FEBRUARY 2014
MAGA ZINE FOR S TUDENTS OF ENGLISH / LE VEL A 2– B1
pis Časo ušené dnod ve zje ličtině ang
THROUGH YOUR ENGLISH
SNOW MACHINE How it works
WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES
What to expect in Sochi
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ÚNOR/FEBRUARY 2014
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ANIMALS IN WINTER
What do they do?
ST. VALENTINE‘S DAY Take our quiz
MAGA ZINE FOR STUDENTS OF ENGLISH / LE VEL A2– B1
T H R O U G H
Y O U R
E N G L I S H
Dear Readers, This February issue is a truly winter one. We are bringing you lots of snow and cold, and some cool reading, too. Enjoy winter!
Mgr. Pavla Štanclová
Mgr. Gabriela Sýkorová
Mgr. Gabriela Sýkorová, šéfredaktorka (vlevo) Mgr. Pavla Štanclová, ředitelka redakce (vpravo)
Our motto for February:
“A snowball in the face is surely the perfect beginning to a lasting friendship.” Markus Zusak, Australian writer (The Book Thief)
DON ’ T MISS IN THIS ISSUE : PROFESSION
SOCIET Y
ECO N OM Y & T EC H N O LO G Y
6
10
16
Making Artificial Snow
When Pictures Come Alive
Their Graphics Are Pandemic
Learn more about artificial snow making.
Read about cosplayers and their costumes.
An interview with two young T-shirt designers.
Pro předplatitele v Česku cena od 25 Kč/ks, na Slovensku od € 1/ks.
Více informací a objednávky: www.drive.gradus.cz telefonicky: +420 608 539 129 e-mailem: objednavky.drive@gradus.cz K zakoupení v prodejnách PNS a Oxford Bookshop: Praha, Plzeň, Brno, Olomouc, Ostrava.
This icon means extra exercises on our website www.drive.gradus.cz.
Listening web task This icon means extra listening exercises on our website.
Solutions
Časopis Drive vychází měsíčně září–červen.
Web task
p. 8 He felt in love and in a fountain. p. 11 1c, 2a, 3b p. 15 1A, 2H, 3A, 4M, 5A, 6M p. 18 1a, 2a, 3b, 4c, 5c, 6a, 7a
Cvičení k článkům, videa a poslechy najdete na www.gradus.drive.cz.
DIFFICULTY
OPINION POLL
They say that cold baths and showers, saunas and swimming in cold water are all good for us. We asked some of our readers what they think. Thomas, 16
I'm tough1. At home we've got a sauna. I love it, and I always have an ice-cold bath afterwards2. I prefer hot showers to cold. In winter I really like wearing warm clothes, and I always have warm jumpers and a thick jacket. Cold air and cold water therapy might be good for me, but not all the time!
Chris, 17
I hate feeling cold, and I hate everything about the cold. And I don't think it can be good for my health because I feel so bad when it's cold. From time to time I go to the sauna, but I would never jump into the cold water pool afterwards – not for anything in the world. In winter I have hot drinks to keep me warm and I wear many layers6 of warm clothes.
Mariana, 15
Johnny, 17
I don't like cold weather and I don't like being cold, either. I rarely3 go to the sauna and I never have cold baths. That would kill me! Taking a cold shower is a good idea on hot summer days. It also helps when my legs hurt after sports or dancing. But never in winter.
One day I would like to try cryotherapy (very low temperatures). They say it's good for regeneration. I like going to the sauna, but I never go to public ones, because I don't want to see old naked4 men. We don't heat 5 our house very much, so it's quite cold, both in winter and in summer.
Martin, 16
I go to the sauna once a week and I always have a cold bath afterwards. Usually I have a shower in the morning and I finish it off with cold water. I think that cold is good for everybody's health. And when I can, I help my friends by rubbing7 their faces with snow.
VOCABULARY
tough [tʌf] – drsný, otužilý afterwards [ˈɑːftəwədz] – poté, později 3 rarely [ˈreəlɪ] – zřídka, málokdy 4 naked [ˈneɪkɪd] – nahý 5 to heat [hiːt] – vytápět 6 layer [ˈleɪə] – vrstva 7 to rub (face with snow) [rʌb] – drhnout (hov. dát „omydlíka“) 1
2
drive / February 2014 | 3
H E A LTH
DIFFICULTY
Get Out in the Cold AND FEEL GOOD
If you're like me, there's nothing better in winter than a warm fire and a nice hot cup of cocoa. But doctors tell us that getting used to cold air and cold water makes us healthier. ALASTAIR S. EDWARDS (UK) Getting used to cold air and cold water takes a long time. It isn't just a quick swim in icy cold water once a year. It's a part of everyday life for people who might look like masochists, but in fact they just want to do something good for their health. Exercising in cold air and swimming in cold water boosts1 your immunity and prevents colds, allergies and stress. It also boosts your libido, improves2 your skin and helps burn calories. 4 | Health
Four things to remember if you want to get used to the cold and get fit: 1. Respect your age and health, and talk to your doctor first. 2. S tart slowly, get used to the cold gradually3. 3. Exercise in the cold regularly, but only if you are healthy. 4. I t takes time.
Cold air Cold air is good for your health. It's really easy: go out often in the mornings when it's cold, do some exercises and get lots of fresh air. But make sure you don't get cold – you should feel fit and refreshed4.
