Free Talking Material

NATIONAL NEWS
The elephant that speaks Korean

(source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk)
An Asian elephant has astonished his keepers by

learning to imitate at least five words in their
native tongue including "hello" and "good".
Cases of mammals being able to make human-like sounds are extremely rare, because even close
animal relatives like chimpanzees do not have enough vocal control to match our pitch and tone.
But Koshik overcame sizeable anatomical hurdles the fact that elephants have no lips, for instance
to mimic human sounds by placing his trunk in his mouth and massaging his vocal tract into a
different shape.
A study by researchers from the University of Vienna established that Koshik, who lives at Everland
Zoo in South Korea, could mimic five words: "annyong" ("hello"), "anja" ("sit down"), "aniya" ("no"),
"nuo" ("lie down"), and "choah" ("good").
Sixteen native Korean speakers were asked to listen to 47 recordings of the elephant "speaking" and
spell out what they believed they had heard.
Some 56 per cent of people provided the correct spelling for "annyong", 44 per cent agreed on
"aniya" and 33 percent identified "nuo".
Researchers observed that Koshik was better at mimicking vowel sounds than consonants, with
many people mistaking "choah" for "boah" ("look") or "moa" ("collect").
Comprehension Questions:
1. What is the name of the elephant?
2. How many words can the elephant mimic?
3. Where does the elephant live?
Discussion Questions:
1. What can you say about the elephant who can mimic human sounds?
2. What did researchers establish after doing a study?
3. Do you think that its possible for other animals to speak too?
KIDS WORLD NEWS:

Impossible Mission: Changing a Countrys Name
The season of selecting a new leader of the nation is at its peak. People will soon
select a new leader who will serve the country and work for the government. As a
result, the former leaders of some nations think of ways on how to
impress the citizens before they leave their respective position. In
Mexico, President Felipe De Jesus Calderon Hinojosa, the nations
leader whose term ended on December 1, plans on doing
something extreme. President Felipe Calderon Hinojosa, wants to
replace the original name of Mexico which is Estados Unidos
Mexicanos or the United Stated of Mexico to just Mexico.
His reason for dropping the original name is that he wants the
nation to step out from the shadows of the United States of
America. He also said, Mexico is a name that corresponds to the
essence of our nation. Pardon the expression, but the name
of Mexico is Mexico. However, this proposal has been
criticized by other government officials. Iris Vianey
Mendoza, a senator with the leftist Party of the Democratic
Revolution said that Mr. Calderon is not ready to leave the
presidency. She also said that the problem will never be
solved by a change of the nations name but the
responsibility to rise up and be as independent as the United
States of America.
3 Comprehension Questions:
1. Who is the president of Mexico?
2. What is the original name of Mexico in Spanish?
3. What did Iris Vianey Mendoza say about the presidents proposal?
3 Discussion Questions:
1. Do you think it is possible to change the name of a country?
2. What do you think about President Felipe Calderon Hinojosa and his proposal?
3. If you can choose another name for your country, what would it be and why?
letter from Me
Dear Jane,
I am sorry for not having written you before. Right now, I am in
Canada. I am having a great time in Toronto. I am practicing my English. I am
staying with a nice family.
I love the school above all of the places here. Yesterday, I visited
The CN Tower. It is very wonderful. Tomorrow, I will go to Royal Ontario
Museum with my friend. You can see that I am extremely busy.
I cant wait to hear from you. Please send me a letter soon and
send my love to everyone. I really miss you all. I hope that my English is improving.
With love,
Kate
Dear Kate,
Thanks for your last letter. It was great to hear all your news. Why don't you come and
visit me this summer? That way, we can both catch up on all our news!
If you can, you should try to come when we have our village
festival. It's always a lot of fun. It's an ancient tradition where we
choose a local girl to become the village queen and we have celebrations
for a whole week. There are always lots of parties, and you'll be able to
meet all the people I've told you about in my letters.
My family is also dying to meet you. They have already heard so
much about you. So please say you'll come. It'll be such fun if you do. I
can't wait to hear from you, so please write soon.
Love,
Jane.
1. What is the letter all about?
2. Where is Kate and what is she doing?
3. Why did Jane invite Kate to her town?
1. Do you like travelling? Why?
2. Have you travelled before? Where? If not, where would you want to go?
3. If youll live in another country, where would you like to live?
Source: http://www.angelfire.com/blues/cristiarnau/Guidewrit.htm#formal
3D Printing Photo Booth

November 22, 2012
Taking a mere photograph of yourself may soon become a thing of the past if. Why not
make a 3D printed model of your face instead of having a two-dimensional flat photograph?
MakerBot, a brand of 3D printer, a camera application that
creates 3D photos of your face, to make the 3D printing photo
booth that is located at MakerBot's new store in New York City.
When users step inside MakerBot's photobooth several
cameras take pictures of their faces from all angles. A
computer then blends all of the images of the different parts of
the face into a 3D computer image in about five minutes.
Then it shows the user what it will look like so they can decide
if they want to order a small, medium or large 3D model of it or
not. The models are printed in one color, so they do not
replicate hair, eye, and skin color just yet.
Technology like this has existed for a while but it was not very
accurate and was very expensive. The MakerBot 3D photo
booth only costs $25 per model! It costs $5 to take the picture and $20 to print the 3D model.
1. How does the 3D Printing Photo Booth work?
2. What are the sizes of the 3D models?
3. Why are the models printed in one color?
Alternative Questions:
>>In what famous city is this new 3D photo booth located?
>>Is MakerBot 3D photo booth expensive? How much does it cost?
>> How is MakerBot 3D photo different from other photos?
1. What are your opinions about this new technology?
2. Are you interested in photography? Why?
3. What are the changes in photography that you have noticed for the past years?
Alternative Questions:
>>Do you think this technology is better than the previous ones? In what ways?
>>Speaking of photographs and pictures, can you please tell me about the most memorable picture that
you have? Tell me why you consider it as the most memorable.
>>What are the changes in photography that you have noticed for the past years?
>>Are you willing to pay a large sum of money just to have your 3d photo taken? Why or why not?
Source: http://www.gogonews.com/posts-3D+Printing+Photo+Booth-9748.html
Science News
Scientists examine
record python found
in Florida in effort to
stop snakes' spread
By the CNN Wire Staff
August 14, 2012
Miami (CNN) -- University of Florida researchers examining a pregnant Burmese python said they found a record
87 eggs inside, giving them important clues about the reproductive capability of the dangerous, invasive species.
Scientists at the Florida Museum of Natural History on the university's campus examined the 164.5-pound, 17.5-foot
snake after it was brought there from the Everglades National Park. It is the largest one ever found at the park.
"This thing is monstrous it's about a foot wide," said Kenneth Krysko, the manager of the museum's herpetology
collection. "It means there's nothing stopping them and the native wildlife is in trouble."
Everglades National Park and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are working with other
agencies on the problem of the Burmese python, one of the deadliest and most competitive predators in the southern
part of the state.
The snakes have no known predators. Previous records for Burmese pythons captured in the wild were 16.8 feet
long and 85 eggs.
Scientists say snake's biology is important in understanding how to stop the python's spread around the world.
COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS:
1. How many eggs were found in the body of the Burmese python?
2. How much did the Burmese python weigh?
3. How was the snake described?
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. Are you afraid of snakes? Why or why not?
2. What do you think of snakes as pets?
3. If you were to find a snake in your backyard, what would you do and why?
VOCABULARY:
1. Burmese python dark-coloured snakes with many brown blotches bordered in black down the back
2. Invasive - tending to spread
3. Specie - in the same or like form or kind
4. Monstrous - having extraordinary often overwhelming size
5. Herpetology - a branch of zoology dealing with reptiles and amphibians
6. Predator - one that preys, destroys, or devours
7. Biology - a branch of knowledge that deals with living organisms and vital processes
SOURCES: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/13/us/florida-largest-python/index.html
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary
SPECIAL FOCUS
Cyber bullying on the Rise
Bullying among children and teenagers is not
something new but thanks to modern methods of
communication it has risen extremely.
Cyber bullying happens when a child or teenager
is threatened, embarrassed or put in danger by
another child or teenager. This is done especially
through modern means of communication like the Internet, social media networks or mobile phones.
Cyber bullying is not as harmless as many people think. In some cases it has even led to suicide. Many countries
have conducted campaigns to make adults and children aware of the dangers of cyber bullying.
There are a few ways to prevent cyber bullying. First of all, it is important to show children that they
should respect the private sphere of others. They must be taught that they are responsible for what they do.
For victims it is important not to respond to bullies and ignore them. They should not play a bullys game or answer
their emails and text messages. It is also important to get help from parents and teachers. Many children are afraid to
tell anyone that they are being harassed because they feel ashamed.
Often schools get involved. They bring together the parents of victims and cyber bullies and talk with them. Cyber
bullying does not always end at school. Often, parents go to the police and press charges against cyber bullies.
Comprehension Check:
1. What is Bullying?
2. What are the ways to prevent bullying?
3. Bullies try to threaten others. What does threaten mean?
Questions for discussions:
1. How does the internet contribute to cyber bullying?
2. How can you respond to a bully?
3. Is cyber-bullying (online bullying) worse than face-to-face bullying?
Source:
English-Online
Articles in Easy, Understandable English for Learners
http://www.english-online.at/society/cyberbullying/cyberbullying-on-the-rise.htm
Is the Internet a
Blessing or a
Curse?
HuffPost
Murray Rosenbaum, 14-year-old student in New
York
Posted: 11/20/2012 9:20 am
The Internet is by far one of the greatest inventions

of all time for many reasons. The Internet allows
people to share ideas, meet old friends, and even express their problems to the masses. While the Internet
creates all of these great phenomena, it also brings out some of the crazies of the world.
Let's start with the good things first. The Internet allows for the spread of ideas and information at a
phenomenal speed. When a natural disaster, death, or even an important presidential speech occurs, you
can find information about whatever happened almost immediately. This speed of information transfer
has become a vital role in people's lives, jobs, and even ideas and perspectives on certain issues. A great
example of this is YouTube.
Now we will go to the dark depths of the Internet where no one should travel alone. There is a balance in
life to everything, including the Internet. The Internet's dark yin to its light yang is mainly confined to
one website, YouTube. YouTube has produced videos that have made the news for their strange and
uncommon features.
The whole point of these good and bad things about the Internet is that the Internet is becoming
continuously a more integral part of everyday life. It's important to know what is crossing a line. The
Internet is both a beautiful and ugly creature, but the best part is that the users mold its face, so there is
time for us to choose what we want the Web to be.
Conversation Questions:
1. Do you think that using the internet is a blessing or a curse?
2. What are the advantages and the disadvantages of using the internet?
3. Can you live without the internet?
1. What are the things that internet allows us to do?
2. What are the good things that we can benefit from the internet?
3. What are the dark depths of the internet?
Source: HuffPost Teen
URL: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/murray-rosenbaum/is-the-internet-a-
blessin_b_2161495.html?utm_hp_ref=teen
Sungha Jung Fantastic Fingerstyle Guitarist

ppSungha Jung (; born September 2, 1996) is a
South Korean acoustic finger-style guitarist who has risen
to fame on YouTube and other sites. As of October, 2012,
his channel has over 17 million views and over 1,000,000
subscribers, with his videos getting a total of over 550
million views.
Sungha typically takes three days to learn and practice a
new piece, and video-record it for upload onto YouTube. He
learns and plays guitar pieces across a broad range of
genres.
Sungha has won 15 awards on YouTube, including 6
"number 1" awards. Sungha's video with the most views is the one which shows him playing the theme from "Pirates of the
Caribbean".
In 2010, he was featured on Narsha's solo album "Narsha" for the song "I'm in Love", and in 2011, he performed in the US
with Trace Bundy, as well as touring in Scandinavia and Japan.
Sungha has composed 18 pieces as of February 2011, two of which are featured in his debut album, "Perfect Blue". He
released his second album, "Irony", on 21 September 2011.
Number of words: 182
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sungha_Jung
---------COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS:
1. What is the article about?
2. How long does Sungha Jung learn and practice a new song?
3. How many compositions does Sunha Jung have?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. If you can play a musical instrument, what would it be and why?
2. How often do you listen to music? What kind of music do you listen?
3. Do you think it is important for a child to learn a musical instrument?
Animals: Endangered Species
For the first time, polar bears and

hippopotamuses
are
now
designated as threatened. Polar
bears, the IUCN said, are likely to
become one of the most notable
casualties of global warming,
which is melting sea ice on which
they roam in search of Arctic seals.
Without enough ice, the bears risk
being trapped on land, where they
face starvation. Or they may drown
in attempts to swim long distances.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service announced that it is considering adding polar bears to the U.S.
endangered species list. Although the decline in polar bear numbers is expected to
be relatively slow, other animal populations have already crashed dramatically
Comprehension questions:
1. What two animals are designated as threatened?
2. What is the effect of global warming on the polar bear?
3. What happens to polar bears without enough ice?
Discussion questions:
1. What are the animals designated now as threatened? Why?
2. What does a bear risk without enough ice?
3. Who are considering adding polar bears to the US endangered species list?
Song Joong-ki as THE WEREWOLF BOY
Song Joong-ki is a South

Korean actor. He rose to fame with
period drama Sungkyunkwan
Scandal and variety show Running
Man. Song played his first TV leading
role in the melodrama The Innocent
Man in 2012. The actor has also
starred in feature films, most notably
as the titular character in the box office hit A Werewolf Boy.
2012 was a phenomenal year for Song. He played the titular character in fantasy
romance thriller A Werewolf Boy, which premiered at the 2012 Toronto
International Film Festival. In preparation for his role, Song watched nature
documentaries and observed stray dogs on the streets to learn how to mime and
imitate the body movements of an animal. The film became the most successful
Korean melodrama of all time, with more than 7 million tickets sold.
The Innocent Man (also known as Nice Guy) was the first time he played the
leading role in a TV series. The Innocent Man attracted high ratings and critical
acclaim, which along with the impressive box office run of A Werewolf Boy,
cemented Song's image in the press as the "savior" of the melodrama genre both
on the big and small screen. But Song said he'd rather be a good actor than a
popular one, and plans to calmly continue gaining experience like he had before.
1. What was his character in the movie Werewolf boy?
2. How did he prepare for his role?
3. What other roles did he play?
1. Imagine you were an actor, what would be your dream role?
2. Who are your favorite actors? Why are they your favorite?
3. What kind of role can make an actor a good actor?
What do you think?: School or Sleep. Why must we choose?
In a country that is searching for answers as to why its children are not performing
at top capacity, it seems fairly obvious that one of those answers may be found in
the time at which they start their school day. For any parent who has looked with
pity upon their teenage children as they drag themselves, glassy-eyed, and
bedraggled, out of bed at 6 AM each day, there is a way to help. Do some
deluging of your own and bombard your school board with well-researched pleas
for a later start to the high school day. Not only will our students be healthier and
more successful at tasks in school, they will become nicer individuals.
The National Center on Sleep Disorders has published studies explaining that once
a child goes through puberty, the bodys circadian rhythm changes. An eight or
nine year old is physically capable of falling asleep at 9:00 P.M., but a teen over
the age of thirteen has already gone through a circadian rhythm shift, in which the
natural hormone Melatonin is not released until later at night, leaving them unable
to fall asleep until 11:00 P.M. or 12 A.M. This creates the scenario of teens
receiving no more than six to six and a half hours of sleep a night, when research
shows that they need a minimum of nine to eleven hours. Combine this with the
stress of constant testing, heavy course loads, after school clubs, jobs and
research internships and you get a very stressed out, unhealthy young next
generation. Who can blame them for being cranky?
1. According to the article, why do you think children are not performing at top
capacity?
2. What does national center on sleep disorders has published?
3. What time does 8 or 9 year old is physically capable of falling asleep?
Conversation questions:
1. Why do you think children are not performing well in school?
2. What do you feel when you only sleep for just a few hours?
3. What do you do when you cant sleep at night?
Spotlight: Kids Should Vote

In our multimediabased society kids are
exposed to more
information than ever.
Television, Internet, and
satellite news are
available 24/7. Polar ice
caps are melting, and
people are starving as
we watch live. My
generation is more
aware of what is going
on in the world than
previous ones. The
world has changed;
society is different from
when our parents grew
up.
Kids are more socially
and politically aware; so why cant we take part in the political process? What
would the political environment be like if kids could vote?
My hope is that because children of my generation have more knowledge, they will
make the right decisions. My fear is that kids are so busy memorizing Red Sox
stats, so concerned with Britney at the VMA Awards or with beating the newest
video game, that they may not pay attention to what will affect their lives. On the
other hand, dont some adults focus on these less important things too?
Perhaps only the politically aware should vote, whether they are 14 or 104. If you
dont know how your vote will affect everyone, or how a candidate will govern,
then dont cast a vote. I guess kids couldnt do any worse.
Comprehension Question:
1. What is this article about?
2. Why is the title Kids Should Vote?
3. What is the authors opinion on kids in this generation?
1. If you were to vote for the Presidential election, who will you vote?
2. Do you think your current President deserves the vote he received?
3. Do you think it would make a difference if kids could vote too?
Science: Human hands evolved so we

could punch each other
Forget toolmaking, think fisticuffs. Did
evolution shape our hands not for dexterity
but to form fists so we could punch other
people? That idea emerges from a new
study, although it runs counter to
conventional wisdom.
About the same time as we stopped
hanging from trees and started walking
upright, our hands become short and square,
with opposable thumbs. These anatomical changes are thought to have evolved for tool
manipulation, butDavid Carrier at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City has an
alternative explanation.
He says there are several possible hand shapes that would have allowed greater dexterity,
making it less clear why we ended up with the hands we have. But only one hand shape lets
us make a fist with a thumb as buttress.
Among primates' hands, ours is unique for its ability to form a fist with the thumb outside
the fingers. The fingers of other primates' hands are too long to curl into their palms, and
their thumbs are too short to reach across the fingers. So when apes fight, they are far more
likely to wrestle or hold their opponent down while others stomp on him, says Carrier.
To test the importance of fists, Carrier and his colleagues recruited 10 athletes and measured
how hard they could hit a punching bag using a normal fist, a fist with the thumb stuck out,
and with an open palm.
The athletes could generate more than twice the force with a normal fist as with the thumbstuck-out fist, because of thumb's buttressing role. There was no difference in the force
they could generate with a normal fist and with an open palm, but Carrier says it's possible
that a fist concentrates the force into a smaller area and so does more damage.
1. How are human hands compared to primates hands?
2. How did they test the importance of fists?
3. How many athletes did they recruit for the experiment?
1. What is your opinion on evolution?
2. Some have argued that the hands are more important than feet. What is your opinion on
this? Do you agree? Why or why not?
3. How would you defend yourself if you were attacked?
Thats Amazing: Writing with Both Hands in Different Languages?

Chen Siyuan, a young translator from Handan,
Chinas Hebei province, has the incredibly ability
to write with both hands at the same time. Even
more
impressive is that fact that she can write
vertically with one hand and horizontally with the
other, or in two different languages.
In this age of technology, writing with both
hands is not as valuable a skill as it once was,
but that doesnt make 24-year-old Chen
Siyuans ability any less remarkable. This young English translator has been
wowing onlookers with her amazing talent of writing with both
hands simultaneously, in two different languages (Chinese and English). Youd be
tempted to think this kind of unique capacity requires years of practice, but Chen
says she discovered her ability completely by accident, during her high-school
years. She was overwhelmed by the quantities of English homework, but found that
she could complete respective tasks much faster by writing with both hands at the
same
time. When I was in high school, I unconsciously wrote with both hands while
trying to finish my homework in a hurry, Chen told Peoples Daily
Online. My classmates were curious and tried to imitate me, but none of the
m succeeded.
1. Who is Chen Siyuan?
2. What can she do with her both hands?
3. How did she discover her unique ability?
1. What was your first reaction after reading this article?
2. What are the advantages of writing with both hands?
3. What unique abilities do you have? How do you use them to your advantage?
Letters From Me: Dear Santa
Dear Santa,
I would love all the presents I asked for but my mom deserves them more. I have
been getting presents all year from my mom and she works hard to get them for
me. My mom doesn't know how much I love her that's why I want her to have all
my presents. Please grant my wish for Christmas, Santa. Please
Love,
Victoria
Dear Victoria,
Did you know that all my elves have been talking about you? They are all very
impressed that you have been a good girl this year. Mrs. Claus and I are proud of
you too!
So, you can see we're keeping busy, but we're looking forward to visiting Syracuse,
New York and stopping at your house. I understand that you have asked for
presents for you mom from Santa this year. The elves and I are searching the Toy
Workshop to see if we might be able to find it for you! You are so sweet that your
wish is not for yourself but for your great mom!
Don't forget to hang your stocking out with care!
Merry Christmas and Warmest Wishes!
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS:
1. What is the name of the sender? From where is she and what is her age?
2. What is her wish to Santa Claus?
3. Where will Santa Claus buy his gifts for Christmas?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Is Christmas an important occasion in Korea? If so, how does your family It?
2. If ever you will be writing a letter to Santa Claus, what will you wish for?
3. If ever you will be wishing for someone else, for whom and what is your
wish for him / her? Why?
World News: Dinosaur Era Lizard Gets Named After President Obama
President Obama already has bragging rights to a fish (Ethiostoma Obama) and
lichen (Caloplaca obamae). Now, he can add one more exotic animal species to
this list - A lizard that inhabited the earth 65 million years ago, during the era of
the mighty dinosaur.
Nicholas Longrich, the Yale paleontologist whose team was responsible for
naming the lizard said they did consider other political names
like Romneydon and Clintondon - However in the end they all agreed
that Obamadon gracilis seemed to be the most appropriate name for this prehistoric creature.
Literally translated as 'Obama's teeth' (Obamadon) and 'slender' (gracilis) the
name pays tribute to the US President's great smile and slender physique. And of
course, also describes the ancient foot-long reptile that sported tall straight
incisors.
The fossils of the small lizard were first discovered in Montana in 1974. However,
when scientists examined it then they wrongly classified it as part a known group
of lizards. It was only recently upon re-examinationby the Yale team that experts
realized it was a totally new species, one that required a special name.
President Obama is not the only celebrity to have an animal species named after
him. Reggae Icon Bob Marley can claim a small Caribbean crustacean, while
popstar Beyonce can be proud of having an Australian horsefly named after her!
1. How many species were scientifically named after President Obama?
2. What kind animal was recently named after President Obama?
3. Who was responsible for naming the lizard?
1. If an animal will be scientifically named after you, what will it be?
2. Is it a good idea to name newly discovered species after celebrities?
3. Do you think there are other animal species that humans havent discovered
yet?
National News: 'Bike City' Sees Parade of Santas Cycle for Charity
Over 2,000 people in Santa Claus costumes appeared in Changwon, known as the city of
bicycles in South Gyeongsang Province. They took part in a cycling parade that the southern
city organizes annually to raise funds for those in need. In its fourth year, the parade this year
was designed to help teenage breadwinners.
After an opening ceremony, the red-robed participants rode bicycles along the 9 km course
throughout the city. Performers led the way, spraying artificial snow in their tracks. All the
donations and proceeds from a charity bazaar went to the Community Chest of Korea, a
charity organization.
"I hope the event serves to raise awareness of those less fortunate than ourselves," said Cho
Ki-ho, the city's vice mayor, at the opening ceremony. He urged the participants to pursue
more efforts to promote a society that actively helps its underprivileged communities.
"As well as being for a good cause, this event aims to encourage people to ride bicycles in
the winter said Kim Jong-oe, head of a local bicycle riders' association. "We hope the event
will grow to attract more participants, not only from the city but also from around the world."
1. Where will the proceeds of the event go?
2. How many participants joined the event?
3. Where did the event take place?
1. What do you think will be the effect of this activity in other places in Korea ?
2. How will this event help the less fortunate people in Korea.
3. Will you be willing to join the event if ever you are qualified?
HOLIDAY TRIP
Hi Erica!
I just wanted to drop you a quick note. My family and I are going
away on holiday. Were going to Hawaii and I'm really excited to go.
I dont know when well be back but I will email you as soon as I can.
I will tell you everything when I get back. Have a
great time! I'll be thinking of you.
Lots of Love, Carla
Dear Carla,
I hope this letter finds all of you in the best of health and spirit.
It has been a very long time since we met or wrote to each
other.
Im so happy to know that youll go on vacation, too. We just
got back from our vacation to Thailand and had a great time.
We went to Phuket and Bangkok. Amazing must see places. If
you happen to ever plan a holiday to that side of the world do
let me know and I shall give you tips on sightseeing, shopping,
etc.
Ill be waiting to hear from you when youre back. Give my love to your mom and dad
and loads of love to you too. Stay in touch and do write!
Take care
Love, Erica
1. Where will Carla go?
2. Where did Erica go on vacation?
3. What will Erica give Carla if she plans to go to Thailand?
1. Do you also want to have a vacation in another country? Where?
2. What is your memorable holiday trip? Why is it memorable?
3. What does stay in touch mean? Give an example.
Lotte Group donates W5b to charity fundraiser
Lotte Group donated 5 billion won ($4.6 million) to the Community Chest of Korea Wednesday
for underprivileged neighbors.
Lee In-won, vice chairman of the groups policy headquarters, delivered the money to the charity
fundraiser in Seoul on behalf of chairman-in-chief Shin Kyuk-ho and employees.
I hope that our interest in and consideration for less fortunate neighbors would be of help for all
members of our society to live a happy life, Shin said through Lee. We will continue to share
with our neighbors.
Separately from the year-end donation by all executives and employees of the group,
subsidiaries have their own programs for those in need. Lotte Department Store supports
charitable projects with the Seoul Welfare Foundation for babies and infants from low-income
families. Lotte Confectionary sponsors the Beautiful Store, a nonprofit social enterprise selling
donated used items.
By Chun Sung-woo (swchun@heraldcorp.com)
1. Who is the Chairman-in-Chief?
2. How much was the donation?
3. What was the donation for?
1. What is your opinion of Lotte Worlds generous donation?
2. If you were rich, how would you help the underprivileged citizens of Korea?
3. Tell me about a time wherein you helped the needy? How did you feel after?
Jayesslee
Janice and Sonia Lee, also known as
Jayesslee, are 24-year old twin
sisters, born and raised in Sydney,
Australia. Always having a creative
flare, they explored the field of arts
and design straight out of high
school, but it did not take long for
them to realize their greatest passion
was in music.
Of the two, Sonia is a self-taught
guitarist, picking up the guitar for
the first time in August 2007. They
began singing and songwriting
together, uploading their first video
on YouTube in May 2008. Since then, they have caught the interest of 226,000 subscribers and
34 million total upload views. Their cover of Officially Missing You was their hit video with
over 8 million views worldwide. By 2010, they were receiving invitations to perform interstate
and abroad, holding their first headliner concert in Los Angeles, May 2010. They have
performed live on radio stations and appeared on national television in China.
Janice and Sonia are inspired to sing and write about their personal experiences, or the stories of
those who have impacted their lives. They aspire to be artists who send out a strong message of
hope and freedom through their music.
Source: http://kollaborationseattle.wordpress.com/2011-guests/jayesslee/
1. Who are Jayesslee?
2. How old are they?
3. What is the title of their hit video over 8 million views?
1. What do you want to become and why?
2. How music does affect you?
3. What do think of having a twin? Do you want to have one?
SCIENCE:
I. Polar Bears - How Dangerous Are They to Humans?
Polar bears are animals we love to see at zoos. They attract humans with their
white fur and black noses. However, we often forget that polar bears are hunters,
which mainly get their food by eating seals, walruses or whales. Sometimes they
even attack humans.
In August 2011, a polar bear killed a British boy and injured several others on the
island of Spitsbergen, Norway. This is, by no means, the only attack of polar bears
against people. In the past 20 years six people were killed by polar bears in
Canada alone. In Norway, one person was killed in the same time period.
Recent studies show that the aggression polar bears show towards humans is
increasing. One of the reasons may be climate change . As it gets warmer in
the Arctic regions, polar bears may be forced to move from the coastline inland,
where they may encounter more humans. They are starting to spend more time on
land than on Arctic sea ice. Another reason may be that people are coming
too close to the bears, which see them as a dangerous enemy.
When polar bears attack humans, it is mostly because they are very hungry,
desperately in need of food. As more and more polar bears and humans are
starting to share the same living areas, encounters will probably be more
frequent and more people may die from polar bear attacks.
Comprehension Check:
1. What are polar bears?
2. Where do polar bears live?
3. Why do polar bears attack humans?
Discussions Questions:
1. What do you think of polar bears?

2. Where do you think is the best place for polar bears?
3. How can people prevent polar bears from attacking them?
The Excellence of the Mind and Robotics Combined
This era has unleashed technological advancements beyond our wildest

imagination. As a result, people in different parts of the world can communicate
without difficulty. With the touch of a button, we can discover new things, learn
new information and even unravel facts that we have never learned before. Due to
the rapid technological progress, disabilities and the lack of physical strength have
just been answered. In Europe, Jan Scheuermann, 52, who was diagnosed with
Quadriplegia, a disease when both arms and legs become paralyzed, can perform
physical tasks using mind-controlled prosthetics.
Earlier this year, with the studies done by a team of researchers from the
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, they implanted two microelectrode devices
in the left cortex of Scheuermanns brain. These electrodes can send signals to a
robotic arm that is connected to her. When the brain sends out signals, the
electrodes copy the signals and deliver it to the robotic arm, allowing it to move.
Jan Scheuermann spent weeks of training to be able to control the hand and
recently, she was able to complete tasks such as picking up objects and moving it
to an exact position. This new technology has given her a new meaning in life.
1. What is Quadriplegia?
2. What did the researchers do
to help Jan Scheuermann?
3. After weeks of practice, what
are the tasks that
Scheuermann were able to
complete?
1. What can you say about todays technology?
2. Do you think that people will live better in the future if technology becomes
more advanced? Why or why not?
3. Do you agree that technology is the answer to peoples problems?
NATIONAL NEWS:
The Hazards of Working in Samsung
Samsung may have been successful in producing the latest phones but some
Koreans are grieving. South Korea has pointed out that working in a Samsung chip
plant can be dangerous for the employees health.
According to the Associated Press (AP), one employee suffered from breast
cancer for three years and in March, her condition got worse and the disease
ended her life. AP said that her breast cancer was caused by working overtime at
the Samsung plant from 1995 to 2000. This employee is only one of the 30 healthrelated cases that were brought up by South Koreans against the largest
manufacturer of computer memory chips.
The Labor Department also said that the female workers job at the plant
aggravated her health and put her in grave danger of acquiring cancer. She was
exposed to organic solvents and radiation therefore, as early as an employee gets
in contact with these substances, the more likely that the worker can acquire
cancer. In response to these claims, Samsung Electronics spokesman, James
Chung told Associated Press that they recognize their employees situation and in
fact, the company will be responsible for compensating the family but the amount
that will be given to these families has not been declared.
1. What is the hazard of working in Samsung all about?
2. What did the Labor Department say about the female workers job?
3. What did Samsung spokesman James Chung, say to the Associated Press?
1. Do you agree that compensating the families will be enough to help them?
Why or why not?
2. How do you take care of your health at work?
3. Do you think that your job is as hazardous as the work in Samsung chip
plants? Give two similarities and differences.
'Origami' House Changes Shapes To Take Advantage of Different

Seasons
Since house designs cannot be changed unless the entire
structure is renovated, they are normally built with the worst
weather patterns in mind. For
example, a house in the Arctic
would have thick concrete walls to
preserve heat, while the opposite
would be true for one built in the
desert. While residents are sheltered during severe
weather conditions, they are unable to enjoy seasonal
changes.
Two British architects David Grunberg and Daniel
Woolfson of D*Haus are trying to change this with a
revolutionary design that believe it or not, uses math!
D*Dynamic is the design of this incredible house and is
based on the Haberdasher's Puzzle. And if their design
really works, thick insulating walls that would help keep
residents warm in an Arctic winter would magically unfold
and be replaced with internal walls made completely from glass in the warmer
summers. Even cooler is the fact that the doors could transform into windows and
vice versa - All, with just a touch of a button! The two architects have in the past
successfully created pieces of furniture like the D*Table, that can morph into
different shapes. Of course, a house is a much more challenging concept but
perhaps future residences and even commercial structures will truly be this
magical!
1. What do you call these kinds of house?
2. Who are the two British architects?
3. Where did they base their design?
1. What can you say about this new design of house?
2. Do you think its would be a good house? Why?
3. If you can design your own house where will you base your design? / What kind
of house would like and why?
Children 'spend more time watching TV than at school'

Children spend more time watching television than they do at school, a psychologist has warned.
By the age of seven, a child born today will have spent a full year glued to screens,
according to Dr. Aric Sigman.
The average 10-year-old has at least five screens readily available to them at
home, and over the course of childhood youngsters spend more time watching TV
than they spend in school. Limiting the amount of time children spend in front of a
screen could have significant advantages for their health and wellbeing, he said.
The population's vast use of games consoles, tablet computers, televisions, smart
phones and laptops has been linked to obesity problems and an increased risk of
cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes, he warned.
He said such extensive use could also lead to attention problems and other
psychological difficulties. The amount of time spent in front of a screen could also
adversely affect children's social relationships.
Children aged between three and seven should be limited to half-an-hour to an
hour of screen time each day, he said.
''Reducing total daily screen time for children, and delaying the age at which they
start, could provide significant advantages for their health and wellbeing,'' he
writes.
He concluded: ''As health risks are reported to occur beyond exposure of two
hours of screen time per day, although the average child is exposed to three times
this amount, a robust initiative to encourage a reduction in daily recreational
screen time could lead to significant improvements in child health and
development.
1. According to the article why should children limit the time they spend
watching TV?
2. What are the problems caused by watching too much TV?
3. What happens if children would reduce their time watching TV?
1. Do you like watching TV? Why or why not?
2. How much time do you spend watching TV?
3. What are the advantages and the disadvantages of watching TV?
Arctic town eyes future as gateway to space
Kiruna Airport. This handout picture shows an artist's impression of an international space airport.
Sweden's small Arctic town of Kiruna has a surprising international airport that has
even bigger plans for the future: to offer commercial space flights.
Spaceport Sweden hopes to be able to provide the first flights within a decade
from Kiruna's airport.
They are working on establishing commercial flights from Sweden to space for
tourism and research, and to create a launching pad at the airport, according to
the company's director, Karin Nilsdotter.
The idea is that space tourists would take off for a two-hour trip into space
aboard futuristic spacecraft currently undergoing testing, which resemble a cross
between an airplane and a space shuttle and which can carry up to six passengers.
The technology isn't fully developed yet and according to Nilsdotter, space flights
could take off four times a day if ever. The first commercial space flights are
expected to take place in the United States in 2014 and a few years after that in
Sweden.
For adventure-seekers who can't wait to visit space, Spaceport Sweden already
offers flights from Kiruna airport to view the northern lights, a spectacular
phenomenon of colorful lights that streak across the night sky, for the tidy sum of
$1,059.
1. What are Kiruna Airports plans for the future?
2. How does the spacecraft that will be used in going to space look like?
Describe.
3. What does Spaceport Sweden offer to tourists?
1. What are your ideas about space travel?
2. Do you think that Kiruna Airports plans are achievable? Why or why not?
3. Do you have knowledge of current space exploration developments in
Korea? Discuss.
South Korean singer Rain in military service row

BBC - Defense officials in South Korea are investigating whether pop star Rain broke
military rules after photos of him meeting an actress surfaced.
A spokesman for the defense ministry said his
army unit was "looking into the matter"
following a public outcry.
The 30-year-old, whose real name is Jung Jihoon, is doing compulsory military service
until this year.
Thousands had signed an online petition
calling for an investigation into possible
preferential treatment.
All able-bodied South Korean men are required to serve time in the military - a legacy of the
1950-53 Korean War.
The South is still technically at war with North Korea, as the conflict ended in a ceasefire and
not a peace treaty.
Men in military service have limited free time and are largely confined to their barracks.
'Dating'
In the past, artists have been known to try to avoid military duty, which has proved unpopular
with the public.
Psy - known for his global hit Gangnam Style - was made to repeat his military service after
being accused of neglecting his duties.
The report of Rain's apparent romance with popular South Korean actress Kim Tae-hee, 32,
broke in local media on Tuesday.
Kim's representatives said in a statement that the two had been dating for a month.
Rain began his career in 2002 and became part of the Korean Wave of drama and popular music
that has spread in Asia.
His 2004 album It's Raining sold 1m copies and he appeared in several movies, including
Hollywood production Speed Racer in 2008.
1. Who was asked to repeat his military service after being accused of neglecting his duties?
2. What is the real name of Rain?

3. What was the online petition for?
1. What is your opinion on the mandatory military service?
2. Explain what preferential treatment is. Give examples.
3. Do you think that the military service should give special treatment to certain people?
SPOTLIGHT:Alcohol and Tobacco Use Among Adolescents

November 29, 2012
Adolescence can be a turbulent period in one's life; however, it is also a time when habits can
be shaped to bring about healthier behaviors.
Research shows tobacco use and underage drinking are associated with a host of negative
consequences for adolescents' health and behavior.
Use of alcohol and tobacco products during adolescence indicates an increased likelihood of a
serious problem in adulthood. These briefs contain information on prevention and intervention
strategies and present resources for parents, policy makers, school-based organizations, and
community leaders.
Quick Facts
Alcohol Use. More adolescents in the United States drink alcohol than smoke cigarettes or use
marijuana combined. Forty percent of 12th grade students reported consuming alcohol in the past
30 days. Alcohol use increases adolescents' risk of suicide, homicide, and unintentional injuries particularly those associated with motor vehicle crashes.
Tobacco Use. More than 7.9 million young people between the ages of 12 and 20 currently use
some form of tobacco in the United States. While cigarette smoking has declined during the
past 15 years, these decreases have stalled in recent years and the use of other tobacco products,
like cigars and smokeless tobacco, has seen recent increases.
1. What will form during adolescence?
2. What does alcohol use do to adolescents?
3. How many young people use tobacco in the US?
1. What can you say about smoking and drinking among teenagers? Please give details.
2. If your friend asks you to smoke or drink, what are you going to do and why?
3. Are tobacco and alcohol use among adolescents a problem in your country?
SOURCE: http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs177/1101701160827/archive/1111632981993.html
http://i1.dailyrecord.co.uk/incoming/article1381759.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Alcohol+-+generic
http://pcmlifestyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/teens-Tobacco-smoking.jpg
The number of exoplanets continues to grow

Exoplanet is by definition any planet outside our solar system. As of September 2012,
astronomers have discovered more than 800 exoplanets, varying from scorching hot worlds with
molten surfaces to extremely cold ice balls.
The astronomers hope that one day they will be able to find new Earth, the so called
Superearth, a planet with roughly the same characteristics as Earth, the one that has the ability
to sustain life.
The quest for this planet still goes on but nonetheless
researchers say that life might actually be able to survive on
some of the currently found exoplanets, despite the extreme
conditions. Of course, if there were to be life on these planets
then this would have to be some extreme life forms.
The astronomers look for exoplanets in so called habitable zone,
namely at just the right distance from its Sun. The habitable
zone is not too hot and not too cold area, primarily determined
by the size and heat of the star.
The astronomers have also discovered that there are some exoplanets that only spend some time
within the habitable zone because many of these planets travel in very oblong, eccentric orbits
that vary greatly in distance from their stars. This means that conditions on these planets could
exchange between very cold and extremely hot.
These planets are unlikely to support human-like life forms but could still support other life
forms such as lichens and bacteria, to survive.
The presumption that we should look life just on planets that look like our own doesn't have to
be necessarily true, especially given the fact that we still have so many unanswered questions
about the life on our planet. It's Universe, meaning everything is possible.
1. What do you call the planets outside the solar system?
2. How many exoplanets have the astronomers discovered?
3. What is a habitable zone?
1. If the astronomers will be able to find a new earth, will you go and live in it? Why?
2. Do you believe in aliens or other life forms outside our planet? Why?
3. What is your opinion about the quest of the astronomers looking for a new Earth?
American man travels a million miles in 2012
An American man flew one million

miles in 2012. , 59, passed the
million mark on a flight from
London to Chicago on December 6.
MrStuker works as a car sales
consultant and has to fly all over
the world. He frequently flies to
Asia and Australia, and has taken
about 400 flights so far this year. He
always uses the U.S. airline United.
He joined the company's frequent
flyer program in 1983 and has since
flown 11 million miles with United, on over 6,000 flights. A United Airlines spokesperson said
that in 2012, MrStuker had flown the same distance as 40 times around the Earth. It added that if
all of MrStuker's miles were put together, he would be in the air for 73 days non-stop.
MrStuker told reporters that 2012 was a record year for him and that he was "tired". He said: "I
know I'll never fly this much again in a year." He said he is looking forward to flying a lot less
next year perhaps around half-a-million miles. Stuker said he likes flying but is sad that
passengers are becoming less patient. He said: "When you're on a plane, remember certain
common courtesies. Don't talk so loud on a phone that 18 rows can hear you. And when you
take off your shoes, understand that maybe your feet don't exactly smell like roses." MrStuker
always flies first class these days. He said he didn't think he could spend so long in economy
class. He enjoys special services from United other passengers do not get.
1. How old is the man who flew a million miles?
2. Where was he going when he broke the record?
3. How many flights did he take in 2012?
1. What are the best and worst things about flying?
2. What do you think it would be like to be a flight attendant?
3. In your opinion, whats the best airline in the world, and why?
WINTER VACATION
506 Country Lane
Adelaide, Washington 93446
December 28, 2012
Dear Susan,
It feels like such a long time since the last time I saw you. I know it's only been
several weeks since I saw you. So far my winter
has been great!
I spend my all my weekends at the ski resort. I
have been playing lots of snowfights,
snowboarding and skiing. Just this past weekend I
took second place in a ski contest!
On the weekdays I go around the nearest village.
I've also tried a workshop that teaches people
how to make ice sculptures. It is so cool. It is a
combination of the two things I love most, art and
fun. My work isn't too great, but I'm enjoying it a lot.
I hope the winter's been going well for you too. There's only a month and a half
left for the vacation and after that it's back to school. Would you like to meet up
some time before school starts?
Your friend,
Angie
1206 Ingleham Street

Lockhaven, Arizona 92407
January 7, 2012
Dear Angie,
I would have to agree to your sentiments about not
seeing each other for what seems to be a long time. I
feel the same way, too, and I could just feel sorry for
not being able to come with you to Washington. I
wish I could be there with you.
As for me, I spend my time going to my
grandmother's endless classes. She had been
bringing me to her cooking and knitting class every
other day and I am helping her organize a dance
event at the beginning of spring thaw. It's fun hanging out with her, too. I hope
you'll be able to make it to that event.
I wish it actually snowed here. I also wasn't able to visit my Aunt Lucy in Minessota
when my mother decided that I should just stay with the family for the holidays, but
anyway, it's been fun. My brother also came home from law school to spend the
holidays with us so it was perfect.
My winter vacation had been going smoothly so far. I wish you could show me
pictures of the ski resort when you come back home. I'll see when classes start
then. That would be lovely. See you soon!
Your friend,
Susan
1. Where is Angie spending her winter vacation? What about Susan?
2. How is Angie spending her holiday?
3. What is Susan helping to organize?
1. Have you ever gone to a ski trip?
2. What are the activities that you can do during winter?
3. How will you spend your winter vacation this year?
Law says visit old relatives or pay a fine
China has passed a new law that says people

must visit their older relatives. This means
older parents or grandparents can sue their kids
and grandkids for not visiting them. The new
law will start on July 1, 2013. It is part of a new
campaign called the Protection of the Rights
and Interests of the Elderly. China says it is so
the country's aging population is not left alone.
There have been many stories recently in
China's newspapers of old people dying alone
because their children do not visit them. More
than half of China's elderly live alone. Even though the law says children have to visit their older
relatives "often," it does not say how often "often" is. It also does not say how much the fine is
for not visiting often.
China is becoming an aging society because of its one child per family policy. In 1978, the
Chinese government told all couples they could have only one child. Some families could have
two or more, such as those living in the countryside, ethnic minorities, or people who had twins.
The Xinhua news agency said that at the end of 2011, almost 14 per cent of China's population
was over 60 years old. That's more than 184 million people. This number is increasing because
of China's rapid economic development. More and more young people are leaving the
countryside to work in China's cities. Their parents are left alone and have to look after
themselves. There are very few homes for the aged in the countryside.
31 December, 2012 Breaking News English

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What can parents do to children who do not visit them?

