Holiday snaps of 'smiling' three-ton hippo 'Otis' become web hit

When Jay Parker told his wife Lauren to say ‘cheese’, it seems someone else was listening, too. Otis the hippo pressed his face against the glass of his tank and produced what appears to be a beaming smile.
And when the couple exchanged positions, the three-ton beast duly obliged with another grin for the camera next to her husband. The Parkers, from Little Rock, Arkansas, took their extraordinary photographs during a holiday visit to San Diego Zoo in California.

'We took the picture on holiday at San Diego Zoo, my wife is a big fan of animals so we always try and visit somewhere when we are away,' said Mr Parker.

'Actually the week we were there the zoo had just put two hippos together for the first time in the tank. Hippos are not usually that friendly and the two they had in the tank - the male Otis and the female Funani - had been having a bit of a fight with each other that day. Mr Parker said 'When I look at his face I think he looks pretty tired by it all, or maybe he's having a happy dream - either way it's a great picture.'

To add another dimension to the memorable snap, the picture has become an internet hit after Jay posted them on the internet and pops up on blogs and chatrooms from USA to China. Mr Parker, 35, from Little Rock, Arkansas, even gets fan mail from people far away telling him he is their computer screensaver or Facebook profile picture.

He said: 'It's kind of strange to think there are people out there with a picture of me on their computer, but I guess I'm just the hippo man as far they're concerned.’


Question 1 [2 points]Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.
a) Jay Parker appears in the first photograph of Otis in San Diego. b) Lauren likes animals a lot.
c) Otis has always had company in his tank. (
d) Mr Parker received emails from people all over the world.

Question 2 [2 points] Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) When and where were the photos taken?
b) Who has used the photos of Mr and Mrs Parker and how?

Question 3 [1.5 points] Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) very wide and happy (paragraph 1)
b) animal (paragraph 2)
c) to appear (paragraph 5)

Question 4 Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a) The Parkers, from Little Rock, Arkansas, took their extraordinary photographs during a holiday visit to San Diego Zoo in California.
The extraordinary photographs ……..

b) My wife is a big fan of animals so we always try and visit some when we are away.
If my …….

c) Mr Parker said: 'It's kind of strange to think there are people out there with a picture of me on their computer, but I guess I'm just the hippo man as far they're concerned.’
Mr Parker said that it …………

Question 5 Write a short essay (between120-150 words) on the following topic:
‘Nowadays, the internet makes it possible for everyone to be famous’. Do you agree? Is it always a good thing?

Holiday snaps of 'smiling' three-ton hippo 'Otis' become web hit

When Jay Parker told his wife Lauren to say ‘cheese’, it seems someone else was listening, too. Otis the hippo pressed his face against the glass of his tank and produced what appears to be a beaming smile.
And when the couple exchanged positions, the three-ton beast duly obliged with another grin for the camera next to her husband. The Parkers, from Little Rock, Arkansas, took their extraordinary photographs during a holiday visit to San Diego Zoo in California.

'We took the picture on holiday at San Diego Zoo, my wife is a big fan of animals so we always try and visit somewhere when we are away,' said Mr Parker.

'Actually the week we were there the zoo had just put two hippos together for the first time in the tank. Hippos are not usually that friendly and the two they had in the tank - the male Otis and the female Funani - had been having a bit of a fight with each other that day. Mr Parker said 'When I look at his face I think he looks pretty tired by it all, or maybe he's having a happy dream - either way it's a great picture.'

To add another dimension to the memorable snap, the picture has become an internet hit after Jay posted them on the internet and pops up on blogs and chatrooms from USA to China. Mr Parker, 35, from Little Rock, Arkansas, even gets fan mail from people far away telling him he is their computer screensaver or Facebook profile picture.

He said: 'It's kind of strange to think there are people out there with a picture of me on their computer, but I guess I'm just the hippo man as far they're concerned.’


Question 1 [2 points]Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.
a) Jay Parker appears in the first photograph of Otis in San Diego. b) Lauren likes animals a lot.
c) Otis has always had company in his tank. (
d) Mr Parker received emails from people all over the world.

Question 2 [2 points] Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) When and where were the photos taken?
b) Who has used the photos of Mr and Mrs Parker and how?

Question 3 [1.5 points] Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) very wide and happy (paragraph 1)
b) animal (paragraph 2)
c) to appear (paragraph 5)

Question 4 Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a) The Parkers, from Little Rock, Arkansas, took their extraordinary photographs during a holiday visit to San Diego Zoo in California.
The extraordinary photographs ……..

b) My wife is a big fan of animals so we always try and visit some when we are away.
If my …….

c) Mr Parker said: 'It's kind of strange to think there are people out there with a picture of me on their computer, but I guess I'm just the hippo man as far they're concerned.’
Mr Parker said that it …………

Question 5 Write a short essay (between120-150 words) on the following topic:
‘Nowadays, the internet makes it possible for everyone to be famous’. Do you agree? Is it always a good thing?

The Spy Who You May Have Met

Most of us think of spies as people who work in foreign countries gathering information. But there’s another kind of spy – one that you may have even encountered without knowing it. Shopping spies are hired to go into a shop, bank, restaurant or other business pretending to be ordinary customers. Their goal is to see what kind of service they receive. Afterwards, they tell the managers of companies how well their employees did.

