A compilation of newsticker 1 articles with Exercises

Transcription

1 A compilation of newsticker 1 articles with Exercises MARCH 2006

2 Contents POOP POWER San Francisco sniffing it out 4 BOND BOYCOTT New 007 bashed 6 BRITONS DREAD METRICS Changing muddled measurements 8 FORMER BEATLE VISITS CANADA McCartney speaks for the seals 10 PENTAGON INVESTS IN SHARKS New sea patrol 12 INSPIRED BY TROTSKY Biography led Blair to politics 14 ACROPOLIS UNDER CONSTRUCTION Mountaineers called in 16 TRIBUTE TO A POLICE HORSE Canadian Mounties in mourning 18 NAPLES FUTURE Vesuvius blast could be devastating 20

3 WORLD S YOUNGEST BILLIONAIRE Hind Hariri 22 STATUES FOUND IN EGYPT Ancient war goddess 24 LUNA THE ORCA Killed in boating accident 26 MAD COW DISEASE IN US Controls are working 28 NEW COMPUTER VIRUS Seeks ransom for files 30 STARLET SEEKS SMILES Jessica Simpson for disfigured children 32

4 POOP POWER San Francisco sniffing it out San Francisco, the well known flower power US city might become famous for its innovative investigations of poop power. City officials have instructed the trash-handling company, Norcal, to come up with a system to turn pet waste into methane gas. This gas could then be used to heat homes and generate electricity. A boxer dog Statistics show that 3.8 percent of the city s residential garbage consists of cat and dog poop and other animal waste, and San Francisco wants to put it to good use. Norcal s last study resulted in the 1996 program that collects food scraps from restaurants and composts them to use as fertilizer for vineyards and farms. This successful program is now used in other cities and is being eyed by other countries.

5 Exercise Listen to the article carefully and complete the statements below in your own words. 1. San Francisco will be known for...? 2. Norcal is going to...? 3. Pet waste can eventually be used to...? 4. Almost 4 percent...? 5. Norcal s last study uses...?

6 BOND BOYCOTT New 007 bashed new website was opened for James A Bond fans who oppose the new choice for the 007 role. The furious fans are asking others to boycott the next movie in protest of Daniel Craig, the new Bond superspy. The website urges fans to stay away from Casino Royale that stars Daniel Craig as the suave and debonair James Bond. They claim that Craig, a short, blond actor known for his roles as the bad guy, can not pull off playing the smooth secret agent. They also question Barbara Broccoli s decision to fire the popular Pierce Brosnan and replace him with Craig. Casino Royale, a 100-million-dollar production, is the 21st film in the Bond series and will be released on November 17th. Daniel Craig

7 Exercise 1. Based on the title and subtitle, what do you think this article is about? 2. What happens during a boycott? How would a boycott affect the movie? 3. Find out how many former 007s there were. What are their names? Who made the most James Bond movies?

8 BRITONS DREAD METRICS Changing muddled measurements Familiarity with pints, miles and pounds makes Britain more than hesitant to make the move towards the metric system used throughout Europe. In 1965, the country began promoting a program to convert to metrics, but it was short lived. Today Britons use several different measuring systems. The issue of updating Britain s mixed up method of measuring weights, distances and other units has been a controversial subject for the last 40 years. Britons buy petrol in liters but calculate fuel consumption in gallons. Fruits and vegetables are bought in pounds, distance is measured by miles and some drinks by pints. The goal of the UK Metric Association (UKMA) is for Britain to be completely metric by the time London hosts the Olympics Games in His Royal Highness Prince Charles samples a pint

9 Exercise Answer the statements with either True or False. Make all false statements true. 1. The British are eager to use metrics. 2. Britain uses one standard measuring system. 3. In Britain, distance is measured by stones. 4. Over 40 years ago, the country started to use metrics. 5. Pints are used to measure weight.

