ZXTape! 0Created with Ramsoft MakeTZXLESSON11 `$S`$+/b$#2""Evaluation of information."," " #3y"Use different evaluation","standards for various types of","writing - newspapers, magazines,","fiction, reports.."," " #5"From newspapers and reports you","expect clearly stated facts","without secondary meanings. If","you agree with everything,","beware it may be opinionated.","The language should be","appropriate to the subject, not" #7"obscuring clarity with an","accumulation of jargon. Watch","out for connotations which","could mean bias and inter-","ference. In fiction read the" #9A"preface - it may clarify the","author's intention/philosophy." #;x"Keep the time and place of","writing in mind to help you","understand complexities and","multi-layered meanings."," " #="Does the language contribute to","get the message across? Has","the style and form the author","chose enhanced your understand-","ing and pleasure?"," " #?"---" #A #C #E #G #I #K #M #O #Q #S #U $^K"Can we stop the deserts growing?","--------------------------------"," " $`"Many of the great deserts of","the Earth have once been popu-","lated, fertile areas where","enough water was available to","sustain the life of plants and","animals." $b"Indeed, some of the oldest cave-","paintings and remains of human","settlements have been found in","the totally uncompromising parts","of Africa." $d"Today the Sun burns down merci-","lessly on rocks and stony","ground, and few living organisms","can be spotted there. Yet as","he ancient hunters' stone","drawings bear witness, ten-","thousands of years ago those","parts must have been teeming","with wildlife. What happened?"," " $f"Climatic changes are one explan-","ation. Less precipitation","coupled with an excessive","evaporation quickly creates the","conditions for desertification." $h"When overgrazing, cutting down","of trees and undergrowth are","added to adverse weather con-","ditions, the desert will spread","quickly and ruthlessly."," " $j"Today approximately 30% of the","Earth's landmass is covered by","deserts - cold ones in the","northern altitudes, hot and dry","ones in a belt which stretches","from the Sahara across the","Arabian Desert to the deserts","in central Asia. Semi-arid","areas hovering on the brink are","fast becoming deserts after","rains have failed for years to","replenish the water level to","an extent where it could","sustain livestock and plantlife." $l$" ","To which extent is it man and","his lifestyle which brings about","a more rapid extension of the","desert? In spite of recent","progress in the study of and","understanding of climatic con-","ditions - globally as well","as locally - we know very little","about the long-term effects" $n"of weather-patterns and trends.","We know for a fact that the","Earth's atmosphere, the Sun's","activity, the inclination of","the Earth's axis of spin and the","distribution of land, ice and","water masses roughly determine","the climate." $p "But we have only started to","observe the intricacies of their","interplay. Just a few decades","ago we began to sense that man","himself influenced the climate","and therefore - perhaps - has","it in his power to decide the","extent of his own life-support."," " $rw"We know now that the tropical","rain forests produce a large","amount of oxygen and serve as","water reservoirs globally.","In their hot dense and moist","shade the soil gets very fertile","from natural decomposition of","organisms. Once the protection","of the leaf-umbrella is taken","away and the trees felled, the","soil reverts quickly to a strip","of parched land." $t"The intense heat of the tropical","Sun and the tempestous rain","storms erode every bit of the","fertile top-soil. A lush area,","once teeming with organic life,","providing food and shelter","for animals and humans, could be","transformed into a desert in","no time at all." $v"This is one of the reasons for","opposition to the large-scale","deforestation of the tropical","rain forests. There trees","grow very slowly and the","ecological balance is easily","disturbed. This in turn effects","the world climate."," " $x"In the Sahara, the huge African","desert, the Sun burns down","unintermittently for ten hours","a day. The sand reflects the","rays and there are no cooling","lakes or shadows. That produces","a dry atmosphere and high","temperatures during the daytime." $z"The soil gets extremely hot,","while night temperatures drop","dramatically below freezing","point. Any form of life will","have a hard struggle for","survival."," " $|^"Normally, saturated ocean winds","unload their moisture over the","continents where the water is","recycled by plantlife and the","evaporation of streams and","lakes. Unfortunately the","mountain ranges to the west and","north of the Sahara largely stop","this natural moisture bearer,","and very rarely does the air","humidity climb towards the" $~#"necessary climax. When at last","the rain comes, it is torrential","and devastating: the shallow","roots cannot hold back this","vast and gushing torrent of","water. Most of the precious","liquid runs off the surface","rapidly, eroding any thin crust","of fertile soil in its wake."," " $"However, there may be large","water reserves under the","deserts. This is visibly","demonstrated by some green","pockets - the oases. A higher","water table allows the culti-","vation of a tiny piece of land." $^"It is, alas, a constant struggle","to maintain life in the face of","devastating winds and moving","sands. A few decades ago many","of the oases of Northern Africa","were left by their inhabitants","in order to find more profit-","able work in the oilwells.","Soon the sand covered trees and","cultivations - the desert had","moved in again."," " $f"With the help of technology, man","thought he could alleviate","some of the problems leading to","desertification. Irrigation","and advanced methods of culti-","vation should reclaim land and","produce more of the necessary","food. Sometimes it worked: the","vast grassland belt of Norhern","America which has highly viable","and intermediate rainfalls" $"coupled with a high evaporation","was transformed into the present","grain belt."," ","But intense cultivation and","irrigation of one area have also","brought about sinking water","tables in adjoining territories." $@"Although the desert will","blossom with artificial help","in one spot, it will also expand","next door. Large hydro-electric","dams and man-made lakes do not","always compensate for the loss","of humidity through evaporation.","On the contrary, they often","raise larger questions and have","nasty side effects."," " $"Some Arabic states even contem-","plated to drag icebergs to their","shores. Their presence should","not only provide the scarce","fresh water for large desert","areas, but also intensify cloud","formation and thus precipi-","tation."," " $"The Australians have been look-","ing for economical ways and","means to tap their underground","water system, but to date with","little success." $"Intensive catle and sheep","farming have nothing but adverse","effects. New