Complete the sentences with the words in the box.

surge quit pledged back looming axed ban bid plea boost

1 The government is going to _________ the police’s move to install more speed cameras.

2 The _________ on cigarette smoking in public places has been in place for over a year.

3 People are worried that a lot of jobs at the factory will be _________ next year.

4 The police have made a _________ to commuters not to travel in these storms.

5 The _________ to take over the failing bank has been unsuccessful.

6 The new line in designer clothing should definitely _________ sales at the store.

7 There are rumours that Gary Giles is to _________ the boy band brigade this month.

8 Financial experts fear that a recession in world economies is _________ .

9 A _________ in prices means that fewer first-time buyers can afford to buy a house.

10 The new head teacher has _________ to update all the classroom computers.

Complete the sentences with the correct words.

1 You won’t get ill if you eat a balanced _________ .

2 The Chancellor is warning of a slowdown in economic _________ this coming year.

3 We have to find alternatives to using fossil _________ for our energy needs.

4 Heavy-goods _________ cause a lot of damage to the roads and the environment.

5 Each of us has to think carefully about our carbon _________ .

6 Today, wind power is a popular source of renewable _________ .

7 Many wild animals are losing their natural _________ because of all the building work.

8 A main concern about the environment is that the ice _________ are melting.

9 The carbon _________ emissions from cars is far too high.

10 According to experts, the main reason for all the flooding last year is climate _________ .

20 Complete the sentences with the words in the box.

poppies cactus sunflowers palm pine

1 The _________ grows mainly in desert area.

2 My favourite place on holiday is on the beach under a _________ tree.

3 _________ trees are green all year round.

4 My neighbour’s _________ grew to an incredible height!

5 There were some lovely, red _________ growing along the roadside.

21 Complete the sentences with the correct words.

1 If you _________ down the webpage, you’ll find the information at the bottom.

2 I forgot to _________ my work this morning and I lost everything!

3 Click on the _________ if you want to see the full-size image.

4 Type the website into the _________ _________ and click on search.

5 What does that _________ represent? It looks a bit like a fish!

6 Our _________ is Microsoft Internet Explorer, isn’t it?

7 If you want to open another window, just _________ the one you’ve got open and you can enlarge it again later.

22 Complete the sentences with the correct form of the words in the box.

set take log call put show have

1 I forgot to _________ off and the computer was on all night.

2 He loves _________ off his computer skills.

3 I’m afraid I’m going to have to _________ off the party because I’m feeling really ill.

4 There’s no way you got a distinction! You’re _________ me on!

5 I need complete quiet when I’m studying. Even people talking quietly _________ me off.

6 I think my mum has _________ on too much work. She’s looking very tired.

7 We _________ off straight after breakfast but we still didn’t arrive until 12.30.

23 Choose the correct answers.

1 In my opinion Sarah is the best application / candidate for the job.

2 Could you please send us your CV with a(n) enclosed / covering letter?

3 She doesn’t have a proven track- record / skills in this industry.

4 At the end of the month you should receive a good fee / bonus.

5 Does Mark have the relevant qualifications / experiences?

READING

1 Read the text.

How can an enormous chamber 200 metres below the surface in one of the coldest places on the planet possibly help the survival of our planet? Read on and find out!

The Doomsday Vault

On 25th February 2008, what is known as ‘The Doomsday Vault’ started operating officially. It may sound like something from a spy film but is in fact a giant fridge in which the seeds from every known variety of plant and crop on the planet will eventually be deep frozen. They could remain in this state for up to 1,000 years.

The Doomsday Vault is like an insurance policy for the Earth and its construction was prompted by concerns about global warming and extreme climate change. The idea behind it is that should climate change or natural catastrophe one day devastate the planet, it will be possible to use the seeds stored here to reestablish crops and plants that have been lost. It already contains over 250,000 seed samples and has space for up to four and a half million – way beyond the species we can identify at present.

The remote area of Svalbard, Norway was chosen for siting the vault because of its location. It is deep within the Arctic circle and only 620 miles from the North Pole itself. It used to be important for mining but now houses very few people and is visited mainly by tourists and scientists. It is remote, isolated and has an extremely inhospitable climate, all of which made it an ideal place to construct the vault. It is so cold in the vault that the contents would never defrost even if the refrigeration unit should fail.

