COCKROACH

Cockroaches may make your skin crawl, but the insects—or, to be exact, their brains—could one day save your life.

That's because the central nervous systems of American cockroaches produce natural antibiotics that can kill off bacteria often deadly to humans, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and toxic strains ofEscherichia coli, scientists said this week.

Two species of locust tested so far also have the same bacteria-killing molecules in their tiny heads.

The findings suggest that the insect world—which makes up 80 percent of all animals on Earth—may be teeming with new antibiotics, said study co-author Simon Lee of the University of Nottingham in the U.K.

Such a discovery is crucial, because scientists are scrambling to combat strains of several infectious diseases, including MRSA and E. coli, that are resistant to traditional antibiotics, Lee said.

(Related: "Sharks Carrying Drug-Resistant 'Bacterial Monsters.'")

"It's a promising new lead. We are looking in an unusual place, and to my knowledge no one else is looking there," Lee said.

"That's what we need in terms of [finding new] antibiotics, because all the usual places"—such as soil microbes, fungi, and purely synthetic molecules—"have been exhausted."

(Also see: "Blockbuster Ocean Drugs on the Horizon?")

Insect Brains Have "Clever Defense" Against Bacteria

Lee and colleagues dissected the tissues and brains of cockroaches—which "smell as bad as they look," Lee said—and locusts in the lab.

(Read more about how locust brains switch on swarming behavior.)

The team tested nine separate types of antibacterial molecules found in the insects' brains and discovered that each molecule is specialized to kill a different type of bacteria.

This "very clever defense mechanism" allows the bugs to survive in the most dirty of domains, Lee said.

The scientists found the bugs had antibiotics only in their brain tissue, the most essential part of the body, he added.

A bug might live with an infected leg, for instance, but a brain infection would almost certainly be fatal.

Insect-brain drugs for humans are still years away, Lee said, but there's one hopeful glimmer: When the team added the insect antibiotics to human cells in the lab, there were no toxic effects.

PICNIC

Everybody likes picnics. _________________ seems to be a popular activity all over the world. Having a picnic makes everyone happy. There’s _________________ food and somewhere nice to eat it. I think it’s interesting to see the different things ___________________. In England, people _________________ full of sandwiches and cake. In India, people take small metal containers of curry. In Japan, people take _________________ food that are beautifully presented. I think it’s easy to tell where picnickers ___________________ looking at what they bring to the picnic. The _________________ picnics is that they are outside and you can eat and feel the warm sun. I’ve _________________ picnics in the snow, although I guess they might happen somewhere.

FAMINE

There __________________ that famine should be a problem in today’s world. We are so rich. Companies have billions of dollars. Countries have trillions. It’s __________________ that people __________________ enough to help famine victims. It’s a sin. There is __________________ food in this world to feed everyone. Government leaders need to tell the world why they let people __________________ . Even the United Nations can’t persuade governments to give __________________ to help __________________ . Of course, there are good governments and bad ones. The bad ones __________________ own people starve. The leaders steal the country’s money. Some countries have a famine but __________________ tells people there are __________________ . That’s shocking.

Media says Obama knew US spied on Merkel (29th October, 2013)

BEFORE READING 

SECURITY:Rank these and share your rankings!!. Put the most important for state security at the top. 

• military security   • political security   • economic security   • security of borders

• environmental security   • food and water security   • energy security   • cybersecurity

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

1.	sources	a.	intensified
2	tapping	b.	cordial
3.	administration	c.	headquarters
4.	warm	d.	supposedly
5.	base	e.	references
6.	allegedly	f.	serious
7.	suspicious	g.	ex-
8.	escalated	h.	monitoring
9.	grave	i.	doubtful
10.	former	j.	government

Several German news sources are questioning how much President Obama knows about the US spying on German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The 'Spiegel' magazine reported that the USA's National Security Agency (NSA) started tapping Ms Merkel's mobile telephone in 2002, under the George W. Bush administration. It says President Obama knew that the tap was still in place as early as 2010, before he visited Berlin in June of that year to tell Germans of the warm friendship that existed between their two countries. A newspaper reported that the contents of Ms Merkel's SMS messages and phone calls went straight to the White House. The US Embassy in Berlin was used as a base for the surveillance.



The spying allegedly began when former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder was in office. US intelligence sources were suspicious of his refusal to support the second Iraq War. Obama told Ms Merkel last week that he had not known of the bugging. However, a media report cites an NSA official who said Mr Obama ordered the programme to be escalated. A document from the NSA warned of "grave damage for relations" if its spying programme was discovered. Ms Merkel is shocked that the USA may have engaged in the sort of spying she thought was a relic of the Cold War. She was also spied on in the former East Germany, before the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe.

