There are so many threats to the wildlife on our planet nowadays that we are rarely surprised when we (A1) ... about another one. However, some people might find it difficult to believe that small creatures like hedgehogs (ежи) would be the cause, rather than the victims, of one of these threats. One resident of an island which (A2) ... off the west coast of Scotland describes how this extraordinary situation has come about. It appears that hedgehogs are not native to the islands. They (A3) ... by a gardener who thought they (A4) ... an effective way of controlling the slug (слизень) population. There are now so many hedgehogs on the island that they (A5) ... many rare birds at risk because they eat birds' eggs. The hedgehogs are everywhere — so what are the local people going to do about it? One group of conservationists tried to transport hedgehogs to the mainland. The plan might have succeeded if residents on the mainland hadn't pointed out that the hedgehogs would become just as much of a threat on the mainland as on the island. But, if action (A6) ... soon, the continuing increase in the hedgehog population (A7) ... in the disappearance of certain rare species of birds.

Most people take time off work to travel, but for Ian Wright making a living requires travelling. Ian, who (A1) ... around the world many times, is one of the presenters of Globe Trekker — a popular TV series which (A2) ... the sights and sounds of different countries.

Since he (A3) ... the job as a presenter on British TV, Ian (A4) ... in over 50 episodes of the show, visiting countries like Ethiopia, Cambodia, Jamaica and Iran. On his travels, Ian often (A5) ... local food and sometimes exposes himself to danger. Once, while filming in the Pacific, he (A6) ... by a block of lava. "In Vanuatu we visited the most accessible volcano of the world. It erupted every ten minutes, spitting out lava all over the crater. It was unbelievable — until the wind changed. A piece of lava landed two meters away from my head. And we ran crying like babies."

Although Ian (A7) ... Globe Trekker episodes for many years, he is as enthusiastic as ever!

In a profession where black women are still in the minority, Alek Wek (Al) ... the title 'super-model'. Her life, however, hasn’t been easy. Alek was born into a poor family in Sudan in 1977, the seventh of nine children. In 1983, civil war broke out. In the end, Alek's family decided to move to Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, where unfortunately Alek’s father died. In 1991, Alek and her younger sister moved to the UK. Their older sister (A2) ... to Britain three years earlier. They (A3) ... refugee status in Britain. Wek (A4) ... a course in fashion and business when she was discovered by a scout from the Models One agency in London. The discovery (A5) ... her available for the music video “Golden Eye” by Tina Turner, which eventually became the starter of her professional career. Since then Wek has been a top model for over 15 years. However, these days she (A6) ... more and more time working with charities which help Africa. Since 2002, Wek has been an advisor to the US Committee for Refugees. In the 1990s, Alek Wek changed the stereotype of how a model should look. Now she (A7) ... the stereotype of how a model should behave.

Déjà vu is the feeling of having had exactly the same experience at some unknown time in the past. I (A1) ... in the same college for many years, but I remember one occasion in particular when I had this feeling.

A few years ago I (A2) ... a lesson of Physics to a student in an upstairs lecture room where I (A3) ... before. I reached the part of the lesson where we began discussing radioactivity when I (A4) ... (захлестнуть) by a feeling of déjavu. I knew I was about to refer to a book in my office. I also knew that on a previous occasion I (A5) ... to collect it from the office too. I (A6) ... to my student and asked him if we had discussed the topic already. He looked puzzled and replied that we (A7) ... anything like that before. However, my awareness of the experience didn't make the déjà vu feeling go away, even when I tried not to repeat the pre-set pattern.

I was beginning to feel a little nervous. It was my first day as the personal assistant to a company director. I (A1) ... at the interview that I could speak French but it wasn’t true. I hoped they (A2) ... out that I had been lying. At first everything went well. My boss was very helpful and he explained to me what I had to do. Then I (A3) ... to my colleagues, who were all very friendly. Just as I was sitting down at my desk the phone rang. As soon as I picked up the receiver I started to panic. A woman (A4) ... to me in French and naturally, I couldn’t understand a word she (A5) .... When the boss saw how upset I was, he (A6) ... the phone from me. To my surprise he answered the woman in English and then he burst out laughing. Afterwards he told me it was his mother. She (A7) ... to the dentist’s and was having difficulty speaking properly. She had been talking to me in English not French!

Joanne Rowling became famous almost overnight. She is the author of a highly successful series of books for young people, Joanne (A1) ... of being a writer for as long as she can remember. In fact, she (A2) ... up stories and characters ever since she was a schoolgirl. When she was still quite young, the family moved to a town called Chepstow. A family who lived nearby were called Potter, and she used their name for the hero of her books. She and her sister, Di, attended a state school in the town. Joanne's talent for telling stories (A3) ... her a popular figure in the School. During breaks between lessons, she (A4) ... by a crowd of friends, anxious to hear the latest story she (A5) ... .

When she left school, Joanne succeeded in getting a place at university. After graduating, she married a journalist but, sadly, the couple soon (A6) ... up and she moved to Edinburgh. She had no income and couldn't even afford a plastic folder to send her new book to potential publishers. However one wonderful day a publisher (A7) ... 'yes'. It was the greatest day of her life.

In a profession where black women are still in the minority, Alek Wek (Al) ... the title 'super-model'. Her life, however, hasn’t been easy. Alek was born into a poor family in Sudan in 1977, the seventh of nine children. In 1983, civil war broke out. In the end, Alek's family decided to move to Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, where unfortunately Alek’s father died. In 1991, Alek and her younger sister moved to the UK. Their older sister (A2) ... to Britain three years earlier. They (A3) ... refugee status in Britain. Wek (A4) ... a course in fashion and business when she was discovered by a scout from the Models One agency in London. The discovery (A5) ... her available for the music video “Golden Eye” by Tina Turner, which eventually became the starter of her professional career. Since then Wek has been a top model for over 15 years. However, these days she (A6) ... more and more time working with charities which help Africa. Since 2002, Wek has been an advisor to the US Committee for Refugees. In the 1990s, Alek Wek changed the stereotype of how a model should look. Now she (A7) ... the stereotype of how a model should behave.

