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Wildlife decline is now a serious problem in the world. Recently, the number of wildlife is decreasing rapidly like never. "Living Planet Report" says it has decreased by 60 percent. It is caused due to population explosion. We are eating anything, cutting down trees and using more energy and natural resources. South and Central America have most serious problem about wildlife. They think people should be careful about the wildlife and nature.

Discussion questions

1. Did you know that this problem is serious?

2. What do you think the reason why this problem is so serious?

3. Is there anything you can do to help with this problem?

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Earth is losing wildlife at a faster rate than at any time in history. This is according to the new "Living Planet Report" from the World Wildlife Fund. The report says the global wildlife population shrank by 60 per cent between 1970 and 2014. The WWF warned that: "Earth is losing biodiversity at a rate seen only during mass extinctions." Researchers state that most of the decline in our animal population is because of "exploding human consumption". There are more and more humans on this planet. We are eating more, overfishing, cutting down trees for beef production, consuming more, and using more energy and natural resources. This has resulted in a massive loss of habitat for animals.

The report estimates that only a quarter of the world's land has been untouched by humans. This means human activity has greatly affected animals on three-quarters of Earth's surface. Researchers tracked more than 4,000 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and amphibians. They say the loss of animal life is worst in South and Central America. These regions saw an 89 per cent loss in the population of vertebrates in the past four decades. The WWF wrote: "The astonishing decline in wildlife population...is a [depressing] reminder, and perhaps the ultimate indicator, of the pressure we [put] on the planet." It warned: "We can be the generation that had its chance and failed to act; that let Earth slip away."

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Sixty per cent of wildlife gone since 1970

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Earth is losing wildlife at a faster rate than at any time in history. This is according to the new "Living Planet Report" from the World Wildlife Fund. The report says the global wildlife population shrank by 60 per cent between 1970 and 2014.

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We know that smoking can damage the lugs and the heart. However, there are other danger of smoking. Smokers are two times more likely to lose their eyesight than non-smokers. The scientists are from the Association of Optometrists(AOP) explained why smoking is so harmful to the eyes. They say cigarette smoke contains toxic chemicals that can irritate and damage eyes. In addition, smoke contains small pieces of metals like lead and copper that can cause cataracts. the AOP has encouraged smokers to quite.
1,Do you usually smoke?2.Did you know that smoking can also harm your eyes?3.How can we reduce the number of smokers?

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Scientists are warning that people who smoke are in danger of damaging their eyes. The scientists say smokers are two times more likely to lose their vision than non-smokers. Everyone knows that smoking can damage the lungs and heart, but not many people know it could damage the eyesight. The scientists are from the Association of Optometrists (AOP) in the United Kingdom. The AOP has started a campaign to raise awareness of the danger of smoking to the eyes. The campaign is called "Stub it out". The word "stub" means put out a cigarette by pushing the end against something hard; "stub it out" is saying, "stop smoking". The AOP said only one in five people thinks smoking can damage the eyes.

The AOP explained why smoking is so harmful to the eyes. Cigarette smoke gets in the eyes and causes or worsens a number of different eye problems. Cigarette smoke contains toxic chemicals that can irritate and damage the eyes. Smoke contains tiny pieces of metals like lead and copper. These can get into the eyes and lead to cataracts - a condition that causes the eye lens to become cloudy. People with cataracts usually need an operation to restore their sight. Smoke can also increase the chance of worsening sight problems for people with diabetes. The AOP said smokers are also three times more likely to damage the eyes' muscles. The AOP has encouraged smokers to quit.

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Scientists are warning that people who smoke are in danger of damaging their eyes. The scientists say smokers are two times more likely to lose their vision than non-smokers. Everyone knows that smoking can damage the lungs and heart, but not many people know it could damage the eyesight.

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It is found that our sleeping patterns and lunar cycle are related. When we can see full-moon,  moonlight is so bright and the sky is also brighter than usual. It interrupts our sleep. Also a study showed that no matter where(both in the rural village and cities), the brightness of the moonlight and deepness of sleep are  related.  Our sleeping patterns are affected by lunar cycle.

1. How often do you feel you can't sleep at night?
2. Have you ever felt you can't sleep well at the full-moon night?
3.Do you feel you can sleep well in rural aria when you travel?

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Humans may not be able to sleep much on a full moon night.  Scientists at the University of Washington say that the lunar cycle is related to sleep.  During the full moon, the brightness tends to interfere with sleep.  Scientists conducted experiments on 98 people in the countryside.  They couldn't use anything that used electricity.  The experiment showed that people who live in rural villages and big cities have less sleep on full moon nights.

