The Reading / Listening - Hot Days - Level 6

Climate change is having an unforeseen consequence on language — the creation of new words. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has introduced a new item of vocabulary into the Japanese lexicon. The neologism is the word "kokushobi," which literally means "cruelly hot day" or "harshly hot day". The JMA will use it when describing or forecasting days when temperatures are 40ºC or above. The JMA conducted an online poll of weather-based terminology. The questionnaire was prompted by the scorching weather experienced in Japan in recent years. Website visitors selected their most preferred word. There were 478,000 responses. The word kokushobi garnered nearly 203,000 votes.

There has been record-breaking heat in Japan in the past decade. The JMA reported days of 40ºC or above every year since 2018. In August 2025, the town of Isesaki, Gunma Prefecture, recorded the highest temperature ever observed in Japan. The mercury rose to 41.8ºC. There were a further nine days when temperatures were 40ºC. More records were broken in 2025. This was the hottest year since records began in 1898. Temperatures were 2.36ºC above average. The Mainichi newspaper wrote: "Tokyo recorded 25 days over 35ºC, compared with an annual average of just 4.5 days. Kyoto logged 52 days above that temperature, compared with an average of 18.5 days."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Hot Days - Level 4  or  Hot Days - Level 5

Sources
  • https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/04/17/japan/japan-severely-hot-day/
  • https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260417/p2a/00m/0na/008000c
  • https://www.jma.go.jp/jma/press/2604/17a/20260417_40degree_name.pdf


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 :-)

Warm-ups

1. HOT DAYS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about hot days. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
       climate change / language / vocabulary / temperature / online poll / scorching / vote
       record breaking / heat / the past decade / 41.8ºC / mercury / newspaper / 2025
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. SUMMER: Students A strongly believe summer is better than winter; Students B strongly believe winter is better. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. NEOLOGISMS: What do these recently introduced words mean? What do you think of them? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Meaning

What I Think

Doom scrolling

 

 

Deepfake

 

 

Cancel culture

 

 

Quiet quitting

 

 

Woke

 

 

Rewilding

 

 
MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

5. HOT: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "hot". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. HOT-WEATHER ACTIVITIES: Rank these with your partner. Put the best at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Taking a nap
  • Making smoothies
  • Shopping
  • Reading a book
  • Visiting a beach
  • Having a picnic
  • Swimming
  • Watching a movie

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. unforeseen a. A new word or a new expression.
      2. consequence b. Special words used in a subject or activity.
      3. lexicon c. Not expected or not known before.
      4. neologism d. Got or collected.
      5. terminology e. Something that happens as a result of something else.
      6. scorching f. All the words of a language.
      7. garnered g. Very, very, very hot.

    Paragraph 2

      8. decade h. What is usual or normal.
      9. observed i. A period of ten years.
      10. mercury j. Witnessed.
      11. set (verb) k. Best or highest results.
      12. records (noun) l. Made or put in place.
      13. logged m. The level of heat shown on a thermometer.
      14. the norm n. Recorded or wrote down.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. The article says it's clear that climate change will create new words.     T / F
  2. The agency overseeing Japanese language introduced a new word.     T / F
  3. The new Japanese word is "hardly hot day".     T / F
  4. The new word got more than 200,000 votes in an online poll.     T / F
  5. Japan's hottest-ever temperature was recorded in 2023.     T / F
  6. Japan's hottest-ever temperature was over 41ºC.     T / F
  7. Japan started recording temperatures in 1898.     T / F
  8. In 2025, the city of Kyoto recorded more than 50 days above 35ºC.     T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

  1. unforeseen
  2. lexicon
  3. neologism
  4. poll
  5. garnered
  6. decade
  7. rose
  8. records
  9. logged
  10. average
  1. survey
  2. archives
  3. ten years
  4. new word
  5. the norm
  6. unexpected
  7. gathered
  8. registered
  9. dictionary
  10. increased

