16 Reading comprehension (C1)

FLAGGING OUT  

SAFETY AT SEA 

Catastrophes at sea and in the air make grim headlines: they represent a great deal of sorrow for the families of the dead and injured. Why do they occur? Terrorists plant bombs, as in the case of the destruction of the American airliner over Lockerbie in Scotland. Pyromaniacs light fires, as in the case of the ferry, Scandinavian Star, sailing from Norway to Denmark. In the week following that tragedy, there were two other cases of fires on board ferries: on one plying between Wales and Ireland, and on another between Portsmouth and Cherbourg. In both of them, a man died. 

Clearly, fire is a commonplace hazard, and a very dangerous one, at sea. Talking after the Scandinavian Star had been towed into the small port of Lysekil, a Swedish police spokesman made it clear how awful if had been. He said: "The toll from the blaze that engulfed the ferry south of Oslo fjord is still officially 75 dead and 60 missing but about 100 bodies have already been taken off the ship and as many as 50 to 100 could still be on board. People tried to save themselves in the cabins and they are lying in big piles and it's difficult to figure out how many there are. There are a lot of children."

In the immediate aftermath of such catastrophes reports of inadequate safety measures circulate. On board the Scandinavian Star, a fireman said the ferry had only one system to pump and spray water on to the flames and that pumping and spraying had to be done alternately. On a wider scale, newspapers reported once again on the world-wide system of "flagging-out" which means that ships are not registered in the countries where they operate, and where the regulations are strict and expensive, but in places like Panama and Cyprus and the Bahamas, where they are lax and cheap. The Scandinavian Star, although Danish-owned, was registered in the Bahamas.  

One of the more outrageous cases came to light in October 1989. A general cargo ship named the Bosun set sail from Hamburg under the flag of the small central American state of Belize. West German police arrested and charged two men, the ship's British master and its German owner. They were charged with flying a false flag, and forgery of Belize government documents. A police officer said: "Belize was not the latest entrant in the cheap flag stakes; they in fact operate no shipping whatsoever. When we contacted the Belize High Commission in London, they were astonished to learn that a ship was pretending to be registered in their country."

Rules are laid down for ship safety by United Nations organizations. The rules are strict, and specify that a ship must be built with heat and fire resistant bulkheads, fire doors to passenger and crew areas, sealed cable and air conditioning trunking to block smoke, non-combustible materials and/or sprinkler systems, smoke detectors and alarms, and signposted emergency exits. But all these rules of ship design are meaningless according to an expert from the Nautical Institute. He explains: "The big loophole is the lack of power to test whether these rules are being enforced. The port state is entitled to carry out spot checks on ships to make sure their safety certificates are in order; the lifeboats are all there and don't have holes in them; and that there are the necessary charts, life-jackets in the racks, and fire hoses in their reels. But they don't have the power to test whether they all work, or the crews know how to use them. I think the public has a right to be worried." He goes on to point out that the Scandinavian Star would have been built to a very high design standard. However, it is likely that neither her crew nor her safety equipment could have been checked in the Bahamas before she began carrying passengers. 

Why do the ship-owners do it? According to the Secretary of the National Union of Seamen, the answer is cost. He says: "The Danish owners of the ill-fated Scandinavian Star could have registered her in Denmark and employed ratings belonging to the appropriate union. These would have been properly trained in firefighting and lifeboat drills and been able to communicate with their officers and the passengers in the event of an emergency. The ship would have come under the rigorous scrutiny of the Danish port inspectorate. 

"But the inspectors might have insisted on potentially costly modifications and the ratings would have asked for Danish wages and accompanying social benefits. Much simpler (not to mention cheaper) to register her in the Bahamas and at a stroke free the owners from such irksome restrictions. Among the survivors of this horrific tragedy there may be some ideologues who share this free-market philosophy, but I doubt it."    

1. Fires sometimes occur on board ships 

A. because someone deliberately lights them 

B. when there are inadequate safety measures 

C. when the crew has not been trained 

D. because the safety measures are inadequate 

2. Flagging-out 

A. is common all over the world 

B. means that ships must register 

C. is a matter of flying the national flag 

D. helps poor nations export 

3. The Belize High commission was surprised to have a ship registered in the country because 

A. they had only just started registering shipping 

B. it is a land-locked country, like Switzerland 

C. no ships operate under the Belize flag 

D. it was the first time forged Belize documents had been used . 

4 When are the strict rules of shipbuilding ineffective? 

A. When the crew is untrained. 

B. When the safety equipment does not work. 

C. If regulations are not enforced. 

D. If there are not enough lifeboats. 

 5. Being involved in a serious accident at sea is likely to make people sceptical of 

A. free-market economics 

B. ship builders 

C. ship owners 

D. government restrictions 

ANSWERS    01. A          02. A              03. C              04. C         05. A

TAXATION

THE ECONOMY: SHADES OF GREY

The London Times reports that a Spanish tax inspector boarded a Mediterranean cruise ship incognito. He sought to check whether the returns made by the cruise company, in respect of food and drink consumed, tallied with reality. He put on his brightest holiday clothes and went aboard. Two things followed quickly. First, his disguise was found to be inadequate; he was discovered immediately. Secondly, it happened that the ship had a large number of British holiday-makers aboard. These merry jokers forced him to walk the plank. While he was swimming around in the water, some of the merrier girls dived in after him and merrily removed his shorts. We may feel sorry for the poor fellow, who was only doing his job, but the story does show that tax collectors are as unpopular now as they were in the days of Robin Hood or George Washington. 

Tax inspectors are universally unpopular, not simply because they collect money, but because they are the greatest of all bureaucrats. They put their little restrictions upon every aspect of ordinary life. In Britain, if you drive a friend to the station, babysit for the neighbours, fix a car engine in exchange for a bottle of whisky, or make a pot of jam for charity, then technically, you have become a part of the shadow economy. The estimates of the size of the shadow economy vary greatly, from two per cent to 15 per cent of the national income, the difference in Britain of between four and 54 billion pounds. The best estimate puts it at around five per cent. One of the reasons for the difference is the definition which is used. The black economy is only the darkest side of the picture. For example, the shadow economy runs from voluntary work for charities, to barter between neighbours, to housework. But it also takes in handling stolen goods, tax evasion, and working while drawing welfare payments. 

One area of growth of the shadow economy in Britain has been household employment, and services to help the working mother. Clearly, no one pays their window-cleaner by cheque, not if they want to see him again. But, more importantly, in the last 25 years, as married women flooded out to work, they have begun again to do what their grandmothers did, to pay others to look after their homes and children. This area of home help has become a deep grey as far as the tax authorities are concerned. In general, the shadow economy becomes pitch black once money changes hands, in used notes: for example, when we pay each other for child-minding rather than taking it in turns to run a playgroup.

While the tax authorities have their beady eye on payment in kind, there may be another distinction, between regular work on the one hand, and occasional, irregular favours on the other. Even so, it would seem that moonlighting, the second job, the odd extra evening work, is what makes up most of the shadow economy. A more useful distinction lies between the trivial and the substantial. There is a lot of difference between giving someone a regular lift to the station in the mornings, perhaps in exchange for some help with the petrol bill, and loaning him a company car which is not declared on his tax returns. 

A large proportion of the shadow economy might not be liable to tax anyway. Small traders, for example, prefer cash as much to avoid office work as to cut their sales tax. But, at the bottom end of the scale, even very small cash earnings can cause trouble to the unemployed. The reason lies in the speed with which unemployment support benefits are withdrawn if even small amounts of money are earned. Conservative politicians are always saying that a large proportion of Britain s unemployed are earning a healthy living in the shadow economy. With three million officially, and four million unofficially, out of work, they are more likely to be picking at bones rather then living off the fat of the land. 

The shadow economy may be essential to the health of the country. Of course, tax enforcement is necessary, but snooping is not and that is where one loses sympathy with the Spanish tax inspector. There needs to be a balance which can possibly be achieved by limiting the state s legal interest in small sums, the taxation of which is more expensive than the revenue collected.  

Select the answer most likely to be correct. 

