The monsters that sailors and fishermen describe are all slightly different but it's often an animal like a giant snake, at least 30 feet long, with an enormous head and neck.. It someti[r]
(1)READING 1: A BEACH (By John Russell) Imagine a beach; a quiet place, with only the noise of the sea and the gulls in the background There are boats floating near the shore and a few people swimming in the water next to them It’s a hot day, and there are some people lying on the sand enjoying the sunshine and slowly going brown There are no shops, no people making noises, no loud music, everything is peaceful There is just the sea, the sun, and the beach; a little paradise Where is it? The beach is on the south coast of Scotland, near a little town called Gatehouse of Fleet in the county of Dumfries and Galloway 22 years ago my family and I found this place for the first time and we have never really left it Every year in the summer while other people go on holiday to foreign countries and exotic places, we go to our private paradise and relax There is a little campsite with tents and caravans next to the beach, and this becomes our home for one month every year Growing up For a child a beach is a wonderful place Here I found lots of space to run and play on the sand or to swim in the water Being a campsite there were always lots of other families with children to play with Another of my favourite activities was climbing on the rocks and cliffs around the beach Rock pools were very educational places where I used to study the little fish and sea animals Silence was also important; at school I was always surrounded by people and noise but the beach gave me the chance to be on my own and think, or read, away from anyone else Storms Although the sea can be beautiful, this beach is sometimes a dangerous place to be When the weather is bad there are often storms with strong winds When this happens the waves can get up to 2-3 metres high – definitely not weather for swimming Every year some of the boats anchored on the beach are lost because the sea is so rough I remember holding down our tent to stop the wind blowing it away on many occasions! However, if (2) the waves weren’t too high all the children (and some adults) used to go swimming in life jackets, as it was very exciting An interesting hobby Sailing is a very serious activity in the UK, and this beach is no different There are large racing boats for three or more people, smaller boats (such as the Topper) for just one or two people, fishing boats and windsurfers In fact people on this beach are willing to try any type of water-sport; water skiing, speed boating, even the recent sport of sail surfing is becoming popular Over the years my family has had different boats, from a small Topper to a large Caprice for racing We have sailed, raced, and fished off the boats, and have even capsized in bad weather a few times Surroundings If this beach had been next to a town or near a popular tourist area I don’t think we would have continued going there But its location is very beautiful indeed It’s in the middle of green countryside with many different types of plants and flowers, and in the background the hills of Galloway can be seen Lots of photographers and artists come to the area (also known as the Solway) because they can capture such beautiful scenery A refuge Even after 22 years, the beach is still a sanctuary for me It’s a place away from the rest of the world where I can forget about life’s problems, and just relax In today’s modern, busy world, everyone should have a place like this - Glossary anchor (v): to make something or someone stay in one position by fastening them firmly - campsite (n): a piece of land where people on holiday can camp, usually with toilets and places for washing - capsize (v): to (cause a boat or ship to) turn upside down accidentally while on water - capture (v): to record or take a picture of something using a camera - caravan (n): a wheeled vehicle for living or travelling in, especially for holidays, which contains beds and cooking equipment and can be pulled by a car (3) - cliff (n): a high area of rock with a very steep side, often on a coast - float (v): to stay on the surface of a liquid and not sink - gulls (n): a sea bird with black and white or grey and white feathers - life jacket (n): a piece of equipment, like a jacket without sleeves, which is filled with air or light material and designed to help someone float if they fall into water - paradise (n): a place or condition of great happiness where everything is exactly as you would like it to be - refuge (n): (a place which gives) protection or shelter from danger, trouble, unhappiness, etc - rock pool (n): a small area of sea water contained by the rocks around it - sanctuary (n): protection or a safe place - tent (n): a shelter made of cloth, which you can fold up and carry with you and which is supported by poles and ropes - water-sport (n): sports which take place on or in water (4) READING 2: ANIMAL CONSERVATION Many animal and plant species have become extinct and many more are in critical danger Finding ways to protect the earth's wildlife and conserve the natural world they inhabit is now more important than ever Extinction Extinction is a natural process Many species had ceased to exist before humans evolved However, in the last 400 years, the number of animals and plants becoming extinct has reached crisis point Human population levels have risen dramatically in the same time period and man's predatory instincts combined with his ruthless consumption of natural resources are directly responsible for the situation Dodo The