Read the text and answer the questions that follow.
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Talking About the Weather
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I
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“Nice weather, isn’t it?” All over the world, people talk about the
weather. In fact, a recent survey has shown that, on average, British people
talk about the climate almost five times every day. Yet, the weather is not
really a fascinating topic. So, why is it so popular in conversations?
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II
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Conversations are a way of establishing and maintaining social
relationships. People often use the weather as an icebreaker or as a way to
start conversations. In many cases, the actual content of the weather-related
conversation is irrelevant. The weather is simply discussed as a way to get
the conversation going. It enables the speakers to find something in common
to talk about and to build a comfortable relationship.
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III
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Weather talk is an easy way of appearing friendly while making sure
that the conversation remains safe and impersonal. What’s more, because the
weather can be discussed with superiors and with subordinates alike, it is a
topic that can be used to reduce the formal distance between people. For
example, a boss and employee can safely discuss the weather. Finally, the
fact that the weather is variable means that there is always something new to
talk about.
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IV
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Whereas in the past it was difficult to predict the weather with any
expectation of accuracy, this is no longer the case. Technological advances
have ensured that the weather forecasts that are posted on websites are
generally reliable. In many cases, the forecasts are updated on an hourly
basis and there are even apps that can be downloaded to mobile devices that
give users regular weather updates about the weather at their particular
location. As a result, many people regularly consult weather forecasts and
use them as a guide to help them plan their day. It is hardly surprising that
they then share this information with the people they interact with.
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V
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Interestingly, the Digital Age has also altered the face of weather
talk in another way. Every day, there are thousands of weather-related
“tweets” posted on the Twitter social networking site. It appears that
weather talk is here to stay!
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1 Choose the correct answer.
Which of the following is NOT
a reason that the weather is a popular topic of conversation?
a. It is fascinating.
b. It is unpredictable.
c. It is a good way to begin talking to someone.
d. People are comfortable talking about it.
2 Decide if the following sentences are true (T) or
false (F). Find evidence in the text to justify your answers.
...... 1. People often choose to
talk about the weather because it’s an important topic.
...... 2. Modern technology has
affected the way people talk about the weather.
3 Complete the sentences.
1. A boss and an employee are able to talk about the weather because ...
........................................................................................................................... .
2. In the past, weather was .................................................................................
........................................................................................................................... .
3. Today, many people turn to weather forecasts as a way of .....................
........................................................................................................................... .
4. When people check weather forecasts regularly, they are more
likely to
........................................................................................................................... .
4 Find words or expressions in the text that mean the
same as:
1. creating (paragraph II) ...........................................................................
2. ensuring (paragraph III) ...........................................................................
3. changeable (paragraph III) ...........................................................................
4. check (paragraph IV) ...........................................................................
5. changed (paragraph V) ...........................................................................
THURSDAY 28TH OF MAY 2020
Read the text and answer the questions that follow.
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Gangnam Style
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I
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In 2011, Psy was
a popular South Korean entertainer. By the end of 2012, he had become an
international celebrity. And the reason for his international success? A hit
song, Gangnam Style, which took the world by storm in 2012, becoming
the most watched YouTube video of all time, with over a billion hits.
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II
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The Gangnam
Style video is
colourful, energetic and entertaining. It is most famous for the singer’s
original dance moves as he “rides” an invisible horse. This dance is now
danced all over the world.
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III
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Psy’s sudden
rise to stardom is all the more remarkable when we note how difficult it has
always been for Eastern entertainers to make it in the West, the dominant and
influential force in the entertainment world. Songs performed by major
performing stars from England and North America are memorised and sung by
fans everywhere, even if they don’t understand the words. Yet, for stars from
the East it is not quite so easy. In the past, if Eastern entertainers wanted
to succeed in crossing over to the rest of the world, they had to translate
their lyrics into English and leave their home country.
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IV
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The success of Gangnam
Style, which is
performed in Korean, demonstrates how much times have changed. Without
leaving
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V
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There are a
number of reasons to explain this phenomenon. Most obviously, because of the
Internet it is now possible for individuals to reach vast numbers of people
from all over the world in a relatively short period of time. Yet perhaps
more significantly, the Gangnam Style video arrived at a time when Eastern culture was
becoming increasingly fashionable in the West. Today, many people in the West
eat Eastern foods like sushi, and use Eastern therapies such as acupuncture
when treating disease.
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VI
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Today, Psy
continues to be busy on the music scene. And if his success with Gangnam
Style is anything to go
by, he looks set to be a major player on the international music scene for
many years to come.
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1 Decide if the following sentences are true (T) or false (F). Find evidence in the text to justify your answers.
...... 1. Before 2012, Psy was completely unknown.
...... 2. There is a horse in the Gangnam
Style
video.
...... 3. For a song to become popular, people have to understand
the lyrics.
2 Complete the sentences.
1. Unlike other Eastern entertainers, Psy .........................................................
........................................................................................................................... .
2. Acupuncture and sushi are mentioned in the text because ......................
........................................................................................................................... .
3 Answer the question.
In
the past, how did recording artists in the East differ from recording artists
in the West?
............................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
4 Choose the correct answer.
The writer believes that ...... .
a. Psy will have a successful international career
b. Gangnam
Style will be Psy’s only successful song
c. Psy will remain a celebrity for a short period of time
d. Psy will be forced to change the way he does things
5 Find words or expressions in the text that mean the
same as:
1. amazing (paragraph III) ...........................................................................
2. succeed (paragraph III) ...........................................................................
3. huge (paragraph V) ...........................................................................
4. judge (paragraph VI) VIDEO
INTERVIEW WITH PSY, THE SINGER OF GANGNAM STYLE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPMG-Qvl-7E
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