PRACTICAL ENGLISH
READING: A smart criminal

VOCABULARY
law

an official rule of a country that says what people can and can't do

crime

behavior or an activity that breaks a law

criminal

a person who has broken a law

jail

a place where criminals are kept to punish them

the police

the organization of people who try to stop crime and catch
criminals

murder

to kill someone intentionally; the act of killing someone
intentionally

break into

to enter a place through a window or door by force to steal
something

catch a criminal

to find and get hold of someone who has broken a law

steal

to take something that isn't yours without asking or paying for it

rob

to take money or something from a person or bank by force

© Reallyenglish 2013


PRACTICAL ENGLISH
READING: A smart criminal

READING PRACTICE: TEXT
Hotel criminal in jail
by Nicky Woodcock
One of the world's most wanted men was sent to jail yesterday after 6 years of crime,
stealing from top hotels all over the world.
Juan Carlos Guzman-Betancourt, 29, from Columbia, was caught when a policeman
who was grocery shopping saw him in a London supermarket. He is to spend three
and a half years in Standford Hill jail in Kent, England, for stealing money, credit

cards, and jewelry worth £150,000 from five-star London hotels, including the
Dorchester, the Savoy, the Four Seasons, and the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
Guzman-Betancourt, who speaks many languages and was always well-dressed,
charming, and polite, did not break into the hotels, but pretended to be a hotel
guest. Telling hotel staff that he had lost his room keys and forgotten the number
to the safe box, he was able to get into hotel rooms and safe boxes to steal guests'
money, cards, clothes, watches, jewelry, and other goods. He used at least 10
different names.
Worldwide, it is thought he has stolen up to £500,000. He was also wanted by the
police in the U.S., South and Central America, Canada, France, Russia, Thailand,
and Japan.

© Reallyenglish 2013


PRACTICAL ENGLISH
READING: Air travel overseas

VOCABULARY
passport control

the place in an airport where your passport is checked

visa

an official mark or piece of paper in your passport that you need
to enter a country

check-in desk


the place in an airport where you first show your plane ticket

jet lag

the tired feeling that you get after a long flight

customs

the place in an airport where your luggage can be checked for
illegal goods

delay

later than scheduled because of bad weather, technical
problems, etc.

land

to come down from the air to the ground in a plane

flight

a trip in a plane

luggage

the suitcases and bags that you take with you when you travel

on board


you are inside a plane

© Reallyenglish 2013


PRACTICAL ENGLISH
READING: Air travel overseas

READING PRACTICE: TEXT
High Flyer Business Class
British Airlines' "High Flyer Business Class" (HFBC) is a new service that helps you
work while you travel.
Two weeks ago, I flew from New York to Milan to try the new HFBC. They picked up
my luggage from my office 3 hours before the flight. At the airport, I went through a
special check-in desk half an hour before the flight, not 2 hours like a normal flight.
On board, I had a personal assistant who could fax, phone, or email for me. Each
seat had a computer with full Internet access. Two large televisions showed business
news in 8 languages. I enjoyed my flight, and with their help finished all my work
before we landed. When I arrived in Milan there was a special fast passport control
desk. I went through customs and my bags were in a taxi before me!
In HFBC's first six months, it has had no delays and all flights have arrived on time.
My nine-hour flight was excellent and with 12 flights every day to Milan, New York,
London, and other important business destinations, HFBC is perfect for the
busy traveler.

© Reallyenglish 2013


PRACTICAL ENGLISH
READING: Blogging


VOCABULARY
archive

a collection of records or documents from the past

chronological

arranged in time order, with the oldest item first

commentary

an explanation or opinion

engage

to participate

entry

the act of making a record

filter

to reject

knowledgeable

informed or up-to-date about something


post

to publish a message in an online form, so that other people can
see or read it

reliable

having confidence or trust in something or someone

reverse

going backwards

© Reallyenglish 2013


PRACTICAL ENGLISH
READING: Blogging

READING PRACTICE: TEXT
What is a Blog?
The term blog is short for weblog, which is an online journal. An individual can
write entries online that can be read by the public. Blogs have a standard format —
single entries of a page of material that are posted in reverse chronological order.
People can read the most recent entry and then access previous entries. Most blogs
are personal in nature, and may include commentary on topics and descriptions
of events. Many blogs are political. In addition to a main content area, most blogs
include an archive of past content, a way for readers to post responses, and links to
other websites.
Blogs are a cultural phenomenon because they provide a convenient and

