ENT403 Reading Assignment

20:48 05/01/2024 ENT403 Reading assignment
ENT403
READING ASSIGNMENT
READING TEXT 1
Read this passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
The Facebook party that became a riot
It began as a plan for a very normal 16th birthday party. Merthe Weusthuis wanted a
quiet celebration with a small group of friends in her family home in the small Dutch
town of Haren. Like many teenagers, she decided to send out invitations via a social
network site. But Merthe made one big mistake: she used open-access settings on
Facebook, so it wasn’t just her friends who could see details of the event, lots of
strangers could too.
The number of invitation acceptances quickly snowballed into an avalanche. Not
marking the event as ‘private’ meant the electronic invitation was eventually seen by
240,000 people, of whom 30,000 confirmed online that they planned to attend. To make
matters worse, an unauthorised campaign was launched to promote the party by means
of a dedicated website and Twitter account, which received hundreds of thousands of
hits. The party became known as ‘Project X Haren’ after the 2012 American film Project
X in which three high school students throw a birthday party that spins out of control.
Video trailers for Merthe’s party were produced, with scenes from Project X edited in,
and they were posted on YouTube. T-shirts featuring Merthe’s face were also made, all
without her knowledge or consent.
Even after Merthe’s parents had cancelled the party, the publicity didn’t stop. Local
media reported on the forthcoming event and teenagers turned up to have their pictures
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taken outside the Weusthuis family home. On the evening the party was to have taken
place, about 5,000 teenagers began gathering in Haren, many outside the Weusthuis
house. When it became clear that there was nothing to gatecrash, violence broke out and
500 riot police equipped with helmets, shields and batons were brought in to control the
crowd. Shops in the centre of Haren were vandalised and looted, journalists were
attacked, cars were set on fire or overturned and street signs and lamp posts were
damaged.
However, Facebook was also involved in the clean-up effort in the days after the riot. A
group called ‘Project Clean-X Haren’ was set up to gather and organise volunteers.
Another group named ‘Suspect-X Haren’ was created to help police identify and arrest
the rioters by sharing photos and videos of the event.
A number of other 'Facebook parties’ have spiralled out of control, including the 16th
birthday party of British teenager Bradley McAnulty in April 2012. Bradley had not
posted details of the event on the internet, and had been careful to ask his friends not to,
but somehow the news leaked out and appeared on Blackberry Messenger as well as
Facebook. More than 400 gatecrashers invaded his family home in Poole, Dorset,
causing extensive damage.
1 Merthe Weusthuis made the mistake of .

a. using Facebook to organise her birthday celebration
b. letting her friends invite their friends to her party
c. inviting people she did not really like to her party
d. not checking who could see her online invitation
2 The number of confirmed the guests .

a. did not reflect the reality
b. got out of control almost immediately
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c. was manageable until the Twitter campaign

d. suddenly shot up when people started watching the YouTube video
trailers
3 'Project X Haren' was named after .

a. another party in the same area
b. the group who promoted the party online
c. a party video on YouTube
d. a film
4 Local journalists .
a. gave the event publicity
b. tried to discourage people from attending
c. gathered outside the house
d. started the violence
5 Violence broke out when .

a. teenagers arrived in large numbers
b. people realized there was no party
c. rival gangs turned up
d. gatecrashers saw the riot police
6 After the riot, Facebook was used to .

a. plan another party in Haren
b. send messages of support to Merthe and her family
c. help rioters get in contact with each other
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d. help the town recover from the violence
7 Bradley McAnulty .
a. made the same mistake as Merthe Weusthuis
b. sent invites via Blackberry Messenger
c. had taken steps to prevent problems
d. posted details of the event online
8 In Bradley McAnulty's case, .

a. only a small number of people arrived
b. the gatecrashers were well behaved
c. the gatecrashers caused a lot of damage to his home
d. the gatecrashers caused a lot of damage to his town
READING TEXT 2
Read this passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
I am interested in this job because I am currently looking for an opportunity to use the
skills I learnt in my college. I have recently completed a 16-week part-time accounting
course (AAT Level 2 Certificate). The course covered book-keeping, recording income
and receipts and basic costing. We used a wide range of computer packages, and I
picked up the accounting skills easily. I was able to work alone with very little extra
help. I passed the course with merit. I believe my success was due to my thorough work,
my numeracy skills and my attention to detail. During the course, I had experience of
working to deadlines and working under pressure. Although this was sometimes
stressful, I always completed my work on time.
Unfortunately, the course did not include a work placement, so I have not practiced my
skills in a business setting, and I am now looking for an opportunity to do so. I am
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particularly looking for a job in a small company such as yours, as I believe I will be
able to interact with a wider range of people, and as a result, learn more skills. I would
like to progress within a company and gain more responsibilities over the years.
Although I do not have work experience in finance, I have experience in working in an
office environment. Before starting the accounting course, I worked for 6 months in a
recruitment office as a receptionist. My duties involved meeting and greeting clients and
visitors, taking phone calls, audio and copy typing and checking stock. I also had to
keep the petty cash and mail records. Through this work, I developed my verbal and
written communication skills. I had to speak confidently to strangers and deliver clear
messages. I enjoyed working in a team environment. I believe the office appreciated
my friendly manner and efficient work.
1 The candidate has a qualification in accounting.

a. True
b. False
c. Not in text
2 The candidate has worked as an accountant before.

a. True
b. False
c. Not in text
3 The candidate worked with an accounting firm as a receptionist.

a. True
b. False
c. Not in text
4 The candidate has worked as part of a team in an office environment.
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a. True
b. False
c. Not in text
5 The candidate has experience of record-keeping.

a. True
b. False
c. Not in text
6 The candidate wants to learn on the job.

a. True
b. False
c. Not in text
7 The candidate has a math qualification.

a. True
b. False
c. Not in text
8 The candidate intends to study a further accounting course.

a. True
b. False
c. Not in text
READING TEXT 3
Read the text below and choose the correct answer.
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A few years ago, I worked as an elf at a holiday resort in Lapland, in the north of Sweden.
The resort was in a forest. Visitors and workers stayed in small wooden cabins all around the
forest. There was one large cabin where people ate meals. I started work there in mid-
November and stayed until just after Christmas.
Tourists used to stay at the resort for four days. On the first day, they arrived at the airport and
travelled to the resort by coach. I didn’t have to work until the evening. Sometimes I went
skiing. Then, while the guests had their evening meal, I worked behind the desk in reception.
I helped people find their cabins, told them about the itinerary and sold tickets for extra tours.
I didn’t dress as an elf at that time; I wore the hotel uniform.
On day 2, I and three other elves got up at about eight o’clock. Of course, it was still dark at
that time. In Lapland it gets light at about half past ten during the winter, and it gets dark
again soon after two o’clock. We dressed in our elf costumes and drove across the snow on
skidoos to a cabin in the forest. Inside the cabin, there were huge presents and huge tools.
We had to wrap the presents and pretend to make toys with the tools. There were mirrors in
the cabin windows. These made us look very small. When tourists looked through the
windows, they saw tiny elves using normal-sized tools!
On the third day, we went to a different cabin – Santa’s cabin! This was the day when the
children finally met Father Christmas. The children would meet Santa and get a toy. Then
they came into the elves’ workshop to meet us. This room was full of toys and beautifully
decorated with a Christmas tree. I and the other elves pretended to make toys and chatted to
the children in our own elf language.
The next day, the tourists went home and the next group arrived. I worked on reception
again.
Working as an elf was great fun, and a magical way to spend Christmas!
1 How long did she work at the resort?

a. about 2 weeks
b. about 6 weeks
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c. about 10 weeks
2 How many nights did tourists stay at the resort?

a. 3
b. 4
c. 5
3 How did she spend day 1 of the tour?

a. Collecting tourists from the airport
b. Giving skiing lessons
c. Having free time
4 On which days did she wear her elf costume?

a. Days 1, 2 and 3
b. Days 2 and 3
c. Day 2 only
5 At 8 o’clock in the morning it was...outside.

a. very dark.
b. just getting light.
c. light.
6 The mirrors in the cabin...
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a. made the elves looked smaller.

