What is measles?

Measles can be a very serious disease - and children who have not been vaccinated are at risk.

What is measles?

Measles is a highly contagious infectious disease characterised by a high fever, a rash and generally feeling unwell.

The first symptoms include runny nose, sore eyes, a cough and fever.

Around the fourth day of the illness, a rash - flat red or brown blotches - may appear, usually starting on the forehead and spreading downwards.

There may also be diarrhoea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

While this may be the full extent of the illness in many, resolving itself within two weeks of the first symptoms, other complications may arise in about one in 15 cases.

These include a severe cough and breathing difficulties, ear infections, pneumonia and eye infections.

In a very small number of cases, inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) may follow. This is extremely dangerous, as 25% of those affected are left with brain damage.

From: BBC Health News

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Not Making Your Bed May Be Healthier

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Scientists in England believe that not tidying your bed after you wake up may be healthier for you. Their research suggests that the dust mites that live in our mattresses do not like messy and unmade beds. This could be good news for people with asthma. The research team, from Kingston University, said the tiny bugs could only survive in sheets and mattresses that were slightly damp – they live off the moisture and sweat from our bodies. If a bed is unmade, air circulates between the sheets and dries them out. Dry sheets means the creatures will die from dehydration – a lack of water. The researchers said that the average bed contained around 1.5 million mites. They are less than a millimetre long and they feed on the flakes of skin that fall from your body.

Lead researcher Dr Stephen Pretlove said his research could cut amount of money spent on treating illnesses that are caused by mites. We breathe in the waste produced by bed bugs or get bitten by them. These can lead to asthma and other health problems. The British health service currently spends over $1 billion a year treating illnesses caused by mites. Dr Pretlove believes his research could change the way our houses are designed. “Our findings could help building designers create healthy homes and healthcare workers point out environments most at risk from mites, he said. Allergy expert Professor Andrew Wardlaw agreed, saying: “It would be good if ways were found to modify the home so that mite [numbers] were reduced.

1.	suggests	a.	insects
2	messy	b.	cause
3.	bugs	c.	moves around
4.	slightly	d.	indicates
5.	circulates	e.	change
6.	cut	f.	presently
7.	lead to	g.	a little bit
8.	currently	h.	conclusions
9.	findings	i.	untidy
10.	modify	j.	reduce From: Breakingnewsenglish.com

Red Meat Increases Risk of Cancer

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Health authorities in Britain have advised against eating too much red meat. The British government has issued a set of red meat guidelines which caution against eating more than 500 grams a week, or 70 grams a day. This is the equivalent of two beef burgers. Scientists say that eating more than this increases the risk of getting colon and bowel cancer. The new limits are down on the 90 grams a day recommended in 1998. Researchers think people who eat a lot of meat like lamb, beef, ham and bacon have a higher risk of cancer. A 2005 European study found people who ate about 160 grams of red meat a day increased their bowel cancer risk by one third compared to people who ate little meat. People have around a one in 19 chance of developing bowel cancer in their lifetime.

Experts told people the new guidelines did not mean people had to abandon red meat. The head of health information at Cancer Research U.K. said: "This doesn't mean people have to become vegetarian, but if you're having a steak every day, that's probably not helping.” Scientists are unsure as to why red meat increases the risk of colon cancer. They suspect that haem, the pigment that gives meat its colour, damages the cells in the digestive system and the lining of the colon. A World Cancer Research Fund official said: "Following simple diet and lifestyle advice can help protect against cancer. Red meat can be part of a healthy balanced diet. It is a good source of protein and vitamins and minerals…But people who eat a lot of red and processed meat should consider cutting down.”

SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

1.	issued	a.	chance
2	guidelines	b.	think about
3.	caution	c.	uncertain
4.	risk	d.	rules
5.	chance	e.	gave
6.	experts	f.	give up
7.	abandon	g.	likelihood
8.	unsure	h.	wall
9.	lining	i.	specialists
10.	consider	j.	warn

Finland has world's best education system

                                                          Click on the image to listen

A new report into world education shows Finland has the best system. The global study is called "The Learning Curve" and is from the British magazine "The Economist". It aims to help governments provide a better education to students. The 52-page report looked at the education system in 50 countries. Researchers analysed millions of statistics on exam grades, literacy rates, attendance, and university graduation rates. Asia did well in the report, with South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore finishing second, third, fourth and fifth. The United States came 17th in the study, while Mexico, Brazil and Indonesia filled the bottom three positions in the top 50.

The Learning Curve reported on five things that education leaders should remember. The first is that spending lots of money on schools and teachers does not always mean students will learn. Second is that "good teachers are essential to high-quality education". The report said teachers should be "treated as the valuable professionals they are, not as technicians in a huge, educational machine". Numbers three and four are that a country's culture must have a strong focus on the importance of education, and parents have a key part to play. Finally, countries need to "educate for the future, not just the present." The report said: "Many of today’s job titles…simply did not exist 20 years ago."

