South Korea Elects Its First Female President

Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. conservative party (n.) [kuhn-sur-vuh-tiv] [pahr-tee]– a political group that  supports established ways and is in favor of gradual rather than abrupt changes 

Example: The LDP is Japan’s leading conservative party.

2. assassinate (v.) [uh-sas-uh-neyt] – to kill a famous or important person, usually for political reasons

Example: The secret organization hired a gunman to assassinate the company vice president.

3. powerhouse (n.) [pou-er-hous]– something that has great power or ability

Example: Germany is now Europe’s economic powerhouse.

4. revive (v.) [ri-vahyv]– to bring back to life or good condition

Example: Voters are hoping that the new president will revive the nation’s failing economy.

5. expansion (n.) [ik-span-shuhn]– the act of increasing the size or the amount of something

Example: We will be building more offices as part of the expansion of our business.

Article
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On December 19, 2012, conservative party candidate Park Gyeun-hye won the presidential election in South Korea, becoming the country’s first female president. Park Gyeun-hye’s win is the first time that a presidential candidate has won more than half of all the votes. Additionally, the National Election Commission revealed that 75.8% of the total number of voters participated in the recent elections, the highest number of voters in 15 years. The 60-year-old Park is the daughter of Park Chung-hee, a dictator who ruled South Korea for 18 years. Despite the many offenses against human rights committed during his rule, Park’s father remains one of the most popular presidents of South Korea because he transformed South Korea from a poor nation to an economic powerhouse.  In 1979, Park’s father was assassinated. Older voters who remember the fast economic growth experienced by South Korea under the rule of Park’s father may have helped Park win. Park has built her own political career. Her success at reviving her failing political party earned her the name “Queen of Elections.”  In all of the pre-election polls, Park was ahead of other candidates. The newly elected president said she would keep her promises and prioritize jobs creation and expansion of welfare programs. Among the issues she will face is how to control chaebols. Chaebols are large South Korean companies such as Samsung and Hyundai. Although they help the economy, their uncontrolled expansion is also responsible for the widening gap between the rich and the poor in South Korea.

Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 


Discussion A 

         Why do you think it took a long time before a woman held the top government position in South Korea?

         How can more women be encouraged to study politics or to become leaders?

Discussion B

         Do you think that women could make good leaders? Why or why not?

         Should there be less or more women in leadership positions at work and in government? Why do you think so?

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Modified HIV Saves 7-Year-Old Leukemia Patient

Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

1. relapse (n.) [ri-laps, ree-laps]– [in medicine] to return to a past state of a disease after improving health

Example: She had a relapse of cancer after five years of being cancer-free.

2. terminal (adj.) [tur-muh-nl]– [in medicine] leading to death

Example: She is hopeful even though her disease is at its terminal stage.

3. prone (adj.) [prohn]– likely to do or to have something

Example:  She is prone to having flu because of her weak immune system.

4. antibody (n.) [an-ti-bod-ee]– a substance in the body that acts as a defense from diseases and from substances such as viruses and bacteria

Example: She easily gets sick because her body cannot produce enough antibodies.

5. injected (adj.) [in-jekt]– to force or introduce a substance into a body part

Example: The medicines were injected into the patient and took effect after two hours.

Article
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A team of doctors from the Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia was able to save the life of a seven-year-old leukemia patient using a genetically modified human immunodeficiency virus or HIV. For two years, Emily Whitehead, the young patient, had been under chemotherapy. Despite the treatment, she still suffered from two relapses. The doctors later declared that her cancer was in the terminal stage. In February last year, the doctors decided to subject Emily to an experimental treatment using a genetically modified HIV. HIV is the cause of AIDS, a disease which weakens the immune system of the body, making the body prone to getting diseases. In the case of Emily, doctors removed genes from the HIV responsible for developing AIDS. The doctors then added a new gene to the HIV that helps antibodies target cancer cells. The therapy started with doctors removing millions of Emily’s natural antibodies. Afterwards, the safe HIV with the cancer-fighting gene was introduced to the antibodies, transforming the antibodies. Lastly, these boosted antibodies were injected back into Emily’s body so they could combat the cancer cells. According to the doctors, the experiment had great results. There were no signs that the patient developed AIDS. More importantly, the boosted cells remain in the patient’s body after the treatment, thereby preventing a relapse. However, the experiment will only be considered successful if these positive results remain for several years. Because of the promising results, doctors believe the therapy might someday replace the painful bone marrow transplant, the last option for terminal cancer patients.

Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 

Discussion A

         Do you think the therapy will be safe to use in the future? Why or why not?

         Would you encourage someone you know to undergo a risky therapy like the one in the article? Please explain your answer.

Discussion B

         Do you approve of genetic modification or the changing of human genes?

         Do you think genetic modification is the best way to solve people’s health problems? Why or why not?

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Rapid Melting of West Antarctic Ice Worries Scientists

Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

1. analysis (n.) [uh-nal-uh-sis]– the careful study of something

Example: The analysis of soil around the factory showed that the soil contained dangerous chemicals.

2. projected (adj.) [pro-jek-ted]– planned or thought to happen in the future

Example: The projected increase in the Earth’s temperatures worries many people.

3. melt (v.) [melt]– to become liquid

Example: The ice cubes in the glass melted after some time.

4. disintegrate (v.) [dis-in-tuh-greyt]– to break apart or separate into smaller parts

Example: Skiers must be careful of snowy mountaintops that can suddenly disintegrate.

5. calculate (v.) [kal-kyuh-leyt]– to estimate or to make a guess based on mathematics

Example: The scientists calculated the age of the dinosaur bones.

Article
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An analysis of temperature   recordings taken in West Antarctica has revealed that temperatures in West Antarctica have increased by 2.4 degrees Celsius. Although the temperature increase seems small, it is three times higher than the global average, and twice more than the temperatures scientists had previously projected. The data means that West Antarctica is one of the fastest-warming places on the Earth, says David Bromwich, a researcher from the Byrd Polar Research Center in Ohio. Scientists believe the melting West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) has already contributed about 10% to the rise in the world’s sea level. A continued temperature increase in the area will speed up the melting of the WAIS. If the WAIS melts even more, towns and cities located close to the sea will get flooded. If the WAIS disintegrates or melts completely, the world’s sea level would rise by at least 3.05 meters, although scientists say the ice sheet would take several hundred years to disintegrate. In 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a research group set up by the United Nations, calculated that sea levels would rise 18 to 59 centimeters by the year 2100. However, last June 2012, the US National Research Council said they believed that sea levels would rise two to three times higher than the UN panel’s calculation.

Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 

Discussion A 

         If global warming continues, what do you think the Earth will be like in the future?

         Should we worry about things that may not affect us in our lifetimes? Why or why not?

Discussion B

         Do you think that countries all over the world are doing enough to address the problem of global warming? Why or why not?

         How can regular people help solve the problem of global warming?

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Facebook CEO Donates $500 Million to Charity

Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

1. stock (n.) [stok]– company fund earned through sales of shares

Example: The company went bankrupt after its stocks crashed.

2. nonprofit organization (n.) [non-prof-it] [awr-guh-nuh-zey-shuhn]– an organization that uses all its funds not for profit but for a specific cause

Example: My brother volunteers in a nonprofit organization that helps the poor.

3. philanthropic (adj.) [fil-uhn-throp-ik]– charitable; relates to helping others, especially the poor

Example: Charity groups are involved in philanthropic activities.

4. follow up (v.) [fol-oh-uhp]– to further continue

Example: The businessman followed his previous donation up with other charitable projects.

5. give back (v.) [giv-bak]– to return a favor

Example: The president gave back to the school by donating school chairs and tables.

Article
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Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced his second stock donation, worth $500 million, to a charity that supports health and education. Zuckerberg gave the donation to Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF), a nonprofit organization that allots funds based on the donor’s interests. Aside from health and education, SVCF also supports the environment, culture and the arts. According to the organization, the fund is the largest donation SVCF has received so far. The charity’s CEO was very pleased that Zuckerberg chose SVCF as his partner in achieving his philanthropic goals. Facebook gave its first donation worth $100 million to the Newark public school in 2010. Zuckerberg immediately followed the first donation up upon signing the Giving Pledge, an agreement started by Bill Gates. This agreement says that the richest people in US should improve philanthropic efforts. Unlike other people who help charities at a later time, Zuckerberg believes that giving back early in his career can address the country’s immediate problems and issues.

Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 

Discussion A

         Do you think all rich people should be required to do charity works? Why or why not?

         Aside from donating money, what other ways can people help those who are in need?

Discussion B

         If you were to donate to charities, what specific area will you support (education, health, environment, etc.)? Why?

         What can be the rewards of donating to charities?

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