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Mixed-gender events added to 2020 Olympics (13th June, 2017)

The Reading / Listening - 2020 Olympics - Level 3

There will be more mixed-gender events and more women at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said men and women would compete together in archery, athletics, judo, sailing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, and triathlon. There will be a 4x400m mixed relay in athletics and a 4x100m mixed relay in swimming. British Olympics swimming champion Adam Peaty told the BBC that having mixed events in Tokyo would make the Olympics "more fun". He said "It's something that would make things a little bit more fun….It's great to mix things up from what they've been for so long as it adds a little spice and [mixed events] are great to watch.

The IOC also announced that there would be more sports at the Tokyo Olympics. IOC president Thomas Bach said the Games will be "more youthful, more urban and include more women". Not everyone is happy with the introduction of the new events. Some people said it was wrong to include urban sports like skateboarding, 3-on-3 basketball, sport climbing and BMX freestyle. These are to try and get more young people to watch the Games. Having newer sports means there will be fewer athletes in more traditional events like weightlifting and wrestling. Tokyo will be the most gender-balanced Olympics ever. Women will make up 48.8 per cent of athletes who will compete at the Games.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

2020 Olympics - Level 0, 2020 Olympics - Level 1 or 2020 Olympics - Level 2

Sources

http://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/40226990
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2017/06/10/olympics-2020-mixed-gender-events_n_17022720.html
https://sports.yahoo.com/mixed-gender-events-added-2020-olympics-154410553.html http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0003752925

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. TOKYO OLYMPICS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about the Tokyo Olympics. 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?

2020 / Tokyo / Olympics / athletics / swimming / triathlon / champion / fun / spice /
sports / urban / happy / skateboarding / BMX / traditional / weightlifting / wrestling

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. MIXED-GENDER EVENTS: Students A strongly believe all events at the Olympics should be mixed gender; Students B strongly believe none should. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

4. INTERESTING: How can we make the Olympics more interesting? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	How?	Why?
Opening ceremony
Stadiums
Medals ceremony
Athletics
Cycling
Closing ceremony

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. FUN: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "fun". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

6. EVENTS: Rank these with your partner. Put the best Olympics events at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

wrestling
skateboarding
triathlon
swimming
marathon
cycling
BMX
shooting

Before reading / listening

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

There will be no mixed-gender events in judo. T / F
There will be mixed-gender relays in swimming and athletics. T / F
A swimming champion said mixed-gender events would take away the fun. T / F
The champion said mixed-gender events add a little spice to the Games. T / F
The IOC president said the 2020 Games would be more youthful. T / F
Everybody liked the introduction of sport climbing to the 2020 Games. T / F
Traditional events like wrestling will have fewer athletes in Tokyo. T / F
Women will make up less than 48% of the athletes. T / F

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

compete
champion
fun
spice
great
include
happy
wrong
traditional
ever

enjoyable
pleased
contain
excitement
take part
customary
not right
gold medalist
until now
wonderful

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

There will be more mixed-
men and women would compete
a 4x400m mixed relay
swimming
it adds a little
happy with the introduction
try and get more young people
in more traditional events
the most gender-balanced
Women will make up

Olympics ever
spice
48.8% of athletes
of the new events
together
like weightlifting
champion
gender events
to watch the Games
in athletics

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

little
compete
relay
great
events
things
triathlon
having

There will be more mixed-gender (1) ____________ and more women at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said men and women would (2) ____________ together in archery, athletics, judo, sailing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, and (3) ____________. There will be a 4x400m mixed relay in athletics and a 4x100m mixed (4) ____________ in swimming. British Olympics swimming champion Adam Peaty told the BBC that (5) ____________ mixed events in Tokyo would make the Olympics "more fun". He said "It's something that would make things a (6) ____________ bit more fun….It's great to mix (7) ____________ up from what they've been for so long as it adds a little spice and [mixed events] are (8) ____________ to watch."

