Britain’s Office for National Statistics has reported a sharp and alarming rise in the number of people dying from alcohol abuse. Binge drinking has become part of British culture and is now a serious social issue - people are literally drinking themselves to death. The figures are of near epidemic proportions. Alcohol-related fatalities among British adults doubled from 4,144 in 1991 to 8,758 in 2006. The steepest increase was the 132 percent rise in deaths among men in the 35 to 54 age bracket. They are suffering from liver failure and stomach cancers at a younger age than ever before. The figures for women in the same age group also show a dramatic rise of over 100 percent. These disturbing figures seem to be a legacy of people partying and drinking heavily in their twenties and early thirties.

Professor Ian Gilmore, a leading British doctor, said: "Liver disease is often symptomless until it becomes very serious, and so people often have no warning that they are destroying their liver until it is almost too late.” Frank Soodeen from the group Alcohol Concern called for immediate action: "It is vital that the government finally starts investing more in alcohol treatment to help problem drinkers address these issues before the situation becomes irretrievable,” he said. Britain’s public health minister Dawn Primarolo said the government was launching a $20m campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of too much alcohol, and was reviewing alcohol pricing and advertising. However, she warned: "We know we're not going to change people's attitudes to alcohol overnight - it's going to take time.”

VOCABULARY BANK:

Binge
• noun a short period of excessive indulgence; an act of excessive or compulsive consumption.
sharp
• adverb suddenly or abruptly.
social
• adjective relating to society, its organization, or hierarchy.
epidemic
• noun a sudden, widespread occurrence of something undesirable.
fatality
• noun an occurrence of death by accident, in war, or from disease.
steep
• adjective rising or falling rapidly.
bracket
• noun a category of similar people or things:
liver failure
• noun severe failure of the liver to function properly, especially as a cause of death.
warning
• noun a statement or event that indicates a possible or impending danger or problem, cautionary advice.
vital
• adjective absolutely necessary; essential; important.
address
• verb think about and begin to deal with.
launch
• verb begin or introduce.

GUIDE QUESTIONS

• Does alcohol cause any social problems in your country?
• Do you think alcohol is dangerous?
• What part does alcohol play in the culture of your country?
• Why do you think British people binge drink?
• What’s the most you’ve ever drunk in one night?
• Do you think people should stop partying heavily in the twenties?
• Do you worry about the effects on your body of drugs like alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, etc?
• Do you do anything in life that might be / is destroying or harming your body?
• Do you think alcohol abuse in countries like Britain is an irretrievable problem?
• Do you think societies would be better if alcohol was banned?
• What immediate action do you think the government should carry out?

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new study has found that having a child can make a couple less happy with each other. Researchers from the University of Denver conducted an eight-year study of 218 sets of parents. Their report is called “The effect of the transition to parenthood on relationship quality”. It is published in the March 2009 edition of the ‘Journal of Personality and Social Psychology’. The psychologists examined how happy couples were in the eight years after the birth of their first child. They concluded that the first baby put a lot of stress and pressure on a marriage. Ninety percent of couples experienced a decrease in marital bliss immediately following the birth of their first child. Unmarried couples experienced bigger problems.

It’s not all bad news for would-be parents. Some couples in the research said their relationship was stronger after their baby was born. Parents who were married for a long time before starting a family were happier. Couples on higher incomes also seemed to have fewer problems. Researcher Scott Stanley said his team’s findings did not mean children bring unhappiness in life. He said that parents may be happier as part of a family than as a childless couple. He noted that “this type of happiness can be powerful and positive”. Stanley also pointed out that couples who did not have children also became unhappier with each other over time. However, he said parenthood accelerated levels of unhappiness.

Discussion:

1. What are the secrets of a happy marriage?

2. What are the pros/cons of the following situations? Will you or won't you do the following?

a. Say “I love you”

b. Have children
c. Share the housework
d. Let him drive
e. She controls finances
f. Buy lots of presents

3. Rate these things in order of which bring greatest happiness to parents.

___baby’s birth

___baby’s first walk

___child’s first day at school

___child’s first A+ at school

___the first boy/girl friend

___graduation from university

___marriage
___the first grandchild

4. What did you think when you read the headline?
5. What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘marriage’?
6. Were you surprised by the Uni. of Denver’s research findings?
7. Do you think this research would make couples think twice about having children?
8. What’s the best number of children to have?
9. What do you think it is about having children that reduces marital bliss?
10. What is the “transition to parenthood”? Do you think it’s difficult?
11. What stresses and pressures does a first child bring?
12. Why do unmarried couples have more problems after having a child?
13. What is marital bliss? How long does it last?
14. What do would-be parents think about before starting a family?

PHOTO CREDIT: munfitnessblog.com/the-non-v...n-silence

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Genes are probably more to blame for weight gain than an appetite for cream buns, a new study has suggested. Scientists have found that ease of putting on weight in school children is mostly inherited.

A study of more than 5,000 pairs of twins aged eight to 11 showed that genes contributed 77% of the amount by which their body mass and waist circumference varied. Only 23% of the differences between the children were due to home environment.

People born with "fat" genes are not inevitably overweight, but have to work extra hard to stay slim, said study leader Professor Jane Wardle, from University College London.

"In today's environment, which provides unprecedented opportunities for people to over-eat and be sedentary, it is not surprising these tendencies result in weight gain," she added.

Source: PA News

focus on talking

• What is wrong with being fat? What bad consequences of obesity can you list?
• Obese people come up with different explanations for their condition. Which of these explanations do you find credible?
  
  ‣ I’m big-boned.
  ‣ It’s glandular.
  ‣ It’s because of my genes.
  ‣ I’ve quit smoking.
  ‣ It’s caused by the medicine I’m taking.
  
• What ways of losing weight do you know? Which of them do you consider effective?
• Which food products do you believe to be especially fattening? Do you avoid eating and drinking some products because you are afraid of putting on weight?
• Have you ever been on a diet? What is the most popular diet at the moment?
• Is obesity a big problem in your country? Is it worse or better than in other countries?
• What are the reasons for this situation?

PHOTO CREDIT: www.users.drew.edu/rdrakesavethewhales2.html

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Everyone lies. In fact, lies are an important aspect of humanity. For example, research shows that two acquaintances lie several times in the average ten minute conversation. Although we are told to always tell the truth from a very young age, parents lie about Santa Clause or about the pet dog's death. Parents also smile and say "thank you" when receiving a gift, then possibly belittle it at home. These conflicting messages signal children to regard lies as okay.

