READING PRACTICE - 611-End

Page Tài Liệu Tiếng Anh Nâng Cao
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an acknowledgement that a leader was prepared to justify his actions 7. _______
an expression of regret for mistakes made in the past 8. _______
the importance of something which officially tried to prevent a certain type of 9. _______
gender discrimination
the idea that everyone should have the same opportunities for advancement 10. _______
Answer:
1.F
Its ideals were stated in the preamble to the proposed charter: ‘We the peoples of the United
Nations are determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in
our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind.’
2.A
He freed the slaves, declared that all people had a right to choose their own religion, and
established racial equality. These and other decrees were recorded on a baked-clay cylinder in
the Akkadian language with cuneiform script. Known today as the Cyrus Cylinder, this ancient
record has now been recognised as the world’s first charter of human rights.
3.E
The main principles laid down and adopted by the later Geneva Conventions provided for the
obligation to extend care without discrimination to wounded and sick military personnel and
respect for the marking of medical personnel transports and equipment with the distinctive sign
of the red cross on a white background.
4.B
In 1215, after King John violated a number of ancient laws and customs by which England had
been governed, his subjects forced him to sign the Magna Carta, which enumerates what later
came to be thought of as human rights.
5.D
Just six weeks after the storming of the Bastille, and barely three weeks after the abolition of
feudalism, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen was adopted by the National
Constituent Assembly as the first step towards writing a constitution for the Republic of France.
6.A
In 539 BC, the armies of Cyrus the Great, the first King of ancient Persia, conquered the city of
Babylon. But it was his next actions that marked a major advance for the human race.
7.C
On 4 July 1776, the United States Congress approved the Declaration of Independence. Its
primary author, Thomas Jefferson, wrote the Declaration as a formal explanation of why
Congress had voted on 2 July to declare independence from Great Britain, more than a year after
the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, as a statement announcing that the thirteen
American Colonies were no longer a part of the British Empire.
8.F
World War II had raged from 1939 to 1945, and as the end drew near, cities throughout Europe
and Asia lay in smouldering ruins. Millions of people were dead, millions more were homeless
or starving. In April 1945, delegates from fifty countries met in San Francisco full of optimism
and hope. The goal of the United Nations Conference was to fashion an international body to
promote peace and prevent future war.
9.B
It established the rights of widows who owned property to choose not to remarry, and established
principles of due process and equality before the law. It also contained provisions for forbidding
bribery and official misconduct.
10.D
Equality, on the other hand, was defined as judicial equality, which ‘must be the same for all,
whether it protects or punishes. All citizens, being equal in its eyes, shall be equally eligible to
all high offices, public positions and employments, according to their ability, and without other
distinction than that of their virtues and talents.’
Exercise 27:
HEALTH ADVICE MAGAZINE
A. There are now five times as many cases of food poisoning as there were 20 years ago. It's
partly down to the fact that we eat out more often. Consider that one in men and one in
three five women admit that they don't wash their hands after going to the toilet or before
preparing food; it's enough to put you off popping out for a quick bite on a Friday night.
And before you reach for one of those mints sitting on the counter by the till, think how
many non-hand-washers have dipped their fingers into that bowl. But the problem isn't
restricted to grubby eateries. More than half of food poisoning infections are acted in the
home. This may be because people are eating more pre-prepared food and shopping less
often, so is stored for longer. But most food poisoning is preventable if you know what
you're doing.
B. Next time you have a headache, don't automatically reach for painkillers. Using them too
often could be more dangerous than you think. For a vulnerable minority, the route to
addiction can be alarmingly fast. It's thought that overusing painkillers leads to changes
in the way the handles pain signals, so it becomes oversensitive to stimuli that wouldn't
normally cause pain. As the pain threshold lowers, people seek out stronger medication
and increase the dosage and soon they are hooked. Somewhere along the line we have
become blasé about the dangers of these medicines which are available in petrol stations,
news agents and supermarkets. People must not assume that over the counter drugs are
safe because clearly this is not the case.
C. The basic premise of detox is that we need to clear the toxic waste from our bodies every
so often in order to stay healthy. It sounds a reasonable idea, but nutrition experts are
quick to point out that there's no evidence to support it. Detoxing is a concept that
underestimates the abilities of our liver and kidneys. Any toxins that do get absorbed are
very efficiently dealt with and secreted by our bodies. The concept of detox diets is
irrational and unscientific. Those promoting detox diets often claim that in order to
detoxify, we should avoid foods such as wheat and dairy products. The reality is that
these foods provide us with important nutrients, and it is unnecessary potentially harmful
to exclude them from the diet.
D. There is a lot of publicity about the dangers of having 'high cholesterol' at the moment -
mainly coming from companies that make special foods that claim to lower it for you. It
is a widespread problem though: according to the British Heart Foundation around two
thirds of British people have a blood cholesterol level above the suggested healthy target
figure. And as there are no symptoms until it causes disease, many people with high
cholesterol may not be aware that they have it. However we need some cholesterol
because the body wouldn't function without it! It is a key part of cell membranes and it is
also found in bile, which is important for digestion and absorption of fat.
E. Just like a real-time personal trainer (PT), an online coach discusses personal goals,
tailors exercise schedules and offers advice to clients of all abilities. Instead of face-to-
face guidance, however, the virtual trainer gives feedback via emails and texts - perfect
for the self-conscious exerciser! While critics say that it is impossible to effectively rain
clients without meeting them, online coaches offer a valuable compromise when it comes
to training. First they are a cost-effective alternative. Second, they represent a more
flexible option, especially if your work takes up much of your time or makes it difficult
for you to commit to regular sessions. And just because your coach is in cyberspace, it
doesn't mean he won't be keeping tabs on you. The mere thought of the next email should
have you racing to put on your sports kit.
F. Most of us are unclear as to where social drinking stops and alcohol dependency starts. A
heavy-drinking student is fairly normal, but a 40-year-old party animal? A sozzled 60-
year-old? At what point do the questions demand a serious answer? Recommendations
from the government are that men should consume no more than three to four
units of alcohol a day and women only two to three units. Of course, committed social
drinkers of all ages often ignore units, taking comfort from the fact that they are not
reaching for the bottle before lunchtime, and their friends are drinking as much as they
are so it must be alright. But you can even test yourself online by looking at Alcohol
Concern's website to determine if alarm bells should be ringing. Most people can reduce
their alcohol consumption without professional help but it's not just about cutting down,
it's about editing your life to remove the reasons you are drinking too much.
In which extract is the following mentioned?
1. People may be unaware of something that is causing disease in their body.

2. Cutting back too much can be harmful.
3. If you feel self-conscious, this could be for you.
4. A shocking hygiene confession is made.
5. This could be a flexible way to monitor your activity and performance levels.
6. A change in body reaction could be dangerous.
7. Drastic measures may not achieve the expected results.
8. You should reassess your lifestyle to see if it is causing a bad habit.

9. People need to be aware of the dangers of something that seems safe.
10.A high-profile health problem boosts manufacturers' turnover.
Answer:
1.D
It is a widespread problem though: according to the British Heart Foundation around two thirds
of British people have a blood cholesterol level above the suggested healthy target figure. And as
there are no symptoms until it causes disease, many people with high cholesterol may not be
aware that they have it.
2.C
The reality is that these foods provide us with important nutrients, and it is unnecessary
potentially harmful to exclude them from the diet.
3.E
Instead of face-to-face guidance, however, the virtual trainer gives feedback via emails and texts
- perfect for the self-conscious exerciser!
4.A
More than half of food poisoning infections are acted in the home. This may be because people
are eating more pre-prepared food and shopping less often, so is stored for longer.
5.E
Second, they represent a more flexible option, especially if your work takes up much of your
time or makes it difficult for you to commit to regular sessions.
6.B
It's thought that overusing painkillers leads to changes in the way the handles pain signals, so it
becomes oversensitive to stimuli that wouldn't normally cause pain. As the pain threshold
lowers, people seek out stronger medication and increase the dosage and soon they are hooked.
7.C
The basic premise of detox is that we need to clear the toxic waste from our bodies every so
often in order to stay healthy. It sounds a reasonable idea, but nutrition experts are quick to point
out that there's no evidence to support it.
8.F
But you can even test yourself online by looking at Alcohol Concern's website to determine if
alarm bells should be ringing. Most people can reduce their alcohol consumption without
professional help but it's not just about cutting down, it's about editing your life to remove the
reasons you are drinking too much.
9.B
Somewhere along the line we have become blasé about the dangers of these medicines which are
available in petrol stations, news agents and supermarkets. People must not assume that over the
counter drugs are safe because clearly this is not the case.
10.D
There is a lot of publicity about the dangers of having 'high cholesterol' at the moment - mainly
coming from companies that make special foods that claim to lower it for you.
Exercise 28:
A.Samuel
It's a common misconception that those of us who have jobs which involve clocking up air miles
are the lucky ones. There is nothing worse than spending countless nights in a string of faceless
hotels, because no matter what the standard is, they are still totally devoid of that essential
element of homeliness which is present in your own environment or even when being put up by
friends. The night-time accommodation is only one of the aspects of imposed travel that I abhor.
I always travel Business or First, the intention being that I lose no unnecessary time catching up
on sleep and the dramatic shifts from day to night have minimal impact on my sleep patterns. But
no level of comfort can compensate for regular sleep! There is no way round the fact that if on a
weekly basis you change time zone four times, - and we're not talking just a couple of hours' time
difference - you are going to feel and see the side effects. Bloating, bad skin, hormonal
imbalances, not to mention fatigue. Added to that, the disagreeable reality that office work left
behind has to be dealt with on my return. No, when my holiday comes round, the prospect of an
exotic destination holds zero appeal. I'd rather cycle round the park.
B.Phoebe
I'm definitely a traveller, not a tourist. My ultimate aim when seeking new travel experiences is
to expand my understanding of different cultures. To that end, hotels are out for me. I don't care
much for them anyway and on the kind of budgets that I move around on, they are not really
accessible. I tend to find accommodation with local families; that way I get a better
understanding of the real people, their habits, customs and the accepted forms of behaviour for
me and them. It also allows exposure to language in a different way. I might hear unrestricted
slang used in a real context. You'd never find that in a language learning book. Language and
culture are my passion and the more I travel, the more I see connections. It's true we are all
somehow connected. I would never have realised half of these things from reading books. I've
worked with small indigenous communities on four continents and in ten different countries.
Every single experience has been unique, precious and taught me something new about myself.
It's a cliché, but travel really does broaden the mind.
C.Myriam
Destination is of little importance, what matters to me is the setting when I reach it. Coastal, hot,
clean, luxurious, those are the boxes that must be ticked. Aside from that, it really is irrelevant.
My requirements are a holiday involving relaxation, comfort and security. I go away up to three
times a year but always on all-inclusive deals which offer good value for money. The prospect of
leaving the resort or complex holds no appeal for me. Do I sound ignorant, uncultured,
chauvinistic even? Not at all, I'm a working mum! My everyday life is a hellfire of fatigue and a
relentless treadmill of activities. When I get my time off, all I want to do is put my feet up and
enjoy the cocktails, no visiting, cooking, cleaning, worrying. The kids love the kids' clubs and I
love the sun. When I come to the end of my holidays, I feel rested and ready to go again. I have
friends who holiday independently with their offspring, only to come back and need a week's
recovery period. What's the point of that? Holidays are for unwinding. Try out my tried-and-
tested formula before you criticise.
D.Marvin
Honesty seems to have come with age. Were I absolutely truthful with myself, then I would
admit that any holiday or trip is always greatly improved by hindsight. When I look back at
photos or read my travel diary or discuss experiences with old travelling companions, I realise
that the memories are better than the actual reality. Travelling is tiresome. Flying is exhausting.
Constantly making whimsical decisions on what to visit, where to eat, how to choose is irritating
because you feel a constant pressure: Is this the right thing to do? Are we missing something?
Are we being swindled or taken for a ride? All these insecurities of the traveller are swept away
when we think back, but when we're living them, we ask ourselves why we took steps to
immerse ourselves in an alien culture, with an alien language and peculiar customs. Perhaps it's
because we want to force ourselves to battle with new experiences and manage, or maybe it
simply serves as a point of reference from which we can safely conclude that home is best and
we are truly lucky. Travel is an essential part of life, if only to see what we are not missing.
Which person expresses each of these opinions about travel?
Travel undertaken through necessity is never pleasurable. 1.