The results of the shopping spies’ reports can have a big impact. One shopping spy went to a restaurant that had an extremely dirty toilet. She went to tell the waiter, who refused to help`, and told her that he wasn’t going to work any harder than he had to. The manager heard about the problem, and the employee was fired a few days later. Although workers have lost their jobs based on visits like these, shopping spy Sandra Smith stresses that most workers shouldn’t’ feel threatened. ”We’re not inspecting them. I’m not trying to trick them,” she said. “The client wants to know what the average citizen sees when he or she walks into the establishment. I just want to see if the workers are doing their job. That’s pretty much it.”

There are some benefits to being a shopping spy such as free meals at restaurants. Occasionally the shoppers even keep the items they buy. However, most jobs in this field are part-time – sometimes as little as two days a month – so shopping spies don’ t generally take the job for the benefits of the money. Rather, they are entranced by the excitement, fun, and perhaps even the opportunity to improve the business world just a little bit.

Question 1 (2 points) Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.

1. All of us have met shopping spies.


2. The spy at the restaurant complained because the toilet was a mess.


3. The people who employ spies want to know what the employees do in the break.


4. As a benefit of their job, shopping spies get high pay.

Question 2 (2 points) Answer the following questions in your own words.

1. What information does a shopping spy gather?


2. What motivates most shopping spies to do their job?

Question 3 (1.5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.

a. to collect (par.1) b. filthy (par.2) c. delighted (par.3)

Question 4 ( 1.5 points) Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a. The employee was fired a few days later. They ……………………………………

b. “I just want to see if the workers are doing their job. Sandra Smith said that ……………………………………….

c. One employee was fired because he refused to help. He wouldn’t ……………………….........

Question 5 (3 points)
Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic:

Where do you like to do your shopping? Give reasons.

The Spy Who You May Have Met

Most of us think of spies as people who work in foreign countries gathering information. But there’s another kind of spy – one that you may have even encountered without knowing it. Shopping spies are hired to go into a shop, bank, restaurant or other business pretending to be ordinary customers. Their goal is to see what kind of service they receive. Afterwards, they tell the managers of companies how well their employees did.

The results of the shopping spies’ reports can have a big impact. One shopping spy went to a restaurant that had an extremely dirty toilet. She went to tell the waiter, who refused to help`, and told her that he wasn’t going to work any harder than he had to. The manager heard about the problem, and the employee was fired a few days later. Although workers have lost their jobs based on visits like these, shopping spy Sandra Smith stresses that most workers shouldn’t’ feel threatened. ”We’re not inspecting them. I’m not trying to trick them,” she said. “The client wants to know what the average citizen sees when he or she walks into the establishment. I just want to see if the workers are doing their job. That’s pretty much it.”

There are some benefits to being a shopping spy such as free meals at restaurants. Occasionally the shoppers even keep the items they buy. However, most jobs in this field are part-time – sometimes as little as two days a month – so shopping spies don’ t generally take the job for the benefits of the money. Rather, they are entranced by the excitement, fun, and perhaps even the opportunity to improve the business world just a little bit.

Question 1 (2 points) Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.

1. All of us have met shopping spies.


2. The spy at the restaurant complained because the toilet was a mess.


3. The people who employ spies want to know what the employees do in the break.


4. As a benefit of their job, shopping spies get high pay.

Question 2 (2 points) Answer the following questions in your own words.

1. What information does a shopping spy gather?


2. What motivates most shopping spies to do their job?

Question 3 (1.5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.

a. to collect (par.1) b. filthy (par.2) c. delighted (par.3)

Question 4 ( 1.5 points) Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a. The employee was fired a few days later. They ……………………………………

b. “I just want to see if the workers are doing their job. Sandra Smith said that ……………………………………….

c. One employee was fired because he refused to help. He wouldn’t ……………………….........

Question 5 (3 points)
Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic:

Where do you like to do your shopping? Give reasons.

Father of the CD” Dies

The pioneer of the compact disc (CD) Norio Ohga has died aged 81 of multiple organ failure in the Japanese capital Tokyo. Mr Ohga was president and chairman of Sony between 1982 and 1995. He is credited with pioneering the use of the CD. Sony sold the world's first CD in 1982. Mr Ohga was responsible for its size. He recommended a disc should be 12 cm in diameter because it contained enough space to store Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, which is 75 minutes long. The size of CDs has remained unchanged since and became the format for DVDs. CD sales in Japan overtook record sales within five years of their introduction. Ohga was an avid music enthusiast and studied to become an opera singer in his youth.

Sony's current chairman, Sir Howard Stringer, paid tribute to Mr Ohga’s leadership and vision. He said the former chairman transformed Sony from a company that sold radios and electronics into a global entertainment giant. Ohga rose through the Sony ranks at a speed highly unusual for a Japanese company and was an executive by his 30s. Ohga moved Sony into new directions, making them an international player. He was key in the purchase of Hollywood studio Colombia Pictures and the record company CBS. He also oversaw the launch of Sony’s highly successful PlayStation game console. Mr Stringer said: “By redefining Sony as a company encompassing both hardware and software, Ohga-san succeeded where other Japanese companies failed.”
(25th April, 2011)

Question 1 (2 points) Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.

a. The pioneer of the CD died from cancer in Tokyo
b.The former Sony chairman once trained to be an opera singer.
c. Mr Ohga bought a Hollywood movie studio and record company.
d. He had very little part to play in the launch of the Sony PlayStation.

Question 2 (2 points) Answer the following questions in your own words.
a. Why do CDs are the size they are?
b. What contributions did Mr. Ohga do to Sony?