We lie to ourselves all the time to make problems, fears, and failures seem less troublesome. A New Year's resolution can be considered a lie, too, because in most cases we don't intend to keep the promise -- we've only deceived ourselves. Or consider the next time a friend or colleague asks, "How are you?" That person doesn't want to hear that you're tired, overworked, underpaid, and have problems with your significant other. Social rules demand that you reply, "I'm fine."

Psychologist Paul Ekman offers some basic reasons for lying. We lie to escape punishment, to get out of uncomfortable situations, to boost our egos, to receive a reward, to protect someone, or to control the flow of information. Everything from a large exaggeration to a small lie falls into one of these categories.

Despite the fact that lying is an indivisible part of our psyche, we can only catch a lie about fifty percent of the time. The success rate is quite low, and suggests that we don't want to know that another person isn't being honest. Lies, some experts suggest, are the glue which holds society together.

Do you agree or disagree

1. Everyone lies.
2. Everyone lies every day.
3. It's impossible not to lie sometimes.
4. Lying is an important part of society.
5. I have told three or more lies today.

LYING DISCUSSION:

• Are you an ethical person? Why do you think so?
• Do you have any friends who often lie? If yes, what do they lie about?
• How often do you think you lie? Is it too much? Why?
• If a store clerk gave you too much change, would you tell him? Why/not?
• Have you ever stolen something? If yes, please explain.
• Are white lies okay? Why/not?
• What situations would it be better to lie than to tell the truth? Why do you think so?
• What is the difference between a lie and an exaggeration?
• When is lying a good thing? Why do you think so?
• Who lies more, men or women? Why do you think so?
• Which nationality do you think lies the most? Why do you think so?
• How often do you lie? Is it too much? Why?
• Do you agree or disagree? The best liars are politicians. Why/not?
• What qualities do you think an ethical person has? Why do you think so?
• Would you lie on a job resume? (Or have you ever lied on a job resume?) Why/not? How about at a job interview?
• Do you trust people easily? Why/not?

PHOTO CREDIT: www.flickr.com/photos/chantellemaris/2219540825/

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New Zealand police are hunting for a couple who received nearly US$8 million by mistake from their bank. The couple applied to Westpac Bank for a NZ$10,000 overdraft. Bank employees made a huge mistake. They deposited NZ$10 million into their customers’ bank account instead of giving them the loan facility. The couple probably thanked their lucky stars. They took the money and ran. The pair, an Asian man and his New Zealand girlfriend, left the country immediately. However, they did not take all of the money with them. New Zealand police have told Interpol about the couple leaving the country, so there is now an international manhunt for them. Westpac officials are keeping how much the couple took a secret.

The couple lives in the town of Rotorua on New Zealand’s north island. They ran a gas station which had money problems. They applied for the overdraft to help with their financial difficulties. Locals say the pair left a note on the door of the gas station saying it had closed down. A banking lecturer, Claire Matthews from New Zealand’s Massey University, told the local Newstalk ZB radio station that the couple’s luck would soon run out. She said: "They've taken funds that they're not entitled to, that are not theirs….They've [really] become thieves.” She said it would only be a matter of time before the police caught them. A Westpac Bank spokesman said the bank and police were treating the couple as criminals.

MISTAKES DISCUSSION:

• What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘mistake’?
• Has a bank ever made a mistake with your bank account?
• What would you do if you saw $10,000,000 in your bank account?
• What do you think will happen to the person who made the mistake?
• Have you ever had a loan or overdraft?
• How often do you have money problems or experience financial difficulties?
• Do you think this mistake will damage Westpac Bank’s reputation?
• If a bank mistakenly gave you $10,000,000, would you take the money and run?
• Are you lucky or unlucky with money? Why do you think so?
• Do you think the couple in this story is really thieves?
• What’s the biggest mistake you’ve ever made in your life?
• What was the last mistake you made?

PHOTO CREDIT: www.katv.com

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Illness (sometimes referred to as ill-health or ail) can be defined as a state of poor health. It is sometimes considered a synonym for disease.

The mode of being healthy includes, as defined by the World Health Organization, a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the presence of disease or infirmity". When these conditions are not fulfilled, then one can be considered to have an illness or be ill. Medication and the science of pharmacology is used to cure or reduce symptoms of an illness or medical conditions. Developmental disability is a term used to describe severe, life-long disabilities attributable to mental and/or physical impairments.

DISCUSSION:

• Do you regularly go to work even if you're sick? Why/not?
• Have you ever been bed-ridden? If yes, what happened and how long were you like that? If no, can you imagine being in the condition?
• Have you ever had to stay in the hospital? If yes, what happened that required the stay?
• Have you ever had an operation? If yes, tell your partner about it.
• How many times have you been sick this year? Is that more or less than usual? Please explain.
• When you have a cold, what do you usually tend to do? Please explain.
• What are some home remedies for the common cold in your country? How effective are these remedies? Please explain.
• What do you think is the most frightening disease out there? Why do you think so?
• If your friend were sick and in the hospital, what would you do to cheer him up? What gift(s) would you buy him?
• What do you know about the following diseases?:
• 1) HIV
• 2) cancer
• 3) influenza
• 4) heart disease
• 5) dementia
  
• Have you ever had side effects from medicine? If yes, please explain.
• If you died prematurely, would you want your organs donated? Why/not?
• If your husband, wife, or child died prematurely, would you donate their organs? Why/not?
• Some people have a dislike or lack of trust of doctors. How about you?
• Some people have an intense dislike or fear of needles. How about you?
• Some people have a dislike of medicine, avoiding them unless absolutely necessary. How about you?
• What do you think the "Friday Monday Syndrome" means? Discuss possible answers with a partner. Remember to support your ideas.
• "Prevent is better than the cure." What do you think this means? Discuss possible answers with a partner. Remember to support your ideas.
• What is the average age of death in your country? Has it increased or decreased in recent years? How does it compare with other countries?

PHOTO CREDIT: www.babyboomercaretaker.com/senior-care/chron...

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Some people feel that having a hobby is a waste of time. But, hobby is an interesting occupation for one’s leisure time. Hobbies keep us active and make us forget worries and the boredom in life. Having a hobby is like making a jolly-ride without the compulsion of reaching a destination in time. We can choose any activity by which we get immense pleasure as our hobby.

The hobby helps us in shaping our character. Sometimes, we may earn income from hobby. Our attitude will change when we have a good hobby. Commonly, people keep gardening, reading books, writing articles, watching TV, stamp-collecting, horse riding, hunting, painting, photography, traveling and nursing the poor and sick as their hobbies. For some people, the hobby of others is a livelihood. Some hobbies are costly and well to do people only can have it.

