Tag Archive: science & technology – intermediate

©(AP Photo by Annika Hammerschlag) Pre-reading Questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. What kinds of seafood are popular in your area, and how are they usually prepared? If you could create a festival for any food, what would it be and why? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. decade /DEK-eyd/ [noun] – a period of ten years Over the past decade, the city has built several new parks and public spaces. decline /dih-KLAHYN/ [noun] – a gradual decrease in amount, quality, or importance The decline in bee populations has worried environmental scientists. industrial /in-DUHS-tree-uhl/ [adjective] – related to…
Read more

Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. If you could ask an AI any question, what would it be? What is the most interesting thing you would like AI to do for you? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. version /VUR-zhuhn/ [noun] – a particular form or type of something that is different from others of the same kind The company released a new version of the mobile app with better security features. chatbot /CHAT-bot/ [noun] – a computer program that can talk with people through messages or voice The online store uses a chatbot to answer customer…
Read more

©(Grant Callegari/Hakai Institute via AP) Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. If you could explore the ocean, what animals or plants would you like to see? What do you think might happen to the ocean if one important animal suddenly disappeared? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. stretch /strech/ [verb] – to extend or reach over a certain distance or period of time The desert stretched from the northern border to the southern coastline. shellfish /SHEL-fish/ [noun] – small sea animals with shells, such as crabs, shrimp, oysters, or clams, that are eaten as food Many people…
Read more

Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. What do you think makes music special or meaningful? Do you think it is important to know who created the music you listen to? Why or why not? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. role /rohl/ [noun] – the part someone or something plays in a situation or activity The article talks about the role of social media in spreading news. prompt /prompt/ [noun] – a short text or phrase given to a computer to help it create something (like music, writing, or images) Many AI art programs create pictures based…
Read more

©(Allison Lee Isley/The Winston-Salem Journal via AP, File) Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. What do you like or dislike about being outside at night? Why? Why do you think some people enjoy watching insects or animals in nature? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. mature /muh-TYOOR/ [verb] – to become fully grown or developed It takes several months for baby turtles to mature enough to live on their own. flash /flash/ [noun] – a quick burst of light The lighthouse sent out flashes of light to guide ships at night. decline /dih-KLAHYN/ [verb] – to become…
Read more

Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. What do you usually do with leftover food at home? What do you think happens to trash after it is taken away from your house? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. landfill /LAND-fil/ [noun] – a place where waste is buried under the ground Many old electronic devices end up in landfills, harming the environment. leftover /LEFT-oh-ver/ [adjective] – remaining food that was not eaten She made soup using leftover vegetables from dinner. release /ri-LEES/ [verb] – to let something go or set something free Factories release smoke into the air,…
Read more

©(Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences via AP) Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. What do you imagine the bottom of the ocean looks like? Why do you think people explore places that are hard to reach? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. presence /PREZ-uhns/ [noun] – the state of being in a particular place The doctor confirmed the presence of bacteria in the water sample. trench /trench/ [noun] – a long, narrow, and deep cut in the ground or ocean floor Researchers studied the trenches formed by tectonic activity on land. survive…
Read more

©(AP Photo by Ariel Schalit) Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. Can you think of a time when you saw or heard about a ceremony to remember someone? If archaeologists dig in your town 1,000 years from now, what objects do you think they might find? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. skeleton /SKEL-i-tn/ [noun] – the structure of bones that supports a human or animal body Scientists found dinosaur skeletons deep underground in the desert. sense /sens/ [noun] – a feeling or understanding about something, often not based on facts The students had a strong sense…
Read more

©(Wessex Archaeology via AP) Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. What do you imagine a ship from 200 years ago looked like? If you could find an old object from the past, what would you want to find? Why? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. shipwreck /SHIP-rek/ [noun] – the remains of a ship that has been destroyed or sunk at sea A famous shipwreck was discovered near the coast of Italy during a diving expedition. warship /WAWR-ship/ [noun] – a ship that is built and used for fighting in wars, usually by a navy The country…
Read more

©(Newcastle Fertility Centre, Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust via AP) Pre-reading questions: I will read each question. Then, please answer them. If you could create a new invention to help sick people, what would it be? What do you think doctors and scientists can do to help prevent diseases in the future? Vocabulary: I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me. weakness /WEEK-nis/ [noun] – a state of not being strong After staying up all night, she felt a sudden weakness in her legs. failure /FEYL-yer/ [noun] – the act of not working properly or not succeeding The medicine was created to prevent kidney failure…
Read more