Zealand, it is","predicted, will be transformed","into a desert-like zone if the","present overgrazing is not","halted."," " $"One fact has been realised","clearly: a possible stop to","the extension of the deserts can","be brought about by refores-","tation around them." $q"The trees hold the soil and","water, they lend shade and","moisture, ban excessive","evaporation and erosion." $^"Beyond their protective belt,","grassland and plantations could","get a new lease of life." $Z"Forests are the balancing","factors in our dangerously","tipped ecological system."," " $"---","1018 words" $ %!"Deserts grew because:",1 %r"1) Of climatic changes","2) Man moved away from the area","3) Sand covered the land","4) Trees stopped growing" %("How much landmass is desert?",1 %%"1) 30%","2) 75%","3) 20%","4) 50%" %,"Rapid desertification is due to:",3 %`"1) Exploitation of minerals","2) Overpopulation","3) Man's influence","4) Volcanic eruptions" %*"Tropical forests are important",1 %~"1) They regulate oxygen / water","2) Protect animals from the Sun","3) Their wood is invaluable","4) They produce hydrogen" %#"Desertification causes:",1 %e"1) Infertile soil","2) More land for cultivation","3) Slower growing trees","4) Efficient farming" %,"Life in deserts has to withstand",3 %f"1) Hot summers","2) Constant shifting sand","3) Vast temperature differences","4) Extreme humidity" %,"A major factor in the Sahara is:",3 %a"1) Cold rain","2) Saturated winds","3) Low humidity in the air","4) The lightness of the sand" %,"Desertification could be stopped",3 %e"1) With high technology","2) By ecological balance","3) By reforestation","4) By digging trenches" &RG"cut-throat`","impression`","experiment`","membership`","liberation`" &SI"competitor`","fallacious`","delinquent`","to withdraw`","the turmoil`" &TL"will not be`","sympathetic`","partnership`","will expect`","astonishing`" &UL"responsible`","full-length`","seems to me`","in segments`","it was good`" ~ LESSON12 }S}X-#2" ","Critical reading."," " #3"You have defined your purpose.","Now check your source material.","Always read the preface and","find out the purpose of the","publication, eg. does it set","out to inform solely or to","convince."," " #5"Check publication date. The","7th edition 1983 does not mean","that the material is updated","from the date of publication","in 1965." #7"Trace reliability of author and","publisher. The latter is","particularly important for","collating facts and figures","from technical reports and","newsprint. Check unknown terms","for accuracy and aptness."," " #9"Do not overlook political","sympathies of newspapers and","journalists. Read editorial","comments which will quickly","reveal their leanings." #;x"Skim the headlines for getting","an overall picture. Read for","details afterwards and keep","the bias in mind."," " #=|"For technical reports establish","the reason for publication and","check the policy of the company","or institution."," " #?"An example:","If an Electricity Board wants","to build a new type of nuclear","reactor, it will present its","data from a sympathetic angle," #A"emphasizing and arranging the","facts to further its goal. The","same data may lead the reader","to opposite conclusions if","compiled and arranged by a","public/scientific body opposed","to this venture." #C" ","Both reports are written to","convince you, the reader, of the","truthfullness of their cause","and to gain your support."," " #E?"(Even this example may have","been chosen with care...)"," " #G"---" #I #K #M #O #Q #S #U $^9" "," From 'The Prince'."," ------------------" $`" ","There is an important subject","I must not forget, the mistake","which princes only avoid if they","are extremely prudent and choose","their ministers well." $b"I am referring to flatterers,","who swarm in the courts. Men","are so happily absorbed in such","self-deception that it is diffi-","cult not to fall victim to this","plague; and if they try to" $d"avoid doing so they risk becom-","ing despised. The only way","to safeguard yourself against","flatterers is by making people","understand that you are not","offended by the truth." $fN"But if everyone can speak the","truth to you then you loose","respect."," " $h"A shrewd prince should adopt a","middle way, choosing wise men","for his government and allowing","only those the freedom to speak","the truth to him, and then only" $j"concerning matters on which he","asks their opinion - nothing","else. He should also question","them thoroughly and listen to","what they say; then he should","make up his own mind, by","himself."," " $l"His attitude towards each one","of his advisers should be such","that they recognize that the","more freely they speak out, the" $n"more acceptable they will be.","Apart from these, the prince","should heed no one; he should","put the policy agreed upon into","effect straight away and","adhere to it rigidly." $p"Anyone who does not do this is","ruined by flatterers or is","constantly changing his mind","because of conflicting advice." $r7"As a result he is held in low","esteem."," "," "," " $t("Niccolo Machiavelli: The Prince."," " $v"---","257 words" $x $z $| $~ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ %""A shrewd ruler should:",4 %r"1) Never speak a lie","2) Never speak the truth","3) Appoint obedient advisers","4) Appoint outspoken advisers" % % % % % % % % % % % % % % &RL"new arrival`","comparative`","compartment`","composition`","latest news`" &SQ"sovereignity`","considerable`","I understand`","battleground`","no illusions`" &TQ"enthusiastic`","civilisation`","under threat`","petering out`","acceleration`" &UQ"loosening up`","I was amazed`","out of paper`","lurking-hole`","how cumbrous`" LESSON13 S/#2r" "," ","After completing this lesson,","choose a novel which you thought","you would never get time to","read." #3["Read it as quickly as you can,","concentrating only on the story","and the main events." #5j"After each chapter make a short","summary in your mind, then guess","what is going to happen next."," " #7"---" #9 #; #= #? #A #C #E #G #I #K #M #O #Q #S #U $^?" ","The changing picture of the","Universe.","---------"," " $`"In the beginning man could not","conceive of not being the centre","of the Universe, simply because","all observations of the skies","told him that he was."," " $b"During the cultural apex of","Egypt, the skills of celestial","observation and the data col-","lected grew rapidly. The geo-","centric concept depicted the","Earth at the centre of a visible","Universe, around which the Sun,","stars and planets circled."," " $d"During the last three centuries","BC. Greek science and culture","began its ascent: their mathe-","matical skills and accurate" $f"measurements laid the founda-","tions for the whole western","civilisation."," ","The first astronomer who specu-","lated that the Earth might in","fact revolve around the Sun" $h"was Aristarchus of Samos (310 -","230 BC). He began to calculate","the actual distances and","relationships of the Sun, Moon","and the Earth with the help","of geometry. But he was","ignored."," " $j"How