Tom Wilson is an explorer. He (A1) ... to nearly every country in the world, but the most exciting time he (A2) ... was when he went to the Congo jungle. He (A3) ... by a magazine to retrace the route of a famous explorer who disappeared in the 1920's. As he (A4) ... a small river he got separated from his guides. He went on alone, hoping he (A5) ... them, but instead he encountered a group of natives. He stayed with them for several days and found out that a very old woman (A6) ... the famous explorer. She knew how he had died. Tom became very friendly with the natives and now he (A7) ... to go back and see them again. He is sure they (A8) ... him back.

As a child, Tom Briggs knew that he (A1) ... rich. By the age of 22 he (A2) ... up his own software company, and it soon took off in a big way. When the company (A3) ... record profits last year, Tom celebrated the event in style, by arranging a huge party on board his magnificent yacht.

But recently things have started to go wrong. There (A4) ... reports of a strange virus in some products. The virus causes a computer screen to go orange and then to flash up the message "Tom is sinking'. It seems that one particularly dissatisfied employee (A5) ... to programme bankruptcy for Tom's company. Even if the company (A6) ..., Tom (A7) ... a clear warning, which he cannot afford to ignore.

Tom Wilson is an explorer. He (A1) ... to nearly every country in the world, but the most exciting time he (A2) ... was when he went to the Congo jungle. He (A3) ... by a magazine to retrace the route of a famous explorer who disappeared in the 1920's. As he (A4) ... a small river he got separated from his guides. He went on alone, hoping he (A5) ... them, but instead he encountered a group of natives. He stayed with them for several days and found out that a very old woman (A6) ... the famous explorer. She knew how he had died. Tom became very friendly with the natives and now he (A7) ... to go back and see them again. He is sure they (A8) ... him back.

In the early 19th century an amazing thing happened in America. Nearly half a million people left their homes and headed West along what was called 'the Oregon Trail', a path across the country to California and Oregon. The men and women (A1) ... from poverty and hardship in the East. How did they find out about the opportunities that existed in the West? It seems that travellers who (A2) ... there on trading expeditions brought back stories of warmer winters and of good farming land that was being given away by the government. Then, in 1849, news (A3) ... that men (A4) ... gold in California. In the early 1850s, people (A5) ... to reach the West. On the journey, they met many dangers. Many settlers didn't reach the West alive. But change (A6) ... to the American West. By 1870, a new railway (A7) ... and the Oregon Trail had become a part of history.

Tom Hardy is having a house built entirely of glass. Yes, the external and internal walls, the roof, the floor, everything (A1) ... of glass. The builders arrive next Monday and they will have finished the construction by the end of August. Until the house is ready, Tom (A2) ... in a tent on the site so that he can watch the builders at work.

"In just six months' time I will be living in one of the most futuristic houses in the world," says Tom. "I can hardly wait. People are going to be really amazed, I'm sure of that. Journalists (A3) ... round to see me all the time. I have already told them that once the house (A4) ..., I'll move in straightaway."

Of course, it's no ordinary glass. It (A5) ... if you (A6) ... stones at it because it is thick and flexible. What's more, you won't be able to see in because this glass automatically goes dark when night (A7) ... — there is no need for curtains.

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.

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.

The explosive growth of the Internet over the past decade has been accompanied by a rise (A8) ... new ways of interacting and communicating in cyberspace. First came emails and then chat rooms. Now, growing in (A9) ... popularity (A10) ... an incredible rate, is something known as blogging. For those who have never heard of it, a blog, which is short (A11) ... web log, is a kind of journal or diary that people write to "post' online. (A12) ... beauty of blogging is that anyone can put a blog on (A13) ... web and write about any topic under the sun. Some of the most interesting blogs can be found on Internet newspaper sites where readers post their comments (A14) ... articles in the news. One surprising development of blogging is that they are now often used as a source of news themselves. It is not uncommon (A15) ... journalists to use information that they have found on blog sites to write their articles.

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.

(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.

The explosive growth of the Internet over the past decade has been accompanied by a rise (A8) ... new ways of interacting and communicating in cyberspace. First came emails and then chat rooms. Now, growing in (A9) ... popularity (A10) ... an incredible rate, is something known as blogging. For those who have never heard of it, a blog, which is short (A11) ... web log, is a kind of journal or diary that people write to "post' online. (A12) ... beauty of blogging is that anyone can put a blog on (A13) ... web and write about any topic under the sun. Some of the most interesting blogs can be found on Internet newspaper sites where readers post their comments (A14) ... articles in the news. One surprising development of blogging is that they are now often used as a source of news themselves. It is not uncommon (A15) ... journalists to use information that they have found on blog sites to write their articles.

(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.

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.

