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。
- Do governments want to make high-priced medications more affordable?
- Are there reasons that make it difficult for governments to lower medication costs?
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。
- elderly /EL-der-lee/
- depend on /dɪ-PEND ɒn/
- unknown /uhn-NOHN/
- annual /AN-yoo-uhl/
- aim to /eym too/
[adjective] – describing people who are old, typically over the age of 65
The elderly man walked slowly with a cane.
[phrasal verb] – to rely on or be influenced by something or someone
I depend on my alarm clock to wake me up.
[adjective] – not known or recognized; not familiar
The answer to the question is unknown to everyone.
[adjective] – happening once every year
They have an annual picnic in the summer.
[phrasal verb] – to intend or plan to achieve something
She aims to finish her homework before dinner.
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 U.S. government has made agreements with drug companies to lower the costs of some high-priced medications covered by Medicare, starting in 2026. This change will affect medicines used by many elderly Americans. Although it is not clear how much Medicare users will save, the savings will depend on factors like insurance plans, copayments, and discounts. Officials have noted that this could lead to notable savings for both taxpayers and Medicare recipients, but specific details are still unknown. The revised prices are expected to be most beneficial for those with Medicare plans that involve a percentage-based copayment after meeting a deductible. However, actual savings will vary based on each beneficiary’s plan. Additionally, the new law will cap annual out-of-pocket spending on medications for Medicare users starting next year. This move is part of a larger effort to tackle high prescription drug costs in the U.S. Critics worry that while some may see lower drug prices, other costs could rise, and Medicare premiums might increase. Despite these potential issues, the policy aims to make essential medications more affordable for older Americans.
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 U.S. government has made agreements with drug companies.
- The changes will start in 2025.
- The savings from the changes will depend on factors like insurance plans.
- The revised prices will be the same for all Medicare users.
- The new law will not affect out-of-pocket spending on medications.
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。
elderly | depend on | unknown | annual | aims to |
- __________ people often need help with daily activities.
- Many places in the world are still __________ to explorers.
- You can __________ your teacher for help.
- The team __________ win the next game.
- Our school has an __________ sports day event.