Месяц: Март 2020

Tonight, do yourself a favor. Shut off the TV, log off the Internet and unplug the phone. Relax, take a bath, maybe sip some herbal tea. Then move into the bedroom. Set your alarm clock for a time no less than eight hours in the future, fluff up your pillows and lay your head down for a peaceful night of restorative shut-eye. That’s what American doctors advise.

American sleep experts are sounding an alarm over America’s sleep deficit. They say Americans are a somnambulant nation, stumbling groggily through their waking hours for lack of sufficient sleep. They are working longer days — and, increasingly, nights — and they are playing longer, too, as TV and the Internet expand the range of round-the-clock entertainment options. By some estimates, Americans are sleeping as much as an hour and a half less per night than they did at the turn of the century — and the problem is likely to get worse.

The health repercussions of sleep deprivation are not well understood, but sleep researchers point to ills ranging from heart problems to depression. In a famous experiment conducted at the University of Chicago in 1988, rats kept from sleeping died after two and a half weeks. People are not likely to drop dead in the same way, but sleep deprivation may cost them their lives indirectly, when an exhausted doctor prescribes the wrong dosage or a sleepy driver weaves into someone’s lane.

What irritates sleep experts most is the fact that much sleep deprivation is voluntary. “People have regarded sleep as a commodity that they could shortchange,” says one of them. “It’s been considered a mark of very hard work and upward mobility to get very little sleep. It’s a macho attitude”. Slumber scientists hope that attitude will change. They say people have learned to modify their behavior in terms of lowering their cholesterol and increasing exercise. Doctors also think people need to be educated that

allowing enough time for sleep and taking strategic naps are the most reliable ways to promote alertness behind the wheel and on the job.

Well, naps would be nice, but at the moment, employers tend to frown on them. And what about the increasing numbers of people who work at night? Not only must they work while their bodies’ light-activated circadian rhythms tell them to sleep, they also find it tough to get to sleep after work. Biologists say night workers have a hard time not paying attention to the 9-to-5 day because of noises or family obligations or that’s the only time they can go to the dentist. There are not too many dentists open at midnight.

As one might imagine, companies are springing up to take advantage of sleeplessness. One of the companies makes specially designed shift-work lighting systems intended to keep workers alert around the clock. Shiftwork’s theory is that bright light, delivered in a controlled fashion, can help adjust people’s biological clocks. The company president says they are using light like a medicine. So far, such special lighting has been the province of NASA astronauts and nuclear power plant workers. He thinks that in the future, such systems may pop up in places like hospitals and 24-hour credit-card processing centers. Other researchers are experimenting with everything from welder’s goggles (which night workers wear during the day) to human growth hormones. And, of course, there is always what doctors refer to as “therapeutic caffeine use”, but everyone is already familiar with that.

So, is a good night’s sleep an impossible dream for Americans? Maybe so.

What does prevent a person from sleeping normally?

How can you do your dream more pleasant?

What do irritate sleep-experts most?

What is Shiftwork’s theory about?

After reading the text, what would you do to sleep better?

Put in the infinitive or the -ing form of the verb in brackets.

I was overjoyed seeing you at the party.
The nuclear station is not likely to blow up although it may shut down.
Janice was sad to see such poverty when she visited India.
It’s possible to work all day without being disturbed.
You are free to leave any time you want to.
You should be able to practise singing every day.
Scientists are hoping to discover a new chemical element.
I don’t mind people asking me questions.
He works too slowly to be any use to me.
He can ‘t stand waiting for other people.
I guess there is no point sitting around here any longer.
The lemonade was cool enough for us to drink.
Please stop interputting me when I am trying to explain something.
I’ve forgotten to buy flowers for my girlfriend’s birthday
I simply can’t afford to waste time trying to explain this to you.
The thief admitted entering the house but says he didn’t take anything.
I don’t really fancy spending my holidays in Spain.
I apologised to her but she refused to accept it.
He offered to help me to repair my motorcycle.
Why does John keep writing to you?

