The U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has announced one of the biggest reforms of the American military in decades. He has lifted the ban on women fighting on the front line in future wars. The new ruling reinforces the fact that women have been putting their lives at risk for many years.
Mr Panetta told reporters: "Female service members have faced the reality of combat, proving their willingness to fight and, yes, to die to defend their fellow Americans." Panetta said many very able women soldiers have been prevented from doing a job they love because of their gender. He said: "We owe it to them to allow them to pursue every avenue of military service for which they are fully prepared and qualified."
The Defense Secretary announced there was an important proviso to his new ruling – that women must be able to meet the military's standards, including physical ones. Army Sergeant Jeremy Grayson agreed, saying: "Women would have to be able to do the physical stuff that men do.
They have to be able to pull their own weight." Another Army spokesman, Anthony Lemaitre, warned the public to be prepared to handle seeing women troops come home in body bags or with lost limbs. He said: "It's harder to see a mother or a daughter dead." There could now be up to 237,000 positions available for women that are currently off limits to them. The Army says the ruling will benefit the military in many ways.
EXERCISE 1. COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. What is Leon Panetta's job?
2. What are women prepared to die for?
3. What did a soldier say female soldiers would have to pull?
4. What must the U.S. public be prepared for?
5. In how many ways did the Army say the ruling could benefit the Army?
EXERCISE 2. SHARING IDEAS
1. What springs to mind when you hear the word 'war'?
2. Do you think all countries will allow their women to fight one day?
3. Would you fight to defend your country?
4. What do you think of soldiers who are ready to die to protect their fellow citizens?
5. How would people's view of war change if they saw many women in body bags?
Artile Resource:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21172033
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/troops-accept-new-women-in-combat-policy-say-women-should-meet-same-standard-as-men/2013/01/24/e12f4cb8-6663-11e2-889b-f23c246aa446_story.html
http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1301/130126-women_in_combat.html
Saturday 26 January 2013
Boeing Dreamliners Grounded Worldwide
Boeing's
state-of-the-art Dreamliner passenger jet has been grounded in Japan, India,
Chile and the USA amid safety concerns. The airliner has been hit with a spate
of technical malfunctions in the past month. These range from cracked
windshields, brake and electrical problems, and fuel spills.
A battery fault found on Wednesday on one of
Japan's All Nippon Airways (ANA) planes forced the flight to make an emergency
landing. A Japanese transport official described the incident as "highly
serious," which means there could have been an accident. Japanese
authorities have suspended all Dreamliner flights until further notice. Japan's
airlines have 24 of the 50 Dreamliners Boeing has sold to date.
The Dreamliner is expected to revolutionize the
aviation industry. Its lightweight design, fuel efficiency and advanced safety
features mean airlines have been queuing up to buy it. Boeing says it is
investigating the issues but expressed confidence in the aircraft's
safety.
A company official has put the difficulties down
to "teething problems" associated with a brand new airplane. The
airline's CEO, Jim McNerney, said: "We will be taking every necessary step
in the coming days to assure our customers and the travelling public of the
787's safety and to return the airplanes to service." He added:
"Boeing deeply regrets…the inconvenience to [our customers] and their
passengers."
EXERCISE 1. COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. In how many countries has the Dreamliner been grounded?
2. What piece of faulty equipment was found on Wednesday?
3. How many Dreamliners are operated by Japanese airlines?
4. What did a Boeing official say was responsible for the issues?
5. Who is Jim McNerney?
EXERCISE 2. SHARING IDEAS
1.What do you know about the Boeing Dreamliner?
2. What should Boeing do for the affected airlines?
3. Do you worry about airline safety?
4. Why do you think the airplane is having so many problems?
5. What do you like and hate about flying?
Useful links/Article Sources:
Thursday 17 January 2013
Google Boss Tells North Korea to Use Internet
The chairman of Google, Eric Schmidt, has asked North Korea to open up its Internet to join the rest of the world. North Korea is one of the most closed and secretive countries in the world. Only a few of its citizens have Internet access, but that is strictly controlled by the government. Almost no one can access the World Wide Web.
Mr Schmidt said it was very important for the country to end its isolation so North Koreans can become richer. He said: "As the world is becoming increasingly connected, their decision to be [almost totally] isolated is very much going to affect their physical world, their economic growth, and so forth….It will make it hard for them to catch up economically."
The U.S. government was not happy about Mr Schmidt's trip. Officials criticized it and said it was "unhelpful". The White House is doing its best to get the North Koreans to end its nuclear weapons program. One expert believes Mr Schmidt's visit gave North Korea the feeling it was an important world country.
