Teen sfogliabile

Common European Framework Intermediate Level (B2–C1)

Hi, I’m Grammy. This month we’ll learn about:

- adjectives

- defining relative clauses with ‘which’ - language of –technology and biotechnology; health; film and music

- mixed present and past tenses

- simple and continuous tenses

- contrasting ideas

- infinitive phrases with ‘to’

Downloadable Audio FIles

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Teacher’s Notes

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Contents

Welcome

Welcome back! Autumn is coming and here we are together again! In this issue we meet an unconventional* and very interesting American actress, we explore new ideas in technology and the radical theory of degrowth. On its 100th anniversary, we take a look at the impact of Disney, we feature an influential* young Grime artist, and take a tour of the UK’s National Health Service on its 75th birthday. As always, there are plenty of games and activities to get your teeth into*. So, are you ready to go?

Around the World

World Dream Day

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Glossary

unconventional: different from what is usual influential: with power to have an effect/make change happen get your teeth into: (idiom) do something with energy and enthusiasm

inspirational: (here) providing exciting new ideas

World Dream Day is held on 25 September every year. And no, it’s not about the dreams you have at night, but the dreams you have about what you really want to do in life, your goals and ambitions. The idea was started by celebrated and inspirational* educator, Ozioma Egwuonwu, when she was teaching at Columbia University in New York. The aim of World Dream Day, launched in 2012, is to help us all focus on the importance of feeding our ambitions, as individuals, organisations and communities, to encourage us to take action to make our dreams come true. World Dream Day is celebrated with live and online events, and involves thousands of people around the world. The day’s activities are based on collaboration, creativity, and making a positive contribution.

True or false

1. World Dream Day began in 2012.

2. It’s celebrated on September 25 every year.

3. Ozioma Egwuonwu is an influencer.

4. The day is about encouraging people to make their dreams happen.

5. The day is about collaboration, creativity and great content.

Born in Los Angeles to Honduran parents, America Ferrara is now an actress, film producer and campaigner. Let’s meet this famous young American who’s using her success to help other women.

America Ferrera

Passport

Name: America Georgina Ferrera

Place and Date of Birth: Los Angeles, 18 April 1984

Profession: actress and film producer

Distinguishing Features: campaigns for the rights of women of South American descent in the United States

America, you’ve had a brilliant career, and still have plenty of new projects to look forward to – from the outside, your life looks incredibly glamorous and exciting, but has it always been like that? No, it absolutely has not! My family immigrated* to the US in the 1970s, and although I was born in Los Angeles, I’ve always been “different”. I grew up with my single mother and five siblings*, and no one ever believed I’d be this successful. No one would ever have bet* on me turning my dreams into reality. As a kid, I wanted to be an actress more

traffic, hoping my brother’s car had enough gas to last the entire trip. I started auditioning* when I was still in high school, but after a year of failed auditions, I began to question whether I’d ever make it. But, I stuck to my guns* and not long after that I got picked for the Disney original Gotta Kick it Up! From then on, my career took off.

Your first big hit was with the TV series Ugly Betty, in 2007. How did you feel about playing this quirky, awkward girl? I loved it. She was exactly the kind of character I wanted to play. Betty is a very average girl: she’s not beautiful, she’s not thin, she’s not successful. She’s just like the rest of us. This is the reality for most of us, but Hollywood wants us to believe it isn’t. Through Betty, I was able to show the world how a brave, good, and intelligent young woman can make her way in the world using her own talents. These are the kind of characters I’m interested in playing – real people who embody* positive values. Hollywood has enough beautiful and successful women, and the problem is that these divas can make us feel bad about ourselves because we’re not what we see represented on the big screen.

You’re in the new Barbie movie, which was released in cinemas to great excitement this July. With the plot kept a close secret and fans waiting more than four years to see it, we’d love to hear about your experiences of being in it. Barbie is not the movie that most people were expecting, but if you know anything about the director, Greta Gerwig, then you will know she loves to surprise her audiences. Barbie is a live-action reimagining of the Mattel Barbie toy. All the previous Barbie movies were animations, but in this one we’re all real actors. Barbie is played by Margot Robbie, and Ken by Ryan Gosling, but, hang on*, have you seen the movie yet? No?! Oh, then I mustn’t spoil it for you! Don’t forget, my part, and that of other actors, was kept a secret right up to release* – the director didn’t want us telling anyone! So, I’ll leave the surprises

for you to find out for yourselves. What I can tell you is that the movie challenges a few stereotypes, though not colour. What colour does everyone expect to see in a Barbie movie? Hot pink, right?

America, what can you tell us about women of Latin American descent in Hollywood?

