The Reading / Listening - Sushi Pranksters - Level 6

Pranksters in Japan are posing potential health issues and harming the reputation of the country's famed conveyor-belt sushi restaurants. This week, several diners have posted prank videos on social media. The pranks include people licking bottles of soy sauce and chopsticks, and licking their fingers and then touching the sushi on the revolving belt. These actions have shocked people in Japan. The actions have been dubbed "sushi-tero," or "sushi terrorism". The incidents have caused the share prices of a leading sushi chain to plummet. Many restaurants have sprung into action and taken measures to combat the pranksters. These include installing security cameras and providing disinfected eating utensils.

Japan's "kaitenzushi" restaurants are ubiquitous in Japan. They offer good quality, inexpensive sushi in an informal, casual environment. They are usually spotlessly clean. Some industry analysts are saying sushi terrorism poses a threat to the future operations of the eateries. One egregious video clip has been viewed 40 million times and has sparked copycat clips. The chain targeted by the prankster is filing a civil lawsuit against him and is claiming compensation for damages. The Guardian newspaper reported that there is a lot of outrage on social media from Japanese people, who believe the pranksters are showing "contempt for the country's high standards of hygiene".

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Sushi Pranksters - Level 4  or  Sushi Pranksters - Level 5

Sources
  • https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/03/wave-of-sushi-terrorism-grips-japans-restaurant-world
  • https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20230201/p2g/00m/0na/039000c
  • https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2023/02/02/digital/sushi-terrorism-tiktok-instagram-trends/


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. SUSHI: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about sushi. 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?
       prankster / health issues / reputation / diners / soy sauce / share prices / utensils /
       restaurants / analysts / terrorism / video clip / lawsuit / compensation / hygiene
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. CONVEYOR RESTAURANTS: Students A strongly believe conveyor restaurants are better than table service restaurants; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. RESTAURANTS: What are the pros and cons of these restaurants? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Pros

Cons

Conveyor sushi

 

 

Cafes

 

 

Pizzerias

 

 

Fast food

 

 

Gourmet dining

 

 

Bistro

 

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

  • Tuna
  • Avocado
  • Omelet
  • Hamburger
  • Eggplant / Aubergine
  • Natto
  • Seaweed
  • Wagyu beef

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. prankster a. A person fond of playing tricks.
      2. posing b. Fall or drop straight down at high speed.
      3. reputation c. Presenting or constituting a problem or danger.
      4. famed d. Give an unofficial name or nickname to.
      5. dubbed e. The beliefs or opinions that are generally held about someone or something.
      6. plummet f. Known about by many people; renowned.
      7. utensil g. A tool, container, or other article, especially for household use.

    Paragraph 2

      8. ubiquitous h. Something (usually money) awarded to someone in recognition of loss, suffering, or injury.
      9. eatery i. A claim or dispute brought to a law court for judgment.
      10. egregious j. Present, appearing, or found everywhere.
      11. lawsuit k. A sum of money claimed by or awarded to someone  for a loss or an injury.
      12. compensation l. A restaurant or cafe.
      13. damages m. The feeling that a person or a thing is worthless or beneath consideration.
      14. contempt n. Outstandingly bad; shocking.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. Pranksters in Japan have harmed the reputation of sushi restaurants.     T / F
  2. Diners posted videos of themselves licking ketchup and mayonnaise.     T / F
  3. The share prices of a sushi chain nosedived because of the videos.     T / F
  4. Restaurants are requiring diners to bring their own eating utensils.     T / F
  5. Japan's "kaitenzushi" restaurants are very expensive.     T / F
  6. A video posted by a prankster has been viewed 40 million times.     T / F
  7. A sushi chain is suing a prankster for damages.     T / F
  8. A newspaper reports there is little anger among Japanese people.     T / F

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

  1. posing
  2. reputation
  3. pranks
  4. plummet
  5. utensils
  6. ubiquitous
  7. egregious
  8. incidents
  9. outrage
  10. hygiene
  1. equipment
  2. tricks
  3. cleanliness
  4. everywhere
  5. occurrences
  6. presenting
  7. anger
  8. nosedive
  9. image
  10. shocking

