Study Says Twins Develop Verbal Skills Later than Single-Born Kids

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

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

1. delayed /dɪˈleɪd/ (adj.) – occurring later than the expected time or moment

Example: Lack of proper nutrition can cause delayed brain development.

2. twin /twɪn/ (n.) – either of two offspring developed and born during same pregnancy

Example: She was so tired after giving birth to twins.

3. lag behind /læɡ bɪˈhɑɪnd/ (phrasal v.) – to be slower or have lesser progress than another

Example: Some top students lag behind in their academic standing after getting sick.

4. scramble /ˈskræm·bəl/ (v.) – to mix something up in a disorderly way

Example: The difficult clues scrambled the participant’s thoughts.

5. make sense of /māk sens əv/ (idiom) – to find reasonable and logical explanation on something

Example: He tried to make sense of the abstract painting.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

A study proves that delayed language development among children is more likely to happen to twins than single-born children. University of Western Australia (UWA) professor Cate Taylor and her co-researchers aimed to challenge the common belief that twins slightly lag behind in developing verbal skills compared to kids delivered by single birth. In the beginning of the study, the researchers monitored 473 pairs of West Australian two-year-old twins after their birth. The participants included both identical and non-identical pairs. According to Taylor, twins are twice likely to have late language emergence (LLE) which refers to kids’ failure to meet the expected verbal communication skills according to his or her age and gender. Results of the study show that 71 percent of the twins scrambled their words and struggled on forming sentences while only 17 percent among the single-born kids had difficulties. In addition, researchers noticed that identical twins have higher chances to experience the LLE compared to non-identical pairs. To make sense of the findings, Taylor cited some facts on pregnancy. She said twins generally undergo more birth complications than single-born kids. Meanwhile, identical twins have higher risks because they are formed from the same fertilized egg unlike non-identical twins who are formed from two different eggs. Taylor plans further research on the topic that will focus on twins’ language development in their preschool and elementary years and on how fast twins’ verbal skills develop compared with single-born children. The research, launched in 2002, is a collaborative project between the UWA, University of Kansas, Telethon Kids Institute, and the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

·         Do you approve of the study’s findings? Why or why not?

·         Aside from the reasons mentioned in the article, what do you think causes late speech development among twins?

Discussion B

·         What do you think are the challenges that twins face? Kindly discuss.

·         Would you like to be a parent of twin children? Why or why not?

Germany Is Considered the Most Energy-Efficient Country

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

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

1. efficiency / ɪˈfɪʃ ən si/ (n.) – the ability to produce outputs without wasting resources

Example: We have created more products in less time, thanks to the employees’ efficiency.

2. ideology /aɪ diˈɒl ə dʒi, ˌɪd i-/ (n.) – a set of beliefs and ideas of one group or institution

Example: To conserve water is one of the ideologies of an environmentalist.

3. accordingly /əˈkɔr dɪŋ li/ (adv.) – in a way that is fitting and proper

Example: As what the director said, I led the children to the forest accordingly.

4. emerge /ɪˈmɚʤ/ [ih-MURJ] (v.) – to be considered or regarded as something

Example: The United States emerged as one of the countries that emit the most greenhouse gases.

5. zero tolerance /ˈzɪər oʊ ˈtɒl ər əns/ (n.) – very strict implementation of rules

Example: The government has zero tolerance on improper waste disposal.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

Germany is considered the most energy-efficient country worldwide, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) reported. The ACEEE analyzed the energy efficiency of 16 first world countries and ranked them accordingly. Energy efficiency refers to the use of less energy to provide the same amount of output or service. Its ultimate goal is to save energy, which in turn can lessen greenhouse gas emissions. The criteria for the analysis were based solely on the rules and regulations that stick to the ideology of energy efficiency. A country can get as high as 100 points overall in four categories: industries, buildings and constructions, transportation, and national energy efficiency efforts. With 65 points, Germany emerged as the most energy-efficient country in the world, followed by Italy with 64 points and by the European Union (EU) with 63 points. These three major economies, along with China, topped the industry, transportation, national efforts, and the buildings categories, respectively. Japan landed on the eighth spot, scoring fourth on buildings with Canada. On the other hand, countries with the lowest ranks—thirteenth to sixteenth—are the United States, Russia, Brazil, and Mexico, respectively. Despite its high scores on the building category, Australia got only the tenth place. According to Dr. Philipp Ackermann, an official from the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, the results vindicated the focus of the country towards energy efficiency. Germany currently implements zero tolerance on high carbon emissions and is now finding ways on expanding renewable energy resources.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

·         How do you think the rankings will affect the countries involved in the report?

·         In your opinion, which of the first world countries ranked low in the energy efficiency report? Why do you think so?

Discussion B

·         Why is energy efficiency important?

·         In your opinion, how can other countries become more energy efficient?

United Kingdom Opened Biddings for Shale Gas Development

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

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

1. marvelous /ˈmɑrvələs/ (adj.) – something extraordinary or wonderful

Example: The view from England’s famous Lake District is truly marvelous.