inexpensive way for ordinary people to publish their own content. Anyone with an
Internet connection can start their own publication that may be read by people all
over the world. Because bloggers often comment on politics, business, and other
world events, they are even sometimes recognized as journalists.
Blogging has advantages and disadvantages. As mentioned, it is a simple, costeffective way to reach many people. It also allows the writer to engage in a two-way
interaction with readers and to become more knowledgeable about the subject of
the blog. However, it means writing a lot and often. Readers expect the blogger to
post entries a few times a week. It will take a lot of time and probably won't make
the blogger much, if any, money.

© Reallyenglish 2013


PRACTICAL ENGLISH
READING: Body language

VOCABULARY
shake your head

to move your head from side to side — means 'no' in some
countries

nod your head

to move your head up and down — means 'yes' in some countries

cry

you produce small drops of water from your eyes — when you
are very sad or unhappy for example


smile

you do this when you find something funny, but you do not
make a noise with your mouth

laugh

to open your mouth and make a noise that shows you find
something funny

tap your fingers

to make a noise with your fingers on a hard surface

shake hands

to use one of your hands to greet someone

bow

to move your head and body down when you greet someone
formally

© Reallyenglish 2013


PRACTICAL ENGLISH
READING: Body language


READING PRACTICE: TEXT
Speaking without talking
There are many different languages in the world, but what language are you using
when you nod your head to say 'yes?' Not Turkish, because it means 'no!' You are
'speaking' body language.
In western countries, it is the custom to shake your head for 'no' — but in Sri Lanka,
you are saying 'yes!' We all know you use your mouth to talk, but you also smile and
laugh to show happiness. In most countries, it is very rude to spit. Laughing is usually
fine, but in Japan women sometimes cover their teeth.
It can be very difficult to understand body language. You can be very rude without
realizing it. In many East Asian countries, it is rude to blow your nose. Eating is
another area where habits differ! You should not eat with your mouth open in many
western countries, or use your left hand in Arab countries. Both are very rude.
Luckily, some things are the same everywhere. Thumbs up means 'okay' almost
everywhere in the world. Many people tap their fingers if they are bored, and cry if
they are unhappy or very happy.
Maybe that's why email is so popular. It's not only quick to communicate around the
world, but you don't need to remember the right body language!

© Reallyenglish 2013


PRACTICAL ENGLISH
READING: Climate change

VOCABULARY
biodiversity

the number and variety of plants and animals


flood

to cover with water, often in a natural disaster such as a hurricane
or a tsunami

deforestation

practices (often agricultural) that change forests into non-forest
land

extinction

the death or disappearance of a species of animal or plant

fossil fuels

fuels from dead plants and animals that lived millions of years ago

glacier

a huge mass of ice slowly moving over land

greenhouse

a warm structure made of glass for growing plants

precipitation

rain, snow, or other forms of water falling from the sky


species

a group of plants or animals that can reproduce themselves

threaten

to put in danger

© Reallyenglish 2013


PRACTICAL ENGLISH
READING: Climate change

READING PRACTICE: TEXT
Climate is the average weather in a region over an extended period of time. Climate
change occurs when the average weather in a region changes over time. Most
scientists believe that we are undergoing a period of climate change known as
global warming. This means that the average temperature of the Earth is gradually
getting warmer, about 1 degree over the past 100 years.
Many factors can contribute to global warming, including the high use of fossil fuels.
Fossil fuels refer to energy sources based on plant or animal remains, including coal,
oil, and natural gas. With the Industrial Revolution and the rise of manufacturing,
people began to increase their use of fossil fuels. Modern transportation also uses
fossil fuels. The burning of fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases such as carbon
dioxide into the atmosphere. These gases create a greenhouse effect by trapping
heat close to the Earth.
Another way that people contribute to global warming is by deforestation. When we
clear forests to make way for more farms to feed the world's growing population, we
affect the climate. Forests remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Reducing

forests also affects precipitation, often resulting in a drier climate. Long-term effects
of our current climate change include not only hotter, drier weather, but also melting
glaciers in the Arctic and Antarctic, raising ocean levels, and possibly flooding coast
areas. Climate change threatens biodiversity as plants and animals are unable to
survive in a different climate.

