(Use of English: pt 2 open cloze) write your answers in the boxes
Recent research suggests many young Americans prefer to spend their money and time chatting to their friends online, as opposed 1. the more traditional pastime of cruising around in cars.
For the high school students in films 2.Ferris Bueller's Day Off and American Graffiti, cars were the ultimate expression of individuality and personal freedom - just as they have been for generations of Americans.read on
Keith Martin, editor of Sportscar Market magazine, puts it more poetically: "Kids in the 50s and 60s wanted a set of wheels and they wanted a set of sexy wheels.
"It goes 3. to the the Wild West, when you got your first horse. You don't have to sit in your mom and dad's buggy any more. You have personal mobility."
But with money tight in many households, and the cost of gas and insurance soaring, some youngsters are having to choose between buying a car and owning the latest smartphone or tablet.
In a survey to be published later this year by Gartner, 46% of 18 to 24-year-olds said they would choose internet access 4. owning their own car. The figure is 15% among the baby boom generation, the people that 5. up in the 1950s and 60s - seen as the golden age of American motoring.
Wally Neil, a 25-year-old wholefood salesman, from Raleigh North Carolina, was determined to stand 6. from the crowd by not getting a driving licence and a car as soon as he was old enough.
But it was a decision 7. easier by the fact that he could speak to his friends online and play games with them over the internet so did not feel he was missing out. For Wally, 8. father Dan is a motoring writer and sports car enthusiast, walking everywhere or taking the bus when he was a teenager, 9. than learning to drive, was "an act of rebellion".
In recent years, the annual number of journeys 10. made by American drivers of all ages has declined significantly for the first time . Car use began falling in 2007, when average petrol prices almost doubled to $4.12 a gallon, and the economy started its slide into recession. But there are signs it is back on an upward trajectory and America remains a country dominated by the automobile.
"Vehicles will always be a popular mode of transportation in America. You have to take 11. consideration some places don't have access to mass transit. Cars are the only way some people can get around," says Kristin Nevels.
This makes driving an imperative in some rural states, 12. roughly twice as many teenagers are on the road than in major metropolitan areas.
bbc
from cruising to surfing
wheels: cyclos and zoobombers
(Listening: pt 2)
bbc
listen twice, write your answers in the boxes
cyclos
cyclos were originally brought to phnom penh by the 1. colonialists over 70 years ago.
they carry all sorts of things, from a 2., to sacks of cement and even motorbikes.
a good way to get customers is by going around the markets or waiting at the 3. spots.read on
and while there are about 1500 cyclos in phnom penh, there was 5. that number 5 years ago.
and life is difficult for the drivers, many don´t go home for months and 4. in their cyclos.
however, hope lies in the increasing number of 6. who like to go around in them
because like 7. in san francisco - they are part of the local way of life.
zoobombers
the pile of bikes in downtown oregon are 8. for zoobombing on sunday nights.
the club is open to anyone over 18, prepared to be 9. and, as well as wanting to have a great ride.