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

  1. Pranksters in Japan are posing
  2. harming the
  3. The actions have been dubbed
  4. restaurants have sprung
  5. disinfected eating
  6. restaurants are ubiquitous
  7. Some industry
  8. filing a civil
  9. claiming compensation
  10. the country's high
  1. lawsuit
  2. into action
  3. utensils
  4. analysts
  5. "sushi-tero"
  6. standards of hygiene
  7. potential health issues
  8. for damages
  9. reputation of
  10. in Japan

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
pranks
combat
dubbed
utensils
famed
plummet
posing
licking

Pranksters in Japan are (1) _____________________ potential health issues and harming the reputation of the country's (2) _____________________ conveyor-belt sushi restaurants. This week, several diners have posted prank videos on social media. The (3) _____________________ include people licking bottles of soy sauce and chopsticks, and (4) _____________________ their fingers and then touching the sushi on the revolving belt. These actions have shocked people in Japan. The actions have been (5) _____________________ "sushi-tero," or "sushi terrorism". The incidents have caused the share prices of a leading sushi chain to (6) _____________________. Many restaurants have sprung into action and taken measures to (7) _____________________ the pranksters. These include installing security cameras and providing disinfected eating (8) _____________________.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
outrage
spotlessly
hygiene
suit
threat
damages
ubiquitous
clips

Japan's "kaitenzushi" restaurants are (9) _____________________ in Japan. They offer good quality, inexpensive sushi in an informal, casual environment. They are usually (10) _____________________ clean. Some industry analysts are saying sushi terrorism poses a (11) _____________________ to the future operations of the eateries. One egregious video clip has been viewed 40 million times and has sparked copycat (12) _____________________. The chain targeted by the prankster is filing a civil law (13) _____________________ against him and is claiming compensation for (14) _____________________. The Guardian newspaper reported that there is a lot of (15) _____________________ on social media from Japanese people, who believe the pranksters are showing "contempt for the country's high standards of (16) _____________________".

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  Pranksters in Japan are posing potential health issues and ______
     a.  harming the reputational
     b.  hamming the reputation
     c.  harming the reputation
     d.  harming a reputation
2)  licking their fingers and then touching the sushi on ______
     a.  the revolving belt
     b.  the revolting belt
     c.  the evolving belt
     d.  the revolve in belt
3)  The incidents have caused the share prices of a leading sushi ______
     a.  chain to plum it
     b.  chain to plummet
     c.  chain to plum mitt
     d.  chain to plan it
4)  Many restaurants have sprung into action and taken measures to ______
     a.  con back the pranksters
     b.  con bat the pranksters
     c.  combative the pranksters
     d.  combat the pranksters
5)  These include installing security cameras and providing ______
     a.  disinfect it eating utensils
     b.  disinfect din eating utensils
     c.  disinfect tide eating utensils
     d.  disinfected eating utensils

6)  Japan's "kaitenzushi" restaurants are ______
     a.  ubiquity in Japan
     b.  ubiquitously in Japan
     c.  you backed with us in Japan
     d.  ubiquitous in Japan
7)  informal, casual environment. They are ______
     a.  usual spotlessly clean
     b.  usually spot lassie clean
     c.  usually spotlessly cleaner
     d.  usually spotlessly clean
8)  Some industry analysts are saying sushi terrorism ______
     a.  poses a throat
     b.  poses a treat
     c.  poses a threat
     d.  poses a thread
9)  The chain targeted by the prankster is filing a ______
     a.  civil lawsuit
     b.  civil law suite
     c.  civil law sweet
     d.  civil laws soot
10)  Japanese people who believe the pranksters ______
     a.  are shown contempt
     b.  are showering contempt
     c.  are showing contempt
     d.  are show wing contempt

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Pranksters in Japan (1) ____________________ health issues and harming the reputation of the country's famed conveyor-belt sushi restaurants. This week, (2) ____________________ posted prank videos on social media. The pranks include people licking bottles of soy sauce and chopsticks, and licking their fingers and then touching the sushi on (3) ____________________. These actions have shocked people in Japan. The actions have been dubbed "sushi-tero," or "sushi terrorism". The incidents have caused the share prices of a leading sushi (4) ____________________. Many restaurants have sprung into action and taken measures to (5) ____________________. These include installing security cameras and providing (6) ____________________.