Our hobby is an ongoing adventure and a journey of discovery. We all have something we like and greatly enjoy doing. Times change and people change. Nowadays, world is defined by the world speed, time has never been so compressed as it is today and work is overwhelming. Surprisingly, there are individuals who understand that life is so much more than that, and they try to enlarge their spare time and take the advantages of it. Hobbies are real sources pleasure for one who refuses to be bored by the dreary, drab, stereotyped existence in the world.

DISCUSSION:

• If you could do your hobby every day, would you want to? Why/not?
• Does your hobby help you relax? If yes, how does it help you relax?
• Would you like to try something dangerous, like skydiving? Why/not?
• Would you like to try something quiet, like chess? Why/not?
• What is your hobby? (Or what are your hobbies?)
• How often do you do you hobby? Is this enough? Please explain.
• How did you become interested in your hobby? Please explain.
• What were your hobbies when you were younger?
• What hobby or activity would you want to try someday? Why do you want to try it?
• What hobby or activity would you definitely never want to try someday? Why don't you want to try it?
• Rank the following hobbies from most interesting to least interesting:
• 1) mountain climbing
• 2) watching movies
• 3) learning a language
• 4) cooking
• 5) building models (airplanes, cars, robots, and so on)
• Does your best friend, boy/girlfriend, or husband/wife have the same hobbies as you?
• Can you think of any strange hobbies? Why are these hobbies strange?
• Do you have any embarrassing hobbies? If yes, do you want to talk about it?
• What have you tried but didn't like? Please explain.
• What do hobbies and interests tell about a person?
• What do your hobbies and interests tell about you?
• Imagine how your hobbies would change if you had $10,000,000. Please explain.

Article Source: http://www.saching.com/

PHOTO CREDIT: www.alstrainshobby.com/

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A bucket list is a "to do" list before you kick the bucket, or die. Many people want to learn a foreign language someday, skydive, or travel to exotic locations around the world. The list should be inspirational, which balances the more boring facets of everyday life. You don't need to live each day as though it were your last day. Yet the list should help you plan imaginative, colorful, and even courageous acts. Explore your imagination, for human nature requires more than an endless series of identical days. In addition, the list can contain items which enrich the lives of others, too.

So what's on your bucket list?

Do you agree or disagree?:

1. I want to quit my job and follow my dreams.
2. Life is boring!
3. There are many things I want to see and do before I die.
4. There are many things I want to see and do before I die, but I probably won't have the opportunity.
5. Dreams and life goals are very important.

Comprehension: Talk about the following questions. Remember to support your answers!

1. What are some activities you would put on your bucket list?
2. What are some popular activities that appear on many bucket lists? Why do you think these are popular?
3. How realistic is it to write a bucket list, and then do the activities listed? Please explain.
4. What kind of dreams do you have? Will any of these dreams come true? Why/not?
5. Why is it important to have dreams or goals to work towards?

PHOTO CREDIT: www.flickr.com/photos/er3465/2280650380/

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Is human life just a dream, from which we never really awake, as some great thinkers claim? Are we submerged by our feelings, by our loves and hates, by our ideas of good, bad, beautiful, awful? Are we incapable of knowing beyond those ideas and feelings?

The way we answer these questions will provide the ultimate context for everything else we do with our lives. If we place any value on our lives at all, we must give some consideration to these questions.

We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep… ~William Shakespeare

FOCUS ON TALKING:

• Are you a busy person? Why do/don't you think so?
• Are you a friendly person? Why do/don't you think so?
• Are you an ambitious person? Why do/don't you think so?
• Rate your life on a scale from one to ten. Ten is the highest rating, and means your life is perfect. One is the lowest rating, and means that your life is terrible. Now answer this question: Why did you give this rating to your life?
• Everyone has a routine. What's your routine in the morning?
• Everyone has a routine. What's your routine in the evening?
• What do you love to do in the summer?
• What do you love to do in the winter?
• What are your hobbies? Have these changed from time to time during your life?
• Please describe the perfect weekend.
• Please describe the perfect vacation.
• Would you want to change your name? Why/not?
• Would you want to change where you were born, such as in a different country?
• Was your childhood good or bad? If it were possible, would you want to be a child again? Please explain.
• What do you want to do/be in the future? Why?
• What were the best years of your life? (Or do you think the best years are in the future?) Why do you think so?
• What is the best memory of your life? How about the worst? What makes these memories so good or so bad?

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1. He thrusts his fists against the posts and still insists he sees the ghosts.
2. Rubber baby buggy bumpers
3. Frivolous fat Fannie fried fresh fish furiously
4. Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager managing an imaginary menagerie.
5. I slit a sheet, a sheet I slit, upon a slitted sheet I sit.
6. A big black bug bit a big black bear. But where is the big black bear that the big black bug bit?
7. Round and round the rugged rock the ragged rascal ran.
8 The winkle ship sank and the shrimp ship swam.
9. Excited executioner exercising his excising powers excessively.
10. Hi-Tech Traveling Tractor Trailor Truck Tracker
11. How many yaks could a yak pack pack if a yak pack could pack yaks?
12. Nick knits Nixon's knickers.

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Do social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter promote social interaction, or do they encourage people to become recluses? The sites - and there are dozens and dozens of them - have now caught on with working professionals. In fact, people over twenty-five are the largest growing demographic of users, primarily because of the increased demands placed on time. People are more harried than ever, with demands at work and at home clamoring for immediate attention. Social networking sites allow people to stay in contact with friends and family, and without scheduling face time.

But other reasons than time management exist. Social networking sites allow users to keep in contact with "proximity friends "- people who are or were close physically but not personally. Think of ex-classmates, ex-colleagues, parents of the children your kids play with in the neighborhood, and friends of friends. We may send these people holiday and birthday cards, call with congratulations of a wedding or a newborn, or express condolences of a death in the family. Face to face contact, however, remains largely nonexistent.

Although people "talk" with one another more frequently, they rarely do so without the forced solitude of a computer. Social networking sites beg the following question then: Are people becoming social hermits?

Do you agree or disagree? Why?

1. My schedule is busier than ever these days.
2. I couldn't live without email.
3. I couldn't live without social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace.
4. Friendships are less important these days.
5. Friendships are shallower these days.

Comprehension: Talk about the following questions . Remember to support your answers!

1. Why do you think more and more people have begun to use social networking sites? Please explain.
2. Are people better or worse communicators because of social network sites? Why/not?
3. What is a social hermit? What images or ideas does this phrase raise?
4. How might social networking sites be used for business or education? What benefits might there be?
5. If there were no sites like Facebook or MySpace, would people once again regularly meet face to face?

