Birthdays often involve surprises. But this year's surprise on the birthday of the great British playwright William Shakespeare is surely one of the most dramatic. On April 22, one day before his 441st birthday anniversary, experts discovered that one of the most recognizable portraits of William Shakespeare is a fake. This means that we no longer have a good idea of what Shakespeare looked like. "It's very possible that many pictures of Shakespeare might be unreliable because many of them are copies of this one," said an expert from Britain's National Portrait Gallery. The discovery comes after four months of testing using X-rays, ultraviolet light, microphotography and paint samples. The experts from the gallery say the image --commonly known as the "Flower portrait"-- was actually painted in the 1800s, about two centuries after Shakespeare's death. The art experts who work at the gallery say they also used modern chemistry technology to check the paint on the picture. These checks found traces of paint dating from about 1814. Shakespeare died in 1616, and the date that appears on the portrait is 1609. "We now think the portrait dates back to around 1818 to 1840. This was when there was a renewed interest in Shakespeare's plays," Tarnya Cooper, the gallery's curator , told the Associated President. The fake picture has often been used as a cover for collections of his plays. It is called the Flower portrait because one of its owners, Desmond Flower, gave it to the Royal Shakespeare Company. "There have always been questions about the painting," said David Howells, curator for the Royal Shakespeare Company. "Now we know the truth, we can put the image in its proper place in the history of Shakespearean portraiture." Two other images of Shakespeare, are also being studied as part of the investigation and the results will come out later this month. _ What makes the birthday of Shakespeare dramatic this year? A) It was found that he painted a portrait in 1814 instead of in 1609. B) The Flower portrait has been found to be a fake. C) Three portraits of Shakespeare are being tested to identify a real one. D) It was found that there was a renewed interest in Shakespeare's plays around 1818 to 1840.
B
Paying a higher price than usual for a ticket to see a film in 3D is the annoyance of many a cinema-goer's life. But there may be a benefit to doing so, as a study has found that 3D films exercise the brain and improve short-term functioning in a similar way to brain-training tests. The research found that people who watched a movie in 3D improved cognitive skills, compared to those who watched it in 2D. The research was led by neuroscientist Dr Patrick Fagan from Goldsmiths University in London. More than 100 people took part in the experiment, where participants watched Disney filmBig Hero 6in either standard format or RealD 3D. They also carried out a brain-training-style test before and after seeing a section from the film. The test covered memory, reaction times and cognitive function and the results were compared later. According to the research, which was carried out in partnership with science group Thrill Laboratory, participants experienced a 23 percent increase in cognitive processing, as well as an 11 percent increase in reaction times. Dr Fagan said that the results showed enough of an improvement in brain function to suggest that 3D could play a part in improving brain power in the future. "These findings are more significant than you might think," he said. "It is a fact that people are living longer and there is a noticeable decline in cognitive brain function in old age which can worsen future quality of life. There has never been a better time to look at ways to improve brain function. The initial results of this study show that 3D films may potentially play a role in slowing this decline." A second part of the experiment involved those watching the film being fitted with headsets that scanned brain activity and this too showed heightened activity when watching 3D. According to the results, participants were seven percent more engaged with what they were watching, adding to argument that 3D movies are more like watching real-life--something Professor Brendan Walker from Thrill Laboratory... According to the research, people watching a movie in 3D _ . A) have a good exercise for their brain B) lose their short memory of its plots C) are willing to pay a high price for tickets D) react the same way as those watching it in 2D
A
Q: The Internet has greatly changed the way people communicate. But some teachers think the changes are not all for the better. Eleanor Johnson, an English professor, thinks that text messaging has made students believe that it is far more acceptable than it actually is to just make terrible spelling and grammatical errors. And she says her students over the past several years have increasingly used less formal English in their writing. Words and phrases like "guy" and "you know" now appear in research papers. Professor Johnson supposes there is a strong relationship between the rise of informal online communication and an increase in writing mistakes. But she says there may not be much scientific information, at least not yet. David Crystal, a British linguist , says the actively changing nature of the Internet makes it difficult to keep up-to-date in studying its effects. But he believes its influence on language is small. The main effect of the Internet on language is the way it has added to the expressive richness of language, providing language with a new set of communicative tools that haven't existed in the past. Erin Jansen is founder of NetLingo.com, an online dictionary of the Internet and text messaging terms. She says the new technology has not changed existing language but has greatly added to its vocabulary. Basically it's freedom of expression. And what about those teachers who find these new kinds of mistakes in spelling and grammar in their students' work? What is her message to them? Erin Jansen said, "I am always on the students' side and won't get angry or upset about that. If it's helping the kids write more or communicate more, that's great. That's what teachers and educators want--to get kids communicating." But Erin Jansen and David Crystal agree with Eleanor Johnson on at least one thing. Teachers need to make sure students understand the uses and rules of language. David Crystal and Erin Jansen share the view that the Internet _ . A) has changed our language system B) has influenced our language greatly C) makes language richer in expression D) makes language harder to understand
A: C
Volunteer at Shelter - North Toronto Cat Rescue---Bayview/Hwy 7 Do you like animals? Come and volunteer at our cat shelter. North Toronto Cat Rescue is a no-cage, no-kill cat shelter. We are a volunteer organization, funded totally by donation, and are a licensed Canadian charity. We are looking for volunteers who can join us once a week for a 3 month period (at least). The work is not wonderful but it is very rewarding. Mainly, we feed, clean, and scoop litter. Of course we also spend quality time with our cats. We have 2 shifts per day, 7 days per week: Mornings are 9am-1pm. Evenings are 5-7pm or 6-8pm. Please note that any new volunteer who wishes to work evening shift must be able to work 4 morning shifts on a team before moving to an evening shift. This is required in order to gain the ability to work more independently, as required during evening shifts. Students must be at least 16 years old. Adults are also welcome. If you do not have your own personal transportation, please check the public transportation from your area to our location at Bayview/Hwy 7 area before responding to this ad. Where is the ad most likely to appear? A) In the local newspaper B) On the Internet C) On TV D) In a magazine
A