You are going to re dan extract from an article about global warming. Seven paragraphs have been removed from the extract. Choose from the paragraphs A~H the one which fits each gap (27-33). There is one extra paragraph which you do not need to use. HOW CLIMATE CHANGE MAY AFFECT OUR LIVES ‘The dangers of global warming caused by our profligate use of fossil fuels are now becoming apparent as the climate is changing: this is particularly noticeable in the northern hemisphere. Some scientists, however, refute these claims, by pointing out that there have been climate changes throughout the world’s evolutionary history, with Ice Ages and warmer periods, some resulting in desertification. Still others blame climatic change on the phenomenon of El Nifto, and cite this as a cause of the natural disasters which ‘occurred all over the world at the end of the 20th century. 27 Apart from the destruction caused by such natural disasters, and the human suffering that ensued in their aftermath, the ‘worsening weather conditions affect everyone, as well as the ‘economy of a country. For example, people like ice cream ‘manufacturers and vendors, who depend on seasonal trade, will not be able to maintain their business if the increased summer rainfall persists, [30 How many of us would not jump at the chance to orbit Farth and admire our planet from a different perspective? The first space tourist was a millionaire who suffered cer- tain physical hardships on his journey, but living conditions in space capsules will undoubtedly improve as research and development continue. Space travel will become a viable alternative holiday. 31 Other threats to health may be caused by disease, for ‘example, hepatitis in areas which have been affected by severe flooding, especially if drinking water becomes infected by sewage. Mosquitoes may start transmitting malaria in some Furopean countries where summer conditions are becoming more tropical. Even more worrying, perhaps, is the growing incidence of the potentially fatal West Nile disease in the USA, and its related death toll, 28 32. ‘There are other businesses, conversely, which benefit from depressing conditions; for example, manufacturers of fake ‘tanning products and tanning salons. There may be several reasons for this, one being that people get a psychological boost when tanned, and another, that people are now aware of the health risks associated with over-exposure to sunlight, ‘Many low-lying countries have responded to a worst-case scenario by erecting flood barriers and defences, whilst ‘others, in an ostric-lke fashion, ignore the possible dangers, adopting a wait-and-see stance. Countries which rely on beach tourism need to maintain their beaches by replenishing, them with sand, which may need to be imported, thus preventing or at least delaying land erosion. 29 33 Eco-tourism might benefit from this trend, as more people might opt for a trip to Antarctica to view the wildlife, and at least they will go prepared for the weather. OF course, this in turn may cause problems as, with the best will in the world, hordes of tourists inevitably dannge-the environ-” ment, and an increase in the volume of shipping heightens the risk of oil spillage, thus polluting the sea and endan- geting the lives of many marine creatures and birds. 34 The human species has shown its versatility and adaptability throughout its long history. Unfortunately, those most vulnerable to changes in climate would be those living in abject poverty where there are inadequate social and physical infrastructures. A certain level of the political will needed to attempt to eradicate poverty has been demonstrated at the international Earth Summits, and this could be spurted by global threats to the environment, thus helping to prevent, the deaths of millions from natural disasters.[nese it iis tr Unit 3 ,A Of course, if this change in climate continues, with bad weather affecting countries which previously basked in sunshine, at least during the summer months, this will have a negative effect on those countries’ economies Fewer tourists will be attracted to orice-popular haunts, and travel companies will have to be more ingenious, advertising diferent types of holiday which are not focused on sun, sea and sand, B There are, however, more serious consequences of climate change ~ its impact on our physical well-being, for example. Apart from the risks of skin cancer, research has shown that when the temperature rises above the population's physiological threshold, accompanied by a high level of humidity, susceptible people (eg ~ the elderly) will die. The death rate increases two to three weeks after a heat wave, affecting city-cwellers most This can probably be attributed to the increase in smog caused by high temperatures and humidity levels. € Greenpeace has long been campaigning for commercial enterprises to be more aware of the risks they take with the environment, and commonly cites disasters to par- ticular eco-systems when the main concern is profit Everyone bears some responsibility for the environment and should act accordingly, but people still persist in putting their own interests frst. D Flooding on a wide scale caused havoc in Europe, Asia and the American continent, Prior to the torrential rain in the USA, there had been droughts which threatened some farmers with a loss of livelihood. All over