Divided-at-birth twins marry each other

BEFORE READING

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

1.	sibling	a.	bamboozlement
2	invalid	b.	giver
3.	donor	c.	names
4.	conception	d.	conspiring
5.	identities	e.	worthless
6.	pressing	f.	lies
7.	colluding	g.	insemination
8.	deception	h.	certain
9.	falsifies	i.	a brother or sister
10.	inevitable	j.	pushing

A twin brother and sister who were separated at birth and later married each other without knowing they were siblings have had their marriage ended. The British courts decided the marriage was invalid because of their strong blood relationship. This tragic and unfortunate case happened because the pair were adopted by different sets of parents and their birth certificates did not identify their biological parents. Britain’s Lord Alton immediately used the story to push for a law that allows children conceived via donor insemination to be told about the method of their conception. It is not thought, however, that the British brother and sister were conceived through a donor. Their identities and details of their relationship and marriage, including how long they were married, have been kept secret.


Lord Alton is pressing for a change in the law to make more information about parents available on birth certificates. He says people also have a right to know how they were conceived: "The state is colluding in a deception. We are opening the door to more cases like this one. One of the most fundamental things of all is to know who you are. The issue here is about human rights. A birth certificate that omits any mention of your true origin falsifies your history in a very significant way," he said. He lamented the situation of the brother and sister whose marriage ended in such sadness, saying: "[They] met later in life and felt an inevitable attraction, and the judge had to deal with the consequences of the marriage that they entered into and all the issues of their separation."

COMPREHENSION 

1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

a.	Twin siblings separated at birth married each other.	T / F
b.	A British court has annulled the marriage.	T / F
c.	The siblings’ birth certificates showed they were related.	T / F
d.	The British court said the couple had been married for two years.	T / F
e.	A British Lord said people need to know about their conception.	T / F
f.	The Lord accused the British government of lying.	T / F
g.	The Lord said many people do not know who they are.	T / F
h.	The judge felt sorry for the couple whose marriage was annulled.	T / F

Computers 'to match man by 2029'

BEFORE READING 

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

1.	leading	a.	speed
2	predicted	b.	point out
3.	within	c.	future
4.	upcoming	d.	developer
5.	extension	e.	top
6.	identify	f.	specialists
7.	experts	g.	forecast
8.	pioneer	h.	inside
9.	pace	i.	sci-fi
10.	science fiction	j.	addition

A leading US scientist has predicted that computers will be as intelligent as humans by 2029. Futurologist Dr Ray Kurzweil told the American Association for the Advancement of Science that in the near future, machine intelligence will overtake the power of the human brain. He said that within two decades computers will be able to think quicker than humans. Dr Kurzweil painted a picture of us having tiny robots called nanobots implanted in our brain to boost our intelligence and health. He told reporters that these microscopic nanobots would work with our brains to make us think faster and give us more powerful memories. Kurzweil explained that we are already “a human machine civilization” and that the upcoming technology “will be a further extension of that."


Dr Kurzweil was one of 18 top intellectuals asked by the US National Academy of Engineering to identify our greatest technological challenges. Other experts included Google founder Larry Page and the human genome pioneer Dr Craig Venter. Kurzweil has a very impressive background in science and innovation. He was an innovator in various fields of computing, including the technology behind CDs. He also pioneered automatic speech recognition by machines. He predicts the pace of new inventions will increase greatly from now, saying: "…the next half century will see 32 times more technical progress than the past half century." This means scenes from science fiction movies, like Blade Runner, The Terminator and I Robot, will become more and more a part of our everyday lives.