When does the new law start?
How many of China's old people live alone?
How much is the fine for not visiting old people?
How much of China's population is over 60?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Are the elderly looked after well in your country?

Why is this law needed?
What do you learn from the old people around you?
Should the government build more care homes for the elderly?
What do you learn from the old people around you?
Korean Peninsula hit by 56 quakes in 2012

Koreaherald.com
As many as 56 earthquakes hit

the Korean Peninsula this
year, the second largest
number since the nation began
seismic observations in 1978,
the state weather agency said
Thursday.
A 3.9 magnitude earthquake
that was reported in Muju in
the central region on May 11
was the strongest one of the
year, according to the Korea
Meteorological
Administration (KMA).
This year's tally compares with the annual average of 43.6 quakes between 1999 and 2011, the
weather agency said, adding a record-setting 60 earthquakes were reported in 2009.
Nine of the quakes recorded this year had magnitudes higher than 3.0, with four of them strong
enough to be felt by humans, the KMA noted.
A total of 11 quakes hit southeastern regions, whereas the Seoul metropolitan area was not
affected at all.
Seven earthquakes were detected in North Korea. (Yonhap News)
1. How many earthquakes hit the Korean Peninsula in 2012?
2. What was the magnitude of the strongest earthquake in Korea?
3. How many earthquakes were detected in North Korea?
1. Have you ever experienced an earthquake?
2. What are some things that we can do to prepare for an earthquake?
3. What is the best thing to do during an earthquake?
Tasty 'Asia's No.1 Performances Duo'

Tasty is a new South Korea pop duo under Woollim Entertainment which debuted in
August 2012.
They are twins. They are also called 'Tasty2Wins' or 'Dragon Twins'. They are ChineseKorean descentand they are fluent in speaking English, Chinese, and Korean. They are selfdescribe as 'Asia's No.1 Performances Duo' And they debuted with a song tittle " You know
Me"
They were born on February 25, 1988. The older twin is Dae Ryong or Big D. His real
name is Jung Daeryong. Theyounger twin is Jung Soryong. He is known as So Ryong or Lil D.
So Ryong is younger but he is taller. His height is 185 cm. On the other hand, Dae Ryong
is 184 cm tall.
Source: http://wehavekpopfever.blogspot.com/2012/08/tasty-profile.html
1. What are the names of the twin members of Tasty?
2. Who is older between the two?
3. What languages can they speak fluently?
1. Have you heard their song, You know Me? What do you think of their song?
2. What do you think is their benefit of speaking English, Chinese and Korean fluently?
3. Do you believe that they are the Asias No. 1 Performances Duo? Why or why not?
Should Kids Wear School Uniforms?

By Sherry Bowen
Topics: School Policy and Education Issues
Do school uniforms help curb violence, foster a better
learning environment or promote discipline in students?
Many people think so and are pushing schools to require
them.
Opinions about uniforms and dress codes vary about as
much as the reasons for having them -- parents seem to
love them and students seem to tolerate them at best.
Nevertheless, many schools have jumped on the
bandwagon despite students' expressed concerns about
their freedom of speech.
Requiring all students to wear the same cardigans, slacks or skirts is a practice employed
throughout history and all over the world. England, for example, even required uniforms in all
public schools for a time. Recently, it seems American schools desperate for peace and order are
willing to follow this trend in order to get their students on the right track.
The issue of school uniforms, whether in a private or public school, is not clear-cut. They seem
to work best when whole school communities discuss and agree upon a policy and then enforce it.
And most proponents agree that requiring uniforms will only bring success if other programs
accompany it.
Possible Benefits
Some parents and teachers believe uniforms:
Improve learning by reducing distraction, sharpening focus on schoolwork and making the
classroom a more serious environment.
Mask the income difference between families. All children dress the same, whether rich or
poor.
Save families time and money. Many parents report that three uniforms cost about the same
as one pair of designer jeans.
Help administrators quickly identify outsiders who could be a danger to students.
At What Cost?
But some students and parents say uniforms:
Violate the right to freedom of speech and expression.

Emphasize conformity, not individuality, and do not allow students to develop their identity.
Fail to allow students to learn to make good choices based on their own values.
Source: eduguide.org
URL: http://www.eduguide.org/library/viewarticle/1401/should-kids-wear-school-uniforms/
1. Why should students wear their uniforms?
2. What are the good effects of wearing a uniform?
3. Why dont some students like to wear uniforms in school?
1. Do you like wearing your school uniform?
2. What is your opinion on wearing uniforms?
3. How does wearing uniforms help students?
Successful People who have Failed

Failure.
That is a word that most people dread. Everyone wants to be a success.
But that dreaded F word always pops up. Failure. This experience is strong enough to make you want to quit
and start a new life.
Success takes time and effort. Yes, many times you will fail before you are successful.Yes, failure happens.
Live with it.
Learn from it.
Elvis Presley: They dont dub somebody the King of a form of music without a great amount of success.
His first recordings went nowhere. After that he tried to join a vocal quartet and was told,he couldnt
sing. Finally, right before he became popular, he was told, You aint goin nowhere, son. You ought to go
back to drivin a truck.
Michael Jordan: It is hard to imagine it, but Jordan was once cut from his high school team.As Jordan puts it,
I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been
entrusted to take the game winning shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life.
And that is why I succeed.
Albert Einstein: If asked to name a genius, most people would come up with the name Albert Einstein. Yet
even for Einstein genius did not come easy. He had speech difficulties as a child and was once even thought to
be mentally handicapped.
He tried to test into Zurich Polytechnic, but failed again (although he did very well in the math and physics
sectionas you might expect). Einstein buckled down, received the requisite training and applied to Zurich
Polytechnic again, and of course was accepted.
A few years later he had a PHD and was recognized as a leading theorist. A few years after that, he had a
Nobel Prize for physics and began to be recognized as the genius of our modern era.
JK Rowling: Rowling is the perfect example that success can come to anyone at any time. She is now doing
the backstroke through a pool of Harry Potter money, but that was not always the case. Before Harry Potter
became a success she was a divorced mother, living on welfare, going to school and trying to write a novel in
her spare time.Rowling herself said she was the biggest failure I knew and credits a lot of her success to her
failure.
1. Who has missed 9,000 shots in his career?
2. Albert Einstein was recognized as a leading _________?
3. What was Elvis Presley told after joining a vocal quartet?
1. Live with it. Learn from it. Explain these sentences.
2. Tell us about a time wherein you failed but never gave up?
3. Who are other celebrities or people that you know that went through failure first before achieving
success?
Less ice, more seawater

Shrinking ice sheets contribute to rising sea levels, large-scale study confirms
By Stephen Ornes / December 20, 2012
When an ice cube melts, it creates a puddle. When an ice sheet melts, it raises sea levels.
It sounds simple, but scientists have debated for decades whether both the Antarctic and
Greenland ice sheets actually were shrinking and how much that melting contributed to rising
sea levels.
Now, a new study has provided the best evidence yet of how the polar ice sheets are
responding to our warming world. In the study, published in November, an international team of
scientists looked at 20 years of data on the ice sheets, collected by 10 satellite missions. The
teams conclusion? The Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets both are losing ice overall. The
researchers also found that between 1992 and 2011, melt water from those shrinking ice sheets
caused sea levels to raise by about 11 millimeters (0.4 inch), or about the width of the fingernail
on your pinkie. Thats just the contribution from the two ice sheets, though. In all, the ocean rose
about five times as much during that period.
1. What happens when an ice cube melts?
2. What happens when an ice sheet melts?
3. What is the conclusion of the scientists over this phenomenon?
1. What will happen to our planet if the ice from the arctic will continue melting?
2. Do you think that you are experiencing the effect of the climate change? Please explain
why and how.
3. How can we prevent the ice from melting?
SOURCE:
http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/12/shrinking-ice-sheets-in-antarctica-and-greenlandcontribute-to-rising-sea-levels/
http://www.dw.de/image/0,,16429016_401,00.jpg
Francisco Domingo Joaquim Has the Worlds Largest

Mouth
Known as the Angolan Jaw of Awe, 20-year-old Francisco
Domingo Joaquim has earned the title of worlds widest
mouth.
Francisco, known as Chiquinho, had become an internet
sensationabout two years ago, when videos of his
incredible mouth stunts became viral on Youtube, but
scouts of the Guinness Book of Records just recently
managed to track him down, in his Angola hometown. His
jaw-dropping tricks have been viewed thousands of times,
earning Francisco quite a reputation as the man with the worlds largest mouth.
To prove there is nothing false about his reputation, Francisco
participated in the Italian competition known as Big Mouth,
where contestants literally put their jaws to the test. They put all
kinds of strange things in their mouths, including saucers, coffee
cups, bottles, but none could beat Chiquinhos coke can stunt.
Francisco Domingo Joaquim easily won the contest and thanks to
his rubbery 16.99 cm wide mouth, he also became the man with
the worlds largest mouth, according to the Guinness Book of
Records.
Even more amazing is the fact that despite putting a Coke can in
his mouth every day, and having never been to a dentist, his teeth
are perfectly healthy.
1. Who holds the record of the Worlds largest mouth? Where is his hometown, how old is
he?
2. What he is also known as and how wide is his mouth?
3. In the said contest, what are the strange things that the contestants literally put inside their
mouths and what was the stunt that only Chiquinho can do?
1. Can you share in details to me a jaw-dropping thing that you have seen or witnessed?
2. What is Guinness Book of Records?
3. If ever you could be a record holder, in what category and why?
Source: http://www.odditycentral.com/pics/francisco-domingo-joaquim-has-the-worlds-largestmouth.html
Congratulations!
Dear Marvin,
I was thrilled to hear the news on radio that your
team has won the inter-college shield for football this
year at Bhopal. It was an excellent teamwork inspired
by an able leader.
Now I would advise you to aim for the national
shield at Delhi this February. You should earn the title of
Pele of India.
Yours Sincerely,
Karl
Dear Karl,
Thank you for your felicitations on my victory at the
State championship.
With your prayers and good wishes I am now
practicing with my team for the national Durand Cup to be
played in Delhi in February. My team is on the field at 6 in
the morning and we practice for three solid hours.
Lets hope for the best.
Yours Sincerely,
Marvin
2. Where Karl did hear the good news? And where did they win?
3. When is the Durand Cup?
4. What is Marvin doing now?
1. Do you like Sports? Why? Why not?
2. What is your favorite sport? And do like it?

3. What are the benefits we can get from playing sports? Why do you say so?
http://www.effective-business-letters.com/Personal-Letters.html
WORLD NEWS
Cardboard Bike Helmet Proves To Be Surprisingly Safe!
By MeeraDolasia
All of a sudden, cardboard seems to be
showing up in the most unlikely products First there is the cardboard bike and now,
a helmet to go with it. What's surprising is
that it is apparently much safer than that
ones currently on the market.
Kranium is the creation of
AnirudhaSurabhi a student at London's
Royal College of Art, who decided that to
make it his mission to re-design
the conventional helmet, after a bike crash
in 2010, left him with a cracked helmet
and a severe concussion, for which he
was hospitalized for several days.
For his inspiration, he looked at the animal
kingdom, in particular, the woodpecker
that has an amazing ability
to withstand heavy impact thanks to the
bird's uniquecorrugated cartilage structure that separates its beak from the skull.
Despite the fact that most of his advisors were skeptical of both his design and choice of
material, Surabhi kept experimenting and testing his concept - And each time, it got better and
better. The end result is a bike helmet that sports a honeycomb cardboard structure designed to
be flexible, so that it can absorb impact force better than the current rigid foam helmets.
Resources: Wired.com,gizmag.com
http://www.dogonews.com
Comprehention Question:
1. Who created Kranium?
2. What inspired AnirudhaSurabhi to make the helmet?
3. What was the first invention made out of cardboard?
1. Do you think that the helmet is safe? Why or why not?
2. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of this helmet?
3. Do you think that people will be encouraged to use this kind of helmet? Why or why not?
NATIONAL NEWS
Psy Hints At Gangnam End
Psy has claimed New Years
Eve could be the ending for
his hit song Gangnam Style.
The South Korean pop star is
performing the chart-topping
dance track in Times Square,
New York, for the US TV show
Dick Clark's New Year's
Rockin' Eve.
Celebrating his birthday on the
same day, the chart sensation
explained he thinks it could be
the perfect way to celebrate the
mega success of the catchy
number.
"Being in Times Square on
New Year's Eve is already
special it's the biggest stage
in the universe plus it's my
birthday, so, with all that, it may be the ending of Gangnam Style," Psy told MTV News. "I
mean, what better way to do it? It's my biggest and most meaningful birthday."
Psy added that he is keen to start working on new material.
Following the huge popularity of Gangnam Style, the star wants to show people he is not just a
one trick pony.
But he assured fans of the tune that he is still contractually obliged to perform the hit at a
number of events in 2013.
Cover Media Mon, Dec 31, 2012: http://ph.news.yahoo.com/psy-next-track-got-good113000122.html
1. Where did Psy perform his dance track Gangnam Style on New Years Day?
2. What did Psy say about Times Square?
3. What is Psy keen to start working on?
1. Do you think the popularity of Gangnam Style already ended? Why or why not?
2. Do you think Psy can make another big hit this year? Why or why not?
3. Can you name other K-pop artists who are making big names internationally?
Who is CHAN HO PARK?

Chan Ho Park is a
former South Korean
professional baseball
pitcher. He played for
the Los Angeles
Dodgers, Texas
Rangers, San Diego
Padres, New York
Mets, Philadelphia
Phillies, New York
Yankees, Pittsburgh
Pirates of Major
League Baseball, Orix
Buffaloes of Nippon
Professional
Baseball and Hanwha Eagles of Korea Baseball Organization. He was the first South Koreanborn player in major league history. Park is the Asian-born pitcher with most career wins, 124.
Between the 2005 season and the 2006 season, Park represented South Korea in the World
Baseball Classic. In the Asia Round games against Taiwan and Japan, Park made appearances as
a closing pitcher, shutting out the opposing lineups. He made another appearance as a closer in
the semifinal game against Mexico, in which he again shut out his opposing hitters. With his
shutout performance in 10 innings and three saves, Korea finished the World Baseball Classic in
third place and Park was selected to the WBC All-Star team along with his teammate SeungYeop
Lee and Team Korea's captain Lee Jong-Beom.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chan_Ho_Park
1. Who is Chan Ho Park?
2. What are the names of the teams in which he played?
3. What happened to Park between 2005 and 2006 season?
1. Do you have a dream to become a baseball player? Why or Why not?
2. Do you think that playing baseball is an easy game? Why?
3. If someone offered you to great opportunities that you think it is your chance to become
famous, will you grab it? Why or why not?
Can Video Games Be Art?

By Carl S., San Jose, CA
The advent of the 20th century brought with it

technological wonders including the airplane, cinema,
and the radio. Among these feats was one of the most
influential inventions ever the personal computer.
Through the introduction of e-mail and instant
messaging, the computer revolutionized our lives by
allowing people to interact quickly regardless of
location. Computers have also made constant human
inspection and regulation of mundane tasks obsolete
through automated management and control. But one
overlooked impact of the computer is the changes it has
brought to the world of art.
Even if video games are not fine art per se, they can be
the driving influence behind the creation of other forms
of art. Games have inspired a new age of cinema
dubbedmachinima. Machinima is the real-time use of
3-D video games to create computer-generated images for animated films. Several major film
festivals have acknowledged this new subculture of cinema and accept machinima videos. In
addition, a number of movies have been inspired by video games, including Silent Hill and
Tomb Raider. The ArtCade, an exhibit of video games and the art works they've inspired, was
held at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. This advancement of art by video games
shows that games can be more than just entertainment.
The definition of art is constantly evolving. Art is about searching for new ways to in game
designer Tim Schafer's words creatively [express] thoughts or emotions that are hard to
communicate. Although the public still largely doesn't recognize video games as an art form,
this idea is slowly gaining momentum. Popping up in museums and movie theaters alike, video
games are gradually shedding their reputation as recreational devices solely designed to entertain.
Games are art mass-marketed, emerging, and largely unrecognized, but art nevertheless.
Source: TeenInk Magazine
URL: http://www.teenink.com/opinion/sports_hobbies/article/111833/Can-Video-Games-BeArt/
1. Why did the author say that a videogame is an art?
2. What movies have been inspired by videogames?
3. What is machinima?
1.
2.
3.
4.
What effect do video games have on children?

What are some advantages and disadvantages of video games?
What kind of video games do you play?
Do you agree that a video game is an art?


1.
2.
3.
4.



1.
2.
3.
4.



1.
2.
3.
4.

Mom Makes Boy Hold Sign as Public Punishment for Being Disrespectful
Lisette Lopez of Oakland Park, Florida, was furious when her 12-year-old son, ErolFaustin, was
suspended from school for disobeying and cursing in class. So she designed a punishment that
would be as public and as humiliating for him as his behavior had been for his teacher: He had
to stand in front of Rickards Middle School every morning and afternoon for the three days he
was suspended, holding a sign apologizing for his actions.
When his teacher asked him to move his book back, he refused, saying that he "doesn't give a
'f'," and called her the 'b' word, Lopez said. Lopez explained her reasoning behind the public
punishment. "He did it with the whole class there, and it would get around the whole school," she
said. "And I didn't want people coming up to him being like 'Oh, good job' or 'Oh, we all wanted
to do that.' So his apology was public, in front of the whole school." Erol wore a black suit and
tie on Tuesday as he held the large handmade sign for his classmates and their parents to see. As
students milled around him, there were tears in his eyes; one kid patted him on the shoulder in a
kind way as he walked by. "I disrespected my teacher," the sign read in part. "I am now
suspended for 3 days. I would like to apologize not only to that teacher but to all adults." Erol
says that he's learned his lesson. "I learned that I won't call a teacher or any adults or staff out by
that name again," he said, sounding contrite."Because it'sdisrespectful."
Questions for Comprehension:
1. Why was ErolFaustin suspended?
2. What happened when his mom found out about it?
3. What did his mom made him do?
Questions for Discussion:

1. Was there a time that you were disrespectful to your teacher?
2. Is it okay to punish disrespectful students in public? Why?
3. What do you think about corporal punishment?
Air Pollution
Air pollution is a broad term applied to any chemical, physical (particulate matter), or
biological agent that modifies the natural characteristics of the atmosphere.
The atmosphere is a complex, dynamic natural gaseous system that is essential to support life on
planet earth.
Stratospheric ozone depletion due to air pollution has long been recognized as a threat to
human health as well as to the earth's ecosystems. Worldwide air pollution is responsible for
large numbers of deaths and cases of respiratory disease.
Enforced air quality standards, like the Clean Air Act in the United States, have reduced the
presence of some pollutants.
While major stationary sources are often identified with air pollution, the greatest
sources of emissions are actually mobile sources, principally the automobile.
There are many available air pollution control technologies and urban planning strategies
available to reduce air pollution; however, worldwide costs of addressing the issue are high.
The most immediate method of improving air quality would be the use of bioethanol fuel,
biodiesel, solar energy, and hybrid vehicle technologies.
The World Health Organization estimates that 4.6 million people die each year from
causes directly attributable to air pollution.
Many of these mortalities are attributable to indoor air pollution.
Worldwide more deaths per year are linked to air pollution than to automobile accidents.
Research published in 2005 suggests that 310,000 Europeans die from air pollution annually.
Direct causes of air pollution related deaths include aggravated asthma, bronchitis, emphysema,
lung and heart diseases, and respiratory allergies.
1. What is air pollution?

2. What are the major sources of air pollution?
3. What are some of the direct causes of air pollution?
1. In your opinion, how can air pollution be harmful?
2. What should we do to prevent air pollution? Name at least three.
3. How can we improve the air quality?
Source:
Science Daily
http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/a/air_pollution.htm
Why The World's Longest Word Will Never Appear In Any Dictionary Or Record Book!
Search for the term 'world's longest word' and you probably find
Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis - the scientific name for a lung disease
commonly referred to as silicosis. While this is technically true because it is the longest word
you will ever see published in a dictionary or for that matter in most places, there are many
words that believe it or not, are much longer than that.
While the reason they are not published is because they are sooooo long that including
them would require the creation of a stand-alone edition!In fact, the real longest word is so
lengthy that even we do not dare publish it in its full 189, 819 letters. And incase you are
wondering, it took the one person that did dare to say it aloud, a whopping 3.5 hours!
What is even more surprising is that this word is not just a gibberish word made up by
some crazy person, but a giant protein appropriately dubbed as Titin. This protein that is used
by the body for contraction of muscle tissues may not be the most crucial one that we need, but it
is not totally worthless either!
Resources: odditycentral.com,wikipedia.org
1. What is Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis?
2. What is the function of Titin?
3. Why is the longest word not published in any dictionary or record book?
1. What is your most favorite English word? Why?
2. Do you like to play word games? If yes, what is your favorite word game and how do you
play it? If no, why not?
3. How do you learn new English words?
Dear Brenda,
I am writing from your web site.
Hi, I am a sophomore in high school and very interested in art.
Recently though, I have become very interested in pastels,
especially soft pastels. I was searching the Internet for pastel
paintings that I could set as my "goal" and I found your web site.
Well, I just wanted to say that you are my idol. I hope to achieve
the greatness you have reached in your pastel work. And if I ever
save up enough money, I will head straight for your site to buy
one of your paintings.
Thank you for listening to my babbling... Bye!
Jessica Carag
Dear Jessica,
Thanks so much for taking the time to write.
And thank you sincerely for your kind words about my art. Your compliments mean even
more since I am completely self-taught.
Soft pastels are WONDERFUL! I encourage you to try them... and to
invest in the best ones you can afford. I do not at all consider your
email "babbling." You sound articulate, intelligent... and you have
GREAT taste!
Continue to express yourself... and best of luck in your creative
endeavors!
Brenda
2. Where is Jessica writing her letter? And what is she interested at?
3. What did Jessica say about the paintings of Brenda?
1. Do you like arts? Why?
2. Are you interested in painting? Why? Why not?
3. Do you think you could express yourself through painting or drawing?
WORLD NEWS
World's Shortest Escalator Video Goes

Viral
The worlds shortest escalator can be found in
Kawasaki, Japan, and a video of the pint-sized
mode of transportation has gone viral on
YouTube.
Nearly 440,000 YouTube users have viewed
footage of the worlds shortest escalator, which
has only six platforms at a time for
pedestrians to stand on.
The pint-sized escalator can be found in Mores department store in Kawasaki, across the street
from the Kawasaki train station.
According to the video of the worlds shortest escalator, the lift is only 32.8 inches high, putting
it in the Guinness Book of World Records.
The video of the worlds shortest escalator has gone viral, with about 400,000 views and more
than 2,100 likes on YouTube.
Boy that escalated quickly! quipped YouTube user Hendry Spring.
Just went out to buy a ticket to Japan just so I can visit this magnificent achievement of science
and humanity. Thank you, said Narudh.
Not everyone was impressed by the worlds shortest escalator, however.
Thats the stupidest thing Ive ever seen, opined supertony52.
People are so lazy for riding the worlds shortest escalator, said christopherakeel95.
Kawasaki is located south of Tokyo and is about a 40-minute drive from Japans capital city.
~International Business Times
http://www.ibtimes.com/worlds-shortest-escalator-video-goes-viral-video-992012
1. Where can you find the Worlds shortest escalator?
2. How many YouTube users viewed the footage of the Worlds shortest escalator?
3. What is the height of the Worlds shortest escalator and how many pedestrians does it have?
1. Would you prefer riding an escalator than using the stairs?
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using an escalator?
3. Do you agree that science makes people lazy?
Korea's 1st Sunrise of 2013 at 7:26 a.m. in Dokdo

Korea's first
sunrise of the New
Year is expected
at 7:26 a.m. over
the easternmost
islets of Dokdo,
the Korea
Astronomy and
Space Science
Institute said
Wednesday.
People on the
mainland will see
it about five
minutes later,
starting in the
southeastern port city of Ulsan.
The sun will rise over Seoul at 7:46 a.m. and over the southern port city of Busan at 7:31 a.m.
Jeongdongjin Beach in the northeastern port city of Gangneung will see the first sunrise of 2013
at 7:39 a.m., and Jeju Island's Seongsan Sunrise Peak at 7:36 a.m. Jeju is further west than
Gangneung, but the dawn comes earlier since sun rises from the southeast rather than directly
from the east in winter.
Each time of the sunrise was calculated on the assumption that the places are 0 m above sea
level. On higher ground, it can be spotted a little earlier.
englishnews@chosun.com / Dec. 19, 2012 12:35 KST
1. What time will the sun rise over Seoul?
2. Which city will see the first sunrise of 2013?
3. Where will the peak of the sunrise be?
1. What is the significance of seeing the first sunrise each year to Koreans?
2. What is the most memorable experience youve had while watching the first sunrise?
3. Have you seen the first sunrise this year? Tell me about the experience and if not, what
are your reasons?
Should Dodge Ball Be Banned in Schools?
By TIME For Kids Staff

For years, the old playground
game of dodge ball has been
taking a hit. Some say it is too
violent. But others say it
teaches kids important skills,
such as quick decisionmaking.
School districts in states
including Texas, Virginia,
Maine and Massachusetts
banned the game in 2001. Neil
Williams, a professor of physical education at Eastern Connecticut State University, even created
a P.E. Hall of Shame in which dodge ball is included. The game allows the stronger kids to pick
on and target the weaker kids, he says.
There are other objections to dodge ball. A child who is hit by a ball in the first few seconds
spends the remainder of the game sitting on a bench, watching others. Those who do remain in
the game, according to critics, become human targets, which could lead to bullying.
There are, however, those who defend the game. Rick Hanetho, founder of the National Amateur
Dodge ball Association, says the game allows kids who are not good athletes to participate in a
team sport. He also argues that it teaches hand-eye coordination, concentration and the ability to
think and draw quick conclusions.
Whats more, proponents of dodge ball say kids have a lot of fun, as long as the game is properly
supervised. Gym teachers and coaches must be sure that kids follow the rules and dont aim to
hurt anyone. It also helps, say dodge ball supporters, to use a soft, squishy ball.
Source: http://www.timeforkids.com/news/debate/23691
1. What do some people think about dodge ball?
2. According to professor Neil Williams, what does dodge ball allow some kids to do?
3. What are other objections to dodge ball?
1. Do you think dodge ball is a violent game? Why or why not?
2. State some reasons why dodge ball should be banned in schools.
3. Have you ever tried playing dodge ball? Share your experience.
The Wii
The Wii is a video game created by Nintendo that
uses a wirelesscontroller to show the movements of your
body, hands and legs on a television screen. It was first
presented to the public in November 2006
Wii controllers have many forms and shapes. For
example, they can simulate the movement of a tennis
racket, a golf club or other things. A fitness pad allows
you to do exercises that a fitness trainer on the television
screen shows you.
The Wii turns a video game into
a physical activity that is fun too. It is also used by doctors and therapists who show
patients how to balance themselves or build up muscles after an operation or illness.
But how does the Wii really work? There are chips, sensors and accelometres in
the Wii remote that can recordshifts and angles in your body movements. You can move it in all
directions. When the body moves these changes are sent via to a console. You can shoot at
something by pressing a button, move an object on the screen and do many other things with the
remote.
1. What is Wii?
2. What are the uses of the Wii?
3. How does the Wii work?
1. What can you say about this invention?
2. What do you think is the greatest invention?
3. If you will be given the chance to invent something, what would you invent and why?
Source:
English-Online
Articles in Easy, Understandable English for Learners
http://www.english-online.at/hobbies/nintendo-wii/wii-video-console.htm
Of fish and brain health

Moms-to-be who eat a diet rich in the right fish may
pass along benefits to their children
According to a study, children born to women who
ate fish during pregnancy were less likely to have
behaviors like inattention and hyperactivity, which
are associated with a syndrome known as attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.
Some fish like shark and swordfish, contain high
levels of mercury. This toxic metal is connected to
many health problems. Pregnant women are advised
to avoid eating fish that have picked up high levels
of mercury from their environment.
It is possible, however, to eat a fish-rich diet without accumulating a lot of mercury, explains Susan Korrick,
an epidemiologist at the Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston.
Korrick and her coworkers studied more than 500 women who gave birth during the 1990s in New Bedford,
Mass. Shortly after giving birth, these women completed a questionnaire about their diets. More than 400 of
them also allowed the scientists to use hair samples to test for mercury. About eight years later, Korricks team
evaluated the behaviors of these womens children.
Korricks team found that overall, children whose moms had eaten fish were less likely to have ADHD or
related symptoms. But this was true only if their moms hair also contained little mercury. When a moms hair
concentrations of mercury were higher, a childs risk of ADHD-related behaviors rose.
A second, new study found a link between high levels of mercury in newborns and increased risk of being
diagnosed with ADHD by age 11. Other studies have also linked a childs early exposure to other pollutants,
such as lead (a heavy metal), with an increased risk of developing ADHD-related traits.
Lots of foods may contain traces of toxic pollutants. The new studies show that keeping levels of those
pollutants low is especially important during pregnancy, when a babys brain is developing.
1.
What is ADHD?
2.
What is the study about?
3.
What was is the result of the study?

1.
What do we mean when we say you are what you eat?
2.
Why is it important to eat fish during pregnancy?
3.
Would you eat raw fish? Why? Why not?
Source:
http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/10/moms-to-be-who-eat-a-diet-rich-in-the-right-fish-may-pass-alongbenefits-to-their-children/
The Worlds Largest Coffee Mug
Sometimes it takes one cup of coffee to start our engines in the morning. Some days are
two cuppers. And then there are days like today when it feels like only straight up electricity
could perk us up. Today is a 20 cup day. But we're too tired to get up and down and get 20 cups
throughout the morning. Good thing we have the World's Largest Coffee Cup. It's 20 regular
cups of coffee in one giant,massive, awe-inspiring cup! It is made of porcelain, and yes, hand
wash recommended.
Each World's Largest Coffee Cupweighs a little over 10 lbs. It weighs a little over 10 lbs.
empty, that is. This means not only will you be getting way too much coffee with one cup, but
you'll also be getting some arm exercise. But do you really need your own World's Largest
Coffee Cup you are wondering? Well, you don't want someone else in the office to get it first do
you? Yeah, we're just looking out for you, is all. You're welcome.
Please note: No puppies were given coffee for these photos. Whimsy was staring at
some treats. We just thought it would be cute. So there.
1. How many regular cups can this coffee mug contain?
2. How much does it weigh?
3. What is it made of?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS?
1. Do you drink coffee in the morning? If not, what do you drink?
2. Coffee is usually a part of breakfast for adults. But for a child like you, what do you
normally have for breakfast?
3. Is coffee good for a child like you? Why or why not?
The Worlds Largest Coffee Mug

Source: http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/ec57/
Title: Lets Party!

Dear Peter Rabbit,
I have good news for you! You know how much
I ve
alwayswanted to have my own house. Well, last week I got
lucky.
Imet a farmer with a big load of hay who offered to
let mehave some. Pig Two is still working on his stick
house, and
Pig Three is taking forever to finish his brick house. But
my beautiful straw house is all finished and ready!
I will be having a housewarming party next
Thursday
the19th at 5:00 PM. So please hop on over and help
warm up my house. See you there!
Your good friend,
Pig One
Dear Pig One, Pig Two, and Pig Three,

The wolf`s tail soup you served at the housewarming party
was delicious! I was very happy to make it to your party at last.
Anyway, I have received the most surprising letter. Its
from a human being! You know that my mother has forbidden us
to go to the McGregors' garden. However,the carrots and cabbages
are very hard to resist, and yesterday I didnt even have to go inside
the garden. I found my jacket and shoes outside the gate, along
with a note and two juicy carrots. The note turned out to be an
invitation to Goldilocks McGregor's birthday party!
Well, I sure would love to see what a human party is like.
And the invitation says to bring as many friends as I want. Would
the three
of you like to come with me this Sunday at 2:00 pm.?
Your friend,
Peter Rabbit
Sources: http://www.ltl.appstate.edu/reading_resources/letters.htm
1. What will happen at Pig Ones house on Thursday the 19th?
2. Why was Pig One lucky?
3. Where did Peter Rabit invite the 3 pigs?
1. When was the last time you attended a party?What was the occasion?
2. When is your birthday? Do you also have a party on your birthday?
3. What are some things you like to do during your birthday?
4. Discussion Question
WORLD NEWS
23rd Makeover Of Sweden's Ice Hotel Is Fabulous
And Freezing!
By MeeraDolasia
Most hotels are lucky if they go through one or
two renovations during their lifetime. However this
hotel in the tiny village of Jukkasjarvi, Sweden gets a
complete makeover every year because believe it or
not, it is carved entirely from Ice blocks lugged in
from the nearby Torne River. What's even more
stunning is that the hotel gets increasingly fabulous each year!
Now in its 23rd year, the idea of building a frozen hotel came about quiteaccidently, after a local
tourist company trying attract visitors during the severe winter months, hosted an art exhibition
in a specially built igloo atop the frozen Torne River. While the 60sq.ft. structure was a huge
success attracting many day visitors, it was not until a group of brave souls arrived with reindeer
hides and sleeping bags and announced their intention to spend the night inside the igloo that the
villagers had an 'aha' moment!
But no matter what room they are in, the temperature is the same - A bone-chilling-5C
(23F)! It is therefore not surprising that guests are advised to keep their gloves and winter hats
on, in addition to the thermal sleeping bags they snuggle into. As you have probably guessed by
now, most guests end up spending just one night in this freezing environment before moving to
more conventional warmer cabins nearby - But they all agree it is truly worth experiencing, at
least once in a lifetime!
Sources: Icehotel.com
http://www.dogonews.com
1. What is the temperature inside the hotel?
2. Where is the hotel located?
3. How many years has the hotel been on business?
1. Why do you think that most hotels are lucky if they go through one or two renovations?
2. If you will be given the chance would you like to stay in this hotel too? Why or why not?
3. Do you think that its worth experiencing staying in this hotel? Why or why not?
Red Bean Porridge Warms Longest Night of the Year

Friday marks the winter solstice, or dongji in Korean, the
shortest day of the year. Koreans traditionally celebrate
this day by sharing a steaming bowl of red bean porridge
with their family and neighbors.
In the past, the red color of the porridge was thought to
dispel evil spirits, so it became a tradition to eat it on the
winter solstice when the night is long. The dish is made by
slowly boiling the red beans and adding round dumplings
made of glutinous rice flour.
On other occasions, red beans were eaten in the form of porridge, cake, and steamed rice. When
an epidemic broke out, red beans were placed in wells in the belief that they would clean the
water and dispel the disease. When a neighbor lost a family member, red bean porridge was
offered to dispel evil spirits from the household in mourning.
One of the customs still observed is handing out red bean cake to coworkers or neighbors when
launching a new business or project or moving into a new place.
At the winter solstice, people clear their debts to make a fresh start for the New Year, so why not
invite close relatives or friends and spend time together to look back on the passing year?
englishnews@chosun.com / Dec. 21, 2012 08:26 KST
1. How do Koreans celebrate Donji?
2. What is the significance of the red color of the porridge?
3. What do people do to make a fresh start for the New Year?
1. What do you do to prepare for a New Year?
2. How would you differentiate Dongji from other cultures?
3. Do you believe the that the red color of the porridge can dispel evil spirits? Why or why
not?
Worlds Largest Snake

So that world's longest snake, the one that was said to be an incredible 49 feet, dwarfing the
previous largest snake in history at 33 feet... is actually just a rather pedestrian 21 feet long.
When a recreation park in Indonesia put a huge reticulated python on show last week, keepers
insisted to reporters it was 49 feet long. That made it the longest ever caught.
But amid growing skepticism of the claim, a photographer working for Reuters returned to the
Curugsewupark in the small central Java town of Kendal Wednesday with a measuring tape. The
snake's true length -- around 21 feet.
"I have no idea why the snake has shrunk," said one keeper when asked about the discrepancy,
as the snake lounged on a tree branch inside its cage.
According to the Guinness World Records, the longest discovered snake was also a reticulated
python from Indonesia. It was 33 feet long when found in Sulawesi island in 1912.
http://www.blackchampagne.com/articles/animals-weird.shtml
1. According to the Guinness World Records,
how long was the longest snake ever
reported?
2. Where did they catch this snake?
3. What kind of a snake is it?
1. What is a snake? Have you ever seen a
snake?
2. What do you feel when you see a snake?
3. Do you think that all snakes are dangerous?
Should school vending machines

ban sugary snacks and drinks?
By TIME For Kids Staff

The struggle to keep kids healthy
has taken center stage in schools
across the country. Many schools
are taking a hard look at their
school lunch programs. They are
trying to cut back on unnecessary
fat and calories and to add more
healthful ingredients instead.
Some schools are taking the food
fight to vending machines, too, using their power to pick what kind of food can be sold as
snacks and drinks. At Roosevelt High School in Seattle, Washington, for example, the vending
machine is stocked with milk, juice and granola bars. But its possible that students dont seem
super excited about their options. In 2001, when the vending machines offered more options
including candy and chips, the machines reportedly made $214,000 in profits. In 2011, they
brought in just $17,000.
Source: Time for Kids

URL: http://www.timeforkids.com/news/debate/26426
1. What is the problem of schools across the country?
2. What are schools trying to cut back?
3. What are some schools doing to vending machines?
1. Should school vending machines force students to select healthy snacks and drinks?
2. Should students have the ability to make their own choices?
3. What do you think of vending machines available in schools?
Fashion brand makes perfume for babies
The luxury fashion brand Dolce &Gabbana (D&G)

will soon sell a perfume for babies. The new
fragrance will be in 50-ml bottles and will have a
price tag of $45 dollars. D&G is the latest fashion
house to make a perfume for infants. A D&G
spokesperson said the new scent is, "designed to
cuddle and pamper every little boy and girl". D&G
boss Stefano Gabbana asked people on the website Instagram: "How can babies smell even
sweeter than they already do?" His answer is a mix of honey, melon, orange and some secret
ingredients. Gabbana explained how he made the fragrance. He said it smells like, "The softness
of baby skin, the freshness of baby breath, a mother's sweet hug, and the first smile."
While the new fragrance will increase D&G's profits, childcare experts are questioning the need
for babies to wear perfume. They also hope parents will use their common sense. Baby doctor
Sandy Tomkins said a baby's skin is very delicate and sensitive. She warned that any product
used on it must be 100% safe. She added: "The last thing a mother wants is for her little one to
smell nice but then have a nasty red rash." Skin doctor Jose Fernandez warned of soreness and
irritation. Many people might agree with Britain's Daily Mail newspaper that babies already
smell sweet enough. It wrote: "The smell of a freshly washed baby is universally understood as
one of the sweetest scents in the world."
Breakingnewsnenglish.com
1. What size bottles will the perfume come in?
2. What did the article say about a mother's hug?
3. What do childcare experts hope parents will use?
1. What do you think of the idea of perfume for babies?
2. Is it important for babies to smell sweeter than they already do?
3. How can a first smile have a smell?
Professional athletes have

superior perception
Sciencenews.org
Humongous hamstrings, bulging
biceps and dangerous delts are
obvious attributes of professional
athletes. But the brain might be the
most important asset on the field, a
new study suggests.
Pro athletes are better at interpreting abstract moving scenes than are average people, reports
Jocelyn Faubert of the University of Montreal. In his study, 102 professional soccer, rugby and
hockey players completed a difficult perception task. To perform well, participants had to
distribute their attention among multiple targets, ignore distractions, correctly perceive depth
and follow lightning-fast dots on a computer screen.
The professional athletes outperformed both high-level college athletes and nonathletes,
Faubert writes online January 31 in Scientific Reports. He does not know whether these superior
perceptual skills are innate or learned over years of practicing the sport.
1. In what are pro-athletes better in doing?
2. How many professional athletes were used in the study?
3. To what type of athletes were the professional athletes compared to?
1. What are the disadvantages and advantages of being a professional athlete?
2. What is your opinion on some people saying that professional athletes are overpaid?
3. What type of sport do you think is most difficult to play and why?
Goat in Boots?
You have all heard of 'Puss in Boots',

but 'Goat in Boots' - That, has to be a first.
And this four-legged animal is not
a fictional character in a book or movie
either, but a real life specimen that resides in
the tiny village of Probus in Cornwall,
England.
For the past few weeks, Maisie a 12year old rescue goat has
been sporting two pairs of stylish
pink rain boots. However, in the case
of this animal it has nothing to do with
looking fashionable, but instead, to
ensure she can get cured of her hoof
rot, a serious and painful
condition akin to trench foot in
humans, caused
by prolonged exposure to the soggy
fields following the recent floods in
the area.
The shelter's founder Maria Mulkeen decided that the only way to saveMaisie who already
suffers from painful arthritis, was by protecting her hooves to help them dry off.
In 2008, a pig farmer in North Yorkshire put some green wellies on a baby pig because believe it
or not, Cinders was afraid of mud! We sure hope the boots work as well for Maisie as they
seemed to, for Cinders.
Resources: Telegraph.co.uk, thisiscornwall.co.uk
1. What can you say about Maisie?
2. Why is she wearing boots?
3. Why did Cinders wear willies?
1. Do you have a pet? If you have, what is it? If none, why?
2. Do you think putting clothes to animals is all right? Why do you think so?
3. How can we show our love and care to animals?
219 Bow Road

London, England
December 31, 2012
Dear Hyejin,
It is only a matter of hours before New Years

Day here in England. I couldnt wait until the clock strikes twelve. I could see a clear view of the
city from my bedroom window. I am very excited for the fireworks display that the Buckingham
Palacewould commence this year.
It is traditional for us to stay up and see the old year out. Its usually noisy. When the Big Ben
strikes twelve then everyone would sing Auld Lang Syne. Do you know that song?
Ive helped my mother make a special cake and we are waiting for it to bake while we watch the
Royal Familys New Years greetings on TV. My relatives would visit later to celebrate with us.
I know I would have loads of fun.
I hope you would have a great New Year celebration, too. Have a prosperous New Year!
Your friend,
Emily
9th floor Hana Apartments,

Yongsan, Seoul
South Korea
January 4, 2013
Dear Emily,
Happy New Year, too!
I am so glad to received your letter. You really have a grand way of celebrating New Years
Day. Im happy to know that you had fun. Ive also had a great New Year. Unlike in the U.K.,
solar New Year isnt one of the highlights here in South Korea, but I had lots of fun.
I went out with my sister to Myeongdong the 31st and we went to the beach. My mother and
father thought it nice if we would see the first sunrise of 2013. It was beautiful! Weve had a
picnic by the beach.
Thank you for the well-wishes. Happy New Year!
Your friend,
Hyejin
1. Where does Emily live and how did she celebrate her New Year?
2. Where does Hye Jin live and how did she celebrate her New Year?
3. When do you celebrate New Year in your country?
1. What is the difference between Solar New Year and Lunar New Year?
2. What is more important to the Korean people? Why?
3. How do Koreans usually celebrate both occasions?
Lunar New Year gift sets see wide price gaps

As South Koreas biggest national holiday, Lunar New Year, fast approaches, retail stores are
busy piling up gift sets. But a recent survey showed
that there is a wide gap in prices, with some stores
charging twice as much for the same product.
The Korea Consumer Agency released its research

on Wednesday comparing price ranges on 20 popular
gift sets among 36 retailers including department
stores, large supermarkets and online shopping malls
across the nation.
The countrys consumer watchdog agency
conducted the survey from Jan. 30 to Feb. 4 on gift
sets consisting of processed foods, hair and beauty
products, and alcohol.
The prices of gift packages at the three types of stores differed by as much as 21 percent, and by
5 percent on average.
Significant price variation was found when e-commerce markets, or so-called open markets
such as 11st, Gmarket and Auction, were added to the data, reaching an average 42 percent price
gap.
Department stores sell the shampoo set Amore Ryoe Gift No. 2 by cosmetic brand Amore
Pacific for 39,900 won ($36), while open markets price the same product at 19,500 won ($18).
According to the report, some retailers misled customers by placing tags with discounted prices
that could only be applied to those who own specific credit cards.
KCA urged consumers to compare prices before they purchase goods as there are many ways to
get discounts including coupons, vouchers and special deals for credit card users.
The Lunar New Year holiday is Feb. 8-11 this year.
By Park Han-na
(hnpark@heraldcorp.com)
1. What is Koreas biggest national holiday?
2. What are e-commerce markets also called?
3. Which cosmetic brand sells Amore Ryoe Gift No. 2?

