France halts taxi mobile app The French government has tightened restrictions on low-cost taxis such as the Uber transport service. Uber, which started in San Francisco, matches passengers and drivers through a mobile phone application. Passengers however are not insured in the event of accident, and drivers do not have to pass professional qualification tests the way that other licensed taxi drivers do. The Uber system has also been banned or regulated in Spain, Thailand, the Netherlands and India.

passive

Hitomi: Is your daughter applying to language study programs for the summer?

Joan: Yes, she has applied to one, but she doesn't seem to be so enthusiastic about making more applications. I constantly try to encourage her, but she is still very passive about the whole idea.

Explanation: The word "passive" means to wait without taking action, while the word "active" means to start acting in order to create a specific result. A seat-belt in a car is a passive safety measure because it doesn't move, while an airbag is an active safety measure, because it opens on its own at the time of an accident to prevent injury.

embolism

Patient: Why do I have to take anticoagulants after the operation?

Doctor Hui Zhong: Your arteries are in a very sensitive condition. You could have an embolism, which is a blood clot, that could block an artery and cause a life-threatening emergency. You need the anti-coagulants to make sure the blood doesn't clot and flows smoothly.

Explanation: An "embolism" is a blood clot or a bubble of air, or some other obstruction that can block an artery and shut off blood flow. Medicines such as anti-coagulants help prevent the blood from coagulating, or clotting.

website traffic

Dear Hassan:

Our new website is operating, but not so many people are accessing the site or placing orders online. Can you come up with a list of suggestions for increasing our website traffic? Our goal is to have traffic of one million web visitors per year.

Explanation: The term "website traffic" means the amount of people who check a website. It is like car traffic going through a busy intersection. Traffic can be used to describe vehicles, people, or goods in movement.