INTERMEDIATE REAGINGS

The Planets   The Sun is at the center of the planets. Close to it are the inner planets - Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars.   Mercury the planet closest to the Sun, is a cratered rock not much bigger than our Moon.  It is incredibly hot and unable to support any kind of life.  The atmosphere contains sodium and potassium.   Venus is the next planet from the Sun and is about the same size as the Earth.  The atmosphere is made up of mainly carbon dioxide.  The surface temperature can be as high as 480 degrees Celsius.  There is no life of any kind on the planet Venus.   Earth is the only planet that has the conditions to support life.  The surface is neither very cold nor very hot.  Water can exist in all its three forms - as gas, liquid, and solid.  These conditions allow plants and animals to live and reproduce.   Mars, the first planet beyond Earth is smaller than the Earth.  The atmosphere is made up mostly of carbon dioxide.  Water exists on this planet, but only in the form of ice.  The whole planet is a red, lifeless desert.   The outer planets, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are called the gas giants.  They are much larger than the Earth. The outermost planet, Pluto, is no longer classified as a planet.  It is now called a dwarf Planet.  It is so far away, it is a mystery.

  

Answer the questions below

How many planets are there?

six seven eight

The is at the center of the planets.

The dwarf planet, , is a mystery.

is the planet closest to the Sun.

The planet is about the same size as the Earth.

Water exists on the planet Mars in the form of .

Water exists on the planet in three forms.

Which planet is a red, lifeless desert?

Mars Mercury Venus

Which planets are called the gas giants?

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

Martial Arts   The martial arts consist of a series of hand-to-hand unarmed combat tactics.  The most popular are karate, judo, jujitsu, and kung fu.  Many experts believe kung fu does not belong in the category of unarmed self-defense because it can become a killer art in its most violent form.   Chinese jujitsu and its offshoot, judo, are thousands of years old.  They began in China and Japan.  During the Middle Ages in Japan, common people were not allowed to carry weapons.  They devised a self-defense technique that involved a series of holds, trips, strangles, and falls.  By the 1700's, judo and jujitsu were no longer required for self-defense, but these sports survived stressing grace, physical discipline, and spiritual concentration.   Jigaro Kano, a Japanese man, founded the first judo school in 1882.  He introduced the system of "belts," with a white belt for a novice and a black belt for an expert.  This system has been extended to karate as well.  Judo came to America in 1902.   Karate was introduced in an Okinawa school in 1905.  By the year 1922, it had spread to Japan, and eventually was practiced worldwide.  Today, the World Union of Karatedo (Karate) Organization sets the rules governing the use of striking, punching, and kicking on various parts of the body.  Matches last from two to three minutes and points are scored for blows to the neck, face, kidneys, and midsection of an opponent.  The blows are not actually landed: if they were, they could disable or even kill.

Answer the questions below

1.  According to this passage which of the martial arts are thousands of years old?

karate and judo. Chinese jujitsu and judo. jujitsu and kung fu.

2.  During the Middle Ages in Japan, common people were not allowed to carry .

3.  By the 1700's judo and jujitsu became sports stressing grace, physical discipline, and concentration.

4.  The first judo school was founded in 1882 by a man, named Jigaro Kano.

5.  Judo came to in 1902.

6.  Many experts believe does not belong in the category of unarmed self-defense.

7.  Judo and jujitsu began in China and .

8.  While a white belt stands for a novice, a black belt stands for a/an

intermediate. trainer. expert.

9.  How long does a karate match last?

one hour two to three minutes fifteen minutes

10.  Karate was introduced in an Okinawa school in 1905.  By the year 1922, it had spread to Japan, and eventually was practiced

Earthquake!   Maggie had never experienced an earthquake before, only prepared for it.  As long as she could remember, preparing for an earthquake was routine at school.  Her family as well had made plans in the event of a natural disaster.   Living on the west coast of the United States was earthquake country.   However, it was not the same.  Today Maggie was home alone.  Her mind focused on her parents and what could be happening to them.  Maggie knew her mom would be driving home on the busy, congested freeway.  Her mind was preoccupied with preparing supper for Maggie's dad.  Maggie's dad was due to arrive at the airport.  He was coming home from a two week business trip.   Maggie arrived home from school at the regular time.  She was grabbing a snack from the almost bare pantry, when she felt it.  First just a tremor, then the violent shaking.  Maggie quickly scurried under the large, oak table in the dining room.   The sounds of breaking glass and the crashing of numerous items was deafening.  The table remained intact, and Maggie hugged herself in fear.  Her mind focusing on her parents and what apparent danger they might be in.   After what seemed like an eternity the earthquake appeared to be over.  Maggie could hear the sound of water rushing below her in the basement.  The smell of natural gas was present in the air.  Maggie knew where the main water valve was located.   Dad had shown her where it was and how to turn it off.   Slowly and cautiously she came out from under the table.  The once tidy ranch home was now almost unrecognizable.  Walls had toppled over and electric sparks were shooting from the outlets.  As Maggie approached the open basement door she could see the steps were still intact.  Carefully holding the handrail she made her way down into the dark basement.  While still on the steps she felt the water rising and rising.  Placing her feet firmly on the floor Maggie felt a sudden surge of pain as a large ceiling beam hit her head and shoulder.   She fell unconscious onto a pile of storage boxes.....

