Questions 1 through 5 refer to Text 1

Text 1

Source: LondonCareers. Net 05-11/11/07.

Read the radio programme. Our special guest is Angie Stone, an American soul singer and song-writer. Angie is going to share her heartbreaking life story with us.

I sometimes look at what’s happened in my life and wonder whether God’s used me as an example. No matter how beautiful and healthy you are, there’s always the chance this can be taken away from you. Maybe my life is a testimony to that. When I look at myself now, I see a beautiful woman who’s strong, independent, and ready to take on the world. But times have been hard and my body changed in ways I could never have foreseen. My childhood was an incredibly happy one; it was amazing in fact. I was an only child and very out-going. My mother doted on me, so I was always in the latest designs. Being really trend-conscious, I always adapted to the different fashions of the times. My body was perfect: I was the girl who had the best body - the kind that always attracted attention.

Then, when I was in my mid-twenties, it all changed. I was working at a chemical lab and was exposed to an air- born germ that derived from African tree sap. It got into my eyes and made its way in to my bloodstream and caused my body to stop draining fluids properly.

... Just as I was set to hit the big time - this happens, and you’re forced to meet the world in the worst shape of your life.

For years I was unhappy, I’d been given everything I’d dreamed of. And then I had to get on stage as a size 22, and not be able to explain why I was obese. I’d never eaten a lot, and had never planned for a life like this, so really I was just shocked.

... When you’ve spent years of your life struggling with something that is beyond your control - and which changes the way people see you - you lose a certain amount of control. But I’m set to get back in the driving seat; I won’t be broken down by things. It’s been a struggle; a journey if you like. But now I’ve arrived and I’m ready.

Task 1: Decide if the statements are true (T) or false (F):

1. Angie claims that nothing can be taken for granted.

2. Angie has always had a presentiment that something would happen to her.

3. Angie’s Mom spoilt her.

4. Accidentally, Angie got infected at the lab.

5. Fans stopped visiting Angie’s concerts when her appearance changed.

Читання, 11 клас

Questions 6 through 10 refer to Text 2.

Text 2.

Research into happiness is always open to questions. Do people, when asked, tell the truth about whether or not they are happy? Isn’t it peculiar to tell a complete stranger that you are miserable? Possibly. Nevertheless, people who fill in questionnaires without giving their names show the same sort of results as those in open interview. It might also be suggested that people do not know whether they are happy or not. But, if you believe that most people are aware of their own emotional state and express it honestly when asked, the research makes some fascinating discoveries.

It is interesting to note what does not necessarily make you happy. Class, wealth, social position, intelligence and race are poor indicators (although poverty is a good indicator of unhappiness). Women are slightly happier than men, and older people are more satisfied – though less joyful – than younger people. But most people are – or claim to be – happy. This is, surprisingly, the same for everyone. Whatever situation people are in, whether they are prisoners or lottery winners, roughly the same levels of happiness on average can be found. Most people score six or seven on a scale of one to ten.

Marriage is a greater source of happiness than being single. 35 per cent of married men and 41.5 per cent of married women claim to be very happy, whereas the figures for single men and women are 18.5 per cent and 25.5 per cent. However, having children is not the source of happiness many believe it to be. Survey after survey shows that happiness levels begin to fall after the birth of a child, reaching their lowest point in the teenage years and only returning to previous levels when children leave home. This is rather strange, since people keep on having kids despite the clear evidence that having children makes you less happy. One possible explanation is that there are things that people consider more valuable than happiness, like feeling of being worthwhile. Or maybe bad marriages stick together because of children.

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