Keira Knightley - The Teacher · 2016-03-22 · Keira Knightley p01-23 12/1/06 4:24 PM Page 1. 2 abb – abbreviation, adj – adjective, adv – adverb, coll – colloquial, i –

MODERNENGLISHPUBLISHING

ENGLISH DIGESTTHE MAGAZINE HELPING STUDENTS LEARN ENGLISH

MODERNENGLISH DIGESTTHE MAGAZINE HELPING STUDENTS LEARN ENGLISH

Vol 3 / Issue 6 £4.25

Plus:Plus:The Cost of GoldRisk-takingMercury

Jousting

Rupert Bear

Domesday Book

Keira Knightley

Jousting

Rupert Bear

Domesday Book

Keira Knightley

p01-23 12/1/06 4:24 PM Page 1

2

abb – abbreviation, adj – adjective, adv – adverb, coll – colloquial, i – idiom,n – noun, np – noun phrase, ph.v – phrasal verb, prep – preposition,

pron – pronoun, q – question word, v – verb

Your guide to the graded English used in Modern English Digest

We have packed this latest issue of Modern English Digest with a wide rangeof features that will make learning English interesting and fun! All thearticles in this magazine are carefully written in graded English to caterfor elementary and intermediate level students of English.

Macmillan Education is delighted to announce a partnership with ModernEnglish Digest magazine. Each issue will feature an extract from our award-winning series of simplified readers.

The magazine has a great mix of interesting articles that help improvevocabulary and understanding in cultural and work-specific context. We verymuch hope that you find the articles useful and relevant to your studies – please write in if you have any comments or visit our website,www.ModernEnglishDigest.com, for the latest news.

Key to glossaryIE

• Simple passive forms• Infinitives of purpose: to, in order to• Modals – could (ability), can (permission)• Present perfect• -ing verb form after like, enjoy• be interested in• used to & wanted to + verb• Defining relative clauses• Modal will with future reference• Conditional sentences (1 & 2)• Present Progressive with future reference

• Comparative and superlative of adjectives• Reported commands in the past• Adverbs of frequency and manner• Constructions with it and until• Indefinite pronouns: everyone, everybody, etc.• had better, would rather• Phrasal verbs• Reported speech• say and tell• Verb -ing as subject or object• Conjunctions: although, so, but, because

• Modal should + Passive Perfect• Past Passive• Modal could, may, might + Perfect Progressive• Present Perfect Progressive• Future Perfect• Should have + Past Participle• Needn’t have + Past Participle• Relative clauses, defining and non-defining• Which, whose• Adjective as noun• Subordinators: wherever, whenever

• Reflexive pronouns• Be supposed to, be likely to + verb• Double object verbs• As if + clause• Participial phrases• Modal will, could, should + Passive infinitive• Phrasal verbs with give, come + in the Passive• Indirect commands• Indirect questions with if and wh- questions• Modal could + Perfect Conditional with Past• Perfect (Third Conditional)

Intermediate I

Elementary E

p01-23 12/1/06 4:24 PM Page 2

LIFESTYLE16 Risk-taking

18 Charles Rennie Mackintosh

21 Trampolining: Jumping for Joy

24 A Tortoise and a Hippopotamus

26 Sleep – Tonic for a Busy Life

28 The Art of Picture Framing

30 The Cost of Gold

36 Mercury

39 Westonbirt Arboretum

43 Clog Step Dancing in Britain

LANGUAGE50 Office Language

BUSINESS52 Networking Yourself in the

Digital Age

ACTIVITIES56 Winter Window

58 Just for Fun

59 Why Not Test Yourself? answers

60 Find a Word

61 Know the Issue

FEATURES

3

4

The DomesdayBook8

Jousting12

Rupert Bear32

Keira Knightley46

The Hound of theBaskervillesA short story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, retold

by Stephen Colbourn published by Macmillan

Education.

Cover Photo © Richard Young /Rex Features

Keira Knightley: page 32IntermediateElementaryE I

CONTENTSCONTENTSI

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

E

E

E

I

I

I

I

E

E

E

p01-23 12/1/06 4:24 PM Page 3

The Domesday Book, described by somescholars as ‘the most important andextraordinary historical record in the

world’ has a unique place in Britishhistory. No other country possessessuch a single, detailed, comprehensiveand wide-ranging record of ordinarypeople’s lives dating from so far back intime. The Domesday Book is anencyclopaedic survey compiled andwritten some 28 generations ago in theyear 1086. This remarkable volumeprovides a fascinating and uniquerecord of life in eleventh centuryEngland.

The Norman King William I, called‘William the Conqueror’ by theEnglish, commissioned The DomesdayBook to take an inventory of thekingdom he conquered in 1066. TheDomesday Book is written onparchment, made from creamy yellowsheepskin. Amazingly, the book’s pagesremain almost as supple today as theywere over 900 years ago. The book’swriters used various coloured inks towrite down their records. Although alittle faded after so many years, thebook’s pages are as clear and legible aswhen first written.

For centuries scholars and historiansoverlooked the immense significance ofthe detailed records in The Domesday

Book, and paid little attention to thisremarkable document. For hundreds ofyears the book was locked away in achest in Winchester, in the south ofEngland and then in London, atWestminster. However, in theeighteenth century, after nearly fortyyears of study, a scholar called AbrahamFarley published his own version of TheDomesday Book. Farley’s studies madethe text more accessible and betterstructured for potential researchers.

The Domesday Book is a treasure chestof priceless and invaluable informationthat provides a detailed insight intoEnglish society in 1086. It tells usabout real people: their names; wherethey lived; who they worked for; theiroccupations and their lifestyles. Thebook tells the story of a rural Englandlong ago with only a few scatteredtowns and vast tracts of emptycountryside. The country’s entirepopulation numbered around twomillion individuals who lived largely inthe south and east of the country.England, even in the eleventh century,had well established historical rootswith a long legacy of culture stretchingback over a thousand years to theRoman occupation. Indeed, comparedto many of its continental Europeanneighbours, England was a relatively

4PHOTO © ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

FEATURE

The Domesday BookBY JOE ST. CLAIR

p01-23 12/1/06 4:24 PM Page 4

5

p01-23 12/1/06 4:25 PM Page 5

wealthy country. The country benefitedfrom the export of high quality wool tothe continent – a trade which remainedimportant to England’s economy forseveral centuries to come. The DomesdayBook is the record of how the victoriousNorman nobles who conqueredEngland took over the assets of theconquered Saxon society.

We know from historical records thatWilliam the Conqueror spent thewinter of 1085 in Gloucester. From thisimportant trading centre on the RiverSevern in the southwest of England,William decided to find out everythinghe could about his newly acquiredcountry. He summoned his council andtold them of his plan to conduct the

most thorough and detailed survey everundertaken. William wanted to knoweverything. He wanted to knowprecisely who owned each parcel ofland: what livestock they owned; thenature of their employment; and, mostimportantly for William, what ‘dues’ ortaxes he could make them pay.

1085 was a difficult year forWilliam’s surveying teams to travel thelength and breadth of England in theirquest to complete the task. The year isnoted for torrential rain, plague,pestilence, famine, ruined crops - andthe occasional brutal suppression of theSaxon population by the Normannobles. In addition, foreign powersconstantly probed William’s defences to


p01-23 12/1/06 4:25 PM Page 6

see if they could snatch his newly wongains in England from him.

Amazingly, however, William’s teamof surveyors completed the 900 pagenational record within a year – aconsiderable achievement by anystandards. Although William’s focuswas on maximizing his tax revenues,The Domesday Book survives as one ofthe world’s most thorough and accuratesurveys ever of a land and its people.

Today scholars use this incrediblerepository of knowledge to gain ameticulous eye-witness account of everymeadow, orchard, woodland, pasture,

fishpond or village in England alongwith fascinating details of theindividuals who ploughed, fished,harvested or travelled the land. Anyoneinterested in seeing this remarkablebook for themselves can find TheDomesday Book in the NationalArchives at Kew, London. Every dayvisitors from all over the world come tostand in awe and wonder before thisunique and wonderful record whoseimpact on governments around theworld lives on in modern populationcensuses and taxation recordseverywhere. ✪

7

Comprehensive (adj) thorough and complete.Encyclopaedic (adj) containing a great amount of information.

Inventory (n) a list Supple (adj) soft and easy to bend.Accessible (adj) easy to use. Legacy (n) something that lasts after one’s death.

Livestock (n) farm animals Pestilence (n) a serious illness.

Why not test yourself?Read the article on The Domesday Book and complete the sentences belowwith one of the figures in the box:

1085, 40, two million, 28, 900

a The Domesday Book is an encyclopaedic survey compiled and written some_____________ generations ago.

b Amazingly, the book’s pages remain almost as supple today as they wereover _____________ years ago.

c However, in the eighteenth century, after nearly _____________ years ofstudy, a scholar called Abraham Farley published his own version of TheDomesday Book.

d The country’s entire population numbered around _____________ individualsand lived largely in the south and east of the country.

e We know from historical records that William the Conqueror spent the winterof _____________ in Gloucester.

p01-23 12/1/06 4:25 PM Page 7

With a winning combination ofspectacular pageantry, costumes,danger and skill, jousting still stirs

the blood and hearts of competitors andspectators alike. Over 700 years agojousting was one of the most popularpastimes for noblemen and chivalrousknights. Set against a backdrop offluttering flags, great fanfares and hugecrowds, two men on horsebackfearlessly rode towards each otherarmed with potentially lethal woodenlances. To win, a knight needed tobreak his opponent’s lance to gainpoints. The knight with the mostpoints at a joust received accolades,riches and sometimes even royalpatronage. With its lethal speed,marksmanship and horsemanship,jousting seems a strangely dangeroussport to have much of a modernfollowing. But jousting tournaments areindeed thriving as some of the mostunusual events on offer in the world ofequestrian sports today.

Nowadays jousters perform theirfantastic feats of bravery at severalhistoric castles across Britain. Asstuntmen and actors in historical periodfilms and television dramas,contemporary jousters have ampleopportunity to show their extraordinaryequestrian skills. It takes at least five

years to train a horse for jousting. Anexpert jouster requires fantasticallygood coordination with his or herhorse. A great jouster also needs to bevery fit with quick reflexes andmuscular strength in the upper body.

Jousting, it has to be said, is decidedlyanachronistic. The required dress harksback to the safety needs andtechnologies of the 13th century. Thetunic, made from chain-mail, is heavyand cumbersome. Thick leather boots ormetal guards protect the legs. A helmetprotects the head, but vision is limitedthrough the eye-slot or visor. The entireensemble, a richly decorated costumetopped with a feather plume, lookssumptuous, but – as with so many old-fashioned things – is actually veryuncomfortable! Fully protected in thisgear, atop a carefully armoured horse,the jouster is ready to take on all comers.

Quite apart from the required dress,the wooden lance is also a fearsomesight.

Riding down the tilt, or joustingcourse, the jouster must hold a long,heavy lance. The lance must hit theright-hand corner of an opponent’sshield to score points. This requiresstrength and skill while riding apowerful horse. The jouster holds thelance in the right hand tilted about 60

8

FEATURE

JoustingBY SARA HALL

p01-23 12/1/06 4:25 PM Page 8


p01-23 12/1/06 4:25 PM Page 9


p01-23 12/1/06 4:25 PM Page 10

degrees to the side to hit the opponentwith maximum impact.

In mediaeval times, jousts wereorganised by men called heralds, whosent out challenges in preparation of atournament. Champions were rankedaccording to how good they were. KingHenry VIII was a keen jouster. Andright up until Queen Elizabeth I’sreign, jousting competitions drew hugecrowds, providing an opportunity for afun-packed day off work. Today,jousting competitions are held acrossthe world, drawing competitors fromfar and wide. Approximately fifteenother countries, apart from Britain,have jousting teams. Some of the top-ranked come from Canada, USA,France and Germany.

