Capital Punishment on the Rise in 2015

Capital punishment is on the rise as a record number of executions were carried out around the world in
2015. According to a report issued by Amnesty International 1634 executions took place in 2015, 500 more than
the previous year. The real number is probably much higher.
Amnesty International has not included China in its report because the human rights organisation does not
get reliable data from the country. In China alone thousands are thought to be executed each year, making it the
leading country.
90% of all the executions around the world were carried out in only three countries - Iran, Pakistan and Saudi
Arabia. These countries kill people who threaten state security or are charged with terrorist activities. Most of the
executions take place after mock or unfair trials. Pakistan did not execute any prisoners between 2008 and 2014,
but resumed state killings in 2015.
The United States ranks fifth in the global execution list. Only 28 were carried out in 2015, the lowest number
since 1991. This is partly due to the problems that have come up with lethal injections.
More than two-thirds of all countries have abolished the death penalty and the trend is growing steadily. 60 states
around the world still have some form of capital punishment.
Words
 abolish = get rid of , ban
 according to = as reported by ...
 are thought to be = it is reported that something is true, even if there are no facts
 capital punishment = when the state officially kills a person who has committed a crime
 carry out = do something
 charge with = to make a formal statement saying that someone has committed a crime
 data = information
 death penalty = capital punishment ; the official killing of a person by the state
 due to = because of
 execution =when someone is killed by the state
 global = worldwide
 human rights = the basic rights that everyone should have, like the right to speak freely or the right to vote
 include = here: it is not in the report
 issue = to make public so that everyone can see it
 lethal injection = killing someone by injecting a mixture of drugs into their body
 mock = not real; just to show off
 previous = here: the year before
 rank = position on a list
 record = more than ever before
 reliable = something you can trust
 resume = continue after a break
 rise = go up
 state security = to defend or protect the interests of a state
 steadily = slowly, constantly
 threaten = to be dangerous to someone
 trial = when a judge and a jury tries to find out if someone is guilty or not
 FACEBOOK INTRODUCES CHATBOTS TO MESSENGER
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has announced that so-called chatbots would soon appear in the company's
Messenger app.
Chatbots are small software programs based on artificial intelligence and can communicate with people. They
will change the way we receive information. A chatbot, for example, can talk to a customer, order items or listen
to complaints. It can answer questions, solve complicated problems or make appointments. It's like talking to a
robot. As time goes on chatbots will be able to learn, based on the experience they have .
Facebook's Messenger is an extremely popular piece of communication software, used by 900 million people
around the world. With its announcement users will be able to develop their own chatbots and use them in
Messenger. People can then send a message to a bot which will know what to do depending on the situation.
While internet experts say that chatbots can be a big advantage, there are those who see risks. There is no way we
can monitor every action that chatbots carry out. Others think that such bots may encourage you to do things that
you really wouldn't want to do, like open a new website or install new apps.
However, bots are still in a developing stage. As time goes on their performance will improve and, in time ,
they will become your personal assistant that can help you in any situation.

Words
 advantage = the good side of something
 announce = to say officially
 appear = here: introduce
 appointment = formal arrangement to meet someone or visit a place at a certain time
 artificial intelligence = the study of how to make machines do intelligent things that people can do like
think and make decisions
 assistant = helper
 based on = when you use facts or ideas to create something
 communicate = talk to
 complaint = not being satisfied with something
 complicated = difficult
 customer = person who buys things
 depending on = based on
 develop = create, make
 developing stage = at the beginning
 encourage = try to make you do something
 experience = here: what they have learned as time goes on
 founder = the person who created something
 however = but
 improve = get better
 install = to put a program onto your computer or smartphone
 in time = as time goes on
 monitor = watch, observe
 performance = the way in which something works or does a job
 popular = liked by many people
 receive = get
 POACHING OF AFRICAN ELEPHANTS STILL GOES ON
African elephants are still hunted at an alarming rate. A report by the United Nations states that the elephant
population in Africa is decreasing because more animals are killed than born each year, especially in Central and
Western Africa.
According to the World Wildlife Fund , a total of 470 000 elephants lives in Africa,compared to 1.2 million in the
1980s. Poaching reached its climax in 2011 when 75% of all elephants died at the hands of illegal hunters. Since
then killings have stabilized, but the numbers remain high. In addition, war and other conflicts have led to
the decrease in the elephant population.
Even safe areas for elephants are under attack now. In 2015, elephants killed in South Africa's Kruger National
Park, considered to be a safe haven for elephants, rose sharply for the first time.
The UN says that time is running out and that something has to be done to save African elephants
from disappearing completely. More effort is needed not only to stop poaching in Africa but
to target countries where ivory is sold. Governments around the world must continue their battle against the
ivory trade, especially in Asia, where buying ivory has become very popular.
Recently, prominent celebrities, including tennis star Andy Murray and Prince William of England, have taken
part in campaigns to stop the ivory trade. It is estimated that the illegal ivory trade generates 10 to
20 billion dollars a year. Together with drugs and weapons sales it has become one of the most lucrative black
market commodities.
