Read the following text and answer the questions: 

 

The homes of the future viewed from today

Mark Finchley reviews TV series Tomorrow’s Homes

Having just watched the whole of Channel 8’s TV series Tomorrow’s Homes, I’ve been wondering about how anyone can predict the future of domestic life. You’d imagine that if you knew what architects and technology companies were developing now to make life easier, more exciting and more beautiful, you’d have a pretty good idea of what to expect in tomorrow’s homes. In reality, it’s more complicated, and just as much about what we’ll choose to hang on to from today’s – the things that are ‘future-proof’. In the 1950s, people thought that in the twenty-first century household tasks would be done by labour-saving devices or robots – with food pills for dinner. Yet people still wash up and cook, even though the technology exists that makes neither of these tasks necessary.

Tomorrow’s Homes, however, dared to make predictions which it turned into reality using an average home belonging to a family called the Forseys. Four miles of cable were installed in the house so that all the electrics, from lights to the fridge, could be controlled via the internet, and various other devices and gadgets were introduced in addition to this. The family were then filmed as they got used to their new home life. Programme presenter Harry Thwaites is also a consultant who spends his work life imagining the
future, so testing out his ideas for the programme was a fascinating experiment for him. His approach was to use technology that was not totally brand new, but had only
recently become more affordable. CCTV cameras for security have been around for years, for example, but they are no longer only an option for the mega-rich.

The Forsey family consists of a husband and wife with four children and two grandchildren. They appear to be very natural and ordinary on the programme, and it was always interesting to see how they reacted to the technology they were testing. One example that sticks in the mind is when Janine, the mother, enters her reconstructed, all-white home (after successfully unlocking her new front door by using her thumb print as a key), and she immediately bursts into tears – quite understandably it has to be said. A short while later, her husband Ben gets locked out because the skin on his thumb is too rough. As the series progresses, however, they slowly come to accept the technology, and even start to believe it could have some value in their lives.

I was keen to see during the show if anything emerged as potentially future-proof, and there were some great examples. To help Janine deal with various worries, she was provided with a mind-controlled relaxation tool. This was a kind of headband connected to a DVD, which, incredibly, she could control with her thoughts. When
she relaxed mentally, she made an image of the sun go down, as it would at night, on the DVD. When she had tried the gadget and achieved the sun set, she
was asked how effective the gadget had been. Janine commented, ‘Nothing can compare to a nice cup of tea and a good soap opera!’

Read the following text and answer the questions: 

 

Student life and technology

By Debra Mallin, a business student at Greyfort University

Last Saturday, as my grandfather drove me and my sister home from a dinner to celebrate his birthday, he got frustrated at not being able to remember the name
of the singer of a song he’d just heard on the radio. Without a second thought, I grabbed my smartphone, searched for the song and found the name, Bob Dylan. For me and my friends, this is a completely natural course of action, but it totally astonished my grandfather, who didn’t understand how I had checked the information so quickly. My sister and I laughed and explained, but afterwards, it made me think about how much I depend on technology.

The list of the ways I use technology is endless: writing, planning, socialising, communicating and shopping, to name a few. When I reflected on its impact on my education, I saw that, for my fellow students and I, technology has been significant in many ways. Returning to the story of my grandfather and the smartphone, he had asked me more about how I used it and about university life. He said he thought we had an easy life compared to previous generations. My sister caught my eye and we exchanged a smile. But whereas she was thinking our grandfather was just being a typical 65-year old, I could see his point.

Not only are we lucky enough to have the same educational benefits as those of previous generations, we have so many more as well. We still have walk-in libraries available to us, and I can see why some students choose to find and use resources in these distraction-free locations. However, the only option for studying used to be sitting in these libraries with as many books from your reading list as you could find, yet now a single search for your chosen study topic online can immediately provide access to a huge range of resources. At universities, interaction between students and university staff is another area that has changed considerably with developments in technology. We can have face-to-face time with our tutors when we need it, and also communicate using our electronic gadgets from the comfort of our homes, or on the bus. The most popular means of doing this is via instant messaging or social media – email is often considered too slow, and it has become unacceptable for messages to be unanswered for any length of time. While this puts an extra strain on the university’s academic support team, who usually have to answer the queries as they come in, we students are greatly benefitted.

