CATEGORIES:
BiologyChemistryConstructionCultureEcologyEconomyElectronicsFinanceGeographyHistoryInformaticsLawMathematicsMechanicsMedicineOtherPedagogyPhilosophyPhysicsPolicyPsychologySociologySportTourism
Text 23. One billion people don’t have enough to eatVocabulary smog=air pollution, usually caused by smoke lifted=gone away (can also be applied to mist and fog) heatwave=period of unusually hot weather output=amount produced wheat=agricultural plant used to make flour crop=amount gathered (of a plant grown for food) toxic=poisonous have been accused of=have been blamed for crisis== a difficult or dangerous situation
Text 22. Tourists still missing after typhoon in Taiwan25 Oct. 2010 One of the most powerful storms in years, Typhoon Megi, has killed at least 13 people in Taiwan. Rescue workers are searching for a group of Chinese tourists who are still missing. The typhoon has left Taiwan, but the number of people dead is just beginning to rise. Thirteen bodies have been dug up from the broken stones or bricks of collapsed buildings, but there are still no clear signs of a busload of Chinese tourists missing since Thursday. The 19 tourists, their tour guide and driver are believed to have been travelling on a coastal highway, when rockslides and heavy rain caused portions of the road to collapse. More than 200 search and rescue workers continue to comb a steep mountainside and rocky coastal area for signs of the bus and its passangers. They are searching on foot, from helicopters and in vessels in the sea. Officials say the bus may have been buried under tons of mud and rocks, or washed out to sea. In addition to the Chinese tourists, four other people are also missing, including a driver and tour guide from another bus that fell suddenly and very rapidly down the side of the highway. The passengers of that bus escaped just in time. Taiwanese officials said they will not give up any chance of finding survivors. Relatives of the Chinese tourists will be arriving from China later on Monday.
Vocabulary typhoon=violent tropical storm with strong winds collapse= to break apart and fall down suddenly▪ The bridge/building collapsed. ▪ The roof collapsed under a heavy load of snow. ▪ The chair he was sitting in collapsed. coastal highway=large main road that runs by the sea continue to comb=are still undertaking a detailed search searching on foot=looking carefully while walking vessels=boats or ships escape= 1. to get away from a dangerous place or situation ▪ The boat sank but the crew escaped (unharmed). ▪ They managed to escape from the burning building. 2. to get away from something that is difficult or unpleasant ▪ He needed a vacation to escape the routine of daily life. ▪ She moved to the city to escape the memory of her mother's death. ▪ trying to help people to escape poverty
Text 23. One billion people don’t have enough to eat 11 October 2010 by Ania Lichtarowicz Around one billion people in the world don't have enough healthy food to eat, according to a new report. The 2010 Global Hunger Index shows that child malnutrition is one of the biggest causes of lifelong ill health worldwide. Despite the number of undernourished people in the world falling between 1990 and 2006, recent years have seen that number rise slowly, with the data from 2009 showing more than one billion hungry people. The most recent figures from 2010 suggest the number may again be falling, but this data isn't yet complete. Twenty-nine countries - mostly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia - have levels of hunger described as alarming or extremely alarming. The global food price crisis and the worldwide recession have contributed to this rise, says the report. And it is children under two who are most at risk. Malnourishment at this stage harms physical and mental development and its effects cannot be changed, causing life long damage. The authors argue that improving child nutrition would have the biggest effect on reducing global hunger. They estimate that child malnutrition could be cut by around a third by providing improved health care and nutrition, not only to young children, but also to mothers during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Reducing the numbers of hungry people will also significantly improve productivity and economic development. Vocabulary malnutrition= the unhealthy condition that results from not eating enough food or not eating enough healthy food : poor nutrition undernourished=not getting enough food or starving alarming=worrying and frightening crisis=emergency or urgent situation worldwide recession=bad performance of economies around the world contribute= 1. to help to cause something to happen ▪ In order for the team to win, everyone has to contribute. ▪ Many players have contributed to the team's success. ▪ Heavy drinking contributed to her death. [=heavy drinking helped to cause her death]. 2. to give (something, such as money, goods, or time) to help a person, group, cause, or organization ▪ He contributed [=donated] 100 dollars to the charity. ▪ The volunteers contributed their time towards cleaning up the city. ▪ She contributed [=added] little to the discussion.▪ We're trying to raise money for a new school, and we're hoping that everyone will contribute. most at risk=in greatest danger or likely to experience greatest difficulty malnourishment=not having enough food to eat irreversible=cannot be changed global hunger=the number of people around the world who are starving child malnutrition=the number of children not getting enough food to be healthy and to grow productivity=output or goods created estimate / ’ɛstəmeɪt/ = to give or form a general idea about the value, size, or cost of (something) : to make an estimate of (something) ▪ They estimated the distance at/as about three miles. ▪ We need to estimate how much paint we'll need for the job. ▪ The cost of the project has been estimated at/as about 10 million dollars. ▪ He estimates that current oil reserves are 20 percent lower than they were a year ago. ▪ Damage from the hurricane is estimated (to be) in the billions of dollars.
