Adatok
kisdobos
62 bejegyzést írt és 41 hozzászólása volt az általa látogatott blogokban.
Task 1. Insert the words below into the text. a. abuseb. bill forc. cravings ford. demeanse. …..
kisdobos
2009.06.29 17:48:19
FULL TEXT
December 1, 2005
Hooked on the Web: Help Is on the Way
By SARAH KERSHAW
REDMOND, Wash.
THE waiting room for Hilarie Cash's practice has the look and feel of many a therapist's office, with soothing classical music, paintings of gentle swans and colorful flowers and on the bookshelves stacks of brochures on how to get help.
But along with her patients, Dr. Cash, who runs Internet/Computer Addiction Services here in the city that is home to Microsoft, is a pioneer in a growing niche in mental health care and addiction recovery.
The patients, including Mike, 34, are what Dr. Cash and other mental health professionals call onlineaholics. They even have a diagnosis: Internet Addiction Disorder.
These specialists estimate that 6 percent to 10 percent of the approximately 189 million Internet users in this country have a dependency that can be as destructive as alcoholism and drug addiction, and they are rushing to treat it. Yet some in the field remain skeptical that heavy use of the Internet qualifies as a legitimate addiction, and one academic expert called it a fad illness.
Skeptics argue that even obsessive Internet use does not exact the same toll on health or family life as conventionally recognized addictions. But, mental health professionals who support the diagnosis of Internet addiction say, a majority of obsessive users are online to further addictions to gambling or pornography or have become much more dependent on those vices because of their prevalence on the Internet.
But other users have a broader dependency and spend hours online each day, surfing the Web, trading stocks, instant messaging or blogging, and a fast-rising number are becoming addicted to Internet video games.
Dr. Cash and other professionals say that people who abuse the Internet are typically struggling with other problems, like depression and anxiety. But, they say, the Internet's omnipresent offer of escape from reality, affordability, accessibility and opportunity for anonymity can also lure otherwise healthy people into an addiction.
Dr. Cash's patient Mike, who was granted anonymity to protect his privacy, was at high risk for an Internet addiction, having battled alcohol and drug abuse and depression. On a list of 15 symptoms of Internet addiction used for diagnosis by Internet/Computer Addiction Services, Mike, who is unemployed and living with his mother, checked off 13, including intense cravings for the computer, lying about how much time he spends online, withdrawing from hobbies and social interactions, back pain and weight gain.
Because the condition is not recognized in psychiatry as a disorder, insurance companies do not reimburse for treatment. So patients either pay out of pocket, or therapists and treatment centers bill for other afflictions, including the nonspecific impulse control disorder.
There is at least one inpatient program, at Proctor Hospital in Peoria, Ill., which admits patients to recover from obsessive computer use. Experts there said they see similar signs of withdrawal in those patients as in alcoholics or drug addicts, including profuse sweating, severe anxiety and paranoid symptoms.
Still, there is little hard science available on Internet addiction.
"I think using the Internet in certain ways can be quite absorbing, but I don't know that it's any different from an addiction to playing the violin and bowling," said Sara Kiesler, professor of computer science and human-computer interaction at Carnegie Mellon University. "There is absolutely no evidence that spending time online, exchanging e-mail with family and friends, is the least bit harmful. We know that people who are depressed or anxious are likely to go online for escape and that doing so helps them."
She said calling it an addiction "demeans really serious illnesses, which are things like addiction to gambling, where you steal your family's money to pay for your gambling debts, drug addictions, cigarette addictions." She added, "These are physiological addictions."
But Dr. Cash, who began treating Internet addicts 10 years ago, said that Internet addiction was a potentially serious illness. She said she had treated suicidal patients who had lost jobs and whose marriages had been destroyed because of their addictions.
Several counselors and other experts said time spent on the computer was not important in diagnosing an addiction to the Internet. The question, they say, is whether Internet use is causing serious problems, including the loss of a job, marital difficulties, depression, isolation and anxiety, and still the user cannot stop.
"The line is drawn with Internet addiction," said Mr. Zehr of Proctor Hospital, "when I'm no longer controlling my Internet use. It's controlling me."
A crucial difference between treating alcoholics and drug addicts, is that total abstinence is usually recommended for recovery from substance abuse, whereas moderate and manageable use is the goal for behavioral addictions.
www.nytimes.com/2005/12/01/fashion/thursdaystyles/01addict.html?pagewanted=print
December 1, 2005
Hooked on the Web: Help Is on the Way
By SARAH KERSHAW
REDMOND, Wash.
THE waiting room for Hilarie Cash's practice has the look and feel of many a therapist's office, with soothing classical music, paintings of gentle swans and colorful flowers and on the bookshelves stacks of brochures on how to get help.
But along with her patients, Dr. Cash, who runs Internet/Computer Addiction Services here in the city that is home to Microsoft, is a pioneer in a growing niche in mental health care and addiction recovery.
The patients, including Mike, 34, are what Dr. Cash and other mental health professionals call onlineaholics. They even have a diagnosis: Internet Addiction Disorder.
These specialists estimate that 6 percent to 10 percent of the approximately 189 million Internet users in this country have a dependency that can be as destructive as alcoholism and drug addiction, and they are rushing to treat it. Yet some in the field remain skeptical that heavy use of the Internet qualifies as a legitimate addiction, and one academic expert called it a fad illness.
Skeptics argue that even obsessive Internet use does not exact the same toll on health or family life as conventionally recognized addictions. But, mental health professionals who support the diagnosis of Internet addiction say, a majority of obsessive users are online to further addictions to gambling or pornography or have become much more dependent on those vices because of their prevalence on the Internet.
But other users have a broader dependency and spend hours online each day, surfing the Web, trading stocks, instant messaging or blogging, and a fast-rising number are becoming addicted to Internet video games.
Dr. Cash and other professionals say that people who abuse the Internet are typically struggling with other problems, like depression and anxiety. But, they say, the Internet's omnipresent offer of escape from reality, affordability, accessibility and opportunity for anonymity can also lure otherwise healthy people into an addiction.
Dr. Cash's patient Mike, who was granted anonymity to protect his privacy, was at high risk for an Internet addiction, having battled alcohol and drug abuse and depression. On a list of 15 symptoms of Internet addiction used for diagnosis by Internet/Computer Addiction Services, Mike, who is unemployed and living with his mother, checked off 13, including intense cravings for the computer, lying about how much time he spends online, withdrawing from hobbies and social interactions, back pain and weight gain.
Because the condition is not recognized in psychiatry as a disorder, insurance companies do not reimburse for treatment. So patients either pay out of pocket, or therapists and treatment centers bill for other afflictions, including the nonspecific impulse control disorder.
There is at least one inpatient program, at Proctor Hospital in Peoria, Ill., which admits patients to recover from obsessive computer use. Experts there said they see similar signs of withdrawal in those patients as in alcoholics or drug addicts, including profuse sweating, severe anxiety and paranoid symptoms.
Still, there is little hard science available on Internet addiction.
"I think using the Internet in certain ways can be quite absorbing, but I don't know that it's any different from an addiction to playing the violin and bowling," said Sara Kiesler, professor of computer science and human-computer interaction at Carnegie Mellon University. "There is absolutely no evidence that spending time online, exchanging e-mail with family and friends, is the least bit harmful. We know that people who are depressed or anxious are likely to go online for escape and that doing so helps them."
