Getting into Unit 1 = Identity (B&S3, p7, Discussion point)

What we read 

Bixby and Scanlon introduce each unit with a discussion activity, that is, an opportunity for us to share our ideas on the topic of the unit in a way that relates it to our own lives, ideas and experiences. Unit 1 of book 3 (Bixby & Scanlon [=B&S3], 2013, p.7) does this. 

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My response 

The research solidly shows that brainstorming or discussion activities for groups are more effective if participants start by working individually (O'Connell, 2010; Markman, 2017). In fact, experts at Harvard University's School of Management and elsewhere are sure that this can be very effectively done using online tools (Chamorro-Premuzic, 2015). Blogging is one effective way to do this, which is the reason I've turned Bixby and Scanlon's discussion exercise into a quick blogging discussion. 

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Bixby and Scanlon's questions

In a comment, or two if you prefer, share your ideas on these three questions: 

• What are five words that you would use to answer the question, "Who are you?" 
• What are some of the social groups you belong to? 
• In what ways are these groups important to you? 

For all of these, you should write full sentences. You will also need to write a few sentences for each of your ideas, giving explanation, examples and other details to clarify and develop your ideas. 

You can address the questions in any order. You can write one comment, or if you prefer, two comments, but not three. So that you don't worry about Bixby and Scanlon's numbers too much, I replaced them with bullets. 

Open a new comment box and start writing. You have five (5) minutes.   

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References

• Bixby, J. & Scanlon, J. (2013). Skillful Reading & Writing, Student's Book 3. Oxford: Macmillan Education.
   
• Chamorro-Premuzic, T. (2015, April 2). Why brainstorming works better online. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2015/04/why-brainstorming-works-better-online
   
• Markman, A. (2017, May 18). Your team is brainstorming all wrong. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2017/05/your-team-is-brainstorming-all-wrong
   
• O'Connell, A. (2010, February 4). Sometimes, it’s better to brainstorm alone. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2010/02/when-its-better-to-brainstorm 

Zemach's foreword (B&S3, p4, To the Student)

What I read

Click to view full size.

On page 4 of our text, the series consultant, Dorothy E. Zemach (2013), briefly introduces the full series of Skillful books, and also suggests a few general strategies for that she thinks will help you, the students, to get the most out of the course. 

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My response 

Long before I ever heard of Skillful, I had used text books that Dorothy Zemach had written or helped to write, and had become an admirer of her practical implementation of effective learning strategies. She is, for example, the chief author of the book Writing Essays: From Paragraph to Essay (2011), which is used in AUA's General Writing 3 and 4 courses. And I might use something from the original 2003 edition of that book in a week or two. 

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My question

Quickly read Zemach's foreword on page 4 of Skillful. Then respond to these questions with a quickly written comment. (Again, don't write an essay – we'll get to that in a week or two.) 

• Which of Zemach's strategies to you think most important? Why? 
• Do you disagree with any of her five strategies for students such as yourself? 
• Which one do you think is my favourite? (Note that I had trouble answering this question.)

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Reference

• Zemach, D. E. (2013). In J. Bixby & J. Scanlon. Skillful Reading & Writing, Student's Book 3 (p. 4). Oxford: Macmillan Education 

Ins's Academic Interests

Language
     I really like to study language because there are many words with same meaning and some word can fit with the sentence better that's why I like to study them. The language I interested other than english is Japanese because I listen to japanese songs and I have become interested in the language and the meaning of the song.

Media Production
     I always wonder when I think about a making of movie like script,scene element or soundtracks while watching a movie or sometimes when I saw a scene with extraordinary camera placement I was like "Wow,I have never seen this camera angle before".

Progamming and Game development
     Since I like to play video games,of course it also interested me about programming because it really amazing when you make an application program to make anywork more convenient.
And for game development,I interested because when I played in a story mode,it feels like I'm in that situation and really enjoy the interaction between each character. It's feel like watching a movie but with a deeper perspective.

Orn's academic interests

My main interest is Fashion design. I remembered enjoy watching fashion design contest and reading magazine as much as watching Cartoon. I practiced drawing , sketching to got into school of fashion design.

I realized that I also enjoy Fashion merchandising and retail management while studying in university. I had a chance to exchange study in Paris about Luxury fashion management.

As I have my own fashion business and I believe that marketing and business administration is important skills to learn to grow a business. I read some marketing books and tips and ideas for online business.

Apart from fashion , I also like studying fashion history because fashion can be great influence to the society and I can learn history of the world through fashion.In my free time, I like to go museum and learn more about Arts, particularly Western Arts.

