The Reading / Listening - Anti-Natalism - Level 3

A man in India is unhappy that he was born. He did not want to be born. He is suing his parents because they did not ask him if he wanted to be born. The man lives in the city of Mumbai. His name is Raphael Samuel and he is 27 years old. He is suing his parents for giving birth to him without his consent. Mr Samuel calls himself an anti-natalist. This is someone who believes in a philosophy called anti-natalism. This philosophy puts a negative value on birth. Anti-natalists believe that people should try not to have children. They believe that having children is morally wrong. They believe that the world is a better place with fewer children in it. China's one-child policy was a result of anti-natalism.

Raphael Samuel has posted a video on YouTube explaining why he wants to sue his parents. The video has gone viral. In the video, Mr Samuel answers questions from his followers and from reporters. He said: "I want everyone in India and the world to realise one thing - that they are born without their consent. I want them to understand that they do not owe their parents anything. If we are born without our consent, we should be maintained for our life. We should be paid by our parents to live." He added: "I love my parents...but they had me for their joy and their pleasure." Samuel's mother said she would accept fault if her son could explain how she could have asked for his consent to be born.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Anti-Natalism - Level 0,  Anti-Natalism - Level 1   or  Anti-Natalism - Level 2

Sources
  • https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/relationships/love-sex/what-is-antinatalism-and-why-raphael-samuel-of-mumbai-is-suing-his-parents-for-giving-birth-to-him/articleshow/67882775.cms
  • https://www.asiaone.com/
  • https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/2/7/18215586/india-man-suing-parents-giving-birth-antinatalism-raphael-samuel


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 :-)

Warm-ups

1. BEING BORN: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about being born. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
       unhappy / born / ask / city / giving birth / consent / philosophy / negative / children /
       video / YouTube / follower / understand / life / pleasure / joy / mother / explain  / son
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. FEWER CHILDREN: Students A strongly believe people should have fewer children; Students B strongly believe the opposite.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. COST: How much do children cost? How could we reduce this cost? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Cost

How we can reduce this

Infancy

 

 

Education

 

 

Toys

 

 

Clothes

 

 

Birthdays

 

 

Going out

 

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

5. ASK: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "ask". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. CHILDREN: Rank these with your partner. Put the best number of children to have at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • two girls
  • a girl and a boy
  • 1 boys / 2 girls
  • 8 children
  • none
  • one boy
  • one girl
  • two boys

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. angry a. Agreeing to do something or agreeing for something to happen.
      2. consent b. Think that something is true.
      3. philosophy c. Having a very strong feeling of unhappiness.
      4. believe d. The arrival of a new baby from the body of its mother.
      5. negative e. Bad; not good or positive.
      6. birth f. A course of action followed by a government, party, business, or person.
      7. policy g. The ideas, beliefs and study of knowledge, reality, and life.

    Paragraph 2

      8. sue h. A feeling of happy satisfaction and enjoyment.
      9. follower i. The blame or responsibility for an accident or misfortune.
      10. realise j. Have to pay or repay (something, especially money) in return for something you got before.
      11. consent k. Take someone (or something) to court to get money from them because they did something wrong.
      12. owe l. Someone who follows the ideas, website or plans of another person.
      13. maintained m. Given money and other things needed to live.
      14. pleasure n. Become to understand something clearly.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. A man in India did not want to be born.     T / F
  2. The man is 72 years old.     T / F
  3. The man is an anti-naturist.     T / F
  4. Anti-natalists believe people should have lots of children.     T / F
  5. A video the man posted has gone viral online.     T / F
  6. The man answered questions from reporters in his YouTube video.     T / F
  7. The man said we should help to pay for our parents to live.     T / F
  8. The man's mother said she would accept fault for her son's birth.     T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

  1. unhappy
  2. suing
  3. consent
  4. negative
  5. believe
  6. posted
  7. reporters
  8. owe
  9. maintained
  10. fault
  1. bad
  2. blame
  3. uploaded
  4. permission
  5. be in debt to
  6. sad
  7. looked after
  8. think
  9. taking legal action
  10. journalists

