Focus 4 Reading test

EUGENE GOOSTMAN PASSES A TEST

Eugene Goostman is a thirteen-year-old boy from Odessa in Ukraine. He has got a pet guinea pig and his father is a doctor. In 2014, he passed a test that some people say had never been passed before. Is Eugene a genius? In fact, he doesn't really exist at all. 

Eugene is a chatterbot. That is, a computer programme which can listen and reply to questions. You may have one on your smartphone. You can ask it to do simple tasks like find out what the weather is like in Portugal or how many dollars there are to the euro. You can also try to have a conversation with your chatterbot, although their answers don't always make sense. However, Eugene is more advanced than these very basic versions. He actually managed to fool some people into thinking he was human in a test thought up over 60 years ago. 

The test he passed is called the Turing Test, named after the computer expert, Alan Turing, who became famous for his work on the Enigma code machine during the Second World War. This was a German machine which was brought to England in 1939 from Poland. By breaking the code, Turing was able to find out German war plans in advance. In 1950, Turing wrote a paper which predicted that, one day, robots would have the intelligence to carry out a human-like conversation. Two years later, in 1952, he finalised the rules of a test which would show whether or not this intelligence existed. The main rule was that, if any computer persuaded 30 percent of the people reading or listening to the answers that it was human, it would pass the test. Turing passed away in 1954 but the challenge lived on. 

Interestingly, Turing based his test on a party game, called Imitation, which he enjoyed taking part in. In this game, a set of questions were given to a man and a woman. They typed their answers, not necessarily truthfully, and the other party guests had to try to guess who had written which set of answers. The theory was that there would always be some clues that would give them away. Turing died without knowing whether any robot would ever manage to pass his test but, in 2014, on the sixtieth anniversary of his death, Eugene Goostman managed to do it. 

Not everyone is impressed by Eugene's accomplishment. Some say that Eugene wasn't the first chatterbot to pass the test. This is technically true but the previous tests were either too short or they were judged by an audience rather than experts. These factors meant that the results weren't conclusive. Eugene’s test involved many more questions but there were still criticisms. The main one involves Eugene's 'human' profile. His designers deliberately made him a thirteen-year-old with poor English so that judges would be more likely to ignore his strange or irrelevant answers than they would if he was a native speaker adult. Finally, even if he was the first chatterbot to really pass the test, many people argue that Eugene doesn't actually possess real intelligence. All it can do is imitate intelligence. In other words, it is unable to think or learn like a real human being. 

Chatterbots may not be ready to take over the world yet, but they can have uses. They can perform basic tasks on a smartphone while we are unable to press buttons on our phones ourselves, such as while driving. They can also be used to create believable characters in video games which can follow orders and report on what is happening. However, robots with real intelligence are still a long way off. You won't be able to get one to do your homework for a few more years, I'm afraid!

1. Eugene Goostman is described as:

EUGENE GOOSTMAN PASSES A TEST

Eugene Goostman is a thirteen-year-old boy from Odessa in Ukraine. He has got a pet guinea pig and his father is a doctor. In 2014, he passed a test that some people say had never been passed before. Is Eugene a genius? In fact, he doesn't really exist at all. 

Eugene is a chatterbot. That is, a computer programme which can listen and reply to questions. You may have one on your smartphone. You can ask it to do simple tasks like find out what the weather is like in Portugal or how many dollars there are to the euro. You can also try to have a conversation with your chatterbot, although their answers don't always make sense. However, Eugene is more advanced than these very basic versions. He actually managed to fool some people into thinking he was human in a test thought up over 60 years ago. 

The test he passed is called the Turing Test, named after the computer expert, Alan Turing, who became famous for his work on the Enigma code machine during the Second World War. This was a German machine which was brought to England in 1939 from Poland. By breaking the code, Turing was able to find out German war plans in advance. In 1950, Turing wrote a paper which predicted that, one day, robots would have the intelligence to carry out a human-like conversation. Two years later, in 1952, he finalised the rules of a test which would show whether or not this intelligence existed. The main rule was that, if any computer persuaded 30 percent of the people reading or listening to the answers that it was human, it would pass the test. Turing passed away in 1954 but the challenge lived on. 