PHOTO CREDIT: www.socialmediawatch.net/.../

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• Do you blog? Why/not?
• Do you use social network sites like MySpace or Facebook? Why/not?
• Have you ever considered making a website or blog? Why/not?
• Are you worried about security online? Why/not?
• Do you agree or disagree? The Internet is the most important invention of the past fifty years.
• Do you agree or disagree? The Internet is the most important invention ever.
• When did you start to use the Internet? Why did you start to use it? Please explain.
• What kind of sites do you usually visit on the Internet? Please explain.
• What is your favorite website (or favorite websites)? Why do you like it (or them) so much?
• How often do you use the Internet? Is this too much or not enough? Why?
• What are some positive things about the Internet? Why do you think so?
• What are some negative things about the Internet? Why do you think so?
• Has the Internet changed society around the world? If yes, how has the Internet changed society? If no, why don’t you think so? Please explain.
• Could you live without the Internet? Why/not?
• Would you want to live without the Internet? Why/not?
• How can the Internet help people learn English? Please explain.
• How can the Internet help education in general? Please explain.
• How do you use the Internet for work or for study? Has it helped you? Please explain.
• How do you use the Internet in general? Please explain.

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FOR ADVANCE STUDENT

The common phrases used to describe the rich world include "the developed countries" and "the advanced industrial countries". To describe very poor countries, we usually refer to "The Third World". It can be more diplomatic to speak of "the developing countries", though this description is often applied to countries which are not so very poor.

Economists also refer to "the North South divide" to emphasize that countries in the northern hemisphere are generally richer than those in the southern hemisphere - namely Africa and Latin America.

People in the rich world have mixed attitudes towards giving aid to Third World countries. Some take the view that charity begins at home. It is true that there are many people in need in Britain. However, the people who are making the most generous donations to domestic charities are often the ones who are supporting emergency appeals for the victims of conflicts and disasters overseas. Church-based campaigns such as "Christian Aid" and secular ones such as "Children in Need" direct themselves to both national and international causes.

The obligation of the rich world towards the poor world is not based on history alone. As a former colonial power, Britain was once responsible for the slave trade and the exploitation of other countries' resources. But today, together with other rich countries, we continue to dominate world markets, setting the terms of trade in our favour. We continue to sell arms to oppressive regimes, which accumulate debt and do little to alleviate hunger among their own populations.

Discussion question:

1. What can you say about your country's development for the past 10 years? Do you think that there is a big improvement or progress?

2. Would you consider living or working to Third World Countries?

3. What kind of aid should the governments of rich countries give to poor countries?

4. Do you think population control is more important in poor countries than in rich countries?

5. Is it right for rich countries to have strict immigration controls to stop people from poorer countries entering them and sharing in their better standard of living?

6. In some countries, people tend to discriminate people from other third world countries. Do you have the same situation in Korea? Do you also have a tendency to discriminate someone if he/she came from the Third world country?

7. Do you agree that Immigration should not be limited to people of similar race and culture and we should welcome the opportunity of a truly multi-racial society?

8. Everybody should be encouraged to do Voluntary Service Overseas (i.e. to live and work in the Third World) so that we can understand the problems of poorer countries and make a contribution to help them.

9. Would you like to be an overseas volunteer in a Third World country? If so, which one and how could you contribute to that country’s development?

10. Are the poor poor because they are poor or because they are lazy?

11. Do you believe that nowadays the poor become poorer while the rich become richer?

PHOTO CREDIT: www.boston.com/business/gallery/stimuluspackages

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A Worldwide Flu Alert

Schools in Mexico were shut down last week. Public events were canceled. Mexico is at the center of a swine flu outbreak. By April 29, more than 2,000 cases and 100 deaths were suspected there.

Swine A/H1N1 influenza is a respiratory disease of pigs. Humans do not normally get swine flu. But when they do, infections can spread from person to person.

The flu has made its way to other countries. Last week, cases were confirmed in the United States, Canada, Europe, Israel and New Zealand.

Governments are taking steps to stop the spread of the illness. No one wants a pandemic, or worldwide outbreak.

In 1918, the "Spanish flu" killed an estimated 40 to 50 million people worldwide. But the world is better prepared for a flu outbreak today. Antiviral drugs can help fight flu. Doctors and hospitals are better equipped than they were 100 years ago.

Doctors say that you can help stop the spread of flu by practicing good hygiene. Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. When you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth with a tissue. Throw it in the trash. If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your arm. Tell your parents if you are not feeling well. Stay home if you are sick.

Warm Up: Do you agree or disagree? Why?

1. The swine flu is a serious and dangerous disease.
2. The swine flu will soon spread around the world.
3. I'm very concerned about the swine flu.
4. The news cannot be trusted.
5. The end of the world will soon arrive!

Comprehension:
Talk about the following questions. Remember to support your answers!

1. What do you think about the swine flu? Please explain.
2. Is there any real possibility that millions of people could die from the swine flu? Why/not?
3. What do you think about the media and their reporting of the swine flu? Please explain.
4. If the swine flu spread around the world in a worst-case scenario, how would your life change?
5. What can be done to prevent this virus and others from annihilating the modern world?
6. Is your country's government prepared for an outbreak of swine flu?

PHOTO CREDIT: news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/090511/481/0bc9c73dc...aad629cbd

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1. Drink eight glasses of water each day
The authors found references as early as 1945 suggesting that healthy people should stay hydrated by drinking eight glasses of water each day. But they say there’s a complete lack of evidence supporting that recommendation. Studies also show that most people get enough fluids through daily consumption of juice, milk and even caffeinated drinks.

2. People only use 10 percent of their brains
This myth has been around for more than a century. Some believe it came from Albert Einstein, although the authors found no evidence of that. What they did find were studies that show people use much more than 10 percent of their brains. For example, when almost any area of the brain is damaged, it has “specific and lasting effects on mental, vegetative and behavioral capabilities.” Also, imaging studies have found no area of the brain is completely inactive.

3. Hair and fingernails keep growing after death
While it’s impossible for the body to continue the complex hormone regulation needed to cause hair and nails to grow after death, this myth does have a basis in a biological phenomenon that sometimes occurs after death.

When someone dies, dehydration of the body can cause the skin around the hair or nails to retract, creating the appearance of increased length. But the authors say this is an optical illusion.

4. Reading in dim light ruins your eyesight
While reading in dim light can cause eye strain, and the uncomfortable effects that go along with it such as dryness and difficulty focusing, it does not cause permanent damage, the authors say.

5. Eating turkey makes you especially tired
The authors say turkey doesn’t contain “an exceptional amount of tryptophan.” In fact, turkey, chicken and minced beef contain nearly the same amounts of the amino acid.

Perhaps the reason turkey has long been accused of making people extra sleepy is because of all the overeating we do on Thanksgiving. Studies show that eating any large, solid meal can make you tired because blood flow and oxygenation to the brain decreases. Plus, meals that are high in protein or carbohydrates can cause sleepiness. So can wine.

