The Reading / Listening - Level 0

Japan has its lowest number of children. The number of children fell by 160,000 last year. It is the 33rd year for the birth rate to drop. There are 13 million fewer children now than in 1950. Japan has the smallest number of kids for a big population - just 12.8 per cent. In the USA, this number is 19.5 per cent.

The number of old people in Japan is going up. The over-65s make up 25.6% of the population. This could be 40% in 2060. This will be difficult for young people. They have to work for the over-65s. There will not be enough young people. Japan is trying to get people to have more babies, but nothing works.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 1,  Level 2   or  Level 3

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


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

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

lowest number

a.

year

2.

The number of children fell

b.

is 19.5 per cent

3.

last

c.

by 160,000

4.

It is the 33rd year for

d.

now than in 1950

5.

There are 13 million fewer children

e.

population

6.

Japan has the smallest

f.

the birth rate to drop

7.

a big

g.

of children

8.

In the USA, this number

h.

number of kids


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

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

The number

a.

65s

2.

going

b.

more babies

3.

The over-

c.

up

4.

25.6% of

d.

in 2060

5.

This could be 40%

e.

of old people

6.

difficult for young

f.

works

7.

get people to have

g.

the population

8.

nothing

h.

people

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Japan has (1) ___________________ of children. The number of children (2) ___________________ last year. It is the 33rd year for the birth (3) ___________________. There are 13 million fewer children now (4) ___________________. Japan has the smallest number of kids for (5) ___________________ - just 12.8 per cent. In the USA, this number (6) ___________________.

The number (7) ___________________ in Japan is going up. The over-65s (8) ___________________ of the population. This could be 40% in 2060. This (9) ___________________ for young people. They (10) ___________________ for the over-65s. There will (11) ___________________ young people. Japan is trying to get people to have more babies, (12) ___________________.

PUT A SLASH ( / )WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Japanhasitslowestnumberofchildren.Thenumberofchildrenfellby1
60,000lastyear.Itisthe33rdyearforthebirthratetodrop.Thereare1
3millionfewerchildrennowthanin1950.Japanhasthesmallestnumb
erofkidsforabigpopulation-just12.8percent.IntheUSA,thisnum
beris19.5percent.ThenumberofoldpeopleinJapanisgoingup.Theo
ver-65smakeup25.6%ofthepopulation.Thiscouldbe40%in20
60.Thiswillbedifficultforyoungpeople.Theyhavetoworkfortheover-
65s.Therewillnotbeenoughyoungpeople.Japanistryingtogetpeopl
etohavemorebabies,butnothingworks.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

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

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

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

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

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about children for 10 minutes. Read and talk about your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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