ENGLISH BLOGGER: March 2015

Saturday 21 March 2015

WEEKEND READING

Money makes you a bad person

A researcher has made a report that says having a lot of money makes you a bad person. Professor Paul Piff spent ten years looking at the personalities of rich people and found that their behaviour was very different to the behaviour of poor people. Dr Piff said rich people are more likely to break rules, not follow the law, and not care about other people. He also said wealthy people cheat more at games and are less likely to help other people. Professor Piff told the BBC that: "Wealth makes you more [worried about] your own interests, your own desires, your own welfare." He added that rich people think their own goals and needs are the most important thing in their life.

Professor Piff also found that poorer people are more generous than rich people. The poor give a higher percentage of their money to help others than the rich. He said poorer people give one-and-a-half times as much as richer people. He said: "The wealthier you are, the less generous you are. You give significantly smaller portions away to [other people]." However, he did say that rich people could change their behaviour and become nicer and more generous. He said rich people can help others more if you tell them that giving and helping is a good thing. He said: "Reminding people of the benefits of cooperation, or the advantages of community, causes wealthier individuals to be just as [giving] as poor people."

1. TRUE / FALSE:Read the headline. Guess if a-h below are true (T) or false (F).

a.	A professor looked at rich people for ten years.	T / F
b.	The professor said the personalities of the rich and poor were similar.	T / F
c.	The professor said rich people cheat more at games.	T / F
d.	The article says poor people think their own goals are most important.	T / F
e.	Poor people give more of their money away than rich people.	T / F
f.	The professor said the richer you are, the less generous you are.	T / F
g.	Rich people will not change their behaviour even if you tell them to.	T / F
h.	The professor said rich people cannot be as giving as poor people.	T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Write the number of the synonym.

1.	report	____	money
2	looking at	____	probable
3.	likely	____	considerably
4.	wealth	____	aims
5.	goals	____	greater
6.	higher	____	study
7.	significantly	____	inspires
8.	benefits	____	observing
9.	causes	____	people
10.	individuals	____	advantages

Friday 13 March 2015

BRING ENGLISH-SPANISH DICTIONARY ON MONDAY

BRING ENGLISH-SPANISH DICTIONARY

ON MONDAY

READING

90-year-old starts elementary school

A 90-year-old Kenyan grandmother has become the world's oldest elementary school student. Priscilla Sitienei, also known as Gogo, is from a small village in Kenya. She is studying at the local elementary school to learn to read and write. Ms Sitienei has spent most of her life working as a midwife, helping to deliver babies. She wants to be able to read and write so she can pass on her midwifery skills and write down the special herbal remedies she uses when she delivers babies. She also wants to be able to read the Bible. Sitienei said she never had a chance to go to school when she was younger. She said she knows she is old but hopes she will set an example to younger people. She wants all the children in her village to study.

When Ms Sitienei first tried to enroll at the school, the head teacher David Kinyanjui did not think it was a good idea. Now he is very happy that Gogo is at the school. Mr Kinyanjui said Gogo is a "blessing and a motivator". He added: "I'm very proud of her. She is loved by every pupil. They all want to learn and play with her." He also said: "She is doing well considering her age. I can say I have seen a big difference in this school since she came." Gogo had a message for children everywhere, saying: "I want to say to the children of the world, especially girls, that education will be your wealth." She added: "With education, you can be whatever you want - a doctor, lawyer or a pilot."

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE:Read the headline. Guess if a-h below are true (T) or false (F).

a.	The world's oldest elementary school student is also a grandmother.	T / F
b.	The student lives in the capital city of Kenya.	T / F
c.	The woman wants to be able to write about things in her job.	T / F
d.	The woman wants all the children in her village to study.	T / F
e.	The school head teacher always wanted the woman to join the school.	T / F
f.	Not all of the students in the school like the old lady.	T / F
g.	The head teacher said the woman made a big difference to the school.	T / F
h.	The woman had a special message just for boys.	T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH:Match the following synonyms from the article.

1.	student	a.	gift
2	local	b.	cures
3.	pass on	c.	register
4.	remedies	d.	neighbourhood
5.	chance	e.	taking into account
6.	enroll	f.	pupil
7.	blessing	g.	riches
8.	considering	h.	opportunity
9.	especially	i.	give
10.	wealth	j.	particularly