But jousting is not just a pastime forexperts and professionals. Severalorganisations are prepared to teach thesport to those with the most basic horseriding skills. For example, there aredifferent weights of lances forbeginners. Novices start withlightweight wooden poles and graduallywork up to the ultimate weapon – thefull-weight purple lance! Beginnerspractice their lance work by ridingagainst a quintain, or target shield.Only when they can hit the quintainwith perfect accuracy are joustersactually allowed to ride out against each

other. The thrill of riding a horse, withall the accompanying paraphernalia, is atimeless and unique experience.Jousting does not easily fit into anysporting category. With its unique mixof thrilling danger and hard-wonexpertise, jousting shares a great dealwith the world of extreme sports. Butwith its ritual and ancient codes ofhonour, it has much in common withtournament and field sports. And itsplace among equestrian sports is not indoubt. No matter how people placejousting, its ritual of heart-stoppingshowmanship and sporting skill iswinning it new audiences all around theworld. Jousting has survived unchangedfor over 700 years, but now seems set toflourish as never before in the 21stcentury. ✪

11

Pageantry (n) the traditional display that is part of a ceremony.Chivalrous (adj) showing kindness and respect.

Accolade (n) an honour and a sign of praise.Equestrian (adj) relating to horses.

Anachronistic (adj) not relating to the present time.Paraphernalia (n) objects that are related to an activity bit which are not especially necessary or useful.

“The thrill of riding ahorse, with all theaccompanyingparaphernalia, is atimeless and uniqueexperience.”

p01-23 12/1/06 4:25 PM Page 11

Of all the characters created byauthors, artists and cartooniststhrough the ages, few remain as

enduring and as treasured as Rupert theBear. Rupert made his first appearance,over eighty five years ago, on the 8thNovember 1920, in the pages of theBritish newspaper, the Daily Express. Tothis day, Rupert remains a permanentfeature of the paper. Indeed, no otherBritish newspaper can claim a characterthat rivals Rupert for popularity orlongevity.

Mary Tourtel, a well-established andrespected artist and children’s bookillustrator, created Rupert initially forher own amusement. Mary was also thewife of Herbert Tourtel, the NightEditor of the Daily Express. Throughher husband, Mary learned that thenewspaper was looking for ideas toinspire a regular comic strip with broadfamily appeal. However, the DailyExpress struggled to find anything withthe right kind of appeal. EventuallyMary decided to show the newspaper’seditorial team her drawings of the littlebear in the distinctive checked trousers.The people at the Daily Express weredelighted. They immediately recognisedthe charm and popularity of a teddybear based character for readers of allages. Without more ado, they took

Rupert the Bear to the printing pressand into the hearts of Express readersall over the country.

Strangely enough, the Daily Expresswas desperate to find a new character inorder to compete on even terms with itsrival, the Daily Mail. The Daily Maillaunched a cartoon in 1915 featuringthe adventures of a character called‘Teddy Tail’. Interestingly, ‘Teddy’ wasbased on a mouse rather than a bear.Despite this, the Teddy stories appealedstrongly to Mail readers. The cartoonfeature ran for some 45 years in all,coming to an end only in 1960. TheExpress intended Rupert as theirknock-out weapon against Teddy intheir never-ending campaign to takereaders from the Mail.

Despite this, Rupert made his debutin 1920 in a low-key fashion. Heappeared, along with four rhymingcouplets, in a single panel at the bottomof a page. An editorial note told readersto look for the next part of the story onthe following day. The story, called‘Little Lost Bear’, depicted Rupertbeing sent off shopping by his parentswho warned him not to stray from thepath on the way to the shops. This veryfirst printed picture of Rupertestablished his look that remainsunchanged to this day – checked scarf,

12

FEATURE

Rupert BearBY RORY GEAR

p01-23 12/1/06 4:25 PM Page 12

checked trousers, sweater and sturdyshoes set off by the wide-eyedinnocence of the archetypal teddy bear.However, Rupert’s taste in colours haschanged with the times. Mary dressedRupert originally in a blue sweater anda grey scarf. Nowadays Rupert alwaysappears dressed in matching yellow

scarf and trousers which contrastbrightly with his red sweater.

Although Rupert is a bear, he typifiesthe life of a small boy living with hisparents in an idyllic English village ofthatched houses called Nutwood.Surrounded by woodland and commonland, Nutwood provides the setting for

13

p01-23 12/1/06 4:25 PM Page 13

most of Rupert and his friends’adventures. Rupert’s friends are alllifelong pals with endearingly obviousschoolboy traits of one kind or another.Mary depicted the earliest of thesecharacters as a badger (Bill Badger),dog (Algy Pug) and elephant (EdwardTrunk) who all show aspects of theanimal to which they are related(tenacity, loyalty, wisdom etc).Alongside these schoolboys, Marypopulated the area of Nutwood with ahost of engaging characters includingkings, wizards, witches and dwarves.Mary’s storytelling is firmly rooted inthe Hans Christian Anderson andBrothers Grimm fairy tale genre she soenjoyed as a child herself. Importantly,Mary’s husband, Herbert, wrote all therhyming couplets that accompaniedeach cartoon story. The deepunderstanding between this husbandand wife creative team underpins muchof the magic of Rupert’s many early

adventures.In no time at all, Rupert

became a key feature for thereaders of the Express. Mary’sworkload as the mostimportant illustrator for thenewspaper grew accordingly.By 1935 the strain on Marybecame too great and illhealth forced the DailyExpress to search for asuccessor. Not surprisingly,this appeared an almostimpossible task. However, thenewspaper eventually ‘struckgold’ when they contacted

another extremely talented illustrator,Alfred Bestall. Alfred worked as aregular, recognised magazine illustratorfor Punch and when the Express askedhim to take over the Rupert cartoons.Alfred was initially sceptical that hewas the right person for the job.However, after a few attempts atdrawing Rupert he came to really lovethe character. Indeed, the illustratorbecame so passionate about Rupert andhis world that, when Herbert Tourtelretired, Alfred volunteered to take onwriting all the rhyming couplets foreach of the stories.

A year after Alfred took over thecreative role for Rupert, the DailyExpress decided on a bold move. Theeditor collected all of the serialisedstories and published them together ina single volume. So the first RupertAnnual was born. The Rupert Annualremains a regular Christmas bestsellerto this day. Millions of children and

14

p01-23 12/1/06 4:25 PM Page 14

adults alike await a Christmas gift ofthe new Rupert Annual with eagerdelight. The success of the RupertAnnual led many other cartoon series tocopy the idea. However, very fewcartoon Christmas specials achieve themassive readership regularly enjoyed bythe Rupert Annual.

Today Rupert is as popular as ever,his appeal crosses all ages and culturalboundaries. The Rupert Annuals andearly stand-alone story books remainamong the most collectable items ofjuvenile literature. Collectors also valuemany of the countless spin-off Rupert

toys, jigsaw puzzles, games and posters.For 85 years the adventures of RupertBear have entertained generations ofchildren by transporting them to amagical world that never fails toenchant. In finding Rupert, the DailyExpress seemed to find a way ofcommunicating a sense of Englishnesswhich appeals the world over. Nomatter how the modern societychanges, the essential honesty anddecency of the Rupert stories, theloyalty and love of friends and family,promise to attract readers in the futurejust as strongly as in the past. ✪

15

Why not test yourself?Read the article on Rupert Bear and complete the sentences below with one ofthe words in brackets:

extremely, brightly, enduring, strongly, endearingly, low-key

a Of all the characters created by authors, artists and cartoonists through theages, few remain as ______________ and as treasured as Rupert the Bear.

b Despite this, the Teddy stories appealed ______________ to Mail readers.

c Despite this, Rupert made his debut in 1920 in a ______________ fashion.

d Nowadays Rupert always appears dressed in matching yellow scarf andtrousers which contrast ______________ with his red sweater.

e Rupert’s friends are all lifelong pals with ______________ obvious schoolboytraits of one kind or another.

f However, the newspaper eventually ‘struck gold’ when they contactedanother ______________ talented illustrator, Alfred Bestall.

Longevity (n) a long life. Editorial (adj) relating to the editing of a newspaper.Distinctive (adj) easily recognised. Archetypal (adj) typical of a sort of person or object.

Typify (v) to be a good example of something. Trait (n) a part of someone’s personality.Sceptical (adj) unsure about the truth of something.

Serialise (v) to publish in parts or instalments.Juvenile (adj) relating to young people. Spin-off (n) a welcome by-product.

p01-23 12/1/06 4:25 PM Page 15

Most people take risks at some pointin their lives. Many individualsapproach risk with great caution.

These people assess their options withcareful consideration of the likelychallenges ahead. However, a numberof others feel an irresistible urge to takeever-more challenging and dangerousrisks. To service this need, there is awide range of extreme sports providinga bewildering array of thrill-seekingactivities. The ‘adventure travel’

business is booming, offering whitewater rafting, paragliding, sky-divingand hard trekking in some of the mostinhospitable places on Earth.

But risk-taking can lead to disaster.Derek Hersey famously climbed theYosemite Sentinel Rock with noequipment whatsoever – an activitycalled ‘free solo climbing’. Tragically,due to his lack of safety equipment, heplunged to his death. What madeHersey do this? Was he a fool – orsome kind of daredevil hero?

One explanation of such risk-takingis a biological one. Many people believethat it is perfectly normal for youngmales to seek the rush of adrenalin thataccompanies dangerous sports oractivities. Others say that such death-defying thrill-seeking is dysfunctional; asign of an addictive personality. Themountaineer, Jim Wickwire, lost severalfingers and part of his lung whenclimbing the arduous and difficult K2in the Himalayas. Despite his suffering,Jim remained undeterred. He felt anirresistible pull back to mountainclimbing. Though handicapped,Wickwire went on to climb the world’shighest mountain, Mount Everest.Afterwards, the mountaineer claimedEverest simply challenged him to climbit; he had no choice in the matter. So


LIFESTYLE

Risk-takingBY PAUL BRESS

p01-23 12/1/06 4:25 PM Page 16

again: was Wickwire’s behaviourreckless or heroic?

Most psychologists say that the desirefor risk-taking is important for survival.In pre-historic times, humans fought,foraged, and explored in order tosurvive. And the actions of one risk-taker sometimes allowed a whole groupof humans to stay alive.

Psychologists also claim thatgenerally speaking, people are dividedinto risk-takers and non-risk-takers,depending on different levels ofchemicals in their brains. Risk-takers’brains usually contain lower levels ofMAO (monoamine oxidose). Suchbrains can handle high levels ofstimulation without the impulse tofight or run away. Risk-takers alsoexhibit other particular behaviourpatterns besides a delight in extremesports. Risk takers are more likely to goon a blind date. They often look forunusual or changeable partners. Theytypically prefer jobs involving risk andunpredictability, such as police work orinvestigative journalism.

But people are not always risk-takerspurely as a result of the chemistry intheir brains. In certain circumstances,people actually learn to take extremerisks. For example, it is possible for arisk-averse person to join a climbingclub and then find themselves inspiredby the culture of the club to take risks

they found impossible to imaginebefore. Sometimes, in fact, this processof becoming risk-friendly is actually aconscious one. The story of RichardGottlieb shows how this can be so.Gottlieb feared death enormously.Rather than live a life ruled by this fear,Gottlieb decided to actively take risksthat challenged him with the possibilityof death. Gottlieb now climbs frozenwaterfalls as a recreation. He says hehas overcome his fear of dying as adirect consequence of his extreme sport.Taking risks has helped him come toenjoy every moment of his life to thefull.

Perhaps risk-taking is neither a badnor a good thing: simply a product ofhuman nature. In ancient times, facingdanger was an integral part of survival.But in today’s much safer world, manypeople find that they lack a certain senseof excitement and zest to life. For thesepeople, taking risks to conquer theirpersonal fears can be the key to a muchmore vital, enjoyable life. The ever-growing range of challenging sportingactivities available the world over seemsto show that this need for life-testingadventure is deeply engrained in thehuman population as a whole. Risk, itseems, is set to remain a part of thehuman future by choice – perhapsprecisely because it was so important apart of our prehistoric past! ✪

17

Irresistible (adj) hard to control or stop. Array (n) a large number or group.Daredevil (n) a person who enjoys doing dangerous things.

