Academic American English Listening and Reading
elementary level
lesson 1 places to live
part-1
monster cities
our big city’s wonderful places
are they terrible
there are different ideas about this
William H white writes books about
cities
he is happy in a crowded city
he loves busy streets with many stores
and many people
he likes the life in city parks and
restaurants
many people don’t like big cities
they see the large population of cities
and they are afraid
many cities are growing very fast
they are monster cities
monster is a big terrible thing
in some countries there are no jobs in
small towns
people go to cities to work
for example 300,000 people go to Sao
Paulo Brazil every year
in China about 183 thousand people moved
to Beijing from the countryside every
year
Sall Paulo and Beijing are both mega
cities
a megacity is a very very big city
it includes the main city and the cities
and towns around it
Mexico City is a mega city
it has a population of about 8 million
600,000 in the city itself but there are
more than 21 million people in the mega
city
Tokyo is another mega city with over 8
million 200,000 people in Tokyo but over
31 million in Tokyo and the cities
around it
London is another mega city
there are about seven million four
hundred thousand people in London and
about eighteen million four hundred
thousand in London and the surrounding
towns and cities
there are problems in all cities
there are big or mega problems in a mega
city
in many US cities there are many people
with no jobs and no homes
the air is dirty
there are too many cars
problem is crime
many people are afraid of crime
want to feel safe
population density is the number of
people in one square mile 2.59 square
kilometers
population density is a big problem in
many cities
in Miami Florida the density is only
7700 48
in Bangkok Thailand there are 58
thousand three hundred ninety-seven
people per square mile
is this crowded
but other cities are more crowded
do you think William H white likes Hong
Kong
the population density there is 240 7501
part-2
my neighborhood
my name is Elena Sanchez
I’m from Mexico but now I live in
California
I’m a student here in English language
classes at a small college
I live in an apartment building
on the corner of Olive Street and
Sycamore Avenue
my address is 2201 Olive Street
there’s a big olive tree in front of the
building
there’s a park across the street
there are a lot of oak trees in the park
the trees are beautiful in the summer
a lot of my neighbors are from different
countries
the people next to me are from Indonesia
the family across from the Indonesian
family is from Colombia
the stores in this neighborhood are
always busy
there’s a Korean drugstore and in
Armenian flower shop
a Chinese church is next to the flower
shop
there are three restaurants on Olive
Street one Mexican one Japanese and one
Moroccan italian-american
I like my neighborhood but I ask myself
one question where are the Americans
lesson two shopping
part-1
internet shopping
25 years ago very few people use the
Internet
only scientists and people in the
government knew about the internet and
how to use it
this is changing very fast
now almost everyone knows about the
internet and many people are online on
the internet every day
when people think about the Internet
they often think about information
but now more and more when people think
about the Internet
they think about shopping
amazon.com was one of the first
companies to try to sell products on the
Internet
Jeff Bezos started the company
one day he made a prediction about the
future
he saw that the world wide web was
growing 2,000 percent a year
he predicted that it was going to
continue to grow and he thought that
shopping was going to move to the
Internet
people were going to shop online
he quit his good job and drove across
the country to Seattle Washington
there he started an online bookstore
called amazon.com
Bezos had very little money
the company began in a garage a building
for a car and at first there were very
few customers people who buy things
at the amazon.com site people can search
for a book about a subject find many
different books about that subject read
what other people think about the books
order them by credit card and get them
in the mail in two days
this kind of bookstore was a new idea
but the business grew
in a few years amazon.com had 10 million
customers and sold 18 million different
items in categories including books CDs
toys electronics videos DVDs home
improvement products things that you use
to fix up a house software and video
games
today at a virtual shopping mall a group
of online stores you can buy anything
from gourmet food special usually
expensive food to vacations
fifteen years ago many people said
online shopping is crazy nobody can make
money in an online company
they were wrong
today Jeff Bezos is a billionaire
more and more people are shopping online
and online companies are making a profit
it is a huge business
but some people predict online business
isn’t going to grow anymore
they say customers are afraid of online
crime and they will stop shopping on the
Internet
are these people right
nobody knows but we’ll soon find out
part-2
predicting the future of shopping
there are different ideas
about shopping in the future
some people say everybody is going to
shop online from home
there won’t be any more real stores or
shopping malls
but other people have a different
picture of the future
they say there will still be shopping
malls
in the future many people will work at
home alone on their computers
they’ll want to go out to stores for
their shopping
they’ll want to socialize be with other
people
maybe they’re right
but the stores of the future will
probably be different from stores today
shopping in stores will be easy
first people won’t need to carry many
bags from store to store
in stores they will only choose products
they won’t carry them home
the stores will deliver most of their
purchases such as clothes and books to
their houses
second people won’t need to carry money
or credit cards with them
and I scan will identify their eyes and
put their purchase on their credit card
shopping malls will probably also be
different from today
they won’t only have big department
stores on many small stores
molls will still be places for shopping
and for entertainment such as movies
but in moles of the future busy people
will also do other things
they will go to the doctor the dentist
and the post office
they will go to the gym to
everybody agrees about one thing
shopping will be different in the future
lesson three family
part-1
changing families
families in almost every country are
changing
this is true in rich countries and poor
ones
it is true in Africa the Americas Asia
and Europe
all over the world families are getting
smaller
in north africa in the past many people
lived in extended families
fifty to a hundred people live together
in a group of houses
these were all family members
grandparents aunts uncles cousins
children and grandchildren
but now this traditional family is
breaking into smaller groups
the traditional family in Mexico was
also big
one generation ago the average Mexican
woman had seven children
today she has an average of only 2.5
children
now without so many children families
don’t need to spend so much money on
basics such as food clothing and housing
the traditional Japanese family was also
an extended family a son his parents his
wife his children and his unmarried
brothers and sisters
three generations live together
but this tradition is changing
now most families are nuclear families
parents and their children and most
Japanese parents have only one or two
children
these families have new problems
many men and women spend a lot of time
at work
they don’t spend much time together as a
family
this can be very difficult
some young women don’t want this kind of
marriage
job and live with their parents
they say I don’t need to get married
in Europe in traditional families the
woman stayed home with the children and
the man had a job
but families all over Europe are
changing
the number of divorces is going up
in Germany 41% of all marriages end in
divorce
in Finland that number is 56%
many Europeans don’t get a divorce but
they don’t get married either
in much of Europe many people live alone
in France more than 26 percent of women
between age 30 and 34 live alone and
more than 27% of men of the same age
live alone
the number of single-parent families is
going up to
in Denmark 60% of all firstborn children
have parents who are not married
the world is changing and families are
changing too
are many new types of families but most
seem to be getting smaller
part-2
our family reunion
these are pictures of my family
Cheers last summer
we don’t live together we live in
different cities different states and
two countries
but we often talk to each other on the
phone or send email
every summer all the relatives come
together for a week
this is our family reunion and it’s so
much fun
there are two branches in our family one
branch from Mexico and one from the
United States people come to the reunion
from California Arizona New York and
Florida
other people come from Mexico City and
Puerto Verta
we alternate the reunion place one year
in Mexico and the next year in Arizona
my great-grandparents lived in Puerto
Verta and my grandparents now live in
Arizona
at the Reunion we have a picnic one day
we play baseball swim and eat a lot
we play volleyball too
the women and girls are on one team and
the men and boys are on the other
one day some of us go shopping
one night we always have a big barbecue
we sit around a fire tell stories and
eat a lot
some of my aunts and uncles sing and
play music
on the last night we have a dinner dance
at a nice hotel
we listen to music dance and eat a lot
our family really likes to eat
we don’t only eat
we visit with each other all week
we talk about problems
we plan weddings and cry about divorces
sometimes we argue
all bring their new babies new wives and
husbands and new girlfriends and
boyfriends
it’s good to have a big family
but at the end of the week I’m always
very tired
happy to be alone
lesson for personal health
part-1
Health News for body and mind
nobody wants to be sick
everyone wants to be healthy and most
people want to have a long life too
but a healthy body is not enough
we all want both physical and mental
health
what can we do to stay well
most of us know some things to do
it’s a good idea to exercise for example
in a gym eat fruit vegetables and fish
and drink lots of water
we also know things not to do it’s a bad
idea to eat a lot of junk food such as
chips ice cream candy doughnuts and
other foods with sugar or fat
it’s a bad idea to be a couch potato a
person who watches a lot of TV and
doesn’t exercise
it’s a terrible idea to smoke
but scientists now have new information
about other ways to stay healthy
some of it is surprising
drink cocoa
several beverages are good for the
health
orange juice has vitamin C
milk has calcium
black tea and green tea are good for
health too
they have antioxidants these fight
diseases such as cancer and heart
disease
most people know this
but most people don’t know about cocoa
hot chocolate
they enjoy the sweet chocolaty beverage
but they don’t know about its
antioxidants
it has more antioxidants than tea
relax
too much stress which is worried about
problems in life is not good for
physical health
for example it makes your blood pressure
go up
now we know more
some stress is chronic which means that
it lasts a long time for many months or
years
chronic stress can make people old
as people get older they get gray hair
and wrinkles in their skin and their
eyesight and hearing become worse
this is normal but chronic stress makes
people age grow old faster
a scientist at the University of
California San Francisco studies stress
she can now identify how stress makes
people age it can damage hurt the body’s
DNA
the lesson from this is clear
need to learn to relax
sleeeeep
one easy and cheap way to help both your
physical and mental health is just to
sleep eight hours or more every night
but more and more people are not
sleeping enough
according to the World Health
Organization over half the people in the
world may be sleep deprived which means
they don’t get enough sleep
sleep-deprived people often have medical
problems such as high blood pressure
diabetes a problem with sugar in the
blood and heart problems
it is also more difficult for them to
make decisions
clearly we need to find time to get more
sleep
but there is another reason
a new study from Germany found that
sleep makes people smarter
the study shows that the brain continues
to work during sleep and helps the
sleeper to work on problems
you didn’t do your homework last night
maybe you can tell your teacher that you
were working hard in your sleep
learn languages
how many languages do you speak
there might be good news for you
a study from a university in Canada
found something interesting
bilingual people who speak two languages
very well do better on tests than people
who speak only one language
it seems to be mental exercise to hold
two languages in your brain
Ellen Bialystok of York University says
it’s like going to a brain gym
conclusion
to have good physical and mental health
we need to eat right relax sleep enough
and exercise both the body and the brain
there is a lot of new information about
health
some of it is surprising
we need to know about it
lesson five women and men
part-1
men’s talk and women’s talk in the
United States
marriage is often not easy love is often
not easy sometimes friendship between a
man and a woman is not easy
maybe a man and a woman love or like
each other but they argue they get angry
later they apologize but it happens
again and again
what’s the problem our men and women
really very different
Deborah Tannen says yes
men and women are very different
Tannen teaches at Georgetown University
in Washington DC
she writes books about the ways people
talk
she believes that men and women talk and
think in different ways
she tells about some differences in her
book you just don’t understand
it begins in childhood
the difference is Tannen says begin when
men and women are children
very young boys and girls are similar to
each other
in other words they like many of the
same things and play in the same ways
they aren’t very different
there is a change
when children in the United States are 5
or 6 years old
boys usually play in large groups
one boy gives orders
for example he says take this go over
there and be on this team
he is the leader