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

  1. having an unforeseen
  2. the Japanese
  3. The JMA conducted
  4. scorching
  5. The word kokushobi garnered
  6. There has been record-
  7. the highest temperature ever
  8. The mercury
  9. Temperatures were 2.36ºC
  10. compared with an annual average
  1. rose to 41.8ºC
  2. weather
  3. nearly 203,000 votes
  4. of just 4.5 days
  5. observed in Japan
  6. consequence on language
  7. above average
  8. an online poll
  9. breaking heat in Japan
  10. lexicon

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
cruelly
poll
unforeseen
garnered
item
selected
creation
forecasting

Climate change is having an (1) _________________________________ consequence on language – the (2) _________________________________ of new words. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has introduced a new (3) _________________________________ of vocabulary into the Japanese lexicon. The neologism is the word "kokushobi," which literally means "(4) _________________________________ hot day" or "harshly hot day". The JMA will use it when describing or (5) _________________________________ days when temperatures are 40ºC or above. The JMA conducted an online (6) _________________________________ of weather-based terminology. The questionnaire was prompted by the scorching weather experienced in Japan in recent years. Website visitors (7) _________________________________ their most preferred word. There were 478,000 responses. The word kokushobi (8) _________________________________ nearly 203,000 votes.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
records
past
logged
ever
further
compared
reported
mercury

There has been record-breaking heat in Japan in the (9) _________________________________ decade. The JMA (10) _________________________________ days of 40ºC or above every year since 2018. In August 2025, the town of Isesaki, Gunma Prefecture, recorded the highest temperature (11) _________________________________ observed in Japan. The (12) _________________________________ rose to 41.8ºC. There were a (13) _________________________________ nine days when temperatures were 40ºC. More records were broken in 2025. This was the hottest year since (14) _________________________________ began in 1898. Temperatures were 2.36ºC above average. The Mainichi newspaper wrote: "Tokyo recorded 25 days over 35ºC, (15) _________________________________ with an annual average of just 4.5 days. Kyoto (16) _________________________________ 52 days above that temperature, compared with an average of 18.5 days."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  Climate change is having an unforeseen consequence on language
     a.  consequence of language
     b.  consequence off language
     c.  consequence on language
     d.  consequence at language
2)  has introduced a new item of vocabulary into the Japanese lexicon
     a.  the Japanese rubicon
     b.  the Japanese lexicon
     c.  the Japanese rub icon
     d.  the Japanese text icon
3)  The JMA conducted an online poll of weather-based terminology
     a.  weather-biased terminology
     b.  weather-based terminology
     c.  weather-basted terminology
     d.  weather-baste terminology
4)  The questionnaire was prompted by the scorching weather
     a.  the scorch in weather
     b.  the score ching weather
     c.  the screeching weather
     d.  the scorching weather
5)  Website visitors selected their most preferred word
     a.  most preferred word
     b.  most preference word
     c.  must preferred word
     d.  most prefer word

6)  There has been record-breaking heat in Japan in the past decade
     a.  the past decade
     b.  the past decadent
     c.  the passed decade
     d.  a past decade
7)  The JMA reported days of 40ºC or above every year since 2018
     a.  year sins 2018
     b.  years since 2018
     c.  year since 2018
     d.  year for 2018
8)  Gunma Prefecture recorded the highest temperature ever observed in Japan
     a.  observed on Japan
     b.  observed in Japan
     c.  observe din Japan
     d.  observing Japan
9)  Temperatures were 2.36ºC above average
     a.  2.36ºC above averaged
     b.  2.36ºC above avarice
     c.  2.36ºC above a verge
     d.  2.36ºC above average
10)  compared with an annual average of just 4.5 days. Kyoto logged 52 days
     a.  lugged 52 days
     b.  lagged 52 days
     c.  logged 52 days
     d.  lugged 52 days

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Climate change is (1) _______________________________________________ consequence on language – the creation of new words. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has introduced a new item of vocabulary into (2) _______________________________________________. The (3) _______________________________________________ word "kokushobi," which literally means "cruelly hot day" or "harshly hot day". The JMA will use it when describing or (4) _______________________________________________ temperatures are 40ºC or above. The JMA conducted an online poll of weather-based terminology. The questionnaire (5) _______________________________________________ the scorching weather experienced in Japan in recent years. Website visitors selected their (6) _______________________________________________. There were 478,000 responses. The word kokushobi garnered nearly 203,000 votes.

