10 GAPPED TEXT CAE

Exercise 1:
Living in a Dream World
Daydreaming can help solve problems, trigger creativity, and inspire great works of art and
science. By Josie Glazier.
Most people spend between 30 and 47 per cent of their waking hours spacing out, drifting off,
lost in thought, wool-gathering or building castles in the air. Yale University emeritus
psychology professor Jerome L. Singer defines daydreaming as shifting attention “away from
some primary physical or mental task toward an unfolding sequence of private responses” or,
more simply, “watching your own mental videos.” He also divides daydreaming styles into two
main categories: “positive-constructive,” which includes upbeat and imaginative thoughts, and
“dysphoric,” which encompasses visions of failure or punishment.

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Such humdrum concerns figured prominently in one study that rigorously measured how much
time we spend mind wandering in daily life. In a 2009 study, Kane and his colleague Jennifer
McVay asked 72 students to carry Palm Pilots that beeped at random intervals eight times a day
for a week. The subjects then recorded their thoughts at that moment on a questionnaire. The
study found that about 30 per cent of the beeps coincided with thoughts unrelated to the task at
hand and that mind-wandering increased with stress, boredom or sleepiness or in chaotic
environments and decreased with enjoyable tasks. That may be because enjoyable activities tend
to grab our attention.

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We may not even be aware that we are daydreaming. We have all had the experience of
“reading” a book yet absorbing nothing—moving our eyes over the words on a page as our
attention wanders and the text turns into gibberish. “When this happens, people lack what I call
‘meta-awareness,’ consciousness of what is currently going on in their mind,” he says. But
aimless rambling can be productive as they can allow us to stumble on ideas and associations
that we may never find if we intentionally seek them.

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So, why should daydreaming aid creativity? It may be in part because when the brain is floating
in unfocused mental space it serves a specific purpose. It allows us to engage in one task and at
the same time trigger reminders of other, concurrent goals so that we do not lose sight of them.
There is also the belief that we can boost the creative process by increasing the amount of
daydreaming we do or replaying variants of the millions of events we store in our brains.

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The mind's freedom to wander during a deliberate tuning out could also explain the flash of
insight that may coincide with taking a break from an unsolved problem. A study conducted at
the University of Lancaster in England into this possibility found that if we allow our minds to
ramble during a moderately challenging task, we can access ideas that are not easily available to
our conscious minds. Our ability to do so is now known to depend on the normal functioning of a
dedicated daydreaming network deep in our brain.

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It was not until 2007, however, that cognitive psychologist Malia Fox Mason, discovered that the
default network — which lights up when people switch from an attention-demanding activity to
drifting reveries with no specific goals, becomes more active when mind wandering is more
likely. She also discovered that people who daydream more in everyday life show greater
activity in the default network while performing monotonous tasks.

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The conclusion reached in this ground-breaking study was that the more complex the mind
wandering episode is, the more of the mind it is going to consume. This inevitably leads to the
problem of determining the point at which creative daydreaming crosses the boundary into the
realms of compulsive fantasising. Although there is often a fine dividing line between the two,
one question that can help resolve the dilemma relates to whether the benefits gained from
daydreaming outweigh the cost to the daydreamer’s reputation and performance.

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On the other hand, there are psychologists who feel that the boundary is not so easily defined.
They argue that mind wandering is not inherently good or bad as it depends to a great extent on
context. When, for example, daydreaming occurs during an activity that requires little
concentration, it is unlikely to be costly. If, however, it causes someone to suffer severe injury or
worse by say, walking into traffic, then the line has been crossed.

A Although these two findings were significant, mind wandering itself was not measured during
the scans. As a result, it could not be determined exactly when the participants in her study were
“on task” and when they were daydreaming. In 2009 Smallwood, Schooler and Kalina Christoff
of the University of British Columbia published the first study to directly link mind wandering
with increased activity in the default network. Scans on the participants in their study revealed
activity in the default network was strongest when subjects were unaware they had lost focus.
B However, intense focus on our problems may not always lead to immediate solutions. Instead
allowing the mind to float freely can enable us to access unconscious ideas hovering underneath
the surface — a process that can lead to creative insight, according to psychologist Jonathan W.
Schooler of the University of California, Santa Barbara
C Yet to enhance creativity, it is important to pay attention to daydreams. Schooler calls this
“tuning out” or deliberate “off-task thinking.”, terms that refer to the ability of an individual to
have more than just the mind-wandering process. Those who are most creative also need to have
meta-awareness to realise when a creative idea has popped into their mind.
D On the other hand, those who ruminate obsessively—rehashing past events, repetitively
analyzing their causes and consequences, or worrying about all the ways things could go wrong
in the future - are well aware that their thoughts are their own, but they have intense difficulty
turning them off. The late Yale psychologist Susan Nolen-Hoeksema does not believe that
rumination is a form of daydreaming, but she has found that in obsessive ruminators, the same
default network as the one that is activated during daydreaming switches on.
E Other scientists distinguish between mundane musings and extravagant fantasies. Michael
Kane, a cognitive psychologist at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, considers
“mind wandering” to be “any thoughts that are unrelated to one's task at hand.” In his view, mind
wandering is a broad category that may include everything from pondering ingredients for a
dinner recipe to saving the planet from alien invasion. Most of the time when people fall into
mind-wandering, they are thinking about everyday concerns, such as recent encounters and items
on their to-do list.
F According to Schooler, there are two steps you need to take to make the distinction. First,
notice whether you are deriving any useful insights from your fantasies. Second, it is important
to take stock of the content of your daydreams. To distinguish between beneficial and
pathological imaginings, he adds, “Ask yourself if this is something useful, helpful, valuable,
pleasant, or am I just rehashing the same old perseverative thoughts over and over again?” And if
daydreaming feels out of control, then even if it is pleasant it is probably not useful or valuable.
G Artists and scientists are well acquainted with such playful fantasizing. Filmmaker Tim
Burton daydreamed his way to Hollywood success, spending his childhood holed up in his
bedroom, creating posters for an imaginary horror film series. Orhan Pamuk, the Turkish novelist
who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2006, imagined “another world,” to which he retreated
as a child, Albert Einstein pictured himself running along a light wave—a reverie that led to his
theory of special relativity.
H Like Facebook for the brain, the default network is a bustling web of memories and streaming
movies, starring ourselves. “When we daydream, we're at the center of the universe,” says
neurologist Marcus Raichle of Washington University in St. Louis, who first described the
network in 2001. It consists of three main regions that help us imagine ourselves and the
thoughts and feelings of others, draw personal memories from the brain and access episodic
memories.

Exercise 2

HELP GUIDE US THROUGH THE UNIVERSE

Sir Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal, launches this year's Young Science Writer competition
If you ask scientists what they're doing, the answer won't be 'Finding the origin of the universe',
'Seeking the cure for cancer' or suchlike. It will involve something very specialised, a small piece
of the jigsaw that builds up the big picture.

