THE DICE MAN.

The Dice Man is a novel about a man who throws dice to decide his every action_ and it’s basedon fact. The author, Luke Rhinehart, has made some of his best and worst decisions that way. When he was 21, he was driving on Long Island when he saw a pretty nurse walking along the road. ‘I took out the dice and said to myself: If it falls on an odd number (one, three or five) I will turn around and offer her a ride. And it came out odd. So I did. I arranged to play tennis with her the next day. These many years later, I am married to the same woman.’

Rhinehart first started making decisions by throwing dice when he was at college because he didn’t like the kind of person he was: a person who always made very ‘safe and boring decisions’. Throwing the dice was a way of making himself take more risks. Years later, when he himself was a college professor, he told his students about his ‘dice philosophy’. They were so fascinated that that he decided to write a book about it.

However, the book _ and the rest of his life_ almost didn’t happen. Five years later, Rhinehart was living on the Spanish island of Majorca teaching English, but he had still only written 200 pages of the book. He met an English publisher, Mike Franklyn, and showed him the manuscript of The Dice Man. Franklyn knew it would be a big success, and encouraged him to finish it.

Then, when the book was done, the author and his wife bought a sailing boat and set off from the south of France to Majorca. Along the way, they met a fierce storm and lost their engine. ‘I said goodbye to my wife. We assumed we were going to die’. However, the couple were pulled from the ocean by some Scottish sailors, the book was published and Franklyn sold the rights all over the world.

  1. The Dice Man, by Luke Rhinehart, is

a)A fiction novel.

b)A novel based on a true-life story.

c)A series of facts.

  1. Luke Rhinehart has made most of his decisions

a)By following his instinct.

b)By making a list of pros and cons.

c)By trying his luck.

  1. He met his wife

a)Because he threw an even number.

b)Playing tennis.

c)While driving his car.

  1. He starting doing this at college because

a)He considered himself to be too sensible.

b)He enjoyed gambling.

c)His life was very exciting.

  1. Who made him decide to write a book about ‘dicing’?

a)His students.

b)His wife.

c)Mike Franklyn.

  1. He and his wife thought they were going to die because

a)A storm damaged their boat.

b)The engine didn’t work.

c)They ran out of petrol.

SLEEP TIGHT!

So why are we sleeping […0...]? The report blames our 24/7 […1…]: the fact that people (well, some people) can work, […2 …] shopping or have fun 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Supermarkets, bars, clubs and petrol stations stay […3…]late, and there are TV and radio stations broadcasting around the clock. […4…] bedtime is when the club closes or the TV programme finishes, not […5…] you feel tired.

[…6…] the reality is, we need our sleep, and if we don’t get […7...] of it, our performance at work or at school suffers, and so […8…] our health.

One American company has seen a business opportunity in this ‘tired-out’ society. Metronaps offers […9…] New Yorkers so-called ‘powernaps’_that is, short periods of sleep duringthe day which are supposed […10…] refresh and re-energise them to go […11…] working.

After […12 …] $14, the customer goes into a darkened room and lies in a special bed called a ‘sleeping pod’ for 20 minutes, […13…] is fine as long as you are able to […14…] asleep. The problem comes if you just lie […15…] for the whole 20 minutes, worrying […16…] having wasted $14!

AWAKE / CHARGING / FALL / MAKE / PAYING / TIRED / WAKE
ABOUT / DOES / FELL / ON / SO / TIRING / WHEN
BUT / ENOUGH / GO / OPEN / SOCIETY / TO / WHICH
0 LESS / 3 / 6 / 9 / 12 / 15
1 / 4 / 7 / 10 / 13 / 16
2 / 5 / 8 / 11 / 14

KEY:

THE DICE MAN

1B

2C

3C

4A

5A

6A

SLEEP TIGHT!

1 society

2 go

3 open

4 so

5 when

6 but

7 enough

8 does

9 tired

10 to

11 on

12 paying

13 which

14 fall

15 awake

16 about

Reality Television

Reality television is a genre of television programming which, it is claimed, presents unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and features ordinary people rather than professional actors. It could be described as a form of artificial or "heightened" documentary. Although the genre has existed in some form or another since the early years of television, the current explosion of popularity dates from around 2000.

Reality television covers a wide range of television programming formats, from game or quiz shows which resemble the frantic, often disgusting programmes produced in Japan in the 1980s and 1990s (a modern example is Gaki no tsukai), to surveillance- or voyeurism- focused productions such as Big Brother.

