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 you believe birds are important in nature?
- Have you ever seen a vulture or another large bird?
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。
- essential /uh-SEN-shuhl/
- site /sahyt/
- serious /SEER-ee-uhs/
- spread /spred/
- effort /EF-ert/
[adjective] – very important or necessary
Clean water is essential for good health.
[noun] – a place where something happens or exists
The workers visited several sites before building the new school.
[adjective] – important and dangerous or causing worry
The doctor said the illness could become serious without treatment.
[verb] – to move and affect a larger area or more people
False news about the new school rules spread quickly among students.
[noun] – an action made to do or achieve something
The team’s efforts led to a successful school event.
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 southern Africa, conservation groups are stepping up efforts to protect endangered vultures by highlighting their important role in nature and the economy. According to a 2025 report by BirdLife International, vultures provide about $1.8 billion in ecological value every year in Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. These birds help the environment by cleaning up animal carcasses, controlling pests, and preventing the spread of disease. They can remove dead animals within hours, which stops the growth of harmful bacteria and keeps away animals like rats and stray dogs.The report also pointed out that vultures have special biological traits. They can safely digest deadly bacteria like anthrax and botulism, making them essential for keeping ecosystems clean. Rangers even follow vultures’ flight paths to locate poaching sites or injured animals. Despite their value, vultures face serious threats. Many die each year due to poisoned food, power lines, and killings based on cultural beliefs. In some traditions, vultures are thought to have magical powers and are used in rituals. Conservationists say false ideas about vultures, often spread by media, hurt their image. Experts urge people to support efforts to protect these vital birds.
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。
- Vultures are important for both nature and the economy.
- The report said vultures are only found in South Africa.
- Vultures help the environment by eating plants and fruits.
- Vultures can remove dead animals within hours.
- Poisoned food and power lines are dangers to vultures.
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。
| essential | sites | serious | spread | efforts |
- Climate change is a ______ problem for our planet.
- A passport is ______ when you travel to another country.
- Some people ______ wrong information about the safety of vaccines.
- Her ______ to learn English really helped her improve.
- Tourists took photos at famous ______ around the city.