TRAVEL NEWS WIRE…
New African Union Passports By the year 2018, the African Union intends to issue a common passport, allowing citizens in 54 African countries to travel visa-free within the continent. Currently, only 13 African countries offer visa-free travel to citizens of other African countries. A survey of 1,600 citizens from Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya and South Africa found that airport and visa hassle was one of the top complaints of travelers. The survey also found that more than 80% of potential travelers got their information from websites or social media, while only 14% got their information from a travel agency.
HEALTH AND TECH NEWS
Wildlife TV host delivers medical care to poor in U.S. TV wildlife show personality Stan Brock used to fly a small plane to remote areas in South America to film wildlife documentaries. But for the past 30 years he has been building teams of volunteer medical professionals who travel to poor countries to provide medical care. Now his organization, Remote Area Medical, is setting up temporary clinics in poor areas of the United States where citizens do not have medical insurance. The RAM mobile facilities include dental stations, X-ray equipment, and eye care instruments, which operate in warehouses, schools, and even parking lots. In 2015 RAM provided free on-site medical care for more than 27,000 people. Over 10% of the U.S. population lacks proper health insurance. The RAM website: https://ramusa.org/
THIS WEEK’S NATURAL PHRASE
pop by your house
Rebecca: Did you get the travel tickets for our winter holiday?
Taylor: Yes, I just got them this morning. This afternoon I can pop by your house for a few minutes to give you the tickets and all of the details.
Rebecca: Sure, you can stop by any time after 6:00. I’ll be expecting you.
Explanation: The phrase “pop by” means to go to a place for a short time. It is a very informal phrase. We can also say “I’ll stop by your (house).”
THIS WEEK’S MEDICAL PHRASE
extract
Patient: I’ve been having problems with one of my back teeth for several years.
Doctor Chan: Yes, I see your dental records. I think the best option at this point is to extract the tooth and replace it with a new ceramic one.
Explanation: To “extract” something means to remove it from the body. We often use this verb when discussing teeth that need to be pulled out. The noun form is “extraction.”
extraction (noun): 抜歯
THIS WEEK’S BUSINESS/EMAIL PHRASE
low yield
Hello Mr. Morimoto:
We invested in real estate in Japan, but our investments are showing very low yield. The apartments are only making 1% profit per year. I think that we should sell the assets and invest in something more profitable. Explanation: The phrase “low yield” means that the profit from an investment is very low.