The Reading / Listening - Paralympics - Level 1

The 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games have begun. The 12-day competition has 539 events in 22 sports. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said 161 countries and 4,500 para athletes will take part. Japan's emperor opened the Games. He said: "I would like to join you in wishing all athletes the very best." The IPC president said the Paralympics were "fantastic to watch" and have the ability to change society.

The Games should have taken place last year but coronavirus postponed them. The IPC president said: "I cannot believe we are finally here.…Thanks to the efforts of many, the most transformative sport event on Earth is about to begin." A 14-year-old swimmer spoke about her excitement. She said: "I feel like I'm meeting movie stars." She added: "Since it's the Paralympics and everybody else is disabled, I feel really comfortable."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Paralympics - Level 0 Paralympics - Level 2   or  Paralympics - Level 3

Sources
  • https://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0007704337
  • https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14425044
  • https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/08/e5935c34a293-japan-emperor-hoping-paralympians-can-reach-highest-highs.html


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. The 12-
  2. 539 events
  3. 4,500 para athletes
  4. Japan's emperor opened
  5. I would like
  6. wishing all athletes the
  7. the Paralympics were fantastic
  8. have the ability to
  1. to watch
  2. will take part
  3. change society
  4. day competition
  5. very best
  6. the Games
  7. to join you
  8. in 22 sports

Paragraph 2

  1. The Games should have taken
  2. coronavirus
  3. I cannot believe we
  4. Thanks to the efforts
  5. the most transformative sport
  6. spoke about her
  7. I feel like I'm meeting
  8. I feel really
  1. event on Earth
  2. comfortable
  3. of many
  4. excitement
  5. place last year
  6. movie stars
  7. postponed them
  8. are finally here

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games have begun. The 12-day competition (1) ___________________ in 22 sports. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) (2) ________________ and 4,500 para athletes (3) ___________________. Japan's emperor opened the Games. He said: "I (4) __________________ join you in wishing all athletes (5) ___________________." The IPC president said the Paralympics were "fantastic to watch" and have the (6) ___________________ society.

The Games should have taken (7) ___________________ but coronavirus postponed them. The IPC president said: "I cannot believe we (8) ___________________....Thanks to the efforts of many, the most transformative (9) ___________________ Earth is about to begin." A 14-year-old (10) ___________________ her excitement. She said: "I feel like I'm (11) ___________________." She added: "Since it's the Paralympics and everybody else is disabled, (12) ___________________ comfortable."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

The2020TokyoParalympicGameshavebegun.The12-daycompetitio
nhas539eventsin22sports.TheInternationalParalympicCommittee(
IPC)said161countriesand4,500paraathleteswilltakepart.Japan'sem
peroropenedtheGames.Hesaid:"Iwouldliketojoinyouinwishingallath
letestheverybest."TheIPCpresidentsaidtheParalympicswere"fantas
tictowatch"andhavetheabilitytochangesociety.TheGamesshouldha
vetakenplacelastyearbutcoronaviruspostponedthem.TheIPCpresid
entsaid:"Icannotbelievewearefinallyhere....Thankstotheeffortsofm
any,themosttransformativesporteventonEarthisabouttobegin."A14
-year-oldswimmerspokeaboutherexcitement.Shesaid:"IfeellikeI'm
meetingmoviestars."Sheadded:"Sinceit'stheParalympicsandeveryb
odyelseisdisabled,Ifeelreallycomfortable."

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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