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

  1. A man in India is unhappy that he
  2. giving birth to him without
  3. This philosophy puts a negative
  4. the world is a better place with
  5. China's one-
  6. The video has
  7. they do not owe their
  8. we should be
  9. they had me for their joy
  10. she would accept fault if her son
  1. and their pleasure
  2. fewer children in it
  3. gone viral
  4. maintained for our life
  5. his consent
  6. could explain how
  7. was born
  8. parents anything
  9. child policy
  10. value on birth

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
giving
value
born
policy
unhappy
wrong
suing
consent

A man in India is (1) ____________ that he was born. He did not want to be born. He is (2) ____________ his parents because they did not ask him if he wanted to be (3) ____________. The man lives in the city of Mumbai. His name is Raphael Samuel and he is 27 years old. He is suing his parents for (4) ____________ birth to him without his (5) ____________. Mr Samuel calls himself an anti-natalist. This is someone who believes in a philosophy called anti-natalism. This philosophy puts a negative (6) ____________ on birth. Anti-natalists believe that people should try not to have children. They believe that having children is morally (7) ____________. They believe that the world is a better place with fewer children in it. China's one-child (8) ____________ was a result of anti-natalism.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
viral
paid
realise
fault
explaining
joy
followers
owe

Raphael Samuel has posted a video on YouTube (9) ____________ why he wants to sue his parents. The video has gone (10) ____________. In the video, Mr Samuel answers questions from his (11) ____________ and from reporters. He said: "I want everyone in India and the world to (12) ____________ one thing - that they are born without their consent. I want them to understand that they do not (13) ____________ their parents anything. If we are born without our consent, we should be maintained for our life. We should be (14) ____________ by our parents to live." He added: "I love my parents...but they had me for their (15) ____________ and their pleasure." Samuel's mother said she would accept (16) ____________ if her son could explain how she could have asked for his consent to be born.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  A man in India is unhappy that he was born. He did not want ______
     a.  to be burn
     b.  to be bourn
     c.  to be born
     d.  to be birth
2)  He is suing his parents for giving birth to him without ______
     a.  his consensus
     b.  his consensual
     c.  his consent
     d.  his consents
3)  This is someone who believes in a philosophy called ______
     a.  ant in-natalism
     b.  auntie-natalism
     c.  untie-natalism
     d.  anti-natalism
4)  This philosophy puts a negative ______
     a.  value in birth
     b.  value at birth
     c.  value to birth
     d.  value on birth
5)  They believe that the world is a better place with ______
     a.  fewer children
     b.  less children
     c.  smaller children
     d.  infrequent children

6)  YouTube explaining why he wants to sue his parents. The video has ______
     a.  gone viral
     b.  gone vital
     c.  gone virus
     d.  gone rival
7)  I want them to understand that they do not ______ parents
     a.  owe there
     b.  owe they're
     c.  owe their
     d.  owe them
8)  If we are born without our consent, we should be maintained ______
     a.  for your life
     b.  for our life
     c.  for our live
     d.  for your live
9)  He added: "I love my parents...but they had me for their joy and ______."
     a.  their pleasured
     b.  their pleasurable
     c.  their pressure
     d.  their pleasure
10)  Samuel's mother said she would ______
     a.  accept faulty
     b.  accept fault
     c.  accept faulted
     d.  accept default

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A man in India is unhappy that (1) ___________________. He did not want to be born. He is suing his parents because they did not ask him if he wanted to be born. The man (2) ___________________ city of Mumbai. His name is Raphael Samuel and he is 27 years old. He is suing his parents for giving birth to him (3) ___________________. Mr Samuel calls himself an anti-natalist. This is someone who believes in a philosophy called anti-natalism. This philosophy (4) ___________________ value on birth. Anti-natalists believe that people should try not to have children. They believe that having children (5) ___________________. They believe that the world is a better place with (6) ___________________ it. China's one-child policy was a result of anti-natalism.