01. Why did the Spanish tax inspector end up in the Mediterranean? ....................... 

A. He was travelling incognito. 

B. The passengers were British. 

C. His disguise was penetrated. 

D. He was disliked. 

02. Why did the passengers force him to walk the plank? .............................. 

A. They were playing at being pirates. 

B. The ship was under construction. 

C. To prove he was sober. 

D. Because he was a tax inspector. 

03. Why are tax inspectors so unpopular? ............................. 

A. They persecute people. 

B. They have no sense of humour. 

C. They send us forms to fill in. 

D. They are petty-minded. 

04. When does the grey economy become black? .............................. 

A. When people exchange services. 

B. When cash changes hands. 

C. When people barter goods. 

D. When a person handles stolen goods. 

05. When a person moonlights, what does he do? ............................. 

A. Works at night, in the dark. 

B. Has a second job, apart from his main work. 

C. Works for himself, as self-employed. 

D. Runs a nightclub or disco or other entertainment. 

06. What are Britain's unemployed most likely to be doing? ............................. 

A. Earning a good living in the shadow economy. 

B. Eking out a bare living. 

C. Being investigated by bureaucrats. 

D. Living off the fat of the land. 

ANSWERS 01. C         02. D          03. D            04. B          05. B          06. B 

HACKING

Complete the passage with the correct paragraphs. There is one more paragraph than you need

COMPUTERS: FROM HACKING TO CRIME

  Known by the name of Bug Hunter, the hacker said he broke into the files for the pleasure of seeing the welcome, "Good afternoon, HRH Duke of Edinburgh." 

01______

He typed 1234, which turned out to be a testing file with access to all the Prestel code numbers. 

02______

Hacking started as an intellectual game among fanatical American computer enthusiasts. They enjoyed cracking the private codes of large business computers and creating more or less harmless chaos in their files. But now the practice has spread to computer fraud, and to the reading of confidential information. 

03______

Once a hacker has a genuine user s network identity, he can run up bills for electronic mail and telexes, and read all the user s private mail. It is almost impossible to detect the unauthorised use of the service. 

04_____ 

Much more serious than amateur hacking is the professional computer fraud. Millions of pounds have been stolen from financial institutions through computer fraud, usually by the illegal transfer of funds to foreign bank accounts. 

05_____

Only a fraction of such crimes are reported because companies fear the publicity would damage customer confidence. And the publicity would be harmful. 

06_____

Each computer terminal is the equivalent of a cheque book. Instead of signing the cheque, with a terminal you authorise it, and the money goes.

A. Cases of large-scale mischief caused by hackers are rare. In one case, a hacker succeeded in entering a word processor used by the Israeli Foreign Minister, and added humorous sentences to a speech prepared for him. The changes were spotted as he was about to deliver the speech. In another case, a credit agency with confidential details on 90 million people discovered that hackers had broken its security codes, and had been exchanging the passwords on electronic bulletin boards. 

B. Computers have become commonplace. Soon, every home will have one. They will be easy to use and allow people to shop and study and work at home. We live in revolutionary times but this is a bloodless revolution. 

C. An accountant explains: "Computer technology makes large scale financial dealing possible. It is all tied in with buying, selling, making deals and transferring the money. But security systems have not kept up with the computing systems. Everywhere, there is the opportunity, if somebody has the urge, to misuse the system. The crimes are discovered, but the problem is that they are not discovered quickly enough. Even if it is detected within a few hours, it is too late. The person who has committed the crime has already left the building and caught a plane." 

D. The hacker made his way into British Telecom's huge Prestel system by using a home computer. He typed out an experimental line of numbers, all twos, when the computer asked for a 10-digit identity code. It worked, and the computer asked for a four-digit password. 

E. Bug Hunter was eventually tracked down and arrested. He was very bitter about being treated as a criminal. He said: "They should be employing people like me to plug gaps in the system. I'm disgusted." He was fined £600. A spokesman said: "Security has been tightened considerably." 

F. There are a number of cases where more than a million has been stolen. These crimes are easy to carry out because large companies and financial institutions are connected to the network used by the clearing banks for transfer funds around the world. 

G. All a hacker needs is a cheap home computer, a modem to link it to the telephone network, and a basic knowledge of how computers talk to each other. The hacker then telephones mainframe computer services, such as electronic mail networks, and attempts to break the security code. Callers have three chances to type in the correct code before the call is cut off. By typing in a series of educated guesses time after time, hackers can find their way into a system. They may be helped by people choosing obvious code-words, such as first names or addresses.  

ANSWERS     01. D          02. E          03. G          04. A          05. F/C          06. C/F

DEFORESTATION 

DEFORESTATION

A recent report from the United Nations indicates that the world's tropical forests are vanishing faster than previously thought. Up to 50 million acres a year are disappearing, almost the area of West Germany, 50 per cent more than expected. The World Resources Institute, which compiled the report, says that the rising rate of deforestation was "a tragedy for the biological richness of the earth and an ominous signal for the climatic conditions of the future." About 100 forest species become extinct every day, with irreparable loss of part of the world's genetic resources. The report says that deforestation accounts for a third of the world's emissions of carbon dioxide, the biggest cause of global warming. 

The loss of the forests is largely the result of overpopulation. Hungry landless masses in Asia compete with commercial logging for the available resources. At the moment, the landless masses are winning. The overwhelming bulk of the wood and timber of tropical forests is burnt where it stands. Of that which is extracted, only 17 per cent goes for industrial use. The rest is used for firewood. The concept of natural forest as spare land ready for agriculture is predominant. It is the central reality of the deforestation crisis. In 1988, 60 million acres of Rondonia in the Brazilian Amazon was burnt for grazing and cropland. Billions of dollars worth of timber went up in smoke, wasted because there was no ready economic market for it. The forest was seen to have more value as agricultural land than as standing forests to be harvested.  

Just how bad the situation is can be revealed by satellite photograph. Such a photograph of the Amazon basin will reveal hundreds of points of light stretching from Bolivia to the Atlantic. Each point of light indicates a man-made forest fire at least half a mile wide. In 1988 and 1989, there were at least 15,000 such fires which meant that Brazil sent half as much carbon into the atmosphere as Japan. 

The head of Brazil's environment institute points out: "It's a problem of awareness. Farmers just don't think of anything but making money, and some regional administrations support them because they think this is development. In one state, farmers are killing the rubber tappers. In another, they think only of profits from cattle ranching. They set fire to nature reserves. They could all think about the environment a little more." The head of the satellite agency which analyzes the problem on a daily basis is more blunt. He says: "We know that burning in the Amazon is gigantic. It's time they showed us a wealthy farmer in handcuffs."  

If you want to know what happens when the rain forests are destroyed, the place to go is Vietnam. During the Vietnam war, the American air force sprayed more than 72 million litres of herbicides and defoliants over the country, dropping bombs and napalm over much of the rest. Almost half of Vietnam's landscape is derelict. Since the end of the war things have got worse: the country's 60 million people, like most inhabitants of the tropics, are dependent upon wood for fuel and construction. Demand for fuel and the clearance of land for agriculture has also destroyed thousands of acres. What the Vietnamese have discovered is that when the tropical forests go, they go for ever. The soil is poor. Once the cover is gone, tropical rainstorms wash out the nutrients. In the dry season, the grass catches fire and saplings are killed. Then more top soil is washed away. Tropical trees flower unpredictably, and their seeds are difficult to collect and germinate. 

The Americans, given a choice between being green and fighting the Peruvian drug barons, have chosen, as one would expect, to fight. The weapon to hand is Spike, a close relative of Agent Orange, the herbicide used in Vietnam. Spike would have carried deforestation into the densely forested eastern slopes of the Andes. However, the President of Peru, having made a helicopter flight over the area, called for a scientific study. He said: "An international scientific team should determine if the proposal is positive or negative for the environment." He might have added that the Peruvian peasants and the coca barons can manage their own deforestation quite well without any help from American herbicides, thank you very much. 

It is not only the tropical trees that should fear man's depredations. Even the cactus in the desert is being uprooted. It seems that the inhabitants of the palatial desert homes of Las Vegas and Palm Springs require a large cactus as a status symbol, just like a stretch limousine. The finest of the cacti of Arizona, despite being in protected tourist amenity areas, are being ripped out of the ground by organised gangs of cactus rustlers. These Saguaro cacti grow as high as five or six metres and weigh up to four tonnes. Larry Richards works full time as a cactus cop. He says:  

"I grew up on this land. I can tell you, in the last 10 years the Saguaros here have been thinned out by, oh, maybe half. In the next 10 years another half or more of the rest will go. These are prime, saleable specimens. It's just a matter of time. There are 120 crooked dealers active in Arizona. They use lifting equipment and large trucks to transport the giants instantly to California, about 400 miles away, where black market prices are highest, about $40 for every foot of stem, and up to $100 for every arm which survives the move. A fairly ordinary sample can fetch $800. A big one, $15,000. A whole generation, covering 60 years of growing, is being wiped out." In one case, the cactus fought back. It fell on top of a young man who was taking pot shots at it with his rifle, and killed him.