As well as being very cold, the vault is also very strong. It has been constructed from concrete and steel and will stand up to whatever nature or man could attack it with. It has already survived the biggest earthquake Norway has ever experienced.

The Doomsday Vault cost six million euros to build but scientists believe it was well worth the money. They have seen some existing seed vaults in other countries destroyed during conflict or natural disasters. Unique samples of seeds have been lost from these vaults which means that there are some varieties of plants that we shall never see again. Learning from these experiences the scientists behind the Doomsday Vault have done their utmost to ensure that the samples stored there, and with them the possible future of our planet, will be safe.

Are the sentences true or false?

1 The Doomsday Vault is featured in a movie. T F

2 Food will be stored there in case it is needed in a catastrophe. T F

3 It will eventually contain items we don’t yet know about. T F

4 The people in Svalbard are not very friendly. T F

5 This is the first vault to have been built to store seeds for the future. T F

2 Read the text.

IT’S A SMALL WORLD

Picture this: You’re in a boat, a small one, easily 4,000 miles away from home. You’re being tossed from one wave to another in appalling conditions. Your mast has been damaged in a fierce storm and you haven’t eaten for two days whilst trying to fix your craft and remain afloat. [1 _________] You wait, hoping beyond hope that someone has heard you and can reach you before conditions worsen still further.

You’re lucky. The message gets relayed to a cruise liner that is carrying thousands of passengers on the holiday of a lifetime and just happens to be in your vicinity.
[2 __________] You are very grateful. You are taken on board where you’re given food and medical assistance and start to feel human again. You travel with the liner safely to land. Your small boat has unfortunately had to be abandoned in the ocean but you are safe thanks to the cruise liner.

So far, a straightforward sea rescue. [3 __________] It’s certainly not unheard of for large vessels to come to the aid of smaller ones, particularly in the big oceans where you can drift for days without seeing another boat. [4 __________] The yachtsman whose boat got into trouble was John Fielder, a thirty-two-year-old man from a tiny village on the south coast of England called Warsash. Last year John was sailing a trimaran called (appropriately) ‘Dangerous When Wet’ from the Caribbean island Antigua to Rhode Island, north of New York, when he got into trouble. [5 __________] She was the latest addition to the fleet of the US based Princess Cruises and it was captained by Captain Clark. Captain Clark and John Fielder had never met before, which is not surprising. What is surprising is that it turned out the two men live round the corner from each other in that tiny village of Warsash on the south coast! In all probability they buy their newspapers from the same shop but didn’t meet until their paths crossed 4,000 miles away in the middle of the ocean!

An amazing coincidence! If you can beat that write in to ‘What a coincidence!’, People Today Magazines, Bristol. We’re waiting for your story.

3 Complete the text with sentences A–F. There is one sentence you do not need.

A This happens from time to time when small boats run into difficulties in heavy weather.

B But there is a twist to this tale.

C Less than two hours later the enormous boat is alongside you, having altered course to come to your rescue.

D Finally you admit defeat and put out an SOS call.

E He was stunned by the coincidence.

F The cruise liner that came to his assistance was the Crown Princess.

Read the text.

A home of your own?

A home of their own is what most people in the UK aspire to these days. However, more and more of our older population are finding it difficult to stay in their own homes as the health problems associated with increased age sometimes make it impossible for them to cope in badly designed houses.

The elderly cannot climb the stairs and if they use wheelchairs, there are often problems getting from one room to another because of narrow doorways, let alone trying to manoeuvre their chairs up and down outdoor steps. [1 _______] All too often the help that could allow them to remain in their own homes at the end of their lives is not available and these people are forced to move into care homes. Here, their needs are catered for but they often feel isolated and away from familiar surroundings and their friends and family.

In an effort to address this problem the UK government has announced plans that seem, on the surface, to be fairly dramatic. [2 _______] There will be sixteen such specifications and they include improvements that could significantly affect life positively for the elderly. Stairs will have to be wide enough to accommodate stair lifts should the installation of one become necessary. [3 _______] Electrical sockets and switches in walls must be at a convenient height and all rooms must be large enough for wheelchairs to turn in circles. These are only a few examples of what architects and builders will have to take into consideration in the future.

