Caravanning in Wales
The sea cliffs and sandy beaches of Wales are hard (1) ................. beat. Add to (2) ……… wild, romantic scenery, ancient castles, modern theme parks and cheap accommodation and you've got a great family holiday. Of course, (3) …………. makes Wales so green is the rain. Even in mid-summer, you can expect a couple of wet and windy days. But don't let that (4) …………….you off. There are (5) ……………of indoor activities , so you can enjoy
(6) ………….. whatever the weather. For (7) ………………people Wales is a caravan country. If you haven't stayed in a caravan (8) …………..you were little, it's (9) ……………
you tried it again. Standards of comfort are much higher (10) …………..a decade ago, with facilities such (11) ……………laundries and kids' play areas. A good example is the Fontygary Holiday Park. You can stay in a spacious caravan equipped (12) ……………TV, shower, separate bedrooms and fridge, (13) ………………..works out to be less expensive when compared (14) ……………a guesthouse or self-catering cottage. And you won't even need to leave the site to (15) ……………….fun. The kids can swim in the 25-metre indoor pool, or join (16) …………..the games organized by the entertainment staff. Meanwhile you can take a sauna, go to the gym, have your hair styled, or just sit on the cliff top and enjoy the view.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
When going (1) ………….holiday, it is always a good idea to take (2) ………….travel insurance. This is just in (3) …………..something goes (4) …………..along the way. You could lose your luggage, you could (5) ………………robbed, or even become ill and need expensive medical treatment. For millions of holiday makers, travel insurance is just a precaution (6) …………….will help them have an enjoyable and worry-free holiday. But for (7) …………., travel insurance is a way of earning money (8) …………….making false claims against insurance companies. For (9) ………………, some people pretend that they have had expensive equipment stolen which in (10) …………….never even existed, and then claim large sums (11) ……………..compensation. Such claims cost insurance companies a total (12) ……………Ł50 million per year. But the cheats' luck is about to run (13) ………….. . (14) …………….to a new computer system, companies will be able to tell at a glance (15) ……………..someone has made a claim within the last three years. Honest travellers will no (16) …………..have to pay through the nose for other people's dishonesty.
LAUGHTER
You not only laugh more (1) …………. you are relaxed, but you (2) ………..relax when you laugh, and it has (3) ………….found that when you're (4) ……………holiday it is easier to do both.
But for (5) …………..people laughter is not just a pleasure, it is a (6) ……………of fighting illness. Some hospitals have begun to bring clowns to relieve the silent, depressing atmosphere, especially in children's wards.
This scheme is called “Medical Smile” and it helps sick children in a (7) ………….that doctors, with all (8) …………….knowledge, can't do. The effect of the clowns is more (9)……………psychological. Laughter helps strengthen the immune system - (10) ………………is, the part of our bodies (11) …………..fights off disease. We take (12) ……………..more oxygen when we laugh, and our heartbeat slows (13) …………… .
Hospital clowns are becoming more (14) ……………more popular because (15) ………….
the positive effect they have. They both relieve depression, which tends to (16) …………. illnesses worse, and give people the will to fight their illnesses themselves.
COPING WITH SHYNESS
Shyness is a problem that is common (1) ……………many people. In (2) …………. , according to Mr Zimbardo, a distinguished psychologist at Stanford University, eight
(3) …………..of ten people are reported to (4) ………….been shy at some (5)………….
in their lives. Most people (6) ……………have this condition, suffer feelings of discomfort and anxiety at the (7) ………….. of meeting others, especially at social gatherings (8) …………….parties. Keeping away from such situations is not really a solution, of course, and if a shy person can manage to overcome their fears they (9) ………….gain a feeling of self-satisfaction as (10) ………….as improving their social life. However, if the case of shyness is severe, when important occasions are missed or a person's social, educational or professional life is affected, (11)………..the label “shyness” is inappropriate. (12) ……….
this stage, it is termed “social phobia”. Those suffering (13) ………. …this condition are very often bright, talented and sensitive people. But feelings of social isolation, resulting (14) …………..loneliness, can lead to additional problems (15) …………….as alcohol abuse or addiction to medication. Fortunately, a number of treatments are available and come in the form of individual (16) ……….group therapy and training. Therefore, a person who has social phobia has an excellent chance of recovery.