There has been record-breaking heat in Japan in (7) _______________________________________________. The JMA reported days of 40ºC or above every year since 2018. In August 2025, the town of Isesaki, Gunma Prefecture, (8) _______________________________________________ temperature ever observed in Japan. The mercury rose to 41.8ºC. There (9) _______________________________________________ nine days when temperatures were 40ºC. More records were broken in 2025. This was the hottest year (10) _______________________________________________ in 1898. Temperatures were 2.36ºC above average. The Mainichi newspaper wrote: "Tokyo recorded 25 days over 35ºC, (11) _______________________________________________ annual average of just 4.5 days. Kyoto logged 52 days above that temperature, (12) _______________________________________________ average of 18.5 days."

Comprehension questions

  1. What does the article say climate change has had a consequence on?
  2. What organization introduced a new word into the Japanese lexicon?
  3. When will the new word be used?
  4. What was there an online poll of?
  5. How many people voted for the word kokushobi?
  6. Since when have there been annual temperatures of 40ºC in Japan?
  7. What is Japan's highest ever temperature?
  8. When did Japan start recording temperatures?
  9. What was the yearly average of days over 35ºC in Tokyo before 2025?
  10. How many days over 35ºC did Kyoto have in 2025?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What does the article say climate change has had a consequence on?
a) weather
b) hot days
c) language
d) meteorology
2) What organization introduced a new word into the Japanese lexicon?
a) the Japan Meteorological Agency
b) the Oxford English Dictionary
c) a top university
d) the UN
3) When will the new word be used?
a) on Mondays
b) When temperatures are 40ºC or above.
c) from 2030
d) during cherry blossom season
4) What was there an online poll of?
a) the best words
b) heat and cold
c) dictionaries
d) weather-based terminology
5) How many people voted for the word kokushobi?
a) over 748,000
b) nearly 478,000
c) nearly 203,000
d) over 302,000

6) Since when have there been annual temperatures of 40ºC in Japan?
a) since 2010
b) since 2015
c) since 2018
d) since 2025
7) What is Japan's highest ever temperature?
a) 41.5ºC
b) 41.6ºC
c) 41.7ºC
d) 41.8ºC
8) When did Japan start recording temperatures?
a) 1888
b) 1898
c) 1899
d) 1889
9) What was the yearly average of days over 35ºC in Tokyo before 2025?
a) 4.4 days
b) 4.5 days
c) 4.6 days
d) 4.7 days
10) How many days over 35ºC did Kyoto have in 2025?
a) 52 days
b) 18.5 days
c) 25 days
d) 4.5 days

Role play

Role  A – Taking a Nap
You think taking a nap is the best hot-weather activity. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): making smoothies, visiting a beach or watching a movie.

Role  B – Making Smoothies
You think making smoothies is the best hot-weather activity. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): taking a nap, visiting a beach or watching a movie.

Role  C – Visiting a Beach
You think visiting a beach is the best hot-weather activity. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): making smoothies, taking a nap or watching a movie.

Role  D – Watching a Movie
You think watching a movie is the best hot-weather activity. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): making smoothies, visiting a beach or taking a nap.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'word'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'heat'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • Share your findings with your partners.

    • Make questions using the words you found.

    • Ask your partner / group your questions.

    2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

    •Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

    3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

    4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

    5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

    • consequence
    • item
    • use
    • poll
    • prompted
    • votes
    • decade
    • since
    • observed
    • mercury
    • annual
    • logged

    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 - Hot Days

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

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'word'?
    3. What do you think of climate change?
    4. What consequences of climate change do you know of?
    5. What new words has climate change brought about?
    6. Does your language have words to describe extreme heat?
    7. What do you think of 'cruelly hot days'?
    8. What weather is perfect for you?
    9. What new words have entered your language?
    10. What advice do you have to deal with extreme heat?

