Smartphone addicts starting to feel the pain

LONDON – Users of Smartphone and tablet computers are starting to get high-tech blues, as increasing numbers of the tech savvy are coming down with ailments from “text neck” to “text thumb injury”. Health experts in Britain have warned that the strain injuries stemming from long periods spent staring at small screens and tapping at tiny keys can be debilitating. And the injuries are becoming more common as high-tech gadgets grow ever more popular. According to a recent YouGov poll, 44 percent of Britons use their mobile phone for activities other than making calls, for between 30 minutes and two hours a day. The pollster quizzed 2,034 adults over several days in September.  “Text neck” is in effect the latest manifestation of “repetitive strain injury” (RSI), a condition which affects one worker in 50 in Britain. RSI is the name given to a group of injuries affecting the muscles, tendons and nerves primarily of the neck and upper limbs. It is particularly prevalent among workers who spend long periods using computers and computer mouse. It is a treatable condition, but experts warn it is essential not to ignore the early warning signs. In France, RSI is the main cause of sick leave in the work place. Margo in Britain says the biggest at-risk group are children and teenagers, who are heavy users of the latest computers and phones. “I know families where people communicate from one room to another via text messages,” she said. “We have to put limits on this.” Source: http://technology.inquirer.net/6625/smartphone-addicts-starting-to-feel-the-pain/

VOCABULARY

1.      Savvy (n) - practical knowledge and ability. EXAMPLE: business savvy

2.      Ailments (n) - an illness

3.      Stemming (v) - to develop as a result of something else. EXAMPLE: His headaches stemmed from vision problems.

4.      Pollster (n) - someone who works for a company that prepares and asks questions to find out what people think about a particular subject

5.      Manifestation (n) - a very clear sign that a particular situation or feeling exists

6.      Prevalent (adj.) - common at a particular time, in a particular place, or among a particular group of people. EXAMPLE: Drug abuse is especially prevalent among younger teenagers.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1.      What is a Smartphone?

2.      What are the benefits of Smartphone?

3.      Discuss about the effects of using Smartphone on people’s health.

4.      Have you ever suffered from “text neck”?

5.      Share something about your country’s technology.

Japan's Isle of White in Sapporo

Possessing few ancient historic relics like Nara, Hiraizumi and Kyoto, Sapporo has wide streets, mostly modern architecture and lots of parks, gardens and scattered green belts. But it's mid-winter, when the greens shed their colour and up to 6m of snow tumbles down, that Sapporo really shines, attracting two million visitors to the glittering Sapporo Snow Festival. What began as a game in 1950 when local high school kids built six snow statues in downtown Odori Park has grown into one of the world's most dazzling winter celebrations, with displays of sculpture and architecture in snow and ice created by competing sculptors from more than 20 countries. For seven days, beginning on February 6, hundreds of beautifully crafted pieces, from small statues to elaborate  life-size palaces, will adorn the main venue, Odori Park, the nearby Susukino district and the grounds of Tsudome, a family-oriented site a short bus ride away with snow slides, snow rafting and snow golf. The displays are augmented by several concerts and cultural events and by night the sculptures are artistically illuminated, adding to the fantasy wonderland atmosphere. Suitably rugged-up locals and visitors stroll around the exhibits building snowmen, sipping hot cherry beer and visiting the shops, restaurants and bars dotted around the park and in the adjacent nightlife quarter Susukino. Source: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/ipad/japans-isle-of-white-in-sapporo/story-fn6ci05x-1226250035019

VOCABULARY

1.      Isle (noun) - a word for an island, used in poetry or in names of islands

Example: the pacific isle

2.      Relics (noun) - an old object or custom that reminds people of the past or that has lived on from a past time

Example:  relics of ancient China

3.      Dazzling(adj.) - very impressive and attractive

Example: a dazzling display of football skills

4.      Elaborate (adj.) - carefully planned and organized in great detail

Example: a very elaborate telecommunications network

5.      Adorn (verb) - to decorate something

Example: church walls adorned with religious paintings

6.      Augmented (verb) - to add something to (something) in order to improve or complete it 

Example: Job training will augment [supplement] the class work.

