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Isolated Tribe in Brazil Spotted From the Air


Brazilian officials say they have located and photographed one of the countrys last
uncontacted tribes in the remote western Amazon jungle near the border with Peru.
Of the more than 100 uncontacted tribes in the world, more than half live in the Brazil-Peru
area.
Jose Carlos Meirelles from the Brazilian National Indian Foundation said the tribe is
threatened by illegal logging which is encroaching on their territory and could force them off
their land.
He says they have been monitoring four distinct groups in the area for the past 20 years
Advocates for indian tribes are calling on countries to enforce international law in an effort
to protect the peoples habitat.

1. Hny elszigetelt trzs l a brazil-perui terleten?


tbb mint 500
tbb mint 100
tbb mint 50
2. Mi fenyegeti a felfedezett trzset?
lgi forgalom
nemzetkzi egyezmnyek
fakitermels
3. A cikkben nyilatkoz kinek a nevben szlalt meg
egy alaptvny
a brazil rendrsg
az gyvdi kamara

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Look Out for that Bump! Screech!


Traffic-safety experts are getting creative when it comes to foiling speeding drivers who
zoom dangerously through city neighborhoods. Most towns dont have enough police
officers to actually catch many speeders, so they try to slow everyone down through whats
called traffic calming.
Some communities put up additional traffic lights or signs to force drivers to slow and stop
more often. But this can lead to long, infuriating backups of cars.
Traffic circles or zig-zag obstacle courses are other calming devices. They break up straight
stretches of road, which are an open invitation to speeding. The traffic islands have the
desired effect, but drivers tend to crash into their raised curbs and flower beds.
Many towns have tried speed bumps, or raised ridges in the road. If you ignore them, they
produce a teeth-rattling bounce that can ruin shock absorbers and axles. The humps slow
down, give a good jolt to, and irritate safe drivers, too, including those in emergency
vehicles.
The latest, somewhat sneaky, speed-reducing innovation is an optical illusion! The
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is testing fake speed bumps! These are flat
sheets of thermoplastic, laid across a street and embedded with designs that, from a
distance, look like three-dimensional pyramids, sticking up from the pavement. Who
wouldnt slow down for that? And they cost a fraction of real humps in the road.
But theres one problem with these bumpy illusions: as the police traffic coordinator in
Phoenix, Arizona, told the Associated Press, they were great until people found out what
they were!
Once they do, determined speeders pay them no more mind than they would a pretty
landscape scene, painted on the street.

1. Mi a htrnya a fekvrendrnek?
feltorldnak miatta az autk
bosszantja a szablyosan kzlekedket
tnkreteheti a gumikat

Do you understand?

2. Mi az elnye az optikai fekvrendrnek?


hatsosabb
olcsbb
szebb
3. Mi lthat az optikai fekvrendrn?
tjkp
virggysok
piramisok

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You are an idiot!


In America, as in most cultures, you risk offending people if you call them dumb or an idiot
to their faces. You also risk a punch in the nose.
And yet by the millions, people are buying books with titles like Wine for Dummies and The
Complete Idiots Guide to Motorcycles. When we dont know a thing about meditation or
buying stocks or speaking Bulgarian, were happy to be insulted. Go right ahead: call us
dummies on the cover of your book. Just show us how to lay tile or knit a sweater.
And for 17 years, thats exactly what a seemingly endless stream of books, written in a
breezy manner with lots of illustrations and simple instructions, has done.
Want a tattoo? Theres The Complete Idiots Guide to getting one. A yappy little dog?
Chihuahuas for Dummies will tell you all there is to know about them. Theres The Complete
Idiots Guide to Webkinz, whatever that is. And Chronic Pain for Dummies, leaving us to
wonder where smart people go to deal with pain.
More than 125 million copies in the Dummies series alone have sold since the first Dummies
book about a computer program called DOS was published in 1991.
Ever since, Dummies and Idiots books have promised to teach us how to garden, learn
religions, paint walls, even raise our kids.
Dummies books have been translated into 39 languages and published in 40 countries, so all
the idiots are no longer in America. There are now dummies videos, too.
You name it chess, vampires, foreclosed houses theres a Dummies or Idiots book about
it. Theres even one called Biochemistry for Dummies. But no Idiots Guide to Brain Surgery
yet!

1. Hny milli pldnyt adtak el a Dummies-sorozatbl?


17
40
125

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2. Az els ilyen knyv mirl rdott?


a tetovlsrl
a DOS programrl
a biokmirl
3. Mivel bvlt a termkkr?
videkkal
szmtgpes programokkal
hangosknyvekkel

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Afghan Troops Seize, Destroy Almost 237 Tons of


Hashish
Afghan and U.S. officials say Afghan troops have seized almost 237 tons of hashish, dealing a
severe blow to Taliban insurgents who profit from the drug trade.
Once exported, the drugs would have been worth an estimated $400 million. The
commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, U.S. General David McKiernan, said Wednesday,
of that amount, about $14 million would have gone to Taliban insurgents. He said the
seizure has seriously crippled the Talibans ability to purchase weapons and threaten the
Afghan people.
Officials say the hashish which weighed as much as 30 of Londons double-decker buses
had been buried in trenches in the Spin Boldak region of Kandahar province in southern
Afghanistan. Afghan counter-narcotics police set fire to the trenches to destroy the hashish.
U.S. and Afghan officials say the find may be the worlds biggest, single seizure of illegal
drugs. Officials say the operation also resulted in the arrest of multiple drug dealers,
including some from Iran.
General McKiernan congratulated the Afghan government on the operation and promised
continued support and training.
Afghan officials also reported success in another counter-narcotics operation. The Interior
Ministry said police in Helmand province seized more than 5,000 kilograms of opium, worth
about $30 million.
Meanwhile, the U.N. Security Council today called on countries to do a better job of
regulating chemicals that Afghan drug lords need to produce heroin. The council voted
unanimously in favor of a resolution asking for better compliance with existing international
treaties.

1. Mennyit r a lefoglalt hasis?


14 milli dollr
400 milli dollr
30 milli dollr

Do you understand?

2. Kik talltk meg a hasist?


afgn csapatok
amerikai csapatok
a Talibn
3. Hol talltak piumot?
Irnban
Kandaharban
Helmandban

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Budapest tops Prague, Vienna and Warsaw in


Mastercard financial center poll
Although political and economic instability continues to be a bugbear, a new survey by
MasterCard has ranked Budapest as the most developed financial center in Central and
Eastern Europe, ahead of regional rivals like Prague and Warsaw, but the Hungarian capital is
also doing better compared to other financial hubs such as Vienna and Berlin.
Budapest placed 32nd for best financial center globally in a survey evaluating 75 cities
worldwide on the basis of a wide range of factors including legal and political frameworks,
economic stability, ease of doing business, volume of financial activities, presence of
financial institutions, reputations as business centers, contributions toward knowledge
creation, and livability.
On aggregate, the Hungarian capital slipped 12 spots to 52nd place as a commerce center,
ranking behind Prague (49th) and Moscow (51th) but ahead of Warsaw (59th), but this was
mainly down to MasterCard adding 25 new entrants to last years list.
On the upside, Budapest outshone its regional rivals in terms of financial flow (banking,
insurance and securities services) and logistics, while it was dragged down for legal and
political stability.

1. sszestsben mely vros ll htrbb Budapestnl?


Prga
Bcs
Vars
2. Mi jelentett negatvumot Budapest rtkelsnl?
logisztika
pnzgyek
politikai helyzet

Do you understand?

3. Hny j vros szerepelt a listn?


25
50
75

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This is the Week for BirdBird-Watching in California


Wednesday will be a big day in a little town located between Los Angeles and San Diego,
California. Its the day that a great flock of swallows will return to the site of the old Spanish
mission at San Juan Capistrano, just as the birds always seem to do precisely on March 19th.
Theres even a famous song about it. It was a hit in the big-band era of the 1950s:
When the swallows come back to Capistrano,
Thats the day you promised to come back to me
Legend has it that each Saint Josephs Day, March 19th, swallows that have migrated 9700
kilometers from Goya, Argentina, reappear en masse in Capistrano. And then, as the song
says,
All the mission bells will ring
The chapel choir will sing
The reality is that the birds straggle in over several days in mid-March. Their exact arrival
dates depend upon weather conditions between South America and California. But there are
almost always enough birds on hand for the mission to throw a celebration party, which it
does every March 19th.
Along with bird-watching, visitors tour the historic mission, which Franciscan priests and
Spanish settlers built in 1776, the very year that a new nation called the United States was
born on the eastern side of the continent.
The mission was one of several along a crude California road that became known as El
Camino Real the Royal Road. Throughout California, you still see the symbol of that road
an old mission bell hanging from a curved pole though its often hard to spot the bells
among Californias modern freeways, subdivisions, and shopping centers.
Five hundred thousand visitors, including 80,000 schoolchildren, tour San Juan Capistrano
each year. This week, as huge crowds jam the mission grounds, and as all heads turn
skyward, it can seem as though all 500,000 visitors have come at the same time, hoping to
witness the spectacle of the swallows return.

10

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1. Hol fekszik San Juan Capistrano?


San Diego s Goya kztt
a Kirlyi t mentn
Dl-Amerikban
2. Mikor plt a misszi?
az 1950-es vekben
a spanyol konkvisztdorok idejn
az Egyeslt llamok ltrejttekor
3. Hny ltogatja van a misszinak egy vben?
500.000
80.000
200.000

11

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Consumer sentiment hits rock bottom in April


Consumer confidence in Hungary fell to a 13-year low in April, while businesses havent been
as downbeat in three years, market researcher GKI said in its latest economic sentiment
survey.
The overall index, which includes both consumers and businesses, fell to an all-time low as
both sub-indexes dropped three points to -55.4 and -10.9 respectively.
GKI said the government crisis was mainly responsible for the low consumer confidence,
while industrial businesses became more pessimistic over the weak European growth
outlook.
Following a small improvement in February, the industrial confidence index retreated back
to January levels. Expectations about future orders improved somewhat overall, but
businesses were more downbeat on exports. Inventories were up in April and businesses
were more willing to hire new staff.
In the building sector, confidence fell sharply after a steady but modest increase over the
previous months, as businesses expected fewer orders and were less inclined to take on new
employees.
Sentiment was also down in the trading and service sectors, while households grew gloomier
about their personal finances, short-term savings and unemployment.

1. Mi cskkent prilisban?
a fogyaszti bizalmi index
a vllalati bizalmi index
mindkett

12

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2. Mivel kapcsolatban optimistk a cgek ltalban?


exportkiltsok
vrhat megrendelsek
eurpai nvekedsi tem
3. Hol zuhant meredeken a bizalmi mutat?
ptipar
kereskedelem
pnzgyi szektor

13

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Breastfed Babies Smarter


Research has shown that breastfed babies are healthier than babies given formula and have
fewer allergies and infections. And, says Michael Kramer, theyre also smarter. We found
that the children in the experimental group had about three to five IQ points higher than
those in the control group and that their teachers rated them slightly higher in academic
subjects of reading, writing, math.
The McGill University professor of pediatrics and epidemiology led a team of researchers
who analyzed the effect of breastfeeding on cognitive development. They studied 14,000
children from birth to age 6-and-a-half in the eastern European country of Belarus, where
breastfeeding had not been encouraged. In Belarus and all the former Soviet countries, the
maternity hospital practices were like they were in American [hospitals] 30 years ago,
Kramer says. That was a good place to actually implement the intervention because we
were able to create a difference between the experimental and controlled sites.
The experimental group adopted the UNICEF/ World Health Organizations Baby Friendly
Initiative that promotes universal breastfeeding for infants.
Kramer says, while the gain in IQ is modest, it is a gift any mother can give to her child. It is
a comparable difference to what you find between a first born child and a subsequently born
child, or a child that was read to or played with a lot by his mother and parents versus a kid
who is parked in front of a television.
Kramer says his team plans to continue their work with the same children. Next they will
look at risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes because some studies suggest
that breastfeeding may lead to a reduction in those diseases later in life.

1. Hny ves korukig vizsgltk a gyerekeket?


30
6 s fl
14

14

Do you understand?

15

2. Mekkora IQ-nvekedst mutattak ki az anyatejjel tplltaknl?


3-5 pont
6 pont
10-15 pont
3. Mit vizsglnak a tovbbiakban?
Az els- s msodszlttek kzti kognitv klnbsgeket.
A tvzs kros hatsait.
Az anyatejes tplls hatst bizonyos betegsgek kialakulsi gyakorisgra.

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Delta, Northwest Merger Makes Worlds Largest Airline


Two U.S. airlines, Delta and Northwest, have agreed to merge, a move that would create the
worlds largest airline, and might spark a wave of consolidations in the troubled industry.
The combined airline will be called Delta, will put Deltas chief executive officer in charge,
and have 75,000 workers. The combined company has 800 planes and $35 billion in revenue.
The plan still needs approval from stockholders and anti-trust regulators, who may be
concerned that consolidation will reduce competition in the airline industry.
Several other major airlines, including United and Continental, have been discussing mergers
in the hope that larger, more efficient companies can better weather soaring fuel prices and
slowing demand.
For passengers, fewer airlines would mean less competition on some routes which could
bring higher fares.

1. Mi okoz problmt a lgitrsasgoknak?


magas zemanyagrak
szigorod versenyszablyozs
kedveztlen idjrs
2. Az egyesl cgek kzl melyik tnik dominnsnak?
Delta
Northwest
egyik sem

16

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3. Mit vlthat ki a kt cg egyeslse?


jegyr-cskkenst
munkaer-leptst
tovbbi egyeslseket

17

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Concierges Aim to Please


The position of hotel concierge is hardly an American creation. Even the word is French. But
in at least one American city the raucous gambling mecca of Las Vegas, Nevada the job
takes on proportions that go well beyond European refinement.
In Vegas theres a lot more asked of a concierge than to find show tickets or give directions
to mighty Hoover Dam in the nearby desert.
This, after all, is the naughty town whose official slogan is, What Happens in Vegas Stays in
Vegas.
Concierges there told the Chicago Tribune newspaper that they will not arrange anything
illegal. Whether thats universally true in Party Town U.S.A. is open to suspicion, but
requests of Vegas concierges can border on the bizarre.
One man asked that a full-sized, stuffed gorilla be waiting in the room when his lady friend
arrived. The concierge found one.
Another fellow wanted a Mexican-style mariachi band to follow him around a casino while
he gambled. The concierge set it up, though theres no word on how other gamblers reacted
to the din of trumpets and guitars. The gambler fared so well at the tables that he asked the
band to accompany him the next night as well.
Another time, a Japanese woman who spoke little English had to rush her son to a hospital.
While the boy was resting comfortably, she returned to her hotel, only to realize she had no
idea how to get back to the hospital and her son. The concierge sent a photographer to
shoot pictures of every hospital in town. The woman recognized one of them and was able
to hurry back to her son.
One request that a Vegas concierge could not, or would not, satisfy was to have a warm bath
awaiting a guests arrival. Not one with water and bubbles, but a tub filled with goats milk.
Apparently there werent enough goats in all of Nevada for the concierge to pull that one
off.