Words
 according to = as said by ..
 alarming rate = surprisingly fast
 battle = fight
 billion = a thousand million
 campaign = movement
 compare = if you look at two things and try to find the differences
 climax = highest point
 commodity = material that can be traded or sold
 completely = all together
 considered = thought
 decrease = go down
 disappear = no longer exist
 effort = try, in order to make something better
 especially = above all
 estimate = guess the number of something
 generate = produce
 government = people who rule a country
 illegal = not allowed, against the law
 in addition = also
 ivory = the hard yellowish-white substance that forms the teeth of elephants; it is used to make jewelry and
other ornaments
 lucrative = producing a lot of money
 poaching = the illegal hunting and killing of animals
 popular = liked and bought a lot
 prominent celebrities = famous people
 recently = a short time ago
 remain = stay, are still
 rise - rose = go up
 safe haven = place where animals are protected
 sharply = very much
 stabilize = to stay the same
 state = to officially say something
 target = here: to fight
 trade = buy and sell things
 under attack = here: poachers have come here to hunt down and kill animals
 weapon = object you use to attack someone, like a gun or a knife
 AMPHIBIANS
Amphibians are animals that live on land and in water. They were the ancestors of
today’s reptiles and mammals and the first vertebrates to appear on land, about 350 million years ago. Over
4000 types of amphibians live in almost all regions of the world, especially in hot and humid areas. Among the
most popular amphibians are frogs and salamanders.
Physical features
Amphibians can grow to different sizes, smaller ones are only 1 cm in length and larger ones can reach up to one
and a half metres. Those that live mostly on land breathe through their lungs, others, which live mainly in water
have gills. An amphibian’s skin is wet and often covered with a sticky fluid that prevents it from becoming dry.
Some species lose their outer skin layer several times a year. Others produce poison that protects them
from enemies.
Many amphibians are colourful animals that blend in with their surroundings.
Some amphibians, for example frogs have thick bodies and four powerful legs that they use to leap and
swim. Toads have shorter legs than frogs and a drier skin. They have no tail.
Salamanders are amphibians with a short body and a long tail, which they can grow if they lose them.
These creatures , which are found mostly in temperate climate zones , live near rivers and under rocks.
Caecilians look a lot like worms. They have long thin bodies without legs. These tropical amphibians
are nearly blind because their eyes are covered with skin or bone. Only few of them live in water.
How amphibians live
Amphibians are cold blooded animals. Their body temperature is about the same as their surroundings. Most
animals move to other places to adjust their body temperature if it gets too hot or too cold. Depending on the
climate, amphibians hibernate or are inactive during the year when it gets too hot or cold. They eat many different
kinds of food including insects and worms.
Life cycle
Most amphibians lay their eggs in the water. Young animals have fish-like features. After living as a larva they
grow gills which allow them to breathe under water. During a phase called metamorphosis a young
amphibian develops from a larva into an adult. This stage can take from a few weeks to several years. Some
amphibians then lose their gills and develop lungs for breathing. Often they also change their appearance.
Words
 adjust = get used to, change
 ancestor = here: animal that lived in the past and from which modern animals have grown
 appear = show up , come to
 appearance = the way something looks
 blend in = you do not notice something
 breathe = take air into your lings
 caecilians = group of amphibians
 creature = living thing
 depend on = to be directly affected by something
 develop = grow
 especially = above all
 feature = element
 fluid = liquid
 gill = organ inside a fish that allows it to breathe
 hibernate = sleep during the winter
 humid = wet
 including = also
 larva = here: the first phase of an amphibian
 leap = jump
 length = how long something is
 mainly = mostly
 mammal = it drinks milk from its mother when it is young, human, dogs or whales, for example , are
mammals
 metamorphosis = to change completely
 nearly = almost
 poison = substance that is dangerous and can kill you
 popular = well-known
 prevent = stop
 protect = defend
 reach = here: get to a certain size
 reptile = animal whose body temperature changes according to the temperature around it; it usually lays
eggs to have babies
 salamander = small animal, like a lizard, that can live on land and water
 several = many
 size = how big something is
 species = group of animals that look alike and can produce young animals or plants together
 sticky = something that sticks to the surface of an object
 surroundings = the world around you
 temperate = not too hot and not too cold
 toad = animal that looks like a frog
 vertebrate = living creature that has a backbone
 CHINA WANTS TO BECOME A SOCCER SUPERPOWER
The Chinese government plans to make soccer the number one sport in the country. By 2050 it wants to get 50
million children and adults to play the game.
Although the most populous country in the world , China has never been really good at the world's
most popular sport. According to the government, 20000 training centres are planned and 70000 new soccer
fields will be built within the next decades. It also wants to set up soccer schools and offer young players more
training programs.
FIFA hopes that the China's desire to become a global player in soccer will raise the country's
rankings, currently at number 80 in the FIFA list. In contrast to men, who have only qualified for the World Cup
once in 2002, Chinese women are more successful in the sport. They have even made it to the World Cup finals in
1999.
China's leader Xi Jinping is the driving force behind the new sport initiative . He loves soccer and played the
game during his youth. Xi wants China to play a major role in Asia and maybe even win the World Cup one
day. Recently, Chinese billionaires have started to invest in China's Super League, luring top European players to
the country. Guangzhou Evergrande, one of China's top teams, has paid 45 million dollars for Athletico Madrid
top star Jackson Martinez.
