Episodes
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LEMON TREE
April 28, 2020
Even from Home, NASA Team Keeps Mars ExplorerMoving
Exercise 1- Vocabulary
remote – adj. faraway
screen – n. aflat area on an electronic device where images can be seen
chat – n. aninformal talk with someone
juggle – v. totry to do several things at once
three-dimensional – adj. havingor seeming to have length, width, and depth
sensitive – adj. ableto measure very small details
drill – v. tomake holes in hard materials with a machine
workflow –n. the steps involved in moving from the beginning to the end of a workingprocess
figureout – v. to finally understand something or someone after a lotof thought
Excercise2 - Article
Even from Home, NASA Team Keeps Mars ExplorerMoving
Millions of people around the world arecurrently working from home in an effort to slow the spread of the newcoronavirus. Many of them have had to learn new ways of performing their jobswhile attempting to turn living spaces into work-friendly environments.
While such change can be difficult for anyworker, it can be even harder for a scientist or engineer who cannot work intheir usual laboratory setting.
The American space agency NASA employs a largenumber of these workers. Almost all of them have been working from home for thepast month.
Recently, the NASA team that controls theCuriosity explorer on Mars showed that they were able to perform their dailyduties completely from their homes. NASA recently reported on the team’s latestactivities on itswebsite.
Usually, the Curiosity control team operatesfrom NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, or JPL, in Pasadena, California. But forthe first time ever, all members of the team have had to do all of theirwork remotely.
Alicia Allbaugh leads the Mars ExplorationProgram. She said the current situation is very different from the environmenther team is used to working in at JPL headquarters. "We're usually all inone room, sharing screens, images and data. People are talking in smallgroups and to each other from across the room," she said.
The Curiosity team has attempted to recreatethe same cooperative work atmosphere by using video conferencing technology andmessaging apps. Effective communication is very important. So, team leadershave added extra planning time each day to help make sure all team members areconnected.
Carrie Bridge is the chief of scienceoperations for the team. She said one of her main jobs is to be a bridgebetween the scientists and engineers to make sure they understand each other’swork.
Bridge said she is also now looking at about 15different message chats at all times to keep effective communicationflowing. "You're juggling more than you normally would,"she said.
The remote Curiosity team was lacking sometechnology and tools they usually use to perform their jobs. Some employeeswere able to pick up some computer and communications equipment. But otherequipment could not be sent home.
For example, the team uses special goggles, oreyewear, to examine three-dimensional (3D) images sent from Mars. Theequipment helps scientists get a better look at the surface of the planet sothey know where to drive Curiosity and how far they can extend the explorer’sarm.
The gogglesrequire high-powered computer systems to operate that team members could notset up at home. So, they were told to use simple red-blue 3Dglasses instead. While not nearly as sensitive as theusual goggles, the team reported that the low-tech 3D glasses worked just aswell for planning drives and arm movements for Curiosity.
After a lot of planning and test runs, theremote team was excited to announce that the explorer had received its commandsfrom Earth and performed as expected. The first result: Curiosity successfullycompleted a rock drilling operation in an area called “Edinburgh.”
While the effort required a lot of creativethinking and workflow changes, Carrie Bridge said the experiencedemonstrated what NASA has always been about. "We're presented with aproblem and we figure out how to make things work. Mars isn't standingstill for us - we're still exploring."
Questions:
1. What did Alicia Allbaugh say is oneof the main differences for employees working at JPL headquarters and workersat home?
2. What does the article say is amongthe main tools used by Curiosity explorer team members working from home?
3. What is the purpose of the specialgoggles described in the story?
4. What was the first major operationperformed by Curiosity that was controlled by team members working fromhome?
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LEMON TREE
April 27, 2020
US Supreme Court’s ‘Next Big Thing’: theTelephone
Exercise 1- Vocabulary
pandemic -n. an occurrence in which a disease spread quickly around the world
brief -n. a document that states the facts a lawyer plans to use in a court case
branch -n. a major part of a government
excited -adj. very enthusiastic and eager about something
Excercise2 - Article
US Supreme Court’s ‘Next Big Thing’: theTelephone
The Chief Justice of the United States, JohnRoberts, said in2014 that courts will always be careful when it comes to “the next big thing”in technology. And it took a worldwide pandemic for the U.S. SupremeCourt to finally agree to use, of all things, the telephone.
In May, the court’s members will hear argumentsover the telephone for the first time. Public television service C-SPAN willbroadcast audio of the arguments “live.”
Clare Cushman is director of publications atthe Supreme Court Historical Society. She called the decision to use telephonesa “giant leap forward” for a place that sticks to tradition. But she noted thathearing arguments on the phone is somewhat backward given how much of thecountry and other courts are now using video conferencing.
Until 1971, the Supreme Court was still usingpneumatic tubes to send documents. They were popular in the late 1800s forshipping mail, papers, and other things between offices. The court was stillusing Linotype machines to print documents in the early 1980s while othersprinted from desktop computers.
Just two years ago, the high court made itsdocuments available on the internet, well after other courts.
Before the coronavirus crisis, Supreme Courtjustices were exchanging messages and opinions on paper. Yet most of the ninejustices — six of them over the age of 65 — appear to use modern technology intheir own lives.
Justice Elena Kagan has said she is on thesocial media website Twitter. Justice Samuel Alito has described readinglegal briefs on an Apple iPad. Justice Sonia Sotomayor wears anelectronic sensor that keeps watch over her health. And Justices Neil Gorsuchand Brett Kavanaugh have young children who might be expected to send textmessages to their fathers.
This month, 81-year-old Justice Stephen Breyerused the videoconference service Zoom to talk to students at a New York school.Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is the oldest member of the court at the age of 87.She reads emails on an iPhone and once told people that she uses another Appledevice as a sound machine to help her sleep.
Still, the decision to hear arguments viatelephone during six days in May was unimaginable two months ago. The change isan effort to limit large gatherings of people to slow the spread of the diseaseCOVID-19.
This year, the cases before the Supreme Courtinclude President Donald Trump’s effort to keep his tax and financial recordssecret. The court also will hear whether Electoral College members must votefor the candidate who won their state in presidential elections.
The court’s willingness to use telephones mightlast only a short time. But those who want more openness on the court hope itwill continue after the pandemic.
Melissa Murray is a law professor at the NewYork University School of Law. She said live audio gives Americans the abilityto observe the third branch of the U.S. government at work. Sheadded, “I don’t know why you wouldn’t want that.”
Stephen Dillard serves on the Georgia Court ofAppeals. He supports openness in the courts. He told The Associated Press,“This is a great first step, and I’m excited about it, but I hopethey will go further in years to come and allow live video streaming.”
Questions:
1. Who was the The Chief Justice of theUnited States in 2014 who mentioned about the next big thing in technology?
2. How will it be helpful?
3. How is technology very helpful whenthe pandemic, coronovirus, paralyzed education and business operations?
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Episodes manquant?
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LEMON TREE
April 26, 2020
Teenage Engineers in Afghanistan Use Car Partsto Build Ventilators
Exercise 1- Vocabulary
ventilator – n. amachine that forces air into the lungs of a sick patient to keep them breathing
mission – n. animportant effort or job
proud – adj. muchpleased; feeling very good about someone or something
battery – n. anobject that provides electricity for things
pandemic – n. thespread of an infectious disease over a large area in a short period of time
Excercise2 - Article
Teenage Engineers in Afghanistan Use Car Partsto Build Ventilators
Young female engineers in Afghanistan are usingold car parts to develop ventilators to treat coronavirus patients.
