CU after summer

Now that the "busy days" are coming, here are our last posts of this school year.
Hope that you find Our Blog useful. We'll see you again in September.
In the meanwhile, let's listen to some music to get ready for the summer hols.



“Summercat” – Billie the Vision & The Dancers

I kissed you good bye at the airport. I held you so close to me. I said ‘So here we are now and I can’t stop from crying Lilly’. And you said ‘Hey hey hoo, you know this is the way to go. You will forget about me when I’m on that plane. Forget about me when I’m on that plane.’

Tonight tonight tonight tonight
I wanna be with you Tonight tonight tonight tonight
I wanna be with you tonight

The plane took off and my love went with it. The chilly wind whipped my both cheeks hard. And the man next to me said ‘Everything is gonna be alright’. I said ‘Nothing is gonna be alright, but thank you anyway’. And then I saw your face in the airplane window. I waved my hands and I shouted to you:

Tonight tonight tonight tonight
I wanna be with you Tonight tonight tonight tonight
I wanna be with you tonight

I wore a T-shirt and my worn out hat. Abandoned as a summer cat. And as I stood there as a broken hearted I realized you got the car keys still. So I broke into my own old car. I fell asleep on the passenger seat. I dreamed of summer sex with you and you whispered in my ear:

Tonight tonight tonight tonight
I wanna be with you Tonight tonight tonight tonight
I wanna be with you tonight

Why can’t you leave me tomorrow instead?

And above the clouds she said to herself ‘I can’t believe how naive a man can be. That’s why I love you so and that’s why I can’t be with you…’

Tonight tonight tonight tonight
I wanna be with you Tonight tonight tonight tonight
I wanna be with you tonight

..... and some others for you to enjoy.

CU after summer

Now that the "busy days" are coming, here are our last posts of this school year.
Hope that you find Our Blog useful. We'll see you again in September.
In the meanwhile, let's listen to some music to get ready for the summer hols.



“Summercat” – Billie the Vision & The Dancers

I kissed you good bye at the airport. I held you so close to me. I said ‘So here we are now and I can’t stop from crying Lilly’. And you said ‘Hey hey hoo, you know this is the way to go. You will forget about me when I’m on that plane. Forget about me when I’m on that plane.’

Tonight tonight tonight tonight
I wanna be with you Tonight tonight tonight tonight
I wanna be with you tonight

The plane took off and my love went with it. The chilly wind whipped my both cheeks hard. And the man next to me said ‘Everything is gonna be alright’. I said ‘Nothing is gonna be alright, but thank you anyway’. And then I saw your face in the airplane window. I waved my hands and I shouted to you:

Tonight tonight tonight tonight
I wanna be with you Tonight tonight tonight tonight
I wanna be with you tonight

I wore a T-shirt and my worn out hat. Abandoned as a summer cat. And as I stood there as a broken hearted I realized you got the car keys still. So I broke into my own old car. I fell asleep on the passenger seat. I dreamed of summer sex with you and you whispered in my ear:

Tonight tonight tonight tonight
I wanna be with you Tonight tonight tonight tonight
I wanna be with you tonight

Why can’t you leave me tomorrow instead?

And above the clouds she said to herself ‘I can’t believe how naive a man can be. That’s why I love you so and that’s why I can’t be with you…’

Tonight tonight tonight tonight
I wanna be with you Tonight tonight tonight tonight
I wanna be with you tonight

..... and some others for you to enjoy.

Buckinghamshire library emptied in cuts protest

Library-users emptied a town's library of books in protest against plans to close it down. People took their maximum allowance of books from Stony Stratford library, Milton Keynes - clearing all 16,000 volumes from its shelves. Milton Keynes Council is considering closing the library to save £26m in 2011/12.

Friends of Stony Stratford Library (FOSSL) said they were amazed at how everyone had pulled together. Emily Malleson of FOSSL added that she calculated that books had been taken out at a rate of around 378 per hour. "A local resident mentioned the idea, maybe as a joke, but we thought it was a great idea," she said. "I put it on Facebook and emailed everyone I could think of and it's just gone absolutely mad.
I think it's a very simple but clever idea and it's given something that people can act on and make their voice heard. It shows it's such an important part of the community and well-used by everyone and not just for books - for DVDs, computers, spoken work. The amount of support is just staggering."

More than 500 supporters have joined a Facebook page and there are also written and online petitions against the proposed closure. The council's final budget is due to be decided on 22 February.
In other libraries across the UK, protesters held "read-ins" and storytelling sessions to campaign against planned branch closures. At one library in south London the event turned into an all-night sit-in involving about 35 protesters.
Doncaster is planning to axe 14 out of 26 branches. Doncaster's mayor, Peter Davies, said he regretted having to cut funding to libraries, but said he was morally obliged to continue other vital services. More than 450 libraries and mobile services across the country are currently threatened with closure. Some councils have said keeping libraries open would put services for vulnerable and elderly people at risk.

