Rescued Animals Need More Space in Asia 

Vocabulary

Direction: Read each word and let the student repeat it.
endangered
[ɪnˈdeɪndʒəd] (adjective)
– in danger
ex.These animals are bred in our park because they’re endangered.

captivity
[kæpˈtɪvəti] (noun)
– the state of being kept in a place (such as a prison or a cage) and not being able to leave or be free
ex.Wild animals shouldn’t be in captivity.

species
[ˈspiːʃiːz] (noun)
– a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants
ex.The professor told us about these species of plants yesterday; they’re called Bryophytes.

smuggler
[ˈsmʌɡlə(r)] (noun)
– person who secretly or illegally moves someone or something from one country to another
ex.The police were helped by the locals to arrest the smugglers.

mammal
[ˈmæml] (noun)
– an animal that is born from its mother’s body, not from an egg, and drinks its mother’s milk as a baby. Humans, dogs, and cows are all mammals.
ex.Whales aren’t fish; they’re mammals!

---

Article

Direction: Read each paragraph and let the student repeat it.

Rescued Animals Need More Space in Asia

Efforts to stop illegal trade of endangered animals are gaining strength in some areas, including Southeast Asia. But now, officials must decide what to do with the thousands of animals rescued every year.

This issue is evident at the Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center, not far from Phnom Penh in Cambodia.

Many of the animals arrived at the rescue center after being seized by Cambodia’s Wildlife Rapid Rescue Team. The team includes Cambodian government officials and military police.

Every year the team rescues hundreds of endangered animals.

A huge amount of money is exchanged in the illegal trade of animals. Well organized criminal groups and corrupt or uncaring officials remove species from the wild faster than they can reproduce.

The Phnom Tamao Rescue Center is home to about 100 sun bears. That is the largest population of sun bears in captivity. A number of moon bears also live there.

Pangolins are often called scaly anteaters. They are sometimes hunted for food and medicine. Those abilities have led them to become the most often seized mammal in Asia’s wildlife trade.

Thailand forms a major point of transport for smugglers. Officials there reported seizing more than 10,000 live animals and 1,300 animal remains last year.

Questions

Direction: Ask the students the questions, and give the answers.

1Where is Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center situated?

It is not far from Phnom Penh in Cambodia.

2What does the Cambodia’s Wildlife Rapid Rescue Team include?

It includes Cambodian government officials and military police.

3How many sun bears live in the Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center?

About 100 sun bears.

Discussion

Direction: Discuss the topics.

1In your opinion how can we stop the illegal trade of endangered animals?

Follow-up question1: Why are they smuggled in the first place? (Name the reasons you can think of.)
Follow-up question2: Is there any endangered animal living in your area?

2Do you like animals?

Follow-up question1: Have you ever owned a pet?
Follow-up question2: If you could legally own any animal as a pet, what would that animal be? (ex.: panda, crocodile, etc.)

3Would you ever participate in an operation to save animals?

Follow-up question1: Do you think it is important that more people should help animals?
Follow-up question2: Would you ever consider adopting a dog or cat from a shelter?

Quoted from

http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/rescued-animals-filling-up-protected-areas-in-southeast-asia/2515272.html

Several Surprises in Oscar Nominations

Vocabulary

Direction: Read each word and let the student repeat it.
announce
[əˈnaʊns] (verb)
– to tell people something officially, especially about a decision, a plan, etc.
ex.Nora and Thomas announced the date of their wedding.

nominate
[ˈnɑːmɪneɪt] (verb)
– to suggest or choose somebody as a candidate in an election, or for a job or an award; the fact of being suggested for this
ex.Lucy was nominated as the employee of the week by her co-workers.

absence
[ˈæbsəns] (noun)
– a period of time when someone is not where they should be or where they usually are
ex.No one phoned you in your absence.

praise
[preɪz] (verb)
– to express your approval or admiration for somebody/something
ex.David’s mother praised him for his handmade birthday card.

genius
[ˈdʒiːniəs] (noun)
– a very smart or talented person
ex.The boy was a child genius; he finished high school when he was 12.

code
[koʊd] (noun)
– a set of letters, numbers, symbols, etc., that is used to secretly send messages to someone
ex.He used a code in his letters so only his wife understood the meaning.

homosexual
[ˌhoʊməˈsekʃuəl] (adjective)
– about a person, usually a man, who is sexually attracted to people of the same sex
ex.In the 60’s being homosexual was illegal.

Article

Direction: Read each paragraph and let the student repeat it.

Several Surprises in Oscar Nominations

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced this year’s Oscar nominations. […]

The debate in the entertainment world centers on how few people of color received nominations for the Oscars.