Question 3 (1.5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a. innovation (par.1) b. fan (par.1) c. to include (par.2)

Question 4 ( 1.5 points) Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a. CD sales in Japan overtook record sales within five years of their introduction.
Record sales ………………………………………………
b. The size of CDs has remained unchanged since 1982
The size of CDs hasn't ……………………………………..
c. : “By redefining Sony as a company encompassing both hardware and software, Ohga-san succeeded where other Japanese companies failed.”
Mr. Stringer said that …………………………………...

Question 5 (3 points)
Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic:
How many different ways are there to keep your music? What’s your favourite?

Father of the CD” Dies

The pioneer of the compact disc (CD) Norio Ohga has died aged 81 of multiple organ failure in the Japanese capital Tokyo. Mr Ohga was president and chairman of Sony between 1982 and 1995. He is credited with pioneering the use of the CD. Sony sold the world's first CD in 1982. Mr Ohga was responsible for its size. He recommended a disc should be 12 cm in diameter because it contained enough space to store Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, which is 75 minutes long. The size of CDs has remained unchanged since and became the format for DVDs. CD sales in Japan overtook record sales within five years of their introduction. Ohga was an avid music enthusiast and studied to become an opera singer in his youth.

Sony's current chairman, Sir Howard Stringer, paid tribute to Mr Ohga’s leadership and vision. He said the former chairman transformed Sony from a company that sold radios and electronics into a global entertainment giant. Ohga rose through the Sony ranks at a speed highly unusual for a Japanese company and was an executive by his 30s. Ohga moved Sony into new directions, making them an international player. He was key in the purchase of Hollywood studio Colombia Pictures and the record company CBS. He also oversaw the launch of Sony’s highly successful PlayStation game console. Mr Stringer said: “By redefining Sony as a company encompassing both hardware and software, Ohga-san succeeded where other Japanese companies failed.”
(25th April, 2011)

Question 1 (2 points) Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.

a. The pioneer of the CD died from cancer in Tokyo
b.The former Sony chairman once trained to be an opera singer.
c. Mr Ohga bought a Hollywood movie studio and record company.
d. He had very little part to play in the launch of the Sony PlayStation.

Question 2 (2 points) Answer the following questions in your own words.
a. Why do CDs are the size they are?
b. What contributions did Mr. Ohga do to Sony?

Question 3 (1.5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a. innovation (par.1) b. fan (par.1) c. to include (par.2)

Question 4 ( 1.5 points) Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a. CD sales in Japan overtook record sales within five years of their introduction.
Record sales ………………………………………………
b. The size of CDs has remained unchanged since 1982
The size of CDs hasn't ……………………………………..
c. : “By redefining Sony as a company encompassing both hardware and software, Ohga-san succeeded where other Japanese companies failed.”
Mr. Stringer said that …………………………………...

Question 5 (3 points)
Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic:
How many different ways are there to keep your music? What’s your favourite?

Google launches Latin translation tool

Google Translate, a service that can instantly translate entire web pages or chunks of text in to another language, has added Latin to its list.
Google Translate supports more than 50 languages, including minority languages such as Welsh and Haitian Creole, and the addition of Latin is sure to please scholars and traditionalists.

In a blog post, written entirely in Latin, Jakob Uszkoreit, a senior engineer at Google, said that Latin was far from a “dead language”. “There are many Latin language learners,” he wrote. “Over 100,000 American students take the National Latin Exam every year and many more learn Latin all over the world. And there is a wealth of information originally written in it.”

He said that while Google recognised that the Latin translation tool would rarely be used to decipher emails or captions on YouTube videos, it would enable web users to read many of the crucially important philosophical and scientific texts originally written in this language. “There are tens of thousands of scanned books written in Latin on Google Books, and many more contain Latin quotes and proverbs,” he wrote.

Google expects translations to and from Latin to be among the most accurate offered by its Google Translate tool. “Unlike any of the other languages Google Translate supports, Latin offers a unique advantage: most of the text that will ever be written in Latin has already been written, and a comparatively large part of it has been translated in to other languages. “We use these translations, found in books and on the web, to train our system.”
Google has also added a Latin text-to-speech function, too, to help people with their pronunciation.

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

a) Google Translate can be used to produce translations of stretches of language.
b) Only widely spoken languages are available on Google Translate.
c) The Google engineer wrote his message in American English.
d) There is no possibility of listening to Latin on Google Translation.

Question 2:[2 POINTS] Answer the following questions in your own words.

a) Is Latin studied these days?
b) Why will Google Latin translations be particularly reliable?

Question 3:[1.5 POINTS]Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.

a) To make happy (paragraph 1).
b) a large amount (paragraph 2).
c) extremely (paragraph 3).

Question 4:[1,5 POINTS] Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a) Over 100,000 American students take the National Latin Exam every year and many more learn Latin all over the world.
The National Latin Exam …… and Latin ……

b) “What lessons do you have this morning, James?”
I asked James ……………………………………………………………

c) Many important philosophical and scientific texts were written in Latin People want to read these texts.
People want to read the

Question 5:[3 POINTS]Write a short essay (120 - 150 words) on the following topic:
‘Not everything that we have to study at school is useful.’ Do you agree?

Google launches Latin translation tool

Google Translate, a service that can instantly translate entire web pages or chunks of text in to another language, has added Latin to its list.
Google Translate supports more than 50 languages, including minority languages such as Welsh and Haitian Creole, and the addition of Latin is sure to please scholars and traditionalists.

In a blog post, written entirely in Latin, Jakob Uszkoreit, a senior engineer at Google, said that Latin was far from a “dead language”. “There are many Latin language learners,” he wrote. “Over 100,000 American students take the National Latin Exam every year and many more learn Latin all over the world. And there is a wealth of information originally written in it.”

