The American bald eagle (1) ... off the endangered register in the next two years. More than 1,130 animals and plants (2) ... by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as endangered or threatened, making it illegal to kill or harm them. Until now, few species had been removed from the register and when they were it was usually because they (3) ... extinct. As America's national bird, the bald eagle has been protected in various ways since 1940. The eagle, that is not really bald but looks it because of the white feathers on its head, (4) ... only in North America. It (5) ... the centre of attention in the argument about the best way to protect endangered species. Most environmentalists agree that if the use of pesticides isn't reduced, it (6) ... the reproductive system of rare species. But fortunately, there are now more than 5,000 nesting pairs of the bald eagle in the continental US and the numbers (7) ... at 10 per cent a year.

Dear Catherine,

Thanks for your letter. It was great to hear from you. I hope your exams are over now and you're happy with the results. I've just had an awful weekend. We (1) ... to go camping, but in the end all our plans fell down because of our car. Everything was fine on Saturday morning when we set out, and we had no problems for the first half of our journey. Unfortunately, just before lunch, the car (2) ... down. My Dad tried several times to call for help, but the number (3) ... . In the end he gave up and we ate the picnic my Mum (4) ... that morning. After lunch my Dad decided to go and get help with my brother, so I stayed behind with my mother. We soon fell asleep in the car. When we woke up it (5) ... late and my Dad and my brother had still not come back. We started to get very worried about them. Just then they turned up in a van, which (6) ... our car to a garage. We went home in a taxi which had been following the van. I hope you had a better weekend than me. Please write soon and tell me what you (7) ... .

Best wishes,

Millie

Hi, Tom!

The holidays have arrived again! It doesn't seem like a year since the last summer break, but in a few days we'll finish school for six weeks! I'm not sure what I'm going to do this year. Last year I did a summer job. I (1) ... out my dad in his office when he asked me if I wanted to get paid for it! It was only two mornings a week, but it (2) ... me some money to spend. How about you? (3) ... to go away anywhere this summer? I (4) ... by some friends to go on a sailing holiday and I think I will go. I love sailing. One reason I (5) ... to you is to ask if you would like to come and stay for a weekend. If you (6) ... at the end of August, we will go to the music festival in the park. I'm not sure if Lily Allen will be there this year, though. Write and tell me soon because there (7) ... many tickets... .

Love,

Olga

Egypt's prehistoric sites are at risk from tourism. Experts believe that if urgent measures (1) ..., no prehistoric sites in Egypt (2) ... unharmed. Many prehistoric sites in the desert have already been lost to development projects. Now tourists (3) ... the country's remaining prehistoric sites faster than scientists can save them. In the far southwest of the desert is the "Valley of Pictures'. Two main caves in the valley (4) ... hundreds of paintings that date from between 7000 and 5000 BC. According to archaeologists, tourists (5) ... water over the figures to make them easily visible. Water (6) ... the surface of the paintings to break off in small thin pieces. "The paintings (7) ... in no time, says one expert. He adds: "The desert is under threat. This area has to be conserved."

Before I went for my interview for the job with Cramer and Blake Services, I (1) ... to a few people and found out some information about the company. This strategy worked very effectively as it gave the impression that I was keen and responsible and I (2) ... the job on the spot. I was absolutely delighted at first, but soon I discovered that my new boss, Tom, worked very hard, spending all his time in the office. He expected the same level of commitment from his employees. He said each time, "If you (3) ... overtime, you will let the team down." I (4) ... up with the situation for a couple of months without complaining, before finally I had to confront Tom. I wasn't prepared to work so hard for such a low salary. Tom said that I had great potential and (5) ... to the top if I made an effort. However, he totally refused to reduce my workload and so in the end I decided to hand in my resignation. Just a week later I got another job. Now I (6) ... twice as much as my old boss, and my job is twice as interesting. I (7) ... to the top yet, but I am well on the way!

A few weeks ago I was at a friend's front door when her father walked across the lawn carrying some fruit in a bag. While I (1) ... for my friend to answer the door, I decided to make polite conversation with her father and said that soon he (2) ... the fruit of his labours. Instead of smiling, as he usually did, he looked at me rather angrily and explained that it was his fruit and not his neighbour's. He obviously thought I (3) ... him for running off with his neighbour's fruit. He had heard the word neighbour's, not labours and had been offended. Fortunately, the misunderstanding (4) ... up and he began Smiling. When I told my friend what (5) ..., she laughed. No harm had been done but I nearly regretted speaking to her father. From now on, I (6) ... it safe (не рис­ко­вать) and talk only about the weather in case there (7) ... a misunderstanding.