Greg Scarlatoiu of the Washington-based Committee for Human Rights in North Korea told the Voice Of America website: "Visits from senior officials and extraordinarily successful entrepreneurs are going to help to raise the profile of the North Korea regime. Probably, from the North Korean viewpoint, they may think this is also an opportunity to make some money for the regime."
EXERCISE 1. COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1.What is Eric Schmidt's job?
2. How many people in North Korea can access the Internet?
3. What word did America's government use to describe Schmidt's visit?
4. What extraordinarily successful people are mentioned in the text?
5. What might N. Korea's leaders have the chance to make?
EXERCISE 2. SHARING IDEAS
1. What do you think about Google?
2. What do you know about North Korea?
3. Do you think Internet access is a human right?
4. What do you like most and least about the Internet?
5. What would you do without the Internet?
Useful links/Article Sources:
Breaking News English
Google Urges North Korea to Open Internet Access
Google’s Eric Schmidt calls on North Korea to end Internet ban during visit with Richardson
Mr Schmidt said it was very important for the country to end its isolation so North Koreans can become richer. He said: "As the world is becoming increasingly connected, their decision to be [almost totally] isolated is very much going to affect their physical world, their economic growth, and so forth….It will make it hard for them to catch up economically."
The U.S. government was not happy about Mr Schmidt's trip. Officials criticized it and said it was "unhelpful". The White House is doing its best to get the North Koreans to end its nuclear weapons program. One expert believes Mr Schmidt's visit gave North Korea the feeling it was an important world country.
Greg Scarlatoiu of the Washington-based Committee for Human Rights in North Korea told the Voice Of America website: "Visits from senior officials and extraordinarily successful entrepreneurs are going to help to raise the profile of the North Korea regime. Probably, from the North Korean viewpoint, they may think this is also an opportunity to make some money for the regime."
EXERCISE 1. COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1.What is Eric Schmidt's job?
2. How many people in North Korea can access the Internet?
3. What word did America's government use to describe Schmidt's visit?
4. What extraordinarily successful people are mentioned in the text?
5. What might N. Korea's leaders have the chance to make?
EXERCISE 2. SHARING IDEAS
1. What do you think about Google?
2. What do you know about North Korea?
3. Do you think Internet access is a human right?
4. What do you like most and least about the Internet?
5. What would you do without the Internet?
Useful links/Article Sources:
Breaking News English
Google Urges North Korea to Open Internet Access
Google’s Eric Schmidt calls on North Korea to end Internet ban during visit with Richardson
Saturday 12 January 2013
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."
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. Where will Toyota show its driverless car?
2. What do the intelligent safety features stop the car from doing?
3. What is Toyota's aim for the number of car crashes?
4. What could the driver do instead of driving the driverless car?
5. What will the cars get from computers that monitor traffic?
EXERCISE 2. SHARING IDEAS
1. What do you think of the idea of driverless cars?
2. Do you like driving? What is the best and worst thing about driving?
3. Would you buy a self-driving car or a normal car?
4. What's the best way to reduce traffic and accidents?
5. What new technology would you like to see in cars of the future?
Article Source: http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1301/130108-driverless_car.html
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."
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. Where will Toyota show its driverless car?
2. What do the intelligent safety features stop the car from doing?
3. What is Toyota's aim for the number of car crashes?
4. What could the driver do instead of driving the driverless car?
5. What will the cars get from computers that monitor traffic?
EXERCISE 2. SHARING IDEAS
1. What do you think of the idea of driverless cars?
2. Do you like driving? What is the best and worst thing about driving?
3. Would you buy a self-driving car or a normal car?
4. What's the best way to reduce traffic and accidents?
5. What new technology would you like to see in cars of the future?
Article Source: http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1301/130108-driverless_car.html
U.S. Town Bans Small Bottles of Water
The U.S. town of Concord in Massachusetts state has banned stores from selling water in bottles that are smaller than one litre. Stores who sell the water will have to pay a $50 fine. The new law is the result of a three-year campaign by local resident Jean Hill. Ms Hill first told people about the idea at a meeting in 2010. She wants people to drink more tap water and use fewer plastic bottles, which she says end up littering streets, rivers and the countryside. She said: "Bottled water is bad for the environment, our health, and our public water systems. Concord's decision to go bottled-water free is a great example of how communities can promote our most essential public service: the tap."
