The death of the High Street It is often the case (0) that the principal street of an English town

or city is called the High Street, and in the past it (1) have been there that people used to meet, do business and go shopping. However, over the last few decades, Britain, (2) other developed countries, has seen giant supermarkets and major new shopping centres springing (3) reached by car and which have ample parking. The as the inconvenient both

on the outskirts of urban areas or in locations which are (4) appearance of these new temples of retailing is (5)

the result and the cause of the phenomenon (6)

death of the High Street, a consequence of the fact that town or city centres had become ever (7)

for the retailers themselves and for (8) customers. Once offered an alternative, shoppers and motorists were quick to flock to more modern and better-designed suburban shopping facilities, taking their business with them and so inevitably accelerating the closure of many of the smaller and most traditional shops, (9) greengrocers. These (10) as butchers, fishmongers and non-profit

then replaced by the ubiquitous charity shops, small retail outlets run (11)

organisations selling second-hand items given free by their supporters. These shops occupy (12) were formerly prime locations in the High Street, but may only pay a minimal rent, and are staffed by volunteers to maximise the income (13) the sale of old clothes, shoes, books or ornaments which fill their shelves. In the poorest regions of Britain (14) is not uncommon to find three, four or more charity shops in a small High Street, a situation which is convenient for those who cannot afford to buy new, and for those who benefit (15) the various services provided by the charities, but depressing for residents who remember the lively and prosperous High Streets of the past. HEALTH AND CIGARETTES In many Western countries, girls are more (01) ............. to smoke than boys. It's the girls who want to look "tough and grown-up." The result is that (02) ............. lung cancer in American men has fallen (03) ............. the first time in 50 years, the disease is (04) ............. in women. The decrease in the disease among men is attributed to a decrease in smoking among men (05) ............. the government's first warning of a (06) ............. between cigarettes and disease in 1964. On the other hand, lung cancer is now expected to overtake breast cancer (07) ............. the principal fatal cancer among women. (08) ............. your son or daughter is a non-smoker, there is another good (09)

............. for rejecting a smoker as a life-long mate. Smokers don't just ruin their own health by (10) ............. up. They are a menace to (11) ............. Second-hand smoke is lethal. As the 18th report on smoking by the United States Surgeon General (12) ............. it: "Involuntary smoking is a (13) ............. of disease, including lung cancer, in healthy non-smokers." (14) ............. to the report, at home, the children of parents who smoke (15) ............. the effects in their respiratory systems. Smokers make their own kids sick.

Chemical Controls

The more chemical controls are used, the more resistant the insects and microbes become. According to Dr Robert Metcalf, professor of entomology at the University of Illinois, "Some strains of insects and microbes have appeared that are (01) .................. to nearly everything in our arsenal. The short-sighted and (02) .................. use of antibiotics has produced monster bugs. And it's getting worse. Pests are now quicker to develop resistance to new (03) .................. weapons. The earliest (04) .................. like DDT were highly (05) .................. for many years. The (06) .................. of the latest (07) .................. is often measured in months."

Jobs for the Boys and Girls American ambassadors are political (08) .................., a way of thanking those who have given time and money to the (09) .................. campaign. Take the example of Della Newman, a Seattle real-estate broker and friend of George Bush, eminently qualified to be Ambassador to New Zealand. Her certificate of competence from the State Department points out: "Mrs Newman's background in the realestate business, combined with her many civic (10) .................., gives her the (11) .................. qualities to make her an (12) .................. candidate for Ambassador to New Zealand." (13) .................. diplomats have been appalled, and someone started to leak the competence certificates, which are supposed to show that the ambassador will have a (14) .................. of "the country's principal language, and understanding of its history, culture and political structure." A State Department official commented: "By keeping them (15) .................. they obviously hope to shepherd more turkeys through the Senate." One certificate, provided to an operator of fast-food restaurants in Kansas, read in full: "Mr Wilkins's (16) .................. background in business will serve him well as the next US ambassador to the Netherlands." 01. RESIST .................. 02. RESPONSE

.................. 03. CHEMISTRY .................. 04. INSECT .................. 05. EFFECT .................. 06. USE .................. 07. VARY .................. 08. APPOINT .................. 09. PRESIDE .................. 10. COMMIT .................. 11. MANAGE .................. 12. EXCEL .................. 13. PROFESS .................. 14. KNOW .................. 15. CONFIDE .................. 16. EXTEND ..................