Reading Package

English Language I

Facultad de Humanidades, Artes y Ciencias Sociales

UADER – Paraná

Equipo de Cátedra 2020

Docente Coordinadora: Graciela E. Yugdar Tófalo

Docentes: María Alejandra Menis, Mercedes Alberti, Valeria Villamonte

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 [English Language 1 Reading Package]

What you will find in this package

This package is about reading, reflecting upon what you have read and telling us
what these stories and articles have provoked in you in relation to their content.
You will find three sections: inspirational stories, short fictional stories and
articles. Below you will find some guiding questions to explore each of these
sections.

1- Inspirational stories
These are short, short stories are aimed at making you think about your
life, your behaviour or your relationships. In all of them, you will find a
moral or a message. As you read these stories think about the following
questions:
a- In a nutshell, what is the story about?
b- How is the title of the story connected with the content?
c- Who are the characters?
d- What happens in the story?
e- What is the message of the story?
f- How do you feel about this message?
g- Are any of the stories connected in some way? If they are, how? (you can
establish your own way of relating them).

2- Short fictional stories

These stories are a little longer and they require your attention so as not to
miss any details that may lead to your misunderstanding of the events that
take place. As you read the short story, think:
a- Who are the characters? What is their relationship?
b- What are the different events that take place that lead to the
development of the story?
c- Are the characters changed in some way by the events in the story?
d- Do the characters learn anything?
e- How did you like the story?
f- Think about the title of the story, is it a good one to summarize the
story? Would you change it?

3- Articles
The articles in this package are connected with topics of relevance in today‟s
world. You will find two articles related to each topic, presenting the same topic
from a different point of view. As you read these articles think: a- Read the
title of the article and state what you think you know about the
topic.
b- What is the article actually about?

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 c- What point(s) of view does it present? Or What are the different
arguments in connection what the topic presented?
d- After reading the two articles of a same topic, what is your own point of
view? What do you think?
e- Where did you become acquainted with this topic? Or How do you know
about this topic?

It is always important to read trying to keep a dialogue with the text, no matter
what kind of text it is. That is, as you read, you may want to write down notes or
questions on the margins, which will be probably answered at some point in the
text. If not, these are good talking points to discuss with your teacher and
classmates when you talk about the stories and the articles in class. As well as
this, try to keep track of the feelings or images that these texts bring up. You may
want to relate them to something that happened to you when you were young, to
a song, a poem or a picture that you may bring to class to express how the
reading made you feel.

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Inspirational
Stories

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 [English Language 1 Reading Package]

Monday, September 22, 2008

It is the little things that make a big difference

There was a man taking a morning walk on the beach. He saw that along with the morning tide came
hundreds of starfish and when the tide receded, they were left behind and with the morning sun rays, they
would die. The tide was fresh and the starfish were alive. The man took a few steps, picked one and threw it
into the water. He did that repeatedly. Right behind him there was another person who couldn't understand
what this man was doing. He caught up with him and asked, "What are you doing? There are hundreds of
starfish. How many can you help? What difference does it make?" This man did not reply, took two more
steps, picked up another one, threw it into the water, and said, "It makes a difference to this one."

Friday, August 15, 2008

The Midas touch

We all know the story of the greedy king named Midas. He had a lot of gold and the more he had the more
he wanted. He stored all the gold in his vaults and used to spend time every day counting it.

One day while he was counting a stranger came from nowhere and said he would grant him a wish. The king
was delighted and said, "I would like everything I touch to turn to gold." The stranger asked the king, Are you
sure?" The king replied, "Yes." So the stranger said, "Starting tomorrow morning with the sun rays you will
get the golden touch." The king thought he must be dreaming, this couldn't be true. But the next day when
he woke up, he touched the bed, his clothes, and everything turned to gold. He looked out of the window
and saw his daughter playing in the garden. He decided to give her a surprise and thought she would be
happy. But before he went to the garden he decided to read a book. The moment he touched it, it turned
into gold and he couldn't read it. Then he sat to have breakfast and the moment he touched the fruit and the
glass of water, they turned to gold. He was getting hungry and he said to himself, "I can't eat and drink gold."
Just about that time his daughter came running and he hugged her and she turned into a gold statue. There
were no more smiles left.

The king bowed his head and started crying. The stranger who gave the wish came again and asked the king
if he was happy with his golden touch. The king said he was the most miserable man. The stranger asked,
"What would you rather have, your food and loving daughter or lumps of gold and her golden statue?" The
king cried and asked for forgiveness. He said, "I will give up all my gold. Please give me my daughter back
because without her I have lost everything worth having." The stranger said to the king, "You have become
wiser than before" and he reversed the spell. He got his daughter back in his arms and the king learned a
lesson that he would never forget for the rest of his life.

Retrieved February 2014 from: http://great-motivational-stories.blogspot.com.ar/

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 [English Language 1 Reading Package]

Integrity - The carpenter's house

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house
building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family.

He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by. The contractor was sorry to see his
good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes,
but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and
used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the
front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you."

What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all
so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.

So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than
the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the
situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized that
we would have done it differently.

Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or
erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that
day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself
project." Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today.

Retrieved February 2014 from: http://www.consciouslivingfoundation.org/Inspire/Story.htm#Integrity

The Bible
A young man from a wealthy family was about to graduate from high school. It was the custom in that
affluent neighborhood for the parents to give the graduate an automobile. Bill and his father had spent
months looking at cars, and the week before graduation they found the perfect car. Bill was certain that the
car would be his on graduation night.

Imagine his disappointment when, on the eve of his graduation, Bill's father handed him a gift-wrapped
Bible! Bill was so angry, he threw the Bible down and stormed out of the house. He and his father never saw
each other again.

It was the news of his father's death that brought Bill home again. As he sat one night, going through his
father's possessions that he was to inherit, he came across the Bible his father had given him. He brushed
away the dust and opened it to find a cashier's check, dated the day of his graduation, in the exact amount of
the car they had chosen.

Beckah Fink

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The Weight of the Glass

Once upon a time a psychology professor walked around on a stage while teaching stress management
principles to an auditorium filled with students. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d be
asked the typical ―glass half empty or glass half full‖ question. Instead, with a smile on her face, the
professor asked, ―How heavy is this glass of water I’m holding?‖

Students shouted out answers ranging from eight ounces to a couple pounds.

She replied, ―From my perspective, the absolute weight of this glass doesn’t matter. It all depends on how
long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute or two, it’s fairly light. If I hold it for an hour straight, its weight might
make my arm ache a little. If I hold it for a day straight, my arm will likely cramp up and feel completely
numb and paralyzed, forcing me to drop the glass to the floor. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn’t
change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it feels to me.‖

As the class shook their heads in agreement, she continued, ―Your stresses and worries in life are very
much like this glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit
longer and you begin to ache a little. Think about them all day long, and you will feel completely numb
and paralyzed – incapable of doing anything else until you drop them.‖

The moral: It’s important to remember to let go of your stresses and worries. No matter what happens
during the day, as early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don’t carry them through the
night and into the next day with you. If you still feel the weight of yesterday’s stress, it’s a strong sign that
it’s time to put the glass down.

http://www.marcandangel.com/2013/05/21/4-short-stories-change-the-way-you-think/

The important things in life

A philosophy professor stood before his class with some items on the table in front of him. When the
class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with
rocks, about 2 inches in diameter.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up the
remaining open areas of the jar.