Answer the following questions with reference to the article which follows. 

Choose from A to G the answers to the numbered questions. 

According to the passage, where is vegetation 

01. ... burnt because there is no market for it? 

02. ... extremely difficult to regenerate? 

03. ... stolen for profit? 

04. ... burnt for pastoral purposes? 

05. ... almost 50 per cent destroyed? 

06. ... in need of police protection? 

07. ... in economic competition with grassland? 

08/09. ... being destroyed in national parks? 

10. ... threatened by a policing action? 

11. ... mostly used for firewood? 

12. ... the subject of competition between peasants and the timber industry? 

A. Asia 

B. Amazonia 

C. Brazil 

D. Vietnam 

E. Peru 

F. Arizona 

G. Bolivia  

ANSWERS 01. B     02. D     O3. F     04. B    05. D   06. F    07. B   08/09. C, F  10. E  11. A   12. A

CHILDREN'S DOLLS

A. BARBIE WITH SHELLY SHOPPING FUN £20 

Getting two dolls in one packet was the ultimate value-for-money principle applied by our young testers to this "Shoppin' Fun" ensemble, which features buxom Barbie and her baby sister Shelly in a supermarket setting. A mechanism causes Shelly to bounce up and down on the seat of her supermarket trolley as it is pushed and, in a nice twist, a magnet on Shelly's hand enables her to pick up tiny cereal and cookie packets. The irony was lost on Alice, who declared Shelly's behaviour to be "just like a real baby" . All in all, this perfect image of consumerism in miniature was a major hit with the girls, who also heaped praise on Barbie's short skirt, cooed over Shelly's bottle and dummy and "took a great deal of interest in her nappy." They voted it the winner - even though their parents felt "Workin' Out" Barbie was better value in terms of cost versus hours of distraction. 

B. WORKIN' OUT BARBIE £12 

Not yet in the shops but bound to be popular, "Workin' Out" Barbie was the favourite with Rebecca, mostly due to her trendy outfit in sickly pink and super-long blonde hair. On the plastic accessories front, she also has a matching personal stereo, dumbbells and water bottle. Barbie is fully articulated, has suction pads on her feet and comes with a full-size music tape, so little girls can hold her hands and dance with her. Rebecca quickly disappeared into another room with the Barbie and tape to do some serious exercising. She loved the fact that the doll can do the splits and her arms bend and stretch. 

C. PET DOCTOR BARBIE £20 

In a puzzling, but too frequent demonstration of the generation gap, "Pet Doctor Barbie" - this year s hot new launch which benefits the RSPCA , appealed greatly to the testers parents, but not especially to the children. The package includes plastic dog bones, pet bowls, pet basket stethoscope, medical clipboard, bandages, grooming brush, doctor's bag and, most importantly, dog and cat. Her leggings even have paw prints on them. Alice thought it was pretty silly having a brush for the animals when they were made of hard plastic. Barbie's arms were thought to have too little movement. As usual, Emily liked Barbie's hair, which is long and silky, if not ethnically correct in the black version sampled. Meanwhile, the adults laughed themselves silly over the meowing mouse and barking bone buttons in the pet basket.

D. KEN AND BROTHER TOMMY £15 

"Hair is a very important factor when choosing dolls - part of the lasting appeal of glamour dolls is the ability to do their hair and dress them up after the gimmicks have lost their novelty," mused Rebecca Jones's mother in her report about Barbie's male friend, now produced in tandem with his baby brother, Tommy. The New Man caring and sharing theme made no impact on the testers, it seemed; they were appalled by Ken's hair, since it felt as if it had gel on it. The accessories in this packet include a "special baby carrier pack" which takes Tommy, his bottle, rattle, dummy, nappy and baby lotion on Ken s back. The testers thought Tommy was rather "cute", but were concerned that he was only wearing dungarees with no shirt underneath and that his dummy was too large, covering half of his face. The fact that Tommy can wave did not impress the testers. 

E. SINDY SKATER £4.90 

Alas, Britain's answer to Barbie did not score well in our trial. Evidently more cheaply produced, "Sindy Skater" has the obligatory long hair, but is adorned only in a pink, sparkly tutu. "Her bodice is painted on!" said Rebecca. They soon discovered that her hair and boots could not be removed either. "She's no good", was the unanimous verdict. 

F. BASEBALL CAP CINDY £3.50 

Emily Buckett immediately fell in love with the "Baseball Cap Sindy", which Rebecca and Alice attributed to her age. For once, the doll itself is the accessory, capable, with the help of ankle straps, of assuming several acrobatic positions on the cap wearer's head. Rebecca and Alice "wouldn’t t be seen dead wearing it." Emily wouldn’t take it off. The older two lost interest altogether when they discovered Sindy was made of foam and therefore not a real doll. The mothers declared this Sindy to be more of a clothing item than a toy and wondered how long any child would want to wear a doll on their head? 

G. ACTION MAN SPORT EXTREME £10.99 

Action Man, parents will be glad to know, has been updated. His jaw is now squarer, his cheekbones more sculpted and his flock hair has metamorphosed into a sleek, painted, plastic style with two locks falling over one eyebrow, "as they would do whenever he does something heroic," a spokesman from the manufacturer said firmly. His new character is sport oriented, which is why he has "super active limbs~, according to the packaging. Our testers were not taken in. "He's a toy man who fights," David said. "He has bendy legs and arms for kicking and punching." He also comes equipped with designer shades, a 9mm automatic pistol and suction pad for climbing rocky terrain. He does not come with a shirt, presumably this is intended to allow the consumer to appreciate his very muscular torso. In response to the politically leading question, "Would he still be a good Action Man without a proper gun?" the boys answered (somewhat uneasily) "Yes." William was impressed with the way his sun-glasses stayed on. Only later did the children notice a scar on Action Man s cheek. "Brilliant," said David. Adam voted Action Man the winner, even though Batman "is just as good, but Action Man is bigger." 

H. ROCKETPAK BATMAN AND AIR STRIKE ROBIN £6.99 

each Never mind the Batmobile - Batman and Robin now come with any number of more complex, bellicose accessories. In our samples, Batman "flies" about with the aid of a rocket backpack, while Robin has an airship and peg-on bomb. At first, Batman s "lovely velvet" cape was thought a great accessory, but it was soon discarded for the better performance of his rocket engines. Our testers also took pleasure in holding the backpack themselves "for shooting . Robin's accessories were more difficult to assemble, and David Jones s mother said: "The rocket engines took a bit of manipulating for a six year old - they re afraid of breaking them if they re too forceful." The boys were not the least bit interested in Robin's windswept hair. The packaging of Air Strike Robin enticingly shows how he can be joined up with Turbo Surge Batman to form "a high-tech team with double the powerful capacity to conquer Gotham City's most diabolical villains!" But the fact that this device wasn't in the pack was noticed immediately by the children. Only later, when David discovered that Batman has holes in his feet and that he could hitch a ride on Robin's airship, was all forgiven.

Answer the questions below with reference A-H to the passages which follow. 

Which child liked a doll because of 

1. its realism? 

2. her ability to wear it? 

3. the fashionable colour of its clothing? 

4. its hair? 

5. its ability to travel as a passenger? 

6. the way it performs exercises? 

A. Alice          B. Rebecca         C. Emily          D. David         E. William        F. Adam 

Which toy 

7. is politically correct? 

8. was designed in Britain? 

9. has some illogical accessories? 

10.acts like a naughty baby? 

11.attracted adults more than children? 

12.was considered likely to be played with longest? 

13.is a symbol of the way of life of an affluent society? 

14.was likely to catch cold? 15.was least popular? 

ANSWERS 1. D or A 2. C   3. B   4. C    5. D    6. B    7. D    8. E    9. C   10. A   11. C   12. B           13. A    14. D     15. E 

Cathedral Cities of England 

ENGLISH CATHEDRAL CITIES 

A. Gloucester is a former Roman city on the River Severn. The ground-plan of the original Roman settlement is still preserved in the four main streets which meet at right-angles in the centre of the town and are named after the four points of the compass: Northgate, Southgate and so on. The fine cathedral is Norman to early Perpendicular with a notable 14th century east window. The tomb of the murdered King Edward II is to be found here. The possession of the body of this unfortunate monarch proved a source of great wealth to the cathedral, and the pulpit where the priest stood to receive the contributions of the pilgrims still exists. Also of special interest are the crypt, the choir stalls and the noble central tower. The Cathedral Close is entered by two old gateways. A Cross stands to the memory of Bishop Hooper who was martyred here in 1555. Bishop Hooper's house is now a museum of English Rural Life. The famous Gloucester bell-foundry of Abraham Rudhall cast over 4,500 bells. The Three Choirs Music Festival takes place every third year in Gloucester. Near the city is Matson House which was the headquarters of Charles I during the siege of Gloucester during the Civil War. 

