English

A compilation of newsTicker articles and exercises

September, 2009

CONTENTS

FIRE EVERYWHERE ....................................................... 03 WHAT THE EYE DOES NOT SEE....................................... 05 NO TIES ...................................................................... 07 TOO BOLD ................................................................... 09 A LONG WAY FROM HOME.............................................. 11 NOW YOU SEE ME......................................................... 13 WEATHERLESS SPOT..................................................... 15 BEAT THE CREDIT CRUNCH............................................ 17 FAN STORMS COURT..................................................... 19 SAILING IN THE SUN .................................................... 21 HEADS OR TAILS.......................................................... 23 BOOT IN FACE ............................................................. 25 HEAD OF THE YEAR....................................................... 27 COAST OF THE CARIBBEAN............................................ 29 FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN ............................................... 31 INTERRO-WHAT!?......................................................... 33 CHEETAH REINTRODUCED ............................................. 35 TRAGIC ACCIDENT........................................................ 37 AMAZING TREASURE..................................................... 39 A TIME TO REMEMBER................................................... 41 VIRTUAL SPA ............................................................... 43 

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02/09/2009

FIRE EVERYWHERE Two fire-fighters have been killed and several people injured in the devastating wildfire raging in the hills above Los Angeles. "This is a very angry fire that we're fighting right now," U.S. Forest Service Commander Mike Dietrich said. "I'm not overly optimistic but yet at the same time, our fire-fighters are going to be taking every action to keep this fire from burning more destruction." Some six thousand fire-fighters are battling the blaze on the ground and from the air, but so far, they have only contained five percent of the fire. More than 10,000 people have been evacuated, while schools in several districts cancelled classes. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency in four counties and stressed the importance of following evacuation orders "There were people that did not listen, and there were three people that got burned and got critically injured because they did not listen."

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EXERCISE

A. Identify all words in this news item that relate to fire. B. Which words are verbs / nouns / adjectives? C. Are the expressions used in a literal sense? D. Can you think of other adjectives that describe a fire? See how many you can find!

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03/09/2009

WHAT THE EYE DOES NOT SEE Plastic debris is choking our seas In fact, most of the garbage in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch consists of tiny fragments, tempting fish or birds, on the look-out for something tasty. "They're the right size to be interacting with the food chain out there," said Miriam Goldstein, the head of a team of researchers from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at University of California San Diego, who have been studying the Patch during a three-week expedition in August. The area may contain over 100 million tons of floating trash, including anything from fishnets and plastic water bottles, to candy wrappers and toys. Plastic debris doesn't biodegrade quickly and therefore floats at the surface, sometimes drifting thousands of miles. But when it does eventually decompose, it can be even more dangerous, releasing toxic chemicals that disrupt the functioning of hormones in marine life. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates sea trash kills 100,000 marine mammals each year.

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EXERCISE

A number of words in this article end in –ing, but they may be used in different ways. A.1. List all words ending in –ing. A.2. What kind of words are they? A.3. How are words ending in –ing used here? Try to express the same meaning in a different way! B.1. How can the problem of trash in our oceans be solved? Work in groups to find solutions. B.2. Afterwards, present the ideas of your group to the class. C. Use a thesaurus to find synonyms for the word "trash". How many words and expressions can you find? Are there any differences?

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NO TIES Government chills out

04/09/2009

During the hot months between March and November, male government employees in Bangladesh will no longer be required to wear suits, jackets or ties. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed has ordered men to wear trousers and shirts instead, and these do not have to be tucked in. Bangladesh's official dress code has been rewritten, so even ministers are no longer expected to wear suits and ties. The government will soon encourage businesses to follow this example. It is hoped that these changes will minimise the use of air-conditioners and save electricity. The country’s population is rapidly growing and power plants have difficulties meeting energy demands. Bangladesh has a tropical monsoon climate. The hot and humid monsoon season lasts from June to November, while April is the hottest month. Maximum summer temperatures range between 38 and 41 °C. Sheikh Hasina has been Prime Minister since the 2008 elections. She also held the office from 1996 to 2001.

