READING. All around the world, it seems to be true that people prefer mysterious

ASTROLOGY

All around the world, it seems to be true that people prefer mysterious

explanations to simple explanations. If someone is killed in a car crash, for example,

many people say it was caused by fate, rather than by poor driving or bad road

conditions. In many countries, a profitable business has developed around the

subject of astrology. Astrologers want us to believe that our characters are formed

as soon as we are born, according to the particular zodiac sign we are born under.

Many people prefer to believe this than to read the

scientific explanations of the development of human

character and personality put forward by

psychologists and doctors. Hence, in many popular

magazines and women's journals, we find a column

such as " You and Your Stars". And in some

countries, you can even ask an astrology " expert"

questions about your future.

EXERCISE 1: Find words or phrases in the passage which mean the same as:

COLUMN A COLUMN B

a) appearing to have no cause or explanation;

impossible to understand

b) the future as decided by a power which cannot

be controlled

c) not adequate in quality; bad

d) bringing in more money than is being spent

e) each of the twelve symbols named after groups

of stars which are believed to influence our

lives (two words)

f) propose for consideration; state (phrasal verb)

g) for this reason

h) a feature article that appears regularly in a

publication, such as a newspaper

72 ELS

EXERCISE 2: Choose the correct answer according to the passage.

1. According to the passage, people worldwide

A) have to drive on poor road conditions

B) tend to be more receptive to mysterious explanations

C) consult astrologers before making any plans

D) have similar characteristics according to their sign of the zodiac

E) cannot control their lives because they are already set by outside influences

2. The subject of astrology

A) can only be understood by experts

B) holds explanations we cannot find in our normal lives

C) is based on the work of scientists and psychologists

D) is used by many doctors when looking for diagnoses

E) brings in a lot of money for people in several countries

3. According to astrologers

A) psychologists have no validity when explaining the development of personality

B) it doesn't matter whether you are a good or bad driver because you can't control fate

C) women are more likely to follow their horoscopes than men

D) the zodiac sign under which a person is born determines his or her character from birth

E) a business can be extremely profitable if it is set up with their advice

EXERCISE 3: Complete the sentences by selecting words from Column B in EXERCISE 1.

1. The company, with an annual turnover of several million dollars, is one of the most

in the country.

2. Police are still trying to explain the disappearance of the paintings.

3. She says she can guess anybody's just by talking to them for five

minutes, and she was right about mine.

4. The company's business has expanded greatly;, they are going to be

hiring several new staff members.

5. He believes it was that we met again in such an unlikely place, but I

think it was just coincidence.

ВАРИАНТ 16