Europe, rivers burst their banks, inundating some of the most historic cities, Billions of euros were needed to rebuild, Fenovale and restore them to their former glory. E The future may not be all doom and gloom, however. Scientists believe that certain crops and other vegetation will benefit from higher levels of humidity, as plants will respond positively and become more water-efficient, in this way becoming resilient to the extremes of heat and drought that may occur more frequently, especially in Mediterranean countries. F Another tourist area which might stand to benefit is that of space tourism, with more people choosing to leave the trials and tribulations of our planet behind them, if only for a short time. Eventually the cost of such journeys will become less prohibitive, as has been the case with ‘commodities such as DVDs, camcorders, and so on. G This may seem contradictory, however, if we examine the facts, because although it is getting wetter, itis also getting warmer. But people in northern Europe think that if itis raining and the sky is grey, winter is upon them, and rush out to stock up on comfort food, abandoning salads for foods high in carbohydrates. They feel less willing to eat in restaurants or, indeed, to go anywhere that is not absolutely necessary in such atrocious weather conditions, As a result, there is a drop in revenue for food and entertainment industries. H Scientists are becoming increasingly concemed about the size of ice floes breaking away from the Arctic and Antarctic, one of which was reported to be the size of a small country. It was carefully monitored, and alarm spread as it began to melt at a much faster rate than had originally been calculated, causing more speculation about rising sea levels. 35Unit 8 FOP msm cancun central Reading - Part 4 think fits best according to the text. There is growing concern about the way we view food, which goes beyond the ‘clo we live to eat or eat to live’ debate. More and more children are leading inactive, sedentary lifestyles and are suffering from obesity. In the 1990s, tobacco-related diseases were the problem, but aggressive anti-smoking campaigns caused the focus of ‘concert to shift, In the new millennium, obesity appears to be the major health concern, and not only among children, with far-reaching repercussions. Obese children suffer taunts, jibes and bullying from their peers and this, instead of causing them to rethink their eating habits, may perpetu- 12 ate the vicious circle; in other words, these children turn to ‘comfort eating’ which adds to their weight problem, Researchers have noted that some children are doing less than one or two minutes of ‘moderate activity’ in an hour, which is an alarmingly lower amount than that recorded in previous studies. The problem seems to be worse in teenage girls than in teenage boys, with older children getting much less exercise than younger ones. Parents realise that their children are overweight, but do not know enough about nutrition to give their offspring the sup- port they need in order to help them change their lifestyles. Given time pressures from work and family, more and more people rely on pre-cooked convenience foods or quick fry- Ups, thus exacerbating the problem, There is some recognition of the problem, but it is not widely advertised. For example, there are ‘Weight Loss #28 Camps’ aimed at obese children where, along with their slightly less overweight peers, they learn to read food labels and understand the nutritional content of food, or lack of it, eat healthily and do exercises. This experience can also restore their self-confidence, as they are sur- rounded by youngsters with the same problem, - But by and large, itis not an issue which is taken very seri- ously. Schools are partly to blame for the worsening of the ___ problem, as they have marginalised physical education due ___to the pressures of the national curriculum, Also, they have 88 bowed to financial pressure and sold off playing fields, often in order to buy more up-to-date computers, which in tur encourage sedentary lifestyles. ~The food industry must also shoulder some of the respon- sibility, as thei advertising campaigns promote foodstufis which are high in fat and sugar content. Such advertise ments are often aimed at children, and frequently feature A MODERN HEALTH PROBLEM You are going to read an article about obesity. For questions 34-40, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you such products as fizey drinks, king-size chocolate bars and ever larger packets of crisps. Such foods are attractive to families on low incomes because you now get more for the same price as the original, smaller portions. However, children who have large bags of crisps or bars of chocolate in their school lunch-boxes don’t save half for the next day; they eat the whole thing. It would appear that fast food mar keting people have seized upon children as being brand-loyal fine § from the cradle to the grave, They target small children with give-away toys, a worrying trend which, some believe, ‘warrants government action. Experts want governments to begin to treat the fast food industry as they do the tobacco industry, insisting that such food should carry a government health warning, especially ‘on food with a high fat content. They would also like a ban ‘on vending machines in schools, as itis