Monthly Archive: March 2017
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2017年3月29日
Pre-reading questions: Do you think eating dessert is healthy? Does eating sweets make you feel good? In a meal, would you rather miss the appetizer, main course or dessert? Explain. Turrón is a famous Spanish nougat, which is typically made from honey, sugar, and nuts. Turrón’s origins can be traced back to the Moors. When the Moors invaded Spain in the Middle Ages, they not only influenced the architecture and language of their colony but their culinary heritage as well. Today, the best turrón in Spain can be found in the Convent of Hermanas Clarisas. Each nun in the convent is assigned a specific task that is crucial to making…
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2017年3月28日
Pre-reading questions: Do you like sweets? What is the most popular dessert in your country? Turrón is a popular Spanish dessert made from honey, sugar and nuts. The best turrón is at the Convent of Hermanas Clarisas. Twenty-two nuns make several kinds of turrón at the convent. The most popular turróns of the convent are Turrón de Trufa, made with chocolate beans; and, Turrón de Yema Tostada, a soft turrón made from egg yolk mixed with ground almonds and sugar, and burned on top with a special iron. For the nuns at the Convent of Hermanas Clarisas, their work is a gift. Vocabulary: dessert [noun] – sweet food eaten at…
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2017年3月27日
Beginner Intermediate Expert
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2017年3月27日
European Union authorities fined multinational banks JPMorgan Chase, Credit Agricole and HSBC for conspiracy over market manipulation. JPMorgan Chase was charged 337 million euros, Credit Agricole with 114 million euros, while HSBC based in London faced a fine of 33 million euros, with a sum amounting to $520 million. Mergrethe Vestager, the commissioner in charge of European competition policy, said that the financial institutions involved illicitly exchanged classified data to collectively bend interest rates with the intention of increasing their revenue. Barclays, Deutsche Bank, RBS and Societe Generale were charged three years ago for the same violation. Vocabulary: conspiracy – the activity of secretly planning with other people to do something…
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2017年3月27日
Pre-reading questions: When you were a child, did you dream of having your own business? What do you think makes business exciting or interesting? Do you think it is difficult to be a bank manager? Discuss. Three international banks were fined by European Union officials for maneuvering the price of financial products. The banks were said to have been involved in a cartel from 2005 to 2008. Authorities found that the banks used various instant messaging services to share information on their trading and pricing strategies. E.U. penalized the banks totaling to $520 million, with JPMorgan Chase worth 337 million euros, France’s Credit Agricole with 114 million euros and London-based HSBC…
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2017年3月23日
Pre-reading questions: What is the most famous bank in your country? Are banks good or bad? Discuss. JPMorgan Chase, HSBC and Credit Agricole were charged by European Union officials a total of $520 million. They were fined for secretly working together to control the market. They also illegally shared important information to get more money. Four banks were fined for the same reasons three years ago. According to a European Union official, if banks continue to have this kind of control, only a few can benefit. Vocabulary: European Union [proper noun] – a union of 28 states that are located primarily in Europe charge [verb] – to ask an amount…
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2017年3月22日
Beginner Intermediate Expert
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2017年3月22日
How long do Americans hold onto their smartphones? That’s the question that Kantar Worldpanel’s 2016 report answered. On average, Americans keep their phones for 22.7 months, while Europeans do so for 21.6 months. The data show an increase by almost two months from when Kantar Worldpanel did a similar report back in 2014. There is a stark difference between the data gathered among American smartphone users and Chinese smartphone users. The Chinese upgrade their phones faster at an average of 20.2 months. The report attributes this trend to the fact that the smartphone market in China is liquid. Moreover, online shopping is more extensive in the country. Vocabulary: stark –…
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2017年3月22日
Beginner Intermediate Expert
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2017年3月22日
Blueberries – also known as a super fruit. It is known to be the king of antioxidants and is believed to help lower down bad cholesterol. A recent study strongly suggests that this super fruit can aid in cognitive repair, especially for the elderly. Twenty-six elders aged between 66 and 75 have participated in the experiment. Fourteen of them were given a placebo while the remaining consumed at least 30ml of concentrated blueberry juice every day. After twelve weeks, those that have blueberry juice included in their diet exhibited significant changes in their brain activity, as monitored by the MRI scanner. Our brain functions decline as we age. It is…
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