Cold water Getting fit in cold water isn't as easy, but it's more effective. Water cools the body about twenty times faster than air. Start by washing yourself with cold water for about three minutes. When you've got used to that, try a two-minute cold shower every day. If you're really tough5, go for a short swim in a cold lake or river. Don't stay in the water for too long – a few minutes is enough. Start by cooling your feet first, then your legs, arms, head and then your whole body. Be careful: 1. D on't drink alcohol and don't take a hot shower immediately after swimming in cold water. It's too much of a shock for your body. 2. D on't have cold baths. You can't move in the bath, which can be dangerous.
Anyone for a cold sauna?
Saunas
The cryogenic chamber (or cold sauna) is used for therapy and regeneration. The temperature drops to –110°C and in the five minutes you are there, your skin temperature drops to 12°C (sometimes even just 5°C!). The body releases lots of endorphins which are active for days, even weeks afterwards.
Some people say the best way to boost their immunity is by going to the sauna. But it only really works if you go there every week, and if you cool down afterwards with a cold shower. Doctors say that when the sauna is too hot, it can cause6 reproductive problems in young men. Boys, think twice!
Cold activates the immune system
Sleep well
We all know that exercise makes you fit, but it's also cold that helps the immunity. In an experiment in 1996, Czech scientists monitored a group of people who swam in cold water for one hour, three times a week. They found that these people had more white blood cells7 and better immune systems than non-swimmers.
Doctors in the Czech Republic say that people tend to overheat their houses and don't get enough fresh air. The ideal temperature in your bedroom is 18°C. You'll get a much better sleep – and you'll boost your immunity at the same time.
Feeling high Winter swimmers often talk about the ‘high’ they get from cold water – a really good, refreshed feeling. The cause8? Endorphins. Endorphins are produced by the body during physical exercise, quick changes in temperature, sudden stress, and love. They are the body's natural pain-killers9. When your body produces a lot of endorphins at once, you feel happy and even euphoric. But even trained winter swimmers say: “The golden rule is – don't overdo it!” Beginners should only splash10 water on themselves and experienced swimmers should get out of the water when they start enjoying it and still feel warm!
Do you take hot or cold showers? Web task
Discuss
VOCABULARY
to boost [buːst] – zvýšit, podpořit to improve [ɪmˈpruːv] – zlepšit 3 gradually [ˈgrædjuəlɪ] – postupně 4 refreshed [rɪˈfreʃt] – osvěžený 5 tough [tʌf] – drsný, otužilý 6 to cause [kɔːz] – způsobit 7 blood cells [blʌd sel] – krvinka 8 cause [kɔːz] – příčina 9 pain-killer [ˈpeɪnˌ kɪlə] – lék proti bolesti, analgetikum 10 splash [splæʃ] – polít 1 2
drive / February 2014 | 5
ECONOMY
DIFFICULTY
Whiter than white? Without snow cannons, the Aldrov ski resort in Vítkovice v Krkonoších wouldn't be profitable1.
Making Snow WHAT IT COSTS
Ski resorts often need to make extra snow during the winter. However, the production of artificial snow is expensive. / ALASTAIR S. EDWARDS (UK) The first snow cannon was patented in the USA in 1954, and artificial snow is now used on ski slopes all over the world. But how much does man-made snow cost? I asked Mr Miloslav Šír, the man responsible2 for making snow in the Aldrov and Jizerka Snow Park resorts in Vítkovice v Krkonoších: “We have invested CZK 4.5 million in 6 snow cannons. Their lifespan3 is about 10 years. We take water from the river Jizerka, but we have to pay a lot for electricity. We need electricity for pumps4 to get the water uphill. Each pump consumes 75 kW, which is similar to about 150 fridges. Added to that, our air compressors each need 37 kW. Each snow cannon uses 25 kW and produces 1 m3 of snow in about 30 minutes. It takes us about 10 days to cover our piste5 (8 ha) with a layer of snow 10 cm deep. And all that costs us about CZK 500,000.”
snow groomers** to maintain pistes, and of course, staff 7 to be paid. So, how long does a resort have to stay open to be profitable? Mr Šír from Vítkovice v Krkonoších answers: “It really depends on the weather, but we usually need to be open for business for 100 days a year to be profitable.” This winter the season didn't start well because the weather was too warm. Let's hope there is enough snow by the end of the season and the ski resorts stay in business, and you – the skiers – have somewhere to ski.
D ID YO U K N OW ? • The first artificial snow was produced in Canada in the 1940s. • Artificial snow was used at the Winter Olympics for the first time in California in 1960. • The first snow cannon in Czechoslovakia was used in Zadní Telnice in 1965.
Artificial snow is only one of many expenses6 ski resorts face. There are also ski lifts* to take skiers uphill,
VOCABULARY profitable [ˈprɒfɪtəbl] – ziskový 2 responsible (for) [rɪˈspɒnsəbl] – zodpovědný (za) 1
* Poma lift
6 | Economy
* T-bar lift
** Snow groomer
lifespan [ˈlaɪfˌspæn] – životnost 4 pump [pʌmp] – čerpadlo 5 piste [piːst] – sjezdovka 6 expense [ɪkˈspens] – výdaj 7 staff [stɑːf] – personál 3
Web task