Author Archive: admin

Halloween party in Shibuya

2016年11月18日

Lifestyle

  Pre-reading questions: Have you ever joined a Halloween party? Do you think Zombie party is safe?   Shibuya Halloween is a popular event in Japan. It takes place on Halloween night. It is celebrated near JR Shibuya station in Tokyo. It’s a gathering of people in Halloween costumes. 2,268 people joined last year’s Zombie party. Around 90 events will be held in Shibuya this year, but celebrity Hakase Suidobashi said that Halloween should not be celebrated in a busy place like Tokyo.   Vocabulary: Halloween – ハロウィーン [noun] the evening before All Saints’ Day popular – 人気のある [adjective] common celebrated – 有名な [adjective] widely known costumes – 衣装 [noun]…
Read more

Beginner

Education ministry experts want to know what is “serious” school abuse

2016年11月18日

  A council of scholars are calling the attention of the Education Ministry to specify “serious” bullying and create guidelines for investigation. The standard law decreed the schools and boards of education to establish teams to investigate on “serious” school bullying cases, which are detrimental to students’ development. Despite this decree, the scope of “serious” cases under the law is nebulous so response of authorities are inefficient. The ministry must enumerate comprehensive examples of grave penalties for bullying so that “serious” cases will be defined. The scholars also required the ministry to create concrete guidelines on how to scrutinize cases of bullying, which includes: selection of third-party committee members, investigation…
Read more

Expert

Education ministry experts want to know what is “serious” school abuse

2016年11月18日

  Pre-reading questions: What do you think is the best way to prevent bullying? In your own words, what are the effects of bullying to a person’s growth? Do you think bullying is a serious issue?   Experts are calling the attention of the Education Ministry to define “serious” school bullying. Modern law gave a directive to the schools and boards of education to establish teams for investigation of “serious” school bullying cases. However, the experts noticed that the scope of “serious” cases under the law is inscrutable, which makes the enforcement weak. The ministry must enumerate examples of grave penalties for bullying so that “serious” cases will be defined….
Read more

Intermediate

Education ministry experts want to know what is “serious” school abuse

2016年11月18日

Education - B

  Pre-reading questions: What is the meaning of the word bullying? Do you think students can stop bullying?   Experts want the education ministry to say what is “serious” school abuse. New rules say that schools will respond to abuse. The experts say that the police’s action to abuse is not good. The education ministry must give examples of discipline to school abuse. Teachers, students and parents do not know much of anti-abuse rules. Schools must have a meeting so that there will be no more abuse in their schools.   Vocabulary: experts – 専門家 [noun] skilled people abuse – 悪用 [noun] bad behavior against other people respond – 返答する…
Read more

Beginner

China’s October Exports, Imports Drop

2016年11月15日

  China’s October exports declined 7.3 percent, while imports dwindled 1.4 percent compared with preceding year’s figures–both dropped more than what’s expected. According to the General Administration of Customs, China currently has a trade surplus of $49.06 billion for October as a result. Compared against September’s trade surplus of $41.99 billion, their forecast is to have inflated to $51.70 billion. Analysts said that the changes in statistics lead to the recurring slack global demand.   Vocabulary: dwindle – to gradually become smaller preceding – existing, happening trade surplus – a situation in which a country sells more to other countries than it buys from other countries forecast – to say…
Read more

Expert

China’s October Exports, Imports Drop

2016年11月15日

Pre-reading questions: Do you buy products from China? What are the things you buy that are made in China? China’s exports in the first ten months of this year went down to 7.7 percent, while imports fell 7.5 percent. It is officially shown in the data on November 1st. The General Administration of Customs said that it left the country a big amount of trade surplus. It means that China sells more to other countries than it buys from other nations. The imports were expected to have decreased by 1 percent after falling 1.9 percent last month. Reuters had forecasted a 6 percent tumble for exports, 1 percent slump for…
Read more

Intermediate

China’s October Exports, Imports Drop

2016年11月15日

Business - B

Pre-reading questions: Do you buy products from China? What are your favorite products from China? The exports or number of products that China sold to other countries dropped by 7.3 percent, while the imports or number of products that they bought from other countries dropped by 1.4 percent. This is based on their October reports. They said it decreased more than they thought it would this year. Vocabulary: exports – 輸出 [noun] products that are sent to another country to be sold there imports – 輸入 [noun] products brought into a country to be sold there drop – 落ちる [verb] to fall percent – パーセント [noun] part of every hundred…
Read more

Beginner

Paris reveals plans to win back tourists

2016年11月15日

  Pre-reading questions: What are some of the benefits of traveling? How adventurous are you when you travel? Where is the most amazing place you have been?   The government reveals new strategies to win back tourists. These past few months, the number of tourists has been declining due to terrorist attacks and extreme weather conditions. They are planning to deploy English-speaking volunteers, mostly college interns, to different tourist spots starting this December. People working with tourists like bus and taxi drivers, and hospitality staff will be taking English classes to have good English communication skills. They will also launch an app as a guide for first-timer visitors. To assure…
Read more

Intermediate