1. How long do you sleep these days?

2. How do you feel when the moon is full?

3. Do you agree with this article?

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Mayuka   - Diet Soda                  Many people drink Diet soda because it is believed that diet soda is healthier than normal carbonated drinks. However according to new studies, diet soda is as bad as drinks that has many sugars in it. The researchers said people have to avoid diet sodas and other artificially sweetened drinks if we care about our health.  Dr Guy Mintz said artificial sweeteners safe substituted for sugar is fake news. This is associated with weight gain and other illness. The researchers said people should drink water and artificially sweetened drinks shouldn’t be the staple food of child’s diet. 【Questions】    　　　　　   1,What do you usually drink??                       2 Have you ever drank diet soda?   3 People should drink beverages with sugar in or diet one that has artificial sweetener What do you think?          

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Mayuka   - Diet Soda                  Many people drink Diet soda because it is believed that diet soda is healthier than normal carbonated drinks. However according to new studies, diet soda is as bad as drinks that has many sugars in it. The researchers said people have to avoid diet sodas and other artificially sweetened drinks if we care about our health.  Dr Guy Mintz said artificial sweeteners safe substituted for sugar is fake news. This is associated with weight gain and other illness. The researchers said people should drink water and artificially sweetened drinks shouldn’t be the staple food of child’s diet. 【Questions】    　　　　　   1,What do you usually drink??                       2 Have you ever drank diet soda?   3 People should drink beverages with sugar in or diet one that has artificial sweetener What do you think?          

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Many people drink diet sodas as part of their diet. They believe these drinks are healthier than fizzy drinks. However, according to a new study, "diet" versions of sugary drinks can be as bad for our heart as fizzy drinks that are loaded with sugar. The researchers who conducted the study said people should avoid diet sodas and other artificially sweetened beverages if they want to look after their health. They said the artificial sweeteners in diet drinks are not healthy. Dr Guy Mintz, a heart specialist, said: "The belief that artificial sweeteners are a safe substitute for sugar is fake news." He added: "Artificial sweeteners have been associated with weight gain, insulin resistance, and diabetes."

The research is published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Researchers looked at health data from over 100,000 people in France. Participants in the study recorded their diet, activity level, and health status every six months. The researchers said: "Higher intakes of...artificially sweetened beverages were associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, suggesting that artificially sweetened beverages might not be a healthy substitute for sugary drinks." They added: "Water, water, and more water should be the beverage of choice. Given childhood obesity, no sweetened or artificially sweetened beverage should be a staple in children's diets."

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Diet drinks may be as unhealthy as sugary ones

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English News Lesson on Diet Soda: Diet drinks may be as unhealthy as sugary ones - FREE worksheets, online activities, listening in 7 Levels...

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These days, many children are suffering from eco-anxiety. Eco-anxiety is a kind of illness. People suffer from pollution, climate change or some disaster. Because of it, they have less sleep, suicide, stress illness and so on.  More children are worrying about the future of Earth. They don't have enough experiences or knowledge about climate change or environment. So school and a group said children need to help teaching about it.
Environment problem is a very big problem around the world. We should think about it deeply. Eco-anxiety is connect with our life. It effect our mind. We need to learn about environment.

1. Have you known eco-anxiety?
2.What do you do for eco?
3.What is your anxiety things?

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More and more children are suffering from "eco-anxiety". This is a condition that causes people to worry a lot about the future of Earth and the life on it. People worry about climate change, pollution and the loss of biodiversity. This has led education experts to call for more teaching in schools about climate change, wildlife and the environment. Many teachers say very little is taught in schools about climate change. Some teachers believe climate change should be taught to all year groups. The Teach the Future campaign group found that only four per cent of schoolchildren felt they knew enough about the climate crisis. The group said this is leading to more children suffering from eco-anxiety.

Another campaign group, Earth Rangers, has taken action to address the problem of eco-anxiety. It said: "Eco-anxiety is not an official diagnosable disorder. However, it does affect children in very real ways. This includes feelings of fear, hopelessness and despair." It added: "It is important to research and understand the ways in which we can help children find effective strategies to cope with these feelings." Earth Rangers said schools should create conservation activities and help children to teach their parents about how to protect nature. The Earth Rangers president said more needed to be done to help children. She said: "Children are on the front lines of climate change."

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More young people suffering from 'eco-anxiety'

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More and more children are suffering from "eco-anxiety". This is a condition that causes people to worry a lot about the future of Earth and the life on it. People worry about climate change, pollution and the loss of biodiversity. This has led education experts to call for more teaching in schools about climate change, wildlife and the environment.