She said calling it an addiction "demeans really serious illnesses, which are things like addiction to gambling, where you steal your family's money to pay for your gambling debts, drug addictions, cigarette addictions." She added, "These are physiological addictions."
But Dr. Cash, who began treating Internet addicts 10 years ago, said that Internet addiction was a potentially serious illness. She said she had treated suicidal patients who had lost jobs and whose marriages had been destroyed because of their addictions.
Several counselors and other experts said time spent on the computer was not important in diagnosing an addiction to the Internet. The question, they say, is whether Internet use is causing serious problems, including the loss of a job, marital difficulties, depression, isolation and anxiety, and still the user cannot stop.
"The line is drawn with Internet addiction," said Mr. Zehr of Proctor Hospital, "when I'm no longer controlling my Internet use. It's controlling me."
A crucial difference between treating alcoholics and drug addicts, is that total abstinence is usually recommended for recovery from substance abuse, whereas moderate and manageable use is the goal for behavioral addictions.
www.nytimes.com/2005/12/01/fashion/thursdaystyles/01addict.html?pagewanted=print
Task 1. Insert the words below into the text. a. accomplishedb. covered upc. culledd. drug dayse. …..
kisdobos
2009.06.29 17:47:24
SOLUTIONS
Task 1. Insert the words below into the text.
a. writer’s-blocked
b. overdosed on
c. covered up
d. ramped up
e. hospitalized himself
f. recovering addict
g. stayed sober
h. relapses into
i. predecessors
j. revelations
k. excesses
l. relieved of
m. functioning addict
n. drug days
o. I was on drugs
p. showed up
q. two months out of rehab
r. culled
s. accomplished
FULL TEXT
May 24, 2009
Get Clean, Come Back: Eminem’s Return
By JON PARELES
IN late December 2007 a depressed, writer’s-blocked, pill-popping, opiate-addicted Marshall Mathers, better known as the multimilllion-selling rapper Eminem, overdosed on some new blue pills someone gave him — they were methadone — and collapsed on his bathroom floor. Public statements covered up the reason for his emergency hospitalization and detox, claiming the problem was pneumonia. A month later Mr. Mathers had ramped up his habit again.
But the overdose scared him. Early last year he hospitalized himself, went through rehab and started the full 12-step program of a recovering addict, complete with meetings, a sponsor and a therapist. Mr. Mathers, 36, says he has stayed sober since April 20, 2008.
Far from concealing his addiction battle, he’s making it the center of his comeback. The cover of “Relapse” (Shady/Aftermath/Interscope), the first new Eminem album since 2004, builds his face out of pills, and in some songs he raps, as directly as a rhymer can, about how drugs nearly destroyed him. Elsewhere on the album Eminem resumes — or relapses into — his main alter ego, Slim Shady: the sneering, clownish, paranoid, homophobic, celebrity-stalking compulsive rapist and serial killer.
Eminem’s four previous major-label albums of new material — “The Slim Shady LP” in 1999, “The Marshall Mathers LP” in 2000, “The Eminem Show” in 2002 and “Encore” in 2004 — have sold about 30 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. “Relapse” clings to the formula of its predecessors: it’s partly truth and partly fiction, with personal revelations and sociopathic farce side by side.
“I don’t know if I’m exposing myself,” Mr. Mathers said by telephone from his studio in Detroit. “I’m kind of just coming clean and exhaling.”
He speaks amiably and coherently, without defensiveness, chatting with the zeal of a recovering addict about both his old excesses and his new clarity and productivity, sounding like someone relieved of a burden. “I was the worst kind of addict, a functioning addict,” he said. “I was so deep into my addiction at one point that I couldn’t picture myself being able to do anything without some kind of drug.”
He has been watching videos of himself onstage and in interviews from his drug days, including one from Black Entertainment Television that he said he has no memory of doing, when Ambien made him so befuddled he couldn’t even respond to simple questions. “I want to see what I looked like when I was on drugs, so I never go back to it,” he said.
In the five years between his own albums, he worked as a producer, making beats for other rappers, and occasionally showed up as a guest rapper; he now calls his verse on “Touch Down,” with the Atlanta rapper T.I., “horrible.”
But last year, just two months out of rehab, Eminem met Dr. Dre met in Orlando, Fla., to try recording. Eminem had been doing what he called “mind exercises” to get himself writing. “I’d stack a bunch of words and just go down the line and try to fill in the blanks and make sense out of them,” he said. “For three or four years I couldn’t do it any more.”
When he was sober, he said, “the wheels started turning again.” Working in Orlando and then in Detroit, Eminem and Dr. Dre recorded hundreds of tracks and finished enough new songs for three albums. They have culled them to two; Eminem plans to release “Relapse 2” before the end of this year. “The deeper I got into my addiction, the tighter the lid got on my creativity,” he said. “When I got sober the lid just came off. In seven months I accomplished more than I could accomplish in three or four years doing drugs.”
www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/arts/music/24pare.html?_r=1&pagewanted=print
Task 1. Insert the words below into the text.
a. writer’s-blocked
b. overdosed on
c. covered up
d. ramped up
e. hospitalized himself
f. recovering addict
g. stayed sober
h. relapses into
i. predecessors
j. revelations
k. excesses
l. relieved of
m. functioning addict
n. drug days
o. I was on drugs
p. showed up
q. two months out of rehab
r. culled
s. accomplished
FULL TEXT
May 24, 2009
Get Clean, Come Back: Eminem’s Return
By JON PARELES
IN late December 2007 a depressed, writer’s-blocked, pill-popping, opiate-addicted Marshall Mathers, better known as the multimilllion-selling rapper Eminem, overdosed on some new blue pills someone gave him — they were methadone — and collapsed on his bathroom floor. Public statements covered up the reason for his emergency hospitalization and detox, claiming the problem was pneumonia. A month later Mr. Mathers had ramped up his habit again.
But the overdose scared him. Early last year he hospitalized himself, went through rehab and started the full 12-step program of a recovering addict, complete with meetings, a sponsor and a therapist. Mr. Mathers, 36, says he has stayed sober since April 20, 2008.
Far from concealing his addiction battle, he’s making it the center of his comeback. The cover of “Relapse” (Shady/Aftermath/Interscope), the first new Eminem album since 2004, builds his face out of pills, and in some songs he raps, as directly as a rhymer can, about how drugs nearly destroyed him. Elsewhere on the album Eminem resumes — or relapses into — his main alter ego, Slim Shady: the sneering, clownish, paranoid, homophobic, celebrity-stalking compulsive rapist and serial killer.
Eminem’s four previous major-label albums of new material — “The Slim Shady LP” in 1999, “The Marshall Mathers LP” in 2000, “The Eminem Show” in 2002 and “Encore” in 2004 — have sold about 30 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. “Relapse” clings to the formula of its predecessors: it’s partly truth and partly fiction, with personal revelations and sociopathic farce side by side.
“I don’t know if I’m exposing myself,” Mr. Mathers said by telephone from his studio in Detroit. “I’m kind of just coming clean and exhaling.”
He speaks amiably and coherently, without defensiveness, chatting with the zeal of a recovering addict about both his old excesses and his new clarity and productivity, sounding like someone relieved of a burden. “I was the worst kind of addict, a functioning addict,” he said. “I was so deep into my addiction at one point that I couldn’t picture myself being able to do anything without some kind of drug.”
