Tag Archive: world news – intermediate

Pre-reading questions: Do you like buying foreign products? Why? Do you think foreign products are expensive? Why? Vocabulary: contract /KON-trakt/ [noun] a legal document that states and explains a formal agreement A partnership between two people needs a contract as a proof of agreement. remove /ri-MOOV/ [verb] to take something away from an object, group, or place They will remove the books from the shelf and arrange it. agreement /uh-GREE-muhnt/ [noun] a promise or decision made between two or more people The two enterprises made an agreement to sell the same product. hindrance /HIN-druhns/ [noun] something that makes it more difficult for you to do something Making mistakes is not…
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Pre-reading questions: What is your opinion about child labor? Is child labor prominent in your country? Vocabulary: aggrandize /uh-GRAN-dayhz/ [verb] to make great or greater: increase, enlarge Her teacher aggrandizes her pride because of too much praises. bore /bawr/ [verb] to make a hole in something using a tool It’s part of her morning routine to bore in her garden. endangered /en-DEYN-jerd/ [adjective] in danger of being harmed, lost, unsuccessful Tony’s health is endangered because of eating too much junk food. enduring /en-DOOR-ing/ [adjective] continuing for a long time; lasting She is known because of her enduring generosity. eradicate /ih-RAD-i-keyt/ [verb] to get rid of or destroy something completely People…
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Pre-reading questions: How many glasses of water do you drink in a day? Do you know ways on how to conserve water? Please cite them and explain each. Vocabulary: crisis /KRAHY-sis/ [noun] a situation that is extremely difficult The country’s citizens blame the government for the economic crisis. shortage /SHAWR-tij/ [noun] a situation when there is not enough of something There’s a shortage of chairs and school equipment in public schools. widespread /WAHYD-spred/ [adjective] affecting or including a lot of places, people, etc. The newest development on computer gaming was received with widespread interest. estimate /ES-tuh-meyt/ [verb] to guess the cost, size, value, etc. of something We need to estimate…
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Pre-Reading Questions: Do you like going to airports? What is your favorite airport so far? Vocabulary: expansion /ik-SPAN-shuhn/ [noun] the increase of something in size, number or importance No one expected that her house expansion will be that big. airfield /air-FEELD/ [noun] a level area where aircraft can take off and land The airfield was too wet which resulted to flight delays.. controversial /kon-truh-VUR-shuhl/ [adjective] causing or likely to cause disagreement The CEO was stressed about the spreading of the controversial report within the company. raze /reyz/ [verb] to destroy a building, structure, etc. completely The mayor is planning to raze the old sports center to build a new one….
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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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