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Do you know the word “Nonuplets”? It means nine babies being born at the same time. 25 years old woman who are Malian has given birth to nine healthy babies. This is a new record. The previous record was by American women who gave birth to eight babies at the same time.
She was told by her doctor that she was carrying only seven babies after having scans, so nobody knew that she was carrying nine babies. The mother and nine babies, five boys and four girls are in good health. People in Mali congratulated them, but just concerned about welfare for them and chances of babies’ survival.

1. If you are twins or more, what do you want to do with your brothers or sisters?

2. What word do you want to teach to your baby at first?

3.  How many children do you want?

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We all know what twins and triplets are. Most of us are familiar with the terms quadruplets and quintuplets. But what is the word to describe nine babies being born at the same time? The answer is... nonuplets. A 25-year-old Malian woman, Halima Cisse, has given birth to nine healthy babies. This is a new record. The previous record was by a woman in the US who delivered eight babies (octuplets) at a single birth. People in Mali were avidly following the progress of Ms Cisse's pregnancy and she was inundated with well wishes. Malians were not the only ones who were pleasantly surprised when doctors announced the nonuplets. Ms Cisse was told she was only carrying seven babies (septuplets) after having scans.

Ms Cisse's husband told the BBC that she is in good health and that the babies (five boys and four girls) were doing well. Fanta Siby, Mali's health minister, congratulated the couple on the "happy outcome". He also praised medical teams in Morocco, which is where Ms Cisse gave birth. He also thanked Mali's president for the "political leadership and generosity" which "expedited" support for Halima. The outcome is wonderful news as it was a little touch-and-go in the early stages of the pregnancy. Gynecologists in Mali were concerned about Ms Cisse's welfare and the chances of her babies' survival. They sought the help of the hospital in Morocco where they believed she would receive better pre- and postnatal care.

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We all know what twins and triplets are. Most of us are familiar with the terms quadruplets and quintuplets. But what is the word to describe nine babies being born at the same time? The answer is... nonuplets. A 25-year-old Malian woman, Halima Cisse, has given birth to nine healthy babies.

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A man decided not to climb Mount Everest because he had a bad dream from the “Mountain Goddess”. Actually, he reached Mount Everest third station, but suddenly, the weather turned bad, and he had a bad dream at that night. He felt that Goddess told me not to climb the mountain, so he decided to give up. He was not a beginner of climber. He has climbed the world’s highest mountain many times, but he believes in God, he decided to follow god said.

1. Have you ever climbed a mountain?

2. Have you ever had a bad dream?

3. Have you ever give up something because of dream?

4. Do you believe in God?

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A man decided not to climb Mount Everest because he had a bad dream from the "Mountain Goddess". The man is a 51-year-old Nepalese Sherpa called Kami Rita. He is not any ordinary mountain climber. He is already the record holder for climbing Mount Everest the most times. He climbed the world's highest peak for a record 25th time earlier this month. He told reporters: "I was making my 26th attempt and had reached Camp Three, but the weather turned bad and I had a really bad dream. The gods were telling me not to go and because I really believe in God, I decided to return." He added: "I take orders from goddesses". Mr Rita did not give any more details about what was in his dream.

Kami Rita is a climbing legend and a hero in the Himalayan nation of Nepal. He has the nickname Snow Leopard because of his decades of experiences in climbing Everest and other mountains. He first scaled Everest in 1994 and has done the climb nearly every year since then. He said he would make another attempt at the climb in 2022, saying: "I felt the Goddess did not want me to go up again this year. After receiving the signals, I returned to Kathmandu. I will go back again next year to complete my dream." The Sherpa people believe Everest is a goddess. They take part in a religious ceremony to pay their respects to the mountain and to have good luck before starting a climb.

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Bad dream stops climber's record Everest climb

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A man decided not to climb Mount Everest because he had a bad dream from the "Mountain Goddess". The man is a 51-year-old Nepalese Sherpa called Kami Rita. He is not any ordinary mountain climber. He is already the record holder for climbing Mount Everest the most times.

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Farmers constantly worry about a lack of rain and pests that eat crops. Meanwhile, farmers in the UK are facing a new trouble. Stink bugs arrived in the UK from either China, Japan or Korea for the first time, and they bring threats for fruit and vegetable crops in the south of England. Farmers can't sell crops because a part which was eaten by stink bugs goes bad. However, one insects expart says it's no problem to eat them because there's no risk to our health. In addition to that, he says these stories will  become more frequent by climate change and  global trade.

【Conversation Question】

1.Can you eat or do you want to eat damaged fruits and vegitables?

2.Do you buy damaged crops if the price goes down?

3.How do you think that stink bugs eat crops?

