The Reading / Listening - Level 1

Japan has its lowest number of children ever. Figures released the day before the country's Children's Day holiday on May the 5th show that the number of children fell by 160,000 from last year. It is the 33rd year in a row for the birth rate to drop. Japan has 13 million fewer children than in 1950. Of 30 countries with a population of over 40 million, Japan has the smallest percentage of kids - just 12.8 per cent. In the USA, this figure is 19.5 per cent.

The number of children is going down, but the number of old people is increasing. The over-65s make up a record 25.6 per cent of the Japanese population. This will continue for many decades. The over-65s could be 40 per cent of the population in 2060. This will be hard for young people. They will pay higher taxes to support the over-65s. There will not be enough young people to work. Japan has tried to get people to have more babies, but nothing works.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0,  Level 2   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/05/04/national/number-of-children-in-japan-drops-for-33rd-year/
  • http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/asia/408089/number-of-children-in-japan-declines-for-33rd-year-in-a-row
  • http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/04/japan-population-age-children


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

Figures released the

a.

than in 1950

2.

the number of children fell

b.

rate

3.

It is the 33rd

c.

percentage of kids

4.

birth

d.

by 160,000

5.

13 million fewer children

e.

figure is 19.5 per cent

6.

a population of

f.

year in a row

7.

Japan has the smallest

g.

day before

8.

In the USA, this

h.

over 40 million

MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

The number of children is

a.

enough young people

2.

The over-

b.

many decades

3.

a record 25.6 per cent of

c.

65s

4.

This will continue for

d.

higher taxes

5.

40 per cent of the population

e.

going down

6.

pay

f.

in 2060

7.

There will not be

g.

to have more babies

8.

Japan has tried to get people

h.

the Japanese population

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Japan (1) ___________________ number of children ever. Figures released (2) ___________________ the country's Children's Day holiday on May the 5th show that the number (3) ___________________ 160,000 from last year. It is the 33rd year in a row for the birth (4) ___________________. Japan has 13 million fewer children than in 1950. Of 30 countries with a population (5) ___________________ million, Japan has the smallest percentage of kids - just 12.8 per cent. In the USA, this (6) ___________________.

The number of children (7) ___________________, but the number of old people is increasing. (8) ___________________ up a record 25.6 per cent of (9) ___________________. This will continue (10) ___________________. The over-65s could be 40 per cent of the population in 2060. This will be hard for young people. They will pay higher taxes to (11) ___________________. There will not be enough young people to work. Japan has tried to get people to have more babies, (12) ___________________.

PUT A SLASH ( / )WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Japanhasitslowestnumberofchildrenever.Figuresreleasedtheday
beforethecountry'sChildren'sDayholidayonMaythe5thshowthatth
enumberofchildrenfellby160,000fromlastyear.Itisthe33rdyearina
rowforthebirthratetodrop.Japanhas13millionfewerchildrenthanin
1950.Of30countrieswithapopulationofover40million,Japanhasthe
smallestpercentageofkids-just12.8percent.IntheUSA,thisfigure
is19.5percent.Thenumberofchildrenisgoingdown,butthenumbero
foldpeopleisincreasing.Theover-65smakeuparecord25.6percent
oftheJapanesepopulation.Thiswillcontinueformanydecades.Theo
ver-65scouldbe40percentofthepopulationin2060.Thiswillbehar
dforyoungpeople.Theywillpayhighertaxestosupporttheover-
65s.Therewillnotbeenoughyoungpeopletowork.Japanhastriedtog
etpeopletohavemorebabies,butnothingworks.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about children for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

Back to the top

Help Support This Web Site

  • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

Sean Banville's Book

Thank You