Japan's New Curriculums to Offer More Hours of English Classes

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. curriculum / kəˈrɪk yə ləm / (n.) – the courses taught to students in a school

Example: They will be revising the curriculum to include more art subjects.

2. advisory / ædˈvaɪ zə ri / (adj.) – describing a person or group who has a duty to advise someone

Example: The president's advisory council came up with a report on the country’s unemployment rate

3. allocate / ˈæl əˌkeɪt / (v.) – to assign

Example: The government allocated funds to the education sector.

4. alteration / ˌɔl təˈreɪ ʃən / (n.) – a change

Example: One alteration made in the school handbook is the addition of the new logo.

5. advancement / ædˈvæns mənt / (n.) – the act of progressing

Example: Technological advancements in classroom learning are becoming widespread.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

Japan will be adopting new changes in its curriculums by 2020. The Japanese education ministry released a summary of discussions to a special working group of the Central Council for Education—an advisory body to the education minister—concerning an update to the curriculums for primary schools, middle schools, and high schools. The report highlights the changes that will be made specifically for English instruction in the country. At present, students start learning English in 5th grade, but the group recommends that English instruction start as early as 3rd grade. In addition, the allocated number of hours for English instruction in 5th grade and 6th grade will be increased to 70 hours yearly. The increase in the number of allocated hours is essential for the goal of the new curriculums, which is to have a cram-free education policy. According to the summary, the new curriculums will focus on active learning, which will entail alterations in some high school courses to emphasize students’ thinking skills and communication skills. Students need to be equipped with qualities and skills that will enable them to cope with the advancement of society. Furthermore, there will be changes to university entrance exams and to some subjects like English, geography, world history, and Japanese history. There will be a new subject called general history, a combination of world history and Japanese history. After receiving the approval of the special working group and other organizations, the ministry wants to seek public opinion about the new curriculums. Meanwhile, the council targets to submit a report to the ministry regarding the new curriculums within the year. The new curriculums will be implemented in primary schools for the 2020 academic year, in middle schools for 2021, and in high schools for 2022.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

·         Aside from increasing lesson hours, what do you think are other initiatives that the government can do to improve the English skills of students?

·         Why do you think it is important for students to have exposure outside of classroom learning? Explain.

Discussion B

·         What are the factors that motivate and demotivate a person to learn?

·         What are some effective ways of learning new skills?

Japan Launches Spending Program to Boost Economy

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. plummet / ˈplʌm ɪt / (v.) – to drop

Example: The company’s profit plummeted after losing investors.

2. deflation / dɪˈfleɪ ʃən / (n.) – reduction in the cost of goods and services

Example: Deflation is a common economic issue.

3. monetary / ˈmɒn ɪˌtɛr i / adj.) – concerning money

Example: The investment plan has a high monetary value.

4. collaborative / kəˈlæb əˌreɪ tɪv / (adj.) – describing something produced by two or more individuals to achieve a certain result

Example: The collaborative effort between the foreign affairs and trade sectors generated good results. 

5. attempt / əˈtɛmpt / (n.) – an effort to address an issue

Example: The project is an attempt at establishing law and order.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

The Japanese government has introduced a spending program that aims to improve the country’s economic condition. According to an annual report, consumption in Japan has plummeted, especially among households with children and unemployed individuals over 60 years of age. As a result, there is a need to establish policies that can speed up wage hikes and increase household incomes. Under his efforts to achieve economic stability and prevent deflation, Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe has introduced a multi-trillion-yen initiative focused on increasing spending for security and infrastructural concerns. Dubbed as a stimulus plan, the project entails a monetary package that costs ¥28.1 trillion. Based on recent data from Japan’s Statistics Bureau, the average monthly consumption of a Japanese household with two or more individuals amounts to ¥261,452, or around $2,500, which is a 2.7% drop from the previous year. Food ranks first in the list of household expenses, while housing costs come in second. According to Japan finance minister Taro Aso, the stimulus program is a collaborative project with the Bank of Japan. He asserts that the plan intends to promote Abe’s three-arrow strategy, more commonly known as Abenomics. The said approach, which integrates government revenue, monetary policy, and structural reforms, strives to reestablish Japan’s economy. Among the three “arrows” of Abenomics, structural reform was considered by most analysts as the one that would drive Abe’s plan to success. This involves tax reform, corporate governance, labor reform, and opportunities for women. However, despite Abe’s attempt at providing long-term solutions to Japan’s economic decline, there has been no significant increase in household incomes.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

·         What do you think are some points of improvement for Abe’s three-arrow strategy? Please explain.

·        Do you think that increased personal consumption is the solution to economic growth? Why or why not?