Dodo is a classic example of how human behaviour can cause irreparable damage to the earth's biological diversity The flightless Dodo was native to the Island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean It lived off fruit fallen from the island's trees and lived unthreatened until humans arrived in 1505 The docile bird became a source of food for sailors and lacked the ability to protect itself from animals introduced to the island by humans such as pigs, monkeys and rats The population of Dodos rapidly decreased and the last one was killed in 1681 Endangered Animals In 2002 many animals remain threatened with extinction as a result of human activity The World Wildlife Fund works tirelessly to raise awareness of the predicament facing these animals and find ways to protect them By focusing on a number of high profile, 'charismatic icons' such as the rhino, panda, whale and tiger, the WWF aims to communicate, 'critically important environmental issues' The organization's ultimate goal is to, 'stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature' Rhinos The Rhino horn is a highly prized item for practitioners of Asian medicine This has led to the animal being relentlessly hunted in its natural habitat Once widespread in Africa (5) and Eurasia, most rhinos now live in protected natural parks and reserves Their numbers have rapidly decreased in the last 50 years, over half the remaining rhinos disappeared in the 1970s, and the animals remain under constant threat from poachers The Giant Panda The future of the WWF's symbol is far from certain As few as 1000 remain in the wild, living in small isolated groups These groups have been cut off from each other as a result of deforestation and human expansion in to their natural habitat The Chinese government has set up 33 panda reserves to protect these beautiful animals and made poaching them punishable with 20 years in prison However, the panda's distinct black and white patched coat fetches a high price on the black market and determined poachers still pose one of the most serious threats to the animals continued existence Whales The International Whaling Commission meets every year The agenda covers ways to ensure the survival of the species and the complex problems arising from countries such as Japan, wishing to hunt certain whales for 'scientific' purposes Despite the fact that one third of the world's oceans have been proclaimed whale sanctuaries, out of 13 whale species remain endangered The plight of the North Atlantic Right Whale is particularly serious Hunted for their rich supply of oil, their numbers have dwindled to just 300 Collisions with ships, toxic pollution and becoming entangled in fishing nets are other major causes of whale deaths Tigers The last 100 years has seen a 95% reduction in the numbers of remaining tigers to between 5000 and 7000 and The Bali, Javan, and Caspian tigers are already extinct The South China tiger is precariously close to disappearing, with only 20 to 30 still alive Like the Rhino horn, tiger bones and organs are sought after for traditional Chinese medicines These items are traded illegally along with tiger skins Take Action The WWF is actively involved in many areas of the world fighting to protect the natural habitats of endangered animals from further damage and curb the activities of poachers They also work to influence governments and policy makers to introduce laws (6) aimed at reducing the threat of pollution and deforestation Our own individual efforts at home and in the workplace can also make a difference By reducing waste and pollution, saving water, wood and energy, and reusing and recycling whenever possible, we can reduce the possibility of even more animals being lost, never to return (7) READING 3: CHARITIES A charity is a non-profit making organisation that raises money for people in need These days there are thousands of charities round the world and it is possible to donate money to help people, animals and places The RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) was the first organisation dedicated to the well-being of animals anywhere in the world In England and Wales alone, the RSPCA employ more than three hundred inspectors whose job it is to investigate reported cruelty to animals The SPCA was set up in London in 1824 At this time it was considered strange that people should care about cruelty to animals They were regarded as either food, transport or sport In 1840 Queen Victoria gave the organisation permission to be called a royal society: The RSPCA These days there are almost two hundred branches in the UK The RNIB (Royal National Institute of the Blind) is the UK’s leading charity for the blind Sight loss is one of the most common disabilities in the UK with over a million people suffering from either partial or total blindness The RNIB challenges the disabling effects of sight loss by providing information and offering practical services to help people lead as normal a life as possible The organisation also works on the underlying causes of blindness working towards its prevention, cure or alleviation The RNIB have centres all over the UK TBG (Tidy Britain Group) is an independent national charity fighting to improve the quality of the local environment They aim to make people more aware of the negative effects of litter, dog fouling, graffiti and vandalism and to get everyone involved in doing their bit to keep Britain clean The work of the TBG is done mainly through campaigning Volunteers work closely with councils and businesses to organise educational programmes designed to raise awareness of the problems The TBG’s