It is said that technological development has given people more leisure time than they used to have, and that this frees them up to concentrate (A8) ... their interests and hobbies. It seems to me however, that most people spend their free time doing things that do not contribute (A 9) ... their development. To start with, the most popular free-time activities seem to be ones that people do alone. For instance, most people spend much time (A10) ... the internet and, even when they are interacting (Ail) ... others, t hey are only doing so electronically. In addition (A12) ... this, when people go out it is often to visit the shopping centre. At (A13) ... same time, there are examples of people making good use of their time. At weekends, there are parks, forests and beaches full of people doing sports or taking walks together. Some people do (A14) ... volunteer work for charity organisations. Other people join theatre or singing groups and there are many people who enjoy reading Sadly, however, this reflects (A15) ... relatively small part of the overall population.

Napping, or taking short periods of sleep during the day, is (A9) ... basic human need. According to numerous studies, napping decreases tiredness and increases energy levels. Yet many people prefer to fight (A10) ... tiredness rather than take (A11) ... short sleep during the day.

(A12) ... the majority of workers a nap in the afternoon increases productivity, creativity and problem-solving skills. One expert has called (A13) ... a new part to the work day, a period called "nap time". People have coffee breaks, although what they really need is nap breaks.

Scientists, who study sleep patterns, say that "morning" people can benefit (A14) ... a twenty minute nap around (A15) ... noon, while "night owls" need a nap around three or four in the afternoon. The key is to find (A16) ... what kind of nap you need and for how long.

It is difficult to imagine a world without tomatoes. These days, the bright red fruit plays an important role in the cooking of many cultures and is a key ingredient in many types of fast food, (A22) ... both taste and colour to dishes that otherwise would be rather ordinary. The tomato (A23) ... to the nightshade family of plants, many members of which are poisonous. When they were first (A24) ... into North America, therefore, tomatoes were viewed with (A25) ... and people tended to use them as table decorations rather than as food. In Europe, the tomato was first grown in Italy in 1555, although it wasn't (A26) ... with pasta until much later. The first (A27) ... for tomato ketchup dates from 1727 and in the 1800s, tomatoes began to be used more (A28) ... in sources and soups. These days, as well as tasting good, tomatoes are (A29) ... to contain substances which are good for our health. Nutritionists (A30) ... out, however, that many processed tomato products also contain additives such as salt and Sugar which can (A31) ... the beneficial effects of the fruit.

Napoleon III of France was (A23) ... for the invention of the butter substitute known as margarine. He was looking for a cheap (A24) ... to butter for the poorer people of society, and for his army and navy. So he (A25) ... up a prize competition to see who would (A26) ... up with the best solution.

There was only one entry into this competition, from a man called Meges-Mouries. He had (A27) ... over two years experimenting, and finally found an acceptable butter substitute made from milk and various animal fats. Meges-Mouries' invention was awarded the prize.

Margarine soon went into mass production and was exported all over the world. In Britain it was called 'Butterine', until protests from farmers (A28) ... to that name being made illegal. Farmers in America were not happy about the new arrival on the market either. They (A29) ... to the yellow colouring, saying that it made it resemble butter so closely that it could deceive consumers. In effect, Napoleon III's competition is still going on. The ultimate (A30) ... of every margarine manufacturer is to produce a product that is (A31) ... to distinguish from butter. And they keep trying.

According to a recent study, your personality could determine how likely you are to be (A23) ... in an accident. In fact, it could be the most important (A24) ... behind around a quarter of all mishaps. The (A25) ... have found that there are three key personality traits that can (A26) ... some people more accident prone than others. Firstly, high t levels of aggressiveness or selfishness may (A27) ... people more at risk of having accidents as individuals with these characteristics are often highly competitive and therefore more likely to not follow instructions and to (A28) ... rules. It also seems that those who have very open personalities may also have more accidents as these kinds of people can be dreamy and (A29)... concentration. Finally, people who aren’t very dependable or (A30)... may also be more at risk. Not everyone, however, agrees with the study’s (A31) ... . A spokesperson for an accident prevention organisation said: “We must (A32) ... responsibility for our actions and educate people to prevent accidents instead of blaming our personalities.”

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.

Imagine you are walking to school listening to music on your MP3 player. All of a (A25) ... it stops working and you (A26) ... that the batteries have (A27) ... out. Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could simply recharge the batteries wherever you are? This might be possible in a few years' time as scientists are now working on a bag that makes electricity. They say that all someone needs to do is (A28) ... the bag on their back and start walking. The movement of the body makes electricity in a special part of the bag. This new invention (A29) ... like a brilliant idea, doesn't it? Scientists developed the "electric backpack" in order to help soldiers, who often carry around with them torches (фонари), radios and other equipment.

