Reading 29 Word List

PRACTICE

1.      equilateral                          等辺の

2.      expatriate                           邦人

3.      borne out                             証明される

4.      distinction                          違い

5.      hard and last                      例外を許さない

6.      holistic                                全体的な

7.      discrepancy                        食い違い

8.      plausible                             もっともらしい

9.      dichotomy                           二極対立

10.   momentum                         勢い

11.   subject                                 被験者

12.   primed                                準備された

13.   single-person pronoun      一人称の代名詞

14.   predilection                        好み

15.   malleable                            形が変えられる

16.   employ a healthy dose of salt 割り引いて考える

17.   sweeping                             一般化しすぎた

 

TEST 1

18.   nuclear fusion                    核融合

19.   opaque                                 不透明な

20.   infrared                               赤外線の

21.   supernovae, supernova    超新星（複数、単数）

22.   interstellar                         星間の

23.   uniform                               均一の

 

TEST 2

24.   wildfowl                              野鳥

25.   variant                                変異株

26.   much-heralded                   大々的に報道された

27.   damp squib                         爆竹

28.   antiviral                              抗ウイルス剤

29.   vulnerable                          影響を受けやすい

30.   pneumonia                          肺炎                          

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

《参考》

PRACTICE

the Toyota recall トヨタ自動車の大規模リコール問題   性能に定評のあったトヨタ車に問題がみつかり、大量リコール(回収)が繰り返され、更に、それを隠していたことが問題になった。

TEST 1 

Big Bang ビッグバン 宇宙の小さな種が生まれて一瞬後に起こった大爆発(膨張)で、以後現在まで宇宙は猛スピードで膨張し続けているとされる。太陽系から最も遠い宇宙(宇宙の端)の星たちが互いに猛スピードで離れていっていることが発見された後にできた理論。

solar-mass 太陽質量の    protostar 原始星

TEST 2

Spanish Flu スペイン風邪 (1918 -1920)  全世界で一億人以上の死者を出したインフルエンザのパンデミック

TOEFL iBT Independent Writing A Very Good or Bad Advertisement - revised -

Writing Topic

Advertising is a constant presence in our lives. Some advertisements are enjoyable and effective, but others are annoying. Choose an advertisement you think either very good or very bad, and explain why you either like or dislike this particular advertisement. Include specific details to explain your response.

 

 

☆Let’s think

1.       Play advertisement games, following the directions.

Direction 1: Play audio charade with the following advertisements.

Direction 2: Choose one of the advertisements you like/dislike, and explain why.

 

A.    Color-Blind World

 

B.    Quit Smoking

 

C.    Donate Now

 

D.     Technology for a Better Life

 

E.    Love Your Enemy

 

F.     Beer

 

 

2.       One way to choose an advertisement for this essay would be to brainstorm good and bad points of advertisements first, and then try to come up with one that fits some of the points. Complete the table below.

 

Good Points of Advertisements	Bad Points of Advertisements
Examples of a Very Good Advertisement	Examples of a Very Bad Advertisement

 

Note: One difficult part of answering the question of today’s writing essay might be how you describe and explain the good or bad points of the advertisement you chose to write about. The reader might not know the ad, so you have to describe it in detail. Also, you have to explain the reason why you think it is good or bad. Sense is personal, and it requires careful explanation.

 

 

☆Hints for Points

Good points of advertisements

1.     They provide information about goods and services people are interested in.

2.     They entertain viewers with attractive features and good ideas.

3.     Non-commercial advertisements call for attention to important issues

 

Bad points of advertisements

1.     They take up space or time. Also, television advertisements, or TV commercials, are louder than the contents.

2.     They promote consumerism and materialism. They make people want what is not really necessary.

3.     Some ads have little or no information about what is advertised.

 

 

☆Let’s prepare

Now let’s prepare for your essay by responding to the following directions

Q. 1 Describe the advertisement you are going to write about.

e.g. The advertisement is a poster showing a woman eating what looks like a hamburger with plenty of cigarette butts instead of meat.

 

 

 

 

Q. 2 Why do you think the advertisement is very good/bad?

e.g. I think the advertisement is good because the metaphor helps realize the reality of smoking, taking in poison in a disgusting way.