The girls - ages 14 to 17 - are members of aprize-winning robotics team. They say they are on a life-saving mission.Somaya Farooqi is among them.
“If we even save one life with our device, wewill be proud,” she said.
On most mornings, Farooqi’s father drives thegirls to a workspace outside the western Afghan city of Herat, where they live.The trip takes careful planning to avoid police roadblocks set up to enforcestay-at-home orders for people in Herat.
There are a limited number of special permitsto avoid the police stops, but Farooqi’s father has not been able to get one.The girls say they have to work fast so they are willing to take risks totravel outside the city. “We are concerned about security driving out of thecity,” Farooqi said.
But there is no other way, she said, adding,“we have to try to save people’s lives.”
The team’sefforts would have been unthinkable in Afghanistan just a generation ago. UnderTaliban rule in the late 1990s, girls were not permitted to even go to school.Farooqi’s mother was forced to leave school in the third grade.
After the United States invaded Afghanistan in2001, girls were permitted to return to schools. The struggle to gain equalrights for females continues and the young engineers push forward with theirwork. “We are the new generation,” Farooqi said. “We fight and work for people.Girl and boy, it does not matter anymore.”
Afghanistan is facing the coronavirus crisiswith limited supplies of medical equipment. The country has just 400ventilators for its population of more than 36 million. So far, the country hasreported more than 1,000 cases of the virus, and about 30 deaths. But expertssay the number of cases are likely much higher since virus testing remains verylimited in the country.
More coronavirus cases have been reported inHerat province because it sits close to the border with Iran, which hasexperienced a severe spread.
The local spread of the virus led Farooqi andher team to try to come up with a medical solution. At their workspace, theteam has experimented with two different designs. One of them is based on plansdeveloped by engineers at America’s Massachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT).
Parts usedto build the ventilators include the motor of a small car device,car batteries and sets of oxygen pumps. A group of auto repair expertshelps the team build the ventilator structure.
DanielaRus, a professor at MIT, welcomed the team’s quick development efforts. “Itwill be excellent to see it tested and locally produced,” she said.
Afghan businesswoman Roya Mahboob founded therobotics team and raises money to empower girls in technology. She says shehopes Farooqi’s group will finish building a working model by May or June. Themodel will then be tested by the country’s health ministry, at first onanimals, a government spokesman said.
Somaya Farooqi says her team felt the need toseek a solution to help people at home. “Afghans should be helping Afghanistanin this pandemic,” she said. “We should not wait for others.”
Questions:
1. What breakthrough did the youngfemale engineers make in Afghanistan?
2. What parts did they use in makingsuch discovery?
3. What are the age brackets of theyoung female engineers?
4. Why is their invention beneficial?
5. How do their parents support them?
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LEMON TREE
April 25, 2020
Tech Companies Continue to Fight FalseCoronavirus Information
Exercise 1- Vocabulary
perpetuate – v. tomake something continue, especially something bad
rumor – n. informationor a story that is passed from person to person but has not been proven true
debunk – v. toshow evidence that something is not true
void – n. alarge hole or empty space
Excercise2 - Article
Tech Companies Continue to Fight FalseCoronavirus Information
False information about the new coronavirus hascontinued to spread around the world, just like the illness itself. In answer,major technology companies have created new tools and rules to reducemisinformation and provide facts about the virus.
Health officials and others have welcomed thenew efforts. They have long urged tech companies to do more to prevent thespread of false information online.
AndyPattison is head of digital solutions for the World Health Organization (WHO).He told The Associated Press that some major tech companies have taken strongeraction to reduce coronavirus misinformation.
For the past two years, Pattison has beenurging companies like Facebook to take more aggressive action against falseinformation about vaccinations. Now, he says his team spends a lot of timeidentifying misleading coronavirus information online. Sometimes, Pattisoncontacts officials at Facebook, Google and YouTube to request that they removesuch misinformation.
In some cases, coronavirus misinformation hasled to deadly results. Last month, Iranian media reported more than 300 peoplehad died and 1,000 were sickened after eating methanol, a poisonous alcohol.Information about the substance being a possible cure for coronavirus hadrecently appeared on social media.
In the American state of Arizona, a man diedand his wife became seriously ill after taking chloroquine phosphate, a productthat some people mistake for the anti-malaria drug chloroquine.
The U.S.Food and Drug Administration, FDA, says chloroquinephosphate is used to treat disease in fish kept at home. It is not meant to betaken by humans. Chloroquine has been used to treat malaria and some otherconditions in humans. It is being studied as a possible treatment for COVID-19,the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
U.S. President Donald Trump and some of hissupporters have said they think chloroquine could be an effective treatmentagainst the virus. Similar claims about chloroquine were widely publicized andshared on social media.
However, health officials have warned that thedrug has not been proven to be safe or effective in treating or preventingCOVID-19. Twitter and Facebook decided to take steps to reduce the spread ofinformation about such unproven treatments.
Twitter removed a post by Trump’s personallawyer Rudy Giuliani that described hydroxychloroquine, which is related tochloroquine, as “100 percent effective” against coronavirus. Twitter alsoremoved a tweet from a Fox News broadcaster in which she said the drug hadshown “promising results.”
And in what may have been a first, Facebookremoved information posted by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who claimedhydroxychloroquine was “working in every place” to treat coronavirus. Twitteralso removed a linked video.
Facebook, Twitter, Google and others haveincreased their use of machine learning tools to identify false information.They also have put in place new restrictions on publishing misinformation.
Dipayan Ghosh is co-director of the PlatformAccountability Project at the Harvard Kennedy School in Cambridge,Massachusetts. He told The Associated Press that technology companies havelearned that the publication of misinformation about the coronavirus can havetragic results.
“They don’twant to be held responsible in any way for perpetuating rumors thatcould lead directly to death,” Ghosh said.
For example, the Facebook-owned privatemessaging service WhatsApp has put a limit on the number of people users canforward messages to. WhatsApp hopes this helps limit the spread of COVID-19misinformation.
Facebook also recently announced that it wouldstart warning users if they have reacted to or shared false or harmful claimsabout COVID-19. The company says it will start sending such warning messages inthe coming weeks. The users will also be directed to a website where the WHOlists and debunks misinformation about the coronavirus.
In addition to efforts to reduce falseinformation, technology companies have noted they are widely publishing factsabout the virus from trusted news sources and health officials. They are alsomaking that information easy for users to find.
The WHO’s Andy Pattison praises those efforts,too; more correct information can help reduce the level of misinformation, hesaid.
“People will fill the void out offear,” he added.
Questions:
1. What hasAndy Pattison been involved in for the past two years?
2. What hasthe FDA said about chloroquine phosphate?
3. How didFacebook react to information posted by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaroabout the drug hydroxychloroquine?
4. What didFacebook say its new user warning system is designed to do?
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LEMON TREE
April 24, 2020
Some Countries, US States Ease Anti-CoronavirusMeasures
Exercise 1- Vocabulary
relaxing –n. toloosen rules or requirements
nonessential –adj. notcompletely necessary
brake –n. adevice that slows or stops a vehicle
Excercise2 - Article
Some Countries, US States Ease Anti-CoronavirusMeasures
With millions of people out of work, severalnations are planning to ease anti-coronavirus restrictions on businesses andother activities.
The push to reopen has brought warnings fromhealth officials. They say relaxing the stay-at-home restrictions tooquickly could bring the virus back.
Returningto work
Nonessential workers, includinghairdressers, dentists and construction laborers, can go to work in Denmark,Austria, Spain and Germany. Australia said doctors can resume non-emergencyoperations next week.
