Кудинова Практическиы курс англиыского языка для студентов международник Ч.2 2014

clothes. But this is just another list in a long list of similar cases: Madonna, Nicole Kidman, Steven Spielberg and Ricky Martin are just a few of the stars who have been targeted in recent years.

Celebrity stalking is not new, but the issue came to the world's attention in 1980 when Mark David Chapman shot John Lennon and later said: 'I was Mr Nobody until I killed the biggest somebody on earth.' The tactics used by celebrity stalkers can vary, from sending letters, to a full scale break-in of their home.

Dr Sandy Wolfson, Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Northumbria, believes that the seeds of stalking are deep-rooted and that it may only take something small - like a family row - to push a potentially obsessive fan over the edge. She adds, 'When an obsessed fan becomes violent, it is because something has made them lose their grip on reality and control of what is happening around them.' However, most fans, says Dr Wolfson are levelheaded, responsible individuals.

It seems that stalking can happen to all sorts of people in all walks of life. In the UK, more than 2,500 stalking cases were brought before the courts and research carried out in the USA estimated that over one million women and 370,000 men were stalked each year.

A Nation of Shopaholics

It's the sort of thing men joke about in the pub. 'My wife's addicted to shopping,' they'll say, while their mates grin and nod sympathetically.

A study suggests however, that the compulsion to buy may be a growing problem, affecting as many as one in five people, and in extreme cases leading to family breakup and financial ruin.

71

The number of people who confess to being shopaholics has grown from fifteen percent to twenty-two percent of the population in five years. And while twenty-nine percent of women admit to being addicted, so do fifteen percent of men. Shopping is no longer simply a way of providing essentials for the family, say market researchers, to many women it is more like a hobby.

True, many people have more money to spend these days. Personal disposable income has risen by seventy-five percent in twenty years. However, what they buy is not necessarily what they can afford.

Over the same period, the number of people using credit cards has increased by four times, and consumer debt has trebled.

Spending sprees can be a symptom of serious personal problems, according to researchers who have studied the subject. There are 'revenge shoppers', who want to spite their husbands or boyfriends because they are unhappy with their relationships. There are those who need shopping trips to add excitement to their lives. Dr Helga Dittma, of the University of Sussex, believes habitual shopping - particularly for designer clothes and jewellery - is a symptom of a collapse of self-esteem. 'Addicts want not only the latest fashions, they want to feel like the sort of person who would normally own them, and to feel important, glamorous and loved.'

Woman banker stole €150,000 for clothes

A bank executive stole more than €150,000 from her employers and blew it on clothes and make-up to 'escape the stresses of being a working mother'. Lyne Harding hid her purchases from her husband, who had no idea of what she was doing. And she got away with it for four years, until Lloyds Bank became suspicious of the assistant branch manager and called in auditors.

Now the thirty one year-old mother of two is facing a jail sentence. A court heard that Harding would open bank accounts using fictitious names and

authorise loans of up to €15,000 a time.

Harding went on huge spending sprees, sometimes spending thousands on designer make-up in one day. The only other luxury she allowed herself was a car paid for with a cheque from a bogus account.

'It was a vicious circle. I couldn't stop spending,' she told the police after her arrest in February. 'It all started as a way of escaping the demands of a full-

72

time job, combined with looking after a home and two children,' she said. 'Although I had a boss, he did not take a very active part in running the bank. I dealt with almost everything, and was finding it extremely difficult.'

She awaits sentence at Southwark Crown court.

The show must go on for pop diva

Serbian pop star Goca Trzan got the shock of her life when she walked onstage for her sell-out show at the Sava Concert Hall in the capital city of her country, Belgrade.

Imagine Goca's horror, then, when she walked out to find ...

one person in the audience, sitting alone in row twenty, the middle of the auditorium. A thirty-year-old businessman had bought all the tickets for the show in order to have his own private performance.