Staying with friends is preferable to hotel accommodation.
2.
Extensive travel takes its toll on the body.
3.
Holidays are pointless if you can't recharge your batteries. 4.

Travel is a truly educational exploit.
5.
The logistics of travel are rarely enjoyable.

6.
Travel makes us appreciate our lot.

7.
It must provide respite from the daily grind.

8.
It is a means to encounter unusual minority groups.
9.
Not showing an interest in other cultures is frowned upon.
10.
Answer:
1.A
Added to that, the disagreeable reality that office work left behind has to be dealt with on my
return. No, when my holiday comes round, the prospect of an exotic destination holds zero
appeal.
2.A
There is nothing worse than spending countless nights in a string of faceless hotels, because no
matter what the standard is, they are still totally devoid of that essential element of homeliness
which is present in your own environment or even when being put up by friends.
3.A
There is no way round the fact that if on a weekly basis you change time zone four times, - and
we're not talking just a couple of hours' time difference - you are going to feel and see the side
effects. Bloating, bad skin, hormonal imbalances, not to mention fatigue.
4.C
I have friends who holiday independently with their offspring, only to come back and need a
week's recovery period. What's the point of that? Holidays are for unwinding.
5.B
I tend to find accommodation with local families; that way I get a better understanding of the real
people, their habits, customs and the accepted forms of behaviour for me and them. It also allows
exposure to language in a different way.
6.D
I realise that the memories are better than the actual reality. Travelling is tiresome. Flying is
exhausting. Constantly making whimsical decisions on what to visit, where to eat, how to choose
is irritating because you feel a constant pressure: Is this the right thing to do? Are we missing
something? Are we being swindled or taken for a ride?
7.D
Perhaps it's because we want to force ourselves to battle with new experiences and manage, or
maybe it simply serves as a point of reference from which we can safely conclude that home is
best and we are truly lucky.
8.C
My everyday life is a hellfire of fatigue and a relentless treadmill of activities. When I get my
time off, all I want to do is put my feet up and enjoy the cocktails, no visiting, cooking, cleaning,
worrying. The kids love the kids' clubs and I love the sun. When I come to the end of my
holidays, I feel rested and ready to go again.
9.B
I've worked with small indigenous communities on four continents and in ten different countries.
10.C
Do I sound ignorant, uncultured, chauvinistic even? Not at all ... Try out my tried-and-tested
formula before you criticise.
Exercise 29:
How are we affected by technology?

A. Alan
As an entrepreneur, I don't know where I'd be without technology. In the late nineties, while I
was trying to get my business off the ground, I would spend the best part of the year
travelling for work, missing my home and family, often physically tired and frustrated at
feeling obliged to be in two places at the same time. Factor in the financial drain and the
whole thing seemed close to insane. Recent technology, however, has made physical location
irrelevant and has speeded up processes no end. I can have an a.m. video conference with
Russia followed by a p.m. one with the US, saving days of travel and thousands of pounds on
travel expenses. I'm also particularly thankful that I have the option of working from home
and not missing my kids' important school functions. Although I seem to be waxing lyrical
about technology, I am not blind to the potential pitfalls. You need to know when to be there.
Nothing can replace a firm shake of the hand or a good dinner to seal that deal. As with
everything, moderation is the key to preventing technology from backfiring on you.
B. Evelyn
Whater benefits we derive from the use of technology in our daily lives are very dearly paid
for, in my opinion. It really bugs me to see kids binging on social networking sites at the
expense of connecting with one another in real space and time in a meaningful way. It hit me
how transfixed by technology mine are the other day at dinner when I realised that I was the
only one not eating in silence with a smartphone attached to one of my upper extremities. On
the one hand, I'm fully aware that it would be rather unrealistic to place bans on the use of
technology around the house, as it is so intertwined with many different aspects of our lives
that I would be risking placing my kids at a disadvantage. But on the other, I strongly believe
that teenagers especially need to be weaned off streamed online entertainment and to
reconnect with the real world where no one has 756 friends and no one feels obliged to
inform the whole wide world of what they're up to every five minutes.
C. Charles
It's curious how some of the most intelligent people are duped by mobile technology. All
they see in front of them is the carrot of easy and cheap communication, especially when it's
over the Internet. What they fail to see is that by subscribing to it they waive their right to
privacy. Businesses have devised cookies to collect data from the sites we visit on our
smartphones and use them to decide which adverts to feed us next time we go online.
Anyone with the right equipment can tell our exact location at any time of the day, courtesy
of the IMEI number on our phone which can be traced anywhere in the world. It's one thing
to see it happen in our crime series of choice on TV, but another to be on the receiving end.
Personally, I am very much aware of the significance of all this. We might, for now, be
revelling in the novelty of technological advancement, but at the same time, we are ushering
in a new, more sinister era. For all our cleverness, we might end up living in the dystopian
future so bleakly portrayed in blockbuster Hollywood films. Only in real life, there won't be
any end credits.
D. Alexa
Technology is supposed to be helping us move forward and achieve greater things, not
holding us back. Overdependence can leave us feeling distressed and unable to function
when we don't have access to it, with some people going so far as to consider losing their
Internet connection, for example, tantamount to being shut in solitary confinement. While it
is reasonable to delegate more complicated and time-consuming tasks to machines, we
cannot allow them to dominate our lives. 24/7 availability, for example, is not something to
boast about but to fear, as we never learn how to be alone with our thoughts. Our addiction to
technology perpetually staves off the dreaded spectre of boredom instead of letting us use it
to fire up our dormant creativity. Technology dictates even the way we manage stressful
situations, like breaking up by text, for example. It's the easy way out; we don't have to deal
with the reality or rawness of it. Such regression in human capabilities, I'm afraid, is bound to
affect both our physical and emotional health.
Which person do you associate with the following opinions about technology?
1. We unwittingly leave ourselves exposed to predators.
2. Some people would view life without technology as a form of punishment.
3. We should make careful use of it so that we only reap the benefits.
4. It distorts our perception of reality.
5. We use it to avoid confronting real emotions.
6. It is essential for many things we do.
7. It might lead us to experience unpleasant situations.
8. It hinders our personal development.
9. It has freed us from certain constraints.
10. It prevents us from forming real life relationships.
1C
It's curious how some of the most intelligent people are duped by mobile technology. All they
see in front of them is the carrot of easy and cheap communication, especially when it's over the
Internet. What they fail to see is that by subscribing to it they waive their right to privacy.
2D
Over¬dependence can leave us feeling distressed and unable to function when we don't have
access to it, with some people going so far as to consider losing their Internet connection, for
example, tantamount to being shut in solitary confinement
3A
As with everything, moderation is the key to preventing technology from backfiring on you.
4B
But on the other, I strongly believe that teenagers especially need to be weaned off streamed
online entertainment and to reconnect with the real world where no one has 756 friends and no
one feels obliged to inform the whole wide world of what they're up to every five minutes
5D
Our addiction to technology perpetually staves off the dreaded spectre of boredom instead of
letting us use it to fire up our dormant creativity
6B
On the one hand, I'm fully aware that it would be rather unrealistic to place bans on the use of
technology around the house, as it is so intertwined with many different aspects of our lives
that I would be risking placing my kids at a disadvantage
7C
Businesses have devised cookies to collect data from the sites we visit on our smartphones and
use them to decide which adverts to feed us next time we go online. Anyone with the right
equipment can tell our exact location at any time of the day, courtesy of the IMEI number on our
phone which can be traced anywhere in the world
8D
Such regression in human capabilities, I'm afraid, is bound to affect both our physical and
emotional health.
9A
Recent technology, however, has made physical location irrelevant and has speeded up
processes no end.
10 B
It really bugs me to see kids binging on social networking sites at the expense of connecting
with one another in real space and time in a meaningful way. It hit me how transfixed by
technology mine are the other day at dinner when I realised that I was the only one not eating
in silence with a smartphone attached to one of my upper extremities.
Exercise 30.
You are going to read a text about eternal youth. For questions 44-53, choose from the
sections A-F.
Forever Young
A The dream of youth is as old as time, and people have gone to great lengths to preserve
themselves. It is said that Cleopatra bathed daily in milk to preserve the beauty two great
Romans fell in love with. Countess Erszebet Bathory of Hungary was said to have drunk the
blood of hundreds of young women in the mistaken belief that it would keep her like them; it is
from here, among other sources, that the legend of the vampire came from. Indeed, literature
abounds with such stories; The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde is one — it recounts the
story of a beautiful young man who makes a deal so that his portrait grows old instead of him.
B It was not until the twentieth century that the health care industry branched out into the
preservation of the body, producing the efficacious, and most profitable arm of medicine today.
Treatments generally rely on plastic surgery of one sort or another; facelifts, tummy-tucks,
liposuction and the like. Your local chemist will also testify that anti-wrinkle creams sell well,
and pills containing vitamin boosts, hormones and herbal concoctions can keep you looking good
all the way to the end.
C But there lies the problem. The average lifespan is about 70 years, the maximum 120-odd. We
don't even rank at the top of the animal kingdom —giant tortoises get up to 150 often enough,
and the giant clam 200 (though both have low-stress lifestyles). So the quest of the ages has
always been for immortality as well as youth, and the traditional paths to this are two. The first is
religion and either everlasting life after death or reincarnation. The other method is by way of
people's minds; the immortality of fame. As long as people talk about you, you live; Shakespeare
is not called the Immortal Bard for nothing. To be gone from the minds of the collective
unconscious is to truly die.
D But neither option is enough for some people. As Woody Allen said, 'I don't want to achieve
immortality through my work. I want to achieve immortality by not dying.' Many people
throughout history have felt the same way, and have striven to find a way to reach this most
happy of goals. The Chinese thought the precious metal gold was the key, to be drunk down as
dust in a liquid suspension. The alchemists, ancestors of present-day chemists, felt that since they
believed that base metals such as lead could become gold, so gold could be refined into the most
precious material of all: the Philosopher's Stone, source of eternal youth.
E Today the search continues. People who are close to death even have the choice of cryonics; to
have their bodies or just their heads frozen solid, to be thawed out once science has solved the
problems of disease and old age. And it is hard at work; the science of genetics is looking into
the possibility of there being some kind of trigger in our chromosomes which tells our bodies to
start to slow down and wrinkle up. If it is found, the theory goes, couldn't it be switched off?
Computer technology, too, is on the act. Once the necessary level of complexity has been
reached, couldn't our personalities be simply downloaded onto a hard drive, to live there in the
machine for all time?
F There is a warning, however, in every tale and myth of eternal life; that those who lose that
fear or knowledge of death cease to be fully human. Dorian Gray lived for his pleasure and his
needs alone, no matter what suffering they caused. The vampire, of course, has eternal life (being
undead), but preys on the living and is hunted by them. The one thing we know for sure is that
one day we will die. Is it not this knowledge that fills us with the urge to create beyond
ourselves, leave something behind, whether in the form of stories, inventions, children or
whatever? And is it not in these that our greatest achievements lie?
In which section are the following mentioned?
44 a belief that converting metallic substances could provide the key to everlasting youth
45 those who attain eternal youth in literature pay for it with their humanity
46 medical procedures are effective in creating a youthful appearance
47 the realisation of immortality through making your mark on history
48 individuals being preserved in the hope of medical breakthroughs resulting in extending their
lives
49 the prevalence of the preoccupation with immortality in written works
50 our mortal state inspiring us to great heights
51 how products which promise to retain youth are extremely lucrative
52 not being content at the achievement of immortality through enduring fame
53 the conviction that immortality is obtainable in the afterlife