sister organisation, Going for Green, concentrates on pollution issues The two groups share premises and have the same Chief Executive Mencap is a charity which is dedicated to fighting against discrimination towards those people who suffer from any kind of learning disability Most of Mencap’s work is campaigning People with learning disabilities are disadvantaged because of discrimination and lack of funding of community care Mencap raises awareness by working at local, (8) national and European levels to raise the profile of those issues that affect people with learning disabilities It also provides services of education, housing and employment as well as support and advice for families and carers of sufferers EveryChild is a relatively new charity which was created when two existing organisations, the CCFGB (The Christian Children’s Fund of Great Britain) and the ECT (European children’s Trust) decided to merge in 1983 The organisation works with children, families and communities in twelve countries The organisation believes that every child has the right to grow up and develop to their full potential in a secure, safe, family environment, free from poverty and exploitation EveryChild identifies the needs of a particular community and then sets up sustainable projects to ensure that children in these communities have basic rights such as healthcare, education, social services and community development EveryChild sets up the projects so that they are self running The organisation then moves on to new projects, leaving things in the hand of locals (9) READING 4: MY GRANDMOTHER’S ELEPHANT I have rummaged round shops all over Europe and garage sales in America I have about in Arab souks and Indian bazaars, but I have never seen anything quite like my grandmother’s elephant My grandmother had a beautiful elephant carved out of sandalwood on her dressing table which I secretly used to covet I wanted it more than anything in the world It was about the size of a football and had a cheeky smile It was inlaid with tiny circular mirrors and mother of pearl, and had real ivory tusks and toenails One day my sister said “Oh Grandma, please can I have it?” and, to my fury and disbelief, she just gave it to her! I immediately made two resolutions: 1) never to speak to either of them ever again 2) To find another elephant just like it Ever since I have been scouring the world I have rummaged round junk shops and antique shops all over Europe, I have been to garage sales and flea markets in America, I have about in Arab souks and Indian bazaars, but I have never seen anything quite the same Along the way, however, I have acquired all sorts of other elephants and my collection has grown and grown I have got black ebony elephants from Malawi, and a couple of ivory – all, I hasten to add, made a long time ago, before the ebony trees were chopped down and the ivory trade was made illegal I also have soap stone elephants from Zimbabwe, and an exotic Congolese one carved out of bright green malachite I have a whole family of wooden Thai elephants marching along the top of my piano – sometimes when I sit and play I could swear they are marching in time to the music I have two very heavy, long legged elephants which I bought in Khan el Khalili, in Cairo, which I use as bookends, and an enormous fat one from the Sudan which I use as a coffee table My search goes on, but it gets more and more difficult to find really good pieces On recent trips to Africa I have noticed how the quality of the workmanship has deteriorated In craft markets all over the continent you can find thousands of elephants, but they are nearly all shoddily made, churned out for tourists by people who probably have never seen a real elephant in their lives Why people collect things? Probably many, like me, don’t set out to so You just acquire something, then another and another and then, once you’ve got a small collection you just keep adding to it I have an uncle who collects key rings – he has (10) hundreds of them from all over the world – but he can’t remember how it started Other people collect stamps, stones, beer cans, beer mats, match boxes, all sorts of things For some it can become a total obsession and they will go to any lengths to get something One of my colleagues collects Royal memorabilia, which to me is the ultimate in bad taste! Her house is crammed full of kitsch things like Coronation mugs, ashtrays with pictures of Charles and Diana, British flags, tea towels printed with Windsor Castle and even a toilet seat cover with Prince Andrew grinning widely up at you What is this urge to possess all these things? I recently discussed this question with a group of students in Mozambique and what rapidly became evident was that few of them had such an urge “Why not?” I asked “I don’t know” said Anotonio “It’s just not in our culture”.“Does that mean you’re not as materialistic as Europeans?”Antonio laughed “No way! We want cars and houses and fancy things just like anyone else, but we don’t collect knick knacks, things we can’t use”.“I think it’s because of our recent war” said Maria “and the state of the economy For many years there was nothing to collect, except shells off the beach perhaps”.“Ï collect shoes” said Teresa, who comes from Angola “I have over seventy pairs But I buy them to wear, not just for the sake of having them”.“Oh come on!” laughed Antonio “Anything you don’t actually need you have for the sake of having it, and you can’t possibly need seventy pairs!”“I do, I need every single pair!” she insisted.“So you are a collector!”“No I’m not!”