He said that while Google recognised that the Latin translation tool would rarely be used to decipher emails or captions on YouTube videos, it would enable web users to read many of the crucially important philosophical and scientific texts originally written in this language. “There are tens of thousands of scanned books written in Latin on Google Books, and many more contain Latin quotes and proverbs,” he wrote.

Google expects translations to and from Latin to be among the most accurate offered by its Google Translate tool. “Unlike any of the other languages Google Translate supports, Latin offers a unique advantage: most of the text that will ever be written in Latin has already been written, and a comparatively large part of it has been translated in to other languages. “We use these translations, found in books and on the web, to train our system.”
Google has also added a Latin text-to-speech function, too, to help people with their pronunciation.

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

a) Google Translate can be used to produce translations of stretches of language.
b) Only widely spoken languages are available on Google Translate.
c) The Google engineer wrote his message in American English.
d) There is no possibility of listening to Latin on Google Translation.

Question 2:[2 POINTS] Answer the following questions in your own words.

a) Is Latin studied these days?
b) Why will Google Latin translations be particularly reliable?

Question 3:[1.5 POINTS]Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.

a) To make happy (paragraph 1).
b) a large amount (paragraph 2).
c) extremely (paragraph 3).

Question 4:[1,5 POINTS] Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a) Over 100,000 American students take the National Latin Exam every year and many more learn Latin all over the world.
The National Latin Exam …… and Latin ……

b) “What lessons do you have this morning, James?”
I asked James ……………………………………………………………

c) Many important philosophical and scientific texts were written in Latin People want to read these texts.
People want to read the

Question 5:[3 POINTS]Write a short essay (120 - 150 words) on the following topic:
‘Not everything that we have to study at school is useful.’ Do you agree?

Meditation Better Than Pain-Killers

Meditation can be better at relieving pain than the best pain-relieving drugs, according to a new report published in the Journal of Neuroscience. The study into the effects of the mind and pain was led by Dr Fadel Zeidan in the USA. The research looked at a technique called “focused attention,” which is a form of meditation where people focus their thoughts only on their breathing. Dr Zeidan said: “This is the first study to show that only a little over an hour of meditation training can dramatically reduce both the experience of pain and pain-related brain activation”. Zeidan added: “We found a big effect - about a 40per cent reduction in pain intensity and a 57 per cent reduction in pain unpleasantness.”

The study involved a group of volunteers who had never meditated before. They attended four 20-minute classes to learn about focused attention. Before and after the meditation training, the researchers examined the participants’ brain activity using MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). During the scans, a heat device was placed on their leg to create pain. The MRI scans showed that after the meditation training, pain felt by every volunteer decreased from between 11 to 93 per cent. Zeidan compared these results to medicines, saying: “Meditation produced a greater reduction in pain than even morphine or other pain-relieving drugs, which typically reduce pain by about 25 per cent.”

Question 1 (2 points) Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.
a. The technique focuses people’s attention on the source of the pain.
b. Only an hour of meditation can make you feel 60% less pain.
c. The group of people who took part in the sudy were used to meditating.
d. The meditators had their brains scanned before and after meditating.

Question 2 (2 points) Answer the following questions in your own words.
a. Where did they conduct the research? What technique did they use?
b. How did they carry out the study?

Question 3 (1.5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a. discomfort (par.1) b. strength (par.1) c. put (par.2)

Question 4 (1.5 points) Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a. “This is the first study to show that only a little meditation can reduce the experience of pain.” Dr. Zeidan said that ……………………………………………
b. The researchers examined the participants’ brain activity.
The participants’ ………………………………………………….
c. People who use the “focused attention” technique feel less pain.
If they didn’t ……………………………………………………….

Question 5 (3 points) Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic: Would you like to “volunteer” for anything? Give reasons.

Meditation Better Than Pain-Killers

Meditation can be better at relieving pain than the best pain-relieving drugs, according to a new report published in the Journal of Neuroscience. The study into the effects of the mind and pain was led by Dr Fadel Zeidan in the USA. The research looked at a technique called “focused attention,” which is a form of meditation where people focus their thoughts only on their breathing. Dr Zeidan said: “This is the first study to show that only a little over an hour of meditation training can dramatically reduce both the experience of pain and pain-related brain activation”. Zeidan added: “We found a big effect - about a 40per cent reduction in pain intensity and a 57 per cent reduction in pain unpleasantness.”

The study involved a group of volunteers who had never meditated before. They attended four 20-minute classes to learn about focused attention. Before and after the meditation training, the researchers examined the participants’ brain activity using MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). During the scans, a heat device was placed on their leg to create pain. The MRI scans showed that after the meditation training, pain felt by every volunteer decreased from between 11 to 93 per cent. Zeidan compared these results to medicines, saying: “Meditation produced a greater reduction in pain than even morphine or other pain-relieving drugs, which typically reduce pain by about 25 per cent.”

Question 1 (2 points) Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.
a. The technique focuses people’s attention on the source of the pain.
b. Only an hour of meditation can make you feel 60% less pain.
c. The group of people who took part in the sudy were used to meditating.
d. The meditators had their brains scanned before and after meditating.

Question 2 (2 points) Answer the following questions in your own words.
a. Where did they conduct the research? What technique did they use?
b. How did they carry out the study?

Question 3 (1.5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a. discomfort (par.1) b. strength (par.1) c. put (par.2)

Question 4 (1.5 points) Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a. “This is the first study to show that only a little meditation can reduce the experience of pain.” Dr. Zeidan said that ……………………………………………
b. The researchers examined the participants’ brain activity.
The participants’ ………………………………………………….
c. People who use the “focused attention” technique feel less pain.
If they didn’t ……………………………………………………….

