Reading Without Borders
James Baron Joe Henleyphotographs by
iStockphoto
Shutterstock
Imaginechina/時事通信フォト
EPA＝時事

音声ファイルのダウンロード／ストリーミング
CD マーク表示がある箇所は、音声を弊社 HP より無料でダウンロード／ストリーミングすることができます。下記 URL の書籍詳細ページに音声ダウンロー
ドアイコンがございますのでそちらから自習用音声としてご活用ください。

http://seibido.co.jp/ad671

Flow: Reading Without Borders
Japanese edition copyright © 2023 Seibido Publishing Co., Ltd, Japanese edition
All rights reserved.
This edition is published by arrangement with Caves Books Co., Ltd., Taiwan
For sale in Japan only.
All rights reserved for Japan.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form
without permission from Seibido Co., Ltd.

Contents
Content Chart................................................................................................... 04
Learning Overview........................................................................................... 06
Unit 1

Does a Sloth Make a Good Pet?...................................................................... 08

Unit 2

Why People Say “Yes” to Late Marriage......................................................... 16

Unit 3

Spotify: A Singing Success.............................................................................. 24

Unit 4

Why Do Dogs Chase Cats?.............................................................................. 32

Unit 5The Man Who Grew a Forest........................................................................... 40

Unit 6

Find Your Dream Job Today.............................................................................. 48
Review 1............................................................................................................ 56

Unit 7

Hans Christian Andersen’s Two-Way Mirror.................................................... 60

Unit 8Water Shortages: The Next Global Catastrophe............................................ 68

Unit 9The Hippie Movement...................................................................................... 76

Unit 10 Time to Put the Brakes on Fast Fashion......................................................... 84
Unit 11 From Pictures to Words: The Evolution of Jimmy Liao.................................. 92
Unit 12 Confronting Your Fears: How ERP Can Help Solve OCD............................. 100

Review 2.......................................................................................................... 108

Content Chart
Type of Reading

Title

Unit 1

Online Forum

Does a Sloth Make a Good Pet?

Scanning for Personal
The Prefix inOpinions

Unit 2

LetterWhy People Say “Yes” to Late
Marriage

Using Context Clues

The Suffix -ize

Unit 3Web Article (1)Spotify: A Singing Success

Skimming for
Typographical Cues

The Prefix fore-

Unit 4

Folk Tale

Why Do Dogs Chase Cats?

Identifying Character
TraitsThe Suffix -en

Unit 5

Environmental
ArticleThe Man Who Grew a Forest

Guessing the Meaning
The Suffixes -eryof Unfamiliarand -ry
Vocabulary

Unit 6Advertisement

Find Your Dream Job Today

Recognizing an
Author’s Motivation

Review 1

4

Reading Skill

Vocabulary Builder

The Prefix sub-Type of Reading

Title

Reading Skill

Vocabulary Builder

Unit 7

Biography (1)Hans Christian Andersen’s
Two-Way Mirror

Identifying Misleading
Questions

Diminutive
Suffixes

Unit 8Web Article (2)Water Shortages:
The Next Global Catastrophe

Understanding Cause
and Effect

The Suffix -age

Unit 9JournalThe Hippie Movement

Recognizing theChronologicalSequence

The Prefix anti-

Unit 10 Op-Ed Article

Time to Put the Brakes on Fast
FashionInterpreting Tone andRhetorical Questions

The Suffix -ish

Unit 11 Biography (2)From Pictures to Words:
The Evolution of Jimmy LiaoInterpreting an
Author’s Values

The Suffix -iqueUnit 12 Health Article

Confronting Your Fears:
How ERP Can Help Solve OCD

Scanning for
Abbreviations

The Root Word
sure

Review 2

5

Learning Overview◗ Let’s Get StartedLetʼs Get Started

Let’s Get Started
introduces thereading topic ofeach unit with aninteresting warmup activity.

A. Before You Read
1. Look at the following picturesand match them to the environment

al terms below.

•

•

•

•

•

•

Recycling

Renewable Energy••

Reforestation

Power Conserving

2. Do you make any efforts to beenvironmentally friendly? What kindsof things do you do? In
which areas might you improve?
3. Do you know of any people ororganizations who work to protect
the environment? What dothey do?
B. Words in Context
Use the words from the box to completethefollowing sentences. Change the word

curriculum

erosionsprawlingarray

grumblebarren1. Much to Watson’s surprise, Holmes
quicklyleft-handed.
2. The coastline of the island has
3. I was amazed by the
district in Tokyo.