He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous ―Yes.‖

―Now,‖ said the professor, ―I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The rocks are the
important things – your family, your partner, your health, your children – things that if everything else was lost
and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter – like
your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else, the small stuff.‖

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 [English Language 1 Reading Package]

―If you put the sand into the jar first,‖ he continued, ―there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The
same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room
for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play
with your children. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house,
give a dinner party, or fix the disposal.‖

―Take care of the rocks first – the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.‖

A Blank Question Paper

One day a professor entered the classroom and asked his students to prepare for a surprise test. They waited
anxiously at their desks for the test to begin. The professor handed out the question paper with the text
facing down as usual. Once he handed them all out, he asked his students to turn the page and begin. To
everyone’s surprise, there were no questions, just a black dot in the center of the page.

The professor seeing the expression on everyone’s face, told them the following, ―I want you to write what
you see there.‖ The confused students got started on the inexplicable task. At the end of the class, the
professor took all the answer papers and started reading each one of them aloud in front of all the students.
All of them with no exceptions described the black dot, trying to explain its position in the middle of the
sheet etc.

After all had been read, the classroom was silent. The professor began to explain, ―I am not going to grade
on you this, I just wanted to give you something to think about. No one wrote about the white part of the
paper. Everyone focused on the black dot and the same happens in our lives. We have a white paper to
observe and enjoy, but we always focus on the dark spots. Our life is a gift given to us by God with love and
care. We always have reasons to celebrate, nature renewing itself every day, our friends around us, the job
that provides our livelihood, the miracles we see every day.‖

―However, we insist on focusing only on the dark spots, the health issues that bother us, the lack of money,
the complicated relationship with a family member, the disappointment with a friends etc. The dark spots are
very small compared to everything we have in our lives, but they are the ones that pollute our minds. Take
your eyes away from the black spots in your life. Enjoy each one of your blessings, each moment that life
gives you. Be happy and live a life positively!‖

Moral: As the professor explained, life is a bag of good and bad things, we all have positives and negatives
along the way. But we must always concentrate greater on the positives for a healthy and happy life. Life
goes on no matter what so do not waste your time thinking about the negatives.

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What goes around comes around
One day a man saw an old lady, stranded on the side of the road, but even in the dim light of day, he
could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still
sputtering when he approached her.

Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was
he going to hurt her? He didn’t look safe; he looked poor and hungry. He could see that she was frightened,
standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt. It was those chills which only fear can put in you. He
said, ―I’m here to help you, ma’am. Why don’t you wait in the car where it’s warm? By the way, my name is
Bryan Anderson.‖

Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car
looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire.
But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt.

As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him
that she was from St. Louis and was only just passing through. She couldn’t thank him enough for coming
to her aid.

Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. The lady asked how much she owed him. Any amount would have
been all right with her. She already imagined all the awful things that could have happened had he not
stopped. Bryan never thought twice about being paid. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone
in need, and God knows there were plenty, who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole
life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way.

He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help,
she could give that person the assistance they needed, and Bryan added, ―And think of me.‖

He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good
as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight.

A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off
before she made the last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas
pumps. The whole scene was unfamiliar to her. The waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe
her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn’t erase. The
lady noticed the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change
her attitude. The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger. Then
she remembered Bryan.

After the lady finished her meal, she paid with a hundred dollar bill. The waitress quickly went to get change
for her hundred dollar bill, but the old lady had slipped right out the door. She was gone by the time the
waitress came back. The waitress wondered where the lady could be. Then she noticed something written
on the napkin.

There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote: ―You don’t owe me anything. I have been
there too. Somebody once helped me out, the way I’m helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here
is what you do, do not let this chain of love end with you.‖ Under the napkin were four more $100 bills.

Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through
another day. That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the
money and what the lady had written. How could the lady have known how much she and her husband
needed it? With the baby due next month, it was going to be hard… She knew how worried her husband

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was, and as he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, ―Everything’s
going to be all right. I love you, Bryan Anderson.‖

There is an old saying ―What goes around comes around.‖

The Cracked Pot

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his
neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full
portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master’s house, the cracked pot arrived
only half full.

For a full two years, this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water in
his master’s house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for
which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection and miserable that it
was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the
stream. ―I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you‖. The bearer asked, ―Why? What are you
ashamed of?‖ The Pot replied, ―For these past two years I am able to deliver only half of my load because
this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master’s house. Because of my flaws,
you don’t get full value for your efforts‖.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion, he said, ―As we return to the
master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.‖ As they went up the hill, the old
cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this
cheered it somewhat. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so
again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, ―Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not
on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I
planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you’ve
watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s table.
Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house.‖

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[English Language 1 Reading Package]

Short Story

Equipo de Cátedra: Prof. Yugdar, Prof. Menis, Prof. Prof. Alberti, Prof. Villamonte

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Mrs Bixby and the Colonel's Coat
By Roald Dahl

Mr and Mrs Bixby lived in a smallish flat somewhere in New York City. Mr Bixby was a
dentist, who earned an average income. Mrs Bixby was a big, active woman with a wet
mouth. Once a month, always on Friday afternoons, Mrs Bixby would get on the train at
Pennsylvania Station and travel to Baltimore to visit her old aunt. She would spend the
night with the aunt and return to New York City on the following day, in time to cook
supper for her husband. Mr Bixby accepted this arrangement good-naturedly. He knew
that Aunt Maude lived in Baltimore, and that his wife was very fond of the old lady, and
certainly it would be unreasonable to refuse either of them the pleasure of a monthly
meeting.

'But you mustn't ever expect me to come too,' Mr Bixby had said in the beginning.

'Of course not, darling,' Mrs Bixby had answered. 'After all, she's not your aunt. She's

mine.' So far, so good.

As it turned out, though, the aunt was only a convenient excuse for Mrs Bixby. The real purpose of her trips
was to visit a gentleman known as the Colonel, and she spent the greater part of her time in Baltimore in his
company. The Colonel was very wealthy. He lived in an attractive house on the edge of the town. He had no
wife and no family, only a few loyal servants, and in Mrs Bixby's absence he amused himself by riding his
horses and hunting.

Year after year, this pleasant friendship between Mrs Bixby and the Colonel continued without a problem.
They met so rarely -twelve times a year is not much when you think about it — that there was little or no
chance of their growing bored with one another. The opposite was true: the long wait between meetings
made them fonder, and each separate occasion became an exciting reunion.

Eight years went by.

It was just before Christmas, and Mrs Bixby was standing on the station in Baltimore, waiting for the train to
take her back to New York. This particular visit which had just ended had been more than usually pleasant,
and Mrs Bixby was feeling cheerful. But then the Colonel's company always made her feel cheerful these
days. The man had a way of making her feel that she was a rather special woman. How very different from
her dentist husband at home, who only succeeded in making her feel that she was a sufferer from continuous
toothache, someone who lived in the waiting room, silent among the magazines.

'The Colonel asked me to give you this,' a voice beside her said. She turned and saw Wilkins, one of the
Colonel's servants, a small man with grey skin. He pushed a large, flat box into her arms.

'Good heavens!' she cried. 'What a big box! What is it, Wilkins? Was there a message? Did he send me a
message?'

'No message,' the servant said, and he walked away.

As soon as she was on the train, Mrs Bixby carried the box into the Ladies' Room and locked the door. How
exciting this was! A Christmas present from the Colonel. She started to undo the string. 'I'll bet it's a dress,'
she thought. 'It might even be two dresses. Or it might be a whole lot of beautiful underclothes. I won't look.
I'll just feel around and try to guess what it is. I'll try to guess the colour as well, and exactly what it looks like.
Also, how much it cost.'

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She shut her eyes and slowly lifted off the lid. Then she carefully put one hand into the box. There was some
paper on top; she could feel it and hear it. There was also an envelope or card of some sort. She ignored this
and began feeling under the paper, her fingers reaching out delicately.

'My God!' she cried suddenly. 'It can't be true!'