There are too few of us and we have to work harder to get anywhere. Even when I had become an established actress, I still had to push to bring more diversity to the screen, and for movies to be more inclusive of the Latino* community. I’ve been hugely inspired in my work by Eva Longoria and other Latina actresses, who’ve become successful in this very non-diverse* industry. I’m pleased to say that now I work on films and TV series where the Latino community is not just seen as poor and isolated, their lives ruined by problems, but full of joy, with strong family ties, a great sense of humour and a vibrant culture. Without a more realistic representation of who we are, we will never improve our position in society. Of course, the struggle also takes place away from the screen. Many Latina women still have to fight to make their voices heard and earn more freedom for themselves. This is why Eva Longoria and I, with other Latina leaders, actresses and activists, launched the She Se Puede initiative – a support network which, among other things, encourages Latina women to vote.

Let’s turn now to your private life. You’re happily married to the actor, director and writer, Ryan Piers Williams. What do you love most about your family?

I’ve been married to Ryan since 2011 and we have two wonderful children – Sebastian, 5, and Lucia, 3. We’re very happy but very protective of our privacy. Both Ryan and I work a lot, but we always make sure we take a vacation and spend quality time with our family. Even though the rest of society never seems to stop, we know that to keep our creativity flowing we need to rest and recharge our batteries. In fact, we owe our success to our happiness, and the time we spend with our family and all the love they give us.

Thank you America!

Glossary

immigrated: come to live permanently in a different country

siblings: brothers and sisters bet: (here) be sure, predict naïve: inexperienced, showing a lack of knowledge auditioning: giving a short performance to be chosen for a role in a play/film etc. stuck to my guns: (idiom) refused to stop/give up embody: represent, show

particular qualities hang on: (informal) wait a moment release: (here) make available to the public Latino/a: (US especially) person of Latin American origin/descent non diverse: lack of variety (here, non-diverse = mostly/ all Caucasian/white people from similar, usually wealthy, background)

100 Years of Disney

We celebrate a couple of important anniversaries in this issue of Teen magazine – you’ll find the other one on page 8. In this article, we focus on the world’s most famous film and production company – The Walt Disney Company, which this year celebrates its 100th birthday.

Steamboat Willie

The first Disney character, created in 1928, was, famously, Mickey Mouse – originally known as Steamboat Willie. This cute mouse with the high voice became an instant hit in the new cinemas being opened up in the US and around the world. Did you know that Walt Disney was the first voice of Mickey Mouse? And did you also know that Mickey was inspired by the films and persona of Charlie Chaplin? Mickey is the archetypal* ‘nice guy’,

Happy Birthday

It’s hard to imagine what the world of entertainment was like 100 years ago, but it is perhaps easier to understand just how forward-thinking* Walt Disney was when he, and his brother, set up a small animation studio in California in 1923. There was literally nothing else like it, and even if you’re not a fan, it is hard to deny* how much influence Disney has had on global culture over the last one hundred years. In fact, there’s a good chance you’ve been influenced by Disney movies more than you realise. You might be interested to know that Walt won (22) and was nominated for (59) more Oscars than anyone else in the history of film.

who has adventures with his equally famous companions – Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy the dog. Mickey is the official Disney mascot* now. It’s impossible to imagine Disney without him.

Bambi and the First Disney Princess

Disney’s first full-length animation took its inspiration from the European fairy tale, Snow White. With memorable songs and iconic characters, but also some very

Disney have given us some memorable quotes over the years. Here are just a few.

“You must not let anyone define your limits because of where you come from. Your only limit is your soul.” — Gusteau, Ratatouille

“Life is a journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved.” — Pooh, Winnie the Pooh

“It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.” — Walt Disney

Disney

To all who come to this happy place: welcome

dark themes of betrayal* and cruelty, this 1937 film was a completely new form of entertainment for families to enjoy together. Dumbo, Bambi and Pinocchio soon followed but Cinderella didn’t appear until 1950. In fact, the Heroes and heroines

1950s were a golden era for Disney with hits such as Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan and Lady and the Tramp

Live-Action*

It’s tempting* to think of Disney as producing mainly animated movies, but in Disney Studios have created over 140 movies that have at least some live action. Think of Mary Poppins and 101 Dalmations, which were an innovative* mixture of animation and live action, or

Disney Quiz. Can you match each Disney hero or heroine with their enemy?

1. Peter Pan

2. Snow White

3. The Little Mermaid

4. Alice

5. Beauty

6. Simba

Baddies

A Ursula

B Gaston

C Scar

D Queen of Hearts

E Captain Hook

F Maleficent

Do you agree with the following statements?

Why/why not?