Hi, Rob!

How are you doing? I'm OK. My day didn't start too well though. My alarm didn't go off and I (1) ... . (My mum (2) ... to work early today so she wasn't around in the morning to get me up.) Then I got held up on the way to school because the bus I was on (3) ... down. When I finally made it into class, I (4) ... off by the teacher and had to stay on after school for a detention (остав­ле­ние после урока)! Then on the way back home I bumped into Craig. He (5) ... a few family dramas to deal with recently. Apparently his dad has been laid off from the bank where he worked and his sister (6) ... out of the university so they're both at home feeling miserable.

What are you up to at the weekend? A few of us (7) ... together for a game of beach volleyball. Why don't you come along?

Archie

At (1) ... early age Robert Burns, Scotland's greatest poet, had to help his father on his farm. When he was twenty-two, he went to Irvine, where he began to learn about making cloth. Shortly after his arrival, the factory in which he was training was destroyed (2) ... fire so he started (3) ... farm with his younger brother. While he was living on the farm, he concentrated (4) ... writing poems and fell for a local girl, Jean Armour. Robert wanted to marry her but her father would not allow him to do so, probably because he thought Burns was not wealthy enough. Her father's refusal took Robert (5) ... surprise and he decided to leave (6) ... country. Robert had to obtain the fare for the voyage by selling some poems. Just as he was about to leave he was given some advice  — to publish a new edition of the poems he had written. He received a large sum of money for the poetry and was able to get married (7) ... Jean Armour. During his marriage he continued to write the expressive poetry he became famous (8) ... .

How much sleep do we really need? This can vary quite a lot between individuals. However, it is widely believed that between
6—8 hours is healthy. What is particularly important is that this sleep happens (1) ... the right time; that it fits in with our body's natural rhythm. If you suffer (2) ... sleepiness during (3) ... day then you are probably not getting enough sleep when you most need it. Typical symptoms of a lack of sleep are (4) ... low concentration, poor memory and feeling irritable. Getting the right amount of sleep is not only important (5) ... terms of being able to function properly on a day to day basis but it also has (6) ... impact on your overall health. Research suggests that people who sleep between 6 to 7 hours per night are likely to live longer than those who sleep less than 6 or more than 8 hours per night. One reason (7) ... this is because of the effect sleep has (8) ... our immune system.

27-year-old Londoner Andrew Terrill began a 7,000-mile walk from the south of Italy to the northernmost tip of Norway. The aim was to raise money for (1) ... homeless in England's capital. Here he reports (2) ... his experiences at (3) ... start of his adventures. "When I stood on a deserted beach at the southern tip of Italy, I didn't know quite what to expect. If I had known, I might never have left that pleasant Mediterranean beach. As I walked north into the foothills of (4) ... Apennines, it seemed impossible that I would ever reach (5) ... my final destination, North Cape (6) ... the top of Norway. The mountains were certainly a challenge. They were covered in dense forest, and there were few footpaths. There were many evil-looking snakes, a million lizards, deer and wild boar. The wildlife kept me (7) ... my toes. It was great to be out in the hills with the freedom to travel and live life (8) ... my own slow pace."

In a month's time I'll be setting (1) ... on the trip of (2) ... lifetime. My plan is to cycle all the way round the world, starting and finishing in my home town of Plymouth. It's taken over two years to prepare for the adventure; planning it, training for it and organising the finance. I've saved up about a quarter of the money I need, and I've managed to raise (3) ... rest by doing up my house and selling it for a lot more than it originally cost me. Understandably, my parents are not very keen on (4) ... idea, and I don't blame them (5) ... wanting to try to discourage me (6) ... going. They still haven't forgiven me for the worry I caused them when I tried, unsuccessfully, to cycle from Norway to South Africa. They've finally accepted, however, that nothing will prevent me (7) ... attempting it, and my mum has said she'll be the first to congratulate me (8) ... my achievement when I get back in two years' time.

