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。
Drunk raccoon rampages in Virginia liquor store
The masked burglar broke into the closed liquor store in the U.S. state of Virginia early Nov. 29 and hit the bottom shelf, where the scotch and whisky were stored. The bandit was something of a nocturnal menace: Bottles were smashed, a ceiling tile collapsed and alcohol pooled on the floor. The suspect acted like an animal because, in fact, he’s a raccoon.
On Nov. 29 morning, an employee at the Ashland liquor store found the trash panda passed out on the bathroom floor at the end of his drunken escapade.
“I personally like raccoons,” said Samantha Martin, an officer who works at the local animal control. “They are funny little critters. He fell through one of the ceiling tiles and went on a full-blown rampage, drinking everything.”
Martin said she took the raccoon back to the animal shelter, though she had her fair share of giggles along the way. “Another day in the life of an animal control officer, I guess,” she said.
The Hanover County Animal Protection and Shelter commended Martin for handling the break-in, and confirmed the raccoon had sobered up.
(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。
burglar
押し込み強盗犯
a person who enters a building illegally in order to steal
The burglar escaped through a back window, leaving no clear fingerprints.
その泥棒は裏口の窓から逃げ、はっきりした指紋を残しませんでした。
escapade
(ちょっとした)無謀な冒険、騒動
an exciting or careless adventure that is often unexpected
The movie is about a group of friends and their wild escapades.
その映画は、友人たちの無謀な冒険を描いています。
full-blown
完全な、徹底的な
fully developed or showing all the characteristics of something
She launched a full-blown investigation into the problem.
彼女はその問題について徹底的な調査を開始しました。
commend
褒める、称賛する
to praise somebody/something, especially publicly
The manager commended the team for their quick response to the emergency.
上司は緊急事態への迅速な対応を理由に、そのチームを称賛しました。
sober up
酔いが覚める
to become less drunk or completely not drunk
It took her several hours to sober up after the party.
パーティーの後、彼女が酔いを完全に覚ますまで数時間かかりました。
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 did the raccoon do after entering the closed liquor store during the night?
What happened to the raccoon after it was found in the store?
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 comes to mind when you think of raccoons?
Have you ever seen or heard a story about an animal causing trouble in a city? What happened?
What could store owners do to prevent animals from entering buildings at night?
Do you think wild animals are appearing in cities more often today? Why might that be happening?
How might the story have been different if a human, not an animal, had caused the damage?