"zoobombing" gets its name from the 'zoo' where the ride starts and ´bombing´ which means going downhill very quickly on 10.answers, vids
watch the vids
cyclos in phnom penh bbc vid
zoobombing in portland bbc vid
a vid (subtitled) on the history of the cyclo ('cyclopousse') here
beauty is in the eye of the pixel
(Use of English: pt 3 word formation) write your answers in the boxes
 1. at the Department of Science at Dartmouth College have developed a software tool that can rate photographs based on how much they have been 2. altered with programs such as Adobe Photoshop. The proposed tool is part of an effort to bring truth to advertising and restore the 3. of natural beauty. | 1.research 2.digital 3.percieve |
read on
| “If the tool is used in the future, magazines and 4. could have a warning label on images similar to a nicotine ad,” Dr. Hany Farid, a professor of computer science and digital forensics at Dartmouth College, told Mashable. “There could be a number at the bottom of the photo revealing just how much it’s been altered.” Farid and Eric Kee, a Ph.D student in computer science at Dartmouth, published their research this week in the journal National Academy of Sciences. The tool would work on a rating scale of one to five. Farid and Kee created a base metric by analyzing and 5. measuring results from various before-and-after photos. “These 6. and highly idealized images has been linked to eating disorders and body image 7. in men, women, and children,” the paper said. “In response, several countries have considered legislating the labelling of retouched photos.” Although some countries in Europe such as Norway and France have already proposed the concept of labelling altered images, it has yet to be approved. “If 8." to label altered photos is passed then it will be important to have the right technology to determine the extent by which a photo has been altered,” Farid said. “If a magazine is only publishing pictures with ratings of five and you’re a model with a high score, there may be incentive for editors to lean back on 9. altering and not be so extreme,” Farid said. But the rating system would only work if all parties were on board. “It’s not something you want to rush into,” Farid said. “Everyone would need to be in 10..” mashable.com (edited) | 4.advertise 5.statistic 6.real 7.satisfy 8.legislate 9.excess 10.agree check out the pics |
the greatest thing since sliced bread?
(Use of English: pt 2 open cloze) write your answers in the boxes
Britain's 'cheapest' lunchtime meal was unveiled by scientists on Wednesday - the toast sandwich.
The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) is reviving the mid-Victorian dish, which, unsurprisingly, consists of two slices of bread around a slice of toast. The society is 1. confident, it will offer £200 to anyone who can create a cheaper alternative. The meal, costing 7.5 pence, was first promoted 2. Victorian food writer Mrs Beeton. It is taken from Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management which became a best-seller after 3. appearance 150 years ago.read on
The RSC's Dr John Emsley said: "You simply put a piece of dry toast between two slices of bread and butter, with salt and pepper to taste. I've tried it and it's surprisingly nice to eat and quite filling. I would emphasise that toast sandwiches are also good at 4. you calories as well as money, provided you only have one toast sandwich for lunch and 5. else."
The toast sandwich provides about 330 calories, and consumers could opt for the healthier alternative of margarine instead of butter - an ingredient not available to Mrs Beeton 6. she was writing her book before it was invented.
RSC employee Jon Edwards said: "In my student days I thought a meal of '9p noodles' from Tesco was the perfect example of careful spending - but a toast sandwich is tastier, quicker, has more calories and comes 7. at just 7.5p." Mr Edwards added that the 21st Century version of the toast sandwich is healthier than the one from Mrs Beeton's era due to the vitamins and minerals that are added to bread today.
British Dietetic Association spokeswoman Melissa Little said there were ways to make the toast sandwich much better for not that much 8. money.
"You can add an egg for 8p, it's not much and it would give you some protein and keep you fuller for longer - and it would make it taste much better. Half a can of sardines for 19p would provide good fats, you would get some fish, and again make you feel fuller for longer. Even adding some vegetables, 9. as cucumbers or carrots - would give you some more nutrients."
She suggested the exercise did highlight that people are struggling to pay for grocery bills and looking for alternatives. The more people talked about making healthy meals for less money, the better informed people 10. be, she said.
The first instalment of of Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management was published in 1861. It 11. over 60,000 copies in its first year of publication and nearly two million by 1868. As well as recipes the book contained advice on household management, childcare, etiquette, entertaining and the employment 12. servants.
bbc
mocking around too
(Speaking: mock)
all parts
pt 1 only
part 2, A photos & audio
part 2 A
part 2, B photos & audio
part 2 Bpart 3, 4 photos & audio
part 3
part 4
a big thanks to mikel and saioa for helping out.
you can find the above part 2 photos and more here
working holidays
(Use of English: pt 1 multiple-choice)
As the sun 1.
This is something the South Korean government is keen to tackle 2.read on
And it's not just South Korea that is finding it difficult to entice their workers to take leave. A recent survey revealed that 69% of Singaporeans and 77% of Hong Kong employees tune into work out of office 3.
