World’s smallest bear steps into spotlight, raising concerns

admin 2023年12月18日

Beginner

world news, world news - beginner

©dailyrecord

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 there different types of bears that can be found in your country?
Are there animals considered endangered in your country?

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。

confirm /kuhn-FURM/

[verb] – to approve someone or something officially by formal agreement
The laboratory tests confirmed that the new drug is effective in treating the disease.

raise /reyz/

[verb] – to cause something to increase or become bigger, better, higher, etc.
The recent improvements in infrastructure have raised the overall quality of life in the community.

serious /SEER-ee-uhs /

[adjective] – severe in effect; bad
The environmental pollution poses a serious threat to the health of local residents.

trade /treyd/

[noun] – the activity of buying and selling, or exchanging, goods and/or services between people or countries
The trading of commodities such as oil and gold has a significant impact on the global economy.

urgent /UR-juhnt/

[adjective] – very important and needing attention immediately
The doctor requested an urgent consultation with the patient due to the severity of their condition.

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 spotlight is on the sun bear, a small bear species from Asia that is endangered, thanks to a viral video of Angela, a sun bear at Hangzhou Zoo in China. Angela’s human-like behavior, especially her waving gesture, has sparked conversations and playful theories. Experts have confirmed that Angela is a real sun bear. This unexpected fame helps raise awareness about sun bear challenges. Also called “honey bears,” they face serious threats like habitat loss, illegal wildlife trade, and bear bile farming for Chinese medicine. With only 1,000 to 2,500 animals left in the wild, urgent conservation is needed.

Angela’s video has interested other zoos, leading to educational campaigns. But experts warn of misunderstandings and illegal activities. While Angela’s actions are a start, saving sun bears requires more, like protecting their habitats. This enthusiasm offers a chance to focus on sun bear conservation and take meaningful steps for their future.

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 viral video of Angela, the sun bear, was taken at a zoo in Thailand.
Sun bears, also known as “honey bears,” are endangered and face threats such as habitat loss, illegal wildlife trade, and bear bile farming.
Sun bears are not facing any threats and are not considered endangered.
Experts emphasize the need for more than just viral videos to save sun bears, including habitat protection.
Angela’s waving gesture was a result of human training and was not a natural behavior.

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。

confirm

raise

serious

trade

urgent

The company faced an ______ deadline to submit the proposal to the client.
International _______ plays a vital role in the global economy.
The company’s board of directors _________ the new budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
The successful fundraising campaign was able to _____ significant funds for the local charity.
The accident resulted in _______ injuries to several passengers.