Intermediate

Japanese government to give scholarships in 2018

2017年3月29日

Education - I

Pre-reading questions: What is your understanding of a scholarship? What kind of students do you think should be given scholarships? How do scholarship programs benefit the society? About 20,000 students will be given state-sponsored scholarships in Japan in 2018. Students at public universities who live with their parents will receive a monthly allowance of ¥20,000; students of such schools living away from their parents and students attending private universities who live with their parents will get ¥30,000 monthly; and, students at private universities who live away from their parents will receive ¥40,000. As a first step, Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) will give financial support to 2,650 students in 2017….
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Intermediate

Apple cider vinegar for weight loss

2017年3月29日

Health - Beginner

Pre-reading questions: Do you enjoy eating foods with vinegar? Do you agree that vinegar has health benefits too? Apple cider vinegar is known for its remarkable purposes – beauty, cleaning, cooking, etc. Experts from Japan believe that it may also have an impact on weight loss. Professor Carol Johnston, who has been studying the healthy benefits of vinegar, agrees that it may subtly help with digestion. Acetic acid found in vinegar, such as ACV, activate fat metabolism. Another evidence shows that diluted vinegar promotes healthier blood sugar levels. Johnston says that it really doesn’t matter what type of vinegar you’re digesting, All types of vinegar contains acetic acid, the vital…
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Intermediate

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

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

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

People keep their smartphones longer

2017年3月21日

technology

Pre-reading questions: How often do you change your smartphone? Why? What smartphone brand do you like the most? Why? A 2016 report was released by Kantar Worldpanel. It shows that Americans and Europeans hold onto their phones longer. Before upgrading to a new phone, people in America hold onto their phones for an average of 22.7 months while Europeans do for 21.6 months. It is an entirely different situation in China. The Chinese change their phones faster for an average of 20.2 months. Smartphone markets in China change constantly. There are also cheaper phones available from companies like Oppo and Vivo, which are very popular in the country. Vocabulary: release…
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Intermediate

Donald Trump’s inauguration as US president

2017年3月20日

World News - Intermediate

Pre-reading questions: How is the inauguration ceremony for the newly elected leader of your country held? How do you think President Donald Trump’s presidency will affect the rest of the world? Last January 20, President-elect Donald Trump took his oath of office and was confirmed as the 45th president of United States of America. It was held at the United States Capitol Building. The administrator of the oath-taking ceremony was Chief Justice John Roberts of the US Supreme Court. In his inaugural speech, President Donald Trump vowed to make America great again. President Obama was present during the inauguration ceremony. President Trump went to the customary Congressional luncheon and partook…
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Intermediate

Japanese public deeply skeptical over its corporate leaders

2017年3月20日

Business - I

Pre-reading questions: What do you think CEOs or corporate leaders do? How frequent do you see your boss at work? Have you experience doubting your corporate leader? Edelman, a PR Firm from the US, reveals a survey about the public’s trust in corporate leaders. Among the 28 countries covered, Japan ranked last, revealing only 18% in the Trust Barometer survey. People in industrialized countries are more doubtful with their CEOs since greater economy usually leads to manpower reduction. Edelman Japan noted that the Japanese society are in doubt because they usually have low chances of seeing what a corporate leader thinks or does. CEOs like Carlos Ghosn of Nissan Motor…
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Intermediate

Sony’s Lifelog app offers new features

2017年3月17日

technology

Pre-reading questions: What is your most preferred form of exercise? How do you monitor your food intake? Sony’s Lifelog fitness tracking app has been updated with additional features. The app can now evaluate your food based on a photo you take of it. It can give a thorough feedback of the food and also provide calorie count. The app is currently available for download via Google Play. The app uses Sony Mobile’s Meal Image Analysis software. Based on the past charts recorded by the app, it will also offer nutritional suggestions according to your diet. The app can be used on smartphones and Sony’s SmartWatch 3. The certainity of the…
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Intermediate