GLOBAL ENGLISH

Reading Advantage
Second Edition, Student Book 2
Casey Melarcher
Billionaires 1

Before You Read

Answer the following questions.

1. Who do you think is the wealthiest person in the world? __________________

2. Who is the wealthiest person in your country? __________________
How did he or she become wealthy? __________________
3. Do you know of any young people who are very rich? __________________

Target Vocabulary
Match each word with the best meaning.

1. b
____ determine a. said
2. c
____ personal b. decide; choose
3. e
____ property c. not public; belonging to someone
4. d
____ wealth d. a large amount of money and property
5. f
____ worth e. things owned by someone
6. h
____ nation f. value or cost
7. a
____ reported g. decide or guess something, e.g., a number or price
8. g
____estimate h. country

2
Reading Passage
There are really two classes of wealthy people. Millionaires are rich. Billionaires are
super rich! However, determining a person’s wealth is not always easy.

The wealth of a king or queen, for example, is based on the wealth and property of the
nation instead of the personal wealth and property of the king or queen. For some
kings and queens, it is difficult to tell these two kinds of wealth apart.

The richest member of a royal family is Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud. His personal
wealth was estimated in 2003 to be $18 billion. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is
often thought to be the richest woman in the world. However, when the public
property of England is ruled out, her personal money and property seem rather small.
Queen Elizabeth II’s personal wealth was estimated in 2003 to $397 million. This was
less than J. K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter books, who was estimated to be
worth $444 million.

In the United States, there were 222 people reported to be billionaires in 2003. The
richest of these is Bill Gates, worth at least $41 billion, who made his money by
starting the company Microsoft. Mr. Gates was only twenty years old when he first
helped to set up the company in 1976.

Mr. Gates may seem young to be so rich, but other people have made a lot of money at
even younger ages. Other young people who have struck it rich include Jackie Coogan
(1914-1984) and Shirley Temple (1928 - ). Both of these child actors made over a
million dollars acting in movies before they were fourteen years old. However, the
youngest billionaire is Albert von Thurn und Taxis of Germany, who, in 2001,
inherited 1a billion dollars when he turned eighteen!

Did you
know?
The richest
person was
John D.
Rockefeller, of
America, who
was worth
$900 million in
1913. That
would be the
same as having
$190 billion
today!

1
inherit receive from someone, usually a relative, after the person dies

3
Reading Comprehension

Circle the letter of the best answer.

1. What is the best title for this passage?

a. How to Become a Billionaire c. Wealthy People of the World
b. The Life of Bill Gates d. Child Billionaires

2. Why is determining a person’s wealth sometimes difficult?

a. The difference between public and private property is sometimes unclear.
b. Some wealthy people are very young.
c. Kings and queens are very private people and keep their wealth hidden.
d. There are very few billionaires in the world.

3. According to this passage, who is the richest person in the world?

a. Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud c. J. K. Rowling
b. Queen Elizabeth II d. Bill Gates

4. In what year did Bill Gates become a billionaire?

a. 1956 c. 1987
b. 1976 d. 2003

5. Which of these people did not have to work for their money?
a. J. K. Rowling c. Jackie Coogan
b. Bill Gates d. Albert von Thurn und Taxis

Idioms
1. rule out – decide something is not possible
Our high school lost the game, so we have been ruled out of the finals.
Who stole the money? Well, Lance was with his parents, so we can rule him
out.

2. strike it rich – become rich quickly

John’s uncle struck it rich through his online business.
Sarah thinks she can strike it rich by gambling in Las Vegas.

3. make money – earn money

I made some money by working over the summer.
Ray sold his house and made a lot of money.

4
Vocabulary Reinforcement

A. Circle the letter of the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

estimated
1. There are _____________ to be six billion people in the world.
a. determined b. earned c. estimated d. told

2. Last night, the news _____________ an earthquake in Turkey.

a. reported b. said c. told d. estimated

3. So many good people applied for the job that it’s hard to _____________ anyone.
a. make money b. rule out c. estimate d. report

4. His house is thought to be _____________ $20 million.

a. worth b. value c. cost d. property

5. Thirty-two _____________ compete in the Soccer World Cup tournament.

a. kings b. public c. personal d. nation

6. I think that being an actor would be a fun way to _____________ money.

a. report b. make c. inherit d. estimate

B. Complete that passage with items from the box. One item is extra.

estimated struck it rich personal wealth worth determine

determine
It is not easy to (1) _______________________ how rich kings and queens are. The wealth
personal
of a king or queen comes from the person’s (2) _______________________ property or from
money and property of the nation. Looking at personal wealth, a Saudi Arabian prince
estimated
is probably the richest royal, (3) _______________________ to be worth $18 billion. But
struck it rich
Bill Gates is richer. He (4) _______________________ with his computer company
worth
Microsoft, and all of his property and money is (5) _______________________ $41 billion.

What Do You Think?

1. If you were a billionaire, how would you spend your money?
2. What advice would you give to someone who wanted to be a billionaire?

5
Andre Agassi 2

Before You Read

Answer the following questions.

1. Do you like watching or playing tennis? __________________

Is the sport popular in your country? __________________
2. What kind of qualities do you think someone needs
to become a professional tennis player? __________________
3. What do you know about the tennis player Andre Agassi? __________________

Target Vocabulary
Match each word with the best meaning.

1. e
____ afraid a. say no
2. h
____ achievement b. a win
3. f
____ despite c. strong mind or willpower
4. d
____ career d. life’s work, especially in business or job
5. g
____ hairstyle e. scared; frightened
6. a
____ refuse f. although
7. c
____ determination g. the way someone’s hair is cut
8. b
____ victory h. something someone has succeeded in doing,
usually after a lot of work

6
Reading Passage
When thirty-two-year-old tennis player Andre Agassi made it to the final of the U. S.
Clay Court Championship
1in April 2003, he set a new world record: he became the oldest player ever to be

number one in the world’s tennis rankings2. It was one of the greatest achievements
in Agassi’s long and successful career.

Andre Agassi turned professional in 1986 at the age of sixteen. His career soon took
off, and in 1990, he reached the finals of both the U. S. Open and the French Open
championships.

By the age of twenty, Agassi was famous around the world, despite never having won
an important tennis championship. Many people thought he was famous more for his
long blond hair and colourful tennis shirts than for his skills. They wondered if he
could really win an important tournament.

In 1992, Agassi proved these people wrong by winning one of the greatest prizes in
world tennis – the Wimbledon singles3 final. His first attempt to win this tournament
had been in 1987, but he lost his opening game. He then refused to take part at
Wimbledon for the next three years. He said his reason for not playing was that the
officials refused to allow him to wear his colourful shirts, but some people said it was
because he was afraid to lose.

After several more championship victories, Agassi’s luck began to run out. By 1997,
the year of his marriage to movie actress Brooke Shields, Agassi’s ranking had
dropped to 141st in the world. Many people thought his career was over.

Agassi and Shields divorced two years later, and Agassi made a comeback with a new
trainer, a new hairstyle, and new determination. In 1999, he won both French Open
and the U. S. Open and ended the year back as the world’s number one. By 2003, he
had earned more than $27 million in prize money, making him one of the most
successful tennis players of all time.

Did you know?

In October 2001, Agassi
married German tennis star
Steffi Graf and they later had a
baby son. For his birthday their
son was given twenty-one
small tennis rackets!

1
Clay Court Championship a tournament played on a tennis court made from clay ( a hard material also commonly
used to make pots and plates)
2
ranking an ordered list of people or places
3
singles match where one player plans another player; in doubles, two teams of two players

7
Reading Comprehension
Circle the letter of the best answer.

1. What is the best title for this passage?

a. An Amazing Career c. A Celebrity Marriage and Divorce
b. The World’s Oldest Tennis Player d. Great Championship Matches

2. How old was Agassi when he won his first championship?

a. sixteen c. twenty-two
b. twenty d. thirty-two

3. Who are “these people” in “Agassi proved these people wrong...” (paragraph 4)
a. people who beat Agassi in tennis matches
b. people who thought Agassi could not win a championship
c. Brooke Shields and other movie actresses
d. other ranked tennis players

4. When did Agassi and Shields divorce?

a. 1995 c. 1999
b. 1997 d. 2003

5. Which of these did NOT happen to Agassi in 1999?

a. He got divorced. c. He finished at number 1 in the rankings.
b. He won the French Open. d. He won $27 million.

Idioms

1. prove (someone) wrong – show that someone is wrong

They thought I couldn’t do it, but I proved them wrong.
Sarah proved her parents wrong by getting a part in the movie.

2. run out (of something) – use all of something

Could you get some milk at the shop? We’ve run out.
We’ve run out of paper for the photocopier. We need to buy some more.

3. make a comeback – return to the top level of success

Everyone thought her singing career was over, but she made a comeback.
He made a comeback after not starting in a movie for fifteen years.

8
Vocabulary Reinforcement
A. Circle the letter of the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

1. I couldn’t finish the exam because I ________________ time.

a. finished b. lost c. ran out of d. estimated

2. Graduating from university was great ________________ for her.

a. achievement b. career c. determination d. wealth

3. My mother is really ________________ of spiders.

a. dislike b. refused c. afraid d. hate

4. The main reason for his success is his strong ________________.

a. victory b. achievement c. career d. determination

5. Everyone thought she wouldn’t succeed, but she ________________.

a. showed b. proved them c. ran out d. turned their
them off wrong of attention to

6. Her grandfather has just retired after a long and successful ________________.
a. career b. hairstyle c. victory d. achievement

B. Complete the passage with items from the box. One item is extra.

achievement victory career determination comeback run out

career
Andre Agassi began his (1) ________________ as a professional tennis player when he
victory
was a teenager. His first big (2) ________________ was in 1992 at Wimbledon. After
run out
winning several more championships, his luck seemed to (3) ________________. For
several years he did not play well, and his ranking fell to 141. Then in 1999, he made
comeback
a (4) ________________ with a new trainer and a new look. In 2003, he became the oldest
player to be ranked number one in the world at tennis. It was the greatest (5)
achievement
________________ of his career so far.

What Do You Think?

1. Do you know of any other famous people who have made comebacks? How did
they make their comeback?
2. Do you think the Wimbledon officials were right to refuse to allow Agassi to play
because of his clothing? What do you think about rules that determine what
people can wear?

9
Video Jockeys 3

Before You Read

Answer the following questions.

1. The people pictured above are video jockeys (VJs). Do you

know what VJs do? How are they different from DJs? __________________
2. How many music video channels are on TV in your country?__________________
3. How often do you watch music videos on television? __________________

Target Vocabulary
Match each word with the best meaning.

1. c
____ alternative a. person watching a show
2. b
____ channel b. a TV station
3. d
____ material c. another choice; (adj.) unusual
4. e
____ equipment d. what something is made of
5. g
____ in addition e. tools or machines
6. f
____ variety f. many different choices
7. a
____ viewer g. also; and
8. h
____ content h. things contained inside of something; (for TV or
radio) programs and songs

10
Reading Passage
DJs (disc jockeys) are the people who play and present music on the radio, or
nightclub. A VJ (video jockey) is a person who introduces music videos on television.

VJs were first seen on television in the early 1980s when MTV went on the air. As MTV
caught on, and the audience for music videos expanded, a variety of other music video
channels started broadcasting. In addition to rock music, there were channels for
people who were into alternative kinds of music, such as country music, light rock,
and R & B
1, and all of these channels needed VJs. By the 1990s, international music video

channels like Channel V in Asia and VIVA in Europe had started.

The VJs for the new international stations had to be chosen carefully. Although some
VJs did shows focused on small audiences and showed mostly local content, other
VJs presented shows for international viewers. These VJs, and the material they
presented, needed to be popular in several different cultures.

One successful international VJ in Asia is Asha Gill. She is from Malaysia, but parents
and grandparents are from India, France, and England. She speaks three languages
and has fans across Asia, from Japan to the United Arab Emirates.

Another VJ who has made a big hit in Asia is Lili. She is actually a computer-
animated2 VJ on MTV Asia. An actress wearing special computer equipment makes
Lili move like a puppet3. The actress also talks for Lili, and her shows can be seen in
five languages.

When asked what makes a good video jockey, many successful VJs have given similar
answers. To be a good VJ you need to know a lot about music, you need to be funny,
and you can’t be shy.

Did you know?

The most expensive music
video ever filmed was 1995’s
Scream by Janet Jackson. It
cost $7 million to make!

1
R & B rhythm and blues
2
computer-animated drawn using a computer
3
puppet a toy person you move by pulling strings, or by putting your hand inside it

11
Reading Comprehension
Circle the letter of the best answer.

1. What is the reading mainly about?

a. how to become a VJ c. the differences between DJs and VJs
b. the most popular VJ today d. some general information about VJs

2. What kind of music did the first VJ probably introduce?

a. classical c. rhythm and blues
b. country d. rock and pop

3. What do Channel V and VIVA have in common?

a. They are both owned by MTV.
b. They are music video channels in Asia.
c. They do not use VJs to introduce music.
d. They have viewers in more than one country.

4. Which is NOT true about Asha Gill?

a. She speaks more than one language.
b. Her family were all born in Malaysia.
c. She’s popular in quite a lot of Asian countries.
d. She is a successful VJ.

5. Which of the following does the passage NOT mention as being important for
someone who wants to be a VJ?
a. speak many different languages c. talk easily with different people
b. listen to a lot of music d. being able to make people laugh

Idioms

1. on the air – broadcast on TV or radio

It’s too early to turn on the TV. None of the channels are on the air yet.
The radio station went off the air after the owner died.

2. catch on – become popular

I think this new song will really catch on.
The new fashion quickly caught on, and soon everyone was wearing it.

3. be into something – have a lot of interest in something

He’s really into cars and motorbikes.
She loves going to bookstores, but she’s not really into clothes shopping.

