DAY 71 Sales quotas exploit convenience store workers Convenience stores provide many of us with a handy place to pop into 24 hours a day to buy things we have forgotten or didn't have time to get from other stores. They also provide part-time jobs for thousands of people. A new report from Japan suggests that some convenience stores are not so convenient for its workers. The report, from Japan's national broadcaster NHK, says overbearing and unrealistic sales quotas are being imposed on many parttime workers. Labor rights experts are calling on store bosses to stop what they deem to be an exploitative practice. There are reports of workers having hundreds of dollars deducted from their salaries and having to buy unsold stock for failing to meet the quotas. An expert on Japanese labor law Professor Mitsumo Uematsu said deducting a quota's worth of unsold products from salaries violated labor laws. He also questioned why so many part-timers felt compelled to buy unsold stock, which could be "seen as being forced to take on an economic burden because of pressure from stores". Professor Uematsu urged the headquarters of convenience store chains to tackle this problem so that part-timers are not exploited. One part-time worker said he was "drowning in quotas". Another said that workers can lose up to 20-30% of their monthly salary. The biggest losses come with quotas for unsold seasonal items like Valentines and Christmas goods and special sushi rolls. 1. Breach /britʃ/ 2. Merchandise /ˈmɜr tʃənˌdɑɪs/ 3. Specialist /ˈspeʃ ə lɪst/ TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if a-h below are true (T) or false (F). The article said convenience stores were dandy places to pop into. The article has news about a report from Japan's national broadcaster. A report said sales quotas given to part-timers were unrealistic. The report says workers have salaries deducted for not meeting quotas. A labor law expert says deducting salaries for unsold quotas is legal. The expert suggested workers were under pressure to buy unsold stock. A part-timer described how he was drowning in sushi. The biggest losses with quotas are for unsold daily newspapers.
DAY 72 Explanation : I tossed and turned all night!!! Robb Are you ill? Seles Not really! I am just tired. Bobb Didn't you sleep well last night. Seles No, I tossed and turned all night. Robb I am sorry to hear that, I hope you sleep better tonight. Seles Thank you. I'm sure I will. If you toss and turn, you move restlessly in bed and cannot sleep properly, for example because you are ill or worried. Example : You feel as if you've been tossing and turning all night, and wake up feeling worn out. KEY WORDS AND PHRASE 1. Overbearing /ˌoʊ vərˈbeər ɪŋ/ 2. Tackle /ˈtæk əl/ 3. Violated /ˈvɑɪ əˌleɪt/ Pattern Practice 1. He is such an overbearing boss. 2. There are many ways of tackling this problem.? 3. The traffic officer violated our rights.
DAY 73 Halal snack helps bring Australians together A new kind of fast food is having a big impact in Australia. It has helped to bring Australian people together, and it has been named as the People's Choice Word of the Year 2016 by Australia's Macquarie Dictionary. It is the "halal snack pack", also known as an "HSP" in Australia. It is a combination of kebab meat, potato fries and a special spicy sauce. Although the snack was created in Australia, it has its roots in the Middle East. It has become a symbol of multiculturalism in Australia as more people become aware of halal food. There is even an HSP group on Facebook that has over 180,000 members. The site is for, "sharing great snack pack stories and discussing possibly the best snack pack in the world". The halal snack pack has created a lot of discussion in Australia, especially after far-right politician Pauline Hanson refused to eat one. She said halal meat was unacceptable in Australia and that "98% of Australians" were against it. However, she could not provide any evidence to support her statement. Ms Hanson's words and actions have made the HSP more popular. Keysar Trad, president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, said HSP winning word of the year was fantastic. He said: "If you're able to find it in the dictionary, it takes away the mystery. It brings people comfort and satisfaction that there's nothing sinister about the word "halal". It's all about what's positive, what is good and wholesome." 1. Particular /pərˈtɪk jə lər li, pəˈtɪk-/ 2. Frightening /ˈfrɑɪ tən ɪŋ/ 3. Refuse /rɪˈfjuz/ TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if a-h below are true (T) or false (F). A halal snack was Australia's Word of the Year for 2016. The snack was created in the Middle East in 2015. The halal snack is now a symbol of multiculturalism. The halal snack Facebook page has more than 1800,000 members. A politician from the far right refused to eat the halal snack. The politician's words and actions made the halal snack less popular. Australia's Islamic Council wasn't happy about the Word of the Year. The Islamic Council suggested everything is good and positive.
Day 74 Explanation : Not that I know of!!! You say ' Not that I know of ' when someone has asked you whether or not something is true and you think the answer is; ' no ' but you cannot be sure because you do not know all the facts. Mei Is Mrs. Johnson joining us for dinner? Susie Not that I know of. Mei Susie Why? Mei I was hoping she would come with us. I would like her to try some of our traditional Chinese foods. Susie That's very kind of you. KEY WORDS AND PHRASE 1. Sinister /ˈsɪn ə stər/ 2. Aware /əˈweər/ 3. Wholesome /ˈhoʊl səm/ Pattern Practice 1. I have a very sinister step mom. 2. For safety purposes, we should be aware of our surroundings. 3. I like wholesome movies.
DAY 75 No shampoo may be better for your hair Could shampoo be a thing of the past? Millions of us spend a lot of time and money on it, but is it necessary? Shampoo sales have gone down a lot in the UK recently as more people are changing their hairwashing habits. A recent study by Nielsen, a consumer analyst company, said: "People are working from home and fewer people are smoking, so [they] are using less shampoo less frequently than before." The ecosalon.com website said shampooing regularly may be the reason hair gets so greasy. Shampoo makes the scalp dry, so the head produces more oil, which you then shampoo again to remove. The site said: "By shampooing less often, your scalp naturally reduces its production of [oil]." However, many people say shampoo is good for the hair. Mark Coray, a former president of the National Hairdressers' Federation in the UK, says there is no benefit to not washing your hair. He said: "Shampoo is not abrasive or harsh to the scalp.the ingredients in shampoo help the hair to look so [glossy].the hair's oil may build up so it starts to look like it is shiny...but it will not self-clean." A hair loss clinic in London, The Belgravia Centre, said: "Rinsing your hair is not going to be very effective after certain activities that make the scalp sweaty, such as exercising or using a sauna." It added: "Rinsing will also not remove bacteria or clean the excess oil from your scalp if you have greasy hair." 1. Essential /ɪˈsen ʃəl/ 2. Routine /ruˈtin/ 3. Harsh /hɑrʃ/ TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if a-h below are true (T) or false (F). 1. The article says shampoo is now a thing of the past. 2. Shampoo in the UK has not been selling so well recently. 3. Fewer people are using shampoo because fewer people are smoking. T / F 4. Shampoo makes the scalp dry, so the scalp then produces more oil. T / F 5. A former hairdressing president said not shampooing has many benefits. T / F 6. The former president said shampoo can be harsh on the scalp. 7. The former president said hair is not self-cleaning. 8. Rinsing your hair is effective at removing bacteria.