Chatt's academic interests

There are many kinds of academic interests. My academic interests are about Mathematics, Thai history and Medical.

Firstly, I love mathematics because I think that's the subject I am good at.

secondly, I love watching  Thai history movies and series, such as Pranaresuan and Buppesannivas.

Finally,I would like be a doctor because when I was young I was always sick so Medical is what I really interest and want to learn.

Yoon's academic interests

I am currently studying rehabilitation psychology but other than my major I am also interested in History, which I am not familiar of, and languages. It's kind of like stories that keep me interested in and make me wonder and find more. That is why I also like the Bible. I do not have any religious but I enjoyed reading the Bible itself. Language is another that I would like to spend time with.

Bee's academic interests

Even though I studied in Math-Sci program, I love English. English is the language that most of people in the world are studying, so I think it's the good opportunity to study English. Moreover, English helps me to watch videos on youtube and read some foreign website easily.

Apart from English, I also love mathematics. Math, the foundation of everything, should be learned by everyone in the world. Because, in my opinion, it's the language that the world speaks, and if I don't speak it, so it can be really tough for me to survive in this world.

Due to my interest in business and finance, I love reading business and some business-psychology books. For example, I read the intelligent investor, one up on wall street, and other books.

Ben's academic interests

Listening Music

          I always enjoy listening in many kinds of music in the world such as Jazz Music, Classical Music, Thai Classical Music etc.

          I also enjoy playing Music sometimes like a String Music Instruments, piano (seldom).
          So, I do like 

Boom's Academic Interests

My academic interest is an Interior Architecture Design. I also interested in the filed related to Interior Design such as Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Furniture Design. I love to design and interpret a built-environment for people to enjoy their living because it is how they live in everyday lives.

My second interest is Everyday Psychology. For example, How our brain works, How to improve our learning skills in the right way. Understanding daily psychology may make our lives healthier and easier.

Another interest is philosophy subjects. I love to think about what people think and live their lives. Therefore, I always spend my free time to read philosophy books.

Kan's academic interests

I studied in Computer Engineering. So, my main academic interests are most about Information Technology.  I love to catch up with IT news and learn about the technology. It helps to improve my work as well. 

Also I am keen about Philosophy. I find the idea and philosophy theories are very fascinated and can explain a lot about life.

History is also an interesting topic for me. It explains whatever happens in the present.

Peter's academic interests

My first academic interest was botany, which was probably inspired by the farm I grew up on in Australia. I loved to grow trees. I had coral trees, oak trees and fig trees growing in pots from the age of around eight. This led to my next interest, which was biology generally, with a particular interest in how cells worked, and that in turn led me to chemistry.

By the time I got to high school, physics had become my main obsession, but mathematics was also growing in interest. I loved mathematics because unlike everything else, it proved its results. There was no need to do experiments to be absolutely certian that Pythagoras was right, that the sum of the squares on the other two sides of a right angle triangle really did equal the square of the hypotenuse. It was equally certain that the square root of 2 was not a rational number, and that there were an infinite number of prime numbers.

My math teacher in the last year or high school was a Marist brother who might have been a bit worried that my interest in science would lead me away from my Christian religion, so he introduced me to philosophy. That didn't work out the way he hoped: I loved philosophy, but it didn't help me to remain a Christian.

Welcome to RW2A and to our class blog

What I read

Although I've read a lot in preparation for it, this post has a different purpose. I want to welcome you to your EAP class on Monday to Thursday mornings.

So, welcome.  

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My response 

Thank you for joining our weekday class in Reading and Writing for academic purposes. I hope you find the next six weeks useful, productive, also challenging, and perhaps even fun. 

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My question

I hadn't planned on a question, but I guess I should follow my own template for our blogs. Perhaps it's worth asking you to write a comment on your previous experience or ideas on using online discussion boards. As you will see in our book, online discussion makes an appearance early on in Unit 1 (Bixby & Scanlon, 2013, p. 9) and there is a more extensive coverage of this common part of modern university courses on page 66, so I do have a question. 

Do you agree with the authors of our book and myself? Is a class blog a useful addition to our class this term? (This is two sentences, but it's only one question for you to respond to.) 

You can respond as soon as you accept the invitation I will soon send you to join this blog. 

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Reference

• Bixby, J. & Scanlon, J. (2013). Skillful Reading & Writing, Student's Book 3. Oxford: Macmillan Education 

Thought, reading 2 (B&S3, p30, Before you read)

What we read

On page 30, Bixby and Scanlon (2013) give us couple of photographs and some questions to think about and respond to as preparation for the coming reading, "How does the brain multitask?"

