'Turning Problems into Solutions' is an animation that looks at the Solutions Focus approach to coaching and mentoring.
Self-study activity:
Watch the video and answer the questions below.
1 How can we repair a car?
2 Why can’t Alex get a better position in his company?
3 What happened to Alex in his childhood?
4 What would Alex be doing differently if he was confident enough?
5 What is the solutions focus?
6 What resources do people have to make their solutions happen?
Atom Wave presents turning problems into solutions.
If people were cars, fixing people problems would be easy: check the engine, find the cause of the trouble, replace the faulty part and move on. But people are not machines. Focusing on problems and their causes is a great way to get of getting cars back on the road, but it's not much use when you're trying to help people move forward.
Take Alex. He wants to step up to a higher management role but he lacks confidence. Some people might try to help Alex by asking why he feels this way. Perhaps the answer lies in his past.
When I was a child, a teacher humiliated me in front of the class.
Or:
The other kids teased me.
But concentrating on the causes of his problem soon leaves Alex buried under an avalanche of painful memories. He knows why he lacks confidence but nothing in his life has changed. He’s still feels just the same.
Focusing on problems turns you into an expert in what's wrong. To become an expert in what's right, you have to start thinking about solutions. A helpful question to Alex would be, let's just suppose that something happened and you had all the confidence you needed, what would you be doing differently?
I’d have the courage to be honest with my team when giving appraisals. I’d be able to say what I really think in meetings. I’d be speaking at conferences and enjoying it.
Now that Alex has a picture of how he'd like to be, he has something to work towards. This novel way of turning things upside down is called the solutions focus. Instead of emphasizing what's wrong -why didn't you meet this month's sales target?-, solutions talk encourages people to think about what's right - well done for selling five insurance policies last month, how did you manage that? What did you do?
People have all the resources they need to make their solutions happen. Some of those resources are inside them like previous experiences and others lie within easy reach like support from other people. It's all about building on success. If something works, do more of it and if something isn't working, do something different.
Contact us at Atom Wave to find out how our solutions-focused approach to coaching and mentoring could benefit your business.
Key:
1 By checking the engine, finding the cause of the trouble and replacing the faulty part.
2 Because he lacks confidence.
3 A teacher humiliated him and other children made fun of him.
4 He would be honest with his team, h’d be able to say what he really thinks in meetings, he’d be speaking at
conferences and enjoying it.
5 A way of thinking that focuses on what is right.
6 Previous experiences and the support of other people.
viernes, 19 de agosto de 2016
jueves, 18 de agosto de 2016
In-Flight Entertainment Gets High-Tech
Virgin America is the cream of the crop when it comes to high-tech in-flight entertainment, says tech columnist Molly Wood.
Self-study activity:
Watch the video and say whether the statements below are true or false.
1 You can order food and drink from your seat on Virgin America planes.
2 Only Virgin America international flights enjoy these in-flight entertainment amenities.
3 The new Jet Blue internet service, fly-fi, is already available.
4 You pay $8 per flight for internet connection with Southwest.
5 Delta Studio is only available for free on backseat screens.
6 You can watch the traditional overhead TV with United and American.
7 High-speed satellite wi-fi will be usual on almost any flight in a few years’ time.
Let’s face it. The only thing that makes air travel bearable anymore is upgrades or hours and hours of in-flight entertainment. Airlines are starting to realise that in-flight technology makes all the difference, and the cream of the crop, Virgin America.
Virgin America does it all and all from the screen on the seat in front of you. There’s wi-fi on every plane, there’s free satellite TV, movies on-demand, music, video games and touch-screen ordering of food and drinks. You can even send someone else a drink at another seat. There are also power outlets and USB plugs on every seat and all these amenities are available on every flight.
The next best checked airline is Jet Blue. Like Virgin they have power outlets at the seat, live streaming TV and movies and other entertainment on demand, but they’ve also just announced a new faster internet service called fly-fi. It includes free basic web surfing and there’s some content that you can get for free too, like college classes from Corserian, cooking shows, box TV and even books. Jet Blue says the system is coming this spring, so you won’t probably see it on every plane just yet.
