©REUTERS/Anton Bridge
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 familiar with the services or products offered by Rakuten?
- Have you tried any of Rakuten’s services or products before?
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。
- compete /kuhm-PEET/
- face /feys/
- financial /fi-NAN-shuhl/
- inexpensive /in-ik-SPEN-siv/
- expert /EK-spurt/
[verb] – to take part in a race or competition
Many companies compete for market share by offering competitive prices and better services.
[verb] – to confront, deal with, or encounter something
As a manager, he must face the responsibility of leading his team through challenging times.
[adjective] – relating to money or how money is managed
She took a financial course to learn more about managing her money effectively.
[adjective] – not costing a lot of money
She found an inexpensive restaurant that served delicious meals at affordable prices.
[noun] – a person with a high level of knowledge or skill relating to a particular subject or activity
The expert guided the team with their specialized knowledge of advanced technology.
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。
In 2020, Rakuten (4755.T) entered Japan’s phone market by launching a mobile service to compete. Although it had some success, this move greatly affected its finances. Rakuten Mobile faced challenges that led to financial problems. Their plan to create an affordable network with cloud-based software and inexpensive tools encountered difficulties, causing higher costs, network issues, and damage to their reputation because they hurried things.As a result, Rakuten’s main company lost about $5.5 billion 13 times. They also need to pay $5.4 billion in two years. Rakuten wants its phone part to make as much money as it spends by 2024, but it is hard because other companies have very low prices. Nevertheless, Rakuten is working hard to solve money problems and keep moving forward. Its strength comes from successful online stores that compete with Amazon Japan and profitable financial services. To deal with money troubles, Rakuten has taken steps since 2021, like selling parts of the business and making its bank public, making around $5.4 billion. Experts think Rakuten might also make its card public next because it helps attract customers to their services.
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。
- Rakuten’s entry into Japan’s phone market didn’t have any financial impact on the company.
- Rakuten Mobile faced challenges that led to financial problems due to difficulties with their affordable network creation and cloud-based software.
- Rakuten’s main company suffered a loss of only $1 billion during its mobile service launch in 2020.
- Rakuten aims to balance its phone business expenditures and income by 2024.
- The steps taken by Rakuten to address financial issues involved acquiring more businesses and expanding its operations extensively.
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。
| compete | face | financial | inexpensive | expert |
- Entrepreneurs often __________ uncertainty when launching new businesses, requiring adaptability and problem-solving skills.
- She consulted an __________ to receive professional advice on investment strategies.
- Rival firms __________ for dominance in the market by introducing innovative strategies and improving their services.
- The store offered __________ clothing options for budget-conscious shoppers.
- The company faced __________ difficulties due to unexpected expenses and a drop in sales.