IBM Invests Three Billion Dollars for Research and Development

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

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

1. miniature /ˈmɪn iə tʃər, -ˌtʃʊər, ˈmɪn ə tʃər/ (adj.) – referring to a very small version of something

Example: My brother liked playing with miniature cars when he was little.

2. conventional /kənˈvɛn ʃə nl/ (adj.) – being traditional or ordinary

Example: Having a computer at home is conventional in our country.

3. speculate /ˈspɛkyəˌleɪt/ (v.) – to guess about something

Example: The authorities speculate that the company is doing something illegal.

4. augment /ɔgˈmɛnt/ (v.) – to grow in number or in size

Example: The foundation solicited donations to augment its budget.

5. patent /ˈpætnt/ (n.) – a right issued by the government that allows a person or a company to exclusively produce, use, or sell a product

Example: Only the company that holds the patent can sell the product.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation announced that it will be allotting three billion dollars to research on and develop next-generation semiconductors and support new forms of cloud computing and data systems. This initiative has two main objectives. First, the computer giant aims to make miniature versions of the conventional semiconductors. Second, IBM plans to develop alternative chip technologies that no longer use silicon. If these objectives were met, the limitations of the semiconductor chips would be reduced. Today, a semiconductor is usually 22 nanometers long. IBM will manufacture new tools and use new techniques to reduce the size of the semiconductor to only seven nanometers. Because smaller chips have more limitations, the company will develop possible ways to augment solutions for this problem. IBM will also be featuring data systems with neurosynaptic computing, a system that works like a human brain. In addition, the company will use quantum computing that will allow simultaneous computations even in different states. IBM researchers and engineers in Albany and Yorktown, New York, Almaden, California, and Zurich, Switzerland will team up on the said project. The company will focus its research on fields like carbon nanoelectronics, photonics [foh-TON-iks], new memory technologies, and quantum and cognitive computing architectures. Recent news speculates that IBM will sell its chip business to another company. But with the investment, the company shows that it found a new way to profit from the chip business. With its research and development plans, IBM hopes to create profitable patents and intellectual property.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

·         Should IBM invest more on futuristic technology than on technology that can be used today? Why or why not?

·         If given the chance, what technological field would you want to research on and develop? Please explain your answer.

Discussion B

·         What is the importance of technology to our everyday lives?

·         What would happen if scientists stopped discovering and reinventing technology?

Beijing, Oslo, and Almaty to Compete for the Hosting of 2022 Winter Olympics

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

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

1. shortlist /ˈʃɔrtˌlɪst/ (v.) – to include something on a list from which a final choice is to be made

Example: I got shortlisted for the basketball team.

2. contender /kənˈtendəʳ/ (n.) – a competitor who has a good chance of winning

Example: The judges had picked skilled contenders as finalists.

3. by virtue of /baɪ ˈvɜrtʃu ɒv/ (idiom) – a result of or by reason of

Example: The committee head wants to use recycled materials by virtue of cutting down costs.

4. sponsorship /’spänsərˌship/ (n.) – financial aid or support for something

Example: The government’s sponsorship covers all of the team’s expenses.

5. reluctant /riˈləktənt/ (adj.) – being unwilling or hesitant

Example: He became reluctant to travel to Beijing because of the storm.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has already shortlisted the final candidates to host the 2022 Winter Olympics: Beijing, Oslo, and Almaty. Thomas Bach, IOC’s president, said that the selection of the three cities gives them diverse options. Other contenders like Stockholm [STOK-hohm, -hohlm], Krakow [KRAH-koof] of Poland, and Lviv [lveef] of Ukraine also submitted their bids but withdrew afterward. The first two did not get enough popular and political support, while the latter still experiences political unrest. Despite being included in the final three, Oslo’s bid is still uncertain. Oslo voters previously supported the city by virtue of a local referendum but a recent nationwide poll revealed that 58% of Norwegian voters were not in favor of using the taxpayers’ money to sponsor the event. The Norwegian government will still decide whether it will provide sponsorship for the Games. According to Gerhard Heiberg [YAR-had hay-BER], a Norwegian IOC member, some people think that hosting the Winter Games is impractical. They feel that the huge amount of money that will be spent on the event should be spent on hospitals, roads, and other community projects. They believe that Norway should retract its bid like what other European countries have already done. Beijing, host of the 2008 Summer Olympics, aims to win the right to host the 2022 Winter Olympics to become the first city to hold both Games. However, the IOC is reluctant to assign another East Asian city for the Games since Pyeongchang, South Korea will already host the 2018 Winter Olympics, while Tokyo, Japan will host the 2020 Summer Games. On another note, if Almaty, Kazakhstan wins the bid over Beijing and Oslo, the 2022 Winter Games will be its first Olympic event. The host city will be determined on July 31, 2015 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

·         Which city among the three finalists would you like to host the 2022 Winter Olympics? Explain.

·         Do you think the three cities should still push through with their bids despite the huge costs the event would entail? Why or why not?

Discussion B

·         Why do you think preparing for the Olympics costs so much?

·         Aside from taxpayers’ money, how else can a government fund events like the Olympics?