All these things run on batteries and at the moment, the soldiers (A30) ... on these batteries to supply the (A31) ... this equipment needs. With the "electric backpack", the soldiers won't need to carry extra batteries around with them. Rescue workers and mountain climbers will also find the bag useful, as will students who don't want their MP3 players to stop working by (A32) ... on their way to school.

Years ago, back in the days when I was just a kid, my family used to have Sunday picnics together in a nearby part of the countryside. We would (A22) ... a suitably quiet and pleasant spot, then (A23) ... several hours chatting, eating and playing games in the (A24) ... air. Since then, though, my parents' life has become so busy that they never seem to have the time for outdoor family meals any more. In my (A25) ... this is a great pity, so I've recently started to organise picnics of my own. I get in (A26) ... with some of my closest friends and first we (A27) ... on a suitable place to go. Then we talk about who'll bring which food. This ensures that there will be a (A28) ... of tasty things to eat, particularly if everyone makes the meals they do best. It's important, though, to keep the food simple, as everything has to (A29) ... into a backpack and then be carried across fields and up river vall's. When we finally (A30) ... our destination, it's time to sit down, relax and (A31) ... each other's company. And I'm absolutely certain that food tastes better on a picnic than anywhere else!

Years ago, back in the days when I was just a kid, my family used to have Sunday picnics together in a nearby part of the countryside. We would (A22) ... a suitably quiet and pleasant spot, then (A23) ... several hours chatting, eating and playing games in the (A24) ... air. Since then, though, my parents' life has become so busy that they never seem to have the time for outdoor family meals any more. In my (A25) ... this is a great pity, so I've recently started to organise picnics of my own. I get in (A26) ... with some of my closest friends and first we (A27) ... on a suitable place to go. Then we talk about who'll bring which food. This ensures that there will be a (A28) ... of tasty things to eat, particularly if everyone makes the meals they do best. It's important, though, to keep the food simple, as everything has to (A29) ... into a backpack and then be carried across fields and up river vall's. When we finally (A30) ... our destination, it's time to sit down, relax and (A31) ... each other's company. And I'm absolutely certain that food tastes better on a picnic than anywhere else!

According to a recent study, your personality could determine how likely you are to be (A23) ... in an accident. In fact, it could be the most important (A24) ... behind around a quarter of all mishaps. The (A25) ... have found that there are three key personality traits that can (A26) ... some people more accident prone than others. Firstly, high t levels of aggressiveness or selfishness may (A27) ... people more at risk of having accidents as individuals with these characteristics are often highly competitive and therefore more likely to not follow instructions and to (A28) ... rules. It also seems that those who have very open personalities may also have more accidents as these kinds of people can be dreamy and (A29)... concentration. Finally, people who aren’t very dependable or (A30)... may also be more at risk. Not everyone, however, agrees with the study’s (A31) ... . A spokesperson for an accident prevention organisation said: “We must (A32) ... responsibility for our actions and educate people to prevent accidents instead of blaming our personalities.”

Attitudes towards shopping have changed dramatically over the last decade or so. Some people argue that we have (A22) ... a society of consumers, and that nothing but spending money (A23) ... us happy. On the other (A24) ..., anyone who has worked hard to (A25) ... money surely has the right to spend it on whatever they wish. Provided that we are prepared to save enough of our money for a rainy day, there seems little wrong with using the rest to (A26) ... for things that (A27) ... us pleasure. The delights of shopping are all too obvious. Attractive displays of food on supermarket shelves, and clothes which look fantastic on shop window models, tempt customers to part with their money, even if they do not actually need the goods they are buying. The real question is: would we all be happier if we were (A28) ...? The answer is probably that we can be just as happy with money as we can without it. ERRA, what we should do is (A29) ... an affort to return to the things that really (A30) ... in life and share what we have worked so (A31) ... to get with others less fortunate than ourselves.

§ 1. I want to tell you about my old friend Bobbie Cardew. If you're a recent acquaintance of Bobbie's, you'll probably be surprised to hear that there was a time when he was known for having a weak memory. In the days when first knew him Bobbie Cardew was the most unreliable person you could ever imagine. If I invited him to come and have dinner with me, I had to go to all sorts of trouble. I used to post him a letter at the beginning of the week, and then the day before send him a telegram, and a phone call on the day itself.

§ 2. One day Bobbie did something I would never have expected. He fell in love, got married — full of excitement, as if it were the greatest fun in the world — and then began to find out things.

§ 3. Her name was Mary Anthony. She was a hospital nurse. When Bobbie Smashed himself up playing polo she was there in the hospital taking care of him. No sooner was he up and about again than they were busy making wedding plans. A real case of love at first sight They took a flat and settled down. I was in and out of the place a good deal. Everything appeared to be running along as Smoothly as you could want. Mary seemed to think Bobbie the greatest thing on earth and Bobbie seemed to think the same about her.

