1. 7. Comic books

Read the text and find out why Japanese comic books are so popular.

Comic books started out as collections of comic strips from newspapers. They were known as

'funny books', or 'funnies', because the comic strips were humorous. It wasn' t until the 1930s

that the first adventure stories started to appear. The heroes of these stories were characters like

Dick Tracy and the Phantom. But although they had some cool gadgets, these heroes were still

just ordinary people. Then in June 1938 а new comic came out. It had а new kind of hero. His powers were far greater than any normal person. Не could run faster than а train. Не could jump over tall buildings. His name was Superman, and he wasn' t just а hero, he was а superhero.

Since Superman made his debut there have been many comic book superheroes. Most worked

alone, but sometimes they teamed up with other superheroes. The Justice Society of America (JSA for short) was а crime-fighting team of nine superheroes. They included the Flash, who was described as 'the fastest man alive'; and the Gгееn Lantern, who got his special powers from а magic ring. Today the most popular superhero team is the Х-Меn.

Outside the US, comics have developed in different ways. Japanese comics (known as 'manga') include many more topics than American comics do. This is probably why so many Japanese read manga. In fact, manga account for 40 per cent of all book and magazine sales in Japan. Topics range from giant robots and time travel to cooking, sport, romance, and much mоге. There is also а huge variety of artistic styles. Although manga are starting to become popular outside Japan, they still aren' t as well known as American comic books.

Exercise

Circle the best answer, a, b, c or d, to each of the following questions.

1. Characters like Dick Tracy

a. had special powers.

b. appeared in funny comic strips in newspapers.

c. didn't have any special powers.

d. were the first superheroes.

2. The superheroes in the Justice Society of America

a. always worked alone.

b. sometimes worked together.

c. fought against each other.

d. got their special powers from a rnagic ring.

3. Manga are different from American comics because

a. manga have more topics.

b. manga have more fans.

c. manga are more well known.

d. manga don't have superheroes.

4. Peter Parker works as

a. a major in the US Army.

b. a photographer and a teacher.

c. a doctor.

d. the editor-in-chief of a newspaper.

5. Both Wonder Woman and Superman

a. can fly.

b. are super-strong and super-fast.

c. have x-ray vision.

d. cannot be injured by bullets.

6. Simon Good's mother wants him to

a. protect people.

b. stop crime.

c. tidy his room.

d. save people's lives.

1. 8. How a hit song is written

Do you know how hit songs are made? Then read this text and find out the methods of work at music

I. Every song has to have words and music. Some people who like writing poetry find that it’s easy to write the words of songs. An unusual method is used by David Bowie. He writes lots of words and phrases on different pieces of paper, mixes them up, chooses three or four pieces, and that’s the first line of his new hit song! Paul McCartney thinks of an unusual phrase and repeats it to himself many times until it gives him the inspiration for the rest of the song. That’s how he first thought of the Beatles’ hit Eleanor Rigby.

It’s more difficult to write music. Often, people who are good at lyrics (words) can’t write music, so they find someone who can put their words to music. Elton John wrote the music for Bernie Goodbye Yeltow Brick Road and Croco-dile Rock.

Much of the anger and many of the frustrations felt by young people today are reflected in New Wave songs about unemployment, traffic and life in crowded tower blocks.

II. MAKING A RECORD (IN THE STUDIO)

The main piece of equip­ment in a studio is the Mixing Desk. There are as many as sixty-four channels which are all finally mixed into the sound which you hear when you buy a record. Normally the instrumental tracks (parts) are recorded first and the vocal parts are added last. Often this means that the singer is alone in the studio when he records his own track. All the tracks are then mixed together by the producer. He chooses the best of the vocal tracks; he decides when the drums have to be very loud; when the guitars or strings must be quiet; when there has to be an echo. He can make one voice sound like a choir. Be­cause studios today have such modern equipment, it’s sometimes difficult for a group to make the same kind of sound when they perform ‘live’ on stage in a show or concert.

Some groups like to pro­duce their own records. If it’s a song which they have written, sung and played, they don’t want another person to have responsibility for it and to change it. People who produce their own records are Gary Numan, Fleetwood Mac, Paul McCartney, Queen, Mike Oldfield and the Commo­dores.

From “Catch”

Exercise

True or false?

1. Some people who like writing poetry find that it’s easy to write the words of songs.

2. David Bowie writes lots of words and phrases on different pieces of paper, mixes them up, chooses three or four pieces, and that’s the first line of his new hit song!

3. Paul McCartney thinks of an unusual phrase and repeats it to himself many times.

4. It’s easy to write music.

5. The main piece of equip­ment in a studio is the microphone.

6. Normally the instrumental tracks (parts) are recorded first and the vocal parts are added later.

7. All the tracks are then mixed together by the singer.