The Reading / Listening - 2018 - Level 0

This year is nearly over. Was it a great year? Japanese people have chosen the kanji (Chinese character) they think describes 2018. They chose the kanji, "disaster". This was because there were natural disasters in 2018. Japan had typhoons, earthquakes, heavy rains, and a deadly heatwave. These killed hundreds of people.

Japanese people have voted for a word of the year since 1995. The kanji "peace" was second this year. Last year, "north" won because of North Korea's nuclear tests. The world also had disasters. There were wildfires, hurricanes and tsunami. There were wars in Syria and Yemen. People want next year's kanji to be "happiness".

Try the same news story at these levels:

    2018 - Level 1,  2018 - Level 2   or  2018 - Level 3

Sources
  • https://japantoday.com/category/national/(disaster)-chosen-as-kanji-character-best-representing-2018
  • https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/12/12/national/kanji-year-meaning-disaster-symbolizes-2018-amid-natural-human-calamities/
  • https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6495315/Japan-selects-Chinese-disaster-character-symbol-2018-following-natural-disasters.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. This year is nearly
  2. Was it a great
  3. Chinese
  4. They chose the kanji,
  5. there were natural
  6. heavy
  7. a deadly
  8. These killed hundreds
  1. "disaster"
  2. heatwave
  3. rains
  4. of people
  5. over
  6. disasters in 2018
  7. character
  8. year?

Paragraph 2

  1. Japanese people have
  2. a word of
  3. The kanji "peace" was second
  4. North Korea's nuclear
  5. The world also
  6. wildfires, hurricanes
  7. wars in Syria
  8. People want next year's kanji
  1. tests
  2. and tsunami
  3. to be "happiness"
  4. voted
  5. the year
  6. and Yemen
  7. had disasters
  8. this year

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

This year (1) ___________________. Was it a great year? Japanese people (2) ___________________ kanji (Chinese character) they (3) ___________________. They chose the kanji, "disaster". This was because (4) ___________________ disasters in 2018. Japan had typhoons, earthquakes, (5) ___________________ a deadly heatwave. These killed (6) ___________________.

Japanese people have voted (7) ___________________ of the year since 1995. The kanji "peace" (8) ___________________ year. Last year, "north" (9) ___________________ North Korea's nuclear tests. The world (10) ___________________. There were wildfires, hurricanes and tsunami. There (11) ___________________ Syria and Yemen. People want next year's kanji (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Thisyearisnearlyover.Wasitagreatyear?Japanesepeoplehavechosen
thekanji(Chinesecharacter)theythinkdescribes2018.Theychosethe
kanji,"disaster".Thiswasbecausetherewerenaturaldisastersin2018.
Japanhadtyphoons,earthquakes,heavyrains,andadeadlyheatwave.
Thesekilledhundredsofpeople.Japanesepeoplehavevotedforawordo
ftheyearsince1995.Thekanji"peace"wassecondthisyear.Lastyear,"n
orth"wonbecauseofNorthKorea'snucleartests.Theworldalsohaddisa
sters.Therewerewildfires,hurricanesandtsunami.TherewerewarsinS
yriaandYemen.Peoplewantnextyear'skanjitobe"happiness".

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.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

Back to the top

Help Support This Web Site

  • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

Sean Banville's Book

Thank You