§ 4. But now we come to the incident of the Quiet Dinner, which is when things began to happen. I met Bobbie in the street one day and he asked me to come back to dinner at his flat. When we got there I was amazed at how lovely Mary looked. She had her red-gold hair piled up on her head with a diamond tiara in it and was wearing a really beautiful dress. No wonder, I thought, that Bobbie liked married life. "Hello, dear," he said. "I've brought Reggie home for a bit of dinner." Mary stared at him as if she had never seen him before. Then she turned scarlet. Then she turned white as a sheet of paper. Then she gave a little laugh, before finally recovering herself. After that she was all right. She talked a lot at dinner, teased Bobbie and played tunes for us on the piano afterwards, as if she hadn't a care in the world. But I had seen her face at the beginning, and I knew that she was working hard to keep herself in hand and not scream. At the very earliest moment I made my excuses and got away.

§ 5. When I met Bobbie at the club next day he seemed glad to have someone to talk to."Do you know how long I've been married?" he said "About a year, isn't it?" "Not about a year," he said sadly. "Yesterday was the anniversary of the wedding. I'd arranged to take Mary to the theatre. She particularly wanted to hear Caruso sing. I had a ticket for the box in my pocket. You know, all through dinner I had some vague idea that there was something I'd forgotten, but I couldn't think what."

§ 1. While having lunch in an expensive restaurant, I tasted the wine I had ordered. I thought it might be spoiled, so I called the wine waiter. He was most unpleasant at the mere suggestion that something might be wrong. Unwillingly he tasted the wine — and immediately apologized and brought another bottle. That's what I call power!' said my guest, but it helped that I knew I was right. As the customer, you have considerable rights.

§ 2. If a restaurant fails to provide a table you have booked, they will have broken their contract with you and you can politely threaten to take them to court for the cost of a spoiled evening. They will then usually find you a table. On the other hand, if you let them down, they can take you to court for lost business. In one case, a company booked a table for one o'clock for five people at a popular restaurant, then called to cancel at 1.35 p.m. on the day, saying their client did not want to eat. When the company refused to pay up, the restaurant owner took them to court and won: the judge decided that, since it was too late to re-book the table, the company should pay for the loss of profit on the meal.

§ 3. The menu is a vital legal document. The price should be included, together with the tax (налог), and the restaurant can be fined for not displaying it outside or immediately inside the door, so that customers know in advance what they are committing themselves to. It is illegal for any establishment to give a false description of their food. Everything must be what it claims to be: fresh fruit salad must consist only of fresh, not tinned, fruit; Welsh lamb must be an animal born or raised in Wales.

§ 4. You cannot rely on getting bread and butter free. A restaurant is allowed to make a cover charge — which relates to linen, tableware, salt and pepper, Sauces and items like bread or olives — provided it appears on the menu by the door.

§ 5. If the food is not cooked to your satisfaction, you can insist on the restaurant taking it back and supplying what you ordered. If it gives you food poisoning, the restaurant is obliged to pay for the suffering and inconvenience provided you have been to your doctor. If the food is not up to a reasonable standard for the money, you can either send it back or pay less than the bill demands. If you do not pay the full price, give your name, address and proof of identity so that you cannot be arrested for leaving without paying.

This is what the famous musician Yehudi Menuhin writes about himself.

§ 1. Being a touring musician is a bit like being a sailor. It's constant motion, a continuous routine of settling into new hotels and meeting new people. So my ideal holiday is enjoying being alone with my wife.

§ 2. My earliest memory of a holiday was when I was five. We had just bought our first car, and drove joyously from San Francisco, exploring the most beautiful parts of California. It was a wonderful experience. I vividly remember the beautiful Yosemite valley, a place of waterfalls and beautiful mountains, a wilderness before we polluted it with cars and noisy stereo systems. As a child I collected photographs of those huge railway engines that pulled hundreds of goods wagons across America. These trains were like monsters, with groups of four wheels on each side. For Americans trains are hugely romantic. My first train journey across America was when I was eight years old. During the day I sat at the window watching the scenery fly past. At night I always had the top bunk bed in the sleeping compartment. I would scramble up to read in bed, feeling cosy and contented as the train rhythmically travelled over the rails through the night.

§ 3. Since then I've worked and studied for many hours on trains, enjoying the view and the sense of timelessness. I loved the smell of steel upon steel mixed up with the smell of the countryside. I loved the sound of the engine's horn, which used to remind me of the ferries which crept along in between the ships in San Francisco Bay on foggy nights. I have been lucky travelling all over the world and managing, just occasionally, to take a few days actually to see something more than just the airport, hotel and concert hall. When my wife and I were in Peru, we took three days off and flew in a small plane to the mountains where we spent a wonderful time walking and exploring in the jungle.