12
Vocabulary Reinforcement
A. Circle the letter of the word or phrase that best matches the words in italics.

1. She didn’t like the show, so she changed the station.

a. event b. title c. channel d. wealth

2. This store sells a bigger variety of products than other stores.

a. choice b. total c. alternative d. worth

3. Most of the viewers of the program are teenage girls.

a. audience b. property c. makers d. variety

4. Her brothers is interested in chatting online.

a. about b. with c. into d. by

5. The story of this movie is not for children.

a. career b. content c. channel d. view

6. My sister is really into alternative movies.

a. unusual b. common c. dangerous d. afraid

B. Complete the passage with items from the box. One item is extra.

material caught on in addition on the air viewers a variety of

on the air
Music video channels first went (1) ________________ in the 1980s, and quickly (2)
caught on
________________. material
These channels used (3) ________________ people called VJs to
introduce the music videos. International music video channels try to find VJs and (4)
in addition
________________ to fit a wide audience. Channels like Channel V and VIVA (5)
viewers
________________ from many countries.

What Do You Think?

1. What is your favourite channel on television? Why do you like it?
2. Have you seen any TV programs made in another country? Which ones? What
did you think of them?

13
Coffee Culture 4

Before You Read

Answer the following questions.

1. How often do you drink coffee?

Where and when do you drink it? __________________
2. Is coffee popular in your country?
If not, what other drinks are popular? __________________
3. Are there any Starbucks coffee shops in your area?
What do you know about this company? __________________

Target Vocabulary
Match each word with the best meaning.

1. ____ atmosphere a. cook using dry heat, or in an oven

2. ____ location b. give someone a job
3. ____ roast c. manage (e.g., a company)
4. ____ casual d. make something for the first time
5. ____ run (something) e. place; where something is
6. ____ create f. the center of a city
7. ____ downtown g. the feeling created by furniture, lights, music, etc.
8. ____ hire h. relaxed; not formal

14
Reading Passage
The first Starbucks coffee shop opened in 1971 in downtown Seattle, Washington, in
the United States. It was a small coffee shop that roasted its own coffee beans. The
coffee shop’s business did well, and by 1981 there were three more Starbucks stores
in Seattle.

Things really began to change for the company in 1981. That year, Howard Schultz
met the three men who ran Starbucks. Schultz worked in New York for a company
that made kitchen equipment. He noticed that Starbucks ordered a large number of
special coffee makers, and he was curious about the company. Schultz went to Seattle
to see what Starbucks did, and he liked what he saw. He wanted to become part of the
company. In 1982, the original Starbucks owner hired Schultz as the company’s head
of marketing1.

In 1983, Schultz travelled in Italy. The unique atmosphere of the espresso2 bars
caught his eye. To Schultz it seemed that Italians spent their daily lives in three
places: home, work, and coffee bars. His experience in Italy gave Schultz a new idea
for Starbucks back in Seattle.

Schultz created an atmosphere for Starbucks coffee shops that was comfortable and
casual, and customers everywhere seemed to like it. Between 1987 and 1992,
Starbucks opened 150 new stores – and that was only the beginning. As a matter of
fact, by the year 2000, three new Starbucks stores opened somewhere around the
world every day!

Today Starbucks has thousand of stores, including stores in twenty-six countries. One
thing that helps make Starbucks succeed in cities outside the United States is the way
Starbucks works with local stores and restaurants. By working together with a store
already in the city, Starbucks gains an understanding of customers in the city. This
understanding helps Starbucks open stores in the right locations for their customers.

Did you know?

The world’s first coffee
shop was called “Kiva
Han,” and opened in
Istanbul, Turkey, in the
1400s.

1
marketing the job of selling a product, planning advertising, deciding prices, and so on
2
espresso a small cup of strong, black coffee

15
Reading Comprehension
Circle the letter of the best answer.

1. What is the main topic of the reading?

a. how Starbucks has grown c. Starbucks’ customers
b. what Starbucks makes d. how Starbucks makes its coffee

2. Which is true about Starbucks’ first ten years of business?

a. It grew very quickly. c. It was a small company.
b. It was run by Howard Schultz. d. It made special coffee makers.

3. Who is Howard Schultz?

a. a coffee seller from New York c. the man who changed the company
b. an Italian coffee maker d. one of the original owners of the company

4. About how many new Starbucks opened in 1999?

a. 3 c. 300
b. 150 d. more than 1,000

5. What helps Starbucks succeed in places outside the United States?

a. opening restaurants in just few locations each year
b. only selling locally produced coffee beans
c. working with the other major coffee-making companies
d. learning about local customers

Idioms
1. catch one’s eye – attract one’s attention; make one see or notice
While we were window shopping, this dress caught my eye.
They wanted the ad to catch the eye of readers.

2. gain an understanding – learn about; get to know something about

This class will help you gain an understanding of computers work.
They both gained an understanding of each other from the experience.

3. as a matter of fact – in fact; actually

I read your homework. I have it here on my desk, as a matter of fact.
She’s leaving the country. As a matter of fact, she’s flying to Paris tomorrow.

16
Vocabulary Reinforcement
A. Circle the letter of the word or phrase that best matches the words in italics.

1. The bright lights caught his eye.

a. made him look b. scared him c. saw him d. upset him

2. Put the meat in the oven and roast it for two hours.
a. eat b. cook c. server d. hire

3. She didn’t think the newspaper’s content was very interesting.

a. ending b. atmosphere c. information d. equipment

4. I don’t know how to use the new office equipment.

a. channels b. events c. machines d. location

5. The meeting yesterday was very casual.

a. mixed b. new c. professional d. relaxed

6. My uncle owns property in the country.

a. land b. location c. atmosphere d. downtown

B. Complete the passage with items from the box. One item is extra.

atmosphere created downtown equipment as a matter of fact hired

Starbucks began as a small coffee company (1) ________________ Seattle in the United
States. A man in New York noticed the small company bought a lot of special (2)
________________ to make coffee. He went to Seattle to learn about the company and
later (3) ________________ by Starbucks. This man changed the (4) ________________ of
the stores and helped to make Starbucks a huge company. (5) ________________,
Starbucks today has thousands of stores in more than twenty different countries.

What Do You Think?

1. Starbucks coffee shops are popular for young people to meet and “hang out”
with friends. Where do you and your friends like to meet? Why do you choose
those places?
2. Is there a company from your country that has been successful internationally?
What do you think are the reasons for its success?

17
Around the World 5

Before You Read

Answer the following questions.

1. Do you know any people who are famous

for exploring or travelling? __________________
2. Are there any famous explorers from your country? __________________
3. In 2002, Steve Fossett (pictured above) succeeded in
doing something no one else had done before. What do
you think it was? __________________

Target Vocabulary
Match each word with the best meaning.

1. ____ article a. a person who goes to new places to learn about them
2. ____ author b. a journey
3. ____ eventually c. in the end; finally
4. ____ explorer d. a scientific idea
5. ____ journalist e. write of books, articles, etc.
6. ____ novel f. a fictional book
7. ____ theory g. newspaper or magazine writer
8. ____ trip h. newspaper or magazine story

18
Reading Passage
For most people of human history, people thought the world was flat. That is, they
thought that if you travelled far enough in one direction, you would eventually come
to the edge of the world. Then, about two thousand years ago, people started to come
up with the theory that the earth was round. This meant that travelling far enough in
a straight line, you would eventually come back to where you started.

It wasn’t until the sixteenth century that Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition1 became the
first to travel around the world. The expedition first sailed west from Portugal, around
South America, across the Pacific, before returning around South Africa back to
Portugal. Although Magellan died during the voyage, one of his captains, Sebastian del
Cano, made it all the way.

In 1872, the French science fiction author Jules Verne published a book called
Around the World in 80 Days. The novel was about a man who travels around the
world, starting from London, to win a bet.

In 1889, an American journalist, Nellie Bly, was sent by her newspaper to complete
the journey taken by the characters in Verne’s book. She travelled around the world,
sending articles back to her newspaper about her journey. She finally arrived back
home after her trip, taking 72 days, six hours, eleven minutes, and fourteen seconds
to go around the world.

Even though travelling around the world these days is very easy, and can be done in
one or two days by plane, people are still interested in breaking records.

From 1970 to 1974, an American, Dave Kunst, was the first person to walk the way
around the world. He wore out twenty-one pairs of shoes on his trip. The first airplane
flight around the world took place in 1924, completed by Lt.2 Lowell H. Smith and five
other American pilots, and the first solo helicopter flight around the world was done by
an Australian explorer, Dick Smith, in 1982-83.

As for a nonstop balloon flight all the way around the world, this wasn’t completed
until 2002, when Steve Fossett eventually succeeded after many attempts.

Did you know?

An American couple, Robert and
Carmen Becker, are the most
travelled couple in the world.
There are only six areas on Earth
they haven’t visited.

1
expedition a scientific or adventurous journey
2
Lt. Lieutenant (a military officer rank)

19
Reading Comprehension
Circle the letter of the best answer.

1. Who first said that the world was not flat?

a. Ferdinand Magellan c. Nellie Bly
b. Jules Verne d. The passage doesn’t say.

2. Which of these people did NOT go on a journey around the world?

a. Ferdinand Magellan c. Nellie Bly
b. Jules Verne d. Steve Fossett

3. What did Jules Verne and Nellie Bly have in common?

a. They both travelled around the world.
b. They were both American.
c. They both wrote about travelling around the world.
d. They were both journalists.

4. Which is NOT true about David Kunst’s journey?

a. He wore out a lot of shoes. c. He travelled through 21 countries.
b. He took four years to complete it. d. He set a world record.

5. Which of these people did NOT travel around the world by air?
a. Nellie Bly c. Dick Smith
b. Lowell H. Smith d. Steve Fossett

Idioms
1. even though – although; despite (the fact that)
We decided to go on our picnic, even though it looked like it would rain.
I passed the exam, even though I didn’t study.

2. wear out – making something useless by using it too much

I need to get new tires for my car. The old ones are completely worn out.
The carpet on the stairs is worn out from people walking on it.

3. these days – now (but not in the past)

These days, young people are waiting longer to get married.
People have no manners these days.

20
Vocabulary Reinforcement
A. Circle the letter of the word or phrase that best completes the sentences.

1. I read a great ________________ in the newspaper in the morning.

a. article b. novel c. journalist d. author

2. I waited for about thirty minutes before the bus ________________ came.
a. explorer b. reported c. eventually d. in addition

3. Have a great ________________! See you next week.

a. explorer b. trip c. theory d. novel

4. She has a very interesting ________________ about what happened to the

dinosaurs.
a. explorer b. journalist c. location d. theory

5. After I graduate I’d like to get a job as a newspaper ________________.

a. journalist b. author c. article d. program

6. He has written three prize-winning ________________.

a. authors b. journalists c. novels d. materials

B. Complete the passage with items from the box. One item is extra.

author explorer wore out even though these days eventually

(1)________________ it’s very easy to travel around the world, but it wasn’t always like
this. The first expedition to go all the way around the world was led by the (2)
________________ Ferdinand Magellan, in the sixteenth century. (3) ________________ you
can easily fly around the world now, people are still interested in breaking records.
One man walked around the world. His trip took four years before he (4)
________________ finished, and he (5) ________________ twenty-one pairs of shoes!

What Do You Think?

1. If you could have gone on one of the journeys mentioned in the passage, which
one would you like to have joined? Why?
2. If you were going to travel around the world, where would you go? How would
you travel?

21
Review 1-5
A. Find the words for each definition. Two words are extra.

alternative atmosphere author channel content create

determine in addition location material property victory

1. _______________ a TV station
2. _______________ a win
3. _______________ also; and
4. _______________ another choice; unusual
5. _______________ decide; choose
6. _______________ make something for the first time
7. _______________ place; where something is
8. _______________ things contained inside something
9. _______________ things owned by someone
10. _______________ what something is made of

B. Complete paragraph with the items from the box. Two items are extra.

achievement afraid alternative despite determination equipment

estimates even though eventually proved them wrong ruled out running out

The first woman to walk around the world was a young British woman named Ffyona
Campbell. Between 1983 and 1994, Ffyona walked across Europe, the United States,
Africa, and Australia. She (1) ________________ that she walked 31,519 kilometers.
Some people thought she wouldn’t be able to do it, but she (2) ________________. She
says it was hard work, and took a lot of (3) ________________. “A few times I had to
reach very deep inside to find something to keep me going,” she said.

(4) ________________ her great (5) ________________ Ffyona wasn’t happy. She had a
secret, and (6) ________________ she had to tell it to people. During her walk across
America, she was (7) ________________ her strength was (8) ________________, and so she
decided to ride in the car that was carrying her (9) ________________. In this way she
missed almost 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers). She felt so bad about her lie that she
asked for her record to be (10) ________________ of the record books.

22
 C. Match each idiom with the best definition. One definition is extra.

1. ____ as a matter of fact a. although; despite

2. ____ catch on b. attract one’s attention
3. ____ catch one’s eye c. become popular
4. ____ even though d. become rich quickly
5. ____ gain an understanding e. broadcast on TV or radio
6. ____ make a comeback f. earn money
7. ____ make a money g. have a lot of interest in something
8. ____ on the air h. in fact; actually
9. ____ strike it rich i. learn about; get to know something about
10. ____ these days j. now (but not in the past)
k. return to the top level of success

D. Use the clues below to complete the crossword.

1 2
Across
3 4

1. make something useless by using it too

5 6
much (2 words)
7. We’ve _____ toothpaste, can you please buy 7

some at the shop? (3 words) 8

8. Sam wants to _____ the company after the
manager retires. 9

9. I really want that job. I hope they _____ me. 10 11

10. decide or choose
12. make something for the first time
14. also; and (2 words) 12

16. a scientific idea

13
17. not formal; relaxed

Down
14 15

1. a large amount of money and property

2. I wanted to buy her car, but she _____ sell it 16
to me.
3. a writer
4. a TV station 17

5. cook with dry heat

6. I don’t like spiders, but I’m not _____ of
them.
11. guess a number or worth
12. programs and songs on TV or radio
13. a journey

23
The Puffer Fish 6

Before You Read

Answer the following questions.

1. What’s the most unusual meal you’ve ever eaten? __________________

2. What is the most expensive meal you’ve ever eaten? __________________
3. What do you think is special about the fish pictured
on the left? __________________

Target Vocabulary
Match each word with the best meaning.

