How do people learn the news? About a century ago people got _________INFORM_________ from newspapers since they were the only mass media that existed in those times. Radio and television seemed ________WONDER__________ inventions as they broadcasted audio and visual images. The Internet has changed the situation dramatically. Now the audience has an opportunity to create the news, share their _______PERSON_________ knowledge and express their opinions. The Internet supposes interaction, which makes it very ________ATTRACT__________ to people. And what about the newspapers? Will they _________APPEAR_________ in the near future? I wish they wouldn’t as I like starting my day with a cup of coffee and a _________TRADITION_________ newspaper.
It was a cold January day in York, Pennsylvania. Dr. James turned on the television to check on the weather. The weatherman said that it was going to stay cold for several days. According to him, the roads _________BE_________ very dangerous because of the snow and ice and he strongly recommended staying at home if at all possible. Dr. James _________NOT/CAN_________ stay at home. He worked in a hospital and there were patients waiting for him there. He put on a sweater, jacket, gloves, boots and a hat, and opened his front door. Everything ________COVER__________ with snow. A cold wind blew inside. “Wow,” Dr. James said. “The weatherman was right! I wish I ________HAVE__________ a reindeer instead of my old car.” When Dr. James ________DRIVE__________ slowly to work, he saw an accident. He stopped and ________RUN__________ to the damaged car. There was a man and two ________CHILD__________ inside. “Is everyone okay?” Dr. James asked. “Yes, yes, we are fine,” answered the man. “I ________CALL__________ 911 already. They are coming to help ________WE__________. It looks like we won’t get to school today.”
Ballroom dancing in the UK is making a comeback. For the past five years the popularity of ballroom dancing has grown thanks to the TV show 'Strictly Come Dancing'. In the show a professional ballroom _________DANCE_________ has a celebrity for a partner. They learn ________DIFFER__________ ballroom dances and perform them live on TV. Four judges and the public decide who stays in the _________COMPETE_________ and who leaves. The show demonstrates how glamorous ballroom dancing is. The celebrities wear _________COLOUR_________ dresses and suits and the show looks very ________IMPRESS__________. According to the ratings, the ________PERFORM__________ is becoming more and more popular with TV audiences.
People spend hours talking on their mobile phones. There is an opinion that it may be ________HARM__________ to their health, but it is difficult to know for sure. Some research shows that mobile phones may cause brain problems. On the other hand, some doctors say mobiles are not ________DANGER__________ at all. No matter what doctors say, it’s just _________POSSIBLE_________ to live without a mobile phone today. It has become a very ________USE__________ device and people can’t do without it. It makes our life _________COMFORT_________ and saves time. People can get in touch with each other quickly. Mobile phones make _________COMMUNICATE_________ easier.
Michael could not imagine his life without computers. His parents ________BUY__________ him his first computer at the age of seven. It took _________HE_________ several days to learn how to use it. His mum said that the younger people were, the _________FAST_________ they could learn computer skills. That was probably true – most ________CHILD__________ in Michael’s class were very competent computer users. Michael was really surprised to find out that the first personal computer _________INVENT_________ in the 70’s of the last century.
“And how did you chat or send your e-mails without computers?” he asked his mother.
She smiled: “We _________NOT/SEND_________ each other e-mails. And there were no networks.”
She also said that it _________BE_________ fun to communicate face-to-face, to play out-of-doors and to visit friends’ homes.Anna was glad that the academic year was about to finish. Like most _________CHILD_________ she was looking forward to the summer but not because she wanted to relax. Her plans _________BE_________ ambitious. Anna wanted to buy a professional digital camera and it wasn’t easy to save enough money. Anna had already chosen the model she wanted. Her dad said that he _________GIVE_________ her the camera in a couple of years. But Anna _________NOT/CAN________ wait so long, she needed it right then. “If I _________HAVE_________ it now, I would be able to take part in the Professional Photograph Competition. Everyone says I’ve got talent,” she said to herself, looking at the magazine where an article about the competition _________PUBLISH_________. While she was reading the article for the _________TWO_________ time, a brilliant idea came to her – why not take up a summer job as a photographer? She reached for the phone and dialed the number of the _________LARGE_________ photography agency in the town. “Hello, can I help you?” the woman’s voice sounded encouraging and Anna _________THINK_________ that she probably had a chance.