"I never travel without both my mobile phones, my iPad and my laptop, and the first thing I do when I check into a hotel before I check 4.
Around 25% of the 1600 executives polled across Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand confessed that they found it impossible to switch off on holiday.
Advances in technology have made all this 6.
"We've found it's a really good service and we're going to have to buy some more because they are in demand," says general manager of the Intercontinental Bali Resort, Phil Riley. Almost 8.
"I work in the accounting 9.
The phenomenon of a 24/7 workplace has led to hyper-connectivity and faster turnaround times, 10.
"A practical tip, if you do want to stay connected with work, allocate some time at the end of the day or at the beginning of the day so you can 11.
As compensation for being available while on leave, employees are most commonly offered time 12.
bbc
longest working hours:
South Korea, 2,193
Chile, 2,068
Russian Federation, 1,976
Hungary, 1,961
Czech Republic, 1,947
Poland, 1,949
Estonia, 1,879
Turkey, 1,877
Mexico, 1,866
Slovak Republic, 1,786
...
Spain, 1,663
OECD 2010 average annual hours
californian girls
(Reading; pt 2)
Nancy King took up synchronised swimming when she was 77. She had worked all her adult life, raised four children and on retiring didn't suffer an identity loss or sudden crash in ambition. She volunteered to teach knitting and crochet classes for a charity for the blind.
One day she went to the pool to meet the Aquadettes. "I knew how to swim. 1.read on
How'd it work out?
"It worked out fine, believe it or not! So I thought maybe I could do the rest. I loved it, I was like a two-year-old."
Men aren't allowed to join, although they frequently ask. But, says King, you can't put them in long gloves and they'd complain about headdresses; really they are no fun to design costumes for. 2.
The costume changes are the hardest thing, going from a wet suit to a dry one, and the swimmers wear tights under their suits to aid the process. No one who joins has any training in the sport and the team tries, as far as possible, to operate a no-yelling policy when someone messes up. "We have one who gets into a little difficulty," says King. "But we don't holler at her. 3.
Little Mermaid-like, there is a stark and moving contrast between the freedom of movement team members have in the water as opposed to on land. The show this year was the first time Bouer used her walker to get to the poolside. Before, she would go in on someone's arm. "I do remember one man saying in intermission, 'I wonder why they let that handicapped person in?' 4.
The Aquadettes have featured in adverts and on breakfast TV in the US, and Bouer has attracted some attention for her use of medical marijuana, which helps her with the side-effects of MS. "I just carry a tiny pipe in the car. A couple of cigarettes. I grew my own plants. But I use it only for nausea."
5.
"The ladies are all sizes," says Andrews Link. "But they're very confident."
"It doesn't seem to matter anymore," says King.
"I was completely blase," says Bouer. "I took for granted my physical skills, but I've never been a beauty. I never thought about it. I've never really learned to do make-up. 6.
A team member might stop swimming, but no one really retires. You become an Aquadette emeritus and do the costumes or cheerlead. Without the team, says King, she'd be a couch potato and spend far too much time in front of a computer. 7.
the guardianChoose from A-H, there is one extra.
A There are always mean people. I don't care."
B The Aquadettes aren't all best friends, but they are a close and supportive network for each other, at what can be a difficult transitional life stage
C What can you do with all these wrinkles?" She smiles. "I'm 76 – but as far as I'm concerned I could be 56."
D When her 23-year-old grandson came to see the show one year, "he couldn't believe what old Grandma was up to".
E Instead, husbands are permitted to help backstage, with lighting or filming, and are referred to within Laguna Woods as the Aquadudes.
F In fact, the biggest controversy in the team is the mandatory all-black swimming costumes, which hide nothing.
G She does the best she can. She will never be the most synchronised.
H Then they asked me to do a somersault. I said, 'I haven't done a somersault probably since I was six.'
some useful links:
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