It’s important that we remember to appreciate how much the advances in technology have given us. Electronic devices such as tablets, smartphones, and laptops are now standard equipment in most classrooms and lecture halls, and why shouldn’t they be? The replacement of textbooks with tablets allows students the luxury of having up-to-date, interactive and even personalised learning materials, with the added benefit of them not costing the earth.

When we compare the student life of the past and that of the present day, it is tempting to focus on the obvious differences when it comes to technology. In actual fact, students are doing what they’ve always done: embracing the resources available and adapting them in ways which allow them to work more efficiently and to live more enjoyably. The pace of change in technology continuously gathers speed, so we have to value each innovation as it happens.

For questions 1–8, read the text below anddecide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap. There is an example at the beginning. (0)

 

Three theories about sleep

People spend about one-third of their lives asleep. lt seems certain, therefore, that sleep has a (0) ….VITAL….. function. However, what that function might be is still in (1) ………………………………. Scientists are far from being in agreement about (2) ……………………………… why so much of our precious time is given over to sleep.

There seem to be three main theories. The most popular states that the functions and (3) ……………………………. of sleep are primarily physiological. lt claims that we sleep in order to (4) ……………………………… the health of our body. In other words, biological processes work hard as we sleep to repair any damage done during the day and to restare ourselves to (5) ……………………………… efficiency. However, a second theory places more emphasis on the learning benefits of sleep. This theory holds that sleep allows us to process the information that we (6) ……………………………… during the day, and asserts that, without sleep, learning would not take place. A third popular theory is (7) ……………………………… on ideas about energy, saying that we need (8) ……………………………… of sleep in order to, in a sense, recharge our batteries and so have an adequate supply of energy for the coming day.

For questions 1–8, read the text below anddecide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap. There is an example at the beginning. (0)

 

News sharing

 

The way we obtain our news coverage is always (0) …..ENVOLVING…….. . The public can gain information on current events from a wide variety of (1)………. . Centuries ago, news was obtained either by word of mouth, with town criers (2)…………. citizens of news and by-laws, or from print, with notices posted on doors of the local inn. With the (3)……….. of radio, whole families could (4) ………….. together in the living room to listen to the daily news bulletin. Even today, when TV sets occupy a prime (5) ……………… in the most used rooms in our house, some listeners remain faithful to their radio stations. Except, of course, for the fact that many will (6)………….  in to them on their computer or tablet instead of turning their radio dial.

With the (7)……………  use of social media, news travels faster than ever before. Minute-by-minute coverage of the news no longer relies on TV networks. Increased internet access enables individuals to share photos, opinions and even live videos with one sharp (8) ………………….. on the screen.

Read the sentences below.
Choose the best word (A, B, C or D) for each space.

For questions 1–8, read the text below anddecide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap. There is an example at the beginning. (0)

 

Hobbyists around the world unite

No doubt you may be (0)……inclined…… to think that in this day and age, traditional pursuits are no longer ‘in’ and that we would have (1)…….. away with old-fashioned hobbies that don’t involve computers. Nothing of the (2) . If anything, the internet has made it easier for people with specialist hobbies in different corners of the planet to (3) ………… themselves to their passion and to support one another.

With one quick press of a key, (4)…………. car collectors are online, comparing notes and restoration (5) …………. with enthusiasts in distant lands. If a part needs replacing, a vast electronic inventory is out there (6)………. and waiting. After a day in the field, birdwatchers can post sightings they consider worth sharing with likeminded enthusiasts who will immediately (7)………………. to their passion.

Thankfully, face to face contact does still take place. Historic car rallies and races have a large following. Come Sunday morning, children and adults alike still meet to swap, or perhaps even (8)……………………. , the cards missing from their collections.

For questions 1 – 12, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
There is an example at the beginning (0).