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EXERCISE

A. 1. The text contains many passive forms. What is the meaning of the passive voice? A.2. List the passive forms used in the text. Are they all the same tense? Which tenses can you find? A.3. Try writing these sentences without using the passive! Can you find an appropriate subject for the verbs? A. 4. What reasons can there be for using the passive voice instead of an active construction? Discuss! B. What kind of climate does Bangladesh have? Is it like the climate of your own country? Discuss similarities and differences. C. In Bangladesh the dress-code has been changed to save energy. Do you think this is a good idea? What are the advantages and disadvantages?

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07/09/2009

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TOO BOLD Lost her job In December 2007, Vicki Walker, an accountant in Auckland, New Zealand, was fired for sending emails using words in red, bold and capital letters. She lodged a complaint at the Employment Relations Authority. Her previous employers have now been ordered to pay 17.000 New Zealand dollars for unfair dismissal. "I am a single woman with a mortgage, and I had to re-mortgage my home and borrow money from my sister to make it through," says Walker. "They nearly ruined my life." The employers claimed Walker had acted provocatively and had caused disharmony in the workplace by using block capitals, bold typeface and red text in her emails. The problem with capital letters is that the people who read the message may feel they are being shouted at. Martin Manser, author of the Good Word Guide, comments: "The thing about email is that there's no particular etiquette." he says. "In written letters, there are definite conventions that are right or wrong."

EXERCISE

Vicki Walker lost her job because she used an inappropriate style for writing emails. The Employment Relations Authority admitted that using capital letters caused a bad atmosphere at her workplace, but felt that the employers’ reaction was too strong. A. What are the rules for using capital letters in English? What are the rules in your own language? Are there any differences? B. Do you see differences in style for: texting / messaging / emails ? C. Is there an appropriate style for emails? Where does the limit go? D. Does using capital letters really mean you are shouting? Are there other reasons to write text in block letters? Discuss!

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08/09/2009

A LONG WAY FROM HOME Getting ready to move Discovery will soon be heading back to Earth, and is due back at Kennedy Space Center on Thursday. The astronauts are almost finished packing up the “moving van” that will soon return to Earth. The Italian-built van was flown up aboard the shuttle with seven tons of supplies and equipment, and will be sent back with a ton of trash. At 11 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Friday, part of an old rocket passed by while the astronauts were sleeping. The space junk missed the international space station by about 4.200 feet. NASA had been observing the situation and was ready to take action if necessary. On Sunday, the astronauts finally got the night off, and had time to rest. Timothy Kopra has been out in space since July. He says he'll miss the place, the people and the views, but is looking forward to seeing his family and "getting back to life in general on the planet."

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EXERCISE

A. Several of the verbs in this text are used with prepositions. A.1. Write a box around the verbs, and a circle around the prepositions. Which verbs are used in the text together with prepositions? A.2. Do you know other expressions with these verbs? What meaning do you get if you use another preposition? Try writing sentences with some of the expressions you found. B. What time was it 11 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time in your own time zone? Do you remember what you were doing Friday at that time? C. How far is 4,200 feet in the metric system? Do you feel this is a “close call”? D. Is space junk a problem? Discuss!

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NOW YOU SEE ME Now you don’t

09/09/2009

After persistent rumours that Big Brother Africa’s next housemate would be Namibian Reon Cloete, it now appears that we will be seeing 24-hour shifts of Edward Moongo instead. Or will we? For this autumn’s season, Edward is sharing his place with twin brother Erastus. The twins are supposed to change places for four weeks without being noticed. If they succeed, they can play individually. Otherwise they will have to play as one for the rest of the game. Edward is 33 years old and works as a public relations officer. He grew up in Sweden, and would love to go back there some day. His favourite food is seafood, traditional fare and oriental dishes. Edward also enjoys boxing and soccer, and says the best places to visit in Namibia are the Fish River Canyon and Swakopmund. The series will air for 91 days, until the final on December 6. New presenter is Nigerian television star IK Osakioduwa.

