George The Taxi Driver

George has been working as a taxi driver for many years. He has a big family, so he has to work long hours to be able to provide a good life for his wife and children. He works from late afternoon till midnight. Sometimes, he would take the evening shift and works until dawn if he is too tired to work in the morning. George meets a lot of people from different backgrounds, the people whom he meets during the night shift are more interesting. They work in hotels, factories and hospitals. On the other hand, some passengers are business men working late in their offices. Some of his passengers are rude or difficult, but George is always patient with them! When he arrives home from work, he usually takes a shower and has a meal before going to bed. If he is home in the evening, he often watches television with his wife before going to bed. George may not be rich, but he is very happy and satisfied

Circle T (True) or F (False).
1 George is a new taxi driver.                                T      F
2 He isn’t married.                                                T      F
3 Sometimes he works until 12 am.                        T      F
4 He meets different kinds of people.               T       F
5      George is always home evening time.       T      F
6 He is polite with all passengers.                        T      F
7      When he gets home he takes a shower.                T      F
8 He watches television with his wife.                   T      F 

9     George loves his job.                                T      F 

PIZZA

The story of modern pizza as we know began in Naples, Italy,in the late 1800s. Baker Raffaele Esposito is usually given credit for baking the first pizzas with tomato sauce, cheese, and toppings. According to legend, pizza was popularized when Esposito was asked to make a pizza for Italian King Umberto I and Queen Margherita when the royal pair visited Naples in 1889. Esposito allegedly baked three different pizzas. The Queen’s favorite was the one in which Esposito had designed in honor of Italy’s red,white, and green flag. It had basil, mozzarella cheese, and tomato sauce. Esposito named it Pizza Margherita in her honor.

Pizza, however, failed to immediately take hold in Italy. As Italian immigrants came to the United States, however, pizza came with them. In 1905, the first United States pizzeria was established in New York City. The pizzeria, called Lombardi’s, still operates today. Soon, other pizzerias in New York City and beyond appeared. By World War II, pizza was one of America’s most popular foods. In the 1950s, the Totino family, of Minnesota, was thought to have produced the first frozen pizzas.

In 1958, Frank and Dan Carney borrowed $600 from their parents and opened a pizzeria in Wichita, Kansas. They called their restaurant Pizza Hut because they didn’t have space for additional letters on their first sign. Pizza Hut became very popular and soon the brothers opened new restaurants and hence, the first pizza franchise was born. Today, there are more than 10,000 Pizza Hut restaurants. Similarly, Domino’s was established by two brothers who borrowed $900 to purchase a pizzeria called Dominick’s in Ypsilanti, Michigan. In 1984, John Schnatter founded Papa John’s in Indiana.

Today, Americans spend over 33 billion dollars each year on pizza. In 2016, there are over 77,000 restaurants in America that serve pizza.

1.Why is Raffaele Esposito important in the history of Pizza?
A.He brought pizza to America
B.He is credited forbaking the first modern pizzas
C.He helped to establish the first pizza franchise
D.He is said to have known the King and Queen of Italy

2.What is implied in the first paragraph?
A.Modern-­day pizza was likely born in Naples, Italy
B.Pizza Margherita is modeled after the Italian flag
C.Raffaele Esposito is credited with making pizzas for the King and Queen of Italy
D.Esposito’s story may or may notbe true

3.When did pizza become one of America’s most popular foods?
A.1905
B.1958
C.by World War II
D.19514.

After Esposito created Pizza Margherita...
A.pizza became instantly popular in Italy.
B.pizza became instantly popular in the United States.
C.the first pizzeria was established in Naples.
D.the first pizzeria was established in New York City.

5.What did Pizza Hut and Domino’s have in common?
A.They were both founded by wealthy brothers
B.They were both founded in Kansas
C.They were both founded by brothers who needed to borrow money
D.Pizza Hut and Domino’s both had different original names

6.What does “allegedly” mean in the following sentence?: Esposito allegedly baked three different pizzas.