Now if you’ve ever been on a Southwest flight, you know those planes are a little bit more barebones, so they’re not going with the full seatback entertainment setup, they are more about letting you bring your own device. You can pay for a wi-fi for $8 a day and you can serve gate-to-gate on Southwest, which means you can actually use the web on the ground. But they also offer some free content without hooking up to their wi-fi, on your tablet or your phone you can watch free-dished TV, a couple of shows. You can also listen to some B-playlists.
As for the old school domestic carriers, Delta is probably the best. They’ve just announced a new programme called Delta Studio that gives people free access to movies, TV, music and games on either their own devices or seatback screens and Delta said anyone on a flight over 90 minutes will have one of those options. The content varies, though. If you’re in couch, expect to pay for the good TV and movie content.
After that, there’s a previous team dropoff in in-flight tech depending on what plane you get. United and American lead all kinds of a hotchpotch of seatback entertainment, personal device options and the dreaded overhead TVs. Domestically, they all use Gogo for in-flight wi-fi, which is more expensive than something like Jet Blue and usually a lot slower too.
But overall things are looking up for high-flyers. In a few years, high-speed satellite wi-fi will be the norm on almost any flight you take, so until then take advantage of one of the last places on earth where you’re not expected to be working, blogging, tweeting and emailing. Just disconnect.
KEY:
1T 2F 3F 4F 5F 6T 7T
Self-study activity:
Watch the video and say whether the statements below are true or false.
1 You can order food and drink from your seat on Virgin America planes.
2 Only Virgin America international flights enjoy these in-flight entertainment amenities.
3 The new Jet Blue internet service, fly-fi, is already available.
4 You pay $8 per flight for internet connection with Southwest.
5 Delta Studio is only available for free on backseat screens.
6 You can watch the traditional overhead TV with United and American.
7 High-speed satellite wi-fi will be usual on almost any flight in a few years’ time.
Let’s face it. The only thing that makes air travel bearable anymore is upgrades or hours and hours of in-flight entertainment. Airlines are starting to realise that in-flight technology makes all the difference, and the cream of the crop, Virgin America.
Virgin America does it all and all from the screen on the seat in front of you. There’s wi-fi on every plane, there’s free satellite TV, movies on-demand, music, video games and touch-screen ordering of food and drinks. You can even send someone else a drink at another seat. There are also power outlets and USB plugs on every seat and all these amenities are available on every flight.
The next best checked airline is Jet Blue. Like Virgin they have power outlets at the seat, live streaming TV and movies and other entertainment on demand, but they’ve also just announced a new faster internet service called fly-fi. It includes free basic web surfing and there’s some content that you can get for free too, like college classes from Corserian, cooking shows, box TV and even books. Jet Blue says the system is coming this spring, so you won’t probably see it on every plane just yet.
Now if you’ve ever been on a Southwest flight, you know those planes are a little bit more barebones, so they’re not going with the full seatback entertainment setup, they are more about letting you bring your own device. You can pay for a wi-fi for $8 a day and you can serve gate-to-gate on Southwest, which means you can actually use the web on the ground. But they also offer some free content without hooking up to their wi-fi, on your tablet or your phone you can watch free-dished TV, a couple of shows. You can also listen to some B-playlists.
As for the old school domestic carriers, Delta is probably the best. They’ve just announced a new programme called Delta Studio that gives people free access to movies, TV, music and games on either their own devices or seatback screens and Delta said anyone on a flight over 90 minutes will have one of those options. The content varies, though. If you’re in couch, expect to pay for the good TV and movie content.
After that, there’s a previous team dropoff in in-flight tech depending on what plane you get. United and American lead all kinds of a hotchpotch of seatback entertainment, personal device options and the dreaded overhead TVs. Domestically, they all use Gogo for in-flight wi-fi, which is more expensive than something like Jet Blue and usually a lot slower too.
But overall things are looking up for high-flyers. In a few years, high-speed satellite wi-fi will be the norm on almost any flight you take, so until then take advantage of one of the last places on earth where you’re not expected to be working, blogging, tweeting and emailing. Just disconnect.
KEY:
1T 2F 3F 4F 5F 6T 7T
miércoles, 17 de agosto de 2016
Talking point: Smart cities
This week's talking point is smart cities. Before getting together with the members of your conversation group, go over the questions below so that ideas come to mind more easily the day you get together with your friends and you can work out vocabulary problems beforehand.
