English learning log
'Try and live a normal life if you have dementia' (reading comprehension)
A woman diagnosed with dementia in 2016 is still living an independent life (1) .................. .
Mary, 86, said it was "very important" for her to stay in her own home and she believed staying busy and sticking (2) ............ .
She has three visits a day from carers, (3) ........... .
Her advice to other people diagnosed with the condition was to "try not (4) ..............., and hope for the best".
Staying active
Mary was born in Devon but (5) ................ in Bogata, Madrid and Mexico City.
Back in Devon, Mary said she could not remember how her dementia diagnosis came about.
"I didn't suddenly say: 'Oh, God. I've got dementia' because (6) ....................."
She said she believed staying active was crucial and she went to a community support group once a week (7) ......................
Mary has recently been to Tenerife where she went whale-watching, enjoyed karaoke evenings and flamenco shows, (8) ..................... as "amazing and quite incredible".
Mary has three carer visits a day to help her with medication, cooking and shopping.
Holly Willis, from care provider Home Instead, (9) ..............., when the company first started caring for Mary, she was quite confused but, in the last nine years, "she's almost got better".
Ms Willis added: "I think it gives other people hope because it doesn't just mean a steep decline when you have a diagnosis."
Mary said she was grateful to her carers because they made it possible for her to stay at home.
She said: "I like it very much to be in my own home. (10) ............. in to an old folks' home or anything."
She added that she kept a diary of events every day which her carers said helped her to remember her busy schedule.
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A: where she did yoga and craft work
B: to worry about it, try and lead a normal life
C: to a routine helped her
D: it wasn't like that
E: which she describes
F: I would not be happy to move
G: at home nine years on
H: for many years lived abroad with her husband
I: who stay for about an hour each time
J: said that
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source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly30mzzy5no
Key: 1G 2C 3I 4B 5H 6D 7A 8E 9J 10 F
TOPIC 6: Weather, climate change, natural disasters
1. What is the best way to experience nature?
If you ask me, the best way to experience nature is to spend time in nature. How can we spend more time in nature? We can go for a walk, we can ride a bike with friends or walk the dog. Nature can be a forest or a park in the city.
2. Have you ever visited a national park? If yes, what did you do there?
I have visited Duna-Dráva National Park with my friend, who lives there near River Drava. We went cycling then went boating. I really enjoyed the peace and quiet there. As far as I know there are many beautiful national parks in Croatia, I probably will visit the Plitvice Lakes or Krka National Park.
3. When did you last experience extreme weather conditions?
I remember that some years ago we had a 'White Easter', it snowed at the end of March. We built a snowman in the garden on Easter Sunday, which I think was really extreme.
4. What is your favourite season? Why?
My favourite season is summer. We don't have to go to school and the weather is wonderful. Sometimes it gets too hot, but we can turn on the air conditioner or chill in the outdoor pool. When I go to the city I just wear light clothes and wear my hair in a ponytail. Days are really long and we can spend a lot of time outside.
5. What are the most terryfying and dangerous natural disasters? Which do you think is the worst? Why?
I think the most terryfying natural disasters are earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornados, volcanic eruptions and bushfires. They can injure or kill people and destroy home. I believe that floods are the worst because there is not much that you can do to stop them.
6. Do you think people should recycle?
I strongly believe that people should recycle everything that they can: plastic bottles, paper, glass bottles. We can make new things from old plastic bottles. I think everybody should select waste separately. We can compost vegetables and fruit and we can put plastic bottles and paper in the recycling bin.
7. What can you do to prevent pollution?
We shouldn't use old and dirty cars and we shouldn't burn harmful materials. We shouldn't use chemicals in the garden and of course we should close old and dirty factories.
8. What can we do to protect the environment?
There are many things that we can do:
we can reduce the amount of water or electricity that we use. Instead of long showers we can take shorter showers. We should turn off the lights when we leave the room. Instead of turning up the heating, we should put on a warm pullover. Instead of going to school by car, we should use public transport.
We can reuse old things: we can give old clothes to charity so other people can use the things that we don't need.
And last but not least: teach the next generation to learn from our mistakes.
TOPIC 5: ADVENTURE (tourism, free time, healthy lifestyle)
Do you prefer summer or winter holidays? Why?
I prefer summer holidays. The weather is much better. We don't have to go to school, we don't have to do homework and we can spend a lot of time with friends. We usually go on holiday to the seaside. I'm fond of Croatia. When we are on holiday we go to the beach every day. We can swim, sunbathe, find shells, sea stars or go on a boat trip.
