Essential Reading 2
Unit 6
What we think of fake products
"I can't see the point of buying fake products, especially clothes and accessories. How can you feel good wearing something that cost almost nothing and that you know isn't the real thing? I really enjoy going to New York or Milan and buying lovely designer gear. It annoys me that now when I wear it, I have to keep telling everyone that it's real and how much it cost. Half the time they don't believe me!"
Posted by: Glorygirl
"People only buy fake products because real designer gear costs so much! How many people have $200 for a pair of sneakers or $500 for a Rolex watch? I buy fake items of clothing, fake watches, fake perfume, and fake CDs – I don't think I'm doing anything wrong. The people who can afford real designer gear only buy it so that they can show it off to other people, anyway. I buy things because they're cheap, comfortable, and make me feel good."
Posted by: Debbie
"I see the situation from the other side. I work as a security officer for a huge
international clothing company – my job is to catch the people who produce and sell fake merchandise. The company I work for loses around $50 million every year in Asia alone. It isn't just about money, though – fake products are often of very poor quality and can even be dangerous. People complain to us about our products and often they aren't our products at all. As well as that, the people who work in factories producing these fake products often work in terrible conditions and they're paid next to nothing."
Posted by: Derek
"I went to Thailand on vacation last year and came back with lots of gifts and souvenirs that didn't cost very much. I was happy at the time, but I learned an
important lesson. The Rolex watch that I was really proud of stopped working after a few months – when I took it to a shop to get it repaired, they said it would cost more than I paid for it! I also bought a toy for my best friend's little girl. The toy came to pieces when she was playing with it and a sharp part scratched her hand. It was lucky she didn't put anything in her mouth."
Posted by: Angryman
Unit 7
Where does all the money go?
Tim
"Most of my income goes on getting to and from work, bills – gas, electricity, phone, and so on – and feeding myself, my wife, and two growing children. On top of that, it seems that the kids are always in need of a new jacket or a new pair of shoes. I don't have much left to spend on myself. I only go for a drink a couple of times a month and I can't remember the last time I went to the theater to see the kind of movie I like instead of one made for children. One thing I do like is good whisky – I buy a bottle every month for about $70. I guess, that's my only extravagance."
Clare
"I'm single and my job is pretty well-paid. My parents bought me my apartment eight years ago when I was studying at university so I don't have any rent to pay. I suppose I have quite a bit of money to spend on myself. I'm a bit of a shopaholic when it comes to clothes. I'm always buying new shoes and I love accessories – I spent $200 on a handbag last week. I have a VW Golf, which I use to get around town – I think that the price of gas is much too high and it makes me angry when I have to renew my insurance or pay for repairs."
Norman
"I retired five years ago and I suppose you'd say I'm quite well-off. I had a good job and I made sure that my pension would support me. I enjoy spending my money on golf, which is my great love in life. I belong to one of the best clubs in the country and I play four or five times a week. I have a villa in Portugal and I go there for a few weeks in the summer to play golf, too. When I'm with my wife I enjoy eating out in the best restaurants. I think nothing of spending $300 on a really good meal."
Katie
"I'm a student so I'm really hard up nearly all the time. I work in a bar three evenings a week to make a bit of extra money, but it doesn't go very far. I live with three other girls and we usually have parties at our house instead of going out because it saves so much money – we even make our own wine sometimes. The only thing I've spent money on recently is my cellphone and my Mp3 player – if I didn't have those I'd go mad. When I see all the ads on television for fast cars and designer clothes I get really jealous – I can't wait to get out and start earning."
Unit 8
You should wear what you feel good in
"It really annoys me when people ask me if I dress like I do just to make boys notice me. I wear miniskirts and summery dresses because they're really comfortable, not because I enjoy men looking at me. Nobody asks boys why they put on a pair of shorts as soon as the sun comes out or try to show off their muscles in a stupid vest. I usually wear flat shoes, but I sometimes wear high heels because I know I've got nice legs. It doesn't mean I want guys staring at me – it just makes me feel a bit taller and a bit more confident."
