Bangladesh’s Garment Workers Protest over Wage

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

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

1. chaotic [key-OT-ik] (adj.) – totally disordered and out of control

Example: The streets are chaotic due to ongoing protests.

2. hurl [hurl] (v.) – to violently throw something

Example: The angry protesters hurled stones at the government-owned buildings.

3. disperse [dih-SPURS] (v.) – to scatter or spread, especially a crowd

Example: The police dispersed the student protesters by hosing water at them.

4. meet one’s needs [meet wuhns needs] (idiom) – to have enough money in order to buy necessities like food, clothing, etc.

Example: The workers fight for a salary increase because their present salary could not meet their needs.

5. flourishing [FLUR-i-shing, FLUHR-] (adj.) – doing very well, especially in a business

Example: The flourishing textile businesses are dependent on the increasing demand for clothing.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

The streets of Dhaka have recently been chaotic because of protests from thousands of garment factory workers. In the streets of the Ashulia industrial district, angry protesters attacked the owners of garment factories and hurled stones at them. Within only two days, about 200 factories closed down and at least 50 people got hurt. In order to disperse the multitude of protesters, the responding riot police had to use tear gas shells and rubber bullets. The workers’ demand for wage increase brought about these recent protests. Presently, garment factory workers receive a minimum pay of 38 dollars per month. A panel appointed by the government, the Minimum Wage Board, has recommended a 75% hike, which would raise the monthly salary to $66. However, the workers of the garment industry were unwilling to accept the proposal and are now pushing for a salary hike of 100 dollars a month. One of them said that $66 could hardly meet their needs because of the high prices of goods in the market. The salary paid to workers in Bangladesh is just half of what is paid in Vietnam. This low wage is instrumental to the flourishing ready-to-wear industry. Today, Bangladesh’s garment industry is the second largest in the world, next to China. The wage hike would significantly increase the production cost; hence, the industry has not endorsed the government’s recommendation yet. Its big fear is that a salary hike would cause the industry’s competitive edge to be lost.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

·         Do you think it is proper for the factory workers to demand for a salary hike? Why or why not?

·         What do you think the government should do to help the struggling factory workers? Please explain briefly.

Discussion B

·         How do you think people can have enough money for their own needs?

·         What can the government do to help people who have little to no access to basic needs? Please explain.

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PANKs Tend to Spoil Their Nieces and Nephews

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

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

1. surplus [SUR-pluhs, -pluh s] (n.) – the excess from the amount needed

Example: We should return the surplus from the shopping money.

2. coin [koin] (v.) – to come up with or create new phrases or words

Example: The word Blook is a recently coined word that means a book written by a blogger.

3. enamor [ih-NAM-er] (v.) – to attract; to charm

Example: The man was enamored with his nephew’s cuteness.

4. childbearing age [CHAHYLD-bair-ing eyj] (n. phrase) – the age in which a woman can become pregnant

Example: The lady can no longer have babies because she is already past the childbearing age.

5. smother [SMUHTH-er] (v.) – to entirely cover

Example: His aunt smothered him with so much love and affection.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

Sociologists have recently coined a new term known as PANKs or professional aunts with no kids. With no kids of their own, PANKs tend to shower their nieces and nephews with love, advice, and more importantly, expensive gifts. Recent studies even show that more and more PANKs spoil their nephews and nieces. According to the Office for National Statistics, one in five British women is childless by the age of 45. This may be because more women decide to have children later in life to focus on their careers. As a result, some women get past the childbearing age, leaving them with no children. Thus, PANKs express their nurturing and caring side to their siblings’ or friends’ children. Without children, professional women use the surplus of their money to pamper their nieces and nephews without second thought. Euromonitor, a global marketing research firm, revealed that American PANKs even spend around £6 billion a year for their nephews and nieces. One of the well-known PANKs is Cameron Diaz. She could not resist giving her nieces so much love and smothering them with gifts. Another PANK is Jennifer Aniston, who plays like an aunt to friend Courtney Cox’s daughter, Coco. As the number of PANKs increases, the number of PUNKs or professional uncles with no kids also grows. One of the devoted PUNKs is Hollywood actor Jake Gyllenhaal, who has long been enamored with the joys of being an uncle. He even spends most of his evenings babysitting his sister’s children.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

·         Why else do you think PANKs like spending their money on their nephews and nieces? Please explain your answer.

