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。
New killer whales surprised visitors near Seattle
When people visit Seattle, they often ride boats on Puget Sound and look at the Space Needle and tall buildings by the water. In March 2026, three new killer whales surprised whale watchers near downtown and other nearby coasts.
Researchers in the Salish Sea know local killer whales by their fins and gray patches. They were surprised when these three whales later appeared in Vancouver, Canada, and did not match any local photo records.
Later, researchers found photos of the same whales in Alaska in 2025. The group seems to be one adult female and her two young whales. They now have ID numbers, T419, T420, and T421, where “T” means “traveling”.
The whales also have round scars from cookie-cutter sharks, which bite circles of skin from larger animals. These marks suggest the whales lived in the open ocean and came south to the Salish Sea to search for food.
(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。
nearby
近くに
not far away
There is a convenience store nearby.
近くにコンビニがあります。
patch
斑点、まだら
a small area that is different in some way from the area around it
The dog has a brown patch on its back.
その犬は背中に茶色のまだらがあります。
appear
現れる
to start to be seen or to be present
Stars appear in the sky at night.
夜になると星が空に現れます。
scar
傷跡
a mark left on the skin after a wound has healed
He has a scar on his knee from a fall.
彼は転んだときの傷跡がひざにあります。
suggest
示唆する
to show or make something seem likely or possible
The results suggest that the plan is working.
その結果は、その計画がうまくいっていることを示唆しています。
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 did surprise whale watchers near Seattle in March 2026?
What do round scars of the whales suggest?
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 image do you have of killer whales? Why?
What animals do you want to see in real life?
When you travel, do you want to watch animals, or do you prefer to visit other places?
Are you interested in whale watching? Why or why not?
In your country, have you heard of animals being seen in unusual places?