b. made the cabins looked bigger.
c. allowed the elves to get ready.
7 On Day 2,...
a. tourists only saw the elves through the cabin window.
b. the elves played with the visitors’ children inside a cabin.
c. the elves had to wrap the children’s gifts.
8 On Day 3,...
a. children met Santa and the elves in the same room.
b. children met Santa and then met the elves.
c. children met the elves and then met Santa.
READING TEXT 4
Read the passage below and choose the correct answer.
INDIANA UNIVERSITY
Intensive English Program
The University Indiana University was founded in 1820 and is one of the oldest and
largest state-sponsored universities in the United States. It is internationally known for
the excellence and variety of its programs. The University has over 100 academic
departments and a fulltime faculty of over 1,500, including members of many academic
societies.
It is located in Bloomington, the cultural and recreational center of southern Indiana in
the mid-western US. Bloomington, a dynamic, safe and culturally-sophisticated town,
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has a population of 65,000 (not including university students). It is surrounded by hiUs,

green woodlands and lovely lakes that make this area famous for vacationing.
IEP
The goal of the Indiana University Intensive English Program (IEP) is to increase the
English language skills of non-native English speakers to the level needed for study at a
college or university in the United States. We encourage students to reach this goal as
quickly as possible. Teachers in the IEP are qualified to teach English as a second
language and have taught in the United States and abroad.
Requirements for Admission: All students admitted to the program must have earned a
high school diploma and must show that they or their sponsors are able to pay for their
living expenses and tuition while in the United States. Our application materials will tell
you how much money is needed for each session.
Curriculum
There are seven levels in the IEP. All levels meet for 20-24 classroom hours each week.
Levels One through Five use audio-visual materials, as well as campus computer and
language laboratory resources. These levels concentrate on listening, speaking, writing,
and grammar.
Level Six is a high intermediate academic reading and writing class, which focuses
mainly on writing. After completing Level Six, most students are ready to begin
academic work at a college or university. However, some additional English may be
recommended to help them adjust to their new environment. In Level Seven students
focus on written analysis of authentic texts. This gives them a clear idea of the kind of
work which is required by American universities. At levels Six and Seven, students also
select from a variety of courses in advanced grammar, advanced pronunciation,
business, computer skills, commutation, film, literature, test preparation and the World
Wide Web to their particular needs and interests.
College and University Placement
Graduates of the Center for English Language Training have gone on to pursue careers
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in such areas as physics, art, music, chemistry, business, education, and even teaching
English as a foreign language offer careers guidance to qualified students who want to
apply either to Indiana University or to other colleges or universities in the United
States. Admission, however, to the Intensive English Program does not guarantee
admission to specific academic programs at Indiana University.
Housing
There is a wide variety of housing available in Bloomington for both married and single
students on-campus housing is arranged through the IU Halls of Residence. After
receiving your application form, we will send you a campus housing application.
Campus apartments are within walking distance of classes and are on the University
routes. Many off-campus apartments are located near campus or near city bus routes.
Off-campus housing is best arranged after your arrival in Bloomington, but you can
begin your search by browsing the electronic classified ads in the Bloomington Herald
Times.
Extracurricular Activities
Bloomington and Indiana University offer a large variety of recreational activities and
social events. To begin with, soccer, swimming, boating, tennis, racquetball, skiing, and
many other forms of exercise and relaxation are readily available. The internationally-
known Indiana University School of Music presents operas, concerts and ballets on a
regular basis. Concerts on campus range from symphony orchestras to the latest popular
music groups. There are also theater presentations, which include Broadway musicals
and individual performances by famous artists from around the world. We have also
combined education and enjoyment with trips to nearby zoos, museums and nature
centers. At Indiana University, there is never a night without some form of
entertainment!
1 What is said about Indiana University?

a. It is the oldest university in the US.
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b. It is the largest university in the mid-western US.

c. It has more than 65,000 students.
d. It is situated in a beautiful spot.
2 Apparently, in order to get on-campus accommodation.....

a. students must fill out a campus housing application form.
b. students must be married.
c. students should come to Bloomington first.
d. students must share a room with other students.
3 Students interested in on-campus accommodation .....

a. can start looking in newspapers.
b. can start looking for apartments on the Internet.
c. can contact the IU Halls of Residence.
d. must arrive in the US first.
4 According to the passage, students staying on campus ......

a. can also take the bus to class.
b. can only walk to class.
c. needn’t go through the IU Halls of Residence.
d. have better rooms than those staying off campus.
5 What does the writer say about the university’s teaching staff?
a. They are non-native English speakers.
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b. They have only taught in non-English speaking countries.

c. They encourage non-native English speakers to attend the program.
d. They help students improve their English.
6 What is true about Indiana University?

a. It is located in mid-western Bloomington.
b. Campus concerts cater for different musical tastes.
c. Extra-curricular activities are rather limited.
d. It is attended by foreigners only.
7 Apparently, the IEP is meant for somebody who.....

a. speaks English fluently.
b. is already studying at an American university.
c. comes from a non-English speaking country.
d. plans to live in the US permanently.
8 Students on the IEP .......

a. have to study at least 24 hours per week.
b. have access to lots of entertainment.
c. move on to do a course at Indiana University.
d. usually stay up late at night.
READING TEXT 5
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Gabriela worked for a multinational company as a successful project manager in

Brazil and was transferred to manage a team in Sweden. She was excited about her
new role but soon realised that managing her new team would be a challenge.
Despite their friendliness, Gabriela didn't feel respected as a leader. Her new staff
would question her proposals openly in meetings, and when she gave them
instructions on how to carry out a task, they would often go about it in their own
way without checking with her. When she announced her decisions on the project,
they would continue giving their opinions as if it was still up for discussion.
After weeks of frustration, Gabriela emailed her Swedish manager about the issues
she was facing with her team. Her manager simply asked her if she felt her team
was still performing, and what she thought would help her better collaborate with
her team members. Gabriela found her manager vague and didn't feel as if he was
managing the situation satisfactorily.
What Gabriela was experiencing was a cultural clash in expectations. She was
used to a more hierarchical framework where the team leader and manager took
control and gave specific instructions on how things were to be done. This more
directive management style worked well for her and her team in Brazil but did not
transfer well to her new team in Sweden, who were more used to a flatter
hierarchy where decision making was more democratic. When Gabriela took the
issue to her Swedish manager, rather than stepping in with directions about what
to do, her manager took on the role of coach and focused on getting her to come
up with her own solutions instead.
Dutch social psychologist Geert Hofstede uses the concept of 'power distance' to
describe how power is distributed and how hierarchy is perceived in different
cultures. In her previous work environment, Gabriela was used to a high power
distance culture where power and authority are respected and everyone has their
rightful place. In such a culture, leaders make the big decisions and are not often
challenged. Her Swedish team, however, were used to working in a low power
distance culture where subordinates often work together with their bosses to find
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solutions and make decisions. Here, leaders act as coaches or mentors who
encourage independent thought and expect to be challenged.
When Gabriela became aware of the cultural differences between her and her
team, she took the initiative to have an open conversation with them about their
feelings about her leadership. Pleased to be asked for their thoughts, Gabriela's
team openly expressed that they were not used to being told what to do. They
enjoyed having more room for initiative and creative freedom. When she told her
team exactly what she needed them to do, they felt that she didn't trust them to do
their job well. They realised that Gabriela was taking it personally when they tried
to challenge or make changes to her decisions, and were able to explain that it was
how they'd always worked.
With a better understanding of the underlying reasons behind each other's
behaviour, Gabriela and her team were able to adapt their way of working.
Gabriela was then able to make adjustments to her management style so as to
better fit the expectations of her team and more effectively motivate her team to
achieve their goals.
1. Gabriela's management style worked well with her team in Brazil but not with
her team in Sweden.
A. True
B. False
2. Gabriela's team questioned her proposals and her decisions because they didn't
trust or respect her.
A. True
B. False
3. Gabriela was satisfied with her Swedish manager's way of dealing with her
problem.
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A. True
B. False
4. Gabriela found it helpful to talk openly with her team about the differences in
their expectations.
A. True
B. False
5. Gabriela faced a problem with her Swedish team because her management style
was old-fashioned and wrong for the modern world.
A. True
B. False
6. The author believes that people from high power distance cultures and low
power distance cultures should never work together.
A. True
B. False
READING TEXT 6
Are celebrities bad for you?
Celebrities are everywhere nowadays: on TV, in magazines, online. Is this

preoccupation with famous people harmless fun or is it bad for us? How many
people are truly obsessed with modern media idols? And on the other side of the
coin, can fame be harmful to the celebrities?
Studies suggest that the vast majority of teenagers do not really worship
celebrities. Researchers have identified three kinds of fans. About 15% of young
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people have an ‘entertainment-social’ interest. They love chatting about their

favourite celebrities with friends and this does not appear to do any harm.
Another 5% feel that they have an ‘intense-personal’ relationship with a