27-year-old Londoner Andrew Terrill began a 7,000-mile walk from the south of Italy to the northernmost tip of Norway. The aim was to raise money for (1) ... homeless in England's capital. Here he reports (2) ... his experiences at (3) ... start of his adventures. "When I stood on a deserted beach at the southern tip of Italy, I didn't know quite what to expect. If I had known, I might never have left that pleasant Mediterranean beach. As I walked north into the foothills of (4) ... Apennines, it seemed impossible that I would ever reach (5) ... my final destination, North Cape (6) ... the top of Norway. The mountains were certainly a challenge. They were covered in dense forest, and there were few footpaths. There were many evil-looking snakes, a million lizards, deer and wild boar. The wildlife kept me (7) ... my toes. It was great to be out in the hills with the freedom to travel and live life (8) ... my own slow pace."

(1) ... young woman was taken to safety (2) ... a helicopter yesterday after getting stuck on a freezing Swiss mountain. She and her climbing partner spent two nights under a simple shelter on a rock 9,800 feet up one of Switzerland's most difficult mountains. The rescued woman, Rachel de Kelsey, admitted yesterday that they would have died if they had had to spend another night there. Their only chance of (3) ... survival was to dig themselves a hole (4) ... the snow behind the rock and hope that they would be found. Miss Kelsey said that she had sent messages (5) ... five friends who she thought might be able to get (6) ... touch with the mountain rescue team. The alarm was eventually raised by a friend in London after he received her text. He contacted (7) ... rescuers who found (8) ... pair but were unable to rescue them immediately because of the storm.

In 1995 I went (1) ... a trip which was (2) ... absolute disaster. I was going to Berlin on business when, by accident, I got (3) ... the wrong train. We were on the way to Brussels before realised my mistake. When I got to Brussels I had more problems because all my money was in German Marks and I didn't have my credit card with me. By chance I found (4) ... helpful policeman who was soon (5) ... the phone to my company. Thanks (6) ... his help I was able to arrange (7) ... . Some money to be sent to a nearby bank. I spent that night in a hotel and paid my bill in (8) ... cash before leaving. In the end I got to Berlin twenty-four hours later than I had expected. Everyone thought my trip was a big joke.

In 1995 I went (1) ... a trip which was (2) ... absolute disaster. I was going to Berlin on business when, by accident, I got (3) ... the wrong train. We were on the way to Brussels before realised my mistake. When I got to Brussels I had more problems because all my money was in German Marks and I didn't have my credit card with me. By chance I found (4) ... helpful policeman who was soon (5) ... the phone to my company. Thanks (6) ... his help I was able to arrange (7) ... . Some money to be sent to a nearby bank. I spent that night in a hotel and paid my bill in (8) ... cash before leaving. In the end I got to Berlin twenty-four hours later than I had expected. Everyone thought my trip was a big joke.

Even the earliest people, who (1) ... the world about four thousand years before Christ, loved art. They produced many (2) ... of art including paintings and sculptures. Pictures were typically (3) ... on the walls of the caves which (4) ... people with shelter. These caves could be described as people's first homes. It seems that people learnt to make dyes or paints from stone very early on in their history. White, for example, was produced from chalk and black from charcoal (уголь). The mineral was (5) ... with water to make the dye. Some communities even heated minerals to produce new colours. Among the most (6) ... cave paintings in Europe are those which were (7) ... in the Lascaux caves in south-west France. They were first (8) ... by schoolboys who were (9) ... the caves. The paintings show pictures of animals such as bulls, cows, deer and horses. The pictures are very lifelike, showing that the artists had studied their subjects very (10) ... .

Do you ever wish you were more optimistic? Having someone around who always (1) ... the worst isn't really a lot of fun  — we all know someone who sees a single cloud on a sunny day and says, "It (2) ... like rain." But if you catch yourself thinking such things, it's important to do something about it. You can change your view of life, according to psychologists. It only takes a little (3) ..., and you'll find life more rewarding as a result. Optimism, they say, is partly about self-respect and confidence but it's also a more positive way of looking at life and all it has to (4) ... . Optimists are more likely to start new projects and are generally more prepared to (5) ... risks. Upbringing is obviously very important in forming your (6) ... to the world. Some people are brought up to (7) ... too much on others and grow up forever blaming other people when anything (8) ... wrong. Most optimists, on the other hand, have been brought up not to regard failure as the end of the world  — they just (9) ... with their lives.