How have people’s lifestyles changed in your country during your lifetime?
How has your city/town changed in your lifetime?
What are the good and bad points of living in your city/town these days?
How do you think your city/town will be like in 50 years’ time?
What do the pictures below show about city life?
How do you feel in situations like this?
What other pictures of city life stress would you add?
What do you understand by the term ‘smart city’?
Do you agree with these ideas to make a city more liveable?
Look at this list of ideas for making cities ‘smarter’ or better to live in. Do any of them already exist in the city you live in or one you know?
If so, how useful are they?
If not, would you use the app or facility if it were available?
1 an app giving information about new projects and impending legislation in the city
2 parking apps to show drivers the nearest available parking space and how much it costs
3 apps to let users ‘adopt’ city property, such as litter bins, trees, flower beds, and volunteer to maintain them
4 digital parking payment systems, allowing you to pay for parking by smartphone, without using coins or tickets
5 free wi-fi everywhere in the city, including on trains, buses and the underground
6 screens in public places which display traffic information, weather and local news
7 an app letting residents communicate with the city maintenance services to let the city know where there's a problem - something's broken or out of service
8 an app giving information about all the trains, buses and underground and when they are due, delays, alternative routes
9 solar-powered artificial trees that enable residents to charge their mobiles, laptops and other devices
How have people’s lifestyles changed in your country during your lifetime?
How has your city/town changed in your lifetime?
What are the good and bad points of living in your city/town these days?
How do you think your city/town will be like in 50 years’ time?
What do the pictures below show about city life?
How do you feel in situations like this?
What other pictures of city life stress would you add?
What do you understand by the term ‘smart city’?
Do you agree with these ideas to make a city more liveable?
- Cars have to pay to enter the city centre
- A single card is needed for the whole public transport system
- Solar panels provide all the energy the city needs
- There is a large park with lakes in the city centre
Look at this list of ideas for making cities ‘smarter’ or better to live in. Do any of them already exist in the city you live in or one you know?
If so, how useful are they?
If not, would you use the app or facility if it were available?
1 an app giving information about new projects and impending legislation in the city
2 parking apps to show drivers the nearest available parking space and how much it costs
3 apps to let users ‘adopt’ city property, such as litter bins, trees, flower beds, and volunteer to maintain them
4 digital parking payment systems, allowing you to pay for parking by smartphone, without using coins or tickets
5 free wi-fi everywhere in the city, including on trains, buses and the underground
6 screens in public places which display traffic information, weather and local news
7 an app letting residents communicate with the city maintenance services to let the city know where there's a problem - something's broken or out of service
8 an app giving information about all the trains, buses and underground and when they are due, delays, alternative routes
9 solar-powered artificial trees that enable residents to charge their mobiles, laptops and other devices
martes, 16 de agosto de 2016
The Computer Collector
Lonnie Mimms has a massive collection of vintage computers he keeps outside of Atlanta.
Self-study activity:
Watch the video and say whether the statements below are true or false.
1 Mr Mimms likes being called a nerd.
2 He regrets throwing away some computers.
3 He was determined to start a collection from the very beginning.
4 At some stage Mr Mimms considered that computers reflected the way society was changing.
5 He has been offered $1m for his collection.
6 None of his children has inherited his passion for collecting.
7 His family considers him eccentric, to say the least.
8 Mr Mimms has a computer museum.
I used to be teased for being a nerd. Now I definitely view it as a compliment. If I use one of my old computers that still run, I can't even explain the emotion that I'm feeling. It's more than reminiscing. It's a very strong memory retrieval. I never threw away any of the computers I had. And it ended up becoming a collection without consciously collecting them.
You wake up one day and you've got 15 of these things in the basement or your bedroom or whatever. It just hit me that these were important devices and that this was the beginning of a whole change in society.
At first when he was telling me about his collection, I thought, yeah, he's a collector. But then when I saw it…
Old computers are fascinating because there is so much variation. In the early days, there wasn't a common platform. It was like beta and VHS, but on steroids. And that just made things a lot more interesting. The collection at this point in time… it's very hard to say what it would be worth. But I mean, it would have to be over a million dollars. I probably have that in it, maybe even more. None of my three sons are collectors. They must have gotten their mother's genes in that regard. I think within one family, I may be enough of that.