It was late at night but the light was on in Ted’s room. When I _________COME_________ in, he didn’t even turn to me. I looked at his monitor and realized that he ________SURF__________ the Internet for job vacancies.
“Why do you need a job?” I asked. “You _________EMPLOY_________ by Mr. Green only a week ago as far as I remember.”
“Yes, I was. I got a job of a waiter in his restaurant. But I _________LOSE_________ that job already. They said I was rude to a client.”
“Were you?” I was surprised since Ted was the _________PATIENT_________ and tolerant person I’d ever met.
“Yes, it was probably rude of ________I__________ to tell those ladies that I wouldn’t bring them anything else. Just imagine – they had changed their order three times! Each time they tried a dish, they _________NOT/LIKE_________ it. When they said that for the _________FOUR_________ time, I lost control. One of the _________WOMAN_________ called for the manager and complained.” Ted nervously turned back to his computer. “I didn’t like that job anyway.
“But if there _________BE_________ no computers, I wouldn’t be able to communicate with my friends who live far away from me,” Michael replied.
“True. Technological progress is a great thing,” his mother said “And I think people _________CREATE_________ even more amazing communication devices in the near future.”
Dr Michael Werner says that he has eaten nothing for four years. The German _________SCIENCE_________ explains that he gets all his energy from sunlight. He says he drinks only water and ________DIFFER__________ fruit juices. Dr Werner has written an _________EXCITE_________ book about his experiences. In it he says that when he started the experiment he even put on weight.
He says: "I can't really give an ________EXPLAIN_________ of what’s happening to me; perhaps I just believe in my theory."
Dr Werner’s colleagues say that only plants can produce energy from the sun, and they cannot explain how he is able to stay ________HEALTH_________.
“This case ,_________PROBABLE_________, needs a lot more research before we will be able to explain it,” they say.
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1. Worrying time statistics 5. Different opinions
2. Hidden dangers 6. The best social networking site
3. New communication opportunities 7. Time eaters
4. Communication problems in real life 8. Prospects in education
A. The popularity of social networking sites such as Vkontakte, Facebook, MySpace, and Classmates has risen more than four times from 2005 to 2009. Many users say these sites are good for our society, but others are sure that there are more dangers in them than benefits. Your attitude to such websites depends on your age, job, interests and way of life.
B. Social networks promote communication with friends and family, they give people necessary and useful computer skills and teach them to express their ideas in a clear way. Another thing is that the sites let people create new relationships and reconnect with old friends. In every way, more communication, even online, makes connections stronger.
C. Social networking sites make people spend more time online and less time communicating face-to-face. The sites have many time-wasting activities. You stay online longer than you planned and do nothing serious or important. Experts say that teenagers spend about nine hours every week on social networking sites.
D. A big risk about social networks is that teenagers are careless. They don’t worry that their personal information and photos could be open to lots of people. Also the sites don’t guarantee that their registered members are who they say they are. If a person says he is James Burns, a college student, we have to believe him. We cannot check his real name or occupation.
E. Psychologists say that social networking sites can have serious disadvantages. It is hard for children to have real conversations and make friends. They become selfish personalities and lose interest in real life. Parents spend less time with their children and all members of the family spend less time with each other because they are using the Internet instead of communicating in person.
F. Internet users spend most of their time on social networks and blogs. Users in the USA spend about five and a half hours every month on their favourite site. And the number is growing. Russians spend 6.6 hours monthly on social networking sites. It is more than people in any other country. For example, in Europe it is 3.7 hours a month.
G. New research shows that social networking sites can be used in schools. Teachers should find ways to use them in class. It would help students to learn how to get information from Internet resources and share it with classmates. Students would also be able to express themselves creatively and present themselves better.
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