6. Cell phones cause significant electromagnetic interference in hospitals
Hospitals widely banned cell phone use after a front page Wall Street Journal story cited an article detailing more than 100 reports of suspected electromagnetic interference with medical devices before 1993. But an internet search by the study’s authors could not find any cases of death caused by use of a mobile phone in a hospital. They did find reports of less serious events, such as false alarms or incorrect medical readings.

Meanwhile, subsequent studies show little or no interference. For example, a 2007 study examining mobile phones “used in a normal way” found no interference in 300 tests in 75 treatment rooms.

VOCABULARY
Medical Myths - commonly-held beliefs, rarely based in fact, that people have grown up with

Other Medical myths

Which ones do you believe in? Why / why not?

1. Too many carrots will turn skin orange

2. Eating sugar causes diabetes
3. Cold, wet weather causes colds and flu
4. Don’t cross your eyes they might stick

5. Chocolate causes acne
6. Worry and stress can turn your hair gray
7. Shaving hair causes it to grow back faster, darker, or coarser

Focus on talking

• Do you know any other medical myths? What are they?
• How do medical myths originate?

• Do you believe that medical myths are harmless?

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Psychology of Delay

You know that tomorrow you are expected to submit the presentation you haven’t even started writing. You know that the job has to get done. You know that putting it off just makes it harder, and yet, instead of working on elaborate PowerPoint graphs, you are just getting down to watching television. Sounds familiar? If yes, you might belong to a group of people who adhere to Mark Twain’s principle: Never put off until tomorrow what can be put off until the day after tomorrow.

The group of ‘mañana procrastinators’ is not small - according to a recent study carried out by Piers Steel, a business professor at Calgary University, 15 to 20 percent of adults routinely postpone activities that should be accomplished ASAP. Procrastination plagues especially college students -a worrisome 80 to 95 percent have a desire for postponement.

Although procrastination is as old as humans are, it is probably an even bigger problem in our contemporary society, which offers a whole range of distractions, including television, video games and the Internet. Additionally, many jobs are becoming self-structured, which means it is increasingly up to us to impose our own goals and deadlines.

Can we do anything to overcome procrastination? There is one simple solution: you just have to get started. The anticipation of the task often is far worse than the task itself.

Vocabulary

to procrastinate
to keep delaying something that must be done, often because it is unpleasant or boring

Focus on talking: DISCUSSION

1. Are you good at prioritizing? Why yes / Why not?
2. Do you often put off doing things? What kind of tasks to you usually put off? Why do you postpone them?
3. Which of the following statements best describes your attitude to deadlines?

A. I like having a good time reserve in case something goes wrong.
B. I like to get a little bit of the deadline fever but I still need to have a solid time reserve.
C. I work best having a deadline in the near future.
D. I have the utmost disrespect for deadlines, so I barely finish anything on time.
E. I love the feeling of racing against the clock to see if I can meet the deadline.

4. Do you often have to cope with the guilt and anxiety brought on by waiting until the last minute?
5. Do you think that procrastination is a destructive habit?

6. What could be the potential risks that procrastinators face?

7. Are there any remedies to combat procrastination? What can be done to overcome procrastination?

Focus on comprehension

Read the article again and decide whether these statements are true (T) or false (F).

1. People obsessed with television are more likely to put off other jobs.
2. Most college students are chronic procrastinators.
3. People are more likely to put off doing a task when the deadline is far away.
4. Our ancestors used to have fewer distractions than we have now.

PHOTO CREDIT: thepsychworld.blogspot.com/2008_05_01_archive...

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The choice of a vocation is undoubtedly one of the most important things to consider. Few acts are filled with more unhappiness and regret than that of stumbling into an occupation instead of making a careful choice, based upon a thorough study of the aspirations and qualities within you and the opportunities all around you. The life work you choose will be your deepest source of happiness or of sorrow, it could be the source of you achievements of frustrations depending upon whether or not it fills a need you really feel, and, moreover, upon whether or not your natural aptitudes, as well as your training and economic situation, fit you to realize that need. Real success and happiness demand a perfect adjustment between the requirements of the occupation and the personal gifts of the worker.

The right choice of an occupation was never more important than it is today. This is the age of specialization, and the man who goes farthest along the road to success is the one who is trained to do some one thing well. But, more than that, in order to meet the humiliating competition that even the expert must encounter, the successful man must have all that enthusiasm and energy which he can get only working with passion.

What do you think?

1. Are you happy in your job?
2. What do you think is the reason why people failed on their chosen career?
3. How could you say that a person is happy and enjoys his/her work?
4. What jobs in your country are considered to be good jobs? Why?

5. What do you think, is the worst job in the world?
6. Who do you think should decide on your career?

7. Do you agree that a career is a choice?
8. What are the things should we consider in choosing a career?

9. When you were a child, what job did you want to have when you were older? Why?

10. Can you give one of the best qualities that person should posses to become successful in a chosen career?

PHOTO CREDIT: www.physics.nus.edu.sg/%7Ephysoc/career.html

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Mother's Day is a holiday to honor and give thanks to our mothers. People celebrate the day all over the world. In France, a flower-shaped cake is part of the family meal. In the U.S., most restaurants claim this day as their busiest all year. In many other countries, carnations have a special significance.

Although the holiday is very commercial, it's not a Hallmark holiday. In other words, it's not a holiday created by businesses to make money. Mother's Day actually has its origins long ago in ancient Greece.

Many believe that Mother's Day as we know it originated from the British holiday called "Mothering Sunday." All through the Middle Ages in Europe, people brought gifts to their home (or mother). About this time, it also became increasingly common for children to work far from home as servants and apprentices. They would often need the day off to make the journey, which also allowed them to visit their mothers and family. They would bring a cake and pick wildflowers to give as presents, too. From here the holiday was born.

Americans have had a great influence on the holiday, too. A woman named Julia Ward Howe brought the holiday from Britain in the 1870s. She saw it as a way to honor mothers, of course, but also as a way to honor and promote peace. In 1914, Mother's Day became an official holiday, and was quickly commercialized with cards, carnation flowers, and chocolate candy.

Different countries celebrate the holiday on different days. Different countries have adopted different traditions. But one thing remains the same everywhere: it's a day to say to your mom, "Thank you."

DISCUSSION

· How do most people celebrate Mother's Day in your country?

