[236] Unlimited movies and music on Qantas flights

TRAVEL NEWS WIRE…

Unlimited movies and music on Qantas flights Australia’s Qantas Airlines is reportedly the first airline to offer passengers free, unlimited viewing of movies through the Netflix movie streaming service, as well as free music through the Pandora service. Qantas claims that recent changes in their satellite service allows them to have WiFi service that is 10 times faster than other airlines. The service will become available on Australian domestic flights by the middle of 2017.

HEALTH AND TECH NEWS

HPV side effects? A number of Japanese women have filed lawsuits claiming that they developed serious side effects after receiving human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccines. The Japanese government started promoting the vaccinations for women between the ages of 12 and 16, but cancelled the program after only two months, due to complaints of serious side effects. The companies that make Cervarix and Gardasil, the two main HPV vaccinations, claim there is no clinical evidence of health risks related to the vaccines. Every year 2,000 women in Japan die from cervical cancer. As HPV does not cause cancer in males, there is no male vaccination program.

THIS WEEK’S NATURAL PHRASE

we missed the boat

Ree: Did you get the tickets for the hip-hop concert on Saturday?

Mark: I checked online 10 minutes ago, and the tickets were sold out. It seems that we missed the boat. We’ll have to wait until next year.

Explanation: The phrase “we missed the boat” means that a chance was lost. It is like going to a sea port too late and seeing that the boat or ship has already departed. We can also say “missed the bus.”

THIS WEEK’S MEDICAL PHRASE

visually impaired

Susan: Our son is having trouble in school, due to his severe eye problems. Can you recommend anything to help him?

Doctor Huang: There are a number of new technology devices for assisting students who are visually impaired. Some can give audio cues to the school environment, and other apps can provide audio versions of various books.

Explanation: The phrase “visually impaired” describes people who have a serious vision problem that cannot be corrected with eyeglasses. It might not be complete blindness, but can include serious vision problems. The term “blind” is discouraging, especially for children. In the U.S., visual impairment is defined by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The World Health Organization also sets guidelines for visual impairment.

THIS WEEK’S BUSINESS/EMAIL PHRASE

carrot and stick

Hello Antonio:

I’ve heard that our company’s marketing department is using a carrot and stick approach with the new marketing recruits. They will be given cash bonuses and free trips if they surpass their sales targets. But if the recruits fail the sales targets for three months in a row, they will be sent back to the employee training program.

Explanation: The phrase “carrot and stick” means a simple system of rewards and punishment. The phrase comes from the idea of showing a carrot to a horse or donkey to make it move forward, and hitting it with a stick as punishment if it doesn’t move forward.