Read An Article With Me To Improve Your FLUENCY [Free Lesson PDF]

Welcome back to JForrest English. I'm  Jennifer and today we're going to read  

a news article together so you can learn a  lot of advanced grammar, vocabulary, and.

Even correct pronunciation. Let's get  started. Our headline Twitter traffic  

is tanking as Metas Threads hits 100  million users. Let's talk about this.

Word.

Here tanking.

To tank is a verb, and it's when  something suddenly fails or becomes.

Less successful or lower?

In value. So here they're seeing Twitter  traffic. So traffic is the number of users.

Who visit a website that's referred to as.

Traffic.

So, Twitter.

Traffic is tanking, so it's suddenly  less successful. So you can imagine on.

Saturday the traffic.

Was here, but then Sunday.

It's down here. The traffic tanked. So here  as an example, I said the economy is tanking.

Less successful, lower.

In value and then specific.

For value you could say the price.

Of something that has.

Value The price of gold.

Tanked.

Over the.

Weekend and again went from here.

To here.

Twitter traffic is tanking as  Meta's Threats hits 100 million.

Users here, the verb hit is.

Referring to when.

A. A goal or target is reached A goal or target.

Is reached and that is.

Usually a a.

Prominent or important.

Goal or target? Goal or target is reached.

So of course.

100 million users. That's a significant important.

Target and they reached.

It so that you can say they.

Hit their target, they hit  their goal, so I'll write.

That for you meta.

Hit their target. So if you got the.

Score you wanted on your IELTS. For example,  you could say I hit my target, I hit my goal.

Now, don't worry about writing all  these notes down because I created.

A.

Free lesson PDF so you can look in the  description for the link to download the free.

PDF.

Let's continue.  

User traffic on Twitter has slowed since the  launch of Meta's text based platform threads.

So.

Have you signed up for the platform  for this new platform threads?

I have not used the platform, I haven't  logged in. I don't even know what it.

Looks like I guess.

It looks similar to Twitter I'm imagining,  so let me know in the comments. Have you?

Used.

The platform and notice my question  is in the present perfect. Have you?

Used.

The platform have.

You used threads. Threads is the.

Name of the platform and my question is in  the present perfect because you can answer.

Yes.

But.

If you answer no, it's an incomplete  time reference, so you can change your  

answer and you can say yes I have or no I  haven't, so let me know in the comments.

Which has already.

Surpassed 100 million signups here surpassed.  This means exceeded or gone beyond.

So this is.

100 million signups.

And threads has surpassed that, so maybe  they're at 110 million sign ups, for example.

So to exceed or.

Go beyond, exceed, or go  beyond and maybe you have.

A goal that you.

Surpassed. Maybe your goal was.

To get a specific.

Score on A.

My else exam or?

To get a specific.

Promotion but you.

Exceeded.

That you went beyond that you did  better than that, you can say.

I surpassed.

My goal I surpassed my goal,  which is very nice. You can also.

Say I.

Exceeded my goal. I surpassed  I exceeded my goal or target.

So remember when you.

Hit your target, you.

Get the number or result you wanted  and then when you surpass or exceed.

You do?

Better than you do. More than that  Target. 100 million sign ups notice.

Here, do you?

Notice something odd? Perhaps on the word  sign up? You're probably very familiar.

With this for.

Example I signed up.

For JForrest.

English lessons, so I signed up.

For.

Lessons. I signed up for JForrest English  lessons. I hope you did here this.

Is a verb.

I signed up for and You can sign up  for something. You can also sign up to.

Do.

Something I signed up.

To receive JForrest.

English lessons, for example.

But this is not a verb, it's a  noun, and it's referring to sign  

ups as a thing. So the sign ups are the  number of people who created an account.

They would be referred to as the.

Sign ups is another way of simply saying the.

Users I.

Believe in the title.

They used users, yeah, here users.

So the.

People who sign up.

They are the users.

And here they're referring them  to as a noun. Signups, signups,  

the number of people who signed up. I'll just  write that for you. 100 million signups since.

Its debut last week? Look at this.

Word and listen to my pronunciation.

Debut. Debut.

