Intermediate

Added sugar: A not-so-sweet treat to your health

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Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. Do you enjoy eating sweet food? Which one is your favorite? What do you think happens to the body when you eat too much sugar? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. investigation /in-ves-ti-gey-SHUHN/ [noun] – the act or process of examining a crime, problem, statement carefully An investigation took place at the crime scene. risk /risk/ [noun] – the possibility of something bad happening There’s a high risk of accidents happening in this storm. pressure /PRESH-er/ [noun] – the force produced by pressing against something The water hose broke because of…
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New study finds smartphones can detect early signs of heart disease

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Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. What is heart disease? What are some ways to keep your heart healthy? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. affect /uh-FEKT/ [verb] – to have an influence on someone or something, or to cause a change in someone or something Too much screen time can affect your sleep, so it’s a good idea to avoid using electronic devices before bedtime. blood pressure /bluhd PRESH-er / [noun] – a measure of the pressure at which the blood flows through the body It’s important to keep track of your blood pressure because it…
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Even though Hachiko was born 100 years ago, he still makes people happy

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Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. What dog breeds do you like? What is his story? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. statue /STACH-oo/ [noun] – a three-dimensional work of art, as a representational or abstract form, carved in stone or wood, molded in a plastic material, cast in bronze, or the like. The king’s statue was again set up in Guildhall, London, and the state arms were taken down. northern /NAWR-thern/ [adjective] – lying toward or situated in the north. Last week, we covered a home being built in northern Italy. interest /IN-ter-ist/ [noun] – the…
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Legendary aviation survival tale

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Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. What is an ejection, and why is it necessary in the context of piloting an aircraft? Could you give some potential dangers associated with ejection, particularly in the case of an emergency situation? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. survival /ser-VAHY-vuhl/ [noun] – the fact of a person, organization, etc. continuing to live or exist In the wilderness, survival skills like starting a fire, building a shelter, and finding food and water are essential to staying alive. eardrum /EER-druhm/ [noun] – a thin piece of skin inside the ear that moves…
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Exploring the impact of mobile phones

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Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. Can you imagine living without a mobile phone? Why or why not? In what ways have mobile phones impacted our personal relationships with family and friends? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. barrier /BAR-ee-er/ [noun] – anything used or acting to block someone from going somewhere or from doing something, or to block something from happening Despite facing several language barriers, the international students worked hard to understand their course materials and communicate effectively with their classmates. convenience /kuhn-VEEN-yuhns/ [noun] – the state of being convenient I always choose to book…
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Friendship: More than just a source of joy

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Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. What are the benefits of having friends? What qualities do you look for in a close friend, and why are these important to you? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. laughter /LAF-ter/ [noun] – the act or sound of laughing The sound of laughter filled the room as the comedian told his funny jokes, making everyone in the audience smile and forget their worries for a while. appreciate /uh-PREE-shee-eyt / [verb] – to recognize how good someone or something is and to value them or it I really appreciate your help…
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Reactivating the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant

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Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. What is a nuclear power plant? Do you think a nuclear power plant has a lot of advantages? Why or why not? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. nuclear power plant /NOO-klee-er POU-er plant/ [noun] – a type of power plant that use the process of nuclear fission in order to generate electricity. A nuclear power plant is a facility that uses nuclear reactions to generate electricity, but it requires strict safety measures to prevent accidents. generate /JEN-uh-reyt/ [verb ] – to cause something to exist Wind turbines are designed to…
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The fascinating history and culinary significance of idlis

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Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. Do you like rice cakes? Why or why not? Have you ever tried any interesting or unique flavors of rice cakes? If so, what did you think of them? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. exotic /ig-ZOT-ik/ [adjective] – unusual and exciting because of coming (or seeming to come) from far away, especially a tropical country My friend brought back an exotic fruit from her vacation in Thailand that I had never seen or tasted before. process /PROS-es/ [noun] – a series of actions or events performed to make something or…
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Virtual influencers: The rise of computer-generated celebrities in marketing

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Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. What is a virtual influencer? How does it differ from a human influencer? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. virtual /VUR-choo-uhl/ [adjective] – created by computer technology and appearing to exist but not existing in the physical world During the pandemic, most schools have shifted to virtual classes to ensure the safety of their students and faculty. combination /kom-buh-NEY-shuhn/ [noun] – the mixture you get when two or more things are combined The teacher advised her students to review their notes and textbooks because the exam questions would be a combination…
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A natural way to improve your quality of life

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Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. What are some benefits of having indoor plants? How can indoor plants impact mood and mental health? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. effective /ih-FEK-tiv/ [adjective] – successful or achieving the results that you want: Effective studying habits can help students achieve their academic goals. chemical /KEM-i-kuhl/ [noun] – any basic substance that is used in or produced by a reaction involving changes to atoms or molecules In chemistry class, we learned about the different properties of chemical elements and how they interact with each other. reduce /ri-DOOS/ [verb] – to…
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