Adrenalin (n) a chemical in the body that helps respond to fear or excitement.Reckless (adj) not thinking of possible bad effects.

Forage (v) to search for food Risk-averse (adj) opposed to taking risks.

p01-23 12/1/06 4:25 PM Page 17

Charles Rennie Mackintosh was born,one of eleven children, in 1868 inGlasgow, Scotland’s largest city. After

school, Mackintosh trained as anarchitect locally and, from the age of15, studied art and design at theGlasgow School of Art. While studyinghe met his future wife MaryMacDonald and his close friend,Herbert MacNair. MacNair went on tobecome Mackintosh’s brother-in-lawwhen he married Mary’s sister, Frances.Together these four talented peoplefounded the movement now called TheGlasgow Style.

Mackintosh believed architecture tobe the supreme discipline because of theunique way it brings all the arts together.He aimed to connect individuals withhis work both functionally andspiritually. Mackintosh achieved this bycombining a series of carefully balancingopposites: modernity with tradition, themasculine with the feminine, light withdark, and the sensual with the chaste.Mackintosh created a distinctive stylethat continues to influence top architectsaround the world today.

Mackintosh suffered poor healthduring his childhood. He walked with alimp from an early age. Later he

developed a problem with his right eyewhich caused it to droop. As a result ofhis ill health, and taking the advice ofhis doctors, Mackintosh left Glasgowfrequently to spend time in thecountryside. Mackintosh’s love ofnature was a major influence on hiswork. In 1890 Mackintosh won atravelling scholarship to visit thecontinent. This trip, especially his timein Italy, strongly shaped the aestheticideas Mackintosh brought to his work.In particular, it drew the youngarchitect in to the thriving ArtNouveau movement so influential inEurope at that time.

The Glasgow School of Art stands asthe greatest of Mackintosh’s manyaccomplishments. In 1896 the schoolran a competition to find the bestarchitect for its proposed new building.Mackintosh’s design set out some trulygroundbreaking thinking. Mackintoshproposed to create a building thatprovided a unified and harmoniousworking building for students andteachers. The dramatic design and thedominating windows of the west wing,in particular, promised to deliver a trulynew and 20th century style ofEuropean architecture. Today the


LIFESTYLE

Charles Rennie MackintoshThe Glasgow style

BY LOUISE STRAUCH

p01-23 12/1/06 4:25 PM Page 18

19

Glasgow School of Art is athriving art school whose vision

and creativity is perfectly expressed bythe architectural genius of its historically

important building. Over 20,000 visitors ayear come to see the Glasgow School of Art

for themselves.Hill House is Mackintosh’s finest domestic

creation. Designed for the publisher WalterBlackie at the beginning of the 20th century,Hill House is a unique creation that reflectsBlackie’s desire for totally harmonious living.Blackie asked Mackintosh to design much of thefurniture and interiors of the house as well aslaying out the design for the gardens.Mackintosh’s wife contributed fabric designsand a panel over the fireplace in the diningroom. The house is now in the care ofThe National Trust for Scotland which

restored the original furniture, fixingsand fittings of the interior design

to their former glory.

p01-23 12/1/06 4:25 PM Page 19

20

Aesthetic (adj) relating to beauty in art.Groundbreaking (adj) trying new methods for the first time.

Frieze (n) decoration on the walls of a room or building. Acclaim (n) praise.Obscurity (n) not being remembered or noteworthy. Atelier (n) an artist’s studio.

obscurity in London in 1928.Today Mackintosh has a well-

respected reputation both in his homecountry, Scotland, and in all major artcentres around the world. The majorityof his work is housed in Glasgow in thecity’s university and its museums.Glasgow is also home to a thrivingCharles Rennie Mackintosh industry.Small craft shops and art ateliersproduce jewellery as well as many otherhome accessories modelled onMacintosh’s original designs.

However, perhaps the most notabletestament to Mackintosh’s enduringsuccess is his House for an Art Loverwhich he designed in 1901.Mackintosh never saw this buildingbecause construction on it only startedin 1989, some 61 years after his death.Work on the building finished someseven years after that in 1996. Visitorsto the House for an Art Lover can viewa series of Mackintosh exhibitionrooms. Mackintosh’s original designsfor each room are on display so visitorscan compare the concept to the finishedreality. This truly 20th century buildingis today one of Glasgow’s most popularand prestigious attractions. House foran Art Lover shows just how deeplyMackintosh’s thinking continues toinfluence the vitality, style and culturalverve of Mackintosh’s home city andhis native country as a whole. ✪

Early in his career, Macintosh metMiss Catherine (Kate) Cranston, whogreatly influenced his work. A localGlasgow businesswoman with a firmbelief in temperance, Cranston openeda series of four art tearooms across thecity. Between 1897 and 1917,Macintosh designed or restyled manyof the rooms in all four shops. TheWillow Tea Rooms are the mostfamous of these buildings becauseMackintosh modelled both the exteriorand the interior. Mackintosh’s attentionto detail included the choice of outfitfor the waitresses and the look and feelof every last teaspoon. At their mostpopular, the Willow Tea Roomsextended over five levels. From theoutset, the Room de Luxe provided themain attraction; its silver furniture andleaded mirror friezes ensured thatcustomers were always happy to pay anadditional penny for the pure pleasureof drinking their cup of tea there.

Despite the success of these projects,Mackintosh’s work did not receive widecritical acclaim in the UK during hislifetime. For a period he and his wifemoved to the continent to find workand recognition. In the latter years ofhis life Mackintosh moved to Englandwhere he focused on flower studies inwater colour. He spent his final years inthe south of France paintinglandscapes. Mackintosh died in relative

p01-23 12/1/06 4:25 PM Page 20

Trampolining is a hugely popularrecreational activity. Across the UKyou now find trampolines in many

homes and gardens, ranging from minitrampolines for toddlers through tohuge models designed for large gardens.Market research shows that trampolinesare now the third most-wanted gift forchildren aged 5 – 13 years. To meet thisdemand, high street retailers and

traditional sports equipment stockistsare rushing to enter the trampolinemarket.

Trampoline manufacturers are fondof saying that the Eskimos created thefirst trampolines when they usedstretched walrus skins to toss eachother high up into the air. Indeed someof the bestselling postcards in theairport at Anchorage, Alaska show


LIFESTYLE

Trampolining: Jumping for JoyBY LOUISE STRAUCH

p01-23 12/1/06 4:25 PM Page 21

modern-day Eskimos trampolining inthis traditional way. However,stretching material to toss people upinto the air is not unique to Eskimos.Many cultures have a folk tradition oftossing people in a blanket for fun or asa form of celebration. In Europe thisactivity evolved into a form of publicentertainment when touringentertainment troupes added a‘bouncing bed’ routine to their act. The‘bed’ consisted of stout canvas stretchedover a frame covered with bed clothes.The ‘bed’ allowed acrobats to add ahuge range of visually amusing moves

to their standard comedy acts.However, circus tradition credits the

showman Du Trampolin as theinventor of the large-scale, fine-gradenet trampoline that we take for grantedtoday. Du Trampolin noticed that sometrapeze artists used the safety netunderneath their swings to end their actby bouncing down to the ground in anathletic and elegant way. Du Trampolinexperimented with variouscombinations of net and frame designto find the best way of providing liftand control to allow the entertainer tosafely bounce, twist and somersault


p01-23 12/1/06 4:25 PM Page 22

through the air. The entrepreneurGeorge Nissen took Du Trampoline’sbasic designs a stage further in the1930s. Working in his garage at home,Nissen created a trampoline on whichgymnasts were able to show off theirdiving, tumbling and acrobatic skills.These shows caught the attention ofserious sports coaches, clubs andenthusiasts. From this humble start,trampolining as we know it today,spread around the world.

But trampolining is more than just arecreational sport. During the SecondWorld War the United Statesgovernment used trampolines toimprove the orientation skills of itspilots and navigators. Later, Americanand Soviet astronauts trained ontrampolines to simulate variable bodypositions in flight. As you can see fromthis, trampolining offers a very healthyworkout with deep aerobic exercise thatdoes not place stress on your joints andtendons.

However, trampolines do pose healthrisks when people use them carelessly.In 2002, the latest year for whichfigures are available, the Royal Societyfor the Prevention of Accidents reportsthat 11,500 people in the UK went tohospital with a trampoline relatedinjury. Of these, 4,200 took place athome and involved children under theage of 15 – a four fold increase on the

previous five years. So doctors adviseanyone thinking of buying a trampolineto make sure that they supervisechildren at all times. Safety guidancesuggests that a round trampoline isusually the safest as the design naturallysends the trampoliner back into thecentre with every bounce, therebyreducing the risk of accidentally fallingoff.

However, there are three key safetyrules that everyone needs to observe toavoid injuries of any kind. Rule numberone is for only one child to bounce onthe trampoline at a time. Severalchildren bouncing together is sure tolead to an injury of some kind oranother. And the weight of an adultbouncing with a child will pull thechild into the middle of the trampolinewhere the heavier adult is sure to knockinto them. Rule number two is that thetrampoline must be placed on levelground with no obstructions around it.And, ideally, rule number three is for atall safety net around the trampoline tomake sure no one can fall off! Fallingfrom a trampoline to the ground cancause serious spinal injuries – and evenvery bad head injuries if you fall head-first. But, observe the safety rules andyou will find that trampolining givesyou a fantastic healthy work out withmore fun than almost any other form ofexercise you can think of. ✪

23

Troupe (n) a group of performers.Stout (adj) strong and thick.

Trapeze (n) a bar attached to two ropes that are attached to the ceiling.Entrepreneur (n) a business person.

p01-23 12/1/06 4:25 PM Page 23

This tale is so strange that you couldnot possibly make it up. It involves anorphaned baby hippopotamus and a

giant tortoise. The younghippopotamus, rescued from a terriblenatural disaster, is an orphan while thetortoise is over one hundred years old.But the extraordinary story of theunlikely friendship between Owen thehippopotamus and Mzee the tortoise isabsolutely true.

Both animals are owned by Dr. PaulaKahumbu who runs an animal sanctuaryin Mombassa, Kenya. The friendshipbetween the hippopotamus and thetortoise inspired her to write a children’sbook about their unique experience.

The story begins on December 26th,2004 when Paula and her son Joshua

were walking along the beach near theirhome. Suddenly, the sea began to comein very quickly. They realized they wereseeing the effects of the massivetsunami that started 4,000 miles awayin Asia half a day before. Paula and herson ran from the beach back to theirhouse where their family was anxiouslywaiting for them. Fortunately, everyonein the Kahumbu family escaped injury.But, 80 kilometres away, one younghippopotamus was not so lucky.

Shortly before the Tsunami, a familyof hippos was washed out to sea afterunseasonably heavy rains. The unluckyanimals were stranded near a towncalled Malindi, on the Kenyan coast.The residents of the town tried in vainto urge the hippos back up the estuary


LIFESTYLE

A Tortoise and a HippopotamusBY PAUL BRESS

p24-41 12/1/06 4:31 PM Page 24

to safety. The hippos disappeared whenthe Tsunami hit – presumably washedout to sea and drowned. Overtaken bythe chaos of the tsunami, the people ofMalindi forgot all about the hippos.However, the next day the town wokeup to find a single hippopotamusstranded out alone on the reef.Hundreds of people watched as rescuersmade heroic efforts to save the youngcreature. The rescue required ropes,boats, nets, cars and lots and lots ofdedicated patience. For, although thehippopotamus was tired, he was fast,slippery, panic-struck and maddened byterror. One man’s brave rugby tacklefinally captured the baby hippo, to theprofound relief of the watching crowds.

Dr Paula Kahumbu immediatelyagreed to provide a home for theorphaned hippo and rushed to Malindito collect the young animal. Tangled infishing ropes, the hippo was angry andtired – and very lucky to be alive at all.Dr Kahumbu named the hippo ‘Owen’in honour of the man to whose braverythe hippo owed his life.

