Pre-reading questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
講師がそれぞれの質問を読むので答えましょう。
- Are you interested in scientific discoveries?
- What do you know about Earth’s rotation?
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
単語、意味、例文を読みます。講師に続いて音読しましょう。
- average /AV-er-ij/
- suggest /suhg-JEST/
- last /last/
- discover /dih-SKUHV-er/
- necessary /NES-uh-ser-ee/
[noun] – a standard or level that is considered to be typical or usual
The average male tiger weighs around 200 kg.
[verb] – to mention an idea, possible plan, or action for other people to consider
Whatever I suggest, he always disagrees.
[verb] – to continue to exist
The meeting lasted an hour.
[verb] – to find information, a place, or an object, especially for the first time
Scientists around the world are working to discover a cure for cancer.
[adjective] – needed to achieve a particular result
Cars are a necessary part of life.
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
記事を音読しましょう。講師はあなたの発音とイントネーションを確認します。
The Earth doesn’t rotate in the same way. Its rotation slows over time, increasing the day by 1.8 milliseconds every 100 years on average. This suggests that a day only lasted 21 hours 600 million years ago.
But scientists discovered something unexpected in 2020. They learned that rather than slowing, the Earth’s rotation has quickened. It currently rotates at a faster rate than it did 50 years ago. Scientists are still unsure what’s causing the increase in Earth’s rotation rate, while some think that it may be related to the twentieth-century melting of icebergs or the large storage of water in northern region reserves.
Is it necessary to be concerned for the time being? Although it will have little impact on our daily lives, it could have significant connections for technology like smartphones, computers, and communication networks. Such problems, though, can be addressed in the end, perhaps by simply deleting rather than adding a jump second. Unless the shortening of the day is driven by human activities, we shouldn’t be concerned.
But scientists discovered something unexpected in 2020. They learned that rather than slowing, the Earth’s rotation has quickened. It currently rotates at a faster rate than it did 50 years ago. Scientists are still unsure what’s causing the increase in Earth’s rotation rate, while some think that it may be related to the twentieth-century melting of icebergs or the large storage of water in northern region reserves.
Is it necessary to be concerned for the time being? Although it will have little impact on our daily lives, it could have significant connections for technology like smartphones, computers, and communication networks. Such problems, though, can be addressed in the end, perhaps by simply deleting rather than adding a jump second. Unless the shortening of the day is driven by human activities, we shouldn’t be concerned.
True or False:
Read the sentences and identify if they are true or false based on the article.
文章を読んで、記事に基づいて正誤を答えましょう。
- The Earth’s rotation increases the day by 1.8 milliseconds every century on average.
- According to the article, a day only lasted 11 hours 600 million years ago.
- Scientists discovered that rather than slowing, the Earth’s rotation has accelerated.
- Scientists know what causes the increase in Earth’s rotation rate.
- Unless the shortening of the day is caused by human activities, we shouldn’t be concerned.
Fill in the blanks:
Choose the correct word from the table then fill in the blanks.
適切な言葉を選んで空欄を埋めましょう。
| average | suggest | last | discover | necessary |
- He was alarmed to ___________ that his car was gone.
- People who do not smoke are, on __________, healthier than those who do
- Current estimates __________ that supplies will run out within six months.
- They say the snow will _________ until the end of next week.
- Mutual respect is __________ for any partnership to work.