Sources: timeshighereducation.co.uk / thelearningcurve.pearson.com
From: Breakingnewsenglish.com

SYNONYM MATCH:Match the following synonyms from the article.

1.	report	a.	reading/writing
2	system	b.	necessary
3.	provide	c.	method
4.	analysed	d.	important
5.	literacy	e.	examined
6.	essential	f.	study
7.	valuable	g.	giant
8.	huge	h.	give
9.	key	i.	names
10.	titles	j.	precious

Most cancers 'bad luck', says US research

2 January 2015 Last updated at 14:09 GMT

New research has suggested that most types of cancer are the result of bad luck, rather than an unhealthy lifestyle or genetic factors.

The study, by scientists in the US, found two-thirds of cancers such as liver, pancreatic and thyroid, were caused by random mutations as cells divided.

The team said the best way to tackle such cancers was through early detection.

Adam Brimelow reports.

Read more

Most cancer types 'just bad luck'

New Year's resolutions difficult to keep

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New Year is when we make plans to change our life over the next twelve months. A professor said: "January 1 is a 'magical' date and a vow made on this day is much more powerful than one made on August 26." Most of our promises to quit, start or change things are usually broken by January 31st. They are usually the same resolutions that were not fulfilled from previous years. People tend to make the same resolutions even though they cannot keep them.

Around 45 per cent of us make resolutions. The most common ones are to lose weight, volunteer, quit smoking, save money, and get fit. Others include eating healthier food and drinking less alcohol. Most of us do not stick to these. A study found that 71 per cent of us stick to them for the first two weeks. This goes down to 50 per cent after six months. Most people give up because they lack willpower. They 'escape' by thinking they will 'try again next year'.

2. SYNONYM MATCH:Match the following synonyms from the article.

1.	start	a.	widespread
2	forthcoming	b.	regrettably
3.	vow	c.	yearly
4.	unfortunately	d.	promise
5.	hard	e.	approaching
6.	common	f.	shows
7.	fit	g.	get out
8.	reveals	h.	tough
9.	annual	i.	in good shape
10.	escape	j.	beginning

From: Breakingnewsenglish.com

Fast Food Could Make Children Perform Worse in School

New study shows that kids who eat the most fast food have lower test scores in science, math and reading

A new study shows that children who regularly eat fast food don’t perform as well as their fellow students in school.

“Research has been focused on how children’s food consumption contributes to the child-obesity epidemic,” Kelly Purtell of Ohio State University, who led the study, told the Telegraph. “Our findings provide evidence that eating fast food is linked to another problem: poorer academic outcomes.”

The study, published in Clinical Pediatrics, measured the fast-food consumption of 8,500 American 10-year-olds and then reviewed their academic test results three years later. The children were a nationally representative sample and researchers took into account more than two dozen factors other than fast food that could skew the results.

Among those who ate fast food on a daily basis, the average science score was 79, as compared with 83 for those who never ate fast food. Similar results were discovered for reading and math.

[Telegraph]

From: Time Magazine

Watch Oxford University’s All-Male A Cappella Group Sing ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’

They don't want a lot for Christmas... just your money for charity

Out of the Blue (OOTB), Oxford University’s all-male a cappella group, has released a cover of Mariah Carey’s holiday hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You” and a music video filmed at the historic school’s Bodleian Library and Divinity School.

Proceeds from purchases of the single will be donated to the Helen & Douglas House Hospice for Children and Young Adults.

Tory peer apologises for saying 'poor can't cook'

Conservative peer Baroness Jenkin of Kennington has apologised after saying "poor people don't know how to cook".


"Life is considerably cheaper if you are able to cook."

Click on the image to read the article.
From: BBC news.

Moon vacations possible by 2024

A website that provides price comparisons for flights, hotels and car hire across the globe has made some bold predictions for what travel will look like in a decade from now. Perhaps the most mouthwatering destination for 2024 holidaymakers will be a trip to the Moon or a stay in space. The site Skyscanner.com has just released a report of what holidays in the not-too-distant future might look like. The report is titled 'The Future of Travel 2024' and outlines a whole series of previously unimaginable vacation choices for the thrill-seeking traveller and those who just want to get there quicker. The report is a result of the collaboration between travel experts and international technology experts.
Holidays in space are perhaps the most spectacular of Skyscanner's predictions. Its report says: "Orbital space travel will be the next hot ticket, and commercial companies are lining up to make it a more affordable proposition." Indeed, Virgin Galactic and SpaceX are already accepting bookings. The cost of a seat on the Virgin craft (round trip, of course) is $250,000. Skyscanner also predicts an explosion in the number of underwater hotel rooms, which it says will become a mainstream travel option. Other things to look forward to include a supersonic aircraft that will fly London-Sydney in two hours and the emergence of "danger-zone" tourism. We can also expect futuristic advances in shopping and dining.

SYNONYM MATCH:Match the following synonyms from the article.