7.      Adjacent (adj.) – next to; close or near;

Example: We stayed in adjacent rooms.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1.      Have you ever been to Sapporo Snow Festival? Share your Snow Festival experience.

2.      What activities do you do in winter?

3.      Tell us some festivals in your country.

4.      What is the importance of festivals?

Return of Chinese Tourists to Japan in Big Numbers

TOKYO—After being scared off by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, Chinese tourists are visiting Japan in record numbers again, generating much-needed business and optimism for the nation's struggling retail and tourism sectors. During the Lunar New Year holiday that sent millions of people travelling across Asia and beyond, tourists from mainland China thronged popular destinations in Japan, from ski slopes on the northern island of Hokkaido, to electronics stores in Tokyo, to ancient temples in Kyoto. That is quite a change from last spring, when tourism in Japan ground to a virtual halt amid radiation fears following the March 11 nuclear accident. In December, the number of Chinese visitors rose 32% from a year earlier to a record 80,000, following a similar increase in November. Anecdotal evidence suggests another surge in January. The recovery in Chinese tourism, which started around September, serves as a reminder of how Japan relies on China's powerful economic growth to prop up its own economy ailing from a long malaise and a shrinking and aging population. China is now by far Japan's largest trading partner, and its direct investments in Japan have grown sharply in recent years, albeit from low levels The Japanese government has actively sought Chinese tourists in recent years, easing visa requirements in order to expand such travel. Expectations for growth are huge. As part of Tokyo's long-term economic growth strategy, Japan hopes to increase the number of foreign visitors to the nation to 20 million by 2020 and counts on Chinese visitors to make up six million of the total.  Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204740904577190352257661174.html

VOCABULARY

1.      Optimism (noun) -  a feeling or belief that good things will happen in the future 

Example: The Mayor expressed optimism about the future of the town.

2.      Thronged (verb) – people go there in large numbers

Example: Tourists thronged the bars and restaurants.

3.      Halt (verb) - to stop (something or someone) from moving or continuing 

Example: The strike halted subways and buses.

4.      Anecdotal (adj.) - consisting of short stories based on someone's personal experience

Example: His findings are based on anecdotal evidence rather than serious research.

5.      Surge (verb) - to suddenly increase [= shoot up]

Example: Oil prices surged.

6.      Malaise (noun) - a problem or condition that harms or weakens a group, society, etc.

Example:  The country's current economic problems are symptoms of a deeper malaise.

7.      Easing (verb) - to make a process, happen more easily[= smooth]

Example:  The agreement will ease the way for other countries to join the meeting.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1.      How did the big earthquake in Japan affect tourism?

2.      Discuss about tourism in your country.

3.      What are the benefits of tourism?

4.      What countries would you like to visit? Why?

5.      Tell something about the beautiful places you visited.

Number of Flu Cases Tops Million Mark

The number of flu-stricken patients reached about 1.11 million in the week ending last Friday, an increase of about 400,000 from the previous week, according to figures compiled by the health ministry. In the week starting Jan. 16, the number of patients suffering from influenza reported to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry from about 5,000 medical institutions was about triple that of a week earlier. The number of patients per medical institution during that period was 22.73 persons, up from 7.33 persons the week before, according to the ministry. An official at the ministry has called for people to maintain good health and wash their hands thoroughly after being outside, saying, "People in the Kanto region especially need to be careful, as the number of patients there is expected to increase from now on." By age group, it is estimated the largest number of flu patients, about 310,000, are aged from 5 to 9. About 200,000 patients are aged from 10 to 14, while about 170,000 are aged up to 4 years. More than 60 percent of patients are aged 14 or younger. Eleven prefectures are on alert for a flu epidemic as the number of patients per medical institution has exceeded 30, including 59.88 in Fukui Prefecture, 59.31 in Kochi Prefecture and 52.17 in Mie Prefecture. The ministry is anticipating the epidemic will peak in early February. The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jan. 29, 2012) Source: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120128003328.htm

VOCABULARY

1.      Stricken (adj.) - very badly affected by trouble, illness, unhappiness etc

Example: Fire broke out on the stricken ship.

