Beginner

A box of delight: Shiba Inu marshmallows

shiba inu

Photo by © Casey Baseel, SoraNews24 via Japan Today Pre-Reading Questions: Do you like eating snacks? What snacks do you usually eat? Vocabulary: snack /snak/ [noun] a small amount of food eaten between meals Popcorn is my favorite snack. adorable /uh-dohr-uh-buhl/ [adjective] attractive and easily loved Nina is an adorable 2-year-old girl. mix /miks/ [verb] to combine different things Oil and water do not mix. often /of-uhn/ [adverb] a lot or many times Carla often goes to the cinema. cost /kost/ [verb] to pay an amount of money to buy something or do something How much does it cost to go to Kyoto? Enjoy your coffee breaks and tea time…
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Survey shows Japanese youth spend three hours online each day

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Pre-reading questions: Do you use the internet? Is the internet important? Vocabulary: inquiry /in-kwahyuhr-ee/ [noun] the act of asking for information She made an inquiry about the case. give /giv/ [verb] to give your money, time, or best efforts Their teacher gave them an hour break before taking the examination. look /look/ [verb] to try to find something People are looking for different websites to study English. ministry /min-uh-stree/ [noun] a government department led by a minister All the ministries will have a meeting next week. result /ri-zuhlt/ [noun] the information you get from something The result of their English exam was good. In 2018, the Japanese government made an…
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China to launch new generation of driverless maglev trains in 2020

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Pre-reading questions: How often do you take trains? Which one do you like, train or bus? Vocabulary: train /treyn/ [noun] a railway engine connected to a group of vehicles for carrying people or goods I go to work by train. speed /speed/ [noun] how fast something moves He was traveling at a speed of 80 kph. only /ohn-lee/ [adjective] used to show that there is a single one or very few of something She was the only person who finished the project. company /kuhm-puh-nee/ [noun] an organization that sells goods or services in order to make money My friend and I worked for the same company. also /awl-soh/ [adverb] in…
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Rising tennis star Naomi Osaka bags more sponsors

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Photo by © The Mainichi via The Mainichi Business Pre-reading questions: What is your favorite winter activity? What sports would you like to try? Vocabulary: first /furst/ [determiner] coming before all others in order, time, amount, quality, or importance As a student, my first priority is to graduate. sport /spohrt/ [adjective] relating to sports Kindly bring your sports attire tomorrow! business /BIZ-niz/ [noun] a company that buys and sells goods and services Diane has an online business. player /PLEY-er/ [noun] someone who takes part in a sport or game Riko is a basketball player. believe /bih-LEEV/ [verb] to think that something is true or correct I believe that they got…
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Let it Be: The new Beatles documentary

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Pre-Reading Questions: Do you like listening to music? What kind of music do you like? Vocabulary: film /film/ [noun] a movie We took the children to see a film. session /SESH-uhn/ [noun] a period of time or a meeting arranged for a particular activity They have waited too long for their recording session. interview /in-ter-VYOO/ [noun] a formal meeting at which reporters try to get information He had an interview with the infamous serial killer last year. different /DIF-er-uhnt/ [adjective] not the same Emily is entirely different from her sister. date /deyt/ [noun] a particular month, day, and year at which some event happened or will happen There is no…
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Less sitting can make you live longer

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Pre-Reading Questions: Do you like to exercise? Do you think it’s important to move more? Vocabulary: stay /stey/ [verb] to spend some time in a place, in a situation, with a person or group My dog is staying under my bed. worse /wurs/ [adjective] bad or ill in a greater or higher degree Using cellphones for a long time is worse than reading books in a dim light. health /helth/ [noun] the general condition of the body or mind His grandfather’s health is getting better. exercise /ek-ser-sahyz/ [noun] physical activity that you do to make your body strong and healthy Exercise is one of the best ways to be healthy….
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Japanese hospitals to use translation services

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Pre-reading questions: Do you usually watch foreign movies with subtitles? Have you been to a hospital before? Vocabulary: translation /trans-ley-shuhn/ [noun] the activity or process of changing the words of one language into the words in another language that have the same meaning Students read the English translations of some Japanese novels for their literature class. foreign /for-in/ [adjective] in or from a country that is not your own Many foreign tourists visit old temples during summer. patient /pey-shuhnt/ [noun] a person who is receiving medical care, esp. in a hospital The doctor told his patient to take a rest and take medicines. communicate /kuh-myoo-ni-keyt/ [verb] to share information with…
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Japan to give 2.5 million yen scholarship for foreign nursing students

Diverse medical or nursing school students raise their hands to ask or answer a question during class. They are using laptop computers.

Pre-reading questions: Do you want to work in another country? What is your dream job? Vocabulary: foreign /fawr-in/ [adjective] in or from a country that is not your own She loves watching foreign movies. receive /ri-seev/ [verb] to get or to be given something I received a gift from my father. outside /out-sahyd/ [adverb] not in a particular place She was standing outside the house waiting for her parents. system /sis-tuhm/ [noun] a particular set of actions for doing something The new tax system will be effective next year. opportunity /op-er-too-ni-tee/ [noun] a chance for advancement or progress Tom missed the opportunity for promotion. Foreign nursing students will receive 2.5…
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Facebook makes people unhappy, according to a study

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Pre-reading questions: What do you do in your free time? What makes you happy? Vocabulary: health /helth/ [noun] the condition of the body or mind and the degree to which it is free from illness She has a good health. make /meyk/ [verb] to perform an action I have to make a decision. university /yoo-nuh-vur-si-tee/ [noun] a place of higher education usually for people who have finished twelve years of schooling Jay is going to a private university next year. user /yoo-zer/ [noun] someone who uses a product, machine, or service John is a twitter user. connected /kuh-nek-tid/ [adjective] joined together They are finally connected after several years. According to…
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World’s largest underwater theme park to open in Bahrain

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Pre-Reading Questions: Do you like traveling? Do you like swimming? Vocabulary: underwater /uhn-der-waw-ter/ [adjective] under the surface of water, esp. under the surface of the sea They have an underwater camera. attraction /uh-trak-shuhn/ [noun] something that people come to see because they are interested in it Europe has many tourist attractions. aircraft /air-kraft/ [noun] any vehicle made to fly The aircraft will take off now. special /spesh-uhl/ [noun] not ordinary or usual The chair in my room is special. experiment /ek-sper-uh-ment/ [noun] a test done in order to learn something They made an experiment in their Science subject. Planning your next travel vacation? There are many tourist spots that you…
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