Author Archive: admin

Time Warner merges with AT&T

2017年5月5日

Business - E

  Shareholders of the parent company of CNN, HBO, TNT, and others namely as Time Warner casted their votes to approve merging with AT&T amounting to $84.5 billion. Although support from shareholders were highly expected, it would be more challenging to receive a green light from the government since US President Donald Trump criticized the deal when he was still running for the office. He believed that CNN distributes fake news. Randall Stephenson, CEO of AT&T, welcomed the criticism. He also stated that since they are a large company, they handle controversies from time to time as well as hundreds of consumers daily. He also believed that by combining Time…
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Expert

Time Warner merges with AT&T

2017年5月5日

Business - I

  Pre-reading questions: Do you watch television news like CNN? Do you believe in fake news? Please explain your answer. Do you often use your smartphone?   The Time Warner Company and AT&T will merge after the approval of $85.4 billion proposal. Time Warner is the parent company of CNN, HBO, TNT, and others. According to Jeff Bewkes, CEO of Time Warner, 78% of their shareholders voted in the favor of the merger and 99% of the voters were in favor of the proposal. Although approval from the shareholders are expected; getting the government’s approval would be more challenging. It is stated that the US federal government will review the…
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Intermediate

Time Warner merges with AT&T

2017年5月5日

Business - B

Pre-reading questions: Do you watch television every day? Do you own a smartphone? If yes, what is your mobile provider? The Time Warner company will merge with AT&T after the approval of $85.4 billion proposal. According to Jeff Bewkes, CEO of Time Warner, 78% of their shareholders are in favor of the merger and 99% of the shares voted were in favor of the proposal. Vocabulary: merge [verb] – combine or cause to combine to form a single entity proposal [noun] – the act of presenting a plan or suggestion shareholder [noun] – an owner of shares in a company share [noun] – units of ownership interest in a corporation…
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Beginner

How North Korea makes its money

2017年5月4日

World News - Expert

North Korea’s economy is one of the most closed economies in the world but they find ways to get money out of their people. North Korea’s source of foreign banknotes come from selling tons of coal to China every year, exporting other merchandise and basic goods, hacking financial organizations in 18 countries and sending North Koreans to work abroad under force labor. They are believed to work in industries like mining, logging, textiles, and construction. John Park, director of the Korea Working Group at the Harvard Kennedy School, believes Pyeongyang kept a lot of money in China that the government can use to fund its weapons programs. By keeping the…
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Expert

How North Korea makes its money

2017年5月4日

World News - Intermediate

Pre-reading questions: How does your country make money? Do you believe that a country can earn much money by trading goods? Please explain your answer. North Korea is one of the most closed economies in the world but they find ways to earn money out of their people. According to CNN, North Korea’s main source of foreign currency comes from selling tons of coal to China every year. Not only does North Korea export other commodities and basic goods, but the profit they get from selling coal to China can finance their weapons programs as well. Moreover, news reports involving North Korea in hacking financial institutions in 18 countries was…
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Intermediate

How North Korea makes its money

2017年5月4日

World News - Beginner

Pre-reading questions: Do you think your country is making enough money? Why? Or Why not? What does your country do to make money? North Korea is one of the most closed economies in the world. They earn money from selling tons of coal to China every year, trade basic goods abroad, hack banks in 18 countries, and force their citizens to work abroad. John Park, the director of the Korea Working Group at Harvard Kennedy school, believes Pyeongyang has kept a lot of money in China. These money can support North Korea’s weapons programs. Moreover, North Korea can easily avoid penalties from the global financial system by keeping their money…
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Beginner

Retiring seniors go on working

2017年5月4日

Japan - Beginner

Pre-reading questions: Are you still working? At what age do you want to retire? Is it good to work even if you are already 70 years and up? Why or why not? Retiring seniors can now work again. They will receive help from the education ministry. It is common for retired seniors to continue working in the same company, but with easier tasks. There are still so many things people can do as long as they are healthy. Vocabulary: retire – [verb] to leave your job or stop working because of old age or bad health senior – [noun] older and more experienced than the other members of a team…
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Beginner

Tokyo taxis lowered fare

2017年5月4日

Japan - Expert

Riders delightfully welcomed the new Tokyo taxi fare, which is fairly affordable for people who use cabs for short distances. Leaflets were handed out to the public to introduce the new fare system to interested passengers at taxi stands. Commuters, especially elders, were so pleased to know about the new and improved fare system. The new fare for the first 1.052 kilometers is ¥410. It used to be ¥730 for the first two kilometers. Taxis have stickers of the new fare system in both English and Japanese. This fare revision was set in motion to address the continuous plunge in the the number of taxi passengers. Taxi companies also hope…
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Expert