[Environment ★★]
(P1) Toyota is closing two elevators at its Tokyo headquarters. It wants to save money and electricity. This is because the Japanese yen is becoming stronger. In January, one dollar was nearly 120 yen; now it is 101 yen. A strong yen means Toyota cars are more expensive, so profit goes down. Toyota’s profit last year was $23 billion.
(P2) Toyota is also changing the temperature of air conditioners to save money. It did similar things after the financial crisis in 2008. That also made the yen strong. Toyota said the most important thing about closing the elevators is to make workers understand more about the need to reduce waste.
WORDS: 108
SOURCE: http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1607/160710-elevators-0.html
VOCABULARY: elevators, electricity, profit, temperature, crisis, reduce
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
If you found the passage difficult to read or had problems understanding specific words or idiomatic expressions, please discuss them with your tutor. The following discussion questions should be answered in your own words and with your own arguments.
- Briefly, summarize the content of the article in your own words.
- Do you like Toyota cars and trucks? Why or why not?
- What do you do to reduce waste in your home?
- Do you think it’s a good idea to close elevators to reduce waste? Why or why not?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS:
- How many elevators are being shut down?
- The Japanese Yen is getting weaker. (T or F)
- How much money did Toyota earn last year?
- What other year did Toyota try to reduce waste?
- Toyota wants its employees to decrease waste. (T or F)
EXPRESSIONS or PHRASES:
What do the following expressions or phrases mean?
- becoming stronger (P1)
- goes down (P1)
- changing the temperature (p2)
- it did similar things (P2)
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