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MED6-5p01-23 28/9/09 15:23 Page 1 MODERN ENGLISH DIGEST THE MAGAZINE HELPING STUDENTS LEARN ENGLISH Plus: Viaducts Speed Gliding Sleepwalking Deep Ocean Rivers Wakeboarding The Fourth Plinth Vol 6 / Issue 5 £4.25 Vol MichaelMichael JacksonJackson MED6-5p01-23 28/9/09 15:23 Page 2 e have packed this latest issue of Modern English Digest with a wide range of features that make learning English interesting and fun! All the articles in this magazine are carefully written in graded English to cater for W elementary and intermediate level students of English. We have a partnership with Macmillan Education. Each issue of the magazine features an extract from Macmillan Education’s award-winning series of simplified readers. The magazine has a great mix of interesting articles that help improve vocabulary and understanding in cultural and work-specific context. Please write in with your comments and visit our website www.ModernEnglishDigest.net. Your guide to the graded English used in Modern English Digest Elementary E • Simple passive forms • Comparative and superlative of adjectives • Infinitives of purpose: to, in order to • Reported commands in the past • Modals – could (ability), can (permission) • Adverbs of frequency and manner • Present perfect • Constructions with it and until • -ing verb form after like, enjoy • Indefinite pronouns: everyone, everybody, etc. • be interested in • had better, would rather • used to & wanted to + verb • Phrasal verbs • Defining relative clauses • Reported speech • Modal will with future reference • say and tell • Conditional sentences (1 & 2) • Verb -ing as subject or object • Present Progressive with future reference • Conjunctions: althoughE, so, but, because Intermediate I • Modal should + Passive Perfect • Reflexive pronouns • Past Passive • Be supposed to, be likely to + verb • Modal could, may, might + Perfect Progressive • Double object verbs • Present Perfect Progressive • As if + clause • Future Perfect • Participial phrases • Should have + Past Participle • Modal will, could, should + Passive infinitive • Needn’t have + Past Participle • Phrasal verbs with give, come + in the Passive • Relative clauses, defining and non-defining • Indirect commands • Which, whose • Indirect questions with if and wh- questions • Adjective as noun • Modal could + Perfect Conditional with Past • Subordinators: wherever, whenever • Perfect (Third Conditional)I Key to glossary abb – abbreviation, adj – adjective, adv – adverb, coll – colloquial, i – idiom, n – noun, np – noun phrase, ph.v – phrasal verb, prep – preposition, pron – pronoun, q – question word, v – verb 2 MED6-5p01-23 28/9/09 15:23 Page 3 CCONTENTSONTENTS FEATURES LIFESTYLE 4 ●I ●E 19 Sleepwalking The Fourth Plinth at ●I 22 Maps Trafalgar Square ●E 26 Talking to Plants ●E 29 Deep Ocean Rivers 8 ●E ●I 36 Morris Dancing The Ivory Trade ●E 38 Wakeboarding 12 ●E ●E 41 Speed Gliding Young Drivers ●E 44 Viaducts BUSINESS 16 ●I Memory Matters ●I 50 Social Networking ●E 54 Time Matters 32 ●E ACTIVITIES Michael Jackson ●E 56 Sun Wall Hanging I 46 ● ●I 58 Just for Fun Wuthering Heights ●E 60 Find a Word – Art and Design by Emily Brontë retold by F. H. Cornish for ●E 61 Know the Issue Macmillan Readers 63 Just for Fun – answers Photo © Grant Turner / Newspix / Rex Features Michael Jackson: page 32 E Elementary I Intermediate 3 MED6-5p01-23 28/9/09 15:23 Page 4 FEATURE The Fourth Plinth at Trafalgar Square BY KESTA ALLEN rafalgar Square is one of London’s the Square to take in the sights and most famous landmarks. John watch the world go by. T Nash, the famous architect who But Trafalgar Square is not simply a designed some of London’s most tourist attraction. It is an iconic setting beautiful streets and buildings, designed for political rallies and public protest. the Square to be a great cultural centre Indeed, many of Britain’s most historically point for the nation’s capital. Officially significant public gatherings and opened in 1830, Trafalgar Square has demonstrations have taken place in and been a gathering place ever since. around the Square. And it is here that One of London’s most famous Londoners congregate at midnight on landmarks, Nelson’s Column, stands in New Year’s Eve to welcome in the New the Square. This commemorates Admiral Year in style. Lord Nelson, the great sea commander However when visiting Trafalgar who defended Britain’s seaways during Square many people fail to notice the so- the Napoleonic wars with France. Nelson called ‘Fourth Plinth’ positioned to the died at the Battle of Trafalgar, which the north-west of the square. A plinth Square honours in its name. In the weeks provides the base on which a statue before Christmas, a massive fir tree stands so that people can see it from all