Dear students,

You will see the last round of e-learning homework: "Cool and Cinema History" below. The deadline for handing it in is October 8. If you have questions, or if you want to talk with us to practise your oral English, you can give us a ring (0756)- 6128031
10 a.m.-12 noon, Monday to Friday Sept. 4-Oct. 20, 2006 except for the first week in October.

When you work on the comprehension passages, please read carefully, and as far as possible, don’t use an English-Chinese dictionary. Please just send us the answers, no need to give us the passages again.

When you send in your homework, please put down your full name and major to enable us to record your marks.

Homework due date: October 8
* Cinema History
* Cool

Some of you asked me for interesting things in addition to the passages, I’d like to recommend “Jokes in English” http://iteslj.org/c/jokes-riddles.html

A year Two student, Gavin, recommended a good site for new students to practise their listening. You can try that too.  http://www.putclub.com

Some others asked me if there would be tests on these reading passages. No, English language grades are given by continuous assessment and so each piece of work counts. Do your best then.

Some of you asked for information about our English teachers. Here it is.

• Eva
• Dave
• Gary
• Howard
• Marya
• Navid
• Ruth
• Suzanne
• Vicki

EMAIL for homework: evalai@uic.edu.hk

1. Homework to be sent in by Sept. 20 (do all please)
   1. The Promise of World Peace
   2. What Bill Clinton Is Doing with the Rest of his Life*
   3. Hearing Problems
2. Homework to be sent in by Oct. 5 (do all please)
3. Reading material for the English Enhancement Course
4. Old passages for the first round

Cultural Awareness

2005 CE

{mospagebreak title=Global warming threatens to kill off a million species&heading=E-Learning}

Global warming threatens to kill off a million species

Recently a group of scientists published the first comprehensive study into the effect of higher temperatures on the natural world. The scientists involved in the research were shocked by what they found. Over the next 50 years about 25% of land animals and plants will become extinct. More than 1 million species will be lost by 2050.

The head of the research team, Chris Thomas, who is professor of conservation biology at Leeds University, described the results of the research as terrifying. The loss represents more than 10% of all plants and animals and a large part of this is already irreversible because of the extra global warming gases that are already in the atmosphere. But the scientists say that immediate action to control greenhouse gases now could save many more plants and animals from extinction.

The research took two years to complete and provides an assessment of the effect of climate change on six biologically rich regions of the world taking in 20% of the land surface. The research in Europe, Australia, Central and South America, and South Africa, showed that species living in mountainous areas had a better chance of survival because they could move uphill to get cooler.

Professor Thomas said: "When scientists start a research project they hope to produce definite results, but we wish we had not found what we found. It was much, much worse than we expected, and what we have discovered may even be an underestimate."

One of the more shocking findings of the scientists was that half of the 24 species of butterfly they studied in Australia would become extinct. In South Africa, major conservation areas such as the Kruger National Park could lose up to 60% of the species under their protection, while more than one third of 300 South African plant species studied were expected to die out, including the national flower, the King Protea.

A study of 163 tree species in the Cerrado region of Brazil which covers one fifth of the country,  showed that up to 70 would become extinct. Many of the plants and trees that exist in this savannah occur nowhere else in the world. In Europe, the continent least affected by climate change, survival rates were better.

Studies in Mexico's Chihuahuan desert confirmed that extinction was more probable on flatter land because a small change in climate would mean that plants and animals would have to migrate for huge distances in order to survive. One third of the 1,870 species that were studied would be in trouble.

Many species are already certain to become extinct because it takes at least 25 years for the greenhouse effect--or the trapping of the sun's rays by the carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide--to have its full effect on the planet. The continuing production of more greenhouse gases, particularly by the United States and European nations, is making matters worse. The research says that, if mankind continues to burn oil, coal and gas at the current rate, up to one third of all life forms will be become extinct by 2050.

.Macmillan Publishers Ltd
Taken from the News section in www.onestopenglish.com
GLOBAL WARMING THREATENS TO KILL OF A MILLION SPECIES
Scientists express shock at scale of disaster facing the planet.

A) Match the words with their meanings.

1. species
2. extinct
3. terrifying
4. irreversible
5. assessment
6. underestimate (noun)
7. conservation
8. to migrate

a. very, very frightening
b. a wrong idea that something is smaller or less important than it really is
c. a plant or animal group
d. the management of land and water to prevent it from being damaged or destroyed
e. to move to another part of the world
f. no longer existing
g. impossible to change or bring back
h. a judgment or opinion

B) Look in the text and correct the information in these sentences.

1. Over the next 50 years about 20% of land animals will become extinct.
2. More than 1 million species will be lost by 2020.
3. This loss represents less than 10% of all plants and animals.
4. The research took three years to complete.
5. More than half of 300 South African plant species studied were expected to die out.
6. The Cerrado region of Brazil covers one sixth of the country.
7. 1,780 species of tree were studied in Mexico.
8. The greenhouse effect takes 20 years to have its full effect.

