©AP Photo/Richard Drew
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 know what the stock market is?
- Do you know what artificial intelligence 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。
- increase /in-KREES/
[verb] – to become bigger or higher
Prices increase when demand is high. - happy /HAP-ee/
[adjective] – feeling pleased and positive
Investors felt happy after good news. - worried /WUR-eed/
[adjective] – feeling nervous about problems
People were worried about high costs. - change /CHAYNJ/
[verb] – to become different
Technology can change many jobs. - hope /HOHP/
[verb] – to want something good to happen
Investors hope prices rise.
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。
U.S. stock markets went up on Wednesday (February 18, 2026). The S&P 500, Dow Jones, and Nasdaq all increased after news about Nvidia and Meta. Meta plans to buy many computer chips for artificial intelligence data centers. Investors felt happy because technology companies showed strong results. Some companies reported good profits, which helped the market move higher.
At the same time, some investors feel worried about the high cost of AI projects. Experts say new technology may change many jobs and industries in the future. New reports also showed strong factory activity and more new houses being built. The Federal Reserve said interest rates may stay the same for now until inflation improves. Many investors still hope rates will go down later this year. Markets in London and Tokyo also rose after positive economic news.
At the same time, some investors feel worried about the high cost of AI projects. Experts say new technology may change many jobs and industries in the future. New reports also showed strong factory activity and more new houses being built. The Federal Reserve said interest rates may stay the same for now until inflation improves. Many investors still hope rates will go down later this year. Markets in London and Tokyo also rose after positive economic news.
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。
- Markets fell on Wednesday.
- Meta plans to buy AI chips.
- Investors are not worried about AI costs.
- Factories showed strong activity.
- The Federal Reserve cut rates immediately.
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。
| increased | happy | worried | change | hopes |
- She ______ to travel next year.
- The number of jobs ______ this year.
- She felt ______ about her new job.
- He felt ______ before the test.
- Weather can ______ quickly.