The online entertainment magazine Variety.com noted the surprise absence of British actor David Oyelowo. He plays Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the civil rights picture, “Selma.” Critics have widely praised his performance and he already was nominated for several awards, including a Golden Globe.

“Selma” was one of the four best picture nominees about real people. “The Theory of Everything” is about famed British physicist Stephen Hawking. It is based on a book by his wife Jane Wilde Hawking that tells about their life together and his scientific career.

“The Imitation Game” is about another British genius. Alan Turing was a mathematician in the 1940s who built a machine to break German code during World War Two. A hero, Britain later jailed him because he was homosexual.

We can see how it all works out on February 22 when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences holds its 87th Oscar Awards. […]

Questions

Direction: Ask the students the questions, and give the answers.

1Who plays Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in “Selma”?

David Oyelowo.

2Who is Stephen Hawking?

A famous British physicist.

3When will the Oscar Awards be held?

22 of February.

Discussion

Direction: Discuss the topics.

1Do you like movies?

Follow-up question1: Do you follow what new movies come out? Why/why not?
Follow-up question2: Do you have a favorite movie? What is it?

2Have you ever heard of the Oscar Awards before?

Follow-up question1: Do you decide whether a movie is good or bad based in it’s awards?
Follow-up question2: Do you have movie awards in your country?

3How often do you go to the cinema?

Follow-up question1: Do you like going to the cinema? Why/why not?
Follow-up question2: Or do you like watching movies at home?

Quoted from

http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/oscars-nomination-2015-surprises/2600169.html

Japan Supports US-Led Girls Education Effort, Faces Gender Gap 

Vocabulary 

Direction: Read each word and let the student repeat it.
initiative
[ɪˈnɪʃətɪv] (noun)
– a new plan for dealing with a particular problem or for achieving a particular purpose
ex.The United Nations has started working on an initiative aimed at combating extreme poverty.

gap
[ɡæp] (noun)
– a space between two things or in the middle of something, especially because there is a part missing
ex.The gap between the rich and the poor is getting larger.

criterion
[kraɪˈtɪriən] (noun)
– a standard or principle by which something is judged, or with the help of which a decision is made (plural – criteria)
ex.What is the main criterion by which students are evaluated?

enrolment
[ɪnˈroʊlmənt] (noun)
– the act of officially joining a course, school, etc.; the number of people who do this
ex.I have finished the enrolment process and I am officially a university student.

discrimination
[dɪˌskrɪmɪˈneɪʃn] (noun)
– the practice of treating somebody or a particular group in society less fairly than others
ex.Discrimination is a real issue even in developed countries.

Article 

Direction: Read each paragraph and let the student repeat it.

Japan Supports US-Led Girls Education Effort, Faces Gender Gap

U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama is in Tokyo to promote a girls education initiative to help the 62 million girls in the developing world who are not in school. Japan does provide girls equal access to education, but the country has one of the worst gender gap ratings in the world when it comes to women in the workplace after they graduate from school.

In Tokyo, Mrs. Obama announced the “Let Girls Learn” initiative while meeting with Japanese first lady Akie Abe.

[…]

According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report, which evaluates countries on economic, political, education, and health-based criteria, Japan ranked 105th out of 136 countries in 2013.

While there is virtually no gender gap in education enrolment, women in Japan face significant institutional and cultural obstacles in the workplace.

In Japan, raising children is still considered the responsibility of women. Because there is a severe shortage of affordable childcare, over 60 percent of Japanese women who have children end up quitting their jobs.

Economics Professor Machiko Osawa, with the Research Institute for Women and Careers at Japan Women’s University, said this expectation leads to discrimination in the corporate world.

“Once you are hired after you graduate from school, companies spend lots of money to train workers. But women tend to quit due to child bearing or marriage, so that the company does not want to take a risk,” said Osawa.

[…]

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has vowed to significantly boost the participation of women in the workforce and improve pay for women who, on average, earn 30 percent less than men.

 Questions 

Direction: Ask the students the questions, and give the answers.

1Why is Michelle Obama visiting Tokyo?

“U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama is in Tokyo to promote a girls education initiative to help the 62 million girls in the developing world who are not in school.”

2What is Japan’s main problem when it comes to women’s opportunities?

Japan “has one of the worst gender gap ratings in the world when it comes to women in the workplace after they graduate from school.”

3What kind of obstacles do Japanese women encounter in the workplace?

“While there is virtually no gender gap in education enrolment, women in Japan face significant institutional and cultural obstacles in the workplace.”