estimated that one- fifth of children get more than 20 per cent of their energy from sugar, with 5 per cent of that coming from the con- sumption of fizzy drinks OF course, children are not the only ones to suffer from obesity. In one survey, only 40 per cent of adults claim to sit down for a meal, which means that the majority are eating ‘on the hoof. Only around 30 per cent say that they cook all their own meals. It becomes reasonably obvious that this is 50 when you fook around you in the street or in an under- ground station. Walking and talking are interspersed with ‘eating and drinking; people carry a can to swig from, and clutch food to scoff. We live in a culture which actively promotes fast food while simultaneously showing images of svelte models who are supposedly the ultimate in ‘beauty’. The majority of us will never achieve this perfect look, given our sedentary lifestyle and increasingly unhealthy diet. This, in turn, will give rise to both over-eating and its extreme opposite, anorexia. It is obviously time for us to take a close look at our rela- tionship to food. The ideal daily diet, or so the experts say, would consist of 5 portions of fruit and vegetables, some protein (but not too much) and only a few carbohydrates. No one would deny, however, that the occasional lapse ‘would be acceptable. Remember the old adage: a litle of what you fancy does you good! 89laa i HM Unit 8 Unit 8 34 In the text as a whole, the writer's purpose is to A discuss the eating habits of those with eating disorders. 8 draw attention to the causes of obesity. € extol the benefits of healthy eating. D criticise those who encourage children to eat junk food. 35 The writer uses the example of Weight Loss Camps to show that ‘A annumber of people are aware of the problem of corpulence. 8 solutions to the problems of obesity are available. © a large percentage of children are obese. D programmes involving people who share a problem are effective. 36 Which phrase, in its context in the text, suggests exploitation? A turn to (line 12) B aimed at (line 28) © sold off (line 38) D seized upon (line 52) 37. The writer states that a significant number of schools A have taken inappropriate decisions under duress. B are obliged to purchase state-of-the-art computers. © have exacerbated the problem of obesity by axing Physical Education, D are under pressure to report overweight children to a government agency. 38 What does the writer say about adults in the eighth paragraph? A Most of them sit down to eat. 8 Eating is an important element of the daily routine © Seventy percent eat in restaurants, © Most of them eat on the run. 39 What is the writer's attitude to contemporary culture, as expressed in the penultimate paragraph? A Svelte models are extremely beautiful B Citizens are encouraged to follow a healthy diet € It promotes ideals which are’virtually unattainable. D We are fortunate‘ia have a sedentary lifestyle 40. In the final paragraph, the writer suggests that A we should eat what we like. B we should change ou eating habits, © most of us need to’ D we should become vegetarian. 90 |agsoscrnammucmannaccnmsesstiommenenrinecmnorasimmmeaneaser soceammemanclReading - Part 3 You are going to read an extract from an article about young consumers. Seven parigraphs have been removed from the extract, Choose from the paragraphs A-HI the one which fits each gap (27-33). There is one extra parz- graph which you do not need to use, Have you ever considered your ten-year-old child a consumer? As parents, you may not have done, but a growing number of business entrepreneurs ate targeting 9- to 12-year-olds, and are doing very nicely, thank youl We have acknowl. edged that teenagers have been the targets of advertise- ments for fast food outlets, clothes, food and drink for many years, but preteens? Isn’t that going too far? Doesn't it smack of immorality? — Leet [2 Today's children aren’t just connected via modem ~ they possess mobile phones and pagers to boot: Other genera- tions absorbed product information through TV and maga- zines, but these children live in a technological world which is, in many ways, more complex than ever before; they have access to information from sources that were unimaginable fifty years ago. They have grown up in a world of information and knowledge that is unmatched by previous eras. Another consequence of the trend towards two-parent incomes is the increasing tendency for parents to take their ids wherever they want to go, thus giving preteens more indirect purchasing power. And where do the kids want to 0? Fast food outlets. Take a walk along the high street and see the number of families eating in such establishments, which give away ‘free’ toys with meals, The toys may be of dubious value, but they appeal to the chains’ target group. (a J Children of this generation are referred to as the ‘Millennials’ (born between 1982-2002) or ‘Generation Y’, ~_ and are more likely to have friends from different ethnic oF © racial groups. They are also growing up in an era of commu | tity, They have more activities to occupy their time, doing Sup project work in school, are involved in extra-cutie- ~ ular activities together after school (so that their school day + fits into their parents’ work schedule) and in the evening, they text friends and use the Internet. In contrast, their par- _ ets grew up in an era