Raphael Samuel (7) ___________________ video on YouTube explaining why he wants to sue his parents. The video (8) ___________________. In the video, Mr Samuel answers questions from his followers and from reporters. He said: "I want everyone in India and the world to realise one thing - that they are born (9) ___________________. I want them to understand that they do not owe their parents anything. If we are born without our consent, we should be maintained (10) ___________________. We should be paid by our parents to live." He added: "I love my parents...but they had me for their (11) ___________________ pleasure." Samuel's mother said she would accept fault if her son could explain how she could have asked for his (12) ___________________ born.

Comprehension questions

  1. In which city does Raphael Samuel live?
  2. How old is Raphael Samuel?
  3. What value do anti-natalists put on birth?
  4. What do anti-natalists think it is better to have fewer of in the world?
  5. What Chinese policy was a result of anti-natalism?
  6. Where did Mr Samuel post a video?
  7. Who did Samuel answer questions from?
  8. What did Samuel say people owed their parents?
  9. What feeling does Samuel have for his parents?
  10. What did Samuel's mother say she could accept?

Multiple choice quiz

1) In which city does Raphael Samuel live?
a) Kolkata
b) Delhi
c) Mumbai
d) Chennai
2) How old is Raphael Samuel?
a) 27
b) 72
c) 36
d) 14
3) What value do anti-natalists put on birth?
a) a negative value
b) a big value
c) 344
d) a hard-to-guess value
4) What do anti-natalists think it is better to have fewer of in the world?
a) courts
b) children
c) parents
d) problems
5) What Chinese policy was a result of anti-natalism?
a) its healthcare policy
b) communism
c) its education policy
d) one-child policy

6) Where did Mr Samuel post a video?
a) to the USA
b) YouTube
c) a mailbox
d) his parents
7) Who did Samuel answer questions from?
a) followers and reporters
b) children
c) parents
d) his children
8) What did Samuel say people owed their parents?
a) about $100,000
b) a lot
c) nothing
d) everything
9) What feeling does Samuel have for his parents?
a) jealousy
b) emptiness
c) hate
d) love
10) What did Samuel's mother say she could accept?
a) fault
b) $100,000
c) being sued
d) her son

Role play

Role  A – None
You think zero is the best number of children to have. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their number. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): one, two or ten.

Role  B – One
You think one is the best number of children to have. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their number. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): zero, two or ten.

Role  C – Two
You think two is the best number of children to have. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their number. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): one, zero or ten.

Role  D – Ten
You think ten is the best number of children to have. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their number. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): one, two or zero.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'birth'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'sue'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • Share your findings with your partners.

    • Make questions using the words you found.

    • Ask your partner / group your questions.

    2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

    •Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

    3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

    4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

    5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

    • video
    • followers
    • owe
    • paid
    • joy
    • explain
    • unhappy
    • city
    • giving
    • called
    • wrong
    • result

    Student survey

    Write five GOOD questions about this topic 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.

    (Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

    Discussion - Man sues parents for being born

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'children'?
    3. How happy are you that you were born?
    4. What do you think of anti-natalism?
    5. What do you think of the man for suing his parents?
    6. Will the man win his case in court?
    7. What do the man's parents think about him?
    8. Is the man being disrespectful to his parents?
    9. What advice do you have for Mr Samuel?
    10. What do you think of China's one-child policy?