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

climbing
urban
athletes
newer
ever
president
new
like

The IOC also announced that there would be more sports at the Tokyo Olympics. IOC (9) ____________ Thomas Bach said the Games will be "more youthful, more (10) ____________ and include more women". Not everyone is happy with the introduction of the (11) ____________ events. Some people said it was wrong to include urban sports like skateboarding, 3-on-3 basketball, sport (12) ____________ and BMX freestyle. These are to try and get more young people to watch the Games. Having (13) ____________ sports means there will be fewer athletes in more traditional events (14) ____________ weightlifting and wrestling. Tokyo will be the most gender-balanced Olympics (15) ____________. Women will make up 48.8 per cent of (16) ____________ who will compete at the Games.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) men and women would ______
     a. complete together
     b. compete together
     c. competing together
     d. competes together

2) athletics, judo, sailing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, ______
     a. and triathlons
     b. and try alone
     c. and trial on
     d. and triathlon

3) British Olympics swimming champion Adam Peaty ______
     a. told the BBC
     b. scold the BBC
     c. toll the BBC
     d. old the BBC

4) He said "It's something that would make things a little ______"
     a. bite more fun
     b. bits more fun
     c. byte more fun
     d. bit more fun

5) mix things up from what they've been for so long as it adds ______
     a. a little spicy
     b. a little spice
     c. a little spiced
     d. a little space

6) The IOC also announced that there would ______
     a. be more sports
     b. been more sports
     c. being more sports
     d. become more sports

7) IOC president Thomas Bach said the Games will be "more ______ urban
     a. youth full, more
     b. youthfully, more
     c. youth fully, more
     d. youthful, more

8) Not everyone is happy with the introduction ______ events
     a. of a new
     b. of the new
     c. off the new
     d. of the newly

9) Having newer sports means there will be ______
     a. few a athletes
     b. fewer athlete
     c. fewer athletes
     d. few are athletes

10) Tokyo will be the most gender-balanced ______
     a. Olympics ever
     b. Olympics even
     c. Olympics every
     d. Olympics never

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

There will be more mixed-gender events and (1) ___________________ the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said men and women would (2) ___________________ in archery, athletics, judo, sailing, shooting, swimming, table (3) ___________________. There will be a 4x400m mixed relay in athletics and a 4x100m mixed relay in swimming. British Olympics (4) ___________________ Adam Peaty told the BBC that having mixed events in Tokyo would make the Olympics "more fun". He said "It's something that would make things (5) ___________________ fun….It's great to mix things up from what they've been for so long as it adds a little spice and [mixed events] (6) ___________________ watch."

The IOC also announced that there (7) ___________________ sports at the Tokyo Olympics. IOC president Thomas Bach said the Games will be "more youthful, (8) ___________________ include more women". Not everyone is happy with the introduction (9) ___________________ events. Some people said it was wrong to include urban sports like skateboarding, 3-on-3 basketball, sport climbing and BMX freestyle. These (10) ___________________ get more young people to watch the Games. Having newer sports means there (11) ___________________ athletes in more traditional events like weightlifting and wrestling. Tokyo will be the most gender-balanced Olympics ever. Women will make up 48.8 per cent of athletes (12) ___________________ at the Games.

Comprehension questions

What does IOC mean?
What mixed relay will there be in athletics?
In what sport did Adam Peaty win a gold medal?
What did Adam Peaty say would be "more fun"?
What did Adam Peaty say mixed events would add to the 2020 Games?
Who is Thomas Bach?
What did some people say about the introduction of new events?
What kind of basketball will be introduced?
Which two sports did the article say would have fewer athletes?
What percentage of the athletes at the Tokyo Games will be women?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What does IOC mean?
a) Internal Olympic Committee
b) International Olympic Committee
c) International Olympic Commission
d) Internal Olympics Commission

2) What mixed relay will there be in athletics?
a) 4x100m
b) 1x400m
c) 1x100m
d) 4x400m

3) In what sport did Adam Peaty win a gold medal?
a) BMX freestyle
b) athletics
c) swimming
d) judo

4) What did Adam Peaty say would be "more fun"?
a) mixed events
b) skateboarding
c) a little bit
d) the BBC

5) What did Adam Peaty say mixed events would add to the 2020 Games?
a) herbs
b) spice
c) sugar
d) bits

6) Who is Thomas Bach?
a) IOC president
b) an Olympics swimming champion
c) a BMX freestyler
d) a BBC journalist

7) What did some people say about the introduction of new events?
a) wonderful
b) they were over the moon
c) it was wrong
d) they were needed

8) What kind of basketball will be introduced?
a) 3-on-3
b) 4-on-4
c) 5-on-5
d) 6-on-6

9) Which two sports did the article say would have fewer athletes?
a) football and rugby
b) table tennis and triathlon
c) sport climbing and BMX freestyle
d) weightlifting and wrestling

10) What percentage of the athletes at the Tokyo Games will be women?
a) 48.6
b) 48.7
c) 48.8
d) 48.9

Role play

Role A – The Marathon

You think the marathon is the best Olympics event. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their events. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): wrestling, skateboarding or swimming.