WAKE UP, IT'S SUMMER
The summer season makes (1) …………of us feel good, and scientists believe that they (2) …………….discovered the reason for this. “Bright light makes you feel more awake and helps you sleep better,” says Dr. Arendt, from the University of Surrey, (3) ………….is studying the effect of light (4) …………….the human body. Light travels through the eye and sends a message to the part of the brain that controls sleep and appetite. So in the summer months (5) ………….sunlight is increased, your energy level goes (6)…………thus decreasing the need to eat and sleep. (7) …………addition, the heat from the sun also (8) ………….. a calming effect as it reduces blood pressure, producing a feeling of relaxation. Sea and mountain air are also beneficial in summer as they make you breathe (9) ………….
deeply, increasing the (10) ………………...of oxygen in your blood. For (11)…………..people, however, there is a negative side (12) ………..summer. Those suffering (13) ……………low blood pressure may experience feelings of tiredness and anxiety at this (14) ……………of year. Experts advise such people to (15) ………….up exercise and to add more salt (16) …………….their diet. So, if you can, enjoy the benefits of bright light, warm days and seaside air and you'll feel completely refreshed.
TASTY SNACKS
We (1) ………….love to eat between meals, (2) …………..it's a bar of chocolate after breakfast or a packet of crisps before dinner. But when we think (3) ……….it, most of these “snack” foods are (3) ………….of fat, salt and sugar and thus contain a (4) ………..of calories. Another disadvantage is that after (5) ……………..consumed these foods, there is a temptation to eat (6) ………………as they still leave you feeling hungry. But who says snack foods have to be bad (7)…………..you? They can, in (8) ………….., be very good for you if you just choose carefully.
One of the best and healthiest snack options is dried fruit. It's really tasty and makes a briliant, easy-to-eat snack, as (9) ………….as leaving you satisfied. (10) ………….is also a great variety to choose (11) ……………with dried bananas, apricots, grapes and apples available at (12) ………..supermarkets. You can enjoy dried fruit for morning and afternoon breaks, at school or at work, in the car or (13) ………….watching television. Dried fruit also makes the perfect fast food for late-night homework sessions. So next time you fancy (14) ………….sweet, try the healthy option and you'll (15) ………….pleasantly surprised.
DINNER PARTIES
Organising a dinner party can (1) …………a stressful business. Firstly you have to decide (2) ………….you are going to invite and make (3) …………the guests are going to mix well. It's (4) …………..good inviting people that are going to sit around (5) ……….small groups and only speak to each (6) ………….or people that are going to hide behind the furniture and not talk at (7) ………… . Also you have to ensure they can get to and from your home (8) ……………any problems. Next is organising the food. You want to prepare a meal that is above average standard, but doesn't (9) …………the earth. It is also wise to ask the guests about their likes and dislikes (10) …………you invite them, as you don't want to serve up a meal nobody (11) ………….eat. Cooking the meal is important as (12) …………, because you want it ready at the time you stated. Seating arrangements are important too. You don't want (13) …………. the quiet guests at one end of the table and the talkative (14) ……….
at the other. Serving drinks before, during and (15) ……………the meal is always a good way to (16) …………….people to relax and chat. And remember to shut the cat in another room, as you don't want it jumping onto the table searching for a snack.
THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE
The Golden Gate Bridge has linked San Francisco and the Marin Peninsula for more (1) …………….50 years. However, building it was no easy task. The idea of linking the two places was not a new one but it wasn't (2) …………..1917 that the first workable design was produced. It would (3) ………..twenty years to complete the bridge, and from the outset there were (4) …………..difficulties: rough waters, the often foggy conditions and the danger of earthquakes all combined to make constructing this bridge a (5) ………….tickier business than building New York's George Washington Bridge. The Golden Gate Bridge, (6) ………..
was then the largest in the world, was finished (7) ………….May 27th, 1937. Californians flocked to their new showpiece and walked from one end to the (8) ………. . The next day it was opened to cars. (9) ………..the past 58 years it (10) ………….been part of daily life for millions of commuters. Of course, its paintwork must (11) ………….kept (12) ………..
good condition. A 28-man team is rsponsible for this. If you thought Michaelangelo needed a good head (13) ………….heights to paint the Sistine Chapel ceiling, just (14)…………… a thought for these men. The bridge stands (14)…………..4,200 feet. The trick, agree the painters, is never to look (15) …………….. . Rather them than us!
ARTIST DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Patti Wilkins is (1) ……….. Artist Development Manager. She specialises in pop music and is (2) ………………… for managing the production (3) ……………… a pop singer's new single or album and (4) ……………… that it involves.
She is the person who selects the songs for the album, the photographs for publicity purposes, who shoots the video and clothes the singer (5) ……………… for the video. In (6) …………. typical day she will meet the people designing the artwork for the album, the singer's manager, journalists and marketing managers.