She opened her eyes wide and looked at the coat. Then she seized it and lifted it out of the box. The thick fur
made a wonderful noise against the paper and when she held it up and saw it hanging to its full length, it
was so beautiful it took her breath away.

She had never seen mink like this before. It was mink, wasn't it? Yes, of course it was. But what a beautiful
colour! The fur was almost pure black. At first, she thought it was black; but when she held it closer to the
window, she saw that there was a touch of blue in it as well, a deep rich blue. But what could it have cost?
She hardly dared to think. Four, five, six thousand dollars? Possibly more.

She just couldn't take her eyes off it. Nor, for that matter, could she wait to try it on. Quickly she slipped off
her own plain redcoat. She was breathing fast now, she couldn't help it, and her eyes were stretched very
wide. But, oh God, the feel of that fur! The great black coat seemed to slide onto her almost by itself, like a
second skin. It was the strangest feeling! She looked into the mirror. It was wonderful. Her whole personality
had suddenly changed completely. She looked wonderful, beautiful, rich and sexy, all at the same time. And
the sense of power that it gave her! In this coat she could walk into any place she wanted and people would
come running around her like rabbits. The whole thing was just too wonderful for words!

Mrs Bixby picked up the envelope that was still lying in the box. She opened it and pulled out the Colonel's
letter:

I once heard you saying that you were fond of mink so I got you this. I'm told it's a good one. Please accept it
with my sincere good wishes as a parting present. For my own personal reasons I shall not be able to see you
any more. Goodbye and good luck.

Well!

Imagine that!

Just when she was feeling so happy.

No more Colonel.

What a terrible shock.

She would miss him terribly.

Slowly, Mrs Bixby began stroking the soft black fur of the coat.

She had lost one thing but gained another.

She smiled and folded the letter, meaning to tear it up and throw it out of the window. But while she was
folding it, she noticed that there was something written on the other side:

Just tell them that nice generous aunt of yours gave it to you for Christmas.

The smile on Mrs Bixby's face suddenly disappeared.

'The man must be crazy!' she cried. 'Aunt Maude doesn't have that sort of money. She couldn't possibly give
me this.'

But if Aunt Maude didn't give it to her, then who did?

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Oh God! In the excitement of finding the coat and trying it on, she had completely ignored this important
detail.

In a few hours she would be in New York. Ten minutes after that she would be home, and her husband would
be there to greet her; and even a man like Cyril, living in the dark world of tooth decay and fillings and root
treatments, would start asking a few questions if his wife suddenly walked in from a weekend wearing a six-
thousand-dollar mink coat.

'You know what I think,' she told herself. 'I think that Colonel has done this on purpose just to drive me crazy.
He knew perfectly well that Aunt Maude didn't have enough money to buy this. He knew I wouldn't be able
to keep it,' she told herself.

But the thought of parting with it now was more than Mrs Bixby could bear.

'I've got to have this coat!' she said out loud. 'I've got to have this coat! I've got to have this coat!'

Very well, my dear. You shall have the coat. But don't worry. Sit still and keep calm and start thinking. You're
a clever girl, aren't you? You've tricked him before. The man has never been able to see much further than
the end of his own instruments. So sit completely still and think. There's lots of time.

Two and a half hours later, Mrs Bixby stepped off the train at Pennsylvania Station and walked quickly out
into the street. She was wearing her old red coat again now and was carrying the box in her arms. She
signaled for a taxi.

'Driver,' she said, 'do you know of a pawnbroker that's still open around

here?' The man behind the wheel looked back at her, amused. 'There are

plenty of them in this area,' he answered.

'Stop at the first one you see, then, will you please?' She got in and was driven away.

Soon the taxi stopped outside a pawnbroker's shop.

'Wait for me, please,' Mrs Bixby said to the driver, and she got out of the taxi and entered the shop.

'Yes?' the owner said from a dark place in the back of the shop.

'Oh, good evening,' Mrs Bixby said. She began to untie the string around the box. 'Isn't it silly of me? I've lost
my handbag, and as this is Saturday, all the banks are closed until Monday and I've simply got to have some
money for the weekend. This is quite a valuable coat, but I'm not asking much. I only want to borrow enough
on it to help me until Monday.'

The man waited and said nothing. But when she pulled out the mink and allowed the beautiful thick fur to
fall over the counter, he came over to look at it. He picked it up and held it out in front of him.

'If only I had a watch on me or a ring,' Mrs Bixby said, 'I'd give you that instead. But I don't have a thing with
me except this coat.' She spread out her fingers for him to see.

'It looks new,' the man said, stroking the soft fur.

'Oh, yes, it is. But, as I said, I only want to borrow enough money to help me until Monday. How about fifty
dollars?'

'I'll lend you fifty dollars.'

'It's worth a hundred times more than that, but I know you'll take good care of it until I return.'

The man went over to a drawer and brought out a ticket and placed it on the counter. The ticket had a row
of small holes across the middle so that it could be torn in two, and both halves were exactly the same.

14
'Name?' he asked.

'Leave that out. And the address.'

She saw the man pause, and she saw the pen waiting over the dotted line.

'You don't have to put the name and address, do you?'

The man shook his head and the pen moved on down to the next

line. 'It's just that. I'd rather not,' Mrs Bixby said. 'It's purely personal.'

'You'd better not lose this ticket, then.' 'I won't lose it.'

'Do you realize that anyone who gets hold of this ticket can come in and claim the

coat?' 'Yes, I know that.'

'What do you want me to put for a description?'

'No description either, thank you. It's not necessary. Just put the amount I'm borrowing.' The

pen paused again, waiting over the dotted line beside the word 'Description'.

'I think you ought to put a description. A description is always a help if you want to sell the ticket. You never
know, you might want to sell it sometime.'

'I don't want to sell it.'

'You might have to. Lots of people do.'

'Look,' Mrs Bixby said. 'I'm not poor, if that's what you mean. I simply lost my bag. Don't you

understand?' 'It's your coat,' the man said.

At this point, an unpleasant thought struck Mrs Bixby. 'Tell me something,' she said. 'If I don't have a
description on my ticket, how can I be sure that you'll give me back the coat and not something else when I
return?'

'It goes in the books.'

'But all I've got is a number. So actually, you could hand me any old thing you wanted, isn't that

so?' 'Do you want a description or don't you?' the man asked. 'No,' she said. 'I trust you.'

The man wrote 'fifty dollars' opposite the word 'Value' on both parts of the ticket, then he tore it in half
down the middle and gave one half to Mrs Bixby. Then he gave her five ten-dollar notes. 'The interest is
three per cent a month,' he said.

'All right. Thank you. You'll take good care of it, won't you?'

The man said nothing. Mrs Bixby turned and went out of the shop onto the street where the taxi was waiting.
Ten minutes later, she was home.

'Darling,' she said as she bent over and kissed her husband. 'Did you miss me?'

Cyril Bixby laid down the evening newspaper and looked at the watch on his wrist. 'It's twelve and a half
minutes past six,' he said. 'You're a bit late, aren't you?'

'I know. It's those terrible trains. Aunt Maude sent you her love as usual. I need a drink. What about you?'

15
Her husband folded his newspaper neatly and went over to the drinks' cupboard. His wife remained in the
centre of the room, watching him carefully, wondering how long she ought to wait. He had his back to her
now, bending forward to measure the drinks. He was putting his face right up close to the measurer and
looking into it as though it were a patient's mouth.

'See what I've bought for measuring the drinks,' he said, holding up a measuring glass. 'I can get it to the
nearest drop with this.'

'Darling, how clever.'

