MEDALS FOR LARGE FAMILIES
On 1st June, Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian president, announced a plan to
encourage Russian families to have more children.
Demographers are people who study populations. They predict how populations
of different countries will increase or decrease in the future.
Demographers in Russia have been warning the government that the country's
population is decreasing*. The current population of Russia is around 142 million
people. The demographers estimate if nothing is done to stop the decrease, the
number of people living in the country may go to about 110 million within
40 years.
To make his announcement, Mr Medvedev held a special ceremony at the
Kremlin, in Moscow, the capital of Russia. Many families with four or more
children were invited to the event. Some families had as many as 11 children.
President Medvedev awarded each family a special medal called the 'Order of
Parental Glory'. The medal showed a golden two-headed eagle — the symbol
of Russia.
During his speech President Medvedev thanked the couples for having large
families. He said they were a good example to other Russians. The ceremony
was shown live.
The size of a country's population is important to governments. Countries need
enough people of the right age to work in companies' offices and factories. If
there are not enough workers, it can be difficult for the economy to grow. Older
people who are retired are often supported by the government. Some of the
money for this support comes from the taxes workers pay. If there are fewer
workers, the government collects less money in taxes.
Russian men now live for an average of 60 years. This is much lower than in other
European countries. Experts agree there are several reasons for this including
AIDS, drinking too much alcohol, poverty and pollution.
The Russian government has also started to give families money for having a
second child. Those who are awarded the new 'Order of Parental Glory' medal
are given a cash payment of 50,000 roubles.
2. The author says what changes demographers predict. Find this extract and read
it aloud.
3.What are the reasons that make people live shorter lives?
4.Why is a country's population important to its government?
№43
1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
A jammer
устройство радиоэлектронного подавления
To claim
заявлять, утверждать
To disrupt
нарушать, мешать
MOBILE PHONE PROTEST
Students in a school in Canada walked out of lessons to protest about the action
of their headteacher. They said the headteacher had broken the law and violated
their rights.
The headteacher had installed a mobile phone jammer* within the school. The
jammer stops signals from reaching mobile phones, so it stopped all the students'
mobile phones from working.
Teachers at the school claim* that students using mobile phones in lessons
especially for texting — has become a major problem. In 2007 the school banned
students from taking phones into the classroom.
But teachers say they were each still having to confiscate two or three phones
a day because students were ignoring the rule and texting in class. The teachers
say this was very annoying because it was disrupting* lessons.
It took two days for pupils to work out that a jammer was the reason thei
phones weren't working. A group of the students used the internet to find out
about the use of mobile phone jammers. They found a reference to a law ca
the Canada Radiocommunications Act. This law says it's illegal to use air
device that blocks people's mobile phone signals.
The students then held a protest rally against the use of the jammer. As soo~
as the headteacher learnt it was illegal, he switched the jamming device off. H
said he was impressed by the way the pupils had done their research into t1
Radiocommunications Act.
Mobile phones in school classrooms cause a lot of arguments. Many studen
say it is their right to have them wherever they want. Some parents say the_
want to be able to contact their children. But many teachers say they can't teacii
lessons when there are so many disruptions from using mobile phones.
Not all teachers think mobile phones should be banned, though. Many say th
best action would be to educate students on when it's appropriate to use mobiL
phones.
2. The author says that mobile phones in classroom can lead to disturbance at the
lesson. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What made the headteacher switch off the mobile phone jammer?
4. Why did the headteacher decide to install the jammer?
№43
1.Read the review and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
Pride and Pregudice
«Гордость и предубеждение»
A clergyman
священник
To rebel
протестовать, оказывать сопротивление
HAVE YOU SEEN?.
Pride and Prejudice*, an interesting and enjoyable new film has been released.
It is based on Jane Austen's famous 1813 novel. Jane Austen (1775—1817)
lived in and around Hampshire in the South of England where her father was a
clergyman*. Many films and television adaptations of Pride and Prejudice have
been made before.
Pride and Prejudice is about the Bennet family. In 1813, English 'ladies' from
good families do not go to work but Mr and Mrs Bennet are short of money. So
the only hope for their five teenage daughters is to marry rich men.
Mr Darcy (played by Mathew MacFayden) is one of Britain's wealthiest men
and Pemberley, his country house, is fabulous. Jane Austen was thinking of
Chatsworth, real-life home of the Duke of Devonshire in Derbyshire, and part
of the film was made there.
Unfortunately, Mr Darcy seems rude and uninterested in the Bennet girls.
Gradually however, Elizabeth, the second Bennet daughter (Keira Knightley)
realises that she likes Mr Darcy.
Mr Bennet (Donald Sutherland) and Mrs Bennet (Brenda Mulligan) are both,
in their different ways, rather unwise parents and there's a near disaster when
Lydia Bennet Qena Malone) rebels*.
Joe Wright, the director of this excellent new film shows us what life would
really have been like for a family like the Bennets in early nineteenth century
England. They have farm animals, laundry hanging outside and, compared with
neighbours such as Mr Bingley (Simon Woods) of Netherfield Hall, their house
is small and old.
The acting is fine too. Keira Knightley, as Elizabeth, shows very clearly in her
face what she is thinking. Donald Sutherland, a Canadian actor seems a rather
odd choice for Mr Bennet though and he looks a bit scruffy. Dame Judi Dench,
as the witch-like Lady Catherine de Bourgh is so horribly patronising that she
is funny.
This new version of Pride and Prejudice is fast-moving and colourful. The music
is good too, especially in the ballroom scenes. Once you've seen and enjoyed it
you will probably want to read (or re-read) Jane Austen's book.
Pride and Prejudice. Working Title Films. Duration: 127 minutes
2.The author says what the film is about. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3.What does the director want to show in the film?
4.Why can this film be interesting for the viewer?
