Monday Morning English
TRAVEL NEWS WIRE…
Mandarin Hotel opening in Honolulu The 5-star Mandarin Hotel Group is planning to open a new residence complex in the Ala Moana district of Honolulu, between the Honolulu Airport and the World-famous Waikiki Beach. The complex will have a 36-story hotel tower with 125 guest rooms and 107 apartment residences. The top floors will feature rooftops restaurants and bars with outdoor terraces. Completion is expected in 2020. Hawaii continues to see an increase in tourism and residency interest, as affluent Asians start to travel and look for investments across the Pacific Rim.
HEALTH AND TECH NEWS
Smartphone use leading to fights between couples? Surveys conducted in India and Singapore found that many couples have had arguments over how much time they spend on smartphones and social media versus spending time with each other. The survey found that 75% of adults in India have argued with spouses, family members or friends over how much time and attention were paid to online devices. More than 50% of the Indians surveyed said that they had to compete against a mobile device for attention on a first date. In Singapore, more than 30% said that they had to compete with their date’s mobile device for attention on a first date. The survey was conducted among mobile phone users between the ages of 18 and 55.
THIS WEEK’S NATURAL PHRASE
in hot water
Kim: How has work been lately?
Joseph: Well, actually I had a very rough time last week. I didn’t complete my project on time, so now I’m in hot water with my boss. He yelled at me and said that everyone in the office needs to work harder, but he’s not willing to hire additional staff.
Explanation: The phrase “in hot water” means that someone is under stress because a superior (such as a boss or a professor) is putting pressure on them to perform better or to correct a mistake.
THIS WEEK’S MEDICAL PHRASE
take your temperature
Carolyn: I’m worried that I might have influenza. Can you check me?
Doctor Yong: Sure, just a moment while I take your temperature. Hmmm. Yes, you do have a slight fever. But I think we can help you recover with simple over-the-counter drugs. Then you should take your own temperature with a home thermometer in the morning and in the evening.
Explanation: The verb for measuring temperature is “take.” We can say “the staff took the patient’s temperature and found it to be over 37 degrees.”
THIS WEEK’S BUSINESS/EMAIL PHRASE
arbitrage
Hello Eleanor:
We found a slight difference in the dollar-to-yen exchange rates between Bank A and Bank B. If we buy Yen from Bank A and then sell them back to Bank B, we can make a 0.1% profit on arbitrage. But we need to move a large amount of money quickly before the exchange rate changes.
Explanation: The phrase “arbitrage” means that a profit is being made from minor price differences in items being bought and sold at the same time. Some currency traders buy a currency in one market and sell it immediately in other markets, at a very slight profit.
