The Longer Read

TABLE OF CONTENTS

UNIT 1 AS IF BY MAGIC! ......................................................................................... 2

UNIT 2 LUCKY ESCAPES ........................................................................................... 3
UNIT 3 FANTASTIC SUMMER FUN! ......................................................................... 4
UNIT 4 WITH A LITTLE HELP .................................................................................... 5
UNIT 5 STEM STARS AT ‘THE BIG BANG’ .................................................................. 6
UNIT 6 STOLEN PHONE, STOLEN LIFE … .................................................................. 7
UNIT 7 VIRTUAL TEEN FORUM ............................................................................... 8
UNIT 8 PURRFECTLY PERSUASIVE ........................................................................... 9
UNIT 9 HOW TO … KEEP CALM AND PASS THE EXAMS! ......................................... 10
ANSWER KEY ........................................................................................................ 11

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 The Longer Read
The Longer Read
As if by magic!
If you’ve ever been amazed watching illusionists like
Dynamo on television, then Leah Mae Devine is one to
watch out for in the future.
Leah Mae has already made history by becoming the
first female magician to win the prestigious ‘Young
Magician of the Year’ competition at the age of 16,
after competing against six boys. ‘The biggest myth
about magic is that “girls can’t do it”,’ says Leah Mae,
talking to The Independent newspaper. She is now
among the Magic Circle’s 7% of female members.
Assisted by her younger sister Sarah Jade, Leah Mae
has been a magician for about ten years, since the age
of eight. The sisters used to watch their mother doing
magic – she did more illusions than card tricks – and
Leah Mae always knew that she wanted to be a
magician.
And has Leah Mae always performed with her
15-year-old sister, Sarah Jade? (The duo perform
together under the stage name ‘Destiny’.) ‘Yes – even
that first show, when I was eight, we did as a double
act,’ says Leah Mae. ‘Sarah was just five or six at the
time.’ It’s no wonder they work so well as a team!
So what does the future hold for Leah Mae? At the
moment, she is studying dance, and a future on the
stage looks likely, either as a dancer or a magician,
because she has always loved performing. Destiny
have already performed at the South Tyneside
International Magic Festival, which by chance is close
to their hometown in north-east England. As well as
being among the acts opening the event, they also
performed at the Friday night gala alongside
prestigious magicians from Canada and the USA.
And what about the trick where the magician cuts
her assistant in half – does Leah Mae do that? Yes –
but with a difference. It’s Leah Mae who goes into the
box and her sister who holds the blade. But neither of
them has ever been hurt – not yet, anyway! Hopefully
the sisters have learnt some basic first aid just in case!
Just an illusion?
In recent years, illusionists like Dynamo and
Katherine Mills have helped bring magic to a wider
audience. Katherine has been a trailblazer and became
the first female magician to get her own show on
British TV. A psychology graduate, she was inspired by
the American magician David Blaine when she was a
teenager, recording his tricks and re-watching them to
try and work out how they were done.
Dynamo (a.k.a. Steven Frayne) has amazed
audiences worldwide with his ‘Seeing is believing’
tour. He has ‘levitated’ above the Shard building in
London and ‘walked on water’ across the River
Thames. Steven has spoken in public about how magic
helped him build confidence and overcome the
bullying he had suffered as a child. Now he has just
published his first book of magic secrets, so if you
haven’t learnt any new tricks yet, what are you waiting
for?!
1 Read the text. Are the sentences true or false?
Find evidence in the text to support your
answers.
1 Leah Mae beat a lot of other girls to win a
magic competition. T F
______________________________________
2 Leah Mae and her sister started performing
magic when they were young. T F
______________________________________
3 The sisters performed in a show with some
well-respected magicians. T F
______________________________________
4 Katherine Mills worked with David Blaine when
she was a teenager. T F
______________________________________
5 Steven Frayne didn’t want people to know that
he had been bullied. T F
______________________________________
2 Words in context Match the underlined
words in the text with definitions 1–7. Write
your answers.
1 succeed in dealing with a problem _________
2 someone who is the first to do something
_________
3 without being planned or intended _________
4 admired and respected _________
5 two entertainers who perform together
_________
6 solve a problem _________
7 so that people hear about or see something
_________
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 The Longer Read
The Longer Read
Lucky escapes
Siri saves Texan teen
Tyler Frank spent nearly two days on the roof of her
house waiting for help after Hurricane Harvey had
struck Houston, Texas, which lies near the Gulf of
Mexico in southern USA. The 14-year-old had woken in
the early hours with flood water surrounding her bed.
Luckily Tyler was safe because her brother Joseph had
carried her up to the roof with the rest of her family. All
the family could see around them were flooded streets
and chaos.