He has been watching videos of himself onstage and in interviews from his drug days, including one from Black Entertainment Television that he said he has no memory of doing, when Ambien made him so befuddled he couldn’t even respond to simple questions. “I want to see what I looked like when I was on drugs, so I never go back to it,” he said.
In the five years between his own albums, he worked as a producer, making beats for other rappers, and occasionally showed up as a guest rapper; he now calls his verse on “Touch Down,” with the Atlanta rapper T.I., “horrible.”
But last year, just two months out of rehab, Eminem met Dr. Dre met in Orlando, Fla., to try recording. Eminem had been doing what he called “mind exercises” to get himself writing. “I’d stack a bunch of words and just go down the line and try to fill in the blanks and make sense out of them,” he said. “For three or four years I couldn’t do it any more.”
When he was sober, he said, “the wheels started turning again.” Working in Orlando and then in Detroit, Eminem and Dr. Dre recorded hundreds of tracks and finished enough new songs for three albums. They have culled them to two; Eminem plans to release “Relapse 2” before the end of this year. “The deeper I got into my addiction, the tighter the lid got on my creativity,” he said. “When I got sober the lid just came off. In seven months I accomplished more than I could accomplish in three or four years doing drugs.”
www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/arts/music/24pare.html?_r=1&pagewanted=print
Task 1. Next you’ll find sentences taken out from the thesis part of introductions. Insert the phrases below into the gaps. (See solutions in Comments.)a) Any of these arguments alone can justifyb) does enormous harm…..
By now you know how to write the body of an argumentative essay. In this section you will learn how to write a simple and quick introduction. On the one hand, introductions are very important. The introduction gives the reader his/her first impression of the text. The first impression that you…..
Task 1. Many well-intended adults have tried to justify the use of school uniforms for many different reasons. Below are the three most popular arguments for having students wear uniforms in school. Arguments for uniforms1. Uniforms will stop other…..
Task 2. Improve the language of the text with the phrases above each paragraph. In the 1950s Ruth Handler, "creator" of the Barbie doll, noticed that her daughter, Barbara, preferred to play with dolls that looked like adults rather than infants. At that time, most…..
Task 1. Fill in the gaps with the missing phrases. a. turned…..
kisdobos
2009.04.19 12:28:15
SOLUTIONS TO TASK 1.
(1) turned down
(2) barring parents from
(3) expose them to ridicule
(4) extravagant
(5) unusual monikers
(6) voter rolls
(7) by that name
(8) subsequently
(9) have a particular penchant for
(10) registry authorities
(11) up to the discretion of
(12) crack down on
(13) putting limits on people
(14) it is no one's business except
(15) common sense
Venezuela Seeks to Crack Down on Odd Baby Names
September 01, 2007
(CARACAS, Venezuela) Thinking of naming your baby Hersony, Nohemar — or even Superman? Such odd names might be (1) turned down by the civil registry if Venezuela approves a bill (2) barring parents from giving their children "names that (3) expose them to ridicule, are (4) extravagant or difficult to pronounce," or that raise doubts about whether a child is a girl or a boy.
If approved by the National Assembly, the bill could let authorities turn down names like some of the more (5) unusual monikers currently on the voter rolls: Edigaith, Mileidy, Leomar and Superman.
When opponents of President Hugo Chavez last year sought to question the accuracy of the (6) voter rolls, they noted that even "Superman" was listed. But electoral officials confirmed there are in fact two Venezuelans (7) by that name registered to vote, and one of them was (8) subsequently interviewed on state television.
While unusual names appear in many countries, Venezuelans seem to (9) have a particular penchant for going creative, whether through unusual spellings of English names like Maikel or Jhonny, or names of uncertain origin like Orlayny or Jesshy.
Current Venezuelan law already has a similar measure saying (10) registry authorities should not accept names that would expose children to ridicule. But the issue has until now been (11) left up to the discretion of individual bureaucrats.
The new bill proposes to create a list of traditional names that could be offered to parents "as a reference" to provide options when they are registering their child's birth. It says the list would have "no fewer than 100 names" and would grow over time.
Some Venezuelans think it makes sense to (12) crack down on odd baby names. "I agree with (13) putting limits on people who don't have a sense of the ridiculousness," said 58-year-old office worker Alfredo Blanco. But 27-year-old housewife Mariana Gonzalez said she thinks (14) it is no one's business except the parents how they choose to name a child. "Before all else should come (15) common sense."
Exercises created by Kisdobos using www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,295488,00.html
SOLUTIONS TO TASK 2
1. most common
2. whatsoever
3. afflicting other human beings with ridiculous names
4. open them up to ridicule
5. and, at worst, bullying
6. desperate to gain attention
7. socially handicapping their children
8. Funny the number of people who …
9. The first come up with the 'How's Liz' gag
10. I have been teased mercilessly
11. burst out laughing right in my face
12. the constant misspelling of Laslo
13. I have to repeat ad nauseum
14. in a futile effort to have it pronounced correctly
15. I was bullied, ridiculed
16. and mocked
17. mature adults still have a snicker at my expense
18. I approve wholeheartedly of the New Zealand law
19. Naming your child is not an exercise in creative writing
20. or an avenue for personal expression
21. ice-breaker
22. struggle to fill-in legal forms
23. the quirkiness of their name
24. can easily be turned into a joke
25. define this child in life
READER OPINIONS
“My name is Chris Morley. It's just about the (1) most common name in Britain and I've got no problem with it (2) whatsoever. In fact I like it. Who do these people think they are, afflicting other human beings (3) with ridiculous names that are almost certainly going to open them up to (4) ridicule and, at worst, (5) bullying? True parents, loving parents, try to give their offspring the best start in life. Instead these selfish idiots - who either find such names funny or who are so (6) desperate to gain attention that they are willing to use their children as a tool - are socially (7) handicapping their children from the very moment of birth.”
Chris Morley, Oxford, UK
“(8)Funny the number of people who when hearing my name for the first time still think they're the first to (9) come up with the 'How's Liz' gag! Been happening for best part of 50 years now!!”
Richard Burton, London
“I have been (10) teased mercilessly from childhood to my adult years. You won't believe the amount of times people have (11) burst out laughing right in my face when they ask my name.”
Craig Gogay, London, UK
“My name is relatively unusual but it has not caused me any problems in life - apart from the frustration caused by the (12) constant misspelling of Laslo. I have been called ‘Lasio’, ‘Lazlo’ and one time ‘Lazio’.”
Laslo Panaflex, Belgium
“Being called Slick has its advantages and disadvantages but I get along just fine, in fact I've learned to love my name.”
Slick Bryn Davies, Manchester
“My name has been a source of angst my entire life. To this day I have to (13) repeat ad nauseum; often times spelling my name, (14) in a futile effort to have it pronounced correctly. Sadly my middle name is no better and I was left with no choices in school. I was bullied, (15) ridiculed/made ridiculous and (16) mocked and to this day supposedly mature adults still (17) have a snicker at my expense. I approve (18) wholeheartedly of the New Zealand law that offers some recourse to children so benighted. Naming your child is (19) not an exercise in creative writing or an (20) avenue for personal expression; if you want that take a class or write a book. The psychological effects of an odd name are painful, deep and lasting.”
