Exam Preparation B2 C1 Lesson 6: Press and Media

B2/C1 Exam Preparation Course Lesson 6: Press and Media

BOOK SYNOPSIS
1. Roland Deschain of Gilead is a haunting, solitary figure, on a mysterious quest through a desolate world that eerily mirrors our own. Pursuing the man in black, the fate of Roland’s journey will lead him on a path to the dark tower.

2. A story about the experiences of the Joad family. Evicted from their farm near Sallisaw, Oklahoma, they pack into a ramshackle truck heading west on Route 66, expecting plentiful jobs picking fruit or cotton in the fertile valleys of California.

3. Six people reunite to remember beautiful Rosemary Barton, who died nearly a year before, supposedly through suicide. The loving sister, the long-suffering husband, the devoted secretary, the lovers, the betrayed wife – none of them can forget Rosemary. But did one of them murder her?

4. A husband’s gentle and remarkably good-humoured account of the relationship with his wife, celebrating their life together without denying the pain and misery her Alzheimer’s caused them both.

5. The book describes the supposed experiments with psychic powers, attempted of a handful of U.S. Army officers in the late 1970s and early ’80s to exploit paranormal phenomena, New Age philosophy, and elements of the human potential movement for military purposes.

6. A nuclear war has destroyed the Northern Hemisphere, and radioactive dust is drifting south at a steady rate. In less than one year, the radioactive cloud will reach those living in southern Australia.

Article snippets about water

A.
It’s in every living cell, tissue and organ, and it’s second only to oxygen as the thing we need most to survive—pure, clean water. We can’t live without it, and we can’t live well without enough of it. We are constantly in need of water as we lose water with every breath and every activity of the body. We are especially at risk for dehydration when we exercise or we are ill—this is when dehydration, even mild dehydration, can take its toll, causing you to feel tired and drained of energy. Anyone may become dehydrated, but young children, older adults and people with chronic illnesses are most at risk.
B.
They might be pint-size, but their water needs are not. Kids, experts say, should be just as properly hydrated as adults, if not more so.
“The standard recommendations are for children to get six to eight glasses of water per day,” says Dr. Melina Jampolis, CNN Health’s Diet and Fitness expert. “Mild dehydration can affect learning as well as mental and physical performance.”
Underscoring Jampolis’ assertion is a recent report out of Tufts University which found that children who are even mildly thirsty can become cranky. For school-age children, dehydration—even at low levels—can impair cognitive function, says lead researcher Kristen D’Anci, Ph.D.
C.
We all know water is good for us and that we should probably drink more of it. So why, then, do Americans find it so difficult to sip from what is arguably the fountain of youth?
Answers vary, but the fact is, one in 10 Americans drinks zero cups of water per day, according to a study by Dr. Alyson Goodman, a medical epidemiologist for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Zero. She suspects that those who don’t drink any water (or very little) are getting it from other sources such as food and coffee, but warns this may not be enough.
D.
Being pregnant can be one of the most joyous occasions in life, but it is not without its challenges. It can mean joint pain and stiffness, added weight gain, morning sickness, heartburn, leg cramps and water retention.
All of these symptoms, however, can be alleviated naturally by drinking water, say experts.
“Pregnancy can be a taxing time for a mother’s body,” says Dr. Pietro Baio, DC, of Performance Edge Chiropractic, P.C. “Vitamins and minerals are now needed for both mom and child. The increased consumption can cause a decrease in natural alkaline minerals, which can be a factor in morning sickness and the possibility of the child being born with jaundice. Adding alkaline water to the drinking regime of the mother during pregnancy can aid in a smoother pregnancy and birth.”
E.
Think all bottled water is created equal? Think again. Most brands of bottled water on the market are just that: bottled water.
A new brand of water, however, is bucking that trend. Enter Alkame Water, which goes beyond simply quenching your thirst. The mild alkalinity water is designed to promote effective hydration by supporting the body’s optimum pH levels, providing antioxidant benefits and helping to improve energy levels and overall health.
The patented formula involves a micro-cluster molecular structure. This unique design supports Alkame Water’s distinctive alkalinity and also allows for high levels of stabilized, dissolved oxygen. Oxygenated water has been associated with improved aerobic capacity. In addition, it helps support the body’s immune system and reduces the impact of stress on the body caused by free radicals.
F.
Your diet, for better or worse, doesn’t just affect your waistline or the scale, but also plays a complex part in how you feel.
While much has been written on boosting the body’s immune system by eating foods dense in nutrients like antioxidants, zinc and omega 3s, many don’t consider what they drink.
Highlighting this point is a study conducted by Dr. Alyson Goodman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that suggests 7 percent of all Americans drink zero cups of water per day.
Zero.
According to Dr. Theodore A. Baroody, in order for a body to function well, it must continuously work to maintain a proper pH or chemical balance.
“An unbalanced pH can force your body to borrow important minerals from your vital organs and bones in order to remove excess acid,” says Baroody. “This can cause severe and lasting damage, including cancer, premature ageing, weak bones and fatigue.”
G.
Most people know that their bodies are made up of a great deal of water, but may be surprised to learn that number is about 70 percent—and yet studies show we don’t drink enough to replenish what we need.
Other drinks to be sure, but water? Not even close.
Emphasizing this point is a study conducted by Dr. Alyson Goodman for the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention that suggests one in 10 Americans drinks no water every day.
Zero.
She calls these results “mindboggling.”
“Water is vital for life,” says Goodman. “Many health risks decrease when you drink plain water.”
H.
For decades, we have been urged to be kind to Mother Earth, leave our environment better than when we were here, to live “greener.” This has gotten easier with the arrival of recycling.
After all, who doesn’t feel good about recycling their plastic water bottle? The problem, however, is that many of these bottles don’t make it to the recycling bin and instead end up in landfills that are already overrun with too much trash.
Enter Las Vegas-based Alkame Water, a company that is combatting this problem by creating a water bottle that is designed to be biodegradable in landfills, as well as recyclable with other plastics.