A.Certainly
B.According to legend
C.Doubtfully
D.Accurately

7.What is the purpose of the final paragraph?
A.To complete the story about pizza
B.To illustrate how far the pizza industry has come from its humble beginnings
C.To illustrate how successful Domino’s and Pizza Hut are today
D.To illustrate how pizza has become so popular throughout the word

EASTER EGGS

  

Easter is celebrated as the start of spring. It is a religious holiday. The custom of giving eggs at Easter celebrates new beginning, new life. For Christians the egg is a symbol of Jesus Christ’s resurrection.

   Long ago people gave gifts of eggs carved from wood or precious stones. Later people began to use the eggs which were hard-boiled and dyed in various colours and patterns. The traditionally bright colours represented spring and light.

   Exchanging and eating Easter eggs is a popular custom in many countries. Nowadays people generally give each other Easter eggs made of chocolate, usually hollow and filled with sweets.

  The UK’s first chocolate egg was produced in 1873 by Fry’s of Bristol.

  The tallest chocolate Easter egg was made in Italy in 2011. It measured 10.39 m in height and weighed 7.200 kg. That egg was taller than a giraffe and heavier than an elephant.

   In some countries parents tell their children that the Easter Hare or Bunny has hidden chocolate eggs and they race to find them round the house or garden. Children believe that if they are good, the ‘Easter Bunny’ will leave Chocolate eggs for them.

  Children in other countries decorate hard-boiled eggs at Easter time by painting or dying them.

  Egg rolling is also a popular Easter game in some parts of the world.

Answer the following questions to the text.            

1 Why do people celebrate Easter?  __________________________________________________________                                                

2 What is a popular Easter custom in many countries? _______________________________         

3 When was the first chocolate egg produced in the UK?  ________________________________         

4 What egg was taller than a giraffe? ________________________________________________________                                              

5 What does Easter Bunny do with Easter eggs? ___________________________________________

  Underline Easter Symbols and make up your own story about Easter time with these words.

the Cross     rabbits     candles     Holly    Cupid     springtime      baskets    pumpkin

nests    carols    rose     eggs     cats      masks       simnel cake      heart     arrow

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Youth crime

Until two years ago, Clearing, Illinois was a tranquil suburb of Chicago. But residents grew alarmed when they noticed armed teenagers on the streets, giving gang signals and shouting at passing cars. Then came a series of burglaries and graffiti messages on storefronts. By the time local authorities realized they had a gang problem, it was too late. Last December, two 13-year-old girls were shot outside their school as they sat in a car with two members of a local gang, the Ridgeway Lords.

Nearly all 50 states have recently passed laws that allow youths aged 14-17 to be tried in court as adults. In about 25 states they have passed laws to punish parents for their children's behaviour. And in 146 of the nation's largest cities, they have imposed curfews to reduce juvenile violence. When you look at the spectacular rise of violent crime among young people recently, it's easy to understand the concern. Over the past decade, there has been a decline in adult murders in the US, while murder rates have surged for youths between 14-17.

For young offenders who aren't sent to prison, the punishments vary: some are ordered to perform community service, others are placed in job training programs, still others sent to youth prisons. But the Republicans in Congress want to reverse a basic principle of juvenile justice: the separation of young criminals from hardened adult criminals in prison. The reasons are partly financial - to reduce the cost of having separate prisons for young people - and partly psychological - to end what Republicans consider as society's overly protective attitude towards young criminals.

Find in the text words that mean:

calm                     __________________

anxious                 __________________

signs                     __________________

deterioration          __________________

police                    __________________

perpetrator            __________________

 to grow                 __________________

Multiple choice Questions:

1) Where is Clearing located?
In Great Britain.
In the USA.
In Spain.

2) Why were residents unhappy?
Because taxes increased.
Because gangs came into their town.
Because rents were too high.

3) What happened in December?
a policeman shot a young man
criminality decreased
two girls were killed because they were with two members of another gang

4) What are 'the Ridgeway Lords'?
a famous band.

a prison.
a gang.

5) What is 'a curfew'?
Young people are not allowed to smoke.
Young people are not allowed to drink.
Young people are not allowed to go out when it is too late (night).

6) There is an increase in…
the number of prisons
the number of crimes done by adults
the number of crimes done by young people

7) What would the Republicans like to do?
They would like to put young criminals into prisons for adults
They would like to separate young criminals from adult criminals
They would like to ban youth prisons