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'born'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. Would you like to watch Mr Samuel's YouTube video?
    5. How can parents ask for the consent of an unborn child?
    6. What do you owe your parents?
    7. Should your parents pay for your life?
    8. How much of a joy is being a parent?
    9. What is the best number of children to have?
    10. What questions would you like to ask Mr Samuel?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    A man in India is (1) ______ that he was born. He did not want to be born. He is (2) ______ his parents because they did not ask him if he wanted to be born. The man lives in the city of Mumbai. His name is Raphael Samuel and he is 27 years old. He is suing his parents for giving (3) ______ to him without his consent. Mr Samuel calls himself an anti-natalist. This is someone who believes (4) ______ a philosophy called anti-natalism. This philosophy puts a negative value on birth. Anti-natalists believe that people should try (5) ______ to have children. They believe that having children is morally wrong. They believe that the world is a better place with (6) ______ children in it. China's one-child policy was a result of anti-natalism.

    Raphael Samuel has posted a video on YouTube explaining why he wants to sue his parents. The video has gone (7) ______. In the video, Mr Samuel answers questions from his followers and from reporters. He said: "I want everyone in India and the world to realise one (8) ______ - that they are born without their consent. I want them to understand that they do not (9) ______ their parents anything. If we are born without our consent, we should be (10) ______ for our life. We should be paid by our parents to live." He added: "I love my parents...but they had me for their (11) ______ and their pleasure." Samuel's mother said she would accept (12) ______ if her son could explain how she could have asked for his consent to be born.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     happiness     (b)     happily     (c)     unhappy     (d)     unhappiness    
    2. (a)     suing     (b)     sues     (c)     sued     (d)     sue    
    3. (a)     birth     (b)     born     (c)     births     (d)     birthday    
    4. (a)     in     (b)     of     (c)     at     (d)     to    
    5. (a)     don't     (b)     no     (c)     non     (d)     not    
    6. (a)     numeral     (b)     less     (c)     smaller     (d)     fewer    
    7. (a)     viral     (b)     vital     (c)     virus     (d)     rival    
    8. (a)     anything     (b)     something     (c)     think     (d)     thing    
    9. (a)     owe     (b)     own     (c)     ode     (d)     ore    
    10. (a)     maintained     (b)     maintenance     (c)     maintains     (d)     maintaining    
    11. (a)     joyful     (b)     joy     (c)     overjoyed     (d)     joyous    
    12. (a)     fault     (b)     responsible     (c)     blamed     (d)     defect

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. He is unisg his parents
    2. someone who believes in a ihyolpsohp
    3. a tvngaeie value on birth
    4. mllaory wrong
    5. China's one-child iloypc
    6. a ureslt of anti-natalism

    Paragraph 2

    1. The video has gone irval
    2. questions from his fwrsoolle
    3. we should be atenndaiim for our life
    4. their joy and their saleperu
    5. she would accept ftlua
    6. asked for his ennotcs to be born

    Put the text back together

    (...)  would accept fault if her son could explain how she could have asked for his consent to be born.
    (...)  born without our consent, we should be maintained for our life. We should be paid by our parents to live." He added: "I love
    (...)  from reporters. He said: "I want everyone in India and the world to realise one thing - that they are born without
    (...)  not to have children. They believe that having children is morally wrong. They believe that the world
    (...)  their consent. I want them to understand that they do not owe their parents anything. If we are
    (...)  Raphael Samuel has posted a video on YouTube explaining why he wants to sue
    (...)  his parents. The video has gone viral. In the video, Mr Samuel answers questions from his followers and
    (...)  natalism. This philosophy puts a negative value on birth. Anti-natalists believe that people should try
    (...)  himself an anti-natalist. This is someone who believes in a philosophy called anti-
    (...)  my parents...but they had me for their joy and their pleasure." Samuel's mother said she
    (...)  is a better place with fewer children in it. China's one-child policy was a result of anti-natalism.
    (  1  ) A man in India is unhappy that he was born. He did not want to be born. He is suing his parents because they did not
    (...)  27 years old. He is suing his parents for giving birth to him without his consent. Mr Samuel calls
    (...)  ask him if he wanted to be born. The man lives in the city of Mumbai. His name is Raphael Samuel and he is