Text 24. Beckham likely to miss World Cup15 March 2010
It took just seconds for David Beckham's dream of playing in this year's World Cup to collapse onto the turf. In the final minutes of a match for his club, AC Milan, he was about to kick the ball when he suddenly stopped, holding tightly his left heel. In tears he walked uncomfortably and in pain off the pitch, clearly aware something was badly wrong. But just how bad only emerged later, when his club confirmed he had torn his Achilles tendon. Dr Tom Crisp, a consultant sports physician, said the player's recovery will be a slow process: Dr Tom Crisp: "It takes many weeks for the tendon itself to heal, six to eight weeks minimum. It's not very much possible that he may be running in three months, I think that's what I would say. The chances of him being fit to play for England are just out of the question, I'm afraid." Beckham is due to fly to Finland for surgery on Monday, but his England manager, Fabio Capello, has said it's unlikely he'll be ready to play again in time for this summer's World Cup in South Africa. He agrees it will be bitterly disappointing for the man who was hoping to become the first England player to play in football's greatest tournament for a fourth time. David Beckham turns 35 this year, leading some football fans to wonder if such a serious injury could end his playing career. In a career that's stretched across two decades, David Beckham has known fantastic highs and crushing lows. His many fans will be hoping that this latest sad turn in his football fairytale is not his last. Vocabulary the turf=the area of short, thick grass where people play football be aware of= 1. knowing that something (such as a situation, condition, or problem) exists ▪ Are you aware how important you are to me? ▪ She is aware of the problem. ▪ I was not fully aware of the danger. ▪ He was made aware of the situation. 2. feeling, experiencing, or noticing something (such as a sound, sensation, or emotion) ▪ Are you aware of any pain? [=have you noticed or felt any pain?] ▪ I became aware of a loud knocking sound. ▪ I was aware that he was following me. [=I had noticed that he was following me]. emerge= to become known or apparent ▪ The facts emerged after a lengthy investigation. ▪ A simple pattern has emerged. [=become clear] ▪ Several possible candidates have emerged. Achilles tendon=a cord inside the leg which joins the heel to the lower leg fantastic highs and crushing lows=unbelievable successes and extremely upsetting failures fairytale=dream, unrealistically wonderful story
29 November 2010 San Francisco has passed a law banning fast-food restaurants from giving away toys with some children's meals. Supporters say many fast-food meals are very unhealthy, but McDonald's called the legislation unfair. It could spell the end of the Happy Meal, the fast-food snack that's a hit with children at McDonald's, because it comes with a free toy. City leaders in San Francisco argued the same meals also come with too many calories and they say that has added to a situation where nearly 20% of American children are obese. Now San Francisco has become the first major US city to ban fast-food restaurants from giving away toys with meals that don't meet nutritional guidelines. In future, you'll only get the toy if you buy a healthy snack. The burger giant McDonald's sent senior executives to the city to oppose the new law. In a statement, the company said: ''Parents tell us it's their right and responsibility, not the government's, to make their own decisions and to choose what's right for their children.'' McDonald's, Burger King and 15 other food companies have signed up to self-regulate how they advertise food to youngsters.
