©Sarah Tew/CNET
Pre-reading questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- What word/puzzle games do you play?
- How would you describe yourself in a five-letter word?
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- media /MEE-dee-uh/
- hit /hit/
- figure out /FIG-yer-out/
- turn /turn/
- gratitude /GRAT-i-tood/
[noun] – the internet, newspapers, magazines, television, etc., considered as a group
The media has a powerful influence on public opinion.
[noun] – a thing or person that is very popular or successful
The show quickly became a hit after its pilot episode.
[phrasal verb] – to understand or solve something
It took me the longest time to figure out how to open these containers.
[verb] – to (cause to) become, change into, or come to be something
Lily’s cheeks turned red when John confessed his admiration toward her.
[noun] – the feeling or quality of being grateful
She felt undying gratitude to him for saving her life.
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
The popular online word game Wordle has been recently bought by The New York Times, the American media company’s announcement said on January 31. The Times will blend the daily word puzzle in its collection of word games such as The Crossword, The Mini, and Spelling Bee.
Wordle was initially released by software engineer Josh Wardle with his partner Palak Shah in October 2021, and it immediately became a hit. Basically, it is a once-a-day letter game in which users try to figure out the word of the day by guessing five letters. Each letter turns either green, yellow, or grey to signal to the player that the letter is either correctly placed, in the word but in a different location, or not in the word at all, respectively. “The Times remains focused on becoming the essential subscription for every English-speaking person seeking to understand and engage with the world,” a statement from the Times reads. Meanwhile, Wardle expressed his gratitude on Twitter for the game’s success, “I’d be lying if I said this hasn’t been a little overwhelming. After all, I am just one person, and it is important to me that, as Wordle grows, it continues to provide a great experience to everyone.”
Wordle was initially released by software engineer Josh Wardle with his partner Palak Shah in October 2021, and it immediately became a hit. Basically, it is a once-a-day letter game in which users try to figure out the word of the day by guessing five letters. Each letter turns either green, yellow, or grey to signal to the player that the letter is either correctly placed, in the word but in a different location, or not in the word at all, respectively. “The Times remains focused on becoming the essential subscription for every English-speaking person seeking to understand and engage with the world,” a statement from the Times reads. Meanwhile, Wardle expressed his gratitude on Twitter for the game’s success, “I’d be lying if I said this hasn’t been a little overwhelming. After all, I am just one person, and it is important to me that, as Wordle grows, it continues to provide a great experience to everyone.”
Comprehension questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.
- What media company acquired the popular game Wordle?
- What are three of the other games that the media company handles, as mentioned in the article?
- Who is the main creator of Wordle?
- How many times in a day can a user play the game?
- According to Wordle’s creator, what is the most important thing that the game does as it continuously grows?
Discussion questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- Do you think English is a difficult language to learn? Why or why not?
- What do you do to improve your English vocabulary?
- If you would create your own word game, what would it be like?
- In your opinion, is it a huge advantage if you can understand and speak the English language?
- What is your favorite English word, and why?