Pre-reading questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- How much does wagyu beef cost?
- What restaurants do you know sell wagyu beef?
Vocabulary
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- extremely /ik-STREEM-lee/
- highlight /HAHY-lahyt/
- cattle /KAT-l/
- concept /KON-sept/
- absolute /AB-suh-loot/
[adverb] – very
Farmers are extremely busy during harvest.
[verb] – to attract attention to or emphasize something important
The report highlights the principal issues that society now faces.
[noun] – a group of animals that includes cows, buffalo, and bison, that are often kept for their milk or meat
Both dairy and beef cattle are kept on the farm.
[noun] – a principle or idea
It’s a concept that’s difficult to translate into English.
[adjective] – without limit, very great, or to the largest degree possible
I have absolute trust in Olivia’s judgment.
Article reading
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
Wagyu beef is known as the most delicious steak you’ll ever eat, but it also has a reputation for being extremely expensive. The price you’re paying isn’t just an extra cost, though, as it turns out that producing Wagyu beef is different from other types of meat that you would get at your local supermarket.
At the Japanese Wagyu Olympics, breeders can highlight the beauty, breeding, and other qualities of their cows. Winners have the opportunity to sell their cattle and carcasses to the best restaurants and butchers in the world for the highest price. Winning, however, is more than just competing; it also involves the Japanese concept of ikigai. “[Ikigai] is a deep sense of purpose; the reason for getting up every morning; that which gives one’s life much of its meaning,” said Andrea Fazzari, James Beard award-winning photographer, and author. The Olympics provide a platform for Wagyu beef farmers to show the results of their efforts to breed the best cow. Wagyu production involves a complicated process that includes genetic testing under government regulation. In addition, they go through a two-year process of fattening up until they have 50% fat mass in their bodies.
There is no such thing as absolute perfection. But because of the Japanese concept of ikigai, we also get to enjoy Wagyu beef’s fantastic flavor and quality.
At the Japanese Wagyu Olympics, breeders can highlight the beauty, breeding, and other qualities of their cows. Winners have the opportunity to sell their cattle and carcasses to the best restaurants and butchers in the world for the highest price. Winning, however, is more than just competing; it also involves the Japanese concept of ikigai. “[Ikigai] is a deep sense of purpose; the reason for getting up every morning; that which gives one’s life much of its meaning,” said Andrea Fazzari, James Beard award-winning photographer, and author. The Olympics provide a platform for Wagyu beef farmers to show the results of their efforts to breed the best cow. Wagyu production involves a complicated process that includes genetic testing under government regulation. In addition, they go through a two-year process of fattening up until they have 50% fat mass in their bodies.
There is no such thing as absolute perfection. But because of the Japanese concept of ikigai, we also get to enjoy Wagyu beef’s fantastic flavor and quality.
Comprehension questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.
- What can breeders do at the Japanese Wagyu Olympics?
- What is the prize at the Wagyu Olympics?
- According to Andrea Fazzari, what is ikigai?
- What does Wagyu production involve?
- What does Wagyu have to go through?
Discussion questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- What type of meat (beef, chicken, lamb, etc.) do you enjoy eating the most? Why?
- Have you tasted Wagyu beef? What distinguishes it from other types of meat?
- If you were to judge the Wagyu Olympics, what factors would you look for in Wagyu beef?
- Should winners of the Wagyu Olympics also claim prize money?
- Do you think Wagyu should be bred in other countries? Why or why not?