Japan's "kaitenzushi" restaurants (7) ____________________ Japan. They offer good quality, inexpensive sushi in (8) ____________________ environment. They are usually spotlessly clean. Some industry analysts are saying sushi terrorism poses a threat to the future operations of the eateries. (9) ____________________ clip has been viewed 40 million times and has sparked copycat clips. The chain targeted by the prankster is filing a (10) ____________________ against him and is claiming compensation for damages. The Guardian newspaper reported that there is a lot (11) ____________________ social media from Japanese people, who believe the pranksters are showing "contempt for the country's high (12) ____________________".

Comprehension questions

  1. What does the article say the prank videos are harming?
  2. What are pranksters licking besides sushi, their fingers and chopsticks?
  3. What have the actions in the videos being dubbed?
  4. What does the article say plummeted as a result of the pranksters?
  5. What are some restaurants doing to eating utensils?
  6. How clean does the article say many sushi restaurants in Japan are?
  7. What did some analysts say could be a threat to the sushi industry?
  8. What is a sushi chain filing against a prankster?
  9. What did Japanese people feel, according to a newspaper?
  10. What do Japanese people say pranksters are showing contempt for?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What does the article say the prank videos are harming?
a) fish
b) sushi chefs
c) the reputation of sushi restaurants
d) the quality of sushi
2) What are pranksters licking besides sushi, their fingers and chopsticks?
a) soy sauce bottles
b) tuna
c) knives and forks
d) bottles of vinegar
3) What have the actions in the videos being dubbed?
a) atrocious
b) sushi terrorism
c) revolting belts
d) plummets
4) What does the article say plummeted as a result of the pranksters?
a) the popularity of sushi
b) tuna catches
c) sushi chains
d) share prices
5) What are some restaurants doing to eating utensils?
a) using disposable chopsticks
b) asking customers to bring their own
c) disinfecting them
d) locking them up

6) How clean does the article say many sushi restaurants in Japan are?
a) surgically clean
b) spotlessly clean
c) quite clean
d) amazingly clean
7) What did some analysts say could be a threat to the sushi industry?
a) hamburgers
b) climate change
c) melting icebergs
d) sushi terrorism
8) What is a sushi chain filing against a prankster?
a) a file
b) a lawsuit
c) papers
d) a nail
9) What did Japanese people feel, according to a newspaper?
a) hungry
b) outrage
c) cross
d) egregious
10) What do Japanese people say pranksters are showing contempt for?
a) Japan's hygiene standards
b) tuna
c) social media
d) newspapers

Role play

Role  A – Tuna
You think tuna is the best sushi topping. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their toppings. Also, tell the others which is the least tasty of these (and why): avocado, seaweed or wagyu beef.

Role  B – Avocado
You think avocado is the best sushi topping. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their toppings. Also, tell the others which is the least tasty of these (and why): tuna, seaweed or wagyu beef.

Role  C – Seaweed
You think seaweed is the best sushi topping. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their toppings. Also, tell the others which is the least tasty of these (and why): avocado, tuna or wagyu beef.

Role  D – Wagyu Beef
You think wagyu beef is the best sushi topping. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their toppings. Also, tell the others which is the least tasty of these (and why): avocado, seaweed or tuna.

After reading / listening

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

'sushi'

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

    • and 'restaurant'.

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

    • • 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:

    • posing
    • several
    • fingers
    • dubbed
    • action
    • utensils
    • quality
    • usually
    • future
    • civil
    • outrage
    • high

    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 - Sushi Pranksters

    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 'prankster'?
    3. What do you think of sushi?
    4. How often do you go to sushi restaurants?
    5. What do you think of social media pranks?
    6. What do you think of the idea of conveyor-belt restaurants?
    7. What do you think of the term 'sushi terrorism'?
    8. What makes a good sushi restaurant?
    9. Should all restaurants have security cameras?
    10. What advice do you have for the sushi restaurants?