Fortunately Tyler hadn’t forgotten to take her mobile
phone with her! She had already tried calling the
emergency services, but she was told that all the rescue
workers were busy dealing with other casualties and
that because the situation was so serious, they were
prioritising the elderly. But as Tyler suffers from a
genetic disorder called sickle cell anaemia, she knew she
needed medical aid fast. With no sign of rescue, Tyler
had an idea. ‘Siri’s smart, let me ask her!’ she thought.
The voice-activated software called the emergency
services who sent a helicopter. Eventually, Tyler was
flown to Texas Children’s Hospital where she spent
several days recovering.
Like many survivors of Hurricane Harvey, Tyler’s
family have lost everything: their home, their car and all
their possessions. Currently the whole family is living in
one hotel room. ‘Everything’s gone,’ she told The
Independent newspaper. ‘We have to start over.’ At least
70 people lost their lives as the deadly hurricane swept
through Texas, and more than 176,000 homes were
damaged or destroyed and 600,000 cars were flooded.
According to the National Weather Service, 51.88 inches
(131cm) of rain fell, which is the highest figure for a
single storm in US history.
Lightning strikes at McDonald’s drive-thru
16-year-old student Faith Mobley from Haleyville,
Alabama, had a lucky escape when she was hit by
lightning at a McDonald’s drive-thru.
The teenager, a part-time worker at the restaurant,
had just started doing the dishes when she saw a flash of
lightning outside. Before she could react, the lightning
had already travelled through the building, through the
washing-up water and through Faith’s microphone
headset, before passing through her body, down one leg,
and out of her foot. When she was interviewed by
reporters later, she showed them the hole in her shoe
where the lightning bolt had left her body.
Faith’s co-workers called the paramedics immediately
and she was rushed to hospital. Dr James Hwang, who
treated Faith at the burns centre there, said she had
been very lucky – lots of victims of lightning suffer more
serious injuries, with clothes catching fire or the
lightning causing cardiac arrest or permanent nerve
damage. Indeed, according to some sources, more than
2,000 people worldwide are killed by lightning every
year, which is perhaps not surprising given that a
lightning bolt is five times hotter than the surface of the
sun.
By the following day, the small black blister on Faith’s
foot had disappeared. All that remained was the hole in
her shoe and another strange phenomenon which her
doctor had never witnessed before: before the lightning
struck, Faith had always worn glasses, but afterwards
she could see perfectly well without them! In addition,
she says that her eyes used to be dark green and now
they are lighter!
1 Read the text and complete the sentences with
between one and three words.
1 Tyler Frank and her family spent ____________
on the roof of their home.
2 The first people to be rescued by the emergency
services were ____________.
3 After the hurricane, Tyler and her family moved
____________.
4 During the hurricane, there was ____________
than in any other storm.
5 Some people who are struck by lightning
____________ attack.
6 Before ___________, Faith’s eyes were dark
green.
2 Words in context Find the underlined words
in the text and complete the sentences.
1 This disease is potentially _________ for
children and the elderly.
2 The government is currently _________
investment in education and health.
3 After the earthquake, doctors provided
_________ on location for the victims.
4 The tsunami _________ up the beach towards
the village.
5 The severe floods have brought _________ to
large parts of the country.
6 The _________ of the road became very
slippery because of the ice.
7 My cat is being treated by the vet for a blood
_________.
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 The Longer Read
The Longer Read
Fantastic summer fun!
What are you going to do next summer? Hopefully you won’t
have to stay at home and study! Maybe you’re planning to go
backpacking, do voluntary work or get a summer job and
make some money. Or perhaps you’re going to switch off
and relax by the pool. But if you’re thinking of setting off on
a summer camp, check out these great ideas. You might not
be able to go to Fiji or the USA, but perhaps you’ll find
something equally exciting closer to home!
SHARK CAMP
What is it?
A 24-day trip diving with sharks on Fiji’s largest island, Viti
Levu.
Are you kidding?!
Well, it might be hard to persuade your parents to let you
swim with sharks without a cage – we’ve all seen Jaws,
haven’t we? But apparently sharks are beautiful, gentle
creatures! In fact, people are more than 300% likely to be
killed by a dog than by a shark!
OK, so where is it exactly and what else will I do?
You’ll stay with a Fijian family near the Shark Reef Marine
Reserve near Pacific Harbour. You’ll start off scuba diving in
the Beqa lagoon on the reserve, and have the chance to try
some white-water kayaking down the Luva River. You’ll also
do a research project about marine biology, shark habitats
and the conservation of global ecosystems.
What else is on the itinerary?
Day 1–5: after landing in Fiji, you’ll have an orientation
session before diving at the Reserve. It’s really not a
question of whether you’ll see a shark, but how many you’ll
see!
Day 6–11: plenty of time to work on your shark conservation
projects – these also count as voluntary work college credits.
Day 12–14: you’ll travel to Rukua village on the island of
Beqa, where you can take part in a ceremony and hear
stories about the Fijian shark god Dakuwaqa.
Day 15–21: back at base, you’ll explore the soft coral areas of
Beqa lagoon, where there are more than 250 species of fish.