 

 

 

 

Q. 3 Account the issue related to the ad.

e.g. Smoking is proved to be bad for the health. Its addictive nature, second-hand smoke, and the tobacco industry are other related issues.

 

 

 

 

 

☆Essay for ideas and expressions

Walking down a street in Shibuya, a downtown Tokyo the other day, I looked up, saw an advertisement, and was fascinated by it. I thought it was very good because it was eye-catching, stimulating, and practical.

 

The advertisement that caught my eye was a bulletin board of the biggest size on top of a tall building. It had nothing on it except for a small phone number in the center. It made a huge white square against the sky as if it were a copy of The White Album of The Beatles placed on a blue table.

 

First, I thought that the bulletin board was empty and wondered why no one was interested in putting up an ad in such a crowded area. Next, I noticed the phone number, and then I realized that it was the number of the bulletin board company and that it was the advertisement of the advertisement space. I smiled because it made my mind light as things with good ideas always do. It was beautifully asserting its existence, saying “Here is a good space for advertisement” to those who it might interest.

 

I thought this ad was very good because it attracts attention and makes you think. Among numerous ads in all colors and designs in the shopping and pop-culture center Shibuya, a huge blank white square stands out. The ad gives you joy of question-solving and, by doing so, it gives you a good impression about the advertiser.

 

In addition, the advertisement is functional. You can call the company on the spot if you are interested. You will not be bothered by the absence of the name. It is not the name but the number that you need to use the service. You see the ad and you call, before trying to find out the company name. If I were the advertiser, I would be tempted to put the name of the company in large letters above the phone number. However, this would be mundane and no one would pay attention to the ad itself. The absence of the name is strategically successful in appealing to potential clients.

 

Even if this design is actually often used when an advertising company advertises itself, there is no denying that it is inspiring. Advertisements that challenge conventional ideas and your intelligence are good advertisements. I think this simplest ad is one of them.

 

TOEFL iBT Independent Writing High schools should allow students to study the courses that students want to study. - revised -

Writing Topic

Consider the following statement. High schools should allow students to study the courses that students want to study. Do you agree or disagree with this idea? Support your response by including specific reasons and examples.

 

 

 

☆Let’s Think

1.       Name compulsory courses.

 

2.       Name elective courses.

 

3.       Universities allow students to choose courses. Why do high schools have compulsory courses?

 

 

☆Hints for Points

Agree

l  High school education is not a compulsory education.

General knowledge that students need to know to be a citizen has already been learned before high school. Therefore, students have no obligation to learn the subjects that the government, or the board of education, choose for them.

 

l  It is unnatural that all students study the same subjects.

We are all different. Each person needs his or her own set of courses to get the best out of his or her ability.

 

 

Disagree

l  Compulsory courses are necessary to keep up with college courses.

College education usually starts with liberal arts courses, or general courses of the advanced level. To prepare for this advanced level education, it is necessary that students who have finished the basic and intermediate levels of education in compulsory education deepen the understanding and increase the knowledge of the intermediate level of all the compulsory subjects.

 

 

l  It is difficult for high school students to know what subjects they should choose for their future.

High school students are still growing and changing. It is necessary that they be exposed to a variety of courses of main subjects so that they are given more opportunities to think about their aptitudes and interests before they focus only on the subjects of their interest.

 

 

☆Sample Paragraph Development

【Main Idea】Choice from two major disciplines, the humanities and science, will decide what compulsory courses high school students take, and this can narrow the range of opportunities for their future.

【Supporting Detail (general)】This can happen because what they need to learn is often different from what they are interested in.

【Supporting Detail (specific)】When I had to choose from either the humanities or science to move up to the second grade in my high school, I was interested in English and chose the humanities even though I was better at mathematics and science than history and literature. As a result, although I was happy to take many English courses, I had to spend grinding hours learning the other compulsory subjects of the humanities curriculum that I was not very good at. If the school had allowed me to take courses that I wanted to learn instead of having me choose a set of mandatory courses, I would have focused on taking credits more easily and chosen more courses of mathematics and science than the humanities courses, and in the end, I could have realized that I should be trained in these fields and study English as a hobby.

【Follow-up】Although following my passion to English-learning would have been a significant thing to do in deciding my lifestyle, I am not sure if it has helped me reach the full potential of my life. This problem can apply to many students since not many 16-year-olds can see themselves objectively.