more concerned with individuality. THE NEW CONSUMERS On the whole, advertisers have been slow to recognise the potential market for the elderly, as longevity and the increased wealth of today’s retirees had not been foreseen by many industries. Insurance companies were amongst the first to tap this market, with ever-increasing success. I must have taken a fot of courage for businesses to target, the 9- to 12-year-old market. They now understand the critical powers of the group and do not underestimate their intelligence by being patronising. They don’t try to sell make-up {0 young girls, for example, on the grounds that they're not in the business of making their customers grow Uup too quickly, but may well display nail varnish. Of course, stich ideas have their origins in children’s radio programmes, which began in the 1950s and proved very popular. In the 1960s, children’s comics had Birthday Comers and would print a child’s photograph during the week of their birthday, even on occasion offering a small prize for each one published. Children always get a thrill ut of receiving presents or public recognition. There is usually outrage when TV stations run a glut of advertisements for toys at children’s viewing times during, the run-up to Christmas, but it seems that this type of direct marketing to 9- to 12-year-olds is becoming accept- ed. 1s this because the marketing is more direct and tunashamed, or are the marketing people right in their belief that our children are more sophisticated than previ- ‘ous generations, and that this makes them fair game? 121A Of course, parents still control the purse-strings of pre- teenagers, but these parents, known as the generation of ‘Baby Boomers’, are those who deferred child-bearing until later than was the norm. They spend less time on housework and food preparation, so have more time to spend with their cherished children B Once such marketing proved effective, other manufac- turers began to experiment with mail-order catalogues for this group. As an inducement to their young con- sumers, some came up with the winning idea of a Birthday Club, which sends birthday cards and small value gift vouchers to customers. Given that this age group doesn’t usually receive mail, they have hit upon a winning idea € Not so, say the marketing people. These preteens are a lot more sophisticated than those of previous genera: tions. No one is implying that they have lost that inno- cence associated with childhood, but they are influ- enced by the world around them and have become streetwise at an earlier age in several respects. D uch marketing seems quite tame compared with today’s, but it was still rooted in consumerism, The radio programmes wanted to compete with other sta- tions and the comics aimed to increase their circulation E Because there is more ethnic diversity in the modem world, youngsters are becoming accustomed to different foods, and are more adventurous in their tastes than before. Not only do they see their friends eating different food and share it with them, but there is also an unprecedented variety of convenience foods on the market 122 F Another factor which influences these children is that they increasingly come from two-income families, so parents feel the need to be in close communication with their children. Because of the increase in the number of working mothers, more children have been given greater responsibility. This does not mean that they are neglected, but they are, of necessity, bigger consumers of high-tech equipment than their parents were G However, children of today, despite their busy schedule, ate still driven by fun, as were previous generations ‘What is different now is that they can be more speedity gratified. Grandparents have long been indulgent towards their grandchildren, and now, as well as buying products which target children, also prepare them for the future by taking out insurance policies or setting up trust funds, so that they will be ensured a comfortable life whilst at university or college. H One reason for the lack of foresight is that advertisers, follow the theory that whichever age group contains the largest numbers drives the culture and, historically, this has never been the elderly, The only other group com- parable in numbers to preteenagers is their parents, the Baby Boomers, but they have lost their appeal as a tar- get group for advertisers.id an arti cording to the text You are going tor ‘you think fits best a tn much-vaunted thetoric, the eleventh of September 2001 has gone down in history books as "the day the world changed for ever’, This was scen as a positive change, with the majority of nations supporting a clamp-down on terrorism on an international basis, and calling for more co-operation between intelligence agencies and police forces Unfortunately, a more sinister force was unleashed, and democratic countries that formerly valued the freedom of the individual suddenly became the targets of criticism for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as Amnesty International and civil liberties campaigners like Statewatch, an independent group which monitors threats to privacy and civil liberties in the European Union. In some countries, civil liberties had already been compro- mised. Many Europeans had been living with closed circuit television cameras in public places for many years, for