When Owen finally reached thesanctuary, he was still exhausted,confused and extremely frightened. Assoon as he was released into the park,Owen rushed straight to the side ofMzee, an old giant tortoise. Owenseemed to find the presence of the largetortoise calming and safe. Naturally

enough, the tortoise was very surprisedby Owen’s odd behaviour. The littlehippo cowered behind the tortoise – inexactly the way any baby hippo hidesfrom danger behind its mother.Fortunately, Mzee quickly accepted hisnew friend. He stayed close to Owenand even showed signs of affection byreaching out to touch or nuzzle upagainst him every now and then.Amidst so much disaster, the sight ofthe baby hippo and the ancient tortoisecoming together in friendship touchedpeople’s hearts. Within days the storyof the unlikely friends appeared ontelevision and in newspaper articlesright around the world.

Today, Owen and Mzee remaininseparable. They spend their days closeto a pond, feeding and walking aroundtogether. Owen nudges Mzee urginghim to go for walks, and Mzeesometimes follows slowly behindOwen. Hundreds of people visit HallerPark, which is open to the public, towitness for themselves this incrediblespectacle first hand. Dr Kahumbu plansto eventually move Owen to a biggerpond in Haller Park where he cansocialise with other hippos who livethere. But for the moment, Owenseems utterly content to be just wherehe is right now – close beside his veryspecial friend, Mzee, the kind andancient tortoise. ✪

25

Orphan (n) a child whose parents have died.Sanctuary (n) a place of safety.

Stranded (adj) left somewhere with no means of escape.Panic-struck (adj) with feelings of panic.

Nuzzle (v) to gently press one’s nose and face against something.

p24-41 12/1/06 4:31 PM Page 25

Every culture recognises howimportant sleep is to wellbeing. Sleepis mankind’s original, oldest and

kindest medicine ever. Ancient medicaltexts around the world show time andagain how critical sleep is to healingand health. Sleep is the one sure curefor the wear and tear of everyday livingon our minds and bodies. A goodnight’s sleep brings us the energy andstamina to face the challenges of a newday. Or, as Shakespeare so wonderfullyputs it, sleep “knits up the ravelledsleeve of care” by repairing many of thehurts that our minds and bodies suffer.

Sleep is a natural good that most ofus enjoy without thinking. However,this is not true for everybody. Agrowing number of people find thatthey cannot get to sleep easily, or thatthey sleep very poorly during the night.This condition is called insomnia. Thenumber of insomniacs, or peoplesuffering from sleep deprivation, seemsto be growing rapidly in urbanisedsocieties in particular. However, there isgood news. Insomnia is related in partto how people lead their lives.Insomniacs can help themselves findmore restful sleep by changing some ofthe ways they approach taking a night’srest. If you find it hard to get a good

night’s sleep, try following these simpleguidelines to improving the way youfind your rest.• Make your bedroom a place of calm

and peace. Take out any computers,televisions, radios or musicequipment. Never do work-relatedtasks in bed. Never bring yourbriefcase into the bedroom. Get ridof clutter. Keep the room as clear andtidy as you can. This way there isnothing to distract you or set you toworrying as you rest and start to findsleep. And, no matter what, keepyour alarm clock out of sight. Thereis nothing worse than watching theminutes tick slowly by as you try tofall asleep!

• Train your body clock to regular restand activity rhythms. Always get uparound the same time, even when yousleep badly. Always go to bed aroundthe same time, even when you do notfeel tired. This helps train your mindand body to welcome sleep on aregular cycle, even when your life isdemanding, hectic or stressful.

• Respect your natural sleep rhythms.If you go to bed at 10:30 at night butdo not fall asleep until 1:00 in themorning, try going to bed just before1:00 instead.

26

LIFESTYLE

Sleep – Tonic for a Busy LifeBY KIER LOUIS GOWER

p24-41 12/1/06 4:31 PM Page 26

• Do not use the weekends forcatching up on your sleep. This willthrow your body clock out and makeit harder for you to find regular sleepduring the week.

• Napping during the day can be agreat way to find energy andinspiration. However, try to limityour naps to ten minutes and nevergo beyond twenty. Longer napsactually drain your energy and makeit harder for you to sleep at night.

• Take your exercise in the morning.Exercise is good for sleep in general.But exercise also stimulates the brain.The later you exercise in theafternoon or evening, the harder it isto sleep. Gentle exercise beforebreakfast is best of all. The ancientart of Tai Chi is probably the mostfamous example of this. If you do not

know Tai Chi, now may be a goodtime to find out more.

• Drink a cup of chamomile tea beforeyou go to bed. Herbal teas help yourelax and can do you more good thana sleeping pill or sedative. If you takeherbal tea regularly, the smell alonecan act as a signal to your body thatit is time to start winding down forsleep!

• Respect what your insomnia tells youabout yourself. Sleeping poorly andwaking up full of worries can be asign of depression or stress. In suchcases lack of sleep is a symptom of amuch deeper problem that needsattention. Continue to follow theguidelines above to help you sleep aswell as you can, but think about waysto identify and resolve any otherissues that are affecting you. ✪


Clutter (n) mass of untidy things.Hectic (adj) busy.

Sedative (n) a drug that makes one sleepy or calm.

p24-41 12/1/06 4:31 PM Page 27

When visiting art galleries andmuseums many of us marvel at theskill of talented painters. Inspired

by the great artists, amateur artistscreate their own artwork to decoratetheir home or as gifts for their friends.Other people buy reproductions offavourite masterpieces or other picturesthat require framing. As a consequence,millions upon millions of art objectsare carefully and meticulously framedeach year.

Yet few people, when looking at apicture, actually notice the frame. Andthat, say art experts, is the sign of aperfect framing. Picture framing is animportant art as well as a skilled craft. Asignificant aspect of the framer’s skill isto present the artwork to its bestadvantage. It is all too easy for the wrongsort of surroundings to detract from awork of art. A good picture framer’sgolden rule is: “a viewer needs to admirethe artwork, not the way it is presented.”The MountWhen deciding how to frame a picture,the first consideration is the size andcolour of the card used to surround thepicture. The card is known as the‘mount’ and comes in a wide range oftextures and colours. A skilled framerchooses a mount which draws the eyeinto the picture without clashing with

or detracting from the artwork. Theeasiest way to do this is by trial anderror. A framer has a large selection of‘L’ shaped mounts of different colours.Putting one of these next to the pictureis a good way of checking whether thecolour is suitable. When choosing amount, the framer often looks for acolour in the picture that the mount canshow off to good effect. Some framersuse double mounts to add perspectiveand depth to the picture. Doublemounts use two colours from the pictureto create a visual ‘step’ from the frame tothe surface of the painting. Fashion also


LIFESTYLE

The Art of Picture FramingBY ANDREA CLARK

p24-41 12/1/06 4:31 PM Page 28

plays its part. Double mounting inwhite or cream is very popular atpresent. Framers need to think aboutthe composition and colour of theartwork along with contemporary tasteto present the picture in the mostpleasing way possible.The FrameHaving chosen the right card, framerscut out the mount with a mount-cutter.Even the best framers measureeverything out very carefully. Themount-cutter has a sharp blade whichcuts neatly through most thickness ofcard. The framer normally cuts theinner surface of the mount at an angle.

The frame itself comes in a long stripknown as a moulding. Most mouldingsare made of wood. However, the framerhas an huge variety of moulding stylesto choose from, including widelydiffering cross-sections, surfacetextures, sizes and colours. In the past,art-lovers preferred ornate, heavy andcarefully crafted frames to set off theirpictures. However, nowadays the trendis for simpler designs. Silver and goldcoloured frames are especially popular.

The frame must look good againstthe mount as well as the picture itself.The framer uses a special mitre saw tocut the four sides of the frame from thestrip of moulding at an angle of 45degrees. This creates perfect cornerswhen the framer pins and glues theparts together. Next, the framer cuts the

backing board. Most framers usehardboard sheets for this. The backingboard adds strength and rigidity to thepicture frame. Finally, the framer cuts asheet of glass to size to finish off theframing with a clear, protective cover.The glass cutting tool looks a little bitlike a pen, but instead of a nib it has asharp blade at its tip. The blade scoresthe glass cleanly and easily. The framerthen snaps the glass along the scoredlines. A skilled framer does this withgreat ease. Finally, the framer placeseverything carefully together, takinggreat care not to harm the artwork inany way at all. Nowadays, professionalframers use sophisticated tools likeguillotines to cut the mouldings orpowerful underpinning machines tostaple the mouldings together. Thisspeeds up the process of framing apicture without in any way detractingfrom the overall look.

The ultimate test of a picture frameris always the same – to present theartwork in the best possible way. Nexttime you look at a painting take amoment to consider its frame. A goodframer has spent a great deal of timeand thought into making the framevanish from your thoughts so that youare free to contemplate the picture onits own without distraction. The bestframes are those that you do not seeuntil you really decide to go looking forthem! ✪

29

Marvel (v) to show admiration and respect. Meticulously (adv) in a thorough and detailed way.Detract (v) to take away from something else.

Trial and error (phs) a way of finding the best solution by trying several possibilities.Perspective (n) a way of seeing something.

p24-41 12/1/06 4:31 PM Page 29

Across the world, there is an ever-increasing demand for gold. Thishigh demand is not due to

governments and other organisationshoarding gold bars in banks or vaults.Nor is it because of gold’s contributionto technological advances and research.The demand for gold is, in fact, fuelledby a rising demand for jewellery. Morethan ever before consumers want goldwatches, bracelets, necklaces, rings andsundry other trinkets. An incredible80% of gold from all the world’s minesis now destined to end up as jewellery.But with gold prices reaching theirhighest levels for twenty years, thisjewellery comes with a hidden butheavy price tag attached.

Environmentalists and campaigners ingold producing countries and consumermarkets alike are calling for the realcost of gold to be understood.

Gold mining is arguably one of thedirtiest and most polluting ofindustries. Environmentalists identifyleach mining, a low-cost miningtechnique, as the most worryingenvironmental threat. Industrycommentators estimate that leachmining accounts for almost 90% of the2,500 tons of the world’s annual goldproduction. And in the process,hundreds of tonnes of rock are minedto extract minuscule amounts of gold.

Typically, strip mining techniquescrush vast amounts of rock which are


LIFESTYLE

The Cost of GoldBY KESTA ALLAN

p24-41 12/1/06 4:59 PM Page 30

then stacked on top of clay and plasticliners to create pyramid-like mounds.The pyramids are doused with a liquidcyanide solution that coaxes the goldout of the ore. The gold is thencollected at the bottom of the heapready for further processing. Thecyanide waste produced by this type ofgold mining is highly toxic. Thepoisonous waste usually runs intoreservoirs. However, these reservoirs arenot always perfectly secure. Spills fromthese reservoirs can lead to drastic andsometimes lethal consequences on theenvironment, wildlife and localcommunities.

In efforts to meet the increaseddemand for gold as the world’sremaining gold deposits dwindle,mining companies are movingoperations to lower-cost, more underde-veloped countries. Astonishingly, oneounce of gold creates up to 30 tons oftoxic waste. In some poorer countries,

entire areas are laid to waste, leavingpoisons in the soil and rivers for yearsafter. Environmental agencies struggleto estimate the final cost of cleaning upsuch affected areas. The problem is ineffect, as one campaigner pointed out, a‘toxic time bomb’.

Campaigners are now urgingconsumers to buy jewellery made from‘eco-gold’. As the public’s awarenessincreases, environmentalists hope morepeople will actively buy gold jewelleryfrom environmentally–friendly miningcompanies. At the same time, industrywatchdogs are asking gold producersand dealers to account for how they gettheir gold. And as consumers demandeco-gold in their jewellery, the search tofind alternatives for toxic solvents willsurely intensify. The discovery of saferways of treating toxic effluents fromgold mining is likely to be the mostprecious gift that anyone buying goldjewellery today can give. ✪

31

Hoard (v) to store away a large amount of something.Trinket (n) a small decoration.

Douse (v) to cover something with liquid.Reservoir (n) an artificial or natural lake used for storing water.

Watchdog (n) a person or organisation that checks over an activity or business.