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So, unless they are cranks or geniuses, scientists don't shoot directly for a grand goal - they focus
on bite-sized problems that seem timely and tractable. But this strategy (though prudent) carries
an occupational risk: they may forget they're wearing blinkers and fail to see their own work in
its proper perspective.

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I would personally derive far less satisfaction from my research if it interested only a few other
academics. But presenting one's work to non-specialists isn't easy. We scientists often do it
badly, although the experience helps us to see our work in a broader context. Journalists can do it
better, and their efforts can put a key discovery in perspective, converting an arcane paper
published in an obscure journal into a tale that can inspire others.

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On such occasions, people often raise general concerns about the way science is going and the
impact it may have; they wonder whether taxpayers get value for money from the research they
support. More intellectual audiences wonder about the basic nature of science: how objective can
we be? And how creative? Is science genuinely a progressive enterprise? What are its limits and
are we anywhere near them? It is hard to explain, in simple language, even a scientific concept
that you understand well. My own (not always effective) attempts have deepened my respect for
science reporters, who have to assimilate quickly, with a looming deadline, a topic they may be
quite unfamiliar with.

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It's unusual for science to earn newspaper headlines. Coverage that has to be restricted to crisp
newsworthy breakthroughs in any case distorts the way science develops. Scientific advances are
usually gradual and cumulative, and better suited to feature articles, or documentaries - or even
books, • for which the latent demand is surprisingly strong. For example, millions bought A
Brief History of Time, which caught the public imagination.

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Nevertheless, serious hooks do find a ready market. That's the good news for anyone who wants
to enter this competition. But books on pyramidology, visitations by aliens, and suchlike do even
better: a symptom of a fascination with the paranormal and 'New Age' concepts. It is depressing
that these are often featured uncritically in the media, distracting attention from more genuine
advances.

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Most scientists are quite ordinary, and their lives unremarkable. But occasionally they exemplify
the link between genius and madness; these 'eccentrics' are more enticing biographees.

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There seems, gratifyingly, to be no single 'formula' for science writing - many themes are still
under-exploited. Turning out even 700 words seems a daunting task if you're faced with a clean
sheet of paper or a blank screen, but less so if you have done enough reading and interviewing on
a subject to become inspired. For research students who enter the competition, science (and how
you do it) is probably more interesting than personal autobiography. But if, in later life, you
become both brilliant and crazy, you can hope that someone else writes a best-seller about you.

A. However, over-sensational claims are a hazard for them. Some researchers themselves 'hype
up' new discoveries to attract press interest. Maybe it matters little what people believe about
Darwinism or cosmology. But we should be more concerned that misleading or over-confident
claims on any topic of practical import don't gain wide currency. Hopes of miracle cures can be
raised; risks can be either exaggerated, or else glossed over for commercial pressures. Science
popularisers perhaps even those who enter this competition - have to be as skeptical of some
scientific claims as journalists routinely are of politicians.

B. Despite this there's a tendency in recent science waiting to be chatty, laced with gossip and
biographical detail. But are scientists as interesting as their science? The lives of Albert Einstein
and Richard Feyman are of interest, but is that true of the routine practitioner?

C. Two mathematicians have been treated as such in recent books: Paul Erdos, the obsessive
itinerant Hungarian (who described himself as 'a machine for turning coffee into theorems') and
John Nash, a pioneer of game theory, who resurfaced in his sixties, after 30 years of insanity, to
receive a Nobel prize.

D. For example, the American physicist Robert Wilson spent months carrying out meticulous
measurements with a microwave antenna which eventually revealed the 'afterglow of creation' -
the 'echo' of the Big Bang with which our universe began. Wilson was one of the rare scientists
with the luck and talent to make a really great discovery, but afterwards he acknowledged that its
importance didn't sink in until he read a 'popular' description of it in the New York Times.

E. More surprising was the commercial success of Sir Roger Penrose's The Emperor's New
Mind. This is a fascinating romp through Penrose's eclectic enthusiasms - enjoyable and
enlightening. But it was a surprising best seller, as much of it is heavy going. The sates pitch
'great scientist says mind is more than a mere machine' was plainly alluring. Many who bought it
must have got a nasty surprise when they opened it.

F. But if they have judged right, it won't be a trivial problem - indeed it will be the most difficult
that they are likely to make progress on. The great zoologist Sir Peter Medawar famously
described scientific work as 'the art of the soluble'. 'Scientists,' he wrote, 'get no credit for failing
to solve a problem beyond their capacities. They earn at best the kindly contempt reserved for
utopian politicians.'

G. This may be because, for non-specialists, it is tricky to demarcate well-based ideas from
flaky speculation. But its crucially important not to blur this distinction when writing articles for
a general readership. Otherwise credulous readers may take too much on trust, whereas hard-
nosed skeptics may reject all scientific claims, without appreciating that some have firm
empirical support.

H. Such a possibility is one reason why this competition to encourage young people to take up
science writing is so important and why I am helping to launch it today. Another is that popular
science writing can address wider issues. When I give talks about astronomy and cosmology, the
questions that interest people most are the truly `fundamental' ones that I can't answer: 'Is there
life in space?', Is the universe infinite?' or 'Why didn't the Big Bang happen sooner?'

Exercise 3

WELCOME TO ECO-CITY
The world has quietly undergone a major shift in balance. According to UN estimates, 2008
marked the first year in history when more than half of the world's population lived in cities.
There are now around 3.4bn human beings stuffed into every available corner of urban space,
and more are set to follow. At a time when humanity has woken up to its responsibility to the
environment, the continuing urban swell presents an immense challenge. In response, cities all
over the world are setting themselves high targets to reduce carbon emissions and produce clean
energy. But if they don't succeed, there is another option: building new eco-cities entirely from
scratch.

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`Rather than just design a city in the same way we'd done it before, we can focus on how to
minimise the use of resources to show that there is a different way of doing it', says Roger Wood,
associate director at Arup. Wood is one of hundreds of people at Arup, the engineering and
architecture giant, hired by Shanghai Industrial Investment Corporation to set out a master plan
for the Dongtan eco-city.

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When the first demonstrator phase is complete, Dongtan will be a modest community of 5000.
By 2020, that will balloon to 80,000 and in 2050, the 30km2 site will be home to 500,000. Arup
says that every one of those people will be no more than seven minutes' walk from public
transport. Only electric vehicles will be allowed in the city and residents will be discouraged
from using even those because each village is planned so that the need for motorised transport is
minimal.

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That's a big cornerstone of Arup's design for Dongtan. The aim is that the city will require 66
percent less energy than a conventional development, with wind turbines and solar panels
complementing some 40 percent that comes from biological sources. These include human
sewage and municipal waste, both of which will be controlled for energy recovery and
composting. Meanwhile, a combined heat and power plant will burn waste rice husks.