(7)……………… the week she will have to listen to the hundreds of tapes that are (8) ………….to the record company by singers and bands hoping to (9) ……………famous one day. She needs to understand (10) …………….makes a good pop band and at the same time has to be (11) …………….to spot star potential. In (12) …………..of working long hours she feels it is (13) ………… it when a song finally gets into the pop charts.
She learnt about the pop industry by (14)………….work experience and editing pop magazines (15) …………..well as taking a business course. In that way she (16) ………… out how to go about marketing and selling in the highly competitive music industry.
SPORTS TOURISM
Hundreds of thousands of fans travel worldwide to watch (1) …………. favourite sport - an international match, a tennis championship, a Formula One Grand Prix.
In recent years (2) ……………….. has been a huge increase in sports tourism. (3) ……….. longer are people content to (4) …………..in an armchair to watch their teams or sporting stars on television. They want to be (5) ………….. the action is, (6) …………. They pack their bags and head straight for the airport.
In (7) ………………to the usual sporting events, the Olympic Games are held (8) ………… four years. The Olympics may only last a couple of weeks, but (9) …………….affect the host city for several years before. New facilities (10) …………… to be built, not just for the Games themselves (11) ……………. also for the thousands of international visitors (12) …………….come to stay. The effects are also felt outside the host city (13) ………….. many visitors choose to explore the surrounding region, and this (14) ……………..a lasting effect on tourism in the country. For example, (15) …………………the 1992 Olympic Games were held in Barcelona, in Spain, the city has (16) ……………..an extremely popular tourist destination.
FOLLOW YOUR NOSE
Of the five senses, smell is probably the (1) …………..that you value the least. Yet your sense of smell is the most direct link (2) ………………the brain and the outside world. It
(3) …………….two seconds for a smell to (4) ………………the nose and travel to the part of the brain (5) ………………controls emotions and memories. Exactly (6) ……………..your sense of smell influences your emotions, however, is (7) ………….fully understood.
Nevertheless, a sense of smell can even influence your relationships (8) ………….. other people. Apparently, you (9) ………………in love through your nose, not your eyes or your ears. Moreover, people tend to smell of what they eat and (10) ………….can also influence what people think of you.
In one famous study, 84 per cent of people taking (11) ……………...said they were more (12) ……………..to buy a particular brand of trainers, when they (13) ……………. placed in a room smelling of flowers. This kind of knowledge can be (14) ………………..to influence people's spending habits at a sub-conscious (15) ………………..., and could obviously be useful in (16) ………………….all sorts of things from clothing to cars.
FAST TRACK FLUENCY
A couple of generations ago, a biligual child - in other words a child who spoke more than one language - was regarded (1) ………….. suspicion. People thought that such (2) …………….child would be slow (3) ……………..develop academically, would feel confused and even (4) …………….up with a split personality.
Today, however, research shows the advantages of a biligual upbringing, including an awarness (5) …………….other cultures and an increased ability (6) ………….. language learning.
Tests (7) …………. out in Canada presented small children with two apartment blocks made (8) …………….of building bricks; the larger apartment contained fewer bricks. Children who (9) ………………not bilingual said that the larger apartment had more bricks, (10) ……………bilingual children correctly saw that the (11) ……………one had more bricks. The bilingual children appeared to have the ability to ignore misleading information (12) ……………….dealing with problems, in much the (13) ……………way as they `edit out' one language when using the (14) …………… .
According to the research, as (15) ……………as developing problem-soling skills arlier than those who only speak one language, bilingual children also understand written languages faster (16) ……………….learn to read more easily.
NAPPING IS GOOD FOR YOU
Napping, or taking short periods of sleep (1) …………….the day, is a basic human need. According (2) ……………numerous studies, napping decreases tiredness and increases energy levels. Napping is based on common sense and (3) ……………….animal on the planet naps. (4) ……………..many people prefer to fight against tiredness rather (5) ……….. take a short sleep during the day.
For the (6) …………..of workers a nap in the afternoon increases productivity, creativity and problem-solving skills. One expert (7) ……………..called for a new part to the work day, a period called `nap time'. He argues that the modern work system (8) ………………not designed around the actual physical needs of people's bodies. People have coffee breaks, (9) ………………….what they really need is nap breaks.
Chronobilogists, scientists (10)………………study sleep patterns, say that `morning' people can benefit from a twenty (11) ………………..nap around noon, while `night owls' need a nap around three and four in (12) ……………afternoon. The key is to (13) ……………out what kind of nap you need and for (14) ……………..long. It has been established that even very short breaks reduce errors and accidents and are (15) …………….useful if taken bout eight or nine hours (16) ……………..you wake up.
