©AP Photo/Noah Berger, File
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 switching to electric cars helps most in reducing climate change?
- Do you think air travel releases the most greenhouse gases?
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。
- pivotal /PIV-uh-tl/
- emphasize /EM-fuh-sahyz/
- public /PUHB-lik/
- intentional /in-TEN-shuh-nl]/
- constructive /kuhn-STRUHK-tiv/
[adjective] – important because other things depend on it
The meeting was a pivotal step in the company’s growth.
[verb] – to show that something is very important or worth giving attention to
The teacher will emphasize safety during the science experiment.
[adjective] – relating to people in general
Public parks are great places for children to play.
[adjective] – planned or done on purpose
The artist made an intentional change to the design.
[adjective] – useful and likely to improve something
She gave constructive feedback on the project.
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。
A study by the National Academy of Sciences in 2025 found that many people in the United States have the wrong idea about which personal actions help most in fighting climate change. The research asked participants to rank activities such as switching to electric cars, carpooling, and reducing food waste. Results showed that people gave excessive attention to small but visible habits like recycling, while ignoring high-impact actions such as avoiding flights, not owning a dog, and using renewable energy. Experts explained that climate change is mainly caused by greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels, and the most pivotal actions lower these emissions.
Researchers said marketing often emphasizes visible habits, making them seem more important. Psychologists stated that recycling feels easier to remember than invisible emissions from flights. Air travel releases large amounts of carbon dioxide, and dog ownership raises emissions due to pet food production. Renewable energy from solar and wind can greatly cut emissions. Better public awareness can lead to more intentional and constructive climate-friendly actions.
Researchers said marketing often emphasizes visible habits, making them seem more important. Psychologists stated that recycling feels easier to remember than invisible emissions from flights. Air travel releases large amounts of carbon dioxide, and dog ownership raises emissions due to pet food production. Renewable energy from solar and wind can greatly cut emissions. Better public awareness can lead to more intentional and constructive climate-friendly actions.
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。
- The study was done in 2025 by the National Academy of Sciences.
- Participants ranked activities like gardening and painting.
- Recycling was seen as more important than avoiding flights.
- Burning fossil fuels causes less greenhouse gas than pet ownership.
- Experts said renewable energy can reduce emissions.
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。
| pivotal | emphasizes | intentional | constructive | public |
- The ______ library has many free books and computers.
- Education plays a ______ role in a child’s success.
- The coach ______ the need for teamwork in practice.
- His late arrival was ______ to avoid the crowd.
- The meeting ended with ______ ideas for improvement.