3. Why is it important for schoolchildren to have breakfast?
4. What are the results of the experiment?
№ 29
1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
HUNDREDS OF ENGLISHES
A friend of mine recently tried to download a new programme from the internet. But she soon had a problem. She had selected English as the variant of the programme that she wanted. But then she had to choose from a whole list of different 'Englishes': International English, Universal English, American English, European English, South African English... Whatever happened to ordinary English English? My friend wanted to know.
Languages are like living things. They change and grow. In the case of English, the process of change is becoming faster and faster. New forms of the language are being created, partly because more and more people are now speaking English and partly because of new forms of communication such as email. About 400 million people in various countries of the world use English as a first language. About 600 million people use English as a second language. In addition to these people, there are millions of people who are learning English for use at work or when they travel. It is not surprising that the language has changed to suit local needs, as a result there are many types of English with their own vocabulary and a characteristic sentence structure.
You might think that there are not really big differences between British and American English. Well, that is not really true. British people always find American English a little strange and sometimes totally incomprehensible. Canadians officially use British spelling and usage, but in reality they are very influenced by American English. Once when 1 was visiting Vancouver, I asked a bus driver if he was going to the centre. I meant, of course, the city centre. He looked at me as though I were mad. "But this is the centre," he said. In reality, we were about 10 miles from the city centre. However, we were at a bus stop outside a shopping centre. Fortunately, I remembered just in time that for north Americans 'downtown' is the word to indicate the city centre, so the problem was solved.
2. The author's friend had a problem while working on the computer. Read aloud the extract which says about it.
3. Why is English changing much more than other languages?
4. How much do the variants of English differ?
№ 30
1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
GOOD NEWS FOR CHOCOLATE LOVERS!
It would be difficult to find someone who does not like chocolate. In the United States, chocolate is bought more often than any other kind of sweet. In Britain, each person eats an average of 11 kg of chocolate per year. That is a lot of chocolate! In the US people eat about 200 chocolate bars per second as a matter of fact. People love chocolate so much that they often think it is a bad habit. But there is good news for all chocoholics: eating chocolate does less harm to you than you might think.
People often believe that chocolate causes a number of health problems including bad teeth, obesity and skin problems such as acne. Studies carried out in the United States, however, give no support to this idea.
Specific tests were carried out. One group of people who suffer from acne was given regular amounts of chocolate, while another group of similar sufferers had no chocolate at all. At the end of the test period the two groups were compared. No difference in the condition of the acne sufferers was noticed. Chocolate contains fat and sugar, so if you ate a lot of chocolate you would probably put on weight. But reasonable amounts of chocolate in your diet will not make you fat. People usually get fat because they eat too much food in general, especially if they are not very active. What about the effect on your teeth? Chocolate can damage your teeth, but the danger is less than many people believe. It is good to know that eating a certain amount of chocolate may even be good for you. Chocolate contains protein, vitamins and minerals. Scientists believe chocolate may reduce the risk of heart disease. Perhaps the most amazing thing of all is that it can help you fight off illness. The important thing is not the chocolate in itself, but the pleasure that it gives you. Even the smell of chocolate can have a positive effect on your immune system. It is nice to smell chocolate of course, but it is much better to eat it. And the great thing is that you can eat it without fear.
Obesity – Ожирение, acne - угревая сыпь
