1. ABORTION Abortion usually means induced abortion, which is intentionally (széndékosan) brought on (eldidéz) to terminate (befejezédik) a pregnancy. Depending on the age of the foetus (magzat), it is performed (elvégez) using drugs or surgery. Many nations legalised their abortion laws in the 20th century. Legislation was an answer to pressures of the feminist movement, to changes in women’s equality and rights, and to high death rates caused by illegal abortions. The necessity of abortion is accepted in certain situations: * a doctor must certify (igazol) that the woman's life or health is in jeopardy (veszély, kockdzat); © pregnencies caused by rape or incest (vérfert6zés) can be terminated; * the husband's consent (beleegyezés) is needed. In the Roman Catholic Church abortion is absolutely unacceptable. * the mother is too young or too old © relationship or marriage problems * single woman lack of financial and emotional support © there is a large family already * pregnancy is the result of rape or incest * homeless mother | Reasons for the termination of pregnancy: | * the baby is likely to be born with serious disability (rokkantsdg) ] At present, 3 basic types of regulation exist in different parts of the world: * abortion is banned | * the necessity of abortion is accepted in certain situations * abortion is performed (teljesit) at the woman’s request | My opinion: Abortion should not be a form of birth control.2, ADVERTISING Advertising is a decisive (meghatdrozd, dénté) element of the marketing process beside sales promotion, market research, planning, pricing and distribution of goods. Sharply intensified (felerésédétt, fokozott) global competition and continuous changes in consumer desires have increased the importance of marketing. The importanece of advertising was recognised in ancient times. Archeologists found painted signs on the walls of houses in Rome and Pompeii, offering property and popularising taverns (kocsma). Since the 20th century with the invention of the radio, television and the Internet, advertising has become omnipresent (mindeniitt jelenlévé) Most companies have big promotion budgets. They engage advertising agencies to plan, create and produce their advertising campaigns and to design their promotion services. The primary objective of advertising is to promote the sale of commodities or services. In general, advertising makes use of desires and fears. Advertisers try to convience people that particular products can enhance (ndvel, emel) their lifestyles: they will enjoy more comfort, improved appearance, better health, etc. Advertisers also send the message that purchasing products are solutions to one’s worries: people can fight sickness or avoid possible disasters if they buy commodities (drucikk) and services promoted in the media. Personally | like advertisements. For me it’s important to get information about new products or services. The only thing | don’t like is that advertisements are louder in the telly than the normal programs. ee3. AIDS AIDS stands for Acquired (szerzett) Immune Deficiency (hiény, elégtelenség) Syndrome It is caused by a retrovirus called HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). HIV originated in rural (vidéki) areas of central Africa and quickly spread into worldwide epidemic (jdrvény). AIDS is the most devastating (pusztitd, gyilkos) disease humankind has ever faced It is the 4th leading cause of death worldwide. HIV is present in the blood, sexual fluids and breast milk. It can be passed on if these fluids get into another person's body through unprotected sexual intercourse / through contact with infected blood / by mother to child transmission during pregnancy or breast feeding HIV can not be transmitted through casual contact or saliva (nydi) How AIDS progresses along a typical course of illness: 1. flu-like symptoms (fever, headache, sore joints, fatigue )(kimeriiltség) — few weaks 2. the virus destroys the immune system ~ 10 years or more 3. extensive weight loss, fever, diarrhoea, fatigue ~ months or years 4. a clinical illness develops, which finally kills the infected - months or years HIV's behaviour has been thoroughly studied, and various diagnostic tests have been developed to detect its presence. Drugs may extend the life expectancy of patients, but no treatment so far has been able to completely eradicate (kiirt) HIV from the body. There is no vaccine nor cure against AIDS.4, ALCOHOLISM. Alcoholism is such a widespread disease that it constitutes(képez, olakit) a major public health problem, It can affect anybody — business executives (vezetd), farm workers, housewives, church members, etc. The seriousness of the drink problem depends on the amount of alcohol ingested (elfogyasztott) and the frequency of consumption. Levels ‘* abstinence (tartézkodds) from alcohol * social drinking (parties, business dinner, celebrations) «heavy drinking: young people get together to a booze-up (pidl) and get intoxicated (lerészegedik). They get absolutely plastered and legless. After polishing off (befejez) whole bottles of wine, they get as drunk as a skunk (gérény, aljas frdter). * problem drinking: heavy drinkers can not refrain (tartézkodik vmitél) from alcohol, even though it causes harm to their families and to society as well. Alcohol becomes the focus of life and they become antisocial and disagreeable (ellenszenves, bosszanté). Most of them deny their drink problem. (closet drinkers = secret drinkers) * alcohol dependence: alcoholics can not control drinking. They have an overwhelming desire to drink so as to avoid withdrawal symptoms (elvondsi tiinetek) such as feeling sick, trembling (remegés), sweating (izzadés), etc. Alcoholism has long-term medical complications. Alcohol depresses (csdkkent, elnyom) the functions of the central nervous system. Drinking mothers often give birth to babies with mental and physical defects (hidnyosség) Alcoholism may cause relationship problems. Drunkards (részeges ember) are usually aggressive and antisocial. Alcoholics often run into financial difficulty because they spend more money on alcohol than they can afford. They might commit crime to get money for the booze5. ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE = Unconventional (nem hagyomdnyos) Medicine = Holistic Medicine = Complementary (kiegészit6) or Alternative Medicine (CAM) Not long ago, most alternative medical practices were considered useless and found bizarre by both the medical establishment (testiilet, intézmény) and the public, Recently it have gained (elnyer, elér) popularity and have become part of mainstream medicine. Proponents (témogatdk) of alternative medicine argue that holistic medicine is safer and more natural than conventional treatment. It’s efficacy has been shown through practice. Opponents (ellenz6k) claim that unconventional practices are unproven. ALTERNATIVE MEDICAL SYSTEMS: * Ayurveda (the science of life) uses diet, excercise and meditation to achieve the harmony of body, mind and spirit © Traditional Chinese medicine aims (megcéloz) to achieve a balance of energy in the body and applies herbal medicine, massage, acupuncture and energy therapy. © Homeopathy is an ancient Greek practice, which is based on the principle nlike cures like” or ,like with like”. It uses plant, animal and mineral materials. It treats with very diluted (higitott) doses of the substance that is responsible for a disease. * Naturophatic medicine is based on the theory that the body is able to heal itself as long as it gets clear air and water, right food and excersise. It uses hydrotherapy, diet, detoxification, acupuncture, herbal medicine, massage, osteopathy (hdtgerincmasszdzs) to restore the body's balance. Most alternative therapies are safe, but one must always approach (megkézelit) holistic therapies with caution (dvatossdg). One of the greatest risks is delaying or stopping proven traditional treatment. Choosing a reliable licensed practitioner is of great importance.6. ART In the narrowest sense, art is limited to the fine arts (képzémdvészet): painting and sculpture (szobraszat). In a broader sense, art refers to the two-dimensional and three-dimensional visual arts, including drawing, painting, sculpture, architecture, photography, film and decorative arts In the broadest sense, art encompasses (kériilfog) literature, music, dance, drama and any other form of creative activity. Distinctions (megkiilénbéztetés) can be made between professional art, fine arts, amateur art, commercial art, folk art and decorative arts or crafts (iparmiivészet). As art lends expression to important customs, values and principles of a society, it can truly mirror historical periods. Art's purpose is to tigger emotional or intellectual responses from the audience, to provide food for thought, to lift body and ming. During the middle ages, the purpose of art was to communicate religious beliefs, teach people about Christianity (kereszténység) honour the Almighty (mindenhato). Digital fine art: in which computer or digital technology is incorporated into the artistic process. Commercial art: its objective is to make money. Decorative art: the purpose is to enhance (ndvel), furnish or embellish (szépit) spaces, or to make people look more attactive. ‘Amateur art: works are created primarily for pleasure, by non-professionals Folk art: it is embedded in local or regional traditions and is also known as peasant (paraszt) or vernacular (népi) art. It mirrors a common ethic and cultural heritage (6rdkség), the basic beliefs, ideas, customs and values that a particular community shares. Wealthy families and individuals, aristocrats and magnates (magnasok) have always played the role of sponsors and supported artists by commissioning (megrendel) work from them. Personally I'm not interested in fine arts but | love many kinds of films and dance.7. BANKS AND BANKING In Hungary, bank system consists of the central bank and many commercial banks. Commercial banks are also called as clearing banks or high-street banks. The central bank: © supervises the other banks’ operations, * decides and implements (teljesit) monetary policy, © collects government income * and manages government debt The central bank of the UK is the Bank of England, called The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street. The central bank of the US is the Federal Reserve Bank, called Fed. Many peeople dislike banks, claiming that they demand high charges on overdraft but offer poor interest rates for savers and they have too short business hours. There are many kinds of services a bank provides For example you can open a bank account, have a bank card, withdraw money from your account, save money for a little interest, get loan or mortgage for quite a high charge, or exchange foreign currencies. Banks offer online banking for the customers. But it must be used very carefully because personal information can be stolen on the Internet. Personally | don’t like banks. | got a mortgage from a commercial bank 4 years ago and since than they have modified our contract unilaterally at least 3 times and have raised the charges of the loan.8. CAPITAL PUNISHMENT Capital punishment or death penalty is the legal killing of a person for a crime It had been a widely accepted practice before the 18th century That time its methods were stoning, beheading, breaking in the wheel, quartering and burning. At present it is accomplished (teljesit) by lethal gas or injection, electrocution, hanging or shooting. Death penalty is the most controversial (vitatott) penal (biinteté) practice It’s a hotly contested (vitatott) issue on which nations of the world are split (kettévalik, szétszakad). As countries become more democratic, they tend to abolish (eltdrd/) capital punishment. European Union member states have all ratified Protocol 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which commits a government to the permanent abolition of capital punishment. Speaking for myself | do not support death penalty because life imprisonment has the same ends, it isolates (kii/6nvdlaszt) criminals from society. My opinion is that the government does not have the right to take away the life of any individuals. Statistics show that the presence or absence of capital punishment does not visibly influence the rate of homicide (emberdlés) If capital punishment exists, there is a risk of killing the innocent. If anyone is killed by mistake, there is no possible way of compensating them for the miscarriage (kudarc, jogellenes cselekmény) of justice.9. CLONING AND GENETIC ENGINEERING Genetic engineering, a revolutionary new technology, was born during the last decades of the 20th century. At the core of the technology is gene splicing (dsszeillesztés): producing new or modified configurations or recombinant DNAs, by joining DNA segments of two organisms. If introduced into another organism, the recombinant, self-healing DNA material permanently changes the genetic makeup of the host (befogad6) organism. The promise of genetic engineering © breeding (tenyészt) plants that grow faster * breeding animals that produce more milk or reproduce faster © producing the hormone insulin artificially in large quantities producing vaccines (oltéanyag) against diseases such as hepatitis, influenza or herpes simplex. Cloning is the creation of a genetic duplicate of an existing organism Cloning will revolutionise