WRITING PRACTICE

You can either:
* Complete 2 writing assignments. You have 40 minutes if you wish to complete one now. The 2nd assignment you can complete at home.
* You can also watch our Grammar VIDEO tutorials during the next 40 minutes if you prefer to complete the Writing at home.

For IELTS (Academic format), please select the ESSAY topic (250 words: in 40 minutes. Counts for 2/3 of the Writing score) and GRAPH DESCRIPTION (150 words: in 20 minutes. Counts for 1/3 of the Writing score). You will have 1h to complete both tasks on the day of the exam.

* ESSAY: Write an essay discussing the changing face of the press & media and how you perceive it will change in the future.
* GRAPH DESCRIPTION:
Data-driven journalism
This visual aid shows how reporting is based on data during a journalistic process. “It is based on analyzing and filtering large data sets for the purpose of creating a news story.” (Source: Wikipedia).
Summarise the  information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

For IELTS (General format), please select the ESSAY topic (250 words) and LETTER (150 words). You will have 1h to complete both tasks on the day of the exam.

* ESSAY: Write an essay discussing the changing face of the press & media and how you perceive it will change in the future.
* LETTER: Write a short article for a newspaper addressing a recent event.

For FCE, please select 2 of the following: ESSAY, LETTER/EMAIL, REPORT, or REVIEW. You will have 1h20 to complete the tasks on the day of the exam.

* ESSAY: Write an essay discussing the changing face of the press & media and how you perceive it will change in the future.
* LETTER: Write a short article for a newspaper addressing a recent event.
* REVIEW: You have just heard a news story about how the government is thinking of building prison ships to alleviate congestion in prison. Write a review on the programme addressing why this would be a positive thing.
* REPORT: Write a report on what the public perceives to be important news to follow.

For CAE, please select 2 of the following: ESSAY, LETTER/EMAIL, PROPOSAL, REPORT, or REVIEW. You will have 1h30 to complete the tasks on the day of the exam.
* ESSAY: Write an essay discussing the changing face of the press & media and how you perceive it will change in the future.
* LETTER: Write a short article for a newspaper addressing a recent event.
* REVIEW: You have just heard a news story about how the government is thinking of building prison ships to alleviate congestion in prison. Write a review on the programme addressing why this would be a positive thing.
* PROPOSAL: Write a proposal for new newspaper that will only contain 3 specific sections. Explain why these sections are more important than others.
* REPORT: Write a report on what the public perceives to be important news to follow.

For TOEFL, please select the ESSAY topic and write a second essay response based on either the READING or LISTENING passage of the lesson. You will have 50 minutes to complete both essays on the day of the exam.

* ESSAY: Write an essay discussing the changing face of the press & media and how you perceive it will change in the future.
* ESSAY: Essay response based on either the reading or listening passage of today’s lesson (Press & Media): Based on Listening, how can the press and media influence the success or failure of literature, cinema etc.?