1.	provides	a.	inexpensive
2	hire	b.	forecasts
3.	predictions	c.	normal
4.	unimaginable	d.	joint effort
5.	collaboration	e.	eye-catching
6.	spectacular	f.	makes available
7.	affordable	g.	arrival
8.	explosion	h.	unheard of
9.	mainstream	i.	increase
10.	emergence	j.	rental

BBC's Antiques Roadshow uncovers a TIE fighter pilot helmet from the 1977 Star Wars film

The TIE fighter pilot helmet was from the set of the 1977 Star Wars film - the first in the series - and was one of only 12 made

TV presenter Fiona Bruce seemed a bit startled by a spectacular find during the filming of Antiques Roadshow, which she labelled as a “bit of plastic”.

If you want to read the article, click here

World Toilet Day

November the 19th is World Toilet Day (WTD).



Click on the first image to listen to this article.

November the 19th is World Toilet Day (WTD). This day celebrates the importance of something we never really think about too much – the toilet. Imagine life without one. There are many world issues regarding toilets. WTD is a global day of action to raise awareness of the fact that millions of people have no clean toilet. This creates serious health problems in many countries. No toilets or sewage systems means human waste is in the streets. This gets into the water supply and affects crops. WTD is run by the World Toilet Organization. This is a worldwide non-profit group that aims to increase the number of toilets in poor countries. It has a global network of over 200 different organizations in 56 countries.

Toilets have been around for thousands of years. The first known toilets and sewage systems were in the Indus Valley, in India and Pakistan. The modern flush toilet dates back to the sixteenth century. It was designed by an Englishman called John Harrington in 1596. It took another 250 years for his invention to become popular. In the late nineteenth century, rich Londoners installed them in their houses. Toilet design stayed the same for the next three hundred years. Modern technology is now changing the toilet. Japanese makers are making “smart” toilets that can analyze our waste and give us a report on our health. These may help keep all of us healthier in the future by checking our blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

You'll find an exercise below

Did you know why people say "bless you" when someone sneezes?

Why do we say "bless you" when someone sneezes, but no one says anything when someone coughs, blows their nose, or burps? What makes sneezes speacial?

Here are some common explanations where the phrase "bless you" originated:

1. People belived that the heart would stop beating momentarily when sneezing - but the fact it doesn't, thus "bless you" was uttered either as a supplication for life to return or as a congratulation upon its successful restart.

2. This goes back to more superstitious times when a sneeze was believed to separate the soul from the body. To prevent the devil stealing the soul the incantation "bless you" (short for God bless you) was uttered to release the soul from Satan's clutches and return it to its rightful owner.

3. It comes from the time of the Great Plague (also known as Black Death). As sneezing was one of the first symptoms, and it was obvious that person would die, "bless you" (or "God bless you") was a suitable thing to say. It was intended as a benediction to the nearly-departed, a way of commending his/her soul to the care of God that he/she was beyond the help of anything in the mortal world.

Every country around the world has its own way of wishing sneezes well. People in Muslim countries say "alhamdulillah", which means "praise to be Allah". In Russia, people say "bud zdorov" (be healthy). In China, people will say "bai sui", which means "may you live 100 years".

First woman swims across the Atlantic

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A 56-year-old has become the first woman to swim across the Atlantic Ocean. Jennifer Figge climbed out of the water in Trinidad on February the 5th to write her name in the record books. She left the Cape Verde Islands near Africa’s west coast on January the 12th. Her original plan was to swim in a straight line to the Bahamas. However, bad weather forced her to change direction and she had to swim an extra 1,600 kilometres to Trinidad. She spent almost a month in the water, swimming for up to eight hours at a time. Her day started at 7.00am with a huge breakfast to keep her energy levels high. She burnt up to 8,000 calories a day during her epic adventure. Her team threw her energy drinks as she swam to keep her going.

Figge first decided to swim the Atlantic when she was a teenager. She was on a stormy flight to the USA and decided if the plane crashed, she could swim back to shore. She got inspiration from French swimmer Benoite Lecomte, who became the first man to achieve the feat a decade ago. She trained for her trans-Atlantic marathon in an outdoor swimming pool surrounded by snow. Figge said she was never afraid during her swim, even though she used a shark cage. She said she never saw any sharks, but did see lots of whales, dolphins and turtles. She thought a lot about her family and her pet dog while in the water and told the Associated Press news agency: "My dog doesn't know where I am. It's time for me to get back home to Hank."

SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:

1.	woman	a.	drove
2	left	b.	influence
3.	forced	c.	informed
4.	huge	d.	female
5.	epic	e.	rough
6.	stormy	f.	enormous
7.	inspiration	g.	frightened
8.	trained	h.	departed
9.	afraid	i.	heroic
10.	told	j.	practiced

Climate change summit: Global rallies demand action

Street protests demanding urgent action on climate change have attracted hundreds of thousands of marchers in more than 2,000 locations worldwide.

From the BBC.

Click here to read the article.