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EXERCISE

The article gives you some information about this season's Big Brother Africa. A. Imagine you are a reporter. Write an interview with new housemate Edward Moongo, including both your questions and his answers. B. Practice the interview with a classmate. C. What do you think of this kind of TV show? Discuss!

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WEATHERLESS SPOT To see the stars

10/09/2009

Researchers believe they have found the best observatory site in the world, located within the Australian Antarctic Territory, high up on the Antarctic Plateau. The site is called Ridge A, and lies at an altitude of 13,297 feet (4,053 meters), at a spot where no human has ever set foot. It has an average winter temperature of minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 70 degrees Celsius), as well as an extremely low amount of water in the air. The site is also very calm, "It's so calm that there's almost no wind or weather there at all," comments study leader Will Saunders, of the Anglo-Australian Observatory in Australia. "The astronomical images taken at Ridge A should be at least three times sharper than at the best sites currently used by astronomers," Saunders explains. "Because the sky there is so much darker and drier, it means that a modestly-sized telescope there would be as powerful as the largest telescopes anywhere else on earth."

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EXERCISE

The article describes the special qualities of the site the scientists found, using several adjectives, but also some other words and expressions. A.1. Underline all adjectives. A.2. Which adjectives are in the comparative or the superlative? B. Try to find the opposite of the expressions containing adjectives in the article. C. Do you know the rules for forming the comparative in English? D.1. Are other expressions used in the article to modify the description and to give a more precise idea? D.2 Can you find expressions in the article that describe the extreme conditions without using adjectives?

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11/09/2009

BEAT THE CREDIT CRUNCH And save the planet How much does it cost to leave your television on standby? What is the expense of playing computer games? Why not find out! Libraries in Edinburgh are there to lend you a helping hand in the downturn. Since the beginning of September they have energy meters on loan that you can borrow home for a week. These instruments reveal which appliances use the most electricity. The city council hopes this initiative will benefit the environment, while helping people cope during the recession. Councillor Robert Aldridge explains: "By making some small changes in how we live, we can all save money and also help save the environment - a win win situation." Additionally, you can get tips on how to cut costs and find guides to become more self-sufficient. Titles include: Money saving handbook, Pension handbook, Managing your debt, Financing your child’s future. Other books give advice on how to grow vegetables in your garden or cook inexpensive food.

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EXERCISE

The article contains some suggestions for how to save energy and at the same time save money. A. Imagine that you are a member of the city council of Edinburgh. Brainstorm in your group to find other ways to protect the environment, at the same time that you reduce expenses. B. Write a list of useful tips. Make your suggestions short and powerful! C. Present your suggestions to the class. D. Design a nice poster with a few of the suggestions that came up.

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14/09/2009

FAN STORMS COURT Blows kisses to Nadal After Rafael Nadal defeated Gael Monfils at the U.S. Open last Tuesday, one of his fans wanted to congratulate him right there on the court. The fan managed to give shirtless Nadal a hug, but was then arrested. Nadal's overenthusiastic fan, Noam Aorta, may have to live on this memory for some time. The 23-year-old will be charged with trespassing by the New York District Attorney, and could get up to one year in prison. The tennis champion tried to stop security personnel from intervening, saying that it was OK. "For me, it wasn't a problem," said Nadal. "The guy was really nice." Concerning his prospects, he said: "Right now, the rest of the tournament I know gonna be very difficult. I have to enjoy it." Thursday's encounter with Fernando Gonzalez was suspended. Nadal is struggling with an abdominal muscle injury and knee problems. The King of Clay has won six Grand Slam singles titles to date.

EXERCISE

A. Nadal's comment on his future chances is not quite grammatical. Have you got any suggestions how he could phrase this more correctly? B. When is it important to be grammatically correct, and when is communicating spontaneously more important? Discuss! C.1. There is a fine line between friendly support from your fans and causing problems. Where does the line go? Did Nadal's fan cross it? Discuss in your group! C.2. What arguments did you have? List your arguments! D.1. Nadal is competing despite his injuries. Is this a good idea? Why / why not? Discuss in your group! D.2. What arguments came up? List these arguments. E. 1. In a discussion, you often explain the reasons for your opinion. Which expressions can you use in English to provide reasons and explanations? Make a list of useful expressions! E.2. Use these expressions to write a short text with the arguments you found in exercise C.2 or D.2 above.