4How many of the Japanese women quit their jobs after having a child?

60%

5Why are women being discriminated in the corporate world?

““Once you are hired after you graduate from school, companies spend lots of money to train workers. But women tend to quit due to child bearing or marriage, so that the company does not want to take a risk,” said Osawa.”

6What is the difference in salary between women and men in Japan?

“Women, on average, earn 30 percent less than men.”

Discussion 

Direction: Discuss the topics.

1Have you ever witnessed gender discrimination in your country? If so, please explain.

Follow-up question1: What do you think is the reason behind gender discrimination?
Follow-up question2: What can be done to stop it?
Follow-up question3: Can you think of some successful leading women?

2What other kinds of discrimination do you know of?

Follow-up question1: Have you ever been the victim of discrimination?
Follow-up question2: What do you think is the most common type of discrimination?
Follow-up question3: Do you think that someday there will be no discrimination?

3Can a country claim to be a democracy if there is discrimination of any kind taking place there? Why or why not?

Follow-up question1: What are some basic rights of humans?
Follow-up question2: What is the most important right to you? Why?
Follow-up question3: If you were required to give up one of your rights, which would you give up and why?

Quoted from

http://www.voanews.com/content/michelle-obama-touts-let-girls-learn-initiative-in-japan/2686535.html

Hawaii Scientists Study Threatened Shark Species 

Vocabulary

Direction: Read each word and let the student repeat it.
threaten
[ˈθretn] (verb)
– to say that you will cause trouble, hurt somebody, etc. if you do not get what you want
ex.He threatened to kill me if I told anybody.

facility
[fəˈsɪləti] (noun)
– a place, usually including buildings, used for a particular purpose or activity
ex.Sport facilities were built for the Olympiad.

bay

[beɪ] (noun)
– a large area of water that is part of an ocean or lake and partly surrounded by land
ex.We could see the bay from our hotel window.

digestion
[daɪˈdʒestʃən] (noun)
– the process of your body changing food into substances your body can use
ex.I’ve been having digestion problems.

tracking device
[trækɪŋ dɪˈvaɪs] (noun phrase)
– a piece of equipment that observes people or things and their movement
ex.Jack put a tracking device on his dog in case it would get lost.

coverage
[ˈkʌvərɪdʒ] (noun)
– the reporting of news and sport in newspapers and on the radio and television
ex.Media coverage of the event focused on the celebrities.

dramatize
[ˈdræmətaɪz] (verb)
– to make something seem more exciting or important than it really is
ex.Don’t dramatize your break up with Troy; it wasn’t that bad!

Article

Direction: Read each paragraph and let the student repeat it.

Hawaii Scientists Study Threatened Shark Species

Fishing, climate change and pollution threaten many shark species. Now, scientists are getting a close look at the shark environment. They want to better understand the threats this important animal faces.

The University of Hawaii research site is on Coconut Island in Hawaii. It is just minutes by motorboat from the shore of Oahu, the most populated of the Hawaiian Islands. The facility is a good place to observe sharks, since they are native to local waters. Some are being kept in this sheltered bay for study.

[…]

Scientists also observe the behavior of sharks in the open ocean. They place a sensor device in their food to observe the digestion process. They also measure the animals. Then the researchers release the sharks with electronic tracking devices attached to their fins.

The researchers study tiger sharks, sandbar sharks, blacktip sharks and many others. They recently attached a camera to a sandbar shark to record its everyday activities.

[…]

Sharks are quick and deadly but rarely attack humans.

Carl Meyer says those rare attacks receive heavy media coverage and are dramatized in movies like 1975’s “Jaws.”

[…]

Questions

Direction: Ask the students the questions, and give the answers.

1What threatens sharks?

Fishing, climate change and pollution.

2Why are scientists studying sharks?

They want to better understand the threats sharks face.

3What kinds of sharks do the researchers study?

They study tiger sharks, sandbar sharks, blacktip sharks and many others.

Discussion

Direction: Discuss the topics.

1Do you think people should save endangered animals (animals that may disappear soon)?

Follow-up question1: Why/why not?
Follow-up question2: Would you donate to save endangered animals?

2Are you afraid of sharks?

Follow-up question1: Have you seen a shark in real life?
Follow-up question2: Have you seen the movie “Jaws”? If yes; were you afraid of the shark there?

3What are you afraid of?

Follow-up question1: Are you scared easily?
Follow-up question2: Are you scared by horror movies?