·         If you were a parent, would you want other people to spoil your children with gifts and toys? Why or why not?

Discussion B

·         In your opinion, is it appropriate to spend so much money on other people’s children? Why or why not?

·         How else can aunts and uncles show their love for their nephews and nieces?

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South Korea’s Education System “Produces Robots”

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

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

1. notorious [noh-TAWR-ee-uh s, -TOHR-, nuh-] (adj.) – well-known for something negative

Example: South Korea is notorious for making high school students stay up all night to prepare for the Scholastic Aptitude Test.

2. put to the test  [poot too thuh TEST] (idiom) – to assess or try something out

Example: The Scholastic Aptitude Test puts to the test the students’ knowledge on five different subjects.

3. panel [PAN-l] (n.) – a group of people gathered for a certain purpose

Example: The panel that will be making the examination is composed of the country’s best teachers.

4. conceal [kuh n-SEEL] (v.) – to keep something secret or hidden

Example: The organization conceals the identity of the makers of the examination.

5. obligatory [uh-BLIG-uh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee, OB-li-guh-] (adj.) – required by a particular rule

Example: The college entrance exam is obligatory for all students who wish to enter a college or university.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

The recent notorious Scholastic Aptitude Test of Korea gave rise to some issues about the country’s education system. The test, known as “suneung” [SOON-uh ng] in Korean language, is an eight-hour exam that puts the students’ knowledge on five subjects to the test. These subjects are Mathematics, History, Science, Korean language, and English. This examination, one of the most difficult in the world, is conducted once a year and determines which school a student would enter. This year, more than 650,000 Korean high school students took the test. A panel of 490 professors and high school teachers created this year’s examination. The panel met for 34 days in a secret location in the mountainous Gangwon province. The members brought with them thousands of test preparatory books to make sure that no questions are similar to the hundreds of “suneung-designed” review books in the country. It was obligatory for the panel members to conceal the reason of their disappearance to their friends and relatives. They were also required to surrender their cell phones to ensure separation from the outside world. Although South Korea’s education system is praised internationally, some people still expressed their criticisms. Sunchon National University professor Lee Yun-ho argues that South Korean schools focus on memorization. Students simply sit and listen to the teacher without engaging in creative thinking. As a result, students who enter universities are ill-equipped for the pure intellectual capacity that tertiary education requires. According to Lee, South Korea’s educational system produces “robots.”

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

·         Is it necessary to have an extremely difficult college entrance exam? Why or why not?

·         Do you agree that South Korea’s educational system is producing “robots”? Explain.

Discussion B

·         How can we help students learn creative thinking and be well-prepared for university?

·         In your opinion, how important is college education? Explain.

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More Employees Use Personal Devices at Work Despite Risks

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

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

1. commonplace [KOM-uh n-pleys]  (n.) – something well-known or common

Example:  All employees chose to use the old procedure because they consider it their commonplace.

2. gain traction [geyn TRAK-shuhn] (idiom) –  to attain widespread popularity or acceptance

Example:  Tablet computers are now gaining traction as more consumers move away from traditional laptops and desktops.

3. contravene [kon-truh-VEEN] (v.) – to violate or disobey

Example: The assistant was fired after contravening the company’s policy against leaking confidential documents.

4. workflow [WURK-floh] (n.) – a sequence of steps or processes that a person follows when doing his or her work

Example: It is difficult to get used to the company’s new workflow because I have gotten used to my own way of doing things.

