Denmark Aims to Completely Depend on Renewable Energy

Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

1. renewable (adj.) [ri-noo, -nyoo] – able to be used again

Example: The business contract is renewable after it ends.

2. fluctuation (n.) [fluhk-choo-ey-shuhn] – constant change

Example:  Fluctuations in the price of oil may lead to unstable prices of products.

3. back (v.) [bak] – to support with influence, authority, money, etc.

Example: The leading candidate in the elections is backed by businessmen.

4. skyrocket (v.) [skahy-rok-it] – to unexpectedly and suddenly increase

Example: Prices of goods will skyrocket if the tax increase is approved.

5. formality (n.) [fawr-mal-i-tee] – something done to keep with rules or accepted ways of doing things

Example:  Board members have already approved the plan, so the meeting will just be a formality.

Article 

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Denmark recently announced that the country aims to completely run on renewable sources of energy by 2050. With the increase of demand for oil in growing economies such as China and India, Danish policymakers are aware that oil prices will continually increase.  They say Denmark’s economy will suffer from fluctuations in world energy prices if the country keeps depending on fuel from other countries. According to the suggested plan, by 2020, at least a third (1/3) of the country’s energy should come from solar and wind power. Additionally, the proposal is backed by most Danish politicians which is a somewhat unusual scenario. However, Denmark’s goal will be challenging. Power supply stations need to be rebuilt and redesigned to store energy for times when the sun is not shining and winds are not strong. A very big investment is also needed for building infrastructures and cables that will distribute energy from wind farms out at sea to the cities. But Denmark's energy minister, Martin Lidegaard, still believes the plan will have good results. He says that it is better to have cheap and clean sources of energy than to deal with the threat of skyrocketing fuel prices. Denmark's proposed energy policy still needs to be debated in the Parliament, but the talks may just be for formality since many politicians already support the plan. However, once the proposal is agreed on, the government’s problem will be to find ways to make the idea a reality.

Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 

Discussion A 

●      Is it possible for a country to run completely on renewable energy? Why or why not?

●      What are the advantages and disadvantages of using renewable energy?

Discussion B

●      What do you think will happen if the price of oil continues to increase?

●      How can the use of energy be lessened?

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Female Soccer Player Continues to Inspire Japan

Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

1. glory (n.) [glawr-ee, glohr-ee] – honor received from a certain achievement

Example: The doctor brought glory to his family when he topped the exam.

2. tough (adj.) [tuhf] – difficult

Example: He was able to pass all the tough subjects this semester.

3. league (n.) [leeg] – a group of sports team or club that play against each other

Example: He joined the basketball league when he was 18.

4. hone (v.) [hohn] – to improve a skill

Example:  An artist can hone his talent by practicing every day.

5. passion (n.) [pash-uhn] – strong interest or enthusiasm for something

Example:  His passion shows in his great performance on stage.

Article
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After helping her team win the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Homare Sawa, former captain of Nadeshiko Japan, continues to inspire her country with “fighting spirit.” Sawa and her teammates brought glory to Japan last June in the midst of tough times for the country. In an interview with CNN, Sawa talked about how their coach showed images of Japan’s disaster-hit areas before the start of matches. She said all the team members did not feel as though they would lose in the finals, because they felt Japan was empowering them. Recently, Sawa was awarded FIFA’s female player of the year. A gifted soccer player, Sawa made her first international debut at the age of 15. However, there was not much support for professional leagues for women which can further hone her skills. Not many soccer teams for girls are established in Japan. When Sawa was a child, she used to play in a boys’ team. She said playing with boys pushed her to be better. Sawa is now looking forward to this year’s Olympic Games in London. She hopes the women’s team can bring home a medal, so that there will be more support for female players, and fairer treatment between the male and female teams. Although very talented, she humbly shook her head when asked if she feels she is a national symbol. According to Sawa, she is just glad that her team’s win inspired many Japanese fans, especially young girls who have the passion for the sport. She said it took a long time to achieve the goal of winning the World Cup, so the most important message she wants to send people is to not give up in reaching their goals.

Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 

Discussion A

·         Do you agree that Nadeshiko’s victory helped in the fast recovery of Japan? Why or why not?

·         How do you think can Nadeshiko Japan continue to inspire the people?

Discussion B

·         Would you say female athletes can be as good as male athletes? Please explain your answer.