10 FORMER BEATLE VISITS CANADA McCartney speaks for the seals Sir Paul McCartney and his wife Heather Mills McCartney will visit Canada to bring attention to Canada s annual seal hunt. The couple is known for their animal rights work and they have vowed to make life difficult for the Canadian PM if the hunts continue. During the hunt, thousands of harp seals are brutally slaughtered for their skins. Paul (L) and Heather McCartney In the past two years, animal rights defenders have strongly campaigned to stop the seal hunt, outraged by Canada s increased hunt quotas. Canadian authorities raised the quota to 319,517 seals in Canada defends the higher numbers due to a large population of over 5.9 million seals. Other famous objectors are Brigitte Bardot, the Dalai Lama and actors Kim Bassinger and Juliette Binoche.

11 Exercise Read the article and answer the questions. 1. Find out more about harp seals... -what do they look like? -what are their skins used for? -what kind of habitat do they live in? 2. Do you think the seals should be hunted? Why or why not?

12 PENTAGON INVESTS IN SHARKS New sea patrol The Pentagon is funding new research that will turn sharks into spies. Researchers are working to create brain implants that can control sharks, so they can move undetected through the ocean while gathering important information. According to the report in the New Scientist, researchers are experimenting with implanting electrodes into animals brains. The animals are then stimulated to respond in a specific way. The report said the Pentagon wants to take advantage of sharks navigation skills, their sensibility to electrical charges and their heightened sense of smell and put them to work for the government. The Pentagon believes that by guiding the sharks movements by remote control, they could change them into stealthy spies capable of following vessels without being spotted. A nurse shark at an aquarium

13 Exercise Read the article and answer the questions. 1. Why does the government want to use sharks as their new spies? Why not some other kind of animal? 2. How will the government control the sharks? 3. What kind of missions do you think the sharks will perform? Explain.

14 INSPIRED BY TROTSKY Biography led Blair to politics British Prime Minister Tony Blair said that he became interested in a political career after reading a Leon Trotsky biography. Blair talked about being inspired by books and their importance as he launched the country s World Book Day initiative. Blair said that although there were people who helped get him started in politics, it was the biography of Trotsky by Isaac Deutscher that really impressed him. Leon Trotsky was one of the architects of the Russian Revolution and one of the top Communist theorists. Blair admits reading is an important part of his family s life. He enjoys reading to his 5- year-old son every night before bed. World Book Day is a worldwide celebration that promotes books and reading for the young and old alike. Lev Davidovitch Bronstein, better known as Leon Trotsky

15 Exercise Look at the article below and fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in parenthesis. British Prime Minister Tony Blair (to say) that he became interested in a political career after (to read) a Leon Trotsky biography. Blair talked about being inspired by books and their importance as he (to launch) the country s World Book Day initiative. Blair said that although there were people who helped get him (to start) in politics, it (to be) the biography of Trotsky by Isaac Deutscher that really (to impress) him. Leon Trotsky was one of the architects of the Russian Revolution and one of the top Communist theorists. Blair (to admit) reading is an important part of his family s life. He (to enjoy) reading to his 5-year-old son every night before bed. World Book Day (to be)a worldwide celebration that (to promote) books and reading for the young and old alike.

16 ACROPOLIS UNDER CONSTRUCTION Mountaineers called in Archaeologists working on restoring the Greek monument, the Acropolis, have called in mountaineers to help. Two Greek mountaineers, Michalis Styllas and Vassilis Naxakis, were enlisted to climb down the Acropolis s 18- meter (59-foot) southern wall in order to place electrode sensors. These sensors scan the 2,300-year-old walls to assess any water or erosion damages. The readings will guide the archaeologists as to how proceed with the restorations. The Parthenon atop the Acropolis in Athens Styllas was part of a Greek team that placed the flag of the Athens 2004 Olympics at the summit of Mount Everest in May He told NET state television that it was tricky trying to place the electrodes properly, and that he is really curious to see the results.

17 Exercise Read the article and answer the following questions. 1. What are the archaeologists doing to the Acropolis? 2. Why did they need the mountaineers assistance? 3. What do the sensors do? Why are they useful? 4. Do you think it s important to restore ancient ruins? Why or why not?

