New Headphones Play Songs That Match One’s Mood

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

1. divulge [dih-VUHLJ, dahy-] (v.) – to reveal an information

Example: The company cannot divulge the details of its new product.

2. fascinating [FAS-uh-ney-ting] (adj.) – interesting or attractive

Example: People find new and unique gadgets fascinating.

3. drowsy [ DROU-zee] (adj.) – sleepy or tired

Example: I listen to lively songs whenever I feel drowsy.

4. protrude [proh-TROOD, pruh-] (v.) – to extend or project outwards; to stick out

Example: His cellphone protruded in his pants’ back pocket.

5. scarce [skairs] (adj.) – lacking or not enough

Example: The app developers cancelled the project because their funds are scarce.

Article 
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Neurowear [NYOO r-oh- wair], a project team in Tokyo, has created a new gadget called Mico headphones. These headphones have brainwave sensors that can detect a user’s mood and play a song matching the mood. The gadget looks like a bulky over-the-ear headphones with a sensor protruding from the front. This sensor analyzes brain patterns to determine a person’s mood. The sides of the headphones’ earpieces [EER-pees] also display symbols to indicate how the users feel and lights up when a song plays. The new headphone works with an application of a smart device, such as smartphones and tablets. The headphones will then select and play a song from Neurowear’s database to match the detected mood. Previously, Neurowear worked on Zen Tunes, an app which analyzes a person’s brainwave data as he or she listens to a specific song. The team also worked on other gadgets, such as the brain-activated cat ears and the brain-controlled tail that moves according to the person’s mood. These gadgets may have been the basis of the newly developed Mico headphones. While the idea seems fascinating, some people suggested that having a headphone that plays a song opposite to the user’s mood might be better. For example, the headphones may play lively music to awaken its drowsy user. Also, the accuracy of how the gadget identifies the user’s mood is still unknown. Details about the gadget, however, are still scarce because Neurowear has not yet divulged when it will release the Mico headphones and how much the gadget will cost.

Viewpoint Discussion 
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 

Discussion A

·         Do you think this kind of gadget may take away our ability to think for ourselves? Why or why not?

·         How can gadgets that monitor people’s brain activities be helpful?

Discussion B

·         How do you think music affects a person’s mood?

·         In your opinion, why do some people play songs that contrast their mood?

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Six-Year-Old Boy Raises Thousands of Dollars for His Sick Best Friend

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

1. astonish [uh-STON-ish]  (v.) – to be greatly surprised or amazed

Example: People were astonished by the child’s wish to raise money for the poor.

2. catch phrase [KACH freyz] (noun phrase) – a phrase used to attract attention

Example: Environmental campaigners made posters with “Think Green” as a catch phrase.

3. cure [kyoor] (n.) – a treatment used to heal a sickness

Example: People consult doctors to find a cure for their illness.

4. fatal [FEYT-l] (adj.) – deadly or may cause death

Example: Some diseases can be fatal when left untreated.

5. ward off [WAWRD awf] (phrasal verb) – to defend against or to fight off something

Example: A healthy body naturally wards off some diseases.

Article
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Dylan Siegel, a six-year-old boy from Los Angeles, has written a children’s book to raise money for his sick best friend. Seven-year-old Jonah Pournazarian [por-nuh-ZAIR-i-uhn], Dylan’s best friend, has a rare liver disease called glycogen [GLAHY-kuh-juhn, -jen] storage disease type 1B, which causes low blood sugar levels. Jonah’s body also has difficulty warding off bacterial infections. The disease can be fatal, and Jonah must eat cornstarch seven times a day so that his body can slowly get the type of sugar it needs. To help his friend, Dylan wrote a 16-page book filled with his own drawings. He named the book “Chocolate Bar.” Even though Jonah cannot eat chocolate because of his disease, the two boys made “chocolate bar” their catch phrase to describe things that they think are cool or awesome. In the book, Dylan says activities such as going to the beach and helping friends are “so chocolate bar.” Dylan’s parents got the book published in November last year. The boys’ parents were astonished by the book’s success. The book’s website and Facebook page have received thousands of visitors from all over the world who have shown support and given donations. So far, “Chocolate Bar” has raised more than $92,000 to support a research team in the University of Florida in finding a cure for Jonah’s disease. Dylan’s wish to help does not stop there. Dylan’s goal is to raise $1 million for research on Jonah’ disease. He also wants to make a “Chocolate Bar” book series to raise money for other kinds of diseases.

Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

·         What do you think about the little boy’s effort to help his friend? Explain your response.

·         How can we show our friends that we care about them?

Discussion B

·         Do you think children’s ideas are sometimes better than adults? Why or why not?

·         What qualities of children do you think adults should have? Please explain your answer.

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Exercise May Lower Risk of Dementia

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

1. dementia [dih-MEN-shuh, -shee-uh] (n.) –  a mental illness that weakens memory, judgment, and understanding

Example: The patient with dementia can no longer recognize her family and relatives.

2. cardiovascular [kahr-dee-oh-VAS-kyuh-ler] (adj.) – relating to the heart and blood vessels

Example: The doctor advised my mother to engage in cardiovascular exercises to strengthen her heart.

3. midlife [MID-lahyf] (adj.) – refers to a person’s middle age, usually between the age 45 and 55

Example:  Most people who experience midlife crisis at age 40 are unhappy.

4. treadmill [TRED-mil] (n.) – an exercise machine in which a person can run or walk while staying in the same place

Example: Instead of jogging outside, he decided to exercise using the treadmill.

5. fitness [FIT-nis] (n.) – a person’s good physical condition or health

Example: An athlete has a higher level of fitness than an occasional jogger.

Article 
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Statistics for Alzheimer's disease show that one out of eight adults aged 65 and older suffers from this disease. But, a new research suggests that a person’s fitness level in middle age can determine his or her risk of having dementia in later life. Researchers of this study used the database from the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study,   which contained information of patient visits to the Cooper Clinic in Dallas, Texas. This database was previously used to determine the relationships between fitness and expected life span, diabetes and other diseases. However, in the recent study, researchers tried to show connections between cardiovascular fitness and dementia. The study compared the midlife fitness levels of 19,458 healthy people to those who were identified to have dementia in later life. Instead of using only patients’ self-reported activities, the researchers used treadmill tests to measure the fitness levels of the participants.  Researchers also took into consideration the age and gender of the participants. Results revealed that people who had the highest fitness levels were 36% less likely to develop any kind of dementia. Hence, people with better cardiovascular fitness in their middle age may have sharper minds even when they grow old. However, researchers were not sure whether other lifestyle factors, such as healthy diet, contributed to the results. Therefore, the researchers could not conclude that cardiovascular fitness alone directly caused the lower risk of having Alzheimer's. Nonetheless, the study still provided proof that exercise could result to long term health benefits. The study’s lead author, Doctor Laura De Fina, said that what people do in the present can affect their physical and mental health in the future.

Viewpoint Discussion 
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 

Discussion A

·         Do you agree that exercise may keep a person’s mind sharper even when he or she gets old? Why or why not?

·         How can a person’s weak memory affect his or her life?

Discussion B

·         What do you think are the negative effects of over-exercising to a person’s health?

·         How else can people benefit from exercising?

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Early Music Lessons Linked to Better Brain Development

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

1. motor skills [MOH-ter skils] (n.) – the ability to control the muscles of the body to create a specific movement

Example:  Walking is one of the first motor skills that a child learns.

2. comparable [KOM-per-uh-buh l] (adj.) – similar or equal

Example: Tom’s and his brother’s comparable singing ability makes it hard to tell who is better.

3. accuracy [AK-yer-uh-see] (n.) – the condition of being true or exact; without mistake or error

Example: Researchers conducted the experiment twice to ensure the accuracy of its results.

4. in turn [in TURN] (adv.) – in a similar way as something previously mentioned; accordingly or similarly

Example: Learning a new skill develops a child’s self-confidence, which in turn improves his or her ability to interact with others.

5. showmanship [SHOH-muh n-ship] (n.) – the ability to perform in an interesting and entertaining way

Example: In dance competitions, judges often base the contestants’ scores on technical skills and showmanship.

Article 
Read the text below.

