KA Wordcast - The official Podcast for KIKOKUSHIJO ACADEMY
In today’s passage, entitled “The Age of Humans,” you will hear about the huge impact we humans, in our relatively short history, have had on our planet and every living thing on it. Listen carefully to the passage and answer the questions that follow. As you listen, it’s OK to jot down some notes of important details and ideas, but try not to let your note-taking get in the way of your listening. Answers can be found on the KA Voicecast website as a separate track. You may also download the lesson in PDF format to keep for your reference. And be sure to listen to the KEY VOCABULARY bonus track to boost your word power!
In today’s passage, entitled “The Rise of Megacities,” you will hear about what makes a “megacity” and why more and more cities around the world will soon enter the “Megacity Club.” You will also learn about some of the problems cities encounter when they become overpopulated. Listen carefully to the passage and answer the questions that follow. Answers to the Listening Comprehension Questions can be found on the KA Voicecast website as a separate track. You may also download the lesson in PDF format to keep for your reference. And be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary bonus track!
In today’s passage, entitled “Saving the Rhinos,” you will hear about a baby rhinoceros named Lofo that barely escaped death. You will also learn about why protecting large herbivores (animals that live on plant life) like the African rhino is vital to our planet’s environmental health. As you listen, it’s OK to jot down some notes of important details and ideas, but try not to let your note-taking get in the way of your listening. Answers to the Listening Comprehension Questions can be found on the KA Voicecast website as a separate track. You can also download the lesson in PDF format to keep for your reference. Be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary bonus track!
In today’s passage, entitled “Nurturing the Arts,” you will hear about why many schools across America no longer offer arts classes. You will also learn about what the Los Angeles school district is doing to ensure that its students receive a well-rounded education. Answers to the Listening Comprehension question can be found on the KA Voicecast website as a separate track. Alternatively, you may download the lesson in PDF format to keep for your reference. Be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary bonus track to boost your word knowledge!
In today’s passage, entitled “A Letter for Change,” you will hear about a socially conscious Massachusetts schoolgirl who had an idea for a much-needed change and decided to let the U.S. President know what was on her mind. You will also learn a little about the extraordinary woman who has been selected to be the face of the new $20 bill. As you listen, it’s OK to jot down some notes of important details and ideas, but try not to let your note-taking get in the way of your listening. Answers to the Listening Comprehension Questions can be found on the KA Voicecast website as a separate track. You may also download the lesson to keep for your reference. Be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary bonus track to help boost your word skills.
In today’s passage, entitled “Totally Awesome,” you will hear about why experiencing the sensation known as “awe” can make you a better person. You will also learn about some of the experiments researchers have conducted to study the impact “awe” has on human behavior and relationships. Listen carefully to the passage and answer the questions that follow. Answers to the Listening Comprehension Questions are available on the KA Voicecast website as a separate track. You may also download the lesson to keep for your reference. Be sure to listen to the KEY VOCABULARY WORDS bonus track.
In today’s passage, entitled “A Hobbit Mystery,” you will hear about the discovery of a previously unknown species of early humans. You will also learn about some of the different methods forensic scientists and researchers use to date prehistoric artifacts and human remains. Listen carefully to the passage then answer the questions that follow. Answers to the Listening Comprehension Questions can be found on the KA Voicecast website as a separate track and downloadable PDF. Be sure to listen to the KEY VOCABULARY bonus track to boost your word knowledge!
In today’s lesson, entitled Virtual History, you will learn a bit about the Great Fire of London of 1666. You will also hear about a fascinating new mobile phone app that can transport you back in time to key historical moments. That’s right. Time travel—well, sort of. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. Answers to the Listening Comprehension Questions are available as a separate track on the KA Voicecast website. And be sure to listen to the KEY VOCABULARY bonus track to boost your word knowledge!
In today’s lesson, entitled The Curious Case of the Walking Encyclopedia, you will listen to a passage about Kim Peek, an American savant who had a remarkable ability to memorize all sorts of things. You will also learn a little about autism and how our attitude towards people with autism has changed over the past thirty years. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. Answers are available on the KA Voicecast website as a separate track. Be sure to listen to the KEY VOCABULARY bonus track to help boost your word knowledge!