Question 1 (2 points)
Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.
a) There were no books left in Stony Stratford library at the end of the campaign.
b) The success of the Stony Stratford campaign was expected.
c) Emily Malleson used her computer to advertise the campaign.
d) Doncaster plans to close all of its libraries.

Question 2 (2 points)
Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) In what different ways did people show their opposition to the closures of libraries?
b) Which people would suffer if these libraries remain open?

Question 3 (1.5 points)
Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) to work hard in a group to try to do something (paragraph 2)
b) a protest when people occupy a public building (paragraph 4)
c) money given by an organization for an event or activity (paragraph 5)

Question 4 (1.5 points)
Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a) People took their maximum allowance of books from Stony Stratford library, Milton
Keynes.
The maximum allowance ……………….
b) Emily Malleson said “It is a very simple but clever idea and it's given
something that people can act on and make their voice heard.”
According to Emily Malleson, it
c) Protesters held "read-ins" and storytelling sessions to campaign against planned
branch closures. At one library in south London the event turned into an all-night
sit-in involving about 35 protesters.
Not only …………………………………. ….., but also

Question 5 (3 points)
Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic:
“Protests do not need to be big to be effective.” Do you agree?

Doncaster library protest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIEYP9z5QVQ

Watch the video about the protest against the closure of Doncaster libraries.
Which person (1 – 8) says these things (a – h)?

1 Simon Barron, Voices for the Library

2 David Blythe, Author

3 Lauren Smith, Librarian

4 Katie Marshall, Student

5 Older, blonde woman

6 Man in black woolen hat

7 Man in black and blue woolen hat

8 Little girl in library


a goes to the library every evening.

b thinks the council should think again about the logic of closing all these libraries.

c. is worried about people becoming isolated if libraries close.

d had two heroes when he was young: his father and Doctor Who (the hero of a lot of
books)

e thinks libraries are part of education.

f thinks that children and pensioners will miss libraries tremendously.
g thinks that if libraries close now, they will never reopen again.

h considers that libraries are particularly important for kids to do their homework and
learn.

Buckinghamshire library emptied in cuts protest

Library-users emptied a town's library of books in protest against plans to close it down. People took their maximum allowance of books from Stony Stratford library, Milton Keynes - clearing all 16,000 volumes from its shelves. Milton Keynes Council is considering closing the library to save £26m in 2011/12.

Friends of Stony Stratford Library (FOSSL) said they were amazed at how everyone had pulled together. Emily Malleson of FOSSL added that she calculated that books had been taken out at a rate of around 378 per hour. "A local resident mentioned the idea, maybe as a joke, but we thought it was a great idea," she said. "I put it on Facebook and emailed everyone I could think of and it's just gone absolutely mad.
I think it's a very simple but clever idea and it's given something that people can act on and make their voice heard. It shows it's such an important part of the community and well-used by everyone and not just for books - for DVDs, computers, spoken work. The amount of support is just staggering."

More than 500 supporters have joined a Facebook page and there are also written and online petitions against the proposed closure. The council's final budget is due to be decided on 22 February.
In other libraries across the UK, protesters held "read-ins" and storytelling sessions to campaign against planned branch closures. At one library in south London the event turned into an all-night sit-in involving about 35 protesters.
Doncaster is planning to axe 14 out of 26 branches. Doncaster's mayor, Peter Davies, said he regretted having to cut funding to libraries, but said he was morally obliged to continue other vital services. More than 450 libraries and mobile services across the country are currently threatened with closure. Some councils have said keeping libraries open would put services for vulnerable and elderly people at risk.

Question 1 (2 points)
Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.
a) There were no books left in Stony Stratford library at the end of the campaign.
b) The success of the Stony Stratford campaign was expected.
c) Emily Malleson used her computer to advertise the campaign.
d) Doncaster plans to close all of its libraries.

Question 2 (2 points)
Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) In what different ways did people show their opposition to the closures of libraries?
b) Which people would suffer if these libraries remain open?

Question 3 (1.5 points)
Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) to work hard in a group to try to do something (paragraph 2)
b) a protest when people occupy a public building (paragraph 4)
c) money given by an organization for an event or activity (paragraph 5)

Question 4 (1.5 points)
Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a) People took their maximum allowance of books from Stony Stratford library, Milton
Keynes.
The maximum allowance ……………….
b) Emily Malleson said “It is a very simple but clever idea and it's given
something that people can act on and make their voice heard.”
According to Emily Malleson, it
c) Protesters held "read-ins" and storytelling sessions to campaign against planned
branch closures. At one library in south London the event turned into an all-night
sit-in involving about 35 protesters.
Not only …………………………………. ….., but also

Question 5 (3 points)
Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic:
“Protests do not need to be big to be effective.” Do you agree?