I really must try to make him change the way he dresses, she told herself. His suits are just too silly. There had
been a time when she thought they were wonderful, those old-fashioned jackets and narrow trousers, but
now they simply seemed silly. You had to have a special sort of face to wear things like that, and Cyril just
didn't have it. It was a fact that in the office he always greeted female patients with his white coat
unbuttoned so that they could see his clothes beneath; in some strange way this was clearly meant to give
the idea that he was a bit of a ladies' man. But Mrs Bixby knew better. It meant nothing.

'Thank you, darling,' she said, taking the drink and seating herself in an armchair with her handbag on her
knees. 'And what did you do last night?'

'I stayed on in the office and did some work. I got my accounts up to date.'

'Now, really, Cyril, it's time you let other people do your paperwork for you. You're much too important for
that sort of thing.'

'I prefer to do everything myself.'

'I know you do, darling, and I think it's wonderful. But I don't want you to get too tired. Why doesn't that
Pulteney woman do the accounts? That's part of her job, isn't it?'

'She does do them. But I have to decide on the prices first. She doesn't know who's rich and who isn't.'

'This drink is perfect,' Mrs Bixby said, setting down her glass on the side table. 'Quite perfect.' She opened
her bag as if to look for something. 'Oh, look!' she cried, seeing the ticket. 'I forgot to show you this! I found
it just now on the seat of my taxi. It's got a number on it, and I thought it might be worth having, so I kept it.'

She handed the small piece of stiff brown paper to her husband, who took it in his fingers and began
examining it closely, as if it were a problem tooth.

'You know what this is?' he said slowly.

'No, dear, I don't.'

'It's a pawn ticket.'

'A what?'

'A ticket from a pawnbroker's. Here's the name and address of the shop.'

'Oh dear, I am disappointed. I was hoping it might be a ticket for a horse race or something.'

'There's no reason to be disappointed,' Cyril Bixby said. 'As a matter of fact this could be rather

amusing.' 'Why could it be amusing, darling?'

He began explaining to her exactly how a pawn ticket worked and particularly that anyone possessing the
ticket could claim whatever it was. She listened patiently until he had finished.

'You think it's worth claiming?' she asked.

16
'I think it's worth finding out what it is. You see this figure of fifty dollars that's written here? Do you know
what it means?'

'No, dear, what does it mean?'

'It means that the thing in question is almost certain to be something quite valuable.'

'You mean it'll be worth fifty dollars?'

'More like five hundred.'

'Five hundred!'

'Don't you understand?' he said. 'A pawnbroker never gives you more than about a tenth of the real

value.' 'Good heavens! I never knew that.'

'There's a lot of things you don't know, my dear. Now you listen to me. As there's no name and address of
the owner . . .'

'But surely there's something to say who it belongs to?'

'Not a thing. People often do that. They don't want anyone to know they've been to a pawnbroker. They're
ashamed of it.'

'Then you think we can keep it?'

'Of course we can keep it. This is now our ticket.'

'You mean my ticket,' Mrs Bixby said firmly. 'I found it.'

'My dear girl, what does it matter? The important thing is that we are now in a position to go and claim it any
time we like for only fifty dollars. How about that?'

'Oh, what fun!' she cried. 'I think it's very exciting, especially when we don't even know what it is. It could be
anything, isn't that right, Cyril? Anything at all!'

'Certainly it could, although it's most likely to be either a ring or a watch.'

'But wouldn't it be wonderful if it were something really valuable?'

'We can't know what it is yet, my dear. We shall just have to wait and see.'

'I think it's wonderful! Give me the ticket and I'll rush over early on Monday morning and find

out!' 'I think I'd better do that.'

'Oh no!' she cried. 'Let me do it!'

'I think not. I'll collect it on my way to work.'

'But it's my ticket! Please let me do it, Cyril! Why should you have all the

fun?' 'You don't know these pawnbrokers, my dear. You could get cheated.'

'I wouldn't get cheated, honestly I wouldn't. Give the ticket tome, please.'

'Also you have to have fifty dollars,' he said, smiling. 'You have to pay out fifty dollars in cash before they'll
give it to you.'

'I've got that,' she said. 'I think.'

'I'd rather you didn't handle it, if you don't mind.'

'But Cyril, I found it. Whatever it is, it's mine, isn't that right?'

17
'Of course it's yours, my dear. There's no need to get so annoyed about it.'

'I'm not. I'm just excited, that's all.'

'I suppose you haven't thought that this might be something particularly male. It isn't only women that go to
pawnbrokers, you know.'

'In that case, I'll give it to you for Christmas,' Mrs Bixby said generously. 'With pleasure. But if it's a woman's
thing, I want it myself. Is that agreed?'

'That sounds very fair. Why don't you come with me when I collect it?'

Mrs Bixby was about to say yes to this, but stopped herself just in time. She had no wish to be greeted like an
old customer by the pawnbroker in her husband's presence.

'No,' she said slowly. 'I don't think I will. You see, it'll be even more exciting if I stay here and wait. Oh, I do
hope it isn't going to be something that neither of us wants.'

'You've got a point there,' he said. 'If I don't think it's worth fifty dollars, I won't even take it.'

'But you said it would be worth five hundred.'

'I'm quite sure it will. Don't worry.'

'Oh, Cyril, I can hardly wait! Isn't it exciting?'

'It's amusing,' he said, slipping the ticket into his jacket pocket. 'There's no doubt about that.'

Monday morning came at last, and after breakfast Mrs Bixby followed her husband to the door and helped
him on with his coat.

'Don't work too hard, darling,' she said. 'Home at six?'

'I hope so.'

'Are you going to have time to go to that pawnbroker?' she asked.

'My God, I forgot all about it. I'll take a taxi and go there now. It's on my way.'

'You haven't lost the ticket, have you?'

'I hope not,' he said, feeling in his jacket pocket. 'No, here it is.'

'And you have enough money?' 'Yes.'

'Darling,' she said, standing close to him and straightening his tie, which was perfectly straight. 'If it happens
to be something nice, something you think I might like, will you telephone me as soon as you get to the
office?'

'If you want me to, yes.'

'You know, I'm hoping it'll be something for you, Cyril. I'd much rather it was for you than for me.'

'That's very generous of you, my dear. Now I must hurry.'

About an hour later, when the telephone rang, Mrs Bixby was across the room so fast she had the receiver to
her ear before the first ring had finished.

'I've got it!' he said.

'You have! Oh, Cyril, what was it? Was it something good?'

18
'Good!' he cried. 'It's wonderful! You wait until you see this! You'll faint!'

'Darling, what is it? Tell me quickly.'

'You're a lucky girl, that's what you are.'

'It's for me, then?'

'Of course it's for you, though I can't understand how the pawnbroker only paid fifty dollars for it. Someone's
crazy.'

'Cyril! Tell me! I can't bear it!'

'You'll go crazy when you see it.'

'What is it?'

'Try to guess.'

Mrs Bixby paused. Be careful, she told herself. Be very careful now. 'A diamond ring,' she said.

'Wrong.'

'What then?'

'I'll help you. It's something you can wear.'

'Something I can wear? You mean like a hat?'

'No, it's not a hat,' he said, laughing.

'Cyril! Why don't you tell me?'

'Because I want it to be a surprise. I'll bring it home with me this

evening.' 'No you won't!' she cried. 'I'm coming right down there to get it

now!' 'I'd rather you didn't do that.'

'Don't be silly, darling. Why shouldn't I come?'

'Because I'm too busy. I'm half an hour behind

already.' 'Then I'll come in the lunch hour. All right?'

'I'm not having a lunch hour. Oh, well, come at 1.30 then, while I'm having a sandwich. Goodbye.'

