Unit XXXIV Film

When was the last time you came out of a very successful film and really felt you'd got your money's worth? It's hard not to be disappointed nowadays, since every film receives huge amounts of publicity months before it's released, and inevitably it won't live up to your expectations. Even Hollywood seems to have realized that its best film-making years are over, which is possibly the reason why we seem to be faced with so many remakes recently.

If you're a fan of film, you'll know that King Kong was originally released in 193 3, again in 1976, and once more in 2005. The main female actor puts on a good show, and the big gorilla looks more realistic, but isn't a third form of this story a little excessive? War of the Worlds first terrified audiences in 1953; the budget wouldn't even have covered Tom Cruise's salary in his adaptation last year. The latest remake falls into the thriller-mystery type of film, with Nicolas Cage as the star in The Wicker Man. The location moves from Scotland to somewhere off the Washington coast, and audiences who are too young to remember the 1973 film will still be gripped by the suspense. Nevertheless, professional opinion is that surely there are other stories worthy of the big screen? When you remake a classic, it is easy to guess the result will always be a poor imitation.

Post-reading tasks

Answer the questions.

1. What can we infer about the writer's attitude to remade films?

1. He believes in general that they are not worth doing.

2. He feels that some are better adaptations than others.

3. Не thinks that remakes require well-known actors to be successful.

2. Replace the words/phrases in bold in the text with words from the texts in Unit 4. The first letter of each word is given as a clue.

a) h … d) the 1 …

b) p … e) r …

с) g … f) p …

Unit XXXV Fashion

Forget face lifts, breast implants, and Botox injections - the latest trend in New York City is cosmetic toe amputation* surgery. A growing number of New York women are opting for an operation that means they can squeeze their feet into pointy high-heeled shoes, preferably those made by designers Manolo Blahnik or Jimmy Choo. Advocates of the procedure stress the value of height in making the right impression in business and society circles. 'They give a woman that extra confidence in her appearance says New York podiatrist* Dr Fay Miller, who claims to have performed more than fifty 'foot enhancement surgeries.' In fact, the term 'amputation' has misled many would-be patients. The second toe is cut open, part of the bone is removed, and the toe is sewn back up, causing the flesh to shrink. This still seems gruesome, but is not actually whole amputation. Some members of the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society deeply oppose this kind of operation, believing it can often result in permanent disability and be excruciating. They would also discourage women from wearing high heels since they can lead to a number of serious problems including knee, pelvic, back, and shoulder pain. Despite their warnings, New York women are continuing to make appointments with Dr Miller. Vanity, it seems, is a strong kind of painkiller.

*amputation = the removal of a part of the body (for example an arm) in a medical operation

*podiatrist = a specialist in the care of feet and the treatment of foot diseases

Post-reading tasks

Answer the questions.

1. According to the writer, why are women having operations on their feet?

1. Their toes had been damaged as a result of wearing high heels.

2. Other operations to improve their appearance have not satisfied them.

3. Their feet do not fit the kind of shoe they want to wear.

2. What does the writer claim is confusing about this kind of foot surgery?

1. What the operation involves.

2. Who is legally allowed to perform it.

3. The kind of physical problems it may cause.

3. Find a word in the text that means

1. someone who strongly supports something.

2. to make someone believe something that is incorrect.

3. horrible/disgusting.

4. to disagree with or disapprove of something.

5. extremely painful.

6. the fact of being too interested in your appearance.