A UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE TO RACISM

Thinking he was a thief, police shot a young black dentist who had just dropped his girlfriend off at Sao Paulo's international airport on February 3rd. That killing haunted a celebration which took place a week later, the opening of first Brazil's first college catering mainly for blacks. It "shows the dimension" of the exclusion of black brazilians from a society that until recently considered itself unusually tollerant, says José Vicente, president of Afrobras, a group that is the moving force behind the school.

Race and racism are both slippery ideas in Brazil. Nearly half the population is non-white if you count people who describe themselves as black or brown. Both groups are poorer than other Brazilians, less well-educated and paid less for the same work. The new school aims to fill the vacuum. Its 200 students are studying management, with a view to finding jobs in the growing markets. Mr Vicente sees them as the nucleus of a new elite that will encourage other blacks to study, earn and lead the struggle for equal rights.

Ignez Bacelar, one of the students, says that most universities are "for young whites with good incomes". She is happy to study with people who understand the obstacles. Just as important, the subsided tuition will allow her to become the first graduate in her family.

Answer the questions:
1) What does the opening of Brazil's first college for blacks mean?
2) What is the aim of the new school?
3) Why are students making management degrees?

Find a synonym in the text for each of the following words:
1) occupations
2) fight
3) earnings
4) barriers

WEB PIRATES

Internet users who distribute movies before they are sold in shops could face up to five years in prison under a proposed USA bill, that is to say, a plan for a new law. Video recording of movies in cinemas would also be prohibited. Those supporting the proposal say unauthorised copying costs film-makers an estimated 3 billion dollars in lost sales.

The Motion Picture Association of America has tried to restrict the distribution of DVD previews to judges in film festivals. Illegal copies of movies end up being sold on street corners and made available through online networks just after they are shown in cinemas for the first time. This is due to audience members entering comeras into theatres and recording the film. If the bill becomes law, the maximum sentence for such practices will be five years plus financial damages.

Unauthorised video recording in cinemas is currently a crime in four states and the District of Columbia but it is legal in other states. "The person who puts online copyrighted material which is not legally available to the public should be penalized," said California Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein. The law proposal has received strong support from the movie and music industries. They also hope to have permission to explore personal computers to search for illegal material.

Answer the questions:
1. What is the bill against?
2. How do web pirates get illegal copies of movies?

True or False:
1. Film makers lose 3 billion dollars due to illegal copying.
2. Web pirates could be imprisoned and sentenced to pay a sum of money.
3. Video recording in cinemas is illegal all over the United States.
4. The movie and music industries are examining personal computers to find illegal material.

NEXT STOP: MARS

People have been walking on the surface of Mars for more than a century, in fantasy. Now, however, the possibility is so real that many people think that the question is not whether humans will go to Mars, but when they will go, how they will get there and who will go first.

Although there is a growing agreement that reaching Mars will be some kind of multinational effort, a prosperous nation, like the United States, seems capable of such an achievement by itself. For the US it is a political priority. The cost of the project has been estimated at 6 billion dollars, about double the price of the Apollo Moon project.

Of all the other planets in the solar system, Mars is the most like Earth. With about half the Earth's diameter, with one third of the gravity and only one percent of the atmosphere, space vehicles have found that Mars hides an important amount of water under its surface and in its frozen poles. While Venus is closer, with an average temperature of about 850 degrees, it is hostile.

From the presence of water and a relatively moderate climate comes another powerful attraction. The fascination with Mars centres around the issue of life. Mars is key to answering that critical question:

Is there life somewhere other than the Earth?

Answer the questions:

1. Is reaching Mars only a scientific challenge? Why?

2. What is the most interesting reason for exploring Mars?

True or False?:

1. Mankind has actually set foot on Mars.

2. Reaching Mars can cost as much as reaching the moon.

3. Mars is the same size as the Earth.

4. Venus's climate is gentle.

TRAFFIC IN LONDON

For the 2 Bachillerato pupils, a Selectividad text:

TRAFFIC IN LONDON

When cars first replaced horses in London, everyone was pleased. Thank goodness, the streets would no longer be full of smelly excrements. But Londoners have changed their minds about cars since then. In February 2003, in fact, the city introduced a plan to cut traffic and make it a nicer place to live in. All motorits coming into the capital between 7 a.m. and 6.30 p.m. have to pay a 5 pounds admission free.
The success of this system is highly unexpected. It was introduced by the Mayor, Ken Livingstone, in the face of opposition from business leaders, politicians and a lot of people who just love their cars. Business leaders claimed that their companies would suffer, while politicians said it would unfairly penalise various groups. Even the Government took an attitude of wait and see. Against predictions, private traffic is now down by 20 per cent, while fees and fines provide 130 million pounds each year for improving public transport.
In order to sell this plan to the public, you cannot just introduce it, you have to get people to accept it. If you ask motorists directly, they say no, but if you put it in a package with a reduction in the price of petrol, or in a package including better roads and better public transport, a majority of motorists will support it.

Answer the questions:
1) Why do you think Londoners have changed their minds about cars since they replaced horses in the city?
2) How does this system help the public transport? (Give two reasons)

True or False:
1) If motorists want to drive into London between 7.00 a.m. and 6.30 p.m., they are charged some money.
2) The Government agreed to support this plan introduced by the Major.
3) In spite of this plan, traffic has not decreased in London.
4) Most motorists will support the plan if it is combined with other measures.

If you don't know the meaning of some word, look at Wordreference, an online dictionary.