouble with the law.
Radio interviewer Isn’t that still the case?
Alan Griffin: No .... not exactly. The law states that employers can only reject a job
applicant with a criminal record ... if the crime bears a direct relation to the job in
36
question. So .... somebody who has served a sentence for ... let’s say stealing cars ...
would be alright in a job as a kitchen porter.
Radio interviewer: And Mr. Griffin, tell me .... how many people actually go through
with their threats to sue a company for discrimination?
Alan Griffin: Well I haven’t got the latest figures for the UK but in the United States
the Equal Opportunities Commission receive around eighty five thousand complaints
every year ... and that figure is rising. Race and sex account for most of the
complaints that are filed but age discrimination is on the increase too.
Radio interviewer: So ... any words of advice for risk managers?
Alan Griffin: Well ... first of all make sure that you have adequate insurance. Then
address the issues of diversity from within the organisation. Get the employees
involved. Celebrate the differences and try to build up a reputation as a fair employer.
And remember .... it is worth investing time and effort in addressing these issues
because statistics have shown that ..... you’re much more likely to be sued by an
employee than a third party.
(https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/sites/podcasts/files/LearnEnglish-
ProfessionalsPodcasts-ManagingDiversity.pdf )
3.Decide whether the following statements are true or false according to what
Mr. Griffin says.
1. Although diversity is being dealt with, it is still an important concern for
employers.
2. A growing number of people are suing employers because they feel discriminated
against because of their age.
3. Insurance to cover discrimination claims is an enormous cost for companies.
4. Security firms sometimes discriminate against people because of their age.
5. Employers cannot discriminate against job applicants who have been convicted of
any crime.
6.Discussion
1. In what ways do you think companies can promote diversity and prevent
discrimination in their workplace?
37
Notforpoftt organisation
D Spanish GCSE
E worked on building sites
F working with the elderly/exoffenders
5.Role-play the interview, taking turns being the interviewer and the volunteer.
Crime
16.Evidence
17.Trial
18. Punishment
2.Read the interview with a couple who have been the victims of repeated crime
and a police officer.
Interviewer: Good afternoon. Today on Crime Check we are going to talk about
"repeat victims", people who are victims of crime more than once. First of all we
bring you the sad story of Ruth and Harold Saunders from Hull, who have had their
house burgled no fewer than eight times in the last 3 years. Worth an entry in the
Guinness Book of Records you might think, but for Ruth and Harold, it's no joke.
Ruth, why do you think you've been burgled so many times?
Ruth: I wish I knew. It's a nightmare. We bought this house because it looks out onto
the playing fields and we thought it was the perfect house for our retirement.
Interviewer: When were you first burgled?
Ruth: Oh, three years ago, just a week after we had moved in. It was as if the burglars
were waiting for us.
Interviewer: Do you feel sorry that you moved there now?
Ruth: Oh definitely. If we had known we were going to have this sort of trouble, we
wouldn't be living here we would chosen somewhere safer. But now we can't even
sell the house because everyone knows the burglars like it! No one will buy it. We
can't escape from this neighbourhood. We're just waiting for the next break-in.
Interviewer: Do you know who the burglars are?
Ruth: We think so, but we can never prove anything. You see, people can watch the
house from the playing fields, and there are a number of youths who we see watching
the house. They hang around there smoking in the afternoons. I'm frightened to go to
the shops in case they break in while I'm away.
Interviewer: Have you tried calling the police?
Ruth: Yeah, several times, but these youths always get away by running into the
woods on the other side of the playing fields, and the police don't bother to go after
them.
Interviewer: And what have you had stolen?
Ruth: Oh all sorts of things on different occasions. They never take much, but they
always seem to come back. They've taken the television twice. If we'd known they
were going to come back, we wouldn't have bought a new television after the first
burglary, but a week after we bought it, the burglars broke in again.
Interviewer: What else have they taken?
(https://www.academia.edu/27945799/
LearnEnglish_Professionals_CRIME_AUDIOSCRIPT1)
3. They thought they might have problems when they bought the house.
4. They think they know who the burglars are.
5. The burglars haven't stolen anything valuable from the Saunders.
6. They do not lock the door.
7. The Crime Prevention Officer doesn't think there is anything they can do to stop
the burglars.
8. The Saunders do not have a burglar alarm.
9. The Crime Prevention Officer thinks it's always the same burglars who break into
the Saunders' house.
10. Burglars like to steal things which have been bought recently.
4.Read the following sentences and choose the correct meaning of the underlined
word based on the context of the text.
1. Ruth and Harold have been burgled eight times in the last three years.
a) punished b) robbed c) praised
2. Ruth thinks that the burglars are watching their house from the playing fields.
a) criminals b) police officers c) neighbours
3. Ruth is frightened to go to the shops. a) happy b) scared c) confident
4. The burglars never take much, but they always come back. a) leave b) return
c) stay
5. The police don't bother to go after the youths. a) annoy b) interest c) help
5.Match the words from column A with the words from column B to form
collocations that are related to the topic of the text.
Column A:
break
hang around
call
watch
get away
Column B: a) the police b) the house c) in the afternoons d) the burglars e) someone
Example: Hang around + the house
Modern art has had something of a bad press recently - or, to be more precise,
it has always had a bad press in certain newspapers and amongst certain sectors of the
public. In the public mind, it seems, art (that is, graphic art - pictures - and spatial art
- sculpture) is divided into two broad categories. The first is 'classic' art, by which is
meant representational painting, drawing and sculpture; the second is 'modern' art,
also known as abstract or non-representational. British popular taste runs decidedly in
favour of the former, if one believes a recent survey conducted by Charlie Moore,
owner of the Loft Gallery and Workshops in Kent, and one of Britain's most
influential artistic commentators. He found that the man (or woman) in the street has
a distrust of cubism, abstracts, sculptures made of bricks and all types of so-called
'found' art, He likes Turner and Constable, the great representatives of British
watercolour and oil painting respectively, or the French Impressionists, and his taste
for statues is limited to the realistic figures of the great and good that litter the British
landscape - Robin Hood in Nottingham and Oliver Cromwell outside the Houses of
Parliament. This everyman does not believe in primary colours, abstraction and
geometry in nature - the most common comment is that such-and-such a painting is
"something a child could have done".
Lewis Williams, director of the Beaconsfield Galleries in Hampshire, which
specialises in modern painting, agrees. "Look around you at what art is available
every day," he says. "Our great museums and galleries specialise in work which is
designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator. It may be representational, it
may be 'realistic' in one sense, but a lot of it wouldn't make it into the great European
galleries. Britain has had maybe two or three major world painters in the last 1000
years, so we make up the space with a lot of second-rate material."
Williams believes that our ignorance of what modern art is has been caused by
this lack of exposure to truly great art. He compares the experience of the average
British city-dweller with that of a citizen of Italy, France or Spain.
"Of course, we don't appreciate any kind of art in the same way because of the
paucity of good art in Britain. We don't have galleries of the quality of those in
Madrid, Paris, Versailles, Florence, New York or even some places in Russia. We
distrust good art - by which I mean both modern and traditional artistic forms -
because we don't have enough of it to learn about it. In other countries, people are
surrounded by it from birth. Indeed they take it as a birthright, and are proud of it.
The British tend to be suspicious of it. It's not valued here."
Not everyone agrees. Emily Cope, who runs the Osborne Art House, believes
that while the British do not have the same history of artistic experience as many
European countries, their senses are as finely attuned to art as anyone else's.
"Look at what sells - in the great art auction houses, in greetings cards, in
posters. Look at what's going on in local amateur art classes up and down the
country. Of course, the British are not the same as other countries, but that's true of
all nationalities. The French artistic experience and outlook is not the same as the
44
Italian. In Britain, we have artistic influences from all over the world. There's the
Irish, Welsh, and Scottish influences, as well as Caribbean, African and European.