5. remote wipe [ri-MOHT wahyp] (n. phrase) – a feature in electronic devices that allows the user to remotely erase the data on a device in case it is lost or stolen

Example:  After my phone was stolen, I immediately called the IT department and asked them to perform a remote wipe.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

A new survey has found that more and more employees are bringing their own electronic devices in the workplace despite the security risks that come with doing so. The survey, conducted by Fortinet, comes at a time when smartphones are a commonplace, and cloud services like Dropbox and Google Docs are gaining traction in the mainstream market. Fortinet conducted the survey among 3,200 respondents, who were asked about BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policies in their workplace and their use of personal devices and cloud services at work. Results showed that 50% of the respondents would be willing to contravene any company policy that bans personal devices in the workplace. Meanwhile, 36% said they would do the same for cloud services like Dropbox and Google Docs. Furthermore, the study revealed that people generally have lack of awareness about the various security threats against smartphones, computers, and online services, as well as the best practices to follow when using personal devices at work. For instance, 14% of respondents said they would not tell their employers if their smartphone was hacked or stolen. Although using personal devices and established personal workflows may be convenient to most employees, many IT departments enforce strict rules to protect sensitive company information. For example, most companies prefer company-issued smartphones that have encryption and remote wipe features. Many companies also enforce limitations on how company files may be accessed. These limitations specifically prohibit the uploading of files to cloud services like Dropbox in order to prevent accidental leaks of corporate data.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

·         Do you think it is important to follow a company’s policy regarding the use of personal devices at work? Why or why not?

·         If you were given a choice, would you rather use a company-issued phone or your own phone for your job? Explain.

Discussion B

·         How do you think companies can protect their private and confidential information?

·         In your opinion, why is privacy important in companies?

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Gas Station to Use Face Scanners for Targeted Ads

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

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

1. implement [IM-pluh-ment, -muh nt ] (v.) – to carry out or to execute something

Example: The management of the department store implemented new rules about the employee’s attendance.  

2. novel [NOV-uh l] (adj.) – new and different from what was previously known

Example: The consultants came up with novel ways of addressing the company’s problems.

3. boutique [boo-TEEK] (n.) – a small shop that sells fashionable clothing or other specialty items

Example: According to the owner, many celebrities visit her boutique to buy unique, handmade jewelry.

4. watchdog [WOCH-dawg] (n.) – an organization that watches governments and companies and ensures that they do not do anything unethical or illegal

Example: Several environmental watchdogs criticized the government for its poor handling of the oil spill.

5. discriminating [dih-SKRIM-uh-ney-ting] (adj.) – having the ability to know what things have good quality from things with low quality

Example:  Today’s consumers are more discriminating about the calorie content of the food they buy.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

A gas station chain in the UK has started implementing targeted advertising based on the physical appearance and the shopping habits of its customers. The company, Tesco, is installing face recognition technology across its 450 gas stations. This face recognition technology can estimate the age and gender of its customers. This information, together with the information about the purchases, will be used to tailor the advertisements that the shoppers will see in the stations. For example, Tesco would be able to predict that a middle-aged woman buying gas early in the morning might want to grab a coffee on her way to work. On the other hand, a young man would probably be inclined to buy a soft drink. While it is novel to most people, this technology has actually been used commercially. In Las Vegas, the Venetian [vuh-NEE-shuh n] resort and casino employs video monitors that suggest restaurants and establishments to guests based on their physical appearance. In Italy, some luxury boutiques use mannequins with built-in cameras that monitor shoppers. According to Peter Cattell of Tesco, these tailored ads enhance the shopping experience of the customers. He also reassured the public that the scanners do not capture images, record videos, or collect any personal data. Some British citizens, however, worry that Tesco might be going too far. Nick Pickles, head of privacy watchdog Big Brother, believes that if people knew which places in their city use electronic tracking technology, they would probably be more discriminating about which establishments they visit.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

·         Do you think it is ethical for Tesco to use face scanning technology in its stations? Why or why not?

·         Do you think targeted advertisements are more beneficial than disadvantageous? Explain.

Discussion B

·         Why do you think advertising is important?

·         In your opinion, what makes an advertisement successful? Discuss.

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