celebrity. Sometimes they see them as their soulmate and find that they are often
thinking about them, even when they don’t want to. These people are more at risk
from depression and anxiety. If girls in this group idolise a female star with a body
they consider to be perfect, they are more likely to be unhappy with their own
bodies.
That leaves 2% of young people with a ‘borderline-pathological’ interest. They
might say, for example, they would spend several thousand pounds on a paper
plate the celebrity had used, or that they would do something illegal if the
celebrity asked them to. These people are in most danger of being seriously
disturbed.
What about the celebrities themselves? A study in the USA tried to measure
narcissism or extreme self-centredness, when feelings of worthlessness and
invisibility are compensated for by turning into the opposite: excessive showing
off. Researchers looked at 200 celebrities, 200 young adults with Masters in
Business Administration (a group known for being narcissistic) and a nationally
representative sample using the same questionnaire. As was expected, the
celebrities were significantly more narcissistic than the MBAs and both groups
were a lot more narcissistic than the general population.
Four kinds of celebrity were included in the sample. The most narcissistic were the
ones who had become famous through reality TV shows – they scored highest on
vanity and willingness to exploit other people. Next came comedians, who scored
highest on exhibitionism and feelings of superiority. Then came actors, and the
least narcissistic were musicians. One interesting result was that there was no
connection between narcissism and the length of time the celebrity had been
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famous. This means that becoming famous probably did not make the celebrities
narcissistic – they already were beforehand.
So, what can we learn from this? People who are very successful or famous tend to
be narcissists and are liable to be ruthless, self-seeking workaholics. As we can see
from celebrity magazines, they are also often desperate and lonely. They make
disastrous role models.
1. The article is about whether celebrity culture is harmful, for either the public or
the celebrities themselves.
A. True
B. False
2. 15% of teenagers have an interest in celebrities that probably isn't a cause for
concern.
A. True
B. False
3. Young people who feel they have an 'intense-personal' relationship with a
celebrity do not experience any negative consequences related to it.
A. True
B. False
4. A study found that celebrities were more self-centred than business
administration masters students.
A. True
B. False
5. Celebrities from reality TV were found to be the most vain and exploitative.
A. True
B. False
6. Actors were the least self-obsessed group of celebrities.
A. True
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B. False
7. The research concluded that the experience of being a celebrity made people
more narcissistic than they were previously.
A. True
B. False
8. The author says that celebrities tend to exhibit negative qualities and are
therefore not good role models.
A. True
B. False
READING TEXT 7
The end of life on Earth?
It weighed about 10,000 tons, entered the atmosphere at a speed of 64,000km/h

and exploded over a city with a blast of 500 kilotons. But on 15 February 2013, we
were lucky. The meteorite that showered pieces of rock over Chelyabinsk, Russia,
was relatively small, at only about 17 metres wide. Although many people were
injured by falling glass, the damage was nothing compared to what had happened
in Siberia nearly one hundred years ago. Another relatively small object
(approximately 50 metres in diameter) exploded in mid-air over a forest region,
flattening about 80 million trees. If it had exploded over a city such as Moscow or
London, millions of people would have been killed.
By a strange coincidence, the same day that the meteorite terrified the people of
Chelyabinsk, another 50m-wide asteroid passed relatively close to Earth.
Scientists were expecting that visit and know that the asteroid will return to fly
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close by us in 2046, but the Russian meteorite earlier in the day had been too small
for anyone to spot.
Most scientists agree that comets and asteroids pose the biggest natural threat to
human existence. It was probably a large asteroid or comet colliding with Earth
which wiped out the dinosaurs about 65 million years ago. An enormous object,
10 to 16km in diameter, struck the Yucatan region of Mexico with the force of 100
megatons. That is the equivalent of one Hiroshima bomb for every person alive on
Earth today.
Many scientists, including the late Stephen Hawking, say that any comet or
asteroid greater than 20km in diameter that hits Earth will result in the complete
destruction of complex life, including all animals and most plants. As we have
seen, even a much smaller asteroid can cause great damage.
The Earth has been kept fairly safe for the last 65 million years by good fortune
and the massive gravitational field of the planet Jupiter. Our cosmic guardian, with
its stable circular orbit far from the sun, sweeps up and scatters away most of the
dangerous comets and asteroids which might cross Earth’s orbit. After the
Chelyabinsk meteorite, scientists are now monitoring potential hazards even more
carefully but, as far as they know, there is no danger in the foreseeable future.
Types of space rocks
 Comet – a ball of rock and ice that sends out a tail of gas and dust behind it.
Bright comets only appear in our visible night sky about once every ten years.
 Asteroid – a rock a few feet to several kms in diameter. Unlike comets,

asteroids have no tail. Most are too small to cause any damage and burn up in the
atmosphere. They appear to us as ‘shooting stars’.
 Meteoroid – part of an asteroid or comet.
 Meteorite – what a meteoroid is called when it hits Earth.
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1.The damage caused by the Russian meteorite .

A. could have been much worse
B. was huge
C. was greatly reduced by the early warning system
D. was much worse than the one in Siberia one hundred years ago
2.The Siberian meteorite .
A. hit a forest
B. hit a big city
C. caused glass to shower over people
D. damaged trees when it exploded
3. On the same day as the meteorite exploded over Chelyabinsk, .
A. there was another, related, asteroid event

B. there was another, unrelated, asteroid event
C. scientists realised that an even bigger asteroid could hit Earth
D. scientists issued a warning for 2046
4. The Russian meteorite .
A. had been predicted by scientists
B. came as a surprise
C. was too small to worry about
D. will come close to Earth again in the future
5. Experts say that comets and asteroids could
.
A. wipe out all animal life, leaving only plants
B. kill a significant proportion of the Earth's human population
C. put an end to all plant and animal life on Earth
D. cause as much damage as the Hiroshima bomb
6. A small asteroid .
A. can still cause a lot of damage
B. is not a problem if it is spotted early
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C. cannot cause any significant harm

D. is actually more dangerous than a larger one
7. Earth has been relatively safe thanks to .
A. pure luck
B. luck and the protective force of another planet from our solar system
C. early warning systems set up by NASA
D. luck and our position in relation to the sun
8. Scientists say .
A. it is impossible to monitor all the potential hazards
B. we are not in any danger for the moment
C. a meteorite is likely to hit Earth sooner or later
D. their early warning systems will protect us
READING TEXT 8
Your digital footprint
Every time you go online you leave a trail. This is just like a real footprint. It
reveals where you’ve been, how long you stayed and what you’ve been doing
there. Every time you register for an online service, send an email, download a
video or upload a photo, the information can be accessed and your digital footprint
can be revealed. This shouldn’t necessarily be worrying but it is advisable to be
aware of your digital footprint and to be cautious and sensible when you are
online.
Six top tips for taking care of your digital footprint
1. Don’t forget to log off when you leave a website, especially if you are
using a shared computer. If you don’t, someone can easily pretend to be you!
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2. Don’t tell anyone your passwords and don’t write them down in an obvious
place. Make them more complex by using a combination of letters, numbers and
punctuation marks.
3. Tell an adult if you come across anything online that makes you upset,
anxious or concerned. There are ways to report inappropriate or abusive content
and in most cases web managers respond rapidly.
4. Remember your favourite websites by using the history button and the
bookmark function on your computer or mobile device. This is a way that your
digital footprint can work in your favour, but remember to clear your browser
history regularly.
5. If you want to post comments online, you don’t have to use your own
name. Invent a nickname to use instead. You can also use a picture instead of a
real photo.
6. Protect your identity online. Be careful about who you share personal
information with and always think twice before sharing details like your email,
home address, school or phone number with someone.
Think about the future
All kinds of people are interested in your digital footprint. It's now quite common
for colleges, universities and employers to check out the online profiles of possible
candidates as part of their application process. There are cases of people having
missed out on jobs and places in college because their digital footprint didn’t
impress the recruiters. So, remember: keep safe, don’t put too much personal
information online and always think carefully before you post something. Ask
yourself, ‘Would I be happy for absolutely everyone to see this?’
1. When you go online, you ...

A. can choose what information is recorded about you.
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B. leave a trail showing where you've been and what you've been doing.
C. send information to recruiters.
2. If people search for information about you, they can find your ...
A. bookmarked websites.
B. passwords.
C. digital footprint.
3. Someone could pretend to be you if you don't log off when ...
A. abandoning a site.
B. posting a comment.
C. sharing a photo.
4. You should make your passwords difficult to guess by …
A. using all capital letters.
B. making them complex.
C. including a symbol.
5.If a user reports inappropriate content, ...
A. web managers usually react immediately.
B. recruiters often respond.
C. other users want to read what they have said.
6. You should report abusive remarks on the internet ...
A. if you think they are really serious.
B. in all cases.
C. if you can find the contact and have time.
7. To remember your favourite websites, you can use the ...
A. browser.
B. bookmark function.
C. mobile device.
8.Think carefully before ...
A. sharing your favourite website online.
B. sharing your comments online.
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C. sharing personal information online.
READING TEXT 9
FOMO
Everybody knows how important it is for students to get a good night’s sleep
every night. You aren’t able to do your best and keep up with all of your
responsibilities unless you sleep well. I’m sure you already know that you
should go to bed at a reasonable hour. Most experts agree that the optimum
number of hours is eight, and this has been accepted as common sense for as
long as I can remember. However, I was young once and I know that most of
you get much less sleep than that – and in some cases it will be affecting your
schoolwork.
I read an interesting article in a teachers’ magazine recently. They did a study

of 848 students in Wales. Worryingly, the results showed that teenagers are
facing a new problem. They may go to bed and get up at appropriate times but
a growing number are waking up in the middle of the night, not to use the
bathroom or have a snack but because of a new phenomenon: FOMO – fear of
missing out!
According to the article, schoolchildren are suffering because of a growing

trend to wake up during the night to check social media. Afraid of missing a
comment or opportunity to take part in a chat, teenagers are waking at all times
of the night, going online and getting involved. All this when they should be
sound asleep.
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Experts are worried about this growing trend and the report reveals some
worrying statistics that I’d like to share with you:
23% of 12 to 15-year-olds wake up nearly every night to use social media.