David de Rothschild is known (A8) ... his efforts to make the earth a better place for those who inhabit it. Recently, David has become involved (A9) ... a project which he believes will help save oceans. In the middle of (A10) ... Pacific Ocean there is (A11) ... vast pile of rubbish, which floats on the water and causes terrible damage (A12) ... the environment. This region is filled (A13) ... plastic waste. David came up with an ideal way to use this waste and help preserve our oceans at the same time. He is having a specially designed boat built out of 12,500 empty plastic bottles. David plans to sail (A14) ... boat from San Francisco to Sydney, Australia. He is enthusiastic (A15) ... the journey regardless of the difficulties it may involve. David hopes that the adventure will encourage people not to ignore environmental problems.

David de Rothschild is known (A8) ... his efforts to make the earth a better place for those who inhabit it. Recently, David has become involved (A9) ... a project which he believes will help save oceans. In the middle of (A10) ... Pacific Ocean there is (A11) ... vast pile of rubbish, which floats on the water and causes terrible damage (A12) ... the environment. This region is filled (A13) ... plastic waste. David came up with an ideal way to use this waste and help preserve our oceans at the same time. He is having a specially designed boat built out of 12,500 empty plastic bottles. David plans to sail (A14) ... boat from San Francisco to Sydney, Australia. He is enthusiastic (A15) ... the journey regardless of the difficulties it may involve. David hopes that the adventure will encourage people not to ignore environmental problems.

Mount Bulla is one of the most popular winter resorts in Australia. It is about a six or seven-hour drive from the city. The resort itself is on the side of the mountain about one thousand meters up. The drive up is breathtaking. As you go up the winding road, the pine trees surround you and you can smell how fresh and clear (A8) ... air is. Snow has fallen and the ground is covered (A9) ... a white blanket. The actual resort is made (A10) ... of three traditionally-built hotels. The largest of (A11) ... three has a disco.

Just above the hotels is the ski-lift which takes you (A12) ... the top of the slopes. There are also skiing instructors who teach beginners. Quite often there are special shows put (A13) ... by professional skiers, which are fascinating to watch. You must like skiing to enjoy your stay as the resort is (A14) ... real paradise (A15) ... ski-lovers.

I think the computer is such (A8) ... useful invention. Take e-mail, for example. It is a very easy way to write letters. When I was younger, I rarely ever put pen to (A9) ... paper, not even to say 'thank you' for presents sent by my relatives. Now, though, you can't keep me away (A10) ... the keyboard. I can spend hours typing away (A11) ... my computer, all types of messages to all types of people. One of (A12) ... worst disadvantages for me of writing (A13) ... hand was always the embarrassment of knowing that people would criticise my untidy handwriting and careless spelling. Now thanks (A14) ... the spell-check, I can easily edit my letters. Teenagers nowadays take all this (A15) ... granted, they don't realise how fortunate they are.

Spare time activities basically fall (A8) ... two categories: traditional and modern. Traditional activities include pastimes such as collecting and reading while modern activities involve playing computer games and watching television.

Children often become interested in collecting when they come (A9) ... something their parents or grandparents have collected. Although they are keen on collecting when they first start, they very often become fed up with it as soon as they reach (A10) ... their late teens.

Nowadays there are many modern activities which are based on modern technology and it is not unusual to find a teenager's bedroom full of computer games. Surfing (A11) ... Internet is always popular (A12) ... both teenagers and adults. Another pastime which teenagers have (A13) ... common with adults is sitting in front of (A14) ... television. It is interesting to note that none of these activities involve having (A15) ... discussion about important issues - something which was popular in the past.

According (A8) ... a recent survey, (A9) ... British are poor savers in comparison (A10) ... other nations in Europe. They may start out with good intentions but many people end up putting aside only 5.5 percent of their income (A11) ... 'a rainy day'. It is believed that only 13 percent of people currently in employment in the UK are saving towards their retirement. One of the reasons (A12) ... this is that they spend around 16 percent of everything they earn (A13) ... luxuries such as holidays and other forms of entertainment. As (A14) ... result, financial problems and personal debt have increased sharply. Owning a home is a good investment by many British people. However, house prices are now so high that they are simply unaffordable for many young people starting out. At (A15) ... other end of the scale, over 800,000 households now own a second home abroad.

Humans have much (A8) ... common with other life forms on Earth. Since the very first life forms appeared, all living things have been desperately struggling to survive the changing conditions of our planet. This has meant adapting (A9) ... new situations and, in many cases, has led (A10) ... either evolution or extinction. We are not alone (A11) ... making (A12) ... use of the world around us. Where we do differ (A13) ... other life forms, however, is in our ability to record, and learn from, our collective history. In this, it appears that we are unique. We are increasingly becoming a species with detailed knowledge about our past. The more we learn, the better are our chances of (A14) ... survival in the future. It must also be recognised, however, that we are (A15) ... only species on Earth which has managed to create the means to destroy the planet we live on.

(А8) ... Globe Theatre is situated on the banks of the River Thames, about 200 metres from the original site of Shakespeare’s 1599 building. It’s a faithful (точный) reconstruction of the open-air playhouse where Shakespeare worked, and for which he wrote many of his greatest plays. Due (A9) ... the fact that the theatre is open to the sky, the season is limited (A 10) ... only six months of the year, running from April to October. The theatre itself is circular in shape and the seated areas are in the lower, middle, and upper galleries. (All) ... addition to the seated galleries, there is an area in front of the stage called the Yard, where visitors can stand and watch the play. Before attending (A12) ... a performance, visitors need to bear a certain thing in (A 13) ... mind. As it is a 16th-century replica, the theatre doesn’t boast any (A14) ... the comforts of modern-day life and performances continue whatever (A15)... weather.

