The Reading / Listening - Nintendo Switch 2 - Level 6

The Japanese video game company Nintendo has launched its first major piece of hardware in eight years. To much fanfare, the much-anticipated Switch 2 console was released last Thursday. It is the follow-up to its hugely popular predecessor, the Switch, which sold 152 million units worldwide. The new console can be used as a portable handheld device or as a tablet. It can be connected to an external display. It comes with two controllers, a power adaptor, a USB-C charging cable, a dock, and two wrist straps. It comes bundled with 25 games, including an enhanced version of the smash success Mario Kart World. Nintendo expects to sell 15 million Switch 2 consoles for the fiscal year to March 2026.

Gaming enthusiasts queued for hours outside stores worldwide, clamouring to get their hands on Nintendo's new system. In Japan, the consoles were sold via a national lottery that got around 2.2 million applications. In Tokyo, winners of the draw lined up at dawn outside an electronics store. Switch fan Koji Takahashi, 39, said: "It's fantastic that players can see each other while playing. I can't wait to go home and play." Satoshi Ayame was unsuccessful in the lottery, but undeterred, he went to the store's release event to savour the experience. He said: "I took a half-day off work because I desperately wanted to try the Switch 2." The console has a hefty $449.99 price tag, but fans say it is worth the money.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Nintendo Switch 2 - Level 4  or  Nintendo Switch 2 - Level 5

Sources
  • https://www.theguardian.com/games/2025/jun/05/the-nintendo-switch-2-is-out-today-heres-everything-you-need-to-know
  • https://apnews.com/article/japan-nintendo-switch-launch-gaming-8289bd5f6e8ad9c3950d07849e2bd1c7
  • https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20250605/p2g/00m/0bu/026000c


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. GAME CONSOLES: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about game consoles. 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?
       video game / Nintendo / hardware / fanfare / console / USB / Mario / fiscal year /
       enthusiasts / queued / lottery / winners / dawn / electronics store / work / price tag
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. BOARD GAMES: Students A strongly believe board games are better than video games; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. GAME MAKERS: What do you know about these game makers? What do you think of them? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

What I Know

What I Think

Sony

 

 

Tencent

 

 

Nintendo

 

 

Electronic Arts

 

 

Microsoft Gaming

 

 

Epic Games

 

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

  • Super Mario
  • Final Fantasy
  • Grand Theft Auto
  • Legend of Zelda
  • Minecraft
  • Halo
  • Assassin's Creed
  • Pokémon GO

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. launched a. The physical parts of a computer or machine (like the screen, buttons, or controller).
      2. hardware b. Expected or waited for something (usually with excitement).
      3. fanfare c. Started or introduced something new (like a product or a service).
      4. anticipated d. Easy to carry and move.
      5. predecessor e. Something that came before another thing.
      6. portable f. Made better or improved.
      7. enhanced g. A lot of attention and excitement when something important happens.

    Paragraph 2

      8. enthusiasts h. Large or heavy (often about size, weight, or cost).
      9. queued i. An act of selecting names randomly to decide winners in a lottery, opponents in a sporting contest, etc.
      10. clamouring j. Not stopped or not giving up, even after something bad happens.
      11. draw (noun) k. People who really like and enjoy something a lot.
      12. undeterred l. Stood in a line and waited.
      13. savour m. Enjoy something slowly and with pleasure.
      14. hefty n. Shouting or asking loudly for something.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The article says Nintendo releases major hardware ever eight years.     T / F
  2. The original Switch console sold more than 150 million units.     T / F
  3. The Switch 2 comes with a USB-A charging cable.     T / F
  4. Nintendo thinks it will sell 15 million Switch 2 consoles by March.     T / F
  5. People in Japan had to win a lottery to get the Switch 2.     T / F
  6. People started queuing at daybreak to but the console.     T / F
  7. A man took a whole day off work to play the Switch 2 in a store.     T / F
  8. Switch fans say the console is overpriced.     T / F

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

  1. launched
  2. hardware
  3. portable
  4. bundled
  5. enhanced
  6. enthusiasts
  7. dawn
  8. undeterred
  9. savour
  10. hefty
  1. transportable
  2. not put off
  3. improved
  4. enjoy
  5. equipment
  6. daybreak
  7. huge
  8. released
  9. fans
  10. packaged

