Column Discussion (Expert)｜コラムディスカッション（上級）Lesson23 : Scientists Discover How Some Dinosaurs Grew So Big

PART A_1

Let’s learn vocabulary. Listen and repeat the words and the sentences with your tutor.

PART A_2

1.　pace	/peys/
	-a rate of movement, especially in stepping, walking
	The pet owner could not keep up with the dog’s pace.
2.　steadily	/STED-i-lee/
	-in a way that moves constantly and at an even pace or in the same direction
	The number of club members grew steadily.
3.　growth	/grohth/
	-the act or process, or a manner of growing; development
	Plant growth depends heavily on the environment.
4.　comparison	/kuhm-PAR-uh-suhn/
	-the act of comparing.
	Comparison is inevitable among siblings.
5.　increase	/in-KREES/
	-to make greater, as in number, size, strength, or quality
	Being underweight, her nutritionist advised her to increase her food intake.

PART B_1

Let’s read the article. Please read it aloud, and I will check your pronunciation and intonation.

PART B_2

Experts: Dinosaurs grew at various paces

After studying the fossils of some dinosaurs, scientists explain that huge dinosaurs did not actually grow at the same pace. Some of these creatures took longer to grow in size but did so steadily. On the other hand, other kinds of dinosaurs had a growth spurt right before adulthood which caused them to increase in size in a short period of time. In comparison, children experience a growth spurt from age 12 to 18. The same thing happened to some dinosaurs.

How did the scientists go about the experiment? They studied fossils housed in museums from around the world. This includes Sue, one of the most well-known T. rex fossils which is displayed in a museum in Chicago. With the help of a machine, they cut through the remains of these early creatures and compared the annual growth rings of each bone. They later found out that this kind of dinosaur reached adulthood at the age of 20.

PART C_1

Let’s answer comprehension questions. Please answer them based on the article.

PART C_2

1.	What caused some dinosaurs to grow faster?
2.	How did the scientists carry out the experiment?
3.	Where is Sue kept?

PART D_1

Let’s discuss the article. Please answer the questions below and express your opinions.

PART D_2

1.	What do you make of the findings of the study?
2.	What can you say about their process of studying fossils?
3.	Do you think scientists should make use of more advanced tools to study fossils?
4.	Do you think it’s good for museums to house dinosaur fossils?
5.	How do you think a visit to a dinosaur museum can impact a student’s point of view?

REVIEW AND FEEDBACK

Now, let us review the things that you learned in this lesson.

ではこのレッスンで学んだことを振り返りましょう。

(Please give a short feedback on how your student did on your class.)

	Grammar 文法	Pronunciation 発音	Vocabulary 単語	Comprehension 理解
GOOD	文法の誤りはほとんどなく、完全な文章で話すことができる	ほとんどの単語をはっきりと正しく発音することができる	習った表現を適切に使うことができる	文章を理解し、質問に正しく答えることができる
FAIR	文法の誤りはあるが、完全な文章で話すことができる	発音の練習が必要な言葉がいくつかある	たまにミスはあるが、習った表現を適切に使うことができる	文章を完全に理解するのは難しく、質問に正しく答えられないときもある
POOR	文章で話すのは難しく、単語だけで話すことができる	発音の練習が必要である	習った単語と表現を少しだけ使うことができる	文章を理解するのは難しく、質問に答えるのは難しい

TUTOR FEEDBACK

GRAMMAR
Good:	Was able to speak in complete sentences with minimal grammatical errors.
Fair:	Was able to speak in complete sentences with evident grammatical errors.
Poor:	Was able to speak using words only.
PRONUNCIATION
Good:	Was able to pronounce most of the words clearly and correctly.
Fair:	Mispronounced a few words.
Poor:	Mispronounced most of the words.
VOCABULARY
Good:	Used appropriate expressions learned in class.
Fair:	Used appropriate expressions learned in class and made a few errors in word choice.
Poor:	Used only a few words and expressions.
COMPREHENSION
Good:	Was able to understand the passages and answer the questions correctly.
Fair:	Had a little difficulty in understanding passages and answering questions.
Poor:	Had a hard time understanding passages and answering questions.

Parts of this lesson material are based on:
An article by Voice of America