1-32

form if necessary.

deduceat one’s disposal

been retreating for years due toof products available in Akihabara,

1-33~40◗ Words in Context

from the sea.
the electronics

4. Protestors complained about the
government’s plan to build a(n)store on the land.
5. Australia’s aborigines lived forthousands of years on
found it impossible to survive.
6. There is no point in
7. It was little wonder the team won

department

in order to include courses in new

types

Unit 541

details but not the whole situation
There’s a saying that someone who sees
Payeng never had this problem. As a“can’t see the forest for the trees.” Jadav
Wandering along the river banks of
16-year-old, he had a life-changing experience.
ofmightiest rivers, he came across hundreds
the Brahmaputra, one of the world’s
quickly
Being a perceptive young man, Payengdead snakes washed up on the shore.
from excessive heat due to a
death
fate:
deduced how the creatures had met their5

land where Europeanslack of shelter.

Words in Context is a fillin-the-blank exercise whichhelps students study key
words from the reading.

about the assignment. We just haveto get on with it.
the competition with all the talented
players it has.
8. The school has decided to updateitsof technology, such as artificial intelligence.

Environmental Article

Readingthat the killer must have beenstate of Assam in northern India was
The year was 1979, and Payeng’s homecausesseason, which ravages the region andin the midst of the annual monsoon
thehad been a problem in the region, andsevere flooding. For years, deforestation
With the loss of trees, the floods caused
consequences were now plain to see.
torequirednutrients
thecarriesearth thaterosion of the top soil—the part of the
of
cycle
a
properly,
growcannotvegetation
sustain plant life. Furthermore, whendestruction occurs, as the roots of trees
and plants help to keep the soil inplace. In hilly and mountainous areas,
the results can be disastrous. Simply
put, no trees equals more landslides,
and these can wipe out entire villages.

10

15

20

25

30

Back to the unfortunate reptiles.
ePayeng realized that the disappearancof forests around the Brahmaputra wasaffecting the region’s animal life informore ways than one. Local villagers,ofeexample, noted the disappearancmany species of birds who were finding
nesting sites increasingly scarce. They
pointed out the connections thatmight not have been obvious tooutsiders. Fewer birds meant fewer

Jadav Payeng

Notes
thingsrealize things, especially non-obvious
perceptive adj. able to notice orin South and Southeast Asia
wind and accompanying wet weather
monsoon n. a kind of seasonaldisaster to a place)to something (especially a naturalravage v. to cause severe damageof rocks or earth down a slope
landslide n. a massive movement
and crocodiles
egg-laying animals such as snakes
reptile n. a family of cold-blooded,◗ Reading42

Incredibly, what began as a few bamboo
seedlings has now grown into asprawling 550-acre jungle. Keen to ensure
the forest did not end up the same way
as the trees that had previously occupied
the island, Payeng planted only low-value
55
plants for the first 20 years or so. However,from the late 1980s onwards, he began
to add larger, sturdier trees. As he had
hoped, the forest soon attracted an arrayofwild animals. Tigers, rhinos, and deer
now roam freely among the greenerythat
Payeng nurtured with his own hands.
Of course, the forest requires protection
from poachers, and Payeng pays
60
daily trips to check that all is well. Urban
commuters grumbling about theircommute to work each day should consider
Payeng’s daily routine. Up at 3 a.m., hecycles for an hour to reach the river,then rows five kilometers to the island.
Afterthat, he cycles for another 30 minutes
to reach the field where he keeps cattle.
After
he has milked his cows, an activity thathelps him support his family, he visits
the65
forest. Despite his best efforts, animals
have been killed. The death of a rhino,
killedfor its horn in 2012, deeply upset him,
and he has strongly criticized the local
government for not assisting with conservation
efforts. Yet, he admits that no
amount of legal protection can put astop toillegal hunting and deforestation. The
answer,70
he firmly believes, lies in education. “Plantingof trees should be part of the school
curriculum,” Payeng says. “Each childshouldplant two trees and look after them tilltheyleave school.”

Different types of Reading lead students toa wide range of modern topics and useful
key words. There are also Notes that help
students understand difficult words.

