VIP Class Notes (Raph)[S][R]

Vocabulary

Clergy (n): 1- religious leaders, especially Christian priests, ministers, etc.
E.g.: We were surprised when he announced he wanted to join the clergy.

Vague (adj): 1-not clearly expressed, known, described, or decided.
E.g.: I do have a vague memory of meeting her many years ago.
E.g.: The patient had complained of vague pains and backache.

Lucrative (n): 1- (especially of a business, job, or activity) producing a lot of money:
E.g.: The merger proved to be very lucrative for both companies.
E.g.: Keen to preserve his artistic integrity, he refused several lucrative Hollywood offers.

Kiosks (n): 1- a small building or stall, where things such as chocolate, drinks, or newspapers are sold through an open window.
E.g.: I just need to go to the kiosk and get some snacks before we go.

Grievance (n): 1- a complaint or a strong feeling that you have been treated unfairly:
E.g.: A special committee has been appointed to handle prisoners’ grievances.
E.g.: Bill still harbors/nurses a grievance against his employers for not promoting him.
E.g.: The small amount of compensation is a source of grievance to the people forced to leave their homes.

Original:

Ten year ago a 14 years old girl wrote a letter to the local police declaring that she had been raped and sexual abused by her father, grandfather, uncles, and neighbors. After investigation and two trials, eleven suspects were sentenced to prison for rape and forced prostitution. Her parents were also find guilty for forced prostitution. Last year the girl’s mom has been released. She want to a plea and claimed that her case was fabricated by the girl. However, as the victim of this case, the girl has already changed her name and moved to another city, so her mom tried to find her daughter with the help of the media. Some controversial reports were published on the internet. Even though these reports emphasized that there were some questionaled point in this case, but most of the people just blamed the journalists who wrote these reports in a subjective way.

Edited:

Ten year ago a 14-year-old girl wrote a letter to the local police declaring that she had been raped and sexually abused by her father, grandfather, uncles, and neighbors. After an investigation and two trials, eleven suspects, including her father, were sentenced to prison for rape and forced prostitution. Her mother were also found guilty of the latter. Last year the girl’s mom was released and made a plea claiming that her case was fabricated by the girl. However, as the victim of this case, the girl had already changed her name and moved to another city, so her mom tried to find her with the help of the media. Some controversial reports emphasizing that there were some questionable points in this case were published on the internet, but most people just blamed the journalists who wrote them in a subjective way.

All New York Prisoners To Get Free Tablet Computer
(Source: www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1802/180203-tablet-computers.html)

All prisoners in the U.S. state of New York are to be given free tablet computers. The freebies are part of a deal struck between a private communications service called JPay and New York’s prison service. The lucrative but controversial agreement involves the contractor providing 54,700 convicts with a free tablet. The tablets will not be Internet enabled, but prisoners will be able to get limited, but monitored, online access by plugging their device into approved kiosks at specific times. Inmates will be allowed to email an approved list of family and friends; order certain music, books and videos; and file grievances and reports of abuse. All of this activity will be heavily monitored by prison staff.

Prisoner support services welcomed the free tablet initiative. They called it a “game-changer” and a “huge step forward”. A New York State official said the tablets would help prisoners remain closer to their families, and reduce tensions between prisoners and prison guards. However, law enforcement agencies are questioning the wisdom of giving tablets to convicts. Some law enforcement officers described it as a good example of how crime does pay. Top police officer Ed Mullins questioned why prisoners were getting free tablets when other people in society are struggling. He said: “Little is done for the homeless, mentally ill, and hard-working people who can’t afford tablets in New York State.”

Grammar

I cannot distinguish them at the beginning. – I could not distinguish them in the beginning.

It’s a recently hotly debated case in China. – Recently this has been a hotly debated case in China. 

Pronunciation

Blurred: /blɝːd/

Vague: /veɪɡ/

Kiosk: /ˈkiː.ɑːsk/

Grievance: /ˈɡriː.vəns/

Cut:
www.youtube.com/channel/UCbaGn5VkOVlcRgIWAHcrJKA

Hiho Kids:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqa2MPu8bLY1PwVFUpSyVhQ