different would history have","been if one of the greatest","astronomers of antiquity,","Hipparchus had not ignored his","predecessor's speculations?" $l"And yet, the accuracy of his","numerous observations - all made","with the naked eye - was","spectacular. He catalogued","many stars and classified them","by their magnitude - a method","we still use today - explaining","irregular motions of the Sun","and planets."," " $n0"Because of his great many","accurate measurements and his","enormous knowledge, nobody","questioned the geocentric world","picture on which he based his","theories. To see the Earth","carrying mankind as the centre","of the Universe did not contra-","dict the sense of self-","importance of man."," " $p"The Christian religion as well","as the Arab world accepted","this concept which would only","be toppled after a reign of","1500 years!"," " $r"It was Nicolaus Copernicus, the","Polish mathematician, who","postulated that the Sun was","the centre around which the","Earth and planets revolved."," " $t`"This revolution in cosmological","thinking was supported by","Galileo Galilei's discoveries." $v"Galilei had access to a new","invention for his celestial","observations - the telescope;","and when he discovered Venus","circling round the Sun, he","realised that the Earth could","not be the centre of all move-","ment in the sky." $xk"His discoveries of the moons","of Jupiter seemed a perfect","mirror of the solar system in","mineature." $z}"Coupled with his studies of the","mechanical laws of nature this","underlined Copernicus' helio-","centric cosmology."," " $|"This new vision shook the found-","ation of an entrenched","centuries-old concept and was,","alas rejected by many","scientists. The Church re-","nounced Galilei's beliefs as","heretic. In fact, the Church" $~"only repudiated the geocentric","concept of the Universe","officially in the second half","of the 20th century,","and conceded that Galileo was","right in 1979!"," " $"But for all intents and purposes","it was Isaac Newton's universal","laws of mechanics which finally","sealed the scientific death-","warrant of the old system."," " $ "The long and bitter struggle of","acceptance for this new view","of the world, shows clearly","how difficult it was for man","to change his outlook and per-","spective: he had shrunk into","near obscurity and had to get","to terms with his own","insignificance." $"The feeling of insecurity surely","only increased when exact","measurements of the planets,","the Sun and their distances to","each other gradually led to an" $"awareness of the size of the","whole solar system. Slowly","it dawned on mankind that their","planet was only a tiny speck in","the vast realms of a forbid-","dingly dark Universe."," " $"As science made rapid progress,","the new picture of the Universe","took shape: comets were observed","and destroyed the belief in","heavenly spheres. Studies of","the milky way showed that the","solar system was part of a","larger system of stars -","a galaxy."," " $"From then onwards it was only","a matter of time to discover","thousands of galaxies at in-","credible distances and moving","away from each other." $"The insignificance of the Earth","became a negligible factor in","the general excitement of","increasingly detailed","observations which more and more","centred around the question of","the age and origin of the","Universe."," " $"---","666 words" $ $ $ $ $ $ %,"Western civilisation was founded",2 %~"1) On the geocentric concept","2) On skills of Greek science","3) On Aristarchus of Samos","4) On the heliocentric concept" %,"Geocentric concept was ruined by",2 %v"1) The moons of Jupiter","2) Venus circling the Sun","3) Repudiation by the Church","4) Invention of the telescope" %+"First to claim Earh circled Sun",3 %O"1) Was Copernicus","2) Was Galilei","3) Was Aristarchus","4) Was Hipparchus" %*"Theory of heavenly spheres was",3 %"1) Ruined by discovery of Pluto","2) Ruined by discovery of Galaxy","3) Ruined by discovery of comets","4) Ruined by Martin Luther" %"Galaxies are:",4 %}"1) Perfectly still","2) Stable relative to each other","3) Mirrors of the solar system","4) Moving relative to each other" %*"Classifying stars by magnitude",2 %"1) Was introduced by Aristarchus","2) Was introduced by Hiparchus","3) Was introduced by Copernicus","4) Was introduced by Newton" % % % % &RQ"deliberately`","Schopenhauer`","which realm?`","exaggeration`","space-saving`" &ST"it is likely`","kaleidoscope`","should commit`","preoccupation`","when they met`" &TV"irresponsibly`","snuggle up to`","producing fun`","even assuming`","odds and ends`" &UY"National grid`","like a cherub`","has been fixed`","new technology`","biggest change`" D LESSON14  S L8 #2 " ","Drawing conclusions."," " #3~"To form your own critical con-","clusion of a read text, you","analyse the information and","then evaluate it according to" #5"facts - opinions - inferences.","The stress lies here on the","'how' and 'why' certain state-","ments have been made, or a","particular style or structure","has been used."," " #7"Determine what kind of","statements are used, if they","match the purpose of the","material and assess the source","reliability (eg. where does the","information come from? Who" #9"is everyone...)"," ","Cut through verbosity and","look out for hidden meaning","and opinion. Mistrust and","suspect generalisations. The" #;"form or words - like dice - can","be loaded and used to imply a","certain meaning. Distinguish","between fiction and fact."," " #="Specific caution must be","employed in company reports,","advertisements of a product and","pure fact (eg. the properties","of a new drug: how are they" #?b"described, in which terms in","relation to what, whom, proof","of validity of research data?)." #A " ","---" #C #E #G #I #K #M #O #Q #S #U $^7" "," THINK FOR YOURSELF"," ------------------" $`" ","As the biggest library, if it is","in disorder, is not as useful","as a small but well arranged","one, so you may accumulate a","vast amount of knowledge but it","will be of far less value to" $bO"you than a smaller amount if you","have not thought it over for","yourself." $d"Only through ordering what you","know by comparing every truth","with every other truth can you","take complete possession of" $f"your knowledge and get it into","your power. You can only think","about what you know, so you","ought to learn something; on the" $hC"other hand you can only know","what you have thought about."," " $jy"You can apply yourself volun-","tarily to reading and learning,","but you cannot really apply","yourself to thinking." $l"Thinking must be kindled as a","fire is by a draught and kept","going by some kind of interest","in its object which may be an" $n"objective interest or only a","subjective one. The latter is","possible only with things that","affect us personally, the former" $px"only to those heads who think by","nature, to whom thinking is as","natural as breathing; and these","are very rare." $r7"That is why most scholars do so","little of it."," " $t"Artur Schopenhauer"," " $v"---","211 words" $x $z $| $~ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ %)"We deduce about Schopenhauer:",4 %b"1) He had a big library","2) He knew the truth","3) He was very trusting","4) He was sarcastic" % % % % % % % % % % % % % % &R["excellent form`","my dear Watson`","to disguise it`","home computing`","local variable`" &S\"going to press`","ten-day period`","gaining weight`","simultaneously`","mood for change`" &T`"the best policy`","secret forecast`","taken as a hint`","the simple life`","like barbarians`" &U`"a thrilling day`","worse and worse`","bite the bullet`","uncommunicative`","a further point`" LESSON15 !S!