At half past one exactly, Mrs Bixby arrived at Mr Bixby's place of business and rang the bell. Her husband, in
his white dentist's coat, opened the door himself.

'Oh, Cyril, I'm so excited!'

'So you should be. You're a lucky girl, did you know that?' He led her down the passage and into his room.

'Go and have your lunch, Miss Pulteney,' he said to his secretary, who was busy putting instruments away.
'You can finish that when you come back.' He waited until the girl had gone, then he walked over to a
cupboard that he used for hanging up his clothes and stood in front of it, pointing with his finger. 'It's in
there,' he said. 'Now - shut your eyes.'

Mrs Bixby did as she was told. Then she took a deep breath and held it, and in the silence that followed she
could hear him opening the cupboard door, and there was a soft sound as he pulled something out from
among the other things hanging there.

'AH right! You can look!'

19
'I don't dare to,' she said, laughing.

'Go on. Have a look.'

She opened one eye just a little, just enough to give her a dark misty view of the man standing there in his
white coat holding something up in the air.

'Mink!' he cried. 'Real mink!'

At the sound of the magic word she opened her eyes quickly, and at the same time she actually started
forward in order to seize the coat in her arms.

But there was no coat. There was only a stupid little fur neckpiece hanging from her husband's hand.

'Just look at that!' he said, waving it in front of her face.

Mrs Bixby put a hand up to her mouth and started backing away. I'm going to scream, she told herself. I just
know it. I'm going to scream.

'What's the matter, my dear? Don't you like it?' He stopped waving the fur and stood looking at her, waiting
for her to say something.

'Why, yes,' she said slowly. 'I … I … think it's … it's lovely … really

lovely.' 'It quite took your breath away for a moment, didn't it?' 'Yes, it

did.'

'Very good quality,' he said. 'Fine colour, too. Do you know how much this would cost in a shop? Two or
three hundred dollars at least.'

'I don't doubt it.'

There were two skins, two narrow dirty-looking skins with their heads still on them and little feet hanging
down. One of them had the end of the other in its mouth, biting it.

'Here,' he said. 'Try it on.' He leaned forward and hung the thing around her neck, then stepped back to
admire it. 'It's perfect. It really suits you. It isn't everyone who has mink, my dear.'

'No, it isn't.'

'You'd better leave it behind when you go shopping or they'll all think we're rich and start charging us
double.'

'I'll try to remember that, Cyril.'

'I'm afraid you mustn't expect anything else for Christmas. Fifty dollars was rather more than I was going to
spend.'

He turned away and went over to the sink and began washing his hands. 'Go and buy yourself a nice lunch
now, my dear. I'd take you out myself, but I've got old man Gorman in the waiting room. There's a problem
with his false teeth.'

Mrs Bixby moved towards the door.

I'm going to kill that pawnbroker, she told herself. I'm going right back there to the shop this very minute
and I'm going to throw this dirty neckpiece right in his face, and if he refuses to give me back my coat I'm
going to kill him.

'Did I tell you that I was going to be late home tonight?' Cyril Bixby said, still washing his hands. 'It'll probably
be at least 8.30the way things look at the moment. It may even be nine.'

20
'Yes, all right. Goodbye.' Mrs Bixby went out, banging the door shut behind her.

At that moment, Miss Pulteney, the secretary, came sailing past her down the passage on her way to lunch.
'Isn't it a beautiful day?' Miss Pulteney said as she went by, flashing a smile. She was walking in a very proud
and confident manner, and she looked like a queen, just exactly like a queen in the beautiful black mink coat
that the Colonel had given to Mrs Bixby.

Source: Dahl, R. (1999). Taste and other tales (New edition). Selected and retold by M. Caldon. Penguin Readers.

21
 Articles

Topic 1: Technology
22
Screen Addiction Is Taking a Toll on
Children
By JaneE.Brody July 6, 2015 6:00am

Excessive use of computer games among young people in

China appears to be taking an alarming turn and may have
particular relevance for American parents whose children spend
many hours a day focused on electronic screens. The documentary
―Web Junkie, ‖to be shown next Monday on PBS, highlights the
tragic effects on teenagers who become hooked on video games,
playing for dozens of hours at a time often without breaks to eat,
sleep or even use the bathroom. Many come to view the real world
as fake.

Chinese doctors consider this phenomenon a clinical

disorder and have established rehabilitation centers where
afflicted youngsters are confined for months of sometimes
draconian therapy, completely isolated from all media, the
effectiveness of which remains to be demonstrated.

While Internet addiction is not yet considered a clinical

diagnosis here, there‗s no question that American youths are
plugged in and tuned out of ―live‖ action for many more hours of
the day than experts consider healthy for normal development.
And it starts early, often with preverbal toddlers handed their
parents‗ cellphones and tablets to entertain themselves when they
should be observing the

23
world around them and interacting with their caregivers.

In its 2013 policy statement on ―Children, Adolescents, and

the Media,‖ the American Academy of Pediatrics cited these
shocking statistics from a Kaiser Family Foundation study in 2010:
―The average 8­ to 10­year­old spends nearly eight hours a day
with a variety of different media, and older children and teenagers
spend more than 11 hours per day.‖ Television, long a popular
―babysitter,‖ remains the dominant medium, but computers,
tablets and cell phones are gradually taking over.

―Many parents seem to have few rules about use of media by

their children and adolescents,‖ the academy stated, and two- thirds
of those questioned in the Kaiser study said their parents had no
rules about how much time the youngsters spent with media.

Parents, grateful for ways to calm disruptive children and keep

them from interrupting their own screen activities, seem to be
unaware of the potential harm from so much time spent in the
virtual world.

―We‗re throwing screens at children all day long, giving them

distractions rather than teaching them how to self-soothe, to calm
themselves down,‖ said Catherine Steiner-Adair, a Harvard- affiliated
clinical psychologist and author of the best- selling book ―The Big
Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the
Digital Age.‖

Before age 2, children should not be exposed to any electronic

media, the pediatrics academy maintains, because ―a child‗s brain
develops rapidly during these first years, and young children learn
best by interacting with people, not screens.‖ Older children and
teenagers should spend no more than one or two hours a day with
entertainment media,

preferably with high- quality content, and spend more free time
playing outdoors, reading, doing hobbies and ―using their
imaginations in free play,‖ the academy recommends.

24
 Heavy use of electronic media can have significant negative
effects on children‗s behavior, health and school performance.
Those who watch a lot of simulated violence, common in many
popular videogames, can become immune to it, more inclined to act
violently themselves and less likely to behave empathetically, said
Dimitri A. Christakis of the Seattle Children‗s Research Institute.

In preparing an honors thesis at the University of Rhode

Island, Kristina E. Hatch asked children about their favorite
video games. A fourth- grader cited ―Call of Duty: Black
Ops,‖ because ―there‗s zombies in it, and you get to kill them
with guns and there‗s violence…I like blood and violence.‖

Teenagers who spend a lot of time playing violent video

games or watching violent shows on television have been found to
be more aggressive and more likely to fight with their peers and
argue with their teachers, according to a study in the Journal of
Youth and Adolescence.

Schoolwork can suffer when media time infringes on reading

and studying. And the sedentary nature of most electronic
involvement—along with televised ads for high-calorie fare—can
foster the unhealthy weights already epidemic among the nation‗s
youth.

Two of my grandsons, ages 10 and 13, seem destined to suffer

some of the negative effects of video-game overuse. The 10-year-old
gets up half an hour earlier on school days to play computer games,
and he and his brother stay plugged into their hand- held devices on
the ride to and from school. ―There‗s no conversation anymore,‖
said their grandfather, who often picks them up.

When the family dines out, the boys use their devices before the
meal arrives and as soon as they finish eating.