Doncaster library protest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIEYP9z5QVQ

Watch the video about the protest against the closure of Doncaster libraries.
Which person (1 – 8) says these things (a – h)?

1 Simon Barron, Voices for the Library

2 David Blythe, Author

3 Lauren Smith, Librarian

4 Katie Marshall, Student

5 Older, blonde woman

6 Man in black woolen hat

7 Man in black and blue woolen hat

8 Little girl in library


a goes to the library every evening.

b thinks the council should think again about the logic of closing all these libraries.

c. is worried about people becoming isolated if libraries close.

d had two heroes when he was young: his father and Doctor Who (the hero of a lot of
books)

e thinks libraries are part of education.

f thinks that children and pensioners will miss libraries tremendously.
g thinks that if libraries close now, they will never reopen again.

h considers that libraries are particularly important for kids to do their homework and
learn.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all of you.




Gap filling activity

WHITE CHRISTMAS

I’m dreaming of a ………… Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten,
And children listen
To hear……… …….. in the ……….

I’m dreaming of a …………Christmas
With every Christmas ………. I write
May your days be ………… and bright
And may all your Christmases be ………..

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all of you.




Gap filling activity

WHITE CHRISTMAS

I’m dreaming of a ………… Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten,
And children listen
To hear……… …….. in the ……….

I’m dreaming of a …………Christmas
With every Christmas ………. I write
May your days be ………… and bright
And may all your Christmases be ………..

New Yorkers told to 'pull their pants up'

A "Stop the Sag!" billboard is seen on the side of a building in Brooklyn

Eric Adams, a state senator from Brooklyn, is behind the $2,000 'Stop The Sag' advertising campaign showing two men in jeans that hang low enough to display their underwear.
Mr Adams is calling for the end of the trend that has become popular in men's fashion. In an online message posted on YouTube, he said: "You can raise your level of respect if you raise your pants", while pleading to young people not to "surrender control over your own image". The politician, a retired police captain, is the latest to speak out on the trend. He follows Larry Platt, an American Idol performer who became an internet sensation earlier this year with his song "Pants on the Ground". Even Barack Obama has previously said: "Some people might not want to see your underwear. I'm one of them."
The campaign in New York follows a similar one in Dallas, where officials embarked on a 'Pull Your Pants Up' campaign in 2007. Mr Adams said he had had enough after watching a train passenger who wore a particularly low-slung pair of trousers. "Everyone on the train was looking at him and shaking their heads," he said. "And no one said anything to correct it."
The low-slung trousers trend is adapted from the unbelted and sometimes oversized look of prison uniforms, according to Mark-Evan Blackman of New York's Fashion Institute of Technology. The style has spread from inner cities to suburban shopping centres and school classrooms.


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) Eric Adams has used various means of advertising to get his message across.
b) Mr. Adams used to be a policeman.
c) Mr. Adams appeared on a TV show called American Idol.
d) This is not the first time that this kind of clothing has been criticized.

Question 2 (2 points)
Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) Why did Mr Adams decide to start this campaign?
b) How did this fashion start?

Question 3 (1.5 points)
Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) show (Paragraph 1)
b give up (Paragraph 2)
c) start (Paragraph 3)

Question 4 (1.5 points)
Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a) Mr Adams wrote: “You can raise your level of respect if you raise your pants.”
Mr Adams wrote that …
b) Everyone on the train was looking at the passenger but no one told him to pull up his trousers.
The passenger ………………..
c) Officials in Dallas embarked on a “Pull up Your Pants” campaign in 2007. That’s why there is one in New York.
If officials in Dallas hadn’t …………..

Question 5 (3 points)
Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
“Everyone should have the right to dress the way they want.” Do you agree?

New Yorkers told to 'pull their pants up'

A "Stop the Sag!" billboard is seen on the side of a building in Brooklyn

Eric Adams, a state senator from Brooklyn, is behind the $2,000 'Stop The Sag' advertising campaign showing two men in jeans that hang low enough to display their underwear.
Mr Adams is calling for the end of the trend that has become popular in men's fashion. In an online message posted on YouTube, he said: "You can raise your level of respect if you raise your pants", while pleading to young people not to "surrender control over your own image". The politician, a retired police captain, is the latest to speak out on the trend. He follows Larry Platt, an American Idol performer who became an internet sensation earlier this year with his song "Pants on the Ground". Even Barack Obama has previously said: "Some people might not want to see your underwear. I'm one of them."
The campaign in New York follows a similar one in Dallas, where officials embarked on a 'Pull Your Pants Up' campaign in 2007. Mr Adams said he had had enough after watching a train passenger who wore a particularly low-slung pair of trousers. "Everyone on the train was looking at him and shaking their heads," he said. "And no one said anything to correct it."
The low-slung trousers trend is adapted from the unbelted and sometimes oversized look of prison uniforms, according to Mark-Evan Blackman of New York's Fashion Institute of Technology. The style has spread from inner cities to suburban shopping centres and school classrooms.