1. ____ breathe a. something that hurts or kills people if they eat or touch it
2. ____ export b. take air into and out of the body
3. ____ identify c. bring things into a country
4. ____ import d. send things out of a country
5. ____ license e. a sign of a sickness or disease
6. ____ poison f. permission given to someone who has passed an exam
7. ____ remove g. show or find out who someone is or what something is
8. ____ symptom h. take away

24
Reading Passage
In 1996, three men in California were taken to a hospital with strange symptoms.
They felt dizzy, tired, and weak. They couldn’t speak, and they had trouble breathing.
The hospital doctors thought the men had been poisoned, but couldn’t work out what
was wrong with them. Then they found out the three men were all chefs, and they had
just shared a dish of fugu.

Fugu, a Japanese name for the puffer fish, is one of the strangest fish in the ocean.
The puffer fish gets its name from the way the fish protects itself from enemies.
Whenever it is attacked, the fish puffs up (blows up) its body to over twice its normal
size!

The reason the three men were taken to the hospital is because the puffer fish is also
very poisonous. As a rule, if you eat a whole puffer fish, you will probably die. The
three men had a close call, but they all survived.

The symptoms of fugu poisoning are a strange feeling around the mouth and throat
and difficulty breathing. You can’t breathe and your body can’t get any air. Your brain
still works perfectly, however, so you know you are dying, but you can’t speak or do
anything about it.

Despite the danger of fugu poisoning, this strange, ugly, and very poisonous fish is
actually a very expensive, and very popular, kind of food in Japan. Customers pay up
to $200 per person to eat a fugu meal. Because of the danger, fugu can only be
prepared by chefs with a special license from the government. These chefs are trained
to identify and remove the poisonous parts of the fish. Most people who die from
eating fugu these days are people who have tried their hand at preparing the fish
themselves.

Fugu is said to be so delicious that it has even started to be imported into Hong Kong
and the United States. Several tons of fugu are now exported from Japan every year.

Did you know?

The characters that make up the
word “fugu” in Japanese mean
“river pig,” because people used
to think that the puffer fish
looked like a pig.

25
Reading Comprehension
Circle the letter of the best answer.

1. What is the best title for this passage?

a. Fishing in Japan c. The History of Fugu
b. A Dangerous Fish d. A Talented Chef

2. Why were the three men taken to the hospital?

a. Someone poisoned them. c. They poisoned each other.
b. They ate poison by accident. d. A doctor worked out their symptoms.

3. What does the puffer fish do when an enemy tries to eat it?
a. It eats the enemy. c. It looks very ugly.
b. It makes poison. d. It becomes bigger.

4. What is NOT a symptom of fugu poisoning?

a. breathing difficulty c. trouble speaking
b. tiredness and weakness d. your brain stops working

5. Who is allowed to serve fugu?

a. people in California c. the government
b. licensed chefs d. anyone who wants to try their hand

Idioms
1. as a rule – usually
As a rule, it’s cheaper to travel by train than fly.
As a rule, I don’t drink coffee before I go to bed.

2. try one’s hand at something – attempt something for the first time
On my vacation, I tried my hand at scuba diving.
I’d never baked a cake before, so I thought I’d try my hand at it.

3. a close call – an accident, or death, nearly happened

I had a close call when my car crashed.
The thief had a close call when the police almost caught him.

26
Vocabulary Reinforcement
A. Circle the letter of the word or phrase that best completes the sentences.

1. The United States _____________ most of the oil it uses from the Middle East.
a. exports b. imports c. removes d. breathes

2. One of the _____________ of a cold is often a high temperature.

a. licenses b. theories c. poisons d. symptoms

3. Australia _____________ a lot of beef to countries in Asia.

a. exports b. imports c. licenses d. identify

4. Before they can go into that building, people must _____________ themselves.
a. prove b. poison c. remove d. identify

5. A tree fell over in my garden, so I called someone to _____________ it.

a. identify b. create c. remove d. roast

6. Kristie had _____________ when her boat sank.

a. a close call b. a journalist c. as a rule d. a victory

B. Complete the passage with items from the box. One item is extra.

breathe try their hand at something license identify poison symptoms

The puffer fish has a natural (1) _____________ in its body. When people eat fugu that
hasn’t been prepared carefully, they show several strange (2) _____________. The
person’s mouth and throat feel funny, they can’t (3) _____________, and they can’t move.
As a rule, people should not (4) _____________ serving this food at home. People should
only eat fugu if it is served by a chef with a special (5) _____________.

What Do You Think?

1. What is a special food from your country? What food from your country would
visitors from another country enjoy?
2. Would you eat fugu? What other dangerous activities would you try?

27
Getting Married 7

Before You Read

Answer the following questions.

1. Have you ever been to a wedding? Whose was it? __________________

What was it like? __________________
2. What are some wedding traditions in your country? __________________
3. Do you know of any famous or expensive weddings? __________________

Target Vocabulary
Match each word with the best meaning.

1. ____ argue a. a formal event

2. ____ arrange b. difficult and not simple
3. ____ bride c. fight with words
4. ____ ceremony d. make plans
5. ____ complicated e. be different; change
6. ____ groom f. a woman who is getting married
7. ____ stadium g. a man who is getting married
8. ____ vary h. a sports playing area with seats around it

28
Reading Passage
Every culture in the world has marriage and wedding ceremonies. Usually marriages
are between one woman (the bride) and one man (the groom). However, in other parts
of the world a man may have several wives, or, as in some areas of Tibet and India, a
wife may have more than one husband.

There are also many different kinds of wedding ceremonies practiced around the
world. These ceremonies can be very short and simple, or very long and complicated.

One of the largest and most expensive wedding ceremonies in recent times was held in
Dubai in 1981. The couple tying the knot at this wedding were the son of Sheik1
Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum and Princess Salama. The wedding ceremony took
seven days and cost $44 million. It was held in a large building which was specially
built for the ceremony and looked like a stadium. The bride and groom needed a large
place for their wedding because more than 20,000 guests were invited.

The reasons why a man and woman get married also vary. Sometimes they marry
because they are in love, sometimes they marry someone they meet through a
matchmarket2, and sometimes they marry because their parents tell them that they
must marry.

One unusual example of an arranged marriage took place in Bangladesh in 1986. The
groom was an eleven-month-old boy and the bride was a three-month-old girl. They
were the youngest married couple ever.

The parents of the bride and groom arranged the marriage as a way of ending a fight
between the two families who had been arguing over a farm for twenty years. Both
families thought that they owned the farm, but no one knew exactly. The fight ended
for good when the young boy married the young girl. By arranging this marriage,
neither family was forced to lose face. The two families agreed to give the farm to the
young couple.
Did you know?
In 1921, an American couple, Joe and
Annie Henry, got married. They were still
married eighty years later, making them
the world’s longest married couple. They
have over a hundred children,
grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

1
Sheik a male Arab ruler
2
matchmaker a person who introduces single men and women to each other

29
Reading Comprehension
Circle the letter of the best answer.

1. What is the best title for this passage?

a. An Unusual Wedding Tradition c. Common Western Wedding Traditions
b. A Short History of Marriage d. Interesting Weddings Around the World

2. Who got married in the large wedding ceremony described in the passage?
a. a farmer and a neighbour c. the son of a sheik and a princess
b. a king and a queen d. two babies

3. Why was the wedding ceremony in Dubai held in a building like a stadium?
a. The ceremony was very long.
b. The groom loved to play sports.
c. Many people came to the wedding.
d. People in Dubai usually get married in stadiums.

4. Why did the families in Bangladesh make their children get married?
a. The children were in love.
b. The families wanted to end a fight.
c. The families wanted to buy a farm.
d. The bride’s family wanted to sell their farm.

5. What was strange about the wedding in Bangladesh?

a. The bride and groom were young.
b. It was an arranged marriage.
c. The wedding was on a farm.
d. More than 20,000 guests came to the wedding.

Idioms
1. tie the knot – get married
My uncle finally tied the knot last year.
We’ve decided to wait for a while before we tie the knot.

2. lose face – have other people laugh at you and respect you less
He thinks he’ll lose face if he says sorry.
The company lost face when the manager was out in prison.

3. for good – forever; always

After years of trying, she’s finally quit smoking for good.
Jackie married a Canadian man and moved to Canada for good.

30
Vocabulary Reinforcement
A. Circle the letter of the word or phrase that best completes the sentences.

1. In her white dress, Mary was a lovely _____________.

a. bride b. couple c. groom d. parent

2. The amount of rain _____________ every year. Some years are dry, others are
wet.
a. identifies b. breathes c. hires d. varies

3. Lisa heard her neighbours _____________ in the apartment next door.

a. identifying b. arguing c. varying d. removing

4. This machine is very _____________ to use.

a. eventually b. for good c. complicated d. afraid

5. We _____________ to meet at the theatre at seven o’clock.

a. arranged b. complicated c. imported d. license

6. All the fans cheered when the team entered the _____________.
a. farm b. groom c. stadium d. location

B. Complete the passage with items from the box. One item is extra.

arguing for good ceremonies arranging invited groom

Some wedding (1) _____________ are small, and others are very large. The largest one
was held in a building that looked like a stadium, and 20,000 guests were (2)
_____________! Another interesting wedding was between a bride and (3) _____________
who were two families who had been (4) _____________ over some land. This wedding
ended the fight (5) _____________.

What Do You Think?

1. What is the average age to get married in your country? What do you think is
the best age to get married?
2. If you were getting married, what kind of wedding would you have? Where
would you hold it? Who would you invite?

31
Say It With Flowers 8

Before You Read

Answer the following questions.

1. Have you ever given flowers to someone as a gift? __________________

2. What kind of flowers do you like to give or receive? Why? __________________
3. Do different flowers have different meanings in
your country? __________________

Target Vocabulary
Match each word with the best meaning.

1. ____ basket a. tradition; a way to do things from the past

2. ____ bunch b. stay; continue
3. ____ custom c. one of the things that cover a bird
4. ____ decrease d. the material a candle is made from
5. ____ feather e. a group of many things
6. ____ pure f. clean; without dirt or pollution
7. ____ remain g. make or become less or smaller
8. ____ wax h. an open container used for carrying things,
usually made from plant material

32
Reading Passage
These days it is very common for young men to give flowers to young women when
they are in love, but this hasn’t always been the custom.

In the 1700s in Turkey, it was quite popular for people in love to secretly send each
other baskets full of strange things. Usually, an old woman who sold flowers or fruit
on the street left the basket beside the door of the person receiving it.

These gift baskets included a variety of objects, such as flowers, stones, feathers,
wax, and even charcoal1. Each thing in the basket had a special meaning and by
figuring out the secret message contained in each item, the person who received the
basket could determine the true feelings of the giver.

This idea of sending gifts of love with secret meanings quickly spread to Germany,
France, and England. However, over time, only sending flowers remained popular.

A bunch of flowers told young ladies about the feelings in the hearts of young men.
Each different flower had a different meaning. For example, the flowers from an orange
tree meant, “You are beautiful and pure.” Pink carnations meant, “My love for you is
strong and great.” Yellow roses, on the other hand, meant “I saw you with someone
else.”

Many flower dictionaries were made to help young people in love understand the
meaning of the flowers they received. Not all of the dictionaries agreed, however, on
the meaning of each flower, so a person had to watch out what flowers they chose to
send. For example, depending on which dictionary you used, and which color you
gave, a young man’s roses could mean, “I love you,” “love is dangerous,” or even, “my
love has decreased.”

By the 1880s, using flowers to send messages had fallen out of fashion, and the more
direct way of sending love letters began. Today, flowers are still considered a lovely gift,
but the meaning for each kind of flower has been lost.

Did you know?

Americans spend
almost $15 billion a
year on flowers. The
most popular flower
is the rose, of which
there are more than
2,000 different
varieties.

1
charcoal a black material made by burning wood

33
Reading Comprehension
Circle the letter of the best answer.

1. What custom is described in the second and third paragraphs?

a. sending gift baskets c. sending flowers
b. selling gift baskets d. selling flowers

2. What did the items in a gift basket explain to the receiver?

a. the receiver’s looks c. the receiver’s personality
b. the sender’s feelings d. the sender’s name

3. To where did the idea of sending gifts of love spread?

a. Asia c. Turkey
b. Europe d. North America

4. How did people know the meaning of each kind of flower?

a. They found out from books. c. The sender told them.
b. Old women explained it. d. They read secret letters.

5. In which century did the custom of reading messages through flowers become
uncommon?
a. the seventeenth century c. the nineteenth century
b. the eighteenth century d. the twentieth century

Idioms
1. fall out of fashion – lose popularity
For men, wearing hats has fallen out of fashion.
As people write more e-mails, letter-writing has really fallen out of fashion.

2. watch out (for) – be careful

Watch out! That car’s going to hit us!
Watch out for snakes when you’re walking in the woods.

3. on the other hand – however (used to introduce an opposite idea)

A lot of people don’t like washing dishes. I, on the other hand, really enjoy it.
Big dogs can be expensive to keep. On the other hand, they are great pets.

34
Vocabulary Reinforcement
A. Circle the letter of the word or phrase that best matches the words in italics.

1. The number of people in this country decreases every year.

a. goes up b. goes down c. stays the same d. varies

2. I love chocolate. On the other hand, my wife hates it.

a. pure b. in fact c. however d. as a rule

3. The water in this river is not clean. Do not drink it.

a. pure b. wax c. feather d. complicated

4. You should watch out for bears in these woods.

a. go away from b. be careful of c. discover d. refuse

5. It is a tradition to eat cake on your birthday.

a. basket b. wax c. gift d. cutom

6. It’s difficult for Robert to explain his feelings.

a. emotions b. secrets c. information d. fashion

B. Complete the passage with items from the box. One item is extra.

fell out of fashion bunch basket remains decreases custom

In Turkey, people used to follow the (1) _____________ of sending special things to people
they loved. A man would send a (2) _____________ full of things to a woman. Each thing
had a special meaning. After the custom spread to Europe, people would send a
(3) _____________ of flowers with special meanings. Later, the meanings (4) _____________,
but giving flowers to someone you love (5) _____________ popular today.

