General English Level 5 GELEV5 Unit 01 Topic 04.doc UNIT 01 What's going on in my life? TOPIC 04 Unusual lives BEFORE YOU READ Shouting dictation Your teacher will explain how to do this activity. Shut your workbooks until you are told to open them again.  READING 01 Unusual lives Can you imagine living in the jungles of Borneo? Julie Bates has chosen to live far away from everyone as she studies the behaviour of monkeys in the wild. Read about Julie Bates. People often ask me how I got into studying monkeys. When I look back, I can think of several things that influenced me. One of those influences was the birth of my sister, Magda. I had 2 older brothers and had always dreamed of having a younger sister. At last, my dream came true. I loved her! She was such a little bundle of joy. As we grew up we did so many things together. We got on really well. My interest in children continued throughout high school and I worked part time in a crèche. It was here that I really became interested in watching children's behaviour. As a result I applied for a course in child psychology at university. When I got accepted I was over the moon. After I graduated I worked as a child psychologist in a children's hospital in the city for about 10 years. Another thing that influenced me was the present I got for my seventh birthday. My parents gave me a puppy! I called him Bishka. I couldn't believe my luck! He was absolutely wonderful. Bishka and I developed a really close bond. In the 12 years I had him I learnt such a lot about how animals behave. My interest in animals was always in the background, and while I was working at the hospital I read the work of the zoologist, Jacob Miller. Perhaps his work was the major influence in my life because it inspired me to go to Borneo. That's where I have been ever since. I love being in Borneo. I'm really in my element here. It is such a beautiful country, and to spend every day watching monkeys in the mountains is the icing on the cake. They are such graceful creatures. I have daily contact with them and this has helped me to develop a really close relationship with all of them. I know everything about their personalities and behaviour and I have given each of them a name. 29 QUESTLANGUAGE