75

80

Payeng does not see himself as an
educator or public figure, preferring insteadtofocus on his work. However, he has agreed
tospeak at schools and international conferences
both in India and abroad. An ability to
see thebigger picture best sums Jadav Payengup. Heis a man who both figuratively and literally
was able to see both the trees and theforestthat they became.

Jadav Payeng grew a forest starting from 20 bamboo seedlings.

eggs and chicks, which are a source of food for snakes and other predators. Villageelders encouraged Payeng to do what he could to help, furnishing him with around20 bamboo seedlings to plant. They chose bamboo as it is a hardy plant that grows
quickly and requires little in the way of nutrients. Selecting the island of Mājuli—
the world’s largest river island—Payeng set to work.
Soon after he had planted these first seedlings, Payeng began working for the
local forestry division on a project to develop the barren areas of the island. This
project lasted almost five years and provided around 200 hectares of forest.
However, Payeng is not one to do things by halves, and he stuck around for quite awhile after the conclusion of the project. In fact, he has continued to plant trees
and plants on the island every single day for over 35 years and counting.
Payeng had to overcome various difficulties, most notably in creating anirrigation system for his growing forest. Although he had an enormous water
source at his disposal, there was no way one man could use it to tend to such a large
area of land. To get around this obstacle, Payeng constructed a series of bamboo
platforms over each plant. On each of these wooden shelves stood clay pots withtiny holes in them. These released water drop by drop, slowly watering the plants
below over the course of a week. To improve the fertility of the soil, Payeng
introduced earthworms, ants, and termites. Ants help break down rocky soil, andtermites release a chemical that improves soil quality, both of which make it easierto grow things.

Jadav Payeng in his forest

44

Reading Comprehension◗ Reading Comprehension

1. What does the term “nesting sites” in Line 27 refer to?
a. Sources to find nutrientsb. Places to build homesc. Shelters from hot weather
d. Rivers to locate water

PARAPHRASE

Reading Comprehension helps check whether
students have understood the text entirely by
testing on purposes, details, inferences, etc.

2. What does the author mean by “Payeng is not one to do things byhalves” in Line 39?
a. He is always on time.
b. He is very balanced.
c. He works longer than others.
d. He always gives his best effort.

INFERENCE

3. What was the enormous resource at Payeng’s disposal?
a. The Brahmaputrab. The forestc. The islandd. The local elders

INFERENCE

4. What does the author imply about Payeng’s decision to plant
low-value trees?
a. It started in the late 1980s.
b. It stopped people from cutting down trees.
c. It provided better shelter for wild animals.
d. It turned out to be a mistake.

DETAIL

5. How does Payeng earn a living?
a. By planting trees
b. By protecting animals
c. By selling milkd. By catching poachers

DETAIL6. What is NOT something Payeng has done to protect the forest?
a. Become involved in educationb. Design an irrigation systemc. Breed cattle
d. Release insects

Think More
1. Do you think theefforts of people
like Jadav
Payeng will beenough to solve
environmental
problems? If
not, what elsemust be done?
2. Some politicians
and public
officials claimthat there is no
proof that global
warming is
caused byhumans. Why
might they say
this?

Unit 5

6

45

45

50

chick n. a baby bird
seedling n. a young plant that has grown from a seedearthworm n. a long, thin creature that lives in soil
termite n. a small insect that usually feeds on wood

sturdy adj. strong, solid, or durable
rhino n. short form of rhinoceros,a large, heavy animal with armoredskin and one or two horns on its
roam v. to wander or move fromnose
place to place with no plan or purpose
poacher n. a person who hunts
animals illegally
figuratively adv. in a way that uses
words and phrases with an imaginative
meaning

CONTEXT

40

Notes

Notes

Multiple Choice: Based on the reading, choose the best answer to each question.

35◗ Think More
Think More provides two additionalquestions for discussion to enhance
students’ critical thinking skills.

Unit 543

◗ Reading Skill
Reading Skill

Reading Skill teaches skimming, scanning,
etc. Task 1 helps students practice the newly
learned skill, and Task 2 shows students how
to apply the skill to the reading.

