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Washington passes net neutrality law

Washington passes net neutrality law

Pre-reading questions: Do you think the Internet is important? Please explain your answer. How often do you use the Internet? Vocabulary: neutrality /nyoo-TRAL-i-tee/ [noun] the state of being independent and not supporting any side Neutrality is important for a judge. block /blok/ [verb] to prevent anyone from passing through A big dog blocked our path. specific /spi-SIF-ik/ [adjective] referring to a particular thing Please give me specific reasons for my bad grade. website /WEB-sahyt/ [noun] a page on the Internet where information about something can be found Please check our website for more details. content /CON-tent/ [noun] the information or ideas that are talked The contents of this newspaper are…
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Ocean’s high temperature affects fish shelters around the world

Ocean's high temperature affects fish shelter around the world

Pre-reading questions: Do you like going to the beach? Why or why not? Have you had a pet fish? Please explain your answer. Vocabulary: scientist /SAHY-uhn-tist/ [noun] a person who is studying science Mr. Yano is a great scientist. harm /HAHRM/ [verb] to have a bad effect on something Smoking harms a person’s body. shelter /SHEL-ter/ [noun] a place that gives protection Everyone needs a shelter. marine /muh-REEN/ [adjective] something that is related to the sea Japan has a rich marine life. billion /BIL-yuhn/ [noun] a very large number; 1,000,000,000 There are seven billion people in the world. Scientists believe that the rising temperature has harmed fish shelters. These shelters…
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Clear backpacks for Parkland Students

Clear backpack for parkland students

Pre-reading questions: Do you like using a backpack? Please explain your answer. Do you think backpacks are easy to bring? Why or why not? Vocabulary: require /ri-KWAHYUHr/ [verb] to order someone to do something The faculty requires the students to wear P.E. uniform. campus /KAM-puhs/ [noun] the grounds of a school or a university There are dormitories inside the campus. prescribe /pri-SKRAHYB/ [verb] to tell someone what he or she must have or do The doctor prescribed her some medicine. security /si-KYOOR-i-tee/ [noun] freedom from danger Security was increased in the city. policy /POL-uh-see/ [noun] rules followed by business, government, or group of people The management said there will be…
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Kimberly Clark to lay off 5,000 employees

Kimberly Clark to lay off 5,000 employees

By Stribrohorak (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons Pre-reading questions: What is your dream job? Is it easy to find a job in your country? Please explain your answer. Vocabulary: lay off [ley awf] (phrasal verb) to end someone’s employment They had to lay off the workers one by one. expense [ik-SPENS] (noun) an amount of money spent to buy something Food is my biggest expense. profit [PROF-it] (noun) money that remains after paying all expenses The company gained more profit this year. factory [FAK-tuh-ree] (noun) a building where products are made using machines There is a big car factory in my hometown. employee [em-PLOI-ee] (noun) someone who…
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Teenager dies due to caffeine overdose

Teenager dies due to caffeine overdose

Pre-reading questions: Do you drink coffee? Why or why not? How many cups of coffee do you drink in a day? Vocabulary: softdrink [sawft dringk] (noun) soda I bought two liters of softdrinks on my way home. energy drink [EN-er-jee dringk] (noun) drink that gives you energy That energy drink from the convenience store is expensive. county coroner [KOUN-tee KAWR-uh-ner] (noun) a person who certifies someone’s death The county coroner came to clarify the victim’s death. caffeine [ka-FEEN] (noun) a product found in most coffee There is a coffee without caffeine. moderation [mod-uh-REY-shuh n] (noun) not eating or drinking too much of something Please eat oily food in moderation. A…
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Didi Chuxing set to start in Brazil

Didi set to start in Brazil

Pre-reading questions: Do you like riding a taxi? Why or why not? Which is better, riding a taxi or a bus? Please explain your answer. Vocabulary: app [ap] (noun) a company that offers the same service as another company My favorite app is Line because it is useful. rival [RAHY-vuhl] (noun) someone or something that is competing with another person or thing McDonald’s is Mos Burger’s biggest rival. invest [in-VEST] (verb) to use money to make more money The company invested money on television ads. spend [spend] (verb) to use money to pay for something Jenny spends a lot of money for new clothes. beat [beet] (verb) to defeat a…
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US cancer death rates decrease

US cancer death rates decrease

Pre-reading questions: What do you know about cancer? What do you think causes cancer? Vocabulary: rate [reyt] (noun) – the number of times something happens in a particular period The crime rate in my city is very low. steady [STED-ee] (adjective) – happening in a smooth, regular way The improvement of her health is steady. drop [drop] (verb) – become smaller or fewer There is a drop in number of people who visit this mall. treatment [TREET-muh nt] (noun) – the use of medicine or science to make a sick person better For a very long time, there was no treatment for cancer. continuous [kuh n-TIN-yoo-uh s] (adjective) – without stopping…
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Cape Town to limit water usage in water crisis

Cape Town to limit water usage in water crisis

Pre-reading questions: Do you like drinking water? Why or why not? Is water important? Please explain your answer Vocabulary: resident /REZ-i-duhnt/ [noun] someone who lives in a place They are both residents of the same dormitory. shortage /SHAWR-tij/ [noun] a lack of something that you need or want There’s a shortage of hospital beds. population /pop-yuh-LEY-shuhn/ [noun] all the people living in a country, area, or place What is the population of Tokyo? climate /KLAHY-mit/ [noun] the general weather in a place The climate of Japan is mild usage /YOO-sij/ [noun] the process of using something I don’t understand the usage of this word. Residents of Cape Town, South Africa…
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The Royal Family talks about mental health

800px-British_Royal_family

Pre-reading questions: What do you do when you feel sad? What makes you happy? Vocabulary: depression [dih-PRESH-uh n] (noun) the feeling of being very unhappy Depression is common today. crash [KRASH] (verb) to hit something hard She crashed the car into a tree, but no one got hurt. tunnel [TUHN-l] (noun) an underground passage Tom passes through this tunnel everyday. royal family [pruh-FESH-uh-nl] (noun) family of a king or queen The Royal Family is loved by everyone. brave [BREYV] (adjective) capable of dealing with danger The brave soldiers fought for our country. Prince Harry admitted that he had suffered from depression for many years. This is following the death of…
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Eating may not be effective in blocking stress

stress

Pre-reading questions: Do you eat a lot when you are stressed? Please explain your answer. What do you do when you are happy? Vocabulary: stress [STRES] (noun) worry caused by a difficult situation She is under a lot of stress right now. hunger [HUHNG-ger] (noun) feeling in the stomach of needing or lack of food The girl ate the bread because of hunger. weight gain [WEYT geyn] (noun) an increase in body weight Eating too much food causes weight gain. effective [ih-FEK-tiv] (adjective) producing positive results The medicine he took is effective. alive [uh-LAHYV] (adjective) having life; not dead He was lucky to be alive after the car crash. Some…
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