COMPREHENSION 

1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

a.	Computers will match men and women in perfect marriages.	T / F
b.	Machines will be more intelligent than humans within two decades.	T / F
c.	A leading scientist likes painting pictures using very small robots.	T / F
d.	The scientist suggested that machines inside us is natural progress.	T / F
e.	A US organization asked scientists for 18 21st-Century challenges.	T / F
f.	The scientist in the article has no background in computing.	T / F
g.	Technology developments will increase by 50 times in 32 years.	T / F
h.	Things we see in sci-fi movies will become commonplace in reality.	T / F

Afternoon naps increase risk of stroke

BEFORE READING 

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

1.	nap	a.	changed
2	elderly	b.	clearly
3.	regularly	c.	circumstances
4.	physicians	d.	earlier
5.	evaluation	e.	doctors
6.	situations	f.	conclusions
7.	previously	g.	frequently
8.	adjusted	h.	shut-eye
9.	obviously	i.	examination
10.	findings	j.	aged

People used to believe that taking an afternoon nap was good for their health. However, according to a new report, daytime dozing may actually harm our health, especially in the elderly. A team of American researchers told the recent International Stroke Conference that older people who regularly napped were more likely to suffer a stroke. Their research showed that “some dozing” increased the risk of a stroke by up to 2.6 times, compared with those who never took naps. “Significant dozing” meant the risk was 4.5 times higher. The researchers said that the habit of napping may be an early warning sign of a future stroke. The team leader, Dr Bernadette Boden-Albala advised doctors to keep a check on older people who often dozed off. She said: “If patients are moderately or significantly dozing, physicians need to think about sending them for further evaluation."

In the two-and-a-half-year study, the team asked 2,000 people how often they dozed off in different situations. These included while watching TV, sitting and chatting to someone, relaxing after lunch, and stopping in traffic while driving. All the participants were aged 40 or above and none had previously suffered a stroke. The team’s findings were adjusted to take into account traditional stroke risk factors, such as age, race, gender, education, blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and levels of exercise. Dr Boden-Albala suggested we need to question what is healthiest for us, saying “sleepiness obviously puts us at risk of stroke". She added this was important to ask because other studies show that people do not get enough sleep, which makes them constantly tired. The study’s findings may not be comfortable reading for those in countries where siestas are common.

COMPREHENSION 

1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

a.	Dozing off in the afternoon could be dangerous to teenagers.	T / F
b.	People who sometimes napped didn’t increase their risk of a stroke.	T / F
c.	Heavy dozers were 4.5 times more likely to suffer a stroke.	T / F
d.	A researcher suggested doctors should ask about sleeping habits.	T / F
e.	A study into dozing off and strokes took two-and-a-half years.	T / F
f.	Everyone in the study was over 50 years old.	T / F
g.	The study considered things like age, sex and physical activity.	T / F
h.	The study is welcome news for people who like having a siesta.	T / F

Flip-flops could be bad for our health

BEFORE READING 

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

1.	according to	a.	change
2	trigger	b.	arm or leg
3.	alter	c.	grasped
4.	gait	d.	remained
5.	stayed put	e.	step
6.	limb	f.	result in
7.	stride	g.	in the opinion of
8.	gripped	h.	increased
9.	lead to	i.	walk
10.	multiplied	j.	cause

Flip-flops, the slip-on, slip-off footwear most of us wear to the beach, may be bad for our health. This is according to a study carried out by the American College of Sports Medicine. The report showed that walking in flip-flops can trigger aches and pains all over the body, not just make our feet sore. It goes so far as to say that flip-flops are the most damaging type of shoes for our health, even worse than high heels. Report author Justin Shroyer stated: “We found that when people walk in flip-flops, they alter their gait, which can result in problems and pain from the foot up into the hips and lower back.” He explained that people changed their walking style because they were "very concerned about stubbing their toes" and wanted to make sure the flip-flop stayed put on the foot and did not go flying off.