―If kids are allowed to play ‗Candy Crush‗ on the way to

school, the car ride will be quiet, but that‗s not what kids need,‖
Dr. Steiner- Adair said in an interview. ―They need time to

25
 daydream, deal with anxieties, process their thoughts and share
them with parents, who can provide
reassurance.‖

Technology is a poor substitute for personal interaction.

Out in public, Dr. Steiner- Adair added, ―children have to

know that life is fine off the screen. It‗s interesting and good to be
curious about other people, to learn how to listen. It teaches them
social and emotional intelligence, which is critical for success in
life.‖

Children who are heavy users of electronics may become

adept at multitasking, but they can lose the ability to focus on
what is most important, a trait critical to the deep thought and
problem solving needed for many jobs and other endeavors later
in life.

Texting looms as the next national epidemic, with half of

children aged 12 to 17 sending and receiving 60 or more text
messages a day, Amanda Lenhart of the Pew Research Center found
in a study released in 2012. An earlier study by researchers at JFK
Medical Center found that teenagers send an average of 34 texts a
night after they get into bed, adding to the sleep deprivation so
common and harmful to them. And as Ms. Hatch pointed out, ―as
children have more of their communication through electronic
media, and less of it face to face, they begin to feel more lonely and
depressed.‖

There can be physical consequences, too. Children can

develop pain in their fingers and wrists, narrowed blood
vessels in their eyes (the long- term consequences of which
are unknown), and neck and back pain from being slumped
over their phones, tablets and computers.

© 2015 The New York Times Company

https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/07/06/screen-addiction-is-taking-a-toll-on-children/

26
The Importance of Technology in the Classroom
March 25, 2015/in Featured, Latest In Technology, News /by Carolyn Medrano

Technology in the classroom used to involve playing Oregon Trail on one of the four available PC’s in
the “computer lab.” The 21st Century has made great strides since then, and children today have
unprecedented technology tools at their disposal.
Despite the positive trends towards adopting technology in the classroom, the full menu of technology is
still not universally available to all students. Many schools struggle with nearly-crippling budget cuts and
teacher shortages, and some have had to make difficult choices.
Using technology at school has become an important talking point across all campuses from K-12, an
on through higher education. This article will explore the importance of technology in the classroom.

10 Benefits of Technology in the Classroom

1. Instructors Can Personalize the Education Experience

A PBS teacher survey found that teachers like and support technology in the classroom. Tools like
websites, apps, learning games, e-books, and virtual tutoring help the student learn at their own pace.
Digital materials can support classroom learning topics, and introduce different teaching methods for each
student’s unique learning needs.

2. Instant Access to Knowledge

The Internet gives students instant access to answers beyond what’s in their textbooks. In fact, today’s
kids are already familiar with “Googling-it” to find answers to questions. The gift of the internet to the
classroom gives teachers the chance to give their students a holistic view of any given subject while still
giving students the guidance to find the right sources. In-classroom internet research gives teachers the
opportunity to teach their students how to assess the quality of the information they find online while
removing the one-sided restrictions of a textbook.

3. Student Preference

A study by Educause found that K-12 and college students prefer to have technology integrated into
their curriculum. Computers, tablets, smartphones, and the internet are the same tools that they use at
home. Students are already comfortable using these tools to connect with other students, their
instructors, and their institution. In fact, the Educause survey found that 54% of students would typically
use at least two devices simultaneously for school work.

27
4. Student Workplace Readiness

One of the greatest benefits for technology in the classroom is student workplace readiness. Mobility is
currently the next great movement in the workplace, and students who use technology in the classroom
today will be more adapted to using it in the future. The importance of technology in the classroom
goes even beyond simple digital literacy: it promotes workplace soft skills like critical thinking,
independent research, and cross-technology proficiency.

5. Trend toward Blended Learning Environment

The Educause survey found that 75% of students currently have experience with blended online/on
premise learning. This offers several benefits, including a cost reduction for some schools. Blended
learning programs often use e-textbooks to allow their students to have unlimited access to their learning
material. Blended environments also support online submission of electronic documents, cutting school
costs on paper and other materials. Cost-benefits aside, students say that they enjoy the benefits of
blending both online and in-class learning styles.

6. Teacher Support

A 2013 PBS LearningMedia study found that 74% of teachers agree that technology enables them to
reinforce their lessons. Curriculums, learning trends, and student engagement can rise or fall on the basis of
teacher support. Technology in the classroom would never flourish without the support of instructors, and
an overwhelming percentage of teachers are eager to use even more technology in the
classrooms. Huffington Post found that, “78 percent of Kindergarten through Middle School teachers
agree that technology has had a positive impact on their classroom — and that’s just the start.”

7. Proven Student Engagement

An article by the National Math and Science Initiative shows that blended learning styles keep
students focused longer and makes them more excited to learn more, especially for STEM (Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Math) subjects.

8. Tools are improving at an Alarming Rate

Technology toys, like interactive whiteboards, tablets, learning apps and websites, are always improving.
Even the ways students access and interact with information is always improving. Developers are conscious
of the benefits of technology in the classroom, and a lot of money is being spent on developing mobile
apps and e-Learning courses with proven results. Also, social tools in Web 2.0 provide a learning
opportunity for students to learn about internet safety while staying engaged with their educators.

9. Website Creation and Access are Cost-Effective

According to a PBS survey, websites are the most commonly used tech resources in the classroom with
56% of educators citing the use of a website. Some teachers even say that they create websites of their
own to bolster their in-classroom lesson plans. The cost to develop and maintain a website are significantly
less the investment in additional textbooks and workbooks. (Web sites are also easier to update than a
printed textbook).

10. The Teaching Industry is Ready for Emerging Technology

Teachers the foot soldiers of education, and they’re ready to implement technology in the classroom
through was many ways as possible. Unlike in previous decades, modern teachers recognize the critical

28
importance technology plays in teaching tomorrow’s leaders. If a school district decides to implement
or encourage technology, they probably won’t experience much (if any) backlash from educators.

The Importance of Technology in Education

If students, parents, and even teachers are convinced of the importance of technology in the
classroom, what obstacles are standing in the way of implementing them?

The National PBS Survey found that 63% of educators say that the cost of technology is too high to
successfully implement technology in the classroom. However, there are still cost-effective solutions
that can help educators get the technology they need and deserve in their classroom.

Retrieved May 26, 2017 from https://centretechnologies.com/importance-of-technology-in-the-classroom/

Topic 2: Fitness

13 Unexpected Benefits of Exercise

OCTOBER 7, 2013 |BY SOPHIA BREENE

Many people hit the gym or pound the pavement to improve cardiovascular health, build
muscle, and of course, get a rockin‟ bod, but working out has above-the-neck benefits, too. For
the past decade or so, scientists have pondered how exercising can boost brain function.
Regardless of age or fitness level (yup, this includes everyone from mall-walkers to
marathoners), studies show that making time for exercise provides some serious mental
benefits. Get inspired to exercise by reading up on these unexpected ways that working
out can benefit mental health, relationships, and lead to a healthier and happier life
overall.

1. Reduce stress
Rough day at the office? Take a walk or head to the gym for a quick workout. One of
the most common mental benefits of exercise is stress relief. Working up a sweat can
help manage physical and mental stress. Exercise also increases concentrations of
norepinephrine, a chemical that can moderate the brain‟s response to stress. So go ahead
and get sweaty — working out can reduce stress and boost the body‟s ability to deal with
existing mental tension. Win-win!