    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 'sushi'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. Do you prefer formal or informal restaurants?
    5. What do you do when a restaurant isn't spotlessly clean?
    6. How much compensation should the prankster pay the restaurant?
    7. What kinds of videos do you watch on social media?
    8. What are the best sushi toppings?
    9. Do you worry about hygiene standards in restaurants?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the sushi restaurants?

    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)

    Pranksters in Japan are (1) ____ potential health issues and harming the reputation of the country's famed conveyor-belt sushi restaurants. This week, several (2) ____ have posted prank videos on social media. The pranks (3) ____ people licking bottles of soy sauce and chopsticks, and licking their fingers and then touching the sushi on the revolving belt. These actions have (4) ____ people in Japan. The actions have been dubbed "sushi-tero," or "sushi terrorism". The incidents have caused the share prices of a leading sushi chain to (5) ____. Many restaurants have sprung into action and taken (6) ____ to combat the pranksters. These include installing security cameras and providing disinfected eating utensils.

    Japan's "kaitenzushi" restaurants are ubiquitous in Japan. They offer good quality, inexpensive sushi in an informal, (7) ____ environment. They are usually spotlessly clean. Some industry analysts are saying sushi terrorism poses a threat to the future operations of the (8) ____. One egregious video clip has been viewed 40 million times and has sparked copycat clips. The chain targeted (9) ____ the prankster is filing a civil law (10) ____ against him and is claiming compensation for damages. The Guardian newspaper reported that there is a lot of (11) ____ on social media from Japanese people, who believe the pranksters are showing "contempt (12) ____ the country's high standards of hygiene".

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     posing     (b)     pasting     (c)     posting     (d)     parsing    
    2. (a)     dinners     (b)     dines     (c)     diners     (d)     dins    
    3. (a)     inclusive     (b)     includes     (c)     include     (d)     inclusion    
    4. (a)     shocker     (b)     shocking     (c)     shock     (d)     shocked    
    5. (a)     plummet     (b)     grommet     (c)     helmet     (d)     gourmet    
    6. (a)     treasures     (b)     measures     (c)     assures     (d)     censures    
    7. (a)     casualty     (b)     causal     (c)     causative     (d)     casual    
    8. (a)     eats     (b)     eateries     (c)     eatables     (d)     eat-in    
    9. (a)     of     (b)     at     (c)     by     (d)     in    
    10. (a)     outfit     (b)     suit     (c)     costume     (d)     attire    
    11. (a)     vintage     (b)     tongue     (c)     outage     (d)     outrage    
    12. (a)     at     (b)     for     (c)     on     (d)     as

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. posing tptiaonel health issues
    2. harming the otiauterpn
    3. the sushi on the eognlrvvi belt
    4. The actions have been ddbueb "sushi-tero"
    5. prices of a leading sushi chain to mutmlep
    6. disinfected eating leunisst

    Paragraph 2

    1. restaurants are uquuiisobt in Japan
    2. the future operations of the eetsiaer
    3. One iusgeoegr video clip
    4. claiming pnnosimoacet for damages
    5. pranksters are showing onptctem
    6. high standards of eighney

    Put the text back together

    (...)  sushi restaurants. This week, several diners have posted prank videos on social media. The pranks include people licking
    (...)  bottles of soy sauce and chopsticks, and licking their fingers and then touching the
    (...)  40 million times and has sparked copycat clips. The chain targeted by the prankster is filing a civil
    (...)  believe the pranksters are showing "contempt for the country's high standards of hygiene".
    (...)  a threat to the future operations of the eateries. One egregious video clip has been viewed
    (...)  casual environment. They are usually spotlessly clean. Some industry analysts are saying sushi terrorism poses
    (...)  "sushi-tero," or "sushi terrorism". The incidents have caused the share prices of a leading sushi
    (...)  combat the pranksters. These include installing security cameras and providing disinfected eating utensils.
    (...)  lawsuit against him and is claiming compensation for damages. The Guardian newspaper
    (...)  sushi on the revolving belt. These actions have shocked people in Japan. The actions have been dubbed
    (...)  reported that there is a lot of outrage on social media from Japanese people, who
    (...)  chain to plummet. Many restaurants have sprung into action and taken measures to
    (...)  Japan's "kaitenzushi" restaurants are ubiquitous in Japan. They offer good quality, inexpensive sushi in an informal,
    (  1  ) Pranksters in Japan are posing potential health issues and harming the reputation of the country's famed conveyor-belt

