Beginner

Rural areas offer good life

2017年1月27日

Japan - Beginner

  Pre-reading questions: Where is your hometown? Do you like your hometown? Why? Would you rather see mountains or buildings?   Some people want to live peacefully. They want to live in a private place. People want to benefit in slow living away from the city life. Some people say they are satisfied with their current life. Now, most retired people are moving to rural areas.   Vocabulary: private – [adjective] for the use of a single person or group city life – [noun] a life that’s experienced in the city retired – [adjective] not working anymore living away – [verb] to live away from home   True or False:…
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Beginner

New NTT West Corp. job interview program

2017年1月25日

Education - B

  Pre-reading questions: Have you ever attended to a job interview? Are job interviews important? Why?   The NTT (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone) West Corp. made a program at Kansai University. The program examined students’ practice job interviews. Kansai University worked on their first interviews with 17 students last August and September. The results shows that the interviewers like students who answered smoothly. But for unexpected questions, the interviewers gave higher score to students who answered with smiles.   Vocabulary: examine – [verb] test pulse – [noun] beat interviewee – [noun] one who is interviewed; respondent interviwer – [noun] one who asked questions unexpected – [adjective] sudden   True or…
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Beginner

Martin Luther King Jr.’s childhood home reopens to public

2017年1月23日

Lifestyle

  Pre-reading questions: Do you know Martin Luther King Jr.? Do you know any historic site?   Atlanta, Georgia – After series of repairs, Martin Luther King’s home re-opened on a holiday dedicated to him. Their home became a museum after his assassination in 1968. People can now get a peek inside the first floor of the historical house. It’s second floor still needs repairs. It has been closed for 5 months for renovation.   Vocabulary: series – [noun] a group or number of related events etc. dedicated – [adjective] wholly committed to something museum – [noun] a building or a place where works of art, scientific specimen, and other…
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Beginner

Miyagi school opens to public after the great 2011 tsunami attack

2017年1月19日

World News - Beginner

  Pre-reading questions: Do you know other countries aside from Japan that got struck by a tsunami? Which part of Japan was hit by a tsunami back in 2011?   A school in Miyagi prefecture opened to the public for the first time after the tsunami attack in 2011. 135 people visited the old buildings last Dec.03. It was the last time people could see the buildings before clean-up work begins. All damaged buildings will be removed. But the four-story south building will open as a disaster monument in 2018.   Vocabulary: public – [noun] ordinary people; the community clean-up – [phrasal verb] make things or an area clean damage…
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Beginner

Paris Climate Change Agreement gains approval

2017年1月18日

World News - Beginner

  Pre-reading questions: What are the effects of climate change? Do you think climate change is really happening?   The Paris Climate Change Agreement was finally approved last November 2016. It was created to battle climate change. The agreement aims to restrict the worldwide temperature that causes global warming. 109 countries promised to control carbon production to fight climate change. Participating countries are expected to implement the agreement on 2017.   Vocabulary: agreement – [noun] an act of agreeing or act of mutual accord approve – [verb] to accept or to agree to restrict – [verb] to confine or to use with limits production – [noun] act of producing implement…
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Beginner

Stolen Yahoo data for sale on dark web

2017年1月17日

Business - B

  Pre-reading questions: What email account do you have (Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail)? What engine do you use for searching (Google, Yahoo, Safari, etc.)?   More than one billion Yahoo accounts were hacked last 2013. Yahoo users’ phone numbers, passwords, security questions, and backup email addresses were stolen. It is by far the biggest incident of data stealing. All the information has been for sale on the dark web. But now that many people know about it, the price will become cheaper. Investigation says the group of hackers called Group E stole all the personal information from Yahoo. Group E is based in Eastern Europe. They have also hacked Dropbox, Tumblr,…
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Beginner

Children’s love in a truck

2017年1月16日

Japan - Beginner

  Pre-reading questions: Do you love drawing? How do you show your love to your parents?   A project was started by a transportation company in Takatsuki, Osaka Prefecture. Trucks have drawn pictures displayed outside by the drivers’ children. This is to give emotional support for drivers and to avoid accidents. This idea is now popular and 15 companies have joined the project. So far, there are no reported accidents with those decorated trucks.   Vocabulary: support – [verb] to give help or assistance to someone or something avoid – [verb] to stay away from emotional – [adjective] relating to emotions decorated – [adjective] provided with something to increase beauty…
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Beginner

Experts urge malnutrition be cured to prevent health catastrophe

2017年1月13日

Health - Beg

  Pre-reading questions: What is your favorite food? Do you know that there unhealthy kinds of food?   Malnutrition is being underweight or overweight. It affects a third of the world’s population. People who do not exercise and have poor diet are at risk. Middle income countries suffer more from malnutrition. Experts say that governments must do something to prevent it. Nutrition is a public issue and state responsibility. Governments should give more funds to grow healthy foods. They should also educate consumers about healthy living.   Vocabulary: malnutrition – [noun] the unhealthy condition that results from not eating enough food or not eating healthy food underweight – [adjective] weighing…
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Beginner

Panda twins in Atlanta zoo get names

2017年1月12日

Lifestyle

  Pre-reading questions: Have you been to the zoo? What is your favorite animal?   Zoo Atlanta’s 100-day old panda twins received their names last Monday, December 12, 2016. The twins will be called Ya Lun and Xi Lun. These duo are the 6th and 7th offspring of their parents. Their names are chosen by public voting. Ya Lun and Xi Lun are going to be shown in public on January.   Vocabulary: receive – [verb] get something duo – [noun] two items of the same kind offspring – [noun] an animal’s young chosen – [verb] one who is the object of choice ; who is given preference public –…
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Beginner

Schools for young offenders instead of jails

2017年1月9日

Education - B

Pre-reading questions: What is a safe place? Do you think there are bad people? Justice Secretary Liz Truss plans to send young offenders to schools instead of jails. The government wants them to study so that they will not do bad things anymore. Young offenders will study basic subjects such as English and Math. They will also be taught to work so that they can have a good life. Vocabulary: offender- [noun] a person who breaks the law jail- [noun] a place where a person who breaks the law is sent basic- [adjective] simple True or False: Liz Truss is a Justice Secretary. Justice Secretary Liz Truss plans to send…
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Beginner