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 plants and animals adapt to survive in extremely cold places?
- Have you experienced temperatures below freezing?
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。
- extreme /ik-STREEM/
- shelter /SHEL-ter/
- survival /ser-VAHY-vuhl/
- pollution /puh-LOO-shuhn/
- starvation /stahr-VEY-shuhn/
[adjective] – very severe or serious
The extreme weather made it difficult to travel.
[noun] – a place that protects from danger or bad weather
They found a shelter under the large tree.
[noun] – the act of staying alive, especially in difficult conditions
Clean water is necessary for human survival.
[noun] – damage to the environment caused by harmful substances
Air pollution affects many people in big cities.
[noun] – suffering or dying from a lack of food
Many animals died from starvation during the drought.
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 polar vortex recently caused freezing temperatures in many parts of the United States, including Florida. The extreme cold led manatees, aquatic mammals vulnerable to cold stress, to seek shelter in warm-water outflows from power plants and natural springs. Florida Power & Light Company’s Manatee Lagoon in Riviera Beach has become an essential sanctuary. This public site allows visitors to observe manatees, which can grow up to 10 feet long and weigh 1,200 pounds. The colder months from November to March are critical for their survival, as water temperatures below 68°F can be fatal.
Manatees are considered sentinel species, indicating the health of their environment. Pollution has destroyed seagrass beds in areas like the Indian River Lagoon, leading to malnutrition and starvation. Conservation efforts have reduced manatee deaths from 1,100 in 2021 to 565 in 2024, but challenges persist, including boating accidents and habitat loss. Experts stress the indispensable need for stronger conservation measures, habitat restoration, and public education to safeguard these mammals and their ecosystems.
Manatees are considered sentinel species, indicating the health of their environment. Pollution has destroyed seagrass beds in areas like the Indian River Lagoon, leading to malnutrition and starvation. Conservation efforts have reduced manatee deaths from 1,100 in 2021 to 565 in 2024, but challenges persist, including boating accidents and habitat loss. Experts stress the indispensable need for stronger conservation measures, habitat restoration, and public education to safeguard these mammals and their ecosystems.
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。
- Manatees are small animals that can weigh 200 pounds.
- Manatees move to warm places when it gets very cold.
- The Indian River Lagoon is healthy and has a lot of seagrass.
- Pollution has caused problems for manatees’ food sources.
- Conservation efforts have not reduced manatee deaths at all.
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。
| extreme | shelter | survival | pollution | starvation |
- The _____ of plants depends on sunlight and clean soil.
- The mountain had _____ weather with snow and wind.
- The hikers found a small _____ under a large rock during the rain.
- _____ is a problem during disasters.
- Reducing air _____ helps people breathe better.