donated by the people of Norway in around. Built in 1841, Trafalgar Square’s thanks for the part Britain played in fourth plinth was originally intended for achieving victory in the Second World an equestrian statue. But in the absence War, dominates the Square with its of a statue of a famous general, politician festive lights. Four massive bronze lions or other public figure, the plinth stood guard the fountains that adorn the empty for many years. corners of Nelson’s column. So it is no Fortunately, the creation of a Fourth surprise that on any given day literally Plinth Commissioning Group breathed thousands of Londoners and tourists visit new life into the debate about the Photo © Digitalric | Dreamstime.com 4 MED6-5p01-23 28/9/09 15:23 Page 5 contribution that public art makes to Antony Gormley’s the quality of One and Other streets and civic spaces. The Commissioning Group asked what kind of statue or work of art should stand on top of the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square to complement or challenge all the other elements that create the historic atmosphere of this very special space. The Commissioning Group decided to use the plinth as a platform to showcase exciting new art works from contemporary artists. In this way, the Fourth Plinth allows the cultural life of modern Britain to take its place against the backdrop of Britain’s accepted achievements. This means that the Fourth Plinth is the home to a series of temporary instal- lations. As such, visitors are beginning to visit 5 MED6-5p01-23 28/9/09 15:23 Page 6 Trafalgar Square with the main aim of The Angel of the North, the vast winged taking in the current Fourth Plinth figure standing beside the M1 motorway artwork on show. To date, many of the that has become an icon for how the works on show have been provocative North of England is distinct and different and controversial. It is not unusual to see from the South. So it is no surprise that people debating their different responses the general public and art experts alike to the Fourth Plinth piece on show – have been excited to know what ideas sometimes with great passion and Gormley would bring to life at Britain’s intensity! most exciting contemporary art platform One of the most exciting exhibitions to of the moment. take place on the Fourth Plinth is Antony Needless to say, Gormley did not Gormley’s One and Other. Gormley is one disappoint. However, his ideas took no of Britain’s most famous sculptors. He is less than six years to bring to life from known for celebrating the ordinariness of their first proposal. Gormley’s idea is that the human body as something to renew a member of the public takes his or her the sense of wonder and awe of place on the plinth for an hour to display, everyday life for each and every one of demonstrate or deliver whatever it is that us. Perhaps his most famous sculpture is they think important for others to view, Photo © stevenallan | istockphoto.com 6 MED6-5p01-23 28/9/09 15:23 Page 7 confront or contemplate. Simple in Over 14,000 people applied to take part essence, this idea proved highly complex as Plinther. A specially adapted computer in terms of logistics to get right because lottery system randomly selected the the installation demanded that 2,400 final 2,400 Plinthers is such a way that people be in their place on the plinth at they fairly represented every area of the the right hour for every hour of the entire country. Most successful installation’s 100 days – no matter the applicants already knew what they were weather, state of the nation or other going to before they were finally chosen. external factor! Many decided to stand and recite poetry, The installation revolves around a set dance, remain perfectly still, address the of fairly straightforward rules. Every crowd eat, play instruments or just take a artist, or Plinther as they now are known, nap. But as every performer knows, one must stand alone on the plinth for sixty hour is a long time to be alone in front of minutes. The Plinther is allowed to do the public. And the Plinther performed to anything they want, provided it is legal. a worldwide audience via a web cam The Plinther can take anything they can place above the heads of the live carry up on to the plinth with them. A audience in Trafalgar Square. The specially adapted fork lift truck lifts the footage from these web cams is stored to Plinther into place and then disappears provide future generations with access from view while the Plinther performs. to this unique expression of the artistic The installation is all about the soul of the British people. performance that each Plinther gives. Many art critics and members of the There is no competition to judge the general public described One and Other performances against each other.