44 D
The Chinese thought the precious metal gold was the key, to be drunk down as dust in a liquid
suspension. The alchemists, ancestors of present-day chemists, felt that since they believed that
base metals such as lead could become gold, so gold could be refined into the most precious
material of all: the Philosopher's Stone, source of eternal youth.
45 F
There is a warning, however, in every tale and myth of eternal life; that those who lose that fear
or knowledge of death cease to be fully human
46 B
It was not until the twentieth century that the health care industry branched out into the
preservation of the body, producing the efficacious, and most profitable arm of medicine today.
47 C
The other method is by way of people's minds; the immortality of fame.
48 E
who are close to death even have the choice of cryonics; to have their bodies or just their heads
frozen solid, to be thawed out once science has solved the problems of disease and old age
49 A
The dream of youth is as old as time, and people have gone to great lengths to preserve
themselves. It is said that Cleopatra bathed daily in milk to preserve the beauty two great
Romans fell in love with. Countess Erszebet Bathory of Hungary was said to have drunk the
blood of hundreds of young women in the mistaken belief that it would keep her like them; it is
from here, among other sources, that the legend of the vampire came from. Indeed, literature
abounds with such stories; The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde is one — it recounts the
story of a beautiful young man who makes a deal so that his portrait grows old instead of him.
50 F
Is it not this knowledge that fills us with the urge to create beyond ourselves, leave something
behind
51 B
Your local chemist will also testify that anti-wrinkle creams sell well
52 D
But neither option is enough for some people. As Woody Allen said, 'I don't want to achieve
immortality through my work. I want to achieve immortality by not dying.'
53 C
The first is religion and either everlasting life after death or reincarnation.
Exercise 31.
You are going to read an article about hypnosis. For questions 44-53, choose from the
sections A-E. The sections may be chosen more than once.
Hypnosis
A Hypnosis can be described as altering a subject's state of consciousness and heightening their
responsiveness to suggestion. The most common way of inducing a state of hypnosis is through
the actions of an operator, or hypnotist, who engages the attention of the subject and puts them
into a trance-like state. The hypnotist usually speaks in a monotonous tone and utters repeated
verbal commands. Hypnosis can also be self-included, brought on by certain relaxation
techniques such as concentrating on one's own breathing, or by a variety of other rituals that
form part of many mystical and religious systems.
B While in the altered, hypnotic state, the attention of the subject is withdrawn from, though still
conscious of, the outside world. Instead, a state of consciousness is assumed in which the focus
is on the self, in particular, on the subject's mental, sensory and physiological experiences. When
a hypnotist induces a trance in a subject, a close relationship inevitably develops between the two
parties, especially if the hypnosis is being used in psychiatric treatment.
C While most people can be hypnotised, the depth of the trance will vary widely. This is usually
dependent on the emotional state of the subject, though the skill of the hypnotist plays a role too.
Apparently, only twenty per cent of subjects can actually be made to enter what are known as
somnambulistic states using the usual methods of hypnotism. This is a profound sleep-like
trance, in which the subject is completely unaware of what is going on in the outside world. This
kind of trance is necessary if the subject is to respond automatically to post-hypnotic suggestions
and it is something that many subjects do not achieve, partly, perhaps, because of their own
resistance. As far as therapy is concerned, a light trance is all that needs to be achieved.
D One of the benefits of hypnotism is that it can bring the subject into deeper contact with their
own emotional life and make-up. This can result in the lifting of repressions and the exposure of
hidden conflicts and fears. In the hands of a skilled hypnotist, this kind of therapy can be life-
changing for many people. However, it also lends itself to misinterpretation. Some of a subject's
supposed early and, possibly, repressed memories may, in fact, be combined with fantasy. If the
hypnotist cannot recognise this or distinguish truth from fiction, there is a danger of false
accusations being made. At the end of the last century, the US witnessed a spate of court cases in
which adults blamed their parents for mistreating them as children. The memories on which
these accusations were based, however, turned out not to be true in most cases.
E Hypnosis can be used to treat a number of behavioural and physiological problems. For
example, it can be used successfully to alleviate back pain and the pain resulting from burns. It
has also been used by some obstetricians as the sole analgesic for natural childbirth. Its use in
dentistry is also becoming increasingly popular, more as a means of relaxing the patient than as a
way of reducing pain and discomfort, though. Research done into hypnotism as a therapy for the
conditions outlined above has shown time and again that the effect of hypnosis exceeds that of
other methods which use the 'mind over matter' approach. Few doctors, however, include
hypnosis as part of their normal practice. Problems such as smoking, overeating and insomnia
also seem treatable with hypnosis. Nonetheless, the majority of psychiatrists still feel that more
fundamental psychiatric conditions should be treated with the patient in a normal state of
consciousness.
44 only a minority of people can be put into the deepest state of hypnosis
45 when hypnotised the subject's thoughts are concentrated on themselves
46 hypnosis being more effective than techniques of using thoughts to control physical feelings
47 a hypnotist's use of verbal instructions and minimal voice intonation
48 the possibility of hypnotists being unable to distinguish between imagined scenarios as real
events
49 the practice of people putting themselves into trance-like states for non-therapeutic purposes
50 cases of hypnosis not being preferred when treating mental problems
51 an individual's state of mind is significant as to what stage of hypnosis can be induced
52 the potential for hypnosis as a treatment to access repressed memories
53 hypnosis invariably entails a strong bond between subject and operator
44. C
Apparently, only twenty per cent of subjects can actually be made to enter what are known as
somnambulistic states using the usual methods of hypnotism.
45 B
While in the altered, hypnotic state, the attention of the subject is withdrawn from, though still
conscious of, the outside world. Instead, a state of consciousness is assumed in which the focus
is on the self, in particular, on the subject's mental, sensory and physiological experiences.
46 E
Research done into hypnotism as a therapy for the conditions outlined above has shown time and
again that the effect of hypnosis exceeds that of other methods which use the 'mind over matter'
approach.
47 A
The hypnotist usually speaks in a monotonous tone and utters repeated verbal commands.
48 D
However, it also lends itself to misinterpretation. Some of a subject's supposed early and,
possibly, repressed memories may, in fact, be combined with fantasy. If the hypnotist cannot
recognise this or distinguish truth from fiction, there is a danger of false accusations being made.
49 A
Hypnosis can also be self-included, brought on by certain relaxation techniques such as

concentrating on one's own breathing, or by a variety of other rituals that form part of many
mystical and religious systems.
50 E
Nonetheless, the majority of psychiatrists still feel that more fundamental psychiatric conditions
should be treated with the patient in a normal state of consciousness.
51 C
Instead, a state of consciousness is assumed in which the focus is on the self, in particular, on the
subject's mental, sensory and physiological experiences.
52 D
This can result in the lifting of repressions and the exposure of hidden conflicts and fears
53 B
When a hypnotist induces a trance in a subject, a close relationship inevitably develops between
the two parties, especially if the hypnosis is being used in psychiatric treatment.
Exercise 32.
You are going to read a magazine article about people and animals. For questions 44-53,
choose from the sections A-F.
A Giant Leap for Mankind

A In 1859, Charles Darwin published his classic study, The Origin of Species, in which he
presented his theory of evolution by natural selection. Though many people ridiculed the
connection he made between man and ape at the time (pictures of him in Punch caricatured him
as half-monkey), the idea has come to be accepted by nearly everyone. One thing that remains is
the question of how human beings managed to get so far ahead of gorillas, chimpanzees and the
rest so quickly. After all, the first recognisably human foot trod the earth a mere 150,000 years
ago; a long time if you're waiting for your coffee to arrive, but not long enough in evolutionary
terms for large shifts in our physical stature.
B It cannot be denied, however, that the gap between ape and human societies is enormous. Apes
live a day-to-day existence in small groups, without making shelter or clothing, subsisting mostly
on fruit and berries. This is how our predecessors lived, but now we live in our millions in huge
cities, cultivate our food and have done things as extreme as reaching the moon and plumbing
the mysteries of the oceans.
C One of the arguments proposed to explain how we evolved so quickly cites the advantages of
human hands and the use of tools. The dexterity our hands have is unparalleled in the animal
kingdom, and there is no doubt that the availability of tools has allowed us to do things otherwise
impossible. Some apes, however, display primitive tool use (chimpanzees use blades of grass to
'fish' for termites in mounds), so it seems that we have simply developed that which was already
there.
D Other candidates put forward for the post of most influential cause of human advancement
include our upright stature (allowing us to see further; but apes can also stand on two legs) and
our weakness (forcing us to find other means of defence; however, if you see chimpanzees
scaring away lions with sticks and stones, you can assume we were at least as resourceful). The
other candidate is language. Apes are highly sociable, intelligent and communicative, yet they
communicate in terms of sounds (denoting, for example, anger), facial expressions and gestures.
A language is not just sounds or even words, but a system. In other words, it must have a
structure, a grammar, that allows users to manipulate the sounds to vary their meaning. Though
apes can get a lot of information across in their way, there are obvious limitations, such as the
impossibility of conveying abstract ideas.
E Extensive research has gone into the ability of apes to learn language. The theory was that if
they showed a capability, it would indicate that the rudiments of language could have come
before the explosion in human development. Attempts to teach them to speak ended in failure
due to the fact that the ape's larynx is not well enough developed to produce such complex
sounds. Sign language, however, was more successful. Apes could learn up to 200 signs, and one
gorilla in particular began to put signs into different orders to express different things; the
beginnings of a grammar.
F It would appear that apes are perfectly capable of using words, which implies that we are still
not very far from them in terms of brain structure. This suggests that it was language that
produced the giant leap forward our ancestors took all those years ago. Language is, after all, a
unique way of communicating the unseen, and of imagining the future and hypothetical. It is
perhaps the ultimate tool in the struggle for survival, and enabled us to spread to the four corners
of the world.
44 a range of theories to explain our rapid evolution
45 the considerable time span required for major advances in development
46 apes being successfully taught an alternative communication system
47 physiology preventing advanced language use
48 other species demonstrating rudimentary handling skills
49 the contrast in lifestyles due to evolutionary leaps
50 apes being unable to express theoretical concepts
51 highly-developed spoken language allowing humanity to dominate the world
52 the widespread derision of a theory
53 grammatical awareness shown through an alternative form of communication

