Recommendation 1 from ‘The New York Times’
Article Name:‘Wary of plastic, and waste, some consumers turn to glass’
By: ‘Stephanie Strom’
The article is talking about an entrepreneur who is developing a reusable glass bottle, which will be hard to break. The article states that the shift from plastic and metal to these glass bottles is becoming a big business. And this is so because consumers are actually looking for sustainable products to be ecologically responsible. However, in the same breath the article does mention that glass is unlikely to replace plastic altogether, as billions of plastic bottles are used every year. But according to a survey there were 37 percent consumers who were very worried about the health issues that were brought about with the use of plastic, as compared to 33 percent in 2010.
Summary:
Well, we are in times when everything that we eat or use in eating today can cause a big health hazard to consumers, so it is obvious that people are slowly shifting their preferences to glass bottles. But what is even more commendable is the entrepreneur who is developing reusable glass bottles.
Learn Words from the article:
Reusable: To use again
Concerned: Worried
Entrepreneur: Someone who initiates a venture
Recommendation 2 from ‘The New York Times’
Article Name:‘A cruel and unusual record’
By: ‘Jimmy Carter’
The article states that America is on its way to abandoning its crown of being the champion of human rights. According to the article there have been revelations that officials are targeting people to be assassinated abroad and this list of people to be assassinated also includes many Americans. This has been one of the most worrisome violation of human rights. Further, the article also states that though America has made some mistakes in the past, but looking at the abuse of human rights record, there has been a dramatic change in it in the last decade. Further, recent legislation has made it okay for the President of America to detain a person indefinitely if there is a suspicion that he/she belongs to a terrorist organization.
Summary:
Human rights, I had thought that at one point were highly overrated. However, I was in 5th std at that time. And of course there has been a lot of change since then. Human rights is a subject to be overrated at all times. When it comes to lives and rights of humans there is no excuse that can be furnished to justify the absence of life or right. And when a developed country like America comes under the scanner, then matters are indeed serious.
Learn Words from the article:
Excessive: Extreme
Arbitrary: Random
Detention: Custody
Recommendation 3 from ‘The New York Times’
Article Name:‘Japan’s inept guardians’
By: ‘Richard Lloyd Parry’
Article states that Tokyo is a crime free city not because the police force it has is good, but despite the fact that police force is arrogant and complacent, people are relatively peaceful. Article points out that the fact police force of Japan is complacent and arrogant has been highlighted in the last few days. Article has highlighted many incidents that prove the complacency of the police force. One of the striking indent happened in Chiba, where a stalker was stalking a family, Family approached the police, but by the time police had not even taken any action, mother and daughter were stabbed to death by the stalker. Article mentions that Japan police is quite ill equipped if it comes to out of the ordinary crimes and the reason that it mentions is tat Japan police relies heavily on confessions and they coax the person whether guilty or not to confess.
Summary:
Japan on surface looks like the cleanest city in the world in every aspect. But on the deeper level, it has secrets tat you wouldn’t want to know. For example few years back there was a documentary called the Cove, which showed reckless slaughter of dolphins in one of the remotest areas of the city, away from the preying eyes of the international community. What that documentary really pointed out was that there could be many such issues that will need dealing and perhaps the police force issue is the most important.
Learn Words from the article:
Enforcement: To compel obedience to a law
Indulgent: Pleasure seeking
Apocalyptic: Destruction