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

  1. launched its first major
  2. It can be connected
  3. two wrist
  4. It comes bundled
  5. for the fiscal
  6. Gaming enthusiasts queued
  7. winners of the draw lined up
  8. savour
  9. The console has a hefty
  10. it is worth
  1. straps
  2. $449.99 price tag
  3. with 25 games
  4. for hours outside stores
  5. the money
  6. piece of hardware
  7. the experience
  8. to an external display
  9. year to March 2026
  10. at dawn

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
predecessor
display
fiscal
launched
enhanced
handheld
fanfare
cable

The Japanese video game company Nintendo has (1) _________________________________ its first major piece of hardware in eight years. To much (2) _________________________________, the much-anticipated Switch 2 console was released last Thursday. It is the follow-up to its hugely popular (3) _________________________________, the Switch, which sold 152 million units worldwide. The new console can be used as a portable (4) _________________________________ device or as a tablet. It can be connected to an external (5) _________________________________. It comes with two controllers, a power adaptor, a USB-C charging (6) _________________________________, a dock, and two wrist straps. It comes bundled with 25 games, including an (7) _________________________________ version of the smash success Mario Kart World. Nintendo expects to sell 15 million Switch 2 consoles for the (8) _________________________________ year to March 2026.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
applications
fantastic
enthusiasts
desperately
clamouring
hefty
dawn
undeterred

Gaming (9) _________________________________ queued for hours outside stores worldwide, (10) _________________________________ to get their hands on Nintendo's new system. In Japan, the consoles were sold via a national lottery that got around 2.2 million (11) _________________________________. In Tokyo, winners of the draw lined up at (12) _________________________________ outside an electronics store. Switch fan Koji Takahashi, 39, said: "It's (13) _________________________________ that players can see each other while playing. I can't wait to go home and play." Satoshi Ayame was unsuccessful in the lottery, but (14) _________________________________, he went to the store's release event to savour the experience. He said: "I took a half-day off work because I (15) _________________________________ wanted to try the Switch 2." The console has a (16) _________________________________ $449.99 price tag, but fans say it is worth the money.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  The Japanese video game company Nintendo has launched its first major ______
     a.  peace of hardware
     b.  piece of harden ware
     c.  piece of horde ware
     d.  piece of hardware
2)  The new console can be used as a ______
     a.  portable hand hold device
     b.  portable handy hold device
     c.  portable handed held device
     d.  portable handheld device
3)  a power adaptor, a USB-C charging cable, a dock, and ______
     a.  two list straps
     b.  two wrist straps
     c.  two waste straps
     d.  two writs straps
4)  It comes bundled with 25 games, including ______
     a.  an enhanced vision
     b.  an enhanced version
     c.  an enhanced aversion
     d.  an enhanced venison
5)  Nintendo expects to sell 15 million Switch 2 consoles for ______
     a.  the fiscal year
     b.  the physical year
     c.  the fizzy year
     d.  the feisty year

6)  In Japan, the consoles were sold via ______
     a.  a national lottery
     b.  a national rotary
     c.  a national lettering
     d.  a national flattery
7)  In Tokyo, winners of the draw lined ______
     a.  up at drawn
     b.  up at dawn
     c.  up at down
     d.  up at done
8)  It's fantastic that players can see each ______
     a.  others while playing
     b.  another while playing
     c.  other while playing
     d.  the other while playing
9)  but undeterred, he went to the store's release event to ______
     a.  savoury the experience
     b.  savour their experience
     c.  saviour the experience
     d.  savour the experience
10)  The console has a hefty $449.99 price tag, but fans say it is ______
     a.  worst the money
     b.  with the money
     c.  worth a money
     d.  worth the money

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The Japanese video game company Nintendo has (1) _______________________________________________ major piece of hardware in eight years. To much fanfare, (2) _______________________________________________ Switch 2 console was released last Thursday. It is the follow-up to (3) _______________________________________________ predecessor, the Switch, which sold 152 million units worldwide. The new console can be used as a portable handheld device or as a tablet. It can be connected to (4) ______________________________________________. It comes with two controllers, a power adaptor, a USB-C charging cable, a dock, and two wrist straps. It comes bundled with 25 games, (5) _______________________________________________ version of the smash success Mario Kart World. Nintendo expects to sell 15 million Switch 2 consoles for (6) _______________________________________________ to March 2026.