Discussion B

·         What other factors can cause economic decline?

·         How can the government prevent economic decline? 

Last Major VCR Maker Ends Production After 40 Years

【Unlocking Word Meanings】
　今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. acquire / əˈkwaɪər / (v.) – to get something for the purpose of owning it

Example: The car factory stopped production because they faced difficulties in acquiring certain parts.

2. prompt /prɒmpt/ (v.) – to cause someone to decide to do or say something

Example: The company’s new policy prompted many employees to resign.

3. prime /praɪm/ (n.) – the stage when something or someone is most successful

Example: She was idolized by many people in her prime.

4. foresee /fɔrˈsi/ (v.) – to know that something will happen in the future

Example: The members of the team foresaw this trouble.

5. be a thing of the past / ə θɪŋ ʌv ðə pæst / (idiom) – to be something that does not exist or is no longer used

Example: They predicted that diskettes would be a thing of the past when CDs were invented.

【Article】
　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

The last major maker of videocassette recorders (VCRs) ended their production after 40 years, a report says. Japanese electronics company Funai Electric, also known as Sanyo, marked the end of their forty-year production of VCRs. According to a report, the company decided to stop production of the device due to a continuous decline in sales, as the demand continued to fall   over the past years. Aside from this, difficulty in acquiring available parts was another factor that prompted the company’s decision. VCRs became popular in the home electronics market in the 80s and 90s. The device is used to record and play videos. Videos are recorded in either a VHS (Video Home System) videotape or its rival, Betamax. VCRs gained fame in the United Kingdom and the United States during its prime. At that time, Funai Electric sold 15 million units a year. However, in recent years, its popularity was overtaken by DVD and Blu-Ray, which have superior image and sound quality. Moreover, DVD players are cheaper than VCR players, and DVDs have a longer life span than videotapes. While newer technologies have overtaken VHS and Betamax, other experts foresee that much like the once-mighty VCR, DVD and Blu-Ray will soon be a thing of the past. Last year, DVD and Blu-ray sales fell by more than 10% due to the rise of digital media, wherein videos come in the form of files, online streaming and Video on Demand services, such as Netflix.

【Viewpoint Discussion】
　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

·         Do you think that the company made the right decision to stop making VCRs? Why or why not?

·         Do you think that DVD and Blu-Ray makers should also stop production? Why or why not?

Discussion B

·         What do you think is the best way of watching videos based on the products that were (VCR) and are still available (DVD, Blu-Ray, digital media, streaming) on the market?

·         How do you foresee the future of watching videos?

Cloned Animals Do Not Age Fast, Study Finds

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. contrary to / kɒn trɛr I / (idiom) – completely different from, or the opposite of something

Example: What he said is contrary to what we know.

2. activist / ˈæk tə vɪst / (n.) – someone who gets actively involved in public protests

Example: She is a human rights activist.

3. range / reɪndʒ / (n.) – a certain level or measurement

Example: The temperature today is beyond the normal range.

4. flock / flɒk / (n.) – a group of animals of the same kind

Example: I took a photo of a flock of birds.

5. trauma / ˈtraʊ mə / (n.) – a serious wound or damage caused by a severe injury

Example: The old man suffered head trauma.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

Cloning, or the process of making an exact copy of an organism, does not cause early aging and other health problems to clones, study finds. A new study on thirteen cloned sheep found that cloning does not cause early aging and other health problems. The study’s findings are contrary to the belief of some animal welfare activists that cloning may have harmful health effects on cloned animals. Researchers, including developmental biologist Kevin Sinclair, conducted a study on thirteen cloned sheep, four of which were cloned from the same mammary gland tissue that produced the cloned sheep Dolly, the first mammal to be cloned from an adult cell. The thirteen sheep underwent blood glucose levels and blood pressure tests. The study showed that the sheep were healthy and free from diabetes and high blood pressure— diseases that are common to older sheep.  In addition, all vitals from the four sheep cloned from the same mammary gland tissue that produced Dolly were within the normal range.  Dolly died at the age of six. Before her death, she had severe arthritis. Her early death and arthritis created the idea that clones age fast. However, researchers said that her death was not related to old age but to a virus that infected and killed her flock. According to Sinclair, Dolly’s arthritis could have been caused by trauma to her joints. Researchers are certain that her death had nothing to do with being a clone. Mark Westhusin, a reproductive biologist, also said that the aging rate of animals, both on clones and nonclones, varies. Westhusin was one of the researchers who produced the first cloned cat. He said that the cat is doing fine at the age of fifteen, and this confirms what most researchers believe about cloning.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

·         What is the relevance of conducting a study on the thirteen cloned sheep?

·         Do you think that animal welfare activists should stop opposing animal cloning? Why or why not?