Kurleigh Martin, San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago
“My sister (Che) and I both have unusual names and we love them! It's nice to be unique in your school/college or place of work. It can also be an (21) ice-breaker when meeting new people. Lots of people comment favourably about my name and I've never been bullied as a consequence of it.”
Chula Bishop, Newbury England
“My name is Varithamby Jeyahprakash Tharamakulaseelarajan my brother's name is Sathiyasothilegaeswaran Thramakulaseelerajan, we still (22) struggle to fill-in legal forms because they never have enough space. Parents do not think long term when naming their children specially in South Asia. I think they should be given lessons in naming their offsprings.”
J Rajan, Colombo Sri Lanka
“No-one ever considered that the child might like the (23) quirkiness of their name. Nothing has ever held back my development or progress in the world. I'm now working in the catering trade and everyone calls me Eggy. I don't see the problem!”
Egnorwiddle Waldstrom , London, UK
“This is not to say there is anything wrong with being creative or unique when selecting that perfect name, but perhaps you can come to a compromise of something between the odd baby names and ordinary ones. Spend some time speaking some of the names you THINK you like. How do the names flow with your last name? Is the name something that can easily be (24) turned into a joke? That is not something you want for your very special baby. The most important thing to remember when choosing a name for your baby, is that it will (25) define this child in life. Be different and unique if you must. But always keep the future of your child in mind.”
(1) turned down
(2) barring parents from
(3) expose them to ridicule
(4) extravagant
(5) unusual monikers
(6) voter rolls
(7) by that name
(8) subsequently
(9) have a particular penchant for
(10) registry authorities
(11) up to the discretion of
(12) crack down on
(13) putting limits on people
(14) it is no one's business except
(15) common sense
Venezuela Seeks to Crack Down on Odd Baby Names
September 01, 2007
(CARACAS, Venezuela) Thinking of naming your baby Hersony, Nohemar — or even Superman? Such odd names might be (1) turned down by the civil registry if Venezuela approves a bill (2) barring parents from giving their children "names that (3) expose them to ridicule, are (4) extravagant or difficult to pronounce," or that raise doubts about whether a child is a girl or a boy.
If approved by the National Assembly, the bill could let authorities turn down names like some of the more (5) unusual monikers currently on the voter rolls: Edigaith, Mileidy, Leomar and Superman.
When opponents of President Hugo Chavez last year sought to question the accuracy of the (6) voter rolls, they noted that even "Superman" was listed. But electoral officials confirmed there are in fact two Venezuelans (7) by that name registered to vote, and one of them was (8) subsequently interviewed on state television.
While unusual names appear in many countries, Venezuelans seem to (9) have a particular penchant for going creative, whether through unusual spellings of English names like Maikel or Jhonny, or names of uncertain origin like Orlayny or Jesshy.
Current Venezuelan law already has a similar measure saying (10) registry authorities should not accept names that would expose children to ridicule. But the issue has until now been (11) left up to the discretion of individual bureaucrats.
The new bill proposes to create a list of traditional names that could be offered to parents "as a reference" to provide options when they are registering their child's birth. It says the list would have "no fewer than 100 names" and would grow over time.
Some Venezuelans think it makes sense to (12) crack down on odd baby names. "I agree with (13) putting limits on people who don't have a sense of the ridiculousness," said 58-year-old office worker Alfredo Blanco. But 27-year-old housewife Mariana Gonzalez said she thinks (14) it is no one's business except the parents how they choose to name a child. "Before all else should come (15) common sense."
Exercises created by Kisdobos using www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,295488,00.html
SOLUTIONS TO TASK 2
1. most common
2. whatsoever
3. afflicting other human beings with ridiculous names
4. open them up to ridicule
5. and, at worst, bullying
6. desperate to gain attention
7. socially handicapping their children
8. Funny the number of people who …
9. The first come up with the 'How's Liz' gag
10. I have been teased mercilessly
11. burst out laughing right in my face
12. the constant misspelling of Laslo
13. I have to repeat ad nauseum
14. in a futile effort to have it pronounced correctly
15. I was bullied, ridiculed
16. and mocked
17. mature adults still have a snicker at my expense
18. I approve wholeheartedly of the New Zealand law
19. Naming your child is not an exercise in creative writing
20. or an avenue for personal expression
21. ice-breaker
22. struggle to fill-in legal forms
23. the quirkiness of their name
24. can easily be turned into a joke
25. define this child in life
READER OPINIONS
“My name is Chris Morley. It's just about the (1) most common name in Britain and I've got no problem with it (2) whatsoever. In fact I like it. Who do these people think they are, afflicting other human beings (3) with ridiculous names that are almost certainly going to open them up to (4) ridicule and, at worst, (5) bullying? True parents, loving parents, try to give their offspring the best start in life. Instead these selfish idiots - who either find such names funny or who are so (6) desperate to gain attention that they are willing to use their children as a tool - are socially (7) handicapping their children from the very moment of birth.”
Chris Morley, Oxford, UK
“(8)Funny the number of people who when hearing my name for the first time still think they're the first to (9) come up with the 'How's Liz' gag! Been happening for best part of 50 years now!!”
Richard Burton, London
“I have been (10) teased mercilessly from childhood to my adult years. You won't believe the amount of times people have (11) burst out laughing right in my face when they ask my name.”
Craig Gogay, London, UK
“My name is relatively unusual but it has not caused me any problems in life - apart from the frustration caused by the (12) constant misspelling of Laslo. I have been called ‘Lasio’, ‘Lazlo’ and one time ‘Lazio’.”
Laslo Panaflex, Belgium
“Being called Slick has its advantages and disadvantages but I get along just fine, in fact I've learned to love my name.”
Slick Bryn Davies, Manchester
“My name has been a source of angst my entire life. To this day I have to (13) repeat ad nauseum; often times spelling my name, (14) in a futile effort to have it pronounced correctly. Sadly my middle name is no better and I was left with no choices in school. I was bullied, (15) ridiculed/made ridiculous and (16) mocked and to this day supposedly mature adults still (17) have a snicker at my expense. I approve (18) wholeheartedly of the New Zealand law that offers some recourse to children so benighted. Naming your child is (19) not an exercise in creative writing or an (20) avenue for personal expression; if you want that take a class or write a book. The psychological effects of an odd name are painful, deep and lasting.”
Kurleigh Martin, San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago
“My sister (Che) and I both have unusual names and we love them! It's nice to be unique in your school/college or place of work. It can also be an (21) ice-breaker when meeting new people. Lots of people comment favourably about my name and I've never been bullied as a consequence of it.”
Chula Bishop, Newbury England
“My name is Varithamby Jeyahprakash Tharamakulaseelarajan my brother's name is Sathiyasothilegaeswaran Thramakulaseelerajan, we still (22) struggle to fill-in legal forms because they never have enough space. Parents do not think long term when naming their children specially in South Asia. I think they should be given lessons in naming their offsprings.”
J Rajan, Colombo Sri Lanka
“No-one ever considered that the child might like the (23) quirkiness of their name. Nothing has ever held back my development or progress in the world. I'm now working in the catering trade and everyone calls me Eggy. I don't see the problem!”
