miércoles, 26 de abril de 2017

A psychological Test



A friend of mine told me recently about a test designed to determine if a child is going to be successful in the adult world. I’m not sure how scientific the test was intended to be or if my friend remembered the details accurately, but here goes.

A four-year-old child is in the psychologist’s office. There is a delicious-looking chocolate on the table. The chocolate is easy for the child to see and is perfectly accessible. The psychologist engages the child in conversation for a few minutes and then pretends that she has to leave the office.

“If the chocolate is still there when I come back,” she says, “I’ll give it to you and another one. But if you eat that chocolate before I get back, there won’t be another!”

Well, most of the children apparently took a ‘bird-in-the-hand’ view and ate the chocolate while the psychologist was away. A few, however, exercised self-control and left it well alone. Ten years later, it seems, the children who didn’t eat the chocolate were showing more signs of success in their studies. Why? The idea, it seems, is that instead of being subject to their immediate impulses, they are capable of sacrifice in the short term in order to gain in the long term.

(Adapted from an original text by Jim Lawley.)

Question 1: [2.5 POINTS] Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.
a. The writer is a bit suspicious about the psychological test.
b.  It was hard for the child to reach the chocolate.
c. The psychologist talked to the child for a while.
d. Some children did not trust the psychologist’s promise.
e. Self-control seems to lead to academic success.

Question 2: [1.5 POINTS] Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words and definitions given.
a. Without any mistakes. (paragraph 1)
b. To act as if something is true when it is not true. (paragraph 2)
c. To return. (paragraph 3)
d. Sudden strong desires to do something. (paragraph 4)
e. The choice of giving up something of value. (paragraph 4)

Question 3: [2 POINTS] Choose the most suitable answer (a, b or c) according to the text.
1.     The test was designed…
a)     for successful children.
b)     to decide if children are successful.
c)     to find out whether children will be successful when they grow up.
2.     The four-year-old child…
a)     can both see and reach the chocolate easily.
b)     finds eating chocolate easy.
c)     does not have access to the table.
3.     The psychologist promised…
a)     to give the children another chocolate if they ate the one on the table.
b)     to give the children another chocolate if they did not eat the one on the table.
c)     to give the children another chocolate before she got back.
4.     Nearly all the children…
a)     refrained from eating the chocolate while the psychologist was away.
b)     exhibited self-control and left the chocolate on the table while she was away.
c)     ate the chocolate while she was away.
Question 4: [4 POINTS] Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic:
                     Do you think a psychological test is a good way to study personality?



from Maria Bolado

KEY
Question 1:
a) True. “I’m not sure how scientific the test was intended to be or if my friend   remembered the details accurately.”
b) False. “The chocolate is easy for the child to see and is perfectly accessible.”
c) True. “The psychologist engages the child in conversation for a few minutes.”
d) False. “most of the children apparently took a ‘bird-in-the-hand’ view and ate the chocolate.”
e) True. “A few, however, exercised self-control and left it well alone. Ten years later, it seems, the children who didn’t eat the chocolate were showing more signs of success in their studies.”

Question 2:
a) Accurately.
b) To pretend / pretends.
c) To get back.
d) Impulses.
e) Sacrifice.

Question 3:

1 c) to find out whether children will be successful when they grow up.
2 a) can both see and reach the chocolate easily.
b) to give the children another chocolate if they did not eat the one on the table.
4 c) ate the chocolate while she was away.

Babysitting apps boom as parents bid to reclaim free time

            Online, Uber-style booking sites replace grandparents and nursery noticeboards. We can book cabs, or choose a restaurant through social media. But surely, some things are too important to seek online? Apparently not. These days, many parents are entrusting their babies to strangers via babysitting apps such as Bambino, Bubble and UrbanSitter.

