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CD EXAM PRACTICE Reading

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CD

Training your brain A We would all like lo be smarter, wouldn'l we?

And now the re is a vvealth of producís on the

market promistng to maximize our brain power

from Nintendos Wü Brain '¡'raininggamcs, which

have already sold ovcr ten míllion copies, to online

sudoku and puzzles.

B Bul do these games realiyyvark? Neuroscientists

have expressed doubts about some of the

more extravagant claims made by advertisers

and manufacturera For example, there is still

no guaranteed way of preventing the onsel of

Alzheimer's disease or other kinds of mental

illnesses. What is more, nothing can ever 'magically'

lurn people into geninses. Although we are all

capable of learning new skills, ii is not possible to

radieally alier the IQ leve! we are born with. Il has

bcen proved thal setting oneselí regular challcnges

can improve awareness and perceptivity. However,

(hese challenges can take a variety of forms, and

you do not need any expensive software to reap the

henefits.

C If you want to keep your brain in peak condition,

try learning a new skill. Research has shown that

continuing to study throughout your aduh life

slightly improves your chanees of rctaining good

cognitive abilities and memory in oíd age. Having

a rewarding, demanding job that you enjoy can

also help. However, it seems that neither of these

methods is as efíective iu training the brain as having

cióse relationships with family and friends - and

being happy! Research has shown that people with

an optimistic outlook and a full social lite have the

best chances of staying in good mental health.

D In the mcantime, if you want to give your

imelligence a short-term boost, try laughing!

Laughter is believed to temporarily raise serotonin

levéis in the brain, which can enhanec your alcrtness

and baste mental facullies. Su, the next time you have

to take an exam, try telling a jokc or two beforehand.

You never know, it coukl just give you the lift you

need!

1 Circle the correct answers. (3 marks)

1 Which of these methods is the best way to improve your brain power?

A doing a sudoku puzzle

B doing somethíng you find difficult

C buying some brain-training games

2 What should you do if you want to stay in good mental health?

A work very hard at your job

B learn as many skills as you can before leaving school

[ C have a_positiy_e attitude^

3 How could having a sense of humour be good for you?

A It will bring you success in exams.

B It will help to relax you before an exam,

C It may make you more alert for an exam.

2 Mark the sentences 7"(True) or f(False). Give evidence for your answers from the text. (2 marks) 1 You can learn how to become super-intelligent.

F. 'Although we are all capable of learning new skilte, ¡t i5 not

2 If you continué to study after you have left school, you will have a perfect memory when you are oíd.

S^^^^Sá£3^S^^^^^M3éJS^Í^ÜÚ^d^L

3 Rewrite these sentences from the text. Start with the words given. (2 marks)

1 Neuroscientists have expressed doubts about some of the more extravagant claims.

Dou bts ^y.S.^SSD^SXS^ÁÉ^9}¿P.MQÜ)§SLÉ}§.!^XS.

2 Learning new skills can be a good way to give your brain a boost.

If you want an effective way to give .i............ J .... .^J^r3ü3/Js.aroA?K§Ml§.

4 Find words and phrases in the text that mean: (2 marks)

1 large number (paragraph A).^.Mt¡.

2 beginning, development (paragraph B)

3 view (paragraph C) .8ü#°Sfc.

4 in advance (paragraph D)..

5 Circle the word from the text which does not contain the vowel sound. (1 mark)

1 /a i / maximize / Qraiñjng) / variety / try

2 /u:/ to / proved / boost / ('putloojT)

32 UniE 3 Educattan

in in ni ni ni IT r rn irr i n ir

Material world SHOPPING LIKE THE STARS

@ Before M a t t goes o n íioliday, he wants tu buy a new pair o f sunglasses. But nol just any sunglasses. T v e got to g e t a p a i r o f those aviator sunglasses that D a v i d B e c k h a m and B r a d Pitt are w e a r i n g , ' M a t t , 18, e x p l a i n s . " T h e y ' r e more expensive , b u l they're definitely the most s t y l i s h ones a r o u n d . '

( § ) L a s t y e a r , w o r l d w i d e sales o f luxury goods, such as designer labels and top-of-the-l ine gadgets, were estimated at over €163 b i l l i o n . Y o u n g shoppers have played a large part

in this b o o m , w i t h 1 8 - 2 5 year olds spending b i l l i o n s o f euros annually . ' T h i s generation is h e a v i l y influenced by celebrity culture and Ihe entertainment industry, ' explains A n n i e B l a c k , editor o f Marketing Monthly. ' T h e y admire the r i c h and famous, and they want the l i festyle to match - whatever the c o s í . '

(jC) M a t t bought his sunglasses, w h i c h cost h i m over 6 8 0 . B u t M a t t doesn't m i n d . ' E v e n i f t h e y ' d cost 6 1 5 0 , I 'd st i l l have splashed out. F o r m e , h a v i n g the right l o o k is essential . I f I see B e c k h a m w e a r i n g or p r o m o t i n g something , 1' 11 buy it , because I w a n l the same image. ' M a t t isn't alone. Websites , magazines , and even f i lms show celebrities p r o m o t i n g clothes and other material possessions, each a d v e n w i t h the secret message: i f y o u buy this, y o u too w i l l look w e a l l h y , p o p u l a r and success t u l .

( § ) Unfortunately, not everyone w h o buys l u x u r y ítems has a B e c k h a m - s i z e d budget, and many consumers are falling into the

red. A recent survey suggests that o v c r a third o f U K consumers have acquired loans or credit card debts by the t ime they are 2 5 , and

approximately one in five o f these o w e more than £ 1 0 , 0 0 0 (over C 12,000). A c c o r d i n g to P h i l Jessop, w h o runs the charity Debt Support, ' S o m e people try to keep up w i t h their favourite stars, but this s imply isn't possible o n most non-celeb salaries. If these wannabes k n e w they were g o i n g to end up broke or even bankrupt, I 'm sure t h e y ' d think t w i c e . W h o cares ¡f y o u l o o k l ike Posh Spice w h e n y o u can't even afford to m o v e out o f y o u r parents' house?'

READING

1 Read the titfe of the text and the first paragraph. What do you think the text will mainly be about?

1 Celebrity fashion and shopping habits. •

2 People who are obsessed with becoming rich and famous.

3 People who spend money to be like celebrities. [7]

2 Read the complete text quickly and check your answer to exercise 1.

3 Read the text again. Then complete the sentences using information from the text. 1 Every year, over $163 blilion ...

2 Younger consumers are important to the luxury goods market because ...

3 Advertstell us that.

4 Before they reach the age of 25 ...

.more tí Ü?áiP..QñCÁ

:; . ;.;

5 If you spend all your money on trylng to resemble a famous celebrity, ...

you coulde^ixpqor^hdí^

4 Answer the questions in your own words. 1 Why does Matt want to buy the expensive sunglasses?

2 According to Annie Black, how has celebrity culture affected younger people?

.^amejfeptylesjsjj Stófifofe

5 Look at the bold expressions in the text. Write a definition or an example sentence to show that you have understood the meaning of each expression.

1 play a large part -v • --¡t ORAirpollution haspla^ed^

tyfMffáfáMtifáfáií, mfsfflftíflt,

2 fall into the red

^^XM^.!X°^.^!M^Ü.Án1íS.É}S.!j^;.

6 Find words or expressions in the text which mean: 1 available (paragraph A)

MStíüíL 2 increase, rlse (paragraph B)

3 very, greatiy (paragraph B)

.h§#xí!y. 4 hidden (paragraph C)

.secret

5 become in the end (paragraph D)

endup„ _

Unit 4 Material world 33