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 enjoy eating special foods during holidays?
- Have you ever noticed food becoming more expensive in your area?
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。
- expensive /ik-SPEN-siv/
[adjective] – costing a lot of money
The new smartphone became expensive after the store raised its prices. - factor /FAK-ter/
[noun] – a thing that influences or causes a result
Several factors slowed the project, including bad weather and late deliveries. - weather /WETH-er/
[noun] – the condition of the air outside, such as temperature, rain, or wind
The cold weather reduced the number of people visiting the park. - difficulty /DIF-i-kuhl-tee/
[noun] – a problem or challenge that makes something harder to do
The team had difficulty finishing the work because the machines stopped working. - attract /uh-TRAKT/
[verb] – to make someone want to come, buy, or take part in something
The bakery used colorful signs to attract more customers.
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 poultry farm west of Detroit reported stable operations during the recent Thanksgiving season, even though many turkey producers across the United States faced serious problems. Old Brick Farm, managed by Larry Doll, did not experience cases of bird flu or avian metapneumovirus. These diseases reduced the number of turkeys in the country. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said the national turkey population fell to a 40-year low after more than two million turkeys died in the last three months. Because of this shortage, hatcheries had fewer chicks, and many orders were delayed until July. Holiday food also became more expensive. Datasembly reported that the cost of 11 common Thanksgiving foods was $58.81 on November 17, which was 4.1 percent higher than last year.Experts explained that several factors increased production costs. Wholesale turkey prices rose to $1.77 per pound, an 81 percent increase from last year. They said avian diseases, higher beef prices, and changes in consumer demand caused the rise. Tariffs on imported steel and aluminum also made canned goods more expensive, especially cranberry products. The weather added more difficulty. A drought in Massachusetts reduced cranberry harvests by 9 percent, while dry weather in Illinois improved pumpkin quality and helped keep canned pumpkin prices lower. Grocery stores offered many promotions to attract shoppers.
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。
- Old Brick Farm had many cases of bird flu during Thanksgiving.
- Turkey producers in many parts of the United States faced serious problems.
- Hatcheries had many extra chicks available because supply was high.
- Wholesale turkey prices became lower than last year.
- Experts said that higher beef prices were one reason turkey prices increased.
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。
| expensive | factors | weather | difficulty | attract |
- The summer festival helped ______ many visitors to the town.
- Hot ______ helped the plants grow quickly in the garden.
- The teacher said many ______ can affect a student’s test score.
- Fresh fruit was ______ last month because fewer shipments arrived.
- She had ______ joining the meeting because her internet was slow.