boys also brag in other words they say
good things about themselves they do
this to have a high position place in
the hierarchy in other words the system
from low to high position in the group
is important to boys
girls in the United States usually play
in small groups or with one other girl
a girl’s best friend her very very good
friend is important to her
girls don’t often give orders they give
suggestions for example they say let’s
go over there maybe we should do this
and do you want to play with that
girls don’t usually have a leader and
they don’t often brag
everyone has an equal position
boys and girls play in different ways
too
much of the time little girls sit
together and talk they have
conversations little boys are usually
active they do things when children grow
up nothing really changes
who talks more and why
many people believe that women talk more
than men do according to Deborah Tannen
this isn’t exactly true
she says women talk more than men only
in private situations at home with
family or with a few friends
in public situations in other words in a
big group or at work men talk more
Tannen says that men and women often
talk for different reasons men talked to
give or get information
they also talk to get or keep a high
position among other men
but for women people and feelings are
important women often talk to socialize
and show interest and love
they also talk to keep their close
relationships with friends and family
conclusion
although a man and a woman might speak
the same language sometimes they don’t
understand each other
men’s talk and women’s talk are almost
two different languages
but maybe men and women can learn to
understand each other
if they understand the differences in
speech
you
part-2
he said she said a u.s. couple
well doctor I’m beginning to worry about
my marriage
my wife and I just don’t understand each
other
like to do things with me she won’t play
tennis or baseball with me she doesn’t
like to fix the car with me
she doesn’t work on the house with me
you know paint the house or fix the roof
she doesn’t listen when I talk about
interesting things sports money or world
politics
sometimes she gets angry with me about
unimportant things and she talks and
talks and talks about uninteresting
things
what’s wrong with her
well doctor I’m beginning to worry about
my marriage my husband and I just don’t
understand each other
we both work full-time but I do all the
work at home you know fix dinner wash
clothes and clean the house
his life is easy he has only one job I
have to sometimes I feel so lonely
when he’s home he reads the newspaper or
watches TV
he doesn’t talk with me he talks at me
he only talks with his friends
he doesn’t listen if I tell him about my
day
he isn’t interested in our friends and
relatives
sometimes he gives me orders
sometimes he tells me about sports or
politics but I don’t like it because I
feel like a student in school
what’s wrong with him
lesson six sleep and dream
part-1
the purpose of sleep and dreams
many people wonder why do we sleep why
do we dream
they ask themselves the purpose or
reason
there are many theories or opinions
about this but scientists don’t know if
these ideas are correct
theories of sleep
one theory of sleep says that during the
day we use many important chemicals in
our bodies and brains
we need sleep to make new chemicals and
repair or fix our bodies
this theory is called the repair theory
one piece of evidence for this theory is
that our bodies produce more of a growth
hormone a chemical that helps us grow
while we sleep
another theory is that the purpose of
sleep is to dream
dreaming occurs or happens only during
one stage or period of sleep REM rapid
eye movement sleep
REM sleep occurs about every 90 minutes
and lasts for about 20 minutes some
scientists believe that REM sleep helps
us to remember things but other
scientists don’t agree
dream Theory’s
whatever the reason for sleep everyone
sleeps and everyone dreams every night
many times we don’t remember our dreams
but we still dream
like sleep no one knows exactly why we
dream or what dreams mean
there have been many theories about
dreams throughout history
many cultures believe that dreams can
predict the future that they can tell us
what is going to happen to us
however some people believe that dreams
are only a form of entertainment
psychologists such as Sigmund Freud say
that dreams are not predictions of the
future psychologists have strong beliefs
about dreams
however these scientists don’t always
agree with each other there are several
different theories about the purpose of
dreaming
Freud who wrote around the year 1900
said that dreams can tell us about our
emotions feelings and desires or wishes
Freud believed that our dreams are full
of symbols
in other words things in our dreams mean
other things for example a road in a
dream isn’t really a road
it might be a symbol of the dreamers
life
Freud thought that dreams are about
things from our past from our childhood
other psychologists say no
they believe that dreams are about the
present about our ideas desires and
problems now
other psychologists say that dreams have
no meaning at all
new evidence
we still don’t know why we dream
however there is interesting new
evidence from research or studies about
the brain
when we are awake many parts of our
brain are active for example the parts
for emotions vision the ability to see
logic the ability to think and
understand and others
however when we are asleep and dreaming
the part of the brain for logic is not
active
maybe this new evidence answers one
common question why do dreams seem so
crazy
part two
a dream narrative
this is the dream of a 40 year old
businessman he is married and has two
children
he goes to a psychologist because he
feels anxious a lot
the psychologist told him to write down
his dreams this is his dream from June
7th
dream June 7th
in my dream I was in a large city
it was very big and very dark
the city seemed like New York but it
didn’t look like the real New York
I was in a friend’s apartment
it was comfortable
a few minutes I left and went out on the
street alone
I walked for a while
then I realized I was lost
I couldn’t find my friend’s apartment
again
I started to feel uncomfortable
tried to return to the apartment but all
of the streets looked unfamiliar and
completely different and I didn’t know
my friend’s address
I began to feel anxious
I kept walking
I wanted to find something familiar
it was getting late
I decided to go home
I knew my home was outside the city
I saw buses on the street but I didn’t
know which one to take
I couldn’t find a way to leave the city
there was a way to get home but I didn’t
know it I asked for directions
the people answered but they didn’t make
any sense all their directions were very
complicated and I couldn’t understand
them
suddenly I was on a boat
boat was traveling across a very
dangerous river
it was dark
River was very dirty there was garbage
in it
I couldn’t see the other side of the
river and I was afraid I began to think
I’ll never get home
I tried to ask for help but no one
listened to me
then I woke up
lesson seven work in jobs
part-1
volunteering
some people go to work each day and then
come home they spend time with their
family and friends maybe they watch TV
or go to a movie
sometimes they exercise or read this is
their life but for other people this
isn’t enough
they look around their neighborhoods and
see people with terrible hardships
sickness loneliness and homelessness
other people see problems with the
environment
many people want to help they volunteer
they give some of their time to help
others
volunteers help in many ways
some visit sick and lonely people
give their friendship to children
without parents
some build houses for homeless people
others sit and hold babies with AIDS
and II Lipkis was at summer camp when he
planted his first tree
he began to think about the environment
in many countries people were cutting
down trees
and Alypius worried about this in 1974
he started a group tree people to plant
trees pine Elm Cypress and eucalyptus
they also began to plant fruit trees and
poor neighborhoods because fresh fruit
is often too expensive for poor people
today there are thousands of members of
tree people and more join every day they
plant millions of trees everywhere to
help the environment and people
Ruth Brinker wasn’t planning to change
the world then a young friend became
sick he had AIDS soon he was very sick
and he couldn’t take care of himself
Brinker and other friends began to help
him
in 1985 Brinker started project open
hand this group cooks meals and takes
them to people with AIDS
soon project open-hand volunteers were
cooking many meals every day and
delivering them to people who couldn’t
leave home
today volunteers prepared 2,000 meals
daily
Ruth Brinker didn’t plan to change the
world but she is making a change in
people’s lives
only three volunteers began the Marine
Mammal Center in Northern California in
1975
today there are 800 volunteers
they work with mammals mammals are
animals that feed on their mother’s milk
when young
the volunteers help sick ocean mammals
seals sea lions and sea otters
the sick animals become well and strong
motherless baby animals grow big and
healthy
for many weeks or sometimes months
volunteers help to feed and take care of
these animals
they also work in an educational program
that teaches people about these animals
the volunteers don’t get any pay for
their hard work
their pay is the good feeling on the day
when they can release a healthy animal
take it to its home the ocean and let it
go free
thirty or forty years ago most
volunteers were housewives
they volunteered time while their
husbands were working
today both men and women volunteer and
teenagers and children too
there are volunteers from all social
classes all neighborhoods and all ages
most aren’t rich or famous they enjoy
their volunteer work
people need them today the world needs
volunteers more than ever before
perhaps a young Zulu boy from South
Africa in Cosi Johnson said it best
before he died of AIDS at the age of 12
he made a speech that is now famous
in this speech he said do all you can
with what you have in the time you have
in the place you are
you
part-2
my special year
my name is Pablo I think I’m a lucky guy
good family and we live in a nice
neighborhood in a really special place
Puerto Vallarta Mexico
people travel here from many countries
for their vacations we have beautiful
beaches hotels restaurants shopping and
sports
in my beautiful hometown there are also
very poor neighborhoods
these areas are crowded and have a lot
of crime
life is terrible for many of the
children in these areas some don’t
really have a childhood because they’re
homeless and live on the streets
they don’t have families or education
don’t have enough food
most of them have chronic stress many
use drugs or have diseases or mental
problems
last year I came back to Puerto Vallarta
from my University in Mexico City
I spent one year as a volunteer with an
organization called outreach
international
they have several programs
I volunteered for one program to help
street children
it was the best and most difficult year
of my life
I learned a lot that year
I worked in a home for street children
all boys at this one
it’s in an old school that nobody uses
now
at this home the boys have a place to
sleep and three meals daily but it’s not
a school they go to a neighborhood
school
the home keeps the boys off the streets
it shows them another way of life
as a volunteer I helped to prepare meals
I taught games such as basketball and
football and art
I helped the kids with their homework
these kids can be fun
they have a lot of energy but they’re
also really tough there are hardships on
the streets make them strong and not
always sweet little children
at this boys home I met two other
volunteers Brian from Canada and Greg
from Australia
in many ways we were very similar
we were the same age came from good
homes had a good education and liked to
travel
they were both college students like me
we became friends
I help them with Spanish and they helped
me with English
they came to meet my family and we had
fun together
now we email each other
but more than anything I will always
remember the children I hope their lives
can be better in the future
the contrast between their lives and my
life is big
I hope they can have a good life like I
do
lesson eight eating and food
part-1
new foods new diets
diet of the past
on March 26th 1662 samuel peeps and four
friends had lunch at his home in London
England
they ate beef cheese two kinds of fish
and six chickens
today we might wonder what no fruits no
vegetables
more than 300 years ago people in Europe
ate differently from today
they look different too
in famous paintings by Titian Rubens and
other artists people weren’t thin they
were overweight
but people 300 years ago thought how
attractive not how ugly
today’s diet
today people are learning more about
health many people are changing their
ways of eating they’re eating a lot of
fruits and vegetables
many of the vegetables are raw they
aren’t cooked because cooking takes away
some vitamins such as vitamins A B and C
people are eating less sugar
they’re eating low-fat foods they’re not
eating much red meat they’re drinking
less Cola and coffee
trying to be thin
people these days want to be slim not
fat
sometimes people in North America go a
little crazy to lose pounds
thousands of them join gyms and diet
groups go to special diet doctors or
spend a lot of money at diet centers
each year Americans spend more than 46
billion dollars on diets and diet
products
more people are overweight however there
is an irony a surprising opposite result
to all this dieting
while many people are becoming thin
other people are becoming overweight
more people are overweight than in the
past
in many countries there is a serious
problem with obesity in other words a
condition of being very overweight
there are two main reasons
first these days many people often go to
fast food restaurants they didn’t in the
past
at these restaurants many of the foods
such as fried potatoes and meat are high
in fat some of the dairy products such
as cheese are high in fat and others
such as ice cream are high in fat and
sugar
this seems similar to samuel peeps his
party doesn’t it ii dieting doesn’t
often work sometimes people lose weight
fast but they usually gain it back again
almost 95% of all people gain back
weight after a diet one problem with
obesity is easy to see overweight people
have more sicknesses such as heart