A coincidence is a surprising thing that (A22) ... to us. For example, two friends go shopping alone on the same day. When they (A23) ... up afterwards, they discover that they've each bought an identical T-shirt. Many people (A24) ... coincidences as significant or mysterious. But the simple (A25) ... could be that friends tend to have (A26) ... taste in clothes. In reality, life is (A27)... of coincidences, but normally we don't notice them. For example, in almost fifty percent of all football matches, two players (A28) ... the same birthday. This seems surprising, given that there are 365 possible birthdays in the year. But most of these matches will be played without anybody being (A29) ... that the coincidence exists. Unless your birthday is today or tomorrow, you don't generally go around telling people when it is. What's more, without realising it, you probably (A30) ... into contact with lots of people born on the same day as you. But when a coincidence is (A31) ... to your attention, it still seems amazing.

Don Strange, who works as a vet in northern England, (A22) ... a busy life. As well as having to (A23) ... pets which are unwell, he often visits farms where problems of various kinds await him. He has (A24) ... count of the number of times he has been called out at midnight to give (A25) ... to a farmer with sick sheep or cows. Recently, a television company chose Don as the subject of a documentary programme it was making about the life of a country vet. The programme showed the difficult situations Don (A26) ... every day. It also showed Don (A27) ... a meeting with villagers (A28) ... about the damage a new road might (A29) ... to their local environment. Viewers loved the documentary and, overnight, Don became a household name, known to millions of people. He continues to receive large numbers of letters which make a real impression on him, especially those from teenagers who have (A30) ... the important decision to become vets themselves as a (A31) ... of seeing the programme.

Don Strange, who works as a vet in northern England, (A22) ... a busy life. As well as having to (A23) ... pets which are unwell, he often visits farms where problems of various kinds await him. He has (A24) ... count of the number of times he has been called out at midnight to give (A25) ... to a farmer with sick sheep or cows. Recently, a television company chose Don as the subject of a documentary programme it was making about the life of a country vet. The programme showed the difficult situations Don (A26) ... every day. It also showed Don (A27) ... a meeting with villagers (A28) ... about the damage a new road might (A29) ... to their local environment. Viewers loved the documentary and, overnight, Don became a household name, known to millions of people. He continues to receive large numbers of letters which make a real impression on him, especially those from teenagers who have (A30) ... the important decision to become vets themselves as a (A31) ... of seeing the programme.

Heston Blumental, a British chef, was first inspired to cook when (A23)... France as a teenager. There, the scent of lavender and other herbs made him (A2A) ... the importance of the (A25) ... of smell in the whole eating process. Heston is now a well-(A26) ... chef despite having a difficult start. He left school without (A27) ... many qualifications, and had a series of uninspiring jobs. He never lost his passion for food, though, and he eventually bought an old pub, w'here he started to (A28) ... out his ideas for new recipes. The pub became a world-famous restaurant. One thing that makes Heston lose his (Л29) ... is customers taking photos of their food. Heston’s (A30)... ofviewisthat each diner at his restaurant should be fully ‘present’ in the whole food experience. This cannot happen, he says, if they are (A31) ... attention to their cameras or their phones. Using flash, in (A32) ..., drives him and the other customers quite mad!

A large-scale (А23) ... has been done by advertisers on the spending habits of today’s teenagers. It has come up with some fascinating results. Girls across Europe ranging in age from 15 to 18 were interviewed. The researchers (A2A) ... that these girls want to be successful and sophisticated and are willing to spend vast (A25) ... of money to (A26) ... the look they want — when they have the money, that is! Feeling confident is the most important factor when it (A21) ... to buying clothes. Another interesting piece of information (Л28) ... from the study is that German teenagers go for clothes that are practical and comfortable, while British and French teenagers are more (A29) ... about appearance, although they all agreed that the clothes should (A30) ... them properly. All the girls who were interviewed (A31) ... for clothes regularly, half of them buying something from a department store or a large clothes shop at least once a month. They also see it as a social activity and (A32)... round the shops with their friends is the main way they learn what the latest trends are.

The number and length of flights has (A23)... sharply in the past few years. As the human body was not designed for flying, people can (A24) ... if they are on an aeroplane for a long time. Therefore, it is important to (A25) ... certain measures to increase your comfort. In the air, your body is more (A26) ... to the effects of alcohol, and rich or fatty foods, so it is best to (A27) ... these the day before you leave as well as during the flight. A long-distance journey often (A28)... travellers feeling stiff, because they have been sitting in one position for several hours. In order to reduce the (A29) ... of this happening to you, there are some exercises you can do while you are flying. Besides this, a hot shower taken after the flight can be an effective way of minimising stiffness. If you (A30) ... loose clothing made from (A31) ... materials, such as cotton, you will feel more comfortable. Your skin suffers in other ways too, becoming drier since you have (A32) ... the ground. This can be avoided, however, if you take some skin cream with you.

Heston Blumental, a British chef, was first inspired to cook when (A23)... France as a teenager. There, the scent of lavender and other herbs made him (A2A) ... the importance of the (A25) ... of smell in the whole eating process. Heston is now a well-(A26) ... chef despite having a difficult start. He left school without (A27) ... many qualifications, and had a series of uninspiring jobs. He never lost his passion for food, though, and he eventually bought an old pub, w'here he started to (A28) ... out his ideas for new recipes. The pub became a world-famous restaurant. One thing that makes Heston lose his (Л29) ... is customers taking photos of their food. Heston’s (A30)... ofviewisthat each diner at his restaurant should be fully ‘present’ in the whole food experience. This cannot happen, he says, if they are (A31) ... attention to their cameras or their phones. Using flash, in (A32) ..., drives him and the other customers quite mad!