2. indulgent /ɪnˈdʌldʒənt/ (adj.) – indicating a generous and tolerant characteristic

Example: The government is willing to be indulgent for the underground drilling of fuel near the city.

3. unpopular /ʌnˈpɒpyələr/ (adj.) – not favored by many

Example: The new alternative to crude oil is still unpopular despite being economical.

4. industrialization /ɪnˌdʌstriələˈzeɪʃən/ (n.) – to become a place occupied with factories and businesses

Example: Industrialization has been introduced in several agricultural regions of the country.

5. contamination /kənˌtæm əˈneɪ ʃən/ (n.) – the act of making something infected or impure

Example: The construction of factories in the city caused water contamination.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

The British government has opened the bidding process for shale exploration and extraction in the United Kingdom. Shale, a type of sedimentary rock, is known for being a cheaper and more stable energy source compared to other fuel sources. UK Minister of State for Business and Energy, Matt Hancock, said that the United Kingdom’s shale gas is a very promising investment that could provide energy security, jobs, and growth. About half of the country is open for bids. The Department of Energy and Climate Change presented guidelines to preserve areas with marvelous beauty, world heritage sites, and national parks. The government pledged to be a bit indulgent with the planning rules and offered tax breaks to drillers to empower companies to start a fast shale extraction. In July 2013, the Bowland Basin in northern England was dug for shale gas exploration. It has the capacity to hold 1,300 trillion cubic feet of gas to supply the country for half a century by extracting only 10 percent. Although the idea of shale gas venture is economical, the authorities should consider the unpopularity of shale extraction. High pressure via hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, is used to release the fuel trapped in underground shale rocks. According to Scientists for Global Responsibility and the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, this may cause water shortages and housing price decrease. In addition, rivals fear that fracking may also cause water contamination, increase of heavy transport vehicles in narrow roads, and industrialization of the English countryside. Louise Hutchins, a Greenpeace energy campaigner, said that the government is being reckless with its keenness to lead shale gas development in Europe which may harm sensitive regions sheltering aquifers.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

·         Do you think shale gas extraction is a good initiative? Why or why not?

·         What can the government propose to lessen the downsides of shale gas extraction?

Discussion B

·         What could be more eco-friendly sources of oil and gas? Kindly explain.

·         How do you think can people protect the environment while harnessing its benefits? Discuss with your tutor.

United Nations: AIDS Epidemic Can Be Contained by 2030

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

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

1. epidemic /ˌɛp ɪˈdɛm ɪk/ (n) – the situation in which a disease has infected a large part of a population

Example: Under-population is always anticipated during an epidemic.

2. scale up /ˈskeɪ l ʌp/ (v.) – to raise or be raised in quantity or size from a fixed value

Example: The quantity of the medicine’s production scaled up when the disease started to spread.

3. cocktail /ˈkɒkˌteɪl/ (n.) – a single blend of different and various medical drugs

Example: She needs to take a different kind of cocktail for each stage of her illness.

4. unconditional /ˌʌn kənˈdɪʃ ə nl/ (adj.) – not restricted to any limitations or conditions

Example: True friends would keep you company and treat you with unconditional love even when you are ill.

5. stigma /ˈstɪg mə/ (n.) – set of beliefs that characterizes disgrace in a person’s reputation, personality, or circumstances

Example: Psychiatric patients should not be discriminated with the stigmas of cruelty and favoritism.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

Regulating the spread of HIV and AIDS by 2030 may be the first step to ending the worldwide epidemic, the United Nations (UN) reported in July.    UNAIDS, a UN program dedicated to the fight against HIV and AIDS, stated in a progress report that stopping the global outbreak of the disease is possible. But to achieve this, efforts must concentrate on scaling up funds by 2020 to make treatments accessible worldwide. AIDS is an incurable disease that targets the immune system. It is caused by HIV (human immunodeficiency [im-yuh-noh-di-FISH-uh n-see, ih-myoo-] virus), a virus that can be transmitted through breast milk, blood, or semen. A drug cocktail called Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is used to treat HIV. It has been proven that early HIV treatment improves chances of preventing AIDS. ART is one of various HIV treatment drugs that have helped decrease the infection rate from 78 million in the 1980s to 35 million in recent years. As a result, the number of HIV patients has gone down by 38 percent since 2001 and AIDS deaths by 35 percent since 2005. In 2011, the UN planned to provide HIV treatments to 15 million people by 2015. Recent statistics have shown that 12.9 million people have already received treatment last year. UNAIDS further stated that controlling the epidemic by 2030 would prevent 18 million HIV infections and 11.2 million deaths by AIDS from 2013 to 2030. Controlling the spread of HIV and AIDS would not only reduce the death rate and enhance chances of defeating the epidemic. It would also introduce better life expectancy, improve unconditional acceptance of people’s rights, protect HIV patients from stigma, and relieve families of the tragedies of losing a loved one.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

·         Among the advantages, what for you would be the most important advantage of controlling the spread of HIV/AIDS? Please explain your answer.

·         If you can cure one incurable disease today, what would it be? Please explain your answer.

Discussion B

·         Do you believe that we can find a cure for every disease? Why or why not?

·         Do you think it is possible to make the world disease-free? Why or why not?