Guessing the Meaning of Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Reading texts may contain words
or phrases with which we are unfamiliar.
Besides using context
clues as demonstrated in the previous
unit, the meaning of an unknown
word might be guessed from its
prefix, suffix, or root word. Often,
a combination of factors might give
us a good clue to the meaning ofword or phrase.
aTask 1: Look at the paragraph andthen answer the following question.
Give the reason(s) for youranswer.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation
and Development has warned that
economic growth may be affected
globalby countries that pursue protectionism. In its latest economic
outlook report, the OECD notedthat nations that excessively tax
imports to shield domestic
industries may be contributing toeconomic slowdown.
The word “protectionism” is closest
in meaning to a policy that ______.
a. slows down global economic growthb. raises excessive taxes on a country’s
citizensc. protects a country’s own industries
d. protects a country’s citizens fromviolence
Reason(s): _____________________________________________________________________________
Task 2: Read the second paragraphof Reading. As you read, find thewords that match thedefinitions below and write themin the spaces provided.
1. the removal of trees → ____________________
2. to keep something existing →____________________
3. trees and plants → ____________________◗ Vocabulary Builder

Vocabulary Builder

The Suffixes -ery and -ry

The suffix -ery and the shortenedform -ry are used in various ways.
In Reading, for example, we saw
the words forestry and greenery.
The first word refers to the occupationof working to maintain forests,
and the second refers to plants andvegetation. There are several generalways of categorizing words that
use these suffixes.

Vocabulary Builder introduces usefulmechanics of English words such as prefixes
and suffixes.

Task 1: Classify the words in thebox according to the general rulesin the table below. The first
one has been done for you.
machinerywineryslavery

Things in a group or collection
greeneryartistryjewelry

greeneryAn occupation or condition

dentistry

brewery bakery

A place where something is done46

1 to complete the sentences.
Task 2: Choose a word from Task
visit to theof the different beers during our
1. We were allowed to sample some

◗ Let’s Think About It!

________________.
fields.
________________ in a number of
2. Michelangelo was famed for his
be dangerous.
____ when you are tired, as it could
3. Do not operate this ____________

Let’s Think About It!

Let’s Think About It! incorporates
four learning skills that are crucial
to success in the modern world:
Communication, Collaboration,
Creativity, and Critical Thinking.

are being
more and more eco-friendly products
As environmental awareness increases,that don’t harm thematerials or manufacturing processes
produced. These might use recyclableof four and come up with an
to conserve energy. Work in groups
environment. They might also help
launch to introduce it. Ana short press conference or product
hold
Then,
product.
green
innovative
the table below.
example has been done for you in
Type of Product

Brand Name

Features

Target Market

Cost

Self-poweringcomputer

Taptronic

Keyboard thatconverts typing
into energy

Youngprofessionals

US$2,000

Review 1 (Units 1–6)
Unit 547

I. Definition Matching
Match the words to the correct definitions.

III. Cloze Test
Choose the correct words to complete the passages.

1 . consciousness •• to send away and prevent from returning

2 . counterpart•• one’s awareness or perception of something

3 . compile•• feeling unhappy and hopeless

4 . banish•• another person or thing with a similar position or function

5 . gloomy•• to produce or make something by assembling
information, songs, etc.

II. Sentence Completion
Choose the correct words to complete the sentences.
1 . Where can I download those cute animal stickers you have for LINE? They are absolutely_____.
Reading Comprehension
a. adorable
b. collective
c.IV.
inappropriate
d. obsessed
Read the articles and choose the correct answers.
2 . This _____ species of snake can only be found on one very small South Pacific island.
Aa. exotic
b. humidc. collectived. ordinary◗ Review
Review contains four types ofquestions: Definition Matching,Sentence Completion, Cloze Test,
and Reading Comprehension.

1-48

A
When my friends heard that I wanted to open a themed bookstore about dogs, they1with little animals and that I loved reading.
thought I was crazy. They knew I was
2
However, they didn’t think I could make money by combining these two interests. I
3a trend. More and more
why they felt shocked, but opening a themed bookstore is
4 . So, from thepeople keep dogs nowadays, and they enjoy their furry friends’
perspective of these dog owners, it is beneficial to have a dog-themed bookstore which
provides them with professional books about dog health, training, and even psychology. I
5that these dog owners would want to know more about their pets.
have no1 . a. obsessedb. celebrated