            Word of mouth and noticeboards in play centres are being replaced by online resources and the industry is booming. Like Uber, the service can be cash-free, last-minute and 24-hour. Parents log a request, the app notifies local babysitters and the booking can be confirmed within minutes.
            For around £8 an hour, childcare providers such as these are enabling parents to keep one foot in the rave. “Parents are going out more because they have this tool.”said Ari Last, co-founder of Bubble, which launched last year. We think it should be as easy as a friend inviting you out, you hit a button and book your sitter.”
            Apps are especially popular for late-night and evening requests and they even do overnight sits. “What’s really increasing is early morning sitters, parents who want a lie in at the weekend. So sitters coming at 6 or 7am to look after their babies; parents are using it from everything to getting a lie in, to yoga or going to the supermarket.”
            Ruth Maurandy, owner of Rockmybaby.co.uk, says many parents, especially in urban areas, do not know their neighbours and do not have a local network of babysitters to call upon, so have no choice but to use these online services: “These parents are using their phone or tablet for everything else, so why not childcare?”
            One explanation for the popularity of online sitters is that some mothers are beginning to feel as entitled to their free time as men. As parents see themselves more as having a shared responsibility for childcare, they also see themselves as having a shared right to leisure. Other parents disagree; mother-of-two Emily Marsh said: “I know people that spend a lot of money on them but for me the night wouldn’t be as enjoyable knowing that my kids could wake up to a stranger in the house. I’d rather not go out.”
            Another reason for the high demand for these apps is also partly explained by parents having insecure jobs and needing more flexible childcare. Parents are working longer hours than the nurseries are open and some need to commute long distances to work and therefore employ ad hoc childcare services when something comes up at the office, the trains are delayed or an issue arises.

Question 1: [2,5 POINTS] Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.
      
       a) Parents must have their money ready when the babysitter arrives to their place.
       b) The app services need to be booked well in advance.
       c) It does not take long to know when the service is already booked.
       d) Parents think they deserve to have time for themselves.
       e) Today's jobs are changing parents' needs.

Question 2: [1,5 POINTS] Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words and definitions given.
      


       a) to expand (par. 2)
       b) to facilitate (par. 3)
       c) to have a rest (par. 4)
       d) option (par. 5)
       e) free time (par. 6)



Question 3: [2 POINTS] Choose the most suitable answer (a, b or c) according to the text.

1. The apps services...
      a) ...can only be used at certain times of the day.
      b) ...are never used in the early hours.
      c) ...are mostly used for parents' nights out.
2. These apps ...
      a) ...are accepted by all parents.
      b) ...can be used together with Uber app.
      c) ...have made going out much simpler for parents.
3. Some parents...
      a) ...spend a lot of money on these services.
      b) ...would feel uneasy if they used the apps.
      c) ...ask their neighbours to look after their children.
4. Some parents use childcare apps...
      a) ...despite its high price.
      b) ...due to their working hours.
      c) ...because of the closure of nurseries.

Question 4: [4 POINTS] Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic:

            What are the advantages and disadvantages of having so many apps available?


KEY

Question 1: [2,5 POINTS] Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.
      
       a) FALSE “ the service can be cash-free”
       b) FALSE “the service can be cash-free, last minute...”
       c) TRUE “the booking can be confirmed within minutes”
       d) TRUE “ they also see themselves as having a shared right to leisure”
       e) TRUE “Another reason for the high demand for these apps is also partly explained by parents having                  insecure jobs and needing more flexible childcare.”
      
Question 2: [1,5 POINTS] Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words and definitions given.
      

       a) (to) boom / booming
       b) (to) enable / enabling
       c) (to) get a lie in / getting a lie in
       d) choice
       e) leisure


Question 3: [2 POINTS] Choose the most suitable answer (a, b or c) according to the text.

1. c) ...are mostly used for parents' nights out.
     
2. c) ...have made going out much simpler for parents.
     
3. b) ...would feel uneasy if they used the apps.
     

4. b) ...due to their working hours.


A True or False Quiz about England


Watch the video and guess which of these facts are true or false


















KEY

facts 2,3,6,7 and 11 are false


Rephrasing 17


Rewrite the sentences starting with the words given. Do not change the original meaning of the sentences.
           