After she had initially refused to perform, her manager persuaded her to carry on with the show, on the grounds that her 'audience' had paid an estimated

€20,000 for the pleasure of seeing her, and deserved value for money... and perform she did ... although it seems that tears and singing were served up in fairly equal measure during the two-hour spectacular.

It seems that the show was a big hit with her Number One fan, because at the end, he presented her with 101 roses, a diamond ring, a one-way air ticket to Switzerland ... and an offer of marriage!

3. Decide how to summarise the article. Prepare the summary. Use the

phrases from the list:

his article is all about... /describes how/ .. Basically, what happened is...

The main paint the article is making is that...

According to the article ...

The article claims that…

Apparently, what happens is…/ happened is…

4. Work in groups with students who have read different articles. Listen to the summary of each article and then give your own opinions using the following phrases:

It raises the question of whether… What I wondered was if…

What interests me is whether or not…

73

I’d be interested to know what other people think about..

Vocabulary and Pronunciation: Words with Variable Stress

1. In pairs: take turns asking each other to translate these words either as nouns or as verbs from Russian into English:

2. Complete the sentences with one of the words in its correct form. Read the sentences aloud. Listen and check.

1.Scotland ________ a lot of its food from other countries. Its_______ include oil, beef, and whisky.

2.I'm very pleased with my English. I'm making a lot of_____.

3.Ministers are worried. There has been an _____ in the number of unemployed.

4.But the number of crimes has_____, so that's good news.

5.How dare you call me a liar and a cheat! What an_____!

6.There was a demonstration yesterday. People were ____ about blood sports.

7.He ran 100metres in 9.75 seconds and broke the world________.

8.Don't touch the DVD player! I'm ________ a film.

9.Britain ________ about 50% of its own oil.

3. The words in the box have different meanings according to the stress. Check the meaning, part of speech, and the pronunciation in your dictionary. Listen and repeat.

refuse minute content invalid present desert object contract

4.Answer the questions using the words in exercise 3, then listen and check.

1.What's another name for a dustman?

2.What’s a UFO?

3.What's the Sahara?

4.What do you get lots of on your birthday?

5.What can you find on the first pages of English books?

6.What's another way of saying...?

Pronunciation: Shifting Word Stress

1. Listen to the pronunciation of the words. Write N for noun and V for

2. In pairs: each of you reads one news item aloud. The other corrects mistakes if there are any. Pay attention to the shifting stress on words that

are both verbs and nouns.

I. "Good evening. Here is the news. Oil imports continued to increase in the last quarter. Demand for transport fuel is already at record levels, and the Prime Minister refuses to permit any further increases. Members of the Transport Workers" Union objected to his criticisms. They insisted they will protest against any possible future sanctions. They presented a report maintaining that present fuel increases are due to a decrease in investment in railway transport by the government.'

II. 'Exports increased in the Last quarter due to the present buoyant economy. Ministers are content with the results, saying that they reflect the progress made in decreased regulation for small businesses.

Tax refunds are on the increase as invalid assessments multiply in the tax office. Tax officers protested against the criticism levelled against them, saying that they were insulted by suggestions that they were not able to produce the correct results. They said they were compiling a report which would present in minute detail the problems they were experiencing since the computer contract had been placed with another company.'

3.Listen and check.

4.Make up a story using as many words with shifting stress as possible. Ask your fellow students to read it. Read other students’ stories. Whose story is the best?

Grammar: Conditionals, wish and if only

A life of regrets

1. Two people won a lot of money and now regret it. Complete the gaps in

their stories with suitable words and expressions.

I. Winning the lottery was the wont thing that ever happened to me. I wish I

(a)________________. I gave my husband £5 million and he ran away with my best friend. I wish I (b)________________ . The police can't find them. If only they (c) _________. My children have changed. They are always asking me for money, and they won't do their school work. I wish they (d) ______________. I left my job at the factory which was a bad mistake. If only (e) ____________I have lost all my friends. I bought a big, new house in an expensive part of town but I can't find any friends here and I'm so lonely. I wish (f)______________. My life is miserable. My only friend is my psychiatrist. I have to see him every day and he charges £100 an hour! I wish I (g)_______________.