c. adorable

d. collective

2 . a. threaten

b. paddle

c. comprehend

d. destitute3 . a. considerablyb. accordingly

c. definitely

d. occasionally

4 . a. opportunity

b. companionshipc. curriculum

d. mammal

5 . a. trend

b. plotc. outcome

d. doubt

B

1-50

B

1-51

1-49

The story of why cats and dogs are mortal enemies is, as most people would consider,Menand women
seem to is
be getting married later and later nowadays,
andis musician, you probably can’t countIf you’reanthereunsignedon digital formats to sell your3 . Statistics show that the global _____, or the total number ofpeoplein employment,
just a story. But some animal myths are actually rooted in scientific fact. One of those myths
statistical proof of this phenomenon in countries such as the US,music.
Canada,Japan, etc.
In many
1 , with theStreaming
services
like Spotify give low payments to musicians.
somewhere around three billion people.
is also an old proverb: An elephant never forgets. Is this really true, or just another tall taleof these places, politicians, and indeed society at large, are reactingwith ofshock
and
2 , it can be difficult tonumberartists
onalarm,
Spotify right now passing the two million
a. awarenessb. consequencec. workforce
d. aislepassed on from one generation to the next?
but often with good reason.
stand out. However, streaming services have their advantages because they make yourThe
phrase “an elephant never forgets” likely started when biologists realized that
4 . Paul wrote to his favorite author in the hope that she would
to ithis
newbe
book.
In writeplacesthelike_____
Japan,
won’t
long before the majority of music
the populationelderly.
AsAs a worst-case scenario, your songs
3
toisthepublic.
won’t get many plays, butelephantshavethelargestbrain of any land animal. It is fairly common for people at that timea. foresightb. forearmc. foreword
forecast
more and more d.
young
people are delaying marriage, the country’s
birth
is plummetingtheonlyrate
thing
you’ve lost isasa small amount of time putting up your songs, which is really justto think that the bigger the brain, the better the memory. In fact, it’s true in some ways.
the average
climbsPeach.
ever higher. This means a smaller workforce
and fewer
4 young. That’speople
why more and more musicians are choosing to put their music ona minor5 . In the famous video game, Super Mario goes on a _____
to saveage
Princess
Elephants are territorial, and they have a huge home range. An elephant’s home territory can
to pay into the social welfare systems that care for the elderly. Spotify every day, with many more ready to
5 .
a. vacationb. betrayalc. questd. habitat
be over 3,000 square kilometers. That’s about the same size as the relatively small American
This could have huge consequences for what is still currently one of the world’s
state of Rhode Island.
But research has shown that elephants can remember their entire
6 . Ian was on a bad path in life before he discovered basketball,he thinksof asallhis_____.
1 . a. supply
Otherwise
Howeverc. Besides
d. Neverthelessstrongestwhich
economies.
In fact,strongeconomies require a steadyof workers tob.pay
territory, much in the same way humans retain a memory of the familiar area in which they
into those systems
which provide care for the old, the sick, and2thea. oathb. salvationc. betrayald. scarf. a.otherwise
observer infirm. b. markc. server
d. spark
grow up.
Marriage usually plays a role in that, either directly or indirectly.3Marriage,
more often than
. a. indefensible
b. incapablec. unbreakabled. accessible
7 . The ruins of the ancient city contained an advanced _____ system for agriculture.
Family is important
to elephants, too. They travel in family-based herds, staying together
not, means children. With rising costs in many countries and an increasingly bleak view of the4.
a.
setback
b.
guilt
c.
beta
d.
heap
for years. As is the case with humans, though, when things get a little too crowded, it’s timea. irrigationb. erosionc. cohabitationd. innovation
institution of marriage
in general on the rise in the Information Age, even married couples arefor oneto cashmoveinout.
5 . a. packup can sometimes
b. drop out
c. follow
suitof the kids d.
on The one who moves out, when it comes to elephants, is the
not asto havemarriage
8 . Ken has originally planned to become a doctor, but inincreasingly
the end hechoosing
chose _____
his kids. So, we can see how delaying
eldest daughter. She breaks off and starts her own herd. But she never forgets her family.
lead to a falling population and the subsequent economic pitfalls therein.
profession.
One researcher found that a female was still able to recognize her mother, even after the twoWhatcangovernments
dotoprevent
this?
They
might
offer
marriage
incentives.
Ina. wineryb. dentistryc. greenery
d. slaveryof them had been separated for 23 years. So, it seems that the old adage about an elephant’s
Canada, for example, married couples enjoy tax benefits, and they can apply for subsidies
9 . Being a musician isn’t just a job for Charles, it’s his ideal _____.
memory definitely holds true.
when they have kids. Other governments around the world facing problems associated witha. sensationb. vocationc. revelation
distraction
delayed marriaged.and
population decline might think about following suit.

