VII. Fill in the correct preposition. Check against the article.

1. Massive gains _ material wealth _ the past 50 years have not accrued _ any significant increase _ happiness.

2. About eight _ 10 people believe that Britain has become a more dangerous place _ the same period.

3. … for others the challenge of organising their leisure time when there is so much _ offer is another source of stress.

4. … and can pose grave financial risks _ those who get them wrong.

5. _ the mobile phone market the number of payment tariffs _ offer has multiplied 20-fold _ the past seven years.

6. Four out of 10 parents would like a videolink _ their child’s classroom.

7. "I take them _ car".

8. Lots of parents are obsessed _ their kid’s education.

9. She admitted _ being an overprotective mother _ her two daughters.

10. "Even if I give her permission to play _ the field I am often lurking _ bushes".

VIII. State the idea behind the lines below.

1. A range of anxieties is hampering the growth of true content­ment.

2. Life seems more pressured because it is more complex.

3. At the domestic level a wider fear of sci­ence is said to be manifested in problems absorbing the latest technology.

4. "Feature overload" — the problem whereby new gadgets are designed with so many extras that they are rendered al­most impossible to use.

5. The rise of individualism and increas­ing specialization in the workplace means

that few people even in the same broad field have a full understanding of

what others are doing.

6. The blurring boundaries between tradi­tional male and female roles are leading to confusion.

7. "If little Mary doesn't do as well as the rest of the class, it's not "she'll do better

next time" but a cause for serious concern."

IX. Comment on the choice of the headline, sum up the key points of the article and formulate the author's thesis.

X. Points for discussion.

1. Does the author of the article play up the problems of modern society or is he quite reasonable?

2. What is in the author's opinion the paradox of progress?

3. Have the hi-tech achievements made people happier?

4. Are modern gadgets too complex indeed? Should devices have extra functions they can actually do without? (say, a phone with an in-built camera).

5. Is modern life stressful? What makes it unnerving?

6. Are parents' fear well-grounded or are they going paranoiac indeed?

7. How do you find the idea of

a) an electronic bracelet allowing parents to trace their child;

b) a videolink to the child's classroom;

с) peeping at your child from the bushes;

d) controlling your child's choice of food;

e) attaching too much attention to the child's academic achievement.

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