B. Wells is a beautiful little medieval cathedral city, situated at the foot of the Mendip Hills. Wells was never a royal dwelling-place; it was never of commercial importance; it was never a place of military strength. The whole interest of the city is ecclesiastical. The Cathedral, mainly 13th century, is famous for the west front with its statuary. Also outstanding are the three towers, the north porch and the astronomical clock. The moated Bishop's House retains a 13th century chapel, and the swans in the lake are famous for their habit of ringing a bell for their meal. In the East and North Liberties are a number of interesting old houses, including the Cathedral School and the Organist's House. Near the town, Tor Hill, which belongs to the National Trust, is a good viewpoint. 

C. Durham lies on the River Wear which is crossed here by three fine old bridges. The Cathedral, on a splendid site overlooking the river, has very notable Norman work, including the remarkable Galilee porch which contains the tomb of the Venerable Bede. The 13th century Chapel of the Nine Altars contains the tomb of St Cuthbert. The well-known sculptures portraying the Dun Cow and the Milkmaids are set in the north-west turret of a gable on the north front. There are remains of the monastic buildings and the Chapter Library was formerly the monks' dormitory. It now contains Roman remains and Anglo-Saxon crosses. 

D. York was known to the Romans as Eboracum. It is situated on the River Ouse and retains its impressive medieval walls, three miles in extent, together with four fine gateways. The splendid Minster, Early English to Perpendicular, is famous for the west front and the towers, and for its wonderful old stained glass, particularly the 12th century Five Sisters window in the north transept. The octagonal chapter house is 14th century while the oldest part of the structure are the walls of the crypt which may date from the 8th century. York is second only to Norwich in the number of its fine old churches. On a small hill in the city stands Clifford's Tower, all that remains of the old York Castle. A former women's prison, dating from 1780, now houses the very interesting Castle Museum of Crafts and old social life. The adjacent Old Debtors' Prison (1705) is also a museum, featuring toys and costumes. Near the station is the well-known Railway Museum, including many actual engines and coaches.

E. Ely stands on a hill on the west bank of the Ouse, rising above the surrounding fenland. The cathedral, towering above the town, is a landmark for miles around. It is mainly of Norman construction, and the great western tower and the transept were completed in the 12th century. There are some fine tombs inside the cathedral, such as that of Bishop Redman (1505) and the two chapels in the Perpendicular style of Bishop Alcock and Bishop West. The town, according to early records, is supposed to derive its name from the abundance of eels found in the local rivers. 

F. Exeter is a former Roman city standing on the River Exe. The beautiful cathedral is mainly Decorated in style but has two remarkable twin Norman towers. A minstrels' gallery with angels carrying the musical instruments projects over the nave. The wood carvings and the 14th century clock are all worth seeing. Elsewhere in the town, part of the Norman castle has survived, and there are stretches of the original city walls. Much has been preserved, and a rare half-timbered 14th century merchant's house was removed from its original site to a new location near the river. 

G. Canterbury a former Roman military camp, standing on the Stour, is famous for its historical and ecclesiastical associations. The beautiful cathedral was build between the 11th and the 15th centuries. It was the scene of the murder of its Archbishop, Thomas a Becket in 1170, supposedly on the orders of the King, Henry II. Of outstanding interest in the cathedral are the Norman crypt and the lovely 12th century choir. The site was built upon long before the Norman period, as early as 200 BC, when there was a heavily stockaded and ditched settlement. The Romans built a wall and fortified the place in 200 AD, and archaeologists have unearthed the foundations of a large Roman theatre. Near the cathedral has been found the remains of a Saxon abbey church, and tombs of Saxon kings have been discovered. Also nearby is the oldest used church in England, St Martin's, which was standing before St Augustine came to England. He was the first archbishop of Canterbury, 597-604. There are ancient fortifications, the ruins of a castle and the Roman city wall still standing. 

H. Norwich, standing on the River Wensum, depended for its early prosperity upon the trade in worsted cloth. Its recorded history begins in 924 when it became a royal borough, and had a mint. The cathedral, largely Norman, has a spire of the Decorated period which rises to a height of 315 feet. The 15th century choir stalls and the cloisters are of interest. Little remains of the Norman castle and city walls, which were four miles in circumference, although the inner keep of the castle continued to be used as a prison until 1880 when it was acquired by the city corporation and converted into a museum and art gallery. 

Scan (read quickly) the information below in A-H and answer these questions with reference to the passages. 

Which city/cities 

... were not founded by the Romans? 1. ___ 2. ___ 3. . ___ 4. ___ 

... exhibits antiquities in a bedroom? 5. ___ 

... Is not situated on a river? 6. ___ 

... Is named after a local food? 7. ___ 

... owes its existence entirely to the Church? 8. ___ 

... has musical sculptures in its cathedral? 9. ___ 

... has a cathedral that made money out of the royal family? 10. ___

 ... has made good use of its penal institutions? 11. ___ 

... was in the wool business? 12. ___ 

... has some well-trained birds? 13. ___ 

... has a cathedral with beautiful windows? 14. ___

ANSWERS 01. B    02. C    03. E   04. H   05. C   06. B   07. E   08. B   09. F   10. A   12. D   13. H    14. B   15. D

THE BUSINESS OF SPORT

Complete the passage with the correct paragraphs which follow. There is one more paragraph than you need. 

Sport in the market place has been taken to its limits by what is politely called "Corporate Hospitality". It is also called, rather less politely, the "Company Binge". In its more extreme forms it demonstrates at least three of the seven deadly sins, Pride, Sloth and Gluttony. 

1. ______ 

The freeloaders are primarily interested in a day out of the office, in being able to say they have been to a "prestige event", and in being able to booze at their shareholders' expense. They are not really interested in the sport itself. There they are, about a hundred of them, at an important race meeting, stuck in a tent about 20 metres away from the track, their salmon lunch digested, and launched upon their tenth case of champagne. Three uniformed girls go round collecting their bets so that the corporate guests, having spent a morning fighting their way through traffic jams, can now watch the race on television monitor screens. 

2. ______ 

Of all the money-men in sport, the best-known and the richest is Mark McCormack. Mr McCormack launched himself on his career when he signed up Arnold Palmer back in 1959. That year, aged 30, Palmer earned $60,000. Two years later, McCormack had raised Palmer's annual income to $500,000. By then there were Arnold Palmer tearooms in Tokyo. McCormack did not sit on his hands. Every year he travelled 10 times the circumference of the globe. He signed up the top players in every sport to be represented by his IMG, International Management Group. He created events such as the World Match Play golf championship. More importantly, he raised the income of tennis and golf championships, events much sought after by television world-wide. 

3. ______ 

Not everyone likes the activities of Mr McCormack, just as real race goers and tennis fans are not too keen on the company tents in which the champagne flows like water. The Office of Fair Trading has been concerned about the question of monopoly, that IMG handles both ends of the market, the event and the competitor. One critic has remarked: "Sport at the top is almost completely show business - the cult of the individual, more money and less sportsmanship, more emphasis on winning." 

4. ______ 

When it comes to appearance money, who gets what is usually a well-kept secret, but a women's 3,000 metre race held in England in 1985 shows what happens. The race was staged very late in the evening so that it could be shown live on American prime-time television. The highest-paid runner, Zola Budd, was a white South African whose participation was likely to cause a minor riot in view of the world-wide ban on South African participation in international sport. For her publicity value, Miss Budd was paid £90,000. In the race, she came in fourth. 

5. ______ 

Mark McCormack defends himself. He points out his effect on the game of golf, saying: "We've improved the game. We've take the British Open live to Australia and Japan and helped put up the prize money, I wouldn't be presumptive enough to say I'm a savior, but I've contributed." He goes on: "I'm accused of multiple interests, but if I didn't take the risks, for example with the world match play golf, there would be no event. I've not been secretive. I don't pretend we don't own certain aspects of golf." He protests that he is accused of being ruthless, but he says that he is much more up-front than most. From his point of view, international federations don't care about sport, they care about control. 

6. ______ 

The point has to be that McCormack sees sport as a marketable commodity first, foremost and last. Commercial efficiency is what matters. He is quite clear what that means for the Olympic Games. He says that the Olympics should be open.