Doesn't really sound like English pronunciation.

This is I believe.

A word we borrow from the French,  judging by the pronunciation.

Debut. Debut.

One's debut is when someone or something is.

Public for the first.

Time, so when it appears in.

Public for the first.

Time, so I'll write that for you here  

when someone performs or prevent  presents something in this case.

Meta presented their new platform.

Threads to the public.

For the first time. So that's a debut,  and it's a noun. A debut since its.

Debut the first.

Time it was made.

Publicly available last week.

Threads launched in the US on Wednesday and  is being touted by meta executives as a more.

Positive Public Square for.

Communities.

Let's take a look at touted, But I want  you to notice the sentence structure.

Because we have be the verb be.

Touted as okay. So that's our expression here. To  

be touted as something and listen to the  pronunciation Touted. Outed. Touted to be  

touted as something. This is simply  when many people say that something.

Is something so for example Tesla.

Is touted as the world's best electric.

Car so many.

People say that Tesla is the world's  best electric car. It's a very.

Simple definition so here.

When they say.

That threads launched in the  US on Wednesday and is being  

touted by Meta. Meta is the company that created.

Thread, so obviously they're.

Going to say something positively about the  platform. Meta is touting threads as a more.

Positive Public Square for.

Communities that never really embraced Twitter so.

The.

Company. The executives at Meta are  saying this, not necessarily that.

Everybody is but they.

Are saying that that's how they want you to  think about their new platform. It's a public  

square for communities that never really embraced  Twitter. When you embrace something, it means.

You you accept it.

And you use it. So let me write that for  you to embrace something, you accept it,  

accept and use something.

So for.

Example We need to embrace technology.  We need to embrace ChatGPT we need to.

Accept that it's.

Here in our lives and also.

Use it to.

Our benefits, but Meta is  saying that they are new.

Software their new.

Service called threads is for people.

Who never embrace Twitter. People  who never accepted and used.

Twitter.

So far, users seem to be on board  when you're on board and notice.

It's.

To be on board. When you're on  board with something, it means you.

Basically, agree.

With something. So perhaps your company proposed  a new policy, but then said we need to get our  

employees on board. Right now our employees  are not on board, which means they don't.

Agree with it.

And if they don't agree with it,  they're probably not going to.

Do.

What the company wants them to do.

So so far, users.

Seem to be on board on.

Board with the newly.

Launched threads by meta, so that means so.

Far.

Users seem to agree.

With it. They like it. They like the.

Concept. They like the platform they're on.

Board threads reached.

100 million sign ups over the weekend.

Now this again is our noun and it represents  users 100 million users, because remember,  

sign offs simply represents people  who have signed up, said another.

Way you could say.

100 million people signed up  for threads and that would be  

using the verb sign up. But this  means users because it's the noun.

Threads reached.

100 million sign ups.

Over.

The weekend, that's mostly organic demand and we  haven't even turned on many pay promotions yet,  

many promotions yet. When you turn  something on and this is I'm sure you know.

A pretty basic phrasal verb.

But it means to.

Activate to activate it.

So turn on.

The microwave needs to activate the microwave.

A very basic phrasal verb, so here.

They haven't even turned on many promotions  yet means they haven't activated and notice.

Here we have the.

Present perfect Haven't turned on many promotions  yet. This is something I see with students.

They use the word.

Yet in A.

A positive.

Reply for the present.

Perfect, but you.

Can't do that. For the  present perfect, you can say.

Have you used threads yet? Have you used threads?

Yet. So you can use that for a question  and then for an answer. No, I haven't.

Used threads yet?

So you can use it in a negative reply,  

but in a positive reply you can't  use it. You would simply say.

Yes, I've used threads or yes I have.

Or you can say yes I have and you can  end it there. You don't have to repeat  

the verb and the object, just yes I have. Or  you can also say no I haven't, no I haven't.

So let me write that no, I haven't.

Used threads.

Yet, but you can't use yet in a.

Positive reply but.

You can use it in a question and a negative reply.

So here it is.

We haven't even turned on many promotions  yet, so it's in the negative. We haven't yet.