1. What is your opinion on the wide gap in prices during Lunar New Year?
2. Why do you think stores increase their prices during special occasions?
3. How do you celebrate Lunar New Year?
Two circus elephants survive Siberia fire
Russian rescuers saved two circus

elephants on a Siberian highway when
their wooden van caught fire amid
freezing temperatures, police said Friday.
The elephants' wooden truck was caught

fire last Thursday evening in Siberia's
Novosibirsk region. A petrol-powered
heater in the van most likely set fire to their straw, police said.
The Police, firemen and passing drivers helped rescue the elephants, their trainer said that "the
animals are alive and well". The elephants, which belong to a Polish circus, were on tour
between the Siberian cities of Novokuznetsk and Omsk, police said, a distance of around 1,000
kilometres (620 miles).
Amid temperatures of minus 35 degrees Celsius (-31 Fahrenheit), the elephants "suffered a light
frostbiteto the tips of their ears", a local official told the RIA Novosti news agency.
"They rubbed them with special ointment, and as far as I understand, nothing else was wrong
with them."
To warm up the animals, the trainers "mixed two cases of vodka with warm water and gave them
to the elephants," the official said.
"Probably it was a treat for them."
The animals have temporarily been sheltered in a garage, police said. Travelling circuses are
popular attractions in Russia's remote regions, but are poorly regulated with frequent accidents
and attacks on children.
COMPREHENSION QUSTIONS:
1. Why do you think that the van was caught on fire?
2. What happened with the two Elephants?
3. What is frostbite?
1. When you hear the word circus what comes to your mind?
2. What is your opinion for animals being in the circus?
3. Do you think should the Russian Government do to avoid accidents and attacks for this
animals?
http://news.ph.msn.com/weird-news/two-circus-elephants-survive-siberia-fire-1 By Agence
France-Presse
RYU HYUN-JIN of LOS ANGELES

DODGERS
Ryu Hyun-jin is a South Korean lefthanded starting pitcher who plays for the Los
Angeles Dodgers in Major League Baseball.
In July 2005, Ryu was selected by the Hanwha
Eagles with the 1st pick in the second round of
the 2006 KBO Draft, and made his
professional debut on April 12, 2006. He
earned the pitching Triple Crown, and was
eventually named both Rookie of the year and
Player of the Year. He became the only player
in KBO history to win both the Rookie of the
Year award and the MVP award in the same season.
In August 2008, Ryu competed for the South Korea national baseball team in the 2008 Beijing
Olympics, where they won the gold medal in the baseball tournament. In the Olympics, Ryu
pitched a 10 complete game shutout victory over Canada, giving up five hits in the team's third
game of round-robin play.
In March 2009, he represented the South Korea national baseball team in the 2009 World
Baseball Classic, where the team was the runner-up to the eventual champion, Japan.
In 2010, Ryu played in the 2010 Asian Games, where the South Korea national baseball
team won the gold medal in baseball.
Ryu repeatedly expressed his desire to play in the United States for Major League Baseball. On
October 29, 2012, the Eagles announced that Ryu would be posted as early as November 1, 2012
to allow MLB teams to bid for the rights to negotiate with him.
1. Who is Ryu Hyun-jin?
2. What was the important event that happened to Ryu in July 2005?
3. What did he repeatedly express?
1. What is your opinion about Korean athletes who play in the U.S.?
2. Are you proud of them?. Why?
3. Do you wish to go other countries and play your favorite sport? Which country and Why?
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryu_Hyun-jin
Should You Eat Breakfast, Even When You're Not Hungry?
Eating a morning meal is a healthy habit. Research shows that regular breakfast
eaters tend to be leaner and dieters are more successful at losing weightand
keeping it offwhen they eat breakfast. Whats more, people who typically eat
breakfast also get more fiber, calcium, vitamins A and C, riboflavin, zinc and
ironand less fat and dietary cholesterol. Perhaps its because they often eat
cereal, which is fortified with vitamins and minerals, and fruit, which is naturally
nutrient-rich.
Breakfast is good for your heart, too, according to new research in the October
2010 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The study found that people who
skipped breakfast throughout childhood and as adults had higher bad LDL and
total cholesterol than lifelong breakfast eaters. (They also carried more weight in
their midsection.) Why skipping breakfast is linked with higher cholesterol isnt
clear, but the findings support previous research, says study author Kylie Smith,
M.S., of the University of Tasmania, Australia. Plus, she notes, eating breakfast
has also been shown to improve concentration and mood.
Not hungry when you first get up? Dont worry. Eating breakfast doesnt have to
be the first thing you do each day. Just make sure that when you do eat, your
meal is something that will sustain you for a few hoursit should include some
fiber and protein.
1. According to the article what do breakfast eaters tend to be?
2. What do you usually get in eating breakfast?
3. What do you usually get when you skip breakfast?
1. Do you eat breakfast?
2. What do you eat for breakfast?
3. Why do you think eating breakfast is important?
Winter Break Should Be Winter Vacation
Every year, students are released

a week before Christmas for
winter break and return to school
a few days after New Years Day.
The break acts as a divider
between semesters and allows
students to celebrate the holidays
with family and go on vacation.
This two week period always
feels short, and if students were
allowed another two weeks off,
the break would feel like an
actual vacation.
With more time over the winter break, students and their families would have more options for
how to spend their holiday, and there would be more time to rest for the upcoming semester.
For the holidays, many students travel to see family in other cities or states. With an extended
break, there would be more travel time and more time to spend with relatives. With the current
break, it can be hard to balance family time, hanging out with friends, and opportunities to rest.
If students had an entire month off in the winter, there would also be a better opportunity to
maintain a job and put in extra hours. Holiday schedules often allow for more hours, and students
would be able to take advantage of the extra income.
The last reason winter break should be longer is because of the weather. The cold weather is
perfect for staying inside and watching movies, or doing more activities with family. There is a
general mood when it is cold and it is to be lazy and drink hot chocolate; no one wants to go to
school when they could be at home relaxing and doing things to enjoy their time away from the
stress that school brings.
http://mhstrailblazer.com/opinion/2012/12/21/winter-break-should-be-winter-vacation/
1. According to the article, winter breaks act as what?

2. What will happen if students have more time over the winter break?
3. How can the cold weather affect students?
1. How long is your winter vacation?
2. What activities do you do during your winter break?
3. Do you think that the winter vacation in your country is long enough?
THE LARGEST AND SMELLIEST FLOWER IN THE

WORLD
AMORPHOPHALLUS TITANUM - This giant claims the title
of the plant with the largest un-branched inflorescence in the
world. Believe it or not! Its huge flowering structure rises up to
over 2.7 meters above the ground with a vertically protruding
spike on its center.
It is the largest and smelliest flower of all. Due to its odor,
which is similar to the smell of a decomposing animal, this
behemoth of the plant world is also known as the corpse
flower.
It is not completely certain why they release the foul smells, but
it could have something to do with attracting possible
pollinators.
These rare plants, while in the wild, only bloom every 30 to 40 years! Every time there is a
scheduled flowering, huge crowds of people gather to witness the amazing event because it
only opens for a maximum of 48 hours.
As gorgeous and amazing as they look, we recommend you bring a hankie or a mask if you are
planning on witnessing one of these rare flowers blooming. Titan Arum, another name IN which
it is known for, originates in the jungles of Sumatra. Luckily, it rarely blooms outside its natural
environment.
1. What is the name of the largest and smelliest flower in the world?
2. Why do people want to witness it when its blooming?
3. Why does the flower release such a foul odor?
1. Are there any kinds of flowers that are native to Korea?
2. Have you ever heard of such a plant like the Amorphophalus Titanum? Tell me about it.
3. Do you think plants are important for the environment? Why or why not?
Video of the Week- Robots That Rock (And Roll)!
With advances in technology, robots have increasingly become smarter - They help with eye
surgeries, compete in triathlons and may soon even conduct space walks. However, no robot
has ever attempted to start a heavy metal rock band . . . Until now!
Compressorhead, the world's first robot rock band that hails from Germany, currently has three
rock 'n rollin robot members ; Stickboy, Fingers and Bones.
Bestowed with four arms, Stickboy, who was born in 2007 was a natural shoe-in to be the band's
drummer. Fingers, who came next is a natural guitarist, thanks to . . . . . You guessed it - his 78
fingers! Bones, the baby who came into this world in 2012, has a natural talent for string
instruments and is an amazingly precise bass player.
Though the trio will play songs by almost any rock band in the world, their favorites are hardcore metal bands like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Pantera.
Now that they are a 'real' band, Compressorhead has even begun touring the world. The band
gave its debut performance at the recently held Big Day Out Summer Festival in Sydney where
they performed alongside greats like The Killers and The Chilli Peppers - Not surprisingly, they
were a huge hit!
1. What is the name of the worlds first robot rock band? Where does the band hail?
2. How many members does this amazing robot rock band have? Who are they? Describe
each member.
3. What hard-core metal bands are their favorites?
1. Do you like music? Why or why not? What music genre do you listen to?
2. Some say that HARD CORE music is not music. It is NOISE. Do you agree? Why or
why not?
3. How important is music in our lives? How do think the world would be like without
music?
Source: http://www.dogonews.com/2013/1/21/video-of-the-week-robots-thatrock%20(and%20roll)
Letter of Sympathytoa Sick Person
Dear Mike,
I can imagine you looking out of your sickroom window and
envying all your friends playing in the fields. It is now a month since
you have been bed ridden and illness for a long time has an effect on
our thinking. We are cut off from the normal cares and interests of
daily life. Reflection deepens and may times we become
philosophers sickroom times philosophers. It is good if this state of
mind makes us decide to be better humans when we return to the
outside world. We should, however, check any tendency to become
gloomy and uncheerful.
Remember! Your longing to return to schoolmates is a passing phase. Once you are here,
you may come across the same exam-fever which you dread. So make the best of the isolation.
I am coming to see you on Saturday with lots of comics. Cheer up.
Yours Sincerely,
Dennis
Dear Dennis,
Your letter is the first from a friend and is like message
reaching a man in prison that all is well the world he has left
behind.
I miss you, friends and the football matches, the parties, the
grand chocolates and the films. Sister Darcy here is the only kind
soul. The other sisters are angry-looking and bring tasteless medicines as if these were poisons.
Come soon with the comics. Perhaps, you might reach before this letter gets to you. Can I
ask you to bring me a photograph of our dog? Debbie?
Love to all our friends.
Yours Sincerely,
Mike

2. What did Dennis think about when his friend Mike got sick for a long time?
3. What are the things that Mike misses?
1. Have you ever been sick before?Tell me about it.
2. Whom do you rely on when you are sick? Why?
3. What things should we do to prevent us from getting sick?
http://www.effective-business-letters.com/Reply-to-The-Letter-of-Condolences-To-A-SickPerson.html
STEALING APPLES REIGN CONTINUES

The iPhone ended the year with a
blowout quarter in the U.S. market.
But underneath the big numbers at
the largest U.S. carriers are
signs Apple Inc. faces a rapidly
changing marketplace that could
kill its long term popularity.
The results of the recent
surveys show the iPhone remains
the country's most popular
smartphone. But Apple may have to do more to persuade shoppers to buy its
priciest models.
Verizon, an international company reported on Tuesday, that more than half of
the iPhones the company sold in the fourth quarter were older models that sell at
deep discounts. Dane Scism, a Verizon dealer with nearly 600 stores around the
country, said many of his customers settled for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S,
because they didn't see a value in paying up for the iPhone 5's faster cellular
connection; one of the new device's main features.
His customers also bought lots of competing phones that run
on Google Inc. Android software, as well as new Nokia phones powered
by Microsoft Corp.'s operating system.
"A lot of people, maybe, anticipated that Apple would absolutely dominate the
smartphone market," said Mr. Scism, who is based in Knoxville, Tennessee.
"We're not seeing that."
Source:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142412788732453930457826236086015188
2.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_LEFTTopStories Authors: ANTON
TROIANOVSKI And THOMAS GRYTA
1. What iPhone model seemed to be selling more than iPhone 5?
2. What is other software companies strongly competing with Apple?
3. What did Mr. Scism say about Apples dominating the smartphone market?
1. Do you like Apple phones? Why or why not?
2. What are some of the differences between your smartphone and iPhone?
3. Do you think that in five years, Apple will no longer be the most popular? Why
or why not
Traditional Korean Cookie Delights

"Dagwa," the Korean word for refreshment, encompasses many traditional Korean cookies,
candy, and cakes. These sweets are quite different from the shrimp crackers, chocolate biscuits
and spicy potato chips found in Korean supermarkets. Yakgwa and dasik are perhaps the most
notable in that they offer an insight into the traditional lifestyle of Koreans with their distinct
social stratifications and unique taste.
Yakgwa was mostly enjoyed by the upper classes and was prized for being made of the finest
ingredients. The flour used was cherished because it required four seasons of growth to ripen,
and people thus believed that it captured the essence of spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
According to encyclopedias from the Chosun era, flour was considered a source of many
nutrients at the time.
In addition, the flour dough was then mixed with honey, which was also regarded highly due to
its many healing properties. In fact, most food made with honey was considered medicinal.
"Yakgwa" itself literally means "medicinal fruit." The cakes were then fried in oil, known for its
detoxifying properties.
The sweet known as dasik also reflects Korean tradition. Various grains such as sesame, chestnut,
green peas and flour are mixed with honey and pressed to form various patterns. Each piece has a
different color and pattern.
Comprehention Questions:
1. What does cookies reflect in Korean tradition?
2. What does Yakgwa means?
3. What was considered a source of many nutrients during the Chosun era?
1. Do you think that these cookies are medicinal? Why or why not?
2. Why was flour dough with honey regarded highly?
3. How does Dasik reflect in the Korean culture?
Go, Banana!
Banana Joe wins Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
February 13, 2013
By Jaime Joyce with AP reporting
_file1_
STAN HONDAAFP/GETTY IMAGES
Banana Joe, an Affenpinscher, won Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel
Club Dog Show in New York City.
Banana Joe, an Affenpinscher, took the top prize at the 137th annual Westminster
Kennel Club Dog Show at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Tuesday
night. Runners up at the Best in Show competition included an old English
sheepdog named Swagger and a Portuguese water dog, the same breed as
President Barack Obamas dog, Bo.
Hes won a lot of big shows, but not like this one, said Banana Joes handler,
Ernesto Lara.
Judge Michael Dougherty was impressed by the little dogs turn on the green
carpet. He was on the minute he walked in, Dougherty said. Hes in perfect
condition, perfect body, he added.
Also on Tuesday night, Savannah Livingston was named Best Handler in the Junior
Showmanship Finals. The category is open to young people ages 9 to 18. Theyre
judged on how well they handle their animals. Savannahs dog is a black cocker
spaniel.
Westminster, Old and New

The Westminster Kennel Club dog show is the second-oldest continuously running
sporting event in the United States. The first show was in 1877. The light bulb, the
car and the basketball had not yet been invented.
Since its start, Westminster has been held at New York Citys Madison Square
Garden. This year for the first time, however, the shows daytime events were held
at a different location in the city. A total of 2,721 dogs representing 187 breeds
and varieties competed. Two new breeds added to the show this year were the
treeing Walker coonhound and the Russell terrier.
People from across the country and around the world came to New York to be part
of the big show, including Suzanne Percello, of Connecticut. She called
Westminster a must-see for dog lovers. This is the bucket list, she told TFK.
This is definitely the Super Bowl of dog shows.
Source: http://www.timeforkids.com/news/go-banana/79061
1. What was the event that Banana Joe joined and won?
2. What breed of dog that Barack Obama has?
3. What are the new breeds of dogs added to this years show?
1. Do you believe with the statement: A dog is a mans best friend?
2. What can you say about Animal Rights in your country?
3. What can you say about Boshintang (),
or Gaejangguk () being part of Korean culture?
ANNE HATHAWAY of LES MISERABLES
_file1_Anne Jacqueline
Hathawayis an American
actress, who played a very
important role in Les
Miserables.
In 2011, she voiced the
character Jewel in the
animated film Rio,
from 20th Century Fox andBlue Sky Studios, alongside Jim Sturgess and starred in the
romance One Day. In January 2011, it was announced that she had been cast in the role
of Selina Kyle in Christopher Nolan'sThe Dark Knight Rises, released in July 2012.
In October 2011, it was confirmed that Hathaway would play Fantine in the Tom
Hooper film Les Misrables, which was based on the musical of the same name. Footage of
Hathaway singing "I Dreamed a Dream", a song from Les Misrables, was shown
at CinemaCon on April 26, 2012. Hooper described Hathaway's singing as "raw" and "real". For
the role, Hathaway lost a substantial amount of weight and cut her hair short into a pixie cut,
stating that the lengths she goes for her roles do not "feel like sacrifices. Getting to transform is
one of the best parts of [acting]." For her performance, Hathaway received critical acclaim and
was nominated for many awards, including the Academy Award, Golden Globe,Screen Actors
Guild Award and BAFTA for best supporting actress.
In January 2013, Hathaway's rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" reached number 69 on
the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. This marks her first appearance on any Billboard music chart.
At the 2013 Golden Globe Awards, Hathaway won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting
Actress in Les Misrables, and has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting
Actress.
1. Who is Anne Hathaway?
2. What are her achievements in the entertainment industry?
3. What is her latest movie?
1. What can you say about American actresses like Anne Hathaway?
2. Do you think that they need to practice really hard in order to do a very good movie?
Why?
3. Do you wish to meet an American actor or actress? Whom would you like to meet and
why?
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Hathaway
Would You Feel Safer With Armed Guards Patrolling Your School?
By MICHAEL GONCHAR
_file1_After the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary
School in Newtown, Conn., that killed 26 people, the
National Rifle Association recommended that armed
guards should be stationed at every school to prevent
similar episodes. This week the N.R.A. released an ad
criticizing President Obama for having Secret Service
protection at his daughters school, but not promoting
armed protection at every American school.
Would you feel safer with armed guards patrolling your school?
Putting more armed guards in schools has been proposed by the National Rifle Association and
others as a way to crack down on school shootings.
After the attack at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, where a gunman carrying
pistols and semiautomatic rifles killed 26 people, 20 of them children. The program was, to
protect our schools from the same type of violence, though some people are questioning the
risks of placing this responsibility in the hands of armed volunteers when it is taxpayers who
would foot the bill for their mistakes.
1. Which school in Connecticut was attacked by a gunman?
2. Who proposed putting more armed guards in schools?
3. Why are they putting more armed guards in schools?
DiscussionQuestions:
1. Would you feel safer with armed guards patrolling your school?
2. What do you like about this idea? What concerns do you have?
3. Do you think armed guards should be stationed at every American school? Why?
Source: http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/18/would-you-feel-safer-with-armed-guardspatrolling-your-school/#more-124656
Parenting Techniques Take Television Too Far

By _KTLS_, McMurray, PA
_file1_Todays children are at a total disadvantage despite
the new technologies to which they have access. In fact, this
advanced technology is the reason why Americas youngest
generation is missing out on one of the greatest parts of their
lives: childhood. Our future leaders have unwittingly
allowed their young lives to be controlled by television,
something that my mother never would have allowed. Gone
are the days when children were outside from sunup to
sundown; now their lives are dictated by TV Guide. My
childhood certainly did not revolve around the idiot-box
at least not until sometime after I entered elementary school
but todays toddlers still mindlessly in front of the boob
tube, and they are at an extreme disadvantage, especially in comparison with my generation
of kids; these children no longer frolic outside in the sun or possess an adequate imagination.
The television is a dangerous device designed to destroy a youths developing mind. Todays
parents have taken advantage of the simplicity of the appropriately-named boob tube and are
sacrificing their childrens health both physically and mentally by plunking their children in
front of it in lieu of making them play outside with their friends or helping them make up stories
to entertain themselves. Todays adults need to look to their elders for child-rearing advice;
elementary-school-aged kids are leading very different lives than my friends and I did when we
were that age, and I truly believe that we are far better off despite their technological advantages.
The parents of today need to take a closer look at the way they are raising their children and
reconsider the use of the television as a crutch in the parenting system. Ultimately, the parent is
the decision-maker for the child; their choices today will affect the minds of tomorrow.
Source: Teen Ink Magazine
URL: http://www.teenink.com/opinion/movies_music_tv/article/112178/Parenting-TechniquesTake-Television-Too-Far/
1. What does the writer think about children watching too much television?
2. What happens when parents let their children watch TV most of the time? Give some
advantage and disadvantages of it.
3. Do you think that the writers opinions are true?
Conversation Question:
1. Does your mom and dad allow you to watch TV? How often?
2. What do you learn from watching TV?
3. In your own opinion, is watching TV a good thing, or a bad thing?
Approaching comet may

outshine the moon
_file1_A comet blazing toward
Earth could outshine the full
moon when it passes by at the
end of next year - if it survives
its close encounter with the sun.
The recently discovered object,
known as comet ISON, is due
to fly within 1.2 million miles
(1.9 million km) from the
center of the sun on November
28, 2013 said astronomer
Donald Yeomans, head of
NASA's Near Earth Object Program at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.
As the comet approaches, heat from the sun will vaporize ices in its body, creating what could be
a spectacular tail that is visible in Earth's night sky without telescopes or even binoculars from
about October 2013 through January 2014.
Comet ISON could break apart as it nears the sun, or it could fail to produce a tail of ice particles
visible from Earth.
The projected orbit of comet ISON is so similar to the 1680 comet that some scientists are
wondering if they are fragments from a common parent body.
"Comet ISONcould be the brightest comet seen in many generations - brighter even than the full
moon," wrote British astronomer David Whitehouse in The Independent.
Source: By Irene Klotz | Reuters Sat, Dec 29, 2012
(Editing by Kevin Gray and Leslie Gevirtz)
1. What is the name of the comet that could outshine the moon?
2. When will the comet be seen on Earth?
3. Who is the head of NASA's Near Earth Object Program?
1. Why do comets shine?
2. What makes up the comets?
3. Where do comets come from?
_file1_Guess shell be needing a hand with the luggage...

Woman with world's longest fingernails gets on a plane with
her two-feet long talons
By ALEX WARD
Singer Chris 'The Duchess' Walton was photographed at LAX

Airport, California
She has the world's longest fingernails making the 2012
World Guinness Record Book
The mother-of-five leads a normal life and can cook, clean
and play the piano
She stopped cutting her nails 19 years ago
The woman with the worlds longest fingernails has not let her
talons stop her from travelling as she hopped on a plane from LAX airport in California today.
Singer Chris The Duchess Walton posed with the nails she stopped cutting 19 years ago,
proudly placing her talons front and center to show off the curling nails, colored to match her
outfit.
While known for her music in California and Nevada, she is arguably better known for her
amazing dedication to her nails which were officiallyrecognized by the 2012 edition of the
Guinness Record Book.
Record holder: Chris 'The Duchess' Walton did not let her fingernails - the world's longest - stop
her getting on a plane at LAX Airport in California today
With five children at home, the Las Vegas woman said she cooks and cleans with her nails and
can even play the piano and use the computer with the nails which have an incredible combined
length of 20 feet averaging about two-foot long each.
The 45-year-old said: 'It's just like growing a long beard, or long hair.
1. Who has the record of the longest fingernail?
2. How long is her fingernail?
3. How many years did he stop cutting her nails?
1. Do you think it is healthy to grow a fingernail like this long? Why? Why not?
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of growing a fingernail this long? Give your
reasons.
3. If you have a fingernail this long how will you keep it clean?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2199767/Chris-The-Duchess-Walton-Woman-worldslongest-fingernails-LAX-Airport.html
_file1_765 Abbeywood Street

Myrtleford, Victoria
4613 AUS
Hello, Logan!
I am glad to hear that you are having fun where you are
at the moment. That is good for you.
As for me, I am fine as well. I have just returned from Leightonfield upon receiving your letter. I
had a workshop there and I had loads of fun, too.
Its also nice to hear that you have taken a liking to your mothers event organizing. I told you it
was fun.
With regard to your invitation, the answer would be yes. I would definitely not miss it for the
world. Besides, Ill get to hang out with my best buddy. I will make it there on the evening of the
12th.
See you then!
Your best friend,
Mary Ann
<hr>
_file2_0612 Myriad Drive

Canberra, Queensland
036 AUS
Dear Mary Ann,
Hello! Its been a long time since weve last met. How are you? I hope you are doing fine.
If you should ask, Ive been great. Living near the sea proved to be very calming. I wish you
could be here to visit.
Anyway, Ive written to ask if you could come up before the February 14th to Queensland. My
mother is holding a dance committee for Valentines Day. There would be a trade fare and a
dance. It would be an event for charity. Consider this my invitation to the event. You will enjoy
it, I promise.
I look forward to your reply. I wish you a great day!

Your best friend,
Logan
1. Where do the writers of the letters live?
2. Why was Logan inviting Mary Ann over to Queensland?
3. Was Mary Ann going to Queensland? When?
1. Do you think that Valentines Day is an important day?
2. What do people in your country during Valentines Day?
3. What will you do on February 14th?
Five dead in Belgium plane crash

_file1_Five people, including
three children, died Saturday
when their light plane crashed at
Charleroi airport in southern
Belgium, forcing its closure for
several hours, police said.
The two adults and the children
on the Cessna aircraft were from
the same family, the police said.
No information was
immediately available about
who was piloting the aircraft,
with police declining to provide
any details as an investigation got under way into the cause of the accident.
The Belga news agency said the small, single-engined plane experienced problems on takeoff
and returned to the airport but crashed next to the runway as it tried to land.
It said there were no early indications of what caused the crash at around 10:00 am (0900 GMT).
Charleroi, used mainly by low-cost carriers, was closed after the accident, forcing some flight
cancellations, diversions and delays, but it reopened in late afternoon, the police said.
Reports said Charleroi airport would normally have operated nearly 50 flights on Saturday,
carrying some 17,000 passengers, and television news showed a crowded departure hall.
1. What happened in Belgium?
2. Why did it return to the airport?
3. What are the effects of the plane crash?
1. In your opinion, what could be some causes of the plane crash?
2. What do you think is the airports shortcomings in this incident?
3. Has your country ever experienced plane crashes similar to this one?
Seoul lacks rooms for tourists

_file1_Seoul Metropolitan City will likely be short more
than 19,000 rooms per day for foreign tourists this year and
the shortage will aggravate as the number of visitors is
increasing, according to the city government on Thursday.
The figure this year when multiplied by 2.4, the average
number of people using one room, means that 47,232
travelers will not be able to find accommodation.
The number of foreign visitors in Seoul was 11.4 million last year and is expected to be 12.6
million this year and 19.1 million in 2017.
Supporting various types of accommodations such as bed-and-breakfasts, guesthouses and
temple stay could be solutions, said Park Jing-young, the head of the city governments tourism
policy division.
The survey suggested, however, that it was not easy to support types of accommodation other
than hotels since the relevant tourism laws leaned toward the hotel business.
The Korea Herald
By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)
1. How many travelers will not be able to be accommodated?
2. What are some types of accommodations?
3. Who is the head of the city governments tourism policy division?
1. Based on observation, do you agree that Seoul lacks rooms for tourists?
2. What are some advantages and disadvantages of having tourists visit Korea?
3. What could would you like to visit, and why?
Hedgehog pets can be sickeningly cute

_file1_Improper handling of pet hedgehogs is blamed
for salmonella cases throughout the U.S.
Add those cute little hedgehogs to the list of pets that
can make you sick.
In the last year, 20 people were infected by a rare but
dangerous form of salmonella bacteria, and one person
died. Investigators say the illnesses were linked to
contact with hedgehogs kept as pets.
Health officials on Thursday say such cases seem to be increasing.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends thoroughly washing your hands
after handling hedgehogs. Also, clean pet cages and other equipment outside.
Other pets that carry the salmonella bug are frogs, toads, turtles, snakes, lizards, chicks and
ducklings.
Seven of the hedgehog illnesses were in Washington State, including the death. The other cases
were in Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Oregon.
In years past, only one or two illnesses from this salmonella strain have been reported annually,
but the numbers rose to 14 in 2011, 18 last year, and two so far this year.
Children younger than five and the elderly are considered at highest risk for severe illness, CDC
officials said.
Hedgehogs are small, insect-eating mammals with a coat of stiff quills. In nature, they
sometimes live under hedges and defend themselves by rolling up into a spiky ball.
The critters linked to recent illnesses were purchased from various breeders, many of them
licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, CDC officials said.
Hedgehogs are native to Western Europe, New Zealand and some other parts of the world, but
are bred in the United States
1. What were the cause of death and the infection of 20 people in US?
2. What were the other animals that carry the salmonella bug?
3. What were the recommendations of CDC when handling these kinds of animals?
1. Do you have pets at home? How do you take care of them?
2. In your opinion what age should be the right age to take care of these kinds of animals?
3. Do you think that taking care of these animals is advisable rather than having a dog or cat?
Helen Kellers Life

_file1_Meet Helen Keller, a woman from the small
farm town of Tuscumbia, Alabama who taught the
world to respect people who are blind and deaf. Her
mission came from her own life; when she was 1
years old, she was extremely ill, and she lost both her
vision and hearing. It was like entering a different
world, with completely new rules, and she got very
frustrated. By the time she was 7, her parents knew
they needed help, so they hired a tutor named Anne
Sullivan.
In just a few days, she taught Helen how to spell words
with her hands (called the manual alphabet, which is
part of the sign language that deaf people use.) The trouble was, Helen didn't understand what
the words meantuntil one morning at the water pump (like an outdoor water fountain) she got
a whole new attitude.
_file2_From then on, Helen's mind raced ahead. She learned to speak when she was ten by
feeling her teacher's mouth when she talked. Often people found it hard to understand her, but
she never gave up trying. Meanwhile, she learned to read French, German, Greek, and Latin in
braille! When she was 20, she entered
Radcliffe College, the women's branch of
Harvard University. Her first book, called
The Story of My Life, was translated into
50 languages. (She used two typewriters:
one regular, one braille.) She wrote ten
more books and a lot more articles!
Helen also did research, gave speeches,
and helped raise money for many
organizations, such as the American
Foundation for the Blind and the
American Foundation for the Overseas
Blind, which is now called Helen Keller Worldwide. From 1946 and 1957, she went around the
world, speaking about the experiences and rights of people who are blind. She wound up visiting
39 countries on five different continents! Helen also inspired many works of art, including two
Oscar-winning movies, and received dozens of awards, such as the Presidential Medal of
Freedom, the highest honor that an American civilian can receive. She died in her sleep in 1968.
Helen became an exceptional leader, once she saw the potential in her own mind.
Source: http://www.braillebug.org/helen_keller_bio.asp
1. Where was Helen Keller from?
2. What happened to her when she was 1 years old?
3. Who is Anne Sullivan?
1. What is your favorite book? Why?
2. Who is the person you adore in your life? Why?
3. What are the things you want to do in life that you think will help a lot of people?
How Important Is Beauty?

By Sissy S. , Eureka, MO
_file1_It's common knowledge that we humans take our

looks very seriously. Just watch an hour of TV and count
the commercials for hair, skin, teeth, and nail products;
make-up for every conceivable fold of facial skin; the
South Beach, Atkins, Cookie, and Cabbage Soup diets;
low-fat foods and exercise machines; flattering clothing
for every body type the list goes on and on. The real
question is Is it worth it? How much does physical
beauty actually impact our lives, careers, relationships,
and happiness? Multiple studies from forty years ago on have tackled this controversial
question, and all have drawn the same conclusion: Although we like to toss around maxims
such as beauty is only skin deep, humans put much more importance on looks than we care to
admit.
Clearly humans put a great deal of stock in beauty, and, despite its constantly evolving definition,
people have a markedly biased opinion regarding beautiful people. Some claim that our
inherentpropensity toward the halo effect is simply the next step in evolution: As we move into
the future, survival of the prettiest will supplant survival of the fittest. Others argue that we
should value qualities such as kindness, compassion, and selflessness traits that have remained
unchanged for millennia over beauty. Beauty, they argue, changes with the season, transient as
the weather. Today's It girl is tomorrow's Ugly Betty. Advocates of the personality-over-looks
philosophy hope that consistently positive and invariable qualities such as integrity and
personality will one day replace shallow and capricious traits as the defining factors of a
person's character.
In the end, while looks do play a significant role in our lives and careers, beauty is not the only
contributing factor to success. Aristotle may have claimed that beauty is a greater
recommendation than any letter of introduction, but it's always wise to remember the oftenquoted but still-true clich, Beauty is only skin deep.
Source: Teenink Magazine
URL:http://www.teenink.com/opinion/pop_culture_trends/article/406462/How-Important-IsBeauty/
1. Does the author think that beauty is important?
2. Why do humans always want to become beautiful?
3. What qualities should we value more other than beauty?
Conversation questions:
1. What is your own opinion regarding beauty?
2. Is beauty essential in your country? Why do you think so?
3. If theres something you want to change in your appearance, what would it be and why?
Future vet aims to develop vaccines

By Kim Bo-eun
_file1_Born and raised on a livestock farm
in Cheongyang-gun, South Chungcheong
Province, 18-year-old Lee Geon-hak has a
special affection for animals.
His recent admission into Konkuk
Universitys College of Veterinary
Medicine has brought him closer to
fulfilling his dream of becoming a
veterinarian.
An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease on
farms across the nation from 2010 to 2011
clarified his ambition of becoming a vet. Lee witnessed the deaths of some 60 cows that his
family had raised.
To make things worse, his father was blamed for the spread of the disease. As a result, some 300
cows in 14 adjacent farms born by this method had to be buried as well.
His family was subject to harsh denunciations from angry farmers and his father broke down
due to excessive stress and was hospitalized.
Although it later became known that his father was not responsible for the outbreak, the incident
left an indelible scar on the hearts of Lees family. This further motivated him to pursue a career
which could prevent such a tragedy from recurring.
Lee said he will return to his hometown to contribute his services to the local community.
Source: http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/people/2013/01/178_129477.html
1. Who is the subject of the article?
2. What is his dream?
3. What happened to his fathers cows?
1. Can you name three things that motivate you when you want to do something great?
2. Have you ever had such a terrible experience? How did you handle the situation?
3. If you are going to contribute a service to your community, what would it be? How will
do it?
Berries Wonders
The researchers of the findings stated that blueberries and strawberries contain high levels of
flavonoids, a plant-based compound or metabolite that has powerful antioxidant properties.
This means that eating foods with this metabolite can reduce heart disease by reducing
inflammation in the arteries.
_file1_We have shown that even at an early age, eating
more of these fruits may reduce risk of a heart attack later
in life, states Aedin Cassidy, who is head of the
Department of Nutrition at Norwich Medical School of
the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom.
Consuming the right dosage of flavonoids can also help
fight aging by preventing and repairing cellular _file2_
damage as well as
protecting against
dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and some cancers.
Grapes, apples, and even dark chocolate are also other
foods that contain flavonoids.
Creating healthy eating habits and consistently eating the right amount of the right kind of fruit
early in life can be a major factor in how long an individual may live. Past studies have shown
that generic antioxidants can also promote a healthier heart. Experts emphasize that starting good
diets and eating habits at an early age and continuing them for years can extend ones life and
even make them look younger.
Although there are a number of foods that are good for the heart - salmon, olive oil, and nuts to
name a few - berries seem to have significantly more of the heart-healthy properties.
1. What are antioxidants
2. What are good sources of flavonoids
3. What is Alzheimer's disease
1. Do you eat berries regularly? Why or why not?
2. Do you know anyone with Alzheimers disease?
3. What do you think are other food good for health? What is it for?
http://www.teentimes.org/2008/newspaper/2012all_news.html?code=news_focus&page=1&num
ber=#
Manwithworldslargestfeetfindsfame
Agence France-Presse
_file1_WORLDS LARGEST FEET. Morocco's
BrahimTakioullah, who has the largest feet of the
world according to the Guinness Book of
Records, poses on a bench in front of the Arc de
Triomphe on the Champs-Elysees on Sept. 29,
2011 in Paris. Takioullah's left foot measures
38.1 cm(1 ft 3 in) while his right foot measures
37.5 cm (1 ft 2.76 in). AFP
PARIS The first thing that people notice about
BrahimTakioullah is not his feet which he
hopes will make him famous but his
enormous height. He stands more than eight foot
(246 cm) tall.
As he strolls through downtown Paris people gasp, stare, take his picture and ask: Are you the
tallest man in the world? Hes not, not quite, but he does have the biggest pair of feet on the
planet and thats official.
Judges from Guinness World Records came to France to measure him and confirmed his
suspicion that he had record-breaking feet his left measuring one foot three inches (38.1 cm) in
length and his right, one foot 2.76 inches.
Takioullah cannot stand up straight in the small flat he shares with his mother in the Paris
suburbs, has difficulty getting into a taxi or the Metro, and can never move around without
attracting attention.
But he is surprisingly good humored about his situation, smiling and posing for cellphone snaps
and politely answering questions about his condition, a rare medical problem that he hopes to
cure through surgery.
1. Who has the largest feet in the world?
2. What is the measurement of his left and right foot?
3. How tall is he?
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a big foot? Explain.
2. Do you want to have big feet like him?
3. What would you feel if you were in his situation?
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/72553/man-with-worlds-largest-feet-finds-fame
GET WELL SOON^^

_file1_My dear Fanny,
I had a slight return of fever last night,
which terminated favorably. I am now tolerably well,
though weak from the small quantity of food. My room
is very pleasant for a sick person. A sofa bed is made
up for me. Its much more comfortable than a dull room
upstairs, where one gets tired of the pattern of the bed
curtains!
I have been recommended by the doctor to take plenty
of bed rest for faster recovery. I will put in my extra
efforts as I join the work again.
Yours Affectionately,
Jane
<hr>
_file2_Dear Jane,
I hope you are feeling better. Are you able to sit
in the garden and enjoy the sunshine.?
We all miss you in the office andlook forward to your
return. There have been a few changes since you went into
hospital. Eric Johnson has now retired and Matthew has taken
over Eric's job. He is struggling at the moment. He hopes you
will return soon to rescue him.
I thought you would like the book I'm sending
you with this letter. I saw it in the bookshop and thought it
would make you laugh. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it and find
time to read it before you return to work. Take it easy and
look after yourself. I'll write again soon.
Best regards
Fanny
1. What was Janes letter all about?
2. According to Fanny, what are the changes in the office since Jane went into hospital?
3. What did Fanny sent with her letter? Why did she send it to Jane?
1. When was the last time you got sick? What did you do to feel better?
2. Wha t are some of the things that you can do to help a sick person?
3. What does take it easy mean? Give an example.