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

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'heat'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. Has your country experienced record-breaking temperatures?
    5. What are the good things about extremely hot days?
    6. Do you prefer scorching hot days or freezing cold days?
    7. What can we do about climate change?
    8. What do you think the climate will be like in 50 years?
    9. What do you think of today's weather?
    10. What questions would you like to ask meteorologists?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

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

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

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

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    Climate change is having an unforeseen consequence (1) ____ language – the creation of new words. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has introduced a new (2) ____ of vocabulary into the Japanese (3) ____. The neologism is the word "kokushobi," which literally means "cruelly hot day" or "harshly hot day". The JMA will use it when describing or forecasting days when temperatures are 40ºC or above. The JMA conducted an online (4) ____ of weather-based terminology. The questionnaire was prompted (5) ____ the scorching weather experienced in Japan in recent years. Website visitors selected their most preferred word. There were 478,000 responses. The word kokushobi (6) ____ nearly 203,000 votes.

    There has been record-breaking heat in Japan in the (7) ____ decade. The JMA reported days of 40ºC or above every year since 2018. In August 2025, the town (8) ____ Isesaki, Gunma Prefecture, recorded the highest temperature ever observed in Japan. The mercury rose to 41.8ºC. There were a (9) ____ nine days when temperatures were 40ºC. More records were (10) ____ in 2025. This was the hottest year since records began in 1898. Temperatures were 2.36ºC above average. The Mainichi newspaper wrote: "Tokyo recorded 25 days over 35ºC, compared with an (11) ____ average of just 4.5 days. Kyoto (12) ____ 52 days above that temperature, compared with an average of 18.5 days."

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     at     (b)     on     (c)     of     (d)     at    
    2. (a)     product     (b)     item     (c)     module     (d)     thing    
    3. (a)     lexicologist     (b)     luxury     (c)     lexeme     (d)     lexicon    
    4. (a)     pole     (b)     poll     (c)     polar     (d)     polemic    
    5. (a)     of     (b)     by     (c)     at     (d)     as    
    6. (a)     garner     (b)     garners     (c)     garnered     (d)     garnering    
    7. (a)     parsed     (b)     passed     (c)     past     (d)     psst    
    8. (a)     at     (b)     on     (c)     of     (d)     as    
    9. (a)     future     (b)     farther     (c)     furrier     (d)     further    
    10. (a)     fractured     (b)     destroyed     (c)     punctured     (d)     broken    
    11. (a)     annual     (b)     annul     (c)     annular     (d)     annuity    
    12. (a)     legged     (b)     lagged     (c)     logged     (d)     lugged

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. having an unforeseen unnecseqoce
    2. the Japanese eincxol
    3. The nmoegoisl is the word "kokushobi"
    4. rlylceu hot day
    5. describing or fsrgnotaeci days
    6. weather-based gieotoynrml

    Paragraph 2

    1. in the past cededa
    2. the highest ttmeareuper ever
    3. The ryerucm rose to 41.8ºC
    4. redevsob in Japan
    5. compared with an uananl
    6. 2.36ºC above grevaea

    Put the text back together

    (    )   an online poll of weather-based terminology. The questionnaire was prompted by the scorching weather
    (  1  )   Climate change is having an unforeseen consequence on language – the creation
    (    )   experienced in Japan in recent years. Website visitors selected their most
    (    )   hot day". The JMA will use it when describing or forecasting days when temperatures are 40ºC or above. The JMA conducted
    (    )   lexicon. The neologism is the word "kokushobi," which literally means "cruelly hot day" or "harshly
    (    )   observed in Japan. The mercury rose to 41.8ºC. There were a further nine days when
    (    )   of just 4.5 days. Kyoto logged 52 days above that temperature, compared with an average of 18.5 days."
    (    )   of new words. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has introduced a new item of vocabulary into the Japanese
    (    )   preferred word. There were 478,000 responses. The word kokushobi garnered nearly 203,000 votes.
    (    )   records began in 1898. Temperatures were 2.36ºC above average. The Mainichi newspaper
    (    )   since 2018. In August 2025, the town of Isesaki, Gunma Prefecture, recorded the highest temperature ever
    (    )   temperatures were 40ºC. More records were broken in 2025. This was the hottest year since
    (    )   There has been record-breaking heat in Japan in the past decade. The JMA reported days of 40ºC or above every year
    (    )   wrote: "Tokyo recorded 25 days over 35ºC, compared with an annual average