Why not test yourself?Read the article on Gold and decide if the following statements are true:

a Gold prices are at their lowest for twenty years.

b Cyanide waste is not toxic.

c One ounce of gold creates up to 30 tonnes of toxic waste.

d Environmentalists are urging consumers to buy jewellery made from eco-gold.

p24-41 12/1/06 4:59 PM Page 31

Keira was born on the 26 March 1985in Richmond, just outside London. Sheand her brother, Caleb attended thelocal school. However, given herfamily’s background in acting, it is nosurprise that Keira always wanted toact. Keira’s parents, Will Knightley andSharman Macdonald, are both actorswith a good reputation in Britain’stheatre-going world. Perhaps because ofthis, Keira immersed herself in thetheatre from a very early age.Somewhat precociously, Keirademanded her own theatrical agent atthe age of three. Her request wasdenied but she began acting during theschool holidays when she was just sevenyears old. By playing small parts intelevision programmes, Keira slowly but

consistently built up an impressiveacting portfolio for one so young.

Keira first caught the attention of awider audience in 1999, when sheplayed Padme, a decoy for NataliePortman’s princess in Star Wars Episode1 – the Phantom Menace, directed byworld-famous cinematographer GeorgeLucas. Star Wars fans spent yearsdebating which scenes featured NataliePortman and which ones featuredKeira. Indeed, Keira’s own motheradmitted finding it difficult todistinguish between the two youngactresses once they were in fullcostume!

Keira’s next break came in 2001 whenshe appeared in a British low-budgetfilm called Bend It Like Beckham. This

32PHOTO © STUART ATKINS / REX FEATURES

COVER FEATURE

Keira KnightleyBY SARA HALL

British-born actress, Keira Knightley is beautiful. Though just intoher twenties, Knightley enjoys fame and fortune. She is one ofthe most sought after actresses of her generation. Playing

alongside some of the most desirable Hollywood actors,Knightley has achieved blockbuster success time and again. Eventhe most cynical critics predict that Knightley is someone to watchas a screen icon for the 21st century. Keira Knightley, it seems, isdestined for greatness in the movie hall of fame.

p24-41 12/1/06 4:31 PM Page 32

33

p24-41 12/1/06 4:31 PM Page 33

film blends comedy, romance and socialcommentary as it follows the trials andtribulations of two teenage girlsdevoted to football. In Britain, the filmwas the surprise hit film of the year,making over £11 million at the boxoffice. Bend It Like Beckham alsotravelled well abroad, bringing Keira tothe notice of a wide range of filmaudiences all around the world.

As Keira’s acting career flourished,she continued to study at school. But asshe turned down more and moreexciting new acting roles in favour ofher studies, she knew that a difficultchoice lay ahead. Eventually, whilestudying for her A-levels at a Londoncollege, Keira abandoned her schoolingto concentrate on acting.

By chance Keira met the filmproducer Andy Harris at the Londonpremier of Bridget Jones’s Diary. Thisled to her next role in the televisionadaptation of Boris Pasternak’s novelDoctor Zhivago. This was swiftlyfollowed by a part in Richard Curtis’film Love Actually playing alongsidesuch heavyweight British actors as

Rowan Atkinson, Colin Firth, EmmaThompson, Hugh Grant and AlanRickman.

But Keira’s next role finally securedher place as one of Hollywood’s hottestnew actresses. Ironically, due to heavytraffic in London, Keira almost missedthe audition for her part in thecelebrated and highly acclaimed Piratesof the Caribbean – the Curse of the BlackPearl. Playing alongside heart-throbOrlando Bloom and the talentedJohnny Depp, audiences across theworld soon wanted to know more aboutthe cool beauty playing the swash-buckling part of Elizabeth Swann.

Keira’s next project in JerryBruckheimer’s production of KingArthur was less successful. Keira starredas Guinevere in an intentionally harshand brutal re-telling of the legend ofKing Arthur. Despite this film’s poorreception at the box office, Keirareceived her first formal accolade bywinning the 2004 Hollywood FilmAward for Breakthrough Female Actorfor her role.

More recently, Keira’s part in thefaithful adaptation of Jane Austen’snovel, Pride and Prejudice won her aneven greater number of fans. The film,set against a backdrop of beautifulEnglish countryside, co-stars MatthewMacFadyan, Donald Sutherland andJudi Dench. People talk about this filmas being an instant classic – a work ofart that has all the ingredients to appealto audiences for decades to come.Keira’s role in the film is certainly a keypart of its undeniable appeal.

34

“Keira’s role in the film is certainly a keypart of its undeniableappeal.”

p24-41 12/1/06 4:31 PM Page 34

For someone so young, Keira dealswith her astonishing success in a calmand mature way. She knows that shemust work hard to stay at the top of herprofession. She is also keenly aware thatshe has no formal acting training. Asshe says herself, “I do not think ofmyself as an actress yet. I just do notthink my skill level is that high. I hopethat with every job it gets better.”Notwithstanding her genuine desire toimprove as an actress, it is noteworthythat Keira cites the legendaryHollywood actresses Katherine

Hepburn and Vivien Leigh as her rolemodels. Both are famous forestablishing a distinctive style of actingthat is uniquely their own. Keira isbeginning to earn this sort ofreputation too. She has already filmedtwo sequels to the Pirates of theCaribbean, but you can expect to seeKeira in many other interesting andchallenging roles too. With Hepburnand Leigh for inspiration, Keira seemswell set to produce many moredistinctive movie classics in the years tocome. ✪

35

Cynical (adj) expecting failure or problems.Precociously (adv) acting to seem older than you really are.

Portfolio (n) a collection of pictures or evidence of ones’ work.Commentary (n) a discussion on a particular topic.

Flourish (v) to thrive. Acclaim (v) to praise.Swashbuckling (adj) used to describe a character who has a lot of exciting fights and adventures.

Accolade (n) an expression of praise.

Why not test yourself?Read the Cover Feature on Keira Knightley and complete the sentences withthe words from the box:

impressive, desirable, distinctive, difficult, acclaimed

a Playing alongside some of the most ________________ Hollywood actors,Knightley has achieved blockbuster success time and again.

b By playing small parts in television programmes, Keira slowly butconsistently built up an ________________ acting portfolio for one so young.

c But as she turned down more and more exciting new acting roles in favourof her studies, she knew that a ________________ choice lay ahead.

d Keira almost missed the audition for her part in the celebrated and highly________________ Pirates of the Caribbean – the Curse of the Black Pearl.

e With Hepburn and Leigh for inspiration, Keira seems well set to producemany more ________________ movie classics in the years to come.

p24-41 12/1/06 4:31 PM Page 35

Although ancient civilisationsidentified the planet closest to theSun centuries ago, no one knew very

much about the planet up until 1974.Light reflected from the planet isusually eclipsed by the glare of the Sun.This makes Mercury difficult to see.However, a well-trained eye can seeMercury’s light just after sunset or justbefore sunrise. Seen from Earth,Mercury moves through the heavensmuch faster than any other planet. Thischaracteristic moved the Romans toname the planet after Mercury, thequicksilver messenger of the gods.

Mercury takes 87.97 Earth days tomake a full orbit of the Sun. It takes theSun an astonishing 176 Earth days torise and set on Mercury. The planet alsofollows a highly elliptical orbit so thatits distance from the Sun varies from46,000,000 km at its closest (known asperihelion) to 70,000,000 km at its mostdistant (aphelion). Mercury travels at itsfastest when it is close to the Sun andthen slows down as it moves away. Atits closest, the effective speed of theplanet around the Sun is greater thanthe speed of its rotation. Bizarrely, all ofthis means that the Sun seems to stopin the sky and actually travel backwardswhen looked at from Mercury’s surface.

The Sun only seems to resume itsnormal course when Mercury nears itsaphelion and the speed of its orbit slowsdown again.

Our detailed knowledge of Mercurycomes from the space probe, Mariner10. Launched in November 1973 togather information on the solar systemclose to the Sun, Mariner 10 passedclose to Mercury on three occasions asthe planet orbited the Sun. At itsclosest, the space probe passed a mere300 km above Mercury’s surface. Fromthis position Mariner 10 took detailedphotographs of around 40% of theplanet surface and gathered a largeamount of detailed scientific data.

At first glance, Mercury looks verymuch like the Earth’s moon with itsmany craters and plains. Astronomershave named many of Mercury’s recentlydiscovered features after famous artists,including Bach, Beethoven, Tolstoy,Shakespeare Renoir and Van Gogh.However, no-one is actually likely toever visit the planet. Mercury is so closeto the Sun that in the middle of the dayits surface temperature reaches up to415ºC. However, because there is solittle atmosphere the temperature atnight drops as low as -170ºC.

Mercury’s strange orbit around the


LIFESTYLE

MercuryBY EDWIN DRUMMOND

p24-41 12/1/06 4:31 PM Page 36

37

p24-41 12/1/06 4:31 PM Page 37

Sun, slowly spinning about an offcentre point on a long axis, confusedastronomers in the nineteenth century.The motion, called precession, did notfit with Isaac Newton’s theory ofgravity which describes how thepresence of a star or planet exerts a pullon other nearby bodies which helpdetermine the course of their orbit.Because astronomers used Newtoniantheory successfully to predict thepresence of unknown planets from theorbit of the known planets, manyscientists suggested that Mercury’sprecession must be the result of thegravitational pull of yet another planetorbiting somewhere closer to the Sun.

For a long time the scientificcommunity found this theory highlypersuasive. The Sun’s glare, theyreasoned, hid the planet from view.And they pointed to the way thatanalysis of the orbit of Uranus led tothe discovery of Neptune in 1846. Infact, Urbain Leverrier, the Frenchmancredited with the discovery of Neptune,argued the case strongly for thepresence of an inner planet.Astronomers dubbed this planetVulcan, in honour of the Roman god offire, and spent years searching the nightskies for evidence of its presence. Thescientific thinking only changed when,in 1915, Albert Einstein published histheory of General Relativity. Einstein’sbrilliant new theory explained how theeffects of strong gravitational fieldscreate precession. Mercury’s orbitprovided hard evidence to substantiatethe theory behind Einstein’s model.

On 3 August 2004 the Americanspace agency NASA launched aspacecraft on a voyage to closely circleVenus before heading on to Mercury.This spacecraft will reach Mercury onlyin January 2008. It will then orbit theplanet with the aim of mapping theentire surface and gathering a wealth ofother data. NASA called the spacecraftMessenger in the hope that it will sendback information to Earth that willhelp us better understand the nature ofour universe. ✪


Eclipse (v) to overshadow.Quicksilver (adj) changing quickly and unexpectedly.

Crater (n) a large hole on the surface of a planet.Axis (n) an imaginary line passing through the middle of a planet, around which the planet seems to rotate.

p24-41 12/1/06 4:31 PM Page 38

Many people enjoy planning andplanting a carefully crafted designfor even the most tiny garden or

outdoor space. But not many have theresources, space or opportunity to plantan arboretum – a garden designed toshow off a collection of trees to best

advantage. An arboretum requiresconsiderable wealth, time and plenty ofland. But almost two hundred yearsago, one rich and committed visionary,Captain Robert Stayner Holford,planted an arboretum that is strikinglybeautiful today because the trees are

39

LIFESTYLE

Westonbirt ArboretumBY EDWIN DRUMMOND

p24-41 12/1/06 4:31 PM Page 39

40

p24-41 12/1/06 4:32 PM Page 40

41

now reaching their full maturity.Captain Holford totally rebuilt hisfamily’s home, Westonbirt House.Indeed, he was so passionate about thisproject that he actually moved the localvillage from his grounds to ensure aperfect view! However, despite thisquestionable behaviour, CaptainHolford’s legacy is unrivalled amongthe UK’s arboreta today. CaptainHolford started to set out his treegarden in 1829. His son, Sir GeorgeHolford, then continued the workthrough his lifetime. The WestonbirtArboretum, in Gloucestershire in thesouthwest of England, owes its currentsplendour to all their hard work andvision so many years ago.

Robert Holford’s primary aim was todevelop a beautiful tree garden. But thenineteenth century was also a time ofintrepid exploration and great scientificdiscoveries. As adventurers returned toEngland with exotic plants from allover the world, they found CaptainHolford keen to add new specimens tohis collection of trees and shrubs. So itis that Westonbirt is home to anamazingly diverse number of trees andplants from all around the world. Thecollection is as famous with scientists asgardeners, social historians andaesthetes!