10 . Mandy has always had a(n) _____ to become a famous actress on Broadway.
1. What is the main purpose of this article?
a. seminarb. aspirationc. collar a. To show thatd.marriage
rut
is not arequirement in modern times
56b. To prove that getting married earlier in life
is better than waitingc. To talk about the benefits of delaying
marriaged. To discuss the various impacts of people
delaying marriage
2. When most people seem to delay marriage,
what is the reaction from politicians?
a. They are in favor of it.
b. They are concerned about it.
c. They have no strong reaction to it.
d. They are ambivalent toward it.
3. The word “infirm” in the third paragraph isclosest in meaning to _____.
a. lazy b. unhappy c. unhealthy d. rich

4. Which of the following can be inferred fromthe article?
a. The longer people wait to get married,
the better off a nation will be financially.
b. The more elderly there are in a country,
the better off the economy will be.
c. A weak institution of marriage, overall,means a healthier economy.
d. A strong institution of marriage can belinked to a strong economy.
5. How does delaying marriage affect theeconomy, according to the article?
a. It equals more kids, which equals more
mouths to feed.
b. It equals fewer elderly, which means lesseconomic burden.
c. It means fewer children, which leads to asmaller workforce.
d. It means more children, which leads to astronger economy.

1. What does the article imply about animal
myths?
a. Some are just stories, but some are
actually true.
b. Animal myths can sometimes
be 1
57
Review
misleading.
c. Animal myths about cats and dogs areusually just stories.
d. Proverbs can prove them true.
2. What can we infer from the article about
the character traits of elephants?
a. They can’t travel in groups.
b. They are aggressive.
c. They are heavy creatures.
d. They are family-oriented.

4. When a herd of elephants gets too big,
which elephant will leave?
a. The oldest maleb. The oldest male childc. The oldest femaled. The oldest female child
5. What has research shown about elephants
when it comes to family members?
a. They will gradually forget family
members after moving out.
b. They will reunite with one another 23
years later.
c. They can remember one another evenafter decades apart.
d. They can remember the directions totheir homes.

3. What is true of an elephant’s home range,
according to the article?
a. It is as big as a medium-sized nation.
b. It is the same size as a small state.
c. It is about the same size as a small town.
d. It is lesser in size than a few city blocks.

58

Review 1

59

7

Unit 1

Online Forum

Does a Sloth
Make aGood Pet?
8

Let’s Get Started
A. Before You Read
1. Look at the following animals and match them to their names.

••

Mini Lop

•

•

•

•

Sloth

Lizard••••Hedgehog

O wl

2.	Do you think these animals above are suitable for keeping as pets? Choose two animals thatyou would keep as pets and give your reasons.
3.	Do you have a pet? If you do, what is it and why do you have it as a pet? If you don’t, what pet
do you want to get?
1-02

B. Words in Context
Use the words from the box to complete the following sentences. Change the word form if necessary.
collective

humid

consciousness

obsessedcomprehend

habitatdefinitely

companionshipwith a cartoon called Peppa Pig.

1. Jenny’s young daughter is currently

2.	Hollywood actors and actresses can easily enter the public
easily be forgotten.

but can just as

3.	Over-development in the mountains has destroyed the natural
animals.

of many

4. I cannot
5.	We decided to make a(n)all.

why anyone would do such a terrible thing to that nice family.
decision on the important matter that affected us

6.	Look at those dark clouds in the sky over there; it issoon!

going to start raining

7. The weather in Japan in the summer is usually very hot and8. The elderly lady enjoys the.

that her cats provide her with.