COMPREHENSION 

1. TRUE / FALSE:Read the headline. Guess if  a-h  below are true (T) or false (F).

a.	The article says American media is asking questions about the spying.	T / F
b.	The USA may have started tapping Merkel's phone in 2002.	T / F
c.	A magazine said President Obama knew about the spying from 2008.	T / F
d.	The White House was used as the base for spying on Angela Merkel.	T / F
e.	The spying supposedly began with Ms Merkel's predecessor.	T / F
f.	Obama told Merkel he had known nothing about her bugged telephone.	T / F
g.	A US agency warned spying could damage international relations.	T / F
h.	Angela Merkel spied on other people before the Berlin Wall came down.	T / F

SECURITY

We have to think about security ___________________. It seems the world is becoming a more dangerous place. Most of the people I ___________________ about home security. They have ___________________ and some of my friends have a web cam filming their house. Of course, personal security is also very important. In many countries, people have ___________________ themselves. In other countries, ___________________ spray. In recent years, Internet security is a big issue. We are ___________________ about it. There are whole industries based on Internet security ___________________ to make your computer more secure. The most important thing ___________________ is never put too much personal information on the Web.

Japanese food to get UNESCO status ( 27 October 2013)

BEFORE READING 

TASTIEST: Rank these according to the tastiest to least tastiest cuisine.

• Japanese   • French   • American   • Mexican

• Indian   • Chinese   • Italian   • Thai

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

1.	important	a.	meals
2	cuisine	b.	linked
3.	heritage	c.	special
4.	dishes	d.	all around
5.	unique	e.	significant
6.	healthy	f.	necessary
7.	throughout	g.	good for you
8.	role	h.	cooking
9.	associated	i.	part
10.	essential	j.	tradition

The United Nations is going to put traditional Japanese food on its list of important world cuisines. It will be the fifth time for UNESCO to give a country's or region's food its cultural heritage status. French, Mediterranean, Mexican and Turkish food are already on the list. Traditional Japanese food is called 'Washoku'. It is very famous for its variety. It ranges from sushi (raw fish on rice) to ramen noodles, tempura and sukiyaki. Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs said it wants to put all of its food on the list, not just one or two famous dishes. The agency said Japanese food is special because of its artistic presentation. It also uses unique ingredients. Many dishes are important because they celebrate the four seasons.


'Washoku' is very healthy and has a good balance of minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates and protein. It is one of the reasons why Japanese people live for so long. It also helps to keep obesity levels low. The cuisine is also important as different meals throughout the year help to bring families and communities together. Food plays an important role in many ceremonies that mark seasonal traditions. The menu for New Year's celebrations, rice-planting events and harvest festivals are all very different. Japan's government said food helps Japanese people keep a strong sense of culture. It also said 'Washoku' is closely "associated with an essential spirit of respect for nature."

COMPREHENSION

1. TRUE / FALSE:Read the headline. Guess if  a-h  below are true (T) or false (F).

a.	The U.N. will give modern Japanese food a special prize.	T / F
b.	Five other cuisines are already on the UNESCO list.	T / F
c.	Japan doesn't want only sushi andsukiyaki to be on the U.N. list.	T / F
d.	A cultural agency said Japanese food is presented in an artistic way.	T / F
e.	The Japanese diet is well balanced and good for a long life.	T / F
f.	Japanese cuisine helps keep communities apart.	T / F
g.	Rice-planting food and New Year's food are the same in Japan.	T / F
h.	'Washoku' is connected with a respect for nature.	T / F

Baldness treatment a step closer (25 October 2013)

BEFORE READING 

HAIRSTYLES: Which one is your most likeable and least likeable?? 

• straight   • closely cropped   • very long   • wavy

• curly   • shaved   • punk   • ponytail

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

1.	at hand	a.	unlike
2	suffer from	b.	guarantee
3.	treatment	c.	regarding
4.	different	d.	care
5.	procedure	e.	answers
6.	in terms of	f.	coming soon
7.	solutions	g.	retreating
8.	assure	h.	shake up
9.	receding	i.	be troubled with
10.	revolutionise	j.	method

Help may soon be at hand (or head) for the millions around the world who suffer from and worry about baldness. Scientists from the University of Durham in the UK, and Columbia University Medical Centre in the USA, say they are close to finding a solution to grow new hair. This is also good news for burns victims, who are likely to be those first helped by any new treatment. The scientists have grown new hair follicles in the laboratory. This is different from currently available treatments, which simply transplant hair from the back of the scalp to cover bald spots and areas without hair at the front of the head. Unlike transplants, the new procedure will allow the hair to keep growing naturally in the follicle
.

Researcher Colin Jahoda did not give a timeframe in which his research will be commercially available. He said: "It's closer, but it's still some way away because in terms of what people want cosmetically they're looking for re-growth of hair that's the same shape, the same size, as long as before, the same angle. Some of these are almost engineering solutions." He did assure those with receding hairlines and those thinning on top that there is hope. He said: "I think baldness will eventually be treatable, absolutely." Professor Jahoda's colleague Angela Christiano was equally positive, saying their research could "revolutionise" hair-loss treatment. She said: "The first step is actually showing that it can be done.