C) Match the beginnings with the endings. There is one sentence for each paragraph.

1. The scientists who were involved in the research .
2. Many plants and animals could be saved from extinction .
3. Species in mountainous areas have a better chance of survival .
4. The results of the research .
5. The national flower of South Africa .
6. Survival rates in Europe are better .
7. Species in flatter areas have less chance of survival .
8. Most greenhouse gases .

a. . because it is least affected by climate change.
b. . were worse than the scientists expected.
c. . because they will have to travel huge distances in order to survive.
d. . were shocked by what they found.
e. . are produced by the USA and European nations.
f. . will probably become extinct.
g. . because they can move uphill to get cooler.
h. . if immediate action was taken to control greenhouse gases.

D) Chang the nouns below into adjectives

1. mountain ____________
2. globe ____________
3. shock ____________
4. extinction ____________

E) Change the verbs below into nouns

5. publish ____________
6. protect ____________
7. assess ____________
8. survive ____________

F) Match the words in the left-hand column with the words they collocate with in the right-hand
column.

1. become                   a. out
2. die                      b. change
3. global                   c. team
4. greenhouse               d. extinct
5. conservation             e. effect
6. climate                  f. forms
7. life                     g. area
8. research                 h. warming

G) Based on this article, write at least one paragraph about the two topics below.

What are the main causes of global warming?
How can greenhouse gases be controlled?

.Macmillan Publishers Ltd
Taken from the News section in http://www.onestopenglish.com/

{mospagebreak title=Cross-Channel Relations}

• Get "Cross-Channel Relations"(PDF file)
• Get Adobe Reader here for reading PDF file

{mospagebreak title=Using Coal}

Greenhouse gases arise from a wide range of sources and their increasing concentration is largely related to the compound effects of increased population, improved living standards and changes in lifestyle. From a current base of 5 billion, the United Nations predicts that the global population may stabilise in the twenty-first century between 8 and 14 billion, with more than 90 per cent of the projected increase taking place in the world's developing nations. The associated activities to support that growth, particularly to produce the required energy and food, will cause further increases in greenhouse gas emissions. The challenge, therefore, is to attain a sustainable balance between population, economic growth and the environment.

The major greenhouse gas emissions from human activities are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and nitrous oxide. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are the only major contributor to the greenhouse effect that does not occur naturally, coming from such sources as refrigeration, plastics and manufacture. Coal's total contribution to greenhouse gas emissions is thought to be about 18 per cent, with about half of this coming from electricity generation.

The world-wide coal industry allocates extensive resources to researching and developing new technologies and ways of capturing greenhouse gases. Efficiencies are likely to be improved dramatically, and hence CO2 emissions reduced, through combustion and gasification techniques which are now at pilot and demonstration stages.

Clean coal is another avenue for improving fuel conversion efficiency. Investigations are under way into superclean coal (3-5 per cent ash) and ultraclean coal (less than 1 per cent ash). Superclean coal has the potential to enhance the combustion efficiency of conventional pulverised fuel power plants. Ultraclean coal will enable coal to be used in advanced power systems such as coal-fired gas turbines which, when operated in combined cycle, have the potential to achieve much greater efficiencies.
Defendants of mining point out that, environmentally, coal mining has two important factors in its favour. It makes only temporary use of the land and produces no toxic chemical wastes. By carefully pre-planning projects, implementing pollution control measures, monitoring the effects of mining and rehabilitating mined areas, the coal industry minimises the impact on the neighbouring community, the immediate environment and long-term land capability.
Dust levels are controlled by spraying roads and stockpiles, and water pollution is controlled by carefully separating clean water runoff from runoff which contains sediments or salt from mine workings. The latter is treated and re-used for dust suppression. Noise is controlled by modifying equipment and by using insulation and sound enclosures around machinery. 
 

Page 2   COAL

Since mining activities represent only a temporary use of the land, extensive rehabilitation measures are adopted to ensure that land capability after mining meets agreed and appropriate standards which, in some cases, are superior to the land's pre-mining condition. Where the mining is underground, the surface area can be simultaneously used for forests, cattle grazing and crop raising, or even reservoirs and urban development, with little or no disruption to the existing land use. In all cases, mining is subject to stringent controls and approvals processes. 
 

Questions 1 - 5
Choose the correct letter A, B, C or D.
Write your answers on your answer sheet.

1 The global increase in greenhouse gases has been attributed to
A industrial pollution in developing countries.
B coal mining and electricity generation.
C reduced rainfall in many parts of the world.
D trends in population and lifestyle.

2 The proportion of all greenhouse gases created by coal is approximately
A 14 per cent.
B 18 per cent.
C 27 per cent.
D 90 per cent.