18 TRIBUTE TO A POLICE HORSE Canadian Mounties in mourning police horse that recently died in A the line of duty in Toronto was mourned at his funeral by nearly 1,500 people from North America. The memorial service, broadcast on Canadian television, was attended by police officers and government officials, including the city s mayor and police chief. Canadian mounted police Brigadier, a Belgian cross only seven years old, was hurt by a hit and run driver who fled the scene. Because the injuries were so serious, the horse had to be put down. Constable Kevin Bradfield was also hurt and suffered from neck and back injuries after Brigadier threw him to the ground. In a touching, tear-filled eulogy, Bradfield said that being in the saddle will never be the same.

19 Exercise Read the article below and see if you can find the grammar and spelling mistakes. (Hint: 8 mistakes A police hoarse that recently died in the line of duty in Toronto was mourning at his funeral by nearly 1,500 people from North America. The memorial service, broadcast on Canadian television, was attended by police officers and government officials, included the city s mayor and police chef. Brigadier, a Belgian cross only seven years old, is hurt by a hit and run driver who fled the scene. Because the injurys were so serious, the horse had to be put down. Constable Kevin Bradfield was also hurt and suffered from neck and back injuries after Brigadier throwed him to the ground. In a touching, tear-filled eulogy, Bradfield say that being in the saddle will never be the same.

20 NAPLES FUTURE Vesuvius blast could be devastating The Italian city of Naples could suffer a worse fate than Pompeii did in 79 AD if Mount Vesuvius erupts again. US and Italian researchers have concluded that there was a massive eruption from Vesuvius about 3,780 years ago, which covered a 25-kilometer (15-mile) radius. Ruins of an ancient Pompeii temple team of specialists focused on the recent discovery A of prehistoric villages at Nola, close to Vesuvius. The site was full of clues as to what happened the day of the eruption. Researchers said that everyday life was frozen. Footprints of thousands of people and animals were also found, signaling an attempt to escape. Researchers said that Naples should remember the catastrophe and use it as a reference of what could happen in the worst case scenario.

21 Exercise Read the article and answer the questions. 1. Where exactly is Mount Vesuvius? 2. What happened over 3500 years ago? 3. How did the scientists know that the people in the village tried to get away? 4. What did the researchers mean when they said everyday life was frozen? How do you imagine the scene?

22 WORLD S YOUNGEST BILLIONAIRE Hind Hariri Hind Hariri, daughter of slain Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, made Forbes Magazine s wealthiest people list this year, after receiving her father s inheritance. Hariri, 22, is now worth 1.4 billion dollars. She ranked number 562 among 793 people on Forbes list. Hind s mother Nazek and brother Fahd also made the list with fortunes of 1.7 billion and 2.7 billion respectively. Rafiq Hariri was assassinated in a car bomb last year in Beirut and left his fortune of over 16.7 billion dollars to his widow and five children. Hind Hariri The late Prime Minister was the son of a farm hand and moved his way up to become one of the world s wealthiest men. His enterprises include banking, media, real estate and construction companies all over the world.

23 Exercise Read the article and answer the questions below. 1. How long does it take to spend 1.4 billion dollars? Set up a budget for yourself and figure out how much you could spend each year for 50 years. 2. If you had Hariri s money, name some things you would buy for yourself. 3. Now decide how much money you would donate to charity. What charities would you like to support and why?

24 STATUES FOUND IN EGYPT Ancient war goddess Seventeen statues of the lionheaded goddess Sekhmet have been discovered in an ancient temple in Luxor, Egypt. German team of archeologists A unearthed the statues while working on restoring the 18th dynasty ( BC) temple of pharaoh Amenhotep III. The black granite statues, once intact, measure between 1.7 and 1.8 meters. They show Sekhmet on a throne holding the Ankh, a hieroglyphic sign which meant life to the ancient Egyptians. The pharaoh s name was also found inscribed on the sides of the throne. black granite statues found in Luxor Pharaoh Amenhotep III had many statues of Sekhmet. The goddess Sekhmet was associated with war and retribution, but apart from her destructive side, she could cure illnesses. Some theories explain that the pharaoh hoped the goddess could cure his dental and health problems.