After Sir George Holford’s death,Westonbirt House, together with thebeautiful arboretum garden, passedthrough many different owners’ hands.Finally, in 1956, the arboretum cameinto the care of the ForestryCommission, a government agency. The

Forestry Commission opened thearboretum to the public. Westonbirt’spopularity quickly grew. Nowadays all240 hectares are open to the 350,000visitors who come from all over theworld to view the magnificent collection.

Westonbirt is divided into two parts:the Old Arboretum and the Silk Wood.Both areas of the Arboretum havemany wonderful features. The SilkWood contains the National Collectionof Japanese Maples as well as a groupof coppiced limes with a history goingback over 2000 years.

The arboretum currently containsover 18,000 trees and shrubs, includingsome of the tallest and oldest trees inthe UK. There are also many rarespecimens. Several of the trees,including many of the magnificentoaks, date back to the original plantingin the 1830s. Captain Holford and hisson did not plan Westonbirt as a safesanctuary for rare tree species. But thecollection now plays this role to someextent. Among its 3,700 differentspecies, the Arboretum houses anumber of trees and plants that areincreasingly endangered or hard to findin their natural environment.

Most people agree that the best timeto see Westonbirt Arboretum is in theautumn when the leaves change colourand provide a spectacular show. Peopleflock to see the wonderful sight. Thetrees form a kaleidoscope of coloursfrom delicate shades of yellow – someso pale they are almost white – rightthrough to vivid red. And there arelimitless shades of orange, pink and

p24-41 12/1/06 4:32 PM Page 41

42PHOTO © GEORGIA DAVEY

brown in between – set off by greenupon green upon green. Everywhere theplanting ensures that each tree showsoff its own particular colours inharmony with all the others. Inparticular, the maple trees with theirdramatic red and pink leaves areexquisite. The Arboretum is aphotographer’s paradise. On crispautumn weekends the woods arecrowded with photographers keen tocatch the autumn colours in a perfectlight. Locals joke that the trees attractmore world-class photographers thanthe average celebrity-studded

Hollywood premier.Westonbirt Arboretum is a garden

lover’s treasure-trove. And by virtue ofone man’s vision, trees and shrubs ofevery kind are protected for futuregenerations in a garden of astounding,breath-taking beauty. Fittingly, CaptainRobert Holford and his son’s name liveon in the form of the Holford Pine, ahardy hybrid tree associated with theearly days of pioneering work to improvethe stock at Westonbirt. There is nodoubt that the Arboretum will continueto produce trees of great importance tothe world in the years to come. ✪

Visionary (n) someone who has clear ideas and hopes.Splendour (n) beautiful and impressive.

Intrepid (adj) unafraid.Aesthete (n) a person who loves beauty and art.

Sanctuary (n) a place of safety.

p42-64 12/1/06 4:35 PM Page 42

Clogs are a traditional form offootwear in Britain. For centuries,ordinary people wore clogs on farms

or in factories. Young and old alikewore wooden soled shoes with leatheruppers. And the unique sound made bythe workers’ clogs led to a popular formof dance which even today, in all itsvariations, is still popular. Nowadays,there are two main types of traditionalclog dances: Clog Step Dancing oftencalled stepping; and North West MorrisDancing.

The history of clog dancing is asintriguing as the dances themselvesand, indeed, varies from region toregion. In Lancashire, in the north ofEngland, for example, the local stepclog dances date back to the time of theindustrial revolution. Over two hundredyears ago, newly built cotton millsemployed thousands of people andworkers moved away from their villagesto work in the towns. When relocating,the workers often abandoned ancientand once–cherished agriculturaltraditions. But, even so, they kept onedeep-rooted tradition – the desire todance.

Much of the inspiration for theLancashire step clog dances comes fromthe rhythmic sound of the huge, ironmachinery working day and night inthe factories. Cotton mills needed to bekept clean and dry. Workers regularlywashed the floors down with water andthen dried them off. To avoid slipping,workers wore clogs with irons on thesoles since leather soles soon rotted onthe wet floors. Outside the factories,the iron soled clogs resonated on thenewly paved streets, encouragingworkers to step rhythmically as theywalked to and from work. These simplerhythms formed the basis of the first

LIFESTYLE

Clog Step Dancing in BritainBY ANGIE BROTHWELL

43

“Much of theinspiration for theLancashire step clogdances comes from therhythmic sound of thehuge, iron machineryworking day and nightin the factories.”

p42-64 12/1/06 4:35 PM Page 43

steps of the traditional Lancashire clogdances.

The Lancashire tradition of clogdancing is fairly static. But in Durham,in the north east of England, thetapping type of dance is lively, withgreater and more complex movements.In this agricultural part of the countryclog dancing took place on farms, inyards or barns, with more space andfreedom to dance. The dance stepsaccompanied the beat of the localsongs, resulting in some very fast andtricky steps.

By the end of 1800s, Music Hallsregularly held clog dancing

competitions. Professional clog dancersand teachers toured the country andDan Leno, a well-known artist of theMusic Hall, won the first ever ClogDancing World Championship.Competitors usually performed on apedestal performing their steps towaltzes, jigs and popular songs. But thetrue test of a dancer’s ability was the‘competition clog hornpipe’. The cloghornpipe is a very demanding andintricate dance that borrows itsrhythmic beauty from the music of menworking a sailing ship at sea. Thisparticular form of clog dancingoriginated in Lancashire and dates back

44

p42-64 12/1/06 4:35 PM Page 44

to the early 1800s.Today, musicians accompany the

stepping dances with a variety ofinstruments including accordion,concertina, melodeon, violin andwhistle. Clog dancers perform theirdances either alone or in small groups.All the dances involve a great variety ofsteps which show off the sounds theshoes make against a hard pavement orfloor. The shoe’s curved sole allows thedancer to rock onto their heels or toesfor the particular steps required in thedances. The pattern of steps in thedance sounds out as the dancer makeseach toe-tap and heel-click in timewith the music.

Traditional clog dancing steps are, bytheir very nature, regional. There aredifferent steps and dances particular toWales, Cornwall, Scotland and otherparts of Britain. Clog dances survive inBritain today because a group of

dedicated collectors toured the countryin the early 20th century to record oldermen and women remembering theiryouthful dances. Thanks to this work anamazingly rich, diverse and trulyauthentic dance heritage now thrives inevery corner of the country. ✪

45

Intriguing (adj) interesting. Relocate (v) to move.Rhythmic (adj) a movement or sound having a regular pattern.

Resonate (v) to produce a sound that lasts a long time.Pedestal (n) a base upon which a person or a statue stands.

Why not test yourself?Re-write the sentences in the present tense:

a Young and old alike wore wooden soled shoes with leather uppers.

b Newly built cotton mills employed thousands of people.

c The dance steps accompanied the beat of the local songs.

d Outside the factories, the iron soled clogs resonated on the newly pavedstreets.

e By the end of 1800s, Music Halls regularly held clog dancing competitions.

“The shoe’s curved soleallows the dancer torock onto their heels ortoes for the particularsteps required in thedances.”

p42-64 12/1/06 4:35 PM Page 45

Mr Sherlock HolmesMy name is Doctor Watson. I amwriting this story about my friend, MrSherlock Holmes, the famous detective.

Sherlock Holmes lives at 221B BakerStreet, in the middle of London. Mystory begins in Baker Street, onemorning in 1889, when a man knockedon the door.

I heard the man say, ‘Mr Holmes?My name is Dr Mortimer. I need yourhelp.’

‘Come in,’ said Holmes. ‘How can Ihelp you?’

‘I have a strange story to tell you, MrHolmes,’ said Dr Mortimer. ‘My storyis very strange. Perhaps you will notbelieve me.’

Dr Mortimer sat down. SherlockHolmes and I listened to his story.

‘I am a doctor and I work in thecountry,’ said Dr Mortimer. ‘I live andwork on Dartmoor. And, as you know,Dartmoor is a large, wild place. Thereis only one big house on Dartmoor –Baskerville Hall. The owner of thehouse was Sir Charles Baskerville. Iwas his friend as well as his doctor.’

‘I read of his death in The Timesnewspaper,’ said Holmes.

‘That was three months ago,’ said DrMortimer. ‘The newspaper reported his

death, but it did not report all thefacts.’

‘Was there something strange abouthis death?’ asked Sherlock Holmes.

‘I am not certain,’ said Dr Mortimer.‘There was a story about a curse on theBaskerville family. Sir Charles believedthis old story.’

‘A curse?’ I asked. ‘What do youmean?’

‘Here is the story,’ said Dr Mortimer.He took a large piece of paper out ofhis pocket. ‘Please read this. It is thestory of the Curse of the Baskervilles.’

Holmes took the paper and read it.‘It is called The Hound of theBaskervilles,’ he said. He showed me thepaper. This is what it said:

In the year 1645, Sir HugoBaskerville was the owner ofBaskerville Hall. Sir Hugo was a cruelman who did not believe in God. Everyday he went out hunting and drinkingwith a gang of wild friends.

A farmer on Dartmoor had abeautiful daughter. Sir Hugo wanted tomarry the girl, but she was afraid ofhim. The girl’s father told Sir Hugo tostay away from his farm. Sir Hugo wasvery angry.

One day, when the farmer wasworking in his fields, Sir Hugo rode to

46

SHORT STORY

The Hound of the BaskervillesBY SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE

RETOLD BY STEPHEN COLBOURN

p42-64 12/1/06 4:35 PM Page 46

the farm with his friends. They caughtthe girl and took her to BaskervilleHall.

The poor girl was terrified. Sir Hugolocked her in a bedroom. Then hestarted drinking with his gang. Whenhe was drunk, he became more wildand cruel. He shouted at his men andhit them.

The frightened girl waited until it

was dark. Then she opened a windowand escaped from Baskerville Hall.

Her father’s farm was about fourmiles away. It was night, but she wasable to follow the path in themoonlight. She started to run acrossthe dark moor.

Sir Hugo went to the girl’s room. Itwas empty and Sir Hugo was terriblyangry. He ran to his men and jumped

47

p42-64 12/1/06 4:35 PM Page 47

onto the table where they weredrinking. He kicked the plates andglasses off the table. ‘Fetch the horses!’he shouted. ‘Get the girl!’

They all ran outside and jumped ontotheir horses. Sir Hugo kept a pack ofwild dogs for hunting. ‘Let the dogsfind her!’ he shouted. ‘The Devil cantake me if I do nor catch her!’

The dogs ran out across the darkmoor. Sir Hugo and his men rode afterthem. The dogs barked and Sir Hugoshouted.

Then they heard another noise. Itwas louder than the noise of barkingand shouting. The dogs stopped andlistened. They were afraid.

The men heard the noise too. It wasa loud and deep howling sound – thesound of a huge dog howling at themoon. The men stopped their horses,but Sir Hugo rode on. He wanted tocatch the girl.

Sir Hugo did not catch the girl.Suddenly his horse stopped and threwhim to the ground. The horse ran awayin terror.

In the moonlight, the men saw astrange, black animal. It looked like adog with huge, fiery eyes. But it was asbig as a horse. All the men became veryfrightened.

The huge black dog jumped on SirHugo Baskerville and killed him. Theother men ran away into the night andSir Hugo was never seen again.

Since that time, many of the sons ofthe Baskerville family have died whilethey were young. Many of them havedied strangely. This is the Curse of theBaskervilles. The black dog – The

Hound of the Baskervilles – still walkson the moor at night.

‘Well, Mr Holmes, what do you thinkof this story?’ asked Dr Mortimer.

‘I do not think it is a true story,’ saidSherlock Holmes. ‘Why do you showme this story? Do you believe it?’

‘Before Sir Charles Baskerville’sdeath, I did not believe the story,’ DrMortimer answered. ‘But Sir Charlesbelieved the story. It worried him. Hebecame ill and his heart was weak.’

‘Why did he believe this story?’ Iasked.