    Put the words in the right order

    1. an   change   Climate   consequence   having   is   unforeseen   .
    2. are   days   Describing   forecasting   or   temperatures   when   40ºC   .
    3. by   prompted   questionnaire   scorching   The   the   was   weather   .
    4. most   preferred   selected   their   visitors   Website   word   .
    5. 203,000   garnered    kokushobi   nearly   The   votes   word   .
    6. been   has   heat   in   Japan   record-breaking   There   .
    7. ever   highest   It   observed   recorded   temperature   the   .
    8. 40ºC   A   days   further   nine   temperatures   were   when   .
    9. began   hottest   records   since   the   This   was   year   .
    10. 52   above   days   Kyoto   logged   temperature   that   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Climate change is having an unforeseen consequential / consequence on language – the creation of / on new words. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has introduced a new item of vocabulary into the Japanese rubicon / lexicon. The neologism is the word "kokushobi," which literally / laterally means "cruelly hot day" or "harshly hot day". The JMA will use it when describing or forecasting days as / when temperatures are 40ºC or above. The JMA conducted the / an online poll of weather-based terminology. The questionnaire was promoted / prompted by the scorching / scorched weather experienced in Japan in recent / recently years. Website visitors selected their most preferred word. There were 478,000 responses. The word kokushobi garnered near / nearly 203,000 votes.

    There has been record-breaking heat in Japan in the passed / past decade. The JMA reported days of / at 40ºC or above every year since 2018. In August 2025, the town at / of Isesaki, Gunma Prefecture, recorded the highest temperature ever / never observed in Japan. The mercury arose / rose to 41.8ºC. There were a further / future nine days when temperatures were 40ºC. More records were broken in 2025. This was the hottest year / yearly since records began in 1898. Temperatures were 2.36ºC over / above average. The Mainichi newspaper wrote: "Tokyo recorded 25 days over 35ºC, compared with an annual average on / of just 4.5 days. Kyoto logged 52 days above that / their temperature, compared with an average of 18.5 days."

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct. Look up the definition of new words.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    Cl_m_t_  ch_ng_  _s  h_v_ng  _n  _nf_r_s__n  c_ns_q__nc_  _n  l_ng__g_  –  th_  cr__t__n  _f  n_w  w_rds.  Th_  J_p_n  M_t__r_l_g_c_l  _g_ncy  (JM_)  h_s  _ntr_d_c_d  _  n_w  _t_m  _f  v_c_b_l_ry  _nt_  th_  J_p_n_s_  l_x_c_n.  Th_  n__l_g_sm  _s  th_  w_rd  "k_k_sh_b_,"  wh_ch  l_t_r_lly  m__ns  "cr__lly  h_t  d_y"  _r  "h_rshly  h_t  d_y".  Th_  JM_  w_ll  _s_  _t  wh_n  d_scr_b_ng  _r  f_r_c_st_ng  d_ys  wh_n  t_mp_r_t_r_s  _r_  40ºC  _r  _b_v_.  Th_  JM_  c_nd_ct_d  _n  _nl_n_  p_ll  _f  w__th_r-b_s_d  t_rm_n_l_gy.  Th_  q__st__nn__r_  w_s  pr_mpt_d  by  th_  sc_rch_ng  w__th_r  _xp_r__nc_d  _n  J_p_n  _n  r_c_nt  y__rs.  W_bs_t_  v_s_t_rs  s_l_ct_d  th__r  m_st  pr_f_rr_d  w_rd.  Th_r_  w_r_  478,000  r_sp_ns_s.  Th_  w_rd  k_k_sh_b_  g_rn_r_d  n__rly  203,000  v_t_s.