Spain will begin permitting children out oftheir homes for short periods next Monday. Denmark announced plans to reopenTivoli Gardens, the famous amusement park in Copenhagen in May.
In Austria, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said allshops will reopen at the beginning of May and restaurants in mid-May. He saidthe government will study the situation every two weeks and added he will “pullthe emergency brake if that is necessary.”
Meanwhile, some state governors are planningsimilar easing measures in the United States. Georgia, South Carolina,Tennessee, West Virginia and Colorado, announced plans to slowly reopen in thecoming days. Boeing is among the large industrial manufacturers that will startproduction across the country.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio warned, “Ifsome of these re-openings are done the wrong way, it’s going to affect all ofus.”
The moves to reopen for business come asunemployment has sharply increased. And the International Monetary Fund haswarned the outbreak could lead to the developed world’s worst economicdepression since the 1930s.
On Tuesday, financial markets in Asia andEurope followed American stocks lower after U.S. oil contracts lost all theirvalue. Far too much oil is now on the market because of a lack of demand asfactories, cars and airplanes are not being used.
Call for more testing
Worldwide, COVID-19 has infected more than 2.5million people and caused more than 170,000 deaths. Those numbers come fromJohns Hopkins University’s Coronavirus Resource Center.
The U.S.has recorded more than 42,000 deaths. That is the most in the world. About800,000 U.S. infections have been reported.
However, the true number of infections aroundthe world is believed to be much higher. That is because of limited testing,difficulties in counting the dead and efforts by some governments to hide theextent of their outbreaks.
Officials at the United Nations have called forefforts to ensure that all people can be tested for the new coronavirus. Theyalso are urging that medical supplies, drugs and future vaccines be madeavailable, especially in developing countries.
African officials have strongly noted the needfor medical supplies across the continent. Experts worry that Africa’s healthcare systems are weak and could become overwhelmed.
A report from the U.N. Economic Commission forAfrica said that Africa will need $44 billion for testing, personal protectiveequipment and treatment. But the report estimates that ten times that muchcould be needed in the worst case.
Will life return to normal?
But in a sign that it will be some time beforelife returns to normal, Spain canceled its Running of the Bulls in Pamplona.The more than 400-year-old event was made famous by Ernest Hemingway’s 1926novel “The Sun Also Rises.”
And the U.S. canceled the popular ScrippsNational Spelling Bee. The competition has been held since 1925. It was onlystopped once before — in 1943-1945, because of World War II.
Questions:
1. Have some private business establisgmentsreopened amid covid pandemic?
2. What considerations did they need to take inmaking such desicion?
3. How did covid-19 affect the countriesworldwide?
4. Why is there a need to test all people in thecountry?
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LEMON TREE
April 23, 2020
Strange Object May Be Remains of a Planet TornApart
Exercise 1- Vocabulary
solarsystem – n. our sun and the planets that move around it
journal – n. amagazine that reports on things of special interest to a particular group ofpeople
alien – adj. fromsomewhere other than the planet Earth
tidal – adj. ofor relating to the regular upward and downward movement of the level of theocean that is caused by the pull of the Sun and the Moon on the Earth
comet – n. anobject in outer space that develops a long, bright tail when it passes near thesun
asteroid – n. anyone of thousands of small planets that circle around the sun
disrupte(d)– v. to cause (something) to be unable to continue in the normal way
mutual – adj. sharedbetween two or more people or groups
hypothesize(d) –v. to suggest an idea or theory
Excercise2 - Article
Strange Object May Be Remains of a Planet TornApart
A long, thin object moving throughour solar system may be the remains of a planet that was pulledapart, scientists say.
Researchers say the planet was likely destroyedlong ago when it moved either too far from or too close to the star it onceorbited.
The object is called ‘Oumuamua, which means“messenger from afar” in the native Hawaiian language. A report on the recentfindings appears in the journal Nature Astronomy.
Scientists have been trying to understand moreabout ‘Oumuamua since its discovery in 2017. Some have even proposed it may bean alien spacecraft. In the recently published research, astronomersYun Zhang and Douglas Lin said computer predictions suggest the object was apiece of a planet or planetary building block. The planet might have been tornapart by its star’s “tidal forces.”
‘Oumuamua is the first object from another starsystem found passing through our solar system. It is about 400 meters long. Itsshape, strange way of moving and lack of dust and gases suggest it is not anormal comet or asteroid.
When a smaller body passes near a much biggerone, tidal forces created by the larger body can destroy the smaller one. Thisis what happened when comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 came too close to the planetJupiter in 1992.
Zhang told the Reuters news agency that mostplanetary bodies are made of groups of rocks joined under the influence ofgravity. In a way, they are similar to the sandcastles that children make atthe beach, except that they are floating through space, Zhang said.
“Their structure canbe disrupted when the force acting on the individual ‘sand particle’is larger than their mutual gravity,” he added.
Zhang noted that ocean tides on Earth areaffected in this way. Tides result from the gravitational pulls of the sun andmoon. In space, a planetary body that comes close enough to a star falls victimto its strong gravitational pull.
Lin is an astrophysicist at the University ofCalifornia, Santa Cruz. He said the star that destroyed ‘Oumuamua’s home worldprobably was one-tenth to eight-tenths of the mass of our sun. Or it might havebeen a rare kind of cool and dense star called a white dwarf, Lin added.
The studysuggests the existence of many objects formed this way.
“We show the possibility of panspermia carriedby these objects,” Zhang said. Panspermia is the hypothesized spreadof microorganisms or chemicals that support life on objects moving throughspace.
‘Oumuamua is continuing on its path out of oursolar system.
Questions:
1. What have the scientist noticed inthe solar system that have been moving in our solar system?
2. How does it look like?
3. How was it like?
4. When was it discovered?
5. What did the scientist believe on where theremais come from?
6. What is Panspermia and how is it beneficial toliving objects?
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LEMON TREE
April 22, 2020
How to Make Your Own Face Mask
Exercise 1- Vocabulary
caught offguard expression : to be surprised by something unexpected
tip –n. apiece of advice or useful information
comfortably –adj. donewith no physically unpleasant feelings
recommend –v. tosuggest that someone do (something)
sew –v. tomake or repair something using a needle and thread
fabric –n. amaterial like a cloth
bleach –n. astrong chemical that is used to make something clean or white
respirator –n. adevice worn over the mouth and nose that aids breathing when there is apollutant in the air
tuck –v. topush the end of (something, such as a piece of cloth or paper) into or behindsomething in order to hold it in place, make it look neat, etc.
Excercise2 - Article
How to Make Your Own Face Mask
Much ofthe world was caught off guard by the new coronavirus. In many waysand in many places, governments, health care providers and average people werenot ready.
Somehospitals, doctors offices and emergency workers found themselves in shortsupply of personal protective equipment, also called PPE.
Localofficials in many parts of the world suggest wearing a face mask in public. Asimple cloth face covering can help to slow the spread of the virus. But facemasks can be hard to find. High quality ones used by professionals need to bereserved for healthcare workers.
So, people are making their own.
a. fit securelybut comfortably around the side of the face
B. be secured with ties or ear loops
c. include two or more layers offabric
D. permit for easy breathing
E. be able to be washed and driedwithout damage or change to shape
Healthofficials recommend using 100 percent cotton for a face mask. Butwhat if I don't know how to sew? Now, for those people who cannot sew,there are ways to make no-sew face masks. The CDC shows two ways on itswebsite. One uses a cotton t-shirt. The other method uses a coffee filter.