【Conclusion】Therefore, courses should be elective and students should be allowed to take time to know themselves.

TOEFL iBT Independent Writing What do you think are some of the main reasons so many people are interested in attending college or university? - revised -

Writing Topic

There are many different reasons to attend a college or university. What do you think are some of the main reasons so many people are interested in attending college or university? Include specific reasons and details in your response.

 

 

☆Let’s Think

1.       Name as many reasons to go to college or university as possible.

 

 

 

2.       Are they all “main” reasons to attend a college or university?

 

 

Notes

1)     The first sentence of the writing topic says that people go to college for “many different reasons.” Some people may believe that a college diploma promises a good job, while others regard college years as moratorium before going into workforce. Some might want to receive higher education so that they can study the subject they are interested in and hopefully became a specialist. Others might feel it is better for them to do so just because they can and everyone else is doing so, and still others may intend to make as many friends as possible.

 

2)     The question requires you to name some of the MAIN reasons why people think of going to college. Minor reasons such as exemption from military service might be irrelevant in a normal society.

 

 

☆Ideas and expressions

WHY GO TO UNIVERSITY

Taken from http://www.upforitclub.org.uk/whataboutuniversity/whatwherewhyhow/whygotouniversity/

INDEPENDENCE: You could get the chance to live away from home during term time and won't have somebody telling you to tidy your room and do your homework. It's a great way of finding your feet before you move out completely.

 

OPPORTUNITIES: You get to meet people from all over the world who are interested in the same subject as you. You can join clubs and societies for almost every interest you can think of.

 

COURSES AND CHOICES: If you are thinking about university, then hopefully you have a course in mind that you may like to study. If you enjoy the subject and find it interesting, university allows you to explore and expand your knowledge for three years, normally with the use of fantastic facilities and experts in that subject who teach you.

 

SOCIAL LIFE: You get to socialize and take advantage of some fantastic facilities right on your doorstep! Never again will entertainment be so cheap and you'll meet people who might possibly end up being your friends for life.

 

JOBS: Graduates are much more likely to get a job, particularly at a 'professional' level and when they are working, graduates earn about a third more money than non-graduates. If you want to work in certain areas like medicine, teaching or law, you'll need a degree in the subject before you start.

 

 

☆Sample Essay Structure

【Introduction】 I think people think of going to college to fulfill their rights, for academic pursuit, and for their future careers.

【Reason 1】We go to college to exercise our right to get a good education.

【Reason 2】Pure interest in the subject may well be another reason.

【Reason 3】Spending another four years at school is attractive for many people who feel that they need some more years to expand their horizon.

【Conclusion】Many people are interested in going to college because they want to become a highly educated citizen.

 

Your Sample Essay Structure

【Introduction】

【Reason 1】

【Reason 2】

【Reason 3】

【Conclusion】

 

 

☆Sample Paragraph Development

Sample A

【Main Idea】We go to college to exercise our right to get a good education.

【Supporting Details (general)】Until recently, going to college was a privilege of wealthy people.

【Supporting Details (specific)】Still now, many people give up the opportunity for financial reasons. Not a few parents think that girls do not need higher education. Some minorities were banned from going to university before. Thus, we consciously or unconsciously know that not going to college when we can is a waiver of the hard-earned right that people in the past left for us.

【Follow-up & Wrap-up】Of course, there is a right to choose your own future and college diploma often seems meaningless, but we must remember that going to college itself is an accomplishment as a citizen.

Sample B

【Main Idea】People go to college because they want a college diploma to get a good job.

【Supporting Details (general)】They think having a college degree is an advantage when they look for a job.

【Supporting Details (specific)】Most highly-paying jobs require at least a Bachelor’s degree. Also, finding a regular job without going to college is very difficult in today’s job market.

【Follow-up】It is often said that interpersonal skills count in employment more than academic background, but the latter is more advantageous in the screening of application documents than the former.

【Wrap-up】 It is natural to think that it is safe to get a college degree as insurance.

 

Your Sample Paragraph Development

【Main Idea】

 

【Supporting Details (general)】

 

 

【Supporting Details (specific)】

 

 

 

 

【Follow-up】

 

 

 

【Wrap-up】