disease and diabetes
sometimes people go crazy over food
sometimes they eat very little because
they want to be slim
other times they eat lots of bad foods
because these foods taste good
when will people learn
too much food too little food and the
wrong foods are all bad ideas
part two
eating bugs
different cultures enjoyed different
foods
sometimes a food that one culture thinks
is delicious might seem disgusting to
another in much of the world people eat
beef but the idea of meat from a cow
disgusts some Hindus in India
people in France sometimes eat horsemeat
or frogs and this discussed some
Americans
people in Western countries eat cheese
and many Asians think that this is
disgusting
and then there are insects many people
wonder how can people eat bugs children
in the US make horrible faces and say
ooh yucky
however insects are an important part of
the diets in many countries
in different places people eat over
1,000 types of insects and ate them in
the past too
for example people in ancient Greece and
Rome ate insects American Indians ate
grasshoppers crickets and caterpillars
today in parts of Africa people eat
termites insects that eat wood and
caterpillars as snacks in Japan some
people eat grasshoppers with soy sauce
in small villages and in some
restaurants in Thailand people enjoy
crickets and grasshoppers
in some Mexican restaurants people pay
$25 for a plate of butterfly larvae in
the United States some restaurants now
offer insects as a gourmet food
in China people spend a hundred million
dollars each year on ants
there are different ways to prepare bugs
as food one way is to boil them in very
hot water
in Colombia some people spread them on
bread
in the Philippines people fry them in
butter with vegetables
in Mexico people fry them in oil or
marinate them in lemon juice salt and
chili
in some parts of Africa some people bake
or fry them in other areas they eat them
raw
however entomologists scientists who
study insects say that it’s important to
cook insects not eat them raw in the
United States
a company called hot licks now sells
candy with insects in it
Julieta Ramos eller Dewey a researcher
at a university in Mexico City says that
there are many good reasons to eat bugs
first insects are a cheap food except on
a plate in an expensive restaurant and
they taste good
some insects taste like nuts bacon mint
or cinnamon
second bugs are good for our health for
example they often have more protein
than beef or fish
third they can bring money to poor
people who find them in the forest and
sell them
in parts of Africa there are seven
pounds of insects on just one tree
this brings a good profit for very
little work finally eating insects can
help to save the environment in many
countries people cut down trees
however they will not do this if the
trees have insects to eat or sell
people worldwide are now eating foods
from other countries
people in the West now enjoy Japanese
sushi a small roll of cooked white rice
served with a garnish of raw fish
vegetables or egg
people everywhere eat Italian pizza and
American hamburgers
maybe someday in a fast-food restaurant
in any country a customer will say give
me a hamburger and an order of
caterpillars please
in the future insects might be as
familiar to us as rice bread or beans
lesson 9 places to visit
part-1
adventure vacations
people like different kinds of vacations
some go camping they swim fish cook over
a fire and sleep outside
others like to stay at a hotel in an
exciting city they go shopping all day
and go dancing all night
or maybe they go sightseeing to places
such as Disneyland in the United States
the Taj Mahal in India or the Louvre in
France
a different kind of vacation
some people are bored with sightseeing
trips they don’t want to be tourists
they prefer an adventure a surprising
and exciting trip
they want to learn something and maybe
help people too
how can they do this
travel companies and environmental
groups are planning special adventures
sometimes these trips are difficult but
there are a lot of fun
one organization Earthwatch sends small
groups of volunteers to different parts
of the world
some volunteers spend two weeks and
study the environment
others learn about people of the past
others work with animals or plants
hard work in the far north
would you like an adventure in the far
north
scientists are worried about changes in
the climate worldwide
they are studying how the environment is
changing because of a warming climate
two teams of volunteers one in Alaska
and the other in Iceland will study
glaciers huge fields of ice that move
very slowly
these glaciers are getting smaller
scientists wonder why and how
another team will go to Manitoba Canada
this team will collect information on
birds mammals and the amount of snow
if you like exercise and cold weather
these are good trips for you but you
must be in very good physical condition
studying ocean mammals
do you enjoy ocean animals
you can spend two weeks in Florida
there you can study dolphins
it will be exciting to learn about these
intelligent ocean mammals
these beautiful animals can live to over
fifty years of age
they travel together in family groups
from small boats volunteers will study
and photograph these groups
the purpose of this research is to learn
about the animals social behavior
scientists want to know what dolphins do
and how they live
also scientists want to study dolphins
health for example they wonder is ocean
pollution changing the Dolphins health
if you like warm weather the ocean and
animals this is a good trip for you
digging up the past
are you interested in history or
prehistory
then Southwest France is the place for
your adventure
between 35,000 and 250,000 years ago
early humans lived in this area
volunteers will work with archeologists
from France Germany and the United
States to search for evidence about the
way of life of the people from that time
if you choose this adventure you will
dig for stone tools and bones clean them
and photograph them
in your free time you can travel around
the beautiful countryside in the South
of France
beaches and biology
do you enjoy the beach and like to learn
about plants
there is an earth watch adventure in
Yucatan Mexico
on the north coast of Yucatan there are
beautiful species of plants
unfortunately many of them are
disappearing
people dig them up and sell them for
large amounts of money
Mexican biologists need volunteers to
collect seeds count plants and help to
save several plant species
in your free time you can travel to
archaeological sites in the area
if you love a tropical climate this is
the trip for you
do you want a very different vacation
do you want to travel far work hard and
learn a lot then an earth watch vacation
is for you
lesson 10 save the earth
part-1
the ocean in trouble
many environmental groups are warning
that oceans worldwide are in great
danger
according to the United Nations Food and
Agriculture Organization FAO 70% of the
world’s fishing areas are in danger
one reason of course is the huge amount
of pollution
however there is another danger and it
might be even more harmful than
pollution
this danger is overfishing
no matter where you look in the world on
average 90% of the fish are gone says a
biologist from Dalhousie University in
Canada
new technology
fishers are finding fewer and fewer fish
everywhere
however this does not mean that
fishermen are not fishing any longer
instead many are using new technology to
fish new waters as deep as a mile
trawlers large fishing boats are using
special Nets on wheels and rollers
drag these nets across the bottom of the
deep oceans and they pick up anything of
any size at all with these nets fishers
catch the fish that people eat but the
Nets also catch marine mammals such as
sea lions dolphins and sometimes whales
the effect on fish
these nets also take species like squid
skate red crabs slackjaw eels spiny
dogfish and orange roughy
a few years ago people didn’t want to
eat these species
now you can find them in fish stores in
fish sandwiches at fast-food restaurants
or in fake not real crab meat for
seafood salads
the orange roughy provides an example of
what is happening
this fish appeared in fish stores only
about 10 years ago but already the
species is almost extinct
the orange roughy lives very deep in the
ocean up to a mile deep in the cold
waters off New Zealand
scientists now know that fish in deep
cold water grow and reproduce very
slowly for example the orange roughy
lives to be 150 years old
it doesn’t start to reproduce until it
is 30 years old
although the fish is nearly extinct
people still sell it in seafood stores
and in restaurants
and of course it may be in that fish
sandwich that you eat at a fast-food
restaurant
many scientists believe that present
fishing methods will destroy all the
large fishing areas of the world
can anything stop this
some scientists think that governments
should stop the fishing industry from
using some kinds of technology but this
will be difficult
many of the big fishing companies have a
lot of money and they use that money to
influence politicians all around the
world
no fishing zones
other scientists believe that
governments should create no fishing
zones areas where no one can fish
governments can police these areas
during the UN international year of the
ocean more than 1,600 leading marine
scientists and conservation biologists
from 65 countries urged the world to
create 80 times the no fishing areas
that exist now
their goal is to protect 20% of the
world’s oceans by the year 2020
this is happening in some places for
example the fishing industry in Britain
is beginning to except no fishing zones
because the amount of fish that the
industry catches is getting smaller and
smaller
the fishing industry often argues that
the scientific evidence is not complete
that we just don’t know what is going on
in the oceans
now scientists and environmentalists
have to give evidence to show that the
fishing industry is doing damage before
the government will pass laws protecting
the ocean
this takes time and sometimes it is
difficult to prove something like this
the magazine science says we should have
the opposite rule big fishing companies
should have to prove that they are not
destroying the oceans before we allow
them to fish
inclusion
environmentalists say that average
people need to get together and pressure
their governments to do something
the large fishing companies that owned
the big trawlers are not going to stop
fishing by themselves
the environmentalists say that if we
don’t pressure our governments there
will be nothing left in the oceans but
water
you
part two
repairing the environment
early life on Easter Island
Easter Island is a very small island in
the Pacific Ocean
in the ancient past the island was
covered with vegetation such as
beautiful forests and the surrounding
ocean was rich in fish
the human population grew to about 9,000
people
today we know them for their art
hundreds of huge amazing statues that
are made of stone
over several hundred years the people
created larger and larger statues
the changing history
for about seven hundred years life on
Easter Island was good
however by the 15th century people
suddenly stopped creating the statues
also the environment completely changed
the earth didn’t produce enough food for
the population
the forests were gone because people cut
down all the trees
without trees they couldn’t even build
canoes a kind of small boat and for this
reason they couldn’t go fishing
society was destroyed
the people were hungry
when Europeans arrived in 1722 there
were only about 2,000 people left
Easter Island as an example
scientists often mention Easter Island
they see it as an example of the damage
that humans can do to the environment
they say that our earth is like an
island
when we destroy it we destroy ourselves
they say that we are now destroying it
like the people of ancient Easter Island
we are cutting down forests
worldwide the environment is changing
the climate is becoming warmer
glaciers are melting
pollution fills many rivers and lakes in
the air of many cities
and every year about 20,000 plant and
animal species become extinct
what we can do
some people see this situation as
hopeless but environmentalists say that
it isn’t too late
there are things that we can do
governments and big companies need to
make big changes but every individual
can make many small changes
all these small changes can add up
they can make a big difference
here are just some
plant trees
trees absorb drink in the carbon dioxide
co2 that factories put into the air
by organic fruits and vegetables ones
without dangerous chemicals
these are good for your health and good
for the earth too
reuse containers in other words don’t
throw empty plastic food containers into
the trash or garbage
wash them and use them again
also use plastic bags many times
when you throw away a plastic bag or
container it stays in the earth for
thousands of years
don’t use paper or plastic bags
bring a cloth bag with you to the
supermarket
you can use the same cloth bag over and
over for years
recycle things that you can’t reuse
you can recycle aluminum cans glass
bottles some plastic containers and
newspapers
use compact fluorescent lightbulbs
they last ten times longer than regular
light bulbs so they save you money
also they use 75% less energy
one of these bulbs can keep a half-ton
1000 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the
air
do you eat tuna fish
if so look carefully at the can
by only tuna that is dolphin-safe
in other words tuna from companies with
special Nets that don’t kill dolphins
write letters to government leaders
ask them for laws that protect the
environment
tell them that you want the earth to be
here for your great-great-grandchildren
you
intermediate-level
lesson one students life
part-1
international students
introduction and definitions
all around the world there are
international students at institutions
of higher education
the definition of an international
student is a post-secondary student from
another country the meaning of
post-secondary is after high school
another phrase for international
students is foreign students
the word foreign means of a different
country or culture
even so some people don’t like the word
foreign instead they use the phrase
international students
for an institution of higher education
they say university college or school
we’re international students attend
school
international students leave their home
countries
they go to school abroad
one meaning of the word abroad is in a
foreign place