[4 _______] The general idea has been welcomed by many care groups but the practicalities are causing concern in many quarters. Not least among those who are worried about the cost of providing new housing. [5 _______] Members of the House Builders Association feel that the plans have not been carefully thought through and that implementing such specifications, although theoretically laudable, is simply not realistic.

It is also felt that people have different housing needs at different stages of their lives and forcing all new homes to be built with the elderly in mind is not going to be a popular move. Debate on the subject will no doubt continue for a long time yet!

Complete the text with sentences A–F. There is one sentence you do not need.

A They want all new homes built in the UK from 2011 onwards to conform to specifications that will make them elderly-friendly.

B Safety for children will also be addressed.

C It is feared that conforming to all the specifications will push up the prices and put new homes out of the reach of first-time buyers.

D Adapting their houses to make life easier for these people is a costly business and most cannot afford the necessary changes.

E These plans have met with mixed reactions.

F There must be easy access for wheelchairs to the front door and through doorways.

5 Read the text.

How far would you go?

Several science-fiction films and series have become so popular that they have achieved cult status. Their influence continues to grow and followers and fans remain steadfastly loyal to their imagined heroes. There are conventions, books, magazines and websites all dedicated to these stars, their exploits and their lives.

One of the most influential TV sci-fi series of all time was Star Trek, an American series which followed the adventures of the Starship Enterprise across galaxies for many, many years. The characters of Captain Kirk, Doctor Spock and Engineer Scottie, to name just a few members of the valiant crew, captured our imaginations. Feature films brought the adventures to the big screen but even when the series and films had finished and the ageing crew long retired loyal fans keep the memories alive. There are regular Star Trek conventions all over the world where fans meet to buy memorabilia, listen to talks and of course dress up as their favourite aliens. And as with other cult shows, Star Trek also has its fair share of eccentrics who take interest that one step further – into obsession.

One such person, Tony Adams, lives in Leicestershire, England and is so fond of the series that he spent several years and many thousands of pounds decorating and changing his flat into the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. It contains replicas of all the machines and screens and even has a transporter room fitted with special beams of light. The flat is perfect but it still functions as a living area. The owner has ingeniously disguised essential appliances such as microwaves and sinks, and normal entertainment equipment like TV, radio and DVD systems are carefully hidden behind wall panels. The whole flat is bathed in an eerie blue light and you can really imagine looking out of one of the porthole windows and seeing stars and planets speeding past.

Perhaps the owner’s next step will be to learn Klingon, the language spoken by one of the alien species that Kirk and friends encounter on their travels. In a quite remarkable feat, a whole new language has been created and it is possible to attend the Klingon Language Institute in Pennsylvania, founded by Lawrence M Schoen. You can actually gain a qualification in Klingon. And when you have learned the language you will be able to read Shakespeare’s Hamlet which has already been translated!

For more interesting Star Trek obsessives, look on their website or even better, go to one of their conventions. It will be quite an experience!

Choose the correct answers.

1 The fans of science fiction series and films

A live in an imaginary world.

B are members of a cult.

C support their idols.

2 At a Star Trek convention you can

A meet the actors.

B buy things from the series.

C see replicas of the starships.

3 Tony’s flat

A has the latest technology.

B lacks basic facilities.

C is not what it seems.

4 Which adjective best describes Tony?

A curious

B wealthy

C passionate

5 People can practise Klingon

A by reading a play.

B by visiting the country.

C by studying online.

6 Read the text.

WORKING WITH MONEY

A THE FINANCIAL ADVISOR

In my job people either come to me or I go to them. This is because most of my clients are working full time and only have the evenings or weekends free. We usually spend a few hours going through money matters and then I work out with the client how best their money can be invested and how to plan for their retirements. I give advice on anything from pension funds to taking equity out of property. In short what I’m doing is advising people how to make their money work for them and provide them with a secure future.

B THE DEBT COUNSELLOR

The people who usually consult me are often desperate to find a way out of a very difficult and traumatic situation. These days I’m seeing more and more people who have overreached themselves and been tempted by easy credit. They can’t see a way forward and that’s where I come in. My job often involves reassuring people that there are ways out of their problems. However, in the course of my work I also encounter people whose lives revolve around spending money that they haven’t got and who are neither willing nor able to change their ways.

