3B READING
A look at selfies through history
Although the term ‘selfie’ has only become standard language in the last few years, the process has been common for nearly 200 years. Despite being named Oxford Dictionary’s ‘Word of the Year’ in 2015, it is anything but a modern phenomenon.
The first use of the term was on a public forum in September 2002. An Australian man took a photo of his torn lip after a drunken night out and was seeking advice about the stitches that he had just received.
However, the first selfie (referred to as a self-portrait at the time) has been credited to Robert Cornelius in 1839. Cornelius, credited as one of the great American pioneers of photography, produced a daguerreotype of himself.
It was a rather different process to the one we’re used to today. Firstly, the pace was much slower. He had to uncover the lens, run into the shot, hold his pose for between 3 and 15 minutes and then replace the lens cap again. Your average celebrity probably wouldn’t pose for that long with you on a night out!
After this portrait was taken, the self-portrait approach to photography really took off. In 1914, Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia took a picture of herself in front of a mirror to send to a friend, becoming one of the first teenagers to take a selfie!
The first time a photographic self-portrait was taken using the same process as today, with the photographer holding the camera at arm’s length, was in December 1920. The five men who took the photo were the main photographers of the Byron Company; a photography studio founded in Manhattan in 1892 and still in business today. Another man took a photograph of the men documenting the momentous occasion. The image shows the five men standing on the roof of the Marceau Studio holding an antediluvian analog camera that was so heavy it required two of the men to hold it up.
When instant cameras, such as the Polaroid, became more affordable in the 1970s, photographers started to take more self-portraits because the weight of the cameras was very light, allowing them to be casually held at arm’s length. They also had the feature of producing photographs immediately, providing gratification soon after the photo was taken.
The proliferation of smartphones is responsible for the accessibility of cameras to the general public. The release of the Sony Ericsson Z1010 mobile phone in 2003 introduced the front-facing camera, which allowed for the easiest selfie-taking to date. Then in 2015, the selfie stick was invented, allowing for more of the background and additional people to be included in the composition.
When was the first time you became aware of the selfie?
VOCABULARY
Types of Camera
SLR camera
– I forgot to take my SLR camera with me to Portugal, so I couldn’t take any photos.
Digital camera
– He offered to swap his digital camera for hers.
APS camer
– My cheap APS camera takes better pictures than his expensive one.
Instant camera
– There was an instant camera for sale in the window.
Different Parts of a Camera
Lens
– The lens of a camera forms images.
Lens cap
– I think I lost the camera’s lens cap somewhere in the vicinity.
Tripod
– The camera is bulky, mounted on a tripod.
Zoom lens
– I have a camera with a zoom lens.
Flash unit
– The charge from the camera’s flash unit would trigger the explosion.
black-and-white
ADJECTIVE
a black-and-white photograph, film, or television shows pictures in black, white, and grey but not in colour
camera-shy
ADJECTIVE
not willing to have your photograph taken
candid
ADJECTIVE
a candid photograph of someone is natural and informal and is taken without them knowing that they are being photographed
colour
ADJECTIVE
a colour photograph, magazine etc is in colour, not black and white
grainy
ADJECTIVE
grainy photographs or films are not clear and look as if they are made up of small spots, usually because they are old
halftone
NOUN
a way of printing black-and-white photographs that uses spots of different sizes
photobombing
NOUN
the practice of spoiling other people’s photographs by making silly expressions or moving into the background just before the photograph is taken
photocall
NOUN
BRITISH a photo opportunity
photo CD
NOUN
a CD containing photographs that you can look at on a computer or television screen
photogenic
ADJECTIVE
someone who is photogenic looks good in photographs
photographic
ADJECTIVE
relating to photographs or photography
photograph well/badly
PHRASE
to look good/bad in photographs
photo opportunity
NOUN
an occasion when a politician or other famous person can be photographed, especially while they are doing something that will make people have a good opinion of them
photo shoot
NOUN
an occasion when a professional photographer takes photographs of someone for a magazine
planking
NOUN
the activity of lying on your front in an unusual and sometimes dangerous place and being photographed
positive
ADJECTIVE
a positive image such as a photograph shows light and colours in the same way that the original image does
red-eye
NOUN
the red appearance of people’s eyes in some photographs taken with a flash
say cheese
PHRASE
used for telling someone to smile when you are taking their photograph
shoot
NOUN
an occasion when someone takes a series of photographs or makes a film
soft focus
NOUN
an effect in a film or photograph in which the image is made less clear in order to give a romantic appearance
time-lapse
ADJECTIVE
time-lapse photography uses a series of photographs taken during a period of time to make a slow process seem to happen much faster
underexposed
ADJECTIVE
if film is underexposed, not enough light has passed through it and the pictures will be too dark
Although the term ‘selfie’ has only become standard language in the last few years, the process has been common for nearly 200 years. Despite being named Oxford Dictionary’s ‘Word of the Year’ in 2015, it is anything but a modern phenomenon.