·         Why do you think some female athletes do not receive the recognition they deserve?

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Makers of Apple Products Promise More Pay, Less Work

Unlocking Word Meanings 
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

1. wage (n.) [weyj] – money paid in exchange for working; payment given to workers

Example: Workers with good performance get a wage increase.

2. criticized (v.) [krit-uh-sahyz] – to express disapproval of somebody’s mistakes

Example: The nation’s leaders are often criticized when the economy goes down.

3. response (n.) [ri-spons] – answer or reaction to something

Example: The judge asked the witness to give an honest response.

4. operation (n.) [op-uh-rey-shuhn] – business activity

Example: Toyota had to stop its operations in Thailand because of the flood.

5. make up for (v.) [meyk][uhp][fawr; unstressed fer] – to make a bad situation better; to pay for a loss or mistake

Example: I came to work late and had to make up for it by working overtime.

Article 
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Foxconn Technology Group’s chairman, Terry Gou, has promised to increase wages and decrease the long work hours of employees in Foxconn’s Chinese factories. This move was done after the Fair Labor Association criticized poor working conditions and illegal work practices in Foxconn factories.  Factories owned by Foxconn currently make 50% of the world’s electronics, including Nokia products and Apple’s iPad and iPhone. Foxconn’s original response to the issue was just to decrease employees’ daily work hours. However, workers complained that they would not be able to earn enough money because of the lessened work time. Such complaints have pushed Foxconn to also raise wages which Gou says the company will continue to do in the future. Foxconn and Apple have also agreed to improve safety measures, employee housing conditions and facilities for the 1.2 million workers who assemble Apple products. Additionally, Foxconn will put an end to unpaid overtime work and hire thousands of new employees. In order to make up for production and financial losses caused by fewer work hours and higher wages, analysts say Foxconn will not only need to hire new employees but  will also need to invest in automated equipment. The company already plans to build high-tech factories in China’s Hainan province and to expand operations in Vietnam and Brazil.   Gou, who has been listed by Forbes as the third richest man in Taiwan, says the new decisions should take some pressure off Chinese factories and their overworked employees.

Viewpoint Discussion 
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 

Discussion A 

·         Have you ever felt overworked? What did you do at that time?

·         Describe the perfect work environment for you. What things would you like to change at work?

Discussion B 

·         How can a company keep the well-being of their employees?

·         Why is it important for companies to take care of their employees?

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Israeli Law Ends the Use of Thin Models in Advertisements

Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

1. skinny (adj.) [skin-ee] – very thin

Example: Her niece eats only crackers so she is skinny.

2.  prohibit (v.) [proh-hib-it] – to stop something from being done or used

Example: Parents must prohibit their children from watching too much television during school days.

3. disorder (n.) [dis-awr-der] – an illness that causes a part of the body to stop functioning correctly

Example:  She is suffering from a mental disorder that makes her afraid of people.

4. compensation (n.) [kom-puhn-sey-shuhn] – a payment for damage or trouble done on someone

Example: Customers who received damaged products asked for compensation.   

5. deterrent (n.) [dih-tur-uhnt, -tuhr-, -ter-] -  a thing that makes someone less likely to do something

Example: The presence of police is a deterrent against robbery.

Article
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Skinny models are now a thing of the past in Israel after the country passed a law which prohibits advertisers from using overly thin models. Under the new law, known as the Photoshop Law, models with a body mass index (BMI) lower than 18.5 cannot appear in ads. The law also demands that advertising agencies include a notice on each advertisement if they have used digital methods to make models appear thinner. The Israeli parliament’s Research and Information Center said that each year, around 1,500 Israeli children and teenagers suffer from eating disorders, causing worry among parents and lawmakers. According to the data, media images of models who look unhealthy have shaped the concept of beauty among young Israelis and have led to their wanting to be very thin.  Although advertisers who violate the law are not considered criminals, the law allows parents to demand compensation from advertising companies if the parents believe that some ads influenced their children to have eating disorders.  Lawmakers believe the law in itself can serve as a deterrent against further harm to the health of young people. While many people from the modeling industry are happy with this development, some argue that the law is unfair to models that are naturally thin but healthy, as the law prevents these models from getting jobs.

Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 

Discussion A 

·         How can advertisements affect people?

·         Do you think advertisements influence the choices you make when you buy? Please explain your answer.

