Monday Morning English
TRAVEL NEWS WIRE…
India’s fourth largest city flooded India’s southern state of Tamil Nadu and its state capital of Chennai have been hit with rains that brought floods resulting in more than 250 deaths. Roughly 3 million people are without power and basic utilities. The rains in Chennai were the worst in over one century. The airport has also been flooded, which caused delays in bringing in relief supplies. In the past five weeks 147 centimeters of rain have fallen on the region.
HEALTH AND TECH NEWS
Temporary tattoo concept for health monitors A company based in San Antonio, Texas is developing a system of health monitors called Tech Tats that patients can stick onto their skin like a bandage or a temporary tattoo. The monitors use an electricity-conductive paint that can be applied to the body.
conductive: 導電性
THIS WEEK’S NATURAL PHRASE
tight-lipped
Zoey: Yesterday Silas told me that he wasn’t happy with his job. But when I asked him about his salary and if he liked his boss, he didn’t give me an answer.
Antonio: That doesn’t surprise me. Silas is very tight-lipped when it comes to talking about money. He doesn’t like to say much about how much he makes or how much he spends.
Explanation: The phrase “tight-lipped” is used to describe someone who doesn’t share much information, or who doesn’t like to talk very much.
THIS WEEK’S MEDICAL PHRASE
suspicious of that claim
Patient: I heard on a TV show that drinking red wine and taking vitamin supplements will help me live longer.
Doctor Gonzales: I would be very suspicious of that claim. The company that makes the vitamin supplements is probably a sponsor of the show. And the host of the show is not a real medical doctor. Please consult with a trained medical professional before starting a new diet.
Explanation: The phrase “suspicious of that claim” means that someone does not completely trust the story that they are hearing.
THIS WEEK’S BUSINESS/EMAIL PHRASE
soft release
Hello Greg:
We want our ice cream shops to release the new spicy vanilla flavor this month, but we don’t have enough of the ice cream to serve all of our customers. So instead of making a big promotional campaign, I think we should just make a soft release with a few small posters in the stores. After a few months we can think about a major release.
Explanation: A “soft release” means that a company is introducing a new product to their customers, but without any major announcements. They can wait to see if people like the product before they make it in large amounts.
