Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. annually
    • ex. We celebrate our family reunion annually in the summer.
  2. an emission
    • ex. Carbon emissions from vehicles and factories pollute the air.
  3. upend
    • ex. The sudden rain upended their plans for a picnic in the park.
  4. recreation
    • ex. I enjoy outdoor recreation, such as hiking and fishing.
  5. couple with (something)
    • ex. The company is successful because of its high-quality products coupled with excellent customer service.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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A new study found that US ski businesses lost $5 billion (about ¥744 billion) from 2000 to 2019 because of climate change. It could also lose $1 billion (almost ¥149 billion) annually in the 2050s depending on how much emissions are decreased. Scientist and co-author of the study, Daniel Scott, said that people may not care about environmental concerns. However, its impact on sports like skiing is something people can see.

Warm weather has upended winter recreation across North America and Europe this year. Some events in Maine, Minnesota, and Austria were either canceled or affected. Scientists say a warm, dry El Niño weather coupled with global warming is to blame. A senior vice president from the company that helped fund the study said that it’s a “now” problem, not a future problem.

The US ski industry could experience shorter winter seasons in the 2050s. It could be cut by 14 to 33 days even if emissions are decreased. But, a future with high emissions can double the days lost. During the climate talks in December last year, countries agreed that the world needs to avoid fossil fuels. Earth last year had its hottest year on record.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Winter Recreation

  • Do you like doing any winter recreation? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • In the U.S., ski businesses lost $5 billion from 2000 to 2019 because of climate change. How do you think climate change affected similar businesses in your country? Discuss.
  • In your area or hometown, how important is the business of winter recreation (ex. there aren’t many businesses for winter recreation, it’s a huge industry)? Discuss.

Recreation

  • In your opinion, how important is recreation? Discuss.
  • Which do you prefer, indoor recreation or outdoor recreation? Why? Discuss.
  • In your opinion, can people live without recreation? Why or why not? Discuss.