Day 22–24: time for the exciting white-water river trip
through the Luva canyon.
Is this camp for me?
The minimum age is 15, and you must already be scuba-
certified.
Don’t just take our word for it!
‘This trip was absolutely amazing. I loved diving with sharks,
being immersed in Fijian culture and making great new
friends. All in all it was an experience that I will remember
for the rest of my life.’ Sander E (17)
SPACE CAMP
What is it?
A one-week camp for future astronauts.
But not in space, right?
Exactly! You won’t actually travel into space – you’ll be
staying at the Space Academy base in Huntsville,
Alabama.
And what will I do there?
There will be plenty of astronaut training, finishing off
with a simulated mission to the International Space
Station, the Moon or Mars. You’ll also have the
opportunity to fly aircraft simulators and experience the
multi-axis chair, as well as doing challenges such as
designing and launching a rocket and building a space
rover.
So we’re there for a week, right?
Well, the camp actually lasts six days (including five
nights). It starts on a Sunday morning and finishes the
following Friday with a special graduation ceremony. You
check in between 10:30 and 11:30 on the Sunday morning
for an orientation meeting at midday. The graduation
ceremony takes place from 11:00-12:00 o’clock on Friday
morning.
Is this camp for me?
Advanced Space Academy is for 15–18-year-olds. About
20% of all participants are international students, so if
English isn’t your first language, don’t let that put you off.
Don’t just take our word for it!
‘This experience was even more awesome than I had
imagined. I’ll probably never do anything so exciting
again.’ Ava Ballinger
1 Read the text and tick the correct answer.
Shark Space
Camp Camp
1 You will travel to different places.
2 There is a ceremony on the last day.
3 Students learn about ecology.
4 You can earn credits for university.
2 Words in context Match the underlined words
in the text with definitions 1–6. Write your
answers.
1 information before you start a new activity ______
2 can spin in different directions _______
3 probably going to happen _______
4 the place that an animal usually lives in _______
5 sending something into space _______
6 the place from which an activity starts _______
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 The Longer Read
The Longer Read
With a little help
Isaiah Acosta had always wanted to record a rap song,
but never imagined that his dream would come true.
Because he was born without a lower jaw, the 17-year-old
from Phoenix, Arizona, has never been able to speak. But
now, against all the odds and with the collaboration of
rapper Trap House, Isaiah has released his first song,
Oxygen to Fly, about the difficulties of living with his
medical condition, the difficulties he has faced in life, and
the bullying he has experienced.
Writing is Isaiah’s lifeline – his lyrics contain everything
that he would say if he could speak. ‘I’ve always loved
writing lyrics and putting down what bothers me into
poems,’ explains Isaiah, texting on his mobile. Then at the
age of 15, Isaiah fell in love with rap music. ‘I connect
with rap – I enjoy the energy of it. Music has changed my
life and now (with help from Trap House), I feel like I’m
helping people with no voice.’
Brought up in a problematic area of Phoenix, the rapper
Trap House (aka Tikey Patterson), understands the
transformative power of music. He knows that his own
life would have been very different if he hadn’t channelled
his energy into music, and he now campaigns against
guns and gang violence, as well as being a rapper. ‘I
would consider myself a servant of the community,’ he
says. ‘Yes, I’m a rapper, but more importantly I speak for
those that may not have a strong enough voice for the
things that need to be said on their behalf.’
Trap House agreed to be Isaiah’s voice. ‘I loved what
he’d written and could tell immediately that he had
talent,’ says the rapper. ‘It was an incredible experience to
work with Isaiah and interpret his poetry to come across
as a rap song.’ As well as writing the lyrics, Isaiah was
involved in every other aspect of the recording process,
from choosing the beat to producing the track.
So how did the rap duo get together? It probably
wouldn’t have happened if Isaiah hadn’t been an
ambassador for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
(CMN Hospitals)* – he was looked after at one of their
hospitals as a child and still receives treatment there. To
cut a long story short, when Isaiah expressed interest in
becoming a rapper, CMN Hospitals put him in touch with
Trap House. The pair got on really well when they met up
and the result was not only the musical collaboration but
also a short film (by director Torben Bernhard) about a
music video that went viral on YouTube. By sharing their
experiences online, the rap duo has shown the world the
importance of supporting children’s hospitals like CMN
Hospitals.
If you watch the film, you’ll soon see Isaiah’s ability to
overcome adversity, his resilience and determination.
When he was born, doctors said that he probably
wouldn’t survive, and certainly wouldn’t be able to walk.
‘But Isaiah was a fighter,’ says his mum Tarah Acosta.
When doctors offered him cosmetic surgery as a teenager,
Isaiah turned it down – he said that he wouldn’t need it
unless it helped him to breathe or speak. All Isaiah wants
is for others to accept him as he is – a teenager who loves
music, fashion and hanging out with his friends – and to
be able to give a voice to the voiceless. As they say, actions
speak louder than words!