The first use of the term was on a public forum in September 2002. An Australian man took a photo of his torn lip after a drunken night out and was seeking advice about the stitches that he had just received.
However, the first selfie (referred to as a self-portrait at the time) has been credited to Robert Cornelius in 1839. Cornelius, credited as one of the great American pioneers of photography, produced a daguerreotype of himself.
It was a rather different process to the one we’re used to today. Firstly, the pace was much slower. He had to uncover the lens, run into the shot, hold his pose for between 3 and 15 minutes and then replace the lens cap again. Your average celebrity probably wouldn’t pose for that long with you on a night out!
After this portrait was taken, the self-portrait approach to photography really took off. In 1914, Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia took a picture of herself in front of a mirror to send to a friend, becoming one of the first teenagers to take a selfie!
The first time a photographic self-portrait was taken using the same process as today, with the photographer holding the camera at arm’s length, was in December 1920. The five men who took the photo were the main photographers of the Byron Company; a photography studio founded in Manhattan in 1892 and still in business today. Another man took a photograph of the men documenting the momentous occasion. The image shows the five men standing on the roof of the Marceau Studio holding an antediluvian analog camera that was so heavy it required two of the men to hold it up.
When instant cameras, such as the Polaroid, became more affordable in the 1970s, photographers started to take more self-portraits because the weight of the cameras was very light, allowing them to be casually held at arm’s length. They also had the feature of producing photographs immediately, providing gratification soon after the photo was taken.
The proliferation of smartphones is responsible for the accessibility of cameras to the general public. The release of the Sony Ericsson Z1010 mobile phone in 2003 introduced the front-facing camera, which allowed for the easiest selfie-taking to date. Then in 2015, the selfie stick was invented, allowing for more of the background and additional people to be included in the composition.
When was the first time you became aware of the selfie?
VOCABULARY
Types of Camera
SLR camera
– I forgot to take my SLR camera with me to Portugal, so I couldn’t take any photos.
Digital camera
– He offered to swap his digital camera for hers.
APS camer
– My cheap APS camera takes better pictures than his expensive one.
Instant camera
– There was an instant camera for sale in the window.
Different Parts of a Camera
Lens
– The lens of a camera forms images.
Lens cap
– I think I lost the camera’s lens cap somewhere in the vicinity.
Tripod
– The camera is bulky, mounted on a tripod.
Zoom lens
– I have a camera with a zoom lens.