Question 5 (3 points) Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic: Would you like to “volunteer” for anything? Give reasons.

Invitations arrive for Royal wedding

The Royal wedding on April 29 will be a regal affair, with more than 50 members of the Royal Family and 40 members of foreign royal families in attendance. The guest list will include 60 leaders of countries such as Australia, Canada, and New Zealand and over 200 members of Government and Parliament.

Of the 1,900 people who will watch Prince William 28, and Miss Middleton, 29, exchange their marriage vows in the morning service at Westminster Abbey, the majority will be from the couple's circle of family and friends. The guest list for the Abbey will be whittled down to 600 for the lunch time reception at Buckingham Palace hosted by the Queen, and just 300 of the couple's closest family and friends will go on to attend the "intimate" dinner hosted by the Prince of Wales.

There will be two versions of the invitation sent to guests for day-time events - one inviting them to the ceremony at the Abbey only and other also including details of the Buckingham Palace reception. A separate invitation will be sent to the couple's close friends and family for the dinner.

Royal historian Hugo Vickers said that details of the guest list released suggested ordinary members of the public will not have a front line role. "It strikes me as an entirely sensible and predictable type of list, looking to balance the need to invite all the people who should be there -- because William will one day be king -- with inviting those who they want to be there."

Ordinary well-wishers will instead throng the capital's streets, watching Middleton arrive at Westminster Abbey by car, but leave with her new husband in a horse-drawn carriage to parade through the heart of London to Buckingham Palace.

Millions more will watch the ceremony and celebrations on live television -- crowded around screens in their homes, at street parties in towns and villages and at major landmarks.

Question 1 [2 points]
Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.
a) Many people from different monarchies will be at the wedding on April 29th.
b) There will be more people at dinner than at lunch.
c) Three different invitations have been sent out.
d) The bride will arrive and leave in the same form of transport.

Question 2 [2 points]
Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) Who will be at the wedding in Westminster Abbey?
b) Where will people who are not invited to the wedding watch it?

Question 3 [1.5 points]
Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) event (paragraph 1)
b) reduce (paragraph 2)
c) pack, fill (paragraph 5)

Question 4Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a) Hugo Vickers said: It strikes me as an entirely sensible and predictable type of list because William will one day be king “
Hugo Vickers said that
b) The celebrations will be broadcast live by TV channels around the world and millions of people are expected to watch them.
TV channels …….............. and they ……................
c) There have been 14 royal weddings at Westminster Abbey since 1100, but there were none between 1382 and 1919.
Although

Question 5 Write a short essay (between120-150 words) on the following topic:
How important do you think it is to celebrate important occasions in our lives?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/technology-video/8376185/Google-Royal-Wedding-Route-3D-tour.html

Invitations arrive for Royal wedding

The Royal wedding on April 29 will be a regal affair, with more than 50 members of the Royal Family and 40 members of foreign royal families in attendance. The guest list will include 60 leaders of countries such as Australia, Canada, and New Zealand and over 200 members of Government and Parliament.

Of the 1,900 people who will watch Prince William 28, and Miss Middleton, 29, exchange their marriage vows in the morning service at Westminster Abbey, the majority will be from the couple's circle of family and friends. The guest list for the Abbey will be whittled down to 600 for the lunch time reception at Buckingham Palace hosted by the Queen, and just 300 of the couple's closest family and friends will go on to attend the "intimate" dinner hosted by the Prince of Wales.

There will be two versions of the invitation sent to guests for day-time events - one inviting them to the ceremony at the Abbey only and other also including details of the Buckingham Palace reception. A separate invitation will be sent to the couple's close friends and family for the dinner.

Royal historian Hugo Vickers said that details of the guest list released suggested ordinary members of the public will not have a front line role. "It strikes me as an entirely sensible and predictable type of list, looking to balance the need to invite all the people who should be there -- because William will one day be king -- with inviting those who they want to be there."

Ordinary well-wishers will instead throng the capital's streets, watching Middleton arrive at Westminster Abbey by car, but leave with her new husband in a horse-drawn carriage to parade through the heart of London to Buckingham Palace.

Millions more will watch the ceremony and celebrations on live television -- crowded around screens in their homes, at street parties in towns and villages and at major landmarks.

Question 1 [2 points]
Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.
a) Many people from different monarchies will be at the wedding on April 29th.
b) There will be more people at dinner than at lunch.
c) Three different invitations have been sent out.
d) The bride will arrive and leave in the same form of transport.

Question 2 [2 points]
Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) Who will be at the wedding in Westminster Abbey?
b) Where will people who are not invited to the wedding watch it?

Question 3 [1.5 points]
Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) event (paragraph 1)
b) reduce (paragraph 2)
c) pack, fill (paragraph 5)

Question 4Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a) Hugo Vickers said: It strikes me as an entirely sensible and predictable type of list because William will one day be king “
Hugo Vickers said that
b) The celebrations will be broadcast live by TV channels around the world and millions of people are expected to watch them.
TV channels …….............. and they ……................
c) There have been 14 royal weddings at Westminster Abbey since 1100, but there were none between 1382 and 1919.
Although

Question 5 Write a short essay (between120-150 words) on the following topic:
How important do you think it is to celebrate important occasions in our lives?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/technology-video/8376185/Google-Royal-Wedding-Route-3D-tour.html

Clothes that change colour

A new thread developed for the military will make it possible to change the colours of your clothes to suit yourself, whenever you please.