18

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1. Milyen ltvnyossg tallhat a nevadai sivatagban?


indin szobrok
nagy gt
kitmtt gorilla
2. Mit fotzott le a fnykpsz a vrosban?
a krhzakat
a kaszinkat
a japnokat
3. Milyen frdt krt egy vendg?
jeges
madrtejes
kecsketejes

19

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Hungary tops OECD survey of manufacturing wage


growth
Hungary has recorded the biggest rise in gross wages in the manufacturing industries since
2000 of all the 30 OECD countries, recently published statistical data revealed.
As of August last year, Hungarian gross wages in this sector had soared 96.3% in only seven
years, while prices rose by a cumulative total of 56.1% during the same period.
This compares to an average OECD rise of 23.2% in gross wages combined with cumulative
inflation of 19.8%, bringing average real wage growth in OECD countries to 3.4% versus
50.1% in Hungary.
Wage figures included seasonal adjustments, overtime pay and regular wage supplements.
The second biggest rise was registered in South Korea with 78.6%. Gross wages barely rose
at all in Japan and Portugal.
In the Central-Eastern European region, Poland saw a wage increase of 41.8%, the Czech
Republic 56.8%, Slovakia 68.6% and Austria 21.2%.

1. Mekkora volt az tlagos relbr-nvekeds az OECD-ben?


23,2%
3,4%
19,8%
2. Hol stagnltak a brek?
Dl-Korea
Portuglia
Lengyelorszg

20

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3. Mit nem vettek figyelembe a szmtsoknl?


tlrk kifizetst
idszakos ingadozsokat
v vgi prmiumokat

21

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Customs agency cracks counterfeiting circuit


Authorities have uncovered a crime ring that has mass produced fake invoices since 2005
and sold them mainly to business clients, said a spokesman for the customs agency VPOP.
The scam involved roughly 150 businesses, who bought the invoices in order to reclaim taxes
they had never paid, amounting to a total of Ft 1.2 billion.
Authorities searched 26 locations and collected a variety of evidence including stamps,
receipts, computer parts, nearly Ft 8 million in cash and consumer goods. Several bank
accounts were also blocked during the operation.
The VPOP said it has filed legal proceedings against 11 people in connection with the case
over charges including fraud, tax evasion and forgery, and five of them have been taken into
custody.

1. Hny vllalkozs rintett az gyben?


11
26
150
2. Mekkora a hamis szmlk rtke?
1,2 millird forint
8 milli forint
1,2 milli forint

22

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3. Hny embert vettek rizetbe?


11
8
5

23

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Renewal of Szkesfehrvr castle in full swing


The renewal of the Bory Castle in Szkesfehrvr, now operating as a private museum, has
reached a new stage with the reconstruction works of the Cscsos torony (Pointed Tower)
completed.
The beautiful castle, uniquely ornated with towers, arcades, patios and statues, was built by
maverick sculptor and architect Jen Bory. He began construction in 1912 and continued to
expand the building until his death in 1959. His seven grandchildren began reconstruction of
the castle, which had deteriorated badly by the 1980s. They established a foundation, and,
through various grants, have been able to renew 70-80% of the castle so far.
Now that the renewal of the unique interior and the sumptuous and richly adorned rooms of
the tower is complete, the next step will be the renovation of the garden fountain, which will
become fully functional by the beginning of summer. The fountain, according to
photographic evidence, is the oldest part of the castle.
The Bory Castle attracts increasing numbers of tourists and hosts cultural events throughout
the year.

1. Mikor kezddtt a vr ptse?


1912
1959
1980
2. Mi volt az pt foglalkozsa?
muzeolgus
ptszmrnk
fotogrfus

24

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3. Minek a feljtsa trtnik meg nyrra?


vrtorony
szkkt
udvari szobor

25

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US Stocks Soar; Biggest Dow Gain Since 2002


U.S. stocks soared on Tuesday after the Federal Reserve and other major central banks
worldwide said they would provide more than $200 billion to banks and mortgage providers
struggling for cash.
The Fed acting in coordination with the central banks in Canada and Europe offered $200
billion and said it could increase the size of the program if needed. The other central banks
offered up about $25 billion.
The move bolstered U.S. stock markets burdened by soaring oil prices and a weak dollar. The
Dow Jones Industrial Average a main barometer of the U.S. stock market rose 3.6 percent
its biggest one-day gain in more than five years.
Earlier, crude oil prices closed at a record high just under $109 a barrel.
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino says President Bush welcomes the steps being
taken by the Federal Reserve and the other central banks, and has full confidence in Fed
Chairman Ben Bernanke. Perino also said the White House is concerned about the high
gasoline prices and their impact on U.S. consumers and small businesses.
Perino, however, said there was nothing Mr. Bush could do to bring gasoline costs down
quickly and that the issue is something that we are all going to have to work through.

1. Mennyit tett a programba Eurpa s Kanada?


25 millird
200 millird
tbb mint 200 millird
2. Ki dvzlte a lpst?
Dana Perino
Bush elnk
Ben Bernanke

26

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3. Melyik kedveztlen a rszvnypiac szmra?


a Dow Jones Industrial Average emelkedse
a dollr ersdse
az olajrak emelkedse

27

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Jellyfish return to Budapest Zoo after 50 years


After fifty years, jellyfish are living again in a pool in the Budapest Zoo.
The body of a jellyfish is 95 percent water, making it very vulnerable, and extremely difficult
to keep. Even rising air bubbles can kill them by tearing their tissues, while being stuck in a
corner of the aquarium can be fatal. The water therefore cannot contain any dangerous
objects, and cannot have any corners that result in stagnation of the water.
The aquarium also has to be equipped with a special machine which keeps the water in
constant rotation allowing the jellyfish to flow with the water passively. This artificial flow is
stopped from time to time to allow younger specimens swim actively to train their muscles
and toughen their fragile bodies.
The other difficulty of keeping jellyfish is that they consume live plankton, small crabs and
similar tiny organisms which are abundant in their natural environment but cannot be kept
so densely in a pool tank, so the animals have to be fed one by one. They also need very
good water quality, low temperature and lighting. Their reproduction is interesting as well as
they have both sexual and asexual reproductive stages.
The jellyfish type kept in the Budapest Zoo is the Aurelia aurita or Moon Jellyfish.

1. Mi veszlyes egy medzra?


felszll buborkok
apr rkok
aktv mozgs
2. Mirt kapcsoljk le idnknt a keringtetst?
sr legyen a plankton a medencben
a fiatal medzk edzdjenek
ne melegedjen tl a vz

28

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3. Mi fontos a medzk szmra?


teljes sttsg
j vzminsg
nmegvalsts

29

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US $5 Bill Gets Makeover


The U.S. five-dollar bill is getting a makeover intended to frustrate counterfeiters and help
people with poor eyesight.
The redesigned bill has additional watermarks, a larger portrait of President Abraham
Lincoln, some new print of very tiny size, and other features that are hard to fake.
It also has a very large numeral five printed in the lower right hand corner on the back of
the bill in high-contrast ink, to make it easier for visually-impaired people to use the money.
The new bills will be put into circulation on March 13. Older bills are still worth $5 and are
still perfectly valid.
Several other denominations have already been updated, and the $100 bill is next on the
schedule.
About $770 billion of U.S. currency circulates around the world, more than any other
currency.

1. Milyen biztonsgi elemrl nem esik sz?


vzjel
fmszl
aprbets felirat
2. Hol lesz az 5-s szmjegy ms tintval nyomtatva?
az eloldal jobb als sarkban
a htoldal jobb fels sarkban
a htoldal jobb als sarkban

30

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3. Mikor vonjk ki a rgi tdollrosokat?


mrcius 13-n
nem vonjk ki
a szzdollros talakts utn

31

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Total Lunar Eclipse Late Wednesday


Skywatchers in the western hemisphere will be able to view the full moon in shades of red as
it slides into the shadow of the Earth during a total lunar eclipse Wednesday night.
If weather conditions are favorable, the entire eclipse will be visible in South America and
most of North America late Wednesday. People in western Europe, Africa and western Asia
can view the eclipse before dawn on Thursday.
The U.S. space agency, NASA, says the major stage of the eclipse will last about 50 minutes
at 0301 GMT until 0351 GMT. The moon can take on a dramatically colorful appearance,
from bright orange to blood red, as it passes through the Earths shadow.
A total lunar eclipse occurs when the full moon passes into the Earths shadow and is
blocked from the suns rays. The moon will not be completely dark because some light still
reaches it around the edges of the Earth. Unlike solar eclipses, which require protective
eyewear, lunar eclipses are safe to view with the naked eye.
Wednesdays event will mark the last total lunar eclipse until 2010. The last total lunar
eclipse took place in August 2007.

1. Hol lthat a holdfogyatkozs szerdn?


Amerika
zsia
Eurpa
2. Mi tapasztalhat a fogyatkozs sorn?
A hold optikailag megnagyobbodik
A hold szne fokozatosan vltozik
A hold teljesen eltnik

32

Do you understand?

3. Mennyi ideig tart?


20 perc
30 perc
50 perc

33

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Hungarys new minimum tax targets serial moneymoneylosers


With Hungarian businesses liable for the minimum tax for the first time this year, they are
advised to think twice about the items they include on their tax returns.
Under the minimum tax rule, which came into effect on July 1, 2007, if the pre-tax profit or
tax base of a company or sole proprietor is less than 2% of their adjusted gross income, they
can opt either to pay taxes on 2% anyway or fill out a statement listing their revenues and
costs according to a given set of questions.
These declaration forms are then evaluated by the national tax office (APEH) to filter out
potential tax evaders who the authorities may have reason to believe artificially boost their
expenditure figures in order to minimize or void their tax obligations altogether.
Official figures show that nearly 40% of the 403,000 sole proprietorships doing business in
Hungary in 2006 were either loss-making, at break-even, or had earnings of less than 2% of
their turnover. The rate was an even higher 41% for partnerships.
Companies often declare themselves loss-making for years without winding up, which APEH
says is unrealistic. Since the minimum tax was introduced last July, some 45,000 businesses
have been wound up. Meanwhile, only 52 companies have reportedly tried to sidestep the
minimum tax by filling out the required statements.
APEH said it will closely watch dubious items typically used by companies to reduce their tax
bill, such as entertainment expenses. In addition to the relevant tax year, businesses have to
provide expense and income figures for the previous two years. Since the tax was introduced
at mid-year, revenues will be split and taxed accordingly.
Companies singled out by APEH as suspicious will be notified within 30 days about further
inspections, scheduled to take place within the following 12 month. These inspections do
not qualify as subsequent tax payment verification and thus do not close the companys tax
year.
Businesses which dont receive a notification from APEH within 30 days after filing their tax
returns may still face inspections at later dates on other accounts, but companies can chose
to file amended returns.
APEH has said taxpayers who submit a declaration bear the burden of proof and have to
convince the tax authority of the validity of the moot items.
APEH has the authority to use estimations in certain cases as conclusive evidence.

34

Do you understand?

1. Mi a 2%?
az elvrt ad mrtke
a minimlis forgalom-arnyos adalap mrtke
a fluktuci mrtke az adhatsgnl
2. Hny vllalkozs adta be a cikkben emltett nyilatkozatot?
52
45.000
403.000
3. Mennyi idn bell folytatjk le a vizsglatot?
30 nap
6 hnap
12 hnap

35

Do you understand?

French Police Detain Trader Blamed for $7 Billion


Bank Loss
French police have detained a young bank trader blamed for losses of more than $7 billion at
Frances second largest bank, Societe Generale.
Judicial officials say authorities are holding Jerome Kerviel for questioning Saturday at the
headquarters of the French financial police in Paris. The 31-year-old had not been seen in
public since Societe Generale announced the record trading loss Thursday.
French investigators searched Kerviels home in the Paris suburbs Friday as part of their
investigation of the former stock index futures trader.
Societe Generale says Kerviel has confessed to covering up losses in his trading activity by
inventing other trades that never occurred. The loss nearly wiped out the banks profit for
2007, and is being called one of the biggest financial frauds in history.
Bank officials have fired Kerviel and his supervisors, but they say the young trader did not
profit from his actions. They describe him as a relatively low-level trader of limited
experience who had worked for the bank since 2000.
President Nicolas Sarkozy spoke Friday, during a visit to India, about the scandal. Although
the bank faces a large-scale internal problem, Mr. Sarkozy says there is no reason to doubt
the stability and reliability of the French financial system.
However, Societe Generale is under increasing government pressure to give a full account of
how the trader managed to lose so much money.

1. Hnyadik legnagyobb francia bankrl van sz?


els
msodik
harmadik

36

Do you understand?

2. Mikor jelentettk be a csalst?


cstrtkn
pnteken
szombaton
3. Kit rgtak ki az gy miatt?
a brkert
a brkert s feletteseit
a brkert s a bankelnkt

37

Do you understand?

North Korea Calls for Formal End to Korean War


North Korea has called for a peace treaty formally ending the Korean War to be signed as
soon as possible, to ease military tensions with the United States.
The call was made in a commentary published by the Rodong daily, the newspaper of the
Norths ruling Workers Party. It said now is the right time for a peace treaty to replace the
armistice that has been in place since 1953.
The Korean peninsula is technically still at war since the fighting ended.
North and South Korean leaders held a summit in October that resulted in a call for a
meeting of three or four parties to lay groundwork for a formal peace treaty and normalized
U.S.-North Korean relations.
But South Korean opponents to the idea argue that any treaty should wait until North Korea
completes the full abandonment of its nuclear programs.

1. Mirt kvn bkeszerzdst ktni szak-Korea?


az atomprogram lezrsa rdekben
a katonai feszltsgek enyhtsrt
az oktberi cscstallkoz megszervezshez
2. Hol ellenzik a cikk szerint a bkeszerzdst?
a Munksprt lapjban
az Egyeslt llamokban
Dl-Koreban

38

Do you understand?