44 D
Other candidates put forward for the post of most influential cause of human advancement
include our upright stature (allowing us to see further; but apes can also stand on two legs) and
our weakness (forcing us to find other means of defence; however, if you see chimpanzees
scaring away lions with sticks and stones, you can assume we were at least as resourceful). The
other candidate is language.
45 A
After all, the first recognisably human foot trod the earth a mere 150,000 years ago; a long time
if you're waiting for your coffee to arrive, but not long enough in evolutionary terms for large
shifts in our physical stature.
46 E
Sign language, however, was more successful. Apes could learn up to 200 signs, and one gorilla
in particular began to put signs into different orders to express different things; the beginnings of
a grammar.
47 E
Attempts to teach them to speak ended in failure due to the fact that the ape's larynx is not well
enough developed to produce such complex sounds.
48 C
Some apes, however, display primitive tool use (chimpanzees use blades of grass to 'fish' for
termites in mounds), so it seems that we have simply developed that which was already there.
49 B
Apes live a day-to-day existence in small groups, without making shelter or clothing, subsisting
mostly on fruit and berries. This is how our predecessors lived, but now we live in our millions
in huge cities, cultivate our food and have done things as extreme as reaching the moon and
plumbing the mysteries of the oceans.
50 D
Though apes can get a lot of information across in their way, there are obvious limitations, such
as the impossibility of conveying abstract ideas.
51 F
It is perhaps the ultimate tool in the struggle for survival, and enabled us to spread to the four
corners of the world.
52 A
In 1859, Charles Darwin published his classic study, The Origin of Species, in which he
presented his theory of evolution by natural selection. Though many people ridiculed the
connection he made between man and ape at the time (pictures of him in Punch caricatured him
as half-monkey), the idea has come to be accepted by nearly everyone.
53 E
Apes could learn up to 200 signs, and one gorilla in particular began to put signs into different
orders to express different things; the beginnings of a grammar.
Exercise 33.
Read the article and for questions 1-10, choose from the sections (A-E). The sections may
be chosen more than once.
In which section is the following mentioned?
1. an instance in which an individual felt averse to divulge certain information
2. the potential of a means of transport to carry cargo at high speeds
3. the necessity to overhaul contemporary transit systems
4. an instance in which an individual underestimated the potential of a technology
5. a means of transport which has recently been put to public use
6. a collaborative effort at developing rapid transit technology
7. the view that contemporary transports systems are underdeveloped
8. uncertainty as to whether funds will be available to finance a project
9. the potential of a technology to surpass conventional expectations
10. the extent to which a proposed transit system could reduce ecological damage
Vacuum Trains: Space-Age Travel on Earth

Vacuum trains work on a very simple principle of physics, namely, it's easier to move an object
through a vacuum than it is through a medium, such as air. Are vacuum trains the future of
travel?
A When compared to the many other scientific and technological advances of the late 20th and
early 21st centuries, it could be said that little progress has been made in the field of mass transit
systems. But for Concorde, the turbo-jet powered airplane which retired due to budgetary
concerns in 2003, and the bullet trains of Japan, little has changed in the way that groups of
people travel to far-off destinations. By and large, we still use the same transport technologies
and travel at the same speeds to those of fifty years ago. In times of scientific and technological
sluggishness, it's often best to permit 'blue-sky' thinkers to take the stage. One such individual
whose creative thinking was not limited by current wisdom or beliefs was the American physicist
Robert H. Goddard (1882-1945). Known as the father of modern rocket propulsion, Goddard was
often mocked during his lifetime for the seemingly pie-in-the-sky nature of his proposals. The
ridicule caused Goddard to become increasingly reticent about the nature of his work over the
course of his career; so much so that many of his designs did not come to light until after his
death. Among Goddard's revolutionary ideas was one for a high-speed train known as vacuum
tube train, or `vactrain' for short.
B The central rationale behind a vactrain as conceived by Goddard in the 1910s, is that trains
could travel considerably faster and use up appreciably less energy if they were not held back by
air resistance. A conventional train pushes a wall of air ahead of it and in doing so causes an area
of low pressure to form behind it. Both these phenomena end up `pulling' the train back and
necessitate huge amounts of energy to be expended in order to counteract the forces. But by
placing a train line within a sealed tunnel and voiding the tunnel of all air (i.e. creating a
vacuum), this rolling resistance is nullified. The sealed tunnel can be placed above ground or
even in underground bored rock, the latter hypothetically enabling cross-oceanic travel at speeds
once thought the sole domain of science fiction. Such technology has the potential to
unequivocally supplant the aircraft as the world's fastest mode of mass transit. Goddard's early
designs, for instance, proposed the possibility of travelling from Boston to New York in just 12
minutes at speeds averaging around 1,000 mph (1,600 km/h). In actual fact, by combining
vactrain technology with another form of technology known as maglev, such trains could travel a
great deal faster.
C Maglev (short for magnetic levitation) trains are trains that float on a bed of magnets thus
negating the recurrent friction that conventional trains experience from running on tracks using
mechanical apparatuses such as wheels, axles and bearings. By causing the train to, in effect, fly
along its route, albeit just inches from the surface of a magnetic line, maglev trains can travel at
speeds of up to 361 mph (581 km/h). Maglev trains are currently operational (albeit in small
numbers) in Japan, Korea and China. Although still a nascent venture, they have not as yet
proved to merit any undue concerns in terms of safety. But what if a maglev train was placed
within a vacuum? Some believe such trains could reach speeds of more than 4,000 km/h,
allowing passengers to travel from Europe to North America in under an hour.
D Certainly, much interest has been shown by scientists and innovators eager to cash in on the
'next big thing'. Indeed, several patents have already been taken out proposing various uses for
the merger of vactrain and maglev technologies. One scientist in the front line of such research is
American engineer, Daryl Oster, who holds a patent for what he calls 'Evacuated Tube Transport'
(ETT). Oster's proposes using relatively small six-person automated capsules that could travel up
to 4,000 km/h on maglev lines within vacuumed tunnels. His research has piqued the interest of
the Chinese government who acquired a license to use ETT technology in combination with their
own pre-existent maglev research. According to Oster, the world could be using ETT for world
travel within the next 10 years.
E So, is ETT really a feasible transportation technology for the future? Some put paid to the
idea because of its prohibitive cost. For instance, a hypothetical underground ETT line from Los
Angeles to New York City would cost an estimated US$1 trillion, with an elevated surface level
alternative only lessening the brunt of the cost by a third. Hence, the apathetic response most
governments, bar the Chinese government perhaps, give to ETT proposals. But some
futurologists point to the mother of all invention: necessity. The carbon footprint of current mass
transit systems is considerable and must be reduced. Fossil fuels deposits are dwindling and
energy-efficient alternatives will soon be required. Vactrains run entirely on electricity so there
would be no carbon footprint whatsoever. Thus, while construction would be expensive,
supporters of ETT technology emphasise the long-term cost-effectiveness of the venture - in
terms of the environment, energy usage, and the economic advantages attainable by a world
having a speedier mass transit infrastructure. Still, it remains to be seen who, if anyone, will take
the plunge. ETT technology could well remain just a pipe dream.
1. A
Known as the father of modern rocket propulsion, Goddard was often mocked during his lifetime
for the seemingly pie-in-the-sky nature of his proposals. The ridicule caused Goddard to become
increasingly reticent about the nature of his work over the course of his career; so much so
that many of his designs did not come to light until after his death.
2. D
One scientist in the front line of such research is American engineer, Daryl Oster, who holds a
patent for what he calls 'Evacuated Tube Transport' (ETT). Oster's proposes using relatively
small six-person automated capsules that could travel up to 4,000 km/h on maglev lines within
vacuumed tunnels
3. E
The carbon footprint of current mass transit systems is considerable and must be reduced.
Fossil fuels deposits are dwindling and energy-efficient alternatives will soon be required.
4. B
Goddard's early designs, for instance, proposed the possibility of travelling from Boston to
New York in just 12 minutes at speeds averaging around 1,000 mph (1,600 km/h). In actual
fact, by combining vactrain technology with another form of technology known as maglev, such
trains could travel a great deal faster.
5. C
Maglev trains are currently operational (albeit in small numbers) in Japan, Korea and China.
6. D
His research has piqued the interest of the Chinese government who acquired a license to use
ETT technology in combination with their own pre-existent maglev research.
7. A
By and large, we still use the same transport technologies and travel at the same speeds to
those of fifty years ago. In times of scientific and technological sluggishness, it's often best to
permit 'blue-sky' thinkers to take the stage.
8. E
So, is ETT really a feasible transportation technology for the future? Some put paid to the idea
because of its prohibitive cost. For instance, a hypothetical underground ETT line from Los
Angeles to New York City would cost an estimated US$1 trillion, with an elevated surface level
alternative only lessening the brunt of the cost by a third
9. B
The central rationale behind a vactrain as conceived by Goddard in the 1910s, is that trains could
travel considerably faster and use up appreciably less energy if they were not held back by air
resistance. A conventional train pushes a wall of air ahead of it and in doing so causes an
area of low pressure to form behind it. Both these phenomena end up `pulling' the train back
and necessitate huge amounts of energy to be expended in order to counteract the forces. But by
placing a train line within a sealed tunnel and voiding the tunnel of all air (i.e. creating a
vacuum), this rolling resistance is nullified. The sealed tunnel can be placed above ground or
even in underground bored rock, the latter hypothetically enabling cross-oceanic travel at speeds
once thought the sole domain of science fiction.
10. E
Thus, while construction would be expensive, supporters of ETT technology emphasise the
long-term cost-effectiveness of the venture - in terms of the environment, energy usage, and
the economic advantages attainable by a world having a speedier mass transit infrastructure.
Exercise 34.
You are going to read an article about microfinance, a system of financial services provided
to the poor to try to help them escape poverty. For questions 1-10, choose from the sections
(A-E). The sections may be chosen more than once.
In which section are the mentioned?
1. the fact that microfinance loans are frequently put to unintended uses
2. a description of the microfinance concept
3. the 'romantic' notion that all poor people are entrepreneurs
4. the fact that the hardest hit in society can't take advantage of microfinance
5. the view that the evidence microfinance is effective lies in the fact people take out repeated
loans
6. the fact that traditional lenders of money to the poor now have competition
7. the key influence of the labour market on a country's standard of living
8. the necessity to dispel the idea that microfinance is a total solution to poverty
Microfinance
A Microfinance refers to a movement that envisions a world in which poor people have
permanent access to a range of high-quality and affordable financial services in order to finance
income-producing activities. The idea is that low-income individuals are fully capable of lifting
themselves out of poverty if only they are given access to capital. Over the last thirty years,
microtinance institutions and other sources of microfinance have, according to advocates,
become a key weapon in the fight against poverty in all its dimensions and levels. The core
product of microfinance is microcredit: an extremely small loan (typically less than $100) given
to poor people so that they can start or expand very small, self-sufficient businesses. Unlike
commercial loans, no collateral is required for a micro-loan and, the loan is typically repaid
within a short period of time (six months to a year). From small - beginnings, microfinance
programmes have enjoyed a strong and steady growth worldwide. Today, there are well over
3,000 microcredit institutions, providing loans to more than 150 million clients. With around
98% of loanS typically repaid on time, microfinance has proved itself to be a commercially
viable enterprise. Nevertheless, many argue that far from being the best thing to ever happen to
international development, microfinance is over-hyped and does little to eradicate poverty.
B The conclusion of one of the most comprehensive studies ever carried out on microfinancing
is that while microcredit helps a few, of the more entrepreneurial poor to start up businesses, it
does not translate into gains for the majority of borrowers, as measured by indicators like
income, spending, health, or education. In fact, most microcredit clients actually spend their
borrowed money not on a business but on household expenses, on paying off other debts, or on a
luxury item like a TV. And while champions of microcredit point to micro-loans as a tool for
empowering women, the study saw no impact on gender roles, and found evidence that if any
one group benefits more, it's actually male entrepreneurs with existing businesses. According to
Dean Karlan, an economics professor at Yale University, "microcredit is not a transformational
panacea that lifts people out of poverty. There might be pockets of people here and there who are
made better off, but the average effect is weak, if not nonexistent. In short, there's a place for
microcredit in fighting poverty, just not a very big one."
C Microcredit's defenders say the new findings, while suggestive, aren't enough to prove
anything. Microcredit's more dramatic effects, they suggest, may take longer to appear than the
16-to-2-year window the researchers looked at. They argue that the findings actually show that
microcredit works, albeit in a qualified way, by providing a cheaper alternative to the village
moneylender and his ruinous interest rates. Others argue that microcredit has proliferated as fast
as it has, with new clients signing on in droves and old ones coming back repeatedly; means it
must be providing a reliable benefit to borrowers – if only by allowing them to pay off higher-
interest moneylender loans. Nevertheless, even some of microcredit’s most passionate