medicine. The technique can be used for curing diseases: for producing vaccines against AIDS or cancer, for curing heart disease by repairing damaged heart muscles, for treating Parkinson disease by replacing brain cells, or for curing diabetes by restoring the pancreas (hasnydimirigy). It may become possible to clone animals susceptible to human diseases in order to test medicines and treatment plans. The first cloned animal was Dolly the sheep Early attempts (kisérlet) at cloning animals were fraught with problems (problémakkal jart). Very few embryos survived and the clones suffered illnesses and many had faulty immune systems. Most of them aged rapidly and died earlier Human reproductive cloning is banned in most countries and several international governing bodies have taken a stong stand against it.10, COMPUTERS AND THE INTERNET The computer with the Internet has completely transformed our lives at home, at work, and on the move. ICT is a system which is comprised (magaba foglal) of hardware, software, communications technology and the people who use them. (Information and Communications Technology) ICT includes all kinds of devices like mobile phones, CD-players, DVD-players, alarm systems, fax machines, digital cameras, digital television and robotics systems which control machines. ICT has changed communications dramatically. E-mail is an extremely low-cost and speedy form of communication, which replaces traditional mail. Video conference allows people to have meeting without travelling long distances ICT has tranformed everyday life. Many people do their shopping or banking via internet. Entertainment seekers can watch films or listen to music, visit virtual museums, read online newspapers, talk to people in chat rooms, send e-mails, or create their own websites. The Internet is a network of interconnected computer networks. It enables computers to communicate directly using cable, satellite or fibre-optic transmission technologies, which allow users to exchange information The most popular part of the Internet is the World Wide Web (www), which allows for (figyelembe vesz) the display of still images, video, audio and text in any combination. The web also includes chat rooms, message boards, newsgroups, etc. The Internet continues to grow at an unprecedented (egyedill dlld) speed. Thousands of new pages appear on the web every day, and the number of users also increases dynamically. Thanks to its incredible speed and capacity, the computer is an ideal tool for handling virtually limitless amounts of informtion: The Internet is an infinite (végtelen) source of useful information about every subject matter imaginable, which can be accessed any time from any place11. CONSCRIPTION (sorozds) The military in democratic countries accomplishes (teljesit) various offensive (témadé) and defensive (védekez6) tasks: © it defends the nation against foreign or domestic enemies © it takes part in peacekeeping missions it provides emergency aid for civilians in case of disaster Conscription means that the young men must register with the national army when they are 18, in case of a future military emergency. In a few nations the government maintains conscription forces and require able-bodied male citizens to do mandatory (kételez6) military service called national service”, , Selective service”, or ,the draft”. At present a great many of the drafteers are trying to avoid military service: © They utilise (fe/haszndl) the family’s political connections, * get a medical exemption (mentesség, felmentés) proving that they are physically or mentally unfit for service, * use educational exemptions called college deferments (halasztds), or flee (menekiil) to another country. There is a debate about compulsory (kételez6) military service. Supporters argue that defending the country is the responsibility of each citizen and military service enriches young people with vital (élethez sziikséges) social experience. Opponents claim that conscription is a violation of human right and only a professional military can effectively protect the nation Personally | absolutely agree with the supporters of conscription. Most of the young men are excessively (mérhetetleniil) lazy and barefaced (pimasz, arcdtlan) these days and national service would be a good lesson to them12. CRIME Crime is @ wrongful (tdrvénytelen) act that i (megszeg) the law of a community. punished by the state, because it violates Omission (mulasztds) or failure to act may also result in a criminal act: a policeman on duty commits a crime if he does not try to defend a woman attacked by a mugger (rabid). In England and in the US there is a ,,common law" system. Cases are decided by referring to previous judicial (birdi) decisions and principles (ely). Most Western European countries have ,civil law” systems. Cases are decided by referring (hivatkozik) to laws passed by the Parliament, compiled (dsszedilit) in codes. Subject areas dealing with crime: ‘© criminal law: defines crimes, fixes punishments for them and regulates law enforcements (végrehaitds). ‘+ crimonology: developes principles for crime control and crime prevention. ‘© criminal psychology: concemed with (foglaikozik) the characteristics of criminal behaviour, deals with offender (biin626) profiling (abrazo!) The most widespread classification of crimes is based on the direction of the criminal act: whom it hurts, what it damages. ‘+ crimes against the person ‘© crimes against personal property (tulajdon, vagyon) ‘+ crimes against the habitation (Iakhely) crimes against sexual morality (erkolcs) ‘crimes against the government ‘© crimes against humanity Legal systems acknowledge that children and young people under the age of sixteen are not sufficiently (eléggé) mature to be criminally responsible. Therefore, special procedures are applied to deal with juvenile (fiatalkori) crime, Common punishments: ‘+ unconditional (feitétien) discharge: the offender can go free without punishment ‘© conditional discharge: (feltételes szabadiébra helyezés) the defendant is set free, but in case of reoffending, the first crime will also be taken into account ‘fines or fixed penalties © community service: done in hospitals for example or on the streets = imprisonment13. DISASTERS Disasters are usually unpredictable, sudden events which pose (felvet) a threat to people and the environment, causing massive (nagy) destruction and human suffering. Disasters destroy both lives and property. Disasters are caused either by nature or by human activities Human beings are responsible for a wide range of disasters. Man-made disasters: wars, accidents with hazardous materials, nuclear incidents (jelenség, véletlen