Intermediate

Pre-reading questions: Do you prefer sweet or savory pancakes? Why or why not? How often do you eat pancakes? Pancake Day falls 47 days before Easter so the date is not fixed, but it will always be between February 3 and March 9. British people has celebrated Pancake Tuesday for centuries. It is also called Shrove Tuesday, from the word “shrive”, which means to obtain forgiveness through confession of sins. Shrove Tuesday was based on a Christian tradition to be shriven before Lent season begins. Aside from making and eating pancakes during Pancake Day, Britons love to have pancake races where participants run while flipping pancakes in a…
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lifestyle - intermediate

Abe ‘builds trust’ with Trump

Pre-reading questions: Why do you think the US and Japan should have a good relationship? What do you think are the qualities of a good leader? Name some of the best accomplishments of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe paid a visit to newly elected US President Donald Trump right after his victory in the 2016 presidential race. The Prime Minister was the first world leader to visit Trump since the elections. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Abe said that the two leaders are off to a good start. Abe and Trump’s meeting lasted for almost 90 minutes. Both leaders have both been mum about what they discussed….
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world news - intermediate

Traditional approach of Tokyo hotels

Pre-reading questions: What is the most difficult Olympic sport? How do countries get chosen to hold the games? If we hold the Olympics in this class, in which sport would you win the gold? As a preparation for 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, hotels have started to offer Japanese-style accommodation and hospitality. Hotels like the Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa, Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo, and the Park Hotel Tokyo recently unveiled an updated Japanese-style accommodation for their guests. Newly renovated hotels used tatami, paper screens, shiraki furniture and lantern-like lighting for their rooms. A kimono-clad staff welcomes guests upon their arrival and leads them through an incense-fumed Japanese garden to a…
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lifestyle - intermediate

Recipe for success: The growth of team-building cookery classes

Pre-reading questions: What kind of activities do you enjoy doing with your friends? What comes to your mind when you hear “team building”? Team building activities such as grinding in a seminar about effectivity at work or spending time doing potentially embarrassing activities are the usual ways to run through company away days. However, a new type of team building activity emerged in Europe. London-based Food@Work and Brussels-based Waffle Workshop offer team building cooking classes. SIG, a hardware company, was a client of Food@Work. SIG staff say that the cooking class was fun because of the different atmosphere from work. Meanwhile, attendees at Waffle Workshop say that they…
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business news - intermediate

Japanese government to give scholarships in 2018

Pre-reading questions: What is your understanding of a scholarship? What kind of students do you think should be given scholarships? How do scholarship programs benefit the society? About 20,000 students will be given state-sponsored scholarships in Japan in 2018. Students at public universities who live with their parents will receive a monthly allowance of ¥20,000; students of such schools living away from their parents and students attending private universities who live with their parents will get ¥30,000 monthly; and, students at private universities who live away from their parents will receive ¥40,000. As a first step, Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) will give financial support to 2,650 students in 2017….
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education - intermediate

Apple cider vinegar for weight loss

Pre-reading questions: Do you enjoy eating foods with vinegar? Do you agree that vinegar has health benefits too? Apple cider vinegar is known for its remarkable purposes – beauty, cleaning, cooking, etc. Experts from Japan believe that it may also have an impact on weight loss. Professor Carol Johnston, who has been studying the healthy benefits of vinegar, agrees that it may subtly help with digestion. Acetic acid found in vinegar, such as ACV, activate fat metabolism. Another evidence shows that diluted vinegar promotes healthier blood sugar levels. Johnston says that it really doesn’t matter what type of vinegar you’re digesting, All types of vinegar contains acetic acid, the vital…
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health - intermediate

Asia’s fastest growing economies have the fastest growing slums

Pre-reading questions: Do you prefer living in a city or in the countryside? Please explain your answer. Do you think your hometown is overpopulated? Please explain your answer. What do you like most about your city? World Bank data states that nations such as Cambodia, Mongolia, Myanmar, and the Philippines have a high number of informal settlers in key cities. Cities such as Manila and Jakarta offer illegal housing for migrants. A World Bank senior specialist said that the rise of migrants is an indicator of a growing economy. However, governments are unable to provide quality housing to increasing settlers. World Bank offers two solutions for improvement. One…
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business news - intermediate

Turrón

Pre-reading questions: Do you think eating dessert is healthy? Does eating sweets make you feel good? In a meal, would you rather miss the appetizer, main course or dessert? Explain. Turrón is a famous Spanish nougat, which is typically made from honey, sugar, and nuts. Turrón’s origins can be traced back to the Moors. When the Moors invaded Spain in the Middle Ages, they not only influenced the architecture and language of their colony but their culinary heritage as well. Today, the best turrón in Spain can be found in the Convent of Hermanas Clarisas. Each nun in the convent is assigned a specific task that is crucial to making…
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lifestyle - intermediate

E.U. fines three banks $520 million

admin 2017年3月27日

Pre-reading questions: When you were a child, did you dream of having your own business? What do you think makes business exciting or interesting? Do you think it is difficult to be a bank manager? Discuss. Three international banks were fined by European Union officials for maneuvering the price of financial products. The banks were said to have been involved in a cartel from 2005 to 2008. Authorities found that the banks used various instant messaging services to share information on their trading and pricing strategies. E.U. penalized the banks totaling to $520 million, with JPMorgan Chase worth 337 million euros, France’s Credit Agricole with 114 million euros and London-based HSBC…
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business news - intermediate

Blueberry juice helps improve brain function

admin 2017年3月22日

Pre-reading questions: Do you like to drink juice every day? What is the difference if you drink juice in the morning rather than coffee? A new research reports that concentrated blueberry juice can improve the brain functions in older people. As we grow older, our brain functions slowly decrease. Many people already know the benefits of the dark blue “super fruit” blueberries, and it’s no surprise at all to discover more of its healthy effects. Researchers have examined 26 people aged 66 to 75. Within 12 weeks of consuming at least 30ml of concentrated blueberry juice per day, there are amazing results in their brain function, monitored by an MRI…
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