Reading for the real world 3

Reading for
the Real World

3

SECOND EDITION


Reading for the Real World 3 Second Edition
Barbara Graber · Peggy Babcock · Kayang Gagiano

© 2009 Compass Publishing
All rights reserved. No part of this book
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording,
or otherwise, without prior permission
in writing from the publisher.
Acquisitions Editor: Jordan Candlewyck
Content Editor: Rob Jordens
Copy Editor: Joanna Weinhardt
Cover/Interior Design: Design Plus
email:

The authors of this book would like to acknowledge the following writers for
contributing materials to this series: Paula Bramante, Paul Edmunds,
Andrea Janzen, Jennifer Janzen, Kandice MacDonald, Casey Malarcher,
Michael Pederson, Michael Souza
ISBN: 978-1-59966-422-4
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
12 11 10 09

Photo Credits
pp. 16, 23, 24, 28, 29, 31, 34, 34, 37,46, 49, 53, 58, 65, 66, 71, 73, 76, 83, 85, 90, 95, 97,
101, 107, 118, 125, 126,130, 131, 132, 136 © Shutterstock, Inc.
pp. cover, 5, 7, 12, 17, 41, 59, 72, 84, 137 © iStock International Inc.
pp. 22, 25, 30, 62, 77, 112, 115, 133, 143 © BigStockPhoto
pp. 113, 114 © Yonhap News
pp. 11, 13, 70, 88, 96, 119 © Jupiterimages Corporation


Contents
Unit 1

Strange & Unusual
Reading 1 :
Reading 2 :

The Piltdown Man / 5
The Curse of the Mummy / 11

Unit 2

Computers & Technology
Reading 1 :
Reading 2 :

Addicted to the Net? / 17
Rise of the Androids / 23

Unit 3

Health & Medicine
Reading 1 :
Reading 2 :

The Uncommon Cold / 29
Gene Therapy / 35

Unit 4

Social Issues
Reading 1 :
Reading 2 :

Teenage Runaways / 41
Tough on Drugs / 47

Unit 5

Environmental Issues
Reading 1 :
Reading 2 :

Deforestation / 53
Genetically Modified (GM) Crops / 59

Unit 6

Law & Crime
Reading 1 :
Reading 2 :

Lie Detectors / 65
Patents / 71


Unit 7

Language & Literature
Reading 1 :
Reading 2 :

Ever-Evolving English / 77
Pride and Prejudice By Jane Austen / 83

Unit 8

Space & Exploration
Reading 1 :
Reading 2 :

Hawking Radiation / 89
The International Space Station / 95

Unit 9

Sports & Fitness
Reading 1 :
Reading 2 :

Athletes into Creatine / 101

Scuba Safety / 107

Unit 10

People & Opinions
Reading 1 :
Reading 2 :

Toni Morrison: Her Life and Works / 113
The Contradictions of Carnegie / 119

Unit 11

Cross-Cultural Viewpoints
Reading 1 :
Reading 2 :

Repatriation of Remains / 125
Imperialism and the Internet / 131

Unit 12

Business & Economics
Reading 1 :
Reading 2 :

Opening a Small Business / 137
Brand Power/Brand Image / 143

U N I T

1

S t r a n g e & U nusua l 1

The
Piltdown Man
Pre-Reading Questions
Think about the following questions.
1.How do scientists know how old ancient bones are?
2.What does the theory of evolution say about human evolution?
3. What is the “missing link”?

Vocabulary Preview
Match each word or phrase with the correct definition.
1. link

a. having doubts; disbelieving

2. fraud

b. a hoax; a trick

3. obstruct

c. to block or prevent; to interfere with

4. plant

d. to put something in a place to purposely fool others

5. plausible

e. reasonable; possible by logic

6. skeptical

f. a connection


6

The Piltdown Man

O

Track 1

ne of the most famous (or infamous) frauds in the
history of science is known as the Piltdown Man,
remains of a supposed primitive hominid found in

1912 by an amateur paleontologist named Charles Dawson
5

and a professional paleontologist named Arthur Smith
Woodward. In fact, two sets of these remains were discovered
between the years 1912 and 1917. The first of these two was found
in the Piltdown gravel pit in Sussex, England. While digging in the pit, the

paleontologists found a humanlike skull with a jawbone similar to that of an ape.