    Put the words in the right order

    1. ask   because   they   parents   didn't   him  .   Suing   his
    2. Someone   believes   who   anti-natalism  .   a   philosophy   in   called
    3. negative   on   a   This   value   birth  .   philosophy   puts
    4. better   place   is   a   The   world   fewer  .   with
    5. one-child   result   China's   policy   was   anti-natalism  .   a   of
    6. posted   a   YouTube   Samuel   on   video   why  .   explaining
    7. one   thing  .   want   everyone   realise   I   to
    8. parents  .   not   do   owe   their   Understand   that   they
    9. paid   should   be   We   our   by   parents  .
    10. Samuel's   said   mother   accept   fault  .   she   would

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    A man in India is unhappy that he was birth / born. He did not want to be born. He is suing his parents because they did not ask he / him if he wanted to be born. The man living / lives in the city of Mumbai. His name is Raphael Samuel and he is 27 years old. He is suing / sued his parents for giving birth to him without him / his consent. Mr Samuel calls himself an anti-natalist. This is someone who believes / beliefs in a philosophy called anti-natalism. This philosophy puts a negative valued / value on birth. Anti-natalists believe that people should try not to have child / children. They believe that having children is moral / morally wrong. They believe that the world is a better place with fewer children in it. China's one-child policy was a result off / of anti-natalism.

    Raphael Samuel has posted / paste a video on YouTube explaining why he wants to sue his parents. The video has gone vital / viral. In the video, Mr Samuel answers questions from his followers / follows and from reporters. He said: "I want everyone in India and the world to reality / realise one thing - that they are born without their consensual / consent. I want them to understand that they do not owe / own their parents anything. If we are born without our consent, we should be maintenance / maintained for our life. We should be paid by our parents to life / live." He added: "I love my parents...but they had me for their joy / joyful and their pleasure." Samuel's mother said she would accept faulty / fault if her son could explain how she could have asked for his consent to be born.

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    A m_n _n I n d__ _s _n h_p p y t h_t h_ w_s b_r n . H_ d_d n_t w_n t t_ b_ b_r n . H_ _s s__ n g h_s p_r_n t s b_c__ s_ t h_y d_d n_t _s k h_m _f h_ w_n t_d t_ b_ b_r n . T h_ m_n l_v_s _n t h_ c_t y _f M_m b__ . H_s n_m_ _s R_p h__ l S_m__ l _n d h_ _s 2 7 y__ r s _l d . H_ _s s__ n g h_s p_r_n t s f_r g_v_n g b_r t h t_ h_m w_t h__ t h_s c_n s_n t . M r S_m__ l c_l l s h_m s_l f _n _n t_- n_t_l_s t . T h_s _s s_m__ n_ w h_ b_l__ v_s _n _ p h_l_s_p h y c_l l_d _n t_- n_t_l_s m . T h_s p h_l_s_p h y p_t s _ n_g_t_v_ v_l__ _n b_r t h . A n t_- n_t_l_s t s b_l__ v_ t h_t p__ p l_ s h__ l d t r y n_t t_ h_v_ c h_l d r_n . T h_y b_l__ v_ t h_t h_v_n g c h_l d r_n _s m_r_l l y w r_n g . T h_y b_l__ v_ t h_t t h_ w_r l d _s _ b_t t_r p l_c_ w_t h f_w_r c h_l d r_n _n _t . C h_n_' s _n_- c h_l d p_l_c y w_s _ r_s_l t _f _n t_- n_t_l_s m .