“Yes you are!” shouted the whole class Paula stuck up her hand “I’m a collector” she said “Ï am a fan of Julio Iglesias and I have all his CD’s, every one, even the latest which, I have to admit, isn’t very good at all” “So why did you buy it?” I asked “Well, because I’ve got all the others of course” she said “And my son collects those little plastic dinosaurs you find inside cereal packets He’s only got to get T Rex and then he’s got the whole set.”“They are exploiting you” said Antonio “They encourage children to become collectors so that you keep buying more and more This is something new in our country Soon we will all be fanatically collecting things, just like everyone else in the world” Harshill, who is of Indian origin, had been silent all this time He cleared his throat “One good reason to collect things is that a collection is worth more - how you say in English? More than the sum of its parts If you sold your elephants one by one you wouldn’t get nearly as much as if you sold the whole collection So it is a way of saving money, a good investment.” (11) On the way back to my hotel a young boy was selling a badly carved elephant by the side of the road I didn’t want it but I bought it because I felt sorry for him Later I thought I should just have given him some money and let him try to sell it to someone else It would never be part of my collection, each in its own special place in a different part of my house I imagined walking round looking at them all and thought about what Harshill had said – it’s a way of increasing the value of what you already have - but as usual there was that niggling feeling that my collection, not matter how valuable, would never be complete Not without my Grandmothers elephant! What a waste for it to be with my sister when it could be, should be, with me!“Oh well, never mind, try not to be obsessed” I told myself Ever since though, I have been lying awake at night, thinking of it standing there on a brass table in her hallway, next to the window she always leaves open for her cat Her dogs know me, so they won’t be a problem when I climb over the wall in my gloves and balaclava The whole operation will be over in less than five minutes The only problem is, having acquired it, what will I when my sister comes barging in to nose around, as she periodically does, and sees it in pride of place in my house? I’ll have to keep it hidden and then what will be the point of having it? Oh dear Perhaps I could have a special alarm that would only ring when my sister is on her way No that’s silly I’ll just have to move To another country, under another name, far, far away But even then, knowing her, she’ll track me down Oh – dear Reader, what would you if you were me? (12) READING 5: CRAZY FESTIVALS There are many famous festivals around the world The Carnivals in Rio de Janeiro and Venice, Munich's Oktoberfest and London's Notting Hill Carnival are three examples There are, however, festivals going on somewhere in the world every day of the year These range from very large events which involve whole cities to local celebrations in tiny villages or neighbourhoods of towns or cities We have selected a few of the more unusual, colourful festivals from around the world Australia Day Cockroach Races: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia "Racing is simple the races are held in a circular track and roaches are then let go from an upturned bucket in the middle first to the edge is a winner Things are made a little more difficult in the steeplechase events where a circular fence (garden hose) is used to enhance the spectacle and test the roach talent." Canberra Sled Dog Classic: Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia Dog sledding is one of the fastest growing sports on the east coast of Australia As there's no snow (the trail is earth and sand and is smooth and wide with a few hills and turns), the sleds have wheels instead of runners, but the excitement is the same Darwin Beer Can Regatta: Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia This local charity event brings together great engineers and great drinkers Participants construct everything from life-size beer-can canoes to beer-can Viking warships (complete with fire hoses) during this off-the-wall regatta Festival of Snakes, Abruzzo, Italy "Each year in the tiny hamlet of Cocullo, surrounded by some of Italy's most undomesticated forests, the villagers prove their devotion by getting down and dirty with as many fork-tongued reptiles as they can." Henley-on-Todd Regatta: Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia (13) "This multi-event program attracts many local and international participants from the audience who often finish up on world TV news paddling canoes with sand shovels and in land lubber events like filling empty 44 gallon drums with sand The Henley-on-Todd is run entirely on a volunteer basis by the three Rotary Clubs based in the Alice The entire proceeds - over a million dollars in the 30 plus years of the event - are allocated to local, national and international humanitarian projects." International Cherry Pit Spitting Contest: Eau Claire, MI, USA "A nutritious sport - is there a better way to dispose of the pit once you have eaten the cherry? Entrants eat a cherry and then spit the pit as far as possible on a blacktop surface The pit that goes the farthest including the roll is the champ." Interstate Mullet Toss: Pensacola, Florida, USA "Pensacola locals and tourists alike have been trying to perfect the art of mullettossing for more than 15 years Ok so what exactly is a mullet? A mullet is a bottomfeeding, saltwater fish that people go nuts about every April Competitors