Critics say that the term "reality television" is somewhat of a misnomer and that such shows frequently portray a modified and highly influenced form of reality, with participants put in exotic locations or abnormal situations, sometimes coached to act in certain ways by off-screen handlers, and with events on screen manipulated through editing and other post-production techniques.

Part of reality television's appeal is due to its ability to place ordinary people in extraordinary situations. For example, on the ABC show, The Bachelor, an eligible male dates a dozen women simultaneously, travelling on extraordinary dates to scenic locales. Reality television also has the potential to turn its participants into national celebrities, outwardly in talent and performance programs such as Pop Idol, though frequently Survivor and Big Brother participants also reach some degree of celebrity.

Some commentators have said that the name "reality television" is an inaccurate description for several styles of program included in the genre. In competition-based programs such as Big Brother and Survivor, and other special-living-environment shows like The Real World, the producers design the format of the show and control the day-to-day activities and the environment, creating a completely fabricated world in which the competition plays out. Producers specifically select the participants, and use carefully designed scenarios, challenges, events, and settings to encourage particular behaviours and conflicts. Mark Burnett, creator of Survivor and other reality shows, has agreed with this assessment, and avoids the word "reality" to describe his shows; he has said, "I tell good stories. It really is not reality TV. It really is unscripted drama.

1. Reality television has…

a) always been this popular

b) has only been popular since 2000

c) has been popular since approximately 2000

2. Japan…

a) has produced disgusting TV shows copied elsewhere

b) produced Big Brother

c) invented surveillance focused productions.

3. People have criticised reality television because…

a) it uses exotic locations

b) the name is inaccurate

c) it shows reality

4. Reality TV appeals to some because…

a) it shows eligible males dating women

b) it uses exotic locations

c) it shows average people in exceptional circumstances

5. The term “reality television” is inaccurate…

a) just for Big Brother and Survivor

b) for talent and performance programs

c) for special-living environment programs

6. Producers choose the participants…

a) because of their talent

b) to create conflict among other things

c) to make a fabricated world

Ageism turned her into a liar

For most of my life, age has seemed unimportant. My friends of ______(1) sexes have been younger, older or the same age. When I was in my early thirties I had a very enjoyable and fulfilling relationship with a man of 23. One of the most attractive men I know is in his mid fifties.

The first time I experienced a problem with age was ______(2) my fortieth birthday. Much to my surprise, it was a deeply traumatic event. Forty seemed to be so ______(3) older than 39. I used to like it when people told me I looked young ______(4) my age, but then I realised that they were just telling me how old I was. Anyway, I slowly got over the shock and tried to convince myself that life begins at 40 …

I met him playing badminton. He was impressed with my exciting lifestyle - lots of travelling and some writing. I found him fun, kind, amusing and very attractive. He's 31 and ______(5) about 19. He has no idea how old I am.

All my life I've been totally honest. I return extra change to astonished shopkeepers, I've never travelled ______(6) a ticket and in job interviews I always come out with all the reasons why I should not be employed.

Early on in the relationship I told him the truth about my disastrous existence - my divorce, my financial difficulties, the relationship that destroyed my faith in men. I ______(7) admitted that I dye my hair. The sky did not fall in and he didn't run screaming from the house. I did tell him I’m older than ______(8), but something stopped me from coming clean about my ______(9) age.

And now I'm in trouble - serious trouble. Silence has ______(10) the problem much greater. If I had told him before, it wouldn't have become ______(11) a big issue. If I had been brave enough to admit that I was 11 years older than him, I wouldn't be in this crazy situation now. I lie about jobs, years abroad and education; he wonders how I've ______(12) to fit so much living into my life; I conveniently can't remember the music of my teenage years.

The other day, I even hid my passport under a pile of papers. I'm worried about organising a get-together with my friends in ______(13) one of them says something like, 'Doesn't she look good for her age.’ The longer I remain silent, the more likely he is to ______(14) out and I'm frightened. For once in a very long time I've found someone who makes me happy and I don't want to lose it.

I know that if I was a man, I would never have got into this mess. Eleven years' difference is nothing for a man. ______(15) it's the other way round and the world judges older women harshly, and I'm afraid he ______(16) do the same. I have become an ageist and a liar and I have no one to blame but myself.

actual
both
but
case
either / even
find
for
he / him
in
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made / managed
more
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on / such
without
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2 / 6 / 10 / 14
3 / 7 / 11 / 15
4 / 8 / 12 / 16

The Man Booker Prize

The Man Booker Prize for Fiction is awarded every year for a novel written by a writer from the Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland and it aims to represent the very best in contemporary fiction. The prize was originally called the Booker-McConnell Prize, which was the name of the company that sponsored it, though it was better known as simply the ‘Booker Prize’. In 2002, the Man Group became the sponsor and they chose the new name, keeping ‘Booker’.