A. Cotton T-shirt face mask
Here is a step-by-step process formaking a face mask from a 100 percent cotton T-shirt. However, if you do nothave a 100 percent cotton t-shirt, you can use other materials that areeasy-to-find.
You will not need string to tie itaround your face if you follow the directions. You will use the T-shirt fabricto make tie “strings.”
Here is what you will need:
cotton T-shirt
scissors.
1. First, cut 18 to 20 centimetersfrom the bottom of the t-shirt. This will leave you with a double-layeredrectangle of fabric.
2. Keep the fabric doubled. Fromonly one edge of the fabric, cut out an inner rectangle about 15 to 17centimeters wide. This will leave the outer edges on the top and bottom as tiestrings.
3. Fit the mask securely over yournose and mouth. Tie the fabric “strings” around your neck and over the top ofyour head.
How to remove a face mask
Healthofficials say to remove a face mask from behind. Do not touch the front of themask. The CDC says to avoid touching your nose, mouth, and eyes. Also, washyour hands immediately after removing it.
Otherhealth experts add that you should store the used mask in a plastic bag and nottouch it again until it is cleaned.
How to wash a cloth face mask
The CDCsuggests that you wash your masks after each use. CDC experts say that awashing machine should be enough to kill the virus.
However,other health experts say that may not be enough. Some suggest cleaning themasks for 10 minutes in boiling water or in a bleach solution beforewashing.
If you do not have a washingmachine, hand wash with soap and hot water.
Who should not wear cloth facecoverings?
Noteveryone should wear a face mask. Cloth face coverings should not be placed onyoung children under age 2. Also, people should not wear a face mask if theyhave trouble breathing or are unable to remove the mask without help.
Wearing a cloth face mask is notenough.
Wearing acloth facevmask may reduce the risk of becoming infected with the newcoronavirus. However, the CDC and other health organizations give thisimportant warning: Cloth masks should be used with other methods, such associal distancing, handwashing and staying at home.
Questions:
1. What does the CDC say about making aface covering?
2. What is the safest way to removeyour face mask?
3. The CDC recommends this kind ofperson should wear a mask.
4. What important warning do the CDCand other health organizations give about face masks?
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Lesson: Oxford Reading Tree Level2 Lesson1
Teacher: Judy 【High school teachers, ten years' teaching experiences】
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LEMON TREE
April 21, 2020
Six New Coronaviruses Found in Bats in Myanmar
Exercise 1- Vocabulary
1.species – n. a set of plants or animals in which the membershave similar characteristics to each other
2.outbreak – n. the sudden appearance of a contagious illness
3.sample – n. a small amount of a substance collected by ascientist or doctor
4.veterinarian – n. someone whose job is to give medical care toanimals that are sick or hurt
5.mutate – v. biology : to cause (a gene) to change andcreate an unusual characteristic in a plant or animal
6.pandemic – n. the spread of an infectious disease over a largearea in a short period of time
7.vigilant – adj. watching something carefully and always beingready to notice anything unusual or dangerous
8.surveillance – n. the activity of watching people carefully,often secretly, especially by an army or police force
Excercise2 - Article
Six New Coronaviruses Found in Bats in Myanmar
Researchershave discovered six new coronaviruses in bats while studying how diseases canpass from animals to humans.
Thescientists said the coronaviruses – found in bats in Myanmar – are not closelyrelated to the coronavirus nowaffecting many parts of the world.
Theresearch was led by scientists from the Smithsonian’s Global Health Program inWashington, D.C. The findings were recently reported ina study in the publication PLOS ONE.
Theresearchers said the six new coronaviruses have never been discovered anywherein the world.
The U.S.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says thatcoronaviruses “are a large family of viruses that are common in people and manydifferent species of animals.” The CDC adds that it is rare foranimal coronaviruses to infect people and then spread among the humanpopulation.
However,there have been major disease outbreaks caused by coronaviruses inhumans. Bats have been linked to some of them. The viruses responsible fordiseases SARS and MERS were linked to bats. The CDC says the new coronavirus,which causes the disease COVID-19, also came from bats.
Health experts estimate thatthousands of coronaviruses are present in bats, with many still undiscovered.
TheSmithsonian team worked with researchers in Myanmar on a project aimed atidentifying new diseases that are zoonotic –meaning they can spread fromanimals to humans. The project, called PREDICT,is supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
Researchersworking on the project say zoonotic diseases represent about 75 percent of newdiseases affecting humans. One of their goals is to study how contact betweenhumans and wildlife can lead to coronavirusinfections in people.
The teamcentered its research in areas where humans were most likely to come into closecontact with localwildlife. Among the team members were representatives from Myanmargovernment agencies.
Theresearchers collected 759 samples of saliva and waste from bats inthe areas from May 2016 to August 2018. After examining the samples, theyidentified the six new kinds of coronavirus. The team also discovered acoronavirus found in other parts of Southeast Asia, but never before inMyanmar.
Marc Valituttois a former wildlife veterinarian with the Smithsonian’s GlobalHealth Program. He was the lead writer of the study. He said in a statementthat widespread disease outbreaks like COVID-19 should“remind us how closely human health is connected to the health of wildlife andthe environment.”
“The goalis to prevent the virus from getting into humans in the first place,”Valitutto told SmithsonianMagazine.
He addedthat future research will seek to learn more about how coronaviruses behave inanimals. For example, what permits the viruses to mutate and spreadto other species. Such research can help reduce the possibility offuture pandemics, Valitutto said.
SuzanMurray is the director of the Smithsonian’s Global Health Program. She saidmany coronaviruses do not present risks to humans. However, she notedidentifying them early on in animals can be an effective way to investigatepossible disease threats. “Vigilant surveillance, research and education arethe best tools we have to prevent pandemics before they occur,” Murray said.
Questions:
1. From what kind animal were the sixnew coronaviruses?
2. Are they similar to the coronavirusthat affects many parts of the world?
3. What was the aim of the Smithsonianteam?
4. What does zoonotic mean?
5. How many percent of the diseasescame from animals?
6. Why did Suzan Murray stress theimportance of detecting the risk earlier befor it spread?
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LEMON TREE
April 20, 2020
Scientists Estimate Age of World’s Largest Fish
Exercise 1- Vocabulary
1. vertebrae – n. one of thesmall bones that are linked together to form the backbone
Ex. The needle is inserted betweentwo of the vertebrae.
2. data -- n. facts orinformation used usually to calculate, analyze, or plan something
You have some accessto data bases that could be helpful.
3. atmospheric -- adj. of orrelating to the atmosphere of the Earth or another planet
Ex. The largest pond is as sensitiveto atmospheric changes as the globule of mercury in its tube.
4. elevated -- adj. higherthan normal
Holding herhead elevated, as Mums had instructed, he offered the bottle.
5. saturate – v. to fill(something) completely with something
Ex. She ran her hand down his armand side, unable to shake the desire to saturate hersenses with every part of him.
6. species -- n. a group ofanimals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants : agroup of related animals or plants that is smaller than a genus
Buffalo are adifferent species – like the water buffalo.
7. resilience – n. the abilityto become strong, healthy, or successful again after something bad happens
Ex. A diamond is the hardest,most resilient, most beautiful gem of all.
Excercise2 - Article
Scientists Estimate Age of World’s Largest Fish
Scientistshave recently discovered how to compute the age of whale sharks, Earth’slargest fish.
Researchers used information aboutradioactivity levels from Cold War-era atomic bomb testing. They determinedthat bands form in the shark vertebrae every year, like a tree’sgrowth rings.
Theyreached their conclusion by measuring levels of carbon-14. The naturallyoccurring radioactive element is also a product of nuclear explosions.