Oxygen to Fly by Isaiah Acosta
I don’t care what people think of me
Proud and honoured that they carry me
Jaw gone but I love myself, like a lion to my family
Heart big through a tragedy
I don’t care what the people say
I don’t ever say can’t or won’t
Had a dream to rap the other day
Just accept me for my differences
Everybody gonna hear my voice …
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
* CMN Hospitals is a non-profit organisation that raises
funds for 170 children’s hospitals across North America,
including Phoenix Children’s hospital where Isaiah still
receives care.
1 Read the text. Are the sentences true or false?
Find evidence in the text to support your
answers.
1 Isaiah started writing poetry when he was 15. T F
____________________________________
2 Trap House is interested in social issues. T F
____________________________________
3 Isaiah wasn’t able to help produce his song. T F
____________________________________
4 Trap House was a patient at CMN Hospitals. T F
____________________________________
5 Doctors didn’t expect Isaiah to live very long. T F
____________________________________
2 Words in context Match the underlined words
in the text with definitions 1–7. Write your
answers.
1 the ability to become healthy, happy or strong again
after a problem __________
2 an idiom that means ‘despite many problems and
being very unlikely to succeed’ __________
3 the main pattern of sounds in music __________
4 someone whose job is to work for another person
__________
5 not allowing anything prevent you from doing what
you want to do __________
6 an abbreviation that means ‘also known as’ when
giving someone’s real name __________
7 causing a big and positive change __________
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 The Longer Read
The Longer Read
STEM stars at ‘The Big Bang’
Meet Josh Mitchell and Emily Xu, winners of this year’s
UK Young Engineer and GSK UK Young Scientist of the
Year awards at The Big Bang Fair, the UK’s biggest STEM
fair for young people.
Young engineer Josh (18), from Holmes Chapel School
in Cheshire, was awarded the top prize for his project to
design an inexpensive 3D printer. The flat-pack machine,
called ‘The Plybot’, fits into two 13-inch pizza boxes and
can be assembled very easily. If Josh can market his
product, it will be sold for just £49. ‘I’m delighted to have
won and I hope the success continues into my
crowdfunding campaign for The Plybot to get these
low-cost 3D printers into people’s hands,’ he said.
Meanwhile, Emily won the top science prize for her
project ‘New Ways of Separating Mirror Image Molecules’
to create safer and more effective pharmaceutical drugs. ‘I
am very honoured to be given this award,’ she said. ‘The
Big Bang experience is definitely one that I’d recommend
to any other young person interested in pursuing science.’
The Big Bang UK Young Scientists & Engineers Fair is
held every year to celebrate achievements and inspire
young people in STEM. More than 80,000 visitors
attended last year’s fair, which was held at the National
Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham. As well as
interactive exhibitions and careers talks, there were also
more than 150 stands about everything from bioplastics
and satellite broadband to space exploration and wearable
gadgets. Particular highlights included a stand where you
could take 360-degree selfies which were then converted
into a 3D model of yourself, the ‘rock music milkshake
machine’, which made milkshakes using sound waves
from an amplified guitar, and a nanotechnology
exhibition called ‘Dotography,’ consisting of photographs
so small – a single pixel! – that they aren’t visible without
a special microscope attached to your phone.
Every year 500 young finalists of The Big Bang
Competition are selected from around the UK to show
their ideas at the fair. Ten of them are chosen to pitch
their projects to a panel of judges, who award the top
science and engineering prizes to their favourite projects.
Emily and Josh have joined an impressive list of past
winners, including young engineers David Bernstein and
Sankha Kahagala-Gamage whose ‘Medivest’ jacket was
designed to predict epileptic episodes using smart
materials, and Stuart Chau, Ethan Dunbar Baker and
Rogan McGilp whose ‘Hot Rod’ car was built for Rogan’s
13-year-old brother David, who has a disability. Previous
science winners also include Roxanne El-Hady for her
research into climate change in Wales, and George Rabin
and Ed Thurlow for their investigative project ‘Do birds
have a favourite colour?’ Roxanne went on to win a prize
at the EU Contest for Young Scientists – a trip to the Joint
Research Centre in Ispra, Italy, and George and Ed went
on to discuss their experiment on the popular BBC TV
programme Springwatch.
Who knows what exciting new projects will win next
year’s big £2,000 top prizes – maybe yours! Organizer
Mark Titterington believes that the future looks bright
because the scientists, engineers and inventors of the
future are already producing such exciting work.
Hopefully more young people will be inspired to enter the
competition by their achievements.
Who knows what exciting new projects will win next
year’s competition – maybe yours! If you’re under 18 and
love STEM, check out The Big Bang website to find out
how to take part.
1 Read the text. Match the beginnings 1–6 with the
endings a–f.