Sharapova Wins Aussie Open Tennis


Russian Maria Sharapova has breezed past Ana Ivanovic of Serbia 7-5, 6-3 to win the
womens singles title at the Australian Open in Melbourne, the first Grand Slam tournament
of the 2008 season.
The 20-year-old Sharapova defeated the No. 4 seed Ivanovic Saturday in a match that lasted
just 91 minutes on a hot day with temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius.
The victory gave Sharapova her first Australian Open championship, and is the third Grand
Slam title of her career. She won at Wimbledon in 2004 and the U.S. Open in 2006. It also
erases the bitter taste of her upset loss in last years Australian Open final to American
Serena Williams.
For Ivanovic, Saturdays loss was her second in a major tournament final she lost last years
French Open to world No. 1 Justine Henin of Belgium.
The mens singles title match on Sunday will pit Novak Djokovic of Serbia against Frenchman
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Djokovic beat world No. 1 Roger Federer of Switzerland Friday while
Tsonga downed No. 2 Rafael Nadal of Spain on Thursday.

1. Hnyadik gyzelme ez Sarapovnak Ausztrliban?


els
msodik
harmadik
2. Mikor volt Ivanovics korbban dnts Grand Slam tornn?
2004
2006
2007

39

Do you understand?

3. Milyen nemzetisgek a frfi egyes dntsei?


szerb s svjci
svjci s spanyol
francia s szerb

40

Do you understand?

Products Are As Good As You Think They Are


People make thousands of decisions every day, from what clothes to wear in the morning, to
what to eat and what to buy. But scientists know little about how the brain sorts through all
the information its exposed to and how it goes about making decisions. However, theyre
learning that the brain can be easily influenced by creative marketing.
Neuroscientist Antonio Rangel from CalTech (the California Institute of Technology) calls
himself a neuro-economist. He studies how people make decisions, in particular, decisions
about spending. There is a strong interest in understanding how variables such as packaging
or lighting or exposure to commercials may affect the computations that the brain makes at
the time it actually has to make decisions, he explains.
Rangel and his colleagues decided to examine how price affects peoples expectations of
quality.
So, they put people into a brain scanner and gave them some Cabernet Sauvignon to sample.
We told them they were five different wines, and we described the wines to them by
price, Rangel says. So there were a range of prices between $5 and $90, and we told them,
Right now, you are receiving in your mouth a sip of the $5 Cabernet Sauvignon, of the $35
Cabernet Sauvignon
What Rangels subjects didnt know is that in reality, there were only three different wines.
When Rangel gave them sips, he lied about the price. Sometimes he told them that the
expensive stuff was cheap, sometimes he told the subjects that the cheap wine was worth
$90 a bottle.
Subjects consistently said that what they thought was expensive wine tasted great.
Whats more, when they thought they were drinking expensive wine, Rangel was able to see
in the brain scanner that their orbital frontal cortex became more active. Thats the part of
the brain where we feel pleasure. So literally, for that area of the brain that encodes
subjective pleasure, a more expensive wine tastes better! Rangel concludes.
Rangel says these results confirm his hypothesis that peoples expectations of how good an
experience is going to be affect how much pleasure they derive from it.
This also could help explain other phenomena, such as why some people feel better when
they think the pills they are taking are powerful medicines, even when theyre only sugar
pills.

41

Do you understand?

1. Hnyfle bort kstoltattak a ksrlet alanyaival?


3
5
1
2. Melyik bort tartottk jobb minsgnek?
amelyiket olcsbbnak hittk
amelyiket drgbbnak hittk
amelyiket elszr kstoltk
3. A vizsglt jelensg okozhatja
a borfogyasztst
a placeb-hatst
a tlzott kltekezst

42

Do you understand?

Wonder What Becomes of Child Prodigies?


Fourteen years ago, VOA and several other news organizations profiled an amazing ten-yearold. Michael Kearney had just become the youngest person ever to graduate from an
American college. The degree was in anthropology from South Alabama University.
When his mom had been pregnant with Michael, she was suffering from toxemia and
anorexia. Doctors told her that her child would likely be developmentally slow. In other
words, retarded.
It didnt quite work out that way. Michael began talking when he was ten months old,
started reading a month later, mastered algebra at age three. Frenzied to learn, he drove his
parents nuts asking questions about anything and everything. They gave him one rule for
schooltime. When the teacher asked a question, he had to wait a couple of seconds before
raising his hand, so other kids could have a chance to answer.
Michael was a prodigy, one of the rare child geniuses who typically excel in fields like music,
chess or mathematics that are based on lots of facts or rules. Prodigies stand out, obviously.
Theyre curiosities, and because they soon shoot past their age level in school, they often
have trouble making friends.
But when we talked with Michael Kearney those 14 years ago as he prepared to graduate
from college, he was a delight. Like any ten-year-old, Michael played video games, watched
cartoons on TV, knocked a soccer ball around with other kids. Im not that special, he told
us. Im not very good at a lot of things, like football. Everybody has strengths and
weaknesses.
At age 14, Michael Kearney got a masters degree in biochemistry, producing a thesis on the
growth of cancer cells. Now, at 23, hes studying for a doctorate and teaching college
chemistry. But hes hardly what detractors call a geek, someone whos obsessed with
schoolwork or computers. Hes a big poker fan, has a steady girlfriend, and follows every
detail of popular culture. So much so that in 2006 he was the first winner of an online reality
game called Gold Rush, which involved answering rapid-fire questions about American
celebrities.
His prize? One million dollars. So although Michael Kearney is no longer a child, he is still a
prodigy. And a very rich one.

43

Do you understand?

1. Hny vesen szerezte els diplomjt Michael?


10
14
23
2. Mi ment neki elszr?
olvass
beszd
algebra
3. Mi nem derl ki rla?
tant
szereti a pkert
sakkozik

44

Do you understand?

New Yorks Finance Museum Reopens


Financial dealings, investment issues, and money and banking matters often seem
complicated and confusing. But the Museum of American Finance, which reopened its doors
this week in the heart of Manhattans financial district, wants to show the public that Wall
Street and the international financial world can be better understood, and enjoyed, when
armed with the right information.
After a $9 million makeover and a move to Wall Street, the Museum of American Finance
has a new home. The affiliate of the Smithsonian Institute is now in the historic former
headquarters of the Bank of New York, located a block away from the New York Stock
Exchange, NYSE.
With a residence in the oldest American bank, founded in 1784 by the nations first Secretary
of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, the museums location is in itself a part of financial
history. But the revamped, relocated museum wants to be more than a historical building. It
aims to be an entertaining display center, an engaging learning facility and an interactive
space where the public can explore the world of finance.
And the museums president Lee Kjelleren says he hopes people will also gain some insight
into their own financial choices. Our purpose is to help visitors make more effective
financial decisions. Theres a practical utility in coming here. Were creating public benefit
through showcasing the breadth, importance and richness of our financial history, he said.
Kjelleren says the museum serves as an interpreter of current financial issues as well as a
guardian of Americas collective financial memory. It does the latter through numerous
artifacts, including ticker tape from the stock market crash of 1929, a treasury bond signed
by President George Washington in 1792, and a 60 pound gold bar prospected during the
California Gold Rush and recovered from an 1857 shipwreck.
In addition to objects and original documents, the museum has video installations and audio
clips discussing various aspects of finance, such as bonds, stocks and commodities. In one
video, former CEO of the New York Stock Exchange John Thain talks about the city and the
217-year-old financial landmarks significance.
New York City has always been the heart of the US financial system, Thain explained. Its
really where the Exchange has been located since its very beginning and it really is still the
capital of not only the US, but the worlds financial market place.
Due to increased security, tours at the NYSE were discontinued after the September 11,
2001 attack on the nearby World Trade Center. Museum president Kjelleren says he wants
his space down the street to become the Exchanges de facto visitors center. He says
tourists interested in the Exchange now have a place to go and learn more.

45

Do you understand?

Curator and financial historian Richard Sylla says everyone has something to learn at the
museum, even the Wall Street wheelers and dealers. He says he hopes they too will be
attracted by the museums offerings.
I think Wall Streets going to learn from this museum, the American people are going to
learn from this museum, foreigners are going to really visit what is the first financial history
museum in the world, he said.
With the US dollar still dropping against the euro, the subprime mortgage and credit crisis
headlining business news, and oil prices reaching the 100-dollar mark, maybe we could all
benefit from a better understanding of money, and how it makes the world go around.

1. Hol tallhat a mzeum?


A new yorki tzsde pletben
Egy bank rgi szkhelyn
A Smithsonian Intzet szkhelyn
2. Melyik jtt ltre legkorbban?
a new yorki tzsde
a Bank of New York
a pnzgyi mzeum
3. Mi tallhat a mzeumban?
aranyrd egy spanyol hajroncsbl
rfolyamjelz szalag 1792-bl
Washington ltal alrt kincstri ktvny

46

Do you understand?

Young
Young Australian Kayakers Conquer the Tasman Sea
Two men have become the first kayakers to paddle between Australia and New Zealand.
James Castrission and Justin Jones battled rough weather and heavy seas for 62 days to
complete the journey.
James Castrission and Justin Jones enjoyed a heroes welcome at the end of their long
voyage. They have become the first kayakers to conquer the Tasman Sea. Sixty-two days
after setting off from the Australian east coast, they paddled to shore near the town of
Taranaki in New Zealand.
Three-thousand well-wishers awaited them. A fleet of indigenous Maori canoes escorted
them into shore, while on land a band played Waltzing Matilda, a popular Australian folk
song.
James Castrission says the welcome was overwhelming. Absolutely mind blowing, he said.
From when we saw Taranaki 140-kilometres out to sea all the way in weve just been
buzzing. Weve hardly slept and were just so, so excited to be here.
When they left Australia in the middle of November, the young kayakers said their trip
would be a test of character. It certainly turned out that way. Large waves, strong headwinds
and powerful currents conspired against them. Gray skies made matters worse, with heavy
clouds cutting the power of the kayaks solar-powered batteries. Choppy seas also soaked
the kayaks cabin.
The two men, both in their 20s, suffered prolonged bouts of fatigue and plenty of cuts and
bruises, and their boat had mechanical problems. The men developed skin infections that
the salt water made worse. The pair went for days at a stretch without sleep and said they
had been bounced around as if they had been in a washing machine.
After completing customs formalities, Castrission and Jones received a check up at a hospital
amid concerns that their leg muscles may have wasted during the long journey.
Last year another Australian kayaker disappeared after attempting the same record-breaking
voyage. Andrew McAuley, who was 39, apparently drowned in rough seas. His body has
never been found.

47

Do you understand?

1. Honnan eveztek hov?


Ausztrlibl j-Zlandra
j-Zlandrl Ausztrliba
j-Zlandrl Taranakiba
2. Mi fogadta ket a parton?
zenl maorik
hromezres tmeg
rendrsg
3. Milyen idsek a rekorderek?
negyvenesek
harmincasok
huszonvesek

48

Do you understand?

Off Georgia, Three Tourist Magnets in One


Seaside communities attract beach-lovers, mountains lure admirers of the outdoors, and so
forth. But theres one beautiful spot in America thats a huge draw to three quite distinct
types of tourists.
History-lovers flock to a barrier island off the Atlantic coast of the southern state of Georgia
to inspect old millionaires palaces. Dreamy beaches and lush golf courses appeal to the
wealthy jet set. And the 65 percent of the island that by law must remain undeveloped
brings in wildlife enthusiasts.
In the 1700s, British General James Oglethorpe named the verdant island for his patron, Sir
Joseph Jekyll, and turned it over to his friends.
Jekyll Island was a cotton plantation until the 1880s, when, far to the north in New York City,
rich industrialists were smoking their cigars at the Union Club, perhaps the richest, most
exclusive, club in the world.
How rich? Asked by a fellow member how much money it would take to purchase a yacht
like his Corsair Two, John Pierpont Morgan huffed, If you have to ask, you have no business
with a yacht.
Snooping journalists assailed these aristocrats relentlessly, calling them robber barons
because of the often cut-throat, sometimes criminal brand of capitalism many of them
practiced. Union Club members needed a refuge, and they found it on Jekyll Island, which
they bought in its entirety and turned into their winter playground.
But the Great Depression, anti-trust legislation, and the new federal income tax of the 1930s
reversed the fortunes of many Union Club members. They simply abandoned their Jekyll
Island cottages, which were, of course, fabulous mansions. In 1947 the state of Georgia
bought the island to keep the cottages out of the hands of looters. Some of the mansions are
now historical museums. Golf courses attract a wealthier clientele. And the vast wildlife
sanctuary offers tours and so-called turtle walks.
As it was a century ago, this is Jekylls busiest time of year, when the balmy island is invaded
by a human kind of migratory bird: wintertime visitors from the frigid north that everyone
calls snowbirds.

49

Do you understand?

1. Ki nevezte el a szigetet?
James Oglethorpe
Sir Joseph Jekyll
John Pierpont Morgan
2. Mi nem tallhat a Jekyll-szigeten?
golfplyk
hegyvidk
strandok
3. Mikor ldozott le a nagyiparosok ideje a szigeten?
1880-as vek
1930-as vek
1947

50

Do you understand?

Ferrari Says Raikkonen, Massa Equals in 2008


The new head of Ferraris Formula One team, sporting director Stefano Domenicali, says
reigning driving champion Kimi Raikkonen of Finland will not be given preferential treatment
in this years competition.
Domenicali says Raikkonen and teammate Felipe Massa of Brazil will start the season on an
equal footing. Domenicali says his priority is the good of the team.
The new sporting director says Formula One must put last years spy scandal involving rival
McLaren behind it. McLaren was fined $100 million and stripped of its points in the
constructors standings after a former Ferrari employee allegedly leaked sensitive data to
the British-based team.
Domenicali, who replaced Jean Todt, says that for the good of the sport, teams need to look
forward. However, he acknowledged that forgetting the spy scandal will be difficult.
Raikkonen won the driving championship at the last race of the season, edging British
McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton by one point.

1. Milyen nemzetisg versenyz nincs a Ferrarinl?


brazil
nmet
finn
2. Hny ponttal vgzett Raikknen Hamilton eltt?
5 pont
2 pont
1 pont

51

Do you understand?

3. Milyen bntetst nem kapott a McLaren?


pontlevons a versenyzktl
konstruktri pontok elvtele
100 milli dollros brsg

52

Do you understand?

