China ends one-child policy

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

China has ended its decades-long one-child policy. Now all couples will be allowed to have two children. The one-child policy started in 1979. It was to control the population and avoid high rates of poverty. It wasn't kept to strictly and there were many exceptions. Around a third of the population could have just one child. Just over half was allowed to have a second child if the first child was a girl. The new two-child policy should increase fertility rates.

The new two-child policy should boost China's economy and stop China from becoming an ageing society. China’s labour force was 930 million in 2014. This will fall by 29 million by 2020. There will be an average of 2.5 million extra babies each year. This will provide more workers and an extra $11.8 billion in annual consumption. Shares in baby goods companies jumped by 10 per cent on Friday. The new policy will affect 100 million couples.

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-10/29/c_134763645.htm
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2015-10/30/content_22325870.htm
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/30/china-population-stocks-idUSH9N11M01420151030
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-child_policy

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.	China has ended its decades-	a.	exceptions
2.	The one-child policy	b.	half
3.	avoid high	c.	long one-child policy
4.	It wasn't kept to	d.	first child was a girl
5.	there were many	e.	rates of poverty
6.	Around a third	f.	started in 1979
7.	Just over	g.	of the population
8.	allowed to have a second child if the	h.	strictly

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.	boost China's	a.	force was 930 million
2.	becoming an ageing	b.	goods companies
3.	China’s labour	c.	extra babies
4.	an average of 2.5 million	d.	100 million couples
5.	This will provide more	e.	economy
6.	an extra $11.8 billion in annual	f.	workers
7.	Shares in baby	g.	society
8.	The new policy will affect	h.	consumption

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

China (1) ___________________ decades-long one-child policy. Now all couples (2) ___________________ have two children. The one-child policy started in 1979. It was to control the population (3) ___________________ rates of poverty. It wasn't (4) ___________________ and there were many exceptions. Around a third of the population (5) ___________________ one child. Just over half was allowed to have a second child (6) ___________________ was a girl. The new two-child policy should increase fertility rates.

The new two-child policy (7) ___________________ China's economy and stop China from becoming (8) ___________________. China’s labour force was 930 million in 2014. (9) ___________________ 29 million by 2020. There will be (10) ___________________ 2.5 million extra babies each year. This will provide more workers (11) ___________________ $11.8 billion in annual consumption. Shares in baby goods companies jumped by 10 per cent on Friday. The (12) ___________________ affect 100 million couples.

CHILDREN SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about children in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

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)	________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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