1 Josh Mitchell ___
2 The next inventor of a project ___
3 Two young men ___
4 Emily Xu ___
5 Roxanne El-Hady ___
6 A machine at the fair ___
a) thinks the fair will encourage young scientists.
b) takes photographs.
c) travelled abroad after winning a competition.
d) wants to sell an invention.
e) won a prize for their project about birds.
f) could win a lot of money.
2 Words in context Find the underlined words in
the text and choose the correct definition, a) or
b).
1 Crowdfunding is
a) getting money from a large group of people to
start a project.
b) selling a product to people who want to buy it.
2 When you are honoured, you are
a) given a prize.
b) proud that you have been given something.
3 Highlights are
a) the most expensive part of something.
b) the most exciting or interesting part of something.
4 A selfie is
a) a photo that you take of yourself.
b) a portrait of a person.
5 When something is investigative, it
a) is intended to discover something new.
b) is very interesting.
6 When you go on to do something, you
a) do something that takes a long time.
b) do something after you do something else.
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 The Longer Read
The Longer Read
Stolen phone, stolen life …
Abby Brown was angry when thieves stole her mobile,
but she was devastated the moment she discovered that
they had stolen her identity, too. The fraudsters
changed Abby’s passwords so she couldn’t get online,
while pretending to be her and sending inappropriate
messages to her friends. Unfortunately, the thieves
didn’t have to try very hard. Stealing Abby’s identity
wouldn’t have been so easy if she had locked her phone,
and if she hadn’t left her bag unattended. She and her
friends had gone for a picnic on the beach one summer
afternoon at South Harbour in Blyth, Northumberland,
when the crime occurred.
Fortunately, Abby’s mum Debra was able to lock her
daughter’s social networking sites so that they couldn’t
be accessed from other devices. By logging on to her
own accounts, she could tell Abby’s friends that her
mobile had been hacked and the messages were fake.
‘Once someone gets their hands on your phone, they get
your whole life and you can’t stop it,’ she told the Daily
Mirror newspaper. ‘My daughter is afraid to go out now
because she’s scared she will run into these people. They
know so much about her!’
Unfortunately, identity theft is getting more and more
common, reaching record levels in the UK in 2016 when
172,000 frauds were recorded – the highest figure since
records began 13 years ago. According to the fraud
prevention organization Cifas, more than 325,000
frauds were recorded in the UK in 2016, with many of
these affecting under-21-year-olds. Moreover, 88% of
these crimes occurred online – and it’s often much
easier than you’d think. In the USA, young people are
even more at risk due to the fact that they are given
social security numbers at birth. If a criminal stole a
child’s identity, they probably wouldn’t realize there was
a problem until they tried to open a bank account or
apply for a credit card at the age of 18. One victim of
identity fraud had his data stolen at the age of seven,
but he wasn’t aware of it until 10 years later when he
applied for his first job. He learned that he already had
a bad credit rating, and someone had bought a $40,000
boat in his name!
How do fraudsters get access to your identity? They
don’t have to steal your phone or hack your computer –
they often just exploit personal information from social
networking sites. Some also obtain sensitive
information through phishing scams (fraudulent emails
that appear to be from official organizations). Once
they’ve got the information they need, nothing will stop
the criminals from taking out loans in your name, or
going on a spending spree and acquiring massive debts.
‘We all remember to protect our possessions by locking
our house,’ Mike Haley of Cifas told the BBC. ‘But we
don’t take the same care to protect our most important
asset – our identity.’
What can you do to prevent identity theft?
You shouldn’t share personal information online.
If you get suspicious junk mail, you mustn’t open it – it
might be a phishing scam.
Don’t allow others to know your passwords and PIN.
When you have to choose a new password, don’t use
something obvious, like your date of birth.
You should shred all sensitive documents – don’t throw
them away.
1 Read the text and answer the questions.
1 What did the thieves do to Abby Brown’s
friends?
____________________________________
2 What two mistakes did Abby make?
____________________________________
3 How did Debra Brown help her daughter?
____________________________________
4 What happened in 2016?
____________________________________
5 What does the figure of 88% refer to?
____________________________________
6 What did criminals in the USA use one person’s
identity to do?
____________________________________
2 Words in context Match the underlined words
in the text with definitions 1–6. Write your
answers.
1 financial information about someone that a bank
uses to decide whether to lend them money
__________
2 left without being looked after __________
3 using someone’s identity to do something
__________
4 reached or obtained __________
5 the highest point than anything before
__________
6 information about something or someone
__________
7
 The Longer Read
The Longer Read
Virtual teen forum
This conversation: Information about film-making courses
Jack Tuesday 5th May 19.08
Hi all! Can anyone help me? I’m a total film buff and I
want to learn more about film-making. A friend told me
that she’d heard about some great film courses all around
the UK, but she couldn’t remember the name of the
organization. Has anyone done one of these courses? I’m
particularly interested in writing scripts and also
set design/visual effects. I’ve never studied film before
but I’ve made video clips and done some basic animation.
Thanks for your help!