    Put the words in the right order

    are   posing   Pranksters   Japan   health   potential   in   issues   .
    famed   restaurants   .   the   The   country's   of   sushi   reputation
    videos   posted   prank   have   Diners   on   social   media   .
    then   sushi   .   touching   fingers   Licking   and   the   their
    of   a   sushi   share   The   leading   prices   chain   .
    threat   poses   terrorism   a   future   to   operations   .   Sushi
    video   copycat   has   sparked   egregious   clips   .   One   clip
    a   They're   filing   law   him   .   civil   against   suit
    .       a       There       of       lot       is       on       outrage       social media
    high   Contempt   standards   of   hygiene   .   country's   the   for

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Pranksters in Japan are posing / posting potential health issues and harming the deputation / reputation of the country's framed / famed conveyor-belt sushi restaurants. This week, several diners / dinners have posted prank videos on social media. The pranks include / inclusive people licking bottles of soy sauce and chopsticks, and licking their fingers and then touching the sushi on the revolving / revolution belt. These actions have shocked people in Japan. The actions have been daubed / dubbed "sushi-tero," or "sushi terrorism". The incidence / incidents have caused the share prices of a leading sushi chain to plummet. Many restaurants have sprang / sprung into action and taken measures / measurements to combat the pranksters. These include installing security cameras and providing disinfected eating utensils.

    Japan's "kaitenzushi" restaurants are ubiquity / ubiquitous in Japan. They offer good quality / quantity, inexpensive sushi in an informal, causal / casual environment. They are usually spotlessly clean. Some industry analysts / analysis are saying sushi terrorism poses a threat to / at the future operations of the eateries. One egregious video clip has been viewed 40 million times and has sparked copycat clips. The chain targeted of / by the prankster is filing a civil lawsuit with / against him and is claiming compensation for damages / damaging. The Guardian newspaper reported that there is a lot of outage / outrage on social media from Japanese people, who believe the pranksters are showing "contempt of / for the country's high standards of hygiene".

    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)

    Pr_nkst_rs  _n  J_p_n  _r_  p_s_ng  p_t_nt__l  h__lth  _ss__s  _nd  h_rm_ng  th_  r_p_t_t__n  _f  th_  c__ntry's  f_m_d  c_nv_y_r-b_lt  s_sh_  r_st__r_nts.  Th_s  w__k,  s_v_r_l  d_n_rs  h_v_  p_st_d  pr_nk  v_d__s  _n  s_c__l  m_d__.  Th_  pr_nks  _ncl_d_  p__pl_  l_ck_ng  b_ttl_s  _f  s_y  s__c_  _nd  ch_pst_cks,  _nd  l_ck_ng  th__r  f_ng_rs  _nd  th_n  t__ch_ng  th_  s_sh_  _n  th_  r_v_lv_ng  b_lt.  Th_s_  _ct__ns  h_v_  sh_ck_d  p__pl_  _n  J_p_n.  Th_  _ct__ns  h_v_  b__n  d_bb_d  "s_sh_-t_r_,"  _r  "s_sh_  t_rr_r_sm".  Th_  _nc_d_nts  h_v_  c__s_d  th_  sh_r_  pr_c_s  _f  _  l__d_ng  s_sh_  ch__n  t_  pl_mm_t.  M_ny  r_st__r_nts  h_v_  spr_ng  _nt_  _ct__n  _nd  t_k_n  m__s_r_s  t_  c_mb_t  th_  pr_nkst_rs.  Th_s_  _ncl_d_  _nst_ll_ng  s_c_r_ty  c_m_r_s  _nd  pr_v_d_ng  d_s_nf_ct_d  __t_ng  _t_ns_ls. 