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15/09/2009

SAILING IN THE SUN Solar power to reduce emissions Four solar-powered ferries will begin sailing across Hong Kong’s harbour in November. The ferries display some of the potential of solar cells, and are good public relations for the industry that produces the cells. The initiative will help the city cut emissions of global-warming gases. The technology could cut in half carbon-dioxide output. Cleaner transport also reduces pollution and will improve air quality. Health-threatening air pollution in Hong Kong has increased to six times the levels of 2005. It is mostly street level contamination from local vehicles, since amounts of chemicals blowing in over the bay from Chinese industry have decreased as a result of the recession. Many Delta factories have closed. With a population of 7 million but an area of only 428 square miles, Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated cities in the world. It was handed over to the People's Republic by Britain on 1 July 1997. English and Chinese are both official languages.

EXERCISE

A. The verbs in this article are in several different tenses. A.1. Underline the verbs. Which tenses can you identify? A.2. Which verbs are in the present? Why do these sentences use the present tense? Can you see different reasons for using the present? A.3. Which sentences use the present perfect? Why is the present perfect used here? B. Some of the pollution in Hong Kong comes from industry outside the city. Industrial activity in one place can have serious effects in other places. Can you think of other examples? Discuss! C. Chemical pollution has decreased because some factories have closed. This means many people are also out of work. How can one solve such problems? Discuss! D. Stage a debate between representatives for an environmental agency and workers of one of the factories that closed in China.

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16/09/2009

HEADS OR TAILS? Back-side story We all know how important brains are (at least that is what we learn at school). But brains are only part of the story. In the gecko's chances to survive, tails play a significant part. When attacked, the gecko will simply drop its tail and move on, closing that chapter of its life. In the long run, this can affect the tail-less gecko's prospects on the marriage market. But in the short run, travelling light lets the gecko run faster, to escape a predator. What few of us realise is that the tail then leads its own life. Not only can it move (without being attached to the gecko's brain), but the tail writhes and jumps in complex, unpredictable patterns, as though it had a mind of its own. It is believed that such independent movements make the detached tail more interesting for the predator. It therefore represents an evolutionary advantage for the escaping lizard.

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EXERCISE

A. Find the opposite of the following words and expressions: important significant in the long run faster complex unpredictable independent detached interesting advantage B. Try to explain the meaning of these words and their opposites, using your own words. C. Can you find prefixes or suffixes that are used to make up these words? Do you know the origin of these words and /or prefixes/suffixes? Where can you find out more about the history of words?

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17/09/2009

BOOT IN FACE Star player charged Manchester City won 4-2 against Arsenal at the game played September 12th, but the charges against their star player Emmanuel Adebayor have cast a shadow over this victory. The 25-year-old has been charged by the Football Association for his alleged stamp on Arsenal's Robin van Persie, who had to be treated for a cut in his face. "I see him tackling and I don't have time to take my feet back because I'm trying to kick the ball," the Manchester player explains. "My feet touch his head. I feel sorry for him and even straight away, and at the end of the game, I said sorry." But the 26-year-old Dutchman does not accept such apologies: "He set out to hurt me." "The contact was only centimetres from my eye. I have not received an apology from him," van Persie adds. Referee Mark Clattenburg says he did not see the incident, otherwise he would have sent Adebayor off for violent conduct.

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EXERCISE

A. There are big differences between Adebayor's and Van Persie's versions of the incident. What are the differences? Do you think they are lying or telling the truth? Are they maybe both telling the truth? Or both lying? What do you think? B. If you are not completely sure of what happened, there are various ways of showing it in English. What words and expressions can you think of? Make a list of useful expressions showing different degrees of probability! (eg maybe, possibly...) C. It is difficult to know afterwards whether Adebayor's stamp was intentional, or just a reflex he could not control. But Van Persie was badly hurt. Why is football so violent? Does it have to be that way? Write a short text explaining your ideas on this issue!