example, and accepted their existence as a necessary evil which would reduce the risk of street crimes, thus assuring the safety of the majority. However, after the September Vth attacks, governments hastily dusted off and revived ancient statutes or drafted sweeping new acts which were aimed at giving themselves and the police considerably more powers with a view to cracking down on terrorists, wherever they were to be found. In the decade prior to 2001} government policies were put in place which aimed to provide citizens with access to infor- mation. People were empowered to check their personal data to ensure its accuracy wherever the data was held (ie ~ in banks, local government offices, etc). Now, though, draconian measures were suddenly proposed, which included the storing of personal communications, including all e-mails and phone calls, for at least one year, with all telecommunications firms having to keep records of the names and addresses of their clients as well as the Humbers and addresses of calls and e-mails sent by them. Governments argued, quite convincingly, that such measures were necessary to combat terrorism, and other benefits were also played up, stuch as improved ability to track child abductors, While balking at the idea of telephone-tapping and uncontrolled information-swapping among government agencies, the public, by and large, have been receptive to other such measures, but they may yet live to regret their compliance. ‘An independent study of 50 countries published in 2002 iticised Britain, in particular, over a series of measures Which, its authors say, have undermined civil liberties, FREEDOM VS SECURITY Unit 12 bout surveillance. For questions 34-40, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which especially since the September 11th attacks. They accuse the government of having placed substantial limitations on ‘numerous rights, including freedom of assembly, privacy, freedom of movement, the right to silence and freedom of speech. The implementation of tough new measures severely limiting the number of immigrants accepted by Western countries has also raised concerns among civil rights groups, who point out that laws aimed at reducing global terrorism have penalised many legitimate refugees flecing war-torn countries or repressive regimes. Furthermore, these measures have had far-reaching effects. Repressive regimes around the world have seized upon the precedent being set by the West to legitimise their own previously questionable human rights practices, with only NGOs like Amnesty International left to cry foul Individuals have unwittingly contributed to the erosion of their own personal freedom by adopting new technologies that offer more convenience and security (eg ~ extensive use of credit cards, smart cards, customer loyalty cards, etc}, while compromising their freedom. Itis easier to trace a person's movements when such cards are used. Willingness to give up privacy in exchange for security will remain a strong force, and some companies have jumped on the bandwagon, offering personal location’ devices aimed at parents who fear for their children's safety. Whilst this may seem reasonable, consider the following: at what age does a rebellious teenager have the right to remove such a tracking chip? It seems a strange concept that, in the twenty-first century, the very peoples who have fought for their freedom of expression and movement and freedom of the press are now allowing their governments to have access to personal and. confidential information which would have been unthinkable a decade ago. For countries like Britain to be found to have acted unlawfully by discriminating against foreign nationals would also have been unthinkable once, given Britain's strong legislation against racial discrimination and the existence of a commission whose sole purpose is to investigate charges of such acts. There used to be a distinction between countries which had poor records of human tights abuses and more liberal countries, but the dividing line has become a trifle blurred. George Orwell predicted that the age of surveillance would be 1984; he was 17 years out in his calculations, but ‘Orwell would have been horrified to discover that convenience and security have become more important fo the majority than basic human rights 131132 34 In the second paragraph, the writer implies that A. certain NGOs are having to resort to undemocratic action. & state repression is much more commonplace in countries that used to guard against it © civil liberties activists are endangering privacy. D certain European Union countries lack respect for individual freedoms. 35 The writer indicates that before September 2001 A terrorism wasn't considered a threat in countries that now act B the police in some countries didn’t have enough resources to fight terrorism. © the police in some countries had been demanding more powers. ~ D some countries had dispensed with laws that had given the police more powers, against it 36 What does the writer feel about government attitudes to the-individual in the 1990s A. There was a move towards building public confidence with regard to the subject of personal information. 8 No careful thought had been given to using personal communications to combat crime. © Information about phonecalls and e-mails wasn’t kept long enough. D Government policies unwittingly encouraged child abductions. 