Publishers can submit books for consideration for the prize, but the judges can also ask for books to be submitted they think should be included. Firstly, the Advisory Committee give advice if there have been any changes to the rules for the prize and selects the people who will judge the books. The judging panel changes every year and usually a person is only a judge once.

Great efforts are made to ensure that the judging panel is balanced in terms of gender and professions within the industry, so that a writer, a critic, an editor and an academic are chosen along with a well-known person from wider society. However, when the panel of judges has been finalized, they are left to make their own decisions without any further involvement or interference from the prize sponsor.

The Man Booker judges include critics, writers and academics to maintain the consistent quality of the prize and its influence is such that the winner will almost certainly see the sales increase considerably, in addition to the £50,000 that comes with the prize.

1- The Man group

a)was forced to keep the name 'Booker'

b)decided to include the name 'Booker'

c)decided to use only the name 'Booker'

2 – Books can be submitted

a)by publishers

b)by writers

c)by the sponsors

3 – Who advises on changes to the rules?

a)The sponsors

b)The judging panel

c)The advisory panel

4 – The judging panel

a)doesn’t include women

b)is only chosen from representatives of the industry

c)includes someone from outside the industry

5 – The sponsors of the prize

a)are involved in choosing the winner

b)are involved in choosing the judges

c)are not involved at all

6 – The consistent quality of the prize

a)is guaranteed by the prize money

b)is guaranteed by the gender of the judges

c)is guaranteed by the composition of the panel of judges

PERFORMING PROTESTS

Noel Godin is a Belgian writer, critic and actor, who has a particular ______(1) for public figures whom he considers to be self-important or lacking in a sense of humour. His form of protest against these people is novel: he pushes a large cream pie into their face. His most famous victim is probably Bill Gates, head of software company Microsoft and one of the ______(2) men in the world. He 'cream-pied' Gates in 1998, an incident ______(3) made it onto news bulletins all around the world. He has also singled out several French celebrities, ______(4) politician Nicolas Sarkozy and film-maker Jean-Luc Godard. Godin insists that his actions are non-violent; he is careful to use very soft cakes filled with cream and perhaps a little chocolate. If his victim reacts ______(5) to the trick, Godin does it again at a later date. The French philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy became so angry with Godin that he has ______(6) a regular target, and has now been cream-pied five times.

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) claims to be the largest animal rights organisation in the world. It has several high-profile faces behind it, including Hollywood star Pamela Anderson, who helps to focus media attention ______(7) their campaigns. One ongoing campaign is against the fast food chain KFC, whom they accuse of animal cruelty, a charge the company ______(8). In 2005, to raise public awareness of this campaign, a PETA volunteer in the USA dressed up as ______(9) giant chicken and, sitting in a wheelchair, repeatedly crossed the road outside a KFC franchise in Columbia, South Carolina. Customers who visited the restaurant during this time were not dissuaded from ______(10) food there, but the protest achieved its wider objective: it appeared on TV news, thus bringing the issue to the attention of the public.

Mark McGowan is part protestor, part performance artist. His eye-catching tricks are ______(11) to attract attention and make people think. In 2003, in order to protest about students having to ______(12) money to pay for their university studies, he used his nose to push a peanut along the pavement for 10 kilometres, finishing outside the Prime Minister's official residence in Downing Street. In December 2005, he crawled from London to Canterbury (approximately 130 kilometres) to raise awareness of loneliness at Christmas. ______(13) that year, he turned on a tap in an art gallery in London and planned to leave it running for a year, wasting 15 million litres of water - ______(14) the water company he was protesting against forced him to turn it off after a month. In 2007, he caused a scandal by eating a swan as a protest against the monarchy. ______(15) to an old law, all swans in the UK are the property of the queen, and eating one is a crime. However, it was not the police ______(16) objected but animal rights activists! Eating the swan was not an enjoyable experience, especially as McGowan is a long-standing vegetarian.' I suffer for my art,' hesaid. 'It was disgusting, greasy and fatty.'

according
although
a
bad / badly
became
become
borrow / buying
denies
dislike
earlier / including
intended
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2 / 6 / 10 / 14
3 / 7 / 11 / 15
4 / 8 / 12 / 16