13. 코가 막히다.

My nose is stuffed.

I can't smell a thing. I have nasal congestion. (syn. have a stuffy nose)

The Implications of the Increasing Number of Superhero Movies

I am among those who anticipate the release of big superhero films. I am not a fan of superheroes and I have never read comic books that will give me an idea of the movies’ storylines. I like watching this kind of movies because of the amazing experience that they can give.

Superhero films are filled with special effects that are pleasing to the senses. They also bring a different kind of thrill and excitement that other movies cannot give. I guess this is among the good points of the increasing number of superhero movies – these movies give viewers value for their money. They have special effects, death-defying stunts and unique plots that other movies cannot give.

Despite this upside however, I think there are a lot of negative effects that this kind of movies bring. One is the idea of normalizing acts violence and another is the provision of the wrong representation of men, especially among children.

The storyline of superhero movies usually revolve around the need to stop a villain from destroying mankind. They usually involve intense fight scenes and the use of special powers that don’t really happen or exist in real life. These movies may give people the wrong impression that these situations are acceptable. They may also encourage aggression, sarcasm and other negative virtues.

Superhero movies highlight less stereotypical masculine behaviors that may not give an idea of good male role models for young kids. These movies may also disrupt the idea of the society of what a good man should be.

American psychologist Sharon Lamb said, there is a big change in the way superheroes are portrayed these days. They are no longer the ones that people should look up to or idolize. I agree with this statement. Superhero movies these days do not promote the importance of good values such as respect, patience, and understanding. They are not like the superhero movies and cartoons that I used to watch as a child.

All in all, I think the number of superhero movies will continue to increase in the future because of the positive response they get from the society. Although watching this kind of movies may bring advantages and disadvantages, their effects on people should still be upon each viewer’s discretion. Each of us should be responsible audiences.

12. 치장하다.

I must go and make myself presentable before the guests arrive.

The Two Sides of the Oil Price Collapse

Oil prices dropped to their all-time low for the first time in decades.Starting June 2015, the price of a barrel of crude oil dipped to less than 30 U.S. dollars from 110 U.S. dollars in 2014. This significant decrease in oil prices is said to be caused by the booming shale gas industry in America. Shale gas is retrieved from sedimentaryrocks through the process called hydraulic fracking. It is a natural gas that can be used as an alternative energy source, and the increased production of such gas lowers the demand for crude oil.

Analysts explain that the ones that get the most benefit out of the lower costs of crude oil are the motorists who buy the product in retail. Also, major importers of petroleum products for industrial purposes, namely China, Japan and many countries in Asia may have economic gains from the lowered oil prices. India, a country that imports more than half of its petroleum and is highly dependent on oil subsidies, may also benefit a lot from this.

However, major producers and exporters of crude oil like Russia and Saudi Arabia are those that suffer much because of the lessened demand and value of oil, to the point that some oil companies are drowning in debt and facing the brink of bankruptcy.

For Russia, the collapse in oil prices recently caused its economy to shrink by more than 0.5 percent. With the country’s ongoing dispute with Ukraine topped by this decrease in national revenue brought by lowered oil prices, Russia is pushed towards an economicrecession. Saudi Arabia and other OPEC members are asked to lessen their oil production so that the lessened supply will push oil prices back up but some countries do not show willingness to do so as it already proved to be an unsuccessful move in the past. 

Major oil exporting companies like Chevron, Exxon Mobil and Royal Dutch Shell made their worst quarterly reports in the past decade.Smaller oil companies have resorted to cutting payrolls of employees, lessening cash expenditures and selling assets just to stay in business. They claim that although the lowered prices can benefit their consumers, they might not have enough return of investment that will allow them to continue providing products to the public.

Some analysts say that oil prices may continue to fluctuate until the end of the year, or maybe even longer. Although the IMF expects a possibility of a billion-dollar loss for the oil industry, it is predicted by some experts that supply and demand may balance out by the end of 2016, and this will result to slowly stabilizing oil prices.

11. ~ 머리모양을 하다.

She wore her hair in braids

ponytail : 말총머리, bob : 단발머리

Online Film Censorship

The Central Board of Certification of India filters all new movies before their release. This is to make sure that each film will not feature nudity, violence and other scenes that are offensive to religion and politics. Filtering is also done to distinguish the type of audience that will be allowed to see each film. India’s film regulatory body is strict in implementing all its limitations hence making some film producers resort to under the table transactions and illegal deals just to make their movies pass the standards. 

To put a stop to the continuing increase of unlawful acts involving the censorship of Indian films, the regulatory board plans to do the whole censorship process online by 2016. With the use of the Internet, there will no longer be a need for film producers to physically be present at the board’s office to have newly made films reviewed. The online process will be done to promote absolutetransparency and lessen the possibility of malpractice and illegal transactions like giving of bribes. 

This plan, as seen by an ordinary film lover like me, has its good points and bad points. Using the Internet may expedite the review process of Indian films. The regulatory film body may create a more systematic and efficient system that will hasten film reviews for censorship. 

