Photo by © KYODO via
The Japan Times
Pre-reading questions:
- Do you like dogs?
- Can dogs make people happy?
Vocabulary:
- choose /chohz/
[verb] to decide what you want from two or more things or possibilities
The company will choose a new board member.
- take place /teyk-pleys/
[verb] to happen
The meeting will take place on March 25, 2020.
- wife /wahyf/
[noun] the woman to whom a man is married
His wife is very thoughtful.
- officer /AW-fuh-ser/
[noun] a person who has a position of authority in an organization
One of the Navy’s officers is looking for a new office building.
- improve /im-PROOV/
[verb] to get better, or to make something better
She tries her best to improve her speaking skills.
Wasao, an Akita dog from Ajigasawa Aomori was chosen to become the new stationmaster of Ajigasawa Station JR Gono Line. The ceremony took place with Ajigasawa Mayor Mamoru Hirata on April 6, 2019. His wife Tsubaki, the deputy station master, and his daughter Chome, the head of the sales section, will be joining him. The railway’s officers said that the Wasao family makes everyone smile and they wanted them to do their best to improve the city’s tourism. The city’s tourism association said that there are 120,000 people visiting the city every year and Wasao would be a great help to welcome them.
True or False:
- Wasao is a hedgehog from Ajigasawa.
- The ceremony took place on April 16, 2019.
- Wasao’s wife is the stationmaster for Ajigasawa Station JR Gono Line.
- There are 1,200,000 people visiting Ajigasawa every year.
- Wasao wouldn’t be a great help to welcome tourists.
Vocabulary Check:
[verb] to decide what you want from two or more things or possibilities
The company will choose a new board member.
[verb] to happen
The meeting will take place on March 25, 2020.
[noun] the woman to whom a man is married
His wife is very thoughtful.
[noun] a person who has a position of authority in an organization
One of the Navy’s officers is looking for a new office building.
[verb] to get better, or to make something better
She tries her best to improve her speaking skills.
Complete the sentences by using the words in the box.
| choose | take place | wife | officer | improve |
- He is trying his best to __________ his English skills.
- Their birthday and graduation party __________ in a Japanese restaurant.
- The __________ of the company is doing a research.
- The students __________ a new set of uniform.
- His __________ works as a teacher.