EPISODE 96
LEVEL B2

 

READING COMPREHENSION 

FENG SHUI:           

Feng shui is all about balance. Try to arrange sofas and chairs in a square around a circular table. Avoid an L-shaped arrangement as this leaves a missing corner. The centre of the living room should be left clear. Make sure there is a lot of light, which will promote good energy. A bookcase is bad feng shui, as it sharp corners generate negative arrows and if you have on you ought to put a climbing plant on it to combat (=fight with, make it less important) this effect. Put plant in the corners of the room, as they attract good energy and will energize your wealth (=richness). Mirrors are vital because they reflect energy. Round and oval ones are best but they shouldn’t be placed opposite each other, nor should they reflect a door, otherwise your good fortune will go out of it. To promote the harmony between the members of your family, have photos of them around the room, preferably smiling. To avoid blocking the positive energy in the room, keep everything tidy. Don’t accumulate (=collect) too many unnecessary things. Avoid having a bed under a window, as you are exposed to danger or bad energy from outside and avoid hanging pictures or lights above your bed, as this leads to a subconscious (= in your mind) feeling of threat. Do not hang pictures of fierce (=aggressive) animals, abstract subjects or water in the bedroom. Water is good elsewhere, but in the bedroom it suggests financial loss. If you are preparing for exams or whenever you study make sure your desk is in the north –east corner, as this area symbolizes education.

 

EXERCISE 1 

After reading a text, decide if the sentences are true or false:

  1. Water suggests financial prosperity.
  2. Hanging pictures in the bedroom suggests good fortune.
  3. Bookcases in the rooms should have sharp corners.
  4. Feng shui brings balance to your life and makes it easier.

 

ENGLISH IN USE  

 

EXERCISE 2

Have a look at some adjectives and complete them with suffixes: -ish, -al, -ive, -less, –ious, -istic, -ed, -able

spac___
cramp___
fully-furnish___
modern
antique
futur___
tradition___
innovate___
well-design___

badly-design___
luxury___
cheap
cosy
uncomfort____
styl___

tacky
practic___
use___
function___
old-fashion___
fashion___
time___
tailor-made
mass-produc___
origin___
ordinary
art___
streamline___

         

IDIOM CLOSE-UP

EXERCISE 3

GO OVER THE TOP = DO STH IN AN EXAGGERATED WAY

TRIED AND TESTED = IF STH IS TRIED AND TESTED , YOU HAVE SUCCESSFULLY USED IT IN THE PAST

LOOK LIKE AS A BOMB HAS HIT IT = LOOK VERY UNTIDY

 

Fill in the sentences with the idioms above:

  1. I rarely trust recommendation. I’d rather go for …………… recipes.
  2. The important thing is to clear up the dirty things as you go along, otherwise the place looks ……………….
  3. Wedding receptions in our country are always a big deal I think they are just……………

 

PHRASAL VERBS CLOSE-UP

Many phrasal verbs have more than one meaning:

LIVE OFF = have enough money for the things you need by taking it from the supply of money or another person

HAVE A LIE-IN = stay in bed later in the morning than usual

MOVE IN TOGETHER = start living in the same house as sb

 

EXERCISE 4

Fill in the sentences with the phrasal verbs:

  1. On Saturdays I sometimes let myself stay longer in bed to ……………………..
  2. Sam and I have always been good friends so when we both got jobs, we decided to ………………
  3. While she was unemployed she had to …………….her savings.

 

NEWS

FENG SHUI COLOURS

“Color is one of the easiest ways to shift the energy in your home or office and create good fengshui. Each color is an expression of one of the five feng shui elements: Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Wood. These elements are used in specific areas according to the feng shui energy map of your space. This feng shui colour guide will help you choose best colours to create a harmonious feng shui home. Choose the feng shui colours according to the energy you need and bring them into your space with wall colour, art, photography, or various decor items. 


FIRE ELEMENT- PASSION AND HIGH ENERGY:

A balanced fire feng shui element in your home or office will bring supporting energy to all your career efforts and will help achieve recognition. Fire element also nourishes one’s sexual energy and inner warmth. 

EARTH ELEMENT –NOURISHMENT AND STABILITY

A strong and harmonious feng shui earth element in your home or office will help create stability, nourishment and calm protection for all your relationships. The earth element is also needed to maintain one’s health and inner balance. 

METAL ELEMENT – CLARITY AND PRECISION

Feng shui metal element brings the qualities of sharpness, precision and efficiency; its balanced presence will help you live with clarity and lightness. A good presence of metal element in your home or office will help sustain the energy of calm, crisp clarity and eliminate distractions. 

WATER ELEMENT – EASE AND ABUNDANCE

A harmonious feng shui water element will bring a refreshing energy of calm, ease, purity and freshness. Water element is also the ancient symbol of abundance, thus a potent feng shui cure for wealth

WOOD ELEMENT –GROWTH AND VITALITY

Lush and healing, the feng shui wood element brings the energy of vibrant health, vitality and growth. Wood element is also an expression of abundance, thus it is used as a feng shui cure for wealth and prosperity.”

 

GLOSSARY:

Shift = change
Abundance = the situation in which there is more than enough of something:
Vibrant = energetic, exciting, and full of enthusiasm
Sharpness = the quality of being clever
To nourish = to provide people with sth
Inner balance = Inner feelings or thoughts of balance that you do not show but feel inside

 

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>>Answers

KEY TO EXERCISES  

 

Ex. 1

 

  1. F
  2. F
  3. F
  4. F

 

Ex. 2

spacious cramped                     fully-furnished

modern antique                  futuristic traditional

innovative                 well-designed      badly-designed                     luxurious     cheap                      cosy uncomfortable                      stylish tacky

practical useful/less                               functional                     old-fashioned  fashionable                   timeless                  tailor-made mass-produced

original ordinary                    artistic                      streamlined

 

Ex. 3

  1. I rarely trust recommendation. I’d rather go for ………tried and tested…………… recipes.
  2. The important thing is to clear up the dirty things as you go along, otherwise the place looks ………like a bomb has hit it……….
  3. Wedding receptions in our country are always a big deal I think they are just………go over the top……

Ex. 4

  1. On Saturdays I sometimes let myself stay longer in bed to …………have a lie-in…………..
  2. Sam and I have always been good friends so when we both got jobs, we decided to ……move in together…………
  3. While she was unemployed she had to ……live off………….her savings.

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