But before China reaches its goal it must clean up its own house. Corruption charges loom over the league. In
2013 33 players were banned from competition after they had been accused of match-fixing.
Words
 according to = as said by ...
 accuse = to say that a person has done something against the law
 although = while
 ban = here: not allow
 billionaire = a person who has a billion dollars, euros etc...
 competition = here: to take part in league matches
 corruption charges = to say that people have manipulated matches and paid illegal money to players and
others
 currently = at the moment
 decade = ten years
 desire = to want something very much
 driving force = here: the person who really puts all their power and strength into doing something they
really want
 FIFA = the world' soccer organisation
 global = worldwide
 goal = aim, what you want to achieve
 government = the people who rule a country
 initiative = a new plan
 in contrast = on the other side; compared to
 loom = to appear frightening
 lure = here: offer a player a lot of money to make him come to China
 major = very important
 match-fixing = to take money in order to make sure that a game has a certain result
 popular = liked by many people
 populous = with a lot of people living in the country
 raise = move up
 reach = get to
 recently = a short time ago
 soccer = European football
 youth = when a person was young
 CHINA FACES PROBLEMS WITH DRINKING WATER
A report released by China shows that the country is facing a serious problem with drinking water. According to
the study about 80% of the country's shallow ground water is not clean enough to drink or bathe in. It can only be
used for industrial purposes.
Dirty drinking water exists especially in the countryside, where the population gets water from shallow wells. This
water has become more and more contaminated through farming, factories and household waste.
While air pollution has caught the attention of the country's politicians, the situation of underground water has
widely been ignored. China may be facing another big environmental problem.
According to the report large cities are not affected by water pollution because they get their water from
underground reservoirs that are often hundreds or thousands of feet deep . In addition, cities operate purification
plants that get rid of harmful substances before drinking water gets to the people.
On the other hand the use of shallow underground water in rural areas has grown considerably in the past decade.
The report states that nitrates and ammonia are the major pollutants. In some areas heavy metals were also found
in the water.
Authorities found out that while none of the 2000 investigated wells had a Class I water quality, over 70%
were classified in the worst two categories, those unfit for drinking.

Words
 according to = as said by ...
 affect = to do something that produces a change
 air pollution = the act of making air dirty
 ammonia = poisonous gas with a strong bad smell that is used for making chemicals
 attention = being aware of something
 authorities = organisation in the government that makes decisions
 classify = put into a category or group
 considerably = a lot
 contaminated= dirty
 decade = ten years
 environment = the world around us
 especially = above all
 face = deal with
 harmful = dangerous
 heavy metal = metal that has a high density and is poisonous
 household waste = the material that you produce in the household and that you do not need any more
 ignore = not pay attention to
 in addition = also
 industrial purposes = for factories and production
 investigate = look at closely
 nitrate = substance that has nitrogen and oxygen in it
 politician = person who works for the government or for a political party
 pollutant = material that causes pollution and makes things dirty
 purification plant = factory that cleans water before you can use it
 reservoir = lake where water is stored before it is transported to a person's house
 release = to make public
 rural = in the countryside
 serious = very dangerous
 shallow = not deep
 study = piece of work that is done in order to find out more about a certain subject
 substance = material
 unfit = not suited for
 well = deep hole in the ground from which people take water
 PANAMA PAPERS-BIGGEST DOCUMENT LEAK IN HISTORY
More than 11 million secret documents of a law firm in Panama have been leaked to the German Süddeutsche
Zeitung. The documents, nicknamed the Panama Papers, reveal how thousands of politicians, celebrities ,
athletes and other wealthy people around the world use tax havens to hide their money.
2.6 terabytes of information were secretly given to journalists of the German newspaper last year. They then
started investigations, working through the documents with journalists from other countries. The Panama
Papers are the biggest leak in journalism in history, much larger than what was published by WikiLeaks some
years ago.
There are several world leaders who are suspected of being involved in the moneyscandal, including russia's
vladimir putin and Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron, who admitted that he profited from an offshore
account set up by his father. A number of Chinese politicians are also supposedly involved in the scandal.
Only a few days after the news was released Iceland's Prime Minster resigned from office after the public found
out that his wife owned an offshore account.
The Panamanian offshore law firm Mossack Fonseca is at the center of the scandal. Representatives from the
company have announced that it has never done anything illegal. It is not known who gave the documents to the
German newspaper.
Many rich people around the world put their money into tax havens where there is little or no tax to pay. These are
mostly countries that do not share tax information with other countries. Banks help their customers hide their
money in such secret offshore accounts. According to the journalists' investigations, over $2 billion have been
secretly funneled through banks in the past 40 years.
While setting up an offshore account is not against the law, some companies use it for illegal activities
like laundering money, evading taxes. or drug trafficking.