3 Current research aims to increase the energy-producing efficiency of coal by
A burning it at a lower temperature.
B developing new gasification techniques.
C extracting CO2 from it.
D recycling greenhouse gases.

4 Compared with ordinary coal, new, ‘clean' coals may generate power
A more cleanly and more efficiently.
B more cleanly but less efficiently.
C more cleanly but at higher cost.
D more cleanly but much more slowly.

5 To control dust at mine sites, mining companies often use
A chemicals which may be toxic.
B topsoil taken from the site before mining.
C fresh water from nearby dams.
D runoff water containing sediments.

Question 6
Choose the most suitable title for the text from the list below.
Write the correct letter A-D on your answer sheet.

A Pollution control in coal mining
B The greenhouse effect
C The coal industry and the environment
D Sustainable population growth 

STUDENT ANSWER SHEET

1. _____________________
2. _____________________
3. _____________________
4. _____________________
5. _____________________
6. _____________________

{mospagebreak title=Wooing the Dragon}

Wooing the Dragon by Denis Welch

It's phenomenal," says Jade Gray. "There's no other way to describe it. When you walk down the street, the energy is phenomenal. Everybody is on a mission, whether it's for themselves or their family or their business. There's no thought of lifestyle or cruising along, everybody's 100mph. It's very tiring."

We're not talking about the streets of Auckland or Wellington here. This is Beijing, the city that never sleeps in a country that just won't stop growing, and the message from Gray and other Kiwis who know China is: get used to it. Whether we know it or not, Chinese economic power and influence will change - is already changing - the world we live in.

No doubt about it, China matters to us: but do we as a nation have the wit and the ability to understand China, get alongside it and work with it, rather than turn away in fear and perplexity because the Chinese way of life is outside our comfort zone?

The figures are staggering. The world's 30th largest economy in 1978, China is now expected to overtake the US as No 1 by 2025. Its average annual growth is 10 percent. Actually, it had 10 percent growth in the first quarter this year. According to the Providence Report, Shanghai has overtaken Rotterdam as the world's biggest port. There was one skyscraper in Shanghai in 1985; now there are more than 300. The population of Shenzhen, a southern city that most of us (it's a fair bet) have never even heard of, has rocketed from 1.5 million to 12 million in 15 years. China will buy 2600 airliners over the next 20 years. It uses 40 percent of the world's steel. Its people eat 20 percent of the world's ice-cream ...

And so on. But the really significant shift, says the Providence Report, will be to "super-consumer"; consequently, the world's largest manufacturing base will be located in the same country as the world's largest consumer base. With such an industrial giant "scouring the planet for energy, food and minerals", you don't have to be an economist or an environmentalist to figure out the economic and environmental effect on the rest of the globe. Or at least that there will be a profound effect.

Sadly, many marketers still can't get their heads around China.. Although there have been any number of seminars and summits about China, not to mention all the talk of a free trade agreement,  "India seems more attractive," they say. "They are educated under a western system ... and they speak English."

But you'd have to stick with China, if you were putting money on either of the two, because they're the ones that are educating all of their young and they have a much bigger growing middle class and a much stronger urbanisation process taking place. And they don't have the absolute poverty that India has; nor do they have the very strong and divided religious groups."

Adapted from the New Zealand Listener, June 17-23 2006 Vol 204 No 3449

 

QUESTIONS:

1. Do you think this article is totally positive; totally negative; mostly positive; mostly negative or "50-50"?
2. Who or what is the "dragon" in the title?
3. What nationality is the author of this article?
4. In paragraph 2, who are the "kiwis"?
5. According to this article, what is the world's largest port?
6. What is the "industrial giant" referred to in paragraph 5?

VOCABULARY:

Match the words in the left hand column with the definitions in the right hand column

1. phenomenal	A. movement towards city living
2. economics	B. a person who protects the environment
3. skyscraper	C. a person who buys or uses products
4. significant	D. extraordinary
5. consumer	E. intense
6. staggering	F. the study of money
7. environmentalist	G. astounding
8. profound	H. a very tall building
9. urbanization	I. important

IDIOM:

What do the following expressions mean?

1. ..the city that never sleeps..?
2. outside our comfort zone..?
3. .. can't get their heads around..?
4. .. putting money on..?