What Do You Think?

1. When do people give flowers in your country? Do different flowers have different
meanings?
2. If you were going to give a gift basket to someone, what would you put in it?
Would the things in it have special meanings?

35
Bollywood 9

Before You Read

Answer the following questions.

1. What do you know about Hollywood? __________________

2. Have you seen any films that weren’t made in the
United States or in your country? __________________
3. What other countries are famous for their movies? __________________

Target Vocabulary
Match each word with the best meaning.

1. ____ adventure a. all businesses that make or sell a product

2. ____compare b. see how two things are the same or different
3. ____ costume c. clothes worn by an actor or actress
4. ____ industry d. in a film, the background behind an actor or actress
5. ____ mystery e. the words that the actors in a film say
6. ____ scenery f. something that’s difficult to explain
7. ____ script g. an exciting or dangerous journey
8. ____ shoot (a film) h. take pictures with a movie camera

36
Reading Passage
Most people think that the capital of the movie world is Hollywood, in the United
States. However, the real movie capital is Mumbai, in India. Mumbai used to be known
as Bombay, and so the film1 industry there is called “Bollywood.” Bollywood makes
twice as many movies each year as Hollywood – more than 800 films a year.

The movies from Bollywood are very different from Hollywood movies. For one thing,
Bollywood movies are much longer than most Hollywood movies. Most Bollywood
movies are more than three hours long, and contain singing, dancing, action,
adventure, mystery, and romance (but usually no kissing). Because Bollywood films
contain so many different features, this style of film is sometimes called a “masala”
film. (“Masala” is an Indian word for a mixture of spices2.)

Another big difference between Bollywood and Hollywood movies is the way the movies
are made. It takes much longer to make a movie in Hollywood than in Bollywood. In
fact, filming may begin on a Bollywood movie before the script is even finished. The
director and writers can make up the story while the film is being made. Sometimes,
they will even write the script by hand instead of taking time to type it.

Bollywood actors are very popular and some are in such high demand that they may
work on several movies at the same time. They may even shoot scenes for several
films on the same day using the same costumes and scenery. Since most Bollywood
movies follow the same kind of story, shooting scenes for several films at the same
time is not a big problem for actors and directors. This also helps keep average
Bollywood film, with a budget of only two million U.S. dollars, seems very cheap
compared to the average budget of sixty million U.S. dollars for a Hollywood film –
thirty times as much!

Did you know?

A hundred million people go to the
cinema every week in India.

1
film movie
2
spices part of a plant, or powder from part of a plant, that you put in food to make it tasty, e.g., pepper, ginger,
curry powder, cardamom

37
Reading Comprehension
Circle the letter of the best answer.

1. What is the main topic of the reading?

a. famous stars in Bollywood
b. how Hollywood movies are made
c. the differences between two movies in industries
d. the history of movie-making in India

2. What is NOT true about Mumbai?

a. It is the movie capital of India.
b. The new name is Bombay.
c. More movies are made there than in Hollywood.
d. It is less expensive to make films there than in Hollywood.

3. Why are Bollywood films often called “masala” films?

a. They have spicy stories.
b. They show Indian culture.
c. They are much longer than Hollywood films.
d. They mix different styles of movies.

4. Bollywood movies are cheap to make because...

a. they are shorter than Hollywood films.
b. the scripts are written by hand.
c. the movies do not use any special effects.
d. each movie reuses things from other movies.

5. Which of these statements would the writer probably agree with?

a. Hollywood movies are too violent.
b. It takes a lot of money to make a good movie.
c. Only Indian people can understand Bollywood movies.
d. Most Bollywood movies are similar.

Idioms
1. in (high) demand – wanted by or popular with many people
The book was in high demand, and the bookstores sold out very quickly.
There’s only one doctor in that town, so she’s always in demand.
2. by hand – without using machine
I can type much faster than I can write by hand.
The rugs were very expensive because each one was made by hand.
3. for one thing – as one example
I don’t like him. For one thing, he’s always late.
I know this isn’t my dog. For one thing, my dog is much smaller.

38
Vocabulary Reinforcement
A. Circle the letter of the word or phrase that best completes the sentences.

1. The director wants to _____________ his new adventure movie in the jungle.
a. arrange b. contain c. shoot d. create

2. The writer changed the movie’s _____________ five times.

a. article b. material c. novel d. script

3. The photocopier was broken, so she copied the class notes _____________.
a. by hand b. for good c. on the other hand d. in high demand

4. If you _____________ these two watches carefully, you can tell which is best.
a. license b. compare c. arrange d. decrease

5. People in the movie _____________ can earn a lot of money.

a. scenery b. costume c. industry d. mystery

6. No one knew the movie was shot in a studio, because the _____________ looked
so real.
a. scenery b. script c. costumes d. feathers

B. Complete the passage with items from the box. One item is extra.

shoot for one thing industry adventures costumes compare

Bollywood is the name of the movie (1) _____________ in India. Film-makers in

Bollywood actually (2) _____________ twice as many movies each year as fillm-makers in
Hollywood. If you (3) _____________ the movies of the two industries, you can see several
differences. (4) _____________, Bollywood movies reuse scenery and (5) _____________, to
keep cost of the films low.

What Do You Think?

1. Why do you think that Bollywood films are not as successful in other countries
as Hollywood films?
2. If you could make a movie, what would it be about, and who would star in it?

39
The Nobel Prize 10

Before You Read

Answer the following questions.

1. What famous international prizes do you know? __________________

2. What do you know about the Nobel Prize? __________________
3. Do you know any Nobel Prize winners? __________________

Target Vocabulary
Match each word with the best meaning.

1. ____
aim a. one person
2. ____
announcement b. start a building or organization
3. ____
annual c. happening every year
4. ____
category d. a group or type of thing
5. ____
explosive e. a percentage paid on an amount of money
6. ____
(to) found (something) f. a material used to blow up things
7. ____
individual g. something that is made public, or said to many
people
8. ____ interest h. purpose; goal

40
Reading Passage
Each year on December 10, the world’s attention turns to Sweden for the
announcement of the Nobel Prize winners. The Nobel Prizes, six prizes given to groups
or individuals who really stand out in their fields1, were founded by a Swedish
inventor, Alfred Nobel.

Alfred Nobel was the man who invented dynamite, a powerful explosive. During his
life, Nobel made a lot of journey from his invention, and he decided that he wanted to
use his money to help scientists, artists, and people who worked to help others around
the world. When he died, his will2 said that the money would be placed in a bank, and
the interest the money earned would be given out as five annual cash prizes.

The prizes set up by Nobel were first handed out in 1901, and include physics,
medicine, chemistry, literature, and peace. Later, in 1968 the Bank of Sweden added a
prize in economics to celebrate the bank’s 300th year of business.

Each person who receives a Nobel Prize is given a cash prize, a medal, and a
certificate. The prize money for each category is currently worth about a million
dollars, and the aim of the prize is to allow the winner to carry on working or
researching without having to worry about raising money.

The prizes can be given to either individuals or groups. Prize winners include Albert
Einstein (physics, 1921), Kenzaburo Oe (literature, 1994), Kim Dae Jung (peace,
2001), the United Nations (peace, 2001), and Nelson Mandela (peace, 1993).

The prize winner that has won the most times is the International Committee of the
Red Cross. This organization has received three Nobel Prizes (in 1917, 1944, and
1963), and the founder, Jean Henri Dunant, was awarded the first Nobel Peace Prize,
in 1901.

Did you know?

Marie Curie was the first woman
to win a Nobel Prize. She first
won for physics in 1903, and
then won again in 1911 for
chemistry. Her husband,
daughter, and son-in-law were
also all Nobel Prize winners.

1
field an area of study or interest; a specialty
2
will a letter saying who will inherit your money and property after you die

41
Reading Comprehension
Circle the letter of the best answer.

1. What is the best title for this passage?

a. The History of the Nobel Prize c. How to Win a Nobel Prize
b. The Nobel Peace Prize d. Famous International Prizes

2. How many categories of Nobel Prize did Albert Nobel found?

a. one c. six
b. five d. The article doesn’t say.

3. How did Alfred Nobel become rich?

a. by winning a Nobel Prize c. through the interest on his savings
b. through his inventions d. by receiving money from the Bank of
Sweden

4. What statement about the Nobel Prize is NOT true?

a. They are given out every year.
b. They can’t be given to the same winner more than once.
c. They are worth about a million dollars each.
d. They are given to both individuals and groups.

5. Who or what was the first Nobel Prize Winner?

a. Aldred Nobel c. Jean Henri Dunant
b. Albert Einstein d. the International Committee of the
Red Cross

Idioms
1. set up – found; start
The bank teller helped me set up my new bank account.
Wendy needed to ask for help in setting up her new computer.

2. carry on – continue
Sorry for disturbing you. Carry on with that you were doing.
Frank was so tired that it was difficult for him to carry on.

3. hand out – give to many people

The teacher handed out the notes at the beginning of class.
Jenny’s part-time job is handing out advertising flyers on the street.

42
Vocabulary Reinforcement
A. Circle the letter of the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

1. The students _____________ talking, even though their teacher was waiting for
silence.
a. ruled out b. wore out c. carried on d. handed out

2. At the airport, Harvey listened for the _____________ to tell him when his plane
was leaving.
a. announcement b. explosive c. category d. script

3. Every August I go to the town’s _____________ festival.

a. complicated b. individual c. annual d. estimated

4. On the wall of the bank there is a portrait of the man who _____________ it.
a. announced b. remained c. poisoned d. founded

5. Groups of people usually take longer to make decision than _____________.

a. individuals b. costumes c. baskets d. categories

6. At the party it was difficult to tell people apart because everyone was wearing
_____________.
a. a category b. a costume c. a feather d. an announcement

B. Complete the passage with items from the box. One item is extra.

aim set up categories interest explosive hand out

The Nobel Prizes are awards (1) _____________ by Alfred Nobel. This inventor got rich
from making dynamite, an (2) _____________. Some of Nobel’s money is still in the bank,
and (3) _____________ from this money is given to the winners of the Nobel Prizes. The
(4) _____________ of the prizes is to allow people to work or research without worrying
about money. There are six (5) _____________ of prizes: physics, medicine, chemistry,
literature, peace, and economics.

What Do You Think?

1. Can you think of a person who should win a Nobel Prize? Which award should
they receive, and for what reasons?
2. If you wanted to win a Nobel Prize, what would you do?

43
Review 6-10
A. Find the words for each definition. Two words are extra.

compare complicated costume decrease explosive groom import

interest interest poison remain remove symptom

1. _______________ something that hurts or kills people if they eat or touch it

2. _______________ make or become less or smaller
3. _______________ bring things into a country
4. _______________ see how two things are the same or different
5. _______________ a sign of a sickness or disease
6. _______________ clothes worn by an actor or actress
7. _______________ difficult; not simple
8. _______________ a percentage paid on an amount of money
9. _______________ a man who is getting married
10. _______________ a material used to blow up things

B. Complete the paragraph with the items from the box. Two items are extra.

annual aimed announcements as a rule categories compared

founded handed out identified individuals on the other hand

For American journalists, photographers, and authors, the most important (1)
________________ awards are not the Nobel Prize, but the Pulitzer Prizes. The Pulitzer
Prizes were (2) ________________ by Joseph Pulitzer, an American journalist, in 1904,
and were divided into eleven (3) ________________, including journalism, nonfiction
books, and novels. In the years since then the number of prizes that are (4)
________________ has increased to twenty-one, but (5) ________________ they are still
mainly (6) ________________ at newspaper journalists – both (7) ________________ and
groups.
For people working in the American newspaper (8) ________________, the day in April
when the (9) ________________ are made, and winners are (10) ________________, is one of
the most important of the year.

C. Match each idiom with the best definition. One definition is extra.

1. ____ a close call a. be careful

2. ____ by hand b. however
3. ____ carry on c. wanted by or popular with many people
4. ____ for good d. death or an accident nearly happened
5. ____ for one thing e. forever; always
6. ____ in demand f. attempt something for the first time

44
 7. ____ on the other hand g. as an example
8. ____ tie the knot h. lose popularity
9. ____ try one’s hand at something i. continue
10. ____ watch out for j. marry
k. without using machines

D. Use the clues below to complete the crossword.

1 2 3 4
Across
5

5. He gave her beautiful _____ of flowers. 6

7. It was a beautiful wedding _____.

7
8. a sports playing area with seats around it.
10. Don’t _____ with me! Just do what I tell you!
11. one of the things that a bird is covered with 8 9

14. what candles are made from 10

15. The water from this river is so _____ you can
11 12
drink it.
18. in a film, the background behind the actors 13

19. People die if they spend too long underwater and 14

can’t _____. 15 16

17
Down
18

1. I can’t wait until I’m eighteen and I can get my

driver’s license.
2. Megan is afraid to make mistakes because she
19
thinks she will _____. (2 words)
3. take pictures with a movie camera
4. be different; change
6. the words that an actor reads
9. Giving chocolate on St. Valentine’s Day is a quite recent _____.
10. make plans
12. an exciting or dangerous journey
13. Saudi Arabia _____ a lot of oil to other countries.

45
A Funny Cure 11

Before You Read

Answer the following questions.

1. What do you usually do when you have a cold? __________________

2. What kinds of illnesses do you think can be cured
without going to a doctor? __________________
3. Look at the title of this unit. What do you think the reading
is about? __________________

Target Vocabulary
Match each word with the best meaning.

1. ____ amusing a. well being; condition of the body

2. ____ cure b. a topic or subject that people are concerned about
3. ____ disease c. a sickness or serious illness
4. ____ editor d. funny
5. ____ experiment e. hurting
6. ____ health f. (noun) a scientific test; (verb) test scientifically
7. ____ issue g. medicine or treatment that makes a sick person healthy
again
8. ____ painful h. a person in charge of publishing a book, magazine, or
newspaper

46
Reading Passage
An old English saying1 says, “Laughter is the best medicine.” One person who
certainly would have agreed with this is Norman Cousins.

