【Unlocking Word Meanings】
今日の単語・フレーズ
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. wearable / ˈwɛər ə bəl / (adj.) – can be worn
Example: Wearable devices are popular nowadays.
2. predict / prɪˈdɪkt / (v.) – to guess what is about to happen
Example: Melanie predicted that Jack would win the marathon.
3. motion / ˈmoʊ ʃən / (n.) – the act of moving
Example: The tracker is sensitive to every motion a person makes.
4. compete / kəmˈpit / (v.) – to try to perform or do better than another person
Example: We will compete against the team from another town.
5. complain / kəmˈpleɪn / (v.) – to express dissatisfaction toward something
Example: The consumer complained about the device’s defects.
【Article】
ニュース記事
Read the text below.
A device called Fitbit is getting people to exercise more.
Fitbit is a wearable device with a built-in tracker that records each step the wearer takes. This computerized wrist band is designed to help a person achieve overall fitness by encouraging physical activity, a well-balanced diet, and better sleep.
To be able to record the wearer’s steps, Fitbit uses a three-axis accelerometer [ak-sel-uh-ROM-i-ter]—an instrument that measures acceleration. This instrument also enables the band to predict the wearer’s feet movement based on the motion of his or her wrist.
A user can connect this band to a smartphone, as well as operate it using the Fitbit app. With this app, users may interact with other Fitbit users, thus encouraging people to compete with each other. Each day, Fitbit ranks all users in terms of how many steps they take every day. If a user takes more steps, the likelihood that he or she will win the daily health challenges increases.
Fitbit was first launched in 2009. Since then, the product has gone through a huge revenue growth. In fact, in 2014, Fitbit reached almost $750 million in sales.
Although it thrives in terms of sales, Fitbit faces some complaints from its users. Some wearers have complained about getting rashes and burns because of using their Fitbit bands. Because of these complaints, the company had to pull out its products from stores in 2014. Until now, Fitbit still receives complaints about its products causing skin irritation.
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【Viewpoint Discussion】
ディスカッションテーマ
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
· Would you buy a Fitbit band? Why or why not?
· Do you agree that competition can motivate people to exercise more? Why is that so?
Discussion B
· Do you think using technology is necessary when working out or exercising?
· Aside from technology, what do you think are other ways to make exercising fun?