The shoe market is changing quickly. Big brands now have strong competitors.
Nike is still the biggest. But it has problems. It focused too much on online sales. It did not make enough new products. Because of this, they lost some customers who looked for other brands.
All shoe brands have a new problem. High tariffs on shoes made from Vietnam could make the prices of sneakers much higher.
Listen to this audio and read the transcript about how the shoe business is changing.
What does “rival” mean? “The footwear market is changing fast as big brands like Nike and Crocs face new rivals.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym.
What does “to make a comeback” mean? “Meanwhile, Crocs has made a huge comeback.” Use the phrase in a sentence. Give a synonym.
What does “clever marketing” mean? “People used to think Crocs were ugly, but clever marketing and colorful charms called Jibbitz made them cool for young people.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym.
Discussion Questions:
According to the article, why are Nike and Crocs struggling?
How can they recover from these problems?
Share your opinion on this, “Nike made a mistake by focusing too much on selling online and not enough on making new, exciting products.“
Share your thoughts on this, “All these brands face a new problem: high tariffs on shoes made in Vietnam, which could make sneakers much more expensive for everyone.”
Give an example of a product or brand that you think uses clever marketing.
What are some of the most important footwear brands in your country? Why are they very popular?
No, none of, any, nothing, and nobody are indefinite pronouns and determiners. They are used to express absence, negation, or an unspecified quantity. They serve as modifiers or subjects/objects, typically indicating “not any” or “not one”.
No
Use “no” + noun to say something does not exist.
Structure: no + noun
Examples:
I have no money.
There is no water in the bottle.
She has no friends here.
Tip:
“No” makes the sentence negative, so don’t use “not” again. x: I don’t have no money. o: I have no money.
None of
Use none of + the / my / these / those + noun
Meaning: zero from a group
Examples:
None of the students are here.
None of my friends came.
None of the water is clean.
With pronouns:
None of them are ready.
None of us understand.
Tip:
Countable plural → usually are
Uncountable → is
Any
Use “any” in questions and negative sentences.
Structure: any + noun
Examples:
Do you have any questions?
I don’t have any money.
Is there any milk left?
Tip:
In positive sentences, “any” means it doesn’t matter which:
You can choose any color.
Nothing
Nothing means no thing.
Structure: nothing (no noun after it)
Examples:
I see nothing.
There is nothing in the bag.
He said nothing.
Tip: x: I don’t see nothing. o: I see nothing. o: I don’t see anything.
Nobody
Nobody means no person.
Structure:nobody (no noun after it)
Examples:
Nobody is at home.
I know nobody here.
Nobody called me.
Tip: x: I don’t know nobody. o: I know nobody. o: I don’t know anybody.
A new study found that 41% of traded wild mammals carry diseases transmissible to humans, compared to just 6.4% of non-traded species.
Read the article to know more about why experts warn that activities like hunting and transporting wildlife increase the chances of future pandemics and call for stricter global regulation.
What does “spillover” mean? “The global wildlife trade could be accelerating the spillover of diseases from animals to humans” Use it in a sentence.
What does “multilateral agreement” mean? “Currently, the main multilateral agreement governing international trade in wild species, CITES, focuses primarily on preventing extinction.” Use it in a sentence.
What does “disease emergence” mean? “To reduce disease emergence, these opportunities for encounters must be limited, and therefore the overall volume of trade.” Use it in a sentence.
Discussion Questions:
Why do you think wildlife trade still continues despite the health risks?
How can governments balance economic needs and public health when it comes to wildlife trade?
Do you think pandemics caused by animals are preventable? Why or why not?
How might wildlife trade affect not just health, but also the environment?
Would you support stricter penalties for illegal wildlife trade? Why or why not?
Recent research shows some heatwaves are already too extreme for human survival, especially for older adults. Even temperatures below previous “fatal” thresholds can be deadly when humidity and sun exposure are considered.
Read the article to know why climate change is expected to make these conditions more common.
What does “wet bulb temperature” mean? “The absolute limit for humans to survive had been assumed to be a six-hour exposure to a wet bulb temperature of 35C.” Use it in a sentence.
What does “core body temperature” mean? “The study only looked for periods where deadly heatstroke was likely if a person was exposed for six hours and also assumed people were entering the heat with normal core body temperature.” Use it in a sentence.
What does “to zoom in to something” mean? “My first thought was ‘Oh shit’ – I really didn’t expect to see that, especially when you zoom in to individual cities.“ Use it in a sentence.
Discussion Questions:
How do extreme heatwaves affect people’s daily lives in your country?
Do you think your area is prepared for more intense heat in the future? Why or why not?
What groups of people are most at risk during severe heatwaves?
What are some simple ways individuals can protect themselves during extreme heat?
Do you think governments are doing enough to address climate-related health risks like heatwaves? Why or why not?
Health experts warn that cutting funding for polio eradication efforts could reverse decades of progress. While cases are now low in countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan, continued global support is needed to fully eliminate the disease.
Read the article to know why funding is crucial to eliminate polio.
What does “disheartening” mean? “It is extremely disheartening to read that after 2026, the UK government is to end its contributions to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), putting at risk the great efforts that have been made over the last 40 years to improve the health and wellbeing of children across the world” Use it in a sentence.
What does “cornerstone” mean? “The eradication of polio is a cornerstone of the humanitarian work of Rotary International (a GPEI partner).” Use it in a sentence.
What does “on the ground” mean here, ” Infection numbers in Pakistan and Afghanistan are very low, but this is a result of great efforts on the ground in these last two endemic countries.”?Use it in a sentence.
Discussion Questions:
What do you think are the biggest risks of wildlife trade when it comes to spreading diseases?
Do you think stricter laws on wildlife trade would actually prevent future pandemics? Why or why not?
How aware do you think people are about the connection between wildlife trade and human health?
Should countries completely ban wildlife trade, or just regulate it better?
What role do you think individuals can play in reducing the risks linked to wildlife trade?
When we look at the structures that surround us in this day and age, the ones that catch our eye are often from a time before most of us were even born. Creations of the modern day do not tend to inspire awe or wonder compared to the gleaming Eiffel Tower, magnificent halls, and even the tiny yet ornate street lamps of the Victorian era. But what has changed from then to now? How has the world become so ugly?
To find out more, watch the video below.
Vocabulary Questions:
What is a “cesspit”? “There would have been open cesspits spilling down the streets, and the stench of sewage boiling in the midday sun would have been unbearable” Use this term in a sentence. Give a similar expression.
What does “embankment” mean? “Those lamps on the embankment did their job, and even though more efficient and better methods of lighting have been invented, they remain 150 years later.” Use this word in a sentence. Give a similar expression.
What does “exuberance” mean? “And yet, it has been designed with the same ornamental exuberance as any church or palace.” Use this expression in a sentence. Give a similar expression.
Discussion Questions:
Have you noticed examples of old structures that look more beautiful than new ones? If so, elaborate on your experiences.
Give your interpretation of this statement: “If you want to understand any society, don’t listen to what it says about itself; look at what it creates.”
Should the aesthetics of public structures be considered more important in modern-day society?
Why do you think designers put less emphasis on the beauty of structures in the modern day?