Role B – Wrestling

You think wrestling is the best Olympics event. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their events. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): the marathon, skateboarding or swimming.

Role C – Skateboarding

You think skateboarding is the best Olympics event. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their events. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): wrestling, the marathon or swimming.

Role D – Swimming

You think swimming is the best Olympics event. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their events. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): wrestling, skateboarding or the marathon.

After reading / listening

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

'mixed'

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

and 'gender'.
________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

• 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:

president

youthful

everyone

3

fewer

48.8

2020

together

champion

fun

mix

great

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 - Mixed-gender events added to 2020 Olympics

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

What did you think when you read the headline?
What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'Olympics'?
What do you think of the Olympics?
How good is your country at the Olympics?
What's your favourite Olympics sport and why?
What do you think of mixed-gender events?
Are you looking forward to watching the Olympics?
Do the Olympics need to be made more fun?
How can the IOC 'spice' things up at the Olympics?
Who is the greatest Olympian in history?

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

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
What do you think of when you hear the city name 'Tokyo'?
What do you think about what you read?
Is the Olympics the world's best sporting event?
Should every sport in the world be at the Olympics?
What do you think of urban sports like skateboarding?
How can the IOC get more young people to watch the Olympics?
What do you think of traditional sports like wrestling?
How will having more women athletes change the Olympics?
What questions would you like to ask the boss of the IOC?

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)

There will be (1) ____ mixed-gender events and more women at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said men and women would (2) ____ together in archery, athletics, judo, sailing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, and triathlon. There will be a 4x400m mixed relay (3) ____ athletics and a 4x100m mixed relay in swimming. British Olympics swimming champion Adam Peaty told the BBC (4) ____ having mixed events in Tokyo would make the Olympics "more fun". He said "It's something that would make things a little (5) ____ more fun….It's great to mix things up from what they've been for so long as it adds a little (6) ____ and [mixed events] are great to watch."

The IOC also announced that there would be more sports at the Tokyo Olympics. IOC president Thomas Bach said the Games will be "more (7) ____, more urban and include more women". Not everyone is happy (8) ____ the introduction of the new events. Some people said it was wrong to (9) ____ urban sports like skateboarding, 3-on-3 basketball, sport climbing and BMX freestyle. These are to try and get more young people to watch the Games. Having newer sports (10) ____ there will be fewer athletes in more traditional events (11) ____ weightlifting and wrestling. Tokyo will be the most gender-balanced Olympics (12) ____. Women will make up 48.8 per cent of athletes who will compete at the Games.

Which of these words go in the above text?

(a) more (b) most (c) much (d) moor
(a) complete (b) competition (c) compete (d) compact
(a) at (b) of (c) in (d) on
(a) what (b) thus (c) which (d) that
(a) bite (b) byte (c) bit (d) bitten
(a) space (b) spice (c) species (d) special
(a) youth hostel (b) youthful (c) youthfulness (d) youth
(a) to (b) with (c) of (d) but
(a) conclude (b) preclude (c) include (d) elude
(a) meaning (b) meanie (c) meanings (d) means
(a) liking (b) likelihood (c) likely (d) like
(a) even (b) never (c) every (d) ever

Spelling

Paragraph 1

The International Olympic Cmtmteioe (IOC)
oteepmc together in archery
swimming, table tennis, and ailrnthot
4x400m mixed relay in heatsictl
Olympics swimming nphacoim
adds a little icspe

Paragraph 2

The IOC also unedcnoan that there would be more
the Games will be more hutulyfo
the cirdouotntin of the new events
BMX teeylefrs
taioiartldn events like weightlifting
the most gender-blcdanea Olympics ever

Put the text back together

( ) Committee (IOC) said men and women would compete together in archery, athletics, judo, sailing, shooting,

( ) things a little bit more fun….It's great to mix things up from what they've

( ) Tokyo would make the Olympics "more fun". He said "It's something that would make

( ) The IOC also announced that there would be more sports at the Tokyo Olympics. IOC president Thomas Bach said the Games

( ) ever. Women will make up 48.8 per cent of athletes who will compete at the Games.