Another 15% wake up at night once a week for the same reason.
One in three students are constantly tired and unable to function to their full
capacity.
Students who use social media during the night are more likely to suffer from
depression and anxiety.
So, I’d like to ask you to be responsible when it comes to social media. Be
brave! Switch off your devices at night. The world won’t end and your social
media will be waiting to greet you in the morning! I give you my word that you
won't have missed anything important.
1.Students won't be able to perform well at school ...

A. if they have phones in class.
B. unless they use common sense.
C. if they don't sleep well.
2. The writer is worried by ...
A. what he has read in the press.
B. what other teachers have told him.
C. what he is seeing with his pupils.
3. Research shows that schoolchildren are tired because they ...
A. are going to bed very late.
B. are waking up in the middle of the night.
C. are getting up too early in the morning.
4.Fear Of Missing Out is ...
A. anxiety about not having the latest technology.
B. an irrational need to go out all the time.
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C. a fear of missing opportunities for interaction on social media.

5.Nearly a quarter of 12 to 15-year-olds wake up to use social media ...
A. once a night, on average.
B. almost every night.
C. once a week.
6.Students who use social media during the night ...
A. have weaker immune systems.
B. do worse in exams.
C. have a higher incidence of depression and anxiety.
READING TEXT 10
The history of graffiti

The first drawings on walls appeared in caves thousands of years ago. Later
the Ancient Romans and Greeks wrote their names and protest poems on
buildings. Modern graffiti seems to have appeared in Philadelphia in the
early 1960s, and by the late sixties it had reached New York. The new art
form really took off in the 1970s, when people began writing their names,
or ‘tags’, on buildings all over the city. In the mid-seventies it was
sometimes hard to see out of a subway car window, because the trains were
completely covered in spray paintings known as ‘masterpieces’.
In the early days, the ‘taggers’ were part of street gangs who were
concerned with marking their territory. They worked in groups called
‘crews’, and called what they did ‘writing’ – the term ‘graffiti’ was first
used by The New York Times and the novelist Norman Mailer. Art
galleries in New York began buying graffiti in the early seventies. But at
the same time that it began to be regarded as an art form, John Lindsay, the
then mayor of New York, declared the first war on graffiti. By the 1980s it
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became much harder to write on subway trains without being caught, and
instead many of the more established graffiti artists began using roofs of
buildings or canvases.
The debate over whether graffiti is art or vandalism is still going on. Peter
Vallone, a New York city councillor, thinks that graffiti done with
permission can be art, but if it is on someone else’s property it becomes a
crime. ‘I have a message for the graffiti vandals out there,’ he said recently.
‘Your freedom of expression ends where my property begins.’ On the other
hand, Felix, a member of the Berlin-based group Reclaim Your City, says
that artists are reclaiming cities for the public from advertisers, and that
graffiti represents freedom and makes cities more vibrant.
For decades graffiti has been a springboard to international fame for a few.
Jean-Michel Basquiat began spraying on the street in the 1970s before
becoming a respected artist in the ’80s. The Frenchman Blek le Rat and the
British artist Banksy have achieved international fame by producing
complex works with stencils, often making political or humorous points.
Works by Banksy have been sold for over £100,000. Graffiti is now
sometimes big business.
1.Why was the seventies an important decade in the history of graffiti?

A. That was when modern graffiti first appeared.
B. That was when modern graffiti first became really popular.
C. That was when graffiti first reached New York.
2.What is a 'masterpiece' in graffiti?
A. A really high-quality piece of graffiti.
B. A work of graffiti showing the artist's name.
C. A full piece of graffiti, like those seen on subway trains.
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3. What was the main motivation for the first taggers?

A. Showing which streets belonged to which gangs.
B. Creating a strong visual identity for their 'crew'.
C. Sending coded messages to other gangs.
4. Who coined the phrase 'graffiti'?
A. New York gangs who had a lot of Italian immigrant members.
B. A newspaper and an author.
C. The man who was the mayor of New York in the late seventies.
5.How did things change after the first war on graffiti?
A. It was considered a more serious crime.
B. Graffiti artists had to find different places to paint.
C. New York looked a lot cleaner.
6.What does New York city councillor Peter Vallone say about graffiti?
A. Graffiti can be good for cities as long as it is tasteful and conveys
positive messages.
B. Graffiti can be beautiful if it is done by a skilled artist.
C. Graffiti is a crime if the artist does not have permission.
READING TEXT 11
Library services report
New challenge
1 There has been a huge increase in the number of people interested in
researching their ancestry, and genealogy has become a multi-billion-dollar
industry. A British government ancestry site recently received more than 50
million hits, and access had to be restricted to cope with the demand. Due
to this surge in interest, we have decided that our library records
department will need to be reorganized in terms of staffing. In the past, we
have received occasional requests for assistance in tracing documentation
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relating to family and business histories, but in the last two years the
number of requests has reached a level that cannot be addressed by the
existing staff alone. We are currently in the process of recruiting two
additional specialists.
Family history
2 Traditionally, genealogy was thought of as finding out about your
family tree. The idea was to find out who came before you, going as far
back in history as possible. However, nowadays it is more common to want
to find out as much detail about the people as possible, so what was a
purely factual quest has become a historical process. This is an area that we
are able to address, as our records include diaries and other documents that
contain information and clues that can help build a more complete picture.
Medicine and law

3 In the past, most genealogical searches could be classified as vanity
searches, because the motivation was to prove family nobility. However,
this is no longer the case. One of the driving forces of the increased interest
in genealogy has been in relation to illness. Genetics are now recognized as
significant in predicting the likelihood of suffering from many types of
diseases, including cancer and heart disease. There may also be a legal
dimension to the searches, because inheritance claims often rely on
ancestry. In both of these cases, we, as a department, must be particularly
careful in relation to possible lawsuits, and we will be providing legal
training to all relevant staff.
Naming conventions
4 The key starting point for any genealogical search is through
surnames. Although first names, maiden names, and middle names are all
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significant, it is through surnames that most family history can be traced.

For this reason, the department will be updating all of our databases with
surname information. This is a skilled job, as spellings are often changed on
documents as a result of clerical error. All staff will be involved in this
process after appropriate training.
Commercial aspects
5 As mentioned earlier, genealogy is no longer a vanity hobby but has
become a lucrative business. As a nonprofit organization, it is not our
intention to compete in this market; however, we will need to cover the
costs of increased staffing and training, so we will be charging a nominal
fee for our services. The finance department is currently assessing the
charges, which will be detailed in our next report. The fees will be reviewed
on an annual basis.
6 We thank all staff in advance for your cooperation in this exciting
new opportunity for our department. Please make sure that you keep well
informed of any updates on the website.
Match the heading (1-5) with five main ideas (A-H)
1. New challenge B
2. Family history C
3. Medicine and law E
4. Naming conventions G
5. Commercial aspects H
A. People from European countries are more interested in genealogy than

people from elsewhere.
B. Interest in genealogy has grown dramatically in recent years.
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C. People want to find out more details about the lives of their ancestors.
D. Advanced technology is necessary for conducting detailed genealogy

searches.
E. Issues related to genetics and inheritance are of increasing importance in
genealogy searches.
F. People conducting ancestry searches tend to be males over the age of 45.
G. The most vital piece of information in a genealogy search is a person’s last
name.
H. The area of genealogy is becoming financially rewarding.
READING TEXT 12
A. Throughout history, there have been instances in which people have been
unwilling to accept new theories, despite startling evidence. This was certainly
the case when Copernicus published his theory - that the earth was not the
centre of the universe.
B. Until the early 16th century, western thinkers believed the theory put
forward by Ptolemy, an Egyptian living in Alexandria in about 150 A.D. His
theory, which was formulated by gathering and organizing the thoughts of the
earlier thinkers, proposed that the universe was a closed space bounded by a
spherical envelope beyond which there was nothing. The earth, according to
Ptolemy, was a fixed and immobile mass, located at the centre of the universe.
The sun and the stars, revolved around it.
C. The theory appealed to human nature. Someone making casual

observations as they looked into the sky might come to a similar conclusion. It
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also fed the human ego. Humans could believe that they were at the centre of
God's universe, and the sun and stars were created for their benefit.
D.Ptolemy's theory, was of course, incorrect, but at the time nobody contested
it. European astronomers were more inclined to save face. Instead of
proposing new ideas, they attempted to patch up and refine Ptolemy's flawed
model. Students were taught using a book called The Sphere which had been
written two hundred years previously. In short, astronomy failed to advance.
E. In 1530, however, Mikolaj Kopernik, more commonly known as

