Author Archive: admin

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

E.U. fines three banks $520 million

2017年3月23日

Business - B

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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Beginner

People keep their smartphones longer

2017年3月22日

technology

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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Expert

Blueberry juice helps improve brain function

2017年3月22日

Health - Intermediate

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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Expert

Blueberry juice helps improve brain function

2017年3月22日

Health - Beginner

Pre-reading questions: Do you like to drink juice every day? What is the difference if you drink juice in the morning rather than coffee? A new research reports that concentrated blueberry juice can improve the brain functions in older people. As we grow older, our brain functions slowly decrease. Many people already know the benefits of the dark blue “super fruit” blueberries, and it’s no surprise at all to discover more of its healthy effects. Researchers have examined 26 people aged 66 to 75. Within 12 weeks of consuming at least 30ml of concentrated blueberry juice per day, there are amazing results in their brain function, monitored by an MRI…
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Intermediate