© Reallyenglish 2013


PRACTICAL ENGLISH
READING: Crime and punishment

VOCABULARY
arrest

what the police do to someone when they think they are guilty
of a crime

break the law

you do this if you do something against the law — you drive over
the speed limit for example

convict

to say formally that someone is guilty in a court of law

illegal

the adjective that is the opposite of 'legal'


offense

a minor crime — parking in a no parking place for example

prove

to show that someone is guilty or innocent of a crime

sentence

the punishment the judge gives you when you are proved guilty

fine

money you pay as a punishment — breaking the speed limit for
example

against the law

an expression that means 'illegal'

punish

to send someone to prison, for example, for breaking the law

READING PRACTICE: TEXT
Cell phone theft rising
It's no secret that there has recently been a big rise in cell phone theft in the U.K. In
fact, in the year 2000, 700,000 phones were stolen. And since 1995, there has been

a rise of 190% in cell phone theft. If you have ever wondered exactly what happens,
this is what the thieves do: they take the existing card out of the phone and then put
the special card in. When the new card is in the phone, the thief can then make as
many free calls as he likes.
Most people think that we now need a change in technology, and many companies
have been trying to find ways to stop phone theft. The American company Xlinix has
designed an electronic chip that goes inside cell phones. This means that companies
(for example, Vodafone) can stop thieves from making calls on the stolen phones.
Xlinix is now talking to Nokia and Ericsson. So maybe in the future these thefts will
decline — and teenagers will find something else to steal!

© Reallyenglish 2013


PRACTICAL ENGLISH
READING: Famous world festivals

VOCABULARY
celebrate

to do something special for an event — a festival or birthday for
example

decorate

to put up things like flags and balloons inside or outside
buildings for a special event

dress up


to wear special clothes for an event

throw a party

to invite a lot of people to eat, drink and/or have a good time —
at home or another place

invite

to ask someone to come — to your party for example

have fun

to have a good time

dance

to move your body to music

march

to walk in the street in a long line for a special event — in a
festival for example

© Reallyenglish 2013


PRACTICAL ENGLISH
READING: Famous world festivals


READING PRACTICE: TEXT
Avenida Liberdade 344
Boa Vista
Recife
Brazil
November 21st
Dear Pablo,
I hope you are well. This is just a short note to invite you to come and spend Carnival
here with us in Brazil. It's in the middle of February, nobody goes to work and it's
always great fun.
I'm sure you know about Carnival in Rio, but this one is a little different. The most
common carnival music here in Recife is called 'Frevo,' which is very different to Samba
and Lambada. I know how much you love music. The jazz CD you sent me is great.
There's lots of music at Carnival with trumpets and drums and fireworks all night.
The Carnival is for about a week, but people throw parties for a month. Everybody
dresses up and there are different costumes for each day of the Carnival!
I think this is the best Carnival in Brazil because the party is in the streets and the
people follow the bands around the streets on foot — dancing, drinking, and having
fun. I really hope you can come. You need a vacation!
Write soon.
Best wishes,
Joao

© Reallyenglish 2013


PRACTICAL ENGLISH
READING: Forms of education

VOCABULARY

math

the study of numbers, quantities, and shapes

biology

the study of living things

art

the study and doing of painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.

geography

the study of the world's features, climate, population, products, etc.

chemistry

the study of the structure and properties of substances

P.E.

physical exercise

history

the study of events and people of the past

music


the study of music and musicians

READING PRACTICE: TEXT
U.S. Children Start Earlier
It is 8:00 a.m. and Susan in Seattle, in the U.S., is starting her school day, but her
British cousin Mark, in London, is still having his breakfast.
Children in Britain start lessons an hour later than children in the U.S., but Mark stays
at school an hour later than his American cousin, Susan.
This is not the only difference between the 2 systems. Susan started elementary
school when she was 6, while Mark began primary school at 5. Next year, when he
is 12, Mark will go to secondary school. Susan is 12 now and has just started junior
high school. At 15, she will change schools again and go to high school. So while
Mark and his friends in Britain only go to 2 different schools, his cousin Susan in the
U.S. has to go to 3.
Last year, Susan visited Mark's school in London. "I thought it was going to be so
different, but it wasn't. The classrooms were similar, and there are also required and
optional subjects. Just like in the U.S., Mark has to take English and Math, but he can
study more languages than we do. In Seattle, it is always Spanish, but in Britain, kids
can learn German, French, or even Japanese! That is a difference from home."

