Cat CDZ

Read the play and choose the right option. It's noon on Saturday. Jay Thomas and his sister are in the mall. Their dad will be back in two hours to pick them up. The brother and sister are going to buy a special Mother's Day gift for their mom. Jay and Nadia begin their shopping adventure at Smith's, the largest department store in the mall. Nadia (to Jay): Let's start in the jewelry department. As Jay and Nadia look at a pair of gold earrings, they hear some soft voices coming from the jewelry case. Earrings: Hey, kids! Buy us! Jay (puzzled): W-Who ... What said that? Earrings: We did! Jay: Talking earrings? No way! Earrings: Way! You know your mom will like us. Nadia (looking at the price tag): Forget it, Jay! They are too expensive. Let's go. Jay and Nadia go on to the perfume section. Perfume bottle: Yoo-hoo! Over here! Buy me, darlings! Jay: Huh? Talking perfume? Perfume bottle: Of course, my dear! And I am so nice! Nadia(to Jay): Everyone buys perfume for Mother's Day. I want something different. When they are at the scarves section, Jay and Nadia hear another voice. Scarf: Dears, you simply must buy me! Jay: More talking things here? Scarf: My beautiful colours can dress up any outfit! Nadia: Mom doesn't wear scarves. Let's try another store. As Jay and Nadia go on walking, the display in the window of the card shop catches Jay's eye. Jay: Hey, Nadia, check this out. This card is almost as big as I am! Card (loudly): Show your mom how much you care - in a BIG way! Buy me! Surprised, Jay and Nadia jump back and hurry away. Nadia: This is crazy! Why are all these things talking to us? I need a break. Let's go to the food court and get some pizza and soft drinks. Jay (to Nadia): We spent here more than an hour and we couldn't find a gift for Mom! Suddenly, a voice whispers from Nadia's soft drink cup ... Soft drink cup: Who says you must buy a Mother's Day gift for your mom? Listen up! Your Mom works hard all day at the hospital. Then she comes home and works hard to take care of your family. What she needs most is rest! Why don't you give your mom a day off? Nadia: What a great idea! We'll ask Dad to help us. Jay and Nadia quickly finish their food and go to meet their dad. Mr. Thomas is surprised when he doesn't see any packages. Mr. Thomas: Hi, kids. What happened? Didn't you find a gift for Mom? Jay: Dad, we have a present, but it isn't something we can put in a box. Jay and Nadia explain their idea to their dad. Mr. Thomas smiles. He likes the idea. Mr. Thomas: That's great! How did you think of that gift? Nadia: Uh . . . It just came to us while we were having a pizza. Mr. Thomas: Well, I know Mom will like it. We'll go to the supermarket on the way home and buy some of her favourite foods. It's morning on Mother's Day Mr. Thomas, Jay and Nadia get up early to make breakfast. Mr. Thomas carries a tray of food upstairs. Jay and Nadiaknock on the bedroom door. Mrs. Thomas (stretching and yawning): Come in! Jay, Nadia and Mr. Thomas (together): Happy Mother's Day! Mrs. Thomas (sitting up): Breakfast in bed! How lovely! Everything looks delicious. Jay gives his mom a piece of paper with a red ribbon around it. Mrs. Thomas: What's this, Jay? Jay: Read it, Mom. Mrs. Thomas (smiling): "Hear ye, hear ye, members of the Thomas family! Today is Mother's Day! We will honour our mother by giving her a day of rest and relaxation. Her wish is our command!" Wow! What a wonderful gift! This is so nice of you! Mrs. Thomas spent the whole day doing what she liked reading, relaxing and watching her favourite movies. Jay and Nadia helped their dad around the house and made a tasty dinner. After the meal, Mrs. Thomas hugged everyone. Mrs. Thomas: This has been the best day ever. Thank you all, so much! It's Monday morning. The alarm clock rings. Mrs. Thomas gets up and knocks on the doors to Jay and Nadia's rooms. Mrs. Thomas: Jay, Nadia, wake up! It's time for school! (Sighing, to herself.) If only every day could be Mother's Day ...