Suki Tuesday 5th May 19.42
Hi, Jack. I think your friend might mean the BFI (British
Film Institute) – they’re well known for their film courses.
They are based in London at the Southbank Centre but
there are more than 40 courses all over the UK, so there
must be one near where you live. I did one and I was really
happy with it. They’re very hands-on and you can get
involved in all areas of film-making, from writing
storyboards to doing the lighting or being the camera
operator – you really feel like part of a professional film
crew, and you can try out all the proper equipment. Plus,
the teachers are really committed to film and they gave us
loads of support and advice. They told us that we were the
future of the British film industry!
Jack Tuesday 5th May 19.50
Thanks, Suki. How amazing is that? The courses aren’t
expensive, are they? How I can find out more about them?
Suki Tuesday 5th May 20.14
No – they’re subsidized so you don’t have to pay very much
– probably no more than £25. Each course lasts about 40
hours, with all the classes in the evenings or at weekends,
so you can combine it with being at school/college. Check
out the website for the up-to-date prices and there’s loads
of information on there about all the different activities
that are available. They also have some great video clips by
people who’ve done the course. Everyone was really
excited about it and said that you wouldn’t regret it! Oh,
the only other thing is that you have to be over 16, so you
could apply for next year.
Ahmed Tuesday 5th May 20.36
What a great idea! My sister’s doing one of the two-week
BFI residential courses right now and she loves it there –
she told me she was having the time of her life and
learning loads. She said there are about 60 students on the
course and they’re all making short films in groups.
They’ve just spent two days filming on location in Oxford,
then two days editing in the studio. She’s enjoying working
with the cast of proper actors and organizing the costumes
and the props, which is what she’s really into. She said
they were going on trips to Pinewood Studios (where they
filmed Star Wars) and Leavesden (home of Harry Potter),
and also on a trip to the BFI cinema in London to watch all
the short films they’re making. It must be great to see your
name in the credits – I think I might go next year!
Tara Tuesday 5th May 20. 40
Also, just to say that they also run intensive courses during
February half-term, if you’re interested. I recently
enquired and they told me that I could choose between
animation (in Bristol), screenwriting (in Newcastle), VFX
or documentaries (in London). I’m planning to do the
visual effects one – that sounds awesome!
Jack Tuesday 5th May 20.57
Yes – me too! Thanks, everyone, for all the info. That’s
really useful! I’m going to have a look at the website now
for more information.
1 Read the text. Match the names a–d with
sentences 1–6.
a) Jack _____
b) Suki _____
c) Ahmed _____
d) Tara _____
1 He/She is interested in doing a course in the
school holidays.
2 He/She enjoyed using professional tools to make
films.
3 He/She is researching a website to get
information.
4 He/She knows someone who did a filmmaking
course.
5 He/She gives advice on where to find information
about filmmaking.
6 He/She has a little experience in animation.
2 Words in context Find the underlined words in
the text to complete the sentences.
1 I would love to learn more about ___________
and how to create stories for films.
2 My cousin is ___________ football. She talks
about nothing else!
3 There is a series of ___________ on TV about
endangered animals.
4 I need to get myself a ___________ camera and
stop using my phone to take photos.
5 This was one of the first cartoons to be made
using computer ___________.
6 My mum changed careers and is now
___________ as a tour guide. She loves it!
8
 The Longer Read
The Longer Read
Purrfectly persuasive …
Feline friends take over London
Underground
Nowadays it seems we can’t go anywhere without being
bombarded with adverts for things we don’t need. That’s
why a group of friends in London formed ‘C.A.T.S.’ (the
Citizens Advertising Takeover Service), to create a space
where people could take a break from all the ads. For two
whole weeks, they replaced all 68 billboards at Clapham
Common Underground Station with pictures of cats, cats
… and more cats!
There were cute little kittens and big furry cats – black
ones and grey ones and ginger ones. All the cats on the
billboards were either real rescue cats (from animal
shelters such as the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home or the
Cats Protection League), or photos of the pets whose
owners had generously supported the campaign. ‘And
why cats?’ we asked James Turner, one of the founders of
C.A.T.S. Apparently, they had considered using photos of
forests or friends or other feel-good things, but they chose
cats because they thought it would help the story to go
viral. In the online world, everyone loves cats! Plus, most
of the cats on the billboards needed new homes, so this
was a good way to lend a hand.
James Turner, founder of Glimpse, the group that
organized the campaign, explained that they weren’t
trying to make money or sell anything. ‘This isn’t a clever
marketing stunt for a pet food brand,’ he told The
Independent newspaper. ‘The people behind it are
volunteers who raised the money using Kickstarter.’ In
total, more than 700 people donated £23,000 to the
crowdfunding campaign. Every supporter received a
reward – from a cat-themed app for a £5 donation, to a
photographic portrait of the pet whose owner gave
£2,500. One cat-crazy supporter even flew to London
from Virginia, USA, to see his pet on the giant billboard in
the station!