Discussion B

·         Should the government prohibit the showing of advertisement with skinny models during children's TV programs? What do you think about this?

·         How can adults protect young people from misleading advertisements? 

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Lack of Attention Causes Deafness

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. explanation (n.) [ek-spluh-ney-shuhn] – a meaning or interpretation for something

Example: The manager demands an explanation from his employees after the company lost huge amounts of money.

2. deafness (n.) [def-nes] – a physical condition in which a person does not hear anything

Example: People who suffer from deafness use symbols to communicate.

   

3. incapable (adj.) [in-key-puh-buhl] – lacking or missing the ability to do something

Example: The deaf are incapable of hearing.

4. intersecting (adj.) [in-ter-sek-ting]  – crossing at one point, as in lines

Example: Intersecting roads are dangerous because cars from different direction meet at one point.

5. reversed (adj.) [ri-vurst] – to be of opposite or different nature

Example: The teacher decided to follow a reversed order by starting at the end of the line.

Article

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Psychologists from University College London have found an explanation why we sometimes cannot hear sounds surrounding us when we are reading a book or texting on our phones. According to Nilli Lavie, an expert on the function of the brain, this phenomenon is caused by inattention deafness.

Inattention deafness happens when part of the brain is too focused on something that it becomes incapable of focusing on what the ears hear.

Lavie found this out through a series of experiments involving 100 participants. The participants were asked to do an easy and a hard task while wearing a headphone. They were told that the headphone will help them focus. But what they do not know is that the headphone produces an unexpected sound while they are doing the tasks.

The first task involves observing the colors of two intersecting lines; while the second one, which requires more focus, involves identifying which is larger between the two lines.

After the first task, 8 out of 10 participants noticed the sound produced by the headphones. However, the results were reversed after the second task: 8 out of 10 participants did not notice the same sound at all.

Lavie and her colleagues were surprised to discover that paying attention matters to hearing because the brain cannot focus on two things at the same time.

Viewpoint Discussion 
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 

Discussion A

·         Why is it dangerous to use your phone while driving?

·         How can someone avoid using their phones while driving?

Discussion B

·         What do you think are the bad effects of using gadgets all the time?

·         How can you lessen the use of gadgets?

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Bringing Dogs to Work May Lessen Employee Stress

Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

1. morale (n.) [muh-ral] – a mindset that is confident, cheerful, and enthusiastic

Example: Being praised for doing a good job increases morale.

2. perceived (adj.) [per-seev] – thought of to be something

Example: The perceived glow of the planet makes it appear like a bright star.

3. significant (adj.) [sig-nif-i-kuhnt] – important enough to be noticed or to mean something

Example: The rising temperature each year is a significant evidence of climate change.

4. promote (v.) [pruh-moht] – to encourage the progress or development of something

Example: The organization promotes good working conditions for employees.

5. pet (v.) [pet] – to touch with one’s hand in a friendly or caring way

Example: The dog was petted by his owner as a reward for doing the trick.

Article
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A US research found that having access to pet dogs at work boosts employee morale and lessens employee stress throughout the day. The study, published in the International Journal of Workplace Health Management, was conducted by researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). They observed 75 staff from a manufacturing company that allows the bringing of pets to work. A comparison was made between employees who brought pets to work, those who had dogs but left them at home, and those who did not own pets. Researchers took several saliva samples from the employees each day for one week to measure stress hormone levels. Based on the observation, there was not much difference in stress levels between the groups in the morning. But as the work day went by, stress levels greatly decreased for those who brought pets, while stress levels increased for non-pet owners and dog owners who left their dogs at home. Lead researcher Randolph Barker added that there were significant differences in employees’ perceived stress on days when their dogs were brought to work and on days without their dogs. He says having dogs in the workplace may help lead to better employee performance and higher job satisfaction. Blue Cross, an organization that promotes bringing pets with good behavior to work, says that employees can take small breaks throughout the day and release some stress by petting dogs. As for the dogs, they become happier because they do not have to separate from their owners for long periods of time.

Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 

Discussion A

●     If you were a CEO, would you allow employees to bring pets to work? Why or why not? 

●     In what other ways can stress at work be lessened?

Discussion B

●     What are some of the reasons why people own pets?

●     Do you think people who have pets are happier than those who do not have pets? Please explain your answer.

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