from far and wide come to the Florida and Alabama border town for this head-to-head competition to see who, while standing on the Florida side, can toss the one and a half pound fish into the Alabama side the farthest Prizes are awarded and all entries receive a free T-shirt exclaiming, "Dear Ma, thanks for the college education!" More than 300 pounds of mullet are used each year Sounds like a lot of fish? They are recycled! After contestants throw their fish they must retrieve it, and if it's not too mangled they put it back in the bucket Other festivities include the Mullet Man Triathlon, Mullet Swing Golf Classic, Ms Mullet Bikini Contest, a wet T-shirt contest, volleyball, skeet shooting, a keg toss, three bandstands and seven bar stations." La Tomatina: Buñol, Spain "The tomato battle is in honor of Saint Luis Beltran, the patron saint of Buñol Residents and visitors take part in a tomato-throwing battle that decimates more than 88,000 pounds of tomatoes This wacky event began with a serious aim as a symbolic protest against Franco But the Tomatina is now firmly entrenched as an amusing way to end the summer." (14) Mighty Mud Mania: Scottsdale, Arizona, USA "Children's dreams really come true in the City of Scottsdale Children aged to 13, get to participate in a mud race to end all mud races During the running of the Mighty Mud Obstacle course, several mud pits strategically placed, provide wet and really dirty obstacles as kids compete for the fastest time in each heat There are also mud puddle pools for the tiny tots, and a mini mud course for those six and younger In addition, Mighty Mudway features water and mud games There are also water slides, sandcastle buildings and fun for all ages Moms and dads, remember to send your kids out with old clothes and shoes that lace up or Velcro closures And have no fear, Rural Metro Fire Department is on hand to literally hose down the muddy children." 10 Songkran Festival, Thailand What better way to celebrate the "start of the return of rains" than with a country-wide water fight? Thais celebrate their festival officially from April 13th until April 15th These three days represent the last day of the old year, the day of transition, and the first day of the New Year These are days of cleaning the houses and the body, days of merry making, and renewal Nothing evil has to be taken into the New Year Formerly one sprinkled or spilled a bit of scented water over the hands or shoulders of elders and friends to ask them forgiveness for coarse or wicked speaking But in modern times these traditions, which still are held in family celebrations, are hidden behind water battles fought out for days in the streets of every town and city over the country 11 The New Straits Times Million Ringgit Charity Duck Race: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Thirteen years ago, Eric Schechter and his friends were brainstorming to find new ways of raising money for local charities when they came up with the idea of rubber duck races The event, crazy as it may sound, involves racing "cool" rubber ducks down a local waterway and having members of the community "adopt" the ducks for a chance to win valuable donated prizes, possibly even $1 million bucks 12 Wife Carrying World Championships: Sonkajarvi, Finland (15) "The idea of the Wife Carrying Competition is Sonkajärvi's very own and, in spite of its humorous aspects, it has deep roots in the local history In the late 1800's there was in the area a brigand called Rosvo-Ronkainen, who is said to have accepted in his troops only those men who proved their worth on a challenging track In those days, it was also a common practice to steal women from the neighbouring villages." 13 World Bog Snorkeling Championships and Mountain Bike Bog Leaping: Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales "It's the muckiest dip you've ever taken! Swim two lengths of a bog wearing a snorkel, or jump on a mountain bike and leap the bogs over a 20-mile course If bog snorkeling's your game, get ready to flounder your way through 120 yards of peat bog in the quickest possible time Your attire? A snorkel and flippers, of course Uhhh - and maybe some swim trunks And you can't use any conventional swimming strokes This battle of wills in a dirty, smelly, wet Welsh peat bog trench is not for the faint of heart! If you'd rather be above the bog (though there's no guarantee you won't end up in it), try taking your mountain bike through 20 miles of boggy terrain, in the bog-leaping event It's your chance to show off your bike-in-a-bog manoeuvring abilities! Following your adventures, kind folks are on hand to hose you down Goodness knows, you'll need it! Happy bogging!" (16) READING 6: THE OLYMPIC GAMES – THEN AND NOW (by Craig Duncan) In 2004 the Olympic Games returned to its home in Greece, where it began around 3000 years ago The first recorded Olympic festival took place in 776 BC Similar festivals had been organised for at least two or three centuries prior to this, but 776 BC saw the start of a regular festival which was to take place every Olympiad, or four year period In ancient Greece citizens of different city states could not always travel freely around the country, but during the Olympics the various rulers agreed truces so as that their citizens could attend the Olympics without problems Sport was only one part of the festival; there were also ritual sacrifices, poetry readings, exhibitions of sculpture and trade fairs It was a festival which celebrated on the one hand the Greek gods, and on the other hand the abilities of the Greek people The early athletic competitions were only