§ 4. Forty years ago we bought a small house on a Greek island and went there whenever we could. Initially there were just a few carts, and everything was transported on the back of a donkey or a man. We had a tiny cottage with a lovely garden of fruit trees where we used to pick grapes and oranges. We spent a lot of time on the beach — as I love swimming — and in the village getting to know people. After ten or fifteen years we were firmly involved in the community, able to share a totally different world, different language, different music.

§ 1. Holly Sinclair arrives at the north London restaurant where she and I are to have lunch. She looks exactly what she is: a 21-year-old who, thanks to three number-one hit songs, a millionaire husband and blossoming acting career, is having the time of her life. Once she opens her mouth, however, you realise that the person inside her body is actually a middle-aged woman.

§ 2. She has recently acted in three quite different roles that truly caught her imagination. Her three number-one hits have brought her a big measure of artistic freedom, and she intends to make full use of it. "I don't have to do things for the sake of them. It means I can wait a while, find the right things. I've got the time to go out and find out about life, observe people and dynamic situations that help me in my work. Ultimately, I'm only ever going to do the things that interest me, that I feel I can do something with. Even if I'm offered a blockbuster, it may not be right at the time, or benefit me."

§ 3. Naturally, Holly Sinclair knew what she wanted in life from an unusually early age — and that, whether she cares to admit it or not, was fame and fortune. At 12, she left Swindon, where her father worked as a builder, and moved to London. Once there, she boarded with her great aunt and uncle while attending the Oldham Theatre School. Three years later, her debut single, "Like Me" became the first of her three number-one hits (she holds the record for being the youngest singer to achieve such a feat). It was not, she says, very hard to leave her parents and three young brothers. She wasn't even particularly homesick. "I wanted to study and I didn't want to stay where I was. I wanted more, I was just very ambitious. I don't know where it came from." After she became famous, most of the time she was rather alone. Her schedule left little time for being a teenager.

§ 4. Then she met her pop-star husband, Freddy Frinton. After their first date, Freddy sent her a silver Ferrari full of roses, in spite of the fact that Holly couldn't drive (the car has since been sold, because Sinclair prefers to drive herself around in a small family car). Then they got married in a Las Vegas wedding chapel, with no family and no rings.

§ 5. She spends her money on CDs and DVDs and going out. The only thing she really wants is a fast car. But then, she wonders whether she can't get another year or two out of her old car first. "Money's never been a big part of my life. Freddy and I never have conversations about money. Maybe we would if we were very poor." She still looks as composed as a waxwork model. Does she feel young or old for her age?"Not old exactly, but when I get together with friends, I see a difference in our personalities. Sometimes I get angry with myself that I've done too much, that I haven't saved anything. I mean, what could possibly make me excited?' Holly is smiling brightly, but it sounds assad and as empty as anything I have ever heard.

§ 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. My parents always said I was born to be a sportsman. They said that even when I was in nappies, I wasn't happy unless I was kicking or throwing a ball. My first memory is of Dad and me playing football in our back garden. I recall my mum sitting down on the grass cheering me on as I clumsily kicked a football into the goal net my dad was 'defending'. The sense of achievement when I scored my first goal stuck with me, and my life has revolved around football ever since. As I grew up, I dreamed of becoming a football player. During class, I tried to stay focused on my studies; I knew that few people became professional sportsmen and it was crucial to get a good education. But I devoted every spare second to my passion. I knew that if I wanted to become a success, I would have to put all my energy into the game.

§ 2. My big break came when I was 18. Leicester City FC offered me a place in the team. It was there that I learned the true value of teamwork. I played with a fantastic group of guys there and we worked toward one common goal — to win! I learned that every person has their own individual talents, and a great team brings these talents together. We enjoyed great success at Leicester, and I was lucky enough to become one of the UK's top scorers I was transferred to Everton and, while I was sad to leave my fellow team-mates, I was excited about working with new people and making new friends. My time at Everton was an outstanding experience. While I was there, I scored 38 goals in 52 games. It wasn't long until I was on a new journey, this time across the sea to Spain to play for FC Barcelona. I was nervous at first, but it turned out that there was no reason to panic. I felt great pride when I stepped into the stadium and onto the pitch in Barcelona.

§ 3. As you can imagine, the proudest I felt was when I played for my country, England, in the World Cup. The tournament raises the level of competitiveness for every player. Not only do you have to be mentally prepared, but you have to be at the peak of physical fitness — so, as you can imagine, it didn't help that I had to play the tournament with my left arm heavily strapped up! But I was determined not to let one injury stop me and played anyway! Because we were astrong team, we got to the quarter finals, and I scored six goals during the entire competition and won the 'Golden Boot' award

§ 4. Football has taken me around the world, from England to Spain to Japan! I have become fluent in two other languages and have experienced other cultures. My career provided me with many happy memories that I wouldn't change for the world.