DISCUSSION:

1. According to this article, why might New Zealand companies prefer to do business with India rather than China?
   
   
   
2. Using your own words, give three reasons (from the article) why New Zealand companies should trade with China?
   
   
   
3. In your opinion, what goods might New Zealand have to offer China?

{mospagebreak title=Hearing Problems}

Paragraph 1 (Q.1) The old adage extols the virtue of silence by claiming it is golden, yet experience tells us that silence is as hard to come by as the precious metal itself. The benefit of silence to the human ear is scientifically demonstrable. Less  superfluous noise; less impairment to the hearing. Yet this precious commodity is no longer valued. Noise is ever  present in modern life and is an accumulative experience. The ill effects of noise pollution are of two kinds: acute -exposure to an individual instance of a very loud noise, such as a gunshot or explosion; and chronic - the experience of too much noise over an extended period of time.
Paragraph 2 (Q.2) City and urban dwellers exist in an increasingly noise-ridden environment, and it is now almost impossible to escape exposure to high noise levels. Even if we exclude the more obvious sources of noise pollution such as jet plane engines, road works, power tools, loud music at dance parties and so on, it is clear that noise is a constant and often unwelcome companion. We have only to walk through a suburban shopping mall or department store, or catch a bus or train to be  subjected to noise levels that a few decades ago would have been considered beyond human endurance. The popular practice of 'layering' sound, by adding a louder source of noise to that which already exists in order to mask it, merely compounds the problem. Because of the accumulative nature of noise abuse, constant noise is worse than noisy periods interspersed with silence.
Paragraph 3 (Q.3) Our noise level acceptance threshold is rising in step with the number of persons developing hearing problems. Data available from a recent survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that 7.4% of people over 14years of age have some discernible hearing problem. According to the survey, 24.6% of the 7.4% of persons with affected hearing have problems caused by subjection to a constant barrage of noise, either at work, in the everyday living environment, or as the result of a particular choice of leisure activity. The problem is most severe for males aged between 25 and 64 years of age, 9.1%of whom have a hearing disability, and for which the cause is constant noise in 44.4% of cases.
Paragraph 4 (Q.4) Of current concern to acoustical engineers and psychologists at the National Acoustics Laboratories in Sydney, Australia, is the potential for damage to the eardrum caused by the transmission of loud sound through earphones placed directly into the ear canal. An almost universal fad among young people, the pocket-sized radio-cassette player (commonly known by the brand name 'Walkman') may be exposing its owner to greater than the maximum safe dosage of noise recommended for industrial workers - 90 decibels* over a period of 8 hours. This dosage, called Dose 1, can be achieved much sooner by exposing the ear to only slightly more than 90 decibels. Increases to the decibel level logarithmically shorten the exposure time required to reach a given dose. For instance, to achieve Dose 1 in 4 hours, it is necessary to raise the decibel exposure level by a mere 3decibels.
Paragraph 5 (Q.5) One danger posed to young ears is that the peak sound level from these radio-cassette players is often far too great; at high volume it is all too easy to receive Dose 1 in a short period of time. Any further noise heard above90 decibels that day and the recipient is causing measurable damage to his or her ears. Another danger is the likelihood of a change in the pain threshold of noise resulting in users compensating by increasing the volume to levels way above what is considered safe. Finally, insertable earphones block the ear canal, thereby further increasing the noise level absorbed.
Paragraph 6 (Q.6) But perhaps the most alarming potential for danger caused by insertable earphones is the ease with which the listener can exceed the safe time length of exposure to noise. The small earphones can be comfortably worn for extended periods of time. What is more, there is the danger of falling asleep with the earphones inserted, leading to an accumulation of excess noise while unconscious.
Paragraph 7 (Q.7) Noise abuse soon leads to varying degrees of hearing loss. What may begin as an acute temporary  condition, in time becomes a chronic and irreversible disability. A common complaint is 'tinnitus', or a 'ringing in the ears' which fails to subside after the ears are subjected to a short but extreme dose of noise. It is an exhausting condition that can seriously threaten the composure of the sufferer who can be driven to near madness. It is believed the composer Beethoven was particularly aggravated by this malady. At present, there is little that can be done in the majority of cases, although the victim might be able to obtain some temporary relief by using a masking device which blocks out the offending frequencies of sound with other, less annoying frequencies.
Paragraph 8 (Example) Inevitably, though, years of excessive noise accumulation take their toll and partial or complete deafness results. If silence is the cure for ailing ears(or, at least, the best way to prevent further deterioration of one's hearing), it is sobering to realise that it is also the unfortunate and permanent curse of a lifetime of noise abuse caused by ignoring the warnings.