There's no (A23) ... to settle for an unhealthy lunch from home or the mysterious unhealthy food in the cafeteria. Why not eat a lunch that is delicious and good for you? Did you know that the types of foods you choose (A24) ... your mood and energy levels? According to dietician Andrea Garen, a healthy lunch 'needs to combine nutrient-rich foods from several food groups to (A25) ... energy and concentration for several (A26) ... .' And, since teenagers are growing and (A27) ... through changes, the need for nutrients is (A28) ... more significant. 'Because of development, calcium needs are greater during adolescence than at any other time,' says Mary Choate, a food and nutrition educator. "Good sources of calcium (A29) ... dairy products and calcium-fortified cereals.' And, that's just the beginning. A balanced meal has a (A30) ... variety of colours and flavours, so you'll never get bored. Basically, any lunch should contain (A31) ... three ounces of protein, plus some good sources of carbohydrates. Lots of nutritious fruits and vegetables are also (A32) ... .

Heston Blumental, a British chef, was first inspired to cook when (A23)... France as a teenager. There, the scent of lavender and other herbs made him (A2A) ... the importance of the (A25) ... of smell in the whole eating process. Heston is now a well-(A26) ... chef despite having a difficult start. He left school without (A27) ... many qualifications, and had a series of uninspiring jobs. He never lost his passion for food, though, and he eventually bought an old pub, w'here he started to (A28) ... out his ideas for new recipes. The pub became a world-famous restaurant. One thing that makes Heston lose his (Л29) ... is customers taking photos of their food. Heston’s (A30)... ofviewisthat each diner at his restaurant should be fully ‘present’ in the whole food experience. This cannot happen, he says, if they are (A31) ... attention to their cameras or their phones. Using flash, in (A32) ..., drives him and the other customers quite mad!

Hollywood is associated with fame, fortune and glamour. Every year, thousands of young people (A25) ... up there, hoping that a producer will spot them and think they have that special something that audiences want to see. Unfortunately, most of them are (A26) ... on a journey that leads to disappointment. Take a (A27) ... round Los Angeles and ask any waiter or waitress and they will tell you that they are only working there for the time being, until they get their break in films. A combination of failure and economic problems usually means that they eventually (A28)... up their minds to leave and return to the small town they came from, without having made their fortune.

Before you come to the (A29) ... that a life in film is for you, ask yourself carefully if you are ready for that change of direction. You'll have to travel and live for a long time at your own (A30) ..., working in jobs that provide you with a low (A31) ..., with only the occasional glimpse of a star to (A32) ... you where you want to be.

§ 1. Ask a biologist what the most intelligent creatures are on Earth, and they'll probably come up with a fairly similar list: larger mammals such as horses, dogs, dolphins, pigs, the great apes as well as some birds like crows and ravens. But now some scientists believe that one of the most intelligent beings on Earth is in fact the octopus — which doesn't belong to any of these groups.

§ 2. Every schoolchild knows that octopuses have eight legs and can shoot ink while trying to escape from enemies. But there are many other unusual things about octopuses. For example, if an octopus loses a leg, it can grow a new one. It also has three hearts and complex eyes, which seem to belong to a mammal rather than a Sea creature. Octopuses also seem to be experts at escaping — they have extremely soft, flexible bodies and can escape through holes not much bigger than their eyes.

§ 3. However, even until quite recently, little was known about octopus intelligence. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, octopuses usually live at the bottom of river mouths and seas - areas which are not attractive to researchers. Secondly, they are not social animals so it can be difficult to study their interaction with others. Perhaps most importantly, octopus intelligence is not easy for humans to understand. Octopuses seem like strangers. Scientists need to have a lot of imagination to be able to understand what an octopus is thinking!

§ 4. In the 1950s, the US Air Force sponsored scientists to study the way octopuses use their brains. They hoped that they could use this knowledge to help them build better computers. However, their brains were so complex that the scientists quickly gave up. And even today the octopus brain is a mystery. Octopuses have a very complex nervous system and recent research suggests that they have some of their intelligence inside each arm, which means that each arm can 'think' for itself. It also appears that they have good memories, perhaps similar to a cat's. Some Octopuses in laboratories seem to play with objects as if they were toys — a sure sign of intelligence. Others could pick up complicated skills like opening jars.

§ 5. Perhaps the most striking thing about octopuses is their ability to change their colour and body pattern. They do this to camouflage themselves and also to communicate with others. They can completely change their appearance in less than a second. A scientist once observed an octopus that changed its appearance nearly 1,000 times during seven hours of feeding!

§ 1. Having decided in later life that it might actually be quite nice to master another language, rather than dusting off my schoolgirl French, I opted for Spanish. Three years of half-finished evening classes later, thanks to the enthusiastic teacher’s efforts I could order in a restaurant and ask directions, but my conversational skills were limited to asking everybody how many brothers and sisters they had. The only true way to master a language is to live and breathe it for a period of time. I’d thought of taking a language ‘immersion’ course (курс языкового погружения) abroad, but two little words always stopped me: home stay. Then I saw that tour operator Journey Latin America had started offering Spanish courses in Peru, amongst other places. The opportunity to realise two long-held ambitions in one holiday — to improve my Spanish and to see Machu Picchu — proved irresistible.

§ 2. My misgivings disappear the moment I am met by my home-stay family, the Rojas, at Cusco airport. They greet me warmly, like an old friend. Carlos is an optician and Carmucha owns a restaurant. With their four children they live in a comfortable house right in the centre of town. Then I’m taken to a family friend’s birthday party, where I understand nothing apart from the bit where they sing ‘Happy Birthday’. By the end of the evening my face aches from holding an expression of polite, but uncomprehending interest, and I fall into bed wondering what I’ve let myself in for.

