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Japan to charge plastic bags

2019年7月22日

ban plastics

Pre-reading questions: Do you use plastic bags every day? Have you seen a dirty sea? Vocabulary: charge /chahrj/ [verb] to ask an amount of money for something The cashier charged $10 on my card. intend /in-TEND/ [verb] to have as a plan or purpose She intends to stay longer in Korea. seller /SEL-er/ [noun] a person who sells something The flower seller lives in another country. environmental /en-VAHY-ruhn-muhnt-uhl/ [adjective] relating to the environment He is one of the environmental campaigners. waste /weyst/ [noun] unwanted matter or material of any type The nuclear waste is increasing. Japan plans to charge plastic shopping bags at supermarkets, convenience stores, drugstores, and department stores….
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The resonating sound within Kobe tunnel

2019年7月18日

kobe

Photo by © The Japan News/ANN via China Daily Pre-Reading Questions: Do you like listening to music? Do you like going to music concerts? Vocabulary: concert /KON-surt/ [noun] a performance of music by one or more musicians It is good to watch a concert every now and then. music /MYOO-zik/ [noun] a pattern of sounds made by instruments or by singing or by a combination of both Sometimes we forget that music brings joy to our lives. flood /fluhd/ [noun] a large amount of water covering an area that is usually dry A big flood destroyed the country in 1886. oldest /OHL-dist/ [adjective] having lived or existed for a long…
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Liverpool wins its 6th European Cup

2019年7月15日

liverpool

Photo by © Carl Recine/Reuters via The New York Times Pre-reading questions: Do you like playing sports? What sports do you play? Vocabulary: win /win/ [verb] to achieve first position and/or get a prize in a competition, election, fight, etc. Blue Jays won the baseball match for the 2nd time. championship /CHAM-pee-uh n-ship/ [noun] a high-level competition to decide who is the best, especially in a sport The Giants is aiming to win the American League Championship Series. kick /kik/ [noun] the action of kicking something Lionel Messi gave the ball a strong kick. moment /MOH-muhnt/ [noun] a particular time or occasion Winning the championship game was the best moment of…
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Smartphone app detects ear infection in kids

2019年7月10日

ear app

Photo by © The Associated Press via CBC Pre-reading questions: Do you like using smartphones? What kind of smartphone applications do you usually use? Vocabulary: app /ap/ [noun] abbreviation for application: software designed for a particular purpose that you can download onto a mobile device. Ordering food online is made easier by using apps in smartphones. funnel /fuhn-l/ [noun] an object that has a wide round opening at the top, sloping sides, and a narrow tube at the bottom We need to use a funnel in transferring the liquid into the bottle. wave /weyv/ [noun] the pattern in which some types of energy, such as sound, light, and heat, are…
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New app helps smokers quit

2019年7月8日

smoke app

Photo by © CUREAPP INC. via The Japan Times Pre-reading questions: Do you have any bad habits? Is it easy to quit smoking? Vocabulary: company /KUHM-puh-nee/ [noun] an organization that sells goods or services in order to make money He works in a small company in China. create /kree-EYT/ [verb] to make something new, or invent something He wants to create something new for our math club. history /HIS-tree/ [noun] a record of past events relating to a particular person or company We are checking the patient’s medical history. daily /DEY-lee/ [adjective] happening or done every day A daily workout will keep you active for the rest of the day….
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Japanese offices increase greenery to lessen stress

2019年7月5日

green

Photo by © Koji Fujii / Nacasa and Partners Inc. via Spoon & Tamago Pre-reading questions: Do you like the color green? Are there many plants and trees from where you live? Vocabulary: company /KUHM-puh-nee/ [noun] an organization that sells goods or services in order to make money My father owns a company in Shinjuku. reduce /ri-DOOS/ [verb] to become or to make something become smaller in size, amount, etc. What’s a good way to reduce weight? applicant /AP-li-kuhnt/ [noun] someone who has applied for a job Only two out of twenty applicants passed the interview. area /AIR-ee-uh/ [noun] a particular part of a place or piece of land My…
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Beginner

Consistent sleep pattern benefits metabolic health

2019年7月3日

sleep

Pre-reading questions: What time do you usually sleep every night? Do you have any sleeping habits? Vocabulary: health /helth/ [noun] the state of being well She always prays for her mother’s good health. adult /uh-DUHLT/ [noun] a person or animal that has grown to full size and strength Adults should be more responsible for their actions. between /bih-TWEEN/ [adverb] in the period of time that separates two different times or events The meeting should start between 10 and 10:30 in the morning. believe /bih-LEEV/ [verb] to think that something is true, correct, or real She believes in aliens. possibility /pos-uh-BIL-i-tee/ [noun] a chance that something may happen or be true…
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Robots affect human emotions according to studies

2019年6月28日

Robots affect human emotions according to studies

Pre-reading questions: Do you have a robot? What kind of robot do you like? Vocabulary: comfort /KUHM-fert/ [noun] the pleasant and satisfying feeling Grey gives a lot of comfort to Hannah. joy /joi/ [noun] great happiness or pleasure Aly’s heart is full of pure joy. maker /MEY-ker/ [noun] a person or company that makes a particular type of product Anne is a shoe maker. act /akt/ [verb] to behave in the stated way Maria needs to stop acting like a child. conscious /KON-shus/ [adjective] aware of what is happening around you Larry is conscious of everything. A new study found that most people feel sad when a robot “dies”. A…
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Former Red Sox pitcher Koji Uehara retires

2019年6月26日

euh

Photo by © KYODO via The Mainichi Pre-reading questions: Do you play sports? What is your favorite sport? Vocabulary: player /PLEY-er/ [noun] someone who takes part in a game or sport My brother’s dream is to become a basketball player. right-handed /right-handed/ [adjective] using your right hand to write with and do most things I’d rather be right-handed than left-handed. season /SEE-zuhn/ [noun] the period of the year during which a particular sport is played The baseball season starts in March and ends in September this year. career /kuh-REER/ [noun] a job for which you are trained so that you get greater responsibility and earn more money She wants to…
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Wasao becomes the new stationmaster

2019年6月21日

wasao

Photo by © KYODO via The Japan Times Pre-reading questions: Do you like dogs? Can dogs make people happy? Vocabulary: choose /chohz/ [verb] to decide what you want from two or more things or possibilities The company will choose a new board member. take place /teyk-pleys/ [verb] to happen The meeting will take place on March 25, 2020. wife /wahyf/ [noun] the woman to whom a man is married His wife is very thoughtful. officer /AW-fuh-ser/ [noun] a person who has a position of authority in an organization One of the Navy’s officers is looking for a new office building. improve /im-PROOV/ [verb] to get better, or to make something…
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