proponents have toned down their rhetoric in recent years. What microcredit may do, they argue,
is not transform lives, but simply ameliorate them; giving poor people a more affordable source
of credit.
D Underlying all this is a debate over the importance of the micro-entrepreneur. Part of the
appeal of microcredit lies in its suggestion that the world's slums are populated not by helpless
victims of global forces, but by eager entrepreneurs lacking only a $30 loan to start a business
and pull themselves out of poverty. The new research underlines the fact that inspiring as that
story may be it misrepresents how both individuals and nations climb the economic ladder.
Developing nations climb out of poverty when jobs are provided. According to the International
Labour Organisation, 'nothing is more fundamental to poverty reduction than employment.
Creating opportunities for steady employment at reasonable wages is the best way to take people
out of poverty'. The United Nations Development Programme agrees, ‘employment’ is the key
link between economic growth and poverty reduction’. In short, the state cannot abrogate its role
in area of social provision. Only through governments making policy changes that impact on job
creation (e.g. providing key services such as public safety, basic education, public health and
infrastructure) are societies pulled out of poverty.
E In summary, there is little question that microfinance can and does play a role in the battle
against poverty. However, it is but one strategy battling an immense problem and should never
be seen as more than that. Microfinance has been shown to be incapable of reaching the poorest
of the poor in society (in part because microfinance organisations must charge very high interest
rates) and falls far short of eradicating poverty. China, Vietnam and South Korea have
significantly reduced poverty in recent years with little microfinance activity. On the other hand,
Bangladesh, Bolivia and Indonesia haven't been as successful at reducing poverty despite the
influx of microcredit. The myth of microfinance as a cure-all needs to be debunked.
1B
In fact, most microcredit clients actually spend their borrowed money not on a business but
on household expenses, on paying off other debts, or on a luxury item like a TV. And while
champions of microcredit point to micro-loans as a tool for empowering women, the study saw
no impact on gender roles, and found evidence that if any one group benefits more, it's actually
male entrepreneurs with existing businesses.
2A
Microfinance refers to a movement that envisions a world in which poor people have
permanent access to a range of high-quality and affordable financial services in order to finance
income-producing activities.
3D
Part of the appeal of microcredit lies in its suggestion that the world's slums are populated not
by helpless victims of global forces, but by eager entrepreneurs lacking only a $30 loan to
start a business and pull themselves out of poverty.
4E
Microfinance has been shown to be incapable of reaching the poorest of the poor in society
(in part because microfinance organisations must charge very high interest rates) and falls far
short of eradicating poverty.
5C
Others argue that microcredit has proliferated as fast as it has, with new clients signing on in
droves and old ones coming back repeatedly; means it must be providing a reliable benefit to
borrowers – if only by allowing them to pay off higher-interest moneylender loans.
6C
They argue that the findings actually show that microcredit works, albeit in a qualified way, by
providing a cheaper alternative to the village moneylender and his ruinous interest rates.
7D
The United Nations Development Programme agrees, ‘employment’ is the key link between
economic growth and poverty reduction’
8E
The myth of microfinance as a cure-all needs to be debunked

Exercise 35.
You are going to read an article about advertising to teenagers. For questions 1-10, choose
from the sections (A-E). The sections may be chosen more than once.
Which section
1. questions the ethics of those who advise companies?
2. includes a specific figure that illustrates just how successful one marketing strategy is?
3. calls for greater media awareness among young consumers?
4. explains the reason behind a typical preoccupation of teens?
5. mentions the increase in ads directed at a certain sector of the population?
6. gives examples of hidden advertising?
7. harshly criticizes advertisers for their lack of conscience?
8. describes how advertisers gain an understanding of the adolescent mind?
9. explains why some common features of advertisements are so effective?
10. mentions how young people assist advertisers without realizing it?
Targeting Teens
A. Today, we are surrounded by advertising. We see adverts on TV, on billboards, at sporting
events, in magazines and on social media. And although advertising has been around for many
years in one form or another, in recent years, we have seen a worrying trend in the aggressive
targeting of younger consumers, who tend to lack media awareness. In fact, advertisers spend
more than $12 billion per year just to reach the youth market alone. Ads aimed at teens are
incredibly sophisticated. Clever slogans coupled with striking images are part and parcel of many
ads. Many ads also have catchy, upbeat music or memorable jingles. The constant repetition of
such ads means that when shopping, teens are drawn to that specific soft drink, hamburger or
sports shoe. According to Peter Logan, who works for a is watchdog agency committed to
protecting the consumer, "There is a whole battery of sales techniques used by companies to get
adolescents to purchase their products."
B. Youth advertising is aimed at creating a need. Teens often claim not to be swayed by ads, but
the truth is they may not even realize why they think something is cool. As Helen Davis, an
adolescent psychologist explains, "This type of advertising works subtly to instil insecurity about
your appearance, whether it's body shape, skin condition or weight. You are then told a certain
product can go a long way towards correcting the problem. Teens are subjected to a constant
barrage of messages suggesting which products will enhance their appearance and help them
look cool or feel confident, thereby guaranteeing their popularity." Celebrity endorsement of
some of these products by stunning young teen icons or social influencers on the Internet
strengthens the message still further. Such ads shamelessly play on adolescent anxieties, with the
overall message being that you become the person you want to be by making the right purchase.
The fact that teenage girls in the US spend $9 billion a year on make-up and skin products alone
is testament to this.
C. Emphasizing brand names is another technique directed at young people, who are attracted to
the prestige that brands confer. According to school counsellor Andrea Haines, "As the average
teenager engages in the difficult task of carving out their identity, the issue of fitting into a peer
group becomes paramount. Brands have become badges of membership in a social group."
Marketing executives are keen to establish brand recognition in teens, and even pre-teens, in
order to win their loyalty to a product. In a recent survey, three-year-olds could match logos to
brands — McDonalds being the most recognized fast food. Companies are increasingly
exploiting digital media in their advertising campaigns to do this. "Manufacturers can reach
greater so numbers of adolescent consumers by tapping into peer relationships on social
networking sites," explains Peter Logan. "Teens don't grasp that sharing a video or meme of a
brand they have 'liked' provides free advertising for the manufacturer."
D. According to Helen Davis, psychologists specializing in teenage behaviour are often

consulted by advertising agencies targeting young people. "These experts share their knowledge
of teenage anxieties, fantasies and emotional and social needs with the advertising industry," she
explains. "It's a practice seen by many of my contemporaries as morally questionable." With the
help of these insights into the teenage psyche, manufacturers are developing ever more
sophisticated marketing strategies to reach young people. Apple's iPod ads are a case in point.
They don't ask teenagers which iPod they prefer, but instead pose a more thought-provoking
question: "Which iPod are you?" Thus they deliberately blur the line between self-image and
product.
E. All of this begs the question as to whether teens have their own taste or whether it is being
dictated to them. Many parents and educators feel that teens should become more savvy
regarding advertising. "Young people have to be made aware of how their preferences are being
manipulated," says Andrea Haines. "They could be encouraged to spot product placement, for
example, the Benetton shirt on the hero in their favourite TV series or the Nike shoes in an action
film, both of which register with them almost without their realizing." Analysing their desire for
a certain product could help teens see whether it really reflects their taste or not, and whether
they really need it. After all, being a discerning consumer means not being manipulated by clever
advertising into buying something you don't really need and which is unlikely to make you any
happier.
1. D
"It's a practice seen by many of my contemporaries as morally questionable
2. B
As Helen Davis, an adolescent psychologist explains, "This type of advertising works subtly to
instil insecurity about your appearance, whether it's body shape, skin condition or weight. You
are then told a certain product can go a long way towards correcting the problem. Teens are
subjected to a constant barrage of messages suggesting which products will enhance their
appearance and help them look cool or feel confident, thereby guaranteeing their popularity.
3. E
Many parents and educators feel that teens should become more savvy regarding advertising.
"Young people have to be made aware of how their preferences are being manipulated,"
4. C
Emphasizing brand names is another technique directed at young people, who are attracted to
the prestige that brands confer. According to school counsellor Andrea Haines, "As the
average teenager engages in the difficult task of carving out their identity, the issue of
fitting into a peer group becomes paramount. Brands have become badges of membership in a
social group."
5. A
And although advertising has been around for many years in one form or another, in recent years,
we have seen a worrying trend in the aggressive targeting of younger consumers, who tend
to lack media awareness. In fact, advertisers spend more than $12 billion per year just to reach
the youth market alone. Ads aimed at teens are incredibly sophisticated.
6. E
"They could be encouraged to spot product placement, for example, the Benetton shirt on the
hero in their favourite TV series or the Nike shoes in an action film, both of which register with
them almost without their realizing. "
7. B
Celebrity endorsement of some of these products by stunning young teen icons or social
influencers on the Internet strengthens the message still further. Such ads shamelessly play on
adolescent anxieties, with the overall message being that you become the person you want to be
by making the right purchase.
8. D
According to Helen Davis, psychologists specializing in teenage behaviour are often