            1.         We didn’t take a GPS, so we got lost.
                        If we    ……………………………………………….. .
            2.         It wasn’t necessary for you to make such an effort.
                        You needn’t    ………………………………………. .
            3.         You should keep this medicine in the fridge.
                        This medicine ……………………………………….  .
            4.         This is the girl. I share a flat with her.
                        This is the girl with …………………………………….          .
            5.         I think that he spoke to the doctor yesterday.
                        He might ………………………………………………           .
            6.         It’s too bad that I don’t know the answer.
                        I wish ………………………………………………….            .
            7.         I’ll have to sell my car if I don’t find a job.
                        Unless I …………………………………………….    .
            8.         “I went to the match last night,” Peter told me.
                        Peter told me that……………………………………..
KEY

1.  had taken a GPS, we wouldn’t have got lost
2.  have made such an effort
3.  should be kept in the fridge
4.  whom I share a flat
5.  have spoken to the doctor yesterday
6.  I knew the answer
7.  find a job, I’ll have to sell my car

8.  he had gone to the match the previous night / the night before

DREAM ON by Aerosmith

Listen to the song and fill in the gaps  



Every time when I look in the mirror
All these lines on my face getting _____________________                                                    The past is gone
It went by, like dusk to ____                                                                                                      Isn't that the way
Everybody's got the dues in life to_______________
I know nobody knows
Where it comes and where it __________
I know it's everybody sin
You got to lose to know how to ________


Half my life
Is books, written _________
Live and learn from fools and
From ________
You know it's true, oh
All these feelings come back to you


Sing with me, sing for the years
Sing for the laughter, sing for the ___                                                                                      
Sing with me, just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you _________                                                                  
Yeah, sing with me, sing for the year
Sing for the ___________ , sing for the tear
Sing with me, just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you ____                                                                 
Dream on   dream on   dream on
Dream until ______   _______  _______  __                                                                            
Dream on  Dream on  Dream on
Dream until ______   _______  _______   _______                                                                
Dream on ……


Sing with me, sing for the year
Sing for the laughter, sing for the tear
Sing with me, just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you _______                                                                  
Sing with me, sing for the year
Sing for the ________________ , sing for the tear
Sing with me, just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you _____________


KEY



Rehrasing 16


Rewrite the sentences using the words in brackets. Do not change the original meaning of the sentences.

       1.  It’s too bad that you can’t come to see my exhibition. (wish)
                                                                                                                                                           
       2.  It snows in the winter. You need boots then. (when)
                                                                                                                                                           
       3.  He worked for a man. The man was very demanding. (whom)
                                                                                                                                                           
       4.  I don’t recommend eating at that restaurant. (shouldn’t)
                                                                                                                                                           
       5.  Janet missed the train, so she was late for work. (if)
                                                                                                                                                           
       6.  “Do you often shop here?” asked Donald. (whether)
                                                                                                                                                           
       7.  Have they prepared the food yet? (has)
                                                                                                                                                           
       8.  Perhaps you forgot to tell them about the meeting. (might)
                                                                                                                                                           
KEY

1.  I wish you could come to see my exhibition.
2.  It snows in the winter, when you need boots.
3.  The man for whom he worked was very demanding.
4.  You shouldn’t eat at that restaurant.
5.  If Janet hadn’t missed the train, she wouldn’t have been late for work. / Janet wouldn’t have been late for work if she hadn’t miss the train.
6.  Donald asked whether I / we often shopped there.
7.  Has the food been prepared yet?
8.  You might have forgotten to tell them about the meeting.