§ 1. My parents always said I was born to be a sportsman. They said that even when I was in nappies, I wasn't happy unless I was kicking or throwing a ball. My first memory is of Dad and me playing football in our back garden. I recall my mum sitting down on the grass cheering me on as I clumsily kicked a football into the goal net my dad was 'defending'. The sense of achievement when I scored my first goal stuck with me, and my life has revolved around football ever since. As I grew up, I dreamed of becoming a football player. During class, I tried to stay focused on my studies; I knew that few people became professional sportsmen and it was crucial to get a good education. But I devoted every spare second to my passion. I knew that if I wanted to become a success, I would have to put all my energy into the game.

§ 2. My big break came when I was 18. Leicester City FC offered me a place in the team. It was there that I learned the true value of teamwork. I played with a fantastic group of guys there and we worked toward one common goal — to win! I learned that every person has their own individual talents, and a great team brings these talents together. We enjoyed great success at Leicester, and I was lucky enough to become one of the UK's top scorers I was transferred to Everton and, while I was sad to leave my fellow team-mates, I was excited about working with new people and making new friends. My time at Everton was an outstanding experience. While I was there, I scored 38 goals in 52 games. It wasn't long until I was on a new journey, this time across the sea to Spain to play for FC Barcelona. I was nervous at first, but it turned out that there was no reason to panic. I felt great pride when I stepped into the stadium and onto the pitch in Barcelona.

§ 3. As you can imagine, the proudest I felt was when I played for my country, England, in the World Cup. The tournament raises the level of competitiveness for every player. Not only do you have to be mentally prepared, but you have to be at the peak of physical fitness — so, as you can imagine, it didn't help that I had to play the tournament with my left arm heavily strapped up! But I was determined not to let one injury stop me and played anyway! Because we were astrong team, we got to the quarter finals, and I scored six goals during the entire competition and won the 'Golden Boot' award

§ 4. Football has taken me around the world, from England to Spain to Japan! I have become fluent in two other languages and have experienced other cultures. My career provided me with many happy memories that I wouldn't change for the world.

1. I'm no good at mixed days — it's either work or play. If it's a work day, then I'll start with a huge mug of strong black coffee and then I'll go to my study at the top of the house. I've learned to start writing early and to have a scene hanging over from the day before. I'm obsessive about silence. I can't talk in the middle of work — if I talk, the morning is over. When I go out, I do all the things you're supposed to as a writer, like going out to London clubs. But when people see you at book launches (презентация) they forget that being a writer is also about that little thing in between — sittin on your own all day. But you've got to have contact with the outside world and real people or you can go completely mad.

2. I'm envious of people who write in the mornings and do what they like in the afternoon. I work through the day and treat writing like an office job. My office is in a flat about ten minutes from our house. It's good to have a geographical break between home and work. I arrive about 9 am, have a coffee and then I'll just get on with it and work through until lunchtime. There's a definite post-lunch dip — that's when I have another coffee. But in the end, the only way I get concentration back is by pushing it. My wife picks me up about 6.30 and we go home together. I've been doing this for ten years now. It's a routine that suits me and, to be honest, I'm always a little worried about breaking it.

3. My seven-month-old daughter, Matilda, gets me up around 6.30 and I'll play with her for a couple of hours, then go to my desk. I officially sit there for three hours but I'll do an hour's work. Like a lot of writers, I tend to get a great sense of achievement very easily. One good sentence entitles me to half an hour off — two or three lines means I can watch daytime TV. My study is at one end of the flat and my wife and daughter are at the other. In theory, no congress takes place until lunchtime, but actually we pop in and out all the time. I've never been one of those writers who likes being isolated — I want people around me R the time.

4. I have a really slow start to the day. I'll do anything to put off starting work. I have toast, read newspapers — I have to do the crossword every morning — and deal with my post. I write quite slowly and not in chronological order. I've structured the story before I start, so I can hop around which I think keeps my writing fresh. Sometimes I wake up and just know it's not going to work — because I'm just not in the right mood — but I know that it's only temporary. Once you've got the first draft down, you know that it's going to be OK. When I started writing and just stayed at home I felt incredibly guilty but now it feels normal. Lots of my friends are creative and don't go to offices, which helps. When we go out we don't talk about work — we gossip about the people we know instead. But if I want to use anything my friends have told me, I always ask.

1. Primary-school teacher Anisha Kapoor went to the Green Magic Nature Resort in Kerala, south-west India. "It wasn't my first experience of tree-house living," she says, but it was certainly the best. The houses are entirely built and maintained by workers from the area, using traditional techniques and local materials. For instance, the lifts up to the front doors are made of cane (тростник) grown in nearby fields. They work fine, by the way, and I was glad there were no stairs to climb — the houses are 25 metres up! That's good, though, because at that height there's often a cool breeze blowing through the branches."