COMPREHENSION 

1. TRUE / FALSE:Read the headline. Guess if  a-h  below are true (T) or false (F).

a.	Scientists in India are close to finding a solution to baldness.	T / F
b.	The research may help people who have suffered burns on their skin.	T / F
c.	Current methods transplant hair from the body to the head.	T / F
d.	The new method actually grows new hair.	T / F
e.	Researchers said the new treatment would be available from 2015.	T / F
f.	People want hair the same size and angle as before.	T / F
g.	A professor said engineering solutions were needed.	T / F
h.	Another professor said the new treatment was not revolutionary.	T / F

CLOTHES

I have ______________________ clothes. I have many clothes I’ve only worn once. Sometimes ______________________ something at the back of a drawer that I ______________________ . I bought it, put it away, and then forgot about it. ______________________ don’t need so many clothes. I don’t think anyone really ______________________ of jeans and 32 sweaters. I won’t tell you how many pairs of shoes I’ve got. ______________________ embarrassing. The ______________________ I love clothes and I love shopping. Maybe I have a problem. I’m sure I’d ______________________ if I didn’t buy so many clothes. I like brands, so the clothes I buy are quite expensive. ______________________ going to have a big clearout. I’ll take all the clothes I no longer wear and give ______________________ .I have ______________________ clothes. I have many clothes I’ve only worn once. Sometimes ______________________ something at the back of a drawer that I ______________________ . I bought it, put it away, and then forgot about it. ______________________ don’t need so many clothes. I don’t think anyone really ______________________ of jeans and 32 sweaters. I won’t tell you how many pairs of shoes I’ve got. ______________________ embarrassing. The ______________________ I love clothes and I love shopping. Maybe I have a problem. I’m sure I’d ______________________ if I didn’t buy so many clothes. I like brands, so the clothes I buy are quite expensive. ______________________ going to have a big clearout. I’ll take all the clothes I no longer wear and give ______________________ .

MOVIES

I love watching movies. At the cinema, ______________ computer. I'm a big movie fan and love ______________ my favourite movie stars. I like all kinds of movies - Hollywood blockbusters, black and white movies ______________, independent movies... They're all good. Recently ______________ watching foreign movies. I like the films that come out of Bollywood - they're very different. The first film I saw at the movie theatre was Star Wars. ______________ the special effects. Nowadays, so many movies have such good computer graphics that we ________________ the effects are. One of my favourite ways of relaxing ______________ latest DVD and sit on the sofa with a big bag of potato chips. The sound has to be ______________ and the lights have to be off.

Teddy bear

Teddy bears are very important. They _______________ in our society. The _______________, they have been with us for less than a hundred years. Of course, when we think about teddy bears, we think about children. I think it’s impossible for a child to _______________ a teddy bear. Unfortunately, today, teddy bears have a lot _______________. There are lots of stuffed animals to choose from in toy stores. I would _______________ a traditional teddy than a Mickey Mouse or a soft toy cat. Teddy bears are _______________ children. Adults have them too. Boyfriends and girlfriends buy them for each _______________. I’m 49 and I have a teddy bear of my favourite soccer club, but we’ll _______________.

Eating popcorn makes ads less effective (17th October, 2013)

BEFORE READING 

MOVIES: Rank these!!  Put the best things about cinemas at the top.

• popcorn   • the seats   • the foyer   • the big screen

• the dark   • being in an audience   • the sound   • the trailers

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

1.	effective	a.	restricted
2	conclusion	b.	evaluate
3.	interrupted	c.	resistant
4.	interferes with	d.	opinion
5.	awareness	e.	predicament
6.	rate	f.	disrupts
7.	mundane	g.	useful
8.	immune	h.	hike
9.	dilemma	i.	realisation
10.	mark-up	j.	boring

The advertising people see while at the movies is less effective when audiences eat popcorn. This is the conclusion of a newly-published study from Germany's Cologne University. According to researchers, people remember the names of new brands or products by silently pronouncing them in their brains. However, with a mouth full of popcorn, this process is interrupted. The report is titled "Popcorn in the Cinema: Oral Interference Sabotages Advertising Effects". It describes how the chewing action interferes with the brain's "inner speech" that operates whenever we come across a new name. Researchers say: "This happens covertly, that is, without our awareness."

Researcher Sascha Topolinski invited 96 people to watch a movie. Half of the group was given popcorn, while the rest received a small sugar cube. A week later, the participants were asked to rate a series of products, including some of those they had seen adverts for during the movie. The sugar cube group remembered a lot more of the product names than those who ate popcorn. Mr Topolinski said: "The mundane activity of eating popcorn made participants immune to the pervasive effects of advertising." He added: "This finding suggests that selling candy in cinemas actually undermines advertising." This presents cinema owners with a dilemma. There is usually a 900% mark-up on popcorn sold in movie theatres.