37. What is the general attitude of citizens to the question of the right to privacy? A People sce this as their inalienable right. & They are prepared to surrender their liberty to some extent. © People have been placated with jargon about reducing crime. D People are not convinced that their rights are under threat. 38 What point is made about tracing people's movements or activities through financial transactions? A. It makes people feel more secure. 8 People have willingly exchanged privacy for convenience. © It could help parents who fear for their children’s safety. D People who rely on “plastic” money facilitate such surveillance. 39 What does the writer suggest about some of the new legislation in the second-last paragraph? ‘A Moat people in the countries concerned find it unacceptable. B Paople had to struggle to achieve this. € itis contrary to the spirit of other existing legislation: D Itis mainly relevant to foreigners, 40 What point does the writer make about George Orwell and his predictions? ‘A Orwell would have been dismayed at the reasons underlying the current situation. B If he were alive, he would say that he had been right. © The prediction was fairly inaccurate. 1D Orwell would have been horrified by the importance of security ee ealYou are going to read an extract from an article about mental health. Seven paragraphs have been removed from the extract, Choose from paragraphs A-H the one which fits each gap (27-33). There is one extra paragraph which you do not need t0 use. A PILL FOR EVERYTHING? The world of psychiatry is questioning conventional wisdom regarding mental health and society's reaction to people who suffer from mental health problems. It is not, as you might expect, about the stigma attached to those with impaired mental health, but about definitions, and the treatment of those who seek psychiatric help. ae Diseases and illnesses are treated by giving the patient ‘medication, but how can the same treatment be meted out to those suffering from anxiety, depression and conflict? The ‘mind is not the brain, and mental functions are not reducible to brain functions. Likewise, mental diseases are not brain diseases; indeed, mental diseases are not diseases at all. In the strictest terms, we cannot speak of the mind as becom- ing diseased, Regardless of these difficulties, if pundits are to be believed, one in five American children have a ‘diagnosable ‘mental illness’, whilst more cautious government officials ‘estimate that 9-13% of American children suffer ‘serious emotional disturbance with substantial function impair- ment.’ The number of people in the USA being treated for clinical depression rose from 1.7 million in 1987 to 6.3 mil lion a decade later. This number continues to rise. Unsurprisingly, in the infamous school shootings, those who fired on their fellow'pupils were found to have been undergoing treatment, taking mood-altering drugs at the time of their murder spréés. It is hard to say whether the drugs contributed to the violence or whether the violence ‘was committed in spite bf the treatment. Granted, other treatment options are available. Psychosurgery is a possibility in extreme cases, talk therapies have often proved effective, and electric shock treatment has made a somewhat worrying return, But there’s no doubt that many of the powerful new psychiatric drugs do appear to alleviate depression, mood swings and a variety of other conditions. 164 a Today, we continue to try to find a way to make everyone ‘normal’, Governments, foundations, professional guilds and global pharmaceutical companies are convincing, us that normal human emotions can be ‘cured’ and so should be treated as diseases. Isn't this simply a variation on the zombie-making approach? We continue to try fo make If we believe that normal emotional responses which are not pleasant should be eradicated, we are denying ‘ourselves opportunities for growth, learning and improving both the human and personal conditions. These are the long-term benefits of pain and hardship, and we need not seek to eliminate them. 7 ee Of course, some serious mental disturbances have a biological cause and can be controlled by using medication. What is dangerous in today’s society is our somewhat surprising eagerness to label a natural urge or function and, having labeled it, add it to the growing list of syndromes which are ‘recognised’ by the medical establishment as ‘mental ilinesses. The number of abnormal mental conditions, as defined by a professional body, has mushroomed from 112 in 1952 to 375. at the beginning of this millennium. These include ‘oppositional defiant disorder’ (rebellion against authority), ‘caffeine use disorder’ (drinking too much coffee) and ‘feeding disorder of infancy or early child- hood! (fussy eating). Because those with a mental ‘illness! ‘can claim diminished responsibility, we hear of people ‘who claim ‘the voices in my head made me do it’ and profes- ‘sional women who state that mental illness (albeit a tem- porary aberration) caused them to shoplift designer label products. Surely itis time to stand back and reassess our thinking and beliefs about what defines a mental disorder.ewe ‘A Equally, there are problems in defining the word diagnosis, which the dictionary defines as: ‘the identification of a disease by means of its symptoms; a