Can't believe it's only been five days, Meta  CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a post Monday.  

Now notice how they said said in  a post? This definitely looks like  

something you would say in  a post or in a text message.

Because it's.

Short form.

What's missing here is the subject. I  can't believe it's only been five days  

in text messages in direct messages, Iams posts.

Tweets.

Is very common to exclude the subject and just.

Start with your verb.

Can't believe it's only been five days. Are you  

enjoying this lesson? Do you enjoy  learning English with the news?

If you do, then I want to tell you about the  Finally Fluent Academy. This is my premium  

training program where we study native English  speakers on YouTube, TV's, movies and the news so  

you can improve your listening skills of fast  English, add advanced grammar and advanced.

Vocabulary to your speech.

So you sound fluent, advanced and natural in  English and you'll have me as your personal coach,  

so you can look in the description  for the link to learn more on how.

To join, let's continue. Twitter appears to have  

taken a hit. Our expression is to take  a hit, and this means to be negatively.

Affected. So, for example, his popularity  took a hit, took a hit. Our verb is take.

And then this is in the past simple. And then  

you just include a hit. You don't  modify this, you just modify your.

Verb take.

So his popularity was negatively  affected. Why? Well, after the  

scandal that that's the reason why the scandal.

So there was a.

Scandal and his.

Popularity took a hit.

You could also.

Say the price of gold took a hit.

The price of gold.

Was negatively.

Affected, so you could do that.

As well. And then if it took a hit, well then.

What is the results?

Remember our other expression? It  tanked, so it suddenly went down the.

Price of gold took a hit.

It was negatively affected. So if  something is negatively affected,  

when it's the price, it means  the price went down so you could.

Also say the price of gold.

Tanked.

The price of gold took a hit they.

Essentially say the same thing, Matthew Prince.

CEO of cloud Fair CEO is a job.

Title it sounds.

For Chief Executive Officer.

It's an abbreviation, Chief.

Executive Officer.

Is the highest ranking position in a company.

CEO of Cloud Fair shared A.

Screenshot to Twitter Sunday showing  that traffic on the platform was tanking.

So again.

We could say traffic.

On the platform was taking a hit.

Because here.

My verb is in the Well, it's in the past  continuous because they're talking about a  

day in the past, and they're talking about an  action that continued over a period of time.  

Traffic on the platform was taking a hit, and  essentially it's the same thing, negatively.

Affected.

The traffic was going down,  according to Similar Web,  

a data company that specializes in web analytics.

Notice here you specialize.

In something, I see a lot of mistakes with this.  This is a common thing you might have on your.

Resume your CV. I specialize.

In teaching English to.

Adults.

I specialize in and then I have my gerund  verb because in is a preposition. I  

specialize in teaching English to adults.  I specialize in the English language.

So here.

I have a noun and here I have a verb  and my verb is in the gerund you need  

in specialize in something or doing something.

So this company, Similar Web specializes and of.

Course we have.

Our es in the present simple to conjugate with.

Our verb.

Similar web.

Which is 1/3.

Person singular it the company.

It specializes in web.

Analytics Analytics Web.

Traffic to Twitter.

Was down 5%.

For the first two full days.

Threads.

Was generally available compared with the.

Previous week OK, so Twitter traffic is up here.

And remember, at this point, threads  had not debuted. Threads hadn't debuted  

yet. Remember our debut, when something becomes?

Public for the first.

Time. I just used it as a verb. Threads hadn't.

Debuted.

Yet it hadn't become publicly  known yet. So at this point,  

Twitter traffic is here. But then what happens?

Threads debuts becomes available.

To the public.

And Twitter traffic takes a hit.

Why? Because those users from Twitter are.

Going on to threads.

To see what this new.

Platform is all.

About SO threads traffic.

Is going up and Twitter traffic is tanking. Is  

taking a hit. The app still  has lots of room to grow.

OK, so threads is.

An app. The app still has lots of room to grow.

Having not yet launched in Europe, SO  threads is not available in Europe,  

so you can let me know in the comments.

As well, is threads available where you live?

It sounds like from this article it's definitely  available in the US, but I'm not sure where.