( ) swimming, table tennis, and triathlon. There will be a 4x400m mixed relay in athletics and a 4x100m mixed relay

( 1 ) There will be more mixed-gender events and more women at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The International Olympic

( ) will be "more youthful, more urban and include more women". Not everyone is happy with the introduction of the new

( ) traditional events like weightlifting and wrestling. Tokyo will be the most gender-balanced Olympics

( ) in swimming. British Olympics swimming champion Adam Peaty told the BBC that having mixed events in

( ) people to watch the Games. Having newer sports means there will be fewer athletes in more

( ) been for so long as it adds a little spice and [mixed events] are great to watch."

( ) events. Some people said it was wrong to include urban sports like skateboarding, 3-on-3

( ) basketball, sport climbing and BMX freestyle. These are to try and get more young

Put the words in the right order

mixed- more be will There Olympics 2020 the at events gender .
and Men archery in together compete would women .
relay be in a athletics 4x400m There mixed will .
Mixed Tokyo the fun in make more events would Olympics .
they've great things what It's mix from been to up .
more IOC that be The announced would sports also there .
events is the new everyone with of Not happy introduction .
include Some it to sports said wrong urban people was .
young watch Try more to Games get people the and .
Olympics will most balanced Tokyo the - ever be gender .

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

There will be / being more mixed-gender events and more women at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said men and women would complete / compete together in archery, athletics, judo, sailing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, and triathlete / triathlon. There will be a 4x400m mixed rally / relay in athletics and a 4x100m mixed relay in / on swimming. British Olympics swimming champion / championship Adam Peaty told the BBC that having mixer / mixed events in Tokyo would make the Olympics "more fun". He said "It's something that would make things a little bit more funny / fun….It's great to mix things up from what they've been for so longing / long as it adds a little spice and [mixed events] are great / grate to watch."

The IOC also announcement / announced that there would be more sports at the Tokyo Olympics. IOC president Thomas Bach said the Games will be "more youthful / youth, more urban and include / included more women". Not everyone is happy for / with the introduction of the new events. Some people said it was wrong to / for include urban sports like skateboarding, 3-on-3 basketball, sport climbing / climber and BMX freestyle. These are to try and get more youth / young people to watch the Games. Having newer sports means there will be fewer athletes in / on more traditional events like weightlifting and wrestling. Tokyo will be the most / must gender-balanced Olympics ever. Women will take / make up 48.8 per cent of athletes who will compete at the Games.

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)

Th_r_ w_ll b_ m_r_ m_x_d-g_nd_r _v_nts _nd m_r_ w_m_n _t th_ 2020 T_ky_ _lymp_cs. Th_ _nt_rn_t__n_l _lymp_c C_mm_tt__ (__C) s__d m_n _nd w_m_n w__ld c_mp_t_ t_g_th_r _n _rch_ry, _thl_t_cs, j_d_, s__l_ng, sh__t_ng, sw_mm_ng, t_bl_ t_nn_s, _nd tr__thl_n. Th_r_ w_ll b_ _ 4x400m m_x_d r_l_y _n _thl_t_cs _nd _ 4x100m m_x_d r_l_y _n sw_mm_ng. Br_t_sh _lymp_cs sw_mm_ng ch_mp__n _d_m P__ty t_ld th_ BBC th_t h_v_ng m_x_d _v_nts _n T_ky_ w__ld m_k_ th_ _lymp_cs "m_r_ f_n". H_ s__d "_t's s_m_th_ng th_t w__ld m_k_ th_ngs _ l_ttl_ b_t m_r_ f_n…._t's gr__t t_ m_x th_ngs _p fr_m wh_t th_y'v_ b__n f_r s_ l_ng _s _t _dds _ l_ttl_ sp_c_ _nd [m_x_d _v_nts] _r_ gr__t t_ w_tch."