COMPREHENSION 

1. TRUE / FALSE:Read the headline. Guess if  a-h  below are true (T) or false (F).

a.	A study is about ads before movies on TV while people eat popcorn.	T / F
b.	A report says we remember names by pronouncing them in our brain.	T / F
c.	The report said only popcorn stops us remembering names.	T / F
d.	Chewing may stop us remembering new names.	T / F
e.	96 people ate popcorn and did a memory recall test for brand names.	T / F
f.	The report said eating sugar cubes helps us remember names.	T / F
g.	Researchers said eating popcorn makes us immune to advertising.	T / F
h.	Popcorn costing the cinema $1 can be sold to moviegoers for $9.	T / F

More people think online dating is OK - 23rd October, 2013

BEFORE READING 

FIRST DATE:  Put the best places for a first date you like most and so on...

• Italian restaurant   • Movie theatre   • Disneyland   • A museum

• The beach   • Hiking   • A coffee shop   • City sightseeing

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

1.	way	a.	cautioned
2	wrong	b.	weird
3.	figure	c.	cautious
4.	started	d.	reply
5.	options	e.	method
6.	careful	f.	choices
7.	creepy	g.	number
8.	respond	h.	description
9.	warned	i.	bad
10.	profile	j.	began

A new report says most Americans think online dating is a good way to meet people. Almost 60 per cent of Internet users said there is nothing wrong with trying to find a partner on the Internet. This has changed from ten years ago when the figure was 44 per cent. The report is from the Pew Research Center. It says around one in ten Americans has used online dating services. It also said 11 per cent of people who started a long-term relationship in the past decade met their partner online. However, some people think the Internet does not help with marriage. Around 32 per cent of people agreed that "online dating keeps people from settling down because they always have options for people to date".


Sociologist Dr Kevin Lewis of the University of California told the USA Today newspaper that women must be careful with online dates. He said: "For women, there are lots of guys who are just creepy or unattractive or undesirable." He also said men can have problems finding a date: "They can't get a woman to respond because [women get] so many messages." Dr Lewis also said that 38 per cent of online daters have read an online profile of someone they knew. The Pew Report warned people to be careful about those who tell lies about themselves online. About 54 per cent of online daters said they had a date with someone who was a lot different from their profile.

COMPREHENSION

1. TRUE / FALSE:Read the headline. Guess if  a-h  below are true (T) or false (F).

a.	Most Americans think online dating isn't a good way to meet people.	T / F
b.	Up to 60% of Internet users said it was OK to find a partner online.	T / F
c.	Around 10% of Americans have tried Internet dating services.	T / F
d.	About a third of Americans think online dating helps marriages.	T / F
e.	A sociologist advised women to be careful of creepy guys.	T / F
f.	Men find it difficult to find a date because women get many messages.	T / F
g.	Very few people read profiles and know the person behind the profile.	T / F
h.	Less than half of people said their date didn't match his/her profile.	T / F

DANGER

Danger is everywhere. It’s ______________________ . That what I’ve decided. I thought about danger ______________________ and decided we live in a dangerous world. Even our house is ______________________ . There are many chemicals in our cosmetics, cleaners, fridges, computers ______________________ good for us. The electric wiring could ______________________ and electrocute us. We could fall down the stairs ______________________ the kitchen floor. And then when we leave our house, we enter a dangerous world. Cars travelling ______________________ , people holding cigarettes, construction workers with heavy objects ______________________ … all of these things present danger. Just turn on the news ______________________ local paper to see how much danger there is. I think I’ll ______________________ today.

HEALTH

I never _______________________ about my health until recently. When I was a kid, I _______________________ exercise. Even in my twenties and thirties I was very _______________________ ill. I have been lucky all my life – always _______________________ health. I rarely get even a cold. I suppose _______________________ with you. Now I seem to be getting lots of little _______________________. I should go to the doctor for a health check, but I’m too busy. The older you get, the _______________________ about your health. One good thing is that I’m eating more healthily now _______________________. I no longer have fast food and midnight snacks. I also sleep _______________________. I’ve read that getting seven or eight hours sleep every night _______________________ best things you can do for your health.

Housework not good exercise, says study

BEFORE READING 

CHORES: Rank me!!  Put the things you hate most and like most....

• washing the dishes   • vacuuming   • ironing   • food shopping

• hanging out the washing   • cooking   • cleaning windows   • doing the dusting

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

1.	suggests	a.	average
2	recommendations	b.	consumed
3.	acknowledges	c.	include
4.	moderate	d.	balance
5.	count	e.	advice
6.	participated	f.	linked
7.	burnt	g.	argues
8.	related	h.	done
9.	compensate for	i.	accepts
10.	undertaken	j.	took part

A new study suggests housework is not the quality form of exercise many people consider it to be. The report even went as far as saying that those who did the most housework were usually those most overweight. The study is called, "Does doing housework keep you healthy? The contribution of domestic physical activity to meeting current recommendations for health". It questions whether physical activities such as do-it-yourself, gardening and housework are such good exercise. It acknowledges that any activity is better than none, but says, "there is a danger that those undertaking domestic 'chores' may assume that this activity is moderate intensity" and wrongly count it as proper exercise.

