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 think dogs can understand words people say?
- Have you ever learned something just by listening to others talk?
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。
- difficult /DIF-i-kuhlt/
[adjective] – not easy to do or understand
The exam was difficult for many students in the class. - experiment /ik-SPER-uh-muhnt/
[noun] – a scientific test to discover something
The scientist planned an experiment to test the new medicine. - result /ri-ZUHLT/
[noun] – the outcome of an action or study
The result of the survey surprised many people. - uncommon /uhn-KOM-uhn/
[adjective] – not often seen or happening
Snow is uncommon in this part of the country. - rare /rair/
[adjective] – not common or not often found
This flower is rare and grows in only one area.
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。
Dogs can learn action commands such as sitting or staying, but learning the names of objects is usually difficult. Recent research has shown that a small group of special dogs can learn object names in a different way. The study was carried out in Europe in the early 2020s by researchers from Eötvös Loránd University (pronounced URT-vush LOH-raand) and the University of Veterinary Medicine in Austria. About ten adult dogs took part in the experiment. Owners talked about a new toy with another person while the dogs listened. Later, the dogs were asked to find the correct toy from many others. Seven dogs were able to choose the right one. The results were published in the journal Science.The study showed that some dogs can learn by listening, even without direct training. This kind of learning is uncommon in animals. Researchers also found that the dogs succeeded when the toy was hidden, which means the dogs learned from sound alone. These findings help scientists understand how animals learn words. However, this ability is rare and does not apply to most dogs.
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。
- Dogs usually find it easy to learn the names of objects.
- The research showed that only a small group of dogs could learn object names.
- The study was carried out in Asia in the early 2020s.
- All of the dogs were able to choose the correct toy.
- The study showed that dogs must see the toy to learn its name.
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。
| difficult | experiment | result | uncommon | rare |
- The ______ showed how plants grow with less water.
- Learning a new skill can be ______ at first.
- The test ______ was shared at the end of the meeting.
- It is ______ to see snow in this city during winter.
- It is ______ for the store to close early.