esemény) Natural disasters: earthquakes, typhoons, tsunamis (they are mostly the results of the geological or climatic phenomena (jelenség). Earthquakes are caused by movements of tectonic (szerkezeti) plates. Volcanic eruptions (kitérés) occur when the pressure exerted (nyomést gyokorol) by gases and magma in the earth’s crust (kéreg) becomes strong enough. Eruptions often cause tsunamis, earthquakes and rock falls. Tsunamis are seismic (szeizmikus, féldrengési) sea waves generated by undersea earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. Its speed can be up to 800 km/h and can tower walls of water over 15 m high. Natural fires are often caused by human error and only sometimes by spontaneous combustion (tdzvész). Hazard forecasting (e.g. satellite monitoring of wind conditions) can minimise the impact of predictable disasters. Preparing people is also a key element of mitigating (enyhit) the impact of disasters. In some places citizens are trained to respond to disasters. Special rescue (megmenté) teams search for survivers. Charities (szeretetszolgdlat) raise money to provide financial aid14. DIVORCE Divorce is the legal process which terminates a marriage. Nowdays couples can divorce if neither is at fault. Divorce by consant (beleegyezéssel) is allowed. Divorce is granted (elismer, engedélyez) if the marriage is irretrievably (helyrehozhatatlanul) broken Divorce has become less of a stigma (szégyenfolt) due to changing social attitudes. There has been a considerable (jelentés) increase in the number of divorces. Society tolerates and accepts divorce more readily (kénnyen) Women enjoy greater financial and emotional independence. Women are dissatisfied with traditional role in marriage Frequent grounds for divorce: * problem behaviour: financial problems, drinking, addictions (kéros szenvedély) © unfaithful behaviour: separation for a longer period of time, adultery (hézassdgtérés) * emotional issues: emotional and sexual incompability, communication problems, basic unhappiness Parents shouldn't involve children in their own battles. They should not use them as trump cards (iitékdrtya) against one another. Children feel angy, lonely, confused and sad, can become agressive, and fear that they had done something to cause the break-up of their parents The divorce petition is handed in by the Petitioner and is sent to the Respondent If the couple can not agree, a court hearing is held.15. DRUG ABUSE and DRUG DEPENDENCE Drug abuse (visszaélés) means misusing (visszaéini) legal _drogs (e.g. tranquillisers - nyugtatdk) or using illegal drugs Casual drug abuse may escalate (kiterjed) into habitual drug abuse. In this case the body needs drug to avoid withdrawal symptoms and to function normally. Addicts (szenvedélybetegek) are powerless to reduce or stop their drug intake (bevitel) Genetics, family background and social environment all play a part in developing drug dependence (fiiggéség). The main motivation behind drug abuse is that addicts want to change the way they feel. Drugs offer an alternative world where one is strong, powerful, beloved and happy — what might be missing from the user’s everyday life. Drugs damage both physical and mental health. Frequent reasons for using and abusing drugs: © feeling happy instead of being bored * curiosity (seeking for new experiences) * defence (védelmi) mechanism: forgetting about problems or failures * ignorance (tudatlansdg): lack of information about harmful effects of drugs * being desperate to get the next hit # loss of interest in family matters or work * borrowing or stealing money * new friendships usually with other drug abusers © decline (csékkenés) in normal personal hygiene Solutions: Drug prevention programs both for parents and children. Eliminating drug production and reducing the sale of drugs by strengthening the police forces.16. DRUGS IN SPORTS In an ideal world, sport implies (magdba foglal) ethically fair competition for victory. Unfortunately, the stakes (tét, dij) are too high to enjoy taking part in competitions for participation’s own sake (kedvéért) Winning at all costs has become governing (vezet6) principle (elv) in professional sports. Doping is as old as competitive sport itself Its aim is to enhance (fokoz) performance (teljesitmény) by artificial means (eszk6z6k). One way of making it to the top is by gaining unfair advantage through drug misuse (visszaélés) Doping tests were introduced in the 20th century in cycling and football championships. The need for international co-operation against doping was born in 1999 when an NGO (non-governmental organisation) was established to stamp out (elpusztit) doping. It was the International Olympic Committee that first set up its first list of prohibited substances. Now there are over 4000 banned substances. Each sport has it’s own anti-doping rules because prohibited substances vary (vditozik) from sport to sport Performance enhancing drugs have harmful side effects, which put sportsmen’s health at risk.17, EDUCATION The right to education is one of the basic human rights. Economic growth are closely related to the quality of education. Functional illiteracy (analfabétizmus) is still a serious problem, mostly in the developing countries. Pre-school education in nurseries, playgroups and kindergartens: promotes (elésegit) children’s physical, emotional, social and intellectual (szellemi) development. It prepares children for primary school Primary school: it’s goal is to reach minimum standards of literacy and numeracy, through developing the skills of reading, writing and simple arithmetic. Secondary education: it’s two main goals are to teach pupils the skills and knowledge necessary for getting a job, and to prepare those wanting to study at the next higher level (at college or university). Lifelong learning is a buzaward in educational policy. Making it a reality for everyone is the duty (kételesség) of the public What to teach is the cornerstone of education. The standards and content of education are set in official programmes of study. In the 21th century, digital literacy is indispensable (elengedhetetlen) besides reading, writing and arithmetic. Although the system of education should give everyone the same opportunity, for many students equality will never become reality The economic status of the family determines (meghatéroz) the length and quality of children’s education Teachers focus on academically successful pupils, paying less attention to the rest. Girls are usually underrepresented in science and technology18. E-LEARNING Information Communication Technology FC) opens up new possibilities in education = E-learning is the most advanced form of distance learning. The