Copernicus, made an assertion which shook the world. He proposed that the
earth turned on its axis once per day, and travelled around the sun once per
year. Even when he made his discovery, he was reluctant to make it public,
knowing how much his shocking revelations would disturb the church.
However, George Rheticus, a German mathematics professor who had become
Copernicus's student, convinced Copernicus to publish his ideas, even though
Copernicus, a perfectionist, was never satisfied that his observations were
complete.
F. Copernicus's ideas went against all the political and religious beliefs of the
time. Humans, it was believed, were made in God's image, and were superior
to all creatures. The natural world had been created for humans to exploit.
Copernicus's theories contradicted the ideas of all the powerful churchmen of
the time. Even the famous playwright William Shakespeare feared the new
theory, pronouncing that it would destroy social order and bring chaos to the
world. However, Copernicus never had to suffer at the hands of those who
disagreed with his theories. He died just after the work was published in 1543.
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G. However, the scientists who followed in Copernicus's footsteps bore the

brunt of the church's anger. Two other Italian scientists of the time, Galileo
and Bruno, agreed wholeheartedly with the Copernican theory. Bruno even
dared to say that space was endless and contained many other suns, each with
its own planets. For this, Bruno was sentenced to death by burning in 1600.
Galileo, famous for his construction of the telescope, was forced to deny his
belief in the Copernican theories. He escaped capital punishment, but was
imprisoned for the rest of his life.
H. In time however, Copernicus's work became more accepted. Subsequent

scientists and mathematicians such as Brahe, Kepler and Newton took
Copernicus's work as a starting point and used it to glean further truths about
the laws of celestial mechanics.
I. The most important aspect of Copernicus' work is that it forever changed the
place of man in the cosmos. With Copernicus' work, man could no longer take
that premier position which the theologians had immodestly assigned him. This
was the first, but certainly not the last time in which man would have to accept
his position as a mere part of the universe, not at the centre of it.
The text has nine paragraphs, A-I. Which paragraph contains the
following information?
1. The public's reaction to the new theory. (F)
2. An ancient belief about the position of the earth. (B)
3. Copernicus's legacy to the future of science (I)
4. How academics built on Copernican ideas.(H)
5. An idea which is attractive to humans.(C)
6. Out-dated teaching and defective research (D)
7. Scientists suffer for their beliefs.(G)
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READING TEXT 13
Community Survey
Most people are satisfied with their local area as a place to live, feel that they
belong there, and believe that people in their community get on well with each
other, survey results show.
The figures suggest that people feel a positive connection to their local area - a
strong foundation on which the Big Society can develop.
The gap between the number of people who feel able to influence local
decisions and those who think it's important to be able to (37 per cent and 73
per cent respectively) provides a good indication of the appetite in people for
greater participation.
Measures in the Localism Bill will devolve power to local communities and
make it easier for people to get involved in civic participation and
volunteering.
Communities Minister Andrew Stunell said:

"For the Big Society to work well, it's important that people get on with one
another, feel some kind of attachment to the area in which they live and are
involved in the decisions that affect them.
"The figures out today suggest that, while there is an appetite for getting
involved, there are lots of people out there who want to do something but
either don't know how or feel they can't.
"We want this to change. The measures in the Localism Bill and our drive to
bust bureaucratic barriers will help to close this gap. Our actions will help
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create active, engaged communities, where the local people who know what's
best for an area are trusted and equipped to get on with it and aren't held back
by needless obstacles."
The Localism Bill contains a radical package of reforms that will devolve
greater power and freedoms to neighbourhoods, establish powerful new rights
for communities, revolutionise the planning system, and give communities
control over housing decisions.These reforms will give individuals and
community groups the freedom and tools to improve their local areas to build
their vision of the Big Society.
Today's findings, based on interviews conducted between April and September

last year, show that more people than in recent years believe their area is
improving and fewer are worried about being a victim of crime.
Complete the summary below.

Choose ONE WORD from the text for each answer.
A recent survey shows that the majority of residents are (1) satisfied with
life in their local community. In fact it seems that many people have a healthy
(2 appetite for a higher level of participation in the running of the
community. The new Localism Bill attempts to facilitate this desire by
basically giving local people more (3) power . Andrew Stunell, the
Communities Minister, believes that the bill will remove the unnecessary (4)
obstacles which currently exist and which prevent local people from taking
positive (5) actions . Some of the measures included in the bill include a
complete change in the way (6) planning is carried out, along with locals
having more control over issues such as housing.
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READING TEXT 14
Social networks
Business applications
Social networks connect people at low cost; this can be beneficial for
entrepreneurs and small businesses looking to expand their contact base. These
networks often act as a customer relationship management tool for companies
selling products and services. Companies can also use social networks for
advertising in the form of banners and text ads. Since businesses operate
globally, social networks can make it easier to keep in touch with contacts
around the world.
Medical applications
Social networks are beginning to be adopted by healthcare professionals as a
means to manage institutional knowledge, disseminate peer to peer knowledge
and to highlight individual physicians and institutions. The advantage of using
a dedicated medical social networking site is that all the members are screened
against the state licensing board list of practitioners. The role of social
networks is especially of interest to pharmaceutical companies who spend
approximately "32 percent of their marketing dollars" attempting to influence
the opinion leaders of social networks.
Languages, nationalities and academia

Various social networking sites have sprung up catering to different languages
and countries. The popular site Facebook has been cloned for various countries
and languages and some specializing in connecting students and faculty.
Social networks for social good
Several websites are beginning to tap into the power of the social networking
model for social good. Such models may be highly successful for connecting
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otherwise fragmented industries and small organizations without the resources

to reach a broader audience with interested and passionate users. Users benefit
by interacting with a like-minded community and finding a channel for their
energy and giving.
Business model
Few social networks currently charge money for membership. In part, this may
be because social networking is a relatively new service, and the value of using
them has not been firmly established in customers' minds. Companies such as
MySpace and Facebook sell online advertising on their site. Hence, they are
seeking large memberships, and charging for membership would be counter
productive. Some believe that the deeper information that the sites have on
each user will allow much better targeted advertising than any other site can
currently provide. Sites are also seeking other ways to make money, such as by
creating an online marketplace or by selling professional information and
social connections to businesses.
Privacy issues
On large social networking services, there have been growing concerns about
users giving out too much personal information and the threat of sexual
predators. Users of these services need to be aware of data theft or viruses.
However, large services, such as MySpace, often work with law enforcement
to try to prevent such incidents. In addition, there is a perceived privacy threat
in relation to placing too much personal information in the hands of large
corporations or governmental bodies, allowing a profile to be produced on an
individual's behavior on which decisions, detrimental to an individual, may be
taken.
Investigations
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Social network services are increasingly being used in legal and criminal
investigations. Information posted on sites such as MySpace and Facebook, has
been used by police, probation, and university officials to prosecute users of
said sites. In some situations, content posted on MySpace has been used in
court.
1 According to the text, social networks .......
A. advertise on business web sites.

B. are being used by businesses for marketing.
C. are about friendships.
D. can damage business reputations.
2 Why do advertisers like social nework sites?
A. They are cost-effective to advertise on.
B. Most users have high disposable income.
C. Detailed information on each user allows targeted ads.