*!#2U" ","By now your effective reading","speed should have improved by","over 60%."," " #3"We hope you have no difficulty","in identifying the numbers and","phrases that are flashed on the","screen and that you even","remember telephone numbers more","easily than before."," " #5`"It should feel comfortable to","move your eyes along the page","making use of your increased" #7r"visual span, and that your mind","is able to identify where it is","necessary to vary your reading","rate."," " #95"The text for this lesson is a","travel story."," " #;"---" #= #? #A #C #E #G #I #K #M #O #Q #S #U $^B" ","A day in the life of an ordinary","tourist.","--------"," " $`"We had landed the previous","evening (our time). It had","been an exciting descent owards","our destination. Stars as big","as saucers hung like lanterns","in the pitch black sky above us." $b"Below, the most fascinating","spectacle unfolded: a three","dimensional persian carpet of","colour glowed and faded in the","most brilliant hues. We seemed","to dive straight into bands of","orange and blue, gold and pink","framed by velvety green," $d|"splashed with yellows and","purples. The intensity and","shades fluctuated and vibrated","gently. We had never seen any-","thing like it and it was impos-","sible to recognise the source","of this colourful display.","The nearer we drew to the ground","the more dazzling some of the","streaks became - like weaving","beacons reaching out of our","craft and welcoming us."," " $f"As soon as we touched down it","was all gone. A faint mauve","haze kept the probing eye in","check. This night we did not","go out. The exhausting travel","arrangements took their toll."," " $hY"But now we were refreshed and","all geared for our first brush","with the 'natives'. Cautiously","we climbed out of the lift","which had swiftly and noise-","lessly brought us to ground","level. We stood in a bril-","liantly lit glass dome saturated","by the scent of exotic flowers","and trees and full of the","humming of birds and bees." $ji"A shudder of expectation ran","down our spines. The remote","control 'wind tunnel' opened","and out we went."," ","To set foot on different soil","has always been a thrilling","experience, but this time it","was triggering off little","waves of shock and anxious","anticipitation before our minds","and bodies settled down to a","more pleasant routine."," " $l"It was so utterly different;","quiet, serene and unearthly","beautiful. The skies above","held a gloriously cobalt-blue","dazzle, here and there pierced","by colourful disks looking","like chinese lanterns." $n"In front of us, as far as the","eye could see, a pale mauve","band was stretching, luminous","and transparent. We were","apprehensive to step onto this","delicate-looking ground. But","it felt springy and soft under-","foot."," " $p4"A lush belt of green led the","eye to one of the most","gorgiously orange megastructures","to which smaller buildings slung","with shiny silvery bubbles on","top behind which the bold sweep","of an emerald ocean opened.","Everything glistened and","sparkled, not blinding, but mild","and translucent."," " $r5"As we moved along the magnet-","ically impulsed footpath, a","slight wind arose breathing","life into the hitherto quaintly","immobile landscape. Oddly","shaped plants swayed their","feathery leaves and nodded their","glowing heads, a fine veil of","dust whirled up in the distance","like fleeing swans." $t"But most astonishingly, the","breeze elicited sounds from","this strange environment,","indescribably sweet and mellow.","We stood transfixed listening","breathlessly to this music of","the spheres."," " $v`"Quite suddenly incandescent","white shapes appeared in the","cobalt sky. What where they?","Clouds or flocks of wild birds","floating on the wings of the","zephyr? This stunning scene","reminded us of an animated","stage-set. We got the feeling","that the call of somebody 'scene","one - take two' would change","the picture instantaniously."," " $x{"According to our time it was","nearly noon, but here early","morning prevailed. There was","not a soul to be seen."," " $z"Behind the brightly coloured","buildings we now glimpsed some","rugged terrain, sloping steeply","upwards to an abrupt end.","Some gentler slopes welled up","from the sea. Our attention","was drawn magnetically towards","the dull green front of the","water. Here was no glitter, no" $|"movement of waves, a true 'Mare","tranquillum'. Why did not","even the deep blue of the heaven","reflect in the water? It was","as if someone had painted a","vast expanse of material, sub-","dued and restful, to offset","all the scintillating sparkle."," " $~+"Past several dark, fluffy","boulders around a sudden cliff-","edge, we pushed on to where we","expected the beach. Deep shock","and disbelief gripped us:","although the surface of the","water had seemed level with us,","it suddenly towered above us.","We had to climb upwards to the","seashore!" $"Was it a trick played by the","oscillating light or a halluci-","nation? Our minds boggled.","We could have sworn that the","path from our base had led","gently downhill and there were","no undulations in the ground." $`"All our logical reasoning and","training - our habit of seeing -","were put to the test."," " $"Momentarily we were afraid.","What was this strange green","mass at our feet, so calm and","secretive? But we could not","resist its magical pull: a wary","toe and guarded hand rippled","the surface - light airy","nothingness ran through our","fingers." $ "Now in reckless abandon we flung","ourselves in - and sunk into","the cool richness of smooth","ozone, bouncy and bubbly like","champagne. In between surfacing","we gulped in deep lungfulls of","this elixir which our movements","stirred up to great liveliness." $"Our splashes created huge waves,","bursting into fountains of","chunky crystals before zooming","away with the sound of quavering","bells."," " $"The coastline hugged the rim of","the ocean, pure ivory silk with","deep golden grooves here and","there. The slope of a crater","formed an unreal backdrop, misty","and shimmering, vibrant and","stark."," " $"Floating up of our ozone en-","riched oblivion, enveloped in","the silkiness of the beach, our","thirst for action and discovery","was quenched for the moment." $"Only later, when the white","shapes had vanished from the","same dark sky, when the chinese","lanterns had hardly crept","towards the zenith, and when we","were