We also have strong links with the Far East, in particular the Indian subcontinent. All
these influences come to bear in creating a British artistic outlook. There's this
tendency to say that British people only want garish pictures of clowns crying or
ships sailing into battle, and that anything new or different is misunderstood. That's
not my experience at all. The British public is poorly educated in art, but that's not the
same as being uninterested in it."
Cope points to Britain's long tradition of visionary artists such as William
Blake, the London engraver and poet who died in 1827. Artists like Blake tended to
be one-offs rather than members of a school, and their work is diverse and often
word-based so it is difficult to export.
Perhaps, as ever, the truth is somewhere in between these two opinions. It is
true that visits to traditional galleries like the National and the National Portrait
Gallery outnumber attendance at more modern shows, but this is the case in every
country except Spain, perhaps because of the influence of the two most famous non-
traditional Spanish painters of the 20th century, Picasso and Dali. However, what is
also true is that Britain has produced a long line of individual artists with unique,
almost unclassifiable styles such as Blake, Samuel Palmer and Henry Moore.
(https://ielts-up.com/reading/academic-reading-sample-7.3.html)
5. The man (or woman) in the street has a distrust of __________, abstracts,
sculptures made of bricks and all types of so-called 'found' art.
6. Lewis Williams, director of the Beaconsfield Galleries in Hampshire, which
specializes in modern painting, agrees. "Look around you at what art is
available every day," he says. "Our great museums and galleries specialize in
work which is designed to appeal to the lowest common ____________.
7. Williams believes that our ___________ of what modern art is has been caused
by this lack of exposure to truly great art.
8. Emily Cope, who runs the Osborne Art House, believes that while the British
do not have the same history of artistic experience as many European
countries, their senses are as finely attuned to art as anyone else's. "Look at
what sells - in the great ____________, in greetings cards, in posters. Look at
what's going on in local amateur art classes up and down the country. Of
course, the British are not the same as other countries, but that's true of all
nationalities.
9. Cope points to Britain's long tradition of visionary artists such as William
Blake, the London engraver and poet who died in 1827. Artists like Blake
tended to be one-offs rather than members of a school, and their work is
diverse and often word-based so it is difficult to __________.
1. What is your opinion on modern art? Do you prefer classic art or modern art?
2. Do you agree with the survey conducted by Charlie Moore about the public's
taste in art? Why or why not?
3. In your opinion, why do some people have a distrust of cubism, abstracts, and
sculptures made of bricks?
4. Lewis Williams believes that Britain has a lack of exposure to truly great art.
Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?
5. Emily Cope believes that the British people's senses are as finely attuned to art
as anyone else's. Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?
6. In your opinion, what is the reason behind the British public's poor education
in art?
7. Can you name any British artists with unique, almost unclassifiable styles?
What makes their work special?
8. Do you think it is important for people to appreciate and understand art? Why
or why not?
9. How can the public's interest and education in art be improved in your
country?
10.In your opinion, what is the future of art in the 21st century? Will it continue to
evolve and challenge traditional forms or will it become more conservative?
46
Section 2
Natural Science
Genetic counselling
2.Which person mentions the following topics, the Interviewer (I) or the Genetic
Counsellor (GC)? They are not in the order they are in the text.
a. a new way of keeping personal medical information
b. children inheriting diseases from their parents
c. new genetic tests
d. people going to counselling in pairs
e. patient being able to choose
f. patients’ being able to see quickly which disease they might suffer from in the
future
4.Read an online broadcast which takes place some time in the year 2040…
Interviewer Good afternoon and welcome to Health Forum. Today we have with us
Kate Hulme, who is a genetic counsellor with the Derbyshire Health Zone. Tell us
first of all a bit about your background.