It wasalready known that these bands existed and increased in number as sharks aged.But it was unclear whether new rings appeared yearly or every six months.
Theresearchers compared carbon-14 levels in the rings to data on changesin carbon-14 levels over time. They compared them, especially, to the yearsof atmospheric nuclear tests in the 1950s and 1960s.
Joyce Ongis a marine scientist at Rutgers University in New Jersey. She was the leadauthor of the study that was published recently in the journal Frontiers inMarine Science.
“These elevated levelsof carbon-14 first saturated the atmosphere, then oceans and movedthrough food webs into animals, producing elevated levels in structures such asthe vertebrae of whale sharks,” Ong said.
Whale sharkshave a brownish-grayish color on the back and sides with white spots. Thelargest ones measure some 18 meters in length. They swim great distancesthrough the world’s tropical oceans to find food and feed on small organismstaken out of the water.
Thediscovery enables scientists to measure a whale shark’s age after its death.But just as importantly, it shows that these endangered marine giants growslowly.
MarkMeekan, a co-author, is with the Australian Institute of Marine Science inPerth. He said, “For the management of any marine species, knowledge ofgrowth rate is critical as it determines the resilience ofpopulations to threats such as fishing.”
Meekansaid, “We thought that it was possible that they could reach ages of as much as100 years, but we weren’t really sure...”
Theresearchers tested carbon-14 levels in long-dead whale sharks whose remainswere stored in laboratories. The oldest one tested, stored in Pakistan, hadlived 50 years.
Questions:
1. How do scientist compute the age ofwhale sharks?
2. Who was the marie scientist and alead author of a book published in the journal frontiers in Marine Sciene?
3. HOw long is the largest whale shark?
4. Why is their study about the lifespan of whale shark important?
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LEMON TREE
April 19, 2020
Scientists Report Biggest Star Explosion EverSeen
Exercise 1- Vocabulary
1. galaxy - n. any one of the verylarge groups of stars that make up the universe
Ex. There are of galaxies scattered throughout our universe.
2. theory - n. an idea or set ofideas that is intended to explain facts or events
. The findings are discussed in thecontext of a competing theory.
3. astrophysicist - n. a scientistwho studies the physical and chemical properties and structures of stars,planets and other objects in outer space
Ex. ASTROPHYSICS, the branch ofastronomical science which treats of the physical constitution of the heavenlybodies.
4. gravity - n. the natural forcethat tends to cause physical things to move towards each other
Gravity is what keepseverything from floating around.
5. collision - n. a crash in whichtwo or more things or people hit each other
The firstserious collision between the natives and the government occurred in1873.
6. pulsational - adj. aperiodically recurring increase and decrease of a quantity, such as pressure,volume or voltage
She seems to feelthe pulsation of the air itself.
7. astronomy - n. the scientificstudy of stars, planets, and other objects in outer space
They are very interestedin astronomy.
Excercise2 - Article
Scientists Report Biggest Star Explosion EverSeen
Scientistshave just seen the biggest star explosion observed to date. Star explosions areoften called supernovas.
The supernova was up to 100 timeslarger than our sun and happened in a galaxy far away.
It released two times as muchenergy as any star explosion ever observed and happened about 4.6 billion lightyears from Earth, scientists said. A light year is the distance light travelsin one year, which is 9.5 trillion kilometers.
The scientists said thisexplosion might represent a kind of supernova that has only been known intheory until now.
Matt Nicholl is an astrophysicistwith the University of Birmingham in England. He told Reuters news agency thattwo very large stars - each about 50 times the sun's mass - may have joined tomake one huge star. He thinks this took place about 1,000 years before theexplosion. The stars had been part of a binary system -- two stars pulledtoward each other through gravity.
The joined star exploded in asupernova that has been named SN2016aps.
"We found that the supernovawas able to become so bright because of a powerful collision” between thematter thrown by the explosion and a shell of gas shaken off by the star a fewyears before, Nicholl explained.
He is lead writer of the studypublished this week in the journal Nature Astronomy.
Stars die in many different ways,depending on their size and other properties. When a massive star - more thaneight times the mass of our sun - uses up its fuel, it cools off and its centercollapses. This launches shock waves that cause its outer layer to explode soviolently that it can shine brighter than whole galaxies.
The researchers observed theexplosion for two years until it lowered to one percent of its highestbrightness. They said it may have been an example of an extremely rare"pulsational pair-instability" supernova.
Peter Blanchard explains whatthat means. He said pulsational pair-instability is when very large starsexperience pulsations which throw material away from the star.
Blanchard, who co-wrote thestudy, is an astrophysicist at Northwestern University in Illinois.
He said the discovery shows thereare many new and exciting things that remain uncovered in the universe.
Very massive stars like this onewere probably more common early in the universe's history, Nicholl said.
"The nature of those firststars is one of the big questions in astronomy," Nicholl added."Seeing things further away means looking back further and further intime. So we might actually be able to see the very first stars if they explodein a similar manner to this one. Now we know what to look for."Questions:
1. How are star explosions called?
2. Who was the astrophysicist from Englandthat told Reuters the possibility of explosion of two huge stars?
3. Do stars die in different ways? Whyyes or why not?
4. How do the astronomers explained pulsationalpair-instability?
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LEMON TREE
Muppets Teach Children Health Tips
April 18, 2020
Exercise 1- Vocabulary
1. pandemic –n. medical : an occurrence in which a disease spreads veryquickly and affects a large
Coronavirusis a pandemic that affects people around the world.
2. furry – adj. covered withfur a hairy coat like an animal especially when it is soft and thick
His furry coatshone with the sheen of silk.
3. germ – n. a microorganism(as a bacterium) that causes disease
These germsare living forms of matter.
4. silly – adj. not serious
She felt silly standingin it with the three warrior strangers around her, waiting for something to happenthat never did.
5.Gesundheit : German Expression : used to wish good healthespecially to one who has just sneezed
6.quarantined – v. to isolate from normal relations or communication
The personsinfected with coronavirus was quarantined.
7. checklist – n. a list ofthings to be checked or done
Myboss is drawing up a checklist of my duties.
8. turnedupside down – idiomatic expression informal :
to make(something) very untidy —often used figuratively :
His wholeworld was turned upside down when his mother died.
9. stability – n. the qualityor state of something that is not easily changed or likely to change
Greater stability ofcrops in proportion to area cultivated is hoped for.
Excercise2 - Article
Muppets Teach Children Health Tips
The coronavirus pandemic continuesto be a health threat around the world. So, governments, businesses,communities and individuals are looking for ways to teach children how toprotect themselves.
Children,however, often do not want to listen to grownups. But they might want to listento imaginative creatures that are adorable, colorful and furry!
Muppetsare puppets from the children’s show Sesame Street. They are helping to keepchildren healthy and safe during a difficult time.
Elmo,Grover and other Sesame Street Muppets star in new public serviceadvertisements, or PSAs, from the Sesame Workshop.
These PSAsteach children about the importance of handwashing and safe ways to sneeze,limiting the spread of germs. The PSAs also spread the message to childrenthat all of these actions show care and concern for others.
The shortvideos are part of a campaign called Caring for Each Other. Sesame Workshop isthe nonprofit educational organization that created the television show SesameStreet.
In a statement tothe press, Sesame Workshop said that its campaign is aimed athelping families stay physically and mentally healthy during the coronaviruspandemic.
Theproject includes messages for children and caregivers. It offers reading, mathand science activities along with songs and fun, educational videos.