‘Because he saw the hound on themoor,’ answered Dr Mortimer. ‘Or, hethought he saw it. When Sir Charlestold me this story, I told him to take aholiday. I told him to go to London for afew weeks and forget all about the curse.’

‘Did he take a holiday?’ I asked.‘No,’ said Dr Mortimer. ‘He planned

to go to London the following Friday.But, on the Thursday evening, he wentfor a walk on the edge of the moor.And he never returned.’

‘How did he die?’ I asked.‘He died of a heart attack,’ answered

Dr Mortimer. ‘His servant came tofetch me. I found Sir Charles near thehouse, on the edge of the moor. He wasrunning away from something when hedied. I am sure of that. I think he wasterrified of something.’

‘Terrified?’ asked Holmes. ‘What washe running away from?’

‘I looked at the ground where SirCharles had walked. I saw hisfootprints,’ said Dr Mortimer ‘Butthere were other footprints on theground. They were not the footprints of

48

p42-64 12/1/06 4:35 PM Page 48

a man. They were the footprints of agigantic hound!’

The ProblemHolmes and I were surprised. This wasa very strange story. I did not believethat Sir Charles Baskerville had beenkilled by a gigantic black dog. But Iwanted to know the truth.

‘Who else saw these footprints?’asked Sherlock Holmes. His brighteyes shone and he leant forward in hischair.

‘No one else saw the footprints,’answered Dr Mortimer. ‘There was alot of rain in the night. By morning,the footprints had been washed away.’

‘How large were the footprints? Werethey larger than the footprints of asheepdog?’

‘Yes, Mr Holmes, much larger. Theywere not the prints of an ordinary dog.’

‘Also, you say that Sir Charles ranaway from this dog? How do youknow?’ asked Holmes.

‘The ground was soft,’ answered DrMortimer. ‘I saw Sir Charles’ footprintsoutside Baskerville Hall. His footprintswere close together as he walked alonga path at the edge of the moor. Then hestopped and waited by a wooden gate.After that his footprints changed – theybecame wide apart and deep. I am surehe began to run. He ran towards thehouse. I believe that something camefrom the moor. I believe he saw theHound of the Baskervilles.’

‘Yes, yes,’ said Holmes, ‘but how doyou know that Sir Charles waited bythis wooden gate?’

‘Because he smoked a cigar,’ said Dr

49

From The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir ArthurConan Doyle, retold by Stephen Colbourn 1992,for Macmillan Readers, published by MacmillanEducation 1992. There is a CD available withthis story.

Mortimer. ‘I saw the white cigar ash onthe ground.’

‘Good,’ said Holmes, ‘good – you area detective.’

‘Thank you,’ said Dr Mortimer, witha smile.

‘But you believe that Sir Charles waskilled by a gigantic hound?’

‘I know he ran away fromsomething,’ said Dr Mortimer. ‘I knowI saw those strange footprints of a hugedog. But.’ He looked at his watch. ‘… Iam meeting Sir Henry Baskerville atWaterloo Station in an hour. Sir Henryis Sir Charles’ nephew. He has comefrom Canada. Sir Charles had nochildren, so Sir Henry is now theowner of Baskerville Hall. And now Ihave a problem.’

‘What is your problem?’ askedHolmes.

‘I believe that Sir Henry is in danger,’said Dr Mortimer. ‘Is it safe to takehim to Baskerville Hall?’

‘I must think,’ said Sherlock Holmes.‘Stay in London tonight. Come and seeme again tomorrow morning. Pleasebring Sir Henry with you.’

‘I shall do so,’ said Dr Mortimer. Hestood up. ‘Now I must go to meet SirHenry at Waterloo Station. Good day.’

When Dr Mortimer had left,Holmes said to me, ‘We have a problemhere, Watson. There are threequestions. What is the crime? Who didit? How was it done?’ ✪

p42-64 12/1/06 4:35 PM Page 49

People who work closely togetheroften develop a system of words andreferences to communicate

information that is vital to theirindustry or as a sort of shorthand orcode to quickly share thinking. Forpeople in the know, this way of talkingcan be lively and effective. They aresurprised when other people tell themthey are speaking just another form ofjargon – language that holds no realmeaning for the people going abouttheir ordinary business. Worse, this wayof speaking can quickly come to seemcliquey and even downright rude in theway it can shut people out fromunderstanding what is going on.Interestingly, business analysts now saythere are people who can get on inbusiness precisely because they know

how to use catch phrases and buzzwords in a way which suggeststhey know more than theyactually do. The words thatimpress come in and out offashion. Here is a guide to thehot office language of globalbusiness right now!

Euphemisms always top thecharts in the business name game.The words to use now to impressyour colleagues are all fairlyconfusing and oblique. When

things go pear-shaped, you can bet thatface-time at the eleventh hour with thefat man in a canoe will provide anappropriate answer every time. At firstsight, none of this makes much sense.But do not despair. Help is at hand.Things go pear-shaped when they gowrong. So the answer to most thingsgoing wrong is to call a meeting at thelast moment with an important personwho has power to deal with theproblem. People using these phraseswant to tell you that they are hotshotsin the business world. But the chancesare that they actually use these phrasesto cover up the fact that they havenothing to say of value in plain English!

Sports and cars provide many phrasespopular in business-speak right now.When you park but leave the motor


LANGUAGE

Office LanguageBY HENRY WALLWORK

p42-64 12/1/06 5:01 PM Page 50

running you are not talking about howyou drive or do not drive your car. Thephrase is supposed to be a cool way ofsaying that you can put an idea or issueto one side for the moment withoutrejecting it outright. Similarly, thephrases to ramp up or to go the extra mileare a way of saying that people canachieve something difficult by puttingmore effort into it. You usually hearthese phrases when a boss or manageris trying to convince their staff thatthey can pull off a task for which theydo not have the right resources in place!Similarly, people use a ballpark figure asa way of saying what you are about tohear is a calculated guess. Dressing theguess up in this way suggests it is morereliable than it actually is.

Some of the most fashionablebusiness-speak about today is actuallyrude and usually used as a way ofcutting off discussion and debate.Describing something as a no-brainer isa way of saying that it is so obvious thatonly a really stupid fool takes the timeto question it. Similarly, sayingsomeone has got the order of the boot isan unkind way of suggesting that theydeserve to be kicked out or maderedundant.

Critics of popular business speakpoint out that office language is a lazyway of communicating. Pressurisedworkers who claim that they are

working 24/7 actually mean to say theywork round the clock every minute ofevery day of every week of every year!However, not all office phrases arebased on modern slang or today’spopular culture. Some of the bestoffice-speak comes down the centuriesdirect from the Latin. The phrase, quidpro quo, means that you give somethingin exchange for something else ofroughly equivalent value. People usuallyuse this phrase when they want you tothink that what they are describing ismore honourable than in fact it reallyis. When people use Latin like this youcan bet they are trying to impress bysuggesting that something is better,more serious or more important than itactually is! Get them to say the samething in English and you will quicklysee how things actually stand!

No matter your views on today’sculture of business-speak, colloquialoffice phrases will remain an integralpart of the way any office cultureworks. In offices with a good workingculture, you will find that colleagues usebuzz words in a very playful way totease each other and bring a littlehumour and fun into the routine ofworking life. To use another termpopular in global business, this kind ofbusiness speak brings something a littleextra or value added into the way we doour everyday work. ✪

51

Shorthand (n) a quick way of writing or speaking.Cliquey (adj) belonging to a small group of people which excludes others.

Euphemism (n) a way of describing something without actually mentioning it.Oblique (adj) unclear.

Colloquial (adj) informal (language).

p42-64 12/1/06 5:01 PM Page 51

52

BUSINESS

Networking Yourself in the Digital AgeBY HENRY WALLWORK

p42-64 12/1/06 4:35 PM Page 52

With the internet everyone talksabout networking as the new keyskill which everyone needs to learn.

In fact, networking is as old as politics.The basic skills of networking are allabout creating relationships that allowpeople to look out for each other.These relationships require mutualrespect and goodwill to work well. Butwhy is networking worthwhile?

Business shows that people withlarge collegiate networks are moresuccessful at work and in theircommunity than people who do notput effort into networking. Thesepeople approach networking in a socialrather than self-promoting way. Theyare interested in others and focus asmuch on how they can help peoplethey know as how those people canhelp them. In fact, the best networkersthink mainly about their contributionto others. They are driven by amindset that genuinely asks “Whatcan I do for you?” And “How can I beof help?”. Here networking is notabout selfish gain. It is about agenerous exchange of knowledge,skills, talent, know-how and,sometimes, such basic good old-fashioned things as time and effort.

So what do you need to do to makeyourself into a networking nexus?Follow these guidelines and you willmake an effective start. But do notexpect instant results. Networking is along-term endeavour: it takes time andpatience.1. Understand what you want to do

with your network. Are you

networking for career, personalinterest or community reasons? Doyou want to end up in a new job,having more satisfaction in yourcurrent job, enjoying your work andsocial interactions more, or gettingmore out of life outside work? Onceyou are clear about your motives youcan start to focus on where and howyou can meet or contact people whowill have the right interest for you.

2. Make a list of your strong points orthe attributes that you can bring tothe people you want to meet.Always approach networking in aspirit of being ready to give ratherthan take. People do not respondwell if you can only talk about youneed rather than about what youcan bring to them.

3. Make a list of events where you canmeet the sort of people you want toget to know. You must be ready tostart conversations with people youdo not know if you want to get themost out of this kind of event. Beready to introduce people you meetto others. This is an effective way ofcreating contact and helps widenthe circle of people you can meetvery quickly. And be ready to enjoyany social activity connected to theevent. A dinner or party providesthe perfect opportunity for you tocirculate and get to know people ona personal rather than purelyprofessional level.

4. Make a priority schedule for theevents you need to make time to go


p42-64 12/1/06 4:35 PM Page 53

to. Put these in your diary. Writedown what you expect to achieve ateach event. Review what youachieved after each event toimprove the way you approach thenext one.

5. Start a contact list. Write down allthe names of people you know whomay be of help to you. Put peopleyou have helped in the past at thetop of the list and people you knowleast well at the bottom. Call ormeet people on your list to find outwhat they are doing now and wherethey see things going. Listen well towhat they tell you. This will giveyou the clues you need to say howwhat you think, know or do can beof help to them. Always finish theconversation by asking who elsethey know who may be interestedto talk to you (rather than who it isinteresting for you to talk to). Thisapproach helps people to think in avery mutual way about the benefitsof putting you in touch with peoplethey know.

6. Before you meet with people (fromyour contact list or at an event)review your list of strengths so thatyou can focus in on the things thatwill interest whoever you talk to.Think about how you are going toend the conversation on ahandshake or some other gesture ofrespect and goodwill. Be yourself.People are put off if they think youare putting on an act just to pleasethem. If you are meeting someonefrom your contacts list, bring them

a small gift to appreciate their timeand interest in seeing you. Bringthem something they will like – notsomething you think will help themto remember you by!

7. Get wired. Search the internet fordiscussion groups, bulleting boardsand blogs around topics thatinterest you. Set yourself up in anetworking system likewww.linkedin.com designed tomake professional viral networkingeasy.

8. Think about the things you bringthat can help the people you arenetworking with. Meeting others’needs is the surest way of findingyourself talked about or in demandfrom others. Giving clear, succinctinformation is critical fornetworking success on theworldwide web. Short and to thepoint is best in this environment.People skim quickly over web textto take in information fast. Lookfor good examples of this in theweb communities you belong to.Then use the format to tell peoplewhat they need to know about you.

9. Ask someone you know well andtrust to be your networking buddy.Use them as a sounding board toreview how you are progressing toyour goals and to think about allthat you are learning along the way.

No matter how, where or when younetwork, always remember to thankeveryone who helps you. People alwaysappreciate a short thank you note.

54

p42-64 12/1/06 4:35 PM Page 54

Follow up an email with a hand-written card. The email may promptyour contact to make another quickviral connection on your behalf byimmediately emailing on to someone

else. However, the card will say – in away that no email ever can – that youcare enough to take the time and effortto thank that special someone in a waythat is purely personal to them. ✪


Collegiate (adj) consisting of several parts.Mindset (n) a way of thinking.