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Bixby and Scanlon's questions

Think of three examples of multitasking from your daily life. Which situation is the easiest for you and why?  

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Reference

• Bixby, J. & Scanlon, J. (2013). Skillful Reading & Writing: Student's Book 3. Oxford: Macmillan Education

Thought: reading 1, "Is your memory online" (B&S3, p29, Before reading)

Before we read

Write a comment to share your thoughts on these questions that Bixby and Scanlon ask on page 28 (2013).

• What do you use the Internet for?
   
• Do you think that the Internet makes today's students better or less informed than students 50 years ago? Why?
   
• How do you know the information you find on the Internet is accurate? 

_

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Reference

• Bixby, J. & Scanlon, J. (2013). Skillful Reading & Writing, Student's Book 3. Oxford: Macmillan Education 

Park Geun-hye: South Korea's ex-leader jailed for 24 years for corruption

What I read

               South Korea's former President Park Geun-hye has been sentenced to 24 years in jail after she was found guilty of abuse of power and coercion.

The verdict was broadcast live and represents the culmination of a scandal which rocked the country, fuelling rage against political and business elites.
Park, who was also fined 18bn won (£12m, $17m), faced a string of corruption charges.
The former leader was not in court on Friday for the verdict.
She has boycotted her trial hearings and has previously accused the courts of being biased against her. She has also denied all wrongdoing and has said she will appeal against her sentence.

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My response 

      All things considered, laws will give society justice so it is right that Korea's former President has been sentenced to 24 years in jail with fined.
      In my opinion. I think they should have heavier sentenced.

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My question

1. what do you think about this news?
2. how can we deal with corruption?

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Reference

• http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-43666134

Uber sold business to Grab in South East Asia

What I read

In Uber sells South East Asia operations to rival Grab. Uber sold their business in South East Asia to Grab because Grab is the most popular and has millions of users across eight countries in this area and this is Uber’s third sale in Asia that is China, Russia and South East Asia. They said it was a good combination of reducing costs and giving more benefit customers. And from this happening, people are concerned that the price of the service will be high because it is unrivaled in the market.

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My response 

From I studied economics this thing happen that Uber sold business to Grab is not good for economy because it made their is monopoly market which the business can set price more expensive than true and the consumers can not have the opportunity to choose better services because there is only one service. On the other hand, combining business together made Grab which is a complete business that provides a full land transportation service. It includes the services of taxi, car, motorbike, and parcel and food delivery.

Although the Thai government banned the services of both companies, there are a lot of people choose to use their services because of the inefficient taxi service. And in my experience, I don’t like about this combine business together because I used to service from two companies and I think I like drivers and system service from Uber more than Grab. So I'm afraid the service will be worse and more expensive price. 

 Finally I think the Thai government should accept their companies to challenge with Taxi Thai that it will make the public service more effective and more efficient. And this is a good effect for the people who use the service.

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My question

What do you think about this combined? and what are the adventage?

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Reference

• BBC News. (2018, March 26). Uber sells South East Asia operations to rival Grab. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/business-43536322

The mothers who regret having children

What I read Research found that 8% of women regret to be a mother. A few mothers can reveal about it. Three women were interviewed . First, Recheal said that she didn't  have mother instinct and boring to feed children. She felt more badly because she was curious why no one feel the same as her. Second, Alison told that having children was not what she thought. She did not have her own time and felt that it was not fair having to responsible for other happiness as her priority. She lost living time in way what she want for 15 years. Lastly, Joy prefers to look after her business. She also thinks others lie that they love raising children.    

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My response 

I would not like to have childern in the future. Now I am single and I know that I do not have maternal instinct. I just feel the same as interviewee even I do not have experience about having children. When my collages take their children to office because  no one can not look after them at home, I do not want to take care of them. I do not know what to play or talk with them. At first, I think It is just because I am the only child in house. I think that if I married with someone, I will be create motherhood that time. But, these article told me that it was not what most people believe. I feels thank you interviewees to tell the truth.  

Some people might against this opinion and claim that if you do not have children when you get retire no one with take care of you. You might feel very lonely at the retirement age. But, I do not agree with this idea. I think if I have not married or I do not have children, I am able to  save money for my retirement. When I am getting older, I can move to good nursing home. In the next 30 years, I think this kind of business will be very boom because we are in aging society.

In conclusion, I feel thankful for this article because I do not read about this kind of this opinion. No one would like to share openly about it because it makes the speaker seems selfishness and they concern about their children think about what they feel. This article will help a family make the best decide about having children or not. 