Norman Cousins was the editor of a magazine called Saturday Review for almost forty
years. He also wrote and spoke about world peace and anti-nuclear and anti-war2
issues, travelling to many different countries to share his ideas.

In the 1960s, after returning to the United States from a busy and tiring trip to
Europe, Mr. Cousins got sick. He discovered he had a rare disease, known as
ankylosing spondylitis, that caused the joints3 between his bones to become stiff.

In less than a week after he got back, he could not stand. Every move that he made
was painful. He was not able to sleep at night. The doctors told Mr. Cousins that they
did not know how to cure his problem and he might never get over his illness. Mr.
Cousins, however, refused to give up hope.

Mr. Cousins thought that the illness could be caused by unhappy thoughts. He did
not want to take medicine to cure himself. Instead, he felt that happy thoughts or
laughter might cure his illness.

He began to experiment on himself while still in the hospital by watching comedy

shows on television. Mr. Cousins quickly found that ten minutes of real laughter
during the day gave him two hours of pain-free4 sleep at night.

Deciding that the doctors could not help him, Mr. Cousins left the hospital and
checked into a hotel room where he could continue his experiments with laughter. For
eight days, Mr. Cousins rested in the hotel room watching comedy shows on television,
reading amusing books, and sleeping whenever he felt tired. Within three weeks, he
felt well enough to take a vacation to Puerto Rico where he began running on the
beach for exercise.

After a few months, Mr. Cousins was able to carry on his work. He had laughed
himself back to health.

Did you know?

According to studies, young
children laugh 400 times a day,
while adults laugh only 15 times
a day.

1
saying a clever thought many people know and say, such as a proverb
2
anti-nuclear, anti-war the prefix “anti-” means you disagree with one thing; nuclear refers to nuclear weapons
3
joints the areas between bones that can bend, e.g., knees and elbows
4
pain-free the suffix “-free” means “without”; pain-free means “without pain”

47
Reading Comprehension
Circle the letter of the best answer.

1. What is the main topic of the reading?

a. a funny story c. an amazing life
b. an interesting cure d. why people laugh

2. What is NOT true about ankylosing spondylitis?

a. It is uncommon. c. It is easily cured.
b. It makes walking difficult. d. It is painful.

3. What did the doctors think about Mr. Cousins’ disease?

a. It could be cured if he slept more.
b. It might never be cured.
c. It could be cured by taking medicine.
d. It would take a week to get over it.

4. What did Mr. Cousins think cured him?

a. laughter c. medicine
b. running on the beach d. taking a vacation

5. What did Mr. Cousins do after he got better?

a. He went back to the hospital.
b. He continued his job.
c. He wrote amusing books.
d. The passage doesn’t say.

Idioms
1. get back – return
Give me a call when you get back from our vacation.
I’ve got a lot of work to do when I get back to the office.

2. get over – get better after a sickness

I feel terrible. I hope I get over this cold soon.
It took Fiona a long time to get over her illness.

3. check in (to) / out (of) – enter/leave a hotel

Check in time at that hotel is 4 P.M.
I had an early morning flight, so I checked into the airport hotel.

48
Vocabulary Reinforcement
A. Circle the letter of the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

1. Doug never exercises. I’m worried about his _____________.

a. cure b. issue c. health d. experiment

2. Jo works as an _____________ for a publishing company.

a. article b. editor c. experiment d. explorer

3. Paul’s really interested in _____________ like saving nature.

a. issues b. diseases c. experiments d. ceremonies

4. I’m looking forward to _____________ the hotel and having a shower.

a. getting over b. checking into c. setting up d. watching out for

5. The train arrives at ten, so I’ll probably _____________ the office at 10:30.
a. check out of b. set up c. get back to d. catch the eyes of

6. Patricia’s a funny woman. She always tells _____________ stories.

a. amusing b. painful c. pure d. casual

B. Complete the passage with items from the box. One item is extra.

get over painful cure issue experiment disease

Norman Cousins had a very strange (1) _____________ which made his joints stiff, and it
was (2) _____________ for him to move around. Doctors could not (3) _____________ his
illness, and they said he may never (4) _____________ it. But Mr. Cousins started to (5)
_____________ with laughter and he was finally able to get back to work.

What Do You Think?

1. What makes you laugh?
2. Who are the funniest people in your country? How about in the world?

49
Palm Reading 12

Before You Read

Answer the following questions.

1. Has anyone ever told your fortune? If yes, how did they do it?__________________
2. Do you believe it is possible to tell someone’s fortune by
using the lines on their hand? __________________
3. Some people think the lines on your palm have different
meanings. Do you know what these meanings are? __________________

Target Vocabulary
Match each word with the best meaning.

1. ____ fate a. the inside part of the hand with lines on it

2. ____ imagination b. big; important
3. ____ leadership c. small; less important
4. ____ major d. a power that decides a person’s future
5. ____ minor e. a connection between ideas, people, or things
6. ____ palm f. ability to lead people
7. ____ relationship g. creativity; creating stories or pictures in the mind
8. ____ represent h. show; mean; stand for; replace

50
Reading Passage
Even for people who don’t believe in fortune telling, it can be fun to learn about what
fortune-tellers look at on a person’s palm.

To read a person’s future, a fortune-teller looks at both of the person’s hands. The
hand that a person uses for writing will show the things the person has in life, and the
choices he or she has made. The person’s other hand will show the abilities they were
born with, and their fate.

In palm reading, most people know that different lines on the hand represent things
about a person’s life. For example, there are three major lines on everyone’s hands
called the head line, heart line, and life line.

The head line represents intelligence – people with a long head line are said to have an
excellent memory, while those with a short one are very intelligent. The life line
represents health, and the longer it is, the healthier someone is. The heart line
represents emotions and relationships – as a rule, the longer it is, the more important
relationships are to that person.

There are also six minor lines, but quite a lot of people do not have one or more of the
minor lines. The minor lines represent things such as the person’s fate, wealth,
health, marriage life, and children. Fortune-tellers read the lines by looking at how
deep and how long each line is.

In addition, fortune-tellers believe they can read information from the fingers of the
hand. Each finger has a certain skill or fortune related to it. The thumb is related to
love, the index finger to leadership, the middle finger to fate, the ring finger to art and
imagination, and the smallest finger to communication. A fortune-teller will look at
the length of each finger, how the finger bends, the size of the joints, and the shape of
the ends of the fingers.

Did you know?

According to some palm-
readers, the number of lines on
the side of your hand, under
your little finger, shows many
children you are going to have.

51
Reading Comprehension
Circle the letter of the best answer.

1. What is the main topic of the reading?

a. how fortune-tellers read palms c. a famous fortune-teller
b. the history of palm reading d. why palm reading is popular today

2. Which is NOT important for reading palms?

a. the depth of the lines c. the size of the hand
b. the length of the fingers d. which hand is used

3. What should a fortune-teller look at to read a person’s future?

a. the back of the person’s hand c. the hand not used for writing
b. the fingers of the left hand d. the person’s stronger hand

4. If a person has a long index finger with a good shape, which job would suit the
person?
a. actor c. journalist
b. manager d. writer

5. What is true about the minor lines on the palm?

a. Some people might not have all of them.
b. Few people are interested in these lines.
c. The lines make the meaning of the fingers stronger.
d. They are more difficult for fortune-tellers to read.

Idioms
1. believe in – think that something is true or a good idea
I don’t believe in ghosts or witches.
He believed in helping people, so he worked as a doctor in Africa.

2. be related to – have a connection to

She said she is related to the Russian royal family.
This paragraph is not related to the rest of the article.

3. quite a lot (of) – many; much; quite a few

I studied quite a lot for the test, but I am still nervous.
He has quite a lot of money in the bank.

52
Vocabulary Reinforcement
A. Circle the letter of the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

1. She strongly _____________ giving money to her church.

a. believes in b. is related to c. hands out d. represents

2. I am always surprised by the _____________ of great painters.

a. thumbs b. health c. imagination d. symptoms

3. The color white on the flag _____________ the country’s belief in peace and
freedom.
a. founds b. decreases c. argues d. represents

4. It was their _____________ to meet and fall in love.

a. fate b. leadership c. interest d. atmosphere

5. It is important for a manager to have strong _____________ skills.

a. explosive b. leadership c. major d. complicated

6. May and her sister have a very close _____________.

a. relationship b. personal c. roast d. compare

B. Complete the passage with items from the box. One item is extra.

health are related to believe in palms minor fate

Some people ask fortune-tellers to read their (1) _____________ in order to find out their
(2) _____________. Fortune-tellers look at a person’s fingers and the lines on both hands.
There are three major lines on the hand, and several (3 ) _____________ ones as well.
These smaller lines (4) _____________ such things as a person’s wealth, marriage, life,
and (5) _____________.

What Do You Think?

1. Look at your own, or someone else’s, palm. What do the lines tell you? Do you
believe it?
2. What other methods of fortune telling do you know? Do you think any of these
methods can really tell the future?

53
Amazing Memory 13
wealth variety hairstyle victory
channel trip nation feather

author create roast stadium

ceremony wax poison export explosive

Before You Read

Answer the following questions.

1. Do you think that you have a good memory? __________________

2. How do you usually remember things? Which do you
find easiest to remember – names, faces, or numbers? __________________
3. Look at the words in the box for one minute, then close
your book. Without looking, how many of the vocabulary
items can you remember? __________________

Target Vocabulary
Match each word with the best meaning.

1. ____ associate (something a. remember something exactly

with something)
2. ____constant b. unluckily; by bad luck
3. ____ eternal c. the way things are arranged; sequence
4. ____ memorize d. connect something in the mind
5. ____ order e. unplanned; happening in any place or at
any time
6. ____ random f. forever; never-ending
7. ____ runner-up g. (adj.) not changing; (noun) a number that
Does not change
8. ____ unfortunately h. someone who comes second place in a race
or contest

54
Reading Passage
Give this memory test a try. Mix up the cards in a deck1 of playing cards. Now look at
the top seven cards for a second each. Can you remember them in order?

Contestants at the annual World Memory Championships can. In fact, the 2002
champion, Andi Bell, memorized the random order of 23 decks of cards (that’s 1,196
cards) after looking at them for only an hour! In the same competition, Andi Bell
memorized 182 random words in fifteen minutes, and a ten-year-old German girl, Lara
Hick, memorized 75 faces and names in fifteen minutes.

Nine years earlier, another memorizer, Dominic O’Brien (who was the runner-up in the
2002 event) memorized the order of 40 decks of cards after looking at each one once.
He only made one mistake.

In 1987, a Japanese man, Hideaki Tomoyori, wanted to prove that his memory was the
best in the world by remembering by heart pi (̟), a constant number in math which
starts 3.14159 . . . This number never repeats itself or ends. He recited pi to 40,000
decimal places2. It took the fifty-five-year-old man more than twelve hours to say the
numbers, but he did it without making a mistake!

To remember pi, Mr. Tomoyori divided the number into groups of ten digits3, and
associated each number with a sound. He then made up stories to help him
remember the words he made from the sounds. In an interview after his achievement,
he said, “I decided to go ahead and memorize the value of that eternal number pi up
to one thousand places. But it wasn’t easy – in fact, it took me three years. To get to
40,000 decimal places it took me about ten years.”

Unfortunately, for Mr. Tomoyori, his record was broken in 1995, when another
Japanese man, Hiroyuki Goto, memorized pi to 42,195 places.

Did you know?

Most of the champions in the
World Memory Championships
use a technique called “the
method of loci. “In this technique,
objects to be remembered are
placed along an imaginary
pathway which the memorizer
follows to remember the items in
order.

1
deck a pack of 52 playing cards
2
decimal places digits to the right of the dot in a number, e.g., 6.4323 has four decimal places
3
digit a single number (0 to 9)

55
Reading Comprehension
Circle the letter of the best answer.

1. What is the best title for this passage?

a. Great Memory Techniques c. Strange Competitions
b. Incredible Memorizers d. Amazing Card Tricks

2. How many cards did Dominic O’Brien memorize at the 2002 World Memory
Championships?
a. 40 c. 2,080
b. 1,196 d. The passage doesn’t say.

3. Why was Lara Hick’s achievement special?

a. She was female. c. She was young.
b. She was German. d. She had the best memory in the
championships.

4. What sentence is probably true about Hideaki Tomoyori?

a. He has a good imagination. c. He found pi quite easy.
d. He only made one mistake. d. He has a better memory than
Hiroyuki Goto.

5. Who remembered the greatest number of things or numbers?

a. Dominic O’Brien c. Hideaki Tomoyori
b. Andi Bell d. Hiroyuki Goto

Idioms
1. give (something) a try – attempt something for the first time
I’ve never been scuba diving before, but I’d love to give it a try.
You should give snowboarding a try. It’s a lot of fun.

2. make up – invent
Blake loves making up stories to tell his children.
Amanda needed to make up a good reason for why she was late for work.

3. by heart – by memory
Anne learned two hundred words by heart for the test.
Colin remembered the poem by heart.

56
Vocabulary Reinforcement
A. Circle the letter of the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

1. Humprey didn’t win the race. But he did finish _____________.

a. eternal b. decimal c. order d. runner-up

2. I know you aren’t really into karaoke, but you should _____________.
a. give it a try b. carry on c. tie the knot d. make up

3. Death is sometimes called “_____________ sleep”.

a. random b. eternal c. unfortunate d. for good

4. The children stood _____________ shortest to tallest.

a. runner-up b. related to c. in order d. associated

5. I have a lot of words to _____________ for the test next week.

a. by heart b. memorize c. train d. associate

6. Can you _____________ that strange animal?

a. memorize b. make up c. found d. identify

B. Complete the passage with items from the box. One item is extra.

constant associated eternal made up random by heart

There are some people with amazing memory skills. One man memorized the order of
thousands of (1) _____________ cards after seeing them only one time. Another man
from Japan memorized pi (2) _____________. This number is a mathematical (3)
_____________ that never repeats. To memorize this number, the man (4) _____________
groups of numbers with sounds and words. Then he (5) _____________ stories with these
words to remember them. he memorized pi to 40,000 places this way.

What Do You Think?

