Reading 1 - Loxa



Reading 1 Date: 7/4

Working Dogs: Becoming Eyes, Ears, Arms and Legs

From a news story by Sydnie Kohara, February 2006

“I have polio, and I have a major case, a major zapping of polio. So at this point I have very very little movement.”

For Lee Ann Laraway, polio has made almost everything in life just out of reach.

But what her hands can't retrieve, her assistant can. Meet Jeannie, a three-year-old Labrador, who has become Lee Ann's arms and legs.

"She is playful, she is loveable, she is slightly brilliant," Laraway said.

Jeannie understands no fewer than 72 commands. To get a feel for what that means, Lee Ann takes us on a shopping trip in San Jose. First stop: The bank, where the dog got cash from the teller. From the bank, it's on to the drug store, where Jeannie got a candy bar for Lee Ann. Then Jeannie helped pay the cashier, and got change back.

“I have full feeling all over my body, but I have very little movement, so anything the dog does for me has to be targeted in my lap and set it down in my lap," says Lee Ann.

"When you have a really good working animal, they come and interact with you all the time," Lee Ann said.

While there's no argument that Jeannie is an extraordinary animal, she wasn't born that way. She was tutored and trained here at a facility that's become the final legacy of one of the Bay Area's most beloved figures.

Canine Companions for Independence is a sprawling, state of the art facility that sits on twelve acres of land in Santa Rosa donated by late Peanuts cartoonist Charles Shultz. Here, handlers work with specially selected labs and goldens for hours a day -- but not every dog will make the cut.

"We train four different types of dogs here," said Ken Kirsh. "Hearing dogs, service dogs, skilled companion dogs, and facility dogs."

The work is serious business. In the case of hearing dogs, the animals alert their disabled owners to everything from ringing telephones to doorbells to stove timers.

"When you think of all the things you have in your hands throughout the day, if you don't physically have the ability to pick that up just think about how that would change your life," says Ken.

 Others dogs will work with patients with severely disabled patients like eight-year-old Noah Habib of Mountain View who communicates with a special computer. “I like it when new people come up to ask me about my dog," he says. "People are really interested in the dog and will come over and ask to pet her and ask to play with her, and ask about what she does, and these are people that normally might not approach us and want to talk to Noah," says his Dad.

And back in San Jose Lee Ann is arriving home with Jeannie and her groceries. With just one chore left -- opening her own door.

"You can train a dog to do a lot of things," said Lee Ann. "You cannot give them the heart to do the job, and that is what a good working dog has."



Reading 2 Date: 7/9

Sochi awarded Winter Olympics

Russia is celebrating Sochi's winning the right to host the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. The Russian resort triumphed over competing bids from Pyongchang in South Korea and Salzburg in Austria. This report from James Rodgers:

As Sochi waited excitedly for the International Olympic Committee's inspectors to arrive earlier this year, President Putin personally tested the ski slopes. The Kremlin had made sure that the TV cameras were there to capture the moment. Mr Putin rarely speaks foreign languages in public but for the Olympics he made his country's case in French and English.

The Russian President's decision to identify himself so closely with the bid has clearly played a part in Sochi's success. His enthusiasm impressed IOC members. They awarded Sochi the games by a margin of four votes so Mr Putin's high profile may have been the deciding factor. The press and politicians have heralded Sochi's win as a triumph for the whole of Russia.

Despite its strong record in winter sports this country has never before hosted the Winter Olympics. President Putin's compatriots are likely to give him much of the credit for changing that.

James Rodgers, BBC News, Moscow



Reading 3 Date: 7/11

The new Seven Wonders

The results of a worldwide vote to choose the New Seven Wonders of the World have been announced at a ceremony in Lisbon. In contrast to the wonders of the ancient world, the new list emerged from an exercise in which tens of millions of votes were cast by people around the world. This report from Alison Roberts:

The seven wonders chosen in a global poll in which a hundred-million votes were said to have been cast online, by phone and by text message were announced one by one in random order towards the end of a glitzy ceremony in Lisbon.

First came the Great Wall of China, said to be the only monument visible from space. Its certificate was handed offer to Chinese officials by Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon. Next up was Petra, the stone-carved ancient city in Jordan, whose royal family led a campaign for it. Rio de Janeiro's Statue of Christ the Redeemer also made the cut after an appeal by Brazil's president for his compatriots to vote. There were two other winners from the Americas - Machu Picchu in Peru and Chichen Itza in Mexico - representatives of ancient civilisations unknown to Antipater of Sidon, the Greek writer who drew up the original list of wonders two-thousand-two-hundred years ago. The last two wonders were Rome's Colosseum, described in its introduction as a symbol of joy and suffering, and the Taj Mahal. That was announced by Bollywood star Bipasha Basu who, along with Oscar-winning actors Ben Kingsley and Hilary Swank presented the ceremony.