№44
- Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
SHAKESPEARE'S PORTRAIT?
A painting has been discovered that experts say is a picture of one of the world's
best-known writers, William Shakespeare. He is thought to have written at least
36 plays, which include the world-famous Hamlet, Twelfth Night and Romeo
and Juliet. Yet surprisingly little is known about Shakespeare's life, the way he
worked, or what he looked like.
Shakespeare was born in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon in England in 1564
He left the town when he was about 20, leaving behind a wife and three children.
After this period he worked as an actor and writer of plays in London. In 1594
he helped form a new theatre company and wrote plays for the next 20 years.
After this he retired to Stratford-upon-Avon where he died in 1616. He is buried
in a local church.
Several portraits exist that are supposed to be those of Shakespeare's. Yet many
experts think these paintings are probably pictures of someone else, or were
painted at least 100 years after Shakespeare died.
The Shakespeare expert and the owner of the newly-discovered painting say
they are 90 % sure it is of William Shakespeare. Alec Cobbe owns the painting. It
has been in his family's possession since the early 1700s. They did not know who
the person in the painting was. A few years ago Mr Cobbe went to a Shakespeare
exhibition and saw a painting of Shakespeare called the Janssen portrait. He was
amazed by how similar it was to the painting owned by his family.
He took his painting to a Shakespeare expert. Since then it has been dated
and X-rayed. They now believe it was painted in 1610, when Shakespeare was
46 years old — six years before he died. Mr Cobbe thinks he could prove the
portrait was originally owned by the Earl of Southampton, who supported
Shakespeare when he was writing his plays.
Other experts are not so sure whether it really is a portrait of Shakespeare. This,
they say, is because there is no proof the Janssen portrait is actually a picture
of Shakespeare either!
2. The author gives some facts about Shakespeare's life. Find this extract and read
it aloud.
3. What facts prove that the painting can be a portrait of William Shakespeare?
4. Why do some people doubt that this is a portrait of Shakespeare?
№45
- Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
A bargain
выгодная покупка
SHOPPING IN LONDON
John tells us a bit more about shopping in London... "When I visit London one
of my favourite things to do is shopping! I really enjoy hunting around for a
bargain* in the sales, buying something new to wear out on a Saturday night.
Or alternatively, a bit of window-shopping — it doesn't cost a penny. Sometimes
I'll spend hours just wandering around a market having a chat with my friends.
There are loads of different places to go shopping in London. You can go to
Oxford Street, but be warned, it gets too busy sometimes; it can be difficult to go
anywhere! Alternatively for a less crowded, more relaxing shopping experience,
go to Covent Garden, you can have an expensive cappuccino, and watch some
(free) street theatres at the same time.
Some people like shopping in department stores, the most famous one in London
is 'Harrods', but for me, it's not modern enough, and too expensive, the sort of
place your parents shop. But just down the road is 'Harvey Nics', much more
up-to-date, but not cheap. The best of all the big department stores is 'Selfridges'
in Oxford Street, it's a shopper's paradise, nice clothes, and the prices. Well I
can look, can't I?
You can also try Camden, it's busy, exciting, trendy, and there are lots of bargains!
You can buy cheap jeans and cool second hand clothes in the morning and then
get a tattoo and a body piercing later on! If all that shopping is too tiring, you
can get some Chinese or Thai food for £2 or £3, sit by the canal and have a drink.
What could be better?
If Camden is not cultured enough, you might prefer a day in Greenwich —
a world heritage site. This is a much more relaxing day out. You can have a walk
round the market and shops, and then take in a bit of London's history — it was
the birthplace of Henry VIII, Queen Mary and Elizabeth I. There's also the park,
the 'Cutty Sark' (an old tea clipper ship), the meridian line (where east meets
west), and the old observatory... so much to do, but don't forget the shopping!"
2. The author describes some department stores that are popular with shoppers.
Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What does John like about shopping?
4. Why is Greenwich interesting to visit?
№46
1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
To convict
осудить, признать виновным
UNIVERSITY CELEBRATES
One of the world's leading universities has just begun to celebrate its 800th
anniversary.
Cambridge University, in the UK, was founded in 1209. On 17th January it
held a special outdoor celebration to launch a year of events marking its 800th
birthday.
The University was founded by scholars from another English university,
Oxford. Nobody is exactly sure why they moved to Cambridge. One record
shows it happened when two Oxford scholars were arrested and then convicted*
of murdering a local woman. Other students protested their arrest by leaving
the university and going to other towns. It was a group of these scholars that
set up a university in Cambridge.
Originally only men were allowed to study at Cambridge. From 1869 women
were permitted to study there, but they were not awarded degrees. Women at
Cambridge were first awarded degrees in 1947.
Some of the most important discoveries in history have been made by people
studying at Cambridge University. The jet engine was invented there. Scientists
at Cambridge discovered the structure of human DNA. More than 80 winners
of the Nobel Prize, and 15 of Britain's prime ministers, have been graduates of
Cambridge University.
Many students from Cambridge University have become famous for becoming
among the best in their fields of work. Authors C. S. Lewis, who wrote the
Narnia books, and A. A. Milne, who wrote Winnie-the-Pooh, also studied at the
university.
On 17th January about 7,000 people gathered in the centre of Cambridge to
watch a light show celebrating the anniversary. Images and illustrations were
projected onto one of the famous university buildings, the Senate House. A
piece of music containing exactly 800 notes was played from the nearby Great
St Mary's Church.
Cambridge is usually ranked among the top five universities in the world for
its standard of research and teaching. Today, around 18,000 students study at
Cambridge University.
2. The author says how the university was founded. Find this extract and read it
aloud.
3. What important discoveries were made at Cambridge?
4. Why is Cambridge University considered one of the best in the world?
№47
1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