§ 3. The following morning, I’m off to school and get to know my new group mates. We’re aged between 19 and 65, each spending up to a month studying before travelling around Peru. We have all clearly got to know about our new families. We’re all keen to meet our teachers and see which class we’ll be joining, but after sitting the placement test, we learn that as it’s not yet high season and the school is not too busy, tuition will be one-on-one. Although some find the prospect frightening, to my mind, this is a pretty impressive ratio — though even in high season the maximum class size expands to only four pupils.

§ 4. As the week unfolds, I slip into a routine. Four hours of classes in the morning, back home for lunch, then afternoons free for sightseeing.

§ 5. As the week wears on, a strange thing starts to happen: the dinner-table chatter, which at first was so much ‘white noise’, starts to have some meaning and, wonderfully,! can follow the thread of the conversation. What’s more, I’ve started to dream in Spanish!

§ 1. Having decided in later life that it might actually be quite nice to master another language, rather than dusting off my schoolgirl French, I opted for Spanish. Three years of half-finished evening classes later, thanks to the enthusiastic teacher’s efforts I could order in a restaurant and ask directions, but my conversational skills were limited to asking everybody how many brothers and sisters they had. The only true way to master a language is to live and breathe it for a period of time. I’d thought of taking a language ‘immersion’ course (курс языкового погружения) abroad, but two little words always stopped me: home stay. Then I saw that tour operator Journey Latin America had started offering Spanish courses in Peru, amongst other places. The opportunity to realise two long-held ambitions in one holiday — to improve my Spanish and to see Machu Picchu — proved irresistible.

§ 2. My misgivings disappear the moment I am met by my home-stay family, the Rojas, at Cusco airport. They greet me warmly, like an old friend. Carlos is an optician and Carmucha owns a restaurant. With their four children they live in a comfortable house right in the centre of town. Then I’m taken to a family friend’s birthday party, where I understand nothing apart from the bit where they sing ‘Happy Birthday’. By the end of the evening my face aches from holding an expression of polite, but uncomprehending interest, and I fall into bed wondering what I’ve let myself in for.

§ 3. The following morning, I’m off to school and get to know my new group mates. We’re aged between 19 and 65, each spending up to a month studying before travelling around Peru. We have all clearly got to know about our new families. We’re all keen to meet our teachers and see which class we’ll be joining, but after sitting the placement test, we learn that as it’s not yet high season and the school is not too busy, tuition will be one-on-one. Although some find the prospect frightening, to my mind, this is a pretty impressive ratio — though even in high season the maximum class size expands to only four pupils.

§ 4. As the week unfolds, I slip into a routine. Four hours of classes in the morning, back home for lunch, then afternoons free for sightseeing.

§ 5. As the week wears on, a strange thing starts to happen: the dinner-table chatter, which at first was so much ‘white noise’, starts to have some meaning and, wonderfully,! can follow the thread of the conversation. What’s more, I’ve started to dream in Spanish!

1. Му day at the vet’s office was amazing. Not only did I learn a lot about veterinary medicine but I met Casey, the umbrella cockatoo (большой белохохлый какаду). This is not an ordinary bird. Casey speaks in short sentences having the intelligence almost equivalent to your five-year-old brother or sister. Unfortunately though, he has developed a personality disorder which results in rather strange behaviour. Strange repetitive body actions cause him to hurt his body, which constantly worries his owners.

2. I met Dr Markus Luckwaldt, a small animal veterinarian practitioner who specialises in birds and exotic animals. Not only is Casey apparently in excellent hands but so is his owner, Paul Smith, who is immediately put to ease by the compassion and understanding demonstrated by this veterinarian.

3. Watching the interactions with pet, owner and doctor, I was immediately struck by the high standard of communication skills required by the veterinarian in dealing with both humans and animals. Animals pick up insincerity and uncertainty faster than humans. The vet’s role reminded me of a quarterback’s (играющий тренер) job who determines the strategy and game plan for all the players who are part of the same team.

4. So you think you’d like to be a veterinary doctor and you love animals? That’s a start but it is only a start if you are interested in a career in veterinary medicine. Veterinarians are much more than people with a fondness for animals. A veterinarian is a doctor of animal health who has trained at a university for at least six years and is licensed to provide medical and surgical care for animals.

5. The day to day work of veterinarians involves examining animals, making diagnoses, doing blood tests or X-rays, treating diseases or injuries, performing surgery and preventing animal illness through vaccinations. Vets can specialise in the care and treatment of either small or large animals. Those who deal with small animals such as dogs, cats, birds or reptiles usually work in cities and have owners bring their animals to a clinic or office. Veterinarians who usually work with horses, cows, pigs and other farm animals often have a mobile practice visiting farms and going all over the countryside.

6. The demand for veterinarians in all fields will continue. The veterinarian of the future will need to adapt and keep pace with technology and the many new advances in medical research. Veterinary medicine, similar to human medicine, is continually confronting change and exploring alternative methods of treatment for animals.

1. Му day at the vet’s office was amazing. Not only did I learn a lot about veterinary medicine but I met Casey, the umbrella cockatoo (большой белохохлый какаду). This is not an ordinary bird. Casey speaks in short sentences having the intelligence almost equivalent to your five-year-old brother or sister. Unfortunately though, he has developed a personality disorder which results in rather strange behaviour. Strange repetitive body actions cause him to hurt his body, which constantly worries his owners.

2. I met Dr Markus Luckwaldt, a small animal veterinarian practitioner who specialises in birds and exotic animals. Not only is Casey apparently in excellent hands but so is his owner, Paul Smith, who is immediately put to ease by the compassion and understanding demonstrated by this veterinarian.

3. Watching the interactions with pet, owner and doctor, I was immediately struck by the high standard of communication skills required by the veterinarian in dealing with both humans and animals. Animals pick up insincerity and uncertainty faster than humans. The vet’s role reminded me of a quarterback’s (играющий тренер) job who determines the strategy and game plan for all the players who are part of the same team.

