VIP Class Notes (Mark)

Vocabulary

astronomy – the study of space and the universe
astronauts – a person who travels into space
planet – a large thing moving around a star
star – a large object in space that makes a lot of light
gravity – an energy that attracts something
solar system – the 8 planets and their moons that orbit our sun
orbit – the travel of planets, moon, or other objects continuously around something
astronomical – related to astronomy. OR very very large

Then we reviewed other words for “very large.” After that we read and discussed the meaning of some email news Sherry receives at work. The excerpt we covered is below.

Keppel Infrastructure Fund Management Pte Ltd (KIFM), the trustee-manager of Keppel Infrastructure Trust (KIT), has entered into a conditional sale and purchase agreement with Hyflux Ltd, through its Judicial Manager, to acquire the remaining 30% stake in SingSpring Desalination Plant for $12 million. Currently, KIT owns the other 70% stake.

Located in Tuas, SingSpring Desalination Plant is Singapore’s first large-scale seawater desalination plant and is capable of supplying up to 136,380 m3 of desalinated potable water per day. SingSpring Desalination Plant commenced commercial operations in December 2005 and utilises cost and energy-efficient reverse osmosis technology. At the time of its completion, it was the largest membrane-based seawater desalination plant in the world with one of the largest reverse osmosis trains.

Mr Jopy Chiang, CEO-Designate of KIFM, said, “The strategic acquisition of the remaining 30% stake in SingSpring Desalination Plant will enhance the operational and business continuity of the asset, and also strengthen the cash flow stability of the asset. This is an opportunity to increase our stake in a stable asset at a level which is expected to be accretive to distribution per Unit and offer an attractive risk-adjusted return for KIT.”

Pronunciation

potable – [pah ta bull]
located – [low kay ted]
strategic – [strah tee jik]
continuity – [kon tih noo ih tee]
asset – [a set]

Vocabulary

giant – very large
gigantic – very very large
enormous – very very large
acquire – to get
potable – can drink (Sherry I’m very sorry – I said potable is water that cannot be used for drinking, but I am wrong. It is the opposite.)
located – in a certain place
desalination – to remove the salt
commence – start or begin
utilise – use
strategic – done according to a plan

Read the article below and write a summary including any ideas or opinions you have.

Scientists show the world ‘Dragon Man’

Researchers in China have shown an ancient skull to the world for the first time. The skull could belong to a completely new species of humans that lived in Asia over 146,000 years ago. It could be from a group of humans that are the closest relatives to us. The researchers have nicknamed the person the skull came from “Dragon Man”. It was originally found in the city of Harbin in 1933 but was kept hidden. The Japanese army occupied the city at the time. The Chinese worker who found the skull decided to keep it safe. He hid it at the bottom of his family’s well. It stayed there for nearly 90 years. The man recently told his family about the skull before he died. His family located it and gave it to scientists.

Scientists say Dragon Man could greatly change our understanding of human evolution. They say it belonged to “a large-brained male in his 50s with deep-set eyes and thick eyebrow ridges”. He looked more like today’s humans than any other extinct members of the human family tree. The species Dragon Man belonged to is probably closer to modern-day humans than Neanderthals were. Researcher Chris Stringer of the Natural History Museum in London described Dragon Man’s group. He said: “This population would have been hunter-gatherers, living off the land. From the winter temperatures in Harbin today, it looks like they were coping with even harsher cold than the Neanderthals.”