25 Exercise Read the article and answer the questions. 1. What are hieroglyphics and what were they used for? 2. Who was Sekhmet? Why was Sekhmet considered important? 3. Why did the the pharaoh have statues of Sekhmet? 4. What other Egyptian god and goddesses are you familiar with? Share one with the class.

26 LUNA THE ORCA Killed in boating accident Luna, a killer whale, popular among tourists was killed in an accident when it was hit by a tugboat propeller off Vancouver Island on Canada s Pacific coast. The seven-year-old whale first came to the region five years ago. He would seek out companionship by playfully pushing passing boats and sea planes. Many tourists would feed Luna and hold their children close to him to get pictures. A killer whale Normally, killer whales travel in pods and it was rare that Luna had separated from his group. After several boating accidents, Canadian and US authorities decided to reunite Luna with his pod. But the government backed down when the native peoples of that region objected and allowed them to shepherd Luna.

27 Exercise Read the article and complete the activities. 1. Where do killer whales usually live? Do they like cold water or warm water? 2. Do these whales travel much? If so where do they travel? 3. How big do they get? What do they eat? 4. What is a mammal? Define it.

28 MAD COW DISEASE IN US Controls are working third case of mad cow disease A has been discovered in the US. Authorities say the situation is not getting worse, but rather it shows that the strict beef controls are successful in detecting diseased cows. The latest infected cow was found in Alabama. This is the third confirmed case in the US since The early detection has taken the infected meat out of circulation and prevented it from entering both human and animal food supplies. Mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), is a progressive, fatal disease. It attacks the central nervous system and causes its sufferers to lose motor control. Some scientists believe the human variant of the disease is caused by eating beef contaminated with BSE. Quarantined dairy cows

29 Exercise Read the article and answer the following questions. 1. How do you expect people to react after reading this article? What do you think they will do? 2. Have the recent diseases, such as bird flu, mad cow, etc, made you and your family change your eating habits? Explain. 3. Do you follow a healthy diet? As a class, talk about good nutrition and why it s important to eat wisely.

30 NEW COMPUTER VIRUS Seeks ransom for files A new computer virus is kidnapping files and holding them for ransom. In order to get them back, the masterminds behind the crime are demanding 300 dollars. Holdup in cyberspace The security firm LURHQ recently discovered the Trojan ransomware. Users whose computers have the bug are informed that their files are being held and will not give the decrypted information back until their demands are met. Another security firm, Sophos has reported that this latest virus is bold as brass. They recommend that companies use a backup system to ensure they don t lose their files in case of an attack. This way companies won t be subjected to meeting the criminals demands. Together, Sophos and LURHQ have discovered the password, which is a code disguised as a file.

31 Exercise Read the article and answer the following questions. 1. What usually happens to your computer when it has a normal virus? Explain. 2. What makes this type of virus different from other viruses? 3. How do you protect your computer from viruses? How do you usually solve the problem when your computer is infected?

32 STARLET SEEKS SMILES Jessica Simpson for disfigured children America s starlet Jessica Simpson visited the US Congress to make an appeal for a charity organization that helps children with facial deformities. The movie actress and pop-singer is currently serving as the youth ambassador for Operation Smile, a non-profit group that provides surgery for children who suffer from disfiguring diseases. Simpson lobbied on the children s behalf in Congress. In a statement to Jessica Simpson the press, Simpson said that working with the program has been an eyeopening and rewarding experience. She said it changed my life and changed my perspective. She added that it was truly amazing to see how the children were transformed after their operations, and said; this is what life is about, to walk through it smiling.

33 Exercise Listen to or read the article and fill in the blanks with the correct word. America s starlet Jessica Simpson the US Congress to make an appeal for a organization that helps children with deformities. The movie actress and pop-singer is currently as the youth ambassador for Operation Smile, a non-profit group that provides for children who suffer from disfiguring. Simpson on the children s behalf in Congress. In a statement to the press, Simpson said that working with the program has been an eye-opening and experience. She said it changed my life and changed my. She added that it was truly amazing to see how the children were after their operations, and said; this is what life is about, to walk through it.