1. Do you think you can improve your memory through practice? What kind of
practice do you think works best?
2. Mr. Tomoyori spent ten years to break a record. Do you think it was worth the
time? What record would you like to break?

57
Incredible Dogs 14

Before You Read

Answer the following questions.

1. Do you have any pets? What kinds of pets are popular

in your country? __________________
2. Do you know of any animals that have done amazing
things? __________________
3. How big do you think the largest dog was? How about
the smallest dog? __________________

Target Vocabulary
Match each word with the best meaning.

1. ____ blanket a. someone that goes or lives with another person; friend
2. ____ bravery b. a warm bed covering
3. ____ companion c. not being afraid of danger
4. ____ documentary d. get better after being sick or injured
5. ____ recover e. incredible; amazing
6. ____ remarkable f. a chair with wheels for people who can’t walk
7. ____ reward g. a television show or film based on true facts
8. ____ wheelchair h. (noun) a prize given for doing something good;
(verb) to give such a prize

58
Reading Passage
For thousands of years, people have lived with dogs. Ancient paintings on the walls of
caves show people living with dogs. Almost a third of the homes in the United States
and England have dogs, and these dogs come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.

The largest dog in the world was a dog named Zorba. When Zorba, a mastiff1, was
seven years old in 1989, he was 94 centimeters (37 inches) tall. In other words, Zorba
was more than half as tall as an adult man. At his largest, Zorba weighed more than a
heavyweight boxer2 at 156 kilograms (343 pounds).

In comparison, the smallest dog was a Yorkshire terrier from England. This dog was
only the size of a matchbox, measuring 7.1 centimeters (3.75 inches) from nose to tail.
The dog weighed about half as much as this book, and even a young child could easily
pick it up with one hand. It passed away in 1945 when it was only two years old.

Some dogs are remarkable, not for their size, but for their brain. One incredible dog is
Endal, the companion of a man named Allen Parton who has used a wheelchair since
a car accident in 1991.

In 2001, Parton was hit by a car while crossing a road with Endal, and thrown out of
his chair. Endal quickly moved to Parton into the recovery position3, covered him with
a blanket, and pushed his mobile phone close enough for him to reach. Then, once he
saw that Parton was all right, Endal ran back and forth to a nearby hotel, barking
until people came out to help.

Endal was rewarded for his bravery by being awarded a medal, and he has been the
subject of a number of TV documentaries.

Did you know?

The photo of the dog on this
page is the actual size of the
world’s smallest dog!

1
mastiff a large dog often used as a guard dog
2
boxer a person who fights with his fists, usually for money
3
recovery position a way of placing unconscious people so they are safe

59
Reading Comprehension
Circle the letter of the best answer.

1. Which of the following does the passage NOT discuss?

a. the world’s fastest dog c. a dog who saved a person’s life
b. the world’s smallest dog d. the world’s largest dog

2. According to the article, why do people have dogs as pets?

a. Dogs used to live in caves. c. Dogs are great companions.
b. Dogs come in all shapes and sizes. d. The passage doesn’t say.

3. Which sentence about Zorba is true?

a. He was taller and heavier than an adult man.
b. He was taller, but not heavier than an adult man.
c. He was heavier, but not taller than an adult man.
d. He was neither heavier nor taller than an adult man.

4. According to the passage, the world’s smallest dog weighed half as much as ___.
a. a child’s hand c. a matchbox
b. this book d. Zorba

5. Which is NOT true about Allen Parton?

a. His dog has been on TV. c. He is unable to walk.
b. He received a medal for bravery. d. He has been in at least two car
accidents.

Idioms
1. back and forth – from one side to another
Whenever he’s nervous he likes to walk back and forth.
The tennis players hit the ball back and forth for a long time.

2. in comparison – compared to
Sean looks really nervous. Ian, in comparison, looks very relaxed.
The amount of money we spend on food is minor in comparison with the
amount of money we spend on rent.

3. pass away – die (polite)

I was sorry to hear that his father passed away.
Ellyn got married again three years after her husband passed away.

60
Vocabulary Reinforcement
A. Circle the letter of the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

1. It took Brian almost six months to completely _____________ from his illness.
a. pass away b. recover c. cure d. health

2. I saw a great _____________ about Africa on TV last night.

a. script b. scenery c. documentary d. comparison

3. It was so cold last night I needed to get an extra _____________ for my bed.
a. blanket b. feather c. runner-up d. reward

4. Nathan gave a _____________ to the person who found his wallet.

a. palm b. bunch c. bravery d. reward

5. Takako is sad because her mother _____________ last year.

a. recovered b. passed away c. made up d. gained an
understanding

6. That bus goes _____________ between the downtown area and the airport.
a. back and forth b. get back c. even though d. in comparison

B. Complete the passage with items from the box. One item is extra.

documentary bravery wheelchair companion remarkable in comparison

Dogs are very popular pets, and they come in all shapes and sizes. Two of the most (1)
_____________ dogs were the largest dog in the world, Zorba, and the smallest dog, a
Yorkshire terrier. Zorba weighed more than a person. (2) _____________, the Yorkshire
terrier could easily be picked up by a child. Another dog was famous not for his size,
but for his (3) _____________. This dog is the (4) _____________ of a man who can’t walk
and has to use a (5) _____________. It saved the man’s life after he was hit by a car.

What Do You Think?

1. People say “a dog is a man’s best friend.” Do you think this is true? If not, what
other animals are more important?
2. Why do people have pets? What are some reasons for and against having pets?

61
Diamonds 15

Before You Read

Answer the following questions.

1. Does anyone in your family have any diamonds,

for example, a diamond ring? __________________
2. How much would a diamond ring cost in your country? __________________
3. What’s the most expensive item you’ve ever seen? __________________

Target Vocabulary
Match each word with the best meaning.

1. ____ arrest a. change the way someone looks to trick people

2. ____ disguise b. people or technology that keeps buildings and other
areas safe
3. ____ exhibition c. an act of stealing
4. ____ gang d. a robber; a person who steals
5. ____ robbery e. a group of people (often criminals)
6. ____ security f. capture and hold someone (by the police)
7. ____ swap g. change one thing for another; exchange
8. ____ thief h. a display or show (in an art gallery or museum)

62
Reading Passage
Visitors to London’s Millennium1 Dome building on the morning of November 7, 2000
would have seen much more that they had expected. The Dome, a building which was
built to celebrate the beginning of the new millennium, had a special display, called
“Money,” containing some of the world’s most famous diamonds.

Shortly after opening time, four men disguised as workmen drove a large digging
machine past security guards at the entrance. After coming near the exhibition, they
put on gas masks and released smoke bombs.

Their target was The Millennium Star, a 203-carat perfect blue diamond, thought to be
the most beautiful large diamond in the world, and the third largest ever discovered.

Unfortunately for the thieves, the police had been keeping an eye on them for months,
after seeing two gang members videotaping the diamonds two months earlier. As the
thieves used hammers to break into the glass case containing the diamonds, police
officers disguised as cleaners quickly surrounded and arrested the men. The police
had also swapped the diamonds for fakes2 a few hours before the robbery attempt.

The gang had planned to get away by speedboat3 along the river outside the exhibition.
The two drivers of the boat were also arrested after a high-speed chase4 along the
river. If the robbery attempt had succeeded, it would have been the largest in history –
worth over $500 million. The thieves were given a total of seventy-one years in prison,
with the two main leaders receiving eighteen years each.

Two years later, in February 2002, another gang of thieves succeeded in stealing
millions of dollars’ worth of diamonds in Antwerp, the diamond-dealing5 city in
Belgium. They used copied keys and stolen security passes to get into the area
containing the diamonds on Sunday night. The robbery wasn’t discovered until
Monday morning. The four thieves might have gotten away with the robbery, except
for their carelessness – they were captured after they left a garbage bag containing
security passes, videotapes, and documents with their names on the side of a road.

Did you know?

The world’s largest diamond,
the Cullinan, weighed 3,106
carats (about 600 g) when
uncut. It was cut into nine major
diamonds, and ninety-six minor
ones, many of which are now
part of the Crown Jewels in
London.

1
millennium a thousand years
2
fake something is not real or true
3
speedboat a small fast boat
4
chase follow someone very quickly
5
deal trade; buy and sell

63
Reading Comprehension
Circle the letter of the best answer.

1. What is the best title of this passage?

a. The Most Famous Diamond c. Diamond Exhibitions
b. Diamond Robberies d. Successful Escapes

2. What did the Millennium robbers NOT do?

a. They tried to escape by the boat.
b. They used security passes.
c. They broke the glass around the diamonds.
d. They used smoke bombs.

3. What did the police do at the Millennium Dome?

a. They videotaped the robbery.
b. They disguised themselves as security guards.
c. They swapped the diamonds for fakes.
d. They broke the glass around the diamonds.

4. Why didn’t the Antwerp robbery succeed?

a. The robbers were careless. c. The police videotaped the robbers.
b. The gang copied the wrong keys. d. The police arrested the robbers on a
boat.

5. What is similar about the two robberies?

a. They both succeeded. c. They both needed a lot of planning.
b. They happened in the same city. d. Both gangs of robbers planned to
escape by boat.

Idioms
1. get away (with) – escape from somewhere; escape punishment for doing
something bad
The thieves got away with one million dollars’ worth of gold.
He thought he had gotten away, but the police were waiting for him outside the
bank.

2. keep an eye on – watch

Can you please keep an eye on my bag for a few minutes?
The store security guard kept an eye on the group of young girls.

3. break into – enter a building or car by force

Someone broke into Phil’s house while he was away on vacation.
The police arrested the two men while they were breaking into a car parked on
the street.

64
Vocabulary Reinforcement
A. Circle the letter of the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

1. These days there is a lot more _____________ at the airport than there used to
be.
a. disguise b. fate c. interest d. security

2. There was a big _____________ at the bank downtown last night.

a. thief b. robbery c. capture d. disguise

3. I hope the police catch the _____________ who stole my car.

a. robbery b. arrest c. thief d. security

4. Paula shouted when she saw someone attempting to _____________ her

neighbor’s house.
a. break into b. check into c. watch out for d. get back to

5. Three years after the robbery, the thieves were finally _____________.
a. disguised b. arrested c. passed away d. gotten away with

6. Young people today think they can _____________ anything.

a. hand out b. fall out of fashion c. keep an eye on d. get away with

B. Complete the passage with items from the box. One item is extra.

arrested security disguised exhibition keeping an eye on gang

A (1) _____________ of thieves tried to steal a huge famous diamond. The diamond was
in a(n) (2) _____________ in London’s Millennium Dome. The thieves (3) _____________
themselves as workmen to get to the diamond, but police officers were waiting, and
quickly (4) _____________ the thieves. The police had been (5) _____________ them for
many weeks before the robbery. The leaders of the robbers will have to stay in prison
for eighteen years.

What Do You Think?

1. Why do you think that diamonds are so popular?
2. Have there been any famous robbers in your country? What happened to the
criminals? Did they get away with it?

65
Review 11-15
A. Find the words for each definition. Two words are extra.

associate blanket companion constant experiment order represent

reward runner-up security swap unfortunately

1. _______________ a scientific test

2. _______________ unluckily; by bad luck
3. _______________ show; mean; stand for; replace
4. _______________ someone that goes or lives with another person; friend
5. _______________ not changing
6. _______________ a prize given for doing something good
7. _______________ someone who comes in second in a contest or race
8. _______________ a warm bed covering
9. _______________ connect something in the mind
10. _______________ change one thing for another; exchange

B. Complete the paragraph with items from the box. Two items are extra.

arrested broke into disguised documentaries got away with thieves

kept an eye on made up passed away recovered remarkable rewarded

One of the most famous robberies of the last century is The Great Train Robbery,
which took place in England in 1963. At 3 A.M. on August 8th, a gang of fifteen men (1)
_______________ as railway workers stopped at night train carrying mail. The gang hit
the train driver, Jack Mills, over the head, and (2) _______________ the locked train.
They (3) _______________ 120 bags of cash, containing £2.6 million (worth US$66
million today).

Due to the robbers’ carelessness, the police quickly (4) _______________ most of the
gang, but of the (5) _______________ Ronald Biggs, escaped to South America, where he
lived for many years. The English police (6) _______________ him, but were unable to
arrest him until he finally returned to England in 2001.

Jack Mills never (7) _______________ from the injuries he received in the robbery, and (8)
_______________ in 1970. The (9) _______________ story of this robbery has been the
subject of quite a few (10) _______________.

66
C. Match each idiom with the best definition. One definition is extra.

1. ____ back and forth a. attempt something for the first time.
2. ____ be related to b. by memory
3. ____ believe in c. compared to
4. ____ by heart d. enter a hotel
5. ____ check in e. from one side to another
6. ____ get back f. get better after a sickness
7. ____ get over g. have a connection to
8. ____ give something a try h. invent
9. ____ in comparison i. return
10. ____ make up j. think that something is true or a good idea
k. watch

D. Use the clues below to complete the crossword.

Across
1 2 3

1. There was a bank ____ last week, and the 4

thieves got away with $4 billion. 5

4. big; important
5. a group of people(often criminals) 6

6. small; less important 7 8

7. a person who steals

9. a topic or subject that people are concerned 9

about
11. a power that decides a person’s future
14. I saw a great ____ at the museum today.
10 11 12 13

15. the inside part of your hand with lines on it

16. forever; never-ending
14
17. unplanned; happening at any place or any
time
18. medicine or treatment that makes a person 15

well again
16

Down
17 ...

1. a connection between people, ideas, or things

2. not being afraid of danger
3. Was it very ____ when you broke your arm?
18

8. That film was really ____. I couldn’t stop

laughing.
9. To write novels you’d need a great ____.
10. Since his accident, he can’t walk and has to use a ____.
12. At the newspaper, the journalists give their articles to the ____ before they are
published.
13. I only have a little milk, but I think Sarah has ____. (3 words)

67
Space Explorers 16

Before You Read

Answer the following questions.

1. Do you remember any stories about space travel? __________________

2. Do you know the names of any astronauts or spacecraft? __________________
3. What do you think is the longest time anyone has spent
in space? __________________

Target Vocabulary
Match each word with the best meaning.