probably the country with the most
students from abroad is the United
States
Canada Great Britain and some other
European countries also have a lot of
students from other countries
but more and more international students
attend colleges and universities in the
developing nations of Latin America Asia
and Africa
developing nations are countries without
a high level of industrialization or
technology
why students attend school abroad
why do high school and college graduates
go to colleges and universities far from
their homes
undergraduates are post-secondary
students without college degrees
often undergraduates want the experience
of life in new cultures
maybe they want to learn another
language well
many students want degrees in business
engineering or technology
these subjects are not always available
in their home countries
some governments and companies send
their best graduate students and workers
to other countries for new knowledge and
skills
and some international students from
expensive private schools at home save
money through study abroad programs
especially in developing nations
why universities want foreign students
why do institutions of higher education
want international students
students from other countries and
cultures bring internationalism to the
classroom and campus
they bring different languages customs
ideas and opinions from many places
also educational institutions need money
tuition is the fee or charge for
instruction
private schools our colleges and
universities not supported by government
money they charge high tuition
international students are not citizens
or immigrants
one definition of citizens and
immigrants is legal members of a nation
or country
international students pay full tuition
and fees to state or government schools
and all students away from home have to
spend money for housing food recreation
and other things
for these reasons many schools and
groups of schools want students from
other countries
conclusion and summary
for different reasons many high school
and college graduates want or need to
study abroad
for other reasons many nations want or
need students from other countries and
cultures on their college and university
campuses
part-2
university life around the world
similarities and student life
at colleges and universities around the
world students from other places live in
student housing on campus in apartments
or in the private homes of other people
they walk to school or get there by
bicycle or by car
sometimes they take public
transportation like the bus or subway
they attend classes and take quizzes or
tests or exams
they complete necessary course
requirements
after years of study they get
certificates or college degrees
these are proof of completion of courses
of study
outside school they have other interests
and family or social lives
in some ways life on the campuses of
institutions of higher education is the
same everywhere in the world
systems of higher education
maybe student life is similar but the
system of higher education differs and
countries around the world
for example in the United States
post-secondary students can live at home
and go to community colleges for two
years or more
or they can choose for years state or
private colleges or universities
they can get financial aid like
scholarships grants or loans this money
helps students to pay college tuition
and other charges loans have to be paid
back
with undergraduate degrees they can
attend graduate school
the system is different in some
countries of Asia or the Middle East
like Iran
their students take an exit exam in
their last year of high school
the people with the highest scores
attend the best universities in the
country
other students can go to other kinds of
colleges or get jobs
differences in teaching and learning
styles
but not only the system of higher
education can vary
teaching and learning methods and styles
differ in various cultures at different
colleges and universities and in
individual courses for example the
atmosphere in many classrooms is very
formal
students use titles such as Professor
Gonzales or mrs. Wong for their
instructors
some teachers wear business clothes and
give academic lectures
students respect the knowledge and views
of their master teachers
other classrooms have an informal
atmosphere
instructors dress casually and students
use instructors first names
in this relaxed atmosphere class members
work together in groups they tell their
individual experiences give their
opinions and talk about their ideas
some teachers always follow a course
plan or the textbook
they give a lot of assignments
they give points scores or grades for
homework
in their courses students take many
quizzes tests and exams
all over the world there are teaching
and learning differences
campus facilities and services
and what about the facilities and
services available to students at
college and university campuses around
the world
at many institutions of higher education
resources for learning and recreation
are available to students
at libraries they can read and study
books and other materials
at learning resource centers they can
often work on computers
maybe they can use educational software
programs or the Internet
sometimes audio or video equipment is
available
and people can buy books supplies and
other things at campus stores
also learners can get advice from
counselors an individual help with their
courses from tutors
maybe they can relax and have fun on
campus too
some schools have swimming pools tennis
courts and other sports facilities
most have snack bars cafeterias or other
eating places
and at some schools not all students go
to the campus
they take internet courses by computer
see and hear lectures on television or
use other kinds of distance learning
lesson two the nature
part-1
the powerful influence of weather
biyo meteorologists and their research
whether has a powerful impact on the
physical world
it also affects people’s personalities
how do we know about the effects of
weather on people
we know from bio meteorologists
these scientists study weather
they study how atmospheric conditions
affect human health and emotions
the word atmosphere means the air around
the earth
atmospheric conditions at a time or
place is a definition of the word
weather
some examples of these conditions are
Sun wind rain snow humidity the amount
of moisture in the air and air pressure
the force of air
the weather conditions of the atmosphere
greatly influence or affect people’s
health thinking and feelings
how wind can affect health
all over the world winds come down from
high mountain areas
the winds fall faster and faster and the
air becomes warmer and drier
what does scientists say about the
health effects of this kind of weather
according to bio meteorologists in
Russia powerful winds from the mountains
increased the number of strokes blood
vessel attacks in the brain
also sometimes strong southern winds
blow north over Italy
during these times researchers say
Italians have more heart attacks sudden
stopping of the heart
people everywhere have bad headaches
during times of forceful winds
and Japanese weather scientists say
there is an increase in the number of
asthma attacks
asthma is a lung disorder it causes
breathing problems
possible effects of other kinds of
weather
do other kinds of weather influence
physical health
sudden temperature changes in winter are
often associated with a cold or the flu
the flu or influenza is a viral disease
however colds and flu probably increase
because people are in close contact near
one another indoors in cold weather
colds and flu may even lead to pneumonia
another lung disease
other illnesses also increase during
long periods times of cold weather
in most places diseases of the blood and
heart attacks are more common in winter
but in some very hot and humid wet
regions there are more heart attacks in
summer
many people have high blood pressure a
health condition
in three out of four people blood
pressure Falls goes down in warm weather
but some people have lower blood
pressure in the cool or cold times of
the year
weather and mood
these forces of nature greatly affect
people’s moods emotional conditions and
feelings too
for many people winter in the northern
regions is very depressing
they eat and sleep a lot but they
usually feel tired they are nervous and
can’t work well
they are irritable not very nice to
other people
by Oh meteorologist even have a name for
this condition
the name is seasonal affective disorder
sad
scientists think the cause of this mood
disorder is the long periods of darkness
even during the day it is often cloudy
or gray
what can people with sad do about their
moods
naturally they need more light
on bright days they feel better
but people don’t work very well on sunny
hot and humid days
the best weather for good work and
thinking is cool and clear
conclusion and summary
are the people around you becoming sick
more often
are they getting more colds or the flu
or even pneumonia
are they having more health problems
like headaches or asthma attacks or
heart disease
or are you becoming Moody
are you getting more tired or depressed
low in mood or sad
remember according to bio meteorologists
and other weather scientists the cause
may be the atmosphere
part-2
global climate changes
climate in regions of the globe
the word weather means the atmospheric
conditions at a specific place and time
the weather can vary from day to day
in contrast to weather climate is the
general or average atmospheric
conditions of a region
in different areas of the globe the
climate generally stays the same from
year to year
for example the climate in the desert is
usually very dry
it may be cold in winter and hot in
summer but there is very little rain or
humidity
in contrast in tropical rainforests
there is very high humidity
in most other areas of the world the
weather is cool or cold and wet or dry
in the winter season
it is warm or hot and dry or humid in
the summer months
according to some meteorologists whether
researchers the Earth’s climate is
changing slowly
in most places on the earth the weather
varies from season to season or even
from day to day
in contrast the typical climate is
similar every year
even so there may be global climate
changes from one long time period to
another
what are these changes
some scientists believe the weather is
becoming more extreme
there are longer periods of very cold
and very hot temperatures
there are more and more powerful
hurricanes and tornadoes storms with
strong fast winds and blizzards heavy
snowstorms
floods large amounts of water on dry
land and long droughts times without
enough rain are causing greater and
greater physical damage to the human
communities on earth
these extreme forces of nature will get
even worse in the future say some people
and every change in climate in one part
of the globe will bring more extreme
changes in other areas
global warming and El Nino are having
major effects on the Earth’s atmosphere
weather and climate
at least that’s the opinion of many
researchers and scientists
what is global warming
it is a slow increase in the average
yearly temperature of the planet
the cause is an increase of gases in the
atmosphere
what is El Nino
the Spanish phrase means the little boy
or the christ-child
it names a weather condition most common
in the month of December
this seasonal weather disorder is a
change in the atmosphere of the tropical
areas of the Pacific Ocean
it increases the amount of rain in the
Americas and can bring strong winds and
hurricanes
in contrast El Nino may cause drought in
the southern and western Pacific Asia
Blizzard’s snow and long periods of low
temperatures may follow in the northern
regions of the globe
not all meteorologists believe there is
much natural global warming
according to these scientists the El
Nino effect is not getting stronger
so why is the temperature of the earth
going up
why are tropical storms like hurricanes
causing more and greater flood and wind
damage
probably human-beings are the main cause
of the extreme effects of weather and
climate changes
cars and factories are putting more and
more gases like carbon dioxide co2 into
the Earth’s atmosphere
coal and oil add carbon dioxide to the
air too
trees and plants take in carbon dioxide
but humans are cutting down the
rainforests and putting up buildings
where green plants used to grow
the world has a lot of people now and it
will have a lot more people in the
future
lesson three food and diet
part-1
global diet choices
meanings of the word diet
most words in the English language have
more than one simple or basic meaning
one example is the word diet
the most general definition of the noun
is a person’s or a group’s usual food
choices and habits
in a more specific definition diet means
an eating plan with only certain kinds
or amounts of food
for instance a diet is often a plan to
lose weight
and as a verb diet means to lose weight
people can go on a diet meaning they are
starting a program to lose weight
International fast food
all over the world the global diet
includes fast food
prepared items from inexpensive
restaurants snack bars or food stands
some examples of typical American
fast-food are hamburgers hot dogs
sandwiches and fried chicken
some common international fast foods
might be German sausage and schnitzel
Italian pizza and pasta Mexican tacos
and burritos middle-eastern shish kebob
and falafel Japanese sushi and tempura
and Chinese egg rolls and noodles
why is this kind of food becoming even
more universal or worldwide
first fast-food restaurants usually
prepare and serve the items quickly
second many fast food restaurants are
part of fast food chains eating places
with the same name and company owner
for instance the biggest and most famous
American fast-food chain serves
hamburgers in every continent on the
planet except Antarctica
it’s menu items may not be exactly alike
in all cultures but it’s 25,000
restaurants all have the same look and
style
the atmosphere seems comfortable and
familiar
third the items at fast-food places
usually cost less than meals informal
restaurants or special dishes made at
home
and finally people usually enjoy the
taste of the food even if it is not very
nutritious healthy
how people make individual food choices
how do most people make their diet
decisions
individual choices are often based on
former habits cost and convenience
beliefs about health and nutrition and
ideas about physical beauty
some people learn to like certain foods
in childhood and they don’t change later
in life
many people have busy lives so they buy