Vocabulary spell the end of=mean the end of a hit=very popular calories=units measuring energy in food added to=increased the impact or significance of obese=very fat, in an unhealthy way nutritional guidelines=recommendations for healthy eating burger giant=large company that sells fast-food signed up=agreed to or accepted self-regulate=monitor and control themselves
Text A new record for the highest price ever paid for a Barbie doll has been set at a charity auction in New York. The doll wore a pink diamond necklace and was sold for $302,500. In the packed auction room the bidding was quick for lot 358, a Barbie doll quite unlike any you have ever seen before. This version of the all-American blonde toy was dressed in a black strapless evening dress, with a pink diamond necklace matching her pink shoes with high, narrow and pointed heels. It was the diamonds which drove Barbie's price up to $302,500. Who bought her? An anonymous bidder. The price was at the lower end of the estimates that Christie's, the auction house, had put. The jewellery designer Stefano Canturi, who created this Barbie and her necklace, says investors are protecting themselves in rare gems right now because of uncertain economic times. The prices of diamonds and coloured jewels have gone up 20% over the past year, according to the auction house, Christie's. The total amount of money from the sale of the bejewelled Barbie will go to Breast Cancer Research. Vocabulary packed=crowded or crammed with people bidding=offering a particular price (at an auction) lot=object being sold in auction strapless=dress without fabric going over the shoulders stiletto heels=shoes with high, narrow and pointed heels anonymous=unidentified or secret uncertain economic times=economic instability gems=precious stones
Text 27.Cloned meat inquiry4 August 2010
The British Food Standards Agency is to open an inquiry after it emerged that meat from cloned cows had been used in food production without proper authorisation. The few studies that have been carried out on meat and milk from cloned animals have shown that it's no different nutritionally to that of normal animals. But the feeling among food safety agencies in Europe is that there hasn't been enough research, and until more is known cloned food should be treated as a novel food. That requires any supplier to get specific authorisation to sell produce from cloned animals. The FSA began an investigation after claims that a British farmer had admitted selling milk from a cow that was the offspring of a clone. That inquiry is still going on – although the UK dairy industry body, DairyCo, has said it is "confident" no such milk entered the human food chain. However, on Tuesday, the agency issued a statement saying it had identified two bulls born in the UK from embryos gathered from a cloned cow in the US. Both bulls had been killed for food - meat from one of them had been eaten. American biotechnology companies are cloning animals that give a large amount of meat and milk - to use as breeding stock. As the industry grows in the US it'll be hard for food safety authorities to police the export of embryos from cloned animals to farmers in Europe.
Vocabulary inquiry= an official effort to collect and examine information about something : investigation ▪ judicial/legislative inquiries ▪ The board ordered an inquiry to determine whether the rules had been followed. ▪ The police are conducting an inquiry into (the circumstances of) his death. cloned=animals or plants produced artificially from a single cell, so that they are exact copies of another plant or animal authorize= 1 : to give official approval to or for (something) or permission to (someone or something) ▪ I authorized him to use my name. ▪ She was authorized to act for her husband. ▪ The city council authorized the sale of the land supplier= a person or company that supplies goods or services ▪ food/drug/paper suppliers ▪ They are the biggest supplier of books in the area. novel=unique or unusual offspring=children food chain=feeding relationship where one animal eats another animal, or the produce of another animal embryos=very young animals that have not yet fully developed before birth biotechnology=a branch of biology that uses living creatures to provide chemicals, food and products for humans breeding stock=in farming, animals that are kept specifically to reproduce
In Tokyo, some of the busiest railway stations in the world have installed computerised 'smile scanners' to help employees deliver a better service. Tokyo has some of the busiest train stations in the world. But now passengers can be assured of a friendly welcome from staff no matter how hard-pressed they are thanks to technology. The computerised 'smile scanner' calculates the best possible degree of pleasure and affection that the expression on a face shows. Those with a low score are given words of advice, such as, 'you look too serious'. The idea is that workers keep smiling throughout the day in a way that the scanner 'thinks' is acceptable. Although the railway company says the smile scan system is not compulsory, all staff at the station have used it. Taichi Takahashi from Keihin Express Railway: I don't think we've had that much opportunity to stare at our faces that closely and for that long to check our facial expressions. The employees say the scan has helped them check their facial expressions, which helped them communicate more effectively with the customers. So far the smile scanners have been installed at 15 train stations on the company's network, leaving workers in a bad mood with few places to hide.
