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Asia’s fastest growing economies have the fastest growing slums

2017年3月29日

Business - B

Pre-reading questions: What kind of environment would you want to live in? Why? Do you think many people live in cities? Please explain your answer. Many people live in the cities of countries like Cambodia, Mongolia, Myanmar, and the Philippines. Since there are many people in cities like Manila and Jakarta, some people live in slums. World Bank says more people in cities mean that economy is growing. Cities need to lessen the population so World Bank suggests two solutions: make a rural town into an urban city like Singapore or make cities in places far from the city. Vocabulary: slum [noun]- an area with poor housing economy [noun] a…
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Beginner

Asia’s fastest growing economies have the fastest growing slums

2017年3月29日

Business - E

  World Bank data states that nations such as Cambodia, Mongolia, Myanmar, and the Philippines have a high number of squatters in key cities. Cities such as Manila and Jakarta offer encroached properties for migrants. World Bank senior specialist Makiko Watanabe said that opportunities in cities lead to the boost of migrants. It is said that people migrate because of the notion that cities offer a lot of opportunities such as employment and convenience. World Bank offers two solutions for governments to cope up with the rising urban population. Solutions are either recasting a rural town into an urbanized city or developing areas outside key cities to decongest the population….
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Expert

Turrón

2017年3月29日

Lifestyle

Turrón is a popular Spanish dessert made from honey, sugar and nuts. It was invented in Jijona by the Moors over 500 years ago. It is said to have been brought to Spain in the Middle Ages through colonization by the Moors. Manual de Mujeres (Women’s handbook), a 16th century handbook of recipes for cosmetics and food, contains the oldest living Spanish turrón recipe. Today, the Convent of Hermanas Clarisas is known to be the producer of the best turrón in Spain. Twenty-two nuns work together scrupulously to make perfect batches of turrón. Another secret to the prominence of the convent’s turrón is the fact that the nuns have carefully…
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Expert

Asia’s fastest growing economies have the fastest growing slums

2017年3月29日

Business - I

  Pre-reading questions: Do you prefer living in a city or in the countryside? Please explain your answer. Do you think your hometown is overpopulated? Please explain your answer. What do you like most about your city?   World Bank data states that nations such as Cambodia, Mongolia, Myanmar, and the Philippines have a high number of informal settlers in key cities. Cities such as Manila and Jakarta offer illegal housing for migrants. A World Bank senior specialist said that the rise of migrants is an indicator of a growing economy. However, governments are unable to provide quality housing to increasing settlers. World Bank offers two solutions for improvement. One…
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Intermediate

Turrón

2017年3月29日

Lifestyle

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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Intermediate

Turrón

2017年3月28日

Lifestyle

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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Beginner

E.U. fines three banks $520 million

2017年3月27日

Business - E

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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Expert

E.U. fines three banks $520 million

2017年3月27日

Business - I

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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Intermediate