10

This finding appeared to be the remains of a missing link, the connecting evolutionary
step between apes and humans. The discoverers named the remains Eoanthropus
dawsoni, or “Dawson’s Dawn Man,” but it was later commonly known as the Piltdown
Man due to the location of its finding.
The Piltdown Man was an immediate sensation. He seemed to fit all of the

15

criteria expected in the missing link---a mixture of human and ape with the noble
brow of Homo sapiens and a primitive jaw. Best of all, he was British! The reaction
to the findings was mixed. On the whole, British paleontologists were enthusiastic.
However, French and American paleontologists tended to be skeptical of the origins of
the Piltdown Man, some objecting to its credibility quite vociferously. The objectors

20

held that the jawbone and the skull were obviously from two different animals and
that their discoveries together was simply an accident of placement. At first, fraud
wasn’t suspected. The fossils were, after all, cleverly done, and no money was
involved. In addition, there were other European finds related to the missing links of
modern-day man, such as the Neanderthal, Cro-Magnon Man, and Heidelberg Man.

25

So, having found another “missing link” in the history of modern man’s evolution
was not so surprising to some researchers.

However, some investigators were doubtful of the origins of the Piltdown Man
since some initial evidence led to the idea that the jaw could be from a chimpanzee.

3
4
8
19
22

hominid --- a member of the family of humans
paleontologist --- a scientist who studies ancient life forms
gravel pit --- a hole or cavity in the ground filled with pebbles, rock, and clay
vociferously --- loudly; vehemently
fossil --- hardened remains of plant or animal life of an earlier geologic period


30
30
35
38
45

species --- a set of animals/plants that have similar characteristics
perpetrator --- a person who commits an act (often a crime)
prominent --- widely and favorably known
co-conspirator --- a person who schemes with another
fabricate --- to make up (a story or lie); to contrive

In addition, the researchers expressed strong doubt that the skull and the jaw were
30

from the same species. The perpetrators of the hoax solved this problem by
planting a second jaw and a second skull at another nearby location. Therefore, the
report in 1917 of the discovery of “Piltdown Man II” converted many of the skeptics.
The reasoning was that one accident of placement was plausible, but two were not.
So after this second finding, some of the doubters were satisfied. Moreover, a few

35

prominent British scientists failed to perform tests that they should have done and
obstructed other scientists’ access to the fossils.
Some historians believe that the discoverers of the Piltdown Man and these
scientists may have been co-conspirators in the hoax. The fame of the Piltdown
Man continued for forty years. It was featured in professional articles and books, in

40

newspaper reports, and even in high school biology textbooks. In the four decades
from 1910 to 1950, there was, of course, some opposition from scientific critics who
claimed that the skull was human but the jaw was that of an ape.
During the 1950s, the validity of the Piltdown Man discovery was questioned
further. Researchers claimed that almost all, if not all, of the fossils had been planted

45

in the pit in modern times and that several of these items had even been fabricated
by someone. These scientific detectives, among them Joseph Weiner and Kenneth
Oakley, disproved the validity of the Piltdown Man with technical evidence showing
that the skull belonged to an English lady and the jaw to an Asian orangutan.
Chemical tests in 1953 further proved that in fact, everything was fake! The found

50

pieces had been stained, filed, smashed, and so on, in a fairly clever way, thus
leading people to initially believe that the Piltdown Man was real.
But the question still remains: Who did it? More than a dozen
suspects have been named; the only one famous enough to be
recognized by most readers is Arthur Conan Doyle. But as we

55

approach the 100th anniversary of the Piltdown Man, there is
still no certainty of just who created the greatest hoax in the
history of science.
Reading Time _______ minutes _______ seconds

703 words

7


8

R eading Comprehension
AMark each statement as either true (T) or false (F) according to the
reading.


1. ____ Dawson and Woodward made a lot of money from their discovery.

2. ____Neanderthal remains were found before the Piltdown Man remains.



3. ____ People believed the Piltdown Man was real for several decades.



4. ____ The Piltdown Man had the skull of an English man.

B Choose the best answer according to the reading.


1. What is true about the Piltdown Man discovery?







2.What did French and American paleontologists believe about the find?

a. It is still believed by some scientists today.
b. It was a clever trick that fooled many people.
c. It was a key find that proved the theory of evolution.
d. It was the greatest discovery in paleontology of the century.

a. The bones did not come from one being.
b. The bones represented the “missing link.”
c. The bones were obviously fake.
d. The bones were older than Woodward and Dawson said.

3. Which fact made some disbelievers change their minds?






a. A second set of remains was found.
b. Many books were written about the “missing link.”
c. Scientists chemically tested the bones.
d. Scientists in other countries believed the hoax.

CFor the next two questions, look for the answers in the book and write
them on the lines provided.


1.Why was the Piltdown Man an immediate sensation?