Egnorwiddle Waldstrom , London, UK
“This is not to say there is anything wrong with being creative or unique when selecting that perfect name, but perhaps you can come to a compromise of something between the odd baby names and ordinary ones. Spend some time speaking some of the names you THINK you like. How do the names flow with your last name? Is the name something that can easily be (24) turned into a joke? That is not something you want for your very special baby. The most important thing to remember when choosing a name for your baby, is that it will (25) define this child in life. Be different and unique if you must. But always keep the future of your child in mind.”
Task 1. Match the definitions with corresponding phrases in the text. See solutions in comments. 1. a country where citizens are watched and followed2. association, memories (bad or…..
Task 1. Read the statements concerning the advantages and disadvantages of technology. De-jumble the jumbled phrases. See solutions in Comments. Do the…..
kisdobos
2009.03.22 18:33:46
SOLUTIONS
Do the advantages of technology outweigh the disadvantages?
“Technology can be defined as science applied to practical purposes. In developed and developing nations alike, technology has brought numerous material advantages in nearly every aspect of life.“
“Without doubt, in one way or another most people living today have benefited from the advancement of science and technology.“
“First and foremost, the use of machines, fertilizers, pesticides, and improved seeds has increased the food supply and nutrition for much of the world's population.“
“Advancements in medical science have resulted in better health and a longer life span for many.“
“The automobile and the airplane, along with developments in electronics, computers, and satellites, have made it possible for people to travel and to communicate with others around the world with relative ease.“
“Few people would be ready to give up the vast number of time- and labor-saving devices that they have come to take for granted and have grown accustomed to in their daily lives.“
“Although the massive infusion of technology into society during the past few decades has brought immense benefits, there is mounting evidence that some technological developments may aggravate, rather than solve, many pressing social and environmental problems.“
“This nation leads the world in wealth and power, but also leads in the degradation of the human habitat. We have the most automobiles and the worst junkyards. We are the most mobile people on earth and we endure the worst congestion. We produce the most energy and have the foulest air.“
“It is argued that the material benefits created by technology outweigh the loss of clean air, water, and land.“
“Another defense for technology is that sooner or later it will come up with the solutions to take care of the problems. The truth of the matter is that the technological know-how already exists to stop or even reverse much of the damage done. But to do the job will cost money, and cost a great deal. For example, just to clean up the 786 toxic-waste dump sites designated by the U.S. government as hazardous would require setting up a fund of $7.5 billion to $10 billion—a sum no one is quite prepared to pay.“
“The fear has always been that new machines would put people out of work. Early in the Industrial Revolution, textile workers in Nottingham, England, felt so threatened that, led by a Ned Ludd, they destroyed hundreds of the newly introduced machines in the notorious Luddite riots of 1811-12.“
“The success of the Industrial Revolution makes all such actions seem ludicrous today. Yet, the introduction of computerized automation and robots in offices and factories is rekindling such fears. Some, however, dismiss such fears by pointing out that computer technology generates its own jobs—high-tech jobs such as computer operators, designers, programmers, and so on—that will absorb the displaced workers after retraining.“
“Most people envision a degree of sophistication with high-tech jobs. But one labor expert observed that while some such jobs are "spirit-enlarging and mind-challenging," most are "incredibly mind-stunting, mind-dulling." Rather than doing away with drudgery, most jobs in the high-tech industry are repetitive, highly supervised, and require little technical skill.”
“For the sake of efficiency the jobs become increasingly monitored and specialized—meaning that workers do smaller and smaller fractions of the larger task. People are used as extensions of machines. This is dehumanizing. What results is a feeling of alienation, or lack of a sense of purpose and accomplishment.”
“In many areas, technology has become so pervasive in people's daily life—appliances, transportation, entertainment, and so on—that many probably would find it difficult to survive in a less technologically developed society.“
“Mankind is facing the threat of total destruction facing mankind today. There is no denying that much of this has been brought about by the technological development that has produced the fearsome weapons of war—from the crossbow to the laser space-weapon. The height of such development, no doubt, was that in just three years, from June 1942 to July 1945, scientists and technicians were able to develop the first atom bomb.
“Increased control over nature is not providing safety and peace of mind; economic prosperity is not making people healthier or happier; technological innovations create problems of their own, which continually necessitate the development of new counter-technologies.”
www.oppapers.com/essays/Technologyhow-Affects-Us/116723
Do the advantages of technology outweigh the disadvantages?
“Technology can be defined as science applied to practical purposes. In developed and developing nations alike, technology has brought numerous material advantages in nearly every aspect of life.“
“Without doubt, in one way or another most people living today have benefited from the advancement of science and technology.“
“First and foremost, the use of machines, fertilizers, pesticides, and improved seeds has increased the food supply and nutrition for much of the world's population.“
“Advancements in medical science have resulted in better health and a longer life span for many.“
“The automobile and the airplane, along with developments in electronics, computers, and satellites, have made it possible for people to travel and to communicate with others around the world with relative ease.“
“Few people would be ready to give up the vast number of time- and labor-saving devices that they have come to take for granted and have grown accustomed to in their daily lives.“
“Although the massive infusion of technology into society during the past few decades has brought immense benefits, there is mounting evidence that some technological developments may aggravate, rather than solve, many pressing social and environmental problems.“
“This nation leads the world in wealth and power, but also leads in the degradation of the human habitat. We have the most automobiles and the worst junkyards. We are the most mobile people on earth and we endure the worst congestion. We produce the most energy and have the foulest air.“
“It is argued that the material benefits created by technology outweigh the loss of clean air, water, and land.“
“Another defense for technology is that sooner or later it will come up with the solutions to take care of the problems. The truth of the matter is that the technological know-how already exists to stop or even reverse much of the damage done. But to do the job will cost money, and cost a great deal. For example, just to clean up the 786 toxic-waste dump sites designated by the U.S. government as hazardous would require setting up a fund of $7.5 billion to $10 billion—a sum no one is quite prepared to pay.“
“The fear has always been that new machines would put people out of work. Early in the Industrial Revolution, textile workers in Nottingham, England, felt so threatened that, led by a Ned Ludd, they destroyed hundreds of the newly introduced machines in the notorious Luddite riots of 1811-12.“
“The success of the Industrial Revolution makes all such actions seem ludicrous today. Yet, the introduction of computerized automation and robots in offices and factories is rekindling such fears. Some, however, dismiss such fears by pointing out that computer technology generates its own jobs—high-tech jobs such as computer operators, designers, programmers, and so on—that will absorb the displaced workers after retraining.“
“Most people envision a degree of sophistication with high-tech jobs. But one labor expert observed that while some such jobs are "spirit-enlarging and mind-challenging," most are "incredibly mind-stunting, mind-dulling." Rather than doing away with drudgery, most jobs in the high-tech industry are repetitive, highly supervised, and require little technical skill.”
“For the sake of efficiency the jobs become increasingly monitored and specialized—meaning that workers do smaller and smaller fractions of the larger task. People are used as extensions of machines. This is dehumanizing. What results is a feeling of alienation, or lack of a sense of purpose and accomplishment.”
“In many areas, technology has become so pervasive in people's daily life—appliances, transportation, entertainment, and so on—that many probably would find it difficult to survive in a less technologically developed society.“
“Mankind is facing the threat of total destruction facing mankind today. There is no denying that much of this has been brought about by the technological development that has produced the fearsome weapons of war—from the crossbow to the laser space-weapon. The height of such development, no doubt, was that in just three years, from June 1942 to July 1945, scientists and technicians were able to develop the first atom bomb.