• decibel: standard unit of sound measurement

Questions 1 - 7
Match the headings below with paragraphs 1 - 8 in the reading passage entitled "Hearing Problems". There are more headings than required. The last paragraph heading has been completed for you as an example.
A. Research into earphones inserted in the ear canal

B. Listening through earphones for too long

C. The maximum noise level of the 'Walkman'

D. The benefit of silence

E. An environment of constant noise

F. Three problems caused by inserted earphones

G. The maximum safe noise dosage

H. The curse of silence (Example)

8
I. A cure for 'tinnitus'

J. Alarming statistical evidence

K.A chronic hearing loss impairment

L. The danger of falling asleep

Questions 8 - 16
Refer to the reading passage entitled "Hearing Problems" and answer the questions below with answer T (for True) or F (for False) in the box below. The first one has been done for you as an example.
Ex. Silence is not beneficial to the human ear
F
Q8. Silence is no longer a precious commodity

Q9. There are basically two kinds of noise pollution

Q10. The noise from a jet plane engine is not an obvious form of noise pollution

Q11. 'Layering' sound reduces the overall amount of sound by masking it

Q12. More males than females suffer the consequences of constant noise

Q13. To achieve Dose 1 in 4 hours, the ear needs to be exposed to 93 decibels for that period of time

Q14. The passage outlines four main dangers from using insertable earphones

Q15. Beethoven's ability to compose music was threatened by his 'tinnitus'

Q16. Deafness is caused by not hearing the warnings about noise abuse

Questions 17 - 20
Answer the questions below by using words and phrases taken from the reading passage entitled "Hearing Problems". Note that there is a maximum of three words for each answer.
Q17. In Paragraph 1, what are the words of the old adage?

Q18. In Paragraph 1, less damage to the hearing is the result of

Q19. How many sources are given for hearing problems caused by constant noise?

Q20. What might a sufferer of 'tinnitus' get by blocking out certain sound frequencies?

{mospagebreak title=What Bill Clinton Is Doing with the Rest of his Life*}

At the end of Bill Clinton's second term as U.S. president, he expressed the fear that he would become useless after leaving the White House. Those who know Clinton would be amazed that Clinton could have felt this way. After all, Clinton is constantly reading, networking and making speeches to solve international problems. The truth was Clinton feared he would spread himself too thin or try to do too many things rather than focusing on a few goals.

That fear caused Clinton to invite former President Jimmy Carter to visit him to offer some fatherly advice. Clinton respected Carter as a leader able to focus on a few important projects, to set priorities. Unfortunate, the energetic Clinton still could not focus. 

After leaving the White House, Clinton soon began globe hopping.  He flew around the world, meeting with world leaders, philanthropists and rock stars to discuss world problems. Even young news reporters could not keep up with the man who seemed to need so little sleep. Clinton was partly driven by the need to pay off huge debts. He spent much of his time as a highly paid public speaker. Then too, Clinton enjoyed talking to other bright leaders and being applauded by admiring audiences. He just could not slow down and focus his interests. But this would soon change!

The change came when Bill Clinton nearly died from a heart attack. Following major surgery, the gregarious Clinton was forced to withdraw from public life. Clinton admitted his recovery time made him slow down and rest for the first time in his life as a politician. Not surprisingly, he used the time to read a lot but also to reflect on how to spend the rest of his life. Facing old age and death, Clinton was finally ready to set priorities, to focus. Every minute would have to count!

For a start, Clinton knew his life style had to change dramatically. The bulky man often seems eating at Burger King needed to eat healthy! These days, we see a leaner more handsome Clinton with stylish silver hair. He appears more serious, perhaps wiser but also more slowed down - older.  

 Not surprisingly, Clinton began using his personal struggle with obesity to educate other overweight people. Never directly condemning the fast food industry, he became a spokesman for the American Heart Association, promoting a healthy life style of diet and exercise.

After dealing with his health issues at home, Clinton focused on the AIDS epidemic in Africa and the poor treatment of the millions of victims there. In Africa at least, Clinton
has always been respected, even loved. Former president Nelson Mandela treats Clinton like an honoured son. Because he is well-liked in Africa, Clinton is welcomed to join in the fight against AIDS across the continent.

Clinton has managed to supply affordable medicine for the millions of poor Africans living with the AIDS virus. He has invited rock stars and other rich   philanthropist friends to support his AIDS foundation, probably the most effective organization providing inexpensive AIDS medication on that continent. While African leaders line up to be photographed with Clinton, there are more pictures in the media of Clinton surrounded by children living with AIDS. We see hope in their eyes because they are no longer forgotten.

Other pictures have also appeared in the news in the last few years. There are pictures of Clinton with his old political rival, George H. W. Bush, father of George W. They went to encourage the victims of the tsunami in South Asia and of Katrina in New Orleans.  Clinton has set aside time to respond to such emergencies one.
 
There was a popular television advertisement in the 1990's using a song sung by Laura Fugi entitled "What Will You Do with the Rest of your Life?" These days, Bill Clinton
Seems to have a clear picture of how he will use his life. When he expressed his fear of wasting his days as a retired president, Clinton could not have imagined that it would take a heart attack to make him slow down and focus on a few important projects.

Adapted from Esquire Magazine. December 2005.

QUESTIONS
Answer in complete sentences.