The Clapham Common cats aren’t the only experiment
in ‘advertising takeovers’. In Paris, activists replaced 600
bus shelter ads with satirical posters in a campaign called
‘Brandalism’, whose objective was to question the ‘green’
credentials of multinational companies before the United
Nations climate change conference in the city. And in
Tehran, Iran, all 1,500 municipal advertising billboards
were replaced with pictures of art for ten days, to
encourage citizens to visit the city’s art galleries.
Back in London, the people behind C.A.T.S. just want
us all to think about the power that ad agencies and
brands have over us. ‘We want to inspire people to think
differently about the world and realise they have the
power to change it,’ they say. ‘Imagine a world where
public spaces make you feel positive!’ ‘We know this is a
silly project,’ adds James. ‘But what if we did this in every
major city in the world? Cats everywhere! From all this
madness something amazing could happen. Perhaps we’ll
start to realise that buying stuff isn’t making us happy.
Maybe cats won’t make us happy either, but it’s got to be
better than insurance adverts!’ And apparently, ‘copy-cat’
campaigns are planned in Atlanta, Barcelona and Cape
Town!
WHAT DO YOU THINK? SHOULD ADVERTISING BE
BANNED IN PUBLIC SPACES?
Anny03 22 May @ 16:30
Yes – it’s ugly to see ads everywhere. And it isn’t fair
because we can’t choose whether to look at them or not –
we’re a captive audience!
CityBoy 22 May @ 16:52
Because of the fact that money from advertising is used to
pay for public infrastructure, I think it’s something which
we have to accept. It benefits consumers as well as
companies.
GreenGreg 22 May @ 17:13
Ads can be so persuasive. They definitely shouldn’t target
young kids at an age when they’re much too susceptible to
peer pressure.
CatLover 22 May @ 18:22
No way! Not only do adverts make you smile, but they
also add colour to ugly places. Imagine Times Square
without those huge eye-catching signs!
1 Read the text. Are the sentences true or false?
Find evidence in the text to support your
answers.
1 The C.A.T.S. organization wanted to find homes
for all the cats on the posters. T F
______________________________________
2 Cats are very popular on social media. T F
______________________________________
3 There was also a cat-poster campaign in Paris.
T F
______________________________________
4 In Tehran, all adverts were removed for almost
two weeks. T F
______________________________________
5 The C.A.T.S organization wants the public to
challenge the government. T F
______________________________________
2 Words in context Find the underlined words in
the text to complete the definitions.
1 when something is _______, it makes you happy
2 _______ is a variety of objects or things
3 _______ are baby cats
4 things that belong or relate to a city are _______
5 a _______ is a structure that protects you from
the weather while you are waiting for a bus
6 when something is _______ it is covered with fur
7 _______ are qualities or achievements that make
you suitable for something
9
 The Longer Read

The Longer Read should you stay up late revising! Try to switch off and have
an early night, and set your alarm to avoid oversleeping.
How to … keep calm and pass TOP TIP: Be sure to double-check the start time of your
exam!
the exams!
4 What to do during and after the exam
Before the exam: revision and preparation Good time management is crucial to get through the exam
1 How to revise successfully. When you’re about to start the exam, read all
Managing your time effectively is essential for good the questions carefully and calculate how much time to
revision. Plan ahead – don’t wait until the last minute! dedicate to each section. Don’t spend too much time on one
Make a revision timetable and vary the subjects so that you part, or you will run out of time for the rest. If you don’t
don’t get bored. Find the revision techniques that work for understand the instructions, tell the invigilator straight
you, such as note-taking, highlighting key information, away. After the exam, don’t waste time comparing answers
making diagrams and drawing pictures, recording your with your friends – what’s done is done, and you did your
notes, etc. And make sure you set achievable goals – best! It would be more effective if you had a good rest
instead of trying to read one huge book, break it down into before preparing for your next exam rather than worrying
smaller chunks. Choose a quiet space where you can study about things you can’t change.
(at home or in the library) but make sure you meet up with TOP TIP: Think positively and don’t give up. Good luck!
classmates too – they will be studying the same topics so
you can test each other. Online revision apps can be useful,
1 Read the text. Match the beginnings 1–6 with the
but remember that people still used to pass exams before
endings a–f.
mobile phones were invented! So try turning off your phone
to avoid getting distracted. 1 It’s important to know which revision method
TOP TIP: Find out exactly what type of activities will be in 2 Studying with your friends
the exam, and do sample papers if possible. 3 Eating eggs for breakfast
4 Working late in the evening
2 How to stay healthy and beat exam nerves 5 Getting ready the night before an exam
A healthy diet and plenty of sleep are essential to exam
6 If you read the paper through, this
success. Studies have shown that some foods (such as eggs)
can improve cognitive performance, so make sure you eat a
good breakfast. Instead of snacking on sweets, experts a) may help you work better.
suggest bananas for a sustained energy boost. Some people b) will help you plan your time in the exam.
also take fish oil tablets for brain health. You’ll lose c) is best for you.
concentration if you’re dehydrated, so drink plenty of water d) will reduce stress on exam day.