Words
 according to = as said by ....
 admit = to say that something is true
 announce = to say officially
 billion = a thousand million
 celebrity = famous person
 document = a written piece of information
 drug trafficking = to buy and sell drugs
 evade = escape
 funnel = here: to secretly send money through a bank
 illegal = against the law
 including = also
 investigation =when you examine something carefully because you think a crime may have been committed
 launder money = to move money that you have received illegally through banks to make it seem as if
everything has been done legally
 law = rules made by the government
 leak = to pass on secret information to newspapers and other media
 nickname = a popular name that people use for something or someone
 offshore account = a bank account in another country where you pay less tax
 politician = person who has a position in the government or works in parliament or a political party
 profit = to make money from something
 public = people in general
 publish = to show the media
 release = show to the public
 representative = person who speaks for their company
 resign = give up a job or position
 reveal = show
 secret = something that only a few people know and should not be passed on to others
 set up = create
 share = exchange with others
 supposedly = something that may be true
 suspect = think that someone may have done something against the law
 tax = the money that you have to pay to the government, based on your income
 tax haven = place or country where people pay less tax than they would if they lived in their home country
 terabyte = unit of computer information; about 1,000 gigabytes
 wealthy = rich
 CONGO CONFLICT ENDANGERS GORILLA POPULATION
Congo's gorilla population has been reduced by more than 75% in the past 20 years, largely because of violent
conflicts in the central African state. A recent report shows that in 1998 more 17,000 gorillas lived in the
Democratic Republic of Congo, today only 3,800 live in the Congolese rainforests.
A civil war has been raging in Congo since the middle of the 1990s, when hundreds of thousands of
Rwandans fled their country. Since then over 5 million people have died. In the remote areas of eastern
Congo villagers have set up illegal mines to escape poverty and buy weapons. Because food is scarce they hunt
wild animals in the forests and collect wood for cooking.
Grauer's gorillas, the species that lives in eastern Congo, are the largest gorillas in the world. Weighing over 400
pounds they can provide food for a whole village. They are easily targeted because they travel in groups.Now they
are on the verge of becoming extinct.

Although native environmentalists are risking their lives to protect the gorilla population, they aren't
really making any difference. The only way to save the gorillas from extinction is to end
violence, disarm the armed factions and set up new, protected areas for the gorillas.
Words
 although = while
 armed factions = the groups that have guns and use them in a war
 civil war = violent conflict between two groups that live in the same country
 disarm = take the guns away from a person
 environmentalist = person who cares for nature and the world around us
 escape = get away from
 extinct = die out
 flee - fled = escape from a dangerous situation
 largely = mostly
 illegal = against the law
 mine = to dig valuable minerals out of the ground in order to sell them
 native = a person who lives in the country
 poverty = the situation of being poor
 provide = give
 rage = do something in a very angry way
 rainforest = forest in the tropical areas with a lot of rain and vegetation
 recent = short time ago
 reduce = to become lower
 remote = faraway
 scarce = not enough
 species = animals of the same group that live together and have babies
 target = here: find
 verge = border
 villager = person who lives in a small group of houses in the countryside
 weapon = object that is used to fight , like a gun, bomb or knife
 weigh = how heavy something is
APPLE CELEBRATES 40TH BIRTHDAY
Apple, one of the largest computer and consumer electronics companies of the world is celebrating its 40th
birthday. The company was founded on April 1st 1976 by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. Today, their products are
bought by millions around the world.
Steve Jobs was a visionary and the driving force behind Apple. He wanted to make computers lightweight and
easy-to-use. The first computer, the Apple I , was sold for $666 . Only 200 of them were produced. In 1984 the
company brought the Macintosh to users. The PowerBook hit the markets in 1991 and was the world's first real
laptop computer. It was reinvented in 2006 in the form of the MacBook.
However Apple did not stay in the computer business. At the beginning of the new millennium the company
started selling iPods, their revolutionary music players. At the same time iTunes, a new way of buying
and storing music , was released.
Apple's success came with the way the company adapted to changing technology. The first smartphone was
introduced in 2007. Today, the company generates two-thirds of its income selling iPhones. Three years later
Apple hit the market with the first tablet computer, the iPad. Up to now over 250 million have been sold around the
world.
Apple Watch is the latest in a series of technological inventions. However, the company is not at the end of
producing innovative devices. Future plans call for new technology, for example, smart home gadgets and health
care devices.
Today, the electronics giant with its 100 000 employees, has a market value of over $600 billion. At any given
moment, about 1 billion Apple devices are in use around the world. Even though current sales figures show that
the Cupertino-based company has seen better times, Apple remains one of the most popular brands in technology.

The legendary Apple I, produced in 1976 - Image: Ed Uthman

Words
 adapt = to change in different conditions
 at any given moment = always
 billion = a thousand million
 brand = type of product made by a company
 celebrate = to show that an event is important by doing something special
 consumer electronics = electronic products that are bought by people for everyday use
 current = now, at the moment
 device = a small object or machine that does a certain job
 driving force = here: person who put a lot of energy in building the company
 employee = person who works for a company
 even though = while
 found - founded = start something new
 gadget = small device or machine that does a certain thing
 generate = make
 health care = offer or provide medical services
 hit the markets = start to sell a product
 however = but
 income = the money you get for the things you sell
 innovative = using new method or ideas
 invention = an object that as never been made before
 lightweight = not heavy
 millennium = the year 2000
 reinvent = here: to design something in a new way and sell it again after some period of time
 release = to start to sell
 remain = is still
 revolutionary = something new that hasn't been done before
 series = a number of products, one after the other
 store = save, keep in a place
 value = what something is worth
 visionary = a person who has new ideas about the future
 OBESITY AROUND THE WORLD CONTINUES TO RISE
A new medical report has found out that the number of obese people around the world has increased by 600%
over the past 40 years. The report says that about 12% of the world's population suffers from obesity. Within the
next decade 20% of the world's population will be overweight.