Gaming (7) _______________________________________________ hours outside stores worldwide, clamouring to get their hands on Nintendo's new system. In Japan, the consoles were sold via a (8) _______________________________________________ got around 2.2 million applications. In Tokyo, winners of the draw lined up at dawn outside (9) _______________________________________________. Switch fan Koji Takahashi, 39, said: "It's fantastic that players can see each other while playing. I can't wait to go home and play." Satoshi Ayame was unsuccessful in the lottery, but undeterred, he went to the store's release (10) _______________________________________________ the experience. He said: "I took a half-day off work (11) _______________________________________________ wanted to try the Switch 2." The console has a hefty $449.99 (12) _______________________________________________ fans say it is worth the money.

Comprehension questions

  1. How long ago was Nintendo's previous major hardware release?
  2. How many Switch consoles did Nintendo sell?
  3. What can the Switch 2 be connected to?
  4. How many games are preloaded on the Switch 2?
  5. How many Switch 2 consoles does Nintendo hope to sell this fiscal year?
  6. Who queued for hours?
  7. How were Switch 2 consoles sold in Japan?
  8. From when did fans start waiting outside stores in Tokyo?
  9. What did a man do to be able to savour the experience of the Switch 2?
  10. What do fans think of the price of the Switch 2?

Multiple choice quiz

1)  How long ago was Nintendo's previous major hardware release?
a) 18 years ago
b) eight years ago
c) five years ago
d) 15 years ago
2) How many Switch consoles did Nintendo sell?
a) 155 million
b) 154 million
c) 153 million
d) 152 million
3) What can the Switch 2 be connected to?
a) special glasses
b) the Internet
c) an external display
d) smart watches
4) How many games are preloaded on the Switch 2?
a) 25
b) 26
c) 28
d) 30
5) How many Switch 2 consoles does Nintendo hope to sell this fiscal year?
a) 12 million
b) 15 million
c) 18 million
d) 22 million

6) Who queued for hours?
a) gaming enthusiasts
b) coders
c) journalists
d) school children
7) How were Switch 2 consoles sold in Japan?
a) at train stations
b) in convenience stores
c) via a national lottery
d) online
8) From when did fans start waiting outside stores in Tokyo?
a) from dawn
b) from dusk
c) from midnight
d) from a week before
9) What did a man do to be able to savour the experience of the Switch 2?
a) sleep on the street
b) save lots of money
c) dress as Mario
d) take a half-day off work.
10) What do fans think of the price of the Switch 2?
a) It's overpriced.
b) It's not worth the money.
c) It's worth the money.
d) It's really cheap.

Role play

Role  A – Super Mario
You think Super Mario is the best video game. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their games. Also, tell the others which is the least fun of these (and why): Grand Theft Auto, Minecraft or Pokémon GO.

Role  B – Grand Theft Auto
You think Grand Theft Auto is the best video game. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their games. Also, tell the others which is the least fun of these (and why): Super Mario, Minecraft or Pokémon GO.

Role  C – Minecraft
You think Minecraft is the best video game. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their games. Also, tell the others which is the least fun of these (and why): Grand Theft Auto, Super Mario or Pokémon GO.

Role  D – Pokémon GO
You think Pokémon GO is the best video game. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their games. Also, tell the others which is the least fun of these (and why): Grand Theft Auto, Minecraft or Super Mario.

After reading / listening

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

'video'

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

    • and 'console'.

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

    • • 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:

    • launched
    • fanfare
    • sold
    • external
    • two
    • sell
    • hours
    • via
    • dawn
    • wait
    • event
    • tag

    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 - Nintendo Switch 2

    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 'video'?
    3. What do you know about Nintendo?
    4. What do you think of gaming?
    5. In what ways are video games better than board games?
    6. How interested are you in the new Switch 2?
    7. What's your favourite video game?
    8. What are some problems caused by video games?
    9. Are there too many game consoles on the market?
    10. Have you ever queued outside a shop waiting for it to open?

    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 'console'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What do you think of Nintendo?
    5. In what ways are video games good for us?
    6. What do you think of electronics stores?
    7. What's the best game console?
    8. What do you think of the price of the Switch 2?
    9. How can companies make game consoles better?
    10. What questions would you like to ask Nintendo?