Interestingly, Turing based his test on a party game, called Imitation, which he enjoyed taking part in. In this game, a set of questions were given to a man and a woman. They typed their answers, not necessarily truthfully, and the other party guests had to try to guess who had written which set of answers. The theory was that there would always be some clues that would give them away. Turing died without knowing whether any robot would ever manage to pass his test but, in 2014, on the sixtieth anniversary of his death, Eugene Goostman managed to do it. 

Not everyone is impressed by Eugene's accomplishment. Some say that Eugene wasn't the first chatterbot to pass the test. This is technically true but the previous tests were either too short or they were judged by an audience rather than experts. These factors meant that the results weren't conclusive. Eugene’s test involved many more questions but there were still criticisms. The main one involves Eugene's 'human' profile. His designers deliberately made him a thirteen-year-old with poor English so that judges would be more likely to ignore his strange or irrelevant answers than they would if he was a native speaker adult. Finally, even if he was the first chatterbot to really pass the test, many people argue that Eugene doesn't actually possess real intelligence. All it can do is imitate intelligence. In other words, it is unable to think or learn like a real human being. 

Chatterbots may not be ready to take over the world yet, but they can have uses. They can perform basic tasks on a smartphone while we are unable to press buttons on our phones ourselves, such as while driving. They can also be used to create believable characters in video games which can follow orders and report on what is happening. However, robots with real intelligence are still a long way off. You won't be able to get one to do your homework for a few more years, I'm afraid!

2. What is a chatterbot?

EUGENE GOOSTMAN PASSES A TEST

Eugene Goostman is a thirteen-year-old boy from Odessa in Ukraine. He has got a pet guinea pig and his father is a doctor. In 2014, he passed a test that some people say had never been passed before. Is Eugene a genius? In fact, he doesn't really exist at all. 

Eugene is a chatterbot. That is, a computer programme which can listen and reply to questions. You may have one on your smartphone. You can ask it to do simple tasks like find out what the weather is like in Portugal or how many dollars there are to the euro. You can also try to have a conversation with your chatterbot, although their answers don't always make sense. However, Eugene is more advanced than these very basic versions. He actually managed to fool some people into thinking he was human in a test thought up over 60 years ago. 

The test he passed is called the Turing Test, named after the computer expert, Alan Turing, who became famous for his work on the Enigma code machine during the Second World War. This was a German machine which was brought to England in 1939 from Poland. By breaking the code, Turing was able to find out German war plans in advance. In 1950, Turing wrote a paper which predicted that, one day, robots would have the intelligence to carry out a human-like conversation. Two years later, in 1952, he finalised the rules of a test which would show whether or not this intelligence existed. The main rule was that, if any computer persuaded 30 percent of the people reading or listening to the answers that it was human, it would pass the test. Turing passed away in 1954 but the challenge lived on. 

Interestingly, Turing based his test on a party game, called Imitation, which he enjoyed taking part in. In this game, a set of questions were given to a man and a woman. They typed their answers, not necessarily truthfully, and the other party guests had to try to guess who had written which set of answers. The theory was that there would always be some clues that would give them away. Turing died without knowing whether any robot would ever manage to pass his test but, in 2014, on the sixtieth anniversary of his death, Eugene Goostman managed to do it. 

Not everyone is impressed by Eugene's accomplishment. Some say that Eugene wasn't the first chatterbot to pass the test. This is technically true but the previous tests were either too short or they were judged by an audience rather than experts. These factors meant that the results weren't conclusive. Eugene’s test involved many more questions but there were still criticisms. The main one involves Eugene's 'human' profile. His designers deliberately made him a thirteen-year-old with poor English so that judges would be more likely to ignore his strange or irrelevant answers than they would if he was a native speaker adult. Finally, even if he was the first chatterbot to really pass the test, many people argue that Eugene doesn't actually possess real intelligence. All it can do is imitate intelligence. In other words, it is unable to think or learn like a real human being. 

