[182] Lack of Sanitation Tops the Agenda on World Toilet Day

TRAVEL NEWS WIRE…

Lack of Sanitation Tops the Agenda on World Toilet Day The lack of global sanitation has been highlighted by a report from WaterAid, which ranks South Sudan as the country with the World’s worst sanitation. Of the country’s population, only 7% have access to regular toilet facilities. Of industrialized countries, Russia had the worst toilet sanitation rate, with only 27.8% of the population having proper sanitation.

HEALTH AND TECH NEWS

Can asthma drug rejuvenate aging brains? A research study conducted at the Paracelsus Medical University in Austria found that a common children’s asthma drug, Montelukast, (trade name Singulair) helped aging rats in performing cognitive memory tasks. The researchers wrote that the drug shows signs of reducing neural inflammation while stimulating the growth of fresh neurons.

THIS WEEK’S NATURAL PHRASE

steer clear of it

Nicholas: Have you heard about the new diet supplement pills? I don’t know much about them, but I want to try some so I can lose weight.

Aly: I think you should steer clear of those diet pills. They are not tested by the Ministry of Health, and they might have dangerous side effects.

Explanation: The phrase to “steer clear of ” something means to avoid something or to stop using it. It is like steering a car away from a dangerous object in the road. We can also say “stay away from (X)”

THIS WEEK’S MEDICAL PHRASE

false positive

Patient: Did you confirm my AIDS diagnosis?

Doctor Davis: We checked your first positive result, and we then checked the recent two tests. I have good news for you. It turns out that the first result was a false positive. You don’t have AIDS, so you can relax and enjoy your good health.

Explanation: The phrase “false positive” means that the medical tests show that a person has a disease, but the test result was wrong, or “false.” A false positive result can also be called a “pseudopositive.”

THIS WEEK’S BUSINESS/EMAIL PHRASE

widely available

Hello Lexi:

Our competitor’s water purification product is already widely available, but I think that we can gain more customers if we sell our product at a lower price. We can also offer better service.

Explanation: When we talk about a product that is “widely available,” we mean that it can be bought at many stores in many cities.