US Markets Slide After Jobless Rate Rises


The government reports unemployment in the United States has risen to a two-year high,
and unsettling economic news triggered a sharp decline in financial markets Friday.
The U.S. Labor Department said unemployment in the United States rose by three-tenths of
one percent in December, to an overall level of five percent the highest jobless rate since
2005.
After the report was aired, U.S. stock prices plummeted. The Dow Jones Industrial Average
declined almost two percent in Fridays trading, and the NASDAQ index plunged nearly four
percent.
At the White House, President Bush said the U.S. economy is on a strong foundation
despite those adverse indicators. The VOA White House correspondent says Mr. Bush is
considering an economic-stimulus package that could include tax cuts.
Details of the presidents economic plan may not be disclosed until his State of the Union
message later this month, but analysts say the U.S. central bank, the Federal Reserve, is now
more likely to cut interest rates further, to keep the economy from slowing down too much.
In addition to the rise in unemployment, Fridays economic report from the U.S. Labor
Department showed there was a meager net gain of 18,000 jobs during December the
smallest increase in jobs in four years.

1. Mennyivel ntt a munkanlklisg decemberben?


0,3%
5%
1%

53

Do you understand?

2. Hny ve nem volt ilyen magas?


4 ve
2 ve
5 ve
3. Milyen gazdasglnkt megolds NEM szerepel a cikkben?
adcskkents
beruhzsnvels
kamatlbcskkents

54

Do you understand?

Afghan Kite Sellers See New Hollywood Film as Boon


for Business
The movie The Kite Runner has yet to be released in Afghanistan, but thanks to the Internet
and word of mouth, many Afghans are aware of the film based upon the best-selling novel of
the same name. Kite makers in Kabul hope the film will boost their business and bring
international recognition to their art.
Kite flying has been popular in South Asian countries for centuries. Khalid Hosseinis novel,
The Kite Runner, introduced this aspect of Afghanistan to the rest of the world. While most
of the movie was filmed outside Afghanistan, several scenes were shot in Kabul. Learning to
fly a kite skillfully was a real challenge for the child actors. Local kite makers were hired to
teach the youngsters.
Ustad Noor Agha is one of Kabuls most acclaimed kite makers. He says he taught the boys
how to fly and fight with kites as high as 3,000 meters in the sky.
The films producers hired us to teach the three main child actors Ahmad, Zikria, and
Elham how to fly kites, explains the kite maker. We trained them for about one and a
half months in our kite-flying field, which is near our house.
Ustad Noor Agha lives in the oldest section of Kabul. He inherited the kite making skill from
his father and says kite flying came to Afghanistan some 900 years ago from India and China.
Pahlawan Karim, another trainer and kite seller, says an increasing number of foreigners are
visiting his shop and paying good prices.
He hopes the movie The Kite Runner will attract international kite-flying fans to Afghanistan.
Yes, making a movie and exporting our kites certainly encourages the industry. It definitely
gives us a lot of international credibility, Karim said.
The kite sellers of Kabul say they are enjoying the overnight success of an ancient Afghan
pastime.

55

Do you understand?

1. Hol forgattk a filmet?


kizrlag Afganisztnban
nagyrszt Kabulban
nagyrszt Afganisztnon kvl
2. Kitl tanulta a srknykszt a mestersgt?
knaiaktl
indiaiaktl
apjtl
3. Mennyi ideig tantottk a gyereksznszeket?
hrom hnap
msfl hnap
egy hnap

56

Do you understand?

French President Sarkozy Begins Holiday in Egypt With


New Girlfriend
Girlfriend
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has begun a holiday in Egypt accompanied by his new
girlfriend, former supermodel Carla Bruni.
Mr. Sarkozy and Bruni held hands as they arrived in the Egyptian city of Luxor Tuesday, only
the second time the couple has been seen together in public.
Mr. Sarkozy and his entourage flew on a private jet provided by French billionaire Vincent
Bollore, a long-time friend of the president.
After several days in Luxor, the French president is expected to visit Egypts Red Sea resort of
Sharm el-Sheikh before starting an official trip to Cairo on Sunday.
Mr. Sarkozy and his second wife Ccilia divorced in October after 11 years of marriage. The
52-year old president made his first public appearance with 39-year old Bruni earlier this
month at Disneyland Paris, attracting strong interest from the French media.
Bruni is an Italian-born French citizen who recently became a singer after ending a successful
career as a model. She has dated a range of famous men, including rock stars Mick Jagger
and Eric Clapton and U.S. tycoon Donald Trump.

1. Mi az utazs tervezett msodik llomsa?


Kair
Luxor
Sharm-el-Sheikh
2. Ki adott klcsn egy magngpet a prnak?
egy rocksztr
Sarkozy egy rgi bartja
Bruni egyik korbbi bartja

57

Do you understand?

3. Hol mutatkozott egytt elszr a pr?


mg sehol
Luxorban
Disneylandben

58

Do you understand?

Nevada, Northern
Northern California Struck by Massive Storm
Authorities in the western U.S. state of Nevada say near-freezing waters from a ruptured
canal have flooded about 800 homes following a powerful winter storm.
Authorities east of the city of Reno say a nine-meter-long section of the Truckee Canal broke
early Saturday, sending a nearly one-meter-high flood into the small town of Fernley. They
say more than 3,000 people have been affected by the flooding, with many evacuated to a
local school.
There are no reports of any injuries.
In neighboring California, the fierce Pacific storm system brought winds of up to 240
kilometers an hour, leaving more than one million people without power Friday.
One of the hardest hit areas is the Sierra Nevada mountain region, where the storm turned
into an arctic blizzard in the upper elevations. Forecasters say the region will get anywhere
from two to three meters of snow by Sunday.
Forecasters also say the storm could dump as much as 25 centimeters of rain on parts of
southern California.
The heavy rains could trigger flash floods and mudslides in areas burned during last years
massive wildfires. Officials have ordered a mandatory evacuation of thousands of homes
near Los Angeles.

1. Milyen hossz szakasza trt el a csatornnak?


1 mter
9 mter
2-3 mter

59

Do you understand?

60

2. Mi kvetkezett be a legkorbban?
csatornatrs
srlavina
ramkimarads
3. Hol nem trtnt evakuls?
Fernley
Sierra Nevada
Los Angeles krnyke

Do you understand?

US dollar no longer accepted at Taj Mahal


Due to the declining value of the United States dollar, tourism officials in India have decided
to no longer accept the American currency at the site of the Taj Mahal and 120 other Indian
historical sites.
The monument has refused to take dollars since November, as such, any American tourist
wishing to visit the white domed marble mausoleum of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for his
wife Mumtaz Mahal will pay over 500 Indian rupees (US$ 12.80 at the current exchange
rate) to be allowed in and additionally receive a free bottle of water.
The decision came as a result as part of the continuing decline of the American dollar, falling
11 percent in 2007 and now valued around 39 rupees.
Tourism Minister Ambika Soni told CNN-IBN that it seemed more practical and will save
tourists money because the dollar was weaker against the rupee, Soni added Before the
dollar lost its value, there was a demand to have (admission tickets) just in rupees.

1. Hny rpit r egy dollr?


500
12,80
39
2. Mit adnak a belpjegy mell?
semmit
egy palack vizet
idegenvezett

61

Do you understand?

3. Kinek pttette a Tadzs Mahalt a csszr?


Mughal
Ambika Soni
Mumtaz Mahal

62

Do you understand?

Hospitals are not the best place for cardiac arrest


treatment
Suffering from cardiac arrest while staying in a hospital might be more deadly than receiving
such a fit at a crowded airport, according to a new study.
The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, states that in about a third of
cardiac arrest cases inside hospitals in the United States, doctors and nurses do not respond
quickly enough, thus increasing the risk of brain damage and death.
Potentially, this contributes to the deaths of thousands every year. The researchers
evaluated records of 6,789 cardiac arrest patients in 369 hospitals. Medical guidelines
recommend shocking cardiac arrest victims hearts back to life within two minutes using
defibrillator paddles.
When the defibrillation was delayed, only 22.2 percent of patients survived long enough to
be discharged from the hospital, as opposed to 39.3 percent when the shock was given on
time. The researchers compared those statistics with more than 50 percent of patients who
survive heart attacks while in a crowded airport or a casino, where defibrillators are readily
available.
The researchers concluded that delayed defibrillation is common and is associated with
lower rates of survival after in-hospital cardiac arrest.

1. Statisztikailag hol a legveszlyesebb a szvlells bekvetkezte?


krhzban
repltren
kaszinban

63

Do you understand?

2. A krhzi szvlellsokra megfelel gyorsasggal reaglnak az esetek


egyharmadnl
ktharmadnl
felnl
3. Mennyi idn bell ajnlott a megllt szv jraindtsa?
10 perc
5 perc
2 perc
4. Hny hallesethez jrulhat hozz vente a ksedelmes defibrillls?
6789
az sszes szvmeglls 39,3%-a
tbbezer

64

Do you understand?

Worlds oldest orangutan dies


A 55-year-old orangutan named Nonja, who was believed to be the oldest living orangutan
in the world both in captivity and the wild, has died at the Miami MetroZoo in Miami,
Florida.
Everybodys very sad, especially with an animal like an orangutan. You see a lot of yourself
in these animals. The great apes are our closest relatives. She was really a grand old dame,
said zoo spokesman Ron Magill.
Nonja, which means girl in Dutch, was born in 1952 in Indonesia on the island of Sumatra.
She arrived at the Miami MetroZoo in 1983. Her death is believed to have been caused by a
small brain tumor or aneurysm which ruptured.
According to the zoo, an orangutan normally only lives about 40-50 years. Orangutans are
part of an endangered species and in 2003, only about 7,300 were believed to be left living
in the wild.

1. Hny vesen kerlt Nonja Miami-ba?


55
31
40-50
2. Mit jelentett a neve?
reg hlgy
holland
lny

65

Do you understand?

3. Mit jelent: is believed to


azt hiszik rla
gy tartjk/vlik
elhitetik rla

66

Do you understand?

Szvegrtsi feladatok tirata

Elszigetelt brazliai trzset fedeztek fel a levegbl


Brazl illetkesek szerint a perui hatr kzelben, a tvoli nyugati-amazonasi dzsungelben
felleltk s lefotztk az orszg egyik utols olyan trzst, mellyel korbban nem volt
kapcsolat.
A vilg tbb mint 100 ilyen trzsnek tbb mint fele a brazil-perui vezetben l.
A Brazil Orszgos Indin Alaptvny rszrl Jose Carlos Meirelles azt nyilatkozta, hogy a
trzset az illeglis fakitermels veszlyezteti, ami betolakodik terletkre s el is zheti
fldjeirl.
Mint elmondta, a krnyken ngy klnll csoportot kvettek figyelemmel az elmlt hsz
vben.
Az indin trzsek rdekeit kpviselk arra szltjk fel az orszgokat, hogy az ilyen npek
lhelyeinek vdelme rdekben szerezzenek rvnyt a nemzetkzi jogszablyoknak.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Vigyzz a huplival!
Ha a vrosok belsejn veszlyesen keresztlszguld gyorshajtk dolgnak megneheztse a
cl, a kzlekedsbiztonsgi szakemberek igen lelemnyesek tudnak lenni. A legtbb
vrosban nincs elg rendr ahhoz, hogy igazn sok gyorshajtt elkapjanak, ezrt az
gynevezett forgalomcsillapts rvn igyekeznek mindenkit lelasstani.
Egyes teleplsek jabb kzlekedsi lmpkat vagy tblkat helyeznek ki, melyek a sofrket
lassabb haladsra s gyakoribb megllsra ksztetik. Ez viszont az autk dht
feltorldshoz vezethet.
A krforgalmak s szlalom-jelleg akadlyok is csillapt eszkzk. Megszaktjk a hossz
egyenes tszakaszokat, melyek szinte knljk magukat a gyorshajtsra. A jrdaszigetek is
elrik a kvnt hatst, de a vezetk gyakran nekihajtanak a megemelt szeglynek s a
virgldknak.
Sok vros kiprblta a fekvrendrket, vagyis az tba ptett megemelt gerinceket. Ha
figyelmen kvl hagyod, olyat huppansz, ami tnkreteheti a lengscsillaptt s a tengelyt. A

67

Do you understand?

bukkan lelasstja, megdobja, s gy irritlja a biztonsgosan kzlekedket is kztk a


srgssgi szolglatot teljestket.
A legfrissebb, kiss trkks sebessgcskkent jts egy optikai csalds! A Nemzeti
Orszgti Kzlekedsbiztonsgi Hatsg hamis fekvrendrket tesztel. Ezek az ttesten
keresztbe lefektetett manyaglapok, amelyeknek mintzata tvolrl nzve a burkolatbl
kill hromdimenzis piramisoknak tnik. Egy ilyen lttn ki ne lasstana le? Radsul az
igazi fekvrendr tredkbe kerl.
Van azonban egy problma ezekkel az optikai fekvrendrkkel. Mint az arizonai Phoenix
rendrsgi kzlekeds-koordintora az Associated Pressnek elmondta, ezek remekl
mkdnek egszen addig, amg az emberek r nem jnnek, mirl is van sz!
Ezt kveten a megrgztt gyorshajtk mr ppgy nem trdnek velk, mint egy ttestre
festett szp tjkppel.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Idita vagy!
Ahogy a legtbb kultrban, gy Amerikban is j esllyel meg lehet srteni embereket
azzal, ha szemtl szembe hlynek vagy iditnak nevezik ket. Akr egy orrbaverst is
eredmnyezhet.
Mgis milliszmra vesznek olyan knyveket, melyeknek cme A bor hlyknek vagy
Komplett tmutat iditknak a motorokhoz. Ha gznk sincs a meditcirl, a
rszvnykereskedelemrl vagy a bolgr nyelvrl, nem zavar, ha srtegetnek. Gyernk csak,
nevezzetek minket hlynek a knyveitek bortjn de mutasstok meg, hogyan kell
csempzni vagy pulvert ktni.
Mrpedig tizenht ve pontosan ezt teszi knyvek vgelthatatlan sora, melyeket knnyed
stlusban, sok illusztrcival s egyszer tmutatssal rnak.
Tetovlst szeretne? Ehhez is van egy komplett tmutat iditknak. Egy vakkantgat
kiskutyt? A Chihuahua hlyknek mindent elmond, amit tudni kell rluk. Van Komplett
tmutat iditknak a Webkinzhez, brmi is legyen az, st Krnikus fjdalom hlyknek
vajon az rtelmes emberek mikppen birkznak meg a fjdalommal?
Csak a Hlyknek-sorozatbl tbb mint 125 milli pldnyt adtak el, amita az els ilyen
knyv megjelent 1991-ben egy DOS nev szmtgpes alkalmazsrl.
Azta a Hlyknek- s Iditknak-knyvek igyekeznek bennnket megtantani a
kertszkedsre, a vallsok megismersre, a szobafestsre, st a gyereknevelsre is.
A Hlyknek-knyveket 39 nyelvre fordtottk le s 40 orszgban adtk ki, vagyis immr
nemcsak Amerikban akadnak iditk. Ma mr Hlyknek-videk is vannak.