Vocabulary no matter=regardless of, not taking into account hard-pressed=having a lot of difficulties doing something (especially because there is not enough money or, as here, time) scanner=a device that puts something (most often visual images) into digital form compulsory=mandatory, unavoidable facial expressions=different ways in which people use their faces to put their message across (e.g. a smile, to make others more at ease, or a frown, to show you are feeling aggressive or unsure of something) that form part of human body language
Text 29. Owls in Finland changing colour, scientists say25 February 2011
Despite their name, tawny owls actually come in two colours. And in Finland, the freezing, snowy winters give pale grey birds a camouflage advantage over other darker brown-feathered owls. But as the Finnish winters get milder, the grey owls are disappearing. The University of Helsinki team gathered 30 years' worth of genetic and population data on tawny owls. They found that the birds inherited their feather colour from their parents. The grey tawnys, as well being better hidden from predators in the snow, seem to be naturally provided with other genetic advantages that make them healthier and stronger. But despite this, the brown owl population is now overtaking that of the greys, because the warmer winters have improved the brown owls' chances of survival. The lead researcher, Dr Patrik Karell, said that this showed that the birds were evolving in response to climate change, so the tawny owl gene pool is actually getting browner. This is the first evidence of climate change having such an effect in the animal kingdom. Vocabulary tawny owls=a kind of owl, which is either brown or grey (although the colour tawny on its own usually means yellowish-brown) a camouflage advantage=a better way of hiding advantage= : something (such as a good position or condition) that helps to make someone or something better or more likely to succeed than others ▪ He has/enjoys an unfair advantage over us because of his wealth. ▪ His plan has the advantage of being less expensive than other options. ▪ He lacked the advantages of an advanced education. ▪ Speed is an advantage in most sports. ▪ The company's only advantage over the competition is its location. ▪ Applicants for this job will find that previous experience is an advantage. take advantage of = 1 to make good use of sth ▪ We took advantage of the warm weather and did some yard work. ▪ They are taking advantage of an opportunity to travel. ▪ You should take (full) advantage of this opportunity while you can. 2.to use (something) unfairly for personal gain ▪ He took advantage of [=exploited] my lack of knowledge. ▪ She took advantage of our generosity. milder=warmer predators=hunting animals in response to=in reaction to gene pool=set of genes or genetic code (for a species) the animal kingdom=the set of all animals
Two of Britain's top universities are expected to increase tuition fees to the maximum level allowed by new laws. Both Oxford and Cambridge said that charging the maximum for all subjects from 2012 was the only way of maintaining academic excellence. The cost of a top education in England looks is in a position to increase significantly. The British government chose to allow universities to increase tuition fees to $9,500 a year, to protect the future of higher education as public finances are cut. Ministers said the costs could rise to around $14,500 in exceptional circumstances. Surprisingly, two of England's most prestigious universities, Cambridge and Oxford, have already signalled they will charge this top rate. An internal Cambridge review said it'll be for all courses, with discounts of up to $5,000 for poorer students. The deputy head of Oxford University said it'll be charging the maximum for all subjects, to make the situation with budget cuts seem better and to be able to subsidise the less well-off. Opposing the increases, some students said talented young people could still be discouraged from applying for university, to avoid having too many debts after graduation. They fear social elitism will replace academic excellence. Vocabulary higher education=universities and colleges exceptional circumstances=rare or unusual situations prestigious=highly thought of, respected and valued signalled=have indicated that subsidise=pay money for the benefit of less well-off=poorer people, who have less money than most discourage= to try to make people not want to do sth▪ The purpose of the law is to discourage speeding. ▪ That type of behavior ought to be discouraged. to discourage s.o. from doing sth is to tell or advise someone not to do something. ▪ His parents discouraged him from watching too much television. [=told him he should not watch too much television] ▪ They discouraged her from going. [=they told her why she should not go] — opposite encourage social elitism=categorising people based on their social class or wealth debt=an amount of money that a student owes to a bank
Reporter: Since online dating sites first appeared in 1995, they have grown to have more than 5 million users in the UK. Can romance still move away from our computer screens and keyboards, in a more traditional way? Caption: Do you flirt online or face-to-face? Reporter: So internet dating might have transformed the way many people look for love and become socially acceptable. But some feel there's one activity an online profile or a newspaper ad can never imitate: good, old-fashioned, flirting. Jean Smith is an American anthropologist and flirting coach. Kelly is single. She has tried online dating, but feels her one-to-one flirting skills need improving. Kelly: Excuse me... hi there. Man: I don't have time, sorry. Kelly: OK, thank you. You still have to flirt online, but via the medium of writing and that's completely different from trying to start a conversation with somebody, in person. Reporter: This exercise involves chatting to strangers. Jean Smith: When we first start doing this, you're going to feel a bit awkward, a bit uncomfortable. Kelly: A bit silly. Jean Smith: Part of flirting is having the confidence of letting someone know that you're interested. And British people, in my experience, are way too hesitant and so both people leave and think... oh God, I wish I would have said something. Why don't you ask him if he can recommend a good restaurant around here? Kelly: Could you recommend anywhere nice to eat around here? That went really well. Jean Smith: Yeah, I know. I was, like, OK Kelly! Reporter: Whether it's through an advertisement or chance encounter, the meeting of two strangers can be life-changing and for this flirting expert at least, if you want it to happen, you've got to seize the day. Vocabulary socially acceptable=seen as approved of by other people an online profile=a personal description published on the internet flirting=talking and behaving in a way that makes someone think you are sexually attracted to them anthropologist=researcher who studies people, society and culture single=not married, not currently in a romantic relationship medium=means used to communicate hesitant= the state of being not sure that it is right; to hesitate / ’hɛzə teɪt/: to be unwilling to do something because of doubt or uncertainty ▪ I sometimes hesitate to say what I am really thinking. ▪ I hesitated to come without being asked. ▪ I wouldn't hesitate to ask for your help if I felt I needed it. ▪ Don't hesitate to call if there is a problem. awkward= not socially confident : uneasy or uncomfortable ▪ I feel awkward (about) having to ask you to help. ▪ He feels awkward with/around strangers. chance encounter=meeting between two people which is not arranged; to encounter sb=to run into sb seize the day=take advantage of the situation or take action