Genetic counsellor Yes, well I’ve been in the profession for about ten years now and
it’s changed a little since I started. Traditionally, genetic counselling was all about
offering advice and support for people who might be at risk from developing cancer,
or for expectant mothers to make informed decisions about the various tests available
for their unborn child, for things like Down’s Syndrome or Cystic Fibrosis…
Interviewer …conditions based on a singlegene defect...
Genetic counsellor...that’s right, and another important aspect was the discussion we
had with the patient about probabilities and managing risk, and about who else might
be affected by whatever decision they take. That’s still part of the job...
Interviewer But things have moved on since those days, haven’t they? A whole new
range of genetic tests have recently become available…
Genetic counsellor Well, indeed. The job I do these days has changed significantly
since the National Mutation Search Programme was completed. This has opened up a
whole new set of medical and personal questions for patients and their families.
Interviewer What’s the process you go through with a patient who comes to you?
Genetic counsellor Well, an increasing number of clients have been to their doctor
and taken the new combined GenProfile, the one with the hundred or so tests, perhaps
48
because they’re at an age where they’re thinking of buying a house, starting a family,
that sort of thing, so they’re worried about getting life insurance or passing something
on to their children…
Interviewer You get a lot of couples I believe
Genetic counsellor That’s right. Anyway, we take them through the consequences of
each result by crossreferencing their family history file with their current health
index. Then we can give them probability ratings so that the client can see potential
problem areas at a glance. In most cases we can offer concrete advice about areas of
future risk behaviour associated with diet, lifestyle and so on. Things they might like
to consider…
Interviewer …but ultimately it’s up to them whether they take your advice?
Genetic counsellor Yes, absolutely. Obviously, an individual’s health status is now
no longer a matter for that person alone...
Interviewer You mean the new NHS swipe card that the government brought in last
month?
Genetic counsellor …yes
, and we’re still explaining the implications of that, addressing people’s concerns
about confidentiality and so on. But more often what they want is some support and
reassurance about the specific gene intervention they might have to embark on and…
Interviewer So talking things through is still a key part of your work?
Genetic counsellor Oh, for sure
(https://list-english.ru/audio/BritishCouncil/audio/other/GeneticCounselling.pdf )
5.Discuss the following
The role and evolution of genetic counseling in modern healthcare: challenges and
opportunities.
Hybrid cars
2.Read. A radio show host talking to a guest about a hybrid car she test-drove.
(https://list-english.ru/audio/BritishCouncil/audio/other/HybridCars.pdf )
3.Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words from the following list.
List of words: emissions, gauge, hybrid, boost, instrument, pollution, conventional,
recharged, gear, downside
Linda recently test-drove a _____ car, the Honda Civic Hybrid, and was quite
impressed with its performance. She has been thinking about buying a car that can
help reduce _____ since she does a lot of driving around town. The Honda Civic
Hybrid appealed to her because she used to drive a _____ Honda Civic, and she
wanted to see if the hybrid was similar.
The exterior of the car looked almost the same as the _____ Honda Civic, and the
interior was very similar as well, except for the _____ panel. The _____ displayed the
fuel consumption and showed when the electric motor was being used to _____ the
engine power and when the battery was being _____.
When Linda test-drove the Honda Civic Hybrid, she felt that it was very similar to
the _____ Honda Civic. The only difference was that it was quieter and when she
stopped at traffic lights, the petrol engine shut down, making the car completely
silent. She did not find any _____ when the engine started up again as soon as she put
it into _____.
Although there are a few _____ to buying a hybrid car, such as a smaller boot and a
higher price, Linda would still recommend buying one based on her experience. She
thinks the Honda Civic Hybrid is ideal for people who don't need a really powerful
car and are concerned about _____ in town.
2.Read the dialogue. An energy expert, Sue Booth, talking about how to use
renewable energy sources in the home.
Interviewer: Good morning, today in the studio we have Sue Booth from Eco
Power,she’s here to tell us about renewable energy sources and how we can use them
in ourhomes.