4. So you think you’d like to be a veterinary doctor and you love animals? That’s a start but it is only a start if you are interested in a career in veterinary medicine. Veterinarians are much more than people with a fondness for animals. A veterinarian is a doctor of animal health who has trained at a university for at least six years and is licensed to provide medical and surgical care for animals.

5. The day to day work of veterinarians involves examining animals, making diagnoses, doing blood tests or X-rays, treating diseases or injuries, performing surgery and preventing animal illness through vaccinations. Vets can specialise in the care and treatment of either small or large animals. Those who deal with small animals such as dogs, cats, birds or reptiles usually work in cities and have owners bring their animals to a clinic or office. Veterinarians who usually work with horses, cows, pigs and other farm animals often have a mobile practice visiting farms and going all over the countryside.

6. The demand for veterinarians in all fields will continue. The veterinarian of the future will need to adapt and keep pace with technology and the many new advances in medical research. Veterinary medicine, similar to human medicine, is continually confronting change and exploring alternative methods of treatment for animals.

§ 1. Catherine Cassidy has every reason to be proud. This summer she graduated with a degree in Zoology from Queen's University, Belfast. She has ambitions to be a scientific journalist. She is also completely deaf. She can lipread. I interviewed Catherine via e-mail. She told me getting to university was an achievement in itself. She says: 'You have to work much harder than your peers (сверстники) and have to be prepared to commit yourself.'

§ 2. The Disability Discrimination Act insists that universities increase their intake of special needs students. But there are difficulties. First, there are no reliable figures on the numbers of disabled in the community, so universities are unsure of the percentages they should be aiming to recruit. Second, some students might require specially adapted computers, or online learning support. Of all the disabilities, deafness is probably the one that is hardest to cope with at university. Universities run on talk. Knowledge is communicated in lectures, seminars, talking to fellow students — reading is only secondary. For deaf students, casual spontaneous discussions are out.

§ 3. Fortunately for Catherine, Queen's University is a centre of excellence for the teaching of deaf students. The Joint Universities Deaf Education centre (JUDE) organised a special phonic earpiece (слуховой аппарат) that enabled Catherine to listen to lectures. JUDE has been extended to the other higher education institutions of Northern Ireland. JUDE is setting an example in what can be achieved. Sharon Easton, deaf student support officer, says: "We visit schools to make deaf people aware that higher education is a possibility. Another part of our role is to talk with employers. We're offering them deaf awareness training — how to adapt to the needs of deaf employees, and where to apply for grants.'

§ 4. Catherine's skill in lip-reading made communicating with her seem so effortless that many people did not believe she had a problem. At times this experience has been painful. Catherine says: 'People have labelled me "not really deaf". It is like telling me I don't count. And this can be very disheartening, very demoralising.'

§ 5. Catherine believes that excellent and well-focused special needs support should be available to all disabled students at university whatever the cost. She says: 'You are accepted by a university on the basis of your ability to carry out mental tasks. You have a right to be there - people should not judge a person by any physical disability.'

1. Housewife and grandmother

I went down a cliff to raise money for charity. It was an enormous challenge as I’m actually quite afraid of heights. It was only really the moment of going over the edge that was difficult: after that it was very easy. You just have to get into the'rhythm and not go too fast. My son is really keen on climbing and some of his friends from his university

climbing club set everything up and organised the whole event. There were about twenty of us who did it and between us we raised well over the target amount.

2. Lawyer

I ran a triathlon and managed to get over 50 people to sponsor me. I had to train for months and it was really hard work but well worth it. I actually enjoyed the training more than the final event because on the day the weather was terrible. In the months running up to the event I followed a very strict regime and it felt good to be working towards such a specific goal. Knowing that I was going to be able to give a large donation to charity made me even more determined to do it. It was such a positive experience I’m going to do it again next year.

3. Environmental consultant

I cycled from L.A. to Quito last spring. All my family thought I was mad but I love cycling and I knew it would be an amazing way to see lots of really interesting places. I managed to raise quite a bit of money for charity through sponsorship although that wasn’t my main, objective. I turned 30 in March and I really wanted to be doing something totally different rather than just sitting at my desk in the office. I wanted it to be something I could look back on when I am older and feel proud of. The fact that I was able to do something to help those less well off than me at the same time, well that made it even better.

4. Retired primary school head teacher

We used to make a big effort to get the children involved in charity events as I think it helps raise their awareness of world events and the fact that in many places there are people, particularly children like themselves, who live in very different circumstances to them. I think they get a great sense of satisfaction too from knowing that they are able to do something to help. Each year we had a special day; where all the children paid a small amount of money and then came to school for one day in their own clothes and not in school uniform. We also regularly held parties where the children were encouraged to donate old toys and books and things which we then sold. All the money we made went to our chosen charity.

1. Housewife and grandmother

I went down a cliff to raise money for charity. It was an enormous challenge as I’m actually quite afraid of heights. It was only really the moment of going over the edge that was difficult: after that it was very easy. You just have to get into the'rhythm and not go too fast. My son is really keen on climbing and some of his friends from his university

climbing club set everything up and organised the whole event. There were about twenty of us who did it and between us we raised well over the target amount.

2. Lawyer

I ran a triathlon and managed to get over 50 people to sponsor me. I had to train for months and it was really hard work but well worth it. I actually enjoyed the training more than the final event because on the day the weather was terrible. In the months running up to the event I followed a very strict regime and it felt good to be working towards such a specific goal. Knowing that I was going to be able to give a large donation to charity made me even more determined to do it. It was such a positive experience I’m going to do it again next year.