Flash unit
– The charge from the camera’s flash unit would trigger the explosion.
black-and-white
ADJECTIVE
a black-and-white photograph, film, or television shows pictures in black, white, and grey but not in colour
camera-shy
ADJECTIVE
not willing to have your photograph taken
candid
ADJECTIVE
a candid photograph of someone is natural and informal and is taken without them knowing that they are being photographed
colour
ADJECTIVE
a colour photograph, magazine etc is in colour, not black and white
grainy
ADJECTIVE
grainy photographs or films are not clear and look as if they are made up of small spots, usually because they are old
halftone
NOUN
a way of printing black-and-white photographs that uses spots of different sizes
photobombing
NOUN
the practice of spoiling other people’s photographs by making silly expressions or moving into the background just before the photograph is taken
photocall
NOUN
BRITISH a photo opportunity
photo CD
NOUN
a CD containing photographs that you can look at on a computer or television screen
photogenic
ADJECTIVE
someone who is photogenic looks good in photographs
photographic
ADJECTIVE
relating to photographs or photography
photograph well/badly
PHRASE
to look good/bad in photographs
photo opportunity
NOUN
an occasion when a politician or other famous person can be photographed, especially while they are doing something that will make people have a good opinion of them
photo shoot
NOUN
an occasion when a professional photographer takes photographs of someone for a magazine
planking
NOUN
the activity of lying on your front in an unusual and sometimes dangerous place and being photographed
positive
ADJECTIVE
a positive image such as a photograph shows light and colours in the same way that the original image does
red-eye
NOUN
the red appearance of people’s eyes in some photographs taken with a flash
say cheese
PHRASE
used for telling someone to smile when you are taking their photograph
shoot
NOUN
an occasion when someone takes a series of photographs or makes a film
soft focus
NOUN
an effect in a film or photograph in which the image is made less clear in order to give a romantic appearance
time-lapse
ADJECTIVE
time-lapse photography uses a series of photographs taken during a period of time to make a slow process seem to happen much faster
underexposed
ADJECTIVE
if film is underexposed, not enough light has passed through it and the pictures will be too dark
3B Grammar
Prepositions of Place and Movement
Prepositions of place show the positional relationships that different objects have.
Below you’ll find a list of some of the most common items.
Most below are self explanatory and easy to understand, owever, there are some that are used idiomatically.
Look over the list and then do the exercise that follows to check your knowledge.
Prepositions of place show the positional relationships that different objects have.
Below you’ll find a list of some of the most common items.
Most below are self explanatory and easy to understand, owever, there are some that are used idiomatically.
Look over the list and then do the exercise that follows to check your knowledge.
AGAINST
= touching something directly; having contact
Don’t leave your bicycle leaning against the car again!
ALONG
= placed by the side of something
In case of accidents there are emergency telephones all along the tunnel.
ALONGSIDE
= a position next to something
The two runners ran alongside each other as they approached the finish line.
AROUND
= near; in the vicinity
There’s a pub around here somewhere I seem to recall.
AT
= A. exact position B. approximate position
A. Turn right at the next street.
B. He runs a stall at the beach during summers.
B. He runs a stall at the beach during summers.
BESIDE
= at the side of
Cotton has been cultivated beside the Nile river for centuries.
BY
= in the region of
He lives in a cottage by Lake Michigan.
ON THE LEFT / RIGHT OF
= immediately next to; on one side or the other.
These are our wedding pictures. My brother’s on the left of my dad in this picture.
NEAR
= in the vicinity, or area, of
We live very near the airport.
NEXT TO
= close; almost touching
She bought a house next to the cemetery because she wanted quiet neighbors.
TOWARDS
= close to; near
Towards the end of the journey I got really tired.
Prepositions with verbs
When a verb is part of a longer sentence, it is often followed by a specific preposition.
When a verb is part of a longer sentence, it is often followed by a specific preposition.
I agree with Mike
She listens to the radio a lot.
He thanked me for the flowers.
There are no grammatical rules to help you know which preposition is used with which verb, so it’s a good idea to try to learn them together. To help you do this, write new vocabulary in your notebook in a sentence or phrase. Here are some common verbs for each preposition
Verbs with for
Verbs with for
They’re waiting for a bus.
He apologised for being late.
I applied for the job but I didn’t get it.
How do you ask for a coffee in Polish?
I can’t go out tonight because I have to prepare for my interview tomorrow.
Verbs with from
This spray should protect you from mosquitoes.
Has he recovered from the accident yet?
She won an award because she saved someone from drowning.