D. They can influence consumer behaviour.
3 What does the expression 'sprung up' in paragraph 4 mean?
A. there has been rapid development of social networking sites
B. the development of social networking is unplanned

C. everybody is trying to copy Facebook
D. social networking works in all languages
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4 What does the word 'Few' at the beginning of paragraph 6 mean?
A. Not any
B. Some
C. Only
D. Hardly any
5 What should users not do on social networks?
A. be too free with their personal information

B. download viruses
C. contact predators
D. upload copyrighted music
6 What does the word 'deeper' in paragraph 6 mean?
A. more spiritual
B. more detailed
C. more profound
D. more emphatic
7 Personal information on social network sites .......
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A. can be used in court

B. gives a good description of the user's personality
C. is sold to the government
D. is translated into many languages
8 Social networking is great for ......
A. academic organisations
B. people who write too much information about themselves
C. the law enforcement agencies

D. groups of people separated over wide areas
READING TEXT 15
Ronan
I work in a fairly traditional office environment doing a typical nine-to-five
job. I like my job, but it’s annoying that my commute to work takes an hour
and a half each way and most of my work could really be done online from
home. But my boss doesn’t seem to trust that we will get any work done if
left to our own devices, and everyone in the company has to clock in and out
every day. It’s frustrating that they feel the need to monitor what we do so
closely instead of judging us based on our task performance, like most
companies do these days.
Jo
I used to do a typical five-day week, but after I came out of my maternity
leave, I decided that I wanted to spend more time with my children before
they start school. After negotiating with my boss, we decided to cut my
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working week down to a three-day work week. This of course meant a

significant cut in my pay too, as I’m paid on a pro-rata basis. I’ve since
noticed, though, that my workload hasn’t decreased in the slightest! I’m now
doing five days’ worth of work in three days, but getting paid much less for
it! I find myself having to take work home just so that I can meet the
deadlines. It’s wearing me out trying to juggle work with looking after my
children and my family, but I don’t dare to bring this up with my boss
because I think he feels as if he’s made a huge concession letting me come in
only three days a week.
Marcus
I work for a global IT company, but because their headquarters is in the
States, I do all my work online from home. That means that I don’t waste
time commuting or making idle chitchat with colleagues. I work on a project
basis, and this flexibility is very valuable to me because it means that I can
easily take some time off when my children need me to go to their school
performances or if I need to schedule an appointment with the dentist. The
downside is that without clear office hours, I tend to work well into the
evening, sometimes skipping dinner to finish a task. It can also get quite
lonely working on my own, and I sometimes miss sharing ideas with
colleagues.
Lily
I’m a freelancer and work for myself. This is great because I am in control of
what I do and how I spend my time. At first, I was working from home, but I
found it really hard to concentrate. There were just too many distractions
around: housework that needed doing, another cup of tea, my family
members wanting my attention for various things. So I started to go to a
nearby café to work, but the Wi-Fi connection wasn’t ideal and I found
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myself drinking too much coffee. In the end, I decided to rent a desk in a co-
working space with five other freelancers like myself. I liked getting dressed
to go to work in the morning and being able to focus in an office
environment. The other freelancers do similar kinds of web-based work to
me and so it’s nice to have workmates to bounce ideas off as well.
Decide if the statements below are True or False.

1. Ronan’s boss thinks his employees will not be as productive if they
work from home. (T)
2. Ronan thinks that the performance of employees should be judged
according to how much time they spend in the office. (F)
3. Jo is paid the same for a five-day work week as she is on a three-day
week. (F)
4. Jo feels exhausted trying to manage both a five-day workload and
childcare. (T)
5. Although Marcus sees the benefit in not having idle chit-chat, he misses
interacting with his colleagues. (T)
6. Lily didn’t like working from the café because the coffee wasn’t very
good. (F)
READING TEXT 16
Unraveling the mysteries of memory
1. Memory is a very popular area of research today, particularly in regard to
the prevention or delay of the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and other
memory- loss afflictions. Two recent studies have investigated the
connections between certain foods and memory.
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2. The first study, led by Dr. Henriette van Praag at the Salk Institute in
California and published in the Journal of Neuroscience, focuses on a
chemical found in natural foods, including chocolate, which may improve
memory. The chemical is epicatechin, and it has been shown to improve the
memories of mice. Mice that were fed a diet supplemented with epicatechin
(and allowed to exercise) performed best in a memory test that involved
remembering the location of a hidden platform. However, whether this will
also work with humans is not yet known. It is debatable whether the memory
of a mouse functions in a similar way to that of a human, so the team is now
hoping to study the effects of the chemical on humans.
3. . The second study, conducted by a team at the University of California,

shows that oleic acids, which come from fats in food, are converted in the gut
into memory-enhancing agents. The study used rats, and it showed that using
the drug in two different tests (running through a maze and avoiding an
unpleasant experience) enhanced the rats’ memory retention. The
researchers, Dr. Daniele Piomelli and his team, believe that there is a
possible biological reason for the connection between fats and memory, and
that it may apply to humans for the same reason. It may sound far-fetched to
claim that the gut of a rat is like a GPS system for finding food, but the
results suggest that remembering where a fatty meal was found would be
very important for survival in mammals.
4. . Although the studies attribute memory improvements to two completely

different agents, there is an interesting connection between them, in that
acting on the findings of either one may encourage people to eat too much
fattening food—in the first case, chocolate, and in the second, other forms of
fat. A spokesperson for the British Nutrition Foundation warned that the
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health risks of eating too much chocolate would outweigh any benefits to
your memory from a potentially negligible amount of epicatechin. The chief
executive of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, although positive about the
oleic acid study, also felt the need to remind people that a healthy, balanced
diet is still the best way to maintain brain function in old age.
5. The human memory used to be thought of as being the equivalent of

a supercomputer in the head, with a definite location—like a building in a
city. Now, however, memory is thought of as more of a complex
construction linking many of the “buildings.” It doesn’t exist as a thing; it is
an elusive, invisible web of connections. Although these and other studies
are advancing our understanding of memory, it is clear that the precise ways
in which memory works are not yet fully understood. There is much work
still to be done before we can find effective ways to treat memory-loss
afflictions.
Decide if the statements below are True, False or Not Given.
1. The first study looks at the effects of a chemical found in natural foods.
(T)
2.Epicatechin has been shown to improve the memory of humans. (F)
3.Most scientists think mice have a very poor memory. (NG)
4..The researchers from the first study want to do a follow-up study
on humans. (T)
5..Oleic acids originate from the human body. (F)
6..Researchers used two types of experiment to find the effect of the
oleic acids. (T)
7. . The two studies are connected by the effect their findings may have
on people. (T)
8.The effects that epicatechin has on the body are very powerful. (F)
9.The Research Trust provides its own diet book for a healthy, balanced diet.(NG)
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10. The true function of memory is now completely understood. (F)
READING TEXT 17
Television addiction is no mere metaphor
A The term "TV addiction" is imprecise, but it captures the essence of a very
real phenomenon. Psychologists formally define addiction as a disorder
characterized by criteria that include spending a great deal of time using the
thing; using it more often than one intends; thinking about reducing use or
making repeated unsuccessful efforts to reduce use; giving up important
activities to use it; and reporting withdrawal symptoms when one stops using
it.
B All these criteria can apply to people who watch a lot of television. That
does not mean that watching television, in itself, is problematic. Television
can teach and amuse; it can be highly artistic; it can provide much needed
distraction and escape. The difficulty arises when people strongly sense that
they ought not to watch as much as they do and yet find they are unable to
reduce their viewing. Some knowledge of how television becomes so
addictive may help heavy viewers gain better control over their lives.
C The amount of time people spend watching television is astonishing. On

average, individuals in the industrialized world devote three hours a day to
the activity – fully half of their leisure time, and more than on any single
activity except work and sleep. At this rate, someone who lives to 75 would
spend nine years in front of the television. Possibly, this devotion means
simply that people enjoy TV and make a conscious decision to watch it. But
if that is the whole story, why do so many people worry about how much
they view? In surveys in 1992 and 1999, two out of five adults and seven out
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of ten teenagers said they spent too much time watching TV. Other surveys
have consistently shown that roughly ten per cent of adults call themselves
TV addicts.
D To study people’s reactions to TV, researchers have undertaken laboratory

experiments in which they have monitored the brain waves, skin resistance or
heart rate of people watching television. To study behavior and emotion in
the normal course of life, as opposed to the artificial conditions of the
laboratory, we have used the Experience Sampling Method (ESM).
Participants carried a beeper*, and we signaled them six to eight times a day,
at random, over the period of a week; whenever they heard the beep, they
wrote down what they were doing and how they were feeling.
E As one might expect, people who were watching TV when we beeped

them reported feeling relaxed and passive. The EEG studies similarly show
less mental stimulation, as measured by alpha brain-wave production, during
viewing than during reading.
F What is more surprising is that the sense of relaxation ends when the set is
turned off, but the feelings of passivity and lowered alertness continue.
Survey participants commonly reflect that television has somehow absorbed
or sucked out their energy, leaving them depleted. They say they have more
difficulty concentrating after viewing than before. In contrast, they rarely
indicate such difficulty after reading. After playing sports or engaging in
hobbies, people report improvements in mood. After watching TV, people's
moods are about the same or worse than before.
G Within moments of sitting or lying down and pushing the "power" button,
viewers report feeling more relaxed. Because the relaxation occurs quickly,
about:blank 47/59
people are conditioned to associate viewing with rest and lack of tension.
The association is positively reinforced because viewers remain relaxed
throughout viewing.
H Thus, the irony of TV: people watch a great deal longer than they plan to,
even though prolonged viewing is less rewarding. In our ESM studies the
longer people sat in front of the set, the less satisfaction they said they
derived from it. When signaled, heavy viewers (those who consistently watch
more than four hours a day) tended to report on their ESM sheets that they
enjoy TV less than light viewers did (less than two hours a day). For some, a
twinge of unease or guilt that they aren't doing something more productive
may also accompany and depreciate the enjoyment of prolonged viewing.
Researchers in Japan, the U.K. and the U.S. have found that this guilt occurs
much more among middle-class viewers than among less affluent ones.
I The orienting response is an instinctive reaction to any sudden or new, such

as movement or possible attack by a predator. Typical orienting reactions
include the following the arteries to the brain grow wider allowing more
blood to reach it, the heart slows down and arteries to the large muscles
become narrower so as to reduce blood supply to them. Brain waves are also
interrupted for a few seconds. These changes allow the brain to focus its
attention on gathering more information and becoming more alert while the
rest of the body becomes quieter.
The list below gives some characteristics of addiction.
Which THREE of the following are mentioned as characteristics of addiction

to television? ( Question 1-3, in any order)
A.harmful physical effects
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B.loss of control over time

