English Designer Creates World’s Most Expensive Smartphone

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. craft [kraft, krahft] (v.) – to create something with skill

Example: The company hired a designer that crafts accessories for girls.

2. embellish [em-BEL-ish] (v.) – to add decorations to make an object more beautiful

Example: She embellished her desktop monitor with tiny gems and crystals.

3. grandeur [GRAN-jer, -joo r] (n.) – the quality or state of being great or being very impressive

Example: Nikon’s latest camera effectively captures the grandeur and beauty of the outdoors.

4. hefty [HEF-tee] (adj.) – heavy, large or substantial

Example: Few people own Apple’s new smartphone model because of its hefty price.

5. exclusively [ik-SKLOO-siv-lee, -ziv-lee] (adv.) – only available to or limited for selected individuals or groups of people

Example: Some mobile applications are exclusively designed for iPhone users.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

Stuart Hughes [yooz], an electronics accessories designer, created the world’s most expensive smartphone by putting diamonds and gold on an iPhone 5. Hughes creation costs $15 million. This 15 million dollar creation includes an iPhone 5 that has a gold main frame and a home button that is crafted from a 26-carat black diamond. Just the black diamond itself already costs $14.5 million. The edges and the Apple logo at the back of the phone are also embellished with 600 white diamonds. Hughes has been designing and creating gold Apple products, including the Solid Gold iPhone that costs $33,678 and the iPad Supreme Fire Edition that is worth $168,424. When asked about how the iPhone 5 differs from his other creations, the English designer and jewelry maker highlighted the black diamond’s high value and grandeur. Considering its hefty price, the phone will not be made available to the public. Hugh reported that he spent a total of nine weeks to create the phone. Hughes also said that he exclusively designed the phone for a businessman in Hong Kong whom he only referred to as “Joe”. When the upcoming release of newer iPhone models was discussed, Hughes said that he does not worry that the most expensive smartphone will soon become outdated. He strongly believes that many individuals will still want his service in the future.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

·         Were you impressed by Stuart Hughes’ creations? Why or why not?

·         If you have enough money, would you pay Stuart Hughes for the same service? Why or why not?

Discussion B

·         Why do you think some people like to decorate and accessorize their things?

·         Do you think spending money for decorations is good? Why or why not?

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