©Scott Reid/Handout via REUTERS
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 early forms of life often significantly evolve over time?
- Are you interested in learning about ancient mammals?
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。
- desert /DEZ-ert/
- rainy /REY-nee/
- model /MOD-l/
- author /AW-ther/
- strange /streynj/
[noun] – an area, often covered with sand or rocks, where there is very
little rain and not many plants
Cacti and camels are adapted to survive in the harsh conditions of
the desert.
[adjective] – raining a lot
Last week was unusually rainy, with showers almost every day.
[noun] – a simple representation of a system or process, especially one
that can be used in calculations or predictions of what might happen
The economic model predicted a downturn in consumer spending due to
rising inflation.
[noun] – the writer of a book, article, play, etc.
J.K. Rowling is the author of the famous “Harry Potter” series.
[adjective] – unusual and unexpected, or difficult to understand
The strange noise coming from the attic turned out to be a trapped
bird.
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。
Scotland, once a dry desert over 250 million years ago, now has a misty, rainy climate. In this ancient Scottish landscape, Gordonia, an early mammal resembling a pig with a flat face and tusks, lived. Scientists used 3D imaging on a fossil from the Permian Period to study Gordonia’s brain. They made a digital model to see how early mammal brains were structured. Gordonia had features like reptiles. It lived about 254–252 million years ago. Despite being close to today’s mammals, Gordonia had a much smaller brain and intelligence similar to reptiles. Hady George, a PhD student at the University of Bristol and lead author of the study, talked about Gordonia’s special features. Gordonia had a small forebrain for thinking but a big pineal gland for metabolism. Steve Brusatte, a paleontologist at the University of Edinburgh, found that Gordonia’s brain was long and curved, not round. Even with its strange shape, the brain was big for its size, showing early changes in evolution. This study shows how early mammals like Gordonia helped the brains of later mammals, including humans, to grow smarter over millions of years.
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。
- Despite being close to today’s mammals, Gordonia had a much smaller brain and intelligence similar to reptiles.
- Scotland, once a dry desert over 250 million years ago, now has a misty, rainy climate.
- Steve Brusatte, a paleontologist at the University of Edinburgh, found that Gordonia’s brain was long and curved.
- The study shows how early mammals like Gordonia helped the brains of later mammals, including humans, to grow smarter over millions of years.
- Gordonia lived about 254–252 million years ago.
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。
| desert | rainy | model | author | strange |
- Her __________ behavior puzzled everyone.
- The __________ weather turned the streets into rivers, causing temporary flooding in low-lying areas.
- The __________ of the scientific paper presented groundbreaking research on genetic mutations.
- Nomadic tribes have traditionally roamed the __________ of Central Asia in search of grazing lands for their livestock.
- Scientists developed a climate __________ to study the effects of deforestation on regional weather patterns.