3. Environmental consultant

I cycled from L.A. to Quito last spring. All my family thought I was mad but I love cycling and I knew it would be an amazing way to see lots of really interesting places. I managed to raise quite a bit of money for charity through sponsorship although that wasn’t my main, objective. I turned 30 in March and I really wanted to be doing something totally different rather than just sitting at my desk in the office. I wanted it to be something I could look back on when I am older and feel proud of. The fact that I was able to do something to help those less well off than me at the same time, well that made it even better.

4. Retired primary school head teacher

We used to make a big effort to get the children involved in charity events as I think it helps raise their awareness of world events and the fact that in many places there are people, particularly children like themselves, who live in very different circumstances to them. I think they get a great sense of satisfaction too from knowing that they are able to do something to help. Each year we had a special day; where all the children paid a small amount of money and then came to school for one day in their own clothes and not in school uniform. We also regularly held parties where the children were encouraged to donate old toys and books and things which we then sold. All the money we made went to our chosen charity.

1. Housewife and grandmother

I went down a cliff to raise money for charity. It was an enormous challenge as I’m actually quite afraid of heights. It was only really the moment of going over the edge that was difficult: after that it was very easy. You just have to get into the'rhythm and not go too fast. My son is really keen on climbing and some of his friends from his university

climbing club set everything up and organised the whole event. There were about twenty of us who did it and between us we raised well over the target amount.

2. Lawyer

I ran a triathlon and managed to get over 50 people to sponsor me. I had to train for months and it was really hard work but well worth it. I actually enjoyed the training more than the final event because on the day the weather was terrible. In the months running up to the event I followed a very strict regime and it felt good to be working towards such a specific goal. Knowing that I was going to be able to give a large donation to charity made me even more determined to do it. It was such a positive experience I’m going to do it again next year.

3. Environmental consultant

I cycled from L.A. to Quito last spring. All my family thought I was mad but I love cycling and I knew it would be an amazing way to see lots of really interesting places. I managed to raise quite a bit of money for charity through sponsorship although that wasn’t my main, objective. I turned 30 in March and I really wanted to be doing something totally different rather than just sitting at my desk in the office. I wanted it to be something I could look back on when I am older and feel proud of. The fact that I was able to do something to help those less well off than me at the same time, well that made it even better.

4. Retired primary school head teacher

We used to make a big effort to get the children involved in charity events as I think it helps raise their awareness of world events and the fact that in many places there are people, particularly children like themselves, who live in very different circumstances to them. I think they get a great sense of satisfaction too from knowing that they are able to do something to help. Each year we had a special day; where all the children paid a small amount of money and then came to school for one day in their own clothes and not in school uniform. We also regularly held parties where the children were encouraged to donate old toys and books and things which we then sold. All the money we made went to our chosen charity.

1. Housewife and grandmother

I went down a cliff to raise money for charity. It was an enormous challenge as I’m actually quite afraid of heights. It was only really the moment of going over the edge that was difficult: after that it was very easy. You just have to get into the'rhythm and not go too fast. My son is really keen on climbing and some of his friends from his university

climbing club set everything up and organised the whole event. There were about twenty of us who did it and between us we raised well over the target amount.

2. Lawyer

I ran a triathlon and managed to get over 50 people to sponsor me. I had to train for months and it was really hard work but well worth it. I actually enjoyed the training more than the final event because on the day the weather was terrible. In the months running up to the event I followed a very strict regime and it felt good to be working towards such a specific goal. Knowing that I was going to be able to give a large donation to charity made me even more determined to do it. It was such a positive experience I’m going to do it again next year.

3. Environmental consultant

I cycled from L.A. to Quito last spring. All my family thought I was mad but I love cycling and I knew it would be an amazing way to see lots of really interesting places. I managed to raise quite a bit of money for charity through sponsorship although that wasn’t my main, objective. I turned 30 in March and I really wanted to be doing something totally different rather than just sitting at my desk in the office. I wanted it to be something I could look back on when I am older and feel proud of. The fact that I was able to do something to help those less well off than me at the same time, well that made it even better.

4. Retired primary school head teacher

We used to make a big effort to get the children involved in charity events as I think it helps raise their awareness of world events and the fact that in many places there are people, particularly children like themselves, who live in very different circumstances to them. I think they get a great sense of satisfaction too from knowing that they are able to do something to help. Each year we had a special day; where all the children paid a small amount of money and then came to school for one day in their own clothes and not in school uniform. We also regularly held parties where the children were encouraged to donate old toys and books and things which we then sold. All the money we made went to our chosen charity.

1. Housewife and grandmother

I went down a cliff to raise money for charity. It was an enormous challenge as I’m actually quite afraid of heights. It was only really the moment of going over the edge that was difficult: after that it was very easy. You just have to get into the'rhythm and not go too fast. My son is really keen on climbing and some of his friends from his university

climbing club set everything up and organised the whole event. There were about twenty of us who did it and between us we raised well over the target amount.

2. Lawyer

I ran a triathlon and managed to get over 50 people to sponsor me. I had to train for months and it was really hard work but well worth it. I actually enjoyed the training more than the final event because on the day the weather was terrible. In the months running up to the event I followed a very strict regime and it felt good to be working towards such a specific goal. Knowing that I was going to be able to give a large donation to charity made me even more determined to do it. It was such a positive experience I’m going to do it again next year.

3. Environmental consultant

I cycled from L.A. to Quito last spring. All my family thought I was mad but I love cycling and I knew it would be an amazing way to see lots of really interesting places. I managed to raise quite a bit of money for charity through sponsorship although that wasn’t my main, objective. I turned 30 in March and I really wanted to be doing something totally different rather than just sitting at my desk in the office. I wanted it to be something I could look back on when I am older and feel proud of. The fact that I was able to do something to help those less well off than me at the same time, well that made it even better.