2. Ever since TV researcher Whitney Martin worked on a programme about tree houses, she'd dreamt about staying in one. So when her neighbours happened to mention they had just such a place in Alaska, and asked whether she'd like to spend a fortnight there in July, she said 'yes' without a moment's hesitation. "I couldn't believe it when I saw it," she says, "it had everything: even hot running water and cable TV. The only disadvantage of being there at that time of the year was the huge number of mosquitoes. I must have been bitten a hundred times."

3. Australian technician Richie O'Hara was a guest at the Hinchinbrook Island Wilderness Lodge, on an island off the north coast of tropical Queensland. "The wooden tree house was quite comfortable," he says, "and they had all the advertised facilities such as running water and a fridge. Actually, I hadn't fully read the brochure, so when I arrived, I was surprised to find an internet connection in the house. I found plenty of healthy things to do, like canoeing and diving. That was great. After a week or so, though, I was a little tired of the climb to and from the house, so I doubt whether I'd repeat the tree-top experience. But I'm sure kids would love it — it's just a pity I didn't go there when I was about ten!'

4. Medical student Kirsty Hammond spent a week in Tanzania's Lake Manyara National park, at the Lake Manyara Tree Lodge. As we approached it," she says, "we glimpsed the buildings up among the branches, with the Great Rift Valley in the background. It was a wonderful sight. The houses were comfortable, too, with running water, a well-equipped bathroom and, fortunately, large mosquito nets above the beds — I'm very aware of the dangers if they bite you. I also liked the fact that almost everything was above ground, even the restaurant. The only problem there was the high night-time temperature: although my bedroom had an overhead fan, I didn't sleep very well. But generally I had a great time."

1. Primary-school teacher Anisha Kapoor went to the Green Magic Nature Resort in Kerala, south-west India. "It wasn't my first experience of tree-house living," she says, but it was certainly the best. The houses are entirely built and maintained by workers from the area, using traditional techniques and local materials. For instance, the lifts up to the front doors are made of cane (тростник) grown in nearby fields. They work fine, by the way, and I was glad there were no stairs to climb — the houses are 25 metres up! That's good, though, because at that height there's often a cool breeze blowing through the branches."

2. Ever since TV researcher Whitney Martin worked on a programme about tree houses, she'd dreamt about staying in one. So when her neighbours happened to mention they had just such a place in Alaska, and asked whether she'd like to spend a fortnight there in July, she said 'yes' without a moment's hesitation. "I couldn't believe it when I saw it," she says, "it had everything: even hot running water and cable TV. The only disadvantage of being there at that time of the year was the huge number of mosquitoes. I must have been bitten a hundred times."

3. Australian technician Richie O'Hara was a guest at the Hinchinbrook Island Wilderness Lodge, on an island off the north coast of tropical Queensland. "The wooden tree house was quite comfortable," he says, "and they had all the advertised facilities such as running water and a fridge. Actually, I hadn't fully read the brochure, so when I arrived, I was surprised to find an internet connection in the house. I found plenty of healthy things to do, like canoeing and diving. That was great. After a week or so, though, I was a little tired of the climb to and from the house, so I doubt whether I'd repeat the tree-top experience. But I'm sure kids would love it — it's just a pity I didn't go there when I was about ten!'

4. Medical student Kirsty Hammond spent a week in Tanzania's Lake Manyara National park, at the Lake Manyara Tree Lodge. As we approached it," she says, "we glimpsed the buildings up among the branches, with the Great Rift Valley in the background. It was a wonderful sight. The houses were comfortable, too, with running water, a well-equipped bathroom and, fortunately, large mosquito nets above the beds — I'm very aware of the dangers if they bite you. I also liked the fact that almost everything was above ground, even the restaurant. The only problem there was the high night-time temperature: although my bedroom had an overhead fan, I didn't sleep very well. But generally I had a great time."

1. School student Ester Montoya knows she has to improve her marks in her main subjects. She's trying hard, but it's not easy and sometimes she feels she's doing too much work, "I have to get away from it now and then," she says, "so recently I've joined a local youth theatre It really helps because it takes my mind off everything, it's a kind of escape from reality. Also I'm meeting other people of my age and I'm hoping to make some friends there. Something I've been meaning to try, though, is work helping others, perhaps old people. A friend of mine does it, and she says it really makes a difference — both to them and to her."

2. For seventeen-year-old Steve Ellison, life is particularly busy right now. He's revising for some important exams but he still manages to find time for his favourite free-time activities, which include long-distance running. As well as doing plenty of exercise, he also tries to maintain a healthy diet. "I've told myself I must always eat a variety of healthy food, with lots of fruit and green vegetables, though if I'm out with my mates I may give in to temptation and have a and chips. I never drink coffee because it makes you talk and act nervously, and it keeps you awake at night, too, which is bad for your stress level."