Unit 1

9

Reading

Online Forum
1-03~07#1

Nov 27, 2021

		I watched the animated movie Zootopia and became so

5CharloCY

10

Join Date:
Nov 2017
Posts: 1215

obsessed with one of the supporting characters—the sloth working
in the office. After that, I went on to the Ice Age series. Sid the Slothwas adorable in an ugly sort of way. He had a cute little speech
impediment, and he was incredibly clumsy. But there was also
something endearing about him. He was unfailingly kind and loyal.
From that point on, sloths have never been far from my mind.
		Because of my love of thisanimal, I’m interested in raising one
on my own. A few years ago, I was apretty inattentive kid, but now I’mfinancially independent and live in myown house with a big backyard. I think
I’m ready to get a pet now, and my one
and only choice is definitely a sloth!
		Would anyone be willing to shareany information about getting a sloth asa pet? Thanks!
#2

Nov 27, 2021

		I understand that you want to have a pet that you will love,and I’m sure your pet will provide you with the companionshipthat you need. But I don’t think learning about an animal only
from movies is a good idea. If you had done some basic research on
sloths, you would comprehend that they do not make good pets.

20

Beaky0506
25

Join Date:
Nov 2014
Posts: 61

		 Generally speaking, a sloth is an exotic animal that only
lives in some parts of South America and Central America. A sloth
basically lives in trees. It has a very low body temperature, so it isunable to stand the cold. So, if you really want to get a sloth, youwill need to spend quite a lot of time and money to build a warm

Notes
impediment n. a condition that makes it difficult for someone to do something such as speaking
clumsy adj. moving or doing things in a way that is not careful or gracefulendearing adj. inspiring affection
10and humid environment for it. You will
also need to plant a lot of trees for it toclimb.

30

Next, a sloth likes to eat fresh
leaves and fruits, so you’ll have togrow these things or provide them foryour pet sloth. This is not an easy job.
Besides, the digestive system of asloth is also very SLOW. Your pet
sloth may need a few weeks or even a month to digest one meal!

35

		A sloth is cute, but I seriously doubt that it will be a goodpet. I hope you think twice before you get one.

40

#3

Nov 28, 2021

		I remember a few

Min<3Bella
Join Date:
Mar 2013
Posts: 26

months back everyone wasreally into owls. I believe it
started when people in theWest suddenly became awareof owl cafés in Japan—places
where people can sit and enjoya cup of coffee with a tiny owl
for company. I admit that I,
too, was taken in by the allureof this trend for a short while, but I’ve never wanted to really keep
an owl as a pet.

45

50

		I think that we are interested in these special animals

mostly because we are not familiar with them. Actually, I would
suggest that you get a cat or a dog now that you have a big
backyard! Cats and dogs are lovely, and you can build a real
relationship with them. You also have more resources available totake care of them.

55

Notes
digestive adj. things related to digestion, which is the process of food passing through the bodyallure n. the quality of being mysteriously attractive

Unit 1

11

#4

Nov 30, 2021

		Sloths are tropical mammals. Their claws are so long thatthey have difficulty walking on the ground. They also spend mostof their time sleeping and hanging from branches in trees.

60

		In some states in America, it is against the law to keep a

65

SnowTK
Join Date:
May 2016
Posts: 22

70

sloth as a pet. What if you wereattacked or injured by one? The
sloth could be infested withparasites, and you may develop
a serious infection if you are
injured by it. In short, sloths
should live in the wild, not inyour home.
#5

Dec 7, 2021

		 Thanks for all the comments. I did some research on theInternet, and then my desire to get a sloth as a pet died down. I
also would not want to buy a sloth because of what I learned aboutanimal trafficking.
75

CharloCY

80

85

Join Date:
Nov 2017
Posts: 13

		 Yet, I think using a sloth as a cartoon character puts it into
the collective consciousness of people who normally might notthink about this animal at all. This helps draw attention toconservation groups and sanctuaries such as The Sloth Sanctuaryand Slothville, which provide safe habitats for sloths in areas
where their normal abodes might be threatened by encroachment
by humans. Nowadays, people are becoming more andmore educated about sloths and finding out about
their naturally friendly manner. I can only hope that
this trend will continue and that we can go on toprovide even more care and protection for this animal.