· What is the meaning of Mother's Day?
· Do you think Mother's Day and Father's Day are good holidays? Are they important holidays? Why/not?
· What did you do for Mother's Day last year? How about Father's Day? How about your parents' birthdays?
· Did you ever do anything special for your parents? If yes, what did you do?
· What skills and/or qualities does a person need to be a good parent? Why do you think so?
· How have parents changed since you were young? Why do you think so?
· Do you think you are (or will be) a good dad? Discuss your strengths and weaknesses, and how they apply to fatherhood.
· No one is perfect. But do you have a specific regret about your mom or dad, maybe a wish that they had done (or hadn't done) something? Please explain.
· When was the last time you hung out with your mom? What did you do?
· When was the last time you told your mom that you cared about her?
· If you could grant one wish for your mom, what would you give her?
· Let's say that you have to introduce your parents at a large banquet. When you stand up, get everyone's attention, and begin, what exactly do you say? Give a two minute speech.
· Can you think of any famous mother from TV and movies? Why are they famous, or even memorable?
· How has the role of a mother changed in the past fifty years?
· If you had to say one was more important than the other, would you say a mother's role is more important than a father's role, or vice-versa? Why?
· Which is more important, a biological mother or a woman who raises a child? Why do you think so?

PHOTO CREDIT: www.sheknows.com/articles/808510.htm

www.gifts-flowers-giftbaskets.com/index.cfm/F...

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Change is an inevitable part of life and growth. Without change, we experience stagnation, depression and even death. Change is the only thing that brings progress, and yet, it is often what we resist and fear the most!

We are in the midst of some of the biggest changes in history. Big businesses are downsizing, the global market is in hyper growth, and the small business sector is expanding at an alarming rate. As the world around us changes, we must learn to change with it or else we will experience confusion, frustration, and stress.

Fear of change is in most cases accompanied by feeling of insecurity and lostness. However, a life without a change is not acceptable. A changeless life is often monotonous and unexciting. The other name for fear of change is Metathesiophobia.

Life is always susceptible to changes and if you suffer from fear of change, you are soon to lose the taste of life. An everyday change in our life is essential, for it opens new opportunities and creates room for adjustments. When you experience a change in life you should ask yourself that what it is that makes you afraid and nervous. When you face fear of change the apprehension seems to evade and once it is gone you can indeed face changes in life as they come to you.

In most cases, you are afraid of changes because you think you don't have the energy and the potential to cope up with something new.

Take help of your inner guidance to get rid of the fear. Accept change as a challenge in life. Laugh your heart out and pass on your joys to others. In fact, a heart full to the brim with joy and enthusiasm has no space for fear and uneasiness.

DISCUSSION

· Do you fear change? Why/not?
· Would you be happy in a world where nothing ever changed? Why/not?
· How are you coping up with changes happening in our economy?
· If you could go back in time and give yourself some advice, what would it be? Why?
· If you could change anything about yourself, what would you change? Why?
· How have you changed since you were in high school? Have these changes been largely positive or negative? Please explain.
· What games did you used to play when you were younger? Do children still play these games nowadays?
· When you were younger, did your parents ever tell you stories about their childhood? Did you believe them? Why/not?
· What do you think about the following statement? Young people today are worse than twenty years ago. Please explain your answer.
· Tastes in fashion and music often seem frozen in the past for older people. Does this describe you? How about the people in your family? Why do you think so?
· How has your neighborhood, city, or country changed over the past 5 years? 10 years? 20 years? Has it become a better place? Please explain.
· Imagine that your body had been cryogenically frozen for 100 years. What changes would have taken place while you were frozen?
· Mahatma Gandhi once said, "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." What do you think this means? Do you agree or disagree?
· Do you change your mind often, or are you the kind of person whose opinions are set in stone? Please explain.
· Are you happy with your position in life? If not, what would you like to change?
· Would you ever consider having plastic surgery to change your appearance? Why/not?
· What would you like to change about your partner? Why?
· How much do you think people change after marriage? Why?
· What would you do if your partner told you to change your fashion, job, and/or friends?
· Have you ever changed your style, only to find it was a fashion disaster? Please explain.You were to run into an old friend from high school. What would he say? "You haven't changed a bit!" or "I hardly recognize you!" Why do you think so?

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Ghost stories have been with humankind for thousands of years. There are written accounts from the Chinese and Greeks, for example, which make up some of the earliest writings of hauntings. But do people in our modern, well-educated civilization actually believe in ghosts?

In the United States, the answer seems to be "yes." According to a survey taken in 2003, more than half of the population considers ghosts are real. The belief is in spite of the questionable scientific evidence. The poll also revealed that few people have ever seen any spiritual being, and have simply based their beliefs on TV and movies.

Many popular programs and movies have been inspired by real-life ghost stories. However, many have turned out to be false and exaggerated before Hollywood even rewrote the story. Others have been manipulated by Hollywood so much that they don't even look like the original tale. But it doesn't matter so much how Hollywood has changed the ghost stories, because the real-life ones seem much less remarkable. Objects don't fly across the room, and people aren't possessed by spirits. At best, some describe a creepy feeling, or see strange spots of light on film, or see something out of the corner of their eye.

But TV and movies are everywhere in today's world, so they often subtly affect people. They influence society's beliefs, the same as ghost stories did long ago.

How about you? Do you believe in ghosts?

Previews:

• Ghost Story: Do you know any ghost stories or stories about the strange and supernatural? Briefly tell a story about ghosts or the supernatural.

DISCUSSION:

1. Do you believe in ghosts? How about other monsters, like vampires or mummies? Why/not?
2. Do you know anyone who has seen, or think he/she has seen, a ghost? If yes, please explain.
3. What would you do if you saw a ghost?
4. How much do you think TV and movies affect your opinions and beliefs? Please explain.
5. What are some of your favorite ghost and/or horror movies from Hollywood? Why do you like them so much?