2.      Compiled (verb) - to make a book, list, record etc, using different pieces of information, music etc [↪ compilation]

Example: The document was compiled by the Department of Health

3.      Influenza (noun) - a common illness that is caused by a virus and that causes fever, weakness, severe aches and pains, and breathing problems 

Example: patients suffering from influenza [=the flu]

4.      Institution (noun) - a place where an organization takes care of people for a usually long period of time.

Example: She committed herself to a mental institution.

5.      Epidemic( noun) - an occurrence in which a disease spreads very quickly and affects a large number of people 

Example: Over 500 people died during last year's flu epidemic.

6.      Peak (verb) - to reach the highest point or level

Example: Sales peaked in August, and then fell sharply.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1.      When is the peak of flu in your country?

2.      Tell us about your flu experience.

3.      Discuss common diseases in your country.

4.      How do you treat common illnesses like influenza?

5.      How do we avoid influenza?

New Quake System Created

A University of Tokyo research team has developed a system that will use a next-generation supercomputer to simultaneously predict tremors, tsunami and movements in the Earth's crust after a massive earthquake occurs. The team, led by Takuto Maeda, an associate professor at the University of Tokyo's Center of Integrated Disaster Information Research (CIDIR), has used the new system on a current-generation supercomputer, which almost succeeded in reconstructing the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11. The system's usability was confirmed by its ability to make predictions that were very close to what occurred in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake. But the system was restricted by the processing power of the current-generation supercomputer. A large amount of data must be processed to simultaneously calculate crustal movements and tsunami. Current-generation supercomputers lack sufficient storage capacity to process these calculations, and therefore some data was skipped. Despite this, the team has further developed the system to predict more accurate damage in anticipation for its use on the nation's next-generation supercomputer, known as K, which has a data storage capacity 100 times greater than the current generation, and will be available in autumn. As the system can be used to predict detailed damage caused by multiple disasters, the team is planning to analyze the effect of the simultaneous occurrence of three big earthquakes known as the Tokai, Tonankai and Nankai earthquakes. Meanwhile, the University of Tokyo's Earthquake Research Institute is planning to develop another system for the K supercomputer from April that will analyze urban damage caused by earthquakes and tsunami, such as the collapse of buildings, and predict how certain regions should be evacuated. The research team also plans to collaborate with the institute. Source: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120130004007.htm

VOCABULARY

1.      Simultaneously (adverb) - things that happen at exactly the same time

Example: The opera will be broadcast simultaneously on television and radio.

2.      Massive (adj.) - unusually large, powerful, or damaging

Example: massive increases in the number of homeless

3.      Aftermath (noun) - the period of time after something such as a war, storm, or accident when people are still dealing with the results

Example: In the aftermath of the fire, many people were in need of shelter.

4.      Sufficient (adj.) - having or providing as much as is needed; enough 

Example: There must be sufficient funds in your bank account to cover the check.

5.      Anticipation (noun) -  the act of preparing for something 

Example:  They hired extra police officers in anticipation of a big crowd.

6.      Collaborate (verb) -  to work with another person or group in order to achieve or do something 

Example: They collaborated on a book about dogs.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1.      What do you think about the new system created?

2.      Discuss about the aftermath of the March 2011 earthquake.

3.      How can you prepare for a possible earthquake?

4.      Is your home built to withstand earthquakes?

5.      Where in your house would you hide if there were an earthquake?

Blood Pressure 'should be measured in both arms'

