The Reading / Listening - Cyclists - Level 4

New traffic laws in Japan make it illegal for cyclists to use mobile phones or be under the influence of alcohol when they are on their bikes. Cyclists using phones could get a six-month prison sentence or a fine of $650. The penalties are heavier for those who drink alcohol and ride. They could get three years in jail or be fined $3,270. Moreover, restaurants that serve alcohol to cyclists could also be punished.

Japan's police reported a big rise in traffic accidents caused by phone-using cyclists. There was a 50 per cent increase in the five years to 2023. There were 72,000 bicycle accidents in Japan last year. This was 20 per cent of all traffic accidents. Most were caused by people under 20 years old. People are using bicycles instead of public transport because of coronavirus. Authorities say raising public awareness of the new rules could be a challenge.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Cyclists - Level 5 or  Cyclists - Level 6

Sources
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpqd2e1j132o
  • https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20241101/p2g/00m/0na/004000c
  • https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/society/general-news/20241102-220103/


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. New traffic
  2. be under the influence
  3. when they are on
  4. get a six-
  5. a fine
  6. The penalties are heavier
  7. They could get three years
  8. restaurants that serve
  1. in jail
  2. month prison sentence
  3. of $650
  4. alcohol to cyclists
  5. their bikes
  6. laws in Japan
  7. for those who drink
  8. of alcohol

Paragraph 2

  1. Japan's police
  2. traffic accidents caused
  3. a 50 per cent increase in
  4. There were 72,000 bicycle
  5. This was 20 per cent of all
  6. Most were caused by
  7. public
  8. raising public awareness
  1. the five years to 2023
  2. transport
  3. by phone-using cyclists
  4. people under 20
  5. of the new rules
  6. reported a big rise
  7. traffic accidents
  8. accidents

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

New (1) ________________________________________________ Japan make it illegal for cyclists to use mobile phones or be (2) ________________________________________________ of alcohol when they are (3) ________________________________________________. Cyclists using phones could get a six-month (4) ________________________________________________ a fine of $650. The penalties are heavier for those who drink alcohol and ride. They could get three years (5) ________________________________________________ be fined $3,270. Moreover, restaurants that serve alcohol to cyclists could (6) ________________________________________________.

Japan's police reported a big rise (7) ________________________________________________ caused by phone-using cyclists. There was a 50 per cent increase in the five years to 2023. There were 72,000 (8) ________________________________________________ Japan last year. This was 20 per cent of all traffic accidents. Most were (9) ________________________________________________ under 20 years old. People are using bicycles instead (10) ________________________________________________ because of coronavirus. Authorities (11) ________________________________________________ awareness of the new rules could (12) ________________________________________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

NewtrafficlawsinJapanmakeitillegalforcycliststousemobilephonesor
beundertheinfluenceofalcoholwhentheyareontheirbikes.Cyclistsusi
ngphonescouldgetasix-monthprisonsentenceorafineof$650.Thep
enaltiesareheavierforthosewhodrinkalcoholandride.Theycouldgetth
reeyearsinjailorbefined$3,270.Moreover,restaurantsthatservealco
holtocyclistscouldalsobepunished.Japan'spolicereportedabigriseint
rafficaccidentscausedbyphone-usingcyclists.Therewasa50percent
increaseinthefiveyearsto2023.Therewere72,000bicycleaccidentsin
Japanlastyear.Thiswas20percentofalltrafficaccidents.Mostwerecau
sedbypeopleunder20yearsold.Peopleareusingbicyclesinsteadofpubl
ictransportbecauseofcoronavirus.Authoritiessayraisingpublicaware
nessofthenewrulescouldbeachallenge.

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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