The Pyramids at Giza, the only wonder on the original list still standing, had been made an honorary candidate, guaranteed a mention. But Egyptian officials shunned the whole initiative anyway as too commercial. At the ceremony's close, its Swiss organiser, Bernard Weber, announced his next initiative - a global poll on the seven natural wonders of the world.

Alison Roberts, BBC, Lisbon



Reading 4 Date: 7/13

Paris Hilton released from jail

US heiress Paris Hilton has been released from jail in Los Angeles after serving 24 days for violating probation on a driving ban.

Hilton's parents Kathy and Rick arrived to pick her up shortly after 0800 BST.

Reporters were camped outside the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, California since Monday.

The 26-year-old, sentenced to 45 days on 3 June, was released early due to crowded jail conditions and time off for good behaviour.

She is scheduled to appear on Larry King's CNN talk show on Wednesday.

The network has said she will not be paid for her appearance, which has replaced a planned interview with filmmaker Michael Moore.

Hilton was briefly freed on medical grounds earlier this month but was sent back to jail by a court.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department had not revealed what time the reality TV star would be released.

Her West Hollywood neighbours, however, are reportedly bracing themselves for an influx of paparazzi and TV crews.

Hilton smiled and waved at the huge bank of photographers as she left the detention facility.

She was greeted with a hug from her mother Kathy and was driven away to an undisclosed location.



Reading 5 Date: 7/16

Understanding Fat

Don’t fear-or misunderstand-fat any longer

By Lisa Holl

People often cringe when they hear the word fat. That may be because they misunderstand it. Experts at Harvard University point out: “The total amount of fat in the diet, whether high or low, isn’t really linked with disease. What really matters is the type of fat in the diet.”

In fact, some types of fats, including most unsaturated fats, reduce the level of cholesterol in one’s blood. Plant products like vegetable oils, nuts and seeds all contain these “good” fats. Omega-3, a fatty acid found in fish, may even reduce the risk of heart disease. The American Heart Association suggests eating two servings of fish a week for this reason.

Other types of fats should be avoided. Saturated fats increase blood cholesterol levels, which can increase one’s risk of heart disease. Meat, dairy products and eggs all contain this “bad” fat and should be consumed in moderation.

Trans fats, which are processed, unsaturated fats found in deep-fried dishes, any baked goods and margarine, should be avoided completely. Trans fats carry an even greater risk of heart disease than saturated fats.

So, replace the bad fats with the good fats in your diet, and enjoy a healthier life.

from 2007/7/11 Studio Classroom

Reading 6 Date: 7/18

Quake Hits Japan, Injuring at Least 150

TOKYO, Monday, July 16 (AP) — A strong earthquake jolted northwestern Japan on Monday morning, flattening dozens of wooden houses and triggering small tsunamis. News media reports said at least 150 people were injured.

The United States Geological Survey said the magnitude of the quake was 6.7. It was centered off the coast of Niigata, 160 miles northwest of Tokyo, where buildings swayed during the tremor.

The national broadcasting station NHK showed images of the collapsed homes, along with damaged bridges and roads. Sirens from fire engines could be heard in Kashiwazaki city, where the homes collapsed.

Flames and black smoke were seen pouring from the Kashiwazaki nuclear plant, which was automatically shut down in the quake. NHK reported the fire was in an electrical transformer, and that no radioactivity had been released.

Several smaller aftershocks jolted the region.

“There was a sharp, horizontal shaking lasting dozens of seconds,” Hiroki Takahashi, an employee at a gas station in Kashiwazaki, told NHK. “I could hardly stand up.”

The force of the quake buckled seaside roads and bridges, and one-yard-wide fissures could been seen in the ground along the Niigata coastline.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was in Nagasaki in southern Japan campaigning for parliamentary elections later this month, was on his way back to Tokyo to deal with the quake, Kyodo said.



Reading 7 Date: 7/23

The Boy Who Sees With Sound

Ben Underwood overcame blindness with the sounds of his tongue

Ask people about Ben Underwood, and you’ll hear about the amazing boy who doesn’t seem to know he’s blind. To see him speed down hallways and make sharp turns around corners is to observe a typical teen—except, that is, for the clicking. Completely blind since the age of 3, after retinal cancer claimed both his eyes, Ben has learned to perceive and locate objects by making a steady stream of sounds with his tongue. He then listens for the echoes as they bounce off the surfaces around him. About as loud as the snapping：The echoes they produce can be soft (indicating metals), dense (wood) or sharp (glass). Judging by how loud or faint they are, Ben has learned to gauge distances.

