DAY 61 Children lack skill in holding pencils due to ipads A study shows that new technology is reducing children's ability to use a pencil or pen. The study is from the National Health Service in the UK. Researchers said that nowadays, children spend so much time swiping ipads or mobile phone screens that they cannot hold a pencil properly. Children are not using pencils, so they now lack the muscle strength in their hands to be able to write properly. Researcher Dr Sally Payne said: "Children are not coming into school with the hand strength and [ability] they had 10 years ago. Children coming into school are being given a pencil but are increasingly not able to hold it because they don't have the fundamental movement skills." The researchers said technology is changing the physical way that children write, draw or make things. Children are increasingly using technology to create. Dr Payne explained why. She said: "It's easier to give a child an ipad than encourage them to do muscle-building play such as building blocks, cutting and sticking, or pulling toys and ropes. Because of this, they're not developing the underlying foundation skills they need to grip and hold a pencil." Some experts say technology may be causing bigger problems. One expert said if a child isn't strong enough to hold a pencil, perhaps their whole body is weak. She said it was better for children's physical development to climb trees than to watch YouTube videos. Swiping Fundamental Underlying GIVE YOUR BEST ANSWER Children had more muscle strength to hold a pencil 10 years ago. The article says schools no longer give pencils to children. Technology isn't changing how children draw or make things. A researcher said it's easier to give a child an ipad than building blocks. What did a researcher say children aren't pulling these days? What did some experts say technology is causing? What could be weak because of an inability to hold a pencil? What did the article say was better for children's development?
DAY 62 A taste of their own medicine!!! Lee Why are you looking so upset, I've just had an encounter with a very rude and unreasonable man. Can you believe it? I was waiting for my wife to come out of a shop when a van drew up behind me. He started hooting at me and tried to squeeze past my car. Unfortunately, he scraped the side of my car and scratched it. Lee So, what did you do? Explanation : give sb a taste of their own medicine - to treat someone as badly as they have treated you Example: It s good that you gave Alfred a taste of his own medicine so he can never bully again other people. I got out to talk to him. Well, to my great shock, he also got down, holding an iron pipe! Lee My goodness! Did he hit you with it? No, but he hit my car with it. Then, he marched off. KEY WORDS AND PHRASE Lee Did you take down his license plate number? Lee No, I was too shocked to do anything. That's a pity. Otherwise you could report him to the police. I think I too should carry around an iron pipe. Then, I can give the road bullies a taste of their own medicine. 1. Unreasonable 2. Hooting 3. Scraped
DAY 63 Men to be NFL cheerleaders for first time ever Fans of the USA's National Football League (NFL) will soon be in for a surprise. For the first time ever, an NFL team will have male cheerleaders in its ranks. The Los Angeles Rams have recruited two men as part of its official spirit squad (the term often given to the cheerleader team). Quinton Peron and Napoleon Jinnies will be the first men in NFL history to perform the same dance routines alongside their female counterparts. Other NFL teams have men who perform stunts, but they do not dance. Quinton and Napoleon are both classically trained dancers with years of performing experience. They were selected after impressing judges in a rigorous three-week-long process of auditions and interviews. The current captain of the LA Rams cheerleader squad, Emily Leibert, enthused about her new colleagues in an interview on the TV show Good Morning America. She said: "They really just fit the bill to be a Los Angeles Rams cheerleader. They are intelligent; they are eloquent; they are more than qualified to be ambassadors out in the community." Leibert added: "They bring so much energy and there's something so magnetic about their performance that you really can't take your eyes off them." Napoleon was equally enthusiastic about joining the Rams. He praised the team for welcoming inclusivity and said he was "humbled" by his new role. He said he wanted to prove that "boys can dance too". Rigorous Enthused Eloquent GIVE YOUR BEST ANSWER The LA Rams have recruited two male cheerleaders. The new LA Rams cheerleaders will have to perform stunts. The process of auditions was three days long. The captain said on TV that the men really fit the bill. What did the article say NFL fans are in for? What is the name of the NFL team in the article? What do men in other NFL teams do? What kind of training do the two men have?
Day 64 The Grass is Greener on the Other Side!!! Howard Where's Missy? Lisa She called in sick. Howard Lisa, tell me the truth. I know she's job hunting. Lisa Yes, but she didn't want anyone to know. Howard Missy may think the grass is greener on the other side, but she has a great job here. Lisa But her heart isn't in our company any longer. Howard If that's the case, then we shouldn't hold her back. Explanation : The grass is Greener on the other side - A different situation always seems better than one's own Example : I have been longing to change job, it seems that the grass is greener on the other side like Julio s company. KEY WORDS AND PHRASE 1. Features 2. Realm 3. Empower
DAY 65 Robots to help us make our own furniture Robots are taking over more and more aspects of our lives, and jobs. The latest occupation to perhaps feel threatened by the march of technology is carpentry. For thousands of years, skilled carpenters have lovingly created furniture from wood. However, the next generation of master craftsmen and women may be robots, not humans. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have created a robot that can create custommade wooden furniture. They say the robots will not replace humans, but instead will improve safety. The researchers said the goal of their project was to let robots do the more dangerous tasks of sawing and assembling, so carpenters can focus on design. The MIT team used currently available technology to create what they call the AutoSaw. It differs from conventional robots that are currently used to manufacture the mass-produced, flat-pack furniture many of us buy from giant home-furnishing stores. People will be able to design their own furniture and AutoSaw will cut up the wood with great precision and reduced risk of us losing a finger. Researcher Adriana Schulz said: "Our aim is to democratize furniture-customization. We're trying to open up a realm of opportunities so users aren't bound to what they've bought at Ikea. Instead, they can make what best fits their needs." She believes it will empower people to create better-designed furniture. 1. Aspect 2. Precision 3. Democratize Give your best answer The article said robots have made carpenters no longer needed. The next generation of master carpenters will be robots. The carpentry robot in the article will improve safety. The carpentry robot will take on more design tasks. What will robots allow carpenters to focus on? What is the name of the robot researchers at MIT created? What kind of furniture is in giant home-furnishing stores? What parts of our body could the robot saw mean we keep?