At Massachusetts Institute of Technology, professor Yoel Fink and his colleagues have developed an innovative process to combine extremely thin layers of two materials, a plastic and a glass. The result: a new fibre that can reflect all the light that hits it, from any direction. Within the next two years, the U.S. Army plans to weave Fink's new thread into uniforms, to make an optical bar code that will help our soldiers distinguish friend from foe on night patrol, or during the smoke and confusion of a fire fight.

But Fink's thread could also enjoy a major commercial future in fashion. You might leave home for work in a business-like gray or navy, and switch to a livelier purple or pink in time for your evening out. M.I.T. graduate student Shandon Hart, who collaborated with Fink on the new thread, envisions clothing made from the fibre and equipped with a tiny, lightweight battery pack. When you want to change your suit or dress from, say, black to red, you flick a switch on the pack to zap the fabric with an electric change. Like a radio antenna that lengthens or shortens to tune to a frequency, the thread changes thickness—and your outfit changes colour.

Timothy M. Gunn, chair of Parsons' design department, believes that "what professor Fink has done is incredibly revolutionary. Think what the club scene, celebrity dressing, MTV and the Oscars will look like." Gunn predicts that the fashion industry "might start by using the thread in accessories, to change the colour of a bag or a hat or a scarf. For men, I can see it used to make jackets and even possibly shoes. And imagine how easily you could transform a room—just by changing something simple like a table cloth."

Question 1 (2 points) Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text. a. The new fibre has been designed by the military.
b. The thread is already being used by the U.S. Army.
c. You’ll need batteries in order to change the colour of your clothes.
d. Colours change depending on how thick the thread becomes.

Question 2 (2 points) Answer the following questions in your own words.
a. What benefits will the new fibre have for solddiers?
b. How might the fashion industry apply the new thread to its products?

Question 3 (1.5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a. to identify (par.2)
b. to imagine (par.3)
c. material (par. 3)

Question 4 (1.5 points) Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning. a. Yoel Fink and his colleagues have developed an innovative process.
An innovative ..............................................
b. "What professor Fink has done is incredibly revolutionary.“
T. M. Gunn said ..........................................
c. I flicked a switch on the pack because I wanted to change the colour of my clothes. If I hadn´t ...................................................

Question 5 (3 points)Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic:
Will fashion change much in the future? What will people be wearing in 2050?

Clothes that change colour

A new thread developed for the military will make it possible to change the colours of your clothes to suit yourself, whenever you please.

At Massachusetts Institute of Technology, professor Yoel Fink and his colleagues have developed an innovative process to combine extremely thin layers of two materials, a plastic and a glass. The result: a new fibre that can reflect all the light that hits it, from any direction. Within the next two years, the U.S. Army plans to weave Fink's new thread into uniforms, to make an optical bar code that will help our soldiers distinguish friend from foe on night patrol, or during the smoke and confusion of a fire fight.

But Fink's thread could also enjoy a major commercial future in fashion. You might leave home for work in a business-like gray or navy, and switch to a livelier purple or pink in time for your evening out. M.I.T. graduate student Shandon Hart, who collaborated with Fink on the new thread, envisions clothing made from the fibre and equipped with a tiny, lightweight battery pack. When you want to change your suit or dress from, say, black to red, you flick a switch on the pack to zap the fabric with an electric change. Like a radio antenna that lengthens or shortens to tune to a frequency, the thread changes thickness—and your outfit changes colour.

Timothy M. Gunn, chair of Parsons' design department, believes that "what professor Fink has done is incredibly revolutionary. Think what the club scene, celebrity dressing, MTV and the Oscars will look like." Gunn predicts that the fashion industry "might start by using the thread in accessories, to change the colour of a bag or a hat or a scarf. For men, I can see it used to make jackets and even possibly shoes. And imagine how easily you could transform a room—just by changing something simple like a table cloth."

Question 1 (2 points) Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text. a. The new fibre has been designed by the military.
b. The thread is already being used by the U.S. Army.
c. You’ll need batteries in order to change the colour of your clothes.
d. Colours change depending on how thick the thread becomes.

Question 2 (2 points) Answer the following questions in your own words.
a. What benefits will the new fibre have for solddiers?
b. How might the fashion industry apply the new thread to its products?

Question 3 (1.5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a. to identify (par.2)
b. to imagine (par.3)
c. material (par. 3)

Question 4 (1.5 points) Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning. a. Yoel Fink and his colleagues have developed an innovative process.
An innovative ..............................................
b. "What professor Fink has done is incredibly revolutionary.“
T. M. Gunn said ..........................................
c. I flicked a switch on the pack because I wanted to change the colour of my clothes. If I hadn´t ...................................................

Question 5 (3 points)Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic:
Will fashion change much in the future? What will people be wearing in 2050?

The Playbutton: a way to wear your music tastes on your sleeve

Look at the woman in this picture. • What is she wearing on her jacket? • What do you think she is listening to?

Read the text and find out!

The Playbutton: a way to wear your music tastes on your sleeve

"The Playbutton is for those of us who still hang on to what's tangible," says its creator Nick Dangerfield, a Spaniard of British origin who lives in New York. After working for a company called Powershovel, where he developed a Super-8 digital camera called Harinezumi, Dangerfield set up his own firm and launched the Playbutton three weeks ago.

The device is a round, button-like music player that only plays one album, in the old-fashioned way: the songs are in the order the band wanted them to be, and cannot be deleted or replaced with other content. It is attached to your clothes via a pin in the back, and the four-hour battery can be recharged using a USB port.