Last summer I went to a fantastic summer folk dance festival in Zagreb. There were people from all over the world. We stayed in a large dorm and had a great time.
We are not very keen on winter holidays. We usually don't go on long trips, we just visit relatives, cousins in nearby villages.
Which is the most beautiful/interesting place you have ever visited?
The most beautiful place I have ever been to is ROGOZNICA. It's situated near Trogir in Croatia. It's a popular tourist village with sights like the Dragon's Eye Lake, the Promenade or the port.
Which do you think is the most popular/dangerous/expensive sport in your country?
Many people agree that football is the most popular sport. People like to watch it, play it or just play football on the computer. If you ask me, the most dangerous sport is wrestling. You can get injured easily. In my opinion the most expensive sport is horseriding because you have to buy the equipment and maybe a horse.
How do you feel about extreme sports? Would you try any?
I'm not into extreme sports like skydiving, rock climbing, downhill biking or rafting. To tell you the truth, they are extremely dangerous and I don't want to get injured or die. If I had to choose one extreme sport, I would try high diving. I would jump from the Mostar Bridge.
Have you ever had a sports accident? If yes, what happened?
Fortunately, I have never had a sports accident so I cannot say too much about this topic. I am always very careful when I do sports, I do not want to break my leg, sprain my ankle or have a concussion.
What are the benefits of participation in sports/playing sports on the computer/watching sports on television?
Let me start with the benefits of doing/playing sports. Physical activity makes you fitter, healthier, it improves your immune system and helps you lose weight - especially if you follow a healthy diet. Playing sports on the computer helps you kill time, spend your free time, have fun. If you enjoy playing sports in real life, maybe you want to play sports on the computer. If you ask me, it is much better than shooting games. Watching sports on TV is a good way to spend your free time. It can be a family activity or you can invite friends. You can watch real events, real results. It can be very motivating. Maybe you start watching sports on TV, then start doing sports.
What can help avoid sports injury?
I believe that a good, healthy diet, warm up, the right equipment (shoes for example) and focusing can help avoid sports injury. You should also avoid extreme sports.
In your opinion, what could be the worst thing that can happen on a holiday?
If you ask me, dying on a holiday, especially on the first day is the worst thing that can happen. You can drown in the sea, have a heart attack on a roller coaster or have food poisoning.
Of course, most people survive, but many tourists get their bag stolen or lost. You can also have a sunstroke or sunburn or lose your passport.
HOUSING
What do you like about your neighbourhood?
I live in a quiet and peaceful village. I think it's very liveable, very calm and the people are really friendly. The air is clean and it is a safe area. Summers are really beautiful, there is a lake and Pécs is very close. However, we don't have a good supermarket, some roads are really bad and buses don't run frequently.
Would you describe your house? Do you like it? Why?
We live in a detached, two-storey house. I really like it because it's big enough for us and we have a lovely garden. I have my own room, which used to be the hall. My room overlooks the garden.
Who do you live with?
I share the house with my parents, my brother and my grandmother, who has her own space: she has her own kitchen, bathroom and living room.
Which is your favourite room?
I have two favourite rooms: my own bedroom and my grandmother's living room, where I spent a lot of time when I was a child.
How is your room furnished?
I have a bed and shelves behind it. There's a chest of drawers, a wardrobe, a bookcase and a mirror on the wall.
Who pays the bills in your house?
My parents pay the bills in our house. We have to pay for utilities: electricity, gas and water. They transfer the money from their bank account.
What would your dream house be like?
I really like our house, so my dream house is very similar to our house. I wouldn't like to live in a very big or very small house. Maybe I would like to add a swimming pool to our garden.
What is the difference between a house and a home?
A house is just a building, but home is where the heart is. Your home is more than a building because it is where you have your memories.
What would you miss if you had to move to a much smaller house?
To tell you the truth, I wouldn't like to move to a tiny house because I need more space. I would miss the privacy, maybe I would have to share a room with my brother if we had to move to a smaller house.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a very large house?
If you live in a very large house, you have more space and privacy, you can have a lot of different rooms: a laundry room, a TV room, a gym. However, a big house is more expensive, bills are highher and you have to clean more. Or you have to hire a cleaner and a gardener. Overall, living in a very large house is not a good idea because it costs a lot of money and you can feel very lonely.
WOULD YOU LIKE ... 3
WOULD YOU LIKE a bathbomb or a bubble bath?
WOULD YOU LIKE a plaid scarf or a knit scarf?
WOULD YOU like a cactus or an orchid?