C.destruction of relationships
D.reduced intellectual performance
E.discomfort when attempting to give up
F.dishonesty about the extent of the addiction
4.One purpose of the research is to help people to manage their lives better. (T)
Decide if the statements below are True, False or Not Given
5.Watching television has reduced the amount of time people spend sleeping
( NG)
6.People's brains show less activity while watching television than when
reading. (T)
7.There is a relationship between the length of time spent watching TV and
economic status. ( NG)
8.Pleasure increases in proportion to the length of time spent watching TV. (F)
READING TEXT 18
Light pollution
A After hours of driving south in the pitch-black darkness of the Nevada
desert, a dome of hazy gold suddenly appears on the horizon. Soon, a road
sign confirms the obvious: Las Vegas 30 miles. Looking skyward, you notice
that the Big Dipper is harder to find than it was an hour ago.
B Light pollution—the artificial light that illuminates more than its intended
target area—has become a problem of increasing concern across the country
over the past 15 years. In the suburbs, where over-lit shopping mall parking
lots are the norm, only 200 of the Milky Way’s 2,500 stars are visible on a
clear night. Even fewer can be seen from large cities. In almost every town,
big and small, street lights beam just as much light up and out as they do
down, illuminating much more than just the street. Almost 50 percent of the
light emanating from street lamps misses its intended target, and billboards,
about:blank 49/59
shopping centres, private homes and skyscrapers are similarly over-

illuminated.
C America has become so bright that in a satellite image of the United States
at night, the outline of the country is visible from its lights alone. The major
cities are all there, in bright clusters: New York, Boston, Miami, Houston,
Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, and, of course, Las Vegas. Mark Adams,
superintendent of the McDonald Observatory in west Texas, says that the
very fact that city lights are visible from on high is proof of their
wastefulness. “When you’re up in an airplane, all that light you see on the
ground from the city is wasted. It’s going up into the night sky. That’s why
you can see it.”
D But don’t we need all those lights to ensure our safety? The answer from
light engineers, light pollution control advocates and astronomers is an
emphatic “no.” Elizabeth Alvarez of the International Dark Sky Association
(IDA), a non-profit organization in Tucson, Arizona, says that overly bright
security lights can actually force neighbours to close the shutters, which
means that if any criminal activity does occur on the street, no one will see it.
And the old assumption that bright lights deter crime appears to have been a
false one: A new Department of Justice report concludes that there is no
documented correlation between the level of lighting and the level of crime
in an area. And contrary to popular belief, more crimes occur in broad
daylight than at night.
E For drivers, light can actually create a safety hazard. Glaring lights can
temporarily blind drivers, increasing the likelihood of an accident. To help
prevent such accidents, some cities and states prohibit the use of lights that
impair night-time vision. For instance, New Hampshire law forbids the use
about:blank 50/59
of “any light along a highway so positioned as to blind or dazzle the vision of

travellers on the adjacent highway.”
F Badly designed lighting can pose a threat to wildlife as well as people.

Newly hatched turtles in Florida move toward beach lights instead of the
more muted silver shimmer of the ocean. Migrating birds, confused by lights
on skyscrapers, broadcast towers and lighthouses, are injured, sometimes
fatally, after colliding with high, lighted structures. And light pollution harms
air quality as well: Because most of the country’s power plants are still
powered by fossil fuels, more light means more air pollution.
G So what can be done? Tucson, Arizona is taking back the night. The city
has one of the best lighting ordinances in the country, and, not
coincidentally, the highest concentration of observatories in the world. Kitt
Peak National Optical Astronomy Observatory has 24 telescopes aimed
skyward around the city’s perimeter, and its cadre of astronomers needs a
dark sky to work with.
H For a while, that darkness was threatened. “We were totally losing the
night sky,” Jim Singleton of Tucson’s Lighting Committee told Tulsa,
Oklahoma’s KOTV last March. Now, after retrofitting inefficient mercury
lighting with low-sodium lights that block light from “trespassing” into
unwanted areas like bedroom windows, and by doing away with some
unnecessary lights altogether, the city is softly glowing rather than brightly
beaming. The same thing is happening in a handful of other states, including
Texas, which just passed a light pollution bill last summer. “Astronomers can
get what they need at the same time that citizens get what they need: safety,
security and good visibility at night,” says McDonald Observatory’s Mark
Adams, who provided testimony at the hearings for the bill.
about:blank 51/59
I And in the long run, everyone benefits from reduced energy costs. Wasted
energy from inefficient lighting costs us between $1 and $2 billion a year,
according to IDA. The city of San Diego, which installed new, high-
efficiency street lights after passing a light pollution law in 1985, now saves
about $3 million a year in energy costs.
J Legislation isn’t the only answer to light pollution problems. Brian Greer,
Central Ohio representative for the Ohio Light Pollution Advisory Council,
says that education is just as important, if not more so. “There are some
special situations where regulation is the only fix,” he says. “But the vast
majority of bad lighting is simply the result of not knowing any better.”
Simple actions like replacing old bulbs and fixtures with more efficient and
better-designed ones can make a big difference in preserving the night sky.
*The Big Dipper: a group of seven bright stars visible in the Northern
Hemisphere.
Complete each of the following statements with words taken from the
passage. Write ONE WORD for each answer.
1. According to a recent study, well-lit streets do not deter crime or

make neighbourhoods safer to live in.
2. Inefficient lighting increases air pollution because most electricity

is produced from coal, gas or oil.
3.Efficient lights block

light from going into areas where it is not
needed.
about:blank 52/59
4. In dealing with light pollution, education is at least as important as

passing new laws.
5. One group of scientists find their observations are made more difficult by
bright lights. (T)
6. It is expensive to reduce light pollution. (F)
7. Many countries are now making light pollution illegal. (NG)
8. Old types of light often cause more pollution than more modern ones. (T)
READING TEXT 19
GREENHOUSE EFFECTS
Greenhouse gases arise from a wide range of sources and their increasing
concentration is largely related to the compound effects of increased
population, improved living standards and changes in lifestyle. From a current
base of 5 billion, the United Nations predicts that the global population may
stabilise in the twenty-first century between 8 and 14 billion, with more than
90 per cent of the projected increase taking place in the world’s developing
nations. The associated activities to support that growth, particularly to
produce the required energy and food, will cause further increases in
greenhouse gas emissions. The challenge, therefore, is to attain a sustainable
balance between population, economic growth and the environment.
The major greenhouse gas emissions from human activities are carbon dioxide
(CO2), methane and nitrous oxide. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are the only
major contributor to the greenhouse effect that does not occur naturally,
coming from such sources as refrigeration, plastics and manufacture. Coal’s
total contribution to greenhouse gas emissions is thought to be about 18 per
cent, with about half of this coming from electricity generation.
about:blank 53/59
The worldwide coal industry allocates extensive resources to researching and

developing new technologies and ways of capturing greenhouse gases.
Efficiencies are likely to be improved dramatically, and hence CO2 emissions
reduced, through combustion and gasification techniques which are now at
pilot and demonstration stages.
Clean coal is another avenue for improving fuel conversion efficiency.