gliding on our magnetic" $"cushions in and out of flicker-","ing colourbands, did sadness","overcome us: it was us, the","visitors, who brought this","strange place to life, a beauti-","ful but dead relic of the past," $b"providing first class service","for the titillation of the","undaunted tourist from Earth."," " $"---","975 words" $ $ $ %,"Most remarkable during approach:",3 %y"1) Was lantern sized moon","2) Was brilliantly lit city","3) Was the spectacle of light","4) Was a translucent beacon" %%"The first impression was:",3 %k"1) An unwelcome feeling","2) Familiarity with surroundings","3) Shock about the difference","4) Curious" %"The arising breeze:",4 %"1) Had an explosive effect","2) Brought swans to the shore","3) Made the tourist feel nervous","4) Brought the environment alive" %)"What is a 'mare tranquillum'?",3 %`"1) A tranquil mare","2) A stormy landscape","3) A calm ocean","4) A dull colour of the water" %,"Why were the tourists frightened",2 %m"1) They were lost","2) Their reasoning had to change","3) The water was a solid mass","4) They were alone" %)"The mass they dived into felt",1 %h"1) Like bubbly champagne","2) Like cool water at home","3) Like a slimy detergent","4) Like cool air" %!"They were walking on:",1 %Y"1) Magnetically pulsed cushions","2) Rubber","3) Felt suspension","4) A beam of light" %*"Visitor's effect on the place:",3 %f"1) Was devastating","2) Was economically beneficial","3) Was bringing it alive","4) Was corrupting" &R`"very elementary`","in the new year`","laundered money`","delicate nature`","unfriendly boss`" &Sd"designed for us`","a fervent desire`","before Christmas`","overriding issue`","prices will rise`" &Tf"rhythm and blues`","in my new office`","we had champagne`","cost of garrison`","out of a suitcase`" &Uk"fighting a battle`","something similar`","life of their own`","the same language`","the area is stable`" LESSON16 Q SQ &S #2/" "," JARGON"," ------"," " #3" When I use a word Humpty"," Dumpty said in a rather"," scornful tone, it means"," just what I choose it to"," mean - neither more nor"," less!"," " #5{"Most professions make use of","jargon. Perhaps sometimes it","is even used to exclude those","who don't understand it." #7~"Lawyers, accountants, sociolo-","gists, philosophers, musicians","and computer buffs all have to","learn 'their' language." #9|"This may be irritating to those","of us who find it difficult and","we 'wish they would say it in","plain English!'."," " #;]"But in most cases one technical","term can express an idea or a","situation very clearly." #="It can imply a history of","definitions and derivations","which would all need to be in-","cluded to express the same","unambiguously in ordinary","language."," " #?"Mathematical symbols alone - a","superior form of jargon - have","made it possible to formulate","models where ordinary language","would have got hopelessly lost","in unmanagable complexity."," " #Ap"If you want to get familiar with","a new subject, but do not know","the jargon, read an introductory","book." #C}"In almost every subject some","introductory work is available","and the new words are explained","as they are introduced." #E " ","---" #G #I #K #M #O #Q #S #U $^" "," Fable"," " $`o"A monkey made a great impression","by dancing for an assembly of","animals. They elected him their","king." $bZ"The fox got jealous.","Seeing a snare with a piece of","meat in it, he took the monkey" $d}"to it and said: 'Here is a","wonderful snack I have found.","I have kept it for you instead","of eating it myself to show" $f1"respect for your royal status.","So take it.'" $ht"The monkey went at the snare","carelessly and was caught in it.","He accused the fox of laying a","trap for him." $jb"The fox replied: 'Fancy a fool","like you, my monkey friend,","being the king of the animals.'" $l" ","AESOP"," " $n"---","114 words" $p $r $t $v $x $z $| $~ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ %"What is the moral?",2 %v"1) Don't trust clever people","2) Don't act thoughtlessly","3) Don't become a laughing stock","4) Don't seek power" % % % % % % % % % % % % % % &Ro"people being duped`","without resentment`","important findings`","the summit meeting`","Newton's third law`" &So"frequency response`","tone of insecurity`","some clarification`","can go only so far`","a solo cello theme`" &Tp"blinding innocence`","amount of software`","board of directors`","can control colour`","readiness to accept`" &Ut"you must keep going`","give it more muscle`","reaching break-even`","a rational function`","the need to get out`" }LESSON17 rSr)t#2 "Reading comprehensively."," " #3@"There are main points and there","are supporting statements." #5]"Isolate main points and","determine if they are facts,","fiction, opinions or inferences." #7p"Examine the validity of the sup-","porting statements, and evaluate","the text according to your","analysis." #9["Always draw on your own experi-","ence and background when you","check the information." #;S"Build on it. Your judgement","may grow sounder and your","confidence increase." #= #? #A #C #E #G #I #K #M #O #Q #S #U $^9" "," The Olympic Games"," -----------------"," " $`"The Olympiad is one of the","greatest international","festivals of our times. Revised","in 1896 by he French it is held","every four years based on the","ideals and principles of the","original Greek games."," " $b"The ancient Greeks loved to","celebrate, and one of the four","religious festivals was staged","at Olympia. The mighty columns","of the Zeus and other temples","still bear witness to the","religious origin of the","festival." $d#"But in 776 B.C. it was said,","athletics, music and poetry","competitions became an integral","part of the religious rites.","This seems quite natural if we","take into consideration","that the Greeks were fascinated","by sports. In fact, little else","interested them in peacetime."," " $f"The young competitors were the","most excellent sportsmen each","Greek state could send. One","idea behind the festival was to","foster the spirit of all-Greek","unity which was sadly non-","existent."," " $h"Today we want to perpetuate this","ideal of unity amongst peoples","of the world, but ironically","like the Greeks we fail to","bridge the real gap." $j"The less united the inter-","national scene is economically","and politically, the more","publicity, prominence and money","is poured into the olympic","games. The ancient games","figured a variety of highly","colourful and competitive" $l"individual events: the dramatic","chariot races, the tough pan-","krathlon, including jumping,","running, wrestling and the","throwing of discus and javelin."," " $n"Victory in one of the disci-","plines was the highest honour","for a Greek citizen. Hero-","worship and the unifying","principle of 'good' and 'beauti-","ful' found its extreme manifest-","ation in the Olympic champion." $p>"Not only was the lucky winner","showered with honours by his","home town, but songs and poems","were specially composed for him.","His image was carved in bronze","and marble by the best artists","of the time. The 