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。
- Can a global economic growth forecast impact a country’s economy?
- Can a global economic growth forecast be revised?
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。
- country /KUHN-tree/
- rate /reyt/
- market /MAHR-kit/
- weak /week/
- international /in-ter-NASH-uh-nl/
[noun] – an area of land that has its own government and borders
Canada is a large country with many natural resources.
[noun] – the speed at which something happens or changes
The interest rate at the bank is very low, so it’s a good time to borrow money.
[noun] – a place or area where goods and services are bought and sold
The company is trying to enter the European market.
[adjective] – not strong; likely to fail or break
The bridge was weak after the storm, so they closed it for repairs.
[adjective] – involving two or more countries
The company has international offices in many countries.
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 World Bank has raised its global economic growth forecast for 2024 to 2.6%, up from 2.4%. Despite this improvement, the growth rate remains historically low. Many low-income countries struggle with high debt and interest rates, compounded by trade barriers and conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. The stronger global outlook is largely due to the United States, which is now expected to grow by 2.5% in 2024, up from 1.6%. However, concerns remain that high interest rates to control inflation might slow growth. Emerging markets and developing countries are expected to grow by 4%, slightly less than last year. China faces economic challenges with a projected growth rate of 4.8%. Regions like Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa also show slower growth. In Europe, the eurozone’s growth is weak due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and Japan’s economy is slowing because of weak consumer spending and exports. Global trade growth is expected to be minimal, which could further hinder economic expansion. The World Bank calls for international cooperation to tackle trade challenges instead of increasing trade barriers.
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 World Bank has lowered its global economic growth forecast for 2024 to 2.6%.
- The growth rate of 2.6% is historically high.
- Many low-income countries struggle with high debt and interest rates.
- Trade barriers and conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza help economic growth.
- The United States is expected to grow by 2.5% in 2024.
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。
| country | rate | market | weak | international |
- They watched an ______ soccer match on TV.
- The growth ______ of the company has increased this year.
- She traveled to a different ______ for her vacation.
- The startup is aiming to break into the tech ______.
- His argument was ______ and did not convince anyone.