Intermediate

Energy-storing bricks: A new renewable energy potential

2020年9月11日

200810125524-02-smart-bricks-energy-storage-solution-green-buildings-exlarge-169

© The D’Arcy Laboratory in Washington via CNN Pre-reading questions: How do you save energy at home? What types of energy are popular in your country? Vocabulary: expert /EK-spurt/ [noun] — a person with a high level of knowledge or skill relating to a particular subject or activity They claimed that the experts have discovered the vaccine for the novel coronavirus. standard /STAN-derd/ [adjective] — usual rather than special, especially when thought of as being correct or acceptable Could you tell me the standard procedures? strength /strengkth/ [noun] — the ability to do things that need a lot of physical or mental effort The poor animal didn’t even have the…
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Intermediate

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Underwater Italian village to possibly resurface after 27 years

2020年9月7日

underwater

© Romano Cagnoni/Hulton Archive/Getty Images via CNN Pre-reading questions: What is your opinion about Italy? Are you interested in visiting a “ghost town”? Why or why not? Vocabulary: resurface /ree-SUR-fis/ [verb] — to rise to the surface of the water again Rumor has it that the underwater village will resurface next year. underwater /UHN-der-WOT-er/ [adjective] — under the surface of water The machine is capable of working even underwater. man-made /MAN-MEYD/ [adjective] — produced or developed by humans rather than coming directly from nature There are many man-made lakes around my city. promote /pruh-MOHT/ [verb] — to encourage the existence or development of something We should focus on promoting the…
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Intermediate

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BTS smashes YouTube records with their newest video, Dynamite

2020年9月4日

BTS_Dynamite

© BigHit Entertainment Pre-reading questions: Who is your favorite foreign artist and why? How often do you listen to YouTube? Vocabulary: simultaneously /sahy-muhl-TEY-nee-uhs-lee/ [adverb] – in a way that is simultaneous (happening or being done at exactly the same time) The students started their projects simultaneously. icon /AHY-kon/ [noun] – a very famous person or thing considered as representing a set of beliefs or a way of life Muhammad Ali is a boxing icon. breakthrough /BREYK-throo/ [noun] – an important discovery or event that helps to improve a situation or provide an answer to a problem The new vaccine against COVID-19 is a breakthrough in medicine. single /SING-guhl/ [noun] –…
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Intermediate

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Tips on sharing food safely during the pandemic

2020年8月31日

food-delivery

Pre-Reading Questions: What do you usually order online? Which do you prefer, cooking your own food or buying meals from the store? Vocabulary: tasty /TEY-stee/ [adjective] – (of food) producing a pleasant flavor and feeling in the mouth when eaten The pasta we had in the new Italian restaurant was really tasty! stew /stoo/ [noun] – a type of food consisting usually of meat or fish and vegetables cooked slowly in a small amount of liquid Jinnie cooked this beef stew for me. furthermore /FUR-ther-mohr/ [adverb] – in addition They don’t like to live there because it’s far from their workplace. Furthermore, the area always gets flooded. surface /SUR-fis/ [noun…
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Intermediate

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BRZRKR: A sneak peak inside Keanu Reeves’ new endeavor

2020年8月26日

brzrkr

© Boom! Studios Pre-Reading Questions: What type of comic books do you like reading? How often do you read comic books? Vocabulary: team up /teem-uhp/ [phrasal verb] – to join another person, or form a group with other people, in order to do something together Let’s team up to finish this task faster. issue /ISH-oo/ [noun] – a group or series, or one of a group or series, of things that are made available, published, or printed at the same time The sixth issue of my favorite manga will be delayed. illustrate /IL-uh-streyt/ [noun] – to draw pictures for a book, magazine, etc. The action scenes in this new comic…
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Intermediate

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Wildlife flourishes in closed national parks

2020年8月24日

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Pre-reading questions: Do you like going to parks? Why or why not? What place do you like to visit? Vocabulary: enormous /ih-NAWR-muhs/ [adjective] – extremely large The new shopping mall in town is enormous. wander /WON-der/ [verb] – to walk around slowly in a relaxed way or without any clear purpose or direction The new tenant wandered around the house for inspection. wildlife /WAHYLD-lahyf/ [noun] – animals and plants that grow independently of people, usually in natural conditions The company advocates people to protect the wildlife. behavior /bih-HEYV-yer/ [noun] – a particular way of acting Scientists are observing animal behavior to prove their theory. temporary /TEM-puh-rer-ee/ [adjective] – not lasting…
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Intermediate

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Google Doodle reminder: wear masks and save lives

2020年8月21日

google-doodle

© Google Doodle via independent.co.uk Pre-reading questions: Do you follow social distancing? What sites do you usually visit? Vocabulary: maintain /meyn-TEYN/ [verb] to continue to have; to keep in existence, or not allow to become less Vitamin A helps us to maintain good eyesight. variety /vuh-RAHY-i-tee/ [noun] the characteristic of often changing and being different The milk tea cafe offers a wide variety of flavors. redirect /ree-di-REKT/ [verb] to change the direction of something, especially to send a letter to a new address I think the URL is broken. It won’t redirect me to the website. decrease /dih-KREES/ [verb] to become less, or to make something become less The statistics…
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Intermediate

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Live-action remake of “Mulan” to be streamed on Disney+

2020年8月19日

Mulan

© Disney via BBC Pre-reading questions: What kind of movies do you like watching? How often do you watch movies? Vocabulary: announcement /uh-NOUNS-muhnt/ [noun] – something that someone says officially, giving information about something Based on the announcement, the school festival will be moved to a different date. welcome /WEL-kuhm/ [verb] – to accept with pleasure the occurrence or presence of Let us welcome our new teacher, Mr. Sasaki. moviegoer /MOO-vee-goh-er/ [noun] – a person who regularly goes to watch films at the cinema My brother Al is a moviegoer. He watches almost every movie in the cinemas. depend on /dih-PEND on/ [phrasal verb] – to be determined or decided…
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Intermediate

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Asian cooks: Cooking up game plans amidst the lockdown

2020年8月17日

street food

Pre-Reading Questions: What is your favorite food? Why? Which do you prefer, eating at a restaurant or eating at home? Why? Vocabulary: gather /GATHER-er/ [verb] – to collect several things, often from different places or people The campaign aims to gather enough food for the typhoon victims. merchant /MUR-chuhnt/ [noun] – a person whose job is to buy and sell products in large amounts, especially by trading with other countries Being a merchant is a difficult job especially in promoting the products. strategy /STRAT-i-jee/ [noun] – a detailed plan for achieving success in situations such as war, politics, business, industry, or sports, or the skill of planning for such situations:…
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Intermediate

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Meet Gli, Hagia Sophia’s celebrity cat

2020年8月14日

Gli

© hagiasophiacat on Instagram via hagiasofiaturkey.com Pre-Reading Questions: What places have you been to? What would you like to have as a pet? Vocabulary: basilica /buh-SIL-i-kuh/ [noun] –a public building in ancient Rome that was round at one end and had two rows of columns supporting the roof, or a large church with a similar design The king was buried in the Basilica of Saint Denis in northern Paris, where his body stayed until 1793. shelter /SHEL-ter/ [noun] –to protect yourself from bad weather, danger, or attack: The boys took shelter from the storm inside an old truck. sensation /sen-SEY-shuhn/ [noun] –something very exciting or interesting, or something that causes…
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Intermediate

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