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Japan’s coming of age to be lowered to 18 years old

2018年7月12日

Japan's coming of age to be lowered to 18 years old

Pre-reading questions: What did you enjoy doing when you were younger? What do you do on your birthday? Vocabulary: bill /bil/ [noun] a draft of a proposed law The Congress has passed the Bill of Rights. maturity /muh-CHOOR-i-tee/ [noun] the state of being mentally or physically developed or adult Maturity is important in marriage. contract /KON-trakt/ [noun] a written or spoken agreement You need to sign the contract if you want to work here. consent /kuhn-SENT/ [noun] permission or approval The parents gave him consent to marry their daughter. gamble /GAM-buhl/ [verb] play games of chance for money or bet He gambled away most of his money. The Cabinet has…
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Beginner

Too much ice cream may lead to a heart attack

2018年7月10日

Too much ice cream may lead to heart attack

Pre-reading questions: Do you like ice cream? Why or why not? Which ice cream flavor do you prefer, chocolate or strawberry? Please explain your answer. Vocabulary: health /helth/ [noun] the condition of the body or mind Exercise is good for our health. contain /kuhn-TEYN/ [verb] to be made up of something The book contains 6 chapters. fat /fat/ [noun] a natural oil that is gotten from animal bodies He is in a low-fat diet. increase /in-KREES/ [verb] to make something greater in size or amount The number of tourists in Japan has increased. risk /risk/ [noun] could cause danger, harm, or loss Jane takes a risk every time she goes…
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Beginner

Millennials look for online reviews when shopping

2018年7月5日

Millenials only buy products with online reviews

Pre-reading questions: When do you go shopping? What do you usually buy? Vocabulary: millennial /mil-LEN-ee-uhl/ [noun] someone born in the 70’s until early 90’s She likes music from the 90’s because she’s a millennial. online /ON-LAHYN/ [adjective] done on the Internet I prefer shopping online to going to malls. review /ri-VYOO/ [noun] a report, study, or opinion on something I always check the reviews before buying something. buyer /BAHY-er/ [noun] a person who pays money for something He is looking for a buyer of his house. positive /POZ-i-tiv/ [adjective] good This woman always says positive things about her friends. Studies show that most millennials read reviews before buying a product….
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Beginner

Where the hashtag FOMO came from

2018年6月26日

Where the hashtag FOMO comes from

Pre-reading questions: What social media sites do you use? Do you follow what is popular? Why or why not? Vocabulary: hashtag /HASH-tag/ [noun] a general topic in social media sites like Twitter and Instagram You should use a hashtag when posting on Facebook. gain /geyn/ [verb] to get something You need to gain some experience for this job. miss out /mis out/ [phrasal verb] to not use or to not have an opportunity to experience something good I don’t want to miss out on their first concert. character /KAR-ik-ter/ [noun] a quality of a person or thing Her bad character is the reason why she doesn’t have friends. competitive /kuhm-PET-i-tiv/…
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Beginner

Aya Ueto stars in suspense drama

2018年6月21日

Photo by Shuichi Aizawa via Flickr Pre-reading questions: What do you usually do during your free time? What is your favorite TV show? Vocabulary: role /rohl/ [noun] a part played by an actor I played the role of the hero. play /pley/ [verb] to act as a character in a play, film, etc. I played the role of the mayor in the film. journalist /JUR-nl-ist/ [adverb] a person who writes for newspapers, magazines, TV, or radio Professor Yukawa is currently working as a journalist in District News & Publishing. kidnap /KID-nap/ [verb] to carry away a person by force and against his or her will The president’s daughter was kidnapped…
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Beginner

African migrants to leave the Jewish state

2018年6月14日

African migrants to leave the Jewish state

Pre-reading questions: Would you like to travel to Africa? Why or why not? Have you lived in another country? Please explain your answer. Vocabulary: authority /uh-THAWR-i-tee/ [noun] an official group in the government The city’s authorities checked the new buildings. migrant /MAHY-gruhnt/ [noun] person who moves to a foreign place Migrant workers move from city to city to search for work. find /fahynd/ [verb] to get or see something you did or could not see or have I could not find the police station. get away /get uh-WEY/ [verb] to go far from something Get away from me! abuse /uh-BYOOZ/ [noun] bad treatment The abuse of animals is a crime…
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Beginner

More and more people are downloading self-care apps

2018年6月12日

More and more people are downloading self-care apps

Pre-reading questions: Do you like using smartphones? Please explain your answer. How do you stay healthy? Vocabulary: user /YOO-zer/ [noun] someone who uses a product, machine, or service There are many cell phone users these days. self-care /SELF-KAIR/ [noun] the act of caring for yourself I’d like to hear her self-care tips because she’s always healthy. profit /PROF-it/ [verb] to earn money It’s not good to profit from somebody else’s loss. wellness /WEL-nis/ [noun] the condition of being healthy You can achieve wellness through a healthy diet and regular exercise. trend /trend/ [noun] something that is popular at the moment She always follows the newest fashion trends. The number of…
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Beginner

Elderly smokers turn to e-cigarettes

2018年6月8日

Elderly smokers turn to e-cigarettes

Pre-reading questions: Do you think smoking is bad? Why or why not? At what age can a person start smoking in your country? Vocabulary: cigarette /SIG-uh-ret/ [noun] tobacco rolled in paper She went to the store to buy cigarettes. consume /KUHN-soom/ [verb] to get into one’s body The man consumed harmful chemicals. content /KON-tent/ [noun] the things found in something The contents of this snack are unhealthy. regular /REG-yuh-ler/ [adjective] usual, ordinary, or normal A white shirt and black pants are his regular outfit. prove /proov/ [verb] to show that something is or is not true I will prove that my plan is better than yours. Elderly cigarette smokers are…
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Beginner

Ginmaku Cafe’s unique way of fighting dementia

2018年6月5日

Ginmaku Cafes unique way to fight dementia

Pre-reading questions: Do you like going to cafes? Why or why not? What is your favorite movie? Please explain your answer. Vocabulary: dementia /dih-MEN-shuh/ [noun] common disease suffered by old people Her grandmother has dementia. memory /MEM-uh-ree/ [noun] ability to remember I failed the exam because I have a bad memory. loss /los/ [noun] not having something anymore The loss of her pet made her sad. treatment /TREET-muhnt/ [noun] something you do to cure a disease I’m getting treatments for my broken arm. staff /stahf/ [noun] the people who work for a company Restaurant staff must be nice. A cafe in Tsurugashima, Saitama shows movies to old people to fight…
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Beginner

Arizona teachers walk out of their classrooms

2018年5月25日

Arizona teachers walk out of their classroom

Pre-reading questions: Do you like going to school? Why or why not? Do you live near your school? Please explain your answer. Vocabulary: walk out /WAWK-out/ [verb] to leave a meeting or work because you are angry or do not like something She walked out of the room during the president’s speech. budget /BUHJ-it/ [noun] a particular amount of money needed for a specific situation The committee approved the budget for the annual conference. salary /SAL-uh-ree/ [noun] amount of money paid to someone for working His monthly salary is $500. fund /fuhnd/ [noun] amount of money provided for a specific purpose The school provided scholarship funds to those who are…
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Beginner