A recent study published in the Journal of Neuroscience [noo r-oh-SAHY-uh ns, nyoo r-] revealed that people who started piano or violin lessons before the age of seven have more brain connections than those who took lessons at a later age or had not taken any at all. These brain connections are permanent and are linked to better motor skills. The researchers from Montreal studied 36 musicians, with a comparable skill level, and 17 non-musicians. Among the musicians, 18 started musical training before the age of seven while the remaining 18 began between the ages eight and 18. The participants underwent brain scans and took a test that would evaluate their visual and motor response, as well as the accuracy of their timing. Results showed that the early-trained musicians performed better in the test than those who started later, who in turn did better than the non-musicians. Meanwhile, the brain scans of the early-trained musicians revealed that the earlier musicians train, the more brain tissue [TISH-oo] connections they had. These brain tissue connections are responsible for better hand coordination. However, musicians who started training after the age of seven had the same amount of tissue connections as the non-musicians. These findings therefore suggest that certain brain connections can only develop at a very early age. Virginia Penhune, co-author of the study, stated that the results did not necessarily mean that early-trained musicians are better musicians. Penhune added that other factors should be considered aside from coordination, such as expressiveness and showmanship.

Viewpoint Discussion 
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 

Discussion A

·         Do you think musical training is necessary for a child’s development? Why or why not?

·         In your opinion, how else can music education improve a child’s development?

Discussion B

·         What other activities do you think are helpful to a child’s development? Please explain your answer.

·         What activities are harmful to a child’s physical and mental growth? Explain your answer.

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Study Says British Olympic Athletes Need Jobs

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

1. undecided (adj.) – not sure about something

Example: He is undecided on whether to play baseball or volleyball.

2. inevitable (adj.) – cannot be avoided, sure to happen

Example: Growing old is inevitable for everyone.

3. out-of-work (adj.) – unemployed or not working

Example: Out-of-work people find it difficult to support themselves financially.

4. pentathlon (n.) – a contest with five different sports events like running, swimming, shooting, horseback riding and fencing.

Example: Athletes who join a pentathlon must have a lot of stamina and a variety of skills. 

5. down on one’s luck (idiom.) – being in a difficult situation

Example: He was down on his luck after he lost his job.

Article
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BBC Sports' latest research revealed that some of the 553 British athletes who participated in the London Olympics are unemployed and struggling to find new careers. Since last year’s Olympic Games, more than 64 British athletes have given up sports while 24 are undecided about their futures. Retiring is inevitable for athletes because of injuries, funding problems or the natural end of a sports career. But after years of excitement and focus on competitions, athletes may have trouble finding other jobs that can satisfy them. To help out-of-work athletes, the British Olympic Association (BOA) launched an Athlete Career in England last January. About 150 athletes and 40 potential employers attended the event. The different companies and sports organizations gave advice and job opportunities to the athletes. Georgina Harland, an Olympic bronze medal winner who retired from pentathlon because of an injury, said that BOA's Career Fair goal is to support athletes who are down on their luck. According to Harland, it was not easy giving up her sport. She is now employed as a sport engagement manager in BOA. Many athletes also turn to part-time work so as not to give up their sport. Kate Walsh, captain of the Great Britain hockey team said her team needed to find jobs to support themselves after government funding for hockey was reduced last year.   Working part-time in a public relations firm, Walsh says that it is very challenging to balance work and sports. Although she is working part-time, she has no plans of quitting hockey.

Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 

Discussion A 

·         How do you think athletes feel when they must give up their career?

·         How can people show or give support to former athletes?

Discussion B

·         Why do you think some people are not able to get the job they want?

·         What can we do so that we can get the job we really want?

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Japan to Join an International Free Trade Agreement

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

1. free trade [free treyd] (n.) – an international trade of products or services without paying any fees

Example: The company can import and export its products without paying extra taxes because of the free trade.

2. negotiate [ni-GOH-shee-eyt] (v.) – to talk and discuss with another party to make an agreement

Example: The energy supplier negotiated with an oil company about a potential investment.

3. reform [ri-FAWRM] (n.) – a change to improve a country’s social or economic state

Example: The government proposed an agricultural reform to give better opportunities to farmers.