Chatterbots may not be ready to take over the world yet, but they can have uses. They can perform basic tasks on a smartphone while we are unable to press buttons on our phones ourselves, such as while driving. They can also be used to create believable characters in video games which can follow orders and report on what is happening. However, robots with real intelligence are still a long way off. You won't be able to get one to do your homework for a few more years, I'm afraid!

3. The Turing Test was created by:

EUGENE GOOSTMAN PASSES A TEST

Eugene Goostman is a thirteen-year-old boy from Odessa in Ukraine. He has got a pet guinea pig and his father is a doctor. In 2014, he passed a test that some people say had never been passed before. Is Eugene a genius? In fact, he doesn't really exist at all. 

Eugene is a chatterbot. That is, a computer programme which can listen and reply to questions. You may have one on your smartphone. You can ask it to do simple tasks like find out what the weather is like in Portugal or how many dollars there are to the euro. You can also try to have a conversation with your chatterbot, although their answers don't always make sense. However, Eugene is more advanced than these very basic versions. He actually managed to fool some people into thinking he was human in a test thought up over 60 years ago. 

The test he passed is called the Turing Test, named after the computer expert, Alan Turing, who became famous for his work on the Enigma code machine during the Second World War. This was a German machine which was brought to England in 1939 from Poland. By breaking the code, Turing was able to find out German war plans in advance. In 1950, Turing wrote a paper which predicted that, one day, robots would have the intelligence to carry out a human-like conversation. Two years later, in 1952, he finalised the rules of a test which would show whether or not this intelligence existed. The main rule was that, if any computer persuaded 30 percent of the people reading or listening to the answers that it was human, it would pass the test. Turing passed away in 1954 but the challenge lived on. 

Interestingly, Turing based his test on a party game, called Imitation, which he enjoyed taking part in. In this game, a set of questions were given to a man and a woman. They typed their answers, not necessarily truthfully, and the other party guests had to try to guess who had written which set of answers. The theory was that there would always be some clues that would give them away. Turing died without knowing whether any robot would ever manage to pass his test but, in 2014, on the sixtieth anniversary of his death, Eugene Goostman managed to do it. 

Not everyone is impressed by Eugene's accomplishment. Some say that Eugene wasn't the first chatterbot to pass the test. This is technically true but the previous tests were either too short or they were judged by an audience rather than experts. These factors meant that the results weren't conclusive. Eugene’s test involved many more questions but there were still criticisms. The main one involves Eugene's 'human' profile. His designers deliberately made him a thirteen-year-old with poor English so that judges would be more likely to ignore his strange or irrelevant answers than they would if he was a native speaker adult. Finally, even if he was the first chatterbot to really pass the test, many people argue that Eugene doesn't actually possess real intelligence. All it can do is imitate intelligence. In other words, it is unable to think or learn like a real human being. 

Chatterbots may not be ready to take over the world yet, but they can have uses. They can perform basic tasks on a smartphone while we are unable to press buttons on our phones ourselves, such as while driving. They can also be used to create believable characters in video games which can follow orders and report on what is happening. However, robots with real intelligence are still a long way off. You won't be able to get one to do your homework for a few more years, I'm afraid!

4. The Turing Test aims to determine:

EUGENE GOOSTMAN PASSES A TEST

Eugene Goostman is a thirteen-year-old boy from Odessa in Ukraine. He has got a pet guinea pig and his father is a doctor. In 2014, he passed a test that some people say had never been passed before. Is Eugene a genius? In fact, he doesn't really exist at all. 

Eugene is a chatterbot. That is, a computer programme which can listen and reply to questions. You may have one on your smartphone. You can ask it to do simple tasks like find out what the weather is like in Portugal or how many dollars there are to the euro. You can also try to have a conversation with your chatterbot, although their answers don't always make sense. However, Eugene is more advanced than these very basic versions. He actually managed to fool some people into thinking he was human in a test thought up over 60 years ago. 

The test he passed is called the Turing Test, named after the computer expert, Alan Turing, who became famous for his work on the Enigma code machine during the Second World War. This was a German machine which was brought to England in 1939 from Poland. By breaking the code, Turing was able to find out German war plans in advance. In 1950, Turing wrote a paper which predicted that, one day, robots would have the intelligence to carry out a human-like conversation. Two years later, in 1952, he finalised the rules of a test which would show whether or not this intelligence existed. The main rule was that, if any computer persuaded 30 percent of the people reading or listening to the answers that it was human, it would pass the test. Turing passed away in 1954 but the challenge lived on. 