3. First-year university student Amelie Lefevre believes that the best way to beat stress is to organise your life more sensibly. "My life used to be pretty chaotic, there always seemed to be so much to do, often jobs that other people should E. doing. So what eventually learned to do was to say no, politely, to extra work. That helped, as did making a list of priorities for each day, with somethings scheduled for today, others for tomorrow and some that could be postponed for longer. I also make rules for myself about the amount of sleep I need. There was a time when I was staying up until all hours, but I was exhausted the next day so I don't do that any more. I think I managemy time quite well now."

4. Student Ndali Traore likes to get up early so he has a relaxed start to the day. "I hate leaving jobs till the last minute, and I always try to do those I like least first, he says. When he has some free time, he goes to the cinema, or out with friends. If something's bothering me," he says, "I often find that just talking to them about it helps. Particularly if you can make a joke about it, because it always seems a lot less serious when you do that.' If he's on his own, he has a special way of dealing with stress: "I try to recall occasions when I was really relaxed, such as spending the day by a beautiful lake in the sunshine. That often works, he says.

Four people talk about how they have cleared the clutter (ненужные вещи) from their lives and are now living in style with relatively few possessions.

1. Melanie Martin

Having a simple orderly wardrobe makes life less complicated. These days I am much more careful about clothes than I used to be. I buy one well-made piece of clothing that I'm going to love and cherish, rather than several inexpensive items which will soon wear out. I've limited my wardrobe to a couple of well-known labels and I take a lot of care whenever I buy something to make sure it's right for me. A few years ago, I would just take clothes off the rails (вешалка) without really thinking about whether they'd suit me. Inevitably, some of them would get thrown away unworn.

2. Annabella Bevan

My flat is uncluttered (не загромождена), I have wooden floors and only a few pieces of furniture, but I have chosen what I own with care. But if I go off something, I won't hesitate to throw it out because, for me, things have to be right. I work from home and I am setting up my own company to sell things on the Internet, but I'd like to work in a soothing, relaxing environment. Having an orderly home and wardrobe helps me to cope with the frantic lifestyle people around me lead in London. It sounds strange, but when I switch on my computer here, I feel a lot calmer than I would in an office. Of course, the look of things does come into it too, but I think if you keep your clothes and possessions tidy, it can improve your mood.

3. Graham Knight

The design of my flat is not a fashion statement. It's meant to be modern and contemporary, but I did it because I like it, not because it's the current trend. It's very much my space because I designed the interior myself. It's very homely. It's also very functional. I love cooking and the focal point of the flat is the steel worktop in the kitchen area. There's no dining table, so I both cook and eat on the worktop. I am always having people round for dinner and they seem to like the informality of it. In the living room, there are two cream sofas and a black side table. I don't feel the need for anything else because I'm not a very materialistic person really.

4. Barbara Clayton

I don't have a wardrobe. My clothes hang behind a see-through curtain so that I can take in everything at a glance. Above the rail is a transparent plastic shelf on which I put my scarves and jumpers. I buy a lot cream-coloured things and I'm prepared to spend quite a lot of money on one item. But it lasts so much longer than cheaper clothes that I think the expenditure evens itself out over time, because I end up buying fewer things overall. I usually have a shopping spree (покупательный бум) at the start of each season and resist the temptation to buy things on impulse in between. I will only buy things in one or two quality fabrics and, as I get older, I think I know what suits me, so I don't make many mistakes.

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."

Rising temperatures and a hotter climate? Well, if you are fortunate enough to live in a country with a (B1) ... climate, it sounds great, doesn't it? But there is a dark side. This climate might bring with it mosquitoes, (B2) ... of malaria. It is important to remember that malaria is not an (B3) ... disease providing it is dealt with promptly. So if you should come back from the tropics feeling ill, it is (B4) ... to receive medical treatment as quickly as possible.

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."

Today, there is a wide (B1) ... of holidays available for all tastes and pockets. Once considered somewhat conventional as a choice of holiday, backpacking (пеший туризм) has grown dramatically in (B2) ... in recent years, especially among budget-conscious travellers who are looking for a more economic way of seeing the world. However, backpacking can be dangerous for your health. Packing your bag (B3) ... can lead to injuries to your neck and spine. So you should (B4) ... the load by putting bigger items close to your back. Aim for no more than 30 percent of your body weight; less is always better.

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.

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 Red Sea coast of Egypt is surely one of the best places in the world to go underwater diving. Its hot sunny climate and clear warm water (B5) ... it the ideal place for beginners as (B6) ... as for experienced divers. Man different types of diving are possible in the area. At centres for complete beginners (B7) ... are training courses which include simple dives with a qualified instructor. These dives get them used to being underwater and teach some basic skills (B8) ... as swimming and breathing below the surface.