– but avoid coffee because caffeine is no substitute for
e) isn’t a good idea.
proper rest. You should aim to sleep eight to ten hours a
f) allows you to test each other.
night, and stop studying two hours before bedtime in order
to give your mind time to relax. You won’t be effective in
2 Words in context Find the underlined words in
the exam if you’re exhausted! Physical exercise and fresh
the text and choose the correct definition, a) or b).
air are also important – not only do they improve
concentration, but they also reduce stress. So keep a good 1 Achievable goals are
study / life balance – you don’t have to give up the gym or a) goals that are possible to reach.
time with friends. Take regular breaks and use those b) goals that are easy to reach.
activities as motivational ‘treats’ while you’re studying. 2 Chunks are
TOP TIP: If you’re feeling anxious about exams, ask a
a) parts of a book.
teacher, doctor or counsellor for help.
b) parts of something.
Are you ready for exam day? 3 Tablets are
3 What to do the day before and the morning of your a) small, solid pieces of medicine that you swallow.
exam b) small pieces of food.
Make sure you know exactly where and when the exam will 4 Stationery is
be held. Check the location on a map if necessary, and find
a) items like paper, pens and pencils.
out how to get there if it isn’t at your school and you’re
using public transport or if someone is going to drive you b) bus or train tickets.
there. Prepare your bag the night before (stationery, a 5 When something is crucial, it is
bottle of water, etc) – you’ll sleep better if you know that a) extremely important.
everything is ready. It goes without saying that you b) necessary.
shouldn’t go out the night before your exam, but neither

10
 Answer key

Unit 1 Unit 4
1 1
1 F; She beat six boys. 1 F; He fell in love with rap music when he was 15. (He
2 T (‘even that first show, when I was eight, we did as says he has ‘always loved’ writing lyrics and ‘putting
a double act,’ … ‘Sarah was just five or six at the time.’) down what bothers me into poems’, which suggests
3 T (‘they also performed at the Friday night gala he did that before he was 15.)
alongside prestigious magicians’) 2 T (‘he now campaigns against guns and gang
4 F; She was inspired by David Blaine and recorded his violence, as well as being a rapper. ‘I would consider
tricks when she was a teenager. myself a servant of the community’ he says.’)
5 F; He has spoken in public about how magic helped 3 F; ‘Isaiah was involved in every other aspect of the
him after he had been bullied. recording process, from choosing the beat to
producing the track.’
2 4 F; Isiah was – and still is – a patient of CMN
1 overcome Hospitals.
2 trailblazer 5 T (‘doctors said that he probably wouldn’t survive’)
3 by chance
4 prestigious 2
5 double act 1 resilience
6 work out 2 against all the odds
7 in public 3 beat
4 servant
5 determination
Unit 2 6 aka
1 7 transformative
1 two days
2 elderly people / the elderly Unit 5
3 into a hotel
4 more rain 1
5 have / suffer a heart 1d
6 the lightning struck 2f
3e
2 4a
1 deadly 5c
2 prioritising 6b
3 medical aid
4 swept 2
5 chaos 1a
6 surface 2b
7 disorder 3a
4a
5a
Unit 3 6b
1
1 Shark Camp Unit 6
2 Space Camp
3 Shark Camp 1
4 Shark Camp 1 The thieves sent inappropriate messages to Abby
Brown’s friends.
2 2 She left her phone unlocked and her bag unattended
1 orientation on a beach.
2 multi-axis 3 She locked Abby’s social networking sites and told
3 likely Abby’s friends that the messages (from Abby’s phone)
4 habitat were fake.
5 launching 4 There was a record number of identity theft cases.
6 base

11
 Answer key

5 The percentage of identity theft crimes that occur Unit 9

online.
6 They used it to spend $40,000 on a boat. 1
1c
2 2f
1 credit rating 3a
2 unattended 4e
3 in his name 5d
4 accessed 6b
5 record levels
6 data 2
1a
2b
Unit 7 3a
1 4a
a) Jack 3, 6 5a
b) Suki 2, 5
c) Ahmed 4
d) Tara 1

2
1 screenwriting
2 really into
3 documentaries
4 proper
5 animation
6 having the time of her life

Unit 8
1
1 F; They wanted to find homes for some of the cats
on the posters, but some of the other cats belonged to
supporters of the campaign.
2 T (‘In the online world, everyone loves cats!’)
3 F; The posters in Paris were satirical.
4 T (‘And in Tehran, Iran, all 1,500 municipal
advertising billboards were replaced with pictures of
art for ten days’)
5 F; It wants the public to question advertising and
consumerism.

2
1 feel-good
2 stuff
3 kittens
4 municipal
5 bus shelter
6 furry
7 credentials

12