4-year span","between the games even carried","the name of the winner of the","running contest."," " $r"Very few grumbled against the","extravagant honours bestowed","on the Olympic heroes. But","when you hear the disgruntled","philosopher Xenophanes mutter:" $t"'what benefits does a state","possibly have from the victory","of her sons at Olympia', today","we would easily find a quick","reply: this victory is turned","into a great publicity-stunt" $vk"to elicit the most effective","economical bonanza for the","sponsors of the successful","sportstar."," " $x"In recent years the main discord","between the organisers and the","sponsors has been the amateur","status of the contestants." $z"When the first modern version of","the Olympic Games was staged","in Athens, it was a moderate","affair. Only about 12 nations","and a few hundred athletes." $|"There was no question about","their amateur status. On the","contrary: all the contestants","had been recruited because they","excelled in a sporting activity","which they did for fun in their","pastime. All of them had jobs","or were students."," " $~"Sport as a favourite pastime as","well as a recognised discipline","for body and mind developed in","England during the 18th and 19th","centuries. Modern rules for","many sporting activities have","their roots in 19th century","English culture." $"Sport clubs were founded and a","general interest, especially","in athletics promoted the form-","ation of national amateur","associations. Their training" $"and guidance facilities could","be shared and standards","measured. During the first","half of our century, sport","developed into entertainment." $"As good entertainers have always","been in high demand, the best","sportspeople soon found them-","selves fully occupied practising","their skills and showing them","off for money - mass appeal had","created the professionals."," " $"Football and tennis, modern","additions to the Olympic Games","like the winter sports, were the","first disciplines to draw","dividing lines between amateurs","and professionals." $"The controversy about the purity","of amateurism for Olympic","qualifications has in fact snow-","balled: with ever increasing","sophistication in methods and","techniques serious ahletic","competitors need ever more","intensive and often very" $_"expensive training. Therefore","sponsorship has become a","necessity for most contestants." $"In many cases the government","takes on this role of sponsor","and reaps the honourable","benefits. But sportswear and","equipment manufacturers were","quick to sense a profit through","indirect advertising."," " $"The commercial pressure, alas,","is increasing, because it is","argueable how long the financial","backer of a highly successful","athlete will be satisfied with","his role in the background." $]"In the end he wants to recoup","his investment and make as much","profit as possible."," " $`"Most commercial sponsors have","found a way around the strict","rules of direct advertising." $"But it is an uneasy truce","between the purists who want to","keep the Games free from gross","commercialisation and the","powerful world of business who","wants to fill its coffers."," " $"With millions of pounds at","stake, not just honour and","prestige, the principles and","values of the Olympic Games may","soon undergo drastic changes."," " $"---","794 words" $ %'"Origin of the Games lie in:",3 %q"1) The celebration of spring","2) The celebration of victory","3) Religious rites","4) Celtic fertility rites" %,"The form of the Games took shape",3 %_"1) In Roman times","2) In the rule of Tutenchamun","3) Around 750 B.C.","4) Around 750 A.D." %,"Place of origin of the Games is:",1 %9"1) Greece","2) Thessalonia","3) Macedonia","4) Persia" %+"The Games promoted the idea of:",2 %k"1) Youthfulness and fitness","2) Harmony between city states","3) Public image building","4) Excellence" %+"Honouring the winner expressed:",2 %e"1) Abandonment of good taste","2) Hero worship","3) Rivalry between city states","4) Co-operation" %,"Present games relate to the old:",2 %f"1) By promoting competition","2) By promoting harmony","3) By celebration of rites","4) Not at all" %,"The hallmark of Olympic Games is",2 %k"1) Bureaucracy","2) To be an amateur","3) To outshine one's competitors","4) To have most financial aid" %%"Sport sponsorhip implies:",1 %y"1) Commercialisation of Games","2) Amateurs have no chance","3) Higher standard of perfection","4) Cheaper sportswear" &Rt"as a matter of duty`","subject to contract`","from stage to stage`","with great interest`","complained bitterly`" &Sx"almost non-existent`","another battleground`","developing countries`","she looked wonderful`","I am loosing my grip`" &Ty"to predict the orbit`","melodic continuation`","deliberately shunned`","this is not possible`","scientific community`" &U}"a plate of spaghetti`","technology revolution`","I'm sure that's right`","consequent depression`","patience and tenacity`" LESSON18 SL/#2(" ","Reading scientific material."," " #3v"Many scientific papers start","with what is called an","'abstract' which summarizes the","work in a few sentences." #5"If experiments were performed,","they will be listed and the","principles on which they were","based will be stated. Any","conclusions drawn will also be","given. An abstract is designed" #7]"to save you skimming through the","report itself - it may be of no","interest to you."," " #9"If experiments are reported, an","account of precautions taken in","their execution and the checks","and controls that were made will","influence the authority of the" #;"conclusions drawn. If the","assumptions made are not clearly","stated, they may well be false","and the conclusions drawn on","such a basis can then be worth-","less."," " #=o"The size of any computing errors","will indicate how accurate the","predictions made on the model","can be." #?^"If the result of an experiment","is unexpected, is it explained","in a believable way?"," " #Af"Are the diagrams used to clarify","the text and is it clearly","explained what they represent?"," " #C"Scientific argument builds on","earlier pieces of information.","Are there any gaps in the argu-","ment? Can the conclusions","drawn be justified on the","strength of the evidence","presented?"," " #E"Do not read technical material","as if it were fiction. The","language used is (or should be)","precise and the meaning of a","word cannot always be correctly","deduced from the context."," " #G"If at the end of the paper, the","conclusions you draw are","different from those drawn by","the author, what is the reason?" #Ir"You may have misunderstood an","important part of the argument,","or the author may have made a","mistake."," " #K"When reading scientific and","technical material it is vital","to be continuously critical of","the content - without it we","would still believe the Earth","to be flat."," " #M"---" #O #Q #S #U $^" ","The old civilisations had either","considered the age of the","Universe infinite or created","according to the Bible."," " $`"With the new wealth of scien-","tific