But why would someone want to spend $20 (€14) on this when the same album will be available on iTunes for just 9 euros? "The Playbutton is a way to express your passion for a band and to support it financially," says Dangerfield. "It is a different sound experience from an iPhone, which does not let you know what someone is listening to."

The first band to embrace the technology was Bubbles, a favourite in New York's underground circles. At a recent party, the band introduced its album, released exclusively through Playbutton and produced by Parte LLC.

Dangerfield and his business partner, the Spaniard Víctor Esther, who is also the art director, eventually want to create a small record label that will produce albums in Playbutton format. The Playbutton will soon go on sale at Madrid's Casa Peseta.

Match each verb from the text to what follows it and match each expression to its meaning:1 hang the technology a) keep, not throw away or discard
2 set with other content b) start a business
3 embrace on to something c) substitute with other music
4 attach up a firm or company d) be available to buy
5 replace financially e) fasten onto what you are wearing
6 support on sale f) start using the device
7 go to your clothes g) help by giving money

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

a) Nick Dangerfield is the owner of Powershovel.
b) It costs more to buy an album on Playbutton than on Itunes.
c) Nick Dangerfield has plans to do more things in the music industry.
d) You can already buy the Playbutton in the Spanish capital.

Question 2 [2 points]
Answer the following questions in your own words.

a) What is a Playbutton?
b) Who are Bubbles and how have they used Playbutton?

Question 3 [1.5 points]
Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) inventor (paragraph 1)
b) remove, erase (paragraph 2)
c) connection (paragraph 2)

Question 4Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a) ‘Have you ever been to Sydney?’ asked Paul
Paul asked Maria …….
b) We arrived too late to catch the plane.
If ……….
c) That’s my neighbour. He lives in the flat on the fifth floor.
That’s the ……

Question 5 Write a short essay (between120-150 words) on the following topic:
How do you choose the music you listen to?

The Playbutton: a way to wear your music tastes on your sleeve

Look at the woman in this picture. • What is she wearing on her jacket? • What do you think she is listening to?

Read the text and find out!

The Playbutton: a way to wear your music tastes on your sleeve

"The Playbutton is for those of us who still hang on to what's tangible," says its creator Nick Dangerfield, a Spaniard of British origin who lives in New York. After working for a company called Powershovel, where he developed a Super-8 digital camera called Harinezumi, Dangerfield set up his own firm and launched the Playbutton three weeks ago.

The device is a round, button-like music player that only plays one album, in the old-fashioned way: the songs are in the order the band wanted them to be, and cannot be deleted or replaced with other content. It is attached to your clothes via a pin in the back, and the four-hour battery can be recharged using a USB port.

But why would someone want to spend $20 (€14) on this when the same album will be available on iTunes for just 9 euros? "The Playbutton is a way to express your passion for a band and to support it financially," says Dangerfield. "It is a different sound experience from an iPhone, which does not let you know what someone is listening to."

The first band to embrace the technology was Bubbles, a favourite in New York's underground circles. At a recent party, the band introduced its album, released exclusively through Playbutton and produced by Parte LLC.

Dangerfield and his business partner, the Spaniard Víctor Esther, who is also the art director, eventually want to create a small record label that will produce albums in Playbutton format. The Playbutton will soon go on sale at Madrid's Casa Peseta.

Match each verb from the text to what follows it and match each expression to its meaning:1 hang the technology a) keep, not throw away or discard
2 set with other content b) start a business
3 embrace on to something c) substitute with other music
4 attach up a firm or company d) be available to buy
5 replace financially e) fasten onto what you are wearing
6 support on sale f) start using the device
7 go to your clothes g) help by giving money

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

a) Nick Dangerfield is the owner of Powershovel.
b) It costs more to buy an album on Playbutton than on Itunes.
c) Nick Dangerfield has plans to do more things in the music industry.
d) You can already buy the Playbutton in the Spanish capital.

Question 2 [2 points]
Answer the following questions in your own words.

a) What is a Playbutton?
b) Who are Bubbles and how have they used Playbutton?

Question 3 [1.5 points]
Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) inventor (paragraph 1)
b) remove, erase (paragraph 2)
c) connection (paragraph 2)

Question 4Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a) ‘Have you ever been to Sydney?’ asked Paul
Paul asked Maria …….
b) We arrived too late to catch the plane.
If ……….
c) That’s my neighbour. He lives in the flat on the fifth floor.
That’s the ……

Question 5 Write a short essay (between120-150 words) on the following topic:
How do you choose the music you listen to?

Police to send warning letters to parents of Facebook bullies

The parents of Facebook bullies will receive letters from police in the first crackdown on social networking taunting which has led youngsters to commit suicide.Detectives will start sending messages to cyber bullies using the social networking site, warning them they are breaking the law and could face prosecution.Their parents will also be sent a letter alerting them to the fact that their child is an online bully and what the consequences of their actions could be.

It is hoped that informing the internet tormentors of the seriousness of their actions at an early stage will stop them from using the web to harass others and keep them from entering the criminal justice system.

"By sending a police warning notice on Facebook, students will be made aware they could be prosecuted," he said."By alerting their parents to the problem, we are aiming to nip the problem in the bud and prevent it becoming something more serious."Social networkers, whatever their age, often don't think about what they are writing in the same way they would think about what they write in a letter or an email.

"If we have to investigate Facebook messages as harassment or public order offences and the young person gets charged, it could seriously affect their future."While we want them to realise how serious the matter is, we also want to avoid that and keep young people out of the criminal justice system if possible."

Under the scheme, Pc Thomas will work with young volunteers to investigate and deal with reports of bullying or harassment on Facebook.