68

Do you understand?

Amit csak akarsz: sakk, vmprok, rverezsre kerl hzak rdott rla Hlyknek- vagy
Iditknak-knyv. Mg egy olyan is van, hogy Biokmia hlyknek. Viszont nincs
tmutat iditknak az agysebszetrl egyelre.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Az afgn hadsereg kzel 237 tonna hasist foglalt le s semmistett meg
Afgn s amerikai illetkesek szerint az afgn csapatok kzel 237 tonnnyi hasist foglaltak le,
jelents csapst mrve a Talibn felkelkre, akik a drogkereskedelembl profitlnak.
Exportls utn a kbtszer nagyjbl 400 milli dollrt rt volna. Az afganisztni NATOerk parancsnoka, David McKiernan amerikai tbornok azt mondta szerdn, hogy ebbl az
sszegbl nagyjbl 14 milli kerlt volna a Talibn felkelkhz. lltsa szerint a fogs
jelentsen cskkentette a Talibn fegyvervsrlsi lehetsgeit s az afgn npre
gyakorolt fenyegetst.
Illetkesek szerint a hasis melynek slya 30 emeletes londoni buszt tette ki - DlAfganisztnban, Kandahar tartomny Spin Boldak rgijban rkokban volt elsva. Az afgn
kbtszerellenes rendrsg felgyjtotta az rkokat, hogy megsemmistse a hasist.
Az amerikai s afgn illetkesek szerint a fogs a vilg legnagyobb egyszeri kbtszerfogsa.
lltsuk szerint a mvelet tbb kbtszerkeresked letartztatst is eredmnyezte, akik
kzl nhnyan irniak.
McKiernan tbornok gratullt az afgn kormnynak a mvelet kapcsn, illetve tovbbi
tmogatst s kpzst grt.
Az afgn illetkesek egy msik kbtszerellenes mvelettel kapcsolatban is sikerekrl
szmoltak be. A Belgyminisztrium szerint a rendrsg Helmand tartomnyban tbb mint
5000 kilogram piumot foglalt le, melynek rtke kb. 30 milli dollr.
Ekzben az ENSZ Biztonsgi Tancsa ma felszltotta a tagorszgokat, hogy hatkonyabban
szablyozzk azoknak a vegyszereknek forgalmt, melyeket az afgn drogbrk a heroin
ellltshoz hasznlnak. A tancs egyhangan megszavazta a hatrozatot, mely a meglv
nemzetkzi egyezmnyek eredmnyesebb betartst vrja el.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Budapest Prga, Bcs s Vars eltt az zleti let kzpontjainak ranglistjn
Br a politikai s gazdasgi bizonytalansg tovbbra is nyomaszt problma, a MasterCard
friss jelentse Budapestet Kzp- s Kelet-Eurpa legfejlettebb pnzgyi kzpontjaknt
rangsorolta, megelzve a regionlis versenytrsakat, Prgt s Varst de a magyar fvros
ms pnzgyi kzpontokhoz kpest is jobban teljestett, mint pldul Bcs s Berlin.

69

Do you understand?

Budapest globlis szinten 32. lett a pnzgyi kzpontok kztt abban a felmrsben, mely a
vilg 75 klnbz vrost rtkelte szmos tnyez alapjn: jogi s politikai krnyezet,
gazdasgi stabilits, zletvitel felttelei, pnzgyi szektor forgalma, pnzgyi intzmnyek
meglte, pnzgyi kzpontknt val elismertsg, tudsteremtshez val hozzjruls,
valamint az letminsg.
sszessgben a magyar fvros kereskedelmi kzpontknt 12 hellyel visszacsszott az 52.
helyre, mellyel a 49. helyezett Prga s az 51. helyen tallhat Moszkva mg kerlt,
ugyanakkor az 59. Vars eltt maradt. Ennek elsdleges oka azonban az, hogy a MasterCard
25 j versenyzt vett fel a tavalyi listhoz kpest.
Pozitvumok kztt emlthet, hogy Budapest tlszrnyalta krnykbeli rivlisait a pnzgyi
folyamatok (banklet, biztostsi piac s rtkpaprok), valamint a logisztika tern, viszont a
jogi-politikai stabilits kritriuma lefel hzta a megtlst.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Madrfigyel-ht Kaliforniban
Szerda nagy nap lesz egy Los Angeles s San Diego kztti kaliforniai kisvrosban: az a nap,
melyen a nagy fecskeraj visszatr San Juan Capistrano rgi spanyol misszijra. Ezt mindig
pontosan mrcius 19-n teszik. Mg egy hres dal is rdott errl, ami az tvenes vek big
band idszakban volt slger:
Amikor a fecskk visszajnnek Capistranba
gy grted, aznap jssz vissza te is hozzm
A legenda szerint a fecskk, melyek az argentnai Goytl 9700 kilomtert vndorolnak,
mindig Szent Jzsef napjn, mrcius 19-n bukkannak fel tmegesen jbl Capistranban.
Aztn pedig a dal szerint:
A misszi minden harangja zeng
A kpolna krusa dalol
Valjban a madarak mrcius kzepn tbb napon t rkeznek. Pontos rkezsi idejk a DlAmerika s Kalifornia kztti idjrsi viszonyoktl fgg, de a rendszeresen mrcius 19-n
megtartott nnepsgre mr szinte mindig van elg madr a krnyken.
A madrfigyels mellett az ideltogatk bejrhatjk a trtnelmi misszit, amelyet ferences
papok s spanyol telepesek ptettek 1776-ban, pontosan abban az vben, amikor egy
Egyeslt llamok nev j nemzet megszletett a kontinens keleti oldaln.
A misszi egyike volt azoknak, melyek egy kaliforniai tvonal mellett helyezkedtek el. Ez az t
a Camino Real, vagyis a Kirlyi t volt. Kalifornia-szerte mg mindig lthat ennek az tnak
jelkpe egy velt rdrl lg rgi misszis harang br ezeket a harangokat mr gyakran
nehz szrevenni Kalifornia modern orszgtjai, lakparkjai s bevsrlkzpontjai kztt.

70

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vrl vre tszzezer ltogat jn San Juan Capistranba, kztk 80.000 iskols. E hten,
mikzben hatalmas tmegek lepik el a misszi terlett s az sszes fej az g fel fordul,
olyb tnhet, mind az tszzezer ltogat egyszerre rkezett, hogy szemtanja lehessen a
fecskk visszatrsnek.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A fogyaszti bizalom a bka feneke alatt prilisban
A GKI piackutat legfrissebb gazdasgi hangulatfelmrse szerint a magyarorszgi fogyaszti
bizalom prilisban 13 ves mlypontra esett, a cgek pedig hrom ve nem voltak ilyen
borltak.
Az sszestett mutat ami tartalmazza a fogyasztkat s a vllalatokat is a valaha mrt
legalacsonyabb szintjre esett; a kt al-mutat pedig egyarnt hrom szzalkot esett, 55,4% illetve -10,9%-ra.
A GKI szerint elssorban a kormnyvlsg tehet felelss az alacsony fogyaszti bizalom
miatt, az vllalatok pedig a gyenge eurpai nvekedsi kiltsok miatt pesszimistk.
A februri kismrtk javulst kveten az ipari bizalmi index visszakozott januri szintjre.
A jvbeni megrendelsekkel kapcsolatos vrakozsok sszessgben valamelyest javultak;
az export tekintetben viszont borltbbak voltak a cgek. prilisban nttek a kszletek s
a cgek nyitottabbak voltak j munkaer felvtelre.
Az ptiparban az elz hnapok folyamatos br szerny emelkedse utn lesen
zuhant a bizalom, mivel a cgek kevesebb megrendelsre szmtanak s kevsb terveznek
munkaerfelvtelt.
A kereskedelmi s szolgltat szektorban is romlott a hangulat, mg a hztartsok szemlyes
pnzgyeik, rvidtv megtakartsaik s a munkanlklisg miatt lettek aggodalmasabbak.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A szoptatssal tpllt csecsemk rtelmesebbek lesznek
Kutatsok mr kimutattk, hogy az anyatejjel tpllt babk egszsgesebbek, mint a
tpszerrel tplltak, s kevesebb allergitl, fertzstl szenvednek. Michael Kramer szerint
radsul okosabbak is. Azt talltuk, hogy a ksrleti csoportban lv gyerekek IQ-ja hromt ponttal magasabb volt a kontrollcsoportban lvknl, s tanraik valamivel jobbra
rtkeltk ket olvassbl, rsbl s matematikbl.
A McGill Egyetem gyermekgygyszati s jrvnytani professzora ltal vezetett
kutatcsoport az anyatejjel tplls kognitv fejldsre gyakorolt hatst vizsglta. 14.000
gyermeket tanulmnyoztak szletsktl hat s fl ves korukig a kelet-eurpai
Fehroroszorszgban, ahol nem tmogattk a csecsemk szoptatst. Fehroroszorszgban

71

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s a tbbi korbbi szovjet llamban a szlszeti gyakorlat a harminc vvel ezeltti amerikai
krhzi gyakorlathoz hasonltott mondta Kramer. Ezrt alkalmas hely volt a vizsglatra,
mert eltr krlmnyeket tudtunk teremteni a ksrleti s a kontrol helyszneken.
A ksrleti csoportban az UNICEF s az Egszsggyi Vilgszervezet Bababart
kezdemnyezs-e szerint jrtak el, mely a csecsemk anyatejjel tpllst npszersti.
Kramer szerint br az IQ-nvekeds szerny mrtk, mgis olyan ajndk, amit minden
anya megadhat gyermeknek. A klnbsg mrtke ahhoz mrhet, mint ami az elsszltt
s a ksbb szletett gyermek kztt tapasztalhat, vagy kt olyan gyerek kztt, ahol az
egyikkel jtszottak, olvastak neki a szlei, a msikat pedig leraktk a tv el.
Kramer csapata azt tervezi, hogy folytatja a munkt ugyanezekkel a gyerekekkel. A
kvetkezkben a szvrrendszeri megbetegedsek s a cukorbetegsg kockzati tnyezit
vizsgljk meg, mivel egyes tanulmnyok szerint az anyatejjel val tplls ksbb ezeknek a
betegsgeknek az alacsonyabb elfordulst is eredmnyezheti.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A Delta s a Northwest egyeslsbl a vilg legnagyobb lgitrsasga lesz
Kt amerikai lgitrsasg, a Delta s a Northwest megllapodott az egyeslsrl, ami a vilg
legnagyobb lgitrsasgt hozza ltre s konszolidcis hullmot indthat el a nehz idket
l ipargban.
Az egyestett lgitrsasgot Deltnak fogjk hvni, a Delta vezrigazgatja fogja irnytani s
75.000 alkalmazotja lesz. Az egyestett cg 800 replgppel s 35 millird dollros
rbevtellel rendelkezik.
Az elkpzelst mg jv kell hagyniuk a rszvnyeseknek s a versenyhivatalnak, amely a lgi
szemlyszlltsi piaci verseny szklse miatt vethet fel kifogst.
Tbb ms lgitrsasg mint pldul a United s a Contintental folytat cgfzis
trgyalsokat annak remnyben, hogy a nagyobb, hatkonyabb cgeket kevsb viselik
meg a szrnyal zemanyagrak s a cskken kereslet.
Az utasok szmra a kevesebb lgitrsasg bizonyos tvonalakon kisebb versenyt jelentene,
ami magasabb rakkal jrna.

72

Do you understand?

A recepcis teljesti a kvnsgokat


A szllodai recepcis pozcija nem mondhat amerikai krelmnynak. A sz maga is francia
[az angolban]. De legalbbis egy bizonyos amerikai vrosban a harsny nevadai
szerencsejtk-paradicsomban, Las Vegasban a munkakr az eurpai kifinomultsgon
tlmutat jellemzkkel is br.
Vegasban sokkal tbbet vrnak el egy recepcistl, mint hogy szerezzen jegyeket egy
eladsra, vagy igaztson tba a kzeli sivatagban tallhat hatalmas Hoover-gt fel.
Ez itt vgs soron az a szemrmetlen vros, melynek hivatalos jelszava: Ami Vegasban
trtnik, Vegasban is marad.
Az itteni recepcisok azt mondtk a Chicago Tribune-nek, hogy semmi illeglis dolog
megszervezst nem vllaljk. Hogy ez tnyleg ltalnosan igaz-e az Egyeslt llamok bulivrosra, az ktsges, de amit a vegasi recepcisoktl krnek, nha bizarr tud lenni.
Valaki azt krte, hogy egy letnagysg kitmtt gorilla vrja a szobban, amikor hlgybartja megrkezik. A recepcis tallt neki egyet.
Egy msik fick azt akarta, hogy egy mexiki stlus mariachi zenekar kvesse a kaszinban,
mikzben jtszik. A recepcis elintzte, br arrl nem szl a fma, hogy a tbbi
szerencsejtkos miknt reaglt a trombitk s gitrok lrmjra. Olyan jl ment neki a
jtkasztaloknl, hogy msnap is a bandval ksrtette magt.
Msik alkalommal egy angolul alig beszl japn n fit srgsen krhzba kellett szlltani.
Amikor a fit megfelelen elhelyeztk, a n visszatrt a szllodba, ahol aztn rdbbent,
hogy fogalma sincs arrl, miknt jut el jra a krhzba a fihoz. A recepcis fotst kldtt a
vros sszes krhznak lefnykpezsre, melyek kzl a n az egyikre rismert, gy vissza
tudott sietni fihoz.
Volt egy olyan kvnsg, amit egy vegasi recepcis nem tudott (vagy nem akart) teljesteni:
az, hogy a vendget rkezsekor meleg frd vrja. De nem m vzzel, hanem egy teli kd
kecsketejjel. Bizonyra nem volt elg kecske szerte Nevadban ahhoz, hogy a recepcis ezt is
elintzze.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Magyarorszgon nttek legjobban a gyrtsi szektor brei az OECD-felmrs szerint
Frissen nyilvnossgra hozott statisztikai adatok tansga szerint 2000 ta a gyrt ipargak
brutt breiben harminc OECD-orszg kzl Magyarorszgon jelentkezett a legnagyobb
emelkeds.