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) Eric Adams has used various means of advertising to get his message across.
b) Mr. Adams used to be a policeman.
c) Mr. Adams appeared on a TV show called American Idol.
d) This is not the first time that this kind of clothing has been criticized.

Question 2 (2 points)
Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) Why did Mr Adams decide to start this campaign?
b) How did this fashion start?

Question 3 (1.5 points)
Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) show (Paragraph 1)
b give up (Paragraph 2)
c) start (Paragraph 3)

Question 4 (1.5 points)
Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a) Mr Adams wrote: “You can raise your level of respect if you raise your pants.”
Mr Adams wrote that …
b) Everyone on the train was looking at the passenger but no one told him to pull up his trousers.
The passenger ………………..
c) Officials in Dallas embarked on a “Pull up Your Pants” campaign in 2007. That’s why there is one in New York.
If officials in Dallas hadn’t …………..

Question 5 (3 points)
Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
“Everyone should have the right to dress the way they want.” Do you agree?

The Difference Between Barack Obama and Gordon Brown

The Difference Between Barack Obama and Gordon Brown

Here are some tips for surfers to stay safe on social networking sites

1 LIMIT IDENTIFYING DETAILS
According to research by Sophos, the data protection experts, 41pc of Facebook users will divulge personal information – such as email address, date of birth and phone number – to a complete stranger, which increases their susceptibility to identity theft.
Details such as phone numbers, pictures of your home, your address, birthday or full name could be used to identify you or locate you offline.
Mr Sinclair said: "Never put sensitive details like your address or banking details on a site. You should also only ever accept to be 'friends' with people you know and trust."
Little bits of information can be used to build up a picture of you that could be misused. A good is only to put on your profile any information you would be happy to have on a park bench – this will help you keep your personal details safe, and private.
2 SET UP A NEW EMAIL ACCOUNT
Set up a separate email account that does not use your real name and use it to register and receive mail from the site. That way, if you want to shut down your connection, you can simply stop using that email account.
To set up an email address, there are free services that are simple and quick to use such as hotmail.com or yahoo.co.uk But try to avoid using an email address that gives away too much information, such as your full name or date of birth.
3 BE CHOOSY ABOUT ACCEPTING FRIENDS
When you join a social network online, it may be tempting to add lots of friends and acquaintances. But approve only friendship requests of people you know and trust, as sometimes fraudsters will set up fake profiles in order to glean information. This is known as social engineering and can be avoided by using the rule – when in doubt, check them out.
4 BE CAUTIOUS OF THIRD-PARTY APPLICATIONS
Many websites of this type offer a range of third-party applications, from games to widgets. But some of these have been shown to be completely fraudulent.
These have been created to install bad software on your computer and access your personal information. A good thing to watch out for is applications that bait you with learning a piece of information by clicking on a button as this generally will initiate a program or virus to install. For example: "Kate has written some personal information about you. Click here to find how what she said."
Remember that when you click to install an application like that, it not only puts your computer and network at risk, but also potentially sends the same invite out to everyone on your friend list.
5 AVOID USER-GENERATED SPAM
Social networks rely on users to post content such as photos, videos and links and then sharing the content with their contacts. However, there are spam-based programmes that will install bad software if you click on them but may look very innocent, for example leaving a link on your page as a comment.
If it doesn't sound like your friend who left a comment on your social networking page, it very well might not have been, so double check with your friend before you click on
the link
6 SET YOUR PRIVACY SETTINGS
Social networks are designed to make it very easy for other people to find you. Make sure that your privacy settings are set correctly.
Facebook offers users control of their privacy setting within the "My privacy" section of the site. This can be reached by clicking on the "Privacy" link in the upper right-hand corner of any page on the website. From within the privacy section, you have control of all of your privacy settings and can fine-tune who will have access to your profile and activity on the Facebook website.
7 DON'T BROADCAST YOUR SCHEDULE
Social networking websites allow users to publish their whereabouts to their network of friends. Whether it is a simple status update or detailed itinerary, fraudsters can use this information to victimise you in a number of ways.
One of the biggest mistakes by users is to announce that they will be out of town for a holiday. Criminals use this information to determine when your home may be most vulnerable.
8 BE WARY OF GEOGRAPHICAL NETWORKS
Facebook is made up of thousands of networks worldwide, and users are encouraged to join them in order to meet and make friends with people in their area.
For example, Facebook allows users to join networks which are groups of individuals that share a common trait such as having attended the same school or living in a certain metropolitan area. That means that if you join the network for the city you live in, every other member of that city-based network will have access to your profile information.
Even if you have set up your privacy settings to ensure that only friends can view your information, joining a network automatically opens your profile to every other member of the network. Make sure you change your privacy settings accordingly.
9 CHECK YOUR CREDIT REPORT REGULARLY
By frequently monitoring your credit record, you can spot if someone has been using your identity to obtain credit and then rectify your credit history as soon as possible.