The report is based on the body mass index (BMI) , the relationship between height and weight. A normal, healthy
person has a BMI of between 20 and 25. People with a BMI of over 30 are considered to be obese.
It is no surprise that most of the world's obese people live in the wealthy countries of the world. Six countries - the
US, Britain, Ireland, Australia, Canada and New Zealand account for a fifth of the world's obese people. China and
the United States have the highest number of obese in the world. In contrast, the poorest countrieshave the lowest
number of overweight people. In southern Asia and southeastern Asia, for example, 25% of the population are
underweight.
Having too many overweight people puts an enormous financial burden on our health system, through rising costs
for medication, doctors and hospitals.
Medical experts point out that obesity cannot be treated with medication and exercise alone. It is also important
to change your diet and consume less fatty food and sugary drinks. We also need to eat more fresh fruits and
vegetables and reduce the intake of processed food.
Words
 account for = make up
 based on = here: the facts you use for a report
 burden = something difficult you have to deal with
 considered to be = thought to be
 decade = ten years
 enormous = very big
 exercise = physical activity that you do to make your body strong and healthy
 height = how tall you are
 in contrast = on the other side
 increase = go up
 intake = what we eat and drink
 medication = medicine
 obese = being too fat so that it is dangerous for your health
 obesity = situation of being obese
 overweight = to be too heavy
 point out = explain
 processed food = food with chemicals in it so that it lasts longer or tastes better
 reduce = lower
 sugary = with a lot of sugar
 treat = to cure a person of a disease
 wealthy= rich
 weight = how heavy you are
 WORKERS ABUSED AT WORLD CUP SITES IN QATAR
Amnesty International has published a report showing that many workers are abused and exploited on
the construction sites of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The organization interviewed 230 workers at the Khalifa International Stadium, one of 12 arenas that
will host matches. They found out that some workers had not been paid in months. Many were threatened if
they complained about the bad working conditions in the Persian Gulf state. Construction companies even took
away their passports so they could not go back home. Workers also complained about having to live
in cramped rooms.
Some told stories about how they had to pay thousands of dollars in order to get a job in Qatar. After arriving,
they discovered that they would be paid much less than originally promised.
The FIFA World Cup is one of the biggest sports events in the world. It generates about $5 billion dollars for the
organisation. In 2010, Qatar won the bid to host the 2022 World Cup. Since then the government has
been pouring billions of dollars into new stadiums and other facilities. In the end, the event will have cost a total of
$200 billion, more than any other host nation has ever spent.
Amnesty International is criticising FIFA for not putting enough pressure on
Qatari authorities to protect the rights of migrant workers. Most of them come from south and southeast Asia. In
the coming years over 30,000 will be employed at the various constructions sites in Qatar.
One of the reasons for the exploitation of foreign workers lies in Qatar's kalafa system, in which workers can only
work for one employer. Although Qatar's Supreme Court has set up rules in a worker's rights charter, many
companies are obviously not obeying them.
Words
 abuse = to treat someone in a bad way
 although = while
 arena = stadium
 authorities = organization that has power and makes decisions
 bid = here: to offer to organize an event
 billion = a thousand million
 charter = document on which rights are written
 complain = to say that something is wrong or not the way it should be
 construction = building
 construction company = firm that builds and renews the stadiums
 cramped = overcrowded; not enough space
 criticise = to say that something is bad or not the way it should be
 discover = find out
 employ = to give someone work
 employer = a person who gives work to others
 exploit = to use someone in an unfair way, so that you profit from it
 facility = here: place or building that you need for teams or visitors
 foreign = from another country
 generate = produce, make money
 government = the people who rule a country
 host = here: where the games will take place or country that organizes the event
 migrant worker = person who goes to another country to work there
 obey = follow
 obviously = in a way that is easy to understand
 originally = at first
 passport = document with your name and a photo ; you use it to travel to other countries
 pour = here: spend a lot of money on something
 promise = to say that you will do something or give someone something
 protect = defend
 publish = print for everyone to read
 put pressure on = here: to try to make someone do something
 rights = things that you are officially allowed to do
 set up = introduce
 state = country
 Supreme Court = the highest court in a country
 threaten = to tell someone you will hurt them or cause problems if you don't do as they say
 various = different
 WORLD'S LARGEST CRUISE SHIP ON TRIAL VOYAGE
The world's largest cruise ship, the Harmony of the Seas, is making its trial voyage from a French shipyard. The
227,000 gross-ton ocean liner is a sister ship of the Oasis of the Seas, which was the largest cruise liner up to now.
The passenger ship is expected to start its service in May. For some months, tourists have been allowed onboard the
ship to see its luxuries.
The 16-deck Harmony of the Seas is slightly larger than its sister ship. It spans a total of 362 metres (1,187 feet)
and is 70 metres high.In addition to the more than 6,000 passengers who can travel on the cruise ship,there is
a crew of over 2,000.