    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)

    The Japanese video game company Nintendo has launched its first (1) ____ piece of hardware in eight years. To much (2) ____, the much-anticipated Switch 2 console was released last Thursday. It is the follow-(3) ____ to its hugely popular predecessor, the Switch, which sold 152 million units worldwide. The new console can be used as a portable handheld device or as a (4) ____. It can be connected to an external display. It comes with two controllers, a power adaptor, a USB-C charging cable, a dock, and two wrist (5) ____. It comes bundled with 25 games, including an enhanced version of the smash success Mario Kart World. Nintendo expects to sell 15 million Switch 2 consoles for the (6) ____ year to March 2026.

    Gaming enthusiasts queued for hours outside stores worldwide, clamouring to get their hands (7) ____ Nintendo's new system. In Japan, the consoles were sold via a national lottery that got around 2.2 million applications. In Tokyo, winners of the draw lined (8) ____ at dawn outside an electronics store. Switch fan Koji Takahashi, 39, said: "It's fantastic that players can see each other while playing. I can't wait to go home and play." Satoshi Ayame was unsuccessful in the lottery, but (9) ____, he went to the store's release event (10) ____ savour the experience. He said: "I took a half-day (11) ____ work because I desperately wanted to try the Switch 2." The console has a hefty $449.99 price tag, but fans say it is (12) ____ the money.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     majority     (b)     major     (c)     majors     (d)     majored    
    2. (a)     fun fare     (b)     fanfare     (c)     furor     (d)     fare    
    3. (a)     out     (b)     down     (c)     in     (d)     up    
    4. (a)     pill     (b)     tablet     (c)     lozenge     (d)     capsule    
    5. (a)     streps     (b)     stripes     (c)     strips     (d)     straps    
    6. (a)     physical     (b)     fiasco     (c)     fiscal     (d)     fissure    
    7. (a)     on     (b)     of     (c)     at     (d)     by    
    8. (a)     in     (b)     at     (c)     up     (d)     on    
    9. (a)     united     (b)     unadulterated     (c)     underrated     (d)     undeterred    
    10. (a)     to     (b)     for     (c)     by     (d)     so    
    11. (a)     off     (b)     in     (c)     on     (d)     at    
    12. (a)     worth     (b)     value     (c)     cost     (d)     price

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. the much-iiactdnpaet Switch 2 console
    2. the follow-up to its hugely popular eordeesprcs
    3. used as a aoerpbtl handheld device
    4. It comes ebunldd with 25 games
    5. an nahcneed version of the smash success
    6. the lcafsi year to March 2026

    Paragraph 2

    1. Gaming enthusiasts qedueu for hours
    2. nglramcoiu to get their hands on it
    3. lined up at ndaw
    4. but ureeddtern, he went to the release event
    5. I eteprydleas wanted to try the Switch 2
    6. The console has a thfye $449.99 price tag

    Put the text back together

    (    )     applications. In Tokyo, winners of the draw lined up at dawn outside an electronics store. Switch
    (    )     be used as a portable handheld device or as a tablet. It can be connected to an external
    (    )     display. It comes with two controllers, a power adaptor, a USB-C charging cable, a dock, and two wrist
    (    )     event to savour the experience. He said: "I took a half-day off work because I desperately
    (    )     fan Koji Takahashi, 39, said: "It's fantastic that players can see each other while playing. I can't wait
    (    )     Gaming enthusiasts queued for hours outside stores worldwide, clamouring to get their
    (    )     hands on Nintendo's new system. In Japan, the consoles were sold via a national lottery that got around 2.2 million
    (    )     hardware in eight years. To much fanfare, the much-anticipated Switch 2 console was released last Thursday. It is the follow-
    (    )     straps. It comes bundled with 25 games, including an enhanced version of the smash
    (    )     success Mario Kart World. Nintendo expects to sell 15 million Switch 2 consoles for the fiscal year to March 2026.
    (  1  )   The Japanese video game company Nintendo has launched its first major piece of
    (    )     to go home and play." Satoshi Ayame was unsuccessful in the lottery, but undeterred, he went to the store's release
    (    )     up to its hugely popular predecessor, the Switch, which sold 152 million units worldwide. The new console can
    (    )     wanted to try the Switch 2." The console has a hefty $449.99 price tag, but fans say it is worth the money.