http://www.xtec.cat/~vfeliu/writing/infl3.htm
Meteorite hits Russia, thousands injured

_file1_A meteorite exploded above
central Russia on Friday morning. It
was just like a scene from a science
fiction movie. People watched the
bright, swimming pool-sized rock
fly across the sky and then crash. It
entered the Earth's atmosphere and
looked like a giant shooting star.
The power of the explosion
damaged many buildings and
smashed thousands of windows.
The city of Chelyabinsk had no gas
or Internet for a short time after the
meteor shower came down.
Thousands of people went to
hospital for medical treatment. Many of them had cuts from flying glass. They did not know the
shock wave from the explosion would be so dangerous and cause so much damage.
The Russian army found three giant holes in the earth where different parts of the meteorite hit
the ground. One crater was six metres wide. The craters were 80 km apart. Investigators are
checking the sites of where the meteorites came down to see if they are radioactive. The police
have sealed off the areas to protect the public. Scientists working at the site said the meteor was
mostly rock and iron. They said it is the largest meteorite to hit the Earth for over 100 years.
NASA estimated that the meteor weighed around 7,000 tons and exploded with the power of 20
atomic bombs. Russian newspapers say that some people are now trying to sell rocks from the
meteorite for $15 each.
1. Where in the world did the meteorite explode?
2. What did it look like?
3. What did the meteorite leave people without in one town?
1. What do you know about meteorites?
2. Why didnt the government warn people about the meteorite?
3. What would you do if you saw a meteorite in the sky above you?
Lee says he is proud of working for great people

_file1_Outgoing President Lee Myung-bak said Sunday that he is proud that he had to
opportunity to work for the great people
of South Korea, as he ended his five-year
term and arrived at his retirement home in
southern Seoul.
"There were difficult times, but I was a
happy worker," Lee told the roughly
1,300 people who greeted his arrival at
his retirement home in Nonhyeon-dong
after he left the presidential office
Cheong WaDae for the last time as its
executive chief.
"Thanks to you, I worked happily. I have firm conviction that the Republic of Korea is a great
country and that its people are great people."
Lee, who visited the National Cemetery and held meetings with foreign officials earlier in the
day, said he is happy to return to the Gangnam district neighborhood and said that he will spend
a lot of time with his grandchildren.
The outgoing president also encouraged the spectators to be proud of the country that South
Korea has become and he vowed to fulfill his role for the future of South Korea and humanity.
The crowd applauded and shouted Lee's name after he finished the 10-minute speech.
Among the attendees were ruling party lawmakers Lee Jae-oh and Joo Ho-young as well as
Seoul's finance minister Bahk Jae-wan.
Former Cheong WaDae officials such as chief of staff Yim Tae-hee and senior political affairs
aide Kim Hyo-jae also greeted Lee. (Yonhap News)
1. Who is Lee Myung-bak?
2. Where is his retirement home?
3. What will he do now that is has retired?
1. What are your thoughts on Lee Myung-bak? Was he a good president?
2. What do you think of the newly elected president?
3. If you were president, what would you change in your country? Why?
VENUS, THE TWO-FACED CATa MYSTERY

Venus the two-faced cat is currently the most
famous feline on the planet.
_file1_The three-year-old tortoiseshell has her own
Facebook page and a YouTube that's been viewed
over a million times, and appeared on the Today
Showlast week
One look at this cat and you can understand why: One
half is solid black with a green eyethe other half
has typical orange tabby stripes and a blue eye.
How does a cat end up looking like that? Leslie
Lyons, a professor at the University of California,
Davis, who studies the genetics of domestic cats said
she's never seen a cat exactly like Venus.
"She is extremely, extremely rare," Lyons said. "But you can explain it and you can understand
it."
Is Venus a Chimera?
Many reports about Venus refer to the cat as a "chimera." In mythology, a chimera is
a mishmash monster made up of parts of different animals. A feline chimera is a cat whose cells
contain two types of DNA, caused when two embryos fuse together.
Among cats, "chimeras are really not all that rare," Lyons said. In fact, most male tortoiseshell
cats are chimeras. The distinctivelymottled orange and black coat is a sign that the cat has an
extra X chromosome.
But female cats, said Lyons, already have two X chromosomes so they can sport that coat
without the extra X. That means Venus is not necessarily a chimera.
To find out would require genetic testing, said Lyons. With samples of skin from each side of the
cat, "we can do a DNA fingerprintjust like on CSIand the DNA from one side of the body
should be different than the other."
Cat's Blue Eye Another Mystery
If Venus isn't actually a chimera, then what would explain her amazing face?
"Absolute luck," Lyons said. One theory: perhaps the black coloration was randomly activated in
all the cells on one side of her face, while the orange coloration was activated on the other, and
the two patches met at the midline of her body as she developed.
Cat fanciers who are transfixed by Venus's split face may be missing the real story: her single
blue eye. Cat eyes are typically green or yellow, not blue.
A blue-eyed cat is typically a Siamese or else a cat with "a lot of white on them," she explained.
Venus appears to have only a white patch on her chest, which to Lyons is not enough to explain
the blue eye.
"She is a bit of a mystery."
1. What is the name of the two faced cat?
2. What is a Chimera?
3. What is usually a blue-eyed cat?
1. If you were to choose a chimera for a pet, what kind of animal would you like to have
combined or put together? Why?
2. If you can have the opportunity to have parts of your body replaced with that of an
animal (Like having fangs, cats blue eyes, or Avatars) would you subject your body to
such changes? Why or why not?
3. Why do a lot of people say cats are good pets at home?
Korean 'Paul Potts' will go to college next month

By Yun Suh-young
_file1_Koreas Paul Potts, Choi Sung-bong, will enter
college next month. Choi was the runner-up in Koreas Got
Talent in 2011, a local version of the audition program
Britains Got Talent.
He will enter as a freshman at the Department of Culture
and Arts Management at Kyung Hee Cyber University.
The singer became famous after his audition video clip in
which he sang a powerful rendition of Nella Fantasia was
viewed by millions of YouTube users worldwide.
He was likened to Britains Paul Potts and Susan Boyle for
his moving life story from the streets to the stage.
Choi was brought up in an orphanage from the age of three
and earned a living from selling gum on the streets and doing hard labor. He dreamt of becoming
a singer when he heard a vocalist perform while he was selling gum in a nightclub.
He became an international sensation when his story was broadcasted on CNN and other
foreign media.
Choi says he wants to do music until the day he dies.
Number of words: 183
Source:http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/people/2013/01/178_129405.html
1. Who is Koreas Paul Potts?
2. What program did he join?
3. What is it that he wants to do?
1. What is your dream? Can you tell me why do you like it?
2. What would you do to make your dream come true?
3. If Choi wants to do music until the day he dies, what about you? What is it that you want
to do until the day you die?
Are There Hidden Truths in Dreams?

_file1_Imagine waking up after dreaming
about a horrible plane crash. The next
day you plan to make a plane journey that
you have planned long before. Will you
get on the plane?
A survey shows that you may
not cancel your trip but your dream will
probably influence your thoughts just as if
there had been a real plane accident.
The study says that dreams are a window
to the mind and they may influence what
we are really doing while we are awake.
Until Sigmund Freud published his famous book on "The Interpretation of Dreams" in 1899 we
hadn't really thought very much about what dreams mean. Freud called dreams a "path to
the unconscious" and for more than a century researchers and scientists have been trying to find
out what dreams mean.
The interpretation of dreams is still an unclear area. A team of researchers at Harvard University
are entering a new field of studies: Do dreams actually influence our behavior?
They have conducted studies in different cultures and found out that
dreams contain hidden truths. Commuters in Boston, for example, said that dreams affected the
way they live and work. 68% said that dreams foretell the future and 63% said that at least one
of their dreams have come true.
1. According to the article, how do dreams influence our thoughts?
2. What did Sigmund Freud publish in 1899?
3. How did the researchers conduct their study?
1. Do you usually read books on dream interpretation? What is your opinion on it?
2. Do your dreams ever affect your moods? How?
3. Do you agree with the idea that "Life is like a dream"?
Source:
http://www.english-online.at/science/dreams/hidden-truths-unconscious.htm
WHO issues its first guidelines for sodium intake for children
_file1_GENEVA (Reuters) - The World Health
Organization (WHO) has for the first time recommended
limits on children's daily consumption of sodium which it
hoped would help in the global fight against diet-related
diseases becoming chronic among all populations.
In advice to its 194 member states on Thursday, the U.N.
agency noted high sodium levels were a factor behind
elevated blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart
disease and stroke, the number one cause of death and
disability worldwide.
"Diet-related NCDs are chronic, and take years and decades to manifest; thus, delaying the onset
of these diseases could improve lives and result in substantial cost savings," it said.
"Currently, most people consume too much sodium and not enough potassium," the WHO said.
Potassium-rich foods include beans and peas, nuts, vegetables such as spinach and cabbage, and
fruits such as bananas, papayas and dates.
Sodium is found naturally in many foods such as milk products and eggs but is present in much
higher levels in processed foods, the WHO said. One 100-gram serving of bacon, pretzels or
popcorn has nearly as much sodium as the daily recommended maximum, for example, at about
1,500 mg.
"The successful implementation of these recommendations would have an important public
health impact through reductions in morbidity and mortality, improvement in the quality of life
for millions of people, and substantial reductions in health-care costs," the agency said.
1. What does the acronym WHO stands for?
2. What can be found in foods like milk product, eggs and processed foods?
3. Can you give examples of Potassium-rich foods?
1. Do you like eating processed foods? Why or why not?
2. What are the health practices that you can share?
3. Do you have comfort food that you cannot live without? And why?
Baby brain, adult disease

Scientists find signs of Alzheimers disease in the
brains of infants
By Stephen Ornes
_file1_Illnesses like the memory disorder known as
Alzheimers disease are linked to particular changes
in the brain. This disease typically doesnt show up
until late in adulthood. But telltale hints that it may
be coming can appear much, much earlier.
Like at birth.
A new study found brain differences linked to Alzheimers disease in newborns. These
differences appear in a region called the medial temporal lobe. Basically, this part of the brain is
smaller in people with Alzheimers than in those without the disease. Thats important because
this region plays a role in making and keeping memories. The new study scanned the brains of
272 infants. Some of their brains had smaller medial temporal lobes too.
Until now, researchers didnt know when the size differences first show up. Now its clear that
the key region of the brain can be smaller at birth, reports Rebecca Knickmeyer, a psychiatrist at
the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Not every baby in the new study had a smaller medial temporal lobe. The brain region was more
likely to be smaller in babies with a particular gene. A gene is a small bit of DNA, or genetic
material. Large numbers of genes are found in almost every cell.
Some genes also play an important role in boosting or lowering risk of disease. Take
the ApoE gene, for example. People with a certain version of it are three times as likely to
develop Alzheimers disease as are persons without that version.The team found that babies with
the version of the gene linked to an increased risk of Alzheimers were more likely to have
smaller medial temporal lobes.
The gene doesnt guarantee that babies who have it will eventually develop Alzheimers disease.
Many things that happen during a persons life can change the growth of the brain and a persons
chance of developing a disease, explains Jay Giedd, a neuroscientist at the National Institute of
Mental Health in Bethesda, Md.
1. What is Alzheimers disease
2. What is the study about?
3. What is the result of the study?
1. Can Alzheimers disease be prevented?
2. How do we cope with people with Alzheimers disease?

3. What would you do if someone in your family has Alzheimers disease?
http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/01/scientists-find-signs-of-alzheimers-disease-in-thebrains-of-infants/
Mister-eat-it-all
_file1_You dont get the nickname Monsieur Mangetout
(Mr. Eat Everything) without earning it. Over the course
of 40 years, Frenchman Michel Lotito ate an estimated 9
tons of metal.
In his youth, Lotito suffered from pica, a mental disorder
in which people compulsively eat non-food items such as
dirt and plastic. (Lotitos condition was first diagnosed
around age 9, when he started munching on parts of the
family TV set.) But once he started experimenting with more dangerous items like nails and
glass, he learned that the incredibly thick lining of his stomach and intestines allowed him to
consume almost anything. Soon, Lotito turned his affliction into a career.
_file2_By breaking up metal into small pieces and chugging
mineral oil to lubricate his throat, he perfected his technique. For
years, the Frenchman ate 2 lbs. of metal each day. In 2007, Lotito
died of natural causes unrelated to his eating habits. But before he
passed away, he made sure he could eat a coffin.
Lotito does not often suffer from ill-effects due to his diet, even
after the consumption of materials usually considered poisonous.
When performing he consumes around a kilogram of material daily,
preceding it with mineral oil and drinking considerable quantities
of water during the 'meal'. He apparently possesses a stomach and intestine with walls of twice
the expected thickness, and his digestive acids are, allegedly, unusually powerful, allowing him
to digest a certain portion of his metallic meals.
A few of the incredible non-foods that Lotito consumed during his life:
2 Beds
7 Television Sets
6 Chandeliers
18 Bicycles
15 Shopping Carts
1 Cessna 150 Airplane (Lotitos most famous meal: Eating the plane took him two years, from
1978 to 1980.)
Source: http://mentalfloss.com/article/28406/incredible-food-pyramid-michel-lotito
1. How many tons of metal did Michel Lotito eat?
2. In what year did Lotito die?
3. How many non-foods did Lotito consumed during his life? What are those things?
1. Do you think its proper to eat metals? Why or why not?
2. What are the effects of eating metals to your body?

3. How do you maintain a healthy living?
Letter of Suggestions to One on Improving English

_file1_Dear Si-won,
I am happy to know that you wish to compete for MBA
examination. You have asked for my advice on how to develop your
communicative skills in English for the interview or viva.
The first thing is to expose yourself to fine examples of spoken
English as you hear it on radio and T.V. There are plenty of programs
going on in good English. The BBC has a lot of them on radio plays.
Games, quizzes, talks etc. You get good English on T.V. programs too,
like Focus Discussion of current issues by experts in the field. The world this Week and the
NDTV news are full of ideas expressed in the correct diction and words. In fact you even get to
know how to present information as your opinion and give an analysis of an event or issue.
Remember you may not understand all the words in the first few days. It may be because
your vocabulary is not developed or that you are out of touch with issues. Tune your ear and
carry on listening.
With best wishes.
Yours Sincerely,
Sumin
<hr>
_file2_Dear Sumin,
I took your advice on developing communication skills
literally and did all you had advised. It is now a month since I began.
I have been practicing too with dad and mummy and discussing
issues with them. I imagine Im at the interview. I also dream about
these. I read a book too by Carnegie on the need to express correct
attitudes and personality by proper pose and modulation of voice. I
notice all this being done by speakers on T.V. and have imbibed a
lot.
Next week I have the interview. I shall let you know of the
results. Needless to say despite all the practice, a strange
nervousness persists.
Yours Sincerely,
Si-won
2. What are the things that Sumin suggested to Si-won to improve his communication skills?
And do you think this will work?
3. Did Si-won take the advice of Sumin? How did he practice?
1. Why is a communication skill important?
2. Can you suggest other ways to improve ones communication skill? Explain.
3. Do you think improving our communication skills can be helpful to build a good
relationship to other people? How?
http://www.effective-business-letters.com/Reply-to-The-Letter-of-Suggestions-to-A-Son-aboutHis-Career.html
Letter of Suggestions to One on Improving English

_file1_Dear Si-won,
I am happy to know that you wish to compete for MBA
examination. You have asked for my advice on how to develop your
communicative skills in English for the interview or viva.
The first thing is to expose yourself to fine examples of spoken
English as you hear it on radio and T.V. There are plenty of programs
going on in good English. The BBC has a lot of them on radio plays.
Games, quizzes, talks etc. You get good English on T.V. programs too,
like Focus Discussion of current issues by experts in the field. The world this Week and the
NDTV news are full of ideas expressed in the correct diction and words. In fact you even get to
know how to present information as your opinion and give an analysis of an event or issue.
Remember you may not understand all the words in the first few days. It may be because
your vocabulary is not developed or that you are out of touch with issues. Tune your ear and
carry on listening.
With best wishes.
Yours Sincerely,
Sumin
<hr>
_file2_Dear Sumin,
I took your advice on developing communication skills
literally and did all you had advised. It is now a month since I began.
I have been practicing too with dad and mummy and discussing
issues with them. I imagine Im at the interview. I also dream about
these. I read a book too by Carnegie on the need to express correct
attitudes and personality by proper pose and modulation of voice. I
notice all this being done by speakers on T.V. and have imbibed a
lot.
Next week I have the interview. I shall let you know of the
results. Needless to say despite all the practice, a strange
nervousness persists.
Yours Sincerely,
Si-won
2. What are the things that Sumin suggested to Si-won to improve his communication skills?
And do you think this will work?
3. Did Si-won take the advice of Sumin? How did he practice?
1. Why is a communication skill important?
2. Can you suggest other ways to improve ones communication skill? Explain.
3. Do you think improving our communication skills can be helpful to build a good
relationship to other people? How?
http://www.effective-business-letters.com/Reply-to-The-Letter-of-Suggestions-to-A-Son-aboutHis-Career.html
Asia has most of the worlds billionaires

Breakingnewsenglish.com
_file1_A newly-published
report on global wealth says that
for the first time, Asia has more
dollar billionaires than the USA.
According to the Global Rich
List 2013 from the research
institute Hurun, there were 1,453
people whose personal worth
was $1 billion or more at the end
of January. Asia had 608
billionaires, compared with 440
in the USA and 324 in Europe.
Moscow came top of the list of
billionaire capitals of the world
with 76 of the world's mega-rich; New York, Hong Kong, Beijing and London followed. The
world's wealthiest person is Mexican telecom tycoon Carlos Slim, who has $66 billion. He is
followed by US investor Warren Buffett and Amancio Ortega, boss of the fashion brand Zara.
The report's author, Luxembourg accountant Rupert Hoogewerf, believes there are a lot more
billionaires in the world. He said that for every billionaire he found, he probably missed another
two. This means it might be more accurate to say there are 4,000 billionaires living a life of
luxury. MrHoogewerf also believes that the number of wealthy Chinese will continue to rise as
more business leaders target worldwide markets. He said: "Chinese entrepreneurs are preparing
their international expansion plans. It is a very new concept but growing very fast." The report
says the youngest billionaire is Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, 28, who is 42nd on the list
and has a personal fortune of $17 billion.
1. How many billionaires were there at the end of January 2013?
2. Why was Moscow mentioned?
3. Where is the world's second richest person from?
1. What do you think of billionaires?
2. Do you think money is the root of all evil?
3. How would your life change if you suddenly received $1 billion?
Love voted as Koreans favorite English word

_file1_Korean people picked love as their
favorite word in English, a survey showed.
EBS, a state-run education television network,
conducted the survey on 1,210 viewers to see
which English words they like to hear and say.
Among 700 English words chosen by the
respondents, love topped the list at 6.12
percent followed by happy at 4.55 percent.
Dream, family, passion, believe, friend and challenge are also ranked high on the
chart.
EBSe, and EBS channel dedicated to English education, designated the 2nd, 12th, and 22nd of
every month as e-day (English day) suggesting people to speak at least a sentence in English or
study the language on the day.
The channel plans to continuously carry out surveys about English in everyday life on the e-days
in order to promote practical English education.
(khnews@heraldcorp.com)
1. What is the favorite word of Koreans according to a survey?
2. What was the second favorite word?
3. What days are English days?
1. What is your favorite word and why?
2. Why do you think love was voted the favorite word?
3. What is your opinion of English day?
Dingoes - How Dangerous Are They?

_file1_Over thirty years ago a baby
girl disappeared from an Australian
camping site. Her parents say she was
taken and killed by a dingo, a wild dog
that is unique in Australia. Many people
in Australia, however, do not believe the
story. The fourth investigation of the
case should be the last and will
hopefully solve the case of the missing
baby. During the case many questions
have come up on how dangerous dingoes
really are.
Although dingoes are wild animals, they
have been thought to be shy creatures.
But in the past decade there have been reports of dingoes attacking people and in one case killing
a person.
Dingoes belong to the family of wolves, but they are often classified as a group of dogs. They
look like medium sized dogs and weigh around 20 kg. Dingoes breed once a year and often live
in packs, just like wolves. Scientists who have been studying dingoes say are highly intelligent
animals and closer to wolves than to dogs. They like to live in groups and can solve problems
quickly.
Dingoes came to Australia about 4,000 years ago, probably with Asian seafarers. At that time
the native population had been living on the continent for over 50,000 years. Dingoes became
quickly associated with Aborigines and a part of their lives. They gave them names and were a
part of the family. Sometimes dingoes were even buried with their owners.
Today dingoes are treated differently, depending in which part of Australia you are. In some
places they are looked upon as pests, while elsewhere they are preserved and protected. Public
opinion can change quickly and one day they can be a danger to humans while the next they
belong to endangered species.
Australian environmentalists do not understand the controversy about dingoes. They claim that
if the animals are left alone they will not harm anyone. They watch and observe but do not
attack people. But when they are attacked they turn aggressive and will protect their land and
their young ones at all costs.
1. What are dingoes?
2. Why are dingoes dangerous?
3. How do the people in Australia deal with Dingoes?
1. What do you think of dingoes?
2. Where do you think is the best place for dingoes?
3. How can people prevent dingoes from attacking them?
Source:
http://www.english-online.at/news-articles/science/dingoes-how-dangerous-are-they.htm
Naval officer donates bone marrow to save lives

By Lee Hyo-sik
It is easier said than done for a person to donate bone marrow
to a complete stranger given the rigorous procedures that a
donor has to undergo before the process is eventually carried
out. But one naval officer has attracted a great deal of public
attention for donating a bone marrow a couple of times to save
the life of a stranger more than a decade ago.
In Min-sik, 41, lieutenant commander in the Navy who
currently works at the Defense Acquisition Program
Administration (DAPA) in Yongsan, Seoul, donated bone
marrow to a female leukemia patient twice in 2000 and 2001.
His good deed became known during the DAPAs recent blood donation campaign. The belated
news has since encouraged many colleagues and others to become bone marrow donors.
"I did not mean to publicize what I did more than 10 years ago. But now since it became known,
I would like to encourage many people to do the same, In told The Korea Times. "I will
continue donating bone marrow to those who need it in the future.
1. Who donated bone marrow to save lives?
2. What is his work?
3. Is it an easy procedure to donate bone marrow?
1. How this news does affect you?
2. Do you also want to be a bone marrow donor someday? What are your reasons?
3. Do you know someone who is a donor? How do you see him or her?
Chatrooms - A Bad Connection

By Mackenzie F., Smithfield, VA
Email me when Mackenzie F.
contributes work
_file1_Constantly teenagers and
young adults meet people online
through chat rooms and other sites.
Despite the fact that there are real
life nightmares that were a result of
internet chatrooms, teenagers still
give away information about
themselves on the all acces web.
Predators lie about their age and
name, and say the most sparkling
information about themselves just to catch the interest of a young adult. Chatting online is not a
crime against the world, but it has ruined so many young adults' lives.
Naturally these sites attract a lot of teenagers around the world, but on the unfortunate side,
these sites captivate many sick and horrible people who do not have their head on straight.
Chatrooms enable anyone of any age to enter and talk with anyone, and because of this, many
teenagers and young adults have ended up raped, kidnapped, or dead. Every year, thousands of
teens talk to people that they have met through the web, and their stories end in a nightmare that
could have been prevented.
Meeting people over the web could be a happy start for a shy person, but it is not always a happy
start in the end. Internet chatrooms are dangerous and like alcohol, it is almost irresistableto
stop, and these rooms are locking teenagers in all countries. Just the same as a teen magnet, these
chatrooms and social sites are attracting mysterious strangers. These strangers can be a teen's
murderer for all anyone knows; thus, leading to another nightmare that could have been
prevented.
Source: Teen Ink Magazine
URL: http://www.teenink.com/opinion/social_issues_civics/article/78531/Chatrooms--A-BadConnection/
1. What is a chat room?
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using the chat room for teenagers?
3. Why do some teenagers go to chat rooms?
1. Have you tried going to chat room to meet new friends? Tell me about your experience.
2. Have you ever found a friend from social networking sites?
3. Do you think its a good thing for teenagers to use social networking sites to find friends?
What are your reasons for saying so?
More people wanting to learn Korean
_file1_
South Korea is definitely the place to be in Asia. Recently an official statement from the Nation
al Institute for International Education showed that the number of foreigners and ethnic Koreans
that have taken the state-managed Test of Proficiency in Korean topped 1 million last week. Acc
ording to the affiliated institute of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, the test w
hich was introduced in 1997 is taken at 18 centers across Seoul, Busan, Jeju and other major citie
s. Approximately 2500 applicants took the test in its first year. Now the total has reached slightl
y over 1 million.
Reaching the 1 million mark comes as no surprise. With more Korean firms expanding their ope
rations overseas, more foreign human resources are building in the nation. Furthermore the grow
ing popularity of K-pop, Korean dramas and films has boosted interest in the language, attractin
g foreign students in to the country to study its language and culture. A recent survey by NIIED
baked the latest change as it showed that 45 percent of the applicants took the test to study and p
erhaps stay in Korea.
Looking back to 2006, the number of test takers in that year stood at 34,000. The figuresurged t
o 150,000 in 2012. On a positive note, more foreign nations are now teaching Korean and accepti
ng the certificate from the proficiency test as credits. For starters, Tacoma, a city in the U.S. stat
e of Washington began giving credits to middle and high school students that excelled in the Kor
ean-language proficiency test administered by the nations government.
1. How many applicants are there for the test?
2. What is the reason why more are interested in learning the Korean language?
3. How many exam centers are there in Korea?
1. Do you think learning Korean is important? Why?
2. Do you know anyone who is not interested in learning the Korean language?
3. What do you think about this article?
ber=#
Ginger, the New Wonder Medicine

_file1_Ginger has always been an essential part of most Indian
kitchens and grandmothers' medicine boxes. This spice has been
used to treat the feeling of vomiting and indigestion. Now the
Western world has also discovered the wonderful qualities of
ginger. They see it as a powerful medicine against nausea across
the world.
In India, grandmothers have known all along that the juice
squeezed from ginger mixed with lime juice can stop one from feeling like vomiting. Since the
taste is not very appealing, especially to children, jaggery or gur is often used to mask the strong
taste of ginger. Then it is no longer a medicine, but a sweetmeat that everyone likes to eat!
And now, British scientists are conducting six studies on the spice's effect on various types of
nausea, including seasickness and sickness caused in the treatment of cancer. Already, the
studies have begun to show results. Scientists have found that those who took a tablet containing
the juice of ginger every day, felt much better than those who took allopathic medicines that are
available in chemist shops. After the results are made final, companies will manufacture it as an
herbal medicine.
1. What is the new wonder medicine?
2. What are the qualities of this wonder medicine?
3. What is used to mask the strong taste of ginger?
1. Is herbal medicine accepted in your culture?
2. In your country, what herbal medicine is used for stomachache?
3. What do you think of this article?
http://www.pitara.com/discover/eureka/online.asp?story=91
Create 3D Objects From 'Thin Air' With The Awesome 3DoodlerFebruary 20, 2013
Let's face it, though building models for school projects can be fun, they can be very time
consuming not to mention difficult especially, if the structures have to be 3-Dimensional. But
if WobbleWorks LLC has its way you will soon be able to create anything you want from thin
air - All you will need is some creativity and the magical 3Doodler!
_file1_The brainchild of Peter Dilworth and
Max Bogue, the 3Doodler is the world's first 3D printing pen and works similar to a hot glue
gun. The device which resembles a thick
marker is first filled with readily
available thermoplastic polymers. It is then
plugged into a electric socket which will heat up
the pen's metal tip to 270C,
the optimaltemperature required to melt the
plastic and turn it into the moldable 'ink'.
Once ready, the user can go all out and create
whatever he or she desires until of course, the
plastic ink is all spent. Most people will be able
to create 2-D objects on paper almost instantly.
As for learning how to make the more-intricate 3-D objects? No more than 2-3 hours! School
projects are about to get so much more fun!
_file2_
http://www.dogonews.com/2013/2/20/create-3d-objects-from-thin-air-with-the-awesome3doodler
1. What is the world's first 3-D printing pen and
2. How does it work?
3. Who created this 3-D printing pen?
1. Do you want to have this 3-D printing pen? Why or why not?
2. What can you say about the creator of the first 3-D printing pen?
3. In your opinion, what is the best invention in the world and why is it the best?
COMPLAINT-LETTER
February 05, 2013
Dear Mr. Nick Sinclair,
_file1_This is with regard to the order no. 145 placed by
the under signed for the company SINCO Company for
the supply of materials on or before mentioned date.
_file2_We bring to your notice that there has been delay in
supply of the materials and no communication was made
by your side in explanations for the reason of
delay. We view this as a serious contemptuous act
and disrespect towards our organization. This lack of
interest shown by your company to deliver materials on
time has forced us to rethink the clauses in the deal and
put more stringent conditions.
We expect you to take note of this fact and contact us at
the earliest.
Kindly refer to the said note and this letter in all the future communications in this regard.
Yours,
George Jacob
Purchasing Manager
SINCO, Boston USA
<hr>
February 15, 2013
Dear Mr. George Jacob
_file3_This is with regard to the letter received
by us dated February 5, 2013. We apologize for
the delay in supply of material. There has been
certain market deficiency in supply of raw
materials required to make materials, which
forced us to slow down production. Owing to
these problems we could not supply the materials
on the promised time.
Its our humble request that kindly grant us some more time in this regard. We here are trying
our level best to compile to all the points in the order and supply the material at the earliest. We
assure you of the full delivery of materials.
We regret for any inconvenience caused due to the delay and hope that our request be taken in
good spirit.
Yours,
Mr. Nick Sinclair
Manager
Bright and Jonson Supplies
Boston, U.S.A
2. Why is SINCO Company complaining?
3. Why was the delivery of the supply of materials delayed?
1. Have you experienced ordering something and were not delivered on time? Tell me about
it.
2. Do you think simple apology is all right to compensate for such mistakes?
3. What should companies do to avoid such mistakes?
http://www.letters.org/complaint-letter/complaint-letter-example.html
Swimmer killed in shark attack at New Zealand beach
_file1_(CNN) -- By the time police officers

reached the swimmer floating off a New
Zealand beach, it was already too late: a large
shark was biting the lifeless body.
The attack took place off a popular beach west
of Auckland on Wednesday afternoon, police
said, as people gathered there to enjoy the
summer sunshine.
The victim was a man in his 40s. He was swimming 200 meters (220 yards) offshore near
Muriwai Beach, about 25 kilometers (15 miles) from central Auckland when the 12-to-14-foot
shark struck.
"We saw him rolling around, there was blood everywhere on the water," PioMose, who was
fishing nearby, told local broadcaster 3 News. Mose said he believed at least two other sharks
had joined in the frenzy around the body after a few minutes.
The shark that attacked the swimmer was a great white, according to Russell Clark, a paramedic
from the Westpac Rescue Helicopter service, which responded to the emergency at the beach.
Police officers and life guards on the scene went out in inflatable boats. When they fired at the
shark they saw by the body, it "rolled over and disappeared," said Inspector Shawn Rutene.
Following the death, police closed the beach and several others nearby. Auckland Council said it
expected the area to remain closed for the next few days.
1. Where did the attack happen?
2. Who was attacked by the shark?
3. What kind of shark attacked the man?
1. Do you know someone who had been attacked by a shark?
2. Were there cases of shark attacks in your country?
3. Do you think that somebody should be blamed for what happened?
4. Can you give some safety measures that they can enforce to avoid this kind of accident?
Source: http://www.cnn.com.ph/2013/02/27/world/asia/new-zealand-sharkattack/index.html?hpt=wo_c2
Train Tour Offers Chance to Enjoy Magical Winter Scenery

_file1_Seungbu
Station, a tiny train
stop in a small village
called Bonghwa in
North Gyeongsang
Province, is
renowned for having
the most breathtaking
winter scenery in the
region.
If you're planning on
driving there, you'd
better leave your car
behind and hop on a
train at
Cheongnyangni
Station in eastern
Seoul as Seungbu Station sits in a part of Korea that is tough to reach by road. Trains have been
ferrying tourists there since 1999 during the winter and offer better views than if traveling by car.
"People come here to enjoy nature at its purest due to all the beautiful, untouched scenery, and
they get a pleasant surprise as soon as they step off the train," Kim Jin-hee, who manages the
train station, said in a heavy Gyeongsang accent.
Instead of fancy restaurants and attractions, visitors immediately find themselves surrounded by
nature. The area is so quiet that the only sound to be heard at this time of year is that of the snow
being crushed under your feet. Before long, the frozen Nakdong River comes into view in front
of the station, as well as the mountain on the far side of it blanketed in white snow.
As such majestic scenery slowly reveals itself, it becomes apparent that Kim was not
exaggerating and there's something special about Seungbu Station.
1. Who manages the train station?
2. Where is the train station located?
3. What do people who visit the place enjoy?
1. Have you ever been to this place? If not do you want to go to this place?
2. What is the benefit of preserving these kinds of places?
3. Do you also enjoy nature tripping?
http://english.chosun.com/
COWS EATING CACTUS

_file1_Cows normally eat grass, right?
Brazilis the biggest country in South America
and it is also home to the Amazon rain forest.
However, one part of Brazil is not as wet as the
rain forest.
Northeastern Brazil is experiencingdrought.
This drought is the worst one Brazil has had in
50 years. It hasnt rained enough in Northern
Brazil for 19 months. In a drought, plants and
animals start to get sick and die because they dont have the water they need to drink and grow.
Most of the plants in Northeastern Brazil have diedexcept a plant called cactus. Cactus is a plant
that is really good at soaking up the water when it rains and then storing it for later.
Some of the farmers in Brazil are starting to feed their cows with cactus. The farmers pick the
cactus, burn off the prickly thorns and then feed it to their cows. The cactus gives the cows
much of the energy they need.
Cows cant live off of just cactus forever and soon all the cactus will get eaten up! So, the
farmers are hoping that it rains soon.
Source: http://thewhiztimes.com
1. What is a cactus plant?
2. Why are the cows eating cacti?
3. How do the farmers prepare the cacti for their cows?
1. What is your favorite food?
2. Do you eat all the foods that are on your plate? Why or why not?
3. There are many people in the world who experience hunger. What help can you give
these people who dont have anything to eat?
Who are the Sentinelese?

_file1_The Sentineleselive on their
own small island, North Sentinel,
and continue to resist all contact
with outsiders, attacking anyone
who comes near. They hit the
headlines in the wake of the 2004
tsunami when a member of the tribe
was photographed firing arrows at a
helicopter.
Who are they?
Like the Jarawa, the Sentinelese
hunt and gather in the forest, and
fish in the coastal waters. They live in long communal huts with several hearths, and use
outrigger canoes to travel the seas around their island.
What problems do they face?
The Indian government has made several unsuccessful attempts to establish friendly contact
with the Sentinelese. Contacting the tribe would almost certainly have tragic consequences, as
their isolation makes them very vulnerable to diseases to which they have no immunity. The
government now says it will make no further attempt to contact them.
Since the coastal waters around the Jarawa reserve have been so heavily used by poachers, these
illegal fishermen are now turning their attention to the waters surrounding North Sentinel. In
2006, members of the Sentinelese tribe killed two fishermen who had illegally approached their
island.
How does Survival help?
Survival is urging the administration of the Andaman Islands to adhere strictly to its policy of no
further contact with the Sentinelese, and to put a stop to the poaching around their island
Source: http://www.survivalinternational.org/tribes/jarawa/sentinelese
1. Who are the Sentinelese?
2. What did the Sentinelese do when they saw a helicopter?
3. Are they a friendly tribe?
1. If you were ever given a chance to talk to this tribe, how would you do it?
2. What are the tribes that you know of? Whether from your country or from another
country.
3. Have you ever been to another country? Where? What are your experiences?
Why Playing Matters for Both Kids and Adults

_file1_
Playing is simultaneously a source of relaxation and stimulation for the brain and
body. A sure (and fun) way to develop your imagination, creativity, problemsolving abilities, and mental health is to play with your romantic partner,
officemates, children, grandchildren, and friends.
Play is often described as a time when we feel most alive, yet we often take it for
granted and may completely forget about it. But play isn't a luxury - it's a
necessity. Play is as important to our physical and mental health as getting enough
sleep, eating well, and exercising. Play teaches us how to manage and transform
our "negative" emotions and experiences. It supercharges learning, helps us
relieve stress, and connects us to others and the world around us. Play can also
make work more productive and pleasurable.
Despite the power of play, somewhere between childhood and adulthood, many of
us stop playing. We exchange play for work and responsibilities. When we do have
some leisure time, we're more likely to zone out in front of the TV or computer
than to engage in creative, brain-stimulating play. By giving ourselves permission
to play with the joyful abandon of childhood, we can continue to reap its benefits
throughout life.
Source:
http://www.helpguide.org/life/creative_play_fun_games.htm
1. What is the definition playing according to the article?

