ESL News - January 7, 2013
Story One: Canada's First Lottery Winner
A woman from Port Coquitlam, B.C. is Canada’s first lottery winner of 2013. Jessica Williams won almost $3.5 million in the Lotto 6/49 draw. She discovered the win when she was filling up her car at a gas station on January 3. When she found out that she won, she sat in her car and cried and cried. She bought the lottery ticket at a Shopper's Drug Mart in Coquitlam on New Year's Day. This is not the first lottery ticket she bought. She always hoped that she would win a lot of money in the lottery. With her money, Jessica will help her family, go travelling, and buy a house and a new car.
Story Two: Flu on the Rise in Canada
A severe flu is spreading rapidly through Canada this season. According to Health Canada, there were around 3,500 cases of influenza in the country as of December 15. In 2011, there were only 182 cases. Quebec currently has the highest number of cases, and doctors say that sick people are crowding hospitals there. Influenza, commonly known as “the flu”, is a serious illness. People who get influenza may have a fever, chills, cough, runny eyes, stuffy nose, sore throat, headache, muscle pain, weakness and fatigue. Symptoms can last as long as four to six weeks in some people. Dr. Michael Gardam lists three things you can do to avoid getting sick: get a flu shot, wash your hands, and don’t touch your face. Health care workers, children under nine, older people, and people with health problems, such as asthma and diabetes, are especially at risk of becoming ill.
Story Three: Thousands Wed on "Love You Forever" Day
On Friday January 4, 2013, thousands of couples in China rushed to get married in the hope that this lucky date would bless their marriages forever. The date, when said aloud in Mandarin, sounds similar to "I will love you for all of my life". At least 10,000 couples walked down the aisle in Beijing alone. Even though offices were fully booked, optimistic men and women waited in the freezing weather hoping to get married. In Guangdong province, nearly 5,000 couples got married while in Hong Kong the city's five marriage registries were fully booked since September 2012. In Shanghai, more than 7,000 couples got married. Special dates are very popular in China as many people believe they are lucky. Matching days, months and years - like 12/12/12 and 11/11/11 - are considered by some to bring good fortune. The next such date will be January 1 in the year 2101.
Story Four: B.C. Tsunami Warning Cancelled After Quake
A powerful earthquake hit off the coast of Alaska January 5 and with it came a tsunami warning for 1,125 kilometres of Alaskan and Canadian coastline. Authorities finally cancelled the alert when no dangerous waves were seen. The magnitude 7.5 quake and tsunami warning that followed caused concern in some communities along the coast, with alarms sounding and people rushing for safety. The Alaska Tsunami Warning Center later said the waves were too small to hurt anyone, reaching just 15 centimetres above normal sea level in some areas. There were no reports of any injuries. The quake struck at midnight late on Friday and was followed by several aftershocks, including a 5.2 quake felt in southeastern Alaska and British Columbia. The tsunami warning was expanded to include northern Vancouver Island. A warning means an area is likely to be hit by a large wave. When a tsunami warning is issued, people are advised to move to higher ground as soon as possible.
Story Five: "January Joiners"
It's likely no surprise to regular gym-goers that "getting fit" is one of the most common goals among those who set New Year's resolutions every year. Gym memberships sales have been known to increase as much as 100 per cent in some fitness centers at the beginning of January bringing an influx of new members into weight rooms, fitness classes, and yoga studios. These "January Joiners," as they've come to be known, are motivated, eager to sweat and ready to burn off a little extra holiday weight the healthy way -- but for some gym regulars, these newcomers are annoying.
In recent years, gym regulars have increasingly taken to Twitter and Facebook to discuss their frustrations. According to TIME Magazine, gym attendance is usually back to normal by mid-February, with 60% of memberships going unused -- a fact that unwelcoming gym members seem to enjoy. And as usual, some are weighing in on the January Joiner debate with some jokes of their own. One Twitter post reads, "Some people complain about how crowded the gym gets after New Years, but I celebrate how much shorter the line is at this Taco Bell."
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