However, this does not address the problem on film producers still making films that feature unwanted content. People’s principles and beliefs may have changed drastically because of the increasing influence of modernization. However, this should not change the fact that all movies should go through a proper process of censorship. The Internet may help ease the process of checking the content of new films produced but it does not solve the bigger problem that film censorship is facing. 

Using online film censorship is a good move but it is only a small part of a bigger intervention that needs to be done. Taking advantage of the advancements of technology will add to the quality of service that the Indian film regulatory body can give in reviewing movies for censorship but it is not enough to restore, if not maintain the good quality of the Indian film industry. A bolder plan of action is needed as this may be the groundwork for the improvement of the film industry, not only in India but in other countries as well.

10. 물이 빠지다/들다

The color ran when I washed my red shirt, and now all my socks are pink!

Hold it! Don't put them in together. The dyes will bleed into one another.

Coinless Society

Many people around the world are familiar with coins. For so many years, coins have been used for various economic activities like buying things and making payments together with banknotes. 

Coins used to be good friends of children as seeing their piggy banks fill up with the increasing number of coins in them took a part of their happiness. They bought a lot of things they want, including snacks and even cheap toys, using coins they get from elders. 

The development of technology has changed methods for payment. Credit cards and debit cards are widely used and most people nowadays just carry their cards and a few banknotes in their wallets or handbags. However, the use of plastic money is already becoming old-fashioned as making payments digitally with the Internet and mobile devices is becoming the latest trend. Global IT giants are putting much effort on it.

Under such circumstance, it is becoming more and more difficult to find coins around. There are also fewer people using them. The use of coins is now even expected to fade out in the near future as authorities are taking steps to create societies without coins. 

Recently, the Bank of Korea announced that it is currently studying measures to introduce what can be called a “coinless society” in a few years. The Central Bank of Korea believes that it is high time to consider reducing the usage of coins first as alternative methods of payment using plastic money like credit cards and mobile devices are getting more and more popular. 

If a coinless society is realized, the government can save a lot of money and other resources such as metal used to produce new coins. Coins also take up space in pockets, bags, and drawers. The weight of many coins piled in places like banks is another reason to welcome the idea of not using coins anymore. 

Some of the advanced economies in Europe are already restricting the use of cash to promote the use of alternative payment methods and eventually create cashless system. The cases of these countries may be referred to by the Central Bank to introduce the most appropriate model for Korea. 

According to reports, a plan under review is about using a prepaid card where consumers can keep loose change after they make a purchase. The value of coins will be loaded into their prepaid cards and there will be no need to receive actual coins. This way, sellers won’t need to have a heavy cashier’s box with different kinds of coins stored and consumers may enjoy the convenience of not carrying coins in the pockets, with lesser possibilities of losing them easily. 

Although coins will not totally disappear in the near future, turning to a coinless society seems to have become an irreversible trend. How well people can adjust to the new system will be significant for the economy, with the development of the fin-tech sector.

9. 가슴 노출이 심한 옷을 입다.

A : Don't you think she is inappropriately clothed at a place like this?

B : Yes, I do. I don't like women who wear low-cut dresses.

A : On this invitation it says, "Discreet cleavage is advised." What does that mean?

B : It means that women are advised not to wear a dress cut too low.

Here Come the Superfoods

Superfoods are types of food that are believed to have high levels of nutrients, such as phytochemicals and antioxidants, which are essential for one’s health. They are mostly derived from natural sources such as plants, fishes, and dairy products. Although superfoods are seen by experts as a marketing strategy because there is no definite criteria that will identify anything edible as a superfood, many health-conscious people still prefer eating them over other food products.

The term “superfoods” became popular in the early 2000s and it is still used by many people around the world today. The term is not used by food experts, especially dieticians and nutrition scientists, hence making it a colloquial word that is not formally accepted. In fact, the use of this term is banned in Europe because it is misleading and is not supported by proper research. The use of the term is controversial, however, most of the food items that are considered to be superfoods are still allowed to be part of one’s diet.

Among the famous superfoods are kale, quinoa, pomegranate, and beetroot. Kale is said to be loaded with vitamins A, C, and K, as well as calcium and other minerals. Quinoa, used as a substitute for rice, is considered by some to be packed with protein and fiber. Some claim that pomegranate has anticancer properties and that beetroot may be a good source of iron, folic acid, magnesium and other antioxidants.

This year, it is said that people’s preference towards superfoods may increase as the trend on health regimens may be given more importance. Also, people are now finding ways to prevent diseases, with the belief that preventing diseases is financially wiser than having to pay a lot of money for management and treatment in hospitals.

Among the superfoods that are expected to be popular in 2016 are kefir (a fermented milk drink), teff seeds (derived from grass and is similar to quinoa), banana flour, coconut water and cauliflower. Experts do not discourage people from eating such types of food.However, they want people to know that nutritional claims of these superfoods did not undergo any proper process of testing to make them internationally accepted. They suggest that adding superfoods with other healthy options, having a healthy lifestyle and exercising are still the best ways to stay fit.