Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. marquee
    • ex. The phone company released a marquee product that showed off its best new technology.
  2. boast
    • ex. The hotel boasts a beautiful view of the ocean.
  3. a selfie
    • ex. I took a funny selfie with my dog and posted the picture on social media.
  4. upgrade
    • ex. The tech company upgraded its latest laptop model with artificial intelligence.
  5. a tariff
    • ex. Because of high tariffs, foreign products are more expensive in my country.

Article

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

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Apple has launched its iPhone 17 collection, the newest version of its marquee product. The new collection includes four models, with the prices for the iPhone 17 starting at about $800 (about ¥118,000). The iPhone 17 Air, which Apple says is its thinnest phone ever, begins at $1,000 (about ¥148,000). The Pro and Pro Max models cost $1,100 (about ¥163,000) and $1,200 (about ¥177,000).

All the new phones boast better cameras, longer battery life, and faster performance. The front camera now has a wider view, so it is easier to take a selfie with friends or fit more into one picture. In addition, Apple upgraded its software to use artificial intelligence. Its AI feature lets users take a screenshot and get a live translation. 

This iPhone 17 collection is the first group of products that Apple released since the U.S. increased the tariffs on products from other countries. These tariffs have affected the prices of several products. Before it was launched, some tech experts thought Apple would increase iPhone 17’s prices, too. However, Apple chose to keep the price of iPhone 17 close to the price tag of its previous collection.

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

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Apple Products

  • Do you use any of Apple's products (ex. iPhone, MacBook)? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • What do you think makes Apple products popular among users? Discuss.
  • The iPhone 17 collection introduces AI that lets users get live translations. Do you think this feature is necessary? Why or why not? Discuss.

Tariffs

  • Do you think tariffs are a good or bad idea? Why? Discuss.
  • What do you think would happen if more countries increased tariffs on their products? Discuss.
  • If you can decide, what rules would you set for tariffs on products (ex. reduce tariffs, raise tariffs)? Discuss.