1. This article talks about changes in a famous person's life. What were two changes in Clinton's life and how did he meet these changes.
2. Does the article make you like Clinton or dislike him or feel both ways. Does it make you like him 50-50, 75-25, etc.? Explain why you feel as you do.
3. How has food or eating affected Clinton's life?  How do you think the owners of McDonalds or Burger King feel about Clinton's behavior after his heart attack?
4. Do you think Clinton grew up rich, poor or just average? Explain your opinion.
5. Describe Clinton's friends. Describe his personality.
6. Explain why, in your opinion, Africa has not solved its AIDS problem. 

VOCABULARY
Match the words or phrases on the left with the definitions on the right.

1. become focused       a. a rich, generous giver

2. globe hopping        b. enjoying being with people, friendly

3. philanthropist       c. decide what is most important

4. lifestyle            d. an outbreak of a disease

5. celebrities          e.  heavy, not light and trim

6. set priorities       f. pay attention, to concentrate

7. obese (obesity)      g. to travel frequently over the world

8. gregarious           h. the way we spend our time and money

9. challenging          i. being dangerously overweight

10. bulky               j.  famous often glamorous people

11. epidemic            k. describes something hard but interesting

IDIOMS AND OTHER PHRASES
Use the context (the sentences around the phrase) to decide the meaning.
Write your own definition and write a sentence with each phrase.

1. Spread yourself too thin
2. Withdraw from public life
3. Make every minute count
4. Make affordable medicine available

DISCUSSION
Express your opinions while showing you have studied the article

1. Should national leader take care of their country and let others solve problems in other countries?  EXPLAIN. THE ANSWER MAY INCLUDE THE NEED TO FIND THE RIGHT BALANCE AND MAY CONSIDER THE WEALTH OF A COUNTRY.

2. Why is the treatment of AIDS patients often neglected, especially in poor countries? THINK OF ECONOMICS AND PEOPLE'S ATTITUDES (FEARS/ BELIEFS)

3. Describe Bill Clinton in your own words. SHARE YOUR HONEST FEELINGS

BUT REFER TO THE ARTICLE, EVEN IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH IT COMPLETELY.

{mospagebreak title=The Promise of World Peace}

The Promise of World Peace

Part - 1

(Excerpts from the message written by the Universal House of Justice. The entire message was presented to over one million people, including most heads of states and heads of governments, and other people of influence)
To the Peoples of the World:
The Great Peace towards which people of good will throughout the centuries have inclined their hearts, of which seers and poets for countless generations have expressed their vision, and for which from age to age the sacred scriptures of mankind have constantly held the promise, is now at long last within the reach of the nations. For the first time in history it is possible for everyone to view the entire planet, with all its myriad diversified peoples, in one perspective. World peace is not only possible but inevitable.  It is the next stage in the evolution of this planet -- in the words of one great thinker, "the planetization of mankind".
Among the favorable signs are the steadily growing strength of the steps towards world order taken initially near the beginning of this century in the creation of the League of Nations, succeeded by the more broadly based United Nations Organization; the achievement since the Second World War of independence by the majority of all the nations on earth, indicating the completion of the process of nation building, and the involvement of these fledgling nations with older ones in matters of mutual concern; the consequent vast increase in cooperation among hitherto isolated and antagonistic peoples and groups in international undertakings in the scientific, educational, legal, economic and cultural fields; the rise in recent decades of an unprecedented number of international humanitarian organizations; the spread of women's and youth movements calling for an end to war; and the spontaneous spawning of widening networks of ordinary people seeking understanding through personal communication.
The scientific and technological advances occurring in this unusually blessed century portend a great surge forward in the social evolution of the planet, and indicate the means by which the practical problems of humanity may be solved. They provide, indeed, the very means for the administration of the complex life of a united world.

1) Match the words in the left-hand column with their meanings in the right-hand column.  Then go back to the passage, and write down these meanings in red in brackets next to the correct bold word.  [For example, the second line of the above passage should read:
:...of which sears (visionaries) and poets for countless generations.....]

seers              having no earlier equivalent      
vision             gradual development       
myriad             sure to happen
perspective       inexperienced
inevitable        visionaries           
evolution         imaginative insight        
achievement       foreshadow/indicate   
fledgling          view of the relative importance of things      
hitherto           act of accomplishing a task                        
isolated           actively hostile/opposed       
antagonistic      sudden increase
an unprecedented up to now
spawning          separated
portend           production/generation in large numbers   
surge             an indefinitely great number 

2) At the beginning of the above passage it says, "To the Peoples of the World".  Why does the word "peoples" have an "s"?

3) In the last line of paragraph 1, what do you think "the planetization of mankind" could mean?

4) In paragraph 2, line 3, we see the phrase "broadly based".  What does it mean?

5) In line 7 of the same paragraph, we read the words "mutual concern".  What it is the meaning of this phrase

{mospagebreak title=Reading material for the English Enhancement Course}

.