information, a more","rational approach was first","taken by the German philosopher","Immanuel Kant, who proposed a","'nebular hypothesis'." $b"A clue would be to determine the","age of the Sun, and it was not","until it was discovered how","matter behaved on an atomic","scale, that it could be","established definitely: it was" $d?"determined that its heat was due","to nuclear reaction."," " $f"When this was understood, not","only the relative simplicity of","the macrocosmos was shattered,","but the theory of Quantum","Mechanics demanded a completely" $hp"new perspective for the micro-","cosmos which in turn would","influence our understanding of","the Universe." $j"Whereas in classical mechanics","the principle of determinism","was particularly clear, ('Give","me the initial data on all","particles and I will predict","the future of the Universe'","(Laplace)) the phenomenae of" $l^"particle physics are now under-","stood as events in terms of","probability distributions." $nE"The future of any particular","particle cannot be foretold..."," " $p"Another concept which has","drastically changed our view","of the world in the 20th century","is Einstein's Theory of","Relativety. The Special","Relativety Theory was basically","about a new concept of time;" $r"one consequence of which can be","illustrated with the 'spaceman","example'. After cruising near","the speed of light between the","galaxies, he returns to Earth","after what seems to him only a","few years. According to our" $t"earthly time-keeping he has been","away for 50 years or more and,","whereas we have aged those 50","years he would be barely older","than at the start of his","journey." $v"Another important consequence is","the famous mass-energy relation-","ship, which says that mass","depends on velocity. They are","in fact manifestations of one","and the same thing."," " $x"The General Relativety theory","established the curvature of","four dimensional space due to","gravitation: the larger the","curving, the larger the gravi-","tational field, eg. object." $z"Neither of these two theories","explain adequately the origin","of the Universe, although the","age can be determined quite","firmly."," " $|"At present the most favoured","theory concerning its origin","is put forward in the 'Big Bang'","theory. It states that the","ever condensing mass of primeval","matter led to a huge explosion" $~"- the birth of the Universe.","The most distantly fleeing","galaxies which our powerful","radio-telescopes can pick out","seem to bear witness to such an","extraordinary event." $"Furthermore there are signs","that this vast number of stars","galaxies and nebulae will","eventually collapse into them-","selves into a single 'black","hole'. The cycle may begin","again.."," " $"It took millenia before man","reached the point where he could","not only observe celestial","bodies and their motions, but","also test and verify his","theories and ideas on the state","of the Universe."," " $"Nowadays many tests are","performed outside the Earth's","atmosphere by satelites or","spaceprobes or even space-","laboratories."," " $"The past few decades have","probably reshaped our perception","and concept of the Universe","more radically and faster than","anything at any time."," " $"---","514 words" $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ %"The age of the Sun:",1 %"1) Gives clue to age of Universe","2) Tells us how matter behaves","3) Proved Theory of Relativety","4) Defined a quantum of light" %,"Big Bang theory concerns itself:",3 %|"1) With the age of the Universe","2) The end of the Universe","3) The origin of the Universe","4) The behavior of matter" % % % % % % % % % % % % &R~"the axioms of algebra`","Don Giovanni unmasked`","was hard to penetrate`","how extremely clever!`","glorious stereo sound`" &S"multiple combinations`","new industry standard`","in spite of the desire`","unemployment will rise`","it was properly warmed`" &T"she is a perfectionist`","please try to remember`","to keep your judgement`","by the end of the year`","sensitive to criticism`" &U"historical predecessor`","what he was driving at`","very competitive price`","16% of the labour force`","powerful and passionate`" LESSON19 S1#2m" ","Read an 'I book' - a book","written in the first person.","Then answer the following","questions:"," " #3" - Why is it written in the"," first person?"," - Is the author always the"," main character?"," - In what other ways could"," the book have been written?" #5 " ","---" #7 #9 #; #= #? #A #C #E #G #I #K #M #O #Q #S #U $^^" ","The concept of risk involves","four elements: chance/","probability and value/utility." $`"In order to rationalise risk","decisions, we have to analyse","the problem and to this end","make use of classifications."," " $b"Put against each other are the","principles of rationality,","order and clarity on the one","hand, and human fallibility,","passions and biases on the","other." $d"The latter influence our","rational approach to decision-","making often more than we want","it to."," ","These contradictions,","bedevelling and enriching","our attitude towards","risk, are represented here in","the guise of Apollo and","Dionysos, the Greek Gods of" $f"light and order and of excess","and irrationality. Apollo","represents, to some extent, the","'pure reason' who is like a","rational calculator always","ready to work out the best","solution, whereas Dionysos","resembles more the warm blooded","mammal."," " $h{" "," ","DIALOGUE BETWEEN APOLLO AND","DIONYSOS","SCENE: THE AGORA IN ATHENS 1984","-------------------------------"," " $j"Dionysos: See, who comes","wandering here, Apollo, my","reasonable counterpart! What","a chance meeting, my dear","fellow? If you asked me for","a bet, one in a million I would","have put the odds. Everything","harmonious and under control?"," " $l"Apollo: Still your old bound-","less, uncritical self, throwing","a chance bet in here and there?","Would you stop a moment to","reflect, perhaps you'd realise","how much shorter were the odds","of our meeting here and now!","The world has shrunk, my dear","fellow!"," " $n"D: Didn't I know it! If","you want to argue with me, not","here, Apollo, I need some shade","and wine, even at the cost of","having to listen to your","theories." $p"To unfurl your wrinkled brow,","let me propose a game of dice","to free us from the decision of","who pays how much and when.","Surely you can calculate a","reliably fair response?"," " $r"A: I wonder if you will","ever see the higher sides of","life? But for old time's sake","- (aside: how can I defend that","before myself?) - your inviation","be accepted." $t"I hope, you know the risk you","take in leaving me to set the","odds. Let us throw two dice:","you buy the drinks each time","they add up to 7, I will pay","when they add up to 6. We will","ignore all other permutations."," " $v"D: Fair deal, I guess;","anyway, I never believed in","magic numbers. Let's start and","quench the thirst! It's your","throw first."," " $xU"They throw the dice until:"," ","A: 4 and 2. I will buy","the drinks."," " $z1"They