Interestingly, Turing based his test on a party game, called Imitation, which he enjoyed taking part in. In this game, a set of questions were given to a man and a woman. They typed their answers, not necessarily truthfully, and the other party guests had to try to guess who had written which set of answers. The theory was that there would always be some clues that would give them away. Turing died without knowing whether any robot would ever manage to pass his test but, in 2014, on the sixtieth anniversary of his death, Eugene Goostman managed to do it. 

Not everyone is impressed by Eugene's accomplishment. Some say that Eugene wasn't the first chatterbot to pass the test. This is technically true but the previous tests were either too short or they were judged by an audience rather than experts. These factors meant that the results weren't conclusive. Eugene’s test involved many more questions but there were still criticisms. The main one involves Eugene's 'human' profile. His designers deliberately made him a thirteen-year-old with poor English so that judges would be more likely to ignore his strange or irrelevant answers than they would if he was a native speaker adult. Finally, even if he was the first chatterbot to really pass the test, many people argue that Eugene doesn't actually possess real intelligence. All it can do is imitate intelligence. In other words, it is unable to think or learn like a real human being. 

Chatterbots may not be ready to take over the world yet, but they can have uses. They can perform basic tasks on a smartphone while we are unable to press buttons on our phones ourselves, such as while driving. They can also be used to create believable characters in video games which can follow orders and report on what is happening. However, robots with real intelligence are still a long way off. You won't be able to get one to do your homework for a few more years, I'm afraid!

5. What was a criticism of Eugene Goostman's success in the Turing Test?

EUGENE GOOSTMAN PASSES A TEST

Eugene Goostman is a thirteen-year-old boy from Odessa in Ukraine. He has got a pet guinea pig and his father is a doctor. In 2014, he passed a test that some people say had never been passed before. Is Eugene a genius? In fact, he doesn't really exist at all. 

Eugene is a chatterbot. That is, a computer programme which can listen and reply to questions. You may have one on your smartphone. You can ask it to do simple tasks like find out what the weather is like in Portugal or how many dollars there are to the euro. You can also try to have a conversation with your chatterbot, although their answers don't always make sense. However, Eugene is more advanced than these very basic versions. He actually managed to fool some people into thinking he was human in a test thought up over 60 years ago. 

The test he passed is called the Turing Test, named after the computer expert, Alan Turing, who became famous for his work on the Enigma code machine during the Second World War. This was a German machine which was brought to England in 1939 from Poland. By breaking the code, Turing was able to find out German war plans in advance. In 1950, Turing wrote a paper which predicted that, one day, robots would have the intelligence to carry out a human-like conversation. Two years later, in 1952, he finalised the rules of a test which would show whether or not this intelligence existed. The main rule was that, if any computer persuaded 30 percent of the people reading or listening to the answers that it was human, it would pass the test. Turing passed away in 1954 but the challenge lived on. 

Interestingly, Turing based his test on a party game, called Imitation, which he enjoyed taking part in. In this game, a set of questions were given to a man and a woman. They typed their answers, not necessarily truthfully, and the other party guests had to try to guess who had written which set of answers. The theory was that there would always be some clues that would give them away. Turing died without knowing whether any robot would ever manage to pass his test but, in 2014, on the sixtieth anniversary of his death, Eugene Goostman managed to do it. 

Not everyone is impressed by Eugene's accomplishment. Some say that Eugene wasn't the first chatterbot to pass the test. This is technically true but the previous tests were either too short or they were judged by an audience rather than experts. These factors meant that the results weren't conclusive. Eugene’s test involved many more questions but there were still criticisms. The main one involves Eugene's 'human' profile. His designers deliberately made him a thirteen-year-old with poor English so that judges would be more likely to ignore his strange or irrelevant answers than they would if he was a native speaker adult. Finally, even if he was the first chatterbot to really pass the test, many people argue that Eugene doesn't actually possess real intelligence. All it can do is imitate intelligence. In other words, it is unable to think or learn like a real human being. 