The Harmony of the Seas will be the first ship of its kind to have a multi-deck water slide and bars where drinks
are served by robots. Other facilities include a park, theatres, an aqua show as well as several bars, restaurants and
swimming pools. The cruise ship will also have larger and more comfortable cabins than its predecessor. Those on
the inside will even offer their passengers a virtual view of the sea.
Construction of the world's largest cruise ship started in 2013. The total costs are estimated at about
$1 billion. The Harmony of the Seas will be stationed in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. From there it
will undertake journeys in the Carribean and the Mediterranean Sea.
Currently, the cruise travel market is growing at a rapid pace, as more and more people choose this kind of
holiday. Royal Carribean, the company that has built the ship is not only one of the world's largest
cruise operators, but also owns four of the five largest ships on earth.
Words
 aqua show = show that is performed in water
 billion = a thousand million
 choose = decide to go on ...
 construction = the building of ...
 crew = people who work on the ship
 cruise = a holiday journey on a large ship with which you can visit several destinations
 currently = at the moment
 estimate = calculate something, without knowing the exact costs
 facility = place where a certain activity or event happens
 gross-ton = a ship's total volume , the amount of space inside it , not the weight
 in addition = also
 journey = trip
 liner = very large ship used to carry many passengers on long journeys
 luxury = things that are expensive and very comfortable
 Mediterranean Sea = sea between Europe and Africa
 multideck = reaching across many decks
 offer = provide , give
 operator = company that builds a ship and offers to take passengers on voyages
 own = belongs to
 predecessor = here: the ship that was built before it
 rapid pace = very quickly
 robot = a machine that is programmed to do a job
 service = here: to regularly take passengers on board
 shipyard = place where ships are built and repaired
 slightly = a bit
 span = from the front to the back
 stationed = place from where the ship will start on its journeys
 trial voyage = here: test journey
 virtual view = here: not a view of the real sea, but a projection on a screen that shows outside landscapes
 voyage = trip you make on a ship
 water slide = slippery track with water in it so that people can have fun moving down into a pool
 JAPAN'S POPULATION IS DECLINING
For the first time in a hundred years Japan's population is declining. In the past 5 years it went down by 1 million
people, according to a nationwide census. Currently, there are 127 million people living in Japan, the tenth
most populous country in the world. According to United Nations reports , Japan will lose a third of its population
by the end of the century, dropping to 83 million.
Japan has had one of the lowest birth rates in the western world for many years. Although the government has
tried to persuade Japanese women to have more children, this has had little effect. On average, every Japanese
woman has 1.4 babies. In addition, women are marrying at a later age and do not want to give up their jobs.
Population experts have stated that the country needs a birth rate of at least 1.8 to stop population decline.
Another reason for Japan's population decrease is immigration. Because of the strict law, practically nobody can
come to the country to live there. The government has been thinking about easing Japanese immigration rules, but
this is not popular among the people.
Japan's low birth rate means that the country will face financial problems in the next decades. Japan's growing
population has been a driving force behind its economy. In the future, there will be fewer people in
the workforce and they will have to support millions of older citizens and pay for their pensions. Health care will
also increase as the population gets older.
Population decrease is not evenly distributed across the country. While large cities like Tokyo
are experiencing strong growth, people are leaving the rural, remote areas of the country. Especially younger
workers are moving away, leaving the older population behind.
Other Asian countries have the same problems. In South Korea and China , for example, improving living
conditions for many people are also leading to a decreasing population. As a result, China
has recently announced that families are allowed to have two children again.

Japan's population growth and decline - Image: Jecowa

Words
 according to = as said by ...
 although = while
 announce = to say something officially
 birth rate = the number of babies born per 1,000 people in a year
 census = when the government counts the number of people who live in a country
 century = a hundred years
 citizen = a person who lives in a country and has rights there
 currently = at the moment, now
 decade = ten years
 decline = to go down
 decrease = go down
 distribute = spread
 driving force = here: something that keeps the economy getting better
 drop = go down
 ease = to make something less difficult or strict
 economy = the system of trade, industry and money in a country
 effect = result
 especially = above all
 evenly = in the same way
 experience = here: something that happens
 face = deal with
 government = the people who rule a country
 growth = the way something grows
 health care = the service that is responsible for the health of the people in a country; it spends money for
doctors and hospitals
 immigration = going to a different country to live and work there
 improve = get better
 in addition = also
 law = the rules a country has
 nationwide = across the whole country
 on average = normally, usually
 pension = the money you get from the government when you are too old to work anymore
 persuade = to make someone believe that something is good for them
 popular = liked by many people
 populous = many people live in a place
 practically = almost, nearly
 recently = a short time ago
 remote = faraway
 rural = in the countryside
 state = to say officially
 strict = something that must be followed
 support = here: earn money for
 workforce = all the people who work in a country
 STREAMING MUSIC EARNS MORE MONEY THAN DOWNLOADS
For the first time in music history, streaming music has earned more money than any other form of selling music.
In the United States alone it generated 2.4 billion in income last year, almost a third of all music sales. The whole
music industry made 7 billion dollars in income in 2015. It is the first time the music industry has seen a rise in
sales since 2011.
While 2015 turned out to be the best year yet for streaming music services, digital downloads and the sales of CDs
are steadily going down. CDs dropped 10% last year and only accounted for 2 billion dollars in total sales.