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My question

Do you want to have childern in the future? Why?

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Reference

• Jean Mackenzie. (2018, April 3).The mothers who regret having children. BBC News. Retrieve from : http://www.bbc.com/news/education-43555736

UK’s new law to banivory trade

UK’s new law to banivory trade

What I read

In “UKivory ban among world's 'toughest', Michael Gove says” BBC News (2018) reported that Michael Gove said the new law on ivory sales is to be more strict than the past and the most strict ban in the world and he continued that the ban would affirm the UK’s position as the world’s leader against the disgusting trade. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the highest punishment of five years in prison or an unlimited fine is for selling ivory. In addition, many leaders of organizations relating to tusk poaching praised the UK’s new tougher measure on ivory trade. However, some exceptions will be remained; for example, products made of less than 10 percent of ivory before 1947, and music instruments made of less than 20 percent of ivory before 1975.

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My response 

I'm glade to know that the big country spotlights the cruel trade and enacts the very strict measures to stop it and relevant processes. This is so big problem relating to international trades from the elephants' habitats to worldwide wildlife markets that a single organization or a country can't deal with alone. So, you can see that, because of inhumanity,  UK, US, China and many countries have focused attention on wildlife trafficking .

 Elephants' tusks are their long teeth. It is believed that the teeth are precious material which is used in jewelry and medicine. More than that, it can be used as the symbol of status and can bring prosperity and good luck to the owners. The beliefs of elephants' teeth have still remained among Asians especially Chinese people, so the ivory trading has still existed. I remember that in the past poachers tranquilized the elephants before cut their tusks off  but due to high costs and avoiding arrest, today the elephants are killed and their frontal heads are removed to take their long teeth. The process of taking tusks is easier but more violent. Not only elephants but other animals with tusks or horns like rhinos, hippos, hornbills and even narwhals are endangered.

With highly advanced technologies in the present time, food and medicine including health service and education are provided, which is much more easier to access than the past, so it's unnecessary to eat and use wild and rare items from forests. Elephants' tusks belong to the elephants, so they are the most beneficial when the elephants use the body part to protect them from predators and break branches.

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My question

Have you ever seen any products made of ivory? What are they? Where did you see them?

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Reference

• UK ivory ban among world's 'toughest', Michael Gove says. (2018, April 3). BBC News. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-43620012

City life and Mental Health

What I read

In Does City Living Hurt Mental Health? Matteo wrote the story about relation between mental health problem and living in cities. According to research from King college London university by servery 108 people about city living experience , it found that living in urban area significantly roes mental illness because of noisy pollution, stress and congestion. On the other hand, the American research found that live in rural area can reduce possibility of Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which is brain disorder. It also found that living in city can develop three times higher mental risk chance than living in urban area. Further more, the researchers have new plan to conduct new survey with more people and more nationality around the world to investigate about this relation.

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My response 

I have lived in Bangkok for all of my life. I felt that there are many things that increase our strain, for example, traffic congestion, competition in working place or cost of living. More and more people come to city center to find job or learning at university. As in article stated that people in city will have more chance to due with mentality illness. I agree with it. Even though, I cannot compare directly between living in urban area and rural area because I have only one side experience, based on my experience when I visit my grandmother at Ratchaburi province I felt that It is much more relax than living in Bangkok , for instance, surrounding by green environment, living with slow life and friendly people.

Immigration of people to capital city is not occurring only UK or Thailand but I happened all around world. The more citizens come the more stress will occur such as more competitive in job market or pricing accommodation which significantly rise over twenty years. Government should concern about this issue. Personally decentralization is good idea like many countries did before. The provinces like Chaingmai and Phukit, Ubon Ratchathani may be the second capital city of Thailand.

I am waiting for the result of new survey of the research, which will survey more people and more countries, but I think it will be the same as previous result that city life have significantly correlated with mental illness. 

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My question

Do you think people living in city or countryside have more mentality risk? Why? which do you prefer to live in ? 

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Reference

• Matteo, A. (2018, April 2) Does City Living Hurt Mental Health?. VOA. Retrieved from https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/health-lifestyle-city-living-mental-health/4322919.html

Just let the police work

What I read

In "Gwinnett minister, wife, sons brawl with police during missing child rescue"(2018), Paisa Habersham reports the situation when Gwinnett County minister and his family obstruct and disobey officer's order in front of a church when police team is rescuing the teenage girl which is found in the back of minister's car after being reported a missing girl at Lawrence Highway. The situation goes worse when the minister and one of his son approach and assault the officers while the wife also keeps yelling "[why're you so mean? there're kids here]". The officers can finally restrainedly use their ability to control the situation, the minister and family are arrested, the missing girl is returned to her family, and the video at the scene taken by police camera goes viral on social media.