Chatterbots may not be ready to take over the world yet, but they can have uses. They can perform basic tasks on a smartphone while we are unable to press buttons on our phones ourselves, such as while driving. They can also be used to create believable characters in video games which can follow orders and report on what is happening. However, robots with real intelligence are still a long way off. You won't be able to get one to do your homework for a few more years, I'm afraid!

6. According to the text, chatterbots can be used for:

THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE IN EUROPE

What do you look for when deciding where to live? Many people never move from their home town, of course. Others move because of a job. Some, though, think carefully about the lifestyle they are looking for. It may be somewhere affordable or a place with a vibrant arts and music scene. They may want an iconic skyline or narrow cobbled streets and small local shops. Would you prefer clean air or a bustling cosmopolitan city? 

Amazingly, whatever your tastes or desires, you may be surprised to learn that Zurich, in Switzerland, has all these things and more. (1)       Better even than traditionally popular cities such as Vancouver, Singapore and Montevideo. Zurich is Switzerland's largest city with a population of about 400,000. (2)       People from abroad are attracted by the job opportunities, high salaries and low rates of taxation, the world class schools and universities and the overall high standard of living. 

Of course, this is Switzerland so prices are high and finding affordable accommodation in the city centre may be difficult. 

(3)       Therefore, residents can take advantage of lower accommodation costs further from the centre. Zurich is also a very green city with many parks and breathtaking views of the Alps in the distance. Between the city and the mountains there are lakes where you can swim, sail or go kayaking in safety. 

It should be no surprise that Zurich has some excellent shops, which are modern and clean. There are also restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets. Culture lovers will be impressed by the huge variety of cultural institutions in the city including opera, ballet, theatre, museums, art galleries and concert halls. (4)       Not many people realise that Europe's biggest techno event is held in Zurich as is the Caliente Festival, the largest Latin cultural event on the continent. 

So, are there any drawbacks to living in the city at all? (5)       It is still much safer than other big cities in Europe. Drivers also complain that the roads are very congested but public transport is so efficient that there is really no need to drive in the city at all. In fact, traffic is slow because, unlike in other cities, trams, cyclists and pedestrians are given priority over cars – making life even easier for non-car drivers. That’s probably why the percentage of the population who don’t have a car has risen from 40 percent to 45 percent in the last decade. 

All in all, you can find a great standard of life in Zurich.

THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE IN EUROPE

What do you look for when deciding where to live? Many people never move from their home town, of course. Others move because of a job. Some, though, think carefully about the lifestyle they are looking for. It may be somewhere affordable or a place with a vibrant arts and music scene. They may want an iconic skyline or narrow cobbled streets and small local shops. Would you prefer clean air or a bustling cosmopolitan city? 

Amazingly, whatever your tastes or desires, you may be surprised to learn that Zurich, in Switzerland, has all these things and more. (1)       Better even than traditionally popular cities such as Vancouver, Singapore and Montevideo. Zurich is Switzerland's largest city with a population of about 400,000. (2)       People from abroad are attracted by the job opportunities, high salaries and low rates of taxation, the world class schools and universities and the overall high standard of living. 

Of course, this is Switzerland so prices are high and finding affordable accommodation in the city centre may be difficult. 

(3)       Therefore, residents can take advantage of lower accommodation costs further from the centre. Zurich is also a very green city with many parks and breathtaking views of the Alps in the distance. Between the city and the mountains there are lakes where you can swim, sail or go kayaking in safety. 

It should be no surprise that Zurich has some excellent shops, which are modern and clean. There are also restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets. Culture lovers will be impressed by the huge variety of cultural institutions in the city including opera, ballet, theatre, museums, art galleries and concert halls. (4)       Not many people realise that Europe's biggest techno event is held in Zurich as is the Caliente Festival, the largest Latin cultural event on the continent. 