Sue: Good morning ...
52
Interviewer: Sue, energy is a hot topic at the moment, with petrol prices at record
highs, gas shortages andprice increases everywhere, what can the average
householder do to save money?
Sue: Well, we’re talking about the UK here – I think there are two issues.
Interviewer: What are these?
Sue: Well, first we need to use energy in the home more efficiently, and then we can
look at a couple of ways of using renewable energy sources in the home
Interviewer: OK, how can I make my home more energy efficient?
Sue: Let’s start with insulation make sure that the roof and the walls of your house
are insulated, and you’ll save money on your heating bills. Next look at your
windows, do these close well? Do you have draughts? Consider installing double
glazing –this is expensive initially but again you’ll save in the long term...
Interviewer: Ok, so ‘insulate’ seems to be the key word
Sue: Definitely, yes, now as regards actually producing energy in the home, solar
power is a solution.
Interviewer: Energy from the sun? In this country?
Sue: Typical reaction .. you know it is possible to produce energy from the sun even
in this country. There are two possibilities, the sun’s energy can be used to produce
electricity using photovoltaic cells
Interviewer: Sorry what was that ..?
Sue: Photovoltaic cells - these convert energy from the sun into electricity.
Interviewer: I see ……
Sue: Or solar panels can be used to produce hot water.
Interviewer: Which do you recommend for the average British household?
Sue: Well, of the two I’d recommend solar panels to heat water for central heating
and showers.
Interviewer: How much does this cost?
Sue: Well it’s hard to say precisely, this depends on the size of the house, but for an
average house in the UK installation costs would be four to five thousand pounds
Interviewer: Rather a lot of money
Sue: Initially yes, but within three years the system will have paid for itself and there
are government grants available to help with the installation costs
Interviewer: So solar power’s the answer
Sue: It can definitely help to reduce those gas and electricity bills
(https://list-english.ru/audio/BritishCouncil/audio/other/FutureFuelSources.pdf )
How much does it cost to install solar panels for an average house in the UK?
How long does it take for the system to pay for itself?
Are there government grants available to help with the installation costs of solar
panels?
Can solar power help to reduce gas and electricity bills?
6.Writing Exercise:
Imagine that you are an environmental activist who is passionate about the use of
renewable energy sources to mitigate the effects of climate change. Write a
persuasive essay to convince people to adopt renewable energy sources in their
homes.
In your essay, you should:
1. Define renewable energy sources and explain their importance to the
environment.
2. Explain how renewable energy sources can help to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions.
3. Discuss the benefits of using renewable energy sources for households,
including cost savings and increased energy efficiency.
4. Outline the different types of renewable energy sources that can be used in
homes, such as solar power and wind power.
5. Address any potential concerns or objections that people may have about the
use of renewable energy sources in their homes.
6. Conclude with a call to action, urging people to consider the use of renewable
energy sources and take action to protect the environment.
Your essay should be well-organized and contain at least 500 words. Make sure to
use evidence and examples to support your arguments, and to address any
counterarguments that may arise.
54
Nuclear energy
Nuclear power
Harmful
Fossil fuels
Storing nuclear waste
Member of Parliament
Environmental problems
Distinguished scientist
Defend the environment
Biologist
Pollute
Cancer
Leukemia
Putting off the damage
55
3.Match the following definitions with the appropriate active vocabulary from
the text:
56
Organic farming
1. Vegetarian
2. Organic
3. Hormones
4. Cereal
5. Genetically modified
6. Pesticides
7. Chemicals
8. Government
9. Scientists
10.Poisoning
11.Drugs
12.Volunteers
57
2.Read the text.Two work colleagues discuss the pros and cons of choosing
organic food.
Brian: What’s that you’re eating, Sam, not a piece of steak, is it? I thought you were
vegetarian!