Elmo isprobably one of the most famous Muppets. He is known for a song about brushingteeth called “Brushy Brush.” That song has been updated to “Washy Wash” andteaches good handwashing.
Health experts recommend having aroutine while quarantined. A set of things you normally do can help you tostay mentally healthy. So, Elmo explains his daily morning routine.
Questions:
1. What health tips does PSA teach thechildren?
2. What muppet is said to be the mostfamous?
3. What song titles have they composed?
4. How will the videos motivate theyoung children on the importance of hygiene?
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LEMON TREE
Apple, Google to Launch Contact TracingTechnology for Phones
April 17, 2020
Exercise 1- Vocabulary
1. teamup – v. to join in cooperation to work together on something
Ex.Pharmaceutical companies and te government team up to produce an antibodyvaccine against covid.
2.trace – v. to find the origin of something
Ex. Policeare trying to trace a white van seen in the area.
3. contagious – adj. havinga sickness that can be passed on to someone else
The contagious diseasewill spread quickly in this environment.
4. app – n. a programfor a smartphone or other device that performs a special function
The app inher smartphone is very useful got her.
5. accelerate – v. tohappen more quickly
Ex. He saysthat cutting taxes will help to accelerate economic growth.
6. convince – v. to makesomeone believe something is true
Ex. None of them had been able to convince her to wait until theestate was settled.
7. society – n. a largegroup of people who live in the same souncty or area and have the same laws,traditions, etc.
Ex. We needto do more to help the poorer members of our society.
8. access – n. a way ofgetting near, at, or to something or someone
Ex. He gaveus access to a web site on which to submit our information.
9. mitigate – v. toreduce the harmful effects of something
Ex. Goodinformation on a product can mitigate this problem.
Excercise2 - Article
Apple, Google to Launch Contact TracingTechnology for Phones
Apple andGoogle have teamed up to launch a mobile phone tool to follow the contactsof people infected with coronavirus.
Thetechnology is a form of “contact tracing,”a method used to identify people who may have had contact with infectedindividuals in an attempt to prevent additional spread of disease.
Healthofficials say the method is an effective way to help slow the spread ofhighly contagious viruses.
Thecurrent coronavirus, which is affecting much of the world, causes the diseaseCOVID-19. Many carriers of the virus do not know they have it because they haveno immediate signs of illness. They could be spreading the virus unknowingly.Contact tracing is a way to identify others who may have been infected.
The twocompanies say Bluetooth wireless technology will permit devices near each otherto exchange information. A record of the Bluetooth signals between deviceswould be created.
If a device user becomes infectedwith the virus and agrees to share that information, the record could be usedto inform other people that the user could have infected.
Apple and Google say they first planto release app versions of the technology for Android and Appledevices by mid-May. Over the next several months, they plan to build thetracking technology directly into the device operating systems.
Numeroustechnology companies and organizations have been seeking to develop tools tohelp fight COVID-19. Some of the existingtools use data from mobile devices to measure and recordpopulation movements.
Health andgovernment officials have calledfor such technology to help fight the current crisis.Government-backed apps have already been launched in some countries, includingSingapore, South Korea, India and China. The technology is also being developedin Britain, Germany and Italy.
Thecompanies also said they would be cooperating with developers, governments andpublic health providers to use the power of technology “to help countriesaround the world slow the spread of COVID-19 and accelerate thereturn of everyday life.”
Questions:
1. Whatpart will Bluetooth play in the new contact tracing system?
2. Whatdoes the article say some of the other technology tools already in use aredoing to help fight COVID-19?
3. What wasone of the main things convinced thatthe contact tracing app could protect user privacy?
4. What wasone of the opinions of people about the contact tracing system?
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LEMON TREE
Baking Is Good for Mental Health
April 16, 2020
Exercise 1- Vocabulary
1. shelf – n. a flatboard which is attached to a wall, frame, etc., and on which objects can beplaced
He arranged the books onthe shelf.
2. stressful – adj. fullof or causing stress : making you feel worried or anxious
I've had a stressful dayat work
3. culinarytherapy – n. using food production to heal mental issues
Culinary therapy helps in curingperson with mental issues.
4. beneficial – adj. producinggood or helpful results or effects
He hopes the new drug willprove beneficial to many people.
5. recipe – n. a set ofinstructions for making something from various ingredients
He is able to cook new menu becauseof the recipe his friend gave him.
6. precise – adj. veryaccurate and exact
Be sure totake precise measurements before you cut the cloth.
7. knead – v. to workand press into a mass with the hands
Please continueto knead the dough by hand until it is mixed to a consistent texture.
8. relax – v. to stopfeeling nervous or worried : to spend time resting or doing somethingenjoyable
especially after you have been doingwork
He lay down on the bed and triedto relax.
9. delicious – adj. appealingto one of the bodily senses especially of taste or smell
She baked a delicious chocolatecake.
Excercise2 - Article
Baking Is Good for Mental Health
The worldis experiencing a major health crisis.
As the newcoronavirus spreads, many countries are limiting their citizens’ activities.Travel has been restricted. Many schools are closed. In major cities around theworld, restaurants and other businesses are shut down.
Publicemergencies bring out a certain type of person – the panic shopper. Some peoplefear not being able to find basic needs for survival. So, they buy everythingoff supermarket shelves in preparation for the days to come.
Bread isoften among the first products to disappear in emergency situations.
So, if youhave never made bread, now may be good time to learn. Bread making is a survivalskill. With very few simple things -- such as flour, salt and yeast -- you canbake a fresh loaf of bread for your family, neighbors or coworkers.
Baking isnot just a useful survival skill. It can make you feel betterat stressful times. In fact, baking and cooking have been used totreat people with mental health issues.
JulieOhana is a social worker. She offers what she calls culinarytherapy to her patients in New York City.
JulieOhana uses culinary therapy to help people overcome many kinds of issues. Sheexplains that culinary therapy works on many levels.
Bakingrequires mindfulness.
“So whenyou’re in the kitchen – whether you’re cooking or you’re baking – it reallyrequires a certain level of mindfulness, of being present in the moment.Specifically, when you’re baking. And baking really requires step-by-step,following a recipe, being more precise. Kneading the dough orrolling something out, you really get the full benefit of being present in themoment and being able to relax and put aside all the other thoughtsand just focus on the here-and-now. And there really are very strong benefitsof being able to do that, to be able to relax, to decompress, destress, andreally increase one’s level of life satisfaction.”
Baking isa labor of love.
Ohana alsosays baking is a process filled with love. It not only makes you feel good, itproduces something tangible -- something you can touch and eat! Ohana callsbaking a labor of love.
Baking isemotional.
Often ourfood experiences are tied to family memories and stories. We remember meals ourgrandmothers made. We teach our children important recipes for familyfavorites.
Questions:
1. The article calls baking bread a“survival skill.” Why?
2. Which is closest in meaning to“culinary therapy”?
3. Culinary therapist, Julie Ohana saysbaking involves mindfulness. What does she mean?
4. Julie Ohana calls baking a“win-win.” What does she mean?
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LEMON TREE
Countries Struggle to Decide When to Return toWork
April 15, 2020
Exercise 1- Vocabulary
1. governor - n. a person who isthe leader of a state, province, etc.
He waschosen first governor of the state of New Jersey in 1776, and was regularlyre-elected until his death in 1790.
2. gasoline - n. a liquid madefrom petroleum and used as a fuel
Each leafblower had, strapped to his back, a small gasoline motor that blewair to sweep up leaves.
3. isolate - v. to put or keepsomeone in place that is away from others
Slowlearners were isolated from fast learners.
4. fabric - n. the basic structureof something
A roughlysewn piece of fabric was tied around her eyes.