In today’s lesson, entitled The Choshu Five, you will listen to a passage about five young Japanese men who, during Japan’s Edo period, risked everything to come to London and learn about Western ways. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. Answers are available on the KA Voicecast website as a separate track. Be sure to listen to the KEY VOCABULARY bonus track to help boost your word knowledge!
In today’s lesson, entitled Where Are the Women?, you will learn a bit about the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. You will also hear why the Statue of Liberty and all that she stands for are not equally represented in parks and public squares in America’s great cities. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. Answers are available on the KA Voicecast website as a separate track. Be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary bonus track to boost your word knowledge!
In today’s lesson, entitled Robotic Critters, you will listen to a passage about a handy new robot that is fact, not science fiction. And you will learn how researchers have used, of all things, the cockroach as a model for the new robot’s design and how they intend to put the “bot” to practical use. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. Answers can be found on the KA Voicecast website as a separate track. You may also download the lesson in PDF format for your reference. Be sure to listen to the KEY VOCABULARY BONUS track!
In today’s passage, entitled “Killer Diseases” you will hear about how, in the 14th century, an epidemic wiped out nearly half of Europe’s population and also about how some diseases are transmitted from person to person. Answers to the Listening Comprehension Questions are available on the KA Voicecast website as a separate track and PDF file. Be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary bonus track to boost your word knowledege!
In today’s lesson, entitled The Ship of Dreams, you will listen to a passage about the events leading up to and following the sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. Answers to Comprehension Questions are available on the KA Voicecast website. Be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary Words bonus track!
In today’s lesson, entitled Going Bananas, you will listen to a passage about why bananas are often called “Nature’s Perfect Power Snack.” You will also learn about a disease that could wipe out banana crops all over the world. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. Answers to the Listening Comprehension Questions are available on the KA Voicecast website as a separate track. Be sure to listen to the KEY VOCABULARY bonus track.
In today’s lesson, entitled A Broader View of Beauty, you will listen to a passage about where the Barbie doll’s creator got her inspiration, and why, after nearly 60 years, Barbie is undergoing a big transformation. Answers to the Listening Comprehension questions can be found on the KA Voicecast website as a separate track. You may also download the lesson in PDF format to keep it for your reference. Be sure to listen to the KEY VOCABULARY bonus track.
In today’s passage, entitled “Man Up!” you will learn why one paleoanthropologist believes that mankind (and men in particular) has “let himself go,” so to speak, because of all this convenience and comfort. You will also hear about some of the amazing physical and mental feats that our human predecessors were capable of. Listen carefully to the passage then answer the questions that follow. Listening Comprehension Questions and Answers can be found on the KA Voicecast website as a separate track and downloadable PDF.
In today’s lesson, entitled Seeds for Humanity, you will hear a passage about the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway where a group of scientists have been planning ahead against a possible “doomsday” future. Answers can be found on the KA Voicecast website. Be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary bonus track!
In today’s lesson, entitled Sustainable Living, you will hear a passage about the “ecological” and “carbon” footprints we all leave on the planet just by going about the business of daily living. You will also learn why pet dogs … well, you’ll see in a few minutes. Answers to the LISTENING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS can be found on the KA Voicecast website as a separate track. Be sure to listen to the KEY VOCABULARY bonus track!
In today’s lesson, entitled Drone Worry, you will listen to a passage about why remote-controlled drones and airplanes have the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration worried. You will also learn about some of the practical ways in which drones are being used today. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. Answers are available on the KA Voicecast website. Be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary Bonus track!!
In today’s lesson, entitled The Right to Sing, you will listen to a passage about how a simple little song became a household word, so to speak. You will also learn a what a copyright is and what laws protect music and other original work. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. Answers are available on the KA Wordcast website as a separate track. And be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary bonus track to help boost your vocabulary skills!
In today’s lesson, entitled Oh No! Another El Niño!, you will listen to a passage about how the unusual warming of surface waters in the South Pacific affects the weather all across the globe. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. Answers are available on the KA Voicecast website as a separate track. Be sure to listen to the KEY VOCABULARY bonus track!
In today’s lesson, entitled O Christmas Tree! you will listen to a passage about how the Christmas tree tradition got started and about the real-vs.-artificial Christmas tree debate. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. Answers are available on the KA Voicecast website as a separate track. Be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary Bonus track!