throw again until some time","later:"," " $|v"D: Eight drinks on you,","isn't that a stroke of luck for","me? What would you say the","chances were?"," " $~2"Apollo brings out his pocket","calculator:"," " $"A: The probability of","your winning eight times in a","row are 0.001822944 - abyssmally","minute! That kind of luck will","not last much longer; consider","the odds - they were in my","favour!"," " $"D: No risk, no glory,","hic! And until now I seem to","get the maximum benefits of our","deal: I drink and you pay!","Ha, ha!"," " $"A: Well, admittedly, your","luck so far has been at","suspiciously large variance","from the results which are to","be expected from the laws of","probability."," " $"D: Which laws?"," " $"A: Be sensible for once,","Dionysos! There are five ways","of getting 6: 1+5, 2+4, 3+3,","4+2, and 5+1.","But 7 you can get in six","different ways: 1+6, 2+5, 3+4,","4+3, 5+2 and 6+1 - it follows","logically that in six cases out" $n"of eleven I would win ( and you","would pay), whereas you would","only win five times out of","eleven."," " $@"D: So far I have enjoyed","eight drinks on you..."," " $y"A: As I said before: an","aberration. In theory,","therefore, the payoff I arranged","was not a fair one!"," " $Y"D: Ha, ha! So you wanted","to cheat me and got double-","crossed by fate!"," " $|"A: Of course not,","Dionysos. In spite of you, the","Universe we live in is a very","ordered place - mathematics" $"will win the day in the long","run, I have no doubt. Although","this time my approach to","calculating risks did not pay","off, on average they do."," " $1"D: By Jove, this is","sour grapes!"," " $"---","694 words" $ %,"Which is not an element of risk?",2 %."1) Chance","2) Law","3) Value","4) Utility" %"Apollo represents:",2 %-"1) Art","2) Reason","3) Wit","4) Emotions" %,"Odds of throwing 7 rater than 6:",3 %C"1) Are 7 to 6","2) Are 5 to 11","3) Are 6 to 11","4) Are 5 to 6" %"The bet was:",3 %U"1) Fair to both","2) Unfair to Apollo","3) Unfair to Dionysos","4) Unfair to both" %$"Calculating the risk is:",2 %_"1) Possible in the short run","2) Possible in the long run","3) Meaningless","4) Impossible" %"Dionysos was:",3 %0"1) Clever","2) Unlucky","3) Lucky","4) Silly" %"Apollo was:",2 %?"1) Clever","2) Double-crossed by fate","3) Silly","4) Lucky" %&"Throwing 2 dice there are:",2 %f"1) Five ways to get 7","2) Six ways to get 7","3) Seven ways to get seven","4) Eight ways to get 7" &R"little hope of recovery`","for the very first time`","go about your business!`","the method is convergent`","that was the mating move`" &S"strong against the dollar`","gone to excessive lengths`","we looked at the position`","display text and graphics`","to be considered in Milan`" &T"he has a delightful laugh`","test a microchip circuit`","Holt-Winter additive model`","approximate an eigenvalue`","like a passionate message`" &U"she played chess all night`","PASCAL language tutorial`","perhaps a lost opportunity`","good production isn't it?`","will minimize constrast`" LESSON20 S|#2" ","We are happy that you have","reached this lesson and hope","you have increased your effecive","reading speed by at least 100%." #3"But even if you have not, we","hope that you feel that your","approach to the written word has","changed for the better and that","the time spent by the computer","was worth-while."," " #5_"Unless your effective reading","speed is now more than 1200","words per minute, there is no" #7e"reason why you should not be","able to benefit from repeating","the course in six monhs time."," " #9"There has not been much humour","in this course, and it probably","will be a relief to know that","next time you pick up a funny","book to read, you can spend" #;Q"more time laughing than reading."," ","Thank you for completing the","course." #= " ","---" #? #A #C #E #G #I #K #M #O #Q #S #U $^|" ","When I am, as it were,","completely myself, entirely","alone, and of good cheer - say","travelling in a carriage, or" $`"walking after a good meal, or","during the night when I cannot","sleep; it is on such occasions","that my ideas flow best and","most abundantly." $b\"Whence and how they come, I do","not know; nor can I force","them. Those pleasures that" $d"please me I retain in memory,","and am accustomed, as I have","been told, to hum them to","myself. If I continue in this","way, it soon occurs to me how" $f"I may turn this or that morsel","to account, so as to make a","good dish of it, that is to say","agreeably to the rules of","counterpoint, to the peculiar-","ities of the various","instruments, etc." $h"All this fires my soul, and,","provided I am not disturbed,","my subject enlarges itself,","becomes methodised and defined," $j"and the whole, though it be","long, stands almost complete and","finished in my mind, so that I","can survey it, like at a glance." $l" ","Nor do I hear in my imagination","the parts successively, but I","hear them, as it were, all at","once. What a delight this is","I cannot tell!" $n"All this inventing, this","producing, takes place in a","pleasing lively dream. Still","the actual hearing of the 'tout","ensemble' is after all the best." $p"What has been thus produced I","do not easily forget, and this","is perhaps the best gift I have","my Divine Maker to thank for." $r"When I proceed to write down","my ideas, I take out of the bag","of my memory, if I may use that","phrase, what has been previously","put into it in the way I have","mentioned." $t"For this reason the committing","to paper is done quickly enough,","for everything is, as I have","said before, already finished;" $v"and it rarely differs on paper","from what it was in my imagin-","ation. At this occupation I can","therefore suffer myself to be" $x"disturbed; for whatever may be","going on around me, I write,","and even talk, but only of fowls","and geese, or Gretel or Barbel,","or some such matters."," " $z"But why my productions take from","my hand that particular form and","style that make them Mozartish,","and different from the works of","other composers, is probably" $|"owing to the same cause which","renders my nose so large or so","aquiline, or, in short makes it","Mozart's and different from","those of other people." $~>"For I really do not study or","aim at any originality."," " $"---","437 words" $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ %,"Mozart thought his greatest gift",2 %V"1) To be his nose","2) To be his memory","3) To be his hearing","4) To be his soul" % % % % % % % % % % % % % % &R"sufficiently comprehensible`","computers would understand`","the tools of new technology`","since the beginning of term`","with effect from above date`" &S"very sensitive to changes`","She studied it for hours`","The battle to curb costs`","there are inverse elements`","occupying a point in space`" &T"the next meeting is here`","the message she is carrying`","practice to prepay orders`","You should have received it`","The deal can transform you`" &U"Summer months are colder`","likely to be little cash`","opposition from politicians`","Afraid this will not last`","Flash four hundred phrases`"