formal determining description,’ In the case of bodily illness, the clinical diagnosis is a hypothesis which can be confirmed or disproved through an autopsy. However, itis not possible to die of a mental ‘illness’ or to find evidence of it in organs, tissues, cells or body fluids during an autopsy, 80 how can we ever hope to be sure about a diagnosis? B Such incidents raise the question of cause and effect which came first, the chicken or the egg? Can a chemi. cal in the brain cause a mental condition? Might the mood-altering drugs used to ‘cure’ the ‘disease’ cause the release of chemicals in the brain triggering a real "nlal disorder which could fast a lifetime and have damaging physical effects? € This, according to the health establishment and the ‘media, proves that psychiatry has become a bona fide science, which has shaken off its early roots in guess- work, shamanism and inquisitorial cruelty B Some magazine accounts of ‘clinical depression’ begin, “My husband died, my son had an accident which left him paralysed...and then my doctor prescribed a new wonder drug. Or, ‘Jim's wife let him, he lost his job and he was diagnosed with depression.’ These situations are genuinely misery-inducing and crushing, but they can only be defined as illnesses if we believe that anyone in the midst of such tragedies can be happy. E Pharmaceutical companies have a vested interest in fos- tering our belief that drugs can help us to feel better, but it’s time we realised that if we are numb, complacent, compliant zombies then we are nat independent, think. ing and critical. They likeif better when we are depend- ent on them and conteft with our lot. They want us to be happy in the same way that Huxley's Soma-fed, tran: quilised, corporate citizens of ‘Brave New World’ were happy; mere clones, without critical faculties, F However, we can gain valuable insight into the implica- tions of drug use if we look back to previous types of ‘treatment’. Once, surgeons removed ‘the stone ef mad- ness’ from the heads of lunatics. In more recent times, frontal lobotomies and electroconvulsve therapy (cle tric shock treatments) became the answers, Ever alter it was obvious that lobotomy ‘cured’ people by turning them into zombies, it remained a worldwide tool for cone trolling unmanageable children and political opponents G The question of identifying and labelling is a serious one as, ultimately, it affects treatment. Is someone suffering from a mental health problem suffering from a mental dis order or a mental illness (where ‘disease’ and ‘illness’ are interchangeable)? The dictionary definition of ‘disease’ is: ‘a condition of the body, or some part or organ of the body, in which its functions are disturbed or deranged; a _morbid physical condition’. Given this definition, shouldn’t the term ‘mental ines’ be replaced by ‘mental disorder’? H Such figures mean that psychiatric drugs which have been widely promoted have brought many more sufferers into the medical fold, However, these drugs, touted as ‘miracle ‘cures’, do little more than dull the senses. and. inhibit normal brain function. At worst, they can cause crippling conttions like Parkinson's disease, ‘helping’ victims by sgiving them real diseases which put them in wheelchairs, Less powerful drugs can cause emotional disorders as bad as those they treat: jangled nerves, hallucinations, lethargy, depression, memory loss and paranoia,ST & FE Practice Test 1 Part 4 You are going to read a features article from a Sunday newspaper. For questions 34 « 40, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text. Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet. “THIRD WORLD" EXPERTS HELP LOCAL COMMUNITY FIND ITS FEET For the first time in the five years since the closure of the notorious Millburgh Munitions Factory, smiles are to be seen on the faces of residents of the Grange, Millburgh’s most rundown inner city district. New businesses. are becoming established and unemployment, which until recently affected a staggering 45% of the working popula- tion, is now approaching the national average of 5%, But the most amazing aspect of this remarkable recovery is, according to some analysts, the fact that the initial boost for it came from the community development expertise of a village in what many readers will have been brought up to know as the ‘Third Worle! In the dark days when unemployment and poverty charac- terised the Grange, one thing that soon became abundant- ly clear was that the amount of government support for such a badly-hit community was woefully inadequate. Yet, surprisingly to some, the ideas that set Betty Bridges, one of the founding members of the Grange Revitalisation Initiative, on the path to success came from Winnie, a pen- friend she has who was born and bred in a rural commu- nity in Aftica. "Winnie's ideas seemed rather alien to the ideas Vd been brought up with, but | was aware of how successful they’d proved to be in her own community, and it didn’t take much to convince me that they were worth trying,” explained Ms Bridges, Following Winnie's advice; Ms Bridges was able to con- vince many of her friends and neighbours to pool most of their pitifully modest redundancy payments\to set up a women’s credit tinion. With their pooled resources, the women had enough capital in their credit union to afford them some bargaining power. Each member