© Reallyenglish 2013


PRACTICAL ENGLISH
GRAMMAR: General knowledge

LANGUAGE SUMMARY
Wh-questions
Which…?
Which country has the biggest population?

You use which to ask about choice.
How long…?
How long do elephants live?
You use how long to ask about length of time.
How often…?
How often is the World Cup soccer competition?
You use how often to ask about frequency.
How far…?
How far is it from Tokyo to Sydney, Australia?
You use how far to ask about distance.
How much…? / How many…?
How much money do you have?
How many states are there in the U.S.?
You use how much/how many to ask about quantity.
When…? / What time…?
When is the festival?
What time does the film start?
You use when to ask a general question about time.
You use what time to ask a question about times of the clock. For example, 8:30.
Whose…?
Whose car is that?
You use whose to ask a question about possession.

© Reallyenglish 2013


PRACTICAL ENGLISH
GRAMMAR: General knowledge

Who…?

Who is the President of the U.S.?
You use who to ask a question about a person.
Note:
All of these question words are asking for information. You cannot answer yes or no.

© Reallyenglish 2013


PRACTICAL ENGLISH
READING: Geniuses of the world

VOCABULARY
intelligent

you can learn and understand things quickly — the same as
'smart' and 'clever'

brilliant

you are very skilled at one thing — for example as a musician

stupid

you are not intelligent or you do things that are not intelligent —
the same meaning as 'silly,' but the meaning is stronger

clever

the same meaning as 'intelligent' or 'smart'


genius

a person who has a very rare and natural ability

smart

the same meaning as 'intelligent' or 'clever'

silly

the same meaning as 'stupid,' but the meaning is less strong than
'stupid'

foolish

the adjective from 'fool'

fool

a person who does something that is stupid or not wise —
investing all your money in one company for example

unintelligent

not intelligent, but not 'stupid,' 'silly,' or 'foolish'

© Reallyenglish 2013


PRACTICAL ENGLISH

READING: Geniuses of the world

READING PRACTICE: TEXT
Genius or Idiot?
We often celebrate people for being intelligent or brilliant in certain areas, such as
Albert Einstein, the scientific genius. But we don't often reward people for being
really unintelligent. Since the mid-1990s however, a website called the Darwin
Awards has told true stories about the silly things people do.
For example, there is the story of a nineteen-year-old fool in Ohio in the United
States. He put his head in front of a train to see how close he could get to the
moving train before it hit him. Then there was the story of a stupid criminal from
Connecticut. He tried to escape from the police by driving into the local prison,
which he thought was a shopping mall.
Another criminal who wasn't very clever was the Frenchman who robbed two
American Olympic runners at Seville Airport in Spain. Larry Wade and Maurice Green,
two of the fastest men on Earth, ran after the Frenchman and quickly caught the
foolish thief. The Frenchman said he was an innocent tourist, but a Spanish television
crew had filmed everything and quickly called the police.

© Reallyenglish 2013


PRACTICAL ENGLISH
READING: Identity theft

VOCABULARY
victim

a person who is harmed by another person


theft

the act of stealing something

protect

to keep something or someone safe

shred

to cut or tear something, such as paper or cloth, into little pieces

pretense

a false appearance

fraud

the act of lying or tricking, usually to steal money or property

crime

an act against the law

confidential

private, secret

© Reallyenglish 2013



PRACTICAL ENGLISH
READING: Identity theft

READING PRACTICE: TEXT
What is identity theft?
Identity theft is a serious crime. When someone uses your personal information such
as your date of birth or social security number without your permission and uses it
to commit a crime such as fraud, that is identity theft. Identity thieves may use your
credit card, open new credit card accounts in your name, and even buy cars and
houses in your name. Often, the victims of identity theft end up facing enormous
debt and poor credit.
How can people steal your identity?
Identity thieves use different methods to find out your personal information. One
way is to go through your trash. Important and private information can be found
on credit card bills, bank statements, and pay stubs. Another way to get your
information is to file a change of address form with the post office. Then your mail
can be sent to the thief's address. Sometimes, people steal your purse or wallet and
find your information that way. Thieves may also use false pretenses to get your
information from financial institutions.
How can you prevent identity theft?
You can take steps to protect yourself against identity thieves. Keep your purse and
wallet in a safe place. Tear up or shred personal financial documents before you
throw them away. Don't give out confidential information such as your birth date,
driver's license number, or other personal identification numbers unless you know
who you are talking to. Never put personal information online or tell someone over
the telephone.

