Intermediate

Disney tickets get more expensive

2017年3月15日

Business - I

  Pre-reading questions: What for you is the happiest place on earth? What words best describe Disneyland? What’s the best theme park you’ve been to?   Disneyland is popular for its magical theme that people of all ages find it fascinating. Millions of tourist around the world visit the place each year. Recently, the company announced that there will be a price hike in the ticket particularly in Disneyland in Anaheim, California and Disney World in Florida. In California, the ticket ranges will increase from $95, $105 to $119 to $97, $110 to $124 which is good for a day. The Deluxe annual pass will also have price hike ranging…
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Intermediate

Working mothers receive support from companies

2017年3月14日

Japan - Intermediate

Pre-reading questions: Is it common for working fathers to take parental leaves? Should women be given more parental leaves? What comes to mind when you hear the womenomics? Some Japanese companies have initiated a remarkable shift in giving support to working mothers. Perhaps influenced by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s womenomics agenda, certain companies have started giving more benefits to working mothers to increase their participation in the workforce. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made increasing women’s labor force participation one of the most important factors of his economic plan. For example, one company has recommended its working fathers to take parental leave. This company has also encouraged working fathers who take parental…
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Intermediate

McDonald’s opens in Holy See despite protests

2017年3月14日

Lifestyle

  Pre-reading questions: What is your least favorite fast food restaurant and why? How often do you eat fast food? What do you usually eat? Where? Is eating fast food bad for your health?   McDonald’s opens a new branch in Vatican City. The announcement of its opening was met with ferocious opinions from the cardinals. As mentioned by Cardinal Elio Sgreccia, the opening of the new branch of McDonald’s into one of the most historic and holiest places in the world is an offense. The cardinal argued against the ignorance of McDonald’s to the culinary traditions of the Roman restaurant industry and for being impolite to their architectural and…
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Intermediate

Amsterdam to unleash self-driving boats

2017年3月14日

World News - Intermediate

  Pre-reading questions: Do you like to travel by water? Have you ever ridden a boat? What do you think about self-driving vehicles?   Self-driving boats called “Roboats” will head for the waterways in Amsterdam in 2017. This is a product of a $27 million partnership between the Massachusets Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (AMS), and will be a solution to public transport through water . Dr. Stephan van Djk, the research program manager at AMS, says that they will try to shift the transport of goods and people to the waterways to ‘get people out of their cars and reduce traffic in…
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Intermediate

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

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

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

Vegemite brand back in Australian ownership

2017年3月10日

Business - I

Pre-reading questions: Do you know any foreign food brand? Do you purchase from foreign food brands? Do you know Vegemite? Vegemite brand is under Australian management once again after Bega Cheese acquired it from Mondelez International. Including ZoOSH mayonnaise and Bonox beef extract, the deal was closed at A$460 million. On the other hand, Mondelez International said they would prioritize main brands in New Zealand and Australia, such as Cadbury and Oreos. Bega Executive Chairman Barry Irvin said the brand Vegemite upholds the wonderful heritage of Australian culture which makes this investment exciting. Australians lost the brand to American food company Kraft in 1935, though its manufacturing process stayed in…
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Intermediate

Italy’s rarest pasta revealed

2017年3月10日

Lifestyle

Pre-reading questions: What Italian food is famous in your country? Do you like Italian food? Do you know how to cook any Italian dish? The rarest pasta in the world is at risk of becoming extinct. Su filindeu’s recipe is well kept in the Abraini family and is passed down from generation to generation. At present, only 3 women from the clan know how to make it. The preparation is so difficult that in the last 200 years, the dish has only been served to people who finish a 33km-pilgrimage in their area for the Feast of San Francesco. Semolina wheat, water and salt are the ingredients to making su…
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Intermediate

Cancer drugs may threaten the heart

2017年3月10日

Health - Beginner

Pre-reading questions: What came to mind when you read the title above? Do you think medicines are always effective? Medicines that can treat cancer can result to heart damage. They are known as checkpoint inhibitors. There are currently four checkpoint inhibitors in the market. They are used to treat six types of cancer. Checkpoint inhibitors are sometimes mixed with one another for better results. They are lifesaving drugs that can lead to deaths in rare cases. Less than 1 percent of cancer patients taking them have suffered heart failures. They somehow destroy the immune system and the heart. Doctors are still researching for treatment for heart problems caused by these…
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Intermediate