A real gem!

In any ever-changing world, the rich confirm they have always been a niche market. Jewel lovers rejoice! Canada media, publisher of three luxury magazines, are debauching their famous high-end glossy magazine, Sparkle. Magazines that cater to the affluent are not new, but, since its launch in 1986. Sparkle has always been one of the most prestigious and successful of them. Now the Head of Publishing at Canada Media, Diana Williams says it is about time to regain the interests of younger readers in Sparkle. She maintains that this can be done by “strengthening the awareness of Sparkle and by reinforcing the perception of its image.”

I’m pleased to say that the new-look issue has a highly innovative format and wonderful graphics, accompanied by some outstanding photography. In this way Canada media hopes to attract not only larger readership, but also some of the top luxury advertisers.

Product placement is another asset that the team at Sparkle has managed to effectively, both in TV and in films. Besides the brilliant idea to have Claudia Schneider and Nicole Lopes at the launch event, what has been even more important is getting both of them to endorse Sparkle in a recent advert.

Distribution will follow the model of the company’s other magazines: top newspapers stands in the most affluent quarters in the big cities, and subscriptions in North America. However, the great novelty is a new browsable online version of Sparkle, which it is hoped will be particularly popular among young women. The online version should be available in February.

Exercise 6. Read the text and write a suitable heading to each paragraph.

GRAMMAR COMMENT

Reported statements [5, p.108].

Reported statements Present Simple —>Past Simple Present Continuous —> Past Continuous Present Perfect —>Past Perfect Past Simple —> Past Perfect Future —> Future-in-the Past

Tom said, “I am feeling ill”. Tom said that he was feeling ill. I told her “I don't have any money”. I told her that I did not have any money. Ann said, “I will have a sandwich”. Ann said that she would have a sandwich”.

Change the following into indirect speech.

1. “I am going to call again tomorrow, mother,” she said.

2. “I've been to Turkey twice, but so far I haven't had time to visit Istanbul,” said Robert.

3. “It will be very difficult to persuade her to take care of herself, doctor,” I replied.

Complete the sentence with the right form of the verbs.

1. Не said he (is staying, was staying) at the “Ritz” Hotel.

2. They realized that they (lost, had lost) their way in the dark.

3. He asked me where I (study, studied).

E xercise 7. Choose and write the correct word.

1. It helps us to think/relax after a hard day's work and escape from reality.

2. Some people argue that television is a terrible waste of time/money.

3. The trick is to learn to control/repair television and use it intelligently.

4. Violence on TV is another problem that promises/worries people.

5. But the same can be come / can be said about computer games and many films and books.

Exercise 8. So you have learnt some information about the mass media. Divide into 2 teams and write your arguments for and against the mass media.

F OR I am fond of watching TV as gives me an opportunity to see the whole world staying at home.

AGAINST I agree with you, but there are a lot of silly programs and commercials as well. Besides there is too much violence on TV these days.

1.Choose the right variant: Ann ______ Tom not to go out after dark.

1. threatened  b) warned  c) spoke d) dared 

1. Choose the right variant: He said, “My mother has been operated on”.

1. He said that his mother had been operated on.

2. He said that his mother has been operated on.

3. He said if his mother had be operated on.

4. He said then his mother had being operated on.

2. Choose the right variant: I said to my friends that I bought a nice car______.

1. here

2. the year before

3. those

4. last month

3. Choose the right variant: The small boy said that he _____a French lesson this evening and he _____his homework yet.

1. have …hadn't done

2. has …hadn't done

3. had …hadn't done

4. would have …hadn't done