Dexway English Magazine: B1 – Edition 1
Spring cleaning
SPRING IS COMING
We find ourselves in Spring already, how fast winter passed! In a short time we will be thinking about changing our wardrobes from our thick winter clothes to our colourful and cool summer clothes. But maybe while our wardrobe demands attention so does our house or apartment.
In the United Kingdom when the earth starts to crack with spring flower we start cleaning, we call it “The spring clean”, we open the windows and the doors and clean every cabinet and surface in our houses.
I have included some green alternatives to popular cleaning products, notice how the measurements use the American standard of cups which is about 16 tablespoons, Castile soup is a hard soap made from olive oil and Borax (Sodium Borate) is a naturally occurring mineral, but may be hard to get hold off.
Window cleaner
- Mix 1/4 cup vinegar with 1 quart of water in a spray bottle. Spray on glass and wipe clean with old newspaper or a lint-free cloth.
Tiles
- Mix 2 parts vinegar and 1 part baking soda with 4 parts water. Apply with a sponge, scour, and wipe away.
Floors
- Mix 4 cups of white distilled vinegar with about a gallon of hot water. If desired, add a few drops of pure peppermint or lemon oil for a pleasant scent. After damp mopping the floors, the smell of vinegar will dissipate quickly, leaving behind only the scent of the oil.
Wooden furniture
- Mix equal parts of lemon juice and olive oil. Apply a small amount to a cloth, and rub onto the furniture in long, even strokes
Air Freshener
- Sprinkle essential oil on a cotton ball, and stash it in a corner of the room. If you have kids, make sure it is out of their reach as essential oils are very strong and could irritate their skin. Lavender is a relaxing scent that is great for bedrooms, and cinnamon, clove, and citrus oils are great for the rest of the house. You can stash a few in the car too—try peppermint, which may help you to stay alert.
HAPPY CLEANING
Tell me lies
TELL ME SWEET LITTLE LIES…
Most people would agree that lying is wrong…. except when there’s a good reason for it – which means that it’s not always wrong! We are told from childhood not to lie and even we listened to stories of kids who lie and the consequences, such as the story of Pinocchio. At the same time, our parents, teachers and the media fed us many lines and we are even taught that it´s ok to lie to avoid hurting someone´s feelings. So, with all these conflicting messages; how could we not learn to lie?
Science tells us that in a 10-minute conversation with two acquaintances, they will tell several lies each. It could be about their health, how great they are doing, how amazing their vacation was… anything to make something sound better than what it really was. But why do we do this? It is just human nature. American psychologist Paul Ekman, a pioneer in the study of emotions and their relation to facial expressions, has been nicknamed “the best human lie detector in the world”. He says we lie to escape punishment, to elude uncomfortable social situations, to give ourselves an ego boost, to receive an award, to protect someone or to control the flow of information. His work even inspired the US TV show “Lie to me”. He says we only ever catch a lie about 50% of the time so, it seems lying is unavoidable.
Summaries
BE BRIEF
A summary is a brief explanation of something. It is useful in all forms of communication whether it is in a formal setting, at work, or in an informal setting with friends. For example, at work you might be asked by your boss to summarize the meeting you had with the accounts department. And when you are with your friends, they might ask you about a film that you have seen.
The key to a summary is not to give too much information. In the case of the meeting with the accounts department, your boss will probably want a report that shows all the points covered and the future projections, but if you bump into your boss just after the meeting, before you’ve had the chance to write a report, then they might ask you how the meeting went.
Likewise, if your friend asks you whether you have seen the latest Spiderman movie and they have not seen it, you don’t want to tell them all the key plot details and ruin the movie for them.
There is a simple technique you can follow.
Somebody… Wants… But… So… is a technique where you basically fill in the gaps.
For example:
Susan from accounts wants to digitalise all the accounting data but there are so many files that it will take a long time so she thinks it is necessary to hire some temporary staff.
Google goggles
THE FUTURE
Now we can all be jet fighter pilots, terminators and predators!
The helmets for the pilots of the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter planes are hi-tech and futuristic. The planes don’t have a dash board or a head-up display, now all the information will be displayed on the visor inside helmet. So the pilots will have augmented reality, this means they will have data and statistics like the robots, cyborgs and aliens from sci-fi films such as Terminator and Predator.
But this technology is not just for fighter pilots and fictional characters. Google have launched a video showing a prototype pair of glasses that project information onto the lenses. So you can have information not just at your fingertips, but in front of your eyes, all the time. They are the next step in the integration of information systems into every part of our life.
Do you think Google goggles look cool or do you think they might be dangerous for people crossing the road?
How much would you pay for a pair of Google goggles?
Crime Solvers
THE SCIENCE OF CRIME
Have you ever watched a TV drama show about police and forensics and wished you could be a part of it or if a real lab works like that? Forensic science relies on knowledge of chemistry, biology and math to help police solve crimes. In St. Louis, Missouri, in the United States, the police and scientists are changing how they solve crimes.
The police department now has scientists who come with them to crime scenes to help officers crack cases quicker. They credit the knowledge that scientists have is better served when they can physically be at a crime scene and see how things fit together
Officers and scientists also say that it is improving communication between departments and it is streamlining evidence analysis because having had a scientist at the scene can help prioritize evidence processing. Kyra Lienhop a DNA scientist says “To physically be there and see the layout of the streets” is key.
Going to University
THE BIG STEP
When a student finishes secondary school in the UK they have a choice either go to a University or a technical college. By going to University a student can earn an undergraduate degree (sometimes called Bachelor degrees) which is focused on their chosen area of study. There are a variety of courses across many fields include Math, arts and science, however not all courses are offered at all Universities.
For some families the first time a child leaves home to go to university, can be scary for both parents and child but at the same time an exciting time. Being a “fresher” at a large University can provide you with a range of different experiences. After three years of studying a student then move onto a masters or even PhD!
Graduate students have the possibility to earn a higher wage then students who didn’t go to University however at the same time many students are burdened with debt only paying for University will cost 3,000 (three thousand pound) a year, then you have living costs on top which do not exactly amount to the best start in your career.
The UK has seen a drop in the number of students accessing University but seen a rise in the number of student going to technical colleges, it seems technical qualifications are more in vogue and cheaper!