or prepare food and eat it as quickly as
possible
some meal planners think only fresh and
natural food is nutritious so they buy
vegetables fruits and foods without
additives chemical substances and
prepare it in healthy ways
people with health problems like high
blood pressure or diabetes of blood
sugar disorder may be on special non
salt or non sugar diets
the nutritional requirements of very
young or very old people may be
different from the needs of others
some cultures prefer a slim body to a
well-rounded one so people are always
trying to lose weight
they may follow popular diets such as a
low-carb diet an eating system high in
protein but low in refined carbohydrates
other reasons for diet habits around the
world
unlike individual food plans the diets
of whole cultures and regions come from
location history and tradition
for example the typical Mexican diet is
a combination of foods from
pre-columbian Spanish and French
cultures
it is rich in complex carbohydrates corn
beans rice breads and protein beans eggs
fish meat
fish and fish products from the seas
around Japan are one of the most
important parts of the traditional
Japanese diet
rich in vitamins and minerals seafood is
served grilled baked raw dried pickled
hot and cold
soy products miso tofu and bean paste
fermented vegetables and rice are also
important in the typical Japanese diet
religious practices may also greatly
affect diet
for instance some Jewish people keep
kosher follow the requirements of Jewish
food preparation and eating
these laws prohibit eating pork or bacon
or other meat from pigs shellfish snake
or insects
in addition people should not eat meat
and dairy milk products at the same meal
in a similar way Muslims follow the laws
of eating halal an Islamic system of
eating only permitted foods
some foods such as pork or insects are
not permitted
though people can eat some meat such as
beef from cows the animals must be
killed in a special way according to
ritual
also for religious reasons some
Christians eat fish instead of meat on
Fridays
they also limit their food choices
during Lent the 40 days before Easter in
the spring
conclusion and summary the global diet
universally more and more meals include
basic necessary food elements protein
carbohydrates and fats
almost everywhere some kind of meat fish
dairy product or another food with
protein is part of a good breakfast
lunch or dinner
there are also grains breads vegetables
fruit and the like
many dishes contain the necessary
vitamins and minerals
a few families grow their own food but
most people buy food from eating places
and markets in their communities
food may be fresh prepared canned frozen
or packaged
fast-food is very popular and maybe it
is becoming healthier
in some ways diet choices are becoming
more and more similar around the world
even so the variety of food choices is
large now and is probably going to
increase
our cooking customs eating habits and
food preferences all over the world
becoming more or less healthy
are they better or worse for human
beings
these questions are interesting topics
of research and discussion
part-2
facts about food
food fights
everywhere on earth there are food
specialists with opposite or different
opinions on the best kinds of nutrition
for various purposes
a lot of people believe that the
healthiest diets are high in fiber
vitamins and minerals but low in fat
cholesterol sugar and salt
some nutritionists say the perfect
eating plan contains mostly
carbohydrates without much protein
in contrast other scientists say people
need high-protein meals with meat
chicken fish or milk products and only
small amounts of grains potatoes breads
rice and noodles
one famous diet plan allows only certain
foods at certain times protein with
protein carbohydrates with carbohydrates
fruits alone and so on
some eaters stay away from all meat and
maybe even fish and milk products
they get their protein from plants
mostly beans
others want only high-fiber food
these people may not eat white bread or
white rice or even cooked vegetables
so what is the best way to eat and be
healthy
the discussion of food facts will go on
far into the future
the necessary substances and elements
for human life and health are water
protein carbohydrates fats vitamins and
minerals
most kinds of food contains some or all
of the required nutrients but these
substances have different effects on
people
various ingredients and dishes affect
the mine in different ways and some
kinds of nourishment have better effects
on the brain than others
for instance can broccoli increase brain
power
be so
low levels of some of the B vitamins can
cause a decrease in memory and thinking
ability nutritionists say but dark green
vegetables like broccoli contain a lot
of these nutrients
another example of a memory helper is
lecithin a substance from soybeans also
found in high-fiber foods like nuts and
whole grains
high-protein foods influence the mind in
more helpful ways than dishes high in
sugar and carbohydrates
and the caffeine and coffee or tea may
help thinking
of course its effects don’t last long
in many places outside big cities food
with more than four legs is part of good
healthy home cooking
fried or grilled ants are a tasty but
expensive snack in Colombia South
America
in various parts of Mexico over 300
types of insects service food
in southern Africa many people like to
eat at least one kind of caterpillar or
worm
they enjoy it fried dried or cooked in
tomato sauce
in Thailand cooks create a spicy hot
pepper sauce with water bugs
in Vietnam grasshoppers filled with
peanuts are a special dish
and in some regions of China bugs are
not only a part of meals but an
important ingredient in medicine too
most kinds of insects have high
nutritional value
they contain a lot of protein vitamins
and minerals
many people like their taste
they are everywhere on the planet
they add to the variety of people’s
diets
for several reasons insects are an
important kind of food in the global
diet and they may become a more common
ingredient in the future
the growing similarities in diet and
eating habits around the world are
influencing people of various cultures
in different ways
for example Western foods are damaging
health in the industrialized island
country of Japan
instead of small meals of seafood rice
and vegetables the typical Japanese diet
now includes large amounts of meat dairy
products like whole milk ice cream and
desserts like tiramisu a rich Italian
dish full of chocolate cheese and sugar
according to Japanese health researchers
such changes in eating habits are
related to a great increase in health
problems such as heart disease strokes
cancer and diabetes
on the other hand the changing global
diet is having the opposite effect on
the people in the Czech Republic
the government of this european nation
no longer supports meat and dairy
products financially so the cost of
these foods is going up
in contrast fresh fruits and vegetables
are becoming more widely available from
private markets and stands
Cook’s are even serving salads to school
children and families are eating
healthier home-cooked meals
for these reasons fewer Czech men are
having heart attacks the women are
losing a lot of weight and most people
are living healthier lives
lesson for the community where you live
part-1
how can I get to the post office
I have a special rule for travel never
carry a map
prefer to ask for directions
sometimes I get lost but I usually have
a good time
and there are some other advantages
I can practice a new language meet new
people learn new customs and the like
I learn about different styles of
directions every time I ask how can I
get to the post office
here are some illustrations of those
differences
tourists are often confused in Japan
that’s because most streets there don’t
have names
outside big cities people most often use
landmarks in their directions
for example the Japanese might tell
travelers something like this
go straight down to the corner turn left
at the big hotel with the sushi bar and
go past the fruit market the post office
is across from the bus stop next to the
fast-food fried chicken place
in the United States people might give
directions in different ways according
to their region or community
in the countryside of the American
Midwest for example there are not
usually many landmarks
there are no mountains so the land is
very flat
in many places there are no towns or
buildings for miles
instead of landmarks residents of the
flatlands will tell you directions like
north south east and west and distances
like two miles
in the states of Kansas or Iowa for
instance people will say things such as
take this road here go straight north
for two miles make a right turn and then
go another mile in a northeast direction
keep to the left around the curve then
merge with local route 12
in most cities however people will name
the streets number of blocks even the
number of stop lights or stop signs
people in towns or cities might say go
straight for five blocks turn left at
Main Street go to the third stoplight
and turn right
that’s 6th Street the post office is two
blocks up on your left
many people around the
can get Street directions on the
Internet
people in Canada the United States and
many European countries can go to a
website to get directions
they enter type in a start point and an
end point for their trip
then they get instructions like these
take i xl the interstate highway 26
miles
go straight east
enter Texas
keep left northwest 8.7 miles turn right
to turn her Turnpike
at exit 5b take ramp right towards
Oklahoma City Oklahoma
they print out these directions and
carry the papers with them sometimes
with a map
without a computer printout on the other
hand some people in Los Angeles
California may have no idea of distance
on the map
residents of this Pacific Coast area are
almost always in their cars so they
measure distance in time
how far away is the post-office you ask
oh they might answer I guess it’s about
five minutes from here
you say yes but how many miles away is
it or how many kilometres or blocks they
rarely know or they can seldom say
sometimes people in Greece do not even
try to give directions
that’s because tourists seldom
understand the Greek language
instead a Greek person May motion or
gesture or say follow me
then that person will lead you through
the streets of the city to the post
office
what if a person doesn’t know the
answer to your question about the
location of a place
a New Yorker might say sorry I have no
idea and walk away quickly
but in Yucatan Mexico not many residents
answer I don’t know
people in Yucatan may believe that a
quick I don’t know is impolite
they might stay and talk to you
and usually they’ll try to give an
answer sometimes a wrong one
a tourist without a good sense of
direction can get very very lost in this
southern region
one thing will help you everywhere in
Japan the United States Greece Mexico or
any other place
you might not understand a person’s
words but you can probably understand
the body language like facial
expressions gestures movements and so on
he or she will usually turn and then
point his or her finger in a particular
direction
go in that direction and you’ll find the
post office maybe
part-2
the laws of communities
laws are rules for people and
communities
for instance in every country and
culture of the world there are laws
against serious offenses murder robbery
violence against people and the like
these laws make sense they are necessary
for safety and health for community
order and for good human relationships
and communities they are probably
similar all over the world
on the other hand many laws and rules
differ from country to country from area
to area or even from one community to
another
some common illustrations of this
variety are laws about driving drinking
alcohol eating smoking shopping money
people’s rights and many others
for instance a legal action in Lima Peru
may be against the law in Seoul Korea
and an illegal activity in an Asian
community may be perfectly legal in a
European city
on the other hand laws may be the same
in various countries but vary in
different cities or states of the same
nation
every country has traffic rules and
signs but are they the same
in most countries there are street and
road signs with information about
location directions dangers cautions and
rules of the road
these signs tell drivers and pedestrians
walkers what to do and what not to do
including speed and parking limits
places to stop when to make turns and
other procedures
however specific local traffic laws and
practices usually differ the world
for instance in Japan Indonesia South
Africa the United Kingdom and other
countries
steering wheels are on the right side of
vehicles and cars and trucks drive on
the left side of the road
in other countries such as the United
States Saudi Arabia Taiwan Italy and
Mexico
steering wheels are on the left side of
vehicles and cars and trucks drive on
the right side of the road
an illustration of a local traffic law
is the regulations for pedestrian and
school crossings in some Mexican cities
drivers rarely respect the rules so for
safety people cross streets only at
stoplights on roads with little traffic
or on pedestrian only bridges across
wide avenues
what about regulations and customs and
other areas of people’s lives
some communities have a lot of rules
about legal and illegal individual
activities even drinking and smoking
for instance in most places in the
United States no one under 21 can buy or
drink alcohol legally even beer or wine
in some communities it’s illegal to
drink a can of beer on a public street
it’s also against the law to have an
open alcohol container in a car
similarly smoking is no longer legal in
public places such as workplaces
restaurants airports and on airline
flights within the United States
in Japan and other countries there is a
legal age for smoking
in some Muslim countries all smoking is
against religious law
on the other hand many people around the
world drink and smoke including more and
more teenagers and young people
customs and habits do not always go
along with health or safety regulations
or laws
in the beginning most local laws have a
clear purpose or reason even so after
many years these same regulations can
seem very strange or unusual here are
some examples of old rules about
personal relationships
in the backcountry of New Zealand a man
with many sisters can have the same
number of wives
how is this custom legal
the man can give one sister to each of
his wives families