was issued with a not-for-profit credit card, with which they are enti- tled t0 obtain small amounts of credit at a low interest rate, Initially, the main benefits of the scheme were the low interest and the fact that the loans were collateral-free. Soon, however, the credit union had persuaded most local shops to accept the credit card and also managed to nego- tiate substantial discounts on bulk purchases. Thus, by co- - ordinating, their shopping requirements, the women were able to obtain the best quality for much lower prices than they would have obtained as individuals. This strategy not only enabled them to make some savings, but reduced their anxiety while boosting their self-esteem. “In fact,” commented Ms Bridges, “I hadn't planned to set up a women’s union, but on the one hand I didn’t have many male acquaintances and, on the other, the men we spoke to were too sceptical of the idea to give it a go." While the credit union members were making ends meet more successfully than other residents of the Grange, they could not remain oblivious to the straitened circumstances of their more disadvantaged neighbours. Accordingly, with their credit union experience and by further recourse to the ‘community development expertise available in some parts, of the ‘developing world’, Ms Bridges and like-minded acquaintances set up the Grange Revitalisation Initiative. According to Ms Bridges, ‘similar initiatives had already proven their worth in other communities and, indeed, by the time I contacted Winnie about the success of the cred- it union, her own community had set up the same sort of initiative.” Founded with the aim of embracing a wider section of the community and:injecting a spirit of optimism and activity into the Grange, the Initiative united a great many residents with the goal of determining their own future. Drawing on the expertise of communities in. Africa and Asia, the Initiative not only enabled people to pool their meagre sav- ings, but also permitted the most hard up to contribute their skills and labour. Using the interest on the money of those who had con- tributed their savings, and more of the skills and energy of those who had no savings, the Initiative quickly began to make a difference. Flats and homes were properly insulat- ed, making them warmer anddrier while reducing heating bills. Starting with the homes of the elderly, solar heating is being installed. Co-operative businesses have been established and, despite the cynicism of observers from the business community at large, they are confounding critics by their disciplined success. Not only do the employees have a say in these enterprises, but the wider community has a stake in them too. However, the most impressive headway has been made in the field of voca- tional training provided and supported by the Initiative, whose aim is to make every resident both employable and ‘employed. Judging by its activities to date, the initiative epitomises well-thought-out. democratic decision-making and has already resulted in many new jobs as well as a marked improvement in local amenities and facilities. Perhaps the ‘most vital element, even if it is not amenable to scientific measurement, is the community's new-found confidence in itself. The people of the Grange now have a vision of their future: they know where they are going and have plans for how they will get there. 193Practice Test 1 34 What does the writer imply about the expression “Third World"? A Itis synonymous with unemployment. B tis synonymous with recovery. € [tis an insulting term. D Itis a term that is no longer appropriate. 35. We leam in the second paragraph that Betty Bridges A. got help from a friend who had moved to a rural community in Aftica. B_ wrote to an African friend to ask for help, was initially uneasy about taking advantage of her friend. D was unacquainted with the type of proposal her friend had made. 36 What appears to have been the main strength of the credit union? A It provided a good source of easy credit B Itenabled members to negotiate better deals. € {twas a not-for-profit arrangement. D It was run by women for women. 31 What point does Ms Bridges make about men with regard to the credit union? A. Their lack of faith prevented them from taking advantage of it B They felt that they had been left out. They thought hard about joining. D they were dissuaded by the fact that the idea originated in the developing world 38 The founding of the Grange Revitalisation Initiative was prompted by [A the jealousy of residents who weren't in the credit union, B the success that a similar initiative had enjoyed in Winnie’s community. © the continuing plight of residents of the area. D the credit union's inability to succeed without guidance from overseas. 39 The writer regards the activities of the Initiative as being A. somewhat exploitative of those who had no savings. B instrumental in creating employment. rather confounded by a lack of business experience. D too disciplinarian despite their obvious success. 40 What point is the writer making when referring to scientific measurement? ‘A. There is little proof that the Initiative has achieved much. B The Initiative’s main success is not easy to quantify. © There is no scientific basis for confidence in the Initiative D Despite their success, the people behind the Initiative have not acted very logically. 194