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Work on Dongtan had been scheduled to begin in late 2008 with the first demonstration phase
completed by 2010. Unfortunately, problems resulting from the complicated planning procedures
in China have led to setbacks. Dongtan's rival project in Abu Dhabi has suffered no such hold-
ups. Engineers broke ground on the Masdar eco-city in March 2008. Although it will take a
different approach in terms of design, like Dongtan, the city is planned to be a zero-carbon, uber-
efficient showcase for sustainable living.

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In the blistering desert of the Gulf state, where it's almost too hot to venture outdoors for three or
four months of the year, the big question for Masdar is how to keep cool without turning on the
air-conditioning. In this equation, insulation and ventilation suddenly become more important
than the performance of solar panels. To maximise shade, I the city's streets are packed closely
together, with limits of four or five storeys set on the height of most buildings.

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The other major design feature for Masdar is that the whole city is raised on a deck. The
pedestrian level will be free of vehicles and much of the noisy maintenance that you see in
modern cities. Cars are banned from Masdar entirely, while an underground network of `podcars'
ferries people around the city.

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Given that this concern is legitimate, developers of both cities would do well to incorporate both
a range of housing and jobs to make them inclusive to everyone. This will be difficult, obviously,
but then just about everything is difficult when you're completely reinventing the way we build
and live in a metropolis. And supposing these sustainable and super-efficient cities are
successful, could they even usher in a new world order?

A. The city will be built on a corner of Chongming Island in the mouth of the Yangtze River. It
will be made up of three interlinked, mixed-use villages, built one after the other. Each will
combine homes, businesses and recreation, and a bridge and tunnel link will connect the
population with Shanghai on the mainland.

B. The skin of each building will be crucial. Thick concrete would only soak up heat and release
it slowly, so instead engineers will use thin walls that react quickly to the sun. A thin metal layer
on the outside will help to reflect heat and stop it from penetrating the building. Density is also
critical for Masdar. The city is arranged in a definite square with a walled border. Beyond this
perimeter, fields of solar panels, a wind farm and a desalination plant will provide clean energy
and water, and act as a barrier to prevent further sprawl.

C. 'If you plan your development so people can live, work and shop very locally, you can quite
significantly reduce the amount of energy that's being used', Wood says. `Then, not only have
you made the situation easier because you've reduced the energy demand, but it also means that
producing it from renewable sources becomes easier because you don't have to produce quite as
much'.

D. Arup's integrated, holistic approach to city planning goes further still. Leftover heat from the
power plant will be channelled to homes and businesses. Buildings can be made of thinner
materials because the electric cars on the road will be quiet, so there's less noise to drown out.
Dongtan will initially see an 83 per cent reduction in waste sent to landfill compared to other
cities, with the aim to reduce that to nothing over time. And more than 60 per cent of the whole
site will be parks and farmland, where food is grown to feed the population.

E. Developers at Masdar and Dongtan are adamant that each city will be somewhere that people
want to live. Critics do not question this but they do, nevertheless, wonder if these cities will be
realistic places for people on a low income. They say that it would be easy for places like these
to become a St Tropez or a Hamptons, where only rich people live.

F. Funded by a 12bn (euro) investment from the government in Abu Dhabi, it has not passed the
attention of many observers that Masdar is being built by one of the world's largest and most
profitable producers of oil. Even so, under the guidance of architects as Foster and Partners, the
city is just as ambitious as its Chinese counterpart and also hinges on being able to run on low
power.

G. Since cars and other petrol-based vehicles are banned from the city, occupants will share a
network of ‘podcars' to get around. The 'personal rapid transit system' will comprise 2500
driverless, electric vehicles that make 150,000 trips a day by following sensors along a track
beneath the pedestrian deck. Up to six passengers will ride in each pod: they just hop in at one of
83 stations around the city and tap in their destination.

H. Incredibly, this is already happening. Two rival developments, one in China and one in the
United Arab Emirates, are progressing in tandem. Work on Masdar, 17km from Abu Dhabi,
began in 2008, while Dongtan, near Shanghai, will eventually be home to half a million people.
The aim for both is to build sustainable, zero-carbon communities that showcase green
technology and demonstrate what smart urban planning can achieve in the 21st century.

Exercise 4:

The Rise of Silicon Valley

On January 11, 1971, an article was published in the trade newspaper Electronic News about the
companies involved in the semiconductor and computer industries in Santa Clara Valley at the
southern end of San Francisco Bay Area in California, USA. The article was entitled 'Silicon
Valley USA', a reference to the fact that silicon is the most important substance used in
commercial semiconductors and their applications. The name stuck, and in light of the
commercial success of the companies there, 'Silicon Valley' is now used as a metonym for the
high-tech sector.

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One such new business was the one founded by two graduates of the nearby Stanford University
called Bill Hewlett and David Packard. In 1938 the pair had $538, and along with Dave's wife
Lucile, decided to rent a property at 367 Addison Avenue, Palo Alto. For $45 a month they got a
ground floor apartment for Dave and Lucile, a garden shed where Bill slept, and a garage from
which to run the business, a garage which has more recently been dubbed 'The birthplace of
Silicon Valley'.

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As time passed, the 200A was improved and developed, resulting in the 200B. Eight of these
improved oscillators were bought by The Walt Disney Company, for use in testing and certifying
the Fantasound surround-sound systems installed in cinemas for the 1940 movie Fantasia.
Success was beginning to come.

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Although they are often considered to be the symbolic founders of Silicon Valley, they did not
deal in semiconductor devices until the 1960s. From then onwards, the semiconductor devices
they made were mostly intended for internal use, for such products as measuring instruments and
calculators. Today, however, Hewlett-Packard is the largest manufacturer of personal computers
in the world.

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Terman also had a more direct influence through his role at Stanford University. The University
had been established in 1891 in the north-western part of the Santa Clara Valley, and from the
start, its leaders aimed to support the local region. The result was that the University played an
important part in establishing and developing local businesses, and indeed its alumni went on to
found some major companies, not just Hewlett-Packard, but such household names as Yahoo!
and Google.

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Terman's proposal was taken up by Stanford University, and in 1951 Stanford Industrial Park
was created. The first tenant in the Park was Varian Associates, founded by Stanford alumni in
the 1930s to make components for military radars. Hewlett-Packard moved in two years later.
The Park still flourishes to this day, although it is now known as Stanford Research Park. Current
tenants include Eastman Kodak, General Electric and Lockheed Corporation.

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The 1950s were also a time of great development in electronics technology. Most importantly,
the development of the transistor continued. Research scientist William Shockley moved to the
Santa Clara Valley region in 1956, when he formed Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory. There
his research team started constructing semiconductors from silicon, rather than germanium, as
did most other researchers. The silicon transistors proved to perform much better, and started to
be used in radios and the early computers.