In today’s lesson, entitled From Dynamite to Peace, you will listen to a passage about how Swedish scientist Alfred Nobel developed a safe and effective explosive for industrial use. You will also learn why he established the Nobel Prizes to honor those people who have made valuable contributions to mankind. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. Answers to this week's questions can be found on the KA Voicecast website as a separate track. Be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary Bonus track.
In today’s lesson, entitled A Long Time Ago, in a Galaxy Far, Far Away, you will listen to a passage about how Star Wars influenced the Hollywood film industry and why some collectors are willing to pay thousands of dollars for vintage Star Wars action figures. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. Be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary Bonus Track!
In today’s lesson, entitled It’s Elementary, you will be listening to a passage about how literature’s most famous detective helped pave the way for modern-day detectives’ crime-solving methods. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. Answers to today's Listening Comprehension questions are available on the KA Voicecast website as a separate track. You may also download the lesson and keep it for your reference. Be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary bonus track to improve your understanding of the lesson itself and to give your vocabulary a big boost!
In today’s passage, entitled “Fear Itself,” you will learn about various types of phobias and how fear can drive people to do things that are not always logical. Answers to Listening Comprehension Questions can be downloaded on the KA Voicecast website. Be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary Bonus track to boost your vocab knowledge.
In today’s lesson, entitled Earth Impact, you will be listening to a passage about the Chelyabinsk Meteor incident. You will also learn why astronomers are keeping a close eye on some space objects that may be on a future collision course with our planet. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. Answers are available on the KA Voicecast website as a separate track. Be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary Words bonus track!
In today’s lesson, entitled Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt, you will be listening to a passage about Cleopatra, one of the most powerful and most famous women in history. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. Answers are available on the KA Voicecast website as a separate track. Be sure to check out the Key Vocabulary bonus track!
In today’s passage, entitled “Waste Not, Want Not,” you will learn about how much food is being wasted globally every year—this, in spite of the fact that millions of people around the world go to bed hungry every day. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. Answers are available on the KA Voicecast website as a separate track or PDF download. Be sure to listen to the KEY VOCABULARY bonus track to improve your understanding of the passage itself, and give your vocabulary a big boost!
In today’s lesson, entitled One Team, One Nation, you will be listening to a passage about how one of history’s most influential leaders used rugby to unite a divided nation. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. It’s always a good idea to take notes as you listen, but remember: don’t let your note-taking distract you from your listening. Answers are available on the KA Voicecast website as a separate track. Be sure to check out the KEY VOCABULARY bonus track to give your vocabulary a big boost!
In today’s lesson, entitled The Power of Social Media, you will be listening to a passage about how Facebook and other social-media networking sites got their start and about how dramatically “being connected” has changed the way we communicate today. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. Answers can be found on the KA Voicecast website as a separate track. Be sure to listen to the KEY VOCABULARY bonus track!
In today’s lesson, entitled Pay It Forward, you will be listening to a passage about the philosophy of “forward giving” and how it may have gotten its start in a play written more than 2,300 years ago. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. It’s always a good idea to take notes as you listen, but remember: don’t let your note-taking distract you from your listening. Answers can be found on the KA Voicecast website. BE SURE TO LISTEN TO THE KEY VOCABULARY BONUS TRACK!
In today’s lesson, entitled What’s In A Name? you will learn how some of America’s cities and natural landmarks got their names. You will also learn about the controversy surrounding the name of the tallest mountain peak in North America. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. It’s always a good idea to take notes as you listen, but remember: don’t let your note-taking distract you from your listening. Be sure to listen to the KEY VOCABULARY bonus track for this lesson.
In today’s lesson, entitled The Magical World of Reading, you will learn about all the positive effects reading has on your brain, imagination, and even character. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. It’s always a good idea to take notes as you listen, but remember: don’t let your note-taking distract you from your listening.
In today's lesson, entitled Music to Our Ears, you will learn about what "buskers," or street performers, have to go through to earn the privilege to perform in some of London and New York's prime locations. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. Answers will follow immediately after the closing jingle. You may also listen to the Listening Comprehension Questions and Answers track on the KA Voicecast website. Be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary bonus track. This will help you improve your understanding of the passage itself and give your vocabulary a big boost.