Text 32. King's Speech crowned at Oscars28 February 2011 by Peter Bowes The King's Speech won the best picture award at the Oscars. The film about King George VI's battle to overcome a speech difficulty won a total of four Academy Awards, including best actor for Colin Firth. The words every filmmaker wants to hear: Spielberg: And the Oscar goes to… Bowes: came from the legendary Hollywood director, Steven Spielberg. Spielberg: The King's Speech… Bowes: The film tells the story of how George VI employed an unconventional speech therapist from Australia to help him overcome his problem with stammering. Funded in part by the UK Film Council, the film also won the award for best original screenplay and best director. Colin Firth, who plays the King, joked that his award for best actor meant his career had peaked. Firth: I'm afraid I have to warn you, that I am experiencing strong feelings of excitement, somewhere in the upper part of my belly, which are threatening to form themselves into dance moves. Bowes: David Seidler, who wrote the screenplay, said he hoped the award would inspire people who are trying to overcome speech problems: Seidler: I accept this on behalf of all the stutterers throughout the world. We have a voice. We have been heard, thanks to you, the Academy. Bowes: The King's Speech hasn’t won every award it was nominated for; out of 12 nominations it won in four categories, but Oscar glory is bound to boost the film's takings at the box office. Vocabulary stammer= to speak with many pauses and repetitions because you have a speech problem or because you are very nervous, frightened, etc. ▪ He stammers [=stutters] when he's nervous. ▪ “I d-don't know what you're talking about!” she stammered. ▪ He stammered an excuse and fled; a stammer ▪ He develops a stammer [=stutter] when he's nervous. unconventional=here, alternative, quirky or not following well-known or established methods funded=financed or given money to be made peaked=reached the top, or become as good as it's likely to get belly = stomach to form themselves into=to come together and become inspire=to encourage sb to do sth; to cause someone to have (a feeling or emotion) ▪ The news inspired hope that the war might end soon. ▪ His driving hardly inspires confidence. glory= public praise, honor, and fame boost= to increase the force, power, or amount of (something)▪ The farm has boosted [=increased] wheat production by 25 percent. ▪ boost [=raise] prices ▪ The article discusses a number of ways people can boost [=strengthen] their immune systems. ▪ The company needs to find ways to boost [=improve] morale. takings=money earned from selling (tickets)
A few hours of work seems a small price to pay for a taste of liberty. But one of Italy's most infamous inmates, known as the Black Widow, has rejected an offer of work in exchange for limited freedom. She was jailed for 29 years in 1998. Caption: Patrizia Reggiani is serving a jail sentence for murder Patrizia Reggiani once said she'd rather cry in a Rolls than be happy on a bicycle. She doesn't seem to have changed her mind. Dubbed the Black Widow after she was jailed for ordering the murder of her ex-husband, the heir to the Gucci family fortune, Ms Reggiani has spent most of the past 13 years at San Vittore prison in Milan. Judges had offered her the chance of day release, if she agreed to take a job outside the prison walls. But Ms Reggiani, who's 63, was having none of it. She'd never worked in her life, she told the judges, and she didn't intend to start now. Her trial in 1998 attracted worldwide interest. It had everything: a woman betrayed by the man she'd loved and the low-life murder of the heir to a multi-million dollar fashion fortune. For now, though, Patrizia Reggiani, who once complained that her allowance of more than $630,000 a year wasn't enough to live on, will return to the comfort of her pet ferret and her plants in her cell at San Vittore. Vocabulary infamous / ‘ɪnfəməs/= well-known for being bad : known for evil acts or crimes ▪ an infamous traitor ▪ a city infamous for poverty and crime inmate= a person who is kept in a prison or mental hospital ▪ prison inmates she'd rather=she would prefer dubbed=given a name, usually by the media heir/eɚ/=a person who has the legal right to receive the property of someone who dies ▪ His heirs could inherit millions of dollars. ▪ She is the sole heir to her family's fortune. day release=scheme that allows her to leave prison during daytime having none of it=not accepting any of the terms offered intend= to plan betrayed by=deceived by low-life=not high-class complained=expressed unhappiness about allowance=amount of money received regularly from the person who financially supported her ferret=long-bodied furry mammal
Text 34. Rejecting Oxford 19 January 2012 by John McManus
Caption: Magdalen College, Oxford Nineteen-year old Elly Nowell from Winchester in the south of England applied to the Oxford college of Magdalen to read law, but when she was invited for interview she decided she didn't like what she saw. Elly, who is finishing her A-levels, told the BBC that Oxford resembled the British Monarchy in that it was what she called ridiculous and elitist, but unlike the Royal Family, was rarely mocked. Her actions may well change that. Following her interview at Magdalen college, Elly wrote a rejection letter to the University, using the kind of language that officials employ when they're trying to let somebody down gently. Elly admits that her letter of rejection to the university was not entirely serious, but it has raised some serious points. Oxford, and Cambridge universities are often accused of elitism, and of having entrance procedures that favour students from private schools. Yet Oxford says it's changing, and that last year, more than half of its academic offers went to pupils from state schools. As for Elly, she now hopes to gain a place at University College London. The admissions staff there may well be watching the mailbox very closely.
