Is your baby ready to read at three months?
The Age – Monday, May 6, 2013
A product that says it can teach babies to read from three months old is being sold to parents and used in childcare centres in Australia despite its makers being prosecuted for misleading claims in the United States.
Child development experts have warned against the "Your Baby Can Read!" education program of video, flashcards and pop-up books. The product retails for up to $300 from an Australian website and from some reputable retailers such as Baby Kingdom and Kids Central. It is used in at least 10 childcare centres.
If parents follow the instructions, their baby will have watched more than 200 hours of Your Baby Can Read on DVD by the age of nine months.
What are the main points in the above paragraph? 1. What is the product that the paragraph describes?
Answer: The paragraph describes a product that claims to teach three months old babies, reading. 2. What are the child development experts saying about the product?
Answer: The child development experts have criticized this product and warned the parents against it. 3. Highlight the main points in the above paragraphs.
Answer: “Your baby can read” is a product that says it can teach reading to three month old babies.
The child development experts have warned against it. It is expensive. It is used in 10 childcare centres.

The product has received publicity on current affairs and morning television shows, and Australian model Miranda Kerr has spoken on radio saying the product gave her toddler son a large vocabulary. 1. Where was the product introduced in Australia?
The product was introduced in the childcare centres. 2. Why did the product gain publicity?
Answer: The product gained enormous publicity through the media.

In the United States, national watchdog the Federal Trade Commission is pursuing the product creator, Robert Titzer, in court for making ''deceptive expert endorsements'', which he contests. 1. Who is the creator of the program?
Answer: The creator of the product is Robert Titzer. 2. What is happening to the creator of the product?
Answer: The American national watchdog the Federal trade commission wants to take creator of this product to the court for trial for making deceptive expert endorsements.
In August last year, product manufacturer Your Baby Can and its former chief executive Hugh Penton jnr made a $US185 million settlement with the commission over false and deceptive advertising charges. The company has since gone out of business. 1. What happened in August?
Answer: The company went out of business since august because of settlement with the commission.

2. What was the settlement about?
Answer: The $US185 million settlement with the commission was about false and deceptive advertising charges.
However, the product is still being sold in Australia, where its NSW distributor lists an online community of more than 14,700 members. 1. What is happening to the product in Australia?
Answer: Although, the product has lost its popularity in USA, it is still being sold in Australia. 2. Can you find any persuasive techniques?
Endeavour Hills mother Donna Carthy said she was ''absolutely over the moon'' after using the program every day for up to 1½ hours with her son Emmanuel since he was three months old. Emmanuel, now 15 months, loves to sit in his high chair to watch the DVDs and can now read words such as ''elephant'' and ''car'', she said. ''I just really want to give him a head start in life,'' Carthy said. ''That's what every parent wants.'' 1. What did Donna Carthy say? How does she feel?
Answer: Donna Carthy said she was very happy about the product and was satisfied with the result of the increase of learning skills in her son. She felt very positive and supportive of the product and stressed that every parents wants their children to become good learners. 2. There is a persuasive technique