Reading material for the English Enhancement Course starting 23 October. Please bring a paper version along and Eva will talk about it.

"People say that learning a language is not complete if we don't know its culture. They say that a good way to learn a culture is by reading jokes. Read these and see if you can follow.

* What do computers do when they get hungry?
They eat chips.
* Why was the computer so tired when it got home?
Because ....it had a hard drive!
* What stays hot in the fridge?
Mustard.
* Why do birds fly south?
It's too far to walk.

The following extracts come from books written by famous people. Do you know these people? Read and find out more about them.

Bill Gates: Business @ the speed of thought  (Page 3)
"I have a simple but strong belief. The most meaningful way to differentiate your company from your competition, the best way to put distance between you and the crowd, is to do an outstanding job with information. How you gather, manage, and use information will determine whether you win or lose. There are more competitors. There is more information available about them and about the market, which is now global. The winners will be the ones who develop a world-class digital nervous system so that information can easily flow through their companies for maximum and constant learning."

Winston S. Churchill: The Second World War (volume six)
Page 500, the Defeat of Japan
"We were still determined to send troops and aircraft to invade Japan itself, but we had also to liberate Malaya, Singapore, and the territories beyond. The most we could contribute was three divisions for the main assault, and perhaps another two later on. General MacArthur promised the most generous help, and even offered to arm our forces with American weapons and equipment and supply them from the United States. This was far more than we had ever hoped for, and would ease the strain on our shipping, but it would have been very difficult to carry out. In the air we planned to build up twenty squadrons, comprising four hundred heavy bombers, half from Britain and the rest from the Dominions bordering the Pacific, but here also there were difficulties. It transpired after the Yalta Conference that this force would have to be self-contained, providing its own airfields and installations, ports, roads, and pipe-lines."

Chris Patten: East and West (Page 11, the last governor)
"Hong Kong is where the story of Empire really ended, but it was a curious footnote to a tale already largely told. I was the Last Governor (a title invariably given capital letters - to denote, I suppose, its historic significance) of what was one of Britain's greatest colonies, and certainly its richest. But my job was different from that of all those governors who had lowered the Union flag elsewhere. They had been charged with the duty of preparing their communities for independence. Coming from what Nelson Mandela among many others has called ‘the home of parliamentary democracy' British governors were required to provide those they ruled with the means - intellectual and institutional - to take their destiny in their own hands. Empire was to be dissolved from the top down."

Stephen Hawking: A Brief History of Time- from the Big Bang to Black Holes
Page 181 Conclusion
" We find ourselves in a bewildering world. We want to make sense of what we see around us and to ask: What is the nature of the universe? What is our place in it and where did it and we come from? Why is it the way it is?
To try to answer these questions we adopt some "world picture." Just as an infinite tower of tortoises supporting the flat earth is such a picture, so is the theory of super- strings. Both are theories of the universe, though the latter is much more mathematical and precise than the former. Both theories lack observational evidence: no one has even seen a giant tortoise with the earth on its back, but then, no one has seen a superstring either."

Innes Herdan: 300 Tang Poems (Page 231)
TAKING LEAVE OF A FRIEND     Li Po
Blue hills rearing over the north wall;
White water swirling to the east of the city:
This is where you must leave me -
A lone puff of thistledown
on a thousand-mile journey.
Ah the drifting clouds
and the thoughts of wanderer!
The setting sun
and emotions of old friends.
A wave of the hand now
and you are gone.
Our horses whinnied to each other at parting."

{mospagebreak title=Cool!}

Slang expressions used by young people vary from country to country.  Slang changes often and quickly becomes dated, however you may hear these expressions if you chat to young Americans or watch American movies.  Fill in the gaps with the most suitable expressions:

Couch potato      weird           wicked
Gross             shut up         turkey
Real              neat            chill out

1. It's an excellent song.  It's ......
2. That horror movie made me feel sick.  It was ...
3. I saw an excellent art exhibition at the weekend.  It was really ...
4. He never stops watching TV.  He's a ....  ....
5. How strange.  That's ....
6. I'm just going to relax this weekend.  I need to ...  ...
7. ...  ... I don't believe you.
8. Don't be silly.  Get ...
9. That movie was a failure, a complete ...

British young people use different kinds of slang, although sometimes expressions that are used on popular TV shows are common in both countries.  Match these expressions:

Crackers    nerd        naff     Cool
whimp       ballistic   heavy    oi

1. He spends his whole time talking about computers.  He's a computer ....
2. ... Be careful!
3. He's crazy, completely ...
4. That hat looks stupid.  It's really ...
5. His speech made everyone feel uncomfortable.  It was really ...
6. He was furious.  He went ...
7. What a coward.  He's such a ...
8. It was a great party, really ....