______________________________________________________

 ______________________________________________________

2. During the 1950s, why did the researchers question the validity of the discovery
of the Piltdown Man?
______________________________________________________


______________________________________________________


S ummary
Fill in the blanks with the words from the list. Use each word only once.



link
planted

fraud
primitive

initially
skeptical

The discovery of the Piltdown Man was proven to be a(n) 1 ___________ rather
than an amazing find for paleontologists. 2 ___________, when the discovery was
first announced by Dawson and Woodward, even though some thought they had
found the missing 3 ___________, many scientists outside of England were
4 ___________. They couldn’t believe that the 5 ___________ skull and
jawbone were from one being. These scientists believed that it was more plausible

that the bones were simply found in the same place by accident. After the discovery
of a second Piltdown Man, many disbelievers changed their minds. It wasn’t until the
1950s that researchers finally tested the bones through chemical analysis and proved
they were fakes. Apparently, the bones were stained and then 6 ___________ at
the Piltdown site by a hoaxer. However, the person who actually planned and carried
out the hoax has never been revealed.

V ocabulary Extension
Here are six words that are related to the topic but are not in the reading.
Fill in each blank with the best word from the list. Use each word only
once.



extinct
hypothesis

anthropologists
primates

methodology
endemic

1.Science majors need to learn the appropriate ___________ for conducting their
research.
2. Diseases of that kind are ___________ to that environment.
3. ___________ study the cultures and living environments of humans.
4. Jane Goodall is famous for her studies with ___________.
5. His ___________ has not been tested but is widely believed to be true.
6.There is a fear that the species will not be able to survive the effects of global

warming and may become ___________.

9


10

S upplemental Reading
The First to the North Pole

S

Track 2

cience is not new to the idea of controversy
and fraud such as in the case of the Piltdown
Man. The history of the exploration of the

North Pole is another case of this nature. The two

5

main players in this story are Robert Peary, a famous
explorer in the early 20th century, and Dr. Frederick
Cook, another explorer who frequently accompanied Peary on his expeditions.
Both men began their own quests to reach the North Pole in the early 1900s.
However, the question of who reached the North Pole first, if either, remains hotly

10

debated. According to Dr. Cook, he reached the North Pole on April 21, 1908. His
claim is recorded in his diary, in which he wrote, “With a step, it was possible to
go from one part of the globe to the opposite side. . . . north, east, and west had
vanished. It was south in every direction.” Cook then became lost in the Arctic for
almost a year.

15

In the meantime, Robert Peary was also trying to reach the North Pole. He
claimed to have arrived there on April 6, 1909, almost a year after Cook. However,
Peary believed Cook to be dead, making him the first man to reach the Pole. In
September 1909, both men managed to make it back to civilization and, within days
of each other, telegraphed their rival claims to the newspapers.

20

Controversy ensued when Peary accused Cook of fraud, claiming that he had no
compelling evidence to support his claim as the first man to reach the North Pole. In
fact, the controversy still lingers to this day. Who was the first man to reach the North
Pole? For many years, Peary’s supporters, backed by National Geographic magazine,
had the upper hand. However, new scholarship suggests that both explorers faked

25

their claims. In other words, neither of them reached the Pole. The definitive answer
to this question has yet to be found.

Discussion
Discuss the following questions.
1. What other controversies have there been surrounding “scientific” discoveries?

2.What makes a scientific study valid?


U N I T

1

S t r a n g e & U nusua l 2

The Curse of the
Mummy
Pre-Reading Questions
Think about the following questions.
1. What do you know about mummies and mummification?
2. Who do you think should be allowed to excavate ancient sites?
3. What dangers might archaeologists encounter when searching
ancient sites?

Vocabulary Preview
Match each word or phrase with the correct definition.
1. infect

a. to wail; to cry

2. howl

b. to maintain; to protect

3. leap

c. to contaminate with disease-producing matter

4. swift

d. to tamper with; to despoil

5. violate

e. agile; fast

6. preserve

f. to jump


12

The Curse of the Mummy

“D

Track 3

eath shall come on swift wings to him who disturbs the peace of the
king.” Carved in stone, these are the words Howard Carter was
reported to have seen as he entered the tomb of King Tutankhamun,

the famous pharaoh who ruled Egypt from 1333 to 1325 BC. Egyptian sepulchers,
5

like that of King Tutankhamun, contain curses to frighten those who would violate the
tombs, and in what has come to be known as the curse of the mummy, it is believed
that tragedy and death befall those who disturb the graves of Egyptian kings.
In the 1930s, the belief in a mummy’s curse was rekindled after the deaths of
Carter’s colleagues. In 1891, Howard Carter, a young archaeologist from England,

