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Starbucks to Close 250 More Stores

businessSeptember 27, 2026·217 words·2 min read

This is a B1 (intermediate) English article about starbucks to close 250 more stores. Read the article below, then check the key words and test your understanding with 5 exercises. You can also listen to the audio and tap any word to see its meaning.

How to practice
Key Vocabulary

Tap any underlined difficult word to see its definition in your language and hear it pronounced.

Exercises

Multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, and ordering tasks check that you understood what you read.

Dictation Practice

Listen to each sentence, then type what you hear word by word. Trains your ear and spelling.

Memorize Practice

Read a sentence, then reconstruct it from memory by filling in the blanks. Active recall locks vocabulary in.

Read & Listen

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Starbucks to Close 250 More Stores
Starbucks said on Thursday that it would close 250 of its coffee shops in North America that week. It is the second time Starbucks has closed many stores since Brian Niccol, the company's boss, joined in 2024. A top manager, Mike Grams, wrote a letter to workers. He said these stores do not make enough money or can not give customers the experience Starbucks wants. The company has not said which stores will close.
Last September, Starbucks closed 627 stores in North America and Europe and cut 900 jobs outside its shops. In May, it cut 300 more office jobs. The company is also changing many of its shops to make them cozier, which means warmer and more comfortable. About 1,500 stores should be finished by September 30. Workers at more than 700 US stores have voted to join a union, a group that protects workers' rights. Starbucks does not support this.
Starbucks says it will move workers to other stores if it can. Others will get severance pay, money you receive when you lose your job. In Burbank, in the Los Angeles area, a popular Starbucks called Bobbucks closed on Saturday after nearly 30 years. One customer loved its big windows and natural light. But Starbucks has not said if this store is one of the 250.

Key Vocabulary

n.
how something feels to a customer
adj.
warm, soft and nice to be in
adj.
nice and easy to relax in
n.
a group that helps workers get fair things
v.
to agree with and help
adj.
money you get when you lose your job
n.
a person who runs part of a business
Vocabulary Translations· 7 words · 12 languages

Every definition is context-aware — translated based on how the word is used in this article, not a dictionary.

experiencen.

how something feels to a customer

trải nghiệmexperiência体験deneyimexperienciadoświadczenie; wrażeniaتجربةervaringвпечатления; опыт体验경험
cozyadj.

warm, soft and nice to be in

ấm cúngaconchegante居心地のよいsıcak ve rahatacogedorprzytulnyدافئ ومريحgezelligуютный舒适温馨的아늑한
comfortableadj.

nice and easy to relax in

thoải máiconfortável快適なrahatcómodowygodnyمريحcomfortabelудобный舒适的편안한
unionn.

a group that helps workers get fair things

công đoànsindicato労働組合sendikasindicatozwiązek zawodowyنقابةvakbondпрофсоюз工会노동조합
supportv.

to agree with and help

ủng hộapoiar支持するdesteklemekapoyarpopieraćيؤيّدsteunenподдерживать支持지지하다
severance payadj.

money you get when you lose your job

trợ cấp thôi việcindenização por demissão退職金;解雇手当kıdem tazminatıindemnización por despidoodprawaمكافأة نهاية الخدمةontslagvergoedingвыходное пособие遣散费퇴직금
managern.

a person who runs part of a business

quản lýgerente管理職;役員yöneticidirectivo; gerentemenedżerمديرmanagerруководитель经理;主管관리자; 임원

Check Your Understanding

Question 1: Multiple Choice

How many jobs outside its stores did Starbucks cut last September and in May together?

Question 2: Multiple Choice

What do we know about the popular store near Los Angeles that closed on Saturday?

Question 3: Fill in the Blank

Workers at over 700 stores in the US decided to join a ______ to protect their rights.

Question 4: Fill in the Blank

A letter about the closings was sent to workers by a top ______ at the company.

Question 5: Put in Order

Put these ideas in the correct logical order.

1Workers at these stores need a new place to work.
2Some stores do not earn enough money.
3Starbucks moves some workers to other stores and gives others severance pay.
4Starbucks decides to close 250 stores in North America.

Dictation Practice

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Memorize Practice

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