73

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Tavaly augusztusig bezrlag, mindssze ht v alatt a szektor magyarorszgi brutt brei


96,3%-kal emelkedtek, mikzben az rsznvonal emelkedse sszestve 56,1% volt
ugyanezen idszak sorn.
Ezzel szemben a brutt brek tlagos OECD-beli emelkedse 23,2% volt, mg a kumullt
inflci 19,8%. gy az tlagos relbr-nvekeds az OECD orszgaiban 3,4%, Magyarorszgon
viszont 50,1%.
A bradatoknl figyelembe vettk a szezonlis ingadozsokat, tlrkat s a rendszeres
fizetskiegsztseket.
A msodik legjelentsebb emelkedst Dl-Koreban mrtk 78,6%-kal. Japnban s
Portugliban alig emelkedtek a brutt brek.
A kzp- s kelet-eurpai rgiban a lengyelorszgi bremelkeds 41,8% volt, a csehorszgi
56,8%, Szlovkiban 68,6% s Ausztriban 21,2%.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A vmhatsg lecsapott a hamist-hlzatra
A VPOP szvivje szerint a hatsgok fnyt dertettek egy bnszvetkezetre, mely 2005 ta
nagy mennyisgben lltott el hamis szmlkat s azokat nagyrszt zleti gyfeleknek
rtkestette.
A csalsban krlbell 150 vllalkozs rintett, melyek a szmlkat be nem fizetett ad
visszaignylshez vsroltk 1,2 millird forint rtkben.
A hatsgok 26 helyen tartottak hzkutatst, s klnbz bizonytkokat gyjtttek be, gy
blyegzket, nyugtkat, szmtgp-elemeket, kzel nyolcmilli forintnyi kszpnzt s
fogyasztsi cikkeket. Szmos bankszmlt is zroltak a mvelet sorn.
A VPOP tizenegy szemly ellen indtott jogi eljrst az esettel kapcsolatban, tbbek kztt
csals, adcsals, hamists vdjval. tket rizetbe is vettk.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Teljes gzzel folyik a szkesfehrvri vrfeljts
A jelenleg magnmzeumknt mkd szkesfehrvri Bory-vr feljtsa j szakaszba
lpett, miutn vgeztek a Cscsos torony feljtsi munkival.
A gynyr kastlyt melyet egyedi tornyok, rkdok, bels udvarok s szobrok dsztenek
Bory Jen, a klnc ptsz s szobrsz ptette. 1912-ben kezdte a munklatokat, s 1959ben bekvetkezett hallig folytatta az plet bvtst. Ht unokja fogott bele a 80-as

74

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vekre ersen leromlott llapot vr feljtsba. Alaptvnyt hoztak ltre, s klnbz


tmogatsok rvn ezidig a vr 70-80%-t hoztk helyre.
Most, hogy a torony egyedi belsejnek, illetve pazar, gazdagon dsztett szobinak
megjulsa ksz, a kvetkez lps a kerti szkkt feljtsa lesz. Ez nyr elejre vlik teljes
mrtkben mkdkpess. Fnykpek tansga szerint a kt a vr legrgibb rsze.
A Bory-vr egyre tbb turistt vonz, s egsz vben kulturlis rendezvnyeknek ad otthont.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Szrnyalnak az amerikai rszvnyek: 2002 ta a legnagyobb Dow-emelkeds
Az amerikai rszvnyek szrnyaltak kedden, miutn az amerikai jegybank s a vilg ms
jelents kzponti bankjai bejelentettk, hogy tbb mint ktszz millird dollrt nyjtanak a
pnzhinyban szenved bankok s jelzlogintzetek szmra.
Az amerikai jegybank a kanadai, illetve eurpai kzponti bankokkal sszehangolt lpsben
ktszz millird dollrt ajnlott fel, s jelezte, hogy szksg esetn kibvti a programot. A
tbbi kzponti bank kb. 25 millird dollrt nyjt.
A lps nyomn erre kaptak a szrnyal olajrak s a gyenge dollr sjtotta amerikai
rszvnypiacok. A Dow Jones ipari tlag az amerikai rszvnypiac f baromtere 3,6
szzalkot emelkedett, ami az elmlt tbb mint t v legnagyobb egy nap alatti nvekedse.
A nyersolaj-rak nem sokkal korbban rekordmagassgban zrtak, alig valamivel a 109
dollros hordnknti rszint alatt.
Dana Perino, a Fehr Hz szvivje szerint Bush elnk dvzli az amerikai jegybank s az
egyb kzponti bankok ltal tett lpseket, illetve teljes bizalommal viseltetik Ben Bernanke
jegybankelnk irnyban. Elmondta, hogy a Fehr Hzat foglalkoztatjk a magas
zemanyagrak, s azok amerikai fogyasztkra s kisvllalkozsokra gyakorolt hatsa.
Perino jelezte ugyanakkor, hogy Bush nem tud mit tenni az zemanyagrak rvid idn belli
cskkense rdekben, s ez olyan nehzsg, mellyel mindannyiunknak meg kell
birkznunk.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------tven v utn jra medzk a Budapesti llatkertben
tven v elteltvel ismt medzk lnek a Budapesti llatkert egy medencjben.
A medza teste 95 szzalkban vz, ami nagyon srlkenny s kifejezetten nehezen
tarthatv teszi. Akr a felszll levegbuborkok is vgezhetnek velk, ha sztszaktjk

75

Do you understand?

szveteiket de az akvrium valamelyik sarkban rekedni szintn vgzetes lehet szmukra. A


vzben ezrt nem lehetnek veszlyes trgyak, sem pedig a vz pangst elidz sarkok.
Az akvriumot klnleges gppel kell felszerelni, mely folyamatosan keringteti a vizet gy a
medzk passzvan sodrdhatnak az ramlattal. A mestersges ramlatot idnknt lelltjk,
hogy a fiatalabb egyedek aktvan is szhassanak. Ez ugyanis edzi izmaikat s ersti trkeny
testket.
A medzk tartsnak msik nehzsge, hogy l planktonnal, kis rkokkal s hasonl apr
organizmusokkal tpllkoznak, melyek termszetes krnyezetkben bsgesen elfordulnak,
de egy medencben nem tarthatak ugyanilyen srsgben. Ezrt az llatokat egyenknt
meg kell etetni. Ezenfell nagyon j vzminsget, alacsony hmrskletet s visszafogott
vilgtst ignyelnek. Szaporodsuk szintn rdekes, mivel ivaros s ivartalan szaporodsi
stdiumuk is van.
A Budapesti llatkertben tartott medzafaj az Aurelia aurita, vagyis fles medza.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Megjul az tdollros bankjegy
Az amerikai tdollros bankjegy megjtsra kerl annak rdekben, hogy megneheztsk a
hamistk dolgt s segtsk a gyenge ltssal rendelkezket.
Az jratervezett bankjegyen tbb vzjel van, Abraham Lincoln elnk arckpe nagyobb,
valamint nagyon apr betmret szveg s egyb nehezen hamisthat elemek kerlnek r.
Ezenfell a bankjegy htoldaln a jobb als sarokba nagy-kontraszt tintval nyomtatjk a
nagymret 5-s szmjegyet, ami a ltsukban korltozottak szmra megknnyti a pnz
hasznlatt.
Az j bankjegy mrcius 13-n kerl forgalomba. A rgi bankjegyek tovbbra is t dollrt
rnek s teljes mrtkben rvnyesek.
Szmos ms cmletet mr megjtottak; a szzdollros bankjegy a kvetkez a sorban.
Nagyjbl 770 millird dollrnyi amerikai valuta van forgalomban vilgszerte tbb, mint
brmely ms pnznembl.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Teljes holdfogyatkozs szerdn ks este
Az eget kmlelk a nyugati fltekn a vrs klnbz rnyalataiban figyelhetik meg a
teliholdat, mikzben az a Fld rnykba kerl a szerda esti teljes holdfogyatkozs sorn.

76

Do you understand?

Amennyiben az idjrsi viszonyok kedvezek, a fogyatkozs egsze lthat lesz DlAmerikban s szak-Amerika nagy rszn szerdn ks este; Nyugat-Eurpa, Afrika s
Nyugat-zsia laki pedig cstrtk virradat eltt figyelhetik meg.
Az amerikai rkutatsi gynksg, a NASA szerint a fogyatkozs lnyegi rsze krlbell
tven percig tart, greenwichi id szerint 3:01-tl 3:51-ig. A hold ltvnyos sznekben fog
pompzni a vilgos narancssrgtl a vrvrsig, mikzben keresztlhalad a Fld rnykn.
Teljes holdfogyatkozs olyankor trtnik, amikor a telihold thalad a Fld rnykn, ami
eltakarja a nap sugarai ell. A hold nem lesz teljesen stt, mert nmi fny elri a Fld
peremei krl. A napfogyatkozsokkal ellenttben, melyekhez vdszemveg kell, a
holdfogyatkozst szabad szemmel is biztonsggal meg lehet nzni.
A szerdai eset lesz az utols holdfogyatkozs 2010-ig. A legutbbi 2007 augusztusban
trtnt.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Az elvrt ad a rendszeresen vesztesges cgeket clozza
Miutn a magyar vllalkozsokra ez vtl vonatkozik az elvrt ad, nem rt ktszer is
meggondolniuk, mit tntetnek fel az adbevallsban.
A 2007. jlius 1-jvel hatlyba lpett elvrt ad szablyozs szerint ha a cg vagy egyni
vllalkoz adzs eltti nyeresge vagy adalapja kevesebb, mint a kiigaztott brutt
jvedelem 2%-a, akkor vagy 2% utn fizeti meg az adt, vagy kitlt egy nyilatkozatot, melyen
megadott krdsek alapjn felsorolja bevteleit s kiadsait.
Ezeket a nyilatkozatokat aztn kirtkeli az adhivatal (APEH), hogy kiszrje a lehetsges
adcsalkat, akikrl a hatsg okkal felttelezheti, hogy mestersgesen nveltk meg a
kiads oldal szmait az adktelezettsg minimalizlsa vagy elkerlse rdekben.
A hivatalos statisztikk szerint 2006-ban Magyarorszgon mkd 403.000 egyni vllalkozs
kzel 40%-a vesztesges volt, nullszalds, vagy jvedelme a forgalmnak kevesebb mint 2%t rte el. A trsas vllalkozsok esetben ugyanez az arny mg magasabb, 41% volt.
A cgeket gyakran vekig vesztesgesnek mutatjk ki anlkl, hogy felszmolnk ami az
APEH szerint nem valszer. Amita tavaly jliusban bevezettk az elvrt adt, krlbell
45.000 vllalkozst szmoltak fel. Ugyanakkor lltlag mindssze 52 vllalkozs prblta
elkerlni az elvrt adt a szksges nyilatkozat kitltsvel.
Az APEH kln figyelmet szentel az olyan ktes tteleknek, melyeket a cgek rendszeresen
hasznlnak adjuk cskkentsre mint pldul a reprezentcis kltsg. A vizsglt adven
tl a vllalkozsoknak a megelz kt vre is be kell mutatniuk bevteli s kiadsi adataikat.
Mivel az adfajtt vkzben vezettk be, a bevteleket felosztjk s ennek megfelelen
adztatjk meg.

77

Do you understand?

Az APEH ltal gyansnak tlt cgeket 30 napon bell rtestik a rkvetkez 12 hnapon
bell lefolytatand vizsglatrl. Az ilyen vizsglat nem minsl adfizetsi igazolsnak, gy a
trsasg advt sem zrja le.
Azok a vllalkozsok, melyek az adbevalls beadst kvet 30 napon bell nem kapnak
rtestst az APEH-tl, ms gyekbl kifolylag ksbb ugyancsak kaphatnak vizsglatot, de
lehetsg van nellenrzs benyjtsra.
Az APEH szerint a bizonytsi teher a nyilatkozatot bead adfizetre hrul, vagyis meg kell
gyznie az adhatsgot a vits ttelek valdisgrl.
Az APEH-nak joga van bizonyos esetekben becslssel lni az eljrs sorn.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------rizetbe vettk a htmillirdos vesztesgrt felels brkert
A francia rendrsg rizetbe vette azt a fiatal zletktt, akit azzal vdolnak, hogy
htmillird dollros vesztesget okozott a msodik legnagyobb francia banknak, a Socit
Gnrale-nak.
Az gyszsg illetkesei szerint a hatsgok szombaton kihallgatsra vittk be Jerome
Kervielt a francia pnzgyi rendrsg prizsi kzpontjba. A 31 ves frfi nem mutatkozott a
nyilvnossg eltt azta, hogy a Socit Gnrale cstrtkn bejelentette a rekordmrtk
zletktsi vesztesget.
A nyomozk a hatrids tzsdeindex-szel keresked zletktvel szemben folytatott
nyomozs rszeknt pnteken tkutattk Kerviel Prizs klvrosban tallhat otthont.
A Socit Gnrale szerint Kerviel bevallotta, hogy a kereskedi tevkenysgbl szrmaz
vesztesgeket ms, meg nem valsult gyletek kitallsval fedte el. A vesztesg amit a
trtnelem egyik legnagyobb pnzgyi csalsnak tartanak majdnem teljes egszben
elvitte a bank 2007-es nyeresgt.
A bank illetkesei kirgtk Kervielt s feletteseit, de azt lltjk, a fiatal zletkt nem
profitlt tettbl. Viszonylag alacsony beoszts, korltozott tapasztalattal rendelkez
zletktknt jellemzik, aki 2000 ta dolgozott a banknl.
A francia elnk, Nicolas Sarkozy indiai ltogatsa sorn pnteken szt ejtett a botrnyrl.
Noha a bank jelents bels gondokkal nz szembe, Sarkozy szerint a francia pnzgyi
rendszer stabilitst s megbzhatsgt nincs ok ktsgbe vonni.
A Socit Gnrale-ra ugyanakkor fokozd llami nyoms nehezedik, hogy elszmoljon
azzal, mikppen tudott egy zletkt ilyen sok pnzt bukni.