A soda drink with a turkey and gravy flavour that is (1) ... as undrinkable by its manufacturers is selling extraordinarily well. Unexpectedly large quantities of bottles have been sold in the United States where they are preparing to (2) ... Thanksgiving later this week. A company in Seattle which (3) ... in unusual flavours put 6,000 bottles on (4) ... last week at 99 cents each. They sold out within hours. Yesterday bidding (став­ки) on the eBay online auction site (5) ... more than 60 dollars a bottle. The nastiness of Turkey and Gravy Soda appears to be its biggest selling point. It (6) ... the perfect joke gift to take home to Mum or a younger brother or sister. At Thanksgiving families traditionally (7) ... a long weekend together. One newspaper reporter who (8) ... the drink said that, at first sip, it tasted of sweet caramel and savoury butter and it got worse from there. Curiously, the drink is (9) ... for vegetarians. Peter Van Stolk who (10) ... the company which makes the drink called his product 'gross'.

Don Strange, who works as a vet in northern England, (1) ... a busy life. As well as having to (2) ... pets which are unwell, he often visits farms where problems of various kinds await him. He has (3) ... count of the number of times he has been called out at midnight to give (4) ... to a farmer with sick sheep or cows. Recently, a television company chose Don as the subject of a documentary programme it was making about the life of a country vet. The programme showed the difficult situations Don (5) ... every day. It also showed Don (6) ... a meeting with villagers (7) ... about the damage a new road might (8) ... to their local environment. Viewers loved the documentary and, overnight, Don became a household name, known to millions of people. He continues to receive large numbers of letters which make a real impression on him, especially those from teenagers who have (9) ... the important decision to become vets themselves as a (10) ... of seeing the programme.

A coincidence is a surprising thing that (1) ... to us. For example, two friends go shopping alone on the same day. When they (2) ... up afterwards, they discover that they've each bought an identical T-shirt. Many people (3) ... coincidences as significant or mysterious. But the simple (4) ... could be that friends tend to have (5) ... taste in clothes. In reality, life is (6) ... of coincidences, but normally we don't notice them. For example, in almost fifty percent of all football matches, two players (7) ... the same birthday. This seems surprising, given that there are 365 possible birthdays in the year. But most of these matches will be played without anybody being (8) ... that the coincidence exists. Unless your birthday is today or tomorrow, you don't generally go around telling people when it is. What's more, without realising it, you probably (9) ... into contact with lots of people born on the same day as you. But when a coincidence is (10) ... to your attention, it still seems amazing.

Even the earliest people, who (1) ... the world about four thousand years before Christ, loved art. They produced many (2) ... of art including paintings and sculptures. Pictures were typically (3) ... on the walls of the caves which (4) ... people with shelter. These caves could be described as people's first homes. It seems that people learnt to make dyes or paints from stone very early on in their history. White, for example, was produced from chalk and black from charcoal (уголь). The mineral was (5) ... with water to make the dye. Some communities even heated minerals to produce new colours. Among the most (6) ... cave paintings in Europe are those which were (7) ... in the Lascaux caves in south-west France. They were first (8) ... by schoolboys who were (9) ... the caves. The paintings show pictures of animals such as bulls, cows, deer and horses. The pictures are very lifelike, showing that the artists had studied their subjects very (10) ... .

Possibly the chilliest place you could ever (1) ... in is the Snow Village Ice Hotel, (2) ... in northern Finland. The hotel (3) ... the warmest of welcomes in the coldest of settings. The walls, ceilings, and furniture  — including the beds  — are all (4) ... from ice, so the indoor temperature stays permanently below zero. Before sending you off to your personal room for the night the hotel (5) ... a mattress, a blanket made of reindeer (се­вер­ный олень) skin, and a thermal sleeping (6) ... . Lying in bed, (7) ... will be impressed by total silence. Slippery surfaces and icy corners are everywhere, and the hotel's lights remain (8) ... on all night. Last time I was there I (9) ... in bed for hours counting reindeer jumping over fences. I finally (10) ... asleep at 5.00 a.m. after enjoying a very brief glimpse of the legendary Northern Lights, magical displays of blue and green light visible in the night sky up to 200 times a year.

Don Strange, who works as a vet in northern England, (1) ... a busy life. As well as having to (2) ... pets which are unwell, he often visits farms where problems of various kinds await him. He has (3) ... count of the number of times he has been called out at midnight to give (4) ... to a farmer with sick sheep or cows. Recently, a television company chose Don as the subject of a documentary programme it was making about the life of a country vet. The programme showed the difficult situations Don (5) ... every day. It also showed Don (6) ... a meeting with villagers (7) ... about the damage a new road might (8) ... to their local environment. Viewers loved the documentary and, overnight, Don became a household name, known to millions of people. He continues to receive large numbers of letters which make a real impression on him, especially those from teenagers who have (9) ... the important decision to become vets themselves as a (10) ... of seeing the programme.