II. Two years ago I won £1 million on the lottery and to be honest now I really

(a)__________I hadn't. I know I've got a six-bedroom house with a swimming

75

pool and tennis court, and a Mercedes convertible. All of this is wonderful

(b)__________ that the rest of your life is OK, but this wretched money has brought me nothing but unhappiness. Three months ago my wife, Joanie, left me and took our two children. She warned me that (c)_________ I spent more time with her and the children and less time spending money, she (d) __________

leave, but I didn't listen. I (e)__________ have realized what was happening, but I didn't. I was too busy organizing the building of this house. I just took my family for granted. If (f)_________ - I hadn't been so self-centred! I miss them so much. There's no point in having all this wealth (g) _________you don't have anyone to share it with. I live alone in this huge house. Most days I just sit watching TV and playing computer games. I jump up every time the phone rings in (h)__________ it's Joanie, but it never is. She says she will never come back

(i) _____________ if I beg her, but I still live in hope. I don't go out much. I (j)

____________ go for a drive in my wonderful car if I was allowed to, but I was caught speeding, and now I'm banned from driving for a year. If I hadn't felt so depressed I wouldn't have (k) ________speeding. It's all a chain reaction. I wouldn't (1)__________ depressed now if Joanie (m)__________ left me, and she (n)_________ never have left if I (o)__________ won the stupid lottery My life is a total mess.

Vocabulary: Money

1. All the words in the list are to do with money. Divide them into three groups – nouns, verbs and adjectives.. Use your dictionary to help if necessary. Some of the words can go into more than one category.

2. Underline the most suitable word in the sentences:

1.I'm bankrupt / broke. Can you lend me a fiver until the weekend?

2.My aunt keeps all her money in a cash dispenser / safe under her bed.

3.She has squandered / invested all her money in government bonds,.

4.Isn't the penny a British coin / currency?

5.My uncle's an accountant / spendthrift, he helps me look alter my finances.

6.I didn't bet / win any money at the races. I don't believe in gambling.

7.He earned / wasted all his money betting on the horses. He died penniless.

76

8.Alan's parents are very hard up / well-off, they've just bought him a sports car.

9.My salary is / wages are paid into my bank account every month.

10.If only my grandfather had left me something in his will / savings.

3.Translate into English:

1.В ближайшее время мне придется быть очень экономным – я растратил кучу денег на совершенно не нужные мне гаджеты, и теперь я сильно нуждаюсь. Я банкрот!!!

2.Если бы ты знал, как тяжело зарабатывать деньги, ты бы не стал тратить их попусту, делая ставки на всякую ерунду!

3.В детстве я хотела стать бухгалтером или кассиром – меня всегда манил звон монет и приятное шуршание банкнот.

Vocabulary: Collocations

Read the information below and use it to do the excercises:

Prices

Many collocations including the word price are connected with height. Prices can be high or low. If they are very low, they may be called (usually by advertisers) rock-bottom prices. Prices may increase, prices go up and prices rise. If they go up very fast we say that prices soar. Occasionally prices go

77

down. If you say that something is reasonably priced, you think it is neither too cheap nor too expensive. Calling something a ridiculous price may mean it is much too cheap or much too expensive.

Getting money

Henry and his brother grew up in a family where money was always tight1. Henry hoped that when he was grown-up, money would be never be in short supply for him. Henry's brother only wanted a steady income but Henry wasn't interested in just earning a good salary, he wanted to make big money2, to be seriously rich3. He started making money at school when he sold the sandwiches his mother had made him to other children. He also worked in his school holidays to earn money. He put this money in a bank account and hardly ever made a withdrawal4 from it. When he left school, he raised enough money through the bank to buy his first shop. He got a really good deal5 because he found a shop that was going cheap6. By the time he was twenty he had already made a small fortune7 though, of course, most of his money was tied up8 in his business.