in some Indian communities it is illegal
for a young man and woman married or not
to hold hands in a bus or train station
if they do they have to pay an expensive
fine
the law in some Chinese towns doesn’t
allow a man to give a woman a chicken
leg during a meal he can give her other
chicken parts but not a leg
and in whirl and Wyoming a state in the
United States no married man may go
camping alone or with his friends he has
to take along his wife
these old laws are probably still in
effect but not many people follow them
lesson five home and family
part-1
a short history of the changing family
past definitions of family
like the community the family is a
social institution
long ago human beings lived in loosely
related groups
each group had a common ancestor a
family member from the distant past
but for over a millennium a thousand
years there have been two main types of
families in the world the extended form
and the nuclear form
the extended family may include
grandparents parents and children and
sometimes aunts uncles and cousins
in other words relatives living in the
same house or close together on the same
street or in the same area
in contrast the nuclear family consists
of only parents and their biological
related by blood or adopted children
because of the industrialization in the
19th century the nuclear family became
the most common family structure
kinds of families today
today there are many different kinds of
families around the globe some people
live in traditional families that is to
say a stay-at-home mother a working
father and their own biological children
others live in to paycheck families that
is both parents work outside the home
there are many single-parent families in
other words only a mother or a father
lives with the children
still others have adoptive or foster
families that is adults take care of
children not biologically theirs or
blended families in other words divorced
or widowed men and women marry again and
live with the children from their
previous or earlier marriages
some kids have stepparents that is
mother’s or Father’s related to them by
marriage instead of biology
in other families some youngsters under
the age of 18 have to take care of kids
either their own or their younger
siblings brothers and sisters
in different countries around the world
there are also same-sex partnerships
with or without children
childless marriages unmarried live-in
relationships communal living groups and
so on
the early 20th century
what caused the structure of the
to change
here is an example from the western
world
in the early 1900’s in the United States
the divorce rate that is the percent of
legal endings compared to the number of
marriages began to rise and the birth
rate that is the number of births per
hundred or thousand people began to
decline in other words couples stayed
married for fewer years and they had
fewer children
women often chose to get an education
and take jobs outside the home
decades ten year periods later the same
things began to occur in other
industrialized countries and then
developing countries of the world as
well
the 1930s and 1940s
the decades of the 1930s and 1940s were
difficult years in both industrialized
and developing countries
many families faced serious financial
problems because the heads of households
lost their jobs
during World War two 1939 to 1945
millions of women had to take care of
their homes and their children alone
because so many men were at war
thousands of these war widows that is to
say women whose husbands were away at
war had to go to work outside the home
most women worked long hours at hard
jobs
there weren’t many perfect families
they had problems
after World War two
during the next decade the situation
changed in many places there were fewer
divorces and people married at a younger
age and had more children than in the
previous generation
men made enough money to support the
family so a mother seldom worked outside
the home when her children were small
children began living at home longer
that is until an older age usually after
high school or even college
the traditional family was returning in
the United States it seemed as in many
other countries
the end of the 20th century
in the years between 1960 or so and the
end of the 20th century however there
were many new changes in the structure
of the family around the globe
from the 1960s to the 1990s the divorce
rate in the Western world greatly
increased and the birth rate fell by
half
the number of single-parent families
rose and the number of couples living
together without marriage went up even
more
at the end of the 20th and beginning of
the 21st centuries young adults of some
economic classes started staying with
their parents longer marrying later and
having kids at an older age if at all
the family of the future
many people today would like the
traditional two-parent family back that
is to say they want a man and a woman to
marry for life they also think the man
should support the family and the woman
should stay home with the children
however few families now fall into this
category
in fact if more women decide to have
children on their own
the single-parent household may become
more typical than the traditional family
in many countries
also unmarried couples may decide to
have more children or they might take in
foster children or adopt
and because people are staying single
and living longer often as widows there
may be more one-person households in the
future
the other hand some people believe
similar events happen again and again in
history
if this is true people may go back to
the traditional extended or nuclear
family of the past
others think the only certainty in
history is change in other words the
structure of the future family could
begin to change faster and faster and in
more and more ways
part two
time with the family past and present
the Sun was rising a woman got up from a
straw mat on the floor of her simple two
room family cottage
her husband and their four children were
still asleep on the mat
there were five other children the
couple gave two of them to a family with
too few workers the other three died
long ago
the woman pushed aside the family goats
when she started the fire for cooking
the man and the children got up
while the daughter helped with the
housework the sons went outside to work
in the fields with their father
could see a castle not far away
the family lived under the protection of
the master of the castle
they weren’t his slaves servants but
they paid him taxes
there was no schooling so they couldn’t
read or write or get jobs in cities
during the long work day they took
breaks only for meals occasionally they
went to the village center where they
laughed and talked and played games
at night people of the community got
together around big fires
they told stories about the past
most families used to live this way in
England over 800 years ago
in the first half of the 20th century
the Japanese family was much more
traditional than the typical American
family
young people didn’t even use to date in
other words they didn’t go out together
as couples
instead they had arranged marriages
their parents chose their husband or
wife
maybe the couple fell in love after they
got married and maybe they didn’t either
way the wife had children and stayed
home with them while the husband
supported the family financially
often the husband and wife and their
children lived in an extended family
situation three generations in one
crowded house
today life in Japan is similar to that
of many other industrialized countries
and that many women work outside the
home and young people choose their own
mates
in the past and in part today much of
Saudi culture has been different from
Western culture
under Islam women should behave modestly
in public where they are often separated
from men women play an important role in
the home and are generally expected to
focus on the family
in the 1960s the government began a
national education program for girls and
soon after that education was available
to all females today there are many more
interesting job opportunities for women
a few years ago a sad thing happened
a young American woman left her family
for career reasons she moved far away
for this reason a 36 year old divorced
father has custody of his two children
11 and 8 years old
he works long hours as a waiter
including weekends
on his days off from work he goes to a
local community college
he’s studying to improve his job skills
so he can make more money for his family
at night he does his homework at the
same table as the children
but who takes care of the kids in the
evenings when their father is working or
going to school
his extended family his mother
other relatives and his new girlfriend
help out as much as they can
he thinks his girlfriend who is from
Mexico his home country is good for his
family
he doesn’t want to date Anglo’s or
anglicized women because he thinks they
value their independence over motherhood
he wants a wife with traditional
religious values like his mother
lesson six world cultures
part-1
cross-cultural conversation
you want to talk about culture Allen
began the conversation in a proud voice
the United States is only a few hundred
years old
Americans don’t really have any culture
I mean Americans are interesting but
they have zero culture
he made the sign for nothing with his
hand
I agree with you said Verner
he was pointing at Allen with his finger
Old Europe of the last thousand years
now that’s where the great culture was
the age of architecture the Magnificent
historical cathedrals and castles are
beautiful
it’s essential to see the works of world
famous painters and sculptors from
previous centuries in our excellent
museums
and everyone should experience our
classical literature and music in the
best theatres and concert halls
excuse me for interrupting Alan Verner
apologized but I just gave a perfect
example of a long and significant
cultural history
Kamiel spoke up
you know we don’t call a short
millennium a cultural history
the real beginning of culture I mean
significant civilization was in the
Middle East and Africa over 5,000 years
ago
he continued waving both hands in the
air
ancient communities not only knew how to
create magnificent architecture and art
they also made amazing scientific and
technological discoveries
they invented things
for instance they figured out how to
write and do mathematics
they studied astronomy the science of
the skies the Sun and the planets
they invented the calendar
they even had medicine
the ancient religions came from that
area too
their achievements made world
civilization possible
those were the civilizations that gave
humanity the most meaningful cultural
legacy
may agreed with Camille
in a soft but knowing voice she added
but the really important science and
technology began to develop in Asia and
the Americas
while the ancient Chinese were building
walled cities they organized the first
governments
invented tools for work and weapons for
protection
and the native peoples of the Americas
had very very old civilizations and
societies
that was ancient traditional culture
ancient culture that’s a contradiction
in definitions
grinning Karin objected an enthusiastic
friendly way
she gave a contrasting opinion
it’s impossible for culture to be old or
traditional she argued the opposite is
true culture isn’t dead it’s alive
culture is modern culture is now
kenji was starting to fall asleep but
suddenly he was fully awake
I agree he said interrupting Karen
enthusiastically
you tell them said Karen appreciating
the support for her point of view
for emphasis she nodded vigorously
culture is worldwide it’s universal
kenji went on in his clear speaking
style
I’d smile on his face
I mean like take today’s food culture
with our global fast food I have to say
everyone eats the same
and because of the worldwide media
movies TV CDs compact discs the Internet
everybody knows the same information
plays the same music enjoys the same
stories even the jokes
and I mean it’s like people everywhere
want to buy the same clothes all because
of advertising
a beautiful young couple in jeans and
bright Hawaiian shirts anywhere in the
world eating hamburgers and french fries
with their friends from many countries
finally we have a global culture and
tradition has nothing to do with it
Nadia however was of another opinion
you want to call modern movies music
food and clothes culture
she said sweetly but convincingly
those things don’t describe culture
culture isn’t about the sameness of
people in communities around the world
it’s about their differences
like it’s important for people to greet
one another in various ways and they
need to use different titles and follow
a variety of social rules in their
relationships some societies are formal
while others are informal or casual
some groups are friendly and others
aren’t
and another example is the diverse use
of language is it direct or indirect
how do communication styles include
motions gestures facial expressions and
other body language
and customs are so interesting
they’re what people of different
national groups do in their everyday
lives and on special occasions like
holidays or celebrations
culture means cultural diversity
what makes life amusing it’s the variety
of cultures around the world its
contradictions and opposites
yeah maybe so contributed Allen as
politely as possible
on the other hand he started to say that
does make some sense interrupted Verner
beginning to smile as long as you don’t
forget the arts architecture painting
literature music
and if you also include ancient
civilizations and traditions added
camille with a pleasant expression on
his face
he didn’t like to contradict Nadia or
any of his female friends
well we can certainly have opposing
viewpoints concluded Karen and yet we
still enjoy exchanging ideas
everyone was smiling and they wanted to
talk a lot more
part-2
clues to world cultures
an Irish woman was visiting tourist
places in a latin-american city when she
got a terrible headache
she knew what medicine she needed so she
went to a local pharmacy
the pharmacist was waiting on another
customer when she came in the Irish
woman patiently waited her turn
while she was standing there two other
customers came in then another and then
three more
each time the pharmacist turned his
attention to the new people
he did not greet the Irishwoman he never
said I’ll be with you in a minute
after about 20 minutes the woman
couldn’t stand the pain in her head any
longer
hey I’ve been here a long time
she said loudly very annoyed and