    Put the words in the right order

    1. launched   its   It   piece   major   first   of   hardware   .
    2. follow-up   The   its   to   popular   hugely   predecessor   .
    3. used   device   be   handheld   as   can   a   It   .
    4. connected   be   It   can   to   display   an   external   .
    5. Mario   enhanced   smash   of   success   the   version   An   .
    6. queued  hours  Gaming  outside   enthusiasts   stores   for  worldwide  .
    7. sold   consoles   via   national   were   The   a   lottery   .
    8. lined   at   dawn   of   draw   Winners   up   the   .
    9. experience   savour   went   He   to   it   the   to   .
    10. console   price   tag   a   The   $449   .99   has   hefty   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    The Japanese video game company Nintendo has launched its first majority / major piece of hardware in eight years. To much fun fare / fanfare, the much-anticipated Switch 2 console was releasing / released last Thursday. It is the follow-up to its hugely popular successor / predecessor, the Switch, which sold 152 million units worldwide. The new console can be used as a portable / portability handheld device or as a pill / tablet. It can be connected to an external display. It goes / comes with two controllers, a power adaptor, a USB-C charging cable, a dock, and two wrist stripes / straps. It comes bundled with 25 games, including an enhanced version of the smash / smashed success Mario Kart World. Nintendo expects to sell 15 million Switch 2 consoles for the fiscal / physical year to March 2026.

    Gaming enthusiasm / enthusiasts queued for hours outside stores worldwide, clamouring to get their feet / hands on Nintendo's new system. In Japan, the consoles were sold via / viva a national lottery that got around 2.2 million applications. In Tokyo, winners of the draw lined up at drawn / dawn outside an electronics store / storage. Switch fan Koji Takahashi, 39, said: "It's fantastic that players can see each another / other while playing. I can't wait to go home and play." Satoshi Ayame was unsuccessful in the lottery, but deterrent / undeterred, he went to the store's release event for / to savour the experience. He said: "I took a half-day off / on work because I desperately wanted to try the Switch 2." The console has a hefty $449.99 price tag, but fans say it is worth a / the money.

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

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

    Th_  J_p_n_s_  v_d__  g_m_  c_mp_ny  N_nt_nd_  h_s  l__nch_d  _ts  f_rst  m_j_r  p__c_  _f  h_rdw_r_  _n  __ght  y__rs.  T_  m_ch  f_nf_r_,  th_  m_ch-_nt_c_p_t_d  Sw_tch  2  c_ns_l_  w_s  r_l__s_d  l_st  Th_rsd_y.  _t  _s  th_  f_ll_w-_p  t_  _ts  h_g_ly  p_p_l_r  pr_d_c_ss_r,  th_  Sw_tch,  wh_ch  s_ld  152  m_ll__n  _n_ts  w_rldw_d_.  Th_  n_w  c_ns_l_  c_n  b_  _s_d  _s  _  p_rt_bl_  h_ndh_ld  d_v_c_  _r  _s  _  t_bl_t.  _t  c_n  b_  c_nn_ct_d  t_  _n  _xt_rn_l  d_spl_y.  _t  c_m_s  w_th  tw_  c_ntr_ll_rs,  _  p_w_r  _d_pt_r,  _  _SB-C  ch_rg_ng  c_bl_,  _  d_ck,  _nd  tw_  wr_st  str_ps.  _t  c_m_s  b_ndl_d  w_th  25  g_m_s,  _ncl_d_ng  _n  _nh_nc_d  v_rs__n  _f  th_  sm_sh  s_cc_ss  M_r__  K_rt  W_rld.  N_nt_nd_  _xp_cts  t_  s_ll  15  m_ll__n  Sw_tch  2  c_ns_l_s  f_r  th_  f_sc_l  y__r  t_  M_rch  2026.