78

Do you understand?

szak-Korea hivatalosan is befejezn a koreai hbort


szak-Korea a lehet leghamarabb bkeszerzdst kvn ktni, hogy hivatalosan is lezrja a
koreai hbort s enyhtse az Egyeslt llamokkal szembeni katonai feszltsget.
A felhvs az orszgot irnyt Munksprt jsgjban, a Rodong cm napilapban jelent meg
kommentr formjban. A cikk szerint itt az id, hogy bkeszerzds vltsa fel az 1953 ta
fennll fegyversznetet.
A Koreai-flsziget technikailag mg mindig hborban ll, a harcok befejezte ta is.
Az szak- s dl-koreai vezetk oktberben tartottak cscstallkozt, melynek
eredmnyekppen kezdemnyeztk, hogy a hrom vagy ngy fl tallkozzon a hivatalos
bkeszerzds alapjainak lefektetse, illetve az Egyeslt llamok s szak-Korea kzti
viszony normalizlsnak rdekben.
Az elkpzels dl-koreai ellenzi szerint azonban mindenfajta szerzdssel vrni kell addig,
mg szak-Korea teljes mrtkben fel nem hagy atomprogramjval.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sarapova nyerte az Ausztrl Opent
Az orosz Marija Sarapova knnyedn, 7:5, 6:3 arnyban lelpte a szerb Ana Ivanovicsot, s
ezzel megnyerte a ni egyni cmet a melbourne-i ausztrl nylt teniszbajnoksgon, a 2008-as
vad els Grand Slam tornjn.
A hszves Sarapova a negyedik helyen kiemelt Ivanovicsot egy mindssze 91 perces
mrkzsen gyzte le szombaton, 35 fokos forrsgban.
A gyzelem rvn Sarapova els Ausztrl Open bajnoki cmt szerezte meg, plyafutsnak
pedig harmadik Grand Slam cmt. 2004-ben Wimbledonban gyztt, 2006-ban a U.S. Openen. Ez feledtetheti vele a tavalyi Ausztrl Open dntben az amerikai Serena Williams ellen
elszenvedett vratlan veresgt.
Ivanovics szmra a szombati a msodik veresg volt jelents torna dntjben a tavalyi
francia teniszbajnoksgon a vilgels belga Justine Henin-nel szemben maradt alul.
A frfi egyes cmmrkzst vasrnap a szerb Novak Djokovics vvja a francia Jo-Wilfried
Tsonga ellen. Djokovics a vilgels svjci Roger Federert verte pnteken, mg Tsonga a
ranglista-msodik spanyol Rafael Nadalt ejtette ki cstrtkn.

79

Do you understand?

Egy termk pont annyira j, amennyire annak hiszed


Nap mint nap ezernyi dntst hozunk attl kezdve, hogy mit vegynk fel reggel, addig, hogy
mit egynk s mit vsroljunk. A tudsok viszont nem sokat tudnak arrl, az agy mikppen
rendszerezi mindazt az informcit, ami ri, illetve hogyan trtnik a dntshozatal. Azt
tapasztaljk azonban, hogy a kreatv marketing knnyen befolysolhatja az agyat.
Antonio Rangel, a CalTech (Kaliforniai Technolgiai Intzet) agykutatja agy-kzgazdsznak
nevezi magt. Azt tanulmnyozza, hogyan hoznak az emberek dntseket, klns
tekintettel a vsrlsi dntsekre. Nagy rdeklds mutatkozik azirnt, hogy megrtsk, az
olyan vltozk, mint a csomagols, a megvilgts vagy a hirdetsek mikppen befolysoljk
az agy ltal vgzett szmtsokat, amikor tnylegesen dntenie kell magyarzza.
Rangel s kollgi elhatroztk, hogy megvizsgljk, mi mdon befolysolja az r a
minsggel kapcsolatos vrakozsokat.
Az alanyokat agyszkennerbe ltettk s Cabernet Sauvignont adtak nekik kstolsra. Azt
mondtuk nekik, t klnbz bort kapnak, s ezeket a borokat az rukkal jellemeztk
mondta Rangel Vagyis volt egy 5-90 dollros rintervallum, mi pedig azt mondtuk: most az
t dollros Cabernet Sauvignont zleled, vagy a 35 dollros Cabernet Sauvignonbl kstolsz
egy kortyot
Az alanyok nem tudtk, hogy valjban csak hrom klnbz borrl volt sz. Amikor
megkstoltattk velk a borokat, Rangel nem mondott igazat az rral kapcsolatban. Nha azt
lltotta a drga termkrl, hogy olcs, nha pedig az olcs borrl azt, hogy palackja
kilencven dollr.
Az alanyok kvetkezetes mdon azt jeleztk, hogy a drga (legalbbis ltaluk annak hitt) bor
remek z.
Mitbb, amikor a drgnak kpzelt bort ittk, Rangel az agyszkennerben jl lthatta, hogy a
frontlis orbitlis kreg aktvabb vlt. Ez az agynak azon rsze, ahol az lvezetet rzkeljk.
Vagyis az agy azon rsznek, amelyik a szubjektv lvezetet kdolja, a drgbb bor sz
szerint jobban zlett! vonta le a kvetkeztetst.
Rangel szerint az eredmnyek megerstik elmlett, miszerint az lmnnyel kapcsolatos
vrakozsok milyensge hatssal lesz arra, mekkora lvezetet jelent az adott lmny.
Ez ms jelensgekre is magyarzatot adhat. Pldul arra, hogy mirt rzik egyesek jobban
magukat, amikor a valjban cukrot tartalmaz tablettkrl gy hiszik, hatsos orvossgot
szednek.

80

Do you understand?

Mi lesz a csodagyerekekbl?
Tizenngy vvel ezeltt az Amerika Hangja s ms hrszolglatok is foglalkoztak egy
lenygz tzves gyerekkel. Michael Kearney ppen akkor vgzett a valaha volt legfiatalabb
dikknt amerikai egyetemen; diplomjt antropolgibl szerezte a Dl-Alabamai
Egyetemen.
Amikor anyukja terhes volt Michaellel, toxmija s anorexija volt. Az orvosok azt
mondtk, gyereke valsznleg fejldsben visszamaradott, vagyis retardlt lesz.
Nem igazn gy trtnt. Michael tzhnapos korban kezdett beszlni, egy hnappal ksbb
olvasni, hromvesen pedig ment mr neki az algebra is. Olyan lelkesen tanult, hogy a szleit
megrjtette rks krdseivel. Az iskolba jrskor szlei egyetlen szablyt lltottak fel
szmra: ha a tanr feltesz egy krdst, vrjon nhny msodpercet, mieltt jelentkezik,
hogy a tbbi gyereknek is legyen eslye vlaszolni.
Michael csodagyerek volt, azon ritka gyerekzsenik egyike, akik jellemzen a tnyekre vagy
szablyokra alapul terleteken tnnek ki, mint amilyen a zene, sakk vagy a matematika. A
csodagyerekek nyilvnvalan eltnek krnyezetktl. Klnlegessgeknek szmtanak, s
mivel korosztlyukat hamarosan lehagyjk az iskolban, gyakran nehezen tallnak bartokat.
Amikor azonban tizenngy vvel ezeltt Michael Kearneyvel beszlgettnk mikzben
ppen diplomzni kszlt az egyetemen -, elvarzsolt bennnket. Mint akrmelyik tzves,
Michael is videjtkokat jtszott, rajzfilmeket nzett a tvben s a tbbi gyerekkel
rugdosta a focilabdt. Nem vagyok olyan nagy szm mondta Egy csom dologban nem
vagyok tl j, pldul a futballban. Mindenkinek megvannak az erssgei s gyengi.
Tizenngy vesen Michael Kearney mesterkpzst vgzett biokmibl; szakdolgozatt a
rkos sejtek nvekedsrl rta. Most huszonhrom ves, a doktori fokozathoz tanul s
egyetemen tant kmit. De a legnagyobb rosszindulattal sem nevezhet strbernek, vagyis
olyasvalakinek, akit kizrlag az iskolai feladatai vagy a szmtgpek ktnek le. Nagy
pkerkedvel, komoly bartnje van s napraksz a popkultrban. Olyannyira, hogy 2006ban lett az els nyertese az Aranylz nev l online jtknak, amiben amerikai
hressgekkel kapcsolatos villmkrdsekre kellett vlaszolni.
Hogy mi volt a dj? Egymilli dollr. Vagyis br Michael Kearney mr nem gyerek, mg mindig
csodaszmba megy. s radsul igen gazdag.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------jra megnyitott a new yorki Pnzgyi Mzeum
A pnzgyi gyletek, befektetsi krdsek, banki gyek gyakran tnnek bonyolultnak s
zavarosnak. Azonban az Amerikai Pnzgyi Mzeum, mely ezen a hten nyitotta meg ismt
kapuit Manhattan pnzgyi negyednek szvben, igyekszik megmutatni a nagykznsgnek,

81

Do you understand?

hogy a Wall Street s a nemzetkzi pnzgyi vilg a megfelel informcik birtokban


jobban rthet s rtkelhet.
A 9 milli dollrba kerl talaktst s a Manhattanbe kltzst kveten az Amerikai
Pnzgyi Mzeum j otthonra lelt. A Smithsonian Intzet fikintzmnye jelenleg a Bank of
New York korbbi, trtnelmi jelleg kzpontjban tallhat, egy hztmbnyire a new yorki
tzsdtl (NYSE).
A mzeum mostani otthona maga is a pnzgyi trtnelem rsze azzal, hogy a legrgebbi
1784-ben az orszg els pnzgyminisztere, Alexander Hamilton ltal alaptott amerikai
bank helyn tallhat. A feljtott s tkltztetett mzeum azonban nem egyszeren egy
trtnelmi pletknt kvn funkcionlni, hanem szrakoztat killtsi kzpontknt, vonz
tanulsi ltestmnyknt s olyan interaktv trknt, ahol a kznsg felfedezheti a
pnzgyek vilgt.
Lee Kjelleren, a mzeum igazgatja azt remli, hogy az emberek gy egy kiss jobban
megrtik sajt pnzgyi lehetsgeiket is. Az a clunk, hogy a ltogatkat segtsk hatkony
pnzgyi dntsek meghozatalban. Ez a gyakorlati haszna annak, ha valaki ideltogat. A kz
szmra teremtnk rtket azzal, hogy bemutatjuk pnzgyi trtnelmnk teljessgt,
jelentsgt s gazdagsgt mondta.
Kjelleren szerint a mzeum nemcsak Amerika kollektv pnzgyi emlkezeteknt szolgl,
hanem segt a pnzvilg aktulis esemnyeinek rtelmezsben is. Elbbihez jrul hozz
szmos killtsi trgy, kztk az rfolyamjelz gp szalagja az 1929-es tzsdekrach idejrl,
egy George Washington ltal 1792-ben alrt kincstri ktvny, illetve egy hatvan fontos
aranyrd a kaliforniai aranylz idejbl, amit egy 1857-ben elsllyedt haj roncsai kzt
talltak.
A trgyakon s eredeti dokumentumokon kvl a mzeumban vide-vettsek s
hanganyagok is trgyaljk a pnzgyek szmos oldalt, mint pldul a ktvnyeket,
rszvnyeket s rucikkeket. Az egyik videban a new yorki tzsde korbbi vezrigazgatja,
John Thain beszl a vrosrl, illetve a 217 ves pnzgyi intzmny jelentsgrl.
New York vrosa mindig is az Egyeslt llamok pnzgyi rendszernek kzpontja volt
magyarzza Thain Kezdetektl fogva itt tallhat a tzsde, s a mai napig ez nem csak az
Egyeslt llamok pnzgyi piacnak fvrosa, hanem az egsz vilg.
A kzeli World Trade Center ellen 2001. szeptember 11-n elkvetett tmads utn a
felfokozott biztonsgi intzkedsek miatt a new yorki tzsdn megszntettk a bemutat
stkat. A mzeumigazgat azt szeretn, ha lnyegben az ltala igazgatott intzmny vlna
a tzsde ltogat-kzpontjv. gy vli, a tzsde irnt rdekld turistknak most mr van
hov mennik, ha bvteni szeretnk tudsukat.
Richard Sylla szerint aki pnzgyi trtnsz s a mzeum kurtora mindenki tanulhat itt
valamit, mg a wall street-i cpk is. Ezrt remli, utbbiakat is rdekelni fogja a mzeum
knlata. Szerintem a Wall Street s az amerikaiak is sok mindennel megismerkedhetnek

82

Do you understand?

nlunk, a klfldiek pedig a vilg els pnzgytrtneti mzeumba ltogathatnak el


mondta.
Az amerikai dollr tovbbra is esik az eurval szemben, az zleti hreket a msodlagos
minsg jelzloghitelek piacnak vlsga uralja, az olajrak pedig elrtk a szzdollros
hatrt gy ht taln mindannyiunkra hasznra vlik, ha jobban rltunk, hogyan mkdik a
pnz, s mikppen mozgatja a vilgot.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Kt ausztrl meghdtja a Tasmn-tengert
James Castrission s Justin Jones elsknt evezett t kajakkal Ausztlibl j-Zlandra. A kt
frfi 62 napig kzdtt a rossz idjrssal s a viharos tengerrel, mire tjuk vgre rtek.
Hsknek kijr fogadtatsban volt rszk a hossz t vgn, melynek rvn k lettek az
els kajakosok, akik legyztk a Tasmn-tengert. Az j-zlandi Taranaki vrosnak kzelben
eveztek partra, hatvankt nappal azutn, hogy Ausztrlia keleti partjtl nekivgtak.
Hromezer nnepl vrta ket. Bennszltt maori kenu-flotta ksrte ket a partig,
mikzben a szrazfldn egy zenekar a npszer ausztrl npdalt, a Waltzing Matild-t
jtszotta.
James Castrission szerint a fogadtats lenygz volt. Abszolt dbbenetes mondta
Onnantl kezdve, hogy 140 kilomterre meglttuk a tvolban Taranakit, mr lland
bizsergst reztnk. Alig aludtunk, s annyira, de annyira rlnk, hogy itt lehetnk.
Amikor november kzepn elhagytk Ausztrlit, gy fogalmaztak, jellemforml tjuk lesz.
Valban gy trtnt. A hatalmas hullmok, a kemny szembeszl s az ers ramlatok mind
ellenk dolgoztak. A szrke g is megneheztette helyzetket, mert a stt felhk miatt nem
termeltek elg energit a kajak napelemei. A hullmz tenger radsul elztatta kabinjukat.
A kt huszonves frfinek meg kellett birkznia a kimerltsggel, sebekkel s zzodsokkal;
hajjuk pedig mszaki gondokkal kzdtt. Brfertzseiket a ss vz csak slyosbtotta.
Napokig nlklztk az alvst, s gy doblta ket a tenger, mintha egy mosgpben lettek
volna.
Miutn a vmellenrzsi formasgokon tlestek, Castrissiont s Jonest kivizsgltk egy
krhzban, mert felmerlt annak lehetsge, hogy a hossz t sorn lbizmaik elsorvadtak.
Tavaly egy ausztrl kajakos eltnt, amikor ugyanezzel a rekordteljestmnnyel prblkozott.
A 39 ves Andrew McAuley vlheten a viharos tengerbe fulladt; holttestt nem talltk
meg.

83

Do you understand?