A total of 4,563 adults participated in the survey, which was based on participants' weekly physical activity. The analysis from this research showed that people who included housework as part of their weekly exercise tended to be heavier. Research leader professor Marie Murphy said: "Housework is physical activity and any physical activity should theoretically increase the amount of calories [burnt]. But we found that housework was inversely related to leanness, which suggests that either people are overestimating the amount of moderate intensity physical activity they do through housework, or are eating too much to compensate for the amount of activity undertaken."

COMPREHENSION 

1. TRUE / FALSE:Read the headline. Guess if  a-h  below are true (T) or false (F).

a.	People who do the most housework tend to be more overweight.	T / F
b.	The study on housework is called "Increasing health with housework".	T / F
c.	The study said gardening is great exercise.	T / F
d.	People perhaps wrongly think that housework is healthier than it is.	T / F
e.	Over 45,000 people participated in a survey on their weekly activities.	T / F
f.	A professor said physical activity does not always burn calories.	T / F
g.	The study found that housework did not make people slimmer.	T / F
h.	The professor said people eat too much after doing housework.	T / F

Investement

I’m totally _______________________ money. I’ve never really understood things like investments. I _______________________ interested in investments because I know I’ll get more money. I find everything _______________________. I never know what _______________________. Some of my friends invest in stocks and shares. I never did this. I’m happy because I didn’t _______________________ the financial crash. I think it would be interesting to invest in things like wine. I saw a TV programme once. Wine _______________________ up and up in price. You really can _______________________ of money. I think investing in property nowadays _______________________. I also know a lot of people who now _______________________ money on the house they bought because the prices crashed. Perhaps it’s better to keep my money _______________________.

Rubbish

Rubbish is ______________________. I’m fed up with it. Every time I walk down the street, I’m almost falling over it. I don’t know why people __________________ rubbish away properly. They __________________ no respect for others. They don’t seem to care about the __________________. It’s the same in every country. There’s ____________________, even though there are rubbish bins everywhere. Rivers are full of plastic bags and bottles. This makes a beautiful __________________. And the countryside is full of rubbish. People even throw their TVs and fridges into fields, or anywhere they think __________________ them. Where I live now, people throw rubbish in the street __________________. They think other people will pick it up.

Ocean

I really _________________ oceans. Not many people understand how important the oceans are. Every day we hear _________________ rainforests and the ice caps, but we rarely hear about the oceans. _________________ the Earth’s surface and most of the world’s _________________ them. They are responsible for weather patterns _________________ world’s foods. The problem is, they are becoming very polluted. Many fish species _________________ dying. The coral reefs in our oceans are also in danger. We really need to think more about our oceans. We have to protect the life in them, _________________. I love the ocean. I love the sound, the smell, the colour. I _________________ relaxed just looking at the ocean.

PARENTING

Being a parent is ______________________ we can have in our lives. It’s ______________________ it. You have to look after a tiny baby for years and years. It is ______________________ sure that little baby grows up into a wonderful, happy and responsible human being. Parenting means knowing ______________________. This is ______________________ parents. I didn’t have any parenting lessons. I suddenly had a baby to look after. But ______________________. In fact, parenting is life’s biggest joy. I can’t ______________________ wonderful it is to be a parent. My biggest worry is that society doesn’t focus on parenting. We really should have classes at school on being good parents. I’m sure we would ______________________ problems in society if we did this.

Let's talk 1

It really gets up my nose !!!
Teddy	It's been a pretty tight game so far, don't you think ?
Martin	Yes, neither side have looked like scoring a goal so far.
Teddy	Except that one time when our striker was almost through but was fouled by the fullback. The referee didn't see it.
Martin	Yes, it really gets up my nose when something like that happens.
Teddy	Well, let's hope that the ref will be looking right way if that fullback tries playing dirty again.
Martin	And then we'll get a penalty.

Explanation :

If you say that someone or something gets up your nose, you mean that they annoy you.

Example : He's just getting up my nose so much at the moment.

North Korea keeping over 500 South Koreans prisoner - including plane crew hijacked 35 years ago

A South Korean politician has said that the return of 516 citizens being held by North Korea for up to 60 years is 'the top priority' of the government in Seoul.

North Korea is still holding 516 South Koreans abducted since the end of the Korean War in 1953, including 11 from a Korean Air Lines passenger aircraft that was hijacked almost 35 years ago.

The names of the missing were provided by South Korea's Unification Ministry to Choung Byoung-gug, a politician from the ruling Saenuri Party.

Mr Choung said the return of the abductees is the government's top priority and a "critical humanitarian concern."