1. I like films to have a happy ending.

2. My favourite films are action adventures.

3. I prefer live action to animation, even if the animation is CGI.

4. I like movies that have a strong sense of right and wrong.

the Pirates of the Caribbean films and The Queen of Katwe, which were only live action. One of the secrets of Disney’s success, even after the death of its founder in 1966, was the ability to change with the times, and with the available technology.

Re-makes

Besides expanding into superhero movies like the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Disney has been remaking its old classic animations as live-action movies, and replacing the animation with CGI. Most of these live-action remakes have been popular with the public. Over coming years watch out for live-action Snow White, Moana and Bambi

Cleaning up its Act*

Unsurprisingly, for one of the world’s biggest media corporations, Disney have come in for plenty of criticism over the years. Early female characters have been described as unrealistic and extremely sexist*, while non-white characters were often little more than unflattering* stereotypes. But Disney have tried to make amends*. From around 2016, Disney put out Moana, the story of a brave Hawaiian girl, where some of the characters even speak Hawaiian, the acclaimed The Queen of Katwe, and the hugely popular Black Panther, all examples of a more diverse, and inclusive, output. Thankfully, many of Disney’s female characters are also more realistic and interesting these days. They even create their own adventures and rescue themselves! And you, do you have a favourite Disney movie?

Glossary

forward-thinking: being aware of the future deny: (here) refuse to admit something is true

archetypal: (here) original, first mascot: person/thing that brings good luck to an organisation betrayal: when someone you trust does something bad to you live action: (film) involving real people/animals tempting: something you

want to do even if incorrect innovative: original and creative cleaning up its act: (idiom) behaving in a better way than before sexist: stereotype beliefs about someone because of their gender unflattering: that makes someone look unattractive make amends: do something to correct a previous mistake

The

Technology of the Near Future

What technological innovations are most likely to impact* our lives in coming years? It’s always difficult to predict exactly what the future will hold, but here are a few intriguing* and brilliant new ideas that could be just around the corner.

Dairy Products Made in the Lab

You’ve probably heard of lab-grown meat –meat grown in labs using animal cells – but what about other animal-derived* foods? A growing number of biotech companies are developing lab-grown dairy products such as milk, ice cream, cheese and even eggs. More than one of these high-tech start-ups* believes they’ve found the perfect formula. We clearly have a problem with the realworld dairy industry. It’s not environmentally friendly. In fact, dairy is responsible for almost 4% of global carbon emissions – that’s twice as much as from air travel. Unlike cultured meat, lab-grown milk is not produced from stem cells*, but via a relatively simple process of fermentation which recreates milk proteins (casein) and whey. The exact flavour and nutritional benefits of dairy milk are more difficult to reproduce, but it looks like the solutions to those problems are not far off either.

Robots That Can Read Our Minds

This isn’t science fiction. Technology that can see what we’re thinking has come a long way in recent years. One of the most interesting

mind-reading experiments was carried out by researchers at the Polytechnic University of Lausanne. Thanks to a machine-learning* algorithm, a robotic arm and a computer–brain interface*, the Lausanne-based scientists succeeded in creating a way for quadriplegic patients (people whose arms and legs are paralysed) to interact with the world. In the experiment, a mindcontrolled robotic arm performed simple tasks, such as going round an obstacle. The algorithm interpreted signals from the brain, and determined when the arm was making a move that the brain considered wrong, such as getting too close to the obstacle or moving too quickly. Over time, the algorithm adjusts to an individual’s preferences and brain signals. Technology is moving very fast in this area. We may see brain-controlled wheelchairs and other assistance* machines for quadriplegic patients in the near future, and transforming lives.

Sand Batteries

Not all technology that aims to improve our lives is complicated. Some of the best innovations are simple but still incredibly

effective. One of these comes from Finnish engineers who found a way to turn sand into a giant energy battery. Sand, like other non-superconductors*, is good at retaining heat. The sand battery takes advantage of this. In this experiment, 100 tonnes of sand are stored in huge, well-insulated steel containers. Hot air from renewable sources is then pumped through heat-exchange* pipes inside the container that is then absorbed by the sand. The sand stores that heat, which is later used to provide heating and hot water, and distributed by local energy companies to nearby houses. The team demonstrated that heat could be stored in their sand battery over a long period of time, and in an environmentally friendly way.

Sweat-Powered Smart Watches

Engineers at the University of Glasgow have developed a new type of flexible super capacitor* that can replace batteries. How does it do that? By storing energy generated by natural human sweat! The device is coated* with a polyester cellulose cloth which absorbs the wearer’s perspiration and reacts with natural ions* in the sweat. This causes an electrochemical reaction

Researchers are working on energy-storing bricks that could power the lighting in a home. In the future, even simple building materials could be turned into renewable energy sources.