consulted by advertising agencies targeting young people. "These experts share their
knowledge of teenage anxieties, fantasies and emotional and social needs with the
advertising industry," she explains. "It's a practice seen by many of my contemporaries as
morally questionable." With the help of these insights into the teenage psyche, manufacturers are
developing ever more sophisticated marketing strategies to reach young people.
9. A
Ads aimed at teens are incredibly sophisticated. Clever slogans coupled with striking images
are part and parcel of many ads. Many ads also have catchy, upbeat music or memorable
jingles. The constant repetition of such ads means that when shopping, teens are drawn to that
specific soft drink, hamburger or sports shoe
10. C
"Teens don't grasp that sharing a video or meme of a brand they have 'liked' provides free
advertising for the manufacturer."
Exercise 36.
The Poison of Envy

A Life is full of reminders of what we lack, and they usually come in the form of other people.
There is always someone more successful, more talented, more attractive, or more advanced in
meeting important 'milestones' than we are. We encounter these people every day - in fact, they
are often our friends, family members and colleagues. Sometimes these encounters can leave us
with a bitter taste in our mouths, or a green glow in our eyes - that familiar sting of envy. The
first clue that envy is lurking may be irrational feelings of hostility towards the object of our
envy. Just the sight of them might make your skin crawl, even though they have done nothing
wrong that you can put your finger on. If we don't unravel this form of vague resentment and
identify its green-coloured root, it can often get the better of us, seriously damaging our
relationships. It also simply feels horrible. So what can we do to disarm the green-eyed monster
when it strikes?
B The first step in fighting envy is acknowledging that we are experiencing it. Admitting this
can be very threatening, because it means acknowledging our own weaknesses and insecurity. It
is tempting to try to counteract envy with pride. However, `Sure, he has a nice car, but I'm better
looking!' is not going to get you very far. This might console you in the moment, but sooner or
later someone is going to come along who has a nicer car than you and is better looking. In other
words, reassuring ourselves about our own enviable traits is unlikely to work as a long-term
solution, and it maintains the same insecure process of social comparison where someone else
needs to be put down in order for us to feel boosted up. Instead, acknowledge that it is hard to
see someone do well when you're struggling, and remind yourself that you are very much not
alone in your feelings of inadequacy. Being imperfect is synonymous with being human.
C Although making someone the object of envy seems almost like a compliment, it can be
quite dehumanising. It masks the full picture of who that person is and what their life is like, and
reduces them to something very narrow. Have you ever envied someone who seemed to have the
perfect life, only to find out later that they were in fact suffering in a very major way? We just
don't have the opportunity to learn about someone's difficulties when we're overwhelmed by our
envy of their seemingly charmed life. It's not that we should seek out others' suffering, searching
for chinks in their armour, but rather that we should be open to seeing them in a fuller way, a
way that will inevitably include both strengths and weaknesses, both joys and sorrows. Doing so
will allow us to notice things we may have otherwise overlooked while being so self-centred and,
as a result, to be there for them when they are in need. Appreciating a person in their fullness can
also help us feel genuinely happy for their successes, a form of positive support called
capitalisation that has been shown to promote relationship well-being.
D Sometimes envy alerts us to things that we want in life that are potentially attainable if we're
willing to make certain changes. For example, if you envy your productive colleague, you may
find that you could be more productive yourself if you learnt to manage your time better. You
may even be able to get a few tips from him or her - upward social comparison can be a source
not only of motivation but also of useful information. In many situations, however, as the well-
known saying goes, envy is simply counting the other fellow's blessings instead of your own.
Counting our blessings is about refocusing on what is really important in life and on the
sometimes intangible and invisible things we do possess that are less dependent on social
comparisons - like a strong spirit, a diversity of life experiences, or just the simple fact of being
alive. Whereas envy drains our happiness and saps our energy, appreciation can reveal
abundance in places where we failed to look.
In which section does the writer mention
1. becoming self-aware by admitting vulnerability?
2. feelings of inadequacy primarily arising from interaction with acquaintances?
3. an approach that promotes feelings of contentment between people?
4. a reaction that provides short-term relief?
5. rejecting a more materialistic perspective?
6. being unable to justify certain feelings?
7. envy motivating someone to accomplish personal goals?
8. a consequence of not recognising a problem?
9. receiving a one-sided impression of a person?
10. the idea that envy is a characteristic shared by many?

1. B
The first step in fighting envy is acknowledging that we are experiencing it. Admitting this
can be very threatening, because it means acknowledging our own weaknesses and insecurity.
2. A
Life is full of reminders of what we lack, and they usually come in the form of other people.
There is always someone more successful, more talented, more attractive, or more advanced in
meeting important 'milestones' than we are. We encounter these people every day - in fact, they
are often our friends, family members and colleagues. Sometimes these encounters can leave us
with a bitter taste in our mouths, or a green glow in our eyes - that familiar sting of envy.
3. C
Appreciating a person in their fullness can also help us feel genuinely happy for their
successes, a form of positive support called capitalisation that has been shown to promote
relationship well-being.
4. B
This might console you in the moment, but sooner or later someone is going to come along
who has a nicer car than you and is better looking. In other words, reassuring ourselves about
our own enviable traits is unlikely to work as a long-term solution, and it maintains the same
insecure process.
5. D
Counting our blessings is about refocusing on what is really important in life and on the
sometimes intangible and invisible things we do possess that are less dependent on social
comparisons
6. A
The first clue that envy is lurking may be irrational feelings of hostility towards the object of
our envy.
7. D
Sometimes envy alerts us to things that we want in life that are potentially attainable if we're
willing to make certain changes.
8. A
If we don't unravel this form of vague resentment and identify its green-coloured root, it can
often get the better of us, seriously damaging our relationships.
9. C
It masks the full picture of who that person is and what their life is like, and reduces them
to something very narrow. Have you ever envied someone who seemed to have the perfect life,
only to find out later that they were in fact suffering in a very major way? We just don't have the
opportunity to learn about someone's difficulties when we're overwhelmed by our envy of their
seemingly charmed life.
10. B
Instead, acknowledge that it is hard to see someone do well when you're struggling, and remind
yourself that you are very much not alone in your feelings of inadequacy. Being imperfect is
synonymous with being human.
Exercise 37.
Higher education today: your views (last updated 1 day ago)
A Yasmin, 1 day ago
I'm sick and tired of being asked why I'm not doing a 'real' degree. I assure you, I most definitely
am. A BA in History is incredibly demanding, yet I've been subjected to snide jibes like, 'Do you
want fries with that?' suggesting that my degree will be a fast track to the fast food industry. I
consider what I'm doing a significant academic undertaking. It requires serious research and a lot
of critical thinking. However, since starting my degree, I struggle to think of a single positive
remark which has been made about my choice of course, especially with regards to employment
prospects. But why does a degree have to be vocational? Isn't it a sad state of affairs when
learning for its own sake is seen as a waste of time? It seems, amongst my peers at least, the only
degrees that are immune from this level of scorn are law, medicine and engineering - with
everything else being labelled as useless.
B Will, 1 day ago
There's a tremendous amount of snobbery in this country when it comes to universities. They all
pale in comparison with Oxbridge those ancient academic institutions, bastions of privilege and
superiority. Competition is fierce, but the advantages are immense and - to an outsider - quite
unfair. Oxbridge has opened plenty of doors for people whose talents may not have merited such
recognition. If you look at politics, you can't fail to notice that membership of this prestigious
club is practically compulsory. As for the private sector, it would probably be a dishonest
manager or recruiter who admitted to indifference when seeing an application from a candidate
hailing from these hallowed halls. But an Oxbridge degree is absolutely no guarantee of ability in
the real world. The redbrick universities and former polytechnics, though lacking in prestige,
offer today's students opportunities in technical subjects that are more in sync with the real world
than the classics at Oxbridge.
C Hanna, 2 days ago
I take offence when people mockingly refer to my course in Youth Studies as a Mickey Mouse
degree. The implication is that I'm not sufficiently clever for more rigorous studies. However,
unless you actually undertake the course, you're in no position to question its value; academic or
otherwise. It may not be as theory-driven as other courses, but it draws on a variety of disciplines
including psychology, criminology, social policy, sociology and politics. I suppose the best way
to describe it is an intellectual programme with a strong vocational element. Not only is it
interesting in itself, but there is an enormous capacity for youth work in disadvantaged
communities across the country and my job prospects are excellent. What I enjoy most about the
course are the annual four-week placements with government support services for young people.
I enjoy putting theories learnt at university into practice and the hands-on experience is making
me job-ready. When I land a job straight after graduating, I'll have the last laugh.
D Damien, 1 week ago
University was once seen as a place where adolescents went to satisfy their intellectual curiosity
before settling on a job and career. Increasingly, however, students now see a degree as a means
to an end. When did the purpose of higher education shift from that idyllic vision, to today's view
that it's all about getting a job? I think the introduction of fees has had a lot to do with it. There
was a time when university was free, but now we fork out thousands of pounds in tuition. Faced
with big loans, students want to be sure they pick a course that leads to a job after graduation.
Universities worried about filling seats have accommodated this demand by introducing a range
of practical courses; some in fields that didn't even exist five years ago - for example, a
bachelor's degree in Social Media. That's the changing face of education today; the shift from
established disciplines in favour of new courses and vocational training.
E Lauren, 1 week ago
I think there's a real crisis in higher education. Far too many new graduates are jobless or in non-
graduate jobs, such as security guards, shelf-fillers, factory workers and waiters. It makes you
wonder about the value of a university degree, especially when students have to invest in
themselves so heavily through tuition fees. I have a friend who's currently working as an office
clerk. She took a degree in applied computer science, an industry that is crying out for good
graduates. She told me that although the quality of teaching on her course was high, it wasn't
linked closely enough with what the labour market was looking for. The feedback she got from
prospective employers was that they were looking for applicants who could work in teams with
people from different disciplines; something her studies hadn't prepared her for. It suggests that
universities should work closely with industry in order to better prepare their students for
employment.
For questions 1 - 10, choose from the people (A - E). The people may be chosen more than
once. Which person gives each of these opinions about higher education?
1 There are people who may not be deserving of their positions.
2 Universities are no longer places for individual discovery.
3 Making judgements on things you know nothing about is wrong.
4 Being told you will only qualify for a menial job is frustrating.
5 There is pressure on universities to maintain student numbers.
6 Joblessness amongst graduates raises questions about degrees.
7 The majority of degrees are perceived to have little worth.
8 Newer institutions offer instruction in areas of greater practicality.
9 Applying knowledge to real-life situations improves job prospects.
10 There is a disconnection between course content and job demands.