Measuring blood pressure in both arms should be routine because the difference between left and right arm could indicate underlying health problems, says a study review. The Lancet research found that a large difference could mean an increased risk of vascular disease and death. But a heart charity said it was too early to judge the findings. Although existing guidelines state that blood pressure should be measured in both arms, it is not often done. The arm with the higher pressure can vary between individuals, but it is the difference between arms that counts, the study suggests. Dr Christopher Clark and colleagues, from the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Exeter, reviewed 28 previous study papers looking at this area. Most people in the study had an elevated blood pressure risk and about one-third had a normal level of risk. The study concluded that a difference in systolic blood pressure of 10 millimetres of mercury (mm Hg) between arms could identify patients at high risk of asymptomatic peripheral vascular disease. A difference of 15mg Hg would also indicate an increased risk of cerebra-vascular disease, a 70% increased risk of cardiovascular mortality and 60% increased risk of death from all causes, the authors said. Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) is the narrowing and hardening of the arteries that supply blood to the legs and feet. There are often no symptoms. The UK vascular check programme for over-40s which includes a test for hypertension, advises that blood pressure measurements be taken in both arms. "But surveys have shown that the average GP doesn't do it," said Dr Clark. Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-16739682

VOCABULARY

1.      Routine (adj.) - happening as a normal part of a job or process

Example: You mustn't worry. These are just routine enquiries.

2.      Vascular (adj.) - relating to the tubes through which liquids flow in the bodies of animals or in plants

Example: vascular diseases

3.      Elevated (adj.) -   higher than normal

Example: elevated blood sugar levels

4.      blood pressure (noun) - the force with which blood moves through a person's body 

Example: These drugs help lower blood pressure. 

5.      Asymptomatic(adj.)  - having or showing no symptoms of disease 

Example:  You should continue to take the medication, even when you are asymptomatic.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1.      What is your blood pressure?

2.      How do they take blood pressure in your country?

3.      What is the normal blood pressure?

4.      Tell us how to maintain a normal blood pressure.

5.      Discuss the effect of low/high blood pressure

India to Hold First Football Auction

Football has been played and followed in India for almost 200 years. "For the first time ever football players will be auctioned and I think that we are at the crossroads for Indian football. I am sure that the PLS (Premier League Soccer) will provide a new path for Indian football," Bhaswar Goswami, one of the organisers, told the BBC.  The players being sold include Fabio Cannavaro, captain of Italy's World Cup-winning team in 2006, former French international Robert Pires and Nigerian Jay-Jay Okocha. The Premier League Soccer (PLS) tournament will feature six teams. The organisers expect the league to do well in India's football capital. Organisers of the PLS, which begins next month, hope to emulate the success of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the cricket tournament that attracts huge crowds and which inaugurated the auction system. They also believe that it will inspire more Indians to play football. India is ranked 158 of the 203 football-playing countries. But critics of the league say the money would have been better spent in developing talent and question whether football can ever challenge the multi-billion dollar business of cricket in India. Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-16784221

VOCABULARY

1.      Auctioned (verb) - to sell something at an auction (a public meeting where land, buildings, paintings etc are sold to the person who offers the most money for them)

Example: This week 14 of his paintings were auctioned.

2.      League (noun) - a group of sports teams or players who play games against each other to see who the best is.

Example: He makes his football league debut tomorrow.

3.      Emulate (verb) - to do something or behave in the same way as someone else, especially because you admire them [= imitate]

Example: He hoped to emulate the success of Einstein.

4.      Inaugurated (verb) - it comes at the beginning of an event that is important   

Example: The International Trade Agreement inaugurated a period of high economic growth.

5.      Critics (noun) - someone whose job is to make judgments about the good and bad qualities of art, music, films etc [= reviewer].

Example: Critics of the system have said that it will not solve the problem of teenage crime.

6.      Challenge (verb) - to invite someone to compete or fight against you, or to try to win something [↪ challenger, dare]

Example: After lunch Carey challenged me to a game of tennis.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1.      What can you say about players being auctioned?