4. tariff [TAR-if] (n.) – a fee for imported and exported goods

Example: Member countries of the free trade agreement are exempted from paying tariffs.

5. emerging [ih-MUR-jing] (adj.) – developing or coming into popularity or maturity

Example: Emerging countries are cooperating with international businesses to further improve their economy.

Article 
Read the text below.

Japan has recently expressed its interest in joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a free trade agreement that aims on improving business relationship and interaction between the member countries. Currently, 11 countries are negotiating about the TPP, including the U.S.A., Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. TPP will include different industries, such as agriculture, energy, insurances, and vehicles. Joining the agreement means boosting the trade of goods and services between Japan and the member countries. This improvement, according to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, may save Japan’s struggling and unstable economy caused by the decline in the demands from the local and international markets. The trade agreement may also motivate Japan to make reforms in important business sectors. Once the agreement is finalized, tariffs on the goods and services are expected to decrease to facilitate [fuh-SIL-i-teyt] business transactions among member countries. However, the agricultural [AG-ri-kuhl-cher-al] sector protested against the reduction of tariffs because it will have a large impact on the farming business. To address the protests, Prime Minister Abe ensured the agricultural sector that he will protect Japan’s interests while pursuing the benefits offered by the TPP. Being an open economy has been a recent trend in emerging Asian countries. For Japan, joining the TPP is an opportunity to also become an open economy and to get the country’s economy moving and growing again.

Viewpoint Discussion 
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 

Discussion A

·         Do you think Japan should join the TPP? Why or why not?

·         How else can joining the TPP possibly affect Japan?

Discussion B

·         Do you think it is important for a country to have business interactions with other countries? Why or why not?

·         What do you think can happen to a country if it refuses to do business with other countries?

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Medical Tourism, A New Business Trend

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

1. tourism [too r-iz-uh m] (n.) – the industry of providing people tours and services when they travel

Example: The current upward trend in tourism helped him decide to start a travel agency.

           

2. transitory [TRAN-si-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee, -zi-] (adj.) – temporary or lasting only for a short time

Example: Many travelers spend the night at cheap hotels because their stay is often transitory.

3. project [pruh-JEKT] (v.) – to guess or estimate on a future result based on the available data

Example: The boss asked his employee to project how much profit the new marketing strategy can generate.

4. attribute [uh-TRIB-yoot ] (v.) – to consider as the reason or cause of something

Example: Doctors attributed his dad’s poor health to lack of exercise.

5. immigrant [IM-i-gruh nt] (n.) – a person who comes to another country to live there permanently.

Example: Many immigrants visit their home country because they often miss their relatives.

Article
Read the text below.

While sightseeing may be a popular reason for travel, recent studies show that many Europeans nowadays go to other countries for medical purposes. This new trend is being called medical tourism. Medical tourism is becoming popular, with more people searching for less expensive medication and treatment in other countries. But aside from getting medical treatments, people also go sightseeing to take advantage of the costly trip. Professor Helmut Wachowiak of the International University of Applied Sciences in Germany said that although medical tourism is still a transitory industry, it is opening market opportunities for many countries. Wachowiak added that the medical tourism industry earned $40 to $60 billion and is projected to increase by 20% yearly. Germany is now one of the countries with the largest medical tourism industry. About 77,000 foreign patients received their medical treatment in Germany in 2010. Studies have attributed the increasing interest for medical tourism to several factors. One factor is the marketing of cheaper and faster medical care to tourists. Tourism agencies, who know of this fact, have been promoting various medical deals through the internet. Medical companies have also been referring patients to international clinics. One such company is the Medical Tourist Company in Britain, which refers about 100 patients yearly to hospitals in India. Lastly, many immigrants feel more comfortable seeking treatment in a familiar place where relatives can take care of them and where treatment is cheaper, so these immigrants choose to come back to their home countries for medical care.

Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 

Discussion A

·         Are you satisfied with the current medical services in your country? Why or why not?

·         Do you think medical tourism could be a potential source of income for your country? Please explain your answer.

Discussion B

·         Why do you think people like to visit your country?

·         Can you name activities or places in your country that are popular with tourists? Please explain your answers.

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