B2 – Upper Intermediate
Nintendo has a profound impact on most children in the 1990’s. Young people in this decade would have probably played or at least recognize Super Mario to this day. Not only is Nintendo popular for its video games, but it has once dominated the playing card market as well.
If you enjoyed playing Nintendo video games as a child, you should come pay the Nintendo Museum a visit and be brought back down memory lane.
Let’s read the article and know more about the nostalgic Nintendo Museum in Japan.
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/worlds-first-nintendo-museum-kyoto-japan-intl-hnk/index.html
Vocabulary Questions:
- What does “a wealth of something” mean? “While museum visitors won’t be able to jump up and punch “question blocks” like Mario –they can already do that at the Super Nintendo World theme park in nearby Osaka anyway – they will have access to a wealth of info that offers insights into the mind of Nintendo mastermind Shigeru Miyamoto, also known as the father of Super Mario.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘a wealth of something’ in your own sentence.
- What does “humble beginnings” mean? “A museum section called “Craft and Play” is dedicated to these humble beginnings and features a hanafuda room where visitors learn to play the traditional card game with the help of technology and can join a workshop to create their own flower cards.” Give a synonym or similar expression and use ‘humble beginnings’ in your own sentence.
- What does “pan out” mean here, “But the main attraction of the museum is its “Discover” area, a massive hall featuring displays of almost every product ever released by the company, including rare limited-edition devices and prototypes that didn’t pan out.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘pan out’ in your own sentence.
Discussion Questions:
- Have you owned any Nintendo consoles? Which ones?
- What are your thoughts on the Nintendo Museum? Would you be interested to visit? Why or why not?
- Have you visited any unique museums? What makes it special?
- What are your country’s most influential and nostalgic companies/brands?
- Talk about the history of one of the biggest companies in your country.