10

went to Egypt to study ancient Egyptian culture and to try to locate the unopened
tomb of an ancient Egyptian king. Because Egyptian kings were buried with gold and
other valuable items, by the end of the 19th century most tombs in the Valley of the
Kings had been plundered. Therefore, many archaeologists believed that there was
nothing left to excavate. Carter, however, believed there was at least one more

15

undiscovered tomb, and he wanted to find it.
The great burial chambers in the Valley of the Kings contained the wrapped
bodies of pharaohs, as well as items Egyptians believed would aid the kings in their
next life. Before being interred for the afterlife, the bodies of the kings were
carefully preserved by a process of embalming called mummification. When a

20

body was mummified, the internal organs and brains were removed and stored in
large jars; then the skin, muscles, and bones were covered in a special salt for three
months. At the end of three months, after the salt absorbed the water from
the body, the body was wrapped in pieces of cotton soaked in
resin, the liquid from pine trees. Through this process, the

25

bodies of Egyptian kings have been preserved for thousands
of years, and bodies that undergo this embalming process
are called mummies.
After years of working in Egypt and studying

4
8
13
14
18
19

sepulcher --- a vault for burial; a tomb
rekindle --- to revive
plunder --- to rob; to despoil
excavate --- to uncover or expose by digging; to unearth
inter --- to entomb; to lay to rest; to bury
embalm --- to preserve; to mummify


32
35
42
58

patronage --- financial support or sponsorship
harbinger --- a sign; an indication
torso --- a body, not including arms, legs, or head

succumb to --- to die of

various sites, still convinced he would find an unopened tomb,
30

Howard Carter approached wealthy British businessman Lord
Carnarvon, who agreed to finance the search. After five unsuccessful
years, however, Lord Carnarvon threatened to withdraw his patronage.
Carnarvon gave Carter just one more year within which to make a
discovery. Returning to Egypt, Carter brought with him a canary,

35

which was later believed to have been the harbinger of both success
as well as disaster. It was in that year, 1922, that Carter discovered the
tomb of King Tutankhamun, but days before the discovery, Carter’s canary had been
killed by a cobra, a symbol of the pharaohs.
In November of 1922, Howard Carter cut a hole in the stone door that stood in

40

front of Tutankhamun’s tomb. With him were Lord Carnarvon and twenty others,
including archaeologists, workers, and servants. Upon opening the tomb, they found
wonderful treasures including a solid gold mask that covered the face and upper torso
of King Tutankhamun’s body. Soon, however, their celebrations were dampened by a
number of tragedies.

45

Lord Carnarvon died in Egypt a few months after the opening of the tomb. At

first, doctors were unable to account for his death, but they finally determined it to
be pneumonia and blood poisoning caused by an infected mosquito bite. The British
press reported that at the exact moment of his death, back in England, Lord
Carnarvon’s dog howled at the moon and then died. Rumors of a mummy’s curse

50

shook the British public when the mummy of Tutankhamun was unwrapped, and a
wound was discovered on the left cheek, in the exact spot as the insect bite that
caused Lord Carnarvon’s death.
By 1929, London newspapers reported that eleven people connected with the
discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb, including relatives of Lord Carnarvon,

55

Carter’s personal secretary Richard Bethell, and Bethell’s father, had died of unnatural
causes. Bethell’s father leapt to his death, leaving a suicide note alluding to “horrors”
he had seen. Did the mummy’s curse cause these deaths? If so, why didn’t the man
who opened the tomb succumb to the curse of the mummy? Howard Carter, who
never believed in the curse, survived into his mid-sixties, dying of what appears to

60

have been natural causes.
Reading Time _______ minutes _______ seconds

720 words

13

14

R eading Comprehension
AMark each statement as either true (T) or false (F) according to the
reading.


1. ____Many ancient Egyptian tombs contain oaths, written to discourage
anyone from stealing from them.



2. ____Howard Carter supported Lord Carnarvon in his search for an
unopened tomb.



3. ____ Howard Carter’s canary actually found King Tutankhamun’s tomb.



4. ____In the late 1920s, many people believed that the deaths of those who
opened the tombs were caused by a curse.

B Choose the best answer according to the reading.


1. What is true about King Tutankhanum?

2.Many of the tombs of the ancient Egyptian pharaohs ________.







a. His tomb had been plundered.
b. He uttered oaths to keep people from stealing from his tomb.
c. He was a famous king of ancient Egypt.
d. He caused the death of Howard Carter.

a. Were preserved until the 20th century
b. Were plundered before archaeologists opened them
c. Were opened by Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon
d. Were mummified

3. During the mummification process, how did Egyptians prepare the body?

a. They removed the skin and bones.
b. They placed the eyes in a special jar.
c. They used a type of salt to absorb the water from the body of the deceased.
d. They wrapped the body in pine needles.