✮ Read the text. According to the text, how long did Amy's hypnotherapy experience last? Choose the correct answer. Amy Logan’s insomnia was leading to a lot of restless nights. Taking a friend’s advice, she decided to pay a visit to a hypnotist. Here Amy looks at the medical benefits of hypnosis and is put into a deep, deep sleep ... . The lights are dim and the couch is comfortable; the hypnotist’s voice is monotonous, yet soothing. “Listen and relax, listen and relax,” he repeats over and over. My arms and legs and even my eyelids are feeling heavy. My breathing is slowing down, as though I’m falling into a deep sleep and then the hypnotist begins ... . There is evidence that the ancient Egyptians used hypnotism over 2,000 years ago, but hypnotherapy as we know it dates from the 18th century. Austrian physician Franz Mesmer became renowned for treating nervous disorders and we still use his name today whenever we say we are ‘mesmerised’ by something. It wasn’t until the following century, however, that surgeons began to use hypnotism (coming from the Greek word for sleep) to relax patients during surgery. With modern anaesthetics, however, hypnotism has become associated with stage-show hypnotists entertaining an audience, swinging a pocket-watch in front of their victims and getting them to cluck like a chicken! Now, with the help of hypnotherapy, people are managing anxiety, losing weight, stopping snoring and overcoming many other addictions and conditions. In fact, up to 75% of people who have used hypnotherapy to stop smoking have been able to kick the habit. It has also helped people suffering from phobias, depression or panic attacks. So how exactly does it work? Scientists are not 100% sure. What they do know is that it creates a state of deep relaxation in which patients are more open to suggestions than when they are wide awake. Patients sometimes compare the experience to being totally absorbed in a good book or film. They are not cut off from the outside world, but they’re completely focused on the hypnotist’s voice. It’s at this point that he can suggest positive changes to thought patterns and habits. Hypnotherapy isn’t just for psychological problems, though. Amazingly, some hospitals are now using it alongside conventional medicine to reduce pain and speed up recovery. Burn victims, for instance, have benefited from pain relief after a session of hypnotherapy. One pensioner even had an operation which involved a surgeon sawing into her foot while under hypnosis! She says, “I said to myself that if I had any pain I should think of it as waves lashing against a sea wall. Every time it happened, I imagined the pain going away, like the tide.” While hypnotism isn’t a magic wand, it seems it may be able to treat countless conditions. Moreover, it is painless as well as risk-free, it has no side effects and it’s cheap. Many people, however, are still not willing to put their faith in a therapy that can’t be scientifically proven. Before trying hypnotherapy for myself, I did a little research and found out that although about 90% of people can be hypnotised, good hypnotherapy patients tend to be relaxed, imaginative, intelligent and easily absorbed by things. So what happened after my own hypnotherapy experience? Well, throughout it, I felt normal and could still hear the traffic outside, but when I ‘awoke’ after what I thought was about 20 minutes, I was surprised to learn that an hour had passed. I have to admit I’ve been sleeping better ever since. Not perfectly, but there has definitely been an improvement. It looks like hypnotherapy might work for me, but what about you? Could you be hypnotised?

✮ Read the text. Choose if the statement below is True, False or Not stated.

Choose the right option. I like John. I look forward to ___ to his party.

Choose the right option. He can't give up ___ chocolate.

Choose the right option. My friends and I can't help ___ videos.

Choose the right option. This film is worth ___ .

Choose the right option. Paul avoids ___ to strangers.

Choose the right option. I can't put off ___ this book.

Choose the right option. They accuse him of ___ their house.

Choose the right option. He complained of ___ at.

Choose the right option. She was very glad of ___ that difficult problem.

Choose the right option. I am fond of ___ sports.