4.The speaces have a wide diet. How many crops do you think that they eat?

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There are many things that farmers have to worry about. Some farmers worry about a lack of rain. Others worry about pests that eat the crops. Farmers in the UK have a new pest to worry about - stink bugs. For the first time, stink bugs have arrived in the UK and they are causing farmers trouble. The stink bugs came from either China, Japan or Korea. They are not native to the UK. The smelly insects are now posing a threat to fruit and vegetable crops in the south of England. The insects get their name from the bad smell they create when they feel they are in danger. Stink bugs were accidentally introduced to the USA in the mid-1990s and are now a problem for farmers in 44 states.

Stink bugs feed by piercing the surface of fruits and vegetables and then sucking out the juice. This makes the fruit rotten where the insects pierce the skin. It means farmers cannot sell the crops. The fruit quite often ends up as juice. Max Barclay, an insect expert, said there is no risk to human health from the insects feeding on fruit and vegetables. He said: "If you eat a damaged fruit, there's no risk to your health. The fruit just doesn't look beautiful, so the sale value is reduced." He said the species has a wide diet and can eat over one hundred different types of plants. He added that: "With climate change and global trade, these stories are going to become more frequent."

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Stink bugs arrive in UK and threaten crops

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There are many things that farmers have to worry about. Some farmers worry about a lack of rain. Others worry about pests that eat the crops. Farmers in the UK have a new pest to worry about - stink bugs. For the first time, stink bugs have arrived in the UK and they are causing farmers trouble.

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Chisato Ishii - Another earthquake-prone country

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Chisato Ishii - Another earthquake-prone country

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Iceland has experienced 18,000 earthquakes within a time of a week. Most of them are generally small, but the largest quake which was magnitude 5.6 was occurred on February 24th. However, the damage of earthquake is not so big. Actually, Iceland is situated on top of the meeting of tectonic plates which is deep in the earth. Living on that plate means it is impossible to avoid seismic activity. A resident in Reykjavic said “It makes you feel very small and powerless against nature”.

Conversation Question
1. Did you know Iceland is also earthquake-prone country?
2. Do you prepare for the time of earthquake? If Yes, what do you do? If No, why not?
3. Have you learned about earthquake in your school life? What did you learn?
4. Are you scared about Nankai megathrust earthquakes?

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It's a little hard to believe, but Iceland has experienced 18,000 earthquakes in the space of a week. Most of them have been too small to feel. The largest quake was on February 24 and was a magnitude 5.6. The seismic activity suggests that a volcano in the southwest of Iceland may be about to erupt. Volcanoes in southwestern Iceland have been dormant for over 800 years, but seismologists believe an eruption could be imminent. Iceland is a volcanic island and is used to the occasional tremor. However, swarms of quakes have unsettled residents in the capital city Reykjavik. Scientists say despite the large number of quakes, there has been very little damage.

Iceland is situated on top of the meeting of tectonic plates deep in the earth. Tectonic plates are pieces of Earth's crust around 100km thick on which Earth's land mass sits. The plates below Iceland are continually splitting apart and pushing North America and Eurasia away from each other at an infinitesimally slow rate. Living on a tectonic plate means seismic activity is inevitable. One Reykjavik resident spoke about his anxiety caused by the 18,000 recent quakes. He said: "I have experienced earthquakes before, but never so many in a row. It is very unusual to feel the Earth shake 24 hours a day for a whole week. It makes you feel very small and powerless against nature."

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Iceland has 18,000 earthquakes in a week

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It's a little hard to believe, but Iceland has experienced 18,000 earthquakes in the space of a week. Most of them have been too small to feel. The largest quake was on February 24 and was a magnitude 5.6. The seismic activity suggests that a volcano in the southwest of Iceland may be about to erupt.

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The WHO announced that severe warning about the danger of overworking and they said overworking will cause premature death. Therefore, they investigated the involvement between loss of life and overworking. The result was around three-quarters of a million workers die early from strokes and heart attacks because of working over 55 hours a week. According to their survey, the WHO said “No job is worth the risk of stroke or heart disease and employers need to agree on this limit to protect the health of workers”

Conversation Questions
1. What do you think about the overworking?
2. Will you overwork, if you can get good salary?
3. Do you think Japanese or other countries' government need to change the law more for workers?

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The WHO has issued a grim warning about the danger of overworking. It said working long hours causes the premature death of hundreds of thousands of people. The organization analysed the link between loss of life and long hours. The findings were sad. Around three-quarters of a million workers die early from strokes and heart attacks because of working over 55 hours a week. Most of these deaths were in people aged 60 to 70 who worked over 55 hours between the ages of 45 and 74. The WHO said men accounted for 72 per cent of the deaths.