Here are some tips for surfers to stay safe on social networking sites

1 LIMIT IDENTIFYING DETAILS
According to research by Sophos, the data protection experts, 41pc of Facebook users will divulge personal information – such as email address, date of birth and phone number – to a complete stranger, which increases their susceptibility to identity theft.
Details such as phone numbers, pictures of your home, your address, birthday or full name could be used to identify you or locate you offline.
Mr Sinclair said: "Never put sensitive details like your address or banking details on a site. You should also only ever accept to be 'friends' with people you know and trust."
Little bits of information can be used to build up a picture of you that could be misused. A good is only to put on your profile any information you would be happy to have on a park bench – this will help you keep your personal details safe, and private.
2 SET UP A NEW EMAIL ACCOUNT
Set up a separate email account that does not use your real name and use it to register and receive mail from the site. That way, if you want to shut down your connection, you can simply stop using that email account.
To set up an email address, there are free services that are simple and quick to use such as hotmail.com or yahoo.co.uk But try to avoid using an email address that gives away too much information, such as your full name or date of birth.
3 BE CHOOSY ABOUT ACCEPTING FRIENDS
When you join a social network online, it may be tempting to add lots of friends and acquaintances. But approve only friendship requests of people you know and trust, as sometimes fraudsters will set up fake profiles in order to glean information. This is known as social engineering and can be avoided by using the rule – when in doubt, check them out.
4 BE CAUTIOUS OF THIRD-PARTY APPLICATIONS
Many websites of this type offer a range of third-party applications, from games to widgets. But some of these have been shown to be completely fraudulent.
These have been created to install bad software on your computer and access your personal information. A good thing to watch out for is applications that bait you with learning a piece of information by clicking on a button as this generally will initiate a program or virus to install. For example: "Kate has written some personal information about you. Click here to find how what she said."
Remember that when you click to install an application like that, it not only puts your computer and network at risk, but also potentially sends the same invite out to everyone on your friend list.
5 AVOID USER-GENERATED SPAM
Social networks rely on users to post content such as photos, videos and links and then sharing the content with their contacts. However, there are spam-based programmes that will install bad software if you click on them but may look very innocent, for example leaving a link on your page as a comment.
If it doesn't sound like your friend who left a comment on your social networking page, it very well might not have been, so double check with your friend before you click on
the link
6 SET YOUR PRIVACY SETTINGS
Social networks are designed to make it very easy for other people to find you. Make sure that your privacy settings are set correctly.
Facebook offers users control of their privacy setting within the "My privacy" section of the site. This can be reached by clicking on the "Privacy" link in the upper right-hand corner of any page on the website. From within the privacy section, you have control of all of your privacy settings and can fine-tune who will have access to your profile and activity on the Facebook website.
7 DON'T BROADCAST YOUR SCHEDULE
Social networking websites allow users to publish their whereabouts to their network of friends. Whether it is a simple status update or detailed itinerary, fraudsters can use this information to victimise you in a number of ways.
One of the biggest mistakes by users is to announce that they will be out of town for a holiday. Criminals use this information to determine when your home may be most vulnerable.
8 BE WARY OF GEOGRAPHICAL NETWORKS
Facebook is made up of thousands of networks worldwide, and users are encouraged to join them in order to meet and make friends with people in their area.
For example, Facebook allows users to join networks which are groups of individuals that share a common trait such as having attended the same school or living in a certain metropolitan area. That means that if you join the network for the city you live in, every other member of that city-based network will have access to your profile information.
Even if you have set up your privacy settings to ensure that only friends can view your information, joining a network automatically opens your profile to every other member of the network. Make sure you change your privacy settings accordingly.
9 CHECK YOUR CREDIT REPORT REGULARLY
By frequently monitoring your credit record, you can spot if someone has been using your identity to obtain credit and then rectify your credit history as soon as possible.

R U online?

In the past month, which of the following have you done online?