PHOTO CREDIT: www.flickr.com/photos/the-view-from-up-here/11834565/

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For the first half of your life, people tell you what you should do; for the second half, they tell you what you should have done. ~Richard Needham

Sailing and Sex, Opera and the Olympics

- the 60 goals for over 60s

Based on feedback from more than a thousand people over 50, the list is as provides a new insight into the ambitious, upbeat outlook of older people.
Goals vary from the culinary - 'learn to cook'; 'go on a wine tasting course'; 'eat more cakes' - to the creative - 'make a scrapbook of childhood'; 'learn to play a musical instrument'; 'take up painting'; 'design a garden'.
As well as experiences such as 'go to the London 2012 Olympics', 'see an opera' and 'see the Northern Lights', more energetic aspirations include 'have more sex' and even 'run a marathon'.
Thoughtful goals for later life include 'telling someone you love them everyday', 'becoming a volunteer' and 'spending more time with the family'.
And among adrenaline rush fantasies such 'hang gliding', 'swimming with dolphins' and 'taking flying lessons' - there's the literally hair-raising 'grow a beard'.
The list is unveiled ahead of the first ever 'Generation Xperience: UK Older People's Day'.
The day is a celebration of the achievements and contribution that 20 million people over 50 - our 'Generation Xperience' - make to the UK.
It also seeks to highlight the opportunities available to the over 50s by challenging common misconceptions of 'later life', 'retirement', and indeed what it means to be 'older'.
The day also coincides with UN International Day of Older People and the first anniversary of the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations that made it unlawful for employers to discriminate against someone because of their age.
Dr. Aric Sigman, leading psychologist said: "Far from fulfilling age-old stereotypes, this list of 60 personal goals highlights how people are expecting more from older age, in terms of both the opportunities that are open to them and the things they want to accomplish and contribute to society.
While some ambitions might be firmly rooted in fantasy, this age group has many goals that are about achieving a sense of purpose and self-fulfillment. It's great that later life is approached with such a sense of optimism."
Below, you will find a list of 60 goals for over 60s published by the Generation Xperience. Which of them would you like to accomplish?

60 GOALS FOR THE OVER 60s

1. See the world / 2. Learn computer skills / 3. Buy a sports car / 4. Write a book / 5. Learn a new language / 6. Start a new business / 7. Swim with dolphins / 8. Take up a martial art / 9. Go on a cruise / 10. Learn to play bowls / 11. Set up a website / 12. Buy a holiday home / 13. Learn to dance / 14. Go fly fishing / 15. Do a parachute jump / 16. Free the family from debts / 17. Take cookery classes / 18. Go on safari / 19. Learn to play a musical instrument / 20. Have more sex / 21. Learn how to ski / 22. Design a garden / 23. Spend more time with the family / 24. Bungee jump / 25. See a West End show / 26. Go hang gliding / 27. Take up yoga / 28. Go back to school / 29. Go hot air ballooning / 30. Socialize more / 31. Become a volunteer / 32. Learn to meditate / 33. Win the lottery / 34. Go rally driving / 35. Sell up and live abroad / 36. Take up painting / 37. Go horse riding / 38. Own a boat / 39. Go to the opera / 40. Raise money for charity / 41. Make a will / 42. Go on a wine-tasting course / 43. Watch more football / 44. Go to the London Olympics / 45. Break a world record / 46. See the Northern Lights / 47. Be a game/quiz show contestant / 48. Take flying lessons / 49. Grow a beard / 50. Tour the UK / 51. Family photo shoot / 52. Play a round of golf on a world famous course / 53. Teach grandchildren to read / 54. Scrapbook your childhood / 55. Tell someone you love them everyday / 56. Eat more cakes / 57. Run a marathon / 58. See grandchildren get married / 59. Read more books / 60. Start up a band.

Source: http://www.a2mediagroup.com

Focus on vocabulary

1. insight - understanding of what something is like
2. upbeat outlook - positive and enthusiastic attitude to life and future
3. thoughtful - showing that you think about and care for other people
4. hair-raising - extremely frightening but often exciting
5. unveiled - shown or presented for the first time
6. to challenge a misconception - to refuse to accept a belief or an idea that is not based on correct information
7. to challenge a misconception - to take place at the same time
8. self-fulfillment - the feeling of being happy and satisfied that you have everything you want or need

Focus on talking

• Are you afraid of getting old? Why yes/not? Which aspect of aging would be for you most difficult to deal with?

• How do you imagine your life when you are sixty? What will your usual daily routine look like? What kind of activities will you be involved in? What will you spend most of your time on?

• What will you be like as an old person?

• Do you think it is more difficult to stay young in mind or body?

• What does “aging gracefully” mean to you?

• Do you think life of the elderly people is easier now than it used to be? Why yes/not?

• Do you think young people in your country treat the elderly with due respect?

PHOTO CREDIT : www.inmagine.com/bs087/acr121-photo

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My Students from POSCO Engineering and Construction

These photos was taken during their training

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by Britt Gillette

Since the beginning of human history, speculation about the end of the world has fascinated mankind. Myths and stories about the end of the earth exist in almost every religion and culture ever known. And yet, somehow, men seem unsatisfied with the answers they receive. They turn to Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce, or ancient Hindu writings hoping to uncover some modicum of truth that will satisfy their innate desire to know something about the future and the ultimate fate of the world.

Never has mankind’s fascination with the end been more prevalent than it is today. Fears of global warming saturate the news media. Worry over a nuclear holocaust persists into its sixth decade. And storylines of asteroids, comets, aliens, or bio-engineered super-diseases wiping out all planetary life continue to dominate the themes of many Hollywood blockbusters. Throughout the world, people are plagued with the same recurring questions. Will the human race become extinct? Will nuclear war or global warming destroy the biosphere? Will the world as we know it continue to exist?

The answer to these questions and many others concerning the end of the world can be found in the Bible. The bible has much to say about the ultimate fate of the earth, the people who live here, and creation itself.

DISCUSSION:

· Do you frequently worry about the ultimate fate of humankind? How about sometimes?
· If scientists or politicians discovered that the world would soon end, do you think they would make it public? Why/not?
· If scientists or politicians discovered that the world would soon end, would you personally want to know about it? Why/not?
· What are the chances that a natural disaster of some kind will cause the death of humankind within your lifetime? Please explain.
· As improbably as it may be, what would you do if you woke up one morning and discovered that all of humankind had disappeared? Please explain.
· As improbable as it may be, what would you do if you woke up one morning and discovered that only you and a few neighbors remained on the entire planet?
· Would you sacrifice yourself in order to save all of humankind? Why/not?
· Would you continue to live life as usual if you knew the end of the world was fast approaching? Why/not?
· Have you prepared in any way whatsoever to survive a major disaster? Please explain.
· What movies have you seen about the end of the world? Are any of these movies even somewhat believable? Why/ not?
· Which is most likely to wipe out humankind, an asteroid, a bio-engineered virus, or a nuclear war? Why do you think so?
· What three things would you do if you knew the world was going to end in one week?
· If the world were soon going to end, what regrets would you have? Please explain.

PHOTO CREDIT: http://www.lookupfellowship.com/2009/03/tying-it-all-together.html

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Youth is associated with innocence, beauty, good health, energy, idealism, curiosity, immaturity, inexperience and rebellion. Old age often implies experience, wisdom, fatigue, failing health and conservatism. For some people it is a time of fulfilment and contentment; for others it may involve cynicism and bitterness. It is sometimes associated with senility when people are forgetful or easily confused.

The physical differences between the young and the elderly are obvious. The average age of competitors in the World Cup or the Olympic Games is likely to be under 35. Medical records show that pensioners require more health treatments than other age-groups.