insulted
why is everyone ignoring me I need
service too
she shouted rudely impolitely
a Middle Eastern businessman and his
brother invited an American guest to
their family home for dinner
the American got there on time and
enjoyed the interesting conversation the
tea and the attention
but as time passed he got very very
hungry
finally he politely whispered to his
host excuse me but are we going to eat
dinner
of course answered his host
we usually serve the evening meal around
nine o’clock and when we have guests we
enjoy the long conversation before
dinner
at the dinner table everything was
delicious and the hungry American guests
ate quickly
he emptied his plate and his host put
more food on it
as soon as he cleaned his play the
second time the host gave him more
after several plates of food he could
eat no more
he was going to burst
please please please don’t give me any
more food he begged them
I finished the food on this plate but I
can’t eat another bite
even then his host insisted
the guests accepted a little more and
ate it with difficulty finally the
supper dishes were removed
there was more conversation with more
tea and coffee
at about midnight the server brought a
pitcher of iced water
the tired American knew it was okay to
thank his hosts and leave
a group of international students were
attending college in Europe
they had a long time between semesters
for travel
so they decided to hitchhike as far as
they could in other countries
in many places they were successful
put their thumbs out or pointed them
backwards and smiled friendly drivers
stopped
as soon as the first traveller got a yes
answer from a driver he motioned with
his hand or fingers for his friends to
come or he held up both thumbs in an
okay sign or made a circle with the
thumb and the next finger of one hand
the young tourists saved money saw a lot
of the countryside and had interesting
conversations and experiences
on the other hand in Greece and Turkey
the visitors were not so lucky
few drivers stop to give them rides
instead most people ignored them
others gave them mean looks from their
cars they seemed almost insulted that
the visitors were begging for rides
a few drivers shouted terrible words at
the travelers - even got out of their
truck and started a fight
the students thought the drivers were
very rude
they felt confused afraid and unwelcome
after a few days the students took the
bus back to the countries where they
were studying
lesson seven live a long life
part-1
the secrets of a very long life
introduction
there are several places in the world
that are famous for people who live a
very long time
these places are usually in mountainous
areas far away from modern cities
even so doctors scientists and public
health experts often travel to these
regions to solve the mystery of a long
healthy life
in this way the experts hope to bring to
the modern world the secrets of
longevity
you
hoons ax in the Himalayan mountains
Coons ax is at a very high altitude in
the Himalayan mountains of Asia there
many people over 100 years of age are
still in good physical health
additionally men of 90 are new fathers
and women of 50 still have babies
what are the reasons for this good
health scientists believed that the
people of Hunza have these three main
advantages or benefits
one a healthful unpolluted environment
with clean air and water
to a simple diet high in vitamins fiber
and nutrition but low in fat cholesterol
sugar and unnatural chemicals
and three physical work and other
activities usually in the fields or with
animals
the Russian Caucasians and Vilcabamba
people in the Caucasus Mountains in
Russia are also famous for their
longevity
official birth records were not
available but the community says a woman
called serba lived until age 160
similarly a man called Sher Ali probably
lived until 168 moreover his widow was
120 years old
in general the people not only live a
long time but they also live well
in other words they are almost never
sick
furthermore when they die they not only
have their own teeth but also a full
head of hair and good eyesight too
vilcabamba ecuador is another area
famous for the longevity of its
inhabitants
this mountain region like hoons a– and
the Caucasus is also at a very high
altitude far away from cities
in vilcabamba - there is very little
serious disease
one reason for the good health of the
people might be the clean beautiful
environment another advantage is the
moderate climate
the temperature is about 70 degrees
Fahrenheit all year long
furthermore the wind always comes from
the same direction
in addition the water comes from
mountain streams and is high in minerals
perhaps as a result of this valuable
resource the region is rich in flowers
fruits vegetables and wildlife
differences in the diets of people with
unusual longevity
in some ways the diets of the
inhabitants in the three regions are
quite different
who knew coots eat mainly raw vegetables
fruit especially apricots and chapatis a
kind of pancake they eat meat only a few
times a year
in contrast the Caucasian diet consists
mainly of milk cheese vegetables fruit
and meat also most people there drink
the local red wine daily in vilcabamba
people eat only a small amount of meat
each week their diet consists mostly of
grain corn beans potatoes and fruit
even so experts found one surprising
fact in the mountains of Ecuador most
people there even the very old consume a
lot of coffee drink large amounts of
alcohol and smoke forty to sixty
cigarettes daily
similarities in diet
however the typical diets of the three
areas are similar in three general ways
1 the fruits and vegetables are
all-natural that is they contain no
preservatives or other chemicals
- furthermore the population uses
traditional herbs and medicines to
prevent and cure disease
three the inhabitants consume fewer
calories than people do in other parts
of the world
a typical North American eats and drinks
an average of 30 300 calories every day
while a typical inhabitant of these
mountainous areas takes in between 1700
and 2000 calories
other possible reasons for health
longevity
inhabitants in the three regions have
more in common than their mountain
environment their distance from modern
cities and their low-calorie natural
diets
because they live in the countryside and
are mostly farmers their lives are
physically hard and extremely active
therefore they do not need to try to
exercise
in addition the population does not seem
to have the stress of fast city work and
recreation
as a result people’s lives are
relatively free from worry
and therefore illness or other health
problems
thus some experts believe that physical
movement and a stress-free environment
might be the two most important secrets
of longevity
an additional health advantage of life
in these long-lived communities may be
the extended family structure the group
takes care of its members from birth to
death
the validity of longevity claims
nevertheless some doctors theorize that
members of especially long-lived
populations have only one thing in
common they don’t have valid official
government birth records
these health scientists think there is a
natural limit to the length of human
life in their theories it is impossible
to reach an age of more than 110 years
or so
therefore they say claims of unusual
longevity in certain groups are probably
false
lesson eight the media and entertainment
part-1
how the visual media affect people
introduction benefits of the visual
media
how do television and the other visual
media affect the lives of individuals
and families around the globe
the media can be very helpful to people
and their children who carefully choose
what they watch
with high quality programming in various
fields of study science medicine nature
history the arts and so on TV video
tapes and DVDs increase the knowledge of
the average and the well-educated person
they can also improve thinking ability
moreover television and other visual
media benefit elderly people who can’t
go out often as well as patients in
hospitals and residents of nursing
facilities
additionally it offers language learners
the advantage of real-life audio-visual
instruction and oral comprehension
practice at any time of day or night
and of course visual media can provide
almost everyone with good entertainment
a pleasant way to relax and spend free
time at home
Media replaces other activities
nevertheless there are several serious
disadvantages to the visual media
first of all some people watch the tube
for more hours in a day than they do
anything else
in a large number of homes TV sets as
many as five or more in a single
household are always on
many people watch TV for many hours a
day or spend hours playing games or
surfing on their computers
they download music movies and other
forms of entertainment
instead of spending time taking care of
their kids parents often use a video
screen as an electronic babysitter
as a result television and video can
easily replace family communication as
well as physical activity and other
interests
the effects of TV on the mind
second too much TV especially
programming of low educational value can
reduce people’s ability to concentrate
or reason
in fact studies show that after only a
minute or two of visual media a person’s
mind relaxes as it does during light
sleep
another possible effect of television
and videotapes on the human brain is
poor communication
children who watch a lot of TV may lose
their ability to focus on a subject or
an educational activity for more than 10
to 15 minutes
maybe it is because of the visual media
that some kids and adults to develop
attention deficit disorder ad D a modern
condition in which people are unable to
pay attention listen well follow
instructions or remember everyday things
the effects of violence in the media
a third negative feature of the media is
the amount of violence on the screen
both in real events in the news and
movies or in TV programs it scares
people and gives them terrible
nightmares
the fear created by media images and
language can last for a long time
on the other hand frequent viewers of
action programming get used to its
messages they might begin to believe
there is nothing strange or unusual
about violent crime fights killing and
other terrible events and behavior
studies show that certain personality
types are likely to have strong
emotional reactions or dangerous
thoughts after some kinds of
entertainment
they may even copy the acts that they
see on violent shows start fires carry
and use weapons attack people in angry
or dangerous ways and even worse
dissatisfaction with normal living
because of the visual media some people
may become dissatisfied with the reality
of their own lives
to these viewers everyday life does not
seem as exciting as the roles actors
play in movies or TV dramas
they realize they aren’t having as much
fun as the stars of comedy shows
furthermore average people with normal
lives may envy famous media
personalities who seem to get unlimited
amounts of money and attention
also media Watchers might get depressed
when they can’t take care of situations
in real life as well as TV stars seem to
on the screen they notice actors solve
serious problems in our or half-hour
programs or in 20-second commercials
boredom with real life
yet another negative feature of modern
television is called trash TV
these daily talk shows bring real people
with strange or immoral lives
personalities or behavior to the screen
millions of viewers including children
watch as these instant stars tell their
most personal secrets shout out their
angry feelings and opinions and attack
one another
TV watchers seem to like the emotional
atmosphere and excitement of this kind
of programming as well as the tension of
the real but terrible stories on TV news
magazine shows
a newer version of this kind of
entertainment is called reality TV
in shows like Survivor The Amazing Race
American Idol and The Apprentice real
people compete for attention fame and
other rewards
what effect does frequent viewing of
such programs have on people’s lives
it makes television more real than
reality and normal living begins to seem
boring
disadvantage of the media addiction
finally the most negative effect of all
of these kinds of visual media might be
addiction
people often feel a strange and powerful
need to watch TV
download visual material or play a DVD
even when they don’t enjoy it or have
the free time for entertainment
addiction to a TV or computer screen is
similar to drug or alcohol dependence
addicts almost never believe they are
addicted
even so truthful media addicts have to
answer yes to many of these questions
do you immediately turn on the TV set or
computer when you arrived home from
school or work
do you watch a lot of programming that
requires little focus or thinking
ability
can you concentrate on another topic or
activity for only 10 to 15 minutes at a
time
do you enjoy the action and violence of
the media more than activity in your own
life
do you feel envious of the lives of
well-known TV or screen personalities or
the participants in reality TV shows
do you feel closer to the people on TV
than to your own family members and
friends
for you is TV or video the easiest and
therefore the best form of relaxation or
fun
would you refuse to give up your TV
viewing and internet connection for a
million dollars
would you like to compete on a TV
reality show more than do anything else
part two
Media stories
story plot a
Marion who works in a real estate office
is depressed about her life especially
her unhappy love relationship
because she is feeling ill her
supervisor lets her leave early
he gives her $40,000 in cash from a
house sale to put in the bank on her way
home
however temptation gets the best of the
moody young woman
with the cash in an envelope she packs
her bags and drives out of town
on a dark lonely road a severe
thunderstorm forces her to stop at the
rundown Bates Motel
there is a scary old house high on a
hill behind the motel with the form of
an old woman in a rocking chair at the
window
Norman Bates the motel owner is happy to
sign in a guest but his mother shouts at
him angrily
after a conversation with norman marion
goes to her room
when she is in the shower the bathroom
door opens
in a very famous very bloody murder
scene the shadowy figure of an old woman
pulls aside the shower curtain and stabs
the motel guests to death
horrified Normand cleans up the room
puts Marian’s body in her car and pushes
the car into the swamp
her in the stolen money Marian’s sister
lover and boss send out an investigator