© Reallyenglish 2013



PRACTICAL ENGLISH
READING: Market research

VOCABULARY
consumer

someone who buys or uses goods and services

market research

what a company does to find out what kind of products people
like or would like

market leader

a company that makes the most successful product — a camera
for example

market share

the percentage of sales of a product that a company has
compared to other companies in the same market

competitors

the companies that produce the same product as your company

products


things that a company makes and sells

launch

to introduce a new product to customers

image

the way a company wants people to think of it — quality and
excellence for example

price

the money you pay for something you buy

sales promotion

advertising, usually with special offers, to get people to buy more
of a company's products

© Reallyenglish 2013


PRACTICAL ENGLISH
READING: Market research

READING PRACTICE: TEXT
McDonald's McMarketing!
Market leader in the fast food industry, McDonald's, launched its first healthy mealin-a-box for adults in the U.S. today. The new Go Active Happy Meal, priced at $5.99,
contains a salad, a bottle of water, a booklet of exercise tips, and a Stepometer — a

small device that counts the number of steps you take in a day.
The new product is part of McDonald's marketing campaign to move away from
their junk food image. Market research has shown that consumers want healthier
choices and over the last year McDonald's has added healthier products such as
salads, fruit, yoghurt, bottled water, and fruit juices to their menus worldwide.
McDonald's lost 3% of their market share between 1998 and 2003 when their
competitors started to offer better quality and more varied menus. However,
McDonald's say their new range of healthy foods is winning back customers, and
reported a 56% increase in profits in the first quarter of this year.
The Go Active Happy Meal will be launched in the U.K. and other European countries
later in the year. McDonald's will also be introducing a healthier Happy Meal for
children next month, with apple slices instead of French fries, and a healthy drink like
apple juice or low-fat milk.

© Reallyenglish 2013


PRACTICAL ENGLISH
READING: Memory and learning

VOCABULARY
factor

one of the things that affects a situation

concentrate

to give all your attention to something

details


small individual parts of something bigger

strengthen

to make stronger

short-term

for a short time

long-term

for a long time

process

the steps needed to complete something

retain

to keep for the future

© Reallyenglish 2013


PRACTICAL ENGLISH
READING: Memory and learning

READING PRACTICE: TEXT

Learning is the process of taking new information into our memory. This is a very
complex process. Have you ever looked up a vocabulary word in the dictionary
and then looked up the same word a few days later? We've all had that experience.
Sometimes when we take in new information, it disappears very quickly.
That's because we actually have different kinds of memory. Short-term memory
works like a "holding area" for new information — that's where you keep the new
vocabulary word while you are doing your homework. But to remember that same
word next week, you must put it into your long-term memory. That's the place
where you remember things like irregular verbs and your friends' email addresses.
For students, the purpose of studying is to retain new ideas and information in your
long-term memory.
Scientists have found that if you don't study and review what you learn, you will
forget 70% of the information in one hour and 84% within 48 hours.
There are 4 different levels of studying. If you hear or read information only once,
it stays in your short-term memory and you will not remember it for a test. If you
read the information and review it once, a part of the information goes into your
long-term memory. If you read the information, review it several times, write it
down, and test yourself over the next 2 days to strengthen your memory, a lot of the
information goes into your long-term memory. To really retain the material in your
long-term memory, you need to repeat and write the information for 3 to 6 days,
and you will remember it easily on test day.

© Reallyenglish 2013


PRACTICAL ENGLISH
READING: New products

VOCABULARY
market


the world of business where products and services are bought
and sold

advertisement

promotion of a product or service in newspapers, magazines,
TV, etc.

technology

the scientific knowledge and/or equipment that makes
something work, especially a machine

manufacture

to make a large number of a product, usually in a factory

solution

an answer to a problem or bad situation

design

to decide what something will look like and how it will work

go on sale

to become available for people to buy


create

to make something new

plan

to decide or expect to do something in the future

set up

to start a business, organization, etc.

© Reallyenglish 2013