Teenage Boy Inspires Social Change by Giving Away Soccer Balls

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

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

1. camaraderie /ˌkɑməˈrɑdəri, -ˈrædə-, ˌkæmə-/ (n.) – shared friendship and trust among members of a group

Example: The rich boy and the poor girl played football in camaraderie.

2. underprivileged /ˈʌndərˈprɪvəlɪdʒd, -ˈprɪvlɪdʒd/ (adj.) – having little to no access to money, opportunities, education, etc. as compared with other people

Example: The government gives scholarship to underprivileged children in the country.

3. eye-opening /ˈaɪˌoʊpənɪŋ/ (adj.) – referring to anything that makes a person realize something that has personal significance

Example: The short-tempered man’s act of kindness was eye-opening, even to himself.

4. for the fun of it /fɔr ðə/ fʌn ʌv ɪt/  (idiom) – for the pure enjoyment or pleasure of doing something

Example: The football team played a game with the children from the audience for the fun of it.

5. initiative /ɪˈnɪʃ i ə tɪv, ɪˈnɪʃ ə-/ (n.) – an event or plan that aims to provide solutions to a problem or to improve a condition

Example: The organization decided to prioritize the initiative to provide homes to street children.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

A teenage boy from Michigan [MISH-i-guh n] promotes hope and camaraderie through football by giving away soccer balls to underprivileged children around the world. Ethan King was 10 years old when he founded the nonprofit organization Charity Ball in 2010. Charity Ball stands out among other charities because of its unique goal. Instead of basic necessities such as clean water and education, Charity Ball provides quality soccer balls to children in poor communities worldwide. At present, King’s organization has successfully donated 4,000 balls in 22 countries. King was motivated to create a football charity when he visited Mozambique [moh-zam-BEEK, -zuh m-] in Southeast Africa in 2009. He witnessed how football was a much-loved game among the kids in the said country. Despite using balls made of plastic and string, the children happily played football in the streets. Out of generosity, King, an avid football player, gave away his own ball to the children. It instantly earned him a round of joyous and excited cheering. The children’s eye-opening response made King realize how he can help using football. King’s father, who helped him in building the charity, shared that giving poor children soccer balls strengthens and brings hope during difficult times. Most importantly, playing football just for the fun of it teaches them to value unity and friendship. Other organizations share King’s aim to inspire positive change through football. For instance, the Football for Development project is an ongoing initiative in Brazil, host of the 2014 World Cup. Various organizations are working together to develop football projects that encourage meaningful life skills such as youth leadership, gender equality, and peace-building around the world.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

·        
Aside from Mozambique, what other countries do you think are in need of Charity Ball’s help? Why?

·         Do you agree that playing football can really promote unity and friendship? Why or why not?

Discussion B

·         If you were to start your own charity in your country, what would it be? Why?

·         Is it good to always be charitable? Why or why not?

US Company Promotes Cloning

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

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

1. niche market /nɪtʃ ˈmɑr kɪt/ (n.) – a small but profitable market that specializes on a certain product or commodity

Example: Her hobby of making recyclable pens generated a niche market in the neighborhood.

2. livestock /ˈlaɪvˌstɒk/ (n.) – animals that are bred and nurtured in a farm for a profit

Example: The family never goes to the supermarket because they have livestock of their own.

3. cattle /ˈkæt l/ (n.) – farm animals domesticated for meat, milk, and other purposes

Example: The tastiest beef comes from cattle.

4. breeder /ˈbri dər/ (n.) –  a person who farms or breeds animals as a profession

Example: He is both a breeder and a racer of horses.

5. ban /bæn/ (v.) – to stop the use or practice of something by making it illegal

Example: The government decided to ban the import and export of chicken because of the sudden virus outbreak.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

An American reproductive technology company generates 100 cloned cows every year to expand the niche market of using cloning technique in livestock farming. Located in Sioux [soo] Center, Iowa, Trans Ova [OH-vuh] Genetics is considered the only major company to commercially produce cloned livestock in the United States. Though the company is best known for its cattle reproduction, it also breeds cloned pigs and horses.  Trans Ova Genetics openly upholds the benefits of the technique. Company director of marketing and genomics Mark Allan claims that the method enables breeders to preserve and improve the quality of meat. He further adds that cloning livestock enables the industry to meet the global demands of a growing population. The technique has also been equally criticized in terms of health safety. The non-profit organization Center for Food Safety (CFS) disapproves of cloning livestock mainly because of the unclear long-term effects of eating meat from cloned animals. Additionally, CFS senior policy analyst Jaydee [jey-dee] Hanson emphasized that cloned animals have higher death rates and have more problematic pregnancies compared with naturally bred animals.   The United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) approved the farming and eating of cloned livestock in 2008. However, cloning livestock continues to be looked down on in other countries. For instance, countries under the European Union are considering various policies to prevent cloned livestock farming and importing in the continent. In fact, the European Commission is currently proposing to ban the breeding and eating of cloned animals, while the European Parliament urges the need to trace the origin of livestock in order to prevent products that come from the descendants of cloned animals.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

·         Who do you share opinions with on the cloning technique, the Trans Ova Genetics or the Center for Food Safety? Kindly explain your answer.

·         Would you approve of cloned livestock farming and consumption in your country? Why or why not?

Discussion B

·         What animal would you want to clone? Kindly explain your answer.

·         Do you think it is a good idea to start cloning human beings? Why or why not?