The plane was hijacked by a North Korean agent, Cho Chang-hui, who walked into the cockpit and forced the pilots to change direction until they entered North Korean airspace. They were met by North Korean fighter jets, with Pyongyang initially insisting that the pilots had defected to protest against their government.

North Korea released 39 of the passengers in February 1970 – but not before imprisoning them and subjecting them to hours of indoctrination into North Korean politics.

The remaining four crew members plus seven passengers have been held ever since – possibly because they were deemed wealthy and influential. The passengers included Yi Dong-gi, the manager of a printing company; Chae Heon-deok, a doctor; and two journalists for Munhwa Broadcasting Corp (MBC).

"Because the 11 kidnapped South Koreans were intelligent and belonged to the upper class at that time, abducting them could be used as a tool of propaganda for their government system by insisting that they had voluntarily defected to North Korea," said Song Young-in, the former head of South Korea's National Intelligence Service, in 2008.

Pyongyang has refused to provide information on the fate of the 11 who were not permitted to leave, although a defector claimed in 1992 that Yu Byeong-ha, the pilot, and Choe Seok-man, the first officer, were working for the North Korean air force.

It was also reported that the two MBC journalists and the two flight attendants – Jeong Gyeong-suk and Seong Gyeong-hui – were forced to make propaganda broadcasts to the South.

In 2000, the mother of Ms Seong was allowed to visit her daughter as part of the family reunions arranged by the two governments. In the brief meeting, she told her mother that she was still friends with the other flight attendant and that they lived in the same town.

Hwang In-cheol, the son of one of the MBC journalists, set up a group in 2008 to pressure the South Korean government to seek a resolution to the issue.

Mr Hwang was angry at the attention paid to two American journalists seized by North Korea in 2009 but who were released after nearly five months, after the personal intervention of former US President Bill Clinton. Mr Hwang demanded the same response for his father, and subsequently submitted a request to the UN Human Rights Council to investigate the abductions and sued the North Korean who hijacked the aircraft in absentia.

The South Korean ministry report details the seizure of 3,835 South Koreans in the six decades since the end of the war. Of that total, 3,319 have been released or managed to escape from the North.

The majority of the abductees are fishermen, at 457 individuals, while a further 30 are South Korean soldiers or police officers.

North Korea 'testing chemical weapons on political prisoners'

North Korea is using political prisoners held in its extensive gulag network as subjects for chemical weapons tests, according to a report in the US

The allegations have been made in the most recent report on Pyongyang's chemical weapons capabilities by 38 North, the respected web site operated by the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and are based on testimony from both prisoners and former guards who managed to defect.

One defector who served as a security official at Detention Camp 22 described tests in which healthy prisoners were placed inside glass chambers and technicians monitoring the effects as gas was pumped into the chambers.

"Normally, a family sticks together and individual prisoners stand separately around the corners," Kwon Kyok, a pseudonym, said in a documentary cited by the report. "Scientists observe the entire process from above, through the glass.

"I watched a whole family being tested on suffocating gas and dying in the gas chamber: Parents, one son and a daughter," he said. "The parents were vomiting and dying, but until the very last moment they tried to save the kids by doing mouth-to-mouth breathing.

"For the first time it hit me that even prisoners are capable of powerful human affection."

A former member of the North Korean military recounted his involvement in similar experiments on an island off the west coast of the Korean peninsula, which has parallels with a report issued by a human rights group in Seoul in June that claimed the North is carrying out chemical and biological weapons experiments on disabled children on an island off South Hamgyong Province.

The report said the claims of political prisoners being used as test subjects for chemical weapons are "extremely difficult to confirm."

It added, however, "Taken as a whole, and within the context of what is currently known about the treatment of political prisoners within the DPRK, such reports suggest a long-standing DPRK policy of low-level lethal testing of chemical agents on unwilling human subjects."

The study suggests that North Korea is able to manufacture 4,500 tons of chemical agents a year, but has the capacity to ramp that up to 12,000 tons a year in the event of war.

The chemicals that the regime is producing include hydrogen cyanide, phosgene, sarin, tabun, chlorine and a number of agents from the mustard gas family.

The report added that North Korea has reportedly provided chemical weapons or technology fo Egypt, Iran, Libya and Syria since the 1990s.

Australia creates 'bikies-only' prison to deal with warring motorbike gangs

The Australian state of Queensland is creating a special prison to house gang members, banning them from owning tattoo parlours and crushing their motorbikes.

Motorcycle gangs in Australia will be locked up in a "bikie-only" prison and will have their motorbikes crushed under the world's toughest anti-gang measures.

Facing a turf war between rival gangs which has spilt into bombings, shootings and street brawls across the country, the state of Queensland has introduced new measures that include a prison for motorcycle gang members, or "bikies", where inmates are kept in cells for 23 hours a day.