What does your family think about your obsession?
Well, the nice word is eccentric. We've created an Apple pop up exhibit at King's Market Shopping Center in a former CompUSA building. If there was such a thing as an inanimate object having a personality and having charisma, then Apple is off the chart. Let's show them where it came from because the history is going to be important. At some point, we look back and go why didn't we save that? Where can I get one of those? Anything that is in the collection, no matter how primitive to a previous generation, it would be magic.
I can't wait to see the end result. It's going to take a couple of years. It has taken many to get to where he is now. And I just can't wait to see the end result.
It's never complete. A collection… a collection is never complete. The universe of computers is big enough. that I don't see it ever being finished. My goal now is to have a museum that will outlast me… you know, that will be more of a legacy.
Key:
1T 2F 3F 4T 5F 6T 7T 8F
Self-study activity:
Watch the video and say whether the statements below are true or false.
1 Mr Mimms likes being called a nerd.
2 He regrets throwing away some computers.
3 He was determined to start a collection from the very beginning.
4 At some stage Mr Mimms considered that computers reflected the way society was changing.
5 He has been offered $1m for his collection.
6 None of his children has inherited his passion for collecting.
7 His family considers him eccentric, to say the least.
8 Mr Mimms has a computer museum.
I used to be teased for being a nerd. Now I definitely view it as a compliment. If I use one of my old computers that still run, I can't even explain the emotion that I'm feeling. It's more than reminiscing. It's a very strong memory retrieval. I never threw away any of the computers I had. And it ended up becoming a collection without consciously collecting them.
You wake up one day and you've got 15 of these things in the basement or your bedroom or whatever. It just hit me that these were important devices and that this was the beginning of a whole change in society.
At first when he was telling me about his collection, I thought, yeah, he's a collector. But then when I saw it…
Old computers are fascinating because there is so much variation. In the early days, there wasn't a common platform. It was like beta and VHS, but on steroids. And that just made things a lot more interesting. The collection at this point in time… it's very hard to say what it would be worth. But I mean, it would have to be over a million dollars. I probably have that in it, maybe even more. None of my three sons are collectors. They must have gotten their mother's genes in that regard. I think within one family, I may be enough of that.
What does your family think about your obsession?
Well, the nice word is eccentric. We've created an Apple pop up exhibit at King's Market Shopping Center in a former CompUSA building. If there was such a thing as an inanimate object having a personality and having charisma, then Apple is off the chart. Let's show them where it came from because the history is going to be important. At some point, we look back and go why didn't we save that? Where can I get one of those? Anything that is in the collection, no matter how primitive to a previous generation, it would be magic.
I can't wait to see the end result. It's going to take a couple of years. It has taken many to get to where he is now. And I just can't wait to see the end result.
It's never complete. A collection… a collection is never complete. The universe of computers is big enough. that I don't see it ever being finished. My goal now is to have a museum that will outlast me… you know, that will be more of a legacy.
Key:
1T 2F 3F 4T 5F 6T 7T 8F
lunes, 15 de agosto de 2016
Listening test: Pets in America
Listen to two friends discussing the topic of pets in US and choose the option A, B or C which best completes each sentence. 0 is an example.
0 Example:
Americans consider pets
A as important as family.
B as important as friends.
C more important than family.
1 In general cats and dogs
A are outdoors most of the time.
B sleep outdoors.
C stay inside at night.
2 In US pet owners
A generally live alone.
B may keep a pet for therapeutic reasons.
C usually have no friends.
3 Dogs are
A a convenient conversation starter.
B a good excuse to meet people from the other sex.
C usually walked around parks by moms.
4 Designer dogs
A are a mixed breed of dog.
B are a very unusual breed of dog.
C usually cost over $1,000.
5 A teacup is
A a bag to carry a dog.
B a very small breed of dog.
C an accessory for a dog.
6 If a dog owner leads a busy life, they can leave their dog in (…) while they are at work.
A a dog break
B a dog hotel
C a doggie day care
7 In America
A it is not unusual to see wild dogs.
B one of the girls was attacked by a wild dog.
C wild dogs are brought to a shelter by animal control.
Hey, Gabby.
Hey, Lindsay. How’s it going?
All right. I am also wondering today- why is it that Americans are so pet crazy?