1 Used a search engine to find information.
2 Used online banking.
3 Looked up the news.
4 Paid bills.
5 Looked up the weather.
6 Researched a product before buying it.
7 Watched a video clip.
8 Listened to an audio clip.
9 Visited a social networking site.
10 Downloaded music.
11 Looked up sports scores.
12 Shared photos.
13 Viewed or contributed to a blog.
14 Sold something online.

These questions were used in a recent international survey.

Now read the results of the survey in a PAU test.

Time spent online

A recent survey has highlighted the amount of time people spend on line throughout the world. More than 27,000 internet users, aged between 18 and 55, in 16 countries were surveyed by global market information group TNS. The information was also broken down into different sections of society to gain an accurate view of worldwide internet usage.

The findings show that the Chinese spend the largest amount of their leisure time online but also threw up an interesting statistic: While one might expect students (39%) or the unemployed (32%) to spend above average time on the web, the group that spends the highest proportion of their leisure time on the internet is housewives. In this, Britain beats every other country surveyed, with housewives recording almost half (47%) of their free time on the net. The younger the user it seems the more time was spent online. On average under 25s spend 36% of their leisure time online, this rises to an incredible 50% amongst the Chinese.

Another interesting finding was that, on average, internet users had 17 online friends although the Chinese, the biggest web users, were less likely to actually meet any of these friends in person while 76% of Germans topped that poll saying they had arranged to meet people they had first encountered on the net.

What the study also reveals is that a lot of activities which we traditionally did in our spare time are now being done online. Over three quarters of us (76%) have used the internet for banking in the past month and two thirds of us (66%) of us have also paid bills online. General search engine browsing (80%) is the most popular activity. Three quarters of us have used one of the many news sites (75%) in the last month whilst 62% of us have now checked the weather online, all suggesting that the internet has become our ‘one stop shop’ for multi-tasking in minimum time. Interestingly, arguably more pleasurable activities such as using a chatroom (13%) or downloading a film (12%) are far less popular.

Question 1 Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text:
a) The results of the survey confirmed our suspicions that people who are at school or university use the internet the most.
b) People in China are in contact with people via the internet that they will probably never meet.
c) People are changing their way of banking.
d) There are fewer people who chat on the web than people who access the news on the internet.

Question 2 Answer these questions in your own words:
a) How did TNS analyse its research?
b) How does the text say we can save time by using the internet?

Question 3 Find a word or phrase in the text that means the same as:

a) Result par.2
b) Reveal par. 2
c) Change in opinion par. 5

Question 4 Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning
a) More than 27,000 internet users, aged between 18 and 55, in 16 countries were surveyed by global market information group TNS.
TNS, which ………………………………………………………………, surveyed more than 27,000 internet users from 16 countries who ……………………………………
b) The younger the user the more time was spent online.
Older people ………………………………………………………………………………. .
c) “A lot of activities which we traditionally did in our spare time are now being done online”, said TNS.
The survey showed that a lot of ……….

Question 5 Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
“The internet is not always a good thing. It is also dangerous.” Do you agree?

R U online?

In the past month, which of the following have you done online?

1 Used a search engine to find information.
2 Used online banking.
3 Looked up the news.
4 Paid bills.
5 Looked up the weather.
6 Researched a product before buying it.
7 Watched a video clip.
8 Listened to an audio clip.
9 Visited a social networking site.
10 Downloaded music.
11 Looked up sports scores.
12 Shared photos.
13 Viewed or contributed to a blog.
14 Sold something online.

These questions were used in a recent international survey.

Now read the results of the survey in a PAU test.

Time spent online

A recent survey has highlighted the amount of time people spend on line throughout the world. More than 27,000 internet users, aged between 18 and 55, in 16 countries were surveyed by global market information group TNS. The information was also broken down into different sections of society to gain an accurate view of worldwide internet usage.

The findings show that the Chinese spend the largest amount of their leisure time online but also threw up an interesting statistic: While one might expect students (39%) or the unemployed (32%) to spend above average time on the web, the group that spends the highest proportion of their leisure time on the internet is housewives. In this, Britain beats every other country surveyed, with housewives recording almost half (47%) of their free time on the net. The younger the user it seems the more time was spent online. On average under 25s spend 36% of their leisure time online, this rises to an incredible 50% amongst the Chinese.

Another interesting finding was that, on average, internet users had 17 online friends although the Chinese, the biggest web users, were less likely to actually meet any of these friends in person while 76% of Germans topped that poll saying they had arranged to meet people they had first encountered on the net.

What the study also reveals is that a lot of activities which we traditionally did in our spare time are now being done online. Over three quarters of us (76%) have used the internet for banking in the past month and two thirds of us (66%) of us have also paid bills online. General search engine browsing (80%) is the most popular activity. Three quarters of us have used one of the many news sites (75%) in the last month whilst 62% of us have now checked the weather online, all suggesting that the internet has become our ‘one stop shop’ for multi-tasking in minimum time. Interestingly, arguably more pleasurable activities such as using a chatroom (13%) or downloading a film (12%) are far less popular.

