The Reading / Listening - China Divorce Test - Level 4

China is looking at a new way of reducing divorce rates. Officials want couples who file for divorce to take an exam to find out how strong their marriage is and whether it can be saved. Up to half of marriages between those born in the 1980s have got divorced. The rising divorce rate is because more women are working. They are financially independent and less in need of a partner. The rise of dating apps means there are more extramarital affairs.

The divorce test has had a mixed reaction. One official said it was aimed at stopping "impulsive divorces". She said the harmony of the family could "achieve the harmony of an entire society". Internet users were less enthusiastic about the 15-question test. One post asked: "If you remember your wedding anniversary you can't divorce? Divorce isn't a case of amnesia." Another wrote: "They are adults and they have the right to divorce."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    China Divorce Test - Level 5 or  China Divorce Test - Level 6

Sources
  • https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/06/02/warring-chinese-couples-take-divorce-exams-reflect-marriage/
  • http://www.businessinsider.com/china-makes-couples-take-exam-before-divorce-allowed-2018-5
  • https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/30/world/asia/china-divorce-quiz.html


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. couples who file for
  2. find out how strong their
  3. those born
  4. more women
  5. financially
  6. less in need
  7. dating
  8. extramarital
  1. are working
  2. of a partner
  3. divorce
  4. affairs
  5. in the 1980s
  6. apps
  7. marriage is
  8. independent

Paragraph 2

  1. mixed
  2. it was aimed at stopping
  3. the harmony
  4. the harmony of
  5. Internet users were less
  6. wedding
  7. Divorce isn't a case of
  8. they have the right
  1. to divorce
  2. of the family
  3. enthusiastic
  4. anniversary
  5. amnesia
  6. reaction
  7. an entire society
  8. "impulsive divorces"

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

China is looking at (1) ___________________ of reducing divorce rates. Officials want couples (2) ___________________ divorce to take an exam to find out how strong their marriage is and (3) ___________________ be saved. Up to half of marriages between (4) ___________________ the 1980s have got divorced. The rising divorce rate is because more women are working. They are financially independent (5) ___________________ need of a partner. The (6) ___________________ apps means there are more extramarital affairs.

The divorce test has had (7) ___________________. One official said it was aimed at stopping "impulsive divorces". She said (8) ___________________ the family could "achieve the harmony of (9) ___________________". Internet (10) ___________________ enthusiastic about the 15-question test. One post asked: "If you remember your wedding anniversary you can't divorce? Divorce isn't (11) ___________________ amnesia." Another wrote: "They are adults and they have the (12) ___________________."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Chinaislookingatanewwayofreducingdivorcerates.Officialswantcou
pleswhofilefordivorcetotakeanexamtofindouthowstrongtheirmarria
geisandwhetheritcanbesaved.Uptohalfofmarriagesbetweenthosebo
rninthe1980shavegotdivorced.Therisingdivorcerateisbecausemore
womenareworking.Theyarefinanciallyindependentandlessinneedof
apartner.Theriseofdatingappsmeanstherearemoreextramaritalaffai
rs.Thedivorcetesthashadamixedreaction.Oneofficialsaiditwasaimed
atstopping"impulsivedivorces".Shesaidtheharmonyofthefamilycoul
d"achievetheharmonyofanentiresociety".Internetuserswerelessent
husiasticaboutthe15-questiontest.Onepostasked:"Ifyouremember
yourweddinganniversaryyoucan'tdivorce?Divorceisn'tacaseofamne
sia."Anotherwrote:"Theyareadultsandtheyhavetherighttodivorce."

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 — Write your own questions

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

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

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

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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