Zadanie 1

A: In the studio today we have Brian Henderson, our travelling journalist, willing to talk about an interesting offer of accommodation. Brian, tell us more.

B: Sure, here’s the news. Some European country is offering grants to those interested in packing up to start living on a remote island. Sounds like a dream?

A: Definitely! But where is it?

B: The 30 islands are visited by 300,000 tourists a year to admire their full of fish lakes, scenic views and ancient monuments. It’s the Republic of Ireland!

A: Seriously? Seems as though newcomers would be rushing to live there, doesn’t it?

B: In fact, the islands are close to having no people living there at all. Currently, there are around 3000 locals across the 30 small isles. The population of the islands dropped by 12.8 per cent between 1996 and 2016. It has worried the central government, who are forced to act.

A: What are they going to do about it?

B: A 10-year plan has been designed to increase job opportunities and give access to more services to function effectively. One of the essentials of it are the grants mentioned before, which will begin to be handed out earlier this month.

A: It’s tempting, but… what’s the catch?

B: The islands from the plan are separated from the mainland daily because of the tide and have no bridges or raised paths across a wet area connecting them to it.

A: So you can travel to the mainland only at night?

B: That’s true. But buying a ready to be occupied house will get you 60,000 euros if it’s on a remote island – just 10,000 euros more than if you bought on the mainland! However, the largest amount will go to those choosing to buy it on an island but in bad condition.

A: Any other demands?

B: The money is designed to help people to fix and redecorate old properties that may become gradually damaged — and that is the purpose it has to be used for. Also, the houses have to be the ones built before 1993 and left empty for minimum two years.

Na podstawie: www.news.com.au

Zadanie 2

One

Zendriving made my life take a positive turn. After you take these few simple steps, you’ll become more mindful behind the wheel as well, focusing on safe driving practices. This not only reduces stress on the road making you avoid car accidents, but also improves your overall well-being. Just make sure you sign up on time. There is a limited number of tickets for our next meeting.

Two

By carpooling you contribute to a cleaner environment. Sharing your rides with others helps you save money on fuel and parking expenses. It also promotes social connections – you meet new people and engage in conversations on the ride. However, think about being forced to listen to other people during travelling. Definitely not recommended for lone wolves or introverts. There are some co-passengers who can happen to be really annoying.

Three

I know uber driving uses dynamic pricing - a model based on the local supply and emand in a specific region at the time of booking. However, I can’t describe how much surprised I got when I had to pay double the price for an ordinary ride from work, even not during rush hours. I rated it with the app and then another surprise came. This time the other way round. They gave me a refund of the full of the money I spent on the ride! And suddenly all the bad feelings disappeared.

Four

Some time ago I was in such a hurry on my way to the airport to discover I had only few minutes to get there on time. However, there was that driver who didn’t want to give me a chance to overtake his car. When my signalling with the honk didn’t work, I was forced to drive so closely behind the vehicle in front of me that he panicked and started to slow down. I was lucky that I put on the brake at the last moment. I will never try tailgating again in my life!

Five

Road pricing for using certain roads or entering specific areas during peak hours does more good than bad. I know it’s environmentally friendly. However, people should be aware of its fixed charges much earlier before they decide to use it. The last time I picked one road with extra fares, to say that I was dissatisfied is an understatement. They should first offer people a choice before they enter the road or area!

Zadanie 3

Text one

Some time ago, a man decided to lie down still on the ground of one of the busiest walking footpaths in his city, with his eyes closed. A lot of people passing by didn’t react. They didn’t offer help or call the emergency. Were they in such a hurry that they didn’t see the man on the pavement? Maybe some of them yes, but, in fact, it is something called the Bystander Effect. If you see something dangerous or serious happening to someone right before your eyes, the first thing you will certainly do is help the person in trouble. While we would all like to believe that this is true, psychologists suggest that the greater the number of people is present, the less likely people are to help. Why is it so? First, being part of a crowd makes you believe that the responsibility can be shared between others around. Then, there’s a need to act in correct and socially acceptable ways. When other people fail to react, you do the same. But remember, the best guide is always your own system of morality.

Na podstawie: www.verywellmind.com

Text two

A: And here is another caller with an amusing story from the famous Glastonbury music festival in England.

B: Hi! I was a member of the audience at the festival. We were watching a live performance when suddenly we saw something in the sky. Looking closer, there was a stunt guy with a special jet suit flying like a rocket! Can you believe it? What’s more, the rocket man was carrying a pizza. And it was not an accident. There was a well-known singer Elton John on stage, surprisingly performing the song “Rocket Man” at that moment. By accident? I don’t think so. Every year festival participants try to take pizza into the party secretly. However, this year the delivery man helped them get a slice of it from the sky, listening to ‘Rocket man’ at the same time.

Na podstawie: www.independent.co.uk, news.yahoo.com

Text three

In one Japanese school, a group of students are holding mirrors to their faces, stretching the sides of their mouths up with their fingers. You won’t believe it what’s happening. They are practising how to smile. Don’t get me wrong. This isn’t part of their school curriculum. It’s not something most people would choose to pay for, but such services as a smile instructor are seeing an increase in demand in Japan. Why? For sure, not for fun. A lot of people realised they had forgotten how to use the muscles of their face much and, as a result, don’t remember how to smile now. The masks are the ones to be blamed for. Many Japanese people have been using them to fight with seasonal illnesses. Even women find it easier to go out without makeup or men without a shave. The masks had already been common in the east Asian country before the pandemic. However, their use has risen extremely since then, and the government officially recommended to wear them. Some people believe that culturally, Japanese people are less likely to smile than those from the West, because of their system of government and of sense of security as an island nation. However, for them a smile means that you have no gun and you aren’t a dangerous person.

Na podstawie: news.sky.com, www.reuters.com