running races, but later other sports such as boxing and wrestling came to be included It was not simply a matter of professional athletes arriving and entering the competitions; for one thing, there were no professional athletes! All the competitors were ordinary Greek citizens who felt that they were among the best in their chosen sports Anyone wishing to compete had to arrive four weeks early, and undergo a full month of training It wasn’t only physical training, either: would-be competitors had to prove that they were morally and spiritually suitable to compete Even if someone was physically fit enough, they couldn’t compete unless the judges thought they were of the right moral fibre Curiously, all sportsmen competed nude – it was widely believed that wearing clothes slowed an athlete down! At the start of the games, every competitor had to swear an oath that they were a free citizen of Greece who had committed no sacrilege against the gods In today’s Olympics, one athlete takes an oath on behalf of all the competitors, although of course it is a little different to the ancient Greek oath Today, competitors promise that they shall abide by the rules of the games, will act in an honourable and sportsmanlike manner, and not use any performance-enhancing drugs Cheating, though, is almost as old as the games itself: records of the ancient Greek games are riddled with tales of athletes paying off their competitors, and of boxers fixing the results of their fights In ancient Greece, though, (17) there weren’t many ways an athlete could cheat in a race: maybe take a shortcut, or borrow a horse By the time of the St Louis Olympics in 1904, more modern means were available The original “winner” of the 1904 Olympic marathon, Fred Lorz, was disqualified after it was revealed that he had travelled half the distance in a car The man later declared the official winner, Thomas Hicks, wasn’t much better: he was carried across the finishing line by two of his trainers Hicks’s trainers had tried to enhance his running ability by feeding him a mix of egg whites, strychnine and brandy This early attempt at a performanceenhancing drug was rather unsuccessful, as it left Hicks drunk and incapable The trick of having two men carrying him, though, seems to have worked The motivation for cheating hasn’t changed much at all Today, athletes compete primarily for the honour of being awarded a gold medal, but also for the enormous amounts of lucrative corporate sponsorship bestowed upon top sportspeople Similarly, while ancient Greek athletes were officially only competing for the honour of being awarded a symbolic olive branch, winners were usually sponsored by their city state, receiving a large sum of money, or a new home, or a lengthy tax holiday As mentioned earlier, the connection between sport and business hasn’t changed much Even in the earliest Olympics, sporting competition went alongside trade fairs and business deals This was acknowledged in 19th century Greece when the first modern attempts were made to revive the Olympics The “Zappian Olympics”, as they became known after wealthy organiser Evangelos Zappas, were the bridge between the ancient and modern Olympics, and took place in Greece between 1859 and 1875 It was the first real international sporting competition, but officially it was about far more than sport Greek politicians of the time felt that nations were no longer competing primarily in sport, but in agriculture and manufacturing It was decided, then, that these new Olympics ought to be as much about competing in industry as in sport The sports events were highly popular, but in terms of funding and regularity were of a lower priority than the commercial side, which concentrated on the demonstration of agricultural and industrial inventions However, the sporting side of the games were hugely popular with the public, and the level of support meant that, in Athens in 1896, the Olympics as we know them began Despite the occasional shambles of the sort we saw in St Louis in 1904, it has continued from strength to strength since then (18) READING 7: INFORMATION SOCIETY (by Richard Sidaway) Once upon a time societies were organised around religion, farming, trade or industry In many parts of the world today this is still true, but something else is becoming more important – the exchange of information, and the technology that we use to this Twenty-four hour news, e-commerce, international call-centres, mobile phones, Global Positioning Systems … all these are making the world smaller and faster The growth in telecommunications is now giving more and more people access to democratic ideas, to the principles of international law and human rights, to the science that will help their country to develop or to the medical knowledge that can fight disease It is starting a real global village which people only dreamed of a generation ago But how can everybody in the world share the recent technological advances? Millions of people cannot read these words because they don’t have access to a computer They don’t understand English either, the language that 80% of the information is written in They don’t even have a telephone They are more worried about how far they will have to walk today to get clean water or if they can feed themselves and their families For most people on this planet, information is not a priority The contrast between countries that have information technology and those that don’t is called the ‘digital divide’ Scandinavia and South East Asia have a high number of people who use Information Communication Technologies (ICT) Central Africa and the Pacific have