    J_p_n's  "k__t_nz_sh_"  r_st__r_nts  _r_  _b_q__t__s  _n  J_p_n.  Th_y  _ff_r  g__d  q__l_ty,  _n_xp_ns_v_  s_sh_  _n  _n  _nf_rm_l,  c_s__l  _nv_r_nm_nt.  Th_y  _r_  _s__lly  sp_tl_ssly  cl__n.  S_m_  _nd_stry  _n_lysts  _r_  s_y_ng  s_sh_  t_rr_r_sm  p_s_s  _  thr__t  t_  th_  f_t_r_  _p_r_t__ns  _f  th_  __t_r__s.  _n_  _gr_g___s  v_d__  cl_p  h_s  b__n  v__w_d  40  m_ll__n  t_m_s  _nd  h_s  sp_rk_d  c_pyc_t  cl_ps.  Th_  ch__n  t_rg_t_d  by  th_  pr_nkst_r  _s  f_l_ng  _  c_v_l  l_ws__t  _g__nst  h_m  _nd  _s  cl__m_ng  c_mp_ns_t__n  f_r  d_m_g_s.  Th_  G__rd__n  n_wsp_p_r  r_p_rt_d  th_t  th_r_  _s  _  l_t  _f  __tr_g_  _n  s_c__l  m_d__  fr_m  J_p_n_s_  p__pl_,  wh_  b_l__v_  th_  pr_nkst_rs  _r_  sh_w_ng  "c_nt_mpt  f_r  th_  c__ntry's  h_gh  st_nd_rds  _f  hyg__n_".

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    pranksters in japan are posing potential health issues and harming the reputation of the countrys famed conveyorbelt sushi restaurants this week several diners have posted prank videos on social media the pranks include people licking bottles of soy sauce and chopsticks and licking their fingers and then touching the sushi on the revolving belt these actions have shocked people in japan the actions have been dubbed sushitero or sushi terrorism the incidents have caused the share prices of a leading sushi chain to plummet many restaurants have sprung into action and taken measures to combat the pranksters these include installing security cameras and providing disinfected eating utensils

    japans kaitenzushi restaurants are ubiquitous in japan they offer good quality inexpensive sushi in an informal casual environment they are usually spotlessly clean some industry analysts are saying sushi terrorism poses a threat to the future operations of the eateries one egregious video clip has been viewed 40 million times and has sparked copycat clips the chain targeted by the prankster is filing a civil lawsuit against him and is claiming compensation for damages the guardian newspaper reported that there is a lot of outrage on social media from japanese people who believe the pranksters are showing contempt for the countrys high standards of hygiene

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    PrankstersinJapanareposingpotentialhealthissuesandharmingthere
    putationofthecountry'sfamedconveyor-beltsushirestaurants.Thisw
    eek,severaldinershavepostedprankvideosonsocialmedia.Thepranks
    includepeoplelickingbottlesofsoysauceandchopsticks,andlickingthei
    rfingersandthentouchingthesushiontherevolvingbelt.Theseactionsh
    aveshockedpeopleinJapan.Theactionshavebeendubbed"sushi-ter
    o,"or"sushiterrorism".Theincidentshavecausedthesharepricesofale
    adingsushichaintoplummet.Manyrestaurantshavesprungintoaction
    andtakenmeasurestocombatthepranksters.Theseincludeinstallings
    ecuritycamerasandprovidingdisinfectedeatingutensils.Japan's"kait
    enzushi"restaurantsareubiquitousinJapan.Theyoffergoodquality,in
    expensivesushiinaninformal,casualenvironment.Theyareusuallysp
    otlesslyclean.Someindustryanalystsaresayingsushiterrorismposesa
    threattothefutureoperationsoftheeateries.Oneegregiousvideocliph
    asbeenviewed40milliontimesandhassparkedcopycatclips.Thechaint
    argetedbythepranksterisfilingacivillawsuitagainsthimandisclaiming
    compensationfordamages.TheGuardiannewspaperreportedthatthe
    reisalotofoutrageonsocialmediafromJapanesepeople,whobelieveth
    eprankstersareshowing"contemptforthecountry'shighstandardsofhygiene".

    Free writing

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

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    Academic writing

    Conveyor-belt restaurants are better than restaurants with table service. 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. SUSHI: Make a poster about sushi. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. PRISON: Write a magazine article about sending people to prison if they interfere with food or eating utensils in restaurants. 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 sushi. Ask him/her three questions about sushi. Give him/her three of your ideas. 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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