7. ______ 

Whatever McCormack says, the truth of the matter may be that money in sport creates more money, not better sport. For example, an Italian football club is reputed to be ready to pay £18 million for a British player. Will that make its matches any better to watch? 

8. ______  

A. Thus, it may be said, athletes who take drugs in order to enhance their performance do so simply in order to boost their "appearance money", their value to the organization, not in order to get their names in the record books. 

B. The question ought to be what is good for the public. Some people want control for its own sake, and seek their own goals under the guise of being pure. 

C. Even more absurd is the company marquee at Wimbledon: the company may have only ten Centre Court tickets, but they invite 50 to lunch. Guests are shepherded to and from the court in shifts so that they can each see a few minutes of play. Such an event may please those who like to stuff strawberries, cream and champagne, but it is not too satisfying for the person who only came for the tennis. 

D. In 1973, Wimbledon's profit on the open championship was under £60,000, with television rights producing 15 per cent. Ten years later, the surplus was £4.5 million on a turnover of just under ten million. 

E. They should include professionals. There's nothing wrong with that. The Olympic problem is its sham. 

F. Not only that, but athletes both amateur and professional have been accused of taking performanceenhancing drugs. It does not matter whether they are paid or not. It still brings sport into disrepute. 

G. At the Wimbledon tennis championships, for example, corporate guests will get through 15 tons of strawberries. When you reckon that the caterers sell about 100gm of strawberries, with cream, for £2, you get some idea of the money involved. Overall, corporate entertainment in Britain is now a £50 million industry. 

H. Wouldn't it be more interesting, more real, more fun to go and stand in the mud at the side of the pitch in your local park and watch a couple of amateur teams battle it out? 

I. The winner was an American, Mary Slaney, represented by IMG, who was paid £54,000. The second and third in the race, Cornelia Burki of Switzerland and Ingrid Kristiansen of Norway, received £2,000 between them. 

ANSWERS    1. G   2. C   3. D   4. A   5. I   6. B   7. E   8. H 

PRIVATE SCHOOLS 

Read the Article on Private schools around and answer the questions 1-5 with a-d.

Most countries have had, and some still have, educational systems that are, in one way or another, social disasters. The English educational system is unique, however, in the degree to which it has created educational institutions which perpetuate privilege and social division. Most countries have some private schools for the children of the wealthy; the English have dozens of them. In fact, about 3,000. Some nine million children are educated at state schools; just under half a million are educated at private schools. 

What is the result of such a system? The facts seem to speak for themselves. In the state system, about eight per cent make it to university; in the private system, almost half the students go on to university. But those statistics are deceptive: middle class children do better at examinations than working class, and most of them stay on at school after 16. Private schools are entirely middle class, and so this positive attitude creates an environment of success. 

Private schools are enormously expensive, as much as £18,000 a year for a boarder at somewhere like Eton or Harrow to at least £8,000 a year almost everywhere. Why are parents, many of whom are not wealthy or even comfortably off, willing to sacrifice so much in the cause of their children's schooling? One father replied to this question by saying: "Everything is on the margin. If my son gets a five per cent better chance of going to university, that may be the difference between success and failure." You can believe him if you like, but £50,000 minimum is a lot to pay for a five per cent better chance. Most children, given the choice, would take the money. The real reason parents fork out the cash is prejudice: they don't want little Henry mixing with the workers, or getting his accent wrong. And anyway, at your next dinner party it won't sound too good if all the guests are sending their kids to St Swotting-by-the-Sea, and you say your kid is going to the state school down the road even if, as a result, you are able to serve Chateau Margaux with the filet steak

Of course, at many of the best private schools, your money buys you something. One school, with 500 pupils, has 11 science laboratories; another, with 800, has 30 music practice rooms; another has 16 squash courts, and yet another has its own beach. On investment in buildings and facilities, the private schools spend £300 per pupil; the state system spends less than £50. On books, the ratio is £150 to £50. One of the things that your money buys which is difficult to quantify is the appearance of the school, the way it looks. Most private schools are established in beautiful, well-kept country houses, with extensive grounds and gardens. They look good in contrast with the state schools, the worst of which, like public lavatories, are tiled or covered in graffiti, and the best of which have architectural design on the level of an industrial shed. 

Leaving aside the question of money, the attitudes generally to be found in the private schools are repellent. In a book published in 1988, some former Etonians were invited to talk about themselves and their old school. One of them said: "At school you could point out the freaks very easily. Freaks were spotty or ugly, freaks were scholars, basically people who had too many brains, and were looked down upon because they didn't pay." Yet another talked of the hunger marchers of the thirties who came through Windsor like "some sort of cloth-capped cavalcade", and went on "one was more aware of George V dying, because you were part of the same village." Another said that saving up to send a son to Eton was "the wrong thing... you're bred in terms of privilege and education to be a racehorse, and you end up having to toil in some office block somewhere in the City..., it's a waste of an expensive training. You don't go and run a donkey in the Derby, do you?"

One old Etonian tells how he was received by the printers when he went to work on a provincial newspaper. Printers were well-known as belonging to the most left-wing of all unions, and yet: "They loved me, they adored me... because I was nice and jolly with them, I was little Lord Fauntleroy, and they used to say, `Isn't it marvellous, he was at Eton and he still talks to us, and he jokes and laughs and he's really quite a nice guy.'" 

Some, perhaps many, private school pupils find life there unpleasant in the extreme. Such a one was Graham Greene. Yet he still sent his own son to the same school. In another case, an Old Etonian admitted the school was "a ghastly hideous place, it was a nightmare" and yet he too wishes the school upon his son: "I found it was a reflex that, as soon as Alexander was born, within three weeks I went and registered him." Rather, when one thinks about it, as one might register a pedigree dog with the Kennel Club. 

One has to ask the question if such privileges and attitudes are relevant to a country in which there is almost as great a chance of an individual attending psychiatric hospital as of going to university.

QUESTIONS 

1. The English educational system is different from any other because 

 A. has a balance between state and private education 

B. has more private schools than anywhere else 

C. contributes to creating a class system 

D. has so many things wrong with it 

2. More private school children go to university because 

A. they are better taught 

B. their parents are middle class 

C. the schools create success 

D. they stay at school longer 

3. Parents most often send their children to private school 

A. for social reasons 

B. for a margin of success 

C. to show how much money they have 

D. to pass university entrance examinations 

4. Children at private schools 

A. work very hard all the time 

B. are conformist and prejudiced 

C. are very clever and highly educated 

D. are well-bred and cultivated 

5. Former students of private schools 

A. automatically send their children there 

B. are inclined to think it is not worth the money 

C. are worried that they might end up in psychiatric hospital 

D. think carefully and then enroll their child in the best school   

ANSWERS 1. C    2. B    3. A    4. B    5. A 

ANGLO-INDIAN ETYMOLOGY

Read paragraphs A though I look for the words that answer questions 1 through 13

A. Gingham This is a kind of stuff, defined in the Draper's Dictionary as being made from cotton yarn dyed before being woven. The origin of this word is obscure, but it is likely that it originated in the Indian trade. Still, a Javanese dictionary gives ginggang, a sort of striped East Indian cotton. The verb ginggang in Javanese means "to separate, to go away" but this throws no light on the matter, nor can we connect the cloth with that of the name of a place on the northern coast of Sumatra. On the other hand, the Eastern derivation of the name has been entirely rejected. The right explanation is simply that gingham is an old English spelling of a town in Brittany, Guingamp, where linen was once manufactured. 

B. Bungalow The most usual class of house that was occupied by Europeans in the interior of India, being on one storey, and covered by a pyramidal roof, which in the normal bungalow is of thatch, but may be of tiles without impairing its title to be called a bungalow. In reference to the style of house, bungalow is sometimes used in contradistinction to the (usually more pretentious) pucka house; by which latter term is implied a masonry house with a terraced roof. A bungalow may be a small building of the type which we have described, but of temporary material, in a garden. The term has been adopted by Europeans generally in Ceylon and China. The word derives from bangla, which is probably from the place Banga in Bengal. It is to be remembered that in Hindustan proper the adjective, of or belonging to Bengal, is constantly pronounced as bangala or bangla. The probability is that when Europeans started to build houses of this character in Behar and Upper India, these were called Bangla or "Bengal-fashion" houses. 

C. Calico This cotton cloth, of a reasonably fine texture, occurs in the 17th century in the form calicut. The word may have come into English through the French calicot, which in turn comes from Calicut, which in the Middle Ages was the chief city and one of the ports of Malabar. The fine cotton material of the Malabar coast was mentioned by Marco Polo. The cotton itself seems to have been brought from the hinterland as Malabar cotton, ripening during the rains, is not usable. 