Notes
infest v. (of creatures) to be present in large numbers and often cause damage
trafficking n. the illegal trade of certain things, such as drugs, stolen items, or people
sanctuary n. a place where a person or animal is safe from enemies or attackers
abode n. a place where a person or animal lives
encroachment n. movement into territory that belongs to others
12

Reading Comprehension
Multiple Choice: Based on the reading, choose the best answer to each question.
DETAIL

1. What do we know from the first post?
a. CharloCY seldom watches animated movies.
b. CharloCY is interested in getting a pet.
c. CharloCY wants to invite people to watch Ice Age.
d. Zootopia is a movie about sloths.

VOCABULARY

2. In Line 6, the word “unfailingly” is closest in meaning to _____.
a. successfullyb. immediately
c. always
d. never

DETAIL

3. Based on the second post, what do we know about a sloth?
a. Its skin is very wet.
b. It enjoys eating parasites.
c. It is able to survive in cold places.
d. Its eating habits require special care.

INFERENCE

4. What did Min<3Bella imply in the post?
a. A sloth may not develop a relationship with humans.
b. CharloCY should get an owl instead.
c. Keeping a sloth is a very good idea.
d. There should be a sloth café.

REFERENCE

5. What does the word “one” refer to in Line 64?
a. A tropical mammalb. A parasite
c. A slothd. An injury

PREDICTION

6. What will CharloCY do after reading all of the posts?
a. He or she will find a way to use animal trafficking.
b. He or she will keep on caring about sloths.
c. He or she will keep a sloth.
d. He or she will go to visit Slothville.

Think More
1.	What do you
know aboutsloths? Do you
like them? Whyor why not?
2.	Have you ever
had an obsession
with a certain
kind of animal?
What was it, andwhy were you
so interested init?
Unit 1

13

Reading Skill

Scanning for Personal Opinions

Sometimes in an article or a piece of reading text, the author offers personal opinions on a certain
topic. As we read, we learn to recognize the author’s attitude toward the topic, whether it’s positive,
negative, ambivalent, or critical.

Task 1: Read the following short passage and underline the author’s personal opinion(s).
			 I was not really into owls. One day after work, I passed by a so-called “owl café.” Out of
curiosity, I stepped in because I wanted to know why it was so popular these days. I saw about 15
owls in the room. Some were big, some were small, some looked sleepy, while some seemed
quite alert. The owner told me that I could try to stroke one small owl, so I did. It was amazing!
The owl was really cute and sweet. From then on, the owl café became a healing place wheneverI needed to relax.
Task 2: Scan the second post in Reading and answer the questions.
1. Which of the following is Beaky0506’s personal opinion?
		 a. Sloths only live in some parts of South America.
		 b. Providing sloths with food is not an easy job.
		 c. Sloths can’t stand the cold.
		 d. The digestive system of a sloth is very slow.
2. Beaky0506’s attitude toward keeping a sloth is ______.
		 a. positive		 b. ambivalent		 c. optimistic
		 d. negative

Vocabulary Builder

The Prefix in-

The prefix in- means “the opposite of” or “not,” and it is used to form negative words in English. It
can be used with adjectives, adverbs, and nouns. In Reading, we saw the examples independent andinattentive, the former meaning “not dependent” and the latter meaning “not attentive.”	
Task 1: Which of the following words can take the prefix in-? Write the prefix in the space forthose which can take it or put an “X” in front of the words which can’t.

14

1. _____sensitive		

2. _____action

3. _____attractive		

4. _____happiness

5. _____flexibility		

6. _____complicated

7. _____capable		

8. _____accurately

Task 2: Use the words from the box to complete the passage.
indefensible

inescapable

inexpensive

inappropriate

inorganic			 Morgan went to the supermarket, looking for some (1)produce. She needed
to save money, but she wanted to eat healthily as well. She soon found that the cheapest
vegetables were (2). That means they may have been grown using many
chemicals. If she wanted to buy organic food, high prices were (3). Morgan thoughtthat this was (4). Why should healthy food be out of reach for people who have a
low income? She went to speak to the manager about what she felt was an (5)pricing scheme. The manager, however, merely said he would look into it.

Let’s Think About It!
		 The number of endangered animal species continues to grow. This includes two of the six
species of sloths. The table below shows some of the causes. Working in pairs, look at each cause in
the table and think about what we can do to protect animal species. You can also list other causes
and discuss them with your partner. You may do some online research if necessary.
CausesWhat we can do• Set temperature of air-conditioners at moderate to cut CO2 emissions

Climate change(Global warming)

Environmental
pollution

Invasive species

Unit 115