According to the United Nations' population figures, the world's population will be (1) ... for 8.9 billion by the year 2050, (2) ... to 6.7 billion in 2009. This figure (3) ... into account that each woman on the planet will give birth to two children. Eight billion, nine hundred million people may sound like an astronomical figure, yet statistics (4) ... that, throughout the world, the number of children being born is (5) ... . The explanation (6) ... for this is the fact that women have become better educated and would rather (7) ... a career than enjoy motherhood. Therefore, they (8) ... bringing up many children and being out of work for long periods of time. All the same, the world's population will continue to increase in spite of the ageing population. This will happen because of an overall rise in life expectancy, especially in the developed countries. The main (9) ... for this is that many diseases which were fatal in the past, can be (10) ... nowadays.

According to the United Nations' population figures, the world's population will be (1) ... for 8.9 billion by the year 2050, (2) ... to 6.7 billion in 2009. This figure (3) ... into account that each woman on the planet will give birth to two children. Eight billion, nine hundred million people may sound like an astronomical figure, yet statistics (4) ... that, throughout the world, the number of children being born is (5) ... . The explanation (6) ... for this is the fact that women have become better educated and would rather (7) ... a career than enjoy motherhood. Therefore, they (8) ... bringing up many children and being out of work for long periods of time. All the same, the world's population will continue to increase in spite of the ageing population. This will happen because of an overall rise in life expectancy, especially in the developed countries. The main (9) ... for this is that many diseases which were fatal in the past, can be (10) ... nowadays.

There's no (1) ... to settle for an unhealthy lunch from home or the mysterious unhealthy food in the cafeteria. Why not eat a lunch that is delicious and good for you? Did you know that the types of foods you choose (2) ... your mood and energy levels? According to dietician Andrea Garen, a healthy lunch 'needs to combine nutrient-rich foods from several food groups to (3) ... energy and concentration for several (4) ... .' And, since teenagers are growing and (5) ... through changes, the need for nutrients is (6) ... more significant. 'Because of development, calcium needs are greater during adolescence than at any other time,' says Mary Choate, a food and nutrition educator. "Good sources of calcium (7) ... dairy products and calcium-fortified cereals.' And, that's just the beginning. A balanced meal has a (8) ... variety of colours and flavours, so you'll never get bored. Basically, any lunch should contain (9) ... three ounces of protein, plus some good sources of carbohydrates. Lots of nutritious fruits and vegetables are also (10) ... .

§ 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.

Everyone, whatever their age, can share in the joy and fulfillment of learning, as June Weatherall found out.

§ 1. When I first retired, I thought I'd love spending more time on the gardening, needlework, and other creative activities I'd found so relaxing after my demanding job. But it didn't turn out that way. I found that I didn't want, or need, that kind of relaxation anymore, I wanted to stimulate my mind instead.

§ 2. So, with a couple of friends, I went along to an art appreciation evening class at our local regional college. It was wonderful, but only lasted a year. At the end, I asked my tutor, "What next?' He suggested I attend his history of art access course. "Whatever's that?' I asked. The college had an open evening coming up, so I went along to find out. A full-time access course takes one year and gives you access to university if, like me, you left school without any qualifications, and it's free if you do it full-time. I only wanted to do the art history bit.

§ 3. Lyn, who organises the courses for the college, was enthusiastic. "Why don't you do the whole course? You could start in the spring term with art history, do another module in the summer, then go full-time in the autumn and do all the subjects." It sounded wonderful, but wasn't I a bit old, at 63, to start being a student? A definite 'no'. One of the students that year was 82. That decided it. It must be worth having a go.

§ 4. The art history part of the course, which I've just completed, was stimulating. The tutors are enthusiasts and infect us all with their enjoyment of the subjects they teach. "Lively' would be the word to describe the classes. My fellow students, who are also doing subjects like psychology, maths, biology, etc., are good company. They're mainly people in their thirties with children, taking a second bite at the educational cherry.

§ 5. We have homework and have to do an essay each term for each subject, and sit exams. For art history, we had to produce a journal about all the painters we'd learnt about  — which was fun, but rather time-consuming. Occasionally, I envy the more typical mature students, who just do courses for fun and don't have to do exams or essays, but really I'm a very happy lady. There are drawbacks, however. The main one is you have to make a commitment. During term time, you can't just drop everything and go out for the day if the sun shines  — one of the supposed joys of retirement.