widespread support for e-learning is explained by its flexibility and versatility (sokoldaliiség) ICT resources (fords) can be accessed from anywhere at any time and they provide the most adaptable (alkalmazkod6, rugalmas) scope (hatdskér, teriilet) for lifelong learning. Most nations have launched (inait) programmes to make e-learning accessible (hozzdférheté) to learners, teachers and educational institutions (intézmény). The main objective of these programmes is to create interconnected (dsszekapcsolt) nationwide computer learning networks, linked (ésszekapcsol) to the Internet, in schools, colleges, universities, libraries and research institutions. Thanks to multimedia facilities, the display of online content is more interesting and motivating than printed textbooks. The interactive environment enhances (fokoz) the learning process. Online learning helps adults gain (elnyer) qualifications and earn advanced degrees. It is cost effective: it reduces costs associated with travel, accommodation and books. Students can combine study with a full-time job, without taking a long career break. Disadvantages: Educators and students acquire adequate (meafelel6) computer skills. Problems can be with web connection. Feedback is limited to short, simple answers.19. EMPLOYMENT Working people are employed in one of the four main sectors of the economy. 1 people employed in the primary sector extract (kKivonato/) raw materials and produce food workers in the secondary sector refine (finomit) process and manufacture raw materials the tertiary (harmadfokd) sector i goods and providing services to people quaternary (négyes) industries (such as biotechnology or quantum mechanics) deal engaged in distributing and selling manufactured with research and development The distinction (kii/énbség) between types of employment rests on (alapul) the nature of the work, on terms of the contract of employment, and on corporate hierarchy. in terms of hours spent, employees work full-time or part-time in terms of the length of employment, workers have permanent (dlland6) positions, temporary jobs or seasonal work. One can also choose to be self-employed blue-collar workers perform (végez, teljesit) manual work white collar workers hold jobs in offices pink-collar workers are usually women holding poorly (szegényesen) paid clerical (irodai) jobs professions work in occupations (foglalkozds) wich require the highest levels of education and specialisation. People, whose ambition is to work their way up the corporate ladder, have to climb several rungs, from beginner position, through supervisory and middle posts, up to higher professional levels. New technologies like Information Communications Technology radically transformed the nature of jobs. ICT has created industries (e.g. telecommunications) but also has contributed (hozzdjérul) to job cuts (e.g. car assembly lines are fully automated). A national minimum wage is set in many countries, employers may not pay a rate below it.20. ENERGY Energy production is a key factor in the development of modern civilizations. Our life is unimaginable without constant, reliable and inexpensive supplies of energy. Modern industrial societies depend on fossil fuels ~ oil, coal and natural gas. Over two thirds of the world’s energy comes from these non-renewable sources. Fossil fuel deposits are finite (véges), they will not last for ever, they will be depleted (kimerit) The world’s dependence on fossil fuels should be reduced. Alternative, renewable energy sources should be more widely utilised (felhaszndl). They are environmentally sustainable (fenntarthaté) sources of energy. As their supply is infinite, they never run out, neither does their use deplete our natural sources Types or renewable energy: * biomass energy * solar energy * geothermal energy © wind energy + water power and tidal power # fuel cells (tuzeléanyag cella) In all spheres (teriilet) of life, energy conservation (megérzés) is a must. Computarised energy-management systems should make heating and lighting energy-efficient. Governments should support the development of renewable energy technologies. Consumers should become electricity-wise. They should use energy-efficient light bulbs and household appliances. instead of driving they should use public transport21, THE EUROPEAN UNION (EU) The EU was born in 1951 to end enmity (ellenségeskedés) and guarantee a more peaceful future for the old continent. Back then, it was called the European Coal and Steel Community, set up by Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The rules of co-operation were set out (kiemel) in the Treaty of Paris, Now the EU has 27 member states. Hungary joined on May 1. in 2004. With the entry of 9 other countries, this has been the biggest enlargement in the EU's history. Candidate (pélyéz6) countries had been guided through the accession (csatlakozés, bejutés) process under the Phare program The single market was the EU's first achievement, completed in 1993. Companies are able to sell their goods anywhere and professional services can be offered in any member state. The single market has led to increased competition of business resulting in lower prices and a greater choice of goods and services. The objective of the EU is to enhance compatitiveness in the world market. The second major milestone of integration was the establishment (alapitdis) of the Economic and Monetary Union, which aims to coordinate economic policy and integrate the economies of member countries in the interest (érdekeltség) of steady (egyenletes) growth In the EU 6 million jobs were created between 1999 and 2003. The aim is to raise the employment level, guarantee equal opportunities and encourage job-creating investments (beruhdzds) The EU has instituted (alapit) various crossborder programmes to expand (kiterjeszt) the scope of learning opportunities for the citizens. (Leonardo Da Vinci / Erasmus program). The goal is to provide opportunities for lifelong learning to make people more competitive in the Job market. The EU has established a comprehensive (széleskord, dtfogd) framework (vdz, szerkezet) for environmental protection, and EU participates (kézremiikodik, részt vesz) in a lot of international environmental programs. The EU's objective is to involve the public in protecting the environment. Human rights, democracy and the rule of law are the EU’s core values. Since 1992, all agreements on trade and co-operatin contain a clause (zdradék) on safeguarding (megvéd) human rights. Beside financial help, the EU promotes (témogat, eldsegit) economic growth.22. EUTHANASIA The word euthanasia” derives (szérmazik} from the Greek for ,good death”. Its synonym phrase is mercy (kegyelem) killing The aim of euthanasia is to release a patient from an_ incurable (gyégyithatatlan) disease, intolerable (elviselhetetien) suffering or undignified (méltésdighoz nem ilié) death. Types of euthanasia: * active euthanasia: a pysician (orvos) directly and deliberately (szandékosan) causes the patient's death (e.g. giving a lethal dose of medication — gydgyszeres kezelés) * passive euthanasia: a pysician withdraws a life-sustaining (fenntartd) treatment such as hydration (hidratdlds), when the treatment seems to be futile (hidbavald) because there is no hope of recovery, as in the case with brain death * voluntary (énkéntes, akaratlagos) euthanasia: it is required by the patient who wishes to choose medical assistance to die. * non-voluntary euthanasia: this is the ending of the life of a patient who is not mentally competent (a/kalmas) to make a request (e.g. the patient is unconscious - eszméletlen) © assisted suicide: the patient commits suicide with the help of a physician. The decriminalisation of active euthanasia is one of the most complex moral, legal, medical and social issues, surrounded by heated debates and arguments, because legislation might affect family relationships, interaction (kdlcsénhatds) between doctors and patients, medical care, and the individual's rights Personally | agree with euthanasia. My opinion is that individuals should have the right to make decisions about their own lives. It is cruel and inhumane to postpone death by every means, against the patient's wishes. It lengthens the intolerable suffering. It is also in the interest of the family because one might not have the opportunity to take care of the loved one continuously instead of working and raising a family.23, EXTREME SPORT Extreme sports come in many different forms: they can be pursued (Jiz, folytat) on land, on or under water, and in the air. X sports are thrilling (izgalmas) means (eszkéz6k) of self-exploration (felfedezés) They provide opportunities to test one’s skills, nerves, endurance (kitartds) and mental strength As a reward (jutalom), beside getting a great rush (roham) of adrenaline, they have an elevated (felemelé) sense of satisfaction and accomplishment (teljesités). * bungee jumping is one of the least dangerous X sports * street lugers enjoy racing down on paved roads at speeds of over 110 km/h, lying on a wheeled rail without brakes. * adventure racing: lasts for over a week and has several stages. The participating teams ski, hike (gyalogtuira), sea kayak, ride on horseback, climb and run The elements of mainstream sports can be combined to create an X sport. For example skysurfing is the marriage of skydiving and snowboarding. The popularity of X sports is illustrated by the fact that X Games have also been created (which is the Olympic Games of X sports) There are both Summer X Games and Winter X Games24. FAMILIAL ISSUES For most people, the family usually means the nuclear family (mother, father and children). Family is the basic unit of social organisation and it provides it’s members with protection, security, companionship (tdrsasdg) and socialisation Historically the family offered the framework for nearly all human activities. The family unit was the basis for economic production, education, religion and recreation (pihenés, szérakozds). Families still provide affection (ragaszkodds), emotional support and security. They also teach values, daily skills and common practices. Other traditional functions of the family are performed (elvégez, teljesit) by specialised institutions (intézmény): schools, recreation centres and churches. In modern times, it’s less common for extended families to live together. The size of the average family is shrinking. The reasons why families are getting smaller are various: © delaying having children until partners’s careers are well established (kialakit) © high expenses of raising children © unwillingness to take on responsibilities of parenthood © getting married later in life The roles of the spouses (hdzastdrs) have changed: modern mothers earn money to supplement (kiegészit) the family budget, modern fathers are involved in childcare and housework. Problems to think about: © juggling (zsonglérkédik) career and childcare is very difficult due to lack of time lack of adequate parental attention: parents can not spend enough quality time with their children * generation gap: grandparents divorce is demanding both emotionally and financially for all parties involved issents (véleményeltérés) between teenagers and parents or25. FOOTBALL HOOLIGANISM The seriousness of football hooliganism was recognised by governments and the media in the 1960s, when ,gang” rivalries (versengés) became more organised. The Heysel stadium disaster in Brussels in 1985, in which the violence (erdszak) of Liverpool fans caused part of the stadium to collapse, killing 39 Juventus supporters, awakened the authorities to the necessity of strict measures against violence in sport. Football hooligans usually abuse (mocskolédik) and threat rival (rivélis) fans verbally, engage (belekezd vibe) in terrace (/eldtd) fights in the stadium, or provoke street fights changing public places to battlefields. According to sociologists and psychologists, a fight is a test of manly” behaviour, and fans defend the reputation of their team against intruders (betolakod6). Besides, fight provide honour (becstilet, buszkeség), status, excitement and an intense emotional experience for hooligans. Legislation and governments have introduced laws to deal with offences (témadas, sérelem) inside football stadia (stadionok) The police have set up intelligence units to deal with football related violence. Clubs are also an instrument in tackling (megktizd) hooliganism, they spend huge amounts of money to make their grounds hooligan-proof. Football authorities can ban the fans from the team’s competitions for certain periods, for unruly (engedetlen, rakoncatlan) behaviour.ENETICALLY MODIFIED (GM) FOOD Gene splicing (génmanipulacié) is applied to produce GM food by manipulating the genetic makeup (alkotd elemek) of organisms The aim of the technology is to produce desirable new characteristics or eliminate undesirable ones. GM technology began in the 1970s. In 2003, 130 nations approved the Protocol of Biosafety. GM food ingredients have been approved for food use in the European Union There are about 40 plant varieties of GM crops (termés). 