Vocabulary reject =to refuse to believe, accept, or consider (something)▪ My teacher rejected my excuse for being late. ▪ The committee rejected my proposal/idea/suggestion/motion. ▪ I agree with several points of her argument, while rejecting [=disagreeing with] her conclusions. ▪ She rejected the package/letter [=she did not accept the delivery of the package, letter, etc.] and returned it unopened. rejection letter=letter which tells someone they are not wanted A-levels=exams taken by 18 year-olds in England and Wales resembled=seemed like ridiculous=very silly elitist=for the interest of a small group of people who want to exclude others mocked=joked about let somebody down=disappoint someone ▪ I promised Mary that I'd help her, and I can't let her down. ▪ It's my fault we lost the game. I let the team down. ▪ He never lets down a friend in need. procedures=set of actions considered normal in a certain situation state schools=schools funded by government rather than paid for directly by parents
Text 35. Internet privacy 27 January 2012 by Zoe Conway
Caption: What information should stay on websites? Just how much control should people have over their online reputations? Should they be able to demand that an unflattering photo be permanently deleted from a website like Facebook? Does everything people write online have to stay there? What about bank details, addresses - can websites hold onto this information forever? These were the kinds of questions being asked by the European Commission as it investigated the issue of internet privacy. Its guiding principle throughout has been what it called "the right to be forgotten". It has now decided on what this mysterious sounding phrase actually means. It means that a person does have the right to demand their personal information be permanently deleted if it is data that they themselves have put online. But they don't have the right to have things like unflattering blogs or newspaper profiles written by others deleted. The EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding said the changes will help build trust in online services. The Commission also says that businesses should have to tell their customers within 24 hours if their online accounts have been hacked into. Some internet companies have reacted with concern to the proposals, warning that they could become involved in trying to meet the new requirements and that could affect their ability to grow. Vocabulary reputations=someone's image, the opinions people have about them unflattering=less attractive than they really are; to flatter=to praise (someone) in a way that is not sincere ▪ He flattered her with comments about her youthful appearance. ▪ His comments flattered her. ▪ You're just flattering me; flatter yourself = to believe something about yourself that makes you feel pleased or proud ▪ Don't flatter yourself—you don't sing any better than we do. ▪ I flatter myself on my skill in dancing. = I flatter myself that I'm a good dancer. deleted=removed investigated=examined privacy=a person's ability to keep some personal information secret guiding principle=idea or concept which leads people to behave in a certain way mysterious=strange blogs=online diaries build trust=create belief in the security of hacked into=got into illegally from another computer
Text 36. Eating 64-year-old food 6 February 2012 by Jonathan Josephs
Caption: Would you like to try some? In the late 1940's the United States was helping Germany overcome the hardships of the second World War. Food parcels were a vital part of the rebuilding effort and Swift's bland lard was one of the less exciting ingredients. But it was apparently durable. The tin with its red, white and blue label still intact survived in Hans Feldmeier's cupboard. So the 87-year-old retired chemist decided to test its edibility: (Clip of Hans Feldmeier with voiceover in English) "I didn't open it because I thought the situation could get even worse. I hope that we are not running into tough times like we had after World War II, even despite the financial crisis we are facing." And his gamble paid off. The tests run by scientists in his home town of Rostock showed it was indeed fit for consumption, saving Mr Feldmeier a precious few Euros. But he did spend a lot of money on a loaf of black bread on which it was spread before he and the scientists ate it. So what did it taste like? (Clip of female employee of Office of Agriculture, Food Safety and Fisheries with voiceover in English) "I thought it would taste unpleasant because it is no longer fresh, but it doesn't. I'm totally surprised that it shows absolutely no sign of having an unpleasant smell or taste." The tin showed no expiry date, so to adapt an old saying, it seems the proof of the lard, if not the pudding, really was in the eating. Vocabulary hardships=difficult conditions food parcels=packages of food given to people who have very little to eat lard=firm white substance made from melted fat and used for cooking durable=long lasting without loosing quality intact= not broken or damaged : having every part ▪ The house survived the war intact. ▪ After 25 years, their friendship remained intact. edibility=suitability