CFor the next two questions, look for the answers in the book and write
them on the lines provided.


1. What happened to Howard Carter’s canary?
______________________________________________________

 ______________________________________________________

2.During mummification, what was done with the body after it had been covered
in a special salt for three months?
______________________________________________________


______________________________________________________


S ummary
Fill in the blanks with words from the list. Use each word only once.


infected

howled

leapt

swift

violated

preserved

In the late 1800s, Howard Carter, a British archaeologist, went to Egypt in hopes
of discovering a(n) 1 ___________ tomb of an ancient pharoah. Although many of
the ancient tombs had been plundered by the 1800s, Carter believed he would find
one that had not been 2 ___________. In 1922, under the patronage of Lord
Carnarvon, Carter discovered the tomb where King Tutankhamun had been interred
over 3000 years before. Excitement over this discovery of scientific and cultural
importance, however, was dampened by tragedy: the death of Lord Carnarvon due to
a(n) 3 ___________ mosquito bite. It was said that his dog 4 ___________ at the
exact moment of his death. Rumors in the British press and other sources attributed
Lord Carnarvon’s and subsequent deaths among Carter’s colleagues to a mummy’s
curse, which foretold of 5 ___________ death to any who disturbed the tomb. In
fact, Carter’s secretary 6 ___________ to his death in desperation over the curse.
In spite of the media hype, Howard Carter continued to live for more than ten years
after the discovery of the tomb without succumbing to the curse.

V ocabulary Extension
Here are six words that are related to the topic but are not in the reading.
Fill in each blank with the best word from the list. Use each word only once.

architects
immortal

assassinated
successors

intruders
sarcophagus

1.King Tutankhamun was only nineteen years old when he died, and it is believed
he was __________ by his rivals.
2.King Tutankhamun’s __________ tried to have his name erased from all
government records, yet he is now perhaps the best known of Egypt’s ancient kings.
3.The __________ of the tombs designed them with many false passageways in order
to prevent thieves from entering.
4.The ancient Egyptians believed that their kings were __________ beings, and
therefore, they worshiped them as gods.
5.Despite the elaborate designs of the tombs, __________ were able to enter and
steal from many of the tombs.
6.Found in King Tutankhamun’s tomb was a stone __________ in which there
were three gold coffins. The innermost one contained the pharaoh’s body.
15


16

S upplemental Reading
Dispelling the Mummy’s Curse

W

Track 4

as the curse of the mummy real? Though the death
of Lord Carnarvon seemed mysterious, it was
probably more the result of bad hygiene than a

curse, says Dr. Robert Prichard, a medical examiner for the state

5

of California. “His mosquito bite became infected from a dirty
shaving razor, and he developed sepsis, or blood poisoning,” Dr.
Prichard believes. As for the deaths of the others involved in the
opening of King Tutankhamen’s tomb, there is nothing mysterious
there either, researchers say. British Medical Journal looked at all the evidence

10

concerning forty-four of the people who were associated with the excavation of King
Tutankhamen’s tomb. They concluded that statistically, no more of those people
died than any other population sample.
Still, research in microbiology suggests that although there is no mummy’s
curse, there may be real health dangers associated with opening tombs like those in

15

the Valley of the Kings. The old tombs were sealed so tightly that the insides may
have become anaerobic, meaning that air could not get inside. When this happens,
certain bacteria grow in the oxygen-free environment that could not ordinarily

survive and which can be harmful if inhaled. Other types of organisms like molds
and fungi could also be present, some of which can cause serious health problems.

20

For these reasons, modern archaeologists, unlike those in the 1920s, wear protective
filter masks and gloves when entering a tomb for the first time.
Finally, it has been suggested that the punitive inscription engraved on the
entrance to King Tutankhamun’s tomb was an invention of a young British newspaper
reporter by the name of Doyle, later known as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The real

25

inscription, it is reported, is far less concerned with inflicting punishment than with
protecting the dead.

Discussion
Discuss the following questions.
1.What role(s) do you think the British press might have played in creating belief
in the mummy’s curse amongst the British public?
2.Do people still believe in the mummy’s curse today? Why or why not?


U N I T

2

C o m p u t e r s a nd Te c hnology 1

Addicted to the

Net?
Pre-Reading Questions
Think about the following questions.
1. How much time do you spend online each day?
2. What takes up most of your time online: e-mailing, surfing, chatting,
or gaming?
3. Have you bought anything online either through a commercial site
or an auction? If yes, describe your experience.