D. Pyjamas This word derives from the Hindi pae-jama, literally translated as "leg-clothing", a pair of loose drawers, tied round the waist. Such a garment was worn by Sikh men and by Moslems of both sexes. It was adopted by Europeans as comfortable casual clothing and as night attire. It is probable that the clothing and the word came into English usage from the Portuguese. Originally, pyjamas sometimes had feet sewn into them and when a Jermyn St tailor was asked why, he replied, "I believe, sir, it is because of the white ants." And as a traveller remarked in 1881, "The rest of our attire consisted of that particularly light and airy white flannel garment, known throughout India as a pyjama suit." 

E. Chintz This, a printed or spotted cotton cloth, is called chint in Hindi, but appears to stem from the Sanskrit, chitra, meaning variegated or speckled. The French form of the word is chite, which has suggested the English sheet being of the same origin. But chite is apparently of Indian origin, whilst sheet is much older than the Portuguese communication with India. The manufacture and export of chintzes from India to Europe has now ceased. However, in Java and Sumatra, chintzes of a very peculiar kind of marbled pattern are still manufactured under the name of batik. 

F. Veranda This, referring to an open pillared gallery round a house, is one of the very perplexing words for which at least two origins may be maintained, both with equal plausibility. One group consider it to be of Sanskrit origin, barandah, meaning a portico. However, others point out that verandah with the meaning in question does not belong to the older Sanskrit, but is found only in comparatively modern works. That the word as used in England and France was brought by the English from India need not be doubted. But either in the same sense, or in one closely analogous, it seems to have existed quite independently in both Spanish and Portuguese. The suspicion must be that the word was taken to India by the Portuguese and thence re-exported by the English to northern Europe. 

G. Cheroot This is a cigar, but the term has been appropriated especially to cigars truncated at both ends, as Indian cigars always were in the old days. The word is Tamil, shuruttu, translated as a roll of tobacco. In the south, cheroots were chiefly made at Trichinopoly and were consequently known as Trichies. Grose, in around 1760, speaking of Bombay, whilst describing the cheroot does not use that word, but another, buncus, which is now entirely obsolete. 

H. Thug The word is found in Sanskrit and in Hindi where it means a cheat and a swindler, but during the 19th century is acquired a more specific meaning, referring to robbers of a particular type who formed a gang and pretended to be travellers, perhaps on business or on a pilgrimage. They would join other travellers on the road, befriend them and then, given a suitable opportunity, would strangle them, plunder them and bury their bodies. The proper name for such people was phansigar, from the word phansi, meaning "a noose", because they would throw a slip-knot around the necks of their victims. 

I. Curry Curry consists of meat, fish, fruit or vegetables, cooked with a quantity of bruised spices and turmeric. A little of this gives flavour to a large mess of rice. The word is Tamil in origin, kari, meaning "sauce". It is possible, however, that the kind of curry found in restaurants is not of purely Indian origin, but has come down to us from the spiced cookery of medieval Europe and Western Asia. There is, indeed, no room for doubt that the capsicum or red pepper was introduced into India by the Portuguese. The Sanskrit books of cookery, which cannot be of any considerable antiquity, contain many recipes for curry without this ingredient.

Which "Indian" word(s) 

is more likely to be Portuguese than Indian in origin? 1) _____________ 

refers to coloured cloth? 2) _____________ 3) _____________ 

is in origin more north-western European than Indian? 4). _____________ 

derive from the name of a place in India? 5). _____________6). _____________ 

refers to something which is not, strictly speaking, properly Indian? 7). _____________ 

has been confused with a French equivalent? 8). _____________ 

came from Tamil? 9). _____________10). _____________ 

referred to a covering for the legs? 11). _____________ 

came into English from French? 12). _____________ 

became more precise in its meaning? 13). _____________

ANSWERS 1. F     2/3. A, E any order     4. A    5/6. B, C any order    7. I     8. E     9/10. G, I any order    11. D    12. C   13. H  

OLYMPIC GAMES

From the words listed below, choose the ones which best fit the space, A, B, C or D.

It is not so much the scandals and disputes of recent years that have (01) ________ the Olympic Games. It is their (02) ________ enormity, their excessive cost, their (03) ________ of national pride. One very sensible suggestion is that future Games should be (04) ________ to individual events in which one person clearly wins. All team games would (05) ________, and no one would feel any loss at the disappearance of Olympic soccer, a (06) ________ shadow of the more professional game.

Anything which required judging would also be (07) ________ One reason for this is the difficulty of obtaining fair and accurate judges. An (08) ________ example of this is the case of Jacqueline de Bief, a former (9) ________world figure skating champion. She revealed to the (10) ________ that she was sometimes offered generous (11) ________ in exchange for what one newspaper called "an amorous adventure". 

If events that required judging were excluded, it would also (12) ________ the Games of boxing, wrestling, and the boring diving competitions. It would also eliminate sailing, largely a matter of boat building, and horse jumping, largely a matter of the horse. Under (13) ________ circumstances, the individual would be (14) ________ to his rightful place, and a (15) ________. size to the Games would be achieved.  

01. A. warned B. threatened C. reproached D. shocked 

02. A. sheer B. vast C. heavy D. massive 

03. A. pampering B. easing C. indulgence D. spoiling 

04. A. held B. restricted C. limit D. decided 

05. A. remove B. depart C. leave D. go 

06. A. slight B. dull C. pale D. empty 

07. A. undone B. left C. omit D. excluded 

08. A. extreme B. outside C. upset D. unlimited 

09. A. former B. ex C. passed D. formerly 

10. A. paper B. press C. journal D. magazine 

11. A. awards B. marks C. numbers D. odds 

12. A. remove B. take C. rid D. scratch 

13. A. such B. this C. most D. normal 

14. A. retained B. ascended C. renovated D. restored 

15. A. sane B. approximate C. accepted D. sensible

ANSWER: 01. threatened 02. sheer 03. indulgence 04. restricted 05. go 06. pale 07. excluded 08. extreme 09. former 10. press 11. marks 12. rid 13. such 14. restored 15. sensible

BULL-BAITING 

Read the article below about Bull baiting and answer the question 1-5 with short answers from the text.

Most people know about Spanish bullfighting. Less commonly known is the pastime called "bull-baiting", which is done before the fights, mainly for fun but also to test the character of the bulls. In the incident described below, the Marques, the owner of the bulls, brings some friends and relatives to try out this pastime. 

Dona Sol put spurs to her horse, which had been plunging about in terror of the bulls. The Marques wanted to go with her, but she would not let him. No, she would rather have Gallardo, who, after all, was a matador, a professional bullfighter. Gallardo took his place beside her. They galloped together straight towards the herd. Gallardo waved his garrocha, roaring loudly at the bulls. It was easy enough to cut off one animal from the herd. It was a white bull with sharp pointed horns. It galloped to the far end of the enclosure. Dona Sol galloped after it, followed by Gallardo. 

"Take care, Senora," Gallardo shouted. "It's an old bull, and may be tricky ! Be careful it doesn't turn on you ?" 

This was exactly what happened. As Dona Sol was preparing to make the same stroke as her uncle's, turning her horse at an angle so as to plant the garrocha in the bull's rump, the bull suddenly doubled back and faced its attacker. It started to charge forward ! 

Dona Sol's horse was rushing on at such a pace that she could not control it, with the bull charging at her -- no longer pursued, but pursuing. Dona Sol had no thought of flight. Thousands of people were watching her ! She had no intention of looking foolish. Anyway, Dona Sol had never in her life believed that she would be the loser in any situation. She reined back her horse and confronted the bull. She drove her garrocha into the neck of the animal s it rushed forward bellowing, with lowered head. A stream of blood reddened the bull's shoulders, but still it rushed forward, till it got its horn under the horse's belly, and lifted it off the ground.

The rider was thrown from her saddle and a cry of horror was heard from the hundreds of onlookers. The horse forced itself from the horns, and galloped away, with its stomach stained with blood. The bull turned to follow it; but at that very moment something nearby attracted its attention. It was Dona Sol, who had got to her feet, picked up her garrocha and was bravely preparing to challenge the bull once more. It was an action of insane courage, but her thoughts were on her audience. Better death, rather than the ridicule of the crowd ! the crowd stood paralyzed in terrified silence. 

The bull was already lowering its head to attack the small figure who dared to threaten it. One blow of those horns and all would be over. But, at this moment, a fierce roar distracted the bull's attention and something red passed before its eyes. 