The flip-flop research involved 39 male and female graduates. They were videoed while walking in flip-flops and in athletic shoes. The researchers compared the length of people’s stride and limb angles when people wore the different footwear. They discovered that flip-flop wearers took shorter steps, gripped more with their toes and moved their ankles in a wider angle. All of these changes to our walking style cause unnatural shocks to our joints. This can create stresses which can lead to serious injury if they are repeated over a long period of time. Estimates are that the average person takes 15,000 steps each day. Even small, unnatural changes to a healthy walking style can be multiplied thousands of times if we wear flip-flops all day. The researchers advised wearing flip-flops for short periods of time only.

COMPREHENSION 

1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

a.	The rubber from flip-flops could give us blood poisoning.	T / F
b.	Research shows flip-flops can cause aches and pains all over our body.	T / F
c.	A study said high heels are the footwear that damages our feet most.	T / F
d.	People change their walking style to stop flip-flops from flying off.	T / F
e.	Flip-flops researchers videoed the walking style of 39 athletes.	T / F
f.	People who wear flip-flops generally take shorter strides.	T / F
g.	On average, we take somewhere in the region of 15,000 steps a day.	T / F
h.	Researchers recommended a global ban on the wearing of flip-flops.	T / F

Fisherman hero swims 10 hours to shore

BEFORE READING 

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

1.	hailed	a.	fishing boat
2	trawler	b.	willpower
3.	choice	c.	stamina
4.	feat	d.	nightmare
5.	endurance	e.	called
6.	called off	f.	signs
7.	evidence	g.	fatigue
8.	ordeal	h.	effort
9.	exhaustion	i.	stopped
10.	determination	j.	option

An Australian fisherman has been hailed a national hero after he swam for 10 hours in shark-infested waters to help his colleagues. Michael Williams, 39, amazed rescue workers and emergency services after his marathon 12-kilometre swim off the coast of New South Wales. His shrimp trawler hit a coral reef and sank very quickly. There was no time to radio for help so Williams and the two other fishermen on the boat had no choice but to jump into the sea. The three men became separated in the dark and Williams decided to swim to the shore. His feat of endurance amazed rescue workers and the fishing community. His efforts meant he was able to save one of his two crew mates. A rescue helicopter pulled John Jarrett, 41, from the ocean soon after Williams raised the alarm.


Emergency services called off the search for the third man, the boat’s captain, Charlie Picton. Police said evidence suggested he had drowned. Police officers described the survival of Williams and Jarrett as nothing short of “miraculous”. A search and rescue specialist, Steve Willis, said very few people could survive such an ordeal. He told reporters: "The expected survival time for most people in those conditions would be a few hours.” Williams is making a full recovery in hospital, suffering from cuts and bruises, exhaustion and sunburn. Jarrett is also doing well after being severely dehydrated. He never doubted his survival, telling the media: "I've got a determination like no other person…I wasn't going to die out there, no way." He did add that he would never go to sea again.

COMPREHENSION 

1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

a.	An Australian fisherman has broken a marathon swimming record.	T / F
b.	The fisherman’s boat sank in shark-infested waters.	T / F
c.	The fisherman radioed for help before he jumped into the sea.	T / F
d.	The fisherman’s heroism saved the life of one of his colleagues.	T / F
e.	The police described the fisherman’s survival as being a miracle.	T / F
f.	The fisherman is not making such a speedy recovery in hospital.	T / F
g.	Another fisherman was suffering from a lack of water.	T / F
h.	The other fisherman is looking forward to going to sea again.	T / F

Top spam e-mail sender stays in prison

BEFORE READING 

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

1.	mass	a.	reversed
2	originally	b.	fools
3.	overturned	c.	wealth
4.	clogs	d.	large-scale
5.	prosperity	e.	imitation
6.	aliases	f.	initially
7.	fake	g.	forecast
8.	anonymously	h.	blocks
9.	predict	i.	false names
10.	tricks	j.	secretly

An American court has sent a strong warning to anyone who sends spam e-mail. Virginia judges decided that one of the world’s top e-mail spammers, Jeremy Jaynes, must stay in prison. He was originally jailed for nine years in 2004 for mass distribution of junk e-mail. He appealed against the decision and was trying to get his prison sentence overturned, saying that sending bulk e-mail was not against the law. He tried to argue in court that his rights of free speech meant he could send as many mails as he liked. The judges disagreed in a 4-3 decision against him. Virginia’s state attorney Bob McDonnell said: "This is a historic victory in the fight against online crime." He added: "Spam not only clogs e-mail inboxes and destroys productivity, it also defrauds citizens and threatens the online revolution that is so critical to…economic prosperity."