The WHO said people who work at least 55 hours a week have a 42 per cent increased risk of stroke, and a 19 per cent increased chance of heart disease. Researchers looked at data from 154 countries from 1970 to 2018. The WHO said: "No job is worth the risk of stroke or heart disease. Governments, employers and workers need to work together to agree on limits to protect the health of workers." Over nine per cent of workers overwork. The WHO said the situation is "accelerating" because of the pandemic and that there is a "trend towards increased working time".

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Working long hours kills hundreds of thousands

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The WHO has issued a grim warning about the danger of overworking. It said working long hours causes the premature death of hundreds of thousands of people. The organization analysed the link between loss of life and long hours. The findings were sad.

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Researchers have found that people who often go to live concert, show and museums can live longer than people who do not. There is an evidence. In the research against British people for 15 years, they found that over-50s who often went to concerts and shows were about 30 per cent less likely to die over next 14 years. According to some researchers, these events could improve people's mental health, ageing and loneliness. In other words, live concerts and museum can make our well-being better.
Conversation Questions
1, Do you agree with this article?
2, Have you been to any live concerts or museum?
3, How often do you go to concerts or museum? ( if your answer is Yes at last question)
4, Why you do not go to these events ( if your answer is No at question 2)

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Researchers have found that people who go to live concerts, shows and museums can live longer than those who do not. Experts from University College London looked at the lifestyles of over 6,700 British people for 15 years. They examined how often the people went out and what kinds of events they attended. They found that over-50s who regularly went to concerts and shows were around 30 per cent less likely to die over the next 14 years. The researchers said the over-50s could extend their life by engaging with the "receptive arts". These include art galleries, concerts, museums, musicals, the opera and the theatre. In addition to living longer, concertgoers could also have more fun.

Lead researcher Dr Daisy Fancourt said money played a big role in whether or not people went to concerts and engaged with the arts. She wrote: "Over 40 per cent of people in the least wealthy group reported that they never accessed cultural activities." The UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock believes there could be a lot of truth in the research. He said arts and culture could improve things like mental health, ageing and loneliness. He recently announced plans for the UK's National Health Service to use the arts to improve people's wellbeing and health. The researchers said: "Overall, our results highlight the importance of continuing to explore new social factors that affect our health."

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Live concerts and museums help you live longer

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Researchers have found that people who go to live concerts, shows and museums can live longer than those who do not. Experts from University College London looked at the lifestyles of over 6,700 British people for 15 years. They examined how often the people went out and what kinds of events they attended.

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The government in Finland has decided to give parents seven months of parental leave. The new law will give 164 days to each parents. For the single parents, they will give all 328 days. The government mentions they need this new policy to help young family and encourage the gender equality. Also it would help to increase the country's declining birth rate. Finland's neighbor Sweden has offering 240 days per parent, but the USA has no national paid leave for mothers and fathers.
Conversation Questions
1, Do you think is 164 days of parental leave too short? or long enough?
2, Should more countries introduce this kind of policy? Why?
3, What kinds of law or policy would encourage the citizens to have kids?

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Finland is giving new parents more time to spend with their babies. The Finnish government has decided to give mothers and fathers seven months of parental leave. This means Finland will almost double the amount of its maternity leave and paternity leave. The new Family Leave Policy will give 164 days to each parent. This is about seven months. Parents can also transfer up to 69 of their own days to their partner. This means it is possible for one parent to take nine months of parental leave. For single parents, Finland is giving all 328 days to the mother or father. Finland's current parental leave gives four months for maternity leave, and two months for fathers.

Finland's government said the new rules were necessary to help young families. Finland's Minister of Social Affairs and Health explained why the country is introducing the new rules. She said: "The model guarantees the child a place at the centre of family benefits, and it promotes wellbeing and gender equality." It will also help to increase the country's declining birth rate. The number of babies born in Finland has dropped for the past nine years. Last year, Finland had the lowest number of babies born in the country since 1868. Finland's neighbour Sweden has the most generous leave policy, offering 240 days per parent. The USA has no national paid leave for mothers or fathers.

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Finland gives parents 7-month parental leave

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Finland is giving new parents more time to spend with their babies. The Finnish government has decided to give mothers and fathers seven months of parental leave. This means Finland will almost double the amount of its maternity leave and paternity leave. The new Family Leave Policy will give 164 days to each parent.

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Junya Furutani -Is alcohol more dangerous than drugs?

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Junya Furutani -Is alcohol more dangerous than drugs?