Many people are unhappy with the new law, which started on New Year's Day. The bottled water industry said small bottles are very important for people's health. It said banning small bottles would mean people will drink more small bottles of colas and other soft drinks. Shops can still sell small bottles of other kinds of drinks. Local stores and restaurants say they will lose customers as people will simply drive to nearby towns to buy small bottles of water. One local resident said the new law is dangerous to her health. Ann Davidson, 82, said tap water is bad for her health so she has to buy water, but 1.5 litre bottles are too heavy for her. People buy 50 billion small bottles of water each year in the USA.
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. What kind of fine will stores have to pay for selling the banned water?
2. When did Jean Hill first mention banning small water bottles?
3. What did Jean Hill say plastic bottles do to the environment?
4. What will people drink instead of water?
5. What is Ann Davidson's problem with 1.5 liter bottles of water?
EXERCISE 2. SHARING IDEAS
1. What do you think of bottled water?
Article Source: http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1301/130104-bottled_water.html
Many people are unhappy with the new law, which started on New Year's Day. The bottled water industry said small bottles are very important for people's health. It said banning small bottles would mean people will drink more small bottles of colas and other soft drinks. Shops can still sell small bottles of other kinds of drinks. Local stores and restaurants say they will lose customers as people will simply drive to nearby towns to buy small bottles of water. One local resident said the new law is dangerous to her health. Ann Davidson, 82, said tap water is bad for her health so she has to buy water, but 1.5 litre bottles are too heavy for her. People buy 50 billion small bottles of water each year in the USA.
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. What kind of fine will stores have to pay for selling the banned water?
2. When did Jean Hill first mention banning small water bottles?
3. What did Jean Hill say plastic bottles do to the environment?
4. What will people drink instead of water?
5. What is Ann Davidson's problem with 1.5 liter bottles of water?
EXERCISE 2. SHARING IDEAS
1. What do you think of bottled water?
| 2. Is bottled water pretty much the same as tap water? 3. Do you understand why people are unhappy with the new law? 4. Is the new law unfair on small shops and restaurants?
|
Article Source: http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1301/130104-bottled_water.html
Friday 4 January 2013
2013 to be Great for English Students
The year 2013 will without doubt be a great year for many of us wondering what's in store for us. Expert forecasters are predicting it will be one of the best years ever. It will be one of those years when record numbers of people will stick to and keep their New Year's resolutions.
That means millions of smokers will quit smoking and the overweight will make a more conscious effort to trim their waistlines. It should also be an easier year on the pocket as the world economy recovers slightly from its recent shocks and downturns. In technology, all eyes will be on Apple to see if it will launch another revolutionary product. Industry insiders say rumors are spreading of an Apple television.
There is also good news for those hoping to make gains with their English. An abundance of great new tools will hit the shelves of both online and traditional stores throughout the year. These will provide students with an unprecedented variety of products to help them in areas they want to improve on.
The Internet will also see a lot more sites aimed at providing students with ways to interact with others around the world in English. More and more learners will study English in cyberspace from a growing army of online teachers. 2013 will also see record numbers of people studying abroad, but not just English - millions will start learning Chinese, as China grows increasingly important in business.
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. What might people be wondering about 2013?
1. Are you full of optimism about 2013?
That means millions of smokers will quit smoking and the overweight will make a more conscious effort to trim their waistlines. It should also be an easier year on the pocket as the world economy recovers slightly from its recent shocks and downturns. In technology, all eyes will be on Apple to see if it will launch another revolutionary product. Industry insiders say rumors are spreading of an Apple television.
There is also good news for those hoping to make gains with their English. An abundance of great new tools will hit the shelves of both online and traditional stores throughout the year. These will provide students with an unprecedented variety of products to help them in areas they want to improve on.
The Internet will also see a lot more sites aimed at providing students with ways to interact with others around the world in English. More and more learners will study English in cyberspace from a growing army of online teachers. 2013 will also see record numbers of people studying abroad, but not just English - millions will start learning Chinese, as China grows increasingly important in business.
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. What might people be wondering about 2013?
2. What might people be wondering about 2013?
3. How many people will keep their New Year's resolutions?
4. What will the overweight make an effort to do?
5. What will the world economy recover from?
6. Why will people be looking at the company Apple?
7. What will be in stores for English students?
8. What will new English products help students with?
9. Who will students interact with over the Internet?
10.What army is mentioned in the article?
EXERCISE 2. SHARING IDEAS
1. Are you full of optimism about 2013?
2.What are your New Year's resolutions and will you keep them?
3. How was 2012 for you?
4. What new product might Apple bring out? Will you buy it?
5. What kind of gains are you hoping to make with your English this year?
6. How do you use the Internet to study English?
7. Is online learning better than studying in a classroom?
8. What do you think of the idea of having an online teacher?
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