Fingernails growing faster

People’s fingernails and toenails, (0) …according… to a recent study, are nowadays growing more quickly. Research (1) ….. out at the University of North Carolina indicates that the speed at which human nails are growing has increased by (2) ….. to 25 per cent over the last 70 years.

The results of the study show that the (3) ….. human fingernail now grows about 3.5 mm a month, (4) ….. with just 3 mm seven decades ago. Toenail growth, (5) ….. only about 2 mm per month, was also up on the figure (6) ….. in a similar survey done 70 years ago.

Researchers (7) ….. the rapid increase down to changes in lifestyle, particularly the greater (8)……. of the importance of regular exercise and a healthy diet. This, they point out, is in (9) ….. with similar trends in the height and weight of present-day adults.

nterestingly, it appears that nails (10) ….. to grow fastest in warmer conditions, with the quickest growth (11) ….. among young people, and men. The fastest-growing nail is on the middle finger, while that on the little finger is (12) ….. far the slowest, at only a fraction o ver 3 mm each month.

 

For questions 1 – 12, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
There is an example at the beginning (0).

Holidays at home

Official figures show that the number of people (0) ..TAKING….. international flights is decreasing, and that this is (1) ……. in significant changes to holidaying habits. 

As the cost of air tickets increases, it appears that more and more familias are choosing to (2) ….. their summer holidays at home. People are also becoming more (3) ……. of the harm that flying does to the environment, and see it as a way of helping to (4) ……. the planet, too.

For many parents a summer with no airport queues or overcrowded resorts may seem attractive, but the idea might well be less (5) ……. with their teenage children, who are probably (6) ……. to flying off to the Mediterranean or Miami as soon as school breaks up. So, the question is, how can young people (7) ……. lots of fun when so much will be closed far the holidays, and so many of their friends are (8) ……. to be away?

The answer may lie at the local sports centre. Nowadays, many centres organise summer activities aimed at young people (9) ……. either on indoor or outdoor sports. These might range, far instance, from playing table tennis to (10) ……. mountain-biking. As well as being healthy and enjoyable, taking part in activities like these is also an excellent way to (11) …… new friends. Far the most popular activities, though, it is advisable to (12) ……. early far a place – perhaps two or three months in advance.

For questions 1 – 8, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
There is an example at the beginning (0).

Coming second: pleasure or pain?

Every ambitious athlete hopes to (0) ………… their dream of winning a gold medal at the Olympics.

However, not everyone can win, and often talented athletes must accept  second place. A team of psychologists recently (1)………. some research on the emotional responses of those finishing second. For certain individuals, a silver medal may (2) ………….. their expectations and so naturally they will be delighted. They may also enjoy surprising experts and journalists who believed they had absolutely no (3) of achieving anything.

In (4)…………..  , the athlete who everyone assumed would win with ease, but then suffers a (5) ………….. defeat, may not celebrate their silver medal. This reaction differs sharply from the athlete who comes second but finished a long way behind the winner. There is a (6)…………….. in the research that shows such a person will feel significantly happier.

To a certain (7)………….. , these findings are not surprising. Silver medallists who were close to victory will almost certainly (8) ……………..on what might have happened if they had trained harder, or done things differently.

For questions 1 – 8, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
There is an example at the beginning (0).

Off the beaten track

The expression ‘getting off the beaten track’ is used to (0) ….refer……… to the experience of avoiding famous tourist attractions and choosing instead to explore less well-known places when travelling.

For many people the whole (1) …………. of travel is to visit cities such as Paris or Venice that have a great (2) …………….. as places of beauty and historic importance. Furthermore, they are not particularly (3)………… by the crowds that are usually found in such locations. But for others who have more of a (4) ………. of adventure, a good holiday must (5) ……….. unfamiliar experiences, even taking some risks.

Travelling off the beaten track may be done by some students who don’t (6)……… to a rigid plan, but make decisions about what to do depending on how they feel. Other travellers prefer to spend money on guided tours to unusual locations. Such tours are designed to (7)…………… their particular needs, and all the arrangements are made for them. However people choose to get off the beaten track, the hope is always the same: to have a special, often unique (8) …………… of a different culture.