The recent numbers show that music fans are willing pay for streaming services or listen to ad-supported music
platforms. Youtube and Spotify are the biggest players in the streaming music business. They paid 3 billion dollars
each for the rights to stream music. Spotify, the leading streaming service, has almost 30 million paying
subscribers around the world. However, many still listen for free.
While the Beatles made their switch to streaming music a short time ago, some artists, for example, Taylor Swift
and Adele have not allowed their music be streamed on such services.
Words
 account for = make up
 ad-supported = here: you can listen for free but between songs there are ads and commercials you must
listen to
 artist = singer
 billion = a thousand million
 digital download = you can pay to download a music file and play it on your computer, CD player or
mobile phone
 generate = produce, make
 paying subscriber = a person pays a monthly or yearly fee for the right to listen to as much music as they
want
 recent = latest, newest
 rights = here: to be allowed to stream music over the Internet
 rise = to go up
 switch = change
 MONARCH BUTTERFLY MAKES COMEBACK IN NORTH AMERICA
The monarch butterfly population in North America seems to be recovering. Every year these insects travel
thousands of kilometres between Canada and Mexico. In the past 20 years the population of monarch butterflies has
been decreasing, but now they are making a comeback.
In the middle of the 1990s there were over a billion butterflies that migrated to Mexico to spend the winter. In
2013 that number dropped to slightly over 30 million. A population count has shown that this is the second year in
which the number of butterflies has actually increased again.
The butterflies are concentrated in the mountainous forests of central Mexico, where they live in a relatively
small area. It takes them about two months to migrate from Canada to Mexico.
In the past years, much of their habitat along this route has been destroyed by pesticides and the loss of land.
They lay their eggs on milkweed plants which have declined in recent years. Now, US farmers are helping the
butterflies by planting milkweed and reducing pesticides. In addition, environmentalists are planting other plants
that butterflies need for food. The mild weather of the past years has also helped the butterflies recover.
Mexico, Canada and the United States are now making efforts to help preserve the monarch butterfly population
and restore the habitat on their journey. On the Mexican side , authorities are fighting illegal deforestation,
which robs the butterflies of their living areas.
Currently, there are about 20000 different types of butterflies in the world today. Together with bees, they
transfer pollen between plants.
Words
 actually = in fact
 authorities = organisation that makes decisions about certain things
 billion = a thousand million
 concentrate = here: they can be found in great numbers
 currently = at the moment, now
 decline = go down
 decrease = go down
 deforestation = the cutting down of trees
 destroy = damage completely
 environmentalist = a person who loves nature and cares about the world around us
 habitat = area where plants or animals usually live
 illegal = against the law
 in addition = also
 increase = go up
 loss = to lose something
 make an effort = try
 migrate = when animals or insects go to a different place to live there during the summer or winter
 milkweed = a common plant that produces a white substance when the stem is broken
 mountainous = area with a lot of mountains
 pesticide = chemical substance used to kill insects, animals or plants that are harmful
 pollen = fine powder that is taken from plant to plant by the wind and insects; it is used to produce seeds
 population = here: a group of insects that live together
 preserve = to help survive
 recover = here: the number is going up again
 reduce = here: to use less
 restore = to bring something back to its earlier state
 slightly = a bit
 ROLLING STONES PLAY HISTORIC CONCERT IN CUBA
The Rolling Stones have given a historic concert in Cuba. It was the first time that the legendary rock group
played on the island, where western music was seen as decadent and banned for many decades.
Cuban authorities estimate that half a million people witnessed the concert at Sports City in Havanna.
Thousands of music lovers slept outside the arena in an attempt to be the first to get in. Fans came from all over
Cuba, as well as from other countries. Nobody wanted to miss the historic event. People of all ages came to the
show- teenagers as well as older generations who listened to Stones' music on pirate stations in the1960s.
Lead singer Mick Jagger welcomed thousands of fans in Spanish and started the 2-hour gig with Jumpin' Jack
Flash, a 1968 hit. After 18 songs Satisfaction ended the spectacular show. Enthusiastic fans agree that it was the
best concert that had ever taken place on the communist island.
The concert is another sign of Cuba's opening to the western world. It came only a few days after President
Obama's historic visit to the island.
The event was an emotional one for the Rolling Stones as well. Mick Jagger, who spoke Spanish throughout the
event, said that although the band had played at many locations all over the world, being in Havana was one of the
most emotional moments.
Words
 agree = to share the same opinion
 although = while
 attempt = try
 authorities = government organisation that has power and controls certain things
 ban = forbid
 decade = ten years
 decadent = immoral, bad
 emotional = strong feelings
 enthusiastic = person who is very happy about something
 estimate = here: calculate how many people were there without counting them
 gig = concert
 legendary = very famous for a long time
 opening = here: to let western ideas and influence into the island
 pirate station = radio or TV station that broadcasts without permission from the government
 sign = signal that something is changing
 spectacular = very exciting to watch
 throughout = the whole time
 witness = here: to be at the concert
 DUTCH FOOTBALL LEGEND JOHAN CRUYFF DIES AT 68
Johan Cruyff, the Dutch soccer legend, has died at the age of 68. As a heavy smoker, Cruyff suffered from
lung cancer, which he made public last year. Johan Cruyff was not only one of the best footballers of his time but
also a great coach.