Yeah, that’s a great question. And the pet trend in America continues to increase. I think this is a big, growing market in the US. And I think, you know, we’re gonna touch on some points why Americans are so pet crazy but, you know, one of the biggest reasons is that we consider pets our friends and part of our family.
Family member more than friends, absolutely.
Yeah.
How do we know that? Well, most pets live inside at least at night.
Right.
They’ll sleep indoors.
Right.
Sometimes a cat might go out during the day…
Sure, or a dog.
…if it’s an outdoor cat, right.
Yeah.
But most dogs and pet cats stay inside.
All the time, yeah.
Yeah, that’s right. And, you know, my personal opinion is that this might have to do with people feeling lonely and so they enjoy having a pet to keep them company and also for some people who have experienced illness, a pet can be a great treatment, like a therapy ... dog or, or cat or pet.
Yeah, and it’s not just – it’s also in addition to having the company, it’s also a way – I know that for example, for New Yorkers, maybe Bostonians…
Yeah.
…they use it as a way to meet other people. But a lot of people do that. You know, it’s very easy to start a conversation when you have your dog on a leash near – out at the dog park with the other dog moms…
Yeah.
…and dog dads, right.
That’s right. Because it is a very common way to start a conversation around a pet. So it’s a great way to meet people.
And so what about this concept of designer dogs?
Yeah, you know, I, I think you know more about this than I do but, it’s… it’s kind of a – like designer clothes. You look for a specific brand.
Yeah. So my brother has a designer dog and the dog has been bred to be a combination of a pug and a beagle. And our neighbors here in Cambridge have a – that, sorry, my brother’s dog is called a puggle.
That’s so cute.
A pug and a beagle. And my, my neighbors have a labradoodle, which is a lab and a poodle.
I love those names.
I know. But the price tag is pretty – you probably wouldn’t love the price tag.
What, on average, what do people pay for a designer dog?
I can’t back this up with science but I think…
Yeah.
…it’s between $500 and $1000, a grand.
Wow. There’s a type of dog that’s very small, called a, a Teacup …
Lindsay: Very cool.
…type of dog because it fits in a teacup. I think it’s kind of a relative of a, a Chihuahua or, or something like that. But it’s the kind of dog that you can carry around with you.
In your bag.
And, yeah, in your bag, in your purse or in a dog bag. And it’s almost like an accessory.
An accessory, oh my god.
Yeah.
That’s so common.
There’s a lot of, related industries now that are growing for, for pets like Clothes for Pets, what else? Like hotels…
Doggie…
…pet hotels.
Yeah, and doggie day care.
Yeah.
Don’t forget.
Doggie day care.
You can take your dog to day care when you’re at work to do a walk.
Health insurance.
Health insurance.
Of course, veterinary practices. That’s, I think that’s common. And there was something else – the doggie day care, dog insurance, oh, and the tax breaks. There’s an initiative, I don’t think it’s passed but to give a tax discount or break for people who own pets.
Yeah, so…
Isn’t that interesting?
Yeah, that’s super interesting. So here, like you don’t really see wild dogs, do you?
No.
That’s not common at all.
No. I remember when I was in Thailand riding a bike around one of the famous sites I was being chased by wild dogs…
Oh, yeah.
…and I was like, “Oh, my God, what’s going on?”
Yeah.
So you don’t see wild dogs. If there were a wild dog, we’d have animal control, would come out and get the dog…
That’s right.
…and bring the dog to a shelter.
That’s right, yeah. So it’s interesting because when I go travel to a country where there are wild dogs that’s a little scary to me…
Yeah.
…because I’m not used to seeing wild dogs on the streets.
Yeah.
KEY:
1C 2B 3A 4A 5B 6C 7C
0 Example:
Americans consider pets
A as important as family.
B as important as friends.
C more important than family.
1 In general cats and dogs
A are outdoors most of the time.
B sleep outdoors.
C stay inside at night.
2 In US pet owners
A generally live alone.
B may keep a pet for therapeutic reasons.
C usually have no friends.
3 Dogs are
A a convenient conversation starter.
B a good excuse to meet people from the other sex.
C usually walked around parks by moms.
4 Designer dogs
A are a mixed breed of dog.
B are a very unusual breed of dog.