Question 1 (2 points) Indicate whether these sentences are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.

a. Cyber bullies will receive letters from the police.
b. Some of the victims of Facebook bullying have killed themselves.
c. Only teen social networkers don´t realise how offensive their messages on social networks are.
d. Only professional policemen will investigate online bullying.

Question 2 (2 points) Answer the following questions in your own words.

a. How are the police going to try to stop online bullying?
b. What could happen to these bullies if they don´t stop their actions?

Question 3 (1.5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words and definitions given.

a. campaign against (par.1) b. continually annoy (par.2) c. accused (par.4)

Question 4 (1.5 points) Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a. The parents of Facebook bullies will receive letters from the police.
Letters .........................................
b. "We want them to realise how serious the matter is.“ he said.
He said that ..................................................
c. The police will investigate social networkers who send disturbing messages.
If social networkers didn´t .............................................

Question 5 (3 points)
Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic:

What do you think about social networks like Facebook, Twitter?

Police to send warning letters to parents of Facebook bullies

The parents of Facebook bullies will receive letters from police in the first crackdown on social networking taunting which has led youngsters to commit suicide.Detectives will start sending messages to cyber bullies using the social networking site, warning them they are breaking the law and could face prosecution.Their parents will also be sent a letter alerting them to the fact that their child is an online bully and what the consequences of their actions could be.

It is hoped that informing the internet tormentors of the seriousness of their actions at an early stage will stop them from using the web to harass others and keep them from entering the criminal justice system.

"By sending a police warning notice on Facebook, students will be made aware they could be prosecuted," he said."By alerting their parents to the problem, we are aiming to nip the problem in the bud and prevent it becoming something more serious."Social networkers, whatever their age, often don't think about what they are writing in the same way they would think about what they write in a letter or an email.

"If we have to investigate Facebook messages as harassment or public order offences and the young person gets charged, it could seriously affect their future."While we want them to realise how serious the matter is, we also want to avoid that and keep young people out of the criminal justice system if possible."

Under the scheme, Pc Thomas will work with young volunteers to investigate and deal with reports of bullying or harassment on Facebook.

Question 1 (2 points) Indicate whether these sentences are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.

a. Cyber bullies will receive letters from the police.
b. Some of the victims of Facebook bullying have killed themselves.
c. Only teen social networkers don´t realise how offensive their messages on social networks are.
d. Only professional policemen will investigate online bullying.

Question 2 (2 points) Answer the following questions in your own words.

a. How are the police going to try to stop online bullying?
b. What could happen to these bullies if they don´t stop their actions?

Question 3 (1.5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words and definitions given.

a. campaign against (par.1) b. continually annoy (par.2) c. accused (par.4)

Question 4 (1.5 points) Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a. The parents of Facebook bullies will receive letters from the police.
Letters .........................................
b. "We want them to realise how serious the matter is.“ he said.
He said that ..................................................
c. The police will investigate social networkers who send disturbing messages.
If social networkers didn´t .............................................

Question 5 (3 points)
Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic:

What do you think about social networks like Facebook, Twitter?

More students cheating on university applications

Figures show almost 30,000 candidates copied phrases directly from the internet into their personal statement – a detailed note setting out their reasons for choosing a particular course. 189 candidates attempting to study design courses started their personal statement with a quote from Coco Chanel: “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only”.

Almost a third of applicants failed to get on to degree courses last year. Demand for places is expected to be even more fierce in 2011, with some 583,500 people submitting applications by the end of January – a rise of more than five per cent.

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas) has been employing Copycatch – a system that scans personal statements and checks candidates’ work against other published writing – for several years. When it was first employed in 2007, it found cheating in five per cent of applications. 234 candidates attempting to study medicine wrote that their passion for the subject had been sparked after “burning a hole in my pyjamas at age eight” with a chemistry set.

Public awareness of the cheating crackdown saw the number of cases drop in 2008 and in 2009. But latest figures show the proportion of personal statements containing plagiarism increased by around a third to 3.85 per cent in 2010 – 29,228 cases. 275 started applications with the line “Nursing is a very challenging and demanding career”, while 166 candidates wrote “For as long as I can remember, I have been interested in…”.A Ucas spokesman told the Times Educational Supplement: “The personal statement is one of the most important parts of the online application process. It gives applicants the chance to stand out from the crowd, which is why it should be an individual, and personal, piece of work.”

Question 1 (2 points)
Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.

a) Every year, it becomes more difficult to go to university in the UK.

b) UCAS will start using Copycat this year for the first time.

c) More people cheated in their application in 2010 than in 2007.

d) 29,228 people began their statement with the words “Nursing is a very challenging and demanding career” in 2010.

Question 2 (2 points)
Answer the following questions in your own words.

a) What is a ‘personal statement’ in university applications in the UK?

b) How does UCAS check personal statements?

Question 3 (1.5 points)

Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.

a) a phrase (paragraph 1)

b) try (paragraph 3)

c) knowledge, understanding (paragraph 4)

Question 4 (1.5 points)

Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a) 189 candidates attempting to study design courses started their personal statement with a quote from Coco Chanel.

Personal statements for design courses from

b) Demand for places is expected to be even fiercer in 2011, with a rise of more than five per cent in people submitting applications by the end of January.

Due to

c) A Ucas spokesman said: “The personal statement is one of the most important parts of the online application process. It gives applicants the chance to stand out from the crowd, which is why it should be an individual, and personal, piece of work.”

A Ucas spokesman said that

Question 5 (3 points)
Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic:

How and why do people try to be “different”?