The state is also introducing a ban on gang members owning tattoo parlours and bans on some gang members wearing their emblems. Other states are planning to deport foreign gang members who have rushed to Australia to join the warring sides.

The ongoing battle has involved a fight between rival Australian and international gangs, with the Hells Angels reportedly confronting a local gang called the Finks, which has come under the wing of United States-based Mongols. Other gangs include the Bandidos, the Nomads, the Rebels, Notorious and the Comancheros. The gangs tend to have clubhouses and ride around in large groups but have increasingly become involved in crime and the drug trade.

The dispute erupted late last month with a violent street brawl involving dozens of bikies on the Gold Coast, a popular beachside tourist strip in Queensland.

The brawl raised fears about the impact on tourism and prompted the state government to launch drastic measures to stem the violence, including its new special prison near the city of Brisbane. The prison will not have a gym or television and the inmates will be subject to regular searches and drug tests.

The state's police chief, Brett Pointing, said the recent violence had "terrified" the public.

"We're seeing a lot of this very, very violent gang activity spilling out onto the streets, spilling out into public places – and it terrifies the public," he said.

"Clubs are actively recruiting at the moment at an alarming rate The leadership of these clubs are younger, more aggressive, certainly more territorial."

Tony Abbott's government has pledged federal support and the army has been called in to assist with arrests in the state of Victoria.

Queensland's war on the gangs prompted fears its parliament could come under attack and led to the gates of parliament house being locked and public tours being suspended.

"Just as we're going to crush the criminal motorcycle gang enterprises, we're going to crush the bikes," said the state's attorney general, Jarrod Bleijie.

Republicans and Obama in debt crisis talks

BEFORE READING 

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

1.	stalemate / impasse	a.	equal to
2	partial	b.	provisional
3.	clarifying	c.	pay
4.	temporary	d.	deadlock
5.	dire	e.	frightening
6.	blamed	f.	limited
7.	chilling	g.	take part in
8.	engage	h.	terrible
9.	tantamount	i.	accused
10.	settle	j.	illuminating

After more than ten days of stalemate in the U.S., things have finally begun to start moving. President Barack Obama and the Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives, John Boehner, sat down for talks on Thursday about the impasse over the partial U.S. government shutdown and the looming debt crisis. Their discussions didn't lead to any certain outcome, but analysts are taking a positive note that talks are happening. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said the talks were "very useful" and "clarifying". Hopes are that the two sides will agree on a temporary increase to the $16.7 trillion U.S. debt limit. Failure to do so by October 17 could have dire consequences for the global economy.

A Wall Street Journal / NBC News poll found 53 per cent of those surveyed blamed Republicans for the government shutdown, while 31 per cent blamed President Obama. Observers from other countries are having trouble understanding what is going on in U.S. politics. The Times of India wrote: "What is chilling is that US politicians are willing to engage in a game of brinkmanship that is tantamount to detonating a nuclear device over their economy." A UAE businessman commented that: "There is something fundamentally wrong with a system that leaves a country without direction, in stagnation, without a budget and potentially without the wherewithal to settle its debts.

COMPREHESION 

1. TRUE / FALSE:Read the headline. Guess if  a-h  below are true (T) or false (F).

a.	There has been 10 days of checkmate in U.S. politics.	T / F
b.	President Obama sat down for talks with the House Majority Leader.	T / F
c.	The House Majority Leader said he wanted more clarification.	T / F
d.	The size of the U.S. debt limit is currently $16.7 trillion.	T / F
e.	More people blame Obama's opponents than Obama.	T / F
f.	An Indian newspaper criticized the U.S. for endangering its economy.	T / F
g.	The newspaper said the U.S. should reduce its nuclear devices.	T / F
h.	A UAE businessman is shocked at the system of US government.	T / F

Current Events

I love the news and current events. I’m ______________________ what’s happening in the world. It ______________________ what kind of news it is, I love watching it. Even if it’s from countries I’ve ______________________ . I’ll even watch the same news programme three or four times and ______________________ . I guess it’s so fascinating because it’s real. I get really interested in a story ______________________ , then like to follow it ______________________ . Following current events makes you quite knowledgeable. I know most of ______________________ and most of the world’s leaders. Watching the news is really ______________________ happening now. But you never know what’s going to happen next. Every time ______________________ the news or read a news story, you’ll find ______________________ .

Surgery

Surgery has ____________________ millions of lives. It’s amazing to think that doctors have the ability to cut us ____________________. Some of the surgery nowadays is unbelievable. Doctors and surgeons can replace ____________________, operate on the brain, and ____________________ eyes. A lot of what surgeons do is like a miracle. They truly have our ____________________ when we’re on the operating table. One of the recent developments is keyhole surgery. This is where doctors no ____________________ you open to operate. They stick ____________________ small hole in your body and use a camera to do the operation. I can’t imagine what ____________________ will be like. Maybe we’ll operate on ourselves.

NOVEL

Novel comes from the Italian word 'novella' and originally meant 'new story'.