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Since the 1970s, however, the most important developments pioneered in Silicon Valley have
been in software and Internet services rather than hardware. So even though Hewlett-Packard
remains the largest producers of computers in the world, the future of Silicon Valley might well
lie elsewhere.

A. Throughout their early years, Hewlett and Packard were mentored by one of their university
professors, Frederick Terman. Terman was Stanford University's dean of engineering and
provost during the 1940s and 1950s, and had a positive influence on many of the successful
companies in Silicon Valley. Indeed, his influence was such that he has been dubbed 'the father
of Silicon Valley'. Terman encouraged his students to form their own companies and personally
invested in many of them, and in this way nurtured many highly successful companies, including
not just Hewlett-Packard, but others such as Varian Associates and Litton Industries.
B. Hewlett-Packard was arguably the first company to offer a mass-produced personal
computer, namely the 9100A. For marketing reasons, however, the 9100A was sold as a 'desktop
calculator'. It simply did not resemble what was then considered a 'computer', namely the large
machines being sold by IBM. The 9100A fitted comfortably on a desk, and possessed a small
screen and a keyboard. In fact, it was more like an oversized and over-expensive precursor of a
pocket calculator than a modern PC, since its keyboard lacked letter keys.

C. Following the end of the Second World War in 1945, universities in the United States were
experiencing enormous enrolment demands from the returning military personnel. Terman
proposed launching a scheme which would kill two birds with one stone. The idea was to lease
out land owned by Stanford University to high-technology companies for their offices. This
scheme would firstly finance the University's growth requirements and thereby facilitate a larger
student intake, and secondly provide local employment opportunities for graduating students.

D. The beginnings of Silicon Valley can be traced back to the early twentieth century. At that
time, Santa Clara Valley was known for its orchards which flourished in California's balmy
climate. There were nevertheless a number of experimenters and innovators in such fields as
radio, television and military electronics, and several people were trying to take advantage of any
business opportunities that might arise.

E. It was also in Silicon Valley that other revolutionary electronic components were developed.
The silicon-based integrated circuit, the microprocessor and the microcomputer were all invented
by companies there, as well as such electronic devices as the mouse and the ink-jet printer.
Indeed, Silicon Valley has been the world's most important site of electronic innovation over the
past 50 years.

F. In those early years, Hewlett-Packard was a company without a focused direction. They made
a whole range of electronic products, with diverse customers in industry and agriculture. In the
1940s, their principal products were test equipment, including such devices as voltmeters,
oscilloscopes and thermometers. They aimed to provide better quality products than their
competitors, and made a big effort to make their products more sensitive and accurate than their
rivals.

G. Another bond between the University and the local high-technology businesses was
established in 1954, with the creation of the Honors Cooperative Program. This programme
allowed employees of the businesses to pursue part-time graduate degrees at the University
whilst continuing to work full-time in their jobs. In this way, key workers in the electronics
industry were able to hone their skills and knowledge, creating the foundation for the
development of Silicon Valley.

H. Of the many products Hewlett and Packard worked on, the first financially successful one
was a precision audio oscillator, a device for testing sound equipment. This product, the 200A,
featured the innovative use of a small light bulb as a temperature-dependent resistor in a critical
section of the circuit, which allowed them to sell it for $54.40, only a quarter of the price of their
competitors' audio oscillators.
Exercise 5

Rainmaker with his Head in the Clouds

Critics dismissed Craeme Mather's attempts to make clouds rain. But now recent experiments
appear to have vindicated him. Anjana Ahuya reports.
Dr. Craeme Mather lived his life with his head in the clouds, as a documentary film to be shown
this week shows. Against the advice of almost everybody else in the meteorological community,
the Canadian scientist devoted his professional life to trying to make clouds rain.

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Before Dr. Mather became involved, the science of weather modification had already claimed
many reputations. The idea that clouds could be manipulated first circulated in the 1940s, and
efforts gathered pace soon after the Second World War.

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However, the entire discipline fell into disrepute when commercial companies hijacked the idea,
took it around the world, and then failed to deliver on their promises. Cloud-seeding, as the
process was known, became the preserve of crackpots and charlatans.

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Scientists theorized that if they could inject the cloud with similarly shaped crystals, these
imposter crystals would also act as frames around which droplets would clump. The cloud would
then be tricked into raining. Silver iodide, whose crystals resemble those of ice, seemed the best
bet. Sadly, none of the experiments, including Dr. Mather's, which had been going for more than
five years, seemed to work. Dr. Mather was about to admit defeat when serendipity intervened.

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Dr. Mather was convinced that something that the place was spewing into the atmosphere was
encouraging the downpour. Subsequent experiments confirmed that hygroscopic salts pouring
into the sky from them were responsible. Hygroscopic salts attract water - once in the
atmosphere, the particles act as magnets around which raindrops can form.
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He was wary; Dr. Mather was known to be a smooth-talking salesman. 'He was charming and
charismatic, and many scientists don't trust that; he says. 'He was also not well-published
because he had been working in the commercial sector. Overall, he was regarded as a maverick.
On that occasion, he presented results that I was convinced were impossible. Yet the statistical
evidence was overwhelming, which I couldn't understand.

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'If those findings can be reproduced there, it will be the most exciting thing to have happened in
the field for 20 years. It will be remarkable because some of the results are not scientifically
explainable.’ He adds, however, that scientists must exercise caution because cloud-seeding is
still mired in controversy. He also points out that, with water being such a precious resource,
success will push the research into the political arena.

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Dr. Cooper says: 'With the paper mill, he saw something that other people wouldn't have seen. I
am still uncomfortable with his idea because it throws up major puzzles in cloud physics. But if
Dr. Mather was right, it will demonstrate that humans can change clouds in ways that were once
thought impossible.'

A Dr. Mather refused to be daunted by this image. After all, the principle seemed perfectly
plausible. Water droplets are swept up to the top of the clouds on updrafts, where they become
supercooled (i.e., although the temperature is below freezing, the water remains liquid). When a
supercooled droplet collides with an ice crystal, it freezes on contact and sticks. Successive
collisions cause each ice crystal to accumulate more water droplets; the crystals grow until they
become too heavy to remain suspended in the atmosphere. As the crystals fall through the cloud,
they become raindrops. The ice crystals, therefore, act as frames to 'grow' raindrops.

B Dr. Mather, unfortunately, will not be involved in the debate about such matters. He died aged
63, shortly before the documentary was completed. It will ensure that this smooth-talking
maverick is given the recognition he deserves.

C He and a colleague decided to collect a last batch of data when they flew into a tiny but
ferocious storm. That storm, Dr. Mather says in the film, changed his life. Huge droplets were
spattering on the tiny plane's windscreen. No such storm had been forecast. Back on the ground,
they discovered the storm was located directly above a paper mill.

