South Korea celebrates Han Kang’s historic Nobel Prize victory

admin 2024年10月17日

Beginner

entertainment, entertainment - beginner

©REUTERS/Kim Soo-hyeon

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 prefer fiction or nonfiction?
Are you familiar with any Nobel Prize winners in literature?

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。

run out /RUHN-out/

[phrasal verb] – to finish, use, or sell all of something, so that there is none left
We need to buy more coffee because we ran out this morning.

connect /kuh-NEKT/

[verb] – to establish a relationship or emotional link with someone or something
The teacher tried to connect with her students by sharing personal stories from her own life.

shocked /shokt/

[adjective] – surprised or upset because something unexpected and usually unpleasant has happened
She was shocked to find out that her best friend had moved away without telling her.

novel /NOV-uhl/

[noun] – a long printed story about imaginary characters and events
She spent the entire weekend reading a captivating novel about a young girl’s adventures in a magical world.

gain /geyn/

[verb] – to obtain or acquire something, especially through effort or achievement
After months of hard work, she was able to gain the trust of her teammates.

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 Friday, October 11, South Korea celebrated the surprising news that novelist Han Kang won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature. This is a historic moment because she is the first Korean author to receive this important award. After the announcement, many people rushed to buy her books, and bookstores quickly ran out of stock. According to Kyobo Book Centre, nine of the ten best-selling books were written by Han Kang. People feel proud of her win, especially since South Korea has not had many Nobel Prize winners. Han Kang’s powerful stories explore South Korean history and connect with many readers. Even with this big achievement, she prefers to stay out of the public eye. Her father, Han Seung-won, said that Han Kang was shocked when she learned about her win just before it was announced to everyone. Her famous books, like “The Vegetarian” and “Human Acts,” talk about themes of trauma and loss, showing difficult parts of South Korean history. The translations of her novels have helped her gain international recognition. Her Nobel Prize win honors her work and highlights the importance of representing her culture in global literature.

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。

Han Kang won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature.
All ten best-selling books in South Korea are written by Han Kang.
South Korea has many Nobel Prize winners in literature.
Han Kang prefers to be in the public eye after winning the award.
Han Kang is the first Korean author to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

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。

run out

connect

shocked

novels

gain

He hopes to __________ valuable experience by interning at a well-known company this summer.
The community was __________ by the sudden closure of the local school.
The documentary aims to __________ viewers to the struggles of communities affected by climate change.
The tickets for the concert sold quickly, and now they have all __________.
The author is known for writing historical __________ that bring the past to life through rich storytelling.