The notion of youth being rebellious could possibly date from the 1960s when there were many student protests in Western Europe and the U.S.A. More recently, there have been big student demonstrations in China and South Korea. Yet in many other countries, young people are careful to observe the status quo. Respect for elders still seems to be more prevalent in Asia and the Middle East than in Western Europe and the U.S.A. where the average age of political leaders seems to have fallen.

Discussion questions:

1. Are young people better or worse these days? Please explain.

2. Should adults try to teach young people lessons, such as the dangers of drinking too much, taking drugs or contracting the HIV virus, or should they leave them alone to find out about these things themselves? What do you think is the best age to teach them about these things? Explain your opinion.

3. Most countries give young people rights as they reach a certain age. For example, British people can legally make love or fight for their country at the age of 16; they can drink, vote and drive a car when they are 18. Does your country have similar laws? Do you think that any of the age limits need changing?

4. Should young people have to do some form of military or community service by law?

5. Should people of between 60 and 65 be obliged to retire from their jobs in order to make way for younger workers?

6. Are there many things that the old can teach the young or are they hopelessly out of touch by the time they reach a certain age?

7. In most countries, compulsory education is targeted at 5 - 16 year olds. Would it be better to offer it to pensioners who want to learn rather than young people who prefer not to be in school?

8. In Russia, China and many other countries, there is a tradition of choosing leaders who are advanced in years. Do you think that older people make better leaders?

9. Many elderly people have disabilities which limit their mobility. Do buses, shops and public buildings in your country provide easy access for the disabled or are your towns and cities designed mainly for the young and able-bodied?

10. Should the elderly be expected to pay for residential care out of their own savings or should appropriate accommodation and nursing be provided by the tax payer?

PHOTO CREDIT: idle.slashdot.org/.../20/1617241.shtml?from=rss

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In a world of technological change, we struggle to keep up with new developments, yet at the same time, many of us welcome the continuity and repetition provided by traditions. Some of our traditions are connected with places; others relate to the calendar and religious or pagan ceremonies.

Traditions are also observed during important moments of our lives such as weddings and funerals. In a traditional British church wedding, the bride wears a long white dress while the groom wears a black cloak and top hat. The bride's father escorts her to the front of the church and she is attended by brides maids when she leaves. The groom, accompanied by the "best man" brings a gold ring which is placed on the bride's finger after the couple have made serious promises. The groom is then allowed to kiss the bride.

Discussion questions:

1. Do children in your country learn traditional songs which their grandparents also
know? What are these songs about? What instruments are used to play these songs?

2. Does your country have any traditional dances for special ceremonies at different times
of the year? Describe the dances and the traditional dance costumes.

3. What are the traditional sports in your country? Is your country still good at these sports? Describe the traditional clothing.

4. What traditional food and drinks do you have in your country?

5. In Britain, when you are invited to a dinner party, it is traditional to bring a bottle of
wine and flowers or chocolates for the hostess. It is normal to arrive on time, but not
too early. What happens in your country?

6. London businessmen used to wear grey suits and bowler hats. They also carried
umbrellas and read The Times newspaper. What is the traditional image of
business people in your capital city?

7. In very traditional British schools, the pupils stand up when the teacher enters the
room. Teachers used to wear square black hats and long black gowns. It is also
traditional to have school assemblies before morning lessons and to sing a special
school song at the end of term. Do schools in your country have similar traditions?

8. When are the traditional ceremonies in your country and what happens?

9. Describe a traditional wedding ceremony in your country.

10. Describe the traditions relating to your country’s Royal Family, Centre of Government
or System of Justice.

PHOTO CREDIT: www.korea.net/News/News/NewsView.asp?serial_n...

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May 1—The International Worker’s Rights Day!

If you asked an employee what comes to mind first when they think of Labor Day, what do you think they would say? The last days of summer? A family picnic? Shopping the Labor Day sales?

In the 1800s, mass production was introduced in the United States. Mass production means people worked together in factories to make goods in large quantities. The workers in these places worked long and hard for very little pay. The work was often dirty and dangerous. If workers dared to complain about their treatment, they were fired. Employers had a lot of power because there were always other people who needed a job and would be willing to do the work no matter how badly they were being treated.

The establishment of the Labor Day holiday is really the beginning of the story. There were many things in the workplace that workers wanted to change. More unions were formed. Workers came together to bring attention to how they were being mistreated. They negotiated with employers and lobbied government to increase wages, reduce the hours people worked and improve working conditions. The results of their efforts can be seen in how workers are treated today.

DISCUSSION:

• What do you do on Labor Day?
• Do you celebrate Labor Day in your country?
• How many hours a day do most people work?
• Do you work on Saturdays and Sundays?
• Are you paid enough? Why/not?
• Does your salary more or less equal your job description? Why/not?
• Have you ever negotiated a pay raise with your boss? If yes, what happened? If no, why haven't you tried to get more money?
• What's the difference (if any) between a good salary and a fair salary? Please explain.
• What happens when people work more than 40 hours in a week?
• What other days do people usually not have to work?
• Do women get paid less than men?
• Do people still get injured on the job?
• What happens if an employee is sick or gets hurt?
• Can workers be fired for joining a union? For going on strike?
• What is work-life balance? Please explain.
  

PHOTO CREDIT: www.azdems-district-21.org/PakAmer.htm

jacobsmedia.typepad.com/.../happy-labor-day.html

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BNE: A Japanese company started selling a futuristic home robot on September 16. The meter-high humanoid may make housework a thing of the past – for the rich. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries put its internet-linked Wakamaru robot on sale at a price of $150,000. Just 100 of these home helps will initially be available. The robot is the idea of Japanese designer Toshiyuki Kita. He said his creation was “designed in the shape of a human being so that it is not considered simply a machine” and that it has an “independent personality”.

The robot has an impressive number of features. It is capable of recognizing up to ten individuals by name and has a vocabulary of 10,000 words. It can also navigate its way around the house. The Wakamaru website* explains three major functions that will help the lives of the robot’s users: It can live with the family and provide daily schedules; it can speak with the family and be a friend; and it has its own role of looking after the house when no one is home. However, the price needs to come down to make it affordable by all.

DISCUSSION:

• What do you think about Wakamaru?
• What do you think of the idea of robots?
• Are you interested in robots?
• Do you think robots will become more intelligent than humans?
• Would you want your robot to have an independent personality?
• When do you think robots will be as common as cars?
• Do you think you would have conversations with a robot?
• Do you think a home robot would make your life better?

PHOTO CREDIT: http://www.mhi.co.jp/kobe/wakamaru/english/know/design/index.html

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