§ 6. Will I go on to university if I'm successful? I'll see how next year goes. Meanwhile, exercising my brain cells is working well for me. I feel alive. The garden's getting a bit out of control, but that's the least of my worries!

§ 1. 'Art for art's sake,' is a translation of a French quotation which expresses a philosophy about what art should be. What is meant by the phrase is that a true piece of art should be able to stand alone, to do nothing more than to please the eye. Bryant Holsenbeck, an artist from North Carolina, USA, takes the idea behind the quote a step further: while she does create art of great beauty, she also creates art that carries a valuable message.

§ 2. Through her work, Holsenbeck aims to show how wasteful people have become in today's society. She has been involved in many art projects, widely diverse in both theme and scope. Whatever her subject, all of Holsenbeck's art has one thing in common; it is all constructed from 'stuff that people simply throw away because they had thought it was rubbish.

§ 3. Holsenbeck's main philosophy is that nothing is really 'just trash'. She believes that the fact that American

landfill sites (му­сор­ная свал­ка) are so full of recyclable items says allot about American culture. She has said that, 'Americans create more garbage, perhead, than any other culture, yet we are blind to our waste.' Holsenbeck has made it her calling to 'make the blind see' and she does this through her art. By working within communities, she feels that she can open the eyes of people. She can also show them that the throw-away culture in which we live needs to change and if it doesn't, the world will soon find itself in a terrible situation indeed. Holsenbeck feels that when a person gets involved in her communal art projects, they become more aware of the fact that what they throw away has an impact on the environment. With Holsenbeck's designs, this impact is a positive one because from the garbage come works of great beauty.

§ 4. One of Holsenbeck's recent projects was a vast labyrinth created from old unwanted shoes. The labyrinth was a group effort and Holsenbeck had the children of the community where it was constructed write their concerns about the planet, and life in general, on the individual shoes. Once the labyrinth was completed, an open invitation was extended to community members of all ages to walkthrough the labyrinth, read the children's messages, and learn what it is that threatens today's world.

§5. Holsenbeck's work has been recognised across the US. Wherever she goes, and whatever she does, her message remains the same, 'My installations are both meditations and questions. Where does all this 'stuff' come from? Where does it go? What do we do with it? Why is it here? Let's hope people start getting Holsenbeck's message.

§ 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. 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.  Margherita Taylor is the only female presenter at Capital Radio, one of London's top music radio stations. She got into radio while she was a student in Birmingham. Along with hundreds of other hopefuls, she and a friend queued for hours in the rain to take part in a 'Search for a Star' competition held by a local radio station, BRMB. "I had to read a travel script and a weather script, talk about myself for a minute, then introduce a record." Within days the phone call came to say that her voice had earned her a regular show on BRMB. Truly the stuff dreams are made of. After working there for 18 months, she was offered a job with Capital.

2.  Margherita claims never to get nervous before a show. "You can't get nervous because then you make mistakes, she says. Of course, there has been the odd disaster. "For instance, when I did my first live concert show at BRMB, I'd only done one programme. In front of a crowd of 50,000, I went on stage to introduce a certain well-known singer. I said: "Please welcome our next performer. You know her best for hits like." Then I just went blank. There was this silence from the crowd, and for the life of me I couldn't think what she'd sung. That's one occasion that will stay with me for ever."

3.  Margherita says that her own musical tastes are varied. But she doesn't pick her own music for the show. The Capital computer selects the records in advance from a list approved by the station managers. "The station has a certain sound, and if we all picked our own music, it wouldn't sound like Capital," she says."But for someone who likes music, this is a dream job. I get to go to concerts and meet the bands you can hear on my show. It's great to hear the "behind the scenes"gossip."

4.  Most people would expect that a presenter's most important qualities are a nice voice and huge amounts of confidence, but Margherita says that basic maths is handy as well. "You have to make sure that you've got an eye on everything that's going on in the studio, but you've got to be able to add and subtract and think in minutes and seconds," she says. "You're dealing with timed records, and you have to be ready to switch to the news at exactly the right second. If you're going over to a live event, you need to be ready for that on time, not a second earlier or later."