1B
Competition is fierce, but the advantages are immense and - to an outsider - quite unfair.
Oxbridge has opened plenty of doors for people whose talents may not have merited such
recognition.
2D
University was once seen as a place where adolescents went to satisfy their intellectual
curiosity before settling on a job and career. Increasingly, however, students now see a degree
as a means to an end.
3C
However, unless you actually undertake the course, you're in no position to question its
value; academic or otherwise
4A
I'm sick and tired of being asked why I'm not doing a 'real' degree. I assure you, I most
definitely am. A BA in History is incredibly demanding, yet I've been subjected to snide jibes
like, 'Do you want fries with that?' suggesting that my degree will be a fast track to the fast food
industry
5D
Universities worried about filling seats have accommodated this demand by introducing a
range of practical courses; some in fields that didn't even exist five years ago - for example, a
bachelor's degree in Social Media.
6E
I think there's a real crisis in higher education. Far too many new graduates are jobless or in
non-graduate jobs, such as security guards, shelf-fillers, factory workers and waiters. It
makes you wonder about the value of a university degree, especially when students have to
invest in themselves so heavily through tuition fees.
7A
It seems, amongst my peers at least, the only degrees that are immune from this level of scorn are
law, medicine and engineering - with everything else being labelled as useless.
8B
The redbrick universities and former polytechnics, though lacking in prestige, offer today's
students opportunities in technical subjects that are more in sync with the real world than
the classics at Oxbridge.
9C
I enjoy putting theories learnt at university into practice and the hands-on experience is
making me job-ready. When I land a job straight after graduating, I'll have the last laugh
10 E
She told me that although the quality of teaching on her course was high, it wasn't linked
closely enough with what the labour market was looking for.
Exercise 38.
You are going to read an article about work-life balance. For questions 44-53, choose from
the sections (A—D). The sections may be chosen more than once. Mark your answers on
the separate answer sheet.
Which section mentions the following?
44 involvement in decision-making leading to increased worker satisfaction
45 a term that was once used to refer to an inadequate work-life balance
46 a reduction in one business's expenditure caused by improved staff retention
47 a recognition among some employees of the necessity for longer working hours
48 changes in the world of work leading to competition between established and emerging
companies
49 the statutory regulation of work-life balance ideas
50 certain staff benefits no longer being seen as adequate by potential employees
51 a change in how work-life balance developments are generated
52 a way of defining what work-life balance involves
53 a theory as to what people require out of life

Issues arising out of the continuing work-fife balance

debate in the UK
A Here in the UK, the continuous pressure of work and the relentless pace of change is
impacting on people. Hard. And some people have reached the point where they want their lives
back or at least are questioning how they can balance their work obligations with their domestic
responsibilities. This includes new recruits — employers also recognise that in the battle to
attract talented people the tried and tested incentives of high salary, a medical plan and use of a
company car will not pull in the high fliers any more. But what exactly does work-life balance
cover? In the recent past, 'stress' was the word that best seemed to represent this general concern
about too much work, too little life. Everyone understood it, since they experienced it at a
personal level, but work-life balance has larger parameters. According to the Work Foundation,
it is only achieved when an individual's right to a fulfilled life inside and outside paid work is
respected as the norm. So, for example, work-life balance also takes into account the
contribution that people want to make to the world in which they live. It includes the recognition
that people have to manage family life and it considers the impact that an excessive workload has
on people's health.
B We can point to the psychologist, Abraham Maslow, as the inspiration behind the work-life
balance phenomenon. Maslow's 'hierarchy of needs' model posits five ascending levels of need,
each stage of which has to be satisfied in turn before the individual can move onwards and
upwards. So, at the base of the triangular model, individuals first have to satisfy their physical
survival needs, while at the apex of the triangle, is the 'self-actualised' individual whose priorities
are personal growth and fulfilment. Maslow's work fused with a trend that also affected the
concerns about work-life balance. Having a job for life, which had been part of the bedrock
values of traditional companies, simply could not be sustained by the dynamic marketplace of
the 1990s and beyond. The old certainties evaporated, and employers realised that the new
imperative was to ensure their employees became as innovative as the young entrepreneurs who
were creating exciting new businesses of their own.
C The idea of a work-life balance has evolved over time. In the UK, there has been a long
tradition of government-based initiatives that were its forerunners. However, with work-life
balance as it exists today, the influence of some corporate role models has had the most impact.
Consider Ben & Jerry's, the US ice-cream company. Since the 1980s, this firm has recognised
that people wanted a different sort of work experience. It made a virtue out of donating 7.5 per
cent of its pre-tax profits to philanthropy — an employee-led initiative. Engaging employees in
such a way has helped both to improve motivation and drive innovation and productivity,
making Ben & Jerry's into an extremely lucrative brand. A recent survey identified more than
100 varieties of similar work-life initiatives. However, it is clear that the most important variable
in work-life balance is the nature of the job itself. People want jobs with autonomy, flexibility,
meaning, managerial support as well as a chance for advancement.
D So, do work-life balance policies work? In the UK there has been little doubt that they have
had a positive impact. British Telecom, for instance, used work-life balance initiatives both to
draw more women into the workforce and to address the significant problem of losing staff. As a
result, a staggering 98 per cent of women returned after maternity leave, saving the organisation
a tidy sum in recruitment and training. Work-life balance is already a catch-all term for many
different new policy developments and the list is still growing. Many employees know from
direct experience that the world of work is changing. In a 24/7 society, they recognise that their
customers expect service round-the-clock. And they also know that they have to juggle their
home responsibilities while stretching their schedules to meet customer expectations. Employers
know this too. Indeed, there is a raft of legal provisions governing work-life balance being driven
by the European Union. And what the individual employee wants and the employer is set to
deliver need not be in opposition.
44 C
Since the 1980s, this firm has recognised that people wanted a different sort of work experience.
It made a virtue out of donating 7.5 per cent of its pre-tax profits to philanthropy — an
employee-led initiative. Engaging employees in such a way has helped both to improve
motivation and drive innovation and productivity, making Ben & Jerry's into an extremely
lucrative brand.
45 A
In the recent past, 'stress' was the word that best seemed to represent this general concern about
too much work, too little life.
46 D
British Telecom, for instance, used work-life balance initiatives both to draw more women into
the workforce and to address the significant problem of losing staff. As a result, a staggering 98
per cent of women returned after maternity leave, saving the organisation a tidy sum in
recruitment and training.
47 D
In a 24/7 society, they recognise that their customers expect service round-the-clock. And they
also know that they have to juggle their home responsibilities while stretching their schedules
to meet customer expectations.
48 B
Having a job for life, which had been part of the bedrock values of traditional companies, simply
could not be sustained by the dynamic marketplace of the 1990s and beyond. The old certainties
evaporated, and employers realised that the new imperative was to ensure their employees
became as innovative as the young entrepreneurs who were creating exciting new businesses
of their own.
49 D
Indeed, there is a raft of legal provisions governing work-life balance being driven by the
European Union.
50 A
This includes new recruits — employers also recognise that in the battle to attract talented people
the tried and tested incentives of high salary, a medical plan and use of a company car will
not pull in the high fliers any more
51 C
The idea of a work-life balance has evolved over time. In the UK, there has been a long
tradition of government-based initiatives that were its forerunners. However, with work-life
balance as it exists today, the influence of some corporate role models has had the most
impact.
52 A
According to the Work Foundation, it is only achieved when an individual's right to a

fulfilled life inside and outside paid work is respected as the norm.
53 B
We can point to the psychologist, Abraham Maslow, as the inspiration behind the work-life
balance phenomenon. Maslow's 'hierarchy of needs' model posits five ascending levels of
need, each stage of which has to be satisfied in turn before the individual can move onwards and
upwards. So, at the base of the triangular model, individuals first have to satisfy their physical
survival needs, while at the apex of the triangle, is the 'self-actualised' individual whose priorities
are personal growth and fulfilment.
Exercise 39.
You are going to read extracts from an introductory book about studying the law. For
questions 44-53, choose from the sections (A-D). The extracts may be chosen more than
once. Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet.
In which extract are the following mentioned?
44 the relative frequency of certain types of legal cases
45 input by those who are not directly involved in a dispute
46 how common transactions assume certain guarantees
47 ascertaining the effectiveness of a legal system
48 determining the consequences of altering the legal system
49 the influence of popular depictions of the law
50 a reluctance to submit to formal legal processes
51 how a decentralised legal system depends on a feeling of reciprocity
52 the lack of drama in the way the law operates
53 the absence of a certain type of legal institution