1there wasn't much money

2informal: a lot of money

3informal: very rich

4took money out of the bank

5informal: got a bargain

6informal: selling for a low price

7made a large amount of money

8not available for spending because it was needed for his business

Exercises:

1. Read these remarks by different people, then answer the questions.

Briony: I sent 100 euros to the Children's Fund for the Developing World. Philip: I won 100,000 dollars on the lottery and bought stupid, useless things. I have almost nothing left now.

Anthony: I went into the bank with 1,000 euros and came out with the equivalent in Australian dollars.

Marianne: The garden was in a terrible mess after the storm. I paid a gardener a lot of money to sort it out but he didn't seem to make it any better.

Catherine: I put 5,000 euros in an account which gives 4% interest.

2. Complete these sentences using collocations from the section Prices” above. Use each collocation once only.

78

1.In March 1998, computer chip prices were around 150 dollars. In September 1998 they were 850 dollars. In just six months prices had ................

2.An airline is offering a return flight from London to New York for just 50 dollars. At first sight this seems like a ..........., as many people on the same flight will be paying 1,000 dollars or more.

3.Given that most first-class hotels were charging 300 dollars a night because of the festival, at 275 dollars our four-star hotel seemed....................

4.Hand-held computers are now selling at ............ prices because there's so much competition. One that cost 250 dollars a year ago now costs only 70.

5.Car prices ............ down last year, but they will probably ........... again before the end of the year as steel becomes more expensive.

3. Choose the correct collocation.

1.Bank assistant: Can I help you, Madam?

Customer: Yes. I'd like to take / get / make a withdrawal from my account please.

2.Bank Manager: Is your company getting / making / taking money?

Business customer: Yes. We are in profit. So I have a firm / steady / strong income.

3.Teenage son: Dad, will you lend me money to buy a car?

Father: Well, money is rather slim / hard / tight at the moment. Ask your mother.

4.Jake: These cameras aren't as expensive as I thought.

Fran: That's because they use film. They're going / asking / giving cheap right now because everyone is buying digital cameras, which are ridiculously expensive because they are in such low / short / little supply.

5.George: We need to bring up / rise / raise money for the new club house. Any ideas?

Joe: Well, we could have a children's sports day and get all the parents to contribute.

6.Mick: You must have made a slight / slim / small fortune when you sold your house.

Kathy: Yes, I did, but the money is all closed up / tied up / packed up in the new one.

7.Oscar: I guess Zara is making big / large / huge money with her Internet business.

Erica: Oh yes, she's absolutely / utterly / seriously rich now.

4. Translate into English:

1.Не бросайся деньгами! Цены могут взлететь в любую минуту.

2.У него стабильный доход и хорошая зарплата. Он может скопить немного денег, но никогда по-настоящему не разбогатеет.

3.Сколько?! 300 долларов? Какая абсурдная цена! Эта сумка не стоит и

100!

4.В этой стране не хватает квалифицированных врачей.

79

5. Translate into English, use “to spend/ waste sth on sth”:

1.Зачем мы тратим время на этого свидетеля? Он вряд ли скажет правду.

2.Сколько ты потратил на поездку на Мальдивы? Это вообще дорого?

3.Я потратил на постановку этого спектакля все свои сбережения.

4.Мисс, не тратьте свое время, обратитесь к адвокату. – Я не собираюсь тратить деньги на адвоката, я все могу сделать сама.

5.«Я больше не буду тратить на него мои слезы», сказала героиня сериала. 6.Интересно, сколько кофе она изведет, прежде чем поймет, что работать по ночам – не самая хорошая идея?

7.Мы потратили всю краску на одну стену, пришлось идти докупать.

Listening: Business Expressions and Numbers

1. This exercise practises fixed expressions in a work context. Match the sentences to form a conversation:

2.Practise the numbers in the conversations. How is the phone number said in two different ways?

3.Practise saying these numbers: