You are going to read an article about the making of an unusual television commercial.

Six
sentences have been removed from the article. Choose from the sentences A-G the one which
fits each gap. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.
A. Then the falling dominoes head out of the room into the streets, causing progressively larger
objects to tumble.
B. These were all chosen to suit the town and fit in with the people’s way of life.
C. Getting there involved driving along 48 kilometres of dirt roads and crossing twelve rivers.
D. Iruya is situated 3000 metres above sea level and the film crew was not used to working in
such conditions.
E. The prop department did construct a small version on site, but most of the work was done in
a studio in London.
F. Added to this was the total of one hundred and thirty 'actors' who were recruited from a five
neighbouring towns.
G. Not so with the famous Irish drink company Guinness.
A. Then the falling dominoes head out of the room into the streets, causing progressively larger
objects to tumble.
B. These were all chosen to suit the town and fit in with the people’s way of life.
C. Getting there involved driving along 48 kilometres of dirt roads and crossing twelve rivers.
D. Iruya is situated 3000 metres above sea level and the film crew was not used to working in
such conditions.
E. The prop department did construct a small version on site, but most of the work was done in
a studio in London.
F. Added to this was the total of one hundred and thirty 'actors' who were recruited from a five
neighbouring towns.
G. Not so with the famous Irish drink company Guinness.

The Making of 'Tipping Point'

Many of the most expensive commercials ever made are those in which an A-list celebrity
flashes a beautiful smile at the cameras.1. Their recent television advertisement, the most
expensive in British history, cost ten million pounds, and it features, not the rich and famous, but
villagers from the mountains of Argentina.

The advertisement features a game of dominoes. It begins in a darkened room where several
thousand ordinary dominoes are set up on a specially-designed table.2. Dominoes knock over
books, which in turn knock bigger household objects such as suitcases, tyres, pots of paint, oil
drums and even cars. The final piece in the chain reaction is a huge tower of books. These
flutter open to reveal a structure in the shape of a pint of Guinness.

The location chosen for the commercial was Iruya, a village high up in the mountains of north-
west Argentina. 3. The journey there could take up to ten hours. Asked why this remote
destination was chosen for the shoot, the director said that even though it was the most difficult
location they could have picked, it was perfect.

For one month, the village, population thousand, increased in size by almost thirty percent. One
hundred and forty crew members descended on the village.4. These included the world record
holders in domino toppling, Weijers Domino productions from the Netherlands.

Creating this film was no easy task. Preparations for filming took well over a month. Twenty six
truckloads of objects were brought in.5. They included 10,000 books, 400 tyres, 75 mirrors, 50
fridges, 45 wardrobes and 6 cars. Setting the objects up took skill and patience. They needed to
be arranged so they would fall over easily, and this involved balancing them on stones. Some of
the sequences had to be reshot 15 times and 24 hours of footage was captured. However, the
sequence in which six cars fell over was successfully shot in just one take.

Filming in this location was not without its difficulties. Firstly, being so isolated, it was hard to
obtain resources at short notice.6. The second problem was the high altitude. It was also hard
working with the villagers who had no experience of film-making. Finally, setting and resetting
the props caused a good deal of frustration.

Director Nicolai Fuglsig said about the project : ‘Despite all the challenges, the cast was
fantastic and it was a really amazing experience.’ Whether or not the effort put into the advert
pays off is another matter entirely.

The Making of 'Tipping Point'

Many of the most expensive commercials ever made are those in which an A-list celebrity
flashes a beautiful smile at the cameras.1. Not so with the famous Irish drink company
Guinness. Their recent television advertisement, the most expensive in British history, cost ten
million pounds, and it features, not the rich and famous, but villagers from the mountains of
Argentina.

The advertisement features a game of dominoes. It begins in a darkened room where several
thousand ordinary dominoes are set up on a specially-designed table.2. Then the falling
dominoes head out of the room into the streets, causing progressively larger objects to
tumble. Dominoes knock over books, which in turn knock bigger household objects such as
suitcases, tyres, pots of paint, oil drums and even cars. The final piece in the chain reaction is a
huge tower of books. These flutter open to reveal a structure in the shape of a pint of Guinness.

The location chosen for the commercial was Iruya, a village high up in the mountains of north-
west Argentina.3. Getting there involved driving along 48 kilometres of dirt roads and
crossing twelve rivers. The journey there could take up to ten hours. Asked why this remote
destination was chosen for the shoot, the director said that even though it was the most difficult
location they could have picked, it was perfect.

For one month, the village, population thousand, increased in size by almost thirty percent. One
hundred and forty crew members descended on the village. These included the world record
holders in domino toppling, Weijers Domino productions from the Netherlands. 4.Added to this
was the total of one hundred and thirty 'actors' who were recruited from a five
neighbouring towns.

Creating this film was no easy task. Preparations for filming took well over a month. Twenty six
truckloads of objects were brought in. 5.These were all chosen to suit the town and fit in
with the people’s way of life. They included 10,000 books, 400 tyres, 75 mirrors, 50 fridges,
45 wardrobes and 6 cars. Setting the objects up took skill and patience. They needed to be
arranged so they would fall over easily, and this involved balancing them on stones. Some of
the sequences had to be reshot 15 times and 24 hours of footage was captured. However, the
sequence in which six cars fell over was successfully shot in just one take.

Filming in this location was not without its difficulties. Firstly, being so isolated, it was hard to
obtain resources at short notice. The second problem was the high altitude.6. Iruya is situated
3000 metres above sea level and the film crew was not used to working in such
conditions. It was also hard working with the villagers who had no experience of film-making.
Finally, setting and resetting the props caused a good deal of frustration.

Director Nicolai Fuglsig said about the project : ‘Despite all the challenges, the cast was
fantastic and it was a really amazing experience.’ Whether or not the effort put into the advert
pays off is another matter entirely.

A It's fine, but I try not to give out too much advice as it gets irritating!

B And if nothing you like comes out of it, then come back and be an actor or dancer.

C Without a strict daily timetable like this you find yourself wasting too much time.

D After that it's back to England to start a new term of dance classes.

E When it comes to coping with stress, I find that exercise helps me to cope with my
problems, so I stay in good shape mentally as well.

F Like any profession where you're always travelling, you tend to acquire something
new almost every day.

G Being fully equipped with all this stuff beforehand makes it easier when you go for
auditions.

A It's fine, but I try not to give out too much advice as it gets irritating!

B And if nothing you like comes out of it, then come back and be an actor or dancer.

C Without a strict daily timetable like this you find yourself wasting too much time.

D After that it's back to England to start a new term of dance classes.

E When it comes to coping with stress, I find that exercise helps me to cope with my
problems, so I stay in good shape mentally as well.

F Like any profession where you're always travelling, you tend to acquire something
new almost every day.

G Being fully equipped with all this stuff beforehand makes it easier when you go for
auditions.

Career success in the arts

John Prince, famous dancer and choreographer, gives advice on how to succeed in a
career in the arts.
I asked John how he got started and what requirements there are. "Well, to be a professional
dancer it's useful to have had acting lessons or some background in drama. If you want to
succeed in musical theatre you have to have a good singing voice as well. When you approach
an agent you should take a portfolio with your CV, your statistics sheet and some good photos
and reviews of past performances. You'll need dance clothes, ballet shoes, tap shoes, and even
roller skates depending on what kind of show you are going to go for."

"Of course, you need to be extremely fit if you want to be a professional dancer. I dance or
move about for about six hours a day. There are great health benefits to being a dancer. I can
eat a lot of pasta without gaining weight because dancing increases your metabolism so much."

John has a very busy schedule in the next few months. He took time out to speak to me today
from the making of a pop video to promote N-ergy's latest record. "I choreographed the dance
routine for the boys and they only had 2 days in which to learn it! I am going to be working on a
video for another well known band - but that's top secret. Next month I'll be touring Spain in a
production of a musical that was written by a friend of mine, Michaela Evans.

3
As for the future, I've come to realise that I would never be content to be just a chorus dancer -
I'm too much of an individual for that. Like all artists I'd love to become a household name by
writing and choreographing my own musicals."

John was born in Jamaica to a Jamaican father and a Scottish mother but the family emigrated
to England 20 years ago. "I have a little sister I adore, who is also training to be a dancer." How
does it feel to have someone else following in your footsteps?
4

Has he much more to learn, I wondered. "I've spent an incredible amount of my life training to
get where I am. I went to college for two years in England, I trained for six months in Paris and
about eight months in America. But you never really stop training or learning your art."

So, would you say it's been plain sailing? "I feel I've been lucky to a degree; many people hit
problems breaking into the arts. It can be a vicious circle really. You can't become a member of
Equity, which is the actors' and dancers' union, without good contracts. and you can't get good
contracts without being a member of Equity. My advice to people who want to get into the arts
would be to go out into the world, and try everything else first.

What has a dance career done for you as a person? "Thanks to dancing, I've visited and
performed in 23 countries so far. This has opened my eyes to the world, and I've been able to
understand issues like racism and inequality from a wider perspective.
Hopefully this has enabled me to become a better and more tolerant person as a result. "So all
in all I'm really happy to be a dancer!"

Career success in the arts

John Prince, famous dancer and choreographer, gives advice on how to succeed in a
career in the arts.

I asked John how he got started and what requirements there are. "Well, to be a professional
dancer it's useful to have had acting lessons or some background in drama. If you want to
succeed in musical theatre you have to have a good singing voice as well. When you approach
an agent you should take a portfolio with your CV, your statistics sheet and some good photos
and reviews of past performances. You'll need dance clothes, ballet shoes, tap shoes, and even
roller skates depending on what kind of show you are going to go for."

1 G

"Of course, you need to be extremely fit if you want to be a professional dancer. I dance or
move about for about six hours a day. There are great health benefits to being a dancer. I can
eat a lot of pasta without gaining weight because dancing increases your metabolism so much."

2 E

John has a very busy schedule in the next few months. He took time out to speak to me today
from the making of a pop video to promote N-ergy's latest record. "I choreographed the dance
routine for the boys and they only had 2 days in which to learn it! I am going to be working on a
video for another well known band - but that's top secret. Next month I'll be touring Spain in a
production of a musical that was written by a friend of mine, Michaela Evans.

3 D
As for the future, I've come to realise that I would never be content to be just a chorus dancer -
I'm too much of an individual for that. Like all artists I'd love to become a household name by
writing and choreographing my own musicals."

John was born in Jamaica to a Jamaican father and a Scottish mother but the family emigrated
to England 20 years ago. "I have a little sister I adore, who is also training to be a dancer." How
does it feel to have someone else following in your footsteps?
4 A

Has he much more to learn, I wondered. "I've spent an incredible amount of my life training to
get where I am. I went to college for two years in England, I trained for six months in Paris and
about eight months in America. But you never really stop training or learning your art."

5 F

So, would you say it's been plain sailing? "I feel I've been lucky to a degree; many people hit
problems breaking into the arts. It can be a vicious circle really. You can't become a member of
Equity, which is the actors' and dancers' union, without good contracts. and you can't get good
contracts without being a member of Equity. My advice to people who want to get into the arts
would be to go out into the world, and try everything else first.

6 B

What has a dance career done for you as a person? "Thanks to dancing, I've visited and
performed in 23 countries so far. This has opened my eyes to the world, and I've been able to
understand issues like racism and inequality from a wider perspective.
Hopefully this has enabled me to become a better and more tolerant person as a result. "So all
in all I'm really happy to be a dancer!"
Tongue Trickster
Never mind the tongue twister – here’s the tongue trickster
Frank Parsons reports on the craze for a strange type of fruit.

Imagine drinking a glass of pure, freshly-squeezed lemon juice with nothing added. It’s enough
to turn your stomach.

1
I watch as one-by-one they down the drink, tentative at first, and then smiling broadly as they
declare, “It tastes just like grandma’s lemonade.”

Fifty or so people crowd around a table on the rooftop terrace of Larry’s small but swish
apartment. I edge my way forward and arrive at the table that positively groans with the array of
food piled high.

My host appears at my shoulder, and says, “Here, have this.” This turns out to be a small red
berry about the size of a blueberry, but slightly elongated, the shape of a coffee bean.

He looks at the expression on my face. “It’s known as the miracle fruit. Just put it in your mouth,”
he instructs, “and chew it slightly to separate the pulp from its seed.

I obey his command and then discreetly spit the remains into my handkerchief while his glance
is averted.

“Done?” he asks, turning back to me. I nod. He grabs a glass of the lemon juice from a passing
waiter and offers it to me. “Now drink.” I take a small sip, and close my eyes. The guests are
right.

My host states knowingly I have experienced first-hand the phenomenon of the Synsepalum
Dulcificum, or the Miracle Fruit. This small berry has the amazing effect of causing bitter or sour
foods to taste as sweet as sugar candy.

When it comes into contact with acidic foods, like vinegar, it starts to behave like a sweetener.

A native fruit of West Africa, the fruit was discovered by western explorers around 1725.

Left uncultivated, the miracle fruit grows in bushes reaching six metres in height. It produces
crops twice yearly, usually after the rainy season, and has attractive white flowers.
Despite being around for centuries it is only in recent years that the miracle fruit has been
cultivated as a potential sweetener. There has been some albeit limited interest from the diet
food industy. Not only that – the fruit can aid patients receiving medical treatment that may
leave an unpleasant taste in the mouth.

A. These range from wedges of fruit, strong cheeses and pickles to plates of Brussel sprouts.

B. It’s like I’ve been transported back to childhood, sitting on the porch with Grandma and her
delicious homemade pop.

C. According to scientists the result happens because of a protein called miraculin.

D. Then push it around your mouth like you’d do with a piece of gum for about sixty seconds.

E. Yet that is what the guests of host, Larry Walters, are given on their arrival at one of his
tasting parties in an upmarket district of New York.

F. Not everyone is a fan of the berry’s strange effect, however.

G. They first noticed its distinctive property when they saw local people chewing the berry
before a meal.

A. These range from wedges of fruit, strong cheeses and pickles to plates of Brussel sprouts.

B. It’s like I’ve been transported back to childhood, sitting on the porch with Grandma and her
delicious homemade pop.

C. According to scientists the result happens because of a protein called miraculin.

D. Then push it around your mouth like you’d do with a piece of gum for about sixty seconds.

E. Yet that is what the guests of host, Larry Walters, are given on their arrival at one of his
tasting parties in an upmarket district of New York.

F. Not everyone is a fan of the berry’s strange effect, however.

G. They first noticed its distinctive property when they saw local people chewing the berry
before a meal.

Tongue Trickster
Never mind the tongue twister – here’s the tongue trickster
Frank Parsons reports on the craze for a strange type of fruit.

Imagine drinking a glass of pure, freshly-squeezed lemon juice with nothing added. It’s enough
to turn your stomach.

1
I watch as one-by-one they down the drink, tentative at first, and then smiling broadly as they
declare, “It tastes just like grandma’s lemonade.”
Fifty or so people crowd around a table on the rooftop terrace of Larry’s small but swish
apartment. I edge my way forward and arrive at the table that positively groans with the array of
food piled high.

My host appears at my shoulder, and says, “Here, have this.” This turns out to be a small red
berry about the size of a blueberry, but slightly elongated, the shape of a coffee bean.

He looks at the expression on my face. “It’s known as the miracle fruit. Just put it in your mouth,”
he instructs, “and chew it slightly to separate the pulp from its seed.

I obey his command and then discreetly spit the remains into my handkerchief while his glance
is averted.

“Done?” he asks, turning back to me. I nod. He grabs a glass of the lemon juice from a passing
waiter and offers it to me. “Now drink.” I take a small sip, and close my eyes. The guests are
right.

My host states knowingly I have experienced first-hand the phenomenon of the Synsepalum
Dulcificum, or the Miracle Fruit. This small berry has the amazing effect of causing bitter or sour
foods to taste as sweet as sugar candy.

When it comes into contact with acidic foods, like vinegar, it starts to behave like a sweetener.

A native fruit of West Africa, the fruit was discovered by western explorers around 1725.

Left uncultivated, the miracle fruit grows in bushes reaching six metres in height. It produces
crops twice yearly, usually after the rainy season, and has attractive white flowers.

Despite being around for centuries it is only in recent years that the miracle fruit has been
cultivated as a potential sweetener. There has been some albeit limited interest from the diet
food industy. Not only that – the fruit can aid patients receiving medical treatment that may
leave an unpleasant taste in the mouth.

Tongue Trickster
Never mind the tongue twister – here’s the tongue trickster
Frank Parsons reports on the craze for a strange type of fruit.

Imagine drinking a glass of pure, freshly-squeezed lemon juice with nothing added. It’s enough
to turn your stomach.

1 E
I watch as one-by-one they down the drink, tentative at first, and then smiling broadly as they
declare, “It tastes just like grandma’s lemonade.”

Fifty or so people crowd around a table on the rooftop terrace of Larry’s small but swish
apartment. I edge my way forward and arrive at the table that positively groans with the array of
food piled high.

2 A

My host appears at my shoulder, and says, “Here, have this.” This turns out to be a small red
berry about the size of a blueberry, but slightly elongated, the shape of a coffee bean.

He looks at the expression on my face. “It’s known as the miracle fruit. Just put it in your mouth,”
he instructs, “and chew it slightly to separate the pulp from its seed.

3 D

I obey his command and then discreetly spit the remains into my handkerchief while his glance
is averted.

“Done?” he asks, turning back to me. I nod. He grabs a glass of the lemon juice from a passing
waiter and offers it to me. “Now drink.” I take a small sip, and close my eyes. The guests are
right.

4 B

My host states knowingly I have experienced first-hand the phenomenon of the Synsepalum
Dulcificum, or the Miracle Fruit. This small berry has the amazing effect of causing bitter or sour
foods to taste as sweet as sugar candy.

5 C

When it comes into contact with acidic foods, like vinegar, it starts to behave like a sweetener.

A native fruit of West Africa, the fruit was discovered by western explorers around 1725.

6 G

Left uncultivated, the miracle fruit grows in bushes reaching six metres in height. It produces
crops twice yearly, usually after the rainy season, and has attractive white flowers.

Despite being around for centuries it is only in recent years that the miracle fruit has been
cultivated as a potential sweetener. There has been some albeit limited interest from the diet
food industy. Not only that – the fruit can aid patients receiving medical treatment that may
leave an unpleasant taste in the mouth.
A. These are twelve acupuncture channels along which energy travels in the human
body.

B. Also on a physical level I’ve treated a woman for problems with eczema.

C. I'd like to work with practitioners of homeopathy, reflexology, aromatherapy and

perhaps counselling.

D. There was a lot more to it than that though.

E. Contrary to popular belief, having the needles placed in your body is quite painless.

F. I’ve had a lot of acupuncture treatment and found it particularly useful.

G. This is very different from Western medicine which is supposed to work solely on
the body

A. These are twelve acupuncture channels along which energy travels in the human
body.

B. Also on a physical level I’ve treated a woman for problems with eczema.

C. I'd like to work with practitioners of homeopathy, reflexology, aromatherapy and

perhaps counselling.

D. There was a lot more to it than that though.

E. Contrary to popular belief, having the needles placed in your body is quite painless.

F. I’ve had a lot of acupuncture treatment and found it particularly useful.

G. This is very different from Western medicine which is supposed to work solely on
the body

This month in lifestyles we feature Sarah a practising

acupuncturist.

I’ve done a lot of travelling in Europe and Asia throughout my adult life and it was whilst I was
teaching in China that I became interested in acupuncture. It is common for people there to
have acupuncture treatment, not only if they’re ill but also to prevent the onset of diseases. It
was after returning from China and witnessing how successful it had been that I reached the
decision to become an acupuncturist myself. I was lucky to discover that the town where I lived
had a famous and well-reputed college of traditional acupuncture.

Alternative medicine is particularly important for me because I firmly believe that it works on the
level of body, mind and spirit.

Of course this medicine is very powerful and can consequently have powerful side effects.
Alternative medicine like acupuncture on the other hand is aimed at treating the person as a
whole. When a person’s ill, there’s something in their life which is putting their energy levels out
of balance. What alternative therapies try to do is help to gradually push that energy back into
balance. The result is that any disease present might naturally disappear as it cannot survive
when energies are balanced.

The treatments consist largely of balancing the energy between the different meridians of a
person’s body.

Treatment aims to free blocks of energy in these meridians which may be causing ill health and
which may have been there for many years.

It would be an odd state of affairs if a practising alternative therapist had not had treatment
themselves and this is certainly not the case for myself.

I’ve never suffered particularly from physical problems but treatment for my mental and spiritual
wellbeing has been very successful.

I’ve treated a wide range of people for various conditions, for example people suffering from
stress and anxiety and helped them to cope with stressful situations in their lives.

There’s another woman who suffers from arthritis of the hip and at the moment I’m treating an
old lady who has several health problems, one of them being Parkinson’s Disease. All these
people have found that acupuncture has made them feel more balanced in themselves and they
have certainly benefited from the treatment.

To date I currently own the Licentiate in Acupuncture. This course lasted three years and I had
to go to the college about one weekend in three.

I had a large amount of homework to do and practical work, which I did two or three evenings a
week. This entailed locating points on different people. As you can imagine, this isn’t
straightforward as people are different sizes and have different shaped bodies.

In the future I hope to set up an alternative health clinic which will involve myself as an
acupuncturist but perhaps other people as well.

I’d like to set this up somewhere in a rural setting, where people could enjoy coming not only for
the treatment but where they would be able to sit and enjoy the scenery, go for walks and
basically feel free from the stresses of life.

This month in lifestyles we feature Sarah a practising

acupuncturist.
I’ve done a lot of travelling in Europe and Asia throughout my adult life and it was whilst I was
teaching in China that I became interested in acupuncture. It is common for people there to
have acupuncture treatment, not only if they’re ill but also to prevent the onset of diseases. It
was after returning from China and witnessing how successful it had been that I reached the
decision to become an acupuncturist myself. I was lucky to discover that the town where I lived
had a famous and well-reputed college of traditional acupuncture.

Alternative medicine is particularly important for me because I firmly believe that it works on the
level of body, mind and spirit.

1 G

Of course this medicine is very powerful and can consequently have powerful side effects.
Alternative medicine like acupuncture on the other hand is aimed at treating the person as a
whole. When a person’s ill, there’s something in their life which is putting their energy levels out
of balance. What alternative therapies try to do is help to gradually push that energy back into
balance. The result is that any disease present might naturally disappear as it cannot survive
when energies are balanced.

The treatments consist largely of balancing the energy between the different meridians of a
person’s body.

2 A

Treatment aims to free blocks of energy in these meridians which may be causing ill health and
which may have been there for many years.

It would be an odd state of affairs if a practising alternative therapist had not had treatment
themselves and this is certainly not the case for myself.

3 F

I’ve never suffered particularly from physical problems but treatment for my mental and spiritual
wellbeing has been very successful.

I’ve treated a wide range of people for various conditions, for example people suffering from
stress and anxiety and helped them to cope with stressful situations in their lives.

4 B

There’s another woman who suffers from arthritis of the hip and at the moment I’m treating an
old lady who has several health problems, one of them being Parkinson’s Disease. All these
people have found that acupuncture has made them feel more balanced in themselves and they
have certainly benefited from the treatment.

To date I currently own the Licentiate in Acupuncture. This course lasted three years and I had
to go to the college about one weekend in three.

5 D
I had a large amount of homework to do and practical work, which I did two or three evenings a
week. This entailed locating points on different people. As you can imagine, this isn’t
straightforward as people are different sizes and have different shaped bodies.

In the future I hope to set up an alternative health clinic which will involve myself as an
acupuncturist but perhaps other people as well.

6 C

I’d like to set this up somewhere in a rural setting, where people could enjoy coming not only for
the treatment but where they would be able to sit and enjoy the scenery, go for walks and
basically feel free from the stresses of life.