Studying the law

A Ordinary people regularly encounter law in a variety of circumstances. Freely-negotiated
commercial contracts may bind them to act in particular ways. By becoming members of a sports
club or a trade union they agree to comply with a set of rules. Sometimes these forms of law will
use the courts to enforce their arrangements. In other cases privately-instituted adjudication
bodies are established, a third party being appointed to decide whether an agreement or rule has
been broken or not. These kinds of arrangements may seem very different from the normal idea
of law, especially if law is thought of mainly in terms of the criminal law. However, it is possible
to see law simply as a way of regulating our actions, of deciding what can be done and what
cannot be done. Most laws are not about something spectacular but, rather, about the details of
ordinary life. Every time a purchase is made, a contract is made. Both parties make promises
about what they will do; one to hand over the goods, one to pay the price. In this and other ways,
everybody is involved in law every day of their lives.
B Legal rules can be divided up in many different ways. The rules show differences in purpose,
in origin and form, in the consequences when they are breached, and in matters of procedure,
remedies and enforcement. One of the most fundamental divisions in law is the division between
criminal and civil law. Newcomers to the study of law tend to assume that criminal law occupies
the bulk of a lawyer's caseload and of a law student's studies. This is an interesting by-product of
the portrayal of the legal system by the media. Criminal law weighs very lightly in terms of
volume when measured against non-criminal (that is, civil) law. There are more rules of civil law
than there are of criminal law; more court cases involve breach of the civil law than that of the
criminal law.
C The term 'national law' is used to mean the internal legal rules of a particular country, in
contrast to international law which deals with the external relationships of a state with other
states. There is no world government or legislature issuing and enforcing laws to which all
nations are subject. The international legal order has no single governing body and operates by
agreement between states. This means that the creation, interpretation and enforcement of
international law lie primarily in the hands of states themselves. Its scope and effectiveness
depend on the sense of mutual benefit and obligation involved in adhering to the rules. Disputes
about the scope and interpretation of international law are rarely resolved by the use of
international courts or binding arbitration procedures of an international organisation. This is
because submission to an international court or similar process is entirely voluntary and few
states are likely to agree to this if there is a serious risk of losing their case or where important
political or national interests are at stake.
D One source of detailed information about the legal system is statistical analyses. Information
about the number of cases handled by a court shows in specific terms what a court's workload is.
Changes in these from year to year may indicate some effects of changes in the law and practice.
Statistical tests can establish that there is a relationship, a correlation, between different things.
For example, the length of a sentence for theft may correlate with the value of the items stolen or
the experience of the judge who heard the case. This means that the sentence will be longer if,
for example, more items are stolen or the judge is more experienced. A correlation can provide
evidence for a theory. Such confirmation is important; without it we have little to establish the
impact the law has, being forced to rely on individual instances of its application and having to
assume that these have general truth. Empirical study of the operation of law may reveal areas of
improvement. It can also confirm that, measured by particular standards, the courts are working
well.
44 B
Criminal law weighs very lightly in terms of volume when measured against non-criminal
(that is, civil) law. There are more rules of civil law than there are of criminal law; more court
cases involve breach of the civil law than that of the criminal law.
45 A
In other cases privately-instituted adjudication bodies are established, a third party being
appointed to decide whether an agreement or rule has been broken or not.
46 A
Every time a purchase is made, a contract is made. Both parties make promises about what
they will do; one to hand over the goods, one to pay the price.
47 D
Such confirmation is important; without it we have little to establish the impact the law has,
being forced to rely on individual instances of its application and having to assume that these
have general truth. Empirical study of the operation of law may reveal areas of improvement. It
can also confirm that, measured by particular standards, the courts are working well.
48 D
Changes in these from year to year may indicate some effects of changes in the law and
practice. Statistical tests can establish that there is a relationship, a correlation, between different
things
49 B
Newcomers to the study of law tend to assume that criminal law occupies the bulk of a lawyer's
caseload and of a law student's studies. This is an interesting by-product of the portrayal of
the legal system by the media.
50 C
Disputes about the scope and interpretation of international law are rarely resolved by the use of
international courts or binding arbitration procedures of an international organisation. This is
because submission to an international court or similar process is entirely voluntary and
few states are likely to agree to this if there is a serious risk of losing their case or where
important political or national interests are at stake.
51 C
The international legal order has no single governing body and operates by agreement between
states. This means that the creation, interpretation and enforcement of international law lie
primarily in the hands of states themselves. Its scope and effectiveness depend on the sense of
mutual benefit and obligation involved in adhering to the rules.
52 A
Most laws are not about something spectacular but, rather, about the details of ordinary life.
53 C
There is no world government or legislature issuing and enforcing laws to which all nations
are subject. The international legal order has no single governing body and operates by
agreement between states.
Exercise 40.
You are going to read an extract from a book on photography. For questions 44 – 53,
choose from the sections (A – E). The sections may be chosen more than once.
44 the possibility that photography can directly influence events in the world
45 the possibility that the photographic image has become redundant
46 images being interpreted in a similar way by different societies
47 a commonly held view about the relationship between what is visible and how it is interpreted
48 the contrasts of scale that can be represented in photography
49 the possibility that the techniques employed in photography today have taken the medium
back to where it started
50 the ability of photography to provide images that will exist for a long time
51 uncertainty as to whether the main purpose of photography is to inform or to entertain
52 the potential of photography to epitomise the human condition
53 the view that photography was the greatest achievement in the history of visual images
Photography
A historical background
A Over the past one and a half centuries, photography has been used to record all aspects of
human life and activity. During this relatively short history, the medium has expanded its
capabilities in the recording of time and space, thus allowing human vision to be able to view the
fleeting moment or to visualise both the vast and the minuscule. It has brought us images from
remote areas of the world, distant parts of the solar system, as well as the social complexities and
crises of modern life. Indeed, the photographic medium has provided one of the most important
and influential means of capturing the essence of our being alive. Nonetheless, the recording of
events by means of the visual image has a much longer history. The earliest creations of pictorial
recording go as far back as the Upper Palaeolithic period of about 35,000 years ago and,
although we cannot be sure of the exact purposes of the early cave paintings, pictorial images
seem to be inextricably linked to human culture as we understand it.
B Throughout the history of visual representation, questions have been raised concerning the
supposed accuracy (or otherwise) of visual images, as well as their status in society. Ideas and
debates concerning how we see the world and the status of its pictorial representations have been
central political, philosophical and psychological issues from the time of Ancient Greece to the
present-day technical revolution of the new media communications. Vision and representation
have pursued interdependent trajectories, counter-influencing each other throughout history. The
popular notion that ‘seeing is believing’ had always afforded special status to the visual image.
So when the technology was invented, in the form of photography, the social and cultural impact
was immense. Not only did it hold out the promise of providing a record of vision, but it had the
capacity to make such representation enduring.
C In the mid-nineteenth century, the invention of photography appeared to offer the promise of
‘automatically’ providing an accurate visual record. It was seen not only as the culmination of
visual representation but, quite simply, the camera was regarded as a machine that could provide
a fixed image. And this image was considered to be a very close approximation to that which we
actually see. Because of the camera’s perceived realism in its ability to replicate visual
perception, it was assumed that all peoples would ‘naturally’ be able to understand photographs.
This gave rise to the question of whether photography constituted a ‘universal language’. For
example, a photograph of the heavens, whether it showed the sun and moon or the constellations,
would immediately be understood in any part of the world. In the face of the rapid increase in
global communications, we do need at least to ask to what extent the photographic image can
penetrate through cultural differences in understanding.
D There are other questions that arise concerning the role of photography in society that have
aimed to determine whether the camera operates as a mute, passive recorder of what is
happening or whether it possesses the voice and power to instigate social change. We may
further speculate whether the camera provides images that have a truly educational function or if
it operates primarily as a source of amusement. In provoking such issues, the photographic
debate reflects polarised arguments that traditionally have characterised much intellectual
thought.
E The last 170 years have witnessed an ever-increasing influence of the visual image,
culminating in the global primacy of television. For photography, the new prospects and
uncertainties posed by digital storage and manipulation, and the transmission of images via the
internet present new challenges. It has even been suggested that we now inhabit the ‘post-
photographic era’ – where technological and cultural change have devalued photography to such
an extent that events have taken us beyond the photograph’s use and value as a medium of
communication. Furthermore, perhaps we should be asking if the advent of digital imagery
means that photography, initially born from painting, has turned full circle and has now returned
to emulating painting – its progenitor.
44 D
There are other questions that arise concerning the role of photography in society that have
aimed to determine whether the camera operates as a mute, passive recorder of what is
happening or whether it possesses the voice and power to instigate social change.
45 E
It has even been suggested that we now inhabit the ‘post-photographic era’ – where
technological and cultural change have devalued photography to such an extent that events
have taken us beyond the photograph’s use and value as a medium of communication
46 C
Because of the camera’s perceived realism in its ability to replicate visual perception, it was
assumed that all peoples would ‘naturally’ be able to understand photographs. This gave rise
to the question of whether photography constituted a ‘universal language’.
47 B
The popular notion that ‘seeing is believing’ had always afforded special status to the visual
image.
48 A
During this relatively short history, the medium has expanded its capabilities in the recording of
time and space, thus allowing human vision to be able to view the fleeting moment or to
visualise both the vast and the minuscule.
49 E
Furthermore, perhaps we should be asking if the advent of digital imagery means that
photography, initially born from painting, has turned full circle and has now returned to
emulating painting – its progenitor.
50 B
Not only did it hold out the promise of providing a record of vision, but it had the capacity to
make such representation enduring.
51 D
We may further speculate whether the camera provides images that have a truly educational
function or if it operates primarily as a source of amusement.
52 A
Over the past one and a half centuries, photography has been used to record all aspects of
human life and activity.
53 C
In the mid-nineteenth century, the invention of photography appeared to offer the promise of
‘automatically’ providing an accurate visual record. It was seen not only as the culmination of
visual representation but, quite simply, the camera was regarded as a machine that could
provide a fixed image.

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Page Tài Liệu Tiếng Anh Nâng Cao

an acknowledgement that a leader was prepared to justify his actions 7. _______

an expression of regret for mistakes made in the past 8. _______

HEALTH ADVICE MAGAZINE

In which extract is the following mentioned?

1. People may be unaware of something that is causing disease in their body.

8. You should reassess your lifestyle to see if it is causing a bad habit.

Which person expresses each of these opinions about travel?

Travel undertaken through necessity is never pleasurable. 1.

Holidays are pointless if you can't recharge your batteries. 4.

The logistics of travel are rarely enjoyable.

Travel makes us appreciate our lot.

It must provide respite from the daily grind.

How are we affected by technology?

In which section are the following mentioned?

46 medical procedures are effective in creating a youthful appearance

47 the realisation of immortality through making your mark on history

49 the prevalence of the preoccupation with immortality in written works

50 our mortal state inspiring us to great heights

51 how products which promise to retain youth are extremely lucrative

52 not being content at the achievement of immortality through enduring fame

53 the conviction that immortality is obtainable in the afterlife

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In which section are the following mentioned?

Hypnosis can also be self-included, brought on by certain relaxation techniques such as

A Giant Leap for Mankind

In which section are the following mentioned?

44 a range of theories to explain our rapid evolution

45 the considerable time span required for major advances in development

46 apes being successfully taught an alternative communication system

47 physiology preventing advanced language use

48 other species demonstrating rudimentary handling skills

49 the contrast in lifestyles due to evolutionary leaps

50 apes being unable to express theoretical concepts

51 highly-developed spoken language allowing humanity to dominate the world

52 the widespread derision of a theory

53 grammatical awareness shown through an alternative form of communication

In which section is the following mentioned?

1. an instance in which an individual felt averse to divulge certain information

2. the potential of a means of transport to carry cargo at high speeds

3. the necessity to overhaul contemporary transit systems

4. an instance in which an individual underestimated the potential of a technology

5. a means of transport which has recently been put to public use

6. a collaborative effort at developing rapid transit technology

7. the view that contemporary transports systems are underdeveloped

8. uncertainty as to whether funds will be available to finance a project

9. the potential of a technology to surpass conventional expectations

Vacuum Trains: Space-Age Travel on Earth

In which section are the mentioned?

2. a description of the microfinance concept

3. the 'romantic' notion that all poor people are entrepreneurs

7. the key influence of the labour market on a country's standard of living

interest moneylender loans. Nevertheless, even some of microcredit’s most passionate

The myth of microfinance as a cure-all needs to be debunked

1. questions the ethics of those who advise companies?

3. calls for greater media awareness among young consumers?

4. explains the reason behind a typical preoccupation of teens?

5. mentions the increase in ads directed at a certain sector of the population?

6. gives examples of hidden advertising?

7. harshly criticizes advertisers for their lack of conscience?

8. describes how advertisers gain an understanding of the adolescent mind?

9. explains why some common features of advertisements are so effective?

D. According to Helen Davis, psychologists specializing in teenage behaviour are often