Idiom

Fill in the gaps in these expressions with a word from the list below:

Red       moon       kittens      cats and dogs
Head      fly        time         roof
Gold      day

1. This is too complicated for me.  It is completely over my ....
2. It's time to go home.  Let's call it a ...
3. I've got nothing to do.  I've got ..... on my hands.
4. Look at the storm.  It is raining ....  ... ....
5. She is so nervous she's having ..... about her interview.
6. He is so gentle he wouldn't hurt a .....
7. Usually my account is in the .... and I owe the bank money.
8. Inflation is so bad these days.  Prices are going through the ....
9. I'm so happy to have a new job.  I feel over the ....
10. My children never misbehave.  They are as good as ....

Note: Slang and idiom are used all the time in spoken English but are not appropriate in formal written English, such as at University.

{mospagebreak title=CINEMA HISTORY}

CINEMA HISTORY

Although French, German, American and British pioneers have all been credited with the invention of cinema, the British and the Germans played a relatively small role in its world-wide exploitation. It was above all the French, followed closely by the Americans, who were the most passionate exporters of the new invention, helping to start cinema in China, Japan, Latin America and Russia. In terms of artistic development it was again the French and the Americans who took the lead, though in the years before the First World War, Italy, Denmark and Russia also played a part. In the end it was the United States that was to become, and remain, the largest single market for films.

By protecting their own market and pursuing a vigorous export policy,
the Americans achieved a dominant position on the world market by the start of the First World War. The centre of film-making had moved westwards, to Hollywood, and it was films from these new Hollywood studios that flooded onto the world.s film markets in the years after the First World War, and have done so ever since. Faced with total Hollywood domination, few film industries proved competitive.

The Italian industry, which had pioneered the feature film with spectacular films like .Quo vadis?. (1913) and .Cabiria. (1914), almost collapsed. In Scandinavia, the Swedish cinema had a brief period of glory, notably with powerful epic films and comedies. Even the French cinema found itself in a difficult position. In Europe, only Germany proved industrially capable, while in the new Soviet Union and in Japan, the development of the cinema took place in conditions of commercial isolation.
Hollywood took the lead artistically as well as industrially. Hollywood films appealed
because they had better-constructed narratives, their special effects were more
impressive, and the star system added a new dimension to screen acting. If Hollywood did not have enough of its own resources, it had a great deal of money to buy up artists and technical innovations from Europe to ensure its continued dominance over present or future competition.

From early cinema, it was only American slapstick comedy that successfully developed in both short and feature format. However, during this .Silent Film. era, animation, comedy, serials and dramatic features continued to thrive, along with factual films or documentaries, which acquired an increasing distinctiveness as the period progressed. It was also at this time that the avant-garde film first achieved commercial success, this time thanks almost exclusively to the French and the occasional German film.

Of the countries which developed and maintained distinctive national cinemas in the
silent period, the most important were France, Germany and the Soviet Union. Of these, the French displayed the most continuity, in spite of the war and post-war economic uncertainties. The German cinema, relatively insignificant in the pre-war years, exploded on to the world scene after 1919. Yet even they were both overshadowed by the Soviets after the 1917 Revolution. They turned their back on the past, leaving the style of the pre-war Russian cinema to the émigrés who fled westwards to escape the Revolution.

The other countries whose cinemas changed dramatically are: Britain, which had an
interesting but undistinguished history in the silent period; Italy, which had a brief
moment of international fame just before the war; the Scandinavian countries,
particularly Denmark, which played a role in the development of silent cinema quite out of proportion to their small population; and Japan, where a cinema developed based primarily on traditional theatrical and, to a lesser extent, other art forms and only gradually adapted to western influence.

Questions 1-7

Look at the following statements (Questions 1-6) and the list of countries below.
Match each statement with the correct country.
Write the correct letter A-J on your answer sheet.

NB You may use any letter more than once.

1.  It helped other countries develop their own film industry.
2.  It was the biggest producer of films.
3.  It was first to develop the 'feature' film.
4.  It was responsible for creating stars.
5.  It made the most money from 'avant-garde' films.
6.  It made movies based more on its own culture than outside influences.
7.  It had a great influence on silent movies, despite its size.

 List of Countries
  A France               F  Japan
  B Germany              G  Soviet Union
  C USA                  H   Italy
  D Denmark              I    Britain
  E  Sweden              J   China
 

ANSWER SHEET

1. ________________
2. ________________
3. ________________
4. ________________
5. ________________
6. ________________
7. ________________

{mospagebreak title=Eva Lai}

Name: Eva Lai
Country: Hong Kong, China

Eva Lai had studied at the University of Manchester and the University of Lancaster before she joined The Chinese University of Hong Kong. While teaching there, she did her PhD at the University of Hong Kong and conducted research work at Cambridge University. After teaching 22 years at CUHK, she now joins UIC to help build the English Centre.