Tag Archive: world news – intermediate

Pre-reading questions: What is your opinion on giving donations? Do you budget your money? Why or why not? Vocabulary: budget /BUHJ-it/ [noun] the amount of money a person or organization has available to spend My family is on a very tight budget after my father was sent to the hospital. contribution /kon-truh-BYOO-shuhn/ [noun] an amount of money that is given to help pay for something Mary gave a generous contribution to the animal shelter. annual /AN-yoo-uhl/ [adjective] measured over a period of one year They harvest the flowers annually. expense /ik-SPENSE/ [noun] the money that you spend on something It was a struggle to pay for my college expenses. penniless…
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Pre-reading questions: What do you know about the South-North Korean war? Do you think world peace is possible? Why or why not? Vocabulary: put an end to (something) /poot an end too/ [phrasal verb] to make something stop happening We need to put an end to this madness. summit /SUHM-it/ [noun] an important formal meeting between leaders of governments from two or more countries Leaders from all over the world met during the summit. pledge /plej/ [verb] to make a serious or formal promise to give or do something The man pledged loyalty to his wife. tension /TEN-shuhn/ [noun] a feeling of fear or anger between two groups of people…
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Pre-reading questions: Why do you think people leave their home countries? Would you consider working in another country for a long time? Please explain your answer. Vocabulary: deport /dih-PAWRT/ [verb] to send away from a country The country deported the illegal immigrants. slavery /SLEY-vuh-ree/ [noun] the condition of being a slave The natives experienced slavery under the king’s rule. imprisonment /im-PRIZ-uhnment/ [noun] the act of putting someone in prison He was given 5 years of imprisonment for his crime. statement /STEYT-muhnt/ [noun] something someone says officially The company released a statement on why the president resigned. endanger /en-DEYN-jer/ [verb] to put someone or something at risk or in danger of…
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Pre-reading questions: Do you like sunbathing on the beach? Why or why not? Do you think the earth is getting warmer? Why or why not? Vocabulary: coral reef /KAWR-uhl REEF/ [noun] an area formed in the sea from masses of hard shells When the tide is low, you can see coral reefs from the island. bleach /bleech/ [verb] to whiten by exposure to sunlight or chemicals Tom bleached his hair yesterday. El Niño /el NEEN-yoh/ [noun] a period of unusually warm ocean temperature El Niño has been damaging crops around the world. refuge /REF-yooj/ [noun] a place that provides protection We took refuge from the flood in the local church….
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Pre-reading questions: How do you save water in your country? Have you experienced a water crisis in your country? Please explain your answer. Vocabulary: drought /drout/ [noun] a long period when there is little or no rain The crops were destroyed because of the drought. consumption /kuh n-SUHMP-shuhn/ [noun] an amount of something that is used Gas and oil consumption always increases in cold weather. recycle /ree-SAHY-kuhl/ [verb] to use something again, often for a different purpose Recycling is important to help protect our environment. precaution /pri-KAW-shuhn/ [noun] an action taken to prevent something unpleasant or dangerous I took the precaution of buying a case for my new cellphone. dread…
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Pre-reading questions: What do you think about lending money to your friends or family members? Please explain your answer. What do you think about borrowing money from the bank? Please explain your answer. Vocabulary: platform – an opportunity to make your ideas or beliefs known publicly Facebook is a social media platform widely used across the world. screen – to investigate an individual to make sure that he/she is unlikely to cause problems The Human Resource Department screens all applicants thoroughly. credibility – the quality of being believed or trusted The jury had doubts about the credibility of some of the witnesses. debtor – a person, organization, or country that…
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Pre-reading questions: What are your thoughts on the relationship between the US and Japan? Do you think President Trump’s visit to Japan is important? Discuss.   Vocabulary: boost – to help something to increase or improve or become more successful They want the government to take action to boost the economy. dismay – a feeling of shock and unhappiness Lucy discovered to her dismay that she was pregnant. shoot down – to cause to fall by shooting The airliner was shot down by mistake. furthermore – also and more importantly She always arrives on time. Furthermore, her work is always excellent.   Japan was one of the five countries that US…
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Pre-reading questions: What do you think are the most important qualities of a leader? In your opinion, what do all of the most developed countries have in common?   Vocabulary: stance – an attitude or view about an issue that you state clearly Many citizens agree with the governor’s stance on tax reform. diplomacy – the conduct of the relations of one state with another by peaceful means Diplomacy is almost always better than public threats. acquisition – the process of buying something or obtaining something The young woman’s acquisition of paintings is from her deceased uncle. colonialism – a situation in which one country rules another Colonialism gave bigger…
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  Pre-reading questions: What do you feel when you are being surrounded by different people from different races? Please explain your answer. Would you consider hanging out with them despite your differences? Please explain your answer. Vocabulary: 1. prosecute – [verb] to officially accuse someone of committing an illegal act and bring it to court of law She has the right to prosecute the organizers of their wrong doing. 2. discrimination – [noun] unfair treatment of a person or group There is a discrimination between males and females in this company. 3. jurisdiction – [noun] the official authority to make legal decisions and judgement This area is under the mayor’s…
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Pre-reading questions: If you could visit any place in the world for free, where will you go? Why? Which country do you think is the safest? Vocabulary: refugee – a person who leaves his or her home or country to find safety The increasing number of refugees due to terrorism is very alarming. human rights – the basic rights to fair and moral treatment that every person is believed to have I’m a big supporter of human rights. political asylum – the protection given by a government to foreign people who have left their own country because they disagree with their own government Anyone can seek political asylum in my…
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