Teacher: I’d like to tell you about the most famous comics personages. Do you want to listen to my story? They are Superman and Batman.
Pupil 1: Yes, of course!
Pupil 2: I think they were created not long ago.
Teacher: No, Superman was first imagined in the mid-1930s by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, two high school students in Cleveland, Ohio. At first, they made Superman a bald-headed bad man with incredible mental powers. But they soon changed the character into a muscular crime fighter with superhuman strength, the ability to fly, a red cape, and an “S” logo on his chest. Superman came to Earth from the planet Krypton as a child, and as an adult he took the identity of Clark Kent, a mildmannered reporter for the Daily Planet newspaper.
Siegel and Shuster sold the idea of Superman to DC Comics in 1.937. In June 1938, DC suggested the new superhero in the first issue of Action Comics. Known as the “Man of Steel,” Superman became phenomenally popular w’ith readers, and within months other comic book publishers made the same imitations.
Pupil 1: And what about Batman? Well, was he really as “old” as Superman?
Teacher: Oh, yes, in 1939 a story about Batman was published in Detective Comics №27, drawn by Bob Kane and written by Bill Finger. Batman — so named because his costume resembled a bat — had no superhuman powers; instead it was due to his superior physical training, agility, intelligence, and technological gadgets to fight crime. Like Superman, Batman was an ordinary man in real life: Bruce Wayne, a millionaire. Batman was joined by a crime-fighting partner, Robin, the Boy Wonder.
— Hello, Jane!
— Hello, Tina. Why are you looking so tired this evening?
— Oh, I went to the disco last night. I w’anted to see a new DJ.
— Which one?
— At the City Hall.
— Which group did you see?
— It was a new band. The drummer and the guitarist played greatly. There were beautiful dancers too.
— What about the songs?
— Well, the songs were perfect. And there was a violin solo!
Music Television (MTV) is a cable television network, the first network to broadcast music videos regularly. The network was founded in 1981 with investments from such companies as Warner Communications and American Express. MTV’s combination of music videos, youthful video jockeys, commentary, promotion of special rock concerts, and news and documentaries about bands and performers established the network’s popularity with youthful viewers, and it became a leading promoter of new rock music and rock musicians. Music videos for both audio recordings and some motion picture
soundtracks are often made with the MTV viewer market in mind. MTV’s overseas offices make the network’s programming available in Europe, Asia, Central and South America, and Africa.
After MTV’s programming changed to include more heavy metal and rap music, MTV Networks launched a second network, Video Hits 1 (VH-1), in 1985. VH-1 features more popular music than MTV.
MTV Networks also owns Nickelodeon, a cable channel showing children’s and family programmes.
Today is Sunday at last! We’re celebrating Martha’s birthday. A lot of people are present and a room is decorated brightly. W7hat a great party! I usually don’t like going to the parties because it’s very difficult for me to remember people’s names. But I’m so glad that I read a book about improving memory.
I thought it was impossible, but the author of the book tells that a person can do special exercises. They are not difficult; one can master them easily and completely. I tried to do them. It took a few weeks; my parents assisted me to practice. The exercises helped me a lot. They are: to stop worrying about what people would think of me and to pay attention to what people were saying. I could remember people’s names, important facts etc. And I had a great time! Now I want to dance with my friends next week.
I’ve got a Geography test tomorrow. It will be very important. The topic is British Isles. I should start studying now. The book had a lot of useful exercises about studying for exam. I hope I remember to use some of them! I think all my friends should read the book.
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