Intermediate

Planet orbiting a “white dwarf” star potentially supports life

2022年3月8日

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Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. Do you believe that there is life on other planets? Please elaborate on your answer. Could you give three reasons why Earth is habitable? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. capable /KEY-puh-buhl/ [adjective] – having the ability, power, or qualities to be able to do something I believe your idea is capable to be enhanced. identify /ahy-DEN-tuh-fahy/ [verb] – to recognize someone or something and say or prove who or what that person or thing is Even a newborn can identify its mother’s voice. initially /ih-NISH-uh-lee/ [adverb] – at the beginning The…
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Intermediate

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Mud, dirt, and sweat: the true essences of having fun

2022年3月7日

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Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. What was your favorite playground/park when you were a child? What did you like about it the most? How do you define “fun” in your own words? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. surroundings /sr-OWN-duhngz/ [noun] – the place where someone lives and the conditions they live in My grandparents used to live in quiet yet beautiful surroundings. urban /UR-buhn/ [adjective] – of or in a city or town People in urban areas make up most of the country’s population. influence /IN-floo-uhns/ [noun] – the power to have an effect on…
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Intermediate

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The suffocating expectation of 24-hour, seven-day-a-week digital accessibility

2022年3月6日

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Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. How do you feel when someone has not replied to your text message? How many minutes does it take you to reply to someone’s text message? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. concerned /kuhn-SURND/ [adjective] – worried I’m a little concerned about my mother’s health. respond /ri-SPOND/ [verb] – to say or do something as a reaction to something that has been said or done He responded to every question asked to him. remote /ri-MOHT/ [adjective] – far away in distance Australia is huge and remote from the world’s major population…
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Intermediate

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How to exercise for better balance

2022年3月5日

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Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. How often do you encounter exercise/workout videos on the internet? What is physical education like in your country? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. control /kuhn-TROHL/ [noun] – the act of controlling something or someone, or the power to do this He needs better control of the baseball bat. key /kee/ [adjective] – very important and having a lot of influence on other people or things A clear plan is a key factor for success. pattern /PAT-ern/ [noun] – a particular way in which something is done, is organized, or happens…
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Intermediate

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There are more tree species on the planet than we originally predicted

2022年3月4日

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Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. Have you been to a tropical forest before? Could you share something about it? What comes to mind after reading the title of the article? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. species /SPEE-sheez/ [noun] – a set of animals or plants in which the members have similar characteristics to each other and can breed with each other Mountain gorillas are a rare species in the wild. tropical /TROP-i-kuhl / [adjective] – extremely hot My dream is to live on a tropical island. rely on /ri-LAHY on/ [phrasal verb] – to need…
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Intermediate

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What breakfast looks like in the Philippines

2022年3月3日

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Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. What time do you usually wake up in the morning? Which do you prefer, sunny-side-up, scrambled, or boiled egg? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. pantry /PAN-tree/ [noun] – a small room or large cupboard in a house where food is kept Dani spent 2 hours organizing the pantry. typically /TIP-i-klee/ [adverb] – used when you are giving an average or usual example of a particular thing Tickets for these festivals will typically cost around forty dollars. root /root/ [noun] – origins Today, we learned about the roots of French language….
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Intermediate

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Israeli strawberry breaks Guinness World Record as the world’s heaviest

2022年3月2日

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©Amir Cohen/Reuters via CNN Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. How often do you eat strawberries? What vegetables do you eat during the winter season? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. confirmation /kon-fer-MEY-shuhn/ [noun] – a statement of proof that something is true The museum just sent a confirmation for the painting we found. break a record /breyk-a-REK-erd/ [idiom] – to do something better than the best known speed, time, number, etc. previously achieved He will try to break a record at the competition next month. unusually /uhn-YOO-zhoo-uhl-lee/ [adverb] – more than is usual or expected, or…
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Intermediate

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Space travel damages red blood cells quicker than on Earth

2022年3月1日

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Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. What do you think of space travel? What do you think of the health risk of space travel? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. occur /uh-KUR/ [verb] – (especially of accidents and other unexpected events) to happen If any of these symptoms occur while taking the medicine, contact your doctor right away. gather /GATH-er/ [verb] – to collect several things, often from different places or people She gathered the newspapers that had been scattered about the room. calculate /KAL-kyuh-leyt / [verb] – to judge the amount or value of something by using…
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Intermediate

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Vegetables not enough to lower heart risk, study finds

2022年2月28日

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Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. Do you keep count of the vegetable you eat? Please tell me more about it. What vegetable/s is/are included in your diet? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. risk /risk/ [noun] – the possibility of something bad happening The risk of getting lost in this fog is high. Let’s not continue. evidence /EV-i-duhns/ [noun] – anything that helps to prove that something is or is not true The police found no evidence of a crime. emphasize /EM-fuh-sahyz/ [verb] – to show that something is very important or worth giving attention to…
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Intermediate

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Children’s book helps readers to “find their own voice”

2022年2月27日

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©MATT MOSUR PHOTOGRAPHY via BBC News Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. What are some famous children’s books in your country? Please tell me a bit more about them. What kinds of stories do you enjoy? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. plot /plot/ [noun] – the story of a book, film, play, etc. I’ll purchase this book. The plot seems interesting. struggle /STRUHG-uhl/ [verb] – to experience difficulty and make a very great effort in order to do something I’ve been struggling to fix this computer. Could you lend me a hand? primary school /PRAHY-muh-ree skool/…
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Intermediate

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