for eating paid off=was a success fit for consumption=edible; to consume= to eat or drink (something) ▪ The dogs consume [=eat] a bag of dog food each week. ▪ They consumed [=drank] a lot of beer at the party. — sometimes used figuratively ▪ He consumes 10 novels a month. synonyms eat 2 : to use (fuel, time, resources, etc.) ▪ The new lights consume less electricity. ▪ She's making an effort to live more simply and consume less. ▪ Most of our time was consumed [=taken up] by the search. ▪ The car repair consumed [=used up] his entire paycheck. the proof of the pudding is in the eating =— used to say that you can only know if something is good or bad by trying it Text 37. $130,000 left in toilet for quake victims 30 September 2011 Roland Buerk A mysterious donor has left more than US$130,000 in a toilet in a Japanese city hall. Written instructions said the money should be used to help victims of March's earthquake and tsunami. Caption: The money was found in a plastic shopping bag, in a public toilet of the City Hall in Sakado, the large part of the city from which people travel to work to Tokyo. There was 10 million yen, wrapped up in neat bundles of notes, the equivalent of more than $130,000. A handwritten message had been left with the cash and read: "I am all alone. Please let the people of Tohoku use it." Tohoku is the northern region of Japan hit by the earthquake and tsunami in March. City officials said the anonymous donor has slipped in and out unnoticed. If the money is not reclaimed within three months, they're planning to give it to the Japanese Red Cross. Japan's great disaster brought out striking generosity and honesty in its people. The equivalent of $50 million in cash picked up in the disaster zone has been turned in to the police. Another $30 million dollars was recovered from safes found amid the rubble. Vocabulary wrapped up=folded and arranged neatly bundles of notes=an amount of paper money tied up together in blocks the anonymous donor=the unidentified person who left the gift slipped in=entered a room quietly reclaimed=asked to be returned to the person to whom it belongs; to get back (something that was lost or taken away) ▪ Sons and daughters are proudly reclaiming the traditions that their parents had forgotten. ▪ She reclaimed the title of world champion this year. ▪ You might be able to reclaim some of the money you contributed. striking=noticeable, impressive turned in=has been taken to the police to be looked after recovered=found and collected safes=box made of reinforced metal to store valuables
Text 38. Thatcher handbag sold for $ 40,000 01 July 2011 by Gabriel Gatehouse, BBC News
Caption:This handbag was used by Margaret Thatcher for over 30 years She may have styled herself as the Iron Lady, but in fact it was this shiny black leather accessory that became her most iconic trademark. A member of her cabinet once said that she used the handbag not as a shield but as a weapon. Thanks to Margaret Thatcher, the word 'handbagging' has entered the English language to describe the former prime minister's abrasive style in dismissing those she disagreed with or who incurred her displeasure. This particular bag, made by the firm Asprey of Bond Street in London, was used by Margaret Thatcher for over 30 years. It was large enough to hold state papers when required. Partly because of this, the handbag was expected to fetch up to $ 160,000. In the event it went for only a quarter of that sum. Forty grand is still quite a lot of money for a purse, but could it be that the Iron Lady's handbag is finally losing some of its power? Vocabulary have styled herself=have presented herself as Iron Lady=strong willed woman iconic trademark=an object that is famously connected with a particular person ‘handbagging’=telling off, punishing abrasive style=manner that can cause discomfort to others dismissing=not listening to incurred her displeasure=made her angry or upset state papers=official documents to fetch up to=to reach up to grand=(slang) one thousand dollars or pounds
Police in Spain have arrested a man who stole valuables from people's luggage while they were on a bus heading for Barcelona. The police found the thief inside a suitcase in the luggage compartment. Caption: The six-foot man fitted his body into a suitcase For weeks police were puzzled by repeated thefts from suitcases firmly locked inside the luggage compartment of a coach travelling between Girona Airport and Barcelona. After one journey when bags had again been broken into, one of the passengers pointed out a large, suspicious suitcase. Police opened it and to their amazement found a man curled up inside. With the help of an accomplice, who was also arrested, the six-foot contortionist had crammed himself inside. His friend bought a bus ticket and put the case into the luggage hold. Once the bus set off the man in the case clambered out, opened other suitcases in the hold looking for valuables. Before the bus pulled into the stop in Barcelona he had zipped himself back into his hiding place. Police are reported to have described the crime as an 'open and shut case'. Vocabulary puzzled by=confused by something because you do not understand it firmly locked= closed tightly and securely with a key broken into= opened by force rather than using a key pointed out=showed a fact or thing to other people curled up= moved all parts of his body into a small round shape, not stretched out as it would be normally an accomplice=a person who helps to commit a crime contortionist= person who can bend parts of their body into awkward positions, sometimes with the aim of fitting into a very small space crammed=put a lot of something into a small space open and shut case=crime which can be solved or explained very easily; here, the phrase has been used as a joke because the crime involved a suitcase, which can be 'open' or 'shut'