Quoted from

http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/hawaii-scientists-study-threatened-shark-species/2650574.html

Financial Literacy Skills Last a Lifetime

Vocabulary

Direction: Read each word and let the student repeat it.
curriculum
[kəˈrɪkjələm] (noun)
– the courses that are taught by a school, college, etc.
ex.Students can choose some of the subjects in the curriculum.

literacy
[ˈlɪtərəsi] (noun)
– the ability to read and write
ex.The level of literacy around the world today is much higher than it was.

creative
[kriˈeɪtɪv] (adjective)
– involving the use of skill and the imagination to produce something new or a work of art
ex.Anyone can be creative, not only artists.

priority
[praɪˈɔːrəti] (noun)
– something that you think is more important than other things and should be dealt with first
ex.Health is a priority to Mrs. Sugimoto.

financial

[fəˈnænʃl] (adjective)
– connected with money
ex.I’m having financial problems at the moment.

checkbook/chequebook
[ˈtʃekbʊk] (noun)
– a book of printed forms that you can write on and sign as a way of paying for something instead of using money
ex.I’ll find my checkbook and write a cheque for you.

Article

Direction: Read each paragraph and let the student repeat it.

Financial Literacy Skills Last a Lifetime

Math is an important part of every American’s education. How to use math for planning a budget or managing money,however, is not often in the curriculum.

Some schools are starting to provide this training. Charles H. Flowers High School in Maryland has a financial literacy program that is designed to give young people money skills that will last a lifetime.

[…]

One of the most important lessons is how to save money and make better financial decisions.

Ms. Pea says teaching money management to teenagers calls for creative methods. She says she wants to keep the class interesting.

[…]

In this class, kids learn how to set priorities and make better financial decisions. That, of course, is not always easy.

[…]

Camilla Pea teaches her students about the financial mistakes many adults make. These are mistakes that can create a lot of debt. Balancing a checkbook is one basic task that can help young and old manage their money.

[…]

Ms. Pea also advises her students to ask their parents how much they make and how they spend it. She says this helps make financial literacy becomes a part of their everyday life.

[…]

Questions

Direction: Ask the students the questions, and give the answers.

1Where is Charles H. Flowers High School?

It’s in Maryland.

2What do the students learn in class?

They learn how to set priorities and make better financial decisions.

3What helps make financial literacy becomes a part of everyday life of the students?

Asking parents how much they make and how they spend.

Discussion

Direction: Discuss the topics.

1Would you like to go to such a course?

Follow-up question1: Why/why not?
Follow-up question2: Would you like your (future) children to attend this kind of course?

2Do you think managing money is easy?

Follow-up question1: Is it easy for you (personally)?
Follow-up question2: Did someone teach you to manage money?

3Would you like to be a millionaire?

Follow-up question1: What would you never spend money on?
Follow-up question2: What is something that you want to buy, but you never buy it?

Quoted from

http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/skills-of-financial-literacy-last-a-lifetime/2657111.html

Envelope Laced with Poison Mailed to White House 

Vocabulary 

Direction: Read each word and let the student repeat it.
lace
[leɪs] (verb)
– to add a small amount of a powerful substance (such as alcohol, a drug, or a poison) to (something, such as a drink)
ex.All of the cocktails were laced with vodka.

screening
[ˈskriːnɪŋ] (noun)
– the testing or examining of a large number of people or things for disease, faults, etc.
ex.All of the packages must go through screening.

presumptive
[prɪˈzʌmptɪv] (adjective)
– likely to be true, based on the facts that are available
ex.He has received a presumptive diagnosis if diabetes.

ongoing
[ˈɑːnɡoʊɪŋ] (adjective)
– continuing to exist or develop
ex.We have an ongoing project aimed at stopping pollution in this area.

Article 

Direction: Read each paragraph and let the student repeat it.

Envelope Laced with Poison Mailed to White House

The U.S. Secret Service says a letter addressed to the White House has tested positive for cyanide, a deadly poison.

The agency, which is charged with protecting the president and other high-ranking officials, issued a statement Tuesday saying the letter was received at a screening facility away from the White House campus the day before. The letter initially tested negative for biological agents, but the agency said further tests returned a “presumptive positive” for cyanide.

The letter has been sent to another facility for further testing. The Secret Service says it will have no further comment, due to the ongoing investigation.

According to a website called The Intercept, a return address on the cyanide-laced letter is a man who has sent multiple packages to the White House dating back to 1995. […]

In 2013, letters addressed to President Barack Obama and Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker were laced with the poison ricin. One person was arrested in the incident.

Questions 

Direction: Ask the students the questions, and give the answers.

1What substance was found inside the letter?

Cyanide.