I suffer from allergies.
Verbs with in
She doesn’t believe in coincidences.
Our company specialises in computer software.
You have to work hard if you want to succeed in life.
Verbs with of
I don’t approve of hunting animals for their fur.
Our dog died of old age.
This shampoo smells of bananas.
Verbs with on
Their decision will depend on the test results.
The film is based on the novel by Boris Pasternak.
If you make so much noise, I can’t concentrate on my work.
Come on! We’re relying on you!
We don’t agree on anything but we’re still good friends.
Verbs with to
What kind of music do you like listening to?
Can I introduce you to my grandfather?
Please refer to the notes at the end for more information.
Nobody responded to my complaint.
She apologised to me the next day.
Verbs with with
I agree with everything you’ve said.
My assistant will provide you with more information if you need it.
We’re finding it difficult to deal with the stress.
She listens to the radio a lot.
He thanked me for the flowers.
There are no grammatical rules to help you know which preposition is used with which verb, so it’s a good idea to try to learn them together. To help you do this, write new vocabulary in your notebook in a sentence or phrase. Here are some common verbs for each preposition.
Prepositions with Adjectives
The table below shows English adjectives used along with prepositions. The second column of the table shows how we can form nouns from the provided adjectives.
Prepositions with Adjectives
The table below shows English adjectives used along with prepositions. The second column of the table shows how we can form nouns from the provided adjectives.
3B Test 1
Insert the right preposition:
Our headquarters are at 65 Long Street.
You can see all members of our staff in- this photograph
The man sitting in the armchair in the hall is waiting for you, Mr. Green.
I didn't have time to read the whole report properly. I just looked at it quickly while I was on the plane.
The address mentioned in this booklet is out of date. You can't use it.
Where are those letters that I left on my desk?
I saw a mistake at the beginning of the text.
What time did you arrive at the airport?
What time did you arrive in New York?
Don't sit on this stool - it's broken.
It's easy to get there. Turn left at the next crossing and you'll see a big green building.
That man over there keeps staring at you, Mary. Do you know him?
There aren't many public toilets in the city centre.
We usually use the front entrance but there is another one atthe back of the building.
I find it hard to concentrate onanything when the television is.
They apologised forhurting her feelings.
I never agree withmy sister onpolitics.
She suffers fromterrible headaches in hot weather.
I'm applying for or internships this summer to get some work experience.
My mother didn't approve of my friends when I was a teenager.
Do you believe in ghosts?
Kerem, let me introduce you to Professor Tsang.
3B Test 2
Choose the correct preposition:
1.What were you arguing ___ ?
- at
- about
- of
2.I’m not apologising ___ breaking the lamp, because I didn’t do it!
- for
- in
- of
3.My boyfriend is paying ___ me.
- in
- for
- to
4.I confided ___ her because I thought I could trust her.
- in
- of
- about
5.I’m a teacher and I specialise ___ teaching young people.
- for
- about
- in
6.The course in African Studies at SOAS appeals ___ me the most.
- on
- to
- by
7.Always allow ___ some extra time when you travel to the airport.
- in
- on
- for
8.She’s always boasting ___ the one time she was on TV!
- at
- for
- about
9.Honestly, I’d prefer ___ go for dinner.
- of
- for
- to
3B Test 3
Fill in the correct prepositions (at, with, of, for, in, to, about).
I'm very proud of my son because he works very hard.
She has always been brilliant at repairing things.
It would be clever of you to learn more for the exam.
France is also very famous for its wine.
The streets were crowded with people.
She was very upset about not being invited to the party.
I think they were not interested in what I was saying.
The police are responsible for maintaining law and order.
We are short of workers in our factory at the moment.
He apologized for being impolite to my sister.
He always waits outside because he is frightened of our dog.
She is furious with him for not watering the flowers.
It would be stupid of him to go out without a coat because it is cold outside.
They said that they weren't responsible for the depts of the company.
He was very sorry for the troubles he had caused.
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