Text 40. Goodbye to typewriters2 May 2011 by Mark Gregory
Caption: Computers have largely replaced typewriters today India is well known for its legions of computer programmers, but the country also has another face as the last bastion of the typewriter. Manual typewriters stayed popular in India long after developed nations had entirely switched to the keyboard and mouse. As recently as the 1990s, the Mumbai plant of a company named Godrej and Boyce was producing 50,000 typewriters a year. They were popular in a nation where reliable electricity supplies - essential for computers - are still by no means guaranteed. But even in India, typewriter sales have slumped in the last ten years. Gradually, every manufacturer stopped making them, leaving only Godrej's Mumbai plant - and that switched to making fridges two years ago. And now the firm says it only has 500 typewriters left in stock. It's a far cry from the heyday of the 1950s, when India's then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru held up the humble typewriter as a symbol of the nation's independence and industrialisation. The first commercial typewriters were produced in the United States in the 1860s. The typewriter was the dominant office technology for more than a century until the computer came along. Vocabulary legions of=large numbers of another face=a different side or aspect to the last bastion=the final supporter, the last safe place manual =here, non electric slumped=fallen severely, become very low in numbers in stock=available for sale a far cry from=extremely different to the heyday of=the most popular and successful time of humble=modest, lowly, meek; humble1. not proud: not thinking of yourself as better than other people ▪ Despite all his achievements, he has remained humble. ▪ He is very humble about his achievements. ▪ She is too humble to let praise go to her head. ▪ a very humble person 2. given or said in a way that shows you do not think you are better than other people ▪ a humble request ▪ Please accept my humble apologies. ▪ (sometimes humorous) In my humble opinion [=in my opinion], he is the most talented actor on the stage today. Date: 2015-12-11; view: 952
|
David Beckham is likely to miss this year's World Cup following an injury in a match on Sunday. Beckham is one of the most well known sportsmen in the world and losing the chance to play will disappoint many.
Text 25.New law targets fast-food toys by R. Mirchandani
26. Barbie with diamond choker sells for record price02 Nov 2010
Caption: Meat from cloned cows has been eaten
Text 28. Smiles all around on Japan trains 31 July 2009 by Roland Buerk in Tokyo
Scientists in Finland say warmer winters in recent years are causing some of the country's owls to change colour. Research done at the University of Helsinki suggests brown owls are better able to survive the warmer weather than grey-feathered owls.
Text 30. Top universities likely to charge maximum fees: The cost of going to university in the UK is due to increase dramatically Febr. 2011
Text 31. Online dating is changing how we flirt 14 February 2011 Reporter: Tim Muffett
Text 33. Black Widow ‘won't work for freedom’ 21 October 2011 by Mark Duff
Oxford University, which has sent out thousands of rejection letters in the past, has found itself the subject of a joke played by a student applicant, who decided to turn the tables.
For the first time people living within the European Union will have what's being called "the right to be forgotten". Under changes announced by the European Commission, people will be able to tell a company to remove all the online data they have about them.
In these tough economic times many people are making their food go a little further than they perhaps used to. And for many that might mean ignoring the best before date, but one German man has taken it to the extreme by eating the contents of a 64-year-old tin.
Thousands of people were left homeless by March's tsunami and earthquake.
A handbag belonging to the former British prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, was sold for US$ 40,000 at a charity auction in London. The leather bag was on her arm during Cold War-era negotiations with the former US president, Ronald Reagan.
Text 39. 'Thief' hides inside luggage in Spain10 June 2011 by Adam Mynott
The typewriter, rather than the computer, was responsible for creating the modern office. But now, the only company in the world that still makes and sells them says there are just 500 left, and no more are to be made.