1. ____ aboard a. long space vehicle

2. ____ astronaut b. send up into the air or into space
3. ____ (to) conduct c. say what will happen in the future
4. ____ launch d. a person who goes into space
5. ____ mission e. organize and carry out
6. ____ predict f. an object sent into space as part of a communication
System
7. ____ rocket g. on a ship, train, plane, or other vehicle
8. ____ satellite h. an important job that a group of people are sent
somewhere (usually another country) to do

68
Reading Passage
After men landed on the moon in 1969, astronauts around the world had a problem –
there were no other places they could go! Even today, the other planets are still too far
away for astronauts to fly to. So, while rockets and robots1 can go to other planets2,
manned flights have to stay closer to home, for the time being. Therefore, since visiting
the moon, manned space programs have turned their attention to solving problems
related to living and working in space.

Currently, NASA’s3 manned space exploration program focuses on the space shuttle
program. NASA now operates three space shuttles, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavor.
Unfortunately, two of NASA’s shuttles, Challenger and Columbia, have been lost
through accidents. Seven astronauts died in each accident. Since the beginning of the
shuttle program, the shuttles have flown more than a hundred missions. These
missions have included putting satellites into orbit4, photographing the earth,
studying space, conducting experiments related to working in space, and connecting
with various manned space stations in orbit.

Throughout the short history of the exploration of space, several space stations have
been put into orbit. The first manned space station was the Soviet station Salyut 1,
put into orbit in 1971. Later, in 1986, the Soviet Union launched the Mir space
station. Mir stayed in orbit until March 23, 2001. Over that time, 104 astronauts
visited the station to stay for various lengths of time. The person who has spent the
longest in space so far is Russian astronaut Valeri Polyakov. Working as the doctor
aboard the station, he lived on Mir for 438 days without returning to earth. In total,
Polyakov worked aboard Mir for 678 days before retiring.

Today, astronauts from around the world are working together to complete the
International Space Station (ISS). The first part of this space station was launched in
1998. NASA predicts the ISS should be completed by 2011. In the long run, it is hoped
that the ISS will be a place where people can live and work all year round.

Did you know?

Over a hundred tons of dust falls
to Earth from space everyday. You
can try catching it by putting snow
on a coffee filter, and looking at
the dust that stays on the filter
after the snow melts.

1
robot a machine, often shaped like a person, which can be programmed to do different things
2
planet a large round object in space that moves around a star, e.g., Earth, Mars, and Venus
3
NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the space exploration organization for the United States
4
orbit a path in space around another object (in this case, Earth

69
Reading Comprehension
Circle the letter of the best answer.

1. What is the best title for this passage?

a. Valeri Polyakov – An Amazing Astronaut
b. The Past and Future of Space Travel
c. Space Cities of the Future
d. Living and Working on the International Space Station

2. Why can’t astronauts travel to other planets now?

a. There are not enough space shuttles.
b. There have been to many rocket accidents.
c. There are too many problems here on Earth.
d. The journey would take too long for a person.

3. How many space shuttle astronauts have been killed in accidents?

a. 2 c. 14
b. 7 d. 100

4. What is NOT true about Valeri Polyakov?

a. He is a doctor. c. He is not an astronaut any more.
b. He stayed aboard Mir for 678 d. He has spent more time in space than
days at one time. anyone else.

5. What is true about the International Space Station?

a. It is being built by the United States alone.
b. It will be launched into space in 2011.
c. It was completed in 1998.
d. It will eventually have people living and working there all the time.

Idioms

1. for the time being – for now, but only until something else becomes possible
I need a new car, but for the time being I’ll have to keep my old one.
The fighting between the two countries has stopped for the time being.

2. in the long run – over a long period of time into the future
The price of houses always seems to increase in the long run.
Smoking is very bad for your health in the long run.

3. so far – until now

I love travelling. So far, I’ve been to fifty-three countries.
That mountain is very dangerous. So far, no one has been able to climb it.

70
Vocabulary Reinforcement
A. Circle the letter of the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

1. I’ve been studying all morning, but _____________ I’ve only memorized fifteen
words.
a. by heart b. so far c. in the long run d. for the time being

2. Maria would love to retire, but she needs the money, so _____________ she has
to keep working.
a. even though b. so far c. for one thing d. for the time being

3. He’s a great fortune-teller. Everything he _____________ comes true.

a. conducts b. recovers c. captures d. predicts

4. The President sent a team of experts on an important _____________ to try to end

the war.
a. satellite b. documentary c. mission d. security

5. This car is very expensive, but it will drive well for many years, and
_____________ you will save money.
a. in the long run b. so far c. even though d. for the time being

6. NASA put an expensive communications _____________ into orbit last week.

a. robot b. astronaut c. satellite d. planet

B. Complete the passage with items from the box. One item is extra.

aboard astronauts rocket conduct launched predicted

It is not yet possible for people to travel to other planets by (1) _____________ because
the planets are so far away. Therefore, manned space programs today focus on
developing safe ways for (2) _____________ to live and work in space. One way space
programs can (3) _____________ experiments on living and working in space is by
putting space stations in orbit. The Russian space station Mir was (4) _____________
into orbit in 1986, and it stayed up for more than ten years. One astronaut lived (5)
_____________ Mir for 438 days without returning to Earth.

What Do You Think?

1. Would you like to live on the International Space Station? How long do you
think you could live there?
2. Why do you think that people are so interested in space travel?

71
Happy New Year! 17

Before You Read

Answer the following questions.

1. What do people do to celebrate New Year in your

country? __________________
2. What did you do last New Year? __________________
3. Do you know of any New Year customs in other
countries? __________________

Target Vocabulary
Match each word with the best meaning.

1. ____ calendar a. a way to show days, weeks, and months in a year

2. ____ doll b. like more
3. ____ evening c. say you will do something
4. ____ gown d. a toy that looks like a person
5. ____ habit e. the period between about 6 P.M. and midnight
6. ____ prefer f. a long formal dress
7. ____ promise g. something someone does often
8. ____ widespread h. common; found or happening in many places

72
Reading Passage
Almost all cultures celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another in some
way. Different cultures celebrate the beginning of a new year in different ways, and at
different times on the calendar.

In Western countries, people usually celebrate New Year at midnight on January 1st.
People may go to parties, dress in formal clothes – like tuxedos1 and evening gowns,
and drink champagne at midnight. During the first minutes of the new year, people
cheer and wish each other happiness for the year ahead. But some cultures prefer to
celebrate the new year by waking up early to watch the sun rise. They welcome the
new year with the first light of the sunrise.

It is also a common Western custom to make a New Year’s promise, called a

resolution. New Year’s resolutions usually include promises to try something new or
change a bad habit in the new year.

Many cultures also do special things to get rid of bad luck at the beginning of a new
year. For example, in Ecuador, families make a big doll from old clothes. The doll is
filled with old newspapers and firecrackers. At midnight these dolls are burned to
show bad things from the past year are gone and the new year can start afresh. Other
common traditions to keep away bad luck in a new year include throwing things into
rivers or the ocean, or saying special things on the first day of the new year.

Other New Year traditions are followed to bring good luck in the new year. A
widespread Spanish tradition for good luck is to eat grapes on New Year’s Day. The
more grapes a person eats, the more good luck the person will have in the year. In
France, people eat pancakes for good luck at New Year. In the United States, some
people eat black-eyed peas2 for good luck – but to get good luck for a whole year you
have to eat 365 of them!

Did you know?

According to many surveys, the
most common New Year’s
resolutions every year are: lose
weight, get more exercise, save
money, and stop smoking.

1
tuxedo a type of suit worn in formal occasions
2
black-eyed pea a small, round, bean-like vegetable that has a large black spot; commonly used in southern U.S.
cooking

73
Reading Comprehension
Circle the letter of the best answer.

1. What is the main idea of the reading?

a. the meaning of “Happy New Year!” c. various New Year traditions
b. what date New Year is celebrated in d. why people make resolutions
different cultures

2. Which culture celebrates New Year in the morning?

a. the United States c. France
b. Spain d. The passage doesn’t say.

3. What is a resolution?
a. something you burn c. something you say
b. something you eat d. something you wear

4. What is the topic of the fourth paragraph?

a. bringing good luck c. planning for the next year
b. keeping away bad luck d. remembering the past

5. Which is probably true about eating black-eyed peas on New Year

a. Black-eyed peas taste bad. c. The peas are very difficult to cook.
b. One pea brings one day luck. d. It is bad luck to eat a lot of black
eyed peas.

Idioms
1. get rid of – throw away; not keep
I want to get rid of all these old clothes that I never wear.
She got rid of her old car and bought a motorbike.

2. keep away – make something stay far away

Keep away from the stove! It’s hot!
Put on this cream. It will keep away the mosquitoes.

3. start afresh – start again from the beginning

I didn’t like what I had written, so I started afresh.
The dog ate Michelle’s cake, so she had to start afresh.

74
Vocabulary Reinforcement
A. Circle the letter of the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

1. Young children should _____________ the swimming pool when no adults are
there.
a. get rid of b. keep away from c. break into d. keep an eye on

2. It’s already a new month! I need to turn over my _____________.

a. calendar b. habit c. gown d. resolution

3. Please _____________ you won’t tell anyone my secret.

a. prefer b. disguise c. argue d. promise

4. Some people think that smoking is a terrible _____________.

a. habit b. fate c. resolution d. explosive

5. That disease is very _____________ in Africa, and kills millions of people every
year.
a. rare b. formal c. brave d. widespread

6. Max bought his daughter a _____________ for her birthday.

a. tuxedo b. satellite c. doll d. mission

B. Complete the passage with items from the box. One item is extra.

get rid of prefer promises gowns start afresh evening

New Year is celebrated around the world through many different customs. In Western
countries, many people go to parties in the (1) _____________ wearing formal clothes,
like tuxedos and (2) _____________. In other cultures, people (3) _____________ to get up
early and watch the sun rise. Many cultures also have New Year traditions to (4)
_____________ bad luck and (5) _____________ in the new year.

What Do You Think?

1. If you had to make a New Year’s resolution, what would it be? Why?
2. What’s your favorite public holiday? Why?

75
Text messaging 18

Before You Read

Answer the following questions.

1. Do you have a cell phone?

If yes, how often do you use it? __________________
2. Do you and your friends ever send text messages? __________________
3. Look at the text messages above. What do you think
it means? __________________

Target Vocabulary
Match each word with the best meaning.

1. ____ characteristic a. restricted; not allowed to be more; not free

2. ____ comfortable b. especially
3. ____ essay c. change or develop over time
4. ____ expert d. modern machines or equipment
5. ____ in particular e. a short piece of writing on a topic, showing the
author's opinion
6. ____ limited f. person who knows a lot about, and understands,
a subject
7. ____technology g. giving a relaxed feeling; easy
8. ____ evolve h. feature or quality of something that makes it
recognizable or special

76
Reading Passage
Can you understand the beginning of this essay?

“My smmr hold wr CWOT. B4, we usd 2go2 NY 2C my bro, his GF & 3 kds FTF.”

The Scottish teacher who received it in class had no idea what the girl who wrote it
meant. The essay was written in a form of English used in cell phone1 text messages.
Text messages (also called SMS2) through cell phones became very popular in the late
1990s. At first, mobile phone companies thought that text messaging would be a good
way to send messages to customers, but customers quickly began to use the text
messaging service to send messages to each other. Teenagers in particular enjoyed
using text messaging, and they began to create a new language for messages called
texting.

A text message is limited to 160 characters, including letters, spaces, and numbers,
so messages must be kept short. In addition, typing on the small keypad of a cell
phone is difficult, so it’s common to make words shorter. In texting, a single letter or
number can represent a word, like “r” for “are,” “u” for “you,” and “2” for “to.” Several
letters can also represent a phrase, like “lol” for “laughing out loud.” Another
characteristic of texting is the leaving out of letters in a word, like spelling “please” as
“pls.”

Some parents and teachers worry that texting will make children bad spellers and bad
writers. The student who wrote the essay at the top of this page said writing that way
was more comfortable for her. (The essay said, “My summer holidays were a complete
waste of time. Before, we used to go to New York to see my brother, his girlfriend, and
their three kids face to face.”)

Not everyone agrees that texting is a bad thing. Some experts say languages always
evolve, and this is just another way for English to change. Other people believe
texting will disappear soon. New technology for voice messages may soon make text
messages a thing of the past.

Did you know?

Text messages have been used to
save a number of people’s lives,
including an Australian woman
lost in the desert, and a German
snowboarder trapped in the
snow.

1
cell phone a mobile phone
2
SMS Short Message Service

77
Reading Comprehension
Circle the letter of the best answer.

1. What is the writer’s opinion of text messaging?

a. It is fun and easy thing to do. c. It will make children bad writers.
b. It is not bad for children. d. The writer does not give an opinion.

2. Which characteristic of texting is NOT described in the passage?

a. using letters to represent words c. using letters to represent phrases
b. using numbers to represent words d. using phrases to represent essays

3. Which of the following was most probably the title of the student’s essay?
a. My Gr8 Tchr c. My GF
b. CU in LA d. My Smmr Hols

4. Why do some people think that texting is bad?

a. It costs too much. c. Children won’t learn to write correctly.
b. It’s too difficult to type. d. It’s not comfortable.

5. Why aren’t some people worried about the effect of texting?

a. Not many people use texting.
b. Spelling English is too difficult.
c. Children quickly become bored with texting.
d. Texting will disappear because of new technology.

Idioms
1. face to face – directly; in person
I want to hear her say that to me face to face.
He looked forward to meeting his pen friend face to face.

2. out loud – spoken aloud; not silently

She thought of a good idea, but she was afraid to say it out loud.
He read his poem out loud for the audience.

3. a waste of time/money – not a good use of time or money

Don’t go see that movie. It’s a waste of time.
The exercise bike was a waste of time. No one ever used it.