who finally arrives at the Bates Motel
suspicious of Norman strange behavior
the investigator goes into the scary
house where the dark shape of an old
woman at the top of the stairs kills him
too with a long knife
others come to investigate
after many suspenseful scenes they
discover that Norman’s mother is a
skeleton
the murderer in the old woman’s clothes
was Norman Bates himself who has turned
more and more into his mother
story plot B
after a hurricane sinks their ship off
the coast of Africa a British couple
finds their way to land with their baby
son
however the parents are killed by a wild
animal
a gorilla the largest of the human-like
monkeys finds the baby brings him home
to her mate and raises the helpless
human in the jungle
as a result he grows to adulthood in the
natural ape community
nevertheless the young man’s peaceful
life in the jungle soon changes
to study African wildlife in its natural
environment
professor Porter arrives with his
daughter Jane and a hunter named Clayton
when the explorers meet the jungle man
at first they think he is the missing
link a being halfway between an animal
and a human being
therefore they are surprised to discover
that he is as human as they are
when he begins to feel strange
unfamiliar emotions towards Jane the man
that grew up in the jungle becomes very
confused
he wants to be with his own kind but
doesn’t want to leave the gorilla family
that raised him especially since Clayton
sees the Apes not as friends but as
animals to hunt and kill
when jane has to leave with her father
the apeman is very sad and upset
even so he saves the white people when
they are captured and Jane stays with
him in the jungle
story plot see
the Starship Enterprise a flying vehicle
that travels to other galaxies at
amazing speeds stops at a Space Station
for repairs
the four beam ARS beings with
computerized brains that are doing
maintenance seem worried
suddenly they realize the ship is about
to explode an order evacuation
everyone leaves except Picard the
captain and Riker the second man in
command who don’t hear the alert
after everyone else reaches the Starbase
the space station the problem
mysteriously corrects itself and the
ship disappears
as the crew on the Starbase tried to
figure out a way to recover the
enterprise the captain and his helper
discover what has happened
they instantly transport themselves to
the bridge where they find the B NARS
unconscious dying and asking for help
the ship reaches Banaras the beam ours
planet
because of an exploded star that
destroyed the planets center computer
Banaras is dead too
the beam ours needed the enterprise to
store the data from the planet during
the shutdown time Picard and Riker
managed to get into the Banaras file and
restart the computer
the beam ours come back to life
undamaged the ship returns to the
Starbase
story plot D
it is the middle of the 19th century a
very romantic time of honour and passion
Mathilda Penny Oliver Ebury stan is an
aristocrat a member of the nobility the
most wealthy powerful class in society
she falls in love with a dull foe Solis
an army soldier with no fortune
Matilda trusts that her fair kind father
will let her marry her true love
however al gusta Matilda’s mother
objects with her powerful connections
she sends Adolfo to prison
lying she tells her daughter that a dull
foe is married with children
because their family is facing
bankruptcy al gusto wants Manuel Fuentes
Guerra an honorable and handsome young
man who has just inherited a vast
fortune to be her son-in-law
confused and desperate Mathilda marries
Manuel
soon adolfo escapes from jail
after a frantic intense search he finds
Matilda
posing as the new ranch administrator he
recognizes her husband as an honest fair
and decent man
at that point Manuel and Mathilda
discover August’s deceit in their
marriage
but in the meantime Matilda’s feelings
for Adolfo are beginning to disappear
she is starting to fall in love with
Manuel
heartbroken adolfo accepts reality and
leaves the ranch
Matilda announces she is pregnant
however to be continued
lesson nine social life
part-1
meeting the perfect mate part one
for the past month I’ve been taking a
university graduate course called social
structure
it’s a very popular class
we’ve been discussing friendship social
life dating marriage and other
relationships through the generations
and throughout the world
one of our assignments is to examine the
ways that people meet potential spouses
husbands and wives
I’ve been interviewing students on
campus all week as part of my study
I’m amazed at what I’ve been hearing
first I talked with my roommate in the
dormitory
Musha an international student from
India
what’s one way to meet a possible mate
I asked her
well she said one method in my country
is to have an arranged marriage
what I asked
I know you can match a tie to a shirt or
to socks after you do the laundry then
they’re a match but people
sure she replied
there are still arranged marriages these
days and there were a lot more not too
long ago
my parents for example met each other
for the first time on their wedding day
my grandparents chose their children
spouses and arranged the weddings
do you mean that the bride and groom
weren’t in love that sounds awful
weren’t they worried
maybe a little bit Musha said but they
accepted each other
then fortunately they learn to love each
other they’ve had a good successful
marriage for the past 30 years
this happens in a lot of arranged
marriages
you know even today some orthodox very
religious young people Jewish and Muslim
and Christian marry this way
I shook my head amazing I said
the next person that I interviewed was
Bill a guy in my business management
class
I meet a lot of women in dance clubs at
least I used to
he said
the environment was exciting and I used
to go every weekend if possible to dance
or talk or just listen to music
that seems great I said
I thought so too at first he said a
little sadly but on the other hand the
music at these places was very loud
many people drank so they didn’t talk
they shouted and didn’t listen much
both the men and the women got kind of
aggressive
and it was so disorganized so I’ve been
trying speed-dating instead of bars and
clubs
what on earth is that I asked amazed
well you go to a nice place with tables
and chairs you get to meet a new person
every six minutes
then you list the people you want to see
again
does it work
no it’s much too fast for me I don’t
move that quickly and I’m not a speedy
thinker or talker either
you know you ought to talk to my brother
Freddie here you can get him by
speed-dialing my cellphone
bill handed me the cellular telephone
i speed-dialed Freddie
oh I do just about everything on the
internet you know the world wide web
volunteered Freddie very quickly
you meet potential dates and girlfriends
and mates on the web on your computer I
asked not really so amazed anymore
yeah there are plenty of people to
communicate with in cyberspace
Freddie began enthusiastically
with the most up-to-date technology
laptops and power notebooks and even
camera and video phones you can do it
anywhere at home at work and school at
cafes in the library you can go into
chat rooms and talk by typing
slowing down Freddie pause to think
on the other hand I’m not such a good
writer it’s hard you know to use those
little computer devices
anyway well um who knows what is real
there and what isn’t who knows like who
might be dangerous
he continued starting to sound a little
discouraged
it seems he was talking more to himself
than to me
I thank them and we said goodbye so I
could continue my search for the perfect
way to find the perfect mate
the internet never said Julie a student
who works part-time in the campus
bookstore
I prefer to make new friends at places
where people have the same interests
I met my boyfriend at the health club
for example
and it seems that the healthy atmosphere
of the gym is continuing into the
relationship that I have with him
we work out together hang out at the
pool and hot tubs go to the health food
juice bar and so on there are so many
active attractive people there
hmm maybe you should try it
that sounds wonderful I said
yes Julie said I guess so but to be
honest there’s one problem with this
arrangement
what I asked
the truth is that I really hate to
exercise so I don’t want to go to the
gym anymore
what’s my boyfriend going to think when
he finds this out to be continued
part-2
needing the perfect mate part two
what is the best way to meet the perfect
husband or wife
computer dating services are the answer
my friend Sarah who lives down the hall
from me in the dormitory
they provide a great way to meet people
the biggest advantage is that you have a
lot in common with the people you meet
through a computer
the computer can match you up with
someone of your same intelligence
cultural background or religion age
personality values and so on
if you want you can meet someone who is
famous exciting optimistic healthy
polite any characteristics that are
important to you
you can match your preferences and
lifestyle food nature sports movies and
everything else
and you can ask for a professor a
scientist a computer specialist an
artist or have you had many successful
dates so far I asked
to tell the truth she said not really I
think I made a big mistake when I filled
out the application form I didn’t want
to miss a wonderful guy because of an
answer that was too specific so I was
careful to write very general answers
what do you mean
well there was a question about height
I said anyone between three feet five
inches and seven feet five inches
then there was a question about
recreation
I answered yes to 147 interests
from classic historical architecture to
motorcycling
I wrote that I like tennis swimming the
beach the mountains the desert health
food junk food ethnic foods eating out
cooking staying home traveling the arts
TV comedies quiz shows crime dramas
family life single life and on and on
and on you know I think that the
computer got confused
it hasn’t found a date for me since I
sent in the application
and what about online video dating asks
Sara’s roommate Sandra
online video dating I asked how is that
possible
well I hear that you film yourself and
talk about yourself you know your
background and your interests and things
like that
then you post your video online and
people can view it and you can view
other people’s videos and email the
people you want to meet hmm I answered
more videos in my life
well you could place a personal ad
Sandra continued
in the newspaper
sure a friend of mine did that he wanted
to get married so he figured it out by
statistics
he decided that out of every 10 women he
liked one
and out of every ten women he liked he
might fall in love with one therefore to
get married he just needed to meet 100
women
did it work I asked
there was no answer
last I interviewed a guy in the
cafeteria his name was Felix
supermarkets he told me
you’re kidding I said
no I’m serious I meet a lot of potential
dates over the frozen pizzas in the
convenience food section also it’s easy
to make small talk over the cabbage and
broccoli in the produce section
we discuss chemicals and nutrition and
food prices sometimes this leads to a
very romantic date
I slowly shook my head it is strange
very strange
I didn’t respond because I didn’t want
to be impolite
that evening I talked with my roommate
OSHA
you know I said I think maybe your
parents and grandparents had a pretty
good idea an arranged marriage is
beginning to see more and more
attractive to me
lesson ten sports
part one
the ancient Olympics
in a world troubled by political
conflict the Olympic Games have
symbolized peace and unity throughout
their history
the ancient Greek Olympics youthful
athletes honored the gods with
demonstrations of their speed and
coordination
based on the highest ideals the Olympic
Games were offered in the spirit of
peace for the love of sport and honest
fair competition
although the Olympics have changed over
time you might be surprised to learn
that according to historians there are
many similarities between the original
Olympic Games and the modern ones
here are two articles to compare the
Olympic competitions of past millennia
with the widely celebrated Olympic Games
of the 21st century
the Olympic events Athens Greece the
fourth century AD
as the greatest of our national
festivals comes to a close again here
are some of its highlights and history
since 776 BC our Summer Olympic Games
have been held every four years at the
sanctuary of our ruler Zeus on Mount
Olympus
as usual this year’s games began with
the promise of fairness by athletes and
judges to Zeus
there was a ceremony before the statue
and altar of the great God
there were contests for young boys
participants and spectators met with old
friends
there were speeches poetry tours feasts
parades and singing
next came the competitive sports events
the pentathlon 5 track and field events
including the discus throw javelin throw
the long jump running and wrestling
boxing the four-horse chariot race
horse racing and an extreme combination
of wrestling and boxing
under a full moon there were sacrifices
to the king of the gods
on the fifth and final day prizes were
awarded wreaths made of a special olive
tree branch from the sanctuary
some winners received prizes worth money
there were more feasts for and by the
winners
then the competitors and spectators went
home mostly on foot through the
mountains
women in the Olympic Games
most of the athletes at this year’s
events were young men of course
even so unmarried girls competed in foot
races at the festival of Hera Zeus’s
wife
there were also spectators at the
festival of Zeus
the owner of the winning chariot team
and the trainer of the winning horse in
the races were female to
on the other hand married women were not
allowed in the sanctuary of Zeus
they didn’t want to be thrown off a
cliff so no one broke this rule
the politics of the Olympics
in my opinion the most important
achievement of the Olympic Games has
been its peacefulness not only at the
games but in all of the Greek world
of course the actual events fill only
five short days even so during the three
months before and after the competitions
there is an agreement to protect
travelers so there is usually no
fighting between or among competing
cities although there have been
exceptions in its long history of over a
millennium the ancient games have never
been cancelled for political reasons
in general even during the times of
major Wars the games have contributed to
the cause of peace for well over a
thousand years
you