So, are there any drawbacks to living in the city at all? (5)       It is still much safer than other big cities in Europe. Drivers also complain that the roads are very congested but public transport is so efficient that there is really no need to drive in the city at all. In fact, traffic is slow because, unlike in other cities, trams, cyclists and pedestrians are given priority over cars – making life even easier for non-car drivers. That’s probably why the percentage of the population who don’t have a car has risen from 40 percent to 45 percent in the last decade. 

All in all, you can find a great standard of life in Zurich.

THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE IN EUROPE

What do you look for when deciding where to live? Many people never move from their home town, of course. Others move because of a job. Some, though, think carefully about the lifestyle they are looking for. It may be somewhere affordable or a place with a vibrant arts and music scene. They may want an iconic skyline or narrow cobbled streets and small local shops. Would you prefer clean air or a bustling cosmopolitan city? 

Amazingly, whatever your tastes or desires, you may be surprised to learn that Zurich, in Switzerland, has all these things and more. (1)       Better even than traditionally popular cities such as Vancouver, Singapore and Montevideo. Zurich is Switzerland's largest city with a population of about 400,000. (2)       People from abroad are attracted by the job opportunities, high salaries and low rates of taxation, the world class schools and universities and the overall high standard of living. 

Of course, this is Switzerland so prices are high and finding affordable accommodation in the city centre may be difficult. 

(3)       Therefore, residents can take advantage of lower accommodation costs further from the centre. Zurich is also a very green city with many parks and breathtaking views of the Alps in the distance. Between the city and the mountains there are lakes where you can swim, sail or go kayaking in safety. 

It should be no surprise that Zurich has some excellent shops, which are modern and clean. There are also restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets. Culture lovers will be impressed by the huge variety of cultural institutions in the city including opera, ballet, theatre, museums, art galleries and concert halls. (4)       Not many people realise that Europe's biggest techno event is held in Zurich as is the Caliente Festival, the largest Latin cultural event on the continent. 

So, are there any drawbacks to living in the city at all? (5)       It is still much safer than other big cities in Europe. Drivers also complain that the roads are very congested but public transport is so efficient that there is really no need to drive in the city at all. In fact, traffic is slow because, unlike in other cities, trams, cyclists and pedestrians are given priority over cars – making life even easier for non-car drivers. That’s probably why the percentage of the population who don’t have a car has risen from 40 percent to 45 percent in the last decade. 

All in all, you can find a great standard of life in Zurich.

THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE IN EUROPE

What do you look for when deciding where to live? Many people never move from their home town, of course. Others move because of a job. Some, though, think carefully about the lifestyle they are looking for. It may be somewhere affordable or a place with a vibrant arts and music scene. They may want an iconic skyline or narrow cobbled streets and small local shops. Would you prefer clean air or a bustling cosmopolitan city? 

Amazingly, whatever your tastes or desires, you may be surprised to learn that Zurich, in Switzerland, has all these things and more. (1)       Better even than traditionally popular cities such as Vancouver, Singapore and Montevideo. Zurich is Switzerland's largest city with a population of about 400,000. (2)       People from abroad are attracted by the job opportunities, high salaries and low rates of taxation, the world class schools and universities and the overall high standard of living. 

Of course, this is Switzerland so prices are high and finding affordable accommodation in the city centre may be difficult. 

(3)       Therefore, residents can take advantage of lower accommodation costs further from the centre. Zurich is also a very green city with many parks and breathtaking views of the Alps in the distance. Between the city and the mountains there are lakes where you can swim, sail or go kayaking in safety. 

It should be no surprise that Zurich has some excellent shops, which are modern and clean. There are also restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets. Culture lovers will be impressed by the huge variety of cultural institutions in the city including opera, ballet, theatre, museums, art galleries and concert halls. (4)       Not many people realise that Europe's biggest techno event is held in Zurich as is the Caliente Festival, the largest Latin cultural event on the continent. 

So, are there any drawbacks to living in the city at all? (5)       It is still much safer than other big cities in Europe. Drivers also complain that the roads are very congested but public transport is so efficient that there is really no need to drive in the city at all. In fact, traffic is slow because, unlike in other cities, trams, cyclists and pedestrians are given priority over cars – making life even easier for non-car drivers. That’s probably why the percentage of the population who don’t have a car has risen from 40 percent to 45 percent in the last decade. 