Else it's available.

So you can let me know in the comments.  Apparently it's not available in Europe yet,  

but maybe that has changed since  this lesson has been posted.

If threads is able.

To retain.

Its user base.

When you retain something, it's  another way of saying keep.

It to keep because these users.

Are now on thread, but maybe they're only  on thread because it's new. They want to  

see what the platform is, but it doesn't  mean they're going to stay on the platform.

So if they.

Stay on the platform. It means  you keep those users you retain.

Those users.

It could solidify its position as a  real competitor when you solidify.

Your.

Position it means you make your position  solid, permanent because solidify means  

to become solid. So to in this sense if  a position is solid it's it's permanent.

So right now threads it might have.

All this popularity.

Simply because it's new. Maybe in one  month it won't be that popular anymore,  

but if it can solidify its position  as a real competitor for Twitter,  

which reported nearly 238,000,000 monetizable.

Daily active users.

Monetize simply means.

That you're able.

To make a profit from.

Those users to monetize, so let's say you.

Have a a.

A piece of art.

You're an artist and you you painted  something or you created something,  

but how are you going to monetize?

That.

How are you going to earn money from  that? Maybe you love creating art?

But you don't have a strategy for  monetizing it. You don't have a  

strategy for earning money from it. So  you might think, how can I monetize?

This this.

Interest of mine. What can I do?

So, Twitter.

Has 238,000,000 daily active users and they're  the platform is able to monetize those users.

And remember threads surpassed.

What was it?

100 SO threads surpassed 100 million.

Users so Twitter still has.

More than twice as much. But this platform  has only been available for five days,  

and Twitter has existed for years  and years and years. So that.

Is.

Quite impressive.

In his last quarterly earnings.

Report. OK, so A.

Quarter in terms of a company,  1/4 represents 3 months.

OK, that's for a.

Business because there are 12 months  in a calendar year and then you divide.

12 by 4.

And you get 3 months, so the.

First quarter is.

January, February, March, the second quarter.

Is April, May, June and there are.

Four quarters.

In the year, so his last quarterly earnings  report, so let me just write that so.

A period of three.

Months and there are.

Four quarters.

In a year and they're referred to as Q1.

Q2Q3Q.

Four, and this is done for reporting purposes.

To analyze the performance of a  company to see if a company hit.

Its targets exceeded its targets.

Or is tanking or?

Took a hit.

As public company last summer,  Twitter owner Elon Musk.

Appears to have already.

Shown some concern about threats when  you appear to have done something.

The word appear.

Sounds like maybe he has, maybe he hasn't.

So it it's.

Not 100% certain. So for example.

It appears, it appears.

That I I've missed.

My bus.

It appears that.

I've missed my bus.

So why would I? Why?

Wouldn't I know if I miss my bus or if I haven't  missed my bus? Because when you add it appears  

there's an element of doubt. I think I have,  

but maybe I haven't. So there's  some doubt. Well, maybe.

Because I was.

2 minutes.

Late to get to the bus stop.

And now, 3 minutes later, there is no.

Bus So.

Either the bus is 5 minutes.

Late, or because I was.

2 minutes late I missed my bus,  so at this point I can say.

It.

Appears that I've missed my bus,  but I don't know 100% for sure.

So.

This is when something.

Is likely likely but.

Not 100% certain.

Appears to have already.

Shown some concern about threads as his longtime  lawyer Alex Spiro wrote a letter to Meta accusing  

the company of unlawful misappropriation of  trade secrets misappropriation. This is more.

Of a legal.

Terminology, so you won't use it in your.

Everyday speech, but for the purpose of  this article, or if you read a lot of legal.

Information misappropriation is the  act of stealing something that you've  

been trusted to take care of. And then you then.

Use whatever you stole for yourself.

So let's say you work for  a company and you learned.

All of the sales.

Strategies for that company,  but then you quit the company.

And then you started selling the same product?

But you used.

All of that information you gained when you were  an employee, that's technically illegal because  

that's misappropriation. So that is what Elon Musk  is accusing Mark Zuckerberg of doing. Musk and.

Zuckerberg were also taking.

Shots at one another.