2. What are the benefits of playing?
3. What do people play?
1. What is your favorite game? Why?
2. How often do you play it?
3. What are the most popular games/sports that you know?
COSPLAY
_file1_Cosplay short for "costume play", is a type
of performance art in which participants wear costumes and
accessories to represent a specific character or idea. Cosplayers
often interact to create a subculture centered on role play. The
term was coined by Nobuyuki Takahashi of the Japanese studio
while attending the 1984 Los Angeles Science
Fiction Worldcon. He was impressed by the hall and the
costumed fans and reported on both in Japanese science
fiction magazines. The coinage reflects a common Japanese
method of abbreviation in which the first two morass of a pair
of words are used to form an independent compound. Costume
becomes koru, and play becomes pure.
Favorite sources include manga and anime, comic books, video
games, and films. Any entity from the real or virtual world that
lends itself to dramatic interpretation may be taken up as a
subject. Inanimate objects are given anthropomorphic forms and it is not unusual to
see genders switched, with women playing male roles and vice versa. There is also a subset of
cosplay culture centered on sex appeal, with cosplayers specifically choosing characters that are
known for their attractiveness and/or revealing costumes.
1. What is the meaning of cosplay?
2. How did the name cosplay come to be?
3. What are favorite sources of cosplay players?
1. What is your opinion of cosplay?
2. If you were to cosplay, what kind of character would you like to portray and why?
3. Cosplaying has become very popular all over the world, why do you think that it is
becoming popular?
SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosplay
http://www.acgart.com/var/albums/Korea%20Spiral%20CAT'S%20Koihime%20Muso%20beaut
iful%20Cosplay/Korea%20Spiral%20CATS%20Koihime%20Muso%20beautiful%20Cosplay%
20(06).jpg?m=1324031969
SCIENCE: Threatened coral get fishy rescue

When toxic seaweed gets too close to this coral, gobies fight and bite back
_file1_Organisms called coral have hard
skeletons that anchor them to the skeletal
remains of other, dead coral. These sea
creatures, which form stony communities
called reefs, are fighting to survive. Theyre
under attack from overfishing, pollution and
climate change. And they have to compete
for space and sunlight with seaweed some
of which is poisonous to coral. But new
research shows that when threatened by that
seaweed, some corals release a chemical that
may bring an army of fish to the rescue.
When the seaweed gets too close, the coral emits a chemical that attracts gobies, a type of fish.
They nibble back the invaders, protecting the reefs corals. The finding is a bright spot in an
otherwise gloomy field of science that shows many clusters of coral around the world are dying.
With fewer corals, fish and other creatures living in and near reefs have fewer places to call
home. This leads to a decrease in populations of fish including the gobies that would normally
keep invasive seaweed away. That leaves the reef with fewer protectors.
Scientists dont understand the chemistry behind the coral-goby partnership. But it does show
that biologists have a lot to learn about the complex relationships among animals in a reef.
1. What are corals?
2. What do corals attract when they emit a certain type of chemical?
3. What do gobies do to corals?
1. What are the uses of corals?
2. What do you think can you do so that you can protect the ocean?
3. Why do you think that people keeps on destroying nature?
SOURCE:http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/12/threatened-coral-get-fishy-rescue/
Nebraska woman is mayor and only resident

_file1_Elsie Eiler is the most admired person in Monowi, Neb.
She is also the smartest, wealthiest, best-looking and youngest.
"And the oldest," she is quick to add.When you are the only
resident of a community, every title fits.
Eiler, 77, is the lone inhabitant of Monowi, a village in
northeast Nebraska. Monowi is the only incorporated town,
village or city in the country with only one resident. Monowi
had two people in 2000, the census showed, but the other one
was Eiler's husband, Rudy, and he died in 2004.
"We probably have the record by going down in population
50 percent," Eiler quipped. "I chose to stay here after my
husband died. It's home."
Eiler lives in a mobile home a half-block from the only
business in town -- the Monowi Tavern. This is convenient
because Eiler owns and operates the tavern. She and her
husband bought the place in 1971 and she is there 12 hours a day serving drinks and food. Eiler
also runs the town library, a tiny building jammed with 5,000 books that is dedicated to Rudy, a
devoted reader.
While some shrinking communities let themselves become unincorporated, Eiler has done the
required paperwork to keep Monowi a village. She serves as the village clerk, treasurer, mayor
and council.
"I'm the whole thing," Eiler said. There's no need for any elections, she said, "because I'd be the
only one to vote."
Eiler received considerable publicity after her husband died and she became the lone resident of
Monowi seven years ago. Some national news outlets and talk shows told her story. Visitors
from around the world passed through Monowi to meet her. "They have been real friendly and
curious," Eiler said. Eiler said there is no disputing that she is the only person living in Monowi.
She does not expect that to change any time soon.
"Hopefully I will be able to stay here," Eiler said. "It's where I want to be."
Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/02/us-census-town-idUSTRE7311Y620110402
1. Who is Elsie Eiler?
2. Where does Elsie Eiler lives?
3. What is her job in Monowi?
1. How does your town/city looks like?
2. What is the best thing about your town/city? Why?
3. If you are given a chance to have a vacation abroad? Where will you go? Why?
THANK YOU, TEACHER

_file1_Dear Mrs. Smith,
A teacher is not simply a teacher but is also a guide who
leads his pupil to the right path. I am thankful to know
such a teacher like you who has changed my vision of life.
Thank you for making Year One such a fun year for me. I
did not know that I liked Math, but I really liked it when
we looked at recipes to learn our fractions. I also liked
when we got to make up rhymes for our silly poems and
perform them for the class. I will never forget Sparkle, the
class turtle, or how we had to get Mrs. Johnson to look
after him when we took our trip to the Science Museum.
Year One was a very good year, and because of you I
cannot wait to start Year Two.
Your way of teaching, motherly behavior, friendly attitude and most of all your clear vision
have brought tremendous changes in me, which even I cannot expect. I want to thank you for
everything you have done for me.
Thank you,
Jonathan Jones
<hr>
_file2_My dear Jonathan,
I am so touched by the kind words you wrote in your letter. I
will forever cherish the memories that you, your classmates and
I had. It was such a wonderful year. I am sad that you will all be
leaving me to go to Year Two but the pride in me overpowers my sadness because I know I had
helped all of you to become better individuals.
I will never forget you. I hope that youll still visit me in my classroom after your class. I would
love to hear your stories. Take good care of yourself and happy vacation!
Yours truly,
Mrs. Smith
2. Why is he saying thank you to his teacher?
3. What did the teacher feel now that her Year One students are going to Year Two? Why
did you say so?
1. Have you ever made a thank you letter to your teacher before? If no, why not? If yes,
answer number 2.
2. What did you say in your letter?
3. Who is your most beloved teacher? Why is he/she your favorite?
15,000 Crocs Escape from South African

Farm
_file1_South Africa's army and police were
called last Thursday to rescue residents from
thousands of crocodiles that escaped from a
farm whose floodgates were opened due to
torrential rains.
Around 15,000 predators sprung from the
Rakwena Crocodile Farm in the far north of
the country when owners were forced to open the gates to prevent a storm surge, local daily
Beeld reported.
A number have since been recaptured, but at least half remain on the loose, scattered far and
wide.
Some turned up on a school rugby pitch 120 kilometres (75 miles) away.
The surrounding province of Limpopo has been hit by serious floods which have killed 10
people and made many more homeless.
Police earlier used a motor boat to rescue some local residents who had climbed onto the roof of
a garage to escape the rising floods.
"When we arrived there, the crocodiles were circling them," a policeman said.
The army has been called in to help track down the reptiles, according to police spokesman
HangwaniMulaudzi.
No incidents involving crocodile attacks have been reported, he told AFP.
Source: AFP News Thu, Jan 24, 2013
http://ph.news.yahoo.com/15-000-crocs-escape-south-african-farm-075622006.html
1. How many crocodiles escaped from the South African farm?
2. Why were the crocodiles able to escape?
3. What is the name of the farm where the crocodiles came from?
1. Have you seen a live crocodile? Where and how does it look like?
2. Are you scared of crocodiles? Why or why not?
3. What animals are you most afraid of, and why?
Save A Tree, Teach Through The Cloud: South Korea Schools First To Go Paperless
_file1_Instead of requiring that
students use paper textbooks (which
break down and, depending on the
subject, fast become outdated),
South Koreas education system will
supply knowledge through online
texts and sources. And although
South Korea will be the first country
to go paperless, the U.S. looks like
its following close behind. The
government is matching the $2
billion investment that South Korea
has budgeted for its own curriculum
worth of Open Access ebooks for
post-secondary schools. By creating digital textbooks and then making them Open Access in
other words, available through the cloud schools can cut down on the long-term costs of paper
books. According to Macleans, Clunky hardcover textbooks, constantly in need of repair or
replacement, with built-in obsolescence, are a major expense for schools.
NewsFeed appreciates that the move to paperless schools is inevitable. However we cant help
feeling a bit of pity for the kids of the future who will never know the joy of defacing readable
school property miss out on. Oh, well theres always a locker, right?
1. What is the plan of South Korea regarding paper textbooks?
2. Which country is planning to follow after South Koreas footsteps?
3. How much is the investment of South Korea for their plan?
1. What is your opinion on the article?
2. Discuss some of the advantages and disadvantages of South Korea going paperless?
3. Do you think that South Koreas plan to go paperless will be good for the country?
A gang of robbers foiled after their getaway DONKEY starts braying

_file1_The trio of clueless criminals
were forced to ditch their ill-gotten
gains after the animal started to
bray and attracted police.
A gang of bandits were left emptyhanded when their get-away donkey
blew their cover.
The trio of clueless Colombian
criminals were forced to ditch their
ill-gotten gains during the 2am theft after the animal started to bray and attracted police.
The gang managed to steal rum, oil, rice, cans of tuna and sardines from a small shop in the tiny
north Caribbean town of Juan de Acosta on Saturday.
They planned to load the goods onto 10-year-old Xavi, who they had stolen some 12 hours
before, and make their escape.
But the animal let out a series of hee-haws, which pierced the night-time air and alerted nearby
police.
They had to ditch the donkey, which was still carrying the stolen items, and run away.
The donkey was held in the town police station for 12 hours until his owner came to collect him.
Earlier this week, search Giant Google was forced to deny killing a donkey after these alarming
images were spotted on their mapping service.
The pictures - taken in Botswana - appear to show a donkey lying dead after being run over by a
Google Street View car.
The animal is seen standing upright by the roadside but further down the road it can be seen
lying on its side.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/crocodiles-escape-in-floods-thousands-of-crocs1552835
1. Who were the criminals?
2. What did they attempt to do?
3. What happened to their attempt?
4. What did they steal?
1. Have you ever had an embarrassing experience with animals?

2. What would you have done, if this thing happened to you?
3. Do you think the things they stole are worth the shame they got from being caught? Why
do you think so?
WALT DISNEY
_file1_Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American
film producer, director, screenwriter, voice
actor,animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international
icon and philanthropist, well known for his influence in
the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along
with his brother Roy O. Disney, he was co-founder of
Walt Disney Productions, which later became one of the
best-known motion picture producers in the world. The
corporation is now known as The Walt Disney
Company and had an annual revenue of approximately
US$36 billion in the 2010 financial year.
_file2_Disney is particularly noted as a film producer
and a popular showman, as well as an innovator in
animation and theme park design. He and his staff
created some of the world's most well-known fictional characters including Mickey Mouse, for whom
Disney himself provided the original voice. During his lifetime he received four honorary Academy
Awardsand won 22 Academy Awards from a total of 59 nominations, including a
record four in one year, giving him more awards and nominationsthan any other
individual in history. Disney also won seven Emmy Awards and gave his name
to the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort theme parks in the U.S., as well
as the international resortsTokyo Disney Resort, Disneyland Paris, and Hong
Kong Disneyland.
The year after his December 15, 1966 death from lung cancerinBurbank,
California, construction began on Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. His
brother Roy Disney inaugurated the Magic Kingdom on October 1, 1971.
Source: http://tl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney
1. Who is Walter Disney?
2. What did he and his staff create?
3. What did Walt Disney win?
1. Have you ever visited an amusement park?
2. What can you say about Disneyland?
3. What is your most favorite part in an amusement park?
Help Keep Your School Clean
_file1_Did you know that how clean your

school is can affect how well you learn?
Keeping your school clean can actually help
you perform better academically, because there
will be fewer distractions and fewer germs.
Help keep your school clean by picking up trash
you see on the playground and wiping your feet
before coming inside so you dont track mud
into the classroom. Keeping your school clean
also means cleaning up after yourself. After
lunch or a snack, be sure to throw away your trash. You'll be doing a kind act for those around
you, including the school janitor!
Benefits
In addition to adding to a positive learning environment, doing your part to tidy up your school
and simply cleaning up after yourself will also show others that you are a responsible person.
And its a great way be a good role model to your friends and classmates!
Step It Up
Go the extra mile to keep your school clean! Volunteer to wash tables in the cafeteria after lunch,
or organize a group of friends to clean your classroom or pick up trash on the playground on a
weekend.
Keep It Simple
Be mindful of picking up after yourself, whether youre on the playground, eating lunch, or just
in class.
http://www.randomactsofkindness.org/kindness-ideas/348-help-keep-your-school-clean
1. How can cleaning the school help students?
2. What can students do to help clean the school?
3. What are the benefits of cleaning the school?
1. Do you help clean your school after classes?
2. Do you think its right to let students clean the school?
3. How can a clean school environment help you study?
THE HARLEM SHAKE

_file1_The Harlem Shake is an Internet meme in the form
of a video of people performing a skit to the song "Harlem
Shake". It being a meme means that the video is being
replicated using the same concept by many people. The
meme went viral in early February 2013, with thousands of
"Harlem Shake" videos being made and uploaded
to YouTube every day.
The art form of the meme was established in a video
uploaded on February 2 by five teenagers
from Queensland, Australia known on YouTube as The
Sunny Coast Skate. The video started a viral trend of people uploading to YouTube their own "Harlem
Shake" videos. The teenagers' video, in its turn, was a follow-up to a video by
a YouTube comedyvlogger named Filthy Frank featuring a part where several costumed people danced to
the song "Harlem Shake" by Baauer.
The videos last between 30 and 32 seconds and feature an excerpt from the song "Harlem Shake".
Usually, a video begins with one person (often helmeted or masked) dancing to the song alone for 15
seconds, surrounded by other people not paying attention or unaware of the dancing individual. When the
bass drops, the video cuts to the entire crowd doing a crazy convulsive dance for the next 15 seconds.
Additionally, in the second half of the video, people often wear a minimum of clothes or crazy outfits or
costumes while wielding strange props.
1. What is the Harlem Shake?
2. When did the Harlem Shake become viral?
3. How long does the video usually last?
1. Have you seen a video of the Harlem Shake? What can you say about it?
2. What do you think of videos becoming viral?
3. Would you also want to make a video on Harlem Shake? Why or why not?
SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harlem_Shake_(meme)
http://www.christianitytoday.com/women/content/img/panel/102528.jpg
Visit the coldest place in the world

Whats there to say about the weather? All the fun and exciting holiday fever is over and the
weather is and still will be shivering cold. Snow mixing with rain, the slippery and mush streets
and the chilly feeling only bring awful grins to our face.
So, heres something to cheer up the readers. While most of you may believe that where you are
living at the moment is cold, lets visit the Russian village of Oymyakon to change your minds.
It is known as the coldest inhabited settlement in the world. Average temperature for January
stands at a stunning -50 degrees. Titled as the Pole of Cold, the lowest temperature recorded was
-71.2 degrees.
_file1_The hard to believe number is the lowest recorded
temperature for any inhabited location on Earth. Heres
the irony. The name of the village, Oymyakon, where
approximately 500 people live, actually means nonfreezing water. Interestingly there is a hot spring in the
village, serving as a stopover for deerherders to water
their flock from the warm water.
It is a village where nothing grows. People only eat
reindeer and horse meat. There is only a single shop
providing the towns necessities. The only nutrients available for the locals are the milk from
their animals. So, still got complaints about the weather?
1. What is the average temperature at Oymyakon?
2. What does the name of the place Oymyakon mean?
3. What do people eat at this place?
1. What do think of the place?
2. Do you know any other country with this kind of temperature?
3. Would you consider going to Oymyakon for a tour?
http://www.teentimes.org/2008/newspaper/2012all_news.html?code=news
science&page=1&number=#
The Man with The Biggest Nose in The World
_file1_The man with the worlds biggest nose in the world is owned by Mehmet Ozyurek,
from Turkey, as you can definitely see in this odd
photo. He won the worlds biggest nose contest in
Turkey, 2005. It is officially recorded in theGuinness
Book of World Records.
He had some hard-nosed competition reportedly, but
won this prestigious event with his protruding
probiscus by a nose. Another big thing about this is
that as a person ages, the nose gets longer. He is
expecting something even bigger in his future.
This is no record to just sneeze at. Mehmet
Ozyurek (is there another record somehow with that
moniker?) upheld his title and nose again in 2011.
The 61-year-old is officially in the Guinness Book of
World Records as possessingthe worlds biggest
human nose. It measures 3.46 inches, and growing annually. When asked if he plans to
capitalize on his nose for TV commercials, such as Kleenex, cold medicines, etc., he
reportedly remarked, Who Nose!
1. Who is the person who has the biggest nose?
2. What year did he won the worlds largest nose contest?
3. What is the measurement of his nose?
1. What are some advantages and disadvantages of having a big nose?
2. What are ways on how you would prevent yourself from colds?
3. What do you do to keep your body healthy?
http://www.madlyodd.com/2011/06/the-man-with-the-biggest-nose-in-the-world/
Welcome To Your New Home!

_file1_Dear new tenant,
Welcome to your new home. As the previous tenant,
let me say that I hope you'll like living here as much as I did. I
filed the change of address with the post office but you know
what a crapshoot that can be. So if anything slips through,
would you do me a favor and forward my mail? I'd appreciate
it. My new address is below. Thanks in advance.
P.S.: Sorry about the paw prints by the front door. They were
there when I moved in. I never got around to removing them.
You'll get used to them anyway.
_file2_Ms. Forster
Dear Ms. Forster:
I got your note and I thought I should write you.
I'm afraid there must be some kind of
misunderstanding. I'm the first occupant of the lake
house, and I think your letter came to me by mistake.
As far as I know, the lake house has been
empty for several years. Maybe your note was
intended for the Sandburg house down the shore since
no one has lived in this house for years. I know you're
waiting for important mail, so you may want to check
the address again.
P.S.: I'm curious about the paw prints."
Sincerely
Mr. Wyler
1. What was Ms. Forsters letter about?
2. What did Mr. Wyler say about Ms. Forsters letter?
3. What did Mr. Wyler advise Ms. Forster to do?
1. What traditions do Koreans have when moving into a new house? Give two examples.
2. Do you like the place where you are living? Why or why not?
3. Have you experienced sending a letter or anything to the wrong person? Tell me about it.
Pope Francis to visit Brazil in July for youth festival

_file1_Pope Francis, the Catholic
Church's first Latin American leader,
has announced in his Palm Sunday
homily he will visit Brazil in July.
He will attend a Catholic youth
gathering in Rio de Janeiro, saying
Mass on Copacabana beach and
praying at the Christ the Redeemer
statue.
The Pope spoke in St Peter's Square as Holy Week, the most important period in the Christian
calendar, began.
Thousands of people waved olive branches and palm fronds in the crowd.
The gesture commemorates palm branches which, according to the Bible, were laid in the path
of Jesus Christ when he made his entry on a donkey into Jerusalem before his crucifixion.
Pope Francis departed frequently from the prepared text of his homily, the BBC's David Willey
reports from Rome.
His style is informal, direct and, in contrast to his predecessors, he tells stories off the cuff to
illustrate the points he wants to make, our correspondent says.
'See you in Rio'
The Catholic youth festival is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of young pilgrims from
around the world.
Towards the end of his homily, the pontiff said: "I look forward joyfully to next July in Rio de
Janeiro.
"I will see you in that great city in Brazil."
The gathering in Rio would, he said, be a "sign of faith for the whole world".
Pope Benedict attended the last such festival, in Madrid, in August 2011.
Known formally as Pope Emeritus Benedict since his retirement last month, he received his
successor for the first time on Saturday, at the papal residence of Castel Gandolfo outside Rome.
Pope Francis has decided to modify some traditional Vatican Holy Week observances.
On Thursday, for example, he will visit a prison for young offenders in a Roman suburb where
he will symbolically wash the feet of 12 young prisoners.
In previous years the ceremony was performed by the pope in Rome's Cathedral of Saint John
Lateran, with priests symbolizing the 12 apostles.
1. What country will the new pope visit in July?
2. According to the article, what is the most important period in the Christian calendar?
3. What does the waving of olive branches and palm fronds represent?
1. What do you know about Easter Sunday? Is it a holiday that is celebrated in Korea?
2. What are major religious events in your country? Discuss a few examples.
3. In your opinion, how does religion help a country?
Presidential cyber security secretary eyed to counter hacking

_file1_The government is pushing to create the post
of cyber security secretary at the presidential office
Cheong WaDae in a bid to rapidly and efficiently
cope with cyber attacks on key national
organizations, officials at the ruling party said Sunday.
The presidential cyber security secretary, if
appointed, will report directly to the chief of Cheong
WaDae's National Security Office, the officials said.
Last week, several of the nation's major television stations and banks suffered what appeared to
be simultaneoushacking attacks, raising the need for a control tower in case of a nationwide
outbreak of cyber terrorism.
Investigations are under way into all possible causes of the massive computer network failures,
including the involvement of North Korea, which has threatened to attack South Korea and the
United States in retaliation for South Korea-U.S. joint military drills and the United Nations'
fresh sanctions for its recent nuclear test.
"Countermoves against nationwide cyber terrorism and attacks are spread across government
bodies, including the National Intelligence Service, the National Police Agency, the military
cyber command and the Korea Communications Service," said an official at the ruling Saenuri
Party.
"Under the current structure, an efficient and rapid countermove against hackers can hardly be
expected."
Presidential spokeswoman Kim Haeng told reporters that the government was reviewing a
possible revision of relevant laws and other measures with regard to responses to cyber terrorism.
As part of the possible changes, the presidential office is considering requiring broadcasters
and other news organizations to immediately report to the government if they come under a
cyber attack, she said.
(Yonhap News)
1. What happened to several major television stations and banks last week?
2. What is one possible cause of these attacks, according to the article?
3. What are broadcasters and other news organizations required to do if they encounter a
cyber attack?
1. What is your opinion on the article? Who do you think is behind the cyber attacks?
2. What can Korea do to overcome or protect the citizens from these attacks?
3. What are the immediate effects of a massive cyber attack?
MOPANE WORMS FOR FOOD!

_file1_In Zimbabwe, mopane worms are a staple part
of the diet in rural areas and are considered a
delicacy in the cities. They can be eaten dry, as
crunchy as potato chips, or cooked and drenched in
sauce. When harvest season for the worms began
recently, I decided to document the process, and I
found it somewhat stomach-turning. But the worms
can be mighty tasty and they are very nutritious.
The worm is the large caterpillar of the Gonimbrasia
belina species, commonly called the emperor moth.
It's called a mopane wormbecause it feeds on the
leaves of mopane trees after it hatches in summer. It
has also burrowed into literature, finding its way, for example, into the pages of Alexander
McCall Smith's series about The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, set in neighboring Botswana.
At least one of the characters munches on dried mopane worms.
THE HARVEST
After six weeks of rain, the mopane worms cling to mopane trees in rural Gwanda, an arid cattleranching area in southern Zimbabwe. Amanda Ncube normally fetches firewood to sell and
looks after the family cattle, but when it's worm-harvesting season she joins other women and a
few men in collecting the worms and piling them into buckets. The worms are as long as a hand
and as thick as a cigar. Ncube carefully plucks them from the lower branches before climbing
partway up the tree to shake off the higher worms. The more stubborn ones are pried loose with
a long stick. The worms excrete a brown liquid once they make contact with skin, leaving the
pickers' hands wet and slippery. As they harvest the worms, the women and men move from one
tree to another until their buckets are full. A thick slimy green fluid comes out as Ncube carefully
squeezes out the entrails from a mopane worm she has just plucked from a tree. During harvest
season, the porches of mud-walled homes are covered with thousands of worms, laid out to dry
in the hot sun.
http://news.yahoo.com/worms-zimbabwe-snack-tree-dinner-table-155725343.html
1. What is a mopane worm?
2. Who eats mopane worms?
3. In this article, what do they do before they eat the worms?
4. How do they grow and harvest the worms?
1. Why do you think the people of Zimbabwe turn to worms as their staple food?
2. What are the staple foods in your country?
3. In which circumstances would you resort to eating worms and other insects? Why?
MY NAME IS BANG.
_file1_Bang Hyun Sung , born June 16, 1991, better known as
simply Ryan Bang, is a Korean comedian, television host,
television personality, actor, recording artist and former reality
show contestant who rose to fame in the Philippines when he
joined the reality show Pinoy Big Brother: Teen Clash of 2010.
In May 2010, Ryan Bang entered the Big Brother house along
with 10 other Teenternational housemates. After 56 days, he was
able to garner enough votes to reach the final episode wherein
won the competition as the 2nd Teen Big Winner by getting
18.70% of the entire votes.
he
In August 2010, Ryan Bang became one of the judges in

Showtime (a noontime variety show), and stayed from August
16,
2010 up to October 8, 2011. He was eliminated on October 8,
2011, only to be saved by judge Dimples Romana, who self-evicted to allow Bang to stay but
officially evicted. He is Showtime's longest staying judge at 48 weeks.
Aside from being the longest staying judge at Showtime, he formerly hosts 30w POwhz at Studio
23 and stars in the famous comedy gag show Banana Split.
Source: Wikipedia.com
1. Who is Ryan Bang?
2. What reality show did Ryan Bang join in?
3. What is the title of the famous comedy gag show?
1. Is Ryan Bang famous in Korea?
2. Are there reality shows in your country? Please give some examples.
3. What do you think about Koreans being popular in other countries?
Should you limit your time in watching television?

_file1_As if we weren't already buried in news about the dangers of television and
violence, a new study shows why it's best to keep your kids' tube time low. The
University of Michigan reported that 3-year-olds who watch more than two hours
of TV each day are three times more likely to be overweight than kids who watch
less.
The researchers added that all those junk food commercials only added to the
problem of compromising children's personal health and wellness. Children who
watched two or more hours of TV also had more behavioral problems. Parents
should include in their kids' TV monitoring the total time TV is on in the house, not
just the time kids actually watch it.
UM offers the following ideas: Keep the TV off during meals; have lots of
conversations at home; read books; play an outdoor and indoor games or stay
active.
By the way, a Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation survey found that children ages 6
months to 6-years-old spend more time watching TV, DVDs and playing video and
computer games than they do looking at books on their own. So we all can fall
into that too-much-TV trap.
Source:
http://www.eduguide.org/library/viewarticle/1774/family-ideas-for-limitingtelevision-time/
1. According to the article what is the effect of watching TV more than 2 hours
each day?
2. What are the possible problems that children might have in watching TV of 2
or more hours?
3. What are the following ideas you can do aside from watching TV?
1. How long do you watch TV once a day?
2. What are the things you can do more aside from watching TV?
3. What do you think is the disadvantage of watching TV too much?
Video game addiction
_file1_Video game addiction is extreme use

of computer and video games that interferes with daily life.
Instances have been reported in which users play compulsively,
isolating themselves from family and friends or from other forms
of social contact, and focus almost entirely on in-game
achievements rather than other life events, and exhibit lack of
imagination and mood swings. There is no formal diagnosis of
video game addiction in current medical or psychoLogical literature. Inclusion of it as a
psychological disorder has been proposed and rejected for the next version of the Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
Some scholars suggest that psycho-social dependence, if it occurs, may revolve around the
intermittent reinforcements in the game and the need to belong. Some scholars claim that the
social dependence that may arise from video games occurs online where players interact with
others and the relationships "often become more important for gamers than real-life
relationships"
Players may play many hours per day, neglect personal hygiene, gain or lose significant weight
due to playing, disrupt sleep patterns to play resulting in sleep deprivation, play at work, find
themselves in the middle of nowhere looking into space for a considerable amount of time, avoid
phone calls from friends, or lie about how much time they spend playing video games.
1. What kind of addiction is an extreme use of computer and video games?
2. Do you play video games or computer games? If so for how long?
3. Have you ever lied to family or friends about how much time you play video games?
1. Have you played video games as a way of escaping from problems or bad feelings?
2. Do you sometimes skip doing homework in order to spend more time playing video
games?
3. Do you sometimes skip household chores in order to spend more time playing video
games?
Source: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chimps and Humans Might Be More Similar Than What We Think!

_file1_Researchers who work with
chimpanzees (chimps, for short) are
finding out some new and exciting
things about them.
Dr. Frans De Waal is a
primatologist who works with
chimps all over the world.
He says that one way that Chimps
and Humans are similar to each
other is that chimps try to be fair
with each other. They also
recognize each other and think
about the other chimps feelings.
Dr. Waal thinks that chimps try to be
fair and thoughtful because it makes
it easier to survive in the wild. If one
chimp helps another chimp now,
then maybe he will get helped in the
future. This might make finding food and protecting himself easier.
Have you ever had a friend yawn and then you yawn as well? Dr. Waal has found that chimps
are the same way. If one chimp yawns, his friend is likely to yawn too.
Chimpanzees are pretty closely related to humans. In fact, we share 99% of the same DNA! So,
it makes sense that they would share some of the same thoughts and feelings that we have.
Source: http://thewhiztimes.com/
1. What did the researchers find out about humans and chimps?
2. How are we similar to chimps?
3. Why are chimps thoughtful to other chimps?
1. What is your favorite zoo animal? Why?
2. Do you know another animal that has the same behavior as humans do? What is this
animal and how are we similar to it?
3. How are animals significant to our environment?
Stretchable Sculptures
_file1_At the Pure White" paper show at the Dominik Mersch Gallery in Sydney, Li
Hongbounveiled busts and skulls made from paper, as well as life-size human sculptures.
According to Li, he begins by gluing thousands of sheets of paper into a large block. He then
carves this block to create a form that can be outstretched like an accordion, transforming the
work into something completely different.
The sculptures appear to be made from traditional materials. Li includes a few playful gestures,
like leaving rough edges on some of his paper cutouts, to make it look like a sculpture that has
been chiseled from marble, but the big reveal comes from picking up and twisting the pieces,
revealing the honeycomb-shaped paper within.
_file2_From a distance, the works of Li Hongbo look like classical sculptures of molded plaster
or delicate porcelain, but if you try to pick one of them up, it will stretch apart like a Slinky. Li's
3D sculptures are made entirely from paper. In the tradition of the Chinese paper gourd
technique, which is found in paper toys and decorations, Li carves realistic shapes. Each piece
can be pulled and stretched to reveal the individual sheets of paper it comprises.
1. What did Lu Hongbo create?
2. How does he make his sculptures? Explain.
3. How does his work look like?
1. What kinds of artwork can you make from paper?
2. Have you tried making artwork from paper before? Tell me about it?
3. If you can invent a kind of paper art, what would it be like and why?
_file1_Dear John,
I want to express my sincereapologies as my
carelessness was responsible for your extra work these
days. I feel really bad for losing your science journal
right before the submission. I am sorry that you had to
spend all your time re-doing it instead of studying for the
exam.
Trust me, I have searched for your book everywhere.
However, I was unable to find it. Whenever I think about
how it has affected you, I feel immensely guilty.
I am really sorry for all the trouble you had to go
through because of me. I sincerely hope it won't affect
our friendship in anyway. If there is anything that I can
do to help you, please do tell me. I request you to forget
all this and be friends again. I promise you that I will be
more careful in the future and will not repeat such a mistake.
Your buddy,
Sean
Dear Sean,
I accept your apology but the damage has already been done. Though I feel bad about it, I also
know that you didnt do it intentionally. You have been my friend for many years now and I
know you dont want to do me harm.
Since you offered your help, I would like to ask you to assist me in making my journal. I go to
the library after class. I hope youll accompany me there and help me review as well. I dont
want to have grudge towards you. Your help will be greatly appreciated.
Your friend,
John
2. Why is Sean saying sorry to John?
3. Did John accept Seans apology? Why or why not?
1. Have you ever done something to your friend that you are most sorry for?
2. What is it? How did you say your apology to your friend?
3. Why is it important to apologize to people if you did something wrong to them?
The Louvre is most

visited art gallery
_file1_The Louvre in
Paris has topped a list
of the world's most
visited art museums.
The annual survey of
galleries and
attendance was taken
by the "Art
Newspaper". Its results
put the Louvre in the
top spot with around
9.7 million visitors in
2012. That was a jump
of over a million from the previous year. New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art was the
second most visited venue, with three London museums filling the third, fourth and fifth
positions. The most popular exhibition of the year was the Dutch Old Masters at Tokyo's
Metropolitan Art Museum, which attracted over 10,000 art lovers a day. The continuing
popularity of the Louvre was boosted last year by the opening of its new wing dedicated to
Islamic art.
The survey showed that while traditional art was popular in Japan, contemporary and modern
art dominated the top exhibitions in Europe. It also highlighted Brazil as an up-and-coming
destination for art. The newspaper said: "The appetite of Brazilians for exhibitions is
remarkableespecially for the non-charging shows organised by the Centro Cultural Banco do
Brasil. The exhibition halls in its Rio de Janeiro space were crowded thanks to an ambitious
visual history of the Amazon." The publication also noted how, "the spiritual power of artifacts"
proved popular. Japan's Shoso-in temple exhibition drew over 14,240 visitors a day, "to venerate
as well as admire a selection of temple treasures".
Read more:http://breakingnewsenglish.com/1303/130331-louvre.html#ixzz2PAZwF0m7
1. Where was 2012's most popular exhibition?
2. What kind of shows in particular did Brazilians like?
3. How often does the Art Newspaper conduct its survey?
1. How important are art galleries?
2. How do you feel when you visit an art gallery?
3. What springs to mind when you hear the word 'art'?
North Koreas rich terrified of war: reports

_file1_As North Korea ratchets up belligerent rhetoric against the South Korean government,
many of Norths wealthy class seem terrified over
the possibilities of war against the United States,
Radio Free Asia reported Friday.
Talks of war are all over the place, on TV and on
radio. We are terrified, a North Korean citizen was
quoted as saying. In Pyongyang, anyone who thinks
(North Korea) can beat the U.S. is considered a
moron.
He said that rich North Koreans or diplomats, who
are relatively well informed about economic and
military capabilities of the U.S., scoff at the militarys threats of staging a war.
With geopolitical tensions rising, wealthy people in the North are reportedly buying U.S. dollars
and Chinese yuan to prepare for the deflation of the North Korean currency.
But the poor class in the North is not afraid of war, because they have nothing to lose, he said.
They dont know how scary the U.S. is. If theres a war, (North Koreans) will be slaughtered
within seconds by bombings.
From news reports
(khnews@heraldcorp.com)
1. How do some North Koreans feel about the war against South Korea?
2. Who are not afraid of war?
3. Why are they not afraid of war?
1. What is your opinion of North Korea declaring war against South Korea?
2. Do you think South and North Korea will ever be united the future?
3. If you were the president of South Korea, how would you handle this situation?
Komodo dragon
_file1_Two people have been taken to hospital after
being attacked by a giant Komodo dragon that
wandered into the office of a wildlife park in
easternIndonesia.
An official at Komodo National Park, Heru
Rudiharto, said the 2-metre-long Komodo dragon
attacked a park ranger after walking into the office
on Tuesday. It then attacked another park employee
who came to help him. Both were badly bitten and
were evacuated to a hospital on Bali Island.
Rudiharto said the park ranger was also attacked by
a Komodo dragon in 2009. Endangered Komodo
dragons can grow longer than 3 meters. Fewer than
4,000 are believed to be still alive. They are found
in the wild primarily on the eastern Indonesian islands of Komodo, Padar and Rinca.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/06/komodo-dragon-attack
1. How many people were attacked by the Komodo dragon?
2. How long can a komodo dragon grow?
3. Where can we find komodo dragons?
1. Do you think Komodo dragons are interesting?
2. What comes into your mind when you hear the word dragon?
3. What kind of behavior are dragons known for?
Park reaching her peak as she wins 2nd major

_file1_South Koreas Park In-bee is building up momentum as an ace pro golfer.
The 24-year-old finished with a
15-under-par 273 to beat
runner-up compatriot Ryu Soyeon to win the Kraft Nabisco
Championship by four strokes
on Sunday.
It was Parks first major title of
the season and also her second
career major title in addition to
her 2008 U.S. Womens Open.
The 24-year-old is also the
second successive Korean to win the Kraft Nabisco after Yoo Sun-young last year. Park took
home $300,000 for her win.
Last year Park led the LPGA Tour money rankings and scoring average, and already has two
victories this season.
In the Honda LPGA Thailand in February, she edged past Thai teenager AriyaJutanugarn to win
by one stroke. It was largely thanks to Ariya blowing a one-stroke lead on the final hole with a
triple bogey.
This time at the Nabisco championship at the Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage,
California, however, Park overwhelmed the field with her stepped-up performance.
She had a bogey-free round on Saturday to open a three-stroke lead going into the final round.
She began her final round with two straight birdies, and had a bogey on the sixth, only her third
of the tournament. But she quickly bounced back with birdies on the eighth and ninth holes to
end 15-under.
Park celebrated her win by leaping into the pond off the 18th green with her caddie.
Other Koreans placed high on the scoreboard: Kang Hae-ji tied Karrie Webb for fifth, and Shin
Ji-yai and Park Hee-young ended up part of a six-way tie for seventh place.
Born in Seoul in 1988, Park began golfing at age 10. After moving to the U.S., she won the U.S.
Girls Junior at age 14 in 2002.
In 2006 after graduating from high school in Las Vegas, she played on the Duramed Futures
Tour where the age of entry had been lowered to 17. She finished third on its season-ending
money list.
During her rookie season in 2007, she tied for fourth at the U.S. Womens Open and finished
37th on the money list.

In 2008, she won the U.S. Womens Open for her first LPGA win. At 19, she was the youngest
player to win the title.
But she struggled in 2009 and 2010 before bouncing back in 2012, when she claimed two wins
on the LPGA Tour and topped both in money earned and scoring average.
This year, she got off to a smooth start by grabbing the first major title of the season. For now,
Park and worlds No. 1 Stacy Lewis of the U.S. appear to be breaking away from the pack with
two wins apiece.
1. Who is building up momentum as an ace pro golfer?
2. What competition did she recently win?
3. What age did she start playing golf?
1. What other information do you know about Park In-Bee?
2. What impact has her career have on South Korea?
3. Should the government support potential sports stars in their career? Why or why not?
An Illegal Cellphone Search

_file1_A student called G.C. at Owensboro
High School in Kentucky had a thick file of
disciplinary infractions: tardiness, fighting
in the locker room, walking out on a
meeting with the schools prevention
coordinator and more.
But in September 2009, when he was
caught sending text messages in class and
school officials took his cellphone and read
the messages, the conflict escalated. The
school superintendent barred G.C. from school. G.C. sued in federal trial court and lost.
On appeal, a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit last
month correctly ruled that G.C. was improperly denied a hearing required by a Kentucky statute
before he was expelled and that school officials violated his rights when they read text messages
on his phone without reasonable suspicion.
The first issue was straightforward: G.C. did not get the hearing required by law. The second
issue was knottier. Even under what the court called the Supreme Courts relaxed standard for
searches in a school setting, the lawfulness of a search depends on whether it was reasonable.
The Sixth Circuit wisely interpreted that to mean the search is justified if there is reasonable
suspicion that a search will uncover evidence of further wrongdoing or of injury to the student or
another. There is no unlimited right to search any content on a phone.
In G.C.s view, the school had no basis for searching his phone. The school claimed the search
was partly for his own good because there were confessions of drug use in his file and the school
said it wanted to make sure he did not intend to hurt himself or engage in illegal activity.
But the appeals court found no evidence in the record that the school officials had any
specific reason to believe that G.C. was about to do anything else wrong. He was texting and
simply got caught.
1. Why did the school superintendent bar G.C. from school?
2. What was he caught doing in September 2009?
3. When is it lawful to search the belongings of someone?
1. What is your opinion on this article? Do you think G.C. should win his case?
2. Do you think that schools have a right to search whatever they want from students? Why
or why not?
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a cellphone at a young age?
Willy Wonkas Chocolate Factory
_file1_Who doesn't know the story of Willy Wonka's

chocolate factory? The deliciously intriguing bed time
tale is something that makes our mouths water. Sadly, we
all know by now that in real life there is no golden ticket
to the factory with an incredible chocolate river. Well,
there is something even better.
For many of us that can't throw away the chocolaty dream,
the nation's first Godiva flagship store opened on
Garosugil, the most hip and trendiest area in Seoul.
Perhaps chocolate lovers can turn their hopes to life without all the Oompa-Loompas. In charge
of the Belgian chocolate maker's flagship store is chefYannickChevolleau. As one of eight top
chefs representing Godiva, the French chef and chocolatier is the head of Godiva Korea and
Japan.
Surely, Godiva's chocolate isn't a cheap snack that comes by often. Prior to the flagship store's
opening, the Belgian chocolate company launched a trial operation with a small store in
Samseong-dong in Seoul last year. Only limited types of chocolates were available. The litmus
test measured the nation's taste and market possibility prior to Godiva's official arrival. The
company came to the conclusion that Korean consumers are willing to pay approximately 4000
won for a handmade coin-sized chocolate.
A golden box of chocolates with 15 pieces costs around 44,000 won. A premium box can go
beyond 100,000 won. Despite the heavy price tag, chef Chevolleau says he believes premium
chocolate has a great opportunity in Korea. The chef, donning his white double-breasted jacket
and toque, is proud of Godiva's trade secret fermentation process that adds exquisite taste and
flavor.
In addition, chef ition, chef Chevolleau is confident that even during summer when sales of
chocolate decreases, he can keep the sales high with his Belgian magic by introducing seasonal
desserts and iced beverages. Sources say out of 450 Godiva stores worldwide, more than 200 are
located in Japan. Chef Chevolleau is hoping to achieve the same level of success in Korea. "I
work with chocolate all day. But I am never tired of it. Chocolate is like tea for me," said chef
Chevolleau.
1. Who is Willy Wonka?
2. What is opening in Korea?
3. How much does a golden box of chocolate cost?
1. Have you seen the movie Charlie and the chocolate factory? What is the movie all about?
2. Do you think the chocolate is cheap?
3. What is your favorite chocolate?
ber=#
Why don't Birds on a wire get a shock?
_file1_Now how is that possible? The fact is, for a living creature to get a shock there has to be
a substantial flow of current through the body. However, there is barely any current running
through the birds body for two reasons. Firstly, the bird not only forms a circuit with the wire,
but it also offers a high resistance to current, so the current passes through the wire instead of the
bird.
Its a bit like this, would you prefer going on a smooth road or a
road full of potholes? The answer is obvious and just like you, the current prefers taking the
easier path. All objects offer some amount of resistance to the flow of current, depending on the
material.
This is just one of the reasons why birds dont get shock, however the more important reason
why current does not pass through the bird is, there is barely any, if at all, voltage difference
across the bird. Current flow is actually just the flow of minutecharged particles that are
invisible to the naked eye. These charged particles need an energy input in order for them to get
transferred. The amount of energy needed to move the charges from one point to another is
measured in terms of the potential difference between the two points.
A bird perched on high-tension wires has both its feet placed firmly on the same wire, so the net
potential difference from one end of the bird to the other is, for all purposes, next to nil.
In order for current to flow through the bird, there must be a sizeable difference in voltage across
the body. While the potential difference between the wire and Earth may be thousands of volts,
the potential difference between the bird's two feet is extremely tiny and so a very small current
flows through the bird which can barely be registered.
If the bird were to touch the wire and simultaneously another wire, it would receive a mild
shock. On the other hand if it were to touch the wire and some other object connected to the
ground, it would receive a deadly shock, the greater the potential difference, the greater is the
current flow.
1. Why dont birds on a wire get a shock?
2. What is current flow?
1. Have you seen a bird perched on a wire?
2. Did it get a shock?
http://www.pitara.com/discover/5wh/online.asp?story=192
Elegant Coffee Table Doubles Up As A Playhouse
_file1_Playhouse by
day, coffee table by night, theingenious QubisHaus is a win-win for all!
The innocent looking centerpiece can be transformed into a toy in a matter of minutes. What's
even more amazing is that it can be set up in many
differentconfigurations, which means one can have a new house
every day!
If youre thinking this toyhouse is for girls only, think again!
It is a classy neutral brown, instead of the bright pink. Also, its just
the right size for those Star Wars characters to reside in. And best of
all, the coffee table can transform into beautiful palace or a control
deck for a starship! Pretty cool!
What is a dollhouse without furniture? The QubisHaus comes
with full sets for the bedroom, living room, and the dining room. But
something even more marvelous is that all the pieces of furniture
are magnetic, so they stay put! And for those creative kids that like to build their own, the
company has added some regular building blocks too! To ensure that yourQubisHaus does not
look like the others, it can be ordered in a variety of different fabrics.
http://www.dogonews.com/2013/1/28/elegant-coffee-table-doubles-up-as-a-playhouse
1. What is the article all about?
2. Describe the QubisHaus in your own words.
3. What does the QubisHaus come with?
1. Do you want to have your own QubisHaus? Why or why not?
2. What are some of the wonderful things in your house?
3. What does stay put mean? Give an example.
_file1_52A-1 Lopez Jaena Street,

Aurora Hill, Baguio City
Philippines 2600
Dear Dylan,
Hello!
Ive heard that you have
graduated from elementary school last
week. I would just like to say how glad I
am to hear such good news.
Congratulations to you! Id bet your
parents gave you a treat for finishing
your primary education. How do you feel about it?
As for me, I am graduating soon, too. I do not really know what to expect from it, but I
know that I feel excited and happy that I would go to middle school soon. Its yet another kind of
adventure for me.
I hope you are doing well and I also wish we could meet each other soon.
Congratulations!
Your friend,
Lennon
_file2_210 Copenhagen Drive,

Malibu, Los Angeles
California, USA
Hi Lennon!
Hearing from an old friend is the best gift there is after my graduation. I wanted to tell
you myself, but I guess Tyler already told you. Im also very happy about it. Actually, Im
beyond happy because youre also going to
graduate. I heard it would be in March so
congratulations in advance!
Graduating gave me a very nice feeling
about myself. Ive received an award for being
best in Math in al the sixth grade classes. Youre
right about saying that going to middle school is
a whole new adventure. I just hope we could go to the same school together. Maybe someday we
will.
See you this summer!
Your friend,
Dylan
1. What news did Lennon hear about Dylan?
2. When will Lennon graduate?
3. What do the two friends think about going to middle school?
1. How does it feel to graduate? If you havent graduated before, how do you think will it
feel? Why?
2. When you go to a higher level or grade in school, how do you feel about it? Why?
3. They say that graduation is a new beginning instead of an end. What do you think about
this?
Putin says N.Korean conflict could be worse than Chernobyl
HANOVER, Germany, (AFP) - Russian