Vocabulary Preview
Match each word or phrase with the correct definition.
1. symptom

a. to take away; withdraw

2. disorder

b. to depend

3. invest

c. to put money into; to buy stocks

4. immediate

d. an illness; a malady

5. remove

e. a condition accompanying or resulting from a disease

6. rely

f. at once; instantaneous


18

Addicted to the Net?

I

Track 5

nternet users who spend as much as thirty hours a week or more surfing the
Web may endanger personal relationships, jobs, and their finances. These
individuals appear to be addicted to the Internet, but what is Internet

addiction and why is it so prevalent?
Symptoms of Internet addiction include a constant desire to get online, a need

5

to use the Internet for longer periods of time in order to find satisfaction, and
feelings of restlessness or irritability when not online. Other symptoms include using
the Internet to escape problems and lying to family or friends about time spent on
the Internet. Another serious symptom is continuing to use the Internet even after
10

problems develop in relationships, work, or school as a result of such use. A person

who suffers three or more of these symptoms over a 12-month period or more would
be considered addicted.
A recent study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders examined the
Internet habits of twenty people. These people spent more than thirty non-working

15

hours a week online over a three-year period. The participants reported staying up
all night, ignoring family responsibilities, and being late for work as a result of their
online activities. As a consequence, many suffered from relationship problems, failed
classes or lost jobs, as well as accumulation of large debts. These participants’ habits
met the criteria for a psychological disorder. Specifically, they had impulse control

20

disorder. The findings of this study have given rise to the term “Net compulsion” to
describe Internet addiction. Since these findings, Net compulsions have been further
defined to include compulsive online gambling, cybersex compulsion, online auction
addiction, and obsessive online trading.
But what is it that makes online auction houses, gambling, pornography, or trading

25

so addictive? The first factor which may contribute to compulsive use of a product is
accessibility. Before the existence of the Internet, a person
needed to travel to a casino in order to gamble. To invest, a
person needed to call or visit a broker. Shopping involved
spending hours visiting various stores, waiting in long lines,
4
18

19
22

prevalent --- widespread
accumulation --- what is collected or acquired
impulse --- a sudden force or urge resulting in action
compulsive --- having difficulty to stop or control doing
something


35
36
36
41
45
45

30

indulge --- to give in to a desire
gratification --- a source of pleasure or satisfaction
whim --- a sudden thought or desire
obsession --- a fascination; a compulsion
bidder --- a
 person who offers a certain amount of money as the
price or fee that one will pay
intoxicating --- exciting; stimulating

or fighting crowds. Now, those with access to the Internet have immediate,
24-hour access to everything. This includes virtual gaming sites, online

trading sites that provide up-to-the-minute stock reports, pornographic
materials and sex chat rooms, and online auction houses where they can
find any item imaginable. As the problems and limitations of real life

35

are removed, some people begin to indulge more heavily in these
activities for immediate gratification and to satisfy whims.
Control is a second factor influencing compulsive behavior. Online stock trading
serves as a good example of the effect control has on compulsive behavior. In the past,
people had to rely on brokers. Today, individuals have the ability to take control

40

over their own investing. Such full personal control leads some people to develop an
obsession with monitoring and adjusting their investments.
A third important factor is excitement. Excitement represents the emotional
“rush” or “high” associated with winning. In gambling, the rush of winning becomes
a great reinforcement to continue playing. In auction sites, obtaining an item by

45

beating other bidders seconds before the bid closes can be intoxicating. With any
compulsive activity, the excitement surrounding the activity becomes a powerful
hook encouraging future behavior.
No one knows exactly how many people develop personal problems through
such use of the Internet. However, in the largest study of Internet users, involving

50

17,000 participants, psychologist David Greenfield speculated that approximately six
million Americans could be addicted.
However, help is available for those with Net compulsion. Psychologists have
been studying obsessive and compulsive behaviors and their treatments for years.
Mental health professionals have established therapies to help people curb the

55

length of time spent online. Currently, Internet-addiction centers are opening across
the United States. These aim to help self-confessed addicts, focusing on addressing the
underlying problems which may have contributed to Internet overuse in the first
place. But as with other addictions, recovery can only occur with an honest admission
of the problem.
Reading Time _______ minutes _______ seconds

690 words

19


20

R eading Comprehension
AMark each statement as either true (T) or false (F) according to the
reading.


1. ____ One possible consequence of Internet addiction is divorce.

2. ____ Online auction addiction is one kind of Net compulsion.



3. ____ Most online addicts feel bored when online.



4. ____Wireless technology will likely decrease addiction rates among Internet
users.

B Choose the best answer according to the reading.