2. Boost happy chemicals

Slogging through a few miles on the „mill can be tough, but it‟s worth the effort! Exercise
releases endorphins, which create feelings of happiness and euphoria. Studies have
shown that exercise can even alleviate symptoms among the clinically depressed. For
this reason, docs recommend that people suffering from depression or anxiety (or those
who are just feeling blue) pencil in plenty of gym time. In some cases, exercise can be
just as effective as antidepressant pills in treating depression. Don‟t worry if you‟re not
exactly the gym rat type — getting a happy buzz from working out for just 30 minutes a
few times a week can instantly boost overall mood.

29
3. Improve self-confidence
Hop on the treadmill to look (and more importantly, feel) like a million bucks. On a very
basic level, physical fitness can boost self-esteem and improve positive self-image.
Regardless of weight, size, gender, or age, exercise can quickly elevate a person's
perception of his or her attractiveness, that is, self-worth . How‟s that for feeling the (self)
love?

4. Enjoy the great outdoors

For an extra boost of self-love, take that workout outside. Exercising in the great
outdoors can increase self-esteem even more. Find an outdoor workout that fits your
style, whether it‟s rock-climbing, hiking, renting a canoe, or just taking a jog in the park.
Plus, all that Vitamin D acquired from soaking up the sun (while wearing sunscreen, of
course!) can lessen the likelihood of experiencing depressive symptoms. Why book a spa
day when a little fresh air and sunshine (and exercise) can work wonders for self-
confidence and happiness?

5. Prevent cognitive decline

It‟s unpleasant, but it‟s true — as we get older, our brains get a little... hazy. As aging and
degenerative diseases like Alzheimer‟s kill off brain cells, the noggin actually shrinks, losing
many important brain functions in the process. While exercise and a healthy diet can‟t
―cure‖ Alzheimer‟s, they can help shore up the brain against cognitive decline that begins
after age 45. Working out, especially between age 25 and 45, boosts the chemicals in the
brain that support and prevent degeneration of the hippocampus, an important part of
the brain for memory and learning.

6. Alleviate anxiety
Quick Q&A: Which is better at relieving anxiety — a warm bubble bath or a 20-minute
jog? You might be surprised at the answer. The warm and fuzzy chemicals that are
released during and after exercise can help people with anxiety disorders calm down.
Hopping on the track or treadmill for some moderate-to-high intensity aerobic exercise
(intervals, anyone?) can reduce anxiety sensitivity. And we thought intervals were just
a good way to burn calories!

7. Boost brainpower
Those buff lab rats might be smarter than we think. Various studies on mice and men
have shown that cardiovascular exercise can create new brain cells (aka neurogenesis)
and improve overall brain performance. Ready to apply for a Nobel Prize? Studies
suggest that a tough workout increases levels of a brain-derived protein (known as
BDNF) in the body, believed to help with decision making, higher thinking, and learning.
Smarty (spandex) pants, indeed.

8. Sharpen memory
Get ready to win big at Go Fish. Regular physical activity boosts memory and ability to
learn new things. Getting sweaty increases production of cells in hippocampus
responsible for memory and learning. For this reason, research has linked
children‟s brain development with level of physical fitness (take that, recess haters!). But
exercise-based brainpower isn‟t just for kids. Even if it‟s not as fun as a game of Red Rover,
working out can boost memory among grown-ups, too. A study showed that running
sprints improved vocabulary retention among healthy adults.

9. Help control addiction

The brain releases dopamine, the ―reward chemical‖ in response to any form of pleasure, be
that exercise, sex, drugs, alcohol, or food. Unfortunately, some people become addicted
to dopamine and dependent on the substances that produce it, like drugs or alcohol
(and more rarely, food and sex). On the bright side, exercise can help in addiction

30
recovery. Short exercise sessions can also effectively distract drug or alcohol addicts,
making them de-prioritize cravings (at least in the short term). Working out when on
the wagon has other benefits, too. Alcohol abuse disrupts many body processes,
including circadian rhythms. As a result, alcoholics find they can‟t fall asleep (or stay asleep)
without drinking. Exercise can help reboot the body clock, helping people hit the hay at
the right time.

10. Increase relaxation

Ever hit the hay after a long run or weight session at the gym? For some, a moderate
workout can be the equivalent of a sleeping pill, even for people with insomnia.
Moving around five to six hours before bedtime raises the body‟s core temperature.
When the body temp drops back to normal a few hours later, it signals the body that it‟s time to
sleep.

11. Get more done

Feeling uninspired in the cubicle? The solution might be just a short walk or jog away.
Research shows that workers who take time for exercise on a regular basis are more
productive and have more energy than their more sedentary peers. While busy schedules
can make it tough to squeeze in a gym session in the middle of the day, some experts
believe that midday is the ideal time for a workout due to the body‟s circadian rhythms.

12. Tap into creativity

Most people end a tough workout with a hot shower, but maybe we should be breaking
out the colored pencils instead. A heart-pumping gym session can boost creativity for
up to two hours afterwards. Supercharge post-workout inspiration by
exercising outdoors and interacting with nature (see benefit #4). Next time you need a
burst of creative thinking, hit the trails for a long walk or run to refresh the body and
the brain at the same time.

13. Inspire others

Whether it‟s a pick-up game of soccer, a group class at the gym or just a run with a
friend, exercise rarely happens in a bubble. And that‟s good news for all of us. Studies show
that most people perform better on aerobic tests when paired up with a workout
buddy. Pin it to inspiration or good old-fashioned competition, nobody wants to let the
other person down. In fact, being part of a team is so powerful that it can actually raise
athletes‟ tolerances for pain. Even fitness beginners can inspire each other to push harder
during a sweat session, so find a workout buddy and get moving!
Working out can have positive effects far beyond the gym (and beach season).
Gaining self-confidence, getting out of a funk, and even thinking smarter are some of
the motivations to take time for exercise on a regular basis.
RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://GREATIST.COM/FITNESS/13-AWESOME-MENTAL-HEALTH-BENEFITS-EXERCISE JULY
6, 2017.

Exercise Addiction — Healthy Habit

or Obsession?
By Diane Stresing -Medically Reviewed by Pat F. Bass, III, MD, MPH - Last Updated:7/29/2011

Exercise is a good thing, but working out too much can

cause serious physical and emotional problems.

31
 Good physical fitness doesn’t just happen — it requires a commitment
to exercise and activity. But when does it go too far?
If you organize your life around your exercise routine, obsess over workouts
to your friends and family, and feel happiest when you’re breaking a sweat,
your commitment to exercise could have turned into an addiction. In fact,
about 10 percent of high-performance runners and body builders may be
addicted to their labor of love.

What Exercise Addiction Looks Like

Addictions are marked by some standard signs, a few of which can
be extended to exercise:
 Withdrawal symptoms, such as unusual irritability, when you cannot engage in the
 activity
 Tolerance, meaning you need increasing amounts of the substance or behavior
 over time
 Significant conflicts in your life, such as missing work or avoiding other
 responsibilities, caused by the compulsion to engage in the addictive behavior
Committed, non-addicted fitness enthusiasts view exercise as an important
element of their lives — but not the central or most important part. Someone
with an addiction to exercise is likely to experience physical, financial, and
social problems as a result of the behavior, whereas a committed exerciser
will not exercise to the point where it interferes with aspects of his or her life.


 Is Exercise a Positive Addiction?