In today’s lesson, entitled Mission to Mars, you will be listening to an informational passage about the planet Mars. You will also learn about the many challenges scientists and engineers must overcome in order to establish a future settlement on the Red Planet. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. Be sure to listen to the KEY VOCABULARY bonus track. This will help you better understand the passage itself, and give your vocabulary a big boost!
In today’s lesson, entitled Finders, Keepers, you will learn about how, during the 16th to 18th centuries, gold and silver and other precious commodities were transported from the New World (the Americas) to Europe. You will also learn about why modern-day amateur and professional treasure hunters have identified the Florida coastline as a “hotspot” for finding sunken treasure and striking it rich. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow.
In today’s lesson, entitled An Aviation Mystery, you will learn about American aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart and the events that led up to her disappearance nearly eighty years ago. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. The correct answers will follow immediately after the closing jingle, so stay tuned. Answers are also available on the KA Wordcast website as a separate track. You can also download the lesson in PDF format and keep it for your reference. And be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary bonus track. This will improve your understanding of the passage itself and give you a bigger, better active vocabulary.
In today’s lesson, entitled Speaking of Swagger, you will be listening to a passage about the words and phrases William Shakespeare “invented” and contributed to the English language. You will also learn about why some language experts believe that throughout history, linguistic changes have so often been made by young women. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. It’s always a good idea to take notes as you listen, but remember: don’t let your note-taking distract you from your listening. The correct answers will follow immediately after the closing jingle, so stay tuned. Answers are also available on the KA Wordcast website as a separate track. You can also download the lesson in PDF format and keep it for your reference. And be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary bonus track. This will improve your understanding of the passage itself and give you a bigger, better active vocabulary.
In the 2014 award-winning movie The Imitation Game, British actor Benedict Cumberbatch portrayed Alan Turing, the inventor of a code-breaking machine that was used during World War II at Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire, England, to help the British and their Allies defeat the Germans. And Bletchley Circle was a recent BBC mini-series about a group of highly intelligent women in the mid-1950s who help solve crimes by applying the code-breaking skills they gained while doing “spy” work at Bletchley Park. So “Bletchley” is a hot topic right now, and in today’s passage, entitled “Breaking the Enigma,” you will learn all about Alan Turing’s machine, the German code it deciphered, and the dedicated men and women “code-breakers” who helped bring the war to a swifter end. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. The correct answers will follow immediately after the closing jingle, so make sure you stay tuned in. Answers are also available on the KA Wordcast website as a separate track. You may also download the lesson in PDF format and keep it for your reference. And be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary bonus track. This will help you improve your understanding of the passage itself and give your vocabulary a big boost.
In today’s lesson, entitled The Lion King Debate, you will be listening to a passage about Cecil, the African lion that was recently shot and killed by an American hunter. You will also learn why so many conservationists are using Cecil’s death as a rallying cry to ban big-game “trophy” hunting. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. The correct answers will follow immediately after the closing jingle, so stay tuned. Answers are also available on the KA Wordcast website as a separate track. You can also download the lesson in PDF format and keep it for your reference. And be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary bonus track. This will improve your understanding of the passage itself and give you a bigger, better active vocabulary.
The basic practices of “teaching” and “learning” probably haven’t changed much in the last twenty or thirty years. But that’s not quite true, because, as you know, teachers and students these days have access to more resources than ever before. In today’s passage, entitled “Interstellar in the Classroom,” you will learn about why scientists and physicists would like to see the 2014 movie Interstellar used as a classroom tool to teach students about astrophysics and science. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. As you listen, it’s OK to jot down notes of important details and ideas, but try not to let your note-taking get in the way of your listening. The correct answers will follow immediately after the closing jingle, so make sure you stay tuned in. Answers are also available on the KA Wordcast website as a separate track. You may also download the lesson in PDF format and keep it for your reference. And be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary bonus track. This will help you improve your understanding of the passage itself and give your vocabulary a big boost.
In today’s passage, entitled “Burning Man,” you will learn about a festival held in the Nevada desert every year that offers its attendees an experience that can only be described as unique. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. As you listen, it’s OK to jot down some notes of important details and ideas, but try not to let your note-taking get in the way of your listening. The correct answers will follow immediately after the closing jingle, so make sure you stay tuned in. Answers are also available on the KA Wordcast website as a separate track. You may also download the lesson in PDF format and keep it for your reference. And be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary bonus track. This will help you improve your understanding of the passage itself and give your vocabulary a big boost.