Th_ __C _ls_ _nn__nc_d th_t th_r_ w__ld b_ m_r_ sp_rts _t th_ T_ky_ _lymp_cs. __C pr_s_d_nt Th_m_s B_ch s__d th_ G_m_s w_ll b_ "m_r_ y__thf_l, m_r_ _rb_n _nd _ncl_d_ m_r_ w_m_n". N_t _v_ry_n_ _s h_ppy w_th th_ _ntr_d_ct__n _f th_ n_w _v_nts. S_m_ p__pl_ s__d _t w_s wr_ng t_ _ncl_d_ _rb_n sp_rts l_k_ sk_t_b__rd_ng, 3-_n-3 b_sk_tb_ll, sp_rt cl_mb_ng _nd BMX fr__styl_. Th_s_ _r_ t_ try _nd g_t m_r_ y__ng p__pl_ t_ w_tch th_ G_m_s. H_v_ng n_w_r sp_rts m__ns th_r_ w_ll b_ f_w_r _thl_t_s _n m_r_ tr_d_t__n_l _v_nts l_k_ w__ghtl_ft_ng _nd wr_stl_ng. T_ky_ w_ll b_ th_ m_st g_nd_r-b_l_nc_d _lymp_cs _v_r. W_m_n w_ll m_k_ _p 48.8 p_r c_nt _f _thl_t_s wh_ w_ll c_mp_t_ _t th_ G_m_s.

Punctuate the text and add capitals

there will be more mixed-gender events and more women at the 2020 tokyo olympics the international olympic committee (ioc) said men and women would compete together in archery athletics judo sailing shooting swimming table tennis and triathlon there will be a 4x400m mixed relay in athletics and a 4x100m mixed relay in swimming british olympics swimming champion adam peaty told the bbc that having mixed events in tokyo would make the olympics "more fun" he said "it's something that would make things a little bit more fun…it's great to mix things up from what they've been for so long as it adds a little spice and [mixed events] are great to watch"

the ioc also announced that there would be more sports at the tokyo olympics ioc president thomas bach said the games will be "more youthful more urban and include more women" not everyone is happy with the introduction of the new events some people said it was wrong to include urban sports like skateboarding 3-on-3 basketball sport climbing and bmx freestyle these are to try and get more young people to watch the games having newer sports means there will be fewer athletes in more traditional events like weightlifting and wrestling tokyo will be the most gender-balanced olympics ever women will make up 488 per cent of athletes who will compete at the games

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Therewillbemoremixed-gendereventsandmorewomenatthe2020To
kyoOlympics.TheInternationalOlympicCommittee(IOC)saidmenan
dwomenwouldcompetetogetherinarchery,athletics,judo,sailing,sho
oting,swimming,tabletennis,andtriathlon.Therewillbea4x400mmix
edrelayinathleticsanda4x100mmixedrelayinswimming.BritishOlym
picsswimmingchampionAdamPeatytoldtheBBCthathavingmixedeve
ntsinTokyowouldmaketheOlympics"morefun".Hesaid"It'ssomethin
gthatwouldmakethingsalittlebitmorefun….It'sgreattomixthingsupfr
omwhatthey'vebeenforsolongasitaddsalittlespiceand[mixedevents
]aregreattowatch."TheIOCalsoannouncedthattherewouldbemoresp
ortsattheTokyoOlympics.IOCpresidentThomasBachsaidtheGamesw
illbe"moreyouthful,moreurbanandincludemorewomen".Noteveryon
eishappywiththeintroductionofthenewevents.Somepeoplesaiditwas
wrongtoincludeurbansportslikeskateboarding,3-on-3basketball,sp
ortclimbingandBMXfreestyle.Thesearetotryandgetmoreyoungpeopl
etowatchtheGames.Havingnewersportsmeanstherewillbefewerathl
etesinmoretraditionaleventslikeweightliftingandwrestling.Tokyowill
bethemostgender-balancedOlympicsever.Womenwillmakeup48.8p
ercentofathleteswhowillcompeteattheGames.

Free writing

Write about 2020 Olympics for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Academic writing

What are the good and bad things about mixed-gender sports? Discuss three things.

_____________________________________________________________________________

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 the Tokyo Olympics. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. TOKYO OLYMPICS: Make a poster about the Tokyo Olympics. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. MIXED-GENDER SPORTS: Write a magazine article about mixed-gender sports, with men and women playing on the same teams. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against them.

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 Tokyo Olympics. Ask him/her three questions about the Olympics. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to make the Olympics more exciting. 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

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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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