reading of the week: Traffic Safety for Christmas Reindeer

There is an increasing number of cars on roads in Norway, home to many of Santa’s reindeer. About 500 reindeer are killed each year in car crashes. Officials from the Norwegian Public Roads Administration have come up with a great idea to keep Santa’s helpers safe this Christmas – reflective yellow tags that are put on the reindeer’s antlers. The leader of the project, Kristian Oevernes, told the Reuters news agency: “It really works….This is the first time it has happened.” Oevernes told the reporter that Santa might also use this idea.
Very few people think about the problems Santa and his reindeer have at Christmas. It must be difficult to fly around the world in one night to deliver so many presents. It gets more and more dangerous every year because there are so many planes in the sky and cars on the road. Santa and his reindeer need as much protection as they can get. Another problem with delivering presents is the disappearance of chimneys. Santa has to think of new ways to get inside houses that do not have a chimney. Apartments are particularly tricky.

Match the following phrases from the article and translate.
Paragraph 1
1. an increasing number a. car crashes
2 killed each year in b. tags
3. come up c. of cars on roads
4. reflective yellow d. it has happened
5. The leader e. with a great idea
6. the first time f. of the project

Paragraph 2
1. fly around the world a. in the sky
2 It gets more and b. delivering presents
3. so many planes c. in one night
4. Another problem with d. tricky
5. houses that do not e. more dangerous
6. particularly f. have a chimney

Reading of the Week: Teacher Has Camera in Back of Head

PRINT AND READ THIS TEXT AND DO THE EXERCISE 1
Teachers have always wanted eyes in the back of their heads. One professor is now a step closer to making that a reality. Wafaa Bilal, a photography lecturer from New York’s Tisch School of the Arts, has had a camera installed in the back of his head. It is part of an art project called “The 3rd I” from the Mathaf Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha, Qatar. The camera will take a snap shot every minute for one year of Professor Bilal's everyday activities. Bilal said: "I see myself as a mirror reflecting some of the social conditions that we ignore."

This project seems quite interesting, but it does raise questions about privacy. Many people will not want the photos taken by Professor Bilal’s camera to be put online. The question of having cameras in the classroom is also a sensitive one. His university has told students their teacher will need to cover the camera lens while he is teaching. A school spokesman said: “We take seriously the privacy issues his project raises.” Bilal’s work should result in 525,600 photos, if he takes one a minute. Maybe this idea will catch on and we will all have head cameras one day.

1) Match the following phrases from the article and translate the expressions.
Paragraph 1
1. eyes in the back a. closer
2 now a step b. a snap shot
3. making that c. of their heads
4. part of an d. as a mirror
5. The camera will take e. a reality
6. I see myself f. art project

Paragraph 2
1. raise questions a. Professor Bilal’s camera
2 photos taken by b. camera lens
3. The question of having c. about privacy
4. cover the d. raises
5. privacy issues his project e. on
6. this idea will catch f. cameras in the classroom


PLEASE SEND THE ANSWERS VIA COMMENTS AND YOU WILL GET AN EXTRA POSITIVE MARK AT THE END OF THE TERM.

PAST SIMPLE, CONTINUOUS OR PERFECT

Here you have some exercises to continue practising with PAST SIMPLE, CONTINUOUS AND PERFECT.

ENJOY IT!!

Open publication - Free publishing - More simple

Now check that you did them correctly by looking at this answer key:

Open publication - Free publishing - More simple

Checking Extra Listening 1

Check the correct answers for Extra Listening 1 before Thursday at 19:00.
I suggest that you sent the correct answers by means of a comment in this article. The person with more correct answers will get a point.
Good luck!