Column Discussion (Expert)｜コラムディスカッション（上級）Lesson64 : Scientists Solve Mystery About Stonehenge

PART A_1

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

PART A_2

1.　monument	/MON-yuh-ment/
	-a structure or building that is built to honor a special person or event
	The Tsuruma Park in Nagoya is a national registered monument.
2.　landmark	/LAND-mahrk/
	-a building or place that is easily recognized, especially one that you can use to judge where you are
	The park is the closest landmark from our home.
3.　instrumental	/in-struh-MEN-tl/
	-useful; helpful in a process, plan, or system
	The mayor’s efforts were instrumental in the development of the city.
4.　chemical	/KEM-i-kuhl/
	-any basic substance that is used in or produced by a reaction involving changes to atoms or molecules
	Any household chemical must be stored safely.
5.　clarify	/KLAR-uh-fahy/
	-to make an idea, statement, etc. clear or intelligible
	The professor clarified the instructions for the students.

PART B_1

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

PART B_2

Scientists Solve Mystery About Stonehenge

British scientists say they have solved a mystery involving Stonehenge, the well-known stone monument in Wiltshire, England. Scientists announced this week that they have discovered the origins of many of Stonehenge’s massive stones known as megaliths. People used those stones to construct milestones, landmarks, and other buildings thousands of years ago. According to the scholars, a small piece from one megalith was instrumental in solving the mystery. For over 40 years, the little piece of stone has been stored in the United States. According to chemical research, the bulk of Stonehenge’s megaliths, known as sarsens, came from a place known as the West Woods. The ancient monument is about 25 kilometers away. Researchers are still uncertain how the stones were transported to Stonehenge. David Nash of the University of Brighton who led the study clarified, “Given the size of the stones, they must have been pulled or pushed on rollers.” He added that the discovery might provide people a better understanding of the hard work behind Stonehenge.

PART C_1

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

PART C_2

1.	Where is the Stonehenge located?
2.	Based on the research, for what purpose were the stones used?
3.	What was instrumental in solving the mystery?

PART D_1

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

PART D_2

1.	What makes this article interesting for you?
2.	Do you think this discovery would interest young people? Why or why not?
3.	Would you like to visit the Stonehenge in the future? Why or why not?
4.	Describe a historical place in your country.
5.	Should scientists do more research on historical places in Asia? Why or why not?

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