5.  Margherita Taylor is very nice and very easy-going, but very much in control. She is so much a "Capital Radio girl" that you might think she is just doing a good job for the station's publicity department, although you know what she's saying really comes from the heart. She smiles a lot, laughs a lot and is generally a great advert for Capital.

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.

When you first meet Beatrice Smythe, you are struck by her wonderful smile and her well-toned muscles.

'Performing on stage is one of the most exciting experiences possible. All the nerves and fright you feel in the wings just melt away when you face the audience. Although you are aware of a sea of faces watching you, this is not what you concentrate on. (1)___ If you focus on this, then your dancing will look natural and unforced.'

So how did Beatrice get started? 'I began taking ballet lessons in a local school when I was six. My teachers felt I had talent but after 11 years of ballet, I realised I wanted to do something different. (2)___ That was it! I had never seen dancing like this before and immediately decided it was for me. The following year I was offered a place at a London contemporary dance school where I completed a three-year course.'

Today Beatrice is a permanent member of the Charmed Circle Dance Company. But was it a difficult transition from studies to career? 'I was warned that the competition would be fierce. (3)___ Applying for even the smallest part meant auditioning with dozens of others. Finally, I was lucky enough to be offered a trial period of one year with Charmed Circle, even though it meant working without pay. It was an extremely difficult period, as you can imagine.'

'I could have been tempted to join other dance companies on a temporary basis doing one-off paid performances. But this would have meant missing out on the chance to become part of the regular line-up of what is now one of Britain's leading contemporary dance companies.' (4) ___ But Beatrice's ultimate ambition is to make it to America, where the ideas behind contemporary dance were first pioneered and developed.

When asked about what it takes to become a dancer, Beatrice didn't hesitate. 'You have to love what you're doing, you have to keep pushing yourself to the limit and you have to be slightly mad, tool (5) ___ Most dancers will tell you how physically painful daily training can be. You also have to be extremely self-motivated'

So what does Beatrice particularly enjoy about contemporary dance?"Well, for one thing, contemporary movements are so different from those in other types of dance. In ballet, for example, the movements are strictly structured and you have to stick to them. In contemporary dance, however, the movements are more expressive and each have individual meanings in themselves. (6) ___ This makes them very moving experiences both to perform and to watch.'

1. Alice Chan, 29

Not having a clear idea what career path to take, I opted for something I knew my parents would approve of - in my case, advertising. It couldn't have been a more glamorous job, dining with clients in Smart restaurants, jetting around the world to film ads. But I just couldn't be myself. So one day I just handed in my notice and retrained as a social worker, working with kids from disadvantaged families. And I've never looked back. It's meant a huge drop in my income but it's a sacrifice I'm happy to make for the sake of doing something worthwhile.

2. Jon Golding, 32

I used to work for an IT firm. I was never interested in progressing within the company but I was too scared to let go of the guaranteed income. I was a keen guitarist in my spare time. One day I was on holiday with a group of friends and we were chatting about our dreams. That was a turning point for me and I came home and enrolled on an evening course in guitar-making. I quit my job, converted my garage into a studio and set up my own business building guitars. My company is now one of the UK's leading guitar-builders. Needless to say, I haven't regretted my decision for a moment

3. Felix Mason, 34

I wanted to do something useful with my life and my dad was a science teacher so I decided to follow in his footsteps. But it turned out to be a thankless job. I was putting all my energy into it but getting very little back, apart from increasing demands from managers and parents. Finally, after 10 years, I quit. I was quite keen on writing. So I took on a very junior role as assistant editor for a technology magazine. After just three months, I was made editor, and four years on, I'm publisher of the magazine. Much as I miss the students, office life suits me far better. Being able to just get up and get a coffee whenever you want is amazing. You can't do that when you're teaching until the bell goes.

4. Debbie Fielding, 27

I'd been working as a veterinary nurse and the routine nature of the job was starting to get to me. I didn't get on with my boss, so when I was made redundant last year it came as quite a relief. I'd often dreamt of starting a company which provides specially trained animals to the film industry and it seemed like the right moment to give it ago. So I retrained and researched the opportunities available to me. It's taken a while to get the business up and running. I'm building up client contacts slowly and I expect things to take off properly within the next few months.

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."

It was back in 1995, when my husband Eric was working as a rubbish collector for the local town council, that I first got the idea of recycling clothes. He would frequently find bags of perfectly good clothes just thrown into the rubbish. I wondered if I would be able to do something with them which would make money for me and perhaps even help the community at the same time. I decided to give it a try.