4 main crops are grown commercially: soybean, maize (kukorica), cotton and oilseed rape (olajrepce). The majority of GM crops are grown in 4 countries: US, Argentina, Canada and China It takes a long time (7-9 years!) to develop, test and market a new GM product. In the EU, labelling is mandatory (kételez6) if the food contains more than 1% of GM ingredients. Supporters say that GM food is healthy. There is no scientific proof of any harmful side effects. Opponents claim that transgenetic technology is unsafe because it creates unnatural organisms. GM crops (termés) harm the environment because farmers use more chemicals. Labelling regulations allow customers to choose between traditional and GM food.27. GLOBAL WARMING AND THE GREEN HOUSE EFFECT Global warming is the gradual (fokozatos) temperature increase of the Earth’s surface, measured for several decades. The average temperature on Earth has risen by 0,6 degrees since 1861 The main cause of global warming is the greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases retain (visszatart) more and more of the Sun's energy. Functioning as a blanket, they insulate (szigete!) and warm the Earth. In itself, the greenhouse effect is a natural process which o: Earth possible. nally made life on The light and the heat of the sun strikes the surface of the Earth. The Earth absorbs (e/nyel) the radiation, then reflects about 70% of it back Some of the outgoing radiation remains trapped (csapddba ejt) the Earth’s atmosphere and is reflected back down to earth by a blanket of gases Without the greenhouse effect, our planet's surface temperature would be 33°C cooler. Gases like carbon dioxide (széndioxid), methane (metdn), nitrous oxide (kéjgdz) and chlorofluorocarbons trap heat like the glass int he greenhouse does. The higher the concentration of the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is, the more heat gets absorbed, in turn causing the natural terrestrial (szdrazféldi) emission processes to raise the concentration of the greenhouse gases again, in a vicious cycle Consequences of global warming * Polar ice caps will melt. * Sea levels will rise * Deserts will spread. Solution: using alternative renewing energy sources instead of fossil fuels.28. GLOBALISATION Globalisation means that the worldwide interconnectedness of the private and public spheres of our lives is constantly widening and intensifying (erdsddik). Goods, money, information and people move great distances quickly. Due to improvement in transport, our planet has become a global village. Making telephone calls, trading stocks and doing banking on the internet are getting cheaper and cheaper. Global television broadcasts can be enjoyed worldwide thanks to communication satellites. The internet, the mobile phone and the fax machine allow instantaneous (azonnali) communication and provide instant access to a practically unlimited amount of information Three major institutions were established after the 2nd World War: * The World Bank, which aim is to provide low-cost loans for developing countries * The International Monetary Fund (IMF), which objective is to maintain the value of currencies and to ensure the stability in exchange rates ¢ The World Trade Organization (WTO), which goal is to lower taxes on imported goods The object of globalization is to solve different economic, social, political, cultural and environmental problems. Some of the most important issues are the following: * optimal regulation of markets * reducing income and wealth inequalities * protecting the worker's rights major environmental problems * addressing health issues29. HOME EDUCATION Educating children at home was the norm until the 19th century. Children were taught by their parents, or the well-to-do families employed tutors (oktatd). Then the national systems of public education were established and children started to learn at school. A few decades ago home education has become popular again. Homeschooling, the most flexible educational venue (talélkozdhely) today, is likely to become even more widespread. Parents who choose this way of education: © think that schools are unsuitable for their children, * and they would like to protect the kids from negative social impacts. © They are critical of the values that schools instill (belenevel vmit vkibe) and represent (kifejez, el6ad). Personally I do not support this opportunity because: * | believe that schools are important venues (tald/kozé hely) for socialisation, where pupils can accept and respect , different strokes for different folks” (izlések és pofonok).. * Competition between children is stimulating (6szténz6) © Home education is more expensive than going to school is, * and besides, teaching is a responsible, complex and difficult task, only well-trained, qualified teachers can impart (kézéi) information in an effective and trustworthy (megbizhatd, szavahiheté) way30, HOMELESSNESS Homelessness is a grave _(stilyos) problem most strikingly (feltiéinden) manifesting (megmutat, megnyilvanul) itself in big cities The homeless population is largely (nagymértékben, foleg) made up of adult men, but the member of homeless women, children and young people is also on the increase. People who live on the street are the most disadvantaged (hdtrdnyos helyzeti) citizens, both economically and socially Being homeless is a humiliating (megaldzd) condition which disintegrates (felbomlaszt) personality and damages mental and physical health. The most obvious causes of homelessness are poverty and lack of low-income private accommodation. People who are unable to pay the rent are evicted (kilakoltat) by the landlor; those who fall behind on (hétramarad) their mortgage payments are evicted by the bank. Homelessness is often the consequence of mental health, alcohol- or drug problems. The majority of homeless people are poorly educated and unemployed, and many of them have been to prison They try to survive by bagging and they eat out of garbage cans. Some turn to crime, others undertake seasonal jobs to survive. Many live in parks or under bridges They are caught in the poverty trap and will never be able to find somewhere to live.31. MARRIAGE Marriage is a socially recognised and approved union and partnership between 2 people, certified by the government or by the church, Marriage is one of society’s most important basic institutions. | unhappiness and marriage breakdown: ‘+ to appear grown up and gain adult status + tobe free from parent's supervision * to combat (/ekdzd) loneliness * to avoid pregnancy out of wedlock (hdzasélet) + being head over heels in love (fulig szerelmes) * to marry money Reasons which may lead to a cussessful bond (kdtelék) after careful mate (tars) selection: ] j Frequent reasons for getting married which often result in disappointment (csalédds), | | | | | * the partners have a lot in common: age, economic status, social class, shared interests and hobbies © there is chemistry between the