Cruyff changed football during the first years of his career with Ajax Amsterdam, making it more
modern, athletic and fast. He was an extremely talented player who was not only skilled with the ball but could
also score winning goals.
Johan Cruyff personified Holland's system of total football , where players do not stick to their position on the
field but can play everywhere. All of them defend and all of them attack. Players would constantly change their
positions.
Cruyff joined Ajax Amsterdam as a teenager. Between 1971 and 1973 he led the team to three European Cups in a
row. He was nominated the best player at the 1974 World Cup. In the final match against Germany he brought the
Netherlands in front by scoring after a few minutes, however in the end lost to the German side.
After playing in Holland, Barcelona became his second home. He not only played for one of the best teams in
European club football but also became its coach for 8 years. Together with Barcelona Cruyff won four Spanish
championship titles and the club's first European trophy.
At the end of his European career, Cruyff played in America with the Los Angeles Aztecs and eventually came
back to Holland to win two more titles with Ajax.
Words
 athletic = here: using your body more than your technical skills
 attack = move up front to score a goal
 cancer = illness in which some cells in your body grow in an uncontrolled way
 coach = someone who trains and organizes a sports team
 constantly = always
 defend = stop the other team from scoring a goal
 eventually = in the end, after some time
 however = but
 in a row = without a pause
 make public = announce to the media
 nominate = choose for a prize
 personify = to be a perfect example of something
 score = to make a goal
 skilled = talented, good at something
 soccer = European football
 stick = stay
 suffer = to be in physical pain
 talented = very good at somehting
 trophy = prize, like a cup, that you get after winning an event
 FUKUSHIMA - 5 YEARS LATER
Five years ago a powerful earthquake and a following tsunami struck Japan's northeastern coast, killing 19000
people. The disaster led to the meltdown of three nuclear reactors at Fukushima.
5 years later, cleanup work at the reactor site is still underway. Although many contaminated buildings have been
cleared and radiation is low it will take decades to restore the area completely.
Residents have been able to return to nearby villages but about 100 000 former citizens of Fukushima cannot
come back yet. Thousands are still living in temporary housing provided by the government.
One of the problems that Tepco,the energy company that operates Fukushima, faces is water. Groundwater from
the nearby mountains continues to flow through the contaminated site. Filters must clean the water
and remove radiation. At the moment , workers are building a wall around the nuclear complex to prevent rain
and ground water from getting into the basement of surrounding houses. Environmentalists are worried
that radioactive water may flow into the ocean and affect fish population.
Another problem is the nuclear fuel which melted down.The fuel rods inside the reactor are still in place,
however, authorities do not want to build a concrete containment, similar to the one that was built inChernobyl
30 years ago.
Everyday life in and around the nuclear site is still dangerous. Radiation levels are constantly monitored and when
workers are exposed to too much radiation they have to stop working. Robots are sent into the
reactor core to research the area and make videos.
The worst nuclear disaster after Chernobyl hit Japan's economy severely. It has cost the country over
$200 billion to compensate its loss of nuclear energy through fossil fuels. The total cost of cleanup work is
expected to run to an additional $200 billion.
Japan's energy authorities do not seem to want to give up nuclear energy completely. After all of the country's
reactors had been shut down after the disaster, three have been started again.
Words
 additional = extra costs
 affect = have an influence on
 although = while
 authorities = group of people who are responsible for a certain field
 basement = part of a building with rooms underground
 billion = a thousand million
 citizen = person who lives in a country and has rights there
 compensate = make up for something you have lost
 completely = totally
 complex = system of buildings
 concrete containment = here: strong building made out of cement that keeps radioactivity from getting out
 constantly = always
 contaminated = here: still radioactive
 core = central part
 decade = ten years
 disaster = very bad event that can kill many people and destroy buildings and other objects
 earthquake = sudden movement of the earth's crust ; it can cause great damage and kill thousands of people
 economy = the system of trade and industry in a country
 environmentalist = person who cares about nature and the world around us
 expose = to put someone in a dangerous situation where they are not protected
 face = deal with
 filter = object that is used to make water clean
 flow = move
 former = in the past
 fossil fuel = energy from dead plants and animals that died millions of years ago
 fuel = material that is burned to produce energy
 government = people who rule the country
 groundwater = water that collects below the surface of the earth
 housing = place for people to live in
 in place = where they were before the disaster
 meltdown = very dangerous situation in a nuclear power station in which the fuel becomes very hot, melts
through the container and escapes into the atmosphere
 monitor = watch closely
 level = amount
 loss = you no longer have something
 operate = run, own
 prevent = stop
 radiation = form of energy that comes from a nuclear reactor and can be very dangerous to your health
 remove = get rid of
 research = find out more about something, collect information
 resident = a person who live sin a place
 restore = to return something to its original state
 rod = long, metal pole
 run = be
 severely = very badly
 shut down = close
 similar = like
 strike - struck = hit
 surrounding = around something
 temporary = only for a short time
 tsunami = very large wave caused by movement of the earth's crust under the sea
 underway = going on, to continue
 village = small town