It was Gallardo, who had thrown himself of his horse and dropped his garrocha so as to snatch the coat from his saddlebow. 

"Eeeh ! Come on !" 

The bull came on. It found the crimson coat-lining a worthier adversary than the small figure in purple and black, still standing there. 

"Don't be afraid, Dona Sol. I've got him now," said the matador. With no other weapon but his coat, he played the bull, gradually drawing it away from the lady, and avoiding its furious attacks by twisting and turning his body. 

The crowd forgot its recent alarm and began to applaud loudly. The matador forgot Dona Sol and everything else, concentrating entirely on defending himself. The infuriated beast, finding that the man had again slipped away unharmed from between its horns, turned and charged again, only to come up against the shield of red cloth. At last, tired out, it stood still on trembling legs, with its head hanging and muzzle covered in foam. Gallardo took advantage of its bewilderment to take off his hat and lay it between the horns.  

From paragraph 1 :
 1. Why did Dona Sol refuse to allow the Marques to go with her ?

 From paragraph 4 :
 2.
 (a) Although the bull was pursuing her, Dona Sol did not run away. Give two reasons why she made this decision.
(b) Give evidence that shows that Dona Sol was successful in stabbing the bull.
(c) What effect did this stabbing have on the bull ?

 From paragraph 5 :
 3. Find a word in this paragraph which means "unable to move due to being terrified".

 From paragraph 6-9 :
 4. How was Gallardo able to attract the bull's attention away from Dona Sol ? Give two ways.
 From paragraph 10-11 :
 5.
(a) Quote evidence that shows the bull was tired out from Gallardo's actions.
(b) Explain how Gallardo made the bull tired. 

Answers
 1. She preferred Gallardo as he was a matador.
2. (a) Firstly, thousands of people were watching her and she had no intention of looking foolish. Secondly, Dona Sol had never ever believed that she would be the loser in any situation. (b) "A stream of blood reddened the bull's shoulders" (c) It had no effect; it still rushed forward.
 3. Paralyzed
 4. He roared fiercely at it and he waved his red cape at it.
 5. (a) " ... it stood still on trembling legs, with its head hanging and muzzle covered in foam" (b) He made it charge at him again and again

Bitten by a Serpent 

Read the text and answer the questions A-D

Three-year-old Bobby Mcgee was napping yesterday in his Buzz Light-year costume yesterday at his family's Carry St. apartment when he shot up in bed screaming. A 3-foot-long black-andwhite snake was coiled around his left foot and had just bitten one of his little piggies.

"The baby-sitter freaked out," said Bobby’s father, John Mcgee, who, along with his wife, Janice, was at work when the reptile made its appearance about 4 p.m.

The horrified baby-sitter called 911 and the building's doorman. The doorman and two cable TV workers helped pry the snake off the boy's foot and threw it into one of the boys’ toy chests.

Emergency services rushed Bobby to RVA medical centre, where his parents said he spent two hours attached to a heart monitor as a precaution in case the snake was poisonous. 

It wasn't. Experts at the snakebite treatment centre at the medical college of Virginia in Richmond, where the police took the critter, determined it was a non-venomous West Virginia Racer. 

But how did it end up in Bobby’s bed? 

A little sleuthing determined that the serpent escaped two weeks ago from its cage in the apartment of a doctor whose family lives four floors above the Mcgees. The apologetic owner said his son's pet snake likely travelled down the radiator pipes and into his neighbour's apartment. 

"It's a very docile, very harmless snake," he said. "Our family handles it all the time." 

Mcgee, 42, a fine arts publisher, said he believed the pet was simply hungry after two weeks of perusing. Bobby's mother, Janice Mcgee, 37, said her son seems to have got over his fright by thinking of himself as a hero space ranger as he rode in the back of the police cruiser to the hospital. 

"I told Bobby he's a pretty snake, a nice pet snake who got out of his cage," Janice Mcgee said. "But he asked, 'Why did he bite my little piggy, Mamma?' And I said, 'Because he saw it didn’t want it to go Weweweweeee all the way home.'"

1. What did the nanny do? 

a. She ran out of the apartment. 

b. She took the snake off Bobby's arm. 

c. She phoned for help. 

d. She called the television company. 

2. What do we learn about the snake? 

a. It was poisonous. 

b. It had escaped from a zoo.

c. It was about a metre long. 

d. It had escaped earlier in the afternoon. 

3. Which of these statements is true? 

a. Bobby was awake when the snake arrived. 

b. Bobby’s father was working and his mother was at home. 

c. Bobby needed a heart machine to stay alive for two hours. 

d. The snake is used to being touched. 

4. What does Teddy think now of the snake attack? 

a. He was attacked because the snake was scared of him. 

b. He was attacked because he was asleep. 

c. He was attacked because the snake was hungry. 

d. He was attacked because the snake didn’t want his toe to escape

ANSWERS 1 -: c     2 -: c     3 -: d      4 - : d

Future of military installations

Read the text and look at the questions that follow it. In this reading comprehension, the questions are multiple choice.

RAF Heyford airbase - once the heart of allied defence against nuclear attack by the USSR - could become a Cold War 'museum'. 

Historians want parts of the base to be preserved as a heritage centre and museum in order to show future generations the U.K.’s struggle against Soviet communism 'in a way no document can'.

Details of the latest recommendations for Heyford - now being called Heyford Park - have been put forward by the English Heritage society which has called for measures to prevent demolition of the 'irreplaceable' historic military installations. 

Current thinking comes from a detailed assessment of Cold War infrastructure across England by English Heritage experts. Daniel Ross, the chief executive of the South Westminster Consortium who are to develop part of the site for housing, said the English Heritage's proposals are on point for the future. 

He said: "We are quite content with what English Heritage is proposing. It has always been part of our scheme to retain these structures regardless. "We are working with EHS to agree on a consistent plan for the buildings future use." 

John Epslin, English Heritage inspector of historic monuments, said many of the Heyford features exemplify historical aspects of national importance considering the Cold War.

"The sheer scale and bare functionality of the structures on the base can illustrate for present and future generations, in a way no document can, the reality of the struggle with Soviet Communism," he said. 

"In our view much of this character would be lost by future ill-thought-out change and there stands an opportunity to ensure this does not happen.

"We recognize that preservation of the whole base exactly as it stands today may not be a realistic option but a sustainable future could be found which balances the need for preservation against other needs." 

Mr Epslin went on to say English Heritage view was that the base’s future layout should include the most significant monuments and should:

-keep the open character of the runway area without planting schemes planned by developers

-keep a section of the main runway and the remainder as a grassed mall 

-provide all-weather access to the monuments, preferably by keeping existing base taxiways and perimeter tracks, for visitors or other practical use 

-preserve the present landscape balance around the bomb bunkers and quick reaction area. 

The English Heritage Society study, submitted to the Planning Inspectorate in advance of the public inquiry into planning wrangles over the base which started at Bodicote House yesterday, has revealed that much of the Heyford landscape prior to becoming an airbase was open common or heathland - a feature Cherwell District Council planners would like re-zone as a local country park. 

The council aims to defend the accepted 1,000-home plan which the North Oxfordshire Consortium of developers wishes to extend to over 5,000 homes

1. Why does English Heritage Society want to preserve the military installation? 

a. They believe it is still of military importance. 

b. They think it can show young people something about history. 

c. There hasn't been proper planning by developers. 

2. What do the South Westminster Consortium think? 

a. They want to build more houses than originally planned 

b. They say there is some possibility of keeping the base's original buildings. 

c. They want to call the base "Heyford Park". 

3. Which of these proposal does English Heritage Society oppose? 

a. Planting trees where the runway is currently. 

b. Making it easy for people to see the important military buildings. 

c. Not destroying all of the runway. 

4. Which would be the best sub-title to the article? 

a. Fight Against Communism Not Over Yet. 

b. Historians and Developers Clash Bitterly. 

c. Fight To Preserve Historical 'Document'.

ANSWERS 

Question 1 - : They think it can show young people something about history. 

Question 2 - They want to build more houses than originally planned. 

Question 3 - Planting trees where the runway is currently. 

Question 4 - Fight To Preserve Historical 'Document'

PARROT RUSTLING 

From the words listed below, choose the ones which best fit the space, A, B, C or D.

Parrots and macaws have become so 1) that special varieties of these birds are 2)_____________ up to £9,000 each on the black market in Britain. Macaws from Brazil cost from £1,000 and parrots from Australia can cost £7,500 a pair. 

