Topic Reading-Vol.483-8/7/2013

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

China starts work on world's tallest building.

Only less than a year left for the 828-meter Burj Khalifa in Dubai to claim as the world tallest building as a new skyscraper is now under construction in Changsha in central China, which is going to stand 838 meters tall from the ground. What’s more surprising is that the new top-of-the-world skyscraper is projected to be completed its construction in April, 2014, only within nine months after it was announced in July, 2013. How could that happen?

Enjoy reading the article and seeing the video of the staggering pre-fabricated method to build such a tall building at a speed faster than the time between seeding and harvesting crops.

Also, enjoy learning the fact that there will be over 1,000 skyscrapers, taller-than-152-meter building, have been completed, being constructed and planned by 2000 in China.

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/07/24/travel/sky-city-breaks-ground

Topic Reading-Vol.482-8/6/2013

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Taiwan vote on nuclear plant referendum sparks brawl.

Parliament is a place where democratically elected representatives or counselors discuss matters and make decisions and laws for the people of the country. It could have a heated argument or rigid standoff and becomes unable to reach any agreement. That is a saga of democracy, isn’t it? But in some cases, a dispute heats up over the boiling point and erupts, and the members of the parliament start fighting with their hands rather than mouths.

That what exactly happened in the parliament of Taiwan when they were about to vote on whether to hold a referendum on completing construction of their fourth nuclear power plant near its capital city, Taipei. Interestingly, some of the members tried to cool down the heat by throwing cool water over other members who were exchanging punches.

Enjoy reading the article and seeing the video how heated parliament could go over a controversial issue.  

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23544800

 

Topic Reading-Vol.481-8/5/2013

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Chinese online game targets Japanese-held islands.

A very hostile online game towards Japan was released in China on the 85^th birthday of the People’s Liberation Army, China’s military forces. The game is created in collaboration with the military that is hoping to boost patriotism as well as to recruit more young students who are the main users of such war and action games. It seems more evident these days China more openly regards Japan as their hypothetical enemy or something and doesn’t show any intention to conceal it.

Enjoy reading and learning about what image China’s military is trying to promote to the youth and how they are trying to recruit young soldiers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-23535593

Topic Reading-Vol.480-8/4/2013

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Yemeni girl from YouTube wants education, not marriage.

What sort of educational opportunities is given to girls in a place like Yemen where over a half of the girls under the age of 18 are married and whose parliament passed a legislation to raise the minimum age of marriage to 17 but has never been signed to become effective because of the pressure by conservatives who claim the law isn’t Islamic?

There is an eight-year-old girl who left her parents’ house to escape from a set marriage to become a domesticated young housewife but to be an educated young talent.

How many young girls in such ultra-conservative regions aren’t given proper, or at least minimum, education? Do restrictive religious practices meet today’s living standards, basic requirements or human rights?

Enjoy reading the article and watching the video to learn what education means to young girls. 

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/07/30/world/yemen-child-marriage/index.html?hpt=hp_c3

Topic Reading-Vol.479-8/3/2013

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

The Real Reason Kids Need to Master Their Math Skills.

This is something many students want to know; why we have to learn math and how necessary it is to find and deal with a job, or just simply live daily lives while calculators, computers or even other humans do the math for you, at least for most of the time.

The aim of developing math skill doesn’t seem to just answer math problems correctly but to adapt problem solving strategy through thinking logically, considering options and justifying the conclusions. This ability is becoming more essential these days when humans are required to cope with situations and environment that are changing more constantly and drastically that ever before. In short, developing math skills isn’t just for ability to calculate correctly to given preset problems but for adaptability to the changing situations.

Enjoy reading and learning what math is about and what it could provide for you. 

http://news.yahoo.com/real-reason-kids-master-math-skills-232600984.html

Topic Reading-Vol.478-8/2/2013

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Pope Francis: Who am I to judge gay people?

As you know, Pope is the Bishop of Rome and the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church. The incumbent Pope is Francis, elected on 13 March 2013 after Benedict XVI, has just become the first Pope to visit South America, gathering as many as three million people in the world famous beach Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro.

He made this first-time-ever visit for any Pope to visit Brazil whose Catholic population is the largest in the world but the proportion has been declining for the last decade against Protestants. The church’s tough position on abortion, divorce and gay marriage seem to have been the underlying reasons of the decline as the world, especially the young, seek more freedom and less borders among people because of particular practices and orientations.

However, the new Pope seems to be more sensitive and flexible on these issues based on the comments he made on his flight back to Vatican.

Enjoy reading and learning about the stance of the world most influential clergy. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23489702

Topic Reading-Vol.477-8/1/2013

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Ramadan acts as 'Super Bowl for adverts' in the Middle East.

You’ve got to know what Ramadan is in the first place. During this nearly a month period, Muslims are supposed to refrain from eating food, drinking liquids, smoking, and engaging in sexual relations between dawn until sunset. And what will they do with the time without any food or drinks? Watching TV more!!!

Enjoy reading and learning what people might do and companies do with them during this special period.

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/07/29/world/meast/ramadan-television-adverts/index.html?hpt=hp_c5