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A British medical journal, The Lancet has concluded that alcohol is the same or more dangerous than drugs. The head researcher, Professor David Nutt stated that the current classification of the 10th most harmful substances are old-fashioned. He and his colleagues reflected its addictiveness, physical affects, and the influences on the society. After the reflection, they ranked alcohol as fifth and tobacco as the ninth most toxic drugs. Japan prohibit using drugs like Marijuana, but it ranked as the eleventh. Therefore, they think alcohol and tobacco is more hazardous than Marijuana.
Conversation Questions

1. How often do you drink

2.  Which do you think more dangerous, alcohol or Marijuana?  Why?

3. How does alcohol change your behavior, personality and face?

4. Should governments allow people to drink products that make people violent?

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A major new study into drugs, published in the British medical journal The Lancet, has concluded that alcohol and tobacco are more dangerous than many highly illegal drugs. They are listed in the top 10 most dangerous substances in the study. Researchers believe British law should classify alcohol and tobacco the same as hard drugs such as heroin and cocaine. Head researcher Professor David Nutt of Britain's Bristol University suggested a new classification of harmful substances. He said it needed to be based on the actual risks posed to society. Professor Nutt said the new system was necessary in Britain as the existing one was out of date: "The current drug system is ill thought-out and arbitrary," he said. He added there was no scientific basis for excluding alcohol and tobacco as serious drugs.

Professor Nutt and his colleagues used three factors to find out how harmful a drug is: the physical harm to the user, how addictive the drug is, and the impact it has on society. The researchers were experts in drug addiction, lawyers and police officers with scientific or medical backgrounds and doctors. All of them agreed on the dangers of alcohol and tobacco. They ranked alcohol as the fifth and tobacco as the ninth most harmful drugs. Heroin and cocaine finished top, while marijuana was eleventh and Ecstasy finished last in the list of 20 drugs. The latter two are illegal in Britain and America, while alcohol and tobacco are legal. Tobacco causes 40 percent of all hospital illnesses, while alcohol is blamed for more than half of all visits to hospital emergency rooms. They also harm society in other ways. They damage families and stretch police services.

WARM-UPS

1. ADDICTION: Choose (imagine) one thing you are addicted to – It could be chocolate, love, English grammar, jogging, etc. Walk around the class and talk to other students to find out their addictions. Which ones do you share?

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words from the article are most interesting and which are most boring.

drugs / alcohol / tobacco / researchers / heroin / cocaine / risks to society / colleagues / physical harm / addiction / hospital emergency rooms / police

Have a chat about the topics you liked. For more conversation, change topics and partners frequently.

3. WORLD RIVERS: With your partner(s), talk about these drugs. What is your image of them? What do you know of them? Change partners and share your findings.

4. ALCOHOL OPINIONS: Talk about each of these opinions. Do you think they are true for your country / other countries?

alcohol is an important part of our culture

alcohol causes too many road accidents and domestic violence

marijuana is a lot more harmful than alcohol

society would function better without alcohol and tobacco

alcohol is for people who cannot enjoy themselves unaided

alcohol should be made illegal

society would never accept alcohol and tobacco being illegal

people would live longer without alcohol and tobacco

5. QUICK DEBATE: Have this fun quick debate with your partner(s). Students A think alcohol should be classed as a harmful drug; students B think alcohol is not harmful and should remain legal. Change partners and topics every two minutes.

6. DRUGS: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with drugs. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article's headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:

3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):

WHILE READING / LISTENING

GAP FILL: Put the words into the gaps in the text.

Study says alcohol more harmful than marijuana

LISTENING

Listen and fill in the spaces.

Study says alcohol more harmful than marijuana

A major new ________________, published in the British medical journal The Lancet, ________________ alcohol and tobacco are more dangerous than many highly illegal drugs. They are ________________ 10 most dangerous substances in the study. Researchers believe British law should classify alcohol and tobacco the same ______________________ heroin and cocaine. Head researcher Professor David Nutt of Britain's Bristol University suggested a new classification of harmful substances. He said it _______________________ actual risks posed to society. Professor Nutt said the new system was necessary in Britain as the existing one was out of date: "The current drug system ________________ arbitrary," he said. He added there was _____________________ excluding alcohol and tobacco as serious drugs.

Professor Nutt and his colleagues used three factors ________________ harmful a drug is: the physical harm to the user, how addictive the drug is, and the impact ________________. The researchers were experts in drug addiction, lawyers and police officers with scientific or medical backgrounds and doctors. ________________ the dangers of alcohol and tobacco. They ranked alcohol as the fifth and tobacco as the ninth most harmful drugs. Heroin and cocaine finished top, while marijuana was eleventh and Ecstasy finished ________________ 20 drugs. The latter two are illegal in Britain and America, while alcohol and tobacco are legal. Tobacco causes 40 percent of all hospital illnesses, while alcohol is ________________ half of all visits to hospital emergency rooms. They also harm society ________________. They damage families and stretch police services.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionaries / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms ... for the words 'hard' and 'drug'.