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18/09/2009

HEAD OF THE YEAR New Year's celebrations What is the most meaningful thing in my life? What do I hope to achieve next year? These are some of the questions Jews are asking themselves, in preparation of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah (literally: head of the year). Together with Yom Kippur (day of repentance), Rosh Hashanah is one of the Jewish High Holy Days. Celebrations begin Friday September 18 at sundown, and continue until nightfall Sunday September 20. The Jewish New Year is a time of repenting and making amends. Some people symbolise the gesture of casting off the sins of the previous year, by throwing pieces of bread in a stream. Other traditions are eating apples dipped in honey. The bread loaf is baked in a round shape to symbolise circularity. Pomegranates are also a common symbol, signifying the beginning of a new season, but also all the good deeds and commandments you should remember!

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EXERCISE

A. We do not always find the time to think about the purpose of our lives. What are the things you want to achieve in life? Is there something you want to change in the coming year? Write a short text! B. Many traditions are full of symbolism. What do apples, honey or pomegranates symbolise? Can they symbolise other things? Think about what these things mean for you, and then discuss with your friends to see what their associations are. C. Write a description of an apple, honey or a pomegranate. Try to describe the appearance, but also the taste, smell and texture!

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21/09/2009

COASTS OF THE CARIBBEAN Independence Day in Belize Former Crown colony British Honduras is a very multicultural society. Original inhabitants were the Maya. Belize was then colonised by Spanish conquistadors. Later, English and Scottish pirates settled in the area. Slaves were imported from Africa. Mahogany used to be a major export. Today, almost half the country's exports come from sugar plantations, but the banana industry is the largest employer. Tourists love the coral reefs, lagoons and lush jungles. Ethnic groups include Maya, Kriols, Garinagu, Mestizos and Spanish. English is the only official language, and the main language of education. But less than 6% of the population speak English at home. About 40% of Belizeans speak Kriol as their native language. Kriol is a mixture of English and various African languages. 46% of the population speak Spanish at home. Maya languages are spoken by less than 5%. Bilingualism is very common.

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EXERCISE

A You may be familiar with the Pirates of the Caribbean films. Do you think there is any historical reality behind the fiction? What do you know about pirates in the Caribbean? Discuss! B. In Belize, English is the official language, even though most people have other native languages. What are the advantages of having English as the official language in a multicultural society? Are there disadvantages? Discuss! C. English is also the main language of education. What are the risks and advantages of this system? Discuss! D. Many people in Belize speak a creole. Is this a variety of English or a separate language? Why? What other creoles exist? Find out more about creoles!

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22/09/2009

FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN Or the unbearable lightness of existence This summer, a neatly dressed man was found wandering in Discovery Park, Seattle, with no recollection of who he was. Photos in the press later identified the man as Edward Lighthart, from Tucson Arizona. Although he has since recovered fragments of his memory, Lighthart still has no real sense of identity. "The crux of the matter of who I really am isn't there yet." "And I'm not sure that it's going to come back. This is one of the frightening things." The 53-year-old formerly lived in Shanghai, Sydney and Europe, and used to work as a business consultant. He speaks French and German. But that life feels superficial, he says. He also does not know how to go on from here, or who he can trust. When people say they know him, or talk about his past, there simply are no memories that match. "It's just been fear of the unknown," says Lighthart.

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EXERCISE

A .1. Work in groups to write a short dialogue between Lighthart and someone from his previous life. A.2. Perform the dialogue for your class. B. 1. What gives you a sense of identity? List the most important things for you personally. B. 2. Compare with your classmates - find out what is important for their sense of identity. Work in pairs or small groups! C. Imagine that you lost your memory and that you found yourself in a strange place. What would your feelings be? Write a short text!