Some researchers have called an addiction to exercise a “positive addiction”
because it usually contributes to overall fitness, rather than other
addictions such as drinking, drug use, gambling, and smoking. Exercise
addicts, for instance, smoke less than other groups of people.
Most people feel good when they exercise, and the reasons are many.
Exercise has been shown to reduce levels of cortisol, regulating stress
responses, while increasing levels of endorphins and other neurotransmitters
that make people feel better. Exercise can also help improve sleep habits and
elimination, while helping to prevent disease and other health problems. It
also alleviates symptoms of depression and anxiety. Fit Fast
Jillian shares her secrets for burning fat and building muscle – and getting quick, visible results.
Play Video
Over-Exercising Can Cause Emotional and Physical Harm
But as is true with any addiction, obsessive behavior typically causes the
addict to withdraw from relationships or damage relationships. Also, although
exercise offers many positive effects, an addiction to exercise can be
detrimental to overall fitness.
Physical dangers of exercise addiction that are harmful to your
wellbeing include:

 Therisk of dehydration

32
 An increased tendency to suffer from insomnia
 Sports injuries such as shin splints, broken bones, cartilage, and ligament damage
 An increased risk of menstrual abnormalities in women


 How Does an Addiction to Exercise Develop?

Several factors may contribute to exercise addiction. The addiction may
be driven by an eating disorder, low self-esteem, or distorted body image.
Compulsive exercise habits are often present in people who have anorexia
nervosa and bulimia. Some people may crave the feeling they get from
prolonged rhythmic exercise, which can activate the body’s central opioid
 systems and regulate stress responses in the body.
Ironically, exercise can also provide therapeutic benefits in the treatment of
addiction, depression, and anorexia nervosa — it all depends on the amount.
The bottom line? If your exercise routine causes more frustrations in your
life than it does positive fitness benefits, consider talking to your doctor or
adjusting your workout habits to evaluate any potentially addictive behavior.

Retrieved from: http://www.everydayhealth.com/addiction/addiction-to-exercise.aspxJuly 6, 2017.

Topic 3: Tattoos

Mark Cropp will get huge face tattoo

lasered off, still considering job offers
17 Jul, 2017 11:29am

A former prison inmate who shot to fame last week after revealing his face
tattoo was stopping him from getting work has been flooded with offers - but he
hasn't accepted any of them.

According to a report, Mark Cropp has received at least 45 job offers since posting
a picture of himself and his frightening DEVAST8 tattoo on a Facebook
jobseekers page.

But he told the Daily Mail he hadn't accepted any, and was still waiting for the
"right one to come about".

Part of the problem was that some of the positions required him to have a car.

"Until I get my first pay cheque and get a car I won't be able to get myself
around," he said.

Cropp, a 19-year-old father, has however, accepted an offer to have the

large inking removed for free.

33
An Auckland company contacted him after reading about his plight. After
previously refusing to have it lasered off by New Zealand prison authorities, he
now says he'll get rid of it before he starts work.

Scaffolding contractor Douglas George Hebert is one of those who contacted

Cropp last week, offering him a $22-an-hour building site job.

"We've all made bad choices, doesn't mean we are bad people," Hebert
told the Herald.

"I'm a big brown man covered in tattoos myself, and I have been on the
receiving end of judgment from people who don't even know me.

"All my guys have got pasts, but we're all united on the job site, where you are
only as good as the man beside you."

Cropp says he is considering taking up the scaffolding job once the tattoo is
lasered off. He also needs permission from his probation officer before he can start,
he said.

Cropp got the tattoo one night in prison while drunk on home-brew.

His brother, who shared his cell, used a makeshift needle and fermented food to
make the ink. It took eight and a half hours to complete and Cropp admitted
some of the motivation was to avoid being bullied by other inmates.

"It was only supposed to cover up what was originally on my jawline," Cropp said.

"Once it was started, I thought, I can't go back on it now.

"I wish I had stopped while the outline was there to be quite honest."

Applying for work after prison, he said prospective employers had laughed in his face
after seeing his tattoo, and he was forced to turn to Facebook in desperation.

He was jailed at 17 for aggravated robbery, claiming he needed money to

support his pregnant girlfriend. He is now battling to get off the dole and reclaim
his young daughter from state care.

"I was quite angry at myself because ... I said I wouldn't let her do it alone. And
I pretty much failed.

"I didn't want my daughter to have the same upbringing that I did."

Retrieved from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11891627 July 18,

2017.

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Should teachers be able to have tattoos?
Headteachers are debating whether it’s OK for staff to display their body art
in school

The recent hot weather has posed a problem for headteachers wondering
whether to let staff roll up their sleeves and display their body artwork. This
is what our panel thought on the matter:

‘They can have a javelin through their nose if

they teach maths’
Vic Goddard, principal of Passmores academy, Essex

Is it a tattoo issue, or middle class snobbery, or is it what the content is? My view is
that staff need to present themselves as professionals – that‗s what they are.

We have spoken to students and they don‗t give a damn. We have spoken to
parents and some say you shouldn‗t have them on a teacher. Others don‗t give
a damn so long as it doesn‗t say ―fuck off mum‖.

We are probably going to end up with a school policy that says as long as it‗s
appropriate, then it‗s OK. If it‗s a Popeye naked woman then that wouldn‗t be
appropriate. I would say a face tattoo wouldn‗t be appropriate because it
would be off-putting for some young people. The appropriateness of the tattoo
is to be judged by me.

It‗s like a game of scruples. There is no right answer. Then, I don‗t want it to
stop me employing good people. If someone teaches maths or science they could
come in with a javelin through their nose for all I care.

‘Students have to follow a dress code, so should we’

Graham Walton, head of maths at Tupton Hall school, Derbyshire

I have three tattoos – an arrow on my arm that shows how a sine function
works, a Celtic band around my arm and a Möbius strip on my back. However, I
understand from the professional point of view that not everyone wants to see
them. The school rules say I should cover them and I‗m happy to go along with

35
that. We ask students to follow a dress code, so it is a bit against the grain if
you do the opposite.

‘Part of teaching is about not judging people

by their looks’
Rhiannon Davies, mother of seven-year-old twins

I wouldn‘t be put off if my child was being taught by someone with tattoos. But it‘s
a balance about being a professional. Other things like being smart and not wearing
short skirts are more important. Part of being a teacher is about teaching pupils to
respect people‘s differences and not judge them by their looks.

Children are very open. If someone was tattooed head to foot they would
notice it, but it‘s a good talking point.

I‘m more concerned about whether my child‘s teacher is effective and

professional than what they look like.

‘My work as head is more important

than expressing my individuality’
Keziah Featherstone, headteacher Bridge Learning Campus, Bristol

I have six tattoos, which are not visible at work. The one on my wrist is
covered by my watch strap. I put my watch on, drew lines, and said it has to be
between these lines.

I have spoken to a lot of parents who say, why cover them up? But there are
people who would make a judgment of me and my school as they have
preconceived ideas about people with tattoos.

I‘m the most high profile person in the school so it‘s different for me. We ask
other people – particularly frontline staff working with children – that where
possible they cover them, but don‘t insist on it. People should be free to
express themselves but at the same time, do I know the work I do as a
headteacher is more important than my right to express individuality? Yes.

‘Tattoos can have a meaning and can

start discussions’

36
Chris Silvester, tattoo artist and former teacher

I have over 100 tattoos and when I was teaching I had about 40 – symbols of pi
with the numbers all around my elbow, calculators, plus and minus signs. I
had two sleeves and a chest picture and some on my legs but I always respected
the school‗s philosophy of never showing them.

More teachers should have them on show. Most of the tattoos I do have some
sort of meaning and story behind them, so it could be an icebreaker with some
kids. You could say, ―this is celebrating that I‗m happy being lesbian or gay‖.
It could start a discussion.

RETRIEVED JULY 18, 2017 FROM HTTPS://WWW.THEGUARDIAN.COM/EDUCATION/2017/JUL/04/SHOULD-

TEACHERS-HAVE-TATTOOS-SCHOOL

Equipo de Cátedra: Prof. Yugdar, Prof. Menis, Prof. Alberti, Prof. Villamonte

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