miércoles, 5 de abril de 2017

A3D-printed prosthetic limbs: the next revolution in medicine

V
           



John Nhial was barely a teenager when he was grabbed by a Sudanese guerrilla army and forced to become a child soldier. He spent four years fighting, with guns almost too heavy to hold, until one day the inevitable happened: he was seriously injured, treading on a landmine while he was on morning patrol. “I stepped on it and it exploded,” he recalled. “It threw me up and down again – and then I tried to look for my leg and found that there was no foot.”
            His comrades carried him back to base camp, but there was hardly any medical care available. It took 25 days before he received proper treatment, during which time he developed tetanus down one side of his body. Finally, Nhial was put on a flight to the Kenyan border, his life only saved when he was handed over to a Red Cross team.Now, a decade later, he lives in a Juba refugee camp, having suffered further troubles in the conflict of South Sudan. He plays wheelchair basketball for his country, although he relies on a prosthetic lower leg to struggle around the muddy, sprawling camp. But at least his hands are free to carry things such as food and water, unlike those on crutches.
            The World Health Organization estimates there are about 30 million people like Nhial who require prosthetic limbs, braces or other mobility devices, yet less than 20% have them. Prosthetics can involve a lot of work and an investment of  time and financial cost to patients, who may have to travel long distances for treatment that can take five days.
            However, technology may be hurtling to the rescue – in the shape of 3D printing. It has been revolutionising aspects of medicine since the start of the century, just as it has had an impact on so many other industries, from cars to clothing. Perhaps this is not surprising, given that its key benefit is to enable the rapid and cost-efficient creation of bespoke products. There are few commercial products that need to suit a wider variety of shapes and sizes than medical devices made for human beings.
            Experts have developed 3D-printed skin for burn victims, splints for infants, facial reconstruction parts for cancer patients, orthopaedic implants for pensioners. The fast-developing technology has churned out more than 60m customised hearing-aid shells and ear moulds, while it is daily producing thousands of dental crowns and bridges from digital scans of teeth, replacing the traditional wax modelling methods used for centuries.So it is no surprise that the technology has begun to stir interest in the field of prosthetics, even if sometimes by accident.
Adapted from The Guardian

Question 1: [2,5 POINTS] Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.    
  
            a) John Nhial participated in the Sudanese guerrilla against his will.
            b) Nhial got his treatment in his country thanks to the Red Cross team.
            c) Doctors and experts travel and invest money to help their patients.
            d) The mayority of people in Sudan have prosthetics because of these conflicts.
            e) 3D printers are used for other kinds of accidents or incidents.

Question 2: [1,5 POINTS] Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words and definitions given.

          a) Taken by force (paragraph 1)
          b) Face with difficulty ( paragraph 2)
          c) Money or time you spend for a good purpose ( paragraph 3)
          d) Designed, made to measure ( paragraph 4)
          e) Mass- produced ( paragraph5 )

Question 3: [2 POINTS] Choose the most suitable answer (a, b or c) according to the text and write down the answer.

1. In spite of…
            a) the fact that he was amputating, he continued with his rhythm of life.
            b) being amputated John Nhial has continued with his rhythm of life.
            c) having being amputated, he continued with his rhythm of life.

2.If experts hadn´t run different tests…
            a) They wouldn´t develop prosthetics in these patients nowadays.
            b) They would have developed prosthetics in these patients nowadays.
            c) They wouldn´t have developed prosthetics in these patients nowadays.

3.  Many companies have seen the impact of 3D- printing products.
            a) Nevertheless, they would create more gadgets and tools for its improvement.
            b) That´s why they would create more gadgets and tools for its improvement.
            c) Even though they would create more gadgets and tools for its improvement.

4.New methods and designs
            a) would have been turned into reality in a near future.
            b) will be turned into reality in a near future.
            c) would be turning into reality in a near future.

Question 4: [4 POINTS] Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic:

Advantages and disadvantages  of  new technology in medicine.

from Lorena Barquín



KEY VA


Question 1:

a)     TRUE “when he was grabbed by a Sudanese guerrilla army and forced to become a child soldier”
b)    FALSE “Finally, Nhial was put on a flight to the Kenyan border, his life only saved when he was handed over to a Red Cross team”
c)      FALSE “Prosthetics can involve a lot of work and an investment of  time and financial cost to patients, who may have to travel long distances for treatment that can take five days.”
d)     FALSE “The World Health Organization estimates there are about 30 million people like Nhial who require prosthetic limbs, braces or other mobility devices, yet less than 20% have them”
e)      TRUE “Experts have developed 3D-printed skin for burn victims, splints for infants, facial reconstruction parts for cancer patients, orthopaedic implants for pensioners”


Question 2:

                a) Taken by force (paragraph 1)- GRABBED

                b) Face with difficulty ( paragraph 2) - STRUGGLE
                c) Money or time you spend for a good purpose ( paragraph 3) INVEST

                d) Designed, made to measure ( paragraph 4)- BESPOKE

                e) Mass- produced ( paragraph5 )- CHURNED OUT

Question 3:  

1. b) being amputated John Nhial has continued with his rhythm of life.
2.   c) They wouldn´t have developed prosthetics in these patients nowadays.
3.   b) That´s why they would create more gadgets and tools for its improvement. 

4. b) will be turned into reality in a near future.