Jaynes was thought to be one of the top ten spammers in the world before the police caught him. He used aliases and false Internet addresses to mail out millions of junk mails. Investigators said he sent as many as ten million mails a day, which earned him up to $750,000 a month. Many of these mails were for fake goods and services. The court ruled that Jaynes was sending out false information and this was not protected under America’s laws of free speech. Jaynes’ lawyer said the court’s decision was dangerous as it meant anyone who sent out bulk mail anonymously could now be arrested. Although keeping Jaynes in prison is good news in the fight against cyber-crime, there are thousands more like him. Experts predict that up to 90 percent of the world’s e-mail is junk. Spam also tricks people into giving personal information like bank and credit card details to the spammers.

COMPREHENSION 

1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

a.	A US court ruled a big-time e-mail spammer must stay in jail.	T / F
b.	The spammer will be released from prison in 2013.	T / F
c.	Forty three judges decided to keep the spammer in prison.	T / F
d.	Spam mail has a negative effect on the economy.	T / F
e.	The spammer used his own name in all of the mails he sent.	T / F
f.	The spammer sent as many as 10,000,000 mails every day.	T / F
g.	It could be that up to 90 per cent of all e-mails is spam.	T / F
h.	Spammers never try to get personal information and bank details.	T / F

New body scanners see through clothes

BEFORE READING

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

1.	searched	a.	hiding
2	mainly	b.	reach
3.	concealing	c.	touching
4.	devices	d.	created
5.	patting	e.	freedoms
6.	raised	f.	frisked
7.	liberties	g.	machines
8.	safeguards	h.	appeal
9.	temptation	i.	precautions
10.	end up on	j.	largely

Travellers at two US airports will soon be searched by new high-tech scanners. International airports in Los Angeles and New York have installed digital body scanners that can ‘see through’ clothing. The new machines will mainly search for weapons and explosives. They use the very latest technology, called millimeter wave imaging. Radio waves create a 3-D image of someone’s body to see if they are concealing anything dangerous. Government officials say the new equipment will make air travel safer. A spokesperson said: “Imaging devices are not a brand new security tool, but they are a brand new security tool for airports.” There are plans to install the devices in another 30 airports across the country. An official promised that passengers will prefer the scanner to a security guard patting their body.


The new technology has raised questions by privacy groups, who believe the scanning process is too detailed. They say the device can see too much of the naked body. A civil liberties spokesman said it was the same as a virtual strip search. He warned: “We need to make sure there are good safeguards. The temptation is great not to follow procedures when a celebrity or someone well-known is involved.” One female passenger at LA airport suggested that only female operators should be allowed to scan female passengers. She said she was highly embarrassed to see a male official looking at the digital image of her body. She was also worried the scanned images could end up on the Internet. It seems it’s only a matter of time, however, before the machines replace metal detectors.

COMPREHENSION 

1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

a.	All international airports will soon have high-tech body scanners.	T / F
b.	The main purpose of the scanners is to prevent terrorist attacks.	T / F
c.	The scanners are a brand new tool for the global security industry.	T / F
d.	An official said people will prefer metal detectors to the body scanner.	T / F
e.	Civil liberties groups are concerned about people’s privacy.	T / F
f.	A civil libertarian said a full strip search was preferable to the scanner.	T / F
g.	The civil libertarian was worried about celebrities and famous people.	T / F
h.	A passenger wondered whether body images would be posted online.	T / F