Complete the sentences with either the infinitive or -ing form.
1. It is difficult to find a place to park in this town.
2. Peter prefers driving rather than travelling by train.
3. It’s time to clean this kitchen.
4. She was sitting in her armchair watching television.
5. I can’t help falling in love with you.
6. I’ve given up trying to communicate with John.
7. There is no point to spend too long on the individual questions.
8. She used to say she would return to her job when the children grew up.
9. If you put off explaining it to her, then it will only become worse.
10. Many dream of winning the lottery so that they never have to work again.

Complete the report by putting the verbs in the correct form, using ing or to.

Swimmer abandons Channel swim
James Forsyth has decided to abandon his second attempt at
swimming the English Channel after breaking his ankle in a
cycling accident. His decision to postpone this attempt came after a two
week holiday mountainbiking in Majorca with his wife. His first attempt
was also unsuccessful and he is unlikely being back training for quite a few
months. He said in a recent interview that he had not yet decided whether
to try one more time, but denies losing total interest in
the project. ‘I aim to raise money for a local charity’ he explained. He
continued by saying that if he could manage to find theime, he would do a lot more charity work.

То, что люди считают самым большим гнездовьем в мире, десятки тысяч зеленых морских черепах приходят, чтобы отложить яйца. Черепахи плавают на острове Рейн в Австралии, но повышение уровня моря означает, что вода угрожает острову.

Энди Данстан из Queensland Parks and Wildlife объяснил, что одна мама морских черепах откладывает клад из 100 яиц, но вода, вероятно, затопит яйца во время следующего прилива, и они не будут развиваться.

Чтобы создать пространство и защитить яйца морских черепах от наводнений, люди изменили и подняли 150 метров пляжа острова с отличными результатами; однако, спасение черепах не является дешевым или легким. Государственное партнерство финансирует эти усилия на сумму около 8 миллионов австралийских долларов в течение 5 лет.

At what people think is the biggest nesting site in the world, tens of thousands of green sea turtles come to lay eggs. The turtles swim to Raine Island in Australia, but rising sea levels mean that water is threatening the island.

Andy Dunstan with Queensland Parks and Wildlife explained that one sea turtle mum is laying a clutch of 100 eggs, but the water will probably flood the eggs during the next high tide, and they will not develop.

To create space and protect sea turtle eggs from flooding, people reshaped and raised 150 metres of the island’s beach with great results; however, saving the turtles is not cheap or easy. A public partnership is funding this effort at about 8 million Australian dollars over 5 years.

Knives Out is really a classic story of it’s kind set in modern day with Daniel Craig even playing a very clear Hercule Poirot type character. There’s a bit more humor and self-awareness than a lot of those classic stories, but never to the degree that it takes away from the twists and the mysteries

The film, with an original plot, interesting characters and a good acting. First act of the film, maybe would be not so interesting, but film introduces ua the characters their motives and why only they could killed the father of the family.Second act more about explanation,film shown, intrigue and blackmail inside family.For true, that all reminds me Agatha Christie’s novel with her good and bad side. Third act I consider him the best in the film. All storylines, characters of their actions affect on the investigation of the detective.

I unexpectedly met my old friend Natalie at a metro station in Paris. I recognised her at once though we hadn’t seen each other for ten years. Now she works as a reporter for Le Figaro newspaper. Our friendship began when we were at school. After school, Natalie left Britain. French was her favourite subject and she went to university in Paris. Now she is a very succcessful journalist. Her life is busy and exciting. I was lucky she managed to find some time for me. Natalie made my visit to Paris unforgettable. She took me to the most interesting places in the city. In the evening we watched a performance at The Grand Opera House.

The Met
The Met is an encyclopedic museum, founded in 1870. It has one of the biggest art collection in the world with more than two million individual objects. Among them you can find anything from Egyptian temples to American paintings. The museum attracts over six million visitors a year to its 17 acres of galleries making it the largest single-site attraction in New York City. In other words, plan on spending some time here. The museum has wonderful examples of ancient Egyptian art, some of which date back to the Paleolithic era. The 27 galleries devoted to classical antiquity are illuminated by natural daylight. In the northwest corner, the American galleries demonstrate a wide variety of decorative and fine art from throughout US history. The Met is really worth visiting. If you go to New York, do not miss a chance of going there.