President Vladimir Putin warned Monday that
any military conflict on the Korean peninsula
had the potential to be worse than the 1986
nuclear disaster in Chernobyl.
"If something happens, God forbid, (then)
Chernobyl which we all know about very well
would simply seem like a children's fairy tale,"
he told reporters at an industrial fair in
Germany.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Chancellor Angela Merkel, Putin welcomed a US decision to
delay the test of an international ballistic missile to avoid stoking tensions with North Korea.
"I think the United States took a very important step in delaying the test of a ballistic missile," he said.
"We should thank the United States for this important step," he added. "I hope it will be noticed by our
partners including North Korea and that everyone will calm down and work together to seek a solution to
the various problems."
With an eye to China, Merkel said world powers with influence in the region needed to work together to
smooth tensions.
"We agreed that the international community must work to have a calming effect on the situation and
toward North Korea stopping its provocations," she said.
North Korea's bellicose rhetoric has reached fever pitch in recent weeks, with near-daily threats of attacks
on US military bases and South Korea in response to ongoing South Korea-US military exercises.
The United States, which has met the North's threats with some military muscle-flexing of its own,
offered a calibrated concession Saturday by delaying a planned inter-continental ballistic missile test.
Washington had said it feared the Minuteman 3 test could be misconstrued as an attempt to exacerbate
the crisis.
China, Pyongyang's sole major ally for decades and its biggest trading partner, said Sunday it had told
North Korea it would not tolerate "troublemaking" on its doorstep.
1. What was the important step the US made?
2. What do world powers with influence need to do?
3. What would the Minuteman 3 test be misconstrued as?
Discussion Questions;
1. How would you handle this type of situation with North Korea?
2. What will you do if war actually did break out in your country?
3. Talk about past North Korean threats to South Korea.
Women make inroads into male-dominated industries

_file1_Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance
promoted 161 workers to the position of junior
manager on Monday, 50 of whom are female
workers. The figure is a three-fold increase since
2010 when the percentage of women was less than
10 percent.
The company will spare no effort in encouraging
women to actively work at the office, an officer from SF & MI told local news media.
The move reflects a steady change in male-dominated Korea, encouraging women to pursue
their career in diverse industrial sectors.
The advance of women could also be seen in high-pressure jobs. For instance, Lee Geum-hyeong
was named the nations first female Chief Superintendent General last month, the second-highest
post in the Korean National Police Agency.
Six out of 10 summa cum laude graduates in Korean National Police University in the past ten
years were women, according to reports from KNPU.
Statistics from Korean Association of Law Schools showed that 4.2 out of 10 applicants who
passed the law school exams were women. Despite a slight fall in the number compared to last
year, the female ratio has been continuously on the rise since the introduction of the law school
system.
By Park Sui, Intern reporter
(suipark@heraldcorp.com)
1. Which two companies promoted 161 workers to the position of Junior Manager?
2. How many of the 161 were female?
3. Who was the nations first female Chief Superintendent General?]
1. What is your opinion of women entering managerial positions?
2. Do you agree that the Korean workforce is male dominated?
3. Have you ever been a victim of gender discrimination?
Elephant Sound
_file1_Its been a common knowledge that elephants
often make trumpet-like sounds. But were you aware that
they can actually sing super-low songs as well? The truth
is we will never be able to hear such tunes in full. That is
because such elephant songs include notes far too low for
the human ear to detect. The ultralowsound frequencies
are called infrasonic notes, or may be referred to as
infrasound.
Surprisingly these sounds can actually travel as far as 10
kilometers in the air. By comparison, song notes that are
audible to humans only travel about 800 meters through
the air. Interestingly, these super-low notes can also vibrate through the ground, allowing the
infrasonic signals to travel even further. Scientists say by detecting the vibration, elephants from
far distances can communicate with each other.
The secret behind the intriguing sound making processis the elephants larynx which is like a
large tunnel made from strips of tissues. In simple terms, larger folds mean lower sounds. From
a logical standpoint, an elephants larynx is intricately designed to produce very low sounds.
1. What are infrasonic notes?
2. How far can the elephant sound travel?
3. What enables them to make such sounds?
1. Do you know other animals that can make such sound?
2. Do you think its possible for people to understand the meaning of animal sounds?
http://www.teentimes.org/2008/newspaper/2012all_news.html?code=news_science&page=1&nu
mber=#
~ 4 seasons joy (science)
Donuts
Who doesn't like donuts? From its soft dough to delicious

fillings, donuts are irresistible snacks. We all know what
an original donut looks like. Typically, donuts have holes
in the middle so they look like a ring. But who invented this fascinating and beloved food?
Many historians claim that the ring-shaped donuts were invented by a 16-year-old Dutchman
named Hanson Gregory. He was a sailor and his mother, Elizabeth Gregory, prepared donuts for
him and other crew members to take on their long voyage. At that time, donuts were called oily
cakes because they were fried in oil. His mother made donuts in various shapes and fried them.
But sometimes, the donuts did not fry evenly so their center was raw.
Hansen was dissatisfied with this, so he thought of a new
way to make them tastier. He punched a hole in the center
of the donuts with the ships tin pepper box! By doing so,
donuts fried more evenly and quickly because they dont
have anything in the middle.
Donuts were also comfort food for American soldiers
during World War I. Donuts were served to homesick
soldiers in Europe by the Salvation Army. People all over
the world fell in love with donuts after the first donut
machine was invented in 1920 in New York City by a man named Adolph Levitt. Isnt it
interesting that donuts got their holes by a 16-year-old boy on a ship?
4. How do you understand the expression comfort food?
5. Who invented donuts?
6. How did the boy make holes on the middle of the donuts?
4. Do you like donuts? What is your favorite flavor?
5. Do you know anyone who dont like eating donuts? Why?
6. If you were to invent something what would it be and why?
7.
ber=#
~ 4 seasons joy (focus)
Video game addiction
Video game addiction is extreme use of computer and video games that interferes with daily life.
Instances have been reported in which users play compulsively, isolating themselves from
family and friends or from other forms of social contact, and

focus almost entirely on in-game achievements rather than other
life events, and exhibit lack of imagination and mood
swings. There is no formal diagnosis of video game addiction in
current medical or psychoLogical literature. Inclusion of it as a
psychological disorder has been proposed and rejected for the
next version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders (DSM).
Some scholars suggest that psycho-social dependence, if it
occurs, may revolve around the intermittent reinforcements in the game and the need to belong.
Some scholars claim that the social dependence that may arise from video games occurs online
where players interact with others and the relationships "often become more important for
gamers than real-life relationships"
Players may play many hours per day, neglect personal hygiene, gain or lose significant weight
due to playing, disrupt sleep patterns to play resulting in sleep deprivation, play at work, find
themselves in the middle of nowhere looking into space for a considerable amount of time, avoid
phone calls from friends, or lie about how much time they spend playing video games.
1. What kind of addiction is an extreme use of computer and video games?
2. Do you play video games or computer games? If so for how long?
3. Have you ever lied to family or friends about how much time you play video games?
1. Have you played video games as a way of escaping from problems or bad feelings?
2. Do you sometimes skip doing homework in order to spend more time playing video
games?
3. Do you sometimes skip household chores in order to spend more time playing video
games?
Teacher Dannie
Chasing the Total Solar Eclipse
As seen from the Earth, a solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth,
and the Moon fully or partially blocks ("occults") the Sun. This can happen only at new moon,
when the Sun and the Moon are in conjunction as seen from Earth in an alignment referred to
as syzygy. In a total eclipse, the disk of the Sun is fully obscured by the Moon. In partial and
annular eclipses only part of the Sun is obscured. If the Moon were in a perfectly circular orbit, a
little closer to the Earth, and in the same orbital plane, there would be total solar eclipses every
single month.
It is dangerous to look directly at the Sun, observers should use special eye protection or indirect
viewing techniques when viewing a partial eclipse, or the partial phases of a total eclipse. It is
safe to view the total phase of a total solar eclipse with the unaided eye and without protection
1. What occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the earth?
2. What should you use when observing partial eclipse??
3. Is it safe to view the total phase of total solar eclipse?
1. Have you ever witnessed a solar eclipse?
2. What did you feel after witnessing an eclipse?
3. What is happening to the Sun as seen from Earth during a solar eclipse? Can you describe
it?

teacher dannie
Invisibility cloak appears at TED Talks

The Elder Wand and Resurrection
Stone may still be locked away in J. K.
Rowling's imagination, but the third
Deathly Hallow made a rare appearance
on stage in Long Beach this week.
Baile Zhang, an assistant professor of
physics at Nanyang Technological
University in Singapore, showed off his
"invisibility cloak" on Monday at the
TED2013 talks in Long Beach.
Speaking as part of TED Fellows Day, when young researchers, artists, and techno-geniuses seen
as being worthy of mentoring give short four-minute presentations, Zhang wowed the
crowd with his amazing cloak.
As you might guess, Zhang's cloak is a bit different than the one Harry Potter wore. It's tiny right
now, very much in the prototype phase. And while you might expect it to have some grand
purpose, it doesn't. Zhang created it solely for fun.
Zhang explained that the cloak is made of two optical crystals that are found in nature. When
cemented together, they bend light and suppress shadows to the point that they can hide objects.
The demo at the show saw the cloak (which is kept in a tiny clear box) make a Post-It note
vanish.
1. What did Baile Zhang show off at the TED 2013 talks in Long Beach?
2. Can you please describe the invisibility cloak?
3. What is the cloak made of?
1. How do you think technology will develop in the future?
2. What are the pros and cons of being invisible?
3. Do you think that science is related to magic? Why?
SOURCE: http://ph.news.yahoo.com/blogs/plugged-in/invisibility-cloak-appears-sort-ted-talks232905827.html
COSPLAY
Cosplay short for "costume play", is a type of performance
art in which participants wear costumes and accessories to
represent a specific character or idea. Cosplayers often interact
to create a subculture centered on role play. The term was
coined by Nobuyuki Takahashi of the Japanese studio while
attending the 1984 Los Angeles Science Fiction Worldcon. He
was impressed by the hall and the costumed fans and reported
on both in Japanese science fiction magazines. The coinage
reflects a common Japanese method of abbreviation in which
the first two morass of a pair of words are used to form an
independent compound. Costume becomes koru, and
play becomes pure.
Favorite sources include manga and anime, comic books, video
games, and films. Any entity from the real or virtual world that
lends itself to dramatic interpretation may be taken up as a subject. Inanimate objects are
given anthropomorphic forms and it is not unusual to see genders switched, with women
playing male roles and vice versa. There is also a subset of cosplay culture centered on sex
appeal, with cosplayers specifically choosing characters that are known for their attractiveness
and/or revealing costumes.
1. What is the meaning of cosplay?
2. How did the name cosplay come to be?
3. What are favorite sources of cosplay players?
1. What is your opinion of cosplay?
2. If you were to cosplay, what kind of character would you like to portray and why?
3. Cosplaying has become very popular all over the world, why do you think that it is
becoming popular?
SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosplay
http://www.acgart.com/var/albums/Korea%20Spiral%20CAT'S%20Koihime%20Muso%20beaut
iful%20Cosplay/Korea%20Spiral%20CATS%20Koihime%20Muso%20beautiful%20Cosplay%
20(06).jpg?m=1324031969
Ginger, the New Wonder Medicine
Ginger has always been an essential part of most Indian kitchens and grandmothers' medicine
boxes. This spice has been used to treat the feeling of vomiting and indigestion. Now the
Western world has also discovered the wonderful qualities of ginger. They see it as a powerful
medicine against nausea across the world.
In India, grandmothers have known all along that the juice

squeezed from ginger mixed with lime juice can stop one from feeling like vomiting. Since the
taste is not very appealing, especially to children, jaggery or gur is often used to mask the strong
taste of ginger. Then it is no longer a medicine, but a sweetmeat that everyone likes to eat!
And now, British scientists are conducting six studies on the spice's effect on various types of
nausea, including seasickness and sickness caused in the treatment of cancer. Already, the
studies have begun to show results. Scientists have found that those who took a tablet containing
the juice of ginger every day, felt much better than those who took allopathic medicines that are
available in chemist shops. After the results are made final, companies will manufacture it as an
herbal medicine.
1. What is the new wonder medicine?
2. What are the qualities of this wonder medicine?
3. What is used to mask the strong taste of ginger?
1. Is herbal medicine accepted in your culture?
2. In your country, what herbal medicine is used for stomachache?
http://www.pitara.com/discover/eureka/online.asp?story=91
Why don't Birds on a wire get a shock?
Now how is that possible? The fact is, for a living creature to get a shock there has to be a
substantial flow of current through the body. However, there is barely any current running
through the birds body for two reasons. Firstly, the bird not only forms a circuit with the wire,
but it also offers a high resistance to current, so the current passes through the wire instead of the
bird.
Its a bit like this, would you prefer going on a smooth road or a
road full of potholes? The answer is obvious and just like you, the current prefers taking the
easier path. All objects offer some amount of resistance to the flow of current, depending on the
material.
This is just one of the reasons why birds dont get shock, however the more important reason
why current does not pass through the bird is, there is barely any, if at all, voltage difference
across the bird. Current flow is actually just the flow of minutecharged particles that are
invisible to the naked eye. These charged particles need an energy input in order for them to get
transferred. The amount of energy needed to move the charges from one point to another is
measured in terms of the potential difference between the two points.
A bird perched on high-tension wires has both its feet placed firmly on the same wire, so the net
potential difference from one end of the bird to the other is, for all purposes, next to nil.
In order for current to flow through the bird, there must be a sizeable difference in voltage across
the body. While the potential difference between the wire and Earth may be thousands of volts,
the potential difference between the bird's two feet is extremely tiny and so a very small current
flows through the bird which can barely be registered.
If the bird were to touch the wire and simultaneously another wire, it would receive a mild
shock. On the other hand if it were to touch the wire and some other object connected to the
ground, it would receive a deadly shock, the greater the potential difference, the greater is the
current flow.
4. Why dont birds on a wire get a shock?
5. What is current flow?

4. Have you seen a bird perched on a wire?
5. Did it get a shock?
http://www.pitara.com/discover/5wh/online.asp?story=192
Racism
A race is a group of people who have the same

skin color and physical features. There are a few main races in the world, like Europeans
or Caucasians, Blacks, or Asians.
Racists are people who believe that some races are better and more important than others. They
think that their own race is the best and that other races are physically and mentally inferior to
them. In many cases racists feel threatened by others. Racism exists in many countries.
Minorities are often discriminated against and have problems getting jobs, houses or the same
education as others.
There has been racism throughout history. Western scientists and philosophers have often tried
to prove that white people are supreme to others. In the past, governments have
often justified their legal and economic system with racism. It has led to slavery and even the
cold-blooded murder of whole population groups. Racism has made people afraid of their leaders.
1. What is a race?
2. What did western scientists and philosophers try to prove?

3. What is racism? Have you experienced it?
1. How are people of a different color or appearance treated in your country?
2. How do you think victims of racism or discrimination feel?
3. In what ways is racism a problem in society?
Source:
http://www.english-online.at/society/racism/racism.htm
Dingoes - How Dangerous Are They?

Over thirty years ago a baby girl disappeared from an Australian camping site. Her parents say
she was taken and killed by a dingo, a wild dog that is unique in Australia. Many people in
Australia, however, do not believe the story. The fourth investigation of the case should be the
last and will
hopefully solve the case
of the missing baby.
During the case many
questions have come up
on how dangerous
dingoes really are.
Although dingoes are
wild animals, they have
been thought to
be shy creatures. But in
the past decade there
have been reports of
dingoes attacking people
and in one case killing a person.
Dingoes belong to the family of wolves, but they are often classified as a group of dogs. They
look like medium sized dogs and weigh around 20 kg. Dingoes breed once a year and often live
in packs, just like wolves. Scientists who have been studying dingoes say are highly intelligent
animals and closer to wolves than to dogs. They like to live in groups and can solve problems
quickly.
Dingoes came to Australia about 4,000 years ago, probably with Asian seafarers. At that time
the native population had been living on the continent for over 50,000 years. Dingoes became
quickly associated with Aborigines and a part of their lives. They gave them names and were a
part of the family. Sometimes dingoes were even buried with their owners.
Today dingoes are treated differently, depending in which part of Australia you are. In some
places they are looked upon as pests, while elsewhere they are preserved and protected. Public
opinion can change quickly and one day they can be a danger to humans while the next they
belong to endangered species.
Australian environmentalists do not understand the controversy about dingoes. They claim that
if the animals are left alone they will not harm anyone. They watch and observe but do not
attack people. But when they are attacked they turn aggressive and will protect their land and
their young ones at all costs.
1. What are dingoes?
2. Why are dingoes dangerous?
3. How do the people in Australia deal with Dingoes?
1. What do you think of dingoes?
2. Where do you think is the best place for dingoes?
3. How can people prevent dingoes from attacking them?
Source:
http://www.english-online.at/news-articles/science/dingoes-how-dangerous-are-they.htm
What Makes You Happy?

_file1_The United Nations declared March 20
as the first International Day of Happiness, declaring
that the pursuit of happiness is a fundamental
human goal.
In Happy International Happiness Day, Harvey
Morris writes:The United Nations has declared
March 20 the first International Day of Happiness to
underline the commitment of its 193 member states
to better capture the importance of the pursuit of
happiness and well-being in development with a
view to guiding their public policies.
The initiative for Happiness Day came from the
Kingdom of Bhutan, the small landlocked Himalayan state, which adopted a Gross National
Happiness Index as a better measure of its peoples prosperity than its income.
_file2_Ban Ki-moon, the U.N. Secretary-General,
marked the day by calling for a reinforced commitment
to inclusive and sustainable human
development.When we contribute to the common
good, we ourselves are enriched, he said.
Compassion promotes happiness and will help build
the future we want.
The Action for Happiness organization in Britain urges
people to count their blessings. People who are
grateful tend to be happier, healthier and more
fulfilled, it says. Being grateful can help people cope
with stress and can even have a beneficial effect on heart rate.
1. When was the first International Day of Happiness?
2. Why did the United Nations declare the Happiness Day?
3. What did Ban Ki-moon do to mark that day?
1. What makes you happy? Be as specific as you can in listing five things or more.
2. What do you do to make others happy, whether on purpose or not?
3. Do you ever literally count your blessings, as the Action for Happiness organization in
Britain urges people to do? If so, whats on your list right now?
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/21/what-makes-you-happy/#more-128493
Racism
_file1_A race is a group of people who have the

same skin color and physical features. There are a few main races in the world, like Europeans
or Caucasians, Blacks, or Asians.
Racists are people who believe that some races are better and more important than others. They
think that their own race is the best and that other races are physically and mentally inferior to
them. In many cases racists feel threatened by others. Racism exists in many countries.
Minorities are often discriminated against and have problems getting jobs, houses or the same
education as others.
There has been racism throughout history. Western scientists and philosophers have often tried
to prove that white people are supreme to others. In the past, governments have
often justified their legal and economic system with racism. It has led to slavery and even the
cold-blooded murder of whole population groups. Racism has made people afraid of their leaders.
1. What is a race?
2. What did western scientists and philosophers try to prove?
3. What is racism? Have you experienced it?
1. How are people of a different color or appearance treated in your country?
2. How do you think victims of racism or discrimination feel?
3. In what ways is racism a problem in society?
Source:
http://www.english-online.at/society/racism/racism.htm
A Grand Tour of the Universe

Posted by Luna Shyr of National Geographic Magazine
_file1_Several years in the making, National Geographics Space Atlas features 47 new maps
and diagrams, including the
major moons of Jupiter, Saturn,
Uranus, and Neptune. In many
cases the maps are remarkably
detailed; Mercurys surface
incorporates the latest data from
the
orbiting
Messenger
spacecraft.
The crater names on the first
planet might surprise you: Mark
Twain, Botticelli, Dali, and
Shakespeare. Theres a massive
impact site called Beethoven
Basin. Mercurys craters, it turns
out, are named for artists, authors,
composers, and painters.
On Venus nearly every feature is named after goddesses or famous womenIshtar, OKeeffe,
Boleyn, Joliot-Curie Cartographer Matt Chwastyk worked with NASA scientists to pull together
volumes of data to create the maps. His favorite part of the atlas? The moons, definitely, he
says. These are places that no ones ever likely to step foot on, and weve mapped them out.
BEYOND PLANETS AND STARS
From the planets and moons of our solar system, the atlas extends outward to stars in the Milky
Way and celestial phenomena like supernovae and black holes. The life and death of stars are
discussed, along with theories about the universes origin and expansion.
Everything you can see is as most 5 percent of the universe, he adds. The rest is dark matter
and dark energy. We didnt know about either of them 30 years ago.
EDGE OF THE UNKNOWN
Picture this possibility: our universe as a bubble thats expanding (via a mysterious force called
dark energy) and shedding smaller bubbles at the surface as it does. Each smaller bubble then
becomes its own universe.
1. How many maps and diagrams were featured in Space Atlas of National Geographic?
2. What are the names of the craters of the first planet?
3. The names given to Venus craters where taken after whose names?
1. Would you like to be the first Korean national to step on the moon of the other planets? If
so why or why not?
2. Would you like to explore the universe? Why?
3. Do you believe in aliens?
A New Super Hero Everyday? You Better Believe It!
_file1_
If you are a super hero fan, youre probably wishing that someone would think up of a
new character. After all how many iterations of Superman, Batman, andIronman can one watch?
But fear not, because Pixar artist Everett Downing has been sketching brand new 'Supers' as he
likes to call them, with all kinds of incredible powers. So far, he has dreamt up over 300 of them,
and he is not done yet!
Feeling like he was getting into arut and not sketching enough, Downing made a New
Year's resolution, to sketch a new super hero every day, for 365 days!The results are
quite impressive.
The artist begins by giving every hero a name. Some like Rick-Saw and Re-Peteare just
goofy word plays. Others such as 274X-Ray and Spydra sound cool. The rest? Well they are just
random! While this may sound like a strange way to begin creating a super hero, it seems to
work really well for Downing.
He hints at maybe creating a stand-alone comic featuring only the best of his characters
or perhaps even a guide book to all of the Supers. Unless of course, Pixar decides to license them
all first!
Source: http://www.dogonews.com/2013/1/11/a-new-super-hero-everyday-you-better-believe-it
1. What is Everett Downing doing recently?
2. How does he call his super heroes? How many super heroes does he plan to make?
3. What does he plan with his super hero characters?
Discussion Questions
1. Who is your favorite super hero? Why do you like that super hero?
2. If youll create your own super hero, what will be the name?
3. What does New Years resolution mean? Give an example.
_file1_Dear Dad,
I hope this letter reaches all of you in the best of health as it leaves
me here.
You will be glad to know that our school will be closing for winter
vacation from 26th of this month. I shall be leaving this place with
my other friends on the 25th. We will be using the school bus so
to lessen expenses. I am feeling quite lonely sometimes when I
am all alone here at school. I miss those times when Mom cooks and we all eat together.
How is my brother? I remember him very much. I miss playing ball games with him. Please
convey my regards to mummy. I miss her home cooked foods.
I am now eagerly waiting for the school to be closed for the winter vacations.
Yours loving son,
Greg
_file2_My dear Greg,

I have received your letter and am glad to note that you are
keeping all right. I am also happy to note that your school is
shortly closing for winter vacation and you will be coming
over here.
We are planning to go to Bombay on the 30th of this month and
are booking a ticket for you also.
Your brother is fine. Your mother asks you to look after your health. As the saying goes, Health
is wealth.
With love from all of us.
Yours,
Dad
1. Where do they plan to go?
2. When do they plan to go?
3. What did his father tell about his brother?
1. Please explain, Health is wealth in your own words.
2. How do you keep yourself healthy?
3. Do you watch over your family members when they are sick?
Strong 8 magnitude quake hits Iran

_file1_A major 7.8 magnitude
earthquake struck Iran near the border
with Pakistan on Tuesday and tremors
were felt in India and Gulf states.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the
quake hit at 10:44 GMT at a depth of
15.2 km (9.4 miles). The epicenter was
insoutheast Iran in an area of
mountains and desert. It was located
201 km (125 miles) southeast of the
Iranian city of Zahedan and 250 km
northwest of Turbat in Pakistan, USGS said.
Tall buildings shook in India's capital New Delhi, sending people running into the streets,
witnesses said. People also evacuated shaking buildings in Qatar and Dubai, residents said. A
powerful 6.3 magnitude quake struck close to Iran's only nuclear power station on April 9,
killing 37 people and injuring 850 as it destroyed homes and devastated two villages.
Most of Iran's nuclear-related facilities are located incentral Iran or its west, including the
Bushehr nuclear powerplant on the Gulf coast. A U.S. Institute for Science and International
Security map did not show any nuclear-linked facilities in southeastern Iran close to Pakistan.
(Reuters)
1. How strong was the earthquake?
2. Where did the earthquake take place?
3. According to the article, how many people were killed?
1. Have you ever experienced an earthquake? Tell me about it.
2. What would you do if an earthquake happens in your country?
3. How should a country prepare for natural calamities like earthquakes, floods, rain storms,
etc..?
Teenager loses hand in firecracker mishap

_file1_A teenager lost his hand and a man
was burned on Sunday when their clumsy
attempt to make a homemade rocket from a
firecracker ended in failure, police said.
A 16-year-old boy and a 35-year-old man,
who met through an Internet Web site,
bought firecrackers at a stationary store in
Guri, south of Seoul, to use them as
propellant for a small rocket and tried to
test it at a park, officials said.
When they put the gunpowder that they had collected from several squibs into a glass container,
it exploded and the broken pieces sliced the boy's wrist, officials said.
"Although the firecracker didn't have much power, the strong explosion of the glass caused a lot
of damage," a police officer said.
Further investigation is underway to figure out what specifically happened, authorities said. The
victims are currently in stable condition and are undergoing treatment in a nearby hospital.
(Yonhap News)
1. What did a teenager and man attempt to do?
2. What happened when it exploded?
3. What is the status of the two people involved in the explosion?
1. Have you ever handled firecrackers before?
2. What are the dangers of firecrackers or any other explosives?
3. When are firecrackers popular in your country? Why?
Swimming Pigs Live The Ultimate Life Of Luxury In The Bahamas

_file1_Any mention
of the Bahamas tends
to evoke images of
pristine white sands,
crystal clear water
and . . . pigs?
Apparently they are
the main attraction for
the thousands of
tourists that sail past
the tiny island of Big
Mayor Cay, better
known as, Pig Island.
The sole inhabitants
of the island who
lived hidden from the
limelight until they were discovered by photographer Erich Cheung in 2009, have adapted to the
beach lifestyle quite well - They spend their days lazing around frolicking in the sand. When
they get hungry, they simply dip into the tranquil warm waters to seek out the delectable
morsels left for them by the tourists that traverse the area aboard their cruise boats. No one is
quite sure how the porkers ended up at this paradise, that not only gets best weather, but is also,
protected from the tropical storms thanks to its location in the midst of the bigger islands.
However, if rumor is to be believed they can attribute their good fortune to some sailors who
were passing by the area a few years ago, and decided to leave the pigs there to guarantee
themselves a safe and reliable source of food for when they returned.
In fact, over the years, they have become so savvy that they now sense when the next shipment
of food is going to be dropped off and dash out to meet the yachts as they arrive. Of course, now
that they are no longer a secret, tourist ships go out of their way to tour the island and provide
even more delectable treats. Now if only someone could figure out how to get the pigs some
beach chairs and cocktails, life would be perfect!
1. Where can you find these amazing swimming pigs?
2. Who discovered these interesting news and when?
3. What do the pigs in the Island usually do?
1. Do you know any other animals that likes swimming? What animals?
2. What can you say about the article? What can you say about swimming pigs?
3. Would you ever sacrifice your time to train any animal to swim? Why of why not?
Source:
http://www.dogonews.com/2013/4/7/swimming-pigs-live-the-ultimate-life-of-luxury-in-thebahamas
80-Year Old Yuichiro Miura Prepares To Scale The Everest - For The Third Time!
By MeeraDolasia
_file1_For most of us, flying over let alone climbing Mount Everest, the world's tallest mountain
is achievement enough. However, don't tell that to 80-year-old Yuichiro Miura. He is already at
the base in Kathmandu, Nepal preparing to scale the 29,035 feet (8,848 meter) peak for the third
time!
Unlike others, the Japanese man's love affair with this majestic mountain began with a descent
in 1970, when he became the first person to ski down the 8,000 meters. His amazing feat was
captured in a documentary called 'The Man Who Skied Down Everest', which ended up winning
an Oscar Award!
After that he seemed to have gotten a little busy with other pursuits, and it was not until 2003 at
the ripe old age of 70, that he decided to re-visit the Everest - This time, to climb up! Not only
did he succeed, but he also broke the record for being the oldest person ever, to scale the
mountain. However, just four years later, a 71-year-old fellow Japanese by the name of
Katsusuke Yanagisawa managed todisplace him in the record books.
Not one to give up, Yuichiro decided to go at it one more time at the age of 75. While he
succeeded in getting to the peak, he did not sneak his way back into the record books. That's
because just a day before he got there, a 76-year-old Nepalese man by the name of Min
BahadurSherchan had managed to get to the top. While Yuichiro says his third attempt has
nothing to do with the record books, if he succeeds that is where he will end up hopefully, for
good!
Resources: Japandailyexpress.com
1. Who is Yuichiro Miura and what does he do?
2. How many times did he climb Mt. Everest?

3. What award did he win in 1970?
1. Do you like mountain climbing? Why or why not?
2. What can we benefit from mountain climbing?
3. What dream would you like to achieve?
Should Computer Games Be Used for Classroom Instruction?

By MICHAEL GONCHAR
Some say the future of classroom learning should be digitized and gamified, so that students
barely notice they are learning.
_file1_In the opinion piece Reading, Writing and
Video Games, Pamela Paul writes about her concerns
with the growing trend of computer games in the
classroom:
When I was a child, I liked to play video games. On my
brothers Atari, I played Night Driver. On his Apple II, I
played Microwave, Aztec and Taipan!
Heres what I learned: At a certain level on Microwave,
the music from the bar scene in Star Wars comes on. If I
am at the front line when aliens descend to Earth, well
all be in trouble. Also, dealing opium in the South China
Sea is more lucrative than trading in commodities.
In short, I didnt learn much of anything. My parents
didnt expect me to. I just had fun.
Today, educational technology boosters believe computer games (the classroom euphemism for
video games) should be part of classroom lessons at increasingly early ages. The optimistic
theory is that students wearied by the old pencil-and-paper routine will become newly enchanted
with phonemic awareness when letters dressed as farm animals dance on a screen.
1. What did Pamela Paul use to play when she was a child?
2. What did she learn from the video games?
3. What is the optimistic theory about computer games?
1. Do students learn important skills and concepts playing computer games? What do you
think?
2. Should computer games be used more and more for classroom instruction? Or should
they be for fun outside of school, while class time is used primarily for deeper learning?
3. What have video games taught you?
4. Can you imagine a video game that teaches you important skills and concepts?
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/19/should-computer-games-be-used-for-classroominstruction/
Go cheek to whisker at Argentinas Lujan Zoo

The wisdomand track recordof the zoo is hotly debated
_file1_Many of the animals here are former illegal house pets that are given to the zoo after
outgrowing their homes. Image by Zoo De Lujan.
With the weather getting warmer, its time to get back outside and reconnect with the wildlife
and no place will let you get closer to the wildest of wild things than Lujan Zoo in Argentina.
Located just outside Buenos Aires, Lujan Zoo provides zoo goers the opportunity to bottle feed a
bear, cuddle a tiger, or rub noses with a lion, and, if these pictures are accurate, walk away unmauled. While many visitors assert the animals are clearly drugged, the zoo insists the tameness
is entirely natural, a product of raising each cub from birth and teaching them to be calm,
permissive, and uninterested in eating humans.
Since opening in 1994, there have been no reports of unexpected predation, but whether that
perfect record is due to good training, luck, or bribery of authorities is hotly debated. Check out
this extreme petting zoo below, and remember, the Lujan Zoo is one of the only places in the
world where you can pet wild animals, an extremely dangerous activity that you should not take
lightly and should never try outside the confines of such facilities.
_file2_
Source: http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/nature/post/go-cheek-to-whisker-at-argentinas-lujanzoo/
Comprehensive questions:
1. Where can is this zoo located?
2. What can zoo goers do with the animals at the zoo?
3. What do they teach to some animals?
1. Do you really think that wild animals can be tamed?
2. Do you think that going to zoos is safe? Why or why not?
3. Have you tried petting an animal in a zoo?
Why does hair turn gray?

_file1_It is well known that gray hair results
from a reduction of pigment, while white hair
has no pigment, but why this happens
remains somewhat of a mystery.
Parents often cite having teenagers as the
cause of gray hair. This is a good theory, but
scientists continue to investigate why hair
turns gray. In time, everyones hair turns gray.
Your chance of going gray increases 10-20%
every decade after 30 years.
Initially, hair is white. It gets its natural color
from a type of pigment called melanin. The
formation of melanin begins before birth. The natural color of our hair depends
upon the distribution, type and amount of melanin in the middle layer of the hair
shaft or cortex.
Hair has only two types of pigments: dark (eumelanin) and light (phaeomelanin).
They blend together to make up the wide range of hair colors.
Melanin is made up of specialized pigment cells called melanocytes. They position
themselves at the openings on the skins surface through which hair grows
(follicles). Each hair grows from a single follicle.
The process of hair growth has three phases:
Anagen
Catagen
Telogen
With age comes a reduction of melanin. The hair turns gray and eventually white.
http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/grayhair.html
1. Why does hair turn gray?
2. What is made up of specialized pigment cells called melanocytes?
3. What is the 3 phases of hair growth?
1. Do your parents have gray hair already?

2. Do you think having gray hair is a sign of old age?
3. How would you talk good care of your parents when they get older?
Teen Polyglot Has Mastered 23 Languages

By MeeraDolasia
_file1_
New York teen Timothy Doner, has an unusual hobby - He likes to learn languages! And not the
way most of us do to get through basic school requirements, butthoroughly enough so that he can
conduct a decent conversation. Over the last five years, the 17-year old has been able to master
23! While this has earned him the title of the world's youngest polyglot, he is still not satisfied.
The youngster's quest to learn languages began in 2009 after completing basic Hebrew lessons in
preparation for his Bar Mitzvah ceremony. He enjoyed it so much that he decided to become
fluent in modern Hebrew. Craving for more, he then picked up Arabic. Within four days, he
managed to master the alphabet and by the end of the week, the prowess to read the language
fluently. After that, there was no stopping him.
Over the years, he has added Russian, Farsi, Hausa, Italian, Persian, Swahili Indonesian, Hindi,
Ojibwe, Pashto, Turkish, Kurdish, Yiddish, Dutch, Croatian, Spanish and German to
his repertoire of languages. The list does not include the ones that he has taken up at school,
which include French, Mandarin, Latin and of course, English. The most amazing part is that he
has managed to learn all the additional languages on his own, using just online apps and
grammar books.
The young polyglot begins by learning how to pronounce the alphabet correctly and then
teaching himself the correct grammar. He then augments this by reading newspapers and
conversing with people that speak that language, either in person or on Internet chat rooms. In
order to attract other people with similar skills and interest, he has even started posting videos of
himself speaking different languages on YouTube.
Resources: Huffingtonpost.com,dailymail.co.uk,NewYork Dailynews.com
1. What is the teenage featured in this article?
2. How many languages did he master?
3. What does Polygot means?
1. Do you think it is possible for you to master more languages?
2. What languages would you like to learn and why?
3. Is it important for you to learn different languages all over the world?
_file1_My Dear Chitra,

I hope this finds you and Sriram in the best of health.
It is more than three months since you
left for Bhopal, but to my surprise I have
not received a single letter from you. I
just cannot understand the reason for it.
May be that you people are busy shifting
from one house to another and setting it
in a proper way. But then please do
snatch some time for yourself and keep
us informed about you. Mummy gets
very much worried and so is the case
with papa.
Please do write to us whenever you get
time. Parents convey their love to you.
With love and best wishes.
Yours affectionately,
Madhavi
Hello Madhavi,
I just got your letter last April 18. Thanks for your concern.
Well, I am doing fine. I am really sorry because I wasnt able to update you with my condition
here at Bhopal. I just got a new job. I am very busy that I cant find time to write you a letter.
Please tell Mummy and Papa that I am in my best condition. Please them tell to stop worrying
about me. Lastly, please tell them I miss them.
I promise to keep in touch with you.
Yours truly,
Chitra
1. When did Chitra receive Madhavis letter?
2. What did Chitra ask Madhavi to tell her parents?
3. What was Chitras promise to Madhavi?
1. How do you keep in touch with your friends who live far from you?
2. Do you miss someone right now? Who is this person and why do you miss her/him?
3. Why do you think it is important to keep in touch with family and friends who live far
from you?
President Obama Hosts White House Science Fair: This Stuff Is Really Cool
_file1_President
Obama today
praised the work
of student
scientists and
engineers at the
third annual White
House Science
Fair, saying, This
stuff is really
cool.
I want to thank
these incredible
young people for
explaining to me what the heck is going on, Obama joked in brief remarks at the White House.
Thirty students from across the country came to the White House today to show off their winning
projects from science, technology, engineering and math competitions.
The president, who described the event as one of his personal favorites, got a first-hand look at
the rockets, robots and gizmos on display. He checked out a buoy alert system that notifies
people of rip currents, admired an egg-propelling rocket and tested out a bicycle that powers a
water-filtration system.
As he got on the bike, Obama joked, gesturing to the media.
Only because these guys really want this, Obama quipped.
He then spent several minutes cycling in place while the two students explained how their
invention worked.
We celebrate our great football players and we celebrate outstanding musicians, and thats
all appropriate, Obama later said. But weve got to make sure that were also celebrating,
every single day in our schools, in our classrooms and in our country, the outstanding
contributions that scientists and engineers and mathematicians and engineers are providing to us
every single day.
We want you to know that youve got a whole country behind you as you pursue your dreams,
he said. And your success is going to be our success, as well. So, way to go.
1. What did President Obama host in the White House?
2. What were some things that was seen in the Science Fair?
3. What did he do for several minutes while two students explained how their invention
worked?
1. Have you ever joined a Science Fair? Tell me about it.
2. If you can invent something, what would it be and why?
3. Does your government have events like Science Fairs to showcase young scientists?
SUNCHEON BAY GARDEN OPENS

_file1_The Suncheon Bay Garden Expo 2013 Korea opened Friday under the theme Garden of the Earth.
The six-month long expo in Suncheon,
South Jeolla Province, is spread out
across a 1.1 million square meter
venue and divided into an Arboretum
Zone, Wetland Center Zone, Wetland
Zone and World Garden Zone.
Situated near scenicSuncheon Bay,
the expo is aimed at protecting the
environment and keeping downtown
Suncheon from sprawling into the bay
area.
Suncheon Bay is a 2.6 million square
meter area comprising mud flats and
reed fields. It's considered the most well-preserved wetland in the world, and through its environmental
aims the expo eventually hopes to transform the city of Suncheon and the world.
_file2_The expos mascot is the hooded
crane, which is a major migratory bird in
the area. The names Kkuru and Kkumi
were given to two mascots and coined
after the birds' distinctive call.
The highlight of the expo is obviously its
gardens. The eleven traditional gardens,
eleven themed gardens and 61
participatory gardens hail from 23
different countries.
There will also be an abundance of
cultural events throughout the venue, and
roughly 2,500 performances are stated to
be held outside the expo in downtown
Suncheon.
SOURCE: english.kbs.co.kr
1. What opened at Suncheon Bay?
2. What is the aim of the project? Explain.
3. Where did the name of the mascots originate from?
Discussion Quesntions:
1. Have you heard about the expo at Suncheon Bay? What is it all about?
2. What can you say about this project? Why?
3. What other projects can you suggest to make your country a more beautiful place?
Sri Lanka's Face-Sized Spider

_file1_Arachnophobes beware! A new
species of tarantula that can grow to the size
of a grown-up's face been discovered in Sri
Lanka, and it is giving villagers quite the
scare. Who can blame them!?
Just like all other
spiders Poecilotheria rajaei have eight legs,
eight eyes, and two fangs. Their bite is not
deadly to humans but they can easily kill mice, birds, snakes, and lizards. If their sheer size
wasn't enough to help us tell them apart from other spiders, they also have unique bright yellow
and grey markings on their legs and belly and a pink band around their abdomen.
The super-sized spiders prefer to live in old trees and can even be found living in old buildings
because deforestation has made it harder for them to find suitable trees to live in. Many
villagers in the region of Manulam kill them when they find them, whether they are in their
house or in a forest, which scientists say could also put the future of the species at risk.
The species was first discovered in 2009 but because of the Sri Lankan civil war scientists were
only able to confirm that the spider is in fact a new species last week. The first live spider was
discovered in late 2012 with the help of a local police officer who lead scientists through the post
civil war northern area of the island to where they are found.
http://www.gogonews.com/news.html
1. What is the name of the new species of tarantula?
2. Where do this spider prefer to live?
3. When was it first discovered?
1. Is this spider dangerous to humans?
2. Are you afraid of spiders?
3. What other animals or insects are you scared of and why?
Singer Nah Youn-sun named jazz goodwill ambassador
_file1_Local jazz vocalist Nah Youn-sun has been appointed Koreas goodwill ambassador for
UNESCOs International Jazz Day, according to representatives of the Korean National
Commission for UNESCO.
In 2011, UNESCO honored jazz music as a source of enhancing global unity and peace and
deemed April 30 International Jazz Day. As a representative of Korea, Nah will perform
alongside other local jazz artists at Olympus Hall in Seoul on April 30.
The 44-year-old musician first debuted as a jazz vocalist in Korea at age 12 before moving to
Paris to continue her studies in music. Nah recently released her eighth album last month titled
Lento. Along with her performance on International Jazz Day, Nah will also hold a solo
concert on April 17 at LG Arts Center in Seoul.
By Julie Jackson (juliejackson@heraldcorp.com)
SOURCE: http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20130411000762
1. Who is Nah Youn-sun?
2. When is the celebration on International Jazz Day? What will Nah Youn-sun do on
International Jazz day?
3. What was the title of her eighth album?
1. Is Nah Youn-sun famous in your country?
2. Do you like listening to Jazz music? If yes, who is your favorite Jazz singer? If no, then
what kind of music do you listen to?
3. What can you say about Nah Youn-sun?
How Much Do You Know About Your Familys History?