C THE ACCOUNTANT

I work in partnership with two other people and we are always extremely busy! We mainly deal with small businesses or individuals who need help with their taxes. We calculate their profits (or losses) and advise on what expenses they can claim for. Some forms they have to complete look quite complex but for people with our experience they’re really quite straightforward. Some of our clients think we should be able to save them enormous amounts of money but we’re certainly not miracle workers!

D THE ECONOMIST

In my opinion the economy is a fascinating subject and I try to pass this on to my students. It’s such a wide subject. There are so many influences you have to consider and a successful economist must be familiar with all the markets and current trends. As we’ve seen recently with unstable stock markets world wide, predicting how an economy is going to do is almost impossible because of all the contributory factors. Friends often ask for advice on what shares to buy or sell but unfortunately there are no guarantees in my business and it’s always a big risk!

Complete the sentences with the correct person A–D.

1 _______ is a teacher.

2 _______ thinks his subject is not straightforward.

3 _______ doesn’t work office hours.

4 _______ has some clients that do not take his advice.

5 _______ doesn’t always do what his clients expect.

7 Read the text.

Are you ‘Underage’?

Something interesting has been happening on the music scene recently. Remember the time when you had to be a certain age to be able to get into concerts and clubs and when it seemed you had to wait forever to be old enough to experience the really exciting open-air gigs? Teenagers used to spend time and money trying to make themselves look eighteen and many even invested in fake IDs to get past the security guards! Well, it appears that the tables have turned and a new phenomenon has arrived. This is keeping the older music fans out and forcing them to try to appear younger or have fake IDs that prove they are under eighteen.

What is it? It’s the brainchild of Sam Gascoyne, a fifteen-year-old who got fed up with being turned away from concerts and decided to do something about it. This will be the second year of the extremely popular ‘Underage’ festivals.

‘Underage’ started as a nightclub night for youngsters who wanted to listen to bands that are popular today. According to Sam, teens today are getting involved in music and the music industry at younger and younger ages and their needs are not being catered for. They are no longer content to listen to the type of music nightclubs usually provide for under-eighteen nights. They want more cutting edge music.

The London Underage club nights developed into Underage clubs and the idea spread like wildfire and was copied in towns and cities all over the UK. Last year saw the first Underage Music Festival on 10th August in London’s Victoria park. It was an amazing event. Open only to 14–18 year olds the morning started with a queue of over 2,000 teenagers without a parent in sight! The only adults were the security people and twenty-somethings trying to look younger!

The festival was well organised and offered the best in indie music. It was well equipped to deal with the needs of the adolescent fans: food bars, cash points and lots of security to reassure absent parents that the kids would be safe. The whole day was a great success, the teenagers thoroughly enjoying the fact that they had a festival of their very own.

The ‘Underage’ phenomenon has proved so successful that Sam is now considered by many to be a teen role model. He remains unfazed by it all. He admits to being annoyed by the increased attention of the music industry. He feels very strongly that teenagers are being let down by an industry run by people who are more interested in money than music and who are too old to understand teenage needs. He insists that in this technological age young people are more aware of new trends in music than ever before and ingrained attitudes in the industry need to change.

Are the sentences true or false?

1 In the past only teenagers were allowed into some live concerts. T / F

2 Sam Gascoyne turns teenagers away from concerts. T / F

3 ‘Underage’ has brought new music to a younger audience. T / F

4 The underage festivals only allow one adult with each teenager. T / F

5 Some older people attempt to enter these festivals. T / F

8 Read the text.

SANCTUARIES

Read about two animal sanctuaries in the south of England.

Monkey World

Just outside Poole in Dorset there is a sanctuary that has become famous throughout the world. It is called Monkey World and was set up in 1987 by Jim and Alison Cronin to provide rehabilitation and a home for chimpanzees that had been badly treated.