    G_m_ng  _nth_s__sts  q____d  f_r  h__rs  __ts_d_  st_r_s  w_rldw_d_,  cl_m__r_ng  t_  g_t  th__r  h_nds  _n  N_nt_nd_'s  n_w  syst_m.  _n  J_p_n,  th_  c_ns_l_s  w_r_  s_ld  v__  _  n_t__n_l  l_tt_ry  th_t  g_t  _r__nd  2.2  m_ll__n  _ppl_c_t__ns.  _n  T_ky_,  w_nn_rs  _f  th_  dr_w  l_n_d  _p  _t  d_wn  __ts_d_  _n  _l_ctr_n_cs  st_r_.  Sw_tch  f_n  K_j_  T_k_h_sh_,  39,  s__d:  "_t's  f_nt_st_c  th_t  pl_y_rs  c_n  s__  __ch  _th_r  wh_l_  pl_y_ng.  _  c_n't  w__t  t_  g_  h_m_  _nd  pl_y."  S_t_sh_  _y_m_  w_s  _ns_cc_ssf_l  _n  th_  l_tt_ry,  b_t  _nd_t_rr_d,  h_  w_nt  t_  th_  st_r_'s  r_l__s_  _v_nt  t_  s_v__r  th_  _xp_r__nc_.  H_  s__d:  "_  t__k  _  h_lf-d_y  _ff  w_rk  b_c__s_  _  d_sp_r_t_ly  w_nt_d  t_  try  th_  Sw_tch  2."  Th_  c_ns_l_  h_s  _  h_fty  $449.99  pr_c_  t_g,  b_t  f_ns  s_y  _t  _s  w_rth  th_  m_n_y.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    the japanese video game company nintendo has launched its first major piece of hardware in eight years to much fanfare the muchanticipated switch 2 console was released last thursday it is the followup to its hugely popular predecessor the switch which sold 152 million units worldwide the new console can be used as a portable handheld device or as a tablet it can be connected to an external display it comes with two controllers a power adaptor a usbc charging cable a dock and two wrist straps it comes bundled with 25 games including an enhanced version of the smash success mario kart world nintendo expects to sell 15 million switch 2 consoles for the fiscal year to march 2026

    gaming enthusiasts queued for hours outside stores worldwide clamouring to get their hands on nintendos new system in japan the consoles were sold via a national lottery that got around 22 million applications in tokyo winners of the draw lined up at dawn outside an electronics store switch fan koji takahashi 39 said its fantastic that players can see each other while playing i cant wait to go home and play satoshi ayame was unsuccessful in the lottery but undeterred he went to the stores release event to savour the experience he said i took a halfday off work because i desperately wanted to try the switch 2 the console has a hefty 44999 price tag but fans say it is worth the money

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    TheJapanesevideogamecompanyNintendohaslauncheditsfirstmajor
    pieceofhardwareineightyears.Tomuchfanfare,themuch-anticipate
    dSwitch2consolewasreleasedlastThursday.Itisthefollow-uptoitshug
    elypopularpredecessor,theSwitch,whichsold152millionunitsworldwi
    de.Thenewconsolecanbeusedasaportablehandhelddeviceorasatabl
    et.Itcanbeconnectedtoanexternaldisplay.Itcomeswithtwocontroller
    s,apoweradaptor,aUSB-Cchargingcable,adock,andtwowriststrap
    s.Itcomesbundledwith25games,includinganenhancedversionofthes
    mashsuccessMarioKartWorld.Nintendoexpectstosell15millionSwitc
    h2consolesforthefiscalyeartoMarch2026.Gamingenthusiastsqueue
    dforhoursoutsidestoresworldwide,clamouringtogettheirhandsonNin
    tendo'snewsystem.InJapan,theconsolesweresoldviaanationallotter
    ythatgotaround2.2millionapplications.InTokyo,winnersofthedrawli
    nedupatdawnoutsideanelectronicsstore.SwitchfanKojiTakahashi,3
    9,said:"It'sfantasticthatplayerscanseeeachotherwhileplaying.Ican't
    waittogohomeandplay."SatoshiAyamewasunsuccessfulinthelottery
    ,butundeterred,hewenttothestore'sreleaseeventtosavourtheexperi
    ence.Hesaid:"Itookahalf-dayoffworkbecauseIdesperatelywante
    dtotrytheSwitch2."Theconsolehasahefty$449.99pricetag,butfanss
    ayitisworththemoney.

    Free writing

    Write about Nintendo Switch 2 for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    Nintendo makes the best video games. 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. GAME CONSOLES: Make a poster about game consoles. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. GAMING LIMIT: Write a magazine article about creating a daily limit to the number of hours people can spend gaming. 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 game consoles. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to make consoles better. 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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