2What is the U.S. Secret Service responsible for?

The agency “is charged with protecting the president and other high-ranking officials.”

3Who is suspected of sending the letter?

“A man who has sent multiple packages to the White House dating back to 1995.”

4Did Barack Obama receive any other dangerous letters?

“In 2013, letters addressed to President Barack Obama and Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker were laced with the poison ricin.”

Discussion

Direction: Discuss the topics.

1Do you think the world is getting more and more dangerous? Why or why not?

Follow-up question1: What do you think of the world today?
Follow-up question2: What is the best thing about your country? Please explain.
Follow-up question3: What is the worst thing about your country? Please explain.

2Do you trust politicians? Why or why not?

Follow-up question1: Did you ever consider becoming a politician? Why or why not?
Follow-up question2: If you were a high-ranking politician, what would you change about your country?
Follow-up question3: Do you feel that your country is truly a democracy? Why or why not?

3Why is voting important?

Follow-up question1: Do you always vote? Why or why not?
Follow-up question2: Do you feel that one vote can make a difference? Why or why not?
Follow-up question3: What are the most important rights of a citizen?

Quoted from

http://www.voanews.com/content/envelope-laced-with-poison-mailed-to-white-house/2684904.html

Top Ten Cities With the World’s Worst Traffic 

Vocabulary

Direction: Read each word and let the student repeat it.
commute
[kəˈmjuːt] (verb)
– to travel regularly to and from a place and especially between where you live and where you work
ex.Commuting takes an hour every morning.

rush
[rʌʃ] (verb)
– to move or do something very quickly or in a way that shows you are in a hurry
ex.I hate to rush, I always forget things at home if I do!

direct
[dəˈrekt] (adjective)
– going in the straightest line between two places without stopping or changing direction
ex.Let’s take the direct route to the shop.

quality
[ˈkwɑːləti] (noun)
– how good or bad something is
ex.These are high quality coffee beans.

condition
[kənˈdɪʃn] (noun)
– the physical situation that affects how something happens
ex.This plant won’t grow in these conditions; you must find a sunnier place for the pot.

GPS
[ˌdʒiː piː ˈes] (noun)
– ‘global positioning system’; a system by which signals are sent from satellites to a special device, used to show the position of a person or thing on the surface of the earth very accurately
ex.I can tell you exactly where we are; I have a GPS installed in my car.

measure
[ˈmeʒər] (verb)
– to find the size, quantity, etc. of something
ex.Let’s measure my height; I think I’ve grown up!

Article

Direction: Read each paragraph and let the student repeat it.

Top Ten Cities With the World’s Worst Traffic

[…]

Many of us start the day by commuting, or traveling, to work. We drop off our children at school. We may visit the doctor or go to the market to buy food. We rush home to see our families.

Life is more pleasant when these trips are easy and direct. The easier commuting, the higher your quality of life is.

[…]

People who live in big cities spend a lot of time talking about traffic. Too many people on the roads can be a big problem.

[…]

But who in the world has the worst traffic?

In 2014, the Castrol Magnatec Stop-Start Index examined traffic conditions in 78 cities around the world. Drivers in these areas used TomTom GPS devices. Each device measured the time spent in traffic and the traffic conditions they experienced.

[…]

The top 10 cities with the worst traffic are:

10) Buenos Aires, Argentina
9) Guadalajara, Mexico
8) Bangkok, Thailand
7) Rome, Italy
6) Moscow, Russia
5) St. Petersburg, Russia
4) Surabaya, Indonesia
3) Mexico City, Mexico
2) Istanbul, Turkey

And coming in at number one with the worst traffic on the planet is …
1) Jakarta, Indonesia

Questions

Direction: Ask the students the questions, and give the answers.

1According to the text, what makes life more pleasant?

When trips are easy and direct.

2What do people who live in big cities spend a lot of time talking about?

Traffic.

3Where is the worst traffic?

Jakarta, Indonesia.

Discussion

Direction: Discuss the topics.

1Do you drive a car?

Follow-up question1: Where do you go by car?
Follow-up question2: Was it hard to pass the driving test?

2Is traffic bad in your country/area?

Follow-up question1: Do people drive their own cars?
Follow-up question2: What public transport do people usually use in your area? (ex: bus, underground, etc.)

3Have you ever been to any of the cities from the list?

Follow-up question1: Can bad traffic make you not want to visit a city?
Follow-up question2: Which of the cities you would like to visit most? Why? What would you like to see there?

Quoted from

http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/top-ten-cities-for-worst-traffic-jakarta-istabul-gridlock-stress-public-transportation/2665040.html