Unlocking Word
Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in
today’s article.
1. reinvent
(v.) [ree-in-vent] – to remake something (e.g., a product, etc.) into a completely new
version
Example: The company reinvented its brand to appeal to young customers.
2. sanitation
(n.) [san-i-tey-shuhn] – the disposal of waste (liquid or solid) carried off in sewers or drains
Example: Local officials are trying to solve
the village’s sanitation problem.
3. hygiene
(n.) [hahy-jeen] – cleanliness that aims to preserve health and prevent the spread
of disease
Example: Good hygiene prevents a person from getting sick.
4. developing
country (n.) [dih-vel-uh-ping] [kuhn-tree] – a country that is poor but wants to be more economically
and socially advanced
Example: Life can be hard for people who live
in a developing country.
5. remarkable
(adj.) [ri-mahr-kuh-buhl] – worthy of notice; extraordinary and unusual
Example: Ana’s performance on the last exam
was remarkable.
Article
Read the text below.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation launched
a $41.5 million project to get someone to reinvent the toilet.
A study from the World Health Organization (WHO)
showed that 1.5 billion children die every year due to diarrhea caused by
lack of toilet access.
According to Sylvia Mathews Burwell, president of
the foundation's global development program, the design of toilets is limited
especially for poor countries.
Frank Rijsberman, the foundation's director of
water sanitation and hygiene, said that building a toilet
requires water and a sewer system, which are costly and not always available
in developing countries. In
addition, toilet systems do not eliminate the dangerous substances in human
waste. For these reasons, the foundation aims to come up with an affordable toilet
that can recycle both waste and water.
Project participants, mostly university students
and researchers, have showed some remarkable
ideas, which include making a toilet that would recover water and salt
from feces and urine, sanitize human waste within 24 hours, and produce electricity
and solar power from it.
The Foundation believes, however, that changing the
design of toilets alone cannot solve hygiene-related problems if water
treatment and sanitation systems in these countries do not improve.
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Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion
A
·
What
are the common types of toilet found in your country?
·
Do
you think toilet design is important? Explain your answer.
Discussion
B
·
What
are the usual causes of sanitation problems?
·
What
other ways can you think of to solve sanitation problems?