C usually cost over $1,000.
5 A teacup is
A a bag to carry a dog.
B a very small breed of dog.
C an accessory for a dog.
6 If a dog owner leads a busy life, they can leave their dog in (…) while they are at work.
A a dog break
B a dog hotel
C a doggie day care
7 In America
A it is not unusual to see wild dogs.
B one of the girls was attacked by a wild dog.
C wild dogs are brought to a shelter by animal control.
Hey, Gabby.
Hey, Lindsay. How’s it going?
All right. I am also wondering today- why is it that Americans are so pet crazy?
Yeah, that’s a great question. And the pet trend in America continues to increase. I think this is a big, growing market in the US. And I think, you know, we’re gonna touch on some points why Americans are so pet crazy but, you know, one of the biggest reasons is that we consider pets our friends and part of our family.
Family member more than friends, absolutely.
Yeah.
How do we know that? Well, most pets live inside at least at night.
Right.
They’ll sleep indoors.
Right.
Sometimes a cat might go out during the day…
Sure, or a dog.
…if it’s an outdoor cat, right.
Yeah.
But most dogs and pet cats stay inside.
All the time, yeah.
Yeah, that’s right. And, you know, my personal opinion is that this might have to do with people feeling lonely and so they enjoy having a pet to keep them company and also for some people who have experienced illness, a pet can be a great treatment, like a therapy ... dog or, or cat or pet.
Yeah, and it’s not just – it’s also in addition to having the company, it’s also a way – I know that for example, for New Yorkers, maybe Bostonians…
Yeah.
…they use it as a way to meet other people. But a lot of people do that. You know, it’s very easy to start a conversation when you have your dog on a leash near – out at the dog park with the other dog moms…
Yeah.
…and dog dads, right.
That’s right. Because it is a very common way to start a conversation around a pet. So it’s a great way to meet people.
And so what about this concept of designer dogs?
Yeah, you know, I, I think you know more about this than I do but, it’s… it’s kind of a – like designer clothes. You look for a specific brand.
Yeah. So my brother has a designer dog and the dog has been bred to be a combination of a pug and a beagle. And our neighbors here in Cambridge have a – that, sorry, my brother’s dog is called a puggle.
That’s so cute.
A pug and a beagle. And my, my neighbors have a labradoodle, which is a lab and a poodle.
I love those names.
I know. But the price tag is pretty – you probably wouldn’t love the price tag.
What, on average, what do people pay for a designer dog?
I can’t back this up with science but I think…
Yeah.
…it’s between $500 and $1000, a grand.
Wow. There’s a type of dog that’s very small, called a, a Teacup …
Lindsay: Very cool.
…type of dog because it fits in a teacup. I think it’s kind of a relative of a, a Chihuahua or, or something like that. But it’s the kind of dog that you can carry around with you.
In your bag.
And, yeah, in your bag, in your purse or in a dog bag. And it’s almost like an accessory.
An accessory, oh my god.
Yeah.
That’s so common.
There’s a lot of, related industries now that are growing for, for pets like Clothes for Pets, what else? Like hotels…
Doggie…
…pet hotels.
Yeah, and doggie day care.
Yeah.
Don’t forget.
Doggie day care.
You can take your dog to day care when you’re at work to do a walk.
Health insurance.
Health insurance.
Of course, veterinary practices. That’s, I think that’s common. And there was something else – the doggie day care, dog insurance, oh, and the tax breaks. There’s an initiative, I don’t think it’s passed but to give a tax discount or break for people who own pets.
Yeah, so…
Isn’t that interesting?
Yeah, that’s super interesting. So here, like you don’t really see wild dogs, do you?
No.
That’s not common at all.
No. I remember when I was in Thailand riding a bike around one of the famous sites I was being chased by wild dogs…
Oh, yeah.
…and I was like, “Oh, my God, what’s going on?”
Yeah.
So you don’t see wild dogs. If there were a wild dog, we’d have animal control, would come out and get the dog…
That’s right.
…and bring the dog to a shelter.
That’s right, yeah. So it’s interesting because when I go travel to a country where there are wild dogs that’s a little scary to me…
Yeah.
…because I’m not used to seeing wild dogs on the streets.
Yeah.