78
Vocabulary Reinforcement
A. Circle the letter of the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

1. All the movies at the film festival look good, but there is one _____________ I
really want to see.
a. in the long run b. limited c. waste of time d. in particular

2. Please read your essay _____________ for the class.

a. face to face b. out loud c. for the time being d. in comparison

3. The sofa was so _____________ that I quickly fell asleep.

a. comfortable b. amusing c. annual d. evolved

4. Over many millions of years, dinosaurs _____________ into birds and other
animals.
a. translated b. evolved c. recovered d. started afresh

5. I don’t want to talk to her over the phone. We need to meet _____________.
a. out loud b. back and forth c. on the other hand d. face to face

6. On my trip to Sri Lanka, I learned an interesting _____________ for catching fish.

a. conduct b. technology c. robot d. technique

B. Complete the passage with items from the box. One item is extra.

technology a technique limited experts a waste of time an essay

Texting is a way to write short messages on mobile phones. The messages are
(1) _____________ to 160 characters, so writers use one letter or several letters to
represent words or phrases. One student wrote (2) _____________ using texting, which
worried her teacher. Some people worry that children will become bad writers.
However, other language (3) _____________ say it is (4) _____________ to worry because
English is evolving naturally, and also, soon new (5) _____________ will come up with
alternatives to texting.

What Do You Think?

1. Do you think that text messaging causes “bad” English? Why or why not?
2. Do you think that your language is changing over time? If yes, how?

79
Urban Legends 19

Before You Read

Answer the following questions.

1. Have you ever heard a story you thought was true,

but which turned out to be false? __________________
2. Are there any famous stories from long ago in your
country? Do you know if there is any truth in them? __________________
3. What is the most unusual true story you have ever
heard? __________________

Target Vocabulary
Match each word with the best meaning.

1. ____ bizarre a. easy and clear to see and understand

2. ____ legend b. very strange or unusual
3. ____ obvious c. become smaller
4. ____ shrink d. say you will do something bad if someone doesn’t do
what you want
5. ____ threaten e. related to a city
6. ____ urban f. a story or myth; usually from long ago
7. ____ version g. someone who has been hurt or killed by someone or
something
8. ____ victim h. a particular form of something that is similar but not the
same as earlier and later forms

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Reading Passage
Have you heard about the woman who put her wet dog in the microwave to dry it, and
ended up cooking her dog by mistake? Or did you hear about the man who died at his
desk at work, and nobody in the office noticed he was dead for five days? These stories
have two things in common. They are both not true, and they are both urban legends.

Usually, legends are stories of events from long ago. Urban legends, on the other hand,
are stories set in the recent past, perhaps even last week! Urban legends also take
place in cities or in places well known to people. Another characteristic of urban
legends is that there are many different versions of the same story, with local
information changed to make the story seem more real. Today, the Internet has
become a common way for urban legends to spread very quickly.

A good example of an urban legend is the story of the girl who was killed by her jeans.
In the 1980s, it was fashionable to wear very tight jeans. At the time, Levi’s sold
special jeans that shrank when you washed them. According to the story, a teenage
girl wanted to make her jeans as tight as possible, so she wore them in the bathtub.
Unfortunately, they shrank so much that the girl died! Actually, this legend started
from a Levi’s advertisement on television. In the TV ad, a man stepped into a bathtub
and his tight jeans became the perfect size. The popularity of this legend obviously
comes from the idea of teens trying too hard to look good.

However, some stories that sound like urban legends actually start from bizarre real
events. For example, there is a story about muggers1 using snakes to rob people.
There have been real reports about muggers doing this. The muggers threaten a
victim by holding a snake in the person’s face. According to legend, these robbers are
very common, so you should keep an eye out for strangers carrying snakes.

Did you know?

Some urban legends are very old – one,
about a murderer who hides in the back
seat of a car, was first reported in the
early 1800s, when people used horse-
drawn carriages.

1
mugger a thief who attacks people for their money, often on a city street

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Reading Comprehension
Circle the letter of the best answer.

1. What is the best title for this passage?

a. Amazing True Stories c. Bizarre Crimes
b. Legends through History d. Bizarre Stories

2. What is NOT true about urban legends?

a. They usually take place in the country, or in small towns.
b. There is usually more than one version of the legend.
c. They are sometimes based on real event.
d. The Internet has made urban legends more widespread.

3. What happened to the girl in the jeans story?

a. She shrank. c. Her jeans became too small.
b. She starred in a television d. A man stepped into her bathtub.
commercial.

4. According to the passage, why do some muggers use snake?

a. Snakes are very common. c. Snakes are very dangerous.
b. Everyone is scared of snakes. d. The passage doesn’t say.

5. Which story in the passage really happened?

a. The dog in the microwave. c. The girl who was killed by her jeans.
b. The dead man in the office. d. The muggers who threaten victims
with snakes.

Idioms
1. have (something) in common (with) – share a feature or characteristic
The reason that Brooke and her boyfriend have such a good relationship is
because they have so much in common.
The only thing the students in this class have in common is their need to learn
English.

2. keep an eye out for – watch for something carefully

Whenever I’m in a bookstore, I keep an eye out for interesting new books.
There have been quite a few robberies in our neighborhood, so keep an eye out
for strange people.

3. hear about – learn about, hear a story about

How did you hear about this restaurant?
Clifford was scared after he heard about the muggers in the area.

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Vocabulary Reinforcement
A. Circle the letter of the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

1. There is a traditional Japanese _____________ about Momotaro, the Peach Boy.

a. article b. essay c. legend d. urban

2. That question on the test was too easy. The answer was _____________ to
everyone.
a. obvious b. complicated c. bizarre d. random

3. Harvey _____________ to quit his job if he didn’t get a pay increase.

a. evolved b. threatened c. launched d. limited

4. When you’re at the shopping mall today, _____________ any bargains.

a. keep your eye on b. hear about c. break into d. keep an eye out for

5. In many countries, people are leaving farms and moving to _____________ areas.
a. urban b. obvious c. widespread d. common

6. The robber was caught, and the money was returned to the _____________.
a. mugger b. victim c. thief d. blanket.

B. Complete the passage with items from the box. One item is extra.

bizarre victims in common heard about shrank versions

If you have (1) _____________ the woman who died because her jeans (2) _____________
too much, then you have heard an urban legend. Most urban legends have several
characteristics (3) _____________: there are usually several different (4) _____________ of
the same story; they often take place in urban areas; and because they sound
(5) _____________, but not obviously untrue, many people believe them completely.

What Do You Think?

1. Would you have believed any of the untrue stories mentioned in the reading?
Which do you think was the most believable?
2. Do you think most of what you read on the Internet is true? What kinds of
information do you think you can trust the most, and the least?

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Extreme Sports 20

Before You Read

Answer the following questions.

1. Do you like to watch sports on TV?

If yes, what sports do you like to watch? __________________
2. Which sports do you like to play or do? __________________
3. Are there any sports that you would never try? Why? __________________

Target Vocabulary
Match each word with the best meaning.

1. ____ athlete a. arrange; plan; set up

2. ____ convince b. far from normal; far from the center
3. ____ demonstrate c. younger
4. ____ encourage d. show how to do something
5. ____ extreme e. a vacation or trip that includes many different places
6. ____ junior f. a person who does or plays a sport
7. ____ organize g. make others believe that something is true or a good idea
8. ____ tour h. give strength or hope to someone; help someone to do
something

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Reading Passage
In the summer of 1993, Ron Semaio, director of programming for the U.S. sports cable
channel ESPN, came up with an idea for a new sports program. While he was
watching television one afternoon, Semaio started to think about how much young
people liked to do extreme sports, like skateboarding, snowboarding, and young people
BMX bike riding. He thought of an event where people could watch athletes compete
in these sports in a kind of extreme Olympics.

It took some time to convince the management at ESPN that the idea showed
promise, and then it took even longer to organize the competition. Finally, in the
summer of 1995, the first Extreme Games took place in Rhode Island in the United
States. More than 350 athletes from around the world came to compete in events such
as bungee jumping, barefoot waterskiing, windsurfing, BMX biking, skateboarding,
and climbing. The competitions were shown on ESPN and were a big hit, especially
with males between twelve and thirty years old.

The success of the first show resulted in the competition becoming an annual event.
The second year, ESPN renamed the competition the X Games. The organizers also
announced that they would hold a winter X Games that year. In the winter games,
athletes competed in BMX racing in snow, snowboarding, ice climbing, and various ski
competitions.

That same year, a few athletes were also asked to travel to Brazil and China to
demonstrate their skill and to stir up interest in the X Games in those countries. The
touring X Games show became known as the X Trials. New athletes could compete in
the X Trials, and if they did well, they were then allowed to compete in the X Games.
In addition to the X Games held in the United States each year, there are also the
Asian X Games, a Latin X Games, and a Junior X Games to encourage athletes to
compete in extreme sports.

Did you know?

Hundreds of years ago, men on Pentecost Island in the South Pacific proved their bravery by tying
vines to their feet and jumping from 30-meter towers. They were the world’s first bungee jumpers.
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Reading Comprehension
Circle the letter of the best answer.

1. What is the main topic of the reading?

a. the life of Ron Semaio c. the dangers of extreme sports
b. famous athletes in extreme sports d. the history of the X Games

2. Where did the first Extreme Games take place?

a. Brazil c. China
b. the United States d. The article doesn’t say.

3. Which group was probably the largest group watching the first X Games?
a. young men c. men over thirty
b. teenage girls d. women in their twenties

4. Which was held first?

a. Junior X Games c. Winter X Games
b. Summer X Games d. the Extreme Games

5. In which paragraph does the writer describe how the X Games first became
popular?
a. paragraph 1 c. paragraph 3
b. paragraph 2 d. paragraph 4

Idioms
1. result in – cause; lead to
The heavy snow resulted in the school closing for the day.
Your bad diet will surely result in health problems in the future.

2. stir up – excite
The speaker stirred up the emotions of the crowd.
He is always trying to stir up trouble. The boss should fire him.

3. show promise – seem like one will be good or successful in the future
Jacqueline has just started playing the piano, but she already shows promise.
I didn’t show any promise at soccer, so I gave it up.

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Vocabulary Reinforcement
A. Circle the letter of the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

1. He _____________ his skill at walking in his hands.

a. demonstrated b. encouraged c. organized d. convinced

2. Alice didn’t want to come to the party, but I managed to _____________ her.
a. threaten b. shrink c. organize d. convince

3. The reason Fiona is so good at sports is because her parents really

_____________ her when she was young.
a. demonstrated b. experimented c. launched d. encouraged

4. I could never be _____________ - I don’t like exercise.

a. an author b. an athlete c. a robot d. a junior

5. His friends are _____________ a surprise party for him.

a. organizing b. inviting c. convincing d. limiting

6. Violet is going on a twelve-day _____________ of Europe.

a. resolution b. period c. tour d. companion

B. Complete the passage with items from the box. One item is extra.

stir up result in extreme show promise convince junior

The X Games are a competition for athletes in (1) _____________ sports. In addition, to
the X Games, and the (2) _____________ X Games (for younger athletes), there is also the
X Trials, where competitors in the X Games travel to other countries to (3)
_____________ interest in the competition. If athletes (4) _____________ in the X Trials,
this might (5) _____________ them going on to compete in the X Games.

What Do You Think?

1. How popular in your country are the sports mentioned in the reading?
2. If you had to organize an X Games in your country, what sports would you
include? Would you like to take part?

87
Review 16-20
A. Find the words for each definition. Two words are extra.

characteristic comfortable convince evolve expert legend

obvious predict promise version victim widespread

1. _______________ say what will happen in the future

2. _______________ change or develop over time
3. _______________ say you will do something
4. _______________ easy and clear to see and understand
5. _______________ common; found or happening in many places
6. _______________ someone who has been hurt or killed by someone or
something
7. _______________ feature or quality that makes someone or something
recognizable or special
8. _______________ a particular form of something that is similar, but not the
same as, earlier and later forms
9. _______________ giving a relaxed feeling
10. _______________ make others believe that something is true

B. Complete the paragraph with items from the box. Two items are extra.

a waste of money astronaut conduct for the time being in particular

launched limited to missions resulted in rocket so far technology

People have been interested in the planet Mars since ancient times. Because of the
distance of Mars from Earth, sending a manned (1) _______________ to the planet isn’t
possible today. (2) _______________, exploration of Mars is (3) _______________ unmanned
spaceships.
There have been several spaceships which have flown past Mars and sent photos back
to Earth, but (4) _______________ only a few have actually landed on the surface. The
most famous of these (5) _______________ was the Mars Pathfinder, which (6)
_______________ in 1996 and landed on Mars in 1997. The Pathfinder, which was like a
robot car, was able to (7) _______________ a lot of useful research before it stopped
working.
Some people think that space exploration and, (8) _______________, sending spaceships
to other planets, is (9) _______________. However, others think that the (10)
_______________ that is created, and the information that is learned, is good for all
people.

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C. Match each idiom with the best definition. One definition is extra.

1. ____ face to face a. cause; lead to

2. ____ get rid of b. directly; in person
3. ____ have (something) in common c. learn about; hear a story about
4. ____ hear about d. make something far away
5. ____ in the long run e. over a long period of time in the future
6. ____ keep an eye out for f. seem like one will be good or successful in
the future
7. ____ keep away g. share a feature or characteristic
8. ____ out loud h. spoken aloud; not silently
9. ____ show promise i. start again from the beginning
10. ____ start afresh j. throw away; not keep
k. watch for something carefully

D. Use the clues below to complete the crossword.

1 2 3 4.
Across
1. Many people think that smoking is a 5

bad ____. 6 7
6. a long formal dress
7. younger
9. Could you please ____ how to use this 8

machine for me? 9 10 11

13. an object sent into space as part of a
12
communication system
14. Joanne has great parents. They 13

always ____ her to do what makes her

happy.
14 15 16
18. related to a city
19. I like rock music a little, but I ____
jazz. 17
20. make plans; arrange

Down 18 19

2. The ship left as soon as everyone was

____.
20
3. Next year Michele is going on a three-
week ____ of South America.
4. say that you will hurt someone if they
don’t do what you want
5. very unusual
8. a toy that looks like a person
10. far from normal; far from the center
11. excite (2 words)
12. a person who goes into space
15. I have a ____ on my desk so I know what date it is.

89