CRUISE

The word cruise comes from the Dutch verb 'kruisen', meaning 'to cross', and 'to sail to and from somewhere'.

BANK

Bank, to describe a financial institution, appeared in the late 15th Century, probably from the Italian 'banca'. It is related to the word 'bench': the first 'banks' were in fact the tables or benches on which moneylenders did business.

BANANA

The word banana came to English through Spanish or Portuguese, who themselves borrowed it from a West African language. The banana itself was introduced to South and Central America from Africa in the 1500s.

One in five songs "advertises" alcohol

BEFORE READING

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

1.	encouraging	a.	strengthening
2	conclusion	b.	words
3.	lyrics	c.	watchful
4.	prevalence	d.	markets
5.	influx	e.	coaxing
6.	impacts	f.	drunkenness
7.	audiences	g.	opinion
8.	vigilant	h.	flood
9.	reinforcing	i.	influences
10.	intoxication	j.	commonness

The songs young people listen to could be encouraging them to drink more alcohol. This is the conclusion of a study into the extent to which lyrics contain references to drinking. Researchers from the John Moores University in Liverpool, England assert that public health warnings on liquor may be of diminishing value because of the prevalence of terms surrounding alcohol in pop songs. The study found that one in five songs in the UK music charts contains references to intoxicating beverages. This figure is double that from a decade ago. They also found that songs from 1981 contained relatively few references to alcohol. John Moores attributed some of the rise to an influx of US-imported songs.


Researchers said the exposure of young people to alcohol in the media is "a major concern". Professor Karen Hughes warned that references to alcohol are a "form of advertising and marketing for alcoholic products." She said: "Public health concerns are already focused on the impacts of alcohol advertising on the drinking behaviours of young people, yet the growing reference to alcohol in popular music could mean that positive, alcohol-promoting messages are reaching much larger audiences." Dr Hughes added: "Health and other professionals should be vigilant to ensure that popular music does not become a medium for reinforcing and extending cultures of intoxication and alcohol-related harm.

COMPREHENSION

1. TRUE / FALSE:Read the headline. Guess if  a-h  below are true (T) or false (F).

a.	Young people may be drinking more alcohol because of pop songs.	T / F
b.	Pop songs lessen the impact of public health warnings about alcohol.	T / F
c.	Around 10 per cent of songs in Britain's music charts mention alcohol.	T / F
d.	There were more references to alcohol in songs from 1981.	T / F
e.	A professor said songs can advertising and marketing tools for alcohol.	T / F
f.	The professor said songs give alcohol a positive image.	T / F
g.	The professor said the drinks industry should be more vigilant.	T / F
h.	The professor said songs do well to limit alcohol-related harm.	T / F

New TomTato plant grows potatoes and tomatoes

BEFORE READING

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

1.	horticultural	a.	nicknamed
2	marketing	b.	joining
3.	crop	c.	cultivate
4.	grafting	d.	gardening
5.	in any way	e.	notion
6.	concept	f.	harvest
7.	yield	g.	exceedingly
8.	dubbed	h.	advertising
9.	extremely	i.	return
10.	grow	j.	at all

A horticultural company in the U.K. is marketing a revolutionary new plant that grows both tomatoes and potatoes. It is called the TomTato and yields up to 500 sweet, cherry-sized tomatoes and a healthy crop of white potatoes. Britain's Daily Mail newspaper joked you can now get ketchup and fries from the same plant. The company, Thompson and Morgan, began research into the possibility of grafting together tomato and potato plants over 15 years ago. Paul Hansord, horticultural director at the company, said the great thing about the plant is that it is not genetically modified in any way. He said he knew it was possible to graft the two plants together because they belong to the same plant species.

Mr Hansord explained how the commercial concept developed. He said: "At the start, we thought it'd just be a novelty thing to do. But as the trials developed, we realised what we had produced was really high yield, had fantastic flavour and could be done commercially for the first time. The TomTato is being dubbed as "veg plot in a pot". Hansord said it can be grown inside or outside, in a large flower pot or in a bag. It is selling at around $25 on the company's website. Britain's Telegraph newspaper said: "'Double-crop' plants like the TomTato could be extremely useful in the future, as they help populations grow more food in smaller spaces.'

COMPREHENSION

1. TRUE / FALSE:Read the headline. Guess if  a-h  below are true (T) or false (F).

a.	A pharmaceutical company produced the new TomTato plant.	T / F
b.	The TomTato plant can produce up to 500 tomatoes.	T / F
c.	The TomTato company has been researching this concept for 50 years.	T / F
d.	The tomato and potato belong to different species of plant.	T / F
e.	The project started out as a serious piece of research.	T / F
f.	The company slowly realised they could make money from TomTatoes.	T / F
g.	One TomTato plant will cost around $25.	T / F
h.	A paper suggested TomTatoes could be one solution to food crises.	T / F