Nexus (n) the closely connected central part of something.Gesture (n) doing something that shows ones true intentions.

Succinct (adj) in a short but clear manner.

p42-64 12/1/06 4:35 PM Page 55

56

Many cultures around the world have a winter festival. Mostof them are linked to the winter solstice (the solstice isthe time of the shortest day and the longest night of

the year). Some of the festivals celebrated during winterare Christmas, Bodhi Day, Hanukkah and Yule.Winter is a lovely time to be together with familyand friends and stay warm by a fire.You can make awinter window card using polystyrene balls for snowand a clear plastic bag such as a sandwich or freezerbag for the window.

1Cut out two pieces ofcard, one 42 cm x 21

cm, and one 21 cm square.Fold the big one in half.

© FRESH MINDS PUBLISHING. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: +44 (0)1285 640045

2On the inside front of thefolded card, measure 4 cm in

from each side and draw lines tomake a square. Cut out the square.

3Open up the card again and lay aclear sandwich bag over the square.

You may need to trim the top of the bagto fit. Use sticky tape to fix the bag atthe bottom and sides. Do not stretchthe bag too tightly as the card can twist.Leave the top of the bag open.

YOU NEED• Thick card

• High-density foam• Ruler • Pencil • Sticky tape

• Strong,clear glue • Glue stick • Masking tape

• Paper• Small polystyrene balls

• Sandwich bag• Scissors

ACTIVITY

Winter WindowFrom ‘Handmade Cards’ by Fresh Minds Publishing

p42-64 12/1/06 4:35 PM Page 56

57

4Draw a tree on high-density foam.Cut the tree out. Put a line of glue

down the middle of the tree and stick itinside the bag. Make sure the gluedside of the tree is upper most.

5Pour some polystyreneballs in to the bag. Tape

up the top.

MORE IDEASYou can make all sorts

of things to stand inyour snow storm – try a

snowman, a house, a reindeer or a penguin.

6Spread strong, clear glue onthe inside of the card window

frame. Stick the square piece ofcard on top.

p42-64 12/1/06 4:35 PM Page 57

58

AWrite the answers to the questionsinto the grid. The letters in the

shaded squares will spell a famous name.Reading the articles in the magazine willhelp you find the right answers.1. Sir Hugo, killed by a huge black

dog in the Sherlock Holmes story.2. Poisonous substance, used in liquid

form to extract gold from its ore.3. Norman king who commissioned

the Domesday book in 10864. Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s city of

birth.5. Owen, friend of Mzee the tortoise,

is one of these.6. When two knights ride towards

each other carrying lances, they aredoing this.

7. Captain who planted WestonbirtArboretum.

LANGUAGE QUIZ

Just For FunTry our questions and puzzles – no prizes, just for fun!

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

p42-64 12/1/06 5:31 PM Page 58

59

JUST FOR FUN ANSWERS ON PAGE 63

Why not test yourself – answersThe Doomsday Book: a. 28; b. 900; c. 40; d. two million; e. 1085.

Rupert Bear: a. enduring; b. strongly; c. low-key; d. brightly; e. endearingly; f. extremely.

The Cost of Gold: a. False; b. False; c. True; d. True.

Keira Knightley: a. desirable; b. impressive; c. difficult; d. acclaimed; e. distinctive.

Clog Step Dancing in Britain: a. wear; b. employ; c. accompany; d. resonate; d. hold.

8. Cartoon bear appearing in the DailyExpress newspaper

9. Planet closest to the sun.

BUnscramble these words that appearin the magazine articles

TINHGKMICCOSKIRTRALATEPINMORPELESLODGTANLEPKILSERTELOCG

COne letter from the word on the leftmust be taken and placed into (or

added on to) the word on the right tomake two new words. All the otherletters in the words stay in the sameposition. For example: COULD andBOND become COLD and BOUND.

BLACK and BETSPELL and PIERBRUSH and TIED

CART and CAMPWEALD and BESTDASH and WANSING and ROWHUGE and TAR

DFind a letter that will complete thefirst word and start the second word.

a. Too ( _ ) nowb. Entir ( _ ) asy c. Ch ( _ ) ndeedd. Nea ( _ ) ushe. Insomni ( _ ) lwaysf. Thicknes ( _ ) implerg. Camer ( _ ) ffecth. Lim ( _ ) rokeni. Genuin ( _ ) xciting

p42-64 12/1/06 5:31 PM Page 59

60

FIND A WORD SOLUTIONS ON PAGE 63

Jousting

Arboretum

Parchment

Inventory

Scholar

Lance

Knight

Fanfare

Noble

Flag

King

Tournament

H J N H A U S G A L F O K T V T

B H A O C Z E W T W N E N R T O

K Q R U B K G I E R L W I H K L

F T B R A L T L U A S D G T K B

B O O G Z N E A N X R R H F G A

N U R Z N H E C S Q N O T A H P

E R E F R E E Y S S E E S E N S

A N T O N S S J O U S T I N G T

E A U C D I C O M R W M T H U N

B M M F P N E H C A K I N G N E

W E G A E O D K O N R U G R V M

G N O N S E M C X L G A N C A H

O T X F R T X Q I E A G M F I C

N Y Q A S E V U T L V R U O A R

I S I R I N V E N T O R Y W E A

K N I E A R E Z L B L E M D P P

FIND A WORD

History

1. Find and circle all 12 words. They lie across, up anddown or diagonally, and can run forwards orbackwards.

2. Translate the words into your own language.

p42-64 12/1/06 4:35 PM Page 60

KNOW THE ISSUE

The Modern English Digest QuizFind the answers to our quiz

8. Name two founders of themovement called The GlasgowStyle.

9. Who designed the House for anArt Lover?

10. What animal skin did the Eskimosuse to toss each other high up intothe air?

11. List the three key safety rules fortrampolining.

12. How old is Mzee the tortoise?13. How did Owen the hippopotamus

get his name?

61

PHOTO © ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

1. Who commissioned TheDomesday Book?

2. What was The Domesday Bookwritten on?

3. How long does it take to train ahorse for jousting?

4. What is a ‘tilt’?5. Which British newspaper first

published Rupert the Bear?6. In the Rupert the Bear comic strip,

name the village where Rupert andhis friends live.

7. What is ‘free solo climbing’?

p42-64 12/1/06 4:36 PM Page 61

62

14. Who said that sleep, “knits up theravelled sleeve of care”?

15. What is insomnia?16. What is a good picture framer’s

golden rule?17. What is eco-gold?18. How old was Keira Knightley when

she demanded her own theatricalagent?

19. Who wrote the classic novel Prideand Prejudice?

20.What is an Arboretum?21. Why did the Romans name the

planet Mercury after the quicksilvermessenger of the gods?

Send your answers with your name and address to:The EditorModern English DigestPO Box 5012132-34 Great Peter StreetLondon, SW1P 2XD, UK.

22. Where did the fictional characterSherlock Holmes live?

23. According to office language, whathappens when things go ‘pear-shaped’?

PHOTO © ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

p42-64 12/1/06 4:36 PM Page 62

63

Just for Fun Answers from page 58

B.KnightComicRiskArtTrampolineSleepGoldPlanetSilkTreeClogC.Back and beltSell and piperBush and tried

Cat and CrampWeld and beastAsh and wandSin and growHug and tearD.a) K b) Ec) I d) R e) A f) S g) A h) B i) EA.

Editor: SARA HALLContributing Editor: STAN POWELL

Design: GEORGIA DAVEY, www.taurus-graphics.netEditorial Director: PETER COLLIN, [email protected]

Sales & Marketing: JEREMY SMITH,[email protected]

Advertising Sales: SOPHIE MALONE, MAINLINE MEDIA, Tel: +44 (0)1536 747333 Fax: +44 (0)1536 746565,

[email protected]

Writers

KESTA ALLEN, ILKA BRADSHAW, ANDREA CLARK, NEIL COOPER, HELEN COSTIN, EDWIN DRUMMOND,

RORY GEAR, SARA HALL, MARY HUBER, JANE NIEDERER,GEOFFREY PRICE, LOUISE STRAUCH, HENRY WALLWORK

Photographers/Illustrators

STAN POWELL, GEORGIA DAVEY

Publishers

MODERN ENGLISH PUBLISHING LTDPO Box 50121, 32-34 Great Peter Street,

London, SW1P 2XDTel: +44 (0)20 7222 1155 Fax: +44 (0)20 7222 1551

Publisher: SIMON COLLIN, [email protected]

MODERN ENGLISH DIGEST title & arrangement © 2005,

MODERN ENGLISH PUBLISHING LTDText and layout © 2005, SARA HALL

Images and photographs © 2005, as noted above

PUZ Z L E SOLUT IONFROM PAGE 60

DISTRIBUTED by MARSTON DISTRIBUTIONUnit 160, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4SD

Tel: 01235 465537 Fax: 01235 465556

PRINTED in Great Britain by ALLPRINT [email protected]

PUBLISHED six times each year – ISSN 1478-9019

VISIT OUR WEBSITE: www.ModernEnglishDigest.net

TO SUBSCRIBE, use the form on the back cover

H J N H A U S G A L F O K T V T

B H A O C Z E W T W N E N R T O

K Q R U B K G I E R L W I H K L

F T B R A L T L U A S D G T K B

B O O G Z N E A N X R R H F G A

N U R Z N H E C S Q N O T A H P

E R E F R E E Y S S E E S E N S

A N T O N S S J O U S T I N G T

E A U C D I C O M R W M T H U N

B M M F P N E H C A K I N G N E

W E G A E O D K O N R U G R V M

G N O N S E M C X L G A N C A H

O T X F R T X Q I E A G M F I C

N Y Q A S E V U T L V R U O A R

I S I R I N V E N T O R Y W E A

K N I E A R E Z L B L E M D P P

basKerville

cyaNide

willIam

glasGow

Hippo

jousTing

hoLford

rupErt

mercurY

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

p42-64 12/1/06 5:31 PM Page 63

● We send each issue direct to you by post every two months

● You save up to 35% on the cover price

● Enjoy all the benefits of this issue on a regular basis:

✔ Careful language grading at elementary and intermediate levels

✔ Great articles and features

✔ Fabulous prize-winning quizzes

✔ Useful language exercises

✔ Helpful glossary

For teachers

● Save an extra 10% on the subscription price when you order foryour classroom (10 or more subscription copies of the magazinedelivered to the same address)

Mail to (if different from address above):

Name: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Address:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Country: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tel: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fax: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Email: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Please tick as appropriate:

I am a learner

I am a teacher

I wish to subscribe for (six issues per year):1 year 2 years 3 years

I wish to order _____ copies of each issue.

I claim my 10% extra discount for a classroomsubscription (10 or more copies to the sameaddress).

I enclose a cheque/Eurocheque for £/€/US$__________ made payable to:Modern English Publishing Ltd.

Please return your order to: Modern English Digest, PO Box 50121, 32-34 Great Peter Street, London, SW1P 2XD, UK

email: [email protected] or online at www.ModernEnglishDigest.net

Tel: +44 (0)20 7799 6060 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7222 1551

SUBSCRIPTION PRICES

£ € $ Total

1 year __ copies x £19 €30 $30 = £/€/$ _________

2 year __ copies x £29 €45 $45 = £/€/$ _________

3 year __ copies x £48 €76 $76 = £/€/$ _________

Sub-total = £/€/$ _________

10 copies or more? Deduct 10% discount – £/€/$ _________

Grand Total = £/€/$ _________

✃

Ordered by: (Please use capital letters)

Name: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Address:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Country: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tel: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fax: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Email: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Please charge £_____________ to my credit card

Expiry Date:

Signature: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (V3.6)

Subscribe Now!

_ _ _

Subscribe Now!

p42-64 12/1/06 4:36 PM Page 64

Documents

Keira Knightley - The Teacher · 2016-03-22 · Keira Knightley p01-23 12/1/06 4:24 PM Page 1. 2 abb – abbreviation, adj – adjective, adv – adverb, coll – colloquial, i –