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INTERRO-WHAT!? National Punctuation Day

23/09/2009

Do you know what a hash or a pilcrow is? What about because signs and irony marks?? September 24 is the day to consider the merits of the serial comma, to be dashing, to put stops and look for points. We open spaces, investigate cases and study periods. Or - if you prefer - you may want to draw a better design for the interrobang? In case you are wondering: the interrobang is the unique "nonstandard English-language punctuation mark intended to combine the functions of the question mark (also called the interrogative point) and the exclamation mark". This expressive punctuation mark was part of the Americana typeface, issued in 1966 by the American Type Founders. Punctuation, as we know it today, is a relatively recent invention. Until the ninth century A.D., written texts rarely had any punctuation, and sometimes no spaces between the words. On the other hand, medieval texts had other marks, like daggers and double daggers. While today, we may want to add emoticons.

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EXERCISE

Rules for punctuation in English can be quite fluid. A. Look at the following examples. Are there different ways to punctuate some of the sentences? Does the meaning change? Try reading the sentences aloud! First work in small groups, and afterwards discuss in class. if you say ill do it ill be very surprised i didnt write what me worry did somebody yell fire i often wonder what am i doing here i often wonder what i am doing here men like jim and mike cannot have babies to my parents ray charles and little richard woman without her man is nothing david copperfield unlike pilgrims progress which had had had had had had had B. Design more original punctuation marks. Make posters for your classroom!

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24/09/2009

CHEETAH REINTRODUCED Is it doable? India is planning to reintroduce the cheetah, which became extinct in the country in the late 1960s. It will probably have to be African cheetahs, since there are less than a hundred Asian cheetahs left. In Africa, some 10,000 cheetahs remain. Dr Laurie Marker of the Cheetah Conservation Fund says that the project will not be easy, but that it is "doable". "The cheetah living in India again might be a good thing." She feels that bringing back the predator might improve the health of grassland ecosystems. The cheetah has symbolic value in India. But Dr Ulhas Karanth is afraid that natural prey is not sufficient, and that the reintroduction can lead to conflicts with farmers. Cheetahs might attack their livestock or children. "If cheetahs are to be introduced, relocation of human settlements on a sufficient scale to create the vast habitats will be needed," says Dr Karanth.

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EXERCISE

A. Underline words you are not familiar with and look them up in a dictionary. B. Now orally explain the meaning of the words: extinct, reintroduction, prey, predator, ecosystem, habitat, human settlement, livestock, relocation. C. Without looking at the text, summarise the contents in your own words. D. Have a classroom debate between two conservation experts, one who is optimistic and the other more pessimistic. E. Find out more about cheetahs in India during the Mughal period.

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TRAGIC ACCIDENT Promising young surfer drowns Jacob Lollback drowned in a diving accident on the Great Barrier Reef on Tuesday. The popular surf lifesaving star from the Gold Coast was only 20 years old.

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"At 20 years of age, it's so wrong," said Mr. Lollback. "He had everything: the talent, the looks, and yet he took it all in his stride." "Jacob was not only a champion lifesaver but a champion bloke, who everyone just loved to be around," said Jacob's friend, fellow surfer Matt Poole. Jacob Lollback won several Australian titles, and had represented Australia four times at international events. He was captain of the Australian surf lifesaving team that competed in Japan last year. But last summer, he had not been able to compete because of a broken collarbone. Jacob loved diving and spear-fishing, and had been looking forward to the snorkelling trip that cost him his life. He worked with the Australian Lifeguard Service in NSW for the past four years.

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EXERCISE

A. Look at the use of past tenses in this article. Why does it say that Jacob "had been looking forward" to the snorkelling trip? B. Write a short text about other things that Jacob might have been doing just before the accident. C. Jacob was a champion lifesaver - how could this accident happen? What do you think? Discuss in small groups! D. Imagine that you are one of Jacob's friends. Write a short poem or song in his memory. Work in pairs! E. Find out more about the Great Barrier Reef. Present this information to your class.