“Increased control over nature is not providing safety and peace of mind; economic prosperity is not making people healthier or happier; technological innovations create problems of their own, which continually necessitate the development of new counter-technologies.”
www.oppapers.com/essays/Technologyhow-Affects-Us/116723
Task 1. Write a 350-word essay on the benefits and flipsides of technology, and technological progress. When you sit down to write, try to make a quick list of different inventions and technological processes, and then categorize them. This will help you broaden your focus, so you won’t…..
Task 1. Fill in the gaps with the missing phrases. a. turned…..
Task 1. Comment on this newsclip in a few sentences. This Is My Son Superman Thursday, August 09, 2007 A New Zealand baby may go through life with the name…..
Task 1. Write an essay exploring both the drawback and benefits of odd baby names. 1. As for ideas, you may borrow from your readings, but you can only use your memory to recall the arguments, and you may not look into the blog. So read these arguments once, and…..
Task 1. Find synonyms in the text for: 1. a big problem for society2. a search for excitement…..
kisdobos
2009.03.09 16:34:01
Solutions
1. have a desire for - crave sg
2. people dependant on adrenalie - adrenaline junkies
3. need v. – be in need of sg
4. help v. - come to their aid
5. cause - trigger
6. on the surface - seemingly
7. restrict v. – curb v.
8. people who do reckless things - daredevils
9. a search for excitement - sensation seeking
10. risk v. - runs the risk of
11. driving too dangerously - reckless driving
12. take part in actions with negative consequences - destructive behaviours
13. avoid v. - stave off v.
14. destroy v. – devastate v.
15. involving little exercise or physical activity - sedentary existence
16. change v. - turn around
17. increasing - be on the rise
18. self-control - self discipline
19. provoking, calling for - inviting even greater risk
20. a big problem for society - a heavy burden for society to bear
Living on the Edge: Extreme Sports should not be restricted
Model argumentative essay
We all crave adventure to some degree or another, but there are some people who need above average excitement and take it one step further, participating in high-risk activities- sports played on the edge, where the consequences are far greater, and where as the great American mountaineer and outdoor philosopher Willi Unsoeld once said, ‘It has to be real enough to kill you.’ With regard to extreme sports, the perception of the general public is that people who choose to take risks are irresponsible ‘adrenaline junkies’ who are ultimately a burden to society. When a person takes unnecessary risks, and becomes injured or in need of rescue, the expenses for coming to their aid are often borne by taxpayers. A backcountry rescue after skiers trigger an avalanche, for example, will cost thousands of dollars. Some voices in the public, therefore, call for a restriction of such sports to avoid having to pay for these seemingly foolish actions. However, participation in extreme sports should not be restricted, because by curbing a person’s passions and access to their chosen sports these athletes will find outlets for their energy in the form of addictions, reckless driving or gambling that is much more burdensome and costly to society.
RISK-TAKING BEHAVIORS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED SINCE THE CURRENT TRENDS TO MINIMIZE RISKS AND RISK TAKING ARE GOING TO SUFFOCATE THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT IN SOCIETY. Psychologists studying thrill seeking risk-takers for decades, and has developed the term “Type T” (T standing for thrill seeking). Type T’s are not just the mountain climbing daredevils of the world, however. They are often our best inventors, entrepreneurs and explorers. They are CEOs, surgeons, and civil rights leaders.History's most crucial events are shaped by Type T individuals exhibiting Type T behaviour, from Boris Yeltsin to Martin Luther King, Jr. We wouldn’t be the progressive, vibrant society we are today if no one was willing to take risks. The act of emigration, he says, is an intrinsically risky endeavor that selects individuals who are high in sensation seeking. Consequently, countries built upon immigrant population--America, Canada, Australia--probably have an above-average level of risk takers. He warns that much of the current effort to minimize risk and risk taking itself runs the risk of eliminating "a large part of what made these countries great in the first place.
WITHOUT RELATIVELY SAFE OUTLETS FOR THIS DRIVE, PEOPLE PREDISPOSED TO RISK TAKING BEHAVIORS WILL SEEK OUT MORE UNDESIRABLE ACTIVITIES, WITH POTENTIALLY GREATER PERSONAL, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES. In fact, Type T personalities might satisfy their craving for stimulation through abusing sex, drugs and alcohol, gambling, reckless driving or engaging in other destructive behaviours. If we deprive them of extreme sports they might become someone who will stop by the casino on their way home from work in search of excitement. Or they might find themselves gambling beyond his means in an attempt to stave off boredom.’ Gambling addiction is a serious problem that can quickly devastate individuals, destroy marriages, break up families and lead to other addictions and health problems. Many people never recover and become a long term drain on the public purse as they require rehabilitation, welfare, and often expensive, ongoing medical care.
PRACTICING ANY SPORTS, TRADITIONAL OR EXTREME, KEEPS THE YOUTH HEALTHY. Consider the kids in the skateboard park. Without the park at the local community center where they can practice and refine their skills, they might follow the lead of many of their peers, opting for a more sedentary existence playing video games which has proven links to obesity and contributed a fivefold increase in childhood obesity over the past 20 years. Opportunities for physical activity for children are critical to turning that trend around, and avoiding heart disease and other health problems down the road. In a day and age where heart disease and type 2 Diabetes are on the rise, we really shouldn’t be discouraging anyone from pursuing physical activities. The long-term costs associated with treating the inevitable outcome of obesity and heart disease are far greater than the cost of setting a few broken arms and repainting a few railings.
INSTEAD OF SHUNNING AND DISCOURAGING EXTREME ATHLETES, WE SHOULD CELEBRATE THEM FOR CLIMBING HIGHER, GOING FASTER AND PUSHING THE LIMITS OF HUMAN ENDURANCE. As T.S. Elliot once said, “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” With public support, extreme athletes can expand our boundaries, and strengthen the spirit that is manifested in the entrepreneurial endeavors of mankind.
All in all, people who are predisposed to take risks are fulfilling their needs in extreme sports in legitimate ways, since the high they are seeking is achieved through self discipline, hard work, and a healthy lifestyle. While there are some risks involved in extreme sports, by curbing their passions and limiting access to activities some consider too dangerous, we may be inviting even greater risk in the form of addictions, crime and health problems the end result of which is a heavy burden for society to bear.
Source text adapted to the argumentative ssay format by Kisdobos:
www.summitpost.org/article/214107/living-on-the-edge-extreme-sports-and-their-role-in-society.html
1. have a desire for - crave sg
2. people dependant on adrenalie - adrenaline junkies
3. need v. – be in need of sg
4. help v. - come to their aid
5. cause - trigger
6. on the surface - seemingly
7. restrict v. – curb v.
8. people who do reckless things - daredevils
9. a search for excitement - sensation seeking
10. risk v. - runs the risk of
11. driving too dangerously - reckless driving
12. take part in actions with negative consequences - destructive behaviours
13. avoid v. - stave off v.
14. destroy v. – devastate v.