PETER BENCHLEY LIKES SHARKS
Peter Benchley, the author (1) ……………wrote the novel Jaws, thinks it may be partly his fault that people don't like sharks. The movie, (2) ……………on his book, involved a terrifying monster fish (3) ………………main purpose was to attack anyone (4) ……….. everyone in the ocean.
In (5) …………….., sharks kill approximately 12 people a year. In (6) ………………, people kill millions of sharks every year and (7) …………….to 90 per cent of great white sharks have been (8) ……………..out. Peter Benchley admits, `I created something that doesn't exist.' He hopes to set (9) ………………record straight with a new documentary film he has made. The film focuses (10) ……………..some of the more attractive aspects of great white sharks. For (11) …………………., one extremely brave diver demonstrates that when you touch a shark on the nose, (12) ……………..goes very still.
Benchley grew up in Massachusetts in the US and (13) ………….a large part of his childhood swimming in the ocean. He got the idea for Jaws (14) ……………….. a newspaper article about a man who caught a shark which (15) ……………….. about 2,000 kilos. When the movie was made, Benchley had an opportunity to appear (16) …………….an actor, playing the reporter on the beach just before the shark attacks for the first time.
FUNCTIONAL FOODS
In the 21st century food will (1) …………….more than just feed you. A new range of products appearing (2)………………..shelves in shops and supemarkets (3) …………. designed to give you specific health benefits. The demands of modern life make these foods very attractive. (4) ……………..only do they provide proven ways to improve health, but they are also very attractive (5) …………….a quick and convenient way of making sure we enjoy a healthy diet.
In some countries it is already possible to buy crisps that make you feel (6) ………….depressed, chewing gum that increases your brain power and tea that helps you (7) …………………over tiredness associated (8) ……………long-distance air travel. (9) ……………..the future, experts promise biscuits that will keep your heart healthy, and hot chocolate drink to give you strong bones.
(10) ……………the fact that these `functional' foods cannot replace a balanced diet and regular exercise, they can help the body perform at (11) ………………. best a lot of the time. At (12) ……………….., these foods are more expensive than other foods, but that is due to the ingredients they (13) ………………of and the way they are made. All the foods contain probiotics (14) ……………increase the number of `good' bacteria in your stomach, helping to keep your digestive system healthy.
There may even (15) ……………a functional food to protect eyesight, so keep an eye out as you never know (16) ……………….you might be eating tomorrow.
CREDIT CARDS FOR CHILDREN
Children as young as twelve have (1) ………… offered credit cards by certain companies. They encourage the children to load (2) ……………… plastic cards with money (at terminals in the high street) and use (3) ……………to shop on the Internet. The companies aim to open up the market to young people (4) ……………are not allowed to use the Internet for shopping, as they are (5) ………………young to get credit cards. (6) …………..a credit card, the child's card has numbers on the front of it and a magnetic strip on the back (7) ……………….the children (8) ………………..to sign. This serves only to add to its `grown up' feel, as signatures are (9) …………….necessary for Internet shopping.
Some people are concerned that the teenagers could get into debt at an early age. Others argue that the cards will be limited to a fixed (10) ……………of money and that children will therefore only be able to spend as (11) ………………as they have on the card. They believe that the cards will help children manage (12) ……………….own money at an early age, and not to (13) ……………….it.
The cards have been advertised (14) ……………..teenage magazines and research shows that children like the independence of (15) ………………..able to shop with plastic and the fact that they are not tied (16) …………….their parents
CYPRUS
With (1) …………… warm sunshine, sparkling seas and serene landscapes, Cyprus offers (2) ………….of reasons to escape the grey winter days. Cyprus has so (3) ……………..attractions as a holiday island. The sun shines most days of the year and even in the (4) ……………..of winter the days are warm and inviting. The shoreline of rough cliffs, sandy beaches and old harbours is washed (5) ………….. the Mediterranean. Inland, you (6) ………………..discover another world of ancient mountains and green valleys with neat fields, orange and lemon groves, vineyards and old villages built out (7) …………. Stone. Legend has it that Cyprus was the place (8) ……………the ancient Greek godddesss of love, Aphrodite, (9) …………. born. The exact spot is (10) …………… to be the Rocks of Romiou, a beautiful beach just (11) ………………the coast from the old port and town of Paphos. This is (12) ……………largest town in Cyprus and is located (13) ………….the south western part of the island. Paphos has developed (14) …………….a thriving modern city and is a large tourist resort, but even (15) …………..., it has managed to preserve its ancient past. The old harbour is still the central part of the town with tavernas lining the waterside. (16) ………….are also excellent bars, clubs and restaurants in the modern part of town where vistors can enjoy traditional food and entertainment.