Author Archive: admin

Nokia releases a revamped version of 3310

2017年3月14日

technology

Pre-reading questions: What features are you looking for in a mobile phone or tablet? Have you used a classic phone with just voice and text messaging features? Have you heard of the 3310 mobile phone? Nokia has come up with a new version of the popular 3310 model. It has the basic features of what you need on a daily phone – text messaging, Opera Mini browser, MP3 player, a 2MP camera, 2 sim card slots, and the classic Snake game. It will be available on the second quarter of the year with glossy red and yellow; and matte blue and gray colors. The new 3310 aims to encourage people…
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Intermediate

Nokia releases a revamped version of 3310

2017年3月14日

technology

Pre-reading questions: At what age did you have your first mobile phone? Do you know Nokia 3310? Nokia releases a new 3310 model. It’s the updated model of the classic phone that was popular back then. It will be available globally in the second quarter of this year. Consumers have four colors to choose from – red and yellow, and blue and gray. The battery life on standby mode is 25.3 days and with up to 22.1 hours of talk time. It is a basic phone with voice and text messaging, Opera Mini browser, MP3 player, camera, 2 sim slots, and the classic Snake game. Vocabulary: updated [adjective] – improved;…
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Beginner

Working mothers receive support from companies

2017年3月13日

Japan - Beginner

Pre-reading questions: Do/Did both of your parents work? What does/did you mother do? Some companies in Japan  have  started giving more support to working mothers. One company started asking all fathers to take parental leave. This way, fathers can take care of their young kids and mothers can have more time to work. Some Japanese companies have started opening daycare centers for their employees’ little children. The government hopes that more support for working mothers can improve the economy. Vocabulary: support [noun] – something given to help someone working mother/father [noun] – mother/father who has a job and takes care of her/his children parental leave [noun] – time that a…
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Beginner

Sunflowers light up Pangasinan in Philippines

2017年3月13日

Lifestyle

  In 1996, Filipino seed organization Allied Botanical Corporation chose to assemble their primary research station in Tayug with a dream to make a “pinakbet line of tropical oriental vegetable assortments,” from bitter gourd to squash, onions, chili, and some more. As they infiltrated the nearby cultivating industry, ABC and Tayug agriculturists experienced a progression of preparing projects and trade of innovation. In the long run, the agriculturists figured out how to grasp new products and methods for developing them. From simply rice and corn, they figured out how to plant watermelons, tomatoes, and even fancy plants. Tayug ranchers in association with ABC, the local government, and the Department of…
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Expert

Sunflowers light up Pangasinan in Philippines

2017年3月13日

Lifestyle

  Pre-reading questions: How many flowers can you name in your language and what are they? Do you have what a green thumb means? Have you visited a flower garden?   The sunflower maze, located in Pangasinan, is now the talk of the town. With the support of Allied Botanical Corporation, the local government, and the Department of Tourism, Tayug farmers were able to build the Sunflower maze. With its dazzling landscape view, photos, videos and posts about the Sunflower maze have been regularly posted and shared on social media. Since there is an average of 1,500 visitors per day, the exhibit of sunflowers brought extra profit to local farmers,…
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Intermediate

Sunflowers light up Pangasinan in Philippines

2017年3月13日

Lifestyle

  Pre-reading questions: Do you like flowers? Why or why not? Have you seen a sunflower?   Last February 15, Tayug farmers in Pangasinan partnered with Filipino seed company Allied Botanical Corporation, the government, and the Department of Tourism to build the “A-Maze-Ing Sunflowers”. It has different colorful flowers that surround a sunflower maze. The A-Maze-Ing Sunflowers suddenly became the center of attraction of the city. Photos and videos of the newest tourist attraction were all viral in the internet.   Vocabulary: farmer [noun] – a person who owns or manages a farm colorful [adjective] – having much or different colors; bright maze [noun] – a network of paths designed…
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Beginner

Dirty environments cost young children’s lives

2017年3月13日

Health - Intermediate

  World Health Organization recently releases reports about the yearly mortality rate of estimated 1.7 million children across the world due to environmental pollutants. The causes of these early deaths are unsafe drinking water, secondhand smoke, and poor hygiene and sanitation practices. One child’s developing body cannot contain the harmful effects of these pollutants, making him prone to have chronic diseases as he ages. WHO also highlights the dangerous effects of climate change in the health of young children. Pollution is not the sole problem, though. The report suggests way for the risk factors and the death rates to cut down. Most of the causes – like diarrhea and malaria…
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Expert

Dirty environments cost young children’s lives

2017年3月13日

Health - Beginner

  Pre-reading questions: Do you agree that having a dirty environment is bad to our health? Please explain your answer. How can you help in keeping the environment clean?   World Health Organization states that every year, almost 1.7 million children aged 5 and below die due to pollution. The most common causes of child deaths are diarrhea due to unsafe drinking water, lung diseases caused by air pollution and secondhand smoke, malaria and pneumonia. As early as one month old, these kids are being exposed to pollutants, making them vulnerable as they grow older. Both indoor and outdoor pollution impacts a lot on a child’s developing body and health….
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Intermediate