almost none The United Nations is trying to make the information society a reality for more of the developing world It wants to see rich countries transfer new technology and knowledge to poorer nations Ten years from now, the plan is that everybody in the world will have a radio or television and that 50% of the world’s population will have access to the internet from schools and universities, health centres and hospitals, libraries and museums This will improve medical care and education, science and agriculture, business opportunities and employment At the same time, they say, local communities, languages and cultures will become stronger (19) Just a dream? Certainly there are some contradictions Does only good come with freedom of information? If information is power, why will people share it? Doesn’t more technology mean fewer jobs? And how can the exchange of information keep local cultures alive if most of that information is only in one language? It is much easier to get people connected to broadband or put government online in Europe than in South America or the Middle East However, developing countries often leapfrog the process which richer nations went through, and avoid their mistakes Brazil collects most of its taxes online these days There are cyber cities in Dubai and Mauritius And Taiwan and Hong Kong have better access to ICT than the United Kingdom Maybe the English language isn’t so important after all Perhaps the spread of technology means that the old centres of power are also changing The United States introduced internet technology in the 1970s But people are asking why they should continue to be in charge Why should a small organisation in California tell the rest of the world how computers talk to each other? The US says it makes the rules, but it doesn’t control the flow of information The domain name system (DNS) controls how internet addresses work, but not what a website or database contains Many want a more international approach, however But they also want the internet to remain open and free for all to use Can the world create an information society for all? If a farmer in Bangladesh can read this in the year 2015, then maybe the answer is yes (20) READING 8: TEN YEARS WITHOUT BOOKS (by John Kuti) As I write this, I have half an eye on an old James Bond film that is showing on my computer But this is a story about how I stopped watching TV and began reading again for pleasure, after ten years in which I hardly turned a page I suppose I was an avid reader of "literature" between the ages of nine and fourteen I had enough time to be White Fang, Robinson Crusoe, and Bilbo Baggins and Jeeves Of course there was room in the schoolboy's imagination for some real historical figures: Scott of the Antarctic, all of the Vikings, and Benjamin Franklin were good friends of mine Then, in adolescence, I began a long search for strange and radical ideas I wanted to challenge my elders and betters, and stir up my peers with amazing points of view Of course, the only place to look was in books I hunted out the longest titles and the authors with the funniest names, I scoured the library for completely unread books Then I found one which became my bible for the whole of 1982, it had a title composed of eleven long words and an author whose name I didn't know how to pronounce It was really thick and looked dead serious Even better, it put forward a whole world-view that would take days to explain Perfect I took it out of the library three times, proud to see the date-stamps lined up on the empty library insert Later, I went to university Expecting to spend long evenings in learned discussion with clever people, I started reading philosophy For some reason I never found the deepthinking intellectuals I hoped to meet Anyway, I was ready to impress with my profound knowledge of post-structuralism, existentialism and situationism These things are usually explained in rather short books, but they take a long time to get through They were the end of my youthful reading Working life was hard to get used to after so much theory It was the end of books for me There didn't seem to be much in books that would actually get things done To things you had to answer the telephone and work a computer You had to travel about and speak to people who weren't at all interested in philosophy I didn't stop reading, you can't avoid that I read all day But no books came my way, only manuals and pamphlets and contracts and documents Maybe most people satisfy their need for stories and ideas with TV and, to tell the truth, it was all I needed for ten years In those days I only had a book (21) "on the go" for the duration of aeroplane flights At first I would come home and watch TV over dinner Then, I moved the TV so I could watch it from bed I even rigged up a switch so I could turn it off without getting out of bed Then, one fateful day, my TV broke and my landlady took it away My new TV is an extra circuit board inside my computer It's on a desk in front of a working chair and I can't see it from the bed I still use it for the weather forecasts and it's nice to have it on while I'm typing this… but what to last thing at night? Well, have another go with books Now, I just like books I have a pile of nice ones by my bed and I'm reading about six simultaneously I don't want to BE any of the characters I don't care if a thousand people have already read them I don't have to search through libraries There are books everywhere and all of them have something to read in them I have the strange feeling that they've been there all along, waiting for me to pick them up Glossary adolescence (n): period of a person's life between childhood and adulthood avid (adj): extremely eager or interested challenge (v): to invite someone to compete or take part, esp in a game or argument circuit board (n): a small electronic circuit which consists of a lot of small parts made on a piece of semiconducting material fateful (adj): very important because of its, often negative, effect on the future historical figure (n): a person famous in history intellectual (n): a highly educated person whose interests are studying and other activities that involve careful thinking and mental effort learned (adj): acquired by learning or experience pamphlet (n): a thin book with only a few pages which gives information or an opinion about something (22) peer (n): a person who is the same age or has the same social position or the same abilities as other people in a group pleasure (n): (something that gives) enjoyment, happiness or satisfaction profound (adj): showing a clear and deep understanding of serious matters radical (adj): believing or expressing the belief that there should be great or extreme social or political change rig up (v): to fix (a piece of equipment) in place scour (v): to search (a place or thing) very carefully in order to try to find something simultaneously (adv): in a way that happens or is done at exactly the same time world-view (n): a way of looking at or considering the world (23) READING 9: SEA MONSTERS Question: What animal is over 30 feet long, has a big head, enormous eyes, a mane like a lion, a long neck, a body like a snake and lots of arms like an octopus? Answer: Nobody knows But sailors have been telling stories about giant creatures of the sea for hundreds of years The monsters that sailors and fishermen describe are all slightly different but it's often an animal like a giant snake, at least 30 feet long, with an enormous head and neck It sometimes actually attacks the ship Some of these sea monsters turned out to be big pieces of seaweed or wood, but other stories are not so easy to explain So what can these monsters be? They could be sharks There is an unusual type of shark that is shaped like an eel It has a frill around its neck, which could look like a lion's mane But the biggest one ever caught was only 25 feet long Another type of shark, the 'basking shark', can grow to about 40 feet in length In the 1970s a Japanese fishing boat caught an enormous dead 'monster' with a long neck Scientists tested some small pieces of the animal and discovered that it was a basking shark When these sharks die, parts of them rot very quickly, which gives them a very strange shape But this doesn't explain stories about living, moving sea monsters They could be just very big snakes The biggest snake in the world is the anaconda One was found in the 1940s that measured 35 feet, but there are no photographs to prove it South American Indians tell stories of even bigger ones The problem with this theory is that the anaconda is native to South America and can't survive in cold water They could be giant squid This is an interesting theory Scientists all accept that giant squid really exists but we don't see them very often because they live in deep, cold water They can be up to 50 feet in length and have the biggest eyes in the animal kingdom – over one foot in diameter (There are reports of much bigger ones too.) They have a strong mouth like a bird's beak (24) that can cut through steel cables, and five pairs of arms, or tentacles One pair is longer and thinner than the others and is used to catch food People have seen giant squid attacking whales for food In the 1960s some Russian sailors reported watching a fight between a whale and a giant squid Both animals died; the whale was found dead with the squid's arms wrapped around its neck, and the squid's head was found in the whale's stomach There are also reports of giant squid attacking ships, maybe thinking that they were whales So the giant sea snakes wrapped around ships could actually be one or two arms of a giant squid They could be giant octopuses Giant octopuses also exist – there are varieties of octopus with bodies as much as 23 feet around But there are also stories about an unknown variety that grows much, much bigger An enormous animal was found dead and rotting on a beach in Florida in the 1890s Parts of it seemed to be huge arms over 30 feet long Scientists tested a small part of the body but couldn't agree whether it was a whale or an octopus Like the giant squid, the giant octopus has a strong mouth like the giant squid but it has only eight arms It lives at the bottom of the sea and uses its arms to move around over the rocks This explains why we don't see giant octopuses very often Giant octopuses could be ancient sea animals that have survived from the time of the dinosaurs We know that strange animals lived in the sea during pre-historic times, and many of them were very big indeed They didn't look like fish and they had to come up to the surface of the water to breathe air Perhaps, when the dinosaurs died out, these sea creatures survived and have lived in the oceans ever since Is that possible? Well, maybe it is In 1938 a strange fish was caught in the Indian Ocean Scientists eventually identified it as a coelacanth (pronounced 'seel-a-kanth'), which everyone thought had died out over 70 million years ago And another type of coelacanth was found in the 1990s in South East Asia So, any of these explanations convince you? Or you think that deep down at the bottom of the sea, where we have never explored, there are strange creatures that are still completely unknown to science? (25)