KEY:
1C 2B 3A 4A 5B 6C 7C
domingo, 14 de agosto de 2016
Extensive listening -Why I keep speaking up even when people mock my accent
Artist Safwat Saleem grew up with a stutter — but as an independent animator, he decided to do his own voiceovers to give life to his characters.
When YouTube commenters started mocking his Pakistani accent, it crushed him, and his voice began to leave his work. Hear how this TED Fellow reclaimed his voice and confidence in this charming, thoughtful talk.
You can read the full transcript here.
When YouTube commenters started mocking his Pakistani accent, it crushed him, and his voice began to leave his work. Hear how this TED Fellow reclaimed his voice and confidence in this charming, thoughtful talk.
You can read the full transcript here.
sábado, 13 de agosto de 2016
Reading test: The science of the quieter home appliance
In this week's reading test we are going to practice the multiple choice vocabulary and grammar task by reading The Times article The science of the quieter home appliance.
Read the article and choose the option A, B or C which best completes each blank. 0 is an example.
The science of the quieter home appliance
Read the article and choose the option A, B or C which best completes each blank. 0 is an example.
The science of the quieter home appliance
Whirring extractor
fans, buzzing washing machines, vibrating fridge freezers — is your home full
of electrical appliances that (0) … distracting
or loud noises? Our homes, (1) … should
be calm retreats from the frenetic world outside, are not as quiet as they used
to be because they are full of noisy appliances. These harsh sounds often
compete with (2) … —people turn up
the volume on the television, for example, if someone is vacuuming (3) … —and collectively they produce
excessive noise. Yet most of us put up with the din, unaware that we can do
something about it.
We have more home
appliances than ever but certain factors have exacerbated the problem. With
space (4) …, people are living in
smaller homes and in shared households, making it harder to escape from noise.
Conjoined spaces, (5) … an open-plan
kitchen and sitting room, are more common nowadays; these can be very noisy if
there isn’t a separate utility room.
Most of us would
struggle without household appliances but must we live with a cacophony of
daily noise? The good news is that (6) …
are beginning to stock “quiet technology” — appliances designed to be less
harmful to our ears. The initiative comes from Quiet Mark, a not-for-profit
scheme run by the UK’s Noise Abatement Society.
If products pass the
acoustic and performance tests, carried out by a team from the Association of
Noise Consultants, they are (7) … a
purple Quiet Mark symbol. Poppy Szkiler, the founder and managing director of
Quiet Mark, says: “The logo is an aid for buyers who want high-performing
products that produce softer sounds. We look at every aspect of sound to (8) … the products are not producing
painful or intrusive sounds.”
Szkiler, who is the
granddaughter of John Connell, the founder of the Noise Abatement Society, (9) … the organisation three years ago.
“Sound is central to our lives, (10) …
we’re not always aware of it and often have little power to change the sounds
that surround us,” she says. “Unfortunately, we too easily accept that noise is
the price we pay for evolution and our ever-developing society. If we don’t (11) … something about this soon, our
ability to hear the (12) ... sounds
around us will disappear.”
So far, 80 products
have been given the logo and the categories are continuing to grow. John Lewis,
a businessman that stocks Quiet Mark products, has seen a huge increase in
sales of small appliances that have been recognised for reducing their noise
emissions.
Recent research (13) … by John Lewis shows that people
are becoming more aware of how noise from appliances affects their lives.
Nearly half of the 2,004 people asked said that they (14) … sound an important factor when they choose such goods.
Szkiler adds:
“Manufacturers are putting investment into changing the sound at the design
stage. The next era of design will consider sounds and acoustics.”
0
A create
B do
C make
1
A that
B where
C which
2
A each other
B others
C themselves
3
A closely
B near
C nearby
4
A abundant
B at a premium
C plentiful
5
A as
B such as
C unlike
6
A buyers
B shoppers
C retailers
7
A accorded
B awarded
C rewarded
8
A assure
B insure
C make sure
9
A delivered
B set up
C thought up
10
A although
B despite
C however
11
A do
B invent
C make
12
A sharp
B strident
C subtle
13
A carried out
B performed
C studied
14
A consider
B regard
C see
KEY:
1C 2A 3C 4B 5B 6C
7B 8C 9B 10A 11A 12C 13A 14A
Suscribirse a:
Entradas (Atom)