By SHANNON DOYNE
_file1_The single most important thing
you can do for your family is to develop a
strong family narrative.
Dr. Duke, a psychologist at Emory
University, was asked to help explore
myth and ritual in American families.
Dr. Dukes wife, Sara, a psychologist
who works with children with learning
disabilities, noticed something about her
students.The ones who know a lot about
their families tend to do better when they
face challenges, she said.
Her husband was intrigued, and along with a colleague, Robyn Fivush, set out to test her
hypothesis. They developed a measure called the Do You Know? scale that asked children to
answer 20 questions.Examples included: Do you know where your grandparents grew up? Do
you know where your parentsstudied and where they met? Do you know the story of your birth?
They asked those questions to four dozen families in 2001, and taped their dinner table
conversations. They compared the childrens results to a battery of psychological tests the
children had, and reached an overwhelming conclusion. The more children knew about their
familys history, the stronger their sense of control over their lives, the higher their self-esteem
and the more successfully they believed their families functioned.
1. What did Dr. Dukes wife notice about her students?
2. What did Dr. Duke and Dr.Fiyush develop to test Saras hypothesis and how did they use
it?
3. What conclusion did they reach from the test?
1. Does your family have stories about its members that have been passed down?
2. If so, how did you learn these stories?
3. What family narratives or stories did you grow up hearing?
4. What events from your life, or your parents or siblings, do you think will eventually be
handed down to future generations? Why?
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/18/what-role-does-storytelling-play-in-yourfamily/#more-128247
Responding to Misbehavior
Michael Cohen
http://www.responsiveclassroom.org
_file1_No matter how carefully we teach positive behavior, students will still sometimes
misbehave. They'll forget the rules, their impulses will win out over their self-control, or they'll
just need to test where the limits are.
As they learn to negotiate social expectations, children test limits, get carried away, forget, and
make mistakes. In fact, having these experiences and seeing how adults respond to them is one
way children learn about how to behave. Just as when we teach academics, we can use students'
behavioral mistakes as opportunities for learning. To do this well, however, we adults must hold
on to empathy for the child who misbehaves while holding her accountable. We also need to
respond to misbehavior in ways that show all of our students that we will keep them safe and
see to it that classroom rules are observed.
In the Responsive Classroom approach to discipline, the overarching goal is to keep the focus on
learning, while maintaining a classroom that's physically and emotionally safe for all. To achieve
this, responses to misbehavior should:
Stop the misbehavior and reestablish positive behavior as quickly as possible
Maintain children's dignity
Develop childrens self-control and self-regulation skills
Help children recognize and fix any harm caused by their mistakes
Demonstrate that rules help make the classroom a safe place where all can learn
In classrooms where this approach is used, adults respond quickly, firmly, and respectfully when
children misbehave. Minor problems are addressed before behavior gets out of control. Children
are held accountable for their behavior, with adults guiding their learning so they can make
better choices next time.
1. Why do students misbehave?
2. How do children learn to behave?

3. What is Responsive Classroom approach?
4. How do adults help in childrens behavior?
1. How does your school deal with a student who misbehaves or gets in trouble?
2. What kinds of punishment does your school use?
3. Does your school try to help students learn from their mistakes after they get in trouble?
4. What does your school do to prevent conflicts or violence in your school community?
Scientists say they can read dreams

_file1_Japanese scientists say they have found a way to "read" people's dreams. Researchers at
the ATR Computational Neuroscience
Laboratories used magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI) for what they say is, "the world's first
decoding" of night-time visions. Their research
is published in the journal "Science". The
researchers wrote: "Visual imagery during sleep
has long been a topic of persistent speculation,
but its private nature has hampered objective
analysis. Here, we present a neural decoding
approach in which machine learning models
predict the contents of visual imagery during
sleep." They were able to predict what images their volunteers had seen with a 60 per cent
accuracy rate.
The research is a part of a wider program aimed at studying the brain. It hopes to unlock the
secrets of the unconscious mind to help the disabled move artificial limbs using brain activity. It
could also help those with dementia and other neurological conditions. A spokesperson said:
"Our expectations from the dream study are quite high, but we are also looking carefully at the
ethical aspects of the technology, which may allow a third person to look at somebody else's
thoughts." Head researcher YukiyasuKamitani said, "Dreams have fascinated people since
ancient times, but their function and meaning has remained closed". He believes his research is
"a key step towards reading dreams more precisely".
Source: http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com (dannie)
1. What technology did the scientists use to "read" people's dreams?
2. For how long did a researcher say dreams have fascinated us?
3. Who else could the research help besides the disabled?
1. Do you still remember your dream? Tell about the recent dream that you remember.
2. Have you had a dream that came true?
3. Do you believe in dream interpretation?
Canadian Artist Excels in Bubble Wrap Paintings

By MeeraDolasia
_file1_Though the inventor's original reason for creating bubble wrap to use as textured
wallpaper or greenhouse insulator never quite took off, many other unexpected uses ranging
from an advent-like calendar to a dancing mat, sure have. However, none come even close to
what Toronto-based artist Bradley Hart is using it for - A canvas upon which to create stunning
portraits and landscape mosaics!
The artist whose work was recently displayed at New York City's Gallery Nine 5, says that the
idea of using bubble wrap first occurred to him when he noticed a leftover roll of the air filled
plastic at his first solo art exhibition. Intrigued at the thought of turning something that is used to
protect art into a piece of art itself, he decided to give it a try, and has never looked back since.
Using proprietary software that he developed with a
friend, Bradley begins by first mapping the outline of
the subject he wishes to paint, onto the bubble wrap.
He then assigns a
code to each color of
the paint syringe he
is planning to use.
Then begins
the painstaking process of marking each bubble with the right

code so that when it is time to inject the colors, he know exactly what goes into each.
_file2_After that, it is time to fill the approximately 1,200-1500 paint syringes that are needed to
make a single portrait. The number depends on the colors he is planning to use - For example, for
his portrait of the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, he injected 89 different colors of paint into
the 16,000 bubbles.
Then begins the real painting! Going from bottom to top, the artist and a team of assistants
carefully inject the appropriate colors into each bubble. These have to be paced at the right speed.
If they go too slow, the bubbles will not fill properly. If they inject the colors too fast, the
bubbles will burst. Over the years, the artist has figured out that the optimal pace is about three
bubbles a minute.
Once every bubble is injected, the artist and his assistants begin the clean-up process, which
involves surgically removing the extra paint that drips down the back of the piece. As a result,
the painting looks a little blurry but equally stunning from the back as well, something the artist
calls impressions. It is therefore no wonder that each painting takes between 150-200 hours to
complete.
_file3_Resources: Huffingtonpost.com, yahoo, bradleyhart.ca
Who is Bradley Hart?
How does he make his piece of art? Explain it based on your own understanding.
Why did he create this kind of art from bubble wrap?
What can you say about Bradley
Harts work of art?
Are you good at making art pieces
or drawing?
Who is the most impressive painter
you know? Why is he impressive
for you?
_file1_My Dear Tom,

You will be glad to know that my sister,
Bindu, has been engaged to Sohan, whose
parents live in Delhi. Now Sohan is a healthy
and handsome boy of 26 years and he is at
present employed as an engineer in Oil India
at New Delhi. Sohan has been a brilliant
scholar throughout his career. He is also a
first class sportsman. He is a member of his
companys cricket team. Sohans father is a
retired colonel in the Army Medical Services and lives in his own house in Daryaganj. Sohans
mother is a well-educated lady. I am confident that Bindu will be very happy after her marriage.
The marriage has been fixed for 15th of September. I shall be very happy if you come here a day
or two before this date so that you may help me in the arrangements.
With best regards to your parents and love to your sisters.
Yours Sincerely,
Billy
_file2_Dear Billy,
I hope you are having a great day!
I am really surprised to know that you
sister, Bindu is already getting married.
She was just single when I last saw her
and look at her now. I think she has
blossomed to be a very beautiful lady. I
heard that Sohan is a great man. I know
for sure that they will have a great family.
Well, theres no hesitation that I am going to your sisters wedding. I will be there to help you in
any way I can. I already booked my ticket. I will arrive on the 12th of September.
Again, thanks for the invitation.
I cant wait to see you and Bindu.
Sincerely,
Tom
1. Who is a great man?
2. When will Tom arrive?
3. Who cant wait to see Bindu and Billy?

1. Have you ever rejected an invitation? Why?
2. Would you attend you exs wedding? If yes, why? If no, why not?
3. What do you think of friends becoming lovers?
Thousands protest Bangladesh deaths

_file1_Anger is high in
the Bangladeshi capital
Dhaka following the
collapse of the Rana
Plaza, in which at least
304 clothing factory
workers died. The
tragedy is the latest and
the deadliest in a long
line of preventable
accidents that has
plagued the country's
garment industry. The
government is
questioning the building's owners as to why more than 3,000 workers were allowed to enter the
building after large cracks appeared in its walls the day before it collapsed. The government also
wants to know why building safety standards were ignored in its construction. Bangladesh's
Information Minister HasanulHaqueInu told Bangladeshi reporters: "I wouldn't call it an accident;
I would say it's murder."
Thousands of furious garment workers rampaged through industrial areas of the capital on
Friday. They set fire to over 150 cars and at least two factories. They are protesting at the
shocking disregard for safety in buildings, child labor, and pay rates as low as 14 cents an hour.
Questions are also being asked of Western clothing brands that depend on cheap clothing from
Bangladesh to keep their prices low. Garments were found inside the building with labels for
some of Britain and America's top clothing stores. Western brands have a history of ignoring
safety standards and working conditions in Bangladesh and other countries. Laboractivists have
asked the brands to help pay for safer factories.
http://breakingnewsenglish.com/1304/130428-bangladesh.html#ixzz2RskAzfDU
1. Who is the government questioning about the building's collapse?
2. What did builders ignore?
3. What did people destroy in protests on Friday?
1. Who do you think is to blame?
2. What punishment should people get for ignoring safety standards?
3. What will it take to improve working conditions in Bangladesh?
More students seek mental health counseling

_file1_Mental health accounted for over onequarter of problems for which teenagers
consulted experts last year, a sharp increase
from four years before, according to a report
released Sunday.
The Korea Youth Counseling and Welfare
Institute said 3,500 students received its
counseling services in 2012, of which 25.8
percent involved depression, anxiety, anger
and suicidal tendencies and other mental
problems.
Depression, in particular, has become the
major concern for the students, jumping to
12.6 percent from 4.3 percent in 2008.
High school and college students showed the highest percentage of mental health problems with
32.7 percent and 33.2 percent, respectively.
Meanwhile, the majority of primary students sought counseling for family problems and middle
school students for their relationships with peers with 24.8 percent and 28.7 percent, respectively,
according to the KYCWI.
The report also showed that counseling services for internet addiction have jumped among
students to 7.7 percent from 0.5 percent four years ago.
(596story@heraldcorp.com)
1. What are some mental problems that students are suffering from?
2. What has become the major concern for students?
3. Addiction to what has also increased in the past years?
1. Have you suffered from depressed? When? Why? OR Do you know anyone who has
suffered or is suffering from depression?
2. How can mental problems like these be avoided?
3. How do you handle stress?
Amazing dogs Trained to help human

_file1_As the old saying goes, a friend in need
is a friend in deed, and what better friend to
help humans in need if not dogs? These
amazing animals have been dubbed mans best
friend for a reason, and after seeing how much
they can help, youll agree that dogs are indeed
awesome animals with a great deal of devotion.
You ever heard of a dog doing your shopping?
Would you let your dog withdraw money from
the ATM in your place? Most of us would most
likely answer no way Jose, but some people depend on dogs to do human chores due to the fact
that they cant do it themselves. Lets have a look and see just how many amazing human chores,
trained dogs can do. Meet Byron, a golden retriever who makes his owners bed, does her
grocery and helps with the dishes. Why does he do all that? Because his owner Kate Cross cant
do all that. This amazing dogs owner suffers from Ehlers Danlos syndrome which impairs her to
move because of the facts that her joints are extremely weak. With her condition, even opening a
door could dislocate her shoulder. Luckily, Byron is by her side being her friend in need and
doing the laundry, the shopping and any other human chores we take for granted.
Byron was trained by Canine Partners a charity which has matched many assistance dogs to
people who need their help. What exactly does Byron do? Well, after his owner wakes up in the
morning, this doggy helps her into her wheelchair, and then rushes to the fridge to get Kate her
breakfast. After that he even does the dishes, with the aid of the dishwasher, of course, but still,
pretty amazing! After the morning chores are done, this awesome dog accompanies his master to
the supermarket and he will pick up every item Kate has on her grocery list, with the money that
he got from the ATM: He can do such amazing things he takes my bank card and reaches up
to put it into a cash machine, and takes the cash when it comes out, and passes it to me all I
have to do is put in my pin number.
1. What is the name of the Dog?
2. What is the breed of the dog?
3. What does Byron do when his owner wakes up in the morning?
1. What can you say about the article?
2. Does Byron a helpful dog? Explain.
3. Do you have a pet dog? If yes, how do you train your dog?
Source:http://www.vyperlook.com/awesome-cool/page/2
BLINDNESS and BULLYING : Life Meant to be Shared

_file1_After losing her sight and enduring bullying at the hands of classmates,
Molly Burke transformed her pain into a mission. The 19-year-old activist and
motivational speaker from Toronto has overcome obstacles few her age have
faced, and she came out unbroken.
As a child, she began to lose her sight due to a condition called retinitis
pigmentosa. When classmates began bullying her at school and even abandoning
her in a forest one time, Burke sank into depression.
_file2_"I felt like

I was dead. I
felt like if I
committed
suicide, if I was gone, nobody would miss me, nobody would even notice because
who I was, Molly, was already gone," Burke said. The young woman was treated
for depression, but said it was when she began to speak about her struggles that
she found new purpose: inspiring others with her own stories of hope. She tells
youth about how she's adapted to her blindness and how she overcame the
torment from classmates.
_file3_Rachel Stinson, the coordinator of the campaign where Burke is a speaker
said, "She's able to connect with people through her story and through what she's
going through," .Once silent about her suffering, Burke now teaches others how to
face adversity.
"She's telling young people listening, 'Yes, you are okay, there's nothing wrong
with you. You may be different, but you are just fine.'" Source:
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/once-tormented-by-bullies-blind-teen-inspiresas-motivational-speaker-1.1242814#ixzz2Qtd5g3BP
1. Who has become a successful motivational speaker despite her
experiences?
2. What did Rachel Stinson, the coordinator, say about Burke?
3. What happened to Molly Burke?
1. What do you think about her experiences and what she has become?
2. Are there similar situation like Burkes in your country?
3. What are the most common results of bullying in your country?
ARE UFOs REAL?

_file1_UFO stands for any
"Unidentified Flying Object".
However, the term generates most
interest when it is used in reference to
the spaceships that are believed to
come from outside this world, literally.
There have been a lot of reports of
unexplained huge saucer shaped or
triangular objects flying in the air.
Most say that these vehicles travel at
incredible speed and some have even
reported to have been kidnapped by
these spaceships.
The early probable UFO sightings
reported date back to 1504-1450 B.C.
This evidence comes from the
inscriptions on an Egyptian papyrus
that depicted a chain of flying saucers flying in the sky. Variably termed as 'rings of fire' or 'fire
spewing giants', there are mentions of quite a few such mysterious phenomenon that date to the
earliest civilizations.
hese are believed to be references to UFOs. Throughout history there have been literary
references and depictions in paintings, of formation of moving bright lights in the sky. For many
of the recent occurrences, photographs have been provided as proofs. While some have been
found to be phony, for some others there is no evidence to discredit their authenticity.
Source: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/are-ufos-real.html
1. What are UFOs?
2. When was the earliest probable UFO sightings reported?
3. What do people call the UFOs in ancient times?
1. Do you believe inaliens and UFOs? Why or why not?
2. What comes to your mind when you hear or read the words Aliens and UFOs?
3. What will you do if you will see an alien or a UFO?
Bioengineered Kidney Transplanted into Rat

_file1_By stripping a kidney of its
cells and repopulating it with new ones,
scientists have shown in a rat that a
bioengineered kidney can function to
some extent like a normal one.
The study deserves high marks for
advancing techniques that others may
adopt in bioengineering kidneys, says
Edward Ross, a nephrologist at the
University of Florida in Gainesville.
This is still very early, but theyve
come a long way. Its really beautiful
work.
The kidney is a complex organ that
performs the delicate work of filtering
waste out of the blood and keeping electrolytes balanced. When kidneys fail, a persons only
options are dialysis or a kidney transplant. But candidates for kidney transplant far outnumber
available donors.
After clearing out the cells, Otts team seeded the kidney scaffold with healthy neonatal kidney
cells from rats and blood vessel cells from humans. Over several days, the cells latched onto the
kidney structure and proliferated. The cells also produced proteins essential for kidney function,
grew into structures that resembled the filtration units in mammalian kidneys and even made
small amounts of urine.
The researchers then transplanted the freshly minted kidney into a live rat that had had a kidney
removed. Inside the rat, the bioengineered kidney produced a small amount of urine. The authors
say this experiment proves the principle that a regenerated kidney may work in a live mammal.
Source:http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/349723/description/Bioengineered_kidney_
transplanted_into_rat
1. How was the bioengineered kidney transplanted into the rat?
2. What are the functions of human kidneys? What happens if the kidneys fail to perform its
function?
3. Did the kidney transplant work for the rat?
1. Do you think bioengineered kidney transplant will work for humans? Why or why not?
2. Do you know of a person who has kidney failure? What could have been the possible
causes for his/her condition?
3. How do you take care of your kidneys? Do you agree that Prevention is better than cure?
Want a Flying Car? Try the Amazing Sky Car

_file1_Flying cars have been
invented and theyre amazing.
The Moller SkyCar M400 is
a car which you can both
drive and fly! Yes, you read
that right; flying cars are no
longer just a dream or an
image in a science-fiction
movie, its reality. Find out
the details on the flying car
and when you can expect to
own one for yourself right
here.
Driving is so last century
steps into the new century
with the newest model of
Mollers SkyCar M400. If you were thinking to go to France, but you didnt exactly have book a
plane seat in advance Moller has the solution for you.
The SkyCar M400 is the newest personal VOLT prototype, and its the best of its kind. Now,
you might be asking yourself what a VOLT is. Well, the abbreviation stands for vertical take-off
and landing. So, imagine having your own personal vehicle, which apart from driving, can also
be used as an aircraft.
Paul Moller is the man we should be thanking for this amazing invention. He has been working
on developing flying cars for personal use for the past forty years, and this year, hes closer to
seeing his dream come true, than hes ever been. Athena Technologies, from California has
signed an agreement with Miller International to create a joint venture project and build the
aircraft in both the U.S. and the Peoples Republic of China.
1. What is the name of the car that you can both drive and fly?
2. Who invented the flying car?
3. What can you say about this invention?
1. Are you into cars? What kind of car do you prefer?
2. If you were a car, what car would you like to be?
3. Do you think its possible to invent a car with emergency ejector seats which the motorist
could use to escape in an extreme emergency?
Source:
http://www.vyperlook.com/awesome-cool/skycar-the-amazing-flying-car
Hello Mr. Oxford,

_file1_Thank you for taking the time to tell
us about your unfortunate experience with
the Springfield Fire Department. I am sorry
to hear about your losses in the house fire,
and I regret that you were not satisfied with
the performance of our fire fighters. I have
scheduled a meeting with the Fire Chief and
the Battalion Chief from the main station to
discuss your comments.
We are particularly concerned about the
delay in response time, and we will be investigating the details of the fire in the coming weeks.
We have a firm commitment to the citizens of Springfield to make this fire department more
efficient at the job of saving lives and property. Thanks again for your helpful suggestions on
ways to improve our record.
Yours truly,
Mr. Nate Bills
Good Day Mr. Bills,

I received your message last Tuesday. It is a relief that you are taking this matter seriously. I am
so glad for your positive feedback. You know what? My house has turned into ashes but I am
still grateful because nothing bad happened to me and to my family.
It is nice to know that you are willing to investigate the real cause of the fire.
I am just concerned and I dont want this kind of problem to happen in our community anymore.
I hope this incident would give a lesson for us to learn. I am very willing to extend my hand in
any ways I can to help solve this untoward incident.
Thank you very much and more powers.
Sincerely yours,
Mr. Adam Oxford
1. What happened to the house of Mr. Oxford?
2. Why is Mr. Oxford grateful?
3. Is Mr. Oxford happy with Mr. Bills response?
1. Have you ever thought of becoming a firefighter?
2. What are the most common causes of house fires?

3. What can we do to help our community safe from this kind of tragedies?
Mount Fuji to be World Heritage Site

_file1_Japan's Mount Fuji will become a World
Heritage Site in June. The United Nations (U.N.)
decided on April the 30th to give the famous
mountain UNESCO World Heritage status. The
U.N. team that made the decision said Fuji was
very important to Japanese religion and art. They
also said that the 3,776-meter-high volcano was
important outside of Japan too. Fuji-san (as
Japanese people call it) has been a sacred
mountain for more than 1,000 years. Priests say
that when you climb it, you move from the "everyday world" at the bottom, to the "world of gods,
Buddha and death" at the top. They believe people can wash away their sins by climbing to the
top and coming back down again.
Mount Fuji is a major tourist destination. It is very popular with hikers, who want to see the
rising sun from its peak. More than 318,000 hikers visited the mountain last summer, with up to
15,000 people climbing each day. Local residents are now worried the World Heritage status will
mean more visitors. That means there will be more litter and environmental problems. The local
government may ask people to pay to climb the mountain to help preserve its beauty. Governor
ShomeiYokouchi said: "It's likely we'll ask mountain climbers to help financially with keeping
the mountain clean." Another idea being talked about is to limit the daily number of hikers
allowed to the top.
http://breakingnewsenglish.com/1305/130504-mount_fuji.html#ixzz2SWs96Eac
1. What two things in Japan is Mt. Fuji important to?
2. What can people wash away by climbing Fuji?
3. What problems do local people worry about?
1. Why is heritage important?
2. What is the importance of being a World Heritage site?
3. Why is Mount Fuji so important to Japanese people?
SAT exam canceled over possible questions leak
The organizer of the U.S. Scholastic Aptitude Test

canceled the college admission exam for Koreans
scheduled for Saturday amid an investigation into a
leak of exam questions.
The College Board, which oversees the SAT, notified
Korean applicants on Wednesday of the cancellation
via email. The SAT is currently offered several times a
year in more than 170 countries.
The prosecution has been investigating more than
eight private institutes since February over allegations
that they leaked exam questions to students.
It is still not clear how they had obtained the exam
material, but there is a possibility that some of the leaked questions would have been used on the canceled
test, according to an official from the Educational Testing Service, the U.S.-based firm that develops and
administers the SAT tests.
Were still waiting for the result of the investigation. But at the moment, we have no plan to cancel the
test again, the official told The Korea Herald, adding that the next test in June will remain unchanged
despite the on-going investigation.
It is not the first time the leaking of test materials has been reported. In 2007, some 900 test-takers in
Korea had their scores cancelled after allegations that there was a security breach of the SAT early in
the year.
By Oh Kyu-wook
1. What does SAT stand for?
2. Why were the SATs cancelled?
3. When will the next test be?
1. Have you ever taken the SATs before? Will you be taking it in the future?
2. Why is your SAT score important for the future?
3. How do you prepare for exams at school?
Canines Demonstrate the True Meaning Of 'Best Friends Forever'
To declare to be Best Friends Forever (BFF) is easy - All one has to do, is say it loudly and
exchange a bracelet or two. However, a true BFF is one that helps out when the other is in
trouble, not just once or twice, but for an entire lifetime, if needed - That is the kind of friend that
six-year old Milo has become for his best buddy, Eddie, who recently lost his eyesight.
What makes the relationship even more special is they are not humans, but dogs - Milo is a
mixed breed Terrier and Eddie a seven-year-old Labrador Retriever. Brought up together in the
loving home of Angie Baker-Steham in Cardiff, Wales, the two spent many years playing
together.
However last year, Eddie suddenly started walking into trash cans and walls and then soon, lost
his eyesight completely. That's when Milo, intuitively sensing something was wrong, decided to
take on the role as Eddie's full-time 'guide' dog.
Today, he leads Eddie through the house, holds his leash when they go for walks and seeks him
out, when he strays away. Angie says they did not realize how much Eddie depended upon his
friend until recently, when Milo had to spend a few nights at the hospital himself.
Poor Eddie was totally lost, constantly bumping into house walls and furniture and even worse,
becoming disoriented during walks. Luckily, Milo is now fine and back at his BFF's side,
guiding him through life again.
1. How did the dogs show the meaning of BFF?
2. What is BFF?
3. What makes their relationship special?
1. Do you have any childhood friendships that are still strong today?
2. How do you maintain a good friendship?
3. What is a best friend?

Source:
http://www.dogonews.com/2013/3/11/canines-demonstrate-the-true-meaning-of-best-friendsforever
First female promoted to No. 2 post in police agency

The police agency has named its first-ever female chief superintendent general, its secondhighest rank, since its establishment in
1945.
According to the Korean National Police
Agency Monday, Senior Superintendent
General Lee Kum-hyoung, who is directorgeneral for personnel management of the
agency, has been nominated president of
the Korean National Police University.
The school president is ranked as chief
superintendent general, one rank below the
head of the police agency, which is
commissioner general. A chief
superintendent general corresponds to a
government official in the first or top grade,
while the police agency has just five chief
superintendent generals.
Born in North Chungcheong Province, Lee
joined the agency as a police officer and
built a career over 36 years. She is also the
nations third female senior superintendent,
second female superintendent general and
first female senior superintendent general.
1. Who is Lee Kum-hyoung?
2. For how many years has she built her career?
3. What were her accomplishments during her career?
1. What do you want to become in the future? Why would you choose that career?
2. How do people see policemen in your country?
3. What can you say about having another first female to become somebody in your country?
Do you think this will help close the gender gap problem in your country?
SOURCE: http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20130401000914]
What do you think can save nature?

http://www.headsupenglish.com
By: Catherine Clark
_file1_Plastic bottles use a lot of fossil fuels and pollute
the environment.
Some people drink bottled water because they think it is
better for them than water out of the tap, but thats not true.
In the United States, local governments make sure water
from the faucet is safe. There is also growing concern that
chemicals in the bottles themselves may leak into the
water.
People love the convenience of bottled water. But maybe
if they realized the problems it causes, they would try drinking from a glass at home or carrying
water in a refillable steel container instead of plastic.
Plastic bottle recycling can help instead of going out with the trash, plastic bottles can be turned
into items like carpeting or cozy fleece clothing.
Unfortunately, for every six water bottles we use, only one makes it to the recycling bin. The rest
are sent to landfills. Or, even worse, they end up as trash on the land and in rivers, lakes, and the
ocean. Plastic bottles take many hundreds of years to disintegrate.
Water is good for you, so keep drinking it. But think about how often you use water bottles, and
see if you can make a change.
And yes, you can make a difference. Remember this: Recycling one plastic bottle can save
enough energy to power a 60-watt light bulb for six hours
1. Why do most people prefer bottled water?
2. How will chemicals in bottles leak into the water?
3. Where do most bottles/plastics end up after consuming the water in them?
1. How concerned are you with plastic bottles and their use of resources? Why?
2. Will this article cause you to stop buying bottled water? Why/not?
3. What problem causes the greatest damage to the environment? Why do you think so?
Death by salami: Study finds processed meats may lead to early death
_file1_To the woe of all bacon, bologna, sausage, and prosciutto lovers, yet
another study finds that those delicious processed meats may kill you. According
to EPIC, the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition, a new
study published online in BMC Medicine last week, diets high in processed meats
are associated with higher risk for heart disease and cancer.
EPIC defined red meat as beef, pork, lamb, horse, and goat; it defined processed
meat as sausage, ham, bacon, and cold cuts. White meat included chicken, duck,
turkey, and rabbit. During the study, 26,344 participants died; 9,861 of cancer,
9,144 of other causes, 5,556 of cardiovascular diseases, 1,068 of respiratory
diseases, and 715 of digestive tract.
The study concluded that 3.3% of deaths could be prevented by a diet consisting
of less than 20 grams (.7 ounce) of processed meats -the equivalent of one thin
slice of bacon -per day. The more processed meat in a persons diet, the higher
the risk; there was a 44% higher mortality rate among participants who consumed
at least 160 grams (5.6 ounces) of processed meats per day than among those
who consumed less than 20 grams per day.
Comprehension Question:
1. What is the type of food that is being discussed in this article?
2. What are the examples given for red meat and white meat?
3. Which disease can people develop by eating processed meats?
1. Do you eat processed meats?
2. How many times do you eat processed meats in a day?
3. Can you site examples of food using processed meats?
Source: http://communities.washingtontimes.com
Mexico City Hospital Facade Absorbs Toxins from the Environment

_file1_''Green' or environmentally
responsible buildings that use minimal
resources by depending on solar energy
or recycled water are becoming
increasingly common. However, the
Torre de Especialidades Tower currently
being constructed as an extension of a
hospital in Mexico City is taking that
concept to a whole new level, with a new
innovative tile that is capable of
absorbing pollution from the atmosphere.
The brainchild of Berlin-based Elegant
Embellishments, the Prosolve370oe's
beautiful quasi-crystalline shape is not only designed to look good, but to also, help slow down
the wind speed and create a turbulence, allowing the air pollutants to be exposed to a greater
surface area.
This in turn, allows the titanium oxide that covers the tiles to freely react with the nitrogen oxide
present in the smog and with a little help from the sun'sultra violet rays and atmospheric
humidity, break it down into less hazardous chemicals like calcium nitrate, carbon dioxide and
water.
Experts estimate that the 10-meter Torre de Especialidades wall will be able to neutralize the
equivalent of smog produced by 8,750 cars on a daily basis. The best part is that the titanium
oxide itself remains unaffected, so the tiles do not have to be constantly re-coated.
While the Mexico City hospital is the first commercial building to test this cutting edge
technology, we have a feeling that these beautiful quasi-crystalline tiles will be a standard facade
on buildings all over the world, in the very new future.
Source:http://www.dogonews.com/2013/4/6/revolutionary-mexico-city-hospital-facade-absorbstoxins-from-the-environment
1. What is the name of the building that absorbs toxins from the environment?
2. How does the Prosolve370oe's beautiful quasi-crystalline shape work to absorb pollutants?
3. In what city is the first commercial building to use this kind of technology located?
1. Do you think this idea of building structure is good? Why do you think so?
2. Is there a possibility that a lot of buildings will use building materials like these in the
future?
3. In your own way, what are the things youre doing to help reduce pollutants in your
environment?
_file1_Dear Dad,
I hope that you are in good health and food mood
when you receive my letter because I am afraid
that I must ask you for an increase in my monthly
allowance. Though I have tried to economize, I
am unable to make both ends meet. As you know
the prices are increasing. I have to pay more for
every commodity. The mess charge has also been
increased. I have also taken a blower, as it is
getting colder here.
Next week I have got my project to do. It is an end
semester project. I have to spend some money for
my project. So as to make a good one, which
would fetch me, good marks.
I assure you that every amount will be well spent.
We have three more cold months and a hike of 200
rupees will be more than enough.
I hope that you will consider my request
favourably. My kindest regards for mother and
love to Munni.
Affectionately yours,
Raja
<hr>
_file2_Dear Raja,
I received your letter about your increased allowance and
I am not entirely happy about it because of the financial
strain that our family is dealing with right now. On the
other hand, I do know you to be most thrifty and a good
money-handler, so I know that you wouldnt ask for an
increase if you can stretch it out as far as you can.
I am then going to give you an additional amount in
order that you can pay everything you have to pay while
concentrating on your studies. I wouldnt want you to worry so much about your financial status
that you might not be able to do well at school. Of course, I also dont want you to be in such
discomfort.
You asked for an amount of 200 rupees, but I will be sending you 250 rupees. I will be expecting
you to make it suffice for the whole month and make sure that you study well.
Love,
Dad
1. What does Raja need?
2. How much did Raja ask from the father?
3. How much did his father give her?
1. When was the last time you asked for an increased allowance? Was it granted?
2. Would you be willing to work to suffice your needs at school?
3. What do you think of the idea of being a working student?
Carbon Dioxide at record high level

_file1_The level of carbon dioxide (CO2)
in the atmosphere is now at a record high.
An American weather station in Hawaii
recorded the new high on the 9th of May.
It found CO2 levels were at 400 parts per
million (ppm). The last time CO2 was at
this level was five million years ago. This
was when there were no humans on the
Earth. Scientists say the 400ppm level is a
warning sign. They say we must do more
to stop this number getting bigger.
However, scientist James Butler said he
thought CO2 levels would keep rising. He
warned: "In eight to nine years, we will
probably have seen the last CO2 reading
under 400ppm." He told reporters that
even at the South Pole, CO2 would be
above 400ppm.
Carbon dioxide is one of the gases that create global warming. Just one CO2 molecule can stay
in the atmosphere for hundreds of years. Pieter Tans, one of the scientists measuring CO2 levels,
said human activity is making the Earth warmer. He said that, "the burning of coal, oil, and
natural gas is driving the acceleration". He pointed out that 300 years ago, CO2 levels were
around 280ppm. He added that 800,000 years ago, they were at 180ppm. Another scientist, Dr
Ralph Keeling, warned that CO2 is warming the Earth to dangerous levels. He is worried about
arctic ice melting, causing sea levels to rise. This will put billions of people in danger. He said:
"It takes a long time to melt ice, but we're doing it. It's scary."
1. What is at a record high?
2. Where did scientists measure CO2?
3. What will happen in eight to nine years from now?
1. What springs to mind when you hear the phrase 'global warming'?
2. Are you worried about global warming?
3. What causes global warming?
Happiness of female citizens in Seoul rated 2.67 out of 5: report

_file1_Women in Seoul gave an average 2.67 on
a
scale of one to five in grading their level of
happiness, according to a report released Sunday
by
the Seoul Foundation of Women and Family, a
city-affiliated policy developer and evaluator.
Among the total of nine categories covered in the
report, personal satisfaction in city life (3.23) and
safety (3.07) received the highest scores while coprosperity (2.29) and care (2.36) were among the
lowest rated categories.
The participants also rated sub-categories such as health status and living environment. They also
rated happiness in personal satisfaction with city life; safety from danger when walking on
streets at night and from natural disaster; recognition of social minorities including the disabled;
and support for child care and for their parents.
Among the 23 sub-categories, mental and physical health was graded the highest with 3.37
points followed by safety from natural disaster with 3.28.
However, support for women and the elderly (2.01), assistance for taking care of parents (2.08)
and policies for daycare centers (2.16) were rated the lowest.
Residential and financial stability were rated below average.
The city-backed organization surveyed 1,500 women aged 20 to 60 last August.
The participants said in the report that more measures for stable incomes, high-quality jobs, and
more public rental houses should be included in family support policies.
By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)
1. What was the average score for women in Seoul when grading their level of happiness?
2. How many categories were there? Give me some examples of the categories.
3. What categories were rated the lowest?
1. What is your definition of happiness?
2. How happy are you with your life right now?
3. What are some factors that make you happy?
Abandoned Lion, Tiger and Hyena Cubs Form Unusual Bond

_file1_In the wild, lions, tigers and
striped hyenas are fierce competitors,
all seeking out the same prey and
often even stealing each other's kills!
But don't tell that to these five
youngsters who believe that they were
born to be best of friends.
The odd assortment comprising of
three baby lions, one baby tiger and
one baby striped hyena, all born at
the Akwaaba Lodge in Rustenburg,
South Africa were instantly
abandoned by their mothers.
Fortunately the owner of the lodge, Layla Cajee decided to not only adopt the young infants, but
also, place them under one roof. Not knowing any better, the cubs have all become best of
friends who spend their entire day frolicking and nights, cuddled up next to each other.
Like every toddler, each one has a distinct personality. According to Layla, the leader of the
pack is the five-month old tiger cub Bella, who dominates everything including trying to get the
biggest share during meal times. The lion cubs - Delano,Romeo and Maximus who are also five
months old, are surprisingly timid. As for six-month old Milika, the hyena? She is the
mischievous and boisterous one, always ready to pick a fight with her temporary siblings.
Temporary, because this love fest will not last forever. Within about two years, as soon as the
cute cubes turn into dangerous predators, they will be given their own living quarters. But it is
thanks to this unusual bond that they will be able to see that day, because none of them would
have been to able survive alone in the wild.
What would be interesting to observe is their relationship if they ever encounter each other in the
wild - Will they compete with each other as fiercely for the same prey as they normally do or,
will they remember the fact that they were once friends and share their kill?
1. How did these animals form a bond?
2. How old is Bella?
1. What do you know about safari?
2. What do you think of hunting? Would you eat an animal that you killed yourself?
3. Do you think its okay to free animals that have been in captivity all their lives? Why or
why not?
SOURCE:
http://www.dogonews.com/2013/5/8/abandoned-lion-tiger-and-hyena-cubs-form-unusual-bond
11-year-old flutist wins int'l competition

By Kwon Ji-youn
_file1_Han Yeo-jin, 11, won first place at the 18th Biwako
International Flute Competition, held in Takashima City,
Japan, from May 2 to 6.
The Korea National University of Arts (KNUA) said that
Han is the first under-age flutist to win in the general
competition for both juniors and adults. She did not
participate in the event exclusive for those under 18.
Han is studying at the Korea National Institute for the Gifted
in Arts, which is affiliated with KNUA.
I was really pleased, and a little dazzled, because I didnt
expect to win, Han told The Korea Times. I was glad to
have performed as well as I had practiced.
The annual competition was co-organized by its executive committee and Takashima City. The
jury consisted mostly of veteran flutists, lecturers and professors.
Flutists of her age group usually take part in the junior competition, but Han chose to enter he
general competition as a solo flutist , as recommended by her teacher, KNUAs visiting professor
Aoyama Masakuni.
A sixth grader at Seoul Gyenam Elementary School, Han said that she doesnt feel pressured
when she is labeled gifted and talented.
Han performed in a concert for young talent organized by the KumhoAsiana Cultural Foundation
in 2012.
1. Who Han Yeo-jin?
2. How old is she?
3. Where is she studying?
1. What can you say about Hans talent?
2. Do you play any musical instrument? How did you learn to play it? Have you tried to join
a competition playing such musical instrument?
3. How far do you think Han would go? Are you proud of her?
Why Do We Have Nightmares?

