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。
- Have you ever seen a warning label on food?
- Would you feel safe eating frozen meat from the store?
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。
- aim /eym/
- illness /IL-nis/
- comment /KOM-ent/
- decision /dih-SIZH-uhn/
- lack /lak/
[verb] – to have a goal or purpose
The new school program aimed to help students improve their reading skills.
[noun] – a state of being sick or unhealthy
Many illnesses can be prevented by washing your hands regularly.
[noun] – spoken or written opinion or statement
The teacher read all the students’ comments about the school lunch menu.
[noun] – a choice made after thinking about something
Her decision to study abroad surprised her family.
[verb] – to not have something
The project lacked clear instructions, so many students were confused.
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。
On April 24, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) decided not to go forward with a rule that would have required poultry producers to lower salmonella levels in their products. Introduced in August after three years of planning, the rule aimed to reduce about 125,000 annual infections from chicken and 43,000 from turkey. Salmonella causes about 1.35 million illnesses and around 420 fatalities in the U.S. each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The rule targeted six salmonella strains—three from chicken and three from turkey—and would have banned products carrying those strains. After receiving over 7,000 public comments, the USDA said it would review existing safety standards instead of introducing the new rule. Reactions to the decision were mixed. The National Chicken Council supported it, saying the rule lacked strong science, would increase costs, and lead to food waste. But food safety experts and former USDA staff were alarmed, saying the move rolls back progress. The USDA also delayed a separate rule for breaded, stuffed chicken products, which have been linked to several outbreaks.
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 USDA decided to continue with the new salmonella rule.
- The rule only focused on turkey products.
- Salmonella causes over one million illnesses each year in the U.S.
- The rule planned to stop all meat products in the U.S.
- Everyone agreed with the USDA’s decision to cancel the rule.
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。
| aimed | illnesses | comments | decision | lacked |
- The hospital treated several ______ caused by bad water.
- The campaign ______ to raise awareness about recycling in the community.
- The new proposal ______ clear guidelines, making it difficult for schools to follow.
- The mayor asked for ______ from the public about the new park design.
- The coach made a tough ______ to cancel the game due to the weather.