4. Retired primary school head teacher

We used to make a big effort to get the children involved in charity events as I think it helps raise their awareness of world events and the fact that in many places there are people, particularly children like themselves, who live in very different circumstances to them. I think they get a great sense of satisfaction too from knowing that they are able to do something to help. Each year we had a special day; where all the children paid a small amount of money and then came to school for one day in their own clothes and not in school uniform. We also regularly held parties where the children were encouraged to donate old toys and books and things which we then sold. All the money we made went to our chosen charity.

1. Stacey

I had lessons in Hindi at a local language school. Unfortunately the only class available at my level was late in the evening. So after a long day at school, and then all the written homework we have to do, I didn't have a lot of energy left for language learning. Also, some of my classmates were much older than me and I didn't really get to know them. But that didn't matter because whenever we did group activities, which I'd never done before, but took to straight away, I made sure I was with the younger ones. I was having lessons every evening and that was costing my parents quite a lot, but we'd booked to go to India later that year so there was no time to lose.

2. Chloe

I really want to learn Polish so I bought a course of language lessons as an MP3 to play on my iPod. That meant I could work on it anywhere I went, particularly at those times when you've got nothing to do, like standing at the bus stop. Once I was concentrating so hard on getting a grammar point right that I completely forgot I was on the bus and I started repeating restaurant phrases aloud. I felt a bit uncomfortable when I noticed everyone looking at me, so I didn't do that again. Actually, one problem with learning on my own was not knowing when I was saying words properly and when I wasn't. Overall, though, it was a useful course and I think it was good value for money.

3. Amy

I used the Internet to improve my Spanish. It cost nothing, of course, and although at first I didn't know quite where to look, in the end I came across some great websites where I could practise reading and listening and do grammar exercises. At the same time, I was joining social networking sites and getting in touch with Spanish-speaking teenagers from various parts of the world. I also tried online chat in Spanish, but I couldn't keep up with people. All the time I was thinking about my grammar and it was taking me so long to reply to each sentence after I'd read it that I didn't think it was fair on them, so I gave up. I'll try again sometime, though.

4. Laura

I was living with an English-speaking family and the idea was that I'd pick up a lot of language by being there with them, but it just wasn't happening. Everyone watched television all the time and rarely spoke to me. After a week I left and moved in with a couple who had young children, and that was better. They were all very friendly and I could chat with them anytime, really. When I got things wrong they would often correct me and I think that helped me improve my speaking a lot. I would also have liked to be nearer the city centre, because the house was so far out of town that I couldn't get to the kinds of places where other teenagers went in the evenings.

Moods are infectious — and that's official! (B1) ... have proved that you can catch joy or (B2) ... like colds or flu, whether you want to or not, especially at work. They have only recently started noticing that cheerfulness is also catching. John Addison, a department store assistant, was finding his work boring and (B3) ... "The previous manager was (B4) ..., and it was difficult to work when he was around," he says. "Then we got someone else who is funny and who gives out a lot of energy, and I suddenly felt much warmer towards the job."

The New Zealanders Dwayne van der Sluis and Andrew Akers must be the happiest people on Earth now that their (B1) ... and latest craze, zorbing, has become a success. Zorbing involves standing in a ball — or zorb — which consists of specially hardened plastic. The zorb is rolled down a hill, speeding at about 50 kilometres an hour. It may sound like quite a (B2) ... pastime, but the 70 centimetres of air between you and the ground make it (B3) ... to get hurt. That's why zorbing didn't take long to gain in (B4) ... .

Ali Baba's restaurant in central London is one of the best restaurants I've been to for a long time. It has an extensive range of Turkish dishes including plenty of choices which are (B1) ... even for vegetarians. The restaurant has a very pleasant atmosphere. At weekends diners can enjoy performances by Turkish singers and dancers. We are sure that you will have an (B2) ... evening if you go to Ali Baba's. You will also find it unexpectedly (B3) ... . A meal for two will cost roughly £20 on condition that you stick to the house wines. But there is an excellent (B4) ... of these on the wine list.

Kabuki is a traditional Japanese performing art that involves the telling of a story through song and dance. It was created in the early 1600s by a female dancer who performed in (B1) ... ceremonies and (B2) ... gained popularity with Japan's lower social classes. The performers wear colourful costumes and thick makeup and sing and dance to the accompaniment of a (B3) ... of instruments. It's a truly (B4) ... cultural experience!

The most common materials which are recycled are paper and glass. Some plastics, metals and textiles can be recycled as (B5) ... . In theory recycling seems obvious: however, in practice it is not always cost-effective. Often the cost of collection and transportation is greater (B6) ... the cost of the energy saved. It also means that (B7) ... are fewer jobs available in industries (B8) ... as mining, as demand for raw materials is lower.

Henry Adams is probably the luckiest person I know. I normally envy very few of my friends' jobs because I'm happy with what I do, but Henry Adams is one of those rare people (B5) ... job I would like to have myself. Henry had always been (B6) ... in animals. That's why he studied to be a vet. He looked after domestic animals in London. But the job didn't live up to his expectations. So he (B7) ... it up and found a better one in a game reserve in Africa. Now he is responsible for the well-being of species that are in danger of extinction.

The library profession attracts people (B5) ... many different interests, because of the wide range of work that librarians do. For (B6)..., the profession may appeal to someone who wants to work with children in an elementary school library. A person interested in research may choose to work in a library which scholars use for their investigations. Some people become librarians to help libraries adapt (B7) ... advanced technology, while people (B8) ... have expert knowledge of a foreign language, computers, or a specific subject may choose this career to make use of their special skills.

Have you ever wanted to come home from a holiday with something more useful (B5) ... a suitcase full of souvenirs? What if you could come back with a new skill instead? Learning holidays, which combine travel and learning, have become (B6) ... of the latest new trends in travel. (B7) ... days, travellers can learn how to make chocolates in Italy and how to dance the tango in Argentina as (B8) ....