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28/09/2009

AMAZING TREASURE Surge domine et dissipentur inimici tui The Staffordshire Hoard is a unique Anglo-Saxon collection of gold that was found earlier this summer. Now, Mr Andrew Haigh, Coroner for South Staffordshire, has officially declared the find to be treasure. It therefore belongs to the Crown. The inquest was held September 24th. Most parts of the treasure are from the seventh century. But we do not know when or why it was buried. The hoard is unique in many ways. It contains some 1,500 pieces, mainly gold, but also some silver. These make a total of 5 kg of gold. This is more precious metal found in a single site than anywhere else. But the find is unusual in other ways as well. For instance, the fabulous treasure is entirely masculine and linked to warfare. It contains ornamental parts of swords, but no women's jewellery at all. The area the treasure was found in belonged to the ancient kingdom of Mercia.

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EXERCISE

A. Have you ever dreamed of finding a real treasure? Write a short text describing how this might happen, and what you would do with the reward! B.1. How do you express the future consequences of unlikely events in English? (Think about sentences starting with If…!) B.2. Try changing the events you described in exercise A. so they take place in the future. C. What do you know about the life of the Anglo-Saxons in England? Find out more! D.1. Present information about the Anglo-Saxons to your class! D.2. If you have time, make drawings or models to illustrate Anglo-Saxon lifestyle and art.

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A TIME TO REMEMBER A time to forget Ever sit an exam and just wish you had photographic memory? Or try to remember the name of someone you know you ought to know? At times, we are able to block out an unpleasant event, while at other times, the ghost of things past comes to haunt us. A small number of people do seem to have an amazing

29/09/2009

capacity to remember. Jill Price from Los Angeles is one of them. When asked by Diane Sawyer on a talk show when Princess Grace died, Price answered without any hesitation: September 14, 1982. Sawyer thought it was a mistake, but it turned out the show's fact book was wrong, while Price was right. But Price is only good at remembering events that she can relate to her own life. Scientists think this may be a question of "elaborative encoding". That is, going over events in her mind, and thinking about how they connect to other events.

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EXERCISE

A.1. Have a memory quiz with you classmates, asking them about particular dates and times. (What were you doing on September 10? What were you doing last night between 7 and 8? etc.) A.2. Now let your classmates ask you, and see if you can remember what they were doing! A.3. What tense is "were doing"? Why is this tense used? B. Write a short report about your experiment, listing which things were easy to remember and which things were harder to remember. Why do you think some things were easier? C. Find out more about memory, and tell your class. Is there any information about memory you can use in your studies? Do all individuals learn the same way? D. Interview an older person about their youth. What was it like when they were the same age as you are? Write about your interview.

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30/09/2009

VIRTUAL SPA For the Transformers star In an interview on Jimmy Fallon's show last week, Megan Fox admitted that she was afraid of the dark. And ghosts. Honestly, who isn't? But the gorgeous 23-year-old also revealed that she is afraid of – paper... "I just can't stand to touch dry paper, like scripts or newspaper or anything that's not laminated," the actress explained. "I can't touch it with my hands. I have to constantly lick my fingers before I turn the page. On really crazy days, like if I'm sitting down reading a script, I'll have a little cup of water and dip my fingers into it before I turn every page." To solve this problem, she has bought a Kindle, a sophisticated wireless electronic reading device. And it seems lovely Megan really loves her gadgets. She told Fallon she was addicted to Sally's Spa as well. After the show, sales of iPhone's game skyrocketed.

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EXERCISE

A.1 Several adjectives are used to describe Megan's Kindle. What are these adjectives? A.2. What do you know about adjectives and word order in English? Is this the same as your own language or different? A.3. Try placing the adjectives used in the article in a different order. Is it possible? Would the meaning change? B.1. Write a list of 10 adjectives and 3 nouns on two slips of paper. Keep the slip with your own nouns, but pass your adjectives on to the group next to you. B.2. Now try combining adjectives and nouns in various ways. Work in small groups! B.3. Write a short story using some of the combinations you found. C. Write a noun and adjective on the whiteboard. Try to add more adjectives (you may have to change the order). See how many you can add! D. What are you afraid of? Ask a classmate and compare. Discuss in small groups or pairs.

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