Photo by © CUREAPP INC. via
The Japan Times
Pre-reading questions:
- Do you think smoking is good for the health? Why or why not
- What do you think is the impact of tobacco in the business industry? Explain your answer.
Vocabulary:
- technology /tek-NOL-uh-jee/
[noun] the use of scientific knowledge or processes in business, industry, manufacturing, etc.
The leading smartphone brand in Japan has one of the most advanced technologies around the world.
- frequent /free-KWUH -nt/
[adjective] happening or doing something often
Their arguments are becoming more and more frequent.
- session /SESH-uhn/
[noun] a period of time or meeting arranged for a particular activity
The meeting sessions should be finished by tomorrow.
- percent /per-CENT/
[adverb] for or out of every 100, shown by the symbol %
He always gives his 100 percent in every basketball game.
- treatment /TREET-muhnt/
[noun] the use of drugs, exercises, etc. to cure a person of an illness or injury
He is receiving a lot of treatments lately due to his sickness.
A new app designed by Keio University and CureApp Inc., a Tokyo-based medical technology company, helps smokers quit smoking. The device analyzed information from patients who were in the middle of withdrawal therapy based on their medicinal studies. The app examined the patient’s medical conditions and their breath that contains carbon monoxide levels. This gives smokers frequent suggestions on how to prevent smoking. The university and medical centers conducted a series of trials between October 2017 and 2018. Out of 572 respondents, only 285 individuals used the app. They discovered that those patients that used the app became smoke-free after six months.
According to the institution’s chairman, Dr. Kota Satake, “In normal smoking cessation treatment, doctors are unable to treat patients’ psychological addiction until their next regularly scheduled session. This has been an obstacle for patients who had to fight the addiction alone.” Therefore, patients can check the device every day to reduce their mental addiction. Based on the files from the health ministry, 17.7 percent of individuals in Japan commonly smoked tobacco in 2017. The biggest number of smokers was about 40% of males in their 30s and 40s. While public health insurance covered treatments for people who want to stop smoking, only 27 percent of those patients remained away from the habit after a year. In addition to that, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government encouraged promoting a smoke-free event in 2020 Paralympics and Olympics. The government will enforce a law that prohibits smoking in bars and restaurants.
Comprehension Questions:
- What is the name of the university and the company that developed an app for smokers?
- How does the application device work based on the article?
- According to the article, how many people used the app out of 572 participants?
- Who is Dr. Kota Satake?
- How many percent of individuals in Japan smoked tobacco in 2017?
Discussion Questions:
- Do you think an app can help smokers stop smoking? Why or why not?
- What do you think are the other effective ways to stop smoking? Elaborate your answer.
- Do you know someone who managed to stop smoking? What did he/she do?
- What do you think should the government do to prevent smokers from smoking? Explain your answer.
- Do you think it is fine to ban cigarettes all over the world? Please explain your answer.
※レッスン教材に関するアンケートのお願い
[noun] the use of scientific knowledge or processes in business, industry, manufacturing, etc.
The leading smartphone brand in Japan has one of the most advanced technologies around the world.
[adjective] happening or doing something often
Their arguments are becoming more and more frequent.
[noun] a period of time or meeting arranged for a particular activity
The meeting sessions should be finished by tomorrow.
[adverb] for or out of every 100, shown by the symbol %
He always gives his 100 percent in every basketball game.
[noun] the use of drugs, exercises, etc. to cure a person of an illness or injury
He is receiving a lot of treatments lately due to his sickness.
According to the institution’s chairman, Dr. Kota Satake, “In normal smoking cessation treatment, doctors are unable to treat patients’ psychological addiction until their next regularly scheduled session. This has been an obstacle for patients who had to fight the addiction alone.” Therefore, patients can check the device every day to reduce their mental addiction. Based on the files from the health ministry, 17.7 percent of individuals in Japan commonly smoked tobacco in 2017. The biggest number of smokers was about 40% of males in their 30s and 40s. While public health insurance covered treatments for people who want to stop smoking, only 27 percent of those patients remained away from the habit after a year. In addition to that, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government encouraged promoting a smoke-free event in 2020 Paralympics and Olympics. The government will enforce a law that prohibits smoking in bars and restaurants.