Beginner

Common routines you’re mistakenly disinfecting your groceries

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Pre-Reading Questions: Do you often clean your refrigerator? Do you go to the grocery store during this pandemic? Vocabulary: correctly /kuh-REKTli/ [adverb] — in a way that is true She answered the teacher’s question correctly. crop /krop/ [noun] — a plant such as a grain, vegetable, or fruit grown She needs to buy some crops. different /DIF-er-uhnt/ [adjective] — not the same They sell delicious pizzas in twenty different flavors. fridge /frij/ [noun] — a refrigerator She puts some ice cream in the fridge. goods /goods/ [noun] — items you buy, such as food, clothing, toys, and furniture She makes sure to clean her goods. Nowadays, everyone is extra careful…
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Benefits of taking notes the old-fashioned way: Pen and paper

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Pre-Reading Questions: Do you still take notes using pen and paper? How often do you use your computer? Vocabulary: electronic /ih-lek-TRON-ik/ [adjective] – using, based on, or used in a system of operation that involves the control of electric current by various devices My brother collects electronic devices as his hobby. handwriting /HAND-rahy-ting/ [noun] – writing with a pen or pencil For me, handwriting is better than typing. properly /PROP-er-lee/ [adverb] – correctly I wasn’t able to properly answer the questions on the quiz. detail /DEE-teyl/ [noun] – information about someone or something Could you give me more details about the shirt you’re looking for? recommended /rek-uh-MEN-duhd/ [adjective] – suggested…
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No vaccines to be distributed unless proven safe and effective, UN says

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Pre-reading questions: Do you often get sick? Is there already a COVID-19 vaccine in Japan? Vocabulary: proven /PRU-vuhn/ [adjective] – shown to be true He has proven himself to be a good employee. licensed /LAHY-suhnst/ [adjective] – having a license (an official document) that gives you permission to own, do, or use something Don’t use the vaccines unless they are licensed. allow /uh-LOU/ [verb] – to let someone do something or let something happen You’re allowed to use calculators on your math quiz. emergency /ih-MUR-juhn-see/ [noun] – a dangerous or serious situation, such as an accident, that happens suddenly or unexpectedly and needs immediate action Don’t call me unless there’s…
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Experts discover the cleanest air on Earth

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Pre-reading questions: Do you always go outside? Does smoke pollute the air? Vocabulary: locate /LOH-keyt/ [verb] — to be in a particular place Their office is located inside the mall. believe /bih-LEEV/ [verb] — to think that something is true, correct, or real Miracles are to those who believe in them. safe /seyf/ [adjective] — not in danger or likely to be harmed I want to make sure that all of the people here in this building are safe. describe /dih-SKRAHYB/ [verb] — to say or write what someone or something is like Please describe to the court exactly what you saw. difference /DIF-er-uhns/ [noun] — the way in which…
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Postcards to save Beirut’s fragile beauties

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© Joseph Khoury Pre-Reading Questions: Do you like taking pictures? Have you been to other countries? Vocabulary: historic /hi-STAWR-ik/ [adjective] – important or likely to be important in history Let’s visit some historic temples in Nagoya. architect /AHR-ki-tekt/ [noun] – someone whose job is to design buildings Isozaki Arata is a Japanese architect who designed Art Tower Mito. boutique /boo-TEEK/ [noun] – a small shop that sells fashionable clothes, shoes, jewelry, etc. The boutique has a 40% off sale on selected items. blast /blahst/ [noun] – an explosion There was a powerful blast at the port in Beirut last August 4. value /VAL-yoo/ [noun] – the importance or worth of…
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Rare breed of singing dogs, found again in the wild after 50 years

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© New Guinea Highland Wild dog foundation via: CNN Pre-reading questions: Do you like animals? Do you have a pet? Vocabulary: again /uh-GEN/ [adverb] ⁠— one more time Mrs. Smith’s children went again to the shop for the second time today. until /uhn-TIL/ [conjunction] ⁠— up to (the time that) Cassidy and her friends were outside until 11:30pm. about /uh-BOUT/ [adverb] ⁠— a little more or less than the stated number or amount The rope is about 1 meter long. howl /houl/ [noun] ⁠— a long, loud, sad sound The howls of the dogs scared the little children. almost /AWL-mohst/ [adverb] ⁠— nearly It’s almost 2pm and the guests aren’t…
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How can workers travel back to work after lockdown?

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Pre-Reading Questions: Do you travel everyday? What is your favorite mode of transportation? Vocabulary: daily /DEY-lee/ [adjective] ⁠— happening on or relating to every day Drinking coffee is part of my daily routine. mile /mahyl/ [noun] ⁠— a unit of distance equal to 1.6 kilometers It takes 2 miles to travel to the nearest mall. traffic /TRAF-ik/ [noun] ⁠— the number of vehicles moving along roads, or the amount of aircraft, trains, or ships moving along a route Christmas season in the Philippines has the biggest traffic. passenger /PAS-uh n-jer/ [noun] ⁠— a person who is traveling in a vehicle but is not driving it, flying it, or working on it…
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Energy-storing bricks: A new renewable energy potential

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© The D’Arcy Laboratory in Washington via CNN Pre-reading questions: Do you try to save energy? Do you recycle? Vocabulary: find /fahynd/ [verb] — to discover, especially where a thing or person is, either unexpectedly or by searching, or to discover where to get or how to achieve something They found out that Alyssa went to the US. magazine /MAG-uh-zeen/ [noun] — a type of thin book with large pages and a paper cover that contains articles and photographs and is published every week or month The international boyband, BTS, was featured on TIME Magazine. pump /puhmp/ [verb] — to force liquid or gas to move somewhere Did you know…
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Underwater Italian village to possibly resurface after 27 years

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© Romano Cagnoni/Hulton Archive/Getty Images via CNN Pre-reading questions: Have you been to Italy before? What places do you like visiting? Vocabulary: village /VIL-ij/ [noun] — a group of houses and other buildings that is smaller than a town, usually in the countryside The fishing village next to ours is very popular. reappear /re-uh-PEER/ [verb] — to appear again or return after a period of time It’s possible that the disease may reappear. sink /singk/ [verb] — to (cause something or someone to) go down below the surface or to the bottom of a liquid or soft substance The Titanic sank in the Atlantic Ocean in 1912. former /FAWR-mer/ [adjective]…
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BTS smashes YouTube records with their newest video, Dynamite

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© BigHit Entertainment Pre-reading questions: Do you like listening to songs by foreign artists? Do you use YouTube? Vocabulary: superstar /SOO-per-stahr/ [noun] – an extremely famous actor, singer, musician, sports player, etc Tiger Woods is a superstar in golf. over /OH-ver/ [preposition] – above or higher than something else, sometimes so that one thing covers the other The little boy pulled the blanket over his head because he was so scared. name /neym/ [verb] – to give someone or something a name Mr. Corden named their puppy “Spot”. premiere /pri-MEER/ [noun] – the first public performance of a play or any other type of entertainment Today is the world premiere…
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