1. What is implied by the author?







a. Government control of Internet content could solve this problem.
b. Internet addiction may require psychological counseling.
c. People can only be addicted to drugs, not technology.
d. The Internet is more dangerous than some drugs.

2.Which is NOT really a symptom of Internet addiction?

a. Always looking for the next opportunity to check e-mail



b. Not feeling satisfied after surfing for five hours



c. Spending time setting up a personal homepage



d.Telling your roommate you just got online after chatting online for two
hours



3. Which online activities might lead to compulsive behavior?



a. Playing virtual slot machines



b. Ordering discount jewelry online

c. Keeping track of stock market gains and losses



d. All of the above

CFor the next two questions, look for the answers in the book and write
it on the lines provided.
1.What do Internet-addiction centers focus on when trying to help self-confessed
addicts?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

2.What are three factors that influence compulsive behavior?
______________________________________________________


______________________________________________________


S ummary
Fill in the blanks with phrases from the list. Use each phrase only once.



three or more
bidding in auctions

highest bid

through a broker

addicted to the Internet
accumulate a lot of

People who spend too much time online may be 1 _____________________.
These people usually rely on the Internet far too much. They simply can’t remove
themselves or their thoughts from the Net. Because of this, they may develop problems
in their personal lives or 2 ___________________debt due to gambling or
shopping. The criteria used to determine if a person has this disorder include a list of
six kinds of compulsive behaviors. If a person shows 3 _______________ of these
symptoms throughout the year, the person is probably addicted to the Net. There are
three factors that make the Internet addictive: accessibility, control, and excitement.
People can go online any time to indulge in gambling, pornography,
4 __________________, or investing in stocks. In terms of control, people have
a lot more control over their personal finances and stocks now that trading can be
done online rather than 5 ____________________. And with activities like
winning at a game of online poker or making the 6 ____________________ in
an auction, people feel an immediate rush of excitement that encourages them to
play more or bid again.

V ocabulary Extension
Here are six words that are related to the topic but are not in the reading.
Fill in each blank with the best word from the list. Use each word only once.



enabler
relapse

trauma
behavior-modification

dependency
prognosis

1. He was doing well in his treatment, but he suffered a(n) _____________.
2. She has a chemical _____________.
3. Some psychiatrists treat their patients through _____________ therapy which
encourages them to acknowledge and change their negative behaviors.
4. Because of the _____________ she faced when her mother was killed, she has not
been able to build close relationships with others.
5. Within a psychological framework, the _____________ is the person who helps the
addicted person to continue with unhealthy behaviors.
6. Although we worried about Sam’s chances for a full recovery, the psychiatrist’s
_____________ was positive.
21


22

S upplemental Reading
The Inventor of Internet Addiction?

D

Track 6

r. Ivan K. Goldberg, a psychiatrist and clinical psychopharmacologist
came up with the term “Internet addiction” in 1995. But he never thought

anyone would take him seriously. In fact, he said the disorder didn’t really

exist. In 1986, Goldberg created an online club for psychiatrists called PsyCom.Net

5

and often browsed the site for news and messages. While reading the messages posted
on the site’s bulletin boards, he came up with the idea of posting a message to poke
fun at the American Psychiatric Association’s Manual of Mental Disorders.
He made up a disease called “Internet addiction disorder” (IAD). In the message,
he described symptoms of the disease. One symptom Goldberg listed was that

10

“important social and occupational activities are given up or reduced because of
Internet use.” Other symptoms included dreaming about the Internet and having
uncontrolled movements of the fingers as if typing.
To Goldberg’s surprise, several colleagues admitted to suffering IAD and asked
him for help. In response, Goldberg set up the Internet Addiction Support Group

15

online for his colleagues. Soon, hundreds of self-described addicts began to post
messages on the site, and some people admitted surfing up to twelve hours per day.
Several universities and hospitals in the United States began
to set up counseling services for those with IAD.
Despite his uneasiness over the part he played in this

20

“discovery,” Goldberg says he posts a message to members of
the Internet addicts forum every six months or so, trying to
get them to consider why they are online and to consider
psychotherapy.

Discussion
Discuss the following questions.
1. Do you think the Internet makes things like gambling or pornography too
accessible? Why or why not?
2. Do you think that IAD is a genuine problem? Why or why not?


U N I T

2

C o m p u t e r s & Te c hnology 2

Rise of the
Androids
Pre-Reading Questions
Think about the following questions.
1. What is an android?
2. What benefits can robotics have on our society?
3. How are robots/androids different than human beings?

