The Reading / Listening - Cyclists - Level 5

Changes to traffic laws aimed at cyclists came into effect in Japan on Friday. New laws make it illegal to use mobile phones or be under the influence of alcohol while cycling. Cyclists using phones could get a six-month prison sentence or a fine of 100,000 yen ($654). The penalties are harsher for those who drink alcohol and ride. Cyclists with more than 0.15 milligrams of alcohol per litre of breath could get three years in jail or be fined 500,000 yen ($3,270). Moreover, restaurants that serve alcohol to cyclists may also be punished.

Japan's police agency reported a big rise in traffic accidents caused by cyclists using phones. There was a 50 per cent increase in the five years to 2023. The BBC reports that 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. One reason for the rise in cycling-related accidents is more people are using bicycles instead of public transport because of the coronavirus pandemic. Authorities say raising public awareness of the new traffic rules could be a challenge.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Cyclists - Level 4 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. Changes to traffic laws aimed
  2. came into
  3. New laws make
  4. be under the influence
  5. get a six-month prison
  6. The penalties are harsher for
  7. 0.15 milligrams of
  8. restaurants that serve
  1. those who drink
  2. of alcohol
  3. effect
  4. alcohol per litre
  5. at cyclists
  6. sentence
  7. alcohol to cyclists
  8. it illegal

Paragraph 2

  1. Japan's police
  2. a big rise
  3. a 50 per cent increase in the
  4. This was 20 per cent of all
  5. One reason for the
  6. using bicycles instead of
  7. raising public
  8. new traffic rules could
  1. five years to 2023
  2. awareness
  3. rise
  4. in traffic accidents
  5. be a challenge
  6. traffic accidents
  7. agency
  8. public transport

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Changes to traffic (1) ________________________________________________ cyclists came into effect in Japan on Friday. New laws make it illegal to use mobile phones or be (2) ________________________________________________ of alcohol while cycling. Cyclists using phones could get a six-(3) ________________________________________________ or a fine of 100,000 yen ($654). The (4) ________________________________________________ for those who drink alcohol and ride. Cyclists with more than 0.15 milligrams of alcohol per (5) ________________________________________________ could get three years in jail or be fined 500,000 yen ($3,270). Moreover, restaurants that serve alcohol to cyclists may (6) ________________________________________________.

Japan's (7) ________________________________________________ a big rise in traffic accidents caused by cyclists using phones. There was a 50 per cent (8) ________________________________________________ five years to 2023. The BBC reports that there were 72,000 bicycle accidents in Japan last year. This was 20 per cent of (9) ________________________________________________. Most were caused by people under 20 years old. One reason for the rise (10) ________________________________________________ accidents is more people are using bicycles instead (11) ________________________________________________ because of the coronavirus pandemic. Authorities say raising public awareness of the new traffic rules could (12) ________________________________________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

ChangestotrafficlawsaimedatcyclistscameintoeffectinJapanonFrida
y.Newlawsmakeitillegaltousemobilephonesorbeundertheinfluenceo
falcoholwhilecycling.Cyclistsusingphonescouldgetasix-monthpriso
nsentenceorafineof100,000yen($654).Thepenaltiesareharsherfort
hosewhodrinkalcoholandride.Cyclistswithmorethan0.15milligrams
ofalcoholperlitreofbreathcouldgetthreeyearsinjailorbefined500,000
yen($3,270).Moreover,restaurantsthatservealcoholtocyclistsmayal
sobepunished.Japan'spoliceagencyreportedabigriseintrafficacciden
tscausedbycyclistsusingphones.Therewasa50percentincreaseinthef
iveyearsto2023.TheBBCreportsthattherewere72,000bicycleaccide
ntsinJapanlastyear.Thiswas20percentofalltrafficaccidents.Mostwer
ecausedbypeopleunder20yearsold.Onereasonfortheriseincycling-
relatedaccidentsismorepeopleareusingbicyclesinsteadofpublictransp
ortbecauseofthecoronaviruspandemic.Authoritiessayraisingpublica
warenessofthenewtrafficrulescouldbeachallenge.

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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