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1. Read the following text:

“Excessive exposure to television and video games damages children’s speech”

In January 2009 John Bingham published an article in which he states that British two-
year-olds could be examined for speech problems after evidence has been revealed that
many are so addicted to television and video games that they are failing to learn basic
communication skills. Insufficient stimulation and too little interaction with young
children and adults is having a negative effect on their ability to communicate properly.

After a review into services for children with speech problems, led by the Tory MP John
Bercow, an ambitious nationwide programme for two-year-olds is being considered to
tackle the problem which, experts say, is now more prevalent than dyslexia or autism.
Tests could be carried out by health visitors similar to those used to check eyesight,
hearing and general development. The decline of the traditional family meal time, the
long-hours culture in the parents' workplaces, poor childcare with little stimulation and
social deprivation are also being blamed.
None of this is new. In 1996 Sarah Boseley published a similar article on the findings of
Dr Sally Ward, the country’s leading authority on the speech development of young
children. Dr Ward’s 10-year study of babies and pre-school children showed television
was a very important factor in delaying speech development. She concluded that the
television was being used as babysitter. Parents, nannies and minders were simply not
talking to the children so they were receiving no basic vocabulary through one-to-one
conversations with adults. She pointed out that many children recognised neither basic
words nor their own names.

The Bercow Review reveals that barely a tenth of children in some areas can repeat even
one nursery rhyme and, in extreme cases, just as in Dr Ward’s study from fifteen years
earlier, some do not even know their own name. It also concludes that children with
untreated speech difficulties risk future unemployment, mental health problems and
criminal involvement. Mr Bercow has said that speech and language problems have
simply been under-recognised for too long.

Adapted from articles by S. Boseley, The Guardian, Wednesday January 10 1996 and J.
Bingham, the Telegraph, January 2 2009

QUESTIONS

A. Say whether the following statements are TRUE or FALSE according to the text
and copy the evidence from the text to support your answers. No marks are given
for indicating only True or False.

1. The problem of poor communication skills in children today is less frequent than that
of dyslexia.

FALSE. In January 2009 John Bingham published an article in which he states that British
two-year-olds could be examined for speech problems after evidence has been revealed

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that many are so addicted to television and video games that they are failing to learn
basic communication skills. Insufficient stimulation and too little interaction with young
children and adults is having a negative effect on their ability to communicate properly.

After a review into services for children with speech problems, led by the Tory MP John
Bercow, an ambitious nationwide programme for two-year-olds is being considered to
tackle the problem which, experts say, is now more prevalent than dyslexia or autism.

2. Teachers are the proposed candidates for running the screening tests.

FALSE. Tests could be carried out by health visitors similar to those used to check
eyesight, hearing and general development.

3. TV and video games are not the only two causes of the decline in communication
skills.

TRUE. The decline of the traditional family meal time, the long-hours culture in the
parents' workplaces, poor childcare with little stimulation and social deprivation are also
being blamed.

4. Mr Bercow thinks that too little attention has been given to the problem.

TRUE. Mr Bercow has said that speech and language problems have simply been under-
recognised for too long.

B. Find words or phrases in the text which mean the same as each of the following:

1. Elementary: Basic
2. To deal with or try to solve: To tackle the problem
3. Common: More prevalent
4. Most important, highest: In extreme

C. Match the verbs on the left with a part of the body on the right to form common
expressions. Make your answers perfectly clear.

blow your nose

shake hands
bite your nails
nod your head

2. Complete the conversation with the words and expressions (a-h):

Doctor: Good morning. What can I do for you?

Patient: Good morning, doctor. I don´t feel well..

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Doctor: What´s the matter?

Patient: Well, my stomach hurts and I feel hot.
Doctor: Have you got a temperature ?
Patient: Yes, I took it this morning and it was 37.5º
Doctor: Please lie down and let me check your stomach.
Patient: Ow! That´s where it hurts.
Doctor: I think you might have appendicitis. You should go straight to hospital.
Patient: Can I drink anything?
Doctor: No, you mustn´t have any food or drink until you have been to the hospital.
Patient: Alright. Thank you very much.

a. What´s the matter

b. a temperature
c. Can I drink anything
d. Thank you very much
e. Good morning, doctor
f. should go
g. Please lie down
h. stomach hurts