partners | © the couple have realistic expectations (elvdrds) of what they can achieve in life partners realise that marriage is more than sharing a home and having sex. It is a | two-way physical, emotional and financial partnership | * the couple is able to keep channels of communication open about problems, and they can play and fight fair * they are ready to devote (szentel, szén) enough quality time to each other * they have the necessary coping skills to survive tough (nehéz) times Social changes have profoundly (alaposan, mélységesen) affected marriage, generating new trends. Arranged marriages have become less common. Parental influance on marriage is not | significant nowdays A lot of couples get acquainted (megismerkedik) at work or in Internet chat rooms, The ideal husband shares household chores and is involved in baby-care and minding (felgyel, vigyéz) the children, Cohabitation (egyiittélés) — living together without being formally married ~ has become a widespread practice, especially among young adults, because in case of a break-up, ending the relationship is easier.32. MEDIA MATTERS The most widespread and dominant media types are newspapers, television and the Internet. Undoubtedly (kétségtelenti), television is an integral (szerves része) part of our lives. In America, except for sleeping, children spend more time watching screens than doing any other activity. TV programs are usually poor of quality. Television teaches children anti-social behaviour. TV gives a distorted (eltorzult) picture of sex. Television is a kind of brainwashing. Youngsters are conditioned to grow up to be incapable (képtelen vmire) of thinking and forming own opinions. TV promotes (témogat) an unrealistic (megalapozatlan) body image. Children’s academic performance (teljesitmény) gets poorer due to television. Printed press is a giant industry. Based on size and content, newspapers fall into (feloszlik) 2 general categories: quality newspapers (the Heavies) and popular newspapers. Quality newspapers are printed on larges pages. They follow and analyse national and international hard news in depth. They use objective language and put less emphasis on pictures. Popular newspapers are half size of quality newspapers. They report news less depth and concentrate on human-interest stories and on personal lives of famous people. They use more subjective language and enormous eye-catching headlines. They make far greater use of photos. Experts predict (megjdso/) that both printed and electronic press will lose their battle against blogs, which spread like wildfire throughout the Internet. Blogs are personal web pages. They attract more traffic than leading newspaper sites do.: : : | 33. NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS (NGOs) NGO refers to any independent voluntary association of people acting together to achieve a common purpose. NGOs are also known as interest group, pressure group, lobby, or private voluntary organisation. In order to be recognised (elismer) by the United Unions (UN), NGOs must satisfy certain criteria. They: must be independent of direct government control must be non-profit-making, non-violent (er6szak) and non-criminal © must have a democratic decision making process * can not be constituted (kinevez vminek) as a political party NGOs implement (végrehajt) plans of action and programmes adopted by the UN, participate (részt vesz) in conferences and meetings called by the UN, and propose (ajéni, inditvainyoz) new items for consideration (megfontolds). NGOs play a major role in promoting (témogat, eldsegit) global democracy. Categories of NGOs: * local based groups * national NGOs * issue based networks Examples: ILO (International Labour Organisation) UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) WHO (World Health Organisation)34, THE OZONE HOLE Ozone is a molecule made up (alkot) of 3 oxygen atoms Ozone occurs at all levels in the atmosphere, but most of it is found in the stratosphere where it forms a layer The ozone hole, which is the thinning of the ozone layer, was first noticed over Antarctica in the late ’70s. The Montreal Protocol, a treaty (megdllapodds) for the protection of the ozone layer was signed by 36 nations. A few years later over 100 nations agreed to stop the production of the pesticide (névényvédészer) methyl bromide, which is responsible for about 15% of the damage to the ozone layer The phenomenon (jelenség) of the ozone hole proves that human activity has a major and often harmful impact on our planet. The breakdown (lebomids) of ozone is caused by chemical reactions involving (hatvényoz) chlorine (kiér) and bromine. Although small amounts of these substances occur naturally in the stratosphere, the serious erosion of the ozone layer is attributed to (vminek tulajdonit) man-made chemicals, like nitrous oxides or halons. As the ozone layer (réteg) is gradually (fokozatosan) depleted (gyengitett), it’s capacity for absorbing (szigete/) the Sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation is likewise (szintén) reduced, allowing excessive (tu/zott) UV radiation to bombard (ostromol) earth. Increased UV radiation is harmful, because it causes skin cancer, eye damage and cataract (hdlyog).35. PARANORMAL PHENOMENA Paranormal” describes forces and occurences (esemény, torténés) which take place outside the natural order of things, which are beyond the realm (tartomény) of mainstream conventional science and ordinary (hétkdznapi, szokdsos) human understanding. Paranormal phenomena (jelenség) have religious, magical and mysterious (rejtélyes) explanations. Paranormal is often referred to (hivatkozik) as ,supernatural’, although there is a distinction between the two terms: supernatural is rather associated with demonic intervention (beavatkozés) and acts of the divine (isteni, ember feletti), whereas paranormal” denotes (kifejez) anomalous (rendhagyd) phenomena. Parapsychology is the scientific study of the paranormal. It deals with psychic (szellemi) phenomena. Psychics are people who exhibit (megmutat) psi abilities. They perceive (meglat, észlel) events in other places and in other times. Mediums contact the spirits of the dead through a spirit helper and act as channels for their communication. Spirits sometimes materialise in recognisable formation: * phantoms are spectres (kisértet, szellem) existing only as energy form * ghosts often appear in amorphous (alaktalan), silvery (eziistés) forms Ghost hunters search for haunted areas, such as cemeteries, abandoned (ethagyott) buildings and old churches, to detect paranormally active sites. Ghost investigators visit known haunted places and collect evidence to prove or disprove the haunting,