All in all, you can find a great standard of life in Zurich.

THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE IN EUROPE

What do you look for when deciding where to live? Many people never move from their home town, of course. Others move because of a job. Some, though, think carefully about the lifestyle they are looking for. It may be somewhere affordable or a place with a vibrant arts and music scene. They may want an iconic skyline or narrow cobbled streets and small local shops. Would you prefer clean air or a bustling cosmopolitan city? 

Amazingly, whatever your tastes or desires, you may be surprised to learn that Zurich, in Switzerland, has all these things and more. (1)       Better even than traditionally popular cities such as Vancouver, Singapore and Montevideo. Zurich is Switzerland's largest city with a population of about 400,000. (2)       People from abroad are attracted by the job opportunities, high salaries and low rates of taxation, the world class schools and universities and the overall high standard of living. 

Of course, this is Switzerland so prices are high and finding affordable accommodation in the city centre may be difficult. 

(3)       Therefore, residents can take advantage of lower accommodation costs further from the centre. Zurich is also a very green city with many parks and breathtaking views of the Alps in the distance. Between the city and the mountains there are lakes where you can swim, sail or go kayaking in safety. 

It should be no surprise that Zurich has some excellent shops, which are modern and clean. There are also restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets. Culture lovers will be impressed by the huge variety of cultural institutions in the city including opera, ballet, theatre, museums, art galleries and concert halls. (4)       Not many people realise that Europe's biggest techno event is held in Zurich as is the Caliente Festival, the largest Latin cultural event on the continent. 

So, are there any drawbacks to living in the city at all? (5)       It is still much safer than other big cities in Europe. Drivers also complain that the roads are very congested but public transport is so efficient that there is really no need to drive in the city at all. In fact, traffic is slow because, unlike in other cities, trams, cyclists and pedestrians are given priority over cars – making life even easier for non-car drivers. That’s probably why the percentage of the population who don’t have a car has risen from 40 percent to 45 percent in the last decade. 

All in all, you can find a great standard of life in Zurich.

Read the texts about three unusual shops. Match the shops A–C with the sentences 1–5. Some of the shops match with more than one sentence.

A. BARTER BOOKS 

Barter Books in the north of England may not be famous but one of their discoveries is. The bookshop is situated in an old railway station in the town of Alnwick. Many of the original features of the station still exist. There are open fires during the winter and the station buffet still offers tasty snacks and a chance to rest aching feet. In 2001, the owners of the shop bought a box of old books and found a forgotten poster from the Second World War inside. They put it up in the shop and the people who came in were so interested that the shop started selling copies of it. Other companies soon did the same. The poster was red with a picture of a crown at the top. Underneath were five words: Keep calm and carry on. 

Read the texts about three unusual shops. Match the shops A–C with the sentences 1–5. Some of the shops match with more than one sentence.

B. CYBER CANDY 

There are currently six Cybercandy stores, four of which are in London. They are sweet shops but with a difference. They import sweets from all over the world. These are not just famous brands but little known, hard to find sweets and drinks as well. They also have an online store which makes it easy to find exactly what you want. The products are listed by type of sweet, by country of origin and even by colour. Very useful if you only want blue sweets. One category you may not be so keen on is real insect candy but, whatever your likes, you're sure to find something delicious at Cybercandy.  

Read the texts about three unusual shops. Match the shops A–C with the sentences 1–5. Some of the shops match with more than one sentence.

C. RAG TRADE BOUTIQUE 

The Rag Trade Boutique in Bristol understands its customers well. According to surveys, women regularly wear only about 10 percent of the clothes in their wardrobes. However, they also like to buy more clothes. That's why, at the Rag Trade Boutique, you can take in any designer clothes you don't want and, when the shop sells them, you get up to 50 percent of the money, depending on whether you choose cash or the chance to buy something else in this wonderful shop. Only clothes in good condition are accepted and it's a great place to find bargains. The longer the clothes stay in the shop, the more the prices are reduced but, don’t delay, anything unsold after seven weeks is given away to charity.