Sam: It is steak. But it’s organic. I was never vegetarian. I just like eating natural food
Brian: How can meat be organic?
Sam: It means the animal isn’t full of strange hormones, or ate cereal that’s been
genetically modified or sprayed with pesticides. That sort of thing
Brian: And I suppose it’s had a good time walking around the fields, not shut inside
all its life.
Sam: That’s right.
Brian: But can you taste the difference?
Sam: I think so. And anyway, I‘m not filling myself with all sorts of chemicals that
might give me cancer.
Brian: Yes, but there’s no proof that pesticides give you cancer. The government
would ban them. Look what happened with DDT
Sam: So why do the scientists who monitor these things prefer to eat organic food
too? Brian: But if the public found out that some company was poisoning them, it’d
be a national scandal!
Sam: Yeah, but that’s just the point. Pesticides are only tested on animals. It’s not like
new drugs, where companies have to spend millions on trials with human volunteers.
Small quantities of chemicals do get into your food.
(https://list-english.ru/audio/BritishCouncil/audio/other/OrganicFarming.pdf)
1. Sam is a vegetarian.
2. Brian is surprised to see Sam eating a piece of steak.
3. Organic meat is free from hormones and genetically modified cereals.
4. Brian believes that pesticides do not pose a health risk to humans.
5. Scientists who study the effects of chemicals on food prefer to eat organic
food.
6. Pesticides are only tested on humans
58
7. Small amounts of chemicals can get into your food through the use of
pesticides.
1.Look at the words and try to guess what the text is about:
Smoking, sport, football, running, work, lift, stairs, exhaustion, physical appearance,
colleagues, boss, smoke-free zone, exercise, addiction, tennis, fitness.
5. Oleg had gotten out of the habit of exercising, but he was determined to get
back in shape.
6. After receiving advice from his boss, Oleg decided to take up exercise again,
starting with small steps like walking and gradually building up to more
strenuous activities.
7. When the lift in Oleg's building broke down, he was forced to climb the stairs
and quickly realized how out of shape he was.
Each group should share some of their key takeaways from the discussion.
7.Share their own personal experiences with fitness or bad habits they've had to
overcome in the past.
15.paralysis
16.amount of sleep required
17.hallucinations
18.delusions
During stage three, the brain begins to produce delta waves, a type of wave that is
large (high amplitude) and slow (low frequency). Breathing and heart rate are at their
lowest levels.
Stage four is characterised by rhythmic breathing and limited muscle activity. If
we are awakened during deep sleep we do not adjust immediately and often feel
groggy and disoriented for several minutes after waking up. Some children
experience bed-wetting, night terrors, or sleepwalking during this stage.
REM sleep
The first rapid eye movement (REM) period usually begins about 70 to 90 minutes
after we fall asleep. We have around three to five REM episodes a night.
Although we are not conscious, the brain is very active - often more so than when
we are awake. This is the period when most dreams occur. Our eyes dart around
(hence the name), our breathing rate and blood pressure rise. However, our bodies are
effectively paralysed, said to be nature's way of preventing us from acting out our
dreams.
After REM sleep, the whole cycle begins again.
How much sleep is required?
There is no set amount of time that everyone needs to sleep, since it varies from
person to person. Results from the sleep profiler indicate that people like to sleep
anywhere between 5 and 11 hours, with the average being 7.75 hours.
Jim Horne from Loughborough University's Sleep Research Centre has a simple
answer though: "The amount of sleep we require is what we need not to be sleepy in
the daytime."
Even animals require varied amounts of sleep.
The current world record for the longest period without sleep is 11 days, set by
Randy Gardner in 1965. Four days into the research, he began hallucinating. This was
followed by a delusion where he thought he was a famous footballer. Surprisingly,
Randy was actually functioning quite well at the end of his research and he could still
beat the scientist at pinball.