Hrom turistaltvnyossg egy helyen, Georgia partjainl


A tengerparti teleplsek a strandok szerelmeseit vonzzk; a hegyek az outdoor-sportok
kedvelit, s gy tovbb. Van azonban egy gynyr hely Amerikban, mely hrom
klnbz fajta turista szmra is nagy vonzert jelent.
A dlen fekv Georgia llam atlanti-ceni partjnl tallhat szigetre a trtnelem irnt
rdekldk a milliomosok rgi paloti miatt znlenek. A vagyonosakat az lomszer
strandok s buja golfplyk vonzzk. Az llat- s nvnyvilg szerelmeseit pedig az csbitja
ide, hogy a sziget 65%-n trvnyben elrt mdon tilos brmifajta fejleszts.
A zldell szigetet James Oglethorpe brit tbornok nevezte el az 1700-as vekben
prtfogjrl, Sir Joseph Jekyll-rl, s bartai rendelkezsre bocstotta.
A Jekyll-sziget gyapotltetvny volt az 1880-as vekig, amikor New Yorkban, a messzi
szakon a gazdag iparosok az Union Club-ban valsznleg a vilg leggazdagabb s
legexkluzvabb klubjban szvtk szivarjaikat.
Milyen gazdag volt ez a klub? Amikor John Pierpont Morgant megkrdezte egy klubtag,
mennyibe kerl egy olyan jacht megvsrlsa, mint az Corsair Two-ja, annyit vetett oda:
Ha ezt meg kell krdeznie, akkor semmi keresnivalja egy jacht krnykn.
Ezeket az arisztokratkat a frksz jsgrk llandan zaklattk, s rablbrknak hvtk a
kapitalizmus ltaluk mvelt knyrtelen, st idnknt bnzssel hatros fajtja miatt. A
Union Club tagjainak nyugodt menedkre volt szksgk, amit a Jekyll-szigeten leltek meg.
Mindenestl megvsroltk, s tli jtszterkk tettk.
A harmincas vek gazdasgi vilgvlsga, trsztellenes trvnyei s az j szvetsgi
jvedelemad azonban sok Union Club tag sorst kedveztlenl alaktotta. Ezek egyszeren
magukra hagytk jekyll-szigeti villikat, melyek persze mess krik voltak. 1947-ben Georgia
llam megvette a szigetet, hogy ezeket a krikat megvja a fosztogatktl. Nmelyik palota
ma trtneti mzeum. A golfplyk a gazdagabb rteget vonzzk; a hatalmas vad-menedk
pedig trkat s gynevezett tekns-stkat knl.
Miknt egy vszzada, gy most is ez az v legforgalmasabb idszaka a balzsamos levegj
szigeten: ilyenkor megszllja egy vndormadr-szer emberfajta, a hmadr-nak nevezett
tli turistk tmege.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A Ferrari szerint Raikknen s Massa egyenl bnsmdban rszesl 2008-ban
Stefano Domenicali sportigazgat, a Ferrari Forma-1-es csapatnak j vezetje szerint az
aktulis vilgbajnok, a finn Kimi Raikknen nem lesz els szm pilta az idei
versenyszezonban.

84

Do you understand?

Domenicali lltsa szerint Raikknen s csapattrsa, a brazil Felipe Massa egyenl


elbnsban rszesl a szezon kezdetn, mivel szmra a csapat rdeke az elsdleges.
Mint az j sportigazgat elmondta, a Forma-1-nek tl kell lpnie a tavalyi kmbotrnyon,
mely mgtt a rivlis McLaren llt. A McLarent 100 milli dollrra bntettk, s
megfosztottk a csapat-vilgbajnoksgban szerzett pontjaiktl, miutn egy korbbi Ferrarialkalmazott bizalmas adatokat juttatott el a brit csapathoz.
A Jean Todt helyre lp Domenicali szerint a sportg rdekben a csapatoknak elre kell
tekintenik. Azt azonban elismerte, hogy nehz lesz elfelejteni a kmbotrnyt.
Raikknen a vezeti vilgbajnoksgot az vad utols versenyn nyerte meg, amikor egy
ponttal a McLaren brit piltja, Lewis Hamilton el kerlt.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A munkanlklisg ntt, az amerikai piacok gyengltek
A kormny tjkoztatsa szerint az Egyeslt llamokban ktves cscsra szktt a
munkanlklisg; a nyugtalant gazdasgi hrek pedig pnteken erteljes cskkenst
idztek el a pnzgyi piacokon.
Az Egyeslt llamok munkagyi minisztriuma szerint a munkanlklisg 0,3 szzalkkal, 5
szzalkra emelkedett decemberben ami a legmagasabb munkanlklisgi rta 2005 ta.
A jelents nyilvnossgra hozatala utn zuhantak az amerikai rszvnyrfolyamok. A Dow
Jones ipari tlag majdnem kt szzalkot gyenglt a pnteki kereskeds sorn, a NASDAQindex pedig kzel 4 szzalkot esett.
Bush elnk szerint az amerikai gazdasg ers alapokon nyugszik a kedveztlen
mutatszmok ellenre is. A VOA [Amerika Hangja] fehr hzi tudstja szerint Bush
gazdasglnkt csomagot tervez, mely adcskkentst is tartalmazhat.
Az elnk gazdasgi terveinek rszletei vrhatan nem kerlnek nyilvnossgra a hnap
folyamn tartand vrtkel beszdig, de elemzk szerint megntt a valsznsge, hogy
az amerikai jegybank (a Federal Reserve) tovbb cskkenti a kamatokat a gazdasg tlzott
lelassulsnak elkerlse rdekben.
A munkanlklisg nvekedse mellett a munkagyi minisztrium pnteki jelentsbl az is
kiderlt, hogy sszestve csupn 18.000 j munkahely jtt ltre december folyamn, ami az
elmlt ngy v legszernyebb mrtk nvekedse.

85

Do you understand?

Az afgn paprsrkny-rusok szerint serkenti a keresletet az j mozifilm


A Paprsrknyok cm mozifilmet mg nem mutattk be Afganisztnban, de a szbeszdnek
s az internetnek ksznheten mr sok afgn hallott az azonos cm bestselleren alapul
filmrl. A kabuli paprsrknyksztk abban bznak, hogy a film fellendti az zletet s
nemzetkzi elismertsget szerez mvszetknek.
A dl-zsiai orszgokban vszzadok ta npszer a srknyrptets. Khaled Hosseini
Paprsrknyok cm regnye mutatta meg a vilgnak Afganisztnt errl az oldalrl. Br a
mozi nagy rszt Afganisztnon kvl forgattk, tbb jelenetet Kabulban vettek fel.
A gyereksznszek szmra valdi kihvst jelentett, hogy megtanuljk gyakorlottan rptetni
a paprsrknyt; helyi srknyksztket alkalmaztak a fiatalok betantsra.
Ustad Noor Agha Kabul egyik legelismertebb srknyksztje. Mint mondja, megtantotta a
fikat arra, hogyan rptessk a srknyokat, s mikppen harcoljanak velk akr 3000
mter magasan is.
A film producerei azrt vettek fel minket, hogy a hrom gyerek fszereplt Ahmadot,
Zikrit s Elhamot megtantsuk srknyt rptetni magyarzza a srknykszt.
Nagyjbl msfl hnapon t ksztettk fel ket a hzunkhoz kzeli srknyrptet mezn.
Ustad Noor Agha Kabul legrgebbi rszn lakik. Srknyksztsi tudst apjtl rklte.
lltsa szerint a srknyrptets 900 vvel ezeltt jutott el Afganisztnba Indibl s
Knbl.
Pahlawan Karim szerint, aki szintn srknyokat rul s rszt vett a felksztsben, egyre
tbb klfldi ltogatja boltjt s tisztes sszegeket kltenek.
Bzik benne, hogy a Paprsrknyok cm film a vilg minden tjrl Afganisztnba csbtja a
srknyrptets hveit. Igen, a film elksztse s paprsrknyaink exportja egyrtelmen
ersti az ipargat. Ktsgtelenl jelents nemzetkzi elismertsget szerez szmunkra
mondta Karim.
A kabuli paprsrkny-rusok szerint eme si afgn idtlts hirtelen sikere jl jtt nekik.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sarkozy egyiptomi vakcira ment j bartnjvel
A francia elnk, Nicholas Sarkozy bartnje, Carla Bruni, a korbbi szupermodell
trsasgban megkezdte egyiptomi vakcijt.
Sarkozy s Bruni kzenfogva rkeztek kedden az egyiptomi Luxor vrosba ez volt
mindssze a msodik alkalom, amikor a pr nyilvnosan egytt mutatkozott.

86

Do you understand?

Sarkozy s ksrete az elnk rgi bartja, Vincent Bollore francia millirdos ltal
rendelkezskre bocstott magnreplvel utaztak.
Nhny Luxorban eltlttt napot kveten a francia elnk vrhatan megltogatja Sharm elSheikhet, a vrs-tengeri dlhelyet, majd vasrnap megkezdi hivatalos kairi ltogatst.
Sarkozy s msodik felesge, Ccilia oktberben vltak el tizenegy vnyi hzassg utn. Az
52 ves elnk elszr e hnap elejn, a prizsi Disneylandben mutatkozott a nyilvnossg
eltt a 39 ves Brunival, ami a francia mdia rszrl fokozott rdekldst vltott ki.
Bruni olasz szlets francia llampolgr, aki nemrgiben nekesi plyra trt, miutn
befejezte sikeres modell-plyafutst. Szmos hres frfival volt kapcsolata, kztk a
rocksztr Mick Jaggerrel s Eric Claptonnal, illetve Donald Trump amerikai mgnssal.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Nevadt s szak-Kalifornit heves vihar sjtotta
Az Egyeslt llamok nyugati rszn fekv Nevada llam hatsgainak kzlse szerint
krlbell 800 otthont rasztott el fagyponthoz kzeli hmrsklet vz, amikor egy erteljes
tli vihart kveten megrepedt egy csatorna.
A Reno vrostl keletre tevkenyked illetkesek szerint a Truckee-csatorna egy kilenc
mter hosszsg szakasza trt el szombaton a reggeli rkban, ami kzel egy mter magas
radatot zdtott egy Fernley nev kisvrosra. lltsuk szerint az rads tbb mint 3000
embert rintett, akik kzl sokat egy helyi iskolba evakultak.
Srltekrl nem rkezett jelents.
A szomszdos Kalifornia llamban a heves csendes-ceni ciklonrendszer a 240
kilomter/rt is elr szelekkel jrt, ami miatt tbb mint egymilli ember maradt ram
nlkl pnteken.
Sierra Nevada hegyvidke az egyik leginkbb sjtott terlet, ahol a vihar sarkvidki hviharr
fajult a nagyobb magassgokban. Az elrejelzsek szerint a terleten vasrnapig akr 2-3
mternyi h is hullhat.
A meteorolgusok szerint a vihar Dl-Kalifornia egyes rszeire is akr 25 centimternyi est
zdthat.
A heves eszsek hirtelen radsokat s srlavinkat okozhatnak azokon a terleteken,
melyek a tavalyi kiterjedt bozttzek idejn legtek. Az illetkesek Los Angeles kzelben
tbbezer hz ktelez kirtst rendeltk el.

87

Do you understand?

A Tadzs Mahalnl nem fogadjk el az amerikai dollrt


Az amerikai dollr cskken rtke miatt az indiai turisztikai illetkesek gy dntttek, hogy
a tovbbiakban nem fogadjk el az amerikai valutt a Tadzs Mahal-nl s 120 egyb indiai
trtnelmi helysznen.
A memlknl november ta nem fogadjk el a dollrt, gy az amerikai turistk tbb mint
500 rpit fizethetnek (jelenlegi rfolyamon 12,80 dollr), ha meg szeretnk tekinteni a
Sahdzsahn mogul csszr ltal felesgnek, Mumtaz Mahalnak pttetett fehr kupols
mrvny mauzleumot valamint kapnak egy ingyen palack vizet.
A dnts az amerikai dollr folyamatos gyenglsnek eredmnyekppen szletett. A dollr
2007-ben 11%-kal gyenglt s most nagyjbl 39 rpit r.
Ambika Soni turisztikai miniszter elmondta a CNN-IBN-nek, hogy ez ltszott praktikusnak, s
a turistk szmra megtakartst jelent, mert a dollr gyengbb lett a rpival szemben.
Hozztette: Mr a dollr rtkvesztse eltt is igny volt r, hogy csak rpiban lehessen
fizetni (a belpjegyeket).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A krhzak nem idelisak a szvlells elltsra
Egy friss tanulmny szerint a krhzi tartzkods sorn bekvetkez szvlells hallosabb
lehet, mint egy hasonl roham elszenvedse egy zsfolt repltren.
A New England Journal of Medicine-ben publiklt tanulmny szerint az Egyeslt llamok
krhzaiban bekvetkezett szvlellsok egyharmadnl az orvosok s nvrek nem
reaglnak elg gyorsan, miltal megn az agykrosods s a hall kockzata.
Ez potencilisan tbbezer halleset oka lehet vente. A kutatk 369 krhz 6789 szvlellsos
betegnek krlapjt rtkeltk ki. Az orvosi irnyelvek ajnlsa szerint a szvlellsos
betegek szvt kt percen bell sokk leadsval jra kell indtani defibrilltor laptok
alkalmazsval.
Azokban az esetekben, amikor a defibrillls ksedelmes volt, csak a betegek 22,2%-a
tvozhatott lve a krhzbl, mg idben leadott sokk esetben 39,3%-uk. A kutatk ezeket
a statisztikkat szembelltottk azzal, hogy a zsfolt repltereken vagy kaszinkban
szvrohamot szenvedettek tllsi arnya tbb mint 50% e helyeken ugyanis knnyen
hozzfrhet defibrilltor.
A kutatk kvetkeztetse szerint a ksedelmes defibrillci gyakori, s hozzjrul a
krhzakban bekvetkez szvlellsok alacsonyabb tllsi arnyhoz.

88

Do you understand?

Meghalt a vilg legidsebb orangutnja


A Florida llambeli Miami-ban, a Miami MetroZoo-ban elhunyt a Nonja nev 55 ves
orangutn, melyet a legidsebb akr fogsgban, akr vadon l orangutnknt tartottak
szmon.
Mindenki nagyon szomor, fleg ha olyan llatrl van sz, mint egy orangutn. Ezekben az
llatokban sokat lt az ember sajt magbl. A nagy emberszabs majmok a legkzelebbi
rokonaink. pedig egy igazi nagyasszony volt. mondta Ron Magill, az llatkert szvivje.
Nonja akinek a neve lny-t jelent hollandul 1952-ben szletett Indonziban, Szumtra
szigetn. A Miami MetroZoo-ba 1983-ban rkezett. Hallt felteheten egy kisebb
agydaganat vagy egy megrepedt aneurizma okozta.
Az llatkert szerint az orangutnok nagyjbl csak 40-50 vig lnek. Veszlyeztetett faj
egyedei 2003-ban mindssze krlbell 7300 pldnyuk lt vadon.

89

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