Question 1 Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text:
a) The results of the survey confirmed our suspicions that people who are at school or university use the internet the most.
b) People in China are in contact with people via the internet that they will probably never meet.
c) People are changing their way of banking.
d) There are fewer people who chat on the web than people who access the news on the internet.

Question 2 Answer these questions in your own words:
a) How did TNS analyse its research?
b) How does the text say we can save time by using the internet?

Question 3 Find a word or phrase in the text that means the same as:

a) Result par.2
b) Reveal par. 2
c) Change in opinion par. 5

Question 4 Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning
a) More than 27,000 internet users, aged between 18 and 55, in 16 countries were surveyed by global market information group TNS.
TNS, which ………………………………………………………………, surveyed more than 27,000 internet users from 16 countries who ……………………………………
b) The younger the user the more time was spent online.
Older people ………………………………………………………………………………. .
c) “A lot of activities which we traditionally did in our spare time are now being done online”, said TNS.
The survey showed that a lot of ……….

Question 5 Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
“The internet is not always a good thing. It is also dangerous.” Do you agree?

Christmas Facts

White Christmas
England has only known seven white Christmases in the entire twentieth century. According to the records of the Meteorological Office in London, snow fell on Christmas Day only in 1938 and 1976. (The definition of a white Christmas in England is when one snowflake falls on the roof of the London Weather Centre.)
Christmas Food
An old wives' tale says that bread baked on Christmas Eve will never go mouldy.
The Christmas turkey was imported to France by the Jesuits and it is still known in some French dialects as a 'Jesuite'.
Christmas pudding was first made as a kind of soup with raisins and wine in it. Christmas Pudding originates from an old, Celtic dish known as 'frumenty'.
Christmas Day
December 25th was not celebrated as the birthday of Christ until the year AD 440.
The Queen's Christmas speech was televised for the first time in 1957.
Christmas crackers were invented by Thomas Smith. He had imported some French novelties to sell as Christmas gifts, but these were not popular until he wrapped them up and added a snapper.
Decorations
Each year between 34-36 million Christmas trees are produced to cope with the holiday demand.
Electric tree lights were first used just 3 years after Thomas Edison has his first mass public demonstration of electric lights back in 1879. Thomas Edison’s assistant, Edward Johnson, came up with the idea of electric lights for Christmas trees in 1882. His lights were a huge hit. It took quite a few years, however, before they would be made available to the general public.
In 1895 Ralph Morris, an American telephonist, invented the string of electric Christmas lights similar to the ones we use today. The actual strings of lights had already been manufactured for use in telephone switchboards. Morris looked at the tiny bulbs and had the idea of using them on his tree.
Christmas Banned
In 1647, the English parliament passed a law that made Christmas illegal. Christmas festivities were banned by Puritan leader Oliver Cromwell, who considered feasting and revelry on what was supposed to be a holy day to be immoral. Anybody caught celebrating Christmas was arrested. The ban was lifted only when the Puritans lost power in 1660.
Christmas Cards and Christmas Post
In 1843, the first Christmas card was created on the instructions of an Englishman, Sir Henry Cole. J.C. Horsley designed the card and sold 1000 copies in London.
Postmen in Victorian England were popularly called "robins". This was because their uniforms were red. Victorian Xmas cards often showed a robin delivering Xmas mail.
In the nineteenth century, the British Post Office used to deliver cards on Christmas morning.
The first Christmas stamp was released in Canada in 1898.
Father Christmas
Father Christmas has two addresses, Edinburgh and the North Pole. Letters addressed to 'TOYLAND' or 'SNOWLAND' go to Edinburgh, but letters addressed to 'THE NORTH POLE' have to be sent there because there really is such a place!
Father Christmas' reindeers are called Rudolph - the leader who lights the way with his bright red nose - Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Donder, Blitzen, Cupid and Comet. (Donder is also known as Donner.)
Christmas Carols
St Francis of Assisi introduced Christmas Carols to formal church services.
The word comes from the ancient Greek choros, which means "dancing in a circle," and from the Old French word carole, meaning "a song to accompany dancing."
The first instrument on which the carol "Silent Night" was played was a guitar.
The popular Christmas song "Jingle Bells" was composed in 1857 by James Pierpont, and was originally called "One-Horse Open Sleigh." It was actually written for Thanksgiving, not Xmas.
Twelfth Night

It is not until Twelfth Night that the figures of the Three Kings are supposed to be added to the Christmas crib.
In Germany, Twelfth Night is known as 'Three Kings Day'.
The "Twelve Days of Christmas " gifts: A partridge in a pear tree, two turtledoves, three French hens, four calling birds, five gold rings, six geese laying, seven swans swimming, eight maids milking, nine ladies dancing, ten lords leaping, eleven pipers piping, and twelve drummers drumming. There are 364 gifts altogether, one for everyday of the year.
The poem commonly referred to as "The Night Before Christmas" was originally titled "A Visit From Saint Nicholas." This poem was written by Clement Moore for his children and some guests, one of whom anonymously sent the poem to a New York newspaper for publication.