Share your findings with your partners.

Make questions using the words you found.

Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

Share your questions with other classmates / groups.

Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning...?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. STUDENT "DRUGS" SURVEY: In pairs / groups, write down questions about drugs, alcohol, tobacco and society.

Ask other classmates your questions and note down their answers.

Go back to your original partner / group and compare your findings.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

6. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall exactly how these were used in the text:

DISCUSSION

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1. What did you think when you read the headline?

2. Do you think alcohol is harmful?

3. Do you agree with the report that alcohol is more harmful than drugs like marijuana?

4. Would your life change if tobacco and alcohol were illegal?

5. In what ways is alcohol harmful to society?

6. Do you think alcohol and tobacco are real drugs?

7. Do you agree alcohol is OK because it is an important part of some country's cultures?

8. If scientific research says alcohol is very harmful, should governments act and ban it?

9. Why do you think it has taken so long for a study to say alcohol is as harmful as many hard drugs?

10. Would life in your country without alcohol and tobacco?

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STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

1. Did you like reading this article?

2. Do you think all addictive drugs (including caffeine) should be banned?

3. Are you surprised by any of the rankings in the study?

4. Do you think governments should now make marijuana legal

5. What is your opinion of people who drink too much alcohol?

6. What is your opinion of people who smoke marijuana?

7. Do you think hospital patients should pay higher fees if they drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes?

8. Would your government be popular if it banned alcohol and tobacco?

9. Should alcohol and tobacco be banned or more heavily taxed?

10. Did you like this discussion?

AFTER DISCUSSION: Join another partner / group and tell them what you talked about.

1. What was the most interesting thing you heard?

2. Was there a question you didn't like?

3. Was there something you totally disagreed with?

4. What did you like talking about?

5. Which was the most difficult question?

SPEAKING
ROLE PLAY:
A discussion about drugs and society.

Team up with classmates who have the same role as you. Develop your roles and discuss ideas and "strategies" before the role play begins. Introduce yourself to the other role players. Discuss your roles after the role play ends.

LANGUAGE

CORRECT WORD: Put the correct words from a–d below in the article.

Study says alcohol more harmful than marijuana

A major new study (1) ____ drugs, published in the British medical journal The Lancet, has concluded that alcohol and tobacco are more dangerous than many (2) ____ illegal drugs. They are listed in the top 10 most dangerous substances in the study. Researchers believe British law should (3) ____ alcohol and tobacco the same as hard drugs (4) ____ as heroin and cocaine. Head researcher Professor David Nutt of Britain's Bristol University suggested a new classification of harmful substances. He said it needed to be based on the actual risks (5) ____ to society. Professor Nutt said the new system was necessary in Britain as the existing one was out of date: "The current drug system is (6) ____ thought-out and arbitrary," he said. He added there was no scientific basis for excluding alcohol and tobacco as serious drugs.

Professor Nutt and his colleagues used three factors to find out how harmful a drug is: the physical harm (7) ____ the user, how addictive the drug is, and the impact it has on society. The researchers were experts (8) ____ drug addiction, lawyers and police officers with scientific or medical backgrounds and doctors. All of them agreed (9) ____ the dangers of alcohol and tobacco. They ranked alcohol as the fifth and tobacco as the ninth most harmful drugs. Heroin and cocaine finished top, while marijuana was eleventh and Ecstasy finished (10) ____ in the list of 20 drugs. The latter two are illegal in Britain and America, while alcohol and tobacco are legal. Tobacco causes 40 percent of all hospital illnesses, (11) ____ alcohol is blamed (12) ____ more than half of all visits to hospital emergency rooms. They also harm society in other ways. They damage families and stretch police services.

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about the effects of alcohol on society. What are the laws in different countries? Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. DRUGS POSTER: Make a poster about different kinds of drugs and the harm they do to our bodies, lives and societies. Include drugs we do not normally think are dangerous. Show your poster to your class in the next lesson. Vote on the best one(s).

4. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about the effects of alcohol and tobacco on your society. Discuss what society would be like with and without these two drugs. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Which article was best and why?