Posted by: Yolanda
"I don't know why people make such a fuss about what they wear. I just throw on whatever I left on the chair in my bedroom the night before. I hear about people who spend $3,000 on a suit or an evening dress and I think they must be mad. I could buy clothes for five years for that kind of money. Some people joke that I've been wearing the same sweatshirt for three days, but who cares? My mom washes my clothes when they need washing and puts the fresh ones back in the wardrobe. I've got more important things to think about."
Posted by: LazyBill
"I've got quite a high-powered job and I have to dress well. I admit that I sometimes dress to impress. At important meetings and business lunches I can't be seen in the same outfit twice and I spend quite a lot of time shopping for new gear. When I'm with friends at the weekend I wear jeans, but I still like to have the right jeans. Expensive clothes feel better and I think that generally they last longer. I guess people just get used to wearing nice clothes once they've started wearing them."
Posted by: Kimiko
"The clothes I wear say everything about who I am. They tell other people about the music I like and who my friends are. I just can't imagine wearing jeans, a jumper, or a smart stripy shirt – I wouldn't be seen dead wearing a suit! Almost everything I wear is black. I especially like my long black leather coat, my black motorcycle boots, and my belt with metal studs.
People say I look like Marilyn Manson and that's fine with me."
Posted by: Gothboy
Unit 9
Will virtual reality change our lives?
"Everyone says that modern computer games are changing the way young people live and that in the end everyone will be hooked. They have an image of everyone coming home from school or work, putting on a strange suit and a pair of futuristic glasses and then plugging themselves into their computer all evening. I don't see it like that, though. There is no real difference between playing an online game and being absorbed in a great book.
People have always wanted to escape from reality and they've been enjoying stories for centuries."
Posted by: Carla
"I'm studying physics at university so I know quite a bit about this subject. I'm very
interested in how virtual reality will develop in the next twenty or thirty years. At the moment it's possible to create 3D images, but they give people severe headaches. Very soon that problem will be resolved. Scientists are now working on 3D sound, which will allow the user to sense exactly where a sound is coming from as they would in the real world, and it won't be long before it's possible to produce smells too. The gloves that users wear are already becoming much lighter and more sensitive and soon you will be able to wear a complete body suit that will allow you to feel every sensation."
Posted by: Mike
"It worries me that in the future computer games or virtual reality, or whatever you want to call it, will be so realistic that nobody will want to live in the real world. I read somewhere that soon it will be possible to connect these machines to human nerve cells and perhaps one day send messages directly to the brain. Who will want to go out and play football with their friends if they can plug themselves into a computer and play football with Ronaldinho?"
Posted by: Geraldine
"I don't think virtual reality will develop as quickly as some people are saying. In the 1940s, the army were using flight simulators to train pilots and the technology hasn't moved
forward very much since then. Some people have an image of everyone spending all day plugged into a computer in their bedroom, but they don't realize how much all the
equipment will cost. For a while yet this kind of technology will be used by scientists and doctors, not teenage boys."
Posted by: Desmond Unit 10
The return of tattoos
Tattoos seem to have made a comeback in recent years. Everyone from students and office workers to movie stars and footballers are showing off their body art. Some of this is due to the number of artists who have set up studios and some of it's due to the improved quality of the tattoos themselves. Nowadays, the pigments in the ink are better and the equipment that the artists use is better. Needles are smaller and cleaner, tattoos are clearer, and the person being tattooed is safer.
Of course, in many parts of the world tattooing has always been popular. In Egypt,
mummies have been discovered with tattoos and in Africa it has always been common for people to mark their faces and other parts of their bodies with natural dye. There are all sorts of different reasons for applying tattoos. In some cultures, there are religious
connections and in others it's a sign of status within a group. Sometimes acts of courage are rewarded with a tattoo.
Not long ago in the West, tattoos were associated with belonging to a lower class or with being a criminal. It was very common for sailors to have a tattoo and criminals had
markings which told people which gang they belonged to. Some employers still have a very negative view of tattoos and many force employees to cover them up. If people have tattoos on their hands or face, they may find it difficult to get a job in certain professions. Until quite recently many people considered it inappropriate for women to have tattoos.