The technique is called echolocation, and many species, most notably bats and dolphins, use it to get around. But a 14-year-old boy from Sacramento? While many blind people listen for echoes to some degree, Ben’s ability to navigate in his sightless world is, say experts, extraordinary. “His skills are rare,” says Dan Kish, a blind psychologist and leading teacher of echomobility among the blind. “Ben pushes the limits of human perception.”

A big part of the reason Ben has succeeded is his mother, who made the decision long ago never to coddle her son. “I always told him, “Your name is Benjamin Underwood, and you can do anything.””

Ben plays basketball with his pals, rides horses at camp and dances with girls at school events. He excels at PlayStation games by memorizing the sounds that the characters and movements make.

When Ben was3, he began teaching himself echolocation, something he picked up by tossing objects and making clicking noises to find them. His sense of hearing, teachers noticed, was exceptional. One of his teachers took walks with Ben to help him practice locating objects. “I said, “Okay, my car is the third car parked down the street. Tell me when we get there.” As we pass the first vehicle, he says,” There’s the first car. Actually a truck.” And it was a pickup. He could tell the difference.””

Ben’s world may be dark, but the most amazing surprises are just a click away. He might become a math teacher or a pro skateboarder—or, as his mother believes, just about anything. “I tell people I’m not blind,” he says. “I just can’t see.”



Reading 8 Date: 7/25

Ecotourism：A Different Way to Travel

Give something back to the environment

Are you attracted to obscure places? Do you prefer to vacation away from other tourists? Are you careful to take only memories and to leave only footprints? If you answered yes to more than one of these questions, you just might be an ecotourist.

Ecotourists are people who want to experience the unspoiled natural world—and leave it that way when they return home. This trend started in the 1990s, and ecotourism is now growing three times faster than the tourism industry at large. The Kapawi Ecolodge in Ecuador’s remote Amazon Basin is contributing to that expansion, and it gives a snapshot of what ecotourism looks like.

At the Ecolodge, a small group of cabins sits in the middle of the Achuar people’s reserve and is only accessible by air. From here, visitors can explore parts of the Amazon rainforest seen by few outsiders. As they do, local Achuar guides explain how the forest is like their supermarket, where they find food, clothing, medicine and tools. As a result, tourists learn to appreciate the local culture as well as the natural environment.

The owners of Kapawi pay monthly rent to the Achuar people, but they also train the community to run and manage the lodge. They have agreed on a plan to turn the operation over to the Achuar completely by 2011. The owners are working to make ecotourism benefit and empower the local people.

You probably won’t start your own ecolodge, but you can be an ecotourist if you follow these guidelines:

Protect the environment:

Stay on marked trails, minimize trash and don’t start fires. Don’t feed or scare the animals. Don’t waste resources such as water and electricity.

Support local businesses:

Stay in locally owned accommodations and eat at local restaurants. The money bought in by tourism should benefit the local people, not just the developers and owners.

Respect the local customs and traditions:

Find out what the local people consider appropriate and inappropriate so you don’t accidentally offend them.

The world is full of fascinating places to visit. As an ecotourist, you can enjoy them yourself and make sure that they remain beautiful for future generations as well.

from 2007/6/11 Studio Classroom

Reading 9 Date: 7/30

China storms kill more than 100

Severe weather in several parts of China has killed more than 100 people in the past week, state media say.

In the eastern Shandong province, the death toll has risen to 40 since torrential rains hit on Wednesday.

Forty-two bodies have been found in the central province of Chongqing, which was hit by floods and mudslides. Several people are still missing.

In the southern Yunnan province, 27 people are known to have died in a landslide triggered by heavy rains.

The Xinhua news agency quoted local officials as saying that there was a severe risk of flooding in the coming days along the Huai River, which runs through several provinces in central and eastern China.

The storms have not only claimed lives, but also caused damage estimated at millions of dollars and forced thousands of people to flee their homes.

The latest deaths mean more than 400 people have perished in floods and landslides in recent weeks across the country.

Deadly flooding is an annual problem in China, with millions of people in central and southern parts of the country living on reclaimed farmland in the flood plains of rivers.

Last year some 2,704 people died in flooding and typhoons in China, according to the country's Meteorological



................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download