When you take a shot at someone,  notice the expression here. So take.

Is a verb. This is.

What you conjugate a shot at someone. Now  here it's taking shots at one another. So  

instead of a shot, they simply use  the plural, taking shots at someone.

So a shot or shots?

And then simply mean to insult  someone. The shot is an insult,  

so by having it as a plural, it means.

They were.

Insulting each other more than one time and insult  

is when you say something negative or  critical about someone, so let's say.

You.

Wrote in the comment.

Of the video.

Jennifer, this video is.

Stupid this video is.

Boring you?

Are a terrible teacher. You just.

Took a shot at me.

Why? Why did?

You take a shot at me?

So because you.

Insulted me, right? And so that's what it  

means. They were taking shots at one  another, so Musk was saying something.

Insulting, mean, rude about Mark  Zuckerberg. And then the same thing.

He was also.

Saying mean things or rude things about Elon  Musk. And this was happening over the weekend  

as Zuckerberg marked Musk's tweet style. So  this is the shot that Zuckerberg the insult.

That, Zuckerberg was.

Taking at Elon Musk.

Oh, your tweet style.

Is really dumb.

I don't know exactly what he said, but it has  to be something mean, basically. And Musk.

Called Zuckerberg a derogatory.

Name.

Here, derogatory.

Simply means critical or  insulting. So saying something.

Critical or.

Insulting. Critical. Insulting. So it is.

The same thing as taking a shot  at someone, because that's.

What you do you call people derogatory?

Name. So if you said Jennifer is the worst.

Teacher, She's a.

Boring teacher. Well then, you  were being derogatory to me.

So that's what it means. Now, I know those were  just examples. I know you're not going to leave  

those comments. I know you wouldn't take a shot  at me, would you? Hopefully. Not hopefully.

You like this video?

That's my. That's my main.

Objective is for you to like these videos.

To love them and to leave  something positive not to.

Take a shot at.

Them.

And that's the end of our.

Article So what I'll?

Do Now is. I'll read the article from  start to finish, and this time you can  

focus on my pronunciation. Twitter traffic is  tanking as Meta's threads hits 100 million.

Users user.

Traffic on Twitter has slowed since the  launch of Meta's text based platform.

Threads which has already.

Surpassed 100 million sign ups since.

It debuted last week.

Threats launched in the US on Wednesday and  is being touted by Meta executives as a more.

Positive Public Square for.

Communities that never really embraced.

Twitter.

So far, users seem to be on.

Board threats reach.

100 million sign ups over the weekend. That's  

mostly organic demand and we haven't  even turned on many promotions yet.

I can't believe it's only been five days, Meta  CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a post Monday.

Twitter appears to have.

Taken a hit, Matthew Prince.

CEO of Cloud Fair.

Shared a screenshot to Twitter Sunday showing  that traffic on the platform was tanking.

According to similar.

Web a data.

Company that specializes in web analytics web.

Traffic to.

Twitter was down 5% for the first.

Two full days.

Threads was generally available compared.

With the previous week.

The app still has lots of room to grow,  having not yet launched in Europe.

If threads is able.

To retain its user base, it  could solidify its position as a.

Real competitor for Twitter.

Which Reported nearly 238,000,000  monetizable daily active users in  

his last quarterly earnings report as public  company last summer. Twitter owner Elon Musk  

appears to have already shown some concern  about threats, as his longtime lawyer Alex  

Spero wrote a letter to Meta accusing the company  of unlawful misappropriation of trade secrets.

Musk and Zuckerberg were also taking  shots at one another over the weekend  

as Zuckerberg mocked Musk's tweet style and Musk.

Called Zuckerberg a derogatory.

Name.

And remembers to share.

If you've used threads.

In the comments below, yes I  have. No I haven't. I plan to.

I liked it. I.

Didn't like it.

I like Twitter better. I like threads better.

Feel free to.

Share your opinion as well.

And make sure you get this free speaking  guide where I share 6 tips on how to speak.

English fluently and confidently. You can.

Click right here to get.

It from my website.

Or look for.

The link in the description and why don't?

You get started with.

Your next lesson right now.