One thing that anyone thinking of having a tattoo done should take into consideration is whether they will still want the tattoo when they're much older. If you have somebody's name tattooed onto your body, you must also think about what you will do if the relationship comes to an end. Although tattoos can be removed using lasers, it's a difficult and painful process. The cost of having a tattoo removed is far higher than the cost of having it done in the first place and several operations are usually necessary.
Unit 11
Politics and sport – four major events The Epsom Derby 1913
In Britain in the early part of the twentieth century, women were fighting for the right to vote.
The Suffragettes were a group of women who protested and took direct action in order to win the same rights for women as those enjoyed by men. The Derby at Epsom is one of the biggest races of the year and in 1913 King George V's horse, Anmer, was running. During the race a young Suffragette, Emily Davison, suddenly ran out onto the course and stood in front of Anmer as he came round a bend. The horse didn't stop, but trampled over Davison, who was knocked unconscious. She died in hospital four days later.
The Olympic Games 1936
In 1936, Nazi Germany was near the height of its power and that year the Olympic Games were held in Berlin. Hitler saw it as the perfect opportunity to prove that the white race were superior. However, in front of the Fuhrer and his supporters, the black American athlete Jesse Owens won four gold medals. He was victorious in the 100m sprint, the 200m, the 4x100m relay, and the long jump. Some people say that Hitler stormed out of the stadium and refused to recognize Owens' great achievements.
Mohammed Ali loses his title
Mohammed Ali became the world heavyweight boxing champion in 1964 when he was just 22. He was already considered to be one of the greatest fighters that had ever lived. In 1966 the United States were at war with Vietnam and Ali was called to serve his country.
But Ali was a Muslim and believed that war was against what was taught in the Koran. He refused to fight, he was banned from boxing in the U.S., and eventually his title was taken away. It was not until 1974 that Ali was given the opportunity to win back his crown.
Munich 1972
In 1972, the summer Olympics took place in Munich in West Germany. The Games will always be remembered not for sport, but for a terrible act of terrorism. Nine Israeli athletes were taken hostage by Palestinian terrorists and held in their apartment for 18 hours. Two other Israeli athletes were killed in the attack. Later an attempt to rescue the hostages failed and the terrorists murdered them. The Games were stopped for a short time, but continued the following day.
Unit 12 A good read Tracey
"I read to enjoy myself so I don't like anything too heavy. I usually have a trashy paperback by the side of my bed and another one in my handbag. When I go on holiday I get through five or six paperbacks. There's nothing I love more than lying on the beach with a cool drink and a Jackie Collins story. I've tried reading the classics, but they do nothing for me – they're always too long and full of really depressing characters. Give me a romance or a murder mystery and I'll be happy for hours."
Colin
"I don't really understand why people want to read fiction. What's the point of reading a story that somebody else has invented? I like reading about things that have really happened – books about history or biographies of important people. I've just finished a book about the life of Genghis Khan, the Mongolian warlord. It was absolutely fascinating. I don't mind historical paperbacks that say something about the time in which the story is set, but reading a silly story about people that the author has just made up is a terrible waste of time."
Gloria
"I sometimes read paperbacks, but I'm happiest reading books about gardening and cooking. I have hundreds of books about gardening and they're full of useful tips that help me in my own garden. My kitchen is full of cookery books – I can't possibly try all the recipes in them, but I love reading them and just imagining what the lovely dishes would taste like. Recently I've taken up yoga and I'm very keen on reading about that at the moment. My granddaughter bought me a fascinating book about Tai Chi for my birthday."
Malcolm
"I'm a huge science-fiction fan. Of course, I love sci-fi movies, but reading futuristic paperbacks really allows me to use my imagination and get completely lost in the story.
Sometimes I'm very disappointed with a movie if I've read the book before I see it. A lot of people think that sci-fi paperbacks are trashy and a bit childish, but there are some very intelligent, very talented writers out there. I'm not so keen on stories about aliens invading Earth, which are usually a bit predictable, but I love stories about traveling in time and stories which say something about how humans might be living in a thousand years' time."