2.      Who do you think will benefit from this auction?

3.      Tell us about football in your country.

From Banking to Ice Cream Making

As the huge styrofoam ice-cream cone took shape, day after day, in her Miami backyard, Suzanne Batlle frequently asked herself how she had come to be spending $30,000 (£19,500) on it. A single-mother supporting two teenage children, she had resigned from a well-paid job in banking and set up an ice-cream shop in the city's Little Havana district. With bank loans difficult to obtain during the credit crunch, she ploughed $280,000, mainly borrowed from her mother and brother, into the business. Ms Batlle spent a couple of months studying "the chemistry and physics" of ice-cream at two specialist institutes, and then enlisted the help of a chef friend and began to concoct her own flavours. These ranged from the Latin American fruit mamey, to avocado, to rum cake and a blend of guava, cream cheese and crackers, which echoes a popular Cuban habit of eating the three together. Customers engage in lively debates to help refine the flavours. Ms Batlle thinks the styrofoam ice cream outside her shop could be the world's biggest. After five months, Ms Batlle is taking $750 a day - enough to cover rent, bills, ingredients, loan repayments and a small wage for herself - although it isn't enough to live on. At this rate, she says, the business's debts will be paid off within five years. A local restaurant has recently begun selling her lemon and basil ice-cream, and she hopes eventually to sell wholesale, and also to open other premises. And now that the Styrofoam ice-cream is proudly displayed on the shop's front, she has another goal: to get it certified by the Guinness Book of Records as the world's largest. Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16450031

VOCABULARY

1.      Styrofoam (noun) - a soft light plastic material that prevents heat or cold from passing through it, used especially to make containers (polystyrene)

Example: a Styrofoam cup

2.      crunch (noun) - a difficult situation caused by a lack of something, especially money or time

Example: Cost cutting had enabled the organization to survive a previous cash crunch.

3.      Ploughed (verb) - to use money that you have earned from a business to make the business bigger and more successful

Example: Companies can plough back their profits into new equipment.

4.      Concoct (verb) - to make something, especially food or drink, by mixing different things, especially things that are not usually combined:

Example: Jean concocted a great meal from the leftovers.

5.      Cover (verb) -  it is enough to pay for it

Example: The treatment wasn't covered by her healthcare insurance.

6.      Premises (noun) - the buildings and land that a shop, restaurant, company etc uses

Example: Schools may earn extra money by renting out their premises.

7.      Certified (adj.) -  officially approved as having met a standard

Example:  certified organic vegetables 

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1.      Would you consider putting up your own business?

2.      Discuss about your future business plan.

3.      How would ice cream business be like in your country?

4.      Tell us about ice cream brand in your country.

The Economy of the Bikini

Swimwear brand Salinas started making its first bikinis at a home-factory in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 30 years ago, opened its first shop in 1990 and today is one of Brazil's leading bikini brands. It has 45 shops around the country and sells to 39 different countries. Its bikinis have been on covers of magazines like Vogue and Sports Illustrated, and dressed the likes of Madonna and Naomi Campbell. It began with a young couple, an idea born over lazy days at the beach and two sewing machines. Rio-born Jacqueline and Antonio De Biase were still a young couple thinking about their future in the early 1980s. She used to work as a model and considered becoming a veterinarian; he had just graduated in architecture - and they both spent a lot of time hanging out with friends on the beach. The couple decided to invest their savings in starting up a company making the types of bikinis their friends would want to wear. In a year's time they were able to make a living from the company's initial revenue. After three years they were producing around 2,000 bikinis a month. At first they sold the items to other shops that would stamp their own logos on them. They then started developing the brand's own image, reinvesting their profits to make the fledgling company grow. Today, 425 people work for Salinas in Rio. In 2007, it joined with a men's clothing brand from the same city, Richards, and three years later they both became part of In Brands, a holding that invests in the fashion industry. Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16698850

VOCABULARY

1.      Leading (adj.) - best, most important, or most successful

Example: a leading heart specialist

2.      Veterinarian (noun) - someone who is trained to give medical care and treatment to sick animals 

Example: Pet shops should have veterinarians.

3.    Revenue (noun) - money that a business or organization receives over a period of time, especially from selling goods or services [↪ income]:

Example: The factory lost revenue because of the strike by the workers.

4.      Stamp (verb) – make a mark; to put a pattern, sign, or letters on something using a special tool:

Example: The woman at the desk stamped my passport.

5.      Fledgling (adj.)  - someone or something that is getting started in a new activity

Example:  My friend is a fledgling novelist.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1.      Would you consider putting up your own business?

2.      Discuss about your future business plan.

3.      How would bikini business be like in your country?

4.      Tell us about swimwear brand in your country.