©NSF’s NoirLab via AP
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 there forces in the universe that might change over time?
- Do you know what dark energy is?
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。
- make up /meyk-uhp/
- nearly /NEER-lee/
- idea /ahy-DEE-uh/
- belief /bih-LEEF/
- result /ri-ZUHLT/
[phrasal verb] – Meaning: to combine together to form something
The team makes up a group of skilled players.
[adverb] – amost, but not quite
She nearly won the race.
[noun] – a thought or suggestion about what to do
I have an idea for the project.
[noun] – a feeling of certainty that something is true
Her belief in success helped her stay motivated.
[noun] – the outcome or consequence of an action
The result of the test was good.
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。
Dark energy is a mysterious force that makes up nearly 70% of the universe. It is believed to drive the accelerated expansion of stars and galaxies. For many years, scientists thought that dark energy was constant. However, new research in early 2025 has questioned this idea. The American Physical Society released findings from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), a project that maps the spread of galaxies over the past 11 billion years. These findings suggest that dark energy might be weakening, which could change how the universe behaves.
The DESI findings challenge the long-held belief that dark energy remains constant. Some experts suggest that if dark energy weakens, the universe could stop expanding and eventually collapse, a process known as the Big Crunch. On the other hand, if dark energy stays constant, the universe will continue expanding, becoming colder and emptier. While these results are important, scientists warn that more studies are needed to confirm them. Other space missions, like the Euclid mission and the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, will offer additional data to help answer these questions.
The DESI findings challenge the long-held belief that dark energy remains constant. Some experts suggest that if dark energy weakens, the universe could stop expanding and eventually collapse, a process known as the Big Crunch. On the other hand, if dark energy stays constant, the universe will continue expanding, becoming colder and emptier. While these results are important, scientists warn that more studies are needed to confirm them. Other space missions, like the Euclid mission and the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, will offer additional data to help answer these questions.
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。
- Dark energy makes up nearly 70% of the universe.
- Scientists thought that dark energy was constant for many years.
- The DESI findings suggest dark energy might be weakening.
- If dark energy weakens, the universe could stop expanding and collapse.
- The Euclid mission and the Vera C. Rubin Observatory will help answer questions.
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。
| makes up | nearly | idea | belief | result |
- His hard work led to a great ______.
- The cake ______ most of the dessert menu.
- The store is ______ out of stock.
- He gave me an ______ for a new business.
- I share your ______ in hard work.