Nightmares are bad dreams. They can
make you feel extremely scared and
frightened. But fear not, these dreams
are not real and are usually quite
normal.
Children experience frightening
dreams more often than adults,
especially between the ages of 3-4 and
7-8 when they are dealing with
separation anxiety.
Bad dreams at this age show a normal
struggle to cope with fears and issues,
and they usually involve being chased
by wild animals. This is a normal stage of development for children.
About 50% of adults were reported experiencing nightmares occasionally which occur more
often in women than men.
These are the certain factors that contribute to adults frightening dreams:
1. Certain medications and illnesses, especially fever
2. Stress and anxiety
3. Traumatic events such as deaths, serious injuries or being attacked can bring
on a severe form called Post Traumatic Nightmares and these are more severe than regular bad
dreams and are usually recurring dreams.
Chase dreams are the most common form of frightening dreams. While animals are generally
feared in childrens chase dreams, adults are more likely to be chased by some shadowy male
figure in their bad dreams.
Source: http://www.realmeaningofdreams.com/nightmares.html
1. Why do children have nightmares?
2. What are the factors that contribute to adults frightening dreams?
3. What are the most common frightening dreams according to the article?
1. What was the most frightening dream that you have ever had?
2. What was the most unforgettable/beautiful dream that you have ever had?
3. Do you believe that dreams come true? Why or why not?
NOISE AFFECTS THE HEART:

_file1_Even the minor noise that fills everyday
life, from the ring of a cell phone to the
conversation that follows, may have short-term
effects on heart function, a small new study
suggests.
In the study of 110 adults equipped with
portable heart monitors, researchers found that
people's heart rate tended to climb as their noise
exposure increased -- even when the noise
remained below 65 decibels. That's about as
loud as a normal conversation or laughter.
So does all of this mean you need to wear
earplugs to protect your heart? Probably not,
experts say.
Since we are all exposed to noise, even a minor effect on heart health could be important on the
broad "population level," said Eriksson, who has studied the effects of loud traffic -- from
roads or airports -- on people's blood pressure and heart function.
Research has consistently found links between loud workplaces and an increased risk of heart
disease, said Dr. WenqiGan, a researcher at North Shore-LIJ Health System's Feinstein Institute
for Medical Research, in Manhasset, N.Y.
The evidence is more mixed when it comes to "community noise," like traffic sounds, said Gan,
whose own research has found a connection. He said the mixed results may be because it's
difficult to weed out the effects of community noise on individuals. You might live in a noisy
section of a big city, but have good, sound-absorbing windows, for example.
"And some people are more sensitive to noise than others," Gan said. If noise affects the heart by
stressing people out, he said, then your personal sensitivity to it would be important.
Source: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=169733
2. According to Eriksson who studied the effects of loud traffic, what kind of noise affects
our heart?
3. How many participated in the study of the effect of noise in peoples heart rate?
1. Do you agree that noise affects our everyday lives? How?
2. Do you have a terrible case of noise pollution in your workplace or at home? How do you
adapt to such noise?
3. How do you take care of your heart?
Change in Earths Rotation May Have Caused Ancient Global Warming

_file1_Scientists and geology experts have found out
that changes in the tilt of the Earths axis may
have caused a heat wave millions of years ago. The
poles melted and released carbon dioxide into
the atmosphere, causing it to warm up.
About 55 million years ago the Earths temperature
went up by about 5 degrees Celsius. After a short time,
temperatures went down again but two more, smaller
heat waves followed.
A team of scientists have now concluded that
the permafrost in the polar region melted and
set carbon free. Thus, sunlight came into the
atmosphere but was blocked from getting out,
similar to what the greenhouse effect causes today.
In an earlier theory scientists assumed that carbon trapped in
ocean sediments was responsible for the warming of the atmosphere during this period. But now
experts think that not enough carbon could have been released from the oceans to cause a heat
wave of such a magnitude.
The path of the Earth around the sun varies in cycles. About 55 million years ago the Earth
probably was tilted more towards the sun and Polar Regions melted. These
regions endured longer and warmer summers. The warming period lasted about ten thousand
years with two more warming phases occurring about one million years later.Although a five
degree change in temperature is rather big, scientists say that global warming today is continuing
at a more rapid pace.
Source: http://www.english-online.at/news-articles/science/change-in-earth-rotation-causedancient-global-warming.htm
1. What did scientists and geology experts discover?
2. What do you know about the greenhouse effect?
3. What did scientists assume that was responsible for the warming of the atmosphere?
1. How can we prevent global warming?
2. Do you think over population is one of the causes of global warming? Why or why not?
3. Do you think it is already too late for us to prevent global warming? Why?
He's found his sea legs: Seven-month-old

baby too young to walk learns to water ski
By AMANDA WILLIAMS
_file1_He may be too young to walk, but it
seems he may have already found his sea
legs.
Seven-month-old Ryder Blair seems to be
having a whale of a time as he 'learns to water
ski'.
In the video posted to Youtube, the smiling
baby can be seen gripping on tightly to the
learner ski in Lake Dyer, Queensland.
In an accompanying post, she writes that her son is not actually behind a boat he is just being
pulled along the shoreline.
She added: 'Next step is to get him beside the boat next season when its warmer again. We used
our GoPro to capture this moment.'
His parents have reassured those watching the video that their son is not actually behind a boat
he is just being pulled along the shoreline
The video has so far attracted more than 10,000 hits.
It is not the first time a video of a child taking part in daredevil activities has gone viral.
Online footage of two children taking a sports car for a spin has sparked outrage in cyberspace.
The video shows a boy of about 10 years of age driving a Ferrari F430 on the private road of a
posh township while being filmed by an adult.
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2320420/Hes-sea-legs-Seven-month-old-babyyoung-walk-learns-water-ski.html
1. What is the name of the baby who was learning how to water ski?
2. How young was he when this video was taken?
3. Where did the baby learn to water ski?
1. `Have you ever done an extreme sport before? What kind of sport was it and how young
were you when you tried it?
2. What kind of other extreme sports would you like to try in the future?
3. What can you say about the article? Do you think its right for the babys parents to let
him water ski?
_file1_Dear Uncle Gibs,

Congratulations on reaching your eightieth birthday. You are now
an octogenarian Grand Old Man. May you live longer and fill the
family with joy. May god bless you with good health always!
We are sorry that we cannot be there by your side on your great
day, but we promise to be there on Christmas Day.
Yours Sincerely,
William
_file2_Dear William,
Thank you for your birthday
felicitations and your
bestowing me with the title Grand Old Man.
I thank God for I have been exceedingly lucky till now in
my 80th year. Most of my friends have been carried away
by disease, accident, depression and natural calamity. My
present living family of which I am a patriarch consists of
50 children, Grand-children and great grand-children. I have
seen two world wars and fought in a battle.
Only sweet memories remain now and in the last years of
life I am spending time in writing a memoir. Perhaps,
somewhere, someone will find a spark of hope in it.
We will be looking forward to your spending time with us
this Christmas. We only have three more months to wait for
that time to come.
Yours,
Uncle Gibs
1. How old is uncle Gibs?
2. Is Uncle Gibs happy? Why do you say so?
3. What is uncle Gibs doing these days?
1. What do you think is the meaning of octogenarian?
2. What do you think you should do to have a long life?
3. Are you afraid of dying? Why or why not?
Hallyu's 10th year in Japan to be marked

By Shim Jae-yun
_file1_In commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the
advancement of hallyu in Japan triggered by Winter
Sonata, Japanese media outlets are planning to carry out
various projects.
According to the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA),
they recently set up an executive committee toward that end.
They announced a package of programs during a recent
symposium held at the KOCCA building with the theme
Vigor to hallyu! The prospect for hallyu market from the
perspective of Korea and Japan.
The committee comprises of major broadcaster TBS and
content providers SPO, Pony Cannon, and Kyodo News
Agency, and KinmaJunbo, a cinema media.
They plan to conduct voting on the popular hallyu dramas by hallyu fans in Japan starting from
late June. The voting will continue for three months and the results will be used to select the top
five works and three best actors and actresses to be announced around the end of the year.
It also plans to hold a ceremony where the selected celebrities will attend.
Hallyu is not politics. It is a precious cultural exchange at the civilian level. We are determined
to build up strong trust so that the hallyu road can continue, said Ushio Kaski, head of SPOs
Seoul branch.
Though hallyu has seen steady progress through such dramas as Winter Sonata and
Daejanggeum (Jewel in the Palace), there has been a growing need for a big hit these days, he
said.
He cited the need to produce works that appeal to youngsters in Japan and form an environment
favorable to producing new content.
1. What triggered Hallyu in Japan?
2. What are the plans of KOCCA?
3. According toUshioKasku, what is Hallyu?
1. Can you please define Hallyu in your own words?
2. Why is the Korean industry becoming famous in the world?
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of Hallyu?
SOURCE: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/culture/2013/05/386_135446.html
More than a dozen teachers implicated in admission fraud

_file1_The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education
announced on Monday that it detected cases of fraud
in the admission process of two international schools
here.
More than a dozen teachers and faculty from the
Younghoon and Daewon International Middle School
were found to have tampered with applications to
admit unqualified students, the office said.
The education office has been conducting a special audit at the two special-purpose schools for
elite students over alleged admission fraud since March.
At the Younghoonschool, several faculty members, including the vice principal, chief of
admission and chair of school affairs, were involved in the admission fraud, the office said.
The school was also found to have violated basic rules in the initial application screening process
by not following the blind grading system marking applications with personal information
redacted and is believed to have destroyed original marking sheets to avoid suspicion.
The office said 11 teachers from the school would be charged with fraud by prosecutors, and 10
of them will likely face disciplinary action.
Three officials from the Daewonschool will also face similar charges, the education office
announced on Monday, concluding its one month-long inspection.
The Younghoonschool in northern Seoul first came under fire after it was revealed earlier this
year that Samsung Electronics vice chairman Lee Jae-yongs son was admitted to a special spot
reserved for students with unusual family circumstances.
The son of the divorced heir of countrys biggest conglomerate was accepted to the school last
year under the special consideration category.
By Oh Kyu-wook (596story@heraldcorp.com)
1. Who announced that they detected cases of fraud?
2. What schools were the teachers accused of fraud from?
3. How did they commit fraud?
1. Have you ever committed fraud before?
2. Tell me about the screening process for middle school in Korea.
3. What type of punishment do you think is necessary for the teachers in this article?
More than a dozen teachers implicated in admission fraud

_file1_The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education
announced on Monday that it detected cases of fraud
in the admission process of two international schools
here.
More than a dozen teachers and faculty from the
Younghoon and Daewon International Middle School
were found to have tampered with applications to
admit unqualified students, the office said.
The education office has been conducting a special audit at the two special-purpose schools for
elite students over alleged admission fraud since March.
At the Younghoonschool, several faculty members, including the vice principal, chief of
admission and chair of school affairs, were involved in the admission fraud, the office said.
The school was also found to have violated basic rules in the initial application screening process
by not following the blind grading system marking applications with personal information
redacted and is believed to have destroyed original marking sheets to avoid suspicion.
The office said 11 teachers from the school would be charged with fraud by prosecutors, and 10
of them will likely face disciplinary action.
Three officials from the Daewonschool will also face similar charges, the education office
announced on Monday, concluding its one month-long inspection.
The Younghoonschool in northern Seoul first came under fire after it was revealed earlier this
year that Samsung Electronics vice chairman Lee Jae-yongs son was admitted to a special spot
reserved for students with unusual family circumstances.
The son of the divorced heir of countrys biggest conglomerate was accepted to the school last
year under the special consideration category.
1. Who announced that they detected cases of fraud?
2. What schools were the teachers accused of fraud from?
3. How did they commit fraud?
1. Have you ever committed fraud before?
2. Tell me about the screening process for middle school in Korea.
3. What type of punishment do you think is necessary for the teachers in this article?
Pet monkey that wasRoutinely fed Frosted Flakes lashes out and attacks woman
(NaturalNews)
The California
Department of Fish and
Game has launched an
investigation after
discovering a wild
monkey that was being
kept illegally as a pet
and fed on a diet of
juice and Frosted
Flakes.
Authorities became
aware of the case in
August, when a woman
from Paso Robles, California, sought treatment at a hospital after being severely bitten on her
arm and fingers several times. According to the hospital, it was not the first time she had been
bitten. After treating the woman, the hospital reported her to the San Luis Obispo County
division of Animal Services.
Upon investigating, officials identified the monkey as a 22-year-old Javan macaque named
Jennaeve. The animal was being kept in the space far too small for her (a dog kennel) inside a
trailer occupied by the injured woman and her boyfriend, and fed a diet consisting only of junk
food.
Macaques are classified as wild animals under California law, and are illegal as pets. Their bite
can do damage similar to that of a dog.
"This kind of animal is never meant to be kept domestically. It is illegal," said Animal Services
Manager Eric Anderson.
"And that is entirely the wrong kind of diet."
1. What did the California Department of Fish and Game discover?
2. What happened to the woman from Paso Robles, California?

3. What is the name of the wild monkey and how old is it?
1. What rights (if any) should animals have?
2. Are there animal rights groups in your country?
3. What wild animals can be seen in your country?
Source:
http://www.naturalnews.com/037183_pet_monkey_Frosted_Flakes_animal_attack.html
Young Genius
By Meera Dolasia
Meet Brittney Exline. She was reading by

the time she was two years old, done with
sixth grade at eight and graduated from
high school by thirteen! Whew! Thats
what we call amazing!
At fifteen, Brittney is not allowed to legally
drive or vote, but she can attend one of the
top universities in the county. Brittney is a
freshman at the prestigious University of
Pennsylvania, on a full scholarship (she
pays no tuition fees). She doesnt know
what she wants to be when she grows up,
but loves math, science and politics. Hence,
she decided to pursue a joint degree in
Engineering and Liberal Arts.
If you think all Brittney does is study, think
again. She loves to dance and sing, is fluent
German and has even won some beauty
contests.
Brittney also made history by being the youngest African American person ever to attend the
University of Pennsylvania and the youngest ever to attend an Ivy League University.
1. Who is Brittney Exline?
2. What subjects does she love?
3. Where does she study?
1. Do you want to be just like Brittney?
2. What kind of study method do you do?
3. Do you think she was born a genius?
in
Pass-thoughts to replace passwords

Researchers from the University of
Berkeley's School of Information have
come up with an ingenious device that
might, one day soon, replace the need
for passwords. A press release explains:
"Instead of typing your password, in the
future you may only have to think your
password." Their research explored the
feasibility of brainwave-based computer
authentication as a substitute for
passwords. This resulted in the creation
of the Neurosky Mindset headset a
$100 device that can read brainwaves.
The team believes this new technology
is secure, accurate, and user-friendly.
They also believe people would be
willing to replace passwords with pass-thoughts.
The project's findings were unveiled at the 2013 Workshop on Usable Security at the
Seventeenth International Conference on Financial Cryptography and Data Security. Team
leader Professor John Chuang explained his new technique provides a more fail-safe and
cheaper solution than things like fingerprint scans, retina scans, or facial or voice recognition. He
said his team's inexpensive headset connects to a computer wirelessly using Bluetooth and is
little different to headsets used with mobile phones, music players, and other computing devices.
However, security experts expressed concern regarding the ability of software that can "hack"
people's minds to extract things like ATM PINs.
http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com
1. Which department of Berkeley University is mentioned?
2. What is the device better than besides fingerprint and retina scans?
3. What adjective was used to describe the device?
1. What springs to mind when you hear the word 'password'?
2. Do you have a special system of making and remembering passwords?
3. Do you think we will open doors and change TV channels with our thoughts in the near
future?
Using Needles to Heal
Acupuncture is a complementary medical

practice that entails stimulating certain points
on the body, most often with a needle
penetrating the skin, to alleviate pain or to
treat various diseases. It is called TCM, or
Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Acupuncture dates back to at least the Shang

Dynasty, approximately 1600 B.C. Its modern
practice, though, has been heavily influenced
by China's first communist leader, Mao
Zedong, who attempted to align TCM more
with Marxism and anti-superstition. Moreover, Western acupuncturists tend to ignore various
spiritual components of TCM. Thus, in the field of TCM, there is disagreement on how TCM
and acupuncture should be conducted.
Over the centuries, volumes have been written on the nature of qi (there are at least five kinds)
and mechanics of acupuncture. Nevertheless, modern science has yet to identify qi, the
meridians or the acupuncture points. The notion that imbalances in energy flow cause disease is
antithetical to modern Western medicine, which is based on empirical evidence and which has
greatly advanced world health with the discovery that disease is caused by microbes, genetic
instructions, and other chemical messaging at a cellular level.
But broadly generalizing this theory, one could argue that qi and its meridians and points
resemble the central nervous system and its neurotransmitters and hormones. Needles, in
theory, could stimulate this.
Source: http://www.livescience.com/29494-acupuncture.html
1. What is acupuncture?
2. When did this medical practice start?
3. What is qi or chi?
1. What do you think about this kind of medical practice?
2. Would you want to experience this kind of healing? Why or why not?
3. Do you know other Traditional Chinese Medicines? How about Korean traditional
medicine?
Plants 'Thrive' Next To Friendly Neighbors And Trees 'Gasp' For Water? Interesting!
By Meera Dolasia
The fact that plants do not live

a passive life has been known
for sometime now. In 2012, a
team of researchers led by
Professor Nick Smirnoff from
The University of Exeter, was
able to visually prove that
they communicate with each
other and now two totally
separate research studies reveal
that these silent communicators
may actually be 'talking' to
each other and us!
If you have ever noticed that
certain plants seem to thrive
next to each other, it may not
be a coincidence nor proof of your superior gardening skills, but because of the good neighborly
feelings between the two. At least that's what an Australian team of researchers led by Monica
Gagliano, believes.
The evolutionary ecologist at the University of Western Australia asserts that plants use some
kind of acoustic signaling to communicate with each other and depending on if it is good or
hostile, it may allow the weaker plant to thrive or wither away. What's even more interesting is
that the scientist believes the communication happens as early as the germination stage.
1. What did the researchers prove in 2012?
2. Who was the leader of the team?
3. What do plants use to communicate with each other?
1. Do you like plants or growing plants?
2. Do you believe that plants can communicate with each other?
3. If plants can really communicate, what do you think they say about humans?
Coming Soon - A Smart Phone That Curls Up!

Cell phones have sure come a long way
since the first 2.5 lb monster was
unveiled just 40 years ago. Thanks to
innovative companies like Apple Inc., we
have evolved from keypad to touchscreen. But if you think that we are done
with phone innovation, think again Thanks to some Canadian inventors we
may soon be swapping our rigid& thick
(yes thick!), smart devices with flexible,
paper-thin versions.
Dubbed MorePhone, this new device is
the brainchild of a team of researchers
from Queen's University in Kingston,
Ontario. Built on the flexible screen
technology that has been developed by
UK-based Plastic Logic, it is capable of
doing everything current smart phones can do, except in a much cooler way, thanks to its shapechanging body!
That means instead of ringing or vibrating when a text, call or e-mail comes in, it simply curls up.
What's even cooler is that thanks to the shape memory alloy wires embedded inside, the 'type' of
curl can be customized. For example, a curl on the top right hand corner could indicate an
incoming text, whilst one on the bottom could signal an e-mail. As for when a call comes in? The
entire phone can curl up into a ball and if the user wishes to ignore it, all he/she has to do, is
uncurl it!
However, don't toss out those rigid, thick smart phones yet. That's because the More Phone,
which was unveiled at a technology conference in Paris last week, is still very much in the
prototype stage and probably not available for purchase, for another 5-8 years!
Source: http://www.dogonews.com/2013/5/5/coming-soon-a-smart-phone-that-curls-up
1.
2.
3.
4.
What is the new device all about and whats the name of this new device?
Who were the inventors of this new device?
How does new device work?
In what stage is this new device and when is it available to be purchased?
1. What can you say about this new technology or device that was invented?
2. Do you think technological advances are always good? Why or why not?
3. How have new devices affected our life?
Toilet paper shortage ends in Venezuela
Venezuela's government has come up with a plan

to
end the country's shortage of toilet paper. There
was a danger that shops would have no toilet
paper to sell. Even though Venezuela is rich in oil,
it
has difficulty in paying for things from other
countries. This is because of controls on the
Venezuelan currency. The government has
decided to spend $79 million on buying 39 million
rolls of toilet paper to make sure people do not run
out. The money will also be used to buy toothpaste and soap. People around the country have to
wait in long lines at supermarkets and pharmacies to buy basic things, sometimes for days. They
then buy all they can, which means stores run out quickly.
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro said the shortage of toilet paper was because of rich
people and those who are unhappy with the government. He did not say why these people's
actions meant the country almost ran out of basic supplies. Economists say the way the
government runs the economy led to the shortages. The government keeps prices low for many
goods, which means Venezuelan companies find it hard to produce things and make a profit.
The price controls also push up inflation because when there is a shortage of something, people
will pay a higher price to get it. Venezuela has the highest rate of inflation in Latin America. The
current rate is about 25 per cent.
1. What danger did the article describe?
2. What other things did Venezuela spend $79 million on?
3. Who did economists say created the shortages?
1. Do you think 39 million rolls of toilet paper is enough?
2. How important is toilet paper in our life?
3. What would you do if you ran out of toilet paper?
Read more:http://breakingnewsenglish.com/1305/130524-toilet_paper.html#ixzz2UVr4SfcI
Start of Korean summer comes 15 days earlier than in 1950s
Summer starts a half month earlier and lasts longer

compared with 50 years ago due possibly to global
warming, the weather agency said Sunday.
Summers in the 2000s started on average on May 27, 15
days earlier than those during the 1950s, the Korea
Meteorological Administration said, citing previous
data.
With the early start of summer, the length of summer
has been extended by 20 days for a total of 121 days on
average since 2000 compared with the 1950s, the weather agency said.
The agency defines the start and end of summer when the average daily temperature first exceeds
20 degrees Celsius and then when it falls below 20 degrees Celsius, respectively.
In the 1950s, summer began in mid-June before moving up to early June in the 1980s and 1990s,
the agency said. Since 2000, summer has begun to kick off in late May.
Due to the longer summers, winter season has become shorter and started later in the 2000s,
compared with 50 years earlier, it also noted.
The agency said global warming is responsible for the recent climate change. The average
temperature on the Korean Peninsula rose by 1.2 degrees during the 30-year period since 1981, it
said.
Summer may be extended further to last five months at the end of the century, the agency
anticipated.
The data came as South Korea is bracing for a longer and hotter summer this year. (Yonhap
News)
1. How are Korean summers nowadays compared to 50 years ago?
2. How many days has Korean summers extended?
3. What is responsible for the recent climate change?
1. Have you noticed the change in Korean summers in the past few years?
2. What is your opinion of global warming?
3. How will global warming affect the whole world if it is not stopped/controlled?
Researchers Solve the Age-Old Mystery Of Why Roosters Crow!

If you happen to live near a farm
or are one of those city dwellers
that have a chicken coop complete
with a rooster, you are probably
used to being awakened by
their customary crows at the
crack of dawn. However, given
that these birds also crow noisily
at the slightest disturbance, made
two animal physiology researchers
wonder if the roosters truly knew
that it was morning or, if they
were just faking it. Curious to
know what they discovered? Read
on . . .
Tsuyoshi Shimmura and Takashi
Yoshimura, both from
Japan's Nagoya University first
placed three groups of four roosters each, in different soundproof rooms into which they could
beam varying amounts of light and sound.
They began by providing the three groups with 12 hours of normal light and 12 hours of dim
light. Sure enough, all the birds crowed two hours prior to the normal light being switched on similar to what they do outside, at predawn.
Then, the roosters were subjected to 24 hours of dim light. To the surprise of the researchers,
this did not trick them out at all. They continued to crow at exactly the same time, indicating that
it was their internal or circadian body clock that got them going, so early in the mornings.
Not satisfied, they put the roosters through one more test. This time, by adding noise to the
shining lights to see if they could get them to crow at odd hours. However, the birds were
smarter than that - While they crowed a little earlier than in the other two cases, it was still closer,
to predawn.
The big lesson to be learnt from this scientific report that the two published in the March 18th
issue of Current Biology, is that if you live in the countryside or happen to have a rooster in your
backyard, you can safely toss your alarm clock out, for they will wake you up - Rain or shine!
Now that they have put this mystery to rest, the scientists are intrigued to solve other age-old
mysteries, like why dogs go bow-wow and cats, meow meow! So, stay tuned!
1. What is the study about?
2. What is the result of the study?
3. Why do roosters crow?
1. Does it annoy you to hear noise early in the morning? Why? Why not?
2. What do you think about farm animals being slaughtered for food?
3. What do you think about this article?
Source:
http://www.dogonews.com/2013/3/23/researchers-solve-the-age-old-mystery-of-why-roosterscrow
Korean climbs Himalaya peaks without oxygen

South Korean mountaineer Kim Chang-ho
climbed all 14 Himalayan peaks of more than
8,000 meters without oxygen tanks, becoming
the first from his country to do so and setting a
world record for completing the climbs in the
shortest span of time, the Korean Alpine
Federation said Monday.
Kim reached Mount Everest (9,848 meters), his
14th peak, around 9 a.m. Monday, the KAF said.
It took him seven years, 10 months and six days
to complete his challenge, about a month shorter
than the previous record of seven years, 11 months and 14 days set by Polish climber Jerzy
Kukuczka. The 43-year-old alpinist joins 13 others who completed the climbs without the help
of oxygen.
Kim had taken on an eco-friendly mission as well by not using any fossil fuel in his expedition.
Instead of using air travel or cars to start the climb at above sea level, his team started at sea level
and traveled using kayaks, bicycles and by walking.
On top of setting the national and world records, we also should highlight his environmental
message, the KAF said. (Yonhap News)
Source: http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20130521000484
1. Who is Kim Chang-ho?
2. How many years did it take for him to complete the challenge?
3. What made his mission eco-friendly?
1. Have you ever tried mountain climbing? If yes, please tell me about your experience.
2. Which mountain is the best to climb in your country?
3. If you could climb another mountain, which mountain would you choose?
Should Children Be Allowed to Wear Whatever They Want?

By SHANNON DOYNE
Bruce Feiler writes about objecting to what his daughters, who are eight, wear:
It first happened to me this spring. My daughters, who had just turned 8, came bounding into the
room to show off new outfits they were wearing to an extended-family gathering. My eyes
bulged. The dresses drooped provocatively off the shoulder and offered other peek-a-boos of
their bodies. Sure, as a parent, I figured I would one day face clothing battles with my children.
Politicians arent the only ones who draw red lines.But so soon?
As a father, I find these

conversations particularly
challenging. However, Ive
internalized all the messages that
I should not criticize my
daughters bodies and compliment
them merely for their looks. On
the other hand, I dont want them
to leave the house dressed as pole dancers.
For years, I had what I thought was a sly way of handling this issue. Whenever my daughters
modeled a new piece of clothing, I would say: I dont care what you wear. I care who you are.
But recently theyve begun throwing my line back at me: But I thought you didnt care what
we wear!Time to get some new lines.
2. What would Bruce Feiler say whenever his daughters modeled a new piece of clothing?
3. What does to show off mean? Give an example.
1. Should children have complete control over the clothes they wear, and other aspects of their
physical appearance, like hairstyles and makeup?
2. Should parents stay out of their childrens dressing decisions? Why or why not?
3. How could clothing-related arguments be avoided, or at least minimized?

4. If you were the parent, would you have rules about what your children could wear? If so, what
would those rules be?
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/13/should-kids-be-allowed-to-wear-whatever-theywant/
What Is Cyber-bullying?
Since the advent of the

Internet with instant
messaging programs, email
accounts and social
networking sites, people can
now communicate with one
another, sometimes worlds
away at the touch of a button.
Like every other niche of
society, there is also a dark
side to all this
communication, with some
users choosing to use
technology to bully people.
Cyber-bullying occurs when
a person or group of people
uses the internet or text
messages to incite fear, spread gossip or generally harass someone. Although this can be a onetime occurrence, they generally tend to be repetitive actions, causing humiliation or creating an
insecure environment for the victim.
Because the majority of cyber-bullying occurs in the student population, individuals' academic
lives can be immensely affected. Victims of cyber-bullying feel ashamed and humiliated, and
thus they often skip school. They can also feel socially ostracized and become withdrawn and
depressed. Some young people even commit suicide due to depression that has resulted from
vicious cyber-bullying.
Source: http://www.ehow.com/about_5063149_cyberbullying.html
1. What is cyber-bullying?
2. What are thenegative effects of cyber-bullying?
3. Who are mostly affected by cyber-bullying?
1. Have you ever experienced being bullied? Tell me something about it.
2. How can people prevent or avoid cyber-bullying?
3. Why do people cyber-bully?
Urine as Fuel: Pee is for Power!

To the body, urine is a waste. But to society, it
could be a major resource, reports a trio of
student inventors from Nigeria. They developed
a system to produce fuel from urine. They do
this by breaking down the water in urine to get
hydrogen and oxygen. That hydrogen can
power an electricity generator. Its also clean
and readily available, the teens note.
Where we live, almost everyone has a
generator to provide electricity at home,
explains Zainab Bello. She, Adebola Duro-Aina
and Oluwatoyin Faleke attend the Doregos
Private Academy in Lagos. The teens presented
their design May 13 in Phoenix, Ariz., at the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair. The
Society for Science & the Public, which created the fair in 1950, still runs the competition.
Source:
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/350668/description/FOR_KIDS_Pee_is_for_power
2. What is urine? Who conducted the experiment?
3. How did the student inventors produce fuel from urine?
1.
2.
3.
4.
What do you think about the experiment conducted by the student inventors?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using urine as fuel?
Have you ever tried inventing something?
Is fuel a problem in your country?
Toyota shows video of driverless car
Toyota has released a video of its new driverless car.

The real car will be on show at an electronics show
in Las Vegas, USA. The car is full of special
"intelligent" safety features to make sure it does not
crash. It uses radars and video cameras to
understand where other cars are. It can also "see"
people and slow down to avoid hitting them. The
car can also communicate with other cars that have the same technology. A Toyota spokesperson
said: "We're looking at a car that would eliminate crashes. Zero-collisions is our ultimate aim."
He added that the car should be used with a driver, but that it can also drive itself. This would be
useful if the driver wants to use his or her laptop, or falls asleep.
Toyota is not the first car maker to showcase self-driving cars. In May 2012, the Swedish
company Volvo tested a self-drive convoy of cars on a Spanish highway. The search engine
Google has also invested a lot of money in the technology for these cars. The German auto
manufacturers Audi and Mercedes are also developing similar cars. The chairman of the Ford
Motor Company, Bill Ford Jr., said these cars will reduce traffic jams in the future. He said the
cars will receive information from computers that monitor traffic and then the cars will take a
different route around any gridlock. Toyota's video says: "Lexus advanced active safety research
vehicle is leading the industry into a new automated era."
1. Where will Toyota show its driverless car?
2. Which car maker tested driverless cars in 2012?
3. What do the intelligent safety features stop the car from doing?
1. What do you think of the idea of driverless cars?
2. Do you think these cars will one day lead to "zero collisions"?
3. What's your dream car, and why?
Source: http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com (Dannie)
Dear Will,
I am elated to tell you that the Gupta family has
proposed a marriage to your brother, Dan. As you very
well know, I have been looking for someone that would
make your brother happy. He is not getting any younger.
At the age of 36 I think it is just right for him to be
married. I just didnt want to force him to it because I
didnt want him to blame me if anything goes wrong.
As for you, I want you go to the Gupta familys
residence as soon as you receive the letter. Kindly go
and talk to them and tell them that you are Dans
brother. They are expecting a member of our family to go there and you are the one I am
counting on to do just that.
After going there, tell me your impression about them. I dont want your brother to get married
to someone who is irresponsible and full of pride.
Love,
Dad
Dear Dad,
I have just received your letter this morning and I am glad to
learn that there was a marriage proposal for Dan from the
Gupta family. As desired by you I contacted the Guptas at
their residence this morning. Here are my personal
impressions about Rita and her family.
Rita has fair complexion and she looks so much like her
mother. She also is very sweet natured, humble. She is a
post-graduate from Missouri University. She is cultured,
refined and well versed in Household affairs. The family, too,
is civilized and well behaved. It is fairly modern. Besides, I
did not notice any sign of artificial politeness or ostentation
in them.
On the whole, I was well impressed about the family.
Kindly give my regards to Mom and Dan.
Love,
Will
COMPREHENSION QUESTION:
1. Who made the proposal?

2. What did Dad say to Will?
3. How does Dan feel about the Gupta family?
1. What do you think of marriage proposals from women to men? Why?
2. What do you think of marrying someone you havent met at all?
3. If you have to choose between a girl who is pretty but with not much talent or a girl who is not
that pretty but with lots of talent, who would you choose? Why?
Ford plans to shut all Australian production by 2016
Ford began manufacturing in Australia in

1925 with the Model T cars in Geelong
US car giant Ford Motor will shut all its
Australian manufacturing plants by October
2016, after more than 85 years of making
vehicles in the country.
About 1,200 workers are expected to lose their
jobs from the Broadmeadows and Geelong
plants, in Victoria state.
Ford said its Australian operations had lost $600m ($580m; 385m) over the last five years.
The strength of the Australian dollar has made manufacturing more expensive, while sales have
been under pressure.
"Our costs are double that of Europe and nearly four times Ford in Asia," Bob Graziano, the
chief executive of Ford Australia, said. "The business case simply did not stack up."
He added that "manufacturing is not viable for Ford in Australia in the long-term".
1. How many workers are expected to lose their jobs once Ford Motor shuts down its
manufacturing plants?
2. How much money was lost by the company in its last 5 years of operations?
3. When does the company plan to shut down its operations?
1. If you were a company owner, would you still push through with your operations even if
you are losing money?
2. What are the reasons why big companies such as Ford motors are losing money from
their operations?
3. What could Ford motors do so that their employees who are about to lose their jobs could
find new jobs?
Seoul to pilot test-free semester in September
All middle school students

will be allowed to spend a
semester without tests and
assessment starting in 2016,
the Education Ministry
announced Tuesday.
The free-learning semester,
one of President Park Geunhyes pledges, is designed
to
ease the burden of school
testing and help students
focus on career planning.
The ministry will test-run the program in September in 42 middle schools, providing each school
with a 30 million won ($26,600) subsidy. It will pick 40 additional schools next year.
The ministry also said that it would hire some 1,000 teachers specializing in career consulting
and allocate them to all middle and high schools by 2014.
The ministry plans to complete designing the free learning semester program by 2015, before
introducing it to all middle schools across the country in 2016.
1. Who will be allowed to spend a semester without tests and assessments starting in 2016?
2. The free-learning semester is one of the pledges of who?
3. What is the main aim of this new proposal?
1. As a student, do you think this free-learning semester is a good idea?
2. How do you think it will affect middle and high school students?
3. What other ways can the government help the student body of Korea?
Surfer Dogs Showcase Their Skills at San Diego's Imperial Beach
Every year around this time, dogs

of all breeds, sizes and shapes
make their way to San Diego's
Imperial Beach to showcase their
surfing skills at the Loews
Coronado Bay Resort Surfing
Competition. This year's event
which took place on June 16th, was
no exception - Over 50 canine
dudes and dudettes along with their
proud owners, came to strut their
stuff at this fun event that also
doubles up as a fundraiser.
The rules of the competition, which
was started seven years ago to
demonstrate the skills of the
students that attend the resort's dog surfing academy, are fairly simple.
Solo contestants are divided into two categories - Small dogs (under 40 lbs) and large dogs (over
40 lbs). There is also a third category -tandem surfing, where dogs irrespective of size, take to
the boards with their owner(s).
Just like in other competitions, the contestants begin by competing against one another in a series
of preliminaries. The winners of each section then go on to compete in the finals, which entails
catching at least two waves within the stipulated ten-minute time limit. Besides confidence and
ability to stay on the board, the judges also look for some attitude and swanky attire - A strutting
derriere and stylish surfboard shorts or cool-dude shades, go a long way in winning their
approval.
Living up to her stellar reputation, Australian Kelpie, Abbie Girl edged out the tough contingent
of dogs under 40lbs, taking the gold for the third time in a row. In the large dogs category, it
was veteran competitor Ricochet, the famous 'SURFice' dog and ASPCA's 'Dog of the Year' that
won the day. Donned in a practical yellow life jacket and yellow lei, the Golden Retriever
impressed the judges not once, but twice, also taking home the silver medal in the tandem
category where she partnered with Good Morning America's Cameron Mathison. As has been
the case for the last few years, the tandem gold went to the father-daughter team of Scott and
Tyler Chandler and their Jack Russell terrier, Zoey.
The highlight of the event was Scott Chandler's attempt to break three Guinness World Records
- Most number of dogs surfing on a board at one time (more than 10 dogs), Most number of dogs
surfing on one board at one time with a human (Scott) and Most amount of dogs surfing on one
board at one time with two humans (Scott and his daughter). From the looks of it, the Southern
California resident succeeded in doing all three - All that is left now, is confirmation from
Guinness officials!
1. Where is the location of the contest?
2. What is the highlight of the event?
3. What are the 2 categories that dogs are divided into?
1. Do you know how to surf?
2. What is something special about the dogs in the article?
3. Do you know anyone who owns a dog just like in the article?
Source:
http://www.dogonews.com/2012/6/20/surfer-dogs-showcase-their-skills-at-san-diegos-imperialbeach
Amelia Earhart as one of Historys Heroine.

A pioneering aviator and inspirational figure,
Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly
solo across the Atlantic Ocean and set many
other records throughout her career. Her
disappearance in 1937 during an attempt to
circumnavigate the globe devastated admirers
across the United States and around the world.
Earhart symbolizes the fascination that aviation
held for Americans in the 1920s and 1930s. She
became a national celebrity because of her
exploits in the air. Her modest demeanor and
short, tousled hair made her a perfect heroine for
a media-conscious age. Her public career lasted
less than a decade (from 1928 to 1937), but she
used her fame to promote two causes dear to her:
the advancement of commercial aviation and the
advancement of women.
Earharts life, career and legacy was like as a
pilot and in particular a woman. She is a happy
young woman with a love of flying. The quote of
Amelia Earhart, saying something along the lines of if it's risky but worth it, stop worrying and
just do it, is a very suggestive primary source that shows her as a care-free, risk-taking woman.
She lived in the moment and fulfilled her passion for flying, besides the risks involved, because
the experiences she had flying were worth it, as pointed out in the quote. Apart from the 'tomboy'
appearance and the risk-taking personality that everyone seemed to love, they also admired her
loving, friendly nature.
1. Who is Amelia Earhart?
2. What were her achievements?
3. What kind of person is Amelia Earhart?
1. Why is Amelia Earhart considered a heroine?
2. How do her achievements promote the advancement of women during her time?
3. Would you like to fly a plane?
Reference: www.historynet.com/amelia earhart
What Role Will Robots Play in Our Future?

By MICHAEL GONCHAR
In Disruptions: Helper Robots Are Steered,

Tentatively, to Care for the Aging, Nick Bilton
reports that researchers are developing robots to
care for elderly patients.
In the opening scene of the movie Robot &
Frank, which takes place in the near future,
Frank, an elderly man who lives alone, is
arguing with his son about going to a medical
center for Alzheimers treatment when the son
interrupts him. I brought you something, he
says to Frank. Then the son pulls a large, white, humanoid robot from the trunk of his car.
Frank watches in disbelief. You have got to be kidding me, he says as a robot helper, called
the VGC-60L, stands in front of him. Im not this pathetic!
But as Frank soon learns, he doesnt have much of a choice. His new robot helper is there to
cook, clean, garden and keep him company. His son, mired in family and work life, is too busy
to care for his ailing father.
The technology is nearly there. But some researchers worry that we are not asking a
fundamental question: Should we entrust the care of people in their 70s and older to artificial
assistants rather than doing it ourselves?
1. What did the son bring for Frank?
2. What will the robot helper do for Frank?
3. Why cant Franks son take care of him?
1. What role will robots play in our future? Will robots be in every home, the way we now have
TVs and computers? Will they work in our factories,fight in our wars, teach our children and
care for our elderly?
2. Do you think robots will bring more benefits or downsides? Why?

3. Are there certain tasks or roles that we should not let robots do that would be unethical or
irresponsible on our part?
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/23/what-role-will-robots-play-in-our-future/
Children Worrying About Their Body Image
A survey of English schoolchildren shows boys

and girls are worrying about the way they look.
The study found that over half of male school
children lacked confidence because of their body
shape. The figure for girls was slightly higher, at
59 per cent. Researchers questioned 693 teachers
about how their students felt about their bodies.
All the children had taken lessons on body image
and self-esteem. Teachers said many children
were very upset if others said bad things about
their appearance. Around 55 per cent of teachers reported that girls were "ultra-sensitive" to
comments about their looks; the figure for boys being easily hurt by taunts or teasing was 27 per
cent.
Teachers gave a number of reasons why children as young as four years old are stressing out
about their shape. Over 90 per cent of teachers blame the Internet and television. Children see
images of "perfect" bodies every day and they feel they have to look that way too. Almost 30 per
cent of teachers said their female students used sunbeds or sprays to look suntanned. Many
children are on diets to make themselves attractive to the opposite sex. One elementary school
teacher said: "I work with four to five-year-olds and some say things like, 'I can't eat cheese, it
will make me fat'". A teachers' spokeswoman warned that children trying to look like
"airbrushed celebrities in the media only leads to misery".
1.
2.
3.
4.
What is the survey about?

Why do children worry about their body shape/appearance?
How did they conduct the survey?
What are the two things teachers blame?
1. Do you worry about your body image/appearance? Why or why not?
2. In your opinion how important is physical appearance in our society?
3. Do you know what lookism is? What is it?
Source:
http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1303/130325-body_image.html
How Roaches Developed Disgust at First Bite
Cockroaches that dont fall for traps sweet

poisons have evolved taste cells that register
sugar as bitter.
In certain groups of the widespread German
cockroach (Blattella germanica), nerve cells
that normally detect bitter, potentially toxic
compounds now also respond to glucose, says
entomologist Coby Schal of North Carolina
State University in Raleigh. The bitter
reaction suppresses the sweet response from
other nerve cells, and the roach stops eating,
Schal and his colleagues report in the May
24 Science.
Normally roaches love sugar. But with these
populations, a dab of jelly with glucose in it
makes them jump back, Schal says. The
response is: Yuck! Terrible!
This quirk of roach taste explains why glucose-baited poison traps stopped working among
certain roaches, Schal says. Such bait traps combining a pesticide with something delicious
became popular during the mid-1980s. But in 1993, Jules Silverman, also a coauthor on the new
paper, reported roaches avoiding these once-appealing baits.
This is a fascinating piece of work because it shows how quickly, and how simply, the sense of
taste can evolve, says neurobiologist Richard Benton of the University of Lausanne in
Switzerland. In this back-and-forth struggle, its important to understand what the cockroach is
doing from a molecular basis, Schal says.
Source:
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/350636/description/How_roaches_developed_disgu
st_at_first_bite
1. What is the scientific name of the German cockroach?
2. What do roaches normally look for?
3. What was once an appealing bait for cockroaches?
1. Are there many cockroaches in your house?
2. What are the measures you undergo to keep cockroaches away?
3. In what ways are cockroaches harmful to you?
Saudi prince spends $19M on Disney party
A Saudi Arabian prince spent close to

$20 million on a party at Euro Disney
near Paris. Prince Fahd al-Saud booked
a large area of the Disney resort for a
party for himself and 60 guests. His
party lasted three days between 22-24
May. He invited many of his friends, as
well as some big fans of Disney. Prince
Fahd organized the party to celebrate
graduating from university. Park
officials told the AFP news agency
about the prince's graduation party.
They said there were special, "rare
Disney characters" that do not usually
appear in the Disney theme parks. They also said that the prince was one of their biggest
customers, so they hired extra security staff to keep him safe while he had fun.
Euro Disney said it regularly arranges private parties for companies or people. The prince's
party was the last event in a world tour called Disney Dreamers Everywhere, paid for by Prince
Fahd. It started in Hong Kong and then moved to Tokyo, California, Florida and then France.
Disney spokesman Julien Guedon said it was the first time someone had arranged such an
amazing, private world tour. He told Britain's "Daily Telegraph" newspaper that he was not
allowed to talk about the prince, although he did say the royal had fun at his three-day party at
Euro Disney. He also said the prince helped to design some of the costumes and dance moves for
the rare characters.
1. How many people did he ask to the party?
2. What was the party for?
3. Who paid for the world tour?
1. What party would you have for $20 million?
2. What's the best way to celebrate graduation?
3. Who is the best Disney character?
http://breakingnewsenglish.com/1306/130605-disneyland.html#ixzz2Vq22shzj
Kakao Talk messenger races ahead with 95 mln users
Kakao Corp., the developer of the popular Kakao

Talk mobile messenger service, said Monday the
number of its messenger users has topped the 95
million mark.
Kakao Talk, launched in March 2010, is a free
messenger application that runs on the Android and
iOS operating systems.
Kakao has seen its messenger service users surge as
a growing number of smartphone users rushed to the
free service.
Industry watchers expect the user base to top 100
million this month on the back of popularity in East
Asian nations such as Indonesia and Vietnam.
Analysts said the growing user base is also an effective recipe for the success of Kakao's new
services that it launched to diversify profit sources.
Popular games, such as "Ani Pang," have grabbed more than 12 million players and have topped
the list in several game download rankings.
The number of users for another free messenger application LINE, offered by South Korea's top
portal operator NHN Corp., exceeded 150 million last month.
The milestone came four months after the service drew 100 million users in January this year.
The free messenger service was launched in June 2011.
Since the initial launch, the company has expanded the service to 23 countries in 12 languages,
including Chinese, Spanish and Indonesian. (Yonhap News)
1. What messenger has reached 95 million users?
2. When was it launched?
3. What is the popular game that has grabbed more than 12 million players?
1. Are you a user of KaKao Talk Messenger?
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using smartphones?
3. What other applications do you find useful on smartphones?

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