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My response 

I've first seen this news and the video on facebook a couple day ago. It really goes viral on Facebook when every sound is kind of supporting the police officers. This is news about the police officers, but I won't mention anything about Thai officers or government here; otherwise, it'll more about politic.

First, this can be such an argument that what officers did exceed their right or they were too cruel to take action when there were kids there because if you take a look in the video, the officer pointed the taser toward minister and did shoot it. The officers, of course, have the right to use the weapon, but just in an inevitable situation, not every situation. We then should consider the law if the situation those officers were was reasonable enough to take up the taser and shoot at the minister. I didn't study law and didn't find any information, but I'll say what I think next.

Yes, and what I think is that what officers have done is reasonable and they have right to do that. There might be some controversial case with the police on social media when the police officers exceed their right. For example, if the officer takes up the gun and shoot and cause a thief to death, there must be an argument. I wouldn't say much about that. But, the situation in this news, it's definitely different from my previous example. If you've watched the short video in the news, the officers did tell the family to "get back" many times but they didn't listen but assault the officer and even grab the taser and radio from the police. I would say the officers had a great restraint to carefully control the situation and nothing went worse than little fight. And that's what I agree with every comment on Facebook - they say the officer had a great restraint.

For the reason that the minister and his family didn't let the officer get to the missing girl, I don't know. But as long as they are government official, they have right to give an order, and minister's family should have obeyed to "get back" and let the police do their work. And when the woman said "why you so mean, there're kids here", there's my favorite comment by someone on Facebook saying that "instead of saying that, why don't you take your kids to a safer place".

I personally don't know much detail about this news but if I think even if they had any good reasons, they still should have done what officer told to do, and they can say their reason to the police or to the court later. Maybe they are, at first, not really criminals; however, what they did gave them new charges - "not complying with Police, assaulting Police Officers, and stealing Police property (radio and tasers)"

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My question

Did the officers exceed their right? (You might want to check out the video in the news first)
When is the force using by the police officers considered to be excessive and when is not?

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Reference

• Habersham, P. (2018, March 26). Gwinnett minister, wife, sons brawl with police during missing child rescue. AJC News. Retrieved from https://www.ajc.com/news/crime--law/gwinnett-minister-wife-and-sons-brawl-with-police-during-missing-child-rescue/MZR2OQRRYMYpKyUP7A7kCJ/

The new trend for online gold investment in India

What I read

In In India, More People Are Buying and Selling Gold Electronically Grow wrote that the trend in the investment in gold has been changed recently from physical gold to electronic gold in India; on the other hand, online gold purchase have been growing worldwide for many years. It is considered to be a major change in one of the investments in India since it is really difficult to change people 's behaviours. Most teenagers are pretty interested in investing in electronic gold because they do not have to use a large amount of money to buy it and it is safer rather than buying physical gold.

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My response 

In Thailand, we have been trading in gold for ages; however, it is not that popular in my opinion. Many old people still buy physical gold because of theirs' behaviours. As you can see gold prices have been increasing dramatically from the past and it is one of the investments that is against inflation. Normally people buy gold for a few purposes such as buying it for wedding ceremony, investing in gold for a long term or trading. 

The stock market in Thailand is much more popular than gold future. I think investing in stock is easier than gold future. Investors who invest in gold future should have background or learn about it before getting involve the future market due to the complexity of the product. Every stocks in the stock market have their own fundamental from their businesses. We can read it from the news, the company websites, the SEC website, seminars and so forth. There are many ways to learn and understand each stocks in the market. Conversely, we cannot learn the fundamental of gold since it depends on other factors not itself. For example, if there is a war, gold prices will rise. It is just a safe heaven asset. People want to buy it when there are uncertain situations in the world such as wars and politics. 

From the article, I think it is interested that Indians can change their behaviours from buying physical to digital gold. It is so challenging in the beginning. It is a good idea to do this since we are in the globalisation period. We do a lot of thing in applications such as shopping, transfering money, ordering food, reading news, texting and chatting and so on. 

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My question

Do you prefer investing in physical gold to digital gold? 

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Reference

• Grow, G. (2018, April 1). In India, More People Are Buying and Selling Gold Electronically. VOA Retrieved from https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/in-india-more-people-buying-and-selling-gold-electronically/4313396.html