(https://ielts-up.com/reading/academic-reading-sample-3.2.html)
1. What happens to the brain when a person suffers from sleep deprivation?
2. How does sleep apnoea affect a person's emotional and physical health?
3. What are the two categories of sleep?
4. What happens during the first stage of sleep?
5. What is the longest period of sleep known to man?
6. Why do our bodies become effectively paralyzed during REM sleep?
7. What is the average amount of sleep people need?
Solar energy
1. Solar cooking
2. Deforestation
3. Carbon dioxide
4. Parabolic dish
5. Reproducible technology
6. Reflectors
7. Aid agency
C. a method of cooking food using the heat of the sun, often achieved with reflective
surfaces and black pots.
D. a greenhouse gas that is released into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels,
deforestation, and other human activities, contributing to global climate change.
E. the removal of trees from an area due to human activities, such as logging or
clearing for agriculture or settlements.
F. a technology that is simple and easy to replicate, often using everyday materials,
making it accessible to people in developing countries.
G. surfaces that reflect light, often used in solar cooking to direct the sun's rays onto a
pot or surface for cooking.
Presenter: And now here is another in our series of reports, ‘Africa in the 21st
century’. This week our correspondent found herself in Kenya with a small, but
significant story. Tell us all about it, Kate
Correspondent: Yes, I’ve been investigating solar cooking.
Presenter: Cooking using the heat of the sun?
Correspondent: That’s right
Presenter: Well, I must admit to my shame that I’ve never heard of it
Correspondent: It’s an idea that’s been around in its modern form at least since the
1970s.
Presenter: But why solar cooking?
Correspondent: It’s clean, free and in many parts of the world an abundant form of
energy. It’s become popular in countries near the equator because it comes as a very
simple alternative to the traditional method of cooking using trees for firewood
Presenter: Which is not good for the environment…
Correspondent: Yes, it’s a major cause of deforestation, it puts more carbon dioxide
into the atmosphere and it puts more pressure on already poor families. In Kenya it’s
usually the women and children who have to find wood to cook their one meal of the
day, and have to walk greater and greater distances to get it.
Presenter: So what does a solar oven look like?
Correspondent:Well, there are basically three types -you either have a box, a foldout
panel or a parabolic dish and each is covered in a shiny material or mirrors that
reflect the suns rays onto a black pot in which the
food is cooked.
Presenter: Sounds simple
Correspondent: They are and that’s the point. Anyone could make one from everyday
materials. For the reflector you could use aluminium foil, for example. Obviously
they’ve gone through many prototypes, but the idea is that this is a simple, reprodu-
cible technology for people in developing countries to cook their everyday meals.
Presenter: And is it safer than an open fire?
Correspondent: Yes, because you’re using a reflector not a flame, although the
cooking temperatures you get are similar. Presenter: And the test, presumably, is not
66
just can local people in Kenya use it and teach others how to use it, but are they still
being used a year later?
Correspondent: Exactly, and that’s what we’ve found. This isn’t a solution imposed
from outside that is discarded as soon as the aid agency turns its back. They are
spreading all over the developing world, not only in Africa where I’ve seen them in
action, but in Asia, the Caribbean, South America…
Presenter: So even I could use one when I next take the family camping?
Correspondent: Why not!
(https://list-english.ru/audio/BritishCouncil/audio/other/SolarEnergy.pdf )
3.Decide whether the following sentences are true or false.
1. The modern form of solar cooking was invented 70 years ago
2. There is more than one reason why solar power is a good way to cook
3. Using solar power is good for the environment
4. There are several different types of solar cooker
5. It is not easy to use a solar cooker
6. Solar cooking is becoming popular in different parts of the world
References:
1. https://list-english.ru/audio/BritishCouncil/
2. https://nanopdf.com/download
3. https://www.techtarget.com
4. https://ielts-up.com/reading/academic-reading
5. https://www.academia.edu/27945799/LearnEnglish_Professionals
6. https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/
7. https://www.examenglish.com/FCE/fce_reading