レッスンを予約する
Step 1
Read the Article
Read the article to understand the main idea.
記事を読んで、おおよその内容をつかみましょう。
Lakeland’s swans, descendants of Queen Elizabeth II’s gift, get annual health checkup
Dozens of swans descended from a pair gifted to the central Florida city of Lakeland by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II in the 1950s were rounded up Oct. 28 for their annual health checkup.
The 54 swans were scooped up in a net by a parks and recreation worker in a boat on Lakeland’s Lake Morton. They were put in temporary pens and taken to an animal hospital to prepare for their examinations.
At the animal hospital on Oct. 29, they were weighed and checked for any infirmities, and baby swans were microchipped.
The swan roundup is a signature event in Lakeland, a city of around 125,000 residents located between Tampa and Orlando.
Elizabeth sent the pair of swans as gifts to the city of Lakeland in 1957 after the Florida city’s swan population was depleted by disease and predators. The queen became aware of the swan situation from two former Lakeland residents living abroad and offered the pair from the royal flock living on the Thames River outside London.
(AP)
Step 2
Check the Vocabulary and Phrases
Check the following vocabulary and phrases.
以下の単語やフレーズの発音、意味、使い方を確認しましょう。
descendant
子孫
a person or an animal that is related to somebody who lived in the past
The museum shows photos of the descendants of the town’s first settlers.
博物館には町の最初の開拓者たちの子孫の写真が展示されています。
round up
かき集める、集める
to bring animals or people together in one place
The farmers rounded up the cows before the storm arrived.
農家の人たちは嵐が来る前に牛を集めました。
pen
おり、囲い
a small piece of land surrounded by a fence in which farm animals are kept
The farmer kept the sheep in a pen behind the barn.
農夫は納屋の後ろのおりに羊を入れていました。
infirmity
虚弱、病気
weakness or illness over a long period
Because of his infirmity, he needed help with daily tasks.
持病のため、彼は日常的な作業で助けが必要でした。
predator
捕食動物
an animal that kills and eats other animals
The loss of predators can change the balance of the ecosystem.
捕食動物の減少は生態系のバランスを変える可能性があります。
Step 3
Comprehension Questions
Answer the following questions based on the article.
理解度問題に挑戦しましょう。
What steps were taken to make sure the swans were ready for their health examinations?
Why did Queen Elizabeth II send swans to Lakeland in 1957?
Step 4
Discussion
Share your opinions on the following questions.
以下の質問について、自分の考えを述べてみましょう。
What animals do you often see near your home, such as in parks or rivers?
Are you interested in helping wild animals? Why or why not?
Has your hometown or the place where you live ever received a special gift from someone or somewhere?
Do you think it is important for cities to take care of animals that live in public areas? Why or why not?
The swans in Lakeland are part of a long tradition. Do you think traditions like this are important for a city?