5. focus - v. to direct or keepattention on something
thisgeneration has made the environment a focus of attention
6. inflict - v. to cause harm
She iswrong to inflict her beliefs on everyone else.
Countries Struggle to Decide When to Return toWork
Governmentsaround the world are struggling to decide when people can return to work. Thecoronavirus pandemic has closed businesses and factories and damaged economies.
Workers insome nonessential businesses returned to their jobs Monday in Spain. SouthKorean officials, however, are warning that new infections could appear ifrestrictions are lifted. And officials in the United States are debating whenbusinesses can reopen in the world’s biggest economy.
Thedecisions are difficult to make, especially on a national level. Some areas arehit harder and at different times than others.
Britain,Japan, parts of the United States and other places are still seeing dailyincreases of deaths or infections. Both Italy and Spain have seen drops inrecent days.
In theUnited States
The U.S.has more confirmed cases and deaths than any other nation. On Monday, JohnsHopkins University’s Coronavirus Resource Center reported that the country hadmore than 558,000 infections and more than 22,000 deaths.
PresidentDonald Trump has said repeatedly that he wants to reopen the economy as soon aspossible. On Monday, the president said it was his decision when to reopen theU.S. economy, and not the decision of state leaders.
Spain
SpanishPrime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the coronavirus crisis “threatens to destroylives and at the same time destroy the economic and social fabric ofour country.”
Spain’sgovernment is permitting workers to return to some manufacturing and buildingjobs. Stores and services remain closed. Office workers are urged to keepworking from home. The nationwide state of emergency, set to continue for atleast two more weeks, prevents people from leaving home for anything other thanfood and medicine.
What aboutpoor economies?
Pakistan’sPrime Minister Imran Khan has urged the world’s wealthy countries andinternational organizations to provide debt-relief for poor nations.
Last week,Oxfam warned thatthe coronavirus pandemic could push half a billion people into poverty. Thecharity organization asked richer nations to give at least $2.5 trillion tohelp.
It said,“Unless developing countries are also able to fight… the crisis will continueand it will inflict even greater harm on all countries, rich andpoor.”
Questions:
1. What struggle do companies aroundthe world have nowadays?
2. What countries have decrease innumber of inflicted persons?
3. Who said that coronavirus threatensto destroy lives and at the same time destroy the economic andsocial fabric of thecountry?
4. Why do countries around the worldstruggle to decide the appropriate date for workers to go back to work?
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LEMON TREE
New Study Looks Into Why Females Live LongerThan Males
April 14, 2020
Exercise 1- Vocabulary
1. gap – n. a space betweentwo people or things; a missing part
She hadtaken several years off to raise a family, so there was a large gap inher work history.
2. lifespan – n. the amountof time that a person or animal actually lives
Worms havea lifespan of a few months.
3. previously – adv. earlierin time or order
Previously,the child was under the protection of her mother.
4. expectancy - n. the state ofthinking or hoping that something, especially something pleasant, will happenor be the case.
Scientistsestimate that smoking reduces life expectancy by around 12 years onaverage.
New Study Looks Into Why Females Live LongerThan Males
Researchersalready know that women live longer than men in all parts of the world.Scientists have largely linked the difference in life expectancy between thesexes to biological survival factors.
Now, a new study of wild mammals hasfound great differences in length of life and aging in many species of mammals.
Theresearchers found that, in humans, women live almost 8 percent longer than men.But among wild mammals, females in 60 percent of the studied species live, onaverage, 18.6 percent longer. The percentages are very different for differentgroups of mammals.
Jean-FrançoisLemaître led the study. He is from the University Lyon 1 in France. He and hisresearch team collected information on age-related deaths for 134 groups of 101wild species of mammals.
Scientistssay the risk of death does not increase more quickly in males than in femalesacross species. They say there must be other, more complex reasons. Theseinclude things such as environmental conditions in which the animals live,sex-specific growth, survival and reproduction through the history of thespecies.
Székelysuggests that one reason for the differences between the sexes is that “femalesurvival increases when males provide some or all of the parental care.”
Scientistshope the findings will give them a better understanding of what affects lengthof life in humans. In the past 200 years, the average life expectancy of humanshas more than doubled. The main reasons for the increase are improved livingconditions and developments in the field of medicine. However, women continueto live longer than men. This suggests biological differences also play a part.
The U.S.Centers for Disease Control says the average American man will live to age 76.The average woman in America will live to age 81. Women can also expect to behealthier than men in their older years. Experts said this is because of acombination of biological and social differences.
A hormone in men called testosteroneis connected to a decrease in their immune system and risk of heart-relateddiseases as they age. It is also connected to risky behavior, such as smoking,drinking and unhealthy eating habits.
Men arealso less likely than women to follow suggestions and warnings from a doctor.And research shows that men are more likely to take life-threatening risks andto die in car accidents or gun fights.
Questions:
1. How many percent do women livelonger than men?
2. Who was the researcher from Lyon 1France?
3. What is the average lifespan of anAmerica man?
4. What are the possible factors whymen have shorter life expectancy than women?
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Why Health Experts Aren't Warning aboutCoronavirus in Food
April 13, 2020
Exercise 1- Vocabulary
1.diarrhea – n. an illness that causes you to pass waste from yourbody very frequently and in liquid rather than solid form
2. digestive – adj. relatingto or functioning in the body's process of changing food into simpler formsthat can be taken up and used
3.respiratory – adj. relating to the act or process of breathing
4.salmonella – n. a kind of bacteria that is sometimes in food andthat makes people sick
Chickenwith salmonella bacteria can make you sick. Other foods with E. colibacteria or noroviruses can also make you sick. So why are health officials notwarning people about eating food contaminated with the new coronavirus?
The answerhas to do with the way different organisms make people sick.
The U.S.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says viruses and germs attachto tissues to cause illnesses. Respiratory viruses like COVID-19usually attach to cells in places like people’s lungs. But germs like norovirusand salmonella can survive the acid found in stomachs. They then multiply afterattaching to cells inside the organ.
The CDCand other experts note that they are still studying the new coronavirus. Theysay there is no evidence yet that COVID-19 sickens people through theirstomachs. However, the virus has been found in the waste of infected people.The germs also spread differently.
Viruseslike the flu and COVID-19 spread mainly through person-to-person contact andair droplets from coughing or sneezing. Germs that make people sick throughfood cause illnesses like diarrhea. In some cases, germs found in humanwaste can travel from people’s hands to whatever else they touch.
Expertssay that is why it is so important for food workers to stay home when they aresick with digestive illnesses. Otherwise, they could end up sickeninglots of people.
Experts say the biggest risk relatedto food and COVID-19 is contact with other people and workers in food stores.Stores are now limiting the number of people they let in. They are askingcustomers to practice social distancing and using tape to mark how far apartpeople should stand.
The newcoronavirus can survive on some surfaces. Experts say to keep your hands toyourself as much as possible and to not touch your face when shopping. The CDCsuggests washing your hands after unpacking your groceries at home.
It mayalso be harder for viruses to survive on food itself.
AlisonStout is an expert in infectious diseases and public health at CornellUniversity. She told the Associated Press that “the chances of anythingsurviving or coming out of [food] are small.”
The CDCnotes that it is not known whether the germs found in human waste can actuallysicken someone. Stout said the coronavirus being found in human waste is notlikely a sign of its ability to survive in the digestive system.