15. involving little exercise or physical activity - sedentary existence
16. change v. - turn around
17. increasing - be on the rise
18. self-control - self discipline
19. provoking, calling for - inviting even greater risk
20. a big problem for society - a heavy burden for society to bear
Living on the Edge: Extreme Sports should not be restricted
Model argumentative essay
We all crave adventure to some degree or another, but there are some people who need above average excitement and take it one step further, participating in high-risk activities- sports played on the edge, where the consequences are far greater, and where as the great American mountaineer and outdoor philosopher Willi Unsoeld once said, ‘It has to be real enough to kill you.’ With regard to extreme sports, the perception of the general public is that people who choose to take risks are irresponsible ‘adrenaline junkies’ who are ultimately a burden to society. When a person takes unnecessary risks, and becomes injured or in need of rescue, the expenses for coming to their aid are often borne by taxpayers. A backcountry rescue after skiers trigger an avalanche, for example, will cost thousands of dollars. Some voices in the public, therefore, call for a restriction of such sports to avoid having to pay for these seemingly foolish actions. However, participation in extreme sports should not be restricted, because by curbing a person’s passions and access to their chosen sports these athletes will find outlets for their energy in the form of addictions, reckless driving or gambling that is much more burdensome and costly to society.
RISK-TAKING BEHAVIORS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED SINCE THE CURRENT TRENDS TO MINIMIZE RISKS AND RISK TAKING ARE GOING TO SUFFOCATE THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT IN SOCIETY. Psychologists studying thrill seeking risk-takers for decades, and has developed the term “Type T” (T standing for thrill seeking). Type T’s are not just the mountain climbing daredevils of the world, however. They are often our best inventors, entrepreneurs and explorers. They are CEOs, surgeons, and civil rights leaders.History's most crucial events are shaped by Type T individuals exhibiting Type T behaviour, from Boris Yeltsin to Martin Luther King, Jr. We wouldn’t be the progressive, vibrant society we are today if no one was willing to take risks. The act of emigration, he says, is an intrinsically risky endeavor that selects individuals who are high in sensation seeking. Consequently, countries built upon immigrant population--America, Canada, Australia--probably have an above-average level of risk takers. He warns that much of the current effort to minimize risk and risk taking itself runs the risk of eliminating "a large part of what made these countries great in the first place.
WITHOUT RELATIVELY SAFE OUTLETS FOR THIS DRIVE, PEOPLE PREDISPOSED TO RISK TAKING BEHAVIORS WILL SEEK OUT MORE UNDESIRABLE ACTIVITIES, WITH POTENTIALLY GREATER PERSONAL, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES. In fact, Type T personalities might satisfy their craving for stimulation through abusing sex, drugs and alcohol, gambling, reckless driving or engaging in other destructive behaviours. If we deprive them of extreme sports they might become someone who will stop by the casino on their way home from work in search of excitement. Or they might find themselves gambling beyond his means in an attempt to stave off boredom.’ Gambling addiction is a serious problem that can quickly devastate individuals, destroy marriages, break up families and lead to other addictions and health problems. Many people never recover and become a long term drain on the public purse as they require rehabilitation, welfare, and often expensive, ongoing medical care.
PRACTICING ANY SPORTS, TRADITIONAL OR EXTREME, KEEPS THE YOUTH HEALTHY. Consider the kids in the skateboard park. Without the park at the local community center where they can practice and refine their skills, they might follow the lead of many of their peers, opting for a more sedentary existence playing video games which has proven links to obesity and contributed a fivefold increase in childhood obesity over the past 20 years. Opportunities for physical activity for children are critical to turning that trend around, and avoiding heart disease and other health problems down the road. In a day and age where heart disease and type 2 Diabetes are on the rise, we really shouldn’t be discouraging anyone from pursuing physical activities. The long-term costs associated with treating the inevitable outcome of obesity and heart disease are far greater than the cost of setting a few broken arms and repainting a few railings.
INSTEAD OF SHUNNING AND DISCOURAGING EXTREME ATHLETES, WE SHOULD CELEBRATE THEM FOR CLIMBING HIGHER, GOING FASTER AND PUSHING THE LIMITS OF HUMAN ENDURANCE. As T.S. Elliot once said, “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” With public support, extreme athletes can expand our boundaries, and strengthen the spirit that is manifested in the entrepreneurial endeavors of mankind.
All in all, people who are predisposed to take risks are fulfilling their needs in extreme sports in legitimate ways, since the high they are seeking is achieved through self discipline, hard work, and a healthy lifestyle. While there are some risks involved in extreme sports, by curbing their passions and limiting access to activities some consider too dangerous, we may be inviting even greater risk in the form of addictions, crime and health problems the end result of which is a heavy burden for society to bear.
Source text adapted to the argumentative ssay format by Kisdobos:
www.summitpost.org/article/214107/living-on-the-edge-extreme-sports-and-their-role-in-society.html
Task 1. Insert the phrases.1. amazing stunts2. a new trend emerged3. boast a more youthful…..
kisdobos
2009.03.07 17:04:33
Task 1. Solutions
1. spectacular stunts
2. an umbrella term
3. attracts a following
4. to push the limits
5. to showcase new tricks
6. adrenaline junkies
7. obsession with
8. become a way of life
9. causing concern amongst
10. in the pursuit of thrills
11. lives have been lost
Going to Extremes
by Brian Boyd, British Council
INTRO
Speed, height, spectacular stunts, or a combination of all three – extreme sports, an umbrella term that includes skateboarding, BMX freestyle, surfing and snowboarding, attracts a following – mainly of young adults – keen to push the limits of their own courage and physical ability. The wide variety of activities in this category makes it difficult to define, but it is certainly one of sport’s biggest growth areas.
HISTORY
Extreme sports received a huge popularity boost in the mid-nineties, when American sports channel ESPN launched the ‘X Games’. Broken into two seasons – the Winter X Games and Summer X Games – these huge annual events bring together the best of the world’s extreme athletes to compete for gold, silver and bronze medals. The games are high profile, and the superstars of extreme sports often use the contests to showcase new tricks and attempt records.
DRIVE
Some enthusiasts describe themselves as ‘adrenaline junkies’, and for them the obsession with reaching new extremes has become a way of life, complete with clothing fashions and music. In fact, the X Games tournament has developed a festival-like atmosphere with bands performing live at the venues.
CONTROVERSY
Rebellious culture and controversy continue to surround extreme sports, causing concern amongst some local authorities and parent groups. Many people argue that taking such risks in the pursuit of thrills is foolhardy. While it is true that lives have been lost, serious participants use their skills and experience to control the risks they take – and it is that control which makes their activities sports and not just dangerous behaviour.
Exercise created by Kisdobos. Source text:
www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish-central-magazine-extreme-sports.htm
Task 2. Solutions
1. a new trend emerged
2. had an element of danger
3. hallmarks
4. boast a more youthful demographic
5. push the bounds
6. physical exertion
7. amazing stunts
8. defy the laws of gravity
9. more solitary pursuits
What is an extreme sport?
In the 1990’s a new trend emerged in sports. Although there was no name for them at the time, they soon became known collectively as “extreme sports” or “action sports”. While there was a general acceptance that extreme sports were those that had an element of danger that didn’t exist in traditional sports, there was never a solid way to classify extreme sports as such. Nevertheless, other hallmarks of extreme sports seems to be age, intensity and individualism.
Typically, extreme sports boast a more youthful demographic than others. Enthusiasts of extreme sports typically fall within the categories of Gen-X and Generation Y. That includes those in their teens through those into their 30's.