The first thing I did was to place an advertisement in the newspaper inviting people in the neighbourhood to bring me their second-hand clothing, shoes and bedding instead of throwing them away. Within a week, our garage was bursting with black plastic bags. (1)___ This kept me busy for weeks.

At the same time, I was also looking for a shop to rent where I could sell these items. (2)___ But it wasn't until I contacted Adventure, an organisation which helps people to set up their own businesses, that I finally got the assistance I needed. They helped me find the right shop and gave me advice about getting a business loan to get me started. That's how Second Best was born.

For my idea to work, I was going to need a steady supply of clothes. The town council already had recycling bins for paper, glass and the like. (3)___ I was able to make arrangements to have the clothes collected and brought to my shop, where I had installed laundry facilities to cope with all the washloads I needed to do!

It wasn't only making money in the shop that interested me, though. I was still eager for the community to benefit from my idea, too, so I started to find ways that the large quantities of very old or damaged clothing that I couldn't sell in the shop could be put to use. (4)___ Some of the old clothing is now turned into bandages for hospitals, for example, while one school in the area asks for old jeans to make into lunch bags.

Adventure believes in encouraging people by giving an annual Special Merit Award to the most successful new business they have helped. (5)___ Not only had I helped so many others, they said, but I had also had to overcome a difficulty. In 2000, my shop had been destroyed by fire and I had had to start the business all over again from Scratch.

Getting back on track wasn't easy. Not only did I have to search for another shop to rent, but I also had to spend time building up new stocks of clothes, as nearly all of the original stock had been destroyed. (6)___ Otherwise, I would have been forced to call it a day.

Today, twelve years after I first started up, Second Best is a very successful small business.

One of the most important (1) ... in the history of the motorcar was the development of the Model-T Ford in 1913, which was the first car to be produced on a large scale. The inventor of this method of production was Henry Ford, the founder of the Ford Motor Company. The production line, as it came to be known, offered employment to thousands of workers. It seemed (2) ... but the company cut costs as well, making cars affordable to clients. In addition, the replacement of old work practices made cars more (3) ... , while (4) ... improvements to the interior of the car made driving a pleasure.

The number one gadget for most teenagers today is the mobile phone. They seem to get enormous (1) ... from comparing new models which (2) ... them to send text messages at the speed of life. But most teachers are totally intolerable of mobile phone use in the classroom. Text messaging is completely banned and mobiles should be (3) ... switched off. This approach gets across the message that students need to concentrate. However, it shows that many schools misunderstand the full capability of the mobile phone. After all, a mobile phone is just like a mini computer, with full access to the web. There are many (4) ... ways in which mobiles can be used for learning.

The street party is a popular form of celebration in Britain. Whole streets come together to mark such important national occasions as a new millennium. (1) ... , it is impossible to hold a party in a busy street, so traffic is banned. This may annoy motorists but it is (2) ... Street parties need the involvement of as many people as possible. They (3) ... people who live in cities to unite as a (4) ... just as they would in a traditional small village or town.

When you have accepted our offer of (1) ... you will be given a uniform which you have to wear while on duty. Our uniform has been designed after detailed (2) ... with members of staff and reflects the quality and style of our business. It helps to form the customers' first impression of us. Please note that male staff are not permitted to wear jewellery of any kind and female staff must not wear rings or earrings which are (3) ... in shape or design. Wristwatches must be (4) ... in size and appearance.

(1) ... to the myth of the Tower of Babel (2) ... was once a time when all people spoke a common language. This doesn't seem a very believable story if you consider how many languages are spoken in the world today. (3) ... is true is that throughout history people have always searched for a global language, one that can be used to communicate with anyone, no (4) ... where they originally come from.

Acupuncture, an ancient Eastern art, is widely available. Many people go to acupuncture practitioners when, for example, they wish to (1) ... up smoking. A small pin is inserted into both earlobes (мочка уха) in (2) ... to rid the patient of the desire to smoke. Cynics may say that they are cured by a form of faith-healing, (3) ... by acupuncture itself. However, many ex-smokers swear (4) ... it works for them.

The most common materials which are recycled are paper and glass. Some plastics, metals and textiles can be recycled as (1) ... . In theory recycling seems obvious: however, in practice it is not always cost-effective. Often the cost of collection and transportation is greater (2) ... the cost of the energy saved. It also means that (3) ... are fewer jobs available in industries (4) ... as mining, as demand for raw materials is lower.