Discussion B

·         What do you think cloning will be like in the future? Will it stop or continue to expand?

·         If human cloning becomes possible in the future, would you want to clone yourself? Why or why not?

Study Reveals Countries with Tallest Men and Women in the World

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. reveal /rɪˈvil/ (v.) – to show or make something known

Example: She did not want to reveal the results of her plans.

2. analyze /ˈæn lˌaɪz/ (v.) – to carefully study or examine something

Example: They spent the whole day analyzing the project.

3. average /ˈæv ər ɪ/ (adj.) – the normal quantity of something

Example: They also studied the average weight of people in America.

4. genetic /dʒəˈnɛt ɪk/ (adj.) – something that is inherited from members of the family

Example: Scientists believe that her disease is a genetic disorder.

5. call for /kɔl fɔr/ (verb phrase) – to demand or require

Example: Employees are calling for a salary increase.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

A study revealed the countries that have the tallest men and women in the world. The research team, led by researchers from Imperial College London, analyzed height charts of 18-year-olds over a 100-year period, from 1914 to 2014. The research found that men from the Netherlands and women from Latvia are the tallest in the world. Based on the results of the research, Dutch men have an average height of 182.5 centimeters while Latvian women have an average height of 170 centimeters. The research involved more than 800 scientists. They discovered that the average height of people in some countries continued to grow through the study’s 100-year span. For example, Iranian men’s height increased by around 16.5 centimeters, while Korean women grew taller by around 20.2 centimeters. While the trend in some countries is for people to grow taller, the opposite happened in some countries, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Finland. People from these countries have stopped growing over the past forty years. In addition, for the past five years, people in sub-Saharan Africa have been growing shorter by five centimeters. While experts note that height is largely determined by genetic factors, a public health researcher from Imperial College London says that nutrition also plays an important role in height. Scientists claim that improved nutrition is one of the reasons why men from the Netherlands are tall. Dutch people eat a lot of dairy products, such as milk and cheese, which are rich in protein. Majid Ezzati, a professor from the Imperial College, said that the research calls for more focus on children’s and adolescents’ nutrition.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

·         Do you think that conducting height studies is important? Why or why not?

·         How can having tall citizens benefit a country? Discuss.

Discussion B

·         Would you rather be tall or short? Why?

·         Aside from height, what are other physical traits that can benefit a person?

Charity Campaign Leads to Discovery of Gene-Related Disease

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. campaign / kæmˈpeɪn / (n.) – a series of activities intended to achieve a goal

Example: Many youth organizations supported the campaign against bullying.

2. nominate /ˈnɒm əˌneɪt/ (v.) – to suggest someone to do something

Example: They nominated him to represent their school in a competition.

3. fund /fʌnd/ (v.) – to provide the money for a program or organization

Example: A group of professionals funded his college education.

4. cure / kyʊər / (n.) – a means to treat a disease

Example: Researchers are looking into a possible cure for the Zika virus.  

5. selfie /ˈsɛl fi/ (n.) – a photograph taken by someone who is also in the photograph

Example: She likes posting her selfies on her social media sites.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

The Ice Bucket Challenge, a social media charity campaign, led to the discovery of a gene associated with the disease Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis [ey-MAHY-uh-TROH-fik LAT-er-uh l skli-ROH-sis] (ALS). Launched in 2014, the Ice Bucket Challenge encouraged people to dump buckets of ice- cold water over their heads and nominate others to do the same while they were being filmed. Millions of people, including celebrities like Bill Gates, Stephen Curry, and Mark Zuckerberg, participated in the campaign, which aimed to increase awareness for ALS and raise researchfunds for treatments of the disease. In just two months, the campaign was able to raise $115 million for the ALS Association. Sixty-seven percent of the money was used to fund research projects, such as Project MinE, which discovered NEK1, a gene associated with ALS. ALS is a disease that weakens the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Currently, the disease has no cure. According to Brian Frederick, executive vice-president of communications and development at the ALS Association, the discovery of the gene will help researchers better understand ALS and find possible treatments. Aside from the Ice Bucket Challenge, another social media charity campaign became popular in 2014 — the No Makeup Selfie Challenge. The said campaign, which aimed to raise breast cancer awareness, was able to raise £8 million for Cancer Research UK in just six days. Thousands of women participated in the campaign by posting their pictures without makeup on social media sites and nominating their friends to do the same.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

·         What is your opinion on the Ice Bucket Challenge?

·         Why do you think the Ice Bucket Challenge was a success?

Discussion B

·         Given the chance, would you also participate in a social media charity campaign? Why or why not?

·         Aside from raising funds for research, what are other benefits of social media?