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。
- Does a 50th anniversary represent a significant milestone for a company?
- Is it significant when a company celebrates a milestone like a 50th anniversary?
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。
- celebrate /SEL-uh-breyt/
- opportunity /op-er-TOO-ni-tee/
- achievement /uh-CHEEV-muhnt/
- growth /grohth/
- dedication /ded-i-KEY-shuhn/
[verb] – to observe or honor an event with festivities or activities
People celebrate holidays with food and fun.
[noun] – a situation or condition that makes it possible to do something
She got the opportunity to learn a new language.
[noun] – a thing done successfully with effort or skill
Winning the race was an important achievement.
[noun] – the process of becoming larger or more advanced
The plant showed growth after being watered.
[noun] – the quality of being committed to a task or purpose
Her dedication to learning made her successful.
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。
Microsoft celebrated its 50th anniversary on April 4, 2025, marking a key milestone in technology history. The company was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975, inspired by an article about the Altair 8800 minicomputer. They recognized an opportunity to offer software to its manufacturer, Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems. At that time, they had not yet written the software but were confident in their abilities. After two months of hard work, Bill Gates completed the first operating system for the Altair, using the BASIC programming language. This achievement marked the beginning of Microsoft.
Since its founding, Microsoft has expanded significantly, introducing widely used products like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Windows, which revolutionized personal computing. Under the leadership of Satya Nadella, the company’s value has reached $2.8 trillion. Microsoft’s growth has demonstrated the importance of dedication, confidence, and innovation in technology. Bill Gates reflected on this journey as “crazy that the dream came true,” highlighting how far the company has come. This anniversary emphasizes how early innovations shaped the future of computing.
Since its founding, Microsoft has expanded significantly, introducing widely used products like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Windows, which revolutionized personal computing. Under the leadership of Satya Nadella, the company’s value has reached $2.8 trillion. Microsoft’s growth has demonstrated the importance of dedication, confidence, and innovation in technology. Bill Gates reflected on this journey as “crazy that the dream came true,” highlighting how far the company has come. This anniversary emphasizes how early innovations shaped the future of computing.
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。
- Microsoft celebrated its 50th anniversary on April 4, 2025.
- Microsoft was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975.
- Bill Gates and Paul Allen had already written the software for the Altair when they recognized the opportunity.
- Bill Gates completed the first operating system for the Altair after two months of hard work.
- Microsoft’s growth has demonstrated the importance of dedication, confidence, and innovation in technology.
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。
| celebrate | opportunity | achievement | growth | dedication |
- The team showed great ______ during the game.
- We ______ birthdays with friends and cake.
- It is a great ______ to visit new places.
- His ______ was recognized by the whole team.
- There was ______ in sales last year.