Today this 65 acre sanctuary is home to 150 primates from fifteen different species including 65 chimps from ten different countries. These chimps were originally taken from Africa for use in laboratories, circuses and the tourist trade. The majority had been used as photographic props on beaches. Tourists are encouraged to have their photographs taken with the ‘cute’ little monkeys on their shoulders, not knowing how badly these small primates have been treated. The baby chimps are usually dressed up in children’s clothes and forced to perform and when they become adult and start to get more aggressive, they are frequently kept calm with drugs. Many of the chimps rescued by Monkey World arrived with a drug dependency.

Monkey World is a sanctuary for these animals but another of its missions is to increase awareness of the plight of young monkeys like these worldwide. At the centre visitors can see how the monkeys are benefiting from their life in natural surroundings and also learn about the animals and the dangers they have been through. It is possible to adopt a monkey by giving a donation to the sanctuary and gain free access to the centre for a year.

Donkey Sanctuary

Donkeys are used all round the world to help mankind. They transport heavy loads and even give children rides on the beach. However, many of these animals are neglected and 12,000 of them have been cared for by the Donkey Sanctuary since it was started in 1969 by Dr Elisabeth D Svendsen. There are now ten donkey farms in the UK and Ireland but the largest is in Sidmouth in the south-west of England where there are currently 400 donkeys being looked after.

The donkeys that find a good life at the sanctuary have not all been neglected. Some come from caring homes but because of a change in the owner’s circumstances cannot be kept any longer and are taken in by the sanctuary.

The Donkey Sanctuary is also involved in major projects across the world to give free medical treatment and advice to those people whose livelihood depends on their donkeys so that their animals have a better and healthier working life. In addition to this, it investigates possible cases of animal abuse in many countries, in the tourist industry, festivals and markets.

The Donkey Sanctuary depends on donations to keep going but its Sidmouth centre does not charge an admission fee and is open every day of the year. Visitors can see the donkeys and also enjoy the wonderful countryside they now live in.

Which sanctuary, MW (Monkey World), DS (Donkey Sanctuary) or B (both) …

1 rescues animals that have been used as tourist attractions? ___

2 sometimes deals with animals in good condition? ___

3 saves animals used in medical experiments? ___

4 doesn’t cost to visit? ___

5 works with people in different countries? ___

9 Read the text.

Have your say!

Today’s complaint is from Mr P. K. Lipton in Somerset and concerns news bulletins.

News bulletins

How often should we be given news updates on TV? Traditionally the viewing public has had fairly regular news updates on most major channels in comprehensive hour or half hour long programmes that bring us a range of different information and opinions about important newsworthy events from our own country and around the world. We all know the times of these programmes so we can choose what and when we want to watch. In addition to these news programmes there are, of course, the channels dedicated to 24-hour news coverage. What is putting my back up at the moment is a new supplement to the regular programmes – 60 second news bulletins, hourly during the evening.

I imagine this has come about because the news bosses think we shall all be thrilled to get a news update every hour but I have to say that not everyone is enamoured of the new system – myself included!

There are several reasons why I feel this way. Firstly, 60 seconds is a very short length of time and there are usually several major points they wish to tell us about. However talented the news presenters are, they cannot avoid sounding rushed as they try to read everything within the time limit. Because of this speed of delivery, you usually find that there is no time for any space between items. The result of this is that one item follows on immediately from another and there is no pause to indicate that one item has finished and another has begun. This can be both confusing and slightly amusing!

Secondly, most evenings the news doesn’t change radically within an hour so the bulletins end up repeating the same items again and again. Sometimes there is a change in presenter in order to give the illusion of new news but in effect it is the same bulletin as an hour ago. Why bother?

Thirdly, I consider this an intrusion into my evening’s viewing. Yes, news is important and I choose when I wish to watch it. When I sit down to watch a film or a soap opera, I want to relax. I do not want to be interrupted in this way. Even now, when I should be expecting it, the bulletins still come as a surprise and I half expect some terrible breaking news.

Maybe I am a grumpy old man but in my opinion news has a time and a place and it’s not every hour while I’m trying to relax!

Are the sentences true or false?

The writer says that …

1 there should be more good news programmes on TV. T / F

2 the presenters do not do a good job. T / F

3 you can’t report news properly in a limited time. T / F

4 the bulletins often don’t tell him anything new. T / F

5 he sometimes thinks they’re going to announce bad news. T / F

10 Read the text.

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 8052