    Th_r_  h_s  b__n  r_c_rd-br__k_ng  h__t  _n  J_p_n  _n  th_  p_st  d_c_d_.  Th_  JM_  r_p_rt_d  d_ys  _f  40ºC  _r  _b_v_  _v_ry  y__r  s_nc_  2018.  _n  __g_st  2025,  th_  t_wn  _f  _s_s_k_,  G_nm_  Pr_f_ct_r_,  r_c_rd_d  th_  h_gh_st  t_mp_r_t_r_  _v_r  _bs_rv_d  _n  J_p_n.  Th_  m_rc_ry  r_s_  t_  41.8ºC.  Th_r_  w_r_  _  f_rth_r  n_n_  d_ys  wh_n  t_mp_r_t_r_s  w_r_  40ºC.  M_r_  r_c_rds  w_r_  br_k_n  _n  2025.  Th_s  w_s  th_  h_tt_st  y__r  s_nc_  r_c_rds  b_g_n  _n  1898.  T_mp_r_t_r_s  w_r_  2.36ºC  _b_v_  _v_r_g_.  Th_  M__n_ch_  n_wsp_p_r  wr_t_:  "T_ky_  r_c_rd_d  25  d_ys  _v_r  35ºC,  c_mp_r_d  w_th  _n  _nn__l  _v_r_g_  _f  j_st  4.5  d_ys.  Ky_t_  l_gg_d  52  d_ys  _b_v_  th_t  t_mp_r_t_r_,  c_mp_r_d  w_th  _n  _v_r_g_  _f  18.5  d_ys."

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    climate change is having an unforeseen consequence on language the creation of new words the japan meteorological agency jma has introduced a new item of vocabulary into the japanese lexicon the neologism is the word kokushobi which literally means cruelly hot day or harshly hot day the jma will use it when describing or forecasting days when temperatures are 40ºc or above the jma conducted an online poll of weatherbased terminology the questionnaire was prompted by the scorching weather experienced in japan in recent years website visitors selected their most preferred word there were 478000 responses the word kokushobi garnered nearly 203000 votes

    there has been recordbreaking heat in japan in the past decade the jma reported days of 40ºc or above every year since 2018 in august 2025 the town of isesaki gunma prefecture recorded the highest temperature ever observed in japan the mercury rose to 418ºc there were a further nine days when temperatures were 40ºc more records were broken in 2025 this was the hottest year since records began in 1898 temperatures were 236ºc above average the mainichi newspaper wrote tokyo recorded 25 days over 35ºc compared with an annual average of just 45 days kyoto logged 52 days above that temperature compared with an average of 185 days

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Climatechangeishavinganunforeseenconsequenceonlanguage–th
    ecreationofnewwords.TheJapanMeteorologicalAgency(JMA)hasintr
    oducedanewitemofvocabularyintotheJapaneselexicon.Theneologis
    mistheword"kokushobi,"whichliterallymeans"cruellyhotday"or"har
    shlyhotday".TheJMAwilluseitwhendescribingorforecastingdayswhe
    ntemperaturesare40ºCorabove.TheJMAconductedanonlinepollofwe
    ather-basedterminology.Thequestionnairewaspromptedbythescor
    chingweatherexperiencedinJapaninrecentyears.Websitevisitorssele
    ctedtheirmostpreferredword.Therewere478,000responses.Thewor
    dkokushobigarnerednearly203,000votes.Therehasbeenrecord-br
    eakingheatinJapaninthepastdecade.TheJMAreporteddaysof40ºCor
    aboveeveryyearsince2018.InAugust2025,thetownofIsesaki,Gunm
    aPrefecture,recordedthehighesttemperatureeverobservedinJapan.
    Themercuryroseto41.8ºC.Therewereafurtherninedayswhentemper
    atureswere40ºC.Morerecordswerebrokenin2025.Thiswasthehottes
    tyearsincerecordsbeganin1898.Temperatureswere2.36ºCaboveav
    erage.TheMainichinewspaperwrote:"Tokyorecorded25daysover35º
    C,comparedwithanannualaverageofjust4.5days.Kyotologged52day
    sabovethattemperature,comparedwithanaverageof18.5days."

    Free writing

    Write about hot days for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    The climate will pose an existential threat to humanity. Discuss.

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    Homework

    1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
    2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. HOT DAYS: Make a poster about hot days. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. TOO LATE: Write a magazine article about it being too late to reverse climate change. Include imaginary interviews with people who believe this and with those who don't.
    Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
    5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
    6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on hot days. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on what to do on hot days. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

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    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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