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。
- Are there common strategies companies use to increase their profits?
- Is it important for companies to share their profit-increase information with their employees and customers?
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。
- high /hahy/
- cost /kawst/
- lawsuit /LAW-soot/
- unfair /uhn-FAIR/
- practice /PRAK-tis/
[adjective] – greater than usual or expected; elevated
The mountain was so high that it reached the clouds.
[noun] – the amount of money required to purchase or do something
The cost of the new phone is $500.
[noun] – a legal case brought to a court of law
The company is facing a lawsuit for breaching the contract.
[adjective] – not just or impartial; not fair
It is unfair to give one student more time on the test than the others.
[noun] – it refers to established methods or procedures
The doctor follows a strict practice for patient care.
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 August 1, 2024, Amazon revealed that its profits for the second quarter, from April to June, surged to $13.5 billion, significantly higher than the $6.7 billion earned in the same period last year. Despite this large profit, Amazon’s revenue of $148 billion fell short of the expected $148.67 billion, causing the company’s stock price to drop by over 6% after trading hours. The company’s earnings per share were $1.26, surpassing the forecast of $1.03. However, Amazon predicts lower revenue for the quarter ending September 30, forecasting between $154 billion and $158.5 billion, less than the expected $158.22 billion. Amazon faces challenges such as higher costs from pandemic spending and a reduction of over 27,000 jobs. Amazon Web Services (AWS) showed a 19% revenue increase due to advancements in artificial intelligence, while the e-commerce sector grew only 5%. Additional difficulties include a recall of 400,000 dangerous products and an antitrust lawsuit over alleged unfair practices.
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。
- Amazon’s profit for the second quarter of 2024 was $13.5 billion.
- Amazon’s revenue for the second quarter of 2024 met the expected amount of $148.67 billion.
- Amazon’s stock price increased by over 6% after trading hours.
- The company’s earnings per share were $1.26, which was below the forecast of $1.03.
- Amazon predicts higher revenue for the quarter ending September 30 than the expected amount of $158.22 billion.
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。
| high | cost | lawsuit | unfair | practice |
- His ______ includes detailed record-keeping.
- She received a _____ score on her exam.
- We need to calculate the ______ of the materials for the project.
- He filed a ______ against the landlord for not returning the deposit.
- She thought it was ______ that she had to do all the work alone.