Christmas Facts

White Christmas
England has only known seven white Christmases in the entire twentieth century. According to the records of the Meteorological Office in London, snow fell on Christmas Day only in 1938 and 1976. (The definition of a white Christmas in England is when one snowflake falls on the roof of the London Weather Centre.)
Christmas Food
An old wives' tale says that bread baked on Christmas Eve will never go mouldy.
The Christmas turkey was imported to France by the Jesuits and it is still known in some French dialects as a 'Jesuite'.
Christmas pudding was first made as a kind of soup with raisins and wine in it. Christmas Pudding originates from an old, Celtic dish known as 'frumenty'.
Christmas Day
December 25th was not celebrated as the birthday of Christ until the year AD 440.
The Queen's Christmas speech was televised for the first time in 1957.
Christmas crackers were invented by Thomas Smith. He had imported some French novelties to sell as Christmas gifts, but these were not popular until he wrapped them up and added a snapper.
Decorations
Each year between 34-36 million Christmas trees are produced to cope with the holiday demand.
Electric tree lights were first used just 3 years after Thomas Edison has his first mass public demonstration of electric lights back in 1879. Thomas Edison’s assistant, Edward Johnson, came up with the idea of electric lights for Christmas trees in 1882. His lights were a huge hit. It took quite a few years, however, before they would be made available to the general public.
In 1895 Ralph Morris, an American telephonist, invented the string of electric Christmas lights similar to the ones we use today. The actual strings of lights had already been manufactured for use in telephone switchboards. Morris looked at the tiny bulbs and had the idea of using them on his tree.
Christmas Banned
In 1647, the English parliament passed a law that made Christmas illegal. Christmas festivities were banned by Puritan leader Oliver Cromwell, who considered feasting and revelry on what was supposed to be a holy day to be immoral. Anybody caught celebrating Christmas was arrested. The ban was lifted only when the Puritans lost power in 1660.
Christmas Cards and Christmas Post
In 1843, the first Christmas card was created on the instructions of an Englishman, Sir Henry Cole. J.C. Horsley designed the card and sold 1000 copies in London.
Postmen in Victorian England were popularly called "robins". This was because their uniforms were red. Victorian Xmas cards often showed a robin delivering Xmas mail.
In the nineteenth century, the British Post Office used to deliver cards on Christmas morning.
The first Christmas stamp was released in Canada in 1898.
Father Christmas
Father Christmas has two addresses, Edinburgh and the North Pole. Letters addressed to 'TOYLAND' or 'SNOWLAND' go to Edinburgh, but letters addressed to 'THE NORTH POLE' have to be sent there because there really is such a place!
Father Christmas' reindeers are called Rudolph - the leader who lights the way with his bright red nose - Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Donder, Blitzen, Cupid and Comet. (Donder is also known as Donner.)
Christmas Carols
St Francis of Assisi introduced Christmas Carols to formal church services.
The word comes from the ancient Greek choros, which means "dancing in a circle," and from the Old French word carole, meaning "a song to accompany dancing."
The first instrument on which the carol "Silent Night" was played was a guitar.
The popular Christmas song "Jingle Bells" was composed in 1857 by James Pierpont, and was originally called "One-Horse Open Sleigh." It was actually written for Thanksgiving, not Xmas.
Twelfth Night

It is not until Twelfth Night that the figures of the Three Kings are supposed to be added to the Christmas crib.
In Germany, Twelfth Night is known as 'Three Kings Day'.
The "Twelve Days of Christmas " gifts: A partridge in a pear tree, two turtledoves, three French hens, four calling birds, five gold rings, six geese laying, seven swans swimming, eight maids milking, nine ladies dancing, ten lords leaping, eleven pipers piping, and twelve drummers drumming. There are 364 gifts altogether, one for everyday of the year.
The poem commonly referred to as "The Night Before Christmas" was originally titled "A Visit From Saint Nicholas." This poem was written by Clement Moore for his children and some guests, one of whom anonymously sent the poem to a New York newspaper for publication.

Christmas is coming

Christmas is coming

Are you Puenting?

"Going abroad this long weekend? Be careful with street signs!!!!"

Are you Puenting?

"Going abroad this long weekend? Be careful with street signs!!!!"