Intensity is another way to identify an extreme sport. While most sports have the capacity for intensity, extreme sports push the bounds with regards to speed, danger, physical exertion and amazing stunts. Extreme sports athletes have mastered the physical and mental skills needed to travel within the most inhospitable environments and even to defy the laws of gravity.
And finally, extreme sports are typically more solitary pursuits than traditional sports.
Exercise created by Kisdobos. Source text:
extremesports.suite101.com/article.cfm/extreme_sport_vs_recreation
1. spectacular stunts
2. an umbrella term
3. attracts a following
4. to push the limits
5. to showcase new tricks
6. adrenaline junkies
7. obsession with
8. become a way of life
9. causing concern amongst
10. in the pursuit of thrills
11. lives have been lost
Going to Extremes
by Brian Boyd, British Council
INTRO
Speed, height, spectacular stunts, or a combination of all three – extreme sports, an umbrella term that includes skateboarding, BMX freestyle, surfing and snowboarding, attracts a following – mainly of young adults – keen to push the limits of their own courage and physical ability. The wide variety of activities in this category makes it difficult to define, but it is certainly one of sport’s biggest growth areas.
HISTORY
Extreme sports received a huge popularity boost in the mid-nineties, when American sports channel ESPN launched the ‘X Games’. Broken into two seasons – the Winter X Games and Summer X Games – these huge annual events bring together the best of the world’s extreme athletes to compete for gold, silver and bronze medals. The games are high profile, and the superstars of extreme sports often use the contests to showcase new tricks and attempt records.
DRIVE
Some enthusiasts describe themselves as ‘adrenaline junkies’, and for them the obsession with reaching new extremes has become a way of life, complete with clothing fashions and music. In fact, the X Games tournament has developed a festival-like atmosphere with bands performing live at the venues.
CONTROVERSY
Rebellious culture and controversy continue to surround extreme sports, causing concern amongst some local authorities and parent groups. Many people argue that taking such risks in the pursuit of thrills is foolhardy. While it is true that lives have been lost, serious participants use their skills and experience to control the risks they take – and it is that control which makes their activities sports and not just dangerous behaviour.
Exercise created by Kisdobos. Source text:
www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish-central-magazine-extreme-sports.htm
Task 2. Solutions
1. a new trend emerged
2. had an element of danger
3. hallmarks
4. boast a more youthful demographic
5. push the bounds
6. physical exertion
7. amazing stunts
8. defy the laws of gravity
9. more solitary pursuits
What is an extreme sport?
In the 1990’s a new trend emerged in sports. Although there was no name for them at the time, they soon became known collectively as “extreme sports” or “action sports”. While there was a general acceptance that extreme sports were those that had an element of danger that didn’t exist in traditional sports, there was never a solid way to classify extreme sports as such. Nevertheless, other hallmarks of extreme sports seems to be age, intensity and individualism.
Typically, extreme sports boast a more youthful demographic than others. Enthusiasts of extreme sports typically fall within the categories of Gen-X and Generation Y. That includes those in their teens through those into their 30's.
Intensity is another way to identify an extreme sport. While most sports have the capacity for intensity, extreme sports push the bounds with regards to speed, danger, physical exertion and amazing stunts. Extreme sports athletes have mastered the physical and mental skills needed to travel within the most inhospitable environments and even to defy the laws of gravity.
And finally, extreme sports are typically more solitary pursuits than traditional sports.
Exercise created by Kisdobos. Source text:
extremesports.suite101.com/article.cfm/extreme_sport_vs_recreation
Az ugandai út nemcsak bodabodázásból meg vadasparkozásból állt, hanem elmentem a Nakivale menekülttáborba is, ahová augusztus óta kb. tízezer kongói menekült érkezett a már jelenlévő harmincezer ember mellé. A teljes beszámoló itt olvasható. Mbararából indultam egy shared…..
kisdobos
2008.12.27 20:58:41
Nekem se, de találtam működő linket:
index.hu/politika/kulfold/nakivale1219/
Megragadóak a fotóid! Megnézem azt a segélyakciót. Kontaktáltam a Kék Madárral is, de nem válaszoltak.
index.hu/politika/kulfold/nakivale1219/
Megragadóak a fotóid! Megnézem azt a segélyakciót. Kontaktáltam a Kék Madárral is, de nem válaszoltak.
Kartúm két meglepetéssel várt vissza Ugandából. Az első az volt, hogy a repülőtér menti, Africa Road nevű főúton hatalmas Omar el-Besír poszterek díszelegtek, hasonló felirattal: ő a mi büszkeségünk, akiért örömmel vállaljuk a mártírságot.A másik meglepetés akkor ért,…..
kisdobos
2008.12.22 02:05:12
A mai nap volt talán az eddigi mélypont. Egyelőre még nem világos, hogy csak fáradt vagyok, netán kezd előjönni a kultúrsokk, vagy egyszerűen csak megrémültem a hírek olvastán. Tény, hogy a munka, amit az utóbbi napokban csináltam, nem a karrierem csúcsa. Ennek a konténernek meg…..
Kisdobos Presents: English for Marketers
CLASS 12.1: Networking, speed networking
2008.06.19 17:40:00
Task 1. Use the chunks below to assemble a quote by the famous management guru, Peter Drucker. are at any other time, business decisions given lunch and dinner more occur on the subjectover than yet no MBA courses Task 2. Every two sentences make up one statement. Find the pairs. Check…..
Task 1. Write an email to your boss whether you think your company should participate in a speed networking event. Give two reasons (in separate paragraphs) why you think yes, or why you think no. In the third paragraph bring up an argument from the other side, and refute it, that is give a…..
In this class you will read about a new phenomenon: piggybacking, that is using someone else’s open wireless internet connection. Task 1. Read the following text and think of three strong thesis statements. Wi-fi Piggybacking WiFi is everywhere, even in Prague…..
Here's a template for a complaint letter. Note how the writer avoids writing in an angry, sarcastic, or threatening tone. This makes a lot of sense if you think about it since the person reading your letter probably was not responsible for your problem but may be very…..
----Don't complain about your job Task 1. Complete the complaint letter below with invented facts. Name of Contact Person, if availableTitle, if available Company Name Consumer Complaint Division, if you have no contact person Street Address City, State, Zip Code Dear…..
Kisdobos Presents: English for Marketers
CLASS 10.1: Defend your client, Mr Pistorius
2008.04.23 14:28:42
Task 1. Read the article and vote in the opinion poll whether to allow Oscar Pistorius to run in the 2008 Olympics or not. Friday Poll Should Amputee Oscar Pistorius Be Allowed To Sprint In The Olympics?Can a Disability Give You Too Much Ability? South African Oscar Pistorius can run…..
Talking about deadlinesThis is urgent. We must do it right away (=immediately).I’d like to get it done in a week, if possible.It’s important to confirm the numbers by the end of the month.We need to book as soon as possible.There’s no rush. We can do that any…..
Belépve többet láthatsz. Itt beléphetsz
Task 1. Insert the words below into the text.
1. niche
2. destructive
3. some in the field
4. qualifies as
5. obsessive
6. exact
7. prevalence
8. abuse
9. struggling with
10. lure
11. granted anonymity
12. cravings for
13. reimburse for
14. pay out of pocket
15. bill for
16. withdrawal
17. exchanging
18. demeans
19. not important in diagnosing
20. marital difficulties
21. total abstinence
22. substance