Currently, only half the world’s population has access to the internet, which puts them at a big disadvantage compared to the rest of us. To solve this problem, researchers are currently developing balloons and microsatellites that could one day connect even the most rural and remote areas to the internet.

which generates energy. “Conventional batteries are cheaper and more abundant* than ever, but are often made using unsustainable and environmentally harmful materials,” says Professor Ravinder Dahiya, head of the team overseeing the experiment. “We have demonstrated for the first time that human sweat could eliminate the need for batteries made from

toxic materials, with excellent charging and discharging performance.”

Super-Fast EV Charging

One of the biggest problems facing anyone buying an electric vehicle today is the length of time it takes to re-charge the car’s batteries. It is already possible to charge your car in the time it takes to have

Match

the

technology with

the correct

aim but, be careful, two have the same aim. Can you find them?

a. to reduce carbon emissions

b. to encourage the purchase of electric vehicles

c. to give quadriplegics the opportunity to interact with the world

d. to replace everyday batteries made with toxic materials

Find synonyms for the following nouns from the article.

a coffee or use the service-station bathroom, but this kind of rapid charging can degrade* lithium batteries, making them less efficient and potentially unsafe. However, a recent study showed that if the batteries are heated evenly to 60°C for 10 minutes then rapidly cooled to room temperature, lithium plating (where lithium inside the battery distributes unevenly) does not occur, and heat damage can be avoided. Using these findings, a selfheating battery has been developed, with a circuit* that heats up in under 30 seconds and uses the car’s own cooling system to rapidly reduce the temperature afterwards. The study, published in the journal Joule, demonstrated that it was possible to charge an electric vehicle safely and efficiently in just 10 minutes.

Glossary

impact: influence, affect intriguing: interesting (because it is unusual or new) animal-derived: that come from animals start-ups: newly created businesses stem cells: special cells that can develop into any cell in the body machine-learning: computer system able to learn and adapt without specific instructions interface: (here) where the body and machine/computer meet assistance: help that allows someone to do something

super-conductor: material through which electricity/ electrons flow freely heat exchange: system that transfers heat from one gas/ liquid/solid etc. to another super capacitor: electronic device that can store large amounts of energy coated: covered with ions: atom/molecule with positive or negative electrical charge abundant: in large quantities degrade: (here) not work as well, break down circuit: complete circle, (here) e.g. that heat can travel round

The NHS – 75 Years On

Post-War Improvements

In 1942, William Beveridge published an ambitious*, even revolutionary, report. It called for a system of universal benefits, paid for by the British people through their taxes, so that no one in the country would ever fall below a certain standard of living even if they were ill or unemployed. In time, this concept of the ‘safety net’* gave rise to unemployment and sick benefits, and, in 1948, to the National Health Service, or NHS.

Free at Point of Use*

The NHS provides health care free at the point of use, and is offered to British citizens, and other long-term residents, regardless* of their gender, sexual orientation, ethnic background, religion or belief, age, or disability. Back in 1948, the NHS was badly needed – health and life expectancy* in the British population were not good, especially if you were poor. Average life expectancy in 1945 was just over 64 years. By 2020, partly as a result of the work of the NHS, this had risen to just over 81 – that’s an increase of 17 years.

Changing Times

The NHS today is facing a number of challenges. Most recently, there have been unprecedented* strikes by nurses and junior doctors, who are asking for

better pay and conditions, and there is a significant shortage of trained staff. And, remember how we are all living longer? Well, that is presenting its own problems. Living longer is not necessarily the same as living a healthy life. In fact, while a man might live to nearly 80, on average 20% or 16 years of that life will be spent ‘not in good health’, while for women, who live longer on average, it’s over 19 years. The health of older people is also more complex, while the range and cost of all treatments are going up, as are the expectations of the population. On top of all that, the service is still dealing with a huge backlog* of cases following the covid-19 pandemic.

Throw More Money at it?

It is generally accepted that the NHS needs more money, but these decisions are complex, and depend on the politics of the day and the nation’s economy. And while it might seem intuitive* that more money equals better care, there are also other options. One way is for doctor’s surgeries and hospitals to work more closely together to offer a wider range of services. You can also give regions more power to decide how they spend their budget. An on-going* experiment in the Greater Manchester area is working well, for example. Another thing you can do is prevent ill health in the first place…

The UK’s National Health Service, known as the NHS, is 75 years old this year. We take a brief tour of the UK’s much-loved health system that offers (mostly) free physical and mental health care – a system that is under pressure.