OPEN AROUND THE CLOCK (Intermediate) (EXERCISEI24E116)

DC Hilton was one of the first Americans to find out that there was money to be made in the middle of the night. 42 years ago he bought a small restaurant on US Highway 69, in Oklahoma. His main customers were truck drivers and traveling salesmen who drank coffee and ate cheeseburgers when they stopped to break their journey. It was they who first tried to persuade Hilton to stay open all night. He thought about it for a while, and then suddenly made up his mind. He took the door key and threw it across the road. He hasn’t closed the door since.

Over the years his simple burger café has expanded into a 24-hour roadside empire, with a 100 – seat restaurant, a petrol station, a mini shopping market, a park for mobile homes and all night launderette.

Hilton was a pioneer in a 24-hour working trend which has now caught on around the world. Today not only restaurants, but banks, supermarkets, mail-order firms, travel agencies and many other businesses are beginning to open all night. But is this really a good thing?

A lot of research has been done in America on the effect of 24-hour working and there is growing concern about the long term dangers of a society that doesn’t sleep. Americans are said to be sleeping 20% less than they did 100 years ago, and 55% claim to suffer at least occasionally from chronic tiredness.

True or False

(1)    When DC Hilton bought his restaurant it stayed open 24-hours.           _________

(2)    Most of his customers were people whose job involved traveling.        _________

(3)    Hilton thought of the idea of 24 hour opening himself.           _________

(4)    The idea of opening for 24 hours wasn’t successful.             _________

(5)    Now Hilton’s business offers more than food.                      _________

(6)    The idea is popular in the USA.                                           _________

(7)    Scientists are worried about people sleeping less.                   _________

(8)    Americans sleep less than they did before.                             _________

ANSWERS:

True or False

(1)   When DC Hilton bought his restaurant it stayed open 24-hours.         False

(2)   Most of his customers were people whose job involved traveling.      True

(3)    Hilton thought of the idea of 24 hour opening himself.   False

(4)    The idea of opening for 24 hours wasn’t successful.       False

(5)   Now Hilton’s business offers more than food.                 True

(6)    The idea is popular in the USA.                                      True

(7)    Scientists are worried about people sleeping less.          True

(8)   Americans sleep less than they did before.                     True

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