On the evening of October 11, 1492, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus was patrolling the deck of his ship Santa Maria when he saw a “light glimmering at a great distance.” He later claimed that it vanished and reappeared several times during the night, each time dancing up and down “in sudden and passing gleams.” Five centuries later, on NASA’s first mission to the moon, astronaut Buzz Aldrin reported seeing a mysterious ringed object traveling alongside Apollo 11. In 1974, the Beatles’ John Lennon witnessed a flattened, cone-shaped object hovering above New York City. In today’s lesson, “Are We Alone?” you will listen to a passage about mankind’s long fascination with UFOs and space aliens. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. It’s always a good idea to take notes as you listen, but remember: don’t let your note-taking distract you from your listening. The correct answers will follow immediately after the closing jingle, so make sure you stay tuned in. Answers are also available on the KA Wordcast website as a separate track. You may also download the lesson in PDF format and keep it for your reference. And be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary bonus track. This will help you improve your understanding of the passage itself and give your vocabulary a big boost.
In today’s lesson, entitled“The Winton Children,”you will listen to a passage about a remarkable Englishman named Nicholas Winton who is often called “Britain’s Schindler.” When the Second World War broke out, Winton masterminded an operation that rescued 669 Jewish children from almost certain death. (There were a couple of “Japanese Schindlers,” too, by the way. Do you know who they were?) Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. It’s always a good idea to take notes as you listen, but remember: don’t let your note-taking distract you from your listening. The correct answers will follow immediately after the closing jingle, so stay tuned. Answers are also available on the KA Wordcast website as a separate track. You can also download the lesson in PDF format and keep it for your reference. And be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary bonus track. This will improve your understanding of the passage itself and give you a bigger, better active vocabulary.
In today’s lesson, entitled A Mammoth Effort, you will be listening to a passage about the possibility of resurrecting animals that have long been extinct using modern advanced science and technology. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. It’s always a good idea to take notes as you listen, but remember: don’t let your note-taking distract you from your listening. The correct answers will follow immediately after the closing jingle, so stay tuned. Answers are also available on the KA Wordcast website as a separate track. You can also download the lesson in PDF format and keep it for your reference. And be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary bonus track. This will improve your understanding of the passage itself and give you a bigger, better active vocabulary.
In today’s lesson, entitled A Trip of a Lifetime, you will be listening to a passage about some of the exciting, but costly school trips many pupils and students are going on these days. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. The correct answers will follow immediately after the closing jingle, so stay tuned. Answers are also available on the KA Wordcast website as a separate track. You can also download the lesson in PDF format and keep it for your reference. And be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary bonus track. This will improve your understanding of the passage itself and give you a bigger, better active vocabulary.
In today’s lesson, entitled Melting Away, you will be listening to a passage about how global warming is affecting weather patterns all over the world. You will also learn about how some archeologists are benefiting from the melting polar and glacial ice that rising global temperatures are causing. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. The correct answers will follow immediately after the closing jingle, so make sure you stay tuned in. Answers are also available on the KA Wordcast website as a separate track. You may also download the lesson in PDF format and keep it for your reference. And be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary bonus track. This will help you improve your understanding of the passage itself and give your vocabulary a big boost.
In today’s listening passage, entitled “When I Grow Up,” you will learn why some skilled occupations are being phased out and also learn about some of the specialized courses that many universities and colleges are offering these days. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. It’s a good idea to jot down some notes of significant details and ideas as you listen, but try not to let your note-taking get in the way of your listening. The correct answers will follow immediately after the closing jingle, so make sure you stay tuned in. Answers are also available on the KA Wordcast website as a separate track. You may also download the lesson in PDF format and keep it for your reference. And be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary bonus track. This will help you improve your understanding of the passage itself and give your vocabulary a big boost.
In today’s lesson, entitled Elon Musk: Watch This Space, you will be listening to a passage about one of the most innovative and visionary businessmen of the 21st century. Listen carefully to the passage and then answer the questions that follow. Answers are also available on the KA Wordcast website as a separate track. You can also download the lesson in PDF format and keep it for your reference. And be sure to listen to the Key Vocabulary bonus track. This will improve your understanding of the passage itself and give you a bigger, better active vocabulary.
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