Vocabulary Preview
Match each word or phrase with the correct definition.
1. pioneer

a. restricted; narrow; having boundaries

2. mobility

b. a person who rivals another or competes for a prize

3. limited

c. the power or freedom of movement

4. mimic

d. having practical ability; able to manage something

5. competitor

e. to imitate; to copy the actions of

6. capable

f. to explore; to be the first to do something


24

Rise of the Androids

S

Track 7

ince the beginning of the 21st century there have been thrilling advances in
the field of robotics. Science fact, it appears, has recently started catching
up with science fiction. This is particularly true of the development of

anthropomorphic robots, or androids, which authors such as Isaac Asimov and
5

Philip K. Dick wrote about in their futuristic novels published in the 1950s and 60s.
In Asia, the development of robots that look and act human is creating serious
competition among scientists, especially in Japan and Korea. Many in the field seem
to have focused their efforts on developing attractive female androids. Scientists at
Osaka University in Japan, led by Hiroshi Ishiguro, pioneered the development of

10

the world’s first female android. Named the Actroid and manufactured by the
Kokoro Company, this robot was first unveiled at an international robotics fair in
Tokyo in November 2003. Since then, many improvements have been made to the
design, and the most advanced model, called the Actroid-DER2, was released in
October 2006. The letters “DER” are said to stand for “dramatic entertainment

15

model” because the Actroid was specifically designed to function as a hostess and
entertainer at public events.
Actroids are life-size and look like young Japanese women. Their skin is
composed of silicone and looks very realistic. In early models, some upper body
movement was possible while mobility of their bottom halves was more limited. This

20

improved in later models, which have more realistic features and movements than
the earlier prototypes. The robots have built-in
sensors which allow them to react to humans. They can
fend off aggressive or intrusive actions, like pokes or slaps,
or react in a friendly manner by smiling. Actroids can

25

mimic blinking, breathing and speaking; maintain eye
contact with a speaker; and also change their facial
expressions. They can be programmed to speak in any
language and have conversed in a rudimentary fashion
1
2
4
4
18
21
28

advance --- a stage of progress; development
robotics --- a design of machines that imitate human actions
anthropomorphic --- formed like and resembling humans
android --- a robot in a human form
silicone --- a heat-resistant, non-stick, rubber-like substance
prototype --- the first model, usually of a complex design to be copied
rudimentary --- simple, basic

40

44

53

synchronization --- an act or process of causing things to
happen simultaneously
synthetic --- of an artificial substance, not made from natural
materials
clone --- an exact copy or replica of a living thing

in English and Japanese at various science fairs. The Kokoro Company currently
30

rents Actroids out to upmarket coffee shops and restaurants, or office complexes and
museums, to greet customers and visitors.
Meanwhile, the jewel of Korean robotics, and a direct competitor for the
Actroid series, is another female android named EveR-2. Also released in 2006,
EveR-2 is the successor of EveR-1, first unveiled in 2003 at the same time as the

35

first Actroid. The EveR series was designed by a team from Kitech, the Korean
Institute of Industrial Technology. EveR’s creators claim she is more life-like than
her Japanese rival and can mimic emotions such as happiness, sorrow, anger, and
surprise more naturally. The latest EveR-2 can express boredom, and she has the
ability to sing. She can communicate using fifteen facial expressions, recognizes 400

40

Korean and English words, and even moves her lips in synchronization with her
speech. At the opening ceremony of the Robot World Conference held in Seoul in
2006, an EveR-2 model called “Muse” sang a popular Korean song, to the delight of
spectators. Like the Actroids, the skin of EveR robots is made of silicone. Whereas the
EveR-1 only had her face and hands covered with the synthetic jelly, EveR-2’s whole

45

body is covered with artificial skin. EveR-3 and EveR-4 are scheduled to be unveiled in
2010, and it is anticipated that they will have the ability to walk in a capable manner
and even dance. The Korean Institute of Industrial Technology would like to see their
robots working in every human household in Korea by at least 2020.
Men shouldn’t feel threatened by the focus on female robots as Kitech plans to

50

develop a male android in the near future. In July 2006, Hiroshi Ishiguro, co-creator
of the Actroid, also designed a robot model in his own likeness. Dubbed the Geminoid
HI-1, the robot imitates Ishiguro’s gestures, facial expressions and speech, making it
much like a kind of robotic clone. It can be remotely controlled with a
motion capture system that tracks the movements of his lips and mouth,

55

meaning he could use the robot as a stand-in to teach classes. While
he controls it from home, the robot could be up in front of a class,
simultaneously scaring and inspiring students.
It seems that a time when we won’t be able to tell humans

from androids may be closer than we realize. Where this

60

technology may eventually lead is anyone’s guess.
Reading Time _______ minutes _______ seconds

737 words

25