WOULD YOU LIKE a houseboat or an RV?
WOULD YOU LIKE white dungarees or black dungarees?
Would you like .... ?
WOULD YOU LIKE a lemon or a banana?
WOULD YOU LIKE a small dog or a big dog?
WOULD YOU LIKE a pizza or a hamburger?
WOULD YOU LIKE ...? 2
WOULD YOU LIKE these jeans ot those jeans?
WOULD YOU LIKE Nike or Adidas sneakers?
WOULD YOU LIKE a black cat or a white cat?
The people who 'see' foreign languages: How synaesthesia can help language learning
Synaesthesia is not considered .................... (1) and – although it has been ...........(2) neurodevelopmental and mental health conditions including autism, anxiety and schizophrenia – it is described as an "alternative perceptual reality" and ............ (3) be beneficial.
"When I was younger I knew I saw the world ............... (4), and my way of describing that to others was 'colourful'," says Smadar Frisch.
Frisch, who has grapheme-colour synaesthesia, sound-colour synaesthesia and lexical–gustatory synaesthesia – where words have taste – explores the world of senses through her podcast, Chromatic Minds, and is currently ................... (5) the subject. "Learning in school was too much for me sensory-wise," she says. "It is very difficult trying to solve an equation when all the colouring of a series of numbers was a psychedelic blast."
This explosion of colour, says Frisch, .............. (6) what she was doing. "[It was the] same with language. The words' colours, music and taste sensations ignited me and I wanted to express myself so much – that I lost focus."
It wasn't until ............. (7) that she came across Richard Cytowic and David Eagleman's book, Wednesday is Indigo blue. "My initial thought was that Wednesday is actually orange – and I needed to get this book." This was a turning point for Frisch. "I finally understood how my synaesthete brain is linked and wired. And I thought to myself, this phenomenon is amazing. I can use the colours to help me learn, ............ (8) ."
Frisch developed a colour coding system to help her ................ (9) and quickly. Studying languages no longer felt confusing but "organised", she says. "And it worked! My whole world changed. I went on to learn the thing my brain was meant to excel in: languages."
Frisch says she was able to learn French and Spanish fluently in just two months. "I scored 90+ on each [French and Spanish] exam," she says. Today Frisch can speak seven languages fluently – and says she can learn any language she wants ".............. (10), in a short matter of time".
- writing her first book on (A)
- rather than confuse me (B)
- generally thought to (C)
- she'd almost finished high school (D)
- learn new languages fluently (E)
- to be a neurological disorder (F)
- would cause her to lose focus and forget (G)
- with no difficulty (H)
- in a different way (I)
- linked to (J)
full article: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250224-the-people-who-see-foreign-languages-how-synaesthesia-can-help-language-learning
Entertainment: arts, films, free time
What do you like doing in your free time?
I really enjoy dancing, especially Croatian folk dance. I go to rehearsals every week, we usually have performances at the weekend.
I'm fond of watching series. Recently I've been watcing the Crown on Netflix. It's based on true events, it follows the life of the English royal family.
I also enjoy travelling, in summer we usually go to Croatia, this year we might visit Dubrovnik.
I'm keen on baking cakes.
What photographs or pictures do you see every day?
There are some photos and posters on the walls in my room. Most of them show my friends and family's special occasions: birthdays and holidays.
Who is the best artist you know?
I believe that the best artist is God, who created the whole universe. Art just imitates everything that God created.
Where do you prefer watching a film?
To tell you the truth I enjoy going to the cinema because I'm fond of the popcorn that you can buy there. Watching a film at home has advantages, too, for example you can lie in your comfortable bed and watch your favourite films on your laptop.
Can you name some festivals that are important in your country?
If you ask me, the most interesting festival is Busójárás, the busó carnival. It takes place at the end of February in the city of Mohács. Frightening-looking costumed people (traditionally men) wearing wooden masks and big woolly cloaks take to the streets and chase winter away. This festival marks the end of winter.
When was the last time you went to a concert?
The last time I went to a concert was in December. We went to a Severina show in the Expo Centre with my friends. We had a great time there.
What kind of cultural events do young people like?
Most young people like concerts and festivals. As for me, I enjoy my folk dance performances because I like to prepare for them and do my best on the stage.
Is cultural activity important in our society?
In my opinion culture is very important because we can build our life on culture and traditions. It also means that we share the same values and heritage.
What was the last film you saw? What type of film is it? What is it about?
I've been watching a Netflix series called The Crown. It's a series, it's about the British Royal family, the main character is the Queen of England.