Investigations are under way into super-clean coal (35 per cent ash) and
ultraclean coal (less than 1 per cent ash). Super-clean coal has the potential to
enhance the combustion efficiency of conventional pulverised fuel power
plants. Ultraclean coal will enable coal to be used in advanced power systems
such as coal-fired gas turbines which, when operated in combined cycle, have
the potential to achieve much greater efficiencies.
Defendants of mining point out that, environmentally, coal mining has two
important factors in its favour. It makes only temporary use of the land and
produces no toxic chemical wastes. By carefully preplanning projects,
implementing pollution control measures, monitoring the effects of mining and
rehabilitating mined areas, the coal industry minimises the impact on the
neighbouring community, the immediate environment and long-term land
capability.
Dust levels are controlled by spraying roads and stockpiles, and water pollution
is controlled by carefully separating clean water runoff from runoff which
contains sediments or salt from mine workings. The latter is treated and reused
for dust suppression. Noise is controlled by modifying equipment and by using
insulation and sound enclosures around machinery.
about:blank 54/59
Since mining activities represent only a temporary use of the land, extensive
rehabilitation measures are adopted to ensure that land capability after mining
meets agreed and appropriate standards which, in some cases, are superior to
the land’s pre-mining condition. Where the mining is underground, the surface
area can be simultaneously used for forests, cattle grazing and crop raising, or
even reservoirs and urban development, with little or no disruption to the
existing land use. In all cases, mining is subject to stringent controls and
approvals processes.
1 The global increase in greenhouse gases has been attributed to

A industrial pollution in developing countries.
B coal mining and electricity generation.
C reduced rainfall in many parts of the world.
D trends in population and lifestyle.
2 The proportion of all greenhouse gases created by coal is approximately
A 14 per cent.
B 18 per cent.
C 27 per cent.
D 90 per cent.
3 Current research aims to increase the energy-producing efficiency of coal
by
A burning it at a lower temperature.
B developing new gasification techniques.
C extracting CO2 from it.
D recycling greenhouse gases.
4 Compared with ordinary coal, new, ‘clean’ coals may generate power
A more cleanly and more efficiently.
B more cleanly but less efficiently.
about:blank 55/59
C more cleanly but at higher cost.

D more cleanly but much more slowly.
5 To control dust at mine sites, mining companies often use

A chemicals which may be toxic.
B topsoil taken from the site before mining.
C fresh water from nearby dams.
D run-off water containing sediments.
6 Choose the most suitable title for the text from the list below
A Pollution control in coal mining
B The greenhouse effect
C The coal industry and the environment
D Sustainable population growth
READING TEXT 20
NETWORKING
Networking as a concept has acquired what is in all truth an unjustified air of
modernity. It is considered in the corporate world as an essential tool for the
modern businessperson, as they trot round the globe drumming up business
for themselves or a corporation. The concept is worn like a badge of
distinction, and not just in the business world.
People can be divided basically into those who keep knowledge and their
personal contacts to themselves, and those who are prepared to share what
they know and indeed their friends with others. A person who is insecure, for
example someone who finds it difficult to share information with others and
who is unable to bring people, including friends, together does not make a
good networker. The classic networker is someone who is strong enough
about:blank 56/59
within themselves to connect different people including close friends with

each other. For example, a businessman or an academic may meet someone
who is likely to be a valuable contact in the future, but at the moment that
person may benefit from meeting another associate or friend.
It takes quite a secure person to bring these people together and allow a
relationship to develop independently of himself. From the non-networker's
point of view such a development may be intolerable, especially if it is
happening outside their control. The unfortunate thing here is that the
initiator of the contact, if he did but know it, would be the one to benefit
most. And why?
Because all things being equal, people move within circles and that person
has the potential of being sucked into ever growing spheres of new contacts.
It is said that, if you know eight people, you are in touch with everyone in the
world. It does not take much common sense to realize the potential for any
kind of venture as one is able to draw on the experience of more and more
people.
Unfortunately, making new contacts, business or otherwise, while it brings

success, does cause problems. It enlarges the individual's world. This is in
truth not altogether a bad thing, but it puts more pressure on the networker
through his having to maintain an ever larger circle of people. The most
convenient way out is, perhaps, to cull old contacts, but this would be
anathema to our networker as it would defeat the whole purpose of
networking. Another problem is the reaction of friends and associates.
Spreading oneself thinly gives one less time for others who were perhaps
closer to one in the past. In the workplace, this can cause tension with jealous
colleagues, and even with superiors who might be tempted to rein in a more
about:blank 57/59
successful inferior. Jealousy and envy can prove to be very detrimental if one
is faced with a very insecure manager, as this person may seek to stifle
someone's career or even block it completely.
The answer here is to let one's superiors share in the glory; to throw them a
few crumbs of comfort. It is called leadership from the bottom. In the present
business climate, companies and enterprises need to co-operate with each
other in order to expand. As globalization grows apace, companies need to be
able to span not just countries but continents. Whilst people may rail against
this development it is for the moment here to stay. Without co-operation and
contacts, specialist companies will not survive for long. Computer
components, for example, need to be compatible with the various machines
on the market and to achieve this, firms need to work in conjunction with
others. No business or institution can afford to be an island in today's
environment. In the not very distant past, it was possible for companies to go
it alone, but it is now more difficult to do so.
The same applies in the academic world, where ideas have been jealously
guarded. The opening-up of universities and colleges to the outside world in
recent years has been of enormous benefit to industry and educational
institutions. The stereotypical academic is one who moves in a rarefied
atmosphere living a life of sometimes splendid isolation, a prisoner of their
own genius. This sort of person does not fit easily into the mould of the
modern networker. Yet even this insular world is changing. The ivory towers
are being left ever more frequently as educational experts forge links with
other bodies; sometimes to stunning effect as in Silicon Valley in America
and around Cambridge in England, which now has one of the most
concentrated clusters of high tech companies in Europe.
about:blank 58/59
It is the networkers, the wheeler-dealers, the movers and shakers, call them
what you will, that carry the world along. The world of the Neanderthals was
shaken between 35,000 and 40,000 BC; they were superseded by Homo
Sapiens with the very 'networking' skills that separate us from other animals:
understanding, thought abstraction and culture, which are inextricably linked
to planning survival and productivity in humans. It is said the meek will
inherit the earth. But will they?

1 Networking is not a modern idea. (F)
2 Networking is worn like a badge exclusively in the business world.
(F)
3 People fall into two basic categories. (F)

4 A person who shares knowledge and friends makes a better networker than
one who does not. (T)
5 The classic networker is physically strong and generally in good health.
(NG)
Answer the following questions by using NO MORE THAN TWO
WORDS.
6. In which sphere of life have ideas been protected jealously?
( academic world)
7. Which type of individual does not easily become a modern networker?
( stereotypical academic)
8. Where is one of the greatest concentrations of high tech companies in
Europe? ( Cambridge in England)
9. What, as well as understanding and thought abstraction, sets us apart from
other animals? ( culture)
about:blank 59/59

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20:48 05/01/2024 ENT403 Reading assignment

1 Merthe Weusthuis made the mistake of .

2 The number of confirmed the guests .

c. was manageable until the Twitter campaign

3 'Project X Haren' was named after .

5 Violence broke out when .

6 After the riot, Facebook was used to .

d. help the town recover from the violence

8 In Bradley McAnulty's case, .

1 The candidate has a qualification in accounting.

2 The candidate has worked as an accountant before.

3 The candidate worked with an accounting firm as a receptionist.

4 The candidate has worked as part of a team in an office environment.

5 The candidate has experience of record-keeping.

6 The candidate wants to learn on the job.

7 The candidate has a math qualification.

8 The candidate intends to study a further accounting course.

Read the text below and choose the correct answer.

1 How long did she work at the resort?

2 How many nights did tourists stay at the resort?

3 How did she spend day 1 of the tour?

4 On which days did she wear her elf costume?

5 At 8 o’clock in the morning it was...outside.

6 The mirrors in the cabin...

a. made the elves looked smaller.

has a population of 65,000 (not including university students). It is surrounded by hiUs,

1 What is said about Indiana University?

b. It is the largest university in the mid-western US.

2 Apparently, in order to get on-campus accommodation.....

3 Students interested in on-campus accommodation .....

4 According to the passage, students staying on campus ......

b. They have only taught in non-English speaking countries.

6 What is true about Indiana University?

7 Apparently, the IEP is meant for somebody who.....

8 Students on the IEP .......

Gabriela worked for a multinational company as a successful project manager in

Are celebrities bad for you?

Celebrities are everywhere nowadays: on TV, in magazines, online. Is this

people have an ‘entertainment-social’ interest. They love chatting about their

Another 5% feel that they have an ‘intense-personal’ relationship with a

The end of life on Earth?

It weighed about 10,000 tons, entered the atmosphere at a speed of 64,000km/h

Types of space rocks

 Asteroid – a rock a few feet to several kms in diameter. Unlike comets,

 Meteoroid – part of an asteroid or comet.

 Meteorite – what a meteoroid is called when it hits Earth.

1.The damage caused by the Russian meteorite .

A. there was another, related, asteroid event

C. cannot cause any significant harm

Your digital footprint

Six top tips for taking care of your digital footprint

Think about the future

1. When you go online, you ...

C. sharing personal information online.

I read an interesting article in a teachers’ magazine recently. They did a study

According to the article, schoolchildren are suffering because of a growing

23% of 12 to 15-year-olds wake up nearly every night to use social media.

1.Students won't be able to perform well at school ...

C. a fear of missing opportunities for interaction on social media.

The history of graffiti

1.Why was the seventies an important decade in the history of graffiti?

3. What was the main motivation for the first taggers?

Medicine and law

significant, it is through surnames that most family history can be traced.