The demand for parrots, cockatoos and macaws has led to a 3)_____________ increase in thefts from zoos, wildlife parks and pet shops. London and Whipsnade zoos are among the many places from which parrots have been stolen. Some thefts have not been 4)_____________ in an effort to prevent further 5)_____________ . Parrot rustling, as it is known among bird fanciers, has increased rapidly in Britain since 1976 when imports and exports of 6)_____________ birds became 7)_____________ controlled.

Quarantine controls, 8)_____________ with the scarcity of many types of parrots in the wild in Africa, Australia, Indonesia, and South America, have caused a shortage of birds which can be sold legally under 9)_____________ This has sent prices to 10)_____________ levels. 

Working at night and equipped with wire-cutters, nets and substances to dope the birds, the rustlers are prepared to 11)_____________ serious risks to capture the parrots they want. At Birdworld, a specialist zoo, thieves 12)_____________ two parrots after picking their 13)_____________ through an enclosure containing cassowaries, The cassowary is a large flightless bird, related to the emu, which can be extremely 14)_____________ , and has been 15)_____________ to kill humans with blows from its powerful legs. 

1 A Costly B Extinct C Outlandish D Rare 

2 A Raising B Reaching C Lifting D Fetching 

3 A Acute B Peak C Sharp D High 

4 A Published B Publicized C Advertised D Activities 

5 A Happenings B Incidents C Acts D Activities 

6 A Unusual B Uncommon C Exotic D Strange 

7 A Tightly B Hardly C Toughly D Grimly 

8 A Coupled B Doubled C Attached D Accompanied 

9 A Warranty B Guarantee C Licence D Law 

10 A Unknown B Unheard C Record D Highest 

11 A Sustain B Assume C Take D Make 

12 A Thieved B Robbed C Misappropriated D Stole 

13 A Way B Road C Path D Lane 

14 A Aggressive B Fighting C bad-tempered D Rough 

15 A Heard B Known C Considered D Able 

ANSWERS 01. D. rare 02. D. fetching 03. C. sharp 04. B. publicised 05. B. incidents 06. C. exotic 07. A. tightly 08. A. coupled 09. C. licence 10. C. record 11. C. take 12. D. stole 13. A. way 14. A. aggressive 15. B. known

Do you know your Christmas Superstitions?  

Answer the questions to the best of your knowledge using conditional tenses and then read the text to see if you were right.

mistletoe 

In the original superstition, the one who avoids a kiss under the mistletoe will have bad luck but the man is meant to present the kissee with a mistletoe berry. Once the berries are gone, the kissing stops 

holly 

Holly is protective magic against witches and lightning and is brought in during the holiday season for that purpose. Another superstition is that if the holly is smooth, the wife will be the master, while if the holly is prickly, the husband will be, so cautious couples bring in both! 

Yule log 

The Yule log should be big enough to keep burning all night otherwise there it means bad luck for the year ahead. Tradition has it that you then sit around telling ghost stories and drinking mulled wine on Christmas eve in front of the Yule fire. 

Animals 

At midnight on Christmas Eve horses kneel and blow as if to warm the manger, animals can speak but it is bad luck for a human to hear them, and the bees hum the Hundredth Psalm. Dogs that howl on Christmas Eve will go mad before the end of the year. 

Christmas carols 

Carolling is the old tradition of going to people’s houses and singing Christmas songs for them. Never turn them away without some food, some money or a drink or you will suffer bad luck for the rest of the year. Singing Christmas carols at any time other than during the festive season is unlucky. 

Mince pies 

Eat as many mince pies as you can on Christmas eve and afterward, because the amount will determine how much luck you will have in the next year. Don’t cut them with a knife but rather bite into them or you will ruin your luck.

Mistletoe 

1. If you had not refused to kiss someone under the mistletoe________________________ 

2. If your mistletoe doesn’t have any white berries _________________________ 

Holly 

3. Witches will not enter your house if _______________________________________ 

4. If the holly was smooth _______________________________________________ 

Yule log 

5. If the Yule log had been big enough _________________________________________ 

6. If you want to celebrate Christmas Eve in a traditional way_________________ 

Animals 

7. If you hear bees humming on Christmas Eve____________________________________ 

8. Your dog will go crazy during the year_____________________________________ 

Christmas carols 

9. You wouldn’t suffer bad luck if _________________________________________________ 

10. If you had sung Christmas carols and it’s not Christmas ____________________________ 

Mince pies 

11. If you eat as many mince pies as you can over Christmas _____________________ 

12. If you bite not cut into a meat pie _____________________________________________

ANSWERS 

1. You would not be unlucky / you would not have had bad luck 

2. The kissing stops 

3. There is Holly inside 

4. The wife would be in charge. / the husband would not have been in charge. 

5. Bad luck would not have been a problem for the whole year. 

6. You sit and tell ghost stories and drink mulled wine on Christmas Eve. 

7. They will be humming the 100th Psalm 

8. If it howls on Christmas Eve 

9. You had given the Carolers some food, money or drink. 

10. You would have bed luck for the rest of the year. 

11. You will be as lucky as the number of mince pies you have eaten 

12. You will have good luck,

FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK

Decades after its release, the duet about a couple who have fallen on hard times is still considered by many as one of the greatest christmas songs of all times 

Once upon a time a band set out to make a Christmas song. Not about snow or sleigh rides or mistletoe or miracles, but lost youth and ruined dreams. A song in which Christmas is as much the problem as it is the solution. A kind of anti-Christmas song that ended up being, for a generation, the Christmas song. 

That song, Fairytale of New York by the Pogues, has already re-entered the Top 20 every December since 2005, and shows no sign of losing its appeal. It is loved because it feels more emotionally "real" than the homesick sentimentality of White Christmas or the bullish bonhomie of Merry Xmas Everybody, but it contains elements of both and the story it tells is an unreal fantasy of 1940s New York dreamed up in 1980s London. The story of the song is a yarn in itself: how it took more than two years to get right and became, over time, far bigger than the people who made it. As Pogues accordion-player James Fearnley says: "It's like Fairytale of New York went off and inhabited its own planet." 

Appropriately for a song that pivots on an argument, there is disagreement as to where the idea originated. Fearnley, who recently published a memoir, Here Comes Everybody: The Story of the Pogues, remembers manager Frank Murray suggesting that they cover the Band's 1977 song Christmas Must be Tonight. "It was an awful song. We probably said, $%&@ that, we can do our own."

Singer Shane MacGowan maintains that Elvis Costello, who produced the Pogues' 1985 masterpiece Rum, Sodomy & the Lash, wagered the singer that he couldn't write a Christmas duet to sing with bass player (and Costello's future wife) Cait O'Riordan. 

Either way, a Christmas song was a good idea. "For a band like the Pogues, very strongly rooted in all kinds of traditions rather than the present, it was a no-brainer," says banjo-player and co-writer Jem Finer. Not to mention the fact that MacGowan was born on Christmas Day 1957. 

The Pogues had formed amid the grimy pubs and bedsits of London's King's Cross in 1982. Although their name ("Pogue mahone" means "kiss my arse" in Gaelic) and many of their influences were Irish, most of the band weren't, and their interest in folk songs and historical narratives roamed far and wide. They aspired to timelessness.

1. Mark True or False, according to the article: 

A. It’s a typical Christmas song 

B. It’s nothing at all like ‘White Christmas’ or ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’ 

C. The song was written in New York 

D. It was easy for the band to wirte. 

E. The song is about an argument 

F. Originally the band was going to do a coversong. 

G. The song was written as a bet between Costello and his wife. 

H. People agree about the origin of the song 

I. Rum, Sodomy and the Lash is the name of an album by the band 

J. Most of the band were Irish

2. Use the phrasal verbs from the reading to complete these sentences. 

1. One day a woman ___________ to become rich. 

2. She _______________ a very clever plan to make lots of money, 

3. She ______________ and followed her plan. 

4. It worked, but then she ________________ losing all the money by gambling. 

3. Find synonyms for these words in the text: 

A. Destroyed (para 1) 

B. A long complicated story (para 2) 

C. To turn or balance on a centre point (para 3) 

D. To do another version of a song (para 3) 

E. To bet (para 4) 

F. An easy or obvious decision (para 5) 

G. Dirty (para 6) 

H. A rented room for living and sleeping in (para 6) 

I. To walk or travel around without a specific purpose (para 6)

1. Answers 

1. False 2. True 3. False 4. False 5. True 6. False 7. False 8. True 9. True 10. False 

2. Answers 1. Went off 2. Dreamed up 3. Set out 4. Ended up 

3. Answers A. Ruined B. Fairytail C. Pivots D. Cover E. Wager F. No-brainer G. Grimy H. Bedsits I. Roamed