D A trial in Mexico has been running for two years, and the signs are promising. 'We were
sufficiently encouraged in the first year to continue the seeding research. But the results are
preliminary because we have only a very small sample of clouds at the moment. We need to
work over two more summers to reach a proper conclusion.

E He arranged to fly to South Africa 'with the full intention of explaining what was wrong with
the experiment'. Instead, he came back convinced that Dr. Mather was on to something. He is
now running two experiments, one in Arizona and one in northern Mexico to try to verify the
South African results. The experiments use potassium chloride, which is similar to table salt
(sodium chloride) and, it is claimed, non-polluting.

F The scientific community remained sniffy in the face of this apparent proof. Foremost among
the skeptics was Dr. William Cooper, of the United States National Centre for Atmospheric
Research (NCAR). Dr. Cooper, regarded as one of the world's finest cloud scientists, saw Dr.
Mather present his astonishing claims at a cloud physics conference in Montreal.

G They involved weather experts firing rockets into clouds to stop them from producing hail,
which damages crops. The clouds, it was hoped, would dissolve into a harmless shower.

H The desire to do so led him to set up a project in South Africa, which was ultimately to
convince him that it was possible. As the program reveals, experiments around the world appear
to prove his faith was justified.

Exercise 6

THE ORIGIN OF ADVERTISING

Advertising has become a major force in our modern world. Through our airwaves, up in the
skies, on walls, streets and along motorways, almost nowhere can we go and not be bombarded
by adverts. It has become so prevalent that scientists and researchers have analyzed its
sociological effect extensively – how it influences buying habits, desensitizes consumers and in
some cases even repels them.

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Such rudimentary content is also believed to be present in the first printed adverts, used by
ancient Egyptians to communicate sales messages through the use of papyrus. In contrast with
the ephemeral nature of today’s advertising, they would also carve messages of commerce into
stone or on steel plates, which would remain visible for a lifetime.

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Naturally, we cannot know for sure, but one would guess that the power of persuasion was
present in the spoken adverts of ancient times. You could suppose that the loudest, most colorful,
most entertaining crier garnered the most business. Although we do not experience this form of
advertisement often today, sellers in public markets in Europe and the Middle East still employ
this method.

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The specific message on the printing plate was ‘We buy high-quality steel rods and make fine-
quality needles to be ready for use at home in no time', and the seller also placed a rabbit logo
and the name of his shop in the center. The plate, made of copper and dating back to the Song
dynasty of the 10 -century China, was used to print posters the dimensions of which were nearly
th

perfect squares roughly the size of a window frame.

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It was not until the rise of newspapers did advertising makes its next big leap. During this time,
targeted slogans and catchphrases became popular. The first such instance of a paid newspaper
advert appeared in the French newspaper La Presse in 1836 and what was so revolutionary about
it was that the seller paid for its placement, allowing the newspaper to charge its readers less.

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Known as quackery, such messages boasted cures for common ailments that went above and
beyond what traditional remedies could provide. Naturally, an unsuspecting and undereducated
public was particularly susceptible to such fabrications. Much as how quackery would be
dispelled today, doctors went out of their way to publish medical journals debunking the claims
made by these adverts.

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In the advert, a painting of a child blowing bubbles – a work of art literally entitled Bubbles, by
English artist Sir John Everett Millais – was used as the background of a poster, with the product
visible in the foreground. The visual immediately linked the product with high – class society
and it is a tactic that is undeniably still very much used today.

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Along with the staggering investment is the use of a broad range of tactics to maximize impact,
such as focus groups, evocative imagery, storytelling, and seemingly boundless product
placement. So psychological is the effect that it has given rise to the belief that companies know
everything about you. Nevertheless, with such creativity poured into the field, one can still
appreciate its art form and its place in history.
A. One need look no further than failed advertising campaigns. Some went too far in their shock
value, had to be apologized for and hurt the brand more than they helped. In one example, a
game manufacturer, in order to promote the carnal violence visible in the game, held an event
which showcased an actual deceased goat.

B. For better or worse, there was no stopping the budding advertising industry. Agencies started
to spring up and with that came campaigns. The first successful campaign was for the British
soap manufacturer Pears. With the help of chairman Thomas James Barratt, the company
successfully linked a catchy slogan with high culture.

C. In contrast to the adverts being produced for the literate populace of this region, text was
largely absent from adverts that proliferated in the towns and cities of medieval Europe. To
circumvent this obstacle, adverts used commonly recognizable imagery such a boot for a cobbler
or a diamond for a carver to promote products and services. And still, criers remained the go-to
medium for relaying the sellers’ messages to the public.

D. Also entering the industry was the vast sums of money that companies would splash out on
campaigns. A little over one hundred American companies in 1893 spent 50,000 US dollars on
advertising campaigns. That equates to over one million US dollars today, still a fraction of what
today’s companies spend at nearly 500 billion pounds globally.

E. In this era, though, the medium with the greatest prevalence was oral. Public criers would
circulate messages in urban centers to passers-by advertising various products. There is evidence
of written adverts and for more than just selling wares. In one such advert found at the ruins of
Thebes dated 1,000 BC, a man was offering a reward for a runaway slave. But oral messages
were the main method of delivery until the invention of the printing press in 1450.

F. But there was a time when an advert was a rare occurrence and its effect on society amounted
to no more than its core function; that is, to connect seller and buyer. We know that the written
word began around 5,000 years ago in Mesopotamia, in the Sumerian civilization that existed in
modern-day southern Iraq. The make – up of this early scrawling consisted of grain inventories,
from what historians and linguists can make of it.

G. Adverts in ancient times did contain an element of sophistication which essentially lured
buyers, albeit less obviously. On the other side of the world, in ancient China, the language of
adverts contained selling points and friendly imagery, such as in an advert to coax people into
using a craftsman’s services. This particular advertising medium is considered the oldest
example of printed advertising.

H. That formula was soon copied by other publishers looking to increase their profits while
expanding their circulation. British newspapers, which had been using newspaper advertising
since the 18 century, used adverts to promote books and newspapers themselves. The printing
th

press had made their production much more affordable and advertising content expanded to
include medicines, in what would prove to be the first instances of false advertising.
Exercise 7.

Where to next?
Are travelers selfish?
Travel, when you think about it, is largely a selfish pursuit. It’s all about me, me, me. Places I
can go to, people I can meet, things I can see, food I can try, my bucket list, my experiences. Are
you a self-absorbed traveler? Let’s look at some common scenarios, starting with the plight of
traveler seeking to discover something unique.

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Your first reaction is to blame the guide book, regardless of the fact that it’s probably the way
you found out about it, too. And it’s true, that book in your hand has a bit to answer for. But
that’s a simplistic notion. In an age of mass tourism, of backpacker grapevines, of internet and
travel blogs, it’s inevitable that what was once a pristine paradise will be seething with tourists
before long.