    R_p h__ l S_m__ l h_s p_s t_d _ v_d__ _n Y__ T_b_ _x p l__ n_n g w h y h_ w_n t s t_ s__ h_s p_r_n t s . T h_ v_d__ h_s g_n_ v_r_l . I n t h_ v_d__ , M r S_m__ l _n s w_r s q__ s t__ n s f r_m h_s f_l l_w_r s _n d f r_m r_p_r t_r s . H_ s__ d : " I w_n t _v_r y_n_ _n I n d__ _n d t h_ w_r l d t_ r__ l_s_ _n_ t h_n g - t h_t t h_y _r_ b_r n w_t h__ t t h__ r c_n s_n t . I w_n t t h_m t_ _n d_r s t_n d t h_t t h_y d_ n_t _w_ t h__ r p_r_n t s _n y t h_n g . I f w_ _r_ b_r n w_t h__ t __ r c_n s_n t , w_ s h__ l d b_ m__ n t__ n_d f_r __ r l_f_. W_ s h__ l d b_ p__ d b y __ r p_r_n t s t_ l_v_. " H_ _d d_d : " I l_v_ m y p_r_n t s . . . b_t t h_y h_d m_ f_r t h__ r j_y _n d t h__ r p l__ s_r_. " S_m__ l ' s m_t h_r s__ d s h_ w__ l d _c c_p t f__ l t _f h_r s_n c__ l d _x p l__ n h_w s h_ c__ l d h_v_ _s k_d f_r h_s c_n s_n t t_ b_ b_r n .

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    a man in india is unhappy that he was born he did not want to be born he is suing his parents because they did not ask him if he wanted to be born the man lives in the city of mumbai his name is raphael samuel and he is 27 years old he is suing his parents for giving birth to him without his consent mr samuel calls himself an antinatalist this is someone who believes in a philosophy called antinatalism this philosophy puts a negative value on birth antinatalists believe that people should try not to have children they believe that having children is morally wrong they believe that the world is a better place with fewer children in it chinas onechild policy was a result of antinatalism

    raphael samuel has posted a video on youtube explaining why he wants to sue his parents the video has gone viral in the video mr samuel answers questions from his followers and from reporters he said i want everyone in india and the world to realise one thing  that they are born without their consent i want them to understand that they do not owe their parents anything if we are born without our consent we should be maintained for our life we should be paid by our parents to live he added i love my parentsbut they had me for their joy and their pleasure samuels mother said she would accept fault if her son could explain how she could have asked for his consent to be born.

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    AmaninIndiaisunhappythathewasborn.Hedidnotwanttobeborn Heis
    suinghisparentsbecausetheydidnotaskhimifhewantedtobeborn.The
    manlivesinthecityofMumbai.HisnameisRaphaelSamuelandheis27ye
    arsold.Heissuinghisparentsforgivingbirthtohimwithouthisconsent.M
    rSamuelcallshimselfananti-natalist.Thisissomeonewhobelievesinap
    hilosophycalledanti-natalism.Thisphilosophyputsanegativevalue
    onbirth.Anti-natalistsbelievethatpeopleshouldtrynottohavechildre
    n.Theybelievethathavingchildrenismorallywrong.Theybelievethatth
    eworldisabetterplacewithfewerchildreninit.China'sone-childpoli
    cywasaresultofanti-natalism.RaphaelSamuelhaspostedavideoonY
    ouTubeexplainingwhyhewantstosuehisparents.Thevideohasgonevi
    ral.Inthevideo,MrSamuelanswersquestionsfromhisfollowersandfro
    mreporters.Hesaid:"IwanteveryoneinIndiaandtheworldtorealiseon
    ething-thattheyarebornwithouttheirconsent.Iwantthemtounders
    tandthattheydonotowetheirparentsanything.Ifwearebornwithoutou
    rconsent,weshouldbemaintainedforourlife.Weshouldbepaidbyourp
    arentstolive."Headded:"Ilovemyparents...buttheyhadmefortheirjo
    yandtheirpleasure."Samuel'smothersaidshewouldacceptfaultifhers
    oncouldexplainhowshecouldhaveaskedforhisconsenttobeborn.

    Free writing

    Write about anti-natalism for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    People should have fewer children. Discuss.

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    Homework

    1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
    2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. BEING BORN: Make a poster about being born. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. BEING SUED: Write a magazine article about the man winning his case to sue his parents. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
    Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
    5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
    6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on being born. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your opinions on being born. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

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    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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