Answer the questions below

The earthquake began with a small .

Maggie had grown up and lived on the coast.

Her mom was traveling home from work on the .

The heavy, oak table was not damaged and remained .

Maggie detected an odor in the house and knew it was gas.

Her dad was arriving home from a trip.

Maggie had just arrived home from .

Maggie had prepared for an earthquake, but never an earthquake.

Maggie knew the water had to be turned off at the main water located in the basement.

Maggie held the as she found her way down into the basement.

She was knocked by a large ceiling beam.

Maggie knew her mom's mind would be on preparing .

Maggie and her family lived in what type of a home? Ranch or Condominium

source:myschoolhouse

INTERMEDIATE READING

Alfred Hitchcock's psychological (1) ____ Vertigo has been named as the best movie of all time by the British Film Institute (BFI). The 1958 film replaced Orson Welles' movie Citizen Kane as the greatest film of all time, a position it had         (2) ____ for an incredible 50 years. The BFI (3) ____ has taken place once every ten years since 1962. Its panel is made (4) ____ of 846 international film critics, movie directors, academics and writers. They voted for 2,045 different movies in this decade's survey. Nick James, a BFI spokesman, said the voting "seems to be not so much about films that…use cinema's entire arsenal of (5) ____ to make a grand statement, but more about (6) ____ that have personal meaning to the critic".

Hitchcock called Vertigo his most personal. It is about a retired police detective suffering (7) ____ acrophobia (a fear of (8) ____) who is hired as a private investigator to follow the wife of a close friend to find out the reasons for her bizarre behaviour. The film received (9) ____ reviews upon its initial release, but has gone on to amass (10) ____ acclaim over the decades. The BFI said: "Vertigo is the ultimate critics' film because it is a dreamlike film about people who are not sure who they are but who are busy reconstructing (11) ____ and each other to fit a kind of cinema ideal of the ideal soul mate." A (12) ____ poll of 358 international film directors chose Yasujiro Ozu's Tokyo Story (1953) as its greatest ever movie.

Put the correct words from the table below in the above article.

1.	(a)	thrills	(b)	thrilled	(c)	thrilling	(d)	thriller
2.	(a)	been	(b)	held	(c)	done	(d)	given
3.	(a)	poll	(b)	will	(c)	till	(d)	hall
4.	(a)	on	(b)	down	(c)	up	(d)	as
5.	(a)	affects	(b)	efforts	(c)	effects	(d)	affairs
6.	(a)	labors	(b)	works	(c)	toils	(d)	output
7.	(a)	from	(b)	of	(c)	by	(d)	as
8.	(a)	heightens	(b)	highs	(c)	ups	(d)	heights
9.	(a)	blended	(b)	mixed	(c)	jumbled	(d)	combined
10.	(a)	considers	(b)	considering	(c)	consideration	(d)	considerable
11.	(a)	the others	(b)	all	(c)	themselves	(d)	ourselves
12.	(a)	separate	(b)	unconnected	(c)	divorced	(d)	set apart

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if  a-h  below are true (T) or false (F).

a.	The American Film Institute named Vertigo as the best movie ever.	T / F
b.	An Orson Welles movie was top of a "best movie" list for 50 years.	T / F
c.	2,045 movie critics voted for 846 international movies.	T / F
d.	The movie critics weren't too concerned about special effects.	T / F
e.	Alfred Hitchcock said Vertigo was one of his least favourite films.	T / F
f.	Vertigo was an instant hit with critics upon its release in 1958.	T / F
g.	A film institute called Vertigo a dreamlike film.	T / F
h.	A Japanese movie was voted the best film ever by a group of directors.	T / F

Answers:

1. d b a c c b a d b d c a
2. F T F T F F T Ta


SOURCE:breakingnews

INTERMEDIATE READING

SCHOOL AND STUDENTS

VOCABULARY

SKATEBOARDS PHYSICS. Multiple choice

GRADS ENTER UNCERTAIN JOB MARKET

SUPERFOOD

All exercises included listening.

Click on and save in your computer

BILINGUAL

READING INTERMEDIATE

Residents of the European Union (EU) are becoming better and better at languages. Almost 50 percent of the EU population say they can speak at least one foreign language very well. That figure rises to nearly 80 percent for students. To celebrate its linguistic diversity, September 26 has become the official European Day of Languages. The day’s website shows a Slovak proverb that says: “The number of languages you speak is the number of times you are human”. This is to encourage all Europeans to brush up on their language skills.

The results of the “Eurobarometer” survey put Luxembourgers at the top of the language ability list. An amazing 99 percent of Luxembourg’s population is at least bilingual. Those with the poorest language skills are the Hungarians (29 percent) and British (30 percent). English is the most widely spoken foreign language, used by more than a third of the population. German (12 percent) is in second place followed by French (11 percent). European enlargement means Russian has risen to fourth place – tied with Spanish. The EU spends $36 million a year on language programs.

TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

a.	Europeans are become increasingly better at other languages.	T/ F
b.	Eighty percent of European students are bilingual.	T/ F
c.	September 26 is the official European Day For the English Language.	T/ F
d.	A European proverb says you are not human unless you are bilingual.	T/ F
e.	Ninety-nine percent of Luxembourgers are at least bilingual.	T/ F
f.	Britons are amongst the top of bilingual speakers.	T/ F
g.	French is the most widely spoken foreign language among Europeans.	T/ F
h.	Fewer and fewer Europeans are speaking Russian.	T/F

 SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:

residents	worst
almost	improve
figure	expansion
diversity	equal
brush up on	nearly
amazing	annually
poorest	incredible
enlargement	citizens
tied	variety
a year	number

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1. What did you think when you first saw this headline?
2. Did the headline make you want to read the article?
3. Do you like reading articles about language?
4. How would you describe your English ability?
5. What other languages would you like to learn?
6. Do you agree with the Slovak proverb that says: “The number of languages you speak is the number of times you are human”?
7. What are your feelings toward your own language?
8. What are your feelings toward English?
9. How necessary is English for you?
10. What do you like most about English?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

1. Did you like reading this article?
2. What do you think about what you read?
3. Are you surprised at anything you read in the article?
4. Do you think British people have problems because they are not bilingual?
5. Why is English the most widely spoken foreign language in Europe?
6. Do you think Chinese will one day become the world’s most important foreign language?
7. Do you think everyone in the world should study English?
8. What other world languages are important and why?
9. Do you think the world should learn your language?
10. Did you like this discussion?

SMILE

READING INTERMEDIATE

Did you know that you can tell where someone is from just from their smile? A researcher in America believes he can. Dacher Keltner, a psychology professor at the University of California, carried out an extensive study into the 43 facial muscles that are used when making a smile. One of his conclusions was that the smile of British people is more sincere and genuine than the smiles of Americans. Mr. Keltner was spot on in identifying a British or American smile when asked to identify which side of the Atlantic someone was from, just by looking at a photograph. He identified the correct nationality nine times out of ten. A genuine British smile means pulling the lips backwards and upwards to reveal the bottom teeth. The cheeks are raised and the crow’s feet wrinkles to the side of the eyes show. Keltner said Prince Charles has the most typical warm British smile. The average American smile is less expressive because the eye muscles are not part of the smile. He likened it to a Botox injection, which leaves the upper half of the face motionless. He also said smiling means you have a more successful life.

2. TRUE / FALSE: Students look at the headline and predict whether they believe the following statements about the article are true or false:

a.                 You can tell which country someone is from just from their smile.  T / F

b.     We use 16 different facial muscles when we smile.  T / F

c.      British people have more genuine smiles than American people.  T / F

d.     A researcher had a 100% success rate in identifying a smile as British or American.  T / F

e.     A genuine British smile means pulling the lips backwards and upwards to reveal the bottom teeth.  T / F

f.      Prince Charles has the most typical warm British smile. T / F

g.     Americans don’t use their eye muscles when they smile.  T / F

h.     Smiling doesn’t mean you will have a more successful life.  T / F

3. SYNONYM MATCH: Students match the following synonyms from the article:

	tell	wide
	smile	characteristic
	carried out	show
	extensive	correct
	conclusions	understand
	sincere	findings
	spot on	alive
	reveal	grin
	typical	honest
	expressive	undertook

6. DISCUSSION:  Students ask each other the following questions:

a.                 Do you like smiling?

b.                 What percentage of your day do you smile?

c.                  How many different smiles do you have?

d.                 Do you have different smiles for different people?

e.                 Do you ever fake a smile?

f.                  Is smiling good for your heart?

g.                 Would you try to smile less if it meant you looked younger later in life?

h.                 Do you worry about your crow’s feet?

i.                    What do you think of Prince Charles’ smile?

j.                   What do you think of my smile?

k.                 Do you think that British people have friendlier smiles than Americans?

l.                    Do you ever use / draw the smiley character?

m.               Who has the best smile of anyone you know?

TRUE / FALSE:

a.                 You can tell which country someone is from just from their smile.  T

b.                 We use 16 different facial muscles when we smile.  F

c.                  British people have more genuine smiles than American people.  T

d.                 A researcher had a 100% success rate in identifying a smile as British or American.  F

e.                 A genuine British smile means pulling the lips backwards and upwards to reveal the bottom teeth.  T

f.                  Prince Charles has the most typical warm British smile. T

g.                 Americans don’t use their eye muscles when they smile.  T

h.                 Smiling doesn’t mean you will have a more successful life.  F

SYNONYM MATCH:

	tell	understand
	smile	grin
	carried out	undertook
	extensive	wide
	conclusions	findings
	sincere	honest
	spot on	correct
	reveal	show
	typical	characteristic
	expressive	alive