Tokyo remembers earthquake from 100 years ago, urges preparedness

admin 2024年1月29日

Beginner

Japan News, japan news - beginner

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。

Have you ever experienced an earthquake?
Do you take any measures to prepare for disasters, such as earthquakes?

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。

alarm /uh-LAHRM/

[noun] – a warning of danger, usually a loud noise or flashing light
The smoke alarm went off, alerting the residents to the presence of a fire in the building.

scary /SKAIR-ee/

[adjective] – describe something that causes fear, unease, or anxiety
The old, abandoned house at the end of the street always gave the children a scary feeling.

warning /WAWR-ning/

[noun] – alerts or signals provided by the early-warning system
The smoke detector’s loud warning alerted the family to the fire in their home, allowing them to escape in time.

anniversary /an-uh-VUR-suh-ree/

[noun] – the day on which an important event happened in a previous year
They celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary with a grand party surrounded by family and friends.

emergency /ih-MUR-juhn-see/

[noun] – something dangerous or serious, such as an accident, that happens suddenly or unexpectedly and needs fast action in order to avoid harmful results
In case of a medical emergency, please dial 911 for immediate assistance.

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。

A hundred years ago, Tokyo experienced a terrible event—the Great Kanto Earthquake. It hurt many people and changed the city a lot. Disaster Prevention Day reminds of this sad event. The government thinks there is a 70% chance of another big earthquake in the next 30 years.

In 1995, there was another big earthquake in Kobe. It hurt about 6,000 people and showed that even not-so-strong earthquakes can be very bad for cities. In 2011, the Tohoku earthquake was the strongest ever in Japan. Thanks to strong building rules, not many people got hurt in Tokyo, but it showed that there could still be problems. Tokyo does not get strong earthquakes often, which might make people feel too safe. Sometimes, the early-warning system gives false alarms, which can be scary. But these warnings are very important for safety. The biggest danger is not buildings falling down, but the risk of fires. Old buildings, made before strict rules in 1981, are more dangerous. The 100-year anniversary of the 1923 earthquake reminds everyone to check if people are ready for emergencies.

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。

Disaster Prevention Day is not associated with the Great Kanto Earthquake, but rather with a different historical event.
In 1995, Kobe experienced a significant earthquake that caused harm to about 6,000 people, demonstrating that even moderately strong earthquakes can have severe consequences for cities.
The government’s estimation of a 70% chance of another major earthquake in the next 30 years is based on uncertain or unreliable data.
Disaster Prevention Day serves as a reminder of this tragic event.
Tokyo frequently experiences strong earthquakes, which may lead people to feel too safe in their environment.

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。

alarm

scary

warning

anniversary

emergency

The dark forest at night can be very __________, especially if you’re alone.
The weather forecast issued __________ about an approaching storm, urging residents to secure their homes and take shelter.
The fire drill was conducted to ensure that everyone knew what to do in the event of an __________ situation.
This year marks the 10th __________ of the company’s founding, a milestone they plan to commemorate with a special event.
When the security __________ was triggered, the monitoring service immediately contacted the police.