5. LETTER: Write a letter to the leader of your country. Tell him/her what he/she has to do to make sure alcohol and tobacco do not harm your society. Ask him/her three questions. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

ANSWERS
TRUE / FALSE: SYNONYM MATCH: PHRASE MATCH: GAP FILL:
Study says alcohol more harmful than marijuana

A major new study into drugs, published in the British medical journal The Lancet, has concluded that alcohol and tobacco are more dangerous than many highly illegal drugs. They are listed in the top 10 most dangerous substances in the study. Researchers believe British law should classify alcohol and tobacco the same as hard drugs such as heroin and cocaine. Head researcher Professor David Nutt of Britain's Bristol University suggested a new classification of harmful substances. He said it needed to be based on the actual risks posed to society. Professor Nutt said the new system was necessary in Britain as the existing one was out of date: "The current drug system is ill thought-out and arbitrary," he said. He added there was no scientific basis for excluding alcohol and tobacco as serious drugs.

Professor Nutt and his colleagues used three factors to find out how harmful a drug is: the physical harm to the user, how addictive the drug is, and the impact it has on society. The researchers were experts in drug addiction, lawyers and police officers with scientific or medical backgrounds and doctors. All of them agreed on the dangers of alcohol and tobacco. They ranked alcohol as the fifth and tobacco as the ninth most harmful drugs. Heroin and cocaine finished top, while marijuana was eleventh and Ecstasy finished last in the list of 20 drugs. The latter two are illegal in Britain and America, while alcohol and tobacco are legal. Tobacco causes 40 percent of all hospital illnesses, while alcohol is blamed for more than half of all visits to hospital emergency rooms. They also harm society in other ways. They damage families and stretch police services.
LANGUAGE WORK

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A major new study into drugs, published in the British medical journal The Lancet, has concluded that alcohol and tobacco are more dangerous than many highly illegal drugs. They are listed in the top 10 most dangerous substances in the study.

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Online Video Communication – Takeru Trengove

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Online Video Communication – Takeru Trengove

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Researcher and communications expert, Jeremy Bailenson find that people get very tired by using online video communication. It is said that not only tiredness and eye-strain suffer people, but also there are some extra problem, “cognitive overload” and feeling pressure to be perpetually switched on. It is claimed that this anxiety can lead people to have severe depression, a disease which make people constantly feel tired, which make people sleepless, and which make people to have negative impressions.

Conversation Questions
1. What is the problem that online video
communication causing?
2. What symptoms people who get depression have?
3. What can we do to prevent people to have heavy pressure?
4. Do you feel tired of doing classes online?
5. Would you prefer to be doing face to face classes now? Why?
6. About how many hours per day do you spend on your devices (phone + computer)? How do you feel about that?

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A new study from Stanford University has investigated the effects on our health of extended spells of video-conferencing. Researcher and communications expert Jeremy Bailenson dubbed the phenomenon "Zoom fatigue," but acknowledged the condition is not restricted to just that platform. In the past year, most of us have spent extended periods of time online using an array of video-conferencing platforms. The coronavirus pandemic has meant tools like Zoom, FaceTime, Skype and Google Hangouts have been the only way we have been able to see and chat to loved ones. Many companies have relied heavily on video-conferencing for meetings, and educators have used them to teach their lessons online.

Mr Bailenson outlined several factors that make video-conferencing so fatigue-inducing. He said it is not just tiredness and eye-strain from staring at a computer screen for hours and hours. It is also brought about by "cognitive overload" and feeling pressure to be perpetually switched on. We constantly feel we need to be in touch with friends or available for bosses, customers or students. Bailenson cautioned this leads to burnout and stress and can heighten your chance of developing moderate to severe depression. He said this anxiety can adversely affect your self-confidence. This is because of the large number of faces staring at you in meetings. Bailenson likens this to the stresses of public speaking.

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A new study from Stanford University has investigated the effects on our health of extended spells of video-conferencing. Researcher and communications expert Jeremy Bailenson dubbed the phenomenon "Zoom fatigue," but acknowledged the condition is not restricted to just that platform.

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American researchers recently studied data from 28 different countries and found that kids are not as fit nowadays as they were 30 years ago. They can't run as far, or as fast, as their parents did at their age. This is because of their weight. Overeating and lack of exercise has made many of them fat. This could cause them major health problems, such as heart disease, in the future. Researchers said that we need to encourage kids to become interested in some kind of physical activity. ‌
Conversation Questions

1. Were you surprised by this story? Why?

2. Do you think you are  in good physical condition? Why?

3. What kind of exercise do you do? How often?

4. Are you satisfied with your weight?

5. How healthy is your diet (the meals you usually eat)?

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English News Lessons: Free 26-Page lesson plan / 2-page mini-lesson - Kids' Fitness Levels - Handouts, online activities, speed reading, dictation, mp3... current events.