Questions:
1. What bacteria found in chick hassalmonella?
2. Why is corona virus more deadly thansalmonella and e-coli?
3. Do food workers also play animportant part in keeping the foods clean and virus free? Why or why not?
4. How can we possibly stop the spreadof corona virus?
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LEMON TREE DAILY NEWS
APRIL 12, 2020
CASHIER LESS TECHnOLOGY
Excercise 1 Vocabulary
1. Cashier less - allowing customersto scan their items as they shop, thus avoiding the need to go through acheckout when they have finished
Example: Cashierless stores, basedon the technology behind e-commerce payments, could help High Street storesregain ground lost against online retailers.
2. Calculates - If you calculate anumber or amount, you discover it from information thatyou already have, by using arithmetic, mathematics, or a special machine.
Example: We calculate that theaverage size farm in Lancaster County is 65 acres.
3. deducts - When you deduct an amount from a total, you subtract it from the total.
Example: The company deducted thispayment from his compensation.
4. detects - To detect somethingmeans to find it or discover that it is present somewhere by using equipment or making an investigation.
Example: Most skin cancers can becured if detected and treated early.
5. complaints - A complaint isa statement in which you express your dissatisfaction with aparticular situation.
Example: There's been a recordnumber of complaints about the standard of service on Britain's railways.
Exercise 2 - Article
CASHIER LESS TECHnOLOGY
The onlinestore Amazon will sell its cashier-less technology to other stores and retailoutlets. The technology is called "Just Walk Out". This softwaremeans stores do not need cashiers. Shoppers scan an app when they go into astore, then put their shopping in their bag and then... just walk out of thestore. The software calculates the cost of the customer's shopping and chargesthe customer's Amazon account. The new software deducts the customer's creditcard or other payment card instead. Amazon has been using the software for thepast two years in its own Go Grocery stores.
The JustWalk Out software will cut the number of employees stores need. Stores will putmany small cameras on the ceiling. These link to software that detects whatcustomers have in their bag. The software then bills the customer and issues areceipt online. Amazon could make a lot of money from the software. Many storeswant it to remove one of the biggest customer complaints - slow checkouts.Amazon said the software would let store staff, "focus on more valuableactivities". However, a retail expert worries that, "there will befewer jobs as automation comes in".
Exercise 3 - Comprehension Questions
1. What does Amazon plan to sell andhow will it be called?
2. How will a shopper purchase productsin this online store?
3. Why will it be convenient forshoppers?
4. Would you like to experienceshopping using the app? Why?
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WhyAir Pollution Has Decreased Due to Coronavirus
April8, 2020
Science &TechnologyWorld
Exercise 1 - Vocabulary
generate- to produceor create energy, money, etc.
Electrical storms generate a lot of lightning.
release - to allowsomeone or something to be free; to allow something to move, flow, etc. freely
Running helps me release extra energy.
emission - theproduction and release of gases, often those that are bad for the environment
Emissions from the factory are causing air pollution.
fossil fuel - fuel suchas coal, gas, and oil
Fossil fuel emissions are bad for the environment.
province - an areawithin a country or state that has its own government
There are ten provinces and three territories in Canada.
Exercise 2 - Article
WhyAir Pollution Has Decreased Due to Coronavirus
In an effort to stop the spread of thecoronavirus, a third of the world's population has gone into lockdown, meaningmost people must stay at home, and many aren't going to work. That meansfewer people driving cars, fewer factories running and less power beinggenerated. As a result, less pollution is being released into the air.
Air pollution caused by the emission ofnitrogen dioxide (NO2) in eastern and central China was 10-30% lower in Januaryand February compared to the same months in 2019, according to NASA. Areport from Carbon Brief said that China's carbon dioxide (CO2) levels havealso fallen, with a 25% reduction in February 2020 compared with February 2019.
Most man-made CO2 and NO2 comes fromburning fossil fuels for things like transport and power. The Chinesegovernment said that there were 21% more "good quality air days" inHubei province in February compared to February 2019. Wuhan, home of thefirst coronavirus patient, is the capital of Hubei province, and the firstChinese city to be locked down due to the coronavirus.
Other parts of the world, including Europe, the US and India, arealso seeing less pollution.
In Europe, Italy has been hit hardest bythe coronavirus. Its capital city, Rome, has seen between 26% and 35% lessNO2 compared to 2019. New York City, the hardest hit city in the US, has seen less CO2 andmethane (CH4), and half as much carbon monoxide (CO) in March compared to lastyear, according to Professor Róisín Commane from Columbia University. Otherparts of the US, like California and Washington, have also seen less NO2.
At midnight on March 25, India started theworld's largest lockdown, asking its population of 1.3 billion to stay home forat least 21 days. Just two days later, on March 27, India's capital city,New Delhi, had NO2 levels that were 71% lower than a week before.
Exercise 3 - Discussion
1. What are your thoughts on the impact COVID-19 has had on airquality?
2. What long-term effects do you think the coronavirus outbreak willhave on air pollution?
3. Does most of your country's energy come from fossil fuels? Pleaseexplain your answer.
4. How would you describe the air quality where you live?
5. What are the most polluted cities in your country? Please explainyour answer.
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MysteryMan Buys Food for Everyone in UK Village
April9, 2020
Exercise 1 - Vocabulary
mystery(ˈmɪstəri)ː somethingthat is not fully known, understood, or able to be explained
The pyramids are one of thegreatest mysteries on earth.
lockdown (lɑːkdaʊn) - asituation when people are not allowed to leave a place because of an emergency
The city was put on lockdown forfour weeks in an attempt to stop the virus.
identity (aɪˈdɛntɪti)ː who aperson is
The identity of the superhero isunknown.
socialdistancing (ˈsoʊʃəl ˈdɪstənsɪŋ) - the practice ofavoiding or limiting contact with others in order to slow the spread of adisease
Experts say that socialdistancing is the most effective way to stop the spread of the virus.
credit (ˈkrɛdɪt) - praiseor recognition for something that has happened or been achieved
The sales team wasgiven credit for the company's success.
afford (əˈfoʊrd) - to haveenough money to buy something
I can't afford to go on holidayright now.
Exercise 2
Article
MysteryMan Buys Food for Everyone in UK Village
In order to help people get through thecoronavirus lockdown, a man in the UK is buying everyone in his village aweekly meal of fish and chips from a local pub.
The man, who doesn't want his identity known, asked StephenDavidson, owner of The Fox Inn in Denchworth, Oxfordshire, to preparemeals every Friday for the whole village.
The man has purchased food for all 171 people of Denchworth once aweek. His actions mean the pub won't lose as much money because of thelockdown, as many customers stay home to follow social distancing rules.
The mystery man doesn't go to the puboften, but he told Davidson it's an important place for everyone in thecommunity and he wanted to keep the business going.
According to Davidson, the man plans to buy food for the village fora minimum of 12 weeks. "He may carry it on longer than that dependingon the need," Davidson added.
The unknown man is thinking about buying meals twice aweek. However, he doesn't want any credit for his gift. He toldDavidson that he wanted to help the community because he could afford it.
Volunteers wearing gloves and masks will help Davidson and his wifeprepare the food each Friday. Over time, Davidson says the menu willinclude other foods, such as curry.
Exercise 3
Questions
1. Who owns The Fox Inn?
2. How many people live in Denchworth?
3. For how long does the man plan to continuebuying food for the village?
Exercise 4
Discussion
1. What are your thoughts on the mystery man fromDenchworth?
2. What businesses or industries do you think willbe most affected by the coronavirus outbreak?
3. How would you help your community if you had alot of money to spare?
4. Have you ever done any volunteer work or helpedsomeone in need?
5. Have you been to the UK? If so, where did youvisit? If not, would you like to?
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