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You can direct a little blame at the locals, too. Without their efforts, that which seems to offend
you would not exist. They like the money and they want more – although it’s a bit hard to blame
them for that. If tourist cash spent at beach bars and souvenir shops can ease poverty and raise
living standards it would be selfish to begrudge the locals their chance at a better life.

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Honestly, either accept a place as it is, even if it doesn't live up to your expectations or go
elsewhere if the trappings of the progress are too offensive for your sensibilities. Don’t blame the
guide books, the internet, the Trip Advisor. Don’t blame your fellow tourists. And definitely
don’t blame the locals for trying to improve their lives – that would be the height of selfishness.

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They say money makes the world go round. So how do you spend your hard-earned cash on
holiday? Do you shop locally? If you stay, eat and shop in places owned by locals, your money
will stay in the community and help generate jobs. Foreign-owned resorts or hotel chains may
offer a higher level of comfort and extra facilities, but very little of what you pay actually trickles
down into the local economy. If there’s a beach nearby, do you really need a swimming pool?

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And last but not least where money’s concerned, bargain fairly. Saving an extra dollar on that T-
shirt or souvenir will hardly make a dent in your budget, but it can make a huge difference to the
seller. Once, I was disgusted to witness a shameful exchange in which a well-fed foreigner
haggled hard to get a novelty toy for less than half price. The saving? Fifty measly cents. Adding
insults to injury, he boasted about it to his companions. He felt great because he’d put one over
on the locals. Don’t be that person!

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People say there’s something about lending a hand that lifts voluntourism above the average
travel experience. But I think there's still an element of selfishness even to the noble volunteers
who help build homes or teach art to children. You do these things because it downsizes to all
this goodwill, however, is that voluntourism is actually quite expensive. Most companies that
organize volunteer trips will charge you plenty for the experience – often far more than it would
cost you to just visit those countries on your own.

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Well, that’s it. Some of you will disagree with my views, but I’m up for a good debate. Are you a
selfish traveler?
A. Maybe you’re not the kind of travelers who thinks hell is other people. Maybe you’re happy
to discover and share the world with others. That’s commendable. But while you’re roaming the
planet, think about your personal impact on the people and the places around you. Are you
contributing in positive ways that can be of benefit to others, or are you exacerbating problems?
Are you causing harm to satisfy selfish needs?
B. You get to an exotic destination expecting to find an untouched and unspoiled paradise, a
secluded fantasyland just for you, far from the well-worn tourist path….and the place is crawling
with other travelers. There are loud and obnoxious backpackers, huge speakers thumping out the
most awful dance music, and tour buses spewing their human cargo.
C. One last thing before I get off my soapbox: voluntourism. It’s a novel concept, and, to those
whose idea of travel is a secluded resort and a day spa, a somewhat frightening one. The idea is
simple: as a traveler from the first world, you’re usually in a far more privileged position than
those who live in the countries you’re visiting. But, rather than just comfort yourself with the
knowledge that your money is helping their economy, why not do something tangible to help
out, even for just a few days?
D. There is something imperialistic about not allowing – or wanting – less developed countries to
develop along the lines of our own cultures. After a recent trip to Nepal, a member of our group
was complaining about locals in a village, and how the place was spoilt because there was an
internet café. I couldn’t believe in my ears. Why can’t these Nepalese people enjoy the web if
they so choose?
E. Stay calm and don’t get angry if you think you’ve been charged a bit more for your transport,
hotel or food. Perhaps it’s just an honest mistake. Try to point out the discrepancy in a polite and
respectful way, and don’t accuse anyone of dishonesty. Yes, it’s your hard-earned cash, but don’t
assume that people want to rob you of it just because they have less.
F. Be careful about what you’re buying, too. In countries with lax environmental regulations, or
where authorities turn a blind eye to illegal trade, it’s not difficult to find products made from
endangered species such as shell, coral and certain woods. It never fails to shock me when I hear
of anyone buying ivory products, like carving or jewellery. And then there’s medicine made
from parts of endangered animals. Don’t even think about it! The tiger population in Asia has
been drastically reduced, and for what? Some crackpot cure that doesn’t work.
G. Isn’t this concept of an exclusive paradise selfish? Not only that, but the arrogance implicit in
it is astonishing too. Without wishing to state the obvious, the second you decide to go to a place
because it is paradise, you are part of the problem. The blaring speakers, international sport on
big screen TVs, karaoke, fish and chips – it’s all there because it’s what the tourists want.
H. Yes, that’s right – you pay the organization to go and work for free. The money is supposed to
go into the community, but often, shady operators pocket the profits. As if that wasn’t bad
enough volunteers could be taking jobs from locals. Think about it. If there’s free labor, i.e. you,
why would anyone employ a local? That’s probably what I find most disturbing about the whole
concept. It’s not ethical or responsible, and in my humble opinion, best avoided.

Exercise 8.

GANGS: the new tribes

‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ a class of fresh-faced 12-year-olds were asked
upon commencing secondary school. Their new English teacher – Mrs Marcus – asked this
question every year and it seemed to fire the imagination of every child. Usually, there was a
smattering of professions, vocations and trades, along with some interesting surprises. This lot
did not disappoint.

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It turns out they were a highly varied lot: doctor, nurse, lawyer, judge, electrician, archaeologist,
businesswoman, vet, police officer, hairdresser, actor, shop assistant. There was trouble
containing their enthusiasm, with some throwing out more than one idea. A few had non-specific
ambitions, ‘I don’t know. I want to travel’, and ‘ I just want to go to university.’ All of them had
opinions, some stronger than others, but opinions nonetheless.

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I’m particularly interested in the differences between that generation and the current one. ‘Hopes
and dreams,’ she replies immediately. ‘Whether your classmates achieved those things or not is
irrelevant. The important thing is you had ideas about your future; you had aspirations. When I
have asked that question in recent years, instead of setting their sights on becoming a scientist, a
lawyer or an artist, the best some children could think of was going on the dole, being famous, or
being the boss of a gang,’ she says.

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It is a vicious circle that becomes increasingly difficult to break. It was crucial for my peers and
me that we knew people who worked and we could make decisions about our ambitions based on
some knowledge. We had the benefit of seeing our parents, relatives, and neighbours going to
work, returning from work, talking about their jobs, or their time at university. These experiences
informed our ideas, ambitions and, let’s face it, our expectations, too. We wouldn’t have dreamt
of alternative. After all, work and study were our means to get ahead and make our way in life.

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This lies at the very core of a gang’s appeal. The aimlessness of some youths’ experience is
replaced by the rigid system of rules, rituals, and codes of behavior that members follow, and
which gives them a purpose and adds much – needed structure to their lives. In many cases, the
gang becomes a surrogate family, providing security, camaraderie and a sense of belonging.
These powerful inducements exert a strange power over vulnerable teenagers.

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I ask Margaret what it is that can drive such a change. ‘I’ve known many young boys who have
turned over a new leaf,’ she says. ‘The key is intervention at the grassroots level. Community
programs that keep kids off the streets and involve them in pro-social activities are great
deterrents. Strong after-school programs that meet children’s needs for supervision are also
successful in reducing attraction to gang-related activities. These cost money, though, and
authorities are often not willing to spend,’ she explains, ‘and sadly, some kids fall through the
cracks.’

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What chance for rehabilitation do they have, I wonder, when they cling to their gangs even in
these circumstances? Admittedly, the need for survival plays a role since those in prison rely on
their fellow gang members for protection. After all, prison is no picnic and is possibly more
dangerous in an environment than the outside world. But even in here, there is hope.

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‘You can’t make anyone succeed, but you can help them to see that success in life is possible
outside of the narrow confines of the gang,’ says Margaret. ‘If we give young people
opportunities to bring about a change in their circumstances, they can build a happy future.’
Let’s hope that the next time Margaret asks 'the questions', there will be some scientists,
entrepreneurs, and plumbers in the group.

A. Success, however, can be measured in a myriad of ways, and for those without traditional
role models, gang culture becomes increasingly alluring as a way to make something of
themselves. ‘They’re not inherently bad kids,’ says Marcus, ‘they just have no direction and no
one to look up to. Were they to attach value to work and education, their whole outlook on life
would change and they wouldn’t need what gang membership provides.’

B. Though there is no conclusive evidence, many critics of popular media believe exposure to
violent films and song lyrics, particularly rap music, has a negative influence; glamorizing gang
life and encouraging at-risk youths to join gangs or to participate in gang-related crime as a
means of gaining a sense of belonging and empowerment.

C. Those who do join a gang inevitably end up in a downward spiral, losing any moral
foundation they had and hurtling headlong into a life of violence and crime. And yet, even when
they are placed in juvenile detention centers, or worse – in adult prisons – some maintain their
allegiance to the gang and look upon their membership as a badge of honor; a mark of success,
not failure.

D. Thick and fast came the replies. ‘Teacher,’ said a bespectacled girl in the front row. Mrs
Marcus smiled to herself. The prospective teachers always sat as close as possible to the board,
eager and serious. ‘Football player!’ shouted a tall lad from the back, raising his arms in victory
as though he’d just scored a winning goal against Argentina at the World Cup. Mrs Marcus knew
he’d be a live wire in class. ‘Prime Minister’, said another, garnering a round of applause as well
as ridicule from his classmates.

E. How has it come to this? A recent report has found that children in some areas of the country
have so little contact with working people that the concept of employment is almost foreign.
They live in the so-called ‘welfare ghettos’ where more than half of the working-age population
depends on out-of-work benefits. In many families, unemployment is intergenerational with
grandparents and parents living on the dole.

F. Thankfully, in many cases the lure is temporary. It becomes nothing more than a phase that
plays to their fantasies of rebellion and desire for high drama, in part fueled by pop culture
through music and films that glamorize thug life. In time, these wannabe gangsters find other
interests and reject the values of the gang.

G. Fast forward twenty years and Mrs Margaret Marcus is now teaching at an inner-city school
in a large metropolis. Hoping to get some insight from this forty-year veteran of the education
system, I’m interviewing her about the challenges faced by young people today. ‘So you became
a journalist instead of a teacher,’ she says with a twinkle in her eye. Yes, I was that child in the
specs long ago. Before getting down to business, we reminisce for a few moments about my
classmates.

H. There are many organizations that are working positively with young people in gangs, both
inside and outside of detention, and helping them through some very difficult times in their lives.
With this help, they can stop their slide into crime and violence, and make the tough transition of
evolving into productive, responsible and law-abiding members of society.

Exercise 9.

Disposable Buildings?
Look at a building, any building. What can it tell you? Few would dispute that architecture
reflects the taste and style of the period that gave rise to it.

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Today’s architectural landmarks tend to be secular rather than religious. For the present purpose,
however, it is less important to acknowledge a building’s patronage than it is to carefully
scrutinize its form. So, observe a contemporary building. What stands out? Discord? A
hodgepodge of odd shapes and garish colours that jar? What about the next? The same? Seeing
one modern building does little to prepare the viewer for the next one; uniformity is negligible.

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In the larger scheme of things, these differences are minor and it is safe to say that uniformity of
appearance is a major factor that differentiates between the buildings of the past and those of the
present. Another important distinction and one so obvious that it may seem to go without saying,
is that modern buildings do not look like old buildings, (unless they are built in imitation, like
neoclassical architecture, for example).

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This is more than a comment on the quality of the respective building materials. The pyramids
were built to last; the Millennium Dome most assuredly was not. This is not to say that the
intention for modern structures is that they should last a certain amount of time and then fall
down – as a kind of disposable building. Nevertheless, they are undeniably designed and built
with only the most immediate future in mind.

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The people of the past, on the other hand, looked ahead. It is clear that they intended a building
to be there for future generations. This is corroborated by the fact that, in countries where the
climate allows it, they planted trees. Consider this: planting a tree, especially one that will
someday grow to be very big, is the ultimate in altruistic behaviour. When a man plants an oak
sapling, he knows very well that he will not see the tree that it will become.

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There is a third element particularly relevant to contemporary architecture – the aesthetic

element. Aesthetics pose a challenge because they are inherently subjective. Beauty is, indeed, in
the eye of the beholder; we all have likes and dislikes, and they are not the same. Even allowing
for this, however, most would probably agree that ‘beautiful’ is not the most apt way to describe
the majority of modern buildings.

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With most modern buildings, we certainly are. Without interventions, these words inevitably
take on a negative connotation, yet it can be constructive to be confronted with something
completely different, something a bit shocking. A reaction is provoked. We think. All art evolves
with time, and architecture, in all its varied manifestations, is, after all, a form of art.
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As a result, we have been left with much material for study from past eras. What will we leave
behind us, in turn? If our culture still places a value on the past and its lessons or a belief that we
carry our history with us, in continuity, to the future, then this view has not been reflected in our
architecture. The generations of the future may not be able to benefit from us as we have
benefited from the generations of the past.

A The fact remains, though, that until the present day, art forms have been made to last.
Countless paintings and sculptures, as well as buildings, bear witness to this. The artists and
architects of the past strove to impart their creations with attributes that would stand the test of
time. It was part and parcel of the successful execution. It was an expression of pride; a boast. It
was the drive to send something of themselves to live on into the future, for reasons selfless and
selfish both.

B For architecture, patronage has always been important. While this method of financing a work
of art is as old as the idea of art itself, it gathered huge momentum during the Renaissance.
During this period, wealthy and powerful families vied with each other in a competition for the
creation of the breathtakingly beautiful and the surprisingly different. It was a way of buying into
their own immortality, and that of the artist or the architect to boot.
 C Indeed, it is rare to see a modern building that has worn well, that is free from leaks or rising
damp, that is without bits of its outer structure falling off. It is hard to call to mind an edifice
built in the last fifty years which is not like this or will not soon be. These days, we are not
interested in posterity: if a building serves our purpose and that of our children, that seems to be
enough.

D However, neither of these distinctions reveal much about the builders, apart from their
aesthetic and their fondness for visual conformity. Now, take a look at some old buildings. The
fact that you can see them at all, that they are intact and relevant, is what opens up the chasm
between the present and the past. We do not know how long today’s architectural heritage will
last, but the chances are that it will not stand the test of time.

E Why is this? Do we not require our buildings to be beautiful any longer? Perhaps beauty has
become architecturally superfluous, or just plain old-fashioned. It could be that the idea of beauty
is too sentimental and sugary for the contemporary taste. Maybe the modern psyche demands
something more stimulating and less easy than beauty. Perhaps we yearn to be challenged.

F Historic buildings from a common era, on the other hand, resemble each other. Take the
example of the Gothic cathedral. To the non-specialist, one Gothic cathedral looks much like the
next; if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. This view, while extreme, is correct in the sense
that there is a uniformity of style in every Gothic cathedral ever built. Anyone can see it. It takes
an enthusiast, however, to spot and appreciate the myriad subtleties and differences.

G In contrast, any tree-planting that takes place today is largely commercial, motivated by the
quest for immediate gain. Trees are planted that will grow quickly and can be cut down in a
relatively short space of time. The analogy between tree planting and the construction of
buildings is a good one; both activities today show thinking that is essentially short-term and
goal-driven; we want an instantaneous result and, on top of that, we want it to be profitable.

H Buildings, however, can reveal considerably more than that. They give us a unique insight into
the collective mind and culture of those responsible for their construction. Every building was
conceived with an objective in mind, to serve some purpose or assuage some deficiency, and
someone was responsible for commissioning them. Throughout the course of history, buildings
have generally been constructed at the instigation of the rich and powerful – products of politics,
religion or both. This is what makes them so revealing.

Exercise 10.

Playing the Game

It's a cut-throat business but there are massive rewards on offer in the software industry - and
age is no barrier to success, explains Rupert Jones.
The frequent claim that Britain has an unrivalled reputation when it comes to producing games is
no idle boast; the UK has by far the biggest development community in Europe and is also home
to most of the global publishing giants. In fact, the UK leisure software market is now said to be
the fastest-growing sector of the UK entertainment media.

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"It's now very much a commercial exercise," says Roger Bennett, Director General of industry
trade body, the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA). "Whereas
people can make a film with a camcorder, you can't make a game now unless you have a huge
amount of equipment and the skills to use it." And lots of money, too. A top-flight game can cost
up to £5m to develop.

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This is borne out by Nick Wheelwright at Codemasters. He says it looks for "outstanding
academic people". Those the company takes on will normally have a degree in a relevant
discipline, so for an artist that might be fine art or illustration and animation, while for a
programmer it could be computer science or maths.

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When it comes to publishing, distribution and marketing, the skills required tend to be more
commercial. "It's an industry that people do want to get into. Whenever we advertise a vacancy
we get lots of interest," says Rob Murphy, finance director at south-London-based SCi
Entertainment.

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Games testers are a crucial component of the industry, and this is an area where a university
qualification may not be necessary - five GCSEs and good PC knowledge may be enough. These
are the people who play games all day, testing them for playability and making sure there are no
bugs.

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Rachel Wood swapped her paintbrush for a computer and the latest graphics and animation
software seven years ago. She is now a senior lead artist at Codemasters, overseeing a team of
artists working on two new games. "Everyone has input into how the game looks, especially in
the early stages. My job is to direct that, initially, and make sure everyone is working in the same
direction," says Rachel.
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.

When Rachel joined Codemasters she had little understanding of how computers worked, but she
had had an interest in maths and physics before choosing to take the fine art route. Working in
this field does involve "a certain degree of technological understanding" but Rachel stresses that
traditional artistic talent and creativity are very important.

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Getting a job as a games tester can be a good route in. Many games-mad teenagers have got in
this way and then worked their way up the ladder. Students may be able to get a foot in the door
by doing gap year or summer job work experience, perhaps working on the company website. A
passion for games isn’t obligatory but, obviously, it helps.
A Perhaps inevitably, the development side in particular has become much more professional in
the way it operates, with a far greater emphasis on academic excellence when it comes to hiring
staff. "The people being employed now are highly educated and highly qualified. The biggest
studios will only recruit people of high academic excellence," says Mr Bennett.
B Now 29, she studied fine art at Plymouth University and later spent time doing oil painting
commissions but she was not content. "Working as a fine artist is fairly isolated. This offered a
chance to learn new technologies and to be working in a team." Once she arrived, she was
hooked, though she had to learn some new skills.
C Based near Leamington Spa, Codemasters employs more than 400 people, and the average
age of the staff is just 23-24. It has, among others, people with physics degrees who measure
things like the speed, momentum and crash impact in racing games, computer science graduates
who are responsible for testing the games to check for bugs, people with law degrees involved
with celebrity contracts and licences, and automotive engineering graduates who design the
structure of virtual racing cars.
D For wannabe graphics artists, some degree of technological understanding is clearly an
advantage. If you’re not up on the latest software, however, don't be put off. There’s still space
for people with traditional artistic talent and creativity. You can pick up the tech side as you go.
E "Quite often you will have to play the game for many months. You have to be dedicated and
pretty systematic," says Mr Murphy. Codemasters says there may be as many as 30 people
testing the same game for the final three months. “A tester might be paid around £18,000
compared with an experienced producer, who can earn £40,000-plus”, says Mr Murphy.
F To stand a chance of serious long-term success in this cut-throat market, games consoles need
great games, and lots of them. It's on sales of games at up to £45 a throw that the real profits are
made. ‘Club Football’ and ‘LMA Manager’ are two such titles. "We've been going out to the
clubs and photographing the players. I've been to a couple of the shoots," smiles Rachel.
G But the past few years have brought big changes to the way companies work. The cottage
industry days, when a teenage techie could create a game in his bedroom that went on to become
a blockbuster, are long gone.
H SCi is one of the UK's longest-established games publishers, whose